Fast Forward Video Introduces Elite HD

Fast Forward Video (FFV) has launched the Elite HD, the first camera-mounted digital video recorder (DVR) and player to harness the JPEG 2000 (J2K) compression codec for recording HD-SDI video signals.

The Elite HD gives broadcasters a powerful new option for recording high-quality video from HD-SDI cameras while reducing the costs of storage media.

Until now, broadcasters had to rely on the internal recording capabilities of their camcorders to record and playback HD-SDI video; however, in nearly every case, these recorders cannot match the video quality of the camera signal itself. In addition, onboard camera recorders require proprietary and expensive storage media, which can cost upwards of $500 for only 32 GB. In a typical workflow, these cards require another device to read the video and transfer it for editing.

Designed to mount on the back or base of a camcorder, the Elite HD accepts an incoming HD-SDI video signal with up to eight channels of embedded audio and uses J2K to record at data rates up to 100 Mbps with virtually no loss in signal quality. Video is stored to an off-the-shelf, hot-swappable 2.5-inch SATA drive, which provides up to 10 times more storage at a greatly reduced cost. In addition, the Elite HD enables streamlined, file-based workflows with its modular design, which can be easily detached from the camcorder and connected directly to a nonlinear editing system via USB cable.

The Elite HD supports all HD-SDI camcorders and other video sources with compatible rates, including the Iconix HR-1; Canon XL H1 and G1; Sony F900, XDCAM HD, and XDCAM EX; JVC GY-HD250; Panasonic GP-US932; and Toshiba IK-HD1. The Elite HD also works with any HD-SDI switcher with a compatible output format, making it ideal for recording live events.

Source: BroadcastBuyer