View source for Engineering:Media Object Server

{{Short description|Protocol used in newsroom computer systems}}
The '''Media Object Server''' ('''MOS''') protocol allows newsroom computer systems (NCS) to communicate using a standard protocol with [[Engineering:Video server|video server]]s, [[Sound server|audio servers]], still stores, and [[Engineering:Character generator|character generator]]s for [[Engineering:Broadcasting|broadcast]] production.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mosprotocol.com/ |title=MOS Project |publisher=Mosprotocol.com |date= |accessdate=2012-05-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://xml.coverpages.org/mos-x.html |title=Cover Pages: MOS-X (Media Object Server – XML) |publisher=Xml.coverpages.org |date= |accessdate=2012-05-03}}</ref>

The MOS protocol is based on [[XML]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Qureshi |first=Rizwan |url=http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/34527/MOS-Protocol-Fundamentals |title=MOS Protocol Fundamentals – CodeProject® |publisher=Codeproject.com |date=2009-04-01 |accessdate=2012-05-03}}</ref> It enables the exchange of the following types of messages:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mosprotocol.com/mos_faq.htm#what_does_MOS_do |title=Mos Faq |publisher=Mosprotocol.com |date= |accessdate=2012-05-03}}</ref>

; Descriptive Data for Media Objects. : The MOS "pushes" descriptive information and pointers to the NCS as objects are created, modified, or deleted in the MOS.  This allows the NCS to be "aware" of the contents of the MOS and enables the NCS to perform searches on and manipulate the data the MOS has sent.
; Playlist Exchange. : The NCS can build and transfer playlist information to the MOS.  This allows the NCS to control the sequence that media objects are played or presented by the MOS.
; Status Exchange. : The MOS can inform the NCS of the status of specific clips or the MOS system in general.  The NCS can notify the MOS of the status of specific playlist items or running orders.

MOS was developed to reduce the need for the development of [[Device driver|device specific drivers]]. By allowing developers to embed functionality and handle events, vendors were relieved of the burden of developing device drivers. It was left to the manufacturers to interface newsroom computer systems. This approach affords broadcasters flexibility to purchase equipment from multiple vendors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsmaker.us/TheMOSStory.html |title=Newsmaker |publisher=Newsmaker.us |date= |accessdate=2012-05-03}}</ref> It also limits the need to have [[Computer operator|operators]] in multiple locations throughout the studio as, for example, multiple [[Engineering:Character generator|character generator]]s (CG) can be fired from a single control [[Workstation|workstation]], without needing an operator at each CG console.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.enotes.com/topic/Media_Object_Server |title=Media Object Server – eNotes.com Reference |publisher=Enotes.com |date=2002-03-21 |accessdate=2012-05-03}}</ref>

MOS enables journalists to see, use, and control media devices inside Associated Press's ENPS system so that individual pieces of newsroom [[Engineering:Video production|production]] technology speak a common [[XML]]-based language.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|author=WGN-TV, Chicago, Illinois, USA |url=http://www.enps.com/pages/enps_integration/what_is_mos |title=ENPS and MOS |publisher=Enps.com |date= |accessdate=2012-05-03}}</ref>

== History of MOS ==

The first meeting of the MOS protocol development group occurred at the Associated Press ENPS developer's conference in Orlando, Florida in 1998. The fundamental concepts of MOS were released to the public domain at that conference.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mosprotocol.com/mos_faq.htm#MOS_group |title=Mos Faq |publisher=Mosprotocol.com |date= |accessdate=2012-05-03}}</ref>

As an open protocol, the MOS Development Group encourages the participation of broadcast equipment vendors and their customers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mosprotocol.com/how_to_participate_in_mos.htm |title=How to Participate in MOS |publisher=Mosprotocol.com |accessdate=2012-05-03 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927040738/http://www.mosprotocol.com/how_to_participate_in_mos.htm |archivedate=2011-09-27 }}</ref> More than 100 companies are said to work with AP on MOS-related projects. Compatible hardware and software includes [[Engineering:Video editing|video editing]], [[File server|storage]] and [[Content management system|management]]; [[Engineering:Broadcast automation|automation]]; machine control; [[Engineering:Teleprompter|prompters]]; character generators; audio editing, store and management; web publishing, [[Engineering:Interactive television|interactive TV]], [[Engineering:Electronic field production|field transmission]] and [[Engineering:Motion graphics|graphics]].<ref name="autogenerated1" />

Current development is happening on two tracks: a [[Network socket|socket-based]] version, and a web service version. The current official versions of the MOS protocol, as of January 2011, are 2.8.4 (sockets) and 3.8.4 (web service).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mosprotocol.com/MOS%20Files/2.8.4/MOS_Protocol_Version_2.8.4.htm |title=MOS Protocol 2.8.4 (Current) |publisher=Mosprotocol.com |date= |accessdate=2012-05-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505140015/http://www.mosprotocol.com/MOS%20Files/2.8.4/MOS_Protocol_Version_2.8.4.htm |archive-date=2012-05-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2016 proposals began to introduce IP Video support in the MOS protocol. This proposal allows representations of live IP Video sources such as NDI ([[Software:Network Device Interface|Network Device Interface]]) to be included as MOS objects alongside MOS objects representing files to be played off disk<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sienna-tv.com/ndi/ndimonitor.html|title=NDIMonitor|website=www.sienna-tv.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-01-25}}</ref>

There is also a [[Java (programming language)|Java]] based implementation called jmos that is currently compatible with MOS specification 2.8.2.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://code.google.com/p/jmos/ |title=jmos – Open java implementation for Media Object Server Communications Protocol (MOS) – Google Project Hosting |date= |accessdate=2012-05-03}}</ref>

An open source TypeScript (dialect of [[JavaScript]]) MOS connector<ref>{{Citation|title=Sofie: The Modern TV News Studio Automation System (MOS Connection library): nrkno/tv-automation-mos-connection|date=2019-06-07|url=https://github.com/nrkno/tv-automation-mos-connection|publisher=Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK)|access-date=2019-06-10}}</ref> and MOS Gateway<ref>{{Citation|title=Sofie: The Modern TV News Studio Automation System (MOS Gateway): nrkno/tv-automation-mos-gateway|date=2019-05-15|url=https://github.com/nrkno/tv-automation-mos-gateway|publisher=Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK)|access-date=2019-06-10}}</ref> is being actively developed by the Norwegian state broadcaster NRK, as part of their open-source [https://sofie.gitbook.io/sofie-tv-automation/documentation Sofie]<ref>{{Citation|title=This is the documentation for the state-based studio automation system Sofie, used in live TV news production by the Norwegian public service broadcaster NRK since September 2018.: nrkno/Sofie-TV-..|date=2019-06-09|url=https://github.com/nrkno/Sofie-TV-automation|publisher=Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK)|access-date=2019-06-10}}</ref> broadcast automation software initiative.

An open source [[Python (programming language)|Python]] library and command line tool called mosromgr was developed by the BBC.<ref>{{Citation|title=MOS Running Order Manager|url=https://bbcnewslabs.co.uk/projects/mosromgr/|publisher=BBC News Labs|access-date=2021-12-09}}</ref> The mosromgr library provides functionality for classifying MOS file types, processing and inspecting MOS message files, as well as merging a batch of MOS files into a complete running order.<ref>{{Citation|title=mosromgr 0.9.1 Documentation|url=https://mosromgr.readthedocs.io/en/stable/|publisher=BBC News Labs|access-date=2021-12-09}}</ref>

In 2017 the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awarded an Emmy to the MOS Group for "Development and Standardization of Media Object Server (MOS) Protocol."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mosprotocol.com/forums/topic/mos-emmy-statues-nominations-and-voting/ |title=Topic: MOS Emmy Statues – Nominations and Voting {{!}} MOS Project |website=mosprotocol.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421234455/http://mosprotocol.com/forums/topic/mos-emmy-statues-nominations-and-voting |archive-date=2017-04-21}} </ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Broadcast engineering]]
[[Category:Servers (computing)]]
[[Category:Television technology]]
[[Category:Television terminology]]
[[Category:Video storage]]

{{Sourceattribution|Media Object Server}}