In any broadcast studio, there are functions which tend to be taken for granted, but which cause havoc if they fail to operate properly. On-air tally and monitor source naming are two such systems - if nobody can tell if what signal is on-air, which cameras are live, whether or not the truck is feeding network, then a simple shoot becomes an evening of crisis and frayed nerves. If the technical crew can't be sure that just because a monitor display says "Camera 4", they're really looking at Camera 4, that's when the mistakes and miscues start to pile up.
TallyEngine systems are aimed at the "hidden necessities" of broadcasting, providing seamless integration of tally, GPIO routing, main router control, and source naming:
- Tally signals flow as if the router had extra levels just to route tally, meaning that a routable monitor always shows proper tally colors.
- Tally hardware can be easily configured to match voltage levels of your equipment, preventing the need for extra tally interface devices.
- Integration of Tally and GPIO signals makes it easy to support inter-device connections - including conversion from levels to pulses, inverting of signals, and complex logical structures.
- GPIO signals can switch router crosspoints, enabling easier effects builds.
- Router crosspoint switches can generate tally closures, opening up many options for automation and monitoring.
- Under-Monitor Displays (UMDs) show source names based on router crosspoints, so that UMDs on any routable monitor always have correct name information.
- Existing PCs can become control centers for routing, source name control, and tally configuration - software defined button displays are an easy and inexpensive alternative to adding router heads.
