MUNICH, GERMANY—Rohde & Schwarz today announced the acquisition of Pixel Powel Ltd., a step in its plan to expand its position as a leading source of broadcast playout solutions.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Pixel Power CEO James Gilbert and CTO Nick Wright will remain in their current roles.
Pixel Power’s product lineup includes broadcast graphics, master control and integrated playout systems for use by linear TV broadcasters and playout facilities delivering mobile, online and OTT video-on-demand content.
While playout, branding and master control technology complement R&S’s existing product portfolio, it’s Pixel Power’s development in recent years of IP-based solutions that virtualize those functions in a public or private cloud that seems to have motivated the acquisition.
"We've introduced more software-based IP products that can be virtualized, and that's really caught the imagination of the market. That starts to paint a picture of why an organization like Pixel Power became attractive to a company like Rohde & Schwarz," said Ciarán Doran, Pixel Power EVP global sales and marketing to Jenny Priestley, a reporter with sister publication TVBEurope.com.
According to R&S, its acquisition means existing Pixel Power customers can be confident an established, highly stable technology group stands behind the company, an essential element of forging long-term partnerships and protecting the investment of customers in Pixel Power products.
"With the acquisition of Pixel Power we are significantly expanding our Broadcast & Media portfolio with new and exciting solutions,” said Cornelius Heinemann, R&S head of transmitter and amplifier systems, file-based media solutions. “Together we can combine the software-defined technologies and virtualized environments to offer customers the very real benefits that they provide in broadcast playout and VOD markets."
With the purchase, R&S has renamed the company Pixel Power Ltd. – A Rohde & Schwarz Company.
