In what represents a significant step-up for L2tek, this year we have booked the Amstel Botel for IBC 2011. No more camping for us, but I hope we don't get sea-sick! See you there.

Thanks you to Graeme Kelly (Now of Snell Ltd) for sending the following link regarding Apple's Thunderbolt cables.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/apple-thunderbolt-cable-gutted-a-dozen-other-things-found-withi/

I recognise the logo on that chip!

Panasonic DMR-BW780EBK
For a long time I have wanted a hard disk recorder for terrestrial TV recording. Panasonic released the above model last year with a feature rich set of functions, including a 250Gb HD, Bueray recorder, twin DVB-T2 tuners and H.264 encoding engine. Originally the price was high at over £600 but I eventually got it for around £400 fro Amazon...a bargain for the technology!
After the excitement of receiving my Amazon delivery I plugged my unit into my Sony Bravia 40"......then the disappointement set in.
Connecting the HDMI port to the TV, killed the TV's digital tuners. Also the Panasonic would not tune to any channel. After some fiddling around, I disconnected the HDMI cable and inserted the Scart cable (yuk!)...magically all the tuners started to work. However, the Scart only supports analog SD....not much good considering the £400 price tag for the HD performance.
I spent a good few hours playing around with the RF cables, convincing myself that the problem was interference or a ground loop problem. The next task was to replace all my cheap RF cables with noise suppressed ones and inserting an isolation transformer....checking the antennae amp etc. To my dismay, this made no difference.
I started to conclude, that the problem could only be due to the HDMI radiating and interfering with the tuners. But I had already purchased a good quality HDMI cable. I made another investment in an HDMI cable (by Panasonic) that had zinc molded connecters ("to stop leakage"). Instantly the problem disappeared!!
I am now enjoying an excellent image quality.....the decoding / and the SD to HD upconversion is far supperior to the Sony Bravia with very few artifacts and great detail.I am now awaiting for the analog switch off in 2012 so that I can enjoy free terrestrial HD.
My next job is to open the Panasonic unit to see what image processor they use....I suspect I-Chips.

Frankenstein - live play broadcast into cinemas

Well its not often you will see a play review on this blog, but its all in the name of technology.  I went to the cinema last week to see one of the recent live broadcasts of the highly acclaimed, and incidently completely sold out performances of the play Frankenstein, currently on at the National Theatre.  I've not seen a broadcast play before and dont even know how often they are done but I have to say I was blown away.  

My expectations were admittedly quite low, Frankenstein has never been my monster of choice, my tastes are definately vampiric, and the Holywood version of the creature always seemed  frankly rather silly.  The play is much closer to the original Mary Shelley novel by all accounts and the whole production is absolutely outstanding.  Not exactly original thoughts though, the reviews have been glowing.

So, how about watching a play in a cinema? I thought it would be the worst of both worlds, detached from the atmosphere and the 'liveness' of it and lower quality visuals and sound than you would normally experience in a cinema.  It started with an introduction by Emma Freud and then a short 'making of' documentary with director Danny Boyle and the main actors in rehearsals.  Then there we were in the theatre, the camera panning all over the place just before the play started and the bizarre scenario of an audience watching an audience, I think they had more munchies and drinks than we did...

The play started with the 'birth' of the creature (we'd seen him in the mini documentary but even so he made quite an entrance) and with the orchestra and lights it was all very atmospheric and dramatic, exactly as if we were there.  Five minutes into it I was completely absorbed. Jonny Lee Miller is sensational as the creature, a completely mesmeric performance from the off and I cannot rave too long and hard about him - truly an amazing piece of acting, so clever, so subtle and so energetic.  Surely an award or three will be coming his way.  I understand Benedict Cumberbatch is just as highly acclaimed in the role (they swap each night) but of course I havent seen his performance.

The cons of the detached viewing were probably balanced out by the pros of the extra camera viewpoints we had that the really live audience didnt.  The cameras must have been suitably distant so as not to interfere with the play but we certainly got plenty of intimate shots.  The camera shots were varied, lots of wide screen and no visible distortion (which I had expected to see), I guess its similar to filming a sporting event but there were some interesting effects that you dont normally see in a cinema.

To conclude, a great way to spend the evening, and I would definatley go and see another live broadcast in a cinema. Apologies for recommending something that is sold out but there are a few extra cinema dates added for April.  They'll probably bring out a DVD!

Tina L2tekkie

IBC 2010

L2tek had a busy IBC again this year with a lot of time spent running from meeting to meeting but the show really seemed to have a buzz this year and the official figures reported that it was the second busiest IBC ever.  Unfortunately the weather wasnt so great and sausages and songs around the L2tek campfire never really happened but we still managed a couple of beers and a few laughs.  Here are a few of our snaps.

At the start of the first day on the CoreEl stand where they launched their low cost customizable Audio-Video decoder module product and also marked their entry into the H.264 encoder arena with the demonstration of their I-Frame encoding solution.  CoreEl also announced availability of a High Bit-rate H.264 Hi422 Profile decoding solution and a Multichannel decoding solution optimized for 3D applications.

It was a very busy show for Phabrix with the successful launch of their Ancilliary Data Analyser (ADA) option.  They also celebrated their 1000th SxE unit with a rather eyecatching piece of bling - a 24 ct gold plated 'Golden Eye' version.

Gennum, L2tek and customers at the unofficial L2tek stand - the Italian across the road from the Rai!

 

Kuaky's were very much in vogue this year......(thats the ice cream dessert in case you're wondering)

Gennum launched their new 290 x 290 crosspoint at the Heineken brewery, a very popular venue and a very impressive product.  See the demo here.

Proof indeed that Gennum can organise a very splendid event in the right hostelry.

Three fine fellows - anyone you recognise?

IBC 2010

Last year at IBC was a great success for L2tek with many customer and supplier meetings keeping us all busy running from stand to stand.  The launch of the new Phabrix SxE (eye and jitter analyser) generated much interest last year and this year they are announcing their new Rx technology; the RxA and the RxE, each a 19" 2U rack mount which will be available for release in Jan 2011 - so be sure to check out the Phabrix stand at the show this year.

Above all, we had a great time at the L2tek camp that is fast becoming a Mecca for our customers to head to in the evening.  Much fun was had at the camp BBQ evening and despite our sore heads the next morning we plan to host another one this year.  Follow us on Twitter during the show for updates on when and where.

L2tek is looking forward to another excellent show this year.  Since the start of the year the industry has really started to pick up and seems to have left the recession behind.  We are seeing many new designs started and a general buzz in the the industry again.

This year we are proud to be able to go to IBC having signed a new representative agreement with Magnum Semiconductor (who produce high quality encode / decode ASICS and solutions).  Along with CoreEl, L2tek have a very strong offering of H.264 and MPEG2 encode, decode and transcode solutions for broadcast contribution and distribution.

Also, we are excited about our ability to supply FSP (range of PSU's and SBCs) as well as Axiomtech SBC's.  Along with our ability to source most types of TFT displays we have a compelling story for supplying complete embedded solutions.

Hopefully we will have a chance to meet up with most of our friends at the show, and the opportunity to make some new ones.  If anyone wishes to join us at Camp L2tek just let us know and we can arrange accomodation, you would be most welcome.

Here are a few snaps from last years show to whet your appetite.

IBC 2009

Go OK

If you are a engineer like me, you'll just love this video. I was shown this at the weekend and I am now a fan of OK Go. Check it out!!

Posted by Tim.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qybUFnY7Y8w&feature=channel