Upgraded Portable Audio/Video Recorders with Higher Performance Displays
AMSTERDAM, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012 — Following the initial debut of the company’s PIX 220 and PIX 240 audio/video recorders, Sound Devices, experts in portable audio and video products for field production, reveals its newly upgraded PIX recorders at IBC 2012 (Stand 8.D74). Available this September, the PIX 220i and PIX 240i feature five-inch IPS-based LCD panels, with accurate color rendition and consistent off-axis viewing response.
The new recorders’ high-performance five-inch, IPS-based LCD displays are essential in the field, providing users with immediate confirmation of framing, exposure, focus, audio metering and Setup Menu selections. The new IPS-based displays also offer higher contrast and better off-axis viewing.
In addition, Sound Devices has released version 2.01 firmware for all PIX video recorders. This new revision offers numerous features including support for Alexa SDI filename metadata. New playback control is available including customized list playback, looped file playback, additional shuttle speeds. The new version also offers HD-to-SD and SD-to-HD aspect ratio conversion with selectable letter boxing, cropping and support for anamorphic workflows.
Sound Devices’ PIX 220i and PIX 240i offer users monitoring of the image’s exposure with Exposure Assist, a feature that shows either false-color or multi-level zebra-stripes. It comes equipped with Focus Assist, which includes a peaking filter and 1:1 pixel zoom. Monitor brightness, contrast and chroma adjustments are also now available. PIX 240i provides standard definition recording (NTSC and PAL) and support for using simultaneous analog and SDI/HDMI audio inputs. In addition, the PIX 240i has a built-in Ambient Clockit time-code generator/reader with genlock output for multi-camera and double-system sound applications. The source time-code can be derived from the SDI stream, from an external source or from the built-in generator in the PIX 240i. Other key features include digital audio inputs on AES3 and an external eSATAp connection for direct connection to large SATA drives.
Users can connect the PIX 220i and PIX 240i to cameras with HDMI (plus SDI with the PIX 240i) and record directly to QuickTime using Apple’s ProRes or Avid’s DNxHD codecs. Since PIX recorders use ProRes and DNxHD, files recorded in the field can be used directly in post production, making the workflow simple and fast. The audio circuitry on the PIX 220i and PIX 240i is based on Sound Devices’ award-winning 7-Series digital audio recorders. The low-noise (-128 dBu EIN), high-headroom, high-bandwidth inputs are mic/line switchable and include limiters, high-pass filters and phantom power.
PIX 220i and PIX 240i recorders are built with a metalized, molded carbon-fiber chassis and are powered by external 10-18 VDC or two removable Sony L-battery mount power supply systems.
Sound Devices, LLC designs and manufactures portable audio mixers, digital audio recorders, and digital video recorders and related equipment for feature film, episodic television, documentary, news-gathering, and acoustical test and measurement applications. The fourteen-year old company designs and manufactures from their Reedsburg, Wisconsin headquarters with additional offices in Madison, WI and Highland Park, IL. For more information, visit the Sound Devices website, www.sounddevices.com.
