Sony is introducing the new XAVC recording format that will be at the heart of its new 4K products. Sony’s XAVC technology provides a dedicated 4K format that will encourage the adoption of 4K beyond feature films, to genres such as TV dramas, entertainment shows, documentaries and commercials.
“The new XAVC format underlines Sony’s commitment to bringing high-quality content to the consumer market,” said Takao Yoshikawa, Senior General Manager of Content Creation Solutions Business Division, Professional Solutions Group, Sony Corporation. “The quality of HDTV programming originated in 4K is simply stunning and will allow both broadcasters and the production community to build a future-proof catalogue of high-end content, now.”
In addition to widespread applications for the professional HDTV market, Sony has developed the XAVC format to enable the expansion of 4K content into the consumer market. XAVC has been designed to provide a future-proof codec that can meet the fast-developing requirements of 4K content production and HD high frame rate shooting. Sony’s XAVC format employs MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 level 5.2, the highest picture resolution and frame rate video compression codec based on industry standards. XAVC enables a wide range of operational possibilities for content production: from proxy to 4K pixel resolutions, intra frame and long GOP schemes, and 1080 50P/60P infrastructure capability. Built with the principles of workflow efficiency and optimal image quality at its heart, Sony’s XAVC can support the following content formats:
•4K (4096 x 2160 and 3840 x 2160), HD and proxy resolution
•MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video compression
•12-, 10- and 8-bit color depth
•Up to 60fps
•MXF wrapping format can be used
•4:4:4, 4:2:2, 4:2:0 color sampling
XAVC has been developed as an open format, providing a license program for other manufacturers in the broadcast and production industry to develop their own high quality and high frame rate products. The following 14 leading manufacturers are planning product support for Sony’s XAVC format and workflow:
•Non Linear Editors: Adobe CS6 with Rovi Total Code Plug-in installed, Avid, Final Cut Pro X, Grass Valley, Quantel, Rovi, and Sony Vegas Pro 12
•On-set dailies: Assimilate, Codex, Colorfront, FilmLight, MTI, and YoYotta
•Color Grading : Assimilate, FilmLight, and Quantel
•Software codec: Rovi
•Codec board: Matrox
Each licensed manufacturer will decide which profile and operational characteristics of XAVC they will implement in their products. For more information, please visit XAVC.