Solid State Logic moves into video

This year’s IBC Convention will give the European broadcast community its first opportunity to see products based on Solid State Logic’s new MediaWAN technology platform, which encompasses all aspects of digital video acquisition and storage technology.
The move into video marks a major expansion for Solid State Logic, the world’s leading manufacturer of professional analogue and digital consoles, and comes as a result of the merging of the operations of Broadcast Devices LLC (BDL), developer of MediaWAN, with those of SSL.
BDL, founded in 2004 by Dave Engelke, one of SSL’s principals, brings numerous skills and developments that offer exciting opportunities for SSL to expand into new markets. The MediaWAN team includes Jeff Stonier, VP of Broadcast Engineering, and Chief Systems Architect, Bala Iyer, who both have extensive experience in the development of broadcast production systems. The products they have developed have won three Emmys and an Oscar in this field.
Among the products on show at IBC (stnd No: 8:560) will be MediaWAN Gravity, a complete, scalable broadcast production system that utilizes proprietary software running on standard high-performance PCs and servers. Geared to the fast-moving, multi-format nature of today’s media operations, the software provides encoders to import video from a variety of sources including HD, a preview and job allocation interface for production co-ordinators, editing software for journalists and management tools for news producers. An asset management database and user interface also provide for seamless information lifecycle management in the video domain.
In addition, MediaWAN technology has also been developed to provide a highly cost-effective backhaul service. MediaWAN Backhaul allows media networks to install encoders at remote locations and automatically ingest video and audio content to central servers where it is immediately available for use. The system operates over a private MPLS network that provides a very high QoS and highly efficient use of the bandwidth enabling broadcast-resolution video to be delivered at a fraction of the cost of traditional satellite transmission. The system operates at very low latency, which significantly improves the performance of the circuit for remote interviews.
“It’s our intention to make Solid State Logic a major player in the integration of video and audio within production environments,” says SSL’s Managing Director Antony David. “The MediaWAN platform is the springboard for a range of new products that will leverage our expertise in both areas. This move is a further example of SSL’s invigorated entrepreneurial spirit since its acquisition by Peter Gabriel and David Engelke.”
(GB)