PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil—Brazilian media conglomerate Grupo RBS has selected Appear to deploy Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) primary distribution solutions to centralize master control and playout functions at a single site.
The deployment relies on Appear’s hardware-accelerated SRT technology to connect 11 sub-affiliate sites across the nation to a central master control room (MCR) and playout operation in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Previously each site had its own MCR and playout, the company said.
“Centralizing our MCR and playout operations required a robust solution that seamlessly connects a multitude of feeds from various sites across [the] South of Brazil into our facility in Porto Alegre. Appear’s SRT-enabled X Platform meant we could integrate feeds from different interfaces and sources with ease,” Grupo RBS engineering manager Roberto Hoffmann said.
SRT is rapidly becoming the preferred protocol for primary video distribution for broadcasters thanks to its ability to overcome the obstacles of traditional broadcast delivery over unreliable networks, according to Appear. This is especially important when streaming content from central playout facilities to geographically dispersed local affiliate stations, Appear said.
One of the main challenges in primary distribution over the public internet is ensuring broadcast-quality signal integrity, where packet loss, jitter and unpredictable bandwidth can challenge traditional transport protocols. SRT effectively tackles these issues with error correction mechanisms, adapting to network quality, Appear said.
“Appear’s proactive approach in understanding our needs from the beginning was paramount to the project’s success,” Hoffman said. “It was actively involved in the proof-of-concept process, proposing effective solutions that perfectly aligned with our needs. Moreover, the X Platform met all technical requirements and was the right size for the project. Our partnership with Appear not only enhances our operational efficiency but also paves the way for better broadcast experiences in Brazil, through reducing points of failure and enabling us to concentrate on ensuring that our single super-playout center is the most advanced in LATAM.”
Appear’s X Platform SRT solution provides low-cost channel transmission over the public internet, according to the company. It enables replacement of expensive satellite links and dedicated fiber circuits. SRT also empowers operators to reduce the transport budget of moving studio functionality such as media asset management to the cloud, Appear said.
In a single 2RU chassis, Appear’s X20 Platform as an SRT gateway can handle up to 1,536 connections (12 cards with 128 connections per card) and up to 72 Gigabits of SRT traffic. SRT enables organizations to change the economics of migration to Internet distribution in their favor, it said.
