Automated Television Station Question at DVinfo.net

Matt Ratelle · July 16th, 2008, 10:52 PM

Hi all! I was recently asked how difficult it would be to run an "automated" closed circut television station, and since I have no real knowledge in this area, I ask the fine folks of DVinfo! Basically the question is in regards to a church that broadcasts its service to a nearby seniors home with roughly 300 units. Currently the live signal goes through a coax cable buried under a parking lot. The church is interested in providing roughly 10 hours of pretaped programming a day. Is there a software package that would allow the services to be stored on a harddrive and played back at predetermined cues? I've seen similar systems in hospitals before. If anyone could give me some ideas or links to get me started it would be appreciated.

Paul Izbicki · July 16th, 2008, 10:59 PM

PC or Mac? Any budget established?

If on the Mac side, check into BugTV: http://www.bug.tv/Home.html

Good luck,

Paul

Chris Soucy · July 16th, 2008, 11:19 PM

Can't say I've any specialist experience with "automated" tv stations, tho' have been involved with providing TV services to large scale apartments/ hospitals.

Depending on how often the content of the "10 hours per day" is changeing, you might get some milage out of a humble Hard Disk DVR.

Load your footage, set "Continuous Loop" and hit play.

Hey presto.

Depending on just how smart the box is, you may be able to set a start and stop time as well, tho' just letting it run continuously wouldn't do any harm, and old folk keep notoriously strange hours.

If you don't already have an amp on the Church end of that cable, now might be a good time to put one in, don't think the drive circuits are that crash hot on them, but that's just detail.

Worth checking out.

CS

PS: Having re - read your original post, I'm not entirely sure I grasped the subtleties therein. You may want to be a bit more specific about "pre determined cues". That one lost me.

Matt Ratelle · July 17th, 2008, 05:20 AM

Thanks for the help so far! I'm a Mac user myself, however they have no preference. By "predetermined cues" I simply meant being able to start at a programmed time. They would like me to produce some thirty second, one and three minute vignettes to fill the time before the services which would start on the even hour. As for a budget, non has been determined yet, so I'd like to look at a few options.

John Sirb · July 17th, 2008, 06:05 AM

Check out Leightronix. Their equipment run many a cable station for programming.

http://www.leightronix.com/

also check out this other leightronix link

http://www.worshipbroadcasting.com/

Also for messaging software, there are a few different ones out but Scala is used quite a bit.

http://www.scala.com/index.html

try a search under digital signage

Brett Beanan · July 17th, 2008, 09:05 AM

You might want to look at a VT5 system from Newtek I know of many churches and small station that use it for exactly what you are looking for. Great thing is you can use it for switching you live events and then have it roll right into the pre-recorded.
There is a plug in that does scheduling too.

All in if you went pretty high end you would spend at max around $15k if you watched the budget you could be set for around $8k.

check out www.Newtek.com
email me if you would like more info
brett AT beanan dot com

Randall Allen · July 17th, 2008, 12:11 PM

I'm using the Leightronix Mini-T-NX with great results. We broadcast 5.5 hours of programing week nights on the local PEG channel. Has plenty of HDD for storage as well as being an 8 input switch that has the capabilities to send start, stop and rewind signals to VHS, DVD and other playback devices.

Really like this unit.

Matt Ratelle · July 18th, 2008, 07:15 PM

Okay...so I've discussed it a bit with the powers that be at the church(no not God) and they would like to spend $5,000 or less as they just recently spent over $10,000 to upgrade the cameras and buy a switcher. They suggested that I should try to find a "lightly used" system, or find a unique way to do the job.

John Sirb · July 18th, 2008, 09:58 PM

sounds like the mini-T-n would be a good option and should work with your budget

Brett Beanan · July 19th, 2008, 05:49 PM

check out the Tri-Caster then http://www.newtek.com/tricaster/

Matt Ratelle · July 22nd, 2008, 07:50 AM

The Tricaster looks like an amazing system...does anyone have any experience with it?

John Sirb · July 22nd, 2008, 09:31 AM

Brett, do you have a link to more info on the scheduling plug-in. I know someone with a tri-caster and he's curious. Is is similar to the old arexx scripts from the amiga days?

Travis Fadler · July 23rd, 2008, 08:58 AM

I'm interested in the scheduling plugin too! More info. please.

found something : http://www.youngmonkey.ca/hands/rest...ins/Scheduler/

July 16th, 2008, 10:52 PM	#1
Matt Ratelle Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Catharines, ON Posts: 63	Automated Television Station Question Hi all! I was recently asked how difficult it would be to run an "automated" closed circut television station, and since I have no real knowledge in this area, I ask the fine folks of DVinfo! Basically the question is in regards to a church that broadcasts its service to a nearby seniors home with roughly 300 units. Currently the live signal goes through a coax cable buried under a parking lot. The church is interested in providing roughly 10 hours of pretaped programming a day. Is there a software package that would allow the services to be stored on a harddrive and played back at predetermined cues? I've seen similar systems in hospitals before. If anyone could give me some ideas or links to get me started it would be appreciated.

July 16th, 2008, 10:59 PM	#2
Paul Izbicki Panoramic Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 85	Automated Amen PC or Mac? Any budget established? If on the Mac side, check into BugTV: http://www.bug.tv/Home.html Good luck, Paul __________________ Paul Izbicki i2inewMedia

July 16th, 2008, 11:19 PM	#3
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,693 Images: 18	Hi Matt.............. Can't say I've any specialist experience with "automated" tv stations, tho' have been involved with providing TV services to large scale apartments/ hospitals. Depending on how often the content of the "10 hours per day" is changeing, you might get some milage out of a humble Hard Disk DVR. Load your footage, set "Continuous Loop" and hit play. Hey presto. Depending on just how smart the box is, you may be able to set a start and stop time as well, tho' just letting it run continuously wouldn't do any harm, and old folk keep notoriously strange hours. If you don't already have an amp on the Church end of that cable, now might be a good time to put one in, don't think the drive circuits are that crash hot on them, but that's just detail. Worth checking out. CS PS: Having re - read your original post, I'm not entirely sure I grasped the subtleties therein. You may want to be a bit more specific about "pre determined cues". That one lost me. Last edited by Chris Soucy; July 17th, 2008 at 12:07 AM. Reason: +

July 17th, 2008, 05:20 AM	#4
Matt Ratelle Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Catharines, ON Posts: 63	more Thanks for the help so far! I'm a Mac user myself, however they have no preference. By "predetermined cues" I simply meant being able to start at a programmed time. They would like me to produce some thirty second, one and three minute vignettes to fill the time before the services which would start on the even hour. As for a budget, non has been determined yet, so I'd like to look at a few options.

July 17th, 2008, 06:05 AM	#5
John Sirb Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Amherst, OH Posts: 134	Check out Leightronix. Their equipment run many a cable station for programming. http://www.leightronix.com/ also check out this other leightronix link http://www.worshipbroadcasting.com/ Also for messaging software, there are a few different ones out but Scala is used quite a bit. http://www.scala.com/index.html try a search under digital signage __________________ John Sirb Lake Breeze Video Last edited by John Sirb; July 17th, 2008 at 06:21 AM. Reason: added second link

July 17th, 2008, 09:05 AM	#6
Brett Beanan New Boot Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 11	You might want to look at a VT5 system from Newtek I know of many churches and small station that use it for exactly what you are looking for. Great thing is you can use it for switching you live events and then have it roll right into the pre-recorded. There is a plug in that does scheduling too. All in if you went pretty high end you would spend at max around $15k if you watched the budget you could be set for around $8k. check out www.Newtek.com email me if you would like more info brett AT beanan dot com

July 17th, 2008, 12:11 PM	#7
Randall Allen Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 192	I'm using the Leightronix Mini-T-NX with great results. We broadcast 5.5 hours of programing week nights on the local PEG channel. Has plenty of HDD for storage as well as being an 8 input switch that has the capabilities to send start, stop and rewind signals to VHS, DVD and other playback devices. Really like this unit.

July 18th, 2008, 07:15 PM	#8
Matt Ratelle Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Catharines, ON Posts: 63	talk about a budget Okay...so I've discussed it a bit with the powers that be at the church(no not God) and they would like to spend $5,000 or less as they just recently spent over $10,000 to upgrade the cameras and buy a switcher. They suggested that I should try to find a "lightly used" system, or find a unique way to do the job.

July 18th, 2008, 09:58 PM	#9
John Sirb Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Amherst, OH Posts: 134	sounds like the mini-T-n would be a good option and should work with your budget __________________ John Sirb Lake Breeze Video

July 19th, 2008, 05:49 PM	#10
Brett Beanan New Boot Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 11	check out the Tri-Caster then http://www.newtek.com/tricaster/

July 22nd, 2008, 07:50 AM	#11
Matt Ratelle Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Catharines, ON Posts: 63	Tricaster The Tricaster looks like an amazing system...does anyone have any experience with it?

July 22nd, 2008, 09:31 AM	#12
John Sirb Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Amherst, OH Posts: 134	Brett, do you have a link to more info on the scheduling plug-in. I know someone with a tri-caster and he's curious. Is is similar to the old arexx scripts from the amiga days? __________________ John Sirb Lake Breeze Video

July 23rd, 2008, 08:58 AM	#13
Travis Fadler Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sullivan, MO Posts: 26	I'm interested in the scheduling plugin too! More info. please. found something : http://www.youngmonkey.ca/hands/rest...ins/Scheduler/ Last edited by Travis Fadler; July 23rd, 2008 at 09:01 AM. Reason: Found a solution