How Discovery Chose Signiant

Copyright 2009 Signiant Inc. Company Confidential

Discovery Channel

Darren Breeze

Director of Technology, Development and Architecture


Agenda

About Discovery

Challenges

Solutions Evaluated

What we did

What we are doing now

What’s next?

Q &A


Discovery Fast Facts

Playout centres in London, Singapore, Virginia and Miami

126 SD feeds, 26 HD feeds worldwide

39 dub / sub languages worldwide

Post facilities in Maryland, London, Singapore and Miami


Discovery Fun Facts

Deadliest Catch camera budget was 46

The central tape library in Maryland holds over 1000000 media items

The mother ship has no Cafe

Wired Magazines peoples choice sexy geek


Challenges in EMEA

Distribution of program content to 15+ VOD partners across EMEA

Managing the movement of language reference assets to support 30000+ hours language customisation per annum

Ad hoc program sales deliveries to EMEA and beyond


Solutions Evaluated

Do nothing, stay with physical media!

Digi Delivery, it worked ok but…

Aspera, it moves files but…

Signiant


Solution Selected and Implemented

Central Media Manager with HA option

Media agents / relay agents

Media Exchange Portal

VOD template solution

Linux based system


Signiant across Discovery’s world


MX API for Digital Media CentreDelivery of TX material to domestic TX centre in Sterling,

Virginia Exchange of production material with Miami production and transmission centreProduction media to the UK

Discovery United States


A mix of Agents and MX clientsPromo delivery India to SingaporeVOD delivery to China and AustraliaMedia backhaul between production facility and TX Q1 2010, Migrate language customisation workflows to MX

Discovery Asia


A mix of Agents and MX clientsDistribution of VOD, TX and programme sales contentDelivery of language reference material to dubbing and subtitle vendorsDelivery of audio dubbing wav files back to London

Discovery Europe


Benefits

Reduced media re-purposing and distribution costs

Reduced syndication costs allow increased capacity and lower cost of entry into low margin markets

File-based delivery eliminates cost and logistics of delivering tape

Files are not subject to import duties


Ongoing Challenges

Corporate IT just don’t get it!

VOD Standards ?

Business “logic” vs. technical capability


What’s Next?

HD production asset exchange

HD VOD

Finish EMEA language operations MX rollout

Migrate EMEA regional promo production from tape to file based workflows

Upgrade London to Signiant 8.2

How Discovery Chose Signiant

Technology

Transcript of How Discovery Chose Signiant