Automated preparation of archive material for different radio programs

Abstract:
Most of the archive material has to be prepared before it can be used in broadcast sessions. Each program channel has different rules: e.g. length of pre-roll time, fade out of applause, level and loudness adjustment. The preparation time can be short, but it has to be done manually for each media item coming from the sound archive. This requires manpower and studio time.

The presentation describes the capabilities and limits of a software solution that solves this task automatically with much less human interaction. Practical experience in a client project will be illuminated.

Preservation of MXF File Collections - long-term Usability Challenges

Abstract:
Material eXchange Format (MXF) is a container format for professional digital video and audio media defined within a large set of SMPTE standards. MXF was intended as a platform-agnostic stable standard to carry a subset of the Advanced Authoring Format (AAF) data model for exchanging finished media products. MXF was developed under a policy called the Zero Divergence Directive and was released by SMPTE in 2004. Almost 10 years later MXF is the predominant media container format in video broadcasting and professional media, but practical MXF encoder implementations still face a huge variety of standard conformance and interoperability issues. What does this mean for the preservation of MXF files? What can a video archivist do to minimize the risk that MXF files that are playing properly today, will no longer interoperate with future equipment?