February 26, 2009
Convergent Design recently announced MXF file support for the Flash XDR portable recorder/player. MXF support enables users to import video/audio files into most PC-based editing programs, including Avid, Sony Vegas and Grass Valley Edius. MXF support combined with the previously available QuickTime support brings to the Flash XDR near-universal NLE support.
Current Flash XDR users can download the MXF-enabled firmware from the Convergent Design Web site.
Flash XDR and the upcoming nanoFlash are HD/SD portable recorder/players that utilize the high-quality Sony MPEG-2 codec to capture visually lossless full-raster 100Mb/s 4:2:2 video and uncompressed 24-bit audio to low-cost CompactFlash (CF) media. Flash XDR’s solid-state, ruggedized design is replacing traditional tape and hard-disk decks for many users, offering a significantly lower power usage, no fans, a lighter weight and a tapeless workflow.
FireWire-based drives and media utilize the camera’s built-in encoder, thus providing no quality improvement whatsoever. Flash XDR, on the other hand, captures the never-compressed video via HD-SDI encoding to a visually lossless HD codec. Uncompressed 24-bit audio is added to this video stream and written to low-cost CF Media in either QuickTime (.mov) or MXF file format. With a FireWire-800 reader, the video/audio can then be played directly from the CF card without transcode or re-wrap.
Flash XDR is now compatible with selected CF media from SanDisk, Lexar, Delkin and Transcend. The 32GB Transcend card, for example, stores 32 minutes of 100Mb/s footage for less than $75.
Solid-state media enables a tapeless workflow, eliminating time-consuming ingest and enabling on-set review without all the tape repositioning issues. Flash XDR offers high-quality video/audio in a tapeless workflow using low-cost media, without the need to transcode.
“With the addition of MXF support, PC as well as Mac users will enjoy the stunning Flash XDR video quality with all the benefits of a tapeless workflow,” notes Dan Keaton, Convergent Design director of sales and marketing.
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Convergent Design's Anthony Pidgeon, Mike Schell
and Simon Compton show off Flash XDR's
2008 Vidy Award.
Click for Large Image
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Additionally, Flash XDR now offers 100Mb/s and 160Mb/s I-Frame only mode, as well as 50Mb/s and 100Mb/s Long GOP mode in QT and MXF, further expanding the workflow options.
Flash XDR is shipping and generally available for immediate delivery. Current Flash XDR users can download the new MXF-enabled firmware from the Convergent Design Web site.
Finally, an MXF <-> QuickTime converter is near release for all Flash XDR/nanoFlash users. It will be available at no charge.
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