Pinnacle Systems iNews ControlAir - 1.0.5 Installation Manual

iNEWS ControlAir™
Installation & Operations Manual
Version 1.0.5
Copyright and Disc laime r
© 2001, Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. All Avid products are covered by U.S. and foreign patents, issued and pending. Information in this publication supersedes that in all previo1usly pub­lished material. Specifications and price change privileges reserved.
The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement and is protected under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries.
U.S. GOVERNMENT USERS RESTRICTED RIGHTS: Use, duplication, or disclosure by th e U.S. Gov­ernment is subject to restriction as set forth in subparagraph (b)(2) of the Technical Data and Com­puter Software-Commercial items clause at DFARS 252.211-7015, or in subparagraph (c)(2) of the Commercial Computer Software-Restricted Rights clause at FAR 52.227-19, as applicable.
Avid is a registered trademark of Avid Technology, Inc. Media Browse, ControlAir, iNEWS ControlAir and iNEWS are trademarks of iNews, LLC. Microsoft, the Microsoft logo, MS, MS-DOS, Win 32, Win­dows, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows NT Server, and the Windows operating system logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States of America and other coun­tries. UNIX is a registered trademark of X/Open Company, Ltd. All other trademarks and registered trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.
Avid 6400 Enterprise Lane Madison, Wisconsin 53719 USA Tel: +1-608-274-8686 Fax: +1-608-273-5876
Avid Intec 1 Wade Road Basingstoke Hants RG24 8NE UK Tel: +44 1256 814300 Fax: +44 1256 814700
Avid 315 Alexandra Road #03-01 Performance Centre 159944 Singapore Tel: +65 3789 534 Fax: +65 475 7666
Avid Tegel Forum Breitenbachstraße 10 Berlin 13509 GERMANY Tel: +49 30 5900993 0 Fax: +49 30 5900993 24
iNEWS ControlAir™ Installation & Operations Manual Version 1.0.5 Document # 0130-00874 Rev. C
(bbl)
September 23, 2002 Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Preface

Who Should Use This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
About This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Symbols and Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Cross References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Keyboard Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii
If You Need Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii
Related Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
If You Have Documentation Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
How To Order Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x

Chapter 1 Introduction to the iNEWS ControlAir™ System

i
Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Links to Other Newsroom Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
System Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
ControlAir Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
ControlAir Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
casvr.exe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
AMCPapp.exe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
camgr.exe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Device Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
ControlAir Workstation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Monitor Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
ControlAir Work Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Monitor Mode - On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Monitor Mode - Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Monitor Mode - Unload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
ii

Chapter 2 Preparing for Installation

Before You Begin the Installation Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Site Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Power Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Environmental Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Hardware Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
ControlAir Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
ControlAir Workstation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Machine Control PC (MCS-PC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Additional Serial Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
COM Ports—Digi and Equinox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Configuring & Installing the Host Adapter Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Installing the Digi Software Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
On Windows 2000-based PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
On Windows NT-based PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Installing the Equinox Software Driver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15

Chapter 3 Installing and Configuring iNEWS ControlAir

Overview of the Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Adding IP Addresses on ControlAir Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Adding IP Addresses on iNEWS Servers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Installing ControlAir Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Configuring ControlAir Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Setup ControlAir Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25

Chapter 4 Setting up the Monitor Server on iNEWS Servers

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Configuring Monitor Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Configuration Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Configuration Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Reconfigure the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Assigning the Mailbox to the Rundown Queue . . . . . . . . 4-10
Using the list Comma nd to View As sig ned Mailb oxes . . . 4-11
Editing the /site/dict/mcs Dictionary File. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Creating Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35
Using the Monitor Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41

Chapter 5 Working wi th D evices

Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Native Device Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
MCS-PC Device Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Adding Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
DMP Configuration Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
What Does a DMP File Do?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Character Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
For Native DMs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
For MCS-PC DM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
iii

Chapter 6 Control Air Operations

Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
The ControlAir Server Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Printing ControlAir Server Diagnostics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Setting Diagnostic Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Stopping and Starting the ControlAir Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Setting the Override Password. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
The AMCP Application Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Device Manager Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
Device Status at the ControlAir Workstation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13

Chapter 7 Troubleshooting

ControlAir Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Where to Look for Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Visual Indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
iv
Other Problem-Solving Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
ControlAir Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Gathering Diagnostic Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Capturing Server Data Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Saving Rundown Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6

Appendix A Error Messages

Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
Error Message Tokens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-29

Appendix B System Reference Files

The autostart.ini File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2
The /etc/hosts File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3
Sample Configuration File on iNEWS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4
Sample SYSTEM.MAP Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5

Appendix C Upgrading Information

Upgrading to iNEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2
Glossary Index

Preface

This publication p rovides infor mat ion on how to ins tall an d manage the iNEWS ControlAir system.

Who Should Use This Guide

This manual is written for journalists, producers, directors, writers, and various technical p e rsonnel responsi b le for usin g the iNEWS Con­trolAir system in a broadcast newsroom. Portions of the manual pro­vide installation data for technicians. Other chapters provide configuration and maintenance information for system administrators who are manag in g th e system .
n
It is strongly recommended that system administrators have prior experience in or classroom know l ed ge of the Window s 20 00 or NT

About Th is Manu a l

This guide will lead you through even the most complex procedures with task-oriented instructions, illustrated for a more realistic presen­tation of the actual ic ons an d imag es you w ill enco unt e r. The informa­tion provided here builds on basic user procedures, while adding a
®
operating system.
vi
complete explanation of al l the t ools and te chniques r equir ed to c reate , apply, and adjust vari ous sett ings , in clud in g usef ul ti ps, sho rtcuts , and custom options.
The Table of Contents that precedes this preface lists all topics included in the book. They are presented with the following overall structure:
•The Introduction helps you get oriented with beginning concepts and general work flow and provides valuable pointers to keep in the back of your mind as you proceed.
The main body of the guide follows the natural flow of your work, with clear and comprehensive step-by-step procedures.
At the back of the book is a comp rehensive Glossary, providing cross- industry terms and definitions.
Finally, a detailed Index helps you quickly locate specific topics.
This manual provides r equir ements and spec ification s for your system in the following areas:
Environmental and electrical
Minimum hardw are and softw are comp on ent s
Installation procedures
Syst em config uration and maintenance
Use this manual to prepare for and set up your system on the network, after y o u have purchased ControlAir components according to requirements and specifications. Before installing any equipment, the site must already have a configured network.

Symbols and Conventions

The ControlAir documentation uses the following special symbols and conventions:
1. Numbered lists, when the order of the primary items is important. a. Alphabetical lists, when the order of secondary items is
important or in the case of optional procedures.
Bulleted lists, when the order of primary items is unimportant.
- Indented dashed lists, when the order of secondary items is unimportant.
vii
Look here in the margin for tips and environ­ment-specific informa­tion.
n
c

Cross References

See About This Man­ual on page v for more information on what chapters are in which sections of this manual.
In the margin you will find tips that help you perform tasks more eas­ily and efficiently. You will also find information specific to a particu­lar operating environment.
A note provides important related information, reminders, recommendations, and strong suggestions.
A caution means that a specific action you take could harm your compute r o r ca us e you to lo se da ta.
Cross references are provided throughout this manual to give readers locat i ons where a dd i ti o n a l sometimes more de tailed—information on a certain topic can be found. In some cases , the chapter name and number is provided. In most cases, a two-part page number is given along with the name of a section header. The first number in the page number is actually the chapter number.
For instance: See ControlAir Work Flow on page 1-9.
In this example, information on work flows through a ControlAir sys­tem can be found on page 1-3 in Chapter 1 of this manual. Chapters are numbered consecutively; page numbers restar t at one in each chapter. Section numerals are not provided in cross references. So, a cross reference that shows page 9-57, for instance, indicates that the information is in Chapter 9.
Symbols and Conventions
viii

Keyboard Conventions

CTRL-x means to press and hold down the Control key and then press another key on the keyboard, represented here by x. This is also used for other key-combinations such as ALT-x or Shift-x.
•“Type in a command procedure means to type the command on the command line and then press the Ent er key.
•“Select means to choo se an operation on a d rop-down or pop-up menu.
•“Click means to click the left mouse button, usually in response to a dia log box . “Right-click” means to click the right mouse but­ton.

If You Need Help

If you are having trouble using ControlAir, you should:
1. Repeat the procedure, carefully following the instructions pro­vided for the task in this guide.
2. Refer to the documentation included with your hardware to review the maintenance procedures or the hardware-related issues.
3. Check the Support section of Av ids Web site at http://www.avid.com/support/ for online technical publications and additional telephone support phone numbers.
4. Maintenance Agreement contract customers can contact Avid Broadcast Customer Support personnel at any of these 24-hour global telephone numbers:
1 800 639 7364 in the Americas
Newsview)
44 1256 814222 in Europe, Africa, an d Mid-East
61 2 8877 6880 in Asia/Pacific
(All Broadcast products , except
Or online:
e-mail support@inewsroom.com
http://www.avid.com/support/contact.html
For general information, call your local Avid reseller or in North America call the Avid Broadcast Custome r Relations desk at 1-800-869-7009.

Relat e d Informat i on

ix
Contact your Avid Sales representative for documentation and infor­mation on other Avid puter system, Media Br owse Gateway, and so forth.
®
produc ts , su c h as th e i NEWS™ newsr oom com-
, EditSta r™, LeaderPlus™, MOS

If You Have Documentation Comments

The Avid Broadcast Technical Publications department continually seeks to improve its documentation. We value your comments about this manual or other Avid-supplied document a tion.
Send your documenta tion com m ents by e-m ail to:
techpubs@inewsroom.com
Include the title of the document, its part number, revision, and the specific section that you are commenting on in all correspondence.
Relate d In formation
x

How To Order Docume ntati on

To order additional copies of this documentation from within the United States, call the Avid Sales department at 1-608-274-8686. If you are placing an order fr om outside the United States, contact your local Avid Sales repr esentative.

CHAPTER 1

Introduction to the iNEWS
ControlAir
This chapter contains the follow ing maj or sec tions:
Overview
System Architecture
Control Air Work Flow
System
1-2

Overview

The iNEWS ControlAir system is a machine control system for on-air operations, which can be integrated into the iNEWS newsroom com­puter system. It can also operate in a standalone environment if the iNEWS connection is lost.
A Cont rolAir system normally co n s ists of one or more ser ve rs, one or more workstatio ns , a n d se v e ra l D e vic e M an agers (DM s) . Also, ControlAir:
Directly co n t rols pro du c tion device s
Receives informa tion from the iNE WS Workstation as control
events are entered into product ion cues in scripts
Handles sev e ral shows simultaneously, while enabling shows to be produced back-to-back, with only a few seconds between them
Windows-based workstations, with Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs), allow production personnel to control events on the ControlAir Server.

Links to Other Newsroom Products

The iNEWS ControlAir system also provides efficient links to other Avid products for additional scripting and video capabilities, such as Digital News Gathering (DNG), a disk-based prod uc tion system, which stores digital vi deo, audio, and graphi cs data in a single central library . That data is then accessible by workstations for recording, edit­ing, and playback. Another feat ure is t he iNEWS CG Title Entry , whi ch enables newsroom personnel t o simulate ch aracter -generated graphic s on the iNEWS Workstation.
The iNEWS product set is constructed on a modular, open ar chitec­ture, enabling its components to work efficiently not only with other Avid produ ct s, but also wi t h th ird-party h a rdw a re a n d so f tw a re . The iNEWS newsroom computer sy stem operates on in dustry-standard
Introdu ction to the iN E WS Contro lA i r System
technologies, including Windows®-based operating systems,
®
-based PCs, Intel and Silicon Graphics®-based servers, and TCP/
Intel IP Internet networking protocols.
Avid publishes open Applications Programming Interfaces (APIs) for ControlAir that enable s integrat ion with third-pa rty sof tware and hardware.

System Architecture

There are three groups of software in the iNEWS ControlAir system.
The ControlAir Server (which includes the casvr.exe and
AMCPapp.exe executable programs)
Device Managers (DMs)
ControlAir Workstation
1-3
Typically, ControlAir Server software and DMs are installed on the ControlAir Serve r, while the Co nt rolAir Workstation is installed on computers in each of the control rooms where ControlAir will be oper­ated. So, the ControlAir architecture consists of:
Control A ir S e rv e r
Av id Machine Cont rol Protocol applic ation (AMCPapp.exe)
ControlAir Serve r appl icat ion (casvr.exe)
ControlAir Manager applic a tion (camgr.exe)
Device Managers
ControlAir Workstation(s)
The monitor server utility program - running on the iNEWS
Server.
System Archi tecture
1-4
n
ControlAir software can be installed on either th e Mirror Net or the House Net of the iNEWS hosts. If ControlAir component s need access to other sta­tion networking servi ces tha n just iN EWS Serv er s, the n they should be placed on the House network . In either case , static IP add resses and local hosts files should be used for all ControlAir compo nent s.

ControlAir Components

There are several ControlAir components, including the ControlAir Server program (casvr.exe),AMCP application ( AMCPapp.exe), ControlAir Manager program (camgr.exe), device managers, and ControlAir Workstation, which are explained in this section.
ControlAir Server
The ControlAir Server is a computer that will minimally run the casvr.exe, AMCPapp.exe, and camgr.exe programs. Device managers sh ou ld also re side on the same server as the ControlAir Server program (casvr.exe). You can run ControlAir Workstation software on this computer, if desired, but it is not required. For more information on hardware requ i rements for the ControlAir Server, see Hardware Requirements on page 2-4.
casvr.exe
The executable program called casvr.exe is the central program that runs on the ControlAir Server.
The ControlAir Server program:
Routes status and messages between AMCPapp.exe, device man- agers, and ControlAir Workstations
Creates and manages playlists and downloads th em to their respective devices
Tracks which components have playlists and devices reserved
Introdu ction to the iN E WS Contro lA i r System
1-5
Direc t s control commands from Contro lA ir Workstation to the
appropriate device manager.
AMCPapp.exe
The executable program called AMCPapp.exe is the i n terface between Avids iNEWS new sroom computer syst e m an d the ControlAir Server running casvr.exe. It translates Avid Machine Control Protocol (AMCP) data coming in from iNEWS systems
camgr.exe
The executable program named camgr.exe is known as the ControlAir Manager and it monitors ControlAir components, includ­ing device managers, on the ControlAir Server. If one stops running, the ControlAir Manager will restart it automatically.
into data that the ControlAir system can manage.
or other newsroom comp uter
n
c
Device Managers
ControlAir Manager can also monitor third-party device managers.
For information on configuring this program, see Setup ControlAir Manager on page 3-25.
If casvr.exe fails, components must be reconnected to the server. If the ControlAir Manager program is set up, it will monitor device managers and reconnect them to the ControlAir Server should they stop running. If ControlAir Manager is not used, the DMs cannot automatically reconnect and must be restarted manually. Any play­lists loaded at the time must be reloaded if the ControlAir Server program (casvr.exe) is stopped.
A Device Manager (DM) is the program that handles communication between ControlAir and specific production devices. When the con­nection is made to casvr.exe, the DM will accept playlists from iNEWS and commands from ControlAir Workstation. Device manag-
System Archi tecture
1-6
ers should be installed on the ControlAir Serverthe same computer runnin g the casvr.exe program.
Each DM is designed to cont rol a specific machin e . For insta nce, LouthDM.exe is a DM designed to control any video server that cor­rectly supp ort s th e Lou th vi deo d evi ce co nt rol pr o tocol (VD CP)—such as Avids AirSPACE series of video servers.
There are existing DMs that allow the ControlAir operator to control the following machine types used for broadcast production:
Charact e r g en era t or s
Still stores
Vi deo playback devices
ControlAir Workstation
From the ControlAir Workstation, the ControlAir operator can vi ew playlists that have been downloaded from iNEWS, get device and event status, and control the broadcast pro duction devices.
The ControlAir client software can run on the same computer as the casvr.exe program, or on a separate computer.
Monitor Server
The moni tor server is not an actual part of the ControlAir system soft­ware, but is a utility program on the iNEWS Server. For ControlAir, it is used to scan stories in the rund own, searching for p roduction cues to build lists of machine control events (playlists) for the production devices. It continues monitoring the rundown for changes to produc­tion cues and sends them to the ControlAir system until the show goes off the air.
Figure 1- 1 depicts how conne ctions are made from iNEWS, through the Avid Machine Control Protocol Applic ation ( AMCPapp.exe), to
Introdu ction to the iN E WS Contro lA i r System
1-7
the ControlAir Server program (casvr.exe), th e n to the ControlAir Workstation, device managers, and devices.
Still Store,
N
CG, Cart, & other Video
Devices
S
ControlAir
Workstation
ControlAir
Workstation
ControlAir
Workstation
N NN
iNEWS
newsroom computer system
Network Serial
N
AMCP
Application
C
ControlAir
Server Application (casvr.exe)
C
ControlAir
Workstation
S
Device
Manager
C
C
Device
Manager
C
Device
Manager
C
Device
Manager
Communication between
CN
programs in computer
MCS-PC
S
Still Store
S
CharacterGenerator
S
or
N
Figure 1-1 Association of Components in ControlAir
Video
Figure1-2 shows network (TCP-IP) and serial connecti ons between equipment related to the ControlAir system.
System Archi tecture
1-8
iNEWS S erver:
Software
monitor server; /site/config file;
MCSPC Legacy drivers
Database
Rundown& Event List queues
System Map & Resourcequeues
ControlAir
Server
Leitch
ASC 300's
Equinox
16 Port RS-422
(or RS-232)
iNEWS
Workstations
MCS-PC
AnyMCS Legacy
Playback device
Chyron
iNEWS stations
Writers, etc. create scripts with production cues. Producer tracks progress of show, and can make changes to production cues even while the show is on-air.
100Base-T Ethernet or Faster
ControlAir
Workstations
RS-422
or RS-232
Figure 1-2 Typical ControlAir Network Layout
Introdu ction to the iN E WS Contro lA i r System
AirSPACE
(AirSPACE DM)
ControlAir Server
Connections
Typically, most ControlAircomponents (casvr.exe, AMCPapp.exe, & DMs) will run on the ControlAir Server. Some DMs (Louth) will attach to their production devicesvia Equinox or other multi-port serial board (RS-422 and/or RS-232). Other DMs,such as the Leitch ASC 300 DM, and our DM for legacy MCS-PC's, will connect via Ethernet.
1-9
n
ControlAir software can be installed on either th e Mirror Net or the House Net of the iNEWS hosts. If ControlAir component s need access to other sta­tion networking servi ces tha n just iN EWS Serv er s, the n they should be placed on the House network . In either case , static IP add resses and local hosts files should be used for all ControlAir compo nent s.

ControlAir Work Flow

After the news staff has entered machine contro l events in scripts, the producer can download rundowns to ControlAir using the monitor server in iNEWS.
n
For more information on creating monitor servers, see Setting up the Moni­tor Server on iNEWS Servers on page 4-1.
From the ControlAir Workstation, production personnel, such as the ControlAir operator, can access playlists for downloaded rundow ns and control associate d producti on devices to cu e , play, and stop the production events requested.
When your newsroom staff builds a show, they insert special key­words into scripts, known as production cues. These items include a word to identify the specific production machine or a machine type, such as CG or SS, and some information to indicate what they want that ma c h in e to d isplay.
The following example shows a production cue that instructs the char­acter generator to display two lines of text using a sav ed tem plate named LOC2:
*CG LOC2 Bob Willhouser Washington DC
ControlAir Work Flow
1-10

Monitor Mode - On

When the monitor server is turned onusually by the producer, from the iNEWS Workstations Tools drop-down menuit will read all production cues in the rundown and build playlists, also known as event lists, for each device.
After th e mo nitor ser ve r is turned on, it co n ti n u e s to mo nitor the ru n­down, examining every saved story for deleted, new, or updated events in the playlist.
The monitor server performs as much error checking as i t ca n without communicating with any broadcast equipment.
The iNEWS ControlAir system is not yet involved. Event lists can be printed and distributed to the equipment operators, who can control devices, such as the CG, using trad it iona l meth od s.
Figure 1-3 depicts communication paths after the monitor server is turned on from the iNEWS Workstation.
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Introdu ction to the iN E WS Contro lA i r System
For more information about iNEWS utility programs known as monitor serv­ers, see Setting up the Monitor Server on iNEWS Servers on page 4-1. Also, see Monitor Servers Error Checking Workflow on page 4-34 and Usin g the Monitor Se rver on page 4-41.
1-11
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AMCPapp
Protocol converter
Maintains link to each loadedmonitorserver
casvr.exe
Retainsall loaded playlists,
playlist & event status,
statusof attached DM and
ControlAir workstations. DistributesCommands,
updatedstatus, event
changes & messages.
iNEWS Monitor
Servers
ON: Watchfor added,
deleted, or Modified
Machine Control Events
s
t
LOAD: Send playlists and
n
e
v
updatesto ControlAir
E
,
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MCSDM
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MCSPC
Monitor Commands
(ON, LOAD, UNLOAD, OFF)
(progress, errors, warnings)
N
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R
d
Any MCS Legacy
Playback device
Messages
f
o
,
P
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R
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n
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L
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Rundown & Event List queues
System M ap & Resource queues
o
t
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v
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Workstations
n
,
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iNEWS DB
iNEWS Software
Monitor Server
MCSPC Legacy Drivers
iNEWS
,
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ControlAir
Workstations
Chyron DM
Chyron
LeitchDM
LouthDM
10base-T
ASC 300's
RS-422
Video Servers
Figure 1-3 Communication Paths after Monitor Mode - On
ControlAir Work Flow
1-12

Monitor Mode - Load

As air time nears and the newsroom staff completes the rundown, someoneusually the producer or equipment (ControlAir) opera­torwill instruct the monitor server to load the playlist into the ControlAir system (via the AM CP ap plicat io n program). See “Using the Monito r Serve r on page 4-41 and Figure 4-7 on page 4-42 for more information about the v a r i ous mode s of th e m onitor ser v e r.
As the rundown is downlo a ded to the Co nt rolAir Se rver, th e casvr.exe program loads it to the ControlAir Workstation, and loads individual playli sts to the appropriate device manager (DM). That DM establi shes a connecti on to the device ( if it has not al ready done so) a nd b e gins its as signed task , such as inserting CG text, check­ing for availability of video clips, and so forth.
Each DM sends to the ControlAir Server program (casvr.exe) the status of devices and individual playlists, such as whether video is available, and so forth. The ControlAir Server then forwards the data to the ControlAir Workstation and iNEWS monitor server. Error mes­sages are returned to the iNEWS user who loaded the rundown and the ControlAir operator. The monitor server also displays status for video clips, such as whether the clip is available, into stories in the rundown and event lists located in the iNEWS database.
The ControlAir operator can now take control of the playback devices and tak e the show to ai r.
Figure 1-4 depicts communication paths after the monitor server is instructed to load playlists, commands, status, and user messages between ControlAir components; note the direction of flow for the four different kinds of data.
Introdu ction to the iN E WS Contro lA i r System
1-13
AMCPapp
Protocol converter
Maintains link to each loadedmonitorserver
Playlist, Event Updates
Messages (progress, errors, warnings)
casvr.exe
Retains all loaded playlists,
playlist& eventstatus,
status of attachedDM and
ControlAirworkstations. Distributes Commands,
updatedstatus, event
changes & messages.
P
l
Status | Messages
Playlists | ControlAir Cmds
Louth DM
a
S
t
a
t
u
s
|
M
iNEWS Monitor
Servers
ON: Watch for added,
deleted,or Modified
MachineControlEvents
LOAD: Send playlists and
updatesto ControlAIr
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⇐⇐⇐⇐ PlaybackCommands (Channel, Play, Stop, etc.) ⇐⇐⇐⇐
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Playlist, Event Updates
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(ON, LOAD, UNLOAD, OFF)
(progress, errors, warnings)
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Rundown & Event List queues
System Map & Resource queues
MCS-PC
Chyron
n
,
iNEWS DB
Any MCS Legacy
Playbackdevice
iNEWS
Workstations
,
s
n
w
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ControlAir
Workstations
LeitchDM
10base-T
ASC300's
RS-422
VideoServers
Figure 1-4 Communication Paths after Monitor Load
ControlAir Work Flow
1-14

Monitor Mode - Unload

After th e show airs, someon e typically the producer or equipment (ControlAir) operatorwill instruct the monitor server to unload the playlist from the ControlAir system. The unload mode allows the user to discon nect fr om the ControlAir Server without turning off the mon­itor server.
See Using the Moni to r S e rve r on page 4-41 and Figure 4-7 on page 4-42 for more information about the various modes of the moni­tor server.
Introdu ction to the iN E WS Contro lA i r System

CHAPTER 2

Preparing for Installation

This chapter contains the follow ing maj or sec tions:
Before You Begin the Inst allation Procedure
Site R e qu i re ments
- Power Requirements
- Environmental Re quirem ents
- Hardware Requir ements
Configuring & Installing the Host Adapter Card
2-2

Before You Begin the Installation Procedure

Setting up ControlAir involves doing tasks in the following places:
Control A ir S e rv e r
iNEWS Servers (at the console)
ControlAir Workstations
n
Device Manager configuratio n is done at the ControlAir Server. You should consult the iNews Newsroom Computer System Operations Manual for specific information on iN EWS Serv er s, the console, or various related sys ­tem operations.
Before you begin installing the ControlAir software, do the following:
Read the iNEWS C on t r ol A ir Release Notes for the most up-to-date product and installation information.
Familiarize yourself with the entire installation procedure described in thi s manual.
Ensure the installation CD is available.
Ensure the site meets all requirements, provided in this chapter .

Site Requirements

The follow ing sections describe cu stomer-supplied comp onents that make up the iNEW S ControlA ir sy stem . Mo st are hardware compo ­nents typically purchased from a third party vendor. However, some items can be obtained through Avid. For more information, contact your Avid Broadcast Sales representative.
n
Preparing for Installation
It is recommended you install a hand-held, wall-mounted Halon fire extin­guisher, or alternative environmentally acceptabl e extinguis her, in the vicinity of all computer equipment.

Power Requirements

Surge protection and an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) are essential for all system servers. If the computers lose power even for a moment, the entire system will stop functioning properly.
2-3
w
Most systems are designed to work with single-phase (three-wire) power cord with a grounded neutral conductor. To reduce the risk of electric shock, always plug the cord into a grounded power outlet.
For best performance, keep all system power connections on the same power feed distribution panel. Do not connect fans, lamps, cof fee pots, or other equipment to the same outlet that is powering the iNEWS ControlAir equipment.
Ensure the UPS has surge protection and a high enough rating to han­dle all systems connected to it. The rating plate on each system will help calculate the required rating for the UPS. Figure 2-1 shows how to connect multiple systems to a UPS using a power strip.
UPS
Grounded AC walloutlet
Power strip
Figure 2-1 UPS Co nnections
Site Requirements
2-4

Environmental Requirements

The air conditioning must maintain the operating temperature shown in Table 2-1. The Avid iNEWS newsroom computer system produces an estimated heat load of 15, 000 BT U s per hour. Table 2-1 shows the environmental specifications for a standard iNEWS environment.
c
Avid reserves the right to stop the installation and shut off the iNEWS equipment if the temperature exceeds 75°F (24°C). Installa­tion will be completed after the air conditioning has been corrected.
T able 2-1 Environmental Specifications
Condi tion Range
Operating temperature 50°F to 75°F (10°C to 24°C)
Storage temperature –4°F to 140°F (–20°C to 60°C)
Relative humidity 20% to 80%
Altitude 0 to 6000 ft (0 to 1829 m)

Hardware Requirements

To install and run ControlAir, use the following tables as a guide for basic equipment needs. Because development is on-going, req uire­ments are subject to change without notice. For specifications pertain­ing to ControlAir, visit Avids Web s i te at :
www.avid.com/products/controlair/specs.shtml
Preparing for Installation
Review the latest minimum hardware requirements for all iNEWS-related product lines on the Web at: www.avid.com/products/.
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