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SeaChange Digital Video Solutions Span MBC's Satellite Television Operations

Posted on: Thursday, 14 July 2005, 12:00 CDT

Broadcaster MBC (Middle East Broadcasting Center) has again tapped SeaChange International (Nasdaq: SEAC) for video systems in support of its growing multichannel satellite television operations. Based in "Media City" Dubai and Bahrain, U.A.E., MBC is rapidly moving toward an entirely tapeless facility from content intake through program production and on-air playout.

In 2003, MBC deployed three on-air SeaChange Broadcast MediaClusters for the debut of its news, entertainment and movie networks, and has since launched a children's network - with content for all produced in-house. This year MBC will move forward with SeaChange's IP-based MediaClient architecture to produce and distribute its programming with IT flexibility and economy. This collaborative "edit-in-place, play-in-place" digital media workflow will be comprised of 12 MediaClient codecs attached to a SeaChange MediaLibrary 24003e online storage system, providing nearly 11 terabytes of centralized storage for media of any digital format. Initially, four post-production systems and on-air Broadcast MediaClusters will be tied in.

"MBC is on a path toward creating fully interconnected video operations and shedding the typically less efficient islands of work," said Omran Abdallah, operation manager, MBC. "Our approach is IT based, which means we'll take full advantage of proven technologies like Internet Protocol networking and industry standards, the basis of SeaChange's innovative MediaClient. Additionally, like SeaChange's on-air server, the MediaClient/MediaLibrary combination will extend SeaChange's unique economy and fault-resilience to post-production and other functions."

MediaClient: Fusing broadcast TV and IT technologies

SeaChange's MediaClient family of broadcast systems enable television operators to store and distribute video more flexibly and cost-effectively than ever before. Based on the Common Internet File System (CIFS), the MediaClient family is a series of standards-based client/server products optimized to support workflow throughout the television enterprise, regardless of video file type or compression scheme.

The MediaClient architecture leverages SeaChange's MediaLibrary, which provides compression and file-independent video storage. The ML 24000e is now available as a high-performance CIFS server and is complemented by SeaChange's new software-based MediaClient codecs which, for the first time, couple real-time, broadcast-quality I/O and high-quality MPEG-2 and DV coding with CIFS storage access over inexpensive Gigabit IP networks.

"IT fundamentals are making broadcast operations more economical, easier to manage and easier to grow," said Marcello Dellepiane, SeaChange's vice president of Europe, Middle East and Africa sales. "MBC has rapid growth in mind and MediaClient/MediaLibrary clears away the complications by combining the renowned scalability and resilience of our video systems with the connectivity and media format independence of IT operations."

In addition, other CIFS-based client devices, such as non-linear editing systems, can now take advantage of the low cost, high bandwidth and scalability of the MediaLibrary. Through the use of gigabit IP connectivity and open, standards-based CIFS file access, the ML 24000e can provide high performance storage access to multiple attached Windows, Apple, Linux or Unix clients. MBC's Harris Automation operations software is integrated with SeaChange. Salam Technical Services is collaborating in support of MBC and other SeaChange customers throughout the Middle East.

About SeaChange International

From China Central Television, to MTV to PBS, hundreds of television stations, networks, and satellite operators depend on SeaChange broadcast systems. With bases in Genoa, Italy and Valbonne, France, SeaChange serves Europe's and the Middle East's television community through its regional customer support and sales staff and its network of television systems integrators and distributors. Contact SeaChange EMEA at +39 010 553 0177 and +39 335 626 9422, or at mdellep@schange.com.

SeaChange (Nasdaq: SEAC) provides digital video systems that are changing television. Its powerful server and software systems enable television operators to provide new on-demand services and to gain greater efficiencies in advertising and content delivery. With its Emmy-winning MediaCluster technology, thousands of SeaChange systems are helping broadband, broadcast and satellite television companies to streamline operations, expand services and increase revenues. SeaChange is headquartered in Maynard, Massachusetts and has product development, support and sales offices throughout the world. Visit www.schange.com.

MediaCluster is a registered trademark of SeaChange International, Inc.

Source: Business Wire

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