Video Devices has released firmware version 3.00 for the PIX-E Series of 4K-compatible recording monitors. It adds H.264 codec as well as the ability to simultaneously record a high-quality, edit-ready Apple ProRes .mov file and a much smaller H.264 .mp4 file. These features are now available as a free download for PIX-E owners.
The familiar H.264 is commonly used for web streaming and offers a good balance between compression and quality. If you ever had a Canon video capable DSLR then you’ll be very familiar with what its capable of. The codec is universally supported for viewing on PCs, Macs, and browsers.
The simultaneous ProRes and H.264 recording means you can rapidly deliver files both for immediate use and high quality post production. PIX-E users now have the ability to give their clients an H.264 file for content review, shot-listing, or web-streaming, while the high-resolution 4K ProRes file is used for mastering. For news shooters the ability to turn around material very quickly in the case of a breaking event is also a real benefit.
This from Sound Devices:
“After previewing H.264 at this year’s NAB show, we are excited to announce that it’s now available to PIX-E owners everywhere,” says Paul Isaacs, Director of Product Management and Design, Sound Devices, LLC. “The addition of H.264, and simultaneous ProRes and H.264 recording, provide our customers with greater file delivery options. For instance at the end of a shoot, quickly handing off a low-cost SD card containing the H.264 content to a producer or director streamlines the process; now they have something quick and easy to review on a computer or tablet, at their convenience.”
With the addition of H.264, an applied LUT is baked into the H.264 .mp4 file and saved via SD card. The master ProRes 4K file is saved to the Video Devices’ SpeedDrive™ without an applied LUT. This is ideal for users who want to simultaneously record a full dynamic range, log-encoded ProRes master file for the edit suite and a REC709 H.264 file suitable for client viewing.
While recording 4K in ProRes, the PIX-E will automatically scale the 4K to 1080p for recording H.264, thereby reducing its file size even further. Both recordings also include audio—up to eight channels with ProRes and two channels with H.264.
The update also adds the 1 TB Samsung 850 EVO mSATA solid-state drive to the approved media list.
Download PIX-E Firmware v3.00 here
