There's been a bit of a push for 'uncompressed' as a file format definition for onsite video delivery - as if it's a magic bullet. But there's some severe problems with that specification, as many technicians have been finding.

We often describe Synchromesh as a 'Multi-Res' playback system, and there's a good reason for that. What we do is keep each video in a native format as long as possible, avoiding scaling or conversion as much as possible. In the case of resolution, and interlace mode, that means trying to only scale the video once.

QuadSync is Synchromesh's propietary method of sync'ing video playback between units, even - in some situations, between outputs or units that don't genlock (no genlock video input). This technique goes far past the trivial sync that most competitors represent as 'frame-accurate'.

QuadSync uses at least one genlock input, anywhere in the mesh, low-level packet-based Ethernet clock sync'ing techniques, locked frame based playback, and finally a vertical blanking based predictive frame switch at output. The output switch gives an exact frame & field accuracy with SDI outputs, +/- 1 output field with unlocked DVI or frame & field accuracy with DVI outputs feeding to another frame buffer - such as an LED processor, Sypder, Encore etc.

By the way, the next time another vendor tells you their computer based system is frame accurate, ask them if the frames output in reference to an external reference or just to each other. Cruel, but enlightening.

I've been noticing that methods of de-interlacing are being described more consistently these days. I thought it worthwhile to try to classify our algorithm. We're quite proud of it, and it seems to match up to the best techniques available. Let's try to define it.