Plamen Chardakliev, Broadcast Engineer at PlayBox Neo, Bulgaria, presented PlayBox Neo equipment and solutions at the 1st International Exhibition and Conference Broadcasting/Pro AV 2022, Tbilisi, Georgia.

Playout automation

Via its scalable, extremely robust and reliable playout engine, AirBox Neo-20 can easily mix a variety of media files and live inputs in one playlist. It also provides multiple SDI/IP streaming outputs simultaneously in different video standards up to 4K. Endless freedom of operation – any changes to the playlist during on-air sessions are possible! Media can be trimmed, edited or repositioned. Live productions are streamlined to allow insertion and/or execution of various events or live streams into the playlist.

For automated playout AirBox Neo-20 allows playlist scheduling for weeks ahead. Gaps/Time overlaps are automatically resolved to ensure continuous operation even when conflicting timed events are present. Special facilities ensure uninterrupted operation if content files or even entire schedules are missing or misplaced.

Broadcasting

Building on 22 years of successful innovation, PlayBox Neo Ltd. is advancing its role in the multi-platform future of broadcasting. Having pioneered the development of high-efficiency server-based and cloud-based playout, we are fully geared for today’s world in which broadcasting is expanding to support every scale and type of one-to-many communication:

•     Tightly themed channels addressing a global audience
•     Local channels supporting a specific corporate venue or college campus
•     Supplementary OTT channels supporting major sports, stage or studio events
•     Linear and on-demand subscription channels
•     Free-to-air national channels
•     Continent-wide satellite channels in multiple languages
•     Full-scale global channels via satellite, terrestrial and CDN.

Clip trimmer

Speaking of new functions in our playout, we have a built-in clip trimmer that allows you to make trimming inside. It is very useful in some urgent situations when you need to add something into the project. With the clip trimmer you don’t have to edit and reexport the whole project. You can do everything directly from here.

Logo generator function

If you need a logo for your channel, the playout also has a logo generator. For any other graphics you can use our TitleBoxNeo-20. TitleBox Neo-20 is a fully interactive 4k UHD/HD/SD Character Generator, suitable for broadcast & cable TVs, info-channels for hotels, schools, corporations, retail businesses, shopping malls, churches, airports, holiday resorts, theme parks and etc.

Media gateway

Media Gateway allows operators to coordinate broadcast video and embedded data streams as well as file-based content. It is compatible with SDI, NDI, UDP, SRT, RTP protocols. Outputs can be SDI, NDI, UDP, RTP or public-internet SRT protocol.

Media Gateway supports a range of options which can be selected at the time of initial order or license-activated when required to handle expanded workflow. Standard features include the ability to predefine multiple routing sources and multiple outputs. Live source transcoding, including between UHD/HD and SD, can be performed entirely within the software.

Ingestwith Capture Suite

Efficient ingest management is vital to every organization active in TV content sourcing, processing and distribution. Broadcasters have to deal with receiving content from multiple live sources on a daily basis. Capture Suite elevates ingest to an entirely new level. It is a multi-channel multi-server live ingest solution supporting a wide range of codecs and containers. The ingest operator controls all available ingest servers from a single user interface, ensuring very high efficiency.

Capture Suite allows users to handle the entire ingest process from a standard web browser. All necessary operations needed to control multiple ingest channels, and multiple servers can be performed quickly. Functions such as input selection, ingest presets and file-naming conventions are just a single click away from the user. Input and output configuration as well as storage parameters are easily accessible. Video content and audio levels can be previewed easily using Capture Suite’s built-in multi-screen display. Like PlayBox Neo GUIs, the user interface has a low glare background which remains eye-friendly throughout a long working shift.

 In an attempt to ensure a rich viewer’s experience, broadcasters and post-production houses have to deal with receiving content from multiple live sources on a daily basis. Our latest addition Capture Suite is a multi-channel – multi-server UHD/HD/SD live ingest solution which integrates into the production workflow of any television network, post-production facility or playout center.Capture Suite allows users to control multiple ingest channels, spread on multiple servers from a single web user interface. Functions such as input selection, ingest presets, file naming conventions assignments and auto-transfer functionalities are а single click away from the user.

 Channel-in-a-Box

Our solution is the World’s best-selling Playout and Channel branding product suite. PlayBox Neo has integrated solutions for playout, graphics, news, automation, asset management and disaster recovery.

PlayBox Neo Channel-in-a-Box is a turnkey playout server solution for broadcasting a single or multi TV channel both available in HD or UHD. It provides a seamless workflow to keep a channel on-air by combining scheduling, ingest, playout, CG and interactive graphics within one box and remote tools to enhance QC checks, preparation and monitoring. The output can be SDI or IP streaming and suitable for a variety of applications including traditional broadcast TV, pay-TV, playout centres, satellite operators, etc.

By leveraging on the SaaS in the cloud or traditional platforms on-premises, PlayBox Neo Channel-in-a-Box offers media ingest with Capture Suite, playout automation with AirBox Neo-20, interactive CG and graphics with TitleBox Neo-20 and scheduling with ListBox Neo-20.

ListBox Neo-20 creates schedules for AirBox Neo-20 and rules can be created for TitleBox Neo-20 to fully automate the CG and interactive graphics for a powerful automatic TV channel. TitleBox Neo-20 interactive CG and Graphics can be internally keyed or optional external keying if you have a Down Stream Keyer (DSK).

Photographer – Arik Kilanyants