EVS XT3 Servers Enhance Workflows; XFLY Enhances Portability

EVS will open the NAB show tomorrow with an exhibition stand featuring a wealth of new products designed to enhance workflows for sports broadcasters looking to work in 2D or 3D.

Topping the list? XT3, an 8-channel production server that will be available in July in two versions: a 6RU chassis with six channels in and two out (or six channels in 3D/1080p mode) or a 4RU version that supports up to seven HD/SD hannels or four channels in 3D/1080p. Also expect support of 96 audio tracks (16 per channel) and native video codec support for formats including Panasonic AVC-Intra.

Also new was Xedioa Flash, an all-in-one newsroom developed for local TV or sports stations wanting to get into news and get content to air quickly. It has up to 18 TB of scalable storage and allows editors to mix both SD and HD files using the CleanEdit editing system (five seats are included with the system). Two Xedio players allow instant playout without rendering and the system can also integrate with Apple an Avid editing systems and, via MOS gateway, tap into newsroom control systems.

Among the introductions was IPEdit.3D, a live-editing solution that operates exactly like the SD and HD versions of IPEdit and is also compatible with EVS XT and XS servers. More important, when it’s coupled with next-generation EVS XT3 servers and the XT3 “DualPower technology,” users won’t have to worry about cutting their channel capacity in half.

“The current XT[2] line will have to decrease the number of channels by two, but XT[2]+ and XT3 will not,” says Product Manager Pierre Mestrez. The core XT server system was enhanced to support 3D two years ago, but new hardware in the XT3 line supports double-channel input via one port.

IPEdit.3D also gives broadcasters full flexibility to switch from 2D to 3D, in either dual-link or 3G SDI input/output configuration. EVS considers IPEdit.3D the perfect solution for “on-the-fly” creation of 3D highlights and closer, as well as for quick program assembly with intuitive timeline editing functions like drag-and-drop and keyboard shortcuts for easy 3D video and audio transition effects. Also “edit-during-playout” mode gives extensive flexibility to 3D broadcasters working in a fast-turnaround production environment.

IPEdit.3D can also be used for rough-cut editing with simple mark IN/mark OUT on multiple live 3D feeds to facilitate further postproduction processes using third-party editing tools.

For 3D or 1080p operations, the XT3 offers the flexibility to select between dual-link HD SDI or single-link 3G SDI connectivity with a simple software setting.

The EVS 3D systems will be part of a larger story at the upcoming NAB Show as equipment manufacturers continue to roll out more-cost-effective and easier-to-use 3D production systems. For example, the IPEdit.3D system allows a production team to easily switch between 2D and 3D productions during the course of a week.

The question for all, however, is how long will the 3D production market be sustainable without a serious revenue stream? That is one question that will not have an answer on the NAB show floor.

Also look out for XFLY, a portable NAS storage system that encloses eight removable SASA or SATA hard disk drives in an 8.8 kilogram case that is approximately five inches wide, eight inches tall, and 13 inches deep. With up to 8 TB of storage it can hold 140 hours of HD contact at 100Mbps and can backup 10 HD streams simultaneously. It can also generate proxy video and wrap files in MXF or Quicktime to allow for immediate editing on Avid or Apple platforms.

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