Digital Disk Recorders

In a typical digital post-production workflow the Drastic DDR is used as digital I/O either at the beginning, end or both of the production-chain.  Uncompressed, real time capture and playback of image and video formats allows for instant feed back on edits, composites or colour grades without lengthy transcoding or buffering processes.

Pixelution build a range of uncompressed Digital Disk Recorders powered by AJA video boards and Drastic Technologies software. These systems can be configured as single or multi-channel, desktop or rackmount servers with local and remote control.

These systems can be used for a variety of tasks such as:

• Machine room VTR replacement – ideal for loss-less mastering
• Dual channel Stereoscopic 3D capture
• Telecine transfer – record in on one channel while playing out on another (1 frame delay)
• RGB 4:4:4 capture direct from camera
• Video ingest direct to TGA, Tif etc. for Rotascoping
• Playout direct to SDI from rendered animation frames
• EDL conforms
• Transcoding and batch playout via playlist
• Multiple channel synchronised recording or playout (48 bonded channels currently in use by customers)
• Uncompressed mastering for video compression analysis

Material Ingest

Normally the video content is delivered either on tape or on film. To get the material into the post-production workflow, the content has to be stored as digital files. This process has to be completely lossless, transparent and frame accurate. Those requirements can be fulfilled by using a Drastic DDR.  Even if the material is already file based a Drastic DDR can provide real-time playback of that material once copied onto the video storage.

Master-Slave Configuration

The input device (i.e. VTR) is connected to the Drastic DDR via HD-SDI and RS422. The Drastic DDR acts as the master device and controls the VTR frame accurately. The material is then ingested into the Drastic DDR and saved file-based either on the internal storage or directly into the post-production network. The files are completely uncompressed and therefore this process is lossless, which is vital if the material is to be subject to further processes during post production.

Slave-Slave Configuration

The input device (i.e. VTR, Film-Scanner,..) and the target device (Drastic DDR) are both being controlled by an edit controller. So the input devices as well as the Drastic DDR are acting as slave devices.

Accessing the files

The stored files on the Drastic DDR can be accessed directly over dual Gigabit Ethernet. So editing directly on the Drastic DDR is one possible option. An alternative workflow would be a copying process onto the next process steps storage device.

If a SAN exists, the Drastic DDR can also directly save the files there. Then no local Drastic DDR storage is required.

Post-Production

Depending on the software/hardware involved in the post-production process you will select the appropriate file-format in which the content is saved from the Drastic DDR. In a typical post-production process (i.e. coming from film) the most common format is 10bit RGB-DPX (the input will then be achieved via dual-link-HD-SDI). For film-restoration TIF is very common. In a broadcast environment normally some files supporting 10bit YCrCb colour-space are chosen (i.e. MOV, AVI, YUV-stills,…). All those file-types are natively supported by the Drastic DDR, which saves you a lot of time because no file export/import or file-conversion has to be accomplished. This also avoids quality loss or possible errors involved in additional steps.

Intermediate Playback – Digital Dailies

At anytime of your digital post-production workflow you can use the Drastic DDR for checking your digital dailies. Play your content back either directly from your SAN or from the local Drastic DDR storage. No import or file conversion is needed! The Drastic DDR will play back your files instantly.

Layback – Output

Laying back digital material to tape or outputting it via a film-printer is basically the reverse workflow of digitizing the content into your workflow. The content is outputted frame-accurately onto tape using a VTR or on film using a film-printer.

Again both configurations master-slave (the Drastic DDR controls the output device via RS422) or slave-slave (both the Drastic DDR and the output device are being controlled via RS422 using a edit-controller) are possible.

Location / Control of the Drastic DDR

The Drastic DDR can be placed anywhere in your facility as there are multiple ways to control it.

Several control mechanisms are supplied off the shelf:

• RS422 using any external controller
• JAVA-based GUI using TCP/IP
• Browser based using TCP/IP
• Shuttle-Controller (supplied with the Drastic DDR) using USB
• local GUI (using VGA or DVI)

As the Drastic DDR is an open, Windows based solution, even Remote-Desktop or VNC can be used.

Drastic also have an application called SyncControl for the control and synchronisation of multiple units. SyncControl can control multiple Drastic DDRs over a network for frame accurate synchronized capture or playback.  Record multiple streams for stereo or multi camera recording and play back multiple sources for panoramic and wall display applications.

Supported Standards:

Control and Timecode:

Audio and Video Standards

File Formats

The Graphical User Interface 

MediaNXS GUI

Drastic have developed a range of applications for digital disk recorders and digital intermediate workflows and transcoding.

The primary interface for the DDR products is MediaNXS which features time line editing, waveform/vectorscope and conversion tools. Flexible drag and drop, point and click functionality provides quick and intuitive operation. A range of tools for quality and integrity monitoring include in-app monitor, along with waveform, vectorscope, histogram monitors and the metadata view. Media can be imported in its native format of transcoded during import to any number of common media formats.

MediaNXS is the most full featured of Drastic’s interfaces, and typically functions as the default set of controls for a Drastic DDR. Additional functionality can be unlocked by including a full DDR licence which provides the enhanced RS-422 and network control features found in the QuickClipXO product line.

QuickClipXO is Drastic’s batch capture and output workhorse, featuring clip access, playlist, EDL conform and edit. QuickClipXO provides robust operation both under remote control (VTR emulation) and over external devices via standard RS-422 serial VTR edit control. QuickClipXO can be used locally to control its own hardware, or connect to and control other Drastic DDRs via the network.

QuickClipXO provides a robust interface for pull-ins and laybacks with an external device under serial control. Also, QuickClipXO features a handy clip based Playlist for sequential media playback. MediaNXS is included with any QuickClipXO licenses.

The VTRIF interface resembles a broadcast or production VTR and provides a direct emulation of the traditional VTR front panel controls.  The jog/shuttle wheel allows smooth media cueing and output. The traditional controls minimize the learning curve for any operators familiar with a VTR. VTRIF may also be used to control another Drastic DDR over a network. VTRIF is especially useful where the facility handles traditional VTR based media in addition to digital media files.

Drastic’s HTML/Ajax interface provides a real time web browser control accessible via a standard web connection, so the DDR can be accessed from anywhere. Control DDRs whether they are in the same room or on a different continent, and view the clip list, select and play media, start and stop record. With the HTML/Ajax interface you can sit at one station and confirm that all your network available DDRs are performing the correct actions.

SyncControl is a standalone utility used in conjunction with multiple Drastic DDRs. It offers control over a network for frame accurate synchronized capture or playback.  Record multiple streams for stereo or multi camera recording and play back multiple sources for panoramic and wall display applications. SyncControl can also control multiple dTouch systems for inexpensive on set capture. SynControl is purchased in addition to the DDR and is not included as standard.

The Hardware

All systems are tailored to the task they will be used for. DDR’s range from single channel desktop units ideally suited for video I/O – for example animation departments who need to playout rendered sequences – up to multi-channel rackmount servers for broadcast machine rooms. Whatever the environment each system is built using Enterprise class hardware to ensure reliability and longevity.

The video is handled by AJA Kona video boards for capture, display and mastering solutions in SD, HD, 3G, Dual Link HD, 2K and 4K.

A typical Dual Channel configuration would be: 

AJA Kona 3G

3U Supermicro Rackmount chassis
Supermicro motherboard – Dual CPU capable, Dual GbE, USB, IPMI
Single Intel Xeon X5650 CPU – Six Core 2.66GHz
12GB DDR3 RAM – (3x4GB modules, 9 slots free)
Quadro 400 GPU – 512MB, 1 x DVI, 1 x DP
Soundblaster X-Fi Xtreme sound card
AJA Kona 3G video board – SD/HD/Dual Link/3G/2k/4k
VTR control via 4 port RS-422 I/O board
Areca 12 port SAS/SATA RAID controller with BBU
System disk: 2 x 1TB WD RE4 Enterprise Class SATA disk – RAID1
Video disk: 8 x 1TB WD RE4 Enterprise Class SATA disk – 2 x 4 disk RAID 5
Optical drive: Pioneer Bluray Writer
OS: Windows 7 Pro 64bit
PSU: 920W Redundent
Accessories: Rackmount rails, Shuttle Edit Controller, wired Keyboard & mouse.

Drastic QuickClip and MediaNXS software with all options enabled.

This system allows for two independent channels of SDI video plus the option to output media via the GPU for presentations from file or Blu-ray. This makes it an ideal presentation workhorse for feeding auditoriums or conferences.

For more information on the Drastic line of DDR products please contact us and we will be happy to discuss all the available options.