VECTORBOX 6000 Quick User’s Guide Introduction VECTORBOX is a highly flexible broadcast system designed to cover every playout need in today's broadcast facility. The system provides master control room automation with a built-in video server and character generator and handles playout and ingest of content from video server as well as satellite, VTR and studio. VECTORBOX is the ideal solution for all kinds of broadcasters including local, cable, satellite, music, news and barker channels. Like other Vector 3 products, VECTORBOX is constantly undergoing development according to the changing needs of over 500 existing VECTORBOX clients and an ever more demanding broadcast industry. Configurations VECTORBOX systems are available in a variety of configurations for different applications and formats. VECTORBOX 8000 is a high definition SDI playout system with a maximum of one recorder channel and one playout channel per chassis. VECTORBOX 6000 is SDI only and is available as a recorder with a minimum configuration of 2 ingest channels and as a playout with up to four playout channels per chassis. V-BOX News is an SDI manual playout for live and news environments with the ability work in A/B roll with or without an external vision mixer as the system includes a range of transitions. Other features include journalist assignment, text field exportation to a prompter with read rate calculator, group event management and status colour coding of all events. VECTORBOX systems are multi-codec and handle a wide range of compression formats including: DVCAM, DVCPRO, DVPRO50, DVCPRO & uncompressed as well as MPEG-2 IBP and I-frame. These compression codecs may also be mixed in the same playlist. Ver 4.06 – 04-06 1 Components and Architecture VECTORBOX consists of the following component parts: Hardware platform with storage – VECTORBOX uses the best open server platform available, based on the Matrox range of multi-channel broadcast video boards for both video and audio compression and graphics. The platform is open so a variety of approved off the shelf storage can be used. V-SERVER – This is the VECTORBOX video server application and controls the video board. V-SERVER is controlled by the following clients: VECTORBOX Playout Client – This controls playout of all content as well as controlled graphics overlay. VECTORBOX Recorder Client – Is used for simple and batch recording content from VTR, satellite and other video sources. Each VECTORBOX system also includes a device server for controlling routers and VTRs. System architecture is highly flexible so control clients can be installed on separate workstations on the LAN for extra redundancy. VECTORBOX 6000 can be built around a LAN or FC network and can play clips directly from a central storage in both cases. Complimentary Products The following software products for use with VECTORBOX: Imagena – This graphics package consists of a graphics template and crawl editor so you can create dynamic graphics with text, animations and crawls and to get the most from VECTORBOX graphic capacity. MediaCopier – This software manages network bandwidth and file formats over your LAN, allowing you to choose the NLE you need and enjoy all the benefits of a fast and safe tapeless workflow. Autovia - This redundancy watchdog software monitors VECTORBOX systems and in the case of failure, guarantees instant, automatic switchover to a redundant system with the absolute minimum of airtime lost. V-BOX Traffix is a cost-effective, easy to use SQL based media asset management solution, and offers VECTORBOX customers powerful management covering of all key operational areas including programme scheduling, browsing, traffic, advertising, sales and rights management. DVDigest allows direct ingest of media from decrypted DVDs to VECTORBOX as data files. Features include batch mode, NTSC to PAL conversion as well as re- encoding to adapt GOP structure and screen size. Other VECTORBOX playout systems include: VECTORBOX Tatamia is a fully integrated playout system for enhanced and interactive TV applications including TV-chat, SMS and Music-Jukebox channels. Ver 4.06 – 04-06 2 VECTORBOX Tatamia interfaces directly to SMS gateways and gives fast and dynamic results. Ver 4.06 – 04-06 3 VECTORBOX Playout Opening VECTORBOX V-SERVER and Device Server start up automatically when the computer is turned on. The user can check the presence of these icons in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. To open the VECTORBOX recorder and playout client, go to the program option of the start-up menu. Other clients such as CG Template Generator and CG Crawl Editor should be started separately and can be prepared as a desktop element for this purpose. V-SERVER and Device Server clients are designed to be in the background and once opened, do not need to be altered during normal everyday use. When we open the VECTORBOX Playout Client, we are presented with the Entry Window. Disk information This indicates space remaining. Housekeeping of disks is made easier as VECTORBOX is equipped with purge tools to allow the user to set an expiry date on all media and purge the disk of all media where one of the three vital parts is missing – The AVI, video clip, WAV audio file, BXX meta data. ‘View’ drop down menu Manual device controls – These individual device control interfaces allow you to control all VTRs switchers and other devices manually and override the automatic control as part of the VECTORBOX playlist. CG control – This manual CG controller allows you to carry out on-air titling for news and sports. Server status window - This indicates the status of the video server and all devices ¡n the workflow (routers, VTRs etc.). Double click on any device to view the manual control interface for this. Warning list – This indicates when there are any problems in the scheduled playlist, such as gaps and overlaps and missing media. Ver 4.06 – 04-06 4 Options available through the ‘View’ menu VECTORBOX Playout Interface VECTORBOX playout interface consists of a number of windows, each with a different function. Each system includes a dual VGA output so the playlist schedule can occupy a window of its own with the other control windows appearing in the second monitor. The main windows are the following: Playout Manager – This is the playout schedule and main interface with the operator. The Catalogue – This reflects the D drive of the catalogue where all clips and graphics are stored and dragged and dropped into the playlist. Switcher and VTR controls – Manual Control Interfaces that allow the user to manually control all devices in the workflow from the playout client. CG Console – Module for insertion of on-air graphics in real time. Clock – Synchronised with the PC clock and the system schedule. VU Meters Server status window – Gives us an oversight of the state of the server, which cartridges are in play or inactive etc. Warning list – This warns the user of possible problems in the playlist on-air, such as gaps, overlaps in the scheduling and missing media. Ver 4.06 – 04-06 5 VECTORBOX playout interface with the Playout Manager and Catalogue The Catalogue The Catalogue is a simple tool for organising and accessing media and other files in the VECTORBOX playout storage. The Catalogue is made up of real windows folders and contains all the content the operator will wish to access, as well as VECTORBOX Events – live lines, satellite lines and VTR lines for inserting material into the schedule from different sources. VECTORBOX works with simple drag and drop functionality and all clips and other events are inserted into the schedule by this method. You can use the catalogue folders to build any tree structure you want, including subfolders and designate any name you need. For more complex scheduling needs, our V-BOX Traffix software provides full media asset management and if required VECTORBOX is able to integrate with any third-party scheduling software. Ver 4.06 – 04-06 6 The Catalogue Window Typical folders and files The Catalogue provides simple access to the following files: Clips: These may be dragged and dropped straight from the catalogue into the Playlist Manager and saved as playlists as required. CG Templates: These graphics templates are created on our Imagena CG Template Editor software and then may be easily inserted into the schedule and into individual clips. CG Pages: As with templates, these graphics events are created using Imagena and inserted into programming. CG Crawls: This folder contains 32 bit logos created with our Imagena CG Crawl Edit SW. These can also be dragged and dropped into the playlist. Ver 4.06 – 04-06 7 Saved Playlists: For previously compiled and saved playlists. Rec Lists: Previously compiled and saved recording lists (For batch ingest) VECTORBOX Events Folder This folder is the means by which VECTORBOX manages feeds from different sources and automatically remotes equipment. VTR line The material inserted into the playlist is from a VTR source (VECTORBOX can control 4 VTRs and two switchers) and will be based on the TC in and out input. When VECTORBOX comes to play this event, it will rewind the selected VTR to the TC in and remote the switcher if necessary. Live (Studio) lines Live lines are for importing material from an external or live source or studio. Unlike other VECTORBOX events, a live line features manual exit by default, this is necessary as live slot durations often differ from the programmed duration. With live lines, the event will continue in playout until the ‘Next’ button is pressed. When VECTORBOX comes to a live line, it controls the switcher and the remaining in line time value clock begins to count backwards. When a live event overruns, the clock counts forwards and the time value appears in red.