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What optional software modules are available?
Hardware FAQ Solution #10, Interface Devices (last modified 06/19/2007):
Optional Software Modules (Scala EXs)
Playback Audit and Billing EXes.
NOTE: Currently the Playback Audit EX is not available for InfoChannel 5.
The Billing EX (included with InfoChannel 3 is similar to the LOG EX except that it produces a comma delimited text file that keeps track of the page name, the player name, start time and stop time of the ad. This file can be fed to a generic database program for producing reports. Other database systems can also interface with these generic reports.
Serial EX
This EX included with both InfoChannel 5 and InfoChannel 3 allows you to easily send and receive data from any RS232 port in Scala. It has a relatively user friendly authoring GUI, and is generally intended for low speed serial communications.
Video Control EXes
The Video Control EX is sold separately for both InfoChannel 5 and InfoChannel 3. This contains 3 separate video EXes for controlling video switchers, VCRs, Laser Disc, DVD, and Leightronix control devices.
The Scala Switcher EX allows you to use a variety of audio/video switchers, controlling them directly with an Designer 3 script. Switchers currently supported by this EX include Adrienne AEC-1; Digital Processing Systems RS-2800 4 × 1; Kramer VS-401 4 × 1, VS-402 4 × 2, VS-801 8 × 1, VS-802 8 × 2, VS-601XL 6 × 1, VS-808XL 8 × 8, 16 × 16, 4 × 4 models; PESA Bobcat; Sigma SCI-210, SCI-8 × 8, SLX; and Vicon VPS-1300.
Similar to the Switcher EX, the Scala VCR EX allows you to control a serial-equipped videocassette recorder, videocassette player, or laserdisc player from within an IC3 Designer script. Models currently supported by this EX include JVC professional models with RS-232; Panasonic AG5700, AG7350 with RS-232; Sony UVW models with RS-232; RS-422 controlled VCRs such as the Sony DSR-60 (with Addenda Electronics 2/3 or 2/8 RS-232 > RS-422 adaptors); Pioneer laserdiscs with RS-232; Generic RS-422; and the Pioneer 7400 DVD.
Bundled with the VCR and Switcher EXes is the Leightronix EX. This EX allows control of several interface devices produced by Leightronix Inc. including the MINI-T-Net, MINI-T-PRO, PRO-8, and PRO-16. The Leightronix devices connect to a wide variety of serial controlled VCRs, and provide a combination of switcher functions and VCR transport control, making them highly versatile in a budget video production environment.
TV Tuner EX
The TV Tuner EX is sold separately for both InfoChannel 5 and InfoChannel 3. This support use of various TV-capable add-on cards through the Scala TV Tuner EX. The TV Tuner EX gives you the capability of controlling TV Tuner hardware that accepts and displays a video input. This makes it possible for you to incorporate a video input within your Scala InfoChannel Designer 5 and InfoChannel Designer 3 scripts.
For recommended TV Tuner cards for InfoChannel 5 please see the Hardware Guide page at: http://www.scala.com/infochannel-5-TV-Tuner-faq/infochannel-5-TV-Tuner-faq.html
For recommended TV Tuner cards for InfoChannel 3 please see the Hardware Guide page at: http://www.scala.com/hardware/tv-tuner-cards.html
HDTV EX
Currently this EX is not supported in InfoChannel 5.
The MyHD HDTV EX (sold separately)is a new add-on EX for IC3 Designer and IC3 Player that controls the MyHD MDP-120 HDTV tuner card from Macro Image Technology. The functionality of this new EX includes Play HD MPEG-2 transport stream files on the MyHD display. Tune and display ATSC HDTV signals, or NTSC signals, like a TV tuner. Please see the Hardware Guide page for the HDTV EX at:
CORIOgen EX
The CORIOgen EX is sold separately for both InfoChannel 5 and InfoChannel 3.The CORIOgen EX controls the Vine Micros CORIOgen overlay genlock. Great for video applications combining text and video.
Weather EX
The Video Control EX is sold separately for both InfoChannel 5 and InfoChannel 3. InfoChannel 5 and InfoChannel 3 software products support use of the Davis Instruments Vantage Pro™ and Weather Wizard III® weather station units through the Scala Davis Weather EX (sold separately).
The Scala Davis Weather EX allows the display of weather information from a Davis weather unit within a Scala InfoChannel Designer 3 script. This information is gathered electronically from the weather station, which is connected to the computer through a serial port.
The data received from the weather station is written to variables, the values of which can be displayed on a script page. The variables update in real time as they change, so the script becomes like a remote terminal for the weather station. The variable values can also be written to a file.
Regards,
Scala Technical Support
