At the IBC 2000 Conference in Amsterdam, Virage, Inc. has announced its new ControlCenter, a new workflow application that centralizes the management of all video capture, encoding and indexing functions performed by multiple VideoLogger stations. Designed to allow 24×7 remote access and control of multiple deployments of VideoLogger, ControlCenter allows users to schedule, monitor and manage multiple video feeds and events from a remote workstation.
“A growing number of our broadcast and Internet customers want to deploy and integrate dozens of VideoLoggers at a time,” Carlos Montalvo, vice president of marketing at Virage, said. “With the Virage ControlCenter they can simplify and integrate the management and control of multi-feed broadcast and streaming media production facilities. ControlCenter builds enormous efficiencies into enterprise wide video and streaming media production by providing a single point of administration and immediate access to a network of VideoLoggers.”
As if to mark the efficacy of its new, large-network capacity Virage also announced that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) will be using Virage software and application services to create on online searchable video solution for its member broadcasters. The Virage platform will allow the EBU to provide indexed streaming video as part of its news exchange service.
“Ever since the first live multi-national broadcast Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation in 1953 – most news and sports that appears on television screens in Europe has been distributed via the Eurovision network,” said Henri Perez, Director of Operations at the EBU. “Every day a dozen multi-item exchanges provide material for national news bulletins. Each year around 25,000 news items and 7,700 hours of sports and cultural programmes are transmitted. Currently we have to notify our members of available material by text, but using Virage’s technology we can create video storyboards and a searchable index of the shots. Operating in so many different languages can be difficult when just working in text, but with video a news story is instantly recognisable. In the future we look forward to working with Virage to provide all our footage by streaming it across the Internet.”
Finally, Virage announced that Sony Broadcast and Professional Company will integrate Virage products into Sony’s solution offerings. As part of its overall Asset Management strategy, Sony is relying on Virage to supply key components of its high-resolution video framework specifically for the broadcast market.
“This collaboration between two leaders in their respective fields promises to break new ground in the area of all-digital television production,” said Kevin Ivey, vice president of research and development at CNN, Inc. “Virage’s cutting-edge software platform is the right match for Sony’s breadth of solutions and integration experience. Beside the strong working relationship we’ve enjoyed with both companies, this agreement should greatly extend the reach of Virage-enabled video into all parts of the television broadcast process, facilitating the management and repurposing of video content.”
“The integration of Virage technology into our overall solution is a key strategic initiative for us,” said Bradley Kerth, Engineering Project Manager at Sony. “Virage software products have become critical elements in the workflow for video management and we are excited to provide a complete system that includes them.”
