Setting up Channel Groups n
Before you can delete a device channel, you must first delete that channel from that channel from any channel groups or delete the channel group(s) that use the channel.
Setting up Channel Groups
A channel group is a cluster configured with one or more device channels composed from compatible video servers or character generators. Many channel groups can be created from the same pool of resources, and different groups can use the same resources to serve different operational needs.
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Each channel group must contain a single “type” of device. For instance, a channel group called
AS is a grouping of channels from two or more AirSpeed video servers, while a different channel group named CG is a grouping of channels on a Deko character generator.
AirSpeed channels provide one of the best examples of the way in which channel groups provide control configurations; they do not guarantee media availability, which is the role of the
AirSpeed studio configuration. For example, a station has two AirSpeed video servers, each with two channels that are numbered 2 and 3. (With AirSpeed video servers, the first channel is reserved for ingest.) Let’s call the first AirSpeed AS1 and the second AS2. With channel groups on Command, the station’s system administrator can set up numerous different channel groups and call them anything, such as:
Channel Group
AS-Noon
AS-5PM
AS-10PM
Channel
Names
A
B
C
D
A
B
C
B
D
A
C
Actual Device Channels
AS1 - channel 2
AS1 - channel 3
AS2 - channel 2
AS1 - channel 2
AS1 - channel 3
AS2 - channel 2
AS2 - channel 3
AS1 - channel 2
AS2 - channel 2
AS1 - channel 3
AS2 - channel 3
Channel Type
Playout
Playout
Browse
Playout
Playout
Playout
Playout
Playout
Mirrored
Playout
Mirrored
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Setting up Channel Groups
The following graphic shows a more visual example of how multiple channel groups can be created from the same four AirSpeed video server channels.
The first group shows a single channel group configured to create four playback channels called
A, B, C, and D. The next set shows two groups, representing control rooms, with two playback channels each. Alternatively, the groups can be created from any combination of channels and used to support simultaneous two-channel playout from two control rooms sharing the same resources. The last set shows four channel groups, each controlling a single channel.
The following graphic shows a more visual example of how channel groups are used to mirror playout for redundancy.
The first group creates a two channel playout solution with both channels mirrored on a secondary video server for maximum reliability. Whenever a video clip is cued and played on either of the primary channels, the same clip is also cued and played on the corresponding mirror channels. The other two groups depict single channel solutions with redundancy.
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Setting up Channel Groups
All of these channel groups can exist at the same time, although they cannot necessarily all be on air simultaneously.
Channels must be created before they can be assigned to channel groups. For more information
on how to create channels, see “Setting up Device Channels” on page 220 .
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The first eight (8) characters of a channel group’s name must be unique to match the eight-character device name in the iNEWS newsroom computer system. For instance, a channel group name in Command that is ASNoonMirrored will appear as ASNoonMi in iNEWS.
System administrators can create channel groups via the System Settings dialog box.
To create channel groups:
1. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.
2. Expand Channel.
3. Select Groups.
4. Click Add.
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The Add New Channel Group to Playlist dialog box opens.
Setting up Channel Groups
5. Enter the name of the new channel group and any notes you want. Names of channel groups can be upper or lowercase and contain any alpha-numeric character. Avoid using spaces in, before, or after the name. If interfacing with the Avid iNEWS newsroom computer system, it is best to make the channel group’s name less than eight characters.
6. Click Add to add a channel to the group.
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If channels have not been created, they cannot be assigned to channel groups; therefore, the Add button will be disabled if no channels exist in the system. For more information on how to create channels, see
“Setting up Device Channels” on page 220 .
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Setting up Channel Groups
7. In the Channel Detail section, select the following:
Channel Detail
Channel Type
Primary
Mirrored
Preview
Description
Select the appropriate channel type, based on:
Standard - This is the channel type selected for playout.
Browse - This is the channel type selected for changing In and Out points of pre-existing clips for preview or editing purposes only. This does not apply to playout operations.
Hotswap - This is the channel type selected for emergency backup channel assignment.
Select the channel designated as the primary playout channel for the device.
(Optional) If mirrored playout is to be used, select the device’s channel designated for mirrored playout.
(Optional) Select which device channel to use for displaying the headframe of the next media event in the playlist.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 as needed. You can use the Up and Down buttons to rearrange the order of channels in the group.
9. Click OK. This will close the Add New Channel Group to Playlist dialog box. The new channel group will appear in the System Settings dialog box.
10. Click Apply (if you want the System Settings dialog box to remain open after settings are applied) or OK.
The system will prompt you for the administrator password.
11. Enter the administrator password and click OK.
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Until the Apply or OK button is clicked and administrator password supplied, the channel group(s) are not created.
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Setting up Channel Groups
To edit a channel group:
1. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.
2. Expand Channel.
3. Select Groups.
4. Select the channel group from the list on the right.
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5. Click Edit.
The Edit Channel Group dialog box appears.
Setting up Channel Groups
6. You can rename the channel group, add notes, rearrange the order of channels by using the
Up and Down buttons, add or delete channels, or alter the channel details for each channel in the group.
7. After editing the channel group, click OK.
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Setting up Channel Groups
8. Click Apply (if you want the System Settings dialog box to remain open after settings are applied) or OK.
The system will prompt you for the administrator password.
9. Enter the administrator password and click OK.
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Until the Apply or OK button is clicked and administrator password supplied, the changes in the system settings are not saved.
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Setting up Channel Groups
To delete a channel group:
1. Select Tools > System Settings. The System Settings dialog box appears.
2. Expand Channel.
3. Select Groups.
4. Select the channel group from the list on the right.
5. Click Delete.
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Setting up Channel Groups
6. Click Apply (if you want the System Settings dialog box to remain open after settings are applied) or OK.
The system will prompt you for the administrator password.
7. Enter the administrator password and click OK.
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Until the Apply or OK button is clicked and administrator password supplied, the channel group(s) are not deleted from the system settings.
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