Pharos says yes to file-based broadcasts at NAB

Pharos Communications will demonstrate the latest additions to its Mediator broadcast workflow management system at NAB2007 in Las Vegas. Offering massive benefits over tape-based working routines, Pharos Mediator is an easily-understood and easily-implemented system enabling broadcasters to operate more efficiently and productively.

“Mediator is a modular system which can be tailored to a broadcaster’s exact requirements and then upscaled in line with a fast-evolving market,” comments Pharos Mediator product manager Jason King. “Ingest, quality-control, editing, compliance, on-line storage, archiving and transcoding are all handled by a single system. Mediator’s web-based user interface is inherently easy to operate, giving all the information required for each process, from programme acquisition to playout. On successful completion of each task the material is automatically delivered to the next operator in the right format. In this way, content is forwarded for transmission at the right time with alerts being raised to inform supervisors of any items missing from the playlist before they are required on-air”.

“Mediator eliminates the engineering issues that distract creative staff in traditional broadcast workflow environments,” adds Pharos’ Technical Director Spencer Rodd. “Based on standard IT platforms and networked digital storage with a high level of integral redundancy, it is easy to monitor and maintain. All source material is converted into a digital file on first arrival using Mediator’s comprehensive suite of ingest tools. This removes the problem of lost tapes and immediately makes the resultant files available to every user, effectively sharing material which previously could only be accessed by the tape holder. File-based operation also reduces the cost of running and maintaining the system.”

Based in Reading, England, Pharos Communications (www.pharos-comms.com) is focused on software architecture for broadcast process management. Since its formation in 1997, Pharos has developed a wide range of systems for automating the flow of material through broadcast facilities including playout presentation, media asset management, archiving, and facility management.