Statewide Network

The following is the content of an agreement to be reviewed by each AMO before its commitment to participating in the Vermont Media Exchange as we proceed toward full roll-out of the network.

Access Management Organization Participation
in Vermont Media Exchange (VMX), an initiative of Vermont Access Network

To participate in the Statewide PEG Interconnect, now known as Vermont Media Exchange (VMX), each AMO will confirm its understanding of and acceptance of the financial, administrative, and operational commitment associated with statewide digital file-sharing, and will agree to notify
the VMX Governing Committee of problems as soon as practicable.

As a participant in VMX, your AMO agrees to:

1. offer and accept shared statewide programs as appropriate for PEG access in your local service
area

2. participate in preparation, set-up and training for local operation of VMX for digital file-sharing of programs (on-site installation by VMX/VAN personnel includes up to two hours of work integrating VMX into your AMO's local area network, but does not include labor for computer support with details of LAN assistance beyond that — any work beyond the two hour network limit will be paid for by your AMO)

3. dedicate AMO staff and/or volunteer time as appropriate for participation in VMX

4. allocate AMO administrative, operational, and personnel time and financial support as needed to implement VMX at your AMO

5. notify the VMX Governing Committee as soon as practicable of any significant technical, operational, financial, administrative, or other problems systemic to VMX that may occur during your AMO’s participation in VMX

6. work with the VMX Governing Committee to resolve any significant problems that hinder your AMO’s participation in VMX

7. understand that any routine technical problems in the day-to-day operation of your local AMO and its standard commercial service from your cable operator should continue to be dealt with through direct contact with the cable operator

8. act as the gatekeeper for VMX programming and provide guidance and support for determining Creative Commons licensing, indemnification, and compliance with applicable copyright law

9. enter into a $1 annual lease of the VMX computer from VAN/VMX and provide insurance coverage as with any other AMO equipment under your normal business insurance

10. understand that the VMX computer is provided only for statewide network operations and interface with your AMO cablecast playout system — the VMX computer is not to be used for other production, office, or programming purposes

11. cooperate with VAN and cable operators for timely roll-out consistent with VAN commitments with cable operators

12. provide information and documentation to VAN for Statewide PEG reporting to cable operators

13. have your AMO’s Executive Director and Board of Directors review this proposal, accompanying documentation from cable operators and VAN, and for the Executive Director and President of the Board of Directors of your AMO to sign a document provided by VMX confirming your AMO’s understanding and acceptance of this commitment to the Vermont Statewide PEG Interconnect called Vermont Media Exchange (VMX)

Here are some underlying questions people have been asking about Vermont Media Exchange progress.

• When did VMX start?
In August 2007 VMX Alpha Test Group 1, a group of seven access centers, began some testing of computer and network functions connected to digital file-sharing with the group and we’ve work on modifications and improvements to share an application we call VMX 2.0. This version of VMX code performs all the functions described above with minimal custom settings at each Access Management Organization (AMO). All this was initial work was time-consuming and slower than expected.

• What's going on now with VMX and digital file-sharing?
A group of 22 AMOs is now working with the VMX 2.0 code released in late 2009. We are also always aware of national movements in this same digital file-sharing direction because new developments could provide advantages for sharing among Vermont AMOs. The VMX Technical Committee is also exploring ways to share MPEG-2 files for cablecast rather than MPEG-4 files. Metadata is the even less clean transfer side of program sharing and we really have only begun to address the challenge of moving program metadata from one system to another.

• When is this project going to be finished?
VMX is only one small network in an emerging tide of file-sharing networks, but the goal of VMX is to have all VAN members prepared to bring the technology and the content to communities throughout Vermont. The long-term vision is to have AMOs serve as active centers to keep the program-sharing local as well as global. So in some ways we will never “finish” the statewide network. We can only get all AMOs on to an effective network of file-sharing computers connected to local master control systems. It’s what gets shared that is ultimately the most important thing and the hardest part of this transition.

Here are 6 Frequently Asked Questions about Vermont Media Exchange

• What steps are involved in sharing programs?
There are as many as five steps to sharing.
Uploading: The process of transferring a file from a local hard drive or server to a remote location or server, such as via FTP (file transfer protocol) or peer-to-peer file-sharing.
Downloading: The process of transferring a file from a remote location or server to a local hard drive or server.
Encoding: The process of transforming a digital file or analog program into a digital file format for storage.
Decoding: The process of transforming a digital file into a usable program for viewing and/or playback.
Transcoding: The process of converting a digital file from one file format to another, with varying degrees of quality loss from one generation to the next.

• What digital format is VMX designed to use?
Currently VMX is using MPEG-4 to transfer files because of the manageable size of MPEG-4 files. However, many access centers with digital master control systems at their stations cablecast using MPEG-2 files, so VMX also includes a method for transcoding to and from MPEG-2 and MPEG-4, and the VMX Technical Committee is exploring ways to share MPEG-2 files to avoid transcoding.

• What is a unicast?
Unicast is a term to describe streaming a video and audio signal on the Internet from one point to another. The unicast stream is of high enough quality to be cablecast on an access channel in full frame configuration but does not create video and audio interactivity.

• What is the schedule for VMX installations at access stations?
VMX is installed at 22 AMOs, and additional sites depend on local readiness and schedules between VMX and each local AMO.

• What does my Access Management Organization (AMO) need to do to prepare for VMX?
Use digital files for cablecast: Whether your master control system uses MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 format files, developing ways to store and move digital files on and off your cablecast equipment will make the last step in the VMX installation simpler than if you need to use an analog input/output to/from your playout system.
Understand your local network in your access center: Not surprisingly, internal networks are proving to be one of the more difficult challenges involved with VMX installations. If you have worked with someone to properly network your facility you should discuss the VMX concept with that person and with your master control system vendor to confirm that it will be fairly simple to transfer files on and off your master control system and that you will have a plan for storage of digital files on an appropriate hard drive or on the VMX computer’s 160GB of storage space.
Get a static IP address: All master control systems and their local computer networks on the VMX must have a static IP address. These are obtained through the local cable operator. Static IP addresses are assigned to the modem used to connect to the internet.
Talk to your cable operator: The dominant cable company in Vermont is Comcast, but the Vermont Access Network VMX Governing Committee, working with local AMOs, is approaching the other cable operators to support this effort by contributing, as Comcast has, to the cost of equipment and support to continue developing the VMX statewide network. Two other cable operators are Charter and Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom, and there are others in other parts of the state. VAN is working with a cost of $2,325 per AMO to roll out VMX.

• Where can I get more information about VMX?
vermontaccess.net - this web site - is the best place to get information on VMX
vermontaccess.net/statewide is the specific link for VMX information. With the VMX information online there is also a list of Vermont Media Exchange Governing Committee members so you can contact us if you have questions, ideas, or concerns. If you are a VAN member organization, this is also a good place to complete or update your Snapshot Survey.

Vermont Media Exchange (VMX) is a collaborative effort of members of the Vermont Access Network working with cable operators in Vermont. Local access stations, through VAN, have joined together to develop program sharing through digital file-sharing among public, education, and government access management organizations around the state. VMX is managed by a Governing Committee elected by VAN members each spring at the VAN Annual Meeting. The VMX Governing Committee consists of the seven members listed below.

Rebecca Padula (Chair), LCATV, Colchester (term through May 2013)
Lisa Byer (Vice-Chair) - CAT-TV, Bennington (term through May 2012)
Cor Trowbridge (Secretary) - BCTV, Brattleboro (term through May 2012)
Jess Wilson (Treasurer) - CCTV, Burlington (term through May 2012)
BreAnna Kline - CATV, White River Jct (term through May 2013)
Jacob Stradling - FACTV, Bellows Falls (term through May 2013)
Kenric Kite - ORCA, Montpelier (term through May 2013)

Vermont Media Exchange continues to grow with more access sites coming on board and changes to the overall system planned in the near future. See the additional pages below for more detailed information about where the VMX project is right now and where we're going. The following VMX sites are up and running for statewide network applications and operations.
VMX Sites
Mountain Communities Television, Londonderry
North East Addison Television, Bristol
Northwest Access Television, St. Albans
Green Mountain Access Television, Hyde Park
Northeast Kingdom Access Television, Newport
Windsor On Air
Hardwick Community Television
Brattleboro Community Television
Greater Northshire Access Television, Manchester
Channel 37, Stowe
Woodstock Community Television, Woodstock
Falls Area Community Television, Bellows Falls
Middlebury Community Television, Middlebury
Community Access Television 8/UVEC, White River Junction
Onion River Community Access, Montpelier
Channel 17 Town Meeting Television, Burlington
Rutland Region Community Television, Rutland
Vermont Community Access Media, Burlington
Ludlow Plymouth Cavendish Television, Ludlow
Catamount Access Television, Bennington
Regional Educational Technology Network, Burlington
Lake Champlain Access Television, Colchester