Case Studies
Princeton Server Group
Chariot helps Princeton Server Group gain competitive advantage by using Ruby on Rails
PSG's Business Challenge
As a leading - and still emerging - provider of digital media server technology for smaller community, government, and education broadcast outlets, PSG addresses the ongoing challenge of empowering and modernizing these smaller broadcasters in a highly competitive market. With the broadcast television arena quickly evolving and embracing technologies such as high-definition television (HDTV), video on demand (VOD) and "telco TV," the need to transform station operations to digital workflow is more urgent than ever.
Bringing these small- to mid-sized stations into the future, however, can be prohibitively expensive and resource-intensive. PSG video server technology enables broadcasters to bridge their disparate technologies such as legacy analog tape decks and newer digital streaming video servers.
The user interface to PSG's family of digital media servers allows programmers to control a range of basic programming functions. With the introduction of a new line of digital video servers with additional features, however, the company realized the need for new levels of functionality, simplicity, and access. PSG turned to Chariot Solutions to develop a new user interface to complete a true "TV station in a box" environment for its broadcaster clientele.
Dynamic Framework Streamlines Development
Considering the pace of change in the broadcasting industry, the Chariot development team immediately understood that the new PSG server front end would need to be highly extensible to accommodate additional interfaces, functions, and technologies. Minimal configuration and ease of deployment were also key considerations. PSG needed to get the new front-end to market quickly in order to maintain competitive advantage, so the project's code-test cycles had to be very fast.
To address these considerations and ensure rapid development of a robust interface, Chariot selected a relatively new development language and framework, Ruby on Rails for the project. With its quick development cycles, Ruby on Rails simplified the development process, and allowed for many more functions to be included in each iteration of the project than could be achieved with any other development platform.
As the application took shape, the Chariot team provided regular updates to and solicited feedback from the PSG team. The expressive nature of Ruby on Rails enabled the PSG staff to readily review new features and functions and understand the system's operations.
The resulting application, accessed by PSG customers via secure Web interface, incorporates a host of new graphical features that allow programmers to monitor media server status, handle all configuration and administrative functions, manage programming content, and view and coordinate program scheduling - all remotely. Among the most appealing and convenient of the new features is a drag-and-drop programming capability. Whereas the previous interface required users to manually enter program titles in a form, the new front end allows station personnel to visually populate the program schedule and simultaneously update the station's master schedule.
The modular nature of the new application allows the PSG team to easily incorporate additional rules and functions. Ruby on Rails also provided the capability to employ a Domain Specific Language - allowing the PSG team to put together and run tests using familiar syntax based on terms and functions germane to their market.
Empowering Broadcasters, Building for the Future
By relying on Chariot Solutions to develop a new integrated broadcast automation and content management solution, PSG was able to focus internal development resources on the ever-evolving needs of broadcasters.
Chariot's expertise in rapid development using a wide range of tools and platforms enabled the team to evaluate the scope of the project and identify the optimal tool set to best address PSG's requirements.
Early in the engagement, Chariot realized that Ruby on Rails was the ideal tool for the development of PSG's new interface. By enabling rapid code-test cycles, and providing an extensible, modular platform that readily accommodates additional functionality, the new broadcast automation and content management application enables small to mid-sized broadcast to compete at a higher level.
Partnering with Chariot enabled PSG to get the new system to market faster, and maintain its competitive advantage in a wildly competitive and technology-driven market.
