Each K2 Edge system includes the Grass Valley TX/MAM™ asset management system with a central database. The TX/MAM standard IT server uses a web-based GUI to control all assets including video clips, audio clips, captioning, metadata, and graphic elements on discrete playout nodes.
Standard functionality of the TX/MAM asset management system includes:
- File ingest
- Trim, soft part segments
- Low-res proxy quality control
- Secondary essence management
- Closed-caption/subtitles
- Customizable metadata
- User rights management
- Transmission dashboard
- FTP interface to optional storage solutions
Each K2 Edge system includes the Grass Valley Cobalt™ playout automation software. The Cobalt playout automation system manages all on-air events, and for increased reliability, runs completely independent from the database.
- Schedules are imported manually or automatically
- Schedule importer links event with formats by rules
- Formats can be added, deleted, replaced manually
- All secondary events created in Channel Composer are visible
- References to database fields and import fields are populated
- Timing of all secondary events are visible
- References and timing can be manually changed
- Multiple channels can be operated at once
- Main and backup are automatically run in sync
As an innovative approach to creating the on-air look of a channel, Grass Valley Channel Composer™ is available as a software option that manages the import (from traditional graphics design tools such as Photoshop, Premiere, and After Effects) and animation of 2D and 3D graphics, creates animations, and links graphics templates to data sources for real time on-air presentation.
A powerful, fully integrated channel graphics composition and management tool, Channel Composer runs on Windows and Mac platforms and is integrated with the TX/MAM server where templated graphics and a data stream can be defined and then referenced together as "live" integrated elements in the on-air playlist.
Channel Composer is also used to export the complete channel design as a single package (channelpack) to the central database and becomes active from a certain date for a specific channel.
Channel Composer is not a graphics design tool for the channel as it is too highly integrated with the real-time aspects of the K2 Edge system to allow the freedom of design that designers are used to.
As part of the K2 media server family, K2 Edge is focused on integrated playout where all the needed functions—media playout, channel graphics, asset management, and automation—are included in one tightly integrated system.
K2 Summit™ Transmission clients and servers will continue to provide the basis for content ingest, preparation, and archiving, as well as playout for those using a traditional approach for managing their playout.
K2 Summit and K2 Solo™ will continue as production servers for live events (including slow-motion), news, and entertainment programming.
Integrated playout is not just about adding a PC to an existing automation system for clip playout. It requires a more integrated approach, especially in the area of on-air channel design with the management of all on-screen elements.
The K2 Edge system is fully integrated and built from the ground up, not some "lite" version cut out of a high-end playout system. With K2 Edge, you'll see immediate benefits, both on-air and on the bottom line.
