To make it easier and less costly for broadcasters to take the leap to HD graphics, Compix Media has introduced a new line of single-channel and dual character generators -- the LCG8050R HDRDY single channel character generator package and the dual channel CYNERG SDI/HD-RDY package. Both allow broadcasters currently working in standard-definition to upgrade to HD graphics at some later point with a simple software upgrade.
While high-quality graphics and channel branding is particularly important in the HD environment, many HD channels and stations are still doing their graphics in standard def in the 4x3 aspect ratio. By offering the market a low cost way to upgrade those graphics to HD quality, Compix hopes to change that.
"This offers a cost effective way to do those graphics that is easy to use, completely automated and has the stunning graphic quality of pure HD," said Compix Media vice president Veronica Kim, who adds that their new character generators are particularly appealing in tough economic times when budgets are tight.
"We come under the prices for the big guys because they spend a lot of time developing advanced features that a lot of TV stations and graphic designers don't really use or have the time to use," she said. "We remove what we call the `glamour' features and only put in the ones that users care about."
The LCG8050R HDRDY and CYNERG SDI/HD-RDY packages can be deployed initially for SD graphics and then upgraded with software without any additional hardware, making the HD transition even less costly, Kim said.
In addition, the dual channel CYNERG SDI/HD-RDY package "is like having two systems in one box, which saves a lot of space as well as costs," Kim said.
Kim sees demand for the products coming from the broadcast industry, sports, professional, educational and government sectors.
The two single and dual channel character generating packages come with GenCG, Schedule Suite, Art Explosion, which includes 300,000 images and 4,000 TrueType fonts as well as 100 backgrounds, 100 textures and a variety of templates.
The HD-ready line is compatible with all other Compix systems. It is also SMPTE 292M compliant for 720p and 1080i, and can import a wide variety of files types, including .tga, .bmp, .jpg, .gif, .png and .tif.
