See us atSee us at

SABC becomes election leader

EVS at FIFA Women’sWorld Cup

Exceptional sound quality at OFM South Africa

Using video in education

Creative graphics atKenya’s Zuku TV

Game, set andmatch at Wimbledon

TwoFour54 launch 3D labTwoFour54 launch 3D lab

Game, set andmatch at Wimbledon

Creative graphics atKenya’s Zuku TV

Exceptional sound quality at OFM South Africa

Using video in education EVS at FIFA Women’s

World Cup

SABC becomes election leader

AV Cover 119.qxd 10/6/11 2:14 AM Page 1

18 Game, set and match at Wimbledon with RTS/TELEXWimbledon – the place at which the most sensational anddramatic chapters of tennis history have been written.Wimbledon symbolizes everything tennis has to offer: euphoria,drama, glamour and tradition.

20 270 Microtiles take the curves at Festival of SpeedProduction AV fielded the largest temporary Christie MicroTilesdisplay ever at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed —configured in a highly original design.

22 SCPG captures the spirit of Kenya’s Zuku TVLast summer the Wananchi Group, East Africa’s first triple-playprovider, established Wananchi Programming, a divisiondedicated to building a comprehensive channel line-up fromoriginal African and popular Western content, for its new Zukupay-TV platform.

34 4K digital imaging advancesWhile stereo 3D continues to make headlines with new kitappearing on almost a daily basis, the research anddevelopment of 4K technologies appears to be on an equallyfast track.

46 Best of InfoComm 2011With InfoComm launching a Middle East show during October Ithought it would be worthwhile taking a look at some of the productsthat featured on the show floor during the recent InfoComm exhibitionthat took place in Orlando.

AV SpecialistVolume 119

Contents

Publisher & Managing EditorKevan Joneskevan@avspecialist.tv

Feature EditorDick Hobbsdick@avspecialist.tv

EditorBev Kempsterbev@avspecialist.tv

Circulation Renate Mortimerrenate@avspecialist.tv

Designer Rajiv Gopalanrajiv@avspecialist.tv

Advertising salesAfrica, Middle East, UK Richie Ebrahimrichie@avspecialist.tv

EuropeEmmanuel Archambeaudearchambeaud@defcommunication.com

Represented in North America by:Broadcast Media InternationalMichael Mitchell Tel: +1 631 673 3199michael@avspecialist.tv

Represented in the Middle East by:AV Specialist MENA FZ LLCPO Box 502314, DubaiUnited Arab EmiratesTel: +971 (0)4 391-4718Fax: +971 (0)4 345-2898

Represented in South Africa by:Doddington Direct ccPO Box 3939, Honeydew, 2040,South AfricaTel: +27 (0)11 083-6418Fax: +27 (0)86 525 3852

Represented in Europe by:Def & Communication48 Bd Jean-Jaurès, 92110 Clichy, FranceTel: +33 (0)1 4730 7180Fax: +33 (0)1 4730 0189

Publisher’s Note

During July TwoFour54 launched theMiddle East's first stereoscopic 3D laboffering dedicated facilities, equipmentand support.

Ave qualified circulation(July - December 2010) 4079

After Ramadan and the heat of the Dubai summer we’re

certainly hitting a hectic period over the coming months. First off,

IBC in Amsterdam closely followed by the inaugural InfoComm

MEA show taking place in Dubai.

I’ve been attending IBC for close on two decades and really

have to endorse it as the premiere show for the broadcast

industry across the EMEA region. It’s an event that encompasses

far more than a high-profile exhibition. With all the associated conferences, events, awards

and networking opportunities the IBC Partnership have elevated their event to a must-attend

festival that covers all aspects of content creation, management and distribution.

At the beginning of October we also have InfoComm’s launch event in the Middle East.

They’ve had a couple of missed opportunities over the last few years but for this event, they’ve

teamed up with the powerful GITEX show and will be presenting a show that extends over 5

days. Last year’s GITEX show attracted well over 100 thousand visitors so this is going to be a

different experience for exhibitors more accustomed to InfoComm’s traditional dealer-

dominated events. Here’s holding thumbs that the event runs smoothly and delivers value to

those vendors who are participating.

See you there.

11

66

01

9

1166019

1166019

During IBC LYNXTechnik is expanding itsyellobrik series with thelaunch of HDMI to SDIconverters. The newyellobriks convert HDMIvideo into broadcast qualitySDI video, supporting SD,HD, and 3G-SDI. They alsosupport 3D video formats.The CHD 1812 is a fullyfeatured HDMI to SDIconverter with two electricalSDI outputs as well as anoptional fiber optic output. It

incorporates an integratedframe synchronizer with fullcross lock capability to anysync reference standard,which makes it an idealsolution for ingesting HDMIsignals into a broadcastfacility from an externalasynchronous HDMIsource. Audio in the HDMIsignal is embedded into theSDI output and the twoexternal analog audioinputs can be embeddedinto any AES channel. Theanalog audio inputssupport professionalbalanced audio levels aswell as consumer linelevels. LYNX arerepresented in SouthernAfrica by QuestekBroadcast.

LYNX Technik to introduce yellobrik HDMI to SDI converters

Productn e w s

Kramer introduce composite Video & Audio matrix switcher Kramer’s new VS-162AVM is a high performance matrix

switcher for composite video and balanced stereo audiosignals, with an exciting addition, a unique built-in 3.5” LCDmonitor with headphone jack, appropriate for a wide range ofapplications. The VS-162AVM can perform glitch free switchduring the vertical interval when an external reference signal isconnected to the genlock input or if the unit is synced to anincoming video signal as a reference. The unit can becontrolled locally, using the front panel buttons or remotely, viaRS-232 or RS-485 serial commands transmitted by a touchscreen system, PC, or other serial controller. The unit comeswith a Windows control software and can also be controlledremotely via IR signals. The Take Button can execute multipleswitches all at once. The unit can store up to 60 presetswitches for easy and convenient operation. These setups canbe recalled and executed when needed.

The VS-162AVM is part of Kramer's expanding 16x16matrix switchers' series that includes the VS-1616A (a 16x16stereo balance audio switcher) and VS-162V (a 16x16 videomatrix switcher). The current Kramer line of 16x16 matrixswitches also includes products for component video, SDI andHD-SDI signals. Kramer products are distributed in SouthAfrica by Electrosonic SA.

Grass Valley has announced the latest update to thepopular nonlinear video editing software EDIUS 6. The update(version 6.03), distributed free of charge to registered version 6users, brings new video file formats and hardware-assistedH.264 encoding, as well as support for Grass Valley’s EDIUSNX, SP and HD legacy hardware. This latest update supportsboth 50p & 60p file import (supported by JVC and Sonycamcorders), allowing for a smoother workflow. For users ofIntel’s Second Generation Core Processor, EDIUS has extendedsupport for Quick Sync Video Hardware H.264 video encodingof MP4 files to complement the AVCHD acceleration introducedin EDIUS 6 version 6.02. Users will be able to enjoy faster thanreal-time encoding of videos for iPhone, Play Station Portable, aswell as H.264/AVC videos up to 1920x1080p50/60. EDIUS 6.03now also supports the legacy EDIUS NX, SP and HD editingplatforms, in addition to the current STORM range of editinghardware.

3

During IBC Egripment’smain focus is on Virtual Realityand Full-camera studioautomation. They areintroducing a fully EncodedPackage for several different

Egripment cranes, includingtheir TDT System and their305/306 Remote heads, aswell as optional encoders foruse on track dollies. TheEncoding Package can beutilized in combination withVIZRT, Neuro TV, ORAD,Brainstorm and Ventuz.Additional vendors can beimplemented easily. Thepackage delivers high quality,precise and reliable craneoperation in a much moreaffordable price range thanother systems currentlyavailable in this market, whilemaintaining the same highstandards that Egripment isknown for throughout theworld.

Egripment goes VR

Grass Valley brings faster workflow to EDIUS 6

AJA Video Systems is now shipping FS2, its new universalframe synchronizer and format converter with two completelyindependent channels that support virtually any input or output.FS2 can be used as two separate frame synchronizers/converters, or channels can be combined in a variety of ways, allwithin a single, compact 1RU form factor to support a widerange of workflows. FS2 builds on the success of AJA’s FS1 byadding dual channel features in a streamlined 1RU design at anunprecedented price point. Each FS2 video channel supportsanalog component or composite, 3G/HD/SD-SDI, Dual-Link andHDMI I/O, as well as Optical Fiber I/O options, and each channelhas its own still-store, keyer, and video proc amp/color corrector.With support for all broadcast video formats in a single converterbox, FS2 makes it easy to match up disparate video and audiosystems and is ideally suited for broadcast facilities, productiontrucks and other multi-format production environments.

AJA FS2 dual channel FrameSynchronizer/Format converter

Product

4

n e w s

NewTek has announced Lightwave 10.1, the latest version ofits Emmy Award-winning 3D modeling, animation, visual effectsand rendering software. With powerful advanced modeling andanimation tools designed to integrate into any production pipeline,LightWave 10.1 offers a new off-axis stereoscopic camera rigoption, improved Viewport Preview Renderer (VPR), advancedimport and export capabilities, including MDD and integratedAutodesk Geometry Cache support, a new Skin Shader node, andmore. Artists count on the features of LightWave to deliverstunning results. LightWave 10.1 enhances creativity with newstereoscopic features that provide access to all major stereocamera rigs, and the ability to dynamically correct for toe-indistortion in the animation pipeline. Additional stereoenhancements include interactive OpenGL off-axis adjustment ofthe right and left camera planes, click-and-drag convergencepoint adjustment in the viewport, and the ability to disable theanaglyph representation of the stereo camera in OpenGL. Also inLightWave 10.1, interocular and convergence points can bedynamically animated over time to track stereo changes within ashot.

NewTek releases LightWave 10.1with new stereoscopic features

Datavideo's popular dv Prompter software is now availableon the Google Android platform. Ready for immediate downloadfrom the app store, the Android version comes in the wake of theApple iPhone version which is rated 4+ by its users. dv Prompteris a fully featured teleprompter application, with fast loading ofscripts or cue sheets, a variety of font styles and a variety ofplayback settings. Used in conjunction with the Datavideo SmartPhone Prompter Kit, TP-100, dv Prompter software transforms intothe perfect teleprompter for journalists, bloggers, education usersor videographers. The kit incorporates a rigid camera hood and aspecial 60/40 glass to allow the presenter to read the script andthe camera to see the subject. Included is 3m wired remotecontrol, perfect for controlling the speed of prompting andjumping back or forward to different points in the script at will.

Datavideo's Handy Andy Prompter

EVS has announced the release of Xedio suite 4.00including the “edit-in-place” feature of its Xedio timeline editor.With a simple linkup between XedioCleanEdit laptop andexternal camcorders or drives, a field journalist or editor canstart instantly true timeline editing operations without time-consuming media import. This new solution has beensuccessfully adopted by the Belgian news broadcaster RTL-TVifor their ENG editing operations using the new Sony SxScamcorder recording in XDCAM HD422. Presented in exclusivityat IBC2011 (9 to 14 September), the new Xedio 4.00 featuresloads of media handling improvements for newscastersincluding the new edit-in-place feature of its timeline editor,Xedio CleanEdit. The new solution is dedicated to fieldjournalists and editors looking for faster and easier ways tomanage real-timeline operations right after shooting.

With the new Edit-in-Place” feature of Xedio CleanEdit, anydevices such as camcorders, drives, or local storage can belinked up to the journalist laptop for immediate media reviewingand editing.

EVS improves field editing withXedio Edit-in-Place features

Introducing the world’s most advanced live production switcher! ATEM switchers include advanced technology and powerful features, all built into a familiar M/E design that’s fast and easy to use! With an advanced broadcast SDI based design, ATEM also includes HDMI connections for connecting HDMI consumer cameras or computers! The new ATEM has been totally redesigned with Blackmagic Design technology and quality. Live switching multiple cameras is the lowest cost and fastest video production possible!

Live Creative Power

Get the most creative solution for live switching, with cut, mix, wipe, dip, DVE, graphic wipe and stinger transitions! Load clips into the 2 built in media players for exciting custom animated stinger transitions! ATEM

includes a built in DVE with 3D borders, light source and drop shadow! You can even use the DVE for transitions!

Incredible Features

Only ATEM includes 4 upstream keyers, each with independent chroma, pattern, shaped and linear keying, 2 downstream keyers, graphic wipes, stinger transitions, 2 built in media players, DVE transitions and

more! The built in multi view allows all cameras, preview and program to be viewed on a single SDI or HDMI monitor, so ATEM is perfect for portable location use! Now you can cover any live event, anywhere!

More Connections

ATEM includes loads of SDI and HDMI connections for professional SDI cameras or HDMI consumer cameras! All inputs feature re-sync so you can plug in anything! You get 6 program outputs in SDI/HD-SDI, HDMI, HD

component and USB 3.0, plus down converted SD-SDI and composite video. The multi view includes SDI and HDMI, plus you get 3 aux outputs.

Built to Perform

ATEM uses a familiar M/E style of operation so you get an instantly familiar workfl ow that’s fast and easy to use. ATEM includes a software based control panel for Mac and Windows! If you need a hardware control panel then

simply add the ATEM 1 M/E Broadcast Panel for a true broadcast grade solution. ATEM even uses an FAA certifi ed operating system for a high reliability broadcast grade design.

Learn more today at www.blackmagic-design.com/atem

ATEM 1 M/E Production Switcher US$2,495Full 2 RU ATEM switcher chassis includes Mac and Windows control software.

Traditional M/E style broadcast quality hardware control panel.ATEM 1 M/E Broadcast Panel US$4,995

Welcome to the most exciting way Welcome to the most exciting way to create television programming... Live!

Datavideo EMEA Office - Datavideo Technologies Europe BV Floridadreef 106, 3565 AM Utrecht - The Netherlands - Telephone: +31 (0)30 261 9656 - www.datavideo.info

HS-600SD Mobile Video Studio

Datavideo’s HS-600 is a revolutionary mobile hand carry studio. The HS-600 is a low cost 8 input SD switcher. It is combined with a build in talkback system and a 17.3” TFT LCD monitor.

The HS-600 has a light weight and compact design and is therefore easy to carry. This mobile video studio has all the features you need and is the perfect solution for on location work!

- 8 Channel SD switcher- 6 Composite Video + 2 DVI-D- 17.3” multi-image video monitor- 8 inputs talkback system with tally feature- Preview out: DVI-D for multi-viewer with clock and audio level indicator- Main out: CVBS x 3 (recorder/program out/ streaming)- Aux out: CVBS x 2- DV In / Out: 1394 x 2 (for DN-60/ video streaming)(optional)

- 2 PIP functions- 2 logo displays- Frame still store memory- Luma key function for text overlay

FEATURES

Stand 7.D39

NEW@IBC

SD Mobile Video Studio

carry studio. The HS-600 is a low cost 8 input SD switcher. It is combined with a build in talkback system and a 17.3”

solution for on location work!

Datavideo-AVSpecialist, FP, AugSept 2011.indd 1 7/25/2011 3:02:11 PM

Harmonic has announced significant additions to itsindustry-leading Omneon Spectrum media server product line.The new Omneon MediaDeck 7000, a fully integrated four-channel media server system, offers high capacity,performance, and modularity in a convenient 1-RU form factor.In addition, the company is adding new I/O modules to itsrecently introduced Omneon MediaPort 7000 Series thatsupports MPEG-2 encode and simultaneous generation ofH.264 proxies. Together, these new products give users evenmore choice and flexibility in server deployment, allowing themto tailor systems precisely to their needs.

The MediaDeck 7000 system is the newest member ofthe Spectrum media server family, and it offers multiple-codecplayback, up/down/crossconversion, HD/SD simulcastcapabilities, and two-channel modularity. Supporting allmembers of the MediaPort 7000 family of I/O modules, theMediaDeck 7000 server is an economical but highly capableunit that is ideal for applications requiring two to four channelsin an integrated 1-RU package.

Harmonic extends Spectrum Media server family

At IBC 2011 Vislink willfeature its latest wirelesscamera and satcomtechnology as well as newproducts from Gigawave,which are now part of theVislink brand. "Our productportfolio continues to lead theindustry. The welcome

addition of Gigawave with itshighly impressive stable ofspecialised RF equipment forOB, news gathering andsecurity applications - as wellas expertise in live streaming,satellite communications andmotorsport - has furtherstrengthened our ability toserve worldwide markets withthe highest standards oftechnology, service andsupport," says VislinkInternational ManagingDirector Stephen Rudd. Vislinkwill demonstrate new LinkResearch digital pre-distortion(LDPD) wireless cameratechnology, flawlesslydeployed for the first time tocover The 2011 Open GolfChampionship in Sandwich,Kent, during often treacherousweather conditions.

Productn e w s

7

At IBC 2011, Avid will demonstrate how it helpscustomers achieve whatever they imagine with open, industry-leading workflow solutions that feature innovations in mediaasset management, storage, graphics, news production, videoediting and audio technology. These solutions enable theworld's leading professionals and media enterprises to makethe most of their media through greater collaboration andproductivity. A highlight of the show will demonstrate thenewest developments in Avid's graphics solutions, providingbroadcasters with brand-enhancing, cost-saving, powerfulgraphics workflows for stellar on-air graphics production. Alsoon display will be Avid's vision of their Integrated MediaEnterprise solution that provides broadcasters, post productionhouses, content owners, and creators with the ease, flexibility,and reliability they need to maximize the value of their mediaassets.

Industry-leading workflow solutions

Axon have proven thattheir outstanding growth inrevenues last year was noflash in the pan as theycontinue to launch the mostadvanced broadcast gluewaredevelopment programmesworldwide. At IBC, Axon willlaunch an advanced modularvideo routing system that isincredibly compact, lightweightand energy efficient.Desgnated SynCross, the unitis a Synapse based simpleexpandable video routingsystem capable of switching3Gb/s, HD and SD SDIsignals, as well ascompressed domain signalssuch as ASI/DVB and

SSI/SMPTE-310. The SynCrossrouting system can populatethe frames from 1 slot with 8in- and outputs up to 5 slotsfor a 40x40 routing solution. Itis easy to expand a SynCrosssystem up to 40 in andoutputs, both in electrical orfiber or a mix between opticaland electrical. “In modernbroadcast operations Glue isbecoming an increasinglyimportant consideration,”commented Peter Schut, chieftechnology officer at Axon. “Asa company we lead the marketin this area with over 20 yearsexperience in the developmentof advanced glue productsand system.”

Vislink launches new wireless camera

Axon launch Synapse-basedmodular routing system

LegalizationLoudness Control

Linear Accoustic

Logo InsertionEmbedded

AudioProcessing

Keyingand Mixing

HD/SD

Routing

Voice-overFunctions

3Gb/s

AudioDescription

IntegrityChecking

Poweredby Linux

Dolby E

16 ChannelCWDM

Up, Down, Crossand Standards

Conversion

HE-AAC 5.1 +Dolby Metadata

Dolby DigitalPlus

EmbeddedMetadata

3D

Teranex basedAlgorithms

TWINS

Dolby Digital

Low Latency

Multiview

Analog

VideoDelay

AFD ready

®

®

®

®

FunctionsFunctionsFunctionsFunctions

AudioDescriptionDescription

Poweredby Linux

Up, Down, CrossUp, Down, CrossUp, Down, CrossUp, Down, Crossand Standardsand Standardsand Standardsand Standards

HE-AAC 5.1 +HE-AAC 5.1 +HE-AAC 5.1 +HE-AAC 5.1 +HE-AAC 5.1 +HE-AAC 5.1 +HE-AAC 5.1 +HE-AAC 5.1 +HE-AAC 5.1 +HE-AAC 5.1 +Dolby MetadataDolby MetadataDolby MetadataDolby MetadataDolby MetadataDolby MetadataDolby MetadataDolby MetadataDolby MetadataDolby Metadata

EmbeddedEmbeddedEmbeddedEmbeddedEmbeddedEmbeddedMetadataMetadataMetadataMetadataMetadata

Teranex basedTeranex basedTeranex basedTeranex basedTeranex basedTeranex basedTeranex basedTeranex basedTeranex based

TWINSTWINSTWINSTWINSTWINS

Dolby Dolby Dolby DigitalDigitalDigitalDigitalDigital

Low LatencyLow LatencyLow LatencyLow LatencyLow LatencyLow Latency

MultiviewMultiviewMultiviewMultiview

AnalogAnalogAnalog

VideoVideoVideoDelayDelayDelayDelay

AFD readyAFD readyAFD readyAFD ready

®®Dolby Metadata®Dolby MetadataDolby Metadata®Dolby Metadata

®®®

AXONglue and beyond

See us at IBC2011Booth #10.A21

Whether you’re looking for ‘glue’ or a lot more, AXON is your partner of choice. Check out our website and see the depth and

breadth of our solutions in this demanding area of broadcast interoperability and compliance.

Select AXON as your technology partner and you will be in good company. Many major broadcasting companies around the world have made the same choice, and they also discovered that AXON

is really all about ‘glue and beyond’.

www.axon.tv

Committed.

Glue and beyond fullpage 210x297 + 5mm bleed.indd 1 9-8-2011 14:54:09

Blackmagic Design launch SmartView HD

Another exciting new product due for launch at IBC byBlackmagic Design is the new SmartView HD rack monitorwith a large 17 inch LCD screen, 3 Gb/s SDI video inputsand centralized network based control for only US$895.SmartView HD features a large 17 inch LCD screen in acompact 6 rack unit design that's less than an inch thick. Ithandles SD, HD and 3 Gb/s SDI video standards, and allscreens can be remotely adjusted via your Ethernet network.You can install SmartView HD into equipment racks for localmonitoring in post production, for multi-monitor video walls inmaster control rooms or for camera monitoring withproduction switchers! Because SmartView HD is affordable,and supports most SDI video standards from SD, HD andeven 2K, it’s the perfect solution to install anywherecustomers need more monitoring. It’s a really nice littlemonitor and it looks great once you add a few units whereveryou need SDI monitoring.

Productn e w s

9

At IBC2011 in Amsterdam, Snell will launch Centra Vite, anew router control and configuration tool that simplifies thesetup of router installations and speeds them into operation.Centra Vite is provided free with all Snell Nucleus controlledrouters. "At Snell, we offer the industry's most comprehensiverange of routing switchers with solutions for operations of anysize — from simple edit suites, to OB trucks, to large switchingcenters and playout installations. And now, with Centra Vite, ourfamily of world-class routers is easier to install and configurethan ever before," said Kirsty Aldridge, product manager forcontrol and monitoring at Snell. "As a bonus, Centra Vite offersa straightforward upgrade path to Snell's powerful Centrasystem-wide control and monitoring system withoutcompromising existing user interfaces and fundamentaloperation." Centra Vite provides a simple and intuitive way todefine the basics of the router setup.

PAGlink is a one-system power solution for alltypes of professionalcamera, designed to powerthe full range of equipmentused by broadcast stations,hire facilities and productioncompanies. PAGlink can beused to power HD DSLRs,handheld camcorders,broadcast cameras, HDhigh-end digital cinema and3D camera set-ups.

PAGlink is the onlysystem that allows you tolink multiples of batteries –two, three or more – on yourcamera. For example, threelinked batteries weighingless than 2.2kg create a

single unit of nearly 20Ah(288 watt-hours), extendingrun time many times overand allowing up to 12Acurrent to be drawn. Thebatteries incorporate heavyduty contacts which areengineered for high-drainapplications. PAG SalesDirector Nigel Gardiner says“Television stations weretelling us that they neededmore power for theircameras. By linking thebatteries we could keep theindividual capacities below100 watt-hours forunrestricted shipping to anylocation. We set out tocreate a system that wouldenable more batteries to belinked, and make morepower available fromsmarter, smaller and lighterunits. We believe that wehave achieved a superiorlinking battery system thatcan be used to power everytype of camera used in theindustry”.

Joined-up thinking from PAG

Snell launches Centra Vite forInstant Router Control

Atomos, the creator ofthe award-winning Ninja, isdelighted to announce thatthe highly anticipated HD-SDI Samurai 10-bit AppleProRes field recorder,monitor andplayback/playout device willbegin shipping in September.

Samurai is already themost complete andaffordable HD SDI ProResfield recorder and will nowship with playout of full-resolution HD-SDI (1920 x

1080) decoded from theSamurai’s recorded media.

With this new playoutcapability, the Samuraibecomes the lowest cost,truly portable recorder thatplays out Full HD from AppleProRes files foruncompressed quality onany size of monitor.

“We’ve actuallydelayed the release of theSamurai to include HD SDIplayout,” said Jeromy Young,CEO of Atomos. “It was amuch-requested feature andwe felt it was worth the extraeffort and development timeto include this for theSamurai’s release. Theaddition of external poweroptions and playout for only$100 more makes this acompelling choice.”

Atomos announce shipping date for Samurai

The transition to HD requires substantial investments.

Be wise and chose Fujinon’s attractively priced ZA series

HD lenses – the smart solution. Thanks to the reduced

(by one) zoom factor. The ZA series offer full HD quality and the same

user-friendly controls as incorporated with the renowned HA series.

Fujinon. To see more is to know more.

The Fujinon ZA series

ZA22x7.6ZA17x7.6ZA12x4.5

Taking a fresh look at HD

www.fujinon.eu

Please visit us in Amsterdam

IBC 2011, Booth 11-C20

September 9–13, 2011

110200_Eule_210x297_GB.indd 1 21.07.11 13:44

11

Alhurra’s primetime magazine program Al Youm celebrated Eid live from Cairo’s Tivoli Dome. Thousands ofEgyptians were present during the live show co-hosted by Al Youm anchors Engy Anwar and Amr Khalil. Thebroadcast featured a performance by Egyptian singer Ramy Sabry who sung his hit song Kelma.

Alhurra’s Al Youm returns to Cairo streets for Eid

Designed to Perform

Sp

orts

Pro

du

ctio

n

www.evs.tv

With its flexible 8-channel SD/HD and 6-channel 3D/1080p configurations, EVS’ new generation of XT servers combines ultimate speed with power to create unlimited possibilities for tomorrow’s live productions. Designed with the latest broadcast and IT technology,XT3 guarantees maximum motion control and flexibility.

More channels.More power.Greater possibilities.

Make Your Plans Come True

Visit us atVisit us atIBC 2011IBC 2011

BoothBooth8.B908.B90

In addition to the live Sept.broadcast, Al Youm builds on thesuccess of “Tell Us Your Story”

campaign, where Egyptian viewers areinvited to come out and record a two-minute interview about their life. Themost compelling narratives wereselected and their story featured on theprogram and Al Youm’s Facebookpage. Amr Khalil expressed hisexcitement to meet with his viewersagain in Tivoli Dome. “It is even morespecial because we’re celebrating Eid.It was also a great opportunity to listento new stories and offer the very bestto our viewers.” Engy Anwar remarked,“I was really looking forward tomeeting with Al Youm’s audience forthe second time. Having the showoutside the studio always brings awhole new energy to the program.”

In June, Al Youm launched the“Tell Me Your Story” campaign fromCairo’s Tivoli Dome where the Al Youmco-hosts met with thousands of fansand listened to their stories. One of thestories that appeared on Al Youm wasthat of Ahmed Kamel, a universitystudent who overcame a serious drugaddiction and is now a therapisthelping others overcome addiction.Select interviews done at the booth willalso appear on Al Youm’s Facebookpage.

Located in Dubai’s Media City, Al Youm isanchored by Engy Anwar, joined by MonaWehbi in Beirut, Amr Khalil in Cairo andEman Haddad in Jerusalem, along with livenews updates from Alhurra’s headquartersoutside of Washington, D.C.

Over the coming months SACIA and MECIA are presenting a number of industry training programmes designed to keep you up to date with the trends and

technologies shaping the future of the broadcast and professional AV industry.

GEN111 Essentials of AV Technology 21 - 23 November: Dubai 29 Nov - 1 Dec: JohannesburgThis 3-day course provides in-depth explanations of the science and technology for basic audio, visual and audiovisual systems integration. A brief overview of the sales, rental/hire, design and installation functions is included in the course content. This course builds the student’s understanding of the fundamentals used on a daily basis in the audiovisual industry. It is also great prep for the students wanting to earn the InfoComm-recognised AV Technologist

certificate.

GEN112 CTS Prep5 - 7 December: Johannesburg12 - 14 December: DubaiThis 3-day course is designed to help prepare candidates as they prepare for InfoComm’s Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) credential. This credential is accredited by ANSI under the International Standard ISO/IEC 17024 General Requirements for Bodies Operating Certification Schemes of Persons program. This popular course provides a forum for people to explore a wide range of topics relevant to the AV industry, and work collaboratively, studying the exam content areas with the

help of facilitators.

BMT111 Broadcast and Media Technology - Understanding your Industry 30 - 31 October: Dubai 14 - 15 November: JohannesburgThis 2-day course aims to familiarise delegates with broadcast and media technology, the associated jargon and the role that technology plays in the business in which they operate. It is designed for staff in broadcasters, their technology suppliers, post-production, facilities and related businesses where their work requires an appreciation of the technology as opposed to an in-depth understanding of it. Typical delegates will include administrative and managerial staff in marketing, sales, support, purchasing, commercial, human resource and similar functions. It is structured to have broad appeal and to be interesting and engaging as opposed to being technically demanding.

Broadcast and proAV Training Schedule

InfoComm classes are presented under license from InfoComm International. IABM classes are presented in association with the International Association of Broadcast Manufacturers. For more information visit www.sacia.org.za or www.mecia.org

13

Wayne Borg, Deputy CEO andChief Operating Officer attwofour54 said: “The new 3D

lab is an exciting addition to twofour54intaj’s existing facilities. The introductionof this facility will help support theopportunities that Stereoscopic 3D isopening up to content producers acrossa wide range of media andentertainment platforms. “It is clear that3D has had a massive impact on theentertainment industry recently – four ofthe top grossing US films in 2010 werefilmed in 3D; however, there aresignificant other media businessopportunities that our new 3D lab cansupport, such as advertising, computer-generated imagery (CGI), animation,corporate videos, events and evenindustrial and medical applications.Launching this type of facility is anotherexample of how twofour54 activelyresponds to market demands fromacross the region for facilities andexpertise that meet internationalstandards,” he concluded.

Hub for 3D activitiesThe new lab has been designed to

become a hub for all stereoscopic 3Dactivities in the region; providing end-to-end production solutions in stereoscopic3D – from cameras, rigs, specialist AVIDedit suites, Baselight colour grading –through to finished productions and aspecialised Research & DevelopmentCentre.

In addition to the state-of-the-artfacilities and services, the new lab willprovide a range of training solutions inconjunction with media training academytwofour54 tadreeb. The programmes onoffer have been designed tocomprehensively train both students andproduction professionals in the latest 3Dtechniques using the very latest in high-tech equipment and will be delivered bytwofour54 tadreeb’s highly trainedinstructors.

Hasan Sayed Hasan, Head oftwofour54 intaj said: “In developing ournew 3D lab, we selected a core set ofhardware and software that areconsidered to be the industry standard

tools for Stereoscopic 3D production.We also ensured that the facilitiesbrought in provide flexibility to the 3Dcontent producer; for example, theElement Technica Quasar rig was usedexclusively for the 3D telecasts of the2010 FIFA World Cup, and can beutilised with a wide range of camerasand in different configurations. Theediting and finishing tools from AVID,Filmlight, and the 3D Plug-ins offer alsoa wide range of tools for various types ofproductions.” The new lab will include anR & D Centre that will work withselected projects testing Beta versionsof editing systems– supported by 3DLab’s cutting-edge technology &software/hardware. This combination oftechnology and expertise will help breaknew ground in 3D and bringstereoscopic 3D best practices to theRegion. The Centre will offer Stereo QC(quality control) to 3D film productions,Broadcast 3DTV programmes andadvice to 3D hardware and softwaremanufacturers.

3D production chaintwofour54 intaj will be the only hub

in MENA offering a range of S3Dequipment and services spanning thewhole production chain. With theexpansion of S3D globally, library

footage will soon become highly soughtafter and increasingly valuable. 3D Labwill also provide simple and directaccess to 3D footage. In addition totechnology, the new lab will provide arange of training solutions in conjunctionwith twofour54 tadreeb and is aimed atstudents looking to specialise in 3D,professional looking to expand theirskills and other companies seeking tounderstand business opportunities.

TwoFour54 Intaj launches MENA region’s first stereoscopic 3D LabDuring July twofour54 intaj launched the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s first Stereoscopic 3D lab,making it the only facility of its kind in the Middle East to offer dedicated facilities, equipment and expert supportacross the third dimension.

Hasan Sayed Hasan, Head of twofour54 intajsaid: “In developing our new 3D lab, weselected a core set of hardware and softwarethat are considered to be the industrystandard tools for Stereoscopic 3Dproduction."

AV integrators face a dauntingchallenge when installingcomplex, high definition,multimedia systems involvingmultiple displays and distances

over 15 feet: incorporating and oftenconverting a myriad of signal input optionsto high definition formats over fiber opticcable and doing so with a relatively“clean” installation that minimizes potentialpoints of failure. Although this soundssimple enough, the reality is quite theopposite. With so many possible signalformats including HDMI, DVI, HD-SDI, S-video, Composite video and RGB,converting, processing and transmitting allthe required inputs to HDMI or DVI overfiber optics requires a cluster of off-the-shelf extenders, converters, switches andcabling.

Complex integration challengeFurther complicating matters, high

definition electronics such as Blu-Rayplayers, satellite and cable HDTV set-top-boxes, and computers come with deeplyembedded HDCP Digital ContentProtection and EDID display resolutionsynchronization issues that must beaddressed in the connections and cablingthat – if not done properly – can rendercontent unplayable.

Throw in that most commercialinstallations also require audio, USB, IR,and Ethernet connections forcomputer/laptop connections, and RS-232for touch panel control systems, and AVintegrators are often forced to cobbletogether a potpourri of off-the-shelfproducts together in a configuration thatwould make Rube Goldberg proud. “Anyof the individual components will work fineif you’re connecting Point A to Point B,”says Brad Sousa, Regional Vice Presidentat AVI Systems, one of the largest audio-visual systems integrators in NorthAmerica. “The real challenge is when youstart building more complex systems. Themore source devices there are that needto be connected to a variety of displaysover distance, the more messy,unorganized, and failure-prone theinstallation.”

Standard solutionsThis is leading Sousa, and other top

AV integrators, to seek out solutions theycan standardize on that canaccommodate the variety of analog anddigital video, audio and computer inputson the market while using a minimalnumber of enclosures. Such a solution is

not only more efficient, but reduces costswhile cleaning up the install. The ability tomove to fiber optics is the second part ofthe equation. Today, companies such asAVI Systems are moving more to fiberoptics over copper or CAT5 cabling. Thereason: for distances over 15 feet, copperis not recommended and CAT5 can

experience signal degradation over longdistances. With cable runs 50-75’ orlonger for larger spaces, this can be a realissue. “In a commercial environment, westill use both, but we tend to use fibermore than copper or CAT5,” says Sousa.“When we do defense installations, wealmost exclusively use fiber optic cablingbecause it solves other issues as wellrelated to classified/unclassifiedtransmissions.”

Signal degradesAccording to Sousa, most CAT5

extenders for HDMI/DVI often amplify thesignal instead of regenerating it as is thecase with fiber optics. The longer theCAT5 cable and the more connectionsbetween source and display, the more thesignal degrades. “With fiber optics, by thevery nature of converting from an electricsignal to optical and back again, you get areally, really nice signal at the end,”explains Sousa. After extensive researchinto available product offerings, Sousadiscovered Broadata Communications Inc(BCI), a U.S.-based manufacturer of directpluggable, mini enclosures and wall plates(including the first to offer Decora style)that can accept any signal input out toHDMI/DVI over a single multi-mode fiber.“BCI’s products allow us to mix and matchjust about any combination of video, audioand data formats to high definition,” saysSousa. “So these products become a bitof a Swiss-Army Knife for an integrator thatis trying to retrofit or upgrade a systemfrom an analog system to a new digital-based transport.”

Reduced costsWhile most off-the-shelf products in

this market space are manufactured inAsia, BCI’s ability to design andmanufacture high end, even custom,solutions for its customers at its U.S.facility differentiates it from the rest of theoff-the-shelf fiber extender product market.What also appealed to Sousa is that BCI’sLight Bridge Technology – essentiallyproprietary embedded software – handlesthe analog to digital signal conversionwithout the need for a separate converterbox. This reduces costs, since converter

Fibre leads AV integrators to single enclosure solutionsToo many signals, too much hardware, and distance limitations drive need for single enclosure HDCP-compliantsolutions out to HDMI/DVI over fiber optic cable

14

The Light Bridge product offerings fromBCI include a variety of pre-designedenclosures with multiple signal inputoptions out to a single multi-mode fiber.

15

boxes are common components in suchsystems, and eliminates several potentialpoints of failure.HDCP interoperability

The products also address criticalHDCP interoperability issues that canoccur when an install becomesincreasingly complex. HDCP is a methodof copy protection designed to prevent theinterception of digital data while it is beingtransported from the source to the display.It uses authentication and a method of keyexchange to keep the connection secure.Sousa explains, however, that HDCP wasinitially designed to work in a one source,one display type consumer environment.In today’s media or presentation rooms,you might find ten or more computingdevices, 2-3 cable boxes, and evenmultiple Blu-Ray players connected to avariety of projectors, flat panels and touchscreens. As the required transmitters,receivers and switches are daisy-chainedtogether, HDCP interoperability and timingissues can cause conflicts that can renderthe media unplayable. “The value of BCI’sproduct is it enables us to address theHDCP and other data protocol issuesdespite the number of connected sourceor displays,” says Sousa. According toSousa, AVI Systems has standardized on

off-the-shelf BCI’s units for many of itsprojects. At one of the U.S. government’sleading National Laboratories, for instance,the unit worked so well that it has becomethe standard across hundreds of offices asit rolls out collaboration systems utilizinghigh resolution graphics in tandem withreal-time video conferencing. “We wereable to build a repeatable process thatspeeds up difficult installations, and thishas had a significant impact on our bottomline,” said Sousa.

Single-pipe solutionAnother firm advocate of this

approach is Kosuke Kisara, a

communications engineer who is CTO ofPSI Inc., a company that has been heavilyinvolved in introducing fiber optics andmulti-media transmission systems into theJapanese market over the past 15 years.

PSI has been using a customizeddigital video converter/transmitter for HD-SDI, HDMI and DVI to ease cable TVcustomer’s transition from analog to digital,for security surveillance systems, digitalsignage, hospital operating room HD videosystems, and to integrate video, audio anddata communication over one pipe. “We’vesold 70 fiber optics systems using DVIconverters to this hospital,” said Kosuke.“Another customer purchased 30 HDMIfiber optics systems for huge videodisplays in train stations and departmentstores.” As in the case of AVI Systems,these systems were enabled via boxesdesigned by Broadata to eliminate multipleboxes and simplify what would otherwisehave been a very challenging installation.“BCI has been accommodating wheneverwe have required specific modifications orcustom requirements,” said Kosuke. “Theunits are competitively priced, thecompany is using its own patentedtechnology and manufacturing it at its ownfacility. They have been responsive to ourneeds on quality and standards.”

BCI designs and manufacturersapplication-specific, single box solutionsaccommodating almost any imaginablecombination of signal inputs for integrators.

Zeus III Innovations in 1 Rack UnitConnect to your existing party line systemZeus III is the first intercom matrix with two built-in party line interface channels.

Manage the system from anywhereUse the intuitive AZedit software toremotely configure your intercom system from anywhere in the world.

Toggle other devices with relaysZeus III features two relay connections, for easy linking to other devices such as lighting and paging amps.

Innovating the futureof global communications

BBBBiiiigggg iiiiinntttteeeerrrrcccoooommmmmmiiinnn a smmmaallllll ppppaaaaccckkkaaggggeeeee

Bosch Communications SystemsUAE: Robert Bosch Middle East FZE, Phone: +971 42123-363

www.rtsintercoms.com/zeus3

See us in

Hall 10, Stand D20

www.wondercube.tv

Perfect playoutLightCube SD/HD is the first playout solution designed by broadcasters,

for broadcasters, offering full workflow in a single workstation. From

ingestion through to broadcast, LightCube enables you to take control

of your media, with simultaneous capture and playout.

Features includes comprehensive asset management, quiet PC-based

storage, CG management, playlists, playout and a high-level audio

processor to control any source audio problems. There’s full manual

and automatic control of the matrix/router and the software is available

in multi-language versions. Plus, with the option to upgrade to the larger

WonderCube platform, your system can grow as your business does.

playoutAffordable TV channel automation

designed by broadcasters

For further information, please visit www.wondercube.tv or contact:

South Africa Inala Broadcast • Tel: +27 (0)11 206 8344 • info@inala.co.zaU.A.E. Oasis Enterprises • Tel: +971 2 621 7043 • info@oasisppd.comRest of world JVC Professional • Tel: +971 4 803 6210 • exportsales@jvcpro.co.uk

#151 - LightCube ad (AV Specialist).indd 1 01/08/2011 14:23:00

17

“With Canon’s 3D solution, it’s easier to set up and to get the best quality pictures. Only Canon gives me simple adjustability through the driveunit display, and let’s me create a matched pair from any two of the same lens models.”John Perry, 3D Engineer, CanCommunicate

www.canon-europe.com/tv-products

IBCHall 11

E.50

The 3D music clip marks thebeginning of the era of 3Dproduction in the region. The hi-

tech feat was pulled off with theassistance of three professional teamsfrom the US and the UK. Additionally,the Lebanese W&P Production groupundertook extensive research on 3Dtechniques to familiarize the MiddleEast crew with the breakthroughtechnology, including the sophisticatedequipment and digital cameras thatwere used for the shoot. PopularLebanese singer Najwa Karam waschosen to feature in the clip for herdistinct Arabic flavour with acontemporary twist that fits well withmodern 3D technology. Her uniquesignature style is reflected throughoutthe video and enhanced with 3Dtechnology. Filmed by director Walid

Nassif, the song ‘Ma Fi Nom’ andparticularly its drum beat present anovel music style, which accompaniedby her sonorous voice provide the mostcompatible rendering to translate into a

3D platform. The three-day shoot tookplace in Northern Lebanon at NahrIbrahim, in the Kesserwan area ofBasateen Al Ossi, Jeita Grotto and thestudio in Mansourieh, and has beenone of the biggest production budgetsin the Middle East.

Clyde De Souza, a seniorstereographic consultant in the region,provided 3D stereography consultationfor the music video. The 3D version willpremiere at the ABC Achrafieh theatrein Lebanon. The video clip will later beplayed in over 600 Sony outlet storesthroughout the Arab world. The clip wasalso shot in 2D to enable Rotana TVviewers to watch it on their regular TVsets. The video additionally features asolo by Abdelmalek Al Baljani fromMorocco, a contestant from the ArabGot Talent reality show.

A landmark joint venture between the Rotana Audio Visual Group and Sony Gulf has provided Arabic audienceswith the first 3D experience featuring a music video clip on Najwa Karam in her song ‘Ma Fi Nom’.

Sony and Rotana produce first 3D Arabic music video

18

For every year since 1876,the All England Lawn Tennisand Croquet Club hashosted the tournament atthe end of June and the

beginning of July, gaining the keeninterest of sports fans around theworld. It's a competition with a highlyindividual flavour, not simply becauseall the matches are played on grassbut also because of the strictness withwhich its many traditions arerespected. This year's event, which ranfrom 20 June to 3 July, drew TVaudiences worldwide in the hundredmillions.

25 million viewersThe men's single final

produced some exciting television asNovak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadalto become the Wimbledon championfor 2011. An estimated 25 millionviewers worldwide watched the finalalone. As in previous years, NEPVisions was commissioned to coverthe event. Paul Fournier, Visions' Headof Sound, and a team equipped withfive outside broadcast trucks and acomplete fly-away system were onhand to supply their clients – theAmerican sports channel ESPN andbroadcasting giant NBC as well asSony Television 3D – with flawlessimages, sound and the first ever hostcoverage of Wimbledon in 3D.

An exacting broadcastA key role in all this was played

by four Advanced Digital AudioMatrices (ADAMs) from RTS. InESPN’s fly-away broadcast systemand for NBC, respectively, 136-userand 96-user ADAM frames were used.To satisfy Sony's 3D requirements andform an intercom system unit, PaulFournier and his team networked theADAM frames in the two Gemini truckswith Tribus cards. In addition, theMADI streams were routed over theMADI-16+ cards. A variety ofRTS/TELEX keypanels (KP32, KP12)and three RVON-16 cards, which allowexternal communication over IP,satisfied the remaining equipment

needs of the Wimbledon production."Even though you can never be

content with compromise on anyproduction, Wimbledon is especiallyexacting. Everyone involved – not justthe players, but the broadcasters,

technicians and service personnel –are stretched to their utmost. Theproduction this year ran flawlesslyfrom the opening service gameonwards. Our clients are satisfied –and so, naturally, are we."

Wimbledon – the place at which the most sensational and dramatic chapters of tennis history have been written.Wimbledon symbolizes everything tennis has to offer: euphoria, drama, glamour and tradition.

Game, set and match atWimbledon with RTS/TELEX

19

Electro-Voice has delivered thefirst Electro-Voice mid-sized linearray loudspeaker system to its

African concert sound partner LiveGigs Co-Operative AV Ltd. in Kenya.The system was first demonstratedduring the Kenya Music Week inDecember last year by Audio VisualEngineering Ltd. (AVE) as a part of theKenya Music Week’s live stageperformance system. Live Gigs Co-Operative AV Ltd. new system consistsof twelve XLC 127 DVX, two Dx46processors, and six CP4000S amps.

Easy rigging and easy setup weretwo of the reasons for the systemacquisition, the other being theElectro-Voice Dx46. This IP-based DSPenables the user to control thecomplete system from front of houseusing wireless network protocols.Complete system control and

supervision via IRIS-Net software andits easy-to-use GUI was an addedfeature. The amplifier and touring

racks were supplied with Electro-Voicepower and audio distribution panels.

“Electro-Voice systems have agreat reputation worldwide,” explainsTom Awando from Live Gigs Co-Operative AV Ltd. “We were in themarket looking for a high quality mid-sized line array, and found the EVXLC’s size-to-power ratio tough tobeat.” Another major reason for thepurchase was that Electro-Voice has astrong source for local support inKenya: Audio Visual Engineering(AVE). “This high level of local supportand partnership was key to ourdecision, both in terms of technicaland after-sales support”, adds LiveGigs’ Mohammed Shafiq.

“Live Gigs is extremely satisfiedwith the sound system’s performancethus far”, commented Tony Sawyer,MEA Technical Support Manager.

Live Gigs Co-Operative AV Ltd. Kenya takes delivery of the first Electro-Voice line array in East Africa, supplied byAudio Visual Engineering Ltd.

Electro-Voice delivers Line Array to East Africa

Very pleased with Electro-Voice Line Array(from left to right): Mohammed Shafiq (LiveGigs Co-Operative AV Ltd. Kenya), TonySawyer (MEA Technical Support Manager),Tom Awando (Live Gigs Co-Operative AVLtd. Kenya), Omar Abdalla Sheikh (AVEKenya), and Robert Hesse (Vice PresidentSales Communication EMEA of BoschSecurity Systems and Managing Director ofEVI Audio GmbH)

Suppliers of state- of-the-art

technolo

gies... Acquisition to transmission to digital cinema

Broadcast Sales Engineers

Broadcast Service Engineers

Contact George van Gils at (011) 706 0405 george@questek.co.za cell 082 825 5592 www.questekadvanced.co.za

Questek is offering excitingand rewarding careers inleading edge broadcasttechnology:

Career opportunities also in

other fields of visualisation such

as digital cinema, control rooms,

OOH, corporate audio visual and

medical. Candidates to have solid

technical or IT background

20

Working for TwofourDigital, the Gloucester-based AV specialistscommandeered nofewer than 270 Tiles,

configured in a giant concave 30 x 9display to help car manufacturer Audishowcase its entire range. ProductionAV were brought in by CentralPresentations Ltd, to whom they hadearlier demonstrated MicroTiles. Thelatter, in turn, introduced TwofourDigital and Audi to the uniquetechnology when they were looking fora jaw-dropping media display thatwould wow visitors to their touringpavilion at Goodwood. “When they sawMicroTiles they decided to fill the wholeof one wall with a curved display,giving them a 12m x 2.7m screen,”said Production AV project manager,Sam McCrea. Set on a 1m high plinththe display was the largest temporaryMicroTiles installation yet seen inEurope. The screen showed footagecreated by the Twofour Digital teamshowcasing the best of Audi on a 30-minute loop. Video coverage includeda range of Audi racing cars heading upthe famous 1.16 mile hill climb,including an Auto Union Type D, AudiR8 LMS and the Audi R18 TDI sportsprototype that raced in this year’s LeMans 24 hours.

On-demand video contentTwofour also provided on-

demand video content for the Auditeam to use on their social networkingsites.To construct such a large displaywith its precision curvature hadrequired careful prep time — and a lotof resourcefulness, as Production AVset out in search of the requisitenumber of tiles to complement theirown inventory. “We set it up in thewarehouse with a 6mm wedgebetween the back of each tile to getthe curvature; but they coupled easily,and when we switched on the displaythe impact was immediate,” statedMcCrea. The content was fed from aPandoras Box media player as well asfive MacBook Pro’s running

PlaybackPro, via an eight-outputChristie Spyder X20 processor. “Weused six outputs of Spyder for theMicroTiles walls, splitting the displayinto six separate sub arrays — withthree 10 x 5 as the top row and three10 x 4 arrays on the bottom,” explainedthe Production AV project manager.“That enabled us to work in full 1920HD resolution for each array. The wholedisplay ran flawlessly throughout andthe client was delighted.”

The regular stream of visitorswere also able to see the lightweight,aluminium, five cylinder 408PS quattroConcept, R8 GT Spyder, A1 and RS 3

Sportback, while there was a viewingplatform of the track. Paul Middletonfrom Twofour Digital confirmed: “Oncethey had seen all the amazing Audifootage on the 12m screen visitorscould not help but be wowed.” AndHugh Fletcher, National DigitalManager for Audi UK, stated: “We arealways looking for new and innovativeways to showcase our cars and toimprove our visitors’ experience at theGoodwood Festival of Speed. “Thescreen not only added to theatmosphere inside the Audi pavilion,but also brought our fantastic brandand product range to life.”

Production AV fielded the largest temporary Christie MicroTiles display ever at the recent Goodwood Festival ofSpeed — configured in a highly original design.

270 Microtiles take the curves at Festival of Speed

21

Broadcasting 24 hours a dayfrom its studios inBloemfontein in the FreeState Province, OFM is alifestyle radio station that

likes to connect with its audiencethrough plenty of telephone interaction.As phone-in programs are such animportant part of its remit, OFMwanted to ensure that these reflectedthe same high audio standards as therest of its programming. But there wasa problem – the audio levels onphone-ins were not always regular andthat, says OFM’s technical managerJan Van Der Walt, was somethingworth investigating.

Technical challenge“One of our biggest technical

challenges was the poor quality of thetelephone conversations we werebroadcasting,” he explains. “As almostall of our content is live, this becamequite a problem. It was particularlynoticeable when callers were using cellphones and were in areas of poorsignal, but we also had problems withsome fixed line calls where theposition of the caller’s phone couldinfluence the level of the incomingaudio. The result was that the energylevel of the telephone audio was oftenlower than the standard audio we werebroadcasting. This meant that thephone calls sound much softer, whichin turn made it difficult for audiences tohear, especially if they were drivingand were trying to hear the radioabove the ambient noise aroundthem.”

Huge radio footprintGiven OFM’s location in one of

the most scarcely populated parts ofthe country, and given its hugefootprint – geographically it broadcaststo the Free State, most of theNorthwest province, parts of theNorthern Cape and the Sothern partsof Gauteng – it was imperative for theradio station to sort out its audio levelproblem. “Many of the people wholisten to us often drive huge distance,in excess of 800km,” Jan Van Der Walt

says. “Obviously it can become veryannoying if you can’t hear thetelephone contributions.”

Automated solutionIn search of a solution, Van Der

Walt visited South Africa’s Media Techshow and came across Jünger Audio’sproducts via its South Africandistributor Tru-Fi Electronics. Van DerWalt was particularly struck by thestand-alone 2-channel D06 LEVELMAGIC™ processor, which offers bothanalogue and digital inputs andoutputs. This automated Level andLoudness control device relies on anadaptive level control algorithm that isdesigned to adjust the level from anysource at any time, with no pumping,breathing or distortion. It works bysimultaneously combining an AGC, aTransient Processor for fast changesand a “look ahead” Peak Limiter forcontinuous unattended control of anyprogramme material, regardless of itsoriginal source. “What I wanted was anaudio processor that would just fix thelevels that were wrong, rather thanchanging the entire program,” heexplains. “Personally, I am alwaysscared of ‘over processing’ because Ibelieve that the challenge of greataudio is to let it sound as close aspossible to the natural origin of thesound. What I liked about the JüngerAudio D06 unit was its ability to workonly with level and not process the

audio. It seemed to me that this mightbe the right option for us because Icould use it to just correct the phonelevels.”

Satisfied customerTru-Fi arranged for OFM to demo

a unit for a couple of weeks and astime was an issue it installed a two-channel D06, even though OFMthought it might need a larger 4-channel unit. Van Der Walt says: “Myoriginal plan was to buy the bigger 4-channel unit and put the phone linethrough one channel, the news soundcontributions via PC through a secondchannel and use the remaining twochannels for play-out of the entireprogramme. However, because theD06 only has two channels wedecided to wire it to the AES in andoutputs and put the final programmethrough it. The results were waybeyond anything I expected. In factthey were so great that I refused toallow Tru-Fi to take the unit out – I justbought the demo! We use an Axia livewire system, so it doesn’t matter wherethe unit is physically installed, but inmy case it lives in my main controlroom and all of our main programmeoutput goes through the D06 before itis fed to the processor and the STL.”

OFM's happy listenersInstalling a Jünger Audio D06 has

solved FM’s level problems withtelephone calls and resulted in muchhappier listeners because they cannow clearly hear all of the programmecontent, regardless of where they arelistening – or where phone-inparticipants are calling from.

“The best thing about the D06unit is how easy it is to use, but I alsolike the fact that it is transparent anddoes nothing to the audio except fixthe level,” Van Der Walt adds. “We arereally happy with it and it is workingvery well for us. There couldn’t be abetter name for this product thanLEVEL MAGIC because the JüngerAudio D06 really does do magic withthe levels that used to be a bigproblem all over our shows.”

South African commercial radio station OFM entertains its audience with a mixture of adult contemporary music,news, weather, traffic and other relevant information

Jünger Audio helps OFM deliver exception clarity

22

The Zuku TV offering, carried onWananchi Group’s triple-playcable network, delivers a varietyof entertainment, sports andmovie channels under the Zuku

Afrika, Zuku Movies, Zuku Sports andZuku Life brands to homes in Nairobi andMombasa. Following a competitivepitching process from agencies acrossthe world the project was awarded toSCPG, Israel’s largest full-service creativeagency, based in Tel Aviv. Industry veteranBruce Steinberg, Head ContentConsultant for Zuku TV, explains, “Wewere looking for an experienced agencythat could get to the heart of East Africanculture and mix that with a western flavour.A lot of the content on the platform is fromthe US and UK, particularly for the ZukuMovie and Zuku Life channels. However,Kenya has a very proud culturalbackground and it was extremelyimportant that this was reflected in thedesign.”

Brand and identityThe biggest challenge for SCPG

was to create a brand and identity thatreflects modern life in East Africa. Toachieve this, a small focus group ofWananchi people was selected to provideopinions on fashion, television, advertisingand culture. The main aim for a projectlike this is to bring the diversity of thechannels and programme line-up togetherwith a brand that encapsulates the spiritand ideals of its audience. It was also veryimportant that the community knew thatthey had the highest-quality television atan affordable price.

Understand the target audienceThe focus group enabled SCPG to

understand the target audience andcreate branding for the platform that feltfamiliar yet fresh. Hannelie Bekker, MD,Wananchi Programming adds, “Thechallenge we put to SCPG was to designimaging that evokes a sense of Africanidentity without resorting to the clichédvisual language of animals and sunsets to

create on-air identities that wouldresonate with modern, middle classAfrican audiences. SCPG responded withdistinctive and beautiful work thatimmediately established the freshness

and quality of our fledgling channels. Theon-air imaging sets the tone for each ofthe channels and creates a gorgeouswrapping for the programming line-ups."

Armed with a wide range of lifestylereferences based on Kenyan culture,SCPG returned to Israel to start creatingthe look and feel of the platform. DavidBiran, Chief Creative Director, SCPGexplains, “We started the design processwith the Zuku Movies channel, which wasactually the easiest element because ithas a very western influence. The localchannels were much more challenging.For the main element of the design acrossthe platform we took African colours andshapes and put them in a clean structurewith light frames, building in elementsbased on the tone of each channel.”

An air of individualityThe branding had to flow throughout

the design whilst maintaining an air ofindividuality to reflect the theme of thechannel. Nitzan Danon SCPG’s Co-Founder and Director adds, “Zuku Sports,for example, is much rougher, faster andstronger than Zuku Africa or Zuku Movies,which represent the various genres ofprogrammes and films that they show. It’s

Last summer the Wananchi Group, East Africa’s first triple-play provider, established Wananchi Programming, adivision dedicated to building a comprehensive channel line-up from original African and popular Western content,for its new Zuku pay-TV platform. One of the first tasks for the group was to appoint an agency that could provideall the creative elements for the new platform including consultancy, branding, animation, promotion and training.

SCPG captures the spirit of Kenya’s Zuku TV

The challenge we put to SCPG was to designimaging that evokes a sense of African identitywithout resorting to the clichéd visual languageof animals and sunsets to create on-airidentities that would resonate with modern,middle class African audiences," says HannelieBekker, MD, Wananchi Programming.

23

like a tree: every channel starts with asimilar structure but each branch isdifferent. Each channel has differentcontent resources, management and adifferent marketing approach.”

He adds, “The team developednumerous designs because there were alot of features and directions that wewanted to explore before sending to theclient. We built in a repetitive element oneach of the designs but we showed theclient various options depending on thechannel. There were approximately ten to14 directions on each because we’dcarried out a lot of research and wewanted to be very accurate.

Design variationA further example of the design

variation is the promo content betweenthe shows. Biran says, “At the beginningof the project we decided the backgroundfor the promos would be black; it’s verydramatic and cinematic and it’s also veryTV-orientated. When we got to ZukuAfrica, which is the most colourful design,we decided to change the backgroundcolour to white to draw on those strongcolours. It uses the same commonlanguage, fonts, animation and approachas the other channels but when you seethe promos they really stand out, making

Zuku Africa look like the proudest guy intown. This was really important as it’saimed at a young crowd that feel veryproud and we wanted to reflect that.”

Global workflowAlthough the project has its roots in

East Africa it has had developmentcontributions from all over the world andis transmitted from Dublin, Irelandhighlighting a fully global workflow. SCPGacted as consultants throughout theproject. As well as supplying a designbible, the agency also went back to Kenya

recently to train the new team at Zuku,explaining the design process: how tomake and read a brief; the differentstages involved in making promos; whatto look for in a promo for a film or a TVseries; and many other elements.

Steinberg concludes, “We aredelighted with the results and are verypleased to have selected SCPG who fullyunderstood not only the creative visionbut also the vision of the East Africanpeople. They delivered a brand for ZukuTV that encapsulates the spirit of itsaudience.”

24

From 26 June – 17 July the FIFAWomen’s World Cup 2011 inGermany marked a milestone incompetitive women’s footballwith first rate television

coverage in terms of production anddistribution. This was a major step inwomen’s football competition to be on parwith men’s tournaments when it comes tobroadcasting. The event’s hostbroadcaster HBS required EVStechnology for all live replays and liveediting operations of matches managedby multiple OB facilities involving GermanTop Vision, Studio Berlin and TVN. Gameswere played in nine different stadiumsthroughout Germany (Augsburg, Bochum,Frankfurt, Monchengladbach, Wolfsburg,Berlin, Dresden, Leverkusen, Sinsheim)and were covered by 16 HD cameras forregular matches and up to 18 HDcameras for top matches. Each cameraangle was recorded on five XT seriesservers (six channels each) controlled by5 LSM remotes connected through a highbandwidth media sharing network

allowing live operation teams to controlany instant shot for slo-mo replays,prepared advanced highlights packagesand closers.

Handle recorded mediaAll systems were managed by

IPDirector, EVS’ production contentmanagement system, which allowsreviewing and smooth handling of allrecorded media and key sequences. Thesystem was used to exchange filestransparently via Avid and Apple FCPediting suite for advanced montage.

Live graphics analysisInitially introduced by HBS in

Johannesburg last summer, the Epsio livegraphic analysis system has been addedto the live OB setup for the replay oflitigious actions involving offside positionsof players. Integrated to the XT systemand controlled by the LSM remotecontroller, Epsio manages an auto-detection of the playing field withautographic overlay creation, allowing

operators to draw a line in under 5seconds showing the offside positions ofplayers. All live program feeds weregathered at the IBCC (BroadcastCoordination Centre) based in Frankfurtmainly dedicated to unilateral broadcastoperations. Following the successfuloperation of last year’s World Cup mediaexchange platform entirely based on EVSsystems, various broadcasters coveringthis year’s Women World Cup opted forsmaller scale workflow based on EVSservers and content management systemoffering similar capabilities.

Live editing tools At ARD-ZDF, live incoming feeds

were recorded on two EVS XT seriesservers allowing the production team tocreate extra highlights and polished editsusing EVS live editing tools or Avid suite.Since all media is recorded natively asAvid DNxHD codec based on EVS’ newweb-service API, the media exchangebetween EVS and Avid editing suite wasmanaged without wasting time or quality-

Host broadcast organization HBS collaborated with EVS to supply equipment to enhance live production coverageat the Women’s World Cup in Germany. Match productions involving multiple Outside Broadcast (OB) facilities aswell as broadcast companies relied on EVS solutions for all live replays, highlights and graphic analysisthroughout the event.

EVS deploys live solutions at FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011

25

impacting encoding/decoding process. “HBS and EVS have been working

closely together for over 10 yearsproviding the sports broadcasting marketwith technological solutions that answerthe most demanding requirements duringlive event operations,” said Pierre L’Hoest,CEO of EVS. “This strong collaborationbetween a world class host broadcastevent specialist and a leader in live sportsbroadcast technology has led to a cross-fertilization of live event productionsoffering even better content creation at afaster pace and increased efficiency.”

24 x 7 x 128

3G HD-SDI VIDEO ROUTING

HD-SDI/SDI multi-format bandwidth flexibility - from 19Mbps to 3Gbps

Expendable modular design

Two frame sizes: from 8x8 to 64x64 in 4RU, up to128x128 in 8RU

Hot-swappable video I/O boards, CPU boards and power supplies

Optional A-D / D-A Conversion modules

Optional redundant power supplies & control processors

Optional LC-style fiber I/O connectors with fiber, allowing cable

distances up to 10km @ 3Gbps

24

7

128

HOURS PER DAY, EVERY DAY

YEAR WARRANTY PROTECTION

X128 IN ONE 8RU FRAME

© 2011 Kramer Electronics, Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited

W ��kXÎÂ�Å���XÌ/�Ì��ÌWÌÐÐÌ���àÌ�Ýk�×k_Ì"�ÂÎ�X��xxÌÕ¥�zÌWÌ,²$²Ì��ßÌ--ÉÐz¥z_Ì�@�Â�@�bÌÕæÐæÌWW .k­×N��XÌ$xÌ/�×Î�Ì�xÂ�X@ÌWÌÞÞÞ²k�kXÎÂ�Å���X²X�²ä@ÌWÌ�k�­Ì���kÌ�8^ÌæpÊ¥Ì�8���,̯ÕpÌ}ÐÌzÉ°ÌWW �k�­Ì���kÌ����Î���^Ìæp-ÊæÌ!�.1�"̯ÊÕÌÉpÌ}Ê°ÌW

Unprecedented enthusiasm, packed stadiums, top-quality football and a brand newchampion: The FIFA Women's World Cup 2011 in Germany took the feminine side of theworld’s most popular sport to a whole new level and will remain forever in the memory.For many, Japan's penalty shoot-out victory over USA in the Final was a fitting conclusionto the tournament, especially in light of the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami whichdevastated the country earlier in the year. The Nadeshiko, inspired by star player HomareSawa , combined slick passing with technical finesse to prove that women's football hastruly arrived in every corner of the globe.

27

The broadcaster’s delivery ofmunicipal elections coveragein May 2011 demonstratedthis commitment, offeringcitizens the latest live election

results, presented and illustrated withexciting 3D graphics created by ChyronCreative Services and powered byChyron HyperX3 and LEX on-airgraphics systems. Because theelectoral system in South Africa is verycomplex, SABC took advantage ofproject management from Chyron fromthe very beginning. Initially, the twocompanies worked together to organizethe editorial content that would beincluded in the election resultsbroadcasts, the type of graphics thiscontent would require, and how datafrom the SABC’s custom designedelection results system could be pulledinto those graphics.

Chyron creative service The SABC’s editorial team with the

help of Chyron Creative Servicescreated a flow chart for each graphic,and the Chyron and SABC design stafffollowed through to establish the overalllook of the graphics while making sureSABC’s editorial requirements would bemet. With these details determined, theChyron and SABC teams started workon the programming that would makeall those plans happen. The graphicspackage created for SABC’s coverageof South African elections included barcharts, pie charts, comparison chartsfor candidates, geographical areas ofSouth Africa, and voter turnout, all ofwhich combined to make it easy forviewers to understand the significanceof incoming data. In all, the packagecontained 26 graphics, along with extracoding for particularly unique orcomplex graphics with many movingparts. From start to finish, the creationof these graphics by the joint SABC andChyron teams was completed in justweeks. The professional design of theseelection graphics set the SABCbroadcast apart from competingcoverage, and the power of Chyron’sHyperX3 and LEX systems was

essential to smooth playout of theserich and visually striking 3D graphics.Because SABC already had invested inChyron systems and had worked withthe company for its 2009 electionscoverage, operators were alreadyfamiliar with the features andfunctionality of the graphics platformsthemselves.

Crawl and tickerThroughout its election broadcast,

SABC also used a crawl and ticker topresent information. The crawl drewfrom a variety of data sources, and theticker relied on election center dataselected through Coach, a softwareprogram that made it easy for users toselect the type of election results todisplay within Chyron graphics. Chyronand SABC programmers worked withCoach developers ahead of time toensure that elections data could betranslated into the graphics from theCreative Services team. Starting weeksbefore the election, the CreativeServices team in Johannesburg workedwith SABC to check and test graphicsas the full package was delivered.SABC and Chyron staff in South Africaalso held a series of Coach training

sessions for SABC staff as the actualbroadcasts approached. When itbecame time for the election resultsbroadcasts, which ran from May 18 to21, both Chyron and SABC staff movedto an outside broadcasting site at thenational elections center — a temporaryset with cameras, control room, and aremote production (OB) truck — inPretoria. An easy-to-use interface to theChyron systems allowed the team atSABC to order up a particular graphicand display it appropriately. Staff fromChyron remained on hand throughout toprovide technical support as needed, inconjunction with the SABC’s electionresults system team.

SABC’s coverage of South Africa’s2011 municipal elections proved to be asuccess. The broadcaster’s on-screenproduct set a new standard in graphicsquality for such events, and the projectitself, run jointly by SABC and Chyron,demonstrated how end-to-end projectmanagement, graphics design,programming and integration with third-party systems and data suppliers,software training, and robust on-airgraphics systems can help to simplifyeven the most complex large-scale livenews productions.

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), a public service and commercial broadcasting organizationlocated in Johannesburg, is committed to “broadcasting for total citizen empowerment.”

SABC becomes elections leaderwith Chyron graphics

AV Specialist DPS A3- 29.7x42 cm

www.arabsat.com

Reaching farther than ever with the new generation of Arabsat satellites

The youngest satellite fleet in the region continues to grow. This year, our new state-of-the-art Arabsat-5C satellite will bring even more

capacity and in-orbit redundancy to the Middle East, the whole African continent, Europe and the Indian subcontinent. This means

even more choices, more flexibility including Ka-band spot beams, and more capacity for communications, broadcast, telephone,

broadband, VSAT and interactive services. Tune in to the future, today.

AV Specialist DPS A3- 29.7x42 cm

www.arabsat.com

Reaching farther than ever with the new generation of Arabsat satellites

The youngest satellite fleet in the region continues to grow. This year, our new state-of-the-art Arabsat-5C satellite will bring even more

capacity and in-orbit redundancy to the Middle East, the whole African continent, Europe and the Indian subcontinent. This means

even more choices, more flexibility including Ka-band spot beams, and more capacity for communications, broadcast, telephone,

broadband, VSAT and interactive services. Tune in to the future, today.

30

Recognising that fuel is not adiscretionary purchase,systems integratorBroadcast Networks hascome up with a list of Ten

Top Tips that will to help broadcasterskeep their fuel bills to a minimum.“Reducing fuel consumption is betterfor the environment and better forbroadcasters’ profit margins,” saysManaging Director Tom Haye. “Inrecessionary times it pays to thinkabout how you can cut fuel costs – andit’s surprising how following our simpletips will really help keep fuel overheadsdown.”

Pick The Right OB Vehicle Forthe Job

The larger the truck, the more fuelit needs so where possible use a

smaller OB vehicle. BroadcastNetworks has just launched a verysmall, fuel efficient OB that is builtinside a Land Rover Discovery. Thesenippy vehicles, kitted out with the latesthigh tech equipment, are the future ofOB for many broadcasters and are wellworth investigating for the long term.

Tighten Up Your Fuel CapAll fuel, but especially the high

octane ones, will vaporize whenexposed to heat. Reduce evaporationby fully tightening the fuel cap (to thesecond click) every time you fill up.

Service Your OB TrucksRegular services will ensure your

truck is running efficiently, using lessfuel and producing fewer emissions.

Check Your Tyre Pressure Properly inflated tyres last longer

and can also make your vehicle up to3% more fuel efficient. When tyres heatup the pressure alters, so check themat least once a month when they arecold. Single-wide tires can improve gasmileage by 4-8% because they arelightweight and have lower resistanceon the highway. They also have lowerrepair costs and require lessmaintenance.

Drive Slowly and SmoothlyDrive smoothly because fuel

consumption is increased throughrapid acceleration, hard braking,stopping and starting and changinggear too frequently. Speed also has animpact - driving 55 miles per hourinstead of 65 miles per hour can saveup to 20% of fuel usage, according tothe U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA).

Don’t Be Conned By Your AirCon

Air conditioning, in-cab heaters,demisters and rear window heaters alluse up fuel, so only use them whenyou really need them. According to theAA, using both front and rear demisterscan increase your vehicle’s fuel

Ten Tips that optimizefuel economy on yourOB fleetAs fuel prices around the world hit a record high, every driver is looking forways to squeeze as many miles as possible from every precious gallon orlitre. If you are a broadcaster with a fleet of Outside Broadcast vehicles, howdo you stop fuel overheads from rocketing and eating in to your hard earnedprofits?

“Reducing fuel consumption is better for theenvironment and better for broadcasters’ profitmargins,” says Managing Director Tom Haye.“In recessionary times it pays to think abouthow you can cut fuel costs – and it’ssurprising how following our simple tips willreally help keep fuel overheads down.”

31

consumption by as much as 6%, so useelbow grease, a cloth and de-icer toclear frost and condensation. Using airconditioning at low speeds is lesseconomical than opening a window, buton the motorway air conditioning ismore cost effective because openwindows cause drag, which can have agreater impact on fuel consumption.

Watch Your WeightEvery extra 100 pounds carried

reduces fuel economy by roughly 2%.Therefore avoid carrying equipment youdon’t need. Try to compact the entireproduction system into one vehicle soyou don’t need for a tender truck andonly have to drive one vehicle to anevent rather than two.

Don’t Be a DragKeeping windows closed when

driving at speed will reduce resistanceand save fuel. A properly designed OBvehicle will be sufficiently aerodynamicto reduce drag to a minimum so it isworth investing in the best coach buildyou can afford.

Plan Your Route Use a sat-nav with real-time traffic

alerts to plan your route and avoidunnecessary traffic jams. Big trucks

should also avoid hilly terrain and if youdo get caught in a queue, turn off theengine because a typical 420hp heavy-duty truck engine consumes fuel at therate of around two litres an hour whenleft idling and stationary.

Be Smart When You BuyWhile the petrol price is regulated

in Southern Africa, diesel prices vary

from filling station to filling station soshop around and make sure you’rebuying at the best price. Premium fuelsgive smoother running, betterperformance and a better return on yourmileage. Driving with a full tankincreases vehicle weight so, unless youare on a motorway where fuel prices aremuch higher, apply the little and oftenrule when it comes to filling up.

Broadcast Networks has just launched a very small, fuel efficient OB that is built inside a LandRover Discovery. These nippy vehicles, kitted out with the latest high tech equipment, are thefuture of OB for many broadcasters and are well worth investigating for the long term.

YOU WANT MORE?

www.avspecialist.tv

For more information on any of the products featured in this issue simply scroll your mouse over the page and click on the product image for an instant link to the manufacturer›s website. Additional rich media content is available from many articles. For a more engaging read, visit the library on the AV Specialist website at www.avspecialist.tv

AV Specialist’s digital edition can be read across multiple platforms, including iPads, iPhones and Androids.

Starter Series 17” Prompter

unitedbroadcast.com

THE BROADCAST PROFESSIONALS’ CHOICE FOR OVER 55 YEARS.

3TELEPROMPTING SOLUTIONS IN1

Visit us at Showroom No.1, Rashid Al Majid Building, Airport Road, Dubai, U.A.E.

Tel.: +971 4 282 7171, Fax: +971 4 282 7373, E-mail:info@unitedbroadcast.com

On-camera unit Straight-read above camera teleprompter Floor or tripod standing straight-read monitor

32

Al Jazeera has invested in severalMultimedia Exchange Networkover Satellite (MENOSTM) TV

interactive terminals from leadingsatellite communication companyNewtec. The technology will be used toreceive TV and data from key sportingevents. The award-winning MENOSnetwork is a revolutionary all-IP solutionfor exchanging multimedia content oversatellite and is operated by the ArabStates Broadcasting Union (ASBU). Itenables fully automated, cost-effectivesharing of video and radio contentamong scattered sites. The ASBUMENOS network is jointly operated withArabsat utilising their satellite capacity.

Slaheddine Maaoui, ASBUDirector General, said: “For the firsttime Al Jazeera will be benefitting fromthe ASBU-MENOS network wesuccessfully operate. We are pleased

to continue our ongoing cooperationwith Al-Jazeera in this vital project forthe Arab region. We are constantlylooking at ways to improve technologyand services. Thanks to the MENOSnetwork there is now a professionalbroadcast exchange network ensuringa high quality service to our members,

as well as other broadcasters in theregion.”

The TV Satellite InteractiveTerminals (SIT) will be provisioned inthe ASBU network, utilising Arabsatsatellite capacity. In addition toinstalling the terminals, Newtec will alsobe training Al Jazeera staff andproviding professional service training.Serge Van Herck, CEO of Newtec said:“MENOS is a revolutionary networkingconcept. It has been designed toprovide not only the fastest and mostcost-effective technology forexchanging media content, but also acomplete range of tools to facilitaterelated coordination tasks and peoplecollaboration across the network.”Newtec installed its MENOS multimediaconcept at the Arab StatesBroadcasting Union facility in Algiers in2008.

Global broadcaster Aljazeera Sports Channels will use award-winning technology from satellite communicationspecialist Newtec and the Arab States Broadcasting Union to receive its multimedia content

Al Jazeera Sports joins MENOS to access ASBU Exchange network

33

unitedbroadcast.com

Visit us at Showroom No.1, Rashid Al Majid Building, Airport Road, Dubai, U.A.E.

Tel.: +971 4 282 7171, Fax: +971 4 282 7373, E-mail:info@unitedbroadcast.com

V-MD1856RU 18.5" Rack Mount / Stand-Alone Monitor with Modular Inputs

Marshall Electronics presents V-MD185MD series rack mountmonitor1366 x 768 LED-backlit panel with wide viewing anglesFlexible"future proof" solutionSwap and interchange modular inputs at any timeChoose from a variety of inputs including 3G-SDI and FiberMulti-format CompatibilityFalse Color FilterThin mechanical design

The equipment included the Studio9+9 fluid head from Sachtler.Primes explained, the team’s goal

in Tanzania was to “capture the beautyof another culture, one that includes theemotions of mothers, fathers andchildren, the drama of survival and thejoy of living without the sometimesquestionable complexity of the humancondition.” The team put together aversatile camera package supplied byClairmont Camera, Fujinon, Weisscam,Canon, Panavision and others, thatincluded the Sony PMW-350 with aFujinon’s 25:1 zoom and imagestabilizer, and the Weisscam HS-2 highspeed camera with the giant Panavision135-420mm T2.8 lens. “We chose theSachtler Studio 9+9 heads for bothcameras because of its incredibleversatility and range. The Sachtler 9+9

Studio heads might be thought of asoverkill for a documentary,” Primesadmits. “However, with the heavyWeisscam sporting a 70 pound lens,and the EX-350 sporting a 2500mm lens

(35mm equivalent), it was exactly whatwe needed. The heads are so versatilethey can perfectly balance almostanything. We also carried somemarvelously sturdy yet lightweightSachtler carbon fiber legs, even thoughthe bulk of our work would be done offthe camera cars.“

Robert Primes ASC, a senior lecturer in cinematography at AFI, Dan Kneece, SOC, president of the Society ofCamera Operators, and young cinematographer Yousef Linjawi worked together on a documentary about theSerengeti, which translates to “endless plain” in the Maasai language.

Crossing the Serengeti with the Studio fluid head

34

4K is not particularly newsince it is widelyacknowledged that Dalsainvented the first professionalsystem a few years ago.

Expensive to hire and arguably aheadof its time, Dalsa cancelleddevelopment of the Origin in 2009.Now 4K is on the agenda of all themajor camera manufacturers whohave plans for product based onunique compression systems.However, it pays to take the hyperboleassociated with digital imaging with apinch of salt. Some vendors areclaiming to have innovatedtechnologies capable of resolutions ashigh as 8K, others that they canproduce twin 4K images for stereorecording while others already have 4Kor 5K cameras which are being used

in earnest by A list directors.Measuringthe quality of digital imaging systemsis to large extent subjective anddependent on the skill of thecinematographer to bring out the bestin the technology. Manufacturers havestruggled to attain the qualities inexposure, dynamic range and overall‘look’ of 35mm film, which is nominallysupposed to equate to a digital pixelcount of 2K. Certainly the promotion ofa camera’s ability based purely on asensor’s horizontal pixel count can bemisleading. Virtually all of the 4Ksystems in development are based onbayer pattern sensors, which inevitablyleads to some reduction in resolutionduring the debayering process.

Moreover the ergonomics of thecamera’s bodywork, its ability to workwith prime lenses (many of which are

rated at 8K or more of light comingthrough the glass) and the elegance ofhandling the large volume of data on-set and into post are all considerationsfor the cinematographer. A 4K pictureis, in most people’s opinion, a farricher, more nuanced and detailedexperience than 2K, yet the businesscase is far from transparent. Thebandwidth required to transmit it tohomes is light years away, there is onlyone cinema projection system capableof supporting the format and the sheervolume of data would buckle thebudgets if not the equipment withinpost production facilities. “Studiosdon’t want projects delivered in 4K,”explains Leandro Marini, founder of LAdigital intermediate specialist LocalHero Post. “We should be moving to4K as an industry – it is the future offilm - but most of the infrastructure issolidly 2K and it’s not that easy toswitch into 4K.”The chief bottlenecklies in the rendering of VFX images at4K which requires more disc space,more time and more expense.Ironically it is much easier to perform a4K finish on a romantic comedy thanon a VFX heavy film. Part of theanswer lies in building out support for4K recording, storage and postproduction tools to permit a 4Kworkflow from acquisition to master.Some of this is being delivered withtools including high capacity solidstate media, monitors and 4K capablecapture cards coming to market.

Wider dynamic rangeManufacturers argue that

recording 4K is not just aboutdelivering in 4K today but aboutcapturing content at a higherresolution with benefits in dynamicrange, colorimetry and latitude to 2Kor HD images derived from it. In thatsense it is similar to the approachbroadcasters took when capturing atHD for an SD-only deliverable.Perhaps the most advanced format fornext-generation TV broadcasting is theNHK-backed Super Hi-Vision whichposts an 8K resolution (7680 x 4320pixels), sixteen times higher than fullHD but this has a tentative first satellitebroadcast deadline of 2020. We willdoubtless see further advances in 4Ktechnologies at IBC2011 because,despite question marks over thebusiness model today, it will likelybecome more prevelant, perhaps eventhe defacto standard given time, asnew tools and accessories facilitatesmoother and cheaper production.

While stereo 3D continues to make headlines with new kit appearing onalmost a daily basis, the research and development of 4K technologiesappears to be on an equally fast track. 4K represents another leap towardhigher resolution digital imaging and denotes four times the amount ofpicture information than 2K which is itself twice the resolution of HD. Thefilmmaker’s, if not yet the consumer’s, appetite for higher fidelity images isdriving the industry toward 4K tools. That’s not withstanding the fact thatthe human eye would find it difficult to take in all detail at resolutionsbeyond 4K.

4K digital imaging advances

35

As its name suggests , this screenhas a dual function and can beused either as a semi-

transparent screen or as aconventional LED screen dependingon the position of shuttering behindwhich can be adjusted at the flick of aswitch. It is a the perfect "lightweightLED mesh" solution, an increasinglycommon requirement on internationaltechnical riders. The modular panelscreen has an 18mm pixel pitch andworks on a simple clip-togethersystem, needing a mere fraction of thetime, transport and manpower requiredto assemble a conventional screen.

Each 576mm x 576mm panelweighs in at a fly-weight 8.3kg, (arounda third of the weight per square meterof traditional LED Screen products)and has a depth of less than 150mm;yet boasts a formidable 5000 nitsbrightness for daylight viewing,accurate reproduction of 281 trillioncolours and IP65 ingress protectionrating. It is also the ideal screen typefor creative usage as a set element, forlighting effects and on exhibitionstands, with a 120deg viewing angleboth horizontally and vertically. The

product is outdoor rated IP65 front andback, making it a resilient option forthe variable South African climate.

"The processing is fantastic," saysLEDVision's Operations Manager, AllenEvans " everything is completelysoftware controlled, with an excellentuser interface. Also, the AC inputeliminates the need for power boxesand data boxes making for a very neatlook." The LEDVision team are currentlypreparing the new screen for use onthe James Blunt tour.

Full-service daylight screen rental company LEDVision is the first South African LED rental company to stock therecently launched DuoLED product from Lighthouse. The company now stocks 250 panels of the brand-newDuoLED 18 screen.

New LED technology available from LEDVision

Please add www.avspecialist.tv to your SAFE SENDERS list

Is our mail in the junk?As the internet becomes ever-more invasive, computer-savvy consumers are using

SPAM filters to separate legitimate email from the hoard of promotional messages thatinvade our email INBOX every day. They’re very smart and very useful. But sometimesthese filters are a little too smart for their own good – shifting essential email into your

Junk mail folder and cutting you off from critical information.

To ensure that you receive reliable email communication from AV Specialist,please add www.avspecialist.tv to your SAFE SENDERS list.

We promise: We’ll only send you information that’s relevant and adds value to your business.

AV Specialist conforms to the US Federal Trade Commission’s CAN-SPAM Act of 2003(Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act) which establishes requirementsfor sending commercial e-mail and gives consumers the right to ask e-mailers to stop spamming them.

36

The current generation publisheson the web, demands instantfeedback, and lives in the worldwhere they are free to becreative, innovative and

autonomous. They are not dependent ontime or place. Take away theircommunicators and you take away theirability for instantaneous communications.The use of video in education offers aworld of opportunities beyond the virtualfield trip. Students are growing up in adigital age and are seeking innovativeways to learn and collaborate withothers. They constantly multi-task, mixinga variety of media to serve their needs ata moment’s notice.

Traditional classroom settingNo longer do they wish to only rely

on the talking heads of teacher’s in atraditional classroom setting. Educatorsshould be encouraging students to worktogether wherever and whenever theywish. This is called collaboration and itbegins in the classroom. Building aconsistent front end will allow schools,

colleges and universities to teach from aconsistent platform. The “back end”, orengine, may change with each newinnovation.

Creativity and innovationConsistency in the classroom will

allow for the creativity, innovation andautonomy today’s students seek. Theobjective is to understand that aconsistent high-tech classroom canremain and grow. Tracking cameras forinstructors, student camera and touch-to-talk microphones for remote students,video whiteboards, high definitiondocument cameras, and fully integratedcomputers will drive the content andmake it easier to communicate. Giventhat new technologies and deliverysystems will be introduced every year,why change the front end every time anew “engine” is developed? Addvideoconferencing, streaming, video-on-demand, Skype, and cloud computing,but do not change everything justbecause students demand an addition totheir communication inventory. In this

article, learn about the video paradigmshift, how the distribution of content ischanging the way information isaccessed, and how to make the best useof video technologies to engage studentsat school or wherever they might belocated, and at any time, day or night.

The Education Marketplace TodayIt is important to be aware that

video today is not the video of the 90s.Early adopters of the technology grew upbelieving that one must pay attention ona video call, “see the whites of their eyesand watch them sweat”. The digitalgeneration doesn’t view video the sameway. Rather, video is another tool in anarsenal of tools used to exchangeinformation. Students are constantlymulti-tasking with their media tools, oftenusing several tools at the same time.Video is a tool added to that mix andwhen it is important to view someone’sreaction, or see visual content, they willpay attention to the video message.Video must be easy to use with zerolearning curve, accessible on a variety of

Today’s students communicate with iPhones, iPads, and BlackBerrys. Integrators need to find new ways to movetechnology into classrooms and distance learning rooms.

Using video in Education

37

platforms, and video calls must be ableto be made on the fly, whether or not it isa one-on-one video call or a multipointvideo call. Because video today isavailable on a variety of platforms (thinkcomputer, personal hand-held device,television, appliance), can be accessedfrom many locations, is more flexible toset up, and easier to use, there are morewidespread classroom opportunities, aswell as having video available at homeand at other locations outside theclassroom for students and educators toaccess video as needed.

Unfortunately, organizations havenot kept up with the rapid pace ofchange. Traditional videoconferencingenvironments focus on conferencerooms or classrooms where thevideoconferencing codec (brain of thesystem that codes and decodes thevideo signal) is viewed as the heart of thetechnology. Conference rooms andtraining rooms are still being built from atraditional audio visual and/or ITperspective. There is a rapid shift awayfrom traditional rooms to podcasts,streaming rich media, and video ondemand. AV and IT personnel need to beready for this change and start payingattention to what 6th grade students arenow using to communicate. The days of“Star Trek Communications” are nowhere! Students are going to attendschools where technology is up-to-dateand allows them the constantcommunications they use on a dailybasis. Educational institutions who donot provide the tools, technology, andapplications for their students riskbecoming public housing. Video

communications need to be portable,easy to use, on-demand, wireless whennecessary, and allow people to attendclasses from anywhere at any time.

Communication OptionsIntegrating technology into the

teaching and learning environment ischanging how students learn. Video ismore than talking heads. The technologynow allows information to be accessedwhen needed, recorded for futurereference, and streamed to many sites toview at the same time. Quality learningtakes place when students connect withinformation and can internalize it in a waythat alters or enriches their thinking.Classrooms today are any locationswhere the convergence of instruction andlearning can take place. These newclassrooms include online sessions,collaborative sessions, and other virtualexperiences, in addition to traditionalteaching sessions. Students may also beworking from home using computers,hand-held devices, and their home TVsto participate in video calls. Regardlessof the setting, students and teachersexpect to have access to resources thatsupport the learning process. Todayapplications reside on PCs and mosttechnology has some form of a computerbuilt into it. It is time to abandon theproprietary black box and hardware andpurchase tools that can be reused astechnology changes. Additionally, cloudcomputing technology is evolving whereapplications, as well as data, text, audio,video, etc. reside in the “cloud” reducingthe processing and storage burden onlocal devices, (e.g. CPU computing

power, memory size, local storage, etc.).The drudgery of keeping up with thelatest software through purchases anddownloads will be minimized. Theresponsibility of policing phishing,viruses, piracy, etc. will be shifted to the“cloud” service provider. Compatibilityand legacy of applications will become aservice provider issue.

What Changes? What Stays TheSame?

Technology continues to change ata fast pace and it is important tounderstand which aspects of videotechnology can be reused and which

aspects need to be upgraded astechnology changes. Purchase devicesthat can be reused as the black boxchanges or are software based and onlyrequire an upgrade. These devices canbe divided into two components: frontend and back end. Build a consistentand easy-to-use front end.

Auto tracking cameraDeploy auto tracking cameras for

instructors, student cameras, andmicrophones. Embed the videowhiteboards, place document cameraswhere needed and provide simple andeasy use control systems. What changesis the fact that the entire room doesn’thave to change when the enginechanges.

Teacher microphoneFront End Components include

microphones, cameras, displays, controlsystems, instructor and studentmicrophones. At least one microphone isneeded to be heard by the distant site.Many of the microphones are alreadybuilt into the equipment being used.However, when many people are in thesame room, the number of microphonesselected will be determined by thenumber of people needing to be heardand the size of the room. Placement of

Objectives: To provide flexibility inthe capture and use of video forinstruction.

The Knight Management Center,the new home for the Stanford GraduateSchool of Business, opened its doorsApril 29, 2011. The Knight ManagementCenter is composed of eight buildings

“designed to meet diverse currentinstructional and technologicaldemands, as well as future needs.”Anew video infrastructure for distancelearning, class capture andvideoconferencing was installed in thenew building. Fifteen classrooms havethe ability to control cameras remotely.The facility is using Tandberg codecs,video capture provided by DigitalRapids, and Vaddio HD18 cameras.

Bryan McCann, InstructionalTechnology Manager at StanfordGraduate School of Business stated,“This infrastructure, including tools likethe Vaddio cameras, will allow us toconnect more effectively with the worldoutside the walls of the GSB, bringing inalumni and exploring the potential fordistance learning and other modes ofvideo based instruction.

Stanford Graduate School of Business

microphones and type varies (i.e. hand-held, lapel, and table top). Quality audiois just as important as quality video, sodo not skimp on microphones and theirplacement.

Videoconference educationVideo systems include at least one

camera and, again, quality is animportant factor to ensure clear images.There are a variety of camera options invideoconferencing including document

cameras, presenter cameras, camerasthat track the speaker, and multiplecameras to cover multiple angles in aroom. Cameras are now appearing inmany portable and hand-held devices(i.e. telephones, hand-held devices, flip-cams, etc.)

Education displayThe images need to be viewed on a

display which could be a monitor, screen

(rear or front projection), and electronicwriting surfaces. Speakers are alsorequired for audio reception. Manysystems use multiple displays to showimages of people and graphics at thesame time.

Touch panelVideo systems have some type of

controller to operate the equipment. Thecontroller can be a touch-screen panel ora hand-held device. The control of thesystem can also be remotely done ortransparent to the participants. While alltechnology changes over time, videofront end components tend to offer

stability and need less updating. Creatinga strategy to standardize on a viableaudio and video front end helps minimizeconstant changes. Select high qualitymicrophones and cameras to ensurecalls can be heard and people and datacan be clearly seen. A versatile controlsystem is also recommended with easyto use interfaces so users can participatein their calls with simple menu picks.Once the proper front end devices are

selected they can remain the same, andsites will only have to worry about thechanges in the back end equipment (i.e.processors, carriers, storage andstreaming).

CodecsBack End Components include

Processors (codecs & bridges), networkproviders, storage, and streaming. Acodec (coder/decoder) is the heart of avideoconferencing system. It is acomputer that handles the compressionand decompression of the video andaudio signal. Codec processing hasrapidly changed in a short period of time,much as computers have changed. Thecodec is the device in thevideoconferencing system that is mostlikely to need upgrading on a regularbasis. It is recommended that facilities bedesigned to be codec agnostic so thatany codec will work with the system. Abridge is used to connect multiple sitestogether during audio, web and videocalls. Bridging technology can be builtinto the video equipment, resident as a

Objectives: Automatically recordclasses for an executive MBA program.

The Carlson School ofManagement at the University ofMinnesota had a need to record classesfor an executive MBA program withoutthe involvement of a technical staff or anoperator in the room. They selected the

Vaddio TrackVIEW camera system tofollow professors around the room anduse the Vaddio MicVIEW andControlVIEW to capture studentquestions. Vikki Anderson, ClassroomTechnology Coordinator stated, “Thetechnology is seamless. It has madeeverything so easy.”

In addition to class capture, thetechnology is used to live streamseminars 4-5 times a semester for theschools MIS Research Center. This isdone without the need to be there to setup equipment and lay down cables.Everything is now automated and all fiverooms can be easily managed online.

The University of Minnesota wouldnext like to add Vaddios Squiggle VideoWhiteboard to allow students to seewhat is happening on the white boardsduring the lecture capture.

University of Minnesota

38

stand-alone device, or part of thenetwork.

Network pipeThe “pipe” that carries the video

from one point to another is delivered bya network provider, which today could bea cable company, a telephone company,

or an independent provider of networkingservices. Video quality depends on thebandwidth quality and the delay orlatency of the call. Calls going overmultiple networks may cause more delay,and thus, poorer video quality. The varietyof network types has changed over theyears and continues to change ascarriers develop and deploy new networkofferings.

StorageMany organizations now record and

save their video conferences to allowreview of the material at a later date orretrieval of the information by thoseunable to participate real-time. Instructors

may also wish to make their lecturesavailable as a podcast or have theinformation archived internally. Thisaffords instructors and students the abilityto receive information when it is mostneeded and save it to review again at alater date. The goal is for flexibility inaccessing information whenever it isneeded.

StreamingStreaming video solutions combine

high-end video and audio withsynchronized slides and interactivity toproduce compelling messages toeducate and inform. Streaming solutionshave been designed as self-serviceofferings, eliminating the need for

technical support. Educators can now

share their courseware with studentsscattered in a variety of locations. Thestudents can access the information real-time or on demand.

Remember, a video is only as goodas its weakest link. This means if youspend a lot of money equipping achancellor’s office and less money inoutlying classrooms, the call will only beas good as the outlying classroom. Thisadage is especially true for audio. Ifsomeone dials into a video call on a cellphone and they happen to be in a cardriving on a noisy highway, that noise willbe heard by all. Be sure to select thesame quality of equipment to bedeployed at all sites to ensureconsistency. This also applies to cameraimages. Don’t assume you can improvethe quality of video images recorded onan expensive camera. A number ofschools are already aware of the value inkeeping the front end consistent and aresharing their most recent applications for

use of video in education.

SummaryThe paradigm is changing.

Classrooms and training rooms arebecoming an important part of thedecision process for CIOs and ITdepartments. Building a consistent andeasy-to-use front end will allow studentsand educators to benefit from changes intechnology, with only the back endcomponents needing change. Distancelearning, streaming, recording,distribution via web links are all readilyavailable technologies. The engines willchange and grow, but the consistency ofthe front end classroom will remain thesingle most important piece of thesolution. Carefully selecting, quality frontend products will allow organizations tocost effectively reap the benefits of videocommunications for many years withoutthe need to constantly change all aspectsof technology as the engines change.

Objectives: Reduce dependenceon the need for system operators.

Idaho State University has 25video classrooms in which 300 – 350hours of distance learning classes areheld each week between four majorlocations. Many of the distance learningrooms are booked from 7:30 a.m. –10:00 p.m. each day. The school has 20+ years experience with distancelearning and desires to reduce the

overall dependence on systemoperators to manage the facilities.

Over the past several years, IdahoState University has implementedProductionVIEW, ControlVIEW, MicVIEW,StepVIEW and IRVIEW products fromVaddio to help automate the distancelearning classes. “Installing Vaddioequipment has allowed Idaho StateUniversity to reduce the number ofsystem operators, which gives theuniversity more money for otherprojects,” stated Jim Dalley, DistanceLearning Video Network Manager. Hefurther explained that because ofstudent schedules finding goodoperators is often difficult and once theyare trained the school doesn’t getenough time to use the students’expertise, since they graduate soquickly. As a result, Idaho StateUniversity plans to make more roomsfully automatic to ease the burden oftrying to find operators.

Idaho State University

39

The Grass Valley LDK 8300 LiveSuper SloMo camera producesfull resolution HD images at 1X,2X, or 3X normal frame rates. Aserver captures this high-speed

output and replays it at standard framerates, slowing the action by up to threetimes, smoothly and withoutcompromising image quality. The LDK8300 also has a standard frame rateoutput so it can be used as one of themain standard-speed cameras, savingthe cost of an additional operator andtaking up no additional space.

Dockable cameraThe dockable concept of the LDK

8000 Elite HD camera means that thewireless adapter directly replaces thetriax or fibre adapter, ensuring that thecamera keeps its perfect balancedergonomics for shoulder operation andthat the look and feel is identical to acabled version. This is particularlyimportant when the operator needs to getinto the action, getting close-up reactionshots from ski racers as they skid to astop at the bottom of the course. Thecommon front end of the wireless LDK8000 Elite, cabled LDK 8000 Elite, andSuper SloMo LDK 8300 cameras meansthat their pictures match perfectly,ensuring that the director can intercutbetween any sources on a busy livebroadcast without disconcerting jumps inimage quality.

As part of its K2 Dyno ReplaySystem, ZDF selected the Grass ValleyK2 Summit media server to be used withthe K2 Dyno Replay Controller whichprovides an intuitive way for operators toidentify and cue clips to be replayed, andto control the speed of playback formaximum impact on screen.

Replay capabilityThe K2 Dyno Replay System can

provide replay capability for one or two3X Super SloMo cameras, but can alsobe configured for use with up to sixstandard-speed cameras or three pairs of3D camera rigs. This powerful versatility

is made possible by the uniqueChannelFlex capability of Grass Valley K2Summit and K2 Solo servers.ChannelFlex allows a single serverchannel to handle multiple HD videostreams simultaneously.

Powerful and cost-effective“The K2 Dyno and K2 Summit

combination is a relatively new conceptfrom Grass Valley that ZDF was trackingwith interest,” said Dirk Bubley, GrassValley Key Account manager for ZDF. “Itforms a powerful and very cost-effectivecombination with the LDK 8300 SuperSloMo camera. The combined K2 DynoReplay System performed flawlessly atGarmisch-Partenkirchen. Everyone wasdelighted with the quality of thecoverage.”

Camera showplace“Skiing is a great showplace for

specialty camera systems, with the

potential for fantastic slow-motion replaysto illustrate the forces on the skier’s legsand the flexing of the skis themselves,”said Jeff Rosica, Executive Vice Presidentof Grass Valley. “The Grass Valley LDK8300 is the world standard in super slo-mo cameras. We are delighted to supportZDF's high-end sport production needs.By bundling the LDK 8300 with the K2Dyno Replay Controller and K2 Summitmedia server, we are able to make livesuper slow-motion very affordable.”

Grass Valley delivers flawless-motionfrom World Ski Championship

In February, German broadcaster ZDF provided the host broadcast facilities for the 2011 World Ski Championshipsin Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Immediately before the event, it added a new Grass Valley LDK 8300 Live Super SloMocamera paired with a K2 Dyno Replay System. ZDF also bought two new Grass Valley LDK 8000 Elite wirelesscameras systems to add to its outside broadcast inventory.

40

Integrated Systems Events hassigned a new five-year contract withAmsterdam RAI for the hosting of theIntegrated Systems Europeexhibition. The contract will run from

2012 until 2016, inclusive. “Our previouscontract with the RAI was due to expirenext year, but we have decided to renewearly in order to provide a clear businesspath for our exhibitors, to facilitate ourforward planning as organisers, and toenable the RAI itself to plan for the futuregrowth of ISE,” comments MikeBlackman, Managing Director, IntegratedSystems Events. Aside from its inauguralyear in Geneva (2004) and a singleiteration in Brussels (2006), every ISEshow has been held in Amsterdam, andBlackman says the city has no obviousrival for an event such as IntegratedSystems Europe. “More than 600 millionpeople live and work within a direct three-hour flight of Schiphol airport, and theseareas represent some of the mostdeveloped and sophisticated economiesin the world, as well as some of the mostdynamic in terms of recent and futuregrowth. “Beyond the hard numbers, thecity of Amsterdam is a welcoming,relaxed and culturally diverse city in whichit is easy for people of almost anybackground to come and do business.

“These factors combine together toprovide the backdrop for a truly

international tradeshow at which everylink in our industry’s value chain isrepresented by companies from dozensof different countries.” AccompanyingBlackman at the signing ceremony inAmsterdam was Hans Bakker, presidentand CEO of Amsterdam RAI. “The city ofAmsterdam is renowned for its creativity,innovation and passion for trade, valuesthat apply equally to Integrated SystemsEurope and Amsterdam RAI. Thisconnection serves as the ideal foundationfor a successful partnership in the yearsahead. We very much look forward towelcoming ISE to the RAI for the next fiveyears!” Blackman also notes that as ISEhas grown down the years, the RAI itselfhas also evolved and continues todevelop as a venue. “Since we first heldan ISE show here in 2005, the RAI hascontinued with an ambitious programmeof new building and refurbishment. Thishas given us new exhibit space andconference rooms in the shape of theElicium building, enhanced organisers’facilities at the Europa entrance and the‘RAI Live!’ digital signage system with issuch a big hit with our industry – to namejust three developments.

“Our new long-term commitment toAmsterdam is matched by the RAI’s ownexpansion plans, and we believe that thebest years of our relationship are still tocome.”

ISE inks new five-year contract with RAINew agreement will see systems integration tradeshow remain in theNetherlands until at least 2016

41

Lighting designer NicholasMichaletos' rig contained 80Robe moving lights, which werethe core of the lighting, suppliedby locally based MGG

productions - plus a large generic rig - allof which was programmed and run byMGG's Kevin Rieck using a grandMAconsole. The lighting design was basedaround a set and production design byWayne Sproule of Pendragon Dezign. Hegave Michaletos a very clear idea of whathe wanted in terms of lighting aesthetics,and the result was a slick and smoothfusion of classical theatrical andtelevisual styles.

Translucent frameworkThe set provided a translucent

framework to the space that needed tobe lit so it would change colour and styleto match the content being displayed onthe video centrepiece - the back of theset consisted of a large LED screen. Theset took texturing and colourationextremely well, and this plus the clearbrief from Sproule, made lighting theshow "relatively straightforward" to aseasoned professional like Michaletos.

Translucent frameworkHe had used Robes only once

before, on a show at the Opera House inBloemfontein. This was a while back, sohe was extremely pleased to get hishands on the latest Robe technology forthis show. The rig included the amazingnew ROBIN 600 LEDWashes - MGG wasthe first rental company in South Africa totake delivery of these. Their range of realwhites at different colour temperatures isextremely useful for televisionenvironments, together with the dynamic15 - 60 degree zoom and the smoothcolour mixing.

On the Sport Awards, the LEDWash600s were positioned front-of-house, andused primarily for audience cut-awayshots, but once Michaletos discovered"How effective their whites and CTOfunctions are," they became very useful tofill the stage apron as well. Joining the 12x ROBIN 600 LEDWashes on the rig were

20 Robe CitySkape 48 LED floods, 20 xLEDForce 7s, 14 Robe ColorSpot 700EATs and 12 ColorWash 700E ATs. Thesewere arranged on four overhead LX barsin the theatre's roof, with some on thefloor.

Visual clarityMichaletos expands, "My aim was

to provide a visual clarity with neat, cleanlooks giving good television and mediashots - while the set and video visualsprovided the sparkly bits and the magicrequired". The lighting rig featuredconventional back-lights, side colourbooms and white key lights for entrances,the presenters, the podiums and thestage apron. "The overhead Robes gaveme colour, beams and gobos," he

explains, adding that they offered all theflexibility he needed, while PARs providedhis basic 3 colour washes from the sidesand overhead at the back.

Kevin Rieck comments that helearnt a huge amount from Michaletos onthis show, "He created colours andcombinations that I would never havethought of!" he concludes.

A night of glamour and massivemedia interest saw the presentation ofmany Awards including that of LifetimeAchiever to Soccer boss Irvin "The IronDuke" Khoza for his work in making thehistoric 2010 FIFA World Cup aresounding success.

Robe used to light first 'Sport Awards Gauteng' showA brand new sporting awards event - the Sport Awards Gauteng 2011 - was staged at Emperor's Palace in KemptonPark, Johannesburg, South Africa - an initiative by the local Gauteng government to reward and acknowledge thosein the province who excel at various sports. It was broadcast live on the Supersport 4 satellite TV channel.

42

43

Its primary role will be to preparecontent for all SABC television andradio news operations, includingregional stations and internationalbureaux. “The project commenced

in July and is scheduled to take ninemonths to complete," details ATGBroadcast Managing Director GrahamDay. "The core installation will belocated in SABC’s headquarters atAuckland Park, Johannesburg. Thesystem will also include a Quantel sQserver and editing infrastructure foringest, post-production and playout.Ingest and playout will be controlledusing a Miranda Omnibus Columbus.SABC’s entire news operation willmigrate to ENPS from an outgoingDynatech Newstar system. Training isobviously a key element of thetransition. We will be arranging ENPSsuper-user instruction in Johannesburgfor about 1,500 operators usingdedicated demonstration terminalsattached to the core." The decision touse ENPS was made after a publictender and rigorous evaluation andSABC chief technical officer Richard

Waghorn commented: “We are veryimpressed with what we have seen ofENPS and we believe that theintegration of several top-drawervendors will give us the bestcombination of performance andreliability. The new system will be asignificant event for our news teams inthat it will align the SABC with otherinternational broadcasters. ”The scale ofSABC’s requirements will put the projectin the top bracket of ENPS installationsaround the world. AP director ofinternational business development forENPS Paddy Payne reflected: “I amdelighted that ENPS has emergedsuccessfully from what has been arigorous period of evaluation. We will beproud to offer not only the customaryENPS commitment to quality andservice but also support in our systemfor all 11 official languages of theRainbow Nation.” Projects managerDave Whitaker is supervising anddirecting the installation from ATGBroadcast's UK headquarters, inconjunction with Inala Broadcast andQuestek in South Africa.

South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has commissioned ATGBroadcast to design and install a networked ENPS newsroom. With 1,100user licences, the new system will be the world's fifth largest of its kind.

ATG commences world'sfifth-largest ENPSnewsroom at SABC

44

The business to business expowhich took place from 20-22 Julyat the Coca-Cola dome inJohannesburg is the largest andmost diverse of its kind on the

African continent and attracts exhibitorsfrom across the world as well as localmanufacturers and suppliers with visitordemographics encompassing a broadcross section of the industry.

This year saw that 46% of visitorswere new to the exhibition, with theremaining 54% having attended thisbiennial expo previously. Of the 6400visitors, 45% were either managingdirectors; CEO’s, company directors,owners or partners and 35% of the visitorswere engineers & technicians. The largestarea of interest was in the Broadcastsector at 50%, followed closely by the ProAudio sector, Lighting, Post Productionand Film sectors.

An impressive number of brandswere displayed with over 800 individualbrands showcased with a significantincrease in the number of internationalrepresentatives. Robinson enthused: “I amvery positive and delighted with thenumber of visitors, particularly those fromoverseas, and also the quality of theexhibits. The standard of this year’s expowas exceptional and I truly believe iscomparable to the international standardsset by other overseas industry relatedevents such as IBC and PLASA”.

Screen Africa Technology andProduction Conference was hosted atMediatech Africa, focusing on innovativeand interactive topics related to theindustry with topics including Media AssetManagement, 3D production, 3D post,DTT (Digital Terrestrial Migration) and

DVB-T2 technologies for South Africa.In addition to the conference, a

series of presentation areas within themain expo provided informative andfascinating information regarding newproducts and technology on a continualbasis throughout the entire expoprogramme. With over 15 industry sectorson display, Mediatech Africa certainly livedup to its promise of being the meetingplace for the industry and the ideal venueto view, experience and even purchaseproduct, bringing buyers and sellerstogether under one roof.

Exceeded expectations“We believe that the show was a

huge success for several reasons,” saysSteven Lauter, sales manager at Jasco/Spescom. “The foot-count through thedoor far exceeded our expectations and,having sponsored the registration area aswell as having had a large stand at theentrance, I believe we received goodbranding value. We used the show as aplatform to launch our new brand, Jascowhich resulted from the recentJasco/Spescom merger. We felt itopportune to be able to present our newface to the market place in this manner.From a business perspective, we gatheredmany leads, particularly in the Avid,Viewcast, ClearCom, and Sony spaces.Again, it was opportune to have the showwhen one of our major competitors in thevideo editing domain, Final Cut Pro (FCP),launched their new version which receivedmixed reviews.”

Jasco’s experience was mirrored bycomments from Stacey Pearson,marketing manager at Touchvision DigitalMedia Solutions. “Mediatech Africa 2011

was the best year for us. In the past wegenerally promoted software and foundthat we were not seeing much return onInvestment. This year we promotedvarious solutions from AJA . The interestwas immediately evident. There was aproduct on our stand for every customer’srequirement. AJA Video is a leadingmanufacturer of high-quality and cost-effective digital video interface,conversion, acquisition and desktopsolutions supporting the professionalbroadcast and post-production markets.Touchvision exhibited AJA in their editcategory by bundling with Apple's FCP,AVID’s Media Composer as well asAdobe Production bundle’s stereographicworkflow. The quality of visitor at thisyear’s show was high standard and wewere able to gather many new leads.”

Concilium Technologies had thelargest stand on the show floor andmanaging director Steve Alves was equallyup-beat. “We found the Mediatech Africa2011 show to be one of the best yet, andwe were able to engage productively withall of the broadcasters and productionfacilities during the three days of the show,while cementing new relationships as well.The resources committed by our overseaspartners were testament to the fact thatthey view Mediatech Africa as a significantevent on their calendars, and this wasevidenced in the large contingent ofoverseas experts who assisted withdemonstration of the award winningproducts from Harris, Ross, Hightech andDK technologies, amongst many others.Mediatech also offers an opportunity tothe younger generation to be inspired bythe technologies they would otherwise beunable to experience.”

Mediatech Africa, South Africa’s largest media and entertainment technology expo for the broadcast, film,production, professional AV, sound, lighting, staging and rigging markets, achieved remarkable attendance figureswith more than 6,400 visitors over a three day period.

Mediatech Africa shows its worth!

Based on original researchcommissioned from IHSScreen Digest, the studyoffers unique insights into therecovery and growth of the

worldwide broadcast industry.Key findings in the IABM report

show a 6 percent growth of the globalbroadcast and media technology sectionfrom 2009 to 2010, and financial datawithin the report also indicate that theindustry will be growing at about thesame rate as GDP by 2015, but there willbe annual differences, including someyears when it will be below. At this pace,the study suggests, the industry willreturn to its 2008 size in 2012.

"Our industry, like all others, wasbadly hit by the recession, but it isencouraging to see how strongly it isrecovering," said Peter White, directorgeneral at the IABM. "While times havebeen very hard and all companies had tomake tough decisions, there have beenvery few casualties in this diversified andspecialized business. The industry isseeing a paradigm shift at present, withtraditional broadcasting beingaugmented by online services to themulti-screen consumer, and London 2012and the American political process willboth drive this change forward."

The IABM's distinctive positionwithin the worldwide broadcast andmedia technology supplier industryenables the organization to draw upondetailed financial returns prepared by abroad and representative sample ofvendors. Built on this information, theglobal valuation report is able to scalethe industry accurately and to providedetailed forecasts to 2015. The projectitself is steered by a partnership group ofleading industry vendors including Avid,Axon, EVS, Grass Valley, Harmonic,Harris, Miranda, Nevion, Quantel, Snell,Sony, and Vitec Group, all of which aremembers of the IABM.

As the industry picks up, one of thekey challenges faced by broadcastersand suppliers will revolve around thechanging skills required by a fast-changing technical environment. In order

to address these requirements, the IABMhas launched a comprehensive trainingacademy that has partnered with SACIAand MECIA to deliver industry-specifictraining across Africa and the MiddleEast. “During late October we will bedelivering the new IABM course –Understanding the Broadcast Industry toMiddle East broadcasters and suppliers,says MECIA Executive Director KevanJones. “By working with the IABM we areable to deliver relevant trainingprogrammes that add real value to theregion’s broadcast and productioncommunity.”

Broadcast industrymakes slow recoveryThe IABM (International Association of Broadcasting Manufacturers) hasreleased the fourth edition of its "Broadcast and Media Technology: GlobalMarket Valuation and Strategy to 2015" study.

The IABM has launched a comprehensivetraining academy that has partnered withSACIA and MECIA to deliver industry-specifictraining across Africa and the Middle East.

45

46

According to Gary, there werea number of industry trendsthat were apparent on theshow floor. Here are some ofhis personal observations of

the show: “Unlike past years where youleft InfoComm with one clear trend, the2011 version of InfoComm had morethan one,” says Gary. “Here are the toptechnology trends that the rAVe teamobserved on the show floor.”

If InfoComm 2010 was the year of3D hype (which we declared during lastyear’s show when more than 50 boothsfocused on 3D applications), 2011seems to have been the year that 3D,

well, died. Although there were plenty of3D displays, they were literally relegatedto the back of the booths. Practically noone was bragging about 3D projectors,3D AV processing or even 3Dapplications. And, the scuttlebutt on theshow floor was that 3D is wayoverrated.

Finally!!! For years, six to be exact,I’ve been begging and pleading therouting and switching companies toembrace the network way of doing it -put it all on a network and route it via IP.And 2011 will forever be rememberedas the year that Extron, AMX, Crestron,Biamp, Kramer and ClearOne all had AVover IP using HDBaseT or AVB

technology. What’s that mean? Well, itmeans you can now take a DVD playersoutput and switch it over a networkalong with a VGA source, a videosource, HDMI sources and anythingelse AV - send it via the network and, inthe future, feed it directly into anetworkable display as Ethernet and“play” it or, for now, use a “decoder” onthe other end that strips whatever youwant off the network and puts it back asAV to connect it to ANY displaytechnology. Ultimately, we’re likely lessthan three years away from the end ofRGBHV stuff.

As my buddy George Walter atDPI put it, it was the year of “blending.”What the heck does that mean? Well,

With InfoComm launching a Middle East show during October I thought it would be worthwhile taking a look atsome of the products that featured on the show floor during the recent InfoComm exhibition that took place inOrlando. The show was attended by AV Specialist’s Richie Ebrahim who shared notes with AV-guru Gary Kayye.

Best of InfoComm 2011

3D Sucks

IP’d AV

Seamless Ruled

remember the days when you needed a$20,000 box to do edge-blending andseamless projection of multiple imagesacross one screen? Well, those daysare gone as InfoComm brought us acouple of companies doing it viasoftware and a web cam. The mostimpressive was a company in the backof the hall called Scalable DisplayTechnologies - the system was simpleand astounding.

Everyone was showing touchscreen everything. Touch screen virtualwalls, projectors, LCDs and even tables.You’ll see them all over the videos weshot, but the popularity of the interactiveSmartPhone is quickly spilling over tothe large-screen display world. I wonderhow long it will be before touch screenfunctionality will be a standard inprojectors in much the same way as thezoom lens technology is now?

On top of these broad technologytrends there were a few stand-outproducts that are worth mentioning, asthey bode well for the future:

Best New Product at InfoComm 2011

This was a tough one to decideupon as both our finalists are examplesof the future of AV distribution, so we’regiving the award to both Extron andAMX this year.

This is how systems will all berouted in the future. The XTP systemfrom Extron allows for connectivity ofanalogue and digital video (VGA,component video, HDMI, DVI, etc.),digital audio, IR control, RS 232 control,Ethernet and power (yes, this eliminates

all the external power supplies and wall-warts) all across one single Cat5 cable.All of the inputs go through one of the4x4 to 32x32 XTP CrossPoint“switchers” and anything in can go toanything out – including video, audio,control or power.

Not quite as powerful as theExtron XTP, but conceptually, they aresimilar. The Enova converts analogueand digital video and control to a 16x16or 32x32 Enova Digital Media Switcher.However, the Enova’s control, althoughintegrated into the switcher, is still aseparate controller from a cabling anddistribution standpoint - thus, you’llneed a second Cat5 cable.

Most Ubiquitous Technology:Interactive projection.

There were at least 30 boothsshowing interactive projectors in allsorts of applications from interactivewalls, tables, floors, ceilings andpeople. What was once a market ownedby SMART Technologies is now clearly acommodity. If you bought stock inSMART when it went public at about$17 per share last year, bummer! Thecompany’s been closing this week at itslowest stock price ever at a bit above $5per share. SMART can still do well, but itwill have to diversify out of theinteractive projector business as that is,in fact, a commodity.

So this year, we’ve given the MostUbiquitous Technology award toInteractive Projection Technology --thanks to Hitachi, Epson, Panasonic,Mitsubishi, Sanyo, NEC, and a fewdozen other manufacturers. The irony ofthis isn’t lost on us. And oh, by the way,did you notice that SMART Technologiesdidn’t exhibit at InfoComm 2011?

Best New Outdoor LEDs:

Barco’s X-Series. These are LEDs that are capable

of both 3D and 2D displays and this isaccomplished by integrating both 4mmand 6mm LEDs in the same screen –pretty creative, if you ask us. The newNX-4 seamlessly mixes 2D and 3Dsimultaneously with the press of a

button – without losing resolution orbrightness. The NX-4 offers the highestcontrast and resolution on the LEDmarket today. The latest addition toBarco Live Dots’ streamlined, yet variedproduct line of indoor and outdoor LEDdisplays, the NX-4 is ideal for corporateevents, auto shows, live entertainmentand any application where crystal clear,high-impact imagery is a must.

Best New Video Product:

Extron MLS 608 D.This should become the defacto-

standard in classroom, boardroom andmeeting room installs as the AV Hub.Well, over 90% of AV room systems canbe totally handled with Extron's 608 Das it switches four analogue sources(VGA, Component, etc), four HDMI (withHDCP) sources and even has oneExtron MTP input (all with audio) andoutputs it all to Cat5 to a receiver(included) that decodes it all back againto whatever signal you want (VGA,HDMI, component, etc). It's got on-board DSP, HDMI audio de-embeddingand can be configured for 1x20-wattstereo output or a 70-volt system fordistributed audio. Want more info?

Best New Audio Product:

Sound Devices MixPre D.This is a portable, battery-operated

two-channel mixer that has mic, line andUSB inputs and fits between a camera’stripod and the camera itself using

47

Touch Screens

AMX’s Enova

Extron’s XTP

Every day our industry accelerates its migration from a traditional, broadcast model to a more flexible, efficient IP-based workflow. Productivity demands it — and new revenue is reliant on it.

Enter Selenio™. The industry’s first media convergence platform.

With Selenio, baseband video/audio processing, compression and IP networking are combined into a single, scalable, space-saving platform.

So go ahead. Expand your channel portfolio. Make that transition to HD. Or move into web/mobile services. Selenio enables you to add new services confidently and cost effectively.

See Selenio at Upcoming Roadshow Events

Dubai: May 9 Atlantis, The Palm, DubaiDoha: May 12 Intercontinental Hotel, DohaRiyadh: May 17 Four Seasons Hotel, RiyadhIstanbul: May 19 Point Hotel, Istanbul

Phone: +971 4 433 8250Email: sales.middleeast@harris.com

An evolution in technology.A revolution in business possibilities.

The SelenioTM Media Convergence Platform

Selenio. An evolution in technology. A revolution in business possibilities.

broadcast.harris.com/selenio

Winner of theTV Technology STAR Award

Hall 7Stand G20

Visit us at,

threaded 1/4 20" camera mountsupport. The MixPre-D sets a newstandard for compact, high-performance portable audio mixers.Designed specifically for audioprofessionals needing the most flexibleconnectivity, the MixPre-D is ideal forany production application wherecapturing great sound is important, butsize and weight are a concern.

At the heart of the MixPre-D aretwo studio-grade mic/line inputs withlimiters, high-pass filters and availablephantom power. Inputs can be linked instandard or MS mode for stereorecording applications. All of these inputfunctions are configured with front panelcontrols.

Best New Classroom

Projector:NEC’s U310W.

There were a lot of short-throwprojectors at InfoComm and we sawpretty much all of them. But the one thatstood out the most to us was the new3100 lumen DLP-based U310W fromNEC. Enjoy large images even inmeeting rooms with small space. Lessshadow and glare gives the presentermore space to engage with hisaudience and enhances the experiencewith interactive white boards. Go widewith your presentations and play videocontent in native aspect ratio. Freeinstallation angles give you additionalfreedom for eye catching digital signageinstallations. DLP technology ensuresthat there is no colour decay duringlong daily operating hours. 3D capabilitymakes you ready for next generationdigital content. An ideal solution formeeting rooms and digital signageapplications, as well as for classrooms.

Best New Rental and Staging Projector:

Christie D4K35. This was a mind-blowing projector.

In addition to being 35,000 lumens at anative 4096x2160 resolution (4K) using3-chip DLP technology, the dang thinglooked just like a digital cinemaprojector. It is ideal for large sizedapplications such as amusement parks,auditoriums automotive design,classrooms, museums, planetariums,screening rooms and visualisation. ForPro AV applications the Christie D4K35offers the flexibility to use different lamppowers depending on your applicationrequirements. Its motorised lens mount,user replaceable lamps and field-alignable DMDs ensure that set up isfast and maintenance costs arereduced. It ships standard with four 3GHD-SDI input slots, enabling native highquality (4:4:4, 12-bit) content to bedisplayed.

Best New Meeting Room Projector:

Sony’s FH30 Projector.This is a 4300-lumen, WUGA

(1920x1200 resolution), 3LCD projectorthat offers 113-degree lens shift (yes,113 degrees), so from a retrofitstandpoint, this is an awesome box. TheVPL-FH30 is designed to fit smoothlyinto almost any environment where ahigh-quality projector is required. Itsbrightness, zoom and throw range,coupled with its wide lens shift range,mean it can perform where otherprojectors would struggle - even in highambient light.

Onceinstalled, the VPL-FH30 hasexcellent image capabilities and a longlifespan that delivers low Total Cost ofOwnership. Sony's BrightEra technologyimproves and maintains colour puritythroughout the life of the system byprotecting the LCD panels againstharmful ultra violet light. Clever featuressuch as synchronised lamp and filterreplacement cycles reduce costs anddowntime.

Featuring the usual wide range ofinputs, an external monitor connectionfor the presenter's convenience, andadvanced projection capabilities such

as side-by-side image projection andDICOM medical training, the VPL-FH30is an obvious projector choice forvenues that demand quality andpracticality.

Best New Flat-Screen Display: (tie)

This category was a toss upbetween NEC’s X461S LED-basedLCDs and Samsung’s new HE series.The NEC panels are 46” LED edge-litLCD monitors (1.7” deep) that aredesigned for 24/7/365 operation withHDMI, DisplayPort, VGA and DVI, plusan OPS slot for a media player. Not beoutdone, Samsung’s new HE Series(1.2” deep) are LED-lit LCDs that comein 40” and 46” sizes, are native 1080p,are spec’d at 5000:1 contrast ratio andhandle video through both analogueand digital connectors - and eventhrough the USB port. They also have akiller thin-bezel. They’re both greatproducts so we’ll share the awardbetween the two.

Best New Digital Signage Display:

Panasonic’s TH-42LFP30W. This LCD is designed to be

outside in any weather. It’s a 1080p1500 cd/m2 display that has anintegrated touch screen with trans-reflective technology. It has a forced-aircooling system that allow the display tobe used even in direct sunlight and iscertified with an IP53 rating. Only catch?Not delivering until January 2012.

49

Question: When selecting a vendor for your next AV installation, which of these items is the LEAST important item you should consider?

a. Price quoted for the projectb. Installation quality of the installations deptc. Company reputation in the marketplaced. Financial stability of the supplier

Answer: (a) In today’s tough economic climate it’s obviously important to consider price as an important factor in choosing a supplier for your next AV installation. But choosing a supplier based on price alone is a sure-fire path to failure and an ineffective AV solution. Chose a vendor based on their ability to provide an AV solution that meets your requirements and make sure you’re buying from a reputable organization with certified staff and the resources to back-up your installation on a long-term basis.

SACIA is the leading trade association for the professional AV industry in Southern Africa. We promote the adoption of professional standards in the local market and our members commit to truth, honesty and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of the audiovisual profession.When you’re looking for a reputable supplier with a proven track record in the professional AV market, our members are a good place to start. For more information on SACIA and a full list of members, please visit www.sacia.org.za

An informed business choice

The South African Communications Industries Association is a not-for-profit Trade Association committed to

promoting the adoption of professional standards in the audiovisual industry throughout Africa.

Best Digital Signage Hardware Product:

Once again we have a tie betweentwo great products. Gesturetek’s Cubeinteractive projection floor is perfect forretailers, advertisers and exhibitdesigners. It projects either a 5'x4' or a9’x11’ image on the floor that you caninteract with - making it entertainingwhile also potentially blastingadvertising at the user. Introducing TheCube - a compact, turnkey, 'plug andplay' interactive display unit that bringsthe power of gesture control to a varietyof display spaces. The portable Cubeinteractive projection floor has beentaking retailers, advertisers and exhibitdesigners by storm! It project anengaging 5' x 4' interactive display withentertaining games and head-turningspecial effects onto virtually any floor forbranding, advertising, entertainmentand product promotion. Just take it outof the box and turn it on! No technicianis required to install it and it occupiesminimal floor space.

The Cube can engage customers,command attention, increase visitortraffic, drive sales and create a moredynamic customer experience. OneNorth American retail chain installedseveral hundred Cubes as digitalplaygrounds, after early resultssuggested a sales increase in storesthat had been outfitted with The Cube.Another leading consumer appliancecompany launching a new brand in over50 stores improved brand awarenesswith an interactive virtual reality gamepromotion that ran on The Cube. Manyother organizations, such as museumsand consumer products companies,have used the lightweight and easy-to-use Cube as the centrepiece of theirtravelling exhibits, special events andtouring promotions.

Sharing the honours is the newBrightSign TD1012 unit – a portable,battery-operated digital sign that runsfor 15 hours on one charge and acceptsembedded content or content streamingvia Wi-Fi is perfect for table-top retailapplications or tent-based retail.

Best New WirelessTechnology:

The Peerless HD Flow. This is a very creative niche for

wireless that every AV integrator shouldcheck out as it allows you to wirelesslysend VGA, HDMI (HDCP compliant),audio and component audio (H.264) toone, two, three or four receivers up to130 feet. The concept for Peerless isthat you can have an HD monitormounted with no wires to deal withbehind the TV (other than power). Andsince it sends out a signal to up to fourreceivers, this is a perfect wirelessdigital signage system solution.

Best New Control SystemHardware Product:

AMX’s wide-screen Modero X-Series: There’s no question that touch

panel manufacturers will need todifferentiate now that you can get aniPad 2 for less than $500, not tomention the forthcoming rumouredQXGA resolution (2048x1536) iPad 3.AMX is, right now, the leadingdifferentiator with its new Modero XSeries as they are very flat, offermultiple aspect ratios, are wall anddesktop mountable (horizontal orvertical) and are viewable from anyangle.

Best New Product for K-12Education Market:

NEC Display’s Image Express iPadApp:

This is more than an access App,this is actually a teacher’s dream in thatwhatever you are projecting on thescreen appears on the iPad AND youcan annotate right on top of thedisplayed image. This turns the iPadinto an interactive whiteboard in anyroom with any projected image - whilenot restraining the teacher and forcingthem to stand at the screen. Anothergreat product for the education marketis Epson’s BrightLink InteractiveProjector. In the past, you needed aprojector and an interactive whiteboardto create an interactive learningenvironment. Now, make a table1 oralmost any wall interactive with theBrightLink 455Wi Interactive Projector.This high-performance projector + pencombination integrates interactivefunctionality in one machine, without theconstraints or expense of an interactivewhiteboard. With ultra-short throwdistance, extraordinary size flexibility,and fully-loaded projector technologies,BrightLink redefines a true all-in-onesolution able to engage your learningcommunity.

Best New Product for Higher Education Market:

Crestron's CAPTURE-HD: SonicFoundry better be worried

about Crestron's CAPTURE-HD as it'ssimpler to use and does what they do,albeit in a different way. This capturesVGA video, audio, the presenters slidesas well as cameras in a meeting and/orlecture capture and is simple enoughfor the entire faculty to use, andaffordable enough for wide-scaledeployment. If you sell SonicFoundry orhave considered it, check this out...

51

The $75 billion audiovisual industry provides critical support to large corporations, small businesses, retail outlets, education and healthcare institutions, entertainment venues, the government and more. AV helps us communicate better, protects critical infrastructure, assists with life-saving diagnoses, educates students around the world and keeps society informed and entertained. To learn more about the audio visual industry in Middle East visit www.mecia.org

Best New Rental/Staging Product:

Christie Nitro: The Nitro projection yokes from

Christie are for live events/stage/entertainment lighting and creativevideo projection and make old-schoolGobo lights seem antiquated. , ChristieNitro Solutions offers two yoke modelsto choose from. Each yoke provides aplatform to move and control a varietyof Christie large format video projectorsvia DMX protocol – allowing you tointegrate lighting equipment and videoprojectors easily with the same controlconsole. These versatile yokes can beflown, rigged or set up at floor level,according to your application needs.

The Christie YK100, a single-armyoke, supports the Christie M series andthe Christie LX1500 to give you a rangeof brightness levels (5700 to 15,000ANSI lumens) to choose from. This yokeis designed with an interchangeablehead system that lets you replace thevideo projector with another Christieprojector or Xenon light.

Best New ProAV AudioSpeakers:

Extron are not well known fortheir audio speakers but their SF 228TSoundField speaker deserves to berecognized. It is a 2x2 ceiling tilespeaker (that also fits in 2x4 tiles) thatpacks in an 8” woofer and 2” tweeter.The frequency response is 50 Hz to 20KHz. Great sound from a unit that offers60 watts continuous pink noise and 120watts continuous program output. This

speaker is sold in pairs and is designedfor fast and easy installation into soundsystems requiring high quality, widebandwidth audio playback.

Sharing the glory in this categoryare the new JBL Control 65P pendant

speakers. These use JBL’s RadiationBoundary Integrator technology, get120-degree conical coverage and comein black or white. They bring renownedJBL sound and outstanding coverage torooms and venues with openarchitecture or high-ceilings, whileproviding superior voice and musicalclarity for rooms with difficult acoustics.The diverse line-up, coupled with stylishdesign, is suitable for a wide variety ofapplications and decors, fromconvention and exhibit spaces toatriums, restaurants and retail stores.Included, easy-to-install hanginghardware features redundantsuspension cables and UL listedadjustable-height hangers.

Best New VTC Camera:

Vaddio ClearVIEW HD-19 PTZ. The Vaddio HD-19 gets its name

from the 19x zoom - no, not digitalzoom, optical zoom! There was a timewhen taking the camera that came witha VTC system was good enough, butnot anymore. And, if you're consideringthird party cameras, this is THE ONE toget. The newest member of the VaddioClearVIEW family of cameras, theClearVIEW HD-19, comes equippedwith a 19x optical zoom lens and is builtaround a 1.3 megapixel, 1/3rd-typeSony Exmor high-speed, low noiseCMOS sensor. Integrated SmartSHOTtechnology with AIP (Adjustable ImageProcessing) provides end-user controlof advanced imaging DSP functions.AIP, which includes auto white balance,

auto iris and automatic gain control, aretypically set at the factory and cannotbe changed by the end-user. WithVaddio’s SmartSHOT technology theuser can set the DSP to the value theyneed for a specific venue and not somepredetermined value set for a perfectroom. Ultimately, the DSP functionsallow the camera operator the ability todeliver an extremely crisp detailedimage with vibrant high definition colourin any environment.

Best New Audio Conferencing Product:

Polycom SoundStructure VoIPInterface.

A VoIP interface card for theSoundStructure line aimed at the ProAVintegration market! It adds Polycom'sSIP telephony features to theSoundStructure line of products. Withthis, SoundStructure's features, such asPolycom HD Voice performance andnoise cancellation technology, arebrought into installed VoIPenvironments, and its modular interfacemakes transitioning to VoIP simple andcost-effective.

Best Product You Probably Didn’t See:

eeColor. This has amazing potential and it’s

dang hard to explain. eeColor useswhat they say is patented 3D colourmapping to increase colorimetry,brightness and contrast, while at thesame time preserving skin tones andmemory colours. This is accomplishedthrough a proprietary technology that isbased on the actual physics of adaptivevision where, in a human’s vision, less

53

www.christiecontrol.com/entero

How many bulbs does it take to change your mind?

when it matters.T h e e N T e R O l e d S e R i e Srear Projection modules

Until Christie’s Entero™ LED powered displays, every video wall used lamps. And we do mean used.

For over its life a wall could consume hundreds – an expense that could outstrip the initial cost. And then of course there was the downtime, the consumables, the maintenance charges.

But where conventional lamps might last 10,000 hours, our LED light source lasts 60,000. That’s almost seven years running twenty-four hours a day. It could outlive the wall itself.

So, with Christie Entero™ LED powered rear screen displays, when you buy a video wall, you buy a video wall. Not a lifetime’s commitment to never-ending expense.

Isn’t it time you changed technology – not lamps?

cc6388CD_ENTERO_ADVERT_AV_Specialist - OCT 2009.indd 1 22/10/2009 09:37

55

bright lighting makes objects look lesscolourful and lower contrast, and higher“colourfulness” makes objects lookbrighter and higher contrast. Whew.Well, this still doesn’t do the productjustice and, remember, this product willbe BIG. We think a display manufacturerwill either buy this technology andintegrate it into its HDTVs or eeColor willend up licensing it - yes, it’s that good!

Best Potential NewTechnology:

HDBaseT.This is the technology being used

by all the biggies so far in signal routingand distribution via Cat5. The promise ofHDBaseT goes well beyond the ProAVmarket as it’s a HomeAV standard too.HDBaseT not only allows for video,audio, control, ethernet, control andpower via Cat5, but it’s also designed tobe multi-device compatible. Forexample, using the AMX Enova system,you can, one day, connect the output ofthat into any HDBaseT HDTV orprojector as a display, routing the video,control AND THE POWER to the TV allthrough one Cat5 cable. Signal routingand distribution will never be the same ifthis becomes the standard that itappears to be becoming, with earlyadopters including Crestron, AMX,Extron, Samsung, Sony and LG.

Kudos Award:

MonkeyLectric’s Bicycle LED DigitalSignage Display:

The MonkeyLectric Monkey Light isa bike light (with 256 LEDs on fourspokes of each bicycle wheel) that playsup to 90 seconds of video or up to 1000images. It turns a bike wheel into adigital signage display as you pedal.The system is self contained, durableand weatherproof. It is integrated into afully functional bicycle wheel. The VideoPro is designed to meet the needs ofprofessional and commercial users. It

offers the capability for evening, nighttime and indoor display of motion video,slideshows and images in an excitingand uniquely capable form factor. Allcommon image and video formats canbe transferred from a computer onto theVideo Pro. Media, playlists and wirelessreal-time control can be customized tomeet your application needs.

The system displays moving fullcolour images filling the space of a bikewheel. The durable, self-containeddesign is suitable for all-weather use oncity streets, and can also be used onstationary displays with a motorizedmount. It functions at bike speedsbetween 10 and 30 mph (15 to 50km/h).

Best Killer New App:

Planar’s D802. This is an 82” LCD (very well

designed aesthetically, by the way) withoff-board electronics - native 1080p.Because all the video signal processingand power supply is in an externalprocessor, the 82” is sealed and is only3.7” deep (amazing for the size of thedisplay). But why the “Killer App”Award? Well, again, displays havebecome a commodity and any time amonitor manufacturer differentiates, welike that. But, in this case, this issomething all display companies needto be looking at -- outboard electronics.It’ll make everyone’s life easier(installers, clients, the Green police) asyou can consolidate power-supplies andcable management. Way to set anexample, Planar!

Best ProAV Mobile App (e.g., iPad, iPhone, Android):

Crestron. Crestron simply blows away the

App world in ProAV land. Thecompany's iPhone, Android, iPad andMobile Apps are beautiful, functionaland offer seamless control. If you wantto see how to build the perfect iPadApp, check out Crestron's Mobile ProG,it's perfect. Imagine using your iPad as atouchpanel for your home entertainmentsystem, or to control all the lights in yourhome. Crestron Mobile Pro G puts aprofessional-looking Crestron

touchpanel user interface right on thepopular Apple iPad, enabling all kinds ofcustomizable control capability, whileutilizing the complete screen space onthe iPad. Crestron Mobile Pro G talksdirectly to the control system withoutany third-party software or externalservers. With Crestron Mobile Pro G,simply tap the screen to select movies,music and TV in any room or adjustvolume, light levels and roomtemperature with just a touch. Using thehome Wi-Fi network locally or thepowerful 3G networks remotely, totalcontrol is always at your fingertips.Control multiple locations, such as aprimary residence, vacation home andoffice, from a single, intuitive graphicalinterface that provides real-time statusof room temperature, lighting levels,shade position, volume and digitalmedia metadata including album, songand artist. New locations are easilyadded by opening the "Connections"page on the iPad, and customizedbuttons, graphics and dynamic text canbe added by your installer. Updates orchanges to the control program areautomatically sent to the iPhone whenCrestron Mobile Pro G is launched. Witha large library of built-in graphics to aidin custom designs Crestron Mobile ProG puts a virtual Crestron touchpanel inthe palm of your hand for completemobile control.

56

Deloitte proceed with SARS Task GroupDeloitte are now proceedingwith the assessment phase ofan assignment to engage withSARS, ITAC and otherregulatory bodies on behalf ofSACIA. The objective of theassessment is to propose achange in the recentlyintroduced import tariffs on flatpanel displays used inbroadcast and ProAVinstallations. Deloitte havepointed out that the likelihood

of our application succeedinghinges on several factors,including the ability of SARSto administer the dutyreduction mechanism.According to Deloitte,understanding the differencesbetween consumer andprofessional panels is criticalto the success of theapplication to ITAC so they'relooking for input from as manyaffected people as possible.

SACIA exhibit at Education WeekDuring July SACIA exhibitedat the Africa Education Weekin Johannesburg. “Bridgingthe skills gap through qualityeducation for all” was thetheme for this year’s event,which provided a forum forover 1600 attendees fromacross Africa to discuss thecritical issues affectingschools, colleges anduniversities. The eventincluded a technology track

that focussed specifically onthe use of AV technology inthe education sector. TheSACIA stand was mannedby Association membersand our objective was tohighlight the advantage ofworking with membercompanies who’vecommitted to truth, honestyand the pursuit of excellencein all aspects of theaudiovisual profession.

Sharp sponsor Mediatech workshop

During July’s Mediatechexhibition SACIA also hosteda workshop which focussedon the use of AV technology inthe public service. About 60delegates packed ourworkshop session whichfeatured a number of greatpresentations and paneldiscussions. SACIA also

announced the formation of aSpecial Interest Group that willfocus specifically in the use ofAV technology in Governmentand Public Service. Theworkshop was sponsored bySharp Electronics who usedthe opportunity to introducetheir new 60” flat panel displayto the South African market.

MECIA to exhibit at inaugural InfoComm ME exhibition

From 9-13 October MECIA isexhibiting at the inauguralInfoComm Middle Eastexhibition that’s taking placeat the Dubai World TradeCentre. The exhibition is co-located with the annualGITEX show and featuresmany of the leadingmanufacturer’s active in theprofessional AV market.“Over the last few yearsProAV suppliers have beenlooking for a dedicatedexhibition that’s focused onour market,” says MECIAExecutive Director Kevan

Jones. “Being co-locatedwith GITEX 2011, InfoCommMEA exhibitors will gainimmediate access tothousands of decisionmakers and purchasers. In2010, GITEX attracted 136thousand ICT professionalsand provides immediateaccess to the lucrative ICTmarkets across the region.”Alongside the exhibitionInfoComm are alsopresenting an industryconference and a range ofInfoComm Academy trainingprogrammes.

Visit us at Showroom No.1, Rashid Al Majid Building, Airport Road, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Tel.:(+9714) 282 7171, Fax: (+9714) 282 7373E-mail: info@unitedbroadcast.com

EQUIPPING YOUR IDEAS INTO REALITY

unitedbroadcast.com

The world’s most flexible High Speed Camera Vision Research Phantom Flex

unitedbroadcast.com is the only Web Portal in the region providing you with a single location to Discover, Inquire & Purchase all your Broadcasting & Pro-video Equipment.

Redrock nano DSLR Rigs Steadicam Tango Steadicam Zephyr

Super 35mm Digital Motion Camcorder SONY NEX-FS100E