Telestream's FlipFactory file transfer automation system
WLS-TV Chicago, Ill., an ABC owned and operated station, has completed a transformation to an all-digital newsroom operation.
The final step was the implementation of a digital news transfer technology developed by Telestream. WLS-TV has now automated ingest and exchange of news media and metadata. Telestream's FlipFactory file transfer automation enabled the station to replace videotape handling with a faster LAN-based media transfer method. It also provides interoperability between different vendors' systems.
"FlipFactory transcodes more than 300 pieces of ABC NewsOne content that we receive each day and automatically deposits it on our high-resolution video server, making this material immediately available to the news editing team," said Kal Hassan, WLS-TV's director of engineering.
Telestream's technology has been integrated with applications from Pathfire and Avid Technology, the station said. Its digital file transfer method eliminates the need for manual, baseband video conversions.
Pathfire, in partnership with Telestream, integrated the FlipFactory technology into its News Connect Module for the Pathfire Digital Media Gateway (DMG) platform. "Our experience at WLS is a 'real world' example of the efficiencies and station workflow improvements that can be realized through automated and integrated systems with digital to digital file transfer," said John Wilson, GM, Pathfire Broadcast.
The automated news workflow at WLS-TV starts with incoming content being received in digital file format from ABC NewsOne via the Pathfire DMG server. Stories are then sent to the FlipFactory server for automatic transcoding and delivery to the Thomson Grass Valley Profile XP playout server, and metadata are sent to the Avid Media Browse news management system. News content is accessed and transferred directly from the Pathfire DMG client interface.
For more information, visit Telestream at www.telestream.net and Pathfire at www.pathfire.com.
