sQ Workflow

sQ Fileflow

sQ Fileflow is  a workflow application designed to integrate media files between Enterprise sQ systems and IT-based workflows.It is a 'mid-tier' SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) component making its services available via Web Services.

sQ fileflow supports all the existing Enterprise sQ media formats - AVC-Intra, DVCPRO HD, IMX, DVCPRO and DVCAM. It also has the ability to transcode XDCAM HD files on import or create them for export.Files from both an XDCAM HD disk or network folder location are supported.

sQ Fileflow is desgned to be scalable. It consists of two applications: a Queue Manager that schedules and monitors file movement jobs, and an Engine that moves the actual media. Additional Engines can be added to enable multiple import/export jobs to be processed at the same time, and additional system-level resilience is available via clustering and control workflows. 

The user interfaces to sQ Fileflow are Web-based and run in standard Browsers on networked computers without the need for special Firewall configurations.The HTTP-based API is also available for customers to create their own client applications and control workflows.

The import and export workflow can be automatic, based on import watch folders and keyword triggered exports, driven manually via the Queue interface or cotnrolled via the API for an external application.  

The diagram shows an sQ Fileflow system and how the components connect to the media in Enterprise sQ and network folders. 

sQ Fileflow enables an elegant, simple and economical archive workflow between Enterprise sQ and Front Porch Digital DIVArchive - read more here>

sQ Record

sQ Record is a great application to easily and quickly implement recording sessions for Enterprise sQ and Newsbox HD servers. It supports direct recording from SDI feeds, as well as VTRs via RS422 control, and will record automatically using station timecode as a reference. This application runs on the sQ Record PC or can be another application running on any system workstation, for example, sQ Edit.

The sQ Record application can control up to four input ports of the Enterprise sQ or Newsbox HD server. sQ Record may be combined with sQ Play to provide ingest and playout control from a single workstation.

sQ Record demo video>

sQ Load

sQ Load is a new central ingest tool for native loading of P2 and XDCAM. sQ Load delivers faster-than-realtime ingest for file-based media to shared storage. The ingest operator is also offered the ability to supplement camera-originated metadata and a choice of loading clips as a single story or individual rushes.

• View and filter clip list and metadata
• Add clips to a batch ingest list
• On screen progress reporting
• Automatically rename, change owner and category for all clips in a batch
• Transfer of metadata such as description and text to sQ Server
• Instant sharing with all users
• Automatic transcoding (where necessary) to sQ Server Format

More information about sQ Load>

sQ Load demo video>

sQ Play is a network application for Enterprise sQ series servers, designed not only to create playlists but also to play content rapidly to air.

Included with the sQ Play software application is On-Air Control Panel giving a secure manual operational interface for two channels of output, and the application software that runs on a small form factor PC.

sQ Play manages up to four channels of playout, with optional MOS download from newsroom computer systems.

sQ Play can also be configured so that ports on a second sQ server are assigned to perform the same commands as the ports on the primary sQ server. This provides 100% playout redundancy while leaving other operations on the second server such as editing, ingest etc. to continue unaffected.

Other new sQ Play facilities are:

• Jump to End for easy previewing and cueing
• Channel Sort for automatic running order updating
• Hold on End Frame/Auto-Cue Next Clip simplifying playout control
• More Operator Feedback, carrying Newsroom Computer System data through into the playout rundown
• As-Run Log that records exactly what was played out and when for legal and rights purposes

sQ Play demo video>

LiveTouch

LiveTouch introduces the ability to perform live sports highlighting and playout from a single workstation. Operators load a live ingest onto a port and use the Quantel jog/shuttle controller to search backwards and forwards along the clip, mark in and out points and add highlight clips to a playlist.

• Instantly take a sequence of highlights clips to air
• Switch back to the live recording clip and take to air at the current record frame
• Take control of a second port/playlist combination to build highlights sequences for two games simultaneously
• Highlight clips are available in the server bin for future use by sQ editors
• Pair with a second port to display overlay information for engineering monitoring

Final Cut Pro Interface

Quantel has developed an interface that integrates Apple's Final Cut Pro into the Enterprise sQ production environment, allowing FCP to participate fully in the Quantel workflow - creating stories, finishing those started on Quantel workstations and publishing directly to the Quantel server for playout. The Final Cut Pro editor is working directly with media held on the Quantel server - there is no requirement to import the media, and output can happen the moment the edit is completed. More information> or see a video demo>

MOS Gateway

The Quantel MOS Gateway is a software application that provides the user with a full MOS-compliant protocol connection between Enterprise sQ server-based production systems, the sQ Play application, and Newsroom Computer Systems (NRCS), including ANNOVA Systems' OpenMedia, Octopus, AP's ENPS and Avid iNews.

The MOS Gatway fulfils a number of functions:

• Clips stored on the sQ server can be seen in the NRCS application
• NRCS rundowns appear in the sQ Play playlist and automatically updates with any changes as they are made
• Status reporting, reflecting the status of each clip (cued, playing, finished playing) in the NRCS
• Configuration and observation via an Http server interface

Power Portals

Quantel produces a range of Power Portals which provide interfaces from material held within the sQ server to third party systems in a variety of common formats. Each model comprises a computer and pre-loaded software.

• The MPEG1 Power Portal enables ftp export of up to four simultaneous MPEG-1 streams
• The MXF Power Portal enables the import and export of SD or HD MXF files
• The Multi Resolution Power Portal outputs mixed SD and HD clips to a single MXF file
• The IA Power Port allows the safe and efficient transfer of .tar files to/from the sQ server, providing excellent connectivity for external archive systems

VDCP Interface

The Quantel VDCP Interface allows Quantel sQ server ports to be controlled by VDCP-enabled systems, meaning that ingest and playout in Enterprise sQ production systems can be run from a wide range of automation and controller providers. These currently include systems from Harris Louth, Hi-Tech Systems, Pro-bel, DNF, Ross Video and Pebble Beach Systems.