Sony Introduces MPEG IMX Camcorder
Sep 10, 2003

Continuing the expansion of its MPEG-based professional product line, Sony Electronics announced the immediate availability of a 525/59.94 MPEG IMX professional camcorder. With the new MSW-900 camcorder, Sony is now the first manufacturer to offer a complete, end-to-end MPEG 50-based system, ranging from acquisition to transmission, utilizing the internationally standardized 422Profile MainLevel standard for production.

Built for a wide range of production applications, including electronic field production (EFP) and electronic news gathering (ENG), the new MSW-900 camcorder joins Sony's line-up of other MPEG-based offerings, which include MPEG IMX VTRs, digital disk recorders, editors, servers and transcoders.

"We now offer a complete MPEG IMX system that includes robust digital acquisition, post-production and transmission tools," said Steve Jacobs, senior vice president of the Broadcast and Professional Systems Division of Sony Electronics' Broadcast and Professional Company. "In developing our MPEG-based tools, we worked with other leading manufacturers and consulted with broadcasters around the world -- all under the guidance of the MPEG Forum -- to create an open, interoperable MPEG platform to identify and develop critical MPEG solutions."

The new MSW-900 camcorder features: MPEG I-Frame structure at a bit rate of 50Mbps; Power HAD EX, Sony's latest CCD technology, offering a high signal-to-noise ratio and high sensitivity for low-light levels; 12-Bit A/D and advanced Digital Signal Processing technology; 20-bit audio; versatile interfaces with an optional serial digital interface (SDI) output board; an optional video cache board; user-friendly controls, an ergonomic and lightweight (under 12 pounds) design; and Memory Stick technology, allowing individual operators to establish their own camera setup preferences and store setup parameters.

"Sony's new MPEG IMX camcorder significantly enhances our line-up of all-digital 4:2:2 acquisition equipment," said Larry Thorpe, senior vice president of content creation for Sony's Broadcast and Professional Company. "The extraordinary quality of the new digital camera is faithfully captured by the 50Mbps recording MPEG algorithm, producing a camcorder which is the perfect digital successor to the previous high-end Betacam SP camcorder, offering significant performance and operational advantages in high-end production work, news magazine program origination and digital cinematography. Offering switchable 60i and 30p modes of operation makes the system the perfect production tool for the emerging DTV era in the U.S."

Sony's MPEG IMX equipment has been widely adopted by major television broadcast networks, led by NBC, which is using nearly 190 MPEG IMX VTRs and digital disk recorders during its production of the upcoming 2002 Winter Games.

MPEG IMX VTRs, including the popular MSW-series models, provide standard definition recording and playback at 50Mbps on half-inch tape for high-quality picture performance. Of special significance, the MPEG IMX VTRs protect the half-inch tape legacy archives by offering full Sony Betacam, Betacam SP, Betacam SX, Digital Betacam and MPEG IMX playback.

"Our MPEG IMX VTRs are quickly becoming an industry standard for broadcasters seeking a low-cost solution for playing back their entire library of half-inch tape," Jacobs said.

Sony's line of MPEG IMX video servers, including the MAV-555A and the MAV-70XGI, let operators air content live, and simultaneously edit and play back files while still recording -- all without missing a second of the action. Utilized in the production of live sporting events and breaking news situations, MPEG-IMX digital disk recorders function much like a VTR and can be operated by anyone familiar with front-panel VTR editing.

In addition, Sony's new MPEG transcoding product, the MSB-2000 encoder/decoder, provides a bridge between analog and digital equipment supporting uncompressed A/V material and MPEG-based bit streams.

Sony's MPEG IMX equipment incorporates industry-standard MPEG-2 compression using the 4:2:2 Profile at Main Level, I-frames only. In addition to featuring Serial Digital Interface (SDI) and Serial Data Transport Interface-Content Package (SDTI-CP) interfaces for transmitting digital video, Sony's MPEG IMX family of products are planned to soon feature IP address capabilities and 1000-Base T Gigabit Ethernet networking.

"Not only will the new technologies allow for significantly enhanced transfer rates, but customers will be able to operate equipment across networks and perform remote diagnostics," Jacobs said. "That means a director in New York can direct a server in Salt Lake to play video, or determine whether equipment on the network needs servicing."

A strategic component within Sony's MPEG IMX system strategy is the company's Betacam SX format, which is also based on the same 4:2:2 MPEG compression standard and is now firmly established as an ENG format. Jacobs calls the Betacam SX camcorder a "field brother" in the MPEG IMX family because its 18Mbps MPEG-based video stream can be transcoded into MPEG 50 without going back to a baseband signal and thus avoiding signal degradation -- one of the powerful advantages of the MPEG system.

"In short, our MPEG IMX system is a critical component in the company's arsenal of tools that help broadcasters and organizations re-engineer their workflow systems and realize more productivity in their day-to-day operations," Jacobs said.