360 Systems MAXX-HD multi-channel servers

360 Systems' new High Definition MAXX 2400 sets a new standard for performance among HD broadcast servers. Now, get four video outputs, two inputs, twelve Terabytes of storage, and a broad set of server tools in an attractively priced package.
http://www.360systems.com/pdf/maxx_2400hd.pdf
360 Systems has a high-definition video server for every broadcast and Pro AV market. Our MAXX-2400HD provides 4 video channels, 2 inputs, and 12 TB of storage — for just $30,000US. And for only $16,000US, MAXX-1200HD provides 3 video channels and 4 TB of storage.

AJA -

Last week we saw some major new product announcements and price drops from AJA at the NAB trade show in Las Vegas.

AJA announcements include five new products:

• Ki Pro
• Kona LHi
• Io Express
• Hi5 3G
• HDP2

Significant price drops on:

• Kona LH
• Kona LHe
• Xena LH
• Xena LHe

New NAB -2009 KI PRO - AJA Video Recorder. The AJA Ki Pro is a tapeless video recording device that records high-quality Apple ProRes 422 QuickTime files onto computer-friendly media. Because it features SD/HD-SDI, HDMI, and analog inputs, you can interface with virtually any type of camera you might own or rent. Enjoy monitoring flexibility through Ki Pro's numerous simultaneous outputs, connecting to both professional and consumer monitors.

Automatic Duck Pro Export FCP 4.01 released

Pro Export FCP version 4.01 is now shipping. This update to Pro Export FCP corrects a number of issues found since version 4.00 released so we encourage all users of 4.00 to update to 4.01.
To upgrade to version 4.01 from Pro Export FCP 3.0 or earlier follow the directions available here: http://www.automaticduck.com/upgrades
If you already have Pro Export FCP 4.0 you can update to 4.01 at no charge, download the installer from http://www.automaticduck.com/support/updates/

BlackMagic Decklink

Blackmagic have had great fun working hard all year turning ideas into new products! This year they have a new DeckLink card, new converters, new routers, new monitoring, a waveform monitor, Linux support and a whole bunch of new software updates! 

Introducing Blackmagic UltraScope - Available June

Blackmagic UltraScope is designed for color correction, editing and quality control use, and it looks great in your studio because it features elegant design, combined with technical accuracy. It includes 6 waveform views so it's just like having 6 scopes all in one.

Blackmagic UltraScope is a PC based SDI scope that features a plug in PCI card and software. It plugs into any low cost PCI Express based PC, and uses a 24 inch monitor to draw the 6 scope views. These views are RGB/YUV parade, waveform, vector, histogram, audio meters, audio stereo scope, and picture view with VITC timecode reader.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/ultrascope/

Introducing Studio Videohub

Studio Videohub replaces the older Workgroup Videohub, however it's smaller at only 2 rack units high and has more connections at 16 x 32. It's a bit like a mini Broadcast Videohub, as it uses the same technology, re-clocking, power supply, deck control ports and the same 3 Gb/s SDI. It's perfect for small studios and small workgroups. 

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/videohub/

Introducing Enterprise Videohub - Available June

The new Enterprise Videohub, which is a massive 144 x 288. It's got the same single PCB design that avoids the need for unreliable plug in cards and internal connectors, plus it's got the same redundant power supplies, 3 Gb/s SDI and full SDI re-clocking. It's the same thin design as Broadcast Videohub, and is 16 rack units in size.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/videohub/

Videohub 4.0 Software - Videohub 4.0 will be available in May as a free update for all Videohub router models.

I think the only real limitation our Videohub routers have previously suffered is the software and we have been working hard to fix that. We originally used network based software control for Videohub because it's so easy to use the network you already have installed in your building. This lets you change router connections from your desktop.

Now we have an exciting update to Videohub 4.0 that includes three new button view control windows. These widows are designed with large customizable buttons, and all you need to do is push the button to change a router connection.

Two of these button windows are designed to run full screen on 20 and 24 inch monitors, so you can use new touch screen computers, such as the HP Touchsmart, as a large color touch screen control panel. These computers are much lower cost than a multi-function control panel, and with Videohub 4.0's button view, they make the world's greatest router control panel! We have a great interactive demo of this on our booth at NAB.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/videohub/

Introducing DVI Extender - DVI Extender will be available in June.

One of the biggest costs in any television facility is the cost of space. With DVI Extender we wanted to find a way to let you route your computer monitor via your 3 Gb/s SDI router. If you can do this, you can move between rooms easy.

If you can move between rooms easy, you can completely change the way you design a facility. You can have large decadently designed rooms for clients, and then small rooms or even cubicles for when you're not with a client. DVI Extender lets you locate all your noisy computers in one central place and then use your router to connect your computer and video monitors to any room in your facility. 

This has other big advantages as well. DVI Extender uses a HDLink Pro as it's other monitor end. HDLink Pro can view both computer resolution input from DVI Extender, or regular HD-SDI video, so with a single monitor you can watch either a computer or video monitor. That's perfect for client monitoring as they can see both.

Also, you can route the DVI computer monitor to more than one location, which is great for digital signage work where there are different data type screens around a building with all types of different info, or lots of monitors. 

DVI Extender powers from the computer's USB port, and has a DVI connection that plugs into the computer, as well as an audio input so you get sound.

Of course DVI Extender also converts from DVI to regular HD/SD-SDI, so it's a great converter if you want to use accelerated 3D graphics from computers to SDI video. Because it's USB powered, it can be used and powered from a laptop computer.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/dviextender/

Optical Fiber 

Optical fiber has some big benefits such as long distances, low cost, and optical fiber cables last virtually forever because you can keep plugging them into faster equipment in the future, and the same cables will go much faster. Optical fiber cables can be installed by your local electrician, and the cables can be purchased from your local electrical wholesaler. That's because optical fiber is used all the time in computer networking, so it's low cost and commonly available.

The only easy way to make optical fiber affordable and competitive with regular copper SDI is to build optical fiber into the equipment. We have done this on 4 new product models.

DeckLink Optical Fiber

We have a new DeckLink card that has both regular SDI and optical fiber SDI capture and playback. DeckLink Optical Fiber is a full 10 bit HD/SD capture card compatible with Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It also includes RS-422 deck control, 8 channels of embedded SDI audio, SD internal keyer, and tri-sync/black burst reference input. 

We think DeckLink Optical Fiber is a fantastic card for anyone who wants to use optical fiber or regular SDI because both are built in. It's also a fantastic card for developers who want to sell to broadcasters.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/decklink/

HDLink Optical Fiber

HDLink Optical Fiber is a new monitoring converter that's an enhanced version of HDLink Pro. HDLink Optical Fiber is a SD, HD and 2K monitoring converter that uses 24 or 30 inch DVI displays or HDMI televisions for broadcast monitoring. It has 3D look up tables built in, and 6 channels of RCA audio monitoring out. 

It features both traditional copper SDI input as well as optical fiber SDI input, plus copper SDI and optical fiber SDI loop-thru outputs. Both outputs are always active and the inputs are auto selected. 

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/hdlink/

Mini Converter Optical Fiber

Of course if you're converting other equipment to optical fiber, then we also have a new Mini Converter model that converts from SDI to optical fiber, as well as optical fiber to SDI simultaneously. This single converter can convert both the input and output of conventional SDI equipment to optical fiber. Mini Converter Optical Fiber handles all SD, HD and 3 Gb/s SDI formats, and auto switches, and it's a fantastic and affordable solution to make optical fiber more affordable.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/miniconverters/

Lastly, Blackmagic UltraScope also has both regular SDI as well as optical fiber SDI inputs built in.. 

We think with all these products, it's now easy to build a native optical fiber television studio, and then get future proof cabling so you don't need to upgrade every time a new video standard comes along.

I have written a white paper discussing the benefits and limitations of both copper SDI and optical fiber SDI, and if you would like to check it out, then please download it from the link below.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/downloads/whitepapers/OpticalFiber.pdf

New Audio Mini Converters

Last year we introduced 5 Mini Converters, and we have received some fantastic positive feedback on them. We have 2 new models this year that take care of audio embedding and de-embedding.

Both models have loop through SDI video that auto switches between SD, HD and 3 Gb/s and includes the redundant input feature. Both models feature audio that can be switched between balanced analog or AES/EBU digital audio on standard balanced jack connectors.

The Mini Converter SDI to Audio then de-embedds 4 channels of balanced analog audio, or 8 channels of AES/EBU digital audio from the SDI input. You can select which audio channels you want to de-embed.

Mini Converter Audio to SDI is the opposite, and it embeds audio from either 4 channels of analog or 8 channels of AES/EBU digital audio into the SDI input video and outputs it on the SDI output. You can select to leave an audio channel in the SDI input untouched, or to overwrite it with one of the audio inputs. All AES/EBU audio inputs feature sample rate converters, which can be turned off when working with Dolby audio inputs.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/miniconverters/

Introducing 8 New OpenGear Converters!

A lot of people are building larger systems with rack based equipment, and don't want to clutter the rear of racks with mini converter type bricks. 

To solve this problem we have 8 new rack based converters fully compatible with the OpenGear standard. 

OpenGear is the television industry's open standard for rack based conversion and processing, and are compatible with a wide range of third party equipment from OpenGear partners worldwide. OpenGear was invented by Ross Video as an open standard for rack mount converters and processing for television broadcasters. 

OpenGear uses a 2 rack unit rack frame that normally holds up to 10 plug in cards or, when using simpler cards, a double density frame can be used to hold up to 20 cards. OpenGear cards are hot swappable and can be centrally controlled via the DashBoard network control and monitoring software for Windows, Mac and Linux.

Blackmagic OpenGear Converters include the latest technology such as 3 Gb/s SDI, redundant SDI inputs, switchable AES/EBU and balanced audio and support for OpenGear’s DashBoard network based control software. 

We have 8 OpenGear Converter models to choose from, depending on your conversion needs. SDI to Analog, Analog to SDI, SDI to HDMI, HDMI to SDI, SDI to Audio, Audio to SDI, Optical Fiber and Sync Generator. Detailed specifications are on our web site for each model.

Blackmagic OpenGear Converters also include powerful processing that can be upgraded via the USB port on the front of each card. The SDI to Analog model features a high quality HD down converter that supports letterbox, anamorphic 16:9 and center cut 4:3 modes. 

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/opengear/

OpenGear Converters will be available in June.

Media Express 2.0

We also have a new version of Media Express. This new version features frame accurate batch capture of DPX, QuickTime and AVI files. It also supports a dramatically improved user interface with batch lists, metadata editing, support for double speed capture on Sony HDCAM-SR decks and more. 

Media Express 2.0 is due in June at no charge, and will work with all DeckLink, Multibridge and Intensity cards. Available on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. 

Linux Support

As you can see, we are now supporting Linux on DeckLink, Multibridge and Intensity cards. This will be a free download, and you will be able to switch between platforms and run on all of them. Media Express 2.0 will be on Linux, so this will provide a full production solution on Linux with capture and playback of DPX, AVI and QuickTime with deck control. 

We also have our developer SDK supported on Linux so anyone can create custom solutions. It's taken us longer than we expected to support Linux, but we wanted to make sure we did it right, and with a really good version of Media Express. Then we have a solid production workstation on a great operating system!

Linux support will be rereleased in May for developers, and June with Media Express as a free download.

Software Developer Kit

As mentioned above, our software developer kit is now available for download for Windows and Mac, and Linux is due in May. 

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/support/software/

New DeckLink HD Extreme

Lastly, I wanted to mention the new model DeckLink HD Extreme that shipped easily last month. This new model now has incredible processing power and includes high quality down conversion to letterbox, anamorphic 16:9 and center cut 4:3. 

Also included is Dual Link 3 Gb/s SDI capture and playback, so you can work in the highest possible quality. Analog video, analog audio, HDMI and AES/EBU digital audio capture and playback are also included, as well as deck control and reference input. A HD keyer is built in, and you can also output video and key out.

The new DeckLink HD Extreme is the same price as the previous model and it's available now.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/decklinkhdextreme/

Century Optics

DataVideo

DATAVIDEO ACQUIRES SILICON VALLEY HARD DISK VIDEO RECORDER MANUFACTURER nNovia
Acquisition brings new core technologies to Datavideo and highly complementary products will further strengthen Datavideo’s product offerings to the broadcast and professional video marketplace.
Taipei, Taiwan and San Jose, CA – April 16, 2009 –Datavideo Technologies Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of professional video production and broadcast equipment, today announced the acquisition of nNovia, Inc. a San Jose based design and manufacturer of hard disk based video recorders for the broadcast and professional video market.
“The acquisition of nNovia, will further strengthen our position in the market, and provide additional core technology, to support our product development of new hard disk and solid state disk (SSD) recording technology, in a market we see growing”, say Mr. Jack Lin – President of Datavideo Technologies Co. Ltd
The current nNovia product family will be immediately re-branded and introduced into Datavideo’s current product line. Datavideo will assume all products, customer support and warranty obligations of nNovia from its offices across the world.
The newly acquired products will be on display at Datavideo’s booth SL8520 at the upcoming National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
nNovia’s San Jose office will be retained and a new company called Datavideo Silicon Valley Corporation will be formed to merge the legacy nNovia engineering team into Datavideo as a research and development team. The transaction will be completed within the month of April.

Digital Rapids' TouchStream Appliance Grabs Three Coveted Awards

Markham, Ontario: Digital Rapids -- a leading developer of solutions for bringing television, video and movie content to the next generation of viewing devices -- announced today that the company's new TouchStream video and audio streaming appliance has won three prestigious industry awards following its unveiling at the IBC Conference and Exhibition in September.
TouchStream was honored with a Broadcast Engineering IBC 2008 Pick Hit Award; TV Technology Europe Magazine's Superior Technology (STAR) Award; and a TVBEurope 'Best of IBC2008' Editor's Pick award.
"We're thrilled that the innovative benefits of TouchStream have been recognized with these three highly respected awards," said Wesley Thiessen, Product Manager, Digital Rapids Corporation. "These accolades are testament to TouchStream's breakthrough combination of quality, usability and transportability, which is ideal for meeting the ever-increasing demand for flexible live streaming solutions. Coming right on the heels of our IBC Innovation Award win with NBC Universal, they also further reinforce Digital Rapids' position as the leader in ingest, encoding and streaming solutions."

EchoLab

Leader: Below are some useful links to movies detailing how to use Leader products in a production environment to ensure your HD footage remains pristine.
www.uni-it.jp/download/catalog/leader/5-ber.wmv

www.uni-it.jp/download/catalog/leader/cinelite.wmv

www.uni-it.jp/download/catalog/leader/hdproduction.wmv

Harris

NEW PRODUCTS FROM HARRIS AT NAB 2009

Highlights include:

• MPH™ ATSC Mobile DTV
• Revenue-generating Web-enhanced TV with Dynacast™
• X85™ Multiprocessor
• Maxiva™ UHF TV Transmitters featuring PowerSmart™ technology
• Harris Digital Signage™ solutions
• ... and much more!

This year, the Harris booth also featured expert presentations designed to give you an edge in maximizing your efficiency and uncovering new revenue opportunities.

• Getting MPH™ ATSC Mobile DTV on-air quickly and easily
• Digital Signage applications for broadcasters
• Fast and efficient editing solutions for live production
• ... and more

Matrox

Maxon Cinema4D

Panasonic

Panasonic at NAB 2009

Petrol

With our new items you can find innovative solution for taking a broadcast camera on board – The first solution in the world (PIAB)!!!
What's mor e – a new camera carrier and raincover for RED One digital camera (#PRB-15 & PRC-RED-1) and many more attractive products.

PIAB  Key Features:

Reflecmedia

Rimage

Sonic

Sony

• Avid latest version has included plug-ins to provide native support for Sony XDCAM EX.mp4

Link to Avid release:

http://www.avid.com/company/releases/2009/090302_native-XDCAM-support-and-stereoscopic-3d.html

PDW-U1 is now MAC write-back supported

Released software:

• XDCAM Drive Software V2.1 for Mac
• PDZK-P1 XDCAM Transfer Ver2.9.0

This software can be downloaded from the following FTP site:

ftp://203.167.220.7 (Accessible folder is BPData)
• Login name is SonyBPUser
• Password is xdcam (all lowercase)

Telestream



Varizoom

 


Vinten



New! Protouch Lightweight Camera Support System
In stock at Protel
For smaller camcorders up to 4.5 kg
This New system features a Pro-5Plus head with sideload for rapid camera attachment, adjustment and removal, as well as a Vinten Pozi-Loc tripod

and spreader for class-leading rigidity and stability.

 

Supplied with a quality Petrol™ case, the Pro-5Plus system provides professional camera support suitable for even the lightest camcorder.

• Sideload system
• Continuously variable pan and tilt drag
• Class-leading rigidity and stability
• Switchable counterbalance