NewsBase Newsroom Systems Equip your news operation to compete in any market.
What Is a NewsBase System? A NewsBase system is a nonlinear, serverbased news production system. It supports feed recording, editing, on-air playback and newsroom desktop video browsing and editing. Various options allow the system to be adapted to the needs of diverse styles of use. What Are the Benefits? A NewsBase system goal is to allow your news operation to run faster and more efficiently. Faster because material can be accessed as it is received and then used simultaneously by different journalists and editors. More efficiently, because desktop editing makes it easier to match words and pictures. How Does It Work? A filing station triggers the recording of incoming feeds and tapes. As material is received, it is accessible within seconds to all users. Finished stories are automatically sequenced based on the newscast rundown. Works with Newsroom Computer Systems NewsBase is a news video system; it works with most Wndows NT 4.0 news text systems.
Sony Clip Edit NT 4.0 Text System Helps Technical and Editorial Journalists Work More Closely Source Material Finished Video Items Sequenced Items Raw Video DesktopVideo Incoming Feeds Filing Station MAV-1000 Server ClipServer On-Air Station Production Control Room Scheduled incoming feeds are routed and recorded automatically. Raw Video Simple interface to enter feed schedules and trigger ad hoc recordings. EditedVideo Stores all video in high quality MPEG-2. Editors can access material directly. Captures compressed desktop quality version of all material stored in the video server. Lists all finished stories required for the next newscast. Newscast Rundown In sequence, required video items are cued in server ports. Director/TD just hits play button. ClipEdit Newsroom Text System Edited Decision Lists 3rd Party News Text System EditedVideo Edited Decision Lists Edit Suites Newsroom Most Sony editors provide direct access to server material and ENG tapes with no transfer time. Incoming feeds can be edited virtually as they are received. Finished items can be aired just seconds after they are completed. ClipEdit enables journalists to view and edit news video in one window of their PC, while using their news text system in another. Desktop stories are automatically made in the MAV video server using air quality video.
Why NewsBase? A Faster News Operation Speed is everything. NewsBase systems enable your writers, editors and producers to get news on the air faster. The analysis below shows how NewsBase systems are designed to improve the newsroom production process flow by allowing processes to happen in parallel. The key time savers are: Automatic Feed Recording. Scheduled feeds are recorded without operator intervention. Router is controlled automatically. Incoming Feed Access. As soon as feed recording begins, producers and writers can begin screening material and selecting shots while editors can begin editing. Simultaneous Access. Many people can utilize the same material at the same time. Users simply access the material they want directly from the server. No More Treasure Hunts. A comprehensive directory of all video files is available from any desktop. No more missing tapes. Switch router, load tape, record Wait for feed to end (or swap tapes), eject Find tape on tape shelf, unless someone else got it first Editor cuts tease, then a VO for the five o clock Editor starts laying down track and sound bites for the six o clock, with writer over his shoulder Editor rewinds, ejects, runs tape to playback area Editor lays down B-roll Tape operator sequences tapes Load, play on-air, eject 55 60 5 50 10 45 15 40 20 35 30 25 Incoming material can be accessed immediately, as it is fed Producer cuts tease Writer lays down track and sound bites for six o clock reporter Editor selects project.track and SOT are already done. Lays in B-roll Sequencing is automatic, play on-air At the filing station, start the recording with a keystroke Six o clock writer screens material Another writer cuts VO for the five o clock Writer saves project or can finish cutting at the desktop Editor drags completed item to correct rundown slug
Why NewsBase? A Better On-Air Product Sony ClipEdit software enables producers, writers and reporters to view video at their desktops, and if they like, to actually edit the material, from simple teases to reporter packages. Or, if needed, final polishing can be done by an editor in an edit suite. Either way, your newsroom gets the tools to easily review all available video material, so that the best shots (not just the easiest shots) can be selected. And once the shots are selected, your users have a platform that makes it easy to write text matching the video clips. The ClipEdit system also improves editorial control because it s easy for executive producers to review material prior to air. Web Publishing And if webcasting is part of your service, a Sony web publishing extension enables any desktop ClipEdit user to send finished items to be published to your newsroom s web server. Compatible with Windows NT ClipEdit is designed to integrate with most Windows NT 4.0 newsroom computer (text) systems. That means it s simple to write scripts in one window and view or edit video in another. Both systems automatically exchange rundowns and status information. MOS Protocol If your text system supports the emerging industry-standard Media Object Server (MOS) protocol, you can even look for text and video items together in one integrated search from the text system. MOS is intended to be an open industry standard, allowing better and more complete integration between newsroom computer systems and media server devices such as still stores, graphics systems, audio servers and video servers. Desktop video editing could be as important to television news as desktop publishing has been to the design and production of printed material. In the graphic design and printing industry, early adopters of desktop publishing technology enjoyed a clear competitive advantage. What if your news anchor could see all the video before writing, or your Executive Producer could review everything before it airs? STEVEN ACKERMANN Executive News Director,Texas Cable News Texas Cable News is the first 24-hour news channel that focuses on news in and around Texas. Our challenge was to develop a system and a facility that would allow us to do continuous news coverage. Texas Cable News was one of the first installations of the Sony NewsBase System. And from the very beginning it allowed us to streamline our production process and put a better product on air. It allows our reporters to have input on how their stories are put together. It allows producers to view video from their desks without having to run back to an edit room and see it before it goes on air. And it allows multiple producers to access the same video at the same time. And what NewsBase does is really use the technology that s available today. It allows the technical journalists and the editorial journalists to work much more closely together, and as time goes on, it really begins to merge those two aspects of our business. We ve been on the air just a little over a year now, and we re really proud of the fact that we were one of the first Sony NewsBase systems to be installed in this country. And we ve been very pleased with the operation of the system.
ClipEdit Brings Video to Newsroom Desktops and integrates with your newsroom computer system The ClipEdit software application runs on the same Windows NT operating system that now supports most news text systems, which means that journalists can both edit video and write text on the same computer screen. Incoming feeds can be monitored, edited, and even aired, as they are received. Teases, voice-overs and reporter packages can be completed entirely on the desktop, or sent to an edit suite for finishing touches. It s efficient; a reporter might lay down the track and SOT for a package, leaving just the B-Roll for the editor. There are no more excuses for not writing to video! Plus, managers can easily review material before it airs. Browse Video Control selected file like a VCR. Find Materials Just select the video file you want. Mark In & Out Then click the Overlay button.that sends the segment to the timeline. File Story Click on the Playlist folder.the current newscast rundown appears. Select the story you ve just finished. Timeline Build a story on the timeline simply by placing one shot after the next. Adjust audio by dragging the rubber band. Write Script Switch to your newsroom text system, or show both windows at once.
Nonlinear News Editors In addition to the ClipEdit system, which allows desktop browsing and cuts-only editing, news editing can be done on other types of editors. Journalist desktop browsing and cuts-only editing Server automatically executes edit instructions DNE-2000 The Sony DNE-2000 enables editors to immediately access material in the NewsBase server system. Downloads can be accomplished either at normal speed or in Fast Mode. Linear-like mode to cut from tape with no download time Edit server material after download Cut-only editing ClipEdit (BZN-E1000) (BZN-E100) Proxy Video Edit Instructions The DNE-2000 supports direct server-to-server editing, allowing fast editing of incoming feeds directly from the server, filing the finished story back to the server, without downloading the material. Linear-like mode to cut from tape with no download time Edit server material after downloading A/B roll and real-time effects DNE-700 DNE-2000 DNE-1000 You can work in linear-like or non-linear mode with a variety of Sony editing systems. For late arriving tapes, the DNE-2000 supports a linear-like mode, allowing editing directly from tape to disk without download. The DNE-2000 includes A/B roll effects and downstream title keying. All effects in the DNE-2000 are processed in real-time, so there is no need to wait for results before continuing your work. DNE-700 The Sony DNE-700 offers cost-effective nonlinear editing by simultaneously utilizing the tape and disk drives inside Sony s DNW-series hybrid recorders. Its linear-like mode allows shots from tape to be placed directly on the timeline, without first downloading. Alternately, users may opt for material acquired on Betacam SX tapes to be transferred to disk storage in faster than real-time mode. Server material may be edited after downloading to a local drive. Finished stories can be transferred back to the server and begin airing seconds after the transfer starts, even before the transfer is complete.
Software That Makes Sense of Servers Sony news application software is specifically designed for the demanding needs of today s broadcasters. These are tools that operational staff, directors and editors will use to record, access and playback server material. Scheduled incoming feeds and ad hoc tape and line feeds can be automatically recorded using the Filing Station (at right). One Filing Station can manage many operations simultaneously. The On-Air Station (below) automatically sequences the stories that are ready to air. The stories that are next up are cued in server playback ports. Directors can roll and take the server ports just like they use a VTR now. Filing Station On-Air Station Each rectangle represents a router source. These rectangles represent local VTR sources for filing tapes in realtime or 2X speed. The operation you select can be monitored here. Drag a source icon here to start a recording. Here s the next newscast s playlist, sequenced automatically from the newsroom text system. This list includes all the completed and unfiled stories. These are the output channels that feed the switcher.
Servers Built for Flexibility, Quality and Reliability Sony NewsBase server architecture is flexible. Start with a single server unit, then add server units as your needs expand. Multiple servers can be combined under one management system. From any user terminal, your news people can find any material. Server ports are dynamically configured to function as inputs or outputs, depending upon current newsroom requirements. The number of ClipServer I/O ports and ClipEdit stations can also be easily varied. NewsBase servers utilize 4:2:2P@Main Level MPEG-2, with up to four channels of uncompressed audio, providing high picture quality, robust multi-generation performance and efficient storage. Superb reliability is enhanced by the use of fault-tolerant, redundant or hot-swappable components. Mirrored file management techniques can also be utilized. Sony server architecture consists of two basic units: the MAV-2000 controller unit and the MAV-S2000 RAID3 storage units. Each MAV-2000 controller unit can be configured with up to 12 SDI input/output ports or up to 10 SDI input/outputs and one SDTI port. Transfer speeds of two times faster than real-time are available using SDTI. The MAV-2000 controller unit can link up to 40 MAV-S2000 storage units together, offering both flexibility in ports and bandwidth while providing expandability for storage time. Frame-accurate, real-time control of the MAV units is managed by the Sony Server Management System (SMS/GW) and Intelligent Device Controllers (IDC). Signals are switched via SDI/SDTI digital routers, guaranteeing delivery and enabling faster than real-time transfer of material.
NewsBase: Tools to Extend your Reach Publish to the Web With the explosive growth of webcasting, you may want a fast method for sending finished news material to the Web. Now you can speed material to your website with the Sony web publishing extension and distribute the task of website contribution among all your journalists. With this option, users at any ClipEdit desktop editing terminal can select a video file and, with a single keystroke, convert the file NewsBase Austin NewsBase Chicago to the industry standard.avi format and copy it to your web server. Multiple file translations/transfers can be performed simultaneously. NewsBase Dallas NewsBase SystemLink Software Sony SystemLink software enables NewsBase systems to easily exchange news assets and other video material. The directory of material titles stored in the NewsBase system is automatically available for browsing by any authorized user through an Internet connection. From the SystemLink user interface running on a NewsBase standard PC, users may New York select any items of interest stored at another site. With a simple drag and drop, the material is transferred to the local facility. Cueing and playback in the source facility and recording in the target facility are executed automatically. The system requires a permanent or ad hoc SDTI connection between facilities, which can be established utilizing telco, fibre, satellite or microwave carrier. The digitized video and audio signals travel on this path. Control, cueing and directory information can be exchanged via LAN,WAN or even the Internet. Storage devices that can be utilized include a NewsBase server, DNW Hybrid Recorders or standard VTRs. Many of these devices can support faster than real-time transfers. Near-Line Server While the MAV-2000 server is designed to hold the current news feeds, Sony has a new way to keep this week s feeds close at hand. Now you can create a near-line cache on a Flexicart machine, removing the material from the MAV-2000 server but leaving it viewable on the journalists desktop. If near-line material is used in a ClipEdit timeline, the footage is automatically restored to the MAV-2000. You get faster access to more clips and greater value from the Flexicart machine you may already have.
Other Tools to Improve your News Operation You re familiar with the complete lines of Sony ENG equipment, from rugged Betacam SX to economical DVCAM. Both offer unmatched sensitivity to bring you the best pictures, even in the worst light. Here are some other great tools to improve your news gathering and news production operations. DNW-A225 Keep News Crews in the Field Longer Field editing is made easy and compact with the DNW-A225. This portable news editor includes all the essential features of a two-machine linear edit suite, including high-quality LCD monitors and an inboard audio mixer. It weighs less than 30 pounds and can run for up to 90 minutes per battery pack. MAV-555 Simple Solution for Incoming Feeds The Sony MAV-555 disk recorder can be configured to record your most active incoming feed line, typically your network s news feed. As material is recorded, three linear edit rooms (VTRs) can simultaneously access any point in the feed, without delay or conflict. Because each MAV-555 port can be controlled via RS-422, the feed material can be edited directly from disk recorder to VTR with no additional dubbing step. DSM-T1/R1 Double Your ENG Feeds The Sony DSM-M1 can multiplex two ENG feeds into the bandwidth of one, or send a single Betacam SX feed twice as fast as real-time. DSM-D1 demultiplexes the feeds at the receive site. Use this technology to feed the signals of two cameras over a single microwave link or to double the number of concurrent ENG feeds that may be processed by your relay sites. The DSM-T1/R1 provides the same easy-to-use advantages to satellite links. Sony Service Support Maximize uptimes For 24 hour/7 day technical support, rely on Sony SupportNet sm service. SupportNet engineers are available by phone any time to help you stay up and running. Remote diagnostics can be performed to assist in troubleshooting a problem.
Sony NewsBase System FILING CENTRAL SERVER LAN 100 BaseT ETHERNET SERVER MANAGER MAINTENANCE NRC GATEWAY PLAYOUT DNE-2000 FROM STATION: CENTRAL SERVER From 5 to 24 Ports Selectable Bitrate Storage Scaleable Storage Time PLAYOUT TO PRODUCTION CONTROL EDITING OPTIONS DNE-700 LINE FEEDS CLIP GATEWAY OPTIONAL CLIP EDIT SYSTEM ETHERNET 100BaseT CLIP EDIT LAN TAPE FEEDS CLIP I/O FINISHED STORY/EDL INCOMING MATERIAL CLIP SERVER RAID STORAGE JOURNALIST WORKSTATIONS DESKTOP BROWSING/EDITING SYSTEMS Compare server features: Can all feeds be recorded from one application? Switch the router? When a feed comes in, do you have to wait for it to end to start editing? Does an editor ever have to wait for material to be transferred? Is the desktop editor strong, or an afterthought? Frame-accurate? Version control? Air the story or air pointers. If pointers, that means you have to keep the source material a long time! Is there a backup system? Sony Electronics Inc. 1 Sony Drive Park Ridge, NJ 07656 2000 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice. Sony, Betacam SX, ClipEdit, ClipServer, NewsBase, SystemLink, Flexicart and SXnet are trademarks and SupportNet is a service mark of Sony. Windows NT is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. BC-00848-A