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Digital Asset Management digital media storage Technology

Strategies for Effective Data and Content Management

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Discover essential strategies for effective data and content management, including indexing, storage solutions, toolsets, and cost optimization from an experienced media manager and Senior Solutions Architect. 

Introduction 

Data and content management is a critical concern for organizations of all sizes. Implementing effective strategies can significantly optimize storage capacities, reduce costs, and ensure seamless access to valuable media. Drawing from my experience as a media manager and a Senior Solutions Architect, this article will explore best practices for data and content management, offering insights and practical solutions to enhance your organization’s efficiency. 

Itemizing Your Indexes 

The first step in data or media management involves identifying the locations of your content and the appropriate tools for indexing and management. Utilizing an asset management system, which typically covers roughly 40% of your total data, whether structured or unstructured, is a common approach to managing the subset of media or content. To begin organizing your full data set, consider these questions: 

  • What storage solutions are you using?
  • What are the capacities and the organizational structure of these storages (e.g., volumes, shares, and directories)? How are they utilized?
  • What are the costs associated with each storage per terabyte?
  • What tools are currently in place for managing the data?
  • How is content transferred and moved within your system?
  • What retention policies are in place, and are they automated?
  • What content is not managed by the Asset Management platform?

Answering these questions will set you on the right path toward effective management and cost optimization. Additionally, implementing measures like checksums during content indexing can help media managers quickly identify duplicate content in the storage, enhancing efficiency. 

Saving Your Toolsets 

Media management toolsets can vary significantly in their interfaces, ranging from Command Line Interfaces (CLI) to more visual interfaces like Finder or Asset Management UIs. Each interface offers a unique way to interact with and manage media effectively. 

Most Media Asset Management (MAM), Production Asset Management (PAM), and Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems feature Web UIs that support saved searches. These saved searches enable consistent content management across different teams and facilitate the sharing of management strategies. Implementing routine searches—whether daily, weekly, or monthly—is considered best practice in media management. For instance, during my time at a news broadcasting company in NYC, we used the term “Kill Kill Kill” to tag content for rapid removal. This industry-specific term signaled to everyone in production that the content was no longer in use. Although the word “Kill” might appear in a news headline or tagging field, it was distinctive in this triple format, making it a straightforward target for search-based content removal. This method efficiently reclaimed production and editorial storage space. 

Searches could also be organized by creation dates or hold dates to manage content systematically. Content older than three months was typically archived or deleted, and anything past its “hold” date by a week was also removed. 

For content like auto-saves and auto-renders in editorial projects, specific searches through a “finder”-like application were vital. Having a well-organized storage system meant we knew exactly where to look for and find this content. If content remained on physical storage but was no longer on the MAM, aka- “Orphaned”, it could be identified by its modified date. 

Using a CLI for content management is generally more complex and unforgiving, often reserved for content that was not deleted using other methods. This process should be handled solely by an administrator with the appropriate storage credentials. Preparing a list of CLI commands beforehand can significantly streamline the use of this interface. 

Maximizing Storage Efficiency and Minimizing Costs 

Just as nearly everyone has a junk drawer at home, organizations typically have their equivalent where users casually store content and documents, often forgetting about them. This leads to the gradual accumulation of small files that consume significant storage capacity. 

Assigning Storage Volumes 

To address this, organizations can benefit from assigning storage volumes or shares for specific uses rather than allowing open access, which helps prevent wasted space. For example, ensuring that only editorial content resides on the “Editing Share” simplifies the identification and management of caching and temporary files. 

Implementing Storage Tiering Policies 

Implementing a storage tiering policy for data at rest can also optimize production costs. By relocating less active projects to nearline storage, space is freed up for active projects. Many organizations differentiate between high-cost, high-performance Tier 1 storage and lower-cost Tier 3 storage, such as Production and Archive. Data that is not actively in use but should not yet be archived can remain costly if kept on Tier 1 storage due to its higher per-terabyte cost. For instance, if Tier 1 storage costs $30 per terabyte and Tier 2 costs $6 per terabyte, maintaining dormant data on Tier 1 can be unnecessarily expensive—$24 more per terabyte. This cost differential becomes especially significant in cloud storage, where monthly fees can quickly accumulate. Choosing a cloud provider with “free-gress” will also help control or enable costs to be predictable. 

Additionally, configuring alerts to notify when storage capacities are nearing their limits can help media managers prioritize their processes more effectively. These notifications also aid in reducing or eliminating overage fees charged by cloud providers when limits are exceeded. 

Refreshing the Evergreen 

“Evergreen content” refers to materials that are frequently used and never become obsolete, thus exempt from archiving. This includes assets like lower thirds, wipes, banners, intros, outros, and animations—items that are continually in demand. Such content benefits from being stored on nearline for swift access or on Tier 1 production storage, where it can be effectively managed with an optimized codec and bitrate to reduce its storage footprint while maintaining quality. The choice of codec is crucial here; graphic content that is originally rendered as lossless and uncompressed can be compressed before distribution to enhance efficiency and speed up access. 

Additionally, evergreen “beauty shots” such as videos of building exteriors or well-known landmarks should also be stored on nearline rather than archived. This placement allows for easy updating or replacement as soon as the content becomes dated, ensuring that it remains current and useful. Systems that allow for proxy editing should also use a strategy, where non-essential or evergreen content remains on the Tier 2 nearline. This ensures that content is housed at a cost effective and accessible space. 

Optimized Cloud Costs 

Cloud costs are a critical consideration in media management, especially with egress fees associated with restoring archived content, which can quickly accumulate if not carefully managed. Media managers can significantly reduce these costs with strategic planning. When content is anticipated to be frequently used by production teams, fully restoring a file is advisable. This will prevent multiple users from partially restoring similar content with mismatching timecodes. Additionally, carefully selecting a representative set of assets on a given topic and communicating this selection to production staff can streamline processes and reduce costs. 

For example, in the context of news, when a story about a well-known celebrity emerges, a media manager might choose to restore a complete set of widely recognized assets related to that celebrity. This approach prevents multiple users from restoring parts of the same content with different timecodes. Providing a well-chosen, easily accessible set of assets on a specific topic can prevent production teams from unnecessarily restoring a large volume of content that ultimately goes unused. 

Conclusion 

Each organization has unique production and data management needs. By strategically planning, defining, and organizing content lifecycles, they can streamline access to frequently used assets and minimize unnecessary expenses. Effective data and content management are essential for optimizing storage capacities, reducing costs, and ensuring unrestricted access to valuable media. Implementing diverse media management toolsets and defined retention policies facilitates organized archiving and retrieval, enhancing team collaboration and storage space optimization. By adopting these approaches and strategies, organizations can maintain a well-organized, cost-effective, and highly accessible data storage system that supports both current and future needs, ensuring seamless content management and operational efficiency. 

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Technology Video

The Rise of Lossless Media: A Compression Tale

Introduction

Compression has been crucial in managing the storage and transmission of large media files. However, as technological advancements continue, the role of compression is evolving. This article delves into the history of media compression, differentiates its role in post-production and broadcast consumption, and explores the future of lossless media. We also discuss the evolution of bandwidth, streaming platforms, and wireless technologies driving this transformation. As we move towards a future where terabytes per second of data transfer speeds and petabytes of storage become commonplace, lossy compression may become a relic of the past, giving way to a new era of lossless, high-fidelity media.

Fun Fact: Claude Shannon, known as the father of information theory, developed the first theoretical model of data compression in 1948. His groundbreaking work laid the foundation for all modern data compression techniques.

The Genesis of Media Compression

Compression techniques were developed to address the limitations of early digital storage and transmission technologies, enabling the efficient handling of large media files.

  • Audio Compression: The MP3 format, introduced in the early 1990s, significantly reduced audio file sizes by removing inaudible frequencies, revolutionizing music distribution and storage.
  • Image Compression: JPEG compression, developed around the same time, reduced image file sizes by exploiting human visual limitations, impacting digital photography and web development.
  • Video Compression: Standards like MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and H.264 were created to reduce video data requirements while maintaining visual quality, facilitating efficient video streaming and storage.
  • Editing Formats Compression: Early editing systems like CineWave and Media 100 used their proprietary codecs to enable real-time video editing and playback, providing a foundation for the development of modern high-efficiency editing formats. Later, formats like Avid DNxHD were developed to balance high quality and manageable file sizes, allowing for smoother editing workflows by reducing the strain on storage and processing power. Following this, codecs such as Apple ProRes emerged, further enhancing editing efficiency while preserving much of the original quality. These advancements set the stage for the use of proxy workflows, where lower-resolution copies of high-resolution files are used during the editing process to improve performance and reduce system demands.
Honoring the Codec Pioneers

These early codecs and non-linear editing (NLE) systems, despite their limitations, were essential in the development of digital video technology. They enabled the first steps towards online video streaming, multimedia content distribution, and advanced video editing workflows. While many of these codecs and systems have since fallen out of use, they paved the way for the advanced compression technologies and editing capabilities we rely on today.

1970s

  • CMX 600 (1971): Developed by CMX Systems, the CMX 600 was one of the first computerized video editing systems. It used magnetic tape to store data and allowed for basic non-linear editing capabilities.

1980s

  • Ampex VideoFile (1982): One of the first commercial non-linear editing systems, VideoFile used digital storage for editing purposes, laying the groundwork for future NLE systems.
  • Lucasfilm EditDroid (1984): Developed by Lucasfilm, EditDroid used laserdiscs to store video footage, offering more flexibility than tape-based systems.
  • Cinepak (1989): One of the earliest video codecs, Cinepak was used extensively in the early days of digital video, particularly within Apple’s QuickTime and Microsoft’s Video for Windows platforms. It offered low compression efficiency but widespread compatibility.

1990s

  • Avid Media Composer (1989): One of the first widely adopted NLE systems, Avid Media Composer revolutionized video editing by allowing editors to manipulate digital video with great flexibility and precision.
  • Microsoft AVI Codecs (Early 1990s): The Audio Video Interleave (AVI) format supported a variety of codecs such as Intel Indeo, Cinepak, and Microsoft Video 1, enabling early digital video playback and editing.
  • QuickTime (1991): Apple’s multimedia framework included support for various codecs like Sorenson Video and Cinepak, becoming a popular format for video playback on both Mac and Windows platforms.
  • JPEG (1992): The JPEG standard for compressing still images reduced file sizes by exploiting human visual limitations, making it crucial for digital photography and web images.
  • MP3 (1993): The MPEG-1 Audio Layer III, or MP3, became the standard for audio compression, significantly reducing file sizes and revolutionizing music distribution.
  • Media 100 (1993): An early digital non-linear editing system, Media 100 used proprietary codecs to enable high-quality video editing and playback on standard desktop computers.
  • RealVideo (1997): Developed by RealNetworks, RealVideo was one of the first codecs designed specifically for streaming video over the internet. RealPlayer became popular for watching video clips online despite the relatively low quality compared to today’s standards.
  • DivX (1998): Initially based on a hacked Microsoft MPEG-4 Part 2 codec, DivX offered high-quality video at reduced file sizes, becoming popular for DVD-ripping and internet distribution.
  • Final Cut Pro (1999): Developed by Macromedia and later acquired by Apple, Final Cut Pro became a major player in the professional editing market, known for its user-friendly interface and powerful features.

2000s

  • VP3 (2000): Developed by On2 Technologies, VP3 was an early open-source video codec that evolved into VP6 and VP7, used in Adobe Flash video. VP3 laid the groundwork for the VP8 and VP9 codecs later used by Google.
  • Sorenson Video (Early 2000s): Used primarily in QuickTime files, Sorenson Video provided good quality at relatively low bitrates, facilitating early internet video streaming.
  • Xvid (2001): An open-source alternative to DivX, Xvid was based on the MPEG-4 Part 2 codec and gained popularity for its ability to compress video files without significant loss of quality.
  • 264 (2003): Also known as AVC (Advanced Video Coding), H.264 became the standard for video compression, offering high-quality video at lower bitrates and being widely adopted for streaming, broadcasting, and Blu-ray discs.
  • Avid DNxHD (2004): Developed for high-definition video editing, DNxHD provided high quality and manageable file sizes, reducing the strain on storage and processing power.
  • Apple ProRes (2007): An intermediate codec developed by Apple, ProRes balanced high quality and low compression, becoming a standard in professional video production.

2010s

  • VP8 (2010): Acquired by Google, VP8 was used in the WebM format for web video, offering a royalty-free alternative to H.264.
  • 265/HEVC (2013): High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) provided improved compression efficiency over H.264, reducing bitrates by about 50% while maintaining the same quality. It was crucial for 4K video streaming and broadcasting.
Diverging Paths: Post-Production vs. Broadcast Consumption

The future of media compression can be divided into two distinct areas: post-production and broadcast consumption. Each has unique requirements and challenges as we move towards a world with less reliance on compression.

Post-Production: Towards Lossless Workflows

In the realm of post-production, the trend is unmistakably moving towards lossless and uncompressed media. This shift is driven by the pursuit of maintaining the highest possible quality throughout the editing process. Here’s why this evolution is taking place:

Quality Preservation: In post-production, maintaining the highest possible quality is paramount. Compression artifacts can interfere with editing, color grading, and special effects, ultimately compromising the final output. By working with uncompressed media, filmmakers and editors can ensure that the integrity of their footage is preserved from start to finish.

Storage Solutions: The rapid advancement in storage technology has made it feasible to handle vast amounts of lossless media. High-speed NVMe SSDs and large-capacity HDDs provide the necessary space and access speeds for handling these large files efficiently. Additionally, cloud storage solutions offer virtually unlimited space, further reducing the dependency on compression.

High-Resolution Content: The increasing demand for 4K, 8K, and even higher resolution content requires lossless files to preserve every detail and maintain dynamic range. As viewing standards continue to rise, the need for pristine, high-quality footage becomes even more critical.

Raw and Lossless Formats for Popular Cameras:
  • REDCODE RAW (2007): Used by RED cameras, REDCODE RAW offers high-quality, lossless or lightly compressed video suitable for post-production workflows, maintaining high dynamic range and color fidelity.
  • ARRIRAW (2010): The uncompressed, unencrypted format used by ARRI cameras, ARRIRAW provides maximum image quality and flexibility in post-production, capturing the full sensor data for precise color grading and effects work.
  • KineRAW (2012): Employed by Kinefinity cameras, KineRAW offers uncompressed or lightly compressed RAW video, ensuring high image quality and flexibility for color grading and visual effects.
  • DJI RAW (2015): Found in DJI’s professional aerial and handheld cameras, DJI RAW offers high-quality, uncompressed or lightly compressed video, capturing detailed image data for robust post-production workflows.
  • Sony X-OCN (eXtended Original Camera Negative) (2016): Used in Sony’s high-end cinema cameras, X-OCN offers high-quality, lightly compressed video, balancing file size and image quality for extended recording times and efficient post-production workflows.
  • Canon Cinema RAW Light (2017): A lightly compressed RAW format used in Canon’s cinema cameras, Cinema RAW Light balances quality and file size, capturing extensive image data for detailed post-production work.
  • Apple ProRes RAW (2018): Widely used in professional video production, Apple ProRes RAW combines high-quality video with efficient compression, compatible with various cameras and editing software. It allows for flexible adjustments in post-production.
  • Blackmagic RAW (BRAW) (2018): An efficient codec from Blackmagic Design, BRAW offers high-quality, lightly compressed video with flexible post-production options. It includes metadata for enhanced editing capabilities and preserves sensor data for high dynamic range.
  • ZRAW (2018): Used by Z CAM cameras, ZRAW is a lightly compressed RAW format that maintains high image quality and provides flexibility in post-production, allowing for extensive color correction and grading.
  • Panasonic V-RAW (2019): Utilized by Panasonic’s high-end cameras, V-RAW provides high-quality, lightly compressed footage, preserving the sensor’s dynamic range and color depth for detailed post-production adjustments.

These RAW and uncompressed formats are essential for professional video production, providing filmmakers with the flexibility and quality needed to achieve the best possible results in post-production. The move towards lossless workflows signifies a commitment to excellence and the pursuit of the highest visual standards in the industry.

Editing in RAW Format with NLEs

Modern NLE systems have advanced to support the editing of RAW formats, providing filmmakers and editors with unparalleled flexibility and control over their footage. NLEs such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Avid Media Composer are equipped to handle various RAW formats like REDCODE RAW, Apple ProRes RAW, ARRIRAW, Blackmagic RAW, and more. These systems enable real-time editing and color grading of RAW footage, allowing editors to leverage the full dynamic range and color depth captured by high-end cameras. By preserving the original sensor data, NLEs offer extensive post-production capabilities, including non-destructive adjustments to exposure, white balance, and other critical image parameters, ensuring the highest quality output for professional film and video projects.

Broadcast Consumption: The Push for Lossless Media

On the consumption side, the trend towards losslessly compressed media is gaining significant momentum, although the challenges here are different from those in post-production.

Bandwidth Expansion: The rollout of 5G and the expansion of fiber optic networks promise dramatically increased internet speeds. This advancement makes it feasible to stream high-quality, lossless media to end-users, reducing the need for traditional lossy compression techniques. With these higher speeds, consumers can enjoy pristine audio and video quality that was previously unattainable due to bandwidth limitations.

Streaming Platforms: Services like Apple Music, Amazon Music HD, and Tidal have been offering lossless audio streaming for some time, providing users with a higher quality listening experience. This trend is likely to extend to video streaming, with platforms like Netflix and Disney+ exploring ways to deliver losslessly compressed 4K and HDR content. As these services push the envelope, they will set new standards for media quality in the streaming industry.

Wireless Technologies: Advances in wireless technology, including Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 7, and future iterations, will support higher data rates and more reliable connections. These improvements will facilitate the streaming of lossless media, making it more accessible to a broader audience. With these advancements, users can expect seamless streaming experiences with minimal buffering and superior quality, regardless of their location.

As the infrastructure for high-speed internet and advanced wireless technologies continues to grow, the consumption of losslessly compressed media will become more widespread. This shift not only enhances the user experience but also pushes the industry towards a new standard of quality, reflecting the full potential of modern digital media technologies.

Emerging Formats and Technologies

Several modern video codecs and technologies are emerging that offer significant improvements in compression efficiency and quality, with some poised to support lossless video capabilities. Additionally, advancements in storage and transmission technologies will facilitate the handling of large lossless media files

Video Codecs

  • AV1 (AOMedia Video 1) – 2018: Developed by the Alliance for Open Media, AV1 is a royalty-free, open-source codec designed specifically for video streaming. It offers superior compression efficiency compared to older codecs like H.264 and H.265/HEVC. Major companies like Google, Netflix, and Amazon are backing AV1, and Apple’s recent endorsement by including AV1 support in the iPhone 15 Pro (2023) is expected to accelerate its adoption.
  • Versatile Video Coding (VVC or H.266) – 2020: VVC aims to provide significant improvements in compression efficiency over its predecessor, HEVC. It can reduce bitrates by about 50% compared to HEVC while maintaining the same quality, which is particularly beneficial for 4K and 8K video streaming. VVC is starting to be integrated into new hardware and smart TVs, with broader adoption expected as more devices gain support.
  • Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding (LCEVC) – 2020: LCEVC is an enhancement codec that works in conjunction with existing codecs like AVC, HEVC, VP9, and AV1 to improve compression efficiency and reduce computational load. It is designed to be lightweight, allowing it to run on devices without dedicated hardware support, making it suitable for mobile and browser-based applications.
  • Essential Video Coding (EVC) – 2020: EVC was developed with a focus on providing both a baseline profile that is license-free and a main profile that offers higher efficiency with some associated licensing costs. It aims to balance performance and cost, making it a flexible option for various use cases.

AI and Compression: AI is increasingly being used to develop smarter compression algorithms. For example, Google’s AI compression system, RAISR, uses machine learning to enhance images after compression, reducing file sizes while maintaining quality.

Storage and Transmission Technologies

  • Holographic Storage – 2030s (Projected): Innovations in holographic storage will revolutionize how we store large amounts of uncompressed data by providing high-density storage solutions. This technology uses laser beams to store data in three dimensions, offering significantly higher storage capacities.
  • DNA Data Storage – 2030s (Projected): DNA data storage offers a futuristic approach to storing massive amounts of data in a very compact form, potentially transforming how we archive uncompressed media. By encoding data into synthetic DNA, this technology promises unparalleled density and durability.
  • Quantum Internet – 2040s (Projected): On the transmission side, the quantum internet promises unprecedented data transfer speeds, which could facilitate the rapid transmission of large, uncompressed media files. Quantum entanglement could enable instant data transfer over long distances, revolutionizing data communication.
  • 5G and Beyond – 2020s and Beyond: The rollout of 5G and future wireless technologies will support higher data rates and more reliable connections, enabling seamless streaming of high-quality, lossless media. Future generations like 6G are expected to further enhance these capabilities, making real-time, high-fidelity media streaming ubiquitous.

These emerging formats and technologies are set to transform the landscape of media production, storage, and consumption, driving us towards a future where uncompressed and lossless media become the norm.

The Bandwidth Paradox: Rising Demand

Just as Moore’s Law predicts the doubling of transistors on a chip every two years, Nielsen’s Law of Internet Bandwidth states that high-end user connection speeds grow by 50% per year. As bandwidth increases, so too does the demand for new technologies that consume it. This phenomenon is often referred to as the “bandwidth paradox.” Despite advancements that provide higher speeds and greater capacity, emerging technologies continually push the limits of available bandwidth.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

  • VR and AR Technologies: Virtual reality and augmented reality are at the forefront of the next generation of immersive experiences. These technologies require high-resolution, low-latency streaming to create convincing and responsive environments. For VR, a fully immersive experience typically requires video resolutions of at least 4K per eye and frame rates of 90 to 120 frames per second. AR, which overlays digital content onto the real world, also demands significant bandwidth for real-time processing and high-quality visuals.
  • Bandwidth Requirements: Current VR and AR applications already require substantial bandwidth, and as these technologies evolve, the demand will only increase. Advanced VR and AR setups may require 50-100 Mbps of sustained bandwidth to ensure smooth, lag-free experiences. This requirement can strain even the most robust networks, especially when multiple users are accessing the same services simultaneously.

Advanced Immersive Recording Devices

  • 360-Degree Cameras and Volumetric Capture: Modern recording devices like 360-degree cameras and volumetric capture systems create highly detailed and interactive content. These devices capture vast amounts of data to produce immersive videos and holograms, which can be used for everything from virtual tours to interactive educational content.
  • Data Intensity: The data generated by these devices is immense. For example, a single minute of 360-degree 4K video can consume several gigabytes of storage. When this content is streamed, it requires equally substantial bandwidth to ensure that the end-user experience is seamless and high quality.

Cloud Gaming and Interactive Streaming

  • Cloud Gaming Services: Services like Google Stadia, NVIDIA GeForce Now, and Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming (formerly Project xCloud) deliver high-quality gaming experiences over the internet. These services render games on powerful cloud servers and stream the video output to users’ devices.
  • Bandwidth Requirements: Cloud gaming requires low latency and high bandwidth to deliver responsive and immersive gameplay. For a 1080p stream at 60 frames per second, the required bandwidth can range from 15 to 25 Mbps. As 4K gaming becomes more prevalent, the bandwidth requirements can skyrocket to 35 Mbps or more.

The Growing Demand for High-Quality Streaming

  • 4K and 8K Streaming: As consumer demand for high-definition content grows, streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ are shifting towards 4K and even 8K video resolutions. While 4K streaming requires approximately 25 Mbps, 8K streaming can demand upwards of 100 Mbps, depending on the compression technologies used.
  • Interactive and Live Streaming: Live streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube Live are increasingly popular. High-quality, interactive live streams, particularly those involving multiple camera angles or real-time audience interaction, require substantial bandwidth to maintain quality and responsiveness.

Contradiction: Chattanooga, TN, already boasts 25Gb home internet, yet the adoption rate of 1Gb speeds remains low, highlighting the ongoing challenges in achieving widespread high-speed internet saturation.

Conclusion

As we stand on the brink of a new era in digital media, the concept of compression as we know it is poised to become a relic of the past. The relentless march of technological advancement in storage and bandwidth promises a future where lossless or uncompressed, high-fidelity media becomes the norm. Imagine a world where terabytes per second of data transfer speeds and petabytes of storage are commonplace, even on devices as ubiquitous as smartphones. Just twenty years ago, in 2004, typical consumer hard drives had capacities ranging from 40 GB to 160 GB—considered impressive at the time. This impending reality will usher in unprecedented levels of quality and immediacy in media consumption and production. The shift towards uncompressed workflows in post-production, driven by the need for maximal quality, coupled with the exponential growth in streaming capabilities through 5G, fiber optics, and beyond, sets the stage for a future where the limitations of today are no more. As these technologies mature, the cumbersome processes of compression and decompression will fade into history, making way for a seamless digital experience that reflects the true potential of human creativity and technological innovation.

References

  • (2024). AV1 Codec Overview.
  • (2024). The Future of Video Compression with VVC.
  • Streaming Media Magazine. (2023). LCEVC: Enhancing Video Compression Efficiency.
  • Streaming Media Magazine. (2023). Essential Video Coding (EVC): Balancing Performance and Cost.
  • Cisco Systems. (2021). Cisco Visual Networking Index: Forecast and Trends, 2018–2023.
  • International Telecommunication Union. (2020). The State of Broadband 2020: Tackling Digital Inequalities.
  • Seagate Technology. (2021). The Data Age 2025: The Digital World.
  • Future Storage Innovations: Holographic Storage and DNA Data Storage. (2030s).
  • Quantum Internet: The Next Frontier in Data Transmission. (2040s).
  • Shannon, C. E. (1948). A Mathematical Theory of Communication. Bell System Technical Journal.
  • Fraunhofer Institute. (1993). Development of the MP3 Audio Compression Format.
  • ITU-T. (2003). Recommendation H.264: Advanced Video Coding for Generic Audiovisual Services.
  • Alliance for Open Media. (2018). AV1 Video Codec Specification.
  • Google AI Blog. (2017). RAISR: Rapid and Accurate Image Super-Resolution.
  • Lucasfilm Ltd. (1984). Introduction of EditDroid.
  • RED Digital Cinema. (2007). REDCODE RAW Technical Specifications.
  • ARRI Group. (2010). ARRIRAW Technology Overview.
  • (2012). KineRAW: A New Era of Raw Video.
  • (2015). DJI RAW: High-Quality Aerial Footage.
  • Sony Corporation. (2016). X-OCN: Extended Original Camera Negative.
  • Canon Inc. (2017). Cinema RAW Light: Balancing Quality and File Size.
  • Apple Inc. (2018). ProRes RAW: Professional Video Production.
  • Blackmagic Design. (2018). Blackmagic RAW: The Next Generation Codec.
  • Z CAM. (2018). ZRAW: Flexibility in Post-Production.
  • Panasonic Corporation. (2019). V-RAW: High-Quality Video Capture.
  • On2 Technologies. (2000). VP3: The Early Days of Video Compression.

Google. (2010). Acquisition of VP8 and WebM Project.

Categories
Digital Asset Management Technology

Blockchain Storage Demystified: Transforming Media Production

BlockchainBlockchainCoreTechnologyCreativeAbstractScene
Introduction

Blockchain technology is revolutionizing various industries, with media production being among the most promising beneficiaries. Blockchain storage, in particular, offers a novel approach to managing vast amounts of data securely and efficiently. This comprehensive guide explores how blockchain storage works, its benefits, challenges, and specific applications within the M&E industry. We will also look at current vendors, use cases, and future trends.

What is Blockchain Storage?

Blockchain storage refers to the use of blockchain technology to manage and store data across a decentralized network. Unlike traditional centralized storage systems where data is stored on a single server or a group of servers, blockchain storage distributes data across multiple nodes in a network. Each piece of data is encrypted, time-stamped, and linked to the previous and subsequent data entries, forming a secure chain.

How Does Blockchain Storage Work?
  1. Data Segmentation and Encryption:
    1. Data is divided into smaller segments.
    2. Each segment is encrypted for security.
  2. Distribution Across Nodes:
    1. Encrypted data segments are distributed across various nodes in the blockchain network.
    2. This ensures redundancy and availability even if some nodes fail.
  3. Consensus Mechanism:
    1. Nodes in the network use consensus mechanisms like Proof of Work (PoW) or Proof of Stake (PoS) to validate and agree on the data being stored.
    2. This process ensures that the data is accurate and tamper-proof.
  4. Immutable Ledger:
    1. Once data is validated, it is added to the blockchain, creating an immutable ledger.
    2. Any attempt to alter the data would require changing all subsequent blocks, making tampering virtually impossible.
Benefits of Blockchain Storage
  1. Enhanced Security:
    1. Data is encrypted and distributed, reducing the risk of hacks and data breaches.
    2. The decentralized nature makes it difficult for malicious actors to compromise the system.
  2. Transparency and Traceability:
    1. Every transaction and data entry is recorded on the blockchain, providing a transparent and traceable history.
    2. This is particularly useful for audit trails and regulatory compliance.
  3. Data Integrity and Immutability:
    1. Once data is added to the blockchain, it cannot be altered or deleted.
    2. This ensures the integrity and authenticity of the stored data.
  4. Decentralization:
    1. Eliminates the need for a central authority or intermediary.
    2. Users have more control over their data and how it is managed.
  5. Reduced Costs:
    1. By removing intermediaries and relying on peer-to-peer networks, blockchain storage can reduce costs associated with data management and storage.
Challenges and Limitations
  1. Scalability:
    1. Blockchain networks can face scalability issues as the size of the blockchain grows.
    2. Solutions like sharding and layer-2 protocols are being developed to address these challenges.
  2. Energy Consumption:
    1. Some consensus mechanisms, particularly Proof of Work, require significant computational power, leading to high energy consumption.
    2. More energy-efficient consensus mechanisms like Proof of Stake are being explored.
  3. Regulatory Uncertainty:
    1. The regulatory landscape for blockchain technology is still evolving.
    2. Organizations need to navigate varying regulations across different jurisdictions.
  4. Data Privacy:
    1. While blockchain ensures data integrity and security, privacy remains a concern.
    2. Solutions like zero-knowledge proofs and private blockchains are being developed to enhance data privacy.
Applications of Blockchain Storage in Media Production
  1. Enhanced Security and IP Protection:
    1. Blockchain storage can significantly improve the security of media assets, protecting intellectual property from piracy and unauthorized distribution.
    2. Smart contracts can automate and enforce licensing agreements, ensuring that creators are fairly compensated for their work.
  2. Improved Collaboration:
    1. Decentralized storage allows multiple stakeholders, such as producers, editors, and special effects teams, to access and work on the same files securely and efficiently.
    2. Blockchain can facilitate real-time collaboration across different geographical locations, streamlining the production process.
  3. Cost Efficiency:
    1. By reducing the need for intermediaries and enhancing data security, blockchain storage can lower operational costs in media production.
    2. Efficient data management and distribution can lead to cost savings in storage infrastructure and bandwidth usage.
  4. Transparency and Accountability:
    1. Blockchain’s transparent nature ensures a verifiable and traceable record of all data transactions and modifications.
    2. This accountability is crucial for compliance with industry regulations and maintaining the integrity of media content.
Case Studies
  1. Storj:
    1. Storj is a decentralized cloud storage platform that leverages blockchain technology.
    2. It allows users to rent out their unused storage space, creating a peer-to-peer network.
    3. Data is encrypted, segmented, and distributed across multiple nodes, ensuring security and redundancy.
  2.  Filecoin:
    1. Filecoin is a decentralized storage network that incentivizes users to provide storage space.
    2. Users can store and retrieve data in a secure and efficient manner.
    3. The network uses a combination of Proof of Replication and Proof of Space-Time to ensure data integrity and availability.
  3.  Siacoin:
    1. Siacoin offers decentralized cloud storage services.
    2. It uses smart contracts to manage storage agreements between users and hosts.
    3. Data is encrypted and distributed across multiple nodes, providing security and redundancy.
  4.  MovieCoin:
    1. MovieCoin is leveraging blockchain technology to transform film financing and distribution.
    2. By using blockchain for transparent and secure transactions, MovieCoin aims to streamline the production process and enhance revenue sharing among stakeholders.
  5.  Videocoin:
    1. Videocoin is a decentralized video encoding, storage, and distribution network.
    2. It utilizes blockchain technology to create a peer-to-peer network for media processing, reducing costs and improving efficiency.
Competing Technologies: What Are the Big Three Doing?

Traditional cloud storage solutions offered by industry giants like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure are significant competitors to blockchain storage. These services provide highly scalable and efficient storage without the complexities of blockchain technology.

However, the big three are not resting on their laurels. They are actively exploring and integrating advanced technologies to enhance their offerings:

  1. Hybrid Storage Solutions:
    1. AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure are developing hybrid storage solutions that combine traditional cloud storage with blockchain elements. These hybrid solutions aim to leverage the best of both worlds— the scalability and efficiency of cloud storage with the security and transparency of blockchain.
  2. Distributed File Systems:
    1. Technologies like the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) offer decentralized file storage that competes with blockchain by providing a peer-to-peer method of storing and sharing hypermedia in a distributed file system. While not blockchain-based, IPFS shares the decentralized ethos and provides an alternative to traditional cloud storage.
  3. New Data Storage Innovations:
    1. Continuous innovation in data storage technologies is another factor. For example, advances in quantum storage and next-generation data compression techniques are being researched and developed by the big three, offering potential future alternatives to both traditional and blockchain storage.

The Big Three’s Response to Blockchain Storage:

  • Amazon Web Services (AWS): AWS is exploring blockchain through its managed blockchain services, which allow users to set up and manage scalable blockchain networks using popular open-source frameworks. AWS also offers storage services that integrate with blockchain for enhanced security and transparency.
  • Google Cloud: Google Cloud is investing in blockchain through its blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) offerings, partnering with leading blockchain companies to provide secure and scalable blockchain solutions. Google Cloud’s hybrid solutions enable integration with existing cloud services, enhancing data management capabilities.
  • Microsoft Azure: Microsoft Azure is actively promoting its Azure Blockchain Service, which helps businesses build and manage blockchain networks. Azure’s focus is on creating enterprise-grade blockchain solutions that integrate seamlessly with its cloud infrastructure, providing robust and scalable storage options.

In summary, while traditional cloud storage remains a strong competitor to blockchain storage, the big three—AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure—are not only maintaining their current offerings but also innovating and integrating blockchain technologies into their services. This proactive approach ensures they stay competitive in the evolving landscape of data storage solutions.

Future Trends in Blockchain Storage for Media Production
  1. Advanced Cryptographic Techniques:
    1. Development of zero-knowledge proofs and homomorphic encryption to enhance data privacy without compromising security.
    2. These techniques can make blockchain storage more suitable for handling sensitive media content.
  2. Interoperability:
    1. Efforts to enhance interoperability between different blockchain networks and traditional storage systems.
    2. This will enable seamless data sharing and collaboration across various platforms and technologies.
  3. AI and Machine Learning Integration:
    1. Combining blockchain with AI and machine learning to automate and optimize data management processes.
    2. AI can help in efficient data segmentation, encryption, and distribution across the blockchain network.
  4. Regulatory Developments:
    1. As blockchain technology matures, regulatory frameworks will evolve to address the specific needs of blockchain storage.
    2. Clear regulations will provide guidance and certainty for media companies looking to adopt blockchain solutions.
Conclusion

Blockchain storage holds significant promise for managing the large data sets used in M&E. Its security, transparency, and immutability can revolutionize how media assets are stored and managed. While challenges like scalability and regulatory uncertainty need to be addressed, ongoing innovations and advancements are paving the way for a more robust and sustainable future for blockchain storage. As the technology evolves, it is poised to become an integral part of media production, enhancing security, efficiency, and collaboration.

Expanded FAQs
  1. Can blockchain storage handle petabytes of data for media production?
    1. While current blockchain networks face scalability challenges, innovative solutions like layer-2 protocols and sharding are being developed to handle large data sets efficiently. For instance, sharding can break down a blockchain into smaller, more manageable pieces, while layer-2 protocols can handle transactions off the main chain to reduce congestion and improve speed. These advancements suggest that blockchain storage could eventually handle petabytes of data effectively, though widespread adoption in media production is still on the horizon.
  2. How far away are we from seeing its use in production as the norm? Is it inevitable?
    1. The use of blockchain storage in media production as the norm is still a few years away. While pilot projects and small-scale implementations are underway, widespread adoption will depend on overcoming scalability, energy consumption, and regulatory challenges. However, the benefits of enhanced security, transparency, and cost efficiency make it likely that blockchain storage will become more prevalent in the future. As technology evolves and matures, it seems inevitable that blockchain will play a significant role in data storage solutions.
  3. What are the benefits of blockchain storage for media production?
    1. The benefits of blockchain storage for media production include enhanced security through encryption and decentralization, transparency and traceability of data transactions, data integrity and immutability, decentralization reducing reliance on central authorities, and cost efficiency by eliminating intermediaries. These advantages can significantly improve the management and protection of media assets, streamline production processes, and reduce operational costs.
  4. What challenges does blockchain storage face in handling large data sets?
    1. The main challenges include scalability, network congestion, storage efficiency, and regulatory uncertainty. Scalability is crucial as the blockchain network grows in size, potentially leading to slower transaction speeds and higher costs. Network congestion can further exacerbate these issues. Ensuring efficient storage and retrieval of large data sets is another technical hurdle. Additionally, navigating the evolving regulatory landscape and ensuring compliance with data protection laws are significant challenges.
  5. What is the future of blockchain storage in the M&E industry?
    1. The future of blockchain storage in the media and entertainment industry includes advanced cryptographic techniques for enhanced data privacy, improved interoperability between blockchain networks and traditional storage systems, integration with AI and machine learning for optimized data management, and evolving regulatory frameworks to provide clearer guidelines. These trends suggest a growing adoption of blockchain storage, driven by its potential to enhance security, efficiency, and collaboration in media production.
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Technology

The 357 Model

The 357 Model: A Strategic Framework for Technology Management

No technology plan or model is bulletproof (and yes, pun intended), but embracing a 3-5-7 model for technology analysis, expansion, refresh, and retirement helps organizations stay at the cutting edge of innovation while keeping their systems fully supported. This model isn’t a universal fix for every type of technology lifecycle, but it proves quite effective for hardware, software, and infrastructure when applied independently.

Understanding the Technology Flywheel Concept

A technology flywheel is a metaphor for a self-reinforcing cycle that gains momentum and efficiency as it grows—imagine a heavy wheel that becomes easier to spin the faster it goes. In the world of technology and business, it’s akin to a process where advancements in one area lead to increased performance, reduced costs, or enhanced capabilities, thereby unlocking new avenues for further innovation. This creates a virtuous circle, where each success builds upon the last, spiraling up to drive exponential growth and a competitive edge. Having demystified the flywheel concept, let’s connect it to our proposed model for media supply chains and technology lifecycles.

Detailed Breakdown of the 3-5-7 Model:

  • Year 1: Specify, purchase and deploy
  • Year 2: Finalize implementation, system “Burn-in” and data collection
  • Year 3: Analyzing the technology landscape and kickstarting the budget for Year 5.
  • Year 4: Re-strategize and roadmap
  • Year 5: Executing comprehensive system upgrades, expanding products, or refreshing systems using the planned budget.
  • Year 6: Finalize legacy data migration and second system “Burn-in”
  • Year 7: Retiring technologies that have been replaced or reached EOSL (End of Service Life).
  • Year 8: Starts the flywheel back to “Year 3 Analysis” of the Year 5 changes

Application of the 3-5-7 Model in Video Production Technology

Focusing on video production technology, let’s see how software fits into this 3-5-7 framework. Two years post-purchase (note: not implementation), it’s crucial to concentrate on minor version updates, feature enhancements, industry advancements, and how well the system integrates with existing platforms while assessing its alignment with your organization’s specific needs. This stage is ideal for a detailed cost-benefit analysis to determine the anticipated return on investment, setting the stage for decisions about immediate purchases versus what can wait until Year 5. Whether it’s adopting a new release, updating to a major version, or switching vendors for a better fit, the analysis conducted in Year 3 lays the groundwork. Year 5 restarts the purchasing and commissioning cycle, and Year 7 closes the chapter with a thorough legacy migration and decommissioning.

Hardware’s lifecycle, though distinct from software, also aligns well with the 3-5-7 framework. Inspired by Moore’s Law—which observes that the capacity of integrated circuits roughly doubles every two years, leading to significantly enhanced computing capabilities—this model is particularly apt. For example, the performance evolution of workstations and laptops, closely tied to processor speeds, reflects this trend and impacts their compatibility with operating systems and software. IT departments typically initiate hardware upgrades in the third year and aim to retire them by the fifth year, with a final act of securely erasing or destroying the hardware by the seventh year. Server replacements, though more gradual, follow this rhythm as well, with the third year reserved for planning and the fifth for upgrades, ensuring a robust, supported, and secure technology infrastructure. By the seventh year, clients are usually notified of the product’s end of sale or service, often with a six-month heads-up.

Storage systems, which utilize processors within their controllers, similarly adhere to Moore’s Law. The third year is an opportune time to assess storage performance and utilization, deciding whether additional capacity is needed or if integrating more cost-effective nearline storage for inactive data is advisable. This assessment is vital for budgeting enhancements in the fifth year, with many storage controllers needing upgrades by the seventh year due to EOSL.

Avoiding Pitfalls: The Risk of Bargain Bin Purchases

While cost optimization is generally beneficial, “Bargain Bin” shopping can disrupt the Flywheel’s momentum, as manufacturers often offer significant discounts for technology nearing EOSL. To achieve the best return on investment, value-engineered solutions should leverage the 3-5-7 model. A frequent pitfall for smaller organizations is acquiring technology close to EOSL, forcing them to rely on platforms like eBay for spare parts or face unexpected full product replacements.

Integrating New Technologies: Ensuring Maturity and Compatibility

The allure of “New Technology” every three years can be tempting, but its integration and API maturity must be assessed to avoid costly and continuous upgrades that disrupt the Flywheel.  The increasing interdependence of different technological systems (e.g., IoT devices, cloud computing, AI-driven analytics) suggests that changes in one area can necessitate faster adaptations elsewhere, potentially requiring more frequent review intervals.

Challenges and Opportunities with Cloud Technology Under the 3-5-7 Model

The application of the 3-5-7 model to cloud technology mirrors its use in software lifecycle management. Often, cloud solutions project ROI beyond the five-year mark, meaning initial migration costs may not yield immediate returns. By the fifth year, hardware upgrades fall to the cloud provider, usually without disrupting the end-user. This shifts the end-user group’s focus from infrastructure analysis to evaluating how their Cloud provider or MSP addresses their current and future needs.

Cloud storage, while following the 3-5-7 model, presents unique challenges with its ongoing costs. Unlike Linear Tape-Open (LTO) storage, which incurs no additional expenses after archiving, cloud storage continues to rack up charges even for dormant data. This has led many organizations to reevaluate their data retention strategies, aiming to keep less data over time. By evaluating data relevance every three years, organizations can optimize costs more effectively. For instance, general “Dated” b-roll footage might be deleted after five years, reflecting its reduced utility, while only content deemed “Historic” after seven years is reserved for long-term use.

Conclusion: A Foundation for Future-Proof Technology Investments

While the 3-5-7 model isn’t a magic bullet, it establishes a solid foundation for maintaining a technology flywheel, ensuring investments continue to meet evolving needs and maintaining a competitive edge.  Overall, the 3-5-7 model provides a structured approach to technology lifecycle management. Tweaks and adjustments will occur depending on organizational initiatives, such as sustainability, trends and evolutions in the industry or economic and market dynamics. Organizations might increasingly look to customize this model to fit their particular circumstances, ensuring that their technology investments are both strategic and sustainable.

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Technology

Embracing the Future of Broadcasting: What comes after SDI?

Embracing the Future of Broadcasting: What comes after SDI?

The prominent buzzword at the 2024 NAB Show was Artificial Intelligence (AI). Still, if you look beyond the vast AI offerings, you will notice that the broadcasting industry is witnessing a significant transformation in infrastructure. The industry is moving from traditional infrastructure models to more flexible, IP-based solutions. This results in leaner and easily scalable systems that are ready to bridge the gap between true software-based solutions and newly imagined workflows. The SMPTE ST 2110 family of standards and Network Device Interface (NDI) technology are at the forefront of this revolution. These IP-based transport solutions redefine how content is created and delivered and shape the future of production. These changes involve adopting and merging long-standing IT-based technologies with new media technologies and workflows. For those familiar with the concepts of SMPTE ST 2110 and NDI but new to their practical application, here’s a look at implementing these technologies effectively.

Understanding SMPTE ST 2110 in Practice

The SMPTE ST 2110 family of standards offers a robust IP-based broadcasting framework, separating video (uncompressed or compressed), audio, and metadata into different essence streams. This separation is crucial for enhancing the flexibility and scalability of broadcast operations. It’s important to remember that ST 2110 is a media data-plane transport protocol based on RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) for sending media over a network. The network,  Typically called a media fabric, is the infrastructure, but it’s not uncommon to refer to the combined protocol and the media fabric as ST 2110.

Key Considerations for Implementation:

  • Infrastructure Needs: Transitioning to ST 2110 requires a network infrastructure or media fabric capable of handling high bandwidth flows with low latency for high-quality video and audio transmission. Implementing a robust IP network with sufficient switches and routers designed for media-centric transmission is essential. Most media fabric designs will utilize fiber optic cabling due to the higher bandwidth requirements. A fabric can utilize single-mode or multimode, but it’s becoming more mainstream to prioritize single-mode fiber.
  • Timing and Synchronization: Unlike the baseband world, where timing is inherent, IP systems require precise synchronization. Implementing Precision Time Protocol (PTP) as per SMPTE ST 2059 standards ensures that all devices in the network are synchronized, which is critical for maintaining audio and video alignment. Most broadcast and production facilities use a GPS signal from roof-based antennas feeding a reference signal generator. That generator is then connected to the media fabric to allow the distribution of PTP.
  • Multicast Management: A cornerstone of effective SMPTE ST 2110 deployments, enabling broadcasters to utilize network resources efficiently while ensuring the high quality and timely delivery of audio and video streams. Unlike unicast, which requires individual streams for each endpoint, multicast allows multiple endpoints to receive the same stream simultaneously, dramatically reducing the bandwidth requirements for distributing the same content to multiple locations.

Integrating Network Device Interface (NDI) into Live Productions

NDI complements IP workflows by providing a versatile and low-latency compressed method for video transmission over IP networks. It is particularly beneficial in live production environments where speed and flexibility are paramount. NDI is software-centric and relies on video compression to move media across existing or lower-bandwidth network fabrics efficiently, compared to ST 2110-20, which requires a dedicated high-bandwidth network for uncompressed video.

Practical Steps for NDI Integration:

  • Network Configuration: Ensure your network can handle NDI’s bandwidth requirements. NDI can run over existing 1 Gigabit networks, but 10 Gigabit infrastructure is recommended for handling multiple high-quality streams without compromise.
  • Software and Hardware Compatibility: Check your existing production software and hardware compatibility with NDI. Many modern manufacturers support NDI natively; however, interface devices like converters and gateways can bridge gaps with non-NDI-compatible hardware.
  • Workflow Optimization: Use NDI’s capabilities to streamline your workflow. For example, with a free software download, NDI tools can monitor and record feeds directly from the network without specialized hardware. NDI’s software-focused approach makes workflow optimization simple and allows for a wide variety of tools from third parties. This setup can significantly reduce the complexity and cost of live productions such as corporate town halls, religious gatherings, and sporting events.

Adapting to Industry Changes with Flexible IP Technologies

The shift towards technologies like ST 2110 and NDI is driven by their potential to create more dynamic, scalable, and high-value production environments. As the industry adapts, the flexibility of IP-based solutions becomes increasingly critical.

IP greatly enhances remote production capabilities allowing broadcast teams to manage and coordinate productions from multiple locations, reducing the need for extensive on-site personnel and equipment. This shift cuts down on logistical costs and enables a more agile response to changing production requirements.

Moreover, integrating ST 2110 or NDI into broadcast infrastructures is also a strategic move towards future-proofing. These technologies are designed to accommodate future video and audio technology advancements, including higher resolutions, emerging media formats, and immutable software infrastructure. By embracing these standards and systems now, organizations are better prepared to adapt to new trends and innovations, ensuring their systems remain relevant and highly functional in the evolving media landscape.

In conclusion, practical integration into existing systems can unlock unprecedented flexibility and efficiency for broadcasting professionals familiar with the theoretical aspects of SMPTE ST 2110 and NDI. By focusing on proper network infrastructure, synchronization, and compatibility, broadcasters can harness the full potential of these IP-based technologies to revolutionize their production workflows, making broadcasts more adaptable and future-ready. As the industry continues to evolve, embracing these changes will be key to staying competitive and meeting the increasingly complex demands of audiences worldwide.

Categories
Technology

SDI – The Backbone of Broadcast

Welcome to Our “Future of Broadcast Infrastructure Technology” Series

Dive into the heart of innovation with us as we embark on a journey through the evolving world of broadcast infrastructure technology. This series is a window into the dynamic shifts shaping the industry’s future, whether you’re a seasoned professional or a curious enthusiast.

A Journey Through Time: The Evolution of Broadcast Technology

Imagine a world where the magic of broadcasting was a novel marvel — that’s where our story begins. Giulio Marconi’s pioneering radio broadcast in 1895 set the stage for a revolution in communication. Fast forward from the fuzzy black-and-white imagery to today’s ultra-sharp high-definition videos. The milestones have been nothing short of extraordinary. Remember the times of meticulously cutting analog sync cables? Contrast that with today’s systems, which are nearing a self-timing brilliance. The leap from analog to digital has been a game-changer, enhancing the quality and reach of broadcast content. Now, as we edge closer to IP-based systems and other emerging tech, we’re witnessing the dawn of a new era. But where does this leave the trusty SDI?

Demystifying Serial Digital Interface (SDI)

For years, SDI has been the backbone of broadcast facilities around the globe. But let’s break it down: What is SDI, really? Birthed by the SMPTE 259M standard in 1989, SDI is the reliable workhorse for transmitting pristine digital video via coaxial cable, ensuring integrity, latency-free, and lossless delivery. Evolving over the decades, SDI now supports 4K workflows, thanks to SMPTE ST 2082, managing 12Gbps signals and 2160p resolution at 60FPS. Yet, the real question is whether SDI can keep pace with the industry’s insatiable appetite for growth and innovation.

SDI: The Past, Present, and Future in Broadcasting

SDI’s legacy of reliability and quality is undisputed. Its simplicity has made high-quality broadcasting an achievable standard. However, the relentless march of progress doesn’t play favorites, and SDI has little room to evolve beyond its current capabilities without significant technological breakthroughs. While transitioning to IP-based or cloud-based workflows becomes increasingly common, SDI’s relevance remains strong. But with scalability as its Achilles’ heel, SDI’s future is a hot topic of debate. Considering the economics of cabling, from coaxial to CAT6A to fiber, we’re at a crossroads where cost and technology intersect, guiding us to what’s next.

On the Horizon: What’s Coming Next

This conversation is just the beginning. In the next installments, we’ll delve into the promise of IP-based systems like ST 2110, the transformative role of NDI in live production, and the groundbreaking potential of technologies like 4K/8K, HDR, and cloud workflows.

We’ve only started peeling back the layers of the broadcasting world’s future. Join us as we navigate through the technologies, carving out the path forward, their implications for the industry, and what these changes could mean for you. Look out for our next installment in April and engage with us. Your insights, inquiries, and perspectives are the pulse of this exploration.

Join the Dialogue

Your voice is integral to our series. Share your thoughts, spark a discussion, or simply ask questions. We’re here to delve into the future together. Follow our journey, contribute to the narrative, and let’s decode the complexities of broadcast infrastructure technology as one.

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Digital Asset Management Digital Media MAM Technology

Media Workflow Management in a Remote Editing Era

The digital landscape is continuously evolving. With recent shifts towards remote work, the industry has entered the remote editing era in which short turnaround times and access to a global talent pool are the norm. The traditional studio environment has been reimagined. But this transformation is not without its challenges. Managing media assets and orchestrating efficient workflows is essential, or productions can get bogged down with inefficiencies and reworks. Effective media workflow management is critical in the remote editing era to compete in an industry expecting quick turnaround and high-quality content.

At its core, media workflow management involves overseeing the entire lifecycle of a media asset from ingest to final distribution. Effective media workflow management requires that each step be meticulously mapped. The objective? To streamline processes, ensure consistent quality, and deliver media content efficiently, regardless of where editing team members are located.

 

The Role of Media Assets in Workflow Management

The building blocks of any finished video are comprised of the many assets that go into creating the content. These blocks include raw footage, audio, in-process editing files, special effects files, graphic and branding elements, and polished videos ready for distribution on a wide range of platforms and formats. These files are precious, yet too often, they are underutilized. Effective asset management ensures that these media files are cataloged, retrievable, and ready for processing.

In a remote editing setting, this becomes even more critical. When creative teams work in an inefficient and fragmented asset management and storage system, efficiency and quality take a hit. Teams need real-time access to assets without the latency or bottlenecks that can hamper creativity.

 

Dissecting the Media Workflow Process

Your media assets have a project lifecycle from pre- and post-production to transcode, QC, distribution, and beyond. A comprehensive media workflow process is a roadmap that guides a media asset through its lifecycle. Critical points in the workflow include:

 

Acquisition and Ingest

Every project begins with acquisition and media ingest, where raw content is imported into the system. This phase requires tools that can handle vast amounts of data swiftly and seamlessly, especially when dealing with high-definition or even 8K content. The best systems will enhance metadata at ingest, adding information about location, format, film dates, and even looking inside for faces, objects, speech-to-text, and other attributes.

 

Editorial

Once ingested, the editorial phase kicks in. This phase is a dynamic and creative workflow stage from video editing, visual effects, animation, and motion graphics to photography, audio editing, color-grading, and finishing. Different creatives may be working with different apps. They need to be able to collaborate effectively and share files seamlessly. In today’s remote era, cloud-based tools and platforms allow editors to collaborate in real-time, annotate, and share feedback without being in the same physical space. Bottlenecks in this phase result in lost time and expensive reworks and can pull creators out of the flow.

Media management steps into the limelight at this critical content creation stage, ensuring that the processed assets are organized, backed up, and stored with metadata tagging. This optimization is crucial for easy retrieval, version control, and updates. In remote editing, it’s not just about storage but accessibility. Cloud-based asset management solutions allow teams to pull or push content irrespective of their geographical location.

 

Transcoding and Distribution

Finally, the media distribution phase takes center stage. Once content is polished and ready, it’s dispatched to various platforms – be it streaming services, broadcast channels, or digital platforms. Ensuring content reaches the right platform in the correct format in a fragmented media consumption world is paramount. The sheer number of broadcast outlets, OTT, and social media platforms are as numerous as they are diverse. Viewers are accessing content on every conceivable device. Gone are the days when media distribution was linear. Today, it’s multi-directional and multi-platform. As media is edited and refined remotely, it must also be distributed to a global audience. Media workflow management ensures that distribution is timely, format-compliant, and aligned with the target audience’s consumption habits.

 

Archiving and Repurposing

The value of your assets shouldn’t disappear after distribution. An effective media management system will support extending the life of your media files and allow you to repurpose valuable content.

 

Integrating Workflow Management in the Remote Era

With teams now dispersed, robust workflow management is the glue that holds the process together. It’s not just about individual tasks but orchestrating them to work harmoniously. Whether it’s ensuring that media assets are easily accessible to editors across the globe or streamlining feedback loops, workflow management tools must be agile, cloud-native, and intuitive.

The remote editing era has redefined the boundaries of media creation and distribution. It’s dismantled geographical barriers but introduced new challenges in collaboration and accessibility. Amidst these shifts, media workflow management stands as the backbone, ensuring that from media ingest to distribution, every step is executed flawlessly.

Organizations can thrive in this new landscape by integrating tools and solutions that cater to media asset management, processing, and distribution. As the adage goes, ‘change is the only constant.’ The key to navigating this change in the media world is a robust, flexible, and efficient media workflow management system.

 

Contact Us Today

CHESA has a passion for the nuances of media workflow integration. We have strong partnerships with the best-of-breed technology providers in the creative IT industry. We take a holistic approach in recommending solutions that bring real value and benefits to your organization rather than selling technology for technology’s sake. Our team comes to the table with deep knowledge of the tools and vendors. It is ready to address the demands and requirements of your environment and advance your business goals. Contact us today to find out more about how automating workflows in the Adobe ecosystem can bring greater efficiency and free up your creatives for their very best work.

Categories
Digital Asset Management Digital Media MAM Technology

Multi-Faceted Media Systems Integration

On the journey from inspiration to a finished video, your creative team will have their hands on quite a bit of technology. There are many specialized, robust software solutions for every step, from production to postproduction to transcoding and distribution. You may have several capture devices and may have unique ingest needs. Everyone on your team works with media files, so a good Media Asset Management (MAM) solution is essential. Team members may be spread all over the globe. Some are on location, others in on-prem studios, and others work from home.

Many small and medium-sized video production teams find that they have loosely connected a hodgepodge of software, hardware, and media storage solutions into a fragile and overly complex system. A system that has evolved may be inefficient and easily broken.

The organic and haphazard adoption of tools may have left your team with ineffective, poorly documented workflows. These workflows may have evolved without ever being designed for efficiency, creativity, or high performance. With so many innovations on the market promising to transform your editing process, you may wonder how to get the greatest efficiency and quality. It may be time to take a good look at multifaceted systems integration.

When properly engineered, these disparate solutions can work seamlessly as one. Multifaceted media system integration is the process of combining all these tools into one system. The result is a powerful single-source content supply chain.

When you commit to multifaceted media systems integration, the first step will be to get a picture of the current hardware and software, all the locations where files are needed, what team members require access, what software applications are used in their work, and the related hardware at each step of preproduction, production, postproduction, and file distribution.

A system integrator will partner with you to dig deep into an analysis of the system architecture and assess how the components work together. While many new innovations are available, there is often the need to continue preserving and using valuable legacy systems. A customized and personalized system integration strategy will allow you to implement new technologies while benefiting from legacy systems.

Workflow analysis is also essential. Once workflow issues have been identified, the workflow engineer can design fresh solutions that will bring your team the greatest efficiencies and free up time and energy for creative work. Once the needs have been assessed, the next step is architecting and deploying systems that incorporate all essential aspects. The result is a reliable, properly integrated system.

Investing in a media system and single-source content supply chain integration brings operational efficiencies to your team, including automation, streamlined workflows, improved access to assets, powerful search capabilities, and better collaboration and sharing.

 

Advantages of Single Source Content Supply Chain Integration

A content supply chain is the system to plan, produce, and deliver content. Integration into a single source brings tangible value and benefits to any organization. When your infrastructure aligns with the content your customers want, your team will create high-quality videos efficiently.

  • Single-source content supply chain integration improves efficiency by reducing the time it takes to produce and distribute content.
  • Your creative team will spend less time searching for assets and are freed up to create content.
  • Having a single source of content makes it easier to manage workflows.
  • Versioning control ensures that everyone is working on the same version of the media files, reducing delays and improving content production speed.
  • Single-source content supply chains can reduce storage needs by eliminating the need for multiple copies of the same content.

Effective multifaceted media systems link the tools so that these many different components function and act as a single coordinated solution. Creative applications can be set up to interact with other software, hardware, network, storage, and media asset management systems to facilitate and streamline workflows.

 

Contact Us Today

CHESA can evaluate your current setup and ensure the proper infrastructure is in place to meet your needs and deliver your product with quality, speed, and efficiency.

CHESA has a passion for the nuances of media workflow integration. We have strong partnerships with the best-of-breed technology providers in the creative IT industry. We take a holistic approach in recommending solutions that bring real value and benefits to your organization rather than selling technology for technology’s sake. Our team comes to the table with deep knowledge of the tools and vendors. It is ready to address the demands and requirements of your environment and advance your business goals. Contact us today to learn more about how a multifaceted media systems integration can enable your creative team to create high-quality videos efficiently.

Categories
Technology

Understanding the Epic: A Closer Look at Agile Software Development

user with digital overlay

In the world of agile software development, there’s a term we use a lot – “Epic.” An Epic for agile software development is much like a novel, a substantive body of work, but in our world, it’s made up of smaller, easier-to-digest pieces known as ‘user stories.’ Picture it like chapters in a book, all contributing to the whole story. Some of the key characteristics of epics are:

  • They stretch over numerous iterations and sprints, just like a novel stretches over many chapters.
  • Epics serve as a roadmap, helping to organize and prioritize the product backlog.

The Spotlight on Our Epic: Building an End-to-End Interoperable Master Format (IMF) Workflow

Now, the epic we’re focusing on here is all about building a fully functional platform to oversee an end-to-end Interoperable Master Format (IMF) workflow. To those outside the industry, the IMF is a universal standard in the production and distribution of digital motion pictures and television programs. By bringing an end-to-end IMF workflow to life, we can deliver some incredible benefits:

  • Smoothing out the production processes, much like a well-oiled machine.
  • Boosting efficiency so that everyone can do more with less.
  • Cutting down costs, who doesn’t love that?

Adding the Air Traffic Control (ATC) Layer: Taking Command of Production

We know how important it is to have control over all production-related work. That’s why we suggest including an Air Traffic Control (ATC) layer – think of it as the command center for your production process.

Our epic story centers around an IMF work process, where we’ve identified three main characters, or as we say in the business, ‘user personas.’ With this incredible system in place, our users can:

  • Set off automated events, giving them a complete Interoperable Master Package (IMP) for the next steps of validation and processing.
  • Utilize an alternate workflow where individual deliverables required for a full IMP are treated as ingredients in a “recipe.”
  • Trust in the system to assemble a standard IMP from these ingredients once all are received.

Boosting User Interactivity and Improving Communication with Notification Mechanisms

Now, our epic for agile software development wouldn’t be complete without keeping our users in the loop. That’s why we’ve included notification mechanisms for every event, keeping both users and the system workflow orchestration layer in sync.

Our users will have the power to interact with the ATC layer in a number of ways:

  • They can create, manage, and keep an eye on activities happening in the workflow process.
  • They have the power to inform a go/no-go decision at any stage in the process.
  • The automated process can help by integrating fully qualified IMP-S files into the original IMP.

End-Point Deliverables: The Balance of Automation and Manual Requests

Just like how every book has an ending, our process too has end-point deliverables. They can be manually requested for predefined, one-off deliveries or produced as part of an automated process once we have achieved certain upstream success factors.

We do require a strict adherence to a predefined Studios delivery package standard, influenced by the likes of Netflix and Amazon, but don’t worry – we’ve made sure it’s easy to follow.

Transparent Troubleshooting: Addressing Failures through ATC

We’ve all experienced hiccups in a process, and our system ensures that if any issues occur, they’re visible through the ATC user interface. Users can easily initiate resubmission or cancellation of a given work process directly from the ATC. Picture it as a “command-Z” option; something went wrong? No problem, let’s take a step back and try again.

Bringing it All Together

In this epic journey, we’ve brought together a wide array of processes, tools, and user interactions. We’ve built a platform that is designed to streamline and simplify the complexities of digital motion picture and television program production.

Just like the chapters of a book, every element in this epic has its unique role, contributing to the grand narrative of increasing efficiency and reducing costs. The ATC layer, the automation, and the user interface all coalesce to deliver a seamless experience, keeping users in control and informed every step of the way.

This story isn’t just about the nuts and bolts of Agile Software Development or about the technicalities of an IMF workflow. At its core, this epic is a story about people – the users who interact with the system, the teams who manage the workflow, and the audience who will ultimately enjoy the results of a smoother, more efficient production process. And that’s the beauty of it: our work may be technical, but it’s all about creating a more engaging, personable, and effective experience for everyone involved.

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Digital Media Technology

Improving Creative Workflows through Broadcast Systems Integration

Live shows. On-location news crews covering a big story. Live broadcasts of sporting events with millions of viewers globally. Large creative teams on location and in studios. Video coming in from multiple cameras at every angle. Impactful graphics and special effects. This is the world of broadcast media production, where viewers and advertisers demand the highest quality. Broadcast systems integration is essential in this environment to ensure your production team operates efficiently.

Modern consumer demand stretches broadcast production teams to the limits, and efficiency and seamless collaboration are necessary for producing high-quality video content rapidly and getting it out to viewers. In broadcast media production, agile workflows are not a luxury; they are crucial to getting the job done well.

Streamlined Asset Management for Broadcasting Teams

Streamlined asset management is the key to bringing it all together for broadcast teams. It is not uncommon for live productions to have production crews on location. At the same time, postproduction team members are offsite in the studios and at home, poised and ready to take uploaded content and quickly create videos prepared for immediate distribution. While a huge volume of assets is being assembled and ingested, the teams must also get their hands on the rich archive of assets. All MAMs will have basic features like metadata management, search and retrieve, and version control.

The broadcast team relies on the media asset management (MAM) system. Media Asset Management systems ensure that assets are easy to find and retrieve but do more than manage content. The right media asset management system will streamline workflows and allow broadcast teams to break through the challenges of this sector to create impactful content on short timelines. Broadcast teams need an asset management system that is agile and includes workflow orchestration tools as well. Optimized workflows that provide immediate access to assets enable faster sharing of media files with all creative team members. These efficiencies impact the finished video and expedite related content creation like highlight reels, interviews, and news clips. A MAM that can handle the demand of broadcast media will include:

  • Powerful metadata enrichment features to allow easy search and retrieval automated by AI and machine learning.
  • Robust security to manage user access to the media files and to protect against cyberattacks as well as unauthorized access and use.
  • Broadcast systems integration is essential. Your production team will be most efficient and creative when your MAM seamlessly integrates with their video editing software and other tools.
  • Built-in review, approval, and collaboration tools.
  • Hybrid system capabilities. Because broadcast studios often have significant on-premises investments, a hybrid solution that brings cloud-based media asset management while leveraging on-prem assets, equipment, and team members can be an effective solution. This capability gives broadcast production companies the power to harness the power of their on-prem investments while ensuring access for remote creatives, a growing segment of the production industry’s talent pool.
  • Automation is a game-changer, allowing creatives to do more in less time while ensuring consistency through many time-consuming and repetitive processes, including ingesting, metadata enrichment, validation of files, to the final distribution of finished video content.
  • Because many broadcasters distribute through multiple channels at the same time, broadcasters need to have a MAM that will support distribution to various devices and platforms and work with the most prominent players in social media like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter, and the nonlinear platforms like video on demand and OTT.

With so many MAMs on the market, it’s challenging for companies to match the solution with their unique needs. One struggle that established broadcast media companies face when upgrading their MAM is how to bring it all together. When Kroenke Sports and Entertainment needed to modernize their MAM, they required a partner to understand the value of their legacy content and on-prem investments. Kroenke Sports owns several sports franchises and broadcasts collegiate and high school sports in their markets. CHESA worked with Kroenke to implement the IPV Curator MAM system. This system ensures consistency in content management and increased the efficiency of post-production. CHESA workflow engineers worked with the team to design effective proxy-based workflows and integrate them with other software and systems. Their media management system is robust to meet their current needs while also being designed to adapt to their future needs.

Contact Us Today

CHESA has supported broadcasters in identifying and deploying the solutions they need to produce and distribute high-quality content efficiently. CHESA has a passion for the nuances of media workflow integration. We take a holistic approach in recommending solutions that bring real value and benefits to your organization rather than selling technology for technology’s sake. Our team comes to the table with deep knowledge of the tools and vendors and is ready to address the demands and requirements of your environment and advance your business goals. Contact us today to find out more about how a Media Asset Management Platform can foster collaboration at your organization.