MGI complete newsroomfacility in Cairo

Virtual set at AITNigeria

Making the right choices in a cheating culture

4K hype! Is it real?

Woolworths embraceDigital signage

New OB truck for Supersport Africa

See us at

Woolworths embraceDigital signage

New OB truck for Supersport Africa

Making the right choices in a cheating culture

Virtual set at AITNigeria

4K hype! Is it real?

MGI complete newsroomfacility in Cairo

AV Cover 128.qxd 9/7/13 3:08 AM Page 1

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10 German engineering for Al Jazeera Olympic Games, natural disasters, and bombings – cameramanMatthew Allard has reported about almost everything for AlJazeera, the international news broadcaster that has itsheadquarters in Doha, Qatar.

12 MGI completes prestigious project in CairoMedia Group International has completed a prestigious projectfor Middle East broadcaster MBC Group (Middle EastBroadcasting Centre) to install a state of the art News facility inCairo, Egypt.

14 Is 4K Hype or the Next Big Thing in Pro AV? Charting the emergence of 4K in the professional AV space andpredicting its growth has a soothsaying quality to it, with analystsand integrators doing their best to predict the most likely futureof a pro-AV industry on the cusp of 4K.

18 InfoComm MEA 2013: exhibitor support Exhibitors are returning to InfoComm MEA 2013, a number withbigger booths, in a show of continued support for the region’sdedicated pro-AV communications technology event in theMiddle East.

32 C2S delivers sixth OB truck to SupersportC2S completes system integration on HD-ready truck to be usedin East Africa.

AV SpecialistVolume 128

Contents

Publisher & Managing EditorKevan Joneskevan@avspecialist.tv

Feature EditorDick Hobbsdick@avspecialist.tv

Designer Rajiv Gopalanrajiv@avspecialist.tv

Advertising salesAfrica, Middle East, UK Lorna MacLeodlorna@avspecialist.tv

EuropeEmmanuel Archambeaudearchambeaud@defcommunication.com

Represented in the Middle East by:AV Specialist MENA FZ LLCPO Box 502314, DubaiUnited Arab EmiratesMobile: +97150 4683265

Represented in South Africa by:Doddington Direct ccPO Box 3939, Honeydew, 2040,South AfricaTel: +27 (0)11 083-6418Mobile: +2782 555 5556

Represented in Europe by:Def & Communication48 Bd Jean-Jaurès, 92110 Clichy,FranceTel: +33 (0)1 4730 7180Fax: +33 (0)1 4730 0189

AV Specialist supports SACIA membersin the quest for truth, honesty and thepursuit of excellence in all aspects of theaudio visual profession.

Publisher’s Note

Nigeria boasts the second largest filmindustry in the world, creating about 200videos for domestic consumption everymonth. Average production cost is aroundUS$20 thousand.

Speaking at a political rally in Edinburgh (Scotland) in 1857,Benjamin Disraeli is often quoted as saying that “change isinevitable … in a progressive country change is constant”.Disraeli was twice elected prime minister of Great Britain and hisprophetic commentary in Scotland has proven itself to be truethroughout the world.

As I’m preparing for this year’s IBC exhibition in Amsterdam Ithought back to some of the changes we see in the IBC showsince it was first held in the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London in1967. There were just 32 exhibitors and 500 conference delegates,

and of course broadcasting was a very different business. In the 1960s broadcasting was verymuch an analogue world, where the introduction of colour television was still a new innovation.What would have been the reaction of the delegates to that first IBC to be told that, 45 years on,not only would they have a computer on their desk but that it would be capable of editing highdefinition video. And that they would carry a telephone in their pocket wherever they went in theworld – which would also be an HD video camera?

In 1992 the IBC exhibition moved to Amsterdam and from 1994 it became an annual eventthat has remained in Amsterdam ever since. Today IBC’s management is continually looking atways to develop the event to meet the rapidly changing needs of the industry. Earlier this yearthey announced plans to run “IBC Content Everywhere” – a content initiative that will belaunched formally in Amsterdam 2014 and then rolled out in Dubai, November 2014 and SaoPaulo in 2015, at a date to be confirmed. IBC remains the leading event on the global stage foreveryone involved in content creation, management and delivery. By remaining close to itsindustry roots it continues to deliver a conference and exhibition which are comprehensive,stimulating and relevant to the real needs of its visitors. Despite the many changes that havetaken place, it remains a show that’s true to its roots – proudly proclaiming itself to be an eventrun “by the industry – for the industry”.

I look forward to seeing you in Amsterdam.

AV 128.qxd 9/7/13 12:15 PM Page 1

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For-A Corporation will belaunching two new visionmixers at this year’s IBCexhibition in Amsterdam. Thenew HVS-XT HD/SD compactvision mixer series is designedfor live events, news studios,OB vans and corporateproduction. The HVS-XT100comprises a separate mainunit and control panel while theHVS-XT110 is an integratedsingle-unit design. Both addmany new functions to allowusers to easily do more with a

very cost-effective unit. Themixers expand on theestablished HVS-300 visionmixer’s functions, includingmixed HD/SD input, framesynchronisation, multi-viewer,re-sizing engines, multiple2.5D DVEs, transition effectsand an extremely high qualitychroma key. Standard featuresalso include two freelyassignable keyers and twoDSK channels that can beapplied to Aux outputs.

The HVS-XT includes abuilt-in Web server enablingadjustment of settings from aPC or a tablet device. The clipmemory within the mixer’s twostill stores supports complexmoves, such as CG wipe, andhas extended capacity asstandard.

For-A launch new vision mixers at IBC

Grass Valley is now shipping the latest version ofEDIUS 7, their acclaimed nonlinear video-editing application.

In addition to support for a wide range of Grass Valleyhardware, EDIUS 7 now supports I/O hardware from third-party vendors, providing greater flexibility to integrate into awider variety of environments with a single editing interface.

Third-party software vendors will also be releasing 64-bit, EDIUS 7-compliant versions of their plug-ins. ProDADhave already released updates to coincide with the shippingof EDIUS 7, and other plug-in manufacturers will makeannouncements in the coming weeks. EDIUS 7 isimmediately available in Pro and Elite versions. EDIUS Pro 7is targeted at the professional, stand-alone user. EDIUS Elite7 is aimed at editors working collaboratively within network-connected production environments, and features seamlessintegration Grass Valley K2 media servers and storage withthe ability for multiple edit stations to edit-in-place, recorddirectly to K2, and simultaneously edit live video while beingingested (SimulEdit). GV STRATUS integration within EDIUSElite will be available by September 2013.

Edit faster with EDIUS 7

Productn e w s

More power for DSLR and Digital Cinema cameras

PAG has introducednew, camera specific D-TapPower Leads for a range ofpopular cameras. When usedin combination with a newPAG V-Mount Plate they makeit possible to achieveextended camera run-timeand a higher current draw, for

a camera and multipleaccessories, using PAGlink orstandard PAG V-Mountbatteries. PAG D-Tap PowerLeads are available for theCanon C300/500, BlackmagicCinema Camera and theNikon D800 DSLR. Where thecamera voltage is between7.2 and 8.4V, a voltage down-converter (DC Adaptor) isincorporated to reduce thebattery output voltage. AllPAG V-Mount Li-Ion batterieshave an output rated at 14.8V.PAG V-Mount Plateassemblies are suitable forclamping to either 15mm or19mm camera accessory/mattebox rods (rails/bars) forcameras where it is notpossible to mount largerbatteries directly.

At IBC2013, Snell is launching a significant expansion of itsindustry-leading ICE channel-in-a-box, including two all-newmodels. The core ICE product now offers even greaterfunctionality and horsepower in a more compact footprint. Thenew systems include ICE-LE, a low-cost 1U version that offers astreamlined feature set for smaller operations or simple videoserver refresh projects; and ICE SAN, which provides large-scaleshared content storage to give multiple ICE units instant accessto media. "Broadcasters are under pressure like never before todeliver more channels with fewer resources. By bundling theentire play-out chain into a single, cost-effective channel in abox, ICE provides an ideal solution for media operations of allsizes," said Karl Mehring, senior product manager at Snell. "Andnow, with a choice of two versatile ICE systems plus ICE SAN,we're offering our customers a broader range of options fordeploying channel-in-a-box capabilities that are totally fit forpurpose. With greater channel density, more functionality, andmore horsepower in a smaller box, ICE directly addresses ourcustomers' growing requirement to broadcast more complexchannels while saving space and minimizing power usage."

Snell expands ICE Channel-in-a-Box solution

3

AV 128.qxd 9/7/13 12:15 PM Page 3

If you can’t make this year’s IBC show in Amsterdam,don’t worry, using the live streaming capabilities of JVC’s GY-HM650E camcorder, the JVC stand will be live on the web,allowing you to experience IBC in the comfort of your own homeor office. The GY-HM650E’s live streaming capabilities hasmade it possible for JVC to stream live and packaged contentfrom the show floor. They’ll be hosting a twice-daily show at11.00am and 3.00pm on the internet, introducing customers tothe many possible applications for this camera and theadvantages of live streaming. With video streaming by German-firm, Blitzeinschlag, this live stream can be followed by up to 500users on the company’s website at the same time. This is thesame camera that Chris Darnley will be presenting to SACIAmembers at our half-day workshop in Cape Town on 11 Octoberso if you’d like to see it first-hand, please make an effort toattend.

At IBC 2013 NewTek will unveil some major innovationswithin the TriCaster product line that will continue to redefine livevideo production. The 3Play 4800 replay and slow motionsystem for live sports, launched at NAB 2013, will also be ondisplay – as well as shattering the price barrier of professionalreplay products, 3Play 4800’s myriad real-time capabilities socialmedia publishing features are giving sports producers a wholerange of new opportunities for engaging with their online fans innew and different ways.

Following on from the recent launch of TriCaster 40 v2,there will be more professional features available for entry levelcustomers or those just starting out in streaming. NewTek willalso demonstrate advanced workflows with third partyintegration thanks to the NewTek Developer Network, a rapidlygrowing ecosystem of companies that extends the value ofNewTek products with additional workflows and features tofurther simplify the live production process.

Major innovations within Tricasterproduct line

4

Ross Video has grown dramatically over the past year, withan expanded EMEA team. At IBC, Ross will be showing acomplete range of new products and solutions, including theirnew Vision Tritium - 3 MLE Production Switchers with VisionOctane production power. Tritium combines the stunning VisionOctane feature set within an incredibly budget sensitive newpackage. This is a full 3 MLE modular production switcher with 48x 32 Multi-Definition inputs and outputs, 6 real 3D DVEs, 16channels of internal MediaStores, 16 keyers, UltraChrome chromakeys, built in dual head MultiViewers, massive external devicecontrol and much more all wrapped up inside a very affordablepackage. The Tritium processing engine is matched up to astunning Vision series modular 3 MLE panel with your choice of 24or 32 direct access cross-point buttons, featuring their cool RossPanelGlow RGB buttons and DualDisplay touch screen menusystem. Tritium is also fully upgradeable and will accept standardVision Octane components.

Ross launch new 3MLEproduction switcher

At IBC 2013 in Amsterdam Harris Broadcast will introduce anew and sophisticated graphical user interface (GUI) to the latestversion of its market-leading Landmark broadcast ad sales, trafficand billing system. The highly improved and evolved GUI adds anew look and feel to the platform alongside new functionality,without losing any of the core strengths that define Landmark.These strengths include inherent operator flexibility, instantgraphical reporting and powerful live data analytics. Landmarkdifferentiates itself from other broadcast sales and schedulingsystems in the wealth of vital sales data it provides. With the newGUI, staff can see more of this data with ease, and be instructedwhen key information changes.

One of the most widely deployed media software salesplatforms worldwide, Landmark users deliver vast and complexairtime campaigns. This leads to millions of commercial spotseach month, and automatically balances station efficiency with thedelivery of quality campaigns for the end customer.

Harris media sales platformintegrates new GUI

Productn e w s

IBC live on the web

AV 128.qxd 9/7/13 12:15 PM Page 4

Teranex 3D ProcessorUS$3,995

Teranex 2D ProcessorUS$1,995

The world’s leading standards converter converts to hundreds of video formats instantly!

Teranex is the world renowned standards converter with incredible virtually transparent quality! You get massive number of conversions including extremely high quality de-interlacing, up conversion, down conversion, SD and HD cross/ standards conversion, automatic cadence detection and removal even with edited content, noise reduction, adjustable scaling and aspect ratio conversion. All with full timecode and multi-channel audio conversion. The Teranex 3D model includes 3D dual channel conversion, patent pending 3D simulation and 3D camera rig alignment!

Use Anywhere

With the ability to convert from virtually any television format to any other television format at the highest quality, Teranex has hundreds of uses in any broadcast and post production facility. With the built in Thunderbolt™ port,

you can clean and convert content for authoring use for video capture and playback! Teranex is the perfect video converter, standards converter and capture and playback tool all in one!

More Connections

Teranex is packed with more video and audio connections supporting the latest standards such as 3G-SDI and HDMI

3D frame packing. Teranex supports SDI, HDMI and analog component video, plus extremely versatile multi channel audio. The built in Thunderbolt port and RS-422 deck control allow full capture and playback. Ethernet is also included for remote confi guration.

Teranex Quality

Advanced SIMD technology developed and patented by Teranex allows instant calculations on thousands of pixels simultaneously in X, Y positions and between video frames, so you get true super computer imaging power.

Processing is applied within the frame and between frames all at the same time, so you get better de-interlacing, inter-frame interpolation and noise reduction. This is why Teranex conversions are indistinguishable from the original master!

Advanced 3D Tools

The Teranex 3D model includes powerful 3D processing that allows you to move to 3D without breaking the bank! You get full resolution dual stream 3D format

and frame-rate conversions plus decoding and encoding of 3D streams. The new patent pending Teranex 3D simulator automatically generates incredible 3D signals from 2D sources! Also included is frame warping and alignment for 3D camera rigs to get perfect 3D live! You can even use two consumer cameras for true 3D!

Up and Down ConversionTeranex includes multi-direction diagonal fi lters so up conversion eliminates “jaggies” for clean images.

2

Audio, Timecode and SubtitlesTeranex supports frame rate conversion multichannel audioplus timecode and closedcaption VANC data.

7

De-InterlaceTeranex features proprietary and patented PixelMotion de-interlacing algorithmsfor amazing image quality.

1

Teranex 3D model shown

Adjustable ScalingTeranex includes fully adjustable aspect ratio scaling. Support custom aspect ratios, or evenfor reframing shots.

6

SD/HD Standards ConversionStandards convert video with the powerful SIMD processor which can analyze and calculate pixels between frames.

3

3D ProcessingThe Teranex 3D model includes dualSDI channels so it allows all video conversion to be locked togetherfor perfect 3D conversions.

8

Cadence Detect and RemoveAutomatically remove cadence(3:2 pulldown) even when the footage has been previouslyedited and suffers from fl ash fi elds!

4

3D SimulationTake 2D feeds into a 3D live production, or convert 2Dcontent into 3D with theTeranex 3D simulator!

9

Noise ReductionRemove unwanted noise with Teranex award winning temporal recursive noise reduction.

5

3D Camera AlignThe 3D camera align feature ofthe Teranex 3D model lets youframe sync and align left and righteye feeds for perfect 3D rigs.

10

Learn more today at www.blackmagicdesign.com/me/teranex

VISIT INFOCOMM MEA 2013 and LEARN how you can APPLY professional audiovisual communications technology to TRANSFORM your business to meet rapidly changing market demands.

AV systems have become a necessary resource in many businesses, particularly with the convergence of AV-IT – from the traditional areas of Education and Entertainment, to Enterprise IT, Hospitality and Retail, Health Care, Transportation, and other Government Services. Effective information management and timely, impactful delivery of information to customers, colleagues and business associates are essential for business success in today’s highly networked and competitive world.

InfoComm MEA 2013 offers a platform for business owners, corporate IT and technology managers, engineers and systems integrators to check out latest AV technologies and end-user applications.

• See the widest range of Pro AV systems e.g. display media and imaging, digital signage, infotainment systems, command and control, video-conferencing and telepresence, and connectivity solutions from world leading brands.

• Hear experts give their insights on AV communications market trends and technology developments.

• Build your network of contacts for AV communications to enhance customer experience.

Attendance is free. Pre-register now at www.infocomm-mea.com

AUDIO. VIDEO. INTEGRATION.InfoComm MEA

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

2013

Za’abeel Concourse

HALL 1 HALL 2

GOVERNMENT

HALL 3/4

CONCOURSE 1

EXHIBITIONGATE

CONVENTIONGATE

ZA’ABEELENTRANCE

TRADE CENTRE METRO STATION

CONCOURSE 2

ENTRY FROM GITEX

ENTRY ENTRY

SHEIKH SAEED HALL

Co-located with:

Jointly organized by:

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

2013

AUDIO. VIDEO. INTEGRATION.

20-24 October, 2013Sheikh Saeed Hall, Opposite Hall 1 Dubai World Trade Centrewww.infocomm-mea.com

IFMEA2013_AV Specialist Ads 210x297_v2.indd 1 12/8/13 10:35 AM

Stage Audio Works has been appointed the exclusiveBlackmagic Design distributor for Sub-Saharan African regionsincluding South Africa. Gustav Barnard from Stage AudioWorks remarked: “We are excited to be representing a forwardthinking brand like Blackmagic Design and we look forward togrowing and supporting the reseller channel not only in SouthAfrica but also across Africa. By working closely with our value-added resellers we can ensure that the products areaccessible and well supported. Stage Audio Works’headquarters in Johannesburg supports businessdevelopment, customer service, warehousing and technicaland application support for the African region. In addition,Stage Audio Works has a regional office in Cape Town servingthe Western and Eastern Cape regions. In closing TimSiddons, Director of Channel Sales, Blackmagic Design EMEAcommented: "The demand for Blackmagic Design products inAfrica across Live, AV, Broadcast and Film is growing quicklyand it is exciting for us to be working with Stage Audio Works,an established industry leader in the region.

Stage Audio Works appointedBlackmagic Design distributor

Atomos, the creator ofthe award-winning cameramounted recorders Ninja-2and Samurai, and the Connectconverter range, havecommenced shipment of theirlatest recorder/monitor, theSamurai Blade. The newSamurai Blade offers astunning 1280 x 720SuperAtom IPS touchscreen,at 325ppi 179-degree viewing,400nit brightness and multi-

frequency (48/50/60Hz)operation depending on videoinput giving super smoothmonitoring and playback.Every screen is calibrated toSMPTE Rec 709 colour spaceand a D65 white point with100% gamut from factory. Onthe fly screen calibration isbuilt into every Samurai Bladeso you are always accurate inany shooting environment.

Samurai Blade addsessential set up tools with fullwaveform monitor functions,including vectorscope, RGBand LUMA parades withtransparent overlay andbottom right, lower 3rd or fullscreen positioning, making itan extremely flexible tool.

Productn e w s

7

Digital Rapids is bringing their complete range of mediatransformation and workflow technologies and solutions to IBC2013. They’re well known as a company that providesinnovative solutions, technology and expertise that enablemedia organizations to bring live and on-demand video towider audiences more efficiently, more effectively and moreprofitably. New on their stand is the StreamZ Live 4000EXmultiscreen encoder. It’s Ideal for premium live and linearapplications from IPTV and over-the-top (OTT) headends tohigh-profile live streaming deployments, building on the provenmulti-format flexibility, quality and reliability of the StreamZ Livefamily with increased performance, fault-tolerant redundancyand expanded control capabilities. The StreamZ Live 4000EXfeatures rich adaptive streaming format support for reachingviewers with high-quality experiences on the broadest range ofdevices, while its underlying Kayak technology platformenables easy, future-proof upgradability to support newfeatures, formats and technologies as they emerge.

Encoding for Live and LinearMultiscreen Streaming and

Broadcast

During IBC2013, Riedel Communications will feature theEuropean premiere of the Grass Valley Camera Interface Card forMediorNet Compact real-time networks.

The new MN-C-OPT-GV-2 for MediorNet Compact allowsthe user to connect Grass Valley LDK and LDX cameras and theirbase stations directly to MediorNet. This provides a solution toroute bi-directional camera signals, including all embedded audioand telemetry control data, through the MediorNet fiberinfrastructure. MediorNet's network approach allows the freeassignment of cameras to any base station or CCU within thenetwork, providing unparalleled flexibility in setups andeliminating the need for re-wiring when production needschange. The MN-C-OPT-GV-2 for MediorNet Compact fits into aMediorNet Compact expansion slot. It provides two Grass Valleyports that connect either to cameras or base stations. TheMediorNet Grass Valley card supports all video and sync formatssupported by Grass Valley LDK and LDX cameras.

Atomos Samurai Blade cut loose

Camera Interface Card forMediorNet Compact

AV 128.qxd 9/7/13 12:16 PM Page 7

Question: When selecting a vendor for your next AV installation, which of these items is the LEAST important item you should consider?

a. Price quoted for the projectb. Installation quality of the installations deptc. Company reputation in the marketplaced. Financial stability of the supplier

Answer: (a) In today’s tough economic climate it’s obviously important to consider price as an important factor in choosing a supplier for your next AV installation. But choosing a supplier based on price alone is a sure-fire path to failure and an ineffective AV solution. Chose a vendor based on their ability to provide an AV solution that meets your requirements and make sure you’re buying from a reputable organization with certified staff and the resources to back-up your installation on a long-term basis.

SACIA is the leading trade association for the professional AV industry in Southern Africa. We promote the adoption of professional standards in the local market and our members commit to truth, honesty and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of the audiovisual profession.When you’re looking for a reputable supplier with a proven track record in the professional AV market, our members are a good place to start. For more information on SACIA and a full list of members, please visit www.sacia.org.za

An informed business choice

The South African Communications Industries Association is a not-for-profit Trade Association committed to

promoting the adoption of professional standards in the audiovisual industry throughout Africa.

Sony has introduced its new PMW-300 XDCAMcamcorder. Equipped with 1/2-type Exmor Full-HD 3CMOSsensors, it is capable of delivering incredible images evenin low-light conditions. The PMW-300 is ideal for broadcastproducers and corporate event camera operators whorequire a flexible semi-shoulder camcorder that can easilybe adapted to suit a wide range of productionenvironments.

An evolution of Sony’s industry-leading PMW-EX3,the PMW-300 is able to record 50Mbps HD material inMPEG HD422, meeting broadcast standards around theworld, including the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU)requirements on HD broadcast acquisition for long formprogramme making. The high bit rate ensures excellentcapture of fast moving objects, while its chromasubsampling feature is perfect for a wide range of videoencoding areas such as VFX and green screenapplications. The camcorder can also be upgraded in thefuture to support Sony’s revolutionary XAVC codec,extending the lifecycle of the product to ensure maximumreturn on investment.

At IBC 2013 Quantel will be demonstrating its full rangeof software solutions for fast-turnaround production and high-end colour and finishing, as well as unveiling major newdevelopments across its product range.

For broadcasters, Quantel will be showing streamlined,file-based and creative workflows for news and sports. Youcan see the latest developments for Enterprise sQ fast-turnaround production systems and in QTube connectedworkflows Also on show will be revolutionQ - softwareservices that deliver efficient production workflows fromgeneric storage. Based on the visionary Internet of Frames,it's a revolution in the making - eliminating the managementand complexity of today's file-based architectures -fundamentally changing the way broadcasters create andversion content. They’ll also be showing QTube connectedworkflows. Over the last few years QTube has grown into atechnology that connects different geographies and differentsystems together, giving broadcasters a global productionecosystem that enables them to make compelling contentmore quickly, easily and efficiently than ever before.

Media Composer 7, thelatest update to Avid’sindustry-leading video editingsoftware, is now shipping.Media Composer 7 featuresaccelerated and simplifiedfile-based workflows,including optimised HDdelivery from high-res sourcematerial and automatedmedia operations. In addition,as a key component of the

Avid Everywhere vision, thenew release offers Interplay®Sphere for Mac support,extending and connectingreal-time production assetsand facilities across theglobe.

As more content iscreated with high-rescameras and delivered asHD, Media Composer 7enables editors to workdirectly in HD from the high-res source, while maintainingfull creative control of imageframing. Media Composer 7also automates the time-consuming process of mediatranscoding operations in thebackground, so editors areeffectively free to focus oncreative storytelling.

Avid’s Media Composer 7 now shipping

Sony introduces the PMW-300 XDCAMFull range of innovative

solutions on show

Productn e w s

9

At Mediatech Africa,Front Porch Digitalshowcased their DIVArchiveV7.1 content storagemanagement (CSM) system.New features andcapabilities make the systemideal for a broader array ofapplications. The new AXFExplorer offers an intuitive

interface for parsing ArchiveeXchange Format (AXF)objects, with straightforwardoperations that areperformed using drag-and-drop procedures similar tothe Windows operatingsystem. DIVArchive V7.1 alsoenables a complete range ofworld-class videotranscoding and workflowsand is directly integrated withTelestream's VantageTranscode and VantageTranscode Pro. Theenhancements to DIVArchiveextend its applicability tomedia operations of everykind — broadcasters,educational and heritageinstitutions, the film industry,and government entities.

Front Porch featured at Mediatech Africa

AV 128.qxd 9/7/13 12:16 PM Page 9

10

Allard has already beenrecognized 15 times by theAustralian Cinematographers

Society for his impressivedocumentaries and news features.During shoots all over the world, herelies on the Video 20 fluid head bySachtler, part of Vitec Videocom, aVitec Group company. With its easyand ergonomic operation, thelegendary fluid head by Sachtler hasbeen an ideal tool for daily work inelectronic newsgathering for more than50 years.

Three words are enough"After the devastating Tsunami in

2011, I spent 150 days in theJapanese disaster area to report onthe aftermath live on location," Allard

describes. "Wherever I am, I alwaysrely on my Video 20 and Video 18tripod systems." In unimaginable heator freezing temperatures, in water orsand, indoors or in the jungle – theprecise craftsmanship allows thecameraman to depend on his camera

support and devote his entire attentionto his work – even under the mostunusual filming conditions and in themost extreme temperatures. "I like todescribe my Sachtler tripods with threewords: dependability, quality, andperformance," Allard says.

This must be toldFor Allard, the Video 20 has

become indispensable for capturinghis news stories and documentaries.The Video 20’s patented dampingsystem with its 7 horizontal and 7vertical grades of drag (+0), the finelytuned counterbalance with Speed-balance technology, as well as modernand high-quality construction materialallow Allard to work professionally andcreatively all over the world.

On his travels, Allard runs intomeaningful stories everywhere which –in his opinion – must be told: "I want todocument the experiences ofcompletely normal people and makethese experiences accessible foreveryone. I think every one of us hasan interesting story to tell. My job is toshow the beauty and sometimes alsothe sadness of the events, and tomake all of this tangible to theviewers." As a storyteller, thecameraman focuses on capturingindividual lives authentically andobjectively in his documentaries. "It istheir story, not mine," Allard explains.

Matthew Allard has alreadytravelled to over 40 countries toproduce reports about current events."I have been working for Al Jazeera forthe last six years, but in the industry forthe last 23. This is why my job bringsme so much happiness, even though Ihave seen a lot of horrible things," theAustralian cameraman enthusiasticallysays. With the dependable SachtlerVideo 18 and Video 20 fluid heads inhis suitcase, Allard is well prepared forevery situation, both present andfuture.

Olympic Games, natural disasters, and bombings – cameraman MatthewAllard has reported about almost everything for Al Jazeera, the internationalnews broadcaster that has its headquarters in Doha, Qatar.

German engineering for Al Jazeera withSachtler’s Video 20

Matthew Allard relies on his Video 20 fornews stories all over the world. © Allard

From Japan, Allard reported on the aftermath of the tsunami in 2011. © Allard

For Allard, it is not only important to tellbeautiful stories but also to report on thefate of individuals – for example, here inOtsuchi, Japan in 2011. © Aya Asakura

AV 128.qxd 9/7/13 12:16 PM Page 10

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Lebanese production companyHedgehog has selected GrassValley’s end-to-end workflow solution

consisting of cameras, productionswitchers, routing switchers, router controlsystems and replay systems for their firstHD OB van. These live productionsolutions provide the mobile backbone forHedgehog so that it can provide betterquality HD coverage of live events. On theground, Hedgehog will work closely withGrass Valley’s local partner in Lebanon,Pharaon Broadcast.

“What drew us to Grass Valley is its ability to providesolutions from one end of the production chain to the other,” saidGeorge Moufarrej, CEO and Managing Director of Hedgehog. “Thisproject marks the construction of our very first OB van so it wasreally important for us to have total confidence in the solutions thatwill help deliver our new mobile productions. Grass Valley’sexpertise in live production is second-to-none, and its solutionsoffer efficiency, flexibility, and top quality performance.”

The full workflow of solutions selected by Hedgehog includesa full series of LDK 8000 Elite cameras to capture HD imagesnatively and switch instantly between multiple formats and framerates. Boasting three high performance 9.2 million pixel HD-DPM+sensors, the LDK 8000 Elite cameras offer advanced picture quality.The van also includes a Kayak HD 3 M/E video production switcherand a Trinix NXT digital video routing switcher with Multiviewer, 128Frame HD 64 x 32 – offering 30% lower operating costs, powerfulperformance and simplicity. “The Lebanese broadcast market is anextremely vibrant and important market within the Middle East, andGrass Valley has been very busy there in recent months,” said SaidBacho, Senior Vice President EMEA, Grass Valley. “We’re excited tobe making the announcement today with Hedgehog, and aredelighted to be bringing cost-effective and future-proofed solutionsto Lebanon. We know that Lebanese viewers will enjoy the servicesdelivered from the country’s first HD mobile production unit.”

Hedgehog selectsGrass Valley for Lebanon’sfirst HD OB van

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Over the last 20 years MBC Group,has grown to become a well-established media group that

enriches people’s lives throughinformation, interaction and entertainment.Based in Dubai, in the United ArabEmirates, MBC Group includes 12television channels.

Established reputationThe broadcaster engaged Media

Group International (MGI) on the basis ofthe company’s established reputation forhigh quality systems integration andproject management. MGI has over 35years’ experience of systems integrationin the Gulf region and represents manyworldwide broadcast equipmentmanufacturers. Raed Bacho, BroadcastManager, MBC Group says: “MGI’sreputation for delivering world-classbroadcast solutions was a key factor inour decision to award the company thecontract. Our Cairo News facility is amajor investment and one that requiredcareful planning. We were elighted by theefficiency and timely results.” MGI’s briefwas to provide MBC Group with an entireNews facility consisting of a broadcastcontrol room/gallery, a central apparatusroom, an audio studio, a broadcaststudio, a Master Control Room, a

Newsroom and various editing andproduction facilities. The company wasalso responsible for the entire ITinfrastructure and the installation of allpower requirements. “MBC’s on-airrequirements meant that we were upagainst extremely tight deadlines,” saysPaul Wallis, MGI’s Sales Director. “Wealso undertook this project during therecent political unrest, which created itsown set of issues. On at least oneoccasion our team could not leave thefacility overnight because demonstratorswere protesting outside.” At a time whenmany companies are avoiding outlay inEgypt, MBC’s decision to build this newfacility – and its equipment choices –reflect its determination to invest in thevery latest technology in order to bringhigh quality news coverage to the peopleof Egypt.

Ground-breaking equipment“In consultation with MGI’s

experienced technical team, MBCselected some of the latest groundbreaking equipment, including cutting-edge Grass Valley LDX-80 studio camerasthat adopt CMOS technology as opposedto traditional CCD,” says Wallis. “At theheart of the system is a full AvidNewsvision production system,complemented by the latest Viztr on airgraphics. Other technical highlightsinclude a powerful Ross live productionswitcher, a Trilogy Broadcastcommunications system, a state of the artvideo wall and a Studer All-In-One Vistaaudio mixing console, the first of its kindto be installed in Egypt.”

Wallis adds that the project was notwithout its challenges, but thanks toMGI’s excellent relationships with thevarious manufacturers involved, thesewere quickly overcome. “We were facedwith some tough technology changes thatcould have delayed the on-air deadline,but fortunately we had chosenmanufacturers who helped us workaround this problem and enabled us tokeep our commitment to MBC,” he says.MBC’s News facility in Cairo is now upand running, delivering news to thebroadcaster’s Egyptian viewers.

Media Group International has completed a prestigious project for Middle East broadcaster MBC Group (MiddleEast Broadcasting Centre) to install a state of the art News facility in Cairo, Egypt.

Media Group International completes news studio for MBC Cairo

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Who do you call when things go wrong?

SACIA members subscribe to the highest standards of ethics in their business conduct and sign a pledge in which they commit to excellence in what they do. They take pride in their work and provide products and professional solutions in line with their clients’ needs.

They’re dependable business partners who promise not to engage in dealings that are corrupt, dishonest or questionable.

If you feel that a SACIA member has failed to live up to this pledge contact us at ethics@sacia.org.za or call our complaints hotline on +2711 083 6418

For a full list of SACIA members and a copy of their pledge to conduct business on an ethical basis visit www.sacia.org.za

The Southern African Communications Industries Association (SACIA) is a not for pro�t trade association committed to promoting the adoption of professional standards and ethical business practices in the communications industry throughout Southern Africa.

Keynote speaker announced for DISCOP Africa 2013

Nigeria will be the first country totake centre-stage with a range ofdedicated events, screenings and

conference tracks that will mark the 20thanniversary of Nollywood and highlightthe rapidly growing Nigerian movieindustry. Also at DISCOP Africa, RichardBell, CEO of Wananchi Group, EastAfrica's leading home entertainmentoperator and the second largest Pay-TVoperator in Africa, has been revealed asthe keynote speaker at the event'sopening session. Bell will conduct a Q&Aon the development of the Pay-TV marketin Africa and the reasons why Africa isexpected to be the world's number onePay-TV marketplace within the next 10years.

"A guest country will be honoured ateach DISCOP Africa to offer attendees anin-depth look at Africa's most vibrant

marketplaces. To mark Nollywood's 20year anniversary, Nigeria will be our first

guest country and its Film and TVindustries will be honoured during aspecial gala evening," says PatrickJucaud-Zuchowicki, General Manager ofthe DISCOP organization, adding, "Africais the fastest-growing advertising, Free-to-Air and Pay-TV marketplace in theworld, our ambition is to run two events ayear, in the not so distant future, one inSouth Africa and the other in Nigeria."

More than 2,000 delegates from70-plus countries are expected to attendthe 8th edition of DISCOP Africa from 6 to8 November 2013, representing morethan 800 new and established regionaland global companies driving contentbusiness and digital changes with andacross Africa. National umbrellasrepresenting the UK, France, the US,China, Korea, Kenya, Nigeria and SouthAfrica will also be on the floor.

The DISCOP Organization has announced a major new initiative to celebrate the content, production anddistribution industries in Africa as it introduces a 'Guest Country' focus at the DISCOP Africa show scheduled totake place in Johannesburg during November 2013.

Patrick Jucaud-Zuchowicki, General Manager ofthe DISCOP organization, explains that "Africais the fastest-growing advertising, Free-to-Airand Pay-TV marketplace in the world. Ourambition is to run two events a year, in the notso distant future, one in South Africa and theother in Nigeria."

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As the growth of digitalcinema and its foray into4K starts to tail off, otherverticals are currentlyusing or showing an

interest in the avalanche of pixelsthat come with 4K.

“The projector market is goingto want 4K in niches like visualizationand simulation,” says Mike Fisher,senior analyst at Futuresource. “Oilcompanies, car designers, nichemarkets like military briefing roomsare all resolution hungry and arelikely to be the first ones to bite. Notthe mainstream corporate oreducation installations that run theinternet, TV or PowerPoint.” Fishersees more interesting developmentson the flat- panel side of things, amarket now firmly settled on 1080p.“Especially for 60-inch flat screens,we will see a relatively quicktransition toward 4K in high-levelinstallations, like rental and staging.You might see some corporatereception, big-impact screens or veryhigh-end screens in flagship retail.”

Vertical marketsSome vertical markets, such as

the healthcare market, are ideal for4K, according to Dawn Meade ofNet-AV. “Telemedicine, training,microsurgery via screens will take asmany 4K and higher displays andcameras as we can produce. Asidefrom that, 4K will provide muchhigher image quality on extremelylarge outdoor or venue screens.”

Todd Fender, senior analyst atNPD DisplaySearch, also sees 4Keventually playing a role in the publicsignage market, but not in thecoming year. “We do see definitebenefits for retail applications whereit could make a big visual differencefor folks who market high-endjewellery and fashion; this is wherethe growth will occur.” While ChrisChinnock, president at analyst firmInsight Media, doesn’t see much

action yet in the rental and stagingmarket, despite the availability of 4Kequipment. But Paul Kent, seniorconsultant for entertainment atElectrosonic, says there seems to bedemand in the leisure andentertainment markets. “The leisuremarket is running 4K projection,replacing what used to be film,” Kentsays. “One example of that is theSpiderman ride at Universal.”

Lesure and entertainmentIn other situations, single 4K

projectors are replacing multiplesystems and reducing the total costof ownership. Alternately, and many50-inch-plus 4K screens arereplacing what would have previouslybeen projector installations. “Itdepends where you’re working,” saysKent. “The corporate market has justembraced HD, so we may not begetting requests in that space for

Charting the emergence of 4K in the professional AV space and predicting its growth has a soothsaying quality to it,with analysts and integrators doing their best to predict the most likely future of a pro-AV industry on the cusp of 4K.Meanwhile the industry peers over the cliff and wonders who is going to follow digital cinema into the depths ofUltra HD, and more importantly, why they should invest in four times more pixels than the now-common HD format.

Is 4K hype or the next big thing in Pro AV?

14

Samsung has unveiled a unique Ultra-HD television, with a 'floating' design it says couldrevolutionise home cinema. The 85-inch TV is housed within an easel-like frame, which allows it torotate freely and appear to 'float' in mid-air. It can play video up to resolutions of 4K - so-called UltraHD, content for which is barely available to consumers.

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man - The Ride is an epoch-making attraction created bycombining more than 100 different special effects including lights, sounds, fire, smoke, and watersplashes with the amazing ride vehicle movements linked with Spider-Man’s motions on the screen.The ride has been highly rated by media around the world and has won the Golden Ticket Award inthe Best Dark Ride category for seven consecutive years, a historic first. The Amazing Adventuresof Spider-Man - The Ride 4K3D further solidifies this ride as the world’s best by combining 3Dimages with 4K Ultra HD technology, and ride motions enabled by cutting-edge synchronizingtechnology. With overwhelming reality and extreme excitement, the ride allows patrons to feel as ifthe entire adventure is happening to them. Paul Kent, senior consultant for entertainment atElectrosonic, says there seems to be demand for 4K in the leisure and entertainment markets. “Theleisure market is running 4K projection, replacing what used to be film,” he says.

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some time. On the other hand, somemarkets, like command and controlwant 8K!” “We have a number ofearly 4K installs for data analytics inthe pharmaceutical, consumergoods, energy and governmentareas,” said Blair Parkin, MD ofVisual Acuity. “The mapping world,including the national-mappingagency in the U.S., is also veryinterested in this.”

But overall, Chinnock doesn’tsee any particular pro-AV verticalleading the adoption of 4K. “Peoplewill start putting 4K in place in anumber of different areas for anumber of different reasons,” hesays. “A lot of these decisions will bemade on a case-by-case basis.”

Missing Links in the 4K ChainThe very definition of 4K is a

challenge, according to Parkin, who

notes that 4K refers to severaldifferent things, including consumer-format Quad HD, cinema 4K andother 4K display forms from specificprojector vendors. “Everybody iscalling everything 4K, that’s achallenge because the productionchain is different,” he says. Parkinalso says there can be technicalissues around the transport mediumand related bandwidth, which start“breaking down” beyond 2560x1600.“The number of pixels per secondgets very high. You need a differenttransport medium — dual-link DVI orDisplayPort,” he says. “It’s anemerging technology, you can get ademo but finding the peripherals isstill in its early days.”

Universal needsThere are universal needs

across all verticals when it comes to

the 4K production chain in pro AV,explains Chinnock. “You must havecameras or an acquisition system togather the content; you need aprocessing and editing capability tomanage that content; you need adistribution system that’s part of thesolution; a display system; and finallythere’s lot of other pieces ofhardware for encoding,” he says.“You must have all those pieces inplace if you want native 4K.” Theacquisition technology for 4K videohas been available for some time,and the displays are now available,points out Kent. “The two end bitsare done, but the middle bits areplaying catch-up,” he says.“Distributing and managing 4Kuncompressed video in a networksituation is still hard. You can’t move4K video around the place in thesame way you do HD.”

Standalone content aside, evenwith heavy compression, 4K contentpresents enormous challenges forbroadcasters. DStv Online CEOJohn Kotsaftis says 4K is highlyunlikely to be used by broadcastersin the foreseeable future. “It’s waytoo expensive to give up the amountof satellite capacity required tobroadcast at 4K,” he says. Whileearly adopters may embrace 4K inthe same way they did Blu-ray,Kotsaftis says he thinks the uptakefor 4K will be even slower than Blu-

ray. “There’s a quality versusconvenience curve that we’re alreadyon,” he says.” Consumers are willingto make all sorts of qualitycompromises in exchange forspeedy and convenient access tocontent, but I don’t think [4K] isgoing to push the boundary.Everyone thought 3D would be thenext big thing but it hasn’t been.” Hesuggests that much like 3D, 4K issomething manufacturers hope willallow them to sell new TVs, but thatmost consumers probably won’tcare for it. “An acceptable level ofquality has been reached,” he says.“Now it’s about content andconvenience. Where you probablycould tell the difference in quality ison larger form factors.” Kotsaftissays manufacturers will probablybegin shipping and promoting largerTVs. “In coming years, 50-inch or 55-inch screens will have become thesort of standard that 40-inch TVs arenow. To exploit 4K, you need a largerform factor. You’re just not going tonotice enough of a difference onsmaller screens.” The samequality/convenience argument leadshim to believe that physical mediafor 4K content will struggle to gaintraction among consumers. “4Kimplies going back to physicalmedia. Even over the Internet, it’sgoing to require massive files and,given the choice, most people would

happily settle for a 720p or 1080pfile anyway.” With bandwidth ofaround 10Mbit/s, Kotsaftis saysconsumers can watch “really highquality video over the Internet”.Although South Africa is still catchingup with developed markets when itcomes to broadband, he still can’tenvisage a situation where peoplewant optical or physical media.“Physical media has lost its value,”he says. “I used to prize it andcherish my CDs and DVDs, but nowI can get most of that contentonline.” Audio streaming serviceslike Spotify have taken off in the USand Europe, followed closely byservices like Netflix for video content.Kotsaftis says he expects the samething will happen in South Africa.Aside from the convenience ofstreaming, there’s the option ofgetting recommendations based onviewing or listening habits,something physical media don’toffer. “I don’t think the big change inTVs is going to be 4K. I think it’sgoing to be about functionality. TVsare going to get easier to use anduser interfaces are going to getspeedier and more elegant,”Kotsaftis says. The problem ofcontent has, by and large, beensolved, he says, but ease of use andproper integration of applicationsand online tools into TVs has someway to go.

Where does 4K sit in the television market?

DStv Online CEO John Kotsaftis says 4K ishighly unlikely to be used by broadcasters inthe foreseeable future. “It’s way too expensiveto give up the amount of satellite capacityrequired to broadcast at 4K,” he says.

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1www.sacia.org.za

The $75 billion audiovisual industry provides critical support to largecorporations, small businesses, retail outlets, education and healthcareinstitutions, entertainment venues, the government and more. AV helps uscommunicate better, protects critical infrastructure, assists with life-saving diagnoses, educates students around the world and keeps society informedand entertained. To learn more about the audio visual industry in Southern Africa visitwww.sacia.org.za

OCTOBER 13-19, 2013

What Might Hold Back 4K?Along with the challenges of

moving 4K content around, the lackof native 4K video content andinvestment costs is a major issue,especially for companies that havemade prior investments in HD or 3Dtechnology.

“While 4K creates a great image,it is not immediately practical in manyaspects of pro AV,” said Meade.“There isn't much content out therefor this resolution and if you find it,most screens are not large enoughfor 4K to make a major difference inhow the picture is perceived by thehuman eye.” Graham Naylor-Smith,associate director at Arup, is alsoconcerned with the cost and hasslethat might come with 4K, pointing outthat an upgrade can sometimesmean doubling the infrastructure.

4K RisesIn the pro-AV world, adoption

rates will vary based on vertical,according to Meade. “For mostaverage corporations, it will be aslower integration due to financialconsiderations and total lack of needfor day-to-day business. In specialtyverticals the adoption rate will be

much quicker.” Opinions vary on thetimeline for 4K in different markets.Kent thinks pro AV is looking atbetween three and five for 4Kdeployment. “It’s rising across theboard and we’re doing some legacyreplacements in command andcontrol, corporate, leisure andmuseums.” Naylor-Smith doesn’t yetsee a business or residential needdriving 4K, putting its advent atperhaps five to seven years. “Why is itneeded in the short term?” he says.“Broadcasters aren’t transmitting 4K.

You’re not getting 4K Blu-ray orstreamed content. So why? ‘Becausewe can’ is not a good enoughanswer.” Parkin believes, however,that 4K will emerge much quickerthan the industry realizes. “4K relatesto the mobile and social mediacrowd, who are embracing it quickly,”he says. If 4K video content isn’tavailable yet, Parkins believes it willchange rapidly. “The GoPro camerasnow have 4K capability, so theYouTube generation is alreadyproducing and editing 4K videocontent. The cost of entry forproduction is now really low.”

“Like any new technologicaladvance, 4K video's prospects willgrow as time goes on, provided anewer, higher resolution, like 8K or12K, doesn't leap-frog it to market,”concludes Meade. Indeed, 4K issimply the next logical step for anindustry constantly seeking moreresolution, according to Chinnock.“Each step requires moreinvestment,” he says. “People wantreturn on investment. Full HD is notyet fully adopted, and there are tonsof XGA and SVGA projectors still outthere. I think it’s just the start of a 10-or 20-year cycle.”

17

Some vertical markets, such as thehealthcare market, are ideal for 4K,according to Dawn Meade of Net-AV.

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Arthur Holm, NMK, Theatro andVenuetech have doubled their boothsize from last year, while many

leading AV brands have confirmed theirparticipation. Several manufacturers,including Blackmagic Design and Matroxwill also be making their debut in theMiddle Eastern market at InfoComm MEA2013. This show of support for IFMEAreflects exhibitors’ confidence in theorganizers’ resolve and efforts to attractquality visitors to the Show. Despite someissues with hall location last year,InfoComm 2012 drew 12,023 visitors,generating good discussions and solidleads for exhibitors. The organizers aretaking steps to increase brand presenceonsite and facilitate visitor registration forthis year’s InfoComm MEA.InfoCommAsia, regional subsidiary ofInfoComm International, and co-organizerDubai World Trade Centre announce that

they are putting in place three keymeasures to ensure greater Show visibilityand a sustained visitor flow for this year’sevent. Firstly, Show signage will beimproved. The concourse area runningalong the IFMEA halls will be cleared ofbooths and branded with large IFMEAbanners and video walls. Secondly, the

physical barriers that used to separateGITEX and IFMEA will no longer be inplace, providing for a truly free flow oftraffic between the two shows. And thirdly,a second entrance into the IFMEA hall willprovide unobstructed linkway betweenGITEX and the Show, with customcarpeting welcoming GITEX visitors to theShow. InfoComm MEA 2013’s location inthe Trade Centre Arena in the vast WorldTrade Centre complex will also bepublicized in pre-show promotionalmaterials as well as all GITEXTECHNOLOGY WEEK onsite signage. Co-located with GITEX Technology Weekfrom 20-24 October 2013, InfoComm MEA2013 will present latest Pro-AVcommunication and AV-IT integrationsolutions of leading manufacturers from allover the world. Admission to bothExhibition and Summit is free butregistration is required.

Exhibitors are returning to InfoComm MEA 2013, a number with bigger booths, in a show of continued support forthe region’s dedicated pro-AV communications technology event in the Middle East.

InfoComm MEA 2013: exhibitorsshow continued support

18

Over the last few years we’ve seen many instances of corrupt and unethical behaviour from our business, community and political leaders. Their actions underscore the real challenge faced in conducting business across Southern Africa. Who do you trust? And how do you go about selecting a vendor that will provide a technology solution that meets your needs?

When you’re choosing a supplier to provide broadcast, AV or communications technology for your business why not choose a SACIA member.

SACIA members subscribe to the highest standards of ethics in their business conduct. They’ll not engage in dealings that are corrupt, dishonest or questionable. They’ll let you know when they have a

conflict of interests, and they’ll not hold out advice as being objective where it is not.

For a full list of SACIA members and a copy of their pledge to conduct business on an ethical basis visit www.sacia.org.za

Do we live in an ethical society?

The Southern African Communications Industries Association (SACIA) is a not for pro�t trade association committed to promoting the adoption of professional standards and ethical business practices in the communications industry throughout Southern Africa.

AV 128.qxd 9/7/13 1:10 AM Page 18

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AIT approached C2S Nigeria,who is a well-known broadcastequipment supplier and systemintegrator, to upgrade theirexisting news studio in Abuja

to HD. More than just an upgrade, asophisticated graphics system wasconceived to provide four ‘corners’ for thestudio, which would be dedicated tonews, finance, sports and weathercoverage. The system was designed torun on templates driven by a centraldatabase, enabling operators to aircurrent news, as it happens, in a moreautomated, immediate and visuallysophisticated way.

Orad graphicsThe main equipment used in the

studio install came from Orad. TheBlueSet package was upgraded for itseasy to use, plug-and play capacity,working with Orad’s graphics assetmanagement product, Maestro. 3DPlaywas used for channel branding andstings, supported by three HDVG+’s forrendering. With HDVG+, 3DPlay canrender up to 12 inputs and performperfect real-time DVE effects based on

templates. Graphics, ID branding, andvirtual-set design for the studio weresupplied by wTVision. Rotem Cohen,Business Development Manager at C2SNigeria commented:

Seamless operation“The key to the new system was its

implementation. We upgraded AIT tomake the absolute best of the virtual-settechnology, and by using a centraldatabase the entire process is nowautomated, rendering time is minimal tonon-existent and graphics arecontinuously available for TX. For that tohappen, the system had to be seamless.Using Orad’s graphics products to buildthe system has meant that AIT benefitsfrom sophistication of hardware, a

seamlessly networked system, ease ofuse for operators and real wow-factor setand graphics provided by wTVision. Muchof AIT’s previous hardware was fromORAD, so the broadcaster also receivedcost benefits by up-grading, throughequipment trade-in for the new, moreadvanced technology. The result is anews channel that stands-up to highest-grade performance and which we are veryproud to have been a part of.”

Proven solutionManaging Director at AIT,

Oluwatosin Dokpesi, added, “We have along-standing relationship with C2S andWTS, Rotem Cohen was involved insupply for our original studio, so it was anatural decision to use them for theupgrade.

We have invested in ORADequipment in the past, and their powerfultechnology meets all our needs forautomation and graphics, so we are veryhappy. We were very ambitious for theupgrade, and the work has definitely paidoff.” The studio is already operational withoperator training by C2S Nigeria currentlyunderway.

C2S Nigeria, the African office of WTS Group based in Lagos, has supplied AIT News with a new virtual-set studioand graphics system for their24-hour News TV Channel on the DaarSat Platform in Nigeria. The contract includeda graphics package, virtual-set studio design, equipment upgrade and operator-training. The project was startedand completed within months, seeing some of the most advanced news and graphics technology currentlyavailable implemented in the system.

C2S Nigeria supplies AIT News with virtual-set studio

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AV 128.qxd 9/7/13 1:10 AM Page 19

Grass Valley is supplying DTF with aTrinix NXT digital video routingswitcher with multiviewer, an Apex

Plus digital audio routing switcher, twoKayak HD video production switchers, andfour HD LDK 8000 Elite Series cameras.

The new unified Grass Valleysolution will give DTF the ability to produceand broadcast high quality coverage fromlive events, including rugby, football,cricket, golf and motoX. The purchasebuilds upon the valued and longstandingrelationship between DTF and GrassValley, which began more than a decadeago. “In a mobile production truck, spaceis of paramount importance. Grass Valleyoffers one-stop solutions that are compactand highly efficient,” said HennieReynders, Director, DTF. “We have reliedupon Grass Valley’s experience andexpertise in the broadcast market for morethan a decade and we are fully confidentthat our new OB van will deliver the high-quality content that our viewers expect.”

High-quality contentTrinix NXT with multiviewer saves DTFvaluable rack space by eliminating theneed for secondary external componentsand connections while providing a reliable3G multiviewer solution. It incorporatesadvanced circuit technology and is field-proven in configurations of up to 2,048inputs or outputs. The APEX routingswitcher easily handles large data rates,supports simultaneous signals, andinterconnects multiple frames without theneed for expensive or bulky distribution

amplifiers. The Kayak HD video productionswitcher is compact, lightweight and idealfor mobile productions. DTF will deploy theKayak with a 3 M/E panel plus a 1 M/Epanel in a different position in the truck.The LDK 8000 will enable DTF to captureHD images natively and switch instantlybetween multiple formats and selectableframe-rates of up to 1080p50. Theseadditional cameras bring the company’stotal Grass Valley camera fleet to 20.

Growing market“South Africa is an important and

growing market for Grass Valley and weare committed to providing the region withthe most sophisticated, highly-adaptablegear for professional broadcast today —whether it’s in the studio or mobile,” saidSaid Bacho, Senior Vice President ofEMEA, Grass Valley. “By implementingGrass Valley solutions, DTF will have theconfidence and peace of mind it needs todeliver optimal coverage of live events toall its viewers in South Africa and acrossthe continent.”

South Africa’s Dimension Television Facilities (DTF), which provides mobile broadcast services to local andinternational markets in Africa, has selected a range of Grass Valley live production solutions to equip its new OBvan, which is expected to be complete in October 2013.

South Africa’s Dimension TV outfits new OB Van

Jean Hugo during day 2 of the Vodacom Origins of Golf tournament played at LangebaanCountry Estate in August 2013. For the last decade Dimension TV have provided livecoverage of the SA Sunshine Tour, including the SA Open, Alfred Dunhill Championship,Johannesburg Open & Africa Open.

“South Africa is an important and growingmarket for Grass Valley and we arecommitted to providing the region with themost sophisticated, highly-adaptable gearfor professional broadcast today —whether it’s in the studio or mobile,” saidSaid Bacho, Senior Vice President of EMEA,Grass Valley

20

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Moreover, companies need flexiblesolutions that let them focus onmanaging their content easily while

worrying less about wires, media boxes,and unwieldy software. Says Manoj Bhoola,

Head of Business to Business at SamsungElectronics South Africa; “Using amanufacturer who has a trusted brandname in the market is one way to approachit. Yet, the solutions being offered need tobe able to support that trust and provide aneffective way of reducing the total cost ofownership of LFDs. ”Traditionally a digitalsignage network required a separate mediaplayer running its own operating system,attached behind the screen. Both devicesrequired power and cabling to link them.This not only uses more electricity, but theadditional cabling is often unsightly. Havingsaid that, this has been the only way to

effectively manage digital displays – untilnow! Today, there is the option toincorporate a media player as a system-on-chip on the same board as the displaychipset, eliminating the need to haveexternal media players for customisedcontent. This means that fewer cables arerequired, installation is virtually plug-and-play, and the point of network failure issignificantly reduced. In addition, throughthis type of set up, more impactfulmessages can be delivered to customers inreal-time irrespective of the display beingviewed while businesses not only minimiseequipment and installation costs but also,can better manage their operational costs.

The Samsung Smart Signage Platform is apure example of this type of LFD displaywhich also includes an added enhancement- the Samsung MagicInfo S -authoringsolution for content management. It shipsas an open source development kit toenable partners to provide expandedsoftware services to business users.

“Ultimately, a business looking for anLFD solution should look to partner with abrand that is focused on providing solutionsthat meet the unique needs of the SouthAfrican market, one that ensures cost-effective and flexible offerings and that isdesigned to bring a client's vision to life onthe big screen,” concludes Bhoola.

The large format displays (LFDs) market in South Africa is really growing in strength, but with so many options outthere, how does a company go about selecting solutions that fit their budgets and that are easy to use? This isespecially important considering that LFDs are used to not only drive corporate communication, but draw attentionto the brand and position it in the hearts and minds of customers.

Choosing a flexible, cost-effective LFD solutions partner

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The Gearhouse Group of companies recently took charge of all technical requirements ahead of the 63rd FIFACongress hosted in the Swami Vivekananda International Convention Centre (SVICC) in Mauritius.

Gearhouse delivers world class service at 63rd FIFA Congress

The opening was held on 30 Mayand the congress took place on31 May, and with Gearhouse’sreputation as a good andreliable service provider, the

Group was naturally the first choice forExecutive Producer and Creative DirectorDavid Bloch to partner with, in executingthe Opening Ceremony.

Originally, Pieter Joubert (TechnicalDirector – Opening Ceremony) wasbriefed to advise on the technical and setaspects of the Opening Ceremony only,but it soon became apparent that theactual Congress would require extensivesupport as well, due to the limitedresources available on the island. As boththe opening and the congress were totake place on the same stage, in thesame venue, with only 12 hours and arehearsal in between, this became quite achallenge.

Lengthy planning processIt was a lengthy planning process

between David Bloch, Zurich basedEvents Company Rufener Eventsrepresented by Project Director LisaTschanz and the Gearhouse team.Together they pulled the event togethersuccessfully with planning commencingas early as September and Joubert joiningthe second series of site inspections inOctober. Gearhouse and Sets, Drapes,Screens (SDS) were appointed as serviceproviders, while all set designs wereproduced by Bob Klenk of OceanSalt SetDesign. The result was an island – themedlook and feel, complete with palm treesand a volcano, utilising a panoramicscreen for background visuals. TheOpening Ceremony was inspired by thecreation of the island itself and specificallythe 5 elements; Water, Earth, Wind, Fireand Air.

The set alone required 6 x 40 ftcontainers for transportation to the island.All technical specifications were managedby Bullitt Productions, headed by MarcoGutensperger. Gearhouse SA supplied alllighting, rigging, audio, generators andpower infrastructure, as well as contentediting of the Opening Ceremony visuals.Projectors were supplied by PRG,

Switzerland. For the Congress setup; theroom was completely turned around toaccommodate 2500 delegates seatedschoolroom style plus 32 committeemembers seated at custom built desks. Avariety of Gearhouse companies wereinvolved in the entire planning andexecution of the congress.

Show-styled openingWith many obstacles to overcome

along the road in making this event asuccess, the main challenge was to fulfilthe requirement of organising a show-styled opening ceremony which couldthen turn around for a congress within 12hours. Both Lighting and Audio rigs had tobe designed to service all technicalaspects of both these very different eventswithout any changes between events. Thiswas the first time that FIFA had tried toaccomplish something like this, and to doso on a small island like Mauritius was nosmall feat. Shipping most of theequipment from South Africa, part by airand part by sea in containers, withoutleaving anything behind and knowing thatthere were very limited resources on theisland to accommodate changes, took aserious amount of planning. Working with

local crew and companies to accomplishthis event within strict deadlines was justone of the many challenges along theway.

Crucial planning The set was all pre manufactured in

South Africa by Sets, Drapes, Screensfrom designs by Ocean Salt, and neededto be fully assembled in three days.Transforming the set after the Opening tosuit the congress required crucialplanning at the manufacturing stage, butthanks to intelligent thinking from SDS, thetransformation was made easier by a 24mx 4m wide screen that was removed afterthe opening to reveal another screen ofthe same size, built into the proscenium ata different position, which set the stage forthe congress. “Having the group ofGearhouse companies involved alwaysmake your life easier. They have theknowledge of doing big events abroadand the infrastructure to manage thesetypes of events successfully,” commentsject Manager Pieter Joubert. “Of course,for the client, having single-source accessto all disciplines is the key to a stress freeexperience. That is truly the advantage ofcontracting this group.”

Linzy Bacbotte performs Earth during the 63rd FIFA Congress opening ceremony at theSwami Vivekananda International Convention Centre on May 30, 2013 in Port Louis,Mauritius.

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Local display technology provider,PVision, has formally concluded apartnership agreement with One

Digital Media – South Africa’s largestprovider of digital signage solutions, toequip Woolworths stores with advancedcommercial display technology.

The contract has so far seen OneDigital Media and Pvision implement overone hundred 40 inch LED displays andeight 46 inch LED panels for use incollective video walls situated withinstrategic retail locations. Woolworths isalways looking at new ways to add valueto the customer experience; displaytechnology is an exciting new opportunity.The on-going nature of this agreement willcontinue to see each player activelycontributing towards Woolworths’ vision fora technologically advanced, visuallyappealing in-store experience. Most of thepanels we have installed are located at

pay points, allowing customers to viewmarketing content while awaiting payment– equipping Woolworths with a useful andeye catching marketing and sales tool.

LED (Light Emitting Diode)technology solutions also require lesselectricity to operate during extendedperiods and, in a retail environment, thiscan result in a significant cost saving when

compared to similar solutions. PvisionDirector, David Ross, believes that thispartnership is significant in that it heralds anew age for in-store marketing.

“Woolworths is well known for itswillingness to embrace innovation. Thefact that the company opted for dynamicLED solutions for in-store use is a greatexample of how display technology can beeffectively implemented in a new setting.We are extremely proud and indeedmotivated to be working with this retailer inpartnership with One Digital Media”.Pvision is a South African manufacturer ofdisplay technologies. Focussed on thecommercial market, the group equipsbusiness with locally manufacturedproducts which include commercialdisplays, lite commercial displays, nanodisplays, touchscreen technology,mounting solutions and back-endarchitecture.

Woolworths ups the ante with PVision and One Digital Media.Retail giant Woolworths has concluded an agreement with One Digital Media and PVision to equip qualifyingoutlets with LED display technology.

The Roadster HD20K-J DLP projectorenables customers to create visuallycompelling Pro-AV shows, with

Xenon colour-rich, high definition images.Perfect for large venues, includingtradeshows, conference rooms, concerts,live events and building displays. MGGhas been steadily increasing theirinvestment in Christie Pro-AV systems,starting with LCD and 1-chip DLP, movingto 3-chip DLP, UHP illuminated M-Seriesand now onto the J-Series digitalprojectors. Mark Gaylard, owner of MGG,said, “Over the last couple of years wehave purchased a number of Christieproducts and have been particularlyimpressed with their quality and reliability,so when we were looking for projectorsthat could enhance our capabilities andofferings, they had to be Christie.” Gustav

Barnard, Technical and EducationManager at Stage Audio Works, added,“We are delighted to have MGG, a truepioneer in the event technology rentalsector, on board as the first owners of theChristie Roadster HD20K-J digitalprojector on the continent to meet thegrowing demands of the African market.Congratulations to Mark on hisinvestment.” Gustav’s enthusiasm isreflected in comment from Phil Lord,

Christie’s Territory Manager for Africa. “Wehave been building a strong relationshipwith MGG via our partner Stage AudioWorks over the last two years, so we areparticularly pleased that they have chosenour Roadster HD20K-J projectors toenhance their rental staging offerings,”says Phil. “In addition, this deal will bebacked by our outstanding service andsupport, and we are keen to explore waysof helping them to grow their business stillfurther in the future.”

MGG chooses Christie once again to meet growing demand Christie has announced a deal with MGG, one of the largest rental staging companies in South Africa, for fourChristie Roadster HD20K-J 3-chip DLP purpose-built, event-staging projectors. These will be the first of the new J-Series projectors to be deployed in Africa.

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These are just the best-known ofdozens of cases of disgracedcompetitors from track and field,baseball, cycling, and othersports. Why would elite athletes

resort to using banned substances,especially in an era of aggressive drugdetection strategies? Like generations ofwayward teenagers before them, theaccused retort that “everybody’s doing it.”In the words of bicyclist Lance Armstrong,the race was “impossible to win withoutdoping” and he “simply participated in asystem.”

Cheating - the new normal?

Does that mean that cheating is thenew normal — not only in sports, but inclassrooms, boardrooms, and newsrooms?Greed, envy, materialism, inequality, andinsecurity spur unethical behavior, Callahanmaintains. Adherence to the rules erodes inthe absence of accountability, regulation,pro-social peer pressure, and individualmorality.

An important aspect of Callahan’spremise is the degree to which mediashape our perceptions of the disparitiesthat require deceit and the frequency andrewards of cheating. Fame and fatpaychecks go to the winners. Every step inlife thus becomes a critical turning pointthat determines the difference betweensuccess and failure — making the travelingteam, getting admitted to the best school,scoring well on high-stakes tests, closingthe crucial sale. Public attention andadmiration get drawn to the winners —those who do whatever it takes whateverthe cost. Implicit in this is an “ends justifythe means” mentality.

What choice do you have?And even when winners eventually are

defrocked as cheaters, amid thedisappointment and condemnation arejustifications for the misbehavior. Considerthe reaction of famed bioethicist ArthurCaplan in defense of Lance Armstrong.“Shouldn’t Armstrong, especially becauseof the inspiration he is to cancer survivorsor anyone on the short end of theadvantage stick, get a pass for being no

more dirty, but a whole lot better thaneveryone else in his sport? Armstrong isn’tbeing investigated as the only cheater. Heis in all likelihood just the best, mosttalented one.”

Small wonder, then, that cheating istaken for granted. What choices do peoplehave if they intend to play by the rules? Letme suggest four options.

Find a better benchmark for successDoes it feel good to win if you have to

cheat to do it? I haven’t read much aboutunethical athletes, but I have to wonderabout the narratives they create not only tojustify winning at any cost, but to derivesatisfaction from it. Cheating teams arestripped of championships. Individuals endtheir hall of fame hopes and go down onthe record books with asterisks beside theirlifetime statistics. Isn’t dishonest success apyrrhic victory?

If you think everyone is cheating, findnew friends

Not everyone cheats. And many cleanathletes experience ample success.Rodriguez’s teammate, Mariano Rivera, willretire at the end of the season, having beenfeted at home and on the road after 19years in the major leagues. People whoconduct themselves with integrity resentthose who cheat and their ill-gottenrewards. But no matter how contemptiblethey find their colleagues’ behavior, peopleof integrity don’t let it become a reason tojoin in the fraud.

Making the right choices in a cheating culture

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Ryan Braun: 2012 National League baseball Most Valuable

Player (MVP) award winner.

Tyson Gay: three-time Olympic Gold Medal sprinter.

Alex Rodriguez: three-timeAmerican League baseball MVP.

Lance Armstrong: seven-timewinner of the Tour de France.

Each of the men pictured above is a phenomenal athlete but each has been disciplined in recent months for the useof performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).

In his book The Cheating Culture: Why MoreAmericans are Doing Wrong to Get Ahead,David Callahan suggests that, in any segment ofsociety, deceit results when people perceive thatthe deck is stacked against them and that onlyan extra turn can make up the difference.

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3Change the risk-benefit calculus. Makecheating hurt

As long as suspensions andreprimands come after the dishonesty hasbeen rewarded, it will never have asufficient deterrent effect. As Bob Kravitzwrote in USA Today: “I’m looking at the PEDsuspensions for 12 Major League Baseballplayers, plus the 211 games tossed at AlexRodriguez, and I’m asking this question:Wouldn’t you cheat, too? “Before I answerthat question in the affirmative, let me tossthis out there: If baseball, and all sports,want to put an end to the scourge ofperformance-enhancing drugs, the unions

and the league leadership will agree that afirst offense will lead to a lifetime ban in thesport.“Not 50 games, 100 games on asecond offense and a lifetime ban for athird. “Do it, you’re gone. “Want to clean upthe game? It’s that simple. Because rightnow, it makes sense to cheat.”

Find a model of integrity; be a model ofintegrity

In tests of right and wrong, the “momtest” asks what your mom would do in agiven situation or what she would think ifshe knew what you were doing. No doubtthere are some moms (even in youthsports) who will endorse or promotecheating to win. But there will also beparents, coaches, and other role modelswho know where to draw the line. “No, I willnot lie about your age to keep you in Little

League.” “Don’t cheat.” “Respect the ref.”Every day brings opportunities to teachintegrity and role-model it for others. Cultureis hard — and slow — to change. Butbefore determining that it is futile to resist acheating culture, consider the advice givenby moms over the ages, when told that“everyone is doing it”: If everyone werejumping off a cliff, would you follow them?

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In the early part of 2013 SACIA introduced a Business Code that is binding onall members. The Code indicates a commitment to higher standards of ethics andservice, and a willingness by members to be held accountable to those standards.

“We aim for the SACIA logo to be synonymous with trust and quality,” explainsSACIA Executive Director Kevan Jones. “Our members are committed to excellenceand take pride in their work. We believe that abiding by the standards embeddedwithin our Code, members are able to build more professional and more trustingbusiness relationships.”

The next step for SACIA is to appoint an industry Ombudsman who will beengaged in resolving disputes involving members who are alleged to be in breach ofthe Code. “The ombudsman will provide confidential, neutral assistance toconstituents to protect against unfair treatment and help resolve conflicts, explainsJones. “Specific functions include listening to grievances, investigating and resolvingcomplaints, educating constituents on their rights, providing confidential consultationsand offering options for conflict resolution. The ombudsman will also engage withother industry bodies active in our industry sector. “As an active member of SASFEDwe’re encouraging our colleagues in allied professions to embrace the samecommitment to professional standards and ethical business conduct,” concludesJones.

SACIA’s commitment to business ethics

Kim Strom-Gottfried, PhD. Dr. Kim Strom-Gottfried is the Smith P.Theimann, Jr. Distinguished Professor ofEthics and Professional Practice at theUNC-Chapel Hill School of Social Work.Dr. Strom-Gottfried teaches in the areas ofdirect practice, education, and humanresource management. Her scholarlyinterests involve ethics, moral courage,and social work education. She is theformer chair of the National Association ofSocial Workers’ National Committee onInquiry and is active in training,consultation and research on ethics andsocial work practice.

Share ideas onLinkedInJoin the SACIA LinkedIn group and share theonline discussion about products and issuesimpacting the future of the professional AVindustry in Southern Africa.

To find us, click the Groups Tab in your LinkedIn profile and search for SACIA

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Barco, has announcedthe release of two new rear-projection video wall cubes inthe OverView M series. TheOverView MVL-621 andOverView MVL-721 areindustry-standard moduleswith full HD resolution andscreen diameters of 60” and70”, respectively. These 16:9

models complete theOverView M series, whichalready features three 4:3models and focuses onreducing both the initialpurchase price and runtimecosts.

Barco’s OverView Mseries is designed to fit therequirements of medium-sized industry-standardcontrol rooms. Featuringredundancy of the mostcritical components,advanced cooling, and full-colour and white-pointcalibration, these rear-projection video wall modulesprovide Barco image qualityand reliability at an affordableprice.

Barco’s impressive control room portfolio

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Mitsubishi Electric has completed the upgrade of itspremium 8000 Series installation projectors. The all-new8000 range features enhanced performance plus anumber of additions to an already impressive feature list.The 8000 Series is Mitsubishi’s flagship projector range,designed for high-end installations and large venueapplications. High performance, high reliability andversatility made the DLP-based 8000 Series a popularchoice with integrators following its launch last year. Withmodels available from XGA to WUXGA, the latestgeneration builds on that reputation with improvedbrightness up to 8500 ANSI lumens, a 2800:1 contrastratio and some additional options such as custom colourwheels that allow performance to be further fine-tuned toparticular applications.

Mitsubishi rolls-out enhancedhigh-end projection range

Vogels extend video-wallmounting range

Extron introduce two-way Surface Mount speakers

Extron has introduced the SM 26 SpeedMount SurfaceMount Speaker, a two-way speaker with a patent pending,concealed wall mounting system. It features a 6.5" (16.5 cm)woofer with dual tuned ports and a 1" (2.5 cm) tweeter. The SM26 provides wide frequency response from 70 Hz to 18 kHz,and a power rating of 60 watts continuous pink noise, 120watts continuous program capacity. The Extron-exclusivemounting system is designed to accommodate division-of-labour installations and save costs. The SM 26 is available asan 8 ohm model, and an SM 26T version which can operate in8 ohm direct as well 70 volt and 100 volt modes. The SM 26Tfeatures a 6 position power tap selector, which canconveniently be accessed through the grille from outside thespeaker. All models of the SM 26 and SM 26T are immediatelyavailable, in a black or white finish.

Vogels Professional has introduced a new wallmount: especially designed for displays in portraitposition. The PFW 6875 can be used for displays up to72 kg with mounting patterns from 200 x 200 mm up to500 x 600 mm. This pop-out video wall module ismaking installation and service to video walls very easy.By just pressing on the display the spring loadedmechanism will release and push the display forward.The unique top-adjustable display mounting stripsprovide alignment along the X, Y and Z axis to ensure alldisplays can be exactly levelled and aligned. On top ofthe pop-out mechanism, the tilt service position iscreating even more space to install and service thedisplays.

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Matrox Graphics showed off their new Matrox Maevex5100 Series encoders and decoders at InfoComm 2013. Theseinnovative products extend full-HD-quality 1080p60 video andaudio over standard IP networks, with minimal bandwidthconsumption, at a fraction of the cost of other solutions.

"The single most-asked question was whether we coulddemonstrate our decode quality," said Ron Berty, businessdevelopment manager at Matrox. "At InfoComm, side-by-sideviews of the source video and decoded video allowed visitorsto compare for themselves."

The Maevex encoder captures video and audio from ahost PC or another media source and seamlessly extends thesignals to one or more Maevex decoders via standardnetworking equipment—switches, routers, CATx cabling. TheH.264 encode/decode platform delivers excellent-quality videoextension over standard LAN connectivity at user-defined lowbit rates for minimal network bandwidth consumption. MatroxPowerStream software application is used to remotely discover,manage and adjust the Maevex network and letsadministrators conveniently define multiple stream parametersand balance network bandwidth consumption.

Matrox Maevex demonstration at InfoComm 2013

Gefen has announced a new solution that promises thehighest quality audio possible when using digital audio from acomputer as the source. “The new GefenTV High ResolutionUSB to Audio Decoder supports resolutions up to 192k so itis ideal for anyone who wants high fidelity sound coming froma computer-based audio source like iTunes, Pandora orRhapsody,” said Hagai Gefen, president, Gefen. “It alsoeliminates the static and noise that you typically hear whendecoding analogue audio to digital audio using the traditionalanalogue audio format.” The GefenTV High Resolution USB toAudio Decoder has a tiny footprint, ideal for in-roomapplications. It sits between the USB port of the computer orlaptop and a two-channel amplifier and speakers. Audio isoutput as digital (optical), analogue (L/R) or via theheadphone jack. The technology used in the USB to AudioDecoder includes a digital interpolation filter and a highquality digital to analogue (DAC) converter to enhanceperformance.

Get high quality Digital orAnalogue audio from USB

NEC Display Solutionshas a new flagship for itspopular V Series range of largeformat displays in theMultiSync V801, a fully-featured80-inch display that offers bothoutstanding performance andgood value for money. Despiteits size, the V801 is designed

to be easy to set up and isideal for installations wheresheer presence is required.The massive screen with FullHD resolution delivers a brightand vivid picture while theEdge LED backlight provides aslim design for elegantarchitectural integration.Combined with aprogrammable Ambient LightSensor, very low powerconsumption and eye-pleasingbrightness levels areguaranteed. "When making animpression counts, the V801definitely provides the rightcanvas size to deliver themessage to core audiences.said Tobias Augustin, ProductManager Public Displays atNEC Display Solutions Europe.

NEC launch massive 80-inch display

Prysm showcases TD2 tile at InfoComm MEA

Visitors to InfoComm MEA will be the first in the region tosee the next generation of Laser Phosphor Display (LPD)technology from designer and manufacturer Prysm. The highlyanticipated TD2 tile delivers the highest level of visual impactand superior image quality through increased resolution andsharpness, unmatched uniformity and excellent brightness. Itsnew enhanced mode offers 427 x 320 per tile resolution,allowing video-walls to easily scale to 2x and 3x HD.

Tanvir Osama, Director Sales - Middle East & India forPrysm explained: “The next generation of LPD is a very excitingaddition to the professional display market, particularly here inthe Middle East where sustainable displays are top of theagenda. As before, the next-generation LPD technologydelivers best-in-class environmental benefits with 75% lesspower consumption than competing large format displaytechnologies.” The concept behind the LPD display platformremains the same, with ultraviolet, solid state lasers scanningthe surface of the screen to excite the phosphor array andcreate the image. Ultra-wide 178° degree viewing anglesprovide great visual experiences from anywhere in thesurrounding space.

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During July’s Mediatech Africa show Clear-Comintroduced its Eclipse HX-Delta Matrix Frame to the SouthAfrican market. The HX-Delta's smaller frame offers IP or fibreconnectivity as well as seamless integration with wirelessand third-party devices without external interface frames. Thesize of the Eclipse HX-Delta makes it well suited forapplications where space is limited but advancedconnectivity is required, such as with OB trucks and smallerstudios. The Eclipse HX-Delta system also has a newconnection paradigm for larger venues, such as multi-levelstudios. Due to its small size and lower cost, HX-Delta givesusers the option of building a distributed matrix system withframes in multiple areas of a facility.

Clear-Com showcase Eclipse HX-Delta

World’s first 3LCD Laser Light Source projector

Sony has announced the launch of its ground-breaking3LCD Laser Light Source Projector. The new model, VPL-FHZ55, is a WUXGA-class (1920 x 1200) installation projectorbased on a blue laser light source and is the world’s first 3LCDlaser projector. Capable of achieving 4,000 lumens, it is one ofthe brightest projectors of its kind, and delivers a range ofperformance capabilities that eliminate many issues associatedwith conventional lamp-based projection. “3LCD laserprojection technology really marks a shift in the market. Itproduces images of extremely high white light and colour lightoutput for optimal colour performance compared to other formsof laser projection. It also features almost instant on/offcapabilities that are much quicker than conventional lamp-based projection. The absence of a conventional lamp andmercury also makes 3LCD laser projectors virtuallymaintenance-free and eco-friendly,” said Shuji Okada, GeneralManager Marketing, Sony Professional Solutions Middle East &Africa.

Analog Way hasannounced the immediateavailability of the entireLiveCore series, its latestinnovative range of PremiumMulti-screen SeamlessSwitchers. Following therelease of the NeXtage 16 andthe SmartMatriX Ultra, now the

whole LiveCore series isshipping with the immediateavailability of the Ascender 32and Ascender 48. AnalogWay’s new ultra-powerfulrange of Premium AVSwitchers combinesruggedized design, versatileconnectivity, and state-of-the-art processing to fit with themost demanding applications.The LiveCore series comes intwo layouts: 8x2+1 for theNeXtage 16, and 12x4+1 forthe SmartMatriX Ultra,Ascender 32 and Ascender48. For easy and safemonitoring, all systemsfeature an independent Dual-Link output with versatiledisplay options including FullPreview and Live Mosaic.

Polycom has unveiled the industry’s first 360-degree,panoramic 1080p HD video collaboration solutions custom-built for Microsoft Lync 2013. The new Polycom CX5500 andCX5100 Unified Conference Stations are designed to deliver aground-breaking around-the-table experience for allparticipants, whether they’re in the room or thousands of milesaway. At the Microsoft 2013 Worldwide Partner Conferenceheld in June, Polycom also announced that it has receivedLync 2013 qualification for its full portfolio of Polycom VVXBusiness Media Phones. These announcements further theextensive partnership between the two companies, building onPolycom’s industry-leading portfolio of 40 video, voice, andcontent sharing solutions that are interoperable or optimized towork with Lync today. “The strategic alliance we’ve built withMicrosoft over the past several years continues to deliverinnovative collaboration solutions that provide Polycom andLync customers with an unrivalled experience,” said A.E.Natarajan, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Engineering,Polycom.

Analog Way’s LiveCore series now shipping

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Innovative Around-the-Table video collaboration

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Partnering with the best in the industry, Samsung hasdeveloped a new and dynamic way to deploy and managedigital signage. The Samsung SMART Signage Platform is anintegrated platform that eliminates the need for external mediaplayers and streamlines the deployment process, saving timeand money for integrators and businesses alike.

Powered by an SDK and recognized signage experts whobring their industry proven solutions, the Samsung SMARTSignage Platform provides the tools necessary to simply deploydigital signage networks with everything you need integratedright into the display. From retail to restaurants, healthcare tohospitality, transportation to teaching, the Samsung SMARTSignage Platform will allow users to deliver dynamic contentand messaging to their audiences while creating newopportunities and customer experiences.

Christie set out to anticipate the requirements of thefuture at the recent InfoComm 2013 in Orlando, Florida —making a bold statement which resulted in the companyenjoying one of its most successful trade shows ever. Thecompany’s suite of next generation digital display toolsprovided the main thrust of a number of technologically-advanced visual solutions for the Pro AV, large venue,architectural, corporate, broadcast, control room and digitalsignage markets. As a result, Christie was able todemonstrate how businesses, government agencies andacademia could maximise their visual assets.

An engaging, interactive Christie Design Studiopresence enabled designers and engineers to see how easilytheir imagination can be turned into reality.

Christie jumps into the future atInfoComm 2013

ARTHUR HOLM has launched DynamicTalk, a universalmotorized gooseneck microphone lift system that helps audiotechnology to become totally unobtrusive Functionality,innovation, beautiful aesthetics, simplicity of installation andreliability have been the key factors challenged for the designof this product range. Using the system it is possible to havea meeting and conference table totally free of intrusivetechnology – with microphones appearing at the push of abutton. For years, Barcelona’s based ARTHUR HOLM brandhas been developing and manufacturing high end retractablescreens for meeting, board and conference table’sintegration. “Our company has always had in mind thattechnology should be there to support human connection, notto get on the way of it. Furthermore, a meeting and aconference room should be conceived to enhance brilliantideas to pop up, to increase focus and concentration, to allowthe share of information, to be energy efficient and to ensureflexibility and versatility and the technology should fit theinterior design and architecture. This is our goal, to createtechnology that serves the design”, says Henrik Holm, thecompany’s general manager.

Motorized gooseneck makes audio invisible

Chief Launches Sleek NewProjector Mount Systems

Chief, is now shipping new pin connection systems forprojector mounts, columns and ceiling plates. The sleek andsecure solutions feature a pin-connection system while alsooffering compatibility with Chief’s traditional threadedaccessories. As with many Chief product solutions, customerfeedback led to the development of the new product line. ChiefEMEA partners requested more versatility with common pinsystems due to the many applications used throughout theregions. Chief worked closely with key customers to developthe desired solutions. “It was crucial to retain the installer-friendly, time-saving features of the projector mount solutionswhile adding the pin-connection capabilities more common inEurope,” said Melinda von Horvath, Senior Director – Sales andMarketing EMEA.

Samsung SMART Signage platform

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Mandela Day Celebrations at Mediatech Africa

During the recent Mediatechexhibition SACIA hosted ahalf-day workshop focussingon the use of broadcast andAV technology withingovernment and state-ownedenterprises. Attended by morethan 50 AV professionals ingovernment service, the eventincluded presentations fromDonald Liphoko (ChiefDirector at GovernmentCommunication & InformationService) and John Adler

(Executive producer atSANDF). The event alsoincluded presentations by anumber of technology vendors- as well as a paneldiscussion focussing onMandela Day and the role ofbroadcast technology as adriving force for change anddevelopment.The breakfast was sponsoredby the Vitec group (Sachtler,Vinten, Lite-panels, Anton-Bauer, Autoscript, etc)

SACIA GEN111 to be presented at University of KwaZulu Natal

From 2-4 October SACIAis returning to the University ofKwaZulu Natal to deliver ourpopular GEN111 trainingcourse: Essentials of AVTechnology. This 3-day courseprovides in-depthexplanations of the scienceand technology for basicaudio, visual and audio-visualsystems integration. A briefoverview of the sales,rental/hire, design andinstallation functions isincluded in the coursecontent. This course builds

the student’s understandingof the fundamentals used ona daily basis in the audio-visual industry. It is also greatprep for the students wantingto earn the InfoComm-recognised AV Technologistcertificate. The course isappropriate for anybody whois serious about developing acareer in the audio-visualindustry. Whether you're asupplier or user you'll find thistraining course expands yourknowledge and gives you thecompetitive edge

SACIA to appoint Industry Ombudsman

Earlier this year SACIAlaunched a Business Codethat is binding on allmembers. This code indicatesa commitment to higherstandards of ethics andservice, and a willingness bymembers to be heldaccountable to thosestandards. The Association isnow looking to appoint an

industry Ombudsman who willbe engaged in resolvingdisputes involving memberswho are alleged to be inbreach of this Code.The ombudsman will provideconfidential, neutralassistance to constituents toprotect against unfairtreatment and help resolveconflicts. Specific job duties of theombudsman include listeningto grievances, investigatingand resolving complaints,educating constituents ontheir rights, providingconfidential consultations andoffering options for conflictresolution. The Ombudsmanwill work closely with theArbitration Foundation ofSouth Africa (AFSA) and) whowill ensure that decisions aremade according toestablished legal principles,industry best-practice andethical norms.

InfoComm training in JohannesburgDuring October and NovemberSACIA will be delivering theGEN111 AV Essentials andGEN112 CTS Prep classes inJohannesburg. The GEN111 AVEssentials class has beenextremely popular over the lastfew years and focusses on thescience and technology behindtoday’s modern audio, videoand display technologies. Itincludes a significant section onAV-IT integration. Over the lastfew years we’ve had more than100 AV professionals participatein the class and earn theInfoComm-recognised AVTechnologist certificate.From 19-21 November we’re

also running the GEN112 CTSPrep class. This 3-day course isdesigned to help preparecandidates as they prepare forInfoComm’s CertifiedTechnology Specialist (CTS)credential. This credential isaccredited by ANSI under theInternational Standard ISO/IEC17024 General Requirements forBodies Operating CertificationSchemes of Persons program.This popular course provides aforum for people to explore awide range of topics relevant tothe AV industry, and workcollaboratively, studying theexam content areas with thehelp of facilitators.

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Certified Broadcast and Media Technologist

The IABM EducationalFoundation has launched acertification programme thatrecognises that skills andtalents of professionals workingin the broadcast industry. Apilot-assessment of the testingprotocol is currently underreview and once complete, thefoundation will provide a suiteof examinations that will lead tothe award of a CertifiedBroadcast and MediaTechnologist qualification. "We are developing ourcertification scheme to helpbroadcast professionals secureinternational accreditation to

ISO:IEC 17024, which is theconformity standard for bodiescertifying individuals,"explained Roger Crumpton, afounding director and trustee ofthe IABM EducationalFoundation. "The IABM feelsthat this qualification willenable engineers andtechnologists to prove theirpersonal achievement. It will becomplemented by a schemefor recognising continuingoccupational and professionaldevelopment, putting the onuson the individual to maintainthe certification throughouttheir careers.”

SACIA member’s workshop in Cape TownOn 11 October SACIA ishosting a half-day workshop atthe Cape Town Lodge Hotel inBuitengracht St. It starts with anetworking breakfast at 8amand then expands into a seriesof presentations that focus onthe use of AV technology in theWestern Cape. We're stillworking on the finalprogramme but we've gotsome great presentations onthe planning board, includingpresentations from DavidCaplan, head of the AV unit atOld Mutual; Marianne Dirkerfrom the SA Navy inSimonstown; Peter Robson,managing director of IsenzoBroadcast and Prof. JohannesCronje from Cape PeninsulaUniversity. Prof. Cronje will lead

a panel discussion onstandards, training and skillsdevelopment in the visualcommunications industry.We'll also have a number ofvendor-specific presentationsto round off the session, withJVC’s Chris Darnley showingof the company’s new GY-HM650 camcorder. With itsinnovative live streamingfeature, this camcorderenables footage to bestreamed live at the same timeas recording full HD to theSDHC/SDXC memory card.There's no charge for theworkshop but there are alimited number of seatsavailable so if you areinterested in attending I'dappreciate.

Glowing testimonial from University of Johannesburg

During May 2013 FusiMokoena, service deliverymanager in the ICS departmentat the University ofJohannesburg attended ourGEN111 Essentials of AVTechnology training course.He’s now encouraging otherUniversity staff to attend andshare the experience. “InJanuary 2013 the Audio Visualunit at the University of

Johannesburg (UJ) wasincorporated into theInformation andCommunications SystemsDepartment reporting directly tome. At the time my knowledgeof AV was sparse and it was adaunting and challenging taskto be responsible for the AVunit coming from a purely ITbackground,” he explains.Thanks to Kevan forencouraging me to enrol in theGEN111 Essentials of AVTechnology course in May2013. Without attending theGEN111 course I do not knowhow I would have been able tosteer this ship up to this stagewith confidence and efficiency.

IABM course expansion

The IABM Training Academyhas announced that they willsignificantly extend thebreadth of its course offeringin the coming year. "The IABMholds a unique role within thebroadcast sector, and onethat positions us to identifysome of the key skillsshortages within broadcasttechnology companies," saidSteve Warner, trainingmanager at the IABM(International Association of

Broadcasting Manufacturers)."We have built an array ofcourses designed to addressthese shortages, and ourextensive evaluation systemconfirms that IABM TrainingAcademy courses do indeedmake a difference toperformance in the workplace.The response we're seeingindicates that companiesacross the industry arestarting to wake up to theskills shortages facing them."Two new courses that will bepresented to the South Africanmarket through an alliancewith SACIA are the new"Network Essentials forBroadcast Engineers," and"Compression Fundamentalsand Applications" courses.

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C2S Systems, the SystemsIntegration arm of WTSGroup, has completeddesign and integrationincluding coachwork on a

new OB truck for SuperSport. This is thesixth OB supplied by C2S Systems tothe broadcaster. The project wascommissioned to replace a previouseight-camera OB truck in use acrossEastern Africa, with the installation ofequipment from two existing broadcastvehicles, combined to make a singleand better functioning 14-camera unit.

With complex, custom-designedcoachwork included in the contract, C2SSystems has completed the entireproject in-house, from vehicle supplythrough to commission and acceptance.A second stage of work on the truck willcommence later in the year, when it willhave its full complement of equipmentinstalled, bringing it to its full capabilityand making it one of the most powerfulOB’s of its kind in Eastern Africa. TheC2S Systems team completed thecoachwork in late 2012, and the design,new equipment sourcing, integrationand testing began in January 2013taking just 12 weeks from order tocommissioning.

The Mercedes Axor 26T rigidchassis truck was built as a double-

expander to provide space, and thebodywork was designed toaccommodate a large amount ofequipment. State-of-the-art mechanicsand hydraulics were used in the vehicle,allowing expansion of the OB truck andsimple and efficient rigging by theproduction team with the push of abutton.

Remote technical supportThe truck was fitted with Sony

PVM-1741 monitors, Tektronix WFM-

5000 Waveform monitors, and a C2SSystems designed touch screen routercontrol. Features were included in thedesign to enable technical support to beprovided remotely, giving the vehicle alevel of technical surety while onlocation.

The vehicle will be based inNairobi and used for broadcastingsports events across Eastern Africa,particularly league football.

Coachwork abilityJonathan Lyth, Systems manager

at C2S Systems commented, “We werekeen to show off our mechanicalengineering and coachwork ability onthis project, as it was the first bodyworkproject we’ve done for SuperSport andwe obviously wanted to impress. Theseamless mechanics and smoothoperation of the mechanical rigging,with the power of the hydraulics, givesthe truck extra wow-factor – theseelements allowed us to prove the team’singenuity and attention to detail.

Lyth continued: “Using equipmentfrom other systems posed it’s ownchallenges in the system design. Weknew the truck needed to be ready foran upgrade in only a few months time,so we built a system that would allowthat to happen with minimal disruption,and also fitted the truck with an HD-ready system so that all additionalequipment could simply slot into place.Making things seem easy can besurprisingly complex.”

Andre Venter, Head, SuperSportAfrica commented: “We knew thisproject could be challenging, especiallywith such a tight time-scale, but C2SSystems have always been able to meetour needs, so we had every confidenceand the result is a very impressive truck.The OB was covering the live Cricket inZimbabwe only hours after the C2Steam had finished final commissioningon-site. When C2S Systems finalises thevehicle it will be the most powerful OBtruck of its kind in Eastern Africa, whichmakes us very proud.”

C2S completes system integration on HD-ready truck to be used in EastAfrica

C2S delivers sixth OBtruck to Supersport

Supersport’s new OB truck was coveringlive cricket in Zimbabwe only hours afterthe C2S team had finalisedcommissioning on-site. “It’s the mostpowerful OB truck of its kind in East Africa– and that makes us very proud,” saysAndre Venter, head of Supersport Africa.

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