South African satellite broadcaster SuperSport is moving into a new state-of-the-art HD playout centre. Responsibility for management and monitoring of all the signals in the facility has been handed to the Platinum IP3 router from Harris Broadcast. Harris Broadcast’s South African dealer, Concilium Technologies, supplied the Platinum IP3 as part of a complete package of Harris Broadcast infrastructure equipment, and worked closely with Harris Broadcast throughout the project. The Platinum IP3 incorporates data and offers triple-path routing. The internal architecture is designed to allow expansion at any time without taking the router out of service. Cards can be added, and additional chassis connected, without affecting on-air performance. This will transform the way that mission-critical facilities, such as playout centres, will be designed for future expansion. “Our new playout centre will initially operate 32 HD channels, but we have an eye on the future, which sees continuing growth and consequently a huge rise in the number of signals we need to monitor and route,” said Ian Peacock, systems architect specialist at SuperSport Media Solutions. “We chose the Harris Broadcast Platinum IP3 not just because it gives us the integrated routing and multi-viewer functionality we need today, but because it will be able to grow as our facility grows, without any interruption to the services our viewers expect. The Platinum IP3 is a unique development in routers, and we are delighted to be the first user because it absolutely meets our requirements.” The integrated Platinum IP3 router for SuperSport includes HView SX Pro multiviewers used extensively across displays in the facility. The complete installation also features Harris Broadcast Magellan router control panels and the CCS Navigator network design, control and monitoring system; as well as Harris Broadcast signal processing and interfacing equipment including the Selenio media convergence platform, 6800+ modular core processing devices, OPTO+ fibre interfaces and X85 signal processing units. The contract covers extensions to SuperSport’s existing Harris Broadcast D-Series playout automation system. www.concilium.co.za/broadcastwww.harrisbroadcast.com
