EVS XTract User Manual Version 1.01

User’s Manual

Version 1.01 - January 2011

Backup and Restore Software for XTnano Servers

XTract – Version 1.01 – User’s Manual

EVS Broadcast Equipment – January 2011

COPYRIGHT

EVS Broadcast Equipment – Copyright © 2010-2011. All rights rese rved.

DISCLAIMER

The information in this manual is furnished for informational use only and subject
to change without notice. While every effort has been made to ensure that the
information contained in this user manual is accurate, up-to-date and reliable,
EVS Broadcast Equipment cannot be held responsible for inaccuracies or errors
that may appear in this publication.

IMPROVEMENT REQUESTS

Your comments will help us improve the quality of the user documentation. Do not
hesitate to send improvement requests, or report any error or inaccuracy on this
user manual by e-mail to [e-mail]

Issue 1.01.A

.

REGIONAL CONTACTS

You will find the full list of addresses and phone numbers of local offices on the
EVS website, on the fol lowing page: http://www.evs.tv/contacts

USER MANUALS ON EVS WEBSITE

The latest version of the user manual, if any, and other user manuals on EVS
products can be found on the EVS download center, on the following webpage:

http://www.evs.tv/downl oadcenter

I

Issue 1.01.A XTract – Version 1.01 – User’s Manual

EVS Broadcast Equipment – January 2011

II

XTract – Version 1.01 – User’s Manual

EVS Broadcast Equipment – January 2011

Issue 1.01.A

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... III

1. OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................... 1

2. INSTALLATION ........................................................................................................ 2

3. NETWORK ARCHITECTURE .................................................................................. 3

4. SOFTWARE INTERFACE ........................................................................................ 4

4.1 THE BACKUP WINDOW .............................................................................................................. 5

4.2 THE RESTORE WINDOW ........................................................................................................... 7

4.3 THE ABOUT WINDOW ................................................................................................................ 8

4.4 ALERTS AND MESSAGES .......................................................................................................... 9

III

XTract – Version 1.01 – User’s Manual

EVS Broadcast Equipment – January 2011

XTract is an interface software dedicated to the backup and restore of clips from
or to one or several EVS video servers (XT[2], XT[2]+, XS, XTnano). XTract
manages the backup and transfer of all clips that have been marked as “to
archive” by the operat or.

This manual describes the configuration interface, which is easy to use and
straightforward.

XTract acts as a user interface for the background running XTAccess file transfer
application. XTract sends its commands to XTAccess using the LinX protocol.
Please refer to the XTAccess documentation for detailed instructions about this
application.

Issue 1.01.A

1. Overview

1

Issue 1.01.A XTract – Version 1.01 – User’s Manual

EVS Broadcast Equipment – January 2011

2. Installation

The XTract user interface application must be installed on the same computer as
the XTAccess file transfer application. The XTAccess application is dedicated to
XTract and cannot be used by any other application.

The XTract setup launches the XTAccess installation only if no XTAccess is
installed or if the already ins talled XTAccess version is lower than the new one.

XTAccess is restricted to file transfer with wrapping when required but cannot
perform any format transcoding. The available wrappers are:

o QuickTime Reference
o QuickTime Movie
o MXF OP1a
o MXF EVS
o Avid MXF OP-Atom

XTract is able to commun icate only with one single XTAccess applica tion installed
on the same computer, but it manages the backup and restore of files from and to
multiple XTnano, XT[2]/ XT[2]+ and/or XS servers.

As only one XTAccess application is used, only one XML Unit is defined by default
for the communication between the XTract and XTAccess applications using the
LinX protocol. XTract creates xml files corresponding to the backup and restore
jobs requested by the operator and drops these files in the XML Unit folder.
XTAccess regularly pools this folder and executes any available job described as
an xml file.

2

XTract – Version 1.01 – User’s Manual

EVS Broadcast Equipment – January 2011

3. Network Architecture

XTract is installed on the same computer as an XTAccess application. XTract is
the interface application used to manage the backup and restore functions.

The files to be archived and restored are located on one or several XT[2]/XT[2]+,
XS and/or XTnano servers and stor age units connected to the same network.

Two networks are used for the various communication and the transfer of files as
illustrated. Physically, these networks can be one and the same or separate for
the sake of performance:

o The MTPC network is used to detect XT[2], XT[2]+, XS and XTnano servers,

to identify them, and to transfer the list of clips to be backed up.

o The HCTX network is used to transfer the clips data between the XTract and

XTAccess computer, the XT[2], XT[2]+, XS and XTnano servers and the
storage unit.

Issue 1.01.A

XTract

XTAccess

(MTPC)

HCTX (+ MTPC)

Gigabit Ethernet

MTPC

HCTX

MTPC

HCTX

Video Feeds

Video Feeds

Storage

or

Apple

HCTX

3

Issue 1.01.A XTract – Version 1.01 – User’s Manual

EVS Broadcast Equipment – January 2011

4. Software Interface

The XTract software interface is made of a simple window as illustrated with the
following items. Each item opens a specific window that is described in this
chapter.

1. The BACKUP tab.

2. The RESTORE tab.

3. The About button.

4

XTract – Version 1.01 – User’s Manual

EVS Broadcast Equipment – January 2011

4.1 THE BACKUP WINDOW

The BACKUP window is open by default when you launch the application.

Issue 1.01.A

The window is divided in four panes:

Server Visibility

This pane displays the three families of EVS video servers which can be seen by
XTract: XT[2]/XT[2]+, XS and XTnano. Select one or several server types you want
to appear in the backup server s list.

Select backup servers

This pane displays a list of all available XT[2]/XT[2]+, XS and XTnano servers
found on the network after a dis covery process. This list is based on the selection
made in Server Visibility.

5

Issue 1.01.A XTract – Version 1.01 – User’s Manual

EVS Broadcast Equipment – January 2011

At any time, you can refresh this list and start a new discovery process, by
clicking on the Refresh List button.

Once the list is displayed, select all servers on which you want to perform a
backup. Thus, all files tagged as “to be archived” by the server operator will be
copied to the storage unit.

Browse or type destination folder

This pane displays the destination folder (server on the network, disk and folder
on this disk) for all files that are going to be backed up.

You can either enter directly the path to this directory or browse to it using the

Browse button.

Choose File Format

Select the format of the backup file among the available formats. Please note that,
in an XTract system, XTAccess does not perform any file format transcoding.

6

XTract – Version 1.01 – User’s Manual

EVS Broadcast Equipment – January 2011

4.2 THE RESTORE WINDOW

Issue 1.01.A

The window displays only a Server Visibility pane and a Select restore servers
pane, which is similar to the one in the BACKUP window.

Server Visibility

This pane displays the three families of EVS video servers which can be seen by
XTract: XT[2]/XT[2]+, XS and XTnano. Select one or several server types you want
to appear in the restore servers list.

Select restore servers

The pane displays a list of all available XT[2]/XT[2]+, XS and XTnano servers
found on the network after a dis covery process. This list is based on the selection
made in Server Visibility.

At any time, you can refresh this list and start a new discovery process, by
clicking on the Refresh List button.

7

Issue 1.01.A XTract – Version 1.01 – User’s Manual

Once the list is displayed, select all servers to which you want to restore backup
files.

By default, the restored files are sent to page 6 on the destination server.

EVS Broadcast Equipment – January 2011

4.3 THE ABOUT WINDOW

This window displays the following i tems:

o The XTract application version.
o A link to this User Manual in digital format.
o A list of EVS technical support mails and phones if you need further

assistance with this product.

8

XTract – Version 1.01 – User’s Manual

EVS Broadcast Equipment – January 2011

4.4 ALERTS AND MESSAGES

The following alert and messages may be displayed in the BACKUP and the
RESTORE panes:

Alert Description

The server had been detected but is not

A server name is displayed in red

Message Description

“XML Unit not accessible” The XTAccess application is not started

available anymore (for example due to a
connexion lost).

and running.

Issue 1.01.A

“Destination not reachable”

The backup folder located on the remote
storage unit is not accessible (for example
due to a connexion lo st).

9

EVS Broadcast Equipment

Liège Science Park

16, rue Bois St Jean
B-4102 Ougrée
Belgium

Corporate
Headquarters

[phone]

North & Latin America
Headquarters

[phone]

To learn more about EVS go to www.evs.tv

Asia & Pacific
Headquarters

[phone]

Other regional offices
available on

www.evs.tv/contact