Omneon, Inc. announced that French broadcaster M6 (Métropole Télévision) has selected the company's MediaGrid active storage system, featuring grid-enabled ProXchange transcoding, and Omneon Spectrum media server to underpin a major facility upgrade that will enable both a transition to HD and a fully file-based workflow. The M6 MediaGrid and Spectrum systems are scheduled to be installed this summer and on the air in October 2008.

"Our experience with Omneon gives us the utmost confidence in the reliability and effectiveness of the advanced MediaGrid and ProXchange technology," said Christopher Foglio, M6 technical director. "Based on the MediaGrid system, we can accomplish a secure and completely tapeless environment from ingest to playout."

M6 will rely on five Spectrum media servers for 60 channels of ingest, playout, and backup from multiple facilities in Paris. Locally produced video content will be ingested in HDCAM HD 50 and IMX 50 for SD. The 270TB MediaGrid will operate under the direction of MBT automation and SGT media management. The system will interface with Front Porch Digital DIVArchive content storage management, Interra Systems quality control, and Apple Final Cut Pro and Avid nonlinear editing systems. The scalable, grid-based architecture of the MediaGrid enables simultaneous edit-in-place capability from multiple workstations.

M6 is an existing Omneon customer that currently relies on an Omneon Spectrum server for HD playout and the company's MediaDeck server for SD back-up.

"M6 is raising the bar in the implementation of file-based workflows. The facility will not only be the premier installation of file-based quality assurance running in the MediaGrid, but will also combine this with the use of faster than real-time transcoding running in the same active storage system," said Geoff Stedman, Omneon senior vice president of products and markets. "Together, these file-based media processes will dramatically shorten the time from production to transmission and alternative distribution platforms."
 
Combining grid storage and grid computing through the use of multiple intelligent, interconnected yet independent storage servers, the Omneon MediaGrid system enhances the efficiency of digital media access for users and applications across the entire broadcast workflow. Integrated within MediaGrid, Omneon ProXchange is a high-performance transcoding system designed for high-volume, multiformat media environments. The integration of transcode processing within the MediaGrid system simplifies workflows by eliminating the need for external processing systems and multiple file copies.