The following are common questions and answers gathered from users, grouped by topic. There is no strict ordering — use your browser’s find, or contact us if your question isn’t here.
Deployment & licensing
Is CaraOne only available via Scale Logic AI Nodes, or is there a reference architecture?
Customers buy a complete appliance loaded with CaraOne and ready for deployment. This is due to the specific CPU and GPU workload, which creates a single, supported worldwide SKU. Cloud-only installs can be discussed with our team for large deployments.
How does annual support work?
The first year is included in the purchase of the appliance. You can add up to 3 years to the initial quote, or add support year by year. One contract covers hardware break/fix, CaraOne software assistance, and software upgrades — including the models and new roadmap features upon release.
What are the patching and update processes for an on-prem system?
CaraOne can be installed completely air-gapped. Updates are provided as file downloads that can be copied to the CaraOne server. CaraOne cannot access the internet to “learn” new things — it is a fully on-prem solution dedicated to keeping your media isolated.
Performance & scaling
Can multiple AI nodes be set up for high availability and scaling?
Yes. Adding servers scales in two ways. First, it reduces watch/analysis time — 2x the servers halves it, 10x is one-tenth, 20x is one-twentieth. A single server can watch content 5 to 21 times realtime (10x is a safe planning number). Second, additional servers add horsepower for the predictive timeline, search, Soundbites, and Ask CaraOne. Search is sized at about 20 users per server; the predictive timeline needs more. Servers can be dedicated to tasks, and analyzing can be scheduled at night so daytime capacity is free for search and predictive editing.
What is the speed of a CaraOne server? Is there a point of diminishing returns?
A single appliance analyzes between 3 and 21 times realtime. For example, 8 hours of content can finish in well under an hour depending on the content; 100 hours of video could complete in as little as 14 hours per server. Appliances scale linearly to increase performance.
What happens to a scan if the node crashes or loses power halfway through?
It simply continues — the process is stateless. It tracks its progress and resumes where it left off, and the database is stateless as well.
Storage & media
My storage is not Scale Logic, or is cloud-based. Can CaraOne watch it?
CaraOne can analyze any on-prem or cloud storage that can be mounted on a Linux OS as a file system, enabling a wide variety of storage technologies. We recommend Avid Nexis or SMB NAS storage. Cloud buckets must be mounted as a file system on the CaraOne Linux servers or controlled by a MAM. Archive storage typically needs to be the HSM variety that mounts as a mount point or drive letter; archives that can’t be mounted need additional API integration — check with Scale Logic.
Can CaraOne be directed to proxies that already exist?
Yes. When there’s no reason to recreate proxies, CaraOne can point to existing ones. If you don’t have proxies, CaraOne automatically creates H.264 for efficient browsing and playback. When a clip is found and the “action” button is pressed, CaraOne always points to the high-resolution version.
Can CaraOne watch growing files or files still being recorded?
Not at this time but research presents this possibility via the roadmap. Currenlty the file must be closed on the file system first. CaraOne’s built-in file watcher then detects it and begins analyzing a few minutes after recording finishes.
Search & AI features
What search engine is used under the hood?
CaraOne uses its own search engine, tuned to the neural network behind CaraOne’s very fast search. As it watches content, it focuses on understanding the meaning, expression, and emotion of the video. Search is available through the application or the CaraOne search API.
Which models/APIs extract machine-learning features from video, faces, text, and audio?
Our own. When the inventor began nine years ago with the data scientists, they designed all of their own tools because they didn’t exist yet. These are installed on the server when you receive it and updated via software-update download links on supported systems under support contracts.
Can searches be tailored to specific demographics (male/female/age)?
Yes.
What is Predictive Editing?
CaraOne’s Predictive Workspace analyzes visual aspects of your footage — camera movement, subject, color temperature, and similar cues — to propose possible continuations, so you can quickly generate rough cuts or multiple alternate timelines. You can drag, drop, rearrange, save, and share them, and export any timeline as AAF, XML, or EDL.
What are Soundbites and Ask CaraOne?
Soundbites (Automated Storytelling) analyzes audio transcripts to surface the key stories and themes in your media and the most impactful moments, ideal for quickly building short-form or social pieces. Ask CaraOne is a chatbot that answers questions about your media from the audio transcript, with Topics and Summarize tools to explore footage fast.
What is the Magic Wand?
When filtering by folders, the Magic Wand highlights cinematic visuals and noteworthy sound moments, sparking instant editorial ideas.
Faces & languages
CaraOne knows famous people but not most individuals — can you teach it additional faces?
Yes, via a folder called “faces.” Create a folder for each name, spelled exactly how you want to search, and add 4 to 5 portrait shots of varying angles. CaraOne can recognize faces across different ages. Nicknames or similar names must be unique. CaraOne does not have to re-index to associate faces with a name.
Is there a charge for other languages? How many are supported?
There can be a charge for languages other than English. By default CaraOne understands up to 120 languages but translates them via transcript to English, allowing prompting, Soundbites, and Ask CaraOne in English. At the moment there is one prompting language per system. Ask us about others; we continue to enhance this via the roadmap.
Editing integration
Which NLE editors are supported?
CaraOne includes a direct integration with Adobe Premiere. Avid Media Composer uses the CaraOne AAF export; Premiere, FCPX, and Resolve use the CaraOne XML export. With Avid, CaraOne analyzes the bins to learn their contents, making filtered searching even more granular. The Scale Logic Workflow Connect can further the integration with an Avid Extension.
Access
Can remote staff access the CaraOne server?
Yes, via a VPN. A company’s existing VPN places a remote CaraOne client on the same network as the server. Proxy files are about 4–5 Mbit.