Mosart v3.0 Introduces Customizable Touchscreen Interface for On-the-Fly News and Sports Operation

BERGEN, Norway -- April 6, 2011 -- At the 2011 NAB Show, Mosart Medialab will introduce version 3.0 of its newscast automation system. Mosart v3.0 debuts a new graphical user interface allowing users to create operating environments tailored to several production requirements or house styles.

With its flexible on-screen display of elements needed during live broadcasting, Mosart v3.0 further extends Mosart's ability to support ad-hoc operation. Users can assemble combinations of production elements into a collection of on-display buttons with touchscreen operation for on-the-fly response while on-air. In this way, Mosart v3.0 combines a high-level control of every gallery device with efficient random-based automation for ad-hoc live operation.

"It is often thought that using an automation system ties you to scheduled operation, without the ability to react instantly to events," said John Kjellevold, managing director, Mosart Medialab. "We built Mosart from the ground up to be flexible in operation. Now, we have embodied that flexibility in a touchscreen interface that directors can use if they want to diverge from the scheduled rundown."

With Mosart v3.0's virtual shot-box, users can assign elements from stories to an on-screen button, and instantly recall elements by touch to the studio's preview or program monitors. Elements can include technical events such as a clip, lower thirds and other graphics, and DVEs. The combination of buttons and elements can be created in the virtual shot-box, allowing the freedom to assemble assets for instant, ad-hoc use. Drag-and-drop functionality enables instant assignment of elements to shot-box buttons. To support rapid reaction during breaking events, multiple clients can be configured to allow a team of production assistants to select and assign elements to appear on the director's on-screen shot-box.

For speedy location of elements, users can use Mosart's new search window to find assets on connected playout servers, then drag them directly either to the timeline, to a shot-box button, or to v3.0's new pool window.

The pool is another feature of Mosart v3.0 designed to extend flexible operation. The pool allows users to see a list of all technical assets, including clips and graphics, associated with a scheduled story. These assets can then be assigned to a global pool of elements for random access re-use. The pool makes it easy for news and sports production teams to assemble collections of events likely to be required for repeated use at any time, such as record-breaking performances at the Olympic Games, or crucial sound-bites in a developing political crisis.

Also making its first appearance in v3.0 is the script view, which presents the technical information and entire script for two stories in the rundown -- the current one and a second selected one.

Mosart v3.0's customizable screen environment allows users to dedicate a screen to the shot-box display, or to arrange configurations of shot-box buttons, search window, script view, timeline and counter displays together on the same screen. Screen configurations can be saved as individual user logins or for standardized working environments.

Mosart version 3.0 also features enhanced handling of macros, sequences, loops, and graphical and event continue points. The sequences tool enables separate parallel rundowns that can be executed, for example, on a studio back wall. Macros and continue points simplify automation setup, allowing the director to program once, but then proceed through multiple events or effects. In Mosart 3.0, looping can be applied to rundowns, segments, sequences, and clips.

Further information on Mosart Medialab and its products is available at www.mosart.no or by phone at +47 55 90 80 70.

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About Mosart Medialab Mosart Medialab is a subsidiary of TV 2 and one of the cluster of technology spin-offs originating from TV 2 including Vizrt, StormGeo and Vimond. Mosart Medialab (www.mosart.no) develops and markets the Mosart automation system for news, sports, weather and live broadcasting applications. Conceived in 2002 at TV 2 by professional news directors, producers and editors, Mosart meets the demands of live production by simplifying workflow and control, eliminating operational errors, and providing a highly flexible environment for ad-hoc operation. High-level gallery control is combined with a sophisticated user interface making it easy to override the schedule and improvise when breaking news demands instant response. Open-systems architecture ensures industry-leading compatibility with the widest range of third-party systems. Mosart is used for prime-time shows and 24/7 operations by major broadcasters. Mosart is Europe's market-leader in studio automation and customers include BBC,SKY, N24,TV 2 Denmark,YLE, and NRK.

ENDS