Harmonic expands Spectrum media server family

Harmonic has announced what it claims to be “significant” additions to its Omneon Spectrum media server product line.

The new Omneon MediaDeck 7000, a four-channel media server system, offers high capacity, performance, and modularity in a 1-RU form factor, according to Harmonic. In addition, the company is adding new I/O modules to its recently introduced Omneon MediaPort 7000 Series that supports MPEG2 encode and simultaneous generation of H.264 proxies.

The MediaDeck 7000 system is the newest member of the Spectrum media server family, and it offers multiple-codec playback, up/down/crossconversion, HD/SD simulcast capabilities, and two-channel modularity. Supporting all members of the MediaPort 7000 family of I/O modules, Harmonic says the MediaDeck 7000 server is an economical but capable unit that is ideal for applications requiring two to four channels in an integrated 1-RU package.

“With broad and flexible codec support, as well as valuable conversion and simulcast capabilities, the MediaDeck 7000 system is optimized to serve as an ingest or playout edge server, delay server, or stand-alone media server,” said Mark Cousins, senior product line manager for media servers at Harmonic. “Our new MediaPort 7300 modules address the reality that media server customers use MPEG2 far more often than any other codec. By integrating conversion and simulcast with multiple-codec recording and playout, the new modules also simplify multiformat ingest and playout workflows.”

The new MediaDeck 7000 system employs two hot-pluggable MediaPort 7000 Series modules to provide video and audio I/O, as well as interfaces for external reference, timecode, and automation control. These modules can be mixed in any combination, providing support of mixed-codec (MPEG2, XDCAM HD, AVC-Intra, and SD/HD DV) workflows. The MediaPort modules offer built-in up/down/crossconversion, as well as separately configurable primary and secondary outputs.

IBC will be exhibiting at IBC on stand 1.B20