CROSSPOINT: an unstoppable evolution at the crossroads between the Broadcast and the OTT platforms

Two years after the European specialist ES Broadcast I decided to trust the potential and experience of Crosspoint, the distributor, service provider and integrator addresses a present marked by the convergence of technologies, a renewed role in the Spanish industry and the commitment to accompany each client in the achievement of their objectives during planning, execution and post -sales support.

Founded in 1993, Crosspoint has overcome its three decades of life fully aware of the new challenges facing the sector media. With an initial role overturned to the Broadcast industry those technologies that redefined television in Spain, in The last five years The company has faced a deep transformation. This has been marked, how could it be otherwise, for the future of the market and technology, but also for deep structural changes.

The most important has been the Company acquisition On the part of Es Broadcast, a global group that has provided their experience, synergies and resources at the right time: a transition, subtle but crucial, in the operational focus and strategic of the company. And, to the role of Crospoint as a valued value distributor - backed by large brands such as Grass Valley, Riedel Communications o Ross Video-, a renewed ambition of Accompany the client in overcoming each of its technological and operational challenges. It happens in the same way with Cross -media, Crosspoint digital division centered on the OTT universe. In it, solutions prepared for present and future challenges developed by partners as relevant as Fastly, Guest o Brightcove among others.

In the words of Víctor García, general director of Crosspoint: “Beyond having all the knowledge and mastery of the solutions of the brands we distribute, and accompanying the client in the presale phase, we turn to his deployment and its post -sales support. To achieve this, we invest in Equipment to give the best support service; We continue certifying us and sending our staff to the headquarters of the brands to be at the forefront of knowledge, and We expand our portfolio to improve the offer we offer to each of our clients. ”

A renewed office for a new stage

Advancing in this new phase of transformation, the crosspoint team made the decision to give a Giro de 180º A on site and bet on a new location and disposition of space. The goal? Create a more open space and close to the current operation of the company, promoting Reflection, Analysis and Collaboration.

The office, luminous and large, is structured around a room central in which crosspoint professionals can work together in their numerous projects. Likewise, as satellites of this axis, auxiliary and equally multidisciplinary space are distributed in which it is possible to maintain Meetings one-to-one realize collective training sessions.

From its nine headquarters, located in the Legazpi area, in Madrid, the new Crosspoint office looks at the future without losing sight of a legacy marked by great projects and professionals who left an indelible mark on the audiovisual industry. One of them is Ricardo Cuenca, previous chief of technology, who died last April and who had the admiration and respect of the entire profession, as well as the love of everyone who met him.

In this sense, Garcia comments: “It occurred to us that the best way to honor him was to baptize the Meeting room, more bright and prominent point of the new office, with its name. Also, as great conversationalist and argument That it was, we understand that a meeting room, where ideas, arguments and reflections are faced, is the most appropriate space to honor its figure. It was a real pillar of the company and is still very present for all of us. ”

The search for the avant -garde in crosspoint

The evolution of Crosspoint is inevitably linked to that of the world Broadcast. The needs of broadcasters They are modified, and New technical developments They allow to imagine convergent, relocated and scalable business models that need to be approached transversely to take all their advantages. In this regard, Crosspoint advances by leaps and bounds on multiple fronts, but without losing perspective: the needs of the client and its accompaniment to Short, medium and long term They continue to guide the day to day of their operation.

In this way, the company is prepared to address the different opportunities of the Broadcast universe, as explained Ricardo Casanova, Sales Head. The implementation of projects in the cloud, software business models (SaaS), The transition to infrastructure models IP o The consolidation of environments UHD They begin to occupy much of the agendas of the project teams, and CROSSPOINT is prepared to put their knowledge and Engineering equipment at the service of each challenge.

"Under our vocation of distributor of High added value, based on long -term relationships, we offer our clients a presale centered on their needs and, if they allow us, the Cooking of your projects”, Says Casanova, responsible for a team of professionals who puts the industry a“deep knowledge of the solutions we distribute ", as well as their" ability to perform internally developments that offer new specifications, completing the integration of new products with those that the customer can already have inside their home. ” difference And it brings great value to the products ‘out of the box’”, Underline the sales chief.

With regard to avant -garde platforms, CROSSPOINT is erected as partner certificates of GV-ampp, of Grass Valley, the most advanced and complete Broadcast ecosystem of the market "based on software applications that, as Casanova remarks," we have already implemented and we are managing in first level customers. " Likewise, the firm has incorporated the "intuitive and innovative" direct production solutions and average intake of SimplyLive, of Riedel, thus responding to the production demands demanded by their customers.

Without giving up their recognized impulse in cameras, top -level mixers and other production and infrastructure equipment, Crosspoint is also focused on the promotion of graphic and robotic solutions, especially in the hands of the hand of Ross Video. "Both lines come to perfectly complement our porpholio," says Casanova, who also highlights the role of the company as a distributor of optics and PTZ cameras by the hand of Canon. “We can also offer native IP/UHD processed solutions based on software and run on FPGA accelerating plates Arkona-Manifold. And, to all this, we can add the repurchase and supply options used and Exdemo with access to a Great material stock, many times practically new, ”he explains.

Crossmedia, the ambitious digital aspect of crosspoint

Born to respond to the challenges of the Digital Convergence From television, Crossmedia, Crosspoint digital division focused on the OTT world, has established itself in the market accompanying companies in their digital transformation processes. Deeply aware of the transformation of spectators consumption habits, in which applications live with the most traditional channels, the Crossmedia team has accumulated a deep background that allows it to position itself as one of the most experienced companies in the Spanish ecosystem.

Content distribution, application development, implementation of AI tools or CDN management They require deep knowledge to accompany the user throughout their route. That particular trip, including the monitoring of its activity or the Personalization of your experience, leads much of the purpose of a crossmedia that observes how this know-how It also benefits multiple owners of content away from the middle sector: from sports clubs to cultural organizations.

“Launch a service OTT For a television, it is not only a technological challenge, but also a rectum To adapt the available means and be able to set up a New puzzle. And, in Cross -media, we are specialists in each of the pieces that make up this particular puzzles. ”

All these agents need a detailed service that allows them to exploit their full potential, and the Crossmedia division, led by Jorge Frías, continue advancing with the firm purpose of translating Challenges on opportunities In this effervescent area, as full of opportunities: “It is a reality that televisions have become applications, and this fact has a great impact in the way in which it is distributed, consumed and interacts with the content. rectum To adapt the available means and be able to set up a New puzzle. And, in Crossmedia, we are specialists in each of the pieces that make up this particular puzzles. ”

For Frías, the main value of Crossmedia lies in being specialists in the integration of OTT platforms for Broadcasters and other content owners with a "AGNICAL SPIRIT” very fragmented ecosystem Regarding the number and typology of devices in which these applications are displayed, while working on the User experience customization.

“For this, many of the solutions that we are implementing in our clients are based on the use of the IA, which is emerging as the authentic disruptive factor globally for the coming years. For this reason, it is essential to reflect on the transforming power of artificial intelligence, its application in our sector and Regulatory challenges that entails for the entire industry, ”says Frías.

A promising future and two great universes

The double slope of crosspoint, from the transformation of the more traditional broadcast to the good number of opportunities appeared in the digital field with the irruption of the OTT channeled with Crossmedia, represents a source of Shared knowledge own of two universes in convergence. In current retransmission environments, both aspects are feedback, sharing from business models to Technological developments.

“This knowledge of both worlds allows us to face projects in a very Holistic. We support each other between departments to choose the most appropriate path For the client. In a very humble way, we dare to say that it is a Highly differential value proposal in the market ”, transferred Víctor García, who also underlines the company's efforts within the scope of the Cybersecurity: "In that sense, we have also dedicated great efforts to obtaining certifications such as the National Security scheme, which allows us to face current projects with all the required solvency."

As well as Transform the audiovisual industry, the evolution of crosspoint does not stop. Technology structures the progress of the environment, but it is the thorough knowledge, the Personalized attention, he accompaniment and the experience what can transform an idea into a fully transformative reality.

With this philosophy as a backbone of his business, Crospoint is aware that he is touring the right way to continue accompanying each client in each project. As shown, the great challenges he has undertaken in recent times: from the development of the recommendations system for RTVE Play, until the update of the news set of Mediaset Spain, going through the supply of the equipment of videomarker graphics in the renewal of the stadium of a Great Soccer Club, as well as the delivery of the routing, intercom systems and mixing video of the latest mobile units of RTVE.

To continue helping the industry to achieve each and every one of its objectives, CROSSPOINT has recently incorporated great professionals as David Medina, of broad and recognized career in the commercial area of ​​different manufacturers and Broadcast integrators, which adds as commercial responsible for large accounts, or Jordi Mangas, with high knowledge of medium industry and technology, and that, together with Jorge Polvorino, también de dilatada trayectoria profesional desarrollada en UK, lideran el departamento preventa & tecnología del área broadcast. Asimismo, la entrada de Raquel Serrano, With remarkable background in the audiovisual and streaming field, leads the ambitious digital projects that are undertaken from Crossmedia.

All of them join a young but highly capable and experienced team, composed of other pillars of the company as César Rojas, Daniel Villar or Marga Maristegui; that lead, respectively, the areas of engineering and support, digital technical management and administration.

As well as Transform the audiovisual industry, the evolution of crosspoint does not stop. Technology structures the progress of the environment, but it is the thorough knowledge, the Personalized attention, he accompaniment and the experience what can transform an idea into a fully transformative reality.