November 8, 2011

Harmonic Ingests Video In End-Use Formats

Harmonic's new ProMedia Capture video ingest engine enables real-time ingest of live and tape-based HD/SD video for file-based production and multiscreen workflows. ProMedia Capture offers a simplified approach to complex content acquisition processes by capturing files at the highest resolution directly into the formats needed for production or for distribution to multiple screens. ProMedia Capture saves time in workflows that require real-time ingest from multiple sources such as video mastering, repurposing, archiving, and video-on-demand (VOD) workflows.

ProMedia Capture is the newest member of Harmonic's ProMedia suite of software solutions and appliances, introduced in August, which enables video creation and delivery to TV, PC, tablet, mobile phone, and other IP-connected devices through advanced video processing and streaming functionality. ProMedia Capture's efficient handling of content ingest optimizes any file-based workflow by ensuring the file is in the required format at the critical moment that it enters the video ecosystem. Leveraging the widely deployed ProMedia Carbon transcoding software, which is powered by Harmonic's Rhozet technology, ProMedia Capture offers the format flexibility to record directly upon ingest, without requiring an intermediate transcoding step.

ProMedia Capture uses a Web-based GUI to control two independent ingest channels and VTRs. Desktop monitoring gives the user full visibility into the capture process and, with Web connectivity, enables the convenience of system monitoring from anywhere.

Metadata and ancillary data are also supported in a number of ways. The GUI provides an application for handling CableLabs ADI package creation that can be automatically exported to VOD systems. An API provides a means for users to associate metadata with ingested files. For file formats that support ancillary data, ProMedia Capture preserves non-video or audio essence data such as VBI and VANC.