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68 Chapter 3 Working with IMX
IMX Format Specifications
IMX, also known as Betacam IMX or MPEG IMX, records SD NTSC and PAL video using
high-quality MPEG-2 compression.
Storage Medium
One of the features of the IMX format is that it is not restricted to a single media type. IMX
can be recorded on XDCAM, a Sony optical disc format, as well as the IMX tape format.
IMX VTRs bridge the gap between conventional tape decks and modern computer
editing systems with the following features:
 Playback of older video formats such as Betacam SP, Beta SX, and Digital Betacam.
These formats can be converted and output to MPEG IMX in real time.
Note: Not all IMX VTRs support playback and recording of all Betacam formats.
 IMX digital video file transfer via networking interfaces such as Ethernet and
TCP/IP protocols
Video Standard
IMX supports both SD NTSC and SD PAL.
Aspect Ratio
NTSC and PAL IMX both have an aspect ratio of 4:3.
Frame Dimensions, Number of Lines, and Resolution
IMX can store video at two possible resolutions: NTSC (525) and PAL (625). The numbers
refer to the number of analog lines of the corresponding video formats. However, many
of these analog lines are not used to store picture information. In Final Cut Pro, the
following frame dimensions are used:
 NTSC IMX: 720 pixels per line, 486 lines
 PAL IMX: 720 pixels per line, 576 lines
In both formats, standard definition rectangular pixels are used, just as with DV, DVD,
Digital Betacam, and other SD digital video formats.
Frame Rate
IMX supports NTSC and PAL frame rates of 29.97 fps and 25 fps, respectively.
Scanning Method
IMX supports interlaced recording.