EVS, a provider of live video solutions, working with equipment supplier Danmon
Denmark, has installed new solutions to Discovery Network Denmark – the Danish
branch of Discovery Networks International – to expand the EVS workflow already
in place. Creating a more powerful and flexible live production workflow, the
broadcaster has implemented a brand new XT3 live production server, Xedio
CleanEdit and router control functionalities to the existing IPDirector PAM system.
This has helped enhance the live studio production of the network’s various sports
shows.
With exclusive national broadcast rights to the Danish Super Liga and some of the
biggest sporting properties in Europe, including the, English Premier League,
Bundesliga, FA Cup football and content from Eurosport, Discovery Networks
Denmark needs to have an easy to use, efficient and reliable solution to produce
world-class content for its audiences.
The existing workflow solution consisted of an XT3 live production server, an
IPDirector PAM content management suite with several clients, XTAccess gateway
units and Xsquare orchestration software. With the addition of another XT3, the new
workflow enhances content management across the network and is integrated
flawlessly with third party solutions like the Avid editing and Piero analytical
systems.
• The two XT3 live production servers – each with an LSM remote control panel
and IPDirector control – record up to 12 HD SDI feeds while using between four and
eight output channels for highlights production, instant replays, studio playback and
sports analysis. The flexibility that the XT3 brings to Discovery’s workflow is a huge
benefit to the network. The powerhouse of the entire workflow, the XT3 ingests all
the feeds from multiple sources and then outputs streams to multiple destinations
via the XTAccess units. With the LSM remote control panels in place, operators can
create highlights during live broadcast and produce clips and live slow motion
replays for playback during studio analysis. The servers are able to efficiently
handle all these operations live, simultaneously and without any impact on the
performance of the workflow.
As any XT3 input channel can be streamed to multiple destinations as growing files
in real time, Discovery’s workflow enables more efficient resource management and
avoids the production of multiple SDI recordings, saving both cost and resources.
• To address the challenge of quickly and easily producing long-form match
summaries of the Bundesliga, Discovery decided to add a Xedio CleanEdit. This lets
them speed up the editing process and turnaround of ingested feeds. EVS’ NLE
allows editors to begin their work on these 30 minute edits as soon as each match
starts. Once they’ve completed a first edit they can immediately begin another,
since Xsquare swiftly handles the rendering of the edits back to the XT3 servers for
playout.
• The IPDirector PAM content management suite is used as an extensive
production asset management system. It allows Discovery to add comprehensive
metadata to content, to schedule the ingest of feeds when multiple matches are
happening simultaneously and for controlling Discovery’s video router. IPDirector
Router Control allows a scheduled record block to control the video source used on
the XT3 ingest channels. This efficiency in resource handling is a big cost saving for
the network and provides a good basis to generate a positive ROI.
Discovery is also able to use IPDirector for content and metadata management and
logging after ingest. It manages the media lifecycle on the servers and shared
storage and lets Discovery gain instant access to content for any production
requirements.
• Discovery Networks Denmark’s Xsquare software and XTAccess units are
controlled and managed by the IPDirector PAM suite. This enables the workflow to
automatically handle media-conforming operations like instant feed streaming, on-
the-fly transcoding, media rewrapping, playlist rendering and EDL generation. It
also acts as a gateway to transfer files to multiple destinations at the same time
including Discovery’s central nearline storage, the Avid ISIS-Interplay post-
production suites, or for web delivery.
The latest workflow expansion was undertaken in order to increase the production
capacity of Discovery’s in-house facility, coping with the network’s growth. It has
also further extended the internal 10Gigabit Ethernet connectivity infrastructure to
allow the EVS solutions to speed up the production processes throughout. The
scalability, flexibility and efficiency that the implementation of EVS solutions offered
were key elements that benefit Discovery. The introduction of a SDI/IP hybrid
workflow over the existing SDI only solution was also incredibly important to the
network.
“Everything has been running smoothly from day one and the implementation of this
new EVS equipment has significantly improved the performance of our workflow,’
said Michael Lind, technical manager, Discovery Networks Denmark.
“The interconnectivity it has improved between the major elements of our workflow
is a huge benefit to Discovery. It’s always exciting to install new technology in such
an important workflow like this and it’s a real pleasure to work with such
extensively developed and well-designed technology as well as with dedicated and
passionate professionals.’
