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Snell & Wilcox to Expand IQ Modular Broadcast Infrastructure Line at NAB 2004

17 new HD and SD Modules Added to Broadcast Industry's Most Comprehensive and Sophisticated Infrastructure Range

"Smart Infrastructure" System Provides Intelligent "Bridges" to Broadcasters During Transition to Next Generation Digital, HDTV and IT Facilities --

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, February 13, 2004 - Meeting the needs of a broadcast industry in continuing transition, Snell & Wilcox is introducing a series of new infrastructure products at NAB 2004 (Booth #C6421) that will empower broadcast engineers to adapt their plants quickly to take advantage of new business opportunities and ever-changing services.

The Snell & Wilcox IQ Modular line, the broadcast industry's leading component infrastructure system, will see significant expansion with the introduction of seventeen new products including converters, synchronizers, distribution amplifiers, routers and audio modules all capable of operating in either standard definition or high definition resolutions. The company will also introduce HDTV converters and a significant number of audio processing modules for the standard definition environment as part of the expanded range.

These new modules include the broadcast industry's first 16-channel audio "re-multiplexer" technology the capability to de-embed and re-embed audio within the same module and full support for Dolby E multichannel audio coding. Another crucial feature of the new products is improved signal processing and signal fidelity, resulting in very low return loss and the ability to equalize the longest cable lengths in the broadcast industry a major benefit to systems integrators and broadcasters alike.

Significantly, the new Snell & Wilcox IQ modules will have built-in "signal integrity protection," which ensures that broadcasters do not lose signals to mission critical components. The signal integrity protection capability guarantees that the output of each IQ Modular product whether video or audio is continuous even when the input fails. For example, if the video input to the audio multiplexer is interrupted, then the module generates digital black and continues embedding the audio. If the audio input is lost, then the module takes over and embeds silence. Maintaining continuous video and embedded audio streams is crucial for most video servers and MPEG encoders, which stop recording if there's a break in the embedded audio stream.

Like all Snell & Wilcox products, the new IQ Modules are fully compliant with the company's RollCallR network control & monitoring system. RollCall enables broadcasters to quickly and easily monitor their entire network operation whether in a single rack or distributed across the globe from a single PC. This helps broadcasters to work smarter by making their operations more efficient and transparent.

At NAB 2004, Snell & Wilcox will demonstrate how its advanced and networked modules solve real-world DTV transition problems for broadcasters by enabling them to connect and control analog, digital, high definition, and file-based IT "islands" of equipment. As broadcasters evolve their operations to digital and eventually file-based working, they will create a series of analog, digital and file-based "islands" that must be seamlessly connected together. These islands, which must operate simultaneously, seamlessly, and without image degradation, can be made to work well together only by deploying a smart, flexible and centrally controlled infrastructure. That's why Snell & Wilcox offers a single infrastructure system that simultaneously provides legacy compatibility with analog and SD standards as well as future proof compatibility with HD standards and metadata rich IT-based architectures all in one integrated system.

The integrated intelligence in the design of this system provides major benefits and flexibility for broadcasters at all stages in the transition to digital. For example, a small broadcast station may upgrade to a digital switcher while still using analog studio cameras. Bridges must be built between the two generations of equipment while preserving the best image quality available. Larger facilities, with an installed SDI plant, must bridge HD and file-based technologies that are quickly gaining momentum. No matter the size of the broadcast operation, a "smart" and quickly adaptable infrastructure is the best antidote to rapid technological change. By smart, Snell & Wilcox means an infrastructure that can quickly and easily adapt to change no matter how often it may come. An infrastructure that can quickly be configured to build bridges to the various islands that make up the constantly evolving facility.

Now with over 300 unique "self-aware" modules available, Snell & Wilcox's IQ Modular products with RollCall control and  monitoring software is the broadcast industry's most comprehensive modular infrastructure solution. Three of the largest production facilities in the world to deploy modular infrastructures chose Snell & Wilcox. Turner Broadcasting now has about 7,000 IQ modules serving more than 20 networks; DirecTV operates 2,500 modules; and TVB in Hong Kong has deployed over 2,000 modules. All three operations use the advanced, highly scalable and field-proven RollCall solution. All three sites have had a remarkable record of reliability.

But the Snell & Wilcox IQ Modular range is not just for the largest installations. Indeed it is often the smaller scale broadcaster who reports the most significant return on investment. Smaller broadcaster operations, such as the Cosmos and Post-Newsweek station groups, have also chosen our IQ modules for infrastructure tasks from DTV up-coversion/playout to image processing to bridges between analog and digital islands. Of several hundred modules in constant use at 15 Cosmos stations since 2002, not a single component has failed.

"Whether it's a small broadcaster gradually moving from an analog or digital infrastructure or a major multichannel network operations facility, there are IQ modules to fit every need and budget," said Richard Schiller, product manager for the Snell & Wilcox IQ Modular line. "Since each module comes with built-in RollCall networking capability included, IQ modules serve as 'smart building blocks' that can be mixed and matched to construct any level of functionality in a broadcast plant." The IQ Modular range offers dozens of conversion, distribution, routing, video, MPEG processing, monitoring, audio and test generator modules. Some unique image processing modules are without peer, embracing well-known, award-winning Snell & Wilcox core technologies in compact, cost-effective configurations.

Each module identifies itself on the RollCall network and can be configured and monitored in multiple ways from "virtual" devices such as simple D/A converters, image processors or routers to vast internal component infrastructures of thousands of modules. Once configured through a PC on the network, each module establishes its relationship with other modules in the system. This relationship between modules is called integrated intelligence, one powerful feature that distinguishes Snell & Wilcox infrastructure products as the most advanced and future-proof in the industry. Among the new Snell & Wilcox IQ Modules to be introduced at NAB 2004 are:

IQMUX40 - HD-SDI Remultiplexer. A single solution module for all HD-SDI 1.5Gbit/s multiplexing or demultiplexing operations. It can embed up to 16 audio channels as eight AES/EBU streams. It can also de-embed up to 16 audio channels as eight AES/EBU streams from the video stream. It is possible to embed and de-embed at the same time providing, for example, wrap around functionality to place an audio only device into the embedded streams. This feature can also be used to provide AES monitoring outputs of the audio inputs. Other features include channel level control, up to one frame of video delay to compensate for external audio processing, and Dolby E compatibility.

IQSDA0 - Intelligent Reclocking High Performance HD/SD-SDI Distribution Amplifier. This is the only HD-SDI distribution amplifier capable of equalizing up to 140m of industry standard cable. It provides up to seven reclocked outputs for HD-SDI 1.5 Gbit/s or 270 Mbit/s SD-SDI/DVB-ASI signals or seven non reclocking distribution of wide-band signals.

IQSYN20 - HD/SD-SDI Frame Synchronizer. Provides synchronization for HD-SDI 1.5Gbit/s or SD-SDI 270 Mbit/s with "signal integrity protection" capability. This module is an ideal input processor for HD-SDI and SD-SDI video signals.

IQSRT00 - HD/SD-SDI 5 x 2 Router. Five input router/switcher for HD-SDI 1.5 Gbit/s or SD-SDI 270 Mbit/s and wide-band signals. Also supports SD-SDI signals and combinations. By providing two outputs, this module allows main and spare operation as well as preview functions or simply two circuits in an incredibly compact package. This router provides a density of over five devices per rack unit.

IQSRT10 - HD/SD-SDI 8 x 2 Router. As above, but also offers direct GPI control for ultimate simplicity, true tallies and 16 cross points with an impressive density of eight units in just 3RU.

IQMDA00 - HD-SDI Monitoring Distribution Amplifier. This is a distribution amplifier and monitoring downconverter for HD-SDI 1.5 Gbit/s signals. Output options include four times HD-SDI and three times SD-SDI. The model can also be used to distribute SD-SDI signals to SMPTE 259M.

IQSYN00 - SD-SDI Frame Synchronizer with Embedded Audio Processing. Provides synchronization for SD-SDI 270 Mbit/s. Features a video firewall enabling re-synchronization on a line-by-line basis and a guaranteed embedded audio output. An ideal input processor for SD-SDI video signals. Includes video and audio proc. amp functions.

IQMUX00 - Four Channel Digital Audio Embedder with Synchronizer. An SDI synchronizer and two times AES/EBU stream embedder designed as a general digital ingest module where any digital audio source signal can be handled, even combinations of embedded and external digital audio. Comprehensive video and audio proc. amp capability add to the power of this unit as a complete solution in one module. All audio is handled at a channel level allowing the free mixing of individual channels from any source. Comprehensive delay capability allows audio to track video and to have additional delay. With the increasing need for external audio processing such as Dolby E encoding, this module alternatively allows for the video to be delayed.

IQDMX00 - Four Channel AES/EBU De-Embedder/DeMultiplexer with Synchronizer. This SDI synchronizer and four-channel AES/EBU de-embedder/de-multiplexer can extract PCM, AC-3 and Dolby E digital audio data. Has flexible audio delay features including variable audio delay offset, up to two frames of video delay in delay mode, and two SDI inputs and outputs. Its dual input capability is particularly powerful in allowing construction of systems with main and redundant input feeds.

-ENDS-

SNELL & WILCOX is a world-leading electronics design, manufacture and engineering group with an international reputation for the development of advanced image communications technologies for the world's broadcast television, video, satellite, cable, film and image communications industries. The company is dedicated to preserving the true content of the moving video image. Snell & Wilcox Inc. has offices throughout the United States and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Snell & Wilcox Ltd. is based in Hampshire, England with offices all over the world.

Snell & Wilcox Contact: John Shike, Snell & Wilcox, 2225-I Martin Avenue, Santa Clara, California. Phone: 408-260-1000, Fax: 408-260-2800 or E-mail: john.shike@snellamerica.com, Web: www.snellwilcox.com.

Americas' Press Contact: Robin Hoffman, Pipeline Communications, 277 Valley Way, Montclair, New Jersey. Phone: 973-746-6970, Fax: 973-746-6701 or E-mail: robinh@pipecomm.com.