Sony BZNP-100 User Manual

0 (0)

3-748-162-31(1)

Network Player

Management Software

Operations Guide

Before operating the software, please read this manual thoroughly, and retain it for future reference.

BZNP-100 Version 3.00 and Later

Overview of This Guide

This operations guide explains how to carry out the most basic operations of the Sony BZNP-100 Network Player Management Software. The BZNP-100 is designed to create and manage audio and visual content, such as commercial videos played in public places or educational and training videos. This content is sent to the Sony NSP-100 Network Players via a network for distribution.

The contents of the guide include the essential setup that you have to do before starting to use the software, and how to create and distribute a small piece of demonstration content.

In addition to this operations guide, the BZNP-100 software provides the operating instructions and online help. These provide complete information on BZNP-100 operations.

Note on Viewing the Online Help

During operation, pressing the F1 key on the keyboard displays information (help) related to the window/dialog box currently having the focus.

Clicking “Related Topics” link to the right of the help title shows the procedure and other information related to the displayed window/dialog box.

Click the Help Topics button on the menu bar of the help window for information on the entire system.

Trademark Notice

•Microsoft, Windows, Windows XP and PowerPoint are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.

•i.LINK is a trademark of Sony Corporation.

•Other system names, product names and company names appearing in this manual are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. In this manual such names are not indicated by ® or ™ symbols.

Notations Used in This Manual

•Menu commands and labeled buttons that appear on the screen are indicated as [command name] and [button name].

Example: [Setup], [Material Management]

•The act of selecting a command from the menu and then a subcommand is indicated as “Select [command name] > [subcommand name].”

Table of Contents
How to Use the Operations Guide .....................................................................	3
Operation Flowchart ..........................................................................................	4
Starting the Software..........................................................................................	4
Setting Up the Software.....................................................................................	5
Defining an NSP-100 and a Group ....................................................................	6
Preparing Video Material ...................................................................................	7
Preparing Graphics Material ..............................................................................	8
Preparing Text Material ......................................................................................	9
Creating a Playlist............................................................................................	10
Sending Playlists and Materials .......................................................................	12
Checking Transfer Status and Results.............................................................	13
Supplement 1 - Capturing Video......................................................................	14
Supplement 2 - Urgent Text Playout ................................................................	15
Supplement 3 - Checking Network Player Status ............................................	16

How to Use the Operations Guide

Try to create the following demonstration content.

This operations guide explains the essential setup that you have to do before
starting to use the BZNP-100 Network Player Management Software, and how
to create a small piece of demonstration content as shown on the right. You can
create the same content by using the following sample materials that are
supplied with this operations guide.
Sample Materials and Playlist:
•	Video
	Video_Sample_1, Video_Sample_2, and Video_Sample_3	Repeat
•	Graphics
	Graphic_Sample_1, Graphic_Sample_2, and Graphic_Sample_3
•	Text
	Text_Sample_1, Text_Sample_2, Text_Sample_3
•	Playlist
	Playlist_Sample

All the materials and a playlist needed to create and play the demonstration content. Some of them may not be used in the procedure.

Note: Screen images contained in this guide are examples. They have been captured in an NTSC system.

Operation Flowchart

The following chart shows an example of the flow of normal operation of this system to play demonstration videos on the street or presentation videos in the office.

Operations written in blue are covered in this operations guide.

Startup

Setting up

(Upon installation)

Preparations (Routine operation)

Playout

Start the software.

Set up the software.

Modify settings of the NSP-100s.

Prepare materials.

Create playlists.

Send playlists and materials to the group of NSP-100s.

(Playout on the NSP-100s) Urgent playout

Checking

Check NSP-100 status and logs.

Starting the Software

Double-click the BZNP-100 shortcut icon on your Windows desk top. Or, click the Start button, then select [Programs] > [Network Player Management] > [BZNP-100].

Either of the following main menus appears.

The main menu is always displayed while the software is operating, and you can use any function of the software by clicking the corresponding button on the menu displayed.

Note: Power on your NSP-100 Network Player, too.

Presentation Application Main Menu

BZNP-100

Buttons to launch the functions of the software. Clicking a button opens a new window/dialog box.

Calendars used to send playlists and materials. See “Sending Playlists and Materials” (page 12) for details.

Destination group of the NSP-100s used to send playlists and materials.

Scheduling Application Main Menu

Setting Up the Software

Before creating materials and playlists, there is some setup necessary: setup of the software and registration related to the NSP-100.

For the software, you have to open the Setup dialog box, then check and modify, if necessary, the following setup items.

1 Click [Setup] on the main menu.

2 Select “Schedule” to use the Scheduling Application.

3 Select your video signal format, NTSC or PAL.

4 Click [OK].

Note: If you change the application mode or video format, a message appears after step 4, asking whether you would like to restart the software. Click [Yes].

Recommended Settings in the Setup Dialog Box

Apart from the procedure of creating the demonstration contents, we recommend that you specify the following settings in the Setup dialog box:

Automatic Sending of Scheduled Playlists (All Groups) Section (for Scheduling Application Only)

It specifies whether the system automatically sends playlists and the necessary materials to the network players.

When you do not want to allow automatic sending, select [No Send] in the Mode drop-down list box. [Send (All Day)] allows the system to send newly created playlists at any time, and [Send (Limited Time)] only allows the system to send them during a specified time frame during the day. To allow automatic playlist sending, specify the retry interval (hours:minutes) in the Interval text boxes, too. For example, you would use “0:30” in the case of a 30-minute interval.

When selecting [Send (Limited Time)], specify the time when the system sends the playlist, too.

We recommend that you select [Send (Limited Time)], and specify a time such that there is no conflict with the daily HDD sleep time (default: 3:00am).

Retry for Manual Sending Section

It specifies whether the system automatically re-sends materials and/or playlists that were sent manually, in the event an error occurs.

We recommend that you select [Yes] as it allows the BZNP-100 software to more efficiently manage automatic re-transfer of playlists and materials if a transfer error occurs.

+ 11 hidden pages