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MBC Korea Adds Four Breakthrough Kahuna SD/HD Multiformat Switchers for Nationwide Push Into HD

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SEOUL, Korea -- April 18, 2006 -- MBC (Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation), Korea's multimedia public service broadcaster, has invested in four Kahuna switchers, the breakthrough multiformat SD/HD production switcher from Snell & Wilcox.

MBC is the first broadcaster in Korea to embrace this new level of technology, and it will use the switchers to support its network of stations in 19 localities including Jeonju, Jeongju, Jeju, Chuncheon, Masan, Mokpo, Samcheok, Yeosu, and Seoul. Kahuna is the first switcher ever to offer simultaneous SD and HD operations in the same mainframe with the same control panel, and the first to enable the integration of SD sources into HD production without the need for upconversion.

"MBC continues to push the envelope in providing the best HD content to viewers from a variety of HD and SD sources," said Mr. Jonathan Mortimer, sales director, Asia Pacific, Snell & Wilcox Asia Pacific Limited. "Kahuna will provide MBC both facility and speed in integrating this content at the highest possible quality."

The Kahuna switchers will be provided by Seokwang Tech, a leading broadcast solutions distributor. MBC recently asked Snell & Wilcox to provide an extensive IQ Modular system to support its multistation expansion into digital and HD broadcasting that has now grown to include facilities in 18 cities.

Designed to be future-proof, Kahuna allows operators to work initially in SD-only or HD-only mode and then upgrade to multiformat SD/HD operation whenever they choose. In multiformat SD/HD mode, Kahuna users can mix existing SD camera feeds, graphics, handheld shots, and archive footage directly into an HD production with no need to purchase expensive HD upgrades or extra HD upconversion equipment.

Previous "multiformat" switchers were able to operate in either SD or HD modes and generally required a reboot in order to switch between the two modes. Kahuna changes the rules of the game. Thanks to a Snell & Wilcox technology called FormatFusion, SD sources can now be seamlessly integrated into HD productions and vice versa, without the need for conversion.

With Kahuna, a single mainframe and single control surface simultaneously handle both SD and HD sources rather than switching between one mode and another. This functionality enables Kahuna operators to allocate mix/effects banks (M/Es) to output either in SD or HD and then mix any of the inputs regardless of format to produce a seamless HD or SD result. This operational flexibility extends Kahuna's ability to network multiple control surfaces to different mainframes, to allocate one mainframe to separate control panels, or to operate in SD or HD as required, making maximum use of all available M/Es.

The ability to use SD sources within high-quality HD productions extends the useful life of existing SD hardware, potentially representing tremendous cost savings for facilities that would otherwise be forced to purchase multiple HD upconverters, new HD graphics capabilities, and new HD cameras in order to move to HD production.

Snell & Wilcox, the leader in its field, delivers technologies and products that give television and satellite broadcasters, postproduction facilities, filmmakers, and communications professionals the freedom to move content seamlessly between analog, digital, high definition, and file-based systems and to bridge the world's multiplicity of line/field and color standards, without sacrificing picture quality. The company provides switchers and keyers, standards conversion systems, networked infrastructure components, and products for noise reduction, image enhancement and restoration. In business since 1973, Snell & Wilcox maintains its Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong, and its 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.

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

Asia Pacific Press Contact:
Genevieve Hilton
Ketchum Newscan Public Relations Limited
Phone: 852-3141-8112
Fax: 852-2510-8199
E-mail: Genevieve.Hilton@knprhk.com

International Press Contact:
Dave Netz
Wall Street Communications
Phone: +1-303-329-0359
E-mail: dave@wallstreetcom.tv.