Archive translation. Specifications, services and availability reflect the original publication date. Verify current compatibility before production use.
Programme structures were becoming more flexible while broadcasters faced growing pressure to keep production economical. Small and medium-sized television stations in particular struggled to meet those requirements.
OnairForce was designed to provide database-driven control of complex programme and transmission schedules using MPEG-2 video. The system could import external data, including national advertising information, and connect to advertising scheduling systems. A drag-and-drop interface was intended to shorten staff training, while recurring transmission sequences could be saved as templates.
Planning and playout
Schedules were assembled in a browser-like environment. Collapsible programme and event branches kept long running orders readable. Database integration allowed planning to begin before the corresponding MPEG-2 files were available, while status windows and warnings reported missing material or items that exceeded or fell short of their target duration.
Operators placed items in the planning window by dragging them from configurable database views or by using a data-entry form. Block and programme lengths were recalculated after every change. A transmission could start manually or in real time, allowing OnairForce to operate either within a live control room or as an automated playout centre.
The running schedule remained editable during transmission. After an item aired, its transmission time was recorded in the database, and advertising affidavits could be generated automatically and sent to internal or external databases.
Client-server operation
A client-server network could run several programme streams at once. DVC described the result as a fully digital production workflow based on MPEG-2 video, with turnkey systems adapted to individual installations. OnairForce was shown as a broadcast automation system at Systems in Munich.
