The fully integrated and automated architecture helps TV5 to streamline their master control workflows, improve operational efficiencies and easily expand as their business evolves.

The new system provides a scalable and flexible playout solution for the two flagship channels, TV5 and One News, as well as support for other channels and comprehensive media management. The master control system includes shared storage built on Imagine’s Versio IOX platform, which in turn integrates with the broadcaster’s legacy NAS storage and archive network, ensuring easy access to all stored content.

“We chose Imagine Communications’ solution because of its flexibility and scalability and because it readily integrated with our existing technology,” said Ronaldo A. Hernandez, Office-in-charge (OIC), Network Engineering at TV5. “Additionally, the graphical user interface is completely intuitive, bringing simplicity of operations and allowing our teams to be up and running very quickly. The new system provides increased efficiency and reliability that enables us to build on our existing workflows without impacting our daily operations and ensures that we deliver the engaging content our viewers demand.”

Hernandez added, “We are pleased with Versio Graphics, which simplifies the graphics creation process and enables us to support logo, real-time animation, video or audio clip, text crawler, dynamic branding (now, next and later), and DVEs. The two SDI inputs allow the playout to switch the two live feeds back-to-back seamlessly. Additionally, the multiple outputs can be configured on Versio to serve different purposes, whether the output is for the main branded program, clean, pre-set, branded+ or simulcast.”

Playout uses Imagine’s software-defined Versio solution configured as full 2+2 redundancy for the main channels and as a 3+1 playout network to support the broadcaster’s other operations, including separate feeds for the ISDB digital terrestrial output. Imagine’s ADC automation provides system level control, managing asset movements as well as precision playout. An intuitive graphical user interface makes it even easier to use, while offering a high level of channel security with alarms and logs to the system.

The MCR installation is completed with Imagine’s Platinum IP3 router. As well as switching all the facility’s signals, under both automatic and manual control, the router includes integrated multiviewer functionality, which allows operators to create monitoring setups to meet their precise requirements. Because the multiviewers are integral to the router, it enabled TV5 to simplify the installation, reduce cabling and rack requirements, and minimize power consumption.