At NAB2007, Omneon will launch MediaDeck — a compact, affordable integrated media server system based on the proven technology of the company’s flagship Spectrum media server. MediaDeck integrates media storage, system management, Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, and SD or HD video I/O modules in one convenient package only two rack-units high.

MediaDeck storage consists of eight 500GB SATA disk drives with dual-parity RAID, providing 3 TB of useable storage with protection even in the event of two drive failures. The system also features modular I/O components, so users can mix and match modules to fit their needs. SD modules for ingest and playout (up to six channels per unit) and HD ingest modules (up to two channels per unit) are immediately available. Additional modules will follow to add further ingest and playout channels and formats.

Designed for small stations and other users requiring a standalone server that is affordable, reliable, and compatible with existing automation systems and workflows, MediaDeck represents a breakthrough in
price-performance for media server technology. MediaDeck is also a perfect ingest station to an Omneon MediaGrid active storage system.

Omneon Spectrum HD — Now With Integrated HD Ingest NAB2007 will also be the debut for a new family of media interface components for the Omneon Spectrum media server, adding integrated HD encoding capability to the platform. Building on the principles that have made the Spectrum so widely accepted — scalability, flexibility and reliability — the new HD encoders (the MediaPort 5000 series) provide
integrated HD ingest, enabling an end-to-end SD or HD ingest and playout solution from Omneon. This new generation of MediaPorts is based on a flexible architecture that allows for the use of either hardware or software codec technology, depending on format. The new architecture provides a high degree of flexibility for how codec technology can be integrated into an Omneon system as well as a platform that can accommodate new advanced codecs as they emerge in the market.

The new Spectrum HD ingest MediaPort 5000 modules will be initially available as an MPEG-2 HD encoder supporting both I-Frame and Long GOP formats in bitrates ranging from 20 to 80 megabits per second. They are offered in a single- or dual-channel configuration, delivering one or two channels of HD encoding and further improving the cost-effectiveness of the Spectrum server. As with all new Omneon MediaPorts, the new 5000 series supports up to 16 channels of audio, useful for today’s surround sound and multilanguage broadcasting.

As a modular Spectrum component, these new MediaPorts can be easily connected to any existing Omneon Spectrum media server to add new HD ingest functionality, and can be mixed with other Omneon MediaPorts for SD within the same system. The addition of a new MediaPort to an existing server
requires no system downtime or disruptive upgrade procedure and in most cases can be done while the system remains online.