NAB 2012: PESA Expands Cattrax Software to Web

PESA, a U.S.-based custom design and build manufacturing company for professional audio and video signal distribution, will unveil its new Cattrax Web browser-based router control software at Booth SL9615. Expanding on the capabilities of PESA’s local network-based Cattrax software, Cattrax Web uses most common Web browsers as the client interface to monitor and control routers in locations around the world.

Intended for monitoring, postproduction, or any networked remote location, Cattrax Web is compatible with the full line of PESA routers and can control matrix sizes from 16×16 to 1024×1024. It operates over Ethernet via TCP/IP and communicates directly with the PESA PERC2000 router control system. Cattrax Web pulls its configuration from the PERC2000 control card inside the routing matrix or an external 1 RU chassis assembly. Once configured, Cattrax Web can be used like any remote control panel linked to the system.

Based on the Microsoft Windows platform, Cattrax Web is compatible with Windows Server 2003, 2008, or Windows 7 operating systems. It resides on a customer provided network server and supports Microsoft IIS (Internet Information Services) or Apache HTTP Server. The software offers customized features such as salvos, hot takes, and individual lock/unlock of sources or destinations. Plus, single or multiple destination blocks can be switched simultaneously.

The basic Cattrax Web system supports up to 10 simultaneous clients, each with a unique password-protected user profile to provide access to all or only part of the matrix. As the need for additional users grows, Cattrax Web can be expanded in blocks of 10, 25, 50, and 100 users.

“As personnel budgets continue to be cut, the ability to manage routing switchers over a networked system has become critical for many broadcasters and other video distribution operations,” said Chuck Tillett, PESA president and COO. “Cattrax Web uses basic Internet components and blends them with the outstanding performance of PESA’s routing system controllers to deliver an elegant, intuitive solution.”

The initial release of Cattrax Web will be available in April.