Master Control Products Guide

For the second year, TVNewsCheck is augmenting its coverage of NAB Show Hot Topics tech trends stories with information that can make your visit to the NAB Show easier. This week’s focus is broadcast graphics (read the main story here). These companion resource guides on the technology covered each week are compilations of information provided by vendors. To download this page as a PDF, click here. 

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Aveco | Booth N3413 | Website: www.aveco.com  | 923 S. Candler St., Decatur, GA 30030 and Veleslavinka 39, Prague 6 162 00, Czech Republic | 818-292-1489 and 420-235-366-707
ASTRA MCR–25^th Anniversary Edition — Aveco’s master control automation takes another jump forward with this year’s 25^th Anniversary NAB release. There’s a wide range of new features including multiple timeline views, deeper integration with Media Asset Management (including multiple MAM-and-PAM ingest-and-video-search integration with Avid Interplay, EVS PAM, SAM/Quantel PAM and others), additional Social Media Gateway interfaces, more stream splicing options for localized insertion of news-sports-ads at remote locations (stations, headends, translators) and further integration with Aveco’s News Production Automation.
Product Info: http://aveco.com/astra-mcr2
Datasheet: http://aveco.com/sites/default/files/ASTRA_MCR_DS-1004-01.pdf
Availability: NAB 2017

ASTRA Studio–25^th Anniversary Edition — ASTRA Studio’s 25^th Anniversary Edition adds major new features for breaking news, new, easy ways to add or change production automation control directives from within iNews, ENPS, Octopus and others (e.g., “change that 2-shot to a 4-shot” in a second.) See new flying-fader audio hand-controllers and 92-button video controllers. Aveco has also extended its MAM integration for federated search across all MAMs and PAMs in a broadcast enterprise, local-and-remote, along with instant-on-air playback of video-search results.
Product Info: http://aveco.com/astra-studio
Datasheet: http://aveco.com/sites/default/files/ASTRA_Studio_3_DS-1009-01.pdf
Availability: NAB 2017.
To Set Up An Appointment: [email protected]

Bitcentral | Booth SU2610 | Website: www.bitcentral.com | 4340 Von Karman Ave., Suite 400, Newport Beach, CA 92660 | 949-417-4122
Central Control — Central Control introduces new members in the product family: Full, Light Edition, Ad Insertion with Graphics, Channel Branding and Studio at the 2017 NAB Show. This product line extension ensures the right functionality at the right price. Central Control is a modular and integrated system for playout, master control and automation powered by enterprise software bundled with commercial off the shelf hardware. Central Control is proven, powering more than 400 channels worldwide.
Product Info: http://bitcentral.com/solutions/central-control/
Datasheet: http://bitcentral.com/solutions/central-control/
Availability: Immediate.

CORE:news — The flagship news production suite from Bitcentral, introduces support for Mac-based workflows, as well as integrated connected camera workflows. Mac-based workflows expands the use of CORE:news to station groups relying on Mac platforms. Integrated connected camera workflows offer speed and efficiency when ingesting raw content shot by leading camera manufacturers.
Product Info: http://bitcentral.com/core-news/
Datasheet: http://bitcentral.com/core-news/
Availability: Q2 2017
To Set Up An Appointment:  [email protected] 

Crispin | Booth N4331 | Website: http://www.crispincorp.com | 600 Wade Ave., Raleigh, NC 27604 | 919-846-7744

Deluxe Entertainment Services Group | Booth SU11416 | www.bydeluxe.com | 149 Fifth Ave., Seventh Floor, New York, NY 10010 | 212-444-5811

DNF Controls | Booth N3927 | Website: www.dnfcontrols.com | 19770 Bahama St., Northridge, CA 91342 | 818-898-3380
Flex Control Network — Flex Control Network provides SCTE Control & Monitoring, as well as a human interface and override for cloud or virtualized systems.
The Flex Control Network is DNF’s field-proven, IP-based, distributed control platform. Powerful conditional processing simplifies operations, minimizes on-air mistakes and provides essential feedback for single or multiple locations with exclusive or shared access. Browser-based tools let users create, test, troubleshoot, add, delete, modify or combine rules. Applications include real-time monitoring of SCTE 104/35 digital program insertion signals and one-button network override of affiliate programming for breaking news and similar disruptions.
Product Info: http://www.dnfcontrols.com/products/flex-control-network/
Datasheet: http://www.dnfcontrols.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/DNF-Controls-Multichannel-Record-and-Playback-System.pdf
Availability: Immediate
To Set Up An Appointment: [email protected] 

Evertz | Booth N1502 | Website: www.evertz.com | 5292 John Lucas Dr., Burlington, ON L7L 5Z9, Canada | 905-335-3700
Mediator-X/Overture-RT — Mediator-X/Overture-RT Live/Render-X Media Asset Management, playout and non-linear delivery solution is well-suited to lower capital expenditures and reduce total cost of ownership for media companies while making new revenue opportunities accessible. The Evertz’ approach, which leverages public cloud, private cloud and hybrid architectures, gives media companies the agility and flexibility to dynamically scale their operations and rapidly spin-up and spin-down resources decreasing both time to market and time to revenue.
Product Info: http://www.evertz.com/solutions/mediator-x
Availability: Immediate

Florical Systems | Booth N2519 | Website: www.florical.com | 4500 NW 27^th Ave., Building B-1,Gainesville, FL 32606 | 352-372-8326
2017 marks Florical’s 32nd year of providing software-based automation solutions to TV stations and 21 years of supporting centralized television operations. Built on a rich heritage of innovation and pioneering various models for television groups, Florical introduces a choice in centralized operations models that will change the industry from brick and mortar and into the cloud. A complete suite of media management, acquisition and distribution tools, business intelligence, and on-the-air operations in any TV/IPTV environment. The more channels, the better the economies of scale.
Product Info: www.florical.com

Grass Valley, a Belden Brand | Booth SL106 | www.grassvalley.com | 3030 NW Aloclek Dr., Hillsboro, OR 97124 | 503-526-7904
iTX Platform — The iTX Platform is an advanced content delivery solution for broadcast television and VOD, used by many of the largest broadcast brands globally, delivering more than 20 million hours of media in the last year. Recent iTX enhancements include strengthened file ingest and automated quality control and transcoding integration. It offers IP/SDI format flexibility, SMPTE ST 2022-6 MPEG-2 and H.264 compressed IP inputs/outputs, as well as SDI I/O.
Product Info: https://www.grassvalley.com/products/itx
Datasheet: https://www.grassvalley.com/docs/DataSheets/playout/itx/GVB-1-0077F-EN-DS_iTX.pdf
Availability: Immediate

iTX On-Demand — iTX On-Demand specifically addresses the preparation of VOD and catch-up TV assets in a way that dramatically reduces operational costs and the time it takes to get content onto VOD platforms, for both pre-recorded and live content. It automates the VOD process by embedding VOD asset creation into production from the start, using powerful recipes that simplify complex workflows. It can be used with iTX integrated playout or with third-party playout solutions.
Product Info: https://www.grassvalley.com/products/itx_on-demand
Datasheet: https://www.grassvalley.com/docs/DataSheets/playout/itx_on-demand/GVB-1-0579D-EN-DS_iTX_OnDemand.pdf
Availability: Immediate
To Set Up An Appointment:  [email protected]

Harmonic | Booth SU1210 | Website: www.harmonicinc.com | 4300 North First Street, San Jose, California | 800-828-5521
Spectrum X Advanced Media Server System — Designed for mission-critical production and playout applications, Spectrum X combines file, baseband and transport stream ingest with comprehensive integrated channel playout (ICP) capabilities, including graphics, branding, DVE and live switching of SDI and uncompressed IP sources. The solution lowers capital expenditures, simplifies workflows and reduces operational costs, enabling video content and service providers to deliver high-quality video up to Ultra HD and easily migrate to IP playout.

Product Info: https://www.harmonicinc.com/products/product-detail/spectrum-x/

Availability: Immediate

Spectrum XE Playout System — Combining a full channel-in-a-box system with a premium-quality software encoder, the Harmonic Spectrum XE defines a new breed of IT-based playout solutions tailored for HD/SD broadcast and multiscreen channel origination, manipulation and delivery. Enabling easy-to-deploy, easy-to-operate and easy-to-monitor facilities, Spectrum XE playout system is the well-suited to originating channels for broadcast and multiscreen delivery, and for cost effectively regionalizing downstream programs (with ad replacement and branding).
Product Info: https://www.harmonicinc.com/products/product-detail/spectrum-xe/
Availability: Immediate

Imagine Communications | Booth SL1516 | Website: www.imaginecommunications.com | 3001 Dallas Parkway, Suite 300, Frisco, TX 75034 | 469-803-4900 

Versio MCS — The Versio Master Control Surface (MCS) enables operators to manage advanced Versio switching, graphics and automation capabilities with a touch of the screen in a single or multichannel environment. Versio MCS brings new efficiencies to master control environments, allowing media companies to optimize their control surfaces for specific requirements and use cases. Combined with Magellan SDN Orchestrator, master control operations can be performed entirely in the IP domain and can control multiple Versio instances.
Product Info: http://www.imaginecommunications.com/products/playout/integrated-playout/versio 
Datasheet: http://www.imaginecommunications.com/resources/datasheets/versio 
Availability: Immediate

Nexio+ ChannelBrand — A cost-effective, multichannel branding solution, combining integrated branding and video playback functions in a single, flexible platform. It simplifies the creation, display and maintenance of a consistent brand, allowing broadcasters to get to air quickly and simply, with data-driven content, logos, time/temperature display, rolls/crawls and EAS information. It can be deployed as a standalone solution; connected to a larger Nexio+ playout solution and ADC or D-Series automation; or integrated with third-party control and automation systems.

Product Info: http://www.imaginecommunications.com/products/playout/master-control-branding-graphics/nexio-channelbrand 
Datasheet: http://www.imaginecommunications.com/resources/datasheets/nexio-channelbrand 
Availability: Immediate
To Set Up An Appointment: [email protected] 

 NVerzion | Booth N5631 | Website: www.nverzion.com | 296 E. 3900 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84107 | 801-293-8420

NFINITY — NVerzion is announcing a preview of NFINITY, its next generation of video servers. Designed to address the complex requirements of today’s file-based workflows, the multi-channel HD/SD package includes built-in automation, graphics, record scheduler and manual record apps. The server provides support for all major codecs and wrappers with internal transcoding. Extra features such as internal network source switch, DTMF/VANC network triggering for commercial insertion and EAS support makes this video server product unique.
Product Info: http://www.nverzion.com/products/video.php
Datasheet: http://www.nverzion.com/literature/CloudNine.pdf
Availability: CloudNine product available now. NFINITY after NAB.
Price: Starting at $12,995.
To Set Up An Appointment: [email protected] 

Pebble Beach Systems | Booth N6320 | Website: www.pebble.tv | 12 Horizon Business Village, 1 Brooklands Road, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0TJ, UK | +44 1932 333 790 and 2095 West 6th Ave., Suite 200, Broomfield, CO 80020 | 720-638-7171
Orca — Orca, Pebble’s virtualized channel-in-the-cloud running under the Marina automation control system, will be demonstrating the live deployment and hosting of multiple channels in a private or public cloud at NAB 2017. With Orca, users have the ability to create new IP channels from a series of templates at the touch of a button, and to deploy them quickly into a running system without having to restart or make configuration changes.
Product Info: http://www.pebble.tv/products/orca/
Datasheet: http://www.pebble.tv/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/PBS-Orca-Data-Sheet-1.pdf
Availability: Immediate

Dolphin — Dolphin delivers highly automated integrated audio, video and graphics functionality for ingest, channel branding and frame-accurate multi-channel playout. Now supporting 4K, Dolphin goes far beyond traditional channel-in-a-box systems and bridges the SDI and IP worlds. Working in either compressed or uncompressed environments, Dolphin helps organizations evolve their playout from HD to 4K when required without a forklift upgrade. The Dolphin system supports automatic SD/HD up-conversion to 4K when mixed content is present.
Product Info: http://www.pebble.tv/products/dolphin/
Datasheet: http://www.pebble.tv/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/PBS-Dolphin-Data-Sheet-3.pdf
Availability: Immediate
To Set Up An Appointment: [email protected] 

Pixel Power | Booth SL8320 | Website: www.pixelpower.com | 209 E. Alameda Ave., Suite 102, Burbank, CA 91502 | 818-276-4506
StreamMaster — StreamMaster is a fully integrated, software-defined virtualized playout platform for IP workflows and complex TV channels. Running on COTS hardware on premise, in a datacenter or the public cloud, StreamMaster delivers real-time master control, graphics and DVE through to content delivery networks. StreamMaster is format agnostic, scalable and flexible, enabling cost savings and new pricing models, including pay-as-you-go. StreamMaster is well-suited to premium channels, IP workflows, pop-up/event channels or cost-effective disaster-recovery/business-continuity, for all channels.
Product Info: http://www.pixelpower.com/products/streammaster
Datasheet: http://www.pixelpower.com/sites/pixelpower.com/files/products/attachments/pixelpower_brochure_streammaster.pdf
Availability: Immediate
Price: Purchase outright or pay as you use.
To Set Up An Appointment: [email protected]

PlayBox Technology USA | Booth N5311 | Website: www.playboxtechnology.com | 931 Village Boulevard, Suite 905-393, West Palm Beach, FL 33409-1939 | 4844-611-4444 or 404-734-7529
New CloudAir features to be demonstrated will include a transcoder capable of handling multiple file containers and formats, including MPEG PS/TS, MXF, QT, AVI, MP4, GXF, MPG2, H.264, ProRes, DNX HD and MJPEG. Also new are an enhanced graphics editor template preparation interface, improved playlist editing, advanced playlist export to EPGs and automated linking of stored assets. CloudAir will be demonstrated running on the Amazon Web Services platform.
Datasheet: https://playboxtechnology.com/sites/default/files/cloudair_brochure_0.pdf
Availability: Immediate

Neo — PlayBox Technology will feature more than 40 new features for the various modules in the Neo series. They include extended control features, expanded file-handling capabilities, greater connectivity and Microsoft Windows 10 compatibility. These have all been implemented within an informative and intuitive graphic interface, which is familiar to operators around the world. Customers can upgrade via a simple online download if their servers are up to spec, and free of charge if they subscribe to an annual maintenance contract.

Product Info: https://playboxtechnology.com/products/tv-automation/airbox-neo

Availability: Immediate
To Set Up An Appointment: Call Van Duke toll free: 1-844-611-4444 | [email protected]

Rushworks | Booth SL12713| Website: www.rushworks.tv | 800 Parker Square, Suite 200, Flower Mound, Texas 75028 | 888-894-7874 
Rushworks core technologies define a workflow model that includes studio production, automated playback and streaming, which together comprise an end-to-end solution that can be managed largely by a single operator. The VDESK News and Integrated PTZ Production System supports up to 12 inputs, with sophisticated switching, Chroma-key, and picture-in-picture functions. It outputs to the A-List Broadcast automation and streaming system, which manages virtually all station air operations with no need for an operator on site.
Product Info: http://rushworks.tv/
Availability: Immediate

SAM – Snell Advanced Media | Booth SL1805 | Website: http://www.s-a-m.com | Turnpike Rd, 31 Newbury Berkshire RG14 2NX | Phone +44 1635-569-777
Masterpiece — SAM’s Masterpiece 12G-SDI UHD master control switcher has been designed to meet the needs of mission critical operations, offering 24/7 master control that can handle any live application, covering media over the air (OTA) via multichannel video program distributors or real-time streaming. Handling SD/HD/1080p and UHD, Masterpiece 12G-SDI allows broadcasters to move into UHD workflows without any compromise in quality and provides branding functionality, such as keying and DVE for squeeze backs and effects.
Product Info https://s-a-m.com/media/4260/masterpiece_master_control_switcher.pdf
Datasheet:
https://s-a-m.com/media/4261/masterpiece_12g_master_control_switcher.pdf
Availability: Summer 2017
To Set Up An Appointment: https://s-a-m.com/contact-us/contact-sam/

Sony Electronics | Booth C11001 | Website: www.sony.com/professional | One Sony Drive, Park Ridge, NJ 07656 | 201-930-1000

Read all of TVNewsCheck‘s NAB 2017 news here.