Snell has announced that Argentina's PromTV and Barcelona-based systems integrator Unitecnic, both part of the Mediapro Group, have upgraded the PromTV studios and playout centre with a full range of Snell products to enable the Argentinean launch of ESPN HD.

Installed in PromTV's Buenos Aires facility, Kahuna SD/HD multiformat production switchers, Sirius and Cygnus routing, IQ Modular infrastructure, Alchemist Ph.C - HD TX, and MachHD motion-compensated standards converters combine in a turnkey solution that supports 100% tapeless HD production and broadcast of the HD sports channel.

"Our company has a great deal of experience with and confidence in Snell products, which have always exceeded required quality standards and demonstrated reliability in the most diverse and demanding environments," said Xavier Verd, project engineer at Unitecnic. "As we worked with PromTV to engineer a scalable state-of-the-art solution for ESPN HD production and playout, Snell's robust product line again offered the high performance and superior processing capabilities required for delivery of premium HD programming."

Unitecnic managed the turnkey project, which upgraded the PromTV facility to support production and playout of US sports programming for the Latin American market. Within a phased upgrade first addressing the shift to HD production and then establishing redundant playout of ESPN HD, Snell systems were installed in PromTV's two studios and in a new technical area comprising a racks room and two control rooms. Each studio boasts a Kahuna production switcher, one configured for SD operation and the other for HD. The format flexibility of Snell's Kahuna system ensures that PromTV can complete its full transition to HD operations according to its business plan and technical needs.

Within PromTV's central racks room, a 256x256 Sirius (expandable to 512x512) handles feed routing while three MachHD systems provide standards conversion of incoming HD and SD feeds, as well as crossconversion of programming (NTSC/PAL) exchanged between Argentina and the United States and Europe. The new playout area features a Cygnus router equipped with a 72x96 configuration (expandable to 576x576) and an Alchemist Ph.C - HD TX60, which is used to convert programming from 720p50 to 720p60 prior to transmission. IQ modular infrastructure equipment installed throughout the upgraded facility includes embedders, de-embedders, distribution amps, and synchronisers.

"The PromTV installation demonstrates how a turnkey solution incorporating Snell's industry-leading product line can enable a seamless transition to a powerful, efficient, and versatile HD production and playout model," said Neil Maycock, CMO at Snell. "We're pleased to have worked once again with Unitecnic in the delivery of an advanced broadcast system, and we are confident that the resulting installation will give Latin American broadcasters a unique look at the benefits afforded by a streamlined, state-of-the-art HD production and playout facility."

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