Welcome to Broadcast Engineering's Pick Hit awards, the industry's longest-running product technology awards for broadcast and production. Each year at IBC and NAB, Broadcast Engineering assembles a panel of volunteers to act as judges for the coveted Pick Hit awards. Our judges are working professionals, with a long experience in the selection and purchase of broadcast television equipment. The judges work anonymously, and their choices represent that experience.
We brief the judges to look for new products that represent advances in technology. The winning products are those that have a positive impact on the user's everyday work and are available for purchase — no advance technology peeks! Our editors and publisher have no vote in the selection process.
Congratulations to the following manufacturers for their creative technology solutions!
Touch
Trilogy Communications
+44 1264 384000;www.trilogycomms.com
Intercom control panel range features high-resolution 2.8in QVGA (320 x 240) color displays with touch-screen operation; 20-key desktop and 30-key 2RU units benefit from independent gain control for each channel, page shift and local assign functionality; an audio replay function is also incorporated with user-configurable voice capture and replay durations; speak and listen keys area color-coded for quick recognition; can be used in conjunction with any other panel types, with all of Trilogy's matrix systems (Commander and Orator) and also with the Mercury IP communications system.
Rattler 3G
Telecast Fiber Systems
+1 508 754 4858
www.telecast-fiber.com
Miniature serial digital transmission modules offer a range of digital video rates while maintaining signal quality; allows users to transmit 3Gb/s SMPTE 424M HD/SDI, 1.5Gb/s SMPTE 292M HD/SDI, 19.4Mb/s SMPTE 310M, 143Mb/s to 540Mb/s SMPTE 259M/344M, DVB/ASI 270Mb/s, AES and MADI audio, and nonstandard digital signals to 3Gb/s; are interoperable with Telecast's Python, Teleport and Telethon series, as well as the Viper series frames and modules.
UltraScope
Blackmagic Design
+44 1565 830 049
www.blackmagic-design.com
SDI scope is a combination PCI Express card and software package designed to work in a low-cost PC with 24in monitor for display; allows simultaneous display of six waveform views, including RGB/YUV parade display, composite waveform, vector, histogram, eight-channel audio meters, stereo audio scope and picture view; auto detects between SD, HD and 3Gb/s HD-SDI video standards; automatically selects between regular SDI and optical fiber SDI inputs.
BrightEye Mitto
Ensemble Designs
+1 530 478 1830
www.ensembledesigns.com
Web to air scan converter allows Web video to be taken directly to air; its intuitive user interface allows broadcasters to select a portion of the computer video display using a mouse and send it to air; the region selected for output determines if Mitto acts as an upconverter or downconverter; filters automatically adjust in accordance with the conversion being performed; offers 1.5Gb/s and 3Gb/s HD outputs; genlock reference input allows the output to be timed to house; analog or digital audio inputs provide for embedded audio on the output.
MediorNet
Riedel Communications
+ 49 202 292 90;www.riedel.net
Fiber-based, real-time signal transport solutions for uncompressed, multichannel HD/SD video, audio, intercom and data; combines signal transport, routing and signal processing and conversion into one integrated, real-time network; is not designed only for simple point-to-point links, but is a real network solution; this includes signal routing, allowing users to send any incoming signal to any output or even to multiple outputs by a mouse-click or via a router control system; each MediorNet mainframe provides a router for 32 × 32 720p/1080i signals, 160 × 160 SD-SDI signals, 27,000 × 27,000 AES signals or any combination.
KUMO
AJA
+1 530 274 2048
www.aja.com
Line of compact SDI routers are available in two configurations; the 1604 supports 16 SDI inputs and four out, while the 1616 features 16 channels in and out; running embedded Linux, the routers support HTTP and SNMP control and monitoring; an internal Web server allows immediate configuration and operation via any standard Web browser on any OS, without any additional software to buy or install; features include automatic EQ and reclocking, support for embedded audio, 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN, HTTP, SNMP, RS-422 control, passive loop, PAL/NTSC color black or HD tri-sync.
MediaFlow 3.0
Vivesta
+31 35 677 59 00
www.vivesta.com
Media asset management system provides users with media management, content library management, rights management, planning, scheduling and control — from ingest to broadcast and on-demand services — via one integrated workflow; within MediaFlow 3.0, multiple organizations can collaborate to manage their content and upload it ready for use in cross-media publishing on different platforms; next-generation platform is fully based on Web services, making it scalable and suitable for integration with third-party products.
MediaDeck GX
Omneon
+1 408 585 5000
www.omneon.com
Channel playout system combines video server playout, graphics and advanced audio processing; operates under the control of an automation system; seamlessly unites three key components of a typical channel chain: the MediaDeck transmission platform, a branding and master control module, and template-based graphics software; operates under the control of a number of automation systems; plays out stored stills and animations while enabling mixing and playout of voice-overs, promos and stingers, with optional encoding and decoding of AC-3 and Dolby E audio.
Player
OASYS
+44 845 094 2612;www.oasys.com
Playout system uses a single PC that combines video server functions with all secondary events, allowing users to output a fully branded channel; software can be used in an entire OASYS workflow, provide a complete end-to-end solution, or as part of a workflow integrated to many other broadcast suppliers' software; is scalable and flexible; each Player license is controlled by a USB hardware dongle that controls the features enabled so that users can start with the standard features and add further features at a later date with a simple software update.
Epsio
EVS
+32 4 361 7000;www.evs.tv
Production server graphics system is now an integral part of the XT2-LSM six-channel HD/SD video disk recorder; allows an offside line to be imposed over a football game; LSM operators are able to instantly and automatically recognize the playing field during actions and draw a virtual offside line along its borders; this one-second operation is selectable with just one button; based on patented algorithmic codes for automated drawing of the field of play and its limits in real time; operators manually trigger the offside line with just the jog wheel of the LSM Remote.
MAXX-2400HD
360 Systems
+1 818 991 0360
www.360systems.com
Multichannel video server features two record channels, four HD-SDI output channels plus SD monitoring, eight audio channels per video channel, 12TB of internal storage and a package of production tools — trimming, slow-motion, playlisting and remote workstation software; offers JPEG2000 video at bandwidths from 50Mb/s to 125Mb/s, a file-based workflow via Gigabit Ethernet, complete compatibility with automation systems and GPI devices, slow-motion playback, forward and reverse, up to 250 hours of program storage, double fault-tolerant RAID 5 or RAID 6 protection of stored program material, and hot-swappable drives with easy front access.
Predator II-GX
Harris
+44 118 964 8200
www.broadcast.harris.com
HD multiviewer features auto-sensing support for multiple input standards and a modular architecture that allows smaller models to be expanded as demand grows; ideal for smaller control room settings as a stand-alone system for four to 32 channels, or for medium to large control rooms where multiple Predator II-GX multiviewers can be combined as part of a distributed multiviewer solution; combines pristine quality images, easy-to-use editing software and an array of standard monitoring capabilities; offers ancillary data decoding capabilities; provides on-screen decode and display of closed caption, digital vertical interval time code and aspect ratio data.
XPression
Ross Video
+1 613 652 4886
www.rossvideo.com
3D character generator offers real-time layering and animation of 3D models, 2D and 3D text, rendered animations, live video and Web content; based on the PC system; designed for live, on-demand graphics; users can edit scenes in the editor while playing them out in the background, modify every aspect of an object while its animation is running, and adjust roll pages while currently active on one of the outputs; features include a real-time 2D and 3D font engine with support for all font faces and special characters, multiple viewports to ease the positioning of objects in 3D space, and Scene Director track-based timeline.
K2 Solo
Grass Valley
+33 0 1 34 90 31 00
www.grassvalley.com
Compact, two-channel standalone server is designed for remote live production and small studio post-production applications; provides up to five hours of HD or 20 hours of SD storage; leverages the K2 Summit production client architecture, making it compatible with the entire K2 family of software applications, control protocols and formats for file-based environments; includes all of the same functionality as the four-channel K2 Summit; can be used in any broadcast facility under automation control or with its internal playlist capability.
