The latest ABSolute release is now live! 🥳

In this version we bring you...

Channel Categories

• User defined categories can now be used to categorise Fillers as well as Songs.
• All Channel Categories can now be managed in one convenient category list.

     Check out this handy guide if you'd like some more detail.

More MAM access locations

• Your programme media can now be viewed in two additional locations: the FPC & the Playlist Editor.

Search in Playlist Editor

• All interstitials on the left hand side of your Playlist Editor can now be searched for in the search bar at the top of each tab.

We've also squashed some small bugs as a little bonus, to make your ABSolute experience as smooth as possible.

• The Tickers tab in the Playlist Editor will no longer have fully capitalised column titles for Start and End Date.
• The Programme Category (i.e. Film/Series/Live Performance etc.) will now consistently show up as 'Category' rather than 'Sub-Category'.
• The View All dropdown in the Programmes list will now function for Channels with Rights Management (so long as no filters are selected). If filters are selected it will show up with a lower opacity to signify that it cannot be used.
• Any line breaks in the text boxes of secondary elements will now be automatically removed to avoid later errors.
• The Selected Duration counter in the Playlist Editor will now show up with a lower opacity in the tabs where it cannot be used and the total sum will no longer stay visible after switching interstitial tabs.

All the best,

The ABSolute Team

ABSolute will have planned maintenance on Wednesday 27th November 08:00-16:00 GMT for upgrades and releases of new features.

There will be up to two hours of downtime where ABSolute will not be accessible between 08:00-10:00 GMT.

The latest release notes will be available in the announcements tab. Should you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to a member of the support team.

Thanks!

The ABSolute Team

📈 VOD Ad-Insertion🌟

We can now facilitate the addition of commercials to VOD content for those on the Sky platform.

📺 Platform Integrations🌟

We have completed additional sales house and EPG platform integrations.

📢 Animated Tickers

You now have even more flexibility in how your ticker animates on and off air, including choosing between a fixed or flexible duration.

🔒 Lock/Unlock Multiple Dates

For channels utilising the lock/unlock feature in the schedule list, you can now lock/unlock multiple days at once instead of needing to work on each date individually.

🎵 Link Songs to Programmes

For those with the Jukebox module, you can now link songs to programmes that are outside their rights dates. These will be highlighted in red so that you can easily see which songs aren't currently available.

We have some new features available within ABSolute!

• Animated Tickers - tickers can now animate on and off screen as controlled within ABSolute. Contact our sales team to find out more!
• For Rights Management Channels, you will now be able to request a default view for your Programmes Module
• Improvements to FTP Workflows - contact us to learn more!

Plus some bug fixes have been rolled out...

• Importing an EPG XLS onto a date with a playlist already generated will no longer give inaccurate errors regarding content start times
• Manually scheduled tickers will export in the playlist with the expected filename

Just another heads up that ABSolute will be down for planned works on July 9th 2024 from 0800 BST until 1800 BST.

Although there may not be any visual change in the system, here are the benefits you can expect:

⬆️ Increased System Uptime

😌 Improved Resiliency

🛠️ Upgraded Hardware

🔢 Multi Database System

👨🏽‍💻 Enterprise-Level Architecture

💪 Robust Ecosystem

↪️ Auto-Failover and Recovery

🚀 Faster Upgrades

These improvements will allow you to use ABSolute more efficiently with improved speeds, availability and reliability.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to a member of our team who will be happy to discuss these upcoming changes with you.

Thanks!

The ABSolute Team

🚀 Now Available - ABSolute Advanced Reporting Module!

Tap into the potential of ABSolute BMS with our cutting-edge Advanced Reporting Module!

Effortlessly generate detailed reports for your schedules, complete with comprehensive metadata. Elevate your content strategy and stay ahead in broadcast management.

What Can It Do?

• Generate three user-configurable report types: Telecast, Airtime and Production Type
• Refine your search with more than 20 different parameters to access detailed micro-level information
• Export fully configurable reports with 40+ exportable fields including additional timezones, associated promotional data, cast and crew information, and more
• Enhance your brand with report-specific color palettes
• Automate email distribution to internal stakeholders
• Generate and store templates for swiftly executing crucial reports

 For more information, read up on our  support articles on just how much this module can achieve!

But Wait... There's More!

In our future releases, the reporting module will also be able to...

• Generate PDF exports including graphical representation of data
• Automatically export reports based on a user-configured schedule
• Expanded reporting across content, rights management, graphics, and more!

This flexible report will continue growing alongside ABSolute, adding new features, fields, and search parameters as the entire system expands.

If you'd like a demo of this remarkable new module, simply contact your ABSolute account manager or email sales@abs.tv. They'll connect you with a product expert who can discuss how the reporting module can cater to your specific requirements.

We wish to inform you of upcoming planned works affecting ABSolute. We will be performing system maintenance and upgrades. During this time ABSolute will not be accessible.

For any urgent changes to playlists during this time, please contact mcr@abs.tv and ops@abs.tv. Should you have any questions or require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The latest release notes will be published within ABSolute.

    ABSolute now has a brand new  Ideas Board in which you can submit your Feature Ideas for consideration! This ideas board now makes up part of our Product Backlog, and is a quick and easy way to have your idea reviewed by the Product Team.

From here, you can add your own ideas and also vote on other users' ideas to let us know what you'd really like to see on the system in the future! Unfortunately, it does not guarantee your feature will be built, so if you are passionate about having your idea developed, please contact your ABSolute Account Manager to discuss fast-tracking your feature!

🚀 New Features 🚀

User Permissions

We have added advanced User Permissions into ABSolute to allow control over who can read, write and delete within the BMS, enhancing security and allowing channel admins to have extra control within ABSolute.

Dynamic Promos

Save time and reduce cost with our brand new dynamic promo - with a one-time configuration, ABSolute can dynamically insert the next broadcast date and time of a linked programme into a promo, saving you time and resources.

Advanced Channel Bug Automation

Our updated channel bug automation gives extra control over what content types your channel bugs should play on and when!

Useful Additions

You can now download a blank copy of the EPG or Database import sheets from within the upload xls interface. We have also updated the look and feel of some of our reports to add some colour to the export.

Updated Support Portal

We are very excited to release our updated support portal, allowing you access to support articles and videos, enabling you to get the most out of ABSolute. You can log in using your ABSolute credentials and also use the portal to contact us and raise tickets should you require any assistance.

We have recently released the latest version of our MAM Player, with added bells and whistles!

Within ABSolute TX MAM, you can view programme and graphics content delivered to ABS Playout, set and update timecodes, and mark the exact moment the credits roll to enhance your DVE graphics!

Check out our handy video guides on making use of the TX MAM, and reach out to sales@abs.tv to find out about adding to your ABSolute package!