A very convincing archiving system for Bel RTL

Bel RTL belongs to the clients who have progressively become some of Netia`s privileged partners. The work of listening and reflection by the teams of Bel RTL and NETIA has materialized with the evolution of the Radio-Assist 7 range: Air-DDO , the broadcasting software, is one of the best broadcasting interfaces of the market. The high-performance archiving and securing solutions of Radio-Assist 7 respond to the evolution of some important systems.

Automatic Archiving :

Based around a Sony Petasite, the system is interfaced with the administrator of the DIVA archive. For a better guarantee of its operation, the archiving process follows two software stages: the service of Media Management and the Netia's Archiving service. With a simple click, the user allocates the RTA (Ready-to-Archive) label to a sound, the Media Management automaton makes the document accessible to the administrator of the DIVA archive. The archiving of an element provokes the archiving of an audio file or a XML (eXtensible Markup Language) file containing all the information of this document. This double archiving provides great usage flexibility at the level of databases, particularly during researching or restoration.

NETIA's Media Management Automaton :

Media Management handles the entire flow of data (metadata and sound data) within a digital audio or video system.It is designed to monitor and transfer data automatically from one domain to another and to ensure that the domains remain fully independent. For instance, when an item is marked as RTB (Ready-to-Broadcast), the audio file is automatically copied on the broadcast server. Likewise, when an item is marked as RTA (Ready-to-Archive), it is automatically copied on the archive server. Media Management operation is fully transparent and ensures the user has access to the requisite file wherever it is located on the system.

The automatic Media Management device makes it easier to create specific domains for each activity (Production, Broadcast, Archiving, etc.). Each domain has its own structure: servers, database, etc. This separation of activities generates independent subsystems and guarantees greater security.

The restoration demand of a sound in a domain can be manual or automatic :

• Manual restoration demand: when a user desires the restoration of a sound, it suffices to double-click on the database of archived sounds. The reverse process takes place: Diva makes the sound in question accessible, Media Management transfers it to the fitting server. Once the sound is available, all the system's stations are informed.

• Automated restoration demand: Radio Assist's FileWatch is a software which carries the role of attending to the presence of necessary sounds in the broadcast. It regularly examines the programming of the antenna playlists and automatically sends a restoration order as soon as a scheduled sound is absent from the server.

NETIA's DBShare Automaton :

DBShare is an automatic device which centralises all communications with the Radio-Assist 7 database. By systematic and synchronous redundancy of all the metadata produced by the system, DBShare ensures the consistency of database contents. All databases are automatically synchronised. When an incident occurs on one database, DBShare automatically switches over to another one and archives all the queries made during and after the incident. The switch is completely transparent for all client workstations. When conditions return to normal, the memorised queries are automatically executed and the database fully restored. Both databases are resynchronised and no datum is lost.

The Concept of Maximum Security :

The securing kit chosen by Bel RTL is composed of two, complementary software items DBShare and Media Management implanted at the level of the servers. The role of DBShare is to assure the non-stop functioning of the system, particularly in a degraded mode. Media Management is responsible for the permanent availability of conscripted files. The combination of DBShare and Media Management brings a maximum security solution with the appearance of autonomous and individually secured subsystems (or domains). For Bel TRL, the placement of this very open structure also represents a step forward, towards the future.

Major extension for NOB transmission logging system

Extra acquisition, editing and scheduling workstations have all been ordered, in addition to which NOB has opted for DBShare, the latest database and file security system. The transmission logging system is built around two database servers and two audio file servers.

The database servers have identical databases. DBShare synchronises the data in the two databases. All client applications make a connection to the DBShare software which then works on the databases simultaneously. If one of the database servers stops working, or is taken off-line for maintenance, the system continues to run and all changes missed by the off-line database are updated when the database comes back on-line. This choice by NOB shows once again that NETIA can always meet its customers' upgrade requirements.

Sporting News Radio Virtual Data Sharing

From now on, the Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles studios will benefit from a complete, audio-digital Radio-Assist system, from production to broadcasting. For Sporting News Radio, this new installation represents a great technological step: the three databases (Chicago, Boston and LA) are entirely accessible by everyone. Sporting News Radio is the most popular non-stop sport radio in the United States with almost 430 affiliated stations.

Three geographic site in one virtual site :

Each site possesses its own database and produces its documents locally. These three systems are connected by only one network: WAN (Wide Area Network), and they communicate amongst themselves with a T1 specialized line. From no matter which workstation, the user can consult and upload the audio documents that he needs for his radio program. For the journalists and presenters, this instantaneous sharing of all the audio documents is a precious advantage and considerably enriches the contents of the sporting news.

Eight sources of sport news round the clock :

Relevant and reactive news is essential in the sporting field. Sporting News Radio chose " Feed In", whose role is to ensure up to 8 simultaneous recordings around the clock. The editing tools of the Radio-Assist 7 range make it possible to edit audio files even before the recording is over. This instant news is also available on the radio's Internet site. As soon as an item is broadcasted, an operator selects the best moments with "Snippet", Radio-Assist 7's most successful and complete editing software. The highly effective acquisition and production software combines to provide the radio station with strong reactivity both on-air and on the internet.

Quick Player: an easy-to-use broadcasting software :

In order to meet their users' requests for rapidity, ergonomics and reliability, NETIA has developed Quick Player, an efficient broadcasting assistant that can record, produce and broadcast. With three simultaneous broadcasting channels, Quick Player gives instant access to more than a hundred sounds, music, jingles or commercials. The first channel is dedicated to the broadcasting of jingles or commercials and can load a group of 96 endlessly available sounds. The two other broadcasting channels display two cartstacks (the number of tracks per cartstack can be pre-set). These two channels are a valuable support for the presenter who has pre-programmed everything in one or more cartstacks. The cartstack tracks can be set in sequence or be broadcast manually.

Quick Player is also a broadcast preparation tool. Thanks to the editing zone's constant availability and to pre-listening output, the presenter can precisely set the lead-in points, the fade points or a "liner" on a music item, etc. With direct access to the whole radio audio database, the presenter is free to be creative and arrange the programming according to his liking.

Quick Player also has a recording function. While broadcasting the presenter can record his voice or phone calls, put them in a cartstack and review sequencing. He will then broadcast these new sounds later on in his programme. Quick Player's major asset lies in its wide range of high-performance but still easy-to-use tools.

A well-managed system :

Radio-Assist 7 is a fully integrated system in which the whole radio production process is taken into account. The managing tasks of the system such as archiving or purge are also computerized. Although these functions are automatic, the technician can still manually define the items to be purged or archived, etc. The reliability of the system is based on the redundancy principle, particularly on behalf of the two servers. Should one server fail, the other one will take over in a transparent way for the user.

This new installation confirms NETIA's presence in the United States. For several years NETIA has established itself on the broadcast market mainly through the installation of significant systems (up to 650 workstations) for the benefit of national or international news radio networks such as ABC (Australian Broadcasting corporation), RFI (Radio France International), Radio Vatican, ect.

Radio Commercial Insertion System for SBS

The SBS "Signal Splitting" project is designed to meet a radio marketing demand for different region-by-region commercial breaks in programmes broadcast nationwide in Australia.

The NETIA Radio-Assist range comprises different broadcast modules, each designed to accomplish a specific task. SBS has chosen Air-Cartstack and Air-Playlist for its special regional requirements. The nationwide programme is broadcast via Air-Cartstack, a tool presenters find highly flexible because it allows them control over their broadcast at all times (database access, metadata display, automatic or manual mode, PFL mode, GPI run command, etc. The regional commercials are broadcast via Air-Playlist, the Radio-Assist automatic broadcast tool. The Air-Playlist workstation is configured to take the virtual GPI (General Purpose Interface) orders sent by the cartstack. Air-Cartstack runs the regional commercial broadcasts automatically and mixes the sound lead-ins transparently. So when one main programme is broadcast simultaneously to all regions, the commercial breaks specifically for each are automatically broadcast at local level. In this way, SBS brings its radio closer to local advertising markets. This new Air-Cartstack/Air-Playlist unit by NETIA shows just how well the Radio-Assist tools mix and match. Each combination of modules provides each broadcaster with a whole raft of solutions.

AIR DDO's three modes of playout

Two screens for Air-DDO one showing the contents of the four playout channels, and the second one the database and tools.

Four Specific Supports Configurable according to demand, Air-DDO accepts up to four on-air outputs and one PFL playback at the same time. Four broadcasting tools are simultaneously accessible: the on air playlist system which displays the sounds scheduled for that particular day; a cart stack system which allows access to various preselected sounds; another cart stack system dedicated to memorised stacks of jingles or of stingers and finally a playout system solely for urgent items. The presence of these four broadcasting tools procures great flexibility of manipulation for the technician. At all moments, the operator's broadcast can be modified by a simple drag&drop in function of the current events. Air-DDO instantaneously takes into account all changes and updates all time deductions. The user selects the broadcasting items at their own convenience on one or more broadcasting lines, he simultaneously accesses all the data either with the help of a mouse, directly by a touch screen, with a mixing table or even by a remote control.

Saving and editing during playout As with all Radio-Assist workstations, many different functions are simultaneously available under the form of a tab. The recording is ready at all moments to either record what is broadcast or to record another source of sound such as a telephone call. As for productions, many Radio-Assist 7 editing and production tools are available. During playout, the technician can resume editing or prepare a special mix?

And many other tool? - Sound cue - Sequence looping - Clear intro/outtro display, counter/reverse counter and scroll bar display - Reverse counting of non-audio items - Reverse counting of marked events in a sound - PFL function in each line - Automatic linking of multiple sounds (cut/mix) - Dynamic refreshing of the playlist after each modification - Flexible management of the elements: on-time, off-time, floating, manual, automatic ? - Real time visualization of the broadcasting advance or lateness of the playlist - Edition of formatted as run logs - Utilisation of dedicated consoles

Synchronous modification and monitoring of the playlist

In the radio domain, reactivity is an indispensable quality. At the time of the broadcast, Air-DDO follows in real time all the last modifications put into effect on the day's playlist and then updates it automatically on the two Air-DDO screens. Until now, the modifications of the broadcasting playlist were made from a production workstation, the new version authorizes the modifications to take place from Air-DDO itself. A new tab of planning is directly accessible on the Air-DDO interface. In the studio, the technician himself modifies his playlist in relation to the day's events. In addition, what is broadcast is synchronously made available from Air-DDO on an intranet. The web surfer can follow the whole of the broadcast (sound and metadata).

Automatic, semi-automatic or manual The choice of three modes of playout (automatic, semiautomatic or live assist ) are permanently available and the user can instantaneously pass from one mode to another. The semi-automatic mode allows the possibility to integrate a commercial break to a fixed time during a manual broadcast. At the preset time, the commercial is automatically broadcast. A time interval can be defined for this broadcast with ± x seconds. In automatic mode, Air-DDO is particularly useful for all night music programs. Playout takes into account the fade and mix points placed by the production. For background tasks, the technician benefits from the monitoring and recording (Recorder and Snoop) functions. The integration of the Voice Over function considerably improves the quality of the broadcast. Numerous systems strategies assure a non-stop, quality broadcast, even in the case of erroneous programming. This new version of Air-DDO is conform to the security principals of the Radio-Assist 7 range as much on the level of software as on the level of hardware. There are numerous guarantees of reliability: gaps are automatically filled, detection of blanks, access to a default playlist, an alarm, station duplication.

In Brief

• The RAI, Radiotelevisione Italiana, strives towards the full numeration of its network with the implantation of Radio-Assist 7 at RAI International. Based in Rome, RAI International possesses many offices all around the world.

• Worldspace is using Quick Player's latest version of NETIA to supply 24 hrs of live and pre-produced info during the Worldsummit, which happens between 26th of August till 7th of September.

• NETIA takes a part in the development of private radios in India with the complete audio digital equipment of four radios as Udaya TV, which belong to the Indian group Sun Network. Sun Network owns many radios and TV stations in India and broadcasts programs in tamul language all over the world.

• In 1999, ABC (Australian Broadcast Corporation) chose the NETIA Radio-Assist range to deploy its digital audio network throughout Australia. The latest stage in this deployment is to align all the workstations onto the NETIA Radio-Assist system. ABC began its digitisation process several years ago and some of its stations still have digital audio equipment supplied by different sources. Aligning them can be done in no time and at little cost since the hardware does not need to be changed (machines and Digigram cards).

• For the tourist season 2002 NETIA displays on the internet all the tourist information relative to the Nord-Pas-de-Calais area (north of France). The traveller now accesses directly the tourist information site from the touch-sensitive screen of the consultation kiosks placed across the area.

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P+P NACHRICHTENTECHNIK GMBH & CO is the new NETIA distributor in Germany. P+P Nachrichtentechnik has developed into a customer-orientated service firm in the radio, television and sound studio engineering sectors as well as a reliable partner of the information technology.

Peter Passian Tel: +49 (0) 941 70 00 - 60 1 Fax: +49 (0) 941 70 00 - 60 2 Info: ppassian@ppnt.de Web: http://www.ppnt.de SYNCHROTECH SYTEMS DESIGN sells Hardata's Dinesat 7 throughtout Australasia Paul Heaton Tel: +61 2 9879 0800 Fax: +61 2 9879 0899 Info: paul@ssd.com.au