Source: Sony Electronics' Broadcast and Professional Company
NBC Television Network Selects Sony For Digital Operations
The NBC Television Network and Sony Electronics' Broadcast and Professional Company have reached an agreement in principle under which NBC will purchase up to $16 million in digital broadcast equipment for its digital operations. Sony will provide their new state-of-the-art digital MPEG IMXô VTRs to replace existing VTRs in network control rooms and tape record and playback stations. The company will also provide DVS-7350A switchers, DVS-2000C switchers, and DME-7000 digital multi effects systems primarily for NBC's post-production applications. Additionally, under terms of the agreement, NBC will purchase a variety of Sony broadcast display products. ""NBC's decision demonstrates the industry's growing acceptance of the MPEG format for digital production and distribution,"" said Edward Grebow, President of Sony Electronics' Broadcast and Professional Company. ""We are pleased to be working with NBC to help them make the transition to digital."" ""Sony is providing NBC with solutions that are easily adaptable in a continuously changing environment,"" said Peter Smith, Vice President of Technical Planning and Engineering for the NBC Television Network. ""All switchers and digital multi effects will be used in post production applications on the network level. Additionally, some of the NBC owned and operated stations intend to use the DVS series switcher in live applications,"" Smith continued. ""The advantages of the MPEG IMX VTR are critical to NBC's ability to migrate to DTV. The VTR has the ability to not only support native MPEG-based inputs of 30/40/50Mbps, but will also playback and convert other formats, including BetacamÆ, Betacam SPÆ and Digital BetacamÆ, while transcoding MPEG-based Betacam SXÆ to this native MPEG stream,"" Smith added. ""These VTRs will also enable us to realize MPEG-based bit-rate transfer to a host of other MPEG-based products, including servers, nonlinear editors and DDRs from Sony as well as many other manufacturers."" The Sony MPEG IMX VTR editing recorder features record and playback of MPEG2 4:2:2P@ML 50Mbps material. The VTR automatically senses and plays back the Betacam, Betacam SP, Betacam SX, and Digital Betacam formats with high quality and no additional adjustments to the VTR. The DVS-7350A switcher is at the high-end of the Sony video switcher range. With its well-regarded reputation in production and post-production applications, it provides the functionality and flexibility required in the largest switcher systems. Key features of the DVS-7350A include 525/625 and composite NTSC 525 switchability, primary inputs extendible up to 36 using optional boards and two key processors with priority control, and a color background generator for each M/E. The Sony DVS-2000C switchers offer outstanding value and are ideal for mini-digital editing suite requirements. Features include 1 M/E plus DSK configuration, primary inputs extendible up to 16 using the 6-channel module, mixed operation with digital and analog component signals and two effect keyers and DSK. The DME-7000 is Sony's high-end digital video effects unit and is an ideal partner for the superb image quality for DVS switchers. The 8 x 8 multi-point interpolation and 33 x 33-point, pixel-based filtering capabilities minimize loss of picture quality through image manipulation. Features include 3D shadow effects, digital sketch effects, a duality mode that multiplies the power of a singe channel, a creative ChromAlloy option to provide RGB color correction, and metallic effect, source spot and target spot lighting capability. About Sony Electronics' Broadcast And Professional Company Sony Electronics' Broadcast and Professional Company (BPC) is dedicated to providing its customers with the most advanced audio and video equipment and systems for a variety of markets, including broadcast, production, corporate, industrial, government, medical and education. Sony products and systems offer leading-edge digital video technology in acquisition, recording, production, storage, transmission, display and projection.