ARD broadcasters have taken another major step towards connected, fully tapeless television workflows. Requirements developed by a joint ARD project group were implemented by Munich-based D.A.V.I.D. GmbH, allowing the video file transfer system to enter regular operation in October. Alongside conventional line transmission, broadcasters and the ARD central switching point can exchange individual contributions or complete programmes as standardised MXF video files. More than 15,000 video contributions have already been transferred through the system since the start of the year.
The workflow partly automates distribution in a manner similar to email, avoids extensive line scheduling and can deliver material to several recipients simultaneously. D.A.V.I.D. supplies the software for replication systems built from standard IT components.
Each connected broadcaster has a head-end system that sends and receives video in Material Exchange Format together with a separate descriptive metadata file. D.A.V.I.D. also provides conversion from each broadcaster’s internal formats to MXF and any transcoding needed to turn incoming third-party formats into local production or playout formats.
Transfers use ARD’s own ATM network infrastructure. Individual contributions and complete programmes can move faster than real time over TCP/IP in point-to-point or point-to-multipoint configurations, even where sending and receiving broadcasters use different internal file formats.
ARD and IRT selected MXF as the common transport format. Contributions can be requested and sent without the line-office scheduling previously required. Where the broadcaster’s internal systems permit it, the platform supports completely file-based, tapeless operation.
Technical and editorial information about contributions, senders and recipients travels in the separate metadata file. Broadcasters can use this data to automate transcoding or archiving, import metadata into internal databases, trigger delivery to regional studios, or send email notifications to editorial staff.
Ulrich Helm, Sales Director at D.A.V.I.D., says the project gives ARD broadcasters cross-site, file-based video workflows and that the number of completed transfers indicates user acceptance.
