Harris Corporation provides integrated newsroom solution for Al-Sa'aa Television's 24-hour news service facility in Cairo

The installation includes multiple Harris® NEXIO XS™ HD/SD server systems for recording and playout, NewsFlash® high-resolution news editors, NewsFlash® Preditor™ low-resolution desktop editors and the Inscriber® G1™ real-time SD broadcast graphics system.

"For our new digital newsroom facility, we needed a system that enabled us to perform a fast turnaround of edits and play to air, and the Harris integrated newsroom solution allows us to do this seamlessly," said Samer El Hosseni, CEO of Al-Sa'aa Channel.

"The Harris high- and low-resolution non-linear editors can start working while the material is being ingested, allowing journalists to simultaneously browse and edit low-resolution content at their desktops, and then playout the clip in full resolution without having to wait for rendering. The G1™ system has further optimised workflow by providing creative flexibility, with its infinite layering and create real-time 3D effects and animation capabilities, while allowing us to easily produce independent real-time virtual channels on a single physical channel."

The Harris® NEXIO XS™ server system interfaces with the ENPS® newsroom computer system (NRCS) using the MOS protocol and the NEXIO™ with MOS Gateway and MOS Playlist Manager, creating a truly integrated news production environment. The connection between ingest and playout is via Gigabit Ethernet.

"Harris is proud to continue its expansion of important server customers in the Middle East," said Said Bacho, managing director, Harris Broadcast Communications, Middle East region.

"The high reliability and robust design of the NEXIO XS™ server platform, integrated with the NewsFlash® editors and the ENPS® solution, are fundamental to the success of the mission-critical application at Al-Sa'aa's newsroom.

"With our regional support base in Dubai, fully equipped with spares and staffed by Arabic-speaking engineers and support staff, we are confident that we will provide Al-Sa'aa Television with the support they need to be successful," continued Bacho.

A Lebanese-Egyptian owned satellite channel, Al-Sa'aa was launched on NileSat from the Media City in Cairo in July 2007. The company's newsroom was designed, commissioned and installed by Integrated Systems in Cairo, Egypt, in collaboration with Harris Corporation. This facility has direct links with all local and international news agencies, including Associated Press (AP), Reuters and Agence France Presse (AFP).

Harris Broadcast Communications offers products, systems and services that provide interoperable workflow solutions that span the entire broadcast delivery chain. The Harris ONE approach brings together highly integrated and cost-effective products that are ideal for emerging media business models and for customers upgrading media operations to digital and high-definition services.