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Snell & Wilcox Introduces iCR Version 2.5 at IBC2007

Upgrades to Industrialized Content Mastering & Repurposing Workstation Dramatically Increases Efficiency and Lowers Cost per Deliverable

-- Highlights of New System:

• Comprehensive Stream and File-Based QC Tools
• Multiple New Codecs Supported
• Market-Leading MXF Support Including MXF Master File Format

AMSTERDAM (IBC) -- Sept. 7, 2007 -- In a significant upgrade to its industrial content mastering and repurposing workstation, Snell & Wilcox today announced iCR 2.5, which further enhances file-based workflows to deliver the industry's highest image quality at the lowest cost per deliverable.

iCR 2.5 enables fully automated content mastering and repurposing with advanced real-time quality control (QC) monitoring. Because as much as 40 percent of a typical customer's ingested content needs to be re-encoded due to QC issues, the system's automated QC functionality is a key differentiator. Operating in both the stream and file-based domains, iCR?s automated QC tools enable it to offer the industry's lowest cost per deliverable by mitigating one of the most costly and labor-intensive components of the content repurposing value chain.

iCR 2.5 enables users to create high-quality, error-free digital masters of their content and then repurpose these for distribution on multiple, revenue generating platforms. The new version of iCR being introduced at IBC2007, offers a wide range of significant enhancements, including:

• Expanded and enhanced automated real-time quality control (QC) functionality for a wide range of third-party file types and videotape ingest
• Comprehensive QC review tools that generate detailed error reports and allow operators to review and annotate QC alarms
• Support for uncompressed video and a wide range of codecs including DV, DVCPRO, and QuickTime, offering streamlined repurposing support for new devices like Apple TV, iPhone, Xbox 360, and Web applications using QuickTime and Flash video
• Up to a 30 percent increase in overall repurposing speed
• Optional built-in Alchemist IP file-based standards conversion for MPEG-2 files, offering 525/625 motion-compensated conversion in the software domain
• Support for the AMWA-sponsored MXF Master File format adopted by major content providers and equipment manufacturers
• Real-time MPEG-1, WM9 and QuickTime proxies with burn-in timecode, creating a more efficient workflow without the need for a separate proxy generation system

"iCR is already being used on a daily basis by some of the largest and most demanding content owners and service providers in the world," said Joe Zaller, vice president of marketing at Snell & Wilcox. "This real world experience has enabled us to optimize each process in iCR's workflow for maximum efficiency. The result has been to achieve the absolute lowest cost per deliverable available today, whether the output is for broadcast, VOD, mobile phones, portable media viewers, or the Internet."

Automated QC Streamlines Operations, Lowers Cost Per Deliverable With as much as 40 percent of a customer's content needing to be re-encoded due to QC issues, quality control has emerged as one important aspect of content mastering and repurposing. Unfortunately, it can also be very time-consuming and costly. This is because most customers manually perform QC tasks by reviewing content in real-time.

iCR 2.5 changes this by automating QC functionality for baseband video as well as a wide range of files, including MPEG-2, DV, DVCPRO, QuickTime, and WM9/VC-1. During ingest, iCR's QC tools monitor problems with videotapes or the VTR itself, as well as sound levels, timecode, and compression performance. iCR's QC review tools allow the operator to review and annotate alarms in order to generate an error report.

Enhanced automated QC monitoring is integrated into each step of the iCR workflow. This streamlines QC by enabling operators to pinpoint errors rapidly. Going far beyond monitoring the technical characteristics of the video, the QC functionality in iCR 2.5 can also evaluate the quality and makeup of the video, audio, and metadata content within the signal.

iCR 2.5 is the only content repurposing system available that allows the operator to view QC clips on a broadcast monitor in real-time with audio. This allows not only automated QC verification, but simultaneous real-time manual verification of video and sound on a video monitor.

Faster Repurposing Further Increases Operational Efficiency iCR's concurrent processing capabilities eliminate the need for separate encoding and transcoding processes - replacing them with a single industrial-strength automated workflow. The upgraded system, up to 30 percent faster than the previous iCR system, is so efficient that multiple, simultaneous transcode processes with auto QC start as soon as the master encode process is underway. As a result, users can complete all their mastering and repurposing tasks in about the same time it would take to perform a single encode/transcode operation using a conventional workflow.

"We have been closely involved with our customers who have thousands of hours of media assets that must be ingested, mastered, and repurposed," said Zaller. "The market dynamics for these customers is clearly driven by the cost per deliverable. Lowering their cost of operation is essential and can only be achieved through workflow automation and built-in quality control. Our focus with iCR 2.5 has been to refine that process for even greater efficiency."

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, postproduction, cable, satellite, mobile TV, 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. Further information is available at www.snellwilcox.com.

Press Contact: Susan Warren, Wall Street Communications, Phone: +1 631 261 1013. E-mail: susan@wallstcom.com.

Snell & Wilcox, Putting Pictures to Work, iCR, Ph.C, Prefix, DEFT, FormatFusion, and MOLE are trademarks of the Snell & Wilcox Group. All other trademarks mentioned herein are acknowledged as property of their respective owners.