Technicolor Netherlands has installed OmniBus Systems’ iTX automation and transmission system for Dutch national public broadcaster NPO (Nederlandse Publieke Omroep).
Technicolor provides managed playout services to NPO using an OmniBus Systems Colossus, and the new iTX system is a dedicated installation for commercials played on NPO’s three public channels. Due to the structure of broadcast funding in the Netherlands, commercials on NPO channels are handled by STER, a separate organisation. Dedicated infrastructures are required to reflect the legislative framework.
“This integration of our existing multi-channel Colossus system with a linked but separate iTX platform for commercials gives us a very efficient and flexible operating environment while allowing Technicolor to meet the legislative requirements for the NPO channels,” said Gerrit de Nooijer, technology director at Technicolor Netherlands.
“Technicolor Netherlands is a long-time user of Colossus, and this specialised installation of iTX integrates tightly with the existing infrastructure there,” said Laura Kirkland, strategic account manager, OmniBus Systems. “This first use of the iTX technology by Technicolor demonstrates the wide range of applications to which this powerful and flexible platform can be adapted.”
Technicolor’s iTX installation is configured as a fully redundant 4-channel system for video playback and automatic SD/HD up/downconversion under the control of Colossus and Technicolor’s traffic system.
New commercials are imported as mini schedules and registered in iTX and as single clips in the Colossus system through the new OmniBus Device Manager application. These commercial blocks are scheduled from Technicolor’s MediaGenix traffic system and imported into Colossus, where they appear as single clips. Colossus communicates with iTX via Device Manager for media checking and to trigger loading and playing of the scheduled clips. iTX users can edit the commercial schedules directly on the iTX desktop when changes are required.
