Asia-Pacific Broadcasting (APB) April 2016 Volume 33, Issue 3 | Page 14

14 NEWS & VIEWS April 2015 2016 Kula making NAB Show debut Imagine Communications charts course for SAM is showcasing a host of tech- nologies in 4K/Ultra HD (UHD), IP, HDR, software/virtualisation and solutions for monitoring and workflow. This includes the new Kula switcher range, the “most power- ful production switcher in its class”. Capable of 4K/1080p/HD and SD in 1M/E and 2M/E versions, Kula can handle multiple formats, making it both future-proof and adaptable for today’s production environ- ment, says SAM. Joining Kula is the easily recog- nisable Kahuna range of switchers, suitable for larger-scale HD, 4K/ UHD and IP environments. Recent deployments of Kahuna include prominent sporting events, includ- ing the UK’s Moto GP at Silverstone and the El Clásico football match between Spanish football clubs FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. SAM is also enabling the industry’s IP transition with the new IP-Edge on display at booth SL1805, which aims to take com- plexity away from hybrid next phase of media industry transformation and pure IP roll-outs. IP-Edge- enabled products include routers, switchers, IQ processing, servers and playout systems. One of the first products to be launched in the IP-Edge family is the IQ Edge processing solution, developed to bridge the gap to IP environments by offering a range of image and audio processing capabilities in an integrated package. SAM is also highlighting its software-driven platforms via a range of channel-in-a-box solu- tions — ICE, ICE IP and ICE SDC. Coupled with Morpheus, Momen- tum and SAM’s xFile framework, these solutions form a pathway to the future, adds SAM. powered by Zenium, a cloud-ena- bled solution that is deployable as an appliance or in a fully virtualised environment. Visitors to booth N2502 can also experience the depth and breadth of the integration of 4K/ Ultra HD (UHD) and High Dynamic Range (HDR) capabilities across Imagine’s entire networking and playout platforms, as well as sup- port for HEVC/H.265 compression in the Selenio platform. The Imagine booth is also the venue for ImagineLIVE Power Ses- sions, a series of presentations and interactive discussions featuring prominent executives and subject matter experts from Imagine and its partners and customers from across the IT, media and entertain- ment industries. Imagine Communications’ Platinum IP3 router, which is showcasing capabilities that align with the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) roadmap. Ross Video highlighting Smart Production theme SAM’s new Kula production switcher. Enhanced Cerebrum fronting Axon’s line-up at show Axon is demonstrating its Cere­ brum control and monitoring system, which now includes new feature enhancements such as automatic tie-line management across multiple routers for format conversion and multi-site opera- tions. The enhanced Cerebrum is also offering various new third- party interface options, includ- ing support for protocols from SAM, Imagine Communications, ClearCom, Trilogy and GVG. With a broad range of features and offering support for a wide range of third-party devices, includ- ing routers, production switchers, servers, receiver decoders, multi­ viewers and waveform monitors, Axon says Cerebrum is “perfectly suited” to complex production environments, simplifying multi- device monitoring and control, all on one easy-to-use interface. As the broadcast industry be- gins the transition to IP-based workflows, Axon is also discussing its continued work in video and audio over Ethernet, including SMPTE S2022-6. At booth N4524, the Axon team is attempting to dispel customer confusion about the adoption of standards and concerns over the cost of invest- ment and ownership, by providing guidance and discussing solutions Imagine Communications is pre- senting its latest product advances and initiatives aimed at assisting broadcasters and other media companies through the next phase of the ongoing modernisation of its production, playout and distribu- tion facilities. These include the Platinum IP3 and VX