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Calibre Adds Streaming to Scalers and Switchers

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LAS VEGAS – At InfoComm 16, Calibre is launching a streaming video input option for the company’s 7th-generation HQView600 series presentation scaler-switchers, LEDView700 series LED scaler-switchers and HQUltra700 series live events scaler-switchers. Pictured here is Tim Brooksbank, CEO.

More details from Calibre (www.calibreuk.com):

The streaming video input option when chosen enables direct ingest of HD H.264 content via gigabit Ethernet port, as well as this port remaining available for webserver and remote control API use. The streaming video input is selected by an additional input select key on the front panel, so once the scaler-switcher has been installed and configured the user can select the streaming video input channel as the source to be displayed just as easily as if it was a HDMI or DVI input.

Streaming video input models include support for Calibre’s HQUltraFast typical 0.25 second input switching including switching to streaming video, with the same outstanding HQUltra scaling for the streaming video channel and all regular video input sources.

Tim Brooksbank, CEO of Calibre explains, “Integration of streaming video as an additional input source is a logical progression for our HQUltra scalers as we continue to provide best-in-class performance for our customers.

“Streaming video ingest is becoming very important as networked video becomes a reality. It is perfect for receiving video from a long distance in a building, or over VPN, or from a video server. It can be integrated with a third party control system and then used for video server playout of emergency information to all Calibre HQUltra scalers throughout an installation.”

Calibre’s streaming video enabled HQUltra scaler scaler-switchers include dedicated H.264 hardware decode to ensure streaming video is decoded cleanly and without additional loading on the system software so that the HQUltraFast typical 0.25 second source switching remains active. 

Says Brooksbank, “Some streaming video implementations, especially those which are PC-based, suffer from high loading of the system processor during streaming video decode.  This can lead to the system response to user control and external commands becoming sluggish, this is irritating and unhelpful to a user especially in a live presentation system. For this reason Calibre has implemented hardware H.264 video decode to minimize additional loading on the internal operating system of our products.”

Streaming video input is an option on Calibre’s HQView600 series video scaler-switchers and also HQView600A audio-video scaler-switchers with inbuilt analogue audio handling, microphone mixer and power amplifier.  Streaming video input can also be specified on LEDView700 series LED scaler-switchers and HQUltra700 series live events scaler-switchers.  Calibre believes this is now the most comprehensive range of streaming video enabled scaler-switchers available from any mainstream pro-AV manufacturer.

HQView670ASV with streaming video input and analogue audio, microphone mixer and power amplifier is on active display at Calibre’s InfoComm 2016 booth C6844 where attendees can try out this new technology for themselves.