XDCAM

XDCAM is a series of products for digital recording using random access solid-state memory media, introduced by Sony in 2003.

These decks can also serve as random access computer hard drives for easy import of the video data files into non-linear editing systems (NLE) via FireWire (IEEE 1394) and Ethernet.

In August 2009, Convergent Design began shipping the nanoFlash Portable Recorder, which uses the Sony XDCAM HD422 codec.

Equipment that uses Professional Disc as well as XDCAM 4:2:2 on SxS cards as recording media employs MXF container to store digital audio/digital video streams.

MPEG IMX allows recording in standard definition, using MPEG-2 encoding at data rate of 30, 40 or 50 megabits per second.

Unlike most other MPEG-2 implementations, IMX uses intraframe compression with each frame having the same exact size in bytes to simplify recording onto video tape.

Sony claims that at 50 Mbit/s it offers visual quality that is comparable to Digital Betacam[2] MPEG IMX is not supported in the XDCAM EX product line.

MPEG HD422 doubles the chroma horizontal resolution compared to the previous generations of high-definition video XDCAM formats.

This format employs MPEG-4 video encoding at 1.5 Mbit/s (CIF resolution) with 64 kbit/s (8 kHz A-law, ISDN-quality) for each audio channel.

Essentially, the Professional Disc format was deemed to be a suitable, cost effective and easy step forward.