Q: Is Velocicast compatible with IP cameras?
A: Yes.
Velocicast supports IP cameras that use the RTSP streaming protocol. Audio from the auctioneer must also stream from the IP camera.
Q: Does Velocicast allow for streaming multiple cameras per lane?
A: No. Multiple camera streaming is a feature that will be available in a later release for Velocicast.
Q: Can block clerks add/remove announcements?
A: Yes.
Block clerks have the ability to adjust announcements as well as lights, mileage, and title absent options. The ability to add/remove is optional for each component. Auction administrators have the ability to turn these components on or off.
Q: If the clerk adds/changes an announcement or edits the information of a vehicle (title absent, miles, etc) does that automatically delete any present proxy bids?
A: No.
If the clerk makes any edits to the vehicle on the block, the system will prompt them that a proxy bid(s) is on the vehicle and ask if they want to delete or keep the proxy bid(s). The clerk must click through the prompts to delete the proxy(s).
Q: Can the simulcast automatically assign the red light if the bidding drops below a certain dollar amount?
A: Yes.
During the on-boarding process, we will send you a questionnaire to complete telling us how to setup the simulcast for your auction. The auto-red light dollar amount is one of those questions.
Q: Does the clerk screen produce sounds when certain events occur (like an online bid coming in or a clerk adding/changing an announcement)?
A: An incoming online bid triggers a bell sound. This is the only sound that occurs, but it sounds off for each incoming online bid. The block PC used must have speakers either built in or plugged in and the PC volume must be turned up for the sound to be heard.
Q: Can bidders retract their proxy bids?
A: Yes, both before and after the sale starts.
Before the sale starts: Pipeline has this ability but it requires an extra step. Once a bidder places a proxy, they also need to click the 'Add to Watch List' button. If they do this and ever decide to retract their proxy, they simply go to their Watch List from the top Pipeline menu bar, open the vehicle in question, and delete the proxy. It must be done one by one.
After the sale starts: Proxy bids can be deleted via the Pipeline method above, OR the bidder attends the simulcast and can delete the proxy(s) direct from the bidder interface.
Q: Is it possible to have a “soft opening” of sorts, where only one lane is converted for a week so that we can absolutely guarantee a smooth cut over? How do we ensure a smooth transition?
A: No.
Only one simulcast platform can be supported by an auction at one time, due to the way bidder badges are assigned to the simulcast attendees from the auction system. Out of 111 conversions to Velocicast performed in 2017, we had 0 failed/unsuccessful cut overs from the simulcast not working as expected.
An auction can use the simulcast demo site to test the hardware in-lane as soon as contract is signed. As soon as the day after your last sale on the outgoing simulcast, you can begin performing complete end-to-end testing between softwares (auction system, Pipeline, new Simulcast, etc). Testing can be done as often as desired throughout the week until the go-live sale the week after.
End-to-end testing includes:
- checking in a few test cars to play with (always recommended over using real dealer inventory)
- an auction staffer on the block as a clerk connecting to single-clerk
- an auction staffer on the block as an auctioneer to test audio
- an EDGE staffer connecting via Pipeline as a "live-bidder"
The auction would clerk a few test cars, changing miles, announcements, lights as desired and EDGE would 'buy' the test cars in order to test printing of Bills of Sale to the pertinent printers. Ideally the auction would sell one outright, IF-sale one, and no-sale one. Auction would repeat this on all physical blocks then reverse all sales using the single-clerk at the end of testing in order to un-sell them in the auction system.
We HIGHLY recommend prior to the conversion:
- DO NOT make changes to the contract with your ISP (switching to fiber, etc)
- DO NOT make any IP Address changes
- Ensure all your block PC's are hard-wired to the internet (NOT wireless)
After conversion, if any of these three items are to be planned for the auction they are communicated to us well before they happen to ensure consistency of service.