Overview
:
The Grass
Valley K2 is video server which supports 4 playback/record
streams.
This
MxM allows controlling a Grass Valley K2 with the
AMP protocol either via Ethernet or RS-422.
The
Grass Valley K2 must be setup to be controlled via
the AMP protocol using the front panel or the Grass
Valley AppCenter.

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Installation
(MXM) :
No special installation required.
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Creation
(Device) :
Device Creation Window :

Connection Type:
Defines the way the Grass Valley K2 is connected.
- Ethenet: via an Ethernet cable
- Serial Port: via a RS422 Serial Port
Server Address:
Network address of the Grass Valley K2 used in Ethernet
mode.
Controlled Channel:
Grass Valley K2 channel which is controlled via
Ethernet mode:
- Channel 1 [C1]
Playback/Record channel #1
- Channel 2 [C2]
Playback/Record channel #2
- Channel 3 [C3]
Playback/Record channel #3
- Channel 4 [C4]
Playback/Record channel #4
COM Port :
Com port number used to communicate with the Device
in serial port mode.
Start Time Code :
Timecode value of the first available image on the
Device. This value is used for positrack purpose.
Time Code Type :
Type of Time Code used for this device.
Default Working Bin:
Name of the K2 "Bin" which will be used
on device startup. The current K2 default bin will be used if this field
is left empty.
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Graphical User Interface:
Device Control
Panel
This MxM provides
a Device Control Panel which can be displayed either
as a stand alone window or inside a User Screen
Contenair object with the "Device Control" Manager
command. Note: See the Manager Help menu for details
about using this command.
Thumbnails of the
current clip and the next clip are displayed. Click
on a thumbnail (or on the "Load..." button)
to load a new clip, then select a clip from the
clip selection window.
The
"Clips" button opens a window which allows
clip management.
The "Upload..."
and "Download..." buttons allows transferring
file from or to the K2 Server via the Transfer Clip
dialog. The example below shows how to transfer
a clip from the default bin of the K2 Server to
another volume of the K2 Server in GXF format.
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Commands (List Of) :
Stop
:
Description : Causes the device to stop.
Parameters :
Mode : [Type : Enum] : Stop mode.
Availables values :
"Normal" : Normal stop.
"Abort All" : Aborts Auto Mode play process
and clears the list of clips to play (PendingClipList).
Note
: This command is positracked
Play :
Description : Starts playing video.Plays the
list of clips to play (PendingClipList) if any.
Parameters : No Parameter
Note
: This command is positracked
Record :
Description : Starts recording video.
Parameters : No Parameter
Fast Forward
:
Description : Performs a fast forward play
on the device at the maximum speed.
Parameters : no parameter.
Fast Reverse :
Description : Performs a fast reverse play
on the device at the maximum speed.
Parameters : No parameter.
Pause
:
Description : Pauses the device.
Parameters : No parameter.
Note : This command is positracked
Locate :
Description : Sets the device time position
to the specified position.
Parameters :
TimeCode : [Type : Time] : Time position
to go to.
Usage :
If the current
TimeCodeMode is "Timer", the TimeCode
parameter is relative to the beginning of the
clip and must be between 00:00:00/00 and the duration
of the current clip.
If the current TimeCodeMode is "LTC"
or "VITC", the TimeCode parameter is
absolute must be between the first frame timecode
and the last frame timecode of the current clip.
Note : This command is positracked
Variable Speed
:
Description : Causes the device to play in
variable speed, forward or reverse.
Parameters :
Mode : [Type : Enum] : Variable speed mode.
Availables values :
"Var" : Basic variable speed.
"Shuttle" : Shuttle variable speed.
"Jog" : Jog variable speed.
"Program Play" Program Play variable speed.
Speed
: [Type : Integer] : Percent of speed. This value
could be negative (reverse play) or positive (forward
play).
Set Loop Mode :
Description : Set the playback loop mode of the device. Parameters
: Mode : [Type : Enum] : Loop mode.
Availables values : "Off" : Loop Mode off.
"On" : Loop Mode on.
Get Clip List:
Description : Gets the list of existing clips
in the Video Disc Recorder. The list is returned
in the ClipList system variable as a string. Clip
names are separated by CR/LF character.
Parameters : no parameter.
Create Clip:
Description : Creates a clip in the Video
Disc Recorder. This command may be followed by
a "Record" command to start the recording.
Parameters :
Name : [Type :String] : The name of the
clip.
TimeCode In : [Type : Time] : Start time
code of the clip.
TimeCode Out : [Type : Time] : End time code
of the clip. If the timecode value is "00:00:00/00",
a subsequent "Record" command will start an open
ended recording which would end by a "Stop" command.
Otherwise the recording stops when the timecode
reaches the "Timecode Out" value
Usage :
If the current
TimeCodeMode is "Timer", the "TimeCode
In" parameter can be used to locate an existing
clip to the specified position prior recording.
If the current TimeCodeMode is "LTC"
or "VITC", the "TimeCode
In"
parameter must be set to "00:00:00/00".
Load Clip:
Description : Loads part of a clip in the
Video Disc Recorder. A subsequent "Play" command
will play the specified part of the clip. This
command also clears the list of clips to play
(PendingClipList).
Parameters :
Name : [Type :String] : The name of the
clip.
TimeCode In : [Type : Time] : Start time
code of the clip.
TimeCode Out : [Type : Time] : End time code
of the clip. If the timecode value is "00:00:00/00",
the out point is set to the end of the clip.
Usage
:
The "TimeCode
In" parameter can be used to locate an existing
clip to the specified position prior playing.
If the current
TimeCodeMode is "Timer":The
"TimeCode In" defines a point relative
to the beginning of the clip regardless of the
clip In Point and Out Point.
If the current TimeCodeMode is "LTC"
or "VITC", the "TimeCode
In"
parameter is absolute and must be set to a value
between the In Point and the Out Point of the
clip.
Load Next Clip:
Description : Adds a clip to the list of clips
to play (PendingClipList). A subsequent "Play"
command will play all of the clips of the pending
clip list.
Parameters :
Name : [Type :String] : The name of the
clip.
TimeCode In : [Type : Time] : Start time
code of the clip.
TimeCode Out : [Type : Time] : End time code
of the clip. If the timecode value is "00:00:00/00",
the out point is set to the end of the clip
Usage
:
The "TimeCode
In" parameter can be used to locate an existing
clip to the specified position prior playing.
If the current
TimeCodeMode is "Timer":The
"TimeCode In" defines a point relative
to the beginning of the clip regardless of the
clip In Point and Out Point.
If the current TimeCodeMode is "LTC"
or "VITC", the "TimeCode
In"
parameter is absolute and must be set to a value
between the In Point and the Out Point of the
clip.
Delete
Clip:
Description : Deletes a clip in the Video
Disc Recorder.
Parameters :
Name : [Type :String] : The name of the
clip to delete.
Get
Clip Info:
Eject:
Transfer Clip:
Description : Transfers and converts a clip
to or from the Grass Valley K2.
Parameters :
Source Path : [Type :String] : Path of
the source clip.
Source File Type : [Type : Enum] : Type
of the source clip.
Availables values :
"GXF" :
"AVI" :
"Vibrint" : Jog variable speed.
"Profile" : Native Grass Valley K2 format.
"MPEG" :.
Destination Path : [Type :String] : Path of
the destination clip.
Destination File Type : [Type : Enum] :
Type of the destination clip.
Availables values :
"GXF" :
"AVI" :
"Vibrint" : Jog variable speed.
"Profile" : Native Grass Valley K2 format.
"MPEG" :.
Usage : Use this command to transfer video
files to or from a Grass Valley K2.
Example1: To transfer an MPEG file named "Clip1.mpg"
located in a shared directory named "Videos" of
a workstation called "VideoSource" to the default
bin of a Grass Valley K2 machine called "K2",
use the following parameters:
- Source Path: "\\VideoSource\Videos\Clip1.gxf"
- Source File Type: GXF
- Destination Path: "K2/V:/Default/Clip1"
- Destination File Type: Profile
In this example, the default bin of the K2 is
in its V: Drive.
Abort Transfer:
Description : Abort the file transfer currently
in progress.
Parameters : None
Clear Pending Clip List:
Description
: Resets the preview clip and clears the pending
clip list.
Parameters : None
Set Time Code Mode:
Description : Specifies the Time Code reference
used by the K2 channel related to the device.
Parameters :
Time Source : [Type : Enum] : Reference
Time Source.
Availables values :
"Timer" : The Time Code reference is the Windows
system time of the K2 server
"LTC" : The Time Code reference is the LTC
Time Code input of the channel
"VITC" : The Time Code reference is the VITC
Time Code input of the channel
Usage : The time code mode of a K2 channel
modifies the usage for time related parameters
of several commands like Locate, Load Clip, Load
Next Clip. The time code mode has also an impact
on "Deferred Execution" parameters.
See each command description for more details.
Deferred
Stop :
Description : Stops the current clip at the
specified K2 server time.
Parameters :
Exec Time : [Type : Time] : Server Time
of the execution of the command.
Usage : A deferred command is triggered when the "Time
Source" of the K2 channel is equal to the
"Exec Time" parameter.
For example: if the "Time Source"
is "Timer" (that is, using the internal
system clock of the K2 server) and the "Exec
Time" is "00:01:00/00", the command
will be triggered by the K2 server when its
internal system clock reaches "00:01:00/00".
The "Time Source" of a K2 channel
is selectable via the "SetTimeCodeMode"
command.
Deferred commands are useful when a frame accurate
synchronisation between several K2 servers (or
K2 server channels) is needed and when several
servers share the same time source, for example
the same LTC clock.
Example of Manager programming for deferred
commands:
Algorithm:
1. Get the value of the common source clock
(either from a variable of a K2 device or via a TimeCode device)
2. Add a "preroll" time value to this
value.
3. Execute deferred commands using the computed
execution time
Pseudo Code (ExecuteTime is a user variable):
Expression( ExecuteTime=TC.TimeCode+"00:00:01/00"
)
K2A_Channel1.DeferredStop( ExecuteTime )
K2A_Channel2.DeferredStop( ExecuteTime )
K2B_Channel1.DeferredStop( ExecuteTime )
K2B_Channel2.DeferredStop( ExecuteTime )
Note that no positrack is performed for deferred
commands.
Deferred
Play:
Description : Starts playing the current clip
at the specified K2 server time.
Parameters :
Exec Time : [Type : Time] : Server Time of
the execution of the command.
Usage : see
"Deferred Stop".
Deferred
Record:
Description : Starts recording at the specified
K2 server time.
Parameters :
Exec Time : [Type : Time] : Server Time of
the execution of the command.
Usage : see
"Deferred Stop".
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Variables (List Of) :
TimeCode :
Type : Time.
Description : Current time position of
the device.
StartTimeCode :
Type : Time.
Description : Timecode of the first availabe
frame (image) on the device.
CurrentStatus:
Type : Enum.
Description : Current status of the device.
Available Values :
"Cassette Out" : No tape is present in the device.
"Stop" : The device is in stop mode.
"Still" : The device is in still mode (same
state as Stop).
"Play" : The device is playing.
"Record" : The device is recording.
"Forward" : The device is in fast forward play.
"Rewind" : The device is in fast rewind play.
"Locate" : The device is performing a time position.
"Var Speed Still" : The device is in basic variable
speed but at speed 0.
"Var Speed Reverse" : The device is in basic
variable speed, reverse play.
"Var Speed Forward" : The device is in basic
variable speed, forward play.
"Shuttle Still" : The device is in shuttle variable
speed but at speed 0.
"Shuttle Reverse" : The device is in shuttle
variable speed, reverse play.
"Shuttle Forward" : The device is in shuttle
variable speed, forward play.
"Jog Still" : The device is in jog variable
speed but at speed 0.
"Jog Reverse" : The device is in jog variable
speed, reverse play.
"Jog
Forward" : The device is in jog variable speed,
forward play.
"Program
Play Reverse":
"Program Play Forward":
"Not Online": The device is not online
"Connectiing": The MxM is connecting
to the device (Ethernet only)
"Opening": The device is connected
and the MxM opens a control channel (Ethernet
only).
"Closing": The MxM is disconnecting
from the device.
CurrentError :
Type : Enum.
Description : Last occured error.
Available Values :
"No Error" : No error.
"Command Error" : The last command could not
be completed due to unacceptable in this state
or not supported.
"Not Online" : The device don't respond, not
online.
Current Clip :
Type : String.
Description : Name of the current clip.
Current clip is the last clip loaded with the
LoadClip command.
Current
Clip Duration:
Type
: Time.
Description : Duration of the current clip.
Current clip is the last clip loaded with the
LoadClip command.
Clip
List :
Type : String.
Description : List of existing clips in
the Video Digital Recorder as retrieved by the
GetClipList() command. Clip names are separated
by CR/LF.
Clip
Count :
Type : Integer.
Description : Count of existing clips in
the Video Digital Recorder as retrieved by the
GetClipList() command.
Pending Clip
List :
Type : String.
Description : List of remaining clips to
play. Clip names are separated by CR/LF.
Pending
Clip Count:
Type : String.
Description : Number of clips in the pending
clip list.
In Time :
Type : Time.
Description : "TimeCode In" value of the
current clip.
Out Time
:
Type : Time.
Description : "Time Code Out" value of
the current clip.
Usage : A value of 00:00:00/00 means that
the current clip will play up to its end.
Remaining Time :
Type : Time.
Description : Available time left for record.
TransferStatus:
Type : Enum.
Description : Current status of the file
transfer.
Available Values :
"Idle" : No transfer has ever been done.
"Queued" : A Transfer request has been queued
in the K2.
"In Progress" : A transfer is in progress.
"Error" : An error has occured during the last
transfer.
"Completed" : The last transfer has been completed
successfuly.
"Aborted" : The last transfer has been aborted.
Transfer Progress:
Type : Integer.
Description : Transfer progress in percent.
SystemTimeMode:
Type : Enum.
Description : Current Time Code Mode of
the K2 channel.
Available Values :
"Timer" : : The Time Code reference is the Windows
system time of the K2 server.
"LTC" : The Time Code reference is the LTC Time
Code input of the channel.
"VITC" : The Time Code reference is the VITC
Time Code input of the channel.
SystemTimeCode:
Type : Time.
Description : Value of the currently selected
TimeCode reference of the K2 channel.
LoopMode:
Type : Enum.
Description : Current playback loop mode of the device.
Available Values :
"Off" : Loop Mode is off.
"On" : Loop Mode is on.
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Support
(Difference with previous versions) :
V 1.0.1:
- Added: Support for Showmaster.
V 1.0.2:
- Bug Fixed: log trace engine is not correctly initialized.
V 1.0.3:
- Internal Changes.
- ControlPanel doesn't open centered in a Container.
V 1.0.4:
- Added: Support for Showmaster Pro.
V 1.0.5:
- Added: 'Set Loop Mode' command and LoopMode status.
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