INGEST

 

Manage New Content Registration

Ingesting of content is critical for a successful file-based workflow.  This is generally very labor intensive and time consuming. 
ASTRA Ingest provides automated and manual capabilities to bring new material into the facility.  It can be used with other ASTRA tools or standalone with third-party MAM systems.  Searchable metadata can be generated automatically, entered by users or imported from other applications.

File-Based Workflows

To implement a tapeless facility, a file-based workflow requires all content to be stored as digitally encoded video and audio files.  Graphics and text (news scripts) are already digital files.  Since ASTRA uses a centralized database for all of its applications, once content is registered it can be used by ASTRA MCR and ASTRA News for playout and ASTRA CMS for browsing and editing.

ASTRA Ingest

ASTRA Ingest consists of a variety of tools to automate the first stage of a file-based workflow.  This includes traditional analog content or digital content which may need additional processing or transcoding.

Content can come from satellite feeds, videotape, analog or digital cameras, as digital files from networked distribution systems or from previously encoded content on video servers.

Metadata Support

ASTRA Ingest automatically generates default metadata for each clip such as Unique IDs, names, kill dates and categories.

Metadata can also be directly imported from other systems via MOS, XML and other protocols.

Users can enhance a clip’s description by entering custom metadata during ingest or while viewing the high-res or low-res material locally or from users’ desktops anywhere on the network (with appropriate security rights).

Key Features

  • Automatically record repetitive events
  • Automatically selects available record channels
  • Automatic metadata generation
  • XDCAM camera ingest of files, metadata and proxies (contact Aveco for P2 support)
  • Batch record from VTRs, cart machines or video feeds
  • Metadata can be entered while viewing high-res or low-res material
  • Traffic and NRCS interfaces for automatic ingest list

Automatic Ingest

A lot of daily content is available on a regular schedule from a network or other sources.  ASTRA can be programmed to automatically record these programs every day.

In addition to planned material, broadcasters receive content from many non-traditional sources such as cell phones, the Internet, and digital cameras – and those are all in different formats.  ASTRA tools are format independent and can control a variety of devices for encoding or
transcoding material into a format that is compatible with other equipment in your facility.

ASTRA Record Scheduler

ASTRA Record Scheduler is designed to easily automate repetitive events.  For example, daily or weekly programs sent from the network can be frame accurately recorded without user intervention.

MCR & News Automatic Ingest

For master control and news, required content is identified by the traffic or NRCS system.  ASTRA imports this information and automatically generates a playlist.

If content in a playlist is not available anywhere within the ASTRA system, it is flagged so that the user knows that this content needs to be ingested.  ASTRA will create a list for batch ingest of material in the order it is needed.

Manual Ingest

ASTRA offers a quick and easy to use manual ingest tool.  On one screen the user can control both the source and record device frame accurately and enter custom metadata while recording.  The user can have as many recordings on his screen as needed.

XDCAM Ingest

Digital video cameras eliminate the time consuming encode step.  Encoding is a real-time function so a 30 minute story takes 30 minutes to encode. With digital cameras, a 30 minute story can be ingested in just a few minutes.  ASTRA Ingest takes advantage of these new cameras with a custom screen for users to identify what clips to ingest along with the associated metadata and, optionally, a low-res proxy.  Custom metadata can also be entered at this time.

24/7/365 Redundancy

Mistakes in master control are expensive.  ASTRA is unique in its core design.  Built on a powerful Real-Time Operating System (RTOS), it is not impacted by viruses that threaten most PC-based systems.  Hardware and software module failures can be protected with complete mirroring.  An “N+1” model offers a cost-effective playout solution that in most scenarios provides seamless failover.

Hot Swappable Software Modules

ASTRA can be easily upgraded, repaired or new capabilities added quickly and transparently with its design around Hot Swappable modules.  These modules or applications are separate from the operating system such that the system continues to run while new modules are added


ASTRA Record Scheduler


Manual Ingest Screen


HDCAM Ingest Screen