WHEATSTONE RELEASES 2.0 VERSION OF VIRTUAL DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM

WHEATSTONE RELEASES 2.0 VERSION OF VIRTUAL DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM

WHEATSTONE VIRTUAL STUDIO TABLET 2560pxLeading AoIP innovator releases new version of ScreenBuilder, a GUI-based tool for developing virtual news desks and other virtual interfaces for the WheatNet-IP audio networked studio. 

NEW BERN, NC, USA (April 6, 2018) – Wheatstone Corporation will demonstrate the latest in virtual studio workflows this NAB with the release of ScreenBuilder 2.0, a new version of the virtual development platform for its popular WheatNet-IP audio network.

ScreenBuilder includes scripting tools and GUI for developing virtual news desks, producer workstations, control panels and other virtual interfaces and workflows for the WheatNet-IP networked studio. “We’re continually amazed at the types of controls and interfaces our customers are developing with this. It started with simple virtual mixers and now we’re seeing a variety of virtual screens and controls in the rack room, in the newsroom – anywhere there’s a network connection,” said Wheatstone Director of Sales Jay Tyler.

Broadcasters are creating entirely new virtual workflows as well as augmenting existing hardware with ScreenBuilder. For example, by augmenting WheatNet-IP audio network elements such as the TS-4 talent station with a virtual news desk on a tablet, broadcasters are able to combine standard mic input and announcer controls with virtual access to RSS feeds, fader control and profanity delay in a much smaller footprint than the equivalent, hardware-only news editing workstations.

ScreenBuilder 2.0 is the second major software release for the company’s virtual development platform introduced in 2014, and includes new scripting for capturing RSS news, sports and weather feeds.

ScreenBuilder’s development toolset includes faders, buttons, timers and other widgets that can be configured via scripting for triggering events or for monitoring and controlling elements in the network. These can tie into LIOs anywhere in the network for controlling devices and their settings, and salvos can be triggered based on the status of tallies or a cross point connection, for example. ScreenBuilder scripting ranges from basic commands for adjusting levels and turning mics on or off, to more complex routines such as determining the source connected to a fader and then displaying the name of that source on the screen.

As a virtual development platform unique to WheatNet-IP audio network, ScreenBuilder uses WheatNet-IP elements, routing and intelligence to automate workflows and to create windows into any function along the network for any number of purposes, from transmitter control to signal monitoring and beyond.

Wheatstone has been virtualizing studio functions since the very early days of IP audio networking, and not just on the screen, but inside the network too. Wheatstone introduced the Glass-E virtual mixer in 2007 and introduced virtual utility mixers at every I/O point on the network with the arrival of its WheatNet-IP audio network in 2008.  

Wheatstone will be demonstrating ScreenBuilder 2.0 and other WheatNet-IP audio network products at NAB booth N6806.

Photo attached: This is one example of how broadcasters are taking advantage of existing WheatNet-IP audio network infrastructure using the ScreenBuilder virtual development platform. Shown is a virtual news desk on a tablet complete with RSS feeds for weather, stocks and news combined with a modified talent interface that has mic input and headphone jack. Virtual editing screens such as this are replacing banks of news editing workstations in the newsroom.

 

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