HDCAM SR recording media uses ultrafine high performance metal particles 50 percent smaller than those in Sony’s HDCAM tape applied in the thinnest magnetic coating, to enable wavelength recording to 0.29mm. The result is up to +7dB higher output than HDCAM tape.
The SRW-5800 VTR accepts large and small cassettes and is planned to be available at the end of this year, with suggested list pricing still to be determined.

> Caractéristiques : 

. HDCAM-SR Format – For Exceptionally High Picture Quality Recording
The SRW-5800 recorder adopts the HDCAM-SR format, which records 1920 x 1080 resolution high-definition signals using the MPEG-4 Studio Profile compression scheme with a very mild compression ratio of 2.7:1 (4:2:2)/4:1 (4:4:4) and 10-bit colour depth. It enables both full-bandwidth 4:4:4 RGB and high-quality 4:2:2 Y/Cb/Cr recording, delivering optimal picture performance to suit many different production requirements.
. Double-speed Recording For 1080/60P and 50P Mode and HQ Mode
The SRW-5800 recorder provides its recording capability at a high data rate of 880 Mb/s, which was only previously available on the SRW-1 HDCAM-SR Portable VTR. With this high bit rate of 880 Mb/s, high-quality recording is available in two different recording modes: 4:2:2/1080/60P and 50P mode, and 4:4:4 High Quality (HQ) mode.
. The 4:2:2/1080/60P and 50P recording mode is highly compatible with computer graphics, games and other progressive-based programmemes such as demonstration reels for flat-panel displays. It also offers exceptional picture performance when converting material originated in 1080/60P or 50P format to 720P format, due to its original high resolution of 1920 x 1080. Another benefit of using the 4:2:2/1080/60P and 50P recording mode is that it enables image creation with extremely high-quality slow-motion effects.
. The 4:4:4 High Quality (HQ) mode enables 880 Mb/s 4:4:4 RGB recording with a milder compression ratio of 2:1. This achieves much greater picture quality compared with recording at 440 Mb/s. This is ideal when highest possible image quality is the top priority.
. Twice-speed Material Transfer
The SRW-5800 allows 4:2:2 material to be transferred to servers and nonlinear editing systems at twice the normal speed using a standard Dual-link HD-SDI interface. This is achieved by playing back tapes at 880 Mb/s (double the normal 440 Mb/s speed) and transferring the data using two linked HD-SDI cables. This capability can greatly reduce the time required for material transfer.
. Multiple Frame Rates
With the SRW-5800, the entire range of both interlace and progressive frame rates are available, ranging from 24-frame progressive imaging, to 60-frame interlace for high-end HDTV production applications. This includes 60P, 59.94P, 50P, 60i, 59.94i, 50i, 30PsF, 29.94PsF, 25PsF, 24PsF, and 23.98PsF.
. 720P Recording Capability
The SRW-5800 recorder can also record in 720/59.94P or 720/50P formats, meeting different needs for DTV programmeming and transmission.
. 12-channel Independently-editable Audio
The SRW-5800 recorder offers up to 12 channels of 24-bit audio at 48 kHz in both 1080- and 720-line recordings, to meet the most demanding audio recording requirements in digital content mastering.
. The SRW-5800 can also record non-audio data streams within the audio recording area by packaging this data within an AES/EBU wrapper.
. Furthermore, the SRW-5800 can accept AES/EBU data with 44.1, 32-kHz audio, or unsynchronised with video in audio tracks.
Legacy Playback Capability
The SRW-5800 recorder can play back HDCAM and Digital Betacam format tapes for more flexible operations
. Internal Format Conversion
The SRW-5800 is equipped with a powerful internal format converter that enables many different types of conversion such as 3-2 pull-down, up-conversion, down-conversion, cross-conversion, colour-space conversion, and P-to-i conversion. This powerful built-in converter makes the SRW-5800 very versatile in post-production.
. Easy Management of Setup/System Menus
The SRW-5800 offers a highly effective way to manage its System Menu. Up to eight groups of parameters in the System Menu and Setup Menu can be individually saved as bank memory onto the internal memory of the VTR. They can also be saved onto Memory Stick media, enabling them to be copied onto other SRW-5800 VTRs for quick and consistent setup of multiple VTRs.
. Furthermore, equipped with an Ethernet interface, the SRW-5800 allows operators to remotely view the setup parameters saved in the VTR's memory bank, and to select a bank they want to use through a PC.
. Other Features :

– Long recording time: up to 155 minutes on BCT-124SRL cassette
– Frame-accurate insert/assemble editing
– Digital jog sound
– Confidence playback
– Large 6.4-inch type* colour LCD that displays both playback pictures and various information such as timecode, audio level meters, and operational menus
– Audio output channel exchange
– Dual-sync feature for pull-down operation
– Off-speed playback capability
– Selectable picture modes: SQUEEZE, LETTER BOX, and EDGE CROP
* Viewable area measured diagonally