From The NAB Exhibit Floor: FOR-A

FOR-A | Booth C5117 | Website: www.for-a.com

FOR-A demonstrated a number of products at the NAB Show. They include:

4K Multi-Viewer Technology

The new MV-1200 4K multi-viewer and MFR-16MV multi-viewer output board option for the MFR-3000 routing switcher. FOR-A will also showcase new features for its popular 4K-compatible MV-4200 multi-viewer solution.

Making its debut at NAB is FOR-A’s compact, high-performance MV-1200 multi-viewer. The 16-input, 6-output solution comes in a 1U frame, features a versatile mixed-source environment, and is available in two models: 4-Input, 1-Output HDMI as standard in its MV-4200 unit, or 4-input, 1-output 3G/HD/SD-SDI as standard in its MV-1210 version. With the option to add up to 16 inputs on either model by installing option cards, the MV-1200 enables users to build a versatile, flexible 4K editing environment. Some features of the multi-viewer include a Layout Manager for user customization, audio level display for up to 16 channels, audio monitoring output, error log display, and the option to stream video from the unit over Ethernet.

FOR-A will also introduce significant new features to its high-performance MV-4200 multi-viewer. One new feature is the unit’s HDMI 2.0b output support for use in monitoring environments that will be displaying 4K ultra HD TV. With HDMI 2.0b output support, a single HDMI cable enables 4K output. Users can independently customize 4K/HD output and layout settings for SDI and HDMI output, allowing 4K/HD mixed output. The 2RU multi-viewer also features an improved Layout Manager for more ease of use, mixed 2K/4K output and HD to 4K up-resizing. The MV-4200 now comes standard with new display options, including logo display in title areas, text entered in a Web browser to be shown as titles, and support of non–English language displays. The 4K-compatible unit allows up to 68 inputs of mixed 3G/HD/SD-SDI, composite, HDMI, DVI or RGBHV inputs with optional cards, and provides up to 8 independent monitor outputs.

FOR-A’s MFR-16MV multi-viewer option for the MFR-3000 routing switcher is also new for NAB. Allowing for simpler cabling and more efficient space utilization, the MFR-16MV output board can install to the MFR-3000 to enable up to 4x 16-split displays. It allows freely assignable source and destination displays, and enables operators to combine ¼, 1/9, and 1/16-size split screen windows to configure a split screen display layout.

Chroma Keyer

The ACK-3000 is a multi-format Chroma Key processor which generates a virtual human keyed shadow to provide realistic form and depth for live composite video. A product of the company’s continuous series of improvements in composite image technology, the one RU solution automatically adjusts the shadows to match the subject’s movement, applying a proprietary algorithm developed by FOR-A for this product. The unit creates two types of 3D shadows — under the feet and under the entire body — with built-in color correction to match the two composited images.

Full-featured settings for cameras, objects, lights, chroma key, color correction and feed track deliver powerful control for enhanced realism in the composite images. Users can add up to three light sources, and adjust the position, direction and diffusion, shadow intensity and color of each. Also selectable are the position, direction and size of shadow for up to three objects, as well as the foreground image brightness and tint, and the size and intensity of shadows under the feet.

Scalable and flexible, the ACK-3000 is designed for a streamlined production workflow and supports a wide array of video formats including HD-SDI in 1080/59.94i, 1080/50i, 720/59.94p and 720/50p. With its ability to create a seamless, natural shadow effect for live composite video streams, the ACK-3000 is ideal for applications in sports, news and commercial productions.

Video Wall Solution

The company’s new FLEXaVISION video wall production system integrates several FOR-A products together to create seamless, high-resolution video and graphic displays over multiple, large-scale monitors in real time. FLEXaVISION combines the best features of the company’s integrated image processing technology for live use in sport stadium and special event staging applications, and at NAB will be integrated with Click Effects’ CrossFire and Blaze products, a highly regarded line of powerful, yet extremely dependable, cost-effective and user-friendly digital content delivery systems, designed to meet the stringent demands of live sports and broadcast presentation environments.

IP Streamer

The new video-over-IP-streamer, the MXR-200IP, is a 1 RU device delivers IP streaming with multiple-codec support for file-based workflows, saving the input data without recompression as MXF files. It has two encoder/decoder channels, and has internal storage that allows MXF files to be stored while encoding and decoding, thereby allowing the files to undergo non-linear editing. It supports H.264 High 422 Intra at 100 Mbps, while auto-correcting any dropped packets through FEC redundancy following SMPTE ST 2022-1/2.

The MXR-200IP offers three modes of operation. In IP Sending Mode, it encodes HD-SDI signals to a transport bitstream for IP out with 2 channels of SDI input and 4 channels of IP output. In IP Receiving Mode, it decodes encapsulated IP input for HD-SDI signal out with 2 channels of IP input and 2 channels of SDI output. And in IP Sending/Receiving Mode, the MXR-200IP decodes 1 channel of IP input to output as HD-SDI signal, and encodes HD-SDI input to 2 channels of IP output.

In all modes, the IP streamer offers live playback and setting configuration in an intuitive browser that lets the user save MXF files as they watch live playback of IP streams, copy to EditShare or other network storage during playback, and select FEC (SMPTE 2022-1) settings.

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