IBC: Snell Adds Features to Its ICE Channel-in-a-Box

Enhanced audio processing, 3D graphics and timeline controls are part of the upgraded 3.0 version

By George Winslow -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/21/2012 4:26:28 PM

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Snell is launching the 3.0 version of its ICE Channel-in-a-Box solution that includes a number new features that the company believes will make the solution a more cost effective option for broadcast infrastructures. The new features will be demoed at IBC between September 7th and 11th

"The ongoing development of ICE reflects Snell's commitment to streamlining our customers' master control and playout operations while enabling them to maintain the highest-possible quality" said Karl Mehring, senior product manager at Snell in a statement. "ICE is already the most feature-rich channel-in-a-box platform on the market, and we will continue to add additional functionality in order to integrate more of the broadcast chain into our solution. This will allow our users to reduce the complexity of their operations, as well as the costs associated with operating and maintaining outboard equipment."

New features being integrated into ICE v3.0 include 3D and 2D graphics and CG functionality with timeline editing control. The new version also allows users to populate fields automatically with graphics from Morpheus automation schedule events and from external data sources such as RSS feeds and Web-based news and weather services.

To strengthen ICE's HD and SD simulcast capabilities, Snell has also added a delay server that enables users to record the output of a channel for delayed playout services.

Other features include full Dolby E processing within the system as well as mono/stereo audio shuffling and audio clip playout and integration with the Quantum StorNext File System and StorNext Q-series disk arrays that will allow up to 10 ICE units to share 36TB of storage.