IBC: Appear, Skyline DataMiner Launch Live Contribution Technology Partnership

Appear, a global provider of media processing and delivery technology, will introduce advancements in its latest integrated technology partnership at IBC2023. The collaboration with Skyline and its DataMiner platform delivers a managed and monitored workflow offering for both primary and linear/OTT distribution projects.

“The new advancements will offer operational efficiencies through management and control for premium live event contribution with advanced integration of Appear’s X Platform,” said a company press release. “The partnership builds on a long-standing collaboration between Skyline and Appear, which paired Skyline’s DataMiner platform with Appear’s powerful XC and NEO Series Platforms providing additional workflow management flexibility and operational efficiency for joint content distribution projects.”

Per the release, DataMiner is Skyline’s modular, open software platform for managing any media operations, including permanent and occasional use contribution workflows. The integrated offering enables Appear customers to “leverage all functions on the DataMiner platform: resource and service planning and scheduling, automated service orchestration and decommissioning following the schedules, and schedule-aware monitoring,” the release continued.

“The rich set of OSS/BSS integrations of DataMiner are used to integrate with costing and billing systems, databases of 3^rd party resources and contractors, ticketing systems, customer portals and much more,” the company said. “This partnership now enables Skyline DataMiner users to power their live event contribution workflows with the most powerful, modular, efficient and sustainable media processing portfolio on the market today.”

Alex Pannell, CCO at Appear,said in the release: “The priority for our customers is simple: making it as easy and efficient as possible to deliver stellar live events. We continually ensure our customers have access to market leading systems for managing and monitoring their live event workflows and for live contribution links this requires a heightened level of automation and control. That’s why we’re excited to be launching the next phase of our partnership with Skyline at IBC2023. Visitors to our stand will discover how to build elegant and powerful media workflows that they can manage, monitor and control.  The DataMiner platform is a perfect partner with our X, XC and NEO Platforms and you’ll see first-hand the value it delivers through our on-stand demonstrations.”

Demos of the integrated solution will be shown on Appear’s IBC2023 booth (#1.C61) via a live dashboard within an example Network Operation Centre (NOC). This includes a four-camera feed contribution workflow processed by the Appear X20 Platform and configured, managed and monitored by the DataMiner solution. Also demonstrated are other fixed/mobile contribution, primary distribution and MCR decoding workflows.

Thomas Gunkel, market director for broadcast at Skyline Communications, added: “Live events require a best-in-class automation, scheduling and monitoring platform to cope with last minute changes – schedules change, networks can become faulty, and camera feeds can go down unexpectedly. Production crews and control teams need to have the ability to adapt very quickly when this happens. Our DataMiner solution integrated with Appear’s X Media Processing and Delivery Platform provides our shared customers with a simplified and integrated live contribution solution to ensure that high value, quality content such as premium sports events remain on air. We can’t wait to share all the benefits of this integrated partnership with IBC2023 attendees through our shared solution demonstrations at the show.”