Following a critical evaluation process stretching over four years, the project was awarded to Dubai systems integrator United Broadcast and Media Solutions.
EVS, a major player in live video technology for broadcast and new media productions, has announced at the IBC 2023 content and technology show that its end-to-end live production asset management (PAM) solution, MediaCeption Signature has gone to air on September 7. The deployment is part of a major upgrade for the Oman Ministry of Information’s Oman TV studios in the capital Muscat and its facility in Salalah.
The Oman Ministry of Information initiated a Request for Proposal (RFP) back in 2017 to revamp its existing infrastructure, encompassing Newsroom Computer Systems (NRCS) and PAM systems. Following an extensive four-year evaluation process, Dubai-based systems integrator United Broadcast and Media Solutions (UBMS) was selected to spearhead the project.
The upgrade extends over two sites in the Sultanate of Oman, the capital city of Muscat and Salalah in the Dhofar Province. It encompasses key components like server infrastructure, network infrastructure, and hyper-convergence infrastructure, particularly focused on virtualisation.
One of the key criteria set by Oman TV was the need for a PAM solution that seamlessly integrates with third-party systems such as Adobe, Avid, Vizrt, and Tedial. Additionally, the broadcaster aimed to optimise rack space utilisation by virtualising certain backend resources.
EVS emerged as the preferred choice, with UBMS highlighting its fast and fully-featured PAM solution. EVS’ loop recording technology ensures content continuity and minimises downtime worries. Operators at one Oman TV location can access content from the other, fostering seamless collaboration. Furthermore, the adoption of a virtual environment leads to space and power efficiency, providing administrators with greater flexibility and scalability for future expansion.
The EVS MediaCeption Signature solution includes multi-feed ingest and playout capabilities, IPDirector for ingest scheduling and media management, IPWeb for remote content access and clip creation, VIA Xsquare for efficient media file transfers, XStore for shared storage, and PMZ for backend virtualization.
This comprehensive EVS solution supports both news and production workflows across eight galleries and integrates seamlessly with the existing Tedial Media Asset Management (MAM) system, streamlining content archive and retrieval processes. In addition, it interfaces with Avid iNews to facilitate rundown publication and status updates between systems.
Notably, EVS provided extensive on-air support and technical training, involving 30 engineers and 150 operators at both Oman TV sites, drawing expertise from its Dubai office and headquarters in Belgium.
UBMS Consultant Parwaiz Anjum said: “Training was the most challenging part of the Oman TV project. We ran multiple courses covering each part of the system for 130 days in Muscat and 80 days in Salalah for operational users and system administrators.”
Mahmoud Mirza Albalushi, Project Manager of the Oman TV Muscat site, added: “Being able to instantly access, manage and turn around our live production assets quickly and easily, and from just about anywhere, is key to success. EVS’ MediaCeption solution allows our production teams to manage the ingest of multiple live feeds, import files and ENG material, log and manage content so that editorial teams can swiftly find and retrieve what they are looking for, and play out content in studios.”
Ahmed Hassan Bait Said, Project Manager of the Oman TV Salalah site, stated: “The EVS MediaCeption architecture enables tight integration with third-party MAM, automation, archive and post-production systems. The EVS solution also facilitates multi-site contribution for more efficient collaboration between production teams working on-site and remotely.”
