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Service Interconnection (sIX) is a long-term partnership between Vigor, Level 3 and the public television system for the deployment and management of the new terrestrial broadband-based file delivery system. Launching in mid-2017, Service Interconnection (sIX) will leverage Vigor’s state-of-theart TV content distribution, management, monitoring, and cloud-powered storage capabilities as well as Level 3 Communication’s global broadband telecommunications reach and reliability. The questions addressed in the pages that follow were the result of the Interconnection Working Group (IWG’s) efforts (and specifically the Communications Subgroup’s efforts) to take the pulse of stations regarding the interconnection project and to find out what their biggest questions and concerns were. Through the IWG, the sIX project team at PBS is making sure that we are responding to stations’ needs and input. To make sure your station’s needs are considered, reach out to your ETAC or TAC representative and/or submit your question to myPBS.org/interconnection.

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THE BASICS Q: What is interconnection and why is it important? A: Public television’s interconnection system is the infrastructure that enables the delivery of content to stations and JMC’s from a variety of sources. The interconnection system supports all public television stations, making it possible for APT, NETA, PBS and other distributors, as well as JMC’s and individual member stations, to send and receive programming across the network. There are two parts to the interconnection system: -

Non-Linear: Linear:

The non-real time (NRT) portion, for recorded, file-based content The live portion, for real-time programming.

Currently both the non-linear and linear portions of interconnection are satellite-based. The NRT file delivery portion of interconnection is the focus of the current upgrade project. The existing NGIS-NRT system was defined and supported by grant funding, technology and vendor agreements that were put in place over ten years ago, and now the current equipment and contracts are beyond end of life. As the media landscape continues to evolve, a more robust, resilient and future-ready file delivery system will ensure that public media continues to evolve and thrive along with it. The new sIX-NRT system will leverage Level 3’s secure, MPLS terrestrial broadband network, and Vigor’s robust, cloud-based media management, storage and delivery system, which currently delivers TV content to more than 1,700 local TV stations from media companies such as CBS, FOX, and Warner Brothers, among others.

Q: How were these two vendors chosen? A: Vigor and Level 3 were the vendors chosen through an independent and highly collaborative RFP process managed by Deloitte on behalf of the public television system. Stakeholders from across the system—including members of ETAC and TAC (representing both traffic and engineering staff at stations across the country) as well as distributors APT, NETA and PBS— participated in a very rigorous and well vetted process, helping to define the fundamental business requirements and then to evaluate incoming vendor proposals. Station and distributor RFP working groups were deeply involved at every step in the decision making process. The outcome was the RFP working groups’ consensus recommendation in favor of Vigor and Level 3 and the vendors that best met the business requirements laid out in the RFP. The vendor selection was also approved by CPB, PBS and the Interconnection Committee (IXC). For more details on the RFP process, see myPBS.org/interconnection.

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Q: What are the primary benefits of moving to a terrestrial broadband and clouddriven system? In 1980, public television was the first American broadcast network to shift from terrestrial distribution to a satellite-based interconnection. Nearly 40 years later, the public television system will be among the first networks in the U.S. to make the shift from satellite back to terrestrial — capturing all of the efficiencies, cost-savings, and greater sustainability that changes in technology and in the marketplace have made possible, chief among them:      

Cloud-based "pull" access to content on-demand, when stations need it rather than according to a scheduled satellite feed; A more flexible, efficient, and robust content delivery architecture for distributors, enabling "anytime" file dissemination on a "conveyor belt" rather than a fixed schedule basis; Contribution "push" capabilities that make it easy for stations to distribute locally produced content; Timely content status visibility, change notifications and metadata updates that will allow stations to further automate and streamline their workflows; A content and metadata infrastructure that paves the way for the future integration of digital and broadcast workflows; and The flexibility, interoperability, and adaptability of a system built on open, vendor-agnostic, industry-wide standards.

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Q: Will the linear system also be upgraded? A: The long-term goal is to shift all of interconnection from satellite over to a terrestrial, broadband-based system via a multi-stage process. In Stage 1, which has been named “Service Interconnection,” or “sIX," the focus is on replacing the non-linear system, because that portion of the system is past end of life. The linear system components, on the other hand, are newer and expected to last through 2020. In Stage 2 the focus will expand to address the linearly delivery system.

Q: Why has Stage 1 of the project been named “Service Interconnection,” or “sIX”?

A: The project name reflects the timing of the project (this will be the sixth iteration of interconnection); the public television service mission; and the shift to a managed services, or “interconnection as a service,” model.

Q: What is a managed services model? A: In the past, interconnection refresh efforts have been “Cap-ex” intensive (driven by up-front capital expenditures) as opposed to “Op-ex” (maintained by regular, ongoing operating expenditures). Rather than building a capital-intensive and highly customized, hardware-driven system, we will leverage an existing, software-driven, vendor-supplied service “in the cloud” from Vigor. There are many benefits to this model: over time, it will cost less. Even more importantly, however, the “as-a-service,” software-driven model is far more flexible and will allow us to adapt much more quickly to changes in technology and viewer preferences, preparing to support shifts caused by:   

the Spectrum Auction and associated repack the adoption of ATSC 3.0 by stations; and by the inevitable convergence of digital and broadcast workflows in an everchanging consumer world.

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VIGOR & LEVEL 3

Q: How will the services of these two vendors benefit the public television station? A: Vigor is the company behind the PitchBlue consortium, which is the largest syndicated TV content distribution platform in the U.S., distributing millions of dollars’ worth of content via the cloud from partners such as CBS, Warner Brothers, Sony, 20th Television FOX and GDMX/Deluxe to more than 1,700 local TV stations. Though the Vigor technology will be adapted to meet the specific needs of the public television community, the PitchBlue platform--on which the sIX project is based--is a highly successful and proven content distribution solution. It will provide reliable, consistent and efficient access to all content made available by distributors in the cloud library. Leveraging industry-tested, best-in-class technology and solutions already up and running will minimize development time and risk, and provide a working system within a very short timeframe. Level 3 Communications operates and maintains a secure, global communications network to deliver managed solutions for enterprises, carriers and governments. This dedicated connectivity will enable secure, fast and reliable access to whatever content distributors provide in the cloud-based library. The Level 3 contract is complete, and the Vigor contract will follow quickly. Both vendors participated at this year’s TechCon event with prototype demos and in multiple sessions to answer stations’ questions about the new system, and we will also have a kiosk at the PBS Annual Meeting. In addition, we will be contracting with Myers ProTrack to ensure integration with station traffic systems.

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MYERS PROTRACK Q: What details can you provide about how station ProTrack systems will be integrated with Service Interconnection? A: We will be working with ProTrack closely to ensure integration with stations’ existing ProTrack systems – as we did with the NRT-SSP to ProTrack interface integration done for the existing NGIS-NRT. That integration effort is part of the sIX project, and we are committed to making ProTrack a key station interface to the system. Before any details about how the integration will work, however, we need to complete contracts and SOWs with both Vigor and Myers. Once those are complete, we’ll have a much better understanding of what the impact will be for the project and for individual stations. Once the Vigor APIs have been distributed, we’ll make them available and Vigor will work closely with distributors, stations, ProTrack and other vendors as required to ensure a high level of compatibility across the board. Because Protrack is used at nearly every PTV location, we are prioritizing its integration with the new interconnection system. Interfacing to other equipment and/or systems at your station will be supported via the open API, but will not be funded by the sIX project. In support of its commercial customers, Vigor has successfully integrated with many automation and master control vendors through VDCP protocols. While the VDCP interface is still available for local use, for the sIX project Vigor is taking a more modern approach of an open API, and will be utilizing this technology to provide an interface for integration with your ProTrack system. The Interconnection Working Group (IWG) has done an outstanding job of pulling together desired functionality, requirements and interface designs for the ProTrack integration. We will be posting the current drafts of those documents to myPBS.org/interconnection soon—so watch for them. PLEASE NOTE however, that these documents are NOT representative of the final product, they constitute the current “wish list” that Vigor will use as they map out the final design and architecture plan. To learn more, stop by Kiosk # 1 at TechCon or the sIX kiosk at the PBS Annual Meeting and keep up with the latest updates at myPBS.org/interconnection.

TIMELINE Q: What is the sIX rollout plan? A: As you can see from the timeline below, we are nearing completion of the Contracting phase of the project. At the same time, we are engaged with stations and distributors (through a new Interconnection Working Group), and with Vigor and Level 3. We will also be working closely with Myers as the project gets going to ensure sIX integration with existing station ProTrack systems.

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The sIX project officially kicks off in May, as soon as all contracts have been completed. The plan, as illustrated in the timeline below, is to begin rollout to an alpha group of 10 sites followed by a beta group of 15 sites this summer, working with the vendors to fine-tune their products and processes. (As some of the heaviest NGIS-NRT users, the national distributors and largest JMCs will be included in the alpha and beta deployments.) The vendors will then deploy in waves of 25 stations each, prioritizing the heaviest NGIS-NRT system users first, with the goal of having all current NGIS-NRT users up and running by September of this year so that the existing NGIS-NRT system can be decommissioned by September of 2018. (The satellite contract requires a one-year advance termination notice.)

Rollout to sites that are new NRT users will be completed in 2018. Stations can see the current deployment group list at myPBS.org/interconnection or receive a handout at the interconnection booth.

Q: How long will satellite delivery continue? When will the current NRT system shut off and will there be enough time for stations to make a proper transition? A: The shut off of the current NGIS-NRT system transponder is scheduled for September 30, 2018. The goal is to have all current NRT users up and running on the sIX NRT system well before that date so that there’s plenty of time for all sites to transition, get trained and comfortable on the new system.

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THE INTERCONNECTION WORKING GROUP (IWG) Q: Now that the work of the RFP advisory group is complete, what role are stations and distributors playing in the design and architecture stage and through deployment of the sIX project? A: The close collaboration of stakeholders that made the RFP process so successful will continue for the life of the project. A new and permanent ETAC/TAC Interconnection Working Group (IWG) has been formed. Many IWG members, including IWG chair Bruce Jacobs and vice-chair Suzanne Kembel, were active members of the RFP working group. The new group has expanded to include an even more diverse cross-section of stations, large and small, with 30+ traffic and engineering representatives as well as JMC, distributor, and other stakeholder representatives. Already, the IWG is playing a critical role in the Architecture & Design stage of the process. Working through 9 subgroups, the IWG is currently focused on providing feedback gathered from around the system regarding station and distributor workflows; interface needs; connectivity and security needs; communication and training priorities; the API; metadata and technical operating standards, and more. Their efforts have been instrumental in getting the sIX project off to a strong start with station and distributor input that will guide the new system development to meet stakeholder needs. For more details about the IWG, including Subgroups and key contacts, visit myPBS.org/interconnection.

Q: Are TAC representatives playing a significant role in this process? A: Definitely. Traffic personnel will be the heaviest users of this system and its ability to meet their needs is paramount. Representatives from the Traffic Advisory Committee (TAC) were a critical part of the decision making process throughout the RFP effort, and the IWG includes as many traffic as engineering representatives. As the station staff that will be the heaviest users of the new NRT, Traffic’s participation is absolutely integral to this process as we go into the final design, interface and architecture discussions with the vendors. The IWG GUI subgroup in particular has played a very important role by working hard to define and document their key recommendations, and those recommendations will be shared with Vigor and included in all system design considerations.

Q: How do we address user needs and concerns about station infrastructure related items? A: The Interconnection Working Group is currently focused on the sIX project and are providing input to the sIX team at PBS, representing station needs throughout the design and implementation process. Reach out to them—they need to hear from you to make sure your needs are being expressed.

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For non-interconnection related projects, stations should reach out to their ETAC and/or TAC representatives and communicate with them.

Q: Will distributors be able to do what is necessary for the transition in time to supply their content to the cloud at launch? A: The IWG Distributor group is working closely with APT, NETA and PBS to ensure coordination on all fronts. There are, as with any transition of this scope, challenges to be addressed, but all three of the main distributors have indicated their commitment to doing everything possible to ensure the successful launch of the new system. That said, it may take some time before stations see all of the content (particularly the historic content) that they would like to see in the cloud library. For some content, it may never make sense for distributors to invest the time necessary to load the older content. (And remember, all distributors will also be supplying content to the existing NGIS NRT system during the transition – making this a particularly heavy lift for them.) As distributor workflows and processes are established and synchronized to adapt to the new NRT system, additional content will be added over time. The most important thing in the short term is to establish an efficient and sustainable process for new content to be made available.

Q: Will the new system help with the current issue around NRT scrubbed feeds? A: The new sIX file delivery system will help in several ways—first, it will give stations a much better view of file status availability and will provide a much more robust and efficient notification process making it possible for traffic managers to trust the information and respond accordingly, without having to rely on elaborate workaround, just-in-case measures. In addition to the improved human readable notifications, the notifications will be available via the API – so if you want them to appear in other systems, or be acted upon by other systems, it will now be possible. Stations will also be better able to identify updated or corrected file upload availability and trust that they have the most current file iteration available. Second, the new system will make it easier for distributors to meet their delivery timeframes by changing from a single point in time delivery cutoff (i.e., the “missed train model”) to a “conveyor belt” model. With the conveyor belt model, if a feed is missed, or if content is scrubbed because of changes, the distributor can provide an updated delivery ETA and feed the file when it is available, even if they have missed the original expected delivery date. The IWG is also working closely with distributors to ensure that they are clear on the changes that will need to be made to distributor workflow and internal processes in order to accommodate the new system. Together, these shifts should significantly reduce the impact of “scrubbed feeds.”

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WHAT WILL STATIONS NEED TO DO? Q: Will varied levels of training be available for member stations? For example, one overview for management, details for engineering, hands-on examples for master control operators? A: Training was a key requirement identified in the RFP and will be a fundamental part of the transition. With successful deployments to more than 1,700 local TV stations nationwide, Vigor has developed a comprehensive training process, and existing client stations have had very positive comments about both the intuitive nature of the Vigor interface and the training process overall.

Q: Are there minimum station server requirements? What if our Omneon server is 11 years old with just 1 terabyte of storage? A: While station equipment limitations may ultimately impact a station’s ability to maximize all of the potential benefits of the new interconnection system, it’s our belief (given what we know at this point in the process) that stations will not need to make significant infrastructure investments in order to adopt the sIX file delivery system.

Q: How much of my staff’s time will it take to transition? Will it take engineers away from the Repack effort? A: We are doing everything possible to ensure that the transition process is as turn-key as possible for stations. Actual system installation and deployment will not require anything beyond connecting the Vigor- and Level 3-provided hardware. Once the equipment in installed Vigor will work with your staff to complete the configuration and provide training in the system’s use. In most cases, the likelihood is that training will be the largest time commitment required. We will work closely with stations to minimize any Repack and sIX deployment overlap.

Q: What will the impact of the transition be on current station workflows? A: Every station is different, but overall, the transition should help streamline your station workflows and increase efficiency. The new file delivery system should, for example, decrease the amount of time currently spent reading status alerts to determine if they are relevant for your station—the system will give you near-real-time status visibility and will support additional automation of content request and deliver processes. The monitoring, notification and processing of technical replacement files is one area that the IWG has identified as needing improvement, and together with the project team has devoted a considerable amount of time, effort and attention to making the system more user friendly.

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Traffic staff and Master control operators will save time and increase efficiency because they will be able to tell where a file is in the workflow process at any given time. The cloud-based library will allow stations to eliminate long term local storage of national content and the need for each station to dedicate archive space. The pull-based model will make it possible for you to get content on-demand from the cloud when you need it rather than according to a fixed satellite feed schedule. Once you have some experience with the new system, it is likely that you will think of even more ways to better streamline your internal workflows to get the maximum benefit from the new sIX-NRT system, and we will be encouraging stations to share their experiences and communicating best practices and lessons learned as we go.

Q: Currently, we get files from another station when we have missed a satellite feed. Will the new system enable Peer-to-Peer sharing or content distribution? A: The system is designed to give every station access to file-based distribution functionality. However, because the vast majority of content will be available directly from the distributor in the cloud storage –“missed satellite feeds” and the need to get a copy from another station will be a thing of the past.

Q: How many live satellite feeds should stations plan for? A: The linear satellite delivery system will not be changed during Stage 1 deployment so stations should plan on maintaining the current number of record channels until Stage 2 begins. (The current estimate for when Stage 2 work will begin is 2020.)

Q: Is there any hardware that stations will need to provide for system security? A: The sIX plan is to provide all infrastructure components a station would need to begin using the new system. Robust security is a core component of both the Vigor and Level 3 solutions, and there are no purchase requirements for stations. We do strongly encourage every station to consider their own security infrastructure and plans, however, independent of any work that is included as part of the sIX project. Vigor Security Features Include: - The Box is completely locked down, with no open input except the local ones that stations need. - The operating system is READ ONLY / cannot be infected w/virus. - Every time the box starts it’s with a fresh, never used iteration of the software. - Tested and validated by FOX and other networks with very high security requirements.

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CONNECTIVITY | LEVEL 3 Q: Will all stations be included in the Level 3 connectivity deployment? What about JMCs? A: All master control locations--whether local stations or JMCs--(excepting Guam/American Samoa, which currently receive alternate interconnection satellite delivery) will be included in the Level 3 connectivity deployment. JMC member stations will not be connected to the Level 3 network as their master control needs have been outsourced to the JMC they have joined. JMC node stations will, however, be able to pull content from the cloud using a local user interface to Vigor for secondary and one-off transfers. Those would be delivered through an open internet connection on a best-effort basis – transcoding and edge box functionality would not, in those cases, however, be supported.

Q: How much bandwidth will be provided? A: 100Mb/s Ethernet will be the baseline available to all Level 3 connected sites. Q: Who will provide and pay for last-mile connectivity? A: All Level 3 connected locations will receive last-mile connectivity provided by Level 3 or one of their local sub-vendors as part of the Stage 1 deployment at no additional cost to stations.

Q: Can we use our current broadband provider for the last mile? A: No. Level 3 has contracted to provide last-mile connectivity to each connection site. Where some sites may be difficult to reach, we have requested Level 3 to work with your local site staff to ensure the best choices are being made.

Q: Will the announced merger of Level 3 and CenturyLink have any impact on this project? A: The scale of the merger is such that it will take time before either company knows exactly what the terms of the merger are. Currently the companies continue to work completely independently of each other, but over time we expect that will change to some extent. Even so, as part of the contract negotiation process, Level 3 has agreed to maintain continuity across the sIX project team irrespective of what the merger’s impact is on the organization overall.

Q: How will last-mile issues be coordinated with university systems, which often have more complex requirements? A: All Level 3 connected locations are included in the Level 3 deployment, and the Level 3 and Vigor contracts require the vendors to work with the local site contacts to facilitate

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implementation in these complex deployment settings. Each one of these sites is likely to be a unique situation, and the sIX team will ensure that the best solution possible is implemented.

HOW WILL IT ALL WORK? Q: Will there be a centralized library of content that we can access for all PBS, NETA and APT content so that we no longer have to support a large program archive locally? What content will be stored there? A: Yes. From the beginning, a centralized storage area for content has been a core business requirement for the new interconnection system. The content available in the centralized storage area will include any content that distributors provide and tell us to make available based on their business rules.

Q: Is anyone giving any thought to what the station server interface or the traffic / control interface will look like? A: In fact, subgroups of the Interconnection Working Group have spent a great deal of time anticipating what station needs would be for each interface, and the detailed draft models they have generated are already proving invaluable as we work with Vigor through the Design & Architecture decision points. For more details about these recommendations, reach out to the appropriate Subgroup lead on the Interconnection Working Group.

Q: Is the PBS distributor infrastructure ready? A: PBS has been and continues to work on internal infrastructure to make sure that it can deliver content to the new interconnection system. Once Vigor is under contract and their design has passed the sIX team’s approvals, PBS will be able to finalize the work that has been started. We expect that, as with any project of this scope, there will be challenges, and that full functionality may not be ready from day one.

Q: Will the new system have a better end user interface than the current NRT platform? A: The fundamental goal of this transition is to improve on everything—the reliability, the robustness, the notification messaging, and the interface; we’re absolutely committed to making those experiences better for stations and for everyone involved.

Q Will sIX provide a GUI better than the existing NGIS-NRT SSP GUI? A: The new Vigor supplied sIX GUI will be based upon their existing PitchBlue interface, modified to meet PTV’s unique metadata and workflow needs. This GUI will be the portal to configure your local Vigor delivery and Team (system users and their permissions), to monitor the technical aspects of the system, to schedule deliveries, and to monitor the status of

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deliveries. It is expected that this GUI will be used by Master Control or other station staff who may not have access to the Protrack interface where similar functionality will be provided.

Q: Will there be edge storage? A: Yes. Edge storage is a high-level business requirement and will be included as part of the Vigor-supplied solution. (One “box” per site.) The requirement is for a minimum of 72 contenthours of storage.

Q: What equipment will change? A: Each master control location will receive a Vigor “box” as well as Level 3 equipment. During the transition period, these will run in parallel with the existing NGIS NRT equipment provided to stations, after which the NGIS-NRT equipment can be decommissioned. Because this system is a service-based model, the new equipment will be the property and responsibility of Vigor and Level 3 to manage, update and maintain. As such, Vigor and Level 3 will be responsible for providing hardware replacements and upgrades as well as software updates when and as needed to this equipment to maintain the reliability and functionality of the system.

Q: How long will the current NRT equipment remain on site once the new equipment arrives?

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A: Legacy NRT equipment includes the IDC receivers and the SSP box, together with all included software, as well as the rest of the NRT rack. That equipment will become the property of your station when we transition over to the new NRT system.

Q: How will files be played out for air? A: The Stage 1 sIX project is a file delivery project, and does not directly impact the way stations or JMC’s play content to air. Station and JMC playout systems, automation systems and any related infrastructure remain the responsibility of the individual station or JMC.

Q: Will there be a transcode package? No. Transcoding to the file format that the station or JMC needs will be done as part of the service provided by Vigor. This transcoding will be to the configuration provided by the station or JMC during the commissioning phase of the project. This transcoding may occur in the cloud, in the Magnubox edge device, or via some hybrid combination as determined by Vigor to meet the transcoding needs by the most efficient and reliable method possible. Moving forward, it is a PTV and interconnection goal to support and encourage the system-wide effort to adopt common standards to help reduce the dependence on transcode services to make the system more flexible and efficient overall. We are in the process of reaching out to stations with particularly difficult transcode profiles (Quicktime Reference files for example) to work with these users in support of migrating to a more common file format. If you are one of these stations, please contact Bob Ham at [email protected]. to discuss how you can help. In the future, we are encouraging stations to move forward with the AS-11x9 format as soon as possible (see details below under Standards).

Q: When will the API documentation for the new NRT system be publicly available? Vigor will make the API’s and associated support available as they are developed. Vigor will work closely with distributors, stations and vendors to ensure that they maintain a high level of compatibility across the board, just as we did with the NRT-SSP to ProTrack interface integration in the NGIS-NRT project. We’ll keep everyone updated on this so that there’s plenty of time for any development work that has to happen. As part of the sIX deployment, PBS will be contracting with Myers / ProTrack to enable integration for stations with the ProTrack interface, and we also will keep stations updated on the progress of those efforts as we move forward.

Q: What about the API for non-ProTrack stations? A: For non-ProTrack stations, or those stations interested in a non-Protrack workflow, the API will be provided and stations will have plenty of time for the necessary development work needed to integrate other systems.

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Through its open API, Vigor has successfully integrated with many automation and master control vendors through VDCP protocols, so it is entirely possible that your current system is already a partner. If your station is a non-ProTrack station or you would just like to consider a different workflow or implementation, reach out to the new sIX project manager Bob Mullins at [email protected].

Q: Is there any information about the proposed inclusion of NPR content distribution via the new system? A: From the start, we’ve worked closely with NPR on interconnection rebuild planning, and they were a key participant in our proof of concept work and also participated in the RFP evaluation and vendor selection process. We continue to collaborate with NPR and we are currently participating in their interconnection refresh process. The work being done in the sIX-NRT Stage 1 refresh continues to enable NPR’s participation, and they are included in our connection site list. For more information please contact NPR direct for information about their interconnection refresh efforts.

Q: Will WARN data migrate to terrestrial delivery or remain on satellite? A: WARN data will continue to be delivered over satellite since that’s tied to a linear streaming service and is not file-based.

Q: How can I keep up with the status of the sIX project? A: The first place to go for the most current information and updates is myPBS.org/interconnection. In addition, you can also sign up at myPBS.org/interconnection for regular Interconnection Updates to be sent to your inbox on a roughly monthly basis. Webinar updates are scheduled quarterly and will become more frequent as we move into the deployment stage of the project. The Interconnection Working Group exists to ensure that station input is an integral part of the sIX project design and deployment. IWG subgroups will be conducting station and distributor surveys at regular intervals and publishing the results. They are eager to get your input. You can identify the appropriate IWG contacts for your inquiry at myPBS.org/interconnection.

STANDARDS Q: How do new standards fit into the interconnection transition? A: As the public media system moves toward greater efficiency, flexibility and future readiness, the adoption of common technical and metadata standards becomes more and more important. And the effort is timely, aligning as it does with deployment of the new interconnection system and with many stations’ infrastructure refresh efforts. While there has been a great deal of discussion in the industry about the potential of shared standards, we seem finally to be at a tipping point, particularly with regard to the adoption of AS-11x9 file format (see details below).

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A key example of the power of common standards: The current interconnection system supports more than 90 individual transcode profiles. Reductions in the total number of stationrequired transcode file formats represent a potential savings of thousands of dollars. This is money that could be used for other services that benefit all stations—so the impact in terms of cost-savings and greater efficiency is significant for both individual stations and the system overall. By shifting to common standards, we are also better and more quickly able to respond to changes in our industry. We encourage all public media stations to keep up with the latest developments in shared standards, and we will continue to provide guidance and information as these projects progress.

AS11x9 Q: What is “AS-11x9” and how does it impact interconnection? A: Thanks to a strategic partnership with the North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) and the international Digital Production Partnership (DPP), nine major North American broadcasters (including ABC/Disney, CBC, HBO, NBCUniversal, TimeWarner, Turner, Bell Media, FOX, and PBS) have agreed to a common file format, structure and wrapper based on the AS-11 UK DPP specification for air-ready programs. The AS-11 standard has had great adoption in Europe and South Korea, and its adoption here will help establish common specification standards across the global broadcasting industry. PBS has been an active participant in the development of the AS-11 standard, producing the first “AS-11x9 Golden File” for testing by DPP/AMWA, vendors and PBS stations. The most recent update on AS-11x9 progress is the addition of AAC audio, which supports both higher quality and greater efficiency for broadcast stations by reducing storage and bandwidth requirements. This step was made possible by PBS-sponsored work in the soon-to-be-published SMPTE 381-4 specification providing for AAC audio into MXF. Vendors across the public television and broadcast community are already signaling their support for the AS-11x9 file format standard and their willingness to incorporate it in relevant products including transcode and playout products. sIX is being designed to be ready from day one for the AS-11x9 transition when it comes. We will support AS-03 as an input format, and are working with the vendor to consider some others. and will continue to support outputs in stations’ local formats for the short term, but we strongly recommend that stations move to synchronize internal file formats with the AS-11x9 industry standard.

Q: What file format will sIX support for ingest?

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A: The RFP was issued with AS-03 as the current specification and AS-11 as the future specification. Service Interconnection will be AS-11x9 ready from date of launch. A small number of additional ingest formats will also be included; we will provide additional details as soon as those decisions have been made. The PBS Technical Operating Specification also recommends that a number of additional file formats will be able to be supported. Subgroups of the Interconnection Working Group are exploring these possibilities and we will update once the project impact has been discussed with Vigor.

Q: Will the AS-11x9 standard have an impact on real-time delivery as well? A: The linear, or real-time, system is not a file-based system and won’t be affected by the new AS-11x9 standard.

ATSC 3.0 Q: How will ATSC3.0 affect interconnection or vice versa? ATSC3.0 is a broadcast standard and has to do with transmission out from stations, whereas the interconnection system has to do with the business transfer of broadcast content between distributors and member stations—so ATSC3.0 and the new interconnection system are not directly related. Indirectly, however, there will be potential interconnection impacts when the type or volume of content being transmitted changes. We’ve anticipated those impacts on the sIX project by requiring a flexible and future-ready system design so that we can deal with a significant increase or decrease in content load, for example, or so that we can distribute content other than AS03 or AS-11 files, including new standards such as UHD. Technological change happens quickly and we have to be flexible and ready to adapt to and leverage the benefits of those changes as they happen. To learn more about ATSC3.0 visit myPBS.org/technology/ATSC_3

A LIVING DOCUMENT | updated 4.21.17 The sIX Blueprint is a living document, and we will continue to update and improve it over time as we know more and as you submit additional questions to us. To submit questions, visit myPBS.org/interconnection and click on “Reach Out to Us Here.”

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OUR STORY From the early days of assembling servers in the CEO’s garage to a thriving team based in California, Asia and Europe, Vigor has emerged as a leader in the TV media industry. Magnus Sorlander founded Vigor Systems® in 2002 when he saw the need for a more costeffective way to distribute syndicated television content. Vigor’s flagship product, PitchBlue®, was created out of a simple idea: there’s got to be a better way to “pitch” videos. PitchBlue was quickly followed by Advertio®, Vigor’s innovative linear advertising insertion platform. Currently used by cable operators all over the world, Advertio has created incremental ad revenue for many international resellers and clients. Over a decade later, PitchBlue is the largest syndicated TV content distribution platform in the U.S., distributing millions of dollars’ worth of content via the cloud from partners such as CBS, Warner Brothers, Sony, 20th Television and GDMX/Deluxe to more than 1,700 local TV stations. And Vigor continues to evolve: going “beyond the box” to embrace the software-as-a-service model and seamlessly connecting world-class content providers, networks and local broadcasters via a single cloud-based platform.

SERVICE INTERCONNECTION (sIX) 2017 Vigor is honored to be working with the public television community through our Service Interconnection (sIX) partnership. Vigor’s fully integrated, flexible and futureproof bundle of Content Distribution and Media Management services and technology will enable content producers, distributors and public television stations across the country to operate more efficiently and cost-effectively and to better fulfill their service mission to the American public.

File-Based Content Distribution A comprehensive content delivery management solution that provides transparency, dependability and effectiveness at every point in the content delivery chain. Users can confidently distribute filebased programming, promotions, sponsorships, and interstitials.

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Media Management A scalable solution for managing assets, metadata, workflows and processes within the Service Interconnection system. Using Vigor media management software, stations can store, manage, retrieve, and distribute data and filebased content.

Platform Features

Vigor PitchBlue®

Service Interconnection (coming soon!)

Deployed at …

1,700+ local TV stations

All PTV master controls

Delivering … Supporting additional assets, including …

850,000 episodes per month More than 3 million ads per month

Up to 20,000 hours of content Promotions and interstitials as supplied by distributors

Automation & Transcoding Interoperability

With all major automation systems and transcoding providers

Will be adding support for the Myers ProTrack system

APIs Metadata NOC Notifications & Monitoring

System Support & Maintenance

Security Logging & Reporting Hardware

File Format Support

Cloud-based “software as a service” Flexible and Continuously Evolving Station Portal

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Open, RESTful APIs for ingest, delivery and control/monitoring Validation and Processing PitchBlue centralized NOC sIX centralized NOC - 24/7 monitoring with station-deployed servers reporting back to Central Site every 2 minutes - Near-real-time updates and visibility of file distribution progress and availability - Station training & deployment support - 24/7 call center - Ticketing support for all users - RMA of failed edge devices - Shipment of replacement units as needed - Ongoing support for all portal, hardware, and software updates and upgrades Rigorous, state-of-the-art and continuously evolving security protocols and testing procedures Delivery, processing, storage and maintenance transaction logging and reporting functionality MagnuBox ® Edge Appliances at each master control site Supports all TOS specified upload formats and delivers all formats needed for station master control use Access to content and metadata files from geo-diverse cloud storage. MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 HD/SD formats

As prompted by technology and business needs Intuitive, easy-to-learn and use interface accessible via desktop or mobile device

MagnuBox® Our MagnuBox servers are compact solutions for file-based program delivery and media management. Each device is an integrated media delivery point, edge storage server and transcoder that works equally well for both primary program delivery and other assets, including interstitials and underwriter content. Station and JMC staff receive and manage program content and associated media using either the easy-to-use Vigor Station Portal, or other 3rd-party products interfaced to the Vigor API – such as the ProTrack Traffic system or the station’s local automation system. MagnuBox servers are HD content compliant and support multiple video formats to meet each station’s needs.

Key Features of the sIX Project:          

Supports TOS Compliant upload formats Supports transcoding to local station file formats Supports Myers ProTrack Integration via API Supports VDCP remote control for station use Supports FTP interface for file upload and download to/from local station equipment Connections to cloud storage of distributor content via dedicated interconnection provided Level 3 MPLS connectivity. A minimum of 72 hours of on location content storage A maximum of 20,000 hours of cloud content storage Ability to upload or download 48h of content in any 24-hour period End-to-end content delivery time SLA of 5 hours

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sIX Interconnection Server Configuration 1RU

Download & Storage Support Secure FTP and dedicated API with cloud connectivity PEN test verification for remote access security

Supports a wide range of broadcast formats including: SD, HD, UHD MPEG-2, H.264, HEVC, AAC, Dolby ® MXF, MPEG TS Playout via HD-SDI (SMPTE 292M) (Optional)

INTERNAL STORAGE 8TB Hard Drive

MONITOR & CONTROL Front Panel Keypad and LCD Display Secure and proprietary network and Web Browser interface

NETWORK CONNECTIONS WAN Ethernet RJ-45 GiGE(1) LAN Ethernet RJ-45 GiGE(2)

PHYSICAL Standard Server (1RU) Dimensions

17"W x 19"D (43.2W x 48.3D cm)

Shipping Weight

24 lbs (10.9kg)

Input Voltage

100-240VAC 47/60Hz

Power Consumption

300 W max, 90 W typical, 50W idle

ENVIRONMENTAL Operating Temperature

0 to 50°C (32°F to 122°F)

Operating Humidity

5-90% (non-condensing)

Storage & Transportation Temperature

-40°C to 70°C (-40°F to 158°F)

Storage & Transportation Humidity

0-95% (non-condensing)

Cooling

Internal fans, side entry, rear exhaust

onevigor.tv COMPLIANCE: EMC and FCC part 15 (class A). Specifications may change without notice at the manufacturer’s sole discretion due to a policy of continual product refinement

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