Silicon Graphics today launched the SGI Open Broadcast Initiative designed to deliver a more open system choice approach to broadcasters around the globe easing their transition to a digital IT infrastructure. Among the challenges facing broadcasters making this transition is equipment interoperability. Leveraging the company's expertise with broadcast partners and designing all-digital workflow environments, the SGI Open Broadcast Initiative brings together the best broadcast products, regardless of vendor origination, with the implementation of scalable SGI broadcast system architectures. The Open Broadcast Initiative initially includes as part of a total SGI broadcast solution, in non-exclusive alliances, the integration of Omneon Spectrum media servers and Pinnacle Systems non-linear editing systems. "SGI recently launched an Open Storage Initiative and made 100% of our storage and data management software available on the open Linux 64-bit operating system. It is natural to extend this open approach to our broadcast offerings. Many customers have told us the addition of the Omneon media server as part of our broadcast solutions in both SD and HD makes our offering even more attractive," said Chris Golson, senior director, Market Strategy, Media Industries, SGI. "Omneon Video Networks was formed by people who designed some of the first, most successful video servers in the marketplace. They extended those ideas with a highly successful architecture of Omneon servers for SD and HD broadcasting. SGI is planning to integrate these solutions from these leaders in MXF interchange format and high definition into our scalable workflow solutions." "We are excited to be part of the SGI Open Broadcast Initiative as SGI expands its digital broadcasting offerings around the world," said Dan Marshall, VP, Worldwide Sales and Service, Omneon Video Networks. "As the demand for high definition television increases, broadcasters are increasingly looking for cost-effective and flexible approaches to HD ingest, production and playout. Besides the format, bit rate, and resolution choices to consider, broadcasters must also leverage their technology purchases to best balance between their existing equipment and their long-term HD strategy. Omneon has combined its broadcast know-how and IT expertise to deliver media servers that meet these demanding requirements. SGI has the world-class design, engineering and open systems integration experience to deliver the core components of a digital infrastructure that will differentiate the Omneon server and allow customers to embrace more efficient digital workflows." SGI Open Broadcast Initiative Creates Product Differentiation The Open Broadcast Initiative follows the announcement of the formation of Silicon Graphics Broadcast Europe, a dedicated media business unit that offers IT-based broadcast solutions and systems integration services to European broadcasters. As part of the SGI Open Broadcast Initiative, SGI continues to create specific differentiation with partner products used in SGI solutions. SGI Professional Services developed a suite of software products for integration with Pinnacle editing systems. Many SGI broadcast customers have chosen Pinnacle Liquid editors specifically because of the SGI integrated software which speeds up the efficiency of the average ingest-to edit-to server-to broadcast sequence from minutes to seconds. The SGI integration software for Pinnacle editors is the result of a long-term, ongoing close working relationship with Pinnacle Systems. A different version of the SGI software suite has also been utilized for Avid editors, currently used by SGI customers France2, France3 and M6 in France. SGI is also planning to integrate its software tools with the Omneon server as part of the new collaboration between the companies. The combination of SGI Media Server for broadcast systems with SGI software tools for Pinnacle editing systems is currently in use at the following: Suedwestrundfunk (SWR) Newsroom Mainz, Germany; SWR Newsroom Stuttgart, Germany; Czech Television, Prague; EuroNews, Lyon, France which has full integration with Pinnacle Liquid chrome editors; and Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR), Copenhagen. Omneon media servers are already part of the digital workflow at the BBC Broadcast Ltd. in London which uses SGI InfiniteStorage NAS 3000 and CXFS shared filesystem as the foundation of a tapeless environment for its processes. "From our Media Server for broadcast to our Open Storage Initiative, where we've opened up our storage and data management solutions to encompass legacy equipment, openness allows vendors to integrate their own technology with SGI equipment and lets us have true best-of-breed partners that will create differentiation for the marketplace," added Golson. "Part of the Initiative will be to grow the alliances and differentiation in other broadcast solutions areas as well, such as asset management, automation, and archiving. SGI has blazed the trail for the digital transformation of television broadcasting. We look forward to announcing many new innovations as the Open Broadcast Initiative ignites the imagination of our customers, our partners, and our soon-to-be partners in all aspects of broadcasting."