HD Advantage Drives Forward OmniBus iTX Momentum

OmniBus Systems has announced that iTX, the groundbreaking software production and transmission system, has notched up $7.5 million in orders, with a large proportion from sales to customers launching high-definition (HD) services.
At NAB2007 OmniBus is launching iTX version 1.1, featuring new HD ingest and content browsing capabilities that further strengthen the solution's appeal as a platform for HD broadcasting.
Based on a like-for-like specification of 20 HD playout channels, five HD ingest channels, 2.3 TB of online storage and 12 TB of nearline storage, an HD broadcasting solution based on iTX requires only around half the investment needed for a setup using conventional hardware. "That is a huge consideration for broadcasters of any size that are scaling up for HD," said Ian Fletcher, CTO, OmniBus Systems. "We are finding that broadcasters are drawn to iTX not only for these cost advantages, but also because it simplifies many of the technical issues facing designers of new HD installations."
"There are a number of challenges, including dealing with surround sound and the upconversion of existing content," added Fletcher. "iTX solves all of these problems in a single software package by enabling broadcasters to produce a hybrid schedule consisting of HD and SD, and a mix of stereo and 5.1. iTX seamlessly marries all these types of content into an HD-compatible 5.1 output with all upconversion being done in real time."
iTX is a revolutionary, next-generation software-based production and transmission solution that uses just standard IT hardware and advanced software technology. By leveraging the performance, cost and connectivity benefits of industry-standard hardware, iTX makes online storage, video serving and nearline storage simpler and far more economic to install. In addition, because the iTX software handles video effects, logo generation and digital/analogue conversion, the traditional investment in dedicated equipment is unnecessary.
More information about OmniBus Systems' digital asset management, automation and transmission technology is available online at www.omnibus.tv
(SP)