Egypt’s ON TV has completed a migration project moving its operations to Pebble’s new playout and automation infrastructure, after using Pebble’s legacy automation for many years.
ON TV, a major independent broadcaster in Egypt, currently known as ON E and owned by Egyptian Media Group, has recently completed a project to migrate its operations to a new playout and automation infrastructure. The implementation and migration was managed by local integrator Systems Design, based in Cairo.
ON has used Pebble automation for many years. Its broadcast operations have grown from a single channel to now handle five channels, and the playout system has grown under the control of the original Pebble Neptune platform. In order to continue operating at a consistent level of resilience, flexibility and scalability, the broadcaster moved to enterprise automation software, again from Pebble, in its most recent version.
Customising a System for ON TV
In Pebble’s case, automation is about simplifying operations. The software controls a variety of channel types – live, regional opt-outs, simulcast or clip-based – in various combinations. Media validation is continuous, with contextual playout rules and a Summary Cell display of device and media status that can be viewed at a glance. Each operator can control multiple channels, and configure UIs for different use cases to minimise error.
Helping to customise a system for ON TV was Pebble’s database compatibility and migration path from their legacy Neptune automation systems, and their scalable architecture, taking the client from a single channel to five. The software is agile enough to control both legacy products and emerging solutions within the video and IT infrastructure.
The challenge in this project in Egypt was maintaining uninterrupted broadcasting, from the same server network and switchers, while the Pebble control level and Pebble content management database were upgraded. Pebble and Systems Design developed a migration plan to commission and test the software on the backup hardware, allowing the channels to be switched over one by one, with no interruptions or disturbances at all to services.
Five Redundant Channels
Currently, ON broadcasts five channels, which are delivered from a fully redundant 5+5 configuration with main and backup servers, master control switchers and graphics engines. A single router is in place for switching, and Pebble content management installed between all channels and storage. During the transition, the router had to be controlled by both the old and new automation platforms, adding to the complexity of the migration plan.
The nature of the ON channels means that a mixture of fully automated playout and live events is delivered on any of the channels at any time. ON uses the Pebble Auto Resume feature, which allows operators to step out of the current on-air event to take a live feed, or a pre-programmed series of events, and then drop back into the schedule either at the point where the operator opted out, or at the current time.
Live events are also recorded on the same server network, again under the control of the Pebble automation system. While many of those events are planned in advance, the system also supports crash recording from any operator console.
Independent Voice
“We have grown as a broadcaster from a single channel to the major independent voice in television in Egypt,” said Ahmed Saber, Technical Director of ON TV. “From day one we have counted on Pebble’s robust, reliable software to manage our workflows, and we felt very confident about returning to their team for the next phase of our growth.
“Not only does the new Pebble automation platform prepare us for a wide range of challenges that may face us in the future, but Pebble’s local engineering team, along with Systems Design, installed it and switched over with no interruptions – a real achievement.”
Samir Isbaih, Pebble VP of sales for the Middle East and APAC, said, “I was the engineer who installed the original system all those years ago, and it is great to see the company grown to be one of the largest and most successful television networks in Egypt. I am delighted and proud to continue the relationship through this project and, with Pebble, to install the next generation of automation.” www.pebble.tv
Words: Adriene Hurst, Editor
