The Krayken is a multi-channel compressed HD digital disk recorder solution with up to 12 single rack unit input/output heads. Files are created in standard formats available for replay or editing on a shared NAS. The Krayken features comprehensive local, network and serial control for ease of integration.
Overview
The Krayken is designed as a multiple channel solution that leverages networking features to provide a robust, collaborative replay environment or content creation suite.
For production, you can capture or export to formats that you can share directly with Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere and other content creation tools. For replay applications, record multiple Krayken heads in sync, and during record, select various channels for replay, including slow motion.
Control the Krayken via industry standard Sony RS-422 control, Odetics clip control and VDCP server control. Dedicated event marking and T-Bar controllers provide proven control surfaces for replay applications. The Krayken features a network access layer, giving the user direct control over the media files for review and processing as well as full remote control of the DDR. The Krayken also provides HTML/Ajax web browser control and remote user interfaces including Drastic's QuickClipXO and VTRIF. The Krayken heads are available in a 3D configuration, using CineForm's robust 3D codec and dual camera capture or optional SI-3D integration.
Physical
Each Krayken "head" is housed in a 1RU short rack mountable chassis and provided with mounting rails. Internal storage is limited to a couple hours of video, so many applications use network based storage for capture and playback. The rear of the DDR provides for Dual Gigabit Ethernet connections, VGA, keyboard, mouse, USB, Device/slave RS-422 serial connection.
One breakout box is supplied for each Krayken head - it is a 1RU rackmountable device with solid, stable connections which may occupy the front or rear of a rack. The breakout boxes provide a RS-422 serial connection, main p

Up to 12 Krayken DDRs may be connected to an ethernet switch, so they may all capture to and play back from the same network attached storage. Local management for each Krayken head is enabled through keyboard/monitor. Remote management is featured for the switch and NAS via a web interface. Optional SyncControl provides for simultaneous control over multiple heads for start/stop record and playback.
Control and Time Code
- RS-422 Sony protocol, slave or master mode
- Odetics 422 clip extensions, slave mode
- VDCP/Louth server protocol, slave mode
- HTML/Ajax real time web browser control
- JAVA local or network control
- Comprehensive local Drastic DDR GUI control
Time code and metadata
- RP-188 VITC/LTC
- LTC/SMPTE (uses 1 audio channel)
- RP-215 Audio/Video TC, reel, ink code and key code
- VITC/D-VITC
Audio and Video
Video Standards
Standard definition: NTSC/525, PAL/625
High definition: 720p24/25/29/30/50/59/60, 1080i23/24/25/29/30 (50/59/60 dual link version), 1080p/psf/23/24/25/29/30 (50/59/60 dual link version)
Video I/O
Digital: SDI/HD-SDI - Single Link or Dual Link (dual link version)
Analog: Composite/S-Video/Component/RGB (single link version)
Audio Standards
- Embedded 8 audio channels (16 with dual link version)
- AES/EBU 2 channels (8 with dual link version)
- Analog balanced +4 (single link version)
- stereo (main pair) monitor
- 16/20/24 bit at 48,000 Hz
File Compatibility
The Krayken is optimized to capture to industry standard compressed HD formats, in MOV (including DVSD, DV25, DV50, DVHD, AVCi100, DNxHD, CineForm, CineForm3D) and AVI (including DVSD, DV25, DV50, DVHD, CineForm, CineForm3D). While various other formats are also supported, promoting a limited range of real time capture and playback formats maintains a streamlined workflow and also eliminates a number of format incompatibility issues. The Krayken does allow import from a wide range of supported file types for output within playlists or timelines using that format.
Software Interfaces
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The MediaNXS interface, while also available as a standalone product, features time line editing, waveform/vectorscope and conversion tools. Flexible drag and drop, point and click functionality provides quick and intuitive operation. A range of tools for quality and integrity monitoring include in-app monitor, along with wave form, vector scope, histogram monitors and the metadata view.
MediaNXS is the most full featured of Drastic's interfaces, and typically functions as the default set of controls for a Drastic DDR. In addition to the purely DDR functions there are elements of MediaReactor transcoding functionality built in.
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Local GUI |
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QuickClipXO is Drastic's batch capture and output workhorse, featuring clip access, playlist, EDL conform and edit. QuickClipXO provides robust operation both under control (VTR emulation) and control over external devices via RS-422 serial control. QuickClipXO may control its own hardware, or connect to and control other Drastic DDRs via the network.
QuickClipXO provides a robust interface for pull-ins and laybacks with an external device under serial control. Also, QuickClipXO features a handy clip based Playlist for sequential media playback.
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Local and remote GUI |
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VTRIF provides VTR front panel emulation, and closely resembles a broadcast or production VTR. The jog/shuttle wheel allows smooth media cueing and output. The traditional controls minimize the learning curve for any operators familiar with a professional video tape recorder. VTRIF may also be used to control another Drastic DDR over a network.
VTRIF is especially useful where the facility handles traditional VTR based media in addition to digital media files.
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Local and remote GUI |
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DrasticPreview is a production formats media player with a wide range of supported media files. Selected files can be output through VGA (including associated audio), and a range of other information may be displayed within various other windows, including real time, frame and metadata for the selected media.
DrasticPreview allows you to view files on a hardware independent application, to confirm media selection, duration, format and a number of other factors. Dual screen DVI output provides full resolution playback where capable monitors are present.
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Local GUI |
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dTouch is an on set recorder which uses an optional touch screen. This option may be useful in applications where lighting is limited or where the ideal control surface location doesn't lend itself to mouse and keyboard.
Various touch screen 'swipe to scroll', 'touch to point and select', 'carousel whirl through' functions are supported for quick intuitive media access and output. The VGA media cueing and output window that dominates the interface provides a convenient way to view and cue sections for output and confirm signal integrity for recording. Setup, metadata, clip access and other features arise upon selection.
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Local GUI |
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MediaReactor takes existing content and transcodes it into another format. MediaReactor supports an extensive library of format and codec choices for transcoding, from high quality broadcast and production formats to low resolution streaming and collaboration formats.
Use MediaReactor to generate content for delivery, collaboration, and to reactivate, repurpose or archive media.
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Local GUI |
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Drastic's HTML/Ajax interface provides a real time web browser control accessible via a standard web connection, so the DDR can be accessed from anywhere. Control DDRs whether they are in the same room or on a different continent, and view the clip list, select and play media, start and stop record.
With the HTML/Ajax interface you can sit at one station and confirm that all your network available DDRs are performing the correct actions, or change the state where required.
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Remote GUI |
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SyncControl is included within Drastic DDR, and provides control over multiple Drastic DDRs, and workstations based on either MediaNXS or dTouch software for synchronized start and stop of capture or playback.
Applications include frame accurate multicam capture with matched time code, and multi-screen display.
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Local and Remote GUI |
Options
Optional software and hardware
- A quote may be offered for NAS storage external to the Krayken heads based on your requirements
- A touch screen may be added to run the dTouch interface to provide a streamlined control surface where it may be most useful