Third-party quality-control specialist 3rd i QC has purchased an Archimedia Technology Atlas 4K professional media-playing computer for performing quality control on the myriad file formats it receives from its clients. Atlas 4K will enable 3rd i QC to achieve consistency, speed, and accuracy in the face of an ever-evolving proliferation of formats, production techniques, and metadata richness in production and postproduction. The Atlas 4K machine was first used last week in Archimedia's demo room at the 2015 HPA Tech Retreat, and is now installed at 3rd i QC's Culver City, California operation.
"We receive countless different file formats from our clients, but since 3rd i QC is a boutique company, we can be nimble and react quickly to changes in the content-creation landscape," said Al Limón, 3rd i QC founder and CEO. "After exploring several systems, we found the Archimedia Atlas — with its focus on playback only, its ability to read a multitude of file formats, and its attractive price point, especially compared to purchasing proprietary hardware and software — to be the Swiss Army knife we were looking for."
Atlas 4K is capable of playing even 4K 60p- and HDR-encoded content at full screen, in practically any format, from all kinds of sources and manufacturers, and on all kinds of screens — all with frame-accurate precision at speeds commensurate with the hardware. This capability will let 3rd i QC complete its deliverables faster and eliminate costly rework, thereby reducing operating costs. It will also eliminate costly rework for 3rd i QC customers, resulting in happy, loyal clients.
"We are moving more of our workload on site to complement the tape-based QC we perform at outside facilities," said Ramón Bretón, chief technology officer of 3rd i QC. "Because it can handle numerous file formats seamlessly, Atlas is a perfect tool for us as we continue this workload shift."
"Doing more work on site allows us greater scheduling flexibility and affords better pricing for our clients since we don't have the overhead of a large postproduction facility," added Kathy Blake, 3rd i QC's source and digital file QC director.
3rd i QC also cited ease of collaboration with Archimedia as another benefit of the deal.
"Andrea Smith and the rest of the Archimedia team have not only listened to our needs, but have also welcomed our feedback for future improvements. These are exactly the qualities that make successful partnerships with our technology providers," Bretón said. "As a boutique company, we form close relationships with the people we work with, and we choose our partners very carefully. That is why we are excited to work with Archimedia — because they are a like-minded company that welcomes collaboration."
"We appreciate users like 3rd i QC because they challenge us to continually improve Atlas for the most demanding workflows and media types. Case in point: 3rd i QC allowed us to show their Atlas 4K at the HPA Tech Retreat, by our side, under the magnifying glass," said Archimedia CEO Mark Gray. "It proves to us once again that our commitment to personal support is what our customers need."
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