Automation Systems

An Automation System is usually located in the master control room, controlling all devices in the room in real-time. For example video servers, keyers, and Character Generators.

A Viz Multichannel integration to an automation system typically performs:

• Triggering: The automation system triggers Viz Multichannel (via Media Sequencer) for starting either primary or secondary events. Triggering protocols TCP/IP, Intelligent Interface, VDCP, GPI, and REST are supported by Vizrt. It is important to understand that although Multichannel manages the playlist and events, the actual triggering of actions will be done by the Media Sequencer.

• Schedules and last minute updates: If an automation system provides an API or an option to automatically generate an update file, Viz Multichannel can update its playlist using them. This is usually done with the Schedule Collector and the PlayListImporter tools. An optional advantage in using Schedule Collector is that can store previous data in an internal cache and therefore make updates more efficient by saving idle updates and passing only changed events.

Automation System Integration types

Although the precise manner in which external automation systems deliver the schedule and triggering varies greatly, the flexible and open architecture of Multichannel ensures that most commonly used automation systems are supported directly.

There are two main types of integration to automation systems:

• File based systems

• Direct integrations systems (API-based)
  
  

File based automation systems will typically deliver the schedule in a pre-defined Text, XML, Excel, CSV, database or proprietary binary format. The typical workflow is then to have a file or directory produced by the automation system watched (or have time-based tasks running) and use PlaylistImporter and Schedule Collector to fetch schedules and updates to the Multichannel playlist.

Direct Integration systems are automation and schedule systems that have an API (Application Programming Interface) that Multichannel can interface with and read information from, which is sometimes bi-directional. The main advantage with direct integration systems is that the file-based workflow can be avoided. This normally leads to significant performance gains. Direct integration is also a more secure, clean and resilient setup than most file-based workflow systems and is the recommended integration type.

For an overview of the integration types and how to configure some of the more commonly used automation systems, see the following sections:

• Overview of Direct Integration Architecture

• Integration Module for Marina from Pebble Beach

• Integration Module for Neptune from Pebble Beach

• Integration module for Harris ADC

• ADC-100 by Harris Broadcast

• D-Series by Harris Broadcast

• Neptune by Pebble Beach Systems