Rohde & Schwarz Media IBC2024 Showcase

Rohde & Schwarz will highlight its modern, cost-effective infrastructure solutions at IBC2024 (stand 7.B21, RAI Amsterdam, 13 – 16 September). The range of products has been updated using the latest software architectures and techniques to offer highly configurable systems which are stable in operation, secure against cyberthreats, yet also simple to implement and affordable.

"Leading broadcasters in Europe and around the world tell us their critical issues are operational efficiencies, interoperability and security," said Thorsten Sauer, Vice President, Rohde & Schwarz Media. "Those issues have to be addressed whilst also delivering against the business needs for revenue optimisation, compliance and viewer experience.

"That is why we continue to innovate, to bring the right functionality into systems running efficiently on standard hardware," Sauer explained. "We push our development teams to adopt the best new technologies, which delivers real benefits for our users, including unique capabilities."

The Gallium and StreamMaster automated playout environment can now run under the latest versions of either Windows or Linux. It leverages the latest .NET 6.0 technology to provide the most cost-efficient deployment in the cloud, and a PostgreSQL backend, the world's most advanced open-source relational database. It means that broadcasters and service providers can build playout automation and delivery systems from a single channel to hundreds; on premises, as a multi-site operation or hybrid cloud; controlled securely from any location via a web browser.

Gallium can keep track of the legal limits on advertising minutes, providing graphical, detailed indications of the status and thereby helping users ensure compliance with regulators. The highly configurable Gallium software also allows practical operational workflows through tight interworking. It supports the Telestream DIVA API, for example, to seamlessly manage very large libraries. Gallium and StreamMaster also support direct control of the Nevion VideoIPath media orchestration layer.

Rohde & Schwarz Media led the industry with the introduction of the software-defined, networked multiviewer and monitoring platform R&S©PRISMON. Already delivering high channel density, the adoption of PCI 4.0 gives an even better price/performance ratio on COTS hardware.

Because it is fully implemented in software, PRISMON provides unprecedented agility as well as capacity, and is continually updated, for example to support the latest NDI, SRT, NMOS and SMPTE ST2110 standards, Dolby Atmos encoded streams, and watermarking and signalling schemes. Commercially, it is also available on a pay-as-you-go licence to switch on functionality only when you need it.

"It is no longer practical or sensible to think of playout automation or multiviewers as standalone pieces of equipment," Thorsten Sauer said. "The benefits of the software-defined broadcast environment come when everything works together, like PRISMON monitoring the health of SCTE-35 cue tones and reporting ad insertions to Gallium which is working to maximise the use of the inventory.

"Our goal at IBC this year is to show how we can deliver highly performant, reliable and secure solutions that meet the real operational needs of today's broadcasters," Sauer concluded. "IBC is the perfect forum, where leaders from around the world come together, to talk through the key issues and exchange ideas on how best to define the future."

Rohde & Schwarz Media will be demonstrating the Gallium and StreamMaster automation and video processing platform, PRISMON networked multiviewers, R&S©SpycerNode2 secure storage, R&S©VENICE live and production ingest, and R&S©CLIPSTER premium content mastering system at IBC2024 on stand 7.B21.

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