Ideal Shopping Direct (ISD), a UK multi-channel home shopping retailer, has chosen TSL Systems for a major infrastructure upgrade of its Peterborough, UK-based facility, which houses production and transmission operations for its five channels. The Ideal World, Create and Craft, Create and Craft USA, Ideal Extra and Craft Extra channels are broadcast on TV and online to over 70 million homes across the UK and US.
TSL Systems has been commissioned to deliver a futureproof, IP-ready solution enabling ISD to transition from its legacy systems to a state-of-the-art playout solution. With much of its equipment reaching end of life, ISD wanted to upgrade and futureproof its facility to support future growth. It was decided that IP was the best option, delivering both the scalability and futureproofing it desired. The upgrade project will also eliminate the threat of ‘going dark’.
Alan Wells, technical director, ISD, said: “Futureproofing our infrastructure and workflows is critical to our future business and operational strategy. We chose TSL Systems because they have a very strong reputation in the industry and they worked closely with us to identify the right solution to suit our needs and to help us to make the transition in a way that is right for our business.”
TSL is deploying a brand-new playout and automation system based on Pebble Beach Systems’ Marina, which will integrate with a new Harmonic MediaGrid storage system to replace the existing tape library, and an IP router from SAM. This phase of the project is slated for completion by the end of 2017.
