Unitecnic Selects Vizrt MAM for beIN SPORT

beIN SPORT, the global network of sports channels operated by Al Jazeera, launched a Viz Media Engine based workflow for archiving and overall media asset management of its extensive programming content. The system is being used for the launch of two new U.S. channels under the umbrella of beIN SPORT USA – beIN Sport HD, in English and beIN Ñ, in Spanish, both having SAP capabilities.

beIN SPORT USA is a Miami-based 24-hour provider of international sports coverage, currently being carried by Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Dish, Comcast, Liberty Cablevision and Direct TV.

The Viz Media Engine selection was made by Unitecnic, a Barcelona-based broadcast and multimedia engineering firm, for beIN SPORT. Unitecnic chose Viz Media Engine based upon the specific technical requirements of beIN SPORT and worked closely with the broadcaster throughout the installation and initial implementation of the system. Unitecnic worked with the Miami-based Imagina U.S., a production and broadcast services provider company, who provided  the full operational service for beIN SPORT’s new channels in his own
facility.

The Viz Media Engine is integrated with beIN’s Avid Media Composer editing system and its Grass Valley K2 video servers for both import and export. The Viz Media Engine provides access to all media. Using the K2 servers, it manages all of the channel’s playout tasks. WTVision’s Channelmaker playout automation system interfaces with the Viz Media Engine, monitoring playout and triggering transfer request between the Viz Media Engine and K2 servers as needed.

beIN went live with the Viz Media Engine MAM/archiving system at the end of October 2012. The hardware and software installation was completed in just four weeks, making the overall project duration from start to launch just two months. The rapid launch was a critical requirement for  beIN SPORT.

Thanks to the Viz Media Engine integration, two new archiving workflows are possible:

• From the Avid editing system, content can be manually imported into the Viz Media Engine and then exported (either manually or via an automated request) to the K2 playout server for review before on-air delivery.
• From the K2 server, files can be manually transferred to the Viz Media Engine after broadcast. These files can originate as a direct ingest into the K2 or  as a transferred file from Avid.

WTVision, a provider of real-time graphics and channel automation solutions, used the Viz Media Engine APIs, that are REST-based, to integrate the Viz Media Engine with beIN’s traffic and billing software from Broadway Systems.

Critical to beIN’s selection of the Viz Media Engine was the systems’ support of Sony’s XDCAM HD422 and how it handles partial restores. Viz Media Engine include advanced and proven technology to work with partial restore throughout the complete workflow from archiving to restoring media from the LTO tape library.

The storage capacity of the archive system is designed to last beIN well into the future, but the network is already looking into extending the size of the system and adding more groups to the MAM set up.

“The Viz Media Engine had everything we were looking for in a MAM and archive system to launch these important new channels in the U.S. market,” said  Marc Andreu,  Media Manager, beIN SPORT. “The ease of integration with the other manufacturers, ease of use for our operators and ability to restore XDCAM files were all must-haves to make our facility function as we envisioned. We are  so excited to share this way with Vizrt.”