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Clip Players

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John Phillips
John Phillips's picture
User offline. Last seen 9 years 51 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 18 May 2009
All,  I own my own small broadcast/webcast production mobile and am currently looking at a server-type unit that will function as both a record device and a clip playout unit with key channel for the swither.  We're running a Ross Carbonite 2M switcher so we're looking at the Ross Blackstorm but my reservation with it is that it's not a record device so it becomes just a clip player for the switcher - that and limited codec options for files plus network-only ingest.  The upside is that we'd have full control over it directly from the switcher without any hardware in the middle (ie:  Lance).  The other box I'm looking at is a 3-channel Abekas Tria.  The upside is that it can record on two channels and still has the third channel left over for clip playout with alpha to the switcher.  The downside is I'll have to use a Lance controller in between the two.  That's not a bad thing but it does add $3k to the cost and we are on a tight budget.  The other downside is that while it will export recorded files in pretty much all of the popular formats, according to Abekas, anything recorded on the Tria (JPEG 2000 format) will take 70 to 90% of real time to render out in more popular file formats.  I'm curious if anyone out there has used the Tria and what their thoughts are on it.  Also if there are any other products I should take a look at in the same price range that could function simultaneously in both record and playout capacities.  I unfortunately can't make it down to NAB next week to check so any input would be appreciated.   Thanks.  JP
Douglas J
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User offline. Last seen 9 years 48 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 13 Nov 2006

Hi John,

I work with Abekas in Product Management. Just a couple of corrections in your post about the Tria video clip server:

  1. Tria clip servers have only (1) HD-SDI base-band record IN (not two, as you described).
  2. The Lance TDC is NOT required between the Tria and Ross Carbonite for clip load and control, when the Ethernet interface with AMP protocol is used between the Carbonite and Tria clip server. AMP over Ethernet provides a very fast control mechanism between the switcher and the Tria clip server!
  3. The Media File Export utility built into Tria works very close to real-time; about 95% of real-time, assuming the media file is being written to a modern, fast storage device (think USB 3.0 disk). This is akin to performing a tape-to-tape transfer in days when VTRs ruled.

One other consideration to make, especially in the tight confines of a small mobile truck: fan noise. The Ross Blackstorm server uses a Dell server computer platform with extremely LOUD, SCREAMING fans. The Tria server is practically silent during normal operations.

Please let me know if you have any other questions about Tria: (douglas@abekas.com).

Regards,

Douglas Johnson

Douglas Johnson
Chief Product Manager, Abekas