Pinnacle Systems iNews Command - 1.1 Administrator’s Guide

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Avid® iNEWS® Command™

Administration Guide

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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.

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“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.”

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

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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 Administration Guide • 0130-07961-01 • March 2008 • Created 3/24/08 • This document is distributed by Avid in online (electronic) form only, and is not available for purchase in printed form.

Symbols and Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

If You Need Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

How to Order Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Avid Training Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Chapter 1 Introduction to iNEWS Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Overview of the System Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Architecture and Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Command with Avid Deko Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Security via Administrator Password. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Starting Command at a Workstation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Overview of the User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Playlist Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Menu Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Disabling a Command Workstation’s Keyboard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Chapter 2 iNEWS Command Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Main Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Device Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Avid Interplay Framework Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Redundancy/Failover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Non-redundant services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Viewing Status of Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

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

Chapter 3 System Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Viewing System Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Channel Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Creating Channel Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Editing Channel Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Deleting Channel Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Indices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Programming the X-keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Assigning Channel-Specific Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Device Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

MOS Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Configuring Command for MOS Redirection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Playlist Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Playout Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

As-run Log. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Inventory Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

GPI Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Mapping GPI Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Enabling the GPI for Non-channel-specific Actions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Tally Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Privileges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

System Alias. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Importing and Exporting System Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Chapter 4 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Support Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Standard Information to Include Regardless of Issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Configuring the Avid Deko Renderer Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Using This Guide

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 administer 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

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

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

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.

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.

Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action

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

items and keyboard sequences.

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

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

Courier Bold font identifies text that you type.

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

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.

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

Avid Training Services

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 also works with Avid Interplay Framework applications and services to ensure you always have the best system

• Overview of the System Architecture

- Architecture and Workflow

- Features

• Security via Administrator Password

• Starting Command at a Workstation

• Overview of the User Interface

performance.

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

Overview of the System Architecture

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 character generators. The system is designed to be an extension of your current Avid system. It allows you to receive playlists from Avid iNEWS while controlling your video and graphics devices. The iNEWS Command system supports industry standard protocols making 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, still stores, 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 supported 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 either manually, by using a macro, or by using the iNEWS Title Entry tool. They may also include clips and stills in their script by entering the ID of the 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 Command Workstation. 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.

Overview of the System Architecture

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

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.

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

mode.

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

A basic workflow is shown in the following illustration:

Command with Avid Deko Overview

This section contains an overview of each component involved in a Command/Deko workflow and the main purpose each serves.

Component Description

DekoMOS Gateway • Defines Deko styles

• Equates channel number (1-9) with a MOS ID

• Provides inventory to the Avid Deko Select plugin in iNEWS

Avid iNEWS •

Avid Deko Select Used to choose the channel number and style for an item that is dragged into

SYSTEM.MOS-MAP

Command

SYSTEM.MAP

• and assigns a style if it’s a Deko channel group

the newsroom rundown.

equates the MOS ID with the channel group in

associates the newsroom rundown with the channel group

Overview of the System Architecture

Component (Continued) Description (Continued)

Avid iNEWS Command • Creates channel groups

• Creates graphic environments (also known as styles in Deko) for standalone playlists

• Sends playout control commands to the Avid Deko device

Avid Deko • Inventory is copied from this device to the DekoMOS Gateway.

• Deko software provides graphics for on-air playout.

DekoMOS Macro Server • Gets style list from DekoMOS Gateway

• Sets style paths for replaceable, static graphics, motions, and so forth

• Sends inventory to the Inventory Manager in 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. This provides the flexibility to control event playout locally, at the desktop, or from a rundown. You can also embed playlists within other playlists, which allows for seamless transitions between shows or segments produced by separate editorial teams.

Manual and Automated Triggering

Mirrored Playout This allows a single Play command to initiate playback on two channels

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

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

Items can be played back manually by the operator, triggered via GPI, or automatically played based on the time of day or the follow-on playout setting. This provides total integration with the facility, its systems, processes, and staff.

simultaneously. This functionality is essential for redundancy/failover operations.

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

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

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

Feature (Continued) Description (Continued)

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 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.

Security via Administrator Password

Modifying system settings in Avid iNEWS Command requires an administrator password (if set), which is configured through the Service Configuration application of Avid Interplay Framework.

To set up or change the system administration password:

1. Click the Start button and select Programs > Avid > Interplay Framework > Avid Interplay Service Configuration.

Starting Command at a Workstation

2. On the Hosts tab, navigate to and select the Avid System Configuration Service.

3. Select the Administrator Password tab.

4. Type in an alpha-numeric password and retype it.

5. Click Apply.

Should you ever need to restore the default “blank” password, click the Reset button to do

so.

Starting Command at a Workstation

While some administration tasks require a password—if the administrator password is set up—the Avid iNEWS Command client application at a workstation 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.

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

Panels

Menu bar

Workspace

Playlist Viewer

Inventory Explorer

Status bar

The iNEWS Command window opens as shown in the following illustration:

Overview of the User Interface

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

Playlist Viewer

The Playlist Viewer is a customizable area of the window used to view and manage playlists for on-air playout. The window can also have different playlists open simultaneously. All are accessible through tabs located at the top of the Playlist Viewer.

For more information about the Playlist Viewer used in iNEWS Command, see the Avid iNEWS Command User’s Guide.

Panels

Menu Bar

Overview of the User Interface

Panels are components that 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 panel and Playlist Explorer, used in iNEWS Command, see Avid iNEWS Command User’s Guide.

The menu bar for iNEWS Command contains the following:

•File

•Edit

•View

• Playlist

• Shotbox

•Media

•Tools

•Help

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

Menu Submenu 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.

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

Menu Submenu Menu Option Shortcut Keys Description (Continued)

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

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” in the Avid iNEWS Command User’s Guide.

Overview of the User Interface

Menu Submenu Menu Option Shortcut Keys Description (Continued)

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.

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.

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

Menu Submenu Menu Option Shortcut Keys Description (Continued)

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.

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.

Overview of the User Interface

Menu Submenu Menu Option Shortcut Keys Description (Continued)

Forward One Second

Forward ten Seconds

Backward One Frame

Backward One Second

Backward Ten Seconds

Restart Alt+6 Restart media.

Eject Alt+J Eject media.

Tools Options Opens the Options dialog box. These

System Settings Opens the System Settings dialog box.

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

Ctrl+. Move forward one second.

Ctrl+Alt+. Move forward ten seconds.

Alt+, Move backward one frame.

Ctrl+, Move backward one second.

Ctrl+Alt+, Move backward ten seconds.

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

These settings apply system-wide.

keypad for playout control.

Help Contents Displays help information for users.

Support Opens the Support dialog box.

About Display information about iNEWS

Command.

Disabling a Command Workstation’s Keyboard

Some sites use alternative devices to control playout from Command, such as a GPI device or an X-keys USB keypad, and therefore do not want the computer keyboard at the workstation enabled.

X-keys is third-party hardware. Avid only supports Command on the twenty-button X-keys

keypad, which is programmable via Command. However, other X-keys hardware can be used if programmed through the X-keys macro software. For more information on X-keys USB keypads, see that manufacturer’s documentation on www.xkeys.com.

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

To enable or disable the computer keyboard:

1. Select Tools > Options.

2. In Category, select Keyboard.

3. Do one of the following:

t Select Enable keyboard. t Deselect Enable keyboard.

4. Click Apply.

5. Click OK.

If the keyboard is disabled, the numeric keypad cannot be used to control playout from the

Command Workstation. Disabling the keyboard does not affect the use of the keyboard for software on the workstation PC unrelated to the Command client software.

2 iNEWS Command 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.

Avid iNEWS Command uses Avid Interplay Framework applications and services to monitor

and manage Command services.

• Main Services

• Avid Interplay Framework Services

• Redundancy/Failover

• Viewing Status of Services

• Starting and Stopping Services

2 iNEWS Command Services

Main Services

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

It is best to dedicate a computer to be a Command Server. Avid does not recommend running

the main services on a workstation, Thunder, or Deko. See

28 for more information.

The two Command services that pertain to newsroom computer system interfacing are:

• Avid iNEWS Communication Service—An iNEWS Command system uses this

service as the communication portal to load and unload iNEWS rundowns from an iNEWS workstation. The service receives playlist messages from iNEWS, 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 Communication services for redundancy.

• Avid MOS Communication Service—An iNEWS Command system uses this service

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 newsroom computer system. A single iNEWS Command system can have multiple MOS services. This service is server specific, meaning that services on different computers act independently. In a failover scenario, if the Command playlist becomes disconnected, users can continue playout functions. To get an updated playlist, the user must perform a MOS redirection in the MOS-based newsroom computer system to the Command Server running the now primary MOS Communcation service.

“Redundancy/Failover” on page

The Command services related to playlist control are:

• Avid Playlist Controller—The playlist controller drives playout of the media on a

locked channel group 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 primary playlist controllers and several backups. One playlist controller is necessary for each concurrently loaded playlist. Separate controllers are not needed to control embedded playlists.

• Avid Playlist Manager—This service 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 channel groups. 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.

• Avid Playlist Store—This service is the data store or respository for all loaded

(newsroom) playlists and standalone playlists. It communicates playlist changes to other Command components. An iNEWS Command system can only have one primary Playlist Store, but might have others as backups.

The Command services related to inventory are:

• Avid Inventory Manager—This service 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 active Inventory Manager, but might have backups.

The Command services related to thumbnail images are:

• Avid Interplay Agent—This service connects and logs in to the Interplay engine to

retrieve thumbnail images from video on

• Avid Deko Rend e rer—This service connects to the DekoMOS Gateway to retrieve

thumbnail images from graphics on Avid Deko character generators.

Device Services

AirSpeed video servers.

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.

• Avid AirSpeed Device Service—This service provides control of a single AirSpeed

high resolution video server. One is required for each AirSpeed, but a site can also have multiple backups. It runs on the iNEWS Command servers, not on the device like other device services.

• Avid Deko Device Service—This service provides control of a single Deko device. One

is required for each Deko device. It runs on the device (Deko Server).

• Avid Thunder Device Service—This service provides control of a single Thunder

device. One is required for each Thunder device. It runs on the device (Thunder Server).

• Avid GPI Devic e Service—This service interfaces to a GPI input card on the server.

• Avid Maney Panel Service—This service interfaces to a Maney panel.

Avid Interplay Framework Services

Avid Interplay Framework consists of applications and services which provide dynamic discovery and lookup mechanisms, a scalable notification system, a centralized configuration tool, diagnostic logging for workgroup-enabled applications and services,

2 iNEWS Command Services

system health monitoring, and so on. Some of the services are known collectively as Support services. The Support services are viewed, monitored, and configured using the Interplay Framework applications.

Those most vital to iNEWS Command are:

• Avid Interplay Lookup Service—This service enables communication between all

Command and Interplay services running in the workgroup. Without it, there is no communication between services. Only two should be installed in a workgroup.

• Avid Interplay System Configuration Service— This service is a shared repository

for data that is used across services within a workgroup. Only two should be installed in a workgroup. You can configure a list of machines for Interplay Health Monitor and change the administration password using the System Configuration service's configuration settings. Service settings are available for configuring services, such as AutoArchive, AutoTranscode, and AutoTransfer.

• Avid Interplay License Service—This service manages the site licenses for Command

Workstations as well as CG and video devices that interface with the Command system. It must be installed on the computer running the Command Server software, but is not necessary on any other computer; however, two instances of this service can be installed for redundancy.

Avid strongly recommends the installation of the Avid Interplay Framework applications:

Health Monitor, Machine Monitor, Diagnostics, and Service Configuration. They take up almost no space or overhead on the hard drive and can prove vital in troubleshooting integration issues, etc.

Redundancy/Failover

Avid iNEWS Command services operate on a primary/backup basis. There can be only one primary service, but there can be several backup services. Avid does not recommend running the Command services on a workstation, Deko, or Thunder. It is best to have a dedicated computer be a Command Server and, for additional system integrity, use multiple Command Servers—one running all of the primary services while the backup services run on other backup servers.

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. Therefore, to get all primary services on one server, it is necessary to start the primary server first; when all services have started, start the backup servers. This is the only way to ensure all services on the primary server take on the primary role, which allows for more consistent behavior during times when redundancy is needed, and it helps simplify any necessary troubleshooting efforts.

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.

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.

Non-redundant services

There are some services that are not redundant:

• Lookup Service — This Avid Interplay Framework service acts independently. If a second one is 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.

Redundancy/Failover

• iNEWS Communication Service— This Command service is server specific, meaning that services on 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— These Command services must run on the Deko and Thunder respectively, and you cannot install a second service on a device.

• Service Starter Service, Machine Monitor Service, Time Synchronization— These Avid Interplay Framework services are computer specific, so redundancy does not apply.

• Deko Renderer & Avid Interplay Agent Services— These Command services should run on the Command Server. Used for thumbnail generation, the services load share, so redundancy does not apply.

While redundancy is vital to ensuring consistent behavior, running too many redundant services can cause extra, unnecessary traffic on the network. For this reason, it is important to understand the difference between Command services and Avid Interplay Framework services and applications. The following diagram shows an example of a single workgroup with two systems, each with a primary and backup Command Server.

2 iNEWS Command Services

Redundancy/Failover

The following graphic shows an example of what a redundant system might look like from the Avid Interplay Framework Health Monitor application. The primary Command Server is selected.

2 iNEWS Command Services

Viewing Status of Services

Avid iNEWS Command uses Avid Interplay Framework as its structure for discovering and communicating with services. For more information, see

Services” on page 27.

To view status of services:

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

The Avid Interplay Workgroup Properties window opens.

“Avid Interplay Framework

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 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 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.

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 Framework 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.

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.

2 iNEWS Command Services

To stop, start, or enable 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. Select a service to stop, start or enable. Multiple rows can be selected.The Start button changes to Restart if all of the services

are running.

3. Do one of the following:

t Click Start to start the selected service(s). t Click Stop to stop the selected service(s). t Click Enable to enable the selected service(s).

For more information on starting and stopping services using the Interplay Workgroup Properties application see the Avid

To disable a service:

Interplay Framework User’s Guide.

1. Click the Start button, and then select All Programs > Avid > Interplay Framework >

Interplay Workgroup Properties.

Avid

2. Click the Advanced button.

Starting and Stopping Services

The Avid Interplay Services dialog box opens.

3. Select the service you want to disable and click Stop.

4. After the service stops, click the Disable button to disable the service.

5. Click Exit to close the Avid Interplay Services dialog box.

6. Click OK to close the Avid Interplay Workgroup Properties window.

2 iNEWS Command Services

3 System Settings

System settings can be accessed through the Command user interface at any Command Workstation. System settings are used to configure channel groups, GPI keypads, MOS integration with third-party newsroom systems such as ENPS, and so forth.

Modifying system settings in Avid iNEWS Command requires an administrator password (if

set). For more information, see

This chapter contains the following main sections:

• Viewing System Settings

• Channel Settings

• MOS Settings

• Playlist Settings

• Playout Settings

• Inventory Settings

• GPI Settings

• Tally Settings

“Security via Administrator Password” on page 16.

• Privileges

• System Alias

• Importing and Exporting System Settings

3 System Settings

Viewing System Settings

The system settings for Command can be accesses at any Command Workstation.

To view system settings:

1. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.

2. Click any category to access the settings related to that part of the Command system.

3. When finished, click the X button to close the dialog box.

Channel Settings

The first category in the System Settings dialog box pertains to channels. It is used to map device channels to channel names, as well as configuring indices and channel groups.

This section covers the three sub-categories in the order they appear within the software:

•Groups

• Indices

•Device Channels

Before you assign groups, the actual device channels should be mapped to a channel name. This is done in the System Settings dialog box. For more information, see

Channels” on page 53.

Groups

A channel group is a cluster configured with one or more device channels composed from compatible video servers or character generators. Many channel groups can be created from the same pool of resources, and different groups can use the same resources to serve different operational needs.

Channel Settings

“Device

Each channel group must contain a single “type” of device. For instance, 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. All channel names within a single device type must be unique.

AirSpeed channels provide one of the best examples of the way in which channel groups provide control configurations; they do not guarantee media availability, which is the role of the AirSpeed studio configuration. For example, a station has two AirSpeed video servers, each with two channels that are numbered 2 and 3. (With AirSpeed video servers, the first channel is reserved for ingest.) Let’s call the first AirSpeed 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:

Channel

Channel Group

AS-Noon A

Names Actual Device Channels Purpose

AS1 - channel 2 B C

AS1 - channel 3

AS2 - channel 2

Playout Playout Browse

3 System Settings

Channel Group

Channel Names Actual Device Channels Purpose

AS-5PM A

B C D

AS-10PM A

C B D

AS1 - channel 2 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

The following graphic shows a more visual example of how multiple channel groups can be created from the same four AirSpeed video server channels.

The first group shows a single channel group configured to create four playback channels called A, B, C, and D. The next set shows two groups, representing control rooms, with two playback channels each. Alternatively, the groups can be created from any combination of channels and used to support simultaneous two-channel playout from two control rooms sharing the same resources. The last set shows four channel groups, each controlling a single channel.

The following graphic shows a more visual example of how channel groups are used to mirror playout for redundancy.

Channel Settings

The first group creates a two channel playout solution with both channels mirrored on a secondary video server for maximum reliability. Whenever a video clip is cued and played on either of the primary channels, the same clip is also cued and played on the corresponding secondary channels. The other two groups depict single channel solutions with redundancy.

All of these channel groups can exist at the same time, although they cannot necessarily all be used simultaneously.

Creating Channel Groups

Channels must be created before they can be assigned to channel groups. For more information on how to create channels, see

The first eight (8) characters of a channel group’s name must be unique to match the

eight-character device name in the iNEWS newsroom computer system. For instance, a channel group name in Command that is ASNoonMirrored will appear as ASNoonMi in iNEWS.

System administrators can create channel groups via the System Settings dialog box.

“Device Channels” on page 53.

3 System Settings

To create channel groups:

1. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.

2. Expand Channel.

3. Select Groups.

4. Click Add. The Add New Channel Group to Playlist dialog box opens.

Channel Settings

5. Enter the name of the new channel group and any notes you want. Names of channel groups can be upper or lowercased and contain any alpha-numeric character. Avoid using spaces before or after the name.

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

If channels have not been created, they cannot be assigned to channel groups; therefore, the

Add button will be disabled if no channels exist in the system. For more information on how to create channels, see

7. In the Channel Detail section, select the following:

“Device Channels” on page 53.

3 System Settings

Channel Detail Description

Channel Type Select the appropriate channel type, based on:

Primary Select the channel designated as the primary playout channel for the

Mirrored (Optional) If mirrored playout is necessary, select the device’s channel

Preview (Optional) Select which device channel to use for displaying the

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

Standard - This is the channel type selected for playout. Browse - This is the channel type selected for changing In and Out points

of pre-existing clips for preview or editing purposes only. This does not apply to playout operations.

Hotswap - This is the channel type selected for emergency backup channel assignment.

device.

designated for mirrored playout.

headframe of the next media event in the playlist.

9. Click OK. This will close the Add New Channel Group to Playlist dialog box. The new channel group will appear in the System Settings dialog box.

10. Click Apply (if you want the System Settings dialog box to remain open after settings are applied) or OK.

The system will prompt you for the administrator password.

11. Enter the administrator password and click OK.

Until the Apply or OK button is clicked and administrator password supplied, the channel group(s) are not created.

12. Close all workstation sessions and restart all Command and Avid Interplay Framework services throughout the environment.

Editing Channel Groups

Should it become necessary to modify a channel group, you can do so from any Command Workstation via the System Settings dialog box.

To edit a channel group:

1. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.

Channel Settings

2. Expand Channel.

3. Select Groups.

4. Select the channel group from the list on the right.

5. Click Edit. The Edit Channel Group dialog box appears.

3 System Settings

6. You can rename the channel group, add notes, rearrange the order of channels by using the Up and Down buttons, add or delete channels, or alter the channel details for each channel in the group.

7. After editing the channel group, click OK.

8. Click Apply (if you want the System Settings dialog box to remain open after settings are applied) or OK.

The system will prompt you for the administrator password.

9. Enter the administrator password and click OK.

Channel Settings

Deleting Channel Groups

Until the Apply or OK button is clicked and administrator password supplied, the changes in the system settings are not saved.

Should it become necessary to delete a channel group, you can do so from any Command Workstation via the System Settings dialog box.

To delete a channel group:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.

3. Expand Channel.

4. Select Groups.

3 System Settings

5. Select the channel group from the list on the right.

6. Click Delete.

7. Click Apply (if you want the System Settings dialog box to remain open after settings are applied) or OK.

The system will prompt you for the administrator password.

8. Enter the administrator password and click OK.

Indices

Until the Apply or OK button is clicked and administrator password supplied, the channel group(s) are not deleted from the system settings.

Channel indices are a configuration feature used to map an index integer (1-16) to a channel name, which can be alpha or numeric, to enable assignment of channel-specific actions to certain keys on a keypad.

This pre-configuration can be done before assigning the channel-specific actions to any keys on playout control keypads, such as the X-keys connects to the USB port the Command Workstation and offers up to twenty user-reprogrammable keys for one-button access to playout functionality.

USB keypad. An X-keys USB keypad

X-keys is an optional third-party hardware solution, so for more information on the X-keys

USB keypad, see that manufacturer’s documentation on www.xkeys.com.

Ensuring the successful integration of an X-keys keypad to control playout through Command requires the completion of the following tasks:

Tasks Refer to...

Channel Settings

(Optional) Disable the keyboard at the Command Workstation.

Verify installation of the keypad on the Command Workstation.

Map Indices to Channel Names. See procedure on page 49.

Program the keypad. “Programming the X-keys” on page 51

(Optional) Assign channel-specific actions to keys.

Another alternative keypad is one that connects to a GPI card. For more information on GPI

integration, see

To map an index to a channel name:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.

“GPI Settings” on page 72.

“Disabling a Command Workstation’s Keyboard” on page 23

See the Avid iNEWS Command Installation and Configuration Guide.

“Assigning Channel-Specific Actions” on page 53

3 System Settings

3. Expand Channel.

4. Select Indices.

5. Enter the channel’s name in the Name column next to the appropriate index.

Avid recommends that if a channel name must be numeric, such as is the case whenever the

ActiveX plug-in Avid Deko Select is used, assign it to the same Index number to avoid confusion.

6. Click Apply (if you want the System Settings dialog box to remain open after settings are applied) or OK. The system will prompt you for the administrator password.

7. Enter the administrator password and click OK.

Programming the X-keys

The following procedure should be conducted at the Command Workstation to which the X-keys USB keypad is installed.

To program the X-keys from the Command Workstation:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > Options.

3. In Category, expand Actions and select X-keys.

Channel Settings

4. Select Enable X-keys.

5. Set the de-bounce period. Designed to avoid inadvertent repetition, this is the span of time (in milliseconds) during

which the system should ignore duplicated signals.

If you find that you are having problems with “double-hits” when you press a key, increase

the de-bounce period.

6. Click on a gray box that represents (or corresponds to) the key on the keypad.

3 System Settings

Some sites might use key caps that cover 2 or 4 buttons on the keypad, turning a set of buttons into a single key. If that is the case, select the left box to set the “2-button” key. For 4-button keys, select the upper left box.

7. Assign an action to the key by selecting it from the list of those available in the Choose Action dialog box. The most commonly used actions will appear open for your selection already.

- The Playlist > Channel Group actions refer to channel group commands.

- The Playlist > Selection actions refer to selected items on the playlist.

- The Playlist > Channel actions refer to specific channels that correspond to a

particular index as configured in the procedure on page 49 and explained in

“Assigning Channel-Specific Actions” on page 53.

8. Click OK.

9. Repeat steps 6-8 as needed.

10. Click Apply.

11. Click OK. The following graphic shows a closeup of the first row of keys after they were assigned

to the four playout control options of play, cue, pause, and stop.

Assigning Channel-Specific Actions

Keys can also be assigned to an action associated with a specific channel on a device. An example of this would be for a key to initiate a play command on a single channel. Assigning the channel-specific actions affects only the keypad attached to the workstation at which the assignments are programmed.

To assign channel-specific actions to a key:

1. Complete steps 2 - 6 of the procedure to program X-keys.

2. In Category, expand Actions and select Playlist, then Channel.

3. Select the action, such as Play.

4. Select the index, such as 01, that corresponds to the device channel.

Channel Settings

5. Click Apply.

6. Click OK.

Device Channels

The Device Channels section of the System Settings dialog box enables system administrators to map actual channels from a device, such as an Avid Deko or AirSpeed video server to a name of your chosing. This name can then be used to create channel groups or assign channel-specific actions to keys on a USB keypad at the Command Workstation.

For more information on channel groups, see “Groups” on page 39. Also, see “Assigning

Channel-Specific Actions” on page 53 for more information on assigning channel-specific

actions to keypad keys.

To map device channels to names:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.

3 System Settings

3. Expand Channel.

4. Select Device Channels.

5. Click Add.

6. Enter the channel’s name, which can be any alpha-numeric character(s), based on the following guidelines:

Channel Settings

Channel

Device Type

Deko 0 1 Avid Deko devices begin channel designations

Deko 1 2

Both channel names must be numeric, though, to match the channel selection available

through the Deko Select plug-in inside of the iNEWS newsroom computer system.

AirSpeed 2 A AirSpeed video servers begin channel

AirSpeed 3 B

Thunder 1 aPlay Avid Thunder begins channel designations at

Thunder 2 bPlay

Index

Channel Name Description

at zero (0); however, the name of the first channel can be one.

designations at one (1); however, the first channel is reserved for video ingest. So the first available channel for playout or browse purposes would be channel 2.

one (1). The channel names must be in the following format: aPlay, bPlay, cPlay, and so forth. Although it is possible to name the channels 1, 2...8, or pgm (for program), Avid recommends against using numeric names to avoid confusion with channel names for any Avid Deko device.

7. Select the name and type of the device from the lists. The device name is the machine name for the device, such as deko3000. If it does not appear in the list, you must enter it. If the device is on a different subnet, you will need to enter the full domain name for the device, such as deko3000.avid.com.

8. Select the channel, using the Channel index spinbox.

9. Enter any notes you want, which can help identify the device should future alterations be necessary.

10. Click OK.

11. Repeat steps 5 through 10 for each device, as needed.

12. Click Apply (if you want the System Settings dialog box to remain open after settings are applied) or OK. The system will prompt you for the administrator password.

3 System Settings

13. Enter the administrator password and click OK.

MOS Settings

The MOS category in the System Settings dialog box allows system administrators to configure the Command system to integrate with a MOS-enabled newsroom computer system, such as ENPS. A MOS-enabled newsroom computer system can send playlists to Command.

MOS (Media Object Server) is an industry-standard, XML-based protocol that is primarily used by a newsroom computer system (NRCS) to maintain running orders on a video server. MOS also enables servers to update the newsroom computer system with changes to the server’s media inventory. Command’s MOS support enables communication between the newsroom computer system and AirSpeed video servers, as shown in the following illustration.

MOS does not provide a means of controlling playout from a video server. Command supplies this function.

Under the MOS category are three subcategories:

• General - used to configure MOS and graphics environment settings.

• Channel Groups - used to create channel groups for integration with MOS-based newsroom computer systems.

• Advanced - used for advanced MOS feature configuration.

Avid strongly recommends contacting Customer Support before altering any of the advanced

settings.

To configure Command for a MOS-based newsroom computer system:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.

MOS Settings

3. Expand the MOS category.

4. Select General.

5. Edit the MOS settings accordingly:

MOS Setting Description

iNEWS Command MOS IDThe ID that enables enables bidirectional communications between a

MOS-based newsroom computer system and Command. The ID is case sensitive and cannot contain spaces.

Newsroom NCS ID Usually, this is set to the host name of the newsroom computer system’s

server. It is case sensitive.

3 System Settings

MOS Setting Description

Newsroom Host Name Host name of the newsroom computer system’s server. The name entered

Newsroom BuddyID Usually, this is set to host name of the newsroom computer system’s

in this field must be resolvable via the Domain Name Service (DNS); otherwise, an IP address can be used instead.

“buddy” or backup server. The name entered in this field must be resolvable via the Domain Name Service (DNS); otherwise, an IP address can be used instead.

Newsroom Buddy Host Name

MOS version Determines which version of MOS protocol Command will use.

Host name of the newsroom computer system’s “buddy” or backup server.

6. Set the default graphics environment for playlists loaded from a MOS-based newsroom computer system, if necessary.

Graphics environments, known as styles in Avid Deko, are added via the Playlist category in the System Settings dialog box. If none are added, then the list in the MOS > General category will appear blank.For more information, see

“Playlist Settings” on

page 61.

7. Select Channel Groups.

8. Click Add. The Channel Groups dialog box appears.

MOS Settings

9. Select a channel group.

10. Click OK. The chosen channel group will appear in the list on the right side of the System Settings

dialog box.

Unless the channel is specified in ENPS, Command will assign channels based on the

channel group listed first. Specifically, Command will only assign the first channel of the first channel group by default.

11. Click Apply (if you want the System Settings dialog box to remain open after settings are applied) or OK.

The system will prompt you for the administrator password.

3 System Settings

12. Enter the administrator password and click OK.

After changing any MOS system settings, you must restart the MOS Communication service.

To view advanced MOS settings:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.

3. Expand the MOS category.

4. Select Advanced.

While a newsroom computer system can use non-standard ports for the incoming and outgoing sockets and the advanced settings can be customized, Avid recommends that the default settings be used.

Avid strongly recommends contacting Customer Support before altering any of the advanced

settings.

The first four settings specify the port numbers for the sockets used to communicate with the MOS-based newsroom computer system. The defaults, as defined in the MOS protocol specifications, are: 10541 (upper) and 10540 (lower).

Configuring Command for MOS Redirection

Command sites that interface with the ENPS newsroom computer system can run two MOS Communication services and set the second one to have a different MOSID so that MOS redirection can be used to send playlists to the backup server.

To configure Command for MOS redirection:

Playlist Settings

1. Click the Start button and select Programs > Avid > Interplay Framework > Avid Interplay Service Configuration.

2. On the Hosts tab, navigate to and select the Avid MOS Communication Service running on the backup server.

3. Enter the MOSID for the backup server.

4. Click Apply.

When you need to direct MOS traffic to the backup server, disconnect from the primary server and connect to the backup server via MOS redirection in ENPS. For more information, see documentation that came with your third-party ENPS system.

Playlist Settings

Playout of items in a playlist can be set to either to manual playout or to automatically occur immediately following the completion of the previous item. This latter functionality is called follow-on playout and is indicated by an icon that looks like a bent blue arrow in the playlist at a Command Workstation.

3 System Settings

While a user at a Command Workstation can change individual items in a playlist from one playout type to another, the system administrator can set the default condition for items added to playlists in the System Settings dialog box. This default applies to both standalone and newsroom playlists.

To set the playout default for new items:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.

3. Select Playlist.

4. (Optional) Ensure the checkbox called New items are follow-on by default is selected.

5. Click Apply (if you want the System Settings dialog box to remain open after settings are applied) or OK.

The system will prompt you for the administrator password.

6. Enter the administrator password and click OK.

Environments

Graphics environments, known as styles in Avid Deko, are added to the system via the Playlist category in the System Settings dialog box. This category allows you to specify the set of graphics environments that will appear as options in various parts of the user interface, such as: the Default environment list (shown below), in the MOS category of the System Settings dialog box (see procedure on

To add an environment:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

Playlist Settings

page 57), and in the Playlist Properties dialog box .

2. Select Tools > System Settings.

3. Select Playlist.

4. Click the Add button. An environment will appear in the list as shown:

3 System Settings

5. By default, the name of any added environment is changed. To do so, double-click on the name in the Environments list and retype the new name.

6. After multiple environments are added, use the drop-down list to select which one the system should use as a default.

7. Click Apply (if you want the System Settings dialog box to remain open after settings are applied) or OK.

The system will prompt you for the administrator password.

8. Enter the administrator password and click OK.

For more information on environments, known as styles, see the Avid Deko Select User’s Guide.

Environment

, but that can be

Playout Settings

The Playout category of the System Settings dialog box provides a variety of settings related to autocueing of items, channel assignment, playout behaviors, and the as-run log.

To access the playout settings:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.

Playout Settings

3. Select Playout. The Playout category contains settings in three distinct sections:

- As-run Log—For more information, see page 67.

- Behavior—For more information, see page 68.

- Exclusive playout control—When this checkbox is selected, playout control is handled solely from a GPI keypad.

4. Select the Autocue sub-category for additional settings related to playout.

3 System Settings

Options for the Autocue feature are described as follows:

Autocue enabled When autocue is enabled, video clips are cued

automatically whenever the playlist’s channel groups are locked and when the preceding item is played. If this checkbox is not selected, events must be cued manually.

When the Autocue enabled checkbox is selected, the other options in the Autocue section are enabled for selection as well; when it’s not, the rest appear grayed out.

Playout Settings

Independent channel cueing Applies autocue to single channels only.

For example, the first three items (1, 2, and 3) in a playlist are cued in order on channels A, B, and C, respectively when the playlist’s channel group is locked. The next four items (4, 5, 6, and 7) are assigned to A, B, C, and A. If this setting is enabled, then should a user manually play item 4 on channel A, item 7 instead of item 1 would then be cued on A, while items 2 and 3 would remain cued on B and C.

If this setting is not enabled, then when item 4 is played on channel A, items 5, 6, and 7 would be cued on channels B, C, and A respectively, while items 1, 2, and 3 would no longer be cued for playout.

Skip items that are not playable If selected, the system will skip over any items that are

unavailable for playout.

Auto-assign channels If selected, channels are assigned automatically whenever

the channel groups are locked.

Strong channel assignment If selected, channels are also re-assigned automatically

when a playlist is altered to maintain their sequence, such as ABAB, etc. Assignment only applies to unplayed items in the playlist or below any manually cued item.

Restart auto-assign at break If selected, channels assignment begins again as opposed

When strong channel assignment is enabled, any channel assignment made by the newsroom

computer system is ignored. Also, changes to the autocue settings do not take affect for pre-existing playlists immediately upon clicking OK. Give the system about 15 seconds or so to reflect such changes.

As-run Log

The As-run log is used to keep records of playout data for traffic-related purposes.

To enable the As-run log:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings.

to continuing the sequence from prior to the break. For example, if the sequence involves four channels: A, B, C, and D, and the first segment ends on an item assigned to channel B, the first item in the next segment after the break will be assigned to A and not C.

3 System Settings

3. Select Playout.

4. Select the As-run log enabled check box.

5. Enter either a drive path local to the Command Server or a network-shared location accessible to the Command Servers running the Avid Playlist Controller services.

Behavior

The Playout category’s Behavior section supplies configuration options for integration between Command and playback devices, such as the automated graphic triggering functionality available through the Avid Deko Select plug-in that opens inside the iNEWS newsroom computer system. With the plug-in, a user can set a character-generated graphic to automatically go on-air at a specific time and for a specific duration during a video event. This is known as Totally Automated Graphics (TAG). Timecode information specified in the plug-in is forwarded to the Command Workstation and appears in the playlist so that the operator knows when this automatic event will occur.

Administrators at sites that want to take such events to air manually can turn off the automatic functionality by modifying the system setting in Avid iNEWS Command. This does not disable the ability of a user to enter an start time or duration in the Deko Select plug-in. If entered, the times would still appear as information only for the Command operator.

If, for example, you enter

C:\AsRunLogs\

, then logs will be stored at that location on the Command Server that is running the Playlist Controller in a primary role. The drive path entry is not the C drive of the workstation on which you are enabling the As-run log. To store logs at the workstation, you must enter the network pathname to that location, such as

\\cmd-wkstn\AsRunLogs\

, and you must also ensure that the

location is shared over the network.

To turn on or off automatic graphic triggering:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings.

3. Select Playout.

4. Do one of the following: t Ensure the Automatic Graphic Triggering checkbox is selected to turn it on.

Playout Settings

t Uncheck the Automatic Graphic Triggering checkbox to turn it off.

5. Set the time in seconds that the system should hold the last frame.

6. Set the time in seconds that the system should wait before ejecting .

7. Click Apply (if you want the System Settings dialog box to remain open after settings are applied) or OK.

The system will prompt you for the administrator password.

8. Enter the administrator password and click OK. The other settings available in the Behavior section of the System Settings dialog box

are explained in the following table:

Hold last frame time Sets a delay that determines how long the last frame of a

clip is held on the channel before it is ejected. When using clips that are less than 10 seconds in duration, specify a value that is less than the duration of the events in the playlist. For example, when using clips that are five seconds in duration, specify the value to any positive integer less than five.

Eject previous items Stops an item that would normally continue to play after a

new item is sent to air. For example, a two-minute clip is playing in channel A but, after only one minute, you play the next item on air on channel B. Without this setting enabled, the clip on channel A would continue to play for the remaining minute, unless you manually stop it. If you set the Eject previous item time greater than zero, any events that are playing when you send the next item to air are stopped automatically after the designated time interval has elapsed.

3 System Settings

Inventory Settings

Avid iNEWS Command provides a system setting that allows administrators to decide whether to allow deletion of inventory from a Command Workstation via the Inventory panel and delete protection of media items.

Avid iNEWS Command also supports placeholders that can be used to associate media with a newsroom story before the media is actually available. The iNEWS newsroom computer system can request placeholders from the Command system. Placeholder creation is also a feature of MOS-based ENPS systems and is invoked as part of the AutoCreate feature.

Each placeholder must have a unique ID to avoid playback of the wrong media. In Avid iNEWS Command, the prefix for such placeholders can be configured.

The system administrator can also decide whether to use short IDs. However, redundancy is no longer supported if this optional feature is enabled.

To configure placeholder defaults:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.

Inventory Settings

3. Select Inventory.

4. Select whether short IDs are used. Short IDs are the prefix followed by the date in the format generated, uppercased alpha-numeric digits:

Short IDs are only unique on a single Command system. If long IDs are used, the prefix and date are followed by a hyphen (-) and 8 randomly generated, uppercased alpha-numeric digits. Long IDs are unique across multiple Command systems or if a new installation occurs.

Redundancy is not supported with the use of short IDs, although a unique prefix can ensure

the possibility of generating about ten-thousand IDs without overlap in one day.

5. Set the prefix. By default, the format for placeholders uses the long ID, which is:

<prefix>MMDDYY-<8digits>

MMDDYY

—representing the month, day, and year—followed by three randomly

<prefix>MMDDYY<3digits>

3 System Settings

The prefix can be set by a system administrator to any alpha-numeric sequence of digits, such as a station’s call letters. If set to of the week is used based on the day when the placeholder was created, such as

TUE, WED, THU, FRI, SAT

Prefixes are truncated to keep the ID under 31 bytes.

6. Set the number of days after which any unused placeholders are deleted from the system. To disable this feature, set the number to zero (0).

7. Click Apply (if you want the System Settings dialog box to remain open after settings are applied) or OK.

The system will prompt you for the administrator password.

, or

, a three letter, all-cap representation of the day

SUN

. If set to $w, a single digit is used to represent the day.

MON

8. Enter the administrator password and click OK.

To enable delete and delete-protection:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings.

3. Select Inventory.

4. Select Allow delete and delete-protect.

5. Click OK.

6. Enter the administrator password when prompted and click OK. This enables a right-click menu option in the Inventory panel of the Command user

interface, allowing users to delete media from the inventory or protect media from deletion. For more information, see the Avid iNEWS Command User’s Guide.

GPI Settings

A GPI panel is another alternative keypad device that can be used to control playout through Command. The GPI panel, such as a Maney panel (shown below), connects to a GPI card installed in the Command Server.

GPI Settings

The GPI panel allows a user to select up to four channels, with each channel having its own set of Control buttons for play, cue, pause, and stop functionality.

Configuring the system to work with a GPI panel requires defining certain parameters through the system settings in Command and through the Avid Interplay Service Configuration application.

To ensure successful GPI integration, complete the following tasks in the order that they are listed. If you are viewing this checklist online, you can easily link to a topic that provides procedural details for the task. Return to this main checklist after you have completed each task.

⌧



Tasks Refer to...

Verify installation of Avid Interplay Framework, as well as installation of the GPI card and GPI device service on the Command Server.

Verify proper configuration of the GPI card. The Avid iNEWS Command Installation and

Ensure that the GPI device service is running. The Avid iNEWS Command Installation and

Map Indices to Channel Names. The procedure on page 49

Map events to an actions. “Mapping GPI Events” on page 74

Enable the GPI panel for playout. “Enabling the GPI for Non-channel-specific

The Avid iNEWS Command Installation and Configuration Guide and the installation instructions that came with your GPI card

Configuration Guide

Actions” on page 76

3 System Settings

Mapping GPI Events

After you configure the GPI card and restart the device service, the GPI events must be mapped to playout actions. This is done at a Command Workstation in the System Settings dialog box.

The channel number selected in step 6 of the following procedure corresponds to an index,

which must be configured for this mapping to work. For more information on mapping indices, see the procedure on

To map GPI events to actions:

1. Log in to a Command Workstation.

2. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.

page 49.

3. Select GPI.

4. Expand the panels to view each panel’s GPI events.

GPI Settings

5. Double-click on an event. The Choose Action dialog box appears with the GPI > Control options expanded by

default. Only those actions—Cue, Pause, Play, and Stop—listed as GPI > Control options are channel-specific actions.

Avid recommends mapping GPI events to channel-specific actions under GPI > Control because these actions are communicated directly to the Playlist Controller, bypassing the user interface.

Similar actions, such as Cue, Pause, Play, and Stop, also appear under Playlist > Control,

but those are provided for USB keypads, such as X-keys. Users can select any of the actions in the dialog box, such as selecting Playlist > Selection > Next Item, which would configure a GPI button to advance the cursor in the user interface; however, additional configuration is required for non-channel-specific actions. See

Non-channel-specific Actions” on page 76 for more information.

“Enabling the GPI for

3 System Settings

6. Expand the action, such as Play, and select a channel number, such as 01.

7. Click OK.

8. Repeat steps 5 through 7 as needed.

9. Click Apply (if you want the System Settings dialog box to remain open after settings are applied) or OK.

The system will prompt you for the administrator password.

10. Enter the administrator password and click OK.

Enabling the GPI for Non-channel-specific Actions

After configuration of the GPI card for the Avid iNEWS Command system is complete, the GPI panel must still be enabled to control a playlist, if any of the keys were configured for non-channel-specific actions. A user can do this at any Command Workstation; however, the panels enabled at a workstation only apply to that workstation.

To enable a GPI panel to control a playlist, using non-channel-specific actions:

1. At the Command Workstation, select Tools > Options.

2. In Category, expand Actions and select GPI.

Tally Settings

3. Select a GPI panel from the list.

4. Click Apply.

5. Click OK.

System administrators must configure system settings to provide a list of GPI panels in the

Options dialog box. For more information, see

Tally Settings

The Tally setting is one the system administrator can use to enable tally reflection and restriction. Tally restriction, when enabled, is used for on-air protection of a playing clip. When tally is active (or high), users can pause a playing clip or continue playing a paused clip, but they cannot recue the clip or unlock channel groups. Tally reflection is a feature that allows users to alter the appearance of the Channel bar when tally is active on a certain channel.

To enable tally reflection and restriction:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings.

“Mapping GPI Events” on page 74.

3 System Settings

The System Settings dialog box opens.

3. Select Tally.

4. Do the following:

t Select Enable tally reflection to enable this feature. t Select Enable tally restriction to enable this feature.

5. Click OK.

Privileges

The Privileges setting is one the system administrator can use to limit access to the Options dialog box at a Command Workstation.

To configure privileges:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings.

The System Settings dialog box opens.

System Alias

3. Select Privileges.

4. Select Setting Workstation options requires administrator password to limit access to the Options dialog box to users who know the system administrator password.

5. Click OK.

System Alias

The default system alias is the numeral one (1). However, the system administrator can configure the alias to be something more meaningful. The alias will appear in the status bar of the Command user interface at a Command Workstation. If you have multiple command systems, name them so that it is easy for users to distinguish between the systems.

To configure the system alias:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings.

3 System Settings

3. Select System Aliases.

4. Double click on the alias and rename it.

5. Click Apply.

6. Click OK.

Importing and Exporting System Settings

Should it become necessary to change computers, Command offers a way to export system settings from one PC to another. It’s located on the System Settings dialog box in Command.

To import or export system settings:

1. Open the Command Workstation application.

2. Select Tools > System Settings.

The System Settings dialog box appears.

Importing and Exporting System Settings

3. Do one of the following:

t Click Export to export the current system settings as an XML file. Go to step 4. t Click Import to import system settings. Go to step 4.

4. When the Export Studio Settings dialog box appears (as shown below), type a name for the XML file and select a directory where you want the file to be saved. Then click Save. You can disregard the rest of this procedure, which applies to importing settings.

The system will prompt you for the administrator password.

3 System Settings

5. Enter the administrator password and click OK.

6. Navigate to and select the XML file you want to import. Then click OK.

4 Troubleshooting

Avid iNEWS Command is a system that offers redundancy in case of failover and a method for system administrators or users to keep track of issues for troubleshooting purposes.

When attempting to troubleshoot any problem, it is best to have the latest version of release notes available, which are available as free downloads on Avid’s Knowledge Base at:

http://www.avid.com/onlineSupport/browse.asp?productID=203&topicID=301

For the latest information pertaining to failover and hotswap functionality, including

failover scenarios, symptoms, and recommended recovery procedures, see the Avid iNEWS Command Best Practices document, which is also available as a free download in PDF format on Avid’s Knowledge Base.

This chapter contains the following main sections:

• Support Dialog Box

- Standard Information to Include Regardless of Issue

• Configuring the Avid Deko Renderer Service

4 Troubleshooting

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 at a Command Workstation:

1. Select Help > Support.

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

3. Click Save.

4. Select the 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 event logs, which enable support personnel to troubleshoot the issue. This file can then be sent to Avid Customer Support. For more information, see

“If You Need Help” on page 8.

Standard Information to Include Regardless of Issue

The following is a list of information you should have when contacting Avid Customer Support, regardless of the type of issue your system is experiencing:

• The version of Avid iNEWS Command

Configuring the Avid Deko Renderer Service

• The version of Avid Interplay Framework

• The Command system name

• How many and what type of devices are being controlled by Command

• Detailed summary of the problem.

Configuring the Avid Deko Renderer Service

The Avid Deko Renderer service is installed at sites that want to integrate with an Avid Deko and utilize thumbnail images. After the service is installed on the Command Server, additional configuration should not be necessary. By default, this service is pre-configured to automatically locate the DekoMOS Gateway on the network. However, if the service was installed and cannot locate the DekoMOS Gateway, you can manually configure it to do so via the Avid Interplay Service Configuration application.

The Deko Renderer service does not take up a HASP license seat.

To configure Deko Renderer services:

1. Click the Start button, and then select All Programs > Avid > Interplay Framework > Avid Interplay Service Configuration.

2. On the Hosts tab, navigate to and select the Avid Deko Renderer Service.

3. When prompted, enter the system administrator password and click OK. If you have not yet created one, leave the space blank and click OK.

4. If the Allow Unrestricted Security dialog box appears, click Yes.

4 Troubleshooting

On the Settings tab, you’ll see the service set to Automatically.

5. Select Manually.

6. Enter the host name or IP address for the DekoMOS Gateway computer.

7. Click Apply. You can then close the Avid Interplay Service Configuration application.

You might need to restart the service after applying any changes. For redundant systems,

ensure that all Deko Renderer services on every Command Server are set the same.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Index

Index

AirSpeed

channel designations channel groups device service, defined

services for thumbnail generation As-run log Auto-assign channels Auto-assignment of channels Autocue Automated graphic triggering Avid Deko

Avid Deko Renderer Avid GPI Device Service Avid iNEWS Communication service Avid Interplay Agent Avid Interplay Framework

Avid Inventory Manager Avid MOS Communication Service Avid Playlist Controller Avid Playlist Manager Avid Playlist Store Avid Thunder Device Service

channel designations

device service, defined

styles aka environments

nonredundant services

Services dialog box

System Configuration application

27, 32

Backup server 58 Behavior, configuring

creating defined deleting examples of redundancy

Channel-specific actions

assigning Choose Action dialog box Command Server

GPI card

services for Command Workstation

alternative keypad device

disabling keyboard

menus explained

starting application

using X-keys Customer Support

logging support issues

41, 42

Deko 29

device service, defined Deko Renderer

configuring the service Deko Select, tagged events Delete-protection Device services

configuring Deko Renderer service

viewing status of Dialog boxes

Avid Interplay Services

Choose Action

Playlist Properties

System Settings

52, 75

41, 74

Channel groups

Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Eject previous items 69 Exclusive playout control

Failover 28

GPI card 72 GPI device service GPI events, mapping GPI integration checklist GPI panel, configuring Graphics environments

setting default

Hold last frame time 69

iNEWS Command

defined features of MOS ID MOS support overview of system overview of user interface services starting software system architecture workflow

workflow illustration iNEWS Communication Service iNEWS Communication service Interplay Agent service Interplay Framework Interplay Workgroup Properties Inventory

protecting from deletion Inventory Manager

Keyboard

disabling Keyboard alternative Keypad, GPI device

License service, defined 28 Lookup service Lookup service, defined

Machine Monitor service 29 Maney panel Maney panel service Mapping GPI events to actions Menu bar Mirrored playout

channel groups MOS Communication Service MOS protocol

described

version MOS settings

editing MOS version MOS, defined

27, 72

15, 44

Newsroom buddy host name 58 Newsroom buddyID Newsroom host name Newsroom NCS ID Non-redundant services

Panels, defined 19 Placeholders Playlist Controller Playlist Manager Playlist settings Playlist Store

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Index

Playlist Viewer 18 Playout settings Procedures

access the playout settings add an environment assign channel specific actions to a key configure placeholder defaults configuring Command for MOS-based NRCS create channel groups delete a channel group disable a service edit a channel group enable a GPI panel to control a playlist enable delete and delete-protection enable or disable Avid services enable or disable the keyboard enable the as-run log import or export system settings log support information map an index to a channel name map GPI events to actions programming X-keys set the playout default for new items start iNEWS Command at a workstation stop or start Avid services turn on or off automatic graphic triggering view advanced MOS settings view status of services view system settings

Short IDs

caution regarding redundancy Strong channel assignment Support service

System Configuration Service System Configuration application, defined System configuration service, defined System settings

device channels

import and export System Settings dialog box

41, 74

TAG 68 Thumbnails

Deko Renderer service

Interplay Agent service Thunder

Time Synchronization service Totally Automated Graphics Troubleshooting

device service defined

information to send Avid

logging support issues

USB keypad 48

Redundancy 28

caution regarding short IDs channel groups

Service Starter service 29 Services

defined Interplay Framework license service lookup service starting and stopping types of viewing status

28 28

Video server

channel designations

channel groups

Workflow, illustration 14 Workgroup Properties

starting the application

status icons

X-keys 48, 75

Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

channel-specific actions 53 integration checklist

XML-based protocol

Pinnacle Systems iNews Command - 1.1 Administrator’s Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Using This Guide

Symbols and Conventions

If You Need Help

How to Order Documentation

Avid Training Services

1 Introduction to iNEWS Command

Overview of the System Architecture

Architecture and Workflow

Command with Avid Deko Overview

Features

Security via Administrator Password

Starting Command at a Workstation

Playlist Viewer

Overview of the User Interface

Panels

Menu Bar

Disabling a Command Workstation’s Keyboard

2 iNEWS Command Services

Main Services

Device Services

Avid Interplay Framework Services

Redundancy/Failover

Non-redundant services

Viewing Status of Services

Starting and Stopping Services

3 System Settings

Viewing System Settings

Channel Settings

Groups

Creating Channel Groups

Editing Channel Groups

Deleting Channel Groups

Indices

Programming the X-keys

Assigning Channel-Specific Actions

Device Channels

MOS Settings

Configuring Command for MOS Redirection

Playlist Settings

Environments

Playout Settings

As-run Log

Behavior

Inventory Settings

GPI Settings

Mapping GPI Events

Enabling the GPI for Non-channel-specific Actions

Tally Settings

Privileges

System Alias

Importing and Exporting System Settings

4 Troubleshooting

Support Dialog Box

Standard Information to Include Regardless of Issue

Configuring the Avid Deko Renderer Service

Index