The NBC Universal Local Media Group and its owned-and-operated local TV stations are using an automated HD playout system fed by Thomson Grass Valley video server technology. The HD servers are helping the network’s stations share material and broadcast HD content at the local level.
NBC Universal Local Media Group’s migration to an HD commercial spot delivery platform involves multiple Thomson Grass Valley K2 HD media servers, which are now installed at each of eight participating stations to support an FTP content delivery platform. HD commercials are centrally managed at the NBC hub in Burbank, CA, and then sent to each local station’s K2 HD server. All of these commercials will playout from the K2 servers in their respective local markets.
The delivery platform was launched to support the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing and now serves as the group’s new method for sharing HD commercials, promos and electronic billboards among its NBC Universal O&O TV stations.
Dubbed the Local Media Content Server (LMCS) project, the new file-based commercial playout platform, leverages a dedicated IP-based WAN connection among stations. Four new Thomson Grass Valley K2 HD media servers are now installed at each station to support this FTP-style platform. Each station can download a file at its convenience, at a previously scheduled time or immediately, if necessary. The major benefit is that the files are prepped for air one time in Burbank and are ready for air immediately upon arriving at their destination.
The eight NBC O&O stations deploying new Thomson Grass Valley K2 HD servers as part of the LMCS project include: WNBC in New York City, WRC in Washington, D.C., WCAU in Philadelphia, WMAQ in Chicago, KXAS in Dallas/Fort Worth, KNBC in Los Angeles, KNSD in San Diego and KNTV in San Francisco.
For more information, visit www.thomsongrassvalley.com.
