Harris Corporation Wins its Third HD Playout Center Project at SSR SRG

The latest project will see SSR SRG deploying five NEXIO AMP domains at its Zurich-based technology and production center (tpc AG), which manages the playout function of Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF), the German-language division of SSR SRG.  NEXIO AMP is in use today at the broadcaster’s French- and Italian-language division in the context of the company’s greater HD migration, bringing speed, reliability and ease of use to its production and playout operations.

The deployment at tpc, supported by local reseller Videolink AG, includes one NEXIO AMP domain for ingest, two domains for main and backup playout respectively, and two domains in the studio environment.  The NEXIO AMP servers will import MXF files from the existing SRF archive, and provide seamless playout of SD and HD content with internal upconversion.

Within the studio domains, S4M’s ClipJOCKEY studio production tool will control the NEXIO AMP ingest and playout ports through both a GUI and hardware control panel, creating a fast turnaround studio solution geared to TPC’s production workflow.  The resulting content can be efficiently moved as an MXF file between the broadcaster’s Avid® newsroom system and the studios.  This helps to refine the broadcast workflow and accelerates the process of production and promo editing.

“The choice of Harris NEXIO AMP was influenced by our prior experience with Harris server technology,” said Gordian Suter, head of project with tpc AG.  “The first HD channel in Switzerland began broadcasting in December 2007 from TPC in Zurich, and the playout system was built around a NEXIO XS™ server system.  This was the first server on the market based on software codec technology, and we are very comfortable with the NEXIO server platform.”

This recent NEXIO AMP installation follows two successful deployments at French-language division RTS in Geneva and Italian-language division RSI in Lugano.

In the summer of 2008, RTS spearheaded the planned transition of all SRG-SSR playout facilities to HD and was the first division to migrate to the NEXIO AMP platform.  The Lugano facility quickly followed suit.  Both divisions are now using NEXIO AMP at their playout centers, where two mirrored domains are active in each location.

In broadcast communications, Harris offers products, systems and services that provide interoperable workflow solutions for broadcast, cable, satellite and out-of-home networks.  The Harris ONE™ solution brings together highly integrated and cost-effective products that enable advanced media workflows for emerging content delivery business models.