Omneon Video Networks today announced that the Philippines’ leading TV network, GMA Network, has installed an Omneon Spectrum™ media server system within its technical facility to support post-production requirements for the network’s Final Cut Pro editing platforms . The Omneon server ingests live studio content, acts as the main storage hub for post production, and provides a seamless link for exporting files to Final Cut Pro for editing or repurposing prior to playout.

“ Before integrating the Omneon server into our Manila technical facility, we really didn’t have the capability to transfer material to and from our edit bays smoothly,” said Jay V. Fuentes, associate vice president for TOC systems and master control operations at GMA Network. “ Previously, our editing bays were configured to share files via shuttle drive transfer from one system to another, most of time relying on a pure baseband transfer of signals between edit bays. With its open architecture, the Omneon system gives us greater flexibility, enabling common file sharing with our FCP systems without the need for transcoders .”

GMA Network’s Omneon server system is linked with the main transmission server to transfer repurposed materials for airing. The Omneon server supplies all playout material that requires editing to Final Cut Pro systems and automatically transfers that content to the transmission server under the control of a Harris/Encoda automation system.

An exceptionally cost-effective and flexible media server designed for the professional television industry, the Omneon Spectrum™ media server provides a reliable and scalable infrastructure for broadcast playout and storage applications. It is capable of supporting a broad variety of third-party applications for control and transmission, media management, archiving, and collaborative production and will enable GMA Network to link its storage to other editing applications as needed. The server system’s unique support for direct Final Cut Pro editing, or “ edit-in-place” capability, gives GMA Network the option of editing material on the server without the need to transfer files.

The scalable, distributed architecture of the modular Omneon Spectrum™ server system also delivers maximum flexibility through easy scaling of system components and capacity as GMA Network increases the volume of content and/or number of editing platforms within its Metro Manila facility. The installation was completed in December 2004 with the assistance of the GMA BAS (Broadcast Automation Systems) installation team and Omneon engineering staff.

More information about Omneon products is available at www.omneon.com.

About Omneon
Omneon is a leading provider of flexible media server and active storage systems that optimize workflow productivity and on-air reliability for the production, distribution, and management of digital media. Omneon is a pioneer in the use of advanced IT technologies and open systems for broadcast applications, producing a modular and expandable video server architecture in the Omneon Spectrum. The company's MediaGrid active storage system delivers centralized content storage that is scalable in capacity, bandwidth, and media-processing power. The company has an extensive global presence with customers in 45 countries on six continents. Omneon is on the Web at www.Omneon.com.

About GMA Network, Inc.
GMA Network, Inc. is the leading TV network in the Philippines. It provides news and entertainment programs to the Filipino audience through its 44 fully owned transmitter stations nationwide and two affiliate stations. GMA headquarters is in Quezon City, Metro Manila. GMA has seven studios, five of which are located at the headquarters. With these studio facilities, a number of outside broadcast vans, and three originating stations in the province, the network produces the majority of its content that goes on the air in its VHF platform. GMA is already geared up to launch its international service initially in Japan this spring and subsequently in the West Coast of the United States. Dubbed as GMA Pinoy TV, this service gives overseas-based Filipinos the power of choice when it comes to TV programming .

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