NEXIO® FCP Integration Gateway

The NEXIO FCP Integration Gateway facilitates the integration of Apple® Final Cut Pro® 7 (FCP) nonlinear editing software with the NEXIO server system. It consists of a powerful Harris hardware platform with Harris software (CIFS Server and storage interface), boasting a host of key integration features. Included in the bundle is a suite of plug-in applications (NEXIO Browser, NEXIO Export, NRCS Tool, NEXIO InstantOnline, NEXIO Timeline and NEXIO Sync) for installation on customer-provided Apple® FCP workstations.

The FCP Integration Gateway allows third-party editing directly on the NEXIO shared storage system. The CIFS protocol facilitates the bridge between the NEXIO shared storage system and Apple® computers running FCP. The CIFS Server application from Harris displays a filtered list of supported content on the NEXIO shared storage system and supports direct editing of that content without first copying clips to or from local storage.

Edit-in-place support of DV25/DVCPRO25, DVCPRO50, DVCPRO HD, AVC-Intra™, IMX (30/40/50), XDCAM® HD (35 Mb), XDCAM HD422 (50 Mb), XDCAM EX, DNxHD, graphics files (BMP, JPG, TGA, TIF, PSD, PNG) and PCM uncompressed audio formats are supported. Enhanced handling for editing clips while being ingested, as well as the ability to connect Windows® clients to the FCP Integration Gateway is also provided.

Editing in place is enabled by the use of one or more NEXIO FCP Integration Gateways that present the NEXIO content to the FCP editor as though it were simply a network file share. By connecting through the gateway, the NEXIO Browser exposes all compatible MediaBase™ content as MOV files on the FCP client. NEXIO Browser also exposes standard MediaBase metadata, provides a preview window for quick reviewing of content, allows metadata searches and manipulation, and enables immediate placing of desired content from this window into the FCP bin by linking, not copying.

After NEXIO Browser has expedited the placing of content in FCP’s bin, the full feature set of FCP is available for generating an edit. Completed edits are turned into new high-resolution IDs by rendering flattened files back onto the NEXIO SAN with the NEXIO Export plug-in. Completed edits can also be sent to a NEXIO InstantOnline III for remote conforming with the NEXIO InstantOnline plug-in for FCP, freeing the editor to move straight to the next task.

Harris Plug-ins for FCP:

NEXIO Browser
The NEXIO Browser will allow FCP users to see the NEXIO server systems clip list via a MediaBase application specifically designed for the Apple® Mac® platform. The NEXIO Browser window supports easy searching, viewing and importing of clips (links only – not copying full bandwidth media) from its list into the bin on the FCP user interface.

NEXIO Browser displays all available NEXIO metadata fields, with the ability to pick which fields are displayed. Metadata can be searched using simple text-based searches, as well as manipulated based on user privileges. It also includes a built-in QuickTime® viewer than allows the user to play the clips and confirm the media contents before importing it into FCP’s bin. When importing media from NEXIO Browser into FCP’s bin, the user can choose which project bin the clips will be imported into. Multiple clips can be selected at one time. NEXIO Browser also includes an option for the user to copy media from the NEXIO shared storage to the local FCP workstation if so desired.

NEXIO Export
NEXIO Export is used for outputting the edited timeline sequence from FCP to a single file (with NEXIO metadata) for playback on the NEXIO server system. NEXIO Export will export any FCP sequence back to the NEXIO SAN as a single flattened file. The full toolset of FCP effects can be used in the sequence. NEXIO Export will export sequences that contain NEXIO SAN content, local content or a mix of local and NEXIO SAN media.

NRCS Tool
From a window in FCP, users can view rundowns, stories and scripts (text and MOS elements) from the newsroom computer system without the need for PC emulation software. Additionally, the NRCS Tool window supports recording voiceovers at the edit seat. A pop-up window provides timed playout of script text, while the voiceover audio goes directly to the FCP timeline, with audio being stored on the local FCP computer until the final edit is committed to the NEXIO shared storage system.

NEXIO InstantOnline
NEXIO InstantOnline is used for outputting an edited timeline sequence from FCP as XML (with NEXIO metadata) for remote conforming on the InstantOnline III automatic conforming engine. Exporting the FCP sequence to InstantOnline III frees up the editing workstation so the next job can be started immediately.

NEXIO Timeline
NEXIO Timeline is a simple plug-in that allows FCP users to import timelines created by Harris® Velocity ESX™, Velocity XNG™ and Velocity PRX™ editors. NEXIO Timeline simplifies the import process by automatically linking the media in the imported timeline to the media that resides on the NEXIO SAN.

NEXIO Sync
NEXIO Sync is a plug-in that resides in the Apple® menu bar while the FCP application is running. NEXIO Sync will notify the user of growing clips (currently being ingested) in their bin and allow the user to update the clips duration within the FCP project.