News

Leitch Unveils New Cutting-Edge HD Processing Products at NAB 2005 (11/5/2005)

At NAB 2005, Leitch Technology Corporation (TSX:LTV), a leading provider of SD/HD solutions for professional digital video, will showcase its newest high-definition processing products, including the X75(tm)HD combination up, down and cross converter/synchronizer, and feature the launch of the XHD(tm) modular series of broadcast-quality up, down and cross converters. The X75HD and the XHD series products provide the same high-quality up, down and cross conversion, but in different form factors, providing customers unprecedented choice of functionality at various price points. New 6800+ HD core processing modules will also be introduced.

Visitors to the show will be introduced to the new X75HD, which combines simultaneous up/down/cross conversion, SD and HD frame syncs and extensive processing capabilities all in a space-saving 1RU package. Equally suited for analog, digital, or HD hybrid facilities, the X75HD has capabilities that far exceed any digital processing synchronizer and allows broadcasters to do much more with less equipment. Video processing features include simultaneous upconversion and downconversion with aspect ratio conversion for hybrid standard- and high-definition facilities; level/color control; optional 3D adaptive color decoding with time base correction; and optional noise reduction. The X75HD's 16 channels of internal audio processing include timing with video for lip sync corrections; level control; A<>D conversion; embedded processing for both SDI and HD-SDI serial digital signals; and optional integrated Dolby(r) decompression.

Using the same sophisticated technology employed in the X75HD, the NEO XHD series of advanced application HDTV converters will be launched at NAB. The NEO XHD series encompasses broadcast-quality high-definition up, down and cross converter modules that perform many of the key functions of the X75HD in a compact, modular design, including embedded audio pass-through, audio and video syncs, closed captioning translation and optional discrete audio support. For the ultimate system design flexibility, the XHD-3902-UDC combines broadcast-quality up, down and cross conversion together in a single module.

The Leitch 6800+ modular family will showcase core processing products that have evolved from the functionality of the X75HD. 6800+ offers new HMX6800+ multiplexer and HDX6800+ demultiplexer configurations that accommodate two or four balanced or unbalanced AES signals and support both 1080i and 720p standards. The products provide extensive flexibility in audio channel reconfiguration to finely tailor the audio transport to meet facility-specific standards for multiple languages and compressed signals, such as Dolby(r) E, and are able to correct common audio channel problems. The multiplexers embed up to four AES/EBU inputs into any or all of the four audio groups. The demultiplexers de-embed and provide up to four AES/EBU outputs and auto-detect between SD and HD inputs.

Also new for the 6800+ family is the HFS6800+ video frame synchronizer/processor, which handles ingest and re-timing of HD video in any broadcast/professional facility. An integrated proc amp corrects input levels and provides adjustments for black, luminance and chrominance levels. Up to eight frames of delay can be added for 1080i standards and up to 16 frames for 720p.

In addition to supporting Leitch's open CCS(tm) (Command Control System) Protocol, the X75HD, NEO and 6800+ products all offer optional SNMP support, direct to the frame, with support of both SNMP v1 and SNMP v2c. SNMP support is key for facility-wide monitoring applications and offers an industry-standard interface to address interoperability between multiple vendors.

www.leitch.com