iVDR for Commercial Broadcasting Revealed by Hitachi Maxell

Hitachi Maxell, Ltd. announced that from December it would launch the world’s first iVDR for commercial broadcasting, iVDR Xtreme, which features significantly higher shock resistance, and a compatible adapter. The Maxell booth at the International Broadcast Equipment Exhibition, InterBEE2008 (November 19 to 21, Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan), will display those products.

maxell_ivdr_xtreme

Maxell’s iVDRs are the first removable cassette-type hard disk drives to incorporate copyright protection technology. Moreover, they enable the addition of storage capacity as needed. Launched in April 2007, Hitachi’s lineup of Wooo digital high-definition televisions include a dedicated slot for Maxell’s iVDRs. In recent years, iVDRs have been increasingly used not only for consumer applications but also for commercial applications thanks to their large capacities, fast transfer speeds, random access characteristics, and outstanding bit cost. Particularly in the broadcasting industry, interest is increasing in iVDRs because they are small and easy to carry, and this interest is creating demand for iVDRs with even greater shock resistance.

In order to cater to such demand, Maxell will launch iVDR Xtreme, featuring heightened shock resistance and outstanding functionality for editing processes in broadcasting operations. The reverberation of external shocks from the case to the hard disc drive is inhibited by a buffer material that separates the hard disc drive from the case. Consequently, iVDR Xtreme is resistant to shocks from falls of 140cm.

Further, the compatible adaptor for iVDR Xtreme incorporates USB and IEEE 1394b (FireWire 800) interfaces. Therefore, according to the application required, iVDR Xtreme can be connected to cameras, editing equipment, and PCs compatible with USB or IEEE 1394b (FireWire 800) hosts. In addition, the adapter includes a lock function to prevent iVDR Xtreme falling out even when the adapter is being carried.

Compatible with SATA (Serial ATA) interfaces, which enable high-speed data transfer, iVDR Xtreme realizes advanced performance for hi-vision-quality recording and editing. Moreover, due to its high-speed data transfer and random access characteristics, data recorded by cameras can be readily transferred to iVDR Xtreme as files and incorporated directly into editing processes. The new product promises to become a bridge media that will complement nonlinear editing networks in the broadcasting industry by enabling the transfer or storage of material data and edited content.

Main Characteristics

Heightened shock resistance: Compared with standard specification sizes for iVDR (12.7mm) cases, 5.3mm thicker and 16mm longer. Further, the volume and deployment of internal buffer material has been optimized to heighten shock resistance. Maxell has achieved shock resistance to falls from a height of 140cm, higher than the shock resistance used by the Pentagon in military goods performance tests, which use falls from a height of 122cm. Further, the rounded case design makes the product easy to hold and mitigates fall impacts.
Incorporation of Serial ATA interface: Incorporates a Serial ATA interface and enables high-speed data transfer of up to 830Mbps. Due to the high-speed data transfer characteristics of hard disk drives, realizes advanced performance for hi-vision-quality recording and editing.
Incorporation of interfaces that can be selected according to application (adapter): Compatible with USB2.0 and IEEE 1394b (FireWire) and can be directly connected in accordance with applications, such as host-compatible cameras, editing equipment, and PCs.
Incorporation of fall prevention feature (adapter): Because iVDR Xtreme incorporates a lock mechanism, once set in place it does not readily fall out, even when the adapter is being carried.

Product Information and Main Specifications

iVDR Xtreme