In many ways, digital file-based production represents the future of broadcast operations, but why are so few broadcasters and facilities seizing this opportunity to create revolutionary efficiency within their broadcast workflows?
This is the question posed by Bruce Devlin, CTO at AmberFin, a company that has embarked on a campaign aimed at promoting the uptake of the Digital Production Partnership (DPP) application specifications for the adoption of the MXF interchange format by the UK broadcast industry.
The campaign includes a special online event on 13 February, where AmberFin will team up with ATG Broadcast to host a DPP focussed webinar that will hear from some of DPP’s supporters including Shane Tucker – development engineer, Distribution & Broadcast Technology, Channel 4; Steve Plunkett – CTO, Red Bee Media; Kim Thesiger – MD, TVT and Devlin.
To register to attend the DPP webinar go to http://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/623028494
Will DPP fuel the file-based workflow revolution? Devlin argues that the entire modus operandi of digital file-based operation is more suited to today’s multimedia landscape than tape-based operations. The big challenge, so he says, is communicating this message to broadcasters and facilities in ways where they identify and grasp the tremendous opportunities being offered by this technology revolution.
“The move to complete file-based workflows represents a tremendous opportunity for production companies and their clients alike,’ Devlin continues. “We can liberate the creative process from the craft technologies that characterised tape-based production, empowering easy access to content with an ability to view that content on standard devices (be they laptops, tablets, computers or smartphones), and create seamless movement of content.’
All revolutions require strategies in order to be successful and in this situation a key requirement is an appropriate common data interchange format. The standard was established as long ago as 2004 when SMPTE published the MXF (Media Exchange Format) standard. However, a big challenge remains in the way that the MXF specification is applied to the broadcast industry.
More recently, individuals within the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) pointed out that MXF would be better if the media business problem solved with the MXF toolbox was more clearly identified. These people worked with forward thinking members of the end user community and a range of Application Specifications were created.
“The Digital Production Partnership is perhaps the first of these Application Specifications to receive national scale adoption and it certainly won’t be the last,’ concludes Devlin. “DPP provides a framework that enables the UK industry to come together and share best practices in digital production and help producers and broadcasters maximize the potential of the digital revolution. Also, it leads the standardization of technical and metadata requirements within the UK, helping to ensure digital video content can be easily and cost-effectively distributed to audiences via multiple platforms.’
A leading technology contributor to the DPP initiative, AmberFin is the first vendor to introduce a DPP specific media file transcoder and ingest workstation. Designated iCR-100-DPP (transcoder) and iCR-300-DPP (media ingest workstation), these new products reflect AmberFin’s aim of addressing the broadest range of media organizations with enterprise level solutions that are designed to meet their specific business needs. In the UK, these products are available through AmberFin’s channel partner ATG Broadcast.
