News

Harris Corporation Supercharges Broadcast Newsroom Editing with the Introduction of NewsForce (27/4/2007)

Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS), an international communications and information technology company, today announced NewsForce(tm) - a complete, file-based newsroom solution built upon the company's advanced NEXIO XS(tm) shared storage server architecture. Taking advantage of the native speed and flexibility of a NEXIO XS(tm) storage area network (SAN), NewsForce(tm) will include a new generation of Harris editors optimized for the fast cutting, voicing and airing of news. The new solution will be showcased at the 2007 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention being held April 16-19 in Las Vegas.

With servers, editors and graphics systems working directly on the NEXIO(tm) SAN, NewsForce(tm) will provide newscasters with a streamlined, MOS-enabled infrastructure for producing, processing, distributing and managing standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) content.

"Integrating a new spectrum of Harris news editors with NEXIO(tm) will enable dramatic workflow advantages for newsroom environments," said Tim Thorsteinson, president of the Harris Broadcast Communications Division. "Newsroom executives and their producers, journalists, editors and technical staff now will have a compelling new reason to migrate to a file-based, online workflow built around a NEXIO XS(tm) server system."

A key element of NewsForce(tm) is the new Harris family of on-SAN news editors, all sharing the same flexible Velocity(tm) user interface: VelocityFX(tm), VelocityPX(tm) and VelocityXNG(tm). The VelocityFX(tm) high-resolution news editing system features Harris(r) Media ID immediate-playout technology, as well as full integration with newsroom computer systems such as AP's ENPS(r) and Avid(r) iNEWS(tm). VelocityPX(tm) is a proxy editor that runs on standard desktop PCs and uses Harris(r) InstantOnline(tm) technology to link sequences that are ready for air to corresponding high-res material on the SAN. VelocityXNG(tm) is a software laptop editor for the field and newsroom, which connects to the SAN via GigE. For craft and promotional editing, customers can utilize the Harris(r) VelocityNX(tm), a full-featured editor that is now in use with leading broadcasters around the world, or a third-party editor optimized to run on the NEXIO(tm) SAN.

A NewsForce(tm) newsroom can be built with any combination of Velocity(tm) or integrated third-party editors. Editors can share projects and work directly on both existing and incoming files, avoiding file exchange and/or the requirement to FTP between systems. Additional advantages include providing NEXIO(tm) and third-party editors with tools for extended access to media and newsroom computer content, and the ability to play all edits immediately to air directly from the timelines without waiting for rendering. The result is a news workflow toolset that enables exceptionally fast completion to air from browse, field and newsroom.

Another feature of NewsForce(tm) is its integration with the Harris(r) Inscriber(r) G-Series(tm) graphics systems - a line of powerful graphics solutions featuring a suite of design tools that includes a character generator, a sequencer, a keyframe animation editor and a media store database. NewsForce(tm) allows direct import of all graphics production elements directly to the news rundown. NewsForce(tm)/G-Series(tm) technology includes native import of still or animated graphics from Mac(r) OS creative tools such as Final Cut Pro(r), Adobe Photoshop(r) and Adobe After Effects(r). With NewsForce(tm), the media producer's graphics department maintains the graphical look within its news presentations.

NEXIO XS(tm) is a line of HD/SD transmission servers featuring integrated, software-based codec technology and software-driven up-, down- and cross-conversion to provide the highest levels of reliability, scalability and format flexibility. The servers connect to the NEXIO(tm) SAN, providing broadcasters with a streamlined infrastructure for producing, processing, distributing and managing SD and HD content. The NEXIO XS(tm) family provides an extensive range of I/O types, integrated applications support and encode options, enabling flexible station transitions from SD to HD news.

www.harris.com

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