New Additions to Kudos Plus Family Offer Snell's Renowned Frame-Rate Conversion Technology in a Small-Footprint, Budget-Friendly Package

READING, U.K. — Dec. 15, 2009 — Snell today announced the launch of the CVR800 and TBS800, two new HD standards and format converters in the Kudos Plus line of cost-effective rack-mountable signal processing systems. The new CVR800 frame-rate and format converter and TBS800 format converter and synchronizer both offer a range of features and functionality, including support for 3Gb/s operations and composite video I/O, designed specifically to streamline HD broadcast workflows.

"The CVR800 and TBS800 are a direct response to customer input and requests. Not only do they offer Snell's state-of-the-art HD standards and format conversion at an extremely attractive price point and in a small footprint, but both products also provide a rich set of tools that give operators greater control over the final video output," said Paola Hobson, product manager. "These systems have features designed to help broadcasters get specific tasks done more easily and more efficiently. For instance, the products' range of vertical and horizontal enhancement options enables users to get the precise result they seek after conversion, and their provision of a wide range of audio and video inputs and outputs supports workflow flexibility."

The CVR800 offers motion-adaptive frame-rate and format conversion (up, down, cross), and the TBS800 offers motion-adaptive format conversion and synchronization for 3Gb/s, HD, and SD video. The systems include a flexible and powerful set of linear and nonlinear tools for user-controlled enhancements, such as the adjustment of horizontal and vertical attributes during format conversion. As moving video elements are processed by the systems' motion-adaptive format conversion technology, a stills mode for format conversion enables operators to process stationary items, such as logos and banners, separately from the main picture to ensure optimal quality.

To support North American closed-captioning and audio standards, the CVR800 and TBS800 provide passing of CEA608 captions for CEA708 output. Other functions include the passing and preservation of vertical ancillary data space (VANC) signaling data, AFD support, and non-PCM audio passing.