A back office system that allowed for the creation of custom templates used in creation of graphical and text overlays for real-time video production. This library and tool set also contains processes for connecting to remote systems via satellite and low bandwidth back channel connections for remote software debugging and updates. System updates could be delivered via satellite and could completely replace everything from server and component bios, operating system, and system software components.

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The PTV solution for Prevue Networks was a near video on demand play-to-air server installed in cable head ends for delivery of pay-per-view movies. The challenges that faced the team were encoding of media into digital content, delivery of the massive files over terribly slow network connections, real-time or near-real-time playback of the media direct to air at the cable head end with unfaltering reliability and keeping tabs on system status, software, content, and updates from around the country.

The digital encoding of movies at this time was very cutting edge. We used racks of servers dedicated to performing the MPG1 and MPG2 digital encoding. The finished files were massive at the time and delivery of the content was a huge undertaking due to the fact that a dedicated T1 (1.5Mbps)  was considered a high end connection to any facility.

The servers located at the cable head ends were specialized in both hardware and software components. Playback of the media files required dedicated servers and large dedicated video decoder cards. The playback interfaces and performance tuning of the servers was crucial to ensure smooth delivery of video and synchronized audio over air to fulfill pay-per-view requirements. In addition to playback, the servers had to maintain a heartbeat to a central control facility for monitoring purposes.

The communication system to and from these boxes was designed to meet the high bandwidth demands of delivering software updates and content as well as constant monitoring. The process included a satellite delivery system to the servers that would deliver content over days in advance of the air date. The same satellite uplink was used to deliver software and schedule data. The monitoring was handled by a very low bandwidth back channel usually consisting of dial-up or hard wired modem connections.