Visit the Library
APTN Library, the video archive of the Associated Press Television
News service, will use Arkemedia's media-asset-management technology for
digitization and search capabilities. Once the project is completed, APTN
Library users will be able to view all digitized material and complete their
own edits using a browser-based tool. With the click of a few buttons to
complete online ordering, they will receive the content via downloads or on
tape in full broadcast quality. The project will be completed in the third
quarter of 2005 and have about 1,000 hours of material. About 2,000 hours will
be added each year.
HD Goes Wireless
Ikegami took the wraps off its plans for a wireless HD-transmission
system that can be used with its portable HDK-79E X camera. The new system has
separate units for transmitting communications and camera control and a
receiver responsible for HD-SDI and SD-SDI video transmission. Ikegami also
officially introduced its Editcam HD tapeless camcorder and an HD slow-mo
camera system that uses two sets of sensors to alternately capture frames for
playback.
VizRT Improves Its Engine
Graphics-system provider VizRT is upgrading the engine that drives its
software, a move it says speeds real-time HD-graphics creation and rendering.
The new boards are from NVIDIA and include the Quadro FX 4000 and FX 4000 SDI
professional graphics boards. "Based on our testing, we believe this is the
fastest AGP-based graphics board on the market," says Christian Huber, who
heads operations for Austria VizRT. In some of VizRT's application-based tests,
which compare the NVIDIA Quadro FX 4000 with the previously used board of the
same class, the rendering performance of Viz Engine has shown increases in
speed of 1,000%.
New Liquidity
Pinnacle Systems offered Liquid Edition version 6 nonlinear editing
software. The $500 package has new tools and features and the ability to edit
multiple streams of native HD material. The professional version adds an analog
and digital input/output breakout box with USB2 connections. It's compatible
with Sony XDCAM and Panasonic P2 formats.
Eye on iPlex
Skystream's new iPlex video headend platform incorporates video
encoding, processing and routing into a single-rack chassis. That makes it
easier for telcos and cable and satellite operators to add IP capability to
small and medium-size headends. "A Learjet is more appropriate than a 747 when
transporting smaller groups of passengers," says Claude Dupuis, SkyStream vice
president, engineering. "iPlex eliminates the need to buy three different
products for smaller edge deployments." Expect it on the market by the end of
the year.
For-A High on Hanabi
For-A rolled out the latest version of its Hanabi series multi-format
production switcher. The HVS-10000HS has up to 16 video inputs, two DVE layers,
and chromakeying, compositing and editing functionality. The company's
digiWarp-EXII virtual-studio technology was also rolled out. Using it, artists
can create complex scenery made up of four object layers with a live
blue-screen image. Each background layer can be swapped during broadcast to
increase the creative possibilities for producers and directors.
Pack an Apple
Thomson is integrating Apple's Final Cut Pro HD software into three
versions of its Station in a Kit series of systems. The kits make it easier for
TV stations and production companies to buy a complete acquisition, playback
and editing system while gaining pricing advantages. And the addition of Final
Cut Pro HD gives the systems craft-style editing capabilities. The three kits
include the TV Station in a Box (complete with M-Series iVDR with four-channel
simultaneous record and playout), the News Production Kit (featuring three
NewsEdit nonlinear editing systems and the iVDR) and the Post-Production Kit
(with PowerMac G5 computers and Profile servers).
Omneon's Versatility
Omneon's Spectrum HD video server gives stations simultaneous HD and
SD playback from a server priced about $50,000. It has two real-time
media-interface adapters, giving it the ability to handle the larger bandwidth
demands of HD material. The server is based on two products: the MediaPort
4010, which handles de-multiplexing of audio and video into the system, and the
MultiPort4002 playout interface adapter, which has built-in HD decoding
capabilities. That removes the need for external HD decoders.
Nexio HD Debuts
Leitch's new Nexio HD server is the first to use software codec
technology. Leitch President and CEO Tim Thorsteinson says the software will
make changing system compression formats simple in future. The NX4200HDX has
two channels of HD output or one channel of input and one HD output in either
720p or 1080i. It will support encoding at MPEG2 I-frame and 4:2:2 profile at
50 Mbps. Panasonic's DVCPRO-100 HD will be added later.
