Helm Now Intregrated With Spectrum ChannelPort

Rascular, supplier of PC-based multi-device control, has announced the integration of Helm with Harmonic’s innovative Spectrum ChannelPort integrated channel playout device.
This allows users to control and monitor the playout technology, in conjunction with other third-party devices, via user-defined, PC-based control panels.
ChannelPort is a next-generation integrated playout solution that combines critical channel-branding capabilities and master control switching with clip playout functionality to simplify integration and workflow, lower equipment purchase expenditures, and reduce maintenance and operations costs.
Helm provides comprehensive control of ChannelPort including the keyers for taking logos on- and off-screen and also the ability to select different graphics assets for each keying layer. Helm can also control the text displayed by the CG as well as providing access to the overall playout functionality of the unit (clip selection etc.)
Roddy Pratt, Technical Director with Rascular, said: "Channel-in-a-box technologies are growing in popularity as they provide a cost-effective solution to the demand for an ever-increasing number of channels and regional variations.
"Helm gives operators comprehensive manual access to ChannelPort, allowing control and monitoring of that technology. It sits on the same screen as control and monitoring of a host of other devices in a playout environment. Users can define complex workflows, given single-button access to the precise functionality they require within ChannelPort."
Helm allows customers to pick best-of-breed systems – be that branding devices, routers, video servers, VTRs, multi-image display processors and modular gear, or any combination - from a range of different manufactures and provides a single, integrated, user-defined, PC-based control/monitoring surface for operators. This allows users to control channels, or pods of channels, from a single screen using bespoke, pre-defined buttons for complex workflows.
Helm has already assisted many broadcasters around the world in a huge variety of ways, from relatively simple PC-based third-party device control to handling complex, multi-faceted workflows via a simple, user-defined interface. Helm is now integrated with products from: Miranda, Harris, Pixel Power, Snell, Ross Video, Nevion, Lynx Technik, Axon, Evertz, Harmonic and many other manufacturers that provide industry-standard protocols such as VDCP and SNMP.
www.rascular.com