Marquis Broadcast will launch PostBox at Broadcast Live in June. Designed for fast media transfers from Avid Technology editing systems to a range of servers, the company bills it as an easy to use, cost-effective software utility for any facility or broadcaster whose workflow uses a mix of Avid and other vendors’ products, writes Andy Stout.
PostBox can be used with Avid Media Composer, Xpress, NewsCutter and Symphony editing systems. Operators simply drag finished Avid sequences onto a PostBox icon to initiate instant, faster than realtime transfers from the editing system to the destination server. The laborious task of outputting to tape and re-ingesting media into the playout server is eliminated and a higher level of automation is achieved.
“While the refinement of digital infrastructure technology continues, there are still areas where different file formats cause reductions in workflow efficiencies,” said Granby Patrick, partner director – technology, Marquis Broadcast. “PostBox provides a simple, low-cost solution and eliminates the administrative tasks associated with cross-platform media transfers. The result is a more streamlined workflow, and more time available for operators to spend on the creative process.”
Media is automatically transferred in a pre-selected format over a standard IP network. PostBox includes comprehensive sorting tools with configurable parameters for destination server addresses. Directories are stored as workstation-specific settings. File names are generated automatically at the destination server using the source sequence name.
PostBox supports a range of servers including the Omneon Spectrum, 360 IS, Leitch NX4000 and NX3600, Thomson M-Series and other generic PC servers using It will be available from 19 June. Single user licences start at _99. A free 14-day evaluation is available from Marquis immediately.
The company will also be showcasing extended HD support for its media highway offering, Medway, enabling media captured on Sony XDCAMHD and DVCPro100 camcorders to be quickly and easily transferred between file servers and post production and broadcasting applications. Users will be able to browse files captured using Sony XDCAM HD and DVCPro100, and read and write them to a range of servers by rewrapping media and its associated metadata in the appropriate formats to ensure the process is smooth and efficient. This functionality adds to that already available for Ikegami FieldPak and Panasonic P2 media storage.
