BBC Studios relies on GlobalM and Matrox encoders for coverage of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral

The GlobalM SRT cloud distribution platform, supported by Matrox encoders, enabled BBC Studios to distribute Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral worldwide.

The BBC televised the funeral throughout the UK on its BBC One television network. However, BBC Studios also needed a cloud-based media distribution workflow to deliver live broadcasts to its international rights holders with limited or no satellite links. Already familiar with GlobalM and Matrox Video, BBC Studios used the GlobalM network and Matrox Monarch EDGE encoder technologies to implement a same-day, cost-effective IP-based distribution workflow.

The workflow was structured around the Monarch EDGE multichannel encoders, which encoded the high-quality, low-latency domestic and international signals on the GlobalM SRT transmission platform. GlobalM’s orchestration network then distributed and transmitted the SRT-enabled sources (including backup and redundant paths) to international rights holders around the world, while master control monitored all transmissions in real time with the GlobalM web-based control panel. During the 12-hour broadcast, the GlobalM network did not miss “a single packet” for a seamless SRT distribution experience, notes Matrox itself.

Paul Calleja, chief technology officer and co-founder of GlobalM, said he was honored to have been part of “one of the biggest events in broadcasting history,” as well as praising the technology deployment for the event: “Matrox Monarch EDGE’s high-quality and low-latency encoding support on the GlobalM private IP backbone provided BBC Studios with complete stability and quality for each stream, ensuring international rights holders near and far with exceptional event coverage.”

Meanwhile, Francesco Scartozzi, vice president of sales and business development for Matrox Video’s BMG business, took the opportunity to highlight the stability of today’s cloud services: “Matrox Monarch EDGE’s high-quality and low-latency encoding support on the GlobalM private IP backbone provided BBC Studios with complete stability and quality for each stream, ensuring international rights holders near and far with exceptional event coverage.”