XDCAM™ and Networked HD Systems

The introduction of tape media several decades ago transformed the production industry into what it is today. Without tape media, the productions could never have achieved current levels of quality, efﬁ ciency and reliability.

But rapid growth in the IT world and burgeoning demand for content have dramatically changed the production scenario. As media channels diversify and lead times are minimized, the production industry must implement a new format and ensure ultimate quality.

A radical solution is required. In today’s network-centric world, the answer is a networked system with ﬁ le-based high-deﬁ nition (HD) content creation devices.

Sony has an unparalleled track record in both the AV and IT markets. This expertise has been harnessed to develop a solution that seamlessly combines both disciplines. Sony offers each customer a total solution – from acquisition to archive – with a trusted brand at a competitive price and the absolute security of a system that will be supported into the future.

1 Building a Fully Networked Newsgathering Environment – XDCAM With Sonaps™

The Sonaps™ networked production system is a fully IT-based production environment that integrates every aspect of the news production process, through planning, ingest, production and publishing of content. The Sonaps system - in combination with XDCAM™ ﬁ le-based recording products - provides a truly networked, streamed workﬂ ow which is essential for pressured newsroom operation.

Field to Site and Site to Site – Remote Fully Integrated Network-based Connection, Transmission, and Editing Workfl ow – Improved Material Management IP-based Operation Field to Site With the Sonaps system, journalists, craft Field-to-site operations dramatically shorten editors, and production teams can all share the lead time between acquisition and content and metadata in a truly networked, playout. XDCAM products from Sony collaborative, fi le-based workfl ow. generate a low-resolution version of AV data The highly refi ned metadata-handling - called Proxy Data - at the same time as workfl ow, from planning to archive, provides recording high-resolution video and audio users with all the information they need at data. Because of its low resolution, Proxy every stage of the production process. Data can be transferred at amazingly high speed, and easily browsed and edited. By Metadata allows the Sonaps system to sending Proxy Data to the station, effective integrate fully with third-party newsroom off-line editing can be achieved. After the computer systems, right from the planning off-line editing, only the necessary stage, through to editing and playout, and high-resolution data can be sent to the into archive. Content from the fi eld, inside station. This enables users to reduce the Sonaps system, and on Sony near-line network traffi c and receive content far or third-party archive systems can easily be earlier. searched and browsed. Logging, storyboarding, and even fi nished editing Site to Site with voice-over and effects can easily be Sony provides networked multi-site done at the desktop. Material and (station-to-station) operations with the metadata can be seamlessly linked to the Sonaps system. The Sonaps system offers story as it develops. seamless connections and access to content across the station network Additionally, Sony is developing new worldwide. Where regions, bureaus, or technologies* that will allow metadata to be remote offi ces require connections to the sent directly to cameras in the fi eld. Thus, main system, the Sonaps system provides even operators in the fi eld will have sophisticated remote connection and up-to-the-second information from the editing functionality. This eliminates the time newsroom, so that effective coordination of and cost of moving materials and skilled edi- materials can be achieved through each tors. step. What’s more, metadata can be edited DVB-ASI Stream in the fi eld by a journalist or a camera As well as fi le-based transmission, Sony operator* providing more specifi c and provides material transmission in transport accurate information for later use, stream (TS). By using the newly developed according to any sudden change in the HDCA-702 MPEG TS Adaptor, a device’s shooting environment or for any other HD-SDI output can be encoded to MPEG reason. TS and output via DVB-ASI. The bit rate is *Planned to be available in the future. selectable from 17.25 Mb/s to 43.25 Mb/s, which is suitable for material transmission using microwave and satellite modulators.

2 3 Sony Near-Line/Archive Solutions Sonaps Provides Broadcasters With an End-to-End Workﬂ ow. Streamlined processes to select, catalog and store the required content are critical to building a useful and efﬁ cient long-term store in enterprise archive solutions.

Sony provides two types of ﬁ le-based archive systems – a shelf-based and disc-based robotics XDCAM Cart and a large automated data-tape archive Peta- Acquisition & Field Edit Site™.

The XDCAM Cart is an automated robotic system which accommodates XDCAM decks and uses a number of Professional Disc™ media as storage devices. Not just for Metadata archiving, the XDCAM Cart is ideal for multi-disc ingesting and on-air playout applications.

The PetaSite is a tape library solution, providing a highly attractive storage cost per gigabyte by taking full advantage of the Network fact that magnetic tape is the most cost-effective medium for high-capacity data storage.

Microwave/ By capturing metadata generated at every Ingest Satellite stage of the workﬂ ow process, and providing a comprehensive foundation for an archive catalog, the Sonaps system can seamlessly integrate with archive systems. With online Proxy Data, comprehensive and sophisticated search and retrieve workﬂ ows are provided, so that all available content can be effectively utilized whenever Network required.

Ingest Terminal

PDJ-C1080 PDJ-A640 CMS-200B XDCAM Cart PetaSite

4 XDCAM With Sonaps

Newsroom Database & External Interface Central Storage

MOS Gateway/ Common Gateway Newsroom Computers

Site-to-Site Connection Proxy/Craft Edit Playout Archive

Alliance Partner NLE Playout Terminal

Playout Server

5 Complete File-based Content Creation by a Collaborative Networked Workﬂ ow – XDCAM with HDXchange™

Sony introduces the HDXchange™ Content Management Server which delivers excellent compatibility not only with XDCAM* products but also with the major high-deﬁ nition(HD)/standard-deﬁ nition(SD) acquisition formats from Sony such as HDV™, DVCAM™ and DV.

The HDXchange provides a seamless content management capability by interfacing a wide range of production devices, such as nonlinear editors, playout servers, and archiving storage systems.

*XDCAM HD422 format support is planned in the future.

Nonlinear Friendly Self-contained XDCAM Proxy Data- and Metadata- Content Management Server compliant System HDXchange is a self-contained IT-friendly Proxy Data and metadata are key elements server which is highly compatible with of effi cient fi le-based content management XDCAM products. The necessary in XDCAM workfl ow. HDXchange can import production workfl ow software is Proxy Data and metadata for editing, pre-installed – operating system, content browsing and content administration. What’s administration tool, browser client, ingest/ more, for XDCAM EX™, HDV and DV (which logging client and XDCAM gateway client. do not come with Proxy Data), HDXchange This fully self-contained server enables users can automatically generate Proxy Data, to install a fi le-based content management allowing users to handle content in the same environment easily in a short space of time. way as XDCAM materials. The HDXchange also comes with a well-developed hardware structure. It has Compatible with Archive Solutions from two types of RAID systems - RAID 10 for data Sony storage and RAID 1 for the operating system The HDXchange system works seamlessly – as well as extended interfaces for with the PetaSite tape library in combination connecting to third-party storage devices. with PetaServe™ Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) software, providing Versatile Format Support Leads to Multi- effi cient search and retrieve operations purpose Platform utilizing Proxy Data and metadata. HDXchange can ingest materials in a range of formats from HD to SD, such as XDCAM*, XDCAM EX™, HDV, DVCAM, and DV. All HD and SD content can be edited using Vegas and/or Apple nonlinear editors. This means that users can establish an environment for a variety of applications such as broadcasting, DVDs, web content production, and mobile platform content. *XDCAM HD422 format support is planned in the future.

6 The HDXchange Provides a Seamless Content Management Capability.

Acquisition Shared Storage & Content Management

Logging Online Edit Thrid Party Playout/ Archive Distribution

PetaServe Logging Terminal

Playout Terminal Sony Vegas

Apple Final Cut Pro Playout Server

Web Content, DVD and Mobile Platform Contents

7 Networked HD Solutions from Sony - Technologies

Professional Disc Media

Large capacity: 50-GB dual-layer PFD50DLA and 23-GB single-layer PFD23A High reliability, durability and long life > Employs an antistatic polycarbonate resin shell > Phase change recording: resistant to time degradation by ultra-violet ray PFD50DLA PFD23DLA > No mechanical contact between disc and optical pick-up Affordable random accessible media

SxS PRO™ Memory Card

High data transfer speed of 800 Mb/s* Large capacity: 32-GB SBP-32, 16-GB SBP-16 and 8-GB SBP-8 Directly interface with PCs using PCI Express interface

Compact size: approx. 75 x 34 x 5 mm (3 x 1 3/8 x 7/32 inches) SBP-32 SBP-16 SBP-8 *This data-read speed is measured with benchmark software. Actual data transfer speeds vary according to measurement conditions. Please refer to http://www.sony.net/SxS-Support/ for information on measuring methods.

Metadata

Describes attribution information of the material Necessary for content management operation: ﬁ le searching, sorting and retrieving Variety of information can be recorded onto the tape-less media: disc ID, text escription, names of the operators, EDL, playlist, archive description, etc

Metadata Accumulates on the Disc for Later Use

8 Proxy Data

Time code synchronized low-resolution copy of High Resolution high-resolution AV data MXF File

Low bit rate of 2 Mb/s: can be transferred to Proxy Data Nonlinear editors at an amazingly high speed Low Resolution Can be used in many purposes (2 Mb/s) > Ofﬂ ine editing > Instant browsing of the contents > Reference for archived materials

Codec: MPEG-2 Long GOP Video Compression Technology

High compression ratio: high-quality 1920 x 1080 full HD video at 50 Mb/s > High-quality picture despite the low bit rate > Ideal for ﬁ le-based recording:results in a smaller ﬁ le size and realizes a longer recording time >Ideal for network material transfer: can be transferred in less than the material’s real time via a Gigabit Ethernet Supported in end-to-end (acquisition to archive) by Sony devices Common codec among Sony HD devices (XDCAM, XDCAM EX and HDV)

9 File Format for Content Exchange and Sharing: Material eXchange Format (MXF)

Compliant with SMPTE 378M: OP-1a Effi cient fi le container format: interleaves video, audio, time code, and metadata in a single fi le By sharing the fi le on a content server, material can be multiply accessed and played back by terminals

Recording Media Varieties Sony has developed various types of media to professional-use level, and adopts the optimal media for each stage of production operation. Memory: SxS PRO™ Memory Card for acquisition, enables compact and quick operation in field Disc: Professional Disc for every stage from acquisition to archive with high reliability Tape: PetaSite tape library solutions, for gigantic content management Sony adopts two types of nonlinear recording media – optical disc and memory card. Users can choose the right acquisition device for each different environment. Sony supports mixed environments where both types of media are required. In addition, tapes are a well-developed media which provide outstanding cost-efficiency with high capacity, and are indispensable for archiving. yet its great capacity, and indispensable for archiving.

32 GB 50 GB 1600 GB*

SBP-32 PFD50DLA LTX800G Memory for XDCAM EX Disc for XDCAM Tape for PetaSite

*Compressed capacity. Native capacity is 800 GB.

10 Technologies

XDCAM Alliance Partners Much more than just a standalone production format, XDCAM leverages support for MXF and open IT industry standards to provide interoperability with hardware and applications from over thirty vendors. With XDCAM, it’s easier than ever to mix and match tools from your preferred suppliers…and have great-looking pictures ready ahead of your competitors.

11 SKAI News, Sony and Sonaps: Staying Ahead of the Competition With a World-class Tapeless news Environment

Background The Sony Solution SKAI News is the largest independent At the heart of the system proposed by provider of television news in Greece. The Sony is Sonaps. Based on industry Athens-based broadcaster was re-launched standard IT components, this powerful, in April 2006 with the objective of offering fully managed production environment the fastest, most comprehensive quality has been engineered by Sony to meet the news service available to Greek viewers. demanding needs of national and regional broadcasters. Alongside Sonaps, The debut of the free-to-air terrestrial SKAI TV has invested in Sony XDCAM Pro- channel marked the re-emergence of the fessional Disc camcorders and decks SKAI brand after it disappeared from Greek alongside systems from other third party airwaves during the 1990s. The station’s vendors including AP’s ENPS re-launch also afforded the opportunity for front-line news environment, IBIS Playout SKAI TV to create a totally new production Server and content archive from Blue infrastructure. Order.

While planning the re-launch of its fl agship news service, SKAI TV management teams The Implementation and realized quickly that technology would play Customer Benefits a central role in enabling the station to Working closely with Sony, SKAI TV has outpace the competition and get to air successfully exploited the rapid faster with better looking pictures. convergence between IT platforms and broadcast AV production to create a Aside from the need to produce high world-class tapeless news facility. quality, accurate news reports with increased operational effi ciency, SKAI also With Sonaps at the heart of SKAI’s news required a production infrastructure that operations, every phase of the production would allow a cost effective migration path process is interlinked in a single, seamless to high-defi nition (HD) working. An additional workfl ow. As SKAI TV general manager of prerequisite was an infrastructure that could technical operations Nick Millas confi rms, smoothly accommodate other new the Sony-delivered solution also unites all technologies as they became available in SKAI’s newsgathering assets - including the marketplace. studios, cameras, crews and OB vehicles - in a continuously online environment. Most importantly, SKAI management demanded a solution that would deliver In the newsroom, producers can oversee as concrete fi nancial returns over the next many as 35 separate stories that are being decade and beyond in the face of a worked on simultaneously by journalists. This rapidly-evolving technology landscape. provides clear visibility of the day’s schedule and allows faster, more effective decision making with enhanced creative possibilities - all of which would be impossible in a traditional tape-based environment.

12 Sony Products

XDCAM camcorders Sonaps News and decks Production System

Customer Voices ‘Sonaps is the heart of our newsroom. We chose Sony because it offered the strongest ref- erences in news, studio and archive build and deployment. Sony worked with us as partners throughout the implementation, listening to our needs and providing answers straight- away.’ Nick Millas, general manager of technical operations, SKAI TV

13 Sony wins First Place to Deliver Digital Archiving Solution for Horseracing

Background The Implementation and Customer Benefi ts RaceTech is the offi cial provider of technical services to the British Horseracing Authority, Once received at RaceTech HQ, the optical providing photo fi nish race timing analysis to discs are ingested into a unique networked adjudicators. The company was founded in editing and archive system. The discs are 1946 when it developed photo fi nish. Rac- loaded onto a Sony XDCAM cart machine, eTech now supplies television coverage and which is interfaced with two PCs that are racecourse cable installations to the British used to run the bespoke auto import Horseracing Authority and software. This sources and transfers the broadcasters including the BBC, Channel fi les onto a Sony HDXchange core, which is 4 Racing, Satellite Information Services, Turf based around Sony HDXchange and a Peta- TV and satellite channels At The Races and site archiving technology. Racing UK. Bespoke Sony software ensures that all The company also advises developing archived footage is fully searchable. The racing nations on vital technical issues and solution boasts full editing suite capabilities uses its unique fi lm archive for the private that will enable the team to produce one- use of owners, trainers and punters. off compilation DVDs of individual horses for clients. The three editing packages RaceTech traditionally relied on provided each include a browser client, an cumbersome tapes for the recording of FCP studio and a PDW-F75 recorder. races. However, in 2007 the company chose to upgrade its system to help in both the RaceTech will experience numerous reduction of capital costs and space but benefi ts. Firstly, the speed and effi ciencies also to improve its workfl ow. RaceTech of digital fi le-based workfl ow will enable required a system which would enable all quicker and more productive distribution racing action to be captured onto optical and fi ling. Secondly, the recorders allow discs, via its 6 outside broadcast trucks. Rac- detailed metadata about the races to be eTech also wanted a product which would stored onto the discs alongside the footage, allow detailed metadata about the races to including the names of every jockey and be stored onto discs alongside the footage. horse involved in the race. These metadata tags in the footage are essential in allowing RaceTech to identify specifi c footage, The Sony Solution relating to a race, a horse or even a jockey, which might be under investigation. From initial counsel through to design and installation, Sony worked closely with RaceT- One fi nal benefi t for RaceTech’s customers ech to build and deliver a complete, end- is that when the industry moves away from to-end, video archiving solution to meet all standard-defi nition (SD) broadcasting into the company’s requirements. high-defi nition (HD), their viewers will experience a vastly improved and Sony’s bespoke design, featuring XDCAM impressive broadcast feed. HD PDW-F75 recorders, an XDCAM cart machine, Sony HDXchange and a PetaSite archive, allowed RaceTech to digitally record and archive over 1,400 professional horse race days, which equates to in excess of 9,000 races and over 7,000 hours of recorded material in the UK every year.

14 Sony Products

XDCAM decks and cart HDXchange

PetaSite and PetaServe

Customer Voices ‘Since we developed the photo finish in 1946, we have strived to provide the industry with the most accurate footage of professional horseracing in the UK and that is why we have made such a major commitment to preserving our content with Sony’s robust and complete digital recording, editing and archiving solution. ‘In the horserace industry, HD is currently unknown but will probably happen within the next two years, so any investment had to be HD-capable. This SD/HD switchability was another layer of complexity: Sony’s response was both elegant and cost-effective. XDCAM works perfectly within our workflow, be that standard or high definition.’ Mick Both, Director of Engineering and Technical Operations at RaceTech

15 Distributed by © 2009 Sony Corporation of Hong Kong Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice. All non-metric weights and measurements are approximate. Sony, Sonaps, XDCAM, PetaSite, Professional Disc, HDXchange, DVCAM, XDCAM EX, PetaServe, and SxS PRO are trademarks of Sony Corporation. HDV is a trademark of Sony Corporation and Victor Campany of Japan, Limited. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

MSD0812028(10491V2)WEL0012 Printed in Hong Kong