EventDV.net: The Event Videographer's Resource

Roland Systems Group announces new features for the EDIROL VC-200HD and VC-300HD multi-format converters. The new VC series of media converters, due to ship in April, have the added ability to scale any input to multiple standard and high definition resolutions including 1080p and now also support full DVI-I (analog and digital) input and output.

The VC-200HD and VC-300HD offer bi-directional conversion and scaling between component SD/HD, HDV/DV, DVI and with the VC-300HD model, SD/HD-SDI. The VC series will also embed accompanying audio into the DV/HDV stream and embed up to four channels of audio into the SDI/HD-SDI stream. The VC series provides audio delay adjustments in millisecond or frame increments for lip/audio sync with the video source as well as In/Out sync terminals to allow Genlock with external devices.

"With the variety of formats and frame rates used by the industry today, the VC series is the most versatile converter available to broadcasters, editors, post houses and filmmakers looking to streamline their workflow," says John Broadhead, director of technology with Roland Systems Group. "We are excited about being one of the first companies to offer real-time encoding, conversion and scaling between any analog, HDV/DV, DVI or SDI source. The VC Series will take the load off of the edit suites and NLE systems that are now being tied up just to convert one format to another."

In addition, most outputs are always active allowing a converted signal to be used in multiple ways from multiple connection types at the same time. For example, a standard definition 480i video signal connected to the component input terminals can be converted to a high definition 1080i signal and be simultaneously output from HD-SDI terminal for broadcast, streamed as HDV to a deck or computer for archiving, DVI (digital or analog) and component HD for easy monitoring. The accompanying audio for the 480i component input will also be embedded in the HDV and HD/SDI streams.

Suggested retail price for the VC-200HD is $6,995. Suggested retail price for the VC-300HD is $9,495.