Tape: Part of the Future of Storage

 

 

In a recent Broadcast Engineering article by Tom Coughlin (the president of data storage consulting company Coughlin Associates, not the coach of the new Super Bowl champs), we are given a look at what the future of content production and delivery may hold. We have long been saying that tape is alive and well, so it comes as no surprise to us that tape, as well as HDDs, are expected to be a part of that future. In fact, combined, the two storage methods account for 47 percent of recording media used by this article’s survey recipients in professional video cameras, as the chart below shows.

 

 

This is not surprising, as we continue to see our tape media – especially LTO-5 – used as a popular, cost-effective storage alternative. Our other tape and optical discs are also experiencing interest among broadcast and video professionals.

 

Coughlin, in his article, cites the usual suspects for an increase in requirements for digital playout and storage. They are HD content, as well as new distribution channels, such as the Internet and mobile. He is also predicting that digital storage capacity will increase about 4X from 2010-2016, which is slower than 5X growth for content used over the Internet and mobile networks.

 

All of these factors mean that broadcast and video professionals will need reliable, cost-effective media for storage and archiving. That sounds a lot like tape to us. It is also going to put additional emphasis on external sources of storage – such as hard disk drives (HDDs) – to help in the workflow.

 

We’d like to hear what you think about this. Comment on this post or find us on Twitter or Facebook.

 

To learn more about how Maxell Professional media products fit into the future of storage, go to www.maxell-usa.com.

Backup and Storage: Solutions to Meet Ever-Growing Needs

  

 

There are sweeping changes occurring in the professional broadcast and video market. Video is now accessed by viewers through mobile devices and the Internet, in addition to traditional broadcast and cable outlets, or DVD and Blu-Ray players.

 

Video is for more than entertainment, however. Corporations, museums, libraries, and retail stores have all turned to video to help them gain attention and generate interest.

 

This quantum shift is due in large part to the marketplace turning digital. There is a potential downside, however. From HD footage, 3D computer-generated animation and motion graphics, to still images, the complexity of file formats and their sizes are causing storage and backup challenges.

 

All this growth and large file sizes have created an insatiable need for storage and backup solutions. Tape remains the best method for long-term storage, according to recent studies. Tape, especially LTO, is the best long-term because of its significant Total Cost of Ownership benefits, due to its lower cost per gigabyte, lower operating expenses and lower energy costs.

 

LTO-5 has been developed to meet the market needs for storing and archiving rich media content, not just in the broadcast and video arena but also in medical, video surveillance and other applications.

 

LTO-5 is often referred to as the tape that thinks it’s a hard disk drive since LTO-5 uses the same file structure and directory trees as hard disk drives, for easy data access. LTO-5’s Linear Tape File System has dual partitions. One holds the index for quick file location while the second holds the content. LTO-5 also has a drag-and-drop feature that allows users to manage files directly on tape.

 

For all these reasons, LTO-5 has become the media of choice for archiving and is considered the new RAID. It offers all the benefits of a hard disk drive with the low total cost of ownership and long archival life of tape.

 

Maxell’s LTO-5 features NeoSMART. This innovative technology platform continues Maxell’s legacy of innovation established and strengthened by the 1,500 patents Maxell holds worldwide. It also brings a host of added benefits to archival applications.

 

For post-production professionals looking to backup large files and free up server space, an external desktop hard disk drive is a smart choice. External drives have capacities of up to three terabytes, so they have the space to easily and cost-efficiently backup HD files. Things to consider when selecting an external drive are:

 

• Durability – drives should be for professional environments. Maxell’s maxdata quad hard disk drives have a durable aluminum housing and excellent shock resistance.

 

• Wide temperature range – the drives should be able to meet industrial-grade temperatures, such as minus 20 degrees to 60 degrees Celsius.

 

• Compact – space is at a premium in the post suite. External drives should be small and be able to be positioned vertically or horizontally.

 

Digital technology has reshaped the video and broadcast landscape. It has created new opportunities and an equal amount of challenges, particularly for storage and archiving. To understand the technologies that are best for your backup needs, visit www.maxell-usa.com.

External Hard Disk Drives: Viable Solution for Short-term Storage

 

In our previous post, we stated that each set of archiving circumstances warrants an appropriate storage solution. We’ve already suggested long-term storage options, so in this post we’ll offer insight into the best short-term storage options and the reasons behind their effectiveness.

 

As has been proven time and time again, tape is the best option for long-term backup. For short-term backup, though, it is a widely held belief that hard drives are the best fit. Workflow is one of, if not the number one concern when it comes to post-production. Certain technologies are better suited to simplify the integration of footage into your workflow, resulting in a more fluid process and, therefore, leading to quicker production. Towers, for example, are an excellent solution for most short-term storage needs; they can integrate multiple technologies, providing optimal flexibility and accommodating a diverse array of equipment.

 

Ron Bianchini summarized it well in his Dynamic Storage Tiering article in Broadcast Engineering:

“By combining multiple storage tiers in a single appliance with integrated software to automatically organize data for maximum performance, broadcast organizations are better positioned to ensure their most mission-critical information is readily available while proactively dealing with the realities of economics in today's challenging business environment.”

 

A dynamically tiered NAS infrastructure is necessary for many in the broadcast industry, however, other video professionals do not need to make such a heavy investment. External hard disk drives can fit the bill for many videographers, and professionals in the corporate video and post-production fields.

 

The maxdata quad HDD is a compact alternative. Economical and flexible, the maxdata HDD has a quad interface specifically designed to address the large files associated with HD environments, including audio/video editing, digital photography and animation files. Available in 1TB, 2TB and now 3TB versions, it provides video, broadcast and post-production professionals with the capacity, durability and overall performance necessary to easily and cost-efficiently archive and back up HD files.

 

The Bottom Line: Using hard drives to store footage on a rotating basis based on how frequently it is used provides better overall performance at a lower cost.

 

Click here for information on Maxell Professional Media digital storage devices. We’d like to hear what you think about this. Comment on this post or find us on Twitter or Facebook.

Tape Once Again Shown to Be Best for Long-Term Archiving

 

Broadcast professionals who face the ongoing challenge of ever-growing archive libraries, this post is for you.

 

In an August Broadcast Engineering article, Brad Dick shared some IDC estimates. According to those estimates, in 2007 worldwide data volume was at 281 exabytes—100 times more than just eight years prior—and by 2012 is expected to mushroom to 2,855 exabytes.

 

In related news, two recent studies revealed by the Linear Tape-Open (LTO) consortium have revealed that, contrary to popular opinion, tape continues to thrive and is, in fact, the best method for long-term storage. The LTO Program technology provider companies announced that the results from two separate studies showed that tape has significant Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) benefits over disk. Among those benefits are lower cost per GB, lower operating expenses and lower energy costs. While this may be a surprise to some, it only confirms what we at Maxell have been stating for years.

 

Both studies by the LTO group evaluated the costs of long-term storage for various scenarios that included tape and disk as the primary storage medium. In each case, tape boasted the optimal long-term cost advantages.

 

“The Notion that ‘tape is dead’ ignores the substantial evidence that favors tape as a lower cost, environmentally friendly removable medium that is well suited for offline data protection as well as high growth compliance, fixed content and archiving applications,” said Senior Analyst Mark Peters, who conducted an ESG study.

 

The Clipper Group study on archiving very large data collections also found that tape is much less expensive than disk, and uses far less energy. The TCO under The Clipper Group’s 12-year scenario found the disk solution to be 15 times greater than the cost of a tape solution. One of their reports stated, “Storing infrequently-accessed data on disk is equivalent to keeping your car running in the driveway – it wastes energy and it costs money.”

 

As the studies confirm, tape is the optimal low cost storage medium for long-term data retention. One of the more popular – and best suited – tapes for long-term archiving is LTO Ultrium 5. It has the capacity (up to 3TB) and performance necessary for archiving, with all the benefits of an open standard.

  

Like all LTO Ultrium 5 tape, Maxell’s product features all the benefits of LTO, including Write Once Read Many (WORM), which prevents data from being erased or overwritten.

 

Maxell’s LTO Ultrium 5 offers:

-  Patented corrosion resistant Ceramic Armor metal particles for superior data life

-  High coercivity mico-particles for a high level of output, a superior signal-to-noise ratio and a low, stable error rate

-  Advanced Dispersion Technology (ADT) for strong signal strength and consistent high-density recording

-  Superior tape strength and a heavy duty cartridge that is rated for over 1 million head passes with a 30+ year storage life.

 

The Bottom Line: Certainly, each set of storage circumstances warrants an appropriate solution. For long term archiving, all signs point to tape. We’d like to hear what you think about this. Comment on this post or find us on Twitter or Facebook.

Optimizing Workflow in Today’s Evolving World

 

 

Whether you back up projects differently every time or you have an elaborate deep-storage plan, at least some element of uncertainty is likely to exist within anyone’s workflow. Digital storage has become essential, but continues to undergo radical changes.

 

In a recent article, Broadcast Engineering posed the following question: “Are television stations equipped to meet the demands of the evolving content delivery landscape, or will they be overwhelmed by the workflow and quality control requirements that must be met to support mobile and Internet delivery of television content?” The article goes on to report findings from the 2011 Positive Flux Study, “U.S. TV Stations Infrastructure: The HD Transition Has Just Begun.” According to the study, “While almost 90 percent of stations have adopted nonlinear editing, most have not taken the next step of developing unified workflows to eliminate process duplication for content delivery to multiple platforms.”

 

Positive Flux president Larry Thaler stated, “Alongside completing their HD transition, stations should be carefully considering organizational improvements and workflow tools that will enable them to dynamically adapt their production and delivery chains without creating parallel organizations or new layers of technology.”

 

We agree with Mr. Thaler. Anyone who is paying attention to the evolution of the industry knows they must be doing just that—evolving! That can make committing to a single technology a bit like playing financial Russian roulette, especially when one considers how quickly technologies can change.

 

One solution is integrating storage towers and racks that can be configured in a variety of ways to accommodate different formats into your workflow. Such solutions can combine Redundant Array of Independent Disk (RAID) functionality with “Just a Bunch of Disks” (JBOD) usability. They can be configured with a combination of technologies, such as iVDR, SATA, or IDE Drive trays, as well as accommodate both 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch Hard Disk Drives (HDDs).

 

By combining various technologies into a single tower or rack, workflow can be optimized and made more efficient. It can also help make the investment in technology just a little bit safer, since it provides the flexibility to change more easily.

 

The flexibility of these configurations also assists in transferring footage, especially when iVDR is used. According to our friend, wedding videographer Janice Celeste, of Celeste Studios, the process of importing footage from the tapes into Final Cut Pro can take up to 20 hours, as many of the weddings she shoots last a few days. By being able to simply place the iVDR cartridge into the desktop adapter, she says that what traditionally is the most painful part of the workflow can be completed in a matter of minutes.

 

If you’ve used the Maxell iVDR, we’d like to hear what you think about it. Comment on this post or find us on Twitter or Facebook.

External Hard Drives Help with Ongoing HD Archiving and Backup

 

High definition has created an archiving and backup challenge for video, broadcast and post-production professionals. With the ever-growing demand for HD and 3-D content, storage requirements are something every successful content creator, owner, producer and distributor must now address.

 

As acquisition and post-production tools continue to evolve, different variables—new technology, protection and other needs—come into play, creating exponential storage requirements. Internet access regularly exposes computers to potential security threats, which are becoming increasingly difficult to guard against, even with firewalls and antivirus programs. Aside from online threats, for professionals working in an environment where multiple people have access to the same system, files are at higher risk of inadvertent corruption or loss. Additionally, the massive amount of space required for multimedia storage is now taking up larger amounts of space on the hard drive. The good news is that all of these concerns can be addressed with an external hard drive.

  

According to Broadcast Engineering, the digital media market is currently experiencing the largest explosion in data growth the world has ever seen, and there is no sign of it slowing down. With this growth comes the inevitable challenge of effectively storing large amounts of data while still maintaining production efficiency. Maxell’s maxdata tank quad 3.5-inch external desktop hard disk drive (HDD) with quad interface was specifically designed to address the large files associated with HD environments, including audio/video editing, digital photography and animation files. With 1TB and 2TB capacities available, the maxdata HDDs provide video, broadcast and post-production professionals with the capacity, durability and overall performance necessary to easily and cost-efficiently archive and backup HD files.

 

 

 

 

 

The bottom line: video editors need storage hardware with quick throughput and substantial capacity. Hard drives are the only solution and external drives make the most sense.

Corporate Video Production Made Easy and Affordable

A professionally made corporate video can greatly enhance a company’s profile and can be used in a variety of applications. Many companies incorporate video to tell a story on their website, via social media platforms, and in their trade show booths.

 

As is the case in many broadcast scenarios, countless hours of footage will end up being edited down to just a few minutes, especially if the video’s “stars” are not actors, which is often the scenario in corporate videos. With all of these variables involved, there’s nothing worse than losing footage or having to switch media or a battery right in the middle of that “perfect take.”  

 

For all of these reasons, more and more corporate video professionals are using the iVDR suite of products from Maxell Professional. The technology enhances the production of high-quality corporate videos with three fundamental advantages: Size, Capacity and Price.

 

We recently heard from Phil de Marne, an executive producer at Building Media, Inc. (BMI), who produces videos and interactive presentations for distance learning programs. He used the Maxell iVDR VC102 with both his Panasonic and Sony HD cameras for a project for the Department of Energy. According to Phil, “It works great with both cameras. The iVDR VC102 is very easy to operate – my crew had it installed and ready to use in just 5-10 minutes.”

 

  

 

Phil and his crew are fond of the iVDR VC102 for a number of reasons. The technology provides a larger capacity cartridge and longer battery life, which allows users to acquire more footage and enjoy the benefits of real-time digital backup, so corporate videographers never have to worry about losing footage that may be hard – or impossible – to acquire again. The product line also makes data transfer much more efficient. To top it all off, Maxell iVDR products are cost effective when compared to other media options.

 

The iVDR VC102 is compatible with an array of cameras, so virtually any company is able to use it successfully. Plus, its large capacity of up to 500GB allows crews to capture an entire day of HD shooting on a single cartridge.

 

 

 

Another key factor in corporate video applications is simplicity. The iVDR VC102 has a control wheel to toggle through setup, an easy-to-read display, and bright LED indicator buttons. As Phil noted, his crew was using the iVDR VC102 in literally minutes.

 

Visit www.maxellpromedia.com, the Maxell Professional Media Blog at www.maxellpromediablog.com or Maxell Professional’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MaxellProMedia to learn more about iVDR.

High-Speed Technologies and Large File Capacity Continue to Cause Industry Buzz

 

The introduction and subsequent buzz surrounding the Thunderbolt interface has once again cast a spotlight on the need for broadcast, video, and post production professionals to acquire, transfer, and work with large files. Whether it’s HD footage shot in the field or graphic files whose vivid, realistic imagery has increased their sizes to levels not imagined a decade ago, the professional broadcast and video industry is looking for equipment that can streamline acquisition and workflow.

 

Thunderbolt may be the latest I/O technology but it certainly is not the only interface that can handle the job of transferring large files. High-speed USB2.0 and FireWire are current standard transfer technologies that are up to the present task. Thunderbolt is also not the only technology that is addressing this new age of high capacity. Media advances are playing vital roles as well.

“ Our 500 GB iVDR EX cartridge…is designed to meet the demands of HD and other large files. ENG crews, videographers, digital cinematographers, corporate video crews, and others can record up to 40 hours… ”

 

Recognizing the growing industry need to accommodate large files, Maxell has done its part, at least from a media perspective. Our 500 GB iVDR EX cartridge, when incorporated with either a VC102 or iVDR standard adapter, is designed to meet the demands of HD and other large files. ENG crews, videographers, digital cinematographers, corporate video crews, and others can record up to 40 hours with a single cartridge. That eliminates the need change media – be it tape, disk, or solid state –right in the middle of a shoot, in many cases.

 

 
 
 

The need for efficiency continues into post production, where time means money. Maxell partnered with Addonics Technology to develop storage towers and cipher towers that make transferring acquired footage into the workflow easier and faster. Once there, the footage can be edited into the final production with the vivid, life-like appearance that viewers have come to expect in the few short years HD has been in their living rooms.

 

So, while Thunderbolt has received its fair share of attention (and in many respects deservedly so), it is not the only technology that is addressing large files and how to best handle them. It is a challenge that will not soon go away and one that many companies, including Maxell, are addressing in their own respective ways.

Top Five NAB 2011 Trends

As the NAB Expo is set to begin in just a few days, we thought we would share our Top Five Things to look for at NAB this year. Enjoy, and if you are attending, please feel free to stop by our booth (C4309) and tell us your thoughts on the show.

1. Editing Software

Walking around NAB this year, visitors can expect to see demonstrations of the latest editing suites, including the already announced Avid 5.5. In addition, we hear that there will be introductions from companies such as Autodesk, makers of the Smoke platform.

2. Sharper Focus on HD-DSLR Revolution
Don’t be surprised to see a plethora of products relating to DSLR cameras. This will include lenses and mounts, as well as the “next greatest thing” to make them even more powerful.

3. “King” Cameras

It will be no surprise that RED will be hyping its EPIC camera system and offering an interesting  upgrade path. However, don’t be surprised to see introductions from other companies, including ARRI and the next version of its Alexa Plus camera system. Plus, there may be introductions from Sony and others so they can compete at a lower price point. And, we should see more equipment able to shoot in 4K and 2K resolutions without breaking the bank. Stay tuned!

4. It's Not Like 3-D Was Going Away

With more movies and sports programs being shot in 3-D, it should be no surprise that we'll see products that focus on this category. Following last year's introduction by Panasonic of the AG-3DA1, we are confident that we'll see many new entries into this space. The fact that James Cameron is the Keynote Speaker this year certainly was a giveaway.

5. Storage Products

As a professional media and storage company, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention our own category. Expect to see new products that boost storage capacities, access speed and reliability. We’ll be showing some exciting iVDR products for the first time at NAB 2011, as well as our HD media, that address market needs.

So Remember - Stop By And See Us in Booth C4309 in Central Hall.

10 Questions With Kevin Shahinian - Part 2

In today's post, we conclude our previous post, "10 Questions With Kevin Shahinian", a man that wears many hats including filmmaker, writer, director, producer with Pacific Pictures.

6.  What was the most interesting project you’ve worked on?

We did a project at the end of 2009 called City of Lakes, which posted last year. The project was for one of my clients who was interested in a bigger production for an event they were having in India. I asked three of my good friends, Patrick Moreau, Joe Simon & Casey Warren to come  out with me to help with the project. Basically, I wrote a script for a fictional narrative film. Within the script was a wedding that when shot was actually my client’s live wedding. The goal was to integrate the wedding into the script and make it appear as though it was a  seamless film.

 
I also recently shot a short action film here in LA called Flawless that involved a motorcycle chase and shutting down some streets. We shot with a Porsche Cayenne follow car and that was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had on set.


7.  What was the most challenging project you’ve worked on?

It was definitely City of Lakes, simply because it was crazy trying to get things done in India. We were turned away at almost every location to the point that most of the locations in the film are back up locations. Honestly, we all left India thinking we had no film – at least at the time. It was a miracle of editing and getting it done with some local producers that were really great.

We shot for seven days, and I had more than 800 GB of footage, which got cut down to a 25-minute film. It’s interesting too, because we did not have control over many of the situations, which was part of the experiment. It was the perfect mix of having a completely uncontrolled situation, where we were often being thrown curve balls, and to do our best to make it look anticipated.


8.  How do you think the wedding industry has changed over the past 20-30 years?

The Hollywood trend for the last ten years has been documentary-realism: Saving Private Ryan, Cloverfield, etc. Making stuff on home video cameras to look shaky on purpose. In the live event industry it’s the exact opposite, because the cliché from the 1980s is that weddings look like crap. But there’s been this two crossing paths of Hollywood going toward verite’, documentary style, and weddings going toward very slick, Hollywood, polished-looking productions.

It is still a very small group of people who are doing those very cool things to watch; you could count on two hands. But it has definitely progressed a great deal, and that’s nice to see.


9.  What was the most interesting/exciting product launched in 2010? 
And what product would you love to see be made that has not yet been developed?

I’d probably have to say 3-D; the explosion of 3-D in Hollywood, for good and bad. You had Avatar, which was the good side of it, and then you had Clash of the Titans, adding 3-D after production, which you don’t want to see. And all the 3-D TVs and all the cameras are coming out now, so probably 3-D, whether it be a curse or a blessing.

As far as an undeveloped product, it wouldn’t be anything to do with production, it would be to do with  pre-production. And it would be some sort of screenwriting computer that read my mind, and that could take my thoughts and basically put them on the page, and create a screen play telepathically. That would be pretty damn good. I’d say a machine to make the entire movie telepathically, but there’s no fun in that.


10.  What is your favorite Restaurant and Favorite Bar?

One is a little Vietnamese Vegetarian place around the corner here in Los Angeles, Au Lac which makes the most amazing things with vegetables.

But number two, and I might never be able to go back there again, but I did visit the Grand Café in Paris. Which was an amazing café, number one, but number two, it’s where the first movie screened publicly in the world back in the late 1800s. So, that was cool.

 

Please follow Kevin on Twitter at @kevinshahinian.