Archive of the Networked Storage Category

New Workflow to be Demonstrated at NAB

NAB Booth #SL5220

(Mission Hills, CA) Xytech, the global leader in facility management software for the broadcast and media services industries, is announcing full support and compatibility of its MediaPulse platform with Sony’s Media Backbone system. This important new workflow solution will be demonstrated during NAB 2012, in Las Vegas, NV, April 14th through April 18th.

Xytech’s MediaPulse platform is a comprehensive and feature-rich resource, work order and asset management solution for broadcasters, studios, media services companies, and transmission service providers offering a full suite of scheduling, operational, and financial management tools. The Media Backbone family of products is Sony’s solution to streamlining the file-based workflow. The Media Backbone Enterprise Management System is based upon Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), allowing for the orchestration and monitoring of various file-based workflow events within today’s broadcasting and post production facilities.

This announcement is meaningful to today’s media companies who must have real-time integrations to monitor events along the digital supply chain in broadcast and post production environments to compete in today’s complex environment. MediaPulse supports SOA and transactionalizes events so facility staff can manage related business processing, resource scheduling, and media asset cataloging within its digital order structure. The value proposition for clients lies in the complete meshing of order entry, resource management, operational execution and financial systems.

“Sony’s Media Backbone Solutions family is designed to support the widest range of complementary products and technologies,” said Wayne Zuchowski, Marketing Manager for Media Backbone Solutions at Sony Electronics. “The compatibility with MediaPulse extends the workflow management potential to a much broader audience. We are proud to be collaborating with Xytech on this new solution.”

Greg Dolan, Executive Vice President of Xytech, commented on the new solution, “Sony and Xytech have a long relationship and close collaboration on a number of initiatives that strongly support the work of our customers. Now we are putting into play an outstanding solution that brings better visibility and control over the file-based workflow to our mutual clients. Sony has a long and proud history of excellence within our industry, and we are honored to continue our relationship with them and proud to announce this new product collaboration.”

About Xytech
Xytech Systems Corporation(tm) is the leading global provider of facility management software for today’s media and broadcast companies. Leveraging a 25-year history of innovation and market expertise, Xytech brings unparalleled proficiency to its customers with flexible, transparent and evolutionary solutions that set the standard for successfully managing the continuous business realignments that define today’s marketplace. Xytech’s collaborative MediaPulse platform and suite of solutions enable craft workflow and asset management systems to work seamlessly with the company’s renowned planning, scheduling and financial management tools. Xytech has over 450 software deployments in more than 20 countries around the world and is headquartered in Mission Hills, California, with regional offices in New York and London.

For more information, please visit www.XytechSystems.com or call +1.818.698.4900 (US) or +44 (0)20.7903.5170 (UK).

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Media Contact:
Chris Purse, 818.303.8088
ignite strategic communications
chris@ignite.bz or mimi@ignite.bz

Small Tree will feature STREAMS Counter, a storage system performance application utility, at NAB 2012. Free to download on Small Tree’s website at www.small-tree.com, STREAMS Counter provides creative professionals with real-time server performance data. The performance application has been enhanced since its initial introduction earlier this year.

STREAMS Counter is a shared storage system performance application utility testing the number of video streams properly supported in real-time editing environment. Small Tree will provide a demonstration of the app’s capabilities to visitors attending NAB 2012 in Las Vegas.

“There are several considerations that go into architecting a high performance shared storage solution that provides the expected performance for post-production workflows and nothing is more frustrating than having a post project delayed by slow rendering speeds or dropped frames,” said Corky Seeber, president of Small Tree. “Our easy-to-use performance application utility will give post facility operators critical information to determine whether they need to consider another storage solution or if what they’re currently using meets their workflow needs.”

For more information on STREAMS Counter, or any of Small Tree’s Ethernet-based shared storage solutions, visit www.Small-Tree.com or @smalltreecomm.

University modernizes its production and post-production studios with EditShare end-to-end tapeless workflows and collaborative storage
 
Boston, MA – April 12, 2012 – EditShare®, the technology leader in cross platform collaborative editing and shared media storage, is pleased to announce that the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) is replacing its existing video and cinema production and post-production facilities with two professional HD television studios and master control room powered by EditShare tapeless workflow solutions; Geevs for ingest and distribution, Flow for asset management, XStream for collaborative storage and Ark for backup and archiving. The new installation provides an integrated workflow, connecting production and post-production systems including the university’s 75 Avids, 50 Final Cut Pros and 30 Adobe Premiere editing workstations. “We have been looking at different video servers – recording, post and archiving – for the last two years and have done our share of testing and visits to local broadcasters like Radio-Canada/CBC and TVA, Télé-Québec, etc. After taking the EditShare solution through its paces, we found that it best suited our needs with regards to teaching, production and research,” says Gilles Boulet, Director of Audiovisual Services, UQAM. “We look forward to forming a strong relationship with EditShare and introducing the next generation filmmakers, journalists and media moguls to the tremendous benefits of working in a tapeless workflow.”
 
Spearheading the tapeless workflow design is EditShare’s Montreal-based business partner INSO. “As an integrator on the project, we worked very closely with EditShare and UQAM, providing project analysis and system integration consultancy,” says Khalid Bouzidi, media sales manager, INSO. “EditShare systems provide tremendous flexibility in terms of workflow integration and media facilitation. Their asset management and collaborative storage platforms are ideal for the unique needs of UQAM.” In addition to customizing the EditShare installation to support the UQAM workflow, INSO is integrating the university’s new media network infrastructure with the existing one to support the new media workflow.
 
Building a Workflow and a Partnership
The effect of the EditShare installation spans beyond the UQAM production facilities, offering immense real-world benefits for the University’s communication students learning to master the tools of the media trade. “We do more than just sell gear to our customers. We build long-standing relationships that help us better understand where customers want to be with regards of their technology and how we can best serve them. However UQAM is a bit different,” says Andy Liebman, founder and president, EditShare. “In partnership with UQAM, we will launch a number of programs including a competition where students can have their work showcased as part of our corporate demo reel that is shown internationally to thousands of broadcasters. This type of partnership allows us to become an important extension of UQAMs prestigious digital media program and work more closely with the next round of up-and-coming digital media stars. It’s a tremendous opportunity and we are thrilled to be moving forward with the relationship.”
 
About UQAM Communications Program
UQAM has the largest faculty of communication and also the largest faculty of art in Canada (number of students, programs and teachers). UQAM teaches and does research in all fields of creativity: dance, music, visual arts, digital arts, theater, art teaching, graphic design, industrial, urban and architectural design, cinema, television, journalism, new and interactive media. All of these fields offer distinct bachelor degrees and a total of 12 Masters and six doctorate degrees.
 
About INSO
Inso Média is an innovative leader in collaborative video production workflows solutions, offering its expertise to fields such as media, entertainment industry, and education. Inso is also offering a wide portfolio of media solutions designed for creative content professionals (broadcasters, video Post-Production, movies, advertising and special effect studios), Inso Média is the largest Apple Final Cut Studio and Editshare workflow integrator in Eastern Canada. Inso Média is a subsidiary of Inso Solutions Informatiques, a long experienced player in the IT industry, founded in 1983 and currently employing 120 people.
 
About EditShare
EditShare is the technology leader in networked shared storage and tapeless, end-to-end workflow solutions for the TV and film industry. Our groundbreaking products improve efficiency and workflow collaboration every step of the way. They include video capture and playout servers, high-performance central shared storage, archiving and backup software, media asset management, and the world’s first 3-platform (Windows, OS X and Linux) professional non-linear video editing application.
 
©2012 EditShare LLC. All rights reserved. EditShare® is a registered trademark of EditShare LLC. All other trademarks mentioned herein belong to their respective owners.
 
Press Contact
Janice Dolan
Zazil Media Group
Email: janice(at)zazilmediagroup(dot)com
Tel +1 (617) 817-6595
 
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– Customers Now Embracing Unique Benefits of LTFS When Combined with Complete Convenience of Award-Winning Archive Appliance Platform –

Morgan Hill, Calif., April 11, 2012 – Continuing to extend its leadership position in developing products that support the LTFS (Linear Tape File System) format, Cache-A Corporation has built a significant track record with this emerging technology. HBO, Safeway and Offhollywood are among the first companies to deploy Cache-A’s enhanced LTFS technology with their archive appliances.

“LTFS is a great idea, but many early implementations need work,” said Pliny, CIO of Offhollywood in New York. “Cache-A’s solution is the rare exception; our Pro-Cache appliance handles LTFS beautifully. We recently started partnering with HBO to archive certain digital media assets to LTFS LTO-5, and we couldn’t be happier with the workflow.”

All of Cache-A’s LTO-5 based products include LTFS capability, including the company’s flagship product — the award-winning Pro-Cache5, the high-performance Power-Cache and the quiet, desktop Prime-Cache5. Cache-A is featuring all of these products at the National Association of Broadcasters Convention (NAB 2012) in Las Vegas, NV (Booth SL10508).

LTFS is particularly relevant for media and entertainment companies that need storage solutions that effectively safeguard their content, increase data mobility and share content organization-wide.

“At the two previous NAB shows, we were one of the first companies to demonstrate and begin shipping complete LTFS-enabled products that are easy to use and provide complete functionality,” said Phil Ritti, Chief Executive Officer of Cache-A. “Now, at this year’s NAB, we are proud to extend our leadership by being among the first companies to have customers using our LTFS-enabled products – helping them find, share and manage files on a daily basis.”

Based on open software, LTFS enables users to interchange content across different operating systems, software applications and physical locations. It leverages the economy, robustness, high density and low power of tape with much of the functionality and usability of a hard drive by allowing tape to be accessed through standard file systems.

Cache-A enhances LTFS to overcome the following limitations:
• LTFS has inherent characteristics that can cause long waits when used with file management tools like Windows Explorer or Finder
• With LTFS, restoring more than a few files at a time with Explorer or Finder can be very slow
• LTFS cannot be used by itself in a network or multi-user environments because the open code or “base level” deployment requires that the LTO drive be dedicated to a single computer
• LTFS looks like, but does not behave like random access disk. Due to the inherent linear nature of tape, accesses must occur over all files in the order they were written, potentially causing long delays

Benefits of the Cache-A interface that specifically enhance LTFS include:
• File Manager Utility — File moving that avoids issues with Finder/Explorer
• URL Encoding — Allows archiving of file names with illegal characters
• Networked — Makes LTFS volumes available across a LAN
• Indexed — Every tape is searchable and can have additional metadata for every file, folder and tape
• Easy Formatting of Media — No shell command line is required
• Easy Mount and Unmount — No shell command line and no locked eject due to folders in use
• No Client-side Software — Every computer can instantly work with it

With Cache-A’s implementation of LTFS, the tape both looks and behaves like a disk, and all tape operations are handled transparently in the background by the archive appliance and delivers a solution that is:
• Self-contained: Platform neutral to stand the test of time
• Interchangeable: Easy to distribute and interchange assets
• Extensible: Scalable to meet future needs

As a complete archive solution for digital media professionals, Cache-A appliances simplify operations, improve manageability and meet their long-term data retention requirements. Self-contained, easy to deploy with no assembly or installation required, Cache-A appliances know where every file lives on each tape and organizes restores for efficient linear access. They also allow users to employ hard disk caching for file transfers, which protects them from the latencies and access issues associated with linear tape. In addition, they include full remote support and software updates ensure that users always have the latest LTFS version as well as the latest Cache-A features. To download a white paper that explains further how Cache-A archive appliances utilize LTFS to deliver long-term archival stability and ease of use, please go to http://cache-a.com/paperform.php.

“Cache-A’s LTO-5 based products with LTFS make an ideal archiving and interchange solution, enhancing both production and post-production workflows as well as improving asset management and interchange,” said Mark Ostlund, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Cache-A. “Because LTFS makes the contents of the tape compatible and accessible to any facility with an LTO-5 tape drive, it provides a self-contained content delivery system as well as a highly reliable archive format.”

About Cache-A Corporation
The expert in LTFS applications and the winner of Creative Cow’s Blue Ribbon Award for NAB 2011 for “Best Archiving System,” Cache-A is a leading supplier of network-attached archive appliances for the media and entertainment industry. Cache-A’s archive appliances can easily archive source masters for production or entire projects for post-production using the secure, portable, interchangeable, industry standard LTFS or tar format on LTO-5 media. www.Cache-A.com

Contact:
Randy Savicky
Strategy+Communications
(203) 226-6156
randy@strategypluscommunications.com

New Media Asset Management Platform with Business Process Management Workflow Engine Delivers Greater Operational and Business Visibility
 
Powered with several key new features and applications, including a new graphical user interface and Dalet One Cut fully integrated video editor. Dalet Galaxy will be available later this year.
 
Levallois-Perret, France – April 11, 2012 – Dalet Digital Media Systems today unveiled plans for Dalet Galaxy, the latest and most advanced version of the company’s enterprise Media Asset Management (MAM) platform. Born from a decade of experience in building MAM solutions for our broadcast and media customers, Dalet Galaxy includes a high-value, BPMN 2.0-compliant workflow engine that dramatically boosts productivity and agility while also improving operational and business visibility across the media enterprise. The release will offer many additional features including a new modern-looking graphical user interface; Dalet One Cut, a built-in, multitrack video editing framework; more customizable data models; advanced tools for searching and indexing; increased interoperability with NLEs; and support for upcoming industry standards such as AS-02 and FIMS. Dalet Galaxy will become the foundation for the company’s enterprise MAM solutions, which include the purpose-built workgroup packages Dalet Media Life for program prep and archiving, Dalet News Suite for news production and distribution, Dalet Sports Factory for live event and sports production, and Dalet Radio Suite for multiplatform news and music programming. Dalet Galaxy and the portfolio of Dalet solutions can be previewed during NAB 2012 in Las Vegas, April 16-19, 2012, at the Dalet booth (SL4615).
 
“Dalet Galaxy takes our Dalet Enterprise Edition MAM platform to the next level and will offer many benefits to our customers. With Dalet Galaxy, we’ve incorporated an advanced, industry-standard Business Process Management workflow engine into our core MAM product and tailored it to meet the needs of broadcast and media companies. Dalet Galaxy adds important new dimensions to the MAM, making it the first open and fully integrated platform for managing media and workflows in a convergent world. With the capability to manipulate any type of digital object, including video, audio, text, and graphics, the possibilities are endless,” says Stephane Schlayen, Chief Operating Officer, Dalet. “All the operational and business processes are now fully visible and monitored across the enterprise, in real-time. Advanced reporting capabilities provide the means to improve efficiencies and workflows based on actual metrics coming from the system. Customers can control their processes at all levels — horizontally and vertically. This kind of insight and agility will be increasingly important in our fast-changing business environment.”
 
The new BPM workflow engine in Dalet Galaxy includes tools for designing and modeling workflows, and for orchestrating human tasks as well as automated processes (transcoding, file transfers, etc.). This comes with contextual “To Do” list capability, which adds even greater productivity to the workflow and transparency to the operators. Managers can prioritize and re-assign tasks and make sure deadlines are met.
 
“This breakthrough technology goes well beyond automation. With BPM, you can see the totality of the workflow, and at the same time, you can identify the internal progress of each workflow step at a granular level — see where assets are in the workflow, check statuses, change priorities and pinpoint bottlenecks. Other business sectors have already benefited greatly from BPM, and now we are bringing the same potential to the broadcast and media industry,” explains Kevin Savina, Director of Product Management, Dalet. “There will also be many new and significant workflow enhancements in Dalet Galaxy, such as the new user interface and Dalet One Cut, our fully integrated multitrack video editor. We’ve also expanded capabilities for video and metadata exchanges between our MAM and leading NLEs; the Dalet Xtend module, which already supported Apple Final Cut Pro, now supports Avid NLEs and will soon support Adobe Premiere. From start to finish and in many different ways, Dalet Galaxy will truly make your business smarter and more efficient.”
 
Highlights of Dalet Galaxy
 
Advanced Media Asset Management Platform unifies diverse systems to provide an end-to-end, cross-system metadata, content and workflow management solution.
 
• Integrated, single database solution with centralized, multimedia content catalogue with highly customizable data model
• Enterprise search engine for indexing and searching for fast, easy content sharing and repurposing
• Built-in tools for key operational tasks (ingest, production, distribution, etc.)
• Highly scalable, based on open standards in broadcast and IT
• Integration tools (Web Services APIs, MXF, XML, etc.) for building a cross-system, end-to-end solution linking together traffic, graphics, post-production, automation and archive
 
Workflow Engine – Added to Dalet MAM core and adapted for media businesses, this powerful, non-proprietary workflow engine follows the BPMN 2.0 Business Process Management standard.
 
• Adds visibility to your enterprise by exposing operational processes/workflows to business layer
• Greater clarity in the process chain adds value to the business enterprise
• Improves agility to react to industry and competitive shifts
• Orchestrates and automates IT processes and human tasks for greater productivity and efficiency
 
Design Tool for Modeling Workflows allows you to graphically design your workflows.
 
• Visual modeling based on BPMN 2.0 standardized notation helps define roles, responsibilities and processes. Precise, graphical representation helps identify and correct gaps, redundancies and inefficiencies
 
Real-time Data for Business Reporting
 
• Audit trails improve accountability with easily traceable paths for key actions in production chain
• Accessible in customized reports or available as raw data for complex analysis
• Data can be used to build Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for ongoing Business Activity Monitoring
 
Contextual To Do Lists streamline the workflow and ensure compliance with established procedures. Tasks are prioritized and assigned to individual users or user groups. When operators accept a task, the tools needed to complete the task (video editor, metadata form, etc.) automatically open on the user’s desktop. There is no doubt about which tool to use, what asset to work on or how to proceed as user prompts drive the task to completion.
 
The New Graphical User Interface is completely updated to meet modern usability standards and will provide a consistent look across all applications. The GUI also features different “skins.” Either a light or dark background can be applied to particular functions or workgroups in order to make the desktop tools easier to see and navigate. For instance, the dark background might be applied for technical operators who perform tasks in low-light environments such as gallery control rooms, while the light background might be more beneficial for users focused on text, metadata entry, indexing and logging.
 
Dalet One Cut is a real-time, multitrack video and audio editing platform. One Cut is the ideal tool for multimedia journalists and content prep operators. The system can be configured to match the complexity of different tasks and the proficiency of the users. Clips can be stored in the Dalet Clip Bin where they can be shared, assembled and storyboarded.
 
Dalet Xtend for Avid NLEs and Adobe Premiere – This module provides for seamless exchanges of videos, shot lists, EDLs and their metadata between NLEs and the Dalet MAM and is now available for Avid Media Composer and Avid NewsCutter in addition to Apple Final Cut Pro. The module will shortly be available for Adobe Premiere editing systems.
 
Enterprise Search and Cataloguing including glossary, thesaurus and genealogy for faster searching and content sharing.
 
Dalet WebSpace and Google Gadgets – Dalet Galaxy now makes content and tools even more accessible. With Web Space, authorized local and remote users can share content and access Dalet toolsets via a standard web browser. It is also possible to expose content and tools such as Dalet Preview, Media Logger and Storyboarder directly onto customer portals using Google gadget technology.
 
Dalet Workflow Solutions
 
Dalet Media Life
MAM and workflow automation for program prep, promos and archives
 
Dalet Media Life leverages IT standards and infrastructure to meet the complex production and asset management needs of multiplatform content providers such as networks, thematic channels and promo departments that deal with high volumes of video and audio programming — from movies, documentaries and TV series to cartoons, promos and jingles. Media Life has a flexible, comprehensive data model; support for managing all types of media, including still images; and a workflow engine for managing human and automated tasks. A complete set of functional tools for pre-editing, storyboarding, subtitling, captioning, versioning, etc., is accessible from the same user interface. Media Life is designed to integrate with third-party systems such as NLEs, automation devices, archives and business systems. Media Life is an open platform with a variety of data exchange and integration paths, including using SOA-compliant tools such as Web Services APIs.
 
Dalet News Suite
MAM-driven News Production and Playout
 
Dalet News Suite, the only integrated, end-to-end, MAM-based newsroom production system on the market, improves efficiency, productivity and collaboration with its advanced design and smart tools. With fully integrated desktop scripting, video, graphic and multimedia tools, journalists are engaged in a smooth and intuitive workflow that allows them to concentrate on producing high-quality content for broadcast and new media outlets. Content and metadata are enriched at every step — from ingest through automated playout, archives and multiplatform delivery. Dalet News Suite facilitates story-centric production and fosters collaboration between different departments — from the news desk, planning and production to the control room and new media units. The Dalet MAM platform tracks it all, and the workflow engine automates many background tasks. With full media and metadata tracking, the MAM platform provides a robust framework for managing assets and leveraging content to take advantage of new business opportunities.
 
Dalet Sports Factory
Sports production tools with built-in MAM
 
Dalet Sports Factory offers fast sports production tools, fully integrated within an enterprise MAM platform. Sports Factory’s highlights and replay components cover logging, play-by-play highlights and playback, and instant replay with multiple camera angles and slow motion. Media are logged once and immediately available for use in programs and packages. Unlike typical sports production products, Dalet Sports Factory integrates production archives and media management, ensuring all enriched media assets are at your fingertips during and after the game. Designed on the open Dalet MAM platform, Sports Factory integrates with industry-standard NLEs and other broadcast and sports production systems to provide a cohesive, fluid workflow.
 
Dalet Sports Logger features one-button logging and “intelligent” team rosters for fast highlight creation. One click denotes the type of play (goals, penalties, etc.) and the start of the highlight. Add player info with a single click on the roster display. Plays and metadata are accurately entered into your pre-configured MAM fields, adding value and consistency to game logs. Highlight starts can be set a few seconds before mark-ins, so that you’ll never miss a key play; all clips are immediately available in Dalet Hilites Espresso for fast assembly of multiple playlists.
 
Dalet Radio Suite
Radio … and more
 
Dalet Radio Suite is the only radio production and automation software that incorporates music workflows including music rotation, news workflows, media asset management and multimedia distribution within the same system. Designed for the era of media convergence, Radio Suite is built on Dalet’s powerful Media Asset Management (MAM) platform and streamlines every aspect of the digital production chain for news and music channels. Stations can optimize their programming efforts for traditional over-the-air broadcasts as well as other outlets with automated multiplatform delivery including podcasts, iTunes, EPG and DAB.
 
Combined with modular, task-specific tools, Dalet Radio Suite meets the comprehensive demands of large-scale newsrooms as well as the needs of multichannel music networks. Journalists have an integrated newsroom computer system and all the desktop tools they need to ingest audio, create scripts, record and edit audio, and build and manage rundowns. DJs can exercise their creativity with easy-to-use playlists, the One Cut multitrack editing systems and Carts for jingles and liners. Remote voice-tracking tools facilitate contributions by off-site talent. Dalet OnAir is a proven and highly reliable automated solution used in some of the world’s largest multichannel operations. Dalet Radio Suite is designed for outstanding scalability with hundreds of simultaneous users.
 
About Dalet
Dalet solutions enable broadcasters and media professionals to create, manage and distribute content to traditional and new media channels, including interactive TV, the Web and mobile networks. Dalet combines into a single system a robust and proven Asset Management platform with advanced metadata capabilities, a configurable workflow engine and a comprehensive set of purpose-built creative and production tools. This integrated and open environment enables end-to-end management of the entire News and Sport and Program content chain, and allows users to significantly improve efficiency, and to maximize the use and value of their assets. Dalet’s solutions are delivered through a dedicated Professional and Integration Services Department to ensure the highest possible standards.
 
Dalet systems are used around the world by many thousands of individual users at hundreds of TV and Radio content producers, including public broadcasters (ABS-CBN, BBC, CBC, DR, France TV, RTBF, RFI, Russia Today, RSR & TSR, RT Malaysia, VOA, WDR), commercial networks and operators (Antena 3, Canal+, FOX, eTV, Mediaset, Orange, Time Warner Cable, Warner Bros., Sirius XM Radio) and government organizations (Queensland JAG, Canadian House of Commons, The European Commission). Dalet is traded on the NYSE-EURONEXT stock exchange (Eurolist C): ISIN: FR0011026749, Bloomberg DLT:FP and Reuters: DALE.PA.
 
Dalet is a registered trademark of Dalet Digital Media Systems. All other trademarks and products mentioned herein belong to their respective owners.
 
For more information on Dalet, visit www.dalet.com.
 
Press contact:
Janice Dolan
Zazil Media Group
(p) +1 617-817-6595
e) janice(at)zazilmediagroup(dot)com
 
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Popular Awards Call Out Industry Excellence in Burgeoning Asset Management Industry

(Burbank, CA) Createasphere has announced the opening of the Call For Entries for the Third Annual DAMMY Awards. The DAMMY Awards are the first honors specifically conceived to recognize excellence in innovative digital asset management technology. In the two years since their launch, the DAMMY Awards have become the standard for excellence in the industry, sought after by a wide variety of companies and individuals at work in asset management. The written submission period is April 2, 2012 – August 2, 2012. The DAMMY Awards will take place on September 28, 2012 at the New Yorker Hotel in New York at a gala luncheon ceremony.

The DAMMY Award winners are chosen by a blue-ribbon panel of judges who review the written entries. The submissions process is a rare, non-marketing opportunity for entrants to articulate their process, work, and excellence in a concise document for the Judge’s panel. After the submission period ends, and judging has been completed, an abstract of entries will be published prior to the Awards gala in September.

Mary Yurkovic, Manager of the Createasphere Digital Asset Management Conferences comments, “We are proud of the growth of The DAMMY Awards. From the very first year, they have been embraced by the industry and have attracted an incredible caliber of entries from a wide variety of companies, organizations and institutions. We’ve been able to recognize excellence and draw attention to the amazing innovation and thoughtful evolution in the industry and that is meaningful as the discipline moves forward. We are all looking forward to reading the submissions this year, and sharing a bounty of insights with the Createasphere audience.”

Categories include:

Best Storage, Archive, and/or Preservation Solution

Recognizing the most innovative solution for storage, archive, and/or preservation, which could include software, hardware, a specific project, or services. The winner’s solution will demonstrate the most user-friendly option(s), revolutionary design, and maximum return on investment. This must be presented in the form of a case study and include the components of the challenge/problem, solution, examples and results.

Best Strategy or Solution for Digital & Media Asset Management during the Acquisition of Content

Recognizing streamlined and innovative workflow at the content acquisition or creation stage. The winner’s solution must demonstrate core understanding of digital and media asset management through development of strategic processes and implementation of software or hardware. Submissions can include content providers, software, hardware, or consultants. This must be presented in the form of a case study and include the components of the challenge/problem, solution, examples and results.

Best Example of Asset & Media Repurposing

Recognizing a company, organization or technology that has demonstrated profitability with multi-use of assets & media to increase or create an additional revenue stream or product. This must be presented in the form of a case study and include the components of the challenge/problem, solution, examples and results.

Best Strategy Ease of Use for End-User Interface

Recognizing a company, organization or technology that has created ease of use for end users in a DAM System interface reflecting an intuitive user experience. This must be presented in the form of a case study and include the components of the challenge/problem, solution, examples and results.

DAMMY of the Year

Recognizes an outstanding individual that has positively impacted the success & growth of the digital asset industry and community. A well-known and respected individual that exemplifies forward thinking, leadership, and innovation, and has made global contributions to the standards and best practices for management of digital and media assets.

The entry fee for each category is just $55 US and there is no charge for the DAMMY of the Year submission. Past winners across the categories have included ADAM Software; Hallmark Cards; UPS: 5th Kind; Showtime Networks; and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. DAMMY of the year winners, which calls out industry contributions, have included Jason Bright of Media Beacon and Thomas Schleu of Canto Software.

For more information about the DAMMY’s, and complete submission guidelines please visit http://createasphere.com/En/dammys.html or call Createasphere at 818.842.6611.

About Createasphere

Createasphere is the premier business development partner for technology enabled entertainment, marketing, and communications organizations. We advance careers and technologies by connecting world-class professionals globally online and in person.

Createasphere was founded in 2001, and over the past decade has grown into a global company that in 2011 produced seventeen events over three continents as well as five websites. Createasphere became part of Diversified Business Communications in 2008, and now drives their entertainment, media, technology strategies and properties division. Currently, Createasphere produces the Entertainment Technology Expos in Los Angeles; the Digital Asset Management Conference in New York, Los Angeles, and Europe; The DAMMY Awards in New York; the Executive Marketplaces for Houses of Worship in Los Angeles and Chicago; Post Production Master Classes in New York and Los Angeles, and the online news and content portals ProVideoCoalition.com and DamCoalition.com.

Connect with Createasphere on:
Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/createasphere/120410987973181)
Twitter (https://twitter.com/createasphere)
LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/company/createasphere)
Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/createasphere)

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Media Contact:
Chris Purse, 818.303.8088
ignite strategic communications
chris@ignite.bz or mimi@ignite.bz

Dalet Xtend module now provides seamless media and metadata exchanges between Dalet MAM platform and Avid NLEs, Adobe Premiere and Apple Final Cut Pro
 
Paris, France – April 9, 2012 – Dalet Digital Media Systems today announced more flexible and comprehensive integration support with several non-linear editing platforms. The Dalet Xtend module, originally created to facilitate a more fluid workflow between the Dalet Media Asset Management platform and Apple Final Cut Pro® systems, is being expanded to include similar media and metadata exchange capabilities with Avid Media Composer®, Avid NewsCutter®, Adobe® Premiere®, and other NLEs. This interoperability significantly increases productivity and collaboration for editing workgroups. Dalet Xtend for Avid will be demonstrated at NAB 2012 on the Dalet Stand (SL4615). Dalet Xtend for Adobe Premiere will be available later this year.
 
“Dalet Xtend makes the production workflow much more seamless in every scenario, whether it is for new production, program prep or sports. Designed originally for integrating with Final Cut Pro, Dalet Xtend has gotten excellent feedback from customers and we are pleased to make similar functionality available with other industry standard NLEs,” says Raoul Cospen, Director of Marketing, Dalet. “It relies on open development technology and allows editors working on NLEs to be tightly integrated into the overall production workflow rather than functioning in operational silos. Dalet Xtend also gives customers the flexibility to assemble their preferences for best-of-breed choices for production tools with the assurance that they can change their preferences in the future.”
 
With Dalet Xtend editors have access to media (videos, EDLS, shot selections, etc) and metadata that are stored in the Dalet content catalogue directly from their NLE workstations. From their Dalet workstations, prep-editors have access to incoming feeds while they are being recorded, and they have access to powerful search tools to find relevant material in the archive. They also have a rich set of prep-editing tools available from the same application that cover many pre-production tasks such as clip selection, storyboarding and even voice over recording. Clips, EDLs and videos are directly accessible from 3rd party NLEs, where more complex editing can be done. The finished work can then be exported back to Dalet as a new title, or saved against a placeholder – all with the appropriate metadata entries as the exchange process is not destructive to the metadata. Crucial information such as descriptive locators and usage rights flow back and forth and are tracked by the Dalet content catalogue thanks to intelligent genealogy.
 
The Dalet MAM engine expertly controls the metadata and media processes. Genealogy metadata linking the editor’s material to the original sources can be preserved and content is better referenced throughout, making searches of the content catalogue and archives more efficient; content is more readily accessible to everyone who needs it. Dalet Xtend can significantly reduce expensive in-suite production time, streamline the workflow and improve media management.
 
About Dalet
Dalet solutions enable broadcasters and media professionals to create, manage and distribute content to both traditional and new media channels, including interactive TV, the Web and mobile networks. Dalet combines into a single system a robust and proven Asset Management platform with advanced metadata capabilities; a configurable workflow engine, and a comprehensive set of purpose-built creative and production tools. This integrated and open environment enables end-to-end management of the entire News and Sport and Program content chain, and allows users to significantly improve efficiency, and to maximize the use and value of their assets. Dalet’s solutions are delivered through a dedicated Professional and Integration Services Department to ensure the highest possible standards.
 
Dalet systems are used around the world by many thousands of individual users at hundreds of TV and Radio content producers, including public broadcasters (ABS-CBN, BBC, CBC, DR, France TV, RTBF, RFI, Russia Today, RSR & TSR, RT Malaysia, VOA, WDR), commercial networks and operators (Antena 3, Canal+, FOX, eTV, Mediaset, Orange, Time Warner Cable, Warner Bros., Sirius XM Radio) and government organizations (Queensland JAG, Canadian House of Commons, The European Commission). Dalet is traded on the NYSE-EURONEXT stock exchange (Eurolist C): ISIN: FR0011026749, Bloomberg DLT:FP, Reuters: DALE.PA.
 
Dalet is a registered trademark of Dalet Digital Media Systems. All other trademarks and products mentioned herein belong to their respective owners.
 
For more information on Dalet, visit www.dalet.com.
 
Press contact:
Janice Dolan
Zazil Media Group
(p) +1 617-817-6595
(e) janice(at)zazilmediagroup(dot)com
 
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Small Tree, the video editing shared storage experts, will be showcasing its expanded GraniteSTOR Titanium line up at NAB 2012 (Booth SL7425). Titanium is a high performance, capacity dense, dedicated video editing shared storage appliance with advanced file sharing capabilities enabling simple, real-time collaboration.

An “all-in-one” system with a budget friendly special introductory entry price of $6,995 (valid until June 30, 2012), Titanium offers extreme flexibility, supporting a wide range of performance and capacity requirements. Professional video editors with limited IT resources can focus on editing video, not on managing the infrastructure supporting their workflow.

Titanium16, a 3U rack-mount solution introduced in January 2012, has been enhanced and expansion options added. Titanium16 is configurable up to 32 GbE or 20 10GbE ports and storage capacity from 32TB to 240TB, while delivering up to 72 streams of ProRes 422. This represents a 5x increase in capacity and 2x performance increase compared to the initial release of the Titanium16.

Titanium8 is the newest in Small Tree’s expanding GraniteSTOR line of high performance, affordable Ethernet-based shared storage systems. Titanium8 is a 2U rack-mount solution configurable up to 14 GbE or 12 10GbE ports and storage capacity from 8TB to 120TB, while delivering up to 36 streams of ProRes 422. This represents 2.5x increase in capacity and the same performance as the Titanium16 at its introduction.

Titanium supports popular editing software such as Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer, Adobe Creative Suite, while enabling Windows, Linux, Macintosh and Unix clients to share media files. The Small Tree shared storage solution supports multiple file Protocols, including AFP, Samba, NFS and iSCSI. Final Cut X sharing, utilizing Final Cut X’s SAN location feature for events and projects, is possible on Titanium using iSCSI and Apple Xsan (now included in OS X at no additional charge) or Tiger Technology’s MetaSAN. Post-production professionals can rest easy knowing that no matter what software or platform they are working from, Titanium will work seamlessly in their environment.

Titanium is built on a customized open source operating system that was designed to be easy-to-use, feature rich and reliable, while providing exceptionally robust performance. Storage can be made available to users within minutes of initial start up and the powerful and convenient Web-based GUI makes management of the system straightforward and simple. Titanium supports file and volume replication as well as tape backup. By using a Web-based browser, Titanium can be managed from anywhere with an Internet connection, providing optimal convenience to post-production professionals facing tight deadlines.

Storage, file server and networking are all contained in the Titanium chassis, which means users can connect an editing workstation directly to the system with no other networking equipment required. If additional editing workstations are required, a Small Tree switch is easily integrated with the new system. As a result of its tremendous flexibility, Titanium is ideal for any post-production environment, whether it’s in the studio, at home, in a mobile production truck or on a remote shoot requiring on-site video editing.

“In today’s fast moving and ever changing post-production environment, it is absolutely critical that shared storage provides the best balance of capacity, performance, ease of use and cost to minimize expenditures,” said Corky Seeber, president of Small Tree. “The expansion of the Titanium family demonstrates our commitment to delivering systems that do exactly that – give post-production professionals high performance shared storage solutions that provide flexible options at less cost.”

The enhanced Titanium16 and new Titanium8 are currently available for delivery worldwide.

For more information on GraniteSTOR Titanium, visit www.Small-Tree.com.

Dalet’s MAM platform, integration expertise, and workflow tools deliver metadata and media management with streamlined production for broadcast, web, and VOD
 
New York, New York – March 22, 2012 – Dalet Digital Media Systems has announced that Shaw Media, one of Canada’s largest privately owned television broadcasters, has begun deployment of Dalet Enterprise Edition at its Television Playout Center in Toronto. Eighteen of the country’s most popular specialty channels, including HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, History Television, and Showcase, originate from the Center. The deployment was executed in cooperation with broadcast consultant and reseller Majortech; it unifies all of the Toronto facility’s production, playout, and distribution systems within a robust and flexible framework for media and metadata management.
 
“Dalet Enterprise Edition has been incredibly open and agile in meeting our functional and technical requirements, which include Media Asset Management and a large number of third-party system integrations,” says Shawn Kelly, Shaw Media’s Senior Director of Media Operations. “With cross-system management and flexible metadata schemes for handling all types of assets, the Dalet Enterprise Edition acts as our ‘super glue’ and overall workflow engine. It ties together all the diverse systems while respecting our preferred ways of working. Dalet’s enterprise-wide approach offers high scalability and multiple integration methods, providing a tremendous advantage from a business perspective and potential for expansion to include new technologies down the road.”
 
Dalet Enterprise Edition includes a comprehensive MAM platform with a centralized content catalog and powerful workflow engine. Dalet also packages Enterprise Edition with specially designed toolsets to boost productivity in production, programming, and archiving workflows. Accessible from a single user interface, these purpose-built tools enable a more collaborative workflow.
 
“Shaw Media was looking at the big MAM picture – much more than a content repository. They wanted an advanced MAM system that would also orchestrate workflows between the various areas of their operations. We’re pleased that Dalet Enterprise Edition can fulfill their vision. Enterprise Edition will manage ingest, QC, program prep, and distribution of material in a fully integrated workflow that will allow Shaw Media to maximize its media assets as well as its human resources,” explains Frederic Roux, Director of Sales, Dalet USA. “It’s a fully collaborative environment now with Dalet managing and tracking assets and work processes across systems. Assets are easily searchable, accessible for everyone who needs them, regardless of what application or system they are working in. Many tasks in the production chain are driven by work orders and tied together by the Dalet workflow engine – from QC at ingest, editing in Final Cut for compliance editing or Promo creation, captioning, and version management to broadcast, archiving, and delivery to VOD, web, and other platforms.”
 
Dalet integrations at the Shaw Media facility in Toronto include Harris D-Series automation, Omneon MediaGrid production storage, Omneon Spectrum video file servers for ingest and playout, Harris Platinum video router, Apple Final Cut NLEs, Rhozet transcoders, Interra Baton for automated file-based QC, S4M traffic system, and Front Porch Digital HSM archive, as well as several systems developed in-house by Shaw Media.
 
About Dalet Enterprise Edition
Dalet Enterprise Edition is a flexible, highly scalable media asset management platform that melds different production workflows, multiple formats, and diverse systems into a unified, managed environment that improves productivity and drives business. Built-in tools streamline production and distribution workflows in sports, news, and entertainment programming. Dalet Enterprise Edition also provides a foundation for incorporating other systems and software so facilities can design the media universe of their choosing. The SOA-compliant web services APIs and multiple exchange methods ensure fluid media and data movement with life cycle metadata tracking.
 
At the core of Dalet Enterprise Edition is the content catalog that manages media, essence files, and metadata across the organization, storing and tracking contextual sets of associated multimedia of all kinds along with metadata, including time-coded locators. The catalog provides ultimate flexibility to satisfy the needs of every type of media organization.
 
About Shaw Communications Inc.
Shaw is a diversified communications and media company, providing consumers with broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Home Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business), satellite direct-to-home services (through Shaw Direct) and engaging programming content (through Shaw Media). Shaw serves 3.4 million customers, through a reliable and extensive fibre network. Shaw Media operates one of the largest conventional television networks in Canada, Global Television, and 18 specialty networks including HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, History Television and Showcase. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX – SJR.B, NYSE – SJR). For more information about Shaw, please visit http://www.shaw.ca/.
 
About Dalet
Dalet solutions enable broadcasters and media professionals to create, manage and distribute content to both traditional and new media channels, including interactive TV, the Web and mobile networks. Dalet combines into a single system a robust and proven Asset Management platform with advanced metadata capabilities; a configurable workflow engine, and a comprehensive set of purpose-built creative and production tools. This integrated and open environment enables end-to-end management of the entire News and Sport and Program content chain, and allows users to significantly improve efficiency and to maximize the use and value of their assets. Dalet’s solutions are delivered through a dedicated Professional and Integration Services Department to ensure the highest possible standards.
 
Dalet systems are used around the world by many thousands of individual users at hundreds of TV and Radio content producers, including public broadcasters (ABS-CBN, BBC, CBC, DR, France TV, RTBF, RFI, Russia Today, RSR & TSR, RT Malaysia, VOA, WDR), commercial networks and operators (Antena 3, Canal+, FOX, eTV, Mediaset, Orange, Time Warner Cable, Warner Bros., Sirius XM Radio) and government organizations (Queensland JAG, Canadian House of Commons, The European Commission). Dalet is traded on the NYSE-EURONEXT stock exchange (Eurolist C): ISIN: FR0011026749, Bloomberg DLT:FP, Reuters: DALE.PA.
 
Dalet is a registered trademark of Dalet Digital Media Systems. All other trademarks and products mentioned herein belong to their respective owners.
 
For more information on Dalet, please visit http://www.dalet.com/.
 
Press contact:
Janice Dolan
Zazil Media Group
(p) +1 617-817-6595
(e) janice(at)zazilmediagroup(dot)com
####

As a creative agency focused on storytelling, Sausalito-based eMotion Studios helps its customers connect with their audiences in support of new product launches. Having gone through a number of technological evolutions during its 18 years in business, the company recently installed the GraniteSTOR Titanium Ethernet-based shared storage system from Small Tree.

With seven Mac workstations and up to six Macbook pros working simultaneously on client projects, eMotion requires a storage system that is incredibly reliable and capable of handling simultaneous streams. The company has been working with Small Tree shared storage technology for years, but given its recent and continued growth, eMotion upgraded to a Titanium 48TB system to maximize its current workflow while also planning for additional expected growth in the future.

“In a single week, 4-6TBs of content might be flowing into our studios for client projects we are working on, so if we don’t have a storage solution that’s working solidly seven days a week, we’re in big trouble,” said Glen Janssens, eMotion’s director. “Our familiarity and comfort level with Small Tree was a critical factor in our decision to upgrade to the new Titanium solution.”

On any given day, eMotion can have up to 20 projects live on its system and all of the materials the studio produces need to live on any platform – mobile or web. Given the diversity of the projects the company works on and in order meet tight client deadlines, eMotion’s post-production team needs maximum flexibility. As such, editors work across a variety of software applications, including Adobe Premiere, After Effects and Final Cut Pro. Thus, having a central storage system that works seamlessly with those applications provides peace of mind to Janssens and his creative team.

“Initially, we had some questions on whether Ethernet was the right platform to handle substantial amounts of simultaneous data transfers, but it’s clear that Small Tree has done some unbelievable engineering,” Janssens admitted. “Storage isn’t sexy, but it’s the lifeblood of our company and to have something that is as solid as the Titanium is crucial.”

For more information on Small Tree’s Titanium or to purchase the newest product in the company’s rapidly expanding roster of Ethernet-based storage and networking equipment especially designed for the post-production industry, visit www.granitestor.com. Follow Small Tree on Twitter @SmallTreeComm.