Riedel reveals two acquisitions, highlights partnership with Sky and Cisco

In recent months, Riedel has moved to acquire two intercom manufacturers, ASL Intercom BV and DELEC, with confirmation of both deals taking place at IBC 2016.

Based in The Netherlands, with a heritage stretching back more than 30 years, ASL Intercom’s flagship ASL FLEXUS system is notable for allowing multiple standards — Dante/AES67/AVB and RAVENNA — to coexist in a single system. Riedel Communications will maintain the ASL Intercom brand identity going forward, while founder and MD Eric de Bruyn will stay on in his current role.

"ASL Intercom has a strong portfolio in digital partyline technology, and the company's products adapt readily to a wide variety of applications, both small and large," said Thomas Riedel, CEO at Riedel Communications. "Intercom applications remain a core element of our business, and we are confident that we'll quickly be able to leverage the complementary technologies of ASL Intercom to serve an even broader array of customers that can benefit from exceptional communications systems."

DELEC Audio- und Videotechnik GmbH’s track record is similarly extensive, and today the company has a notable presence in stage management and live-entertainment intercom, thanks to products including the oratis intercom systems, unito Dante audio-networking interfaces, and digital PA systems.

"DELEC has long been known for its visionary ideas and strong technology, and the company's products complement and augment the Riedel portfolio in a way that will bring even greater versatility to our customers," said Thomas Riedel, CEO at Riedel Communications. "The entire DELEC team will become part of the Riedel family, and this is exciting news not only in terms of our ongoing development of high-end solutions, but also for our growing customer base — including current DELEC customers. Together, we're better positioned than ever to provide forward-looking solutions that address current and future communications requirements, and we are committed to providing existing DELEC customers the great service Riedel is known for."

Since it was established in 1988, DELEC has evolved into a supplier of digital intercom and communication systems to broadcasters all over the world, in both fixed installations and outside broadcasts. The flexibility, comprehensive functionality, and compact dimensions of DELEC products — most notably the company's oratis intercom systems, unito Dante audio networking interfaces, and digital PA systems — have also made them ideal for stage-management and intercom systems at many large venues for live entertainment productions.

“It’s all about ensuring interoperability and our products talking to each other,” proclaimed Riedel of another significant development: the company’s new agreement with Cisco, whereby they can explore new ways to use the Cisco Media Blueprint platform to enhance their respective businesses. The agreement creates a framework by which Riedel and Cisco can explore collaborative opportunities.

“At Riedel, we have been embracing broadcast and IP standards across our product lines for many years now,” said Jake Dodson, director, product management, Riedel Communications. “So, when it came time to look at how we were going to continue our innovation across an evolving synchronized IP fabric, Cisco was the obvious choice of a great company to partner with.”

The Cisco Media Blueprint platform automates the process of moving massive amounts of media content to the right people, at the right time, in the right format. This digital media logistics platform is an IP-based, virtualized combination of solutions and network infrastructure that removes the barriers between content production, storage, and distribution. The result is a broadcast production and distribution environment in which innovation is as easy as adding off-the-shelf Cisco networking equipment or deploying a new application within a virtual machine. Available today, these applications increase efficiency and enable new ways to generate revenue in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

Said John Dorval, area VP, service provider sales, Cisco, “The Cisco Media Blueprint leverages the mainstream Cisco product portfolio and applies industry-specific expertise and partnerships. The application-aware network infrastructure, built specifically for broadcasters, orchestrates the critical interface between applications, storage, distribution channels, and consumers. We welcome Riedel as an industry partner and look forward to the innovation we can create together.”

There was also a significant new product announcement in the form of the MediorNet Control App for the RSP-2318 SmartPanel multifunctional user interface. In addition to linking the SmartPanel directly into the Riedel MediorNet media network as a dedicated control panel, the new MediorNet Control App — in combination with the existing Intercom Apps — gives users simultaneous intercom functionality, enabling them to route, control, and communicate all at once using a single 1-RU system.

It was announced that Sky Deutschland AG (Sky Germany) has already outfitted a new fleet of seven satellite newsgathering (SNG) units and two OB tender vehicles with Riedel Communications’ MediorNet real-time media network and SmartPanels equipped with the new MediorNet Control App. The SmartPanel App enables Sky Germany to route and control signals across the MediorNet network according to the requirements of different live sports and news event.

Sky Germany's new SNG units and two OB tender vehicles are also equipped with Riedel's Artist intercom system. Linking the SmartPanels directly into the Riedel MediorNet media network as a dedicated control panel, the new MediorNet Control App enables users to route, control, and communicate all at once using a single 1-RU system that reduces space requirements and equipment costs. The system also facilitates an easy, single-cable link to the tender truck for larger productions.