revisiting news in anticipation of nab99....
but it seems like it was longer than a year ago, somehow.
wouldn't it be nice to have an update from LPAC???
LASER PACIFIC PREPARING TO LAUNCH FIRST HIGH DEFINITION MASTERING SYSTEM FOR PRIMETIME TELEVISION PROGRAMS
NEW YORK, February 3, 1998 - Continuing its pioneering efforts in the area of television mastering and post production, Los Angeles-based Laser Pacific Media Corporation is working with Sony Electronics to implement the first end-to-end High Definition Television (HDTV) solution for television mastering. Recognizing the changing marketplace for its customers, Laser Pacific expects to commence production of its first body of work in high definition mastering for primetime television by early March, 1998. Sony will be supporting the high definition effort by Laser Pacific to assist them in meeting their commitments.
"Our efforts in HDTV development go back almost 15 years," said Emory Cohen, president of Laser Pacific. "After careful assessment of our marketplace, recent commitment to the FCC on the part of the networks, and recognizing that our customers - television program producers - needed their products to be saleable three, five or seven years down the line, we decided now was the time to provide them with an HD finishing solution."
Charting new waters is familiar territory for Laser Pacific, as they have won four Emmys for technical achievement over the past 10 years.
"As with our previous technical implementations, minimizing the effect to our customers' daily operations is the key ingredient," Cohen said. "In the case of our HD mastering system, the implementation will be invisible to our customers."
According to Cohen, Laser Pacific looked at the process of post production for TV programs, broke it down into its functional components, and applied it to HD so that the post production process is the same for both.
"When we were assessing all the information and talking with manufacturers about available HD products and products in the pipeline, it was clear that Sony was far along in its implementation of HD and had the most comprehensive HD product line available," Cohen added.
Laser Pacific has ordered high definition production systems from Sony. The equipment complements Laser Pacific's plans to use five HDW-500 editing VTRs, one HDS-7000 production switcher, one HDME-7000 multi-effects unit, one HDM-20 monitor, a HDM-2830 monitor and the PFV-HD/HKPF series of HDTV conversion and distribution products.
By early March, Laser Pacific expects to have in place the capability to telecine transfer high definition dailies, perform online assemblies, conventional online editing, titling, and full capability timing - all in high definition. During the first implementation, Laser Pacific will be creating both high definition and very high quality digitally downconverted standard definition television masters - giving customers confidence as they are introduced to high definition.
"It is relationships with innovators like Laser Pacific that enable us to stay on the crest in developing the best HDTV solutions," said Ed Hobson, vice president of production systems for Sony Electronics' Business and Professional Group. "Laser Pacific laid out all the equipment requirements, our job was to insure their commitment to an HDTV roll out in early March was met."
Laser Pacific is a leading provider of post production services for primetime television sitcoms and dramas. Among its services are motion picture processing, telecine, online editing, offline editing, color correction, duplication, digital video compression for DVD authoring and mastering, and production services.
Editor's Note: More information about Sony products can be found on the World Wide Web at sony.com, or readers may call 1-800-686-SONY. Additional press information is available at sony.com.
The Business and Professional Group of Sony Electronics is a leading U.S. supplier of video and audio equipment for the broadcast, production, business, industrial, government, medical, and education markets. Sony offers a wide array of products and systems for image capture, production, and display. Sony also provides specialized equipment and systems for data recording, duplication, electronic photography/publishing, video conferencing, high definition video, interactive and security applications. In the last fiscal year, Sony Electronics had record sales of more than $9.6 billion. |
