Dubai TV chooses Barco for its new studio in Dubai Media City
Kuurne, Belgium – August 23rd 2004 – Dubai TV decided to invest in a brand new TV studio that is setting a new standard in the Middle East not only in size but also with cutting edge high tech equipment. Barco was chosen to provide iPresent, its high quality backdrop display solution, featuring excellent high resolution, excellent on-camera performance, superior flexibility and high interactivity. Three Barco iPresent walls have been installed covering a total surface of 20m2. The grand opening in June was attended by media celebrities and was broadcast across the Middle East.
Strategically located in Dubai at the crossroads of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, and rapidly emerging as a global media hub, Dubai Media City was the logical choice for Dubai TV’s new studio.Dubai TV’s newsroom is centered around an impressive multi-stage and multi-floor set design and includes studio facilities and state-of-the-art audio-visual and IT technology as well as dynamic news production equipment. The studio includes six different sets for main international news bulletins, international news briefs, sports news, political programs, talk shows and debates, current affairs, local news briefs, dynamic stand-up locations, weather and VIP/guest programs.
Dubai TV selected Barco to install iPresent, its latest and most sophisticated display wall solution. Barco installed two backdrop walls of 4x2 modules and one of 3x2 modules, each consisting of 50” projection modules with XGA resolution and the latest DLPTM technology. The iPresent backdrop solution consists of specifically adapted rear-projection modules allowing Dubai TV to use the wall as a high-quality alternative for a traditional on-stage video wall.
The high resolution rear-projection modules support 3200K color temperature to match with the studio lighting, provide excellent on-camera performance and offer wide viewing angles for optimum flexibility of camera positions. The high quality projection modules based on the latest DLPTM technology incorporate dual lamps with hot stand-by capability resulting in 100% availability.
“One of the main issues that we have always had with video walls in the past is that the minute a lamp goes out, it’s very difficult to calibrate the monitor so you can’t retain the same color temperature and video levels as the others,” explains Mark Karlen, Broadcast Design International. ”But the Barco solution installed at the newsroom is a new, sophisticated solution that uses a dual lamp system. The minute one lamp goes out, another instantly lights up in its place and within two to three seconds, the internal software automatically calibrates the brightness level to match the rest of the cubes on the wall.”
“All the equipment you see in the newsroom has been purchased specifically for this project. There is no old material, upgraded or retrofitted equipment here,” says Karl Hijazi. He adds that the solution at the newsroom is flexible and can be adapted and grown so that in the future, they will be able to expand, and that the system enables Dubai TV with a 24 hour news channel, which is their ultimate goal.
The Dubai TV Newsroom was planned, designed and created from scratch within four months. “This was a real challenge because normally operational efficiency drops during installation. But we worked very closely with Intertech Vision Middle East, our business partner in Dubai, and Mr Hassan Chahine from Dubai TV. We’ve put a lot of effort into the project management side of things and the planning to ensure that we counteracted those risks,” explains Johan Quartier, Director Market Development Barco.
“Our goal is to be the number one Pan-Arab station in the next two years,” says Hussein Lootah, CEO Dubai Media Inc. More than 20 new programs, suited for the whole family and produced locally, have been included into the schedule. Presenters and hosts include prominent political scientists like Dr. Abdulkhaleq Abdulla and Dr. Mohammed bin Huwaidin, rising stars like Dina Al Sharaf and Khalid Al Marri and Arab TV personalities like Lina Sawan, Marianne Klat, just to name a few.
The transition from a conventional state broadcaster to a dynamic television network has not been an easy one but as with all things, Sheikh Mohammed and his cadre of young Emiratis have proved that anything is possible in this part of the world. Dubai is recognized the world over as a modern and progressive country. Dubai TV was committed to provide a state-of-the-art and unrivalled broadcast service for the community. Their mission is to reflect and build upon this recognition through the transformation of their radio and television services into one that is amongst the best in the world.
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.
