This news from 4rfv.co.uk:
An innovator in digital media technology has announced that its Archangel Ph.C – HD real-time video restoration system has been recognised with an award for outstanding product in the Video Production & Broadcasting category.
[...]Archangel enables content owners to restore content to its original glory, and to do so using a rapid yet precise process. With the ability to address defects due to film deterioration or even poor quality at origination, content owners can restore otherwise unusable material for playout, distribution, or incorporation into new productions.”
Archangel Ph.C – HD is a sophisticated yet cost-effective system that ensures the quality of HD and SD content, thereby enabling content owners to unlock the value of their existing assets. Equipped with a robust feature set including real-time dirt, dust, grain, noise, scratch, instability, and flicker removal, Archangel Ph.C – HD combines proven Snell processing performance, image quality, and reliability in a compact 3RU design.
Ideal for documentaries, historical series, natural history, travel, biography, music, and other genres that regularly incorporate archive footage, Archangel Ph.C – HD restoration eliminates any sudden drops in quality that could adversely affect the overall impact of the programme. As a growing number of films, features, and drama series are being remastered for sale on DVD and Blu-ray, the Snell system offers the comprehensive restoration necessary for these productions to meet the high quality expectations of consumers watching on large-screen HD TVs and displays.
What’s interesting about this news for me is the fact that we don’t simply have the opportunity to preserve, replicate and share culture through digital technology, but it’s also an opportunity for innovation that will allow us to be able to restore otherwise unusable content.
In this instance it’s archival video content – but there’s clearly potential for audio restoration and digital reconstruction from damaged masters… which is quite an exciting prospect.
I know that audio restoration goes on, but last time I looked into it, it was a complex, time-consuming and very specialist activity requiring a high degree of expertise on the part of the user.
Can anyone provide any insight into how far the automation of audio restoration has come?
And congratulations Snell. This is important work – not just for “unlocking the [commercial] value of existing assets” – but for the preservation of our culture and heritage.
