Reliability

AVECO automation is running reliably in TV stations throughout Europe, in the Middle East and in Asia. We have developed a system concept that allows us maintain system reliability while proving a high level of flexibility. And, our automations products include solutions to ensure continuous operation of automation systems and of the entire broadcast process. These reliability solutions include comprehensive redundancy and internal diagnostics subsystems to monitor, detect and correct errors.

Reliability of the automation system

Platform

AVECO system reliability starts with the robustness of the hardware platform, the operating system and the database:

• The Hardware Platform: An industrial PC server with dual hot-mirrored, hot swappable power supplies and dual disk drives that are hot-swappable too. Servers are built on a rugged 19" rack chassis with dust filters.
• The Operating System: The QNX operating system is a real-time operating system fully supported and widely adopted in real-time, mission critical operations. Gaining recognition in the TV industry, QNX Software Systems is an industry leader in real-time, microkernel OS technology with over one million installations worldwide and distributed in over 100 countries. QNX customers include 3Com, AVECO, Cisco, IBM, Matsushita, Motorola, OMNEON and Siemens, to name a few. More about QNX.
• The database: Sybase's SQL database is an established industry player with proven performance and reliability.

Software

The testament to AVECO software's reliability is its track record. In business since 1992, we are growing because our customer are happy with the reliability of our systems.

Reliability has been carefully engineered into our products. AVECO systems are written in C++, designed using Object Oriented Programming, run on memory protected address spaces and capable of hot-swapping software components. Object Oriented Programming imposes a discipline that reduces errors. Running on memory protected address spaces means we can implement a flexible building-block architecture on top of a rigid platform that maintains reliability. Hot-swapping means that to solve a problem, to upgrade, to expand, to reconfigure set-up parameters, modules can be stopped, started, exchanged while the system stays on-air. These fundamental building blocks provide highly reliable systems that can be adjusted without threatening their robustness or interfering with ongoing operations.

Mirroring of automation servers

Advanced levels of automation system availability are achieved with fully mirrored automation servers equipped with a serial changeover unit that, as directed by an error diagnosis subsystem, will transfer system functionality from the main server to its backup within one vertical interval. With a mirrored automation sever, a failure of the main automation server will not affect the on-air signal or the continued operation of the automation system.

Reliability of the entire broadcast process

AVECO systems maintain the broadcast process intact by providing backup strategies for failures of any device within its control and by controlling redundant systems. AVECO automation recognizes station-wide failures and transfers operations to redundant systems like bypass routers, mirrored videoservers and management of spot reel tapes. For example, commercial breaks assembled on a backup videotape are played out in parallel with the videoservers adding an extra level security to the station's revenue source.

Emergency events

Videomaterial such as stills located on still store, videoserver clips or live feeds can be pre-configured for use as emergency events. These emergency events will then played out by simply pressing the corresponding emergency button on the keyboard in case of emergency.

Internal diagnosis and recovery

AVECO systems have built-in diagnostic procedures to dynamically check the status of their own components as well the status of all controlled equipment and co-operating systems. In case of an error, the systems make pre-programmed corrections automatically or, when operator action is required, lead the operator through required error recovery procedures.

AVECO systems function as the central hub for monitoring status and availability of all devices and systems connected to the automation server(s).

Videoserver mirroring

AVECO automation can control mirrored video servers and makes sure playout continues in case of failure or maintenance at the main videoserver. Mirroring can be done in two configurations:

1. Full Mirroring: The entire content of the main videoserver can be mirrored on a backup videoserver.
2. Partial Mirroring: Here AVECO systems maintain a smaller videoserver as a backup to a larger capacity broadcast videoserver. Partial videoserver mirroring enables TV stations to reduce their investment in backup videoserver equipment while maintaining a high level of availability.

In both cases, the virtual videoserver driver insures that synchronous playout proceeds on both the main and the backup videoserver. Channels from each videoserver are connected to the changeover or router which routes one of the channels to the output.

Ingest videoserver backup

When a single videoserver is used, any record channel can be used for loading. If one encoder fails another one can be used.

When multiple videoservers are used, any videoservers can be used for loading. With the right media exchange infrastructure installed (Fiber Channel, SDI, Ethernet, etc.) the automation's media management system makes sure that the requested clip is delivered to the playout videoserver.

VTR backup

All VTRs under automation control are seen as a shared pool. In case of a VTR failure any other VTR can be used for playout or a source for clip loading.

If a failure occurs while broadcasting to air from a VTR, AVECO systems register the timecode when airing was interrupted. When loading the tape into another VTR the operator simply cues to the registered position and gets back on air where the signal left off.

Bypass router

When the master switcher fails, the signal router can be used as a bypass switcher. One bus from the central router can be used for this purpose.

An independent bypass router can be installed as well. During broadcasting the bypass router is controlled in parallel with the master switcher. The switch from the master switcher to the bypass output can be made at anytime.

Tape backup

Any category of playlist content (blocks, commercial breaks, sequence of videoserver clips, or individual clips) can be tagged for automatic recording to a backup tape. The tape is then available for broadcasting if there is any problem with the primary source.

AVECO automation controls this backup tape in parallel to the regular broadcast, cueing the start point on the tape to the running broadcast. Therefore, if an emergency comes up with the primary source of this backed-up material, the tape is ready to go on-air as dictated by the playlist.

The module has the flexibility to independently control the VTR and search for IN and OUT addresses. REC button starts videomaterial transfer from videoserver to tape. When clips included in the playlists are not located on videoserver, black of the appropriate duration is recorded instead. Black of predefined length is inserted between commercial breaks. It is possible to round the in point of the break to the nearest minute or 30 second boundary or to insert a space of predefined duration between breaks.

The tape docs can be printed out with names and identification codes of clips, time-code in-points, out-points and duration for each break.

Off-line operation

AVECO automation can operate independently of the planning/traffic system. The automation also has the capability to create playlists.

When the network connection to the planning system fails, the playlists and as-run logs can be loaded to and from a floppy disk or created and edited directly using AVECO automation tools.

The as-run logs are archived within the automation system and when the connection to traffic system is re-established the logs are transferred.