Crystal Vision brings squeeze back, MADI and control products to IBC 04 (Stand .B)

On Stand 2.B11 at IBC 2014 Crystal Vision will be presenting a unique keying solution, its first product for MADI audio and a choice of new control options to satisfy all preferences. LKEY-SQZ is a new type of keyer from Crystal Vision, providing a dedicated and exceptionally smooth squeeze back functionality. The MADDA105 distribution amplifier makes it easy to send many audio channels to multiple places, with five MADI outputs. Finally, Crystal Vision has transformed the way its products are controlled, with the launch of the VisionWeb web browser software for operators who like PC control and the VisionPanel hardware control panel for those who prefer physical buttons.

Designed for broadcasters who demand the highest quality picture squeeze, the LKEY-SQZ modular squeeze back keyer can smoothly resize and move the main video and add graphics or text around it ideal for applications such as squeezing the end credits to preview the next programme or squeezing a weather or shopping channel presenter to allow room for additional graphic material. LKEY-SQZ can squeeze the background video both horizontally and vertically and put it inside a coloured border if required. An external signal generated by another device can then be keyed on top of and around the squeezed picture, with the option of fading the key in and out. LKEY-SQZ uses sub-pixel processing, an excellent de-interlacer and advanced maths to ensure extremely smooth movement from one size to another with this high quality squeeze back ideal for any demanding applications, such as moving text on end credits. Timeline control can be used to perform a sequence of operations relative to a start signal. LKEY-SQZ removes the need to use a full vision mixer to provide a squeeze back, and is also useful for those who have a mixer which does not include this squeeze back functionality.

At IBC Crystal Vision will be entering a new area of audio with the launch of its first MADI product. Designed for transporting a large amount of audio as a block, MADI is an audio signal format used for getting many channels of audio down a single coax cable, with these multiple AES streams packed together and sent with a higher data rate. Ideal for broadcasters who require access to all their audio everywhere, the MADDA105 is a MADI distribution amplifier, which takes in a MADI data stream containing up to 64 mono audio channels and creates five copies of this data stream which can then be sent to different places. It includes both LED and GPI output indication of the presence of a MADI input. Fitting in the standard Crystal Vision frames and using the RM41 rear module to access the input and outputs, the MADDA105 can distribute any MADI audio and is most likely to be adopted by broadcast engineers already using Crystal Vision products.

Crystal Vision will be launching the VisionWeb Control system as a free-of-charge way of operating its full product range from a web browser. VisionWeb uses a boards XML control interface, which is stored in the front panel of the latest frames. To access the control menus, the operator simply types the IP address of the frame into a web browser running on any device that is connected to the same network. Allowing control from multiple devices at the same time and working best with up-to-date versions of any browsers, VisionWeb features well-laid out and intuitive graphical control panels which scale well across a wide range of display sizes. Using VisionWeb the operator can control and monitor the status on all of the products. Virtual boards can be created, containing a subset of controls from one or more boards in any given frame. Forthcoming features include the labelling of frames and slots, as well as the ability to duplicate the control state of one board (including presets) on one or more other boards. The browsers Bookmarks and Favourites make it easy to navigate between frames and boards: products can be organised into folders with meaningful names added to help identify boards, while Mozilla Firefoxs powerful Bookmarks Search can be used to quickly locate a specific board.

Crystal Vision will also be showing its new general remote control panel on Stand 2.B11. VisionPanel is a 3U Ethernet control panel which can operate any Crystal Vision boards which have an XML control file. Designed for those who prefer their control from a physical panel rather than a PC, VisionPanel uses a combination of soft buttons on the large touch screen, eight hard buttons and six knobs with these controls providing different functionality for different products. Easy to rack mount, VisionPanel is particularly well suited to those products that need regular adjustment, with the knobs making fine tuning easy. VisionPanel is Crystal Visions most sophisticated general remote control panel to date, with an improved screen and intuitive menu structure providing a clear view of the frames and boards.

At IBC Crystal Vision will also be revealing enhancements to the Safire 3 Controller, the dedicated 3U control panel for the Safire 3 real-time chroma keyer, which works with 3Gb/s, HD and SD sources and features multi-point sampling for easy auto-setup, an extensive range of fine-tuning tools including built-in colour correction and lighting compensation, and timing adjustments including a frame synchroniser on each input and ten frames of video delay. The first new feature for the Safire 3 Controller allows users to toggle between different set-ups saved as presets for a quick and repeated A/B comparison to ensure the optimum output picture is selected. The second new feature provides an easy way for the operator to quickly step through all the output selections and check that the input video signals are sensible.

Based at Whittlesford near Cambridge in the UK, Crystal Vision provides digital keyers and a full range of interface equipment

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