Pinnacle Systems iNews Command - 1.1 User’s Guide

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Avid® iNEWS® Command™

User’s Guide

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Avid

Legal Notices

Product specifications are subject to change without notice and do not represent a commitment on the part of Avid Technology, Inc.

The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement. You can obtain a copy of that license by visiting Avid's Web site at www.avid.com. The terms of that license are also available in the product in the same directory as the software. The software may not be reverse assembled and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the license agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any medium except as specifically allowed in the license agreement.

Broadcast Products, including NewsCutter and AvidNews

Avid products or portions thereof are protected by one or more of the following United States Patents: 4,970,663; 5,045,940; 5,267,351; 5,309,528; 5,355,450; 5,396,594; 5,440,348; 5,452,378; 5,467,288; 5,513,375; 5,528,310; 5,557,423; 5,577,190; 5,583,496; 5,584,006; 5,627,765; 5,640,601; 5,644,364; 5,654,737; 5,715,018; 5,719,570; 5,724,605; 5,726,717; 5,729,673; 5,745,637; 5,752,029; 5,754,851; 5,799,150; 5,812,216; 5,828,678; 5,842,014; 5,852,435; 5,999,406; 6,038,573; 6,061,758; 6,141,007; 6,211,869; 6,532,043; 6,546,190; 6,596,031; 6,636,869; 6,747,705; 6,763,523; 6,766,357; 6,813,622; 6,847,373; 7,081,900; D352,278; D372,478; D373,778; D392,267; D392,268; D392,269; D395,291; D396,853; D398,912. Other patents are pending.

This document is protected under copyright law. An authorized licensee of Avid iNews Command may reproduce this publication for the licensee’s own use in learning how to use the software. This document may not be reproduced or distributed, in whole or in part, for commercial purposes, such as selling copies of this document or providing support or educational services to others. This document is supplied as a guide for Avid iNews Command. Reasonable care has been taken in preparing the information it contains. However, this document may contain omissions, technical inaccuracies, or typographical errors. Avid Technology, Inc. does not accept responsibility of any kind for customers’ losses due to the use of this document. Product specifications are subject to change without notice.

The following disclaimer is required by Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics, Inc. for the use of their TIFF library:

Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software [i.e., the TIFF library] and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee, provided that (i) the above copyright notices and this permission notice appear in all copies of the software and related documentation, and (ii) the names of Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics may not be used in any advertising or publicity relating to the software without the specific, prior written permission of Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS-IS” AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

IN NO EVENT SHALL SAM LEFFLER OR SILICON GRAPHICS BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER OR NOT ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE, AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.

The following disclaimer is required by the Independent JPEG Group:

This software is based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.

Adobe and Photoshop are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. Apple and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Windows is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

The following disclaimer is required by Ray Sauers Associates, Inc.:

“Install-It” is licensed from Ray Sauers Associates, Inc. End-User is prohibited from taking any action to derive a source code equivalent of “Install-It,” including by reverse assembly or reverse compilation, Ray Sauers Associates, Inc. shall in no event be liable for any damages resulting from reseller’s failure to perform reseller’s obligation; or any damages arising from use or operation of reseller’s products or the software; or any other damages, including but not limited to, incidental, direct, indirect, special or consequential Damages including lost profits, or damages resulting from loss of use or inability to use reseller’s products or the software for any reason including copyright or patent infringement, or lost data, even if Ray Sauers Associates has been advised, knew or should have known of the possibility of such damages.

The following disclaimer is required by Videomedia, Inc.:

“Videomedia, Inc. makes no warranties whatsoever, either express or implied, regarding this product, including warranties with respect to its merchantability or its fitness for any particular purpose.”

“This software contains V-LAN ver. 3.0 Command Protocols which communicate with V-LAN ver. 3.0 products developed by Videomedia, Inc. and V-LAN ver. 3.0 compatible products developed by third parties under license from Videomedia, Inc. Use of this software will allow “frame accurate” editing control of applicable videotape recorder decks, videodisc recorders/players and the like.”

The following disclaimer is required by Interplay Entertainment Corp.:

The “Interplay” name is used with the permission of Interplay Entertainment Corp., which bears no responsibility for Avid products.

This product includes portions of the Alloy Look & Feel software from Incors GmbH.

This product includes software developed by the Apache Software Foundation (http://www.apache.org/).

This product may include the JCifs library, for which the following notice applies:

Avid Interplay contains components licensed from LavanTech. These components may only be used as part of and in connection with Avid Interplay.

Attn. Government User(s). Restricted Rights Legend

U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS. This Software and its documentation are “commercial computer software” or “commercial computer software documentation.” In the event that such Software or documentation is acquired by or on behalf of a unit or agency of the U.S. Government, all rights with respect to this Software and documentation are subject to the terms of the License Agreement, pursuant to FAR §12.212(a) and/or DFARS §227.7202-1(a), as applicable.

Trademarks

888 I/O, Adrenaline, AirPlay, AirSPACE, AirSPACE HD, AirSpeed, ALEX, AniMatte, AudioSuite, AudioVision, AutoSync, Avid, Avid Advanced Response, Avid DNA, Avid DNxcel, Avid DNxHD, AVIDdrive, AVIDdrive Towers, Avid DS Assist Station, Avid ISIS, Avid Learning Excellerator, Avid Liquid, Avid Mojo, AvidNet, AvidNetwork, Avid Remote Response, AVIDstripe, Avid Unity, Avid Unity ISIS, Avid Xpress, AVoption, AVX, CamCutter, ChromaCurve, ChromaWheel, DAE, Dazzle, Deko, DekoCast, D-Fi, D-fx, DigiDelivery, Digidesign, Digidesign Audio Engine, Digidesign Intelligent Noise Reduction, DigiDrive, Digital Nonlinear Accelerator, DigiTranslator, DINR, DNxchange, do more, D-Verb, Equinox, ExpertRender, Face Robot, FACE ROBOT, FASTBREAK, Fast Track, FieldPak, Film Composer, FilmScribe, FluidMotion, FXDeko, HIIP, HyperSPACE, HyperSPACE HDCAM, IllusionFX, Image Independence, iNEWS, iNEWS ControlAir, Instinct, Interplay, Intraframe, iS9, iS18, iS23, iS36, IsoSync, LaunchPad, Lightning, Lo-Fi, Magic Mask, make manage move | media, Marquee, Matador, Maxim, MCXpress, Media Browse, Media Composer, MediaDock, MediaDock Shuttle, Media Fusion, Media Illusion, MediaLog, Media Reader, Media Recorder, MEDIArray, MediaShare, MediaStream, Meridien, MetaFuze, MetaSync, MicroTrack, MissionControl, NaturalMatch, Nearchive, NetReview, NewsCutter, Nitris, OMF, OMF Interchange, OMM, Open Media Framework, Open Media Management, PCTV, Pinnacle MediaSuite, Pinnacle Studio, Pinnacle Systems, ProEncode, Pro Tools, QuietDrive, Recti-Fi, RetroLoop, rS9, rS18, Sci-Fi, ScriptSync, SecureProductionEnvironment, Show Center, Softimage, Sound Designer II, SPACE, SPACEShift, SpectraGraph, SpectraMatte, SteadyGlide, Symphony, TARGA, Thunder, Thunder Station, TIMELINER, Trilligent, UnityRAID, Vari-Fi, Video RAID, Video Slave Driver, VideoSPACE, Xdeck, and X-Session are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

Footage

Arri — Courtesy of Arri/Fauer — John Fauer, Inc. Bell South “Anticipation” — Courtesy of Two Headed Monster — Tucker/Wayne Atlanta/GMS. Canyonlands — Courtesy of the National Park Service/Department of the Interior. Eco Challenge British Columbia — Courtesy of Eco Challenge Lifestyles, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Eco Challenge Morocco — Courtesy of Discovery Communications, Inc. It’s Shuttletime — Courtesy of BCP & Canadian Airlines. Nestlé Coffee Crisp — Courtesy of MacLaren McCann Canada. Saturn “Calvin Egg” — Courtesy of Cossette Communications. “Tigers: Tracking a Legend” — Courtesy of www.wildlifeworlds.com, Carol Amore, Executive Producer. "The Big Swell" — Courtesy of Swell Pictures, Inc. Windhorse — Courtesy of Paul Wagner Productions.

Arizona Images — KNTV Production — Courtesy of Granite Broadcasting, Inc., Editor/Producer Bryan Foote. Canyonlands — Courtesy of the National Park Service/Department of the Interior. Ice Island — Courtesy of Kurtis Productions, Ltd. Tornados + Belle Isle footage — Courtesy of KWTV News 9. WCAU Fire Story — Courtesy of NBC-10, Philadelphia, PA. Women in Sports – Paragliding — Courtesy of Legendary Entertainment, Inc.

News material provided by WFTV Television Inc.

GOT FOOTAGE?

Editors — Filmmakers — Special Effects Artists — Game Developers — Animators — Educators — Broadcasters — Content creators of every genre — Just finished an incredible project and want to share it with the world?

Send us your reels and we may use your footage in our show reel or demo!*

For a copy of our release and Avid’s mailing address, go to www.avid.com/footage.

*Note: Avid cannot guarantee the use of materials submitted.

Avid iNEWS Command User’s Guide • 0130-07959-01 • March 2007• Created 3/7/08

Symbols and Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

If You Need Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

How to Order Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Avid Training Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Introduction to iNEWS Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Architecture and Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Starting the Client Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

The User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Menu Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Status Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Support Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Main Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Device Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Redundancy/Failover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Non-redundant services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Viewing Status of Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Starting and Stopping Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Working with Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Playlist Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Deleting Items in Inventory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Protecting Items in Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Media Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Displaying Thumbnails in Media Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Playlist Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Types of Playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Overview of Playlist Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Hiding a Playlist’s Playout or Channel Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Channel Groups Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Customizing the Channel Toolbar for Tally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Viewing Playlist Items by Component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Customizing the Playlist Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Customizing the Cursor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Customizing Playlist Clocks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Customizing Columns in Playlist Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Resizing the Playlist Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Displaying Thumbnails in a Playlist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Locking and Unlocking Playlists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Working with Channel Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Locking Channel Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Assigning Channels in Playlist Viewer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Setting the Graphics Environment for a Channel Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Working with Standalone Playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Working with Embedded Playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Editing Embedded Playlists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Using Time of Day Playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Shotbox Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Overview of the Shotbox Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Configuring the Channel Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Customizing the Shotbox Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Customizing the Shotbox Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Customizing the Clocks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Resizing the Shotbox Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Displaying Thumbnails in a Shotbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Creating a Shotbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Deleting a Shotbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Working with Channel Groups in a Shotbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Locking a Channel Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Replacing a Channel Group in a Shotbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Assigning Channels in a Shotbox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Pinning Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Setting the Graphics Environment for a Channel Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

iNEWS Integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Inserting Machine Control Events into Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Using Plug-Ins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Inserting Deko Select Events into iNEWS Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Editing Deko Select Events into iNEWS Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Using CG Title Entry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Template Ratios and Resizing the Title Entry Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

CG Title Entry Informational Graphics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Loading Rundowns to Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Loading and Unloading Playlists from iNEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Duration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Monitor LOAD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Monitor Off and Unload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Event List Queue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Composite Queue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Item Status After Load to Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Changing Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Working with Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Inserting New Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Deleting Stories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Updating Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Editing an Item’s Media ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Rearranging Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Floating & Unfloating Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Playout Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

UI Controlled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Playout Media from Command Workstation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Resolving a Mismatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Disabling the Keyboard at the Command Workstation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

USB Keypad Controlled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Channel-Specific Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

GPI Controlled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Toggling Between GPI and UI Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Icon and Button Quick Reference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Playlist and Shotbox Viewer Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Playlist Viewer Icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Shotbox Viewer Icons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Channel Group Icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Playlist Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Action Quick Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Using This Guide

[This file is the starting point for any new Using This Guide file. Copy it to the appropriate place in your file structure and rename it. Most of the content is conreffed from the using_utility.fm master file, so when any of the boilerplate text changes in that file, it can update in any instance of Using This Guide. You must get the latest version of using_utility and then do InsetPlus > Update All Insets in Document to update the conrefs so their relative path values are correct — see our structured writing documents. You might need to remove some conreffed sections that do not apply to your product — just select the top-level element and delete it. If you have other custom needs and are not sure how to achieve them, talk to a structure committee member.]

Congratulations on your purchase of your Avid iNEWS Command system.

Avid iNEWS Command offers a considerable amount of functionality for the state-of-the-art newsroom, including newsroom system integration and playout control. With Command, newsroom personnel can easily create and manage playlists.

This publication provides information on how to use the Command system.

The documentation describes the standard features of a basic system configuration.

Therefore, your system might contain certain features and hardware that are not covered in the documentation.

Symbols and Conventions

Avid documentation uses the following symbols and conventions:

Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action

A note provides important related information, reminders, recommendations, and strong suggestions.

A caution means that a specific action you take could cause harm to your computer or cause you to lose data.

Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action

> This symbol indicates menu commands (and subcommands) in the

(Windows), (Windows only), (Macintosh), or (Macintosh only)

Bold font Bold font is primarily used in task instructions to identify user interface

Italic font Italic font is used to emphasize certain words and to indicate variables.

Courier Bold font

Ctrl+key or mouse action Press and hold the first key while you press the last key or perform the

If You Need Help

A warning describes an action that could cause you physical harm. Follow the guidelines in this document or on the unit itself when handling electrical equipment.

order you select them. For example, File > Import means to open the File menu and then select the Import command.

This symbol indicates a single-step procedure. Multiple arrows in a list indicate that you perform one of the actions listed.

This text indicates that the information applies only to the specified operating system, either Windows or Macintosh OS X.

items and keyboard sequences.

Courier Bold font identifies text that you type.

mouse action. For example, Command+Option+C or Ctrl+drag.

If you are having trouble using your Avid product:

1. Retry the action, carefully following the instructions given for that task in this guide. It is especially important to check each step of your workflow.

2. Check the latest information that might have become available after the documentation was published:

- If the latest information for your Avid product is provided as printed release notes,

they ship with your application and are also available online. If the latest information for your Avid product is provided as a ReadMe file, it is

supplied on your Avid installation CD or DVD as a PDF document (README_product.pdf) and is also available online.

You should always check online for the most up-to-date release notes or ReadMe because the online version is updated whenever new information becomes available. To view these online versions, select ReadMe from the Help menu, or visit

the Knowledge Base at

www.avid.com/readme.

3. Check the documentation that came with your Avid application or your hardware for maintenance or hardware-related issues.

4. Visit the online Knowledge Base at www.avid.com/onlinesupport. Online services are available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Search this online Knowledge Base to find answers, to view error messages, to access troubleshooting tips, to download updates, and to read or join online message-board discussions.

How to Order Documentation

To order additional copies of this documentation from within the United States, call Avid Sales at 800-949-AVID (800-949-2843). If you are placing an order from outside the United States, contact your local Avid representative.

Avid Training Services

Avid makes lifelong learning, career advancement, and personal development easy and convenient. Avid understands that the knowledge you need to differentiate yourself is always changing, and Avid continually updates course content and offers new training delivery methods that accommodate your pressured and competitive work environment.

How to Order Documentation

To learn about Avid's new online learning environment, Avid Learning Excellerator™ (ALEX), visit

For information on courses/schedules, training centers, certifications, courseware, and books, please visit (800-949-2843).

http://learn.avid.com.

www.avid.com/training or call Avid Sales at 800-949-AVID

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

Avid iNEWS Command is a device automation system that integrates with any iNEWS or MOS-enabled newsroom computer system (NRCS) and provides broadcasters precise control over a range of playout devices, including video servers, still stores, and character generators in a broadcast news environment. Backup services and mirrored playout make this system reliable while the user interface allows you to control multiple production devices. Avid iNEWS Command works with Avid Interplay Framework applications and services to insure you always have the best system

This chapter contains the following main sections:

• Overview

- Architecture and Workflow

- Features

• Starting the Client Software

• The User Interface

• Support Dialog Box

performance.

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

Overview

The basic iNEWS Command system is comprised of iNEWS Command Servers, workstations that run the client software, and devices, such as Avid AirSpeed video servers, Thunder production servers and Deko graphics system. The system is designed to be an extension of your current Avid system. It allows you to receive playlists from Avid iNEWS (or a MOS-based newsroom computer system) while controlling your video and graphics devices, or even create standalone playlists using drag-and-drop functionality from an inventory of media items. The iNEWS Command system supports industry standard protocols that make it compatible with many other products.

For newscast control your iNEWS Command system provides automated playlists, tracks script changes, and automates control of production and playback devices including video servers, and character generators. It integrates with the iNEWS rundown—or any other MOS-enabled newsroom computer system—allowing a producer to change a show while it is on air, and reflecting those changes in their iNEWS Command system. MOS commands are provided so that journalists can use MOS plug-ins within the newsroom computer system script. Production playout devices, including Avid Deko and Avid Thunder on-air graphics solutions and AirSpeed video servers, are triggered based on the events in the rundown.

News graphic and text templates for news elements can include logos and station IDs, lower-third captions or superimposed graphics, and full-screen backgrounds with text. Journalists, using iNEWS newsroom computer system, fill in the templates and insert them into their stories in a variety of ways. For instance, machine control commands can be entered using Deko Select or Thunder Select plug-ins. They can be entered manually or by using a macro, or by using the iNEWS Title Entry tool. They might also include clips and stills in their script by entering the ID of the graphic in the story as a production cue. At air time an iNEWS Command operator triggers the graphics playlist, which is synchronized with the iNEWS rundown.

Architecture and Workflow

Avid iNEWS Command is scalable and can adapt to work in traditional newsroom-based playlist creation to production-centric workflows where running orders are created inside the iNEWS Command playback application. All of the components can run on a single computer, or they can be spread out across multiple computers with redundant services configured to take control if the primary services should become unavailable.

An example of a basic Command system architecture is shown in the following illustration:

Overview

In the most common news workflow, playlists are created using the iNEWS newsroom computer system and the video and graphic assets are referenced in stories using their IDs or by dragging and dropping them from an Active-X plugin, such as Deko Select.

Playlists can be saved to use later, standalone playlists can be created, and multiple playlists can be embedded in a single running order. You can set a playlist to playback at a specified time, or you can set groups of assets within a playlist to play in follow-on

mode.

A basic workflow is shown in the following illustration.

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

Features

The Avid iNEWS Command system provides the features described in the following table:

Feature Description

Playlist Functionality You can load a playlist from the newsroom computer system or create the

playlist manually within Avid iNEWS Command. You can also embed within other playlists. This provides the flexibility to control event playout locally, at the desktop, or from a rundown. It also allows seamless transitions between shows or segments produced by separate editorial teams.

Manual and Automated Triggering

Redundant Failover Mirrored playback allows a single Play command to initiate playback on two

Advanced Playback Feature You can cue items as needed if and when playlists change, and provide

Frame Accuracy Avid iNEWS Command provides frame accurate video playout for

Items can be played back manually by the operator, triggered via GPI, linked with other clips to block play, or—as in the case of time of day playlists—automatically played based on the time of day. This provides total integration with the facility, its systems, processes, and staff.

channels simultaneously for seamless failover. All Command services are redundant.

simultaneous playback while video files are still being transferred, saving time.

follow-on items assigned to the same channel.

Starting the Client Software

Feature (Continued) Description (Continued)

Flexible Device Configuration Actual device channels can be configured into multiple virtual possibilities

through channel groups.

Flexible Integration You can configure the Avid iNEWS Command system to control any

combination of Avid Thunder, Avid AirSpeed, and Avid Deko systems that are operating in an Avid iNEWS, ENPS, or other MOS environment.

User Interface The intuitive user interface provides visual tools, including clocks that show

time elapsed and time remaining, channel assignments for easy identification of transmission paths, and color-coded status indicators that illustrate the inventory of assets based on availability and playability on all devices. This improves operation, reduces training time, and ensures complete synchronization of devices with the playlist

Status Updates The Command user interface reflects playability status of inventory assets;

display of playout and channel group lock status; and status-based colors and fonts for stories and items at a glance. These status updates speed up decision-making saving time, while maintaining accuracy.

Starting the Client Software

Avid iNEWS Command client software requires no password to log in and is easy to start.

To start iNEWS Command at a workstation:

1. Do one of the following:

t Double click the iNEWS Command icon on the desktop. t Click the Start button and select Programs > Avid > Avid iNEWS Command.

The iNEWS Command window opens.

The User Interface

The Avid iNEWS Command window is the graphical user interface that contains panels, a menu bar, a status bar, and a workspace area.

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

Inventory

Menu bar

Panels

Status bar

Playlist Viewer

Workspace

Not pictured is the Shotbox Viewer, which opens in the same area as the Playlist Viewer. For more information, see

“Shotbox Viewer” on page 89. Also not shown are thumbnails in the

playlist. For more information, see “Displaying Thumbnails in a Playlist” on page 69.

Panels

Panels are components that appear in the application and provide information in various ways.The iNEWS Command window contains panels that you can dock, undock, move, resize, or even hide from view. Each panel is easily identified by the name appearing in its title bar.

For more information about the panels, including the Inventory Explorer, used in iNEWS Command, see panel, Playlist Viewer, or both simultaneously. For more on them, see “Playlist Viewer” on

page 51 and “Shotbox Viewer” on page 89.

Menu Bar

The menu bar for iNEWS Command contains the following:

•File

•Edit

“Panels” on page 35. The workspace area contains either the Shotbox Viewer

The User Interface

•View

• Playlist

• Shotbox

•Media

• Tools

•Help

Each menu, its options and descriptions are described in the following tables:

Menu Option Shortcut Keys Description

File New Playlist Ctrl+Shift+N Opens the Create New Playlist dialog box.

Shotbox Ctrl+Alt+N Opens the Create New Shotbox dialog box.

File Import Playlist Imports a playlist to Command.

Shotbox Imports a shotbox to Command.

Export Playlist Exports a playlist from Command.

Shotbox Exports a shotbox from Command.

Exit Closes the Command program.

Edit Cut Ctrl+X Cut selection.

Copy Ctrl+C Copy selection.

Paste Ctrl+V Paste selection.

Delete Delete selection.

View Playlist Explorer Ctrl+Shift+E Displays or closes the Playlist Explorer.

Inventory Ctrl+Shift+I Displays or closes the Inventory.

Shotbox Displays or closes the Shotbox Viewer.

Clock Displays or closes the Clock.

Media Viewer Ctrl+Shift+M Displays or closes the Media Viewer.

Alerts Ctrl+Shift+A Displays or closes the Alerts.

Playlist View Next Ctrl+Tab Displays next playlist

Previous Ctrl+Shift+Tab Displays previous playlist

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

Menu Submenu Menu Option Shortcut Keys Description (Continued)

Set Focus Ctrl+F Sets the keyboard focus to the active view.

Close Ctrl+W Closes the current playlist.

Close All Ctrl+Shift+W Closes all playlists.

Maximize Maximizes the Playlist Viewer.

Playlist Select Next item Ctrl+Down Select next item in current playlist.

Previous Item Ctrl+Up Select previous item in current playlist.

Next Row Alt+Down Select next item in current playlist.

Previous Row Alt+Up Select previous item in current playlist.

Item In

Ctrl+Page Down Select next item after story.

Following Story

Playlist Edit Properties Opens Playlist Properties dialog box.

Edit Selection Ctrl+E Edit current selection in playlist.

Edit Channel Ctrl+* (asterisk) Sets focus to current playlist item’s

Channel column so the user can manually assign a channel.

Edit Trigger Ctrl+/ (slash) Sets focus to current playlist item’s Trigger

column so the user can select manual or follow-on playout. For more information, see “Playout Media from Command

Workstation” on page 141.

Edit Media ID Sets focus to the current playlist item’s ID

column so the user can alter the ID.

Cut Cut selection.

Copy Copy selection.

Paste Paste selection.

Delete Delete selection.

Playlist Show Inventory Ctrl+I Opens the Inventory panel.

Playlist Insert New Story Ctrl+N Insert new story.

New Break Insert new break.

The User Interface

Menu Submenu Menu Option Shortcut Keys Description (Continued)

New Item Insert new item.

Playlist Channels Assign Ctrl+R Assign channel.

Lock All Ctrl+L Lock all channels.

Unlock All Alt+L Unlock all channels.

Add Existing... Add an existing channel group.

Add New... Add a new channel group.

Playlist Playout Cue . (period) Cue media. Submenu options include:

Selection, Selection Cue All Channels, Last Played.

Play Enter Play media.

Pause + (plus) Pause media that is playing. Submenu

options include: Selection and Last Played.

Stop 0 (zero) Stops media from playing. Submenu

options include: Selection and Last Played.

Shotbox View Next Ctrl+Alt+Tab Displays next shotbox

Previous Displays previous shotbox

Set Focus Ctrl+Alt+F Sets the keyboard focus to the active view.

Maximize Maximizes the Shotbox Viewer panel.

Close Ctrl+Alt+W Closes the current shotbox.

Close All Closes all shotboxes.

Shotbox Edit Selection Ctrl+Alt+E Edit current selection in shotbox.

Edit Channel Ctrl+Alt+*

(asterisk on numeric keypad)

Sets focus to current shotbox item’s Channel list so the user can manually assign a channel. This “pins” the channel to that item.

Unpin Channel Alt+Shift+*

(asterisk on

Removes pinned channel assignment from all selected items in shotbox.

numeric keypad)

Cut Cut selection.

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

Menu Submenu Menu Option Shortcut Keys Description (Continued)

Copy Copy selection.

Paste Paste selection.

Delete Delete selection.

Shotbox Show Inventory Ctrl+Alt+I Opens the Inventory panel.

Shotbox Insert Item Alt+Shift+Insert Inserts a new item in a shotbox.

Shotbox Playout Cue Cue media. Submenu options include:

Selection, Last played, or Items 01-12.

Play Play media. Submenu options include:

Selection or Items 01-12.

Pause Pause media that is playing. Submenu

options include: Selection and Last Played.

Stop Stops media from playing. Submenu

options include: Selection and Last Played.

Media Play Ctrl+Space Play media.

Go To Mark In Alt+Q Go to the marked In point.

Go To Mark Out Alt+W Go to marked Out point.

Set Mark In Alt+I Mark the In point.

Set Mark Out Alt+O Mark the Out point.

Forward One Frame Alt+. Move forward one frame.

Forward One

Ctrl+. Move forward one second.

Second

Forward ten

Ctrl+Alt+. Move forward ten seconds.

Seconds

Backward One

Alt+, Move backward one frame.

Frame

Backward One

Ctrl+, Move backward one second.

Second

Backward Ten

Ctrl+Alt+, Move backward ten seconds.

Seconds

The User Interface

Menu Submenu Menu Option Shortcut Keys Description (Continued)

Restart Alt+6 Restart media.

Eject Alt+J Eject media.

Tools Options Opens the Options dialog box. These

options apply to the workstation only and are not system-wide settings.

System Settings Opens the System Settings dialog box.

These settings apply system-wide.

Enable GPI playout Ctrl+G If selected, it enables exclusive use of a GPI

keypad for playout control.

Help Contents Displays help information for users.

Support Opens the Support dialog box.

About Display information about iNEWS

Command.

Status Bar

The status bar provides status information regarding channels and channel groups. It also shows an indication of GPI playout control and the name of the system’s alias.

For more information on the possible icons that appear on the status bar, see “Channel

Group Icons” on page 157.

Whether the status bar appears in the user interface is customizable.

To show or hide the display of the status bar and channels:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box opens.

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

2. In Category, select Status Bar.

3. Do any of the following:

t Select Show status bar to display the status bar in the Command window. t Deselect Show status bar to hide the status bar in the Command window. t Select Show channels to display status of channels on the status bar. t Deselect Show channels to hide status of channels on the status bar.

4. Click OK.

Support Dialog Box

The Support dialog box is provided for Command users to log information about any issues encountered that might require contacting Avid Customer Support.

To log support information:

1. Select Help > Support.

2. Enter a description of the issue in the Support dialog box. The following example shows a sentence regarding a GPI device:

Support Dialog Box

3. Click Save.

4. Select the name and location where you want the zipped file to be saved.

5. Click OK. The system saves your comments inside a zipped file that also contains other vital

information, such as system settings and software versions, which enable support personnel to troubleshoot the issue. This file can then be e-mailed to Avid Technical Support.

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

2 Services

The services for iNEWS Command enable it to interface with newsroom computer systems as well as providing for playlist control. Some of the services can be defined as Main services—those responsible for communicating with newsroom computer systems and for playlist control. Other services are known as Device services—those responsible for controlling other devices, such as video servers, still stores, and character generators in a broadcast news environment.

This chapter contains the following main sections:

• Main Services

• Device Services

• Redundancy/Failover

• Viewing Status of Services

• Starting and Stopping Services

2 Services

Main Services

The main services are vital components that enable interfacing with a newsroom system, as well as playlist control.

The following table lists services that pertain to newsroom computer system interfacing:

Service Name Description

Avid iNEWS Communication Service

Avid MOS Communication Service

Used by iNEWS Command system as the communication portal to load and unload iNEWS rundowns from an iNEWS workstation. The service receives playlist messages from the iNEWS monitor server, distributes them to the appropriate Command components, and reports item status and inventory messages back to iNEWS. A single iNEWS Command system can have multiple iNEWS communication services for redundancy.

Used by iNEWS Command system to load and unload rundowns from a MOS-compliant newsroom system, such as ENPS. The service receives MOS playlist messages from the newsroom computer system, distributes them to the appropriate Command components, and reports item status and inventory messages back to the newsroom computer system.

The following table lists services related to playout control of playlists:

Service Name Description

Avid Playlist Controller Drives playout of the media on locked channel groups from the

playlist it controls. When one or more channel groups are locked, a playlist controller is allocated by the Playlist Manager. A single iNEWS Command system can have multiple playlist controllers. One playlist controller is necessary for each concurrent on-air playlist. Separate controllers are not needed to control embedded playlists.

Avid Playlist Manager Assigns a playlist controller (and its backup, if any) to a playlist

when the first channel group is locked. It also manages the locks on other channel groups of the playlist. Playlists that have locked channel groups are prevented from being deleted. An iNEWS Command system can only have one primary Playlist Manager, but might have others as backups.

Device Services

Service Name Description

Avid Playlist Store Data store or repository for all loaded (newsroom) playlists and

standalone playlists. It communicates playlist changes to other Command components.

The following table lists services related to inventory:

Service Name Description

Avid Inventory Manager Maintains an inventory of media metadata for all physical devices

connected to any channel group in an iNEWS Command system. This inventory is sent to the Inventory Manager via the individual device services. An iNEWS Command system can only have one primary Inventory Manager, but might have backups.

While an iNEWS Command system can have only one primary service of each Playlist Store,

Playlist Manager, and Inventory Manager, multiple instances of each service can be installed and used as backups.

The following table lists services related to thumbnails:

Service Name Description

Avid Interplay Storage Server Service

Avid Deko Renderer Service Manages the generation of thumbnails in iNEWS Command for

Device Services

The Device services are those services responsible for controlling other devices, such as video servers, still stores, and character generators in a broadcast news environment.

Manages the generation of thumbnails in iNEWS Command for video assets on an AirSpeed video server. It runs on the iNEWS Command servers.

character generated graphics on a Deko. To avoid playout interference, it runs on the iNEWS Command servers, not on the Deko device.

2 Services

Service Name Description

Avid AirSpeed Device Service Provides control of a single AirSpeed high resolution video server.

Avid Deko Device Service Provides control of a single Deko device. One is required for each

Avid Thunder Device Service Provides control of a single Thunder device. One is required for

Avid GPI Service Interfaces to a GPI input card on the server.

Avid Maney Panel Service Interfaces to a Maney panel.

Redundancy/Failover

Avid iNEWS Command operates on a primary/backup basis. There can be only one primary service, but there can be several backup services. It is best to dedicate a computer to be a Command Server. Avid does not recommend running the Command services on a workstation, Deko, or Thunder.

One is required for each AirSpeed. It runs on the iNEWS Command servers, not on the device like other device services.

Deko device. It runs on the device.

each Thunder device. It runs on the device.

When a primary service goes down, Command conducts an election, and changes the backup service to primary. The new primary service will remain primary until it goes down. When the old primary service comes back up, it becomes the backup service. If the primary Command Server were to go down, all of the services on the backup server would become primary.

Command determines primary and backup based on the length of time the service has been running. The server that has been running longer is the primary. If you were to lose network connectivity to the primary Command Server, the services do not actually go down, and so their duration remains longer than the backup. After the network connection is restored, those services become primary again.

If you have an on-air failover on the primary Command Server due to a loss of network connectivity, you must stop the services on the primary server. Otherwise, those services will once again become primary when the connection is restored, which will interrupt on-air playability. After the connection is restored, and at a non-crucial time, you should start those services again.

For more information, see “Non-redundant services” on page 31.

Non-redundant services

The following table lists services that are not redundant:

Service Name Description

Lookup Service This Command service acts independently. If a second one is

iNEWS Communication Service This Command service is server specific, meaning that services on

Viewing Status of Services

running, it is doing the same work; they basically work as two primary services. In a failover scenario, the second lookup service is already working, and services would continue seamlessly.

different computers act independently. In a failover scenario, the Command playlist will become disconnected, users can continue playout functions. To get an updated playlist, the user can reload the iNEWS rundown to the second Command Server and continue.

Deko & Thunder Device Services

Service Starter Service, Machine Monitor Service, Time Synchronization

These Command services must run on the Deko and Thunder respectively, and you cannot install a second service on a device.

These Avid Interplay Framework services are computer specific, so redundancy does not apply.

Viewing Status of Services

Avid Command uses Avid Interplay Framework as its structure for discovering and communicating with services.

To start Interplay Workgroup Properties:

1. Click the Start button and select > All Programs > Avid > Interplay Framework > Avid Interplay Workgroup Properties.

The Avid Interplay Workgroup Properties window opens.

2 Services

When you start the Interplay Workgroup Properties application, the Services tab appears by default displaying the name of the workgroup, to which this computer belongs, in the Workgroup text box. Also shown, in the Status text box, is the status of all Avid services running on the local computer.

The Interplay Workgroup Properties application uses colored icons—in combination with text—on the Services tab to show the status (started and/or enabled) of all Avid services. A user can click the Advanced button to see more information about individual services. The icons displayed provide fast, easy identification of the current status of an Avid service.

Status Icon Description

When all of the enabled Avid components are running on the local machine a green circle with a check mark in the center is shown next to the Status text box and the sentence—All enabled services are running—is displayed.

When some of the enabled Avid components are running on the local machine a caution symbol (yellow triangle with an exclamation mark in the center) is shown next to the Status text box and the sentence—Some services are enabled but not running—is displayed.

Status Icon Description

When none of the enabled Avid components are running on the local machine a red square is shown next to the Status text box and the sentence—No services are running—is displayed.

For more information on viewing Avid services using the Interplay Workgroup Properties application, see the Avid

Interplay Framew ork User’s Guide.

Starting and Stopping Services

The Services tab allows you to edit the workgroup to which the computer belongs, view the status of all the Avid services running on the local computer, or start, stop, and restart the local Avid workgroup services.

To stop or start all Avid services in a workgroup:

t From the Services tab in the Avid Interplay Workgroup Properties window, click the

Start or Stop button. The Advanced button on the Services tab opens the Avid Interplay Services dialog box.

This dialog box allows you to stop, start, enable, or disable individual or multiple Avid services running on the local computer.

Starting and Stopping Services

To stop, start, enable, or disable specific Avid services:

1. From the Services tab in the Avid Interplay Workgroup Properties window, click the Advanced button.

The Avid Interplay Services dialog box opens.

2 Services

2. Select a row on which to perform the stop, start, enable, or disable action. Multiple rows can be selected.The Action buttons are enabled with the Start button

changing to Restart if all of the services are running. For more information on starting and stopping services using the Interplay Workgroup

Properties application, see the Avid

Interplay Framework User’s Guide.

3 Panels

The iNEWS Command interface is made up of panels, which provide information in various ways.

This chapter contains the following main sections:

• Working with Panels

• Playlist Explorer

• Inventory

• Clock

• Alerts

• Media Viewer

3 Panels

Working with Panels

The iNEWS Command window contains numerous panels that a user can dock, undock, move, resize, or even hide from view in the main window. Panels can be arranged so that they are tiled within available screen space, or layered so that only one is visible and the rest are accessible via tabs. An example of tiled panels is shown in

17. The following graphic shows layered panels—as indicated by the tabs at the

bottom—with the Alerts panel on top. The layering option is helpful in conserving screen space. Panels can be layered on either the left or right side of the main window.

“The User Interface” on page

Working with Panels

Each panel is easily identified by its title bar that bears its name. The available panels are:

• Playlist Explorer (shown below)

• Inventory

• Clock

• Shotbox Viewer (See “Shotbox Viewer” on page 89)

• Media Viewer

• Alerts

Panels are docked by default.

To undock a panel, do one of the following:

t Click the Restore button located on the panel’s title bar, next to the X button. t Double-click the panel’s title bar. t Click on the panel’s title bar and drag it from its docked location.

To redock a panel, do one of the following:

t Click the Restore button located on the panel’s title bar, next to the X button. It will

redock in its previously docked location.

t Double-click the panel’s title bar. It will redock in its previously docked location. t Click on the panel’s title bar and drag it to an alternative docking location—until the

title bar touches the border of the area to which you want it docked.

3 Panels

To layer panels:

1. Click the panel’s title bar and drag it to the top left (or right) corner of the window.

2. Repeat the process with each panel. Command will automatically layer the panels and provide tabs at the bottom of the screen. A user can then click any tab to bring that panel to the top.

If layered panels include the Alerts panel, the Command system is designed to automatically bring the Alerts panel to the top whenever an alert message is received. If this removes focus from the Playlist or Shotbox Viewers in which you are working, you can restore focus quickly by using the following keystroke combinations. Ctrl+F sets focus back to the Playlist Viewer. Ctrl+Alt+F sets focus back to the Shotbox Viewer.

To hide a panel:

t Click the X button on the title bar of the panel you want to hide.

To view a hidden panel:

t Select View and then the name of the panel from the submenu.

To resize a panel:

1. Position your mouse pointer on the edge of a panel. The pointer will change to a resize indicator.

2. Click and drag to the new size.

Related Topics

Icon and Button Quick Reference

Playlist Explorer

The Playlist Explorer shows a list of:

• Newsroom playlists that have been loaded to iNEWS Command from an iNEWS newsroom computer system

• MOS playlists that have been marked ready-to-air from a MOS-enabled newsroom computer system, such as ENPS

• Standalone playlists, including those set to air at a specified time of day.

• Shotboxes

When the green check mark appears, iNEWS Command has received all items and/or stories in the rundown. Double-clicking one of the playlists (or shotboxes) will open it with its stories, media, channels, and so forth in preparation of locking channel groups and taking a show to air. When a lightbulb appears, the playlist is on air.

The green check mark does not apply to standalone playlists created at a Command

Workstation or newsroom playlists that have been disconnected from the rundown and are therefore considered standalone playlists.

A user can click on the column header to sort playlists by type or name.

The Playlist Explorer can be configured to open a playlist automatically when it’s loaded directly from iNEWS or when it’s marked ready-to-air from a MOS-enabled newsroom computer system.

Playlist Explorer

To configure Playlist Explorer to automatically open loaded playlists:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box opens.

3 Panels

Tabs

2. In Category, select Playlist Explorer.

3. Select Auto-open playlist.

4. Click OK. For more information, see “Tabs” on page 40.

Whether the same playlist can be opened onto multiple tabs in the Playlist Viewer is a configurable setting.

Changing this setting does not affect existing tabs already opened in the current session.

To turn on or off the multi-tab option for playlists:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box opens.

Playlist Explorer

2. In Category, select Playlist Explorer.

3. Do one of the following: t Select One tab per playlist if you want any playlist opened from the Playlist

Explorer to appear on only one tab. If its already open, its tab will appear on top of other tabs. Avid recommends using this setting.

t Deselect One tab per playlist if you want a playlist to appear on a new tab each time

it’s opened from the Playlist Explorer.

4. Click OK.

For more information on the Auto-open playlist option, see “Playlist Explorer” on page 38.

Related Topics

Inventory Clock Alerts Media Viewer

3 Panels

Inventory

The Inventory panel shows the inventory (media) for a selected channel group in a table or spreadsheet-style format. You can see the media’s availability, clip ID, name (slug), duration, the time when it was last modified, and whether media is protected from deletion. For more information about channel groups, see

74.

“Working with Channel Groups” on page

Down Arrow - Select this button to choose a different channel group.

Inventory list available through the selected channel group.

Resize bar - Select to adjust division of list and detail sections of the Inventory panel.

Details on selected media in the Inventory list.

The Inventory panel provides graphical indicators to show status of availability and delete protection:

Inventory Status Icons

Available on all

Unavailable on some

Inventory Status Icons

Item is protected against deletion across all devices in the channel group.

Item is partially protected. Problem with one or more devices in channel group.

Detailed Status Icons

Available on specific device

Unavailable on specifc device

When no shield icon is present, that indicates the item is not protected, and therefore can be

deleted from the inventory.

When an item appears unavailable on some, you can view the specific devices by clicking the plus (+) to the left of Availability in the Details section of the Inventory panel. When an item appears partially protected, you can view the specific devices by clicking the plus (+) to the left of Devices in the Details section of the Inventory panel.

Inventory

Command users can drag media directly from the Inventory panel to the Playlist Viewer and drop it into an open, locked standalone playlist with the same channel group assigned to it. If a different channel group applies, the system will ask the user whether to add the channel group to the playlist.

To view inventory from a different Channel Group:

t Click the down arrow (indicated in the above graphic), and select a different Channel

Group from the list. The user can select any column header to sort the table by that column. The user can

also rearrange the order of columns.

To sort inventory:

t Select the column by which you want to sort, such as Slug.

To rearrange column order:

t Click on a column header and drag it to a new position.

3 Panels

Deleting Items in Inventory

Avid iNEWS Command enables users to delete items in the inventory via the Inventory panel.

To delete an item:

1. Select the item and then right-click on it.

2. Select Delete from the menu.

Hold the Ctrl or Shift key down as you click to select the multiple items for deletion. If the

menu option is unavailable, see your system administrator who might have disabled this feature.

Protecting Items in Inventory

Avid iNEWS Command enables users to selectively protect items in the inventory from deletion via the Inventory panel.

To protect an item:

1. Select the item (or items) and right-click.

2. Select Protect from the menu.

Hold the Ctrl or Shift key down as you click to select the multiple items for delete-protection.

If the menu option is unavailable, see your system administrator who might have disabled this feature.

A silver shield appears in the Inventory panel next to protected items. Protection applies to that item across all devices in the channel group (selected at the top of the Inventory panel). If there is a problem with protecting the item on any of the devices, the shield icon appears yellow and with an exclamation point.

You can view additional details for the specific devices by clicking the plus (+) to the left of Devices in the Details section of the Inventory panel.

To remove delete protection from an item:

1. Select the item (or items) and right-click.

2. Select Remove Protection from the menu.

Related Topics

Playlist Explorer Clock Alerts

Clock

Media Viewer

The Clock panel displays the current time based on the Command Workstation’s time. It is not associated with the clocks featured in the Playlist Viewer.

The Clock can be set to a 12- or 24-hour format. The font, background, and foreground colors are also configurable.

To configure the clock:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box opens.

3 Panels

Alerts

2. In Category, select Clock.

3. Set the clock’s text color and background color.

4. Set the clock to either a 12- or 24-hour format.

5. Click the Change button to set the clock’s font.

6. A sample of your settings is provided as a preview. When done, click OK.

Related Topics

Playlist Explorer Inventory Alerts Media Viewer

The Alerts window provides a list of recent alerts. The alerts contains these properties:

• Title (mandatory)

• Text (optional-not shown in the list)

•Alert type

The types of alerts include:

Critical

Warn in g

Information

Succeeded

The succeeded alert with its check mark icon will only appear as a followup to previously

reported warnings and critical alerts.

Each alert will appear along with a timestamp for when the alert was issued.

Media Viewer

If the alert’s title extends beyond the size of the panel, resize the panel or mouse over the alert to view the entire title in a tooltip. A user can also select any alert and view additional details as well as clear alerts from the list.

To view details, do one of the following:

t Select an alert and view the details below the list area. t Double-click on an alert to view details specific to that alert in a diagnostics dialog box.

To clear alerts:

t Right-click and select Clear Alerts.

Related Topics

Playlist Explorer Inventory Clock Media Viewer

Media Viewer

The Media Viewer provides Browse controls within the Command user interface that you can use to play, stop, and mark in and out points of video on devices, such as an Avid AirSpeed video server. The panel does allow for the display of static images, called thumbnails, which represent media items, but an external video monitor must be used to watch the video.

A browse channel must also be configured in the channel group to browse video.

The Media Viewer provides details about media (video or character generated graphics). Depending on the type of media, it might support browsing and some simple editing.

3 Panels

At the top of the Media Viewer is where the system displays a summary that identifies the current media. Under that is the Viewing pane, and at the bottom are the Browse controls, which may be displayed or hidden, using the Expand button.

The Browse controls are:

Position Indicator

Set Mark In

Timecode

Go To In

Play/Stop

Go To Out

Set Mark Out

Set Mark Out Eject

Duration

The Play button changes to a Stop button when media is playing.

The clock on the bottom left of the Media Viewer displays the timecode of current position indicated on the position bar. The clock on the right provides the duration.

The duration between marked in and out points is shown on the item in the playlist.

Displaying Thumbnails in Media Viewer

Thumbnails in Command are small graphical representations of the media, which could be a character generated graphic or a frame of video. In regard to video, although sometimes referred to as headframes, thumbnails are created from within the first five frames of video and therefore might or might not be the first or “head” frame.

When thumbnails are displayed, a static image representing the media appears in the Media Viewer above the Browse controls.

Media Viewer

To display thumbnails in the Media Viewer:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box opens.

3 Panels

2. In Category, select Media Viewer.

3. Select Show thumbnails.

4. Click OK to save the settings.

Related Topics

Playlist Explorer Inventory Clock Alerts

4 Playlist Viewer

The iNEWS Command interface provides an area known as the Playlist Viewer, with which users can view and manage playlists for on-air playout.

This chapter contains the following main sections:

• Types of Playlists

• Overview of Playlist Viewer

- Toolbars

- Viewing Playlist Items by Component

• Customizing the Playlist Viewer

- Customizing the Cursor

- Customizing Playlist Clocks

- Customizing Columns in Playlist Viewer

- Resizing the Playlist Viewer

- Displaying Thumbnails in a Playlist

• Locking and Unlocking Playlists

• Working with Channel Groups

• Working with Standalone Playlists

• Working with Embedded Playlists

• Using Time of Day Playlists

4 Playlist Viewer

Types of Playlists

There are different types of playlists. For example, a playlist created at a Command Workstation is considered a standalone playlist. It can be locked and managed from any Command Workstation on the Command system.

A playlist created through a newsroom computer system and uploaded to the Command system is called a newsroom playlist. When the newsroom rundown is uploaded to Command, the resulting playlist can be viewed at the Command Workstation, but the newsroom system retains the lock on the playlist.

Although the newsroom system retains the playlist lock, a user at a Command Workstation

can still control playout functionality by obtaining the locks on channel groups associated with the newsroom playlist. Channel group locks for playout are not the same as playlist locks, which prevent altering the structure of the playlist itself.

A user at a Command Workstation can obtain the playlist lock from a newsroom system, in which case the newsroom playlist becomes a standalone playlist. For more information, see

“Locking and Unlocking Playlists” on page 72.

When a playlist is inserted into another one, the one inserted is called an embedded playlist. The one containing the embedded playlist is known as the container playlist. A standalone playlist can contain a newsroom playlist or another standalone playlist as its embedded playlist. A newsroom playlist can contain a standalone playlist or another newsroom playlist.

Finally, a playlist set to air at specific times is called a time of day playlist. For more on this type of playlist, see

Related Topics

Overview of Playlist Viewer Locking and Unlocking Playlists Working with Channel Groups Working with Standalone Playlists Working with Embedded Playlists Using Time of Day Playlists

“Using Time of Day Playlists” on page 86.

Overview of Playlist Viewer

Among the many capabilities featured in the Playlist Viewer, a user can:

• View existing playlists—standalone, time of day, or newsroom playlists

• Choose to display playlist items based on component type, such as video or graphics.

• Create standalone playlists

• Lock channel groups

• Control a playlist for broadcast

• Embed a playlist into standalone playlists

When you double-click on a playlist in the Playlist Explorer, iNEWS Command will open it on a tab in the Playlist Viewer to display all the stories with attached media, including character generator graphics (CGs), if any.

Since a user might want to have a playlist’s video in one view and CGs in another, multiple views of the same playlist can be opened in the same iNEWS Command window. This feature can be turned off, as explained in window can also have different playlists open simultaneously. All are accessible through tabs located at the top of the Playlist Viewer.

“Customizing the Playlist Viewer” on page 60. The

4 Playlist Viewer

The Playlist Viewer opens in the same area of the workspace as the Shotbox Viewer panel. If

the Shotbox Viewer panel is also open, the two can split the space, one atop the other. The Playlist Viewer cannot be split to view multiple playlists simultaneously; only one tab can be viewed at a time.

The appearance and some behavior of the playlist is customizable. For example, depending on your system’s configuration, thumbnails or a film strip icon might appear for certain media items. In the following example, the display of thumbnails are enabled. Other examples in this chapter show playlists with that feature disabled. For more information on custom options, see thumbnails, see “Displaying Thumbnails in a Playlist” on page 69.

“Customizing the Playlist Viewer” on page 60. For more information on

For more information, see “Toolbars” on page 55, and “Customizing the Playlist Viewer” on

page 60.

Related Topics

Types of Playlists Locking and Unlocking Playlists Working with Channel Groups

Working with Standalone Playlists Working with Embedded Playlists Using Time of Day Playlists Icon and Button Quick Reference

Toolbars

Below each tab in the Playlist Viewer are various toolbars, which might appear. The top one is the Playout toolbar containing two clocks and several buttons for playout control. With the toolbar, a user at the Command workstation can play, pause, or stop events.

Control buttons allow users to control playout of events on locked devices associated with the loaded playlist. For more information about the clocks on the Playout toolbar, see

“Customizing Playlist Clocks” on page 66.

Toolbars

Below the Playout toolbar is the Playlist toolbar, which enables users to lock and unlock channel groups to playlists. It also contains check boxes for each channel group that a user can select to determine by component the display of items in a playlist. If no channel groups are associated with the playlist, no Channel Group buttons or check boxes will appear. Also, on the far right of the Playout toolbar is another button used to lock playlists or disconnect playlists from newsroom rundowns.

The icons on the buttons that appear on the Playlist toolbar will vary depending on variety of factors: whether the channel group or groups are locked, whether the playlist is a time of day playlist, standalone playlist, newsroom playlist, and whether it’s locked.

4 Playlist Viewer

Beneath the Playlist toolbar is the Channel toolbar, which might appear when a channel group is locked. It shows status icons on a per channel basis. To see the various types of icons you might see on the toolbar, see

“Channel Group Icons” on page 157. This toolbar

can be turned off so that it does not appear. Regardless, the status icons are also available on the Status bar at the bottom right corner of the Command window.

Like the Playlist toolbar, the icons that appear on the Channel toolbar will vary depending on the status of the individual channels in the channel group. When the Tally signal is active, the color of a channel on the Channel toolbar might also change color. For a breakdown of the types of icons you might see on these toolbars, see

on page 153.

For more information, see “Hiding a Playlist’s Playout or Channel Toolbar” on page 56, and

“Channel Groups Buttons” on page 57.

Hiding a Playlist’s Playout or Channel Toolbar

A user can choose whether to display the Playout and Channel toolbars.

To hide the Playout or Channel toolbar:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

“Icon and Button Quick Reference”

The Options dialog box will appear.

Toolbars

2. In Category, expand the Playlist and Shotbox Viewers.

3. Expand Playlist Viewer and select Toolbars.

4. Do one of the following or both:

t Deselect Show playout toolbar. t Deselect Show channel toolbar.

5. Click OK. For more information, see “Channel Groups Buttons” on page 57.

Related Topics

Customizing the Playlist Viewer Icon and Button Quick Reference

Channel Groups Buttons

Channel Group buttons represent a channel group that is associated with the loaded playlist and are used to individually lock channel groups for playout control and unlock them afterward.

4 Playlist Viewer

When playlists are loaded to Command from a newsroom computer system, the Channel Group button for the appropriate channel group associated with that playlist will automatically appear in the Playlist toolbar. If multiple channel groups are configured for the playlist, then more than one button will appear. For standalone playlists created at the Command workstation, a channel group must be added to the playlist, which can be done when the playlist is created or added later at any time.

If a user drags an item from the Inventory panel into a standalone playlist, Command will prompt the user to automatically add the channel group associated with that item. For more information, see

“Working with Channel Groups” on page 74.

Customizing the Channel Toolbar for Tally

Avid iNEWS Command can provide a visual indication of when a channel’s tally signal is active. The tally signal is designed for on-air protection of a playing clip. When active, a user can pause a playing clip or continue playing a paused clip, but cannot recue it. In Command, the tally reflection indicator appears as a color change on the Channel toolbar.

The following illustration shows two channels, A and B, and the tally is active for channel B. The colors for the background and text are customizable.

To set the colors for tally:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box opens.

Your system administrator controls, via a system setting in Command, whether users can

access the Options dialog box to customize the channel toolbar for tally.

Viewing Playlist Items by Component

2. In Category, expand Channel and select Appearance.

3. Set the colors for both the background and the text.

4. Click OK to save the settings.

The settings for Tally High apply to the Channel toolbar in both the Playlist Viewer and the

Shotbox Viewer panel.

Viewing Playlist Items by Component

In some cases, a user might want to view playlist items associated with a particular component and not any others, such as only character generator (CG) graphics or only video.

Command provides users with a way to do this via check boxes on the Playlist toolbar.

To display items based on component type:

t Select the check box next to the channel group associated with that type of component.

In the following illustration, the channel group associated with a video server is selected, as indicated by the black X, so only video items would be displayed in the playlist, not CG items. If both were selected, then video and CG items would appear in the playlist.

4 Playlist Viewer

The display of items is independent of whether the channel group or groups are locked.

Related Topics

Toolbars

Customizing the Playlist Viewer

When first installed, Avid iNEWS Command uses default colors and fonts to display information about playlist events; however users can customize how that data is displayed on the Playlist Viewer tabs. For example, a user might want an unplayable event to appear in red so that it easily stands out on the screen.

Changes made to the Appearance settings apply to the Playlist and Shotbox Viewers; only a

few settings are not applicable to shotboxes, such as Story, Embedded Playlist, and Break entries.

To customize the appearance and behavior of the Playlist Viewer:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box opens.

Customizing the Playlist Viewer

2. In Category, expand Playlist and Shotbox Viewers and select Appearance.

3. You can alter the font, as well as the color of text and backgrounds. As you click on each entry in the Playlist section, your settings for that entry will appear in the Sample section at the bottom of the dialog box. Using the Ctrl or Shift keys, you can select and modify multiple entries simultaneously.

4. (Optional) Click Apply to save the settings without closing the dialog box, so further modification can continue.

The Restore Defaults button is used to restore settings to the system’s original default

settings.

5. Select Playlist Viewer.

4 Playlist Viewer

6. Select the check box in Playlist creation if you want newly created standalone playlists to contain no stories.

7. Select Show thumbnails if you want to view thumbnails of media in the playlist.

For more information on thumbnails, see “Displaying Thumbnails in a Playlist” on page 69.

8. In the Filters section, select the check box if you want story rows with no visible items to be hidden in the playlist.

9. (Optional) Click Apply to save the settings without closing the dialog box, so further modification can continue.

10. Select Behavior.

Customizing the Playlist Viewer

11. Select whether to allow use of arrow keys to move the cursor up or down a playlist to the nearest media or next adjacent row.

12. The autocursor feature applies to cursor behavior in a playlist when using channel specific playout—in regard to GPI or X-keys with actions assigned to indices. Set Autocursor to one of the following options:

Option Description

None

To next playable after last-played item

To last-played item

Select this option if not using channel specific playout. When set to None, the cursor will follow standard movement patterns.

Select this option if you want the cursor to move to the next available item after the one that’s just been played via channel specific GPI or X-keys commands.

Select this option if you want the cursor to move to the item just played via channel specific GPI or X-keys commands.

13. Select how many rows should remain displayed above the cursor. This will lock the cursor in place—once it reaches the row specified—so that the playlist scrolls up or down instead of the cursor moving up or down.

4 Playlist Viewer

14. Select whether the autoscroll lock applies to the row containing the last-played item, instead of cursor position.

15. Click OK to save the settings.

For more information, see the following topics:

• Customizing the Cursor

• Customizing Playlist Clocks

• Customizing Columns in Playlist Viewer

Customizing the Cursor

In a playlist, the cursor can appear as a rectangle around a row or as a solid bar in all or specified fields. Additionally, a drop indicator is provided when dragging copied rows to different locations within a playlist. It appears as a solid line between rows. A user can customize the colors for both the cursor and the drop indicator.

To change the cursor’s appearance:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box opens.

Customizing the Playlist Viewer

2. In Category, expand Playlist and Shotbox Viewers and select Cursor.

3. Set the color of the cursor.

Setting Description

Active

Inactive

The color of the cursor when the focus is on the Playlist Viewer. By default this color is black.

The color of the cursor when the focus is on a different panel in the iNEWS Command window or on another software application. By default this color is gray.

4. Set the color of the drop indicator.

Setting Description

Drop Indicator

The color of the line used to indicate where copied rows will be dropped into the playlist when dragged to a new location. By default this color is blue.

5. (Optional) Click Apply to save changes without closing the Options dialog box.

6. Expand Playlist Viewer and select Columns.

4 Playlist Viewer

7. Set the Background options per column accordingly.

Options Description

Cursor

Status

In the following example, the cursor’s active color is set to black, the Thumbnail and Trigger columns are set to Cursor, while the rest is set to Status. The cursor—located on the video item between story lines 04 and 05—appears as shown:

In the previous example, the display of thumbnails was turned off, so the cursor color is

clearly visible. A filmstrip icon appears for all video items instead of thumbnail graphics. When thumbnails are displayed, the graphic fills each cell in the column; therefore, the cursor color in that column appears more as an outline. For an example of a playlist showing thumbnails, see

The cursor’s color will also apply to the field’s background. This makes the cursor in that column appear to be a solid bar.

The cursor’s color only applies as an outline on the field. This allows the background in that column to reflect status colors, such as playability or transport status.

“Displaying Thumbnails in a Playlist” on page 69.

8. Click OK to save settings and close the Options dialog box.

Related Topics

Customizing the Playlist Viewer Customizing Playlist Clocks Customizing Columns in Playlist Viewer

Customizing Playlist Clocks

The clocks on either side of the toolbar can be hidden or customized to provide certain timing functions, which include:

• Time elapsed in clip

Customizing the Playlist Viewer

• Time remaining in clip

• Time remaining in show

Each clock’s background color, as well as the font and color of text, can be altered from the defaults, which are: black, 24 pt., bold MS Shell Dlg font on a yellow background. While the font setting is shared by both clocks, the colors can be set independently of one another.

To change clock functions:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box appears.

2. In Category, expand Playlist and Shotbox Viewers.

3. Expand Playlist Viewer and select Clocks.

4. Set each clock’s behavior, text color, and background color.

5. To change the font used for both clocks, click the Change button.

6. When finished modifying the look and behavior of the clocks, click OK.

Related Topics

Customizing the Playlist Viewer

4 Playlist Viewer

Customizing the Cursor Customizing Columns in Playlist Viewer

Customizing Columns in Playlist Viewer

A Command user can rearrange, rename, and hide any column or columns in a playlist.

To rearrange columns:

t Click on the column header and drag it right or left to a new location.

To show, hide, or rename a column:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box opens.

2. In Category, expand Playlist and Shotbox Viewers.

3. Expand Playlist Viewer and select Columns.

4. Under Show, select or deselect the check box for each column you want to display or hide.

5. Under Header, double-click the text field corresponding to the column you want to rename and type in the new name.

6. Click OK.

The Story Field option enables the user to display—in the playlist—certain metadata

obtained from the newsroom computer system related to a story. Options include: Page number, Story slug, and Story ID. This data will appear only on a story line in the playlist in the specified column.

The Background column setting pertains to the appearance of the column fields when the cursor is on them in the Playlist Viewer. For more information, see

Cursor” on page 64.

Resizing the Playlist Viewer

By default, the Playlist Viewer splits the main portion of the Command window with the Shotbox Viewer panel if both are opened. A user can adjust the division of the space for the Shotbox Viewer panel and the Playlist Viewer by clicking on the divider bar between them and dragging it up or down.

If the size is adjusted too small, some features will be hidden. More space is required if

thumbnails are shown in playlists.

Customizing the Playlist Viewer

“Customizing the

The Playlist Viewer can also be maximized to fill the entire window.

To maximize the Playlist Viewer:

t Type Alt+Z. t Select Playlist > View > Toggle Maximize.

Related Topics

Customizing the Playlist Viewer Customizing Playlist Clocks Customizing Columns in Playlist Viewer

Displaying Thumbnails in a Playlist

4 Playlist Viewer

For video clips, the marked in time does not affect the creation of thumbnails, which are

created from within the first five frames of recorded video.

In a playlist, when thumbnails are available and displayed, they appear in the far left column. The following example shows a playlist with thumbnails of video:

The thumbnails in the example are for SD media, but Command can display thumbnails for HD media, too, in which case the HD media appears with a white matte across the top and bottom of the thumbnail.

Resizing the Thumbnail column will also resize the thumbnail; the system retains aspect ratio.

When display of thumbnails are not enabled, or if Command cannot find or make a thumbnail for a media item, an icon similar to a film strip is used to indicate a video item, as shown in the following graphic.

Customizing the Playlist Viewer

In the following example, the playlist shows items with thumbnails for a different component, an Avid Deko device instead of a video server:

4 Playlist Viewer

To turn on the display of thumbnails:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box opens.

2. In Category, expand Playlist and Shotbox Viewers.

3. Select Playlist Viewer.

4. Select Show thumbnails if you want to view thumbnails of media in the playlist.

5. Click OK to save settings.

Locking and Unlocking Playlists

When a playlist is uploaded from a newsroom computer system, iNEWS Command sends that system updates any time changes occur to the playlist at the Command workstation and receives updates from the newsroom computer system when changes are made to the rundown. The playlist is considered “locked” by the newsroom system. However, should that connection be broken, the playlist is considered to be “disconnected” and the Playout toolbar will appear red to warn the user at the Command workstation, as shown:

Locking and Unlocking Playlists

When the Playout toolbar is red, playout can continue from the Command workstation; however, any changes to the playlist in Command will not be sent to the rundown in the newsroom computer system. Also, the playlist will not display any modifications that might be made to the rundown. At that point, it is equivalent to a standalone playlist.

If a disconnect occurs, reloading the playlist from the newsroom computer system will restore the connection and provide the most up-to-date playlist in the Playlist Explorer or, if configured to do so, on a new tab in the Playlist Viewer. The channel groups (devices) locked to the original, disconnected playlist must be manually unlocked, and then relocked from the reloaded playlist on the new tab.

On the far right side of the Playlist toolbar is the Playlist Lock button. Its appearance varies depending on the status of the playlist:

This icon indicates that the playlist is locked by a newsroom rundown. Clicking it will prompt the user with an Override Lock dialog box. The user must type in the system administrator password to override the lock and disconnect the playlist from the newsroom rundown. When it is disconnected, the icon will change to indicate the playlist is now locked by the user at the Command Workstation.

This icon indicates that the playlist is locked by the user at the Command Workstation. When locked, the user can insert, move, or delete items in the playlist. Clicking it will unlock the playlist at the workstation. When it is unlocked, the icon will change to indicate the playlist is unlocked.

This icon indicates that the playlist is unlocked. Clicking it will lock the playlist at the Command Workstation.

This icon indicates that the playlist is locked by a user at a different Command Workstation. When locked by another user, only that user can insert, move, or delete items in the playlist. Clicking the icon will override the other user’s lock. The user must type in the system administrator password to override the lock.

4 Playlist Viewer

This icon indicates an unusual lock condition, such as when a newsroom system still has the lock on a newsroom playlist, but connection to the newsroom computer system is down.

Related Topics

Types of Playlists Overview of Playlist Viewer Working with Standalone Playlists Working with Embedded Playlists Using Time of Day Playlists

Working with Channel Groups

A channel group is a group of one or more device channels that might or might not be across multiple devices.

Avid recommends that each channel group pertains to the same “type” of device. For

example, a channel group called AS is a grouping of channels from two or more AirSpeed video servers, while a different channel group named CG is a grouping of channels on a Deko character generator.

In this example, a station has two AirSpeed video servers, each with two channels that are numbered 2 and 3. The first AirSpeed is called AS1 and the second one AS2. With channel groups on Command, the station’s system administrator can set up numerous different channel groups and call them anything, such as the following:

Channel Group

AS-Morning A

AS-Noon A

Channel Names Actual Device Channels Purpose

AS1 - channel 2 B C

B C

AS1 - channel 3

AS2 - channel 2

AS1 - channel 2

AS1 - channel 3

AS2 - channel 2

Playout Playout Browse

Playout Playout Hotswap

Working with Channel Groups

Channel Group

AS-5PM A

AS-10PM A

Channel Names Actual Device Channels Purpose

AS1 - channel 2 B C D

C B D

AS1 - channel 3

AS2 - channel 2

AS2 - channel 3

AS1 - channel 2

AS2 - channel 2

AS1 - channel 3

AS2 - channel 3

Playout Playout Playout Playout

Playout Mirrored Playout Mirrored

As shown in the table, some channels are used for actual broadcast while others are reserved for off-air browsing, hotswapping, and mirrored playout purposes. Hotswapping is an automatic channel failover protection feature available at sites with more than one video server. A hotswap channel takes the place of a standard playout channel in the group should that channel fail, and it retains the original channel’s name for playout purposes. Command displays an icon on the Channel toolbar to indicate when a hotswap occurs. For more information, see

Although the hotswap channel in Command retains the original name of the failed channel,

it is still a different physical channel. So, to achieve playout, the person at the switcher must

“Channel Group Icons” on page 157.

be aware of its physical channel location when taking the hotswap channel to air.

In the Playlist Viewer, users can add new or existing channel groups to standalone playlists, as well as lock or unlock channel groups. For more information on assigning channels, see

“Changing Channels” on page 131.

To add an existing channel group to a standalone playlist:

1. With the playlist open, right-click on the Channel toolbar (anywhere in the gray area).

2. Select Channel toolbar > Channels > Add Existing.... See Channel Groups Buttons for

more information.

3. Choose one or more of the channel groups from the list.

To select multiple channel groups, hold the Ctrl key down and click the groups.

4 Playlist Viewer

4. Click OK. A button or buttons for selected channel groups appears on the Playlist toolbar. There is also another way to add an existing channel group to a standalone playlist.

When dragging and dropping media from the Inventory into a standalone playlist, if the media belongs to a channel group not already added to the playlist, an Add Channel Group dialog will appear (shown below) asking the user to confirm the addition of the channel group to the playlist. Clicking OK adds the channel group.

To add a new channel group:

1. With the playlist open, right-click on the Channel toolbar (anywhere in the gray area).

2. Select Channel toolbar > Channels > Add New....

The Add New Channel Group dialog box opens.

Working with Channel Groups

3. When prompted for the administrator password, type it in and click OK. The Add New Channel Group to Playlist dialog box opens.

4. Enter the name of the new channel group and any notes you want.

5. Click Add to add a channel to the group.

6. In the Channel Details section, select the Channel Type, Primary, Mirror, and Preview options for that channel.

4 Playlist Viewer

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 as needed. You can use the Up and Down buttons to rearrange the order of channels in the group.

8. Click OK.

To remove a channel group from a playlist:

1. Remove any media in that group from the playlist.

2. Right-click the button for that channel group on the Playlist toolbar.

3. Select Remove from the menu.

For more information, see “Locking Channel Groups” on page 78, and “Assigning Channels

in Playlist Viewer” on page 79.

Locking Channel Groups

Channel group locks are not the same as playlist locks. A channel group lock pertains to control of playout on channels in a group. A playlist lock pertains to ability to modify the structure of the playlist itself. Users can lock one or more channel groups for a playlist from a Command Workstation.

To lock a channel group:

t Click the Channel Group button associated with that channel group in the Playlist

toolbar. The icon on the button will change to indicate the channel group’s locked status.

To unlock a channel group:

t Click the Channel Group button associated with that channel group in the Playlist

toolbar. The icon on the button will change to indicate the channel group’s unlocked status.

Channel groups are numbered by the system from left to right as they appear on the Playlist

toolbar, beginning with 1. This enables alternative keystroke combinations for locking and unlocking individual channel groups. For example, to lock an individual channel group use: Ctrl+1 for the first channel group, Ctrl+2 for the second, and so forth. To unlock, use the Alt key instead of Ctrl.

To simultaneously lock all of a playlist’s channel groups:

t Either press Ctrl+L or select Playlist > Channels > Lock All.

To simultaneously unlock all of a playlist’s channel groups:

t Either press Alt+L or select Playlist > Channels > Unlock All.

When a channel group is locked, the status of those locks appears on the status bar at the bottom right corner of the window, if configured to be displayed in the user interface. For more information, see

In the following illustration, a closeup of the locked status for both channels A and B of a channel group named AB is shown:

The per-channel status can also appear on the Channel toolbar, if configured to be displayed in the user interface. For more information, see

Channel Toolbar” on page 56.

Related Topics

Working with Channel Groups Assigning Channels in Playlist Viewer

“Status Bar” on page 23.

Assigning Channels in Playlist Viewer

After a channel group is added to a playlist, channels can be assigned to or edited for specific items in the playlist.

Working with Channel Groups

“Hiding a Playlist’s Playout or

For some sites, channels are automatically assigned when the playlist’s channel group is locked. Whether this occurs depends on system settings in Avid iNEWS Command. Contact your system administrator for more information.

There are other methods for assigning channels at a workstation as well.

To assign channels in Command:

t Do one of the following:

- Click the field in the Channel column of the playlist opened in the Playlist Viewer and type the first character of the channel name, such as A, B, or C.

- Type Ctrl+*, type the first character of the channel name, and press Enter.

- Right-click and select Channel > Assign.

- Type Ctrl+R.

Either of the last two steps will result in the assignment of alternating channels throughout

the playlist. For example, if there are two channels, A and B, then Command will automatically assign A to the first item, B to the second, A to the third, and so forth. Auto-assignment only applies to channels that are locked.

4 Playlist Viewer

To assign a channel to multiple items:

1. Click the first item to select it.

2. Do one of the following:

t Hold the Shift key down to select all items between your first selection and your

t Hold the Control key down to select multiple non-sequential items.

In the following example, items for pages 06, 08, and 10 are selected, while 07, 09, and 11 are not:

last.

3. Do one of the following: t Press Ctrl+* (asterisk) to set the focus on the Channel field, then type the first letter

of the channel you want. (This will change all selected items.)

t With the Shift or Ctrl key still held down, as chosen in the previous step,

double-click in the last item’s cell located in the Channel column. This will give you a drop-down arrow. Then, click the arrow and select the channel from the list, as shown in the previous graphic.

4. Click anywhere else in the playlist. It’s at this point that the channel is reassigned to the selected items.

In the following example, the user clicked on row 11 as indicated by the black outline, and the channel assigned to items 06, 08, and 10 is now A:

Related Topics

Working with Channel Groups Locking Channel Groups

Working with Channel Groups

Setting the Graphics Environment for a Channel Group

Graphics environments, known as styles in Avid Deko, are system settings you can assign to a channel group in a shotbox or playlist. If the one you are looking for is not listed, contact your system administrator to have it added.

To set the graphics environment for a playlist:

1. Right-click on the channel group in the Playlist toolbar.

2. Select Edit Properties for this Playlist... (This option will not appear if you right-click on a channel group associated with a video device.)

The Playlist Channel Group Properties dialog box opens.

3. Enter the graphics environment.

4. Click OK.

4 Playlist Viewer

Working with Standalone Playlists

A standalone playlist is one that is not directly associated with (or disconnected from) a newsroom rundown. Users can create standalone playlists at the Command Workstation.

Disconnected newsroom playlists contain stories with items. By default, newly created

standalone playlists do not contain stories and are considered item-only standalone playlists. This section pertains to the latter type of playlist. For more information, see

“Inserting New Stories” on page 134 and “Customizing the Playlist Viewer” on page 60.

To create a standalone playlist:

1. Select File > New > Playlist (or use the shortcut keystroke combination, Ctrl+Shift+N).

2. When the Create New Playlist dialog box opens, enter a name for the new playlist.

3. Click OK.

4. Assign a channel group or groups to the new standalone playlist by clicking the Add/Lock Channel Group button. See information. You can add either a new channel group or an existing one. For more information see

5. Drag and drop items (existing machine control events) from the Inventory Explorer into your playlist.

“Working with Channel Groups” on page 74.

“Channel Groups Buttons” on page 57 for more

6. Repeat step 5 as needed. After a standalone playlist is created, the items in that list can be modified as needed,

such as rearranging the order or deleting items.

To edit a standalone playlist:

1. Open the playlist.

2. Do any of the following: t Add new items to the playlist by selecting Playlist > Insert > New Item or by

dragging them from the Inventory Explorer. You can also drag items from a shotbox into a playlist.

If the channel group associated with the item is not already assigned to the playlist, then a

dialog box will appear to confirm the assignment of the channel group to the playlist. Once confirmed, the channels are assigned to the playlist and the item added.

t Delete items by selecting the item and pressing the Delete key. t Rearrange the order by dragging and dropping items into new locations within the

playlist.

To add breaks between items:

1. Type Ctrl+B.

2. Select Playlist > Insert > New Break.

To delete a standalone playlist:

1. Select the playlist in the Playlist Explorer.

2. Press the Delete key.

Working with Embedded Playlists

To delete a playlist, it must not be on air.

Related Topics

Types of Playlists Overview of Playlist Viewer Locking and Unlocking Playlists Working with Embedded Playlists Using Time of Day Playlists

Working with Embedded Playlists

Avid iNEWS Command supports embedding playlists, which enables users to insert one playlist into another one. In the following example, a newsroom producer is setting up a newscast in which there will be a segment on sports. The ability to embed playlists enables a user to work on one rundown without requiring access to another—the person setting up the sports segment no longer needs full producer-level access to the newscast rundown. Instead, two rundowns can be created: one for the overall newscast and another for the sports segment. The newsroom producer can embed the sports rundown inside the news rundown, as shown below:

4 Playlist Viewer

Another example of this workflow is a newscast that contains segments produced at different locations. The primary rundown could contain one or more embedded rundowns from remote sites.

A user can embed playlists from the Command Workstation or from the iNEWS Workst at io n.

Command” on page 125.

To embed a playlist using Command:

1. Open (or create) the container playlist in the Playlist Viewer.

2. Select a playlist you want to embed from the Playlist Explorer.

3. Drag it to the location in container (standalone) playlist. It must be dropped before a story, not an item; otherwise, the system will display a warning to that effect.

This icon appears in the container playlist as the system is embedding the playlist.

If a problem occurs, This icon might appear to indicate that the system was unable to embed the playlist, resulting in an error. Mousing over the row referencing the embedded playlist will provide a tooltip with more deatils about the error. An example of an error is:

playlist was deleted.

“Loading Rundowns to

This embedded

Working with Embedded Playlists

When the playlist is successfully embedded, no icon appears, but the color of the top row is different, as is a matching bar that continues down the left side to indicate all items included as part of the embedded playlist.

In the previous example, the embedded playlist is called Special and contains four items—the first of which is called China Trade and is playing, and the last of which is called Closing Bell. The cursor is on the last item in the embedded playlist, as indicated by the row’s black rectangular outline. The I-WORLDCUP story is not part of the embedded playlist, as indicated by the absence of the bar on the left edge.

To embed a playlist using the Avid iNEWS newsroom computer system:

1. Open the rundown in which you want to embed another rundown.

2. Insert a new story where you want the other rundown embedded.

3. In the Title field (usually named Slug), type rundown that you want to embed. For example: The

EMBED:

Do not add machine control events to the story.

For more information, see “Editing Embedded Playlists” on page 86.

Related Topics

Types of Playlists Overview of Playlist Viewer Locking and Unlocking Playlists Working with Embedded Playlists Using Time of Day Playlists

token is configurable, so check with your system administrator.

EMBED:

followed by the pathname of the

EMBED: SHOWS.6PM.RUNDOWN

4 Playlist Viewer

Editing Embedded Playlists

Embedded playlists are not copies of the original playlist. So, changes made to the actual playlist will appear when viewing the embedded playlist. Like stories in an iNEWS rundown, embedded playlists can be moved or floated.

Whether editing can be done is determined by the type of playlist regardless of whether that playlist is a container for an embedded playlist or the embedded one itself. Users can edit a standalone playlist (or a disconnected newsroom playlist) from the Command Workstation. Newroom playlists locked by the newsroom computer system must be edited from a workstation running the newsroom computer system software.

If the embedded playlist is a standalone playlist, to edit it, you must open the actual playlist in the Playlist Viewer at a Command Workstation.

Do not try to edit it from its embedded location.

Related Topics

Working with Embedded Playlists

Using Time of Day Playlists

In Avid iNEWS Command, playlists can be set to air at specific times. These playlists are called time of day playlists.

The playlist’s channel group must be unlocked so the time of day process can lock it for playout. Otherwise, it will not occur as scheduled. For example, if the time-of-day playlist shares the same channel group or if it's a different channel group but it shares an individual channel with a group that's locked, the time-of-day playlist won't play.

To set a playlist to air at a certain time of day:

1. Open (or create) a playlist in the Playlist Viewer.

2. Select Playlist > Edit > Properties. The Playlist Properties dialog box opens.

Using Time of Day Playlists

3. Select the check box and set the time you want Command to automatically begin playing the playlist.

Allow at least thirty second lead time when setting up time of day playlists.

4. Click OK. A new button will appear on the Playlist toolbar along with the time the playlist is set to

begin.

You can click on the Time of Day button to open the Playlist Properties dialog at any time,

such as if you want to change the time setting or remove the scheduled time altogether.

Related Topics

Types of Playlists Overview of Playlist Viewer Locking and Unlocking Playlists Working with Standalone Playlists Working with Embedded Playlists

4 Playlist Viewer

5 Shotbox Viewer

The iNEWS Command interface provides a panel known as the Shotbox Viewer, with which users can view and manage on-air playout of media for a single channel group in any random order. For example, a newscast has segments with stories arranged to air in a specific order. For this a playlist is used, but what if a portion of the show will consist of live interviews? Because the live broadcast is not scripted, a more flexible arrangement for media playout is necessary. This is where the Shotbox Viewer panel comes in.

This chapter contains the following main sections:

• Overview of the Shotbox Viewer

- Toolbars

- Configuring the Channel Toolbar

- Customizing the Shotbox Viewer

- Customizing the Shotbox Behavior

- Customizing the Clocks

- Resizing the Shotbox Viewer

• Creating a Shotbox

• Deleting a Shotbox

• Working with Channel Groups in a Shotbox

- Locking a Channel Group

- Assigning Channels in a Shotbox

- Setting the Graphics Environment for a Channel Group

5 Shotbox Viewer

Overview of the Shotbox Viewer

Among the many capabilities featured in the Shotbox Viewer panel, a user can:

• View a set of media items

• Lock a channel group

• Control playout of items in any order for broadcast

• Pin a media item for playout on a specific channel.

The window can have different shotboxes open simultaneously. All are accessible through tabs located at the top of the Shotbox Viewer panel. The following illustration shows three shotboxes open in the panel, with the on-air one called 6PM News on top. In the example, thumbnails are not displayed. For more information on how to view shotboxes with thumbnails, see

“Displaying Thumbnails in a Shotbox” on page 101.

In the preceding illustration, the channel group is AB. One item is playing on channel B, two items are cued, and another called Hurricane flyover is stopped. Four items are pinned to specific channels.

Overview of the Shotbox Viewer

Similar to the Playlist Viewer, the Shotbox Viewer cannot be split to view multiple shotboxes

simultaneously; only one tab can be viewed at a time. However, items can be copied or cut and pasted from one shotbox to another so long as the shotboxes use the same channel group.

The appearance and some behavior of the shotbox is customizable. For more information, see

“Customizing the Shotbox Viewer” on page 94.

The cursor appears as an altered border around an item in the Shotbox Viewer. For example, in the previous graphic, the cursor is on the F5: Block 1 item, as indicated by a bolder black border. The color specified for the cursor is used for both shotboxes and playlists. For more information on how to set or modify the cursor’s color, see

page 64.

To open a shotbox:

t Double-click on a shotbox in the Playlist Explorer. Command will open it in the

Shotbox Viewer to display the shotbox of media for a specified channel group.

By default, the Shotbox Viewer panel opens above the Playlist Viewer area. The Shotbox

Viewer can be moved, resized, and docked like other panels, enabling the user to customize the window to suit his or her needs.

“Customizing the Cursor” on

For more information, see the following topics”

• “Toolbars” on page 91

• “Customizing the Shotbox Behavior” on page 96

• “Customizing the Clocks” on page 98

Related Topics

Creating a Shotbox Working with Channel Groups in a Shotbox Icon and Button Quick Reference

Toolbars

Below each tab is the Shotbox toolbar containing two clocks and several buttons for playout control, as well as buttons for locking the channel group or shotbox. With the toolbar, a user at the Command workstation can cue, play, pause, or stop items via the Control buttons.

5 Shotbox Viewer

Control buttons allow users to control playout of events on locked devices in the channel group associated with the loaded shotbox. For more information about the clocks on the Shotbox toolbar, see display the Shotbox toolbar.

The Channel Group button represents the channel group that is associated with the loaded shotbox and is used to lock the channel group for playout control and unlock it afterward. Unlike playlists, multiple channel groups cannot be configured for shotboxes, so only one Channel Group button will appear in the Shotbox toolbar.

On the far right side of the Shotbox toolbar is the Lock button. This lock is obtained automatically whenever a shotbox is created or opened. Similar to the Playlist Lock button, the Lock button’s appearance varies depending on the status of the shotbox’s lock:

“Customizing the Clocks” on page 98. A user cannot choose whether to

This icon indicates that the shotbox is locked by the user at the Command Workstation. When locked, the user can insert, move, or delete items in the shotbox. Clicking it will unlock the shotbox at the workstation. When it is unlocked, the icon will change to indicate the shotbox is unlocked.

This icon indicates that the shotbox is unlocked. Clicking it will lock the shotbox at the Command Workstation.

This icon indicates that the shotbox is locked by a user at a different Command Workstation. When locked by another user, only that user can insert, move, or delete items in the shotbox. Clicking the icon will override the other user’s lock. The user must type in the system administrator password to override the lock.

This icon indicates an unusual lock condition.

Related Topics

Configuring the Channel Toolbar Customizing the Clocks

Configuring the Channel Toolbar

Below the Shotbox toolbar is the Channel toolbar, which displays an icon representing the status of each channel in the channel group. For more information, see

Icons” on page 157.

The number of channels that appear on the Channel toolbar will vary depending on the

number of channels configured for the channel group associated with the shotbox.

The border around the channel on the Channel toolbar indicates the next channel on which an unpinned item will be cued. Clicking another channel on the toolbar can switch the border to a different channel. When tally is active, the colors of the border and the toolbar inside the border can change. What colors appear are determined by an option in Command, which the user can set. For more information, see

Tally” on page 58.

Overview of the Shotbox Viewer

“Channel Group

“Customizing the Channel Toolbar for

Since the same per-channel status information that appears on the Channel bar is also available on the status bar at the bottom right of the main window, a user can choose whether to display the Channel toolbar.

To show or hide the Channel toolbar:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box opens.

5 Shotbox Viewer

2. In Category, expand the Playlist and Shotbox Viewers, then Shotbox Viewer, and select Toolbars.

3. Do one of the following:

t Select the Show channel toolbar option to display the toolbar. t Deselect the Show channel toolbar option to hide the toolbar.

4. Click OK.

Related Topics

Customizing the Shotbox Viewer Icon and Button Quick Reference

Customizing the Shotbox Viewer

When first installed, Avid iNEWS Command uses default colors and fonts to display information about events; however users can customize how that data is displayed on the Shotbox Viewer tabs. For example, a user might want an unplayable event to appear in red so that it easily stands out on the screen.

Customizing the Shotbox Viewer

Changes made to the Appearance settings apply to the Playlist and Shotbox Viewers; only a

few settings are not applicable to shotboxes, such as Story, Embedded Playlist, and Break entries.

To customize the appearance of the Shotbox Viewer:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box opens.

2. In Category, expand Playlist and Shotbox Viewers and select Appearance.

3. You can alter the font, as well as the color of text and backgrounds. As you click on each entry in the Playlist section, your settings for that entry will appear in the Sample section at the bottom of the dialog box. You can select and modify multiple entries simultaneously.

4. (Optional) Click Apply to save the settings without closing the dialog box, so further modification can continue.

The Restore Defaults button is used to restore all settings to the system’s original default

settings.

5. Click OK to save the settings and close the dialog box.

5 Shotbox Viewer

For more information, see the following topics

• “Configuring the Channel Toolbar” on page 93

• “Customizing the Shotbox Behavior” on page 96

• “Customizing the Clocks” on page 98

• “Resizing the Shotbox Viewer” on page 100

• “Setting the Graphics Environment for a Channel Group” on page 110

• “Displaying Thumbnails in a Shotbox” on page 101

Related Topics

Customizing the Cursor

Customizing the Shotbox Behavior

Other features of the Shotbox Viewer that a user can define is how the system should behave in regard to auto-assignment of channels and whenever a user clicks on items in a shotbox.

To customize the behavior of the Shotbox Viewer:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box opens.

2. In Category, expand Playlist and Shotbox Viewers.

3. Expand the Shotbox Viewer and select Behavior.

Customizing the Shotbox Viewer

4. Do one of the following or both: t Set what behavior should occur when clicking an item:

Option Description

Play on first click

A mouse click on an item in the shotbox will cause it to begin playing on the assigned channel.

Cue on first click, play on second

A mouse click on an item in the shotbox will cause it to cue on the assigned channel. The item would begin playing on that channel with a second mouse click.

t Set what behavior should occur when channels are automatically assigned:

Option Description

One channel

All unpinned channels are automatically assigned to a single channel in the channel group.

5 Shotbox Viewer

Option Description

Alternating channels

5. Click OK.

Related Topics

Configuring the Channel Toolbar Customizing the Shotbox Viewer Customizing the Cursor Customizing the Clocks Resizing the Shotbox Viewer Setting the Graphics Environment for a Channel Group Displaying Thumbnails in a Shotbox

Customizing the Clocks

The clocks on either side of the toolbar can be hidden or customized to provide certain timing functions, which include:

• Time elapsed in clip

All unpinned channels are automatically assigned to alternating channels in the channel group. This could be two or more channels, such as A, B, C, and D for a video server.

• Time remaining in clip

To change clock functions:

1. Select Tools > Options. If prompted for a password, you must provide it or contact your system administrator.

The Options dialog box opens.

Customizing the Shotbox Viewer

2. In Category, expand Playlist and Shotbox Viewers, then Shotbox Viewer, and select Clocks.

3. Set each clock’s behavior, text color, and background color.

4. To change the font used for both clocks, click the Change button.

5. When finished modifying the look and behavior of the clocks, click OK.

Related Topics

Configuring the Channel Toolbar Customizing the Shotbox Viewer Customizing the Shotbox Behavior Customizing the Cursor Resizing the Shotbox Viewer Setting the Graphics Environment for a Channel Group Displaying Thumbnails in a Shotbox

5 Shotbox Viewer

Resizing the Shotbox Viewer

By default, the Shotbox Viewer splits the main portion of the Command window with Playlist Viewer if both are opened. A user can adjust the division of the space for the Shotbox and Playlist Viewers by clicking on the divider bar between them and dragging it up or down.

Command is designed to adjust the size of the columns within the Shotbox Viewer so that no

partial columns are shown. If the size is adjusted too small, some features will be hidden, such as the icon used to indicate when an item is pinned to a channel. More space is required if thumbnails are shown in shotboxes.

To resize the boxes in the Shotbox Viewer:

1. Position the mouse pointer between two items.

2. Click and drag left or right to shrink or enlarge the box. The system is designed to adjust the height whenever the width is modified to maintain

aspect ratio of thumbnails. The Shotbox Viewer can also be maximized to fill the entire window.

To maximize the Shotbox Viewer:

100

t Select Shotbox > Maximize.

Like other panels in the Command user interface, the Shotbox Viewer can be docked or undocked, as well as layered with other panels. For more information, see

with Panels” on page 36.

Related Topics

Configuring the Channel Toolbar Customizing the Shotbox Viewer Customizing the Shotbox Behavior Customizing the Cursor Customizing the Clocks Resizing the Shotbox Viewer Setting the Graphics Environment for a Channel Group Displaying Thumbnails in a Shotbox

“Working

Pinnacle Systems iNews Command - 1.1 User’s Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Symbols and Conventions

If You Need Help

How to Order Documentation

Avid Training Services

Overview

Architecture and Workflow

Features

Starting the Client Software

The User Interface

Menu bar

Panels

Status Bar

Support Dialog Box

Main Services

Device Services

Redundancy/Failover

Non-redundant services

Viewing Status of Services

Starting and Stopping Services

Working with Panels

Playlist Explorer

Tabs

Inventory

Deleting Items in Inventory

Protecting Items in Inventory

Clock

Alerts

Media Viewer

Displaying Thumbnails in Media Viewer

Types of Playlists

Overview of Playlist Viewer

Toolbars

Hiding a Playlist’s Playout or Channel Toolbar

Channel Groups Buttons

Customizing the Channel Toolbar for Tally

Viewing Playlist Items by Component

Customizing the Playlist Viewer

Customizing the Cursor

Customizing Playlist Clocks

Customizing Columns in Playlist Viewer

Resizing the Playlist Viewer

Displaying Thumbnails in a Playlist

Locking and Unlocking Playlists

Working with Channel Groups

Locking Channel Groups

Assigning Channels in Playlist Viewer

Setting the Graphics Environment for a Channel Group

Working with Standalone Playlists

Working with Embedded Playlists

Editing Embedded Playlists

Using Time of Day Playlists

Overview of the Shotbox Viewer

Toolbars

Configuring the Channel Toolbar

Customizing the Shotbox Viewer

Customizing the Shotbox Behavior

Customizing the Clocks

Resizing the Shotbox Viewer