March 11, 2014

Integrated media content management and channel playout solution allow staged approach

Harris Broadcast, a market share leader of content management and network infrastructure solutions serving the global broadcast, communications service provider, government and enterprise markets, today announced that it is on air with a new, end-to-end, file-based HD broadcast solution at Al Aan Television.

From its base in Dubai Media City, pan-Arab satellite channel Al Aan broadcasts free to air and has an extensive online presence, covering women related issues, news and current affairs from the unique perspective of Arab women. Launched in 2006, the station now has a significant following.

In support of a phased migration to HD, Al Aan selected Harris Broadcast to manage the transition and implement a highly secure, flexible and efficient workflow.  The fully integrated, end-to-end media content management and channel playout solution enables Al Aan to centralize and simplify the entire content lifecycle, automate labor-intensive processes and easily repurpose content for multiple delivery platforms.

As part of a project to further boost its reach and play out large amounts of content in many different formats, Al Aan has expanded on its existing video servers with a network of Harris Broadcast HD/SD Nexio® server and storage solutions, along with Nexio® Motion intelligent media movement software, which allows Al Aan to customize software-defined workflows uniquely to their operations and save labor.  The new installation is designed with a high level of redundancy, including dual ADC™ automation platforms.

“Our decision to select the Harris Broadcast servers and software stems back to the first-rate experience I had while at Jordan Media City, and I could see that the latest solution developments offered the best specifications and workflows for the project at Al Aan,” said Raad Haddadin, head of technical at Al Aan. “As well as ADC automation, we also have Harris Broadcast’s Landmark™ sales and scheduling system, and the benefits of seamless integration from initial planning to final playout are huge.”

The new system was designed and implemented internally by Al Aan engineering team, supported by Harris Broadcast. Together, they developed all the necessary interfaces and configurations. Al Aan intends to move its entire operation to HD.  As a first step, Harris Broadcast supported its move from SD playout to 16:9 aspect ratio, to secure viewers acceptance.

“While it is tempting to talk about implementing great new workflows, in the real world, broadcasters already have both existing equipment and their own ways of working, which means we must put as much emphasis on the transition to improved technologies as the technology itself,” said Mathias Eckert, vice president of Europe, Middle East and Africa, for Harris Broadcast. “We have worked closely and directly with Raad and the team at Al Aan on this project to smoothly move all their content and operations to the new workflows. They have already gone widescreen, and are ready for HD at the touch of a button.”

Al Aan TV switched over to the new system overnight on January 31, 2014.

###

About Harris Broadcast
For more than five decades, Harris Broadcast has been an innovator of market leading media content, networking and over the air solutions to more than 3,000 media and entertainment broadcasters, distributors spanning 150 countries.  Enabling IP, the cloud, virtualization and software-defined networks and workflows, Harris Broadcast delivers billions of moments around the world anywhere, anytime and on any device. For more information, follow us at harrisbroadcast.com and on Twitter @HarrisBroadcast.

Contact Sales Icon

Contact Sales

Get in touch with our sales team to see how we can work together

close

Area of Interest

Inquiry Details

We’re committed to your privacy. Imagine Communications uses the information you provide to us to contact you with relevant content and updates regarding our products and services. To help personalize your experience, please update your preferences. You may also unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information, check out our privacy-policy.

Contact Support Icon

Help & Support

Our highly trained personnel, are ready to assist you.
If your query is urgent, please telephone us

close

Message


Technical Support Contact Numbers

Americas & Canada:
Europe & Africa:
Middle East:

24x7 MyImagine Care+ Technical Support:

Customer Community Portal

Expert assistance, resources, and information available to support your organisation 24x7

Log in or sign up

portatif of Steve Reynolds

President

Steve Reynolds

Steve Reynolds is President of Imagine Communications, a global leader in multiscreen video and ad management solutions that broadcasters, networks, video service providers and enterprises around the world rely on to support their mission-critical operations.

Steve brings 25 years of technology leadership in the video industry to Imagine Communications. He has served as the CTO at Imagine Communications and Harris Broadcast, Senior Vice President of Premises Technology at Comcast, Senior Vice President of Technology at OpenTV, and CTO at Intellocity USA.

Steve earned a MS in Computer Engineering from Widener University and BS in Computer Science from West Chester University. As the Chairman of the AIMS Alliance and a member of SMPTE and SCTE, he has participated in numerous standards-making bodies in the cable and digital video industries. Steve also holds over 40 patents relating to digital video, content security, interactive television and digital devices.