High-speed data transfers and improved image quality in a streamlined digital mastering and post-production workflow are a few of the benefits of the integrated systems da Vinci and Silicon Graphics will showcase at the NAB2004 exhibition, demonstrating its continued partnership in delivering efficient and robust toolsets to post-production professionals.
The seamless integration of da Vinci's Nucleas and Server Interface Option software with SGI visual workstations enables a smooth digital mastering workflow with unparalleled image quality during editing, film restoration and color enhancement, and non-linear file transfers. The integration provides direct and easy access from the SGI Onyx 350 visualization system and SGI Tezro visual workstation to the advanced toolsets of the da Vinci 2K and 2K Plus color enhancement systems and the SGI DMediaPro DM3 HD/SD video I/O adapters.
Part of the Nucleas end-to-end digital intermediate product suite, da Vinci's Server Interface Option boosts workflow efficiency by interfacing with and retaining proprietary and open formats within the storage disk array's directory and file structure. By relying on custom APIs to enable the use of proprietary disk systems and file formats, the Server Interface Option enables 2K users to transfer material more easily between the color corrector and workstation and helps to reduce processing time. da Vinci resells the SGI systems as part of a complete solution offering.
"The performance and quality realized by da Vinci's new products for the digital intermediate market now take full advantage of the SGI Onyx 350 and Tezro visualization systems," said Louise Ledeen, director of production for Media Industries, SGI.
SGI solutions with SGI InfiniteStorage Shared Filesystem CXFS for broadcast and production facilities leverage SAN/NAS architectures to give all systems access to the same data at the same time at any required speed. In addition to accelerating the post-production workflow dramatically, the InfiniteStorage solution provides one of the most scalable, shared storage architectures available to the digital media industry today.
"Transport, storage and realtime manipulation of data images within the post-production environment mandate the high-speed capability provided by the combination of our Server Interface Option and SGI InfiniteStorage technologies," said Matthew Straeb, vp of marketing and product management at da Vinci Systems. "As post-production houses increasingly shift toward the use of high-resolution digital content for film and TV finishing, the efficiency of the digital workflow plays a critical role in maintaining both first-rate services and cost-effective operations."
SGI, also known as Silicon Graphics Inc (www.sgi.com), is a world leader in high-performance computing, visualization and storage located in Mountain View, California
da Vinci Systems Inc., an Acterna Corp. company (www.davsys.com), provides SDTV, HDTV, data and digital film color enhancement technology and film restoration products to the worldwide post-production marketplace. The company has its headquarters in Coral Springs, Florida, with offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Germany and Singapore.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
