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• Acronym: GrAViti
• ESPRIT Project #28389
• Duration: July 1998-March 2000

Participants

• Fast Multimedia AG [D], Co-ordinating Partner
• Optibase Ltd. [ISR], Partner

Objective

The overall objective of GrAViti was to build on the video editing technology and systems produced in the AMAS project (EP #20922) by developing and integrating an innovative groupware post-production server for audio and video editing and publishing.

A number of video servers were available on the market, though existing suppliers of these very expensive products targeted broadcasters as their main users. The objective in GrAViti was to make this technology available to other groups since, at the price intended for this groupware post-production server, it would be affordable for: 

• independent post-production houses - who apply off-line and on-line editing and effects to projects intended for broadcast (e.g. commercials and network television shows)
• broadcast television companies
• production facilities
• corporate post-production departments, located within large organisations, who produce videos primarily for non-broadcast applications such as in-house training, corporate communications and product marketing

Several editing workstations as well as graphics and audio editing workstations can benefit from a versatile new server system that can instantly respond to decisions at every workstation and immediately implement it - each workstation is thus capable of working fully independently.

Approach

FAST Multimedia was a German SME with a world-famous expertise in PC-based digital linear and nonlinear video editing. It was the co-ordinating contractor, and its main development tasks involved a Video Server Box - particularly the Server Operating System - and a High Bit-Rate Subsystem (both the hardware and software), as well as overall Project Management. 

Optibase - an Israeli SME which specialises in MPEG video distribution, networking and publishing - was to develop the publishing part of the server. This is the hardware and software for a Low Bit-Rate codec board, featuring an innovative real-time variable bit-rate MPEG-2 encoding algorithm. The objective of this was to enable the user to finish the editing process in the digital domain and then to start the publishing phase using the digital data on the server - without the need to convert formats and thus lose quality.

Results

By June 2000, the video server and all required components had been completed and the results were already being exploited through specific products in the marketplace.

The HBR codec had been the only MPEG-2 422P@ML (I-frame only) solution available as a product for almost one year. It makes use of the C-Cube technology for the first time worldwide, not only solving the very complex timing and synchronisation problems involved but adding video and audio interfacing (via a specially designed and developed break-out box) and real-time mixing capabilities. The codec is a single PCI-board with a software subsystem for control under WindowsNT environments and is already in use in the product named "silver.", developed and exploited by FAST Multimedia AG, Germany.

The VBR codec is being marketed worldwide by Optibase Ltd, Israel, under the name of "MPEG Movie Maker 200 PB-10". It is a top-quality, single-board, multi channel, variable bit-rate, MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 encoder designed for the content creation broadcast market, where high quality and Dolby Digital audio are required. It is ideal for DVD and SVCD title creation as well as high-quality broadcast applications such as satellite transmissions, and features VBR, Dolby Digital audio and an SDI input. It also supports digital and balanced analogue audio with 20 bits per sample and a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 100dB. It offers audio and video preview on an additional preview card, as well as multi-channel support.

The video server allows post-production users to adopt the efficient methods of working that have long been seen in CAD groupworking situations - allowing random access, guaranteed bandwidth, transparent video stream handling of 8 video streams for connected workstations, a hierarchical video storage system and a variable video compression rate from 1:1 down to 1:100. The system also offers MPEG-2 4:2:2P@ML, I-frame only and IPB (MP@ML), dual bi-directional SDI CCIR656, etc., at a price below $100,000. A modular and flexible upgradeable structure will offer a user the ability to choose the perfect configuration to meet current needs as well as the freedom to grow in the future.