ERT Playout Project

One of the Continuity Suites at ERT's headquarters in Ag. Paraskevi, Athens

Who is ERT?

ERT is the public broadcaster of Greece. It operates with 3 National Free-to-Air Channels, DVB-T Free-to-Air Channels, and Satellite Channels for the Greek population abroad (Europe, America, Australia).

Project Description, Continuity Servers and Automation, 2004-2009

In 2004, Telmaco was awarded an international tender for the turnkey project to fully automate the playout of the main TV channels of ERT (ERT-1, NET). In 2006 this was upgraded by Telmaco and expanded to service all the 7 channels broadcast by ERT in Athens (including 3 new DVB-T thematic channels and 2 international satellite channels). Services included system and worfklow design, equipment supply and integration of some legacy equipment, installation and commissioning. Key part of the success of this installation was the operational training and support provided by Telmaco.

In 2009 the system was further expanded with DVB Subtitling and DVB Audio Description playout facilities.

System Description

The main system consists of main/backup Aveco Astra automation servers, main/backup EVS XT video servers plus a large NOL MXF storage system. Material is ingested from VTRs, plus internal and external video feeds. The outputs of the servers feed master control switchers in the various continuity suites and are passed to transmission.

The two separate automation and video server systems (the main system at ERT’s main HQ and a smaller system at ERT-1,) have been running 24/7 for a number of years with no “down-time”, which is a real tribute to the system reliability and the back-up support that Telmaco provides.

The DVB subtitling and DVB Audio Description playout facilities installed in 2009, are fully controlled by the Automation System and operate for 4 channels with N+1 redundancy architecture.

In 2012 an HD server was added to the system to provide the "ERT-HD" channel.