Media Distributors Unveils Fusion Drive

Media Distributors, provider of services, systems, and products for professional audio and video production has introduced a cost-effective tapeless workflow solution, the Fusion Drive.

A hybrid recorder/asset management system, the Fusion Drive enables video post-production professionals to deliver high-end HD video editing and effects in a system that – at a $9,999.00 USD price point – sells for only eight percent of a comparable HD tape-based recording system. Media Distributors’ Line 1 Media division will market the Fusion Drive.

Fusion Drive is a new addition to Media Distributors’ Archive Station storage solution, which was introduced at NAB 2009.  Fusion Drive is a fully-integrated single road case system for both on-set and in-house use that incorporates Media Distributors’ Constellation VCM asset management system, and enables automatic archive of content.  The fully configurable system can be customized to a wide range of workflow requirements.

The Fusion Drive is optimized for RED camera workflows, and its one button power-up solution provides production companies with secure back-up and rapid access to archived video content. The system includes four 1 Terabyte (TB) hard drives, enables play-out to either Blu-ray Disc or LTO media and provides for cloning on additional portable hard drives, for safe geographic separation of content. Options include dual quad-core Apple Mac Pro with Final Cut Studio 2 and AJA Kona 3 video capture card.

"The Fusion Drive is designed as a remote digital lab for tapeless workflows, providing an automatic recording and archive solution for P2, EX, and most particularly RED camera workflows," said Richard Myerson, president of Media Distributors. "Customers have been asking for rugged, cost-effective tapeless workflow recorders that can simultaneously manage all assets, from lens to final edit, and the Fusion Drive provides a competitive solution for production and post-production facilities."

The Fusion Drive supports both Windows and Mac OS environments, captures all metadata included with video files, and maintains linking of project files from online to archive medium. The system offers full asset management support for all archived content.

"We are now seeing a level of quality and affordability in tapeless workflow that is so advanced in its performance, it obviates the need for comparable tape-based systems," said Michael Booras, vice president of business development for MatchFrame Video. "The Media Distributors Fusion Drive is the new deck for tapeless workflow, and we anticipate that our clients will enthusiastically embrace this system."

The Fusion Drive is available for purchase, lease or rent (the Fusion Drive R-Series I rents weekly for $1,800, daily for $600. The Fusion Drive R-Series II rents weekly for $900, daily for $300).