Sweden’s TV4 chooses Pebble Beach automation for playout

Pebble Beach Systems, a leading provider of automation solutions to the broadcast market, has announced a significant order for its Neptune automation system from TV4 in Sweden.
The Neptune system is replacing TV4’s Omnibus and Abit automation systems.
TV4 is the largest and most successful commercial broadcaster in Sweden. The company transmits a total of five channels, including TV4, TV4 Film, TV4 Plus, TV400 and TV4 Fakta. TV4 Film is already being played to air from the Neptune system while the remaining channels will migrate to the Pebble Beach system over the next few weeks.
TV4 selected Pebble Beach to provide centralised control of its multi-channel playout facility built around Omneon servers. The system is divided into two main parts to serve the differing requirements of each channel including fault tolerance, functionality and budget constraints. The two main channels, TV4 and TV4 Plus, are configured in 1+1 protection with a completely mirrored chain of devices and controllers for complete redundancy. The remaining channels are operated in an N+1 configuration which provides a cost-effective means of protecting against failure of any of the playout devices.
Each channel at TV4 has an Eyeheight switcher, Omneon server ports, Radix Graphics engine, Cavena subtitling system and aspect ratio converter. The main TV4 channel also uses one of its internally designed tools known as Abel, which synchronises the playout of local news, programs and commercials in the different regions.
“We are very pleased with the Neptune system that has recently been installed at TV4. We have developed an excellent dialogue with the team at Pebble Beach and they took on board our requirements and built a system that addressed our automation needs,“ said Per Atterving, project leader at TV4. “A deciding factor in our final decision to select Pebble Beach is Neptune’s ability to add any number of new channels as and when these might be needed in the future.”
(GB)