EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Advanced Systems Group said it has promoted Joe Marchetto to western regional chief technology officer, tasked with advancing tools, workflows and engineering alignment at the systems integrator.

He had been CTO of strategic accounts.

In his new role, Marchitto will oversee the management and evolution of ASG’s system design across pre- and post-sale functions to streamline project execution, deepen engineering engagement and deliver a more seamless and responsive client experience, the company said. He’ll report directly to ASG President Dave Van Hoy and work closely with Rob Wentz, ASG’s professional services manager, to align team objectives for the upcoming year while continuing to support West Coast presales engineering, ASG said.

“Joe possesses a great combination of technical depth and operational leadership,” said Van Hoy. “His experience managing engineering teams and supporting high-level enterprise clients positions him perfectly to elevate how we serve our customers.”

As CTO of strategic accounts, Marchitto provided pre-sales engineering support to West Coast enterprise clients, serving as a trusted adviser to customers, navigating complex technical environments and designing solutions that balance performance, scalability and cost, ASG said.

The promotion is meant to align ASG’s engineering resources more closely with client needs to deliver more efficient project implementation, expand client-tailored service offerings, improve collaboration between sales and engineering teams and enhance overall client satisfaction and value, ASG said.

“My new role is about building on what we already do well and extending it,” Marchitto said. “By strengthening how our teams work together and engage with clients, we can deliver even greater impact. We may realize this in several ways—through new services, improved workflows or deeper technical collaboration. I’m excited to be working with such a talented team and partnering closely with Rob and our broader organization as we position ourselves for success in this highly competitive market.”

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Brian Gross has joined the audio team at systems integrator Advanced Systems Group as an account manager.

He’ll be a part of the Burbank, Calif.-based group led by Director of Audio and Post Hamid “Gadget” Hopkins and support clients across applications ranging from music recording to studio design to immersive audio, ASG said.

Gross’ career is rooted in recording studios, music production and audio post, ASG said, and he has designed, built and run commercial recording facilities.

“I love music technology, but when I’m working with clients, it’s not just about selling equipment,” Gross said. “I’ve been in their shoes. I know the problems they’re trying to solve, and I know how to get them there. I’m the first person to say when they don’t need something. It’s about nurturing relationships and providing real value to people.”

ASG said Gross’ experience should be particularly valuable as recording and postproduction studios transition to fully digital environments.

“Brian knows audio technology, has a deep curiosity about it, has run large studios and truly wants his clients to flourish,” ASG President Dave Van Hoy said. “He understands the nuances of music production and post workflows, which helps design systems that stay out of the way of creativity. That perspective, combined with his consultative approach with clients, is particularly valuable as immersive audio and next-generation studio design continue to evolve.”

Among Gross’ top emerging technology priorities will be immersive audio and modular studios, ASG said. The company recently inked an exclusive reseller agreement with Nu-Studio, which offers a modular, portable control room.

“I’m really excited about the Nu-Studio platform as well as immersive audio and helping push both forward,” Gross said. “At the end of the day, I want to give people the best possible environments to create.”

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media creatives and content owners, has appointed Andrea (Andy) Cummis Vice President of Systems Design and Engineering. In this role, Cummis will lead design and engineering for ASG’s Systems Integration business, leading broadcast engineering, system design, and complex integration projects. She is recognized as a trailblazer in the industry, having been the first woman to serve as President of the national board of the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE).

“Andy is one of the most experienced and trusted engineering leaders in media and entertainment,” said Dave Van Hoy, President of ASG. “She has the rare ability to not only understand the technical challenges of a project but to be able to manage and educate the design team. We couldn’t be happier that she's joining ASG. She offers a wealth of knowledge and practical experience to our team and our clients.”

Cummis has built her career at the forefront of broadcast and media technology transformation, working for integration firms and founding her own company to deliver scalable solutions for broadcasters, content creators, and enterprise media teams.

She was the SVP of Engineering and Operations for Oxygen Media, responsible for its successful launch. Cummis was the founder of a highly regarded New Jersey-based integrator known for designing and building advanced broadcast facilities, control rooms, and production environments. She’s held several high-level engineering roles within broadcast networks, TV stations, media organizations, and live event venues during her career.

At ASG, Cummis will focus on guiding engineering strategies and execution within the Systems Integration team, ensuring projects are delivered efficiently and aligned with client requirements. “I’m excited to work with the great team here at ASG and contribute my skills and leadership expertise to deliver outstanding outcomes for our clientele,” said Cummis. “ASG has a strong reputation for delivering high-quality solutions, and I’m looking forward to continuing that legacy.”

Her appointment comes at a time when media organizations are rapidly adopting IP-based workflows, cloud production, and hybrid infrastructure models, increasing the demand for experienced engineering leadership and proven integration expertise. Cummis’ extensive background positions her to help ASG clients navigate these changes with confidence. With this addition to the team, ASG continues to invest in top-tier talent to support its growing portfolio of clients across broadcast, sports, corporate media, and content production environments.

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Systems integrator and technology provider Advanced Systems Group has tapped Peter Thordarson as technical account executive.

The 40-year industry veteran has held several prominent engineering and operations roles in the Media & Entertainment and enterprise sectors at companies such as Microsoft, Fox, DirecTV Sports and Ericsson (MediaKind), ASG said. He’ll report directly to ASG Chief Innovation Officer Claudia Souza.

As technical account executive, Thordarson will serve as a dedicated client advocate and sales-technical expert, guiding clients toward innovative technology approaches and industry best practices, ASG said.

“I’m most excited that a critical part of my job is to stay on top of the latest technology offerings in broadcast and media storytelling,” he said. “And I’m thrilled to join this well-respected ASG team and bring my experience to bear. It's an exciting time for broadcast and production technology, and I look forward to helping our clients tell their stories.”

Bringing on someone with Thordarson’s extensive engineering background should be a significant benefit to ASG clients, Souza said.

“His 40 years of experience allows him to understand each client’s unique challenges and communicate with them on a level that goes far beyond typical sales roles,” she said. “He grasps the engineering realities of live production and can give clear guidance on the optimal solutions. I’m 100% confident that Peter will be a huge contributor to ASG’s continued success.”

For more information on ASG, visit its website.

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Systems integrator and service provider Advanced Systems Group has named Jody Boatwright as its chief strategy officer, a new role tasked with leading research and guiding the company’s future direction as the business evolves.

Formerly ASG’s vice president and general manager of managed services, Boatright’s new role will shift his focus from day-to-day operations to developing future-facing initiatives, the company said. He will work across ASG and industry leadership on economic issues affecting the company’s media and entertainment business, ASG said.

“I’ll be working along with [ASG President] Dave Van Hoy and all of the ASG leadership team to do strategic analysis, market predictions and planning where we want to be positioned in it,” Boatwright said. “We’ll be looking specifically at the technology and client services that our clients will need in the future, which are both undergoing a dynamic shift right now, as the broader market evolves with the economy.”

Prior to heading the managed services team, Boatright spent a decade in systems integration, often working with ASG as a strategic partner, the company said. He then spent 11 years with ASG on the services side of the business, including in service operations, production, creative services and in building and leading its managed services practice, the company said.

Under Boatwright’s leadership, ASG’s managed services business has grown eightfold, the company said, particularly among enterprise clients.

“One of the really great things about managed services is that we’ve been excellent at serving the enterprise client,” he said. “As ASG grows, a lot of our relationships will be of that nature.”

ASG described its new chief strategy officer role as a dedicated, forward-looking point of connection or, in Boatwright’s words, a “connector and translator” linking the company’s internal expertise with outside market realities.

“I’ll be connecting with our technology partners and industry leaders in a more forward-looking way, as opposed to a transactional way,” he said. “That opens different conversations about longer-term trajectory.”

Boatwright noted the many forces reshaping media and technology, including economic pressures, workflow changes driven by AI, evolving engagement models and increased competition in specialized niches. He said ASG’s diversity of customers, services and technologies means its strategy must account for all of these market forces.

“We’re a truly diverse business across different customer subsets,” Boatwright said. “It’s important for us to understand our opportunities in all of those different areas.”

Van Hoy said Boatwright has been instrumental in shaping how ASG serves its clients for more than a decade.

“He has a rare ability to connect strategy to real-world execution,” Van Hoy said. “He understands our customers, our technology, and our services at a very deep level. He grew our managed services business by understanding our customers and what they need to operate and flourish. In this new role, he’ll bring that same practical, customer-first mindset to a broader view of where the industry is headed and how ASG can best support our clients through that change.”

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Media and entertainment technology and services provider Advanced Systems Group has named Macky Beheshti as director, enterprise storage and systems.

Most recently storage systems specialist, data center group at Lenovo, Beheshti is a 30-year enterprise technology leader with experience on both the manufacturer and channel sides of the business, ASG said. He’ll focus on the key areas of traditional IT facility integration, enterprise software, workflow solutions, managed services and cloud orchestration for as-service delivery models, according to the company.

“I’m eager to apply my experience from the manufacturer's side to the complete solutions approach of ASG,” Beheshti said. “I’ve seen how challenging it can be from the customer’s perspective to weave multiple technologies into a single, efficient workflow. At ASG, we provide solutions that improve a customer’s operational and financial bottom line.”

Beheshti’s hiring is part of ASG’s bid to expand its business beyond its role as a go-to partner for media and entertainment companies, it said. ASG said Beheshti is expected to play a key role in the company’s expansion into enterprise-level support for such new verticals such as corporate, education, government organizations and health care, which need secure and flexible storage and systems integration for mission-critical applications.

“Storage is the crown jewel of any organization,” he said. “It’s where the data lives, and where risks, from ransomware to inefficiencies, can wreak the greatest havoc. I’ve spent my career helping customers understand not only how to protect data, but also how to leverage it to power new business opportunities. At ASG, we’ll bring that mentality to bear across a broader set of industries, showing more customers how they can benefit from innovative solutions applicable to their unique workflows.”

ASG President Dave Van Hoy said the hiring of Beheshti highlights how the company is evolving to meet customer needs.

“Twenty-seven years ago, Macky began the process of nurturing ASG into what is today one of the largest storage vendors in media and entertainment,” he said. “He has a rare blend of technical depth and business acumen. He gets the pain points our customers have—whether it’s protecting valuable data, supporting hybrid workflows, or orchestrating global cloud solutions—and he knows how to put the pieces together in ways that drive business value. His leadership will drive us into new markets and continue to deliver the customer-focused solutions we’re known for.”

For more information on ASG, click here.

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has announced that they worked with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation to create the Meryl Streep Center for Performing Artists.

The vibrant hub for creativity and the creative community features screening rooms, voiceover labs, an on-camera studio, classrooms, and creative spaces on the same floor. Previously, the Foundation operated in isolated pockets of space scattered throughout a 10-story building.

While ASG was originally hired to update the Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson Screening Room (pictured above), those plans quickly grew into a fully realized 15,000-square-foot center in Los Angeles.

One of the early goals was to rethink the screening experience. The Foundation’s screening room could no longer support modern workflows and formats, like DCP. "We wanted a screening experience that matched today’s professional standards and the ability to screen content the way studios intended,” Charlotte Wells, COO of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, explained. "That got us thinking about what else was possible."

That idea grew and kicked off a broader conversation about expanding the space to support auditions, classes, screenings, live events, and content creation, while building a larger community. “As an actor, you can feel like an island,” Wells continued. “But now, you might walk out of a screening and bump into someone heading into the on-camera lab. People are having conversations, connecting, and sharing ideas. That didn’t happen before, and that sense of connection is incredibly valuable.”

Given the Center's new reputation for professional-grade technology, casting directors recommend that SAG-AFTRA Foundation members use the facility to record auditions. "We have countless testimonials from members who came in for a free session, recorded a reading, and booked the job," said Cyd Wilson, executive director at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. "It's changing lives."

The Foundation has named several spaces in the Center to honor actors who have supported its mission, including the Nicole Kidman Green Room, the Leonardo DiCaprio On-Camera Studio, and the Don LaFontaine Voiceover Lab. At the heart of the Center is the Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson Screening Room - a 100-seat screening room. The Screening Room is a multifunctional venue ideal for panels, Q&A’s, live events, masterclasses, educational screenings, and private industry gatherings.

ASG outfitted this room with a 4K production setup, including Telemetrics 4K cameras, live switching, and multi-track audio for live streaming and archival use. The centerpiece is a 225-inch LG Miraclass 4K Cinema Display (the first of its kind) paired with a Dolby IMS3-L cinema server and Storm Audio ISP to deliver a premium cinema-quality experience. ASG also engineered a Meyer Sound 7.1 surround system specifically to maintain audio fidelity while minimizing sound bleed to neighboring floors, balancing performance with strict building and acoustic constraints.

Every part of the Center is connected through a sophisticated, easy-to-use AV infrastructure, making powerful technology feel invisible so that artists and educators can stay focused on their craft, ASG explained. This includes Extron NAV for HDMI video distribution and SDI video routing, Dante / AES67 audio, and networking across the facility. A centralized control room ties everything together, with Crestron wireless interfaces enabling control from anywhere in the space.

Each room - classrooms, editing suites, voiceover booths, and performance areas - are capable of real-time routing between spaces. The pre-function area, an outdoor balcony and an expandable classroom, features two JBL audio systems (indoor/outdoor) combined to create a unified experience for events and social gatherings.

Throughout the facility, LG UHD displays create a consistent, professional look in every zone, from the lobby, classrooms, and screening room. The center is fully accessible, offering hearing impaired (HI) amplified audio, closed captions (CC), visually impaired narrative (VI-N), and stage setups suitable for Q&A sessions, panel discussions, and small performances.

In addition to its work on creating the Center, ASG continues to support the facility through its Managed Services team, keeping systems reliable and easy to use. From routine maintenance to on-call technical support, ASG takes care of the day-to-day technology so the Foundation’s staff and members can stay focused on what matters most - supporting performers and their craft.

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Tom Baldassare has joined Advanced Systems Group, a provider of technology and services to media creators and content owners, as senior account executive.

He’ll be tasked with maintaining and developing relationships with Fortune 100 tech and financial firms on both U.S. coasts, the company said. Baldassare is one of the creators of the Silicon Valley Video Summit, a consistently sold-out event held each January and co-sponsored by ASG.

“Having worked with Tom while founding the SVV, I’ve found he has a highly trusted style and responsible way of doing business that engenders a lot of loyalty,” ASG President Dave Van Hoy said. “Tom combines a thoughtful business approach with in-depth expertise and rock-solid execution. If he says he's going to do something for you, he makes it happen, no matter what. His proactivity and positive energy are really the magic of Tom. People love doing business with him.”

In addition to servicing ASG’s current clients, Baldassare will lead a company initiative to cultivate new technology and finance clients in New York City.

“Tom brings a different set of skills,” Van Hoy added. “He expands our footprint throughout the U.S.—both with existing and new clients. His presence allows us to expand into the tech companies and financial firms in New York while growing our existing business on the West Coast. He’s a great fit for the present and future of ASG.”

Said Baldassare: “I’ve always been impressed with ASG’s approach to client relationships. I’d worked with several ASG staff members for years. I’m thrilled I get to reconnect with them and meet the rest of the company. It’s a place where I will learn and grow while being part of one of the best teams in the business.”

BURBANK, Calif.—Advanced Systems Group has opened a 5,000 square-foot-facility in Burbank with a Dolby Atmos demo theater, a video production space with a hard cyc wall, a large video conferencing room, staging space, equipment inventory and offices.

Designed as ASG’s anchor space in Los Angeles for testing, demonstrating systems and an industry gathering space, the company recently held an open house to introduce the new facility to clients and vendors.

“The space is far more than a typical office,” said ASG president Dave Van Hoy. “This new space is set up for staging, storage and integration of all types of systems we build, as well as a curved cyc to shoot video and stills. The Atmos demo room with HDR video monitoring will allow us to help our clients work through their transitions to immersive audio and HDR video. Our audio team is leading the charge in Atmos post-production facility design. We believe it’s a technology that will continue to evolve and gain popularity.”

All of ASG teams have a presence in the Burbank office, using the space to facilitate projects with clients and vendors. Several large systems for Los Angeles-based clients have already been pre-staged in the facility. The facility is well suited to new technology training and large meetings.

Located at 2152 North Lincoln St., Burbank, CA 91504, the facility is a few blocks from the Hollywood Burbank airport.

ASG partners V2 Marketing, IMN Creative, Insomniac Games, JBL, Genelec, Harman Pro, Create LED, Stewart Filmscreen, Sony, Storm Audio and Forecast Consoles supported the company in opening the office.

More information is available on the company’s website.

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has launched Virtual Truck, a cloud-based remote production solution for live sports, music, corporate events and other video productions.

“The Virtual Truck is a great example of cloud production democratizing live production and opening the field to a new generation of professionals,” said ASG president Dave Van Hoy. “It’s removing the barriers imposed by location-bound, costly legacy hardware.”

Leveraging ASG’s Virtual Production Control Room (VPCR), Virtual Truck supports multi-camera production, switched live in a control room environment. Virtual Truck’s software-defined workflows mirror traditional production methods, which makes it possible for operators to use familiar control surfaces, said ASG chief cloud officer Claudia Souza. 

Helping to make Virtual Truck a reality is the availability of high-bandwidth IP transmission for IP-encoded contribution of on-site camera feeds into ASG’s cloud environment. Cloud providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) offer robust compute and storage technologies to support Virtual Truck, it said.

Virtualized video and audio production solutions from television industry vendors like Vizrt, Gallery Sienna, Audinate, Telos, Solid State Logic and Grass Valley are helping to make cloud-based live video production a reality, it said.

The initial ASG Virtual Truck offering relies on public-, private- or hybrid-hosted solutions and features a 44-input, 8 M/E switcher; eight channels of replay; a flexible HTML5 or dedicated graphics station; 64-stereo, 44 bus return and AES67 compatible audio. A fully configured multi-channel beltpack and IFB comms for cloud-to-site and site-to-cloud communications rounds out the Virtual Truck technology complement, ASG said.

“Our virtual, live production solutions offer greater flexibility and cost savings than traditional on-the-ground broadcast components,” said Van Hoy. “While we recognize that there are still live events that require physical trucks, we are providing a cost-effective and flexible alternative solution that addresses the needs of live production.”

Tech-focused production services and solutions company Surella is ASG-s first camera and contribution truck partner. The company provides bi-coastal HD and 4K camera and support vehicles built to integrate seamlessly on site with ASG Virtual Trucks, it said.

Delivering content for customers or private viewing stations for clients is seamless, requiring no additional satellite uplink. Broadcasters and streamers can simultaneously deliver multiple program versions and streaming formats to standard distribution outlets like YouTube, Facebook or a CDN, ASG said.

The ASG team provides support from initial setup to full deployment and ongoing maintenance. “Our best-in-class Cloud Team includes experts who’ve pioneered the industry’s transition to software-defined workflows,” said Souza. “They have extensive experience engineering, integrating and deploying cloud-based systems for high-performance environments.”

Besides bringing live video production within the reach of more users, Virtual Truck also reduces the carbon footprint of remote production, the company said.

More information is available on the company’s website. 

Advanced Systems Group, a Silicon Valley-based systems integrator, has opened its first U.K. office in London, expanding the company’s European presence.

Planned to open in May 2024, the new home of ASG U.K. is Aviation House in London’s Holborn area, a booming professional and creative hub, ASG said. Tim Cuthbertson, an ASG global account executive with more than 30 years of integration and professional services experience, will relocate back to his native London to head the new operations as Managing Director.

Cuthbertson said the ASG U.K. launch was a “right time, right place” decision driven by shifting business and economic factors. “Organizations in our markets have had to reinvent their operations, first adapting to workforce changes caused by the pandemic, and later dealing with issues like the actors and writers strikes, so there’s a lot of pent-up refitting and development that’s ramping up,” Cuthbertson added. “With globally distributed workforces now a reality, having an international presence is an operational requirement. Technology doesn't stop moving, and London is a significant production center, so expanding was the logical choice. Our U.K. presence will be there to serve the needs of these organizations.”

The new headquarters will house ASG U.K.’s team in a space flexible enough to accommodate future expansion, the company said. Advanced Systems Group U.K. a wholly owned subsidiary of ASG, is part of its phased approach to ramping up its international presence.

The U.K. team will focus on its current European clients including SNAP, Google, and Yahoo with even more comprehensive services, as well as ASG’s US clients, who have UK facilities and can now access the same trusted source for data storage, workflow tools, and managed services that they do in the United States.

Ken Spickler, VP Global Engineering at Visual Data, a long-standing ASG customer with global operations including in the U.S and London, commented: “Advanced Systems Group’s expansion into the U.K. is a boon to the European production and post-production services sector, enabling more companies to benefit from the wealth of knowledge and technical expertise it has built up over many years. At Visual Data, it would have been much more challenging to achieve our growth without trusting in ASG.”

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, ASG is one of the top systems Integrators in the U.S. 

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers is a highly respected organization that works to establish technical frameworks for the creation and distribution of films and television programs. Although it is not the only group involved in broadcast standards, some of its good works involve such critical signal distribution standards as the Serial Digital Interface (SDI), ST 2022 and ST 2110.

SDI, first defined in 1989, remains a popular and reliable method of transporting high-quality video signals from point-to-point within a facility or field production. (The current version of SDI is “SMPTE ST 2083.”) However, since 1989, our world has become increasingly data-oriented and it soon became obvious that transporting broadcast-quality video signals over IP networks was both necessary and advantageous. SMPTE’s first standard to marry SDI video with IT was the ST 2022 standard.

“When the need for uncompressed IP networks in live TV production arose, companies turned to the SMPTE ST 2022 family of standards, the online media-over-IP standard available at SMPTE, to build infrastructure,” said Thomas Bause Mason, SMPTE director of standards development. 

“SMPTE ST 2022 was designed for content contribution, and was not well-suited for live TV production. A better standard needed to be created that reflected the needs of live TV production.”

That standard is ST 2110. First published in 2017, it is catching on quickly. 

“When it comes to large-scale infrastructure, almost all new facilities built [that have] IP networks for production are using SMPTE ST 2110,” Mason said. “SMPTE ST 2110 was also greatly adopted by equipment manufacturers, and SMPTE ST 2110 products are widely available.”

Core Parts Are Done
The core parts of the SMPTE ST 2110 standards family are done and were published starting in 2017, Mason said. Since then, all documents in the family except for one (ST 2110-30) went through revisions to clarify their provisions and to fix minor issues, while considering compatibility with existing implementations. These revisions were published in 2023. (SMPTE recently announced that SMPTE Standards will now be available at smpte.org to members at no additional cost.)

Perhaps the biggest benefit of using ST 2110 is that it uses standard IP networks. This has many advantages, including a large body of IP specialists that can build and maintain such networks. Another big advantage is that high-speed networks suitable for live television use commercial-off-the-shelf products that are relatively common and inexpensive. 

SDI, as well as it works, is for television only. SMPTE ST 2110 uses what the rest of the world uses.

Manufacturers are wasting no time building products compatible with the ST 2110 standard.

“Imagine has introduced SMPTE ST 2110 technology into almost every product family in our line,” said John Mailhot, CTO for infrastructure at Imagine Communications. “We see ST 2110 as the basis of design for almost every large media project in our pipeline, and even small/medium facilities are seriously considering the redundancy and scalability advantages of an ST 2110 approach.”

Mailhot said that Imagine’s Selenio Network Processor uses SMPTE ST 2110 to carry up to eight uncompressed UHD signals in each direction over 100G network interfaces, alongside their related audio and ANC components. This consolidation reduces the amount of cable (fiber) and the associated construction and project management time significantly.

“The ability to pick-and-choose from a marketplace of QSFP [quad small form factor pluggable] optical power options ensures that 100G [and 400G] IP connections can reach even the farthest corners of large facilities or even campuses,” he said. “In university settings, we are able to run 100G network connections between sports facilities on opposite corners of large campuses, building consolidated production environments that would have been much more expensive and difficult using traditional SDI approaches.”

Launching Products
Blackmagic Design launched two products last year using the SMPTE ST 2110 standard: the 2110 IP Converter and the DeckLink IP. The 2110 IP Converter 3x3G is a rackmount converter that converts 3G-SDI devices to 2110 IP broadcast systems, and the DeckLink IP is a family of three PCIe cards that capture and playback 10-bit uncompressed, broadcast-quality video directly into ST 2110 IP-based broadcast systems.

“Blackmagic Design views ST 2110 as an important tool for the industry,” said Dave Hoffman, business development manager for Blackmagic Design. “From a simplicity and flexibility standpoint, ST 2110 creates a universal language we can all speak and work in.”

Hoffman pointed out the features that make the company’s 2110 IP converter the right fit for many applications.

“Unlike using an array of miniconverters, the Blackmagic 2110 IP Converter 3x3G is rack-mountable and includes a front panel with an LCD, so users can walk up and change settings at any time,” he said. “The front-panel LCD also has the benefit of allowing live video monitoring of all input and output channels. Plus, the LCD includes network diagnostic tools to assist in troubleshooting issues in complex 2110 IP broadcast systems.”

Matrox Video offers both point-of-use ST 2110 converters as well as ST 2110 network adapters for OEM applications.

“ST 2110 is important for broadcasters, venue and stadium operators, and other media companies seeking to move to IT-based production workflows,” said Francesco Scartozzi, vice president of sales and business development for Matrox Video. “As an open SMPTE standard, like SDI, customers can choose best-of-breed products from their preferred vendor and maintain compatibility. ST 2110 production workflows use general-purpose networking equipment, which means users can easily upgrade an ST 2110 network from 10GigE to 25GigE, and even (in the future) to 100GigE without changing the whole infrastructure.”

Scartozzi said that another advantage ST 2110 offers is its ability to process video, audio and auxiliary data streams separately, depending on the capacity of the network. For example, with the right network connection, one Matrox ST 2110 NIC can support up to four 25 Gbps links and can process up to 32 channels of HD with full redundancy enabled.

“Matrox Video is an expert in ST 2110 and supported the standard before its SMPTE ratification,” he said. “We provide components to OEMs, who then build end-user products for media production, and are being used in ST 2110 productions worldwide today. The knowledge and expertise we gained during the development of ST 2110 OEM network cards has been poured into Matrox ConvertIP, which converts 3G/12G SDI to/from ST 2110. This lets broadcasters work with baseband signals inside their IP video network, and display ST 2110 on SDI/HDMI monitors.”

Manufacturer Agnostic
Chris Scheck, head of marketing content at Lawo, pointed out that an advantage of ST 2110 is that it is manufacturer-agnostic. That means customers can pick the best gear for their operations and production workflow, and avoid being locked into any particular manufacturer’s equipment universe. 

A recent addition to Lawo’s IP-native product portfolio is .edge, its hyper-density SDI/IP conversion and routing platform with up to 192 SDI connectors on 2RU.

“We recently introduced HOME Apps for server-based multiviewer generation, up/down/cross conversion, stream transcoding and graphics insertion,” Scheck said. “A lot more HOME Apps are on the roadmap, some of which will be introduced over the coming months.”

Scheck said that both these product lines feature JPEG XS compression and decompression for lossless, yet bandwidth-saving stream transport. On top of that, Lawo’s HOME Apps support NDI, SRT, H.26x, and will support more formats/protocols as soon as they become relevant.

PAC-12’s New 2110 Facility
ST 2110 is making strides in the real world of big-time sports production as well. The Pac-12 Network, a major collegiate sports producer on the west coast, recently fired up a 42,000 square-foot broadcast and production facility that it will use for production of more than 850 live events each year.

The Pac-12 Network system, designed and installed by Advanced Systems Group, uses a hub-and-spoke design where content acquired at the sports venues is backhauled to control rooms in San Francisco. This model reduces onsite staff and minimizes reliance on costly mobile trucks. 

Pac-12 also exploited the universities’ existing Internet 2 IP backbone for A/V transport and centralized production, creating the largest private IP network in the U.S. dedicated to sports. Pac-12 selected the Imagine Magellan control system for IP routing, control and monitoring, and Arista high-speed Ethernet switches. Imagine’s Magellan formed the ST 2110 orchestration backbone of the facility, while Arista’s switching and routing is the core transport component. 

There were many other vendors involved in the Pac-12 build, including Calrec Artemis audio consoles, Grass Valley K-Frame video switchers, Ross XPression graphics, Evertz Dreamcatcher replay systems, just to name a few. The audio in the Pac-12 Netword system is AES67, a standard for audio-over-IP that’s part of the ST 2110 protocol. Interoperability between the two is paramount, and requires careful network orchestration so that the two transports are handled separately and all I/O’s align properly.

“Implementing audio redundancy within an IP infrastructure is not a trivial undertaking,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of Advanced Systems Group. “We got caught in a couple of places where those became very interesting challenges. Everything worked out, with many thanks to the impressive cooperation of the Calrec, ASG and Imagine teams. It was definitely a learning lesson.” 

Identifying What's 2110-Compliant
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) is a non-profit organization founded by leading manufacturers to promote the adoption of standards as the industry transitions toward an IP future. AIMS has catalogued nearly 300 products related to SMPTE ST 2110 from 45 manufacturers (available at ).

“Originally a specialized solution for high-end or spatially constrained projects, SMPTE ST 2110 has evolved into the primary choice for designers building reliable, scalable IP-based systems,” said Andrew Starks, marketing working group chair for AIMS. “There is a tremendous innovation happening within the SMPTE ST 2110 community.”

Does this mean that the industry is rolling toward a future that is all IP and does not use SDI?

“SDI’s affordability, industry-wide familiarity, and proven reliability ensure its continued relevance,” Starks said. “Presently, most SMPTE ST 2110 systems incorporate some level of SDI integration, acknowledging its practicality and the need to support legacy equipment.

“This reality underscores the importance of interoperability between SDI and SMPTE ST 2110,” Starks added. “Such interoperability influenced key aspects of ST 2110’s design, notably in the handling of ancillary data (ST 2110-40). As SMPTE ST 2110 equipment becomes more affordable, and as the industry gains more tools and expertise in managing IP media networks, we anticipate a shift towards predominantly IP-based systems.”

The economy, familiarity and ever-growing capacity of IP networks make them a natural medium for carrying television signals. As SMPTE ST 2110 takes hold and more products are exposed to more people, expect to see ST 2110 forming the backbone of an increasing number of facilities.

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Advanced Systems Group (ASG) is expanding its southwest U.S. presence with a new office in Las Vegas under the oversight of strategic account executive Kymberly Cannon, the company said today. 

She will be responsible for strengthening existing relationships in the region and looking for opportunities to deepen ASG’s range of engineering and technology expertise, the M&E tech and operations supplier and integrator said.

“Cannon brings to Las Vegas the best resources and minds ASG has to offer to solve our client's problems and help them to innovate cost-effectively with reliable solutions,” said ASG CTO Andy Darcy.

Cannon comes to the new operation from Los Angeles. She has been in the industry for more than 15 years in Los Angeles and spent the last four years with ASG. Prior to joining ASG, Cannon spent eight years with Quantum, and before that was with Dell/EMC.

“Many of our corporate clients are also based in Las Vegas as well as media organizations, event venues, production companies and broadcasters. Vegas is home to some of the largest data centers for the world's largest studios. With the depth and breadth of ASG’s solutions and the quality of service that we provide, we will make an even bigger impact here,” said Cannon.

Cannon can be reached via email.

More information is available on the company’s website.

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Ivan Lochan has joined Advanced Systems Group as learning and development manager and will report to ASG vice president and general manager for managed services Jody Boatwright, ASG said today.

“Ivan is at the forefront of learning and development at ASG. His leadership and our investments in learning tools and technology are helping ASG's workforce stay sharp and well informed,” said Boatwright. “Our team has grown exponentially in the past several years. Ivan’s experience achieving business success at large companies by empowering talent with knowledge and information is exactly what we need to strengthen our teamwork and maximize communication. ASG already has a very enthusiastic, positive culture, but adding Ivan’s skills will enhance that significantly.”

Lochan’s expertise is a vital component as ASG strives to provide and foster a culture of continuous learning and creativity, the company said.

With more than a decade of experience in human resources, talent management and learning and development, Lochan will oversee employee experience, management and employee training, team effectiveness and employee engagement initiatives, it said.

Lochan has begun to implement programs and will roll out a learning management system, leadership development workshops and new ways for ASG employees to share their expertise, the company said.

“My background has prepared me well for my position at ASG,” said Lochan. “While not in the media and entertainment sector, I’ve worked with healthcare, retail and nonprofits to align their people, processes and policies to drive business success. That’s what I’ll bring to ASG as we support our team members with the right tools, training, and growth opportunities,” he said.

Lochan can be reached at  ilochan@asgllc.com.

More information is available on the company’s website.

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has announced two executive-level appointments within its Managed Services team, with Mike Tyler joining as director of operations, production and Reham Ayoub being hired as director of operations, creative. 

Tyler and Ayoub report to Jody Boatwright, vice president and general manager of Managed Services, Media Production, ASG.

ASG’s Managed Services team provides customized workforce and talent solutions for creative, media production, business operations, IT and engineering roles. 

“It’s an important and large part of ASG’s overall business that involves managing hundreds of personnel from coast to coast and abroad," says Boatwright. "Mike and Reham both possess the unique skill set needed to spearhead operations of this ever-expanding and complex business unit. I’m confident the addition of these two, tremendous leaders will greatly benefit our team and all of ASG.”  

Tyler will oversee onsite production teams supporting ASG’s clients' studios and event venues, while Reham Ayoub will oversee creative operations, post production and design teams that support clients on premises and remotely. Each will lead a team of roughly 200 people. 

Tyler has a unique history with ASG. He’s worked as an employee for an outsourced ASG Managed Services team, as a Managed Services client, and as a systems integration client. Tyler will now act as liaison between the production teams under the ASG Managed Services umbrella and Managed Services leadership. Key to this role is to ensure embedded and onsite managed services team members are integrated within ASG’s culture. His extensive media production background includes live news direction, major sports broadcasts, video editing, camerawork, and engineering for broadcast TV and corporate facilities. 

His management style began at the early age of 19, directing live, daily two-hour newscasts: “In those early years, like most rookies I was a bit rough around the edges and had a lot to learn and perfect,” he recalled. “At the end of each broadcast, the production team would gather to review, debrief and discuss all the things that went well, figure out where we needed improvement, and learn from any mistakes made along the way. This daily post-show debrief helped to reinforce the idea that together, working as a team, each of us shared the responsibility of delivering a flawless broadcast.”

Before joining ASG, Tyler was the senior manager for NetApp TV and oversaw NetApp’s studio production operations and its team of producers, directors, editors, multimedia technicians and freelance video production and film crews. In that role he worked across multiple divisions and directly with NetApp’s senior leaders to produce live events and webcasts. 

“I believe the depth and breadth of my experience, along with the wisdom gained from my mistakes, enables me to be more empathetic and understanding of the many diverse and unique challenges that our managed services teams face on a daily basis,” he added.

In her new role as director of operations, creative, Reham Ayoub is responsible for supporting creative personnel who handle graphic design, copywriting, social media management, and branding projects as part of ASG’s Managed Services team. While she was most recently vice president of talent at Digitas North America, Ayoub is an experienced human resources executive who’s worked with leading advertising and marketing firms. In addition to Digitas, she held leading HR roles at the UK-based market research firm GWI, the search marketing company Acronym, as well as ad agencies 360i (now Dentsu Creative) and MullenLowe Profero. 

While at 360i, she continued to attract and retain top talent as the company acquired Vizeum Media. She led the company’s win for AdAge’s “Best Place to Work in Media” award in 2017, showcasing her strength in change management. During the pandemic, while HR Director at Acronym, Ayoub partnered with a local summer camp to create a curriculum for children ages 5-12 to relieve parents of school duties during working hours. She also created a virtual health and wellness program with classes to improve mental and social wellbeing at work. In 2022, she was certified as a Mental Health First Aider, providing her with tools to better support anyone experiencing a mental health-related crisis.

Ayoub takes great pride in the impact she’s made on the businesses and people she’s worked with. “Joining ASG allows me to combine my passion for people and operations to help optimize processes, foster collaboration, and drive the successful execution of creative projects as the organization continues to scale,” she said. “I’m looking forward to bringing my inside agency perspective to my new role. Supporting creative people to realize their best work requires an optimal environment. I applaud the leaders at ASG for understanding this. I’m thrilled to be a part of the ASG team.”

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has entered into a strategic partnership with Zero Density that will result in ASG carrying Zero Density’s line of real-time virtual studio, augmented reality, and graphics technology designed for broadcast, esports, and live events.

“We’ve seen the incredible work that ASG’s done with innovative installs, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with such a talented team,” explained Yavuz Bahadıroğlu, Zero Density director of global channel management director for the U.S. and Canada. “We foresee a very bright future from this collaboration and know that together, we can help creatives deliver more realistic, eye-catching visuals more easily than ever before.”

The partnership expands ASG’s systems integration portfolio with options from Zero Density’s extensive series of high-end, real-time virtual studio, AR/XR and broadcast on-air graphics solutions, the companies reported. 

“They have an exceptional technology that we can deploy at our clients’ sites to yield what we believe is some of the highest quality XR-based production,” explained Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG. “We’re also very impressed with their customer track record. They're highly recommended by their existing client base. These are things that we evaluate carefully as we decide who to partner with.”

Zero Density is best known for Reality Engine - a real-time node-based compositing system that enables creative teams to stand out from the competition with next-generation Unreal Engine graphics. Reality Engine provides video I/O, keying, tracking, compositing, and rendering in one machine, making it easy to create photoreal 3D environments, AR graphics, XR productions and more – in real time, the companies explained. 

Other product highlights include Zero Density’s tracking brand Traxis with its AI-powered talent tracker and camera tracker. Built for both LED sets and green screen cycloramas, these tracking solutions let broadcasters spend less time worrying about photorealism, giving more space to focus on creativity. Zero Density recently announced a major update to Traxis and a new software bundle that will make photorealistic graphics accessible to all broadcasters, the company said. 

“They have a unique methodology for real-time rendering video wall backgrounds that when combined with their method of using camera tracking data makes a production much more photorealistic in real-time,” Van Hoy added. “They’re taking photorealistic XR to a new level. We believe it’s the highest quality available today.”

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Advanced Systems Group has announced that Paul Weiser is the company’s new head of marketing. He officially joined ASG on Nov. 16, 2020.

Weiser most recently worked for three years as senior vice president of sales for the Americas and Asia Pacific regions at ChyronHego. In his career he has also worked at Vitec Group’s Production Services Division, AJA, Autodesk, Apple and Avid.

“Our industry is evolving, and Paul understands the challenges of cloud-based production services as well as traditional workflows,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG. “It’s important to help our new and existing clients understand how ASG can help with a variety of projects, services and personnel needs. Paul is instrumental in sharing our message and building the ASG brand.”

Weiser is based in Los Angeles.

For more information, visit www.asgllc.com.  

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Advanced Systems Group has been providing tools for content creators to continue producing high-quality content from their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, announcing that in the last two months it has shipped more than 120 remote production kits.

ASG is sending lighting kits, laptops, high-quality microphones and DSLR cameras with desktop tripods and prompters to clients’ homes. ASG customizes each kit to provide what each client needs, while also working around current equipment inventory shortages, the company said.

ASG has also provided training and best practices as needed for on-camera talent.

“The broadcast technical community has stepped up with creative solutions to enable video production to continue outside of the traditional studio environments, and corporate communications professionals have followed suit,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG. “Our remote production kits are helping clients produce professional results despite the inherent limitations of at-home productions.”

ASG says that it has units readily available.

For more information, visit www.asgllc.com.  

Emeryville, Calif., Dec. 3, 2019 – Advanced Systems Group (ASG), a leading media technology and engineering firm, today announced Steve Young joined the company on Nov. 4 to direct business operations and organizational development for the company’s systems integration business.

An industry veteran, Young spent more than 15 years with Sony Electronics. As the director of system solutions, he managed the Sony Professional Solutions Project Delivery Group, and was responsible for developing and deploying broadcast, media and entertainment, and enterprise AV solutions. Most recently, he spent two years as COO for David Carroll Associates.

“We are very excited to welcome Steve to the ASG team,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG. “He understands how to maximize technology and manage projects to deliver the best results for our customers.”

Young is based in the company’s main office in Emeryville. Contact Young at 510-654-8300 or syoung@asgllc.com.

About ASG:
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area with offices in the New York Metro Area, Los Angeles, and the Rocky Mountain Region, Advanced Systems Group LLC has provided engineering, systems, integration, support, and training to the multimedia creative and corporate video markets for more than 20 years. With unmatched experience in high-speed shared storage, media asset management, archiving, editing, color and VFX systems, ASG has become one of the largest installers of post-production and shared storage systems in North America. Highly focused on customer success, the ASG team has installed and supported more than 500 storage networks, along with production and post-production systems. As part of its complete solution approach, ASG also offers a range of managed services, providing expert staffing for media production and IT services on a temporary or ongoing basis. For more information, visit www.asgllc.com or call 510-654-8300.

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Advanced Systems Group has officially announced the hiring of Steve Young to head up its business operations and organizational development for the company’s systems integration business. Young joined the company back on Nov. 4.

“We are very excited to welcome Steve to the ASG team,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG. “He understands how to maximize technology and manage projects to deliver the best results for our customers.”

Young most recently was the COO for David Carroll Associates. He also has more than 15 years of experience with Sony Electronics, where he served as the director of systems solutions and helped develop and deploy broadcast, media and entertainment, and enterprise AV technology.

Young will be based at ASG’s main office in Emeryville.

EMERYVILLE, CALIF., Oct. 29, 2019 – Advanced Systems Group (ASG), a leading media technology and engineering firm, today announced Michael Hession joined the company on Sept. 25 to manage business and financial operations.

An industry veteran, Hession spent several years handling the finances for AKG Acoustics. When the company was acquired by Harman International, he was named CFO, vice president, and general manager of the Orban Division, which included Studer North America. He also co-founded Octiv, Inc., which was acquired by Plantronics in 2005. Previously, he served as vice president for finance and operations for Klotz Digital. Most recently, Hession served as director of finance for Nutiva.

“Through his diverse background, Michael has proven himself to be a strong leader in financial operations,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG. “He understands both the business and technical needs of our customers, which make him a valuable addition to the ASG team.”

Contact Hession at 510-654-8300 or mhession@asgllc.com.

About ASG:
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area with offices in the New York Metro Area, Los Angeles, and the Rocky Mountain Region, Advanced Systems Group LLC has provided engineering, systems, integration, support, and training to the multimedia creative and corporate video markets for more than 20 years. With unmatched experience in high-speed shared storage, media asset management, archiving, editing, color and VFX systems, ASG has become one of the largest installers of post-production and shared storage systems in North America. Highly focused on customer success, the ASG team has installed and supported more than 500 storage networks, along with production and post-production systems. As part of its complete solution approach, ASG also offers a range of managed services, providing expert staffing for media production and IT services on a temporary or ongoing basis. For more information, visit www.asgllc.com or call 510-654-8300.

EMERYVILLE, CALIF., May 1, 2019 – Advanced Systems Group (ASG), a leading media technology and engineering firm, today announced John Shike joined the company in late March as a key accounts manager. Based in San Francisco Bay Area, he will provide support to the growing list of top Silicon Valley companies that rely on ASG for video production, audio engineering, and media storage solutions.

Shike spent 18 years as a vice president with Snell Advanced Media, managing business development, marketing, and channel partners throughout North and South America. Previously, he served as the director of marketing and business development for Spruce Technologies, and was a board member for the Advanced Metadata Workflow Association during the creation of MXF and other file formats. Most recently, he was an account executive at VMI in Sunnyvale, Calif. Currently, Shike volunteers as the director of educators and educational institutions for SMPTE’s Membership Committee.

“As we continue to grow our business in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley, from systems integration to managed services, we’re very pleased to have someone with John’s experience to support the complex workflows for our high-tech clients in the area,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG.

Contact Shike at 510-654-8300 or jshike@asgllc.com.

About ASG:
Based in Northern California with offices in the New York Metro Area, Los Angeles, Pacific Northwest, and the Rocky Mountain Region, Advanced Systems Group LLC of Emeryville, Calif., has provided engineering, systems, integration, support, and training to the multimedia creative and corporate video markets for more than 20 years. With unmatched experience in high-speed shared storage, media asset management, archiving, editing, color and VFX systems, ASG has become one of the largest installers of post-production and shared storage systems in North America. Highly focused on customer success, the ASG team has installed and supported more than 500 storage networks, along with production and post-production systems. As part of its complete solution approach, ASG also offers a range of managed services, providing expert staffing for media production and IT services on a temporary or ongoing basis. For more information, visit www.asgllc.com or call 510-654-8300.

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Media technology and engineering firm Advanced Systems Group has officially announced the hiring of John Shike as a key accounts manager. Shike joined the company in late March and is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where provides support to Silicon Valley companies that use ASG for video production, audio engineering and media storage technology.

Shike joined ASG after having previously served as the vice president at Snell Advanced Media for 18 years, managing business development, marketing and channel partners throughout North and South America. He also has experience as the director of marketing and business development for Spruce Technologies, was a board member for the Advanced Metadata Workflow Association during the creation of MXF and other file formats, and most recently was an account executive at VMI. In addition, he volunteers as director of educators and educational institutions for SMPTE’s Membership Committee.

“As we continue to grow our business in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley, from systems integration to managed services, we’re very pleased to have someone with John’s experience to support the complex workflows for our high-tech clients in the area,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG.

EMERYVILLE, CALIF., April 18, 2019 – Advanced Systems Group (ASG), a leading media technology and engineering firm, was named North America Media and Entertainment Partner of the Year by Quantum Corporation last week at the 2019 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Nev. The award recognizes sales achievements for Quantum’s worldwide reseller partners in FY2019.

“Our partners see the value of our offerings and are getting excited about selling the new solutions that we’re highlighting at NAB 2019,” said Brandon Cass, Americas channel director, Quantum. “I am thrilled to see the growth and momentum of the Quantum channel both at the Americas and global level. The channel has been a critical part of Quantum’s success and continues to drive our business every day.”

“We appreciate the recognition from Quantum, and we also appreciate their continued commitment to delivering outstanding storage products for our clients,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG. “At NAB, they showcased a major upgrade of their StorNext high-performance shared storage and a new all-flash NVMe storage platform. These types of innovations help us continue to provide tailored storage solutions for a variety of vertical markets.”

About ASG:
Based in Northern California with offices in the New York Metro Area, Los Angeles, Pacific Northwest, Houston, and the Rocky Mountain Region, Advanced Systems Group LLC of Emeryville, Calif., has provided engineering, systems, integration, support, and training to the multimedia creative and corporate video markets since 1997. With unmatched experience in high-speed shared storage, media asset management, archiving, editing, color and VFX systems, ASG has become one of the largest installers of post-production and shared storage systems in North America. Highly focused on customer success, the ASG team has installed and supported more than 500 storage networks, along with production and post-production systems. As part of its complete solution approach, ASG also offers a range of managed services, providing expert staffing for media production and IT services on a temporary or ongoing basis. For more information, visit www.asgllc.com or call 510-654-8300.

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—Media technology and engineering fim Advanced Systems Group has announced the hiring of Michael Groh to its audio solutions team.

Groh comes to ASG after having handled sales, operations and purchasing for digital audio and DAWs at Cutting Edge Audio & Video Group since 2001. He has also served as the director of channel marketing for Thinkware and has held sales and marketing positions with Modulus Graphite, Atari Corporation and Rowe Marketing.

Groh will be based out of ASG’s main office in Emeryville.

EMERYVILLE, Calif. — David Frederick has joined Advanced Systems Group as head of marketing and will be responsible for all external communication, event coordination and product and services messaging for ASG and its wholly owned subsidiary DiaQuest.

“We’ve built a long relationship with Dave because of his work with us as a preferred VAR, and we’re proud to welcome him to the team,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG.

Frederick most recently served as senior director of marketing for SDVI Corp. His career includes nine years holding various marketing positions at Omneon and Harmonic, and three years as senior director of worldwide media and entertainment segment marketing a Quantum Corp. He also has held marketing roles at SGI, SonicWALL and Tintri.

Fredrick is based in Cupertino, Calif., and can be reached at 510-654-8300 or via email at dfredrick@asgllc.com.

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EMERYVILLE, CALIF.—Media technology and engineering firm Advanced Systems Group has announced the hiring of Rob Wentz. ASG President Dave Van Hoy described Wentz’s new position as a liaison, as one of his main responsibilities will be to coordinate field technical services for clients in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York.

Rob Wentz

Wentz comes to ASG after having previously worked as the post-production manager and senior editor for Pederson Media Group. He also spent time as a post-production technical director at Google and as a motion graphics designer and systems administrator for KTVU. Wentz runs his own company, monstrumMeida, which produces music, sound design and 3D animations for DVDs and video games.

ASG officially hired Wentz on Oct. 9.

EMERYVILLE, CALIF.—Advanced Systems Group has made the official announcement that Tom Menrath has been hired; he began his new position on May 15. With ASG, Menrath will seek to strengthen the audio aspects of the company’s video-centric projects, as well as provide key account support.

Menrath comes to ASG after having served as managing director of Cutting Edge Audio & Video Group. He previously had worked for five years at Vintage King Audio as director of strategic development. He has also held positions with Guitar Center, Sweetwater Sound, Audio Agent LLC and Monster Cable.

Menrath will be based in ASG’s Emeryville, Calif., office.

Steve McCracken

EMERYVILLE, CALIF.—Advanced Systems Group has officially announced that Steve McCracken has joined the company’s Technical Service Team as a systems engineer. McCracken, who is based in Southern California, joined ASG back in August. McCracken previously worked as a senior systems engineer for DigitalFilm Tree, as a systems engineer for Apple, technical manager for Key Code Media, director of engineering and technology services at MelroseMAC, and a consulting engineer for HomeRun Media.

ASG is a provider of engineering, systems, integration, support and training for the broadcast industry with offices all across the U.S.