Japan’s Musetex Installs GraniteSTOR ST-RAID From Small Tree

Offering video system integration, music production and digital cinema production work, Japan-based Musetex System was in need of a workflow solution as dynamic as the company.

Featuring four Mac Pro Suites equipped with Matrox MX02, MOTU V4HD and HDX-SDI, Bluefish444 Epoch and Red Rocket, Musetex recently installed a GraniteSTOR shared storage system from Small Tree, designer of  networking and shared storage products for professional video and audio editors using Mac OS X.   

Working with 4K footage in HD output, Musetex required an upgrade from its existing 1Gb connectivity to 10Gb connectivity to facilitate workflow on feature films, TV commercials and major music video projects. With Small Tree’s GraniteSTOR ST-RAID, a robust direct attached shared storage system designed specifically for Final Cut users, Musetex editors can copy footage, work on annotation, edit with R3D proxies, color grade and render from the same R3D footage simultaneously.

Musetex editors save R3D files on the GraniteSTOR ST-RAID with access to the files via a 1GbE connection to each suite’s MacBook Pro. Additionally, the ST-RAID is connected to two Mac Pros with 10Gb connections so that the company’s editors can work on other projects while RR MobileSuite is converting files using Red Rocket. According to Kaku Ito, Musetex CEO, the 10Gb connection through GraniteSTOR ST-RAID provides over 160MB/sec transferring rate, which is enough speed to playback 10-bit uncompressed 422 at 1080p.

“Since installing Small Tree’s complete GraniteSTOR system at our facility, I feel like everything is finally connected,” said Kaku Ito, CEO. “In addition to handling 10-bit uncompressed 422, the GraniteSTOR solution has improved efficiency throughout our studios, as all of our workstations have access to the same materials. Because of that, our editors can share footage while working on different stages of the same project. Now deadlines are easier to meet and creativity is fluid.”