How Rethinking Playout Can Redefine Your Media Supply Chain

July 25, 2024
5
 min read
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How Rethinking Playout Can Redefine Your Media Supply Chain

The Media Supply chain is a hot topic, but why?

We as an industry have created huge supply chain complexity by taking a siloed approach to distribution. We have different departments, staff, technology and systems for Linear, FAST, VOD and Streaming Channels resulting in the supply chain having to deliver multiple versions of content to each endpoint.

So why are we so focused on the Supply Chain? 

We are putting the cart before the horse and spending millions solving a problem that we could solve in a much simpler way.

Why not consolidate playout first, then the supply chain only has to deliver a master version of the content, to a single end point?

VIPE from BCNEXXT is a single platform that creates all of your distribution requirements in their transport stream formats from a single master content source. It does this without ingesting, on the fly, then stitches the events together into linear streams or delivers them to VOD origin servers based on your schedules and manifests.

Liberate your playout and simplify your supply chain. 

This just could be the multi-million dollar cost-out idea everyone is looking for.  Download our Playbook to start learning why playout is now an essential part of your media supply chain. 

How Rethinking Playout Can Redefine Your Media Supply Chain  

In an industry that thrives on innovation yet often clings to traditional workflows, BCNEXXT's presence at a media supply chain event like the recent DPP Media Supply Chain Festival is likely to raise some eyebrows — and for good reason. While BCNEXXT may be recognized as a leading playout provider, we're not just maintaining the status quo; we're redefining it. Our forecast reveals a seismic shift in how media professionals, broadcasters, and content producers should approach their playout systems. Here's why our disruptive approach has the industry talking: because the right playout system can dramatically simplify your media supply chain.

Out with the Old, In with the Efficient

Traditionally, playout systems require asset ingestion for every content version, creating a cumbersome and storage-intensive process. Each version is stored and managed separately, often using Media Asset Management (MAM) systems to organize, retrieve, and distribute content. This creates complex and costly media supply chains. BCNEXXT turns this model on its head by adopting a dramatically more efficient approach. Picture yourself minimizing the use of resources then infinitely scaling to meet your needs. This would enable your company to take a giant cloud-based leap forward. This way, you reduce both complexity and cost while increasing reliability.

It’s not exactly a news flash that subscription and advertising revenues are in decline and distribution costs are high. Since FAST, streaming and other video on demand (VOD) distribution methods are not yet yielding the hoped-for revenue, broadcasters and content owners need to repurpose content, reduce spending and increase revenues. The best way to keep expenditures in check is through high levels of automation and low startup costs.  

Enter Vipe, BCNEXXT's groundbreaking cloud-native, software-only offering that simplifies and speeds the deployment of fully automated linear playout (including live), over-the-top (OTT), streaming and VOD offerings. It removes multiple silos to simplify media supply chains and enhances reliability. And the best part?  With a single point of technical and financial management, Vipe could slash your costs by up to 60%.

One Asset to Rule Them All

At the heart of BCNEXXT's philosophy is our reliance on a single source asset. By eliminating multiple ingested versions, Vipe ensures that content remains consistent, accurate, and manageable. This singular focus eliminates the confusion and inefficiency that can plague traditional playout systems, where varying asset versions are scattered across multiple storage solutions. For instance, Vipe can play out three asset variations: one with English audio and Spanish subtitles, another dubbed in Spanish, and a third with English audio accompanied by closed captioning. All services are sourced from a single content pool derived from your original asset.

Vipe pre-assembles then converts files to create a continuous output stream, all in a compressed delivery format for traditional playout. This provides 99.9999% reliable playout from a flat, pre-checked and pre-converted file. By pre-assembling your playout schedules, you can dramatically reduce your total cost of ownership (TCO).

Rather than ingesting every asset, the required versions are generated on the fly based on the schedule or playlist for linear offerings or the manifest for OTT, streaming, and VOD. Vipe stores the resulting files on intermediate storage in the compressed transport stream (TS) format. This innovative method not only streamlines operations but also significantly reduces the need for multiple versions and endpoints coming out of the media supply chain. Your original assets remain unchanged in your content repository; Vipe simply generates the appropriate transmission stream formats. 

All your content can be delivered in a single workflow from the same UI. The parallel processing engine can produce multiple streams of varying bitrate, resolution, audio/subtitle mapping or PID configuration concurrently. Vipe even supports growing files. As soon as a few frames are cached, playout can start while caching and will gain on the schedule. All content is secured since media is not copied from its original location and rendered content is encrypted. Plus, you can make last-minute schedule changes, even up to a few minutes before events play out.

Rethinking Playout's Role

BCNEXXT isn’t just attending media supply chain events to showcase our capabilities. We’re here to provoke thought and inspire a reevaluation of playout's role in media supply chain efficiency. The traditional, siloed approach to managing and distributing content is no longer sustainable in the fast-evolving digital landscape. By demonstrating the cost, time, and energy savings of our method, Vipe is paving the way for a new era of media distribution.

One of the most compelling aspects of Vipe is its ability to handle complex tasks such as language selection and soft parting directly in the schedule, without requiring separate assets for each variation. With soft parting, a single source file is used for the entire program with metadata pointers to each of the separate parts. This feature is a game-changer for broadcasters who deal with multilingual content or need to tailor their offerings to specific markets without multiplying their workload. All deliverables go through an automated quality control process to check for availability, compatibility, and corruption. An embedded player lets you perform manual checks, including audio and subtitles.

Dynamic cloud resource management keeps costs to an absolute minimum. The platform enables content owners to spin up new services in minutes on a pay-as-you-use basis, delivering increased agility and financial flexibility. Intuitive user interfaces reduce the operator to channel ratio to quickly deploy free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels without the upfront costs. Pre-preparation and automated QC streamline operations. Our future-minded approach helps reduce operator count and facilitate lights-out operations overnight and during non-peak hours. 

Vipe also dynamically load-balances between simple file-based playout and complex breaks with multi-layer graphics. When the schedule and content are available ahead of time, Vipe levels the resource load across content with  different complexity, using the lowest cost resources. For late-breaking material, Vipe can scale onto quickly available resources so you no longer have to plan for the worst case scenario. Resources are then released once that content is prepared for playout.

The Proof is in the Playout

Vipe’s impact isn't just theoretical. Vipe was recently recognized with the 2024 NAB Show Product of the Year Award in the Asset Management, Automation, and Playout category. This prestigious award serves as a testament to BCNEXXT's innovative approach and Vipe’s potential to transform how content is shared. Even more telling, our customer Sky along with Comcast Technology Solutions, was also recognized with an IABM BaM award at the 2024 NAB Show for their advanced playout workflow, which relies on Vipe.

In the dynamic and demanding world of media distribution, efficiency, scalability, and innovation are not just desirable — they're essential. Vipe’s disruptive approach to playout is more than just a technological advancement; it's a necessary evolution in how we think about and manage content in an increasingly digital age. The question isn't why BCNEXXT, a playout solutions provider, is attending a media supply chain event. The question is why anyone committed to the future of media isn’t paying attention.

We’re here to turn heads, foster dialogue, and show you a whole new world of possibilities for your media supply chain. Ready to be part of the revolution? Our easy-to-use benchmark tool lets you gauge the current state of your operations to identify areas for improvement. Download our Playbook to start learning why playout is now an essential part of your media supply chain.

How Rethinking Playout Can Redefine Your Media Supply Chain

The Media Supply chain is a hot topic, but why?

We as an industry have created huge supply chain complexity by taking a siloed approach to distribution. We have different departments, staff, technology and systems for Linear, FAST, VOD and Streaming Channels resulting in the supply chain having to deliver multiple versions of content to each endpoint.

So why are we so focused on the Supply Chain? 

We are putting the cart before the horse and spending millions solving a problem that we could solve in a much simpler way.

Why not consolidate playout first, then the supply chain only has to deliver a master version of the content, to a single end point?

VIPE from BCNEXXT is a single platform that creates all of your distribution requirements in their transport stream formats from a single master content source. It does this without ingesting, on the fly, then stitches the events together into linear streams or delivers them to VOD origin servers based on your schedules and manifests.

Liberate your playout and simplify your supply chain. 

This just could be the multi-million dollar cost-out idea everyone is looking for.  Download our Playbook to start learning why playout is now an essential part of your media supply chain. 

How Rethinking Playout Can Redefine Your Media Supply Chain  

In an industry that thrives on innovation yet often clings to traditional workflows, BCNEXXT's presence at a media supply chain event like the recent DPP Media Supply Chain Festival is likely to raise some eyebrows — and for good reason. While BCNEXXT may be recognized as a leading playout provider, we're not just maintaining the status quo; we're redefining it. Our forecast reveals a seismic shift in how media professionals, broadcasters, and content producers should approach their playout systems. Here's why our disruptive approach has the industry talking: because the right playout system can dramatically simplify your media supply chain.

Out with the Old, In with the Efficient

Traditionally, playout systems require asset ingestion for every content version, creating a cumbersome and storage-intensive process. Each version is stored and managed separately, often using Media Asset Management (MAM) systems to organize, retrieve, and distribute content. This creates complex and costly media supply chains. BCNEXXT turns this model on its head by adopting a dramatically more efficient approach. Picture yourself minimizing the use of resources then infinitely scaling to meet your needs. This would enable your company to take a giant cloud-based leap forward. This way, you reduce both complexity and cost while increasing reliability.

It’s not exactly a news flash that subscription and advertising revenues are in decline and distribution costs are high. Since FAST, streaming and other video on demand (VOD) distribution methods are not yet yielding the hoped-for revenue, broadcasters and content owners need to repurpose content, reduce spending and increase revenues. The best way to keep expenditures in check is through high levels of automation and low startup costs.  

Enter Vipe, BCNEXXT's groundbreaking cloud-native, software-only offering that simplifies and speeds the deployment of fully automated linear playout (including live), over-the-top (OTT), streaming and VOD offerings. It removes multiple silos to simplify media supply chains and enhances reliability. And the best part?  With a single point of technical and financial management, Vipe could slash your costs by up to 60%.

One Asset to Rule Them All

At the heart of BCNEXXT's philosophy is our reliance on a single source asset. By eliminating multiple ingested versions, Vipe ensures that content remains consistent, accurate, and manageable. This singular focus eliminates the confusion and inefficiency that can plague traditional playout systems, where varying asset versions are scattered across multiple storage solutions. For instance, Vipe can play out three asset variations: one with English audio and Spanish subtitles, another dubbed in Spanish, and a third with English audio accompanied by closed captioning. All services are sourced from a single content pool derived from your original asset.

Vipe pre-assembles then converts files to create a continuous output stream, all in a compressed delivery format for traditional playout. This provides 99.9999% reliable playout from a flat, pre-checked and pre-converted file. By pre-assembling your playout schedules, you can dramatically reduce your total cost of ownership (TCO).

Rather than ingesting every asset, the required versions are generated on the fly based on the schedule or playlist for linear offerings or the manifest for OTT, streaming, and VOD. Vipe stores the resulting files on intermediate storage in the compressed transport stream (TS) format. This innovative method not only streamlines operations but also significantly reduces the need for multiple versions and endpoints coming out of the media supply chain. Your original assets remain unchanged in your content repository; Vipe simply generates the appropriate transmission stream formats. 

All your content can be delivered in a single workflow from the same UI. The parallel processing engine can produce multiple streams of varying bitrate, resolution, audio/subtitle mapping or PID configuration concurrently. Vipe even supports growing files. As soon as a few frames are cached, playout can start while caching and will gain on the schedule. All content is secured since media is not copied from its original location and rendered content is encrypted. Plus, you can make last-minute schedule changes, even up to a few minutes before events play out.

Rethinking Playout's Role

BCNEXXT isn’t just attending media supply chain events to showcase our capabilities. We’re here to provoke thought and inspire a reevaluation of playout's role in media supply chain efficiency. The traditional, siloed approach to managing and distributing content is no longer sustainable in the fast-evolving digital landscape. By demonstrating the cost, time, and energy savings of our method, Vipe is paving the way for a new era of media distribution.

One of the most compelling aspects of Vipe is its ability to handle complex tasks such as language selection and soft parting directly in the schedule, without requiring separate assets for each variation. With soft parting, a single source file is used for the entire program with metadata pointers to each of the separate parts. This feature is a game-changer for broadcasters who deal with multilingual content or need to tailor their offerings to specific markets without multiplying their workload. All deliverables go through an automated quality control process to check for availability, compatibility, and corruption. An embedded player lets you perform manual checks, including audio and subtitles.

Dynamic cloud resource management keeps costs to an absolute minimum. The platform enables content owners to spin up new services in minutes on a pay-as-you-use basis, delivering increased agility and financial flexibility. Intuitive user interfaces reduce the operator to channel ratio to quickly deploy free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels without the upfront costs. Pre-preparation and automated QC streamline operations. Our future-minded approach helps reduce operator count and facilitate lights-out operations overnight and during non-peak hours. 

Vipe also dynamically load-balances between simple file-based playout and complex breaks with multi-layer graphics. When the schedule and content are available ahead of time, Vipe levels the resource load across content with  different complexity, using the lowest cost resources. For late-breaking material, Vipe can scale onto quickly available resources so you no longer have to plan for the worst case scenario. Resources are then released once that content is prepared for playout.

The Proof is in the Playout

Vipe’s impact isn't just theoretical. Vipe was recently recognized with the 2024 NAB Show Product of the Year Award in the Asset Management, Automation, and Playout category. This prestigious award serves as a testament to BCNEXXT's innovative approach and Vipe’s potential to transform how content is shared. Even more telling, our customer Sky along with Comcast Technology Solutions, was also recognized with an IABM BaM award at the 2024 NAB Show for their advanced playout workflow, which relies on Vipe.

In the dynamic and demanding world of media distribution, efficiency, scalability, and innovation are not just desirable — they're essential. Vipe’s disruptive approach to playout is more than just a technological advancement; it's a necessary evolution in how we think about and manage content in an increasingly digital age. The question isn't why BCNEXXT, a playout solutions provider, is attending a media supply chain event. The question is why anyone committed to the future of media isn’t paying attention.

We’re here to turn heads, foster dialogue, and show you a whole new world of possibilities for your media supply chain. Ready to be part of the revolution? Our easy-to-use benchmark tool lets you gauge the current state of your operations to identify areas for improvement. Download our Playbook to start learning why playout is now an essential part of your media supply chain.

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ANNOUNCEMENT

BCNEXXT Introduces Vipe RT at IBC 2024

BCNEXXT Introduces Vipe RT at IBC 2024‍ Cloud-native playout solution revolutionizes live sports and events workflows, simplifying operations and reducing overhead by as much as 60%
BLOG

Achieving maximum quality of service

Everyone knows the adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This rings particularly true in broadcast playout, where on-air errors can be hugely disruptive and costly to the broadcaster.Traditional systems assemble video, audio, and graphics components in real-time, even when schedules are pre-set. Any glitch during this live assembly can lead to on-air errors, requiring constant vigilance from Master Control Room (MCR) operators, who need to be on standby 24/7.By pre-assembling and QC checking as much content as possible ahead of on-air time, far superior Quality of Service (QoS) can be achieved effectively reducing operational expenses and the need for around-the-clock monitoring. This pre-assembly approach can be used for all distribution requirements, enabling the consolidation of Video on Demand (VOD), Over-the-Top (OTT), and Linear playout operations, dramatically reducing operating costs further.
interview

IABM interview with Graham NAB 2024

On the Sofa with the IABM at NAB - using technology to solve business problems!
awards

Product of the Year Award 2024

The Netherlands - April 18, 2024 - BCNEXXT is pleased to announce that Vipe has won the 2024 NAB Show Product of the Year Award in the Asset Management, Automation and Playout category. The official awards program recognizes some of the most significant and promising new products and technologies showcased by exhibitors at the 2024 NAB Show. Vipe is a cloud-native, software-only offering that simplifies and speeds up the deployment of fully automated linear playout (including live), OTT streaming and VOD offerings. It removes multiple silos and simplifies media supply chains. Clients experience up to 60% cost reductions. “Vipe enables broadcasters and content owners to dramatically improve their operational efficiency,” states Graham Sharp, CEO, BCNEXXT USA. “Vipe intelligently scales resources to match the complexity of the content, consolidates linear, streaming and VOD silos under a single point of technical management, and automates most common playout tasks, increasing reliability and reducing costs.. We are honored to be recognized by the NAB and take home this prestigious award!” The 2024 NAB Show Product of the Year Award Winners were selected by a panel of industry experts in 15 categories. “NAB Show is the ultimate marketplace showcasing the latest trends and technology spanning creation, distribution and monetization in the broadcast, media and entertainment industry,” said senior vice president and chief customer success officer Eric Trabb, NAB Global Connections and Events.“Congratulations to BCNEXXT for winning the prestigious 2024 NAB Show Product of the Year Award, a testament to the groundbreaking innovation embodied by Vipe. Its profound impact on the content lifecycle underscores its pivotal role in empowering storytellers to navigate present challenges and embrace the opportunities of tomorrow.” BCNEXXT’s customer Comcast Technology Solutions was also recognized with an IABM BaM award at the 2024 NAB Show for their advanced playout workflow, which relies on Vipe. About NAB Show NAB Show is the preeminent conference and exhibition driving the evolution of broadcast, media and entertainment, held April 13-17, 2024 (Exhibits April 14-17) in Las Vegas. Produced by the National Association of Broadcasters, NAB Show is the ultimate marketplace for next-generation technology inspiring superior audio and video experiences. From creation to consumption, across multiple platforms, NAB Show, ranked as one of the top fastest-growing shows in the United States, is where global visionaries convene to bring content to life in new and exciting ways. Learn more at NABShow.com. About BCNEXXT BCNEXXT, based in the Netherlands, brings over a century of combined experience in developing Vipe, a virtualized, cloud-native system for Linear, VoD, and OTT publishing. This platform sets a new efficiency benchmark, using significantly fewer resources and achieving near-perfect uptime.
Partners

OVERON Moves Playout Operation to Cloud-Native Vipe

OVERON, the technical content delivery division of the leading audiovisual service provider Grup MEDIAPRO, has transformed its playout operations across North and South America with BCNEXXT’s cloud-native playout solution, Vipe. As a global media distribution powerhouse, OVERON is at the forefront of delivering tier-1 sports and live content, servicing over a thousand TV channels worldwide. The move of its core playout operations, consisting of 25 television channels, to the cloud underscores OVERON's commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology like Vipe for modern media distribution, ensuring high reliability and agility in service delivery.
EVENTS

BCNEXXT at NAB 2024

BCNEXXT is showcasing the future of playout operations at NAB 2024 with the cloud-native solution, Vipe in the IABM lounge W236LMR (Level 2). Reducing operational costs by as much as 60% with an incredible 99.9999% uptime, Vipe is a cloud-native software-only solution designed to streamline and expedite the deployment of fully automated linear (including live), OTT, FAST, Streaming and VOD channels. Vipe combines the multiple silos that content owners and distributors typically have in place today, drastically simplifying media supply chains, reducing operator-to-channel ratio and enabling organizations to quickly deploy new channels without the upfront costs.
team

New hire Arthur!

BCNEXXT, a growing team with decades of industry experience has hired Arthur Duisenberg in the role of Support Manager.
awards

IBC Content distribution innovation award 2023

We are thrilled to be part of the project at Sky Europe that won the prestigieus IBC “Content distribution” innovation award. Together with Techex (https://techex.co.uk/) and Squaredpaper (https://squaredpaper.co.uk/) we managed to help Sky migrate all Content TV channels from traditional on-prem, to be fully cloud native playout channels .For us, the project started in 2019 with some DR channels, today it is running 135 live Vipe channels from the cloud.Thank you Sky Europe for putting your trust in our platform in us as a company.
team

New hire Leroy!

BCNEXXT, a growing team with decades of industry experience has hired Leroy Zwakman in the role of DevOps Engineer.
Corporate

BCNEXXT Inc

BCNEXXT BV opens US office.
Events

IBC 2023

Playout Liberated at IBC 2023!
Events

NAB 2023

BCNEXXT will be visiting NAB 2023.
Team

New hire Dennis!

BCNEXXT, a growing team with decades of industry experience has hired Dennis Hergaarden in the role of C++ Developer.
Team

New hire Stijn!

BCNEXXT, a growing team with decades of industry experience has hired Stijn Hinlopen in the role of C++ developer.
Team

New hire Marc!

BCNEXXT, a growing team with decades of industry experience has hired Marc Otten in the role of Creative Application Developer.
Partners

Amazon Web Services (AWS) Technology Partner status

BCNEXXT, the creators of the new innovative native cloud Playout platform Vipe, announced today that they have achieved Amazon Web Services (AWS) Technology Partner status and completed the Foundational Technical Review (FTR).