Commands

The following commands are supported in Media Sequencer:

• PROGRAM_START id will play primary event with Media ID = id

• PROGRAM_STOP id will stop primary event with Media ID = id

• PROGRAM_LOAD id will load primary event with Media ID = id

• PAGE_START id will play secondary event with Media ID = id

• PAGE_STOP id will stop secondary event with Media ID = id

• PAGE_LOAD id will load secondary event with Media ID = id

Importing and Updating

The Neptune system reads playlist data via files in XML format.

Channel traffic name (channel) and playlist date (txdate) are provided in the list node. The rest of the fields are read from the event nodes (eventlist/event). Begin Time should be read from onairtime node. Different time formats are supported.

An event’s on-air date can be read from onairdate node if available. Sometimes it is merged with onairtime. Secondary events (if available) can be read from inside their primary event node (../secondaryeventlist/secondaryevent).

Updating Live

Two major workflows are usually implemented:

Reading playlists from a scheduling system: Viz Multichannel (usually in scheduling mode) reads playlist (in any format) from the scheduling system, generates all secondary events either manually, automatically (by Rules), from the playlist file, or any combination of the three. Once a playlist is ready (usually sent to Viz Multichannel in Master Control Room), it is triggered by the Neptune automation system to play either primary or secondary events. This workflow may include live updates from Neptune via the Schedule Collector tool.

Reading playlists directly from the Neptune automation system: Viz Multichannel runs only in MCR mode and reads playlists directly from Neptune. That is done via the Schedule Collector tool. Schedule Collector uses the Pebble Beach Systems API, connects it every configured interval and gets X (configured) next events information from it. Schedule Collector then, whenever it recognizes any changes in the schedule, generates an XML update file and triggers the Playlist Importer. A Neptune schedule is always automatically mirrored in Viz Multichannel.

This workflow provides several different options:

• Reading primary and secondary events with content from Neptune.

• Reading only primary events from Neptune and generating secondary events by Rules.

• Reading primary and secondary events from Neptune but populating secondary events content by Viz Multichannel,

• Any combination of the three above.

  Note: In order to enable that feature in Neptune, a Pebble Beach Systems’ XML API license is required.

Newsroom Component

Viz Content Pilot’s Newsroom Component provides the ability to view available templates for a channel, create new editable templates, edit, preview and schedule them in the playlist.

For more information on Viz Content Pilot’s Newsroom Component see the Viz Content Pilot User’s Guide.

Limitations

The Pebble Beach Systems XML format is closed and strict. Viz Multichannel needs more information to add flexibility when scheduling (e.g. rules, conditions, auto-content); however, this is not possible.