Omneon Video Networks today announced that its Omneon Spectrum™ media server system now supports the emerging HDV format, further simplifying for Omneon clients the transition to HD broadcasting. HDV support allows Omneon Spectrum users to implement a cost-effective “capture, edit, and play” workflow that takes advantage of lower-cost HDV equipment for affordable HD production and playout.

“HDV format support strengthens our proposition of ‘HD in any format’ ― a position no other server manufacturer can claim ― providing our clients with yet another means of making a smooth migration into HD,” said Geoff Stedman, vice president of worldwide marketing at Omneon. “Any network or affiliate looking for a way to bring HD material into their broadcasts will find that the Omneon Spectrum provides the greatest amount of flexibility in handling the entire HD format range.”

In the new workflow made possible by Omneon’s HDV support, users can deploy relatively low-cost camcorders to capture HDV footage, ingest that material into an HDV editing platform such as Apple’s Final Cut Pro, and then transfer edited content directly to an Omneon Spectrum server system for playout.

Unlike other servers that require time-consuming transcoding prior to storage, the Omneon Spectrum server can handle direct storage of HDV-based material for later playout. New Omneon Spectrum users can make use of HDV within their facilities, and existing HD customers can add HDV at no charge with a simple upgrade to the latest software release.

HDV playout functionality can be combined with all of the other 4000 and 4100 series MultiPort module capabilities, including simultaneous HD and SD outputs and SD and HD on the same timeline. Omneon’s 4100 series MultiPort modules allow HDV clips to be played back-to-back with an automatically upconverted SD clip on the same timeline. Both the 4000 and 4100 series MultiPort modules feature automatic horizontal scaling from 1440 to 1920, enabling HDV and other HD-format clips to play seamlessly back-to-back on the same timeline.

More information about Omneon and its server systems is available online at www.omneon.com.

About Omneon
Omneon is a leading provider of flexible media server and active storage systems that optimize workflow productivity and on-air reliability for the production, distribution, and management of digital media. Omneon is a pioneer in the use of advanced IT technologies and open systems for broadcast applications, producing a modular and expandable video server architecture in the Omneon Spectrum. The company's MediaGrid active storage system delivers centralized content storage that is scalable in capacity, bandwidth, and media-processing power. The company has an extensive global presence with customers in 45 countries on six continents. Omneon is on the Web at www.Omneon.com.

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