Solutions of the JC System Integration Company

By Vladimir Zontov

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

The JC System Integration Company carries out the system engineering for video production and broadcasting in two directions: own complex solutions and solutions on the basis of which it is possible to design and made the studios including the equipment of different manufacturers.

Complex solutions

Already more than six years “JC System Integration” is designed the systems for automation of broadcasting. All over again it were different devices with control from the remote network workplaces. But during the last years the basic idea of designing is the maintenance of a full cycle of production in the uniform hardware-software environment. A nucleus of system is the flexible database of video server AutoPlay. The full information about scenes and cassettes, descriptions of scenes (with time-code and number of the cassette for repeated digitization), off-the-air schedules and their condition, advertising assemblies, the graphics and titles, off-the-air plans, the information about users and so on is stored in a database. Access to a database is possible from any workplace from a local network. It is carried out according to the rights of each concrete user. These rights are set by the manager individually and precisely allow to differentiate the opportunities of each user first of all concerning to the database modification. Besides the special utility regularly allows to make a backup copy of the data for protection in case of hardware failure. The module of operation with database may be easily started on several network workplaces and represents the global video archive of broadcasting company with the information about all cassettes (storages) and scenes and an opportunity of flexible search and sorting of results.

Scenes are stored on the separated storage. It may be a local disk array with interface SCSI or Fibre Channel. For acceleration of access to the data from network places and unloading of Ethernet and system bus of a video server the workplaces, the most critical to stability of data streams, may be incorporated in SAN (Storage Area Network). Operation in system of automation of broadcasting AutoPlay begins with the material digitization. It can be carried out in several ways.

Digitization to the server

The source of video is connected directly to the video server input, and capture of video material over time (recording of transmitted signal) is made, with control over RS-422 or IEEE 1394 (if the VTR is used as a source) or manually if recording is carried out from the uncontrolled tape recorder, from studio, from direct translation etc. Access of the digitization operator to video server directly is not required, as any digitization type may be started from a network place at presence of the appropriate user preferences. During digitization to the server the files are immediately recorded to its disc array.

Import from the system NewsBaseDV

The system of operative editing NewsBaseDV allows to operate with video sources over IEEE 1394 and also to use the database of video server for search and incorporation of scenes in the edition project. Besides on an editing line it is possible to open the whole assemblies (sequences of scenes with the input/output points for each of them). However network opportunities of NewsBaseDV are not limited by supply of the server materials: the ready project may be not counted simply in a separate file, but can also be exported directly in a database of a video server. And for inclusion of such editing project in a play list (for example, during preparation of news program) it is possible to not wait the termination of editing, as the air can be planned beforehand, and for “hot” events it is enough to insert “empty” projects which will be prepared in process of receipt of materials from correspondents. Work NewsBaseDV can be carried out both with the local storage, and with the video server array, and the flexible mechanism of warning reading and buffering is completely smoothed the irregularities of Ethernet operation.

Besides the files may be prepared at any system of nonlinear editing and be imported to the video server directly from the editing workplace. For compatibility with the video server codec it is possible during assembly of the editing project in one AVI file simultaneously to count it into compatible codec. If it is impossible or undesirable, under the import to the system AutoPlay there is an opportunity of “in passing” conversion to the necessary format.

By preparation of off-the-air schedules and assemblies any scenes and the graphic elements of appearance contained in the database as that already have a video file on the server, and those which digitization did not begin yet or carrying out at present may be used. For exception of collisions on air there is a powerful mechanism of planning and notification.

The basic module of AutoPlay system is the off-the-air module. One of its basic features is in that work with it is under construction on technology of the thin user, that is on a workplace from which the start and the control of the air is made, the program interface is only processed, and execution of the programming part is carried out into video server. In the case of such realization any failures over control workplace or network are not reflected in any way in performance of the basic system function — the off-the-air module even “will not notice” it. After elimination of problems the air control can “be picked up” from the same workplace or from any other computer.

Operation with off-the-air module NewsPlay

Under operation in the operative editing system NewsBaseDV, along with the habitual tracks — video, audio, and graphics — there is the special track with the text. During editing under the announcer text the text is displayed directly on an editing line. And layout of words on a track is set automatically according to the reading speed of concrete TV announcer. The editor gets rid of necessity constantly to listen the audio track for the conformity of video row to the announcer text. Besides, now the editing can be carried out at all without announcer track (for example when there is no time for recording or if at this moment the announcer is busy). After termination of editing such project without the calculation may be transferred as a single file directly to the video server PlayBox VS-4000 under the control of the off-the-air module NewsPlay. If editing have been carried out on the basis of the original files located on video server this operation occupies a fraction of a second then the scene may be issued in the air. Content of the textual track is simultaneously displayed in the window of NewsPlay module, and color of the text varies like karaoke. The text may be used by station program operator for the control of the air or may be displayed on the prompter in the case when the editing have been made without recording of the announcer voice.

AutoPlay-SAN

The following step of development of the broadcasting infrastructure is became the updating of AutoPlay system for operation in SAN. Functionalities of AutoPlay-SAN are similar to the general AutoPlay, but the opportunity of spacing to different network places not only the video server control modules, but also hardware components have appeared. Heart of system — a database — may be located on the allocated server inside SAN, and input/output channels can be placed on video servers PlayBox VS-4000. In the case when these video servers will be more than one, they will be controlled as a single unit. For example, let’s consider the following figure. The uniform database operates by three servers connected to the general disc array.

VS-1 — the basic off-the-air video server (one input channel + four output channels). It is used for broadcasting by four channels accordingly to four time zones, and as for recording from the air and from studio (including TimeDelay function).

VS-2 — the video server which is at the disposal of news service of the TV channel and is used for the news issues by NewsPlay system, and also graphic prompts and threshings, including the full-screen graphics with the key-signal output. As source systems can be used both the VTRs and the systems of multicamera shooting and TV repeats TimeNRunner or LivEdit (system of editing of the air programs). The general internal file formats are considerably simplified the operation with such bridge.

VS-3 — the workplace of the input. It is serves for the centralized input of videomaterial in system. Besides video servers, these materials are used on NLE stations, allowing to use working hours of editors more rationally.

Off-the-air modules are connected to the transmitter through the video and audio matrix switchboard controlled by the appropriate program module.

In case of failure of one of video servers the system per few seconds may be re-configurated so that the functions of this video server will begin to carry out a reserve server, or to switch their execution to free channels of the server of news/input. Besides the SAN network allows to decrease the probability of serious failures: all equipment, critical for the system operation, may be doubled in such manner that malfunctions of the switchboard or even RAID-controller of disk array will not result in impairment of serviceability of system as a whole.

At present the full adaptation of AutoPlay SAN for application of normal Ethernet network is completed. Besides the opportunity of full duplication of key system units, including the database server became accessible.

Integrating solutions

The archiving system of broadcasting company “Videoarchive” was initially designed for the solution of highly specialized problems. However with development of functionality it has turned to a powerful nucleus around of which the broadcast complex may be constructed. The open database and the multiuser Web-interface with the unlimited number of network workplaces allow to create a convenient means for maintenance of general database and to assign necessary interfaces for other software. Really, “Videoarchive” is provided with all necessary means for digitization, storage, search and viewing of video materials. There is the realization of the opportunity of the necessary scene choice, and also of the compositing of their sequences, including the assignment of their input/output points. Actually the editing with direct splice is made directly in “Videoarchive” program. It is only necessary to transfer this ready project to the system of nonlinear editing or to video server. Practically all these systems use open formats of projects or play lists, and thus the integration is the simple transfer of the data from one database to another (or, in the case with NLE station, in the project format). In this case it is especially convenient, that “Videoarchive” may contain materials in any format and coded with any codec — for viewing and editing supplies only video of low resolution created simultaneously with transfer of the basic files to the “Videoarchive” storages. It is convenient also that for files in the database their network addresses are stored, that is the storage is not bound to the database server. It may be both a NAS-server and Fibre Channel SAN array, and the solutions based on iSCSI technology that allows an unloading the archive server, having let the video data streams over separate network channels.

With transition to the tapeless technology of storage, content preparation and broadcasting the TV studio steadily turns to the large computer network. At the present almost all broadcasting stages are connected each other over Ethernet, SAN or Internet. Even the shooting equipment — perhaps, the most conservative part of production — gradually migrates from a videotape to computer storages (optical — XDCAM, magnetic — disk recorders, solid-state — P2 and RAM Pack). Thus, the basic stages of work — shooting, editing, the air and storage — smoothly leave the video path and become a component of a global network. In the near future, with transition to digital broadcasting, a unique analog part in a chain from shooting up to the TV set in the house the short distance from photosensitive matrix to the AD camera coder is remained.

All other components will be a part of the real digital network!

Material provided by the JC System Integration Company