Mica Installation Planning Guide - Sept 2011
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One important way in which the Broadcast Pix Mica system stands out from other traditional switchers is its file-
based architecture. Not only can the system support a wide-variety of live SDI video formats, it can also accept a
wide-variety of standard graphic and video file formats.
A file is a graphic, clip or animation that is encapsulated in a computer file, such as a .tga graphic or a .mov
QuickTime clip. It includes not only the content, but also the name of the file. Files are generally created from a
computer/editing system like Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Avid or an animation program like Artbeats or
Digital Juice. The files are then sent over a 1 Gig network in either pre-production or during a production using
Fluent Watch-Folders and stored internally in the Mica system. Files can also be created with the included Harris
Inscriber CG, optional Chyron CG, as a CG or animation.
Accepted File Formats
The following file formats can be played on the Mica system:
•
HD Graphics Stores: 1920x1080, or 720p, or SD: .tga, .bmp, .jpg, .png, .gif, .tif, Inscriber's .scribe, of Chyron Lyric
•
HD Animations Stores: a QuickTime animation file or a folders containing an image sequence of 1920x1080 files:
.tga, .bmp, and .png. Capacity is up to 800MB long compressed .tga or up to 100 frames uncompressed (which
includes QT animations) with 1 animation store, which is how the system ships, or it can be set to 2 animation
stores each with one half the capacity. When set for 1 animation store, the second channel of the animation
store may be used for single frame graphics.
•
HD Clip Store: 1920x1080 files at 29.97 or 25 fps .mov or .mp4 files in H.264, or .mov in ProRes (PX, LT and
422/normal)
Fluent Watch-Folders
Fluent Watch-Folders greatly streamlines your live production workflow by enabling clips and graphics to be sent
over a network from your favorite edit stations and graphics systems. For example, a Final Cut operator can send a
clip into a Fluent Watch-Folder for the 6 o’clock news program, and it will automatically appear in the Mica
system’s Fluent Clip Store for the 6 o’clock news. Late breaking news can even flow into Watch-Folders during the
middle of a live show. When it arrives the status bar on the Fluent View lets the operator know it has arrived, and
it shows up on the PixPad on both the Fluent View and the control panel.
Virus Protection
Virus protection software is not installed in the system, as it does affect system performance. If the installation is
in an environment where there is a lot of network activity than it is recommended that virus protection software
be added, and turned off before each show. The AVG and Avast products have been tested by Broadcast Pix and
work well, and are easy to turn off and on.
File Inputs
Final Cut
Photoshop
Mica System
1 GB Network Switch
Typical Wiring for Watch-Folders