Bell ExpressVu Installs Thomson Grass Valley Trinix 512 Router
(International Broadcasting Convention 2002 – Booth 8.151) Amsterdam, 12 September 2002 –With demand for its services increasing, Bell ExpressVu, Canada's largest direct-to-home (DTH) satellite broadcaster, has placed a multi-million euro order with Thomson Grass Valley for the Trinix™ 512 digital video routing switcher. Fully populated to process standard- and high-definition (SD and HD) signals, the system is the largest single-rack installation of SD and HD routers in Canada.
With a 512x512 design, a 32 RU chassis, and the ability to route SD and HD signal simultaneously, the Trinix 512 is the most dense and versatile routing switcher of its size. When installed this fall at Bell ExpressVu's new 27,000 square foot digital facility near Toronto, it will double the satellite broadcaster's routing capacity to facilitate its requirement for HD, SDI, and ASI distribution for more than 500 channels.
To complement its new routers, Bell ExpressVu also purchased a Thomson Grass Valley PVS 2000 HD Profile® XP Media Platform system; a Concerto™ Series audio router; an Encore™ facility control system; a 64X64 HD Trinix routing switcher and a significant number of Gecko 8900 distribution amplifiers.
"We chose the Trinix system because it is the largest, most flexible router in a single frame we've ever come across," said Robert Peter, director of broadcast technology for Bell ExpressVu. "We like the fact that the Trinix system supports various digital video and audio formats, including SDI, ASI, and HD because we intend to use them all. The Thomson Grass Valley Trinix router is also wideband and is SDI fully expandable to HD, so we know our investment is safe and we can grow with it—and that's important for our business."
"Our routers continue to lead the market in terms of features, flexibility, and fundamental technologies," said Marc Valentin, vice president for the Thomson Grass Valley business. "We're delighted to partner with Bell ExpressVu on its Trinix 512 installation."
The routing systems within the Trinix 512 frame will support a new Bell ExpressVu satellite to be launched in December of 2002. The satellite will add several HD channels, dozens of SD video and music channels, Internet access, and other forms of interactive TV applications to the DTH broadcaster's offerings. The new Trinix router will distribute an ever-expanding lineup of digital channels and the HD router for studio production.
The routing systems are scheduled to go on air in the spring of 2003.
About The Trinix 512
The Thomson Grass Valley Trinix 512 digital routing switcher handles SMPTE standard digital video signals from 3 Mb/s to 1.486 Gb/s. It scales from 32x32 to 512x512 in increments of 32 inputs and/or outputs by simply adding a new circuit board and enables the assignment of any 32x32 set of inputs and outputs to support any combination of SD or HD signals. Like all Trinix routers, it can be expanded by the use of passive input/output combiners for sizes up to 2048x2048. It also offers four sync inputs, giving it the ability to synchronously switch multiple formats simultaneously; four output monitors for additional visibility of critical signals; and dual or quad non-inverting outputs via passive expanders for simple, easy, and cost-effective signal distribution. For heat-dissipation efficiency, the 512 Trinix chassis, like all Trinix routing switchers, employs an N+1 fan system in which all fans work together to provide efficient, redundant cooling.
The routing switcher also includes the Thomson Grass Valley BroadLinx™ Web-based status and advanced alarm-monitoring software, which provides real-time equipment status for monitoring, set-up, and configuration changes using a facility's network and any Web browser.
Like other members of the Trinix family, the Trinix 512 routing switcher features a passive rear-panel design that allows for simple front-serviceable upgrades by hot-swapping modules—all without taking the system offline. It also features low-power consumption for power-sensitive installations; available redundant, load-sharing power supplies, and compatibility with all Trinix router modules.
About Thomson
With sales of 10.5 billion Euros (U.S. $ 9.3 billion) in 2001 and 73,000 employees in more than 30 countries, Thomson (Euronext: 18453) (NYSE: TMS), provides a wide range of video (and enabling) technologies, systems, finished products and services to consumers and professionals in the entertainment and media industries. To advance and enable the digital media transition, Thomson has five principal activities: Digital Media Solutions, Displays and Components, Consumer Products, Patents and Licensing and New Media Services. The company distributes its products and services under the THOMSON, RCA and TECHNICOLOR brand names. For more information: www.thomson-multimedia.com.
A business within Thomson Digital Media Solutions, Thomson Grass Valley delivers open, integrated digital products that work together along the entire digital video chain to support a variety of workflows, from content capture and acquisition through production, post production, and transmission. With a proven track record in broadcast, including 17 Emmy® and multiple industry awards, it offers an award-winning, robust product portfolio that touches more high-quality content than any other; product and systems expertise that has yielded hundreds of patents and a number of industry standards; and worldwide software engineering expertise and customer support teams that are second to none.
For information about Thomson Grass Valley products please visit www.thomsongrassvalley.com.