North Hempstead TV (NHTV), the official local television station of the Town of North Hempstead, NY, upgraded its 24/7 operations with a new server running Windows 11 and the latest PlayBox Neo software. The upgrade gives the Town a modernized playout platform with improved CPU efficiency while maintaining the straightforward workflow its television staff has relied on for the past five years.
NHTV uses its PlayBox Neo Channel-in-a-Box system to provide residents with continuous local programming, including live Town Board meetings, live town news, community events and other government and public-interest programming. Its upgraded system incorporates the latest versions of AirBox Neo for playout, TitleBox Neo for graphics creation, Ingest for live ingest, and ListBox Neo for scheduling.
“After many years of dependable service from our original PlayBox Neo system, it was the right time to modernize our playout infrastructure,” said Alan Ginsberg, Television Producer for the Town of North Hempstead. “The migration to the new server and the latest software was smooth, and we're already seeing improved performance. The reduced CPU usage gives us greater confidence in the system while providing additional resources for future growth.”
The upgrade replaces NHTV’s previous server, which could not be upgraded to Windows 11. PlayBox Neo installed Windows 11 on the new server along with the third generation of its software, giving North Hempstead an up-to-date hardware and software foundation for its around-the-clock broadcasts. More efficient CPU utilization also provides additional system headroom while supporting the reliability required for continuous playout.
According to Ginsberg, the upgraded platform allows the engineering staff to continue operating with the straightforward workflow they’ve relied on while benefiting from the latest optimizations.
“Reliability is everything for a government television station,” said Umberto Mignardi, Communications Director for North Hempstead. “Whether we're airing live Town Board meetings or scheduled community programming, we need equipment we can trust. PlayBox Neo continues to deliver the stability and ease of operation we've come to expect.”
For PlayBox Neo, modernizing the server and software together provides an important foundation for extending the useful life and capabilities of the Town's playout operation.
“North Hempstead is a great example of how an established 24/7 operation can modernize its technology without disrupting a workflow that already works well for its staff,” said Van Duke, Director of U.S. Operations at PlayBox Neo. “Moving to a new Windows 11 server and our latest-generation software gives NHTV a more efficient system with greater processing headroom and a solid foundation to grow in the future. And they get these advantages while retaining the reliability and ease of use they’re familiar with from PlayBox Neo.”
PlayBox Neo solutions are based on modular products and services which can be easily customized to provide the exact capability needed for any scale of channel playout management - from ingest and scheduling through to transmission.