Vizrt announces that Viz Multichannel 2.5-the lastest version of its powerful channel branding software-will be unveiled during the company’s invitation-only “Amsterdam Sessions,” held from September 10th-15th in the Hotel Okura in Amsterdam. Viz Multichannel integrates Vizrt’s realtime 2D/3D graphics and effects with industry-leading broadcast automation, traffic, and delivery systems, giving broadcasters an effective, hands-off workflow for presenting tickers, banners, snipes and program schedule graphics for more dynamic channel branding.

“This new version makes the creation, scheduling, and delivery of channel branding an automated, cost-effective process that will benefit broadcasters in today’s demanding, multi-channel business environment,” said Ran Yakir, head of R&D Israel, Vizrt. “Creating and delivering effective, visually compelling channel branding is essential to attract and retain loyal TV viewers.”

Multichannel 2.5 provides many new user-friendly features and operational capabilities that further streamline and automate the operational workflow, including full integration with Viz Ticker3D-an advanced, flexible, creative tool for designing and building graphics-rich tickers. With this integration, Ticker3D elements can be positioned on-screen with their “buttons” in a pane, which allows the tickers to be triggered either manually or automatically, timed or by automation. Users may also define the import and update rules for these Ticker 3D graphics to be scheduled either by Multichannel or according to traffic/automation system.

Multichannel 2.5 also adds a new settings user interface. It is more channel-based, and enables users to: import and export settings, save to/restore from default on a per-channel basis; and utilize multi-language support.

The import/update mechanism in Multichannel 2.5 was improved, resulting in dramatic performance enhancements and the ability to work with all traffic and automation systems available.

Multichannel 2.5 includes an improved interface with Viz Video Hub, Vizrt’s video clips database. Using this interface, video clips can be displayed as part of the graphic or the main video. The new version also includes: the ability to automatically send editable templates from the scheduling station to a defined channel in the master control room; cross-channel promotion; GMT offset as required for traffic and automation scheduling; and automatic deletion of old, edited templates.

One example of a customer who’s experienced a dramatically improved workflow and channel branding is VC Studios, a television company handling the technical operations at A&E, History, BIO and E! Entertainment Television in Caracas, Venezuela. VC Studios distributes channels via cable television, mobile and web site for all Latin-American countries. VC Studios selected Viz Multichannel to control the order of the television network’s overlay graphics on air. VC Studios inserts graphics and station ID’s over a total of ten channels – five A&E channels and five from History. Viz Multichannel is run from two master control rooms, one in Caracas and another in Sunrise-FL.

“Viz Multichannel gives us the opportunity to insert more graphics on air via an automated workflow,” said Fernando Campagnoli Master Control Technical Supervisor at VC Studios. “We now have automated control on air instead of having to manually control it. We coordinate the transmission plan in the logging department before play out. It has dynamically changed the image of our channels on air, offering more promo capabilities during the shows instead of just during the breaks. The branding of our channels has greatly improved since we started using Viz Multichannel.”