Indispensable tools
Yasmin Hashmi & Stella Plumbridge
07/30/1999 World Broadcast News
Copyright 1999 by Intertec Publishing Corporation, a PRIMEDIA Company. All rights reserved.
Avid Technology Apart from the big news that it has agreed to work with Sony on MPEG-2 editing systems, Avid Technology also stated its intention to collaborate with Sony on 24P post-production workflow systems for high-definition television and broadcast news. According to Avid, 24P technology will address the DTV and HDTV markets by enabling multiformat delivery from a single 24P source. Indeed, having announced plans to incorporate 24P technology in its editorial product line, the company already has included it in version 2.0 of the Avid Symphony finishing system.
Among the new Avid products on show was the Avid ShowBiz Producer DV for users new to video, and for users already with multiple systems, the company announced a shared-storage and distributed computing system in the form of the Avid Unity. Based on the Avid Unity MediaNet open-networking and central-storage technology that uses an advanced file system, it allows real-time simultaneous sharing of high-bandwidth media and supports Macintosh, Windows NT and SGI Irix platforms as well as ATM Gigabit Ethernet and fiber-channel networking.
The Avid Unity supports any application that uses standard file-system calls, and it is designed to improve workflow by connecting editors, artists, sound designers and effects specialists throughout a digital facility to the same network. It also supports dedicated management services for the entire post-production facility from a central location, thus relieving content creation tools of many of the mundane or mechanical tasks normally associated with part-linear, part-nonlinear post-production processes.
Digital Processing Systems Digital Processing Systems (DPS) enhanced its range of nonlinear video engines by releasing the Video Action 6.32 for the DPS Perception video recorder. This features batch capture, recapture and quick capture, print-to-tape, a new player/trimmer, EDL import/export, Inscriber CG plug-in, and eight real-time audio tracks with pan.
For those who prefer not to build their own editing workstations, DPS showcased its turnkey DPS Perception RT3DXi. Currently available only in North America, this Windows NT-based system uses DPS RT3DX hardware technology and DPS Video Action 6.3 software. It features dual-stream editing with real-time 2-D and 3-D effects and transitions.
DPS previewed another turnkey system in the form of dspGravity. Aimed at on-line editing and compositing for professional video editors, the system comprises next-generation DPS hardware and editing software as well as compositing software from eyeon Software. It also includes custom control panels for audio and video, and video jog/shuttle with macro and edit functions.
Discreet Logic According to Mahmoud Al-Daccak, Discreet Logic vice president of product development, version 3.0 for the non-compressed fire* and smoke* editing systems "is truly a milestone for Discreet in editing."
Version 3.0 adds long-form finishing to the existing creative and editorial capabilities of the product line. It includes augmented data-management capabilities to support long-form editing requirements, 8-channel audio I/O, a range of new editorial tools, text and DVE performance improvements, 24fps support and a redesigned user interface.
Among the features of the new version 5.0 for the Discreet edit* Windows NT editing system are support for non-compressed video as well as a range of compressed resolutions, multicam for creative editorial, Apple QuickTime 3.0 support and workgroup editing using the Number One GM Jobnet software.
For the HDTV market, Discreet announced that its fire* and inferno* systems now support real-time editing, effects and playback of the 1920x1080 24P mastering format, enabling users to master in HD at full quality and then format-convert on the same system to NTSC, PAL, any of the DTV formats and film. Both systems also support real-time HDTV I/O using the SGI real-time HD I/O board as well as enhanced integration with the Philips Spirit Datacine and new HD DDRs. In addition, the Discreet frost* real-time graphics generator for presenting broadcast graphics and virtual scenery offers HDTV support for formats including 720p and 1080i.
Doremi Adding to its wide range of V1 family of DDRs, Doremi introduced the V1MPEG2 featuring MPEG-2 4:2:2P@ML with up to 50Mb/s throughput. Compatible with all types of MPEG-2, the system has twoRS-422 Sony 9-pin protocol ports, is ITU-R601 compliant, and offers full screen PAL and NTSC resolution. Another addition was the V1U non-compressed 10-bit recorder with SDI. New features for the V1 Video Server include RAID4 protection and connection to V1 units via SCSI-3 or 100BaseT Ethernet, allowing greater flexibility in the physical location of the V1 DDRs.
The company also is offering turnkey systems in the form of the BAS-1 broadcast automation system comprising V1mx2 DDRs controlled by Etere TV broadcast automation software, and the SPORTS-1 sports production system comprising V1mx2 DDRs and the DNF Industries ST300-SSM/T slow-motion controller.
Drastic Technologies Drastic Technologies launched a range of products based on its VVW series of broadcast video servers and digital disk recorders. For sports playback, the JPEG-based single-channel VVW1900 is compact and rugged and supports slow-motion interpolation, and the VVW3000 provides high-quality multichannel playback with simultaneous record and replay as well as expansion possible via Ultra SCSI or fiber-channel storage systems.
For broadcast applications, the scalable single-channel VVW1700 networkable commercial insertion broadcast servers support DV, M-JPEG and MPEG-2 formats. The multichannel VVW2500 is designed to interface directly with the latest generation of electronic news gathering systems and works in the native DV format, and the VVW4500 supports up to 12 fully independent MPEG-2 streams.
For production, the VVW3500 JPEG provides 2-channel mathematically lossless sampling, serial digital I/O, jitter-free slow motion and a range of 2-D and 3-D effects, while the VVW5000 supports 10-bit non-compressed recording and includes file-translation capabilities.
Drastic addressed the file compatibility issue head-on by introducing its Media-Reactor translation software. This is designed to run on both 100BaseT Ethernet LANs and Fibre Channel SANs and acts as a real-time translation engine between connected workstations using different file formats.
EVS With its focus on cost-effective systems for digital broadcasting and sports coverage, EVS showcased the MPEG-2 Little Big Server (LBS), which features the ability to playback DVB-compliant transport streams up to 100Mb/s per channel. It uses a networked architecture for multiuser operation and supports several applications, including the new Windows NT-based CleanCutter for creating and trimming MPEG-2 clips with accuracy.
According to EVS, the advantage of LBS is that program sources can be MPEG-2 files stored on the server, or they can be programs extracted on-line from incoming transport streams using real- time software demultiplexing, thus eliminating the traditional need for multiple demultiplexors, encoders and primary multiplexors.
Other digital systems from the company included the I-Box multistandard interface for interconnection of DVB systems, the new MPEG-2 Analyzer for monitoring streams in the digital domain, and the CDM-1 MPEG-2 4:2:2 encoder and decoder aimed at scalable and cost-effective DVB transport stream encoding.
JVC JVC aimed to show its end-to-end vision for DTV by focusing on three areas: production, infrastructure and presentation. For production, the company showed its new DY-90 DIGITAL-S camcorder, and the BR-D95 DIGITAL-S slow-motion recorder with variable speed effects and the ability to output compressed video via SDTI.
JVC also launched an extension to the DIGITAL-S format in the form of its D-9 HD 100Mb/s recording format for HDTV, with three preview models on show, including a 720p camcorder, a 1080i camcorder and a switchable 1080i/720p studio VTR. In addition, it showed working samples of its new D-9 HD recorder, which supports more than 60 minutes of 100Mb/s HDTV video and is also 1080i/720p switchable.
For post-production, JVC announced new features for its TimeGate nonlinear editing system, including real-time slow motion in forward or reverse play and live multilayering. For infrastructure, it showed a 1RU real-time broadcast MPEG-2 HDTV encoder and decoder that was co-developed with C - Cube subsidiary DiviCom .
JVC also reported its collaboration with DiviCom and Hewlett Packard to offer high-definition on-air server systems using HP Mediastream Servers 700 and 1600, DiviCom HDTV encoders and JVC HDTV decoders. The company also announced its collaboration with Sonic Solutions to provide a new DVD Archive system aimed at automatic encoding, storage and management of video and audio assets. The three components of this system are a JVC asset management system, a JVC DVD library, and the Sonic Solutions Sonic AutoDVD for video and audio encoding and writing to DVD-R.
Leitch While Leitch already provides a range of server and software systems, it now aims to offer superior price-performance by packaging its servers into systems.
The Leitch VR3000 Series video server systems are aimed at applications such as commercial insertion and time delay, are available in models up to six channels, and include Leitch VR300 video servers, FCR disk arrays, RAIDsoft redundancy and SpotBase play-to-air software. The VRN3610 package is an entry-level digital newsroom system that comprises a multichannel fiber-channel server with integrated NEWSFlash editing system.
Another new introduction from Leitch was the VR400 MPEG-2 server with centralized fiber-channel storage, software RAID and multiformat codec technology, and bidirectional video channels for recording and playback. There are plans to include DVCPRO25 and 50 support for the VR400 as well as Serial Digital Transport Interface - Content Package, which is in the final stages of SMPTE standardization. This will allow faster than real-time transfer of Sony Betacam SX material.
Leitch also showcased its BrowseCutter desktop video system. This provides an MPEG-1 shadow version of every clip stored on the VR300 or VR400 broadcast server, and the aim is to allow journalists at their desks or in multiple remote locations to build rundowns, edit scripts, search wires and edit packages using picon-based drag and drop editing using a desktop computer or laptop.
Other new applications for the VR300 and VR400 include the VR Archive Streamer that uses the Leitch FibreDrive technology to monitor, move and distribute video files between VR servers and near-line storage for archiving and backup protection.
Matrox Targeting real-time editing for digital television using the Windows NT platform, Matrox announced Matrox DigiSuite DTV. Demonstrating running Adobe Premiere RT and in:sync Speed Razor RT real-time editing applications as well as compositing, paint, 3-D animation, CG and effects software, the card supports multiformat DV, DV50 and variable bitrate MPEG-2 4:2:2 I-frame editing. It also supports both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios. In addition, it provides MPEG-2 4:2:2P@ML and MPEG-2 MP@ML output, and it supports a full range of I/O and interconnect interfaces, including the Matrox SDTI card for SDI/SDTI interfacing.
In addition, Matrox announced the Matrox DigiServer DTV, designed for automated capture and playout in video server, DDR, commercial insertion, instant replay and time-delay applications. Bitstream-compatible with DigiSuite DTV-based editing systems, DigiServer DTV features two video capture and/or four playback channels per PCI card, SDI and SDTI I/O, a range of DV and MPEG-2 formats for capture, playback and transcoding, and support for vertical blanking interval data insertion and extraction.
Matrox addressed the DVD-authoring market by announcing a software bundle for the Matrox DigiSuite DTV that includes Adobe Premiere RT, Inscriber CG for titling, Boris FX for 3-D effects and the Sonic Solutions DVDit! for DVD authoring. According to Matrox, to create a DVD, users simply capture and edit video in real time using Adobe Premiere RT. Then drag and drop edited video sequences, audio clips, graphics, backgrounds and buttons into DVDit!, build their interactive DVD with a single mouse click, and write it to DVD-R or any recordable medium.
Media 100 Media 100 announced the Finish PowerGrade series of turnkey systems for Windows NT. This fully-configured series is based on the Compaq Professional Workstation AP500, includes six models, and features broadcast-quality video and InstantMedia integration for use with software applications such as 3-D StudioMax and its new high-speed compositing software Shakevideo.
Turning its attention to the portable editor market, the company previewed the Media 100 RFE (Remote Field Editor). Designed to be lightweight, the system is aimed at directors, editors and producers involved in electronic news gathering, documentaries, independent filmmaking and on-location shooting.
Media 100 also demonstrated its commitment to collaborative ventures and several new technologies, including MPEG-2 encoding and decoding, which it intends to add to future products as a result of a strategic relationship with IBM. Its cooperation with Leitch resulted in a demonstration of HDTV output directly from Media 100 and Finish systems via the Leitch Juno upconverter and the new Media 100 Serial Digital Interface, while other technology demonstrations included the use of Finish and Media 100 in Storage Area Networks (SANs). The idea behind a SAN is to allow multiple computer-based media workstations to simultaneously share common disk storage. With SAN operating system software, every workstation connected to a SAN can use the same files on the same disks at the same time, without copying or moving materials and without local media storage on servers. The demonstrations Media 100 took part in were in conjunction with Fibre Channel Solutions, Intergraph and Rorke Data.
Panasonic Teaming with a number of other manufacturers, including Avid, EMC2, JVC, Pluto Technologies, Quantel, SGI and Tektronix, Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems (PBTSC) participated in a demonstration using DV-based signals. This showcased transfer of DVCPRO, DVCPRO50 and DIGITAL-S video at 25Mb/s, 50Mb/s and four times faster than real-time transfer over SDTI pathways.
Among its new product announcements was the Panasonic POSTBOX 2000, a new model of the POSTBOX (aka WJ-MX1200) nonlinear editing system. This features real-time multilayering, built-in Zip and CD-ROM drives, three PCI slots for system expansion, 4:2:2 signal processing and optional SDI.
The company also unveiled two DVCPRO servers. The AVSS500 is aimed at sports-news production, time delay and automated program applications. Featuring eight I/O channels, each with an RS-422 control port, the system supports SDI and can be operated with the Panasonic newsBYTE (aka QuickCutter) and DVEDIT editing systems.
New software for DVEDIT includes third-party plug-in support, direct digitize-to-timeline for voiceover and VTR recording, disk authoring tools, scene change detection, and bin networking for sharing clips.
Philips Digital Video Systems High definition certainly was high on the agenda for Philips Digital Video Systems. The company announced high-definition capability for its Media Pool family of M-JPEG-based video servers in the form of HDTV Media Pool. This consists of newly manufactured components, including a video input/output module, storage array, either 9GB or 18GB disk drives, and a control application.
Philips also premiered 1080p/24/25 and 48Sf progressive HDTV standard for its Spirit DataCine film scanner and conformance editing in 2k from offline Avid lists, including transition effects, for its Specter Virtual DataCine. For the consumer market, the company showed the Philips personal TV receiver and the TiVo personal TV service, which allows viewers to capture a personalized line-up of TV programs from any source, including satellite, cable and antenna.
Pinnacle Systems Adding to its range of nonlinear video engines, Pinnacle Systems announced the DC1000 dual stream video and audio editing systems featuring MPEG-2 technology. The package is bundled with Adobe Premiere RT 5.1, the Pinnacle Systems TitleDeko titling software, the Pixelan Software Video SpiceRack effects and the Sonic Foundry ACID music software. As well as supporting real-time processing of titles and transitions and providing more than 300 real-time effects, the DC1000 can use analog or DV video, and it can output in DVD format.
Pinnacle also announced new versions of its ReelTime and ReelTime Nitro editing systems that are bundled with the in:sync Speed Razor RT editing software, allowing unlimited layers for compositing and the ability to work with data files larger than 2GB.
Launching itself into the server market, Pinnacle unveiled the Thunder family of video and audio media servers targeted at broadcasters, ad agencies and post facilities. The products are designed to provide the functionality of a traditional multichannel server, the mix/effects of a production switcher, an audio mixer and a downstream keyer at a fraction of the normal cost. The family includes the 4-channel Thunder MCS4000 server and the 2-channel MCS2000 server, both of which support storage and processing of MPEG-2 and DV formats, allow 525- and 625-line material to reside on the server at the same time, and can perform real time transitions between clips within each channel rather than having to use two channels for a transition.
Pinnacle also introduced a relation to the Thunder family in the form of iThunder. Designed for real-time webcasting, this includes the RealNet-works Real System G2 server and supports video distribution over the Internet.
Quantel Quantel stressed the advantages of its Clipbox server, namely multiple ports, huge storage capabilities and the ability to allow editors and journalists to edit material within the server, with no copying, transfers or bottlenecks involved.
The company also announced an all-new HD server and a new 8-port configuration of its Cachebox server, which can be upgraded to HD when required. In addition, the company introduced two new applications in the form of the SpotRunner commercial insertion system and the Inspiration integrated news/sports production system, both of which are designed for flexibility, reliability and massive bandwidth.
Sony Sony announced a host of strategic relationships with companies such as IBM to market a digital content and intellectual asset management system, Discreet Logic to develop an HDCAM software codec, as well as Avid Technology to add DVCAM interoperability to the Avid NewsCutter's existing DV capabilities, and to create an Avid news-editing system that will interoperate with the new Sony line of MPEG-based equipment.
On the disk recorder and server side, Sony and Sierra Design Labs have jointly developed the HD 270 DTV/HDTV DDR, which incorporates the Sony HDCAM HD SDTI processor card set and is designed for fully switchable HD/DTV applications. Likewise, Sony and Pluto Technologies have joined forces to release the new AirSPACE HDCAM server. Sony and Sun Microsystems demonstrated MPEG file transfer between a Sun server running the Sun StorEdge Media Central Software and the Sony MAV-70 MPEG server over a 100BaseT Ethernet connection. Quantel demonstrated interop-erability with the Sony I-frame VTR and the Quantel Cachebox via SDTI-CP.
Tektronix In addition to promoting its new Profile PRO series DDR aimed at emerging markets and VTR replacement as well as previewing its HD Profile server technology, Tektronix unveiled its Profile VideoGateway. This is a video router that enables remote video and audio clip transfer among geographically separated Profile servers using standard data networks. Designed to help video professionals get the most out of their existing network infrastructures, the Profile VideoGateway supports both IP and ATM networks, and it eliminates the need for content verification because the guaranteed-delivery nature of these protocols ensures that every clip and any metadata such as file names or subclips arrives safely at their destinations.
For facility-wide shared storage applications, Tektronix showcased a news-editing workgroup system integrating multiple Avid NewsCutter news editing systems, Profile server systems and Avstar newsroom computing products. With the aim of improving workflow by allowing simultaneous access to media throughout a facility, the system is being designed to integrate with the Tektronix ContentShare global asset-management platform.
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