HOW TO: Control a video router with OnTheAir Video (4.2 and later)

• This feature requires "Actions", which are only available in OnTheAir Video, not in OnTheAir Video Express.
• This article pertains to OnTheAir Video 4.2 or later.  OnTheAir Video 4.2 introduced new actions where AppleScripts are not needed anymore, thus it is much more efficient. If you are using version 4.1 or later, check this article.
• The compatible router protocols as of OnTheAir Video 4.6 are GVG Native, ProBel, Utah Scientific RCP-3, RossTalk, and Blackmagic Design Videohub.

Playlist Actions or User Actions

With OnTheAir Video 4.2 and later, users are able to directly control the router and no longer require an AppleScript. This makes it much easier, and much more reliable to control your router directly. Additionally, there are two ways to create the routing instructions, a playlist action or as a user action available with the Actions Editor. 

A playlist action is an action within the duration of a clip. While on a selected clip in the playlist, open clip inspector (command + i ). In the clip inspector, go to the timeline tab. Here is where you can add a playlist action at a timed position of a clip. A playlist action is unique as you can set the specific parameters at this moment. If you would need to reuse this action many times, and would like to avoid retyping the parameters, then the user action would be best.

A user action is a great alternative to a playlist action when you would need to reuse an action multiple times. Go to the toolbar>window>actions editor… This opens the actions editor window. In our example, let's go to routers. Go to your router command protocol and customize your parameters. Then click in the right hand corner "Save as…". Give this action a custom name, i.e. if this routes OnTheAir Video to program, save it as "Program Route". 

Back in clip inspector, there is now a new action in the plus menu called "Program Route". A user may select this and the parameters will be entered for them like the IP address, destination, source, and any after delay settings. Users may continue to modify the action's parameter here, but it will not write back to the saved user action. 

On the left, clip inspector adding an action. The user action made in the actions editor window (right). 

Videohub Switch (Blackmagic Design)

IP Address: 
Destination:
Source:
After Delay (ms):

 

GVG Native Switch

IP Address: 
Destination:
Source:
After Delay (ms):

Using the GVG protocol for Ross Ultrix (OnTheAir Video 4.1.7 or later)

Before you can use that protocol, you need to change settings in your Ultrix. In Dashboard, find your device, open "Databases", then double-click on "Connections". Then in the "Protocol Servers" pane, click on "Options":

Then for the GVG Native protocol, set L4 Echo to "Yes":

Once this is setup, below is a sample AppleScript action. You just need to indicate the IP address of the Ross video router. And then specify the source and destination.

 

ProBel Switch

IP Address: 
Matrix:
Level:
Destination:
Source:
After Delay (ms):

RCP-3 Switch (Utah Scientific)

IP Address: 
Port Number:
Destination:
Source:
After Delay (ms):

RossTalk

RossTalk is a plain-text based control protocol used to command Ross Video equipment. Commands are ASCII strings, and case-sensitive in many cases. Please note that RossTalk action sends a message, but  the RossTalk protocol does not send a response. OnTheAir Video can not be aware if the RossTalk routing action took place.

IP Address: 
Command:
After Delay (ms):