Aveco Automation Controls TV Giant’s New Complex

One of the world’s largest media companies recently finished building a massive production complex, deciding to automate seven of the 12 studios included in the project.

When it came to selecting a production automation platform, the TV giant chose Aveco, for two reasons. First, the manufacturer offers the industry’s only multi-studio production automation system. Second, Aveco’s ability to work with all TV industry manufacturers allowed the media company to select best-of-breed equipment for each aspect of its operations.

Rewriting History

For years, automation systems have been able to handle only one studio at a time. With Aveco, multiple studios can easily be combined for major events. When a production runs long in one studio, projects can be reassigned to another. This instantly moves control of the production switcher, graphics, virtual sets, video roll-ins, camera robotics, on-set monitors/walls, audio settings, lighting, etc.

Multiple MAM Integration

In addition to creating an automation solution that can control many studios at once, Aveco has led the industry in integrating multiple MAMs for major facilities. The system installed for the media giant required integration with EVS PAM, editing systems MAM, NRCS MAM and a large-scale MAM-with-Master-Archive. Aveco automatically shares metadata and media across all parts of the production complex. 

Selecting the Best Equipment

Because it is the only independent vendor of production automation, Aveco works with all industry manufacturers. It also has the largest broadcast interface library, developed and constantly maintained over 23 years This gives designers and network executives extreme flexibility in selecting the best-of-breed equipment for each aspect of operations.

Aveco’s multi-vendor approach maximizes innovation compared to one-vendor approaches. The media giant’s project included EVS video servers/instant replay, Grass Valley production switchers, Harmonic Spectrums and Media Grid for Adobe/Apple Final Cut editing, Shotoku robotics, Octopus NRCS and Vizrt graphics.

Industry-leading Vizrt Integration

The same project also implemented extensive graphics control, using Aveco’s SOAP-level integration to handle many layers of Vizrt graphics and change virtual sets, external data feeds, etc.  When news breaks, a CG operator can push one button and release Vizrt from automation control. In other systems, CG operators “fight” automation until they are able to execute complex procedures. 

After the breaking news event is over, another click puts Aveco back in control.

Breaking News Innovations

There are many unique tools for faster breaking news coverage with higher production values, including floating shots, which quickly accomplish requests outside a news rundown. Aveco also orchestrates events across story boundaries (on-set backgrounds, branding, graphics, etc.). Unique MAM integration allows Aveco video search to get clips quickly to air outside a rundown, during breaking news.

Discreet Device Control in Large Studios, Studio-In-A-Box For Small Ones

Another key reason this broadcaster selected Aveco was the industry’s first News Studio in a Box: Redwood Studio. While five of the seven studios are fully automated using best-of-breed discreet devices, two smaller studios are assigned Redwood Studio, which features:

• 8-input production switcher
• Multiple DVEs
• 4 channels of HD video playback
• 32 graphics layers
• 2 stereo audio server channels & audio mixer
• Multiviewer
• Camera robotics control
• Integrated MAM
• Aveco’s Astra Studio 3 production automation

Summary

Aveco’s integration of seven studios in one system provides unprecedented flexibility and consistently high production values for this major national TV network.

Aveco’s multi-vendor approach allows selection of the best equipment for each aspect of broadcast operation, now and in the future.