News

Thomson Adds K2 Summit HD Production Client for Streamlined News and Sports Production to K2 Servers (29/9/2008)

Thomson (Euronext Paris: 18453; NYSE: TMS), the worldwide leader in video solutions, today announced the expansion of its K2(tm) server family. The Thomson Grass Valley(tm) K2 Summit(tm) production client supports streamlined standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) live event news production, and live-to-tape/live-to-disk applications. It joins and broadens the well-established K2(tm) server for transmission playout, news production, and other live events. Both systems are part of a growing range of peak-performance clients, as a client in a K2 storage area network (SAN) infrastructure or with internal server and storage for standalone applications

The new K2 Summit production client includes HD/SD operation, smooth slow-motion (slo-mo) playback and up to four bi-directional channels in a ruggedized two RU chassis, making it ideal for regional mobile production vehicles, stadiums and arenas or in university sports facilities. It also has unique features that make it ideal for sports and live news applications, where extremely fast, frame-accurate operation is critical-as well as general production.

"We've always had the best server and storage technologies around, starting with the Emmy(r) award-winning Profile(r) series. We're thrilled to be expanding this portfolio of server and storage solutions to include the K2 Summit production client," said Jeff Rosica, Senior Vice President for Thomson's Broadcast and Professional Solutions within the Systems division.

For news, the new server supports four bi-directional channels of DVCPRO HD (sometimes referred to as DV100), DVCPRO 50 and DVCPRO 25 making it the ideal for users of the Panasonic P2 acquisition format. Other key features include responsive performance, a small form factor, instant playback of recorded material, and built-in transition effects that only take one playback channel, all at a new low price point for HD.

K2 Summit Features

K2 Summit has been designed with the latest technology making it far superior to other servers on the market. K2 Summit sports a flash-based embedded operating system for high reliability and fast boot times, and optional built-in 15,000 RPM SAS drives. The base system offers up to 20 hours of HD or 80 hours of SD performance in a compact 2 RU ruggedized chassis ideal for mobile production use.

The video subsystem offers a new robust hardware-based and programmable codec allowing for up to four bi-directional channels of DVCPRO HD, DVCPRO 50, DVCPRO25, and DV compression formats. Playback features are optimized for fast action sports and live events with instant replay, smooth slow-mo playback and flexible low-cost monitoring capability including a built-in multiviewer.

K2 Summit enables users to easily import and export material in all industry standard formats, including QuickTime, MXF, GXF (SMPTE 360M) and other file formats while offering in-place editing with any QuickTime-based NLE while material is being recorded.

Fast, Cost-Effective Sports Highlights

Used with the new K2 Dyno replay controller-also introduced at IBC-the K2 Summit provides a much less expensive replay system solution compared to other systems on the market, especially for HD. Yet it still offers all of the multichannel capture and playout functions necessary - including high quality slo-mo features and instant replay.

K2 Dyno enables fast generation of highlight packages during events, including easy metadata entry and on-the-fly editing with popular QuickTime-based NLEs. These features, at this price, make it ideal for those who could not afford current solutions on the market.

K2 Integration

The K2 Summit is designed to work in concert with the existing and expanding K2(tm) product line, providing the utmost in flexibility in server infrastructure design. This ability enables system designers to integrate K2 on-air playout servers and K2 Summit production clients within the same network topology for the ultimate flexibility during production, post production, and playout.

Thomson is unique in supporting the entire media chain from high-definition content creation to multi-play services for home consumption. As broadcasters become broadercasters, Thomson is the right technology partner, as it will demonstrate at IBC 2008 in two booth locations - Hall 1, Stand D.11 and Hall 7, Stand F.31.

Pricing and Availability

The K2 Summit and the K2 Dyno replay controller will be demonstrated at IBC conference in September. The K2 Summit server series will begin shipping in Q4 2008. The four-channel HD K2 Summit production client, with internal storage starts at under $50,000.

www.thomsongrassvalley.com  

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