The multi-channel video server


Core of the distribution environment

VENICE enables real-time capture and play-out of popular broadcast formats like Avid DNxHD^®, Panasonic AVC-Ultra, DVCPRO^®, Sony XDCAM^® and Apple ProRes 422 material. Equipped with a vast feature set, VENICE includes four independent channels, run-down lists, intelligent global presets, and a sophisticated transcoding and transwrapping engine. Positioned as the core of a distribution environment, VENICE provides fast, consistent workflows with both compressed and uncompressed video formats. With VENICE, DVS assists your team every step of the way in the migration to a sophisticated file-based broadcast workflow.  

Access to any content

Do several different cameras, cards and discs require sorting in order to access your conent? VENICE helps you accelerate these processes. With the DVS video server, you can quickly capture live content directly from cameras or ingest material from tape recorders, P2 cards or Professional Disc^TM players. VENICE supports both compressed and uncompressed formats typically used in broadcast workflows. Even more convenient: Your editing systems can directly access the video data for further processing. Content stored on VENICE can be played out via two or four independent video channels.

Efficient projects

Save valuable time for your creativity and leave behind tedious tasks like format conversion. VENICE captures content directly in your desired format. Since the DVS video server natively supports common broadcast formats such as Avid DNxHD^®, Panasonic DVCPRO^® and AVC-Ultra, Sony XDCAM^® or Apple ProRes 422, the different data formats can be converted and distributed in production environments on-the-fly. VENICE provides perfect images right away - processing your projects with maximum efficiency.

File-based workflow

For a modern file-based workflow, VENICE acts as the hub between the "signal" and the "files" world. Content coming directly from Panasonic's P2 Cards or Sony's Professional Disc^TM or SxS^TM memory cards can be copied effortlessly over the network to VENICE's local storage. If additional storage is required, powerful solutions like the DVS SpycerBox or DVS-SAN can be connected via Fibre Channel. Content from P2 cards or Professional Discs^TM can be played out directly via SDI or HDMI/DVI to other video devices.  

Free your non-linear editing systems (NLE)

With VENICE you can directly capture SD/HD-SDI signals into specific codecs typically used by editing systems. Just use content from a VTR, encode it directly as Avid DNxHD^® MXF files and drag and drop them into the Media Tool. With the Avid^® Workflow Option, VENICE supports direct ingest to Avid ISIS^® shared storage and metadata check-in into Avid Interplay^® production asset management (PAM). Tedious importing processes are a thing of the past. Free your NLE systems from capturing jobs, since they can run on VENICE in parallel with your editing work.

Uncompressed collaboration with graphic workstations

Graphic designers and compositing artists require the best video quality for their creative work. Meet their demands flawlessly – with uncompressed graphic file sequences of each clip for brilliant keys and color corrections in RGB 444 quality. VENICE records SD, HD and even 2K signals directly into uncompressed file sequences like DPX, BMP or TIFF. Once captured, they are immediately available for play-out over SD/HD-SDI or HDMI/DVI to other video devices, such as a video switcher or a VTR.

Multi-format for easy play-out tasks

In broadcast, handling many different video and file formats is a constant. A core requirement for today's broadcast workflow is support of SD or HD (720p, 1080i/p) and the processing of different file types like MXF OP-Atom, MXF OP-1a or QuickTime. VENICE can efficiently play out different compressed and uncompressed formats and several video formats from one playlist without extensive pre-conversion. The video server can be controlled with the integrated GUI, the remote GUI or from third-party applications via MOS, RS-422, VDCP or the SOAP-API.

Fast media turnaround in live sports production

VENICE provides incoming media to attached editing workstations without media transfer. In live sports production, VENICE ingests multiple channels via HD-SDI – editors have instant access, even while the media is still being recorded. The editing systems can be directly attached to VENICE via Ethernet, while the DVS video server itself provides NAS storage. Highlight packages of the event are available immediately and can be played out by VENICE either during the break or after the match session.

Accelerate your Archive Workflow with VENICE

VENICE also offers an ideal solution for digitizing large amounts of tape and film content in high quality. With its support of high-quality codecs such as AVC-Intra Class 200, VENICE opens up a host of additional opportunities. Since VENICE manages native real-time capturing, simultaneously scaling the different formats and raster formats; it is perfectly suited for archive environments. The open JPEG2000 codec-container combination offers an excellent picture quality while providing open, manufacturer-independent access to the archived data.

Maximum flexibility with versatile feature set

Thanks to its vast feature set, VENICE accomodates each and every scenario and can be placed in the key positions of modern file-based workflows. The DVS video server provides production and line ingest into NLE-friendly file formats, including Proxy file generation. VENICE either uses its own internal storage or a connected DVS-SAN via Fibre Channel. It can be controlled via its powerful SOAP-API by a MAM system (Media Asset Management) or an NRCS (Newsroom Computer System). Journalists and editors can easily access and browse the lo-res material and prepare their articles while the media is still being recorded. VENICE features playlist handling via MOS protocol for news and production play-out. The program play-out, too, can be carried out by VENICE: With its own RAID-6 protected storage, VENICE ensures safe and redundant on-air play-out controlled by a program automation system via VDCP. 

Open philosophy

DVS realizes you are faced with the unique demand for both time-sensitive and high-quality content delivery, and shares its philosophy of openness. VENICE offers an open file system structure supporting all SAN interfaces. Moreover, the fully open storage architecture allows for an individual workflow design including editing clients, e.g. Media Composer and Final Cut Pro^® systems. Integrate VENICE freely into any existing network structure and expand your storage via common interfaces like Fibre Channel.

VENICE remote user interface

VENICE provides a comprehensive software package and runs on a Red Hat Enterprise Linux platform. The full Spycer^® data management software is pre-installed on the system to provide all content information for the remote user interfaces. The remote GUI is an efficient and effective tool, tailored to your needs: Control the video server from your own desk, arranging and coordinating the server jobs. The remote user interface is available for Windows^®, Mac OS^®, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.   

Format versatility

While everyday TV production presents greater challenges, DVS designed VENICE to make your life easier: VENICE supports all major broadcast codecs such as Avid DNxHD^®, Panasonic AVC-Ultra, XDCAM^® HD 422, Apple ProRes 422. All major file formats are supported as well: MXF OP-Atom, MXF OP-1a, QuickTime^®, transport stream and GXF. Due to its open software design, future implementations or new codecs and containers are simple.

Proxy files in parallel

In addition to the hi-res ingest, proxy files can be created in parallel to meet proxx file-based workflows. Available proxy file formats are MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 (AVC/H.264) are available. Choose QuickTime^® *.mp4 as the container format or the "read while write"-capable *.T2S transport stream.

Channel grouping

With the new channel-grouping feature, VENICE enables parallel recording of e.g. stereoscopic material as well as frame-accurate starting and play-out of unlimited numbers of grouped channels. This proves extremely helpful, especially in multi-camera productions: Create a channel group to ingest or play out serveral channels simultaneously. Channel grouping can be used with RS-422 or a TCP/IP connection. Simply use your exisiting Ethernet network to link one or more VENICE channels, regardless of whether they are on the same server or on different ones. This allows you to create a large cluster of ingest or play-out devices. Channel groups can be stored and reopened.

Dynamic play-out

VENICE's new dynamic playlists bring flexibility to your workflow, and ensure that your videos are always up to speed. VENICE is a multitasker. Even during play-out, you can easily change clip sequences in the run-down: Wether adding new files to the playlist or deleting those no longer needed, VENICE can handle it all while already playing out. You can even set up mixed playlists, with clips of different resolutions, codecs or containers. Video material will be converted from SD to HD or from HD to SD in real time. There is no additional equipment required - a true plus in multi-resolutions enviroments.

Scenarios

The scenarios are an enhancement of the concept of saving presets and
projects. To set up complex situations for ingest, play-out and transcoding with
multiple channels the operator can now save a complete snapshot of the user
interface with multiple channels: The scenario then contains all acquired channels, all modes, projects and presets for each of the channels. Going back to a saved scenario is simple with just one and VENICE automatically connects to the required channels and loads the right project and preset for every channel.