Automated Content Management and Distribution

Broadcast automation is no longer simply channel playout — it has also become a content management and distribution engine. Media operations need to be able to simply and effectively distribute their content, regardless of format.

Imagine Communications ADC™ is the industry’s leading on-premises automation solution for any content management workflow requirement. Field-proven in the most demanding broadcast environments, it is the ideal platform for content control and delivery, incorporating the benefits of asset management with the efficiencies of automated operations.

By offering operational flexibility and modular scalability, ADC is designed to adapt to your evolving business needs.

With ADC at the core of your broadcast operations, you have a powerful and highly reliable automation system that will keep you on air, seamlessly orchestrating the flawless playout of your content and commercials.

Screen capture of the ADC software

Screen capture of the ADC AirClient software

Screen capture of the ADC AirClient software

Screen capture of the ADC AirClient software

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  • Reliable: A resilient, robust and proven platform, ADC protects your revenue streams with multiple, interlocking redundancy strategies.
  • Flexible and Scalable: The ADC system’s scalable, modular architecture allows it to economically and efficiently adapt as your needs evolve. Whether it is used to launch more channels, incorporate new media workflows, or meet enhanced redundancy requirements, ADC brings simplicity to scalability.
  • Affordable: Economical package pricing provides an affordable system price point to accommodate any budget or workflow practice. The ADC system’s small hardware footprint, quick commissioning and low cost of ownership make it the ideal solution for small- to medium-sized operations.
  • Easy to Use: Intuitive applications provide an enriched user experience, allowing users of all skill levels to quickly become proficient in system operations.
  • Interoperable: ADC integrates with more devices and business systems than any other automation product, creating seamless workflow environments.

ADC on-premise playout automation is built on the following components:

Device Controller

The Device Controller provides real-time control of devices and can manage multiple playlists on multiple networks and serial devices. Individual Device Controllers can manage multiple channels while simultaneously ingesting others. Devices Controllers can be paired for redundant operations, supporting manual or automatic failover.

File Server

File Server uses a Microsoft SQL database to store all metadata needed to support automated workflows. The flexible database structure allows customers to create their own database tables in addition to those provided with the standard schema. Like the Device Controller, File Servers can be paired for redundancy, supporting manual or automatic failover.

Air Client™

Air Client™ is a highly intuitive and efficient workstation used for managing playlists. Air Client™ can monitor and control multiple playout and ingest channels, across multiple device controllers, from a single UI.

Media Client

Media Client allows new material to be ingested. It also manages the automation’s database and the media that is stored on various devices, such as video servers and archives.

Utilizing this modular architecture, ADC can be simply and economically scaled to grow with the evolving needs of a facility. Whether launching more channels, incorporating new media workflows or enhanced redundancy, ADC provides simplicity and scalability.

Right-Sized Redundancy

ADC features multiple, interlocking redundancy strategies so you can utilize the method that best protects your revenue streams. These include:

List Redundancy

List Redundancy provides advanced protection for your content through the duplication and synchronization of automation schedules. List Redundancy secures your operations through the automatic creation of parallel transmission paths, either of which can assume playout responsibilities, should the need arise.

Cold Standby

Cold Standby, in conjunction with List Redundancy, provides protection for the ADC Device Controllers and communications to the controlled devices. Cold Standby ensures that operations continue by providing parallel control paths from the device controllers to your devices. Control of devices can be passed from the main device controller to a backup device controller.

Microsoft® Clustering

The ADC database architecture supports Microsoft® Clustering, allowing it to be used to protect your metadata assets.

ADC is a proven solution for a variety of markets, including:

Broadcast/Cable Networks

ADC supports the unique and complex workflows associated with network content. It regionalized commercial insertion, advanced media workflows including conversion to mezzanine formats, automated QC, and enhanced redundancy. ADC is the preferred solution for network content providers.

Commercial Environments

ADC is the ideal platform for dynamic commercial environments. It offers the ability to support complex branding, maximize efficiencies in multichannel operations, support rapidly changing schedules that are associated with live news and sports, and seamlessly manage content from acquisition to distribution.

Public Broadcasting Services

ADC playout automation successfully supports workflows at Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member stations, including satellite control and tight interaction with Traffic/Scheduling systems.

Centralized Operations

ADC supports multiple centralization strategies, including distributed ingest, centralized and edge playout. It has the flexibility and feature set to accommodate any centralized practice.

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Canada’s Knowledge Network on Air with Imagine Playout Automation System
Knowledge Network, the public educational broadcaster in British Columbia, Canada, has upgraded its playout facility near Vancouver with a future-proof, software-based channel creation solution based on Imagine Communications’ widely deployed Versio™ integrated playout platform and ADC™ automation.
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Saudi Broadcasting Authority Selects Imagine for Integrated Multichannel Networking and Playout

Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA), part of the Ministry of Media in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is replacing the playout technology for its main channels with an integrated solution from Imagine Communications. SBA, one of the most prestigious broadcasters in the Gulf region, is seeking to boost daily operational efficiency and eliminate human error for reliable and professional broadcasting.

To meet the requirements of SBA, Imagine Communications was able to propose a coherent end-to-end system covering network infrastructure, routing, monitoring, ingest, asset management and playout under ADC™ automation control, to replace the current system based on hardware from multiple vendors.

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The Philippines' Cignal TV Expands Playout Capabilities with Imagine Communications
Compact, powerful playout platform adds functionality and resilience; provides stepping stone to IP connectivity in the future.
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Imagine Communications Upgrades Thai PBS with Software-Defined Technology

Imagine Communications has upgraded an existing news, production and playout infrastructure at Thai Public Broadcasting Services (Thai PBS), the leading public broadcaster in Thailand. The state-of-the-art installation gives the broadcaster greatly increased flexibility, scalability and speed for an operationally agile and future-focused solution through the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware running Nexio®️ software from Imagine. The new Imagine solution enables Thai PBS to put content on air faster and easier to meet its audience’s voracious need for news content.

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Russia’s NTV Taps Imagine Communications for Transition to IP Playout
COTS-based, uncompressed IP playout platform provides foundation for future growth distribution.

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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.