Error-Free Material: New Software by Fraunhofer IDMT Inspects Audio-Visual Media Content

An additional video analysis tool helps to identify and arrange i. a. representative scenes in movies, thus allowing better organization and management of digital media content.

“AVInspector” analyses audio and video content in real-time and automatically detects errors and quality issues, e.g. blocking artefacts, ringing or blurring. There are special analysis modules that recognize errors according to defined criteria and visually highlight them depending on the intensity of the error detected. Via timecode, the exact position of the faulty image or sequence is located. This insures perfect footage already during the production process.

AVInspector opens up new opportunities for TV and Radio producers. The whole video and audio content can be automatically checked for errors, making the workflow much easier. Broadcasting and video archives benefit from Fraunhofer IDMT's software, too. Dr. Uwe Kühhirt, head of the Audio-visual Systems group at Fraunhofer IDMT, explains: “Our automated and continuous error detection ensures that only perfect material is edited, published and archived. This saves not only work, but also time and costs, since there is no tedious manual screening for errors any longer.“ In addition, this technology can also be used in broadcasting networks to check the quality of the signals on the receiver's side and to optimize it accordingly.

AVInspector is supplemented by additional video analysis tools that automatically recognize and compile the most representative keyframes, shots and scenes in a film or video clip. This way, the material in large databases can be managed easier, comprehensive video archives can be searched quicker and film makers are supported in drama production and compilations of films and videos.

Fraunhofer IDMT presents AVInspector at the International Trade Fair for broadcasting and television, IBC, in Amsterdam from September 9 to 13, 2011. Visit us at the Fraunhofer booth in hall 8, stand B 80.