Ovide Smart Assist Now Available to Filmmakers from Radiant Images

All-in-one Smart Assist – the most advanced video-assist system in the world – designed with mobility and simplicity in mind

LOS ANGELES (March 17, 2014) - In the world of video-assist technology, the Ovide Smart Assist is a slam dunk.

Smart Assist packs the powerful QTake HD software with all the necessary hardware inside an all-in-one, full HD, 22” touch-screen monitor. The Ovide Smart Assist system is built with mobility and simplicity in mind – attributes shared by Radiant Images, the LA-based rental house and digital cinema innovator that is now renting the revolutionary VTR machine. 

“The Ovide Smart Assist is a true game changer in digital cinema,” said Michael Mansouri, VP at Radiant Images. “It’s great to see that video-assist technology has finally caught up with camera technology, thanks to the incredible work by our friends at Ovide. The Smart Assist is such a powerful, dynamic tool in such a compact size. We feel like it’s the perfect match for our approach here at Radiant Images and look forward to sharing this product with our clients.”

Everything needed to log, capture, playback, edit and process video output of any camera on set is contained inside the Smart Assist monitor, which also is a mere four inches (11cm) thick. No longer is there a need for a tower of separate components, monitors, converters and capture cards. And with multiple powering options – 10 to 30v, regular camera batteries, block batteries, etc., with hot swap – the  Smart Assist can be taken anywhere.

The Ovide Smart Assist works with virtually any of the popular digital cinema cameras out there, such as the ARRI Alexa, Red Epic and Phantom. File info and metadata is organized in a clear, easy-to-read report. And the system even boots up and is ready to record in less than 25 seconds.

The system supports up to two HD cameras (making it ideal for 3D productions), but as many as eight systems can be linked, controlling a total of 16 cameras. All will record and playback simultaneously with just a click. Smart Assist detects when the camera starts and stops and automatically records.

In addition, Smart Assist offers start/stop capabilities over HDSDI, and it creates two separate proxies in real-time, which can be used for immediate playback on tablets or utilized as transcoded files ready to go for editorial.

QTake setup is quick and easy to record, label, and manage video inputs. The user simply creates a project folder, selects a camera, detects the camera signal input (FPS and Format) and quickly sets up the required proxies for streaming playback or for direct use by editorial.

Smart Assist enables up to 20 hours of high-quality ProRes recording to the internal hard drive, and external drives can be added via USB 3.0 and FireWire 800.  It also features 2 pin Fischer input connections, the same found on ARRI cameras, for powering accessories such as wireless video transmitters for the director monitors.

The Copra app for tablet devices directly connects to the wireless signal that the Smart Assist creates and also receives every clip within seconds of being recorded. This allows anyone on set to login and view any take. There is even an option to make two types of notes – drawn on the images or sent via text – to sync and share between departments and iPads.

Mansouri invited video assistants and technicians interested in testing the Smart Assist to stop by the Radiant Images facility for a demonstration. Radiant’s Smart Assist tutorial also is available at http://vimeo.com/87044653.

For more information about Radiant Images, visit online at www.radiantimages.com or call 323-737-1314. Find Radiant Images on Facebook and Twitter.

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