Work the way your workflow demands with aQ Broadcast video-pipeline

aQ Broadcast’s video-pipeline can be implemented with different software modules in order to suit a host of modern broadcast workflows. (larger version of the diagram available here)

Everyone should have the freedom to work how they wish to, and in a way that supports their broadcast workflows in the most efficient way possible. It seems like a fairly simple maxim, but in truth the solutions offered by some of the industry’s leading broadcast vendors aren’t always as flexible and (re)configurable as they might appear on first acquaintance.

Here at aQ Broadcast we have always been mindful of the fact that broadcasters’ requirements change – sometimes very significantly – over time. Take the implications of moving from SD to HD and now to 4K, or the incorporation of HDR into broadcast workflows. All these and other changes have obliged technical personnel to think carefully about, and budget for, substantial alterations to their production infrastructures.

As a vendor we have always felt that offering a modular approach wherever possible affords our customers the most effective – and cost-efficient – way of keeping pace with the times. Take the example of our aVS transmission server, which remains a popular choice for broadcasters around the world. Developed with a focus on flexibility, the server uses aQ Broadcast’s standard firmware and can be run in v-pipe (video-pipeline) mode, allowing it to be configured precisely to any given broadcaster’s specific station playout requirements.

To this end a v-pipe implementation comprises a wide range of flexible software modules/processors that can be assembled in any combination. Hence, a single v-pipe unit could operate variously as a simple video server, a simple transmission server, a dedicated monitoring server, a ‘studio in a box’, a ‘channel in a box’, a stream encoder and/or decoder, or a dedicated multi-viewer, amongst many other possible functions. Each configuration is determined by the broadcaster and the requirements they stipulate for their workflows – taking account of what they need today, and in many cases what they will require in a year or five years’ time.

Now it’s not true to say that all broadcasters want or require that level of flexibility – in some more straightforward operations, it can be perfectly sufficient to configure a system to comply with one set workflow and have it serve perfectly well for many years. But it’s much more common these days to find broadcasters who do need to regularly update their workflows, and to this end we have continued to develop video-pipeline modules – to the extent that there are now 30-plus available processors, covering everything from straightforward input to output processes, to powerful video and audio mixing functionality.

With broadcasters obliged to support an increasing number of video platforms and services, ease of (re)configuration is going to be highly prized. The ability to chop and change processing modules with aVS means it’s very much a solution for ‘the now’ and will doubtless ensure that its popularity with broadcasters worldwide continues to grow.

aQ Broadcast to focus on new customer development in lieu of IBC appearance

In order to devote more resources to the expansion of its existing customer base in the UK and elsewhere, aQ Broadcast has decided not to exhibit at this year’s IBC in Amsterdam.

The resultant saving in time will also allow the company to concentrate more fully on its current busy schedule of major broadcast projects, which includes significant upgrades to existing sites as well as brand new installations stretching ahead into 2019.

Neil Hutchins, CEO of aQ Broadcast, says that “visitors at major trade shows are often extremely pushed for time, and so it can be difficult to make sure you have the conversations – both with existing and potential customers – that really need to take place. Part of the thinking in reviewing our attendance at IBC is that we should free up more time and personnel to visit customers at their own premises. There is no denying that assigning multiple staff members to any one major show has serious implications in terms of time and related expenses, and on careful reflection we came to the conclusion that in this case our resources could be better spent approaching customers on a more individual basis.”

The move comes at a crucial point in aQ Broadcast’s expansion trajectory, particularly in the UK, where - although it does have some notable customers - its overall market situation is “disproportionate in terms of our product range and capabilities. So, one of the messages we want to emphasise going forward is that we are able to provide everything from very basic scripting to full-scale station transmission, playout, media management, storage and ingest. In effect we can supply a complete station solution, and indeed our largest customer in the UK employs us to provide exactly that.”

As well as undertaking more site visits in the months ahead, aQ Broadcast will also be inviting customers to its demo facilities so that they can sample the capabilities of existing products and receive information about forthcoming developments. “We look forward to having the opportunity to spend a decent amount of time with each customer, guiding them through what we can offer in detail,” says Hutchins.

But although aQ Broadcast will not be present at IBC this year, the decision should not be interpreted as a general move away from trade show attendance. The NAB Show in the US and conferences in Canada continue to be fixtures on the company calendar, reflecting aQ Broadcast’s “strong and growing” interests in both countries. But there is also likely to be a marked increase in presence at smaller regional shows, such as BVE in the UK, which benefit company expansion priorities at any given time.

“The regional shows can provide invaluable gateways to new markets, with their smaller scales making it possible to spend more time with potential customers, so we definitely see events of this kind being an important element of our future strategy,” says Hutchins.