Media Fleet Manager MFM 2.1, 2.2 & 2.3

Competitiveness & Growth

Status

Ongoing
Status date

2013-03-28

Objectives

The objective of this project is to develop the introduced and well-proven Media Fleet Manager software to support the needs of service providers and large broadcasters.

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Challenges

Key elements of the solution specific to service providers and large broadcasters are:

User Management - Manage users, groups, rights and profiles,
DVB-S / DVB-S2, MPEG and IP Channel Redistribution - Manage sub-networks, channels, temporary and shared allocations, channel switching,
Station Synchronization - Update of the satellite and linesetting table in the stations,
Accounting / Reporting - Reporting to provide billing records for an external billing system, user interface that allows design and export of reports,
Performance Enhancement - Support large networks e.g. 100 mobile stations, 20 fixed stations, several satellites and SkyWAN networks, tens of thousands of links.

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Benefits

The major benefits of the new Media Fleet Manager software include:

Support of Service Provider related scenarios,
High performance for multi-user, multi-satellite, multi-station fleet management,
Multiple session and multiple transponder support,
Powerful report engine,
Preset profiles allow complete configuration of the overall system in seconds,
Fully automated bookings,
Easy to operate also by non technical users,
Real-time feedback regarding transmission status and connected stations,
Manage different sub-networks or customer views in one system,
Total network integration to the studio for video as well as Internet/Intranet, Mail and Voice (Intercom).

With the extensions of MFM Version 2.2:

Broadcast service providers with existing booking systems are able to connect their systems with the Media Fleet Manager to synchronise the booking and resource planning,
Service providers achieve a higher grade of integration and improved usability,
Broadcasters can share transponder bandwidth or stations in their networks by coupling two MFM systems.

With the extensions of MFM Version 2.3:

Transmissions are tagged with geo information and identifiable by unique pictograms of mobile/fixed/hub stations,
Microwave trucks can be integrated into planning,
Expedited quick start by pre-configuration in hot phase.

Features

The Media Fleet Manager is an easy to use management tool to plan, schedule and book online transmissions via fixed and mobile stations. Mobile uplink operators can respond immediately to video contribution requests.

A central database stores all events and bookings and the resource management displays the status of transponders, stations, devices & components. This significantly enhances efficient usage of all resources and enables broadcasters to optimize and manage their production workflow.

Different users of the MFM will be allowed by user management to execute defined rights in order to do their job.

Version 2.2 of the Media Fleet Manager includes an External System Interface that allows coupling of several MFM or integration of planning information into other booking systems.

MFM 2.3 adds transmissions with geo information, support of microwave planning and device pre-configuration in a hot-phase, to allow a quick start of the transmission when its slot starts.

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The new features, among others, cover the following functionality:

Introduction of user management, including user groups, user rights and profiles,
Object Based Right Management,
Transmission planning for antennas, with explicit configuration of station antenna resources,
Channel redistribution between DVB-S / DVB-S2, MPEG and IP transmission channels,
Utilization planning for resources,
Usage of dual-use DVB-S / DVB-S2 and IP encoders,
Shared allocation for modem, antenna, channel, transponder,
Transmission planning with planning routes,
Usage and management of preset profiles,
Resource Gantt charts including transponder charts, channel charts, device charts,
Planning and navigation for immediate transmission, planning in the past, Gantt chart context menu, modification of the time-frame with the mouse and cached navigation,
Transmissions and stations overview panel,
Accounting / Reporting interface with reporting database,
Flexible report generation with iReport Designer and Report Explorer,
Performance enhancements with large network support,
External System Interface for integration of multiple systems,
Transmissions with geo information,
Support of microwave planning,
Device pre-configuration for quick start.