Bulgaria National Television Expands With Pro-Bel

Pro-Bel, providers of automation, media management and master control solutions and routing, control and signal distribution systems, has announced that Bulgaria National Television (BNT) - the country's public broadcaster founded in 1959 - is maintaining a long-standing reliance on Pro-Bel as it digitises its infrastructure.
BNT, headquartered in the capital Sofia, has ordered and is currently installing a Pro-Bel Cygnus router and accompanying control systems, including elements of Pro-Bel's new infrastructure management system MCM (Morpheus Control and Monitoring). The deal has been overseen by Pro-Bel's regional business partner Audio Video Consult Limited.
BNT is in the process of digitising its complete infrastructure with a future upgrade to HD very much in mind. Vessela Pekova, Chief Engineer at BNT, explained: "The Cygnus router - which is currently equipped 144 x 144 - is situated in the central apparatus room (CAR) with all internal and external signals being routed and monitored via the new technology."
The CAR is the last step in completing the move to digital. Pekova added: "The old CAR was analogue while most of the islands were digital and this meant that we had to convert signals all the time. This new system makes things far more operationally efficient."
BNT broadcasts two channels - BNT 1 terrestrially and TV Bulgaria via satellite. It has been using Pro-Bel technology since 1986 with the original analogue router still working. Pekova also highlights the fact that Cygnus will allow a cost-effective transition to HD.
For Pro-Bel Regional Manager Roger Sewell, the BNT deal is particularly significant. He said: "I built, tested and installed their original Pro-Bel router in 1986 and it is very satisfying to be able to help them upgrade to the latest technology more than 20 years later."
Adrian Scott, Chief Marketing Officer of Pro-Bel, said: "This is a great example of how Pro-Bel helps it customers keep pace with change over long periods. Both then and now, our technology is engineered with precision and quality, and with an eye to future requirements as well as current ones."
(KMcA/JM)