Month: May 2025

Epsom, Surrey, UK, 28 May 2025: Pebble, the leading automation, content management and integrated channel specialist, has completed a large installation in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as Media Prima Berhad moves its broadcast facilities to a new headquarters building. The comprehensive Pebble implementation also includes a fully redundant disaster recovery site across the city.

Media Prima has used Pebble automation for its primary playout facilities since 2013, now broadcasting five popular channels. In 2024 it took the decision to move to a purpose-built headquarters building, Balai Berita, and chose Pebble to build the playout infrastructure, based on its next generation Automation control software, together with Integrated Channel delivery devices.

The company had an existing disaster recovery site, Glenmarie, which used playout technology from a different vendor, but this had limited functionality and needed a refresh. Pebble was asked to provide a complete duplicate system at Glenmarie, so the playout platform is fully 5+5 redundant channels, connected via fibre between the two buildings. Maintaining perfect synchronisation of playlists and media between the two buildings is a core part of the Pebble Automation software.

Media Prima also uses Pebble Remote, which provides access by authorised users from any location, allowing operation of either site from anywhere in times of disruption. This allows the backup site to operate unstaffed under normal circumstances, while still ensuring immediate handover in the case of issues at the main site.

The result is a comprehensive automated playout infrastructure with high reliability and complete resilience, while drawing on the decade of experience that Media Prima has with Pebble’s sophisticated software.

The project was implemented at Media Prima by Pebble in conjunction with its local integration partner Tiara Vision. Projects director Nik Ahmad Danial said “Our relationship with Media Prima dates back to its beginnings, and we are proud of the contributions we have made along the way. This new playout infrastructure, providing complete resilience across two sites, called for close collaboration between us, Pebble and the customer.

“Migrating content and control while implementing enhanced workflows is always a challenge for projects like this,” Danial added. “We had to secure the transformations while keeping all the channels on air without interruption. Thanks to the strong relationships between the parties, we delivered what was needed, as promised.”

The project saw the disaster recovery system at Glenmarie completed at the end of 2024, with the new site at Balai Berita commissioned and handed over in early 2025, delivering fully redundant, live mirrored playout for five channels.

Pebble’s Automation, Integrated Channel and Remote products will be demonstrated at BroadcastAsia (27 – 29 May 2025, Singapore Expo, stand 5I1-9).

### ENDS ###

Epsom, Surrey, UK, 22 May 2025: Pebble, the leading automation, content management and integrated channel specialist, has implemented a complete, software-defined playout architecture for Brazilian broadcaster Rede Minas. The new system allows much more sophisticated and tailored playout across multiple channels.

Rede Minas is the government-owned public broadcaster for the state of Minas Gerais, in central Brazil. It broadcasts from its production base in Belo Horizonte, across a very large footprint, using terrestrial, satellite and streaming distribution.

Seeking to replace a life-expired playout infrastructure, Rede Minas looked to add functionality, capacity and capabilities with the new solution. To meet these goals, it selected a turnkey solution from Pebble, including its proven and popular Automation, paired with Integrated Channel devices to replace the legacy playout hardware.

As well as being very cost-efficient, the Pebble Integrated Channel devices save considerable rack space and power consumption with consequent air conditioning. For Rede Minas, this meant it could expand its output, adding three education channels as well as providing tailored services for terrestrial, satellite and streaming.

Each Integrated Channel device has dual independent outputs, which Rede Minas is using to provide opt-outs for some regions within its territory, to serve local interests and regulation. The Pebble Automation layer ensures that the correct content for each output is loaded and quality checked before transmission.

“We needed to make the move to a modern playout environment, but we knew it would be a significant undertaking for us,” said Caroline Santos, Director of Technology at Rede Minas. “Pebble and their local distributor Videodata were able to show us, through a proof of concept demonstration, how its software systems could deliver all we needed and more.

“What was really important, though, was that they were able to manage the entire project,” Santos continued. “That included transferring all the data from our current asset management and integrating seamlessly with our planning workflows. It meant that the switchover was accomplished quickly, cleanly and without problems.”

Rosalvo Carvalho, General Director at Videodata said “We have a long and successful relationship with Rede Minas. The modernisation of playout was a very important project for them, and while as a government body the procurement was by public tender, we introduced them to Pebble as a globally-renowned automation specialist.

“Ultimately we all collaborated on a comprehensive proof of concept exercise which answered all of their concerns,” he added. “The result is transformational for Rede Minas, through a project which respected the need to minimise disruption to existing operations. We are all very proud of how well the implementation and subsequent operation went.”

For more information on Pebble Automation, Integrated Channel and other solutions, see www.pebble.tv.

### ENDS ###

Epsom, Surrey, UK, 12 May 2025: Pebble, the leading automation, content management and integrated channel specialist, has completed a project to migrate ON TV, the major independent broadcaster in Egypt. The implementation and migration was managed by Cairo-based integrator Systems Design.

ON has used Pebble automation for many years. It has now grown to offer five channels, and the playout system has grown under the control of the original Pebble Neptune platform. To provide continuing resilience, flexibility and scalability, the broadcaster moved to the latest enterprise automation software from Pebble.

The challenge in the project was maintaining uninterrupted broadcasting, from the same server network and switchers, while the Pebble control level and the Pebble content management database were upgraded. Pebble and Egypt Systems Design developed a migration plan to commission and prove the software on the backup hardware, allowing the channels to be switched over one by one, with no interruptions or disturbances whatsoever.

Currently, ON broadcasts five channels, which are delivered from a fully redundant 5+5 configuration with main and backup servers, master control switchers and graphics engines. There is a single router providing switching, and pebble content management between all channels and storage, which during the transition the router had to be controlled by both the old and new automation platforms, adding to the complexity of the migration plan.

The nature of the ON channels means that there is a mixture of fully automated playout with live events on any of the channels. The broadcaster relies on the Pebble Auto Resume feature, which allows operators to skip out of the current on-air event to take a live feed, or a pre-programmed series of events, dropping back into the schedule either at the point where the operator opted out, or at the current time.

Live events are also recorded on the same server network, again under the control of the Pebble automation. While many events are pre-planned, the system also supports crash record from any operator console.

“We have grown as a broadcaster from a single channel to the major independent voice in television in Egypt,” said Ahmed Saber, Technical Director of ON TV. “From day one we have counted on Pebble’s rugged and reliable software to manage our workflows, and we had complete confidence in returning to them for the next phase of our growth. Not only does the new Pebble automation platform future-proof us for whatever challenges face us, the local engineering team, along with Systems Design, installed it and switched over with no interruptions – a real achievement.”

Samir Isbaih, Pebble VP of sales for the Middle East and APAC, said “I was the engineer who installed the original system all those years ago, and it is great to see the company grown to be one of the largest and most successful television networks in Egypt. I am delighted and proud to continue the relationship through this project and to install the next generation of automation, with Pebble MENA customers are guaranteed the high level of reliability and the exceptional support they expect and truly deserve.”

### ENDS ###

Epsom, Surrey, UK, 1 May 2025: Pebble, the leading automation, content management and integrated channel specialist, will be showcasing its proven playout solutions at CABSAT 2025 (Dubai World Trade Centre, 13-15 May). With 25 years of expertise in the broadcast industry, Pebble continues to deliver mission-critical technologies that empower broadcasters across the Middle East and North Africa region..

“The MENA region represents a vital and growing market for Pebble, with its dynamic broadcast ecosystem and rapid technological advancement,” said Peter Mayhead, CEO of Pebble. “Our quarter-century of experience in developing robust, secure, and feature-rich automation systems positions us perfectly to meet the evolving needs of broadcasters throughout this important region.”

Pebble specialises in playout automation that scales effortlessly from single channel to large multi-service facilities. Automation 2.0, the company’s management software, provides seamless control over both modular playout architectures and the all-in-one Integrated Channel engine. With support for SDI, SMPTE ST2110, and NDI content flows, these solutions help broadcasters throughout the MENA region navigate complex industry transitions.

With broadcasters and service providers increasingly working across multiple sites, Pebble’s Remote platform offers web-based monitoring and control capabilities that are particularly beneficial in the MENA region. This solution provides secure channel management from within or outside traditional transmission facilities, addressing the specific operational needs of regional media organisations.

Pebble’s technology is trusted in a growing number of deployments across the region and beyond. In Saudi Arabia, Asharq News commissioning is under way for their 3+3+3 triple-redundant ST 2110 setup using Pebble’s Integrated Channel and Enterprise Automation, commissioned via partner Qvest Media. Also in KSA, Intigral (part of Saudi Telecom – STC) is implementing 8+8 playout channels with integrated ingest and content management. In Egypt, ONTV recently completed an upgrade to a 5-channel automation system with full redundancy, integrated via partner Systems Design, with the enhanced channels now on-air. In Jordan, a tightly aligned disaster recovery setup has been deployed for Al Mamlaka TV, ensuring continuity with the main playout system.

Beyond the region, Pebble is supporting Azam Media in Tanzania as it expands its playout system from 8 to 12 fully redundant channels.

With 25 years dedicated exclusively to playout and media workflows, Pebble has developed technology renowned for its resilience and reliability.

“CABSAT is an ideal opportunity for us to meet with broadcasters across the Middle East and North Africa, understand the challenges they’re facing, and demonstrate how our technology can help solve them,” said Mayhead. “As broadcasting continues to evolve in this region, we’re committed to delivering the dependable, flexible solutions media organisations need to stay competitive.”

Visit Pebble at CABSAT 2025 and discover more at www.pebble.tv.

### ENDS ###