Overview
Pakistan’s Express Media Group has expanded its channel offering with the launch of e-entertainment, the country’s first HD channel, and Hero TV, a third channel featuring news and entertainment. Both channels are played out using the broadcaster’s Vector 3 MultiPlay system with the HD 8000 VServers. The system is configured with dual redundant channels and preview capacity, with Vector Autovia providing control of redundancy operations and Vector MediaManager automating the content ingest, file operations and clip movement to the servers.
The Express Media Group, part of the Lakson group of companies, is one of the largest conglomerates in Pakistan with a variety of businesses including media interests in print and broadcasting. In addition to its television and radio stations, the group operates two daily newspapers in Urdu and English.
Challenge
In 2011 Express Media bet on the future with MultiPlay architecture for the launch of Express News, the Express Media Group’s first channel. With these innovations, they could power the new channels and further integrate playout with the broadcaster’s VizRT graphics system and in-house newsroom control system. For the HD entertainment channel, the system is configured with dual redundant channels and preview capacity, with Vector Autovia providing control of redundancy operations and Vector MediaManager automating the content ingests, file operations and clip movement to the servers. The installation for Hero TV is configured with VectorBox News, Imagena and VectorBox DSX.
Express Media was so happy with the systems and support received from Vector 3 and their local partners that when they decided to start the 2nd News channels, “HERO TV” they again decided to go with Vectorbox DSX for MCR and Vectorbox NEWS for PCR. This time, the systems were integrated with their own NRCS systems, Vizrt through MOS, Nevion routers, etc.
Solution and workflow
Local integrator AA Systems worked throughout the channel launches to provide system configuration and integration with the broadcaster’s graphics and management systems. AA Systems has established a close working relationship with Express Media, and continues to provide day-to-day operational and maintenance expertise.
“The playout system from Vector 3 has been an excellent platform for our growth, providing all the functions and performance we need to create these new channels,” said Express Media Group. “Excellent local support and the system’s robustness in operation together with very good integration with the workflow make it straightforward to expand our operation. We are definitely considering adding more channels with MultiPlay in the near future.”
Vector MultiPlay is Vector 3’s high-end modular system for multichannel broadcasting applications. Combining the flexible benefits of IT-based technology with the on-air reliability broadcast engineers demand, MultiPlay is scalable channel-by-channel to any size of operation, and renders the traditional master control room obsolete by providing all the required functionality without the need for proprietary video equipment.
