Digital file-based workflows for broadcast TV live and VOD (Video on Demand) allow for greater flexibility, efficiency, and cost-effective production, post-production, and distribution of video content. Here’s a brief overview of both workflows:

Broadcast TV Live Workflow:
– Cameras capture video content in real-time and feed the footage to a live switcher.
– The switcher cuts between different camera sources, creating a live program that is then encoded by an encoder.
– The encoder compresses the video in real-time to reduce its size and then sends it to a broadcast server.
– The broadcast server then distributes the content to a broadcasting system (such as cable TV or satellite).
– Viewers receive the video content and can watch it live on their TV or other devices.

Digital file-based workflows streamline this process by recording the content as digital files (rather than analog tapes) and storing them on file-based storage systems. This makes it easier to edit, process, and archive the content. Here’s how the digital file-based broadcast TV live workflow would look like:

– Cameras capture video content in real-time and feed the footage to a live switcher.
Router/ w/SFP gateway, transcodes signal if necessary
– The switcher cuts between different camera sources and records the program as digital files onto a file-based storage system.
– The files are then ingested into a video server, where they can be processed and managed for technical quality control, editing, or archiving.
– The server simultaneously encodes the content on-the-fly, reducing the burden on the encoder and speeding up the production process.
– The encoded versions are then distributed to the broadcasters, just like in the traditional broadcast TV live workflow, except there is a file-based distribution system enabling faster and more efficient deliveries.

VOD Workflow:
– Content is shot and recorded as digital files onto file-based storage systems.
– The digital files are then ingested into a post-production system, where they can be edited, color corrected, and sound-mixed.
– Once the content is finalized, it is sent through an encoder that compresses it to a suitable format and quality-level for online distribution.
– The output files are then stored on a video server or cloud storage, where they can be categorized, tagged, and managed according to metadata (such as title, genre, and release-date).
– Finally, the files are made available for viewers to access on-demand from various devices, such as tablets, phones, and smart TVs.

Digital file-based workflows have revolutionized the way broadcasters produce and distribute video content, providing greater flexibility, speed, and cost-effectiveness while maintaining high-quality standards. This workflow is becoming increasingly common in the media production field.

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Published by Nicole Gabriel

I’m a writer, engineer, and production/operations expert with over three decades in award-winning broadcast and streaming. After years in terrestrial satellite delivery, I dove headfirst into the streaming revolution—and never looked back. Today, I explore and explain how AI, tech, and infrastructure connect, evolve, and redefine what’s possible. My mission is to mentor and inspire by making complex systems simple, helping curious minds make sense of tech's past, present, and future. I believe in dreaming boldly and learning endlessly—because the frontier of what's possible is always shifting.

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