AmberFin today announces the launch of the latest version of its iCR software, an open-standards platform with four-time Emmy award winning technology that can digitize and transform new and archived content.

AmberFin iCR 4.0 includes reliable SD/HD ingest, optimized for open storage servers, with integrated review and quality control. Its repurposing module has been enhanced to enable it to reduce the equivalent quality file size by as much as 25% alongside cut-and-splice versioning tools, network rendering capabilities and best-in-class video processing and conversion.

It also offers increased interoperability with Apple Final Cut Pro and Avid editing systems, addressing the compatibility challenges faced by content owners today.

Jeremy Deaner, CEO of AmberFin, comments: "The film and broadcast industry is evolving to meet consumer demand for high quality content. We have a dedicated research and development team to ensure that AmberFin iCR meets the changing needs and addresses key issues including better picture quality, incompatibility and quality control. The latest version of iCR is specifically designed to address major pain points, allowing content owners to make the most of their existing content and address the opportunities presented by new delivery platforms."

Other key features and benefits of iCR 4.0 include:

- Best Compression Performance on the Market

- A new "Pixel Adaptive" conversion technique that transforms any type

of content to progressive pictures, providing breakthrough

improvements in perceived quality and significant bit rate reduction

- Boosted Repurposing Throughput

- Automated distribution and load balancing of repurposing tasks on a

network of iCR systems, resulting in shorter rendering times and

optimal usage of computing resources

- Enhanced job tracking, logging and error handling

- Enhanced MXF Cutting and Splicing

- Ability to extract one or multiple segments of MXF files to perform

partial extraction or clip segmentation

- Functionality to splice and merge multiple clips to create new

versions such as commercial extractions or insertions

- Centralized Apple QuickTime and Final Cut Pro Workgroup

Capabilities

- Exceptional support for Apple QuickTime and Final Cut Pro workflows,

providing dependable SD/HD ingest, review, quality control,

conversion and repurposing operations for workgroup environments

based on central server systems such as Storage Area Network (SAN)

or Network Attached Storage (NAS)

- Enhanced Avid Interoperability

- New streamlined Avid workflow to ingest and repurpose Avid-compatible

SD/HD content that can then be imported into Avid edit systems

- Extended Standard and High-Definition P2 and XDCAM Support

- Complete end-to-end workflows to import, ingest, review, quality

control, convert and repurpose SD/HD formats of Panasonic P2 and Sony

XDCAM files allowing seamless conversion and interoperability between

production and post-production systems

- Compatible with P2 and XDCAM card/disk readers

- Support for the latest full resolution XDCAM EX and HD422 formats

AmberFin will be exhibiting on stand 8B77 at IBC, alongside parent company Snell & Wilcox. AmberFin representatives will be available to demonstrate iCR and illustrate how it plays a key role in the digitization, review and quality control and repurposing of content for prestigious companies including Sony, NBA, Turner Broadcasting, BT, Channel 4, RTM and Warner Brothers.