Automation of broadcasting: DIP solutions

By Alexey Sobolev

Review contents:

Network solutions in TV production Network solutions of company Avid for broadcasting and video production Automation of broadcasting: DIP solutions Networking for live television production Solutions of the JC System Integration Company VSN — all in one Network disk arrays of company Maxtronic Network file-based broadcasting with On-Air Central Video server The tvSuite as the output module of system for organization of the off-the-air broadcasting built with application of network technologies Network solutions for program-making on the basis of Pinnacle Liquid systems Network production from Sony Network solutions Vectorbox

DIP Company is the system integrator offering for the market the designing and assembling on a turn-key basis of TV automated complexes on the base of own elaborations. The important step in this direction became the creation of the multipurpose broadcast video servers DVS series and the program module systems for control of devices of the complex.

Automation of broadcasting may be realized by some stages. The first and most important of them is a choice and installation of broadcast video server. The basic features which are carried out by broadcast servers of DVS series from DIP Company are the following:

• Automatic air playback of materials under the schedule with a wide set of functions on editing of sheet executed and events contained in it, including adjustment of clips, editing of the mark “out” of the event reproduced in the air, removal, insert of new lines, emergency transition to the execution of any chosen event, opportunity of cyclic playback of the clips;
• Recording (digitization) of materials which is carried out simultaneously with process of playback in the air and is not depend from it. The feature allows to carry out the delay of the air (Time Delay), thus functions of editing of the executed schedule allow operatively to cut the just recorded material, to delete the fragments which are not representing interest, and to insert new lines. In a result the application of one video server allows practically completely and in automatic mode to form the regional air with beforehand verified inserts of own advertising, program and inter-program blocks;
• Import of media files over local network simultaneously with processes of recording and playback. DVS server of each model is provided with the network interface 1000TX. Support of import of the most widespread file formats AVI, MPEG, WAV, files of static graphics is realized. Any video server is provided with support of algorithms of compression DV25, MPEG-2 P@ML 4:2:2 I-frames, MPEG-2 MP@ML, M-JPEG, MPEG-4. At import of files the function of background code conversion of files in a format supported by hardware platform of video server automatically becomes more active;
• Creation of viewing copies (Proxy) under recording and import of materials. During preparation of off-the-air schedules the function makes possible the joint network job of several user stations with the server. Reversal to media data of low resolution practically does not load a network and allows to network users to look through and edit materials in a separate window of the graphic interface on the screen of PC monitor with CIF resolution (360×288). For Proxy the compression MPEG-4 with adjustable bit rate in the range 100…4000 kbit/sec is used;
• Compositing, editing, import of files of sheets of recording and playback from MS Exel forms, automatic generation of files of reports about the executed off-the-air events.

The structure of the software of video servers DVS includes tools of control of the built-in database. Any operation of creation, removal, moving, editing of materials of broadcast and viewing quality on inquiries from user workplaces is passed over database. It excludes the direct access of users to the server file system. Basic object of database is the clip as the reference on media file, thus the unlimited amount of clips may refer to one media file. Clips are provided by the following attributes seen to the user:

• Name of the clip (Title);
• Value of time-code of original point;
• Timing;
• Date and time of creation;
• Type;
• Comment;
• External key (Ext. ID).

Server database provides to the user the services of search and sorting of clips according to their attributes, and also the navigation inside a clip according to key frames (markers). The attribute “External key” is intended for communication of external production divisions with database.

The software of user part of video server consists from several components incorporated by the common environment of user interface Air Manager. The user interface may be expanded both as in a single, and a dual-monitor mode.

Basic components GUI Air Manager are Media Browser, Monitor, PlayOut, Record, Key Frames, Jobs windows. The size of windows, their mutual position, language parameters, parameters of fonts are configured by users over a wide range.

Window Media Browser is intended for control of content, stored on the server disk array. In the window as icons the clips and their attributes are displayed, the functions of creation of folders, moving of clips between folders, their search and sorting are realized. The functions Backup and Restore for backup copying of media and metadata to external media are stipulated. Having chosen the clip in Media Browser window, it can be reviewed in the adjacent window Monitor and also to put in the schedule line and to reproduce in the air by simple movements of the mouse.

Window Monitor functions irrespective of channels of the server recording and playback, preliminary allows to overlook the proxy-copy of material and to edit it. The following functions are realized:

• Viewing of a clip with soundtrack, adjustment of viewing rate, frame-by-frame playback;
• Assignment of points in/out, including points out for a clip which is on air;
• Formation of new clip-clones and their addition in window Media Browser without mediafile copying;
• Clip cutting according to the cursor position on two separate clips;
• Arrangement of markers for convenience of the subsequent navigation;
• Display of the marker positions over Shuttle line, scaling of visible Shuttle area for convenience of editing of long materials.

In Key Frames window the icons of frames which were marked with markers during recording or viewing of the material are displayed. In Jobs window the list and the current status of execution of the media file import/export tasks is displayed.

PlayOut window displays the list of the tasks prepared for playback. For each channel of the server playback the separate PlayOut window is formed. In the line with a off-the-air event the following features are specified: the clip name (Title), group to which the clip belongs, the type of start, current and residual timing of event, number of cyclic repetitions of the clip in a line. The task such as start of each event in the schedule is possible: manually (Manual), under GPI signal, in specified time (Hard Time), automatic execution of a sequence of events one after another (Sequence).

In the down part of window the overall, current and residual timing of the off-the-air schedule is displayed. The user may insert or remove the lines, except a line what is in process of execution. In sheet placed event moves apart or replaces, according to the choice of the user, preliminary allocated lines.

The minimal timing of event is one frame, under condition of overall duration of any two adjacent events not less than 2 sec.

Record window displays the list of events for the recording channel of video server. Each line of the recording schedule is provided with various start types, the function of batch digitization of materials from tapes is realized, VTR control is carried out through the ports COM and IEEE 1394.

The recorded clip becomes accessible to viewing and editing in 55 seconds after the beginning of recording, however its playback may be started in 30 seconds after the beginning of recording.

Control of execution of sheets of recording and playback is carried out from the general Top-menu of the application which contains the following commands:

• Pretake — preparation of event for execution;
• Play — start of playback;
• Rec — start of recording;
• Pause — suspension of playback of executed event;
• Skip — emergency transition to execution of the following event in the schedule;
• Jump — emergency transition to execution of any preliminary allocated line in the schedule.

The Top-menu also contains the function of synchronous start of several playback channels of the server.

For video servers DVS there are some versions of configurations of disk systems storing the media data. The base configuration contains the built-in RAID with SCSI interface, or SATA by volume 0.5 TB, that allows to store about 40 hours of content. Connection of external disk systems, including NAS arrays is possible, allowing to organize recording and playback of content over network.

There are more than ten different hardware configurations of video servers of DVS series, basic of which are given in the table.

Configura- tion	Number of recording (W) and playback channels (R)	Hardware PC platform	Board/ interface of input- output	Built-in disk array	Types of input signals	Types of output signals
DVS 2D12	1W+2R (simultane- ously)	2×2800 Intel Xeon CPU	Matrox Digiserver DSDTI 2/25	SCSI RAID-0/5, 511 GB	SDI, SDI Embed- ded, AES/EBU	slave SDI, SDI Embed- ded, AES/EBU
DVS 1D1/1	1W, or 2R (switched modes)
DVS 1×1/1	1W, or 1R (switched modes)	2800 Intel Xeon CPU	Matrox RT.X100	SATA RAID-0/1 500/250 GB	composite PAL, audio analogue asymmetrical
DVS 1F01	1R		Darim Vision FD300		-	slave analogue component YUV, composite PAL, audio analogue symmet- rical/ asymmet- rical
DVS 1E01			IEEE 1394		-	stream DV25 over IEEE 1394
DVS 2EF11	1W+1R (simultane- ously)	2×2800 Intel Xeon CPU	IEEE 1394 on recording, Darim Vision FD300 on playback		stream DV25 over IEEE 1394	slave analogue component YUV, composite PAL, audio analogue symmet- rical/ asymmet- rical
DVS 1E11			1 port IEEE 1394 on recording, 1 port IEEE 1394 on playback			stream DV25 over IEEE 1394

Video server DVS may be used as the storage of off-the-air materials at their preliminary digitization from tapes or during import of files some hours before planned playback of materials in the air. It allows ensuring of the automated formation of the most part of the off-the-air program.

Special interest is the automated system in which functions of control by whole equipment of the off-the-air complex are realized: channels of playback of video servers, VTRs, matrix switchboards, program mixers, keying equipment.

The main principles basing the DIP solutions are the following: modularity, sharing and scalability. This approach enables an operative configuration of program modules of the control system according to the coordinated hardware base of the complex with an opportunity of its changeability and expansion.

For control of all devices of the automated system in DIP solutions the local network Ethernet 100TX is used, thus the connection to the network of the devices which are not having own ports (VTRs, switchboards), is provided with hardware servers of devices Ethernet — RS-232/422. Thus, the identification of any device in system occurs according to IP-address and number of IP-port. The architecture of the system of the automated complex control is given by the figure.

Control of devices is carried out from the computer with the server program modules installed which structure corresponds to the hardware configuration of the complex. Each server component is defined the connection with the certain device of network and operates by it. The centralized distribution of commands to control server components is carried out by the key program module such as the server of automation (Automation Server), and it, in turn, is defined the connection with user application Air Manager.

Besides above mentioned functions this application is provided with service of control by execution of off-the-air schedules. Contrary to the sheets of playback, they provide with additional attributes for each event allowing to set an off-the-air source (Live, VTR, DVS, appropriate to inputs of the matrix switchboard), to appoint the types (Cut, Mix), rate of transition and to specify a condition of each DSK layer (up to four). On the basis of the information contained into lines of the off-the-air schedule, the algorithm of control by devices of the complex during execution of the sheet is formed. It is loaded into Automation Server module which distributes the commands to server modules, and they in turn — to executive devices.

Besides of already familiar Air Manager, a line of service user applications allowing to operate by complex devices manually, remotely, from user PCs is designed:

• Live Panel — emulation of the panel of the off-the-air mixer (Master Control Switcher) on the screen of the monitor of user station;
• RT User — control of the condition of matrix switchboards with functions of creation of layers, blocking of outputs, keeping of switching circuits;
• VTR Ctrl — remote control by VTRs.

All applications have a set of “hot” keys that allows to connect the widespread USB-control panels to workstations.

The software of video servers DVS and components, forming the automated off-the-air complex, is in constant modification in view of the user and potential consumer opinions. One of priorities is the expansion of the nomenclature of used video cards, interfaces of input/output and protocols of control by devices at keeping of the common concept of control and the user interface.

Material provided by DIP Company