Weatherscan has been on hiatus, but is coming back!

[cc17926]

Since my last update, I have been able to curate a reliable Traffic data source and write all the supporting scripts to bring this data to the emulator in near real time.

In addition to Traffic, I have also fixed the Airport package which includes Airport Delay and Observation information for 29 major airports across the Continental US.

Up to this point, I feel as though I have been able to repair all of the packages that became broken over the last several years, but unfortunately I cannot stop here.

A major loophole which I have experimented with in the past was the Bulletin Crawl, but was unable to find an efficient way to make this work for most users of the Emulator. In my quest to make this work properly, I have successfully pre-staged a server back-end processor which is able to collect (in real time) the weather bulletin information from the NWS, format it in a favorable way, and to allow the emulator to pick up this data within the same minute and present it while the data is still valid. As this is in an operational concept stage, some coding is needed to make this work full circle.

[cc17926]

Hey folks! Update since the last time I posted, I have been able to bring the Bulletin Crawl into full operation inside the Emulator. The principle of how it works is extremely basic:

On the server end, when a message is received from the NWS, we update a file specific to the WFO of your local office who issued the message.

On the client end, every minute, the Emulator will poll the server to check the latest message from your WFO. At that point, if the file is new, the Emulator will challenge that message with your Zone or County code. If your Zone or County is found to be inside this message, it will present the emulator with this text, and ONLY the text pertaining to your Zone or County. Once this has been received by the Emulator, it will then scroll across the bottom of the screen for a pre-determined length of time. (At this moment, it is set for 10 minutes but I may change this to 15.)

Currently, I am testing this to make sure it works properly. Through testing, I have fixed a few bugs along the way, but this system appears to be working.

At the present moment, I am hosting a YouTube Live running the Emulator over Puerto Rico, and if there is a Bulletin issued, you will see it crawl across the bottom of the screen. Tune in at http://youtube.com/cc17926 ..

[WeatherSTARIII]

Hey folks! Update since the last time I posted, I have been able to bring the Bulletin Crawl into full operation inside the Emulator. The principle of how it works is extremely basic:

On the server end, when a message is received from the NWS, we update a file specific to the WFO of your local office who issued the message.

On the client end, every minute, the Emulator will poll the server to check the latest message from your WFO. At that point, if the file is new, the Emulator will challenge that message with your Zone or County code. If your Zone or County is found to be inside this message, it will present the emulator with this text, and ONLY the text pertaining to your Zone or County. Once this has been received by the Emulator, it will then scroll across the bottom of the screen for a pre-determined length of time. (At this moment, it is set for 10 minutes but I may change this to 15.)

Currently, I am testing this to make sure it works properly. Through testing, I have fixed a few bugs along the way, but this system appears to be working.

At the present moment, I am hosting a YouTube Live running the Emulator over Puerto Rico, and if there is a Bulletin issued, you will see it crawl across the bottom of the screen. Tune in at http://youtube.com/cc17926 ..

That's cool to hear! I've even noticed that from your latest stream during Hurricane Maria. Just out of curiosity, does the severe weather crawl kind of uses the same source code like what the WeatherSTAR 4000 v3 simulator uses?

One other thing that I have here is that I happen to have the official WeatherScan XL manual that's from around 2000 (I found it from the former TWC WeatherSTAR support website from the Internet Archive since the website no longer exists anymore, but still manage to find the official WeatherScan XL manual). I've also found some additional WeatherScan XL-related press releases from around 2000-01.

What's even interesting about the official manual is that the real WeatherScan XL back then also had Garden Forecasts, Golf Forecasts, Fall Foliage (something which the previous version of the emulator once had), Health, International Forecast, Spanish Forecasts, Skiing Forecast, and a Travel Forecasts feature. It even mentions in the manual that the main local forecast segment also apparently had different flavors (they had a "Core-Package" which is something that the emulator previously had and a "Mini-Core Package", which only has some features of the local forecast segment).

Lastly, the manual also mentions that there were not only the "Neighborhood" and "City" themes, but also a "Desert" theme, a "Forest" theme, a "Mountain East" theme, a "Mountain West" theme, a "Ocean East" theme, and lastly, a "Ocean West" theme.

So I wonder if it's possible to get some of the data from any of the other official features mentioned in the official WeatherScan XL manual?

[Jonathon]

Hey folks! Update since the last time I posted, I have been able to bring the Bulletin Crawl into full operation inside the Emulator. The principle of how it works is extremely basic:

On the server end, when a message is received from the NWS, we update a file specific to the WFO of your local office who issued the message.

On the client end, every minute, the Emulator will poll the server to check the latest message from your WFO. At that point, if the file is new, the Emulator will challenge that message with your Zone or County code. If your Zone or County is found to be inside this message, it will present the emulator with this text, and ONLY the text pertaining to your Zone or County. Once this has been received by the Emulator, it will then scroll across the bottom of the screen for a pre-determined length of time. (At this moment, it is set for 10 minutes but I may change this to 15.)

Currently, I am testing this to make sure it works properly. Through testing, I have fixed a few bugs along the way, but this system appears to be working.

At the present moment, I am hosting a YouTube Live running the Emulator over Puerto Rico, and if there is a Bulletin issued, you will see it crawl across the bottom of the screen. Tune in at http://youtube.com/cc17926 ..

Looks great Brian!

Question about the crawl: does it still require a separate program, or is it built into the emulator?

[cc17926]

That's cool to hear! I've even noticed that from your latest stream during Hurricane Maria. Just out of curiosity, does the severe weather crawl kind of uses the same source code like what the WeatherSTAR 4000 v3 simulator uses?

I was not apart of the design process of the 4000 simulator, so I can't speak for the process performed on that end.. I originate the bulletin crawls from the NWS EMWIN (Emergency Manager's Weather Information Network) data feed. As the messages come in, I process them so they may be retrieved by the Emulator. It is in theory that the Emulator will pick up these messages within a minute of their dispatch, and will be displayed on the crawl line.

Looks great Brian!

Question about the crawl: does it still require a separate program, or is it built into the emulator?

Thank you! Back in pilot testing in 2008, this was a separate program, this is now integrated into the emulator.

[cc17926]

Updates.. Two maps have been added to the Airport package to show ConUS airport delays and impacts. Still testing the Alert bulletin crawl, which seems to be behaving quite well. New Themes!! Among the classic "Neighborhood", "UrbanCity" and Halloween (has been touched-up), the following new ones have been added: Desert, Forest, Halloween, Mountains, and UrbanCity.

Please refer to the attached image to see what this looks like!!!

[WeatherSTARIII]

Updates.. Two maps have been added to the Airport package to show ConUS airport delays and impacts. Still testing the Alert bulletin crawl, which seems to be behaving quite well. New Themes!! Among the classic "Neighborhood", "UrbanCity" and Halloween (has been touched-up), the following new ones have been added: Desert, Forest, Halloween, Mountains, and UrbanCity.

Please refer to the attached image to see what this looks like!!!

Nice collection of new themes! I like those pictures too. A couple of other questions to ask:

1. I know the Halloween theme was unofficial to the real WeatherScan XL back in 2000-03 since it didn't even mention in the official manual, but will they'll still be other holiday-related themes (like Christmas, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, etc.)?

2. Will the original backgrounds from the official neighborhood and city themes that were taken from the actual screen captures of the real WeatherScan XL will still be there?

Also, just out of curiosity from what I found on YouTube from fellow user LocalForecast (and also previously here on TWCClassics/Today) for the real WeatherScan XL, these were some of the official dessert theme backgrounds.

This last picture by the way was the real severe weather bulletin message feature that looked a lot different than the one the simulator had.

[cc17926]

Nice collection of new themes! I like those pictures too. A couple of other questions to ask:

1. I know the Halloween theme was unofficial to the real WeatherScan XL back in 2000-03 since it didn't even mention in the official manual, but will they'll still be other holiday-related themes (like Christmas, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, etc.)?

2. Will the original backgrounds from the official neighborhood and city themes that were taken from the actual screen captures of the real WeatherScan XL will still be there?

Also, just out of curiosity from what I found on YouTube from fellow user LocalForecast (and also previously here on TWCClassics/Today) for the real WeatherScan XL, these were some of the official dessert theme backgrounds.

This last picture by the way was the real severe weather bulletin message feature that looked a lot different than the one the simulator had.

1. Other themes can be created, these are the ones that I created up to this point. Since I already created the templates, I just need the (royalty-free) photography to use with them.
2. They are still included, but labeled as Legacy in the configuration interface.
3. The Desert theme from the video is too grainy to recover any usable backdrop. I created a new one.
4. Severe Bulletin slide can be changed, however in practice it works differently in my Emulator than the way the TWC Weatherscan displayed these.

[WeatherSTARIII]

Nice collection of new themes! I like those pictures too. A couple of other questions to ask:

1. I know the Halloween theme was unofficial to the real WeatherScan XL back in 2000-03 since it didn't even mention in the official manual, but will they'll still be other holiday-related themes (like Christmas, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, etc.)?

2. Will the original backgrounds from the official neighborhood and city themes that were taken from the actual screen captures of the real WeatherScan XL will still be there?

Also, just out of curiosity from what I found on YouTube from fellow user LocalForecast (and also previously here on TWCClassics/Today) for the real WeatherScan XL, these were some of the official dessert theme backgrounds.

This last picture by the way was the real severe weather bulletin message feature that looked a lot different than the one the simulator had.

1. Other themes can be created, these are the ones that I created up to this point. Since I already created the templates, I just need the (royalty-free) photography to use with them.
2. They are still included, but labeled as Legacy in the configuration interface.
3. The Desert theme from the video is too grainy to recover any usable backdrop. I created a new one.
4. Severe Bulletin slide can be changed, however in practice it works differently in my Emulator than the way the TWC Weatherscan displayed these.

Thanks for letting me know. I've been good with Photoshop before, but unfortunately for the original official desert backgrounds, it's hard for me to airbrush those unwanted text and icons from these photos (especially for that first one which has an ad crawl overlapping the original Current Conditions background image and since this was likely recorded in SLP mode on VHS with some dirty video heads and possibly from an RF hookup from the cable box).

The bulletin one on the other hand, was from TWCClassics and also in higher quality (likely from a DVD recording recorded from an S-Video hookup on the cable box and in SP mode). It's possible that the layout on the bulletin feature could be changed to make it look more like the real thing. I'm also curious to see what website these loyalty-free pictures originated from.

[cc17926]

Thanks for letting me know. I've been good with Photoshop before, but unfortunately for the original official desert backgrounds, it's hard for me to airbrush those unwanted text and icons from these photos (especially for that first one which has an ad crawl overlapping the original Current Conditions background image and since this was likely recorded in SLP mode on VHS with some dirty video heads and possibly from an RF hookup from the cable box).

The bulletin one on the other hand, was from TWCClassics and also in higher quality (likely from a DVD recording recorded from an S-Video hookup on the cable box and in SP mode). It's possible that the layout on the bulletin feature could be changed to make it look more like the real thing. I'm also curious to see what website these loyalty-free pictures originated from.

The picture I am working with are sourced from the Pexels website. As things change over time, I will think about re-designing the look and feel of the Bulletin frame.

[cc17926]

Also, more updates for today..

-Added in the client 'preferences' application the ability to visually edit the music playlist. (This is the small desktop applet previously used to set your ID, for those who are familiar.)

-Created a 'Custom' Local Forecast theme, which will allow the user to add 640x480 JPEG backdrop images to be used. The benefit of this special package, it will automatically add the special middle overlay. The user will not need to have any special photo editing tools, except to supply the image. The emulator will do the rest!

[22appaar]

Also, more updates for today..

-Added in the client 'preferences' application the ability to visually edit the music playlist. (This is the small desktop applet previously used to set your ID, for those who are familiar.)

-Created a 'Custom' Local Forecast theme, which will allow the user to add 640x480 JPEG backdrop images to be used. The benefit of this special package, it will automatically add the special middle overlay. The user will not need to have any special photo editing tools, except to supply the image. The emulator will do the rest!

Awesome!

[cc17926]

Today I would like to switch gears over to Beta testing of the Emulator. Jump over to the Beta forum for more information..

https://twctodayforums.com/forums/beta-testingissues-discussion/

[Sky 9 Weather]

Development is looking good! Hope to use it soon!