AmberFin iCR Enables File-based Media Ingest Within Sony’s Media Backbone Conductor, Workflow Orchestration & Integration Platform
Integration of Two Market-Leading Systems Creates Transparent and Elegant User Proposition
Basingstoke, UK(19 Sep 2011)
AmberFin, a leading developer of file-based media ingest and transcoding solutions for content owners, broadcasters, sports organizations and post-production houses, today announced that its iCR file-based content ingest and transcoding system has been successfully integrated within Sony's Media Backbone workflow orchestration and integration platform.
Sony's Media Backbone Conductor is a workflow orchestration and integration platform that simplifies the integration of Digital Production Islands and delivers a truly end to end tapeless environment.
The production islands are connected by a common service bus (ESB) that enables services and resources to be consolidated and shared throughout the enterprise.
At IBC, AmberFin reports that already an interface between its iCR platform and Sony's Media Backbone Conductor supports file-based media transcoding operations and that similar interfaces are in development which will complete the ingest solution using iCR.
The essence of Sony's Media Backbone Conductor centres on its inherent flexibility and versatility, enabling customers to combine a range of third party platforms depending on their requirements. "Customers are looking to make their processes run as efficiently as possible, and streamlining the number of systems that users have to interact with is vital. Together, Sony and Amberfin have created a very elegant interface between the two platforms." says Nick Smith, Business Development Manager of Sony Europe.
Job requests and associated metadata generated by Media Backbone Conductor appear directly within the Amberfin GUI - there is no need for switching between GUIs and systems. Smith adds "This level of transparency provides a more enjoyable experience for the users who can focus on delivering greater value for the business."
AmberFin iCR integration reinforces the adaptability and agility of the system architecture that Media Backbone Conductor provides, enabling greater automation and driving efficiency gains within media facilities of all sizes and scales.
For AmberFin, integration with Sony's Media Backbone Conductor is strategically important since it demonstrates how iCR can be seen as a business system capable of driving growth within a media facility. "An open development approach such as Sony Europe is employing benefits everybody, especially the customer because it enables them to have greater control on their workflows," comments Jeremy Deaner, Chief Executive Officer at AmberFin. "We have worked closely with Sony Europe to bring this to fruition: Amberfin iCR has proven to be an essential component, helping to ensure high quality output within Sony's Media Backbone Conductor.'
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About AmberFin
AmberFin is a company at the heart of solving file-based workflow problems for content owners, broadcasters, sports organizations and post-production houses. The AmberFin Media Factory, based on the iCR family of modular software products, digitizes and transforms new and archived content, combining a service oriented design philosophy with intelligent use of cost-effective generic IT. This enables customers to save time, increase revenues and grow in-line with business demands.
Unique to the Media Factory system, AmberFin's industry first approach to Quality Control, known as Unified Quality Control (UQC), introduces a QC mark that brings a new level of trust to media assets. UQC uniquely combines an automated process with a human touch, enabling more efficient and effective decision-making and new levels of confidence in the file creation and transformation processes.
AmberFin has experienced growth of 90% in the last year thanks to hundreds of iCR systems being deployed worldwide. Systems that are trusted where quality matters by some of the world's leading media organizations including Sony Pictures, NBA, Turner Broadcasting, ZDF, NRK, National Geographic, BT, Discovery and Warner Brothers.