Category
Network automation
Submitted by Sundance Digital Design Team Ascent Media: Kurt Liddi, VP eng.; Heather Bianco, VP op.; David Linick, proj. mgr.; Dan Keenan, proj. mgr.; Ken Breitenstein, mgr. of automation
Sundance Digital: Emerson Ray, dir. of strategic account sales; Ty Atherholt, dir. of sales, Eastern region; Luis Munoz, proj. mgr.; Casey Thi, service mgr.; Rick Stora, product mgr. Technology at work Front Porch/StorageTek archive system
Harris IconMaster MC switcher
Omneon Spectrum media network server
Sundance Digital
Archive Manager
DataMover
DDMS file software
List processors
NewsRecorder
SIDON device control
Titan automation
TitanSync automation
Ascent Media installs bicoastal automation solutions to support its growing business
When the additional demands of new business hit Ascent Media, it was time for a bicoastal upgrade. The organization offers broadcast, cable and satellite network distribution solutions from Stamford, CT, and Burbank, CA. The East Coast Network Origination Center (NOC) has handled distribution for the YES Network, A&E Television Networks and the NFL, and recently added the NHL Network. The West Coast NOC distributes the “Classic Arts Showcase,” a free cable TV program, and added ReelzChannel, a cable and satellite network, to its roster.
The new networks meant that an infusion of advanced, scalable and reliable technology was needed to provide the highest quality transmission service that caters to high-profile sports and entertainment channels. The dynamic nature of sports networks typically requires individual live master control rooms, while entertainment programming needs more efficient multichannel operations.
Ascent Media opted to unify each origination center under the central control of a robust automation configuration. In the end, it chose nearly identical, but individually operated, fully redundant, multichannel Sundance Digital Titan automation solutions.
The new automation systems enabled Ascent to add channels easily to Titan as its roster grew. Recently, an additional three channels were added for agile, on-demand stations to accommodate live events as needed.
Each highly scalable configuration drives an Omneon Spectrum server and Harris IconMaster master control switchers for branding. Sundance Digital’s MediaCacher was installed in both locations to efficiently and robotically cache content from tape to the servers.
Although the Titans are near mirror images of each other, some individuality was required to maximize efficiency. The spontaneous nature of the sports networks serviced by Stamford’s playback center required a system responsive to real-time, last-minute playlist changes due to game timeouts, rain delays and the like. Sundance Digital’s NewsRecorder was installed to achieve the live ingest of sporting events for server-based playback.
In Burbank, Titan drives a Front Porch/StorageTek archive system that is an important component of the entertainment-centric ReelzChannel and “Classic Arts Showcase.”
In Stamford, each channel operates from its own master control room. In Burbank, the networks are managed in a multicustomer room. Both facilities are multicustomer installations and require significant scalability.
The new automation solution cost-effectively increases Ascent’s existing platform to accommodate additional customers without needing to purchase a new automation system each time business grows.
