Softron's OnTheAir Node 4 (Electronic Download) is Softron's highest-end playout software. It's a Mac-based, customizable video server with an open client-server architecture, and it can be controlled remotely over the network. One client computer can control multiple OnTheAir Node servers, and third-party applications, such as Traffic and Media Asset Management, can be used to provide control with real-time media cataloging and validation. Where in previous versions of OnTheAir Node, HD support, and a static logo overlay feature were optional, they are now built in.
OnTheAir Node 4 doesn't have a user interface but rather supports two client applications for UI functionality: the free OnTheAir Live, for playlist playout; and the optional OnTheAir Manager, for scheduling. OnTheAir Live is a playlist manager for live productions. It provides a user interface for adding media and controlling playback, and it has all the features required for live operations such as cue mode and A/B roll. OnTheAir Manager is the solution for 24/7 unattended playout. It uses a calendar user interface for scheduling, and it provides advanced features such as EPG, categories, and redundancy. OnTheAir Node 4 requires one license per output channel and supports up to four HD channels on one Mac, and one OnTheAir Live and/or OnTheAir Manager can control as many OnTheAir Node 4 channels as you need.
In OnTheAir Node 4, Softron uses its own playout engine called Smart Playout Engine. This player allows mixing multiple codecs and resolutions in the same playlist without installing any additional software, and it features three resize tools that will help efficiently scale frame sizes. Automatic Resize scales to Fill, Pan-and-Scan, or Letterbox; Manual Resize lets you define parameters; and Smart Resize produces an advanced resize of interlaced clips, limiting artifacts to a minimum or none. The standard playout file type is QuickTime (.mov), but you can also select Transport Stream (.ts), MXF (.MXF), and others. Still images play in PNG and other formats, and audio support ranges up to 5.1 channels.
OnTheAir Node 4 also supports direct-to-web streaming via the optional Softron MovieRecorder 3, without any additional output card; and it supports streaming with an additional card via the optional Softron MovieStreamer HLS.
Flexible Codec/Resolution Support
Automatic / Manual / Smart Resize
Play Out up to 4 Channels
Media Management and Validation
Third-Party Integration
GPI Control
Video Router Control
Attributes for Secondary Events
Video & Audio Features
- HD support and a static logo overlay feature are built in
- Seamless playback
- YUV and ARGB video output modes, depending on the video card
- External and internal keying, if the video card supports keying in the desired resolution
- Scrubbing (move playout at time position)
- 4K capable in "standard mode" (i.e. without logo, Smart Resize, or streaming)
- Still image output
- Still logo overlay (png image)
- Smart Resize (handles interlaced formats without artifacts)
- Automatic Resize (automatically resizes clips to fit the video output)
- Manual Resize (user defined per clip)
- Supports direct-to-web IP streaming without any additional card via MovieRecorder 3, sold separately
- Supports IP streaming using an additional card via MovieStreamer HLS, sold separately
- Audio/video buffering
- One output per Mac if with Smart Resize and the optional Dynamic Graphics Overlay
- Same audio destinations as video output
- Linear PCM, MP3, MP2, AAC, Apple Lossless audio formats
- Plays audio only files
- Multiple audio channels output
- Audio auto-mapping (using QuickTime track languages)
Playlist Features
- As-run-logs
- Cue Mode
- A/B roll (two video cards required)
- Playlist editing during playout
- Show/Hide thumbnails
- ASCII playlist import
- Opens all vpls playlists (but cannot save in .vpls -- only in .xpls)
- Event fixed start time
- Schedule imports (imports all vpls playlists)
- Live events
Scheduling Features
- Scheduled playout
- Graphical calendar scheduling
- Dynamic calendar display resize
- Event and playlist categories
- Category inheritance
- Hierarchical playlists
- Repeat events (alias) by day, weekdays, weekend days, month
- Duplicate events
- "Stick" events to close gaps in scheduling
- Real-time display of overruns and underruns
- Create and control multiple schedules for multiple outputs using one application
- Detailed report of offline clips, missing playlists, overrun, and underrun
Media Management
- Media cataloging
- Media validation
- Finder label
- Clip relative path (Clips folder root)
- Clip trimming
- Clip splitting
- Reference movie
- MXF files support
- Still image support
- Resize clip manually
- Position clip in frame (when resized)
- Clip end behaviors (Normal, Stop at End, Hold Last Frame, Play Next Clip, Loop)
- Create offline clip (to program a clip that is not yet present on disk)
- Create live clip (using the optional OnTheAir Manager)
- Auto detection of offline clips and auto recovery (in Media List and Playlists)
