• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

SGI Debuts InfiniteStorage Solutions for Broadcast and Production at IBC 2003

Posted on: Friday, 12 September 2003, 06:00 CDT

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, SGI Stand #7.531, Sept. 12 -- /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- At IBC 2003, September 12-16, Silicon Graphics debuts new SGI(R) InfiniteStorage solutions for broadcast and production. SGI InfiniteStorage accelerates workflows for broadcasters and production facilities by giving all systems access to the same data at the same time at any required speed-through a combination of SAN/NAS architecture. Sharing data rather than moving it typically doubles workflow efficiency. The open nature of the SGI(R) CXFS(TM) shared filesystem allows facilities to choose the best tools for the job without operating-system constraints and enables easy integration of media management tools.

InfiniteStorage for Broadcast

SGI will demonstrate its open digital infrastructure for broadcast using the innovative approach presently being built at Danish Broadcasting and other broadcast facilities throughout Europe. This data-centric, facility-wide build-out includes the use of Ardendo software for multi-resolution ingest and LAN and WAN browse/rough-cut edit, Pinnacle Liquid blue(TM) for collaborative editing, and playout via multiple SGI Media Server(TM) for broadcast servers under the control of vizrt(R) automation. The system features tight integration between ingest, edit, playout, distribution, and archive and allows for many times faster than real-time file sharing between workstations of different operating systems throughout the broadcast operation. Additionally, a Sony XPRI editor will be integrated into the workflow, demonstrating SGI's unique characteristic of accepting most file systems into the SGI SAN infrastructure.

SGI will introduce several new capabilities for its open-architecture SGI Media Server for broadcast system, including support for D10/IMX MPEG-2 compression, DVCPRO25 and DVCPRO50 compression, and support for the MXF file format. With the introduction of these capabilities, as well as existing support for MPEG- 2 and SMPTE 360M exchange formats, SGI takes a leadership position in offering broadcasters an open-architecture platform for easy interchange between key applications such as ingest, edit, and playout.

InfiniteStorage for Production

SGI will feature its InfiniteStorage for production solution demonstrating high-speed sharing of media assets. Instead of wasting time moving files from point to point, facilities can now share files across any operating system (IRIX(R), 32- and 64-bit Linux(R), Windows(R)) in real-time -- regardless of resolution. Newly announced CXFS filesystem support for Mac OS(R) X and Windows(R) XP further enriches the InfiniteStorage solution. The heterogeneous SGI CXFS shared filesystem can scale to meet virtually any facility requirements -- either in storage capacity, bandwidth or client connectivity.

Customers such as Ascent Media, Warner Brothers, EFILM, and Laboratoire Eclair use SANs based on CXFS to achieve far more efficient facility operations. Other customers include:

-- Tippett Studio recently implemented an SGI InfiniteStorage SAN

solution that incorporated their existing SGI(R) storage system,

provided the 14TB of storage needed immediately, and would easily

scale to larger data storage and management capabilities in the

future. [See release dated September 10, 2003: "Tippett Studio Taps

SGI InfiniteStorage Solutions To Manage Data Explosion Of Special

Effects"].

-- The Orphanage and Pacific Title & Art Studio, two high-profile digital

film and visual effects facilities serving the motion picture and

television commercial market, recently selected highly scalable SGI

InfiniteStorage solutions to increase workflow performance. The

reason: SGI SAN Server(TM) family and SGI CXFS shared filesystem is

the only SAN environment in the world that enables high-speed sharing

of media assets between any operating system without copying files.

[See release dated September 10, 2003: "SGI InfiniteStorage Solutions

Power Two Leading Hollywood Digital Film and Visual Effects

Companies"].

SGI is also collaborating with others to deliver its InfiniteStorage solutions to media customers.

-- Discreet and SGI are qualifying key elements of the SGI

InfiniteStorage solution, including the SGI SAN Server family and SGI

CXFS shared file system, to work with Discreet's systems and software

product lines, as part of the Discreet sparks(R) infrastructure

program. The agreement also encompasses global co-marketing and sales

of the SGI InfiniteStorage solution. Discreet, working with SGI, will

resell SGI SAN solutions worldwide as an integral part of its

high-performance infrastructure products designed to target a growing

demand for robust, highly scalable shared storage environments.

[See release dated August 18, 2003: "Discreet and Silicon Graphics

Partner To Deliver SGI InfiniteStorage SAN Solutions for Film

Mastering and Video Production"].

-- Quantel and SGI will build on their pioneering work at Peter Jackson's

The Film Unit by working together to qualify elements of the SGI

InfiniteStorage SAN solution to work with iQ and other generationQ

systems. Illustrating the impressive openness of both systems, the

Quantel iQ Resolution Co-existent(TM) finishing system has been

integrated with SGI CXFS shared filesystem for SAN at The Film Unit.

The result is an ultrafast, highly productive environment for Digital

Intermediate (DI) color correction that eliminates transfer

bottlenecks and makes the process more creative and flexible. The two

companies expect to roll out the DI system worldwide in the near

future. [See release dated September 12, 2003: "Quantel and SGI Boost

DI Workflow at Peter Jackson's Film Unit"].

At IBC, SGI will demonstrate discreet(R) flame(R) digital effects running on Silicon Graphics(R) Tezro visual workstation, connected to the SAN via backdraft(R) media management system. High-end high-resolution editing and compositing will be shown on the SGI(R) Onyx(R) 350 system with InfinitePerformance(TM) graphics running Interactive Effects(TM) Piranha HD and Cinema(TM) software through a direct SAN connection.

-- Tezro visual workstation brings performance and reliability to

editing, compositing, and film mastering. The system represents the

power of the SGI(R) Onyx(R) family brought to the desktop for HD

editing and compositing. It enables real-time HD editing and

compositing, easily handling two streams of real-time uncompressed

10-bit HD playback. Tezro also handles 2K film-resolution playback.

-- SGI Onyx 350 system: This new system has much of the power of the

SGI(R) Onyx(R) 3200, but is only half the size and represents a

significant decrease in the overall cost of ownership.

Silicon Color, Inc. and SGI will demonstrate the world's first real-time 4K resolution color correction solution featuring Silicon Color FinalTouch(R) color effects system based on RACE(TM) technology in the Silicon Color(R) Stand, 7.810. With a Silicon Graphics(R) Onyx4(TM) UltimateVision(TM) visualization system running Silicon Color FinalTouch color grading software, high-end post-production companies will be able to process infinite color effects in real-time at a resolution of 4K (4096x3112). The FinalTouch solution running on Onyx4 will allow multiple color nodes to be applied simultaneously to original film scans to create real-time color corrections and grading. [See release dated September 12, 2003: "Silicon Color, Inc. Demonstrates Industry's First Real-time 4K Resolution Color Correction System on Silicon Graphics Onyx4 at IBC2003"].

About SGI InfiniteStorage

With InfiniteStorage, SGI is changing the rules in network storage by delivering hardware and software solutions specifically developed for the unique and demanding needs of data-intensive enterprises. The company's commitment to innovation enables timely availability of new technology, investment protection for existing technology, and a thriving partner community. SGI offers customers a complete family of network storage systems and software that enables customers to match solutions to their data-intensive enterprise needs while providing scalable capacity, management and performance in a cost effective architecture. [See release dated September 9, 2003: "SGI Launches Major Storage Initiative"].

About SGI

SGI, also known as Silicon Graphics Inc., is the world's leader in high-performance computing, visualization and storage. SGI's vision is to provide technology that enables the most significant scientific and creative breakthroughs of the 21st century. Whether it's sharing images to aid in brain surgery, finding oil more efficiently, studying global climate or enabling the transition from analog to digital broadcasting, SGI is dedicated to addressing the next class of challenges for scientific, engineering and creative users. SGI was named on FORTUNE magazine's 2003 list of "Top 100 Companies to Work For." With offices worldwide, the company is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., and can be found on the Web at http://www.sgi.com/.

NOTE: Silicon Graphics, SGI, Onyx, IRIX, XFS and the SGI logo are registered trademarks and CXFS, SGI Media Server, Tezro, InfinitePerformance, Onyx4, UltimateVision and SGI SAN Server are trademarks of Silicon Graphics, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries worldwide. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in several countries. Windows is a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Mac OS is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Lisa Pistacchio, +1-650-933-5683, or pistacchio@sgi.com, or Milva Naguib, +39.02.57561318, or milvan@sgi.com, or SGI PR Hotline, +1-650-933-7777, all of SGI