| The VDS NewsTicker (Flash/Emergency Updates) Suite provides broadcasters with the ability to insert a
continuous news ticker type crawl of information into programming segments. News information
inserted into the ticker may be cut and pasted from news stories on a website or newsroom system,
or may be entered manually.
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The system also supports "on-the-fly" insertion and removal of news stories and other information,
under the control of one or more operators. All information is displayed in a continuous "wheel"
so that the ticker can be displayed indefinitely.
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System Components |
The system is comprised of four major components. These components are shown in the diagram below:
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Edit Station |
This Edit Station application is a SQL Server client application that allows operators to review
stories on a website or newsroom system, to edit these stories as required, and to insert them into
the display wheel. News stories can also be entered manually.
The operator can also insert a logo (mapped to a Chyron character) to differentiate items in the
crawl. The logo can either be typed in manually, or it can automatically be inserted between stories,
with user-definable spacing around the logo. Operators can also specify leading and trailing text
strings that will always appear at the top and bottom of the crawl without the operator having to
type them (for example, "STAY TUNED FOR CONTINUOUS COVERAGE...").
NewsTicker Edit Station |
Headlines for each data type can be selected, and will automatically appear in a different font if
desired. The list of special data types can be enhanced by the customer without any required software
modifications. To support on-the-fly updates to the text displayed in the crawl, the system supports
simultaneous editing (insert/edit/delete) of entries from the Editing Station while the crawl is being
displayed on-air. The system also supports up to four copies of the Editing Station for input of news
stories into the database.
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SQL Server Database |
The SQL Server database is hosted on a dedicated database server PC. It is used to store all data
entered at the edit stations, so that it can be retrieved by the Playout station for on-air display
in the ticker. The server is configured onto the customer corporate network, providing a persistent
connection between the Playout and the Edit Station applications.
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Playout Station Application |
The Playout Station application is a SQL Server client application that is responsible for the
playout of the ticker. It retrieves the completed/edited stories and other information from the
SQL Server database and controls the Chyron iNFiNiT!, MAX!> or MAXINE! character generator.
A sample screen shot of the Playout Station application main user interface screen is shown below:
NewsTicker Playout Station |
The application features a status screen that provides the operators with status information about
the system at a glance. This information includes the current list of stories/items being aired,
as well as the current status of the Maxine character generator. The list of items being is
automatically updated as changes are made at the Editing Station.
Because this application is under the control of the Master Control operator, it features a very
simple user interface, with ticker start/stop functions controllable via function keys. In
general, the ticker runs continuously, with the operator keying it in and out manually as required.
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