German public broadcasting station Südwestrundfunk (SWR), or Southwestern Broadcasting, has expanded its Omneon infrastructure with a new HD Spectrum media server system that supports studio production at its facilities in Baden-Baden.
The new Omneon system has allowed the broadcaster to gain the speed and efficiencies of a file-based workflow within a busy studio environment.
The transition of its production studios to a file-based workflow is the latest step forward in SWR’s overall plan to implement tapeless operations and streamline its workflow. The elimination of studio tapes from the production process and the use of a common format from acquisition to playout increases flexibility and reliability in preparing programming for air, while also reducing both capital and operational costs.
The new HD Spectrum system at SWR supports recording and playback in two studios. ClipJOCKEY by Solutions for Media (S4M) manages and controls server operations during production and provides user-defined presets that enable dynamic allocation of centralized media server I/O, storage and NLEs to different productions or studios according to SWR’s requirements.
Takes can be fused together in place on the Spectrum system to create a complete clip or sent to a Final Cut Pro edit system for craft editing. SWR uses MXF4Mac software to enable native support for MXF files in QuickTime applications and, in turn, to introduce high interoperability and efficiency throughout — from on-set recording with the Spectrum server, through edit-in-place with Final Cut Pro, to playout via the Spectrum system.
Faster-than-real-time edit fusing and play-to-air functionality help SWR’s production staff to maximize workflow efficiency and meet short deadlines.
