Ukrainian National TV Channel STB Accelerated Video Production "by 3X"

STB, an Ukrainian national TV channel, part of StarlightMedia Group covers 98% of the Ukrainian territory.

STB-produced shows are the most popular TV projects in Ukraine: Ukraine’s Got Talent, Everyone Dances, The X Factor, Psychic Challenge, The Bachelor, The Biggest Loser, Master Chef, Farmer Wants a Wife and Windows-News.

Raidix Media enabled the channel to speed up show production due to optimized processing of multi-thread data.

The challenge: Aspiring to top ratings
STB aspires to become the TV ratings leader in Ukraine. The channel is growing in popularity through proprietary large-scale shows. STB production requires regular updates to the hardware infrastructure that caters to media content. The challenge posed by video production, post-production, and media distribution workflows was to establish high-speed access to large content volumes in cost-effective fashion.

The channel was looking to implement a data storage system for improved time to market and reliability. STB’s crucial tasks were to reinstate the tight show release schedule, decrease time from shooting to airing, as well as ensure fault-tolerance throughout the content delivery cycle.

The production process is performed by small creative groups who value cost-efficiency and ease-of-use in implemented tools. Another key requirement is shared access to content and resources (FCP v.7, multicam 8-12 streams of DV-25) from up to 10 Apple MacPro editing workstations.

The solution
The TV channel deployed an FC SAN production network based on the Raidix Media platform. The solution was implemented hand in hand with Raidix’s equipment partner and system integrator Entry, Ltd.

Raidix delivered large scalable storage capacity (2U/48TB to 4U/108TB) in RAID6 and RAID7.3, support for multiple 2K and 4K video streams, and impeccable fault-tolerance.

Based on standard x86-64 components, the configuration allowed for easy customization to particular tasks, reduced TCO and smooth maintenance. The provided arrays passed compatibility and performance tests with the Apple, AJA and Blackmagic Design equipment, Xsan file system, metaSAN, StorNext, FalconStor Software, Inc. as well as professional video editing applications.

The comparative analysis and conducted tests ensured high-speed processing of multiple data streams – a pillar of successful post production.

Business impact
Pilot implementation of the Raidix-powered FC SAN storage allowed STB to accelerate project production by a factor of three. In the course of three years, Raidix delivered 25+ high-performance storage systems. Each system enabled direct connection to 8-16 workstations or equipment with FC interface support.

The storage system also helped to meet the hectic media production schedule. Raidix provided sustainable performance even in case of multiple disk failures and silent data corruption. It provided reconstruction algorithms for data integrity, performance in RAID-6 and -7.3, simultaneous processing of multiple 2K/4K streams and optimization of video content delivery.

Since the channel is expanding its broadcasting offering, most of the storage systems employed by STB have been upgraded to add extra capacity. At this point, Raidix renders tech support and maintenance services to STB.

“We are happy to work with Raidix Media: our customers keep on ordering Raidix-powered extensions to existing SANs, as well as more storage systems,” said Andrey Tishchenko, CEO, Entry (Ukraine).

“For the entire period of operating with Raidix Media storage, we only received positive feedback on the performance, reliability and great price-to-performance ratio of Raidix-powered solutions. Another important factor is cooperation with a reliable local integrator providing assembly and hardware component testing,” said Dmitry Chashnik, IT director, StarlightMedia.

Benefits: