Vidcheck Announces Vidchecker V.7

Vidcheck has unveiled Version 7 of Vidchecker. The latest update will be available as a free upgrade to existing customers possessing current Vidcheck software maintenance contracts, as well as to Vidcheck OnDemand license holders.

VidChecker V.7 will be introduced at NAB 2016, alongside new automated correction options for VidChecker, which allow customers to add a range of file-correction capabilities into Vidchecker or Vidchecker-post rather than having to select an entirely separate application.

New in Vidchecker V.7 are:

• Automatic video segment detection. This identifies and reports back as timecode the start and duration of any segments bordered by black positionals. These are routinely placed in media files to accommodate commercials relevant to specific viewer categories.

• Advanced validation of Interoperable Master Format (IMF) metadata and essence. IMF files carry a relatively large amount of metadata to support multi-language, multi-reel, subtitles/closed-captions, video inserts and after-the-fact delivery of content with 'supplemental packages'. IMF also includes metadata relating to audio and timed text essence formats, basic descriptive metadata, complex playlists, and delivery. A typical application will specify video codecs plus image characteristics and can specify additional descriptive metadata, for instance. Vidchecker V.7 is designed to check all this data and draw attention to any potential operational issues.

• Multi-lingual alerts. Vidcheck users can now access quality-control alerts in practically any language rather than being restricted to English. Languages can be assigned within quality-control templates.

• Peak attenuation. Vidchecker V.7 incorporates a new audio correction algorithm which provides transparent adjustment of abnormally high audio peaks.

Vidchecker V.7 also works faster than any previous version, taking advantage of the parallel processing architecture employed in modern digital microprocessors.

"Most of the V.7 feature set will also be available on Vidchecker-post," Howard Twine said. "The key difference is that Vidchecker is the faster of the two applications, capable of testing and correcting multiple files simultaneously."

The automated error correction options being introduced to Vidchecker V7.0 mean that detection and correction are combined in a single application:

• Layout changes allowing automatic addition of bars and black to a file without interruption. These changes in layout are user-defined in a normal Vidchecker template.

• PSE correction (the ability to correct luminance flashes known to cause problems for people prone to photosensitive epilepsy). This feature allows users automatically to correct content for delivery to UK DPP broadcasters, ensuring conformance with OFCOM guidelines for luminance flashing which is the most common problem for PSE.

• Transcoding. Vidchecker users can now pre-define an in-house file format. Vidcheck can then automatically perform quality control as well as intelligent level correction and layout changes to a common file format regardless of input format.

Designed for checking file-based video, audio and related metadata before and after distribution, Vidchecker is also used by broadcasters for checking files received from post-production companies and content owners to ensure that file, video and audio parameters and levels are correct and ready for general transmission. It provides a server-based alternative to checking conformance by eye and hand, and can also automatically and intelligently correct video and audio levels. Sub-SD, SD, HD, UHD, 4K, 8K and mixed workflows are supported. The Vidchecker GUI is accessed through a web browser either on the local machine or remotely over a network.

Vidchecker-post is full-featured version of Vidchecker designed for low-volume users such as post-production houses, content distributors and smaller broadcasters who do not have the file-testing throughput requirements of larger companies. Easy to install, it performs thorough checks of video and audio parameters, and checking video and audio quality. It intelligently corrects video luma, chroma and RGB component, and conforms audio peak and audio loudness levels to ATSC/CALM and EBU requirements.

Image: An example Vidchecker V.7 transcode GUI.

www.vidcheck.com

(JP/LM)