MOS Gateway Module

Server	Client

The description is valid for the software version 2.10.142.100 and newer.

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The MOS Gateway module provides interfacing with NRCS (Newsroom Computer System) using MOS protocol version 2.8.5.

Main Features

The MOS Gateway module supports:

Downloading Running Order from NRCS systems:

Real-time updating of the downloaded Running Order,

Support for loading video and graphic elements,

Support for channel assignment on the NRCS side.

Synchronization of the media database catalog with NRCS:

transfer of existing and new asset data to NRCS,

transmission of data about changes of assets and their duration,

support for creating blank clips from the NRCS editor.

Transmission of statuses to NRCS:

on the execution of the downloaded Running Order,

on the readiness of assemblies.

Scheme

The image shows an example of possible interaction of software modules when using the MOS Gateway module.

Adding a Component

Stop the server via the “Stop Server” item in the right-click menu.

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In the Configure Server Components window, add the Software Components→MOS Gateway component to the current server configuration. The addition is done by moving the component to the right side of the window.

Start the server via the Start Server item in the right-click menu.

Activate the added module in the server settings: Administrator Control Panel→Manage→MOS Gateways→MOS Gateway_N→Service Enabled.

Component Settings

MOS Parameters

The tab specifies general settings for connecting to the NRCS system.

Parameter	Description
MOS ID	The MOS device identifier for the MOS Gateway module. For example, SKYLARK. MOS device IDs must be unique.
NCS ID	MOS identifier for your NRCS system.
NCS Address	IP address of your NRCS system.
Lower Port	TCP/IP port for MEDIA requests. The default is 10540.
Upper Port	TCP/IP port for RUNNING ORDER requests. The default is 10541.

Storage

The tab sets the connection settings to the mediabase, which allows you to create empty clips from NRCS and transfer the information about the assets to the NRCS system.

Parameter	Description
Service IP	IP address of the server that hosts the Storage module (media database) being used. For example, localhost.
Service Num	Service number of the Storage module on the server.
User	User name for accessing the media database.
Password	Password to access the media database.
Folder	The path to the folder that will be synchronized with NRCS. This folder will also be used to create empty clips when they are created on the NRCS side. When it is blank, the root of the media database will be used (not recommended).
Create video mode	Defines the video format for the empty clip being created.
Create audio channels	Defines the video format for the empty clip being created.
Create audio channels	Defines the number of audio channels for the empty clip being created.
Create audio channels	Defines the number of audio channels for the empty clip being created.

Players

It is possible to configure up to four players in one MOS Gateway.

It is possible to use the same MOS Gateway module to connect the same Running Order to different players at the same time. This can be accomplished by creating more than one Marker Display of the MOS Running Order type in Air Manager, selecting different players and the same Running Order.

Parameter	Description
Player Name	Player Name
Player Address	Address of the server with the Program module configured accordingly.
Player Number	The order number of the Program module that will be used to play events from the connected Running Order.
Disconnect On Conflict	If this option is enabled, the player will automatically disconnect from the NCRS system when a change in the PLAY or CUED events is detected.
Player Mode	If this option is enabled, the player will automatically disconnect from the NCRS system when a change in the PLAY or CUED events is detected.
Player Mode	When a player is connected to Running Order, it will select only those items that correspond to the selected player type: AB - running in AB player mode. Used to play VO type elements in AB player mode, Basic - basic playlist automation of the Program module, which is commonly used in Cannel-in-a-Box 3000 series servers. It is used to play VO type items in playlist mode, Graphics - graphics list mode. Used to play items of GFX type.
Accept Channels	The field specifies the allowed channel names for the player. A semicolon is used to separate the names. The NRCS system can transmit channel name data to be used for displaying specific events (clips, graphics, etc.). When a player is connected to Running Order, it will select only those items that match the list of supported channels: ;A;B - used for AB mode, where the NRCS system itself assigns clips to the desired channel (A or B). Note the empty name at the beginning - this allows to accept items in AB Player when the channel is not specified in NRCS. If no channel is specified, the system will allocate clips to channels by itself, MAIN - channel to be played in basic mode (main playlist), 2;3;4;5;6;7;8;9 - these values are used for the player in the Graphics mode and are passed to the Player column, which allows using the corresponding graphical layers of the Program module.

Loading Running Order

Once the configuration is complete, the MOS Gateway component sees all Running Orders that are given by the NRCS system. If your NRCS system has been configured correctly, you can see the active Running Orders and perform their upload to the players using the MOS Running Order display in the Air Manager client application.

Description of NRCS configuration using the Octopus system as an example.

Communication NRCS→Skylark

The MOS Gateway module from NRCS receives:

Activated Running Orders. At the same time, the MOS Gateway can track all Running Orders activated for the corresponding MOS Agent;

All changes to activated Running Orders;

Requests to create empty clips in the media database;

Requests to retrieve a list of media database contents for indexing;

Status of media files in the server storage (displayed in the Ready Running Order column). Possible values displayed are:

Ready - the media file is available in the server's media database,

Not Ready - the file is not present in the server's media database,

Disconnected - no connection,

Duration of media files in the server storage (displayed in the Duration Running Order column).

If your NCRS system uses a third-party storage for creating assets, the duration information in the Duration column and the statuses in the Ready column will show the status of the file on that storage, but not on the Skylark server storage. In this case, use the statuses in the MOS column.

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Connection Skylark→NRCS

The statuses of the items in the uploaded Running Order are sent to the NRCS system and are displayed in the MOS column:

NRCS status	Automation status	Playlist statuses
NOT READY	Status is set for rows not yet running according to the status of the media in the playlist.	NoMedia or MediaOffline
PARTIAL	Set for those playlist rows for which media is in the process of downloading	PartMedia
READY	Status is set for rows not yet running according to the status of the media in the playlist	MediaOk
CUED	Clip ready to play	Cued
PLAY	The clip is playing	Play
STOPPED	The file playback was interrupted prematurely	Skipped
END	The file has been played back completely	Done

The MOS Gateway module automatically sends a media duration update request to all three types of players (AB, Basic, Graphics). Thus, whenever an asset changes in the media database, the update is sent to NRCS and to the connected players. So the Active Folder feature can be used, it is not necessary because the duration of the playlist items will be updated anyway.

Directory synchronization is not required for all updates to work. However, it is still recommended to perform it, as this ensures that the user sees the correct list of resources.