Sony PDWU1 Family Brochure (XDCAM HD Family) - Page 6

XDCAM HD IT/Network Friendly In the Sony XDCAM series of products, recordings are made as data files in the industry-standard MXF (Material eXchange Format) file format. This allows material to be handled with great flexibility in an IT-based environment easily available for copying, transferring, sharing, and archiving. All these operations are accomplished without any "digitizing" process required. File-based data copying allows for degradation-free dubbing of AV content, which can be performed easily on a PC. The file-based recording system also allows for material to be viewed directly on a PC, simply by linking it to the XDCAM unit via an i.LINK or Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0) connection*. This works in just the same way as a PC reading files on an external drive. The XDCAM HD camcorders and deck come equipped with IT-friendly, PC-based interfaces. These include an i.LINK interface supporting DV OUT and File Access Mode as standard, plus a Gigabit Ethernet interface available on the PDW-F75 deck as an option. Connecting the XDCAM HD system to an Ethernet network offers users a new style of network-based operations that can dramatically improve the efficiency of their workflows. The PDW-U1 drive uses the common USB interface for easy connectivity and wide compatibility with most PCs. *Supported interfaces vary by products. No Overwriting to Footage - For Immediate Recording Start By virtue of recording on optical disc media, the XDCAM HD system makes each new recording on an empty area of the disc. This is extremely useful, especially when shooting with camcorders, as it relieves the concerns of camera operators about accidentally recording over good takes, and eliminates the burden of searching for the correct position to start the next recording. In short, it means the camera is always ready for the next shot. Instant-access Thumbnail Search with "Expand" Function With all XDCAM HD products, video and audio signals are recorded as one clip file each time a recording is started and stopped. During playback, cue-up to the next or previous clips is possible simply by pressing the 'Next' or 'Previous' button, as you would do on a CD or DVD player. Furthermore, thumbnails are automatically generated for each clip as a visual reference, allowing operators to cue-up to a desired scene simply by guiding the cursor to a thumbnail and pressing the 'Play' button. For further 6 convenience, the 'Expand' function allows one selected clip in the Thumbnail display to be divided into 12 even-time intervals, each with their own thumbnail identifier. This is useful if you want to quickly search for a particular scene within a lengthy clip. Expand Function Scene Selection Function The Scene Selection function allows simple cuts-only editing* to be performed within the camcorder or deck itself. The results of the edits can be saved as an XDCAM EDL (called "Clip List"), which can be written back to the original disc to stay with the material. The disc can then be played back according to the Clip List so that only selected portions are played out in the desired order. The Scene Selection function presents dramatic improvements to conventional workflows, such as when transferring material to a nonlinear editor and / or server, or when searching for material and/or edit points in linear editing systems. When GUI-based operation is preferred, the Scene Selection operation can also be performed on a PC running the PDZ-1 Proxy Browsing Software supplied with all XDCAM products, providing a visually familiar working environment. *The video and audio of a clip cannot be edited independently. Selectable Modes of File Recording XDCAM HD camcorders and the PDW-F75 deck provide two types of file recording modes. In standard operation, one clip file is created each time recording is started and stopped*. In the other mode, called Clip Continuous REC mode, which is a feature of the PDW-F335, PDW-F355, and PDW-F75**, one clip file can be created at the users discretion*. Although it is a single clip, Thumbnail Search operation and the Expand function are available just as if individual clips were created. Users can choose the most suitable mode depending on the type of application. *Each take needs to be longer than two seconds. **Available when recording is remotely controlled via an RS-442A or RS-232C interface, or during Trigger REC mode via an HD-SDI interface. Normal Mode REC START Clip 1 REC START Clip 2 Clip Continuous REC Mode REC START REC START Take 1 Take 2 Clip 1 REC START Clip 3 REC START Take 3