beIN Asia Pacific Enhances Broadcast Distribution With Appear’s X Platform

Appear has announced its strategic partnership with beIN ASIA PACIFIC, a leading multi-platform sports media network, enabling a significant modernization of beIN’s broadcast infrastructure across the Asia Pacific region and enhancing its international contribution capabilities. Following rigorous testing, beIN selected Appear’s X Platform for its performance, reduced ecological footprint, and competitive pricing.
This collaboration involves two pivotal deployments that underscore beIN’s commitment to advanced IP-based workflows for high-quality, efficient content delivery.
“Our investment in Appear’s X Platform is a pivotal step in our strategic evolution towards an IP-centric broadcast infrastructure,” said Sabil Salim, Vice President, Media Technology & Operations at beIN Asia Pacific. “The X20 platform provides the dedicated capacity and quality we need for our broadcast partners and remote editing platform, distinctly separate from our OTT services and playout. Coupled with the X10’s efficient SRT contribution, Appear delivers the performance, agility, and cost-efficiency that are paramount for our operations, allowing us to overcome previous limitations and innovate faster.”
beIN ASIA PACIFIC has deployed Appear’s high-capacity X20 encoder as part of a major broadcast feed distribution project. This dedicated system, configured in a robust 1+1 redundancy setup, handles 44 live feeds, drawing from a mix of IP and SDI sources. It is specifically designed to support services for non-traditional broadcast platform partners and external editing environments, providing beIN with the versatility to address changing business needs with ease.
The X20 platform is purpose-built for broadcast and operates separately from beIN’s OTT and playout services. This strategic separation addresses previous operational limitations and capacity constraints experienced when shared encoders handled diverse workflows. The system also supports essential broadcast features like 1080i to 1080p conversion with logo insertion and is Hardware 4K Ready, ensuring high-quality output for demanding broadcast environments.
Efficient Doha-Singapore SRT Contribution
beIN has also implemented Appear’s compact 1RU X10 chassis to establish a dedicated contribution link between its facilities in Doha and Singapore. This deployment features a 1+1 setup for 4 contribution feeds, utilizing AVC encoders, marking a strategic transition from traditional fiber to Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) over the public internet.
This move to SRT provides beIN with significant advantages, including lower costs, greater flexibility, and faster provisioning compared to conventional leased fiber circuits. Appear’s hardware-accelerated SRT capabilities ensure reliable, broadcast-quality video transport even over less predictable networks, optimizing beIN’s international content acquisition and transport workflows.
Appear X Platform: Performance, Sustainability, and Value
beIN’s decision to partner with Appear was driven by the X Platform’s proven capabilities across several critical areas:
- Unmatched Performance and Density: The X Platform’s high-capacity, ultra-dense, and low-latency design allows beIN to manage a large number of feeds efficiently within a compact footprint. Its modularity ensures scalability and robust, resilient operations with 1+1 redundancy.
- Reduced Ecological Footprint: A key differentiator, the X Platform is engineered for sustainability, offering significantly lower energy consumption compared to other market-leading solutions. Its high density reduces rack space, cooling demands, and overall operational expenditure, aligning with beIN’s environmental responsibility goals.
- Competitive Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness: The X Platform delivers a lower cost per channel due to its high density and efficient resource utilization. The transition to SRT for contribution further enhances cost savings by leveraging more affordable internet links over expensive traditional fiber.
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