ERNST

Environment for the
Redaction of
News
Sub
Titles

ERNST is a software intended for editing, encoding and sequencing of close caption for news cast.

ERNST

allows live captioning

can import text or RTF files

allows change to the sequence while on air

automatically format subtitles

automatically generates formatting and special character commands

features extensive configuration options

allows several users to work simultaneously (option)

runs under Windows 2000/XP/Vista

is compatible with voice recognition softwares

tight integration with Dragon Naturally Speaking

can act as a remote server or client through network

is compatible with most encoders (Gélogic, EEG, Evertz, Norpak)

Description

The ERNST program comprises three main windows: the editor, encoder and sequencer.

The editor window functions as a standard text editor, with the addition of some functions that are specific to subtitle preparation.

The encoder window allows the user control over the way subtitles are broadcast.
The encoder includes the following functions:

Source selection: direct, file or sequence
Channel and broadcast mode selection (pop on, line roll or text)
Select default attributes
Navigation within current file (beginning, end, stop, start)
Speed up/slow down
Pass/block incoming data (line 21)

The sequencer allows the creation, importing and modification of a document sequence to broadcast.

Configuration

The options dialog box is only accessible to authorized personnel, as determined by user profile. This box comprises several pages.

Preferences:
The preferences page allows the user to specify the language of operation, comment and command indicators, tabulation width, default channel and broadcast mode.

Appearances:
The appearances page allows the user to specify the font, the attributes and the colors of the the editor, encoder and sequencer windows.

Files and Folders:
The files and folders page allows the user to specify the file types used by default, and their location.

Communication:
The communication page allows the user to specify which communications port will be used to communicate with the line 21 encoder, as well as the communication parameters to be utilized. Which values to use depends on the configuration of the encoder.

Shortcuts:
This page lets the user specify the key combinations which will give immediate access to various functions.

Substitutions:
This page allows the user to specify which replacements will be performed automatically on imported texts. This option allows the replacement of characters which are not available to line 21 decoders by character sequences that are semantic equivalents. The substitutions are made at the time of the reading of the file and at the entry of the characters during editing.

Conversions:
This page allows the user to specify how each character will be translated so that it can be correctly identified by the line 21 encoder. The correction only occurs at the moment of transmission to the encoder.

File exchange:
This page allows the user to specify the parameters of the communications interface used for file exchange. File exchange can be done through shared folders, serial link (RS-232 or TCP/IP) or FTP. Mode is selectable individually for each remote node.

CC Servers:
This page allows the user to enable server mode on a specific IP port and/or create a list of available remote captioning servers.

Detailed description (PDF)