TSL signs major Asian contract

TSL, leading international broadcast systems integrator and manufacturer, has announced that it has signed a major contract with Singapore based ESPN STAR Sports, for the complete rebuilding and upgrading of its transmission area.
The overall project is being conducted in three phases. The first of these took place approximately two years ago when ESPN STAR Sports replaced its previous automation system with product from Encoda, with its ability to handle complex live events. A SeaChange BMC 1653 server was also installed at that point, which is now being upgraded to a 65005 five-node system with 146GB disks. This provides much higher bandwidth on the network, essential for archiving purposes.
The second phase, which is currently in progress, is the complete rebuilding and upgrading of the transmission area. The company has been running six, very manual and quite large transmission suites. The whole area is now being opened up to provide nine suites with space for an additional four. There will also be a multi-channel position that can monitor all the channels that are running under the automation system.
Andy Rylance, Director of Engineering with ESPN Star Sports, explains the rational behind selecting TSL for this key phase of the project: "To us, this is an extremely complex task with the need to replace six existing suites with 10 new ones in the same area! For an SI with TSL's experience, this is a challenge that the company understands and knows how to face. It does this for a living. Why take risks - overwhelming yourself - with something so critical?"
TSL was specifically selected because of its experience with this type of requirement and also, according to Rylance, because of the company's knowledge of complex server projects, which is crucial to phase three. It is also proving cost-effective.
Phase three, though still at the planning stage, is to move from tape in the rest of the facility to an entirely server-based production system.
The key advantages that will result from the work TSL is providing are the ability to run more channels in a smaller area and also to run them all from a single operator position when playing out pre-recorded material. The new systems will also allow more advanced graphics.
Rylance concluded: "Last, but not least, we will be using fully up-to-date equipment and this will make a refreshing change."
Russell Grute, Head of Sales at TSL, said: "This contract highlights the growing international reach of TSL's services. This is an exciting challenge working with the team at ESPN STAR Sports and one that clearly shows the benefits that an outside systems integrator brings to many projects. In this case the customer's design-brief tested our skills again and again with many new requirements such as multi-language programming and increased complexity in live transmission operations. This project is typical of many third generation transmission systems that we are now deploying, with an increased emphasis on network design around the core infrastructure in order to be ready for future tapeless operation. There is also considerable reintegration of existing technology and infrastructure. This reintegration coupled with new operational practices allows us to offer a very cost effective solution.
"TSL has a great relationship with ESPN STAR Sports and we are delighted to be continuing this with this latest phase."
(GB)