NOA Audio Solutions Upgrades mediARC Audio Archive Management System

Based in Vienna, Austria, NOA Audio Solutions announced the release of mediARC 1.5, which adds upgrades to the audio archive management system, including expedited cataloging, a more user-friendly interface, upgraded responsiveness, and better security. Specific new features include a language manager so that users can customize the interface to their preferred language, full Unicode support for the metadata side, and enhanced cataloging that facilitates bulk and consolidation updates.

mediARC 1.5 is shipping now and is offered free of charge to current users of mediArc with service contracts.

Among existing NOA customers that have already taken advantage of the free upgrade is Croatia Radio Television (HRT). According to HRT’s head of development and maintenance, Vedran Begovic, "The recent mediARC upgrade goes beyond full Unicode support to include a multitude of other enhancements, in particular many that make it easier for our catalogers to do their jobs. We implemented NOA solutions as a pilot project in 2003 and have expanded the system greatly since then. Throughout, it has continued to satisfy our archiving needs extremely well."

NOA mediARC combines precisely targeted metadata association and a powerful workflow solution to enable successful storage, distribution, and repurposing (including transcoding) of media content. Enhanced search support within NOA mediARC 1.5 includes the ability to search common fields across multiple categories; expanded support for drag-and-drop operations, including the ability to copy a group of links quickly and all at once; faster form response and refresh mechanisms; and a GUI interface that is easier to use and understand.

A new linking clipboard with multiple tabs – including a local store/recall option – allows users to define the most common metadata editing actions and gives them the ability to drag and drop items to the item tree to speed cataloging.

More upgrades include improved sorting of media objects for browsing; more detailed configuration of lookup-values categories, including added security; updated support for cancelable searches; and an extended ability to browse and search within flows, including the option to search according to processing tasks.

"mediARC is our flagship product for archiving of media within a workflow and, as such, is the focus of continuing refinement and improvement," said Jean-Christophe Kummer, NOA managing partner. "mediARC 1.5 adds multiple enhancements, in particular for expediting and expanding searches and for user customization. Our offer of this upgrade free of charge exemplifies our commitment to long-term partnerships with customers such as HRT. Since 2003, we have enjoyed a close working relationship with the Croatian broadcaster, and we are pleased to continue meeting its needs as it grows and thrives."