Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations (IPBS), a consortium of eight PBS TV stations and nine NPR radio stations serving communities across Indiana, is installing a Harris Broadcast networking solution to efficiently share and manage broadcast content across all 17 member stations. Based on a new cost-efficient, high-bandwidth fiber and IP video network, the project gives these Indiana PBS member stations unprecedented real-time content sharing, collaboration and distribution capabilities for television and radio.
The complete Harris Broadcast solution includes the Selenio media convergence platform for HD/SD video networking, Intraplex IP Link 100 and 200 codecs for audio networking, and the Magellan NMS solution for network-wide systems control and management. The entire solution positions IPBS for the future with a configurable, expandable baseband/IP video platform that can adapt to new standards and operational requirements, and interoperate with third-party technology.
Until now, real-time content sharing between member stations has been extremely challenging due to the high cost of satellite time and technical limitations. When the build-out is complete, member stations will have the resources to do more live, real-time programming across the state in an efficient and streamlined manner. Creative storytelling and HD contribution capabilities will vastly expand because it’s no longer an impossibly expensive and cumbersome proposition.
For example, Selenio will control production travel costs by easily enabling every station on the network to carry live interviews from another IPBS station, or otherwise share content over the IP network. The Indiana Channel is one IPBS program service that will benefit from live, real-time networking, as it packages member station-produced features on topics of interest that appeal to viewers statewide.
Meanwhile, Intraplex IP Link technology will enable IPBS NPR member stations to distribute full-bandwidth broadcast-quality audio streams and low-resolution confidence monitoring streams via IP multicast. IPBS radio stations will use IP Link codecs to share radio shows and contribute live news reports to one or more IPBS radio stations. They will also serve as regional news bureaus, feeding the statewide IPBS radio network far more easily and efficiently than previously possible.
Magellan NMS streamlines management of the entire IPBS workflow, ensuring smooth and efficient movement of high-quality video and audio media over the network. The consolidation of all contribution video and audio into a single user interface greatly simplifies the distribution process amongst the stations. The Magellan NMS architecture includes several thousand network drivers, simplifying future connectivity to other products in the IPBS workflow including network switches, routers and servers.
Harris Broadcast will configure the entire system at WFYI, the IPBS member station in Indianapolis, and train station engineers at this location over a two-day period. Individual stations will later migrate their components to the field as the I-Light network service becomes available locally.
