Grass Valley's ADVC G-Series Now Shipping

The Grass Valley™ highly anticipated new line of conversion tools in its ADVC product range is now available and will begin shipping following NAB 2011. The four new ADVC G-Series converters are self-contained and offer a number of premium features, such as frame synchronization, 3D stereoscopic signal conversion, and true 1080p capability with 3Gb/s SDI at a highly affordable price. The significant performance and low cost of the ADVC G-Series makes today's higher-end 3G and 3D production formats within reach of a wider professional audience.

The new ADVC G-Series converters include:

The ADVC G1, an "any in" to SDI multi-functional converter/upscalar with a frame synchronizer designed to convert virtually any kind of professional/broadcast signal to HD/SD-SDI (3G/1.5G support). The ADVC G1 will convert and/or upscale sources from HDMI, DVI, component, composite, S-Video, AES/EBU, and analog audio to HD/SD-SDI (3G/1.5G support), and can also be used to embed audio.

The ADVC G2, an SDI & HDMI to analog and SDI multi-functional converter/downscalar with frame synchronizer and audio outputs for the de-embedding of audio. The ADVC G2 can be used as a monitoring device for HDMI and HD/SD-SDI (3G/1.5G support) sources, but it an also be used as an HDMI to HD/SD-SDI (3G/1.5G support) converter and/or downscalar.

The ADVC G3, a twin-SDI to HDMI 1.4 converter with 3D support designed to fulfill the demands for 3D monitoring and multiplexing. The ADVC G3 can be used as a standard HD/SD-SDI (3G/1.5G support) to HDMI converter, but also features a second SDI input, which can be used for second-eye input. The ADVC G3 will, in real time, multiplex the two signals for a 3D output via HDMI. The analog audio and AES/EBU outputs are very useful for monitoring both 2D and 3D content. The ADVC G3 features 3D multiplexing technology supported by the latest HDMI 1.4a (Side-by-Side, Top-and-Bottom, and Frame Packing—sequential), which can be manually selected.

The ADVC G4, a sync generator with a reference input is designed with nine outputs that can be controlled in groups of three. For example, three can be SD with the other six being HD, or vice-versa. The ADVC G4 also includes a 48 kHz word-clock as well as a reference input, which allows it to be combined with other ADVC G4 units when an extension from the main system is necessary or used as an extender when more than nine outputs are needed. The ADVC G4 features the most comprehensive format support in the compact sync generator market.

The ADVC G-Series all come in the same form factor: a compact 1/3 RU unit. An optional rackmount kit, available in H2 2011, allows up to three of the G-Series to be mounted in a full 1 RU space.

"This new family of high-end ADVC converters streamlines workflows and saves time for the professional video editor, staging and event engineers, as well as broadcasters that need to convert signals from one format to another while maintaining the highest quality," said Charlie Dunn, Senior Vice President for Editing, Servers, and Storage for Grass Valley. "The new ADVC G-Series meets the market's need for converting, scaling, and multiplexing signals without having to worry about inputs, outputs, and most importantly, budgets."

With the new ADVC G-Series, users can convert virtually any signal or source feed—including the highest quality 1080p video signals—to the required format for inclusion onto an editing timeline in order to produce stunning results. This includes dual 1080p signal processing for 3D projects.

Pricing
The ADVC G1, G2, and G3 will retail for under US$1,200, while the ADVC G4 will retail for under US$700.