Product debuts at NAB
By Ken Kerschbaumer and Glen Dickson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/10/2000
Telemetrics
Telemetrics is introducing a curved trolley system that can be configured using Telemetrics curved and straight track sections. It is fully compatible with Telemetrics'comprehensive line of control panels and camera pan/tilt mechanisms. Also new are two control panels. The CP-D-2A desktop robotic camera control panel is designed to control Telemetrics serial pan/tilt heads and serial receiver units. The unit includes four camera-select buttons and four optional select buttons that can be used to control four additional cameras or Telemetrics'Weatherproof Camera Systems or H-track Trolley System. The unit also features dual proportional joysticks that allow pan, tilt and zoom control, and memory for 32 presettable shots in four banks of eight.
WSI
WSI Corp.'s new SkyAlert is an automated system for generating streaming severe-weather alerts and graphics. The $29,000 system combines up-to-the-second updates from the NOAA Weather Wire with graphics and maps from WSI's WEATHERproducer system to maintain a branded look for a station's severe-weather bulletins. Another new product that builds off the WEATHERproducer platform is SkyTracker, which provides live updates and details weather down to the street level. SkyAlert is available now; the $40,000 SkyTracker system will be available in late summer.
Bird Electronic
The Model 5000 Thruline digital power meter is the first hand-held directional RF power meter that combines a digital display with the ability to accurately measure power in both analog and digital RF systems. It provides average, true average or peak measurements of 0.1 to 10,000 W with±5% accuracy and automatically calculates VSWR, return loss and match efficiency.
Archion
The Archion Fibre Channel RAIDBay offers RAID storage with Fibre Channel interconnects to Windows 98, 2000 and NT; Macintosh; Unix; and SGI platforms. Archion's other introduction, ARRAYBay, offers high-performance JBOD storage for the same platforms. The ARRAYBay provides Fibre Channel or SCSI interconnects at an affordable cost and is completely scalable.
Evertz
The Multivert 10-channel composite encoder houses 10 converters in a 1RU frame with an optional redundant power supply. Three front-panel LEDs are provided for each channel to identify NTSC, PAL or no signal, and each channel has four rear-panel BNC connectors, providing an SDI input, an SDI output and two composite analog outputs. It also has reversible rack ears, allowing it to be mounted in the back of the monitor rack. Rear-panel LEDs indicate signal presence in that configuration.
Pixelmetrix
DVStation, a new monitoring product from Singapore-based start-up Pixelmetrix Corp., is aimed at identifying and pinpointing problems in digital video. The modular, multilayer system, which starts at $20,000, can simultaneously monitor up to 21 ports and multiple layers of the video transmission chain. The Linux-based DVStation can handle up to a 100-Mb/s transport stream and includes both an objective-quality monitor and freeze-frame detection.
Pinnacle Systems
Pinnacle's ClipDeko option, now available for the Deko500, Deko2000 and FXDeko, gives broadcasters the ability to record digital video clips with audio and play them back totally synchronized with Deko graphics and sequences. ClipDeko can store and play back key signal at the same time as video, allowing animated logos. A new Version 4 software upgrade for FXDeko includes dynamic blur, keyhole transitions, plug-in progress and real-time feedback on plug-in parameters. Five new "plug-in" effects, including 3-D ripple and cylinder, can be applied to the entire graphic or individual letters. Version 4 software, expected to ship in June, is a free upgrade for current FXDeko users.
Sony Electronics
The DMX-R100 48-channel, 24-bit digital audio mixer is designed for recording and television facilities and post-production. It has selectable 44.1/48/88.2/96-kHz sampling frequencies, a color SVGA LCD touch screen, full 5.1-channel surround mixing and monitoring, and full dynamic and snapshot automation with built in storage. Additional features include touch-sensitive 10-bit-resolution motorized faders, 24-bit audio I/O at all sampling frequencies, and built-in digital patch bay/routing switcher. In addition, surround panning can be done directly on the touch screen, and four option slots are available for AES/ EBU, ADAT and TDIF I/O. Comprehensive sync capabilities are also included, with Sony nine-pin serial, Video/Word BNC, and SMPTE/EBU or MTC connections. Suggested list price is $20,000.
