Introduction to PictureReady!

What is PictureReady! ?

PictureReady! is a powerful Video capture system for QuickTime based professional video workflows. Its most unique capability is the ability to record picture against timecode into a QuickTime movie, which can be opened for playback or editing whilst it is still being captured in PictureReady!. This unlocks the true potential for QuickTime as a format for real time video applications, such as sports and news. This capability is also very useful for long form production where the need to wait 1 or 2 hours for transfers on or off tape (or both) to complete hampers productivity. Creative workflow design with PictureReady! (and VirtualVTR) can produce a streamlined workflow where these delays are eliminated. PictureReady can capture live video with an audio LTC timestamp (ideal for sports and live events), or it can control a 9-pin video deck for programmed captures and timestamping via 9-pin.

Applications.

PictureReady! has a very wide variety of applications, from Sports recording to Audio post production including multicam recording. It is extremely flexible, and the only limit is your imagination. Throughout, this document hilites the additional functionality which will appeal to more specialist applications. Banks of PictureReady machines can be centrally controlled for start / stop recording using Midi machine control - this is ideal for multicam recording applications. You can also control (and gang record) up to 4 PictureReady machines using the included TCP/IP remote control from any other Mac on the same network (shown below on the left). Also available as an option, is the PictureReady scheduler (shown on the right) which allows control of up to 8 PictureReady machines, with a slow rate video preview of each machine (via TCP/IP), and an 8 channel record scheduler. Contact Gallery to purchase the PictureReady Scheduler option.

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Before you start.

PictureReady is highly dependant on the correct operation of QuickTime with your video device. Most reported problems are caused by unreliable or incorrectly installed device drivers for QuickTime video cards. Ensure that you are using up to date (and known good) drivers for your video card, before starting to use PictureReady.

Finally, if you are using PictureReady with 9-pin control, ensure that your serial adaptor is working, and most importantly, that you have the correct serial cable, which you can purchase from Gallery's web store if you don't already have one.

Bandwidth.

PictureReady! is most often used in a multi-user workflow, where picture is captured on one machine, whilst being played back or edited on another. There are complex considerations needed when setting up this type of workflow, covering issues such as bandwidth, and access priviledges. The most common methods of sharing data are Fibre Channel, and Gigabit ethernet. In the case of ethernet, the Mac OSX file sharing protocols take care of access priviledges natively, and the main consideration is that of network bandwidth. With Fibre Channel, you will normally need to install some kind of storage management software such as Apple's XSan to offer file based access management on your SAN. This is necessary to allow one CPU to be writing to a file on the SAN (with PictureReady!) whilst another CPU is reading it. Don't forget that when you are recording and playing back at the same time you need at least double the bandwidth you would normally use for a simple record or playback operation on its own. Careful consideration of your architecture is required.

If you are experiencing problems with your XSan, or dropping video frames during capture to the SAN, please visit: http://www.gallery.co.uk/xsan

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