Quantel announce Panasonic collaboration

Quantel are to offer interoperability between generationQ editing and server systems and Panasonic’s Professional Plug-in (P2) solid-state memory-based acquisition system.
The close coupling of the two technologies will enable material acquired on Panasonic P2-equipped camcorders to be either directly transferred into Quantel editing and server systems at much faster than realtime rates via a standard PCMCIA interface, or to be played back from the P2 cards and edited directly with the Quantel user interface. The release of Quantel/P2 interoperability is expected to coincide with Panasonic’s first deliveries of P2-equipped systems early in 2004.
“Quantel’s support and integration with P2 memory card acquisition is important and extends the range of newsroom and production solutions for broadcast customers,” said Yoshihiko Yamada, VP at Systems Business Group, Panasonic AVC Networks Company. “P2 heralds a revolution in acquisition. With support from market-leading partners such as Quantel for P2 with DVCPRO and DVCPRO50, we can see broad adoption for P2 from news through all areas of production including HD.”
Quantel Executive Chairman, Richard Taylor, added: “One of the major bottlenecks in digital news production has been the transfer of raw material from the acquisition device into the server environment; Panasonic’s P2 just makes it so much easier.
“We think this development will be welcomed by our mutual users as a big step forward in broadcast production workflow.”
The P2 card consists of Panasonic’s SD Memory Cards, compatible with PCMCIA slot on personal computers. The initial P2 card will allow 18 minutes of DVCPRO recording on a PCMCIA card (type II size). Panasonic will release a range of P2 card-based products, including camera/recorders, VTR style recorders, and a 5-inch drive bay unit. The combination of P2 series products and Quantel’s news and production systems will deliver powerful next-generation solutions.
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