XTVL (Spain) - case study

XTVL is a public company that provides programmes to a 55-TV channel group in Catalonia, Balearic Islands and Valencia regions. XTVL produces and coproduces programs in cooperation with regional TV stations which are part of the group, or with independent production companies around the country. XTVL distributes the contents to these TV channels, too. The offer comprises word-spreading, entertainment, informative or cultural programs, with a high technical and aesthetical quality, produced by associated TV channels, by external production companies or by XTVL staff itself. Thanks to content syndication, TV channels can complete their schedule grids with programs distributed by XTVL via satellite and microwave links.

XTVL adquired the VSNARCHIVE with online and offline storage and Qualstar LTO tape library.

VSN provides XTVL with the revolutionary tool, vsnIPtransfer

The Challenge

• XTVL needed to reduce the contribution and distribution costs, maintaining program quality
• An improvement in operation flexibility of these programs was also expected
• Its associated channels should be able to download only the relevant content for themselves
• One additional goal would be to address other potential customers in a easy and cost-conscious way, without having to send tapes with a courier service

The Solution

• XTVL decided to implement the “XIP” system for all its associates in October 2008
• XIP is a revolutionary web environment that manages XTVL contribution and distribution processes
• The XIP’s file transfer core is VSNIPTRANSFER

The Results

• Contribution links have been cancelled and tape couriers are no more necessary
• Speed: up to 10 times faster than conventional FTP
• Managed exchanges. Conditional access to content by using permissions, and download logs for checking and invoicing
• Multiformat transcoding (SD/HD), simultaneous to transfer process. Each node selects its preferred format independently from original format
• Production and broadcast server registration of downloaded contents
• VSNIPTRANSFER has been integrated with Avid’s i. News NRCS; Text, forecasts and news coverage are now transferred automatically to the web portal. Metadata and off-texts for each piece of news are automatically sent together with the video, in the same process
• The possibility of any kind of metadata attachment, included file attachment (text, pictures, etc.) and joint transmission with audiovisual material beats any other system in the market
• Not least important is the chance to use any kind of Internet connection, including xDSL, EDGE, 3G, etc.