Eyeheight has provided Al Jazeera Sport, in Doha, with several A/B mixer systems from the Eyeheight playout range of modular presentation control equipment. The new installation forms part of a server-based ingest, post-production and transmission facility completed in just four months by Dubai-based Qvest Media in partnership with its German sister company Wellen+Noethen.
The HD-SDI playout systems installed at Al Jazeera Sport include Eyeheight's MW-3EM A/B mixer, which features the ability to perform mix, wipe and cut transitions as well as U and V fades. The MW-3EM also has a preview output. A DK-3M linear downstream keyer handles background, key and fill inputs and supports normal keying, additive (premultiplied) keying, self-key and self-colored keying. Also incorporated is an AP-10 manual intervention panel that allows the engineering staff to choose the level of intervention they require for specific channels. Each of the 11 playout switchers is fitted with an AM-2E audio mixer, which allows two digital audio sources to be mixed with embedded audio. The AM-2E is designed primarily for voice-over insertion into an SDI stream. All 11 playouts have an FP-10 module that provides overall system control.
Since its launch in November 2003, Al Jazeera Sport has become the most popular sports broadcaster in the Middle East. The network consists of AJS channels 1 to 10 plus AJS HD1, AJS HD2, AJS Global, AJS News and AJS Clubs. Al Jazeera Sports covers a wide range of major events including the UEFA European Football Championship, Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics. It also owns exclusive Middle East broadcasting rights to major football leagues such as the Spanish La Liga and Italian Serie A.
