IntelliStar 2 Jr

IntelliStar 2 Jr.
IntelliStar 2 Jr Current Conditions screen as of 2019.
Manufacturer:	Custom Built
Family:	IntelliStar 2
Hardware:	PC Based
OS:	Windows Embedded Standard 7
Render Engine:	Vizrt
Release date:	October 2013
Status:	Alternative - Low-cost upgrade for legacy systems, mainly replaced by IntelliStar 2 XD
Format	480i Standard Definition
Succeeded By:	IntelliStar 2 XD

The IntelliStar 2 Jr (stylized as "I2 Jr") is a low-cost analog and digital offering suitable for smaller cable providers. It was developed and released in 2013. Similar to the first-generation IntelliStar, the unit is capable of operating natively for both analog and digital transmission on cable systems. The IntelliStar 2 Jr was later used as a permanent replacement for all analog WeatherStar systems on June 26, 2014 as a result of the discontinuation of the analog-only units.

The I2 Jr functions similarly to the main IntelliStar 2 with Vocal Local narrations provided by Jim Cantore. Until June of 2014, the unit utilized the IntelliStar 2's previous graphics set. Much like its predecessors (since the 2010 graphics change), it did not have its own Lower Display Line (LDL) during national segments, except for the warning crawl. The 2013 Weather All The Time graphics set began a gradual rollout from June 2014 on, bringing the unit up to date with the IntelliStar and IntelliStar 2, and restoring full LDL functionality.

With the launch of the IntelliStar 2 XD, and its ability to down-convert its high definition feed to a letterboxed standard definition feed, use of the IntelliStar 2 Jr dropped as headends now only required one unit for both high definition and standard definition feeds.

Graphics Packages on the IntelliStar 2 Jr

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  The IntelliStar 2 Jr displaying the first graphics package.

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  The IntelliStar 2 Jr displaying the second graphics package, known internally as "Enhanced".

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  The IntelliStar 2 Jr displaying a revised version of the second graphics package, which was released in August 2019.

Timeline

October 2013	Initial beta testing and release of the I2 Jr begins
April - May 2014	I2 Jr is aggressively deployed to cable providers using legacy Weather Star systems, pending TWC's discontinuation of its analog satellite feed. The unit utilizes the IntelliStar 2's previous graphics set instead of the current graphics as a result.
June 2014	A gradual rollout of the Weather All The Time "Enhanced" graphics package began to all deployed units.
April 3, 2018	Local on the 8s now only appears at :18 and :48 past the hour. I2 Jr receives a refresh to the LDL. The Weather Channel logo is replaced with a "Local on the 8s" logo Ad crawls now display above the LDL on the 8s of the hour as a replacement for the full Local on the 8s.
August 20, 2019	I2 Jr receives the new 2019 rebrand graphics package. The font used on the unit changes to Roboto The LDL receives a new background and animations, but mainly keeps the existing layout. All MSO specific messages now display as crawls instead of as message blocks. The ad crawl now appears as part of the LDL cycle, the first product behind the optional MSO specific message Traffic products are removed from the cycle Local on the 8s no longer animate the background on and off screen, and the font is changed. The rest of the forecast remains the same as the previous package.