Snell now offers 1080p functionality at no additional charge for all 1080p-capable products. The move brings down extra cost when adopting 3Gbps equipment. “Snell’s leadership helped to drive the global transition from SDTV to HDTV, and we’re putting our money where our mouth is once again by facilitating the transition to 1080p production and distribution because we believe that now is the right time – from a technology and cost perspective – for the broadcast industry to move away from interlaced formats,” said Snell CTO Robert Rowe. “Despite the clear benefits of a full 1080p production environment, the perception remains that such a move is cost-prohibitive – that 1080p files will double the cost of storage and that vendors will maintain a high premium for the 3Gbps processing required for 1080p. Our research, and that of authoritative bodies such as the European Broadcasting Union, clearly demonstrates that compressed progressive signals offer higher quality for the same file size as their interlaced equivalent, thereby refuting the notion that 1080p content requires a doubling of storage capacity. Furthermore, our decision to eliminate any additional charge for 1080p processing in Snell products answers concerns over any premium for 3Gbps processing capability.” Many Snell products currently operate internally at the 3Gbps bandwidth required for 1080p formats, including the company’s Kahuna production switchers, Sirius routing switchers, Alchemist Ph.C-HD frame-rate converters, KudosPro signal-processing products, and the IQ Modular range.www.snellgroup.com
