FrameLector
FrameLector is a dual-stream ingest software including transfer quality control for SD-video legacy sources.
FrameLector provides ingestion combined with lowlevel transfer analysis for unmonitored paralleled ingest of multiple streams in a simple and intuitive user interface for efficient and quality controlled mass digitization of SD-video tapes.
As an easy-to-use ingest tool that combines built-in shot detection and a mathematically lossless open-source recording/mezzanine format in either 8bit or 10bit, FrameLector allows users to capture SD material – along with its required metadata such as VITC and LTC timecode – without compromising quality. Other features include remote control and an infinitely scalable multi-stream parallel solution with complete previewing.
The hardware supports two parallel ingest sources and connects peripherals through SDI. A separate customized NOA hardware (VTRi-1) provides RS422 and RS232 connection, as well as ISR and RF readout via a simple USB connection.
A typical industrial video digitization facility based on NOA FrameLector and the process frameworks jobDB or mediARC operates with 16 SDI channels of parallel input, whereas any number of ingest channels is possible.
| Analog and digital sources - SD material archiving in 4:2:2 (720 x 576, 720 x 608), 8/10 bit | Lossless digitization in open-source archive formats (HuffYUV, FFvHuff) |
| Local HDD recording and transfer to GeneralPublicPath of jobDB or mediARC for server-side transcoding | Target production formats chosen via NOA MediaButler |
| ISR (Interactive Status Report) events logging | RF trace logging towards diagnostics trace |
| Multichannel audio 1-8 channels in 48 kHz/24 bit | Easiest handling via task list check-in and check-out |
| Optional annotation during recording | Built-in shot detection |
| Play while record | MultiChannel (2/4/8ch) Audio Monitoring to standard stereo output |
| Option for setting different TC References (VITC/LTC) | Archive conform VITC readout over VBI area picture analysis |
| USB Extension box for Remote Control, ISR, and RF-signals | Automatic TimeCode marker function via TC Cue List import |
| Fully automated metadata collection of processing parameter |
The target production formats (output of multiple files in different is possibly) are selectable within the workflow to be transcoded with NOA MediaButler.
Linked in between replayers and ingest station, the NOA VTRi module is in charge of forwarding remote control signals to the replayers as well as returning ISR events (provided by VTRs) and/or the logged RF trace (grabbed by a special sensor plate) - both indicating transfer errors- back to the recording software FrameLector.
In FrameLector, both transfer quality indicators will be logged to enable the unambiguous assessment of success of the digitization. As ISR events and RF traces are based on actual physical interaction between tape and reading head, this kind of electrical metadata does not produce false positives.
In the context of an industrial digitization facility, FrameLector is designed to operate as much "hands-off" as possible to minimize necessary interaction of ingest operators with the software in order to optimize the entire industrial digitization process.
Automatic start and stop of recording as well as operation via scanning of barcode enables swift handling and minimizes idle times of VTRs.
Technical and electrical metadata (i.e. ISR and RF information, indicating transfer errors) as well as shot detection results are available directly in FrameLector. In the context of an industrial digitization facility this information will be examined by QC operators in a subsequent step of the workflow.
If FrameLector is operated as a single-station ingest system within the Pico framework, the ingest operator will be able to assess the recording directly in FrameLector. Additionally, also segments (or clips) can be marked for later transcoding to produce frame exact output files.
