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“Tapeless” HD format and delivery
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The key with all of this becoming really useful will be to publish the file format that each station is using in their playout server so it can be direct transcoded and delivered to that format.
The issue, even with delivering as “digital” is what format? If you deliver a distribution-quality file (highly compressed) and it’s not what the venue uses, it gets transcoded and loses quality.
TimK,
Director, Consultant
Kolb Productions,CPO, Digieffects
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Mike, I am not sure what they are us for Traffic although I don’t think it is Traffic Manager. Flip Factory is up and running, it is just not integrated with our traffic system so we are not operational.
Interesting memo from COX as I work for a Cox Station. I haven’t heard anything about not accepting dubs but I do know that we get a lot of stuff from DG systems.
I still think accepting spots in HD will not be soon as not all Cox stations are HD capable. We have only run a few promos HD internally so still working on that. The sad thing is, in the commercial world, we have been shooting and editing HD for 3 years. I could spit out a HD spot right now from Avid, master control just can’t handle it yet.
Todd, I agree with the format deal. I think H.264 will win out as I sit in capital meetings and see alot of new H.264 encoders and decoders showing up for purchase. I think that format will also provide us with a good file delivery as a HD spot encoded in H.264 is very managable.
The key is for the manufacturers to adopt this format and make their systems compatible. I know little to nothing about play-to-air servers so I don’t know what options their are but as history has shown, manufacturers tend to stray into their own formats to make their systems proprietary.
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Michael – Here’s a little peak at the sign-up page.
https://spotxpress.coxmedia.com
Here’s an except from the memo I received from Cox:
Good Afternoon to All,
We are very excited to introduce Spot Express to our clients. As time progresses, we find innovative methods to improve the way we do business. SpotXPress is a “tapeless” delivery system that allows you to upload your advertising spots online through the SpotXPress website, electronically delivering your content to Cox Media.
Many of you have already begun using it with other companies in other markets and may be familiar with the procedures. It is very easy to use and will be the only form of delivery accepted after Oct 31, 2008. You will find 3 attachments that will explain in detail login procedures, how to use the program as well as the benefits it provides.
Some of the great benefits will be no additional cost for tapes or shipping, decreased time required to get your spot on air and eliminates loss of quality from dubbing.
They have it set up nice. Just register, select your region or multi-region in our case, enter contact info, location where spot needs to be sent, spot info, upload, make any comments and click submit. It gives you a confirmation dialog as well as an e-mail to confirm receipt and successful upload. It also allows us to contact the AE on the account and let them know the spot was uploaded. It’s pretty slick!
It looks like the site is administered in house but I was told by one of my other cable contacts that it’s third party and they brand it accordingly for each cable MSO. Haven’t been able to confirm that yet.
If more and more MSO’s and broadcast “groups” would go this direction it sure would make life easy on the distibution end!
Cheers!
~Mike~
Mike Healey Productions, Inc.
Media Production | Logistics | Fulfillment
http://www.MikeHealeyProductions.com -
Ah, I see, this is for the Cox Cable operation. I work for a ABC affiliate which is under another arm of the vast, Cox Empire.
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Sorry Michael! I guess I should have been specific and said Cox Media. My bad! I just take for granted that folks know Cox as the cable MSO while others know it as the “mother ship.” I get tunnel vision at times and forget who owns who and who it effects. HA!
~M~
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[Michael Hendrix] “Personally, I can’t wait until stations will accept data files for air. When that happens, the era of video player/recorder will be ‘antique’.”
On spots and other temporary media, yes. On long form programing, maybe some day but it’s a long way off.
There is a phrase that just rattles around in my head: “Hmmm, where did I put that file?”
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD . -
I’m happy to report that we’re doing exactly what you folks are talking about and hoping for.
RapidTransmit.com began TV spot delivery in Feb 09 at prices below the cost of shipping. using H.264 files. We’re growing so fast we can barely keep up.
Check us out. RapidTransmit.com
Tom Snyder
President
tsnyder@rapidtransmit.com
954-990-0794 -
apple pros res file format, accepted by major broadcasters, i send it using digi delivery system, ftp is old school, insecure, and unreliable!
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