Press Release: Ensemble ARC Accommodates the Endless Myriad of HD and SD Signals

Grass Valley, California – 07 September 2006

Ensemble Designs, Inc. has announced that its new 7940 Avenue SD Aspect Ratio Converter is now shipping. Broadcasters and sports facilities are using the 7940 to resize the various signal types they need to process.

“The 7940 provides a way to seamlessly integrate the endless variety of HD and SD signals that stations are dealing with today,” said Ms. Mondae Hott, Sales Manager for Ensemble Designs. “Broadcasters are dealing with myriad signals types that all need to be tied together in a cohesive fashion.”

Multi-format equipment becomes necessary as broadcast facilities are required to handle both HD and SD signals. The new 7940 SD Aspect Ratio Converter and the other modules in the Avenue system together support a multi-format facility. The Avenue control system augments the hardware by handling software upgrades, signal monitoring and alarms.

Audio is automatically delayed as needed to compensate for the video processing. The 7940 supports WSS (Wide Screen Signaling) and VLI (Video Line Index), both of which are used to mark or identify the aspect ratio of the video content.

Ensemble’s Avenue signal integration system is made up of a combination of typical modules and some very interesting, problem-solving modules. Avenue is a modular system with 3RU and 1RU frames, both of which handle HD, SD, ASI and audio signals. Modules include HD up/down converters, video converters, audio embedders, frame syncs, and test signal generators.