It enables immediate application within existing SDI baseband architectures whilst also future-proofing them by offering IP-based broadcast infrastructure and workflows.

“We are committed to using open standards that offer new features, functionality and services rather than being locked in devices and products,” commented Michael Hackl, Product Management, File-based Media Solutions. “R&S VENICE allows communication and integration via the framework for interoperable media services (FIMS) standard. Also, incorporating open standards rather than proprietary APIs grants interoperability with a wide range of third party vendor equipment. 

“An open communication standard such as FIMS is an absolute requirement in today’s multi-vendor broadcast environment – by using IT and internet friendly communications technology we have developed R&S VENICE into a production and channel playout platform that is open to adoption and integration with the broadest range of media companies and industry suppliers.”

The system’s implementation of Rohde & Schwarz proprietary virtual storage access technology enables “uninterrupted broadcast operations with no performance degradation in the event of single or multiple simultaneous failures,” said Hackl.

When combined with R&S SpycerBox Cell storage systems supported by IBM Spectrum Scale file system, the virtual storage access technology provides multiple layers of data redundancy from low-cost to enterprise-scale configurations capable of covering multiple system failures.

“The advanced UHD capabilities of R&S VENICE with parallel 1080 down-conversion functionality enables users to quickly and easily establish high resolution services whilst still maintaining the simple infrastructures used within existing HD workflows,” said Hackl. “The system’s integrated toolset – which includes features such as data de-interlacing, closed caption extraction and insertion, DolbyE decoding and many more – makes many additional hardware and software products redundant whilst helping customers to reduce the complexity of their production workflows and infrastructures.”