SES Platform Services Selects AmberFin iCR to Provide Media Ingest, Transcode and Unified Quality Control

At this ultra modern HD capable playout facility, AmberFin iCR is being used to provide a single unified platform capable of supporting all media ingest, file transcoding and quality control management operations. In order to support large numbers of ingest feeds, iCR has been integrated alongside the customer’s existing Harris D-Series automation system.

Within Germany’s first dedicated playout centre, SES Platform Services provides technical support for broadcasters and production companies and offers a comprehensive range of services for the preparation and transmission of content for over 300 TV and radio channels. These include both digital archiving and playout, as well as preparation and transmission of content via satellite, over the internet and to mobile devices.

A major incentive for SES Platform Services in its selection of AmberFin iCR is the system’s integrated architecture where all ingest, transcode and quality control functions are performed by a single workstation. SES Platform Services reports that the ability to combine multiple core processes on a single workstation has saved significant time and capital expenditure.

“Already, iCR has proved itself to be a sophisticated high level content management all-rounder," commented Roger Greβer, VP Playout & MAM at SES Platform Services. “It can cope with all our system ingest needs whether that is to our standard XDCAM format or to a less common standard that one of our customers has requested. Thanks to the focused development that AmberFin implements, we can rest assured that iCR is always abreast of the latest advances in digital file-based workflow technology."

Unified Quality Control increases customer satisfaction
Alongside its media ingest and file transcoding operations, AmberFin iCR is performing a third critical role for SES Platform Services in terms of its advanced media quality control capabilities. Thanks to the integrated nature of AmberFin Unified Quality Control (UQC) within the iCR platform, SES Platform Services is able to perform QC checks on baseband video during the ingest process, helping to ensure that only best quality media enters the workflow.

“Not just during ingest, but at various points in our workflow iCR offers unique content quality management which is not only important to us, but it is becoming more important to our customers," said Kristin Pӧschel, System Engineer Playout at SES Platform Services. “We can identify that iCR’s advanced QC capabilities are helping us to increase satisfaction amongst our customers since their customers are making fewer complaints."

A key element of AmberFin iCR in this project is its ability to support SES Platform Service’s enterprise operations in a very dynamic environment. “Our business is challenging and changing every day and we are pleased to have AmberFin and Netorium on board our team to help support our business growth," concluded Roger Greβer. “Already, we have expanded our UQC platform to include Interra’s Baton quality control software. With this extension, we can offer even higher quality standards to our customers without time consuming restructuring and changes to the existing workflows for our operators“

About SES Platform Services
Today, SES Platform Services broadcasts some 300 digital TV and radio programmes and also offers interactive and data services. As Germany’s first playout centre, SES Platform Services also provides a complete HDTV playout service for HD channels. Clients of SES Platform Services include well-known German broadcasters from both the public and private sphere, as well as Pay-TV providers, rights owners, cable network operators and global companies.

About Netorium
Founded in 2002, Netorium GmbH, located in Wiesbaden, Germany, is specialized on development, implementation and support of broadcast systems.
Together with their customers Netorium is developing tailor-made solutions for filebased workflows, storage, high definition and multi platform content delivery. Based on project needs, interfaces to third party products are considered and connections are created.
Exclusive sales contracts with products of selected markets enables product know how on manufacture level. With the broadcast oriented service team and a 24/7 hotline Netorium offers the highest level of security for an operating system which was installed by Netorium.

About AmberFin
AmberFin is a company at the heart of solving file-based workflow problems for content owners, broadcasters, sports organizations and post-production houses. The AmberFin Media Factory, based on the iCR family of modular software products, digitizes and transforms new and archived content, combining a service oriented design philosophy with intelligent use of cost-effective generic IT. This enables customers to save time, increase revenues and grow in-line with business demands.

Unique to the Media Factory system, AmberFin’s industry first approach to Quality Control, known as Unified Quality Control (UQC), introduces a QC mark that brings a new level of trust to media assets. UQC uniquely combines an automated process with a human touch, enabling more efficient and effective decision-making and new levels of confidence in the file creation and transformation processes.
AmberFin has experienced growth of 65% in the last year thanks to hundreds of iCR systems being deployed worldwide. Systems that are trusted where quality matters by some of the world’s leading media organizations including HBO, Associated Press, Reuters, WWE, ITV, Sony Pictures, NBA, Turner Broadcasting, ZDF, NRK, National Geographic, BT, Discovery and Warner Brothers.