Zixi, the industry leader for enabling dependable, live broadcast-quality video over all-IP, and award winning architect of the Software Defined Video Platform (SDVP), today announced that January 7^th through the 9^th at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show the company will be featuring with Version 13 extensive new functionalities from the four elements that enable the broadcaster video network to be intelligently and centrally managed using software and integrated devices regardless of the underlying IP network infrastructure including the preeminent Zixi Protocol and 14 supported protocols, the Zixi Video Solutions Stack, Zixi ZEN Master, and the Zixi Enabled Network.

Zixi, the industry leader for enabling dependable, live broadcast-quality video over IP, has been recognized with two industry awards: the Gold Award in the category of IP Broadcast Solutions – Distribution from Digital Media World, and a 2019 Product Innovation Award from TV Technology.

The cutting edge Zixi Software-Defined Video Platform was named the Digital Media Awards’ Gold Winner in the category of IP Broadcast Solutions – Distribution. The Zixi Software-Defined Video Platform is the tight integration of four crucial elements that enable broadcast-quality live video workflows to be intelligently and centrally provisioned, deployed, managed and monitored using software and integrated devices, regardless of the underlying network infrastructure. The Digital Media World Awards give recognition to companies that have used their products and services to push media opportunities forward and develop new techniques and possibilities in broadcast content creation, delivery and management.

Promethean, a digital solution to dynamically programme interactive video overlays, has announced its collaboration with True Digital Group, the South East Asian leader in content and digital platforms, to release the new version of the TrueID TV Box application across South East Asia.

TrueID TV Box is the new set top box from one of Southeast Asia’s leading Pay TV platform operators (part of the CP Group) that enables viewers to watch sports and entertainment on live, linear and on-demand basis without the hassle of installation. The latest box release is expected to roll out to thousands of homes across the Christmas period. It is the country's first Android TV Box that meets Google standards, which crucially now includes the certification of Promethean Interactive Overlays. This enables True Digital Group to create a conduit between content and commerce for their TrueID TV Box users.

Promethean is an online platform for dynamically programming interactive video overlays for live and video content on the web, mobile and OTT platforms. It licences a tool that allows broadcasters to place contextual and relevant overlays onto live streams and VOD, delivering engaging customer interactions that drive measurable ROI. Promethean's solution is player agnostic and as such supports a wide range of third party players available today out of the box.

"We've been using the Promethean technology across our websites and mobile apps since the summer, which has led to double-digit click through rates and some very compelling advertising campaigns with great regional brands,” commented Reed Anderson, CTO at True Digital Group. "As we were building our new TrueID TV Box, we wanted to demonstrate the convergence between the viewing experience and the opportunities afforded by connectivity - and that means allowing the audience to interact with the content, whether through man of the match polls or the ability to order food for delivery straight from your TV."

Argentine telecommunications facilities provider Servicios y Telecomunicaciones SA (SYT) has chosen a complete mediaClass OTT TV Everywhere solution as the core of a newly launched Rocstar TV Everywhere platform. The system is designed to allow carriers, cable operators and ISPs to offer own-brand TV Everywhere OTT products based on a strong channel line-up and premium content. All functions are provided through an operator-class version of mediaClass software, customised and integrated into servers at SYT's headquarters in Buenos Aires.

"We signed the agreement with SYT at the April 2019 NAB Show and have been very busy adding specific features for Rocstar TV local markets," says mediaClass EVP Manelli Hosseini. "This new service will allow easy white-labeling for carriers, ISPs and cable operators to offer full TV Everywhere OTT and IPTV with their own brand and their own app. The system includes all the advanced TV Everywhere features – content source processing and storage, digital rights management, subscriber management, viewer analytics and an AI-based recommendation engine. We have also built in true multi-tenancy which is often claimed but not delivered. The resultant service is very easy to use, includes automatic configuration, and is highly cost efficient."

mediaClass announces Broadcast-Pro, a new version of its end-to-end IPTV/OTT multiscreen platform. Broadcast-Pro is designed for broadcasters and content owners who are looking to launch an independent TV-everywhere service for their customers.

Cinematographer Si Bell and Director Anthony Byrne move crime drama series to a more cinematic look and feel

For four seasons, Thomas Shelby, his family and his gang — Peaky Blinders — have been captivating audiences around the world with this crime drama set in 1920s Birmingham, England in the aftermath of World War I. But the fifth season would mean a total change in how the series was to be shot, moving from Cooke S4/i spherical lenses (used since season three) to anamorphic with Cooke Optics' Anamorphic/i prime lenses as well as 4K for this season’s Netflix full-season distribution in the US, which became available on 4 October 2019 (UK distribution on BBC One began in early September with one episode per week).

One of the challenges for cinematographer Si Bell and director Anthony Byrne — both big fans of the series — was maintaining continuity with the four seasons that came before them, regardless of the new production changes.

“Anthony and I had wanted to do this series for a number of years, having watched all of it and always talking about it,” explained Bell. “When we got the gig, we both watched the entire series again and paid special attention to the things we loved, things we thought could be different and things we thought could be better. But we obviously had to keep continuity.”

Intinor, Sweden’s leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over internet will, with its partner Rahul Commerce, feature Direkt link at Broadcast India on Stand F610.

Intinor CEO Roland Axelsson said, “Direkt link has enormous potential, not only in terms of power and flexibility, but also because it is extremely easy to use and very robust, thanks to an ingenious construction that includes a minimum of moving parts.

Intinor, Sweden’s leading developer of products and solutions for high quality video over internet, will feature its Direkt link range at NAB Show New York 2019 at the Jacob Javits Center from 16-17 October.

Sharing Booth N447 with its North American distribution partner, JB&A, Intinor’s Direkt link can send video streams to multiple receivers, including Intinor’s own. It is specifically designed for use by cable TV; master control rooms; streaming servers for web TV; PCs running VLC; and receivers from other manufacturers.

Underlining the importance of its solutions business, Pixel Power has added two new product specialists to the team. Tanya Schurawel and Toria Farrell both come direct from broadcasters, and will use their unique insights to help customers develop optimised solutions for automated production, graphics and playout.