Avid Unity gives Coventry University media students instant video editing access

Altered Images' Nuneaton office, part of the fast growing Shepperton-based digital broadcast systems reseller, has enabled Coventry University's School of Art to expand its media and production resources, by installing 30 Avid video editing systems with an Avid Unity Media Server MediaNetwork.
The new system means students can log on to any of the 30 systems and access their work immediately, unlike a standalone edit system, where students' work is stored on a specific edit system.
"This solution alleviates the bottlenecks and frustrations caused when 200 to 300 students all want to access their work when someone else is using the edit suite their work is stored on," said Stuart Turner, Altered Images' project leader.
"It also allows for better group work as several edit systems can work collaborate on the same project and see the same timeline. For instance one student can capture in video into a project on one workstation, while another student at a different workstation can start trimming and editing the material as it is captured."
The Avid Unity Media Server MediaNetwork manages and stores all the projects and media files centrally, enabling students to go to any of the 30 systems to continue working. As Coventry University's Art School grows, the Avid Unity server's 5.76 Terra Bytes of storage can be doubled when required and up to 30 edit systems added.
The server connects to the workstations via a private 1 Gig Ethernet Local Area Network. The 30 workstations are Hewlett Packard XW8000 Dual 3.06Ghz machines running Windows XP and the Avid Xpress Pro editing software.
Altered Images worked closely with the University's School of Art and Computer Services staff, to ensure the infrastructure met the requirements needed to run the Avid Unity network MediaNetwork.
Stuart Turner explained: "The University wanted these computers to have a dual use; the editing system was just one part. The other use was for web design and for authoring multimedia projects, this meant that they also needed to access the Internet and meet the University's stringent regulations on tracing students who log on."
Altered Images carried out the on-site installation and configuration of the Avid Unity Server MediaNetwork and the 30 edit workstations, and will provide on-going support and help to the University.
"Avid Unity MediaNetwork is used by the larger production houses and UK broadcast companies, so students attending Coventry University's courses will be taught on industry standard equipment, which could give them the edge when looking for work afterwards," added Turner.
Altered Images Ltd, www.alteredimagesltd.com
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