Vanguard 2000

The search is over. Announcing the winners of the annual VideoSystems Vanguard Awards, which honor the 15 most innovative newproducts of the year.

Innovation was a major theme in the video industry this year, as ithas been for the past several years. New products introduced in thelast 12 months have significantly advanced camera and editingtechnology, while high-definition tools have become less expensive andmore commonplace.

But the real news this year was the flood of streaming media toolsto market. Of course, it came as no real surprise. With Wall Streetthrowing millions at every twenty-something with dot-com dreams whilethe Internet was hailed as the next great broadcast medium, it's nowonder that the video industry made a strong play. And so a smorgasbordof streaming tools and services have popped up in the last 12 months.Some are real, some are imagined, and some are simply old productsrepackaged with an "Internet Ready" sticker on the box or a slightlyaltered model number.

Not to worry. You won't find any imagined or repackaged productsamong the 15 winners of this year's Video Systems Vanguard Awards. Eachproduct honored on the following pages is already shipping.Furthermore, our annual Vanguard Awards are designed to honor the mostinnovative new products in the professional video industry. These areproducts that have brought exciting new capabilities to videoprofessionals or set significant new price/performance benchmarks.Minor upgrades need not apply. Also, these aren't "best of class"awards that try to make fine distinctions between similar products.Indeed, each product was considered on its own merit, regardless of itsproduct category. As a result, streaming media tools are wellrepresented on this year's list of winners, reflecting theaforementioned flood of products. In fact, eight of the 15 awardwinners this year are streaming media related. By comparison, two oflast year's winners were Internet-specific products.

Of course, picking the winners any year is a difficult task. Thisyear, Video Systems' editorial staff, along with many of the magazine'scontributing writers and editors, nominated nearly 70 products beforethe final 15 were selected through a blind vote. To be considered, aproduct had to have begun shipping between Dec. 1, 1999 and Dec. 1,2000. Special thanks goes to our panel of judges for lending theirindustry expertise to the selection process. In addition to the VideoSystems' editorial staff, the judges were: Peter Putman, Steve Mullen,Frank McMahon, Steve Epstein, Jeff Sauer, Barry Braverman, Gary Eskow,Carl Levine, Tom McAuliffe, and Steve Schleicher.

So without further adieu, here are the winners of the 2000 VideoSystems Vanguard Awards. Barring a court-ordered recount, these resultsare final.

Media 100i As web media becomes a greater part of videoproduction facilities, web creation tools are more and more in demand.One company that seems determined to meet this demand is Media 100, andits flagship product, Media 100i, is one of the most recognizable inthis still-emerging market. But there's more to the product thanmarketing, as Media 100i was far and away the judges' favorite amongthis year's winners. The product is designed to help users createdynamic, interactive streaming websites with ease and efficiency. Asonline video plays, other webpage events can be synchronized easily.These events could include opening URLs, triggering text and graphics,or launching animations. Media 100i provides the power to createbroadcast-quality video, author interactivity into it, compress it forany streaming format, and build a website around it. With its powerfulinteractivity, unlimited layering, 2D and 3D character and graphicsgeneration, advanced color correction, a host of real-time effects, andsupport for all standard video formats, Media 100i integrates easilyinto existing facilities. And, with four different models to choosefrom, there is system to suit most budgets. Price range: $3,595 to$17,995. (Marlboro, MA; 800-773-1770; www.media100.com)

Discreet combustion superscript * Whether you're aprofessional video artist or a game programmer, combustion superscript* lets you finish complex effects shots while working seamlessly in aunified, nondestructive paint and com-positing environment. Discreet'sintuitive artist interface really impressed our judges. It simplifiesmotion tracking, keying, color correction, rotoscoping, and compositingoperations while working interactively within a true 3D compositingenvironment. The advanced architecture integrates image caching,multiprocessor support, and multiple scene views, delivering visualinteractivity on the desktop. You can compose using uncompressed videoalong with resolution-independent vector paint and animation graphicsfor multi-format production. Facilities that already have Discreetproducts will be quite pleased with the seamless integration combustionsuperscript * provides. Artists designing effects in combustionsuperscript * can share common motion tracking, keying, and colorcorrection setup data with inferno superscript *, flame superscript *,flint superscript *, fire superscript *, and smoke superscript *systems. Price: $3,495. (Montreal; 800-869-3504; www.discreet.com)

Terran Interactive Cleaner 5 Cleaner 5 is a completecamera-to-web streaming solution that includes all you need to capture,author, encode, and publish high-quality streaming media in a varietyof formats. These formats include QuickTime, RealSystem, Windows Media,MP3, MPEG-1, and MPEG-2 at a wide range of connection speeds.EventStream authoring lets you add stream navigation, synchronize HTMLto streaming media, and embed links and interactive hot spots. Thebuilt-in StreamPublisher lets you publish finished projects directly toa streaming server. Cleaner 5 works with web design tools, includingGoLive, Dreamweaver, Flash, and Shockwave, and it easily integrateswith numerous video editors such as EditDV, iFinish, Media 100,Premiere, and Final Cut Pro. It's easy to use for beginners andincludes numerous advanced features - such as batch processing, inversetelecine, adaptive deinterlacing, A/V filters, Mac and Windowsscripting, XML-based settings, and dual-processor support - to ensureyou won't outgrow it anytime soon. Price: $599. (Los Gatos, CA;800-577-3443; www.terran.com)

Sony HDW-F900 Sony's HDW-F900 digital HDCAM 24p camcordercombines a 3CCD HD color digital camera with a compact HDCAM digital1/2-inch cassette recorder. Designed for digital electroniccinematography as well as HDTV/SDTV production applications (conformsto ITU-R.BT 709-3), the HDW-F900 is equipped with newly developed,2/3-inch, 2.2-million-sensor FIT solid-state imagers. These CCDsproduce high-resolution, 16:9 images. Along with a 12-bit A/D converterand advanced DSP processing, the CCDs make the HDW-F900 one of thefirst video cameras truly designed for digital cinematography. New HDsignal processing techniques improve the image quality even furtherwhile simplifying the overall setup and operation. Features include acontinuous recording time up to 50 minutes in 24p mode, and a newMemory Stick setup system that memorizes various parameter settings andprovides instant recall at any time. The HDW-F900 also includeselectronic shutter functions such as ECS and Super EVS for blur-freeimages. Price: $100,000 without lens. (Park Ridge, NJ; 800-686-SONY;www.sony.com/professional)

RealNetworks RealPlayer 8 As Internet influence grows,specialty programs that expand its usage continue to make inroads. Oneof those specialty programs is RealPlayer 8 from RealNetworks.RealPlayer 8 is a free downloadable player that is available for PCs,Macs, and even the Unix operating system. With RealVideo 8, Real-Player8 is a true streaming media player. RealVideo 8 delivers ahigh-clarity, full-motion video experience to consumers using dial-upmodems. At mainstream broadband rates, it delivers fullscreen,VHS-quality video, and for those using high-capacity networks ordownloadable media, it delivers near DVD-quality video. According tothe company, at mainstream broadband rates, 92% of the online viewerssurveyed prefer RealVideo 8 to competing products, and more than 70% ofviewers consider RealVideo 8 to be as good as or superior to VHS video.The efficiency gains in RealVideo during the past year have reducedVHS-quality file sizes from 1200kb/s to 500kb/s, making it considerablymore cost-effective for content creators, broadcasters, andinfrastructure providers to deliver compelling video experiences toconsumers over both existing and emerging media pipes. Price: Freedownload; $29.99 for RealPlayer Plus. (Seattle; 800-632-8920;www.realnetworks.com)

Telestream Clip Express ClipExpress is an easy-to-use,Internet-based media delivery system. It can be used to transportvideo/audio/timecode over data networks. Making things even easier,ClipExpress systems can exchange media with other ClipExpress systems,as well as ClipMail Pro systems, and FTP servers. Designed for businessusers and content creators, ClipExpress offers selectable compressionranges from MPEG-1 at 128kb/s to MPEG-2 (MP@ML or 4:2:2P@ML) at 8Mb/s.Audio compression is MPEG Layer-2. Video/audio I/Os simplifyacquisition from and recording to a variety of tape formats. Built-instandards conversion allows you to adapt your footage to worldwidestandards, thus simplifying playback around the world.Store-and-forward technology allows user selection of video qualityindependent of the network connection. A 10.2GB hard drive providesinternal storage, and there is room for a second hard drive ifadditional storage is needed. Network connections include a 10/100Mb/sEthernet connection and full or half-duplex TCP/IP. Price range: $4,495to $5,495. (Nevada City, CA; 877-257-6245; www.telestream.net)

Panasonic AJ-HDC20A The DVCPRO AJ-HDC20A is a high-definitioncamcorder in a sturdy, lightweight package. It operates natively at1080i and captures images from three high-density, 2.2-million-pixel,2/3-inch FIT CCDs. Recording time is 46 minutes on a single cassette.SMPTE 292M outputs allow for backup recording or capturing live feeds.Operator conveniences include extensive setup menu selections, camerasetups on removable memory cards, and dual filter wheels. Eightseparate camera setups are available through user menus. Four of thesetups are factory set and four are user-definable. Sensitivity of f/8at 2000lux allows for shooting in low to moderate light. To compensatefor poor backlighting conditions, the Super Iris mode opens the iris tobring the subject matter up to proper levels. The AJ-HDC20A weighs only15 pounds, including viewfinder, and an industry-standard, 2/3-inchbayonet mount accommodates fixed-focal-length (prime) or HD zoomlenses. Two channels of digital, 16-bit/48kHz audio provide 20dB ofheadroom. Another unique feature is the ability to do timelapsephotography in HD. Recording duration ranges from 10 frames to 59seconds, with a pause duration (interval) from two seconds to 24 hours.Price: $60,000 without lens. (Los Angeles; 800-528-8601;www.panasonic.com/PBDS)

Alias|Wavefront Maya 3 Maya 3 is the fifth major release ofthe company's popular 3D animation and visual effects software. Usefulfor film, broadcast, video, and game-development applications, Maya 3includes Trax, an advanced nonlinear animation tool that simplifiesproduction of complex animation sequences. Along with Trax, Maya 3includes a large number of additional features, including a newpolygonal architecture that can support a much wider variety ofpolygonal topologies. A new Bezier surface editor provides full accessto a curved-surface representation. Expansion and compression ofanimation clips makes it easy to change timing, while blending andtransitions between clips creates smoother motion. Price range: $2,995to $16,000 (Toronto; 800-447-2542; www.aliaswavefront.com)

Miranda MDC Series Talk about good things in small packages.The judges were particularly impressed with all the functionalitystuffed into this small device. If you're shooting high-definition witha Sony HDW-700A HDCAM camcorder and need a cost-effective way tomonitor what you are shooting, the MDC Series may be just what you arelooking for. This miniature downcon-vertor mounts neatly on the bottom,rear corner of your camcorder. Taking its power directly from thecamera battery, the MDC converts the camera's HD component analogoutputs to NTSC or PAL, making them viewable on standard field monitors(both composite and luminance outputs are provided). The productfeatures looping inputs and supports 1080i, 1080p/24(sF), 1035i, and720p. A built-in aspect ratio converter makes 16:9 pictures viewable on4:3 monitors while a graticule generator (16:9 and 4:3) provides safeaction markers. Power consumption is only 4W for this 8-bitdownconverter, which can run on anything from 12VDC to 24VDC. Whilethere has been some confusion about the product's name in the last fewmonths (it was originally called MDC-700, then renamed MDC-800, and isnow known as the MDC Series), one thing is clear: The MDC Seriesdownconverter is deserving of this award based on its innovativetechnology. Price: Not available. (Halpern, St. Laurent, Canada;514-333-1772; www.miranda.com)

Be Here 360 Lens & iVideo Software iVideo takes fulladvantage of the interactivity of the Internet to provide a uniqueexperience that cannot be duplicated by traditional, fixed-frame videoor television broadcasts. Captured with Be Here's single-shot, 360optical system, iVideo content allows individuals to control their ownvirtual camera using industry-leading video players from RealNetworks,Microsoft, and Apple. Any number of simultaneous viewers canindependently navigate within a captured environment and look around.Be Here iVideo Suite/Betacam SP is targeted for use with Sony BetacamSP. It enables broadcasters and video producers to easily develop 360video content with a portable solution. The suite includes the Betacamversion of the 360 lens and iVideoCreate software. The High Res productsuite is targeted at broadcasters and webcasters desiring higherresolutions for broadband delivery. This suite includes ahigh-resolution version of the Be Here 360 lens, Be Here iVideoCreatesoftware, a high-res mega-pixel digital video camera, and a videocapture board. Used in concert with a Pentium III computer, the productenables producers to capture the highest quality 360 video and recordit directly to disk. This is truly a one-of-a-kind product. Pricerange: $8,495 to $14,995. (Cupertino, CA; 408.873.1300;www.behere.com)

Pinnacle Systems StreamGenie StreamGenie is a portable,rugged webcasting solution for live streaming over the Internet. Itsupports multiple camera switching, simultaneous output for theInternet and video archiving, integrated professional titling,graphics, 3D video effects, professional audio, and built-in networkI/O. Ideally suited for webcasting corporate events, distance learning,conferences, and concerts in both RealNetworks and Microsoft formats,StreamGenie is available in NTSC and PAL versions and supports 4:2:2:4sampling. The latest version includes several significant featureenhancements and 1.2GHz of encoding horsepower for considerableperformance in a portable, live, streaming application. The new versionalso offers customers significant new capabilities, including seamlessconnection to Pinnacle's CastConnect webcasting services. Audio andvideo quality is also improved through tight integration of the latestReal-Networks RealVideo 8 codec. A graphics import wizard providesbatch processing of Microsoft PowerPoint and other image formats.Existing registered customers may upgrade their software at noadditional charge through a CD-ROM or FTP download. Price: $16,999.(Mountain View, CA;650-526-1600; www.pinnaclesys.com)

Digital Voodoo D1 Desktop 128HD The D1 Desktop 128HD boardoffers support for full, uncompressed HDTV and standard-definitionvideo formats. In addition, it features true uncompressed 10-bit videocapture and playback with six channels of AES/EBU digital audio.Combining this with internal 4:4:4:4 processing makes the D1 Desktop128HD a high-quality QuickTime card. Furthermore, HDTV support allowsreal-time, film-resolution editing. And, unlike dedicated systems,editors can instantly change from film work to video work withoutreformatting their disk array. QuickTime applications work at highresolutions and provide amazing creative flexibility. Complementing thevideo are six integrated channels of AES/EBU digital audio (48kHzsampling), an absolute necessity for 5.1 surround sound editing.Digital Voodoo's custom-designed chipset provides an extremely fastprocessing speed of 536Mpixels/s. With 160MB of video memory at 2GB/saccess speeds and a full 64-bit PCI host connection, this card isperfect for dual-processor G4 Macs. Price: $9,995. (South Melbourne,Australia; +61 3 9682 9477; www.digitalvoodoo.net)

e-Studio 1000 Series One of the newest members of thee-Studio family is the compact e-Studio1000, designed for users whowant more than just a video stream in their webcasts. e-Studio1000provides streaming video synchronized with web graphics, links, andother show elements. It has the on-the-fly control needed to capturelive webcasts. Available as a compact, standalone webcasting studio oras an addition to an existing live video production facility, it isupgradeable to the e-Studio7000. The 1000 package includes: e-StudioV2.0 software suite, RealNetworks RealServer, Apache Web Server,producer workstation, streaming server, microphone, and an e-StudioCommander live control panel. Simply add a camera, plug into a poweroutlet and network hub, drop in graphics (gif, jpeg, Flash), and beginwebcasing in minutes. The e-Studio Commander manages the real-timeaction of the live webcast and is fully customizable to make showproduction easy for the novice and streamlined for the advanced user.Multisource capability provides for up to six cameras or other videosources to stream the action on a computer screen to the Web. Price:$24,900. (Chelmsford; 978.244.0858; www.e-studiolive.com)

Omneon Video Area Network Truly a hit with our judges,Omneon's Video Area Network is a product with considerable potential.It combines the consumer world's economies of scale with the bandwidthand toolset of a professional video product. Based on IEEE 1394, thisvideo area network offers data-type independence with the ability tostore HD, HDCAM, DV, DVCPRO50, MPEG-2, uncompressed 601, and streamingfiles. IEEE 1394 provides for the transport of both isochronous (audioand video) and asynchronous (control) data simultaneously. Severalmodular components are used to build typical networks. Director andStore manage data storage, while MediaPort handles the connection andinterface to non-1394 devices that need to be connected to the network.Switch is an IEEE packet switch that manages data transport on the 1394network and provides an interface to Gigabit Ethernet networks. Thisallows the interconnection of multiple Video Area Networks usingstandard Internet protocols, or the delivery of asynchronous streamingvideo directly to the Internet. Price: Based on bandwidth and capacity.(Sunnyvale, CA; 405-585-5000; www.omneon.com)

Pinnacle Systems CineWave Based on the TARGA Cine engine,CineWave is an editing and effects solution for the Apple G4. It canprovide true uncom-pressed quality and supports every major videoformat, including SD, HD, or both. The Cine engine is a 64-bit,single-slot PCI card with two Pinnacle Digital-Tether ports. The portsallow for easy attachment of a family of analog and/or digital I/Obreakout boxes. Both ports can be used in parallel to connect twobreakout boxes and output SD and HD simultaneously. Software bundledwith Pinnacle Cine-Wave includes Commotion Pro, a compositing andeffects package, Apple's Final Cut Pro for video editing, and HollywoodFX Bronze for creating 3D transitions and effects. IEEE 1394 issupported, as are selectable aspect ratios (16:9 or 4:3). Price:$7,495. (Mountain View, CA; 650-526-1600; www.pinnaclesys.com)