Multichannel system of replies TimeNRunner of company JC System Integration

By Alexey Pavin

Review contents:

Slowly and smoothly… Abekas 6000 MultiFlex server from Accom BLT Video Server: Tools for Sports Controllers from DNF Controls Systems of the slow motion on the basis of disk recorders by Doremi Labs EVS systems of slow motion and reply Geevs V4 Sports II Controllers from Hi Tech Systems Multichannel system of replies TimeNRunner of company JC System Integration Whiplash2 video repliy system from Leitch

Some years the Russian company — system integrator JC System Integration is developed and offered for the domestic market the systems of video replies TimeNRunner for the organization of translations of sport and other mass events.

Today for directors and producers of sport programs, organizers and sponsors of various concerts, show and other events the company offer some versions of this system. The general ideology of work with such complexes is simple and clear, and the interface is evident. And if the system of a younger rank is got so further it is simple to increase it, without teaching again the personnel working on it. First of all the designers were able to obtain such approach (keeping of the uniform working concept) due to valuable and important advices and remarks of experts from leading central broadcasting organizations and sport channels, directors and operators of instant replies, for what the company is extremely grateful to them. It is necessary to emphasize, that the designer is the domestic company JCSI, and its experts not only take into account any constructive offers concerning to functioning of the TimeNRunner systems, but also provide the Russian-speaking technical support, including departure for realization of connection and/or integration of system in a complex of the customer.

Now in the market there are some models of system TimeNRunner where N- is a number of input (camera) channels of recording plus one channel of playback. The number of output channels may be increased. According to the creative aims or available financial assets it is possible to stop the choice on one or multichannel system.

The single-channel system of replies TimeRunner is the first and the simplest system, but the self-sufficient version both for field work on departure, and in studio conditions. It allows to mark interesting scenes without the recording stop, to edit and further to give out them on the basic output in any sequence, simultaneously dynamically changing the playback speed in a range of 0…100% from rating value. Control panel VS-CP, being connected to the system, facilitates the work to those operators who have got used to work with Jog/Shuttle handle and control buttons of studio VTRs, instead of with the keyboard and the mouse of the computer. The single-channel version can be used for replies in studio equipment room during recording of the satellite channel of broadcasting or, for example, in field operation for recording of a program output of the basic video-mixer with distribution on the big screen panel.

Slow Motion control panel

It is necessary to point, that the single-channel, as well as the subsequent multichannel systems of TimeNRunner family, was constructed on the basis of videocard Matrox DigiSuite LE in which the MJPEG compression is used. Application of this card is optimal by some features and also allows to ensure:

• High picture quality due to the work in system of color encoding 4:2:2 (in contrast to DV25 formats: DVCAM, DVCPRO) and variable compression up to 2:1 (as under recording format Digital Betacam);
• Opportunity of simultaneous making the recording and playback on one card;
• Qualitative delay and acceleration of playback of the picture without jerks due to working with videofiles with organization of data structure on fields in contrast to DV25 format where there is an organization on frames. Such structure of a file strongly complicates and limits the realization of fast and smooth slow motions/accelerations;
• Application of the company technology on reading of open videofiles, that is files, which are in recording state that guarantees the large degree of freedom in work with them. As the result the continuity of recording during the reply playback is achieved (for example, the first and while a single child of Sony is the disk recorder for replies DSR-DR1000P allowing to work with files which are already closed. For this purpose the record stopping is periodically required, creating a set of “mini-files” for the further work with them during replies);
• Inputs of component YUV and digital SDI;
• Choice of a lock input: analog Ref In or digital SDI BlackBurst.

The two-channel system of instant reply Time2Runner was created with keeping of a principle of work of the single-channel version. The operator of replies during continuous process of recording on two camera channels marks an interesting scene, from his point of view. This video scene, speaking by terms of editing, has the moment of pressing of the special button — “rejection” of a scene as point of an output, and a point of an input — a preset interval, for example 5 seconds. This interval is set beforehand, prior to the beginning of the translation recording, or may be changed during operating time. The interval may be any on time, as well as value of an increment to input/output points of the marked scene. The opportunity of an increment is used by the operator during editing the “rejected” scene for guaranteed reception by the spectator of the most important highlight of event if the operator had not time to mark or has not seen something interesting, carrying out the previous operation, or that was wanted by the director. We have not any problems: all material is here, in system, is recorded and is accessible to instant viewing and distribution. All marked scenes are presented on the screen of the computer monitor, in the left part of a working zone, as pictograms i.e. the small pictures of the first frame established by default for identification of an interesting scene. This frame typical for the scene can be changed during operating time, as well as the name and the description of a scene. If the marked scene is required to be shown in reply, the operator directs (copies) it in the list located on the right that is in the list of replies. In this list the scenes follow in assigned by the operator any sequence of fragments from the different cameras differed by time of scenes and with various speed. One pressing of the button the list of replies instantly will be prepared for the air transmission: on a command of the director it is necessary to press only Play. If it is necessary, the scene before sending in a list of replies may be edited: quickly to cut a point of an input, to increase a point of an output and pressing of the button to send the edited clip in a list of replies. For convenience it will be reproduced in special central area of a working zone. All operations are carried out quickly, clearly, and the main thing — the necessary result is accessible to everyone. As well as to the TimeRunner system, here it is possible to connect the control panel VS-CP.

After the translation finishing or during a break it may be required a brief “squeezing” — Summary, that is a certain report about recording translation. And here all is near — the selected and shown scenes with comments in the list on the right. If it is needed, there send the not shown scenes from the left list, at desire editing them. The report is ready! If you want — show it in a break to the TV viewer or the spectator on a indicator board of stadium, or use an opportunity to record the report on a videocassette.

Time4Runner GUI

Two-channel system Time2Runner may be applied in conditions of record of two the most important camera channels of translation, and at use of an matrix of preset it is enough to digitize the camera plans of game necessary at present, constantly being switched between them.

But more effective and claimed though and a little more expensive in comparison with the models considered above, there was four-channel version Time4Runner. But this high cost is relative, because the four-channel model JCSI is much more accessible, than EVS, GrassValley or Leitch systems. For the first time shown in autumn of 2003 at exhibition TRBE, the Time4Runner became not only the system of replies for four camera channels, but also some kind of base unit under construction of larger and complicated complexes for work with complicated multicamera systems (from 8 and more) in studios, OBV or mobile out-of-studio complexes for shooting of large-scale sport and mass events — TimeNRunner.

Four-channel version Time4Runner is optimal for work of one person as one operator can control and let out in reply four sources of the information. The further increase of number of channels at one workplace would result in fatigue of the operator.

At keeping of the general working algorithm, as well as in earlier systems, the working interface should be slightly modernized, having raised the working resolution of the graphic screen up to 1280×1024. It became possible due to use of 17" LCD compact monitor.

Operational diagram

Summing up the aforesaid, it is necessary briefly to enumerable the basic opportunities, typical for all types of systems of videoreply TimeRunner from JCSI company:

• Recording of all translation with an opportunity of simultaneous reply playback;
• Separation of the no limited number of the key moments of translation through any channel;
• Opportunity of editing of the allocated moments with exact setting of start and finish marks;
• Operative compositing of assembly of the allocated fragments for distribution in the air at any moment with dynamically changeable rate within the limits of 0…100% from nominal rate without interruption of recording process;
• Opportunity of preparation of intermediate and/or final report about the most interesting moments of translation during recording of the event;
• Preservation of an any sequence of fragments on direct splices as AVI-file for the subsequent editing on the station of nonlinear editing;
• Keeping of reports on the current translation on the recorder on RS-422 interface in Insert and Assemble modes;
• Evident and simple Russian-speaking interface of system with use of pictograms;
• Support of a control panel with Jog/Shuttle VS-CP;
• Work from disk subsystem DriveBox (RAID 0, 1, 5) from JCSI company for recording of the video information with variable MJPEG compression for any number of input camera channels.

Updating of the Time4Runner system became the introduction of several important innovations which were absent in one and two-channel complete sets:

• Keeping of the project for the further work with it, including an opportunity of use in current project the marked fragments from the previous scenes;
• Support of new control panel SlowMoCP with Jog/Shuttle handle in the Sony style and T-bar handle for smooth dynamic change of playback speed of replies;
• Opportunity of the playback speed change both in direct and in the opposite direction at the appropriate choice of a scale in ranges of 0…100% or -100…+100% from nominal;
• Summary (reports) import from the current project for the further work with them inside the new project (presentation of interesting scenes of the previous games, competitions);
• Import of graphic animation files for their use in the current project as advertising thrashing or headbands under replies;
• Export from the current project of files or summary for the subsequent editing in systems of nonlinear video editing;
• Full control of system in an operating time both by adjusted “hot” keys, or by the SlowMo CP panel;
• Adjusted working interface of the program under resolution of the monitor or number of input channels;
• Convenient strip indicator of the current condition of the disk array informing about the rest of recording time at chosen number of input channels;
• Remote control of a list of replies through interface RS-422 from a recorder, controller or other Time4Runner system.

These new opportunities will be shortly transferred in earlier two-channel version of the Time2Runner system. After that the JCSI Company will carry out the free-of-charge software updating for all current users.

Time4Runner system is available in two versions: studio and mobile.

The studio version assumes the presence of two 5U modules and the disk unit. As disk units the certificated DriveBox systems from JCSI Company or similar are recommended them, which should guarantee continuous work of a complex along a whole disk space at simultaneous recording and playback of necessary number of channels and a stream not less than 50 Mbit/sec on the channel. DriveBox unit occupies 4U volume.

A mobile, another version of the system realization is justified in case of small accessible using space and represents the unit by 8U height for Time4Runner and 4U for Time2Runner, switching, that it is important, the integrated disk array. For Time4Runner the size of a disk array may change from 360 GB (4 hours on each channel at a stream 50 Mbit/sec) up to 3 TB (approximately 30 hours on each channel at 50 Mbit/sec).

In all variants of realization (studio and mobile) in standard delivery the complete sets with two or three power supply units with redundancy both for the system unit, as for disk unit (studio variant) are used. In one of versions of realization of studio system and always in case of mobile version is provided the installation of the disks admitting hot replacement for fast change of disks in case of failure. If additional requirements to the system reliability are made then it is completed by hardware RAID-controller of levels 1, 3 or 5.

Standard inputs/outputs of system are analog: component, composite and S-Video. Optionally the SDI-interface is installed.

Fast evolution of computer technologies allows even more often and, the main thing, not to the detriment of quality to replace expensive in operation and the repair, bulky tape recorders disk systems exposed to fast wear, such as TimeRunner. Effective and proved there is an application of such systems both in equipment room of broadcasting organization, and inside a OBV or mobile complexes. Besides economy of a place, decrease of exploitation costs and improvement of quality of the target picture the director receives in the order a set of technical and creative opportunities inaccessible earlier at keeping of presentation in work and comparative simplicity in connection and service. Finally the spectator wins, that, in turn, promotes the increasing of a rating of TV program and a TV channel as a whole.

Material provided by JC System Integration Company