Sony business expands the boundaries of AV technology at CABSAT 2004

The Sony Business MEA stand, located in Hall 6, stand D6-1 will feature 5 dedicated areas to enhance the operational efficiency and cost effectiveness of companies in the broadcast and professional media industry.

Firstly, Sony Professional Services (SPS) will have a team of expert consultants at the stand to discuss with visitors, integrated end-to-end system solutions for broadcast and media organizations - from the smallest NLE suite to a complete broadcast station. SPS will be demonstrating their ability to deliver these solutions using their broad range of expert knowledge and experience that exists both within SPS office in Dubai and SPS team in Europe.

"At SPS we have developed a process that involved understanding the business needs and the market, delivering relevant solutions at the right price, in addition to providing management, content and support post-installation," said Dan Taylor, Deputy General Manager, Professional Services, Sony Business MEA. "SPS delivers best of breed technology solutions that can consist of other leading hardware, software and electronics vendors."

In addition, visitors to the stand will experience the latest in Sony High Definition (HD) products which will include the HDCAM and CineAlta range. These HD products will demonstrate how true HDTV extends the whole viewing experience, taking television program and film production to a new level of quality and efficiency.

"Television and film producers prefer the look and feel of film, but costs of production are prohibitively high and the process is time consuming. Producing in Standard Definition (SD) does not get them there although there are huge benefits in terms of production time and cost. HDCAM is 'the' solution that addresses picture quality and production time/cost issues," said Nigel Thompson, A/V Production, Marketing Manager, Sony Business MEA. "HD actually makes programmes broadcast today in SD, look much better deriving an extra richness and depth visible to the viewer. The large number of programmes now shot on HD for broadcast in SD, are a testament to this."

Also on show for the first time in the Middle East region is the new award winning Professional Disc (XDCAM) format which truly combines the AV and IT worlds to deliver significant improvements in terms of "Workflow" and "Cost of Ownership". "XDCAM breaks new ground in broadcast acquisition, delivering significant benefits not only in traditional terms of speed and flexibility but most importantly in terms of operational costs and workflow," said Thompson. "XDCAM merges the AV and IT worlds at the beginning of the production process to derive significant improvements for those working in the ENG and field acquisition domain. Choice of format recording (IMX and/or DVCAM), speed of material transfer, plus the simultaneous proxy copy recording for fast, in the filed of editing, are just a few key features that now enable news crews to work far more effectively than ever before".

Although not to be overshadowed by the above key technologies, Sony Business will also be showcasing an 'A/V Network Production' environment that includes the revolutionary MPEG IMX e-VTR, and for news, regional TV and programme production applications, the 'DV Station' - all in one cost-effective system -demonstrating Sony's remarkable systems integration record and capabilities in the broadcast industry.

Finally, Sony's most successful professional video format will be shown in full force as there will be a wide range of DVCAM products and solutions exhibited on the front end of the stand - run by Sony Business UAE distributor, Jumbo Electronics Broadcast Division.