Video Technics, Inc.

Apella VCS

For a completely shared digital media environment with IT-based asset management, the Apella VCS allows users shackled with a tape-based workflow to make this transition easily, successfully, and with total scalability.

Proven Performance You Can Rely On
The Apella VCS SD Video Clip Server is a powerful and robust feature-packed video server that offers unprecedented flexibility for media acquisition, shared editing, central asset management, and automated play to air solutions. The server is built on a solid IT-based foundation with non-proprietary networking components that are future-proofed for the distinct needs of the broadcasting industry. Apella VCS delivers reliability worldwide with battle-tested software used successfully in live broadcast production, master control, transmission, corporate, government and education environments.

Feature-Packed and Scalable
Apella provides comprehensive asset management capability that supports a mixed media database of multi-bit rate DV and MPEG-2 for SD and HD formats. Low-resolution proxies files are automatically generated for all media ingested through SDI baseband or Ethernet file transfer. Apella VCS servers offer up to four SDI-SD ingests channels, eight discrete SDI-SD playout channels, or four playout channels with key. With the click of a mouse, quickly configure any channel within seconds for either record or playback operation. Each server can operate standalone for smaller facilities or cluster multiple servers together to provide virtually unlimited scalability for even the largest plant.

Seamless Integration and Extensive Interoperability
Apella’s powerful software interfaces provide exclusively designed solutions for multi-channel playout and offline editing and browsing anywhere on your network. Distinct from other servers in the market, the Apella VCS is uniquely optimized with component architecture to specifically support today's SAN and NAS environments. This server easily integrates into broadcast production, master control, and transmission environments using many industry-standard automation interfaces such as MOS and VDCP.

Embedded Simple Automation
The VT Scheduler application, included with every server, offers a simple user interface to provide automatic ingest and playout functionality scripted to occur at a specific dates and times. The Apella VCS channel manages the assigned scheduler script, created online or offline, for automated records and playbacks. Features include traffic list ASCII import and As Run log file exports.

Instant Media Access and Time Delayed Playback
Within five seconds after an SDI record process begins, media is available for playout from any Apella channel on the network. Simultaneously, users can access and edit the low-resolution proxy files using VT Proxy Editor to create instant replays and highlight packages before a recording is even completed! These timeline sequences are conformed dynamically as they play to air. Optionally, users can render these sequences as flattened new media files or export as AAF EDL files to be finished in an online nonlinear editor like Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro.

Flexible Archive and Restore Options
Easily archive media assets to a range of devices depending on a facility’s workflow needs and budget. The Export to Folder feature copies media files with embedded metadata to a DVD that users can view and search from any standard web browser. This media is restored when needed into Apella servers or directly into most nonlinear editors. Easily create individual archive DVDs using the standard local Apella DVD drive. A network DVD printer is used to provide automation and centralization to the archive process. Once the export is complete, the user has the option to either purge all assets from the database or keep the low-resolution media and metadata searchable online. Use the VT Database Engine to automatically archive and/or purge assets based on a set of rules defined by default or at the time of ingests. Additionally, seamless online/nearline/offline archive solutions are offered using SGL FlashNet, which supports fully automated jukebox archive and restore devices.

Key Apella VCS Features

DVCAM, DVCPRO, DV25, and DV50

MPEG2 MP@ML (I-Frame, Short and Long GOP up to 15 Mbps)

MPEG2 4:2:2 P@ML (I-Frame, Short and Long GOP up to 50Mbps)

4 SDI Inputs, 8 SDI Playout Channels, or 4 Fill + Key Playout per 4RU Chassis

SDI Embedded & AES/EBU Audio

Scalable to 126 hours of DV25 (1.5 TB) Internal Storage

Batch Media Acquisition, VTR control, and SDTI 4X ingest

Adobe Premiere Pro Plug-In for Faster than Realtime Exports without Transcoding

Auto Import Final Cut Pro using QuickTime Files or any NLE that Supports OpenDML AVI

MOS, VDCP, Pro-Bel, BVW, Odetics, & Apella TCP I/P Automation Support

Flexible Play-to-Air User Interfaces for Multi-Channel Control

Powerful SQL Database Engine Provides Centralized and Comprehensive Asset Management

Unique Global Asset IDs and User Profiles with User-Defined Security Settings

Optional PathFire Digital Media Gateway Ethernet Transfer Interface

Optional RS-422 Remote Control Panel

Optional Remote Media Web browsing, Proxy Editing & Asset Management Tools

Certified with Proven Industry Standard Direct Attached and Shared Storage Solutions