German broadcaster MCS deploys Grass Valley media servers for storage

Video infrastructure vendor Grass Valley has installed its tapeless K2 Summit media servers to create a SAN for German broadcaster Media and Communication Systems (MCS). The tapeless SAN, which went on-air this month, is being used as a centralized repository for audio and video clips in post-production activities, as well as for the distribution of content directly to air.

The K2 Summit enables MCS to streamline the handling of SD and HD content as digital files by requiring only a single copy of each file regardless of how many people need to work on it. Files are ingested once, stored and made available to producers and editors working on the network; when programs are finished, they are played out via an automation system. The media servers provide native support for AVC-Intra 50 and 100Mb/s compressed files, which make up the majority of MCS’ new tapeless workflow. MCS is one of three production companies for Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR), the German public broadcaster for the German states of Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.

See Grass Valley at the 2011 NAB Show in Booth SL106.