New Platform Release Emphasizes Global Search, Simplified Review-and-Approval Process

Aframe has stepped up with new integration with the Adobe Anywhere platform, reducing the initial investment required to set up real-time remote collaboration with Adobe's networked workflow platform.

Because the storage infrastructure is maintained in Aframe's private cloud, with data centers in New York, Los Angeles, and London, set-up is minimal and no maintenance is required, Aframe said. The system will be available to users with Adobe Premiere CC, an Adobe Anywhere license, and an Aframe account.

The new offering, officially known as "Adobe Anywhere in the Cloud delivered by Aframe," is targeted at broadcasters and other content producers who need secure remote-editing capability for video projects without a capital outlay for infrastructure. Aframe is "a full-fledged development and engineering partner" with Adobe in the offering, Aframe North America President Mark Overington told StudioDaily at NAB.

The system works by using Aframe as the storage and content-management hub, with Adobe Anywhere providing editorial functionality via the Mercury Streaming Engine. Users can browse cloud-hosted content on Aframe and synchronize selected assets with an Adobe Anywhere project. Adobe's Mercury Streaming Engine generates a real-time variable-bit-rate stream of the original full-resolution media that is read by Premiere Pro CC as if it were a file on a connected drive or shared-storage system. Finished edits are exported from Premiere, stored on Aframe, and can be delivered through Aframe's desktop application.

An "early adopter program" is expected to launch this summer, Overington said, with plans being finalized for a formal commercial launch in the fall.

Adobe recently announced the release of a new "collaboration-hub" version of Adobe Anywhere that takes the Mercury Streaming Engine out of the equation for users who just need collaboration in a single location. That's because customers who require long-distance collaboration typically have to spec out, purchase, and install hardware from a provider like EMC Isilon, Harmonic, Hitachi, HP, or Quantum with the help of a system integrator. The Aframe integration will offer those users a pre-configured option for cloud-based collaboration..

"With Adobe Anywhere, editors and other video professionals can use local or remote networks to simultaneously access, stream and work with remotely stored media," said Adobe Senior Director of Business Develoipment Simon Williams in a prepared statement. "Aframe's integration with Adobe Anywhere significantly reduces the investment for customers in infrastructure—a big plus for many organizations."

Aframe was also at NAB to show the Spring 2015 release of its software-as-a-service platform, which it said would streamline and simplify the review and approval process and add format support. New features include reworked searching and filtering capabilities that encompass all of an organization's projects and asset types. A new review-and-approval module sends a password-protected link to reviewers, who can approve or reject the clip and offer feedback. Support has been added for Sony XAVC-S and native 4K XAVC, as well as preview capabilties for WAV, AIFF, JPG and TIFF files. And a new multi-tier account hierarchy permission system allows different organizational groups to be managed in new ways.