Chapter 6. Configuring and Using External Devices
Prev   Next

Chapter 6. Configuring and Using External Devices

Installation of VST includes configuring it to work with external devices:

This chapter explains installing and configuring these devices, in the following sections:

Configuring and Using the Sony (P2) Protocol

The Sony/P2 protocol is partially supported by Video Server Toolkit (VST) so that VST can be controlled by standard VTR controllers. The configuration information makes VST behave similar to a video tape deck.

Note: P2 is an alternate name for the Sony protocol. For the remainder of the chapter, the term “Sony” represents both Sony and P2.

The following sections describe how to configure VST to work with the Sony protocol:

Note: The O2 workstation does not support deck emulation.

Caution: Opening a unit owned by a Sony port using MVCP (for example, UOPN) causes unpredictable behavior and is unsupported.

VST does not currently support the entire Sony protocol specification, including:

  • Video output parameter selection

  • Audio output parameter selection

  • Audio split editing

  • Insert editing for anything less than all video/audio tracks

  • +/-15% playback/recording/editing

    Note: VAR_FORWARD and VAR_REVERSE are fully implemented.

Configuring Sony Protocol Control Ports

Follow these steps:

  1. As root, use the following command to verify that the vst_eoe.sw.sony subsystem is installed:

    # /usr/vtr/bin/vtrswinfo -subsys -short
 Installed software:
   vst_eoe (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.man.base (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.man.ftpd (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.man.relnotes (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.man.tools (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.sw.base (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.sw.divo (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.sw.fsmon (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.sw.ftpd (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.sw.sony (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.sw.tools (1265452500)

    If necessary, install the Sony subsystem as explained in “Installing VST” in Chapter 3.

  2. Cable the controlling device to the VST server. For more information about cabling an RS-232 device to a VST server, see Appendix B, “RS-422 Pinouts.”

  3. For each Sony device controlled by VST, enter a line in /usr/vtr/config/control-in.conf. See Chapter 4, “Configuring Video Server Toolkit” for instructions.

  4. Edit the control defaults file for each Sony control port as needed.

    The directory /usr/vtr/config/system_defaults contains files specifying the default control settings for VST system-wide resources, including the control processors managing any Sony protocol control ports.

    • Put control settings that apply to all Sony control ports in vtr.

    • Put control settings that are limited to specific control ports in vtr_port, where port is the VST serial port number to which the controlling device is attached; for example, vtr_1, vtr_2, and so on.

    The controls supported by the Sony control module are:

    • vtr.control.device_type_id

    • vtr.control.output.idle_mode

    • vtr.control.timecode.mode

    • vtr.control.clip.name

    • vtr.control.superimpose.enabled

    • vtr.control.edit.delay

    • vtr.control.ee.delay

    • vtr.control.ee.mode

    • vtr.control.ee.record_select

    • vtr.edit.preroll

    • vtr.edit.postroll

    See the vst-controls(5) man page for more information concerning the use and default values of these controls.

    An application can change these controls dynamically with the MVCP SSET command; they can also be queried with the MVCP SGET command. For example: 

    SSET vtr_1 vtr.control.clip.name newclip

    This example creates the clip newclip, if it does not already exist, and loads it onto the units controlled by the device attached to serial port 1.

    Note: The setting for vtr.control.output.idle_mode overrides the setting for vtr.media.output.idle_mode of the underlying device.

  5. Make sure that the EDIT-ON/EE-ON delay time for your edit controller matches the delay time set by VST controls. For more information, see “Setting VST and Edit Controller Delay Time”.

Setting VST and Edit Controller Delay Time

The DIVO (and DIVO-DVC) output port processing has a finite delay that constrains how quickly VST can respond to control input. To maintain frame-accurate control, VST and an external VTR edit controller must agree on how much delay occurs between the time an EDIT_ON, EDIT_OFF, FULL_EE_ON, or FULL_EE_OFF command is received and when the command takes effect.

The minimum delay supported by VST depends upon the video board and the type of compression. DIVO and DIVO-DVC support a minimum of 5 frames delay for uncompressed and Rice-coded video. DIVO-DVC supports a minimum delay of 8 frames for DVCPRO video.

Note that because the default delay value for most edit controllers is 5 frames, typically no action is necessary when using uncompressed or Rice-coded video. However, for DVCPRO compression, the VTR edit controller must be configured to expect an 8-frame delay.

As required by your edit controller, you can increase (but not decrease) the command delay by setting the vtr.control.edit.delay or vtr.control.ee.delay controls in the appropriate system defaults file. For more information about these controls, see Appendix A in this document or the vst-controls(5M) man page.

Changing the Clip Loaded in a Sony Controlled Logical Unit

The Sony deck control protocol was originally developed to control VTRs, thus it has no facility for clip management operations including the loading and unloading of clips. The control vtr.control.clip.name can be set to change the clip currently loaded.

The VST GUI application mcclips (see the Video Server Toolkit Developer's Guide for more information on mcclips) enables you to load and unload clips on ports controlled by the Sony protocol. To load a clip, for example, follow these steps:

  1. Select a clip.

  2. Select File > Load On Port.

You can also create a new clip on a port:

  1. Select a clip.

  2. Select File > Create On Port.

An application can load a new or existing clip onto the units controlled by a Sony protocol device by using the MVCP SSET command to set the value of vtr.control.clip.name (see Appendix A or vst-controls(5M)).

Configuring VST to Control a VTR

VST can frame-accurately control a VTR or VTR-like device that supports the industry-standard Sony compatible VTR RS-422 control protocol. The VTR can be controlled interactively through a user interface or through an application for frame-accurate captures and laydowns of clips. Follow these steps:

  1. As root, enter the following to verify that the vst_eoe.sw.diaquest subsystem is installed:

    # /usr/vtr/bin/vtrswinfo -subsys -short
 Installed software:
   vst_eoe (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.man.base (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.man.ftpd (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.man.relnotes (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.man.tools (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.sw.base (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.sw.diaquest (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.sw.divo (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.sw.fsmon (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.sw.ftpd (1265452500)
     vst_eoe.sw.tools (1265452500)

    If necessary, install the Diaquest subsystem as explained in “Installing VST” in Chapter 3.

  2. Cable the VST server to the VTR. For more information about cabling an RS-442 device to a VST server, see Appendix B, “RS-422 Pinouts.”

  3. For each Sony device controlled by VST, enter a line in /usr/vtr/config/control-out.conf. See Chapter 4, “Configuring Video Server Toolkit” for instructions.

    The following example shows the control-out.conf configuration line for a VTR connected to serial port 3:

    vtr rs422 3 38400 1

  4. Edit the control defaults file as needed.

    The directory /usr/vtr/config/device_defaults contains files specifying the default control settings for VST devices, including external VTRs controlled by VST.

    • Put control settings that apply to all controlled VTRs control ports in dq.

    • Put control settings that are limited to a specific controlled VTR in dq_port, where port is the VST serial port number to which the VTR is attached; for example, dq_1, dq_2, and so on.

    The only VST controls supported by the Diaquest VTR control module are:

    • vtr.edit.preroll

    • vtr.edit.postroll

    • vtr.media.output.mode

    • vtr.edit.coincidence.preroll

    • vtr.media.sync_port

      For information on the controls, see Appendix A, “Video Server Toolkit Control Summary,” or the vst-controls(5M) man page.

      To guarantee frame-accurate control, this control must be set to the name of the VST video port that is connected to the VTR. The application mcpanel does this automatically, but other applications must ensure that the control is set correctly.

      If the same VST video port is always used with the VTR, you can set the value of vtr.media.sync_port to the name of the video port in the appropriate dq_port device defaults file. However, if the controlled VTR might be connected to different VST video ports at different times, set the control via the application using the MVCP SET command. For example, before performing a frame-accurate capture from the controlled VTR to the DIVO_DVC_2 video port, set this control:

      SET dqunitname MED vtr.media.sync_port DIVO_DVC_2

  5. Put the VTR into remote (or slave) mode.

  6. Repeat all these steps for as many VTRs as you wish to control and as are connected to the VST server.

Configuring VST for Control by the Louth Video Disk Communications Protocol

The Louth Video Disk Communications Protocol (VDCP), defined by Louth Automation, provides full-featured control of the VST using RS-232, RS-422, and TCP/IP. The VST Louth processor supports:

  • back-to-back play and record (subject to restrictions imposed by the video I/O port capabilities)

  • archival management

  • control of multiple video (signal) ports from a single communications (control) port

Caution: Do not open any units (using MVCT UOPN) belonging to the Louth control protocol processor and try to control them.

This section consists of these subsections:

Louth Video Disk Communications Protocol

Table 6-1 summarizes the VDCP commands that VST supports.

Table 6-1. VDCP Commands Supported by VST

System

Immediate

Reset/Select

Sense Request

Delete From Archive

Stop

Rename ID

Open Port

Delete Protect ID

Play

Reset Std. Time

Next

UnDelete Protect ID

Record

New Copy

Last

 

Still

Sort Mode

Port Status Request

 

Step

Close Port

Position Request

 

Continue

Select Port

Active ID Request

 

Jog

Record Init

Device ID Request

 

Vari. Play

Play Cue

Device Type Request

 

 

Cue with Data

Syst. Status Request

 

 

Delete ID

ID Liist

 

 

Get from Archive

ID Size Request

 

 

Clear

ID's Added to Arch.

 

 

Send to Archive

ID Request

 

 

% to Signal Full

ID's Added List

 

 

Record Init with Data

ID's Deleted List

 

 

Disk Preroll

Multi Port Status Request


Note: VST supports Deferred (Timeline) commands.

Using the Louth ADC-100 Automation Controller to VST

An ADC-100 Louth automation controller is connected to a VST server using one or two serial ports per the video port to be controlled. If you want to play and record at the same time, two serial port connections are required, unless you are using VDCP multiple-port command support.

O2 workstation serial ports run only in RS-232 mode. Consequently, to connect the Louth ADC-100 automation controller to the serial ports of the O2 workstation, do one of the following:

  • Insert a 422/232 protocol converter between the Louth and the O2 workstation.

  • Use a special cable that uses the A (negative) and ground line from the RS-422 to provide a RS-232-compatible connection.

Follow these steps to connect and configure an ADC-100 Louth automation controller:

  1. Cable the automation controller to the VST server. For more information about cabling an RS-442 device to a VST server, see Appendix B, “RS-422 Pinouts.”

  2. Configure the automation controller. The information in Table 6-2 specifies how to configure a Louth ADC-100 to control VST. If you are using another automation controller that uses Louth VDCP to control a video server, you might need to configure that controller in a similar way.

    Configure each Louth communications port that controls one or more VST video ports to use the Standard Video Disk device protocol.

    Table 6-2. Louth Device Parameters

    Device Parameter

    Setting

    VIDEO INPUT PORT IN DISK

    Video port number; corresponds to signal configuration line in control-in.conf

    VIDEO OUTPUT PORT IN DISK

    Video port number; corresponds to signal configuration line in control-in.conf

    UPDATE EVENT DURATIONS FROM DISK

    Enable only on one port for each VST server

    CONFIGURE INSTANT PLAY PREROLLS

    Enabled, 0 seconds 4 frames

    CONFIGURE DISK PREROLLS

    4 frames (Rice, uncompressed)

    NUMBER (=) OF FRAMES TO SEND PLAY EARLY

    3 frames (DVCPRO)

    ENABLE BACK TO BACK PLAY

    3 frames (DVCPRO)

    ENABLE BACK TO BACK RECORD

    3 frames (DVCPRO)

    DISK HAS ARCHIVE

    Enabled if StudioCentral archive is available; otherwise disabled

    BACKUP PLAY FROM ARCHIVE SUPPORTED

    Disabled

    CACHE RECORD DISK SERIAL COMM. PORT NUMBER

    0


  3. For each Louth communications port connected to a VST serial port, include a control port configuration line in /usr/vtr/config/control-in.conf. See “Control Port Configuration Line” in Chapter 4 for instructions, for example, for a RS-422 connection.

  4. For each video port to be controlled through VDCP, include a signal port configuration line like that described in “Control Port Configuration Line” in Chapter 4

The following example shows the VST control-in.conf file for a configuration where VDCP is used to control 4 output video ports and 2 input video ports. The Louth communications ports controlling the outputs are connected to serial ports 3 through 6 and control DIVO_DVC_0 through DIVO_DVC_3, respectively. The Louth communications ports controlling the inputs are connected to serial ports 7 and 8 and control DIVO_DVC_0 and DIVO_DVC_1, respectively.

louth rs422 3 38400 1 1 29.97 8
louth rs422 4 38400 1 2 29.97 8
louth rs422 5 38400 1 3 29.97 8
louth rs422 6 38400 1 4 29.97 8
louth rs422 7 38400 1 -1 29.97 8
louth rs422 8 38400 1 -2 29.97 8


signal 1 DIVO_DVC_0
signal 2 DIVO_DVC_1
signal 3 DIVO_DVC_2
signal 4 DIVO_DVC_3

Using House Time-Code Readers With VST

VST supports the Miranda Little Red and Horita PR-232 time-code readers (LTC-to-serial translators), which are RS-232 (not RS-422) serial devices. One of these devices can be attached to a VST server to provide a frame-accurate time-of-day reference so that VST operations can be synchronized with other studio equipment or with scheduled live or downlinked feeds.

The time-of-day signal connected to a VST server is used as the reference for triggering timed unit commands for playback, recording, and so on. For media devices (video ports) that support it, frame-accuracy is guaranteed when time-triggered commands are executed.

The time-of-day signal is also used to slave the time-of-day maintained by the IRIX operating system. The time-of-day is typically maintained within 1 ms of the input time signal.

To install a time code reader and configure the VST server for it, follow these steps:

  1. Connect the time-code reader's serial port to the desired RS-232 port on the VST server.

  2. Include a control port configuration line in /usr/vtr/config/control-in.conf. See “Signal Configuration Line” in Chapter 4 for more information. Note the following:

    • For time-code input, the signal port field (“signalport”) of the configuration line specifies the time channel number, which must be 1 for this version of VST.

    • Both the Miranda Little Red and Horita PR-232 connect at a serial port speed of 9600 bits/sec with no parity.

    The following example shows the VST control-in.conf file for a Horita PR-232 connected to serial port 3:

    hsip rs232 3 9600 0 1 29.97

    This example shows a Little Red in a 625/50 configuration:

    little-red rs232 3 9600 0 1 25

  3. Add a line for each device to control-in.conf to configure VST to work with Horita and the Miranda Little Red time-code readers; for example:

    hsip rs232 2 9600 0 1 29.97
little-red rs232 2 9600 0 1 29.97

    The format of the configuration line is explained in “Configuring VST for Control by Remote Devices (control-in.conf File)” in Chapter 4.

Prev Table of Contents Next
Chapter 5. Configuring for Redundancy  Chapter 7. Configuring and Using Vela and DVB-ASI Devices