Encompass Digital Media, one of the world's top digital media service providers and a leader in global satellite and terrestrial connectivity, has launched its new US$7 million broadcast monitoring facility, the MEGAPOD, in Singapore. The facility is designed to offer a robust, redundant infrastructure for content distribution, digital media manipulation, and creative, technical and global archive services.

"MEGAPOD is a one-of-its-kind facility in Asia which enables our customers to manage and monetize their media assets in a more efficient and error-free environment," said Deepakjit Singh, Managing Director, Encompass Digital Media Asia. "The innovative design and fully automated processes enable real-time monitoring and processing of the content for delivery across the globe on multiple screens."

Indeed, the MEGAPOD offers broadcasters a ready infrastructure for expansion, allowing the launch of a new channel every two-and-a-half weeks, besides providing significant reduction time to any anomalies and reducing book-to-build time to less than three weeks. The facility, with multi-channel and multi-format for linear and over-the-top (OTT) delivery capabilities, can handle and deliver up to 250 channels across multiple screens.

"With Singapore's vision to become a global media hub for the creation, development, and distribution of original content, facilities like the MEGAPOD are complementary to the ecosystem that is being built to realize this goal," added Deepakjit.

The fully automated, end-to-end central monitoring system is built on the back of iControl - the world's most advanced, automated integrated monitoring and control system.

"Currently over 120 content channels are in the process of getting on-board with the MEGAPOD and we expect this number to multiply as more clients in the region tap into our offering. We believe the MEGAPOD, with its advanced technology and a pool of highly skilled staff has the potential to become the media processing hub in Asia," said Deepakjit.

In Asia Pacific, Encompass transmits so far 126 channels and is a partner to the biggest names in media including AETN, BBC, CNBC, Discovery Networks, LiTV and MTV, as the company's mission-critical media services provides broadcasters, cable networks, corporations and government entities with customized solutions for the management and distribution of content.

MEGAPOD now offers, together with Encompass Asia's existing facility, a variety of outstanding services with high redundancy, and even houses a post-production studio, giving clients the full end-to-end solution to create and deliver content on the go.

To no surprise, a number of tier 1 broadcasters operating across Asia have already indicated plans to take advantage of the efficiencies that the MEGAPOD will generate.

By MediaBUZZ