The first step in moving to a tapeless playout environment is the integration of modular and scalable media servers into your real-time workflows. While enterprise-wide station automation and digital asset management are often important long-term goals, the immediate concern is to utilize new digital technologies to increase efficiencies without increasing complexities. That means a specific focus on the fundamental real-time control of the ingest and playout processes.

The Omneon MediaController panel integrated with the cost-effective and modular Omneon Spectrum™ media server can immediately provide ingest, studio playout, packaging and master control efficiencies.

Omneon now offers a dedicated control panel that is easy to learn and use. Broadcasters can implement new, more efficient workflows in hours.

Ingest

From a single button on the control panel or through a GPI from your production switcher, the MediaController panel drives a VTR and an input port on the Omneon media server to execute a frame-accurate dub from a VTR, a crash record from a tape or live feed, or scheduled records from satellite.

Studio Playout

Playlists are built in the MediaController panel or downloaded from another MediaController
panel (optional) in the newsroom or ingest area. Robust studio playout is also controlled
from the MediaController panel. Alternatively, the MediaController panel allows easy set up
for media server playout control directly from the production switcher. Separate GPIs can be
assigned for cueing, playing and stopping a clip. Independent fill and key outputs can even be
ganged together and assigned to a push button for synchronized playout.

Packaging

Using a channel of the Omneon media server, the MediaController panel can start preparing
packages a few seconds after a clip begins to be ingested. In many cases the ingest and
packaging operation are performed simultaneously. Operators jog and shuttle through clips marking in and out points, building a library and playlists of elements. The preview channel is controlled independently of any studio or master control playout channel to QA the playlists.

Master Control

Playlists are transferred from the MediaController panel (optional) in the packaging area or from a traffic list to a MediaController panel in master control.

The playlist capability of the MediaController panel supports the building and executing of 10 independent playlists of 249 entries.