Ethiopia in High Definition

[caption id="attachment_18779" align="alignleft" width="300"] THE MCR at Amahara TV station.[/caption]

Ethiopias state broadcaster Amhara TV recently deployed the countrys first HD terrestrial TV station broadcasting to more than 50 million viewers. We look at the key kit installed at the facility

The recently built Amhara TV station is Ethiopias first High Definition (HD) terrestrial TV facility. Offering HD services to more than 50 million viewers across the country, the TV station went live early this year.

The project was executed by Grass Valley from start to finish and the complete solution was implemented within a span of two months. The successful implementation of the project not only marked Ethiopias first steps into HD broadcast but also opened the door to a world of opportunities to broaden the countrys broadcast scope.

The talks for the project began in 2012, which was finally awarded to Grass Valley in the last quarter of the year to deliver an end-to-end service.

"This project with Grass Valley holds real importance for Ethiopia because it offers our television viewers their first ever HD experience. With this in mind, it was crucial for us to select a partner we could trust and that could offer us the best HD solutions," says Leykun Mekonnen, Vice General Manager and Media Technology Head, Amhara TV.

The vendor not only supplied the solutions but also provided full systems integration along with training, project management and consultation. The project was implemented from scratch to finish, with the idea of building a world-class broadcasting hub for the country.

The TV station broadcasts all kinds of shows ranging from entertainment shows, talk shows, panel discussions and news, and the solutions were tailor-made to suit the profile of the broadcaster and cater to the various broadcasting requirements.

With the introduction of HD, the government-owned broadcaster has brought about a complete transformation of the media landscape in this East African nation.

Whilst the facility is up and running, there are plans for further implementations in the months to come. The content will be made available internationally through satellite very soon.

"The solutions provided equip Ethiopias first HD terrestrial TV station with high- quality broadcast equipment so that its viewer base across the country can enjoy unprecedented quality of coverage. We are expanding to satellite transmission for international viewers," says Mekonnen.

While most of the equipment is installed in Bahir Dar, the project interconnects three different sites in the country, including Bahar Dar, Addis Ababa, Desse and Debreberhan.

The solutions include LDK 3000+ HD cameras, Kayak HD video production switcher, Maestro SD/HD branding and master control system for multichannel control, Concerto series routing switcher with Prelude router control and GeckoFlex Signal Processing System, among others.

These systems are completely redundant offering modular and easily upgradable solutions, claims the vendor. The solutions provided being completely scalable also allow for expansion of the services.

An extension project is in the offing. This will include a video wall, archiving with a complete editing system, an OB van, DSNG, satellite transmission, FM transmitter and production equipment.

"We have ensured that the solutions deployed are flexible and cost-efficient and offer high-quality HD capabilities to provide unparalleled television experience to our viewers," adds Mekonnen.

There was no need for integration as the installation was carried out in a brand new media building (as opposed to the old analogue studio). Hence, it was relatively easy to deploy the solutions from scratch as compared to upgrading a legacy system. However, with no prototype available, the install had its own set of challenges, especially when it came to training the staff.

"It was crucial that trained our staff on the ground at all technical levels. That was somewhat of a challenge because it involved a completely new workflow. Striking a close synergy with the vendor helped us achieve that quickly and efficiently," adds Mekonnen.

In a span of two months, the entire HD broadcast chain was deployed and the brand new fit out offering complete broadcast facilities was up and running. A standard production workflow with two stage and control rooms for production, a VTR room and a MCR for broadcasting (fibre links) was established.

"Africa is a key area of growth for Grass Valley and its exciting to see our solutions being used by customers like Amhara TV to deliver new and better quality services to viewers in the region," says Said Bacho, Regional Vice President EMEA at Grass Valley.

"As broadcasters continue to look for ways to maximise efficiencies, Grass Valley is well-positioned to offer its customers turnkey solutions that meet their requirements and offer integrated flexibility so that business models can be successfully built around them," he adds.