Latvian free-to-air broadcaster Vidzemes TV has chosen PlayBox Neo Channel-in-a-Box playout to expand the technical facilities at its studio headquarters in Valmiera. The new equipment was supplied by long-established broadcast systems integrator Hannu-Pro, based in the Latvian capital, Riga. 

“Over the years, PlayBox Neo systems have consistently delivered reliable and effective results for us,” comments Elina Leimane, Vidzemes TV Chair of the Board. “Our operators find the user interface very intuitive to work with as it provides all the information they need for each stage of the channel management process, from content acquisition and scheduling, right through to on-air and online transmission. The additional Channel-in-a-Box solution we have invested in gives us the flexibility to expand our output with extra HD TV channels without having to train the team in a new operating procedure.”

“PlayBox Neo Channel-in-a Box is a true turnkey solution supporting any desired level of automation right up to 24/7 hands-off playout,” adds Kristaps Dzenis, Hannu-Pro Project Manager. “The systems we have integrated into Vidzemes TV’s Valmiera facility are populated with ListBox Neo-20 scheduling, TitleBox Neo-20 CG & interactive graphics, Capture Suite content ingest plus Media Gateway live delivery and distribution. PlayBox Neo CIAB installations are highly space efficient and easy to handle technically if or when one needs replacement or relocation.”

“We are pleased and honoured by Vidzemes TV’s sustained commitment to our products and services,” says Detelin Georgiev, Regional Sales Manager for the Middle East and CIS. “Our CIAB approach is truly industry-proven and continues to be the mainstay of many highly successful broadcast media networks around the world.”

Vidzemes TV is transmitted by ReTV, one of the five free terrestrial broadcasting television channels currently available across Latvia. It offers a mix of news, educational and entertainment content. The network’s aim is to become the primary source in the regional news segment, providing news relevant to each part of the country. ReTV also provides comprehensive coverage of events in each district: What it is like to live in Latvia and why more and more foreigners choose to live there.

With offices deployed in several countries, Hannu Pro is one of Europe’s longest-established system integration companies. The company has more than 30 years of experience in TV, broadcast, production and postproduction system development. Its main activities are the development of complete media production and distribution solutions, professional equipment distribution, and installation operations. Hannu Pro cooperates with and directly represents in the Baltic states more than 50 of the world’s leading manufacturers of professional TV and broadcast equipment and software developers. Hannu Pro played an active role in the introduction of DVB-T into Latvia as well as actively supporting DVB-H and IPTV development.

PlayBox Neo is a globally active leader in the development and manufacture of broadcast media playout and channel branding solutions, powering over 19,500 TV and branding channels in more than 120 countries. Building on 24 years of successful innovation, the company pioneered the development of high-efficiency server-based and cloud-based playout to support every scale and type of one-to-many communication.

PlayBox Neo broadcast products and cloud solutions cover everything from live playout to fully automated transmission. Users include national and international broadcasters, start-up TV channels, webcasters, interactive TV and music channels, film channels, remote TV channels, corporate information channels, and disaster recovery channels.

Available for all PlayBox Neo systems, the optional ASM&TS (Annual Software Maintenance & Technical Support) subscription offers extended 24/7 support and software upgrades, ensuring maximum operational reliability and future-proofing. With its commercial headquarters in Europe, PlayBox Neo has offices in the USA (PlayBox Neo LLC), Singapore (PlayBox Neo Asia Pacific), India (PlayBox Neo India), and the UK.