Tata Communications chooses PlayBox CloudAir

PlayBox Technology’s new CloudAir virtual application has been selected by Tata Communications to support its new cloud broadcast playout service.

The playout service, originally announced at NAB 2015 as part of Tata Communications’ cloud-based media ecosystem platform, will be available in September 2015 and accessible under full IP-based connectivity control to customers globally.

CloudAir from PlayBox Technology is a universal television playout and streaming system designed for continuous unattended operation. Every clip in the playlist, except the one which is currently playing, can be trimmed, edited or repositioned. Playlist order can be changed on-the-fly using commands such as skip-to-next or jump. Changes are performed seamlessly without stopping current playout session. Live productions are facilitated by a Live Show clipboard which allows insertion and/or execution of various events or live streams. CloudAir accepts MPEG1/2/H.264, HDV and DV streams from practically every known production platform providing AVI, MPEG, WMV, Quick Time or MXF content. Files from third-party servers are natively supported. CloudAir also delivers on-air graphics which can be controlled interactively. Customers can preconfigure the templates to match their requirements, eliminating any need for subsequent manual interference.

Designed for broadcasters and content providers, Tata Communications’ cloud based broadcast playout service is built on its global fibre network and data centre infrastructure, which includes file transfer services and network-based, broadcast quality video transcoding and delivery services.

“We are very pleased to be co-operating with such a large-scale service provider as Tata Communications,” adds Don Ash, PlayBox Technology managing partner and director, sales.

“Television is a tremendously powerful communications medium, hitherto held back by what were perceived to be high start-up capital costs. Tata Communications’ cloud-based broadcast playout service model opens the door to a limitless number of television channels dedicated to specific themes or supporting business ventures of practically any scale. We will be promoting cloud-based broadcast playout as a key element of our IBC2015 exhibition activity and encouraging interested visitors to experience a demonstration of the Tata Communications virtual playout ecosystem.”

Playbox Technology will exhibit at IBC on Stand 8.B70. Tata Communications will exhibit on Stand MS23 in Hall 13.