Planning and Designing the IP Broadcast Facility

Book excerpt: The transition to computer-based technologies and file-based workflows is one of the most significant changes the broadcast and production industry has seen. Media is produced for multiple delivery platforms: Over the Air, Over the Top, large screen displays, cable, satellite, web, digital signage, tablets, and smartphones. These changes impact all aspects of creation, production, media management, technical operations, business processes, and distribution to end users. Of all the books and papers discussing storage mapping, packet transport, and compression algorithms, none puts all the pieces together and explains where these fit into the whole environment. Planning and Designing the IP Broadcast Facility is the first to provide a comprehensive understanding of the technology architecture, physical facility changes, and—most importantly—the new media management workflows and business processes to support the entire lifecycle of the IP broadcast facility from an engineering and workflow perspective. Key features: This beginning-to-end perspective gives you the necessary knowledge to make the decisions to implement a cost-effective file-based production and distribution system. The cohesive, big-picture viewpoint helps you identify the differences in a tape-based facility, then how to overcome the unique challenges of upgrading your plant. Case studies throughout the book serve as recommendations and examples of use, helping you weigh the pros and cons of various approaches.