Music, Sound, and Audio Technology

Sound Devices Offers Enhanced Recording and File Transfer Options for PIX 260i Users

By StudentFilmmakers.com
posted May 20, 2013, 14:57

In an effort to continue to streamline workflows for production and post-production environments with its rack-mounted PIX 260i Production Video Recorder, Sound Devices, experts in portable audio and video products for field production, now offers expanded audio and video recording and file transfer capabilities with its newest firmware update, Version 1.02. Available as a free download to all PIX 260i users, this latest version will be highlighted at Cine Gear 2013 (Booth 94).

With Version 1.02, all drives are now formatted as exFAT instead of UDF. While this new drive formatting is available, it is still possible for PIX 260i users to record and play back from UDF drives for compatibility with the PIX 220i and PIX 240i. Users have the ability to set each PIX 260i drive independently to Ethernet File Transfer (Network) mode. This offers the convenience of transferring files over a network while the PIX 260i records new data. Drives will also automatically switch to the Ethernet File Transfer mode when full. In addition, the end user can now read and write data to PIX 260i drives over Ethernet. The update also enables the PIX 260i to provide users with both simultaneous recording to multiple drives or sequential mode, recording to the next successive drive as drives become full. A 10-second (maximum) pre-record buffer for the audio-only mode has also been added.

“The PIX 260i offers an innovative new approach to file-based audio and video recording,” says Paul Isaacs, Technical Development Manager for Sound Devices. “Every new version of PIX 260i firmware, including version 1.02, is the result of feedback from customers who have incorporated it into their everyday workflows.”

Based on Sound Devices’ PIX 240i portable audio/video recorder, PIX 260i is a rack-mounted, file-based audio/video recorder that seamlessly replaces tape-based video decks in production and post-production environments. PIX 260i offers 32 tracks of audio record and playback as well as control functionality from browser-capable computers and tablets. PIX 260i offers the features and tools that production companies and broadcasters require to migrate to file-based recording and playback capabilities. It records QuickTime files in either Apple ProRes or Avid DNxHD video formats. Files recorded in these intra-frame codecs are ready for editing directly from the recorder in common editing environments, such as Avid, Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Premiere, eliminating time-consuming transferring and transcoding. For color-critical applications, the PIX 260i supports Apple ProRes 4444 through its 12-bit, 4:4:4 3G-SDI I/O. Users can also play out files from the PIX 260i for real-time applications.

PIX 260i users can download Version 1.02 by visiting http://www.sounddevices.com/download/pix260i-firmware/.

Resources:

www.sounddevices.com