CABSAT 2014: Wohler to Show Off New Products

Wohler Technologies plans to show off an array of new products at CABSAT 2014 (March 11-13, Dubai World Trade Center). The company will be exhibiting in Hall 8, Stand B8-40.

“CABSAT is the region’s premier event for the digital media industry and a perfect show at which to highlight the latest advances within our signal management and audio/video monitoring line, as well as major upgrades to the Wohler RadiantGrid Intelligent Media Transformation Platform for automated file-based media processing,” says John Terrey, Vice President Sales, Wohler.

MPEG DVB-ASI and IPTV Monitors
Wohler MPEG monitors decode and provide convenient at-a-glance monitoring of program content from MPEG-2/4 ASI and Ethernet IP streams, as well as 3G/HD-SDI inputs. The MPEG video monitors decode and display MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 signals via BNC or Ethernet inputs, while giving users the ability to browse the PAT, PMT, and PID data for each selected stream. In addition to MPEG ASI and dual-input 3G/HD-SDI with loop-through, the MPEG monitors also accommodate HDMI® video and audio with level meters, GPI, and tally. Wohler will feature the MPEG-4290, a 4-RU system with two 9-inch screens; the MPEG-3270, a 3-RU system with two 7-inch screens; and the 2-RU MPEG-2443 with four individual 4.3-inch screens.

AMP1-16M Dual 3G/HD/SD-SDI Audio Monitor 
Wohler’s new AMP1-16M dual-input SDI audio monitor provides broadcasters with high-performance monitoring of embedded audio in two 3G/HD/SD-SDI streams at an attractive price point. The 1-RU system de-embeds and provides metering and monitoring of any or all of the 16 audio channels in the selected 3G/HD/SD-SDI stream. It assures intuitive operation and clear display of levels and other critical information using bright 2.4-inch LED-backlit LCD displays, enabling one-touch monitoring and summing of any selected pair(s) to built-in speakers, headphones, or XLR balanced analog outputs.

The AMP1-16M monitor features a number of convenient capabilities including remote access for setup and storage of user-defined presets via Ethernet and USB connections, along with gain adjustment/trim on individual audio channels (as well as select or deselect channel pairs) with the ability to assign channels as left, right, or center (both) to the internal audio system and the analog outputs. It offers both pass-through of each SDI input and a reclocked output of the selected monitored SDI stream.

AMP2-E16V Series Modular Audio/Video Processing Monitor
Wohler will also present its flagship AMP2-E16V audio/video processing monitor. The monitor’s feature list is the longest in the industry, yet the product is operated with one-touch simplicity. In addition to its top-quality audio system, it features simultaneous multiformat monitoring, quick program selection, instant stereo downmix, loudness monitoring, internal channel mixing including SDI re-embedding, audio delays, a wide variety of meter scales and ways to view meters, video, and Dolby or SMPTE 2020 metadata.

The AMP2-E16V offers Dolby Zoom, Dolby E line position, and CRC error monitoring, as well as automatic system configuration based upon signal inputs, 32 complete system configuration presets, a complete internal help system, and Ethernet software updates. Audio processor card options facilitate easy configuration for multiple SDI, AES I/O, analog I/O, and connection to external surround systems.

AMP1-MADIe Audio Monitor
The Wohler AMP1-MADIe is an in-rack portable MADI monitor unit with Ethernet control and configuration, including compatibility with the Evertz MAGNUM facility control system. Ideal for sports production and other live broadcasts, it can be connected in series with a 56- or 64-channel MADI stream to provide audio monitoring and metering of any eight selected MADI channels at once. Designed specifically for customers requiring unique functionality equivalent to a MADI audio hot-mic mixer, Wohler’s new AMP1-MADIe simplifies rapid selection and monitoring of MADI signals in fast-paced, live-to-air production environments. Two models will be on display, demonstrating support for either multimode or single-mode fiber connections in addition to standard copper on BNC. Each model will also convert fiber to BNC and vice-versa.

RadiantGrid Intelligent Media Transformation Platform
The Wohler RadiantGrid Intelligent Media Transformation Platform provides consolidated media processing capabilities, such as transcoding, standards conversion, audio processing, caption processing, and quality control, with a highly intelligent content management fabric and workflow orchestration layer. Based on an extensible service-oriented architecture, the platform integrates smoothly with editorial, archive, traffic, business process, and rights management systems.

New to CABSAT this year is the first version 8 series release of the RadiantGrid platform. This release contains a brand-new media processing engine that provides content transformation at speeds that are unparalleled.

The platform brings optimized video pipeline features such as anamorphic video handling, 2K/4K support, and higher bit depths of up to 16-bit YUV. New since IBC2013 is the RadiantGrid Detect and Correct video legalization option featuring the unique RightHue algorithm that ensures comprehensive NTSC and PAL color compliance within the file-based domain.

At the audio level, the new media processing engine parallelizes complex audio loudness correction alongside the video at speeds never before seen. In addition to all of this, RadiantGrid version 8 enables fully compliant OTT offerings for Microsoft Smooth Streaming, MPEG-DASH, HLS, and H.265/HEVC, and introduces a unique solution for U.K. DPP compliance.

Wohler Names Four New Hires in Sales and Engineering
Responding to rapid growth across the company, Wohler Technologies today announced four more new hires in key sales and engineering positions in a second series of new appointments this month. For Wohler signal management and monitoring products, Shawn Sennett will serve as director of western U.S. sales and Jerry Williamson will serve as director of eastern U.S. sales. For the Wohler RadiantGrid business line, Brian Massie has been hired as sales engineer and Tom McFarland as QA engineer.

“The unique forward-looking functionality of new product releases across our business has opened up significant growth opportunities for Wohler,” said Carl J. Dempsey, Wohler president and CEO. “These new additions — Shawn, Jerry, Brian, and Tom — to the Wohler sales and engineering teams will ensure that we can keep pace with the growing momentum created by innovations such as our MPEG monitoring line and the new WohlerDPP, powered by RadiantGrid.”

Wohler’s award-winning MPEG Series of broadcast-quality MPEG video monitors represents the first universal digital broadcast confidence monitor line in the broadcast industry. By consolidating MPEG-2 and MPEG-4/H.264 streams into the mainstream workflow, the Wohler monitors enable a single operator to monitor all video streams, even those destined for delivery via Web portals and mobile services, from a single system and interface. In doing so, the system further reduces the cost and complexity of handling the various streams processed and distributed by today’s broadcast and production facilities. Handling the MPEG Series and other signal management and monitoring solution sales, Sennett will be based in Los Angeles, and Williamson will be based in Philadelphia.

The RadiantGrid Intelligent Media Transformation Platform and RadiantGrid-powered file-based processing solutions are likewise transforming critical workflows within the media enterprise. The expansion of RadiantGrid engineering personnel comes as demand for these solutions continues to rise. Massie will be based in the U.K., and McFarland will be based in San Francisco.