Cisco Cisco MXE 3000 (Media Experience Engine) Information Guide
Q&A
© 2008 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information.
Page 5 of 8
●
Noise reduction: This feature is used to remove small, irregular detail from the source
video.
●
Unsharping: Unsharping is used to enhance edge detail in the image without enhancing
other detail. Unsharp mask reduces compression efficiency, but can improve the perceived
quality of the image. This feature is recommended for some video formats, such as VHS,
and for multigenerational images where a sharper image is desired.
Q.
Can I change the aspect ratio?
A.
Yes. The Aspect Ratio Conversion tools provide several methods for scaling media between
various formats. For example, an image with a 4:3 aspect ratio can be converted to a 16:9
aspect ratio, or conversely. The Cisco MXE 3000 uses pixel aspect-ratio information in the
conversions and uses default assumptions about the pixel aspect ratio based on the pixel
dimensions of an image. For example, an image size of 720 x 480 or 720 x 486 is assumed to
be SD NTSC, and is assigned the NTSC pixel aspect ratio of 0.9. For complete control, you
can explicitly set both the input media pixel aspect ratio and the pixel aspect ratio for the
preprocessor output image. The input dimensions are read from the input mediThe
preprocessor output dimensions are set by the encoder that receives the preprocessed video.
Q.
Is watermarking supported?
A.
Yes. Most organizations have explicit corporate policy surrounding distribution restrictions of
company confidential content. Visible watermarking is a method by which you can mark video
content as material that must comply with corporate distribution guidelines. The Cisco MXE
3000 allows you to apply highly customizable watermarks during the preprocessing stage so
the consumer of the content is aware of how the content must be handled. An example of how
visible watermarks appear on the video footage is shown below [[where? Don’t use “below”
Figure 1? Where is it?]]. Customization parameters include adjustments to placement, text,
and appearance of the watermark.
Q.
What are sample use cases for graphics applications?
A.
●
Advertising: Overlays provide a unique opportunity to associate advertisements with
content to offer a level of targeting. For profitability the process needs to be automated and
scalable.
●
Cross promotion: Graphic overlays provide space for advertisements or cross promotions
of other events and services. Similar to the methods used for broadcast television, on-
demand content with branded lower-third titles are used to promote other shows and
upcoming featured events. Overlays need to be refreshed as new events become available.
●
Lower-third titles: Lower-third titles must be created for every news clip produced by local,
national, and international news bureaus. The requirements are for branded content with
relevant content (reporter, event, story, and location) that must be produced. Today, news
bureaus rely on very expensive and time-consuming processes that are either manually
produced in edit rooms or integrated with base-band broadcast-chain hardware. Both of
these techniques limit output of the content by causing bottlenecks in the production
workflows.
●
Branding: Networks have multiple channels for content, television, on-demand, web, and
mobile, as well as multiple brands within channels (MTV and VH1). The text is identical for
all of the output formats, but the layout, font, and size are different for each one. These