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Issue: Aug. 20, 2008
Top News
Sony and ABU recognise top industry professionals
Sony Electronics Asia Pacific and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) have joined forces to promote and develop the broadcasting industry in the Asia-Pacific region. The two organisations are once again recognising the contributions of the best and brightest performers in the business through a broadcast engineering excellence award.
Sony will sponsor the winner of the 2008 'ABU Broadcast Engineering Excellence Award', who will be entitled to the benefit of a study tour of Sony's main research centre or any other of its prestigious institutions. The award takes the form of a commemorative trophy, a citation and a lifetime 'Distinguished Observer' status at the ABU Technical Committee meetings.
Now in its sixth year, the Award is presented to an individual in recognition of outstanding contributions to broadcast engineering and in related disciplines. In the previous years, awards have been given to eminent broadcast engineers and researchers who have been recognised for their work.
"Sony has always been actively involved in the broadcast industry, the sponsorship closely reflects our value on promoting engineering excellence and our belief in training talents," said Mr. Kozo Fujita, Head of Broadcast and Content Creation Solutions Asia Pacific and Director, Business and Professional Products Asia Pacific Company, Sony Electronics Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. "In addition to supporting the industry professionals through our innovative technology and solutions, we believe in giving them the recognition that they truly deserve, and we are pleased to be sponsoring this award again."
The Broadcast Engineering Excellence Award is exclusively reserved for the staff or former staff of ABU members within the Asia-Pacific region. Contributions to the broadcasting industry made within the last five years will be considered for the application of the award.
The winner of this year's Broadcast Engineering Excellence Award will be presented with the award during the Award Presentation Ceremony gala dinner of the ABU General Assembly, which will be held in Bali, Indonesia, on 24 November 2008.
The closing date for nomination is 31 August 2008. For more information visit: www.abu.org.my/engineering-awards.
Newswatch
ABERTIS upgrades with Clear-Com Digital Matrix
Spanish telecom carrier, Abertis Telecom, which serves the broadcast market, has invested in Clear-Com's Eclipse PiCo intercom system as part of an upgrade to its communications hub.
Installed at Abertis' two main operation centres at Torre Collçerola in Barcelona and Torrespaña in Madrid, the new Eclipse PiCo replaces a legacy intercom for both internal and external communication. The new system is made up of two intercom units – one in each centre – networked over a Wide Area Network (WAN). The two centres are networked together using Clear-Com Voice2 IP links.
As well as operating as an internal switching hub, the Eclipse PiCo enables operators in both regions to operate a 'call centre' type set-up, which allows the acceptance of incoming and outside calls, which can be isolated while maintaining communications on the internal network. Reliable trunking capacity, which is built into the Eclipse, allows the system to seamlessly switch between users in Torrespaña and Torre Collçerola without the need for third-party action
Each of the Eclipse PiCo frames offer 36 full-duplex ports, including four 4-wire ports, in a 1RU chassis that works in conjunction with new Clear-Com V-Series Panels. The V-Series user panels' 'Listen Again' feature employs digital audio memory, allowing the user to replay received incoming calls and advancing digital signalling processing (DSP) for increased audio control that includes routing, mic EQ, mic limiting and headset sidetone. It also offers intelligent dimming and local Interrupted Feedback (IFB).
"Abertis spent several months evaluating intercom systems, and trunking capability between the two units was a key factor in the final choice," says Jose María Alvarez, director of the Department of Broadcast Systems for Aicox.
The installation coincided with the construction of a new control room and the equipment was provided by Aicox Soluciones (formerly Ibérica de Componentes).
OmniBus OPUS links up TVNZ production
New Zealand's state-owned public service broadcaster, TVNZ, has installed OmniBus' Opus system as part of the second phase of its Digiknow news broadcasting infrastructure project. Digiknow is aimed at uniting TVNZ's server-based newsroom system in Auckland with similar installations in its regional news-gathering bureaux in Wellington and Christchurch, providing streamlined interchange and sharing of assets between the three sites.
As part of phase one of the project, TVNZ had already converted to tapeless operation and as part of phase two, new edit stations and servers were installed alongside OmniBus OPUS G3 technology. The new infrastructure allows OPUS requests from TVNZ's editors, producers and journalists to transfer material between the production sites.
Transfers are initiated immediately without the former line booking required under the first phase of the implementation and TVNZ is able top maintain much higher image quality throughout the process.
"During the whole implementation period, we had very close and valuable collaboration from OmniBus as we worked out the design of the workflows," said TVNZ infrastructure manager Darryl Walker. "The ability to tailor the G3 desktop to create task-specific interfaces meant that our users found the system very user-friendly and were eager to switch over to the new tools. Features like the ability to display scheduled records on a timeline basis add up to a significant improvement in functionality and ease-of-use."
During a four-month period following installation of the OmniBus Opus, the old and new systems were run in parallel while operators at each site were trained on the new technology.
Seven installs its sixth Quantel
Australia's Seven Network has purchased its sixth Quantel, in the shape of a new Newsbox HD, for its Canberra Parliament House broadcasting operation.
The new four-port Newsbox HD for SevenCanberra comes with 85 hours of storage, includes Quantel's sQ Cut editing applications, sQ Record and sQ Play controls. It can support all aspects of news production system from ingest to video/audio editing and playout.
"Quantel helped us transform our efficiency and speed-to-air when we centralised our operations around our Melbourne hub, which enabled us to retain complete flexibility in each of our regional operations but also to benefit in full from the power of Quantel's no-wait server technology," said Trevor Bird, Seven's General Manager, Group Technical Services. "In use, the systems have been reliable and well-supported, which also gave us added confidence in choosing Quantel again for the new Canberra Parliament operation. [For this project] we also needed to move quickly, and the pre-packaged nature of Newsbox HD and its ease of use mean that we can put it into operation in the very short timescale we've set ourselves."
TVNZ invests in captioning from Screen
Television New Zealand (TVNZ) has invested in captioning systems from Screen Subtitling for its SD and HD services.
As part of the deal, Screen has supplied a Polistream system comprising two P5000s, three P4000s and two A4002s, which will be used to transcode Teletext captions into DVB subtitles for the TVOne and TV2 HD services on DTT. Screen also made specific design alterations to the system to meet TVNZ's specific requirements to output data directly over UDP rather than the traditional ASI stream.
WDR Taps Fairlight Xynergi Systems
German broadcaster Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) recently installed three more Fairlight Xynergi desktop media creation systems at its facilities in Cologne, for a total of five.
The station installed two Xynergi MPC96 systems with SX-48 MADI interfaces at the end of 2007. Three more systems were added in May, along with a 12 fader Sidecar and two CC-1 upgrades for the DREAM1 Station and Constellation systems. No stranger to Fairlight, WDR has been using the company's MFX3+ disc recorders for several years.
"All of the systems will be connected to Fairlight's SFX Library Server AudioBase 3, which will allow the broadcaster to speed up workflow and share audio files between studios," said Mario Schmitz, Fairlight's head of European Operations.
Second Prism Sound dScope analyser ordered by Focusrite
Focusrite Audio Engineering has installed a second dScope Series III audio analyser from Prism Sound at its headquarters in Buckinghamshire. The company is an existing Prism Sound customer and based the decision to invest in a second unit on this experience. The level of technical support it has received was anopther factor driving the decision.
"We use dScope Series III analyzers for both R&D and production line testing. At the moment our units are being employed across a wide range of products, including Firewire-based audio devices," said Simon Jones, R&D manager. Focusrite. "dScope's real-time FFT and signal display is superb, while its multi-tone analysis features save us a lot of time in production line testing. In my opinion dScope is the best and most cost-effective audio testing solution on the market."
The dScope's trace window povides a range of visual indicators of an audio system's performance from time domain waveforms to FFT displays, analysis, filters and distortion residuals to swept response curves and multi-tone results – all on the same graph, at the same time. The multiple FFT detectors allow users to interpret the FFT trace analytically with high-precision numerical readouts, and can monitor up to 40 different audio parameters at the same time. These can then be checked against limits simultaneously.
Karma Can't be Cheated
I had an awakening the other day after reading an article written by a former New York Times photographer, Vincent Laforet. The title of the article is "The Cloud Is Falling". It was published on June 30 this year by the web site www.sportsshooter.com. I recommend that you read the full article. An Internet search for "the cloud is falling" will take you straight to it.
The essence of Laforet's message is that the world has changed. For example, the flooding into the market of low-priced yet technically capable digital SLR cameras has changed the business landscape for the truly professional photographer. Ten years ago the price of a digital SLR camera was equivalent to the price of a small car. Only pros with a good business cash flow could justify the cost.
Now in 2008, any photography enthusiast can buy a decent digital SLR camera, get some business cards printed, set up a web site, and call himself a 'professional photographer'. Perhaps a true Pro shouldn't be too worried, because it shouldn't take too long to see that the amateur's photographs are not up to publication standards. But publishers are slowly but surely lowering their standards.
Why would publishers lower their standards? They're lowering their standards because they think they can no longer afford to maintain the previous high standards. The economic playing field for the media industries has shifted. Business models for media companies must change for the sake of survival.
Laforet's article is very relevant to the television broadcast industry. The following phrases, extracted from Laforet's full text, sound very familiar to us TV people: cutting dozens or even hundreds of jobs … general public interest in the mainstream media dissipating . advertisers slashing their spending.
Laforet is describing the newspaper and magazine publishing industries, but there's a very important common thread running through both the print publishing game and the television broadcast industry. Much of worldwide television broadcasting depends on advertising revenue for its existence. And if the advertisers are slashing their advertising budgets, and/or redirecting their ad spend to so-called 'new media', then the TV and print industries are losing their revenue base.
We are entering a global recession, and all large companies will cut back where ever they can in order to maintain the quarterly profit figures – that being the 'vital sign' of health that Wall Street is always looking for. One of the first areas to cut back is the advertising, which has an immediate impact on the media industries.
Television has surely been impacted by the changing economic landscape. When the advertiser's ad spend is down, the TV station's revenue is down too. But just as surely as we feel the winds of economic change, we in the television technology sector are influenced on a daily basis by the relentless march of technology change too.
Cheaper video production equipment sounds wonderful to the end user, but it foretells the end of traditional TV production product lines and systems – and with the loss of business for traditional products and systems, there go the jobs and livelihoods of the people behind them.
I stopped and listened to a presentation by a well-known freelance cinematographer at NAB last year. He was singing the praises of XDCAM HD. He emphasized how much bang one gets for the buck from a US$25,000 XDCAM HD camcorder. Things like time-lapse recording and slow shutter recording presented many new creative avenues for the videographer. But he jokingly commented that he was still receiving regular therapy to help him with the depression he felt about spending US$200,000 on his HDCAM Cine-Alta kit only two years earlier.
And now last year's XDCAM HD purchasers are probably slightly upset that the new XDCAM EX camcorder is so good and so cheap, at about US$10,000 only. The obvious technology trend is for cheaper and better equipment every year or two. Obsolescence has never come so quickly as it does now. But more important than the obsolescence of equipment, is the feeling of obsolescence that haunts many people in the television industry.
Having our role in the broadcast community become redundant is the biggest blow. As the young turks of the IT world rush headlong to replace everything in the entire infrastructure that we've built in the past twenty years, the people who built and maintained the old infrastructure feel a sense of loss.
What has this got to do with karma? Well, in the early 1980s, I was part of a team introducing computer technology to automate the production of newspapers. Our computer systems made an entire union obsolete within a few years – the Printing and Kindred Industries Union (PKIU) in Australia, of which my own father was a member.
Our newspaper production computer systems all but eliminated proofreaders. The standard of English grammar, spelling, and factual accuracy took a nose-dive from then on. In other words, standards declined. But the newspaper management was happy because the decline of profits had been arrested, for a while.
And now, almost thirty years later, I've seen new technologies make many people in my generation obsolete. And it's a much younger set of technologists carrying that new wave of technology into our living rooms and editing suites. So I mustn't complain. I contributed to making people obsolete in the newspaper industry when I was much younger. So now it's my turn to at least feel the threat of obsolescence.
The key to career survival lies in the ability to re-invent oneself – to "stay ahead of the curve", as Laforet puts it. To keep ourselves relevant and useful in our industry is an ongoing challenge, but we must face and overcome it, lest we get thrown out with all the old Betacam VTRs and Trinitron monitors that we lovingly installed and cared for.
Product News
Panasonic AG-HPX170 P2 Camcorder to Ship in September
Panasonic Broadcast announced that its AG-HPX170 solid-state P2 HD handheld camcorder will be available in late September at a suggested list price of $5,695, which includes a 16GB P2 card in the box along with The HVX and HPX Book by Barry Green. The HPX170 features high-definition and standard-definition recording, 3.9mm-51mm zoom lens and an HD-SDI interface for connection to baseband production and distribution infrastructure.
The two-slot HPX170 HD/SD camcorder offers the solid-state advantages of P2 technology (no moving parts, instant random access to recorded HD or SD content, a faster IT compatible file-based workflow and the ability to operate in harsh environments).
Providing independent-frame compression in 20 HD and SD formats, the HPX170 records in a variety of 1080i/1080p and 720p formats in DVCPRO HD, 480i in DVCPRO50 and DVCPRO, and 480i in DV. It is switchable between 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios.
The HPX170's 1/3-inch progressive 16:9 3-CCD imager offers an excellent signal-to-noise ratio, lower noise and smear and better low-light performance than its predecessor. Its digital signal processor offers 14-bit A/D conversion and 19-bit processing. The HPX170 scans the initial image at a native 1080p/60, thereby maintaining high quality across conversions.
For shooting versatility, the compact P2 HD handheld comes with a wide 3.9mm-51mm (equivalent to 28mm on a 35mm lens) 13x Leica Dicomar zoom lens. Precise zoom and focus operation is assured with features like a cam-driven manual zoom ring, 10x digital zoom, manual focus ring and aperture control, as well as valuable HD focus assist functions including histogram, 2x center blow-up and a Focus Bar. It also has built-in waveform and vectorscope display features. The camera's Dynamic Range Stretch (DRS), as a 60p/60i feature, automatically suppresses blown highlights and dark shadows. In addition, an Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.) function automatically corrects blurring so images remain crisp and sharp.
The HPX170 offers an expanded 20-step frame rate selection in 720p mode for variable-speed shooting in the 12fps to 60fps range to acquire fast- or slow-motion in-camera effects. Professionals can select from six advanced gamma modes including CineGamma, which produces the warm tones characteristic of film recordings.
The HPX170 has two P2 card slots, so users can record up to 64 continuous minutes of the highest quality DVCPRO HD recording using currently available 32GB P2 cards. Record times will double with the release of Panasonic's 64GB P2 card in the fall.
Other user-friendly recording modes offered are hot swapping for nonstop recording, loop record, pre-record, interval and one-shot recording. New functions have been added to the user buttons, including last-clip delete and pre-record, and the variable frame rates can be toggled through. A time/date stamp function makes the camcorder ideal for use in law enforcement and legal environments. An enhanced metadata input features a software keyboard to add key data about the shooting environment.
The HPX170 records four channels of uncompressed, 16-bit digital audio.
It is equipped with an HD/SD-SDI output standard for live feed productions as well as for editing and monitoring. It also has a 6-pin locking IEEE 1394 interface and an USB 2.0 interface for fast P2 content transfer into NLE systems. It offers a composite output and component output (mini D-terminal). The camera also features a built-in stereo microphone and two-channel XLR audio input terminals supporting 48V phantom power supply and is switchable between mic and line. Manual audio level volume is offered on two of the channels.
Other operational features include SMPTE timecode generator/reader, clip preview on the camera's 3.5-inch color LCD monitor, instant recording startup, shot marker, text memo, six preset scene files, the ability to load new settings into the camera via an SD card slot, three assignable user buttons, and remote control of zoom, rec, focus and iris.
The AG-HPX170 is backed by Panasonic's five-year limited P2 HD warranty.
CEA to Consider Standards for 3D Video
The US Consumer Electronics Association is forming a discussion group to look at standards for the delivery and presentation of 3D video to the home. The first meeting of the '3D Video Discovery Group' will take place at the association's Technology & Standards Fall Forum held in conjunction with the CEA Industry Forum, Oct. 22 at the Mandalay Bay and Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, from 10 a.m. to noon.
CEA's announcement comes on the heels of a similar announcement from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, who plan to hold a confab on Aug. 19 in Los Angeles to develop a standard in the production of 3D video. The organization, which is a standards setting body for audio-video production, plans to announce its strategy within six months.
An industry standard for the delivery and presentation of 3D video to the home could help accelerate the market for 3D video use and prevent potential interoperability problems, according to CEA.
"Currently movies are being produced and shown in 3D in cinemas with advances in digital cinema improving the experience," said Brian Markwalter, CEA vice president, Technology & Standards. "Pre-packaged content and games have the storage and processing power to deliver 3D video and televisions are available today that can render 3D content. Standards ensuring 3D content is usable to the maximum extent by consumers will benefit the industry."
Samsung and Mitsubishi are selling "3D-ready" HDTV sets using DLP technology from Texas Instruments. IBM, Philips and LG Electronics are also involved in developing the technology.
OmniBus to Deliver iTX on HP Servers
OmniBus Systems announced it is working with HP to provide and support solutions for OmniBus iTX production, master control and automation software and HP server hardware.
Under the HP Developer and Solution Partner Program (DSPP), both companies will collaborate on sales, marketing and support programs for the products. In addition, OmniBus will work with HP to design and deliver a complete, ready-to-run iTX system via HP Factory Express, the company's portfolio of customized and integrated factory solutions. OmniBus is also entering HP's hardware beta program.
"This agreement continues the excellent relationship we have enjoyed with HP," said Tim Mendoza, OmniBus executive vice president. "The superb performance and robust reliability of HP hardware meets the very exacting standards of the broadcasting industry, providing the ideal platform for OmniBus' breakthrough software solutions for television, IPTV and mobile TV applications."
OmniBus iTX solutions will be supplied on HP BladeSystem c-Class servers and HP ProLiant servers, and will be readily scalable to customer requirements.
Combining the functions of a conventional transmission chain into a single, integrated suite of software applications, OmniBus says iTX is flexible, open and feature-rich, and offers a configurable solution for a wide range of operating environments.
Wohler Announces New HD Video Monitors
Wohler's video products division, Panoramadtv, is now offering a new line of monitors for low-cost monitoring of high-definition television signals. The monitors are designed for confidence monitoring applications in transmission centers, production vehicles, post-production houses and duplication facilities.
"RM series monitoring systems allow broadcasters and other media companies to implement cost-effective monitoring systems without the tradeoffs typically required when purchasing lower-cost products," said Carl J. Dempsey, Wohler president and CEO. "While none of the features incorporated into RM series products are new, it is unusual to find them available at this price point."
The RM series accepts video formats up to 1080i and provides users with such features as level meter display of up to eight channels of audio, safe area and frame marks, switchable aspect ratios and built-in colour bars. Currently there are five models in the RM series offering HD capability. They range in screen size from 4.3-inches (in a quad configuration) to 9-inch models in a dual configuration.
RM series design allows displays to be rotated by the user through a 110-degree range in the vertical plane to ensure a satisfactory viewing angle. They include built-in tally indicators and UMD capability.
Acrodyne Debuts New OFDM UHF Transmitter
Acrodyne Industries Inc. has announced the introduction of a new product in the company's transmitter catalogue. The Phoenix is intended for UHF orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) digital video broadcasting and is being provided in a range of output power levels ranging from a few watts up to three kilowatts.
The Phoenix uses solid-state architecture and is built on a modular platform. High-efficiency LDMOS amplifier devices are used and the transmitter's exciter supports all global digital transmission standards. Air cooling makes the unit ideal for service in unattended locations, the company said.
"The Phoenix line of transmitter products is intended to meet the needs of the emerging digital transmission businesses that will occupy the 700 MHz spectrum which will become available after the DTV transition in February 2009," said Nat Ostroff, Ai president and chairman. "Acrodyne draws on its over 40 years of continuous participation in the broadcast TV industry, and is ready to support the build out of those businesses that have been successful in acquiring the use of this newly opened band of frequencies."
Ai's corporate headquarters are located in Cockeysville, Md. and its manufacturing facility is in Phoenixville, Pa.
Deals
Scopus set to acquire Optibase
Scopus Video Networks has revealed that it has entered into a non-binding Term Sheet to acquire Optibase, which reported revenue of approximately $23 million for 2007.
According to the Term Sheet, Scopus will acquire certain assets and liabilities related to Optibase's digital video and streaming business for the value of 2.6 million ordinary Scopus shares of, plus an earn-out of up to 0.9 million additional shares based on the achievement of sales goals. Once the transaction is complete, Optibase, which is currently a 36 percent shareholder in Scopus, will own up to 49 percent (including potential earn-out) of Scopus's outstanding ordinary shares.
The proposed acquisition is subject to due diligence, negotiation and execution of definitive agreements and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including approval of the respective shareholders of Scopus and Optibase. In accordance with Israeli law, the approval of the transaction by Scopus shareholders would require a special majority because it is a transaction with a principal shareholder. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2008.
"The acquisition of the digital video and streaming business of Optibase is a positive step for Scopus," commented Dr. Yaron Simler, CEO of Scopus. "We have identified what we believe to be potential synergies and cost savings associated with this transaction. In addition to our current portfolio, Optibase's products extend the breadth of our offering to our customers, opening up new markets for Scopus. Finally, it should enable us to become a more prominent player in the digital video networking market."
Front Porch names Latin American Distributor of the Year
Front Porch Digital has named LineUp Engenharia Electronica Co as its Latin American distributor of the year. Based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, LineUp achieved the highest volume of Front Porch sales in Latin America for 2007.
"Front Porch Digital recently has achieved tremendous sales growth in Latin America," said Pablo Miliani, Front Porch Digital vice president, Latin American sales. "LineUp's expertise and hard work have contributed to our success throughout the region, but especially in Brazil, where the government has dictated an aggressive HD transition program. The LineUp team has been able time and again to demonstrate to broadcasters what a good time this is to implement content storage management solutions, bringing about new and efficient workflows. This award recognizes their critical contribution."
Founded in 1990 by Brazilian broadcast engineers with an extensive professional track record, LineUp was one of the first companies of its kind to serve Brazil's broadcast industry. Today LineUp specializes in engineering support, maintenance and consulting; systems integration; and products and solution sales. Recent sales of systems from the Front Porch Digital DIVA product line to ESPN Brazil and TV Record were made in association with LineUp.
"Like Front Porch, we pride ourselves on serving the needs of our customers, and Front Porch displays a real commitment to product quality and technological innovation that is a good match for the needs of the industry in Latin America," said Nilson Fujisawa, LineUp technical director. "Here in Brazil, especially, we see ongoing opportunities for media management in education, government, and video and film production."
Quantel and 3ality Digital partner up
3ality Digital and Quantel have inked a partnership agreement aimed at driving the adoption of Stereoscopic 3D medium across production and postproduction. The alliance will also provide technology which will hasten the introduction of full digital 3D television broadcast to the home.
"3ality has developed technologies that enable the creation of amazing realistic and completely comfortable images through tools that simplify the process and are production ready. We have long relied on Quantel systems for Post and they are one of the most respected names in the business. By combining the power of the technologies from both companies, we have created something that is greater than the sum of the parts: a dependable, comprehensive toolset and a predictable pipeline that makes sense to both filmmakers and broadcasters," said Steve Schklair, founder and CEO of 3ality Digital Systems.
The two companies believe their joint effort will drive stereoscopic 3D from a niche application into the mainstream – in particular in the broadcast sector.
"By joining forces, we can help deliver practical stereo workflows across a range of Film, Post and Broadcast requirements. Stereo is a great opportunity for our industry, so it's important that as an industry we get the adoption phase right. 3ality and Quantel are working together to bring practical solutions to market that will deliver high quality results on time and on budget," Quantel strategic marketing manager Mark Horton added.
Additional details of the partnership are set to be revealed at IBC next month.
Prism Sound moves to SADiE HQ
Following its acquisition of the SADiE brand, Prism Sound has completed its purchase of SADiE's former headquarters, The Old School House, where it is in the process of consolidating its entire operation. The company plans to close its Cowley Road offices within the next few months.
Based in the Cambridgeshire village of Stretham, The Old School House has a fully equipped demo facility where customers can test both Prism Sound and SADiE products. It also houses offices and R&D facilities for both brands.
"When we acquired SADiE we also began negotiations to buy The Old School House because we saw this as the perfect base for both brands. The facilities are ideal and having everything under one roof will enable us to operate far more efficiently. We are delighted that the sale has now been completed and we look forward to continuing the tradition of innovation that has been such an important part of this building's recent history," said Graham Boswell, sales director, Prism Sound.
All the staff members have now moved to The Old School House and can be contacted there on: +44 (0) 1353 648888.
Tieline Adds Dealer in Ireland
Codec maker Tieline Technology named Total Broadcast Consultants as its new dealer for the Republic of Ireland.
International Marketing Manager Darren Levy said the agreement will help in its continuing expansion into Europe.
Total Broadcast Consultants is based in Waterford, Ireland. Preco Broadcast Systems will continue to service Tieline customers in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and France.
Tieline Business Development Manager in Europe PJ Fall said Total Broadcast Consultants has designed and built digital radio facilities "from the ground up" and is well placed to advise customers about integrating codec technologies.
"This will be especially useful as broadcasters in Ireland continue to migrate to 3G and IP networks," Fall said. "IP proliferation is still gathering momentum but European broadcasters appreciate the cost advantages of IP over ISDN and the flexibility that the technology provides."
Spice goes global
Spice Group has announced plans to expand its operations internationally and established an office in Singapore.
The company says its expansion is in-line with the global mobile trends40-50 percent of the world's mobile subscriber base located in Asia by 2011.
As part of this expansion plan, Spice will be showcasing 12 of its mobile phones in various international in the coming months.
Spice Group is an Indian conglomerate with operations in telecom, mobile handsets, mobile content and VAS, BPO services, mobiles and accessory retail stores, films and entertainment centres.
People News
Pro-Bel promotes senior execs
Pro-Bel has promoted Patrick Morel to the position of Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Karl Mehring to the role as Head of Solutions Group Worldwide. The promotions are the result of its growing business and buoyant sales, according to Pro-Bel.
Morel takes on responsibility for managing all sales activity in EMEA, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. Patrick started with Pro-Bel as a reseller in France in 1991, and joined the staff in 1995. He set up Pro-Bel's French office in 1998, and since 2003 has been the company's EMEA Sales Director.
In his role as Head of Solutions Group Worldwide, Mehring will be responsible for managing the delivery of a wide range of services including consultancy, system architecting, implementation, training and support. He has been with the company since 1991.
"These new responsibilities which Patrick and Karl are taking on show Pro-Bel's commitment, as our business grows all over the world, to providing the best possible service to our growing customer base and to our partners wherever they are," Graham Pitman, CEO, Pro-Bel said.
Alan Wright joins Technicolor as SVP Business Development
Alan Wright has been appointed as the new senior vice president of Business Development for Technicolor Network Services, part of Thomson. He joins from Prior to joining Motorola, where he led business development for many of its global businesses, including the overall strategy and business development for Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India. Prior to that, Wright held a number of positions with systems integrators and professional service companies.
"Technicolor's expertise in delivering a broad range of managed services for multiple content formats across multiple distribution platforms leaves us well-positioned for the future," said Bill Patrizio, president of Technicolor Network Services. "Alan's background brings the right blend of knowledge and experience to shape our business strategy and continue to accelerate our growth in an increasingly convergent world."
Harris appoints new Director of Broadcast Communications division
Sally Wallington has joined Harris as regional director of its Broadcast Communications business. She will be responsible for growing the Harris broadcast business and driving the region's sales operation in the territory comprising the UK, Ireland, Israel, South Africa and Central Africa and will be based at Harris'European headquarters in Winnersh.
Previously, Wallington held editorial and operational roles at Flextech and Channel 4 in London, and Network Ten in Sydney, Australia. She has over 25 years in the broadcast industry, and managed the professional services operation for Encoda's media business before and after its acquisition by Harris.
"We are delighted to make this announcement, as Sally has been a pivotal member of the Harris team in Europe for a number of years," said Richard Scott, vice president, Europe, the Middle East and Africa operations, for Harris Broadcast Communications. "She was instrumental in the integration of the Encoda business when Harris made that acquisition and has since proved to be a significant asset to our growing business. With her wealth of industry experience in management and business development, Sally is ideally suited to this new sales role within Harris Broadcast's European operations."
Vinten Radamec boosts service support in Germany
Vinten Radamec has announced plans to extend the company's service support team for the German market, with the appointment of Hans-Dieter Theil as Technical Support Engineer.
Theil has been promoted from within the Vitec Group, having originally worked for RDS Lichttechnik. In his new role, Theil will cover the installation, maintenance and service of all Vinten Radamec and Fusion range broadcast robotics equipment. He will work closely with customers in the German market delivering a complete service from trouble shooting and repairs to on-site training for customers installing new Vinten Radamec and Fusion robotics systems.
"We are delighted that Hans has joined our Vinten Radamec technical service team in Germany. He is an excellent addition to the team which will now deal directly with all our customers and potential customers' needs, as Vinten Radamec's service partnership with Cine TV has now ended," said Stan Gosling, Senior Service Manager Europe, Middle East & Asia for Vitec Group. "Germany is a very important market for the Vinten Radamec and Fusion ranges. Broadcast robotics are seen here as delivering a range of benefits for broadcasters and our systems are recognized for their future proof nature and system architecture. Strengthening our customer service and support team with appointments like Hans, underlines our long term commitment to the German market."
Howard Mullinack joins Wheatstone as Director of Marketing
Howard Mullinack has been appointed to the newly created role of director of marketing, at Wheatstone Corporation. He will be reporting directly to president Gary Snow.
Mullinack will be responsible for the marketing and development of the company's new E2 (E Square) Audio over-IP routing and mixing system, and the company's Vorsis on air and studio audio processing equipment.
Prior to joining Wheatstone, Mullinack was director of marketing and development for Sierra Automated Systemsand has also served as CEO of Graham-Patten and vice president of sales and product development for Orban.
"Howard brings to Wheatstone invaluable hands-on broadcast experience in product management and marketing of studio consoles and routing systems, audio processing, and studio facility design and project management. I'm proud to have Howard on board; all of us on the Wheatstone team look forward to his contributions," said Wheatstone president Gary Snow.
Mullinack will split his time between the Wheatstone facility in New Bern NC and his office in New York.
OpenTV expands in India with new hire
OpenTV has hired a new General Manager for its Indian operations. Kishore Shirekar, who joins from NDS, recently joined OpenTV as its General Manager, India and Sales Director, Subcontinent and will be responsible for leading the company's growing presence in India.
"As the leading provider of advanced television services in India, we are committed to this market and to our existing and future customers in this market," said Ben Bennett, OpenTV's Chief Executive Officer. "Establishing local representation will enable us to provide increased support to our customers, grow our customer base, and ensure successful digital television launches across India."
From his base in Mumbai Shirekar will be responsible for managing the relationship with OpenTV's existing customers and growing its customer base in India. He is also tasked with opening a local office that will include a support team aimed at providing local and regional support to OpenTV customers, which include Dish TV and WWIL of Essel Group, Big TV of Reliance-Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group and Sun Direct TV platforms.
Exhibitions & Events
IABM award winners to be announced at IBC
Winners of the IABM Design and Innovation Awards will be announced during IBC. Media commentator and journalist Ray Snoddy will be presenting the awards during a reception on Saturday 13 September 2008 at the RAI.
IABM CEO Roger Stanwell commented: "We are delighted to welcome such a prestigious guest to present the IABM Design and Innovation Awards at IBC this year. His knowledge of the industry we represent is extensive, and I am sure that he will contribute to what will be a very enjoyable evening."
Olympics
CCTV installs 50 Kaleido processors Beijing Olympics
Chinese Central Television (CCTV) has installed a total of 50 Kaleido multi-image display processors from Miranda to monitor the two channels dedicated to the Beijing Olympics. Some of the new processors are also being put to use on OB operations.
Two Kaleido-X processors and 17 smaller Kaleido-Alto-HD and Kaleido-Quad multi-viewers have been installed at CCTV's International Broadcast Centre for master control monitoring. An additional 25 Kaleido multi-image processors have been used across the Olympic Stadiums for production monitoring.
CCTV's new Television Cultural Centre, located in Beijing's Central Business District, has also installed two Kaleido-X processors, which can display up to 160 feeds across eight plasma displays in the master control room. These multi-image feeds are also displayed on 32 monitors located across four studios.
In addition, two new HD OB trucks operated by CCTV have also been equipped with Kaleido multi-viewers. One of these trucks is amongst the largest in Asia, at 14.6 meters in length, and is fitted with 20 cameras.
The Kaleido monitoring systems will monitor external signals from Beijing Olympic Broadcasting (BOB), the official broadcaster for the Olympics, which will provide International Television and Radio (ITVR) signals for broadcasters around the world. The multi-image processors allow easy monitoring of multi-channel audio, with extraction of six channels of audio from embedded signals during the Beijing Olympics. The international live signal will be broadcast entirely in high definition for the first time in Olympic history, with an estimated 4,000 hours of live television.
During the Beijing Olympics, CCTV-HD will broadcast as the 'Olympic HD Channel', and offer live coverage of all the events. At present, eight cities in China (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenyang, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen) can receive HD programmes.
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