Echolab Offers Low-Cost HD Upgrades
Trade-Up Deal Aimed At Cash-Strapped Customers
by George Winslow -- Multichannel News, 11/18/2009 5:03:39 PM
Video production switcher vendor Echolab is offering existing customers of its standard-definition switchers a low-cost upgrade to HD production.
The offer allows existing customers of Echolab's Nova, Opera or Overture standard-definition switchers to upgrade to an Echolab Atem, which is a 1 M/E 3 Gigabits per second 1080/60 production switcher for $14,500.
The deal illustrates a move by vendors to offer cash-strapped customers a way to move to high def in a tough economic climate. Echolab senior product manager Ankit Patel estimated that there are well over 500 customers -- mostly churches, schools and rental houses -- who would be eligible to take advantage of the offer.
"You keep your familiar panel and workflow and simply replace the chassis," Patel said. "We will reprogram the panel and you get Atem, which is a really powerful switcher, a fully loaded system [including installation] for $14,500."
The move also makes it easier to create HD content without making the transition to a full HD infrastructure, he added.
"They can keep all their existing SD sources and run the switcher in high def and provide HD outputs," he said. "They don't even have to worry about monitoring because the multi-viewer is included."
Churches and schools have been less affected by the recession than broadcasters, but the demand for HD upgrades in those sectors still remains mixed given their relatively limited budgets, Patel noted.
"They are all looking at high-def and they want to go HD, but for a lot of them it still comes down to budgets," Patel said. "A lot of them are doing it in parts. They'll say I'll do the switcher this year and the cameras next year. The good thing about this is very affordable."Gray Television Plots More HD Upgrades
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