Tightrope’s Cablecast Community Media to Preview New Direct-to-VOD OTT Workflow at 2019 NAB Show
New features for standalone VOD publishing and live streaming bring platform’s efficient, turnkey online and OTT distribution to customers without cable channels
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, MARCH 18, 2019 – Visitors to Tightrope Media Systems’ 2019 NAB Show suite at the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel (Hospitality Suite 739) can experience a sneak preview of upcoming direct-to-consumer publishing features that bring the Cablecast Community Media platform’s rich online and OTT distribution capabilities to a broader range of content producers. Building on Cablecast’s robust, efficient workflow for automating everything from cable playback to streaming delivery, version 6.7 brings turnkey VOD and live stream publishing for the web and OTT to customers such as schools and local governments even if they don’t operate a cable channel. Significantly, Cablecast 6.7’s publishing workflows enable users to maintain control of the presentation of their content in ways not possible with popular third-party services.
The new standalone online and OTT publishing capabilities continue the company’s proven history of empowering community content providers with streamlined workflows for reaching ‘cord-cutters’ and other audiences on non-traditional viewing devices. Recent Cablecast multi-platform delivery advances included last year’s release of Cablecast Screenweave for effortlessly reaching users of popular OTT player appliances, and enhanced-quality 1080p adaptive bitrate VOD and live streaming delivery.
“For many years, we have been building up our turnkey web video features and Cablecast Reflect content delivery network to help traditional community cable broadcasters keep up with growing trends in on-demand and streaming consumption,” said Steve Israelsky, President, Cablecast Community Media. “For stations that are restricted to SD cable distribution and omitted from electronic program guides, our online and OTT features have given them feature and video quality parity with major commercial networks. But content creation and distribution has become such an important part of every industry and institution that with version 6.7, we want to help more new content providers be successful – even those without cable channels.”
Cablecast 6.7’s new digital file upload feature enables content managers to copy media files onto their server from anywhere. Combining previously separate operational steps, users can add metadata information at the same time they submit the content files through a single,unified interface page. Meanwhile, a new thumbnail selection feature lets users scrub through their video clip to select a promotional image for display in program schedules on Cablecast-powered public websites and VOD content libraries – thus ensuring a professional look while avoiding the need to create or upload an external graphic.
Unlike most popular, free, web-based distribution platforms, Cablecast’s online and OTT content presentations do not insert unwanted advertising in front of producers’ videos, nor suggest third-party content – completely out of the control of the producer – to viewers upon completion of the program. “This is important for government and educational customers who don’t want unrelated, problematic, or commercial content being shown in conjunction with a city council meeting or daily lesson,” explained Israelsky.
Cablecast 6.7 with the new standalone VOD publishing functionality is slated for release in May. Content producers and community broadcasters interested in version 6.7 or other new Cablecast introductions can schedule an NAB Show meeting with the Cablecast Community Media team at http://bit.ly/CablecastNAB2019.
“Combining these new features with our turnkey website and OTT publishing tools for dynamically updating content libraries, version 6.7 offers a very compelling alternative to other web-based video distribution options,” concluded Israelsky. “We’re excited to let people get their hands on it at the NAB Show, and for them to provide us with feedback as we finalize it.”
About Cablecast
For over 20 years, the Cablecast Community Media platform from Tightrope Media Systems has enabled exceptional workflow efficiency, usability and versatility to help local cable channels, campus television and other community media providers engage their viewers in the evolving media landscape. The comprehensive Cablecast product line provides complete, tightly-integrated broadcast solutions including station automation, playout servers, Internet video on demand and live streaming. For more information, visit www.cablecast.tv or call (866) 866-4118.
CP Communications Appoints Jerry Gepner as COO
Industry veteran will leverage his extensive business and technology experience to transform the company into a solutions provider for the content creation market
New York, NY, January 23, 2019 — CP Communications, a leader in innovative solutions and services for live event productions, has appointed Jerry Gepner as Chief Operating Officer. Reporting to CEO Kurt Heitmann, Gepner will drive strategic and business development efforts to help transform the company into a broader media-centric solutions provider that goes beyond its core broadcast focus.
CP Communications has long been an industry leader in RF content acquisition for live production. The company provides services and solutions for many of world’s largest annual sports and live broadcast events, including the World Series, Super Bowl and the U.S. Open, the annual open championship of golf.
Gepner’s appointment comes at a time of aggressive growth for CP Communications, including an increased focus on IP, cloud solutionsand bonded cellular technologies for content acquisition and streaming using its Red House Streaming solutions. Gepner will oversee the continued development of the Red House Streaming solutions offering, including the addition of new services and technologies that serve a broader array of platforms and customers.
“The broadcast and production industry’s acceleration towards an IP infrastructure has opened new business models and opportunities for content producers and distributors, as well as suppliers and service providers,” said Gepner. “CP Communications has provided contentacquisition services for broadcasters at the premier level for three decades, and is well-positioned to spread its expertise into adjacent markets. My background in senior management, finance, technology, and services, including a strong awareness of marketplace dynamics, offers the tools we need to collaboratively grow the CP Communications business with our employees, customers and partners.”
Gepner brings extensive experience to his new role, with proven success in creating and implementing transformative strategies for mid-sized technology businesses. He has held diverse executive-level positions of increasing responsibility with industry suppliers, broadcast networks and service providers over nearly three decades. This includes several years as EVP Field Operations and Engineering for FOX Sports, and CEO of The Vitec Group’s Services Division. He most recently served as CEO of Tekserve and T2 Computing, which were acquired by Axispoint, Inc. in 2017.
Gepner is also a successful entrepreneur. He is a co-founder of Sportvision, the Silicon Valley company that created products ubiquitous in televised sports today. Sportvision, acquired by SMT in 2016, created innovations that include First & Ten®, the virtual first down line used in American football, Racef/x®, the GPS-based auto tracking and data systems for NASCAR, and the Emmy-winning K-Zone® for baseball broadcasts. He is also a five-time Emmy Award winner for technical excellence in sports production.
“Jerry’s impressive track record demonstrates the rare ability to transform niche businesses, opening them to a broader marketplace, leveraging new technologies, business strategies, and organizational structures to build something new and exciting,” said Heitmann. “We’re pleased to welcome him to CP Communications in this important role as he helps to lead the company into its next era of growth and profitability.”
About CP Communications
For more than three decades, CP Communications has provided high-quality, cost-effective live event production solutions to major broadcasters, sports leagues and teams, and event and production companies. Our solutions include access to experienced professionals, state of the art equipment, and innovative technologies and techniques for wireless audio & video content acquisition, transport and delivery. Our culture of innovation, coupled with the highest quality assurance standards and passion for customer service, promote collaboration with our clients to determine the best custom solution for each live event, whether it’s the U.S. Open, Super Bowl, World Series, Kentucky Derby, Tony Awards, or a political convention, corporate conference, fashion show, parade or marathon. CP Communications offers six HDRF Mobile Production trucks, two ENG Vans, five motorcycles, and a full-service machine shop, and offers a custom design for each event from box rentals through to turnkey production solutions.
Atlona Unleashing Expanded OMEGA™ Family of Advanced Presentation and Collaboration Solutions at ISE 2019
New extender kit, switcher and HDBaseT receiver join recently-introduced family of innovative solutions in addressing evolving AV market trends
SAN JOSE, California, January 23, 2019 – Atlona, a Panduit company will head to the ISE 2019 exhibition with a trio of new products in its recently-launched OMEGA™ Series of switching, extension, and video processing solutions for modern AV communications and collaboration. The newest members of the OMEGA family will make their world premiere in stand 5-U120 at the event, taking place February 5-8 at the Amsterdam RAI.
Redefining AV for presentation and collaboration in today’s evolving audio-visual environments, Atlona’s OMEGA Series is designed to address ongoing shifts in how people gather to share information and embrace technology for communicating through AV content. The new products reflect customers’ increasing use of smaller meeting rooms, huddle spaces and open gathering areas to host spontaneous and planned collaborations, as well as the importance of actively engaging with and sharing visual content to make communications more effective.
OMEGA products debuting at ISE 2019 include:
- The AT-OME-EX-KIT is a versatile 4K/UHD HDBaseT extender designed for small meeting room applications, transporting HDMI video and audio, control, Ethernet and USB signals over distances up to 330 feet (100 meters). Integrating seamlessly with PCs, cameras, speakerphones, and microphones, the OME-EX-KIT addresses the challenge of connecting between USB devices at remote locations. Applications include software video conferencing and can also provide AV and USB extension for touch-enabled, interactive displays. The OME-EX-TX transmitter includes a USB 2.0 host interface for a PC and is powered from the OME-EX-RX receiver via industry-standard Power over Ethernet (PoE), enabling convenient, discreet transmitter installation below a table or at another remote location without the need for local AC power. Offered together as a kit, the transmitter and receiver are also available separately for use with other Atlona OMEGA Series products.
- The AT-OME-SR21 is an HDBaseT receiver and 4K/UHD scaler with an additional local HDMI input. The OME-SR21 receives 4K/UHD, 4:2:0 video at 60 Hz alongside embedded audio and control signals up to 330 feet (100 meters) over category cable. The unit can also receive USB data over HDBaseT from compatible transmitters and features a built-in USB 2.0 hub, forming an ideal USB integration solution for peripherals such as cameras, soundbars and touch displays. High-quality down-scaling and up-scaling preserve color and spatial detail when converting content between 4K and 1080p, making the OME-SR21 perfect for presentation applications that combine UHD and HD displays. Automated input selection and display control, audio de-embedding and a built-in dual-port network switch provide further integration convenience.
- The AT-OME-ST31A is a 3×1, 4K/UHD switcher and HDBaseT transmitter that features two HDMI inputs alongside a USB-C AV input that provides adapter-free interfacing with the latest generation of laptops and mobile devices. Mirrored 18 Gbps HDMI and 10 Gbps HDBaseT outputs provide flexible options for AV systems designs. Integrated video processing on the HDMI output down-scales 4K sources to 1080p HD if desired, while audio de-embedding extracts stereo audio from any video source to balanced, analog audio outputs. The OME-ST31A can be remotely powered via PoE from other HDBaseT-equipped Atlona devices, or can alternatively provide PoE power to a compatible receiver when equipped with an optional power supply.
The new models join previously-announced OMEGA solutions including the AT-OME-SW32 3×2 matrix switcher, AT-OME-TX21-WP-E two-input EU/UK wallplate switcher, and the AT-OME-ST31 3×1 switcher and HDBaseT transmitter. The latter offers similar capabilities to the OME-ST31A, but features audio embedding instead of de-embedding.
“The launch of our first three OMEGA products this past Fall was very well-received,” said David Shamir, Director of Product Management, Atlona. “End-users and systems integrators immediately recognized the value of the solutions’ fresh approach to addressing the market trend away from rigidly-defined AV systems in purpose-dedicated spaces. We’re excited to expand the family with more products that bring the flexibility, efficiency and feature-richness of the OMEGA Series to additional AV use cases.”
All OMEGA products are HDCP 2.2 compliant and can be easily integrated with third-party control systems. Comprehensive remote management of OMEGA Series products is available through the Atlona Management System (AMS 2.0) and Atlona’s ground-breaking Velocity™ IP-based AV control platform. All OMEGA models are backed by Atlona’s award-winning 10-year limited product warranty and customer support services.
About Atlona
Atlona, a Panduit company, is a leading global manufacturer of AV over IP distribution, connectivity, and control solutions. The company designs and engineers innovative, award-winning products for a diverse range of residential and commercial AV and IT markets. Backed by an award-winning 10-year warranty, Atlona’s products are developed to enable our customers’ ability to connect and collaborate with simplicity. More information about Atlona is available at atlona.com.
About Panduit
Global connectivity leader Panduit Corp. creates innovative electrical and network infrastructure solutions for applications across the enterprise. Headquartered in Tinley Park, Ill. and operating in 112 worldwide locations, Panduit’s technology leadership and robust ecosystem help support, sustain, and empower business growth in a connected world. panduit.com
Navori Amplifies Mobile Interaction Capabilities for QL Manager at ISE 2019
Upgrade eliminates need to manage updates through the CMS, allowing employees to quickly publish digital signage content and updates on the move
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, January 22, 2019 – Navori will streamline digital signage content management for businesses and organizations with a new QL Manager update at ISE 2019 that allows roaming employees to publish updates on the network with ease. The new enhancement, part of Navori’s QL 2.1 software update scheduled for March release, frees employees from the desktop as they attempt to keep content fresh. Navori will demonstrate the application at 8.E195 in the RAI Amsterdam from February 5-8.
The software also extends the potential pool of content contributors on the move by making it simpler to update content from iOS and Android devices. The new software grants access to local users as they move through a facility with pre-defined control, and reduces the number of steps required to review, manage, and publish digital signage content. Additionally, the software ensures that approved users are not required to funnel all changes and update requests through a central IT or marketing manager.
“Despite Navori’s strong reputation around ease of use and a zero-ramp-up user interface, we are widening the gap by releasing a new QL Manager version designed specifically for mobile phones and users,” said Jerome Moeri, CEO, Navori. “This will be especially beneficial for non-desk employees in retail, public venue and even corporate and education environments. Content and messaging will be fresher, more dynamic and quickly up-to-date by removing the need to sit in the office and manage everything through the CMS.”
Beyond traditional CMS features, Navori’s mobile interaction feature will allow users to publish snap shots and express messaging, and also trigger and control content across one or more displays. The diversity in content display options also allow users to present content in a variety of ways, such as comparing colors of the same car model in an auto dealership through a dynamic, side-by-side layout. The result is that users have control over the entire network in their hands as they move about, with the network security peace of mind that Navori provides to all its customers within its QL digital signage engine.
About Navori
Navori is an enterprise committed to providing the most reliable, user-friendly software application available in the industry. An exclusive leader in the global digital signage industry with more than 20 years of experience, Navori’s digital signage engine is built with everyone in mind and has been made accessible through a standardized product. Navori has an innovative software engineering team that refines and enhances its software daily, balancing efficient design and operation with exceptional performance. Visit navori.com for more information.
GatesAir Supplies Maxiva™ XTE Exciter for DVB-T2 Field Trials on Australia’s Gold Coast
TX Australia, Free TV Australia, and Broadcast Australia conduct trials to prove third-party interoperability, 4K quality reception, and IP-based broadband capabilities prior to DVB-T2 transition
CINCINNATI, January 22, 2019 — GatesAir, a global leader in wireless, over-the-air content delivery solutions for TV and radio broadcasters, has supplied its Maxiva™ XTE exciter to prominent Australian broadcast entities — TX Australia, Broadcast Australia, and Free TV — for DVB-T2 field trials on Australia’s Gold Coast, just south of Brisbane. Following a trial in Sydney earlier this year, the capabilities of DVB-T2 will again be tested, including in an extended single-frequency network (SFN). DVB-T2 is being considered as a technology to replace the current DVB-T standard for television, which has been in operation since 2001.
“GatesAir has a long history of field trial support in advance of digital transitions worldwide, and this Gold Coast initiative represents animportant step in Australia’s consideration of migration from DVB-T to DVB-T2,” said Rich Redmond, President and Managing Director, International for GatesAir. “With its 4K picture quality, IP-based transmission, and superior, broadband capabilities, DVB-T2 offers over-the-air broadcasters and viewers many programming advantages. This collaboration between TX Australia, Free TV Australia, and Broadcast Australia is a prime example of the innovation and first-class engineering skills within the Australian broadcast industry.”
A key objective of these field trials is to test and verify interoperability between third-party systems used in both classic transmission andSFN configurations. According to Redmond, “The GatesAir Maxiva XTE Exciter platform has already demonstrated reliable, seamlesstransmission performance in multi-vendor DVB-T2 installations across Europe and Asia.”
This latest DVB-T2 trial will originate from a Gold Coast re-transmission site located on Mount Tamborine, which is managed by TX Australia, a joint venture company of the Seven, Nine, and Ten broadcast television networks. TX Australia, which provides transmission services to a wide array of TV and FM broadcasters and networks across metropolitan Australia, has been collaborating closely with Free TV Australia, an industry body that represents all of Australia’s commercial free-to-air television licensees. Another key party to the field trials, Broadcast Australia, is responsible for delivering digital television and radio services for Australia’s national broadcasters.
The Gold Coast field trial utilizes the same video and audio content provided to the Sydney trial by members of Free TV. It also seeks to replicate the characteristics measured and analyzed in Sydney, including assessment of the service threshold across the target coverage area when operating in extended SFN mode.
TX Australia Executive Chairman Paul Mullen expressed appreciation for GatesAir’s contribution in a previous announcement. He also noted the importance of these trials for evaluating new technologies, and ensuring “the best quality content is available to the viewer.” More than 20 million Australians — 99% of the population — rely upon free, over-the-air television for live news, sports, and entertainment.
The Maxiva XTE includes native IP inputs and a software-defined modulator for seamless transition between analog and digital broadcast standards. The XTE design eliminates the need to retrofit transmitters to enable network connectivity for next-gen TV standards (DVB-T2, DVB-T2 Lite, ATSC 3.0), giving broadcasters an out-of-the-box solution to simplify the input and output of multimedia services via a local- or wide-area IP network. The XTE-driven modulation reduces costs and power consumption by lowering wattage requirements at the amplification stage, without affecting signal strength.
About GatesAir
GatesAir, Inc., a portfolio company of The Gores Group, provides complete solutions for over-the-air radio and television broadcasting, leveraging wireless spectrum to maximize performance for multichannel, mission-critical services. Powering over-the-air networks worldwide with unparalleled reliability for nearly 100 years, GatesAir’s turnkey solutions enable broadcasters to create, transport and transmit radio and TV content. With customers in more than 185 countries, the company leads the industry in innovation and design breakthroughs, improving efficiency and reducing total cost of ownership with all products designed and assembled in the USA. Visit www.gatesair.com for more information, Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gatesair, and follow us on Twitter at @GatesAir.
About The Gores Group
The Gores Group, founded in 1987 by Alec Gores, is a global investment firm focused on acquiring controlling interests in mature and growing businesses which can benefit from the firm’s operating experience and flexible capital base. The firm combines the operational expertise and detailed due diligence capabilities of a strategic buyer with the seasoned M&A team of a traditional financial buyer. Over its 30-year history, The Gores Group has become a leading investor having demonstrated a reliable track record of creating value in its portfolio companies alongside management. Headquartered in Los Angeles, The Gores Group maintains offices in Boulder, CO, and London. For more information, please visit http://www.gores.com.
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