The local audiovisual xarxa (XAL) takes the most out of the new IP network with an eye on a gradual migration to HD

In recent years, the XAL has been replacing the use of the satellite with an IP network that allows connecting its center in the old maternity enclosure in Barcelona with each of its 132 radios, 32 terrestrial digital televisions and 12 IPTV online media both public and private ownership. Now, he has an eye on a complete migration to high definition.

The Xarxa Audiovisual Local (Resolution) It was constituted in 2012 by the Diputación de Barcelona to manage support to the local Catalan audiovisual, responding to their needs and contributing to the revitalization of the sector. These objectives develop them through the brand Local Communication Network, a multimedia platform for content and services available to the proximity media of Catalonia (television, radios and online supports).

The main service that the XAL offers them is the offer of content, which is designed jointly with the adhered media with the purpose of maximizing co -production with all of them. A criterion of action that intends, on the one hand, to increase the visibility of the local audiovisual contents by distributing them to the set of adhered media and thus expand the potential audience; and, on the other, economically stimulate the sector.

The XAL manages informative and sports content, and informative and entertainment. As for the informative and sports content, it emphasizes local information and is prepared from the journalistic coordination between the XAL informative services and the writings of the adhered media. This joint task is centralized by the information content service Media Network, in which both parties share both information coverage forecasts and current pieces.

Regarding the informative and entertainment contents, they make up a catalog that is renewed periodically coinciding with the beginning of the radio (annual) and television season (quarterly). This catalog is progressively acquiring a multimedia dimension with the incorporation of programs with a double format (radio and television). The Xarxa makes various tools available to the adhered media to distribute and share content.

Gradually the XAL since 2015 is replacing the use of the satellite with an IP network which allows connecting its center in the old maternity enclosure in Barcelona with each of its 132 radios, 32 land digital television and a dozen IPTV online media both publicly and privately owned.

Coinciding with this migration, it is also addressing the step from one SD environment to another in high definition both in distribution and in contribution.

“The fiber gives us a long -term flexible and economical solution and thanks to 32 macrolans of Telefónica We can enjoy a service with hardly any latency, ”he says Xavier Cabestany, at the head of the XAL infrastructure services.

"Savings in exploitation costs on the previous satellite infrastructure is considerable, in addition to greater flexibility, very low delay and bidirectional links with Qos. It has been necessary Add.

All this network infrastructure is maintained and managed by the Diputació de Barcelona and Telefónica from its center of Simancas (Madrid) remotely.

Contribution and distribution

One of the key aspects that have allowed the adoption of this network is the improvement in coding technology. In this case, Telefónica (winner of the Network Deployment Contest) uses coding and decoding solutions of Sapec, under it H264 standard which enhances efficient video coding allowing video delivery to high qualities (high definition) at very low data transmission rates.

In contribution, the XAL has SAPACE's Altum-II coders. The fourth generation of this popular family of encoders allows with a lower bit-to obtain a better image quality with very low total video latency to video in an Altum-II are highly versatile, flexible, and reliable equipment, designed for operation in 24hx7 environments, high energy efficiency that allow remote configuration and management.

"The Xarxa network is designed so that you can receive contributions from 19 centers, and distribute the signal to the 32 associated television centers, with SAPEC equipment in each of them. Their teams stand out for their extremely low latency, robustness in communication and its low consumption," says Cabestany.

As far as decoding is concerned, the XAL has in each of its centers associated with a Gredos de Sape team. These systems have the capacity to decode signals both MPEG-2 / H.264 both in standard and high definition definition and are prepared to be updated to decoder hevc. Its IP interface admits receptions both in Unicast and Multicast and accepts UDP / RTP flows while it gives the possibility of emitting and receiving EV for error correction according to the SMPTE2022 standard, and have digital and analog outputs

The flow of contributions and signal distribution is managed from the headquarters of the XAL in Barcelona thanks to the plataforma VideoIPath de Nevion (distributed by SAPEC in Spain). The integration of videoipath with the Altum-II and Gredos equipment is total allowing a network abstraction layer that allows service providers to supply and monitor services without having to consider detailed configuration parameters in each element of the network involved.

In addition, the platform automatically detects the video ends available when selecting video endings and appropriate service profile. Videoipath is a very flexible and powerful platform that among other functions allows programming (scheduler) of connections and disconnections for a long period of time being the system in a quarterly, monthly, weekly or daily system. This capacity greatly facilitates the operation of such a complex network where more than 800 connections are made and 800 weekly disconnections. Another of its functions is the administration of the wide band achieving a more efficient use of infrastructure with the quality of adequate service, user management, alarms, equipment, etc. And all accessible from any point by website.

This scheme allows linking the entire network or creating “stars” by interconnecting adhered entities of certain areas for the contribution or distribution of more local events.

Precisely to bring the XAL to your audience even more, They have replaced the bonds on KA or Ku satellite band by backpacks with mobile bonds 3g/4g. The XAL already has a dozen TVU backpacks and four bidirectional links ikusnet Eng (SD) with double monitor and bidirectional orders.

On the other hand, the XAL has also launched an asynchronous content exchange service developed by VSN (Xarxa Media) based its file on the management provided by technology Tarsys of Tedial. Their tools allow the creation of editing lists and partial discharge of content. Both characteristics together with the possibility of providing the images stored in a low resolution format based on the H.264 standard allow optimizing the resources of Network minimizing investment in the communications infrastructure necessary for the connection of all associates.

Radio

As for the radio service, AEQ has supplied the network almost one hundred and fifty audiocodec Phoenix Venus, developing applications to control and monitor all Audiocodec from any PC connected to the Internet; program connections and disconnections; integrate control with that of the existing audio matrix; activate regional or local dissemination groups; and centrally manage connections contribution point.

The Xarxa has installed an Audiocodecoch Venus in each local station. The existing emission automation system generates GPOS for the GPIs of the Venus of Multicast (Main and Backup), which sends to the audiocodec chosen, transporting remote switching orders of the audio source or consoles control. The control server continuously monitors the state of Main and Backup and if the one that is transmitting, remakes the connection to the other. The input audio is distributed to both from the matrix.

In contribution, channel 2 of the Local Venus contributes to the central. To do this, in the head there are five contribution venus, with two channels each, up to ten simultaneous contributions from different associated stations. These ten bidirectional and stereo channels are connected to the matrix and are connected to the studies to contribute to program or coordination. The calls are established manually from header through an agenda using smarttp to establish the call.