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WXYZ-TV Transitions to digital workflow with SAN solution from SNS

WXYZ-TV, the number one rated news station in the Detroit area, is among the highest-rated ABC stations in the United States and the largest TV station owned by the Scripps Company. Since its inception in 1948, WXYZ has enjoyed a reputation for quality programming and news reporting as well as technical innovation. In 1998, WXYZ became one of the country’s first TV stations to go digital and last year it became the first Detroit TV station to produce and broadcast its newscasts in High Definition.

When we made the transition from our familiar and efficient tape-based linear world to an all digital Final Cut Pro-based nonlinear workflow, we needed to make sure that we could get our stories on air as fast, if not faster than before.  As a news station, we operate in a mission-critical environment, so the real challenge was to create a file-based workflow that not only retained the speed and operability of a traditional linear solution but also gave us a zero down time guarantee.

Ray Thurber, Head of Engineering, WXYZ-TV

So when the station moved from a linear to a Final Cut Pro file-based workflow for its news operations, finding an enterprise-class storage solution to support the transition was paramount. Ray Thurber, WXYZ-TV’s head of Engineering explains:

“When we made the transition from our familiar and efficient tape-based linear world to an all digital Final Cut Pro-based nonlinear workflow, we needed to make sure that we could get our stories on air as fast, if not faster than before. As a news station, we operate in a mission-critical environment, so the real challenge was to create a file-based workflow that not only retained the speed and operability of a traditional linear solution but also gave us a zero down time guarantee.”

To help achieve their goal, WXYZ-TV turned to Studio Network Solutions. The challenge: develop a SAN system that would meet their mission-critical needs, make it usable and reliable for their large post production workgroup, and allow digital footage sent by reporters from the field to be immediately accessible by the news department.

SNS worked closely with WXYZ to understand the environment and then designed a custom A/V SAN PRO™ Enterprise-class Fibre Channel system, powered by multiple RAID protected EMC CLARiiON storage arrays. The system now enables all fourteen Mac workstations to login and immediately benefit from the real-time file and media sharing capabilities that can only be achieved with the right SAN. The end-result of the solution: an easy-to-use, robust shared storage system that handles the zero down time requirements of WXYZ and its creative teams.

“When you’re a 24/7 news operation, you simply cannot afford any downtime, so reliability of your equipment is absolutely paramount. Since we installed our A/V SAN PRO, we only experienced one disk failure and that was resolved in a matter of hours. We really could not expect more from our system: it’s fast, reliable and has allowed us to painlessly transition to a totally file-based workflow.”

About SNS

Studio Network Solutions (SNS) specializes in the development of shared storage hardware and software solutions for the Media and Entertainment industry. Since day one we’ve applied unmatched ingenuity and experience to create outstanding products that exceed industry expectations while providing outstanding support to our customers.

Our customers range in size from individual freelance engineers to multinational media powerhouses. Our solutions are used to produce everything from books on tape to full track scoring for major Hollywood films. Our products have been at the technical core of the music you listen to, the games you play, the shows you watch and the movies you see.

We have a valued network of resellers located throughout the United States… and the world. Whether you have a product question or you’re ready to place an order, we encourage you to contact us today.