Content Engine V2.3 - Snell

Innovation in the
Multi-Screen World
Delivering IT efficiency without
losing broadcast resilience.
Snell employs a wide range of
technologies to ensure market
leading functionality and
performance.
Content Engine V2.3
Technical Data Sheet
System resilience is at the core of
every design, capable of achieving
up-times in excess of 99.9999.
Snell systems evolve with our
customers’ needs ensuring a long
life and maximum ROI.
Features
Four channels of SD playout
Two channels of HD playout
Up/down scaling
Master control transitions (video
& audio)
Horizontal and vertical line
timing adjustment
Up to 8 keyers per channel mixer
Manual operator internal router
control
Internal router control via
automation
Static and animated logos
Two tile DVE
Text scrolls & crawls
Media validation
2 hardware options
3 pre-configured software
options
With 3.6TB internal storage
(RAID 10)
The Content Engine (CE) has moved
beyond the basic video and audio
features other systems are limited to
and combines a comprehensive range
of playout functions in an IT platform.
Thus replacing more downstream
hardware within the transmission path.
Snell more accurately emulate a
master control environment than any
other provider, this is done with the
unique FlexiCore technology – a core
architectural feature that sets Snell
apart from the competition.
FlexiCore allows the resources in the
Content Engine to be dynamically
allocated to channels based on
requirements.
Dramatically lowers the cost per
channel.
Quick to deploy and reduces integration
complexity.
Multi-channel support in a single
device provides unique mixing and
keying capabilities for combining live
and pre-recorded content.
Competitive products with fixed signal
paths will inherently limit customers
and may not work in some applications.
Content Engine already has an industry
leading feature set and new features
can be easily added to Content Engine
and integrated into the signal path.
Content Engine provides multiple ins
and outs on the router with a constant
latency from inputs to outputs, both
are essential when mixing live content
with pre-recorded content.
Minimizes a customer’s requirements
to sustain the current power, rack
space, and overall health of traditional
downstream hardware within a facility.

ICE Applications
Content Engine Specification
ICE can be used as both a standalone
playout subsystem and alongside
conventional transmission chains to
provide a wider range of SD and HD
configurations. Being fully integrated
with Morpheus automation, means the
associated costs of scheduling and
content preparation can be minimized.
Device integration, monitoring and
control are also streamlined.
HD channels
ICE reduces the cost and complexity
for HD channels allowing them
to benefit from the very latest
technology to create a full HD or
hybrid SD / HD playout channel.
Including the play out of multiformat
SD and HD material back-toback
in a single playlist.
Base Features
Standard Advanced Enterprise
Four channels of SD playout (Channel=mixer) • • •
Two channels of HD playout (Channel=mixer) • • •
Up/down scaling (incl RP186 support) • •
Master control transitions (video & audio) • • •
Horizontal and vertical line timing adjustment • • •
Up to 8 keyers per channel mixer • • •
Manual operator internal router control • • •
Flexicore internal router control via automation
Static and animated logos • • •
Two box DVE
Text crawl generation • • •
Crawl generation (RSS or XML) • •
•
•
Content preparation using ICE QC
and preview
As channels become more complex
it’s important to be able to QC
content throughout the workflow
often with graphics and channel
branding in-place. ICE provides a
flexible QC viewing port which can
replicate channel look and feel.
Back up channels
ICE enables cost effective n+1
type back up, and as it is directly
integrated with Morpheus the setting
up additional drivers, content
transfers and alarms for the back up
air chains are greatly simplified.
A single ICE unit can protect up to 4
SD or 2 HD channels.
Flexible Plus 1 Channels
Plus 1 channels are being added
increasingly to core services as a
means of generating additional
revenue in later time slots.
Frequently the customer needs
more than just a time delay, often a
whole new schedule is required. The
combination of Morpheus
automation and ICE provides
integrated channel branding and
commercial insertion necessary to
maximize revenue from the offset
timeslot.
Audio
Up to 4 audio overs per mixer • •
Dolby E pass through support • • •
Support for AES inputs/outputs • •
Provide audio 5.1 downmix
Automation control of audio shuffling and gain • •
Omneon compatible tagged audio tracks
Captioning
Captioning (608/708) and subtitling pass-thru • • •
File-based captioning/subtitling • •
608 to 708 captions • •
708 to 608 captions • •
WST (Teletext) • •
Open subtitles (live rendering)
Live closed caption insertion from external supplier (VITAC)
Scaling based to OP47 standard • •
Ancillary data
AFD-based scaling & data insertion
TC userbit insertion • •
Generate DTMF tones
•
•
•
•
•
•

The ICE System
Content
Acquisition
Business Planning System
Content Management Database
Process
Management
Content Infrastructure
Storage
Management
Channel-in-a-Box
Morpheus Playout
Automation
Traditional
Playout
Infrastructure
ICE
Content
Engine
Technical Specification
Dimensions
Height: 132mm (5.2”)
Width: 437mm (17.2”)
Depth: 648mm (25.5”)
Weight:
34.0Kg (75lbs)
Physical dimensions
3RU
Front panel buttons and indications
Power on/off
System reset
Power LED
Hard disk activity
2 x network activity
System overheat
Power fail LED
Power supply
100-240V, 50-60Hz 10-4 amps
(Dual800 W redundant PSU)
Operating environment
Operating temperature range:
10°-35°C (50°-95°F)
Non operating temperature range:
-40°-70°C (-40°-158°F)
Operating humidity range: 8-90% non
condensing
Non operating humidity range: 5-95%
non condensing

Innovation in the
Multi-Screen World
Support
Snell provides a host of world
class customer services that take
our clients from the inception of
a project, through all of the key
stages to air, and throughout the
system’s working life.
Services include:
Workflow analysis
Systems architecture
Implementation
Operational training
On-going support
For more information, please
contact us at snellgroup.com
Ordering Information
ICE-0204-STD
Content Engine STANDARD
2 external inputs - 4 external
outputs
ICE-0204-ADV
Content Engine ADVANCED
2 external inputs - 4 external
outputs
ICE-0204-ENT
Content Engine ENTERPRISE
2 external inputs - 4 external
outputs
ICE-0404-STD
Content Engine STANDARD
4 external inputs - 4 external
outputs
ICE-0404-ADV
Content Engine ADVANCED
4 external inputs - 4 external
outputs
ICE-0404-ENT
Content Engine ENTERPRISE
4 external inputs - 4 external
outputs
ICE-MCL-001
Morpheus Channel License
1 license is required per
configured channel of
automation and allows for
the use of multiple resilient
EventStore server hardware.
Company policy is one of continuous product
improvement. Specifications are therefore provisional
and subject to change without notice. All other
trademarks mentioned herein are duly acknowledged.
snellgroup.com
Morpheus ICE Wrapper and Essence Formats
Supported Wrappers
MXF (OP1A and AS-02)
AVI
MOV (Internal and External Essence)
WMV
GXF
Avid DNxHD
Apple ProRes
Supported Video for Playback D10 (IMX) 30/40/50 Mb/s
DV25, DVCPRO25, DVCPRO50, DVCPRO100 (HD)
XDCAM HD 50 Mb 4:2:2
SD IBP MPEG 4:2:0
SD IBP MPEG 4:2:2
HD IBP MPEG 4:2:0
HD IBP MPEG 4:2:2
SD I-Frame MPEG 4:2:2
HD I-Frame MPEG 4:2:2
Supported Audio for Playback WAV 16/16, 24/24, or 24/32
AIFF in 16/16, 24/24, or 24/32
Supported Recording Wrappers MXF
MPG
GXF
MOV
Supported Recording
Codecs
Format Name
DV25
DV50
DV100
D10 30
D10 40
D10 50
XDCamHD 420
XDCamHD 422
Mpeg 420
Mpeg 422
Mpeg 420 (MPG)
Mpeg 422 (MPG)
SD MPEG with Alpha
SD MPEG with Alpha
Supported Frame Rates
Content_Engine_Tech_Datasheet_v1
Codec
DV25
DV50
DV100
IMX
IMX
IMX
XDCam HD
XDCam HD
MPEG
MPEG
MPEG
MPEG
MPEG
MPEG
Bit Rate
Mb/s
25
50
100
30
40
50
50
50
12
15
12
15
40
60
Audio
Tracks
2 or 4
4
4
4 or 8
4 or 8
4 or 8
2 or 4
8
2 or 4
2 or 4
2 or 4
2 or 4
0
0
Resolution
Frame Format Size
PAL 4:3
PAL 16:9
1080i 50
1080p 50
NTSC
720p
1080i 59.94
1080p 59.94
SD
SD
HD
HD
SD
HD
HD
HD
720 x 576
720 x 576
1920 x 1080
1920 x 1080
720 x 486
1280 x 720
1920 x 1080
1920 x 1080
File
Format
MXF
MXF
MXF
MXF
MXF
MXF
MXF
MXF
MXF
MXF
MPG
MPG
MXF
MXF
Frame
Rate
25
25
25
50
29.97
59.94
29.97
59.94