IBC2009 

Transmitters

Where’s the “Transmitter Farm” as some visitors to the Harris stand at IBC were calling it and when you got there it was definitely an impressive sight.  In a world where broadcasters are searching for new technologies to deliver content to consumers we often forget that the age old transmitter is still central to the business of broadcasting across Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Harris again launched new transmitters for the European markets at IBC 2009 and this year the launch was able to support the ongoing Green campaign within the company with their “really cool” new line of Platinum Series Air-cooled Solid-State Transmitters.

The new Platinum transmitters incorporate Harris® PowerSmart™ technology to provide outstanding power density, a compact footprint and low-energy usage for a truly green and cost-efficient transmission platform.

Tim Thorsteinson, president, Harris Broadcast Communications told us at the press conference, “Harris has significantly updated its transmission portfolio in the past year, adopting a new design architecture for its solid-state transmitters that delivers tangible operational benefits that have long eluded the RF side of the television industry,”

Click here to learn more about the range of Harris Transmitters

Step into the third dimension with Harris Virtual World

Virtual reality? Avatars? Flying to the conference centre? Tea time on the ceiling?

Visitors to the brand new Harris Virtual World are quick to say that this novel use of online gaming technology may sound far fetched, feels a little unnerving at first but is definitely very very clever.

“It sounded gimmicky on paper and I had no idea what I was letting myself into, but at the end of the experience you feel like you’ve met up with the people you’re talking to” said one suitably sceptical journalist who logged on for a visit. “It’s like something out of Star Trek and is a definite alternative to powerpoint and conference calls”.

Based on the Immersive Workspaces Solution and hosted on the Managed Second Life Platform, the Harris Virtual World is an online space, an extension of the Harris workplace, a virtual meeting room in a nutshell, to help customers and Harris staff engage with each other in a dynamic way.

Join Harris in Virtual Reality, contact us for log in details.

Bring on The Ministry of Fun!

Harris Rocks Amsterdam with Advanced Media Workflows.  Yes this was the word on the front of the spoof newspaper from the guys at Harris. 

Each morning at IBC2009 three gentlemen who seemed more at place in the city of London finance district rather than a modern media and entertainment tradeshow provided some welcome and innocent entertainment at the main entrance to the show.

Standing in line and in silence their message was simple – visit Harris in Hall 7 and hear the story of Harris Advanced Media Workflows. 

The desired effect was to have some Fun and that was certainly the case as many visitors stopped to take photographs to show their wives and loved ones back home how hard they were really working at IBC.

The Beach

The Harris Beach is fast becoming an IBC tradition – like an exodus out of the convention centre at the sound of the bell, crowds converge towards the water front to enjoy some well deserved rest, relaxation, networking and a few drinks. The beach front was taken over every night by throngs of Harris customers, partners, staff, friends and acquaintances who mixed in a lively manner as they unwound after a day’s work.

And on the first night, three eccentric tourists got lost on the way to the tulip farm and had such a good time they decided to join the fun every night – the three thespians from the Ministry of Fun mingled in the crowds, bringing with them wigs, lipstick, flower necklaces, twin-sets and outrageous conversation, much to the delight of the broadcast crowd. 

Of Flotation Tanks and Advanced Media Workflows

Two concepts that one doesn’t often see side by side. But in this case they were brought together by the venerable Eugene Brunelle, expert in the matters of Advanced Media Workflows, monetising assets and meditation. Mr Brunelle kindly left his flotation tank in the Tibetan mountains this week to share his wisdom with IBC2009 visitors at the Harris stand in hall 7.

Along with his two young assistants from the Ministry of Fun, the enlightened workflow guru took to the stage every hour to explain to the crowds the benefits of streamlining their operations and the importance of workflow and asset management in the broadcast business today.

Now that Mr Brunelle has returned to the heights of Tibet to renew his inner workflows after the stresses of IBC - something we can all relate to - the Harris team is now at hand to discuss this topic further with any broadcaster wishing to examine the efficiency of their media processes. Speak to your Harris contact person for more details on Advanced Media Workflows.

A bright spark – the new Harris NEXIO Volt 1 RU server

This new product was centre stage in the server section of the Harris stand. Sitting in its very own glass case before the opening of the show waiting to be unveiled, it was not unlike like Snow White waiting to be awoken from slumber. But activity around that part of the stand was constant from Friday onwards, and the peaceful slumber of the Volt in its glass case was forever interrupted.

“The new Volt server provides direct access to the NEXIO shared storage network in a very small form factor, making it ideal for space-restricted spaces and for energy-conscious broadcasters”, said Mat Shell, Product Marketing Manager for Server Products within Harris EMEA. “It is built on the same platform as the award-winning NEXIO AMP advanced media platform, it has all the advantages of the platform including exceptional reliability”.

The Volt was also being showcased live and running alongside the larger form-factor NEXIO servers, and the new Harris Solid State Server which was also launched at IBC this year. Visitors to that part of the stand commented on how welcome this addition is and how well it completes the Harris server family.

Cycling in Amsterdam

Daisy, Nancy, Esther and Charlotte were just four of the nearly forty Harris bicycles weaving their way across the city during this year’s IBC. Taking Harris staff from the hotel to the RAI convention centre and to other parts of the city after the show for the more adventurous, the bicycles proved to be a great alternative to the shuttle bus. The bike ride provided an opportunity for fresh air and unwinding, for socialisation and competitive cycling when a group of Harris cyclists caught up with another at a red light.

Harris was going green this year in more ways than one (see Harris Green Initiative press release), and over forty Harris people are now permanently converted to cycling at IBC. Roll on IBC2010!

Graphics to the power of 5

There was so much happening at the graphics section of the Harris stand for the entire duration of the show that the graphics team hardly managed to make time for one of the delicious cappuccinos lovingly prepared by the dedicated Harris barista!

First of all, there was a new product launch, with the new Inscriber G5 – a powerful all-in-one broadcast graphics system which completes the Inscriber family of products.

“Featuring the Harris Altitude Express graphics board, the 3RU G5 offers flawless 2D and 3D real-time graphics on a single channel in SD or HD”, said Hugh Bourne, Product Marketing Manager for graphics in EMEA.

Also brand new at IBC is Direct Control 2, a product to help users manage graphics content, build playlists and control multiple CG systems from a single interface. Inscriber G-Flow was also introduced – a toolkit of applications that enables broadcasters to integrate complex graphics into popular NLE editing platforms.

“In broadcast graphics, a seamless workflow is critical, and Harris enables broadcasters to easily manage and simplify the entire graphics workflow via the Inscriber Connectus, our optimised graphics management system,” said Bourne. And then, he headed off for a well deserved cappuccino!

Richard Scott welcomes you to IBC 2009

Harris Vice President of EMEA Operations Richard Scott provides an overview of Harris solutions and strategies on the eve of IBC 2009.

Harris Corporation Showcases Videotek Compact Monitor Series at IBC 2009

New Design Offers Compact, Energy-Efficient Test and Measurement Solution for Today’s DTV Signal Formats

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, September 10, 2009 (IBC2009, Stand 7.G20) — Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS), an international communications and information technology company, has introduced the new Videotek® Compact Monitor Series for testing signal integrity across all DTV broadcast signal formats up to 3 Gb/s — in a half-rack, energy-saving design. At less than seven inches deep, the Compact Monitor is well-suited for today’s space-conscious, flat-panel broadcast and production environments. Read full press release at broadcast.harris.com.