VidApps - Video and Audio checking and correction as part of the edit process

Delivering file-based media is becoming increasingly complex, both for post-houses delivering to an external organisation, and broadcasters who are editing media for 'internal delivery'.

In almost all cases, the media must comply with particular requirements, and some of these are not only hard to check in an NLE, but are already (or soon will be) legal requirements:

• Compliance with audio loudness legislation, such as the CALM Act (USA) and EBU R128 regulations (Europe)
• Compliance with OFCOM/ ITU requirements for 'flashing' video particularly in UK and Japan (Photo-Sensitive Epilepsy, 'PSE')
• QC checking of video levels correctness, video blockiness and other characteristics

VidApps are low-cost plugins designed to meet these requirements for use with common NLEs such as

• Apple Final Cut Pro7 and X (on Apple Mac)
• Avid Media Composer (on Apple Mac and PC/Windows)
• Adobe Premiere Pro (on Apple Mac and PC/Windows)

VidApps provide checking and correction as part of the edit process. The VidApps are designed to be used as the last stage of post-production, immediately before the media is rendered. In this way the user can be confident that the rendered media will comply with the specified requirements.

As part of using the VidApps, an XML report can be produced which can be saved as a record that the QC/correction was done (and forwarded to the client for the media file, if required). The report can be 'skinned' with the logo and colors of the post-production house/video editor.

There are three VidApps

• VidApps - Audio: audio loudness, peak level and PPM checking and correction
• VidApps - PSE: testing for flashing video and potentially harmful photo-sensitive epilepsy patterns
• VidApps - Video: checking and correction of video levels, video quality and minor video glitches
  
  

VidApps - Audio:

True Peak
- measurement as per ITU-R BS.1770 ATSC A/85 (with 4 x over-sampling)
- automatic correction of Peak level of whole or part of file (optionally in conjunction with the Loudness and PPM level)
Loudness
- measurement across all channels
- as per ITU-R BS.1770 ATSC A/85 (CALM) and EBU R128 requirements
- includes windowing and gating as per A/85 and EBU modes (I, M and S in accordance with EBU-Tech 3341)
- automatic correction of Loudness of whole or part of file (optionally in conjunction with Peak and PPM levels)
- for ATSC/CALM the required Loudness is -24LKFS +/- 2dB; for EBU modes it is -23 LUFS +/-1dB
PPM Level
- software emulation of PPM levels in accordance with the "BBC Peak Programme Meter" (IEC 60268-10 Type Iia) standard
- support for M3 and M6 modes
- automatic correction of PPM level of whole or part of file (optionally in conjunction with Peak level and Loudness)

VidApps - PSE:

Full PSE testing to OFCOM / ITU-R BT.1702 requirements
- measurement of flashing luminance
- measurement of saturated red flashes
- warning of potentially harmful moving patterns

VidApps - Video:

RGB Gamut
- measurement of video levels
- automatic correction to within a standard broadcast range or a custom range
Chroma Levels, Black Level (YUV) * Note: not all NLEs, as YUV unavailable on some NLEs e.g. FCP
- measurement of Y, U and V levels
- checking that these produce legal RGB values
- automatic correction to within a standard broadcast range or a custom range
Freeze frame
- checking for presence of repeated frames (frozen frames)
Quality (blockiness)
- checking of video quality i.e. visibility of blockiness
Field order
- checking of video field order (Top field first / Bottom field first / Progressive / Pulldown) and for changes
Dropouts
- checking for presence of small video 'drop-outs' (e.g. from tape head hits)
- automatic correction of video 'drop-outs'
Stripe errors
- checking for presence of video stripe errors (a number of lines displaced left / right)

Contact us for VidApps availability