Number: 510057.001 The Quality System of: Thomson Broadcast & Media Solutions TBMS 400 Providence Mine Road Nevada City, CA 95945 TBMS Weiterstadt, Germany Brunnenweg 9 D-64331 Weiterstadt, Germany TBMS 17 rue du Petit Albi-BP 8244 95801 Cergy Pontoise Cergy, France TBMS 10 Presidential Way, 3rd Floor, Suite 300 Woburn, MA 08101 TBMS 15655 SW Greystone Ct. Beaverton, OR 97006 TBMS 2300 South Decker Lake Blvd. Salt Lake City, UT 84119 TBMS Nederland B.V.
Copyright Copyright © 2004 Thomson Broadcast and Media Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. This document may not be copied in whole or in part, or otherwise reproduced except as specifically permitted under U.S. copyright law, without the prior written consent of Thomson Broadcast and Media Solutions, Inc., P.O.
Contents Preface Grass Valley Product Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii Safety Summaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Safety Terms and Symbols. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x Service Safety Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi Certifications and Compliances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents Chapter 3 Editing and NewsQ Pro Tour of the Assignment List Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Receiving Editing Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Linking Sequences to NewsQ Pro Placeholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sending Completed Clips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Additional Assignment List Manager Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating New Placeholders . . . . . . . .
Contents Chapter 5 Managing Clips Tour of the Housekeeper Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Housekeeping Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Clip Import Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Archive Tab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Toolbar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents vi Digital News Production
Grass Valley Product Support Grass Valley Product Support To get technical assistance, check on the status of problems, or report new problems, contact Grass Valley Product Support via e-mail, the Web, or by phone or fax. Web Technical Support To access support information on the Web, visit the product support Web page on the Grass Valley Web site. You can download software or find solutions to problems by searching our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) database. World Wide Web: http://www.
Preface Authorized Support Representative A local authorized support representative may be available in your country. To locate the support representative for your country, visit the product support Web page on the Grass Valley Web site. Profile Users Group You can connect with other Profile XP Media Platform users to ask questions or share advice, tips, and hints. Send e-mail to profile-users@thomson.net to join the community and benefit from the experience of others.
Safety Summaries Safety Summaries General Safety Summary Review the following safety precautions to avoid injury and prevent damage to this product or any products connected to it. Only qualified personnel should perform service procedures. While using this product, you may need to access other parts of the system. Read the General Safety Summary in other system manuals for warnings and cautions related to operating the system.
Preface Product Damage Precautions Use Proper Power Source Do not operate this product from a power source that applies more than the voltage specified. Provide Proper Ventilation To prevent product overheating, provide proper ventilation. Do Not Operate With Suspected Failures Battery Replacement If you suspect there is damage to this product, have it inspected by qualified service personnel. To avoid damage, replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the circuit board manufacturer.
Service Safety Summary Symbols on the Product The following symbols may appear on the product: DANGER high voltage Protective ground (earth) terminal ! ATTENTION – refer to manual Service Safety Summary Do Not Service Alone Do not perform internal service or adjustment of this product unless another person capable of rendering first aid and resuscitation is present. No Power Switch To avoid electric shock, disconnect the main power by means of the power cord.
Preface Certifications and Compliances Canadian Certified Power Cords Canadian approval includes the products and power cords appropriate for use in the North America power network. All other power cords supplied are approved for the country of use. FCC Emission Control This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Certifications and Compliances Laser Compliance Laser Safety Requirements The device used in this product is a Class 1 certified laser product. Operating this product outside specifications or altering its original design may result in hazardous radiation exposure, and may be considered an act of modifying or new manufacturing of a laser product under U.S. regulations contained in 21CFR Chapter 1, subchapter J or CENELEC regulations in HD 482 S1.
Preface Certification Category Standard Safety Designed/tested for compliance with: ANSI/UL60950-2000 - Safety of Information Technology Equipment IEC 60950 - Safety of Information Technology Equipment (3rd edition, 1999) CAN/CSA C22.2, No. 60950-00 - Safety of Information Technology Equipment EN60950:2000 - Safety of Information Technology Equipment (3rd edition) Environmental Criteria The following table lists the environmental criteria for the NewsQ Pro.
Chapter 1 Introducing NewsQ Pro NewsQ Pro is a news playout control system that works with Thomson Grass Valley’s Profile Video Server or M-Series iVDR, NewsEdit (version 4.0 and above), and a MOS-compatible newsroom computer system, such as the Associated Press Electronic News Production System (ENPS), version 2.09 and above, or Avid Technology’s iNews, version 1.5 and above.
Chapter 1 Introducing NewsQ Pro What is NewsQ Pro? NewsQ Pro is a news playout system that controls Media Servers for live news playback. It includes tools to integrate the news production workflow between a Media Server, NewsEdit, and optionally a newsroom computer system. You can also use NewsQ Pro as a manual control system for Media Servers. By using NewsQ Pro with a Media Server for news playout you can effectively replace four to six tape machines, depending on your Media Server.
Terms You Should Know Terms You Should Know To use NewsQ Pro effectively and efficiently, you should become familiar with these terms: Term Definition Clip A piece of media you can edit, containing video, audio, or both. Once a sequence is sent from a NewsEdit workstation to a Media Server it becomes a clip again. All clips and subclips merge into one clip.
Chapter 1 Introducing NewsQ Pro Using NewsQ Pro in Your Newsroom Newsrooms can use NewsQ Pro in two ways: • To create playlists by linking to a newsroom computer system (NCS) • To create playlists manually in NewsQ Pro Linking to a Newsroom Computer System (NCS) The most efficient way to use NewsQ Pro is with a newsroom computer system such as the Associated Press Electronic News Production System (ENPS) or Avid iNews.
Linking to a Newsroom Computer System (NCS) A typical newsroom workflow using a newsroom computer system (NCS) is: • The news producer creates a rundown using NCS • The news producer uses the NewsQ Pro Assignment List Plug-in to: - Create placeholders for scripts that require clips - Assign placeholders to editors - Link placeholders to scripts in the rundown • The news producer assigns playback channels within the NCS rundown • The news editor creates sequences for assignments using NewsEdit • The news ed
Chapter 1 Introducing NewsQ Pro Creating a Playlist Manually Newsrooms without MOS-compatible NCSs can also use the NewsQ Pro application to manually create rundowns and playlists. After creating playlists, using placeholders to link to clips created in NewsEdit, you can cue and play the clips for broadcast.
Creating a Playlist Manually A typical newsroom workflow using NewsQ Pro to create playlists is: • The news producer creates a rundown • The news editor creates sequences for assignments using NewsEdit • The news producer uses the NewsQ Pro Assignment List Manager to: - Create placeholders for clips - Assign placeholders to editors • The news editor uses the NewsQ Pro Assignment List Manager to: - Create placeholders for clips - Reassign placeholders to other editors - Send completed clips to a Media Serve
Chapter 1 Introducing NewsQ Pro Tour of NewsQ Pro and Plug-ins NewsQ Pro consists of several components to allow newsrooms to coordinate news playback with a Media Server and a NewsEdit workstation. The NewsQ Pro Application Playback operators use the main NewsQ Pro application to control playlists before and during news broadcasts and to create new playlists. Playlist Clip Browser Rundowns Toolbar Playlist Overview Channels Chapter 4, “Playing Clips to Air,” describes the NewsQ Pro application.
The Assignment List Plug-in The Assignment List Plug-in Producers use the NewsQ Pro Assignment List Plug-in to create placeholders for clips and to coordinate electronic news stories with ENPS or iNews rundown scripts. The Assignment List Plug-in integrates with the ENPS and iNews applications. Chapter 2, “NCS Rundowns and NewsQ Pro,” describes the Assignment List Plug-in.
Chapter 1 Introducing NewsQ Pro The Assignment List Manager The Assignment List Manager (ALM) comes in two forms: standalone and embedded into the NewsEdit application. Producers (or other station personnel) use the standalone Assignment List Manager to determine how many clips are missing for a given news show. Editors use the embedded Assignment List Manager to receive assignments from the producer and to send completed clips to a Media Server for playout.
The Assignment List Manager Chapter 3, “Editing and NewsQ Pro,” describes the Assignment List Manager.
Chapter 1 Introducing NewsQ Pro The Housekeeper Utility Playback operators use the Housekeeper utility to remove files from the clip database, import files from Media Servers, and to archive clips. The Housekeeper utility typically runs on the computer with the NewsQ Pro main application, though it can be installed on another computer if necessary. Chapter 5, “Managing Clips,” describes the Housekeeper utility.
Simple Database (SDB) Server Simple Database (SDB) Server The SDB Server runs in the background to keep clip status current. When the status of a clip changes, the SDB Server updates available status and clip duration in the NewsQ Pro database, which in turn updates the NewsQ Pro application. In addition, when a clip is sent from NewsEdit associated with a NewsQ Pro placeholder, the SDB Server updates the number of missing items in the Assignment List Manager and Assignment List Plug-in.
Chapter 1 Introducing NewsQ Pro Thumbnail Server The Thumbnail Server displays connection status to the Profile Media Server(s) and creates thumbnails for MPEG clips. The M-Series iVDR does not use the Thumbnail Server. The Thumbnail Server typically runs on the NewsQ Pro machine for flexibility, but can run on the same computer as the other NewsQ Pro Server Components.
XMOS Server XMOS Server The XMOS Server displays the communication between the Newsroom Computer System and NewsQ Pro. It typically runs on the same computer as the other NewsQ Pro Server Components.
Chapter 1 16 Introducing NewsQ Pro Digital News Production
Chapter 2 NCS Rundowns and NewsQ Pro Producers can use NewsQ Pro with a newsroom computer system (NCS) such as the Associated Press Electronic News Production System (ENPS) or Avid iNews to create rundowns, create placeholders for editor assignments, and link clips to the rundown. Producers can also use the NCS to assign clips to specific playback channels, eliminating the need for a playback operator to assign channels for the rundown.
Chapter 2 NCS Rundowns and NewsQ Pro Tour of the Assignment List Plug-In You use your NCS to create rundowns for news shows and add scripts for each story. The NewsQ Pro Assignment List Plug-in integrates with both ENPS and iNews and allows you to create placeholders for clips, assign those placeholders to newsroom editors, and link the resulting clips back to your NCS rundown.
Using the Assignment List Plug-in Using the Assignment List Plug-in With the Assignment List Plug-in, you can create placeholders, assign and sort them by category, check the number of missing clips, and view or change placeholder properties. Creating Placeholders You need to create a placeholder for each news clip you are linking to a rundown. Placeholders generate assignments for editors, who can then create news clips for the story and send them to a Media Server for playback.
Chapter 2 NCS Rundowns and NewsQ Pro 2. Enter the placeholder information: - Clip Name — Enter a placeholder name. The name identifies the placeholder in the Assignment List Plug-in (in the NCS), the Assignment List Manager (in the NewsEdit system or standalone), and in the NewsQ Pro playlist. - Story Type — Select a Story Type from the drop-down menu. Story types are set in the SDB Server Options; see “Setting General Options” on page 100 for details.
Sorting Placeholders by Category Sorting Placeholders by Category When you create a new placeholder, the Category field determines which edit workstations see the placeholder. If you select All, your news editors also need to select All in their Assignment List Managers to view the assignment. You can sort a placeholder at any time by doing the following: 1. Double-click the clip you want to reassign. The Clip Properties window appears. 2.
Chapter 2 NCS Rundowns and NewsQ Pro Viewing a Video Thumbnail for a Placeholder The Assignment List Plug-in, in addition to showing a clip’s properties, displays the first frame of the clip as a thumbnail. You can only see thumbnails for completed clips, which are identified with an OK in the Status column; the thumbnail is blank for incomplete clips. To view a thumbnail: • Double-click a placeholder. The Clip Properties window appears, displaying the video thumbnail if the clip is complete.
Using ENPS Using ENPS The NewsQ Pro Assignment List Plug-in lets you create a placeholder for a clip and link it to the accompanying story slug in the NCS rundown. With ENPS, you can create the placeholders and link them manually to your rundown or use the auto-create feature and create and link the placeholder automatically.
Chapter 2 NCS Rundowns and NewsQ Pro Creating Placeholders Automatically With ENPS, you can automatically create a placeholder linked to a story slug. To link placeholders automatically, you need to enable the Auto Create feature in the ENPS MOS Configuration and add the Auto Create column to your ENPS rundown template. To create and link a placeholder automatically: 1. Create a new rundown. Create a rundown as you normally would. See the ENPS documentation for details. 2. Create a new story slug in ENPS.
Linking Clips to ENPS Manually Linking Clips to ENPS Manually As an alternative to using the ENPS Auto Create feature, you can manually create placeholders and add them to your story scripts. For example, you would use this method to add an existing placeholder to your script. To link a clip to an ENPS rundown: 1. Create a new rundown. Create a rundown as you normally would. See the ENPS documentation for details. 2. Create a new story in ENPS and open it. 3.
Chapter 2 NCS Rundowns and NewsQ Pro Assigning Playout Channels to Clips With ENPS and NewsQ Pro you can assign playout channels to stories in a rundown. When a playback operator opens the rundown, stories are already assigned to playout channels. To assign a playout channel in an ENPS rundown: 1. Click the MOS Channel column for the story you want to assign. 2. Enter the channel name in the box and click OK. You must enter the channel label exactly as it was set up in NewsQ Pro.
Using iNews Using iNews To use a NewsEdit sequence in a news story when it plays out to air, you need to create a placeholder and link it to your NCS rundown.
Chapter 2 NCS Rundowns and NewsQ Pro To create a rundown and link it to your story: 1. Create a new rundown. Create a rundown as you normally would. See the iNews documentation for details. 2. Create a new story in iNews. 3. Create a new placeholder in the NewsQ Pro Assignment List Plug-in, Assignment List Manager, or Housekeeper. See “Creating Placeholders” on page 19 for instructions. 4.
Chapter 3 Editing and NewsQ Pro News editors use the Assignment List Manager component of NewsQ Pro to receive assignments from the producer and return completed assignments. The Assignment List Manager runs on the computer with the NewsEdit editing system. Editors create clips and sequences in NewsEdit as usual and send them to a Media Server. A playlist is received from the NCS or a playback operator uses the clips in NewsQ Pro to create a playlist, and then controls the playback of clips to air.
Chapter 3 Editing and NewsQ Pro Tour of the Assignment List Manager You use the Assignment List Manager to receive assignments from the producer, to create additional placeholders for clips, to reassign placeholders to other editors, and to send completed clips to a Media Server. The embedded Assignment List Manager runs on the NewsEdit workstation and integrates with NewsEdit; the NewsEdit toolbar displays part of the Assignment List Manager so you can see the number of assignments you’ve received.
Tour of the Assignment List Manager • In NewsEdit, double-click the Missing box to open the Clips window: Deletes a clip Displays the total number of placeholders for the selected category Shows only list of missing clips Creates a new placeholder Lists assignments Shows this clip is being edited The list of assignments shows each clip placeholder and its properties: Column Description S (Status) The clip status: displays OK if a clip has been completed, sent to the Media Server, and is ready for p
Chapter 3 Editing and NewsQ Pro Column Description Clip ID The clip ID, which is automatically defined when the placeholder is created. Date The date the placeholder was created. P (Protected) Protected status; displays P if the clip is protected, which prevents it from being erased or deleted from the database. Column is blank if the clip is unprotected.
Linking Sequences to NewsQ Pro Placeholders Linking Sequences to NewsQ Pro Placeholders The Assignment List Manager displays the placeholders that need sequences to complete a news story. As you create a new sequence in NewsEdit, you can link it to a NewsQ Pro placeholder. Linking your NewsEdit sequence to a placeholder lets others in the newsroom know that a sequence is being edited. To link to a NewsQ Pro placeholder: 1. In NewsEdit, click the New Sequence button in the Bin toolbar.
Chapter 3 Editing and NewsQ Pro 3. Click Link to Story. The NewsQ Pro Items window appears, showing available placeholders: 4. Select the placeholder for your story and click Open. The Sequence Properties window appears with the sequence name and Video ID filled in: 5. Click OK. The Timeline opens so you can create your sequence.
Linking Sequences to NewsQ Pro Placeholders The Assignment List Manager displays the placeholder as being edited: Digital News Production 35
Chapter 3 Editing and NewsQ Pro Sending Completed Clips Once you create a clip or sequence on NewsEdit for a specific placeholder, you need to send it to a Media Server so it can be played to air by NewsQ Pro. Your NewsEdit workstation must be configured with the Media Server and its default directory as the default Send Destination. See your NewsEdit documentation for more information. If you didn’t previously link your sequence to a NewsQ Pro placeholder, you can do it before sending the clip.
Sending Completed Clips NOTE: Toggling the Missing Clips Only button to off displays previously sent placeholders with media. You can also link a sequence to one of these placeholders, which overwrites the media with the new content. 3. If you haven’t linked the sequence to a placeholder, select one to assign to your completed sequence. 4. Enter an Editorial Duration for the sequence, if desired. (Editorial Duration is only available with ENPS, not iNews).
Chapter 3 Editing and NewsQ Pro Additional Assignment List Manager Features In addition to creating clips for assigned placeholders and sending them to the server for playback, there are other features of the Assignment List Manager that you can use. Creating New Placeholders In addition to the assignments you receive from your producer, you can create additional placeholders for clips you want to include in a news broadcast. To create a new placeholder for a clip: 1. Click the New Clip button.
Changing a Clip Category - Category — Select a category from the drop-down menu. The category determines who receives the placeholder as an assignment. Selecting ALL makes the placeholder accessible to all editors who select ALL in their Assignment List Manager. - Editorial Duration — If desired, enter an estimated duration for the story or select one from the drop-down list. Once the clip is created the duration is automatically adjusted to the clip length.
Chapter 3 Editing and NewsQ Pro Viewing the Assignment List In the Assignment List Manager, you can choose to view assignments within a selected category or all of the assignments in the list. To change the category of assignments to view: • Select a category from the Category drop-down list. The list displays only the placeholders and clips in that category. Select All to view all assignment placeholders again.
Chapter 4 Playing Clips to Air Playback operators use the NewsQ Pro application to control the playback of news clips to air. Using a playlist linked to an NCS rundown or local NewsQ Pro playlist, playback operators cue and play clips as required during a broadcast.
Chapter 4 Playing Clips to Air Tour of the NewsQ Pro Application You use the NewsQ Pro application to control a playlist before and during a news broadcast. You can also use it to manually create a new playlist. Playlist Toolbar Clip Browser Channels Rundowns Playlist Overview The Clip Browser, Rundowns list, and Playlist Overview are all dockable; you can rearrange windows or close windows you aren’t using (such as unused channels).
Toolbar Toolbar The NewsQ Pro Toolbar lets you access common features: Icon Function Creates a blank playlist. Other Ways to Access... File | New Playlist or Ctrl + N Opens a saved local (.pls) playlist. File | Open Playlist or Ctrl + O Saves the current playlist as a local (.pls) playlist. File | Save Playlist or Ctrl + S Cuts selected clips from the playlist to the clipboard. Edit | Cut or Ctrl + X Copies selected clips from the playlist to the clipboard.
Chapter 4 Playing Clips to Air Playlist The playlist lists each clip and its properties: Column Thumb Description Displays a video thumbnail of the clip, if available. To change the thumbnail size, click the Thumb column heading or select View | (Small) or (Large) Thumbnail. A red border appears around the thumbnail if the clip is not ready for playback. 44 Clip Name Displays the name of the clip from the NewsQ Pro Assignment List Plug-in.
Playlist Column Status Description Displays the available channels and the status of the clip: - [Blank] — Clip has not yet been cued. - Cued — The clip is cued to a specific channel and is ready to play. - Roll — The clip is playing to air. - Stopped — The clip has been manually stopped during play. - Played — The clip has finished playing. Channel Displays the channel in which a clip is currently cued or playing. Assign Displays the channel assigned through the NCS or NewsQ Pro.
Chapter 4 Playing Clips to Air Channels The channels area displays the channels available on your system. You can perform the following functions for each channel: Icon Function Plays the current clip in the channel. If a clip is playing, clicking this button pauses the clip; click it again to resume playback. Recues the current clip. Cues the previous clip in the channel. Cues the next available clip. Loops playback for the current clip.
Rundowns Rundowns The rundown area displays the open rundowns and their status, a list of available rundowns, and the following controls: Icon Function Opens the selected rundown and creates a playlist. Appends the selected rundown to the end of the current playlist. Removes the selected rundown from the playlist. The status displays READY when the “MOS Ready to Air” property is enabled for a rundown through ENPS.
Chapter 4 Playing Clips to Air Playlist Overview The playlist overview displays a subset of the playlist columns, allowing you to scroll to other parts of the playlist without disrupting the view in the main playlist window. Column Status Description Displays clip the status: - Blank — The clip has not yet been cued. - C (Cued) — Clip is cued to a specific channel and is ready to play. - P (Played) — The clip has finished playing. - R (Roll) — The clip is playing to air.
Creating a Playlist Creating a Playlist You need to create a playlist before you can play clips to air. There are two ways to create a playlist: by linking clips to an NCS rundown or by manually creating a playlist in NewsQ Pro. Linking to a NCS Rundown If you use a newsroom computer system such as ENPS or iNews to create news rundowns, you can link to the NCS rundown and create a playlist automatically. To open an NCS rundown: • Select a rundown from the drop-down list and click Open Rundown.
Chapter 4 Playing Clips to Air Appending Rundowns to a Playlist With NewsQ Pro and your NCS, you can add rundowns to create a playlist that includes all of the clips and other information from each of the rundowns. Appended rundowns are added to the end of the current playlist. To append a rundown: 1. Select the rundown from the drop-down list. 2. Click Append Rundown.
Linking to a NCS Rundown Previewing Other Rundowns If you need to look at another rundown, you can open it without disrupting the current NewsQ Pro playlist. To preview a rundown: 1. Select View | Rundown Preview or press Ctrl + R on the keyboard. The Rundown Preview window appears. 2. Select a rundown from the Rundown drop-down list. The Rundown Preview window displays all placeholders and completed clips for the rundown. A red square in the status column indicates that the clip is not complete.
Chapter 4 Playing Clips to Air Manually Creating a New Playlist The second way to create a playlist is manually using NewsQ Pro. To create a new playlist: 1. Click New Playlist in the main toolbar. An empty playlist appears. 2. If the Clip Browser isn’t open, click Insert Video. The Clip Browser opens, displaying all available clips from the clip database. Toggles between viewing large and small thumbnail sizes 3. Drag a clip into the Playlist window or the Playlist Overview window.
Manually Creating a New Playlist Saving Local Playlists Sometimes you need to create a playlist that you can use over again. For example, you could create a playlist for a 6 PM broadcast and then modify it for the 10 PM broadcast. To use a playlist again, you need to save it and reopen it later to make changes. To save a playlist: 1. When you are done adding clips, click Save on the main toolbar. The Save As window appears: 2. Select a location for the playlist and enter a file name. 3. Click Save.
Chapter 4 Playing Clips to Air Opening Saved Playlists 1. Click Open Playlist on the main toolbar. 2. Select a playlist and click Open; the playlist opens and displays the list of clips it contains. You can modify, review, or play the playlist to air. Appending a Playlist If you want to add another local playlist, you can append one to the current playlist in NewsQ Pro. To append a playlist: 1. Select Append Playlist from the File menu. The Open window appears. 2.
Manually Creating a New Playlist Chaining Clips in a Playlist Sometimes you may want to group two or more clips together so the clips play back-to-back as one continuous clip. This grouping is called chaining, and provides the advantage of playing clips in succession without having to cue and play each one individually. You can also chain clips through your NCS through the Auto-Chain feature.
Chapter 4 Playing Clips to Air Cueing and Playing Clips Once you have a playlist, you can cue the clips to the appropriate channels and play them to air. Cueing Clips The playlist automatically cues the first clips if the Auto Cue on loading Rundown option is on, and cues subsequent clips when prior clips have played. If a clip isn’t ready for playback, the clip is skipped and the next available clip cues. You can also cue clips manually.
Cueing Clips Using the Jog Feature If you need to change the start position of a cued clip, you can jog to the desired frame. When you cue a clip into a channel, the jog indicator displays; if you cue more than one channel at a time, jog appears in the last cued channel. To move Jog to another channel, click Play then click Stop in the desired channel.
Chapter 4 Playing Clips to Air Playing Clips During a news broadcast, you play clips either according to the script or when the director signals you. To play a clip: 1. If not already cued, cue the clip to the desired channel. To cue a clip, drag and drop it into a channel window. 2. Click the Play button in the channel window. Play/Stop The Play button is a toggle and changes to Stop when clicked; to stop a clip during play, click the Stop icon to pause it. Click Play to resume playing the clip.
Archiving Clips Archiving Clips The Archive Play feature allows you to automatically play all clips in a playlist on a selected channel and record the output of that channel on a VTR. To configure Archive Play, you must select the archive channel from the Archive Play configuration tab (see “Configuring Archive Play” on page 95). You can also change the Archive Black duration on that tab; NewsQ Pro rolls five seconds of black between each archived clip by default.
Chapter 4 Playing Clips to Air Recording a Black Clip File In order to archive clips, you need to create a file called “BLACK” that contains black video. You can record the file in two ways—using NewsEdit or the M-Series iVDR. Using NewsEdit 1. Create a new sequence named BLACK. 2. Right-click in the Timeline and select Insert Filler, enter a 10 second duration, and click OK. 3. Save and close the file. 4. Send the file to the default bin of your playout server. Using the M-Series iVDR 1.
Additional Playlist Features Additional Playlist Features In addition to cueing and playing clips, there are many other features of NewsQ Pro that let you customize a playlist for your news broadcast. Rearranging the Layout of a Playlist You can change the order of the displayed playlist columns by dragging a column heading to the left or right. The Thumb column is always the first column in the playlist; you can’t move it or move another column in front of it.
Chapter 4 Playing Clips to Air Assigning Clips to Channels If you don’t specify a specific channel for a clip, the system automatically assigns it to the next available channel. However, you can assign a clip to any channel. For instance, you may have a small clip that you want to play in between two longer clips to create a smooth transition. To assign a clip to a specific channel: • Right-click on a clip in the playlist and select Assign to “X”.
Adding New Clips to a Playlist Adding New Clips to a Playlist Occasionally, you may need to add a news clip directly to the playlist if you aren’t able to add it to the NCS rundown first. However, doing so breaks the link between NewsQ Pro and the NCS rundown. In that case, you won’t see any subsequent changes made to the NCS rundown. To add clips to a playlist: 1. If the Clip Browser isn’t open, Click Insert Video. The Clip Browser appears, displaying all available clips. 2.
Chapter 4 Playing Clips to Air Using the Context-Sensitive Playlist Menu Several NewsQ Pro features are available by right-clicking in the Playlist Window. Menu Item Assign to channel_name Description Assigns the selected clip to channel_name for playback. Choose Tools | Options | Channel Configuration to change channel names; you may configure up to six channels. 64 Unassign Clip(s) Removes the channel assignment from the selected clip(s).
Chapter 5 Managing Clips The Housekeeper utility lets you remove unwanted clips from the database to reduce the database size. You can also import clips from a Media Server to access a wider variety of video footage and move files to archive directories.
Chapter 5 Managing Clips Tour of the Housekeeper Utility The Housekeeper utility typically runs on the same computer as the NewsQ Pro application, but can be installed separately on another system as well. The Housekeeper utility consists of the Housekeeping tab, the Clip Import tab, the Archive tab, and a toolbar. The Housekeeping Tab Use the Housekeeping tab to remove clips from the clip database. Deleting clips removes them from both the NewsQ Pro and the media server database.
The Clip Import Tab The Clip Import Tab You use the Clip Import tab to associate existing clips on a Media Server with NewsQ Pro placeholders. Once you import a clip to the database you can use it in playlists. The Clip Import tab displays empty placeholders in the NewsQ Pro database and available clips on the Media Server that you can import.
Chapter 5 Managing Clips The Archive Tab You use the Archive tab to copy selected clips from a Media Server’s playout bin to a Media Server’s archive bin so the clips can be archived for more permanent storage. When you archive a clip, it is renamed with a long name consisting of clip name followed by the clip ID. The Archive tab displays the ready clips in your database and the archive bin on the Media Server.
Toolbar Toolbar The toolbar lets you access common Housekeeper functions: Icon Description Creates a new placeholder in the NewsQ Pro clip database. Allows you to restore a deleted clip from the Recycle Bin. Deletes the selected placeholder from the clip database and moves it to the Recycle Bin, as well as its media from the Media Server. Refreshes the view of the clip database. Links the selected Media Server clip to the selected placeholder in NewsQ Pro.
Chapter 5 Managing Clips Deleting Clips From the Clip Database You use the Housekeeping tab to remove clips from the clip database. To manage the size of the clip database, you should remove clips from the database when they are no longer needed. When you delete clips with the Housekeeper utility you remove the placeholder from the NewsQ Pro database and the corresponding media from the Media Server. Moving Files to the Recycle Bin To delete clips, you first need to move them to the Recycle Bin.
Unprotecting a Clip Unprotecting a Clip Protected clips are identified with a P in the rightmost column of the Housekeeping tab, and cannot be deleted. To delete a protected clip, you have to unprotect it before moving it into the Recycle Bin. To unprotect a clips: 1. Double-click the desired clip. The Clip Properties window appears: 2. Uncheck the Protected checkbox. 3. Click OK. You can now move the clip into the Recycle Bin and delete it.
Chapter 5 Managing Clips Deleting Clips From a Media Server Only You can delete clips from the Media Server without deleting the placeholder from the NewsQ Pro database. Rather than deleting clips, if you want to update a clip after it has been sent to a Media Server for playback, you can overwrite it by associating the new sequence with the same placeholder. See “Sending Completed Clips” on page 36 for details. To remove a clip only from the Media Server while leaving its placeholder intact: 1.
Importing Clips Importing Clips With the Housekeeper utility, you can import clips from Media Servers. You associate these clips with a NewsQ Pro placeholder for use in your broadcast. Importing Clips from a Media Server Importing clips from a Media Server provides a greater selection of video footage from which to choose. Imported clips are copied into your database and into the Media Server’s playout bin. List of Media Servers List of bins on the selected Media Server To import a clip: 1.
Chapter 5 Managing Clips Creating New Placeholders You can create additional placeholders for clips you are planning to import. New placeholders are created in the NewsQ Pro clip database. To create a new placeholder: 1. Click New Placeholder. You can also select File | New Placeholder or press Ctrl + N on the keyboard.
Creating New Placeholders 2. Enter the clip information: - Clip Name — Enter a placeholder name. The name identifies the placeholder in the Assignment List Plug-in (in the NCS), the Assignment List Manager (in the NewsEdit system or standalone), and in the NewsQ Pro playlist. - Story Type — Select a Story Type from the drop-down menu. Story types are set in the SDB Server Options; see “Setting General Options” on page 100 for details. Default story types are SOT (Sound On Tape) or VO (Voice Over).
Chapter 5 Managing Clips Archiving Clips You can use the Housekeeper utility to copy NewsQ Pro placeholders to an archive bin on the Media Server. List of ready clips List of clips in the Media Server archive bin To archive a clip: 1. Select the clip you want to archive. The first column displays the first frame of the placeholder. 2. Click Archive placeholder clip. You can also drag clips directly from the NewsQ Pro placeholder list to the archive directory.
Appendix A Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro NewsQ Pro has many options that let you define how your system is set up. Although your NewsQ Pro system was pre-configured at the factory, you may want to adjust some options based on how you use NewsQ Pro in your newsroom.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro Installing NewsQ Pro and Components The various NewsQ Pro components reside on multiple computers. The following table indicates where each component is typically installed: Component Machine where you install it... NewsQ Pro application NewsQ Pro computer Thumbnail Server NOTE: If you are using an M-Series iVDR as your media server, you don’t need to install the Thumbnail Server.
Installing NewsQ Pro and Components 3. Click Next until you reach the Select Components screen. 4. At the Select Components screen, check the boxes for the component(s) you want to install. 5. At the Select Server Type screen, select the Media Server you are using: M-Series, Profile, or NewsQ. If the Media Server choices are grayed out, it means that the version you are installing only supports one type of server. 6. Click Next twice to start the installation. 7.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro Installing the Assignment List Plug-in The Assignment List Plug-in needs to be installed on each NCS computer that needs to access it. You can install this plug-in on each computer using the installation CD, or you can create a network installation from which you can install the plug-in on multiple computers using the same configuration file.
Installing the Assignment List Plug-in 4. At the Select Components screen, check the Assignment List Plugin checkbox and click Next. The Assignment List Plugin Configuration Selection screen appears: 5. Select Configure Assignment List Plugin using installer and click Next.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro 6. Enter the following information for your system and click Next: Name Description Database Server Enter the name of the server hosting the NewsQ Pro database (the primary SDB Server). Backup Database Server Enter the name of the server hosting the Hot Standby Database Server, if you have one. Video Standard Select a video standard: PAL, NTSC - Drop Frame, or NTSC - Non-drop Frame.
Installing the Assignment List Plug-in Using a Configuration File If want to install the Assignment List Plug-in on multiple computers with the same configuration, you can create a network installer to do so. To prepare the network installer: 1. Copy the NewsQ Pro software installation file, SetupNewsQPro.exe, from the CD onto your network. 2. Using a text editor such as Notepad, create a file called setup.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro From each computer on which you are installing the plug-in: 1. Navigate to the network directory where you saved the installer and configuration file and double-click SetupNewsQPro.exe. 2. Click Next until you reach the Select Components screen. 3. At the Select Components screen, check the Assignment List Plugin checkbox and click Next. 4. Select Configure Assignment List Plugin using setup.ini and click Next. 5. Click Next. 6.
Configuring the NewsQ Pro Application Configuring the NewsQ Pro Application NewsQ Pro has several options that you can tailor to your newsroom environment. NewsQ Pro was configured when it was initially installed; this chapter describes each setting in case you need to reconfigure your system. To configure your NewsQ Pro system: 1. Choose Tools | Options. The Options window appears: 2. Go through each tab in the Options window and configure NewsQ Pro using the descriptions in the following sections. 3.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro Setting General Options Setting Options Description Database Server Enter the name of the computer hosting the primary SDB Server. Backup Database Server Enter the name of the computer hosting the hot-standby SDB Server. XMOS Server Enter the name of the computer hosting the XMOS Server.
Setting Playback Options Setting Playback Options Setting Options Description Soft When a rundown is loaded, does not assign channels to stories; clips will be cued to the first available channel. Hard When a rundown is loaded, assigns channels to all stories without a current channel assignment and maintains that assignment regardless of the available channels. Space Bar Play Enabled Disabled Enables or disables use of the space bar to play the next cued clip.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro Setting 88 Options Description Minimum On-Air Determines the minimum time that a clip must be on the air before triggering Post Roll and cueing the next clip. End Blip 1 and 2 Determines the amount of time prior to the end of a clip to display an audio/visual warning. End Blip Stay On Determines whether the End Blip visual signal remains on once triggered or just flashes momentarily.
Setting Channel Configuration Setting Channel Configuration To configure a playback channel: 1. Check the checkbox next to each channel NewsQ Pro should include in the channel rotation when automatically assigning channels. 2. Enter a label name for each channel. 3. Select a Primary Port (typically starting with COM3 for Channel 1) for each channel. 4. Select a Backup Port if desired. The Backup Port can be connected to a playout channel on a second media server for mirrored playback. 5. Click OK.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro Configuring GPI Inputs General Purpose Interface (GPI) inputs allow you to connect a switcher or other control device to the NewsQ Pro system and use it to control the NewsQ Pro software. NewsQ Pro supports either 16 or 32 GPI inputs depending on your hardware configuration.
Configuring GPI Inputs To reassign the function of a GPI input, select the GPI number, the channel it affects, and the function you want the GPI to perform. Setting Options Description Enable 32-Port GPI Interface On (checked) Off (unchecked) Check Enable 32-Port GPI Interface to control the NewsQ Pro software via GPI input. GPI Input 1 through 16 or 32 Select the GPI input you are configuring. Channel Channel A-F Not Channel Specific Select the GPI input channel.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro Configuring the Remote Display Unit (RDU) A Remote Display Unit (RDU) lets you see the clips playing on each channel and the status of each clip. The RDU usually resides in the control room so that operators can monitor playback status during a broadcast. There are two different RDUs you can use with NewsQ Pro: RDU 1510 or TSI 1000. Setting Options Description Type of Display Unit RDU 1510 TSI 1000 Select your type of Remote Display Unit.
Configuring the Remote Display Unit (RDU) Setting Options Description Tally Normal Color Red Green Amber Select the color to display on the RDU during normal operation. Tally On-Air Color Red Green Amber Select the color to display on the RDU to indicate a GPI On-Air trigger. Tally External Color Red Green Amber Select the color to display on an external tally device to indicate an input trigger.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro Setting Cue and Chain Options Setting 94 Description Auto Recue Check Auto Recue to automatically recue clips in the playlist when a clip is moved to a new position within the NewsQ Pro playlist or the NCS rundown, or when clips change to Ready status. Auto Cue on Loading Rundown Check Auto Cue on Loading Rundown to automatically cue clips into all available channels when you open a rundown.
Configuring Archive Play Configuring Archive Play 1. Choose the channel to use for Archive Play. When in Archive Play mode, clips can be cued only to this channel. 2. Specify the Archive Black duration. Archive Black is the black video that separates each archived clip from the next. The default time is 5 seconds. If it does not already exist on your media server, you must record a black clip and place it in the default media bin. The clip should be about 10 seconds long and must be named “BLACK.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro Configuring GPI Output To assign the function of a GPI output, select the channel it affects, the command in NewsQ Pro that triggers GPI output, and the GPI output number. Setting Options Channel Channel A - F Select the channel that will trigger the GPI output. Command Cue The output is set when the channel is cued; reset when the channel is playing or if the clip is ejected.
Defining Function Keys Defining Function Keys The computer function keys (F1 - F12) provide shortcuts to some NewsQ Pro commands.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro To reassign a function to any of the keys, select the Function Key number, the channel it affects, and the command you want the function key to perform. 98 Setting Options Function Key F1 through F12 Select the function key you want to set. Channel Channel A-F Select the channel on which the function key will operate.
Defining Status Colors Defining Status Colors NewsQ Pro uses color to show clip status. To change a color, open the dropdown menu for the color you want to change and select a new color. Setting Description Cued The color indicating that a clip is cued. Roll The color indicating that a clip is playing. Stopped The color indicating that a clip is stopped during play. Post Roll The color indicating that a clip is in post roll. End Blip 1 The color indicating the first audio/visual warning.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro Configuring the Simple Database (SDB) Server The SDB Server provides you with status on all NewsQ Pro playlists associated with NCS rundowns. To configure the SDB Server: 1. Double-click SDB Server on the desktop or click the Start menu and choose Programs | NewsQ Pro | SDB Server. 2. Choose Tools | Options. The Options window appears. 3. Go through each tab on the Options window and configure NewsQ Pro using the descriptions in the following sections. 4.
Setting General Options Setting Options Description Database Identifier Enter an ID for the database, up to 4 characters, such as your station call letters. All clip IDs will begin with this identifier. This is an optional field. Mirror Server Enter the name of the computer hosting the backup database server. For the primary SDB Server, this is the system hosting the hot standby database server; for the hot standby database server, this is the system hosting the primary SDB Server.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro Setting Media Options Setting Options Playout Servers Description Lets you define the Media Servers you are using for playout. To add a playout server, click Add, enter the Name and Drive where the media is stored on the playout server, and click OK. If you are using mirrored playback, add both servers here. Media Bins Lets you select the Bin where playout media is sent; also used for monitoring ready status and clip duration.
Configuring the Thumbnail Server Configuring the Thumbnail Server The Thumbnail Server displays connection status to the Profile Media Server(s) and creates thumbnails for MPEG clips. If you are using an M-Series iVDR for playout, you don’t use the Thumbnail Server Creating a Thumbnail Folder Before using the Thumbnail Server, you need to create a directory in which to store video thumbnails. To create the Thumbnail folder: 1. Navigate to C:\NewsQ Pro. 2. Create a folder and name it Thumbnails. 3.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro Configuring the XMOS Server The XMOS Server provides communication between the NCS and NewsQ Pro. To configure the XMOS Server: 1. From the Start menu, choose Programs | NewsQ Pro | XMOS Server. 2. Choose Tools | Options; the Options window appears: 3. Enter the following system information: Setting MOS ID Description Enter your MOS ID. In ENPS, the MOS ID appears under ENPS | System Maintenance | MOS Configuration in the ID column.
Configuring the Housekeeper Utility Setting Description Database Server Enter the name of the server hosting the NewsQ Pro database (primary SDB server). Backup Database Server Enter the name of the server hosting the backup NewsQ Pro database (hot standby SDB server). Write Scripts Check Write Scripts box to have NewsQ Pro save script files to disk. Script Path Enter the full path (or browse) to the directory where scripts are stored. a.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro Setting General Options Setting Description Database Server Enter the name of the computer hosting the NewsQ Pro database (primary SDB server). Backup Database Server Enter the name of the computer hosting the backup NewsQ Pro database (hot standby SDB server). Editorial Duration Prompt Check this box to prompt the user for an Editorial Duration when associating clips with placeholders through the Clip Import tab.
Setting Media Options Setting Media Options To add a Media Server: 1. Click Add. The Add Server window appears: 2. Enter the name of the server. 3. Enter the drive where media is located on the server. 4. Select the type of server—Playout, Import, and/or Archive: - Playout Server—A server where you will be sending clips to be played to air. - Import Server—Any server where you want to import clips from; this server is listed on the Clip Import tab.
Appendix Installing and Configuring NewsQ Pro Configuring the Standalone Assignment List Manager The Assignment List Manager lets producers create placeholders for clips, assign or reassign placeholders to editors, and monitor clip status. To configure the Assignment List Manager: 1. Click the Start menu and select Programs | NewsQ Pro | Assignment List Manager. The Assignment List Manager appears. 2. Click Options; the Options window appears: 3.
Index A adding new clips to playlist 63 appending playlists 54 rundowns 50 archiving clips 59 in Housekeeper 68, 76 play options 95 assigning clips 62 Assignment List Manager configuring 108 definition of 10 description of 30 Assignment List Plug-in batch file 84 configuration file 83 definition of 9 description of 18 installing 80 assignment list, viewing 40 assignments, receiving 32 B batch file for Assignment List Plug-in 84 C categories, clip 21 chaining clips 55 channel assigning clips 26, 62 configu
Index configuring Assignment List Manager 108 Housekeeper 105 general options 106 media options 107 NewsQ Pro 85 archive play 95 channels 89 cue and chain options 94 defining colors 99 function keys 97 general options 86 GPI inputs 90 GPI outputs 96 playback options 87 Remote Display Unit 92 SDB Server 100 general options 100 media options 102 Thumbnail Server 103 XMOS Server 104 creating placeholders 19, 24, 38, 74 playlist with NewsQ Pro 52 cue and chain options 94 cueing clips 56 jog clip 57 D deleting
Index I importing clips 12, 73 iNews, using with NewsQ Pro 27 installation Assignment List Plug-in 80 NewsQ Pro 78 J jog clip 57 L layout, changing in playlist 61 linking clips to a rundown 25 sequences in NewsEdit 33 to an ENPS rundown 49 M media options Housekeeper 107 SDB Server 102 media server deleting files from 72 moving files to recycle bin 70 N playlist overview 48 rundown overview 47 using Remote Display Unit 92 O opening playlists 54 options Housekeeper utility 105 general 106 media 107 Ne
Index 112 P R placeholder creating 19, 38 ENPS 24 Housekeeper 74 definition of 3 linking sequences to 33 sorting 21 viewing video thumbnails 22 Playback Operator, role with ENPS 5 playing clips 58 playlist adding new clips 63 appending 54 appending rundowns to 50 chaining clips 55 creating with NewsQ Pro 52 description of 44 exporting 54 opening 54 playing clips 58 rearranging 62 rearranging layout 61 saving 53 understanding colors 45 using context-sensitive menu 64 playlist overview, description 48 Plu
Index service safety xi showing missing clips 40 sorting placeholders 21 story, definition of 3 support vii T technical support vii Thumbnail Server configuring 103 definition of 14 thumbnails, viewing 22 toolbar, NewsQ Pro 43 U unprotecting clips 71 V viewing assignment list 40 clip categories 21 clip properties 61 video thumbnails 22 X XMOS Server configuring 104 definition of 15 Digital News Production 113
Index 114 Digital News Production
