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Do More with Less
Today's customers demand ever-increasing service at ever-diminishing costs. Finding ways to continue to improve service delivery with fewer and fewer resources is imperative: Crystal can help. Together with our customers, Crystal continues to find new solutions. Many of which can be delivered at little or no cost. Many are relatively simple to implement - and we're glad to provide them as part of Crystal's customer service.
Read below to discover how your M&C can
- find lost ad-insertion triggers (e.g. DTMF, DPI)
- simplify and speed ingest operations
- automatically configure entire up-link or down-link chains with one selection
- schedule future activities
- simplify dynamic ratings codes changes
- create user-macros to automate repetitive tasks
Verifying Supposed "Lost" Ad Triggers
STOP wasting time pouring through logs of DPI, DTMF, or cue-tone triggers in a Quixotic attempt to disprove or find the extent of loss. Crystal's AdCheck™ solution can eliminate this time sink: AdCheck™ notifies you and your operators immediately upon loss and automatically generates reports detailing:
- what was lost
- where it was lost (e.g. pre- or post-compression, in the fiber link before or after delivery to compression)
- or prove there was no loss at all - verification and reconciliation via confidence receivers
Crystal's AdCheck™ does all of this. Learn more>
Agile Ingest Solutions
Rapid assessment of the problem when attempting to lock a receiver on to ad hoc satellite feeds can be very vital - as seconds tick away. Crystal has developed solutions to quickly determine:
- if the feed is up or not; or
- if the feed is up, are my work order's modulation parameters correct?
Discover™
Auto route for spectrum analysis
If the receiver cannot lock onto a feed the operator can, with one click (see Discover button on a receiver screen below) immediately:
- command an upstream RF router to route the feed to a spectrum analyzer; and
- automatically tune the analyzer to that of the receiver
Armed with this optional feature, within seconds your operator can now know if the carrier is up or not. Crystal can deliver the entire solution, including spectrum analyzer and have your operations taking advantage of this solution in short order.
Discover™ and Carrier Constellation
Using the above example, what if we determine that the carrier is up and we still can't lock? Let's now determine if the modulation parameters on the work order match what's being up-linked.
Again, with a single click we will now select Discover™ Constellation button on a receiver screen (not shown - but placed in similar fashion as above) and we can, within seconds:
- command an upstream RF router to route the feed to a constellation analyzer; and
- automatically tune the analyzer to the that of the receiver
Depending on what we see we now know what we are dealing with and can take appropriate action.
Crystal can deliver this optional feature together with the hardware necessary. Learn More>
Ingest Smart Routing
Crystal's Smart Routing feature is a real operational time-saver for agile satellite ingest operations. Smart Routing allows the user to select the the source with only a receiver setup. Crystal then configures:
- the L-Band router; and
- the relevant antenna
The resulting setup delivers that source to the receiver.
Otherwise, the antenna, router, and receiver must each be individually configured to accomplish the task.
Ratings Encoder Monitor and Control
Ratings encoders are vital to broadcaster business interests. Crystal has developed applications that:
- interface with both Nielsen and Arbitron hardware
- automate Nielsen SID code assignment/re-assignment
- automate Arbitron A-ID code assignment/re-assignment
- link both Nielsen and Arbitron code assignments together
The results include improved confidence in correct assignments with minimal operator input. Learn more>
Standard High-Efficiency Features
The following features are packaged with all Crystal systems that will immediately effect your operational efficiency.
Scheduler
Individual devices that are needed for the scheduling of an incoming feed, for example, can be reserved using the Scheduling tool: a standard feature.
Crystal Solutions
The Clear Difference.
The Clear Advantage.
Crystal Clear.
Satellite and Transponder Autoconfiguration
Crystal embeds auto-tuning capability into many devices, including:
- antenna controllers
- receivers
- up- and down-converters
This allows users, instead of tuning all parameters (e.g. FEC, data rate, frequency) on one of the listed device types to select the desired satellite from a drop-down menu then the transponder from a second drop-down. Expand photo below to view (drop-downs circled in green).
Macro Creation
Repetitive actions are automated with Crystal's macro recorder. A user need only open the recorder, click through the devices, commands, and confirmations one executes in the course of the task, name the macro and save. It is actually that simple. Launch the macro manually (from a drop-down list) or automatically using the Scheduler described above.
Operator Tools
Crystal's User Tools includes:
- DVB Calculator
- Sun outage calculator and warning (release Q4 2011)
