BILLERICA, Mass. — July 8, 2008 — Echolab, Inc., a leading provider of professional video production switchers and broadcast tools, today announced that Suffolk County Community College (SCCC), a two-year college known nationally for its radio and television production program, is using the 1-M/E Overture1™ switcher within a new fully digital center. The Echolab switcher is part of SCCC’s state-of-the-art facility in Selden, N.Y., where students prepare for careers in the field of professional broadcasting.
“In a teaching facility, ease of equipment operation leads to a better learning curve, and that’s just what Echolab’s switching solutions have provided for our students,” said Alan Bernstein, professor of radio and television production at SCCC. “While our new Overture1 system offers robust switching capabilities, its ease of use enables effective training for both entry-level and advanced users. The Overture1 is not unlike our program here at Suffolk County Community College: It’s a cost-effective system that provides everything one could possibly need but at a very appealing price point compared with competitors’ offerings.”
SCCC upgraded to a 1-M/E Overture1 system to take advantage of the switcher’s advanced functionality and feature set, including a greater number of keyers, new Dip and DVE transitions, the SuperSource™ layering engine, and floating frame synchronization. Echolab’s high-performance Overture1 combines internal conversion and synchronization with powerful key layering and special effects to provide simple control over complex production tasks and, in turn, streamline creation of a sophisticated on-air look.
Overture switchers accept up to 32 multiformat analog and digital signals and provide as many as 16 multiformat outputs. Internal frame synchronization helps to ensure the quality of effects, and the integrated up/crossconversion within MD models streamlines switching of video in multiple formats. Features such as the Stinger™ transition and SuperSource™ crosspoint keys allow operators to implement simpler workflows while creating more advanced visual productions.
Echolab’s Stinger transition is a special “Take Block” keyer with combined mix/wipe and graphic control that reduces complex animated transitions to a single button press. The Overture switchers’ new SuperSource allows the operator to build a custom layout using DVEs and graphics and then assigns the composition to a crosspoint button. A DVE key in each Take Block enables instant transition effects, and the MD Overture systems offer as many as four channels of DVE with warp and lighting effects. Robust DVE capabilities are complemented by as many as 34 internal graphics/still stores.
“The Echolab switcher provides the most flawless transitions you could ever imagine, and it has several times the power of any production switcher we’ve had here at our facility,” added Bernstein. “Our students find it easy to learn switching techniques on the very capable Overture1 switcher, and they leave our program with the skills and confidence to work with any type or size of switcher they encounter in their professional work.”
Adwar Video, a reseller of professional video and multimedia products with headquarters in Farmingdale, N.Y., worked in concert with Echolab to supply SCCC with the Overture1 system. More information about the Overture series and other Echolab products is available at www.echolab.com.
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About Suffolk County Community College
Suffolk County Community College is the largest multicampus community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, enrolling more than 22,000 students each semester. SCCC offers 69 degree and certificate programs in business, communications, the arts, computing, health, community and human services, liberal arts, and technical, scientific, and engineering studies. By 2005 the college had graduated more than 86,312 persons. In accordance with the mission of the college, SCCC provides universal access to higher education; prepares students for transfer to four-year institutions; prepares students for a first career, a career change, or career advancement; and assists underprepared students in acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge to increase their career and educational opportunities. More information is available at www.sunysuffolk.edu.
About Echolab, Inc.
Echolab, Inc. is a leading provider of video production switchers and tools that offer flexibility and on-air reliability for the production and distribution of digital media in a variety of formats. The company’s products include the Overture1™ and Overture2™ video production systems, MultiPlayMD™ multichannel instant-replay system, MegaKeyMD™ clip player/mixer/keyer, and Conductor control integration system, all of which provide functionality and ease of use critical to professional-quality production. Echolab is online at www.echolab.com.
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