ASACA RapidAccess MediaMachine
by Rick Smith (May 25, 2001)
Broadcasters have huge libraries of analog video archives. Finding material quickly and making changes for airtime is getting harder as programming becomes more "just in time". The RapidAccess MediaMachine from ASACA/Shibasoku Corporation helps solve these problems.
The RapidAccess MediaMachine is a unique concept in MPEG-2 video storage and playback. It combines an ASACA TeraCart rewritable DVD Library with an embedded video server. By supporting direct analog/digital encoding and multistream decoding, the RapidAccess MediaMachine provides direct-to-air playback of up to 30,000 hours of video storage. That's nearly three and half years of continuous content available for quick retrieval.
The ASACA/Shibasoku Corporation has created a solution that offers scalability and playback flexibility that is useful in applications such as sports venues, jumbotrons, amusement parks, theaters, museums and shopping channels, in addition to conventional broadcasting.
The RapidAccess MediaMachine also:
Supports Windows NT
Includes a complete encoding/decoding, monitoring and storage management solution for broadcast-quality MPEG-2 as well as MPEG-1 video content
Utilizes SDI and Composite video inputs/outputs
Offers direct Analog/Digital video input encoding at compression rates ranging from 1.5 to 50 Mb/s depending on encoder
Manages video content playback through playlists that can be easily modified or moved at the last minute
Stores specific content and detail information on every encoded clip for fast, accurate retrievals
Uses Microsoft SQL or Access as the relational database
Since the RapidAccess MediaMachine is built with a modular open architecture, it can be upgraded as needed. The embedded video server stores about 18 hours of on-line video, but optional 72 GB drives can be added to get 40 more hours of on-line video storage. The DVD-RAM libraries of the RA-750DVD system provide about 1,900 hours of near-on-line capacity using 750 rewritable DVD discs. The RA-1450DVD system doubles this capacity. Using eight of these units, you can create a massive single library or multiple virtual libraries.
For even greater capacity, expansion cabinets can be added that include up to 192 DVD-RAM drives with up to 11,600 double-sided DVD-RAM discs. This provides a whopping 109 terabytes (about 30,000 hours) of removable, rewritable video storage.
Each side of a double-sided 9.4 GB DVD-RAM disc stores two hours of theater-quality video. DVD-RAM also:
Costs less than 40 cents per gigabyte
Provides more than 100,000 write/rewrite cycles
Lasts more than 30 years (videos will not deteriorate over time)
Offers exceptional picture quality, instant access to individual frames and non-linear editing support.
Allows manipulation of clips -- freeze-frame or super slow motion playback without registration or tracking problems
The RapidAccess MediaMachine RA-750DVD system starts at $136,900. The RA-1450DVD, with 6 drives, is approximately $231,800.00, depending on options. Options include Fibre Channel/SAN connectivity, embedded RAID and a Traffic/Billing interface.
Copyright
© 2006 Rick Smith All rights reserved.
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