Sourcing key electronic components like microprocessors, semi-conductors and power devices continues to be an issue for vendors across the video industry. These supply chain problems seem to be here to stay for a while at least and are not likely to be resolved soon.
Many vendors have been unable to source components needed to meet orders which is having a knock-on effect on broadcasters who are delaying decisions about ingest or having to find ways to work around the problem.
In a bid to address these issues and continue to meet our customers’ needs, Cinedeck has taken a number of steps:
1-Stocking key components
One thing that we are doing to circumvent these supply chain issues is to stockpile key components to ensure that our production lines keep flowing. We’re not experiencing the same problem as many other vendors because we’ve made sure we have an ample stock of key components so we can continue deliver to order and on time.
Added to that, we’re building in the US so are not struggling with the same supply chain issues as other vendors who are based outside of the States.
2-Cloud solutions offered
Some vendors are opting to remodel their products in order to use different less affected components. We’ve already gone one step further than that and now offer cloud based ingest tools, Capture2Cloud and CD2 Software Ingest, alongside our standard hardware tools. With cloud based tools, there are no hardware/component supply issues as associated with on-site hardware.
Historically, there have been concerns that cloud based ingest produces second-rate quality output to on-site ingest hardware systems. Conversely, far from producing inferior quality content, cloud based ingest now uses broadcast grade tools to maximize quality. Our cloud based ingest systems Capture2Cloud and CD2 are incredibly feature rich and tick all the right boxes. They have intelligent tools for data processing and use a sophisticated file naming convention and make use of metadata. This ensures that large amounts of data can be managed and return on investment is maximized.
CD2 shares the same features as the full range of Cinedeck Ingest Servers but in a pure software solution and Capture2Cloud enables our customers to access all the same features while hosting the Cinedeck instance entirely in the cloud.
Accessibility is another concern cited for not moving to cloud based ingest. Our cloud solutions save both high resolution and proxy versions to the cloud so content can be accessed quickly and easily. This avoids delay and delivers technical advantages in terms of improvements to the editing process.
3-Support workflow flexibility
Not only does cloud based ingest not have the same issues with components as on-site hardware, but it also has a great many other benefits such as improvements to content and workflow management. It is very flexible because its scalability enables vendors to handle data heavy jobs without investing in costly ingest infrastructure. Added to that, when managing ingest systems in the cloud, it becomes easier to integrate with other tools and adapt workflow more quickly. In current times when there is still a level of uncertainty about what is around the corner, the ability to work flexibly is a huge advantage. Cinedeck’s CD2 offers a fully customizable RESTful API makes it simple to integrate with other parts of the production and post-production workflow.
4-Hybrid solutions offered
Where there is a need to retain existing hardware, a hybrid solution may work best. Users of hybrid ingest solutions benefit from reaping the rewards offered by cloud based systems whilst integrating with existing hardware. If you’re considering a cloud based ingest solution, whether for full migration or as a hybrid model, Cinedeck offers cloud based ingest tools alongside hardware ingest tools.
It’s not clear when these supply chain issues may start to lessen but it is certainly worth taking steps now to seek out ways to mitigate the problem. At Cinedeck, we’ve worked hard to develop solutions to help our customers across the video industry sidestep the supply chain issues.
Do you have an ingest need now? Contact us to see if a Cinedeck solution is the right fit for you.
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