Sony supports MXF system interoperability at IBC

MXF provides a sound foundation for transparent system interfaces in a network environment say Sony.
With the Material Exchange Format (MXF) making sound progress through the SMPTE standardisation process, Sony is keen to emphasise the importance that this standard will have within an increasingly network-centric broadcast production environment.
“In terms of system interoperability, NAB 2002 was a turning point with all the major broadcast solution manufacturers falling in line with the emerging MXF standard. At IBC 2002 we see those warm words turning into real products,” said John Ive, Director, Strategic Planning at Sony Business Europe at the start of IBC 2002.
Alongside its strong support for the Pro MPEG Forum sponsored ‘Interoperability Centre’, Sony reports that it recently met with a number of key manufacturers, including Avid, Quantel, Grass Valley Group, Matrox, Pinnacle and Leitch for an MXF implementers meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange information in order to build intuitive interfaces between systems from each manufacturer, and developments such as the new Sony e-VTR.
MXF is designed for the exchange of basic media data and simple edited sequences, MXF is suitable for many different transport methods, such as point-to-point file transfer, streaming and conventional disk based operations.
A big advantage of MXF is that it is capable of both asynchronous file transfers and streaming transfers. This point is important since it encompasses ‘packetised’ interfaces and will be a central building block in future ‘anycast’ environments. With this in mind, MXF implements the most recent file format structures, based on latest IT technology.
This year at IBC, the Interoperability Centre, supported by the Pro-MPEG Forum, will present products from over 20 companies, the majority of which will be based on the MXF standard.
IBC marks the European launch of the e-VTR. Over recent months, Sony and Avid have worked together closely to develop transparent system interfaces between the Sony e-VTR and various Avid editing platforms. In May, Avid confirmed it will support MXF in all its editing products - this commitment to MXF and open standards was also the subject of a co-presentation with Sony as part of the Experience Avid|naked Pan-European Tour over the summer.
On the Sony stand (Hall 9 Stand Number 111), there will be a demonstration of MXF file transfer between a Sony e-VTR and an Avid NewsCutter system.
(SP)