21 April 2005
Harris Corporation announced on 21 April that TV Azteca, S.A. de C.V., one of the two largest producers of Spanish language television programming in the world, has signed a purchase agreement with Harris Corporation’s Broadcast Communications Division for digital television transmitters, and high-definition encoding equipment for HDTV. The equipment will bring HDTV to nine cities in México and will be launched in two phases through mid-2006.
The new equipment places TV Azteca at the forefront of digital transmission capabilities in Latin America and will allow for HDTV transmission in México City, Guadalajara and Monterrey by the third quarter of this year. The services are in accordance with a rollout plan detailed by TV Azteca in August 2004. Phase Two of the national rollout will bring HDTV services to six additional cities (Matamoros, Reynosa, Nuevo Laredo, Ciudad Juarez, Mexicali and Tijuana) through the first half of 2006.
The initial TV Azteca order includes six Harris DiamondCD(R) DHD8P1 transmitters operating at 1.8 kW. DiamondCD transmitters have been among the most popular transmitters employed for the U.S. digital TV rollout, with more than 300 deployed in the U.S. at power levels from 1.8 kW to 35 kW. TV Azteca can readily expand the DHD8P1 for additional power output by adding power amplifiers and power supplies. The DiamondCD DHD8P1 transmitter includes the Apex(TM) advanced digital TV exciter, with over 400 installations since its introduction in 2002.
“Harris Corporation is pleased to continue its strategic relationship with TV Azteca as it starts deployment of digital television. Harris has established a broad base of content delivery solutions from its leadership position in U.S. digital television, and we are honored to be selected to extend these market-proven solutions to México as TV Azteca commences its commercial deployment of digital television,” said Dale Mowry, vice president and general manager of Television Broadcast Systems for Harris Broadcast Communications.
Harris’ turnkey solution will allow viewers with HDTV sets to receive picture resolution six times sharper than standard definition analog sets. TV Azteca viewers without HDTV sets will continue to receive their television programming through analog transmission approaches.
21 April 2005
At this years NAB, Quantel unveiled a number of innovations and developments for its market-leading sQ server-based production systems. These include extending the range of servers to offer both larger and smaller models, zoning for multi-server management, self-automation with the new QRecord and QPlay built-in applications, and a new highlights facility for sports packaging.
The sQ server range has always been scalable; the range has been further extended. There is a new bigger sQ server announced for larger installations, and a new smaller model introduced for greater flexibility. These new servers incorporate all the unique Quantel sQ technologies (Frame Magic, ISA Integrated Server Architecture, Delta Editing, Resolution Transparency, etc) but in a more flexible package. They are also fully HD-upgradeable, offering broadcasters total peace of mind way into the future.
Zoning is a breakthrough development from Quantel that enables broadcasters to create intelligent relationships between different production areas in multi-server systems. Using Quantels Zoning technology, the broadcaster can decide what information held on the server system can be shared between areas and what needs to be kept private (for example, the news production teams for two different channels). Its the kind of operational flexibility that todays broadcasters crave.
Practically every server-based broadcast system is controlled by sophisticated, feature rich third party management applications. Quantels new Self Automation facility for sQ is designed to complement this by providing one-press, instant record and playout with QRecord and QPlay, and is also powerful enough to be able to stand in its own right in smaller installations. QRecord and QPlay have been developed by popular demand with many users who are interested in increasing the resilience of their installations, or reducing the entry cost.
The final new development for sQ is super-fast turnaround Highlights facility, designed very much with sports broadcasting in mind. Using the new Highlights facility, any incoming material can be quickly selected, topped, tailed, assembled, given the slo-mo treatment if required and then played out to air, all without the operator leaving their seat.
21 April 2005
GlobeCast announced on 18 April the launch of WING its global IP-based Content Management Platform that forms the backbone of a global content management network to support delivery of the emerging array of non-linear media. Spearheading the launch of this platform was a live demonstration at NAB 2005 of WING Content Exchange for Contribution, the platforms powerful IP-based video exchange and collaboration tool to facilitate professional video sharing and laptop newsgathering from any wired or wireless connection.
Separately, GlobeCast announced that Frances leading broadcaster, Francetelevisions, is conducting beta testing of WING Content Exchange for Contribution. WING Content Exchange for Contribution provides communities of nomadic, freelance and field staff producers with access to a range of collaboration tools and value added services all under one secure platform. The WING platform provides independence for in the field staff and allows any authorized member of a team to contribute video footage from any connection as easily as sending an email in a format that is just as user friendly.
To use WING-enabled applications, members use a personal identification key, or Dongle, to log in to the platforms ultra-secure VPN channel from any Windows-based PC or laptop using any type of connection. Once connected, WING provides users with a range of functionalities. WING Content Exchange for Contribution bundles several services that include:
WING File a point-to-multipoint content exchange service using file transfer and partly based on email protocols
<> WING Live a real-time video streaming service
WING Chat text based chatting service
WING Visio a videoconference comms channel service used to facilitate field-to-studio coordination during WING Live broadcasts
The purpose of WING is to revolutionize content management by using the omnipresence of broadband connections. The result is a platform that reduces the cost, logistics and infrastructure associated with more traditional solutions, while adding a layer of interactive collaboration to the process so that remote teams, bureaus and headquarters can stay connected at every step all under the highest security. With the launch of WING, GlobeCast is not only acknowledging the movement of the broadcast industry towards IP-based remote content management, but is responding with a tool that moves this process forward bundling an array of services into a single, secure, user-friendly platform that was designed specifically for broadcast and corporate applications.
21 April 2005
The Voice of America (VOA) launched a live, 30-minute, daily Russian-language television news broadcast called Obektiv (Focus) on 18 April. The evening programme features the days top news as well as behind-the-headlines reports on news and events of interest to Russian-speaking audiences. These broadcasts will offer more opportunities for our audiences in Russia and Central Asia to receive the latest Washington and world news from the Voice of America on television as well as through radio and the Internet, said VOA Director David S. Jackson. Focus airs daily at 1500 UTC and 1630 UTC on Eutelsat Hotbird, and at 1630 UTC on Asiasat.
Focus joins the popular VOA Russian programme Window on the World, a weekly half-hour TV magazine programme airing on Russias TV-3. VOA also airs 3 hours of Russian-language programming daily on shortwave. Programmes are available live and on demand at their web page www.VOANews.com/Russian.
21 April 2005
Sony has won a major contract to construct and equip new High Definition Television (HDTV) studio facilities for British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB), which plans to launch a premium package of HDTV services in 2006.
The deal will see Sony act as prime contractor for the creation of a new studio at the broadcasters Isleworth headquarters in west London and supply equipment for edit and dubbing suites at the same site. Also included in the agreement is a significant professional services component,
including training provided by Sony for BSkyB operations staff to
streamline transition to High Definition production. Sony HD equipment in the new studios will include latest HDC-1500 studio cameras and over 60 HDCAM and HDCAM SR format VTRs, complemented by MVS-8000A series multiformat production switchers and DVS-8000 digital effects plus Sony HD LCD monitors.
Under the terms of a supplementary 12-month contract won after competitive
tender, Sony will also support BSkyB operations staff with an innovative High Definition training package. Three tiered levels of training resources will offer BSkyB operations’ employees a product-independent grounding in High Definition, while a general introduction will provide staff across the business with an overview of HD. Further workshop
modules explore technical aspects of High Definition in more depth, while a
complementary series of specialised modules has been created to complement
specific craft skills from camera work and set design to make-up and quality control. A web-based interface developed by Sony will allow hundreds of BSkyB staff at Isleworth and other sites to log on and access HD training materials simultaneously.
21 April 2005
CNN has announced changes to its newsgathering operations with a number of key appointments to strengthen its global newsgathering team. Changes include a new managing editor in Hong Kong, the creation of two new reporting roles in Africa and a new international correspondent for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Jill Dougherty, CNN’s Moscow bureau chief, has been appointed managing editor for CNN’s operations in Asia Pacific, based at CNN’s newsgathering and production centre in Hong Kong. She takes up the new position in May 2005. Moscow bureau chief since 1997, she now oversees all of CNN’s programming and production facilities in Hong Kong and also coordinates coverage from all of CNN’s correspondents and bureaux across the Asia Pacific region.
In Africa, Jeff Koinange, CNNs Lagos bureau chief, has been appointed to the role of Africa Correspondent in order to significantly increase the coverage of Africa across all of CNNs services. Koinange will lead CNNs coverage of Africa in this new position, supported by Alphonso Van Marsh who will be based in Johannesburg as a CNN Video Correspondent. Alphonsos brief is to find, develop and deliver compelling stories from inside South Africa.
In addition, CNN has appointed Jennifer Eccleston as a new international correspondent for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, based in Rome. Eccleston will work across all of CNN’s services internationally and in the US.
In March 2005 CNN also appointed Max Foster from BBC Breakfast to join the London-based team of anchors and correspondents covering news and business from the international networks European headquarters.
