Lots of people are fans of HDCAM SR as a high quality tape-based technology for acquisition and post, but many of them are not so enamored of the price point for HDCAM SR decks. For users who are willing to make the jump to a tapeless workflow, CineForm and Drastic Technologies say they have a new digital disk recorder (DDR), the CineDDR, that operates as a functional equivalent of HDCAM SR (using CineForm's 10-bit YUV or 12-bit RGB mastering formats) at about one-tenth the cost. That makes it viable as a purchase for many customers, rather than a rental.

The CineDDR, which was first shown at NAB, combines CineForm’s compression technology with Drastic’s experience in the realm of professional DDRs, including skill with simulated deck-control features and user interfaces. The result is a software-based system for high-quality acquisition and playout using off-the-shelf PC or Mac hardware.

The CineDDR supports recording or playback using CineForm’s 10-bit YUV or 12-bit RGB mastering formats; timecode-based video capture and playback via HD-SDI and component; 9-pin serial control and VTR emulation; and set-up tools for a variety of output format conversions.

Cineform has published a quality analysis (www.cineform.com/pdfs/CF444_Quality_vs_SR_0704.pdf) that it says shows that CineForm’s 12-bit codec performs better than HDCAM SR tape when peak signal-to-noise ratio is measured. CineForm also notes that a mastered two-hour feature film will take up less than 350 GB on disk, which allows the material to be kept online through the film-out and delivery process.

The CineDDR software-only product is shipping now for Windows ($2500 for single-link/YUV, $4000 for dual-link/RGB), and will be available for Mac “in the coming weeks,” the company says. Bring your own Intel Core i7-based PC or Mac with RAID storage and an AJA Xena (for Windows) or Kona (for Mac) card, or opt for the turnkey system that will be available August 1. CineForm says the total cost of an integrated CineDDR system is less than $10,000.

For more information: www.cineform.com/cineddr/