We’re looking for someone with solid Windows and SQL IT experience to assist and troubleshoot customer installations, handle incoming customer support requests (email/phone), and assist the sales team with technical support. Optimally, the right candidate will have some dev experience (.NET preferred), and can provide white-box or black-box testing support. Familiarly with media formats (i.e. H.264, MPEG-2, MXF) is a plus.

The number one thing we’re looking for in a candidate is enthusiasm for the role. We need someone who brings a lot of energy to the position, enjoys communicating with customers, can clearly document and discuss customer issues with the development team, and is anxious to learn more about the media and broadcast industry.

We are only looking for local (Seattle/Eastside) candidates, because of the constant knowledge transfer that’s required.

Responsibilities:
– Provide technical support to RadiantGrid’s sales channels (partners) and RadiantGrid’s sales team to enhance their ability to generate sales of products and related professional services.
- Effectively communicate our products’ capabilities to our customers, by phone / email / web conferencing.
- Report, accurately diagnose, & help solve customers’ problems using our products.
- Answer customers’ product questions.
- Assist software development team with usability testing, and simulation of customer workflows.
- Maintain customer relationship management (CRM) system with accurate support data.

Qualifications:
– Excellent interpersonal and customer relationship skills required.
- Windows system administration experience required. (Windows 2008 and SQL preferred)
- Must think, write, & speak clearly.
- Excellent analysis skills with both technical & non-technical problems.
- Ability to solve customers’ problems correctly & creatively.
- Software development experience preferred. (C#/NET preferred, C/C++, Java OK)
- BS degree in technical field &/or MCP certificate preferred.
- Video and/or audio post-production, editing, or cinematography experience preferred.
- Experience with Avid Media Composer, Apple Final Cut Pro, Pro Tools, or media asset management systems a plus.
- Training experience a plus.

As one of the country’s largest broadcasters of English- and French-language pay and specialty television services, Astral operates, on its own or with partners, 20 television services, including The Movie Network/HBO Canada, Family Channel, Playhouse Disney Channel, Viewer’s Choice PPV. Processing such large amounts of content at Astral’s facilities required a means of converting files quickly and efficiently. RadiantGrid’s TrueGrid transcoding technology proved to be the perfect solution, allowing Astral Television to support multiple parallel workflows, which are used to convert the organization’s archive and production formats (GXF with Dolby E, Avid dnx, etc.) to a variety of different formats for the various file-based delivery chains.

“Online and VOD are becoming a normal part of the workflow for broadcasters like Astral, and as a result, they are going to require software able to handle the conversion for various, audio, video, closed captioning and associated metadata formats as quickly as possible,” explains Kirk Marple, president and chief software architect, RadiantGrid Technologies. “RadiantGrid prides itself in being able to offer its users the broadest range of file support available – making it an ideal choice for a situation such as this.”

RadiantGrid’s TrueGrid transcoding technology allows users to transcode files faster than other platforms. It accepts many media archive essence and ingestion container formats, including Avid DNxHD, Avid IMX50, MPEG-2 Long GOP, GXF and MXF Op-Atom and Op1a. From any of these container formats, RadiantGrid can deliver content to broadband, mobile, cable and broadcast formats and standards such as Microsoft Silverlight (VC-1), H.264, CableLabs 1.1 MPEG-2, QuickTime DVCPRO-HD, Flash On2 VP6, 3GPP and the Apple iPhone.

In addition to offering decoding support, Astral also has plans to add RadiantGrid’s GXF and Dolby E encoding options to its workflow so that the company will be able to convert files to GXF and Dolby E formats directly from post for on-air playback from Grass Valley K2 video servers. Also on the audio front, Astral plans to implement the Linear Acoustic module for Radiant Grid, which will provide a full range of file-based audio processing, such as dialnorm/compression profile adjustment and upmix/downmix.

Originally developed by Grass Valley and SMPTE, GXF (SMPTE 360M) files allow for the transfer and archiving of HD Video content throughout a file-based workflow and can be used with Grass Valley K2 Summit™ and K2 Solo™ servers as well as legacy products. Through their work with MOG Solutions, RadiantGrid will now be able to offer its users full support for closed captioning and AFD (Active Format Description) data within GXF files, for those users looking to work with GXF files throughout their workflow. Being one of the only transcoding software developers on the market to offer GXF VANC (vertical ancillary data) and AFD support, RadiantGrid users will now be able to have all transcoding processes performed within one platform.

“RadiantGrid aims to have the broadest range of support for closed captioning and ancillary data in the industry today, across the widest number of formats and the widest range of video servers,” explains Kirk Marple, president, chief software architect, RadiantGrid Technologies. “With Grass Valley’s GXF being such an industry standard and customers requesting support of VANC within GXF for use with their Grass Valley media servers, it was important for us to be able to offer these capabilities within our transcoding platform. This addition allows users to not only transcode from GXF file formats, but convert files to GXF using RadiantGrid’s TrueGrid™ faster than real time transcoding.”

MOG was selected to include the GXF VANC multiplexing support that RadiantGrid required as it is one of the only companies to have developed a licensable GXF Software Development Kit (SDK) on the market. This helped to streamline the incorporation of GXF transcoding into the RadiantGrid Platform.

“MOG Solutions shares RadiantGrid’s goal of helping to increase productivity in file-based workflows, so working together to implement closed captioning and data GXF support into the company’s platform was an important and innovative project to participate in, proving MOG’s know-how and experience as a world supplier of GXF development tools.” says Vitor Teixeira, Sales and Marketing Director, MOG Solutions.

“We are happy to have worked with RadiantGrid to offer GXF support within the company’s transcoding platform,” says Tim Slate, director of product development at Grass Valley. “Along with GXF, our servers also support a broad range of file formats including MXF Op1a, QuickTime, and soon to be released support for AMWA AS-03 MXF. With the implementation of GXF support into the RadiantGrid Platform, users will have their choice of formats to work in when utilizing Grass Valley servers as part of their workflow.”

Scheduled for Thursday, April 8, at 11:30 a.m. in the MGM Grand hotel, the joint presentation will describe the two companies’ research into the benefits and ROI of applying SSD (solid-state disk), SATA, and SAS storage technologies to grid transcoding. Aine and Marple also will outline a set of best practices developed to guide deployment of transient, ingest, and archival media on the most appropriate storage technologies while meeting the bandwidth needs of grid transcoding.

“Transcoding and media workflow technologies are typically deployed on commodity hardware, networking, and storage infrastructures,” said Aine. “However, because of the high parallelization of the grid transcoding approach, standard networking and storage infrastructures cannot support the cumulative bandwidth requirements of the transcoding processes. Our aim with this presentation is to illuminate how select storage technologies can be leveraged by content owners and producers to support intensive grid-based processing — and their attendant bandwidth requirements — within highly efficient media workflows.”

With more than 20 years in the industry, Aine is an expert in the design, development, and delivery of high-performance storage area networks (SANs), distributed file systems, and other advanced storage and processing solutions for the broadcast and media industries. Prior to founding SAN Solutions, he served as product manager and business development manager at MountainGate, creating the CentraVision™ product line that eventually became Quantum®’s StorNext®.

Marple has more than 20 years of experience in the software industry. He currently is responsible for the RadiantGrid™ Platform’s vision, strategic business development, and product development. He earlier was a co-founder and chief software architect at Agnostic Media.

Information about systems from SAN Solutions is available at http://www.sansolutions.com, and information about RadiantGrid solutions is available at http://www.radiantgrid.com.

As a sub-project of PBS’ Next Generation Interconnection System (NGIS), the Non-Real-Time Program File Delivery Project (NGIS-NRT) will allow member stations to receive programs as files. Currently, stations are receiving programming in real time via satellite. In 2010, PBS is beginning a phased roll-out of its NGIS-NRT system to approximately 180 licensees.

Due to the variation in video servers at the stations, PBS requires a means to convert the file delivered by the NGIS-NRT for each station’s server file format. The RadiantGrid™ Platform was selected to handle these conversions.

“NGIS-NRT will help to provide a delivery format to our member stations that is efficient, reliable and flexible,” explains Jerry Butler, senior director, PBS Interconnection Replacement Office. “With each station being an independent entity, and using a variety of equipment, we required a means of ensuring that our file formats were able to play anywhere. RadiantGrid transcoding software has been in use in the PBS Media Operations Center for some time, so it was logical to extend the use of the platform to the NGIS-NRT Project. As part of the total NGIS-NRT System, the RadiantGrid Platform will assure that all stations are able to use the program files that are delivered to them. Their ability to handle Closed Captions was particularly important to our project.”

“When in full production, we expect that the NGIS-NRT System will transmit approximately 40 hours of programming in each 24-hour day,” Butler continues. “Therefore, it is vital that the transcoding engine work faster than real-time in order for stations to have usable files at their locations in time for air. The RadiantGrid Platform’s TrueGrid technology is able to transcode faster than real time, ensuring that our stations will be able to make their deadlines.”

“Our TrueGrid™ transcoding is a great fit for a file-based broadcast workflow such as PBS’ NGIS-NRT System because source content can be transcoded in parallel across all available transcoding resources,” explains Kirk Marple, president, chief software architect, RadiantGrid Technologies. “This offers a quicker means to transcode files while also offering better utilization of the transcoding resources.”

Along with handling transcoding of files, the RadiantGrid Platform has an extended Closed Caption Management layer. The company’s Closed Captioning Management Module can handle a variety of closed captioning formats including SMPTE 436M, SMPTE 360M within VANC data in a GXF container, ATSC EIA-608 and EIA-708 within user data in an MPEG-2 program stream, ATSC EIA-608 and EIA-708 within VANC data in an MPEG-2 transport stream, bitmapped VBI data in the visible video stream, SMPTE 2016 (AFD, Bar Data), CGMS-A, XDS, or reading or writing SAMI and SCC textual formats. This system provides both the capability to extract closed captioning from media sources, and to insert closed captioning back into the transcoded output file.

Swift vTX software provides highly efficient subtitling and caption encoding/transcoding in the file-based workflow of the RadiantGrid Platform, enabling subtitle and caption processing across a variety of output and file formats, including Open, Line 21, DVB, streaming VOD and web formats.

“Incorporating Softel technology enables us to provide the highest level of support of closed captioning and subtitles for international digital distribution. After extensive research of the best technology providers in this space, we concluded that Softel provided RadiantGrid customers the best solutions, which can be integrated into file-based workflows managed by the RadiantGrid Platform.” Said Kirk Marple, President, Chief Software Architect, RadiantGrid Technologies, LLC.

“RadiantGrid has built a powerful solution for the management of media in file-based workflows”, says Sam Pemberton, Softel CEO.  “We’re very pleased to partner with them, providing our expertise in subtitling and captioning to round out their solutions, which in turn maximizes the audience for content providers across a broad range of consumption mediums and formats.”

Swift vTX is the leading software-based solution for encoding, transcoding, extracting and reinserting subtitles, captions and ancillary data on video assets, in tapeless workflows. SD and HD compatible, Swift vTX provides high performance, flexibility, seamless integration with workflow systems and ‘at a glance’ management, while significantly reducing operational costs.

More information on Softel products is available at www.softelgroup.com or www.softel-usa.com and via e-mail at info@softelgroup.com or by telephone at +44 (0)118  9842151 or +1 (203) 354 4602.

More information on the RadiantGrid Platform is available at www.radiantgrid.com and via e-mail at info@radiantgrid.com.

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About RadiantGrid Technologies:

RadiantGrid Technologies is an independent software vendor which develops and markets the RadiantGrid™ Platform – a leading-edge media workflow services platform targeting Broadcast & Cable Operators, Content Owners, Advertising Vendors, Digital Cinema Companies, and User-Generated Content Portals.  The RadiantGrid Platform provides media transformation capabilities including grid-enabled transcoding, multi-format transcoding, multi-track assembly, standards conversion, and closed caption extraction and upconversion, in addition to metadata management, storage management, and media publishing.

About Softel:

Softel is a global leader in key TV and video technologies including subtitling and captioning, interactive TV, MPEG stream processing and multiplexing, opt and ad insertion cuing, and Teletext, delivered through a full range of products, professional services and bespoke development. Based in Pangbourne, near Reading in Berkshire, England, Softel also owns a company in the United States focused entirely on the Americas with offices in Los Angeles and metro New York. The company also has an impressive network of partners worldwide. With almost three decades of broadcast experience, the Softel customer list encompasses prestigious ‘blue chip’ broadcasters, major post production facilities as well as freelancers and smaller facilities.

BETHPAGE, NY — RadiantGrid Technologies, developer of leading-edge transcoding, transformation, and new media automation service platforms, is providing Rainbow Network Communications with a consolidated solution to handle transcoding for the new cable network, MSG Varsity. In addition, Rainbow Network Communications will be using RadiantGrid to support transcoding of proxies and export material from its vast vault of SD content and ever growing vault of HD content.

MSG Varsity is a multi-platform suite of services comprised of: a 24/7 television network, a comprehensive online destination, and a groundbreaking interactive service, all dedicated to high school sports, academics and activities happening throughout the tri-state area. As part of the launch of MSG Varsity, Rainbow Network Communications was looking for a means to transcode content for interactive television, online distribution, and video on demand. RadiantGrid was able to provide a consolidated solution, consisting of the company’s Multiplatform Transcoding and Dolby E Decoding features as well as its Program Assembly Module, for the variety of content conversions for the network.
For MSG Varsity, Rainbow Network Communications will be feeding broadcast source material into the RadiantGrid Platform which will be converted to multiple video formats while concurrently converting Dolby E audio to AC-3 format. In addition, Rainbow Network Communications will be using RadiantGrid’s Program Assembly module to concatenate the program segments together in an automated fashion. In Program Assembly, assets are assembled end-to-end with the audio and video tracks stitched together.

“Rainbow Network Communications is the central facilitation point for programming origination and distribution so we were seeking a solution that would help us achieve true integration and efficiency,” says Steven Pontillo, P.E., senior Vice President, Broadcasting, Information Systems and Technology at Rainbow. “With the RadiantGrid Platform, we are able to run multiple processes under one platform as opposed to having some of the process done offline or in a linear mode. This is helping to streamline our broadcast processes for MSG Varsity, and also helps to archive all of Rainbow Media’s HD and SD content.”

Under the RadiantGrid Platform, users have the ability to concurrently transcode both audio and video source material more quickly than other transcoding products. RadiantGrid accepts many media archive essence formats and ingestion container formats, such as Avid DNxHD, Avid IMX50, MPEG-2 Long GOP, GXF and MXF Op-Atom and Op1a. From any of these container formats, RadiantGrid can deliver content to broadband, mobile, cable, and broadcast formats and standards such as Microsoft Silverlight (VC-1), H.264, CableLabs 1.1 MPEG-2, QuickTime DVCPRO-HD, Flash On2 VP6, 3GPP and the Apple iPhone.

“With broadcast content being transmitted through multiple sources in multiple formats, as seen with Rainbow Network Communications, broadcasters require an efficient and effective means of converting and managing content,” says Kirk Marple, President, Chief Software Architect, RadiantGrid Technologies. “Through the customizable solutions offered by RadiantGrid, broadcasters can consolidate all their processes under one platform, providing a workflow that is truly nonlinear.”

Rainbow Network Communications will also be implementing the RadiantGrid Platform and its TrueGrid Transcoding, Dolby E decoding and Closed Captioning Management features to handle the transcoding of its SD and HD archives. Using the RadiantGrid TrueGrid technology, transcoding HD content is quicker and more efficient because source content can be transcoded in parallel across all available transcoding resources. This process distributes virtual slices of the source content across all available resources and once these slices have been transcoded, they are reassembled to generate the final transcoded file. The source HD content from Rainbow Network Communications is being converted from GXF to H.264. RadiantGrid’s Closed Captioning Management module will be handling extraction of closed captioning from media sources and insertion of closed captioning back into the transcoded output file.

As part of AMWA, RadiantGrid Technologies is working with PBS to enable their file-based non-real-time (NRT) workflow, and delivering files based on the AMWA AS-03 MXF Program Delivery specification to PBS’ Next Generation Interconnection System (NGIS).  AS-03 MXF files are prepared using the RadiantGrid Platform installed at the PBS Media Operations Center (MOC). Via integration with Avid ISIS storage, and using Avid DNxHD 145, Avid IMX50 and Harris Nexio LXF source files, the RadiantGrid Platform transforms the video essence data into MPEG-2, the audio essence data into PCM and AC-3, and the ancillary (closed caption) data into SMPTE 334M and SMPTE 436M VANC structures, which are muxed into the AS-03 MXF container format. These AS-03 MXF files are then delivered to PBS member stations over satellite, using technology from NGIS partners (including BroadView, Myers Information Systems, International Datacasting Corporation, and Signiant).

“The AMWA is pleased to have RadiantGrid Technologies join our organization as an Associate Member,” said Brad Gilmer, the AMWA’s executive director. “With the work being done at PBS to support MXF program delivery through the AMWA AS-03 program delivery specification, it is important to have companies such as RadiantGrid Technologies building AS-03 compatible media workflow services. AS-03 MXF files allow RadiantGrid and other AMWA member devices to interact in a predictable way, whether for transcoding, playout or for other purposes.”

With support for transcoding to and from AS-03 MXF files, RadiantGrid provides interoperability with editing workflows and video playout servers from AMWA members such as Avid, Grass Valley, Omneon, and Harris.

About AMWA:

The Advanced Media Workflow Association is a user-focused industry body dedicated to the promotion, development and adoption of open, accessible standards and specifications relating to file-based workflows (including AAF, MXF and other formats), Service Oriented Architectures, and Application Specifications as they apply to the areas of content creation, production, post-production, rich media authoring, archiving and distribution. AMWA members include Ad-ID, Adobe Systems, Ascent Media, Avid Technology, BBC, Cinegy, IBM, Lifetime, Metaglue, National TeleConsultants, Omneon, PBS, Turner Broadcasting, VCI Solutions, and more.

Visit the AMWA on the Web at www.amwa.tv.

About RadiantGrid Technologies:

RadiantGrid Technologies is an independent software vendor which develops and markets the RadiantGrid™ Platform – a leading-edge media workflow services platform targeting Broadcast & Cable Operators, Content Owners, Advertising Vendors, Digital Cinema Companies, and User-Generated Content Portals.  The RadiantGrid Platform provides media transformation capabilities including grid-enabled transcoding, multi-format transcoding, multi-track assembly, standards conversion, and closed caption extraction and upconversion, in addition to metadata management, storage management, and media publishing.

For more information about RadiantGrid Technologies, visit www.radiantgrid.com.