Canon, Telecast Partner on HD Delivery System

Canon U.S.A. recently announced that the company was partnering with Telecast Fiber Systems in a joint system to transport HD images and control signals from high-definition cameras.

The system is constructed around Telecast's SHED (SMPTE Hybrid Elimination Devices) copper/fiber conversion technology and Canon's DT-150 Free-Space Optics transmission system ("Canobeam"). The combination allows broadcasters to easily transport high definition signals across natural obstacles such as rivers or within large sports venues.

"The Canobeam provides the same benefits offered by fiber, but without the physical restraints of cabling," said Gordon Tubbs, Canon's director of the company's Broadcast and Communications division. "Like fiber, the system is protocol-independent and thus integrates easily with the Telecast SHED/HDX solution. Because it transmits uncompressed data, users can move media content between two sites without delay. Our Canobeam technology pairs up very well with the SHED/HDX system to provide unique functionality and offer the broad base of existing Telecast customers an attractive solution for remote HD production."

"Our fiber linking products integrate just as smoothly with the Canobeam system as they do with fiber, so broadcasters working with this product pair enjoy high-quality transmission, more flexible acquisition, and more affordable capture of unique and engaging HD images," said Richard Cerny, president of Telecast Fiber Systems.

The Telecast SHED/HDX system transports HD video via two single-mode fibers and the Canon DT-150 series optical technology provides bi-directional line-of-sight shots up to one kilometer away.