Dear XDR and nano users-
We are in debug this week on two new MPEG2 file formats: .mpg and .m2v. The .mpg file format is simply the MPEG2 program stream (video and audio), while the .m2v is the MPEG2 elementary stream (video only). Neither format includes the frame markers found in QT and MXF formats.

Both of these formats can be played in QT and Windows Media Player. The real application is DVD and Blu-ray authoring as you should be able to transfer these files directly into these authoring programs without the lengthy encode process.

So, if you need to turn around a video quickly, then you can record directly into these formats with the XDR/nano and transfer the footage to an authoring program for some quick edits (chapter marks) and then output to a DVD/Blu-ray burner. (Great for helicopter rides, for example). You can also output from your NLE directly into XDR/nano via HD-SDI or HDMI (nano-only) and create the .mpg files for your authoring tool, eliminating a lengthy encode process.

So the Flash XDR / nanoFlash becomes a valuable tool for not only high-quality video/audio recording, but also for post-production and presentation.

Best Regards-

Very, very cool idea Mike!

So now the XDR & Nano become high end hardware encoders with all the speed advantages over software encoding.

Are the details of CBR and/or VBR data rates that are within the DVD and BluRay specs available?

This is a really useful feature for unique situations.

A great unexpected addition for the XDR products.

Mike, will the user be able to set the recording bitrates?

Dear John and Tim,

We are very excited about this.

We will be happy to listen to your suggestions for bit-rate, CBR/VBR (Constant Bit-Rate/Variable Bit Rate) options, etc.

Our firmware code has been developed, we are going into debug and test now.

This is a really useful feature for unique situations.

A great unexpected addition for the XDR products.

Mike, will the user be able to set the recording bitrates?

Hi Tim-
We have 1920x1080 4:2:0 at 35 Mbps now, which should be compatible with Blu-ray. We are planning to add 1440x1080 4:2:0 at 25 and 19 Mbps. We'll also have 720p at these same rates.

We are still researching the DVD rates. We have 5 and 9 Mbps 4:2:0 in our code, but this can be easily changed.

Best-