Integrated playout for broadcasters and service providers Miranda s itx is the world s most advanced, integrated playout platform for broadcast television. It transforms your playout operation into an efficient, scalable welloiled machine with no compromises in quality, flexibility or control. itx rewrites the traditional cost of ownership model with a solution that s so much more than just a channel-in-a-box, delivering the resilience and performance demanded by world class television facilities. With more than 1500 channels on-air around the world. Flexibility, Scalability CAPITAL, operating costs Reduced cost of ownership Uncompromised playout performance itx substantially reduces CAPEX and OPEX for television facilities by replacing Integrated playout is not just for specialty channels. In fact, itx is ideally suited proprietary broadcast playout and processing hardware with enterprise-level IT to the exacting standards of primetime television. The reduced number of devices servers running highly-integrated software applications. How does this result in in the workflow, combined with native YUV processing, ensure superb quality. savings? And flexible, multichannel audio processing and the industry s widest selection of multilevel graphics capabilities let you create a viewer experience that s second to none.
simplified system architecture Ingest clients 3rd party traffic system System administration client(s) Transmission control clients Ethernet/ IP network itx Framework Servers Ingest Servers Principal Output Servers SDI Router Witness Mirror SDI Router Shared Content Store Streamlined, end-to-end workflow includes Ingest Content management Audio/Video processing Transmission control Traffic interface Branding Digital content delivery Subtitle insertion Archiving Monitoring Future proof, space saving and scalable design In traditional playout solutions, each channel requires devices from multiple vendors, creating deployment, maintenance and control complications. itx removes these concerns by using IT servers that handle multiformat video playout, signal processing, video/audio mixing, graphics, subtitles, Metadata insertion, and Nielsen audience measurement all in a single device. The result is savings in space and power and increased protection against obsolescence by simply taking advantage of ongoing CPU/GPU developments in IT hardware. The simplified system design also allows much faster deployment of new facilities, additional channels and services. Fully featured itx channels can be operational in a matter of weeks, sometimes even days. Enterprise-level software, services and World Class Support itx offers the peace-of-mind benefits you d expect from an enterprise-class software platform, sophisticated upgrade management and version control are included along with detailed system health monitoring. To fully support itx installations worldwide, the company also offers a wide range of MirandaCare services for project management, training and 24/7 technical support.
Workflow elements Servers itx operates via a series of servers that operate in concert in to provide all the functionality required to manage your workflow. Our exclusive configuration of Framework, Ingest and Output servers, running on pre-configured commercial hardware or Miranda s own itx Playout Appliance. The itx platform uses the servers processing power to perform all the critical tasks in your workflow including interface with your traffic system and management of schedules, signal conversion, real-time encoding for storage and playout and delivery to through any distribution mode based on your playlist. itx Content Store Picture courtesy: Isilon Storage itx support the use of a range of network attached storage systems (NAS) giving customers a choice of vendors for central storage of media, additionally itx supports long term archive storage and broadcast hierarchical storage management systems (HSM) from vendors such as Front Porch Digital and Masstech. Plus every itx system comes with Asset Management as standard enabling you to have complete control of your media at all times. Client Workstation An itx Client Workstation is a standard PC providing control, monitoring and configuration interfaces for the itx system. The operator can not only manage real-time playout but also browse all the media on the system, enabling search, preparation, segmentation and preview without needing to tie up playout servers or ports. Optionally for smaller facilities an itx Client can be configured to perform multiple roles like ingest, preparation and playout all at a single position. The Network itx operates on a standard, gigabit Ethernet (1000 Base-T) local area network (LAN), which connects servers, content storage, client workstations and external systems such as traffic and scheduling. itx is multi-domain capable, allowing geographically separated facilities to share content and tasks. System security ensures that access rights can be assigned to specific users and groups, and Virtual Media Silos can be created to ensure there is no crossover between different channels, content or customers.
Streamlined distributed / centralized playout itx s outstanding cost efficiency, flexibility and live control capabilities make it ideal for use by station groups and regional television stations and especially well-suited to remote operation, allowing for a range of distributed playout models. Centralized acquisition is easily combined with local playout with control handled at either the central site or the spoke. For example a station group may handle all content acquisition at a central site, with copies of encoded content files transferred via high-bandwidth links to the local sites as required by the air schedules. In this scenario, the local site is fully capable of playout and transmission for extended periods without the support of the central site. This distributed playout model delivers a number of benefits to station group owners and multi-channel facilities requiring regional distribution: For Station Groups The centralization of media acquisition and preparation generate significant cost savings The distribution of syndicated shows is more cost-efficient With control available either from the hub or spoke, it is not necessary to maintain continuous operator presence at the spoke For Specialty Channels Acquire and prepare content for all regions at a central facility Content can be transferred to the regional headends over cost-effective IP (WAN) regional headends are typically unmanned making the ability to control transmission from the central facility even more critical Distributed playout Region A playout File Synchronous file streaming Ingest Media preparation A Asynchronous file streaming Central Playout Facility A Region B playout Database (IT storage) B WAN B C Region C playout C
Agile, flexible multichannel, multi-format playout itx s unmatched level of playout agility simplifies the delivery of content to multiple platforms, and allows media businesses to respond rapidly to changing requirements. All core playout functions are included, from ingest and content management to traffic interface and archive. itx is even fully integrated with other Miranda playout systems such as signal management and facility monitoring. The tested and proven integration of itx provides an unparalleled level of performance among integrated playout platforms. itx Master Control Still prefer traditional master control for live broadcasts? itx has the answer. itx Master Control combines the power and scalability of itx with the quality and hands-on control of traditional master control via Miranda s Imagestore master control panels. You ll get the best of traditional and integrated playout: Automated, automated-assist or manual dedicated automation take, hold, cue, skip next Multiple live sources and live-to-live transitions on-board Imagestore for logos and branding As-run and user action logging NV900 Video itx Control Oxtel Control De Glitch File Dec MIX Playlist Logo V/O ANC Clean F+K PGM Preset Clean Live sources Integrated Playlist-Aware Playout Monitoring Easily view what s happening in your playout workflow itx is pre-configured for tight integration with Miranda s icontrol Playout Manager facility monitoring platform. This state-of-the-art signal and network monitoring system enables playout operators to query and monitor the health of up to 100 itx channels. The icontrol GUI presents alarms from itx, and also provides automatic pop-ups of itx health and media management tools.
Advanced graphics automation itx includes the industry s most complete range of integrated graphics and branding options. No compromise capabilities for dynamic AND real-time branding. Integrated Vertigo XG Miranda has harnessed the power of its acclaimed Vertigo XG HD/SD graphics processor and embedded it at the heart of the itx output server. Ideal for program junctions, tickers, school closings, social media interaction and any other real-time graphics requirement. And, because Vertigo XG resides within the same 1RU itx output server, deployment and integration hassles are non-existent. Graphics are pre-rendered with Adobe After Effects using schedule data itx Render Service for Adobe After Effects Miranda s integration of Adobe After Effects in itx allows you to author complex graphics templates using Adobe After Effects, the industry standard graphics tool. Simply author the templates you require and irs will automatically create multiple instances of the graphic. Jobs and makelists can be based on the needs identified in your schedule, creating dynamic graphics rendered by Adobe After Effects. The irs system creates proxies of all graphics to allow promo staff to review and approve graphics ahead of air using a standard Web browser. Adobe After Effects graphics can be enabled on any itx channel and is easily added to existing itx deployments in the field.