FOX Business Network launches ‘Data Wizard,’ powered by VDS

FOX Business Network recently launched “Data Wizard,” a real-time touch-screen control system, developed by VDS Technology in conjunction with FOX Graphics Engineering personnel.

The system is used primarily by Liz Claman’s “Countdown to the Closing Bell” which airs afternoons on FOX Business Network. The 103 inch touch-screen displays live market data with interactive 3D charting, stock comparison and annotation tools.

“From the beginning, we focused on making the system fast and easy to use by on-air talent. We wanted to deliver a tool that makes the telling of each story more compelling and informative,”said Mike Dilworth, CTO of Video Design Software. ” The single touch control aspect makes the Data Wizard unique, and allows the operator to quickly point or touch and always bring focus to the specific data of interest.”

The system provides producers and on-air talent with interactive control and drill down for analyzing current market activity, including key market indices, market sector data, and major market movers.

Together, FOX Business Network Graphics along with Graphics Engineering and Video Design Software developed the overall concepts, including a way to provide “single touch control”, which FOX defined as a must have feature from the beginning. This lead VDS to the development of a comprehensive suite of software that integrates control, data acquisition & processing and direct interface to the graphics systems that produce the charts, graphics and text.