Using Neptune is like having a team of personnel helping you to run your transmission

facility. It helps you ingest material into your broadcast devices, create transmission
schedules, assign resources for playback, run playlists and make changes right up to the last
moment.
Neptune is a multi-channel, frame accurate and easy to use tool. It runs under the industry
standard Windows 2000 and XP operating systems and has an intuitive Windows user
interface.
Neptune controls a broad range of device types such as a video disk server, VTR,
router/matrix, master control switcher, cart machine, archive tape drive or library as well as
slave device types such as a character generator, subtitle and aspect ratio converter.
It is a powerful, expandable and highly versatile product, which is continually being
enhanced to meet customer needs and to integrate new devices.
1.1 How does Neptune fit into my Operation?
Neptune interfaces easily with traffic, newsroom systems, scheduling systems and transmission
devices and is scalable from small to large systems. Figure 1-1 provides an overview of Neptune
interfaces.

Figure 1-1 Neptune Overview

Client User Interface

The client application provides a common intuitive interface for all automation functions.
Each client can be configured to provide access to specific functions such as ingest,
transmission, database querying, playout monitoring or any combination of these. Multiple
transmission channels can be managed from a single client.
XML Lists
Neptune‟s standard list interface conforms to the XML standard. External traffic systems can
deliver playlist files for direct use by Neptune. In some cases, the traffic system may not be
able to produce XML files in the required format. In these cases Pebble Beach are able to
write special translation software, which translates data files from a traffic system into a
Neptune XML file. Please contact Pebble Beach Systems or your local agent for details.
System Logs
After transmission, as-run and logs are saved by the housekeeper. As-run logs can be sent
back to the traffic management system for reconciliation purposes and can assist in billing
and contractual issues. Logs are also created when clips are ingested (as-moved) and
subtitle files are taken to air (as-subtitled). The physical interface between the traffic
management system and Neptune is normally via a file server connected to both the traffic
system LAN and the automation LAN.
Newsroom Systems
For newsroom systems requiring automation control, Neptune provides a Media Object
Server (MOS) interface. MOS is an evolving communications protocol for Newsroom
Computer Systems (NCS). It enables many journalists to control a variety of broadcast
devices from their desktop computers.
The Pebble Beach implementation of the MOS protocol enables a NCS to control the contents of one
or more playlists. Messages are sent from the MOS to the NCS device(s) to allow the NCS to keep
their media storage up-to-date. The status of the Pebble Beach list may also be reflected in the NCS.

Pebble Beach provides an ActiveX plug-in that has a view of the Pebble Beach storage
database. Using this view, users can drag and drop media items from the Pebble Beach
storage database directly into the NCS.
1.2 System Components
Neptune is made up of a number of computers which may be connected on a private local
area automation network. The main components are:
 Device Controller
 Housekeeper
 Client
Figure 1-2 is a simple diagram of a Neptune system, featuring transmission, ingest and
browse functionality. The diagram also includes integration with Pebble Beach‟s Anchor
Media Manager and Transcode Manager. See the document PBSD-5002 Anchor Operator
Manual for more information on this product.

Figure 1-2 A Neptune System

Device Controller
The controller communicates with broadcast devices via RS422 serial and network
connections. GPI contacts may be used for controlling simple devices and to trigger list
control functions within the automation such as cue, play and next.
The controller communicates with other components, such as the housekeeper or
clients by network communication using both TCP/IP and UDP protocols. Each
component is able to issue control commands and receive status information.
Neptune is able to control up to 48 serial devices from a single controller. If more devices
need to be controlled, additional controllers can be added.
device controller. In the example above, there are two clients for ingest and three for
transmission.
Ingest
The ingest client is used to prepare material for playback and for recording material into
broadcast devices. The ingest client allows a user to select source and destination devices to
perform these tasks.
Source devices may be VTRs (standalone or within a robotic tape library), video servers or live
sources. Destinations can be VTRs, video servers or browse encoders (MPEG 1/2/4 or WM9).
Material may be copied from a source device to a number of destination devices. Figure 1-3 shows
an overview of the devices an ingest client is able to control. It also includes interfaces to a scanner
and printer for use of barcodes.

Figure 1-3 Ingest Overview

The ingest client also provides a user interface for metadata to be entered into Neptune‟s
SQL database. The metadata includes the SOM, duration, ID, title, user notes and other
information. Barcode ID generation, printing and scanning are also supported.
Transmission
The transmission client provides a user interface to enable the transmission operator to
control the playback of material using playlists. It has a user friendly graphical interface that
enables changes to be made easily.
A playlist is a schedule of events to be played which has a group of resources available to it, such as
video server ports and VTRs. Each event has attributes that dictate how it starts, how it ends,
whether the event is played and so on. As the list is run these attributes are performed in sequence,
using the resources available to it, until an event arises that requires operator input or the operator
intervenes.

4 Transmission
The transmission client provides a user interface to enable the transmission operator to
control the playback of media using playlists. Transmission clients share the same software
as Ingest clients, though the functionality of the client will differ depending on the system
configuration.
4.1 Transmission List Overview
Each channel a broadcaster transmits that is under automation control will have a playlist
associated with it. A playlist is a schedule of events run sequentially by Neptune. An event in
a list is represented by either a media event, such as a program or a commercial, a live
event, a marker event or a comment.
Media events, live events and marker events may have secondary events associated with it.
For example, logos, Keyers, GPI triggers etc. Marker events are list events that have zero
duration but can have secondaries associated with them. Marker Events may be used for
triggering secondary events such as logos, which will be unaffected by the re-ordering of
events between the markers. The events may also be used to trigger regional opt out lists.
Comments are editable text fields that allow the user to make notes, enable list looping or
easily identify important points in the list.
Events are displayed in a grid showing one primary event per row. Figure 4-1 shows a typical
transmission list.

Figure 4-1 Transmission List Overview

Each event has attributes that dictate how it starts, how it ends and so on. As the list is run these
attributes are performed in sequence using the resources available to the list until an event is
encountered that requires user input, such as the end of a live show or until the user intervenes.

A list can be populated by one of two methods:

 Manually. By dragging and dropping media from a server in to the list or inserting events
and entering the appropriate data fields such as Media ID, duration etc.
 Loading pre-scheduled lists. Schedules for each channel may be created by a scheduling
system. Each schedule details a list of events with allocated resources and any secondary
event information.

When a list is running, the on air event in a list is displayed in green. The event immediately
after the on air event is displayed in yellow, indicating its cued status. Live events or media
events allocated to a different resource, such as a VTR device or second server port will also
be displayed in yellow if within the list‟s cue time. The list cue time is set to 02:00:00:00 by
default and is configurable.
The order of events within a list can be changed quickly and easily. This can be
accomplished by selecting the event to be moved and dragging it to the required
position within the list. Changes to the order of events within a list can be made
right up to the last moment before an event is due to go on air, the limiting factor
being the cueing time of the resource. This is typically less than one second for most
modern video servers. The minimum clip length supported by a system may also be
a factor to consider. Again, this tends to be defined by the performance of the server
being used for playout. Should a list be unable to cue an event, for example if the server
port associated with the event is experiencing problems, the list will work its way through the
scheduled events until it finds an event that it is able to cue.
Where multiple transmission clients are attached to a device controller, the
possibility may arise where lists may be edited by more than one user at the same
time. If a list is being edited from another transmission client, the control bar is
displayed in a darker shade of red. This does not lock the list but any user may take
control of the list by simply entering edit mode.
Figure 4-2 shows two clients accessing the same list. The control bar for the second
client is shows the list is in edit control mode from another client.
Figure 4-2 Two clients accessing the same transmission list

Figure 4-2 Two clients accessing the same transmission list

4.2 Using Playlists

To open a transmission list, click on the + sign next to the Transmission folder to expand the branch
in the Neptune explorer tree.
Figure 4-8 Opening a transmission list

Double click on the appropriate transmission list. The list is shown by the symbol. Figure 4.2-2 shows
a typical transmission list.

Figure 4-9 Typical transmission list

Transmission lists are populated by loading a pre-scheduled playlist or by manually creating

and modifying events. The transmission list must be in edit mode for this task.
When loading a playlist the operator can choose between the following options:
 Open a List. This will create a new playlist and overwrite an existing playlist.
 Append a List. This will add a new playlist to the end of the existing playlist.
 Insert a List. The operator may specify where in the transmission list, the playlist is to be
inserted.
Edit mode will not be available if edit privileges have not been enabled. Edit privileges can be
set for specific lists and specific clients. Please refer to the Neptune Engineers Manual or
Pebble Beach support for further assistance.

4.4 News List

The News List provides a user interface to enable the transmission operator to control the
playback of media using non-sequential playlists. News clients share the same software for
Ingest and Transmission, though functionality of the client will differ depending on the
system configuration.
Within the user interface operators also have the ability to start crash records and perform
basic trim/editing functions.
News List Overview
A non-sequential playlist is primarily designed for newsroom and sports. It provides the
operator with a list of events which can be generated by the user or through a newsroom
system via MOS.
Figure 4-80 shows a typical news list system setup. Neither secondary devices nor router control is
supported. The design of the list is such that it will be used in a control room where a production
switcher will control the video routing.

Figure 4-80 Typical news list system setup

Operators are able to play the list in any sequence desired rather than following regular sequential
ordering. Figure 4-81 shows an example of a typical news list interface.
Figure 4-81 News List Overview

The playlist or rundown is automatically populated by a Newsroom Computer System (NCS)

using the MOS protocol. The playlist is built in the NCS and then delivered to the Pebble
Beach news list once the MOS connection is activated in the newsroom system.
A playlist may consist of media or comment events. A media event is used for playing clips
from a video server, whilst a comment event displays stories from a rundown system
without a video element, such as script directions, informational or graphics stories. The
comment event is optional and can be hidden from the playlist. Comment events are
displayed in green text.
The initial comment events in the news list will indicate the rundown activated by the NCS.

4.13 Transmission Control Panel

Each client station may have attached a Pebble Beach hardware panel used to control one or more
playlists. The panel emulates the list control bar allowing operators to press physical buttons such as
PLAY, CUE, NEXT etc. It allows operators to control individual lists or gang roll lists so that they will
be simultaneously triggered at once. Figure 4-133 shows a typical panel.
Figure 4-133 Transmission Control Panel