Maintaining flexible broadcast infrastructure is tough. We all know that a great system is neat and tidy, but we’ve seen first-hand that constant demands to change wiring and functionality can soon undermine the hard installation work which once saw the server room looking so pristine. With space and power budgets tight, adding functionality quickly and flexibly can be done with small form factor adaptor boxes. The more that goes into the system, the more control and monitoring becomes a nightmare leaving you with a system with the right functionality, but severely compromised maintainability.
Delivering full monitoring and control of modular adaptors removes the big “compromise” in using small form-factor boxes. If you’re running live sports events, using reliable, modular “bricks” is exactly what you want to allow you to be ultra-responsive to the changing needs of the production crew. LYNX Technik has solved the control and monitoring problem making yellobriks suitable for green-field, multi-location projects as much as for the organic growth of individual server rooms.
Solving the tidiness problem of modular adaptors, a high-density rack frame has long been available to get 14 yellobriks neatly in a rack while also simplifying power requirements. Now, a modular yellobrik server, SRV 1000, can be included in this rack to add control and monitoring. The SRV 1000 is the same form factor as other yellobriks; it works hand in hand with the yellobrik rack controller RCT 1012 to provide SNMP monitoring, updating and configuration of yellobrik modules in bulk.
Because you’re now able to add control and monitoring to any yellobriks, multi-site projects can be built around them or, if you “just need the one” for your system, you can have the confidence that when you have more units, you can bring them under one central system for control. LYNX Technik calls this software LynxCentraal which not only brings a single, simplified interface to yellobrik but can also control greenMachine and Series 5000 hardware.
When things go wrong while on air, the big question is usually “what was it, and when?” With that information, root cause analysis can get started and system improvements can be identified. It’s this accountability that LynxCentraal along with SRV 1000 provides, allowing engineers and operators alike across the organisation to access the information in a way which suits them.
LYNX Technik solutions are built in Germany and are known for their reliability. Like the broadcasters which use their products, LYNX Technik’s attention to detail across both hardware and software underpins the reliability of their solutions. This is a big part of why yellobriks are gaining popularity within full systems approach, the other reason being LynxCentraal’s ability to allow users to drag and drop new, customised virtual software control interfaces.
As with all LYNX Technik software, LynxCentraal is complimentary to all customers and can be downloaded from https://www.lynx-technik.com/downloads/lynxcentraal/. To understand how the software fits into the hardware, take a look at LYNX Technik’s website.
When adding individual functionality to a system, peace of mind comes from using future-proofed equipment; what better choice than equipment flexible enough to be used in large greenfield projects such as yellobrik and LynxCentraal. For more information visit Lynx Technik’s website.
