Stirlitz Media Logger – advanced features & specifications

Introduction

Stirlitz Media Logger is the worlds most versatile and user friendly multichannel audio and metadata logger. Setting up the server is a breeze, and once it is running it needs no further attention. Based on a client/server architecture it can log up to 128 individual audio channels per server, store the audio in various bitrates for different applications, giving each audio stream its own expiry policy. Recorded audio can be accessed as soon as five seconds after recording and as far back as the logs go, through a virtually unlimited number of Players from the company network, or through Internet. Thanks to the Stirlitz Media Logger – Player unique Timeline based user interface, users never see files, they just scroll through time, or jump from event to event (such as 'mike-open' or 'commercials').

How it works

The Stirlitz Media Logger – Server only needs to be configured once. After that the server modules will work in a fully automated mode. One module records audio from the sound card, compresses it and stores it on the hard drive. Another module collects meta data from GPI events (when available) and the next module monitors all processes, sending out alarms by email, sms or SNMP if required. The last module – Net – provides network access, manages files (deleting, archiving), controls access rights, etc.

In the SML - configuration interface you see all essential information for all recorded channels in one glance:

• the recording status
• the total time recorded
• the maximum number of days to record
• the total time archived (so not deleted, but moved logs)
• the disk space occupied by this log
• the current audio level of the recording
  

The Stirlitz Media Logger – Player (client application) uses a single TCP/IP socket to access the server. Using streamed audio, it can access the archives within a second from any place in the world. Using the unique Timeline based user interface, users never see files, they just scroll through time, or jump from event to event (such as 'mike-open' or 'commercials'), making Stirlitz Media Logger the ideal application for fast air-checks. 

• 1 - Access all logged stations from the stations list.
  
  

• 2 - Fast links to pre-configured stations
  
  
• 3 - The unique timeline based navigator. Just drag the month, day, hour, minute or second line to the audio you want to hear, or use the keyboard shortcuts. With 'event logging', see where you are thanks to the colorcoding indicating categories such as 'music', 'mike open', 'jingles', 'commercials', etc.
  
  
• 4 - Simple playback controls.
  
  
• 5 - Jump to any stored audio using the calendar control.
  
  
• 6 - If the selected station has 'event logging', events are shown as text lines and can be accessed from here as well.
  
  
• 7 - Insert, categorize and jump to bookmarks allows for even easier navigation.
  
  
• 8 - Export to File. Regions defined by the Mark In and Mark Out buttons can be exported to individual files. Regions can be exported either in their original format, or as PCM audio.
  

Stirlitz Media Logger also logs the audio volume and represents it in the Timeline of the Player. In this example we see a silence starting at 12:45:57.

Detailed features Stirlitz Media Logger – Server & Player

Stirlitz Media Logger – Server

• The Stirlitz Media Logger – Server does not need proprietary hardware.

• All Windows-compatible sound cards are supported: analog and digital (AES/EBU, MADI and others).

• There are no Microsoft license restrictions, not even with 100+ simultaneous users.

• Every incoming audio stream can be archived in several streams, each with its own audio quality and expiring policy.

• Any audio stream can be recorded, included analog and digital terrestrial radio and TV, satellite radio and TV, even web streams (available – Q1 2007).

• Supported audio formats are: mp3, PCM.

• Launch and forget. After a detailed, but very simple installation procedure, the system hardly needs maintenance.

• The system is solid stable – due to its unique software architecture. The most important functions such as recording of audio, events and metadata are separated from other functions of the software, reducing the chance of system crashes to the absolute minimum.

• The Server fully integrates with every major On Air playout system and records all associated metadata (song title, commercials, categories such as news, jingles etc) and 'events' (mike-open, mike-close, cartridge start etc.).

• The client/server operations are based on TCP/IP protocol, using single socket and are easy to encrypt & tunnel.

• Internet/Intranet access (LAN, WAN, WiFi, UMTS, GPRS/EDGE) so you can check your program and competition from any place with Internet access. This is tested from all major holiday resorts ;).

• Access restrictions guarantee secure access.

• Dozens of users can access the SML server simultaneously through their players.

• SML Pro guarantees that hundreds of users can access the server simultaneously.

• Logs are available in 'near real time' just five seconds after having been recorded.

• Recorded audio can be streamed via the company network and Internet to client applications (Players).

• With the Podcaster add-on, recorded audio can be automatically be made available for Podcasts or syndication, for several websites, in multiple formats. The system will automatically upload to network paths or FTP directories and generate XML/HTML documents with descriptions of the audio.

• The system automatically sends out alarms on pre-defined errors such as signal loss, or extended periods of silence via e-mail, SMS or SNMP.

• Every server can log audio, events and metadata for up to 128 channels.

• Multiple server setups are possible.

• Each recorded channel can be saved with different settings for different purposes: keep one month recording in broadcast quality and 10 years in low quality.

• Each recorded channel has its own expiry rules.

• Never delete any audio when you don't want to. Stirlitz Media Logger can manage up to 4TB of hard disks. Files are either automatically deleted when they expire, or when the entire disk space is consumed, the oldest files are either overwritten by the latest recording, or they can automatically be moved to other network drives or FTP-directories.

Stirlitz Media Logger – Player

• The Player sets itself apart from competition through the super user-friendly user interface.

• The user does not have to find and open individual files, they only see TIME. A moving Timeline with color-coded categories (music, news, commercials, jingle, mike open, etc.), so the user sees what he is listening to. And thanks to the automated labeling of program elements, events are easy to find.

• Scroll through the months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds just by dragging the Timeline, or by using the fast keyboard shortcuts.

• Save time by jumping from 'mike-open' to 'mike-open', or from commercial to commercial, or news to news... etc. etc..

• Export 'mike-open only' audio to a separate file, allowing for fast air-checks.

• Add bookmarks to audio and share these bookmarks with other users.

• Access as many as 1024 servers from each Player.

• There are no license restrictions to the number of Players installed: you can install it on any computer in your station, at home, or wherever you need access to your logs.

Stirlitz Media Logger network architecture