Tightrope Media Systems

How Does Cablecast Work?

Because you are so busy, and have so many other high value projects ahead of you, Tightrope has automated virtually all content scheduling and playout, content encoding, schedule promotion and facility reporting for you.

Scheduling a show automatically causes it to be played from whatever devices are associated with the media, and automatically causes a switch to the proper source. If the program record indicates that the show is to be streamed and offered on demand, and if you have Tightrope's Live Streaming or On Demand servers, it all happens automatically.

At the same time, scheduling a show automatically updates your on-air bulletin board, your web-searchable schedule, your TV Guide X-list export, and if you wish, an RSS feed notifying subscribers that new content is available. Later, when your board wants to know how much original programming your station aired in the past year, Cablecast will generate a report complete with charts and graphs.

You are free to teach, produce, and promote. Cablecast does the rest.

Show Records

In Cablecast, much of what happens is triggered from the show record (metadata to some). It does not matter if the show is on tape, on DVD, or is a digital file, the show record tells Cablecast exactly what to do with the media.

The show record tells Cablecast where to cue the media, how long it is to run, what type of media it is, what playout device to use, if it is to be promoted on air and in your guide, if it is part of a series, whether it is to be streamed, and if it is to be offered on demand.

Library

The show library is the database in which all show records are stored. It can hold the records of tens of thousands of shows across all media types.

The library allows you to create an infinite number of custom fields. It allows you to search on any or every field. It allows you to search by keyword. The library also includes a show bin for recently entered content that you are most likely to schedule (like an In box) as well as allowing you to save searches so that you can easily find your content for scheduling.

Cablecast even does the little things like printing labels for your tapes and other media.

Schedule

Cablecast has been around for over ten years and its maturity shows. You will see all of the new things that you would expect from the leader in PEG access automation such as a drag-and-drop user interface, program search right from the scheduling page, the ability to ripple a program both up and down to eliminate conflicts, and automatic calculation of running time, program gaps, and overlaps.

Because of our maturity, we have also accounted for all the little things such as creating a series, block scheduling, scheduling media that does not yet exist, copying programming from one day to another, and hundreds of other programming niceties that make your job easier.

Automation

Once your content is scheduled, Cablecast's automation sets everything in motion so that you do not have to worry about the right program reaching your audience at the scheduled time.

Cablecast controls all of your playout hardware, the routing switcher, the encoder, other recording devices, the downstream key CG, and the Cablecast CG 250 bulletin board. If you are using playout decks, Cablecast knows the characteristics of each piece of playout hardware, so everything happens as it should.

Because playout data is stored with the show record, Cablecast knows where each program is cued, how long the program runs, what the promotional name is, whether it should be streamed, and whether it should be offered on demand. Once you put the show onto your schedule, Cablecast does the rest.

Control

With its unique browser-based user interface, Cablecast has the ability to control your entire headend from anywhere with an internet connection.

With Cablecast, you can control your video server, routing switcher, playout decks, record decks, encoder, bulletin board, downstream key CG, streaming server and internet video on demand server from any location.

Additionally, different users can be given different rights so that for example, the Fire Chief can run an emergency crawl over the entire channel (In just 3 steps), but need not be given the rights to rearrange your schedule. Similarly, different departments can be given different bulletin board templates, and may be given creation rights, but publishing rights can be reserved for staff.

Video Server Technology

In order to provide PEG access facilities and educational institutions with video servers that are specifically designed to meet their needs, Tightrope has released the Cablecast SX series video servers.

Cablecast SX servers are multi-format video servers that utilize a state-of-the-art broadcast architecture to achieve unheard of performance at an unbeatable price. All Cablecast SX video servers are capable of encoding and playback at the upper limit of the MPEG 4:2:2 profile which is 50 Mbps. All Cablecast SX servers have a serial digital interface (SDI) as well as analog inputs and outputs. Best of all, all Cablecast SX video servers can play out many popular formats such as DVCPRO, DVCAM, QuickTime, Windows Media, MPEG-4 and H.264.

All Cablecast SX video servers are also shipped with Cablecast automation software as well as the Carousel bulletin board framework, providing all of the building blocks for a complete channel solution.

Integrated Encoding

All Cablecast SX servers include integrated encoders. The Cablecast SX 2 and Cablecast SX 4 each can encode to the upper limits of the MPEG-2 4:2:0 profile (15 Mbps), the upper limit of the MPEG-2 4:2:2 profile (50Mbps) and also directly to DVCAM at 25 Mbps. However, it is the Cablecast automation software that unlocks the full potential of integrated encoding by providing facilities with the ability to schedule encoding from any source to any encoder (or other recording device).

Encodes can be triggered according to a schedule, they can be triggered on the first run of a program, and they can also triggered on the fly. With Cablecast, it is even possible to schedule a videotape library to be automatically encoded over night. Based on the show ID, Cablecast knows the show's length and exactly where it is to be cued, and will encode an entire batch of programming automatically.

Downstream Key

Tightrope's Carousel Bulletin Board is fully integrated into Cablecast enabling a number of actions to happen automatically.

First, the bulletin board can be designated as the default source by Cablecast so that any time there is a break in the program schedule, there will be an automatic switch to the bulletin board.

Secondly, Carousel will automatically pull schedule information from Cablecast and dynamically compose a number of screens such as "You were just watching", "See it again", "Coming up next" and "Today's Programming" throughout the day.

Carousel also includes such advanced features as the ability to partition the screen into separate zones, the ability to tune to RSS and internet feeds, and the ability to play multiple video formats and live video in a zone, or full screen. For example, an access facility can show their schedule in one zone, the weather in a second zone, and a live traffic cam in a third zone.

Cablecast is also fully integrated with a number of downstream key devices for emergency messaging, or for other messaging such as "prerecorded on ..." and for logo insertion.

VOD/Webcasting

Cablecast can also make your content available over the internet for viewing anytime and anywhere.

The Cablecast SX Live streaming server streams your channel to viewers 24 hours a day. The Cablecast SX VOD server makes all of your scheduled content available to your viewers on demand as a Windows Media file, and can also create a podcast feed suitible for playback in iTunes or on your iPod.

What sets Cablecast apart from other solutions is the complete integration of streaming and VOD with the other parts of the Cablecast system including scheduling, operations and the public web site. Cablecast automatically indicates, in the schedule it publishes to the web, whether or not a program is available on demand and it puts a "view now" link right next to the program.

Similarly, if you have the Cablecast SX Live server, Cablecast puts a "Watch Live" button right on your schedule page. Operationally, if the program record indicates that a scheduled program is to be streamed, then whenever the program is scheduled for playout it is also streamed. If the program record indicates that a program is to be made available on demand, it is automatically transcoded by the Cablecast SX VOD server and made available for viewing or download.

For all of this to occur, all you need to do is check the appropriate box on the show record. Cablecast does the rest.

Reporting

Access channels invariably need to generate reports to demonstrate channel usage. Cablecast provides the most common reports that access channels need, and also provides charts and graphs to accompany the reports, as well as the export of the raw data that can be used in 3rd party software packages.

Reports can be generated by channel, by category, by producer, by project or series, and by any number of other custom fields that you establish.

Content Sharing

Cablecast is uniquely capable in enabling access facilities the ability to share content. All files created with Cablecast encoders adhere to strict MPEG-2 standards and are perfectly suited for content sharing.

Additionally, the Cablecast SX server architecture deals very well with the nuances in other manufacturer's files. In a recent test, Cablecast SX servers were able to play MPEG-2 files from Leightronix, Princeton Server Group, Rushworks, and Maestrovision, among others.

What really sets Cablecast SX servers apart, however, is their ability to directly play a variety of codecs including the very efficient and high quality MPEG-4 part 10 Advanced Profile, H.264. Tightrope Laboratories has tested H.264 and determined that it looks as good at 2Mbps as MPEG-2 does at 15 Mbps. This offers access facilities the ability to share extremely high quality content with very manageable bandwidth requirements.

Web Presence

Cablecast is bundled with a public web site which can automatically publishes both your schedule and your bulletin board to the web, and most Tightrope customers utilize these features.

The schedule is searchable by both title (and fragment of title) and by day. The online schedule is customizable to match your color scheme, and you can also import banner graphics. Advanced web tools are also available for those that want further levels of customization.

If the Cablecast SX Live server is purchased, a link is created on the public site for viewing the channel live. If the Cablecast SX VOD server is purchased, buttons are automatically created for viewing individual programs and for downloading podcasts.

If you are using the Cablecast CG 250 as your Bulletin Board, Cablecast can automatically publish your on air slides directly to your web site so that non-cable customers will also have access to community information.