Signiant enables validation of media files prior to transfer

Signiant will demonstrate technology that enables Signiant users to validate media files against both customer-defined and industry-standard specifications — such as AMWA AS-11 and Digital Production Partnership (DPP) SD and HD formats — prior to transfer. By enforcing asset compliance on the front end of the process, the solution dramatically lowers costs, time delays and rejection rates associated with receipt of improperly formatted files.

The patent-pending technology provides a cloud-based directory of broadcast content specifications and a mechanism for automatically checking files against a chosen specification. By registering their own customized delivery specification or referencing an industry standard, media enterprises can provide a uniform, readily accessible means of asset validation to their entire content delivery ecosystem. Significant throughput improvements at the ingest stage are possible when content provider partners are easily able to ensure compliance prior to submittal.

“As the de facto standard for moving broadcast content across the U.K. and Europe, Signiant is working closely with the DPP, AMWA and others to help customers and the industry advance, manage and enforce file format policies with our products,” said David Nortier, EMEA Managing Director, Signiant. “This cloud-based technology, scheduled for first availability in our enterprise products later this year, is a direct result of this work.”

The new asset validation technology lets Signiant administrators associate a delivery specification template with a file transfer process or workflow. When processing a delivery, the system creates a “metadata fingerprint” of the file and sends it to the cloud for validation against the delivery specification. This minimizes the data transfer necessary to check the file and moves validation out of the client into the cloud. If the file conforms to the assigned specification, then the transfer or automated process is allowed to continue. If it does not comply, a description of noncompliance is returned, and users are allowed to retry.

“With reported file rejection rates as high as 50 percent, the challenge and costs of managing file conformance has led media companies to tackle this complex problem in myriad ways — with marginal success. Despite best efforts, existing approaches remain highly labor-intensive and error-prone,” said Rick Clarkson, vice president of Product Management for Signiant. “Our technology addresses the direct impact that the front end of the supply chain can have on the back end from business efficiency and cost perspectives. What we have built will help customers manage the volume and complexity of multiplatform delivery specifications in a more efficient, automated way.”