All-HD broadcaster in Middle East selects Omneon Spectrum

Al-Watan, one of the first fully HD broadcasters in the Middle East, will rely on an Omneon Spectrum media server for two channels of HD playout at its facility in Kuwait City, Kuwait.

Watan TV and Watan TV Plus both went on air earlier this month as part of the launch of one of the region’s first all-HD broadcast facilities. These new channels are owned by Dar Al-Watan, which also distributes Kuwait’s leading newspaper and other regional publications.

Among the reasons Watan selected the Omneon Spectrum system was its ability to play standard QuickTime-wrapped clips natively and sequentially decode DV or MPEG-2 content back-to-back. Because Watan TV will be originating news content, beating the competition to air will be critical, and the workflow efficiency of the Spectrum server was another key advantage.

For more information, visit www.omneon.com.