Ingest processor for NOA JobDB and NOA mediARC
NOA UniPort processor imports non-NOA created sound files, analyzes the sounds quality of the file, extracts metadata, EDL- and time reference annotations, and moves the files to a NOA- attached storage along with NOA’s Algorithmic Scanning quality trace. With this process, existing production and digitisation structures can be easily integrated into the Workflow System.
 Audio files from various source DAWs are collected by UniPort |
True network collaboration
In large institutions with rather amorphous structures, physical file movement often slows down otherwise fast and efficient group collaboration. Drag and Drop file moving within the operating system is never a true background operation, and burning CDs for every file generated or working with removable hard drives to bring the audio content from the engineer or workstation to the production system or archive can be very time consuming. Moreover, both strategies introduce metadata loss, when working on a file level only.
NOA UniPort combines 3 technologies to facilitate and
improve cooperation of departments:
• NOA’s FileMover technology is used to carry out background network transfer with controlled, scaleable MB/s transfer rates
• Algorithmic Scanning is executed on every file processed by UniPort to provide quality monitoring for those files that are not originating from a quality controlled NOA ingest system.
• File related metadata, such as markers, are collected from their specific locations and imported to NOA JobDB for further reference or processing.
Matching EDL from House Database with Markers in Audio
Very often you face the situation to have some time information in the reference metadata MAM database, and you would like to align those rather "literal"markers of your database with the real audiofile. The Noa workflow system here as well is able to import those markers by a DB Scripter script. The uniport created Events are overlayed within the workflow with the imported markers and with some adjustments the final metada mapping can be performed - just with a few clicks.
A typical situation for any archiving workflow regardless whether Tape, CD, DAT or File.
The UniPort quality stamp
Why is it necessary to scan audio files that come from different workstations? NOA’s experience in supporting Audio Archives has shown that it can be most dangerous to lock away valuable audio material into a mass storage system without thorough quality control. The files might be needed again for the first time maybe several years from now and until then nobody will know if they are OK or not, unless there is a quality report and the "GO” from a high skill digitiser before the recording is moved into its final storage location. NOA’s Algorithmic Scanning makes it possible to check even large files in just a few minutes.
Quiet servant
UniPort acts as a humble servant in the background. The UniPort server is installed on a powerful machine, located centrally in the network. Unlike the conventional structure, there are no clients in this system. Instead, as many locations as needed may be specified within the application and UniPort constantly monitors those source directories. This means that UniPort has virtually unlimited instances running at the same time – only limited by its own import throughput capabilities.
Valid folder specifications are:
• Windows shares
• UNC paths
• Mapped drives
• Local drives
Integration with the NOA System
The processed and algorithmically scanned output file is logged in NOA JobDB and it may confidently be used in the ongoing NOA workflow. NOA WaveButler may be used to generate LoRes preview copies; NOA DBScripter may be programmed to migrate files to 3rd party database applications.
 UniPort accepts any kind of path definition to specify source folders for collecting files  Main Screen |
UniPort main features
• Full control over network load
• Algorithmic analysis for 3rd party ingest systems
• True support of workflow orientation
• True background processing
• Very low CPU load
• Network wide operation
• Find Mode scans for existing metadata for mapping
• Create Mode inserts media entity into NOA JobDB
• Metadata mapping for XML files (option)
Accepted input formats
Resolutions
• 16 and 24 bit Integer
• 32 bit Float
Sampling frequencies
• 44,1 kHz; 48 kHz; 88,2 kHz; 96 kHz
Channel modes
• Mono Files/Stereo Files
Platforms
• Samplitude
• Sequoia
• Wave and Broadcast Wave format (Other platforms on request)
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