Latest News
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Sep 2010
dB Broadcast increase engineering department
dB Broadcast, the Cambridge based leading UK independent system integrator, has made two further appointments in the engineering department.
Adam Hewes has joined as a Project Engineer, while James Grajcarek has moved from the company's proposals department.
Adam graduated from Ravensbourne College in 2003 with a Higher National Diploma in Professional Broadcasting: Digital Technology and joined Channel Five as Engineering Co-ordinator.
In 2005, he joined The Mill facility as an engineer in 2005, providing support for post production systems and managing installation projects.
He moved on to Digital Vision two years later where he took up the role of Field Applications Engineer.
At dB Broadcast he is currently working on a major contract with the BBC.
James joined dB in 2008 with a BSc degree in Media Technology from Salford University and provided quotation support for the company’s own range of products and broadcast system proposals.
His excellent progress has led to a position in engineering as part of the team undertaking projects in London.
Adam and James take the number of new additions in the engineering department to four in the past two months
Iain Betson and Mike Bryan both joined the company in June, while Steve Carlson was promoted to Project Manager.
dB Broadcast is currently dealing with a number of multi-million pound projects and have moved to increase their engineering team in order to ensure successful delivery.
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Aug 2010
dB Broadcast is selected as one of the strategic SIs for Sky’s new Broadcasting Facility
Leading UK independent system integrator dB Broadcast has won a prestigious contract from BSkyB to build the Broadcast Centre technical facilities within Sky’s new production and broadcasting facility on its Osterley Campus in West London.
This facility is a sustainable landmark broadcast facility which will provide studios, technical, and operational space for people in Broadcast Operations, Sky Sports, and Broadcast Technology.
dB Broadcast has been appointed to install, test and commission the core technical facilities within the Broadcast Centre component. This includes the playout, compression and lines processing systems, enabling Sky to distribute their programmes to many platforms - including the traditional satellite feeds, new media streaming, mobile phone services and many more. dB Broadcast is also responsible for the installation of the Broadcast control system, IPTV system and the talkback facilities.
The Central Technical Area consists of a number of apparatus rooms with a capacity to hold 400 bays of technical equipment. At the outset approximately 80% of these will be populated allowing space for further expansion and future technology to be easily accommodated. The Playout area will boast over 35 operational desks, controlling and monitoring BSkyB’s output over the multiple platforms. As part of this complex installation dB Broadcast will work closely with Sky personnel to migrate all the existing services to this new facility.
Tom Swan, dB’s director of sales and marketing, said: “We won this major contract because of our experience in providing similar large systems and because we are one of the few companies with significant experience in encoding and compression as well as playout.
dB Broadcast is one of the UK’s largest independent system integrators with a full time staff of more than 50 and this enables the company to take on multiple projects of this size.”
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Aug 2010
dB Broadcast launches Hawkeye DVB-T2 receiver at IBC2010
Leading UK independent system integrator and product manufacturer dB Broadcast will introduce a DVB-T2 receiver module at IBC2010.
The Hawkeye B104 series module has been designed for continuous off air terrestrial reception of DVB-T and DVB-T2 RF signals. The receiver can be used as part of Re-Broadcast transmitter system or for direct monitoring of a transmitter.
The structure of a DVB-T2 signal is complex and requires detailed monitoring to ensure that the correct format is transmitted. The B104 allows a template to be generated, which is used to compare the received DVB-T2 signal against expected parameters and if they are different an alarm can be generated. Eight fixed templates and eight programmable templates are provided and these are configured using a Graphical User Interface (GUI) or by SNMP.
The template parameters include Modulation Error Ration (MER), Low Density Parity Check codes (LDPC), maximum and minimum Transport Stream bit rates, frequency errors and many others. Frequency error is useful at transposer sites to ensure that the transmitter is outputting the correct frequency.
dB Broadcast have already taken significant orders for the DVB-T2 receiver.
Tom Swan, Sales and Marketing Director at dB Broadcast says: “The DVB-T2 standard was ratified a couple of years ago and is being adopted in many countries because of its higher bandwidth compared to DVB-T. This allows multiple high definition services to be provided on a single multiplex.
“The Hawkeye modular system provides a simple upgrade path from DVB-T to DVB-T2. The B102 DVB-T receiver is replaced by the B104 DVB-T2 receiver, leaving the system wiring unchanged.”
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Jul 2010
dB Broadcast supply HD DTT coding and multiplexing services
Leading UK independent system integrator dB Broadcast has announced the completion of a major contract from Siemens IT Solutions and Services to supply the BBC with HD coding and multiplexing services. This enables viewers to watch programmes in high definition on digital terrestrial TV (DTT).
These services have allowed millions of viewers to watch the 2010 FIFA World Cup in high definition for the first time.
The high definition service on Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) became the first DVB-T2 HD service in the world with a technical launch at the end of 2009.
Earlier in the year, dB had completed for Siemens IT Solutions and Services the build of the centralised coding and multiplexing nodes (CCM nodes) and these laid the foundations for providing HD on DTT.
In a phased rollout, the BBC’s overall project will eventually lead to at least four high definition channels being available across the majority of UK households, including those from other public service broadcasters, such as ITV, S4C and Channel 4.
Using advanced statistical multiplexing, transmission, and compression technologies and dB’s Hawkeye products, Siemens IT Solutions and Services has engineered the system to avoid any single point of failure within the transmission chain.
The B080 series of Hawkeye modules supports MPEG2, MPEG4, DVB and ATSC standards. The DTT services use more than 50 modules and provide near-seamless switching.
Tom Swan, Sales and Marketing Director says, “dB Broadcast is delighted to have been involved with this ground breaking project and I expect many enjoyed watching the 2010 World Cup finals in HD through FreeView.
“By 2012, the vast majority of UK viewers will be able to enjoy at least four channels in HD delivered through their TV aerials”
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Jun 2010
dB Broadcast recruits new Project Managers
Leading UK independent system integrator dB Broadcast have increased their engineering team to fourteen with the appointment of three new Project Managers.
Steve Carlson has been promoted to Project Manager, while Iain Betson and Mike Bryan both arrive with significant experience in the broadcast industry.
The company is undertaking several large projects and they will support Engineering Director Gareth Evans in managing the department as well as leading projects.
Steve Carlson joined dB Broadcast in 1997 as a Graduate Engineer and more recently has been a Senior Engineer before being promoted to Project Manager.
Iain Betson worked initially at the BBC before moving into the commercial sector and managing facility builds for the likes of London’s XFM and Kiss 100.
Mike Bryan started his career at the BBC where he managed the delivery of SNG and other vehicles and most recently spent time working in the events industry.
David Bird, founder and Managing Director of dB Broadcast, says: "It gives me great pleasure to announce the promotion of Steve Carlson and welcome Iain and Mike to dB Broadcast. Their breadth of experience and expertise will be of significant value at a time when the company is seeing sustained and rapid growth.
“dB is currently undertaking several multi million pound projects and will be taking on further staff including draughtsmen, engineers and wiring technicians.”
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Apr 2010
dB Broadcast: expert in fibre installations
Six of dB Broadcast’s engineers and wiring technicians have recently qualified under City & Guilds 3666 to install, joint, terminate and test fibre optic cabling.
dB Broadcast, one of the UK’s leading systems integration specialists, has been at the forefront of the industry-wide move from traditional copper wire systems to fibre-optic systems.
City & Guilds 3666 has been developed in conjunction with the UK fibre optics industry and is approved by the Fibreoptic Industry Association (FIA).
Trainees are shown why fibre optic cabling is used, recommended installation practices and troubleshooting techniques.
Following the training, dB Broadcast has undertaken fibre optic installations for two major broadcasters in London and at a number of transmitter sites in the UK.
Sales and Marketing Director, Tom Swan says "dB Broadcast is unique amongst systems integrators in having its own large wiring team and it is a logical step to have in-house expertise and equipment to carry out and test fibre installations.
“This course has given us the expertise to undertake fibre optical installations within an indoor environment as well as the design, testing and commissioning."
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Apr 2010
dB Broadcast completes TV studio facility for West Thames College
Now in its 21st year, Cambridge-based systems integrator dB Broadcast has recently completed a new television studio and associated control room for West Thames College at their Isleworth Campus in West London.
The contract included the design, prefabrication, supply, installation and commissioning of a 3-camera TV studio equipped with HD cameras and a separate production gallery featuring a custom-designed control desk with 3 operators for lighting, vision and sound control. Other equipment provided for the new facility included a Panasonic HD vision mixer, Trilogy talkback system, JVC HD monitors and JVC tape machines.
Work on the project started late in 2009 and was completed earlier this year. The studio will be used initially to offer students a 2-year Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma in Media Production.
Tom Swan, dB Broadcast's director of sales and marketing, commented: "We are always pleased to continue our involvement in providing training for the next generation of broadcast professionals. dB prides itself on our established training schemes for engineering and wiring personnel and is pleased to add the installation at WTC to our portfolio of successful projects in the Further/Higher Education sector”.
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Mar 2010
The world warms to dB Broadcast’s Cardinal MDU
dB Broadcast, the Cambridge based systems integrator, has been working to improve the Cardinal range of intelligent mains distribution units (iMDUs) with the addition of an optional temperature sensor.
The Cardinal range of iMDUs was launched at IBC 2009 and has proved popular with dB receiving 1000 orders over the past six months.
The Cardinal MDU provides fully featured web and SNMP interfaces giving easy access to sophisticated remote control and configuration facilities. The optional temperature sensor can be connected to the Cardinal MDU via a serial cable and can be located anywhere in the rack.
Information on the temperature within the rack is available on the SNMP or web interface and includes current temperature, and a table containing maximum and minimum temperatures recorded per hour.
If the temperature exceeds a user configured maximum or falls short of a minimum set value it causes an alarm to be raised on the SNMP interface, web interface or via email messaging.
The MDU can be configured so that it switches off one or more outputs of the Cardinal when the temperature exceeds the user configured maximum. If the rack temperature goes above this preset value, the Cardinal will automatically switch off the power to specified equipment preventing them from being damaged.
Tom Swan, Sales and Marketing Director at dB Broadcast says: "We are continuing to develop the features on the Cardinal range and would be pleased to discuss any new customer requirements."
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Jan 2010
dB Broadcast at BVE 2010
dB Broadcast, the leading UK independent system integrator and manufacturer, will be attending the 2010 Broadcast Video Expo with a new range of Cardinal intelligent MDUs on display.
More than 500 units have been ordered since the product launch at IBC2009. Each MDU in the Cardinal range provides 12 separate outputs, an SNMP interface, email messaging, a choice of single or dual inputs and optional current and temperature monitoring all in a 1RU unit.
dB Broadcast also manufactures the Hawkeye range of monitoring and switching modules and the Showman analogue receiver. Both of these products will be on display. The Hawkeye range of monitoring and switch modules continues to grow and is now accepted as one of the market leaders in its field.
A recent UK project included 500 Hawkeye frames with 3,000 modules, which comprised of B080 series, and B049 ASI monitor/switch modules and B102 DVB-T COFDM receivers.
Over the past 12 months dB Broadcast has also completed many projects from studios through to transmission.
In October, dB completed a large contract to relocate BBC London's television facilities to the new Egton Wing adjacent to Broadcasting House in central London..
dB Broadcast also won a major contract from Arqiva to supply and install the Programme Input Equipment (PIE) at 90 transmitter sites as part of digital switchover (DSO).
Tom Swan, Sales and Marketing Director at dB Broadcast says, “Broadcast Video Expo is an excellent show for presenting the company’s products and recent projects. It is also an ideal opportunity for customers to meet the company’s staff and discuss their system requirements”.
The new products will be on show and the systems presented on the dB stand number H58 at Broadcast Video Expo, Earls Court 2, 16th to 18th February 2010.
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Dec 2009
dB Broadcast completes television relocation
dB Broadcast, the Cambridge based systems integrator, has recently completed a large contract to relocate BBC London's television facilities to the new Egton Wing adjacent to Broadcasting House in central London.
The station produces local television news programmes and local radio news for the capital as well as web publishing, regional Ceefax and contributions to the Corporation’s network television news.
The relocation contract won by dB Broadcast included the design, prefabrication, installation and commissioning of a 4 camera TV studio with control gallery, as well as a 2 camera in-vision presenter position for short news bulletins within the newsroom.
In addition, dB oversaw the delivery of a hub transfer area for receiving incoming material for ingest to the video server, ten editing workstations, two non-linear editing systems and a weather graphics system.
The new facility includes the Sienna network news automation system manufactured by Gallery software. This is an Apple Mac based system which comprises of a video server with editing and viewing workstations, playout control, ingest and archiving.
Other major equipment included within the system are the QMDX vision mixer from Ross Video, Zeta digital audio console from Calrec, Evertz vision router and Miranda multiviewers.
Work on the project started late 2008 and the facility went live on September 28th this year.
dB Broadcast has spent the past few weeks assisting the BBC W1 team in getting the television station on air.
Tom Swan, dB Broadcast's director of sales and marketing, adds: "The initial vision system is for a 625/50 SD system, but an important requirement was that it could operate at 1080P in the future.
“To support this migration, dB had to select products with an upgrade path to 1080P as well design and build an HD infrastructure. It was also important to provide a system approach that would be familiar to the current operational team at BBC London."
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Nov 2009
dB Broadcast wins Arqiva PIE contract
Leading independent system integrator and manufacturer dB Broadcast has won a major contract from Arqiva to supply and install the Programme Input Equipment (PIE) at 90 transmitter sites as part of digital switchover (DSO). DSO is already well underway in the UK with Arqiva upgrading the entire terrestrial television infrastructure by 2012.
The first full switchover was at the Selkirk transmitter group in November 2008 and this was followed by the West Country. The next region to stop analogue transmission and become fully digital is Wales in late 2009.
Currently more than two thirds of UK homes have digital television, but by 2012 DSO will deliver full-power digital television signals from all transmission sites across the country.
dB is supplying more than 550 bays across the 90 key sites. Prefabrication and testing is being done at dB’s factory and installation carried out by dB’s in-house technicians. The project includes approximately 500 Hawkeye frames with 3,000 modules, which include B080 series and B049 ASI monitor/switch modules and B102 DVB-T COFDM receivers.
dB Broadcast is also responsible for the onsite cabling from the sites’ incoming programme feeds to the inputs of the transmitters and the installation of the IT network, remote alarm and RF monitoring infrastructure. This includes RF, ASI and Ethernet cabling, some of which is fibre.
Tom Swan sales and marketing director says "dB Broadcast is pleased to be part of such a large and prestigious project and is testimony to dB's expertise in providing PIE systems and the quality of the Hawkeye product range.
dB is the UK’s leading supplier of Programme Input Equipment (PIE) racks for monitoring and switching signals at transmitter sites and the company will customise the PIE configuration to meet the customer’s exact requirements.
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For further information contact:
Tom Swan, Sales & Marketing Director tom.swan@dbbroadcast.co.uk
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Oct 2009
dB Broadcast announce two appointments
Leading UK independent system integrator dB Broadcast has created two new posts, coming into effect from the start of October.
Eugene Cooke joins as Business Development Manager with Jerry Lyle taking the position of Product Manager.
The post of Business Development Manager has been created in order to help dB seek out and win new business, particularly in overseas markets.
Eugene Cooke has a large amount of knowledge and experience in the broadcast industry as a senior sales executive and has spent time with Omneon and Snell & Wilcox. He will be aiming to build on the company’s strong contacts abroad, especially in Europe and the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the post of Product Manager has been created following a restructuring within dB Broadcast with the aim of placing greater emphasis on expanding the company’s range of products.
Jerry Lyle will be responsible for researching potential new product lines and bringing these products to market. He was previously Head of Development at Broadcast Technology, which became part of Harmonic in 2005, and has worked for dB on a consultancy basis since 2008.
David Bird, Managing Director of dB Broadcast said: “We are delighted to welcome both Eugene and Jerry into the company.
“They will provide valuable experience and expertise which will I feel confident will help us drive forward and meet our business aims over the coming years”.
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Aug 2009
dB Broadcast to introduce Cardinal range of intelligent MDUs at IBC 2009
Leading UK independent system integrator and manufacturer dB Broadcast will
introduce a range of intelligent mains distribution units (iMDUs) at IBC.
The Cardinal range of iMDUs provide fully featured web and SNMP interfaces giving easy access to sophisticated remote control and configuration facilities. The units include email messaging, current monitoring, a choice of single or dual inputs and optional remote temperature sensing, all in a 1RU unit.
The dual input version allows two separate sources to be connected to the unit and switching between them is automatic when an input power failure occurs. The unit can be configured to send SNMP traps and email alarms when faults occur, including loss of input mains power and blown fuses. It includes an error log.
dB Broadcast have already taken significant orders for the Cardinal range.
Tom Swan, Sales and Marketing Director at dB Broadcast says: “Several of dB’s
current projects require intelligent MDUs, which are invaluable in larger systems with a central monitoring system.
“For example, measuring the current on each output enables users to detect failures or meet energy conservation initiatives and monitoring the temperature in the rack can avoid overheating and damage to the equipment. All these results can be reported to the central monitoring system via SNMP traps”.
dB Broadcast also manufactures the Hawkeye range of monitoring/switching
modules and the Showman analogue receiver, all of which will be on show at IBC.
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Jan 2009
dB Broadcast appoints Gareth Evans as Engineering Director
Leading UK independent system integrator dB Broadcast has promoted Gareth Evans to the position of Engineering Director.
He will bring to the board of directors a wealth of experience gained over 30 years in the broadcast industry.
Gareth will be responsible for leading the project implementation team and for setting out the future direction of the engineering section in these challenging and fast changing times.
He manages a staff of 11 experienced project managers, system and test engineers and also manages contractors selected from a pool of trusted engineers.
All engineering training and staff development will be Gareth’s responsibility with the product development team continuing to report directly to David Bird, Managing Director of dB Broadcast.
Having joined dB in 2001 as a project manager, he progressed to engineering manager in 2006.
Gareth’s wide experience has enabled him to take direct responsibility for many of the company’s larger projects over the last seven years.
These have included studio based projects for BBC Wales, MTV and QVC, and a major multi-channel playout centre for Turner Entertainment (TENIL) in central London.
Gareth’s broadcast engineering career began when he joined BBC Wales from school as a technical assistant and later qualified as a BBC engineer working on electronic maintenance and on projects.
After 10 years at the BBC, he joined Television South West in Plymouth as a project engineer during which time he was instrumental in the introduction of new technologies and working practises.
After the demise of TSW, he continued in project engineering and managed a wide range of studio based and OB vehicle projects, both in the UK and abroad.
David Bird, founder and Managing Director of dB Broadcast, says: "Gareth’s promotion to engineering director is in recognition of the excellent work he has done as head of engineering.
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Jan 2009
dB Broadcast 20th Anniversary
In a small unit on Sedgeway
With 600 square foot of room to play
Dave Bird started the company dB
With just two staff making a total of three
As time went on and the business grew
More people joined the happy crew
20 years on and with 48 staff
We now occupy two buildings and a half
The three who were here right from the start
Have seen lots of changes and played a big part
In the early years they were young dark and slim
But now have grey hair and a slight double chin
The early years were good and sound
With turnover reaching £30 thousand pound
But after 20 years have gone
The turnover now tops £10 mill - e - on
The work has been varied across the range
Whether it's transmitter sites, studios or Commonwealth Games
If you give us a challenge we'll prove to you
There's nothing in broadcast dB cannot do
The work our customers have passed our way
Have made sure that we are here to stay
We'd like to say a big thank you
Without your support we could not do
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Jan 2009
dB Broadcast at Broadcast Video Expo 2009
The leading UK independent system integrator and manufacturer, dB Broadcast will be attending the 2009 Broadcast Video Expo following another successful year. Over the past 12 months dB Broadcast has completed projects from studios through to transmission and launched several new products.On display at Broadcast Video Expo 2009 will be the new SNMP interface for the popular Hawkeye range.
The SNMP interface is intended to improve the ease with which customers can control and monitor dB Broadcast modules using their existing IP networks. One of the first customers using the SNMP interface is Korean Telecom who are controlling 45 of dB's B080 series of ASI monitoring and switch modules. Other selected Hawkeye modules will also be on show at the exhibition.
dB Broadcast recently supplied their 10,000th Hawkeye module and have underlined their commitment to product development by moving their development and manufacturing units to a dedicated building on their current site.
Elsewhere on the product front, dB will be demonstrating the Showman 1000 series of multi-standard analogue television receiver/demodulators.
dB will also use Broadcast Video Expo 2009 to highlight some of their major projects from over the past year including the construction of two outside-broadcast vehicles for a Syrian customer and the re-location of BBC facilities in central London.
Another major success saw dB Broadcast complete a major contract from Siemens IT Solutions and Services to supply the BBC with on-going coding and multiplexing services.
Commenting on the project, dB Broadcast’s sales and marketing director Tom Swan says, “Some idea of the size of the project can be gleaned from the fact that it involves 270 bays of equipment, 250Kms of video cable, 15Kms of fibre and 2,500 man days of wiring ."
The new products will be on show and the systems presented on the dB stand number H58 at Broadcast Video Expo, Earls Court 2, 17th to 19th February 2009.
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Nov 2008
dB Broadcast reach landmark with Hawkeye
Cambridge-based independent system integrator dB Broadcast has announced a major expansion of its facilities for designing and manufacturing the Hawkeye and Showman product ranges.
dB Broadcast recently supplied their 10,000th Hawkeye module and have underlined their commitment to product development by moving product development and manufacturing to their own dedicated building on the current site.
This major investment was undertaken with the aim of increasing the range of products supplied by the company in future.
The new building is four times the size of the previous development and production areas.
Several new products were unveiled at IBC 2008 including an SNMP interface for the Hawkeye range and the Showman 100 analogue receiver.
Tom Swan, Sales and Marketing Director at dB Broadcast says: “The new facility will include a large demonstration room enabling customers to view the full range of products including the different control systems.
“One of the control systems is the B065 rack controller module and B067 PC GUI software.
“The B065 enables monitoring and remote control of the Hawkeye B080 ASI TS and B090 SD/HD series modules and certain other Hawkeye modules via RS232 or Ethernet SNMP.”
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Sep 2008
IBC 2008 – Training in an era of headlong change
As part of the conference programme at IBC 2008, David Bird, managing director of dB Broadcast will be taking part in a seminar on training entitled ‘Fast forward to the future’.
The session will be led by Adrian Scott of Pro-Bel and is set to include a panel debate on current training trends within the broadcast industry and anticipated challenges to the industry over the next decade.
David Bird was invited to take part in the session thanks to dB Broadcast’s reputation for being one of only a few system integrators who train their own wiring technicians, project engineers and development engineers.
A purpose built training centre was opened on site in 1999 and over the last nine years many trainees have gone on to become key personnel at dB.
David Bird will be joined at the seminar by dB engineer Colin Harley, a third year undergraduate studying Media Technology at Southampton Solent University.
Colin first came into contact with dB Broadcast at the age of 15 when he did 2 weeks work experience with the company as part of his secondary school education.
He joined dB in 2003 as a trainee wireman, later going on to work in the engineering department, and is currently being sponsored through university by the company.
The Southampton media course is biased towards broadcast engineering and includes modules such as Video Principles and Systems, Audio Principles and Systems, Communication Systems for Media, Digital Media Formats and Data Communications.
Colin says: "The experience I have gained through employment prior to studying for a degree allowed me to choose the right engineering course and apply practically the knowledge that I am now gaining through study.
"I feel this is a great advantage in terms of being able to see where a degree can take you when looking for employment."
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Jul 2008
dB Broadcast offers SNMP interface for Hawkeye modules
dB Broadcast, the Cambridge based leading UK independent system integrator, has completed the development of an SNMP interface for it’s popular Hawkeye range. The addition of an SNMP interface for the Hawkeye range will improve the ease with which customers can control and monitor dB Broadcast modules using their existing IP networks.
SNMP is provided via an Ethernet interface on dB Broadcast’s proven B065 rack controller module. This allows monitoring and control of Hawkeye ASI and SD monitors/switches, receivers, decoders and other modules within the extensive range.
The B065 automatically detects compatible modules in a chassis and provides a single point of control, allowing the rack to be treated as a single system.The optional B067 PC control interface software represents the chassis contents graphically, allows individual modules to be interrogated, extracts logs and displays alarm states.
The Hawkeye modules that can now be monitored and controlled using SNMP include:
B090 series of SD monitor and switch modules
B080 series of ASI TS monitor modules
B049 ASI DA with auto sensing switch, 3x6
B043 Dual ASI/SD switch module
B100 series of receiver modules
The interface allows the user to access real time data and this includes various alarms and the status of the switches. The modules may be remotely controlled using the SNMP interface, giving the user the ability to detect system failures and change the status, all via an SNMP management tool.Applications include remote control at transmitter sites or centralised control in broadcast buildings.
Tom Swan, dB’s director of sales and marketing, says: "dB Broadcast has recently supported several clients in their successful integration of SNMP enabled Hawkeye racks into their own control systems, forming a key part of the work towards digital switchover".
At IBC2008 dB Broadcast will be demonstrating the SNMP interface between its Hawkeye modules and the MaxView network control and monitoring software from Datapath. Visit dB Broadcast on stand 10.A28.
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Jul 2008
dB Broadcast announces Showman 1000 multi-standard TV receiver/demodulator
dB Broadcast, the Cambridge based leading UK independent system integrator, has announced the release of the Showman 1000 series of multi-standard analogue television receiver/demodulators.
The Showman 1000 series can be used with PAL, SECAM and NTSC television standards, allowing for operation across the world and is the latest in a line of well established Showman products to have been developed over the last decade.
The new receiver is based on the BT Showman 5000 and 6000 ranges and is designed for applications such as transmitter feeds and monitoring, outside-broadcast reception and service acquisition in digital television head ends.
The Showman 1000 range consists of two units; a multi-standard base model for monitoring applications and a higher specification unit incorporating IF inputs and outputs, alarms and logging features along with additional audio processors.
Tom Swan, Sales and Marketing Director at dB Broadcast says: "With so much interest in digital TV, it is easy to forget that the majority of people around the world still watch television using traditional analogue reception."
"The Showman range has been available for over a decade and thenew dB Showman 1000 will allow us to supply the world's analogue TV customers using a single product range rather than market- specific variants."
The Showman 1000 series is available now and will be on show at IBC2008. The first significant order for the Showman 1000 was received earlier this year from a transmitter manufacturer requiring 65 units.
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Jun 2008
dB Broadcast builds two OBs for Syria
dB Broadcast, the Cambridge based UK independent system integrator, has completed the delivery of two outside-broadcast vehicles for a Syrian customer.
Based on the Mercedes 814D Vario model, both vehicles are five camera capable outside-broadcast units, although initially only three
cameras will be used in each.
The vehicles are identical in specification except that one is equipped with a portable digital microwave radio link system.
Construction and testing took place at dB's purpose-built premises close to Cambridge, with the customer coming to the factory to accept the vehicles.
The project demonstrates dB's increasingly strong links in the Middle East and follows successful installations in Jordan in 2005 and 2006.
dB Broadcast have build 20 OB vehicles over the last few years, ranging from small transmission vehicles to mobile studios, but this latest project is their first in the Middle East.
Tom Swan, dB's director of sales and marketing, says: "This is an excellent project which enhances the company's reputation as an international system integrator."
"This project was more complicated than usual owing to long timescales from quotation in April 2004 to completion in 2008 and trade embargos on certain products."
Equipment for the vehicles included Sony DXC-D55 cameras, Canon lenses, Sachtler tripods, Sony MFS-200 multi format mixer, Calrec M3 audio console, Evertz routers, Trilogy talkback and Pro- Bel distribution equipment, whilst the microwave link was from Gigawave.
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Sep 2007
dB Broadcast appoints Martyn Wheatley as Finance Director
Leading UK independent system integrator dB Broadcast is strengthening its management team with the appointment of Martyn Wheatley as inance Director. Martyn has worked in the broadcast industry since 1990 and was formerly Finance Director of Independent Television News (ITN).
Following qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1987, Martyn joined Coopers & Lybrand Deloitte (as it then was), in the City of London, where he worked in its audit, consultancy and corporate finance divisions for two and a half years.
Martyn joined ITN in 1990 and was appointed Finance Director in 1994, a position he held for five and a half years. In 1999 he became Managing Director of EuroNews: a pan-European news channel, then part-owned and run by ITN – a position he held until 2003.
Since 2003, Martyn has been, among other things, an independent business consultant in the TV sector, working in the UK and Middle East.
David Bird, founder and Managing Director of dB Broadcast, says: "It gives me great pleasure to welcome Martyn to dB Broadcast as our Finance Director. Martyn's breadth of experience and expertise will be of significant value as the company continues to expand its systems work and range of products."
Martyn Wheatley says: "I am delighted to be joining an organisation which has such a strong reputation for professionalism and engineering excellence, at a time when it is seeing sustained and rapid growth. I look forward to making a contribution to the management and financial administration of the company as it continues to develop."
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Sep 2007
dB Broadcast to supply on-going coding and multiplexing services to broadcaster
Leading UK independent system integrator dB Broadcast has announced that it has won a major contract from Siemens IT Solutions and Services to supply the BBC with on- going coding and multiplexing services. To enable the provision of these services dB will build multiple facilities, known as the centralised coding and multiplexing nodes (CCM nodes), to compress and stream BBC digital television signals.
The facilities will be constructed and operational before the start of the analogue switch-off in 2008.
Tom Swan, dB's director of sales and marketing, says: "Some idea of the size of the project can be gleaned from the fact that it involves 270 bays of equipment."Not only are we prefabricating all the bays at dB, while building work is carried out on-site, but all the equipment involved will be fitted and tested at dB. Not many other companies have the facilities to do this.
"The project involves equipment from many companies and a large number of these will commission their equipment at dB, as well as on site, to ensure it interfaces with other systems,"concludes Tom Swan.
As well as providing the central CCM facilities, dB is also upgrading many BBC sites around London.
Over 700 of dB's Hawkeye switching and monitoring modules will be used in the project, including 320 of the B092S and 320 modules from the B080 series. All these modules will be demonstrated at IBC.
New to IBC, the B092S continuously monitors two video signals and incorporates a 2x2 switch. The two inputs are typically main and reserve signals and the module can switch any of the inputs to the two outputs of the switch. The B080 series has been designed for continuous monitoring and switching of two ASI transport streams in a broadcast environment. The series supports MPEG2, MPEG4, DVB and ATSC standards.
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Aug 2007
dB Broadcast wins China OB deal
dB Broadcast, the leading UK independent system integrator, is pleased to announce its first order in China - a six-camera OB vehicle. The customer is equally pleased and covered the signing ceremony live on Chinese television.
Based on a Mercedes 814D KA Vario vehicle, the OB vehicle will be built and tested at dB’s purpose-built premises in Cambridgeshire, Eastern England, and commissioned in China. The contract calls for a dB engineer to go to China to provide overall system training for Chinese engineers.
Tom Swan, dB’s director of sales and marketing, says: “This is an excellent project and enhances the company’s reputation as an international system integrator. We have quoted for a number of vehicles in China and expect this to be the first of many over the next couple of years.”
Equipment for the vehicle includes six Sony cameras and eight DVCAM camcorders, a Yamaha digital audio console, a Grass Valley hard-disk recorder, a Pixel Power character generator and a Harris router. Monitors are to be supplied by both Sony and JVC.
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Jun 2007
dB Broadcast to introduce 12 new Hawkeye modules at IBC 2007
Leading UK independent system integrator and manufacturer, dB Broadcast, will introduce some dozen new Hawkeye modules on its enlarged booth (10.118) at this year’s IBC.
Tom Swan, dB’s sales and marketing director, said: “The new modular range includes DVB-S and DVB-T receivers, ASI switching DAs, video decoders, audio decoders and a control interface module with SNMP protocol. All the products are manufactured at our purpose-built factory in Ely, Cambridgeshire, and sold under dB’s Hawkeye brand name.”
Tom Swan continues, “dB can now offer an expanded product line for existing and emerging cable, satellite and terrestrial broadcast applications. As a consequence of this expansion, we are setting up a worldwide dealer network and would welcome discussions with interested parties at IBC.”
“The exact new product line-up for IBC has yet to be finalised,” says Tom Swan, “but will certainly include the B049 ASI DA module, with auto-sensing and auto-switching, three inputs and six outputs. Any input can simultaneously be switched to all six outputs. Satellite receivers and decoders will also be demonstrated.”
Also demonstrated by dB will be the B065 rack controller module and B067 PC GUI software. The B065 enables monitoring and remote control of the Hawkeye video decoders, audio decoders, receivers and certain other Hawkeye modules via RS232 or Ethernet SNMP. dB Broadcast’s engineering team is currently adding further functionality to the B065, including the features of the B080 ASI TS and B090 SD/HD series modules.
The B067 controlled GUI software is a multi-module multi-rack control system for the Hawkeye range of video decoders, audio decoders, receivers and other modules. Its graphics mimic the actual appearance of the modules in the rack, and clicking on a module fascia brings up the individual configuration window for that module.
Further new dB products for IBC will be announced as they are finalised.
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May 2007
dB Broadcast to feature new style of control desk at IBC
Leading UK independent system integrator and manufacturer, dB Broadcast, will feature a new style of editing control desk, using non-traditional materials, on its enlarged booth (10.118) at this year’s IBC.
The desk on show will include an acrylic “Plexiglass” script surface and will also have motorised script areas and monitor stack to enable users to set their preferred height.
Tom Swan, dB’s director of sales and marketing, says: “Plexiglass has proven to be much more robust and reliable than timbers and timber laminates, which are prone to scratching and dents. It is heavy and has a similar tough finishes to that of glass. And, its inherent strength means that large script areas can be designed without the need for frequent supporting legs. Even after about five years of use, we expect the material to look as good as new.
“As designers, we are keen to offer innovative approaches to broadcast solutions. For desk design we encourage the use of a variety of materials that differ from the mainstream timber (MDF) veneers and lino desk tops. Of course, we are still heavily involved with producing timber veneers and laminates for conventional systems, which remain the industry standard,” concludes Tom Swan.
dB worked closely on the design of its Plexiglass desk with specialist design group Quantum Broadcast, who will have a representative on dB’s booth throughout IBC. According to dB, it has already received orders for its new style of desk.
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Apr 2007
dB Broadcast installs new TV channel dedicated to wine
Cambridgeshire-based independent system integrator dB Broadcast has completed the design and installation of all the technical facilities for a new satellite television channel, called Vinappris, dedicated to the appreciation of wine. dB was also responsible for all the initial technical support for the project.
Working to a very tight deadline, dB completed the assignment, from design through to commissioning, in two months.
Operating from a purpose-built studio at Birmingham’s Fort Dunlop, Vinappris will provide viewers with the opportunity both to learn about and to buy wine. The channel will broadcast for 24 hours a day on the BSkyB platform, with eight hours of live material. The output will be a mixture of studio production and finished clips, shot and produced in-house.
The channel also has a stylish wine bar as part of its facilities. A state-of-the- art call centre and a warehouse for order fulfilment complete the Vinappris operation.
l includes Sony DXC-D50 widescreen cameras, a Ross Synergy 2 vision mixer and a Harris Nexio server system
John Bennett, operations director at Vinappris, says: “dB Broadcast worked to a very tight timescale and still managed to provide an excellent turnkey solution.”
Tom Swan, dB’s sales and marketing director, says: “The Vinappris project proves, once again, that our strategy of retaining all resources in house enables us to deliver high-quality systems in record time.”
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Apr 2007
dB Broadcast acquires designs and exclusive manufacturing rights to modular series
Cambridgeshire-based independent system integrator dB Broadcast has announced a major extension of its Hawkeye 3RU modular range. It has achieved this through the acquisition of the designs and exclusive manufacturing rights of a modular range of professional video and audio receivers and decoders from a Californian equipment manufacturer. The products were designed and built in the UK and previously known as the DTRS3000 series.
The deal also includes stock components, partly finished modules, test equipment and other items.
Commenting on the agreement, Tom Swan, dB’s sales and marketing director, said: “The modular range includes DVB-S and DVB-T receivers, ASI switching DAs, video decoders, audio decoders and control interface modules with SNMP protocol. All the products will now be manufactured at our purpose-built factory in Ely, Cambridgeshire, and sold under dB’s Hawkeye brand name. As a consequence, we are looking to set up a worldwide dealer network.
“The modular series is an ideal product line for dB to take on because it includes many complementary modules to our own. Also, they fit into the same frames that dB uses. In fact, dB Broadcast has been a customer for these modules in the past and has installed many of them.”
Tom Swan continues, “By integrating this modular series into our current range, dB can now offer an expanded product line for existing and emerging cable, satellite, terrestrial broadcast and telecom applications.”
