Automated Television Station Question at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > The Tools of DV and HD Production > Open DV Discussion

Open DV Discussion
For topics which don't fit into any of the other categories.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old July 16th, 2008, 10:52 PM   #1
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.
Matt Ratelle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 16th, 2008, 10:59 PM   #2
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
Paul Izbicki is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 16th, 2008, 11:19 PM   #3
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand
Posts: 3,682
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: +
Chris Soucy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 17th, 2008, 05:20 AM   #4
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.
Matt Ratelle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 17th, 2008, 06:05 AM   #5
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
John Sirb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 17th, 2008, 09:05 AM   #6
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
Brett Beanan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 17th, 2008, 12:11 PM   #7
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.
Randall Allen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 18th, 2008, 07:15 PM   #8
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.
Matt Ratelle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 18th, 2008, 09:58 PM   #9
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
John Sirb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 19th, 2008, 05:49 PM   #10
New Boot
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 11
check out the Tri-Caster then http://www.newtek.com/tricaster/
Brett Beanan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 22nd, 2008, 07:50 AM   #11
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?
Matt Ratelle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 22nd, 2008, 09:31 AM   #12
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
John Sirb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 23rd, 2008, 08:58 AM   #13
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
Travis Fadler is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > The Tools of DV and HD Production > Open DV Discussion

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:34 AM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network