MediaPort I/O Components
MediaPorts are the physical I/O devices used to input or output media to an Omneon server. Each MediaPort is responsible for a single channel, and processes video, audio and timecode. They are all bi-directional, offering record or playback capability (though not simultaneously – a MediaPort is either in record mode, or play mode at any one point in time).

This is an important architectural point – since MediaPorts are bi-directional, they can be used to record material, then reconfigured via software to play that same material out, which minimizes the number of MediaPorts needed for any application. There are multiple variants of MediaPorts, three of which deal with input and output of baseband (serial digital) video (including VITC), AES audio (if required), and LTC. All 3 take in this baseband media and compress it into either DV or MPEG2 files, which are then sent to the MediaServer for storage. The difference in these MediaPorts merely defines the kind of MPEG2 files encoded – Iframe only, Iframe and Long GOP, or Iframe/Long GOP/IMX. All 3 can play back all DV and MPEG2 types, so the decision on which a customer should use is purely dependent on the record format.

Another MediaPort variant is also capable of inputting serial digital video, but passes this down on to the MediaServer uncompressed, yielding the highest possible picture quality. This MediaPort is also capable of inputting video over SDTI (Serial Data Transport Interface). Currently, this is the method used to input DV or DVCPRO material at faster than real time, to input High Definition material compressed in HDCAM format, or to input High Definition material compressed in DVCPRO HD format.