12 March 2012
The Namibia
Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has been making use of an Avid iNEWS system from
Jasco Broadcast Solutions for the past nine years. When the hardware on this
legacy system became obsolete and NBC began to experience compatibility and
server-related issues, they turned to Jasco once more to deliver an upgraded
solution. The upgrade includes the latest version of iNEWS as well as
additional management, control and archiving systems.
“Our system was
nine years old and we started experiencing problems with legacy equipment in
2010. Official hardware and software support was also no longer available for
our specific solution set. Although Jasco Broadcast Solutions have always been
available and provided their assistance, we began to become concerned about the
lack of formal support. We needed an upgrade that would bring us up to speed
with the current supported hardware and software versions. Thanks to our
longstanding relationship and history with Jasco Broadcast Solutions, they were
the obvious choice to deliver the upgrade,” says Aldred Dreyer, Chief Technical
Officer at NBC.
NBC’s upgraded
solution includes a brand new iNEWS central server core, which offers a full
range of tools for the newsroom, from editing to playout control to
distribution. The latest ISIS 5000 centralised storage solution delivers
real-time, media optimised shared storage for both News and Production
departments. The solution also incorporates the Avid Interplay Production Asset
Management (PAM) system which enables integrated management and control of all
media assets on the system. In addition, a new Front Porch Digital archive tape
storage solution will be incorporated as part of a new extension to NBC’s
current Avid Media Asset Management system.
“Bearing in mind
that the life expectancy of hardware and software is generally around five
years, the fact that NBC’s iNEWS solution was still going after nine years is
testament to the quality of the solution. However, an upgrade was definitely
necessary at this stage. The new solution we have provided to NBC will be used
by both the News and Production Programming departments. It will not only
deliver the latest broadcasting and management technologies, it will also
assist with improving workflows and increasing storage capability, something
which has become increasingly important given the content creation explosion we
are experiencing today,” says Hoosein Moolla, Sales Executive: Africa at Jasco
Broadcast Solutions.
Implementation
of the upgraded iNEWS solution began at the start of August and will take a
phased approach, for estimated completion at the end of October. The first
stage in the implementation requires the removal of obsolete CAT5 cable
infrastructure and the installation of a new CAT6 cable infrastructure. The
solution will then be installed before setup and testing will commence. At the
same time, Jasco Broadcast Solutions will be working with NBC to investigate
their current workflows and develop new workflows for the upgraded system.
Commissioning and training will also form part of the process before the
solution is handed over to NBC on completion.
“We currently
have 150 iNEWS users in Windhoek and our various regions, and the upgrade will
add an extra 30 users to the platform. With this new solution we are looking
forward to having up to three times more video storage space, extended
workflows that include local television programmes and sport, and accommodation
for more local programming. The new solution also makes storage expansion
easier for the future, and the upgrade delivers extended scalability to include
additional users as needed,” says Dreyer.
“Our
relationship with Jasco has been a longstanding one, including the original
iNEWS and Avid solutions, as well as the upgrade of our two studios three years
ago. They were the natural choice for this upgrade as they have always been
reliable and have provided excellent technical support on all previous
installations. We look forward to a continuing relationship in future,” he
concludes.