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Softron Media Services is now shipping the M|62 and M|44 high-density multi-channel ingest and playout bundles. These ingest and playout solutions are in addition to the already extremely successful M|80 high density multi-channel M|80 ingest bundle and creates a new family of products, the M|Family. It demonstrates Softron Media Services’ commitment to provide integrated solutions for its applications.

The M|Family now consists of three software and hardware bundles. The M|80 with its 8 inputs, released at last year’s NAB was (and still is) the first ingest solution for the Mac offering that number inputs on a single device (using one single thunderbolt cable). With the M|62 and M|44 users can now also playout video. The M|62 provides six inputs and two outputs, while the M|44 has four inputs and four outputs. These are ideal for production facilities needing to record multiple cameras as well as playout video for their show.

For the ingest, the M|80, M|62 and M|44 use Softron’s highly acclaimed MovieRecorder software. MovieRecorder has been upgraded to version 3.2 and will be included with these bundles. MovieRecorder 3.2 adds a significant number of features including, Integrated Remote Control, MXF support, autonaming, the automatic detection of the incoming signal’s video format, Closed Captioning with most video cards, and a nice “Activity” window to monitor the performance of the system.

To output, the M|62 and M|44 are provided with Softron’s OnTheAir Video Express, (upgrades are available to OnTheAir Video and OnTheAir Node, Softron’s higher end playout solutions). Users can output pre-captured video (for example, as a news items or background video) or play files that are still being recorded by MovieRecorder, making it a very cost effective and easy “time-slip” solution.

Softron has gathered what it thinks are the highest quality hardware components in order to ensure the best user experience possible.

The M|Family is an “all-in-one” solution, hardware and software, all you need is a Mac Pro. Just connect the Thunderbolt cable provided to your Mac and start recording and/or playout.

The M|Family of products is available from the Softron Media Services online store or from Softron Media Services resellers worldwide. MovieRecorder and OnTheAir Video Express are bundled with the M|Family ingest and playout solutions that provide high-density multichannel input and output.

MovieRecorder 3 is the most versatile ingest software you can find. Sports and Live events producers praise its edit-while-ingest capabilities, which allow them to edit a multi-camera session while it is still being recorded, and thus be ready with a summary at the end of the show. Broadcasters who have to record feeds at given time of days enjoy its scheduling feature. Churches love its “Loop recording” feature for time-shifting. Reality show producers love its ability to record 24/7 while automatically and frame-accurately splitting the clip into segments, which is also a widely used feature for TV stations in the need of a compliance recording system.

OnTheAir Video Express supports most file wrappers (QuickTime, MXF, ts) as well as most video codecs including in 4K (Apple ProRes®, Avid DNxHD®, DVCPRO HD, H.264, MPEG-2, XDCAM EX®, XDCAM HD®,...). It also supports still image playback, clips with alpha channel and control playback from production switcher using GPI.