14: MeteoEarth

Overview

This lesson introduces MeteoEarth. MeteoEarth is an integral part of Chyron Weather and is accessed through it. MeteoEarth Segments contain Snapshots and so how to add a Snapshot to a Playlist, edit a MeteoEarth Segment and reset changes made will be discussed. For more detailed information, refer to MeteoEarth tutorials.

Prerequisites: Lessons 02, 03, and 07

 Image description: MeteoEarth, no GUI

Selecting a MeteoEarth Configuration

To use MeteoEarth within Chyron Weather, you must add a MeteoEarth configuration.

To add a MeteoEarth configuration:

1. Click on the Properties menu and select the MeteoEarth tab.
2. Click the Configuration drop down and select a configuration.
3. The configuration will be added to the Playlist.

Lesson 14.2 shows the Configuration drop down and a configuration named Default.

Image description: Selecting a MeteoEarth configuration

MeteoEarth configurations are stored in the DesignModel.

Lesson 14.3 shows a configuration named Default added to a Playlist.

Image description: MeteoEarth configuration

The MeteoEarth tab shows information about the selected configuration such as the default Earth Texture, available Layers (optional) and Camera Settings. These settings are not editable.

Adding a MeteoEarth Snapshot

To create a MeteoEarth Segment, you need to add a MeteoEarth Snapshot to Chyron Weather’s Storyboard. To do this:

1. Click on the MeteoEarth tab in the Resource Panel
2. Select a Snapshot and drag it onto the Storyboard in Chyron Weather.
3. A MeteoEarth Segment will be created.

Lesson 14.5 illustrates a MeteoEarth Snapshot.

Image description: Adding a MeteoEarth segment

MeteoEarth Segment settings

A MeteoEarth Segment is configurable in several ways.

For example, it is possible to:

• Toggle the visibility of MeteoEarth’s GUI
• Select a date and time for a data animation
• Specifiy a GeoFocus
• Create a GeoPath

Toggle the visibility of MeteoEarth’s GUI

To toggle the GUI visibility of a MeteoEarth Segment:

1. Click the Toggle visibility of the GUI overlay button (the yellow circle icon) in the MeteoEarth Segment Thumbnail Preview
2. The icon changes from a yellow circle to a grey circle with a red cross struck through it
3. Select a date and time for a data animation (see next paragraph)

Image description: Toggle visibility of the GUI overlay button On position

Image description: Toggle visibility of the GUI overlay button Off position

To select a date and time for the data animation:

1. Click on the relevant fields within the Time Space panel.
2. Like other segments, MeteoEarth segments can use a date time-animation.
   1. When no animation is set, you won’t see (and you will not be able to access) a time slider in ME.
   2. When an animation is set, you can configure the play mode of the date time-animation to “Pause at start”, “Autoplay” or “Pause at end”. That will give you the possibility to navigate through the time range in ME while starting on a fixed point in time.

See Lesson 03 for information on working with date-time animations.

Image description: MeteoEarth Time Space panel

Specify a GeoFocus

The initial GeoFocus value is set by the MeteoEarth configuration. To change this:

1. Click the Geo focus info button.
2. Enter the desired values.

Image description: Change the GeoFocus (and camera)

GeoFocus on MeteoEarth segments is very similar to the GeoFocus on content segments. Keyframes can be applied per segment or the GeoFocus from the previous segment can be retained. Furthermore, GeoFavourits can be saved and applied.

See Lesson 07 for more information on using GeoFocus.

Create a GeoPath

GeoPaths are unique to MeteoEarth and enable the animation of the position of the Earth. That is, using GeoPath it is possible to animate from one latitudinal/longitudinal position to another.

By default, a MeteoEarth segment shows a static region.

You can configure the camera to move along a geo path during the playback.

‎Please refer to the MeteoEarth in Lesson 05, for more information on this topic. 

Selecting Data Layers with or without GeoFocus

It is possible to select a Snapshot and apply either the Data Layers and GeoFocus, or just the Data Layers. To do this:

1. Click the drop-down arrow in the Segment Thumbnail Preview Window.
2. Select a Snapshot, then select either the Data Layer option or the Data Layer and GeoFocus option.
3. Do this by clicking on the upper half of the Snapshot Preview for the Data Layer option, or the lower half of the Snapshot Preview for the Data Layer and GeoFocus option.

Lesson 14.11 illustrates the selection of a Data Layer only.

Image description: Data Layer of a snapshot selected

Lesson 14.12 illustrates the selection of the Data layer and GeoFocus.

Image description: Data layer and GeoFocus of a snapshot selected

Resetting a MeteoEarth configuration

To reset a MeteoEarth configuration:

1. Click on the Properties menu and select the MeteoEarth tab.
2. Note that a blue square containing a white pen icon shows indicating a modified configuration.
3. Click the Reset button to reset a MeteoEarth configuration.

Lesson 14.13 illustrates the Reset option:

Image description: Resetting a MeteoEarth configuration

The MeteoEarth configuration resets to the default values:

Image description: MeteoEarth configuration reset

Lesson Activities

Quiz

Questions

Question 1: How do you activate MeteoEarth in a new playlist? 1. Drop in a MeteoEarth snapshot from the browser 2. Click on Properties – MeteoEarth – Configuration 3. Click on the MeteoEarth button next UTC button ‎ Question 2: Which content collection will contain MeteoEarth? 1. The topmost content collection of the first layer 2. None, MeteoEarth are separate segments 3. The first content collection of the first 2D layer ‎ Question 3: Which action will modify original ME configuration? 1. Change the geo focus of a snapshot segment 2. Change the time reference of a snapshot segment 3. Change, delete or add a snapshot

Answers

1. The correct answer is B. 2. The correct answer is B. 3. The correct answer is C.