1 Beyond CEO cites trend moving from standard definition to HD at NAB2007

All markets moving upscale By John Virata

Terry Cullen, CEO of 1 Beyond, a manufacturer of media workstations and storage arrays, details some of the new offerings the company will showcase at NAB2007 in Las Vegas. In addition, he mentions the move from standard definition video to all flavors of HD, from wedding and event videographers to low level and high end broadcast pros.


View the full article at: http://digitalproducer.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=120359


An interesting trend indeed. It's about time the industry got serious about pushing HD. The trend has swung HD's way increasingly over the past few years, but the consumers are still in the grey area when it comes to fully committing to the standard. The trend of buying HD sets and not having HD content for them is more prevolent today than ever. HD support will increase the market's demand for it, hence giving more work to the people who provide it. NAB will reveal new trends and show us all where the industry will be focusing it's attention. Let's hope the quality of the products that are released are as inventive as they have been in recent years.

AVCHD will be making a strong push this year. The format totes higher quality with higher compression via the MPEG-4 standard

Giant Final Cut Pro User Group Event Announced for NAB 2007

Tickets are now on sale for the sixth annual FCPUG Network "SuperMeet" to be held April, 18, 2007 from 6:30PM - 10:00PM at the Palazzo Ballroom, Venetian Hotel, as part of the NAB Show in Las Vegas NV. This event promises to be the single largest gathering of Final Cut Pro users and Gurus in the world.

Los Angeles, CA (FV Newswire) - Tickets are now on sale for the sixth annual FCPUG Network "SuperMeet" to be held April, 18, 2007 from 6:30PM - 10:00PM at the Palazzo Ballroom, Venetian Hotel, as part of the NAB Show in Las Vegas NV. This event promises to be the single largest gathering of Final Cut Pro users and Gurus in the world.

"The Palazzo Ballroom at the Venetian Hotel is the largest venue we have ever had for one of these SuperMeets," said Michael Horton, founder of the Los Angeles Final Cut Pro User Group. (lafcpug). It will be close to double the size of last years event. We are adding over 400 seats plus there will be about 25 vendors out front showing off their products. And many of these companies will not be on the NAB show floor. This will be a sort of a Mini NAB."

The agenda is "Super Secret" according to Mr. Horton, but will be revealed shortly before the event date. "We can promise you this though," he added; "There will be demos of new products, show and tells, plenty of networking opportunities, and of course, our world famous Raffle with prizes totaling over $50,000."

Tickets are only $15.00 per person and includes 2 raffle tickets. Tickets are on sale online only and it is expected this event will sell out. Food and cash bar will be available throughout the evening. Doors open at 5:00PM and this event is open to anyone who wishes to learn more about Apple's Final Cut Studio or meet people who know more than you do.

For more information as well as a link to where to buy tickets, visit the Los Angeles Final Cut Pro User Group (lafcpug) web site.

http://www.lafcpug.org/nab_2007.html

Article from: http://www.financevisor.com/market/news_detail.aspx?rid=56123

Apple removes FCP crossgrade ahead of NAB

Apple has quietly removed the Universal crossgrade for its Final Cut Pro Studio software from its website. The move comes ahead of the NAB electronic media show in Las Vegas, Nevada, where some industry watchers expect Apple to release an update to its Final Cut Pro software. The crossgrade had been available for 12 months prior to its removal, and "expired" last week, according to one Apple representative. Another source also reports that Apple will likely introduce both Mac OS X Leopard and an eight-core Mac Pro -- Apple's top-end professional desktop system -- to accompany a Final Cut Pro upgrade at the event. Apple has already sent email invites to video production professionals to attend a special event at NAB in The Venetian Hotel and Casino; Apple has in the past consistently unveiled new products or services at such scheduled events.

News article available from: http://www.ipodnn.com/articles/07/03/26/fcp.crossgrade.removed/

3Gbps Broadcast Video Cable Equaliser available from Caelera

Mindspeed Technologies, distributed in Australia by Caelera, introduced a 3Gbps (2xHD), high-definition (HD) and standard definition (SD), dual-output video cable equaliser, rounding out its family of 3Gbps broadcast video products. Mindspeed now provides one of the first complete 3Gbps serial digital interface (SDI) solution on the market.

The M21424 video cable equaliser is one of the industry's only co-axial dual-output equaliser capable of supporting 2.5V low power operation in addition to legacy 3.3V, and is fully SMPTE standard compliant.

The dual-output 3G/HD/SD cable equaliser provides broadcast video equipment manufacturers flexibility by providing a secondary output that can be used as a monitoring output. According to Mindspeed, its new video equaliser combined with its existing 3G products is the next step toward enabling its customers the ability to build a single, multi-use 3G/HD/SD system. Mindspeed is committed to providing its customers comprehensive line of broadcast video products available.

Technical Details

The M21424 increases the maximum low jitter transmission distance of SDI video signals and DVB-ASI across commonly used bandwidth-limiting 75 Ohm coaxial cable. The device automatically optimises its transfer function based on the bit rate and cable length in order to minimise the inter-symbol interference (ISI) jitter caused by the cable as well as remove the DC offset components introduced with the pathological test pattern and AC coupling in systems.

The M21424 is designed to support data rates between 143Mbps and 2970Mbps, including SMPTE 292M, 259M, 344M and 424M.

Mindspeed's full line of broadcast video products includes single-port and quad-channel reclockers, dual-output cable driver, dual-output cable equaliser and a variety of crosspoints ranging from 4x4 to 144x144.

Press release available at: http://www.ferret.com.au/articles/z1/view.asp?id=35683

FOR-A HANABI MULTI-BIT-RATE SWITCHER PART OF NASA'S HD UPGRADE AT GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER

Becomes integral part of all live press events held at NASA's largest research center

March 12, 2007

GREENBELT, MD, March12, 2007 - NASA's largest research center, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), has become the first of ten NASA centers with full live HD capability since the addition of its FOR-A HANABI HVS-3800HS switcher. The HANABI's functionality, feature set, and price point made it the obvious choice when the center upgraded to HD.

The installation of the , switcher came at an auspicious time, according to Patrick Kennedy, Goddard Space Flight Center's TV Production Manager. Scientists at the GSFC manage the Hubble Space telescope. Hubble has, since its launch in 1990, recorded more than 700,000 images in its quest to explore the solar system. In October, when NASA announced plans for a fifth servicing mission to the Hubble, the FOR-A HANABI switcher was used in a live press conference to produce and record the news in HD, then down converted it to SDI for distribution to the public via NASA-TV . "Given that the Hubble is so important, we wanted to be able to announce this in HD for historical purposes," said Kennedy. GSFC plans to hold additional press conferences in the spring using the HVS-3800HS.

The HVS-3800HS can configure up to five main units or control panels, making it easy for users to set up productions from multiple locations. And it has 16 standard inputs and 16 standard outputs. Given that GSFC has several locations that host live press conferences, this provides considerable value. Before acquiring the HVS-3800HS, a mobile production truck was used to produce the live press conferences. Now the HVS-3800HS is installed in a control room, and all adjacent press centers and auditoriums are interconnected through GSFC's existing fiber optic network. The compact nature of the HVS-3800HS appealed to users at GSFC. "It saves us tremendously in size in both the control panel and the rack panel," Kennedy explained.

The HVS-3800HS is a multi-bit-rate combination of FOR-A's well-known HANABI HVS-3000S standard definition and HVS-3000HS high definition two M/E switchers. The HVS-3800HS features the first polygon-based HD DVE available in the U.S. and supports all major standard and high definition formats, including 1080i, 24p, 23.98PsF, and 720p, among others.

Future plans at GSFC were a consideration in the selection of the HVS-3800HS. According to Kennedy, they needed equipment that could adapt to working with virtual studios if GSFC decided to implement them down the road: "We looked at other switchers and how they integrate with virtual studios. Many of them require additional cabling and create timing issues, but with FOR-A's switchers it's simply a matter of opening up the unit and sliding in more boards."

Virtual sets will become important as GSFC continues its work with scientific visualization and data-driven pictures that help scientists understand a particular weather phenomena, sea surface temperatures or hurricane tracks. "It allows us to one day have a scientist take data that's been given a visual form and interact with it to better educate the public," added Kennedy.

FOR-A is a major manufacturer and distributor of video and audio systems to the broadcast, postproduction and professional video markets. For more information about FOR-A's product line, call (714) 894-3311 or visit our web site at www.for-a.com.

How Plasma TVs And LCD TVs Differ

How Plasma TVs And LCD TVs Differ
by: Joseph Foley

The buying of large-screen TVs has absolutely skyrocketed lately. It seems that everyone wants one – and with good reason. The large-screen TV has come a long way from those faded-out behemoths of old that took up half your living room and never really produced a picture of decent quality. Now, however, especially in combination with HDTV, you can get not only a nice, large picture, but a crisp, clean one too.

Once you decide that you’re ready for a large-screen TV, you quickly discover that you only really have two main options – a plasma TV or an LCD TV. Plasma TVs were first on the scene, but the recent mass production of LCD TVs by major manufactures has put LCD TVs pretty much on equal footing with plasmas. That said, you will still have to make a choice.

If you’re like most people, you not only have no idea how the two differ, you don’t even know the areas you should be considering in order to determine how they differ. But they do indeed differ, and knowing the difference is extremely important if you’re going to get the TV that’s right for you.

You can essentially boil the differences between plasmas and LCDs into twelve basic points. In some areas, plasmas will win out. In other areas, LCDs will win out. In yet other areas, it will depend on your own personal taste in order to decide who wins out.

The twelve ways plasma TVs and LCD TVs differ are the following:

1. The first is a technical issue, and may seem a little boring, but it really does affect other areas. Plasmas TVs are made of chemical compounds called phosphors. LCD TVs use millions of liquid crystals.

2. The next section is related to how big the TVs are and the availability of larger sizes. You have a wider selection of larger-size TVs with plasmas (though LCDs are catching up).

3. The next section is “small size,” which is also important. Plasmas don't come in smaller sizes, which you will need for places like the kitchen.

4. Next is viewing angle. Plasmas tend to have a wider viewing angle (though, again, LCDs are catching up).

5. Although the manufacturers may not like to admit it, each “can” suffer from certain problems. Plasmas can suffer from burn-in effect; LCDs don't.

6. Another problem area, but for LCDs, is “delay.” LCDs can produce a jagged figure when in motion. Plasmas tend to do better. HDTV improves this dramatically for both.

7. The next area is life span. You can replace the light source with an LCD, thereby bringing your original picture back. With plasmas you can't.

8. In the next few sections, the theme of “picture quality” is considered. First, color: LCDs produce sharp, lively colors. Plasmas produce warmer and more accurate colors.

9. Next is brightness levels and the TVs ability to handle different lighting. LCDs tend to do better in bright-light conditions.

10. Also related to picture quality is “black levels.” Plasmas tend to produce blacker blacks.

11. Another area to consider is contrast range. Plasmas, "technically," produce a higher contrast range.

12. Last, and certainly not least, is price. At the moment, plasmas tend to run a little cheaper, but this is changing rapidly as LCDs flood into the market. By the time you read this, in fact, there may be no difference at all.

Essentially, which one is right for you will all comes down to taste: What potential negatives will you not really notice? What positives do you want more of? What do you really want the TV for – movies, sports, news, regular TV shows? Both plasmas and LCDs have strong advocates in their corners. Both have deliriously happy customers. But those happy customers are only happy because they knew what they wanted before they made their purchase. If you want to make the right choice, you’ll have to decide what it is you want and which of the two TVs can best give you that.

Cambodian documentary shot with Fujinon lens

Documentary filmmaker Bob Elfstrom recently traveled to Angkor Wat, Cambodia, to shoot part of an HD documentary on a rising star in the world of dance, Sar "Sy" Sokvannara. Elfstrom captured the entire shoot with a single lens — Fujinon's new 16X HA16X6.3ERM zoom.

The HA16X6.3ERM lens combines wide angle and high magnification (16X zoom ratio), enabling production crews to carry just one lens for a range of shooting environments.

Coupled with Panasonic's HDX900 DVCPro HD camcorder, the lens allowed Elfstrom, an Emmy-winning filmmaker, to lighten his equipment load and hand carry his production gear. He thus avoided shipping expensive extra lenses to a foreign location.

The HA16X6.3ERM has a wide angle of 6.3mm and a telephoto focal length of 202mm with the 2X extender. The minimum focusing distance has been reduced to 0.4m, and the lens includes Fujinon's DigiPower servo system for precise control of zoom functions.

When used with HD/SD switchable cameras, the HA16X6.3ERM wide angle increases to 7.6mm in the 4:3 mode. This is the same as Fujinon's standard ENG/EFP lenses, therefore, no ratio converter or wide adaptor is required.

For more information, visit www.fujinonbroadcast.com.

C-SPAN expands access to video content

C-SPAN last week announced a change of usage policy designed to expand citizen access to its online video of federal government activities, such as congressional hearings, agency briefings and White House events.

The network introduced a liberalized copyright policy for current, future and past coverage of any official events sponsored by Congress and any federal agency that will allow non-commercial copying, sharing and posting of C-SPAN video on the Internet, with proper attribution. Such content, C-SPAN said, equals about half of all programming offered on the network.

Read the rest at:
http://www.c-span.org/

Verizon and AT&T step up IPTV deployments

Verizon Communications last week got approval from state regulators to offer its FiOS TV service in 45 Southern California cities, within Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.

read the full article at:
http://broadcastengineering.com/iptv/verizon-att-iptv-deployment-0315/

RTNDA to Honor Christiane Amanpour of CNN

WASHINGTON-- Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international correspondent, has been named the 2007 recipient of the Paul White Award from the Radio-Television News Directors Association. RTNDA will honor Amanpour on April 16, 2007, at RTNDA@NAB in Las Vegas.


Amanpour has spent the past two decades traveling to some of the world’s most tumultuous regions, reporting on war, civil strife and natural disaster, and gaining unprecedented access to world leaders. From Iraq and Afghanistan to Somalia and Rwanda, Amanpour has created awareness of important world issues, most notably her extensive coverage of the interethnic conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Full Article is available at: http://www.rtnda.org/news/2007/031307.shtml