Products > Media Management for Cable

VideoShip MMS

Media Management System

VideoShip’s Media Management System (MMS) leverages existing infrastructure to seamlessly integrate the key elements of spot aggregation, processing and distribution within a workflow framework that is both intuitive and efficient.

VideoShip’s SpotXpress system can be configured to feed a centralized Media Log directly

MMS features a fully integrated inventory barcode subsystem for tape library management, and supports multiple third party encoding and transcoding platforms for the normalization of incoming content to one or more standard formats. In contrast to other workflow management schemes, MMS deploys a true CDN (Content Delivery Network) infrastructure to deliver content all the way to the inserter level.

MMS is layered over VideoShip’s own Sure-X CDN product, providing the high levels of efficiency and reliability in content distribution that are critical to this type of application. Sure-X incorporates numerous advanced features, including auto-resume, TCP acceleration for high-speed file delivery, and individual link bandwidth management. Sure-X also provides extensive reporting on all file deliveries, and includes its own suite of tools for proactive network monitoring and troubleshooting.

MMS offers a clear migration path to centralized operations such as traffic, encoding and production. Simple database configuration allows some individual markets to operate autonomously, while others convert over to one or more centralized services. This permits an organization to consolidate operations over time, without the pressure of “flipping a switch” to cutover to a new company-wide solution overnight.

Centralized services are configurable at the office or market level

Lastly, VideoShip offers extended support and maintenance services for all of its systems, under an SLA customized to suit each customer’s particular needs - up to and including 7/24hr response. Support is provided from VideoShip’s Network Operation Center situated in Atlanta, and includes live 800-telephone access/interactive chat with qualified technicians, as well as a web and email based trouble ticket system.

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Spot Viewer

The VideoShip Spot Viewer is an integrated component of MMS that provides interactive desktop viewing of spots stored on local Seachange MVL or Arris HQ systems. The Web based interface provides both customer and spot search capability through tight integration with traffic and billing system databases.

The Spot Viewer deploys pass-through authentication by linking to Active Directory, where a defined security group validates users. Selected spots are transcoded quickly and efficiently on an “on-demand” basis to a reduced Windows Media format – providing immediate access to any existing spot archive. Interactive feedback is provided on processing, and - once completed - spots may be streamed interactively or downloaded directly to the user’s hard drive. Transcoded content is stored on the Spot Viewer server for a configurable time period, and any subsequent requests for the same spot results in the existing Windows Media file being served directly.

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SpotXPress Secure Gateway

Customer File Upload and Format Standardization

VideoShip’s “SpotXpress Secure Gateway” provides for the efficient and secure upload of customer spots via the Internet, directly inside a corporate network. Hosted on an outward facing Web server, the SpotXpress presents a fully-branded and customizable web interface in delivering external files and associated meta-data via an ultra-secure link to a Sure-X Administrator located inside the corporate network. The Sure-X Administrator is a standard component of VideoShip’s Media Management System (MMS). Data transfers across the DMZ are always initiated by the Administrator, meaning no open ports are required on the corporate firewall. SpotXpress provides a fully integrated external spot-delivery solution to MMS, which may be configured to automatically distribute processed spots to specific locations across the corporate WAN.

The diagram below depicts a typical deployment of the SpotXpress in allowing customers to efficiently upload their files to a central location, ensuring the files are virus-free, and then securely moving both the files and associated metadata into the corporate network for processing.

SpotXpress Architecture

Mode of Operation:

  1. Customers are identified by either an e-mail address or a username/password assigned during an initial registration process hosted on the Sure-X Secure Gateway itself.
  2. Customers can then upload their files over the internet to SpotXpress using a standard web browser interface that supports:
    • The resumed upload of a file as the result of a dropped Internet connection – users never have to start over from the beginning.
    • Multiple file uploads in the same session
  3. Each uploaded file is associated with descriptive meta-data and target market information solicited by the SpotXpress interface, and stored locally as an XML file.
  4. Upon completion, SpotXpress runs a virus-scan on the uploaded file. Positive detection of a virus results in the file immediately being quarantined, with an email alert automatically sent to system administrators identifying the file and customer.
  5. If the file is clean, it is registered and packaged with the associated XML meta-data in an encrypted (AES 128 bit) container file. An email is automatically sent to the customer confirming the file is in process.
  6. The Sure-X Administrator inside the corporate network is advised a new file is ready for ingest, and initiates a connection to the SpotXpress Gateway to transfer the encrypted container file inside the firewall. Because contact is initiated from inside the network, no open ports are required on the corporate firewall.
  7. The Administrator decrypts the container file, registering the included XML metadata in the MMS Media log and submitting the file to a transcoder bank for processing.
  8. The transcoder bank converts incoming files of various formats to one or more standard formats suitable for direct ingestion by commercial insertion equipment. Audio normalization is also typically a part of this process.
  9. The Administrator then creates and stores a proxy (windows media) version of the spot, making it available within MMS.
  10. The Media Log is used to link the incoming file to a particular order as part of the workflow process managed by MMS. The proxy version of the spot becomes immediately available for desktop viewing in the collaborative MMS form.
  11. After internal QC on the processed file, the Sure-X Administrator may be directed to distribute the spot to the target markets identified by the customer during the file upload process. Spots are delivered and exported directly into commercial insertion equipment at these sites.
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