Orad @ NAB 2012: VJ Production Server and TD Control

VJ Production server and TD Control at Booth SL4524

Today, at NAB 2012, Orad unveiled its new VJ production server and TD Control, the company’s new video box production solution.

New eight-channel production server facilitates end-to-end studio production workflows
Designed to facilitate tapeless, end-to-end ingest to playout workflows for studio productions, the new VJ production server is ideal for a wide-range of studio productions, including news, live events, soap operas, and talk shows. The Orad VJ flexible architecture supports up to 8 input /output channels that can be configured in a variety of combinations.

VJ also supports industry-standard codecs, including Panasonic DVCPRO, DVCPRO-HD, and Avid DNxHD, as well as the widely used wrappers QuickTime and MXF. Ingested media are immediately available across the production chain for previewing, editing, and archiving, facilitating fast-turnaround production and post-production workflows. VJ seamlessly integrates with industry-standard NLEs, including Avid Media Composer, Apple Final Cut Pro (FCP), Grass Valley Edius, and Adobe Premier Pro.

advertisment

Accelerating production workflows is essential for successful studio productions. VJ’s high-performance edit-while-ingest feature accelerates production and post-production processes by enabling the operator to create rough cuts and export clips directly to industry-standard NLEs while ingest is in progress. The user can create, on the fly, as many clips as needed. In two mouse clicks, VJ exports media in the background, continuing with server tasks, such as ingest without interruption. With clips immediately available, post-production teams get a jump-start on editing.

The versatile VJ solution can be implemented as an ingest station, VTR replacement, or for news production, playout, QC and log, and in multi-camera studios where the user can simultaneously record up to eight ISO frame accurate feeds. “VJ’s flexibility lends itself well to a number of production scenarios. For example, VJ can be used as an ingest station and ingest eight channels in parallel from different sources including satellite, VTR tape, cameras, etc. In a news environment, VJ can be used to record and broadcast live feeds to air within a news program. As a playout server, all of the channel’s recorded content can be sent via the network to VJ and then aired from automation or from VJ’s playlist. The possibilities are nearly endless,” Avi Sharir, Orad president and CEO.

The VJ flexible channel configuration includes up to eight channels of support in different configurations, including four bi-directional channels. Video disks can be easily and quickly accessed from the front panel without removing the server from the rack. To optimize server reliability and redundancy, VJ uses a hot swap power supply and runs on a Linux operating system. VJ is available in either 3U box or 1U box, for two-channel configurations.

advertisment

Orad’s New TD Control Redefines the Way Broadcasters Create Video Boxes
Designed for news, sports, talk shows, and other fast-turn around productions that leverage video box presentations to connect audiences with remote on air guests and talent, TD Control consolidates the various video streams into a single layout with complete control over video and graphics placement.

“It is becoming more and more common to see news, sports, and live talk shows split the screen between two, three, four, and even six remote guests or talent during a broadcast,” says Avi Sharir, Orad president and CEO. “While such broadcasts are becoming ever more popular, generating this type of visual on air presentation is complicated and involves significant switcher resources and coordination between the technical director, the graphics operator, and other production staff. TD Control greatly simplifies this process by consolidating the various elements — box layout, graphics overlay, video source control — into one easy-to-use solution.”

advertisment

Breakthrough workflow technology greatly simplifies video box production; orchestrates box layout, graphics, and video sources from one turnkey solution
Designed for technical directors/switcher operators, TD Control streamlines video box production workflows by consolidating video sources and graphics, delivering a single composited image to the switcher. The breakthrough TD Control technology provides tremendous flexibility, including the ability to switch, while on air, from six video sources to six completely different video sources with one click of a button. Users have access to an assortment of video box layouts as well as the ability to create their own video box layouts and store them as a preset for fast recall. The simple, but incredibly fast, workflow lets users easily assign relevant video sources to each video box and, in a click of a button, send it to air.

advertisment

TD Control offers tight integration with industry-standard switchers, including Sony MV 6000 and 8000 and Grass Valley Kayak. Technical directors/switcher operators can keep their existing workflows, punching buttons on the switchers, or alternatively execute the video box presentation from the TD Control touch screen that is placed next to the switcher.

The powerful real-time TD Control capabilities let users apply any type of transition or DVE between layouts, or simply cut from one composition to another.

Leveraging MOS Protocol, TD Control further streamlines the production workflow by integrating with industry-standard newsroom computer systems (NRCS). News directors, producers, journalists, and editors can access the TD Control video box templates from within the NRCS; select layout and video source, add graphics detail, and submit for playout. Once submitted, the video box template is automatically transferred to the TD Control rundown and ready for immediate broadcast.

advertisment

TD Control is based on the Orad HDVG 4 video graphics render platform, which offers unparalleled live video insertion capabilities and stunning, real-time 3D graphics and video clip playback. TD Control is ideal for all types of productions and integrates seamlessly with Orad sports, elections, and news solutions.