beIN ASIA PACIFIC and Appear are collaborating to modernise beIN’s expanding IP broadcast infrastructure across the APAC region and improve its international contribution operations.
beIN ASIA PACIFIC distributes live sports event coverage over multiple platforms through its sports brands on the beIN SPORTS network. Owned and operated by the beIN MEDIA GROUP in Qatar, it delivers news, analysis and exclusive content from the major leagues and competitions from around the world. Among its broadcast rights are Formula 1, UEFA Leagues, FA Cup, the ATP Tour and many others. beIN ASIA PACIFIC is headquartered in Singapore and available in 12 countries in the region via pay-TV platforms, which include a live streaming player, beIN SPORTS CONNECT.
beIN ASIA PACIFIC and Appear have entered into a collaboration in order to modernise beIN’s broadcast infrastructure across the APAC region and improve its international contribution operations. This collaboration involves two key deployments that reflect beIN’s ongoing move toward and adoption of IP-based workflows, aiming for high-quality, more efficient content delivery.
Migration to IP-based Broadcast Feed Distribution
“Our investment in Appear’s X Platform is a pivotal step in our migration to IP-centric broadcast infrastructure,” said Sabil Salim, Vice President, Media Technology & Operations at beIN Asia Pacific. “The X20 platform has the dedicated high capacity and quality we need for our broadcast partners and remote editing platform, maintained as distinctly separate from our OTT services and playout.”
Specifically, beIN ASIA PACIFIC is deploying Appear’s X20 encoder as part of a major broadcast feed distribution project. The X20 platform operates outside of beIN’s OTT and playout services in a deliberate separation that aims to address earlier operational limitations and capacity constraints experienced when shared encoders handled diverse workflows. The system also supports essential broadcast features like 1080i to 1080p conversion with logo insertion and is hardware 4K ready, improving output quality for demanding broadcast environments.
As well as the X10’s efficient SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) contribution, Appear’s performance, agility and cost-efficiency have gone a long way toward overcoming the previous limitations to their operations, and faster innovation. This dedicated system, configured in a robust 1+1 redundancy setup, handles 44 live feeds, drawing from a mix of IP and SDI sources. It is designed in particular to support services for non-traditional broadcast platform partners and external editing environments, giving beIN new options to address changing business needs.
Doha-to-Singapore SRT Contribution
Appear’s compact 1RU X10 chassis establishes a dedicated contribution link between its facilities in Doha and Singapore. The 1+1 setup for four contribution feeds utilises AVC encoders and marks a strategic transition from traditional fibre to SRT over the public internet. Moving to SRT creates various advantages for beIN, including lower costs, greater flexibility and faster provisioning compared to conventional leased fibre circuits.
Appear’s hardware-accelerated SRT capabilities mean that, over time, beIN can maintain reliable, broadcast-quality video transport even over less predictable networks, optimising international content acquisition and transport workflows.
“beIN ASIA PACIFIC’s pursuit of innovation in sports broadcasting and its precise requirements for dedicated broadcast distribution serve as a test of the versatility and power of the Appear X Platform,” said Shakunt Malhotra, Vice President APAC at Appear. “Appear’s high-density, energy-efficient systems not only meet its current needs for specialised broadcast workflows and robust contribution, but also give the company scope for growth in the dynamic media landscape.”
High Performance, Low Consumption, Optimised Cost
beIN’s decision to partner with Appear was driven largely by the X Platform’s performance and density, resource efficiency and affordable cost. Using the X Platform’s high-capacity, dense, low-latency design, beIN can manage a large number of feeds efficiently within a limited space. Its modularity supports scalability and robust, resilient operations with 1+1 redundancy.
A key differentiator, the X Platform is engineered for low energy consumption. As well as needing less rack space, its cooling demands and overall operational expenditure are minimised. Both its efficient resource utilization and high density result in a lower cost per channel. The transition to SRT for contribution also leads to less operational expense by using more affordable internet links instead of expensive traditional fibre.
Thomas Bostrøm Jørgensen, CEO at Appear said, “By enabling beIN to move away from traditional, less flexible infrastructures as the company transitions to IP, Appear helps to optimize its content delivery and acquisition workflows, reinforcing its position in the industry.” www.appear.net
