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U.K.'s Galaxy Light & Power Offers Its Clients the Unparalleled Conversion Capabilities of the Snell & Wilcox Alchemist Platinum Ph.C

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HAMPSHIRE, U.K. -- Mar. 7, 2006 -- Galaxy Light & Power of London is using the Snell & Wilcox Alchemist Platinum Ph.C motion compensated standards converter to give customers maximum image quality for premium programming while streamlining their standards and format conversion workflow.

With the Alchemist Platinum Ph.C added to its arsenal of for-hire systems, Galaxy's clients can now convert content to and from PAL and NTSC—and from SD to HD -- all in a single pass. Customers using the Alchemist Platinum Ph.C include post-production houses for HD-DVD mastering, satellite uplink and downlink facilities, and broadcasters on both sides of the Atlantic.

"We elected to purchase the Alchemist Platinum Ph.C system because we found it to be the only device able to give a near-transparent conversion between PAL and NTSC, and this level of quality is essential to premium programming such as live music and sports," said Andy Grant, director of operations at Galaxy Light & Power.

"Until now, the quality of converted NTSC feeds has been considered restrictive, but the Alchemist provides the picture quality our clients demand even when sources or inserted material are coming from different places in different formats,” continued Grant. "We've done extensive research, and there is not another product globally that touches its image quality. In coverage of upcoming World Cup football matches or events at the Olympic Games, lesser systems won't give the same amount of detail."

Since Galaxy purchased the Alchemist Platinum Ph.C, the system has been used primarily for conversion of PAL content to NTSC for broadcast of live sporting and music events. The converter is also used in reverse to convert incoming U.S. feeds for distribution in Europe. In transfer work, Galaxy customers are using the system to upgrade catalog or archived material (both NTSC and PAL) from SD to HD for forthcoming transmission in HD programs, as well as for mastering of HD DVDs.

The unmatched picture quality provided by the Alchemist Platinum Ph.C is made possible through Snell & Wilcox's advanced phase-correlation motion-estimation technology, which features a three-stage, 46-point temporal spatial filter to provide maximum vertical and diagonal resolution. The result for Galaxy clients is a uniquely lossless transition between 625/50 video and 525/59.94 video and exceptionally high-quality upconversion from SD to HD, both of which Alchemist can perform simultaneously. By combining operations that previously required separate conversion steps, Alchemist Platinum Ph.C reduces machine time per project while also allowing Galaxy's customers to achieve a "future-proof" guarantee for their content.

More information about Snell & Wilcox products is available online at www.snellwilcox.com.

Galaxy Light & Power is a London-based production resources company founded by Andy Grant. More information about the company is available by phone at +44 (20) 7437 2020.

Snell & Wilcox designs and builds the world's most advanced systems for video playout, mastering, repurposing, infrastructure, and live production switching. Providing solutions that deliver immediate value while enabling a controlled and cost-effective transition to HD and file-based systems, the company serves a worldwide base of customers in the broadcast, post production, cable, satellite, and IPTV markets. In business since 1973, Snell & Wilcox maintains its U.S. headquarters in Burbank, Calif., and European headquarters in Hampshire, U.K. Additional offices are located in New York, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, and Russia. Visit www.snellwilcox.com for more information.

Americas Press Contact: David Netz, Wall Street Communications, Phone: +1 303 329 0359. Email: dave@wallstreetcom.tv.

EMEA Press Contact: Becky Smith, on behalf of Wall Street Communications Europe, Phone: +44 (0) 1622 684 592. Email: becky@ella-beck.co.uk.

Snell & Wilcox, Engineering with Vision, Alchemist, Ph.C, Kudos, Magic Dave, IQ Modular, RollCall, RollTrack, Mosalina, Niagra, and Kahuna are all trademarks of the Snell & Wilcox Group.