EPTV Uses Grass Valley Technology For Two New HD Station Upgrades

Brazil's Empresa Paulista de Televisao (EPTV) continues its more than ten year history in investing in Grass Valley technology, this time for its conversion to digital and high-definition operations, with the recent purchase of new equipment and systems at two of its TV GLOBO-affiliated broadcast and playout facilities.
One of the stations, EPTV Campinas, will be on the air in August of this year with new Grass Valley HD production equipment to be used to produce its daily newscasts and talk shows.
The new purchase illustrates Grass Valley's strong reputation in the region, as customers recognise the value of local customer support, flexible technology and competitive prices. EPTV operates three TV stations that cover the State of Sao Paulo and one TV station that cover the south of the State of Minas Gerais.
EPTV Campinas is building a complete HD news production studio that includes four Grass Valley LDK 4000 HD cameras, a Kayak HD switcher, an Indigo AV Mixer, a Concerto Series HD video router and GeckoFlex signal processing modules. EPTV Campinas has also purchased a new K2 Summit server and one K2 Dyno replay controller that will be used for high-quality HD slow-motion replays and time delay functions, among other things, for its studio and OB van.
A second station, EPTV Ribeirao Preto, is planning a new digital playout centre that will insert commercials and other branding elements and then distribute digital programming throughout the country. The new facility will include a Grass Valley Maestro master control and branding systems, a Concerto HD router, Jupiter router control software, a K2 HD media server, and GeckoFlex modular products.
The system being installed is similar to one installed at EPTV Campinas last year, which has been operating flawlessly.
José Francisco Valencia, Technical Director at EPTV, said: "Our great success with Grass Valley equipment in the past has led us to install its equipment at all of our new facilities. These current projects are part of our future and we would not trust them to any other company but Grass Valley, not just because of the quality of the equipment, but the great local support we receive."
Jeff Rosica, Senior Vice President of Grass Valley, said: "While our long-standing relationship with EPTV was a factor in Grass Valley being awarded this contract, it is our local support and service in Latin America that, time after time, brings customers like EPTV to Grass Valley.
No other broadcast equipment manufacturer has the commitment that Grass Valley has for its customers all over the world."
EPTV has been a long-time Grass Valley customer, with previously installed standard-definition cameras, switchers, routers, master control systems and encoders operating for many years throughout the network.
Further information is available at: www.grassvalley.com.
(KMcA/BMcC)