Reprinted from a Canopus press release:
San Jose, Calif. (May 31, 2002) – Canopus Corporation, makers of award-winning, digital video editing systems, today announced that ProCoder is now available. Featuring Canopus’s acclaimed DV codec and MPEG technologies and supporting all popular video formats, ProCoder is an ideal stand-alone transcoding software tool for video professionals who encounter multiple video formats on a regular basis. Whether preparing video for DVD, Web streaming, digital archiving or a combination of applications, users will find that ProCoder is the fastest and most versatile transcoder on the market.
Versatility and Speed
Supporting all popular video formats, including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, Windows Media, RealVideo, Apple QuickTime, Microsoft DirectShow, Microsoft Video for Windows, Microsoft DV and Canopus DV, ProCoder makes it easy to convert video between formats at incredible speeds. ProCoder lets users convert single or multiple source files at one time and can output to multiple files in multiple formats simultaneously. For greater time savings and flexibility, ProCoder’s advanced stitching feature lets users combine multiple input files of different formats and frame rates into one output file, eliminating the need to combine them in a separate editing application. ProCoder also employs video and audio filters to enhance the quality of converted output.
Through its advanced pipeline architecture, ProCoder maximizes transcoding speed by optimizing conversion elements and filter applications so processing power isn’t wasted on redundant operations. This becomes very important when source clips are converted to multiple target formats. ProCoder eliminates all redundant conversions and performs in a much more efficient manner than the 1-to-1 converters currently on the market. To make the process as easy as possible, ProCoder automatically performs operations such as pulldown and frame interpolation when needed, but still allows the user to manually specify settings when desired.
In addition, ProCoder’s ability to save target presets lets users easily apply specific operations in just a few clicks, speeding up conversion workflow significantly. Support for batch conversion lets users run a series of conversions without having to start each operation individually. To make conversions a one-click procedure, ProCoder can assign presets to a desktop icon (droplet) for drag-and-drop simplicity, fully automating the users workflow.
“With Procoder, Canopus leverages its experience in codec technology to provide a robust application for video professionals,” said Robert Sharp, vice president of marketing and domestic sales. “Video professionals no longer have to wait long periods or accept poor-quality results for their transcoded video.”
Quality – The Codec Difference
By using industry-renowned Canopus DV codec and MPEG technologies, ProCoder provides high-quality output without the long wait associated with similar tools. Known for its high-speed performance, rock-solid stability and high-quality output, the Canopus DV codec has been licensed by industry leaders and is at the heart of the company’s award-winning line of NLEs including DVRexRT, DVStorm and DVRaptor RT.
On the MPEG front, Canopus’s MPEG encoding technology delivers the high-quality video and audio output required for DVD authoring and video streaming. Content creators can maximize the quality of their output while minimizing its size using the codec’s two-pass variable bitrate (VBR) compression and advanced motion-estimation processing.
Scalable Technology Architecture
ProCoder also features Canopus’s Scalable Technology Architecture to take full advantage of the computer’s processing power – including multiple processors – to deliver the maximum transcoding speed possible. ProCoder is also optimized to take advantage of the powerful Intel Pentium 4 processor to boost performance and productivity for video professionals.
Pricing and Availability
ProCoder is available now through Canopus and its authorized dealers and system integrators for a suggested retail price of $699. ProCoder supports Microsoft Windows 98SE/ME/2000 Professional/XP Home and XP Professional operating systems. Fully optimized for Intel Pentium 4, ProCoder also supports Intel Pentium II and higher, as well as AMD’s K6, Duron and Athlon processors.
