MEDIALAAN AND THE NEW EVERTZ MEDIATOR AUTOMATION ON ANTENNA FOR VTM, Q2, VITAYA, CAZ, KADET AND VTM KZOOM CHANNELS

MEDIALAAN had been looking for a long time for a successor to the Omnibus Colossus system to take over and modernise the daily broadcasting automation of VTM, Q2, Vitaya, CAZ, Kadet and VTM KZOOM.

Based on years of experience, MEDIALAAN wrote down clear functional specifications that the new system had to meet. One of the main requirements was a radical change in operational workflow regarding quality control, improved redundancy compared with the existing SeaChange cluster and playout nodes. A system that could include all current features in a software environment as well as the necessary bi-directional exchange with Mediagenix’ WHATS’ON scheduling system.

After a period of demonstrations and discussions, in particular with Evertz UK Solutions Team, at the end of 2014 MEDIALAAN decided to entrust the management of the Playout automation of all its channels to the Evertz Mediator system, with reliance on Studiotech, as local distributor and supplier.

Mediator was selected for the following specific reasons: architecture, provided redundancy, user friendly interfaces, graphics control and available API allowing exchange of internal data such as rundowns, programming details as well as loudness measurements and corrections more flexible with all peripheral systems.

Studiotech also provided the entire Evertz Glue: video matrix, control system and panels, frames, converters and multi-viewers, to which Mediator could seamlessly integrate. The entire Glue system operates under control of the Evertz VistaLink PRO Network Management System.

MEDIALAAN resolutely opted for Omneon ChannelPort playout engines to which Evertz committed to develop frame accurate and reliable playout and preview drivers.

After a long period of software development, optimisation of device drivers and testing, MEDIALAAN’s channel VTM KZOOM switched to Mediator on 10 January 2017.

With the utmost discretion, Kadet, CAZ, Vitaya and Q2 were switched chronologically between 10 January and 7 March 17.

On 4 April 2017, it was finally the turn of MEDIALAAN flagship VTM to start broadcasting under Mediator control.