Codex New Portable Unleashes HD 2K - 4K Production
"Codex Digital used IBC to launch a lightweight, high-resolution portable field recorder that will unleash revolutionary potential for HD, 2K and 4K broadcast television and motion picture production.
With cutting-edge design, and packed with today’s most advanced technology, the new Codex Portable is the first lightweight disk recorder to record any high-end digital camera - from HD to 4K, at cinema quality - and to seamlessly deliver the material to any post-production workflow.
As a rugged, self-contained unit, no larger than a toaster, it can be used for ‘run and gun’ broadcast production, and be easily carried anywhere – around a set, up a mountain or into a field. However, the Codex Portable also creates new opportunities for multi-camera production.
Using visually-lossless compression, it has the unique ability to record from two 4:4:4 cameras simultaneously – either independently for A and B camera shoots, or locked together for 3D stereoscopic projects. It is the first to record from four 4:2:2 cameras simultaneously, and even allows the synchronisation of multiple recorders. With this feature, six synchronised Codex Portables can act as a 24-track video, 48-track audio-recorder – enough to record an entire concert, sporting event, or TV drama at higher-than-broadcast quality.
The Codex Portable is packed with technical capabilities that take production workflow to new levels. Via its multiple high-speed networking interfaces, it will deliver the seamless transfer of shots to all post-production workflows. Direct outputs include H.264 (MP4) over a secure Wi-Fi link, allowing unique remote wireless monitoring and immediate transfer into editing systems.
After recording, the Codex Portable’s DiskPacks can be plugged directly into a matching Codex Transfer Station, which copies and backs-up the material (much faster than real-time), and then delivers it, plus the associated metadata, across local or worldwide networks.
In conjunction with the Transfer Station, the Codex Portable can deliver shots in all industry-standard formats, including DPX, MXF, QuickTime, AVI, JPEG, BMP, and BWF (WAV) files. It can even provide native-mode files that editing-systems can use with no importing at all.
Flexible I/O configurations mean it can record from virtually every digital camera available today – including all HD cameras in video mode, plus data-mode from cameras such as the ARRI D-20 and DALSA’s Origin. It can also record Red Digital Cinema’s RED ONE camera in 4K data-mode, when this becomes available.
Recording is made to hot-swappable, shock-mounted RAID DiskPacks that can hold up to three hours of continuous recording at the system’s highest quality – the first portable recorder (disk or tape) to offer such capability and capacity.
The compression method used is JPEG2000, a wavelet-based system that forms the basis of the DCI standard for cinema delivery. The compression is visually indistinguishable from the original and is comparable to the highest-quality mode of HDCAM-SR tape.
Constructed from carbon fibre and with rubber-sealed connections, the Codex Portable is weather-resistant, and weighs only 9 lb / 4 Kg. It is powered from any standard camera battery and can be carried on an operator’s shoulder, or secured to camera equipment such as dollies and cranes. The Codex Portable is always ready-to-record, and near-silent operation lets it get close to the action.
When used in the field the Codex Portable delivers immediate full-frame playback and review of footage on a daylight-readable touchscreen. A unique feature is a secure wireless system, which enables instant shot logging, or remote-control of the system, from any networked computer or PDA. The Codex Portable even features a special “Mutter Track” microphone input, which allows the user to add comments during a take for shot-logging and notes.
The Codex Portable is priced at £22,500 (GBP), €33,000 Euros, $44,500 (USD). Codex Digital expects to ship the first production-ready units at the end of 2007."
Source: Broadcast Buyer
