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CatDV
Overview Intro

CatDV Server at it's core is a powerful, cost-effective visual database for your media and non-media assets. It enables you to have customized metadata tagging and Google-esque search functionality for these assets, in addition to other powerful tools to aid in production, post-production, delivery and archive/backup workkflows.

CatDV
Under the Hood

CatDV Server is a multi-platform application, at the server and client level. It runs on several variants of OS X, OS X Server, Windows, and Windows Server. It is unique in the world of asset managers as it can be utilized as a standalone application or as a collaborative, networked application. The core of its server database is the ever flexible and open-source MySQL, but can also readily accommodate an Oracle database if desired. Depending on need, CatDV Server's front end is powered by a standalone or web-based JAVA application, along with Quicktime Player. MySQL, JAVA and Quicktime enable the most flexibility and cross compatibility in Macintosh and Windows environments.

CatDV
Format Support

Numerous still formats are supported, such as JPEG, TGA, TIFF and Photoshop documents, providing a powerful search database for your still image library. Non-media files such as Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, Final Cut Project files and more can also be cataloged and tagged. CatDV's tremendous file support truly positions it as an end-to-end solution for almost any asset management need.

CatDV
Transcoding Tool

CatDV is a transcoding tool, allowing you to encode and transcode your media into various formats. You can use the powerful encoding tools found natively in Quicktime Pro, or pass off these duties to more enterprise solutions like Episode Engine, Compressor or many of the other compression tools on the market today.

CatDV
Logging Tool
and or
Verbatim Logger

CatDV can also serve as a logging tool with it's Verbatim Logger, which allows you to play a movie file and type in comments or clip names while the movie plays. Using the Mark button or a configurable keyboard shortcut inserts the current timecode, so everything you type is linked to where it occurs in the movie. These logging events can be copied and pasted into a word processing document, used to create subclips in the CatDV Database based on the timecode entries, or to easily add subtitles to a movie.

CatDV
Storyboard Tool

Storyboard generation has never been easier or more powerful than with CatDV. Pitch your movie, animation, motion graphic, interactive media sequence, or website with ease by using CatDV as a storyboard tool. CatDV can organize still images and movie stills with comments and custom notations, serving as an excellent pre-visualization tool for any project.

CatDV
Editing Tool

Taking your media into post from CatDV has never been easier. Powerful XML, AAF and MXF support allows CatDV to talk to popular non-linear editors like Final Cut Pro and Avid Media Composer . Metadata such as ins and outs, markers and custom metadata fields import directly into the NLE application itself, something not easily attainable from a technology or cost standpoint, until now. Log clips in CatDV prior to the edit process....create cuts-only sequences in CatDV and then export to your NLE app....and in a stunning first, edit with the same footage in FCP and Avid Media Composer, using a single codec format that can be utilized by both NLE ...a tremendous time and space saver. Add in FCP to AVID project translation and you have a NLE harmony and complete, roundtrip solution like none other.

CatDV
Automation & Delivery Tool

With it's automation application, the Worker Node, CaDV can be used as a one-click delivery tool, to any destination, internally or externally in your organization. Ease the pain of common, every-day, time-consuming tasks by triggering automated delivery from metadata changes, or by utilizing watch folders.

CatDV
WebServer

Give web access with CatDV Webserver, a browser based version of CatDV that allows search and tagging functionality via Firefox and Safari. Additionally, create HTML catalogs for your assets that can be accessed by anyone that has a web browser.

CatDV
Finder Tool

More simply, CatDV is a Finder replacement tool. Searching through hierarchies of folders for that one, single asset is a thing of the past. Search in CatDV for the assets desired, and simply drag and drop into the application of choice on your system. Create one-off DVDs with ease, and drag assets in other common tools like After Effects and Photoshop with a single swipe.

CatDV
Media Analysis Tool

Have a file that won't play properly? CatDV's media analysis tool will display detailed information about the format of the file, and individual tracks within it, even down to the durations of individual samples, helping you to identify missing codecs, corrupt movies, or dropped frames. CatDV will even natively analyze many formats not supported by QuickTime, such as Windows Media and OMF files.