LANCASTER, Pa.—At Take One Productions, we’ve been producing professional video content from Lancaster since 1984. What started as a corporate video company has grown into something bigger, especially in our work creating long-form commercial spots for the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB), and in 2023, when we took over full broadcast operations for the Pocono Television Network (PTN).
PTN is a 24/7 television network available on streaming, over-the-air and cable. Designed to promote the Pocono Mountains region, PTN presents original segments like “Pocono Perspectives” and “Pocono Mountains Magazine,” local weather, live webcams and features on small businesses and regional events. Since its inception in 2017, the network has gained significant traction, quickly outgrowing the capabilities of its original distribution provider.
More Than Playout
To support this growth, we needed a platform built for demanding broadcast television operations. Our checklist included a playout system that managed ingest, media storage, graphics and master control, all while delivering scalability and rock-solid reliability. And because our studio is in Lancaster and PMVB is two hours north in Stroudsburg, it had to be cloud-based.
All these requirements led us to Imagine Communications’ Versio fully integrated on-prem and cloud playout system with the Versio Control configurable master control dashboard.
We reviewed a lot of playout systems and most felt bare-bones. But when we saw Versio in action, we immediately knew it was different—providing a fully integrated, cloud-capable playout system that could do everything we needed and more. We didn’t want a system we’d outgrow in a year; we wanted something we could build on, and Versio has proven to be exactly that.
Today, Versio is the engine behind PTN’s master control. We’re using the Versio Control dashboard to switch between live production, clip-based feedback and live weather from the Poconos area. In addition, the dashboard plays a critical role in our workflow. Before we go live, we check the interface to confirm that everything is properly synced and running as it should. That final verification step is essential—and Versio has become our go-to tool for ensuring broadcast continuity.
No Downtime
Not only has Versio been incredibly easy to operate, its reliability has been exceptional. In more than two years of continuous 24/7 broadcasting, we haven’t experienced a single minute of downtime due to a system failure—that’s virtually unheard of in this industry. On the rare occasions when we’ve had a question or issue, Imagine’s support has been outstanding. We open a ticket and within minutes, we’re on a live call with a team that resolves the issue right then and there.
With the Versio platform’s scalability and cloud capabilities, we’ve extended PTN’s reach far beyond what was possible just a few years ago. We’ve expanded from a handful of local cable systems to nearly a dozen across Pennsylvania. We stream live and on-demand content to major streaming platforms, and we’ve also added over-the-air broadcasting in six markets—with more on the way.
For a regional tourism network, that kind of reach is a major step forward. And as we look at future possibilities such as launching a second PTN channel, we know we have a platform that’s ready to grow with us.
More information is available at imaginecommunications.com.
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