WealthTV Installed Omneon Spectrum Media Server

Omneon, Inc. announced that 24/7 HD cable television network WealthTV has expanded its state-of-the-art San Diego facilities with the installation of an Omneon Spectrum HD media server system for ingest and playout. The Omneon platform provides fully redundant ingest within master control and supports a fast, streamlined playout workflow, allowing WealthTV to maintain the best possible product from start to finish as it transitions toward tapeless HD operations.

"The heart of our broadcast chain, the Omneon Spectrum media server gives us the flexibility, capacity, and throughput required for efficient HD operations," said Charles Herring, WealthTV president. "The server system not only allows us to establish a high-quality standard at the front of the chain, but also ensures that the output on the back end maintains that standard and delivers a visually striking broadcast product."

WealthTV is devoted to helping viewers to acquire, use, and enjoy their wealth. The network’s Omneon Spectrum allows WealthTV to handle content from end to end along the entire production and distribution chain, starting with discussions in a conference room; taking ideas into production with producers, camera operators, and editors; realizing the finished product through its own master control; and uplinking directly to satellite. The network produces and broadcasts in HD but also provides a downconverted national SD feed. As video is brought into the production facility, the Spectrum media server is used to ingest content – including tapeless file transfers, but still largely from physical tape assets.

The system’s built-in up/downconversion capability helps to simplify playout operations and streamline WealthTV’s workflow. The Omneon system’s compatibility with Final Cut Pro editing systems enables editors to move finished content directly to the server for immediate playout of the HD feed, as well as the downconverted SD feed, both under the control of Harris automation. The Omneon MirrorTool application mirrors content between the network’s two Spectrum systems to ensure reliable playout.

"The Spectrum server’s modular design and its ability to interface with other critical production systems provide us with a range of options in expanding our service offering while refining the supporting end-to-end workflow," said Richard Pshock, director of operations and engineering at WealthTV. "Knowing that we can scale the Spectrum system and integrate it with other solutions to match the continuing growth of our business, we can build a tighter workflow and a smart long-term budget."

As WealthTV continues to enhance its production and broadcast capabilities, the highly interoperable Spectrum server system will support integration with additional best-of-breed systems. The network was among the first to broadcast in HD, launching as an HD network in June 2004, and its investment in Omneon systems is designed not only to support a move to tapeless HD operations, but to provide a foundation for the launch of East Coast and West Coast broadcasts of its national SD feed, support the addition of new channels, and enable the future broadcast of 3-D content.