3D I/O Module for All Production Budget Levels

Element Technica announced the release of innovative and attractively-priced Input/Output Modules that provide a “metadata traffic control center” for capturing, recording, and transmitting critical static, semi-static, and dynamic metadata reliably and accurately. The I/O Module enables filmmakers and broadcasters of 3D shows, at all budget levels, to focus on creative aspects of their work rather than on wrangling metadata.

With the 2-Axis Rig Control and 6-Axis Lens Control System (LCS) capable of outputting accurate positional reference or metadata, a small component called the I/O Module (input/output module) was created to wrangle and organize this data. The current version has three metadata inputs as well as an input for timecode, power, and external control.

It takes rig control metadata, 6-Axis LCS metadata (ET 6 Axis LCS or Preston or C-Motion), and almost any other metadata stream from a VFX tracking system or encoded camera support. These three streams are combined at up to eight samples per frame in the ET metadata protocol as a single timecode stamped sample. This stream is always recorded to the on-board microSD card, but is also available to stream to cameras for recording in the R3D file structure. Users can interface the I/O Module through the PC application, the Metadata Viewer, or iOS App, Rig manager, through which they can then configure the system and update static metadata. The interface also offers a convenient way to monitor metadata while shooting.

The Element Technica I/O Module provides filmmakers and broadcasters a central point for integrating and distributing incoming and outgoing dynamic metadata traffic. The I/O Module can output metadata to external devices for storage and analysis using a custom 10-pin Lemo to DB-9 cable, through the on board MicroSD card, or directly to cameras.

For broadcast or recorded multi-rig shoots, I/O Modules (one module per 3D rig) can be daisy-chained together, allowing teams to capture and act upon critical metadata from all rigs effortlessly. The I/O Module has an additional port that allows production teams to generate, integrate, and store custom metadata along with the baseline rig and lens metadata.