Veset, Zixi and KnoxMediaHub, in collaboration with AWS, organize a day to analyze how IP and cloud will influence the next generation of television

On June 26 at the Amazon Web Services (AWS) headquarters in Madrid, Veset, Zixi and KnoxMediaHub will bring together professionals from the sector to analyze the challenges and opportunities of using cloud and IP technology throughout the entire media life cycle.

After being successfully held in London and Paris, vices, Zixi y KnoxMediaHub will organize the next June 26 at the headquarters of Amazon Web Services (AWS) in Madrid a day in which we will discuss how IP and the cloud are promoting the next generation of television.

Cloud ToolKit for Next Generation Tv intend analyze the challenges and opportunities of using cloud and IP technology throughout the media life cycle, from content management to broadcasting and the creation of linear channels and the distribution of broadcast-quality streams.

Igor Krol, CEO of Veset, highlights that "the industry is beginning to emerge from its initial skepticism regarding IP and the cloud in terms of media workflows, but is now facing the challenge of understanding how to apply them. These events contribute to the understanding of the processes through the media workflow."

For its part, Michael Poppler, director of global channel sales at Zixi, notes that "many forward-thinking broadcasters, content owners and service providers are adopting new IP- and cloud-based tools to reduce costs and gain flexibility in managing, creating and delivering live SD, HD and UHD channels with perfect broadcast quality. "With this series of events, attendees can learn from broadcasters who are already using this technology to improve efficiency and reduce costs."

Santiago Miralles, CEO of KMH, comments that "as with any new technology, to successfully implement IP and cloud workflows, understanding the key concept and use cases is crucial. These events address existing challenges, opportunities and use cases."

The move to IP and cloud

Although to date the broadcast industry has been reluctant to migrate its workflows to IP and cloud, many companies now understand that the move to the cloud is inevitable, but are demonstrating an unwillingness to change legacy equipment, and fully embrace the evolution of technology. Understandably, processes in the industry have always been stuck in the SDI/ASI technology paradigm for decades, in fact most CTOs and senior engineers are stuck in that era, so such a significant change can seem overwhelming. Igor Krol comments in this regard that “cloud adoption requires a leap of faith and a rethinking of technological priorities, not only on the part of CTOs, but of all average companies.”

However, “the adoption of virtualized workflows and cloud hosting and delivery in order to achieve faster channel deployments, global reach and elastic scale is changing the landscape,” acknowledges Michael Poppler.

Santiago Miralles believes that “the positive experiences of partners and competitors and the ‘word of ear’ effect will trigger a snowball.” Hence, the importance of informative days like the one that will take place in Madrid.

Poppler adds that "changes in viewer habits are undoubtedly affecting important changes in the broadcast industry. Consumers increasingly expect more attractive and live content on TV, PC, Mac and mobile devices." This has made the technology that many radios and televisions have had in operation during the last decades begin to become obsolete in the face of industry requirements, offering a cumbersome or expensive option. In fact, as Krol points out, “much equipment is now between 7 and 10 years old, and often no longer supported by suppliers.”

The new workflows being developed to meet consumer demand for content, when they want and where they want, require technological capabilities that offer flexibility, efficiency, all while reducing costs. Miralles draws attention to the fact that "the industry has moved to much lower margins: high volumes with very low margins. This means that the entire value chain has less room for inefficiencies." “It is crucial to streamline workflows in the industry to compete, and the key to streamlining workflows is the adoption of emerging technologies such as IP and cloud.”

Poppler is convinced that “cloud technology makes it possible to prepare, manage and channel new and live content to and from anywhere”, so migration to IP and the cloud is clearly a beneficial strategy for linear television providers in their crucial development to compete in the current landscape. Miralles highlights, for his part, that “a linear channel can create a VOD/catch-up, multi-platform OTT service in a matter of weeks… or a symmetrical case: a content owner can produce its own linear channels and personalize and personalize them for its customers at the distribution layer.”