Canopus DV Storm2 Pro

By Oleg Bondarev

DV Storm2 Pro is the card designed by Japanese Canopus company, being one of leading manufacturers of DV-oriented solutions, and not only in respect of cards. For example, Canopus produces the set of various converters for conversion of DV to analog signals and back, they are incorporated under abbreviation ADVC (analog-to-digital video converter), but now the speech is not about them.

Early versions of the DV Storm line already were focused on use of hardware PC resources. Such solution is good by that it is possible to increase the number of effects of real time, gradually increasing the computer capacity. The emphasis of designers of the last version of DV Storm2 Pro was made on the built-in hardware opportunities of the card also. And the result was impressing — by quantity and quality of opportunities of real time this card have not any analog (certainly, in the DV-class). Despite of the real time mode, really all competing solutions have serious restrictions with regard to quantity of the embedded filters. For example, there is the necessity of applying to the clip the color correction, mitigation and scaling simultaneously. In the majority of systems the calculation would be necessary. Due to powerful hardware opportunities and the perfect algorithm, DV Storm2 Pro makes a maximum quantity of the embedded filters in real time (according to designer assurances, their quantity at all is not limited). For example, I tried to apply delay, color correction to a clip and additionally superimposed five layers of animated subtitles — and only DV Storm2 PRO system could realize it in real time.

Besides digital, the card has analog inputs (composite, Y/C, asymmetrical audio). Comparative tests have shown, that on quality of analog input/output this card has no equal also. Maybe, DV Storm is unique card which initially allowed transferring video directly from a time scale without calculation on all outputs simultaneously, including analog and DV. Besides the card has component (YUV) output for maintenance of the maximal quality during recording at professional tape recorders, for example BetacamSP.

Canopus DV Storm2 Card and the breakout box

For connection convenience the card may be additionally completed with the switching block which is built in the front panel of the computer.

Favorably DV Storm2 distinguishes by that it may to code and reproduce streams MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 by hardware for what the additional affiliated card is included into complete Pro set. It enables the input and processing of the stream of MPEG-2-IBP format (up to 15 Mbit/sec) in an editing packet directly. For editing it is possible to use Edius LE packet which is in the complete set, or, having paid in addition to receive full version of Edius2.5. It will allow to work with the large number of video tracks, effects, and in general to realize maximum opportunities incorporated in the card. For amateurs there is also the built-in program module (plug-in) for Adobe Premiere Pro, but it is impossible to edit MPEG-2 at its use — only DV.

There is the facilitated card version which refer to as DV Raptor RT2 Max, — it has no analog inputs and is not provided with MPEG-option, however is provided with analog outputs on video and audio, that is convenient for preview on the analog monitor.

Material provided by Provis Company