Avid Technology, Inc. MOS Gateway Installation & Operations Manual Version 2.
Copyright and Disclaimer © 2003, 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.
Contents Preface Who Should Use This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 About This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Symbols and Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Cross References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Keyboard Conventions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Configuration Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Configuration Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Reconfigure the System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Assigning the Mailbox to the Rundown Queue . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Using the list Command to View Assigned Mailboxes . . . . . . . . 43 Calculating Duration in Time Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendix A Error Messages Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Appendix B System Reference Files Sample Configuration File on MOS Gateway Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Sample Configuration File on iNEWS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Sample /etc/hosts File on iNEWS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Sample System Stories in iNEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preface Congratulations on your purchase of iNEWS MOS Gateway, the system that removes barriers between newsroom computing and broadcasting. MOS Gateway uses the MOS protocol as a standard for communications between newsroom computer systems and Media Object Servers (MOS), such as video servers, audio servers, still stores, and character generators.
here builds on basic user procedures, while adding a complete explanation of all the tools and techniques required to create, apply, and adjust various settings, including useful tips, shortcuts, and custom options. The Table of Contents that precedes this preface lists all topics included in the book.
Symbols and Conventions • Bulleted lists, when the order of primary items is unimportant. - t Look here in the margin for tips and environment-specific information. Indented dashed lists, when the order of secondary items is unimportant. A single-step procedure or as a list of optional procedures. 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.
• “Click” means to click the left mouse button, usually in response to a dialog box. “Right-click” means to click the right mouse button. If You Need Help If you are having trouble using MOS Gateway, 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 Avid Web site at http://www.avid.
If You Have Documentation Comments 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 documentation. Send your documentation comments by e-mail to: techpubs_wi@avid.com Include the title of the document, its part number, revision, and the specific section that you are commenting on in all correspondence.
Chapter 1 Introduction to MOS Gateway This chapter contains the following major sections: • Overview of MOS Gateway - MOS Control Workflow
Chapter 1 Overview of MOS Gateway The iNEWS MOS Gateway is an application that does the following: • receives information from the iNEWS newsroom computer system as machine control events are entered in production cues in scripts • converts the information into commands in version 2.
Overview of MOS Gateway An ActiveX control provides a live view of the media inventory on the MOS device. The news staff can use an ActiveX control (also known as a plugin) or replicated metadata to browse a MOS device’s inventory and insert the appropriate information into a machine control event in the script. See Figure1 for a visual diagram of the two paths by which a MOS device’s media inventory may be viewed at an iNEWS Workstation.
Chapter 1 Loading a Show to the MOS Gateway When your newsroom staff builds a show, they insert special keywords into scripts, referred to as machine control events. These items include at least a word to identify the specific machine or a machine type, such as CG or SS, and some information to indicate that they want that machine to display. If the machine is a MOS device, these machine control events are created using the ActiveX control that came with the MOS device.
Overview of MOS Gateway ON: Watch for added, deleted, or Modified Events (Machine Instructions) LOAD: send playlists and updates to MOS Gateway Monitor Commands (ON, LOAD, UNLOAD, OFF) iNEWS Clients Messages (progress, errors, warnings) ON : Buil Get s dP layli ystem st, W info rite , Pars Eve e R nt L und ist q own ueu , es Cre ate En Rund ter Eve owns, nts iNEWS monitor servers iNEWS DB Rundown & Event List queues System Map & Resource queues MOS Gateway Retains all loaded playlists, playlist & e
Chapter 1 MOS Gateway then forwards these status messages to the monitor server. Error messages are returned to the iNEWS Workstation used to load the rundown. The monitor server also inserts 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 MOS device operator can now take control of the MOS device and take the show to air.
Chapter 2 Preparing for Installation This chapter describes the preliminary steps you must take before installing the MOS Gateway software, including: • Familiarizing yourself with this manual, release notes, and other iNEWS documentation.
Chapter 2 Before You Begin the Installation Procedure Setting up MOS Gateway involves doing tasks in three places: n • iNEWS Servers (at the console) • MOS Gateway • MOS devices to connect to You should consult the iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Operations Manual for specific information on iNEWS Servers, the console, or various related system operations.
Software Requirements Table 1 Hardware Required for MOS Gateway Device Description CPU 500 MHz Intel Pentium® II (multi-processor CPUs not supported) Memory 1 GB RAM Keyboard Standard Windows-based keyboard Monitor 15-inch color Video card Standard SVGA 1024x768 Hard drive 10 GB drive Disk controller IDE OK Mouse Windows-compatible mouse CD-ROM drive 4X CD-ROM drive Network card Windows-compatible 10/100 NIC Software Requirements There are certain minimum requirements that must be m
Chapter 2 Supported MOS Devices The following is a list of supported MOS devices; however, this list is subject to change. For the latest information, visit the Avid Web site or contact Avid Broadcast Customer Support.
Chapter 3 Installing MOS Gateway Program Files This chapter describes the process of installing the MOS Gateway and contains the following major sections: • Overview of the Setup - Adding IP Addresses on MOS Gateway Server - Installing MOS Gateway Software - Upgrading MOS Gateway Software
Chapter 3 Overview of the Setup The following tasks must be performed on the MOS Gateway Server. • Add IP addresses for the MOS Gateway and iNEWS Servers • Install the MOS Gateway software • Configure the MOS Gateway software The first two tasks are described in this chapter. The configuration of the MOS Gateway is in Chapter5. Adding IP Addresses on MOS Gateway Server Ideally, all MOS Gateway Servers, iNEWS Servers, and MOS devices would have each other’s IP addresses and computer names.
Overview of the Setup 5. At the bottom of the file, add lines listing the IP addresses and computer names for iNEWS Servers, MOS Gateway Servers, and MOS devices. For example: 125.1.0.1 125.1.0.2 125.1.10.50 125.1.10.51 125.1.10.60 125.1.10.70 NRCS-A NRCS-B MOSGWY MOSDEV1 MG1 MG2 nrcs-a nrcs-b mosgwy mosdev1 mg1 mg2 nrcs-a.yourdomain.com nrcs-b.yourdomain.com # MOS Gateway # MOS device # MOS Gateway Server1 # MOS Gateway Server2 6. Save the file and close the Notepad window.
Chapter 3 4. Click the setup.exe file. The MOS Gateway Setup dialog box opens. 5. Click the Next button. The Choose Destination Location dialog box opens.
Overview of the Setup 6. Click Next to accept the default setting for the Destination Folder or click Browse to set another drive and directory as the destination. 7. Select the type of setup: • A Complete setup installs the MOS Gateway Server software, the License Service and Remote Administration tool. • A Remote Administration setup installs only the Remote Administration tool.
Chapter 3 8. Click Next. The Start Copying Files dialog box appears, allowing you to review the your selections for the setup before initiating the copy process. 9. If a change must be made, click Back to do so; otherwise, click Next to continue.
Overview of the Setup The Setup Status dialog box appears with a progress bar, indicating the percentage of installation completeness. 10. The MOS Gateway requires the Microsoft ® Java Virtual Machine, so it is automatically installed next. n If Virtual Machine already exists on the computer, the installation program will detect it and skip steps 10 and 11.
Chapter 3 11. After installation of the Java Virtual Machine is complete, the following message will appear, notifying you the computer must be rebooted. Click OK. The computer will reboot and the installation program will continue. n If installing the Remote Administration only—as selected in step 7—skip steps 12 through 15. 12. If a Complete setup type was chosen in step, then Setup installs the Microsoft Installer and XML Parser. 13.
Overview of the Setup The default is 53211. 14. Click Next. The MOS Gateway License Server Key dialog box appears.
Chapter 3 15. If you received a license key from Avid with your purchase, you may enter it. If not, contact Avid Broadcast Customer Support with your customer ID and MOS Gateway Server hostname to receive one. 16. Type the name of the MOS Gateway Server, if necessary. Since this information is typically supplied automatically by the setup program, accept the default by clicking Next.
Overview of the Setup 17. After the License Server Key is entered, a dialog box appears indicating the successful completion of the installation. Select Yes to restart the computer, remove any disks, and click Finish. Upgrading MOS Gateway Software Before upgrading to a newer version of MOS Gateway software, any previous version of the software must be uninstalled first. c Running the setup program on a system that already has a previous version installed will not overwrite all the necessary files.
Chapter 3 To print the MOS configuration file: 1. Open Notepad. n The Notepad program may typically be launched using the Start button on the Windows Task bar—for instance, select Start > Programs > Accessories > Notepad. The Notepad window opens. 2. Select File > Open. 3. Navigate to the configuration file, which is an XML file located at: C:\Program Files\Avid\MOSGateway 4. Do one of the following to print the mosconfig.xml file: t Select File > Print. t Press Ctrl+P.
Chapter 4 Setting up the iNEWS Server After MOS Gateway is installed, you must set up the iNEWS Server to use MOS Gateway. This chapter provides the procedures for setting up the servers.
Chapter 4 Configuring iNEWS Servers There are certain tasks that must be performed on the iNEWS Servers at the console, and at an iNEWS Workstation. If you have ControlAir™ (formerly known as iNEWS Broadcast Control System or BCS), much of this work may already be done. These tasks must be completed to download playlists and updates to MOS Gateway. This chapter assumes: n • Your site has a fully functioning network.
Configuring iNEWS Servers 6. Create an Entry in the SYSTEM.MAP Story (page 55) 7. Adding IP Addresses for the MOS Gateway (page 62) 8. Updating the iNEWS System Dictionaries (Optional) (page 64) 9. Configure iNEWS for MOS Replication (Optional) (page 68) Configuration Details The following steps do not include setting up external devices, such as character generators and still stores, which play broadcast events.
Chapter 4 The mailbox enables iNEWS to notify the monitor server of changes made to a rundown queue while a show is monitored. The monitor server then updates composite and event lists, as well as any playlists, if necessary. To create and configure a monitor server: 1. Check the iNEWS configuration file (/site/config) and choose the next available device number for the monitor server, from the range of 3-digit numbers reserved for use by your system’s server programs, such as 201 to 300.
Configuring iNEWS Servers 3. Add the monitor server to the /site/config file on each iNEWS Server—such as server A and server B in a dual server system— by doing the following: c Changing the configuration file requires the use of ed, the UNIX line editor. See Chapter 10 of the iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Operations Manual for more information. Always back up the /site/config file before making any changes.
Chapter 4 Do not confuse the configuration line, which starts with server, and the servers line mentioned in 3c (page 39), which lists device numbers. 40 d. Add a configuration line for the monitor server in the host definition belonging to the iNEWS Server that will run the server program. This line begins with the word server and contains the mailbox number assigned to the monitor server.
Configuring iNEWS Servers Comments appearing after the semicolons (;) are optional. The following are sample configuration lines for various server programs: server server server server server server server server server server server server e. Do not use an uppercase (W) in step 3e. See Chapter 10 in the iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Operations Manual for more information.
Chapter 4 These tasks are covered in the next two sections. Reconfigure the System You do not need to stop anything to reconfigure the system. To reconfigure the system: 1. At the console, select the master computer (typically server A). 2. Type su to log in as superuser and type the superuser password. 3. Type: NRCS-A# offline 4. Type: NRCS-A# configure 5.
Configuring iNEWS Servers To assign a mailbox to the rundown queue: 1. Log in as a system administrator—that is, with a superuser account—to an iNEWS Workstation. 2. Navigate to the rundown queue, such as the queue named Rundown located in the SHOWS.6PM directory. 3. Right-click on the queue and select Properties from the pop-up menu. The Queue Properties dialog box will appear. 4. Click on the Maintain tab. 5. Select the Standard radio button located in the Mailbox section. 6.
Chapter 4 Since multiple queues can share the same mailbox, you can list all queues and directories in the database that are using a certain mailbox, such as 267.
Configuring iNEWS Servers For these lists to exist, queues for them must be created—if they do not already exist—and they must be “mapped” to the monitor server so it knows where to put composite information and event lists. This step in the procedure explains how to create queues. For more on mapping, see “Create an Entry in the SYSTEM.MAP Story” on page55. To create and configure the composite and event list queues: 1.
Chapter 4 A new queue appears under the folder you selected and at the end of any list of existing queues. The title, New-Queue, is highlighted, so you can rename it. 4. Type the name of the new queue, such as COMPOSITE or CG1. n The pathname of each device’s event list queue is a combination of the event list directory and the device manager’s name.
Configuring iNEWS Servers 6. To have monitor server display information in these lists properly, each queue must have a 1-line display and be assigned the proper queue form. Assigning these forms is covered in “Assigning Forms to Queues” on page53. To set the display of any queue, such as a composite or event list queue:, log in as a system administrator at an iNEWS Workstation, and do the following: a. Navigate to and right-click on the composite or event list queue in the Directory panel. b.
Chapter 4 7. To ensure that you can use the queues effectively, remove the inverted database trait and apply the refresh database trait to them. This can be done by removing the check mark from the Inverted check box on the User Interface tab of the Queue Properties dialog box at any iNEWS Workstation. For more information about assigning database traits to queues, see Chapter 5 of the iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Operations Manual. 8.
Configuring iNEWS Servers Table 1 iNEWS Form Fields for MOS Gateway Field Type Description MOS-ACTIVE This field is required on the story form so a queue can display whether a MOS item, such as a Media Browse video event, is attached to a script; this is typically done by dragging and dropping the MOS item into the story form from an ActiveX plugin. The read-only field holds a short code representing certain attributes of a MOS item. If empty, no MOS item is attached.
Chapter 4 Calculating Duration in Time Fields Some form fields in iNEWS are dependent on others. This is primarily evident in the relationship between the RUNS-TIME field and the MOSDURATION field. Figure1 provides a visual outline of how input in certain form fields directly affects what appears in others. Figure 1 Relationships of Time-based Fields In Figure1, three MOS items are inserted into the Story panel of the iNEWS Workspace.
Configuring iNEWS Servers MOS item is inserted into the story, the time associated with that item may be inserted too—either appearing in the MOS-DURATION field for an item dragged to the Story Form panel, or as a Runs time shown in a machine control event in the Instruction panel. Whether a MOS item’s time is inserted is determined by settings defined in the SYSTEM.MOSMAP story. See “Edit the SYSTEM.MOS-MAP Story” on page 51 for more information.
Chapter 4 The SYSTEM.MOS-MAP story may also be used to set up whether times related to MOS items are displayed in the Queue panel (rundown) or Story Form panel. It may be configured for all MOS devices or on an individual basis. For sites that do not want MOS item information displayed—in the RUNSTIME or MOS-DURATION fields—the system administrator must edit the SYSTEM.MOS-MAP story. To block the display of time information from all MOS devices: t Add the following line to the SYSTEM.
Configuring iNEWS Servers In the following example, no duration time will be displayed for the NewsQPro device. ReplaceTime=YES TABLE-START DeviceTable ;MOSID AMCPDeviceName sony sonyem MOSGATE qamosgw chan1 chan2 chan3 PILOT pilot AIRSPACE airem VERTIGO vertigo NewsQPro NQPro NETIAMOS netia TABLE-END Step 5: Assigning Forms to Queues After you create queues to hold the composite and event lists, you must assign forms containing MOS Gateway fields to each queue.
Chapter 4 3. Select Properties. The Directory/Queue Properties dialog box will appear. n Access to the Directory/Queue Properties dialog box and its appearance vary, depending on certain circumstances. See Chapter 5 of the iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Operations Manual for more information. 4. Do either or both of the following: • Use the Queue drop-down list on the Forms tab to select the form you want to apply to the directory as queue form database trait.
Configuring iNEWS Servers You must assign a queue form and a story form. The queue form determines the look of the queue. The story form determines how an event request is displayed when you double-click it. For instance, to assign the standard composite list queue form to the SHOWS.6PM.COMPOSITE queue, select mcs-composite from the Queue drop-down list in the Queue Properties dialog box.
Chapter 4 To add an entry for the show in the map story: 1. Open the SYSTEM.MAP story, which contains a separate entry for each show that will be produced using MOS Gateway or ControlAir. n ControlAir is another Avid product that works with the iNEWS newsroom computer system to control production devices, such as character generators, still stores, and video playback machines. Figure 2 shows three sample entries in a SYSTEM.MAP story.
Configuring iNEWS Servers The show’s rundown queue • The composite list queue • Groups of users who can monitor the show • The time you want the monitor to turn itself off—when you want the system to stop monitoring the show The directory where The composite list queue you want to hold the event list queues Groups The time you want the monitor to turn itself off ; RUNDOWN EVENT DIR COMP DIR GROUP (OFF TIME) ;DEVICE DEVNAME UPDATE MCT TEMPLATE (MSG DIR) ; SHOW.10P.RUNDOWN SHOW.10P SHOW.10P.
Chapter 4 Table 2 Entry Header Parameters Parameter Definition Rundown Queue The full pathname of the show’s rundown queue. Event List Directory (Optional) The directory in which event lists are stored. The monitor server combines information you put here with the device name. For instance, if you specify SHOWS.6PM here and you have a still store machine called “ss1,” the monitor server puts the still store’s event list in SHOWS.6PM.SS 1.
Configuring iNEWS Servers Table 2 Entry Header Parameters Parameter Definition Quit Time The time you want the show’s monitor server to turn itself off. You can enter this time as either a time of day or a duration. Enter the time of day in 24-hour format. For instance, type 1915 to have the monitor server turn itself off at 7:15 PM. Enter a duration by typing D before the value. For instance, enter a duration of one hour and 30 minutes as D130. (These values are not casesensitive.) 3.
Chapter 4 The type of production device The name of the production device Whether the monitor The ControlAir Workstaupdates the tion form for that show, or device’s playlist the MCT form for that The address range you want to use (CGs and still stores ; RUNDOWN EVENT DIR COMP DIR GROUP (OFF TIME) ;DEVICE DEVNAME UPDATE MCT TEMPLATE (MSG DIR) ; SHOW.10P.RUNDOWN SHOW.10P SHOW.10P.
Configuring iNEWS Servers Table 3 Device List Line Parameters (Continued) Parameter Definition Address/Stack Specify a range of addresses in this field. The monitor server uses this range to store the forms it builds. To specify a range of addresses, enter the starting address, followed by a space and the ending address. For instance, to reserve addresses 1 through 199, type 1 199 in this field.
Chapter 4 Table 3 Device List Line Parameters (Continued) Parameter Definition Parameters for MOS Devices: None at Present Put a dash (-) in this field. 4. Save the map story. 5. Test monitor the show to ensure map story entries are functioning correctly. The monitor server only examines the show’s map story entry when a user turns it on, so any changes to the show’s map story entry will not take effect until then.
Configuring iNEWS Servers c Always back up the /etc/hosts file before editing. To add IP addresses to all iNEWS Servers’ /etc/hosts files: 1. Select all servers at the console. Instructions for how to do this is provided in Chapter 2 of the iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Operations Manual. 2. Type su to log in as superuser and type the superuser password. These steps require the use of ed, the UNIX line editor. For more information, see Chapter 10 of the iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Operations Manual.
Chapter 4 Do not use an uppercase W. w 362 q (saves changes by writing the file to the disk) (ed responds by displaying file size) (quits the edit session) Step 8: Updating the iNEWS System Dictionaries (Optional) Machine Control System (MCS) dictionary files in iNEWS can be modified to customize the appearance of status indicators from various devices. Dictionary files are located in the /site/dict directory.
Configuring iNEWS Servers n When navigating in the file, remember the UNIX line editor is casesensitive. So, typing either /Play or /play will not locate a line with “PLAY.” 4. Substitute the new word, such as “OnAir,” for the second occurrence of the existing word, PLAY, by typing: s?/PLAY?/OnAir The console will respond with a display similar to the following: A_CAPLAY n Do not use an uppercase ( W) in step 5.
Chapter 4 To update your iNEWS dictionaries: The prompt endings change from a colon (:)—indicating a system operator login—to a pound sign (#)—indicating a superuser login. 1. Select all servers. 2. At the console, type su to become a superuser and type the superuser password. The prompts will appear as follows: NRCS-A: su Password: NRCS-A# For security reasons, the console does not display the password you type. 3. Idle the system, by doing the following: a. Type offline to take the system offline.
Configuring iNEWS Servers 5. Select all servers. 6. Type logout all to log out all users. If a user is editing a story, this saves the file and logs out the user. 7. Type list s again to check for connect session users. The logout all console command does not log out users who are currently in a connect session. NRCS-A: list s T101 stevens R801 stevens A A If any users are still logged in, notify them of the shutdown by some other means, such as by telephone.
Chapter 4 Step 9: Configure iNEWS for MOS Replication (Optional) MOS replication requires some configuration on the iNEWS Server that includes: n • Adding a COM session to the iNEWS Server license. Contact Avid to purchase the COM session and have Customer Support add it to your iNEWS Server license. • Creating an iNEWS user account for MOS replication. • Creating a write group for MOS replication. • Creating device-specific queues to store replicated MOS items.
Configuring iNEWS Servers 3. Click New User. The Add New User dialog box appears. 4. In the User ID field, enter the login name of the user account, such as MosReplication. n The User Name is optional and may be the same as the User ID. There is no need to assign Home, Destination, or Mail queues to a MOS replication user account. The User ID and password created in iNEWS must match exactly those values entered in the group of the MOS configuration file.
Chapter 4 c. When the results appear, double-click on the name to open and modify the preferences. d. Uncheck the Force Change check box. e. Click OK. To create a write group for MOS replication: For more information on creating groups in iNEWS, see Chapter 6 of the iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Operations Manual. 1. Choose a name for the group, such as mosreplication. 2. Ensure the chosen name is not already used by the system by using a variation of the gtraits command at the iNEWS console.
Configuring iNEWS Servers e. Type the new group name, such as mosreplication, in the Title (Slug) field of the Queue panel or in the corresponding field in the Story Form panel. f. Press Enter. g. Click inside the Story Text panel and type the group name and membership list in the following format: group mosreplication mosreplication h. Select File > Save Story. The above procedure creates a story, stored in SYSTEM.GROUPS, that bears the group name and contains the membership list for that group.
Chapter 4 A new queue appears under the selected folder and at the end of any existing queues in that folder. The title, New-Queue, is highlighted so you can rename it. 4. Type the name of the device-specific queue, such as VIDEO. 5. Press enter to save the new queue name. n The newly created queue will inherit the database traits of its parent directory initially. You can view the new queue’s properties by rightclicking on it and selecting Properties from the pop-up menu.
Configuring iNEWS Servers n To configure database traits for all queues in a directory, right-click on the parent folder instead of an individual queue and then select Properties from the pop-up menu. Make any necessary configuration changes and ensure the check box labeled Apply changes to all subdirectories and queues is selected before clicking OK. The dialog box that appears will vary depending on whether you rightclicked on a directory or a queue. 4.
Chapter 4 5. On the Groups tab, ensure the MOS replication group is selected as the Write Group. n If the appropriate group does not appear as an option in the list, it must be created in SYSTEM.GROUPS; the procedure for creating the group is on page 70. It is not necessary to assign any Read or Notify groups; leave them set to ! .
Configuring iNEWS Servers 6. On the User Interface tab, ensure that Refresh and Batch Allowed are selected. 7. Click OK to save changes and apply settings. n Selecting and/or unselecting check boxes in the Directory/Queue Properties dialog box does not apply changes immediately. Only step 7 does that.
Chapter 4 76
Chapter 5 Configuring MOS Gateway MOS Gateway must be configured to communicate with various MOS devices. This requires changes to be made in both the iNEWS Server and MOS Gateway. This chapter contains the following major sections: • MOS Gateway Configuration File - Editing the Configuration File - Configuration File Components Explained • Adding MOS Devices to the SYSTEM.
Chapter 5 MOS Gateway Configuration File MOS Gateway must be configured with information about each MOS device that will connect to it. This is done by editing the MOS Gateway configuration file, which is installed on the MOS Gateway Server. During installation, the configuration file, which is named mosconfig.
MOS Gateway Configuration File 2. Select File > Open. 3. Navigate to the configuration file at: C:\Program Files\Avid\MOSGateway 4. Make the changes you want to the file. For more information on what can or should be modified in the file, see “Configuration File Components Explained” on page 80. 5. When you are done, select File > Save. Stopping and Starting MOS Gateway After editing the MOS Gateway configuration file, you must restart all MOS Gateway services that run on the MOS Gateway Server.
Chapter 5 The Services dialog box will appear. 4. Select the MOSConfigService. 5. Select Action > Stop. This will stop all MOS Gateway services in the proper order. 6. Restart the services by selecting the MOSAdminService, then select Action > Start. This will start all MOS Gateway services in the proper order. 7. Click Close.
MOS Gateway Configuration File The Group DIRECTORY_GOES_HERE COUNT_GOES_HERE SIZE_GOES_HERE WINDEBUGTRACE_YESNO SOCKET_ONOFF The DIRECTORY_GOES_HERE should be changed to the directory in which the MOS Gateway will save its log files.
Chapter 5 • UR means "Running Order port" • NCSInit means the MOS Gateway made the connection • MOSInit means the MOS Device made the connection For example: VideoDevice LM MOSInit.bin CGMos UR NCSInit.bin SSDevice2 LM NCSInit.
MOS Gateway Configuration File The Group NCS_ID_GOES_HERE HOST_GOES_HERE ALLOW_YESNO USER_GOES_HERE PUT_PASSWORD_HERE The NCS_ID_GOES_HERE should be changed to the NCS ID of the iNEWS Server to which devices will be replicating MOS objects—typically, this ID is identical to the iNEWS Server’s host name.
Chapter 5 The Group MOS_ID_GOES_HERE iNEWS_DEVICE_GOES_HERE NETWORK_NAME_GOES_HERE The MOS_ID_GOES_HERE should be changed to the MOS ID reported by the MOS device. This ID identifies the MOS device to the MOS Gateway and is used in MOS items placed in an iNEWS rundown to indicate which MOS device receives the items. n Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation provided with the device for more configuration details, such as the MOS ID.
MOS Gateway Configuration File send to the MOS device a default running order name, consisting of the iNEWS Server name followed by a forward slash (/) and the iNEWS rundown’s full queue name. For instance, if the server’s name is NRCS and the rundown queue is SHOW.11PM.RUNDOWN, then MOS Gateway will send the running order name as: NRCS/SHOW.11PM.RUNDOWN. The INEWS_RO_NAME string should be changed to the iNEWS running order name.
Chapter 5 The Group YESNO The YESNO should be changed to YES if the MOS device supports the roItemInsert, roItemDelete, and roItemReplace MOS commands; when set to YES, MOS Gateway will use those commands to move items in stories. The default is YES.
MOS Gateway Configuration File The iNEWS Server expects one of ten event status codes to be returned as the status of a MOS item. Since the MOS Protocol specifies a string as the status of a MOS item in the roItemStat MOS command, MOS Gateway must map these strings to the iNEWS event status codes. Furthermore, different MOS devices use different strings to mean the same concept. The group specifies which string to map to each event status code.
Chapter 5 The PLAYING_STR should be changed to the string the MOS device reports when the MOS item media is playing or on-air. The PAUSED_STR should be changed to the string the MOS device reports when the MOS item media is paused. The STOP_STR should be changed to the string the MOS device reports when the play of the MOS item media has been halted.
MOS Gateway Configuration File The REP_TIME should be set to the time of day when MOS replication should occur. This line is only necessary if the trigger is set to scheduled replication. The TRUE_FALSE value should be set to TRUE if all stories are to be cleared from the queue in the iNEWS database before replication is performed. If set to FALSE stories will not be cleared from the database before MOS replication occurs.
Chapter 5 Table 5 ProgIDs GVG News Q Pro Browser GVG.XMOSCtrl.1 Browser OmnibusODCLauncher.Launcher Editor OmniBusItemEdit.Edit Editor ThunderX.ThunderXCtrl.1 Browser VCPAxFiller.VCPTemplateFiller Editor VCPAxFiller.
MOS Gateway Configuration File Using the MosAdmin Application The MosAdmin application provides a graphical user interface (GUI) that can be run locally or remotely to configure replication options for all devices connected to the MOS Gateway. n Some configuration for replication must be done on iNEWS Servers. That is explained in “Configure iNEWS for MOS Replication (Optional)” on page68 in Chapter4. To launch the MosAdmin application: 1.
Chapter 5 Figure 5 • MosAdmin Status Tab Replication – See Figure 6” on page93 . The Replication tab shows a list of devices—obtained from the mosconfig.xml file—and the current replication configuration settings for each device. Before the Replication tab may be viewed, a dialog box appears, prompting the user for a password. Type in the password, which should be the same one defined in the MOS configuration file and used by the MOSReplication user account in iNEWS.
MOS Gateway Configuration File A Path text field specifies the queue in the iNEWS database to which media object metadata will be replicated. The queue’s pathname appears in the Directory column of the MosAdmin application and in between the and tags in the configuration file. Figure 6 MosAdmin Replication Tab To configure replication for a device: 1. Select the device from the list on the Replication tab in the MosAdmin window. 2. Select the trigger type—either manual or scheduled.
Chapter 5 n The path must be unique to that device because each device must have its own queue for storing replicated MOS objects. Devices cannot share the same replication queue.
Adding MOS Devices to the SYSTEM.MOS-MAP Story The MOS_CHAN string should be changed to a channel name for the MOS device. Adding MOS Devices to the SYSTEM.MOS-MAP Story The iNEWS system must associate the MOS ID of a MOS device with an iNEWS device name. This is because machine control commands in a story must be associated with an iNEWS device name, so the monitor server can load them to the correct device.
Chapter 5 Moving the Configuration File MOS Gateway is configured by filling in values in the MOS Gateway configuration file. A default copy of this file is installed in the same directory as MOS Gateway executable files. n A sample copy of the MOS Gateway configuration file appears in Appendix B. See “MOS Gateway Configuration File” on page78 for more information. MOS Gateway looks for an environment variable in the Registry of the MOS Gateway Server to discover where the file is located.
Moving the Configuration File 4. Navigate to the following folder (also called a key): HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Avid Technology\ MOSGateway 5. Right-click on the ConfigFile value in the right side of the Registry Editor window (under the Name column). 6. Select Modify from the pop-up menu. 7. Replace the existing file path with the one for the new MOS Gateway configuration file.
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Chapter 6 Troubleshooting This chapter contains information to help you recover from various types of system failures.
Chapter 6 MOS Gateway Components MOS Gateway consists of three services (utility programs): • The MOS Gateway Logger, which creates log files • The MOS Gateway License Server, which controls the licensing of MOS Gateway • The MOS Gateway Router, which routes messages between iNEWS Servers and MOS devices • The MOS Gateway Replication Service, which controls the replication of MOS objects from a MOS device to the iNEWS Server • The MOS Gateway Administration Service, which is the delegate between t
Where to Look For Errors To view the Application log: 1. Click the Start button on the Windows Task bar. 2. Select Settings > Control Panel. The Control Panel window appears. 3. Open Administrative Tools. 4. Click on Event Viewer to open. The Event Viewer window appears. 5. Select the Application Log item in the left-hand panel. The Event Viewer shows a table of events, sorted from most to least recent. The Source column displays the application name that created the event.
Chapter 6 Figure 1 shows how this dialog box appears on a computer running the Windows 2000 operating system. Figure 1 Event Properties Dialog Box for Windows 2000 The Description section provides status information, including error messages.
Where to Look For Errors Error messages are listed in alphabetical order in AppendixA along with the category, source—the service generating the error—and actions required to alleviate any problems as noted by each error message. n Some resolutions require stopping and restarting any or all MOS Gateway services. For more information on how to do this, see “Stopping and Starting MOS Gateway” on page79 .
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Appendix A Error Messages This appendix contains MOS Gateway error messages in alphabetical order. Each message appears in a paragraph with the following format: Error/Warning: Error message or warning text. Location: Where message is found. Source: Which service. Category: Which type of error. Action: What to do about the problem. n Some error messages are warnings only; the MOS Gateway will continue to run with a default behavior.
Appendix A Errors Error: AMCP name devicename can be used for only one MOS device Location: Log file Source: MOS Gateway Router Category: Startup Action: The MOS Gateway configuration file contains more than one / group with devicename as the AMCP name. Find all such groups in the configuration file and change the AMCP names so that they are all unique. Then, change the affected AMCP names in the SYSTEM.MAP and SYSTEM.MOS-MAP stories so that they match the newly chosen names.
Errors Action: Open the MOS Gateway configuration file. Edit the value in the group to insert a port number. Stop and restart the Router. Error: Bad In MOS Upper port value. Location: Event Log Source: MOS Gateway Router Category: Startup Action: Open the MOS Gateway configuration file. Edit the value in the group to insert a port number. Stop and restart the Router. Error: Bad Out MOS Lower port value.
Appendix A Error: Could not find mapping from AMCP Device Name(devicename) to MosID in config file. Location: Log file Source: MOS Gateway Router Category: Startup Action: MOS Gateway received a command from the iNEWS Server targeting a MOS device with AMCP name devicename. MOS Gateway configuration files contains no group with that AMCP name. Check the SYSTEM.MAP and SYSTEM.MOS-MAP stories to ensure that AMCP names there match the AMCP names in the MOS Gateway configuration file.
Errors erroneous message. You will need to contact the vendor of the MOS device for instructions on how to fix the problem. You can also send the error and log files to Avid Broadcast Customer Support for assistance. Error: InternalItem.SetMosItem failed value Location: Log file Source: MOS Gateway Router Category: Miscellaneous Action: MOS Gateway received a MOS item containing errors from the iNEWS Server. Delete the MOS item from its story and add a new MOS item.
Appendix A Category: Startup Action: Ensure the MOS ConfigService is started. Error: MOS Gateway Logger cannot start: Cannot create MOSConfiguration object. Location: Event Log Source: MOS Gateway Logger Category: Startup Action: Ensure the MOS ConfigService is started. Error: MOS Gateway Logger cannot start: Config file incomplete, the group must include , , and elements.
Errors There is a value called ConfigFile in the key. It contains a path to the MOS Gateway configuration file. If the path is wrong, change it to contain the correct path. If the path is correct, open the Windows Explorer and see if the MOS Gateway configuration file is in that directory. If not, create one. Error: MOS Gateway Logger cannot start: failed to write test file - error is (The system cannot find the path specified.
Appendix A unique. Then reset each renamed MOS device to match the name chosen. Refer to the MOS device’s documentation for how to do this. Stop and restart the Router. MOM stands for Media Object Metadata. Error: MOS In Lower port (MOM) did not exist in config file. Location: Event Log or Log file Source: MOS Gateway Router Category: Startup Action: Open the MOS Gateway configuration file. Edit the value in the group to insert a port number.
Errors Action: Open the MOS Gateway configuration file. Edit the value in the group to insert a port number. If there is no line, put one in the file. Stop and restart the Router. Error: MOS Out Upper port(RO) did not exist in config file. Location: Event Log or Log file Source: MOS Gateway Router Category: Startup Action: Open the MOS Gateway configuration file. Edit the value in the group to insert a port number.
Appendix A Action: This is a warning only. There is a problem with the iNEWS Server software. Call Avid Broadcast customer support with the roInfoData for assistance. Warning: The Device devicename was not found in the config file. Location: Log file Source: MOS Gateway Router Category: Startup Action: This is a warning only. The MOS Gateway configuration file does not contain a group for the MOS device devicename. Add a group for the device. Stop and restart the Router.
Errors Action: This is a warning only. MOS Gateway cannot find status-string in the group of the group for devicename. It will set the status of the event to UNKNOWN in such a case. To avoid this, add status-string to the group by adding one of the lines containing it.
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Appendix B System Reference Files This appendix contains various samples of system files, such as the /etc/hosts file for the iNEWS Server.
Appendix B Sample Configuration File on MOS Gateway Servers This section provides the default configuration file installed on MOS Gateway Servers. Text enclosed by is a comment and will be ignored by the MOS Gateway. n Because of this book’s margin requirements, some wrapping of text may occur in the following example that should not appear in the actual file. YES mosrep mosrep YES Bad Clip Unalloc.
Sample Configuration File on MOS Gateway Servers NO KIDDO/SHOW.NEWSQPRO.RUNDOWN NEWSQPRO KIDDO/SHOW.NEWSQPRO2.RUNDOWN NEWSQPRO2 KIDDO/SHOW.NEWSQPRO3.
Appendix B PLAYED scheduled 10:36:00 AM true mos.nqp GVG.XMOSCtrl.
Sample Configuration File on iNEWS Servers host ab a net10 Add the monitor server to the servers 200 201 256 ; servers line for the computer host ab b on which you want the server to net20 run. servers 202 203 204 257 ; host a a net10 20 servers 200 201 202 203 204 257 Also, add the monitor server ; to each server’s alternate host host b b net10 20 definition.
Appendix B Sample /etc/hosts File on iNEWS Servers # IP address-hostname database #MIRROR NETWORK 10.1.0.1 NRCS-A nrcs-a A a nrcs-a.local NRCS-A.local 10.1.0.2 10.1.0.8 NRCS-B nrcs-b B b nrcs-b.local NRCS-B.local WEBARCHIVE webarchive 10.1.0.10 PCU10 pcu10 10.1.0.20 10.1.0.30 PCU20 pcu30 pcu20 PCU30 10.1.0.19 MCSPC1 mcspc1 MCSPC19 MCSPC19 10.1.0.29 MCSPC2 mcspc2 MCSPC29 mcspc29 #CLIENT NETWORK 172.101.6.2 172.101.6.3 NRCS-A1 nrcs-a1 A1 a1 NRCS-B1 nrcs-b1 B1 b1 172.101.6.
MOSREPLICATION Form • The SYSTEM.MOS-MAP story, an example of which is provided below: ReplaceTime=YES TABLE-START DeviceTable ;MOSID AMCPDeviceName sony sonyem MOSGATE qamosgw chan1 chan2 chan3 PILOT pilot AIRSPACE airem VERTIGO vertigo NewsQPro NQPro NETIAMOS netia TABLE-END Procedures for editing the SYSTEM.MOS-MAP story are in Chapter4. See “Edit the SYSTEM.MOS-MAP Story” on page51.
Appendix B For information on using the dbrestore command, see the iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Operations Manual. • Use the dbrestore command at the iNEWS console to transfer three stories provided in the Replication folder on the MOS Gateway Install CD to the MOSREPLICATION queue. The stories are in a file called mosreplication.dbdump. Samples of all three are provided in Figure2, Figure3, and Figure4in this Appendix. For more information, see the ReadMe.
MOSREPLICATION Form Figure 3 Story for MOS Replication to the Story Form Figure 4 Story for MOS Replication to the Story Form and Body 129
Appendix B 130
Glossary 10Base-T Low-cost point-to-point 10Mb/sec Ethernet using four unshielded twisted pairs (UTP) of wire (only two pairs are actually used) with RJ-45 connectors. 100Base-T Low-cost point-to-point 100Mb/sec Ethernet using four UTP (only two pairs are actually used) with RJ-45 connectors. absolute time The time assigned to a clip when it was encoded. account A level of authorization assigned to individuals using iNEWS newsroom computer system.
ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange. The standard that governs the recording of characters by a sequence of binary digits, as in a computerized timecode or video editing system. auto-backup A function in iNEWS newsroom computer system that writes a backup copy of an open story to a user’s local disk at specified time intervals. auto-refresh A queue attribute that automatically redisplays the queue screen whenever changes are made to the queue.
duction devices, such as character generators, still-stores, and videotape devices. cue See production cue. cume (cumulative) time The amount of airtime required from the beginning of the show up to a certain point in the show in order for the show to remain on-schedule. It is displayed with each entry in a rundown queue. Cumetime is used by producers when building, ordering, or airing a newscast. DAT A digital audio recording format that uses 3.8mm-wide magnetic tape in a plastic cassette.
duration The length of a show or story. It is calculated by using the elapsed time in a broadcast when a story begins. easy lock A feature that allows a user to open a queue or story while preventing others from doing the same. It is similar to a key lock, but is created without a key. Therefore, others cannot be granted access. See also lock, key lock. Edit Decision List (EDL) A list of edits made during offline editing and used to direct the online editing of the master.
grommet The indicator in a Story Text panel that links a script to production information. Also called: anchor or marker. hard out A story in a newscast that has a fixed start time, usually at the end of a segment or show. It is manually entered into the system. headframe A single frame that can be used to help visually identify a clip or a sequence. high-resolution Digital video of a resolution suitable for broadcast. In point Starting point of an edit. Also known as a Mark IN.
lineup See rundown. load The process of opening a clip into the editor in preparation for viewing or editing. Local Area Network (LAN) This is a network of computers located in a common environment, such as in a building or building complex. lock To protect a queue or story from access by unauthorized users. A queue or story can be locked and unlocked with a key or by a user-name specific lock. See also key, easy lock , key lock. low-resolution Digital video of a resolution suitable for edits.
mirroring A fault tolerance method that keeps identical copies of data on disk partitions located on different physical hard disks and servers. MOM Acronym for Media Object Metadata. MOS Acronym for Media Object Server. See also MOS device. MOS device A vendor product that stores media objects and supports the MOS protocol. MOS item A machine control event created from an ActiveX plugin to be sent to a MOS device. See also plugin event and production cues.
Out point End point of an edit, or a mark on a clip indicating a transition point. Also known as a Mark OUT. out time The total length of time for a show (shown in hours, minutes, and seconds) or the actual time by which the show must end (shown in 12-hour-clock time). See also backtime. panel A part of an iNEWS Workspace. In iNEWS, the three panels are the Directory panel, Queue panel, and Story panel.
presenter The person presenting a newscast on-air to a television audience. Also called an anchor. preview To rehearse an sequence without actually performing (exporting) it. priority queue 1. An area where iNEWS places copies of wire stories (usually in WIRES.ADVISORY.PRIORITY). 2. A queue designated to be read first by a server program for new stories. production cue A prompt to start a story element, such as a video playback.
queue property A trait that controls the characteristics of a queue in the iNEWS database. Queue properties include the refresh trait, read-only purge interval, sorting, and so forth. read access Authority granted to users that allows them to read and duplicate the contents of a directory, queue, or story. read rate The number of words per minute at which a talent can read a news story. The system determines the total running time of a newscast based on the read rate of the assigned presenter.
of the iNEWS Workspace. The rundown queue typically uses a form with BACK-TIME or CUME-TIME fields to display the timing of the newscast. SCO Santa Cruz Operation UNIX® operating system. scratch pad A buffer in which text or notes are stored until the appropriate recovery procedures is performed. Deleted text and notes are stored in the scratch pad. It is separate from the Windows Clipboard and allows clippings to be accumulated. script A story that is read on the air.
slave printer A printer attached to the workstation. sorted queue A queue in which stories are sorted according to criteria specified by the system administrator. source queue A queue from which stories are copied or moved. story Uniquely identified file containing text; stories are grouped in queues and are displayed in the Story panel of the iNEWS Workspace. Story Form panel An area at the top of a Story panel that contains information about a story, such as its title, length, or status.
user ID A special alphanumeric code that identifies a user account in the iNEWS system. A user ID can be up to 20-characters long. user manager User ID given the authority to add, modify, delete, and search for information about user accounts. User manager status can be assigned by a system administrator only. user name A word established to identify the individual user. Enter your user name and your password to log in. User names are alphanumeric and are up to 20-characters long.
write access 144 The ability to add new stories, edit existing stories in a particular queue, add a queue, or add a directory.
Index Index Symbols /etc/hosts 24 , 62, 63 editing 63 /site/config 38 /site/dict 64 /site/dict/mcs, editing 64 A ActiveX control 15 amcp tags 95 assign forms 53 B become a superuser 66 broadcast command, defined 66 C character generators, parameters 60 Choose Destination Location dialog box 26 communication paths 18 composite list 44 security 48 configuration file adding a monitor server to 125 components 80 editing 78 iNEWS 38 moving 96 configuration groups handlesEmptyStories 85 handlesRoItemLevelCo
Index device numbers 38 diagrams monitor load 18 monitor on 17 dialog boxes Choose Destination Location 26 MOS Gateway License Server Key 31 MOS Gateway Setup 26 Queue Properties 43 Setup Status 29 dictionaries, incorporating changes 64 dictionary files 64 I iNEWS Servers configuration details 37 configuration file 38 configuration summary 36 configuring 35–67 prerequisites for configuring 36 IP addresses adding to MOS Gateway Server 24 example 25 IP port 30 default for license server 31 ITEM-CHANNEL form
Index M machine control events 16 mailbox assigning to rundown queue 42 defined 37 valid numbers 38 makeccutab -i 67 makemctab command 65 makemctab -i 67 maketab -i 67 map story, defined 55 MCS dictionary file, updating 65 Microsoft Installer 30 Microsoft® Java Virtual Machine 29 monitor load 17 command 42 diagram 18 monitor on command 42 diagram 17 monitor server adding to configuration file 125 communicating 24 creating 37 –43 defined 15 display 47 listing assigned mailboxes 44 monitor on 16 MOS control
Index preview lines 47 Procedures add IP addresses to iNEWS Servers 63 add IP addresses to MOS Gateway Server 24 assign form to queue 53 assign mailbox to queue 43 configure replication 93 creating composite list queues 45 creating event list queues 45 edit config file 78 edit the dictionary file 64 installing MOS Gateway 25 launch MosAdmin application 91 MOS replication configure queue properties 72 create device-specific queues 71 create iNEWS user account 68 create write group in iNEWS 70 move config fi
Index sample entry header 57 SYSTEM.
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