Azzurro Systems Integration (ASI) has completed a multiphase engineering project to enable HD/SD playout for existing and future Scripps Networks
programming services at the company's Knoxville, TN, playout facility. In addition to DIY Network and Fine Living Network, Scripps’ channels include the Food Network, HGTV, Great American Country and the recently acquired Travel Channel.
The ASI team, led by senior project manager Steven Sabin, designed and installed fully redundant HD signal paths for each of the existing networks — plus future HD/SD program streams, some of which will be used for Travel Channel playout — in parallel with the existing playout systems. In addition, new Miranda Vertigo branding, Evertz master control switchers, fiber cards, SCTE 104 data embedders and signal processing were integrated into the workflow. The facility's Grass Valley router capacity was upgraded from 128 x 128 to 256 x 256, and the Omneon video server system was given increased storage capacity and supplementary HD playout ports. To support the new infrastructure, extra playout channels were added to the OmniBus Colossus automation system.
The project also included the design and installation of a new failover control system using the DNF GTP-32 solution. This allowed either of the two master control rooms to control the changeover of any of the 17 playout paths.
