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News

aktualisiert am 02.12.2011
CAT-5 goes extra long range

Digital connectivity solutions provider Gefen today announced that two new breakthrough products are currently shipping. The GefenPRO ELR (Extra Long Range) Extenders for HDMI with POL I and II both offer an extra long range extension of multiple signals up to 100 m over just one CAT-5 cable.

The POL technology by Gefen based on the Power over Ethernet standard enables the delivery of power to the receiver unit using the AC power connected at the sender unit. Each receiver unit is equipped with an additional 5 V output to power a supplemental product, such as a scaler, switcher or splitter at the display location.

The GefenPRO ELR Extender for HDMI with POL is good for installations where power requirements are limited or AC power outlets are not viable at the receiving side, such as when mounting projectors on the ceiling. By reducing the CAT-5 cable requirements from two to only one, it also allows installers to easily tap into existing in-wall CAT-5 type cabling, well suited for retrofitting.

HDMI resolutions of 1080p full HD, 3D-TV support, audio, IR remote, RS-232 control, Ethernet and power are all delivered over a single CAT-5 cable to the remote location. Advanced HDMI features include 3D-TV, deep color, lip sync and audio delay. Both the IR backchannel and RS-232 connection can be used to control the display from the remote location. Each receiver can be wall mounted for added convenience.

The GefenPRO ELR Extender for HDMI over CAT5 with POL II offers an optional receiver unit equipped with one additional HDMI input, so users can automatically switch between two HDMI sources, one connected to the sender, and the other connected to the receiver. Both HDMI sources can be alternately viewed at the remote location with auto switching, by IR remote, local front panel selection or RS-232 control. When one source powers down, this receiver will automatically switch to the alternative source. Both products are rack mountable, come with a built-in internal power supply and are HDBaseT compliant.

About Gefen: Gefen supplies a wide selection of signal switchers, splitters, extenders, scalers, converters, KVM, digital signage and home theater accessories that enable audio/video and computer systems to be easily integrated, extended, distributed and optimized to maximize performance. Continual product innovations ensure the company maintains its reputation as a reliable resource for installers and integrators. The GefenTV line offers professional quality home theater accessories for plug and play operation. The Gefen ToolBox line delivers portable, wall-mounted solutions for the nuts and bolts of system integration. The GefenPRO line supplies 24/7 technical support and valuable features for demanding professional industries. All products include lifetime support from technical representatives and engineers available for consultation.

Info: Gefen, Linda Morgan ; eMail: linda@gefen.com ;
Web: www.gefen.com

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aktualisiert am 16.11.2011
BCC 8 AVX is now available

Boris FX announced that Boris Continuum Complete 8 AVX (BCC 8 AVX) is now available. BCC 8 AVX delivers 200+ comprehensive VFX and compositing filters to Avid Media Composer, NewsCutter and Symphony. Flicker Remover and Videoscope tools, integrated Beat Reactor technology for audio-driven effect animation, a new Film Glow filter, and support for 64-Bit operating systems headline the Version 8 release.

BCC AVX gives Avid editors the most comprehensive VFX and compositing plug-in suite ever created. A whopping 200+ filters include 3D Objects such as Extruded Text, 3D particle effects, image restoration tools, lens flares and lights, chroma keying and compositing, a full suite of color correction tools, time-based effects such as Optical Stabilizer, warp and perspective effects, blurs, glows and cinematic effects. All BCC AVX filters take advantage of either multi-processing or OpenGL hardware acceleration for an interactive effects design experience.

Over 1.000 professionally-designed presets are included free with every installation of BCC. Customers can save and freely share their own presets and build customized preset collections tuned to the specific needs of a project – without the need for a costly subscription service. Presets can be shared with matching BCC installations on any host application in which BCC is installed. In addition, via the Boris Transfer workflow utilities, BCC is the only plug-in set that allows easy VFX migration between Avid, Adobe, and Apple editing software – with parameters and keyframed information intact. Boris Transfer AE transfers Avid or Final Cut Pro sequences to After Effects while Boris Transfer FCP transfers sequences between Avid and Final Cut Pro.

Boris Continuum Complete 8 AVX New Feature Highlights

 BCC Videoscope checks color levels at any stage of an Avid project, ensuring broadcast-legal colors of the final output or any individual element in the project.

 BCC Film Glow creates the soft feel of exposed film.

 BCC Flicker Fixer repairs video affected by flickering light or uneven shutter exposure.

 Beat Reactor Technology is now built into many BCC AVX filters, making it easy to generate audio-driven effects such as a pulsing light, a glow, or even an image wipe that follows along with the beat of an audio track.

The following new features will be available to BCC 8 AVX customers via a forthcoming free software update:

 BCC Stage Light simulates production lights, projectors, or stage lighting.

 BCC Lens Flare 3D creates cinematic looks and stylish broadcast design elements.

 BCC Particle Emitter 3D provides a powerful, OpenGL-accelerated particle system.

 BCC Organic Strands emulates flowing strands of matter, glowing plasma, and more.

 BCC Wild Cards allows editors to build complex designs of 2D images in 3D space.

BCC 8 AVX is available immediately through the Boris FX worldwide reseller channel and direct from the Boris FX web site for an introductory MSRP of $995 USD. The regular MSRP will be $1,995 USD. Owners of previous versions of BCC AVX may upgrade for an introductory MSRP of $295 USD. The regular upgrade MSRP will be $599 USD. A free 14-day trial version is available.

About Boris FX: Founded in 1995, Boris FX is a leading developer of VFX, compositing, titling, video editing, and workflow tools for broadcast, post-production, and film professionals. Boris FX products have grown to serve over a million artists worldwide. The company's success lies in its ability to tightly integrate and leverage technologies through strong partnerships with Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, Avid, Grass Valley, Nexidia, Sony and other leading developers of video editing software.

Contact: Boris FX, Rich D'Angelo, +1 (215) 248-1582 ;
eMail: richd@borisfx.com , Web: www.borisfx.com

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aktualisiert am 14.11.2011
Developing a compact 4K high-resolution
outdoor acquisition system

The Belgium company intoPIX has cooperated with NHK Engineering Services, Inc. (Japan) in the development of a JPEG 2000 encoding technology for 4K high-resolution image acquisition. intoPIX JPEG 2000 FPGA based IP-cores enable 4K image compression into a single JPEG2000 code stream in real-time and without any tiling. NHK Engineering Services has already developed a “JPEG 2000 outdoor acquisition system for 4K high-resolution images” that makes the acquisition as easy as if it was HDTV images. It has been utilized during the acquisition of high-speed running scenes (using a vehiclemounted system) and the live broadcast of cardiac surgery.

The technology developed by NHK Engineering Services in collaboration with intoPIX enables a more compact and easier system for the outdoor acquisition of 4K high-resolution images.

NHK Engineering Services will continue to expand the features of this technology and is planning to make full use of JPEG 2000 characteristics, such as its scalability. This technology will be presented at the intoPIX Island booth (No. 7301 in Hall 7), at InterBEE 2011 in Japan, November 16-18.

About intoPIX: intoPIX is a leading supplier of image compression technology to audiovisual equipment manufacturers. We are passionate about offering people a higher quality image experience and have developed FPGA IP-cores and boards that enable leading-edge JPEG 2000 image compression, security and hardware enforcement. More information on our company, customers and products can be found on www.intopix.com.

About NHK Engineering Services: Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, NHK Engineering Services, Inc. was founded in 1981 to widely exploit research and development results accumulated by NHK in society. Business of NHK Engineering Services includes transfer of technology developed within NHK R&D including Ultra high definition images “Super Hi-vision”, publicity and assistance of patents and technical know-how originated by NHK, breakthrough research of video, audio and wireless, engineering test and research, education of engineers and dissemination of technology, as well as research and development of unique technology.

Info: intoPIX s.a., Place de l’Universite 16, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Tel: +32 (0)10 23 84 70;
eMail: sales@intopix.com ; Web: www.nes.or.jp

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aktualisiert am 22.09.2011
Video Archive Recorder

FOR-A Corporation of America will showcase its LTR-100HS Video Archive Recorder at Createsphere’s Digital Asset Management Conference, being held from September 22nd to 23rd at The New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan (Booth #206). The recorder supports LTO-5 technology, the latest standard in long-term, high-capacity tape storage, to provide an effective archive solution. The LTR-100HS utilizes FOR-A’s media asset management platform called Media Concierge, creating a combination of LTO tape technology and FOR-A's baseband and MXF file technologies. This enables an easy transition for video content into a file-based storage system architecture.

The LTR-100HS makes file ingest workflow more efficient and reduces archive space requirements. Equipped with a high quality MPEG-2 codec, the LTR-100HS includes an MXF wrapper/un-wrapper, so MXF files (XDCAM HD/HD422/IMX) recorded to LTO-5 tape can be used directly by many NLE systems. LTO-5 tape cartridges can store approximately 50 h of programming recorded at 50 Mbps.

Within its compact chassis and half rack design, the LTR-100HS includes an LTO-5 drive, 2 TB hard drive, HD/SD-SDI I/O, and LCD monitor. Other features include front panel playback controls with a convenient jog/shuttle wheel, RS-422 for external VTR control, gigabit Ethernet interface for file-based I/O, and USB 2.0 interface for barcode reader, PC keyboard, or USB storage.

About FOR-A: FOR-A is a manufacturer and distributor of video and audio systems to the broadcast, postproduction and professional video markets.

Contact: FOR-A CORPORATION OF AMERICA, Fort Lee Executive Park, 2 Executive Drive, Suite #670, Fort Lee, N.J. 07024,
Tel: 201-944-1120, Web: www.for-a.com

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aktualisiert am 12.08.2011
Live Streaming Video

Gefen announced a new relationship with Marshall Electronics to enable live video footage on any HDTV display. Support for live video is particularly beneficial for many industries including entertainment, hospitality, retail and more.

The Marshall Electronics HD Encoder/Decoder (VS-102-HDMI) accepts video from any non HDCP-encrypted HDMI source, including satellite set-top boxes, hi-def cameras and more. When used in a Gefen Digital Signage Creator project, users are able to feed live video in the HDMI format to any HDTV display, delivering all the features of digital video with digital audio.

The Gefen Digital Signage Creator works with any Windows-based system and gives users full control over their digital signage content creation when connected to the LAN. The intuitive layout program offers the ability to create templates, insert music, layer video images, write scripts to control content and pull RSS feeds off the Internet. Content can be pushed to the Digital Signage Creator for immediate updates or pulled automatically from another server. Equipped with both HDMI and VGA outputs, the Gefen Digital Signage Creator delivers a digital video output or traditional analog video. Video resolutions are supported up to 720p at 60 frames and 1080p at 24 frames in both landscape and portrait alignments. An RS-232 port allows for remote control of content through the display(s).

About Marshall Pro A/V: A division of Marshall Electronics, Marshall Pro Audio/Video is a leading supplier of LCD monitors, digital signage, cameras, business microphones, cables and accessories for A/V professionals around the world. With over 30 years of experience servicing the industrial, broadcast and OEM electronics industries, Marshall Pro A/V offers unique system solutions, flexibility, superior customer service and the latest technologies for the professional audio/video market. Discover the Marshall advantage at

About Gefen: Gefen supplies a wide selection of signal switchers, splitters, extenders, scalers, converters, KVM, digital signage and home theater accessories that enable audio/video and computer systems to be easily integrated, extended, distributed and optimized to maximize performance. Continual product innovations ensure the company maintains its reputation as a reliable resource for installers and integrators. The GefenTV line offers professional quality home theater accessories for plug and play operation. The Gefen ToolBox line delivers portable, wall-mounted solutions for the nuts and bolts of system integration. The GefenPRO line supplies 24/7 technical support and valuable features for demanding professional industries. All products include lifetime support from technical representatives and engineers available for consultation.

Infos: Gefen: Linda Morgan, eMail: linda@gefen.com ;
Web: www.gefen.com

Marshall: Perry Goldstein, eMail: perry@marshallelectronics.net;
Web: www.marshall-usa.com

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aktualisiert am 20.07.2011
Digital Signage Media Players

Digital connectivity solutions provider Gefen announced the availability of two new digital signage media players, expanding the range of solutions it provides for this growing industry segment.

Both Digital Signage Media Players with Wi-Fi offer a SMIL (synchronized multimedia integration language)-compliant media player that works with any computer LAN system, either by connecting directly to the LAN or by using the Wi-Fi connection. Users can playback 1080p Full HD video for stunning visuals.

These players also output component and composite video with two channel (L/R) audio and one-line scrolling text. Each player comes pre-loaded with more than ten, easy to use templates to select from, so users can jump-start their digital signage applications with little to no design experience. Calendar-based scheduling from any computer on the LAN makes operating both players easy and convenient.

The Digital Signage Media Player with Wi-Fi offers 4 GB of internal flash memory and the secure flash card slot can host up to 16 GB of memory, if needed. Keyboards, mice, hard drives and more can be connected through the two USB 2.0 ports.

The Player with Wi-Fi Plus offers the same features but with the added ability to connect live video using a composite video input with audio. Users can also overlay content and separate the video into four quadrants for more complex systems. RS-232 for control of external displays or other connected devices is also included.

Both players support today’s most popular media formats, including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG L2, MP3, H.264/MPEG-4, and VC-1 codec formats. Gefen provides a number of optional CMS (content management system) providers for both players.

Infos: Linda Morgan, eMail: linda@gefen.com

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aktualisiert am 08.04.2011
Arri and Codex Digital release Arriraw Recorder

Codex Digital, a developer of digital media recorders and media management systems for film and television production, today announces that it has reached an agreement with Arri to manufacture a Codex Arriraw recorder for use with Arri’s Alexa and Arriflex D-21 film-style digital cameras. The new recorder will be marketed both directly and through Arri’s worldwide reseller network. Arri and its resellers will also be selling Codex camera mounts, datapacks and transfer stations.

“We are pleased to work with Arri in introducing this new product to the market,” says Codex Digital Managing Director Marc Dando. “We have seen a huge interest in Arriraw from directors and cinematographers worldwide, with several movies already shooting. The Codex Arriraw recorder will give them confidence that there is a complete workflow available with the backing of Codex and Arri.”

Earlier this year, Codex Digital became the first company to receive Arri’s Arriraw format T-Link (Transport Link) certificate, confirming the ability of its recorders to record raw data from the Alexa camera. Codex recorders have been used in combination with the Alexa camera on several film productions, including Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Warner Bros./Paramount), Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (Fox), The Wettest County in the World (Benaroya Pictures) and Gravity (Warner Bros.).

"Alexa and the Codex Onboard recording system have been used on significant feature films, TV series and high-end commercials during the past months, and the feedback was extremely positive,” says Stephan Schenk, General Manager Business Unit Camera & DI systems at Arri. “Codex is not only delivering a reliable product but also immediate and effective support on set. With the Codex Arriraw Onboard recorder and workflow tools, Arri can now offer a technically and commercially attractive solution to its customers around the world through a single, locally established point of contact."

The entry-level recorder will feature single-channel Arriraw recording. Purchasers of the device will be able to upgrade at any time to a fully-featured Codex recorder.

About Arri: Located in Munich, Germany, Arnold and Richter Cine Technik (A&R) was founded in 1917 and is the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of motion picture camera, digital intermediate and lighting equipment. In 2001, Arri was converted into a public limited company; it is involved in all aspects of the film industry: engineering; design; manufacturing; production; visual effects; postproduction; equipment rental; complete turnkey lighting solutions and both film and sound laboratory services. Manufactured products and technologies include professional digital acquisition with the Alexa and Arriflex D-21 cameras; film camera systems for 16 mm, 35 mm and 65 mm; location and studio lighting fixtures; digital imaging solutions such as the ARRISCAN, Arrilaser and various archive tools. These products and services are offered through a global network of subsidiary companies, agents and representatives.

Contact: Catia Marini, Tel. +49 89 3809 1382 ; eMail: cmarini@arri.de ; Web: www.arri.com

About Codex Digital: Codex Digital, based in London, England, designs and manufactures high-end digital equipment for motion picture and television production. Products include high-resolution media recorders and a range of media management stations to manage the entire workflow of a digital production from set to postproduction. The company is setting new standards for end-to-end production workflows.

Contact: Judith Petty, Tel: +44 1895 457 113; eMail: jpetty@arri-gb.com ; Web: www.codexdigital.com

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aktualisiert am 17.03.2011
Extra Long Range Extender

Just a single CAT-5 cable can deliver high resolution 1920x1200 DVI resolutions up to 330 feet (100m) in distance with the new Gefen DVI Extra Long Range (ELR) Extender, announces Gefen. Unique Gefen ELR technology based on HDBaseT standards enables this longer distance extension not previously possible over a single CAT-5 cable. The ability to use one CAT-5 cable can curb costs on lengthy cabling runs in the installation environment, also allowing integrators to tap existing in-wall cabling to deliver video.

This streamlined extender comes packaged in convenient, wall mountable sender and receiver units that can be mounted next to the computer source and at the display side. A single CAT-5 cable connects the sender and receiver, offering an instant delivery of DVI with no latency, delays or interruptions.

To further enhance performance, Gefen supplies local and pass-through EDID management options to ensure a constant signal delivery from computer to display, regardless of the distance the signal must travel. Both sender and receiver units are equipped with locking power supplies designed to maintain a steady connection that will not lose power.

About Gefen: Gefen supplies a wide selection of signal switchers, splitters, extenders, scalers, converters, KVM, digital signage and home theater accessories that build a solid infrastructure for today’s audio/video and computer systems. Continual product innovations enable the company to maintain its reputation as a leading resource for installers, integrators and end users alike. The GefenTV line offers professional quality home theater accessories streamlined for plug and play operation. The Gefen ToolBox line delivers portable, wall-mounted solutions for the nuts and bolts of system integration. The GefenPRO line supplies 24/7 technical support and valuable features for demanding professional industries. All products include lifetime support from technical representatives and engineers available for consultation.

For more information: Gefen, Linda Morgan, 1.818.745.0020;
eMail: linda@gefen.com ; Web: www.gefen.com

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aktualisiert am 28.01.2011
New 4-port USB 2.0 hub

Digital connectivity solutions provider Gefen announced that its ToolBox USB 2.0 Extender Long Range is shipping. This new 4-port USB 2.0 hub powers multiple computer devices at long distances. Up to 330 feet (100 m) can be traversed by portable sender and receiver units that easily fit into any integrated system. Full bandwidth capability offers an instant delivery of multiple USB signals over a single CAT-5 cable.

Perfect for professional environments that access computer data remotely, the USB 2.0 Extender LR works with both lo- and hi-speed USB peripherals, including cameras, scanners, printers, keyboards, hard drives, DVD burners and more. Any four devices using USB can be extended over the same cable, all remotely powered when operating in the field.

As a new ToolBox product, the USB 2.0 Extender LR comes in a rugged wall-mountable enclosure, offers locking power supplies to eliminate potential disconnects and can be purchased in a cream or black finish to better fit any room décor.

Installation is plug and play simple. The computer connects to the sender unit, while the four-port receiver unit connects to the remote peripherals at the remote workstation. A single CAT-5 cable connects sender to receiver, reaching speeds up to 480 Mbps for an instant, long-range signal delivery.

Contact: Gefen, Linda Morgan, Tel. 1.818.745.0020 ;
eMail: linda@gefen.com

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aktualisiert am 4.1.2011
Verkauf von Grass Valley an Francisco Partners
ist abgeschlossen

Mit dem Neuen Jahr beginnt eine neue Ära für Grass Valley. Der Verkauf von Grass Valley an Francisco Partners ist abgeschlossen. Damit ist Grass Valley ab dem 1. Januar 2011 wieder als unabhängiges Unternehmen tätig. Mit dem Verkauf an Francisco Partners hat Grass Valley die beiden vergangenen Jahre der Unsicherheit abschließen können, in denen sowohl die weltweite Finanzkrise als auch der lange Veräußerungsprozess des Unternehmens zu überstehen waren.

Mit der Auslieferung einer neuen Reihe von K2 Summit Media Servern, dem K2 Dyno Replay System, dem Kayenne Video Production Center und der Elite Line der LDK-Kameras, um nur einige zu nennen, hat Grass Valley im Lauf der letzten Jahre sein Engagement für Forschung und Entwicklung und für branchenführende Innovationen fortgesetzt. Die neuen Produkte, integriert im Konzept „Fusion“, bieten den Kunden hochwertige Lösungen in straffer Form. Dies führt zu Arbeitsabläufen, die effizient abgewickelt werden können, leicht zu verwalten sind, funktionsstark für den Anwender und von hoher Qualität sind. Die Forschungs- und Entwicklungsteams des Unternehmens arbeiten intensiv daran, weiterhin marktführende Neuerungen vorzustellen, die den zukunftsorientierten Bedürfnissen seiner Kunden gerecht werden. Das Ziel von Grass Valley ist es, die denkbar effizientesten und einheitlichsten Arbeitsabläufe zu ermöglichen.

Grass Valley sieht jetzt eine sichere Zukunft vor sich, agiert wieder unabhängig und konzentriert sich auf das weitere Wachstum und den weiteren Erfolg des Unternehmens. Es sieht eine seiner wichtigsten Aufgaben darin, den Beweis dafür zu liefern, dass Grass Valley in dieser Branche weiterhin weltweit ein führendes Unternehmen für technologische Innovationen bleibt, bei dem der Kunde im Mittelpunkt steht.

Kontakt: Marketing Communications, Grass Valley, 15655 SW Greystone Ct, Beaverton, OR 97006, United States of America

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aktualisiert am 27.12.2010
Bis zu 20 km: Glasfaser für 3G SDI

The new PRO 3G SDI Fiber Optics Extender, a Gefen product, offers a long-range method of extending any 3G SDI source, far exceeding previous distance limitations. This sender/receiver system is packaged in a small dongle format, offering a rugged construction with a small footprint that can be installed anywhere in true plug and play fashion.

Sender and receiver units are connected to the 3G SDI source and the remote destination up to 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) away. A single-mode fiber optics cable terminated in ST connections links the source (sender) to the destination (receiver), offering a clear video signal transmission for a stellar performance.

All standard and high definition SDI formats are supported including the 3G SDI format. Supported resolutions include 1080p, 1920x1200 and 2k. Latch locking power connectors on both sender and receiver units eliminate potential disconnects in the field. The die-cast metal enclosure means this system will handle challenging environments with ease. Automatic input equalization and output re-clocking further enhance performance.

About Gefen: Gefen supplies a wide selection of signal switchers, splitters, extenders, scalers, converters, KVM, digital signage and home theater accessories that build a solid infrastructure for today’s audio/video and computer systems. Continual product innovations enable the company to maintain its reputation as a resource for installers, integrators and end users alike. The GefenTV line offers professional quality home theater accessories streamlined for plug and play operation. The Gefen ToolBox line delivers portable, wall-mounted solutions for the nuts and bolts of system integration. The GefenPRO line supplies 24/7 technical support and valuable features for demanding professional industries. All products include lifetime support from technical representatives and engineers available for consultation.

More infos: Linda Morgan, Tel: 1.818.745.0020 ;
eMail: linda@gefen.com ;
Web: http://www.gefen.com/gefenpro/gproduct.jsp?prod_id=9186

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aktualisiert am 14.12.2010
BBC purchased 137 Crystal Vision Interfaces

BBC Studios and Post Production has upgraded its Studio Six to be the UK's first 1080p50 HD studio, with Crystal Vision selected as the exclusive interface supplier following the purchase of 137 boards by UK systems integrator ATG Broadcast.

Studio Six is the fourth permanent HD studio at BBC Television Centre in London. BBC Studios and Post Production has seen customer demand for HD increase, with the BBC having launched a simulcast of BBC One in High Definition in November and ITV HD also now fully up and running. To support the volume of work BBC Studios and Post Production has therefore invested in a further HD studio, and can also deliver HD from all of its other studios using HD flyaway equipment, which includes Crystal Vision's 3 GBit/s up and down converters and synchronisers. Studio Six can handle and display all HD formats, including 1080p50 and dual link, with the installation of a dual link 1.5 GBit/s and single link 3 GBit/s HD video infrastructure.

19 of Crystal Vision's Up-Down-A 3G up/down/cross converters are being used for up conversion of SD equipment to HD. Featuring both motion adaptive video de-interlacing and Crystal Vision's proprietary down conversion, Up-Down-A 3G can convert 3 GBit/s, HD and SD sources, handles up to four groups of embedded audio and provides constant-in-format co-timed dual outputs which makes it easy to output both HD and SD at the same time. Seven Q-Down123 down converters are being used for the down conversion of HD to SD, with the SD outputs configurable as flexible mixtures of analogue and digital. Ten of these up and down converters are routable through the matrix, making them available for any additional equipment.

Five Synner-E 3G and two Syn102 synchronisers are being used on incoming and outgoing HD lines to and from the rest of the world. Synner-E 3G is Crystal Vision's latest multi-functional synchroniser and combines a video synchroniser, tracking audio delay, embedder, de-embedder and audio processor with optional fibre I/O on one board, and allows the embedding or de-embedding of up to eight AES in any combination as well as special Dolby E processing.

For the signal distribution, 16 3GDA distribution amplifiers - which work with 3 GBit/s, HD and SD - are being used for test signals and general distribution feeds, with 20 analogue video DAs distributing both signal pulses and PAL floor feeds. 17 ADDEC-210 decoders, four ALLDAC encoders and eight MON210 monitoring encoders are being used for the conversion of DVDs to SDI.

26 TANDEM 3G audio embedders/de-embedders are being used to feed audio to and from the VTRs or servers. Tandem 3G is a single board solution providing a combined embedder and de-embedder for four groups of audio, and includes full shuffling and overwriting of the mono channels between all four groups and optional integrated fibre input/output connectivity. An AADA416FM quad channel analogue audio distribution amplifier is being used for production talkback to cameras distribution, with the inputs and outputs able to be configured in five different ways.

Four Dual 3G-DL and four Dual DL-3G dual link converters are allowing the studio to convert from dual link to 3G for single stream transmission and vice versa. The main studio design is dual link to cater for stereoscopic production as well, with the Dual 3G-DL and Dual DL-3G designed to provide convenient transport of 3D signals on a single wire using Level B processing, which makes it easier to keep track of the 3D without locking the two pictures together, requires less cabling and saves router ports.

The Crystal Vision equipment is being controlled using the Statesman PC software, with the frames located in the Studio Six apparatus
room. The Studio Six refurbishment was completed in September. Crystal Vision interface boards were also selected for the HD upgrade of BBC Studios and Post Production's Studio One in 2006 and Studio Four in 2008.

Company: Based at Whittlesford near Cambridge in the UK, Crystal Vision provides digital keyers, picture storage modules and a full range of digital and analogue interface equipment including
converters, synchronisers, distribution amplifiers and audio embedders to the professional broadcasting industry worldwide.

Office: Crystal Vision Ltd., Lion Technology Park, Station Road East, Whittlesford, Cambridge, CB22 4WL, England

Crystal Vision Ltd., Sarah Sales, Tel: +44 (0)1223 497049, eMail: sarah.sales@crystalvision.tv ; Web: www.crystalvision.tv

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Upgrade for SDI to HDMI Converter

LYNX Technik AG, provider of signal processing solutions for the broadcast and professional AV industries, announces a firmware upgrade for its yellobrik SDI to HDMI converter, the CDH 1811. The firmware upgrade is free, simple to install, and adds several unique features to the already feature-rich CDH 1811 yellobrik SDI to HDMI converter. An optional fiber interface turns the CDH 1811 yellobrik into a fiber converter and can be used as an SDI fiber transmission system for HDMI confidence monitoring.

The on-screen overlay now supports audio presence by showing audio level meters for 16 channels of monitoring. The upgrade also provides users with enhanced flexibility to display active format description (AFD), wide screen signaling (WSS) and VI code for aspect ratio, active picture characteristics and other metadata. The enhancements supplement the existing features of the CDH 1811’s on-screen overlay mode, which includes the display of the SDI input format and bit depth, burn-in windows for DVITC, VITC, LTC timecode, and closed caption presence indication.

Audio support includes balanced line level or unbalanced professional level analog audio outputs, as well as AES outputs which can pass through Dolby E. Two channels of audio from the incoming video signal, or eight channels selected from the input signal can be de-embedded and output as digital AES or analog audio, or embedded into the HDMI output.

By connecting SDI devices to the CDH 1811 and hooking up an HDMI display, broadcasters and professional AV users can visually monitor SDI video, audio feeds, and a vast amount of information about the connected signals. As with all yellobrik modules, all controls, settings and instructions are located on the front panel, so simple function changes and configurations can be accomplished immediately.

The firmware upgrade for the yellobrik CDH 1811 SDI to HDMI converter is available now and free for all existing CDH 1811 customers. The firmware can be downloaded at:
Web:  http://www.lynx-technik.com/index.php?id=549

An installation guide can be downloaded at:
Web: http://www.lynx-technik.com/fileadmin/user_upload/DownloadFiles/yellobrik/Cut_Sheets/
firmware-upgrade-rev1.pdf

Kontakt: Kimberley Fuller, Delamere Marketing, 235 East 40th Street, Suite 41D, New York, NY 10016, USA, Tel: +1 917 675 6050 ;
eMail: kim@delameremarketing.com

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Multi-Format Video Switcher

FOR-A unveiled the HVS-4000HS multi-format video switcher at the IBC Show in Amsterdam. Available in 2 M/E or 2.5 M/E models, the latest HANABI Series switcher features support for HD/SD mixed inputs, as well as optional support for 3 GBit/s and stereoscopic 3D production. Flexibility and functionality were two of the most important considerations when FOR-A designed the new HVS-4000HS. The new switcher delivers the features that can handle the mixed format productions of today, along with options like 3G and 3D to make sure our customers can handle the production needs of tomorrow.

With its optional stereo 3D function, the HVS-4000HS can handle the left and right video from a stereo camera as a pair, which allows the operator to switch or invert video, add delays, execute horizontal shifts and transitions, and more. While the switcher supports 1080i, 720p, NTSC, and PAL signals, its optional 3G-SDI input provides support for 1080p signals.

A wide range of standard features includes 3D DVE, six still stores (expandable to eight), four keyers for each M/E (expandable to six), macro function, external device control, video file support, and built-in multi-viewer. The HVS-4000HS includes 16 HD/SD-SDI inputs and 16 outputs, which can be expanded to up to 48 inputs and 24 outputs. Selectable outputs include PGM, PREV, CLEAN, KEY, AUX, and MV. Four utility bus channels can be used for keyer external mask, wipe border, background for M/E bus picture-in-picture, sources for keyers that do not have a dedicated bus, side panel, and local still.

The HVS-4000HS 2 M/E model features a control panel designed for simple, direct operations, which is available in 16 or optional 24-button versions. The 2.5 M/E model emphasizes direct access to preset content, including a macro bus and event recall button for each M/E. Its control panel is available in 24 or 32-button versions. The 4 RU main unit with redundant power supply and production options are the same for both models, so customers can upgrade to 2.5 M/E even after purchasing a 2 M/E model.

For more: http://www.for-a.com/products/hvs4000hs/hvs4000hs.html

And for a newly released tutorial on FOR-A’s HVS-350HS HD/SD 1.5 M/E Digital Video Switcher, please go to the following
URL: http://wwwfor-a.com/etutorial/hvs350hs_tutorial.html

The HVS-350HS was introduced at the NAB 2010. A “big brother” to the popular and cost-effective HVS-300HS, the HVS-350HS switcher is ideal for mobile production units and small control rooms that have limited space but produce challenging programs, such as sports and other live events.

About FOR-A: FOR-A Corporation of America is a major manufacturer and distributor of video and audio systems to the broadcast, postproduction, and professional video markets.
Contact: Tel. (714) 894-3311 ; Web: www.for-a.com

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Kinokette entscheidet sich für
4K-Projektoren von Sony

Wie Sony berichtet, plant Vue Entertainment die größte Kinokette Europas zu werden, die vollständig mit der digitalen 4K-Technologie von Sony Professional ausgestattet ist. Für Vue ist die Vereinbarung mit Sony Professional ein wichtiger Meilenstein bei der Umstellung auf rein digitale Projektion. Die von Vue angestrebte Langzeitinvestition eröffnet dem Unternehmen zahlreiche neue Möglichkeiten, beispielsweise höhere Programmflexibilität und eine größere Auswahl an Inhalten für seine Kunden. Mit mehr als 36 Millionen Kinobesuchern pro Jahr in 657 Kinosälen an 68 Standorten ist Vue Entertainment eine der größten Kinoketten Europas. Die 4K-Technologie von Sony Professional ist für 2D und 3D nutzbar.

eMail: Vanessa.Aza-Kwasniewski@eu.sony.com

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AzzurroCam Production System

Azzurro Systems Integration (ASI) has added functionality to its AzzurroCam fully integrated, compact production system. Already ideal for sports arenas, insert studios and corporate AV departments, AzzurroCam's new features broaden its appeal to News Bureaus.

Designed to offer a reasonably priced, all-in-one, high-quality HD video transmission solution, AzzurroCam now supports HD, SD and anamorphic SD formats, can control box camera and robotics for higher-end studios or production facilities, and is available in a flypack configuration for portability. AzzurroCam is also useable for sports arenas, insert studios, corporate AV departments, or any facility requiring a robotically controlled single or multiple pan/tilt and zoom camera application.

The new functionality adds to AzzurroCam’s easy-to-use yet feature-laden menu that includes a proprietary touch screen interface so non-technical users can control multiple cameras and set-up functions, DMX lighting, audio mixer with two microphone inputs, and IFB audio levels. Operation can be accomplished locally or remotely via a PC-based control system that permits remote control of all functions, with presets, using intuitive on-screen buttons, or a joystick and control panel.

The system seamlessly interfaces to IP, ASI or HD/SDI transmissions. A low-resolution video stream of the camera output is visible on the touch screen allowing a remote operator to frame shots.

AzzurroCam is easily customizable for multi-camera applications, or for single control of several locations. It comes equipped with a Sony robotic controlled HD/SD camera with pan/tilt, zoom, focus, aperture and camera painting.

About Azzurro Systems Integration: Azzurro Systems Integration
(ASI) is a full service systems design and integration company. ASI addresses the technical needs of the television industry offering comprehensive solutions, including consulting, engineering, design, documentation, project management, equipment procurement, custom fabrication, system integration, project commissioning, training, and after-installation support.

Contact: Bill Cordo; 201 – 767-0850 ; Email: bcordo@azzurrohd.com ; Web: www.azzurrohd.com 

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Image Maker series

Tiffen International is now shipping its new Image Maker series of professional filter kits that are designed for use in most common video shoots. Targeting both emerging and professional videographers the kits each comprise a carefully selected set of optical filters that can enhance the results for defined shooting conditions and requirements.

Each kit includes three 4 x 4-inch filters from Tiffen’s ColorCore technology to provide a range of effects and densities that can add production value and scope to the resulting footage. The filters for each of the five kits have been selected for specific applications, offering filters used to control light – typically in exterior shoots – as well as those used to for aesthetic creation of mood that cannot be achieved with lighting alone. The filters are intended for use with professional video cameras including video DSLRs.

The kits currently on offer in the Image Maker series are:
The Image Maker Fundamental Kit containing an UltraPol Circular Polarizer, Neutral Density 0.9 and Pro-Mist¼, is ideal for outdoor applications.
The Image Maker Contrast Kit with a Soft Contrast 2, Ultra Contrast 1, and Low Contrast ½ - containing our award-winning Ultra Contrast filters, this kit is ideal for controlling contrast in bright sunlit exteriors, while capturing lost detail in shadow areas.
The Image Maker People Kit includes the Nude FX 1, Nude FX 3, and 812 Warming Filter. As its name suggests, the People Kit is ideal for portrait photography, offering enhancing filters that provide flexibility and control when shooting skintones.
The Image Maker Grad Kit contains a Clear/Cool Blue 2 Soft Edge, Clear/Straw 2 Soft Edge, and Color-Grad ND0.9 Soft Edge. Ideal for outdoor applications, these half-colour, half-clear filters add colour selectively with a graduated density transition for smooth blending into the scene.
The Image Maker Diffusion Kit contains a Black Pro-Mist ¼, Gold Diffusion FX ½, and Glimmer Glass 1. This kit is again is deal for portraits with each filter creating a diffused image that do not look as if its has been shot through a filter.

About Tiffen: Tiffen is a manufacturer and supplier of photographic filters and lens accessories for consumer and professional imaging as well as for the motion picture and broadcast television industries, with almost 70 years experience. Today, the company offers a wide range of products from its divisions, which include: Consumer, Motion Picture and Television and Digital and well as Tripods and Support Systems that includes high-tech camera stabilizing systems. The company has a rich history of innovative product design, superior optical consistency and unparalleled quality. The Tiffen factory and corporate offices are located in Hauppauge, Long Island, New York. The Steadicam factory and US sales offices are located in Glendale, California.

Contacts: Tiffen International: Kevan Parker; kparker@tiffen.com
T +44 (0)870 100 1220

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3D track for 3D

By R. Auer

In all the efforts taken for many years in the field of 3D vision in movies and TV, I am still missing an objective evaluation method for the depth level. Modern laser distance meters, which are available for little money at hardware stores, are capable of measuring, for instance, the dimensions of rooms with a precision lower of an inch. If the laser beam used by these devices were rasterized and projected into a camera's optical path by means of a beam splitter, the raster scan of the space covered by the lens would provide a measured distance value for every point in this room. This three-dimensional image of the room is a solid basis for all follow-up processing when read objectively and sequentially from the distance meter's data. This data could be embedded, for instance, into the digital video signal in parallel with the video data, which means it would be in synch with the video signal at all times.

Regardless of the TV standard or quality standard used the respective cameras, this would provide objective "depth level" data for every image. A few tests would already be sufficient to determine the distance up to which the measuring would have to be done - but these values supposedly already exist. The laser's power output needs to be adjusted accordingly - short distance, low laser power, more laser power for more distant objects. The questions that go with the laser scan are the question for the scan rate per second and the question how many depth measuring points will be required per image for flawless 3D vision. This process would allow for a distinction of quality, like the quality difference between SD and HD.

Manufacturers of cameras and 3D equipment will not like this idea too much, because hitherto, the 3D effect involved the use of 2 in-synch cameras, mounted to an appropriately precise mechanical device.

email: info@av-live.de   WEB: www.av-live.de

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By examining, incorporating and improving upon current systems, as well as encouraging third parties to participate in an open discussion, the triumvirate of industry leaders aims to deliver higher customer value than existing solutions can offer. Already, the group offers the existing, unrivaled range of prime lenses that are the result of the decade long partnership between ZEISS and ARRI. Now, the new ARRI/Fujinon Alura zooms are introduced. This is a great benefit for customers who can now shoot with modern primes and zooms that are perfectly matched according to tight specifications.

The group will push developments to encourage more effective integration and communication between cameras and lenses. Beyond the benefits of idealized mechanical and optical synergies, solutions are needed that respond to the needs of today's industry and also combine affordability with enhanced electronic data transfer, thereby simplifying postproduction workflows - especially those that incorporate visual effects elements.

About ARRI: Located in Munich, Germany, Arnold and Richter Cine Technik (A&R) was founded in 1917 and is the largest manufacturer of professional motion picture equipment in the world. In 2001, ARRI was converted into a public limited company. The company is involved in all aspects of the film industry: engineering, design, manufacturing, production, visual effects, post-production, equipment rental and laboratory services (film and sound). Manufactured products and technologies include professional digital acquisition with the ALEXA camera, the ARRIFLEX D-21, in addition to camera systems for 16mm, 35mm, 65mm film, location and studio lighting fixtures, digital imaging systems like the ARRISCAN, ARRILASER, ARRICUBE, and ARRI Relativity™. These products and services are offered through a network of subsidiary companies, agents and representatives worldwide.
More information: http://www.arri.com

About Carl Zeiss: The Carl Zeiss Group is a leading group of companies operating worldwide in the optical and opto-electronic industries that generates revenues totaling around EUR 2.1 billion (2008/09). Carl Zeiss offers innovative solutions for the future-oriented markets of Medical and Research Solutions, Industrial Solutions and Lifestyle Products. The company develops and distributes surgical microscopes, diagnostic systems for ophthalmology, microscopes, lithography optics, industrial measuring technology, planetarium technology, optronic products, camera and cine lenses, and binoculars and spotting scopes. The eyeglass business is bundled in the joint venture Carl Zeiss Vision International GmbH. The Carl Zeiss Group has approximately 13,000 employees worldwide, including more than 8,000 in Germany. The Carl Zeiss business groups hold leading positions in their markets. Carl Zeiss AG is fully owned by the Carl Zeiss Stiftung (Carl Zeiss Foundation). Founded in 1846 in Jena, the company is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany.
More information: http://www.zeiss.de/en

About Fujinon: In 1944, FUJINON CORPORATION was established to develop the optical instrument business of FUJIFILM group. FUJINON has been successful for the development of optical units for digital still cameras and cellar phones. In 1964, FUJINON lead the world in developing the zoom lens for broadcasting. In 1979, FUJINON developed the world's first HD zoom lens. With its innovative technology such as the aspheric glass lenses with wider apertures and the highest magnification of 101 times zoom lens. Fujinon has established the firm position as a market leader in TV broadcasting lenses. In 2009, FUJINON launched four kinds of HK series of cine zoom lenses corresponding to 4K, and FUJINON acquired a great reputation for cine zoom lenses as well. FUJINON will keep developing new products applying its innovative technology, to satisfy the market demands for the higher resolution zoom lenses in the future.
More information: http://www.fujinon.co.jp

Sebastian Nederkorn, Broadcast & Cine Lens Sales, FUJINON (EUROPE) GmbH, Halskestraße 4, D-47877 Willich, Germany,
Phone: +49 2154 924 209
mailto: nederkorn@fujinon.de ; http://www.fujinon.de
Geschäftsführer/President Fujinon: Hidetoshi Kimura

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Television Nacional de Chile (TVN), the state-owned television broadcaster, has purchased six LDK 8000 Elite multi-format high-definition cameras by Grass Valley, to add to twelve others that have been successfully in use for more than a year. The new cameras will be used in a new HD production studio in Santiago and as well as for a new OB van that will cover remote productions. The order was placed in October and the new cameras will be on-air at TVN Chile in January 2010. The 12 existing LDK 8000 cameras, all recently upgraded to the LDK 8000 Elite version, are used extensively in two TV production mobile units and two studios, each with three cameras. TVN is now adding another mobile unit and another studio. "We have had good experience with the Grass Valley cameras we use every day and like the fact that the cameras are HD format switchable" said Mario Sepúlveda, Deputy Technical Manager, at TVN Chile. The LDK 8000 Elite series of multi-format cameras features three next-generation 9.2-million pixel HD-DPM+ sensors, and is the only camera available that can capture true progressive HD images natively and switch instantly among multiple formats and frame rates.

Media Relations: Denise Williams; Phone: (503) 526-8160;
denise.williams@grassvalley.com

Claudine Cecille Phone: +33 6 07 86 55 52;
claudine.cecille@thomson.net

Industry Analyst Relations: Guillaume Trichard;
Phone: +33 1 41 86 65 71;  guillaume.trichard@thomson.net

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TV2GO Inc., an international satellite transmission and video production company, debuted its 31-foot uplink mobile truck in October featuring the FOR-A HVS-300HS compact HD/SD switcher and the MV-410HS HD/SD high-resolution quad multi-viewer. The decision to go with the MV-410HS was based on the high quality TV2GO found with the MV-1610HS HD/SD multi-display processor in its studio. The TV2GO teleport studio is built around a FOR-A HVS-500HS switcher and includes two FRC-7000 frame rate converters, two FA-9100 HD/SD frame synchronizers. On the back wall of the new truck, TV2GO installed a 46-inch LCD screen that serves as the display for the FOR-A multi-viewer. "In order to monitor multiple signals, we were sold on the MV-410HS multi-viewer," said Partington. "Every time you plug in a camera, monitoring is taken care of. One large screen provides all the monitoring we need and takes the place of a dozen old TV sets." When an engineer is initially setting up the truck, he uses the auto-sensing feature of the quad split. No matter what the signal is, the engineer can verify it's there. "Also, we love the audio meters. You can tell at a glance if everything is good." The MV-410HS is a four-channel multi-viewer that supports mixed input of HD-SDI, SD-SDI, and analog composite signals. It offers high-resolution video output using a DVI terminal and supports user-created patterns and video transfer over a LAN. The HVS-300HS multi-format 1 M/E switcher features a compact 1RU main unit, making it an ideal solution for mobile applications. TV2GO chose FOR-A for its new truck based on years of experience with various other FOR-A products, including the FRC-7000 frame rate converter.

About FOR-A: FOR-A is a major manufacturer and distributor of video and audio systems to the broadcast, postproduction and professional video markets. For more information about FOR-A's product line, call 201-944-1120 visit our web site at www.for-a.com

Press Contact: Robin Hoffman, Pipeline Communications; (973) 746-6970; e-mail: robinhoffman@pipecomm.com

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Dalet Digital Media Systems announced that News 14 Carolina, Time Warner Cable's 24-hour local news channel in North Carolina, has implemented Dalet Enterprise Edition to facilitate a unified news production and broadcast workflow between their Raleigh, Charlotte, and Greensboro newsrooms. Dalet Enterprise Edition integrates the newsrooms' content gathering, production, and distribution operations by providing a single digital platform and interface for logging and searching materials, editing packages, and managing broadcasts.  The streamlined production workflow connects journalists, editors, and producers from various locations under one technology umbrella, greatly improving communication between all newsrooms and the Raleigh production hub. It also centralizes playout management and distribution within the Raleigh facility, optimizing broadcast opportunities and resources. 

Like their Time Warner Cable sister station, NY1 News in New York City, News 14 Carolina's primary format is the 24-hour news wheel. Journalists shoot and use Dalet to edit their video content locally. Dalet automatically sends final packages via WAN from Charlotte and Greensboro to Raleigh. Stories are queued in a Dalet playlist wheel for distribution over Time Warner Cable channels. Dalet also distributes individual stories to www.news14.com. To accommodate the large geographic area, News 14 Carolina has four distinct 24/7 news wheels, slating stories for statewide or regional broadcast.  "News 14 Carolina has an atypical workflow and Dalet's flexible architecture was able to adapt to it exactly. The integrated production, newsroom and playout capabilities are consolidated onto one platform, enhancing collaboration from journalist to control room," remarked Benjamin Desbois, General Manager, Dalet Digital Media Systems. "Dalet's single software solution also eliminates a number of costs associated with maintaining multiple systems, providing a tremendous savings for News 14 Carolina." Superior to traditional newsroom systems using MOS protocol, Dalet's natively integrated news automation control and rundown management features improve reliability and provide advanced play to air functionalities, including management of late-breaking news events and playout while transferring.

The tapeless workflow at News 14 Carolina includes Dalet's comprehensive logging tools, flexible metadata forms, and fast search and browse engine. Also included are a full-featured Dalet newsroom system with editorial tools for planning, rundowns, wires, and scripts, and desktop video editor Dalet MediaCutter. "Dalet brings a major video production upgrade to News 14 Carolina. Every journalist can sit at their desk and edit a 15 second teaser or full package," said Mason.  "We can do things that we couldn't before… such as adding a video clip or a sound bite into the nightly sports show rundown using Dalet on the anchor laptop DURING the show. The flexibility with this system is enormous!"  Dalet production tools are integrated within the underlying MAM framework combining traditional newsroom features with video production. The editorial workflow engine provides global management of user permissions, scheduling, conversions and distribution while automating the complexities of inter-newsroom production and distribution.

About Dalet: Dalet solutions enable broadcasters and content professionals to create, manage and distribute media for traditional and new media channels including interactive web and mobile networks. Dalet Enterprise Edition combines a MAM platform and workflow engine to manage News, Sports, Programs, Entertainment and Archives. Purpose-built media production tools are natively integrated, optimizing access to media, collaboration and streamlining production workflows. At the core is an open and flexible MAM platform that tracks metadata from ingest to archive, ensuring media assets are indexed and searchable across the workflow. Delivered with Dalet Professional and Integration services, Dalet provides complete solutions that improve production speed, quality, and value of media assets.

Visit www.dalet.com or contact: Zazil Media Group, Janice Dolan;
(p) +1 617 817 6595; (e) janice@zazilmediagroup.com

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ARRI's new ALEV III sensor captures
Renaissance masterpieces

The sensor demonstrator of ARRI's next-generation digital camera system was recently put to use on its first professional production. Boasting a base sensitivity of 800 ASA and exceptional latitude, the 35-format CMOS sensor is named ALEV III and has been developed for three groundbreaking new ARRI digital cinematography cameras that will be released successively in 2010.

Ciro Cappellari, the acclaimed Argentinean-born director, cinematographer and writer, utilised the new ARRI sensor for selected sequences of Habemus Papam, his latest documentary feature. "We needed some representative shots of Rome, because our film explores the influence of the Vatican on the city," says Cappellari. "For these shots we wanted a very high picture quality and a dramatic look, so we were filming at dawn and also at dusk. We did some shots of the sun coming through clouds onto St. Peter's Basilica with at least ten stops of latitude and it was no problem for the ARRI camera. I had the feeling that I was working with a 35mm negative when I saw the pictures."

The sensitivity of the ARRI sensor demonstrator proved useful for interiors at the Sistine Chapel, where the production was forbidden from using any lights. "We were filming the architecture and the frescos," continues Cappellari. "The light in the chapel was exactly the same as when those frescos were painted: a very low light that comes from windows at the top. It was beautiful to be able to film in that same light with the 800 ASA ARRI camera."

For Andreas Berkl, a support specialist from the ARRI Digital Workflow Team in Munich who provided on-set support, the shoot was an invaluable element of the exhaustive R&D work that ARRI is putting into the new digital cameras in advance of their launch next year. "The system is still under development, so this was an excellent opportunity to test it in the field," he says. "We were keen to use the demonstrator on a real production and we learned a lot."

The sensor's unparalleled combination of sensitivity and image quality again proved useful for interiors at St. Peter's Basilica. "It was important to have high resolution and sensitivity for some POV shots of the children in our story entering the basilica for the first time," says Cappellari, who is currently editing the film. "Although we're not editing in full resolution, I can already see the incredible quality of the pictures from the ARRI sensor." Producer Norbert Preuss concludes that "it all went fantastically well. The images we got are absolutely great and the camera performed very well in extremely low light conditions."

Judith Petty; +44 1895 457113; jpetty@arrimedia.com

About the company: Located in Munich and Stephanskirchen, Germany, Arnold and Richter Cine Technik (A&R) was founded in 1917 and is the largest manufacturer of professional motion picture equipment in the world. In 2001, ARRI was restructured and converted into a closely-held corporation. The company is involved in all aspects of the film industry: engineering, design, manufacturing, production, visual effects, post-production, equipment rental and laboratory services (film and sound). Manufactured products and technologies include professional high definition video with the ARRIFLEX D-21, in addition to camera systems for 16mm, 35mm, 65mm film, location and studio lighting fixtures, digital imaging systems like the ARRISCAN, ARRILASER and ARRICUBE. These products and services are offered through a network of subsidiary companies, agents and representatives worldwide.

For locations and more information, visit: www.arri.com

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Southlands Church finds superior sound on an
tight budget with iLive

Southlands Church in Brea, California, recently installed a new sound system following its relocation from a temporary to a permanent facility, selecting an Allen & Heath iLive digital system as the centre point.

They hired Paul Dexter of 7k Audio, a Grammy-nominated studio mixer who has designed systems for some of the best-sounding churches in Orange County.

 “While I’m a record producer first, I’ve managed a few rock ‘n roll church installs in the area, and word gets around,” notes Dexter. “My job was to give them the sound they wanted and the knowledge they needed, while working within a pretty modest budget. One of the keys to making that happen was choosing an Allen & Heath iLive-112 system as the mixing console.”

 “My job was to represent the church’s needs to Paul Dexter – what kind of sound system we wanted, how we use it for various events, etc,” explains Dudley Rogers, primary sound engineer at Southlands. “I liaised between 7k Audio and the church administration.”

 The “new” facility is actually an industrial space that has been converted for worship use.  The room was gutted and divided into a worship space, with other areas reserved for future development. To create a reasonable sonic footprint in this steel and concrete space, the floor was carpeted, and the ceiling covered.

 During the design of the sound system, Paul Dexter took special care to find a console that could fit into the budget without compromising on either sound quality or functionality. He eventually selected an Allen & Heath iLive system, comprising an iDR10 MixRack and iLive-112 Control Surface.

 “Features are one thing but finding a digital console that sounds good has been very frustrating and I was on a year-long journey looking for a good-sounding yet affordable digital console. I looked at a lot of them, and the Allen & Heath was the only one in that price range that I fell in love with. The sound, the EQ, the A/D converters – everything was top notch, and I was absolutely astonished by the user interface. It’s a brilliant approach.”

 The iLive fast learning curve allowed Dexter to concentrate on his specialty – teaching volunteers how to achieve a great mix.

 “Most contractors teach what all the buttons do but don’t really have time to go much further. It’s a problem,” he says. “I teach my customers how to mix from an artistic point of view as well – how to listen, what to listen for, plus some technical training on things like EQs and compressors, some of the tricks we use in the studio to get a great sound.”

 Southlands’ iLive handles both FOH and monitor duties and is set up with 32 input channels and 16 outputs in the iDR10 MixRack, which is located behind the stage and connected to the iLive-112 Control Surface via a single CAT5 cable.

 “The band is on wedges currently but the system is wired up for in-ears in the future. They also plan to have a ProTools recording studio in the future, so we left room for expansion.”

 The main PA outputs feed a SymNet system for processing before going to the speakers. As the room is wider than it is deep, Dexter opted for a stereo point source approach, with a pair of EAW speakers hung on each side, reinforced by three subwoofers in the centre, all powered by QSC amplifiers. Five more outputs are used to send the monitor mixes to the band on stage, while another handles distributed audio for the lobby cry room and hallways.

 “The new system is simply brilliant,” says Dudley Rogers. “With a good speaker system and a new building, we expected it to sound good but this is so clean, it sounds like a CD! We pushed for digital because we wanted the flexibility and ability to save our settings. Of course, the iLive does all that but what surprised us was how easy it was to learn for the volunteers. The whole system is so intuitive, it allows us to concentrate on getting a great mix instead of the mechanics of board operation.”

www.southlands.net,   www.7kaudio.com,   www.ilive-digital.com

American Music & Sound:  U.S. Press Contact: Gabriel Whyel, American Music & Sound

T: 866.474.7711,    Email: gwhyel@AmericanMusicAndSound.com

Allen & Heath: Established for nearly 40 years, Allen & Heath designs and manufactures professional audio mixing consoles for an international clientele in the live sound, installed systems and nightclub markets.

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Up-and-down-AAFD

A new up/down/cross converter by Cristal Vision which also includes fully flexible aspect ratio conversion and AFD data insertion.

New from Crystal Vision is Up-and-down-AAFD, one multi-functional board designed to up, down or cross convert video signals containing embedded audio, provide fully flexible aspect ratio conversion for SD sources and insert SMPTE 2016 Active Format Description data into the output video for aspect ratio correction by downstream equipment.

Up-and-down-AAFD offers exceptional performance for up conversions of Standard Definition to 720p and 1080i at 50Hz and 59.94Hz, down conversions of 720p and 1080i to Standard Definition at 50Hz and 59.94Hz, and cross conversions of 720p to 1080i and 1080i to 720p. Motion adaptive video de-interlacing ensures that the best processing method will be chosen based on the video content, while the adjustable detail enhancement feature allows the image to be sharpened and further picture enhancements come from full RGB adjustment of contrast and brightness. Up-and-down-AAFD also includes strong resilience against input signal disruptions and quick recovery from corrupted signals. Ideal for anyone working with embedded audio sources in studio or transmission applications, Up-and-down-AAFD will pass two groups of embedded audio, de-embedding the two lowest numbered groups and converting them to the appropriate format before re-embedding them on groups 1 and 2 of the output. Four audio groups can be passed in bypass mode.

In addition to its functionality as an up/down/cross converter, Up-and-down-AAFD doubles as a fully flexible 10 bit Standard Definition aspect ratio converter. As well as presets for the six standard conversions between 4:3 and 16:9, it offers the flexibility to compress and expand a picture horizontally and vertically, as well as the ability to adjust the image position and crop the picture. Up-and-down-AAFD will also look after any aspect ratio conversion requirements when up or down converting.

Up-and-down-AAFD can also be used to label a signal with SMPTE 2016 data to describe the Active Format Description (AFD), which some HD installations use to allow a following down converter to output the Standard Definition with an appropriate aspect ratio conversion. HD programmes are often made of a mixture of true High Definition sources and SD sources that have been up converted and have black pillars at the sides, and when the HD signal is originated from Standard Definition it is necessary for the down converter to behave differently and perform a centre cut conversion. When up, down or cross converting Up-and-down-AAFD can insert one of sixteen AFD codes into the signal for the down converter to read, with the code describing which areas of the screen contain a picture and which areas are black 'padding'. The AFD code is contained in an ANC data packet, which is carried in the active portion of a specified line in the vertical blanking.

Shipping now, Up-and-down-AAFD is a space-saving 100mm x 266mm module which fits in Crystal Vision's standard frames (in 4U, 2U, 1U and desk top box sizes) alongside any other product from the range, with the flexible control alternatives including PC software.

Based at Whittlesford near Cambridge in the UK, Crystal Vision provides digital keyers, picture storage modules and a full range of digital and analogue interface equipment including converters, synchronisers, distribution amplifiers and audio embedders to the professional broadcasting industry worldwide.

Sarah Sales

If you would like a photo of Up-and-down-AAFD, you can either e-mail me to request one, or alternatively download one from our website at http://www.crystalvision.tv.

Crystal Vision Ltd., Tel: +44 (0)1223 497049,    Fax: +44 (0)1223 497059 

E-mail: sarah.sales@crystalvision.tv,     Website: www.crystalvision.tv

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New London Broadcast Center Will Rely on
Snell Video Routing Systems 

Installed as Part of the W1 Project, Snell's Sirius 800 Routers will provide core video routing for the redeveloped London Broadcast Facility

Snell announced that the company's Sirius 800 Series large-scale multiformat router will provide core video routing for the BBC within the newly redeveloped London Broadcasting House. Dubbed the W1 Project, the restoration and expansion of the BBC's central London home will consolidate radio, news, and world service into a single facility in the heart of London. A system of Sirius 800 Series routers has been purchased through the public procurement process. 

The Sirius 800 Series routers are being integrated as part of the second phase of the W1 project, which includes the addition of a brand-new extension to Broadcasting House. Designed to be in harmony with surrounding structures and to incorporate the latest technology, this spacious and modern broadcast center will contain one of the largest live newsrooms in the world.

Snell routing systems allow engineers to mix and match signals — 1.5 Gbps and 3 Gbps HD, SD, and ASI on fiber and cable interfaces, as well as AES and MADI audio — within the same frame and to add cards as routing demands grow. Expandable to 1152 x 1152, the Sirius 800 Series router also features redundant video and audio crosspoints, a wealth of multiviewer outputs, and extensive status indicators and reporting. 

A simple touch-screen interface provides quick and easy access to a comprehensive range of status and diagnostics information. All this information can be linked to Snell's MCM system, enabling remote access to the same information, or through the MCM rules engine for automatic rerouting of signals. Support for a variety of high-performance processing input and output modules makes the Sirius 800 Series a highly adaptable and flexible solution for evolving broadcast operations.

Susan Warren

More information about the Sirius 800 Series routers and other Snell products is available at www.snellgroup.com.  

Press Contact: Susan Warren, Wall Street Communications

Tel: +1 631 261 1013,  E-mail: susan@wallstcom.com

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Softel Swift vTX Subtitling now available in
Grab Networks Video Server Solution

Softel and online video specialists Grab Networks have announced a partnership for Grab to supply the Softel Swift vTX subtitling and captioning solution as an integrated component of Grab Networks video server solutions. With integrated solutions already deployed in the field, Swift vTX software provides highly efficient integration of subtitling into the file-based workflow of the Grab server for subtitle and caption encoding/transcoding across a variety of output and file formats, including open, Line 21, DVB and streaming VoD.

"Grab Networks invented process automation for non-linear media production," says Jim Duval, Director of Product Management at Grab Networks. "Our recently released Agility 2G system automates best-in-class media processing technologies into seamless, customizable workflows. Softel with Swift vTX delivers a technology that seamlessly integrates with our solutions, offering a broad range of format support and the dynamic workflows that our customers enjoy. The two organizations enjoy a great relationship and the expertise Softel bring to the table is first class." 

"Grab Networks really understands that they are delivering not just a technology platform, but a business driver for their content providers," says Sam Pemberton, Softel CEO. "We're delighted to partner with them, providing our expertise in subtitling and captioning to round out their solutions, which in turn maximizes the audience for the content providers."

Swift vTX is the leading solution for encoding, transcoding, extracting and reinserting subtitles, captions and ancillary data on video server assets. SD and HD compatible, Swift vTX provides high performance, flexibility, seamless integration with workflow systems and 'at a glance' management, while significantly reducing operational costs.

Marguerite Clark

More information on Softel products is available at www.softelgroup.com or www.softel-usa.com and via e-mail at info@softelgroup.com or by telephone at +44 118 984 2151.

Softel Contact: Chantal Kellaway, Head of Group Marketing

Tel: +44 118 984 2151,  E-mail: chantal.kellaway@softelgroup.com 

Agency Contact: Wall Street Communications 

Tel: +33 1 45 25 36 91, E-mail: marguerite@wallstcom.com  

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UK’s Channel 4 uses ColorCode 3-D
for 3D week

The ColorCode 3-D Division of Sirius 3-D has been chosen to provide the supporting technology behind 3D Week on the UK’s Channel 4, which begins on 16 November, 2009.  As part of the UK-wide promotion for the event, 10 million ColorCode 3-D glasses are being given away exclusively by Sainsbury’s supermarkets - ensuring that as high a proportion of Channel 4’s audience as possible is able to view the 3-D content as intended.

From H.M. The Queen’s Coronation to magician Derren Brown, Disney's Hannah Montana to Andy Warhol's Frankenstein - all can be experienced with true stereoscopic depth right in your home when 3D Week airs,” enthuses Steen Iversen, CEO of Sirius 3-D ApS.  “And if ‘Flesh for Frankenstein’ becomes too much for you in 3-D, you can simply take off the ColorCodeViewer™ (3-D glasses) and experience it in normal 2-D.  With ColorCode 3-D, spectators - with or without the 3-D glasses - will never see unwatchable coloured double images, as was the case with earlier systems.”

Even if spectators are not wearing the glasses, they will still be able to view a coherent, watchable 2-D image with minimal artefacts.  As Iversen explains, this is just one of the many benefits the ColorCode 3-D system has over competing technologies:“Our 3-D glasses have amber and blue filters built into them: amber for colour information, blue for depth.  The great advantage of ColorCode 3-D is that, compared with the old-style anaglyph (red/green) glasses used for early 3-D movies or the polarised glasses used in

3-D cinemas today, the technology allows content to be watched using the naked eye and, in these circumstances, still provides an acceptable viewing experience.“Additionally, for the Channel 4 event, we developed our technology further, implementing a special broadcast processing so that anyone watching 3D Week while wearing the glasses will get a noticeable 3-D effect - not just those on a high-quality digital connection, but also those on an analogue connection, on a lower-bandwidth SD connection, or using a digital receiver connected with an antenna cable, S-video or composite rather than HDMI.“Furthermore, we have developed a live 3-D transmission system with ColorCode 3-D encoding in real-time, so that Channel 4 can incorporate live broadcasts into the 3D Week schedule.”During the 3D Week, Channel 4 will screen a variety of 3-D shows shot and post produced by Can Communicate. Scheduled highlights include never-before-seen footage of Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation in 1953, which was shot in 3-D stereo and has been restored by Can Communicate with support from Sirius 3-D.  There will also be a ‘3D Magic Show” presented by Derren Brown and also a number of classic 3-D movies and TV experiments from the past four decades which, like the Coronation footage, have been specially converted by Can Communicate.Earlier this year, ColorCode 3-D technology was used in the ‘Monsters vs. Aliens’ Super Bowl promotion in the U.S., which saw 130 million glasses given away so that American football spectators could watch a TV commercial for the 3-D version of the movie at the game’s midway point. Channel 4’s 3D Week is equally significant because it will be the first time that such an extensive programme of 3-D content has been shown on British television.“Once you have acquired content stereographically, using two cameras, you can make a 3-D commercial in almost any format,” concludes Iversen. “With 3D Week on Channel 4, we aim to demonstrate to the broadcast industry not only that spectators can have a hugely enjoyable experience regardless of their home equipment setup, but also that the 3-D content creation workflow is nothing to be afraid of - on the contrary, it is established, controllable, flexible, and ready to go, right here, right now. And you no longer have to worry about spectators getting offended by blurry double images”.

Katinka Allender 

P: +44 (0) 1491 571402,  E: katinka@k-communications.com

Image credit to Channel 4, 3D Week. Note to editors: Images can be obtained from the Channel 4 press website at: http://press.channel4.com/pressExtranet/home.action

More information about Channel 4’s 3D Week campaign can be found at: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/3d-week

Further information about ColorCode 3-D and its product range can be found at: www.colorcode3d.com

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