Sony is exhibiting new "Beyond HD" content creation workflow solutions at "SIGGRAPH 2008" (held from August 12-14 at Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, California, USA). Based on a new hybrid multi-core processing platform, these solutions are designed to provide production professionals with increased efficiency and accelerated workflows across every stage of production, from shooting and acquisition to editing and display.


New Product Launch for U.S. Market

To coincide with SIGGRAPH 2008, Sony Electronics Inc. has also announced a new computing unit. The BCU-100 is the first product to be launched as part of Sony's new multi-core processing platform, "ZEGO". BCU-100 incorporates the high-performance Cell Broadband Engine™ microprocessor (Cell/B.E.) and RSX® graphics processor to realize high speed computational performance. BCU-100 is scheduled for launch in the U.S. market within this year.

The new brand name "ZEGO" originates from the concept "Zest to Go", emphasizing Sony's dynamic advancement towards the future of video production with this new, hybrid multi-core processing platform.


Features of "ZEGO" BCU-100

1. High-Speed Processing
- RSX® delivers high-performance graphics processing while Cell/B.E. realizes arithmetic operation speeds of up to 230 GFLOPS.
- Equipped with onboard high speed memory, XDR™.

2. Miniature Size
BCU-100 is a 1U (unit) size and can be mounted in a 19-inch rack.

3. Reduced Energy Consumption
BCU-100 delivers high computational performance while reducing power consumption to 330W or less.

 

· 56 inches QFHD LCD Video Monitor(prototype)

Sony is exhibiting a prototype 56 inch QFHD (Quad Full High Definition, 3840 x 2160 resolution) LCD video monitor.

· Demonstrations

Sony is demonstrating the following applications at SIGGRAPH 2008, including "4K" image rendering using the new BCU-100, that showcase seamless integration between cameras, VTRs and CG technology to realize effective workflows in "Beyond HD" content creation.

1. Demonstration of CG production
This application demonstrates Sony's vision of highly efficient CG production using the BCU-100's advanced processing capacity to pre-visualize metadata within the camera unit.

2. Demonstration of high speed DPX & Cineon file import from "HDCAM-SR" VTR using Side Effects Software Inc.'s "Houdini® Batch" application
Demonstration of DPX and Cineon file import from the VTR to CG workstation. Direct import of HD and 4K files as uncompressed data at up to 4K full aperture (4096 x 3112) enables users to easily visualize lighting patterns and match color data.

3. Introduction of application software for BCU-100, Side Effects Software Inc.'s "Houdini® Batch"
Demonstration of Side Effects Software Inc.'s "Houdini® Batch" for physics simulation and effects creation using the advantages of BCU-100's multi-thread processing capabilities.

4. Introduction of mental images' rendering software "mental ray®"
An introduction of mental images' rendering software "mental ray®" and the "MetaSL™" shading language.

5. Technology demonstration of 4K applications
Real time, lossless encoding and decoding of 4K images, harnessing the advanced computational performance of Cell technology.



For further information on "ZEGO", please refer to www.sony.com/news