Channel 4 chooses Pharos Communications to advance networks operations

Channel 4 has chosen Pharos Communications to provide the infrastructure for a major advance in the network's operations.
Designated the Media Access Project, the new installation will centre on a Pharos Mediator media management system and will enable Channel 4 to migrate from its videotape-based library to a file-based content archiving and access system.
Pharos Mediator automatically tracks content flow from intial acquisition to playout and post-transmission storage. Configurable for large or small networks, it includes ingest tools, browsing, quality-control processing and management of tape, near-online and archive libraries.
Chief Technology Officer at Channel 4 Kevin Burrows commented: "Pharos enabled us to pioneer the use of server-based browsing of transmission content in 2003, reducing the need to circulate VHS preview cassettes within our Westminster headquarters. The Pharos team have proved their ability to implement IT strategies in a broadcast context reliably, flexibly and effciently. The system they will be supplying will be scalable to allow future expansion of the Channel 4 network, whether SD, HD or IPTV."
Technical Director at Pharos, Spencer Rodd, added: "All content arriving at Channel 4 is currently ingested from Digi-Beta tape to browse server and then can be accessed from a network of desktop PCs. The Media Access Project takes this a stage further as incoming programmes and clips will be ingested at full 50 Mbit/s l-frame-only MPEG2 transmission resolution to a 36 terabyte Isilon server storage cluster as well as at browse-quality."
Work on Channel 4's Media Access Project begins in August and is due for completion by June 2007.
(DS/SP)