Merging Technologies Iris debuts with Shanghai Motion Magic
Published: ASIA
CHINA: One of Merging Technologies’ oldest clients in China, Shanghai Motion Magic (SMM), has upgraded with two of the manufacturer’s new Iris postproduction systems before the technology even officially launches at IBC 2013.
The Iris scalable work surface is based around a Smart AV Tango 2, a range of I/O solutions using the Horus networked audio interface, a Pyramix MassCore recording, editing and mixing system and a VCubeHD video playback and management application.
The relationship between Merging and Shanghai Motion Magic – a key company in the Chinese CGI, film, and broadcasting arenas – dates back to 2001 when the post house first began using Pyramix. The years since have seen a number expansions and upgrades – three sets of Pyramix DAW systems are currently used beyond full-capacity.
However, in 2012 Shanghai Media Group (SMG) required that all existing Motion Magic DAWs needed to connect with an Avid Isis 5000 network. If the Pyramix DAWs had proven incompatible with Isis 5000, they would have faced elimination from the SMM workflow.
Following what Merging describes as ‘fine tuning’, the manufacturer’s products are now able to successfully meet the Isis 5000 requirements, culminating in the August 2013 decision to upgrade two of the three Pyramix systems from v6 to v8 with the corresponding addition of VCube software.
The facility’s existing Mykerinos board will now be replaced by Horus including new computer hardware and two Smart AV Tango 2 20-fader controllers. The upgraded Pyramix systems will be placed in two postproduction studios with Ravenna protocol network connections.
Noting the prestige of the upgrade, Merging Technologies has described it as ‘an important pilot project in the region’. Meanwhile, the Iris system is also due to be implemented by Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV for HDTV 5.1 productions provided by Dolby China.
‘This new Iris system is exactly what the Chinese market has been looking for,’ commented Merging Asia president Weishen Xu. ‘It is particularly pleasing that Motion Magic is leading the way because we enjoy such a good relationship with them. Now our major partners in China have seen what Iris can do, we expect many more sales.’