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Do you need to...

• Launch a new TV channel (mobile, cable, satellite, terrestrial, IP)?
• Change your current playout solution?
• Manage new value-added services or interactivities in current or future programming?

You need to..

• have a cost-efficient, versatile and easy-to-use playout system, Sofia Backstage® Playout Manager

Overview

Sofia Backstage® Playout Manager is a powerful tool for managing broadcast content and on-screen interactions. Typical implementations of Playout Manager are running the whole channel - content, commercials and interactive services - or establishing new interactive services in current playout infrastructure. These services could be SMS chatting, SMS voting, enhanced radio and any kind of information channels as well as generating mobile TV specific overlays for live TV feed. Overlays can be used to inform or promote the available interactivity.

Playout Manager is built upon an award-winning product for managing the program chart and for schedule content using calendar based views. It allows operators to schedule the TV channel content including interactive applications, commercials and infotainment.

Content sources can be selected from the live TV feed, prerecorded and uploaded video files, still images or flash applications. All main operations are easily accessed remotely over the web-based user interface.

Playout Manager is connected to the broadcast system as any other audio/video source. It can be used for the whole channel 24/7 or with specific program slots, for example for together with interactive formats or events.

Playout Manager can be used for TV channels in all digital and analog networks. Supported input and output resolutions covers from mobile TV usage up to full HD.

Key Features and Benefits

• Cost-effective and easy to use tool for managing any broadcast content
  • Video and audio clips
  • Video feeds from live sources
  • Still images and flash applications
  • Interactive applications - such as chatting, voting, games
• Program chart editing and scheduling
• Commercials management
• Remote use over web-based UI
• Integration with SMS/MMS/IVR gateways
• Scalability and low operational costs

Content and data

• All major video file input formats including AVI, WMV, 3GP, FLV, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 supported
• DirectX capture devices for live video input
• All major still image formats and Flash movies
• Interactive applications portfolio includes features for example
  • SMS chat, voting, quizzes
  • TV games based to SMS messages
  • Newstickers with XML-RSS feeds
  • User-generated content
  • 3rd party applications and iTV games

Management Features

• Program chart management with video playlists
• Commercials management
• SMS and MMS moderator tools
• Premium SMS transaction reporting
• Copy of programmed events by day, week or month
• Manual program overriding
• Screen capture of on-going program
• Integrated EPG data generation (optional)

Hardware Platform (Recommended)

• HP Proliant DL380 G5 Server with
• Windows 2003 ->
  
• RAID mirrored hard drives and fail-safe
• power supplies
• Integrated dual Ethernet controllers, RJ-45 Input/Output Interfaces

PAL / NTSC formats supported

• S-video, Composite, SDI or Component
• Firewire / IEEE 1394
• Audio connectors (stereo)
• Streaming video input
• Streaming output with external encoder
• VGA, DVI and HDMI outputs
• SD and HD resolution support

Integration with other Sofia Backstage® Servers allows easy deployment of complete interactive service portfolio to any broadcast delivery channel

Hardware configuration and product features may change without notice.