Barco signs contracts worth 3 million Euro with Japan’s key broadcast stations

Barco has won major first phase projects with Japan’s broadcasters in their transition to terrestrial digital broadcasting, amounting to a total of 3 million euro. The win confirms that ISTUDIO, Barco’s all-in-one high-density managed monitoring solution, is acknowledged as the most future-proof, flexible and reliable monitoring solution.

Kortrijk, Belgium – May 23, 2003 – Digitalization of TV broadcasting is a national project in Japan. According to a governmental plan, terrestrial digital broadcasting should start in December 2003 in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. By 2011 all TV program will be digitalized. This transition, consisting of three phases, generates and expands the demand for new digital equipment. With its advanced ISTUDIO solution for digital master monitoring, Barco is well positioned to take advantage of this market opportunity, as the contracts won for the first implementation phase illustrate.

Barco’s ISTUDIO consists of a high-quality display with rear-screen projection, a graphic controller, and Web-based operating software. One projection module is capable of simultaneously displaying multiple analog and digital video, embedded audio and computer images (up to 60 channels). Two or more modules can be combined into a huge display wall to monitor hundreds of signals. ISTUDIO acts as a single point of control and includes advanced warning capabilities. With ISTUDIO, operators are no longer confined to a limited number of monitors. They can now size and move a virtual monitor anywhere on the screen for maximum viewing. This enables display of a higher number of video sources in the same amount of space and with the same number of operators.

Barco Control Rooms has successfully completed iSTUDIO projects for major players all over the world, including Telecinco, Kosmos TV, NTL, Optus TV, Orbit, Pan Am Sat, Prime Television, Time Warner, Turner, VRT, France 2, France 3, Euskaltel, Disney Channel, Echo Star, DirecTV, CNN International, Canal Satéllite, Alfacam, ABC-KGO... The recent adoption of ISTUDIO by Japan’s major players confirms that ISTUDIO is currently the most advanced solution for broadcast and distribution monitoring.

Japan’s migration to fully digital will take place in three major phases. The first phase (2003–2004) has already begun and nine key stations of the three largest cities, Tokyo (NTV, TBS), Osaka (MBS, KTV, TVO) and Nagoya (NBN, CTV, THK), have decided to adopt Barco’s rear-projection solution instead of CRT monitor solutions. Barco is confident that the success in this first phase will set the standard for digitalization and that more contracts will follow in the second phase (2005-2006, key stations in other cities) and third phase (2007-2010, local stations) of the project.


About Barco

Barco, an international company headquartered in Kortrijk, Belgium, is active in three key areas of imaging technology. Barco designs and develops solutions for large screen visualization, display solutions for life-critical applications, and systems for visual inspection. Barco has a network of subsidiaries, distributors and agents in almost 100 countries. Barco is quoted on Brussels/Euronext and is a BEL 20 and a Next 150 company.

 

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