Copyright © 2024 Traco Systems a.s.

version 2024.3.0

Table Of Contents

Preface

This is an essential guide for Traco GFX app in MediaCentral | Cloud UX, with the basic information about how to log on and off, and how to use the system.

Traco GFX and Cloud UX at your organization may be configured differently than shown in this document. Menu options will vary according to modules used by your organization, templates and other GFX objects will have different names and may be organised in a different way. Ask your system administrator if you think something is missing or configuration changes are required.

Introduction

Traco GFX is an application created for the Avid MediaCentral platform with an aim to integrate third party graphical systems into the platform. Traco GFX is a module based application which means that multiple types of graphical systems can be configured and added to the app. This version of Traco GFX supports graphical systems of following vendors and apps:

  • VizRT Content Pilot via Viz Pilot Edge
  • ChyronHego Camio via Luci
  • Traco MetaCaptions

The main purpose of Taco GFX is to allow the users browse, create and edit graphical objects (in other words GFX or GFXs) and set their timing for Avid assets. Timing GFXs for Avid assets does not modify the source media files in the Avid environment, however the assets can be published with fully rendered and timed graphics using Traco MediaRenderers. Furthermore of the post-rendering the GFXs from VizRT Content Pilot and ChyronHego Camio modules can be used as production cues (MOS objects) for newsroom systems like Avid MediaCentral | Newsroom Management (iNews) or Octopus.

Traco GFX provides standard graphics management features for Cloud UX. For more details see Working with Graphics Management Systems in the MediaCentral | Cloud UX User's Guide.

How to Access Cloud UX | Traco GFX

Every user needs their own specific login name and a password to access Cloud UX. After signing in, each user with Traco GFX entitlement can open the Traco GFX application from the Cloud UX applications menu bar, but the content and the user roles are dependent upon the system configurations.
Cloud UX App Menu Cloud UX App Menu

Cloud UX | Traco GFX Interface

Opening the application will display the Viz Pilot Edge or ChyronHego Luci web application inside the Traco GFX.

Working with Pilot Edge inside the Traco GFX app

Viewing, creating and editing Viz graphics with Pilot Edge inside the Traco GFX is exactly the same as if Pilot Edge is not running inside the Traco GFX. For more details see Viz Pilot Edge User Guide.

Working with Luci inside the Traco GFX app

Viewing, creating and editing ChyronHego graphics with Luci inside the Traco GFX is exactly the same as if Luci is not running inside the Traco GFX. For more details see ChyronHego Luci User Guide.

Working with the Rundown App

When MediaCentral Cloud UX is integrated with both a Traco GFX module and a MediaCentral Newsroom Management module, users are able to integrate graphical systems configured in Traco GFX into Newsroom Management rundowns. During a broadcast, an operator can play the graphic manually, or in the case of timed graphics, the graphics are linked to the story sequence and played automatically according the defined IN and OUT marks. For more information on assigning In and Out marks for a graphic, see MediaCentral | Cloud UX User's Guide. The following illustration shows the MediaCentral Cloud UX user interface with the Rundown app (docked) on the left, the Traco GFX app in the center, and Asset Editor on the right. Working with the Rundown App

In this example illustration, notice that the user has already added a graphical object to the story. The graphic appears in the story as MOS object with a numbered production cue. When you add a timed graphic to a story that is associated with a sequence, the graphic uses the framerate of the first video asset in the sequence. If the story is not associated with a sequence, the non-timed graphic uses the default framerate that is configured in the Viz system.

Adding Graphics to a Newsroom Story

  1. Use the Browse or Search apps to locate and open a Newsroom Management story
  2. Open the story's linked sequence with the sequence button in the story's toolbar
  3. Open the Traco GFX app next to the Newsroom Management story (both apps must be visible)
  4. Create new graphical element or open an existing from the graphical system
  5. Optionally, set the GFX timing information even in the graphical system Send GFX
  6. Click the Send GFX button in Viz Pilot Edge or the Insert button in Luci to send the opened graphical element to Traco GFX
  7. In the footer of the Traco GFX app check if Traco GFX received the GFX object from the graphical system
  8. Click and hold the Puzzle button, drag the GFX over the Queue/Story panel, and drop it on a selected segment of a Newsroom Management story. The GFX is added to the story and a production cue is created in the cue list. An asterisk indicates that the cue is a machine control instruction.
  9. Save the Newsroom Management story Adding Graphics to a Newsroom Story from Pilot Edge Adding Graphics to a Newsroom Story from Luci

Adding Graphics to a Story Sequence

After you associate a sequence with a Newsroom Management story, you can add graphic elements directly to the Sequence Timeline. When associated with a sequence, these assets are referred to as timed graphics — meaning that they are associated with timecode In and Out points. Timed graphics are displayed as segments in graphics tracks and display the same numbered production cue as shown in the Newsroom Management rundown. For more information on assigning these marks, see MediaCentral | Cloud UX User's Guide.
When you add a graphic to a sequence, the graphic is not saved as part of the sequence — it is saved with the story. If you use the Browse or Search apps to load the sequence into the Asset Editor instead of loading the sequence through the Rundown app, you will not see the graphic in the timeline.
Before you can add a template or item to a sequence, it must first be associated with a Newsroom Management story. If you load a sequence into the Asset Editor that is not associated with a story, the following workflows do not apply.
If you edit your sequence in a way that might affect the position of a video segment that underlies a timed graphic, the graphic maintains the same offset relative to the underlying segment. In other words, the graphic moves with the segment.

To add a GFX to a story sequence from the Traco GFX:

  1. Use the Browse or Search apps to locate and open a Newsroom Management story
  2. Open the story's linked sequence with the sequence button in the story's toolbar
  3. Open the Traco GFX app next to the Newsroom Management story (both apps must be visible)
  4. Create new graphical element or open an existing from the graphical system
  5. Click the Send GFX button in Viz Pilot Edge or the Insert button in Luci to send the opened graphical element to Traco GFX
  6. In the footer of the Traco GFX app check if Traco GFX received the GFX object from the graphical system
  7. Click and hold the Puzzle button, drag the GFX over the sequence timeline, and drop it on a selected location. The GFX is added to the story and a production cue is created in the cue list. An asterisk indicates that the cue is a machine control instruction.
  8. Save the Newsroom Management story Adding Graphics to a Story Sequence from Pilot Edge Adding Graphics to a Story Sequence from Luci

Deleting a Graphic Item

After you add a graphic to a Newsroom Management story or associated sequence, you can use one of the following processes to remove the graphic from the story:

  • Click on the graphic in the Sequence Timeline and press Delete on the keyboard
  • Right-click on the graphic in the Sequence Timeline to show the graphic context menu and click the Delete Graphic button
  • Click the item in the story and press the Delete button on your keyboard

Editing and Previewing Graphic Elements

  1. Do one of the following to load a graphical element item into Traco GFX:

    • Load a story into the Rundown app and double-click on the item information in the story, as shown in the following example illustration.
      Edit production cue
    • Load a story into the Rundown app that is associated with a story sequence, and double-click on the graphic in the Sequence Timeline.
    • Load a story into the Rundown app that is associated with a story sequence, right-click on the graphic in the Sequence Timeline and click Edit Graphic in the context menu.

  2. Modify and save the element in the graphical system

Modify the duration of the graphic in the Sequence Timeline

  1. Use the processes described in this document to load a story sequence into the Asset Editor
  2. Position your cursor to the left or right edge of the graphical segment in the timeline
  3. Click and drag the edge of the graphic in the Sequence Timeline to adjust the duration of the graphic

Modify the position of the graphic in the Sequence Timeline

  1. Use the processes described in this document to load a story sequence into the Asset Editor
  2. Click and drag the graphic horizontally along the Sequence Timeline to adjust its position
  3. Release the mouse button to save the new position of the graphic If you move a graphic to a different story segment, the color of the graphic changes from blue to yellow to alert you to the discrepancy between the graphic position and timing block.

Non Timed Graphical Elements

Traco GFX allows users to add graphical elements without timing information. In this case the production cue will appear in the Newsroom Management story but won't be played automatically during the playout. Triggering a non timed graphical element requires a manual intervention from an operator.

To add non timed graphical elements users must follow the process described in this document to open a Newsroom Manamegement story, but before the drag and drop operation it is necessary to set the graphical element duration to 0 and drop it to the Newsroom Management story or Sequence Timeline.
Holding down the ALT key while starting the D&D opertaion will also create a GFX object without timing infromation even if the duration is set for the received element in Traco GFX. DnD Non Timed GFX

Non timed graphical elements will appear above the Sequence Timeline. Non Timed GFX

Working with Viz Pilot News (ActiveX)

Traco GFX offers backward compatibility with the legacy ActiveX technology used by Viz Pilot News. Users can drag data elements from the Pilot News to Traco GFX footer to open the data element automatically in Viz Pilot Edge. After the data element is opened in Viz Pilot Edge within Traco GFX, users can progress in the workflow which is covered in this document (see Adding Graphics to a Story Sequence or Adding Graphics to a Newsroom Story).
Using this method data elements can be created in Pilot News and later used in Traco GFX. Viz Pilot News

Note: For modifying data element created in Viz Pilot News (AcitveX) user has to find and modify the data element also in Viz Pilot News.

Graphical Tracks

Graphical tracks used by Traco GFX are created automatically after the drag and drop operation using the defined tracks in Tracks Mapper (introduced in Traco GFX v2023.7). Users can not specify or change in which track the used graphical element will be placed, but the used track is determined from the graphical element.

Previewing Graphic Elements

Traco GFX in MediaCentral | Cloud UX offers multiple ways of previewing graphical elements:

  • Single image preview: A single image is generated by the graphical system inside Traco GFX
  • (Viz graphics only) Statical graphics preview created at the pilot1 named point (STOP or TAG) defined in the Viz scene. If pilot1 named point is not set in the scene, the GFX preview will be created at the point where the scene was closed last time. Not defining the pilot1 named point often leads to fully transparent GFX preview image, because scenes are often closed at the end of animations, when all graphics are dissolved. In this situation users may think the preview is not working, however, only a fully transperent preview image is displayed in the MediaPlayer.
  • (ChyronHego graphics only) Statical graphics preview defined at the MOS object proxy path
  • Animated graphics preview: Fully rendered animation IMPORTANT: Some limitations may apply for specific graphics
  • Composite graphic preview: A composite refers to video media assets that come from a MediaCentral module such as Production Management, combined with a timed-graphic element

Traco MediaRenderer

As mentioned earlier in this document, when creating graphical objects for sequences via Traco GFX, does not modify the source media files. They are just displayed in the MediaPlayer as a preview. However, Traco GFX provides post-renderer engines (Traco MediaRenderer) and distributor services (Traco MediaDistributor Service) for burning and distributing the medias with burned graphics.
After creating graphical objects in Traco GFX, users can export medias from the Avid environment, burn the GFXs into the exported media file and attach subtitles in separate files. Furthermore, the exported media file with burned graphics can be transcoded to multiple media formats. After the post-rendering process, the final media file can be automatically published (distributed) to multiple distribution targets, like social media platforms (Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, ...), playout servers (Airspeed, Fastserve, ...), custom FTP servers or any local or remote CMS. All these action can be triggered with a single Submit button from the Cloud UX | Traco MediaDistributor application. For details and settings, please see the Traco MediaDistributor documentaions.

Integration with Octopus NRCS

If the Cloud UX environment contains installation of the Cloud UX | Octopus app, Traco GFX can create GFXs directly in Octopus stories or assign existing Avid sequences with GFXs to Octopus storyelements with their Video ID.

Recommanded App Layout in Cloud UX

When integrating Octopus app with Traco GFX, we recommend opening the Octopus app in the Cloud UX docked area while the Traco GFX in the main area. Octopus with Traco GFX

Working with MOS Objects

Integration between Octopus and Traco GFX is handled by automatic synchronization. This means, when a GFX is created, modified or deleted for a sequence, then in the appropriate Octopus story a MOS object is also automatically created, modified or deleted. Furthermore, if the changes happen in a Octopus story, the changes will be automatically synchronized back to Traco GFX. To achieve this functionality there must be an active synchronization enabled between Traco GFX and Octopus. The easiest way to enable this synchronization is to follow the next steps every time when users start working with Octopus and Traco GFX:

  1. Open Octopus app in the docked (left) area of the Cloud UX.
  2. Open Traco GFX in the main area of the Cloud UX (see recommended layout).
  3. Open a story in the Octopus app.
  4. Open a clip from the Octopus story with the storyelement's sequence button (see deatils in Octopus documentations).

Completing the above steps the two way synchronization will be turned on automatically. When the synchronization is turned on, the Octopus button above the Traco GFX Timeline will be shown with orange color. Octops-GFX Synchronization Turned On IMPORTANT! The synchronization can be active only if both the Octopus and the Traco GFX apps are open.

Assigning Avid Sequence with GFXs to Storyelement

If users start creating GFXs without an opened Octopus story, they can later assign the sequence with GFXs to any story with a single drag and drop operation. The drag and drop operation will set the sequence's Video ID for the Octopus story's clip and add MOS objects to story based on the GFXs. If the used sequence does not have a Video ID during this drag and drop operation, then a unique Video ID will be automatically generated and set for the sequence and for the story's clip. Assign Sequence to Storyelement

This drag and drop operation will turn on the synchronization, so changing MOS objects or GFXs after this action will be automatically synchronized between Octopus and Traco GFX.

Creating and Previewing GFXs from Stories' Existing MOS Objects

If an Octopus story contains MOS objects created by any Viz Pilot client application, Traco GFX can use them to create GFXs for sequences. This means, when an Octopus story is opened and it's MOS objects were not created by Traco GFX, then those MOS objects will be imported from the story to Traco GFX. To achieve this, users only have to open the story's clip from the Octopus app while Traco GFX is opened (see deatils in Octopus documentations). MOS Objects to GFXs

This feature can be usefull for editors also, who usually do not create MOS objects and GFXs, they just need to check clip with graphical objects preview.

IMPORTANT! If a sequence already has GFXs assigned and it will be opened from the Octopus app, then all GFXs in Traco GFX Timeline will be overriden with the imported MOS Objects received from Octopus story.