Welcome to the Ross Community!  This online forum will give XPression users an opportunity to share information and ideas.  We will also be able to communicate better with our customers and partners, while providing important documentation and sample content.

XPression has truly had an amazing year!  When I did an online presentation for our resellers a few months ago, the only title I could come up with was “Shock & Awe.”  In the past year, XPression took on many high-profile graphics projects around the world, including major award shows, highly-rated network television shows, key sporting events, business channels, distributed branding projects, enterprise-level news installations, and much more.  It almost makes your head spin trying to keep up with the latest developments.

So, what’s so exciting about XPression?  It’s a modern system, built from the ground up in the past 5 years.  XPression is also the easiest-to-use real-time graphics platform on the market, bar none.  And, while the intuitive user interface makes things simple, there’s no sacrifice in horsepower, because XPression leverages the latest DirectX rendering technology used by hardcore gamers to deliver the most real-time 3D possible.  And, last but not least, XPression is affordable, no a la carte menu of options or plug-ins, we put all of the appropriate tools in each one of our XPression editions.

In closing, all of us at Ross, especially Team XPression, are looking forward to working more closely with our customers and partners via the Ross Online Community.  I hope that you will take advantage of this tool as much as possible to be more productive and to make your life a little bit easier.  Thanks for your support of XPression, and I’ll see you in the forums.

If you’ve been watching any of the award shows this year, including the biggest of them all, you’ve seen XPression hard at work cranking out graphics for tens of millions of viewers.  With that big of an audience, you have two options – be perfect or be perfect.  So far, so good!

In addition, for hardcore award show fans, XPression is being used in many of the Red Carpet shows doing Twitter feeds and even crazy, multi-channel DVE-like moves in 3D space with integrated graphics.

http://youtu.be/ioDlQyt6m24

While the entertainment industry has embraced XPression as the next live graphics platform of choice, XPression is also forging ahead in news, branding, sports, info channels, and virtual sets.

If you’re looking to get some hands-on time with XPression, the XPression Road Show is off and running, coming to a town near you.  We’re also planning some amazing things for NAB 2012 in Las Vegas (April 16-19).  Or, just contact your local Ross representative to set up a demo.

Now that we have launched the fabulous new BlackStorm playout server we have been able to put together some really valuable new Studio Systems packages. With CrossOver, Carbonite or even Vision it is now possible to buy ‘best in class’ production technology from Ross that includes switcher, graphics and servers – just add cameras and displays. The really cool thing about these packages is not just that they work flawlessly and really well together, but also offer the best bang for the buck without comparison.

I am really looking forward to NAB – it’s exciting to be able to show folks how they can get the job done faster, better and for less.

In preparation for NAB 2012, we’ve launched a new look and new web content for XPression, including a new landing page at www.xpression.com.  You can either access the XPression main page from the Ross website, or the new XPression.com URL will take you directly to the XPression section.

Speaking of NAB, there is a long list of new features and functionality that will be debuting in XPression version 4.0 shortly after the show.

Multiple Project Loading

XPression can now load and unload multiple projects at the same time without disrupting on-air operations.  Enhanced Project Server functionality allows users to load only the elements they need for a show, instead of everything they might ever need for a newscast.

MOS Graphic Re-skinning

In a MOS newsroom environment, journalists can now select from multiple looks or styles for the same MOS object.  Drag a graphic from the morning news rundown and re-skin it for the evening news with the click of a button.  The look of a whole newscast can also be changed in the control room from the Remote Sequencer, even while on-air!

Improved Masking Tools

Masking is now handled at the layer level, instead of the scene level, so multiple masks on various layers is now possible.

More 3D Primitives

The addition of a cylinder and torus primitive help round out the selection of basic 3D objects.

New Shader Types

XPression now adds bump mapping and refraction to the list of supported shader types!

Spell Check

The XPression MOS Plug-in now supports spell check in multiple languages.

XPression Custom Keyboard

For fast-paced live environments, the optional XPression Custom Keyboard gives users dedicated keys for common functions and the ability to create their own custom keys or macros with powerful keyboard mapping software.

Virtual Set with Camera Tracking

In partnership with North America’s premier virtual set integrator, Unreel, XPression now supports virtual sets with camera tracking, using Unreel’s, UX (Unreel XPerience) software.  Unreel handles all of the tracking data from encoded camera heads with an optional touchscreen GUI for handling media and moving virtual set pieces.

64-bit XPression Codec Support

XPression’s highly-efficient Video Codec is now supported by 64-bit design and animation programs for rendering directly into XPression’s format.

GV Aurora NLE Plug-in

The Grass Valley Aurora editing system now supports the XPression NLE Plug-in for access to all of the live-to-air XPression templates and full-motion previews inside the NLE environment.

Integration with AVID Command

AVID’s Command production control system for iNews now has full control of XPression in a MOS environment with graphic thumbnails and preview frames.

Integration with Mosart Automation

Mosart production automation now controls XPression for automated playout of graphics.

Daktronics & OES Scoreboard Interfaces

XPression’s Datalinq Server is now compatible with Daktronics and OES scoreboard systems to receive “clock & score” and other supported data for multiple sports.

If you are attending the show I hope to see you there, if not, here’s a preview of what’s coming soon to an XPression near you.

IBC 2012 will see more changes in XPression than ever before.  Not only are there significant workflow enhancements and additional 3rd-party integration but lots of new features in the XPression engine, as well.  Version 4.0 is the biggest software release since XPression first hit the market in 2007, and it promises to turn the industry on its head.  Here’s just a sampling of what users can expect in the newest XPression software:

New Features

• Stagger animations (character effects and more!)
• Gradient shader
• Bump map & refraction shaders
• Multiple font styles in the same text object
• Vertical spacing & word wrap for text
• Clicking in preview window selects objects for editing
• Memory usage indicator
• Multi-channel .wav files with high-quality up-sampler
• Improved chroma keyer with foreground clip control
• Layer object (create layers within a scene)
• Camera layer object (create scene layers with cameras)
• Option to reverse Scene Director clips
• Script Event for Scene Director
• Default transitions for scenes

Project Server/MOS Workflow Enhancements

• Load and manage multiple XPression projects at the same time
• Create and use multiple “Styles” on MOS objects (re-skinning)
• Project Server Manager software to assign users, roles, and privileges
• Rundown selector in Remote Sequencer
• MOS ActiveX plug-in can now update remotely

If that doesn’t make your head spin, I don’t know what will.

Also at IBC, XPression will be providing live graphics, a virtual set, and augmented reality for Ross News, a 12-minute newscast that will be live at the top of every hour.  The presentation will be driven by OverDrive with Ross Robotics camera heads and BlackStorm video server playout.  In addition, Version 2.0 of Inception, Ross’ social media server, now supports inbound messages with filtering, moderation, censoring, and output queue that will feed the XPression Ross News ticker with live conversations from the show floor.

Stop by the Ross booth in Amsterdam and be prepared to be impressed!

The most significant release of XPression software, since it was first written, is now available!  Version 4.0 brings lots of exciting new features and functionality.  Here are just a few of the highlights.

Project Server/MOS Workflow

• Load multiple projects and save project groups
• Store and manage projects on the new project server with full support for differential publish & deploy and versioning
• Create and use multiple “Styles” on MOS objects (re-skinning)
• Project Server Manager software to assign users, roles, and priveleges
• Rundown selector in Remote Sequencer
• MOS ActiveX plug-in can now update remotely

XPression

• Stagger animations (character effects and more!)
• Gradient shader
• Bump map & refraction shaders
• Multiple font styles in a text object using text macros
• Fixed size text objects and word wrap
• Clicking in preview window selects objects for editing
• Memory usage indicator
• Multi-channel .wav files with high-quality up-sampler
• Improved chroma keyer with foreground clip control
• Layer object (create layers within a scene)
• Camera layer object (create scene layers with cameras)
• Option to reverse Scene Director clips
• Script Event for Scene Director
• Default transitions for scenes

Here’s a link to the full Version 4.0 Release Notes for everything that is new:

http://rosstalk.rossvideo.tv/xpression_insider/xpression_release_notes_v4.0.pdf?utm_source=XPression+Insider&utm_campaign=a6b0983314-XPression_Insider_Welcome_8_29_2012&utm_medium=email

If you have a current software maintenance agreement or have purchased your XPression system within the last year, this is a free upgrade.  Contact Ross Technical Support (techsupport@rossvideo.com) for a software download.  And, most importantly, have fun with all that is new in XPression!

If you’ve tuned into any of the award shows in the first few months of 2013, you’ve probably seen XPression.  Most of the majors are now done with XPression, including the biggest of them all.  Some of the Red Carpet shows also use XPression in various capacities, including for social media.  Coming soon is a video showing behind the scenes glimpses of XPression in action and interviews with the operators who make up the L.A. XPression community.  Stay tuned…

For those looking to stay current with the latest software revisions, XPression Version 4.1 is now available to users in their first year of XPression ownership or those with a valid software maintenance contract.  Contact Ross Tech Support (techsupport@rossvideo.com) for a download.

Highlights of Version 4.1 include:

• OBJ file import
• XML export for the Take Item list in Sequence
• Datalinq support for basketball feeds from Daktronics and White Way scoreboards
• The XPression Rundown Selector – a free utility to select rundowns and Styles without the Remote Sequencer
• The XPression Desktop Preview Server – a new software application (available for purchase) that allows previews of an unlimited number of XPressions on the network from any PC

For a complete list of all of the new 4.1 enhancements and features go to:

http://www.rossvideo.com/graphics-system/xpression/release-notes/version-4-1.html

XPression Version 5.0 is now available to users in their first year of XPression ownership or those with a valid software maintenance contract.  Contact Ross Tech Support (techsupport@rossvideo.com) for a download.  If you need to update your XPression software maintenance and hardware warranty, please contact your local Ross representative.

Highlights of Version 5.0 Include:

• The brand new FX Engine for post-effects like motion blur, waves, custom drop shadows, and depth of field for virtual sets
• Massive improvements to Datalinq for sports workflows and other statistics-heavy applications
• A new Sequencer group type called Data Pages (Row Pops) for creating data-only pages that can be added or “popped” into on-air graphics
• Support for OES Lacrosse and Baseball scoreboard feeds
• and much more…

For a complete list of all of the new 5.0 enhancements and features go to:

http://www.rossvideo.com/graphics-system/xpression/release-notes/version-5.html

XPression Version 5.1 is now available to customers in the first year of ownership, or who have a valid software maintenance contract. Contact Ross Tech Support to get your upgrade.  For renewals of software/hardware maintenance, please speak with your local Ross representative.

A few highlights of XPression 5.1 include:

• Support for XPression Connect, Ross’ NEW Social Media Player, that enables users to bring message feeds to air from popular moderation platforms like Ross Inception, Mass Relevance, BL TweetOut, and more.
• A new 64-bit version of the XPression NLE Plug-in to integrate with the latest versions of non-linear editing programs.
• Support for Ross Video Signature Series by MediaBeacon Version 5.2, which allows operators to play XPression Video Codec proxies directly in the browser with transport controls.
• The addition of RossTalk protocol to XPression Designer and LiveCG Option for Ross switchers.

For a complete list of the new functionality and features in Version 5.1, click on the link below:

http://www.rossvideo.com/graphics-system/xpression/release-notes/version-5-1.html

XPression U, our online XPression tutorial section of the website, is now live!  Just click on the link below or find XPression U in the Sub Navigation area on the right side of the XPression home page.

www.rossvideo.com/xpression-u

Follow along with Andrew Sampson as he guides you through the basics of XPression operation in the first series of videos.  We will be adding to these videos over time for more advanced techniques and also for new features/functionality as they are released.

It’s a great way to brush up on your skills, if you are an existing user, or a way to explore XPression for the first time, if you are a new customer.  We welcome your feedback and ideas for new videos.  Just drop us an email at xpression@rossvideo.com.

We hope that you will find these videos useful and an enhancement to your XPression user experience.

XPression is better than ever at NAB 2014 in Las Vegas!  The platform continues to develop with new features and functionality, as well a whole host of new workflow tools and partner applications.

Visual Logic, a new node-based visual programming editor, allows designers and operators to create complex scene interactivity without any coding or scripting.  Just connect object parameters and function blocks with arrows, and you enable a whole new world of graphics automation.

Two new branding products are being introduced at NAB – XPression Brand-it and XPression Tick-it.  Brand-it is an enterprise branding workflow server with deep connections into program automation and traffic systems, providing “maximum look ahead” for branding events.  Whether it’s Coming Up Next’s, snipes, or program lineups, Brand-it can streamline workflow and save money, while ensuring quality and consistency of branding.  Tick-it is a complete collaborative ticker workflow that’s perfect for local TV or network applications.  News headlines, weather, sports, traffic, school closings, and more are all part of the basic package.  Both products utilize XPression BlueBox rendering engines and XPression Project Server for automated delivery of ticker, L-bar, or info channel content.

Two new additions to the XPression GO! line are launching at NAB – XPression Studio GO! and XPression BlueBox GO! These versions join XPression Prime GO! for Thunderbolt laptop and AJA Io XT delivery of uncompressed HDSI video/key and audio to production switchers in mobile/OB environments, or place where space is at a premium.

XPression partner, Coiron, will be showcasing two new applications that provide XPression users with Telestration and Touchscreen capabilities.  Live sports and in-studio productions will both benefit from these two innovative products that use XPression channels or layers for rendering and display.

XPression will also provide virtual set and augmented reality rendering for the Ross “Studio of the Future” presentation that will be delivered every half hour.  Be sure to stop by the Ross Booth (N3806) to see the latest and greatest from all of the Ross product lines.

When you mention the word “ticker” to most industry professionals, they think of a basic informational crawl, in most cases.  That can be true occasionally, but most of the tickers you see on-air today are actually quite complicated.  They may be tabbed tickers, like you see on sports channels, with different types of sports on each tab, or more like “L-bars” with PGM video compressed into one corner and different zones of data changing independently.  To draw the viewer’s eye, there is also usually some form of animation to indicate changes in data or topics.

Tickers may also receive data from multiple service providers using different protocols.  In addition, data often needs to be entered manually.  For example, there may not be a data feed for a local school board election and reporters receive results over the phone.  A sportscaster may need to enter results from local high school football games.  Or, community calendar events may need to be entered by an intern.

How do you blend that manual data with automated data feeds into playlists for those zones or tabs in tickers?  How do you allow your reporters in the field, producers in two different bureaus, or even staff at their desks in the same newsroom to contribute to the final output?  What about the sales staff who is running out of slots to sell advertising and desperately wants to put client logos on school closings and the morning weather ticker to generate revenue?  How do you track that the logo actually aired, so you can bill for it?

All of a sudden, the simple ticker that most people have in their minds sounds pretty complicated.  If you think about it, you are almost programming another show on top of the show that is playing in the background.  Given that, some pretty solid workflow needs to be put in place to make it all happen seamlessly.  It also has to be easy-to-use and accessible from any point.

If you’d like to learn more about tickers, Ross has the toolset and workflow to remove the complexity and allow you to get more information to your viewers, while generating new revenue.  See your local Ross representative for details.

Hi,

Recently after the ATP Event in Delray we sat down to try and bang out a video tutorial on how we apply the workflow in the new RossMP FIN Series truck.  The FIN (in this case FIN3) is based on the openTruck platform and allows for easy show integration and migration from vendor to vendor.

In preparing to migrate from ATP package to an E3 package we put this video together to show how it all begins and goes together.  This will also give you an idea of just how we integrate the XPression Graphics (both CG and Transition/Promo Elements) with the Carbonite and build effects for it.  Along with that there is part that is a bit of an introduction to the Carbonite for those that may have not yet used one but might be booking onto a show that has one.

Obviously this is not as well produced as the videos we did at YouTube however the information is worth looking past that short coming

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to send me an email or give me a call

Les

Now that we have launched the fabulous new BlackStorm playout server we have been able to put together some really valuable new Studio Systems packages. With CrossOver, Carbonite or even Vision it is now possible to buy ‘best in class’ production technology from Ross that includes switcher, graphics and servers – just add cameras and displays. The really cool thing about these packages is not just that they work flawlessly and really well together, but also offer the best bang for the buck without comparison.

I am really looking forward to NAB – it’s exciting to be able to show folks how they can get the job done faster, better and for less.

XPression Version 5.7 is now available to customers in the first year of ownership, or who have a valid software maintenance contract. Contact Ross Tech Support to get your upgrade.  For renewals of software/hardware maintenance, please speak with your local Ross representative.

A few highlights of XPression 5.7 include:

Engine

• The Matrox hardware setup now includes a video mode for 1080p 29.97
• Native support for NCAM camera tracking data as a new global camera tracking source
• Live inputs now have a fixed input to output latency
• Field-based live inputs now use 50% less performance than they did before
• The Tile Mapper now supports outputting audio on the first mapped output

Layout

• Widgets can now be imported from other projects
• The object manager and viewports now have a shortcut to “frame in view” to make the active camera frame an object into view (Ctrl+F)
• Added a “Full Scene Lens Distortion” flag to a scene’s render properties to enable/disable per Layer Object lens distortion
• The Texture Shader can now download images directly from an HTTP URL and store them in a local cache (real-time performance not guaranteed when using slow or non-deterministic networks – i.e. internet)
• Perspective cameras now support orbiting (ALT+LMB), zoom (mouse wheel), panning (ALT+MMB)
• A visual grid at the origin can now be enabled using the viewport’s view menu

Sequencer

• A new keyboard shortcut for setting the play range of a sequencer item
• Materials published to the sequencer can now be assigned a solid color from within the template data tab
• Static Take ID numbers can now be assigned to MOS objects. No checks are performed for duplicate IDs
• The search in the Sequencer can now also search the text data that came from a Datalinq source

DataLinq

• Implemented support for OES Soccer Implemented support for OES Volleyball Feeds
• datalinq keys can now be exported to a take item list in xml format
• Data pages can now have fields that are linked to datalinq or widgets

Configuration

• Multiple OpenMAM drivers can now be added to the OpenMAM configuration
• The NLE Plug-in now has a configuration option to use the Windows Explorer instead of the XPression Texture Browser

XPression Connect

• A cued item in XPression Connect can now be removed from the feed, and the next item will become cued
• XPression Connect now supports the Wayin feed
• XPression Connect now supports the never.no feed

XPression Project Server

• During automated deployment of projects from the project server, the overall progress is now displayed to the user
• Project Servers can now synchronize shows to other servers using sync groups
• The Project Server now notifies clients when a revision has changed for projects that have no category or style assigned

For a complete list of the new functionality and features in Version 5.7, click on the link below:

http://www.rossvideo.com/graphics-system/xpression/release-notes/version-5-7.html