BeIN Asia Pacific upgrades broadcast distribution with Appear X Platform
Appear, a global leader in live production technology, has announced a strategic partnership with beIN Asia Pacific to transform the broadcaster's infrastructure and international content delivery capabilities across the region. This collaboration marks a major step in beIN's transition to IP-based workflows, enhancing efficiency, flexibility and sustainability.
After extensive testing, beIN chose Appear's X Platform for its performance, low ecological footprint and competitive cost. The partnership includes two key deployments, both designed to modernise operations and meet the growing demands of high-quality content distribution.
One of the main implementations is Appear's X20 platform, integrated into a 1+1 redundant setup to handle 44 live feeds sourced from a combination of IP and SDI inputs. This system is tailored to support non-traditional broadcast partners and remote editing services. Separated from beIN's OTT and playout systems, the X20's dedicated broadcast configuration helps eliminate earlier capacity constraints and provides advanced features like HD upscaling, logo insertion, and 4K readiness.
Additionally, beIN has installed Appear's compact X10 chassis to establish a dedicated contribution link between its Doha and Singapore hubs. This setup, which includes four AVC-encoded contribution feeds in a 1+1 redundant format, represents a shift from leased fiber lines to Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) over the public internet. The move offers faster setup, reduced costs, and more flexibility, while Appear's hardware-accelerated SRT ensures stable, high-quality video transmission across varying network conditions.
Sabil Salim, Vice President of Media Technology & Operations at beIN Asia Pacific, said: 'Our investment in Appear's X Platform is a pivotal step in our strategic evolution towards an IP-centric broadcast infrastructure. The X20 platform provides the dedicated capacity and quality we need for our broadcast partners and remote editing platform, distinctly separate from our OTT services and playout. Coupled with the X10's efficient SRT contribution, Appear delivers the performance, agility, and cost-efficiency that are paramount for our operations, allowing us to overcome previous limitations and innovate faster.'
Shakunt Malhotra, Vice President APAC at Appear, added: 'beIN Asia Pacific is a true innovator in sports broadcasting, and its precise requirements for dedicated broadcast distribution highlights the versatility and power of the Appear X Platform. We are proud to provide beIN with high-density, energy-efficient solutions that not only meet its current needs for specialized broadcast workflows and robust contribution, but also position the company for future growth in the dynamic media landscape.'
Thomas Bostrøm Jørgensen, CEO at Appear, stated: 'Our X Platform is designed to empower broadcasters like beIN to achieve greater agility, flexibility, and significant cost efficiencies as they navigate the transition to IP. By enabling beIN to move away from traditional, less flexible infrastructures, we are helping it to optimise its content delivery and acquisition workflows, reinforcing its leadership in the industry.'
The X Platform's high-performance capabilities, sustainable design and lower overall costs were central to beIN's decision, positioning the network at the forefront of modern sports broadcasting in the Asia Pacific region.
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