FOX Business Network Launches "Data Wizard" Touch-Screen System With VDS Technology

The Data Wizard, a real-time touch-screen control system has become an integral part of Liz Claman’s "Countdown to the Closing Bell" which airs afternoons on FOX Business Network. The 103 inch touch-screen displays live market data with interactive 3D charting, stock comparison and annotation tools - all at the fingertips of the on-air talent.

The system provides producers and on-air talent with interactive control and drill down for analyzing current market activity, including key market indices, market sector data, and major market movers. Support for producer-defined lists of stock symbols facilitates quick response to breaking news about specific companies or market segments. Annotation tools allow talent to highlight areas of interest in multiple colors.

Together, FOX Business Network Graphics along with Graphics Engineering and Video Design Software developed the overall concepts, including a way to provide "single touch control", which FOX defined as a must have feature from the beginning. This lead VDS to the development of a comprehensive suite of software that integrates control, data acquisition & processing and direct interface to the graphics systems that produce the charts, graphics and text.

According to Mike Dilworth, CTO of Video Design Software, "The use of touch-screen, data-driven systems became popular during the last general election in 2008. The ability to quickly present data in a highly interactive, visual manner was immediately embraced by viewers and producers. From the beginning, we focused on making the system fast and easy to use by on-air talent. We wanted to deliver a tool that makes the telling of each story more compelling and informative. The single touch control aspect makes the Data Wizard unique, and allows the operator to quickly point or touch and always bring focus to the specific data of interest."

About VDS

VDS provides automation and content design tools for the broadcast, cable television, internet, and post production markets. VDS products automate broadcast television systems, with an emphasis on graphics-related operations, content and digital asset distribution, graphics and promo automation, and internet-to-broadcast systems. These products are used in sports, news and financial broadcast channels as well as in multichannel broadcast and cable facilities. VDS content creation products are tools that deliver graphic design, universal file translation and integration capabilities for the post product and broadcast markets.