New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD TV), a 24/7 Chinese language news broadcaster based in New York City, has upgraded the PlayBox Technology AirBox playout system at its Houston channel to the latest-generation AirBox Neo. Based in New York, NTD TV produces a wide range of news and cultural programmes for Chinese viewers in Asia, Canada, Europe, Oceania and major cities of the USA.
“We have been using PlayBox Technology AirBox very successfully for over eight years to broadcast five channels from New York,” says NTD TV Chief Engineer Russ Siew. “AirBox gives us the high reliability we need for round-the-clock operation. It is easy to drive and provides all the facilities we need both in our live and prescheduled modes.
“The time had come to upgrade our station in Houston which is profiled specifically for NTD TV viewers in and around Texas. The natural option was the PlayBox Neo product suite which PlayBox Technology introduced at the April 2016 NAB Convention in Las Vegas. PlayBox Neo runs on the same servers as our existing AirBox installation but provides a wide range of additional features including the ability to transmit in standard definition and high definition.”
“NTD TV has been a good PlayBox Technology customer for many years,” adds USA Sales Manager Van Duke. “It is a very efficiently managed network with very high production standards. PlayBox solutions are fully compatible with open-source Chinese characters and allow easy delivery via a wide range of delivery platforms including satellite, digital terrestrial and online. AirBox Neo, TitleBox Neo, CaptureBox Neo and SafeBox Neo can be combined on a modular basis to match any size of operation ranging from a compact national or regional station to a large-scale multi-channel broadcast network transmitting to a global audience.”
“PlayBox Neo is a powerful upgrade option which is entirely unique to PlayBox Technology,” adds company President Don Ash. “By integrating UHD compatibility, we are now able to give channel managers the freedom to equip for the latest generation of transmission standards as soon as they choose. UHD, HD and SD feeds can be managed from a single graphic interface which presents all the information operators need for a specific task. The PlayBox Neo GUI is also very easy on operators’ eyes, even during a long shift in a reduced-light control room. Text is displayed in white and light grey on a black background.”
PlayBox Neo runs efficiently on the great majority of modern PC servers. Customers with valid Annual Software Maintenance & Technical Support can upgrade their existing PlayBox products to the latest Neo versions as a simple download. If requested, PlayBox Technology can analyze existing systems and advise on relevant hardware upgrade options in the unlikely event that any are needed.
Core element of the PlayBox Neo suite is the AirBox Neo playout server. Designed for 24/7 unattended operation, it can also be operated manually – including the ability to handle live-to-air throughput. AirBox Neo supports UHD, HD and SD in single server.
TitleBox Neo provides a wide range of interactive on-air graphics and titling capabilities which can be manipulated live. It includes substantial improvements for dealing with UHD projects as well as supporting HD and SD operation.
CaptureBox Neo allows HD or SD content to be captured from up to four video sources simultaneously. These can be monitored on a single screen and controlled via a streamlined user interface with enhanced multichannel control and operability.
SafeBox Neo replicates remote content to local playout server folders for safe transmission. It provides strong protection against unintentional or sanctioned deletion. SafeBox Neo also has a new graphic interface and allows faster processing for moving primary or copied content to the playout and central storage servers.
