ORF, the Austrian national public service broadcaster, has contracted EVS to upgrade a total of 13 XT2 media servers to the latest XT3 series and to introduce the powerful IPDirector content production management suite for live sports broadcasts and in-house studio productions.

EVS' C-Cast is a new solution designed to instantly distribute additional content to live and near-live broadcast programs to connected devices (tablets, smartphones or laptops). Successfully tested in real conditions throughout world class live events (international rugby matches and football championships) with major broadcasters, C-Cast will be available on the market allowing broadcasters to target a new multitasking audience with extended program options.

Leading international systems integrator TSL has appointed Mike Grieve as its sales director. Mike, who is already at his desk at TSL, joined from Quantel following a long career in broadcast technology which also included Filmlight and Autodesk.

Future Media Concepts (FMC), the nation's premier digital media training organization, today announced that it has opened a training facility in Mumbai. The new training facility, a partnership with neoteric infomatique ltd., will operate under the Evolve name to bring FMC's curriculum of vendor-authorized, digital media training courses, and world-renowned instructors to India's major cities.

intoPIX – the leading provider of JPEG 2000 compression solutions – announced today that Astrodesign (Japan) has licensed and integrated intoPIX JPEG 2000 IP-cores into their new 4K Codec, called “HC7504”.

Know as SMART Fibre, this new cable range is the only system in the world that features a Multimedia Interface (MMI), which gives signal and cable status and diagnostic information that is beneficial in terms of checking the fibre links for integrity and warning of potential errors.

Wohler Technologies today announced a new software interface for the company's MADI-8 in-rack audio monitor that allows for control and quick reconfiguration of channel presets from any PC. With the new software, operators now have the ability to name any or all of the 64 available channels and then assign them up to eight available presets. Configurations can be saved as files on the set-up application, so operators can instantly recall channel names and presets from previous events and assign them to other MADI-8 units.

HARTING’s Han Modular(R) series connector inserts allow event installers to create high-density connectivity and cabling solutions with total signal-handling flexibility – including audio, video, communications, data and power - through different rugged IP 65/67 hoods and housings suitable for harsh handling conditions.

Organisers of The Loudness Summit today announced that Dolby have confirmed that they will be joining Harris and Linear Acoustic as a Gold sponsor of the event.

Matrox Video Products Group today announced that Matrox MC-100, a dual SDI-to-HDMI mini converter that supports a wide range of display resolutions through 3G, Dual Link, HD, and SD-SDI, is now available from Matrox dealers worldwide. Priced at $495 US, this single portable unit can be used as an HD-SDI switcher, a distribution amplifier, a multiplexer, and a 3D processing unit, making it the most versatile mini converter on the market.

"Snell has been developing relationships with a growing number of dealers across the Middle East, and we look forward to building on these and establishing future partnerships as we move into 2012," said Vanessa Ching, vice president channel marketing and communications (APME) for Snell. "As the region's largest show, CABSAT is a great opportunity for us to network with broadcast and cable organizations across the region, and the show is an ideal platform for us to demonstrate how uniquely flexible products like our Kahuna 360 and Vega can transform broadcast operations, both large and small."

At IBC 2011, where Panasonic AVSE unveiled a host of new broadcast innovations some of which will be shown at BVE North this week, the latest in the Panasonic vision mixer range, AV-HS410, was granted the coveted ‘Pick Hit’ award.

Underlining theincreasing success of the television and media production industries in theAsia-Pacific region, leading international systems integrator TSL isestablishing a permanent base in Singapore. The centre will be managed bywell-known international broadcast and digital media expert, John Wigglesworth.

Trilogy Communications, the global provider of digital intercom systems and Master Reference Generators to the broadcast industry, today announced that Al Jazeera Sports has become the first customer in the Gulf region to select Trilogy’s Gemini distributed matrix intercom as part of the broadcaster’s ongoing expansion and development of the sports studios in Doha from HD to 3D.

Global technology solutions provider WTS Group has today announced plans to open a new office in Lagos, Nigeria, under the company’s systems integration brand, C2S.  C2S Nigeria will introduce WTS’s full range of technology services and solutions to the region: Equipment supply and hire, training, technical support and product advice as well as systems integration solutions and financing.