In this interview with OTTVerse.com, Erik Otto, the CEO of Mediaproxy talks about compliance logging, monitoring, and analysis for broadcasters. Specifically, Erik talks about their flagship Logserver product suite, the updates to it, and the latest innovations that they are showcasing at NAB 2023 (in booth W1321).
If you are at NAB 2023 in Las Vegas, you can set up a meeting with the Mediaproxy team by clicking here.
Erik Otto is the CEO of Mediaproxy, the leader in broadcast compliance logging, monitoring, and analysis. In this interview, Erik talks to OTTVerse about the latest in their flagship Logserver product suite, and their product showcase at NAB 2023.
Q) Can you tell our audience about Mediaproxy’s LogServer compliance monitoring system and how it works?
LogServer was launched in 2001 and remains not only Mediaproxy’s flagship product but also the leading compliance monitoring system for broadcast and streaming.
It is a true software-only solution that is cloud-native and fully virtualizable. As well as the ability to easily and efficiently log and monitor program output, it is also able to continue checking streams all along the distribution chain, including at edge and ad-insertion points. Multiple channels of live video, plus supporting metadata, can be recorded and stored, enabling them to be compared to As Run logs.
A key feature is monitoring by exception, where a channel is only brought up on a display screen when a problem is detected. This means master control room staff are not tied to watching banks of monitors and can concentrate on other jobs until there is an alert.
LogServer offers extensive support for industry formats and standards, including SMPTE ST 2110, plus features for monitoring and analyzing on-air incidents, content search and ad verification using intuitive web browser and mobile interfaces.
Which is why hundreds of engineers around the world rely daily on Mediaproxy’s unified software solutions for 24/7 monitoring, analysis, multiviewing and capture of live video from broadcast and OTT sources.
Q) How has LogServer evolved over the past 20-plus years, and what new developments can we expect to see at NAB 2023?
Mediaproxy is an engineering-driven company, which means that LogServer is constantly evolving. We will continue this tradition by bringing the latest results of our ongoing development program to this year’s NAB Show but, as this stage, will not be giving anything away. What we can say is that a lot of our innovation today goes into understanding and catering for custom workflows.
By doing this, our aim is to help customers become more efficient in their monitoring operations across different parts of their businesses. The ability to scale installations is also a significant factor, with the flexibility to expand the LogServer system from a TV station set-up to large hub workflows, while also accommodating cloud integration.
We are excited at the prospect of unveiling the results of our latest development cycle in Las Vegas.
Q) The past couple of years have seen an increase in the number of FAST channels being deployed across the world – how does your software help in the deployment and monitoring of FAST?
FAST (free ad supported TV) channels are part of the continuing growth and development of OTT streaming. It is part of the general explosion of content and live streams that now end up on the internet instead of traditional transmissions, such as terrestrial, cable and satellite.
The challenge for broadcasters and service providers is to deal with a wide range of variants that have emerged due to the development of streaming protocols and technical standards.
The guidelines laid out by organizations such as SMPTE and SCTE have been largely subverted by the likes of Apple and Google, which are essentially setting the standards now because they own the web browsers and mobile devices that receive broadcasts and OTT streams, many of which work to the FAST model.
The rise of FAST channels will see more reliance on dynamic ad insertion (DAI) to ensure that the right commercials are triggered at the right time on each platform and device.
Mediaproxy LogServer is able to both monitor this process and record the output so that operators have a record to prove everything went out as scheduled. LogServer also supports a wide range of delivery protocols and formats, including HLS, MPEG-DASH, SRT, Zixi and RIST.
The problem here is that there are differences in the delivery, distribution and formatting for video and audio, with ancillary data such as closed captions and digital program insertion triggers further complicating matters.
Mediaproxy has been involved in the growth of this sector for many years and is able to offer comprehensive solutions for different variants as they appear.
Click here to set up a meeting with Mediaproxy at NAB 2023 from April 16 – 19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Q) What role does artificial intelligence and machine learning play in your solutions, and how are you leveraging these technologies to provide greater value to your customers?
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can be used to program systems to recognise specific faults and problems, such as dead air, frozen screens and dropouts. Mediaproxy has teamed up with companies specialising in AI and ML to incorporate this functionality into our systems.
In particular AI and ML have been used to help improve the monitoring and review experience using the power of the LogPlayer user interface.
Q) What kinds of organizations or businesses can benefit from LogServer, and what kind of ROI can they expect to see?
Our solutions are used by broadcasters, media and streaming companies.
Due to the versatility of our technologies, the ROI and general practical benefits within those companies stretches from engineering and operations, across sales and marketing to executive level.
Q) Can you discuss any recent case studies or success stories that demonstrate the effectiveness of your solutions in improving media organizations’ operations, compliance, or competitive positioning?
Mediaproxy is the global standard for broadcast and media companies, with its systems recording and monitoring more than 20,000 channels in over 70 countries. Through constant innovation and engineering, we have become the trusted platform of choice for the biggest names in broadcasting around the world.
Q) What are some of the future plans and goals for Mediaproxy, and how do you see the industry evolving in the coming years?
We have always been part of what is next in broadcasting, leading the way with solid engineering to support the changing demands of our customers. Staying ahead of everyone else has been something on which Mediaproxy prides itself.
With the slow fade of SDI and the ever-increasing move to more IP-driven workflows, customers are turning to companies that truly understand where technology is headed. This includes moving assets and tools to the cloud, which, combined with more reliance on remote operations, calls for even greater monitoring and analysis.
Streaming continues to be a competitive market, with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Apple TV, among many others, relying on technology to ensure the highest possible quality of service for their ever expanding content libraries, live programming and ad insertion.
Mediaproxy remains committed to making sure our systems’ capabilities stay ahead of our customers’ requirements.
Thank you Erik for participating in this interview. We wish you all the best for the future, and have a great NAB 2023.
Click here to set up a meeting with Mediaproxy at NAB 2023 from April 16 – 19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Sponsored by: Mediaproxy