TMS Ingester
TMS Ingester – Ingesting Content & SPLs into the System
The TMS Ingester module allows you to scan, import, monitor, and manage content such as DCPs and Show Playlists (SPLs) into the Theatre Management System (TMS). It supports multiple ingest sources, tracks ingest status, and provides error handling for failed or incomplete transfers.
🖼️ Interface Overview
The image below shows the TMS Ingester screen with all labeled features:
🔹 Main Tabs in the Ingester
| Tab | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Ingest Scan | Browse content (DCP/SPL) available from sources like LMS, screens, USB, or FTP |
| Monitor | Shows active ingest tasks and queue |
| Ingest Logs | Provides a historical log of completed, failed, or cancelled ingests |
| Scan Errors | Displays errors found during source scans (e.g., corrupted or missing metadata) |
| Drop VF | Upload zipped VF (Version File) DCPs directly into LMS |
🔸 Ingest Scan – Finding Content to Ingest
This is the default tab when opening the Ingester.
Key Features:
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Ingest Button | Begins transfer of selected content to LMS |
| Refresh Button | Re-scans the selected source for updated content |
| Select All | Marks all listed content for bulk ingest |
| Element Filter | Dropdown filter (e.g., DCP, SPL) to narrow results |
| Text Search | Allows typing to quickly locate specific content |
| Source Selector | Dropdown to choose ingest source (e.g., Screen-01, USB, FTP) |
🔸 Monitor Tab – Live Ingest Progress
The Monitor tab shows content that is currently being transferred, or waiting in the queue.
It includes:
- ✅ Ingesting now
- ⏸️ Paused tasks
- 💤 Queued content
- ⏩ Resume / Pause buttons
- ❌ Cancel option
Use this to track:
- Large transfers (e.g., 200GB+ DCPs)
- Simultaneous ingests from different sources
- Bandwidth or disk performance impacts
🔸 Ingest Logs – Completed History
Shows all past ingests including:
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Status | Completed, Failed, Cancelled |
| Type | DCP / SPL |
| Timestamp | Start/End times |
| Details | Path, size, duration, destination |
| Filter/Search | Find by keyword, type, or result |
Clicking the Details button shows full ingest metadata and outcomes.
🔸 Scan Errors – Incomplete or Corrupt Files
This tab lists content that couldn’t be loaded during scan due to:
- Corrupted XML metadata
- Unsupported format
- Missing CPL or PKL components
- Unfinished file copy on USB/FTP
🛠 Use this tab to clean up ingest issues before retrying.
🔸 Drop VF – Upload VF DCP Files (Optional)
- VF add-on reels
- Ad packs
- Alt-language content
📄Ingest Scan Tab (DCP & SPL Import Guide)
The Ingest Scan tab in the Expersys TMS allows you to import DCPs and Show Playlists (SPLs) from local or remote sources into the TMS Library Management System (LMS). This is the first step to make content available for scheduling and playback.
🖼️ Interface Overview
Below is the current layout of the Ingest Scan Tab, showing selectable content, filters, and action buttons.
🔹 Main Functions
| Element | Function |
|---|---|
| Source Selector | Dropdown to choose source (USB, FTP, LMS, Screens, INCOMING) |
| Ingest | Transfers selected content to LMS |
| Refresh | Re-scan the selected source |
| Select All | Selects all displayed content items |
| Delete (INCOMING only) | Deletes selected files from the FTP folder |
| Purge Incoming (INCOMING only) | Deletes all files from the FTP directory |
| Text Search | Filters results using partial or full filename |
| Element Filter | Filter by DCP / SPL types |
🎨 Visual Indicators
| Visual Style | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ⚫ Black Tile | Content does not exist in LMS (can be ingested) |
| ⚪ Grey Tile | Content already exists in LMS |
| 🟩 Green Tile | Content that has been selected for ingest |
✅ To ingest: Click to select a content row (it will turn green), then press the Ingest button.
📁 INCOMING Source – FTP Transfers
When content is sent to the TMS via FTP, it appears under the “INCOMING” source. This special folder includes additional actions:
| Action | Function |
|---|---|
| Delete | Deletes selected files from the INCOMING FTP folder |
| Purge Incoming | Deletes all files in the INCOMING FTP folder (use with caution) |
Use this for:
- Temporary ingest of trailers, ads, or support files
- Cleaning up failed or expired FTP transfers
🧭 Step-by-Step: How to Ingest Content
✅ Step 1: Select Source
From the left sidebar, click Ingester → Select Source (e.g., USB, Screen, FTP)
✅ Step 2: Filter & Search
- Use the Text Search bar to quickly locate a CPL or title
- Apply Element Filter to show only DCPs or SPLs
✅ Step 3: Select Content
- Click each content row to select it
→ the row will turn 🟩 green - Or press Select All to queue all visible items
✅ Step 4: Click Ingest
- All selected content will be transferred into the LMS
- The system will automatically switch to the Monitor tab
⚠️ If Content Does Not Appear
| Issue | Possible Reason |
|---|---|
| Content missing | Corrupt XML / Missing PKL or CPL |
| “Source Offline” | FTP/USB/NAS not connected or unreachable |
| USB not detected | USB not mounted or unsupported format (e.g., exFAT recommended) |
🔄 What Happens After Ingest?
- 📥 Content becomes available in Library, Scheduler, and Playlist Builder
- 📝 Logs appear in Ingest Logs tab
🧠 Operator Tips
- ✅ TMS scans all libraries in the background and updates itself every few minutes depending on how many sources available.
- If you just sent a content to the FTP of INCOMING or plugged in a USB and don’t see the Content, try to refresh the source before ingest
- Delete unneeded files from INCOMING to free space
- Use search and filters to avoid accidental multi-DCP ingest
If you have any questions please contact Expersys Support Team.
TMS Ingester – Monitor Tab
The Monitor Tab in the Expersys TMS Ingester module displays real-time progress of current ingest operations. This is where you can track the status of content being transferred to the LMS, including queued tasks, ongoing operations, and ingest-specific metadata.
🖼️ Interface Overview
The screenshot below provides a visual breakdown of the Monitor Tab layout:
🔹 Monitor Tab Layout
The Monitor tab consists of two main sections:
- Running Tasks
- Pending Tasks
1️⃣ Running Tasks
This section lists any content actively being ingested into the TMS.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| State | Status of the ingest (e.g., 🟢 Running, ⏸️ Paused) |
| Type | Type of content (usually DCP or SPL) |
| File Name | Title of the ingest task (e.g., DCP CPL name) |
| Current | Displays the specific file currently transferring, with live progress percentage (e.g., 82.283%) or hashing verification progress |
| Source | Indicates where the content is being ingested from (e.g., USB, NOC, Screen) |
| Started | Timestamp of when the ingest task began |
| Overall Progress | The full task progress as a percentage of all components (MXF, XML, etc.) |
2️⃣ Pending Tasks
Below the running task is the queue of upcoming ingest jobs, waiting to be processed.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| State | Always shows as 🕓 pending until it’s picked up for ingest |
| Type | DCP or SPL |
| File Name | The full CPL or package title |
| Source | Where the job is coming from (e.g., FTP, USB, NOC) |
| Created | Timestamp when this task was added to the queue |
Multiple jobs may be stacked here based on:
- Batch ingest from
Select All - Multiple ingest sources
- Manual content uploads
🔘 Monitor Tab Controls
Located above the task list, you’ll find interactive control buttons:
| Button | Function |
|---|---|
| 🟢 Resume | Resume paused ingest task |
| 🟡 Pause | Temporarily halt the active transfer |
| 🔴 Cancel | Abort the currently running task |
| 📄 Details | Open file-by-file log for the selected task |
These controls provide flexibility in managing bandwidth, avoiding schedule clashes, or recovering from network errors.
🧾 Ingest Task Details View
Clicking the Details button will open a modal showing full ingest metadata and file-level progress.
Here’s how it looks:
📋 Breakdown of Details Popup
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | Name of the CPL or asset being ingested |
| UUID | Unique content identifier |
| PKL | The asset’s Packing List filename |
| Asset File | CPL/Asset package root |
| Source | Where the ingest is coming from (e.g., NOC) |
| Total Size | Total file size of the DCP package |
| Ingested Size | Live progress (e.g., 138.68 MB / 193.73 MB) |
📄 List MXF (File-by-File Status)
Each ingest task shows detailed file progress:
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| FileName | Unique MXF file identifier |
| Type | File type (e.g., Picture, Sound) |
| Download | Shows Running, Pending, or Completed |
| Hash verification | Placeholder for future hash check result |
This lets you verify which files are transferring, which are queued, and if any have failed or stalled.
🔁 Automatic Queue Management
- The TMS handles one task at a time in serial
- Once the Running Task finishes, the next Pending Task automatically begins
- Paused or failed tasks stay in the queue until resumed or removed
✅ Summary
The Monitor Tab provides everything you need to oversee and manage your ingest operations, including:
- Live file transfer visibility
- Task queue and scheduling
- Detailed transfer progress
- Full control to resume, pause, or cancel jobs
Network Recommendations
The Expersys TMS requires a reliable, high-speed network to effectively manage devices, transfer media content, and monitor system statuses across a multiplex environment.
Recommended Network Setup
| Network Type | Specification |
|---|---|
| Management Network | 100Mb/s to 1Gb/s (Cat5e or Cat6 cabling) |
| Media Network | 10Gb/s (Fiber optic or CAT6A cabling) |
Management Network:
Used for device communication, status monitoring, system controls, and SNMP traffic.
Media Network:
Dedicated to high-volume data transfers such as DCP content ingest, playlist uploads, and KDM distribution.
Having separated networks from TMS to Auditoriums helps to prevent traffic congestion and optimizes performance.
Recommended Switches
For better network reliability and performance for the Media Network, it is recommended to use high-speed managed switches such as:
- Netgear M4250 Series
- HPE Aruba 2930F Series or Aruba 3810M Series
- FS S3900-24T4S or S5800 Series
Features to look for:
- SFP+ or 10GbE ports for 10Gbps fiber or copper uplinks
- Gigabit copper ports for device connections
- VLAN support to separate Management and Media traffic
- Redundant power options (if available)
Tips for Optimized Setup
- Use Fiber or CAT6A cabling between TMS and Media Switch to ensure 10Gbps performance.
- Use dedicated VLANs to logically separate Media and Management networks even if switches are shared.
- Ensure servers and switches have Jumbo Frames enabled for large media file transfers.
- Enable Link Aggregation (LACP) if multiple uplinks are neede
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our support team.
Supported Devices
The Expersys TMS system is designed to work with a wide range of industry-standard cinema hardware.
Following outlines the current supported devices:
Cinema Players:
- Dolby: DCP2000, DCP2K4, Showvault, IMS1000, IMS2000, IMS3000
- Christie: IMB-S3, IMB-S4
- IMAX
We are working to add support for more devices proactively.
Cinema Projectors:
- Christie
- Barco
- NEC
- IMAX
Sound Processors & Audio Equipment:
- Dolby: CP650, CP750, CP850, CP950, IMS3000, DMA Amplifiers
- MAG: DANA, DCO Amplifiers, DCQ Amplifiers
- PowerSoft Amplifiers *Networked Devices Only
Power Distribution Units (PDUs):
- Expersys PDU
- RevPower PDU
External Storage Devices:
- FTP Compatible Devices such as NAS or PC with FTP Server installed. (Commonly used for electronic DCP delivery)
If you have any enquiries please contact our support team.
Supported Devices
The Expersys TMS system is designed to work with a wide range of industry-standard cinema hardware.
Following outlines the current supported devices:
Cinema Players:
- Dolby: DCP2000, DCP2K4, Showvault, IMS1000, IMS2000, IMS3000
- Christie: IMB-S3, IMB-S4
- IMAX
We are working to add support for more devices proactively.
Cinema Projectors:
- Christie
- Barco
- NEC
- IMAX
Sound Processors & Audio Equipment:
- Dolby: CP650, CP750, CP850, CP950, IMS3000, DMA Amplifiers
- MAG: DANA, DCO Amplifiers, DCQ Amplifiers
- PowerSoft Amplifiers *Networked Devices Only
Power Distribution Units (PDUs):
- Expersys PDU
- RevPower PDU
External Storage Devices:
- FTP Compatible Devices such as NAS or PC with FTP Server installed. (Commonly used for electronic DCP delivery)
If you have any enquiries please contact our support team.