TMD, a leading provider of asset management systems for digital and physical assets, has implemented an automated file based delivery and acceptance solution for the BBC. From October 2014 the BBC commenced receiving programmes as DPP compliant files. DPP is a UK implementation of the AMWA AS-11 international standard for file delivery.
As one of the founders of DPP, the BBC initially implemented a manual system to meet the BBC’s 2014 deadline. TMD was engaged to replace the manual solution with an automated solution, using metadata-driven workflows implemented within its Mediaflex® asset management platform. As of August 2015 the BBC has an automated DPP compliant file based delivery and acceptance system, using Mediaflex® for file based delivered programmes.
Triggered by files arriving in designated watch folders, Mediaflex extracts DPP metadata from the files and raises the appropriate workflow depending upon an analysis of the file metadata, allowing these to be validated by the BBC’s Media Services Team. Media is passed through configurable workflows in Mediaflex. Mediaflex interacts, via APIs, with the Interra Baton AQC System to verify DDP format compliance, Telestream Vantage to create proxy versions and AmberFin iCR to normalise any detected format issues.
Media processing can be prioritised based on analysis of the advanced programme schedules within the system and a clear dynamic status for all media against daily schedules is provided by Mediaflex’s MiSR missing materials reporting tool.
Mediaflex uses Signiant Agents to move or copy TX Ready content to the appropriate storage locations. Locations include in-house pre-TX storage, and the BBC’s outsourced playout service provider. Mediaflex automatically moves transmitted content to post-TX storage based on an analysis of the received TX As-Run logs. Mediaflex also provides the capability to distribute content to a variety of other destinations across the BBC.
Mediaflex delivers autonomous end-to-end automated workflows from content arriving in the building, through to long-term archiving. Mediaflex also provides the facility for manual workflows to satisfy additional business requirements.
“On 24 August 2015 we switched to an automated and resilient method of receiving digital files and retaining them for our digital archive and a mechanism for delivering them to playout,” said Marina Kalkanis, Director of Platform and Common Services at the BBC. “Indeed, we already have more than 2500 file-delivered programmes in the Mediaflex system. This is a great achievement by a dedicated team from the BBC, working in close co-operation with TMD.”
For TMD, CEO Tony Taylor added “This was a hugely prestigious project, and we are delighted to have delivered to the BBC’s milestones. The architecture of the file based delivery and acceptance system means we had to integrate with a number of other vendors’ equipment so achieving this deliverable was a technical challenge. However, we now have a clearly demonstrable automated solution for DPP – and therefore for AMWA AS-11 – running at the leading broadcaster in the UK. This is a great solution which can be rolled out worldwide.”
TMD will be showcasing Mediaflex and the metadata-driven automated workflows that can be built on it at IBC (Amsterdam, 11 – 15 September), stand 2.B59.
