Black Box, a global information technology solutions provider, will be hosting a 45-minute live webinar, "How to Build a Modern Control Room," at 11 a.m. EDT on Thursday, Aug. 6. During the free event, experts from Black Box will describe how to create a modern control room that can meet current and future requirements for monitoring vital information, controlling critical functions and reacting quickly to events. The presentation also will review real-world deployments across various applications. Click here to register now.

FSR, a leading manufacturer of a wide variety of products for the Pro AV and Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) markets has announced that it’s now shipping its new line of sophisticated and colorful SYMPHONY POP Table Boxes. The clamp-on and under-table box options, which come in a choice of five colors (red, green blue, yellow and black) brighten up any office space bringing a smile to users throughout the workplace.

MCR Broadcast Hire and Video Europe Ltd today announce they have entered into a strategic partnership, formalising the existing and longstanding relationship between Mike Ransome and Steve Green and aligning the two companies’ business operations.

Steve Green and Matt Marner, directors at Video Europe, have entered into a shareholding agreement in MCR Broadcast Hire alongside MCR’s Managing Director, Mike Ransome. Video Europe has invested significant funds into the live broadcast sector over the past few years and considers the alignment of MCR’s business a natural fit.

Leading playout automation and channel in a box specialist, Pebble Beach Systems, today announced that the state-owned public radio and television broadcaster for Greece, The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), has ordered a significant multi-site installation of Pebble’s Marina automation platform to transform the playout capabilities at its Athens headquarters, and their premises in Thessaloniki.

InfoComm 2020 will look a lot different this year. Instead of navigating the halls of the LVCC, attendees will navigate a virtual trade show on their desktops with mouse clicks. FSR, a leading manufacturer of a wide variety of infrastructure solution products for the audio/video, Information and Communications Technologies (ICT), education, corporate, hospitality, and government markets, is prepared to make the event an exciting and informative learning experience by e-introducing attendees to its latest innovations that include: an all-in-one Floor Box, a dual purpose feature to its Raceway system, Table Boxes that POP, new power solutions, and a new Matrix Switcher. Everything can be seen on FSR’s InfoComm Connected 2020 Exhibitor Showcase which will take place June 16-18. Click for free Registration.

PlayBox Neo announces the completion of a high definition parliamentary broadcast playout system for the National Assembly of Thailand in Bangkok. The new installation is a complete end-to-end solution including ProductionAirBox Neo, TitleBox Neo and CaptureBox Neo. PlayBox Neo partnered in the project with Thai system integrator Broadcast Audio Service Company Limited and Bangkok-based distributor Mahajak Development Company Limited.

"The Thai government required a solution that would be reliable, operator friendly, space-efficient and future-proof," comments Banjongsak Wonggawee, BASC Project Engineer. "This is a complete new-install which gives the production team full control over the entire workflow from ingest right through to transmission. PlayBox Neo was the logical choice on every count. It was also easy to integrate with third-party devices which is crucial in the design of any system. The system we recommended is based on six production servers. Three of these are configured to capture, schedule and transmit proceedings from the 500-seat Chandra voting chamber in the Thai Senate plus three for the Surian chamber in the House of Representatives."

Mo-Sys Engineering, a global leader in real time camera tracking and remote systems, today announced the launch of U50. Designed and manufactured during the lockdown period, the U50 is a heavy-duty remote head that enables camera operators to safely return to work and control the biggest box lenses and heaviest broadcast camera set-ups remotely.

Offering the ultimate for camera remote control and remote production, U50 combats the current challenges and unique requirements in the Covid-19 affected world. Making it possible to operate large box lenses and cameras remotely, U50 achieves the same precision and agility when camera operators are controlling manually and on-site. With no other remote head capable of smoothly and quickly operating box lenses and with on-site production crews dramatically decreasing, this innovation offers a new solution to tackle current challenges.

Danny Zemanek, Freelance Camera Operator explained, “Previously remote production technology was an additional cost for broadcasters, but now it is essential to ensure camera operators can work safely. The U50 remote head from Mo-Sys represents a new way that operators can control big box lenses with the same precision and agility that we have come to expect.”

Pebble Beach Systems, the leading automation, content management and integrated channel specialist, today announced a strong set of results for the year ended 31 December 2019, with all key financial metrics ahead of 2018’s impressive figures.

The company increased its gross margin, and the net cash inflow from its operating activities. At £3.8m, the adjusted EBITDA figure was 52% higher than that for 2018. Revenues were also significantly up, at £11.2m compared to £9.2m in 2018, an increase of 22%.

PlayBox Neo announces the completion of an expanded playout system at the Bangkok headquarters of Thai broadcaster TV Direct. The installation doubles the network's capacity from three to six channels, transmitted in high definition via direct-to-home satellite and online.

"PlayBox Neo's Channel-in-a-Box system has the fourfold advantage of being installer-friendly, efficient to operate, easy to expand and highly reliable," says TV Direct's MCR Manager Akarachai Tobsin. "This new investment comprises three additional AirBox Neo-19 servers, each configured with the resources we need to schedule programs, commercials and promos as far in advance as the production team chooses to work. AirBox Neo-19 also allows us to make near-to-air changes in playout running order or to transmit live whenever we choose. In operational terms, the control GUIs go beyond intuitive by being relaxing on the eyes rather than imposing a lot of glare. Content can be accessed quickly, trimmed and finessed, all within the Neo-19 environment. That saves staff time and ensures maximum confidence. The servers are located at our satellite uplink service provider, PSI Broadcasting, here in the same city, and operated via secure IP links which carry complete program files as well as control data."

Minacord Media, founded and owned by composer, songwriter, singer and instrumentalist Zeljko Joksimovic, has chosen PlayBox Neo Version 19 Channel-in-a-Box systems to power three new television channels: Kazbuka, K1 and TV Doctor. All three will be transmitted via cable and IPTV in Serbia, and on the Go4TV mobile-TV platform across Croatia, Slovenia, Austria plus the wider European Union, Switzerland, Canada and the USA. The project was negotiated and completed by PlayBox Neo distribution partner PBT Adria, from initial design and cabling through to on-site integration, configuration and testing.

"PlayBox Neo was the obvious choice for channel branding and playout as it gives us full control over the entire process from scheduling, titling and interstitials management right through to delivery," Zeljko Joksimovic comments. "A key requirement was the ability to automate as much as possible while keeping our production options open to accommodate live inserts or last-minute changes in running order. Efficient expandability and easy third-party device integration were also important so that we are free to add extra channels easily at any time in the future. PlayBox Neo answers at every level."