BroadStream Windows Operating Systems Support Update

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Distribution: All Customers, Engineering, Sales

18 December 2024 – This is to provide you with the latest update on Windows Operating Systems and their compatibility with BroadStream Software.

Windows 7

Windows 7 reached its end-of-life years ago. Any customers with Windows 7 operating system should be aware that we can only help with configuration changes. We are unable to provide any software updates, and we are not able to debug logs of any systems that use Windows 7 because the tools for this purpose are no longer available. The latest software version that works is OASYS 6.13. Should you wish to move past 6.13 you will need to contact our Sales Team ([email protected]) to request a hardware and software upgrade quote.

Windows Server 2008

The same details that apply to Windows 7 also apply to Windows Server 2008. If you have any of these operating systems and wish to move forward with the latest version of OASYS you will need to contact our Sales Team to request a quote for new hardware and software.

Windows Server 2012 SP2

In some cases, we may be able to provide Service Packs and install the latest version of OASYS, which is 6.13.11. We can also debug logs on the newer software, but this is dependent on the specific hardware you currently have. The limiting factor will be the availability of proper Drivers from third parties like Nvidia who controls the availability of GPUs and chipsets. If the older versions are no longer available or are a mismatch for the drivers needed it won’t be possible to upgrade your system. In this case, please contact BroadStream Engineering for information about your specific hardware should you wish to update your system.

If you have any questions about this update or how it impacts your current system, please contact our Engineering team for additional support. You can reach the team here:

Email:            [email protected]

Phone:           +1 404-327-8300

Website:        https://broadstream.com/support 

 

About Us

BroadStream specializes in flexible and highly scalable broadcast and streaming solutions for SDI, IP, and Hybrid SDI/IP with our OASYS Integrated Playout Solution.

Additionally, we provide a broad array of manual and automated captioning and subtitling solutions and tools that include the following brands:

  • SubCaptioner.com – for quick and easy file and live-based captioning along with transcripts and translation.
  • VoCaption – Automated Live Captioning for broadcasters that need simple solutions to start and stop a live captioning session without the need to schedule a human to perform this task.
  • WincapsASR for enterprise customers with significant file-based content that need to be captioned and edited for quality.
  • Q-LiveASR is for large customers that employ professional subtitlers and want live captions to be edited before being published to ensure maximum accuracy.

Poliscript Enters EOL Status

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Poliscript End of Life (EOL) Notification

 

Duluth, GA, USA –  20 June 2024

Dear Valued Customer:

This is to inform you of the upcoming end-of-life (EOL) status for Poliscript. Poliscript has been our benchmark authoring and QC software for PAC subtitle files for over 20 years, but its time is coming to an end, and it can no longer be effectively supported. It is possible that new problems cannot be fixed as the software is increasingly becoming unstable and incompatible with current technology and operating systems. As a result, hardware upgrades or license transfers are no longer supported and fixes that require new development can no longer be implemented.

New orders will cease to be available in the Store as of 15 November 2024. All support will end as of 31 December 2024. Support via Remote Access will no longer be available. Email support will be provided until the end of December 2024.

RECOMMENDED ACTION STEPS

Please take the following steps to continue with your subtitling efforts:

  1. Switch to Wincaps Q4 as soon as possible. Wincaps is being fully supported moving forward and provides most of the features that Poliscript provided, plus other functionality such as full clipboard access and a wider range of subtitle file formats. Wincaps is available in two variants, both available in our Store for a small monthly subscription. You can get either version at 50% off for three months or get six months for the price of three months. There’s also a free 7-day introductory trial on the standard version to get you started. If you need a group subscription, rather than individual, please contact Support for details.
    1. Wincaps Q4 Standard – Complete subtitle preparation software solution that is compatible with all production and delivery requirements and supports a range of comprehensive workflows, media types, file formats, and supports translation subtitling and same language captioning. You can learn more here.
    2. Wincaps Q4 Pro – Adds an innovative text-to-speech aligner for automatic timing in Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Spanish or Swedish, and includes enhanced support for the use of re-speBroadStream Poliscript EOL Final 20June2024aking techniques (as commonly used for live captioning) – all offering the potential for greatly increased productivity for those working on same language captions. Learn more here. If you want to take advantage of the latest ASR technology you should consider SubCaptioner, our online portal for file-based same language captions and translation subtitles. SubCaptioner features an innovative, excellent editor that allows you to correct ASR errors and adjust caption segmentation quickly and easily while retaining accurate word timing. Simply upload your file and get captions and transcripts for one low price in just minutes.
  2. Alternatively, you may like to consider WincapsASR – This is an enterprise level solution for automated file-based captioning using ASR. Subtitle files produced by WincapsASR can be opened in Wincaps for correction – with helpful metadata to guide you to where the technology is least confident in its results.
  3. If you are not sure about next steps please Contact BroadStream Support or your Sales Director with any questions.

Thank you for choosing BroadStream Solutions for your subtitling requirements. We value your trust and look forward to supporting your needs into the future and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause as our industry continues to migrate to newer, better solutions.

You can download this announcement here Poliscript EOL Notification.

BroadStream Contact:                                                                      

Chuck Jones, CMO

BroadStream Solutions, Inc

[email protected]

About BroadStream

BroadStream (https://broadstream.com) specializes in flexible and highly scalable solutions for integrated playout, live automated captioning & subtitling, file-based, captioning & subtitling, caption encoding and subtitling software tools. Our OASYS Integrated Playout solution is used world-wide by broadcasters of all sizes for Content Preparation, Playout and Management. Designed to improve workflow efficiency, solutions are available in SD, HD, and IP as well as

SD/HD-SDI and SDI/IP hybrid playout configurations to provide a solid migration path to future technologies, including the cloud, to make transitioning easier.

In 2018, BroadStream acquired Screen Subtitling Systems in the UK. Screen specialises in products for the preparation and delivery of captions, subtitles and value-add information services across multiple platforms and devices. Our combined 60+ years of hands-on experience consistently delivers quality, flexibility, dependability, improved workflows, and operational efficiency that scale from single channel facility to multichannel broadcasters and service providers operating hundreds of channels.

In 2023 we partnered with Broadcast Pix and their Live Online Streaming Production Solutions. Their new platform is fully integrated with our live subtitling solution, VoCaption, to provide captioning for your live streaming needs.

 

 

WRAL USES OASYS FOR 24/7 OTT CHANNEL WRAL NEWS+

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WRAL uses OASYS for 24/7 OTT channel WRAL News+

WRAL uses OASYS for 24/7 OTT channel WRAL News+. OTT (over-the-top) refers to media services that are separate from the over the air broadcast and  stream directly to viewers via the Internet. This is becoming a very popular service with viewers as they can access the stream from any device. This convenience means more and more consumers are looking for OTT content which allows them to watch what they want at any time and on any device, instead of the traditional linear TV where consumers have to adhere to scheduled programming on their television.

OASYS customer, WRAL, have dedicated one of their their OASYS Players to deliver a new multi-input OTT channel called WRAL News+. (WRAL is a Raleigh, North Carolina based television station serving as the NBC affiliate for the Research Triangle Area and part of Capital Broadcasting Company, Inc.).

This new OTT channel allows WRAL viewers to access live content, such as weather reports and live traffic announcements, directly from the WRAL website. This convenient access to live content benefits not only the viewers but also the station, who can now stream important news coverage to more viewers.

See their OTT channel in action below! 

Here’s how OASYS allows users to stream an OTT channel:

An OTT channel can be created using a single channel of OASYS with multiple live inputs. These  can be weather, traffic, sports or other live inputs. Using the flexibility of OASYS’ Graphics Extension package, these live inputs are integrated along with options like squeeze and crawl.

Creating a playlist incorporates all the live inputs for a 24/7 stream with a graphic showing all of the streaming options. In WRAL’s configuraton, the SDI output produced by OASYS is routed to various encoders to produce the IP streaming options needed.

OASYS is a flexible integrated playout software that can be configured to fit virtually any broadcast requirement. To learn how your station can use OASYS to create OTT channels, reach out to our team via our contact page!

Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion on International Day of Persons with Disabilities

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The International Day of Persons with Disabilities, observed annually on December 3rd, is a significant occasion that promotes awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by people with disabilities worldwide. Established by the United Nations in 1992, this day serves as a platform to celebrate the achievements and contributions of individuals with disabilities while advocating for a more inclusive and accessible society. 

Theme for 2023: “Building Back Better: Toward a Disability-Inclusive, Accessible and Sustainable Post-COVID-19 World” 

The theme for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in 2023 emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the recovery from the global COVID-19 pandemic is inclusive and accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities. It calls for building a world that is not only resilient but also prioritizes the needs and rights of persons with disabilities. 

Inclusion and Empowerment  

One of the key aspects of the day is to highlight the importance of inclusion. Inclusive societies recognize and embrace the diversity of their populations, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their abilities, has equal opportunities to participate in all aspects of life. This includes education, employment, social activities, and civic engagement. 

Empowering people with disabilities involves breaking down barriers and stereotypes by fostering an environment where individuals can reach their full potential. This empowerment is not just a moral imperative but also an economic one, as diverse and inclusive societies benefit from the unique perspectives and talents of all their members. 

Making technology accessible for everyone 

Another crucial aspect of International Day of Persons with Disabilities is advocating for accessible infrastructure and technology. From public spaces to digital platforms, it is essential to create environments that accommodate the diverse needs of individuals with disabilities. This includes accessible websites and communication methods, ensuring that no one is left behind in the modern, interconnected world. 

BroadStream is dedicated to helping create a more accessible digital world with the help of accurate captioning and subtitling. Our wide range of captioning solutions create captions for live and pre-recorded video content to help individuals with hearing impairments better understand the audio. If you are hosting events or posting online content to celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities this year, make sure that they are accessible and include accurate captions.  

Generate quick and accurate captions for your content by visiting subcaptioner.com, our online ASR-driven captioning generator. SubCaptioner uses accurate ASR (automatic speech recognition) technology to convert speech to text in just minutes. Individuals with audio or video files can receive a text transcript and closed caption file within minutes and for only $0.25/minute. To get started, simply create a free account following this link. New users receive their first 40 minutes of captioning and transcriptions for free!  

To create accurate captions for a live event, consider our VoCaption live captioning software. VoCaption is a live, automated closed captioning software that’s easy to install and use! VoCaption uses the same powerful ASR technology as our SubCaptioner system to convert speech to text in real time and create a more accessible event for everyone in attendance. Learn more about our VoCaption software here. 

International Day of Persons with Disabilities is a moment to celebrate the achievements of individuals with disabilities, promote inclusivity, and advocate for a world where everyone can participate fully in all aspects of life. If you’re planning an event to celebrate this special day, rely on BroadStream Solutions for accessibility solutions.  

 

How Do You Make Live Streaming Broadcasts More Consumable?

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How do you make live streaming broadcasts more consumable?

We recently partnered with Broadcast Pix, a leader in Live Production and Streaming, and our first collaboration is to make their broadcasts more easily consumable. What do we mean by that? It’s really quite simple…the goal is to make any Live Streaming production easy to understand, regardless of the viewer’s screen, current situation or environment and the way you do that is by adding live captions so no matter where you are you can view and understand what’s going on.

Captions are no longer just for the deaf and hearing impaired. In a 2022 survey of 1,200 people, language learning company, Preply determined that 50% of Americans used subtitles and closed captions the vast majority of time they watched video content. The survey pointed out three key reasons for this:

  1. It’s become harder and harder to understand dialog on the TV. 72% of respondents sited this as one of their main reasons for using captions. Why? Multiple reaons including modern TV’s have the speakers in the back instead of the front, the audio is designed for theatrical use but being streamed as compressed audio to the TV at less quality.
  2. It’s just harder to understand dialog, period. Talking too fast, muddled speech, speaking with an accent, loud background music, too many people talking at once, laugh tracks, sound effects, noisy environments whether you’re at home or out in public. Ever tried to watch a program with a bunch a seven year olds running about?
  3. The third reason has to do with age, devices and environments. The younger generations tend to use phones, tablets and laptops with smaller screens and they also tend to watch programming in more public environments like transit or restaurants but also noise averse engironments like libraries and offices where sound would be frowned upon.

I can think of a few more reasons why captions are important. Think English as a second language, speakers that mumble, speakers that talk too fast, poor acoustics, etc. So back to our collaboration with Broadcast Pix.

Broadcast Pix is integrating VoCaption, BroadStream’s automated live captioning solution directly into the various Broadcast Pix Live Production solutions. This will provde Broadcast Pix users with a seamless, very accurate solution for live captions on every production.

VoCaption uses the most accurate speech engine available today and is offered in over 40 languages and is suitable for use in commercial broadcasting, Government and Public Access, Religious and Educational institutions, and corporate broadcasting.

Want to see more. Join us at IBC 2023 in Amsterdam we’ll be at the RAI in Hall 2, Stand B11 providing live demonstrations of a Broadcast Pix FX Hybrid with VoCaption. You can also check our our other ASR solutions that include WincapsASR, Q-LiveASR and SubCaptioner.

VoCaption is also available integrated with OASYS Integrated Playout and will also be on display at IBC2o23.

Book a meeting at CABSAT!

OASYS IP and SDI at CABSAT 2024

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Our Development Team has devoted significant time and effort into developing new features for OASYS IP and SDI at CABSAT 2024 over the past few months to improve performance, save time for operators and expand our automation features.

Improved CPU Usage
CPU demands are greater with high bandwidth IP streaming and we’ve recently improvee CPU efficiency by 50% for better overall performance in systems with multiple CPU servers.

Loudness normalization
Loudness normalization has become a big regulatory concern in many markets. OASYS can now apply loudness normalisation on-the-fly, for both live contribution and file playout (supports EBU R128 and ATSC A/85 including Dolby Dial norm). This saves the cost of a dedicated separate loudness normalization unit.

Kill dates for assets
The new kill date facility in the OASYS media library allows uers to ensure that programs are not transmitted after their licensed window and that commercials do not air after the campaign expires.

Improved Graphics functions
To improve channel branding, new graphics functions include masking, scaling and stretch effects have been added to make it easier for the user. In addition all graphics changes can now be previewed live.

Improved support for soft segmentation (EDL)
Re-working assets to insert varied black markers for different ad patterns is frustrating and time-consuming. OASYS playout now allows users to use a simple cue sheet as an EDL against longform assets. The same asset can be played out on different channels or schedule slots with different ad-break patterns without the effort of re-working the asset. Modifications in OASYS to support this workflow also include changes to apply the cue sheet changes to the asset prior to the file integrity check and QC functions. Email notification has also been added for QC failures.

New Dolby D and Dolby E support
OASYS now supports pass-through and encode of Dolby D into IP outputs and decode and pass-through of Dolby E for SDI and IP outputs.

Audio Upmix
To improve the viewer’s listening experience further, OASYS can now also generate a 5:1 surround sound mix from a regular stereo soundtrack.

Improved SCTE-35 Triggers
OASYS can now embed multiple metadata items in each SCTE-35 packet – allowing separate targeting of downstream events (e.g. for different regions).

Automatic Aspect Ratio Control
OASYS playout can now dynamically set the aspect ratio based on AFD information in the ancillary data of an asset or sidecar XML, saving users the time needed to do this manually and avoiding the risk of getting it wrong.

View all incoming audio tracks in single UI in Maker
The user can now see all incoming audio tracks on a single page and no longer needs to navigate to multiple pages. Saves time and makes the operator more productive.

Multi-Channel Web Client
Live prepared preview is now available in Multi-Channel Web Client. Before, this was only available via the desktop application.

 

 

 

NAB Show 2023 Recap

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Our team had a great time at NAB2023!

This year, our team headed back to the NAB Show in Las Vegas to meet with customers, resellers, and partners to showcase our new line of ASR products as well as the new features recently added to OASYS Integrated Playout.

If you weren’t able to attend the event this year, here’s a quick recap of what our team demo’d on the showroom floor:

WincapsASR: WincapsASR is a file-based, on-premise captioning software that uses ASR technology to easily convert audio to text. When partnered with a professional caption editing software such as WincapsQ4, Wincaps can help broadcasters improve productivity by over 30%. Professional captioners no longer take on the role of both caption creation and editing. With WincapsASR, the ASR technology handles the caption creation so that humans edit and monitor for quality control. Features such as intelligent caption segmentation, custom dictionaries, and substitution lists also help to make the editing workflow easier. Media files stay on-premise or in a private cloud for full file security.

Q-LiveASR: Our newest, hybrid live captioning software seeks to take the pressure off of live captioners and make creating captions for live/news programming simpler and quicker. Q-LiveASR combines ASR technology with professional editing software in a system that can be easily installed on-premise or through a private cloud. Files are kept secure and users control ASR activation and selection. ASR takes the main active input while subtitlers take a break, buffer ASR to allow for quick corrections, and override ASR via manual or apology captioning if needed.

VoCaption Live: Our fully automated live captioning software, VoCaption, has been updated and improved to better support live captioning. With VoCaption, broadcasters can easily convert program audio to text with just the click of a button. Custom vocabulary tools, alternate word lists, and profanity filters help to improve accuracy. There are no scheduling issues and no need to pay for a full hour of labor when only a few minutes of captioning are needed.

Polistream: Polistream is known globally for being the most flexible captioning and subtitling encoder and transmission system on the market. By utilizing an array of software modules and internal cards we are able to create a subtitle transmission system that meets users exact requirements now and into the future. Our team is constantly updating the Polistream hardware and software to meet our customer’s changing needs.

OASYS Integrated Playout: Our new OASYS end-to-end compressed IP playout software was an important focus this year. Our team showed broadcasters around the world how OASYS can easily integrate into their system to help them run their channels more efficiently. With compressed end-to-end IP broadcasters can ensure that their station is set up to run smoothly into the future as their station and technology grows.

SubCaptioner Online Portal: SubCaptioner is an online transcription service that converts audio to text, automatically, for only $0.25/minute. At this price, users receive a TXT, WebVTT and a SRT file! Files are converted in just minutes by our innovative ASR technology that takes the manual labor out of creating transcriptions and captions. Create an account on subcaptioner.com to get started. Once you’ve uploaded your first media file, use the code NAB2023 to receive 50% off at checkout.

If you’re interested in scheduling an online demo with our team, visit our contact page.

End of Life Notification on BroadStream Hardware & Software Products

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The purpose of this notice is to inform BroadStream/Screen customers that certain hardware, components, and software are at end-of-life (EOL) and can no longer be supported for various reasons, including, but not limited to:

  • Replacement parts that are no longer available.
  • Hardware platforms and configurations that have been discontinued by the original manufacturer in lieu of new, improved products.
  • Software that is no longer backward compatible to older hardware.
  • Newer technology that is not compatible.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU

If you currently have any of the platforms, components or software listed in this notice, please be aware that support for these products will end April 30, 2024.

Renewal notices will continue to be sent out 90 days in advance of your renewal anniversary, but as the months progress, renewal contracts for EOL items will not include 12-month support but be prorated with coverage ending April 2024.

This support plan should provide you with adequate time to plan, budget, and prepare for replacement and avoid any potential on-air problems that may occur due to the age of these items.

Please keep in mind that the global supply chain for technology is still uncertain and lead times are much longer, so we encourage you to act now to avoid any potential problems as these items age out.

RECOMMENDED ACTION ITEMS

Please take the following steps to avoid product or on-air failures:

  1. Determine if any items, from this list, are operational in your facility.
  2. Contact BroadStream Support ([email protected]) or your Sales Director ([email protected]) to request a budgetary proposal to upgrade your facility as soon as possible, and avoid any potential downtime.

Thank you for choosing BroadStream/Screen as your playout and subtitling provider. We value your trust and look forward to supporting your needs into the future and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause as our industry continues to migrate to newer, better solutions.

The complete list of EOL items is listed below:

 

Item Description
 
Software
Poliscript 3000 Authoring and QC software for PAC subtitle files
Poliscript 3000 SV3 As above with Software Video Caching capability
MediaMate Enterprise MediaMate within Polistream
Hardware Description
P5000 Server Platform for running Configuration
P4000 Platform for running software modules and Interfaces
A1001 Single ASI Input Unit
A1002 Dual ASI Input Unit
A1004 Four ASI Input Unit
A4001 ASI Single Input and Twin Output Unit
A4002 ASI Dual Input and Twin Output Unit
CC-P4000 Content Control Edit Station
G3000 Digital Graphics Subtitle Inserter
T3000 SDI VBI Inserter
G5000-2U HD-SDI Graphics Generator.
U4000 Polistream Server
CC-U4000 Content Control Edit Station
Cards
GPIO Card General Purpose Inputs (8) and Outputs (8) card.
Dazzle/GFX USB Composite Video Input device
Ge Force 210 Graphics Card
HDTC-1 Card Single Channel HD-SDI timecode Card
LTC-1 Card Single Channel LTC Timecode Card
ASI-2 Card Two Input, Two Output ASI Card
UHD-2 Card Dual channel SDI capture card
VANC-1 Card Single Channel HD-SDI Input Card
VANC-2 Card Dual Channel HD-SDI Input Card
VBI-2 Two Channel VBI Input Card
VBI-ASI -1 Single Channel VBI Input Card

About BroadStream Solutions

BroadStream Solutions (www.broadstream.com) acquired Screen Subtitling Systems in 2018 and specializes in the playout of linear television channels, Live Automated Captioning, automated File-based captioning and Subtitling tools for broadcasters, networks, cable, and satellite operations, as well as non-broadcast applications, around the globe. Our expertise is focused on developing solutions that are software-based and consistently deliver flexibility, dependability, improved workflows, operational efficiency and reliability for our clients and customers.

Meet with us at Broadcast India – 2022

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Our team is heading to Broadcast India 2022 and we would love to see you there!

This year, we’ll be partnering with Cineom to showcase our products and new updates. Stop by and see us at booth E3, or schedule a meeting with our VP of sales, Shelinder Sachdeva, using the form below.

We look forward to seeing you in Mumbai!

Broadcast India - 2022

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