News

New Release of Grass Valley ProCoder Software Boosts 'Anything In, Anything Out' Conversion Performance (12/2/2007)

ProCoder 3.0 from Thomson Provides Powerful, Inexpensive Software-Based Video Format Conversion on Standard Computers

Aimed at workflows with multiple origination formats and the need to deliver to multiple platforms, the latest version of the Grass Valley(tm) ProCoder software from Thomson (Euronext Paris: 18453; NYSE: TMS), adds new formats and greatly enhanced processing features. Version 3.0 of the professional-grade format converter adds the latest acquisition formats, outputs for mobile video and MP3 players, such as the Apple(r) iPod, and support for multi-CPU and multi-core PCs.

ProCoder is a software package running on a standard PC which provides file format conversion, either as a standalone application or as a plug-in to a desktop editor such as EDIUS. The software is highly flexible, featuring batch processing, priority queuing and simultaneous creation of multiple destination files. Extensive video filtering is included to achieve the maximum quality in transfers, and additional functionality is included such as color correction, noise reduction and fade in and fade out.

Version 3.0 adds support for the H.264 codec to produce Apple iPod and mobile video files, and decoding of the AVCHD format from the latest generation of MPEG-4 camcorders. Added functionality includes grid encoding, splitting a process into multiple tasks to be shared across multiple CPUs or CPU cores in a single computer.

ProCoder 3.0 now includes an inverse telecine process: content that had previously been converted to interlaced format using the 3:2 pull-down can now be restored to progressive film frame rates. Improved audio handling includes Dolby Digital support - vital for DVD production - and audio mapping, allowing channels to be swapped during the conversion process. ProCoder 3.0 also ensures timecode integrity during conversion.

"The huge number of file formats which now need to be handled by video professionals can be overwhelming," said Marc Valentin, president of the Grass Valley business within Thomson. "ProCoder has already proved to be an extremely powerful tool for moving content from one format to another. Version 3.0 of the software adds much more functionality, meeting the requirements that production and delivery companies need every day."

The ProCoder 3.0 software package runs on any modern Windows PC. The standalone version is priced at $499, the upgrade and education price at $199.

www.thomsongrassvalley.com

[more NLE news]