Facilityline BT Media and Broadcast
02 Facilityline from BT Media and Broadcast What is it? Facilityline allows the transmission of uncompressed video signals that are suitable for on-line working. This service is targeted at customers who require a highly flexible service, with or without separate audio interfaces and an optional data channel for remote machine control.
03 Who is it aimed at? Facilityline was specially designed by BT to meet the needs of postproduction companies, facility houses and advertising agencies based in London so that they can exchange programme contributions quickly, simply and securely. With the arrival of digital TV, Facilityline services are being widely used by broadcasters and content providers for live contribution services to the digital TV platforms. Facilityline is also used by a number of financial institutions to link to TV studios enabling executives and financial analysts to provide real-time comment for inclusion in news broadcasts.
04 What are the benefits? Achieve high quality connectivity By enabling you to exchange uncompressed programme material in real-time, Facilityline lets you work closely with your business partners, suppliers and customers. Users of Facilityline can also achieve terrestrial connectivity with users of the BT Broadlook service. Avoid the uncertainty of exchanging master tapes With Facilityline, you no longer have to trust your work to runners, couriers, bikes or taxis. The electronic transfer of material is not only faster but more secure than relying on traditional courier methods.
05 Enjoy maximum flexibility Facilityline offers the flexibility to tailor the service to meet your precise requirements. It can provide a one-way or both-way service and transmissions can be point-to-point or point-to-multipoint. An optional data channel offers a remote control machine facility. Separate audio channels are also available in London. Control and schedule your switching if you prefer You can choose to control your switching services from your own computer by using BT Media and Broadcast Customer Controlled Scheduling and Switching. This software package is Windows-based and allows you to book, modify and check all your BT Facilityline switching bookings. Alternatively, you may prefer to simply book the service with the dedicated switching team at the BT Tower.
06 Minimise your risks If you are transmitting time-sensitive or mission-critical material, you can request a second diversely routed Facilityline, so reducing the risk of losing the content signal due, for example, to the accidental severing by a third partyof one the cables used for the transmission of the service. Achieve further discounts We offer discounts for term commitment and volume, which are designed to provide excellent value for money. In addition, generous upgrade terms are available if you are an existing customer who wants to replace your current London-based analogue-presented PAL services with Facilityline. Benefit from our innovation and experience We focus on the requirements of the broadcasting, media and entertainment industries. We have dedicated teams of media experts in BT s world-renowned Adastral Park laboratories in Martlesham which analyse the latest trends and develop new technologies to offer you the most advanced solutions for the transmission and management of multimedia content. Plan and control your costs To simplify your financial planning, the switching charges between Facilityline circuits are included in the Facilityline charges. A 24/7 team of experts to support your services Our service management centre offers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year support to our customers. The service management centre and front office co-ordinate the field engineers who install and maintain the service. Both teams aim to offer a high level of accessibility and responsiveness.
07 How does Facilityline work? Facilityline enables the transparent delivery of uncompressed images at 270Mbit/s. Developed in response to the demand for a highly flexible service, it lets you transmit full, uncompressed component vision with up to two associated sound channels (AES/EBU*, analogue or embedded audio), data and time code information. Please note that separate audio channels are only available for London circuits. The use of 270Mbit/s ensures that the video information including special effects and editing is safely conserved during transmission.
08 Technical information The Facilityline range of services allows the transparent transmission of 625/50 digital video and audio signals, conforming to ITU-R BT.601 and ITU-R BT.656 (formerly known as CCIR Recommendation 601 and CCIR Recommendation 656, respectively) and AES 3. 1992 The end-to-end service is available as a uni-directional or both-way service between your premises and BT Media and Broadcast Facilityline media centre The maximum radial distance between your UK premises and the BT Tower in London is 30km (subject to survey) It can provide a point-to-point or a point-to-multipoint service The service offers remote machine control (RS422) in the UK.
09 Configuration options Facilityline offers many options to suit your individual requirements: Full uncompressed component vision Up to two separate associated sound channels in the UK (AES/EBU, analogue or embedded audio) Optional RS422 data channel to extend the basic service One or both-way circuits Single or diversely routed circuits.
10 Production house Financial services provider Digital satellite TV platform Facility house BT Media and Broadcast Media centres local connectivity 24 x 365 booking and scheduling News provider Content provider contribution services Advertising agency Post production Connectivity to BT Broadcast Services satellite services London BT Media and Broadcast Media centre
11 ITU-R standards (formerly CCIR) ITU-R BT.601-5 (1995) Studio encoding parameters of digital television for standard (4:3) and widescreen (16:9) aspect ratios. ITU-R BT.656-4 (1998) Interfaces for digital component video signals in 525 and 625 line television systems. Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers standards SMPTE 259M (1997) 10bit 4:2:2 component and 4fsc NTSC component digital signals serial digital interface. SMPTE 272M (1994) Formatting AES/EBU audio and auxiliary data into digital video ancilliary data space. Audio Engineering Society standards AES 3 (1992) Serial transmission format for two channel linearly presented digital audio data.
12 Customer commitment BT Media and Broadcast has account management and technical teams dedicated to understanding your requirements and proposing the most appropriate solution. These teams, together with the resources for project management, are all committed to ensuring that you receive a highly professional service.
Contacts If you wish to talk to someone about our business services and solutions, contact your BT account manager or call on: Email: btmediabroadcast@bt.com Offices worldwide The services described in this publication are subject to availability, and may be modified from time to time. Services and equipment are provided subject to entering into a contract with British Telecommunications plc. This publication is for general guidance only. British Telecommunications plc. 2005. Registered office: 81 Newgate Street, London EC1A 7AJ. Registered in England No.1800000. Produced by BT Media and Broadcast. Designed by Unigraph Limited 22299/04/05 PHME 47877/04/05 All trademarks gratefully acknowledged.