Case Study: ESPN STAR Sports - TSL

Case Study: ESPN STAR Sports
TSL and ESS score a Homerun in Singapore

ESPN STAR Sports
Homerun
ESPN STAR Sports is a 50:50 joint venture between two of the
world’s leading cable and satellite broadcasters, Walt Disney
(ESPN, Inc.) and News Corporation Limited (STAR). The combined
resources of these media giants has enabled the delivery of
a diverse array of international and regional sports to viewers
via encrypted pay and free-to-air services.
ESPN STAR Sports reaches out to more than 310 million
viewers in Asia via 17 networks covering 24 countries,
each localised to deliver differentiated world-class
premier sports programming to Asian viewers.
With an ever-expanding portfolio of channels transmitted
across Asia from ESS’ Singapore headquarters, it quickly
became clear that the existing tape-based system was
becoming increasingly inefficient in supporting the
localised programming needs for each market.
The concept of a digital production ‘factory’ was born out of
the requirement to streamline the operation from acquisition to
transmission. Business expansion plans that could take advantage
of other, less traditional, distribution channels were another driver
for this transformation. To build upon the existing business, it was
important to be able to stage content for other distribution channels
such as Internet streaming and mobile etc.
Having already engaged TSL to transform the transmission facility
to a semi-tapeless, automation-controlled facility, Tom McVeigh,
Senior Vice-President, Operations & Technology, contacted TSL
again in 2005 for technical consultation on the proposed production
system; later dubbed Project Homerun.
TSL, in conjunction with Tom’s team comprising Andy Rylance
(Senior Director, Engineering) and Sabil Salim (Senior Director,
Operations), prepared the technical requirements to go out to the
market. By early 2006, key partners had been identified who could
demonstrate their ability to deliver the required functionality.
Omneon had recently unveiled MediaGrid that year, a scalable, active
content storage system. OmniBus had the OPUS content management
suite, which demonstrated the capability to manage content and
media workflows. The Apple Final Cut Pro editing package was the
logical choice for post production, since Omneon supported in-place
editing on the MediaGrid and shot markers could be imported into
the timeline from the OmniBus metadata schema.

Project Stages
Contracts were signed and Project Homerun began in late August 2006. It was at this time that a ‘Super-user
Group’ was formed; each member represented a key aspect of the operation. This Group would be closely
involved in the detailed design and testing of the system throughout the project. The project timeline was
split into six stages with each stage having clearly defined and measurable outcomes.
Stage 1: System design
The main deliverables were the system schematics and the
specification of the OmniBus content management system
(Process Description Document – PDD). Preparation of the PDD
involved detailed workflow discussions for a period of three
weeks in Singapore with the User Group.
Stage 2: System pre-fabrication & equipment procurement
The main deliverable was pre-build and testing of the majority
of the system infrastructure in the UK headquarters of TSL. This
included a substantial amount of commissioning of the OmniBus
content management system.
Due to the fact that some of the sub-systems would only be available
on site in Singapore for logistical and practical reasons, covering
components like the ENPS newsroom computer system, the main
video router, the Front Porch Digital/SUN/StorageTek library, and the
Sony Flexi-Cart, as well as the house IT-network itself, could not be
directly tested during the pre-build. However, these sub-systems
were simulated wherever possible in advance at TSL’s premises.
Stage 3: Factory acceptance
ESS was then invited to inspect and test the system against a set
of pre-defined test scripts - the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT). Upon
sign-off, the system was packed and air-freighted to Singapore.
Stage 4: Site installation & commissioning
The next stage saw the installation of the infrastructure at ESS
in Singapore, including roll-out of the OmniBus desktop workstations
across the Newsroom and production areas. This was the first
opportunity to connect, configure & test the interfaces to the
sub-systems that were not present during the FAT. Sign-off of the
Site Acceptance Test (SAT) concluded that the system in its ‘manual’
state was now operational.
Stage 5: Workflow development
From the beginning, it was planned that the complex content
management workflows would only be configured when it was proven
that the underlying OmniBus architecture was fully operational in
‘manual’ mode. Stage 5 saw the overlaying of workflows such as
language track stacking, screening and segment replace. The User
Group ran through a pre-defined set of test scripts in the Basic
Workflow Acceptance Test (BWAT) to prove functionality of the
system once the workflows had been configured.
Stage 6: Training & workflow refinement
It was at the final stage in the project that more production, news
and promotions staff (the ‘super-users’) were trained on the system
and in turn they would later train all other remaining staff. Provision
was also given for minor refinements to OmniBus workflows and
OPUS layouts from feedback given by this wider user community.
The project concluded with the Final Site Acceptance Test (SAT),
whereby all functionality including the refinements, were tested.
Project Skyhawk
A separate project (dubbed Skyhawk) managed by ESS
saw the introduction of a new business management system
from Pilat. The design of the Homerun content management
system ensured that the necessary interfaces were built in
as the Pilat IBMS sends and receives information throughout
the workflow processes.
One example would be where programmes are planned and
scheduled in the IBMS; a screening task can be sent from
the IBMS that can be assigned to a Homerun user to screen a
clip, when the clip has been screened an update is sent back
to the IBMS. To mitigate against project slippage due to the
dependency on the Skyhawk project, all IBMS interfaces could
be manually simulated, thus enabling all features of Homerun
to be tested independently.
System pre-fabrication and commissioning at TSL UK headquarters
For further information about TSL please visit: www.tsl.co.uk

ESPN STAR Sports
System technology
System technology
The heart of the new asset management system is a central media
storage system using the Omneon MediaGrid. A Front Porch Digital
archive mounts directly to the MediaGrid enabling content to be
archived to and restored from an expandable StorageTek tape library.
The standard file format across the system is QuickTime wrapped
30Mbits/s IMX with 8 channels of 16 bit audio, and the MediaGrid
provides 3000 hours of storage capacity to this content from its 50
servers. Each MediaGrid server contributes 100MBytes/s of bandwidth;
hence the aggregate bandwidth of the MediaGrid is 5000MBytes/s
(40Gbit/s). The Front Porch Digital system takes advantage of this
bandwidth by accessing the MediaGrid at up to 18x real-time for
each of its five connected streams.
Ingest into and playback
Ingest into and playback out of the system is via Omneon Spectrum
servers. Four servers, each with 650 hours of storage, provide
capacity for 25 simultaneous ingest ports and 24 playback ports for
studio, QC, voiceover and fast-turnaround. A further four 650 hour
Omneon servers, arranged as main and mirror pairs, provide the
playback to each of the 26 transmission channels.
Currently, 24 Apple Mac Pro workstations are connected and mounted
directly to the MediaGrid. Apple Final Cut Studio is installed on
these workstations where Final Cut Pro is used to edit-in-place on the
Omneon MediaGrid. Functionality from other applications within the
Final Cut Studio suite, such as Motion and Color, provide additional
post-production capability.
Active transfers
A key design principle of the system is that it must support live,
fast-turnaround sports production. Active transfers via Omneon
ContentBridges move QuickTime-wrapped content in chunks between
the Spectrums and MediaGrid. All content ingested into the Spectrums
is moved under automatic OmniBus control onto the MediaGrid using
this technique. This technology allows Apple Final Cut Pro to import
content onto the timeline within two minutes of being ingested on to
the Spectrum server, enabling ‘highlights’ packages to be cut during
a live sports event. This same technology allows playback of a clip
whilst it is being recorded from a different Spectrum. For delayed
playback within the order of seconds, ‘fast turnaround’ ports have
been assigned on each Spectrum.
Every piece of content is available almost immediately for users
accessing either the high resolution or browse content. Limitations on
the tape-based system that Homerun replaces are overcome, since
multiple users can access the same content without the need to wait
for recordings on tape to complete or tape-dubs to be made. Even
without the many other benefits of the new system, this efficiency
is of major significance.
Content management
Content management is undertaken by the OmniBus OPUS G3
client/server architecture. Server components, servicing requests
from the client workstations, are distributed across multiple
HP DL380 and DL360 servers, the two critical system databases
are deployed on clustered systems.
All content transfers and most control systems use TCP/IP; virtual
LANs have been created to isolate the various content and control
networks. Inter-VLAN routing occurs on a pair of core HP ProCurve
5406zl switches, configured as a main and backup resilient pair via
VRRP protocols. All networked devices are attached to a number
of HP 3400cl or HP 3500yl edge switches. Each edge switch
is configured, where possible, to exist in only one VLAN so the
configuration of these devices is straightforward and can be replaced
with minimum configuration should a unit fail. Edge switches also
exist in resilient pairs, with each networked device dual connected
to each switch where possible. This dual connection increases system
resilience and aids system maintenance when upgrading or replacing
switches. All OmniBus workstations are installed with the same G3
software components, a library of custom-designed user layouts are
deployed appropriately to all workstations across the facility. Most
user layouts contain an embedded browse video display that enables
users to see the content they are manipulating or controlling.
Tagging audio channels
Ingest workstations give the ability to either schedule recordings
or crash record content into the system. It is at this point that audio
channels are tagged to identify the language tracks that are present
on the incoming feed. These tags insert both a physical flag within the
file, for automatic track routing by Omneon Spectrum upon playback,
and a metadata entry into the OmniBus system, which is used to
display a presence indicator on the browse video user layout.
Browse encoding
Browse encoding is an operation that occurs automatically in
parallel with the ingest process. SDI video with up to eight channels
of embedded audio is encoded via IPV Soyuz dual channel encoders
to 2Mb/s WM9 browse proxy video for playback from the OmniBus
OPUS workstations. Two dual-channel IPV XCode units provide the
facility to transcode published IMX30 content from Headline and Final
Cut Pro to WM9. XCode also responds to ‘scavenging’ requests from
the OmniBus content management system in the event of a browse
encoding failure. The browse proxy media is stored on expandable
14TB EMC CLARiiON networked storage. This storage will mirror the
20,000 hours of content on the MediaGrid and StorageTek tape library.
Both encoded and transcoded content is available for browsing on the
OmniBus workstations within ten seconds of the start of the encode/
transcode process.
Typical user layout with language track presence indicator to the left of browse video

Ingest operators monitor recordings on multi-split displays fed from
a pair of Miranda Kaleido multi-image display systems. The Kaleido
units are configured to trigger audible and visual alarms for a variety
of faults e.g. English sound (audio track 1) missing, black, picture
freeze etc. If faults occur, a flag is set by the ingest operator in
the OmniBus system to generate a more detailed QC review task
whereupon content can be marked either ‘not fixable’ or ‘fixable’ in
post production. In both cases the Pilat IBMS system is updated so that
the programming department can track the status of incoming content
and make requests for re-feeds or replacement tapes as required.
Logging layouts
Another key requirement of the content management system
was the ability to log all material, since a typical sports match
or event can have hundreds of shot markers e.g. goal and penalty
for a football match. Logging layouts were designed for various
sports, such as: Football, Rugby, Tennis, Basketball, Cricket, Motor
racing, 9 Ball Pool, Golf, Baseball, Triathlon, X-Games, Generic
(contained schema for fault logging, segment logging etc).
These markers are stored as metadata alongside the clip at the click
of a button. This logging process can either happen live or against
pre-recorded clips. Production staff would previously log on paper
against a VT timecode. Through the powerful OPUS PinPoint search
engine they can now search, view and retrieve relevant shots from a
keyword search, for compilation into news stories, promos and other
programmes from their workstations. Shot markers can be imported
into Final Cut Pro; this can even be done on a live incoming feed to
turn round highlights very quickly.
Omnibus Headline desktop editor
With the Omnibus Headline desktop editor, production staff
and journalists now have the ability to cut news stories at their
workstations. Craft editors have therefore been redeployed from
their duty news-editing roles to concentrate on more substantial
editing projects with Final Cut Pro. However, EDLs from both Headline
and OPUS workstations can be sent to Final Cut Pro for finishing
if necessary, whereby an edit has already been assembled for the
craft editor to overlay more complex enhancements. Some OmniBus
OPUS layouts take advantage of the OmniBus Desktop Control
(ODC) whereby a layout is embedded into an ENPS screen. This
allows journalists and production users to ‘drag and drop’ clips into a
rundown. This same rundown can be imported into the OmniBus News
Control application in the production studios for semi-automatic clip
playback. ODC users can also create new clips and send lines/tape
ingest requests to the main Media Ingest area. Full and partial restore
of clips from the Front Porch Digital/StorageTek library is possible from
appropriate Omnibus OPUS workstations where archived material is
required for post production, e.g. historical footage.
Language tracks
Voicing additional language tracks against both live and prerecorded
content is an important requirement for audiences
across ESS’ Asian market. Using the OmniBus OPUS track stacking
tool, a language track can be added to a clip once recorded on to the
MediaGrid server via the Final Cut Pro voiceover tool. The new audio
tracks are tagged so that its presence is indicated for users accessing
the browse clip. Final Cut Pro is also used to tidy up any ‘fluffs’ made
during a live voiceover recording.
Clip screening layout with ‘single-click’ shot marker buttons
Playback of material
There are different options for playback of material published
and transferred into the MediaGrid, all involve an active transfer
to a Spectrum Omneon whereby the clip can be played out
whilst transferring.
• QC ports are used for quality control monitoring in the Media
Ingest area. Clips requiring QC are automatically identified
to the user from a dedicated OmniBus OPUS user layout.
• Voiceover ports are dedicated ports to each of the three
voiceover booths. Playback is under manual control from a
dedicated OmniBus OPUS user layout. An OmniBus workflow
‘task’ automatically instructs the user of which clip to load.
• Studio ports are used for playback into each of the three
production studios. This can either be under manual control
via a dedicated OmniBus OPUS user layout or from the OmniBus
News Control application that imports a rundown from the
ENPS newsroom computer system.
• Transmission ports are used to playback content to air.
Content is cached automatically on to the transmission servers
by OmniBus cache managers by importing a schedule from the
Pilat IBMS system. Transmission schedules are also sent from the
Pilat IBMS to Harris D-Series automation, which in turn controls
the playback ports directly.
Content management rules
Content management rules are defined in the OmniBus system to
manage space and minimise the number of transfers from server
to MediaGrid and MediaGrid to archive. These rules perform copy
and delete functions automatically, for example:
• Certain clip types will be copied to the archive after a predefined
period and deleted off the MediaGrid, whereas other
clip types are deleted directly without archiving.
• All clips are automatically copied to the MediaGrid from the ingest
servers so that they are available for editing on Final Cut Pro.
For further information about TSL please visit: www.tsl.co.uk

ESPN STAR Sports
Conclusion
Homerun has been an extremely challenging
project. Its requirements are unlike any other
broadcaster in the world: many systems support
live sports programming; some specialise in multiple
live channels; there are a number of multi-lingual
broadcasters in the world.
However ESS is unique in combining them all by fully exploiting the
new system to achieve maximum efficiency with the aim of taking
the company to the next level, and as a highly successful service,
it continues to grow.
Designing Homerun required TSL, as a systems integrator, to work
closely with ESS and the key suppliers on both the technical and
operational issues. Everyone invested time to break new ground in
their understanding of both the customer’s requirements and the
technology needed to support them.
It is often only by taking an independent, collaborative and all-round
view that the challenges of complex modern broadcast integration
can be met.

For further information about TSL please visit: www.tsl.co.uk

TSL is the UK’s leading independent broadcast systems integrator, with an international
client base. The company has a strong professional products division that includes Audio
Monitoring, Mains Distribution, UMD and Tally Systems. TSL also develops custom products
in-house to meet customer requirements that cannot be satisfied by standard products.
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