CRYSTAL VISION EQUIPMENT CHOSEN FOR NEW INSTALLATION AT SKAI (October 2006)

SKAI, a private satellite and terrestrial broadcasting station in Greece, has chosen to install a total of 118 Crystal Vision interface boards into its new building.

Broadcasting mainly news and thematic programmes, from sports to documentaries, via both the HELLASAT satellite transmitting across the whole of Europe as well as terrestrial television, SKAI had a need for a larger amount of space and equipment to meet the demands imposed by an increasing number of channels. SKAI is also in the process of developing IPTV technology to enable its digital television signals to be broadcast over the internet.

The selected Crystal Vision interface boards were purchased through one of Crystal Vision’s distributors in Greece – Systems Integration company, Ariston Broadcast and Telecom Solutions SA and included modules to process, distribute and route the incoming signals. Both SDI and analogue signals are received by the station and will be synchronised and embedded into a station referenced data stream by 16 SYNNER144 and 14 EMDEC-200 boards respectively. These multifunction boards combine a synchroniser, tracking audio delay and embedder, preventing the need to purchase these boards separately and therefore saving the customer rack space as well as money.

Amongst the remaining interface boards purchased, six TANDEM-110 boards will be used to both embed and de-embed the signals around the main router as well as processing the audio content of these signals. The World’s first dual audio embedder/de-embedder system TANDEM-110 can be adapted to handle both analogue and digital audio by fitting the appropriate piggybacks, making this a truly flexible option. SKAI will also take advantage of the money and space-saving features of 16 DDA208B modules, a dual SDI distribution amplifier offering four non-reclocked outputs per channel.

Ariston Broadcast and Telecom Solutions SA was founded in September 2005 as a technical consultancy and systems integrator for the broadcast, broadband and telecommunication industry. Providing excellent local service and support, Ariston is currently in the process of installing and configuring the Crystal Vision equipment into the new building, which is scheduled to be on air in October 2006. Working very closely with Crystal Vision, Ariston won the order from SKAI because the requirements for the supply of a complete range of high quality interface products at a reasonable cost could be successfully met.

Based at Whittlesford near Cambridge in the UK, Crystal Vision provides digital keyers and a full range of digital and analogue interface equipment including converters, decoders, encoders, distribution amplifiers and audio embedders to the professional broadcasting industry worldwide.