The Briefing Room

Weather Central, Inc. will use a Grass Valley™ Kayak™ high-definition (HD) production switcher from Thomson (Euronext Paris: 18453; NYSE: TMS) to pre-produce video segments and develop its presentation prior to this year‘s National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention (April 16-19). The compact yet powerful HD switcher will also serve as the heart of a live theater presentation during the trade show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, April 14-19.

The Madison, Wisconsin-based company will use the Grass Valley Kayak to demonstrate its 3D:LIVE™, ESP:LIVE™, 3D:Traffic™ and ScreenWRITER® real-time HD image compositing graphics systems. Weather Central‘s patented MagicTRAK® technology allows an on-air weather presenter to use their hand as a mouse to launch live 3D chromakey compositing effects. Wherever they point on a weather map, they can interact with specific regions to show trends in weather. It also allows them to change on-screen images, graphics, and maps quickly, by simply touching a blue or green screen background and a hand clicker. And it is all completed in high-quality HD resolution.

At NAB this year, all of Weather Central‘s products will be displayed in HD. The Kayak system will switch images on a large 65-inch plasma screen in the company‘s exhibit booth (#C5334 in the LVCC Central Hall). Attendees will be able to watch chromakey screens as well as the live (composited) program monitor to see the full result of their live image on top of the MagicTRAK HD effects.

The switcher will handle all of the compositing effects and live video feeds.

In addition, numerous smaller LCD screens located throughout the Weather Central booth will display weather video segments pre-produced with the Kayak switcher.

“We‘ve always felt that Grass Valley is the best of breed in switchers and the Kayak‘s intuitive interface makes it easy to use,” said Steve Smedberg, Director of Marketing and Product Management, Weather Central, Inc. “We wouldn‘t trust our NAB presentation to any switcher, because our exhibit has to be the best it can be. We‘re also considering installing one as part of our upcoming studio expansion in Madison later this year.”

The Grass Valley Kayak HD switcher will also be on display at the Grass Valley exhibit booth (#N902).

For information about Grass Valley products from Thomson please visit www.thomsongrassvalley.com.