Telecast Serves The World
Posted by Ed Miley
While many broadcasters and production companies are focused on next summer’s Olympic games in London, we also have our eyes set on the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. (Hey, we’re headquartered in central Massachusetts, we like cold weather. And our equipment stands up to the worst conditions.)
As you know, these multi-venue games take time and effort to produce and host, so everything has to be ready way beforehand. Working more than two years in advance is not unusual (just ask NBC).
In fact, during the past six months we have seen a great deal of interest coming out of Russia for Telecast products—some gearing up for a variety of upcoming large projects some associated with the Olympics of 2014 and others to be used for other productions.
I’m happy to report that the Winter Olympics in Russia are turning out to be a boon for Telecast Fiber Systems. We recently completed a deal with ISPA-SAT, a Russia-based systems integrator, for a major project that will put a large amount of our fiber transceivers and other equipment into the Russian market by early next year.
The large order—which includes numerous Copperhead 3400 transceiver systems, SHED & HDX, Tactical Fiber, SMPTE cable, Viper Mussel Shell and the new T-POV-324 systems—will be used for a variety of live sporting events, including the downhill ski trials at Sochi in February 2012. All of the regional broadcasters will use this equipment and more during the Winter Olympics at Sochi in 2014.
As head of International sales here at Telecast, I have seen a steady demand for Copperhead 3200 and Copperhead 3400 systems in the past two years from broadcasters and major production companies. They are putting them on OB trucks, in flight-pack production systems and in educational facilities. This trend is looking very healthy for 2012 as well.
In addition to Russia, we have also had great success winning new business for large projects in the France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Norway, the UK and other countries in Eastern Europe. And not just for sports.
For example, the Technical University of Lodz and several other educational institutions in Poland have deployed our technology (Copperhead 3200s and other systems) in several production studios and training centers across the country. In fact, Telecast gear is now eight large cities (such as Lodz and Warsaw). Each institution typically has purchased three systems.
One student operator named “Matthew” in Warsaw, where they use our fiber transceiver on a Panasonic DMC-LZ7 HD camera, said that the Copperhead 3200 “turns any ENG camcorder into a EFP camera with remote paint control, HD-SDI in/out, three channels of analog video, dual-channel audio and dual-channel intercom. It's quite remarkable, really.”
And he has pictures to prove it. [You can see his posts at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jstarpl/5158260265/in/photostream/.]
We have also been enjoying renewed interest in our products from the Oil Exploration, Underwater and Teaching Hospital market segments. This is great news for us, as these are not markets we normally support.
Our worldwide success is due to the great sales and service teams we have assembled to serve our customers locally, where they work. We are fortunate to have a thriving and supportive network of dealers, systems integrators and key customers across Europe that help keep the Telecast brand at the forefront overseas.
It doesn't matter whether you work in North America or overseas, when you are spec’ing your next projects, think fiber—to make your work easier and your clients happier—and call Telecast Fiber Systems—to make you a hero in everyone’s eyes.
You owe it to yourself, wherever you might be in the world.