AmberFin Provides HD File QC and Transcoding Ops for IMD

AmberFin, a developer of file-based media ingest, transcoding, and quality control solutions for content owners, broadcasters, sports organizations, and postproduction houses, has announced a significant new contract with IMD (Independent Media Distribution), a provider of digital commercial delivery and campaign data exchange services to advertising agencies worldwide. The contract sees AmberFin extending its iCR platform into IMD’s HD operations.

An AmberFin user since 2010, IMD integrates the company’s iCR intelligent ingest, transcode, and quality control platform to support its rigorous QC process for incoming HD material, as well as performing SD to HD format and standards conversion.

IMD’s latest investment in AmberFin iCR is driven by organic growth in its core markets as they migrate towards the HD broadcast of commercials. At the same time, the company reports growing demand for its HD digital media logistics services in new emerging markets.

The new iCR system will be located in IMD’s worldwide headquarters, based in the UK. However, it will be used to support the facility’s international operations in France, Germany, Ireland, Austria, and Switzerland.

Using file-based workflows, IMD’s Digital Media Logistics services replace traditional distribution methods such as sending commercials on digi beta tapes by courier. IMD’s services speed up lead times, improve control, make last minute changes easier, provide robust audit trails, and reduce errors and cost. IMD helps agencies deliver better results for their clients by using state of the art digital processes for Media Logistics.

“Over the last two years, AmberFin’s iCR platform has helped us increase our throughput and do our work quicker. Its web interface is elegant and this generates further efficiencies for us,” commented Ross Priestley, commercial director at IMD. “The iCR platform enables operators to perform up to four simultaneous transcodes using the same workstation. It is this ability to process more than one file at a time that leads to our increased throughput.

“We selected AmberFin iCR since its feature set was the ideal match for our requirements. It supports a comprehensive set of codecs, wrappers and standards – especially those relating to high definition video content. Additionally, the AmberFin team were very helpful, providing extensive input during our evaluation process,” concluded Priestley.