Azzurro Completes Integration Project at Scripps Playout Facility

Azzurro Systems Integration (ASI) completed a multiphase engineering project to enable HD/SD playout direct from the server for existing and future Scripps Networks programming services at the company’s playout facility in Knoxville, TN. In addition to DIY Network and Fine Living Network, Scripps’ popular content channels include the Food Network, HGTV, Great American Country, and the recently acquired Travel Channel.

“Our decision to award our Broadcast Operations expansion to Azzurro Systems Integration was based on their team’s historical and extensive integration successes and our 16- year relationship,” says John Ajamie, Scripps SVP, broadcast operations & media logistics.  “As projected, the ASI team completed our project on time, on budget and without a technical or operational disruption.”

The ASI team, led by senior project manager Steven Sabin, designed and installed fully redundant HD signal paths for each of the existing networks – plus future HD/SD program streams, some of which are to be used for the Travel Channel playout – in parallel with the existing playout systems. In addition, new Miranda Vertigo branding, Evertz master control switchers, fiber cards, SCTE 104 data embedders, and signal processing were integrated into the workflow. The facility’s Grass Valley router capacity was upgraded from 128×128 to 256×256, while the Omneon video server system was given increased storage capacity and supplementary HD playout ports. Additional Omnibus Colossus playout channels were added to support the new infrastructure.

The project also included the design and installation of a new fail over control system using the DNF GTP-32 solution. This allowed either of the two master control rooms to control the changeover of any of the 17 playout paths. The entire project upgrade was accomplished seamlessly and with no disruption to any on-air content.

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