Spectra Logic launches AI tool for archive video search
Mon, 21st Sep 2026 (Today)
Spectra Logic has launched Media Insight for its Rio Media Suite platform, aimed at media organisations managing archived video.
Media Insight helps users find, preview and restore archived material without first retrieving full-resolution files. The software analyses archived video with AI-based enrichment to identify scenes and other elements within footage.
The process also creates thumbnails and proxy files, allowing media teams to search and review material before deciding whether to restore it. Users can then retrieve only the required section of a file through Partial File Restore, rather than moving an entire asset.
The release addresses a longstanding issue in archive workflows for broadcasters, studios and post-production companies. In many existing systems, staff must locate an asset record, restore the full file from archive storage and wait for it to become available before confirming whether it contains the needed material.
By shifting preview and assessment earlier in the process, Spectra Logic aims to reduce unnecessary data transfers and shorten the time needed to reuse archived content. The software also provides metadata-driven search and access to associated production assets as part of the archive discovery workflow.
Archive workflow
Spectra Logic positions the product within a wider push across the media sector to make large archives easier to search and reuse, as production teams seek more value from existing libraries. Archived footage can hold commercial and editorial value, but it often remains difficult to inspect quickly when stored in long-term systems built primarily for preservation.
Media Insight adds visual discovery tools alongside metadata to help users understand what is in an archive before committing to a restore. This is particularly relevant for organisations handling extensive stores of high-resolution video, where moving complete files can be time-consuming and costly.
Hossein ZiaShakeri, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Media and Telecom at Spectra Logic, said the launch is intended to improve access to archive content.
"Media archives contain enormous amounts of valuable content, but that value is limited when people cannot easily find and access what they need," ZiaShakeri said.
He said the software is designed to support archive search and retrieval.
"Media Insight brings intelligence and visual discovery to the archive, making it easier for organizations to find, understand, preview, and restore the right content using visual and metadata context, then retrieve only what they need, supporting ongoing production and efficient content reuse," ZiaShakeri said.
Media focus
Media Insight sits within Rio Media Suite, Spectra Logic's platform for media management and archiving. The addition is intended for broadcasters, studios, post-production teams and other media groups that work with large volumes of archived content.
Spectra Logic, based in Boulder, Colourado, has operated in storage systems and data management software for more than four decades. Its customer base spans research institutions, government bodies, enterprises and media organisations.
The launch highlights how AI tools are being integrated into archive management software not simply to classify material, but to make long-stored content more usable in day-to-day production processes. Here, the emphasis is on enabling users to inspect archive material visually, narrow the required segment and retrieve only that portion as a practical step in content reuse.