Pebble future-proofs playout at Canal Sur

Pebble, the leading automation, content management and integrated channel specialist, has provided a complete update of its installation at Canal Sur in Spain. The new system, based on highly resilient, software-defined Pebble Integrated Channel engines, replaces an existing best-of-breed Pebble automation system in place since 2011. 

Canal Sur is the public broadcasting organisation for Andalucía in the south of Spain, with its headquarters in Seville. Today it is responsible for delivery, across multiple platforms, of a portfolio of regional channels, together with managing local opt-outs based on seven cities in the community. 

With its existing Pebble playout automation platform nearing the end of life for both software and hardware, the team at Canal Sur took the opportunity to take a fresh look at the station’s requirements. Working with Pebble’s partner in Spain, systems integrator Datos Media, they defined the requirements that would sustain the broadcaster into the future. 

They selected an architecture based on Pebble Integrated Channel playout engines. Integrated Channel is highly resilient by design, and supports multiple outputs per device, allowing Canal Sur to build a highly performant system in a compact footprint. 

Playout and asset management is orchestrated by the latest version of Pebble’s proven Automation software. This also manages ingest, automated quality control file transfers and graphics. It also handles outputs to new media platforms, like Movistar and YouTube. 

“The nature of broadcast has changed completely since we first installed Pebble automation, 14 years ago,” said Pedro Espina, CTO, Canal Sur. “We wanted to build much greater operational flexibility now and into the future, to cover multiple channels and regional opt-outs, and of course we expect absolute reliability. 

“Our close relationship with Pebble over an extended period gave us a great deal of confidence, and they were able to demonstrate to us how they could meet all our expectations in a compact and efficient implementation.” 

Jorge Pérez, Sales Manager, Datos Media, added “A critical part of the project was managing the transformation. We had to ensure seamless integration with other systems at Canal Sur, like traffic, asset management and scheduling. We also had to ensure that staff understood and could access the new capabilities, while retaining the familiar parts of the Pebble user interface to eliminate any risks.” 

Peter Mayhead, CEO, Pebble, said “This is a great illustration of the importance of strong relationships between vendor and user. Canal Sur has relied on mission-critical Pebble technology for well over a decade, and in that time each party has learnt from the other, meaning a real, deep understanding of the requirements when it came time for a refresh. 

“We are delighted to implement this new system at Canal Sur, and we look forward to many more years of trouble-free broadcasting and open and engaging conversations,” he said. 

For more information on Pebble automation systems, see pebble.tv.