Video Systems in an IT Environment: The Essentials of Professional Networked Media [Hardcover]

Al Kovalick (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0240806271 | ISBN-13: 978-0240806273 | Publication Date: September 1, 2005

Audio/Video (AV) systems and Information Technology (IT) are colliding. Broadcasters and other AV professionals are impacted by the transition to IT components and techniques. This is the first book to focus on the intersection of AV and IT concepts. It includes technology reviews and the tools to understand and evaluate key aspects of hybrid AV systems. Twelve chapters encompass a broad range of information including: IT integration, AV networking, storage systems, file and metadata formats, software platforms, reliability, element management, security, workflow improvement, AV technology, transition issues, and real-world case studies. Each chapter weaves together IT and AV techniques providing the reader with actionable information on the issues, processes and principles of seamless AV/IT systems integration.

* Explains Tapeless Workflows
* Packed with 225 illustrations
* Supported with 11 Appendixes covering interesting and diverse topics

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A comprehensive book targeting an emerging area of IT. It is well-written and readable, in as far as a practical book devoted to a sophisticated technology can be readable. It should provide a good foundation for both IT and video specialists seeking to enlarge their horizons." - www.theregister.com

This is the book you've been waiting for. Al has the field experience and unique ability to communicate difficult technical issues. Regardless of your AV or IT background, or position from staff engineer to senior technical management, you will find this book an invaluable addition to your technical library.
-- Clyde Smith, Senior VP R&D, QA and Metrics, Turner Broadcasting


IT methods are transforming AV systems. This book is an excellent source for the comprehensive understanding of the important technologies and workflows that are reshaping broadcast's future. If you work with AV systems, this book is the perfect reference.
--John Varney, CTO, BBC

As proprietary broadcast solutions give way to the juggernaut of standard IT based systems, AV professionals need new tools to bridge the knowledge gap. "Video Systems in an IT Environment" provides a sturdy foundation on which to build the skill sets needed to thrive in the present-day digital media ecosystem.
--André Mendes, VP & Chief Technology Integration Officer. PBS

"This is the first book to focus on the intersection of AV and IT concepts. It includes technology reviews and the tools to understand and evaluate key aspects of hybrid AV systems." - SCTE, June 2006

"This is the first book I have seen that specifically covers IT for broadcast video professionals. It is an excellent read." - Brad Gilmer, Broadcast Engineering

This book is timely. It comes on the bookshelves at the right time when many broadcasters eagerly need it. The book provides an excellent guide to the RAID and RAIN storage systems to be used in the studio, and the necessary software systems used (service-oriented applications, middleware, etc). Protection (security) for networked AV systems against viruses, worms, Trojan horses and malware, as well as prevention strategies/tactics, are very well explained.- European Broadcasting Union Technical Review, January 2007

About the Author

Al Kovalick has worked in the field of hybrid AV/IT systems for the past 16 years. Previously, he was a digital systems designer and technical strategist for Hewlett-Packard. He was the principal architect of HP's first VOD server. Following HP, from 1999 to 2004, he was the CTO of the Broadcast Products Division at Pinnacle Systems. Currently, he is a Fellow with Avid Technology. Al is an active speaker, educator, author and participant with industry bodies. He has presented over 50 papers at industry conferences worldwide and holds 18 US and foreign patents. Al has a BSEE degree from San Jose State University and MSEE degree from the University of California at Berkeley. He is a SMPTE Fellow and a life member of Tau Beta Pi.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 600 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240806271
• ISBN-13: 978-0240806273
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,896,789 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Golden Reference for Video and IT Engineers, January 11, 2006

By 

G. Lowitz (CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Video Systems in an IT Environment: The Essentials of Professional Networked Media (Hardcover)

As a professional who serves the pro-video and broadcast market, I've been eagerly awaiting my copy of Video Systems in an IT Environment. I just received my order a few weeks ago from Amazon.com and I've now had a chance to absorb several chapters -- with more to come.

First impressions: Wow! Substantial. Meaty. First of its kind. When you receive this book in the mail, the first thing you notice upon opening the package is the sheer weight and tasteful abstract art on the front cover. This is a hefty 600-page volume packed with hundreds of detailed illustrations and lots of examples. When it comes to understanding principles of modern networked media for video and audio, this Focal Press work deserves a prominent place in any serious video or IT engineer's reference library.

Although this book is oriented towards the professional media or broadcast systems engineer (as opposed to a video consumer building a home media network), the author does a nice job of weaving together the essentials of networked media from "A to Z" including a handy glossary of terms for those of us who can't keep our acronyms straight. I've known the author, Al Kovalick, who's a well regarded figure in the broadcast community. His breadth of knowledge is evident throughout each chapter, yet he writes in a witty, practical style that's both educational and fun to read (including some pretty subtle humor that will make an engineer chuckle). Without sacrificing depth, this book takes a complex technical subject and brings it down to earth, making it suitable even for less technical (but motivated) readers. I like the "It's a Wrap" section found at the end of each chapter that summarizes the salient points of each chapter.

Bottom line, this book is for you if you're seeking a solid overview of key engineering considerations when designing or recommending networked video architectures, including networking fundamentals, virus and firewall protection, video servers, NSPOF (no single point of failure) storage design including RAID and RAIN methods, as well as other innovative architectures. Several real-world case studies complement the teaching benefits including specific examples by leading-edge media companies and broadcasters.

Chapter Highlights:
Networked Media in an IT Environment
The Fundamentals of Professional Networked Media
Storage System Basics
Storage Access Methods
Software Technology for AV Systems
Reliability and Scalability Methods
Networking Basics for AV
Media Systems Integration
Security for Networked AV Systems
Systems Management and Monitoring
The Transition to IT: Issues and Case Studies
A Review of AV Basics

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Order it right now, December 9, 2006

By 

Michael E. Whatley "mewcomm" (altadena, ca) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Video Systems in an IT Environment: The Essentials of Professional Networked Media (Hardcover)

Last year at a Hollywood Post Alliance meeting a senior technical production executive said to an audience of technical professionals, "If you don't have a strong foundation in video, networking and IT....you will not work in our business any longer."

What he was really saying is, go out and get Kovalick's book and read it. And then read it again.

5.0 out of 5 stars A systems integrator from VA, USA, April 10, 2006

By 

System Integrator and Engineer (Reston, VA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Video Systems in an IT Environment: The Essentials of Professional Networked Media (Hardcover)

I liked this book a lot. I am not a video engineer - however, I need high performance hardware and I need to understand how to connect it all. I needed to understand what it takes to put together a networked high performance system of relational databases (emphases on high performance and databases) - SAN's, NAS's, RAID's, etc. This book describes it at the correct level.

I was looking for a general overview of SAN's, NAS, DAS, and other high throughput fast storage and networking descriptions. This book has it without overwhelming you with 8B/10B encoding and modulation nonsense.