Equipment & Facilities

The Department of Media Study, housed in the Center for the Arts with the departments of Visual Studies and Theatre and Dance, provides state-of-the-art facilities (labs, classrooms, screening rooms) and equipment that give students hands-on experience with the best gear and best practices available.

Equipment:

The Department of Media Study offers access to high-end production equipment including an array of professional- and prosumer-level digital video cameras (HDV, 24p DV, DVCam, miniDV); sync- and non-sync 16mm and Super-8 film cameras; high-end hard-disk and DAT audio recorders; a range of directional and omnidirectional wired and wireless microphones; tripod systems, dollies, lighting kits, grip equipment and field monitors; presentation equipment including film and video projectors and media players; and many additional production accessories. The equipment is assessed and upgraded yearly, insuring that students have access to technologies used in the forefront of contemporary media making.

Equipment Room Hours:

  • MONDAY – THURSDAY: 8:30 to 5:30
  • FRIDAY: 9:00 to 5:00

Summer Hours: Monday – Thursday: Times subject to change

Labs/Facilities:

Non-Linear Editing Labs:

  • 5 Basic Digital Video Editing Stations (Final Cut Pro)
  • 7 Advanced Digital Video Editing Stations
    (Mac Pro and Mac G5s w/ latest Final Cut Studio, Adobe Photoshop, AfterEffects, Discreet Cleaner, MAX MSP/Jitter and many more media editing applications)

22 Mac Digital Stations:

  • Mac Intels, G5s, G4s w/ Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash, Premiere, AfterEffects, Cleaner, DVD Studio Pro, and more including various Open Source software; lab is equipped with dv decks, scanners, data/video projector

9 Animation / Modeling Digital Stations:

  • PC Workstations with Autodesk Maya 3-D Modeling, Web Design software, Interactive Design software

8 Robotics Digital Stations:

  • Software: C/C++ compilers, Python with all extensions, PD, Java, Matlab, OpenCV, Matrox Vision Library; IDEs: Eclipse, MSVS, Codewarrior, Vim, MPLab
  • Hardware: ieee1394 compliant digital video, analogue video, frame grabbers, cmucams/webcams, handheld devices (palmOS), various sensors (bend, touch, light, motion, sound, 1/2D acceleration, temperature), various electronic components (cmos, ttl), breadboards, various motor types and sizes (servo, dc, stepper), various power supplies (linear regulated, fixed), soldering irons, diagnostic tools)
  • More info at mediaroboticsindex.html

Virtual Reality Studio:

  • 10 Advanced Digital Stations
    (Linux Stations for Open GL and C++ Programming for VR Design, Plus Maya Interface, Pro-Tools)
  • Mini-Cave with 3D Rear Projection, Ascension Space Pad Tracker System, Wanda Input Device
  • more info at vrstudio.buffalo.edu

Audio Labs:

  • Sound Design Lab with Pro-Tools LE (Mbox), Kurzweil Keyboards, Drum Machines, Sampler, Film Sound Transfer (Mag Dubbing) Room, Sound Recording Booth and DVD Authoring.

16mm Film Editing:

  • 1 6-plate, 2 8-Plate Steenbecks; 6 Cutting Stations
  • Optical Printing: J-K Optical Printer with Blow-Ups from Super-8 to 16mm
  • Animation Stand: Oxberry Animation Stand for Traditional Cell/Stop Motion/Titles

Classrooms/Screening Rooms:

  • 2 Small Screening Rooms (Seats 30) with 2800 lumens video projectors
  • 1 Large Screening Room (Seats 220) with stage, equipped with video projection, 35mm/16mm/S8 film projection, networked presentation PC, PA system (wired and wireless, lectern, lighting presets
  • 1 Production Classroom/Soundstage with Lighting Grid
  • 1 Television Studio with Chroma-Key Wall, Lighting Grid
  • Mobile Presentation stations (computers with data projectors)
  • 2 Distance Learning/Video Conferencing Stations