Since introducing IHSE's high-definition KVM DVI Draco matrix switches into the U.S. market last year, the technology integration firm OOBAXS has been seeing very strong demand for the product, which offers extremely fast connections over fiber and CATx in post-production environments.
"The Draco switches are the fastest core-switching product on the market," argues Alan Frank, technology strategist and founder of OOBAXS.
The speed is important as studios increasingly work with HD or even higher resolution video and seek to tie together more work stations and editing bays over their networks. "When you are editing TV or movies, you need a product that responds instantly without issues with the color depth," Frank notes. "If the mouse doesn't respond instantly, then the whole process becomes unproductive."
OOBAXS works with three different vendors for DVI and KVM video extension and switching solutions, each of which have advantages in different environments, Frank notes.
The Draco switches from the German company IHSE have the advantage of offering the flexibility of being able to handle both CATx and fiber connections. While fiber is much faster, a number of facilities still have a great deal of copper cabling.
IHSE bills the Draco line of DVI matrix switches as the only multimedium switch on the market capable of mixing both CATx and fiber connections between source and target stations.
The solution also has the advantage of streamlining workflows. In the past, an editor may have worked at one bay for picture editing but then would have to move to a new workstation for special effects or other features, Frank notes. "With Draco, an entire production house worth of resources becomes available at one end-point," Frank says.
OOBAXS partnered with IHSE last year to introduce the Draco switches into the U.S.
Shapeshifter Post was the first to adopt the product but Frank noted that the solution has since been deployed in a number of other major Hollywood facilities, including some major TV production facilities.
The Draco line includes DVI video extenders over CATx or Fiber for server and computer access as well as fiber optic HD-KVM matrix switches.
