The Blue Man Group - Bringing Quirk Media to The Strip.

Las Vegas, NV - Markertek is the on the spot source for some of the hottest Las Vegas shows and attractions. We recently supplied The Blue Man Group show with maintenance materials for their production crew at The Venetian in Las Vegas. Utilizing striking music and a dynamic stage performance, coupled with audience participation, The Group is an incredible audio and visual media experience and one of most entertaining shows on the circuit. The Men currently have shows in residency in the US, Asia and Europe, as well as a large marketing campaign that encompasses, music, toys, games and video programs. A very unique media sensation that we are proud to serve.

Preserving Creative America.

In an effort to archive and preserve the ever growing number of digital works, including TV shows, films, recordings and video games, the Library of Congress has launched partnerships with several private companies, associations and nonprofit groups. The Preserving Creative America Initiative is part of the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program, and allows the library to spend $2.13 million to begin development of standardized approaches and best practices for preserving content and metadata. “The Library is pleased to be able to bring together creators of such diverse content for the sake of saving our nation’s heritage, which is increasingly being created only in digital formats," said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington.

Living in Hi-Def.

Panasonic, in association with the Center for Urban Research & Policy at Columbia University, has announced the launch of its Living in High Definition program. The program is designed to explore how HD video and television technologies can enrich the American lifestyle. 30 families will be given $20,000 worth of Panasonic products. The equipment includes a large-screen 1080p plasma TV, HD camcorder, Blu-ray disc player, digital still camera among other select devices. Participating families will take part in monthly challenges that require them to work together and record their experiences in HD. The videos will be available to the public at LivingInHD.com. “Panasonic created the Living in HD program to more deeply understand how people’s lives will change as they become aware of the full potential of HDTV,” Panasonic Chief Technology Officer Paul Liao said in a statement.

Metacafe Videos on Skype.

Popular Online video site Metacafe has partnered with Internet phone service Skype to supply videos to the 220 million Skype users worldwide. Skype 3.5 users are now able to choose from Metacafe’s video collection to personalize their online profile with video or include video in chat. With 4.1 million unique visitors in June, Metacafe was the seventh most visited online video site according to Nielsen//NetRatings.

New HD JPEG Standard.

Microsoft has announced that the Joint Photographic Expert Group (JPEG) is considering the company's HD Photo file format as their new image standard. Currently named 'JPEG XR' the format offers better image fidelity, higher image compression efficiency, and more flexible editing features than JPEG. It also supports both lossy and lossless compression. Microsoft claims it offers image quality comparable to JPEG-2000 with less performance and memory drain, and that it delivers better quality images than JPEG at less than half the file size. "We are voting on consideration of this new file format for standardization because we believe it will foster breakthrough, innovative products and services in the photography and printing industries that will have widespread value for consumers around the world," said Dr. Daniel Lee, convener of the Joint Photographic Expert Group. The ballot deadline for considering JPEG XR is October 2007, and finalizing the completed standard may take up to a year.

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

NASA Ames Research Center
Sierra Broadcasters
Illumination
Boston University
Acuity Technologies
L3 Government Services
Dover Downs Gaming and Entertainment
Beach TV
Blasters Ready Jet Corp.
Popstar Networks
JFK Library
New Jersey Sports and Expo Authority
NBC Universal
Tribeca Performing Arts BX
Internet Research Group

The Paley Center for Media - Keeping Spirit and History Alive for the Media Planet.

New York, NY - Markertek is proud of our working history with The Paley Center for Media (formerly the Museum of Television and Radio) fulfilling their A/V technology needs. Located in New York City right in the middle of the media district, the center is committed to the idea that many television and radio programs are works of art to be preserved for posterity. Instead of being a museum of artifacts and memorabilia, this museum is comprised mostly of screening rooms, including two full-sized theaters. More than 120,000 television and radio programs are available in the center's library, and during each visit, viewers can select and watch shows at individual consoles. Markertek is committed to, and honored to be a part of the preservation of media and it's incredible history.

New Flat Panel Materials from Honeywell.

Honeywell Electronic Materials recently introduced new, flat-panel display materials designed to reduce manufacturing costs and power consumption while improving color uniformity and display life span. Developed through a partnership with the United States Display Consortium (USDC), and in collaboration with the Flexible Display Center at Arizona State University (ASU FDC), Honeywell's new materials enhance the amount of visible light that passes through the display while absorbing less than one percent of the light. Additionally, Honeywell's materials achieve a smoothness, or planarity, in excess of 90 percent. As a result, display color uniformity is improved. Initial findings, supported by operational models, show a cost of ownership decrease of at least 10 percent compared to panel materials currently in use.

World's First Blu-Ray Camcorders.

Hitachi has announced the world's first Blu-ray camcorders. The series of camcorders feature Hitachi's new 8cm BD/DVD drive combined with a 5.3 megapixel CMOS sensor capable of recording at full 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. The cameras record up to 7GB of MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video on 8cm BD-RE/R media or 5 times less on 8cm DVD-RAM/RW/R discs. According to Hitachi the camcorders could be introduced as early as this Fall.

Google Offers Web Site Search Engines.

Google is offering to run the search engines of small Web sites for as little as $100 per year. The service is aimed at the millions of Web sites that either do not have search engines or are unhappy with the quality of their current search results. The price for Google's "Custom Search Business Edition" will start at $100 annually to sift through up to 5,000 Web pages. Larger Web sites can pay $500 annually to search up to 50,000 Web pages. According to Google, most small Web sites should be able to customize their own search engines in about 10 minutes, and the entire process can be completed online.

DVR Adoption on the Rise.

A recent report from the Carmel Group projects that within the next three years, the number of cable-subscribing homes in the US with DVRs will grow to 32 million. Currently, about 28 percent of cable subscribers have a DVR unit, or roughly 17.6 million homes. By 2010, the study expects that number to cross the 50 percent mark. DVRs available through satellite providers aren't quite seeing that level of growth, but the firm still expects them to grow from 10 to 17 million by 2010. This trend is forcing advertisers to figure out how to adapt to the growing DVR use, and the growing numbers of customers skipping ads. Some have tried to use pop-up ads over fast forwarded content, and networks have been experimenting with increased product placement in television shows.

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

Apple Design Division
24Frame.com
ADT Security Services
HMTV
Tampa Sports Authority
Arts Council Of Indianapolis
General Motors
Merrill Lynch
Evergreen Aviation Museum
SRI International
Rosemount Aerospace
La Salle Institute
Federal Aviation Administration
Turner Construction
SDTV
 

Tim McGraw / Faith Hill Tour - Connecting the Soul 2 Soul Tour with Visual Media.

Greensboro, NC - Markertek has been amazed at the strength and momentum of this summer's superstar touring season. Namely the pairing of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill "Soul 2 Soul" tour that is currently on the road. Being the 'must have' industry source Markertek just rushed some Neutrik products to the audio production crew of the tour. The tour makes use of a center stage for their performances and utilizes extensive sound and video support to present the concert in excellent sonics and visuals. Currently the most successful tour in country music history, " Soul 2 Soul " is burning up the road and expects to perform to over a million people.

CBS 'Eye-lerts' Viewers.

CBS recently announced their latest marketing initiative 'Eye-lert'. The notification system will keep viewers up-to-date on show schedule changes through their email and cell phones. Viewers can register on CBS.com to receive emails or text messages notifications if sports programs or breaking news cut into scheduled programming. Subscribers will be sent two messages, one just before primetime, and one after the new start time has been established. "CBS Eye-lert is literally a game changer for our audience, so when the Jets run long, 'Cold Case' viewers won't come up short," said George Schweitzer, President of the CBS Marketing Group.

House Shelters Public Broadcasting.

On Wednesday, the House rejected a plan by President Bush and Rep. Doug Lamborn, (R-Colorado) to eliminate the $420 million federal subsidy for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The 357-72 vote signifies the enduring political strength of public broadcasting. The CPB was created by Congress in 1967 to shield public broadcasting from political influence. The corporation distributes federal subsidies to PBS, NPR and hundreds of public radio and television stations. "It is providing a voice for America, a noncommercial, independent voice that is sadly lacking. It isn't available any place else in the million channels on our cable networks," said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon.

Action! New Cell for Net Video Producers.

Samsung Electronics has announced a new cell phone that allows users to shoot, edit, and upload videos to Internet video sites without using a PC. The SCH-B750 sports a 3-megapixel camera with auto focus and shoots CIF-resolution images (352 pixels by 288 pixels). It includes on-board software to edit and do limited production work, such as adding captions or background music. Finished videos can be immediately uploaded to online sites like Pandora TV, South Korea's leading user-generated video site. Scheduled to be available soon, the phone will initialy be available in South Korea only with a price tag of around $650.00 USD.

More People Watching TV Online.

According to new data collected by Nielsen’s NetViews and NetRatings services during the month of March, more consumers are accessing television and movies online. 81 million of the 129 million people who access the Internet with a broadband connection watched TV or movies online, a 16 % increase in six months (from 70 million people in Sept. 2006). ABC.com was the top site for viewer visits to television network sites, while Yahoo! Movies was first in the movies category. Tim Brooks, Research Committee liaison to The Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM), which commissioned the study said "This new study helps us understand the impact of this radically new method of distribution both as it is now, in its infancy, and how it is likely to unfold over the next few years."

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

New York City Center
High Noon Film Interactive
Skyline Entertainment
Postworks
America Online Development
Sun Film Corporation
Los Angeles World Airports
SDTV
American Red Cross
The Wonderland Ballroom
NASA
Telehealth Research Institute
National Park Service
General Motors Media Operations
SES Americom

Audubon Nature Institute -Transforming Nature into New Media.

New Orleans, LA - Markertek often assists many environmental organizations to upgrade and accessorize their media systems. We recently provided The Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans with video conversion modules for their production area. The Institute produces many media programs and their location encompasses a large nature park as well as an I-Max theater, Aquarium and Riverfront preserve. In 2005, the park suffered through the catastrophic Hurricane Katrina and has since made a nearly complete recovery. The Institute is extremely progressive in their preservation efforts of fragile ecological systems indigenous to the region. Markertek respects this and is honored to be of service to organizations like Audubon.

Latest Deal for Net Radio.

SoundExchange, the group responsible for collecting music broadcasting royalties, has proposed new terms for internet radio that could lower fees and save some webcasters. The fees, scheduled effective July 15, 2007, were expected to send most net radio stations into bankruptcy and off the air. Under the new proposal, SoundExchange would cap the $500 monthly per-channel minimum fee at $50,000 per year for webcasters. In exchange, webcasters would be required to provide detailed data on the music that they play and make efforts to stop unauthorized copying of their music streams through mandated DRM measures set in place. The deal opens the door for longer-term solutions, including action from Congress. The yet-to-be-passed Internet Radio Equality Act proposes that webcasters switch to a percentage-based royalty system similar to the 7.5-percent-of-revenue fee structure paid by satellite and cable radio broadcasters.

HD Satellite Launch for DirecTV.

DirecTV is one step closer to offering 100 high-definition channels by the end of the year with the launch of it's latest satellite. The new satellite, built by Boeing, launched from Pad 39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard an International Launch Services Russian Proton Breeze M launch vehicle. According to DirecTV, all systems on the satellite are working properly, and should be completely operational by September. “We’ve started to move the satellite to a higher orbit,” DirecTV spokesman Robert Mercer said. In addition to the 100 national HD channels, the satellite’s spot beam capacity will enable the company to expand its local HD channel services to up to 75 markets this year.

WeShow - Organized Power to the People.

Human-powered online video guide WeShow launched today. The New York based site brings an organized approach to selecting and viewing the best online videos available from sites such as YouTube, DailyMotion, Metacafe, Google Video and others. The site also offers the monthly 'WeShow Awards,' touted as the “world’s biggest online video contest” where users get to vote on their favorite content. The site's approach is based on survey results stating that 60% of Americans feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of online videos and 46% of these people do not watch more online videos because of the the task of sorting through too many search results. WeShow is currently running local versions of the site for the US, the UK and Brazil.

Slow Dancing in HD.

In a new art installation to debut at the Lincoln Center Festival, David Michalek is using high-definition video and slow-motion effects "to show 43 dancers moving at less than one one-hundredth of their original speed." Projected on three 50-foot screens mounted on the facade of the New York State Theater, the dancers will be shown in uncompressed HD captured at 1,000 frames-per-second. With the additional slow down, a standard five-second clip is extended into shorts that run between eight and twelve minutes. The piece is slated to be projected on the theatre daily from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. July 12 through July 29. See clip here.

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

Aerocomputers
Le Mobile Television
Stanford University
Loring Smart Roast
Shine
Marilyn Hickey Ministries
Food Network Field Ops
Hypercube Inc.
Starz Cable Entertainment
Riparian Broadcasting
Rockwell Collins STS
Caribbean Television Networks
KJRH-TV
National Science Foundation
United States Airforce Academy
 

Fear Factor - Getting Charged Up for
Shock Media.

Orlando, FL - Markertek is the center of the supply chain for the creation of innovative and cutting edge media. We recently supplied the show "Fear Factor" with power and battery systems for their show at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL. There are many different branches of the show all over the world which have featured competition based physical stunts and a format that involves fear provoking and often stomach turning acts of eating and tolerance. The show has garnered strong ratings and is now currently in syndication. We salute the creation of all media, including those that stand out from the usual fare.

500GB Microholographic DVD.

Using a method called microholographic recording, scientists have achieved 500GB of storage on a single DVD-sized disc. The Microholas Project, operating in conjunction with the Institute of Optics and Optical Technologies at the Technical University of Berlin, aims to to double that capacity to 1 terabyte by 2010. Currently, dual layer Blu-ray discs hold 50GB of data, while HD DVD has a maximum capacity of 30GB. Microholographic recording adds a third dimension to the physical disc media, creating holographic grids that can be used for the reading and writing of data. "The implementation of microholography for digital data storage on a disc has the potential to become a major breakthrough in realizing Terabyte optical storage," claims the project.

Coalition Calls for Single Mobile TV Standard.

The Open Mobile Video Coalition has issued an open letter urging technology companies to adopt a single standard for digital TV signals to be received on cell phones, PDAs and other mobile devices. According to the group, the current terrestrial digital TV system (ATSC), which was designed to maximize broadcast coverage to fixed locations in homes, is incapable of being received in mobile environments. Additionally, Broadcasters are looking for a single mobile technology standard that will be backwards compatible with the existing digital TV signal, rather than using other spectrum(s) requiring an entirely new digital TV infrastructure. Formed April 2007, the nine TV groups in the Open Mobile Video Coalition include: Belo, Fox Television Stations, Gannett Broadcasting, Gray Television, ION Media Networks, the NBC and Telemundo Television stations, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tribune Broadcasting.

Let the Sunshine In.

Affordable Internet Services Online Inc. has been commissioned to power the Live Earth Web sites from its 100 percent solar-powered Web hosting facility in Romoland, California. The company, now 10 years old, has been using the energy of the sun to power its data center since 2001. In that time, Affordable Internet has installed solar tubes to light its data center's interior, and irrigates a rooftop garden with recycled water from the data center's cooling system. AISO will operate two Live Earth sites, one for the concert, and the other to track pledges. Live Earth is not seeking financial donations but asks people to pledge to adopt a carbon-neutral lifestyle. With 15,000 customers, AISO attracts clients who are seeking out carbon-neutral hosting services. The company's green philosophy fits perfectly with the theme of the Live Earth concerts to raise global climate change awareness.

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

Sundance Digital
DV Creations Inc.
Sabi Pictures
Walt Disney Digital Imagineering
Purdue University
Omega Institute
Professional Bull Riders Assoc.
Waterman Broadcasting
Idaho Public Television
Universal Studios
Dept of Homeland Security
Telvue Corporation
Live Production Institute
Victory Factory NYC
LIN Television
 

Dave Matthews Band - Prepping for Live Earth & the Summer Sheds.

Charlottesville, VA - Markertek has been supplying The Dave Matthews Band with media and necessities since early in their career when they recorded locally, at Bearsville Studios. They even filmed their breakthrough "Satellite" video at the landmark Opus 40 right here in Markertek’s hometown of Saugerties, NY. We recently supplied their production crew with Gefen products for their annual sold out summer tour. The tour starts at the Live Earth concert in NJ on July 7th and stays on the road till ending in Los Angeles in October. Roll on Dave!

Giant List of Video Tools & Resources.

As the online video revolution continues to grow, so does the list of services, applications and utilities geared at making your production the best it can be. Our friends over at Mashable have put together an impressive list of applications and websites centered on video - from editing, and sharing, to organization and hosting. With over 150 on the list, there's a few tools you’ve seen, and dozens more you probably haven’t. A handy resource for everyone in our business.

Live Earth in Hi-Def from Intelsat.

On July 7, satellite provider Intelsat is sponsoring Live Earth, a series of concerts that will be held across the globe to raise awareness about climate change. Intelsat will be providing free, turnkey transmission services including both standard and high-definition broadcast feeds. Live Earth, touted as the largest HD music event ever, will feature 24 hours of live music from New York, London, Johannesburg, Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney and Hamburg. "Live Earth has the potential to be the world's largest high definition event, so our production standard requirements are obviously going to be complex and widespread," said Kevin Wall, founder and producer of Live Earth. Two billion global viewers are expected for the event, which will feature such acts as Madonna, The Police, The Dave Matthews Band, UB40 and The Smashing Pumpkins.

Nielsen to Purchase Telephia.

The Nielsen Company has announced it is buying media measurement and research firm Telephia. The San Francisco-based company provides independent, technology-based measurements of consumer behavior, product quality, and consumer attitudes, and tracks subscriber market share, network quality, consumer satisfaction, and mobile media consumption for over 100 international customers. "As media content increasingly moves from television to the personal computer to the 'third screen' of the mobile device, it is essential that we measure all platforms," said Susan Whiting, Executive VP of The Nielsen Company. Terms of the agreement have not not disclosed. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter, subject to regulatory approval.

Even Supercomputers are Bigger in Texas.

This week, Sun Microsystems announced that its hardware will power the largest supercomputer ever built. The computer, dubbed "Ranger," will be hosted at the Texas Advanced Computing Center at the University of Texas. Sporting 62,976 CPU cores, 125 terabytes of memory, 1.7 petabytes of disk space, and 504 teraflops of performance, Ranger will likely be the largest and fastest supercomputer in the world. Scientists expect that research in astrophysics, genomics, nanotechnology and meteorology will be carried out on the Ranger system. "To give you an idea, the system will be about six or seven times larger than any of the existing systems that the researchers have access to," said Tommy Minyard, assistant director at the university's computing center. Ranger is slated to go online January 1, 2008.

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

Seaworld Of California
Cyberia
Farmer Wants A Wife
Toyota Corporation
Pixelsplice
Natl Swimming Pool Foundation
Bubba Radio Network
Stargate Network
Cirque Du Soleil / Orlando
Primestream Corp.
Kentucky National Guard
Audubon Nature Institute
Target Companies
Suny Health Science Center
Guggenheim Museum

Shoes.com - Leaving a Big Footprint.

Los Angeles, CA - Markertek often works with e-commerce sites, large and small, providing the necessities to keep these sites pumping with media and content. We recently received an order from Shoes.com to supply expendables and other equipment for their Los Angeles based operation. Shoes.com is one of the largest e-commerce sites and is widely considered an e-tail innovator, ranking in the top 20% in Internet Retailer's Top 500 Guide (2007 Edition). The company's flagship website offers a huge selection of brands and categories of footwear available online. This type of innovation creates a large footprint (no pun intended) for the current market of online businesses that are fast becoming mainstays for the buying public.

Public Broadcasting Receives Digital Funds.

The Senate Appropriations Committee last week agreed to let noncommercial stations devote a portion of their digital conversion subsidy to convert their programming libraries to digital. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting will have $29.7 million available for digital infrastructure conversion. Association of Public Television Stations President John Lawson said the decision "will enable us to preserve, digitize and make available for the American public a huge library of priceless video and audio content. The American Archive will be a powerful resource for education and will extend the role of Public Television and Radio stations as cultural heritage institutions."

MySpace & Sony Announce Minisode Network.

The Minisode Network features episodes from SPT hit shows pared down to three-to-five minutes in length while still retaining the full story arc of each episode. While current shows won’t be part of the project, classic hits like Charlie’s Angels, Who’s The Boss?, Facts of Life and Starsky & Hutch are all there. The network will add new minisodes every week and aims to have more than 500 available by year’s end. "We've come up with an innovative formula to create quality short-form programming, showcasing the best of our extensive library," said Steve Mosko, president of SPT. Sony is also looking at a similar model for movies.

Library of Congress Hires IRENE.

Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have constructed an image workstation for the Library of Congress’ Recorded Sound Section and Preservation Directorate that could vastly improve the process of restoring and digitizing 78 rpm shellac and acetate records. The system, named IRENE: Image, Reconstruct, Erase Noise, Etc. magnifies the groove of old records and optically reads them without playing the record on a turntable. “Once we put the record in the form of an image, we can retouch the image and repair the damaged portion,” said Carl Haber, a senior scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Particle physicists at the lab crafted the idea after they realized that a high-resolution digital camera could take intricate photos of the records grooves.

YouTube Launches International Sites.

YouTube co-founder Steve Chen made the announcement at a press conference in Paris this week, saying YouTube has launched localized versions of it's video-sharing site in nine different languages. Country specific sites now exist for Brazil, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the UK. The new sites have custom-translated pages and interfaces. More local features like channeling country-specific videos, categories, and sections onto each site, as well as displaying country-specific ratings and comments will be coming sometime in the future. The addition of these new sites shows that YouTube is still focused on expanding itself in other markets, despite being the number-one video sharing site in the world.

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

Truman State University
Fishman Transducers
Universal Communications Network
Racing Electronics
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
MEH Films
Comcast CN8
Wetsounds Marine Audio Technologies
Staging Techniques
Palace Kitchen
Discover Mediaworks
Champion Racing
CNN Airport Network
Dupont Aerospace Co.
Fisher Broadcasting Inc.

Christopher Cross – Sailing Tracks with Radio Design Labs.

Pacific Palisades, CA - Markertek is the industry source in providing recording artists with an all access supply chain for fixers and equipment. We were recently honored when Christopher Cross shot us a quick web order for some Radio Design Lab products. Christopher Cross is an Oscar, Golden Globe and five-time Grammy winning, American singer-songwriter who’s enjoyed many huge hits : “Sailing”, “Ride Like The Wind” and The Arthur Theme. Chris is still a very busy recording and performing artist and is one of the many we serve daily in the music and touring industry. Ride on Chris!

New World-Wide Wireless USB Chip.

Chip designer Alereon Inc. has announced it is releasing the first wireless USB chip that uses a frequency band that is legal the world over. Wireless USB products currently on the U.S. market send and receive signals using a frequency that is not legal in most parts of the world due to potential interference with radar. The new radio technology is called ultra-wide band, or UWB, and uses frequencies far above those usually employed for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular phones and other wireless technologies. It promises high data transfer rates with low power consumption. In theory, UWB can reach speeds of up to 480 megabits per second, equivalent to USB 2.0 cables, at distances up to 10 feet, with maximum distance of the signal being 30 feet. Aleron's AL4000 is expected to reach the consumer market in the next month or two.

Big Catch for Vietnamese Fishermen.

Vietnamese fishermen who were given permission to salvage unused war-era undersea copper cables have gone too far. In addition to the copper cables, they have also "salvaged" fibre-optic lines providing Vietnam's Internet and other international communications connections. In all, about 27 miles of fibre-optic cable is missing, including a $5.8 million, 7-mile section of cable that transmits data from Vietnam to Thailand and Hong Kong. "Now just one undersea cable connects Vietnam with the outside world," Thanh Nien newspaper said. Permission to salvage the cable has been withdrawn, and the ministry has asked the Coast Guard to increase patrols and inspections. A public relations campaign has also been launched to educate fishermen about the importance of the cables.

FCC Accepts Satellite Merger Application.

The FCC this week officially accepted the application for the merger of XM and Sirius satellite radio companies. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has said that the deal faces a fairly high hurdle. When satellite radio was originally approved, the FCC said that one company should not own both licenses. But Martin has also said he was not prejudging the merger. Now entering the 180 day review period, a joint statement from Sirius/XM said "We look forward to working with the Commission to demonstrate that this merger is in the public interest, will have no anti-competitive effects on the market and to making any appropriate changes in its 1997 licensing order." Initial comments and petitions to deny the merger are due July 9, responses by July 24.

Taking the 'Initiative' Against Global Warming.

Google, the world's number one Web search company, and Intel, the leading chip maker have announced a program designed to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The program, called 'Climate Savers Computing Initiative', will set new efficiency goals for computers and software tools that manage power consumption. Currently, "the average desktop PC wastes nearly half of its power and the average server wastes one-third of its power," according to Urs Holzle of Google. Energy Star standards require that PC computer power supplies hit at least 80 per cent efficiency. The program would raise the efficiency standard to a minimum 90 per cent by 2010. A 90 per cent standard would cut greenhouse gas emissions by 54 million tons a year and save more than $5.5 billion in energy costs, Holzle said.

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

Gracenote  
Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation
American Airlines Arena
Delta Airlines
Turner Sports
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Polycom
Toshiba DPDC
SAIC
Cine Magnetics
Sepulveda Films
Ocean Presence Technologies
National Video Reporters
The Genetics Center
Eastman Kodak Digital

The Color Purple Tour - Making a Clean Break on the Road in 2007.

Chicago, IL - Markertek is often contacted by touring theater and production companies for equipment and maintenance supplies to keep the shows rolling. We recently worked with The Color Purple production at Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, providing necessities and supplies to keep their day to day gear in order. The show is currently in Chicago through November 2007, after which the company is scheduled to embark on a tour (stopping at numerous cities, including Los Angeles, Denver, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia and Atlanta).

World's Tallest Freestanding Antenna.

At 2,001 feet, the concrete-and-steel tower in the Sumida River region of Tokyo will be the tallest free-standing antenna in the world. Yet to be named, its purpose is to host all of the city's digital radio and television signals, plus a mobile TV network. Dominating the relatively low-rise landscape, the massive transmitter will also broadcast Japan's global cultural significance. It is also no coincidence that the new structure resembles the old 1,092-foot-high Tokyo Tower, which for 50 years stood as a symbol of the nation's postwar economic independence. The new tower is to be completed 2011.

FCC Issues Fines for Analog TV Makers.

The FCC this week issued "apparent liability for forfeiture" notices to TV manufacturers Maxent and Olevia for failing to comply with its ATSC tuner mandate. The commission found Maxent and Olevia liable in the amount of $63,650 and $2,899,575, respectively. The FCC’s DTV reception rules require that all new television broadcast receivers that are imported into the United States or shipped in interstate commerce be capable of receiving the signals of DTV broadcast stations over-the-air. To lessen the impact on manufacturers the rules were implemented in a phased in approach starting with the largest screen sizes on July 1, 2004. The full order applying to all television receivers became effective March 1, 2007.

Visualizing the Internet.

A free new Web service from Akamai Technologies provides a visual look at the Internet. The service features a real-time monitor, measuring Internet traffic globally and by region. It also shows the 10 cities with the slowest Web connections at a given moment, and ranks the regions facing the most network attacks. Other sections measure traffic on digital music, retail and news Web sites. "We originally built this feature as a tool for our customers, but once it was built it seemed like a fun thing to put out there to the public," said Tom Leighton, Akamai's chief scientist. A handy, in-depth tool, check it out here.

Icron Delivers USB 2.0 Over Power Lines.

Icron Technologies Corporation has announced they are integrating Panasonic's HD-PLC power line technology with their ExtremeUSB to deliver the world's first USB over power line solution. The set-up extends USB 2.0 150m over standard power lines enabling remote connection of devices such as keyboards, printers, flash drives, hard drives and web cameras. Operating transparently at data rates up to 190Mbps, the new system works without the need for additional drivers on Windows, Linux, and MAC-OS systems. Robin Sweeten, Group Manager, Strategic Marketing for the Panasonic Industrial Company said, "Icron's integration of this technology will provide its customers the ultimate flexibility to locate USB devices anywhere ordinary AC outlets exist, with unsurpassed ease of setup."

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

City Of Flagstaff
Pixar Animation Studios
Intershow.com
Renegade Labs Inc.
Bluerage Films
Canadian Broadcasting Companies
Red Bull North America
TV Aspen
Pelican Bay Foundation
Cinevision Corp
Duke University
Modern Piano
Deep Listening Institute
Reality Pictures

Jack Morton Worldwide - Marketing Media to the Largest Audience on the Planet.

New York, NY -  Here at Markertek, we work with many customers who keep the media landscape pumping with commercials and advertising. We recently assisted in configuring cable systems for Jack Morton Worldwide in New York City. JMW is a global experiential marketing agency based in the US, Europe and Asia. Experiential Marketing uses brand relevant experiences to appeal to both the rational and emotional buying triggers of the intended audience. Using this technique in advertising is what drives the buying public to recognize brand names related to logos, eye catching colors and slogans. The popular effect of this method translates into billions of dollars in revenue for large companies such as Microsoft, NBC, Volvo, UPS and hundreds of other Fortune 500 companies.

Breakthrough for Super Hi-Vision.

Japanese broadcaster NHK has announced a new breakthrough in its Super Hi-Vision, (formerly Ultra High Definition Video) a system they hope will eventually replace HDTV. A Super Hi-Vision (SHV) picture is made up of 4,320 horizontal picture lines and 7,680 vertical lines, or four times the resolution of current HDTV. Last week engineers at NHK Science and Technical Research Laboratories showed off their most recent work, a single image sensor that is capable of full SHV resolution. However, shooting an image in Super Hi-Vision is only one of the hurdles facing NHK before such a system can be introduced. Uncompressed SHV signals have a bit-rate of 24G bps, real-time encoding and decoding of such a high-bandwidth signal is a challenge. Fitting this hardware into products will be another. NHK isn't saying when Super Hi-Vision services might begin but the broadcaster has a history of being quick off the mark with high-definition. It began regular broadcasts of HDTV in the mid-nineties using an analog system developed at the same laboratories as Super Hi-Vision.

New Global Memory Card Standard.

A Taiwanese research institute has produced a new global memory card standard. The miCard (Multiple Interface card) is designed to work in smaller consumer products such as digital cameras, mobile phones as well as any device with a USB (Universal Serial Bus) plug. The new card's compatibility with both USB and MMC slots means most users won't need separate card readers anymore. Users will not only benefit from the versatility of the card, but also its speed. The miCard will transfer data at 480M bits per second, and throughput will improve over time. The miCards will initially be able to store 8G bytes of information, but the maximum capacity is expected to top out around 20G bytes. The card won the stamp of approval from the MultiMedia Card Association (MMCA) on Thursday, and is expected to be available globally starting from the third quarter.

YouTube on Apple TV.

Beginning in mid-June, Apple TV users will be able to browse, search and watch YouTube videos on their TV set through Apple TV. Thousands of the most current and popular YouTube videos will be available on Apple TV at launch, with YouTube adding thousands more each week until the full YouTube catalog is available this fall. "This is the first time users can easily browse, find and watch YouTube videos right from their living room couch, and it’s really, really fun," said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO.

SeeReal Unveils Holographic Display.

Holographic displays could soon become a reality in the workplace and home. German company SeeReal, has reportedly "developed a new technology for displaying 3D images on a TV set, computer display, or through a projector." The company has developed Tracked Viewing Window technology that limits pixel size to HDTV levels and in combination with a real-time tracking system, eliminates superfluous elements while reducing the need for real-time processing. The combination of these two basic principles means full parallax color 3D HDTV images can be created in real-time using today’s computing capabilities. CEO Mark Thorsen added: "The next step will be to finalize consumer product prototypes together with one or more technology partners. We already have a number of promising contacts in this respect."

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

National Mobile Television
20th Century Fox
Totally Wired Networks
Lowell Natl Historical Park
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
Hanesbrand Inc.
The Boeing Company
UNCW Film Studies
Vassar College
Psychogenics Inc.
Odia Football / West Point
Earth Mobile
WPVI-TV 6ABC
Universal Cinema Services
Gray Research Center

Nashville Arena / Sommet Center - Music City Venue Upgrades with AJA.

Nashville, TN. - Markertek is the leading industry source for AJA products and we recently assisted the Nashville Arena in upgrading their in house media systems to the HD realm. Now known as The Sommet Center, the arena is Nashville’s most popular sports and entertainment venue. Resident sports teams “Nashville Predators” (NHL) and “Nashville Kats” (AFL) host full seasons here and the 20,000 seat arena is a large concert venue attracting a stellar list of rock, country and religious music groups. With the advent of HD and the ever evolving digital medium, Markertek is honored to work with our customers to provide up to the minute technology to the venue media audience.

Play Ball! MLB to Launch Network.

Set to launch on Jan. 1, 2009, MLB has announced a TV network that will carry baseball programming 24 hours a day, including 26 live Saturday night games during the regular season. The MLB Network is expected to be available in 47 million cable and satellite homes. The channel will be 66.6 percent owned by MLB with the remaining shares to be held in partnership with Time Warner Cable, DIRECTV, Cox and Comcast. The network launch, the MLB said, will be the largest in history for any cable network.

8x Blu-ray Recordable Media from India.

Indian Manufacturer Moser Baer, announced it has developed the world's first high speed 8x Blu-ray disc (BDR), which is a major breakthrough in next generation optical media formats. The new development would enable end users to have faster media that can record a 2-hour transmission equivalent of HD (High Definition) quality data in less than 15 minutes. This speed corresponds to around 3.3GB a minute, or 55MB a second, assuming a full dual-layer disc. Competing format HD DVD is working on 2x and 4x burning, although both camps are still held back by expensive hardware and media.

New Deal for Internet Radio.

In the ongoing battle between Internet radio broadcasters and the Copyright Royalty Board, a compromise has been offered. SoundExchange, the group backed by the record industry that collects Internet music royalties said on Tuesday it would defer new copyright-payment rates for small Webcasters who claim the new payments would bankrupt them. The new offer for Webcasters with revenues of $1.25 million or less, follows mounting pressure and activity in Congress, where legislators have introduced bills to annul the pending royalty rate increase, which they say threatens the fledgling industry. SoundExchange will defer the sharply higher royalty rates for these companies set by the U.S. CRB on May 1, 2007, that would be retroactive to January 1, 2006, and effective through 2010.

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

Bosch Aerospace
Current TV LLC
Kuumbwa Jazz Center
Aspen Meadows
Federal Bureau Of Prisons
TV Tokyo
Georgetown Post
St. Petersburg Times
Kaiser Permanente ED Theater
East Kentucky Power
Norman Rockwell Museum
MBI Africa
Viacom NY
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Tuacahn Center For The Arts

World Wrestling Entertainment - Archiving from the Ring to the Shelf.

Stamford, Ct.- Markertek is amazed at the large portion of our customer base that stores media / content for libraries and archives. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE) is currently the largest sports entertainment company in the world. For almost fifty years WWE has amassed a gargantuan library of television programs, pay-per-view recordings and video productions of wrestling matches. Their library represents a very significant portion of the visual history of modern professional wrestling and sports entertainment. Markertek is a key source for media archiving products such as (tags, labels, numbering systems etc.) which assists these customers to manage their vast archives and keep media history available and alive.

ABC to Stream Programs in HD.

Beginning this summer, ABC will stream TV shows in HD from its Web site. ABC.com will begin with a beta test in July and expand to broad use with the start of the new television season in September. The online programs will be available in HD at 1280 x 720. The network already offers full-length, streaming episodes of the same shows online, but in SD with a maximum resolution of 800 x 600. Additionally this fall, ABC.com’s geography-targeted HD Web player will be expanded to include national news and local content with the capability to be sponsored by local advertisers.

Apple Announces Free Recycling for Schools.

For a limited time, Apple is offering free recycling of all CPUs (any manufacturer), displays and related peripherals to any accredited K-12 or Higher Education institution with at least 25 systems to be recycled. There is no purchase required to take advantage of the offer, and the program has no upper limit. Materials will have to be shrink-wraped onto a wooden palette, and ready for Apple by June 31, 2007. Apple is also assuring that it will remove any identifying tags or marks, and all hard drives are thoroughly destroyed. Institutions need to register between May 10 and June 30 of this year to participate.

Samsung & L.G. Phillips Go Super-Thin.

Each company announced new active matrix OLED displays this week. At 0.52mm thickness, about the thickness as a credit card, Samsung claims its 2.2-inch display is the "world's thinnest". However, L.G. Philips' 4-inch display is even thinner, a mere 0.15mm. It is also the first AMOLED display that uses amorphous silicon technology that allows the display to bend and roll without causing damage. Both ultra-thin displays can show a resolution of 320x240, although the Samsung can display 262 million colors while the Philips displays 16.7 million colors. The new super-thin display technology will offer manufacturers design possiblities previously not available.

Mini UHF Antenna Has Big Future.

Siano Mobile Silicon and Vishay Intertechnology have unveiled one of the world’s smallest UHF antenna chips, designed to support multiple mobile TV formats. Measuring 15mm x 10mm x 1.2mm, the new chip allows mobile TV device makers to base their designs on an antenna chip no larger than a typical small integrated circuit, eliminating the need for a long telescopic antenna to be attached to the handset. Shipment will begin next month. Target applications include mobile phones, portable multimedia players, notebooks and accessory cards.

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

PianoDisc.com
Video Builder
Universal Network TV LLC
WAVY-TV
Sea Studios Foundation
5 Guys Named Moe Inc.
The Comedy Store
Benedict.com
Digital Eyewitness
Washington Parks & People
Buffalo Bills
Democracy Now
Seoul Broadcasting System
National Museum of Dance
Smoke and Mirrors / NYC

Pittsburgh Steelers - Getting Their ID on for the Media Play by Play...

Pittsburgh, Pa. - Markertek works with the entire gamut of NFL teams for audio visual production needs as well as corporate ID’s. All teams have extensive audio and video production crews on staff that act as the bloodline to NFL fans which account for over 1 billion viewers annually. We recently assisted the Pittsburgh Steelers with a beautiful assortment of custom imprinted microphone flags. The Steelers are the only team in NFL playoff history to win a Super Bowl after being seeded sixth in the playoffs, winning three consecutive games followed by a Super Bowl XL victory in 2006. Go Steelers!

New Chip to Prevent Retail Media Theft.

NXP Semiconductors, based in the Netherlands, and Kestrel Wireless Inc., based in Emeryville, CA. have announced new technology designed to thwart DVD theft. A chip smaller than the head of a pin is placed onto a DVD along with a thin coating that blocks a DVD player from reading critical information on the disc. At the register, the chip is activated and sends an electrical pulse through the coating, turning it clear and making the disc playable. The two companies are talking to Hollywood studios and expect to announce deals this summer, Kestrel Wireless Chief Executive Paul Atkinson said. Retail theft of entertainment products, including video games, accounts for as much as $400 million in annual losses, according to the Entertainment Merchants Association.

IPTV Provider Joost Gets Cash Infusion.

The peer-to-peer video site Joost has landed a $45 million funding round with five investors: Index Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Li Ka Shing Foundation, CBS Corporation and Viacom. In addition to its monetary investment, CBS has contributed more than 2000 hours of CBS entertainment, sports and news programming. Investor Viacom is also a “Key Launch Partner” providing channels and programming from across all of its properties including: Comedy Central, MTV, VH1 and Paramount Pictures. Paramount Pictures will be providing full-length feature films from its catalog of classics and recent releases. According to Joost, the new funding will enable the company to accelerate product development, global expansion, localization, and service offerings.

New Miniature Connectors from Connectronics.

These new mini coaxial connectors are specifically designed to meet the requirements for the latest analog and digital technology. High quality compression style (rotary) connectors for use with Belden BL-179DT, BL-1277R and BL-1279R miniature 75 ohm digital coaxial cable. Rotary seal connectors offer superior cable retention as well as reduced tooling and installation time. Connectronics compression connectors are available for all of today's popular cabling requirements, including RG-59 / 59 Mini, RG-6 and RG-6 Quad.

Big Boost for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Researchers at Argonne National Labs are presenting new data on a experimental method that provides a big boost to existing lithium ion batteries. The researchers were able to get charge capacities of well above 250 mAh/g (more than twice the charge held by lithium ion batteries currently on the market) simply by replacing one of the electrodes. The new electrode relies on a layered-layered structure that includes a lithium-manganese oxide component. The new material transfers charge both by freeing lithium ions and by reactions involving the manganese oxide itself. In addition to allowing greater power capacity, manganese is also less expensive than materials currently in use.

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

RTTV America
Adventist Television Network
Liberty Science Center
Digital Video Network
Rockwell Collins
News 10 Now
Rochester Institute Of Technology
Invent.org
Lights of Liberty
Keystone Pictures
Gypsy Guitar Corp.
Texas Digital Film
Alpine Film Werks
Seattle Channel
USDA Forest Service / Blackwell

Elton John - A Last Minute Solution for Captain Fantastic...

Greenville, SC - Markertek is the industry source that gets the absolute last minute "must-haves" to clients on location. We just rushed a bunch of Rolls Pro Matches to Elton John’s production company for his show at Bi-Lo in Greenville, SC. The Elton John 2007 World Tour is one of the most anticipated and highly grossing shows currently on the road. Elton has recently celebrated 40 years in the concert and recording industry and has sold more than 250 million albums making him one of the most successful recording artists of all time. We are proud to serve the artist, sound and production industry every day of the week. Rock on Elton!

New Hope for Internet Radio.

Proposed legislation designed to save Internet radio webcasting has been introduced in Congress. Reps. Jay Inslee, D-WA, and Don Manzullo, R-IL, recently introduced the legislation in the House. Called the Internet Radio Equality Act, it seeks to reverse a March 2 decision of the federal Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) to nearly triple the amount of royalties Internet webcasters pay to copyright holders for playing a song. Rep. Manzullo noted that if the bill passed it would overturn the huge rate increases that Internet broadcasters say will shut them down, and set up a system that is fair both to webcasters and the artists who record the music.

YouTube Starts Revenue Share Program.

Some 20 to 40 independent video producers on YouTube will begin receiving a slice of revenue associated with display ads that surround their video clips. “This will help erase the the stigma around the user-created content, and, to be honest, these guys are media entities in their own right,” said Jamie Byrne, YouTube vice president of marketing. However, unlike video-sharing site Revver, which shares its advertising revenue with all of its contributors, YouTube's partnership deal is strictly for contributors that YouTube feels are significant and draw a crowd. YouTube says it will work on a wider-reaching revenue share program for the future.

Comcast. The Best HD Provider?

Based on a recent study, cable provider, Comcast took out full-page newspaper ads in 15 markets claiming its HD picture quality is superior to satellite competitors DirecTV and Dish. The study, conducted with 309 subjects, showed side-by-side images from DirecTV, Dish and Comcast on identical TV sets. To eliminate set bias, the HD signals were rotated among the sets. Subjects were shown various genres of programming from different networks. The result: 66 percent preferred Comcast to DirecTV, and 70 percent preferred Comcast to Dish. "There's not much substance here," DirecTV spokesman Robert Mercer said. "While they're making claims about their signal clarity, the methodology of the survey seems questionable at best." For years HD fans have debated the picture quality of HD providers. As bandwidth-strapped providers have added more HD networks to remain competitive, some sharp-eyed viewers claim signal compression is causing visible quality degradation.

Google to Meet Viacom in Court.

In response to Viacom’s lawsuit against YouTube, owner Google said the suit was unfounded and it was ready to go to court, asking for a jury trial. In a court filing, Google said “Viacom’s complaint threatens the way hundreds of millions of people legitimately exchange information, news, entertainment, and political and artistic expression.” Viacom responded by saying Google does not qualify for safe harbor protection under the DMCA. “We are not going to let this lawsuit distract us,” said Michael Kwun, managing counsel at Google.

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

Mattel Corp.
Box Line Box Ltd.
Christian Life Entertainment
Media-Flo USA
Northwestern College
UC Davis Imaging Research Ctr
USAF Academy Band
Smithsonian Institution
WWPR Radio
Aquatic AV Services
Univision Miami
SAE Institute
Medical College Of Georgia
Micron Technologies
Archdiocese Of Chicago

TriBeCa Film Festival -Gets Wired Up for Film... NY Style!

New York, NY - While Markertek is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Woodstock Film Festival, we also serve many other great film festivals worldwide. Most recently, we were contacted at the last minute to wire up the TriBeCa Film Festival with a huge assortment of hundreds of pro-video and pro-audio cables. The TriBeCa Film Festival was founded by Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro in a response to the 9/11 attacks in New York City and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Manhattan. The mission of the film festival is "to enable the international film community and the general public to experience the power of film by redefining the film festival experience." The Tribeca Film Festival also celebrates New York as a major filmmaking center and continues to contribute to the recovery of lower Manhattan. We here at Markertek respect and salute the energy and spirit of this film community.

Video-Sharing Network from Sony.

Sony Corp. launched a video-sharing site in Japan last week, marking the electronics and entertainment firm's first step towards challenging Google Inc.'s YouTube service. Sony also hopes to introduce its service, called eyeVio, abroad, but said it first wanted to gauge the reception at home before drawing up an overseas launch schedule. In an effort to avoid the troubles of YouTube, which has drawn criticism that it tolerates user piracy and faces a $1 billion lawsuit from Viacom Inc. alleging copyright violation, Sony said it would closely monitor content on the service. "Such a model would appeal to companies looking to release content and to protect their image," said Sony spokesman Takeshi Honma. "This is part of Sony's quiet software revolution," CEO Howard Stringer said at a news conference.

Nielsen to Track HDTV Viewers.

Nielsen is going to start reporting HDTV penetration starting this fall. The ratings firm is currently working with its clients to develop a standard definition of an HDTV home. Nielsen is considering two definitions: 1. HD Capable Home: a home that is equipped with an HDTV and HD tuner capable of receiving signals in HD; and 2. HD Receivable Home: a home that is equipped with an HDTV and HD tuner and receives at least one exclusively HD network or station. Nielsen plans to discuss the two definitions with its clients and will most likely use one or both of them when it begins reporting HDTV universe estimates in the fall.

Setback for Internet Radio Broadcasters.

Internet radio broadcasters were dealt a setback this week when a panel of copyright judges threw out requests to reconsider a ruling that hiked the royalties paid to record companies and artists. In the latest ruling, the Copyright Royalty Board judges denied all motions for rehearing and also declined to postpone a May 15 deadline by which the new royalties will have to be collected. Many webcasters say the sharply higher royalty fees will put them out of business. N. Mark Lam, the CEO of Live365 Inc., a privately held company that aggregates audio streams from thousands of radio stations and other small webcasters, said that under the new royalty rules, "there is no industry."

FCC Seeks to Clamp Down on TV Violence.

The Federal Communications Commission will recommend Congress enact legislation intended to curb violence in TV programming. The legislation would also extend government power to the ability to fine basic cable channels for the first time as well. The FCC has had the power to fine TV stations that show sexually "indecent" material, and now wants the government to have that same authority to levy fines on violence, especially on programming airing before 10 pm. The agency's recommendations, which will be released in a report to Congress within the next week, agency officials say - could set up a legal battle between Washington and the television industry.

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

US Airways Center - Phoenix
Henson Recording Studios
Siho Media
Trailer Park - Hollywood
Disneyland Tech Services
NBCsports.com
Sanibel School
SMG - Nassau Coliseum
Symphony Space Theatre - NYC
Dallas Museum Of Art
National Court Reporters Assoc.
Major Market Stations
Time Warner Burbank
Heartbeat Digital NYC
Science Applications Intl Corp.

Anton Fig - Beating the Drums Loudly, but Quieter with Markertek!

New York, NY - Markertek often works with world class musicians on stage and in the studio getting them the best product solutions for their performances / projects. We recently spoke with Anton Fig and supplied him with sound absorption items. Fig is a top-rated session drummer, noted for his work in David Letterman's house band, the CBS Orchestra. The CBS Orchestra is also the house band for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, playing with music's most influential personalities. Anton continues to be an in-demand studio and live musician and is currently recording and composing for numerous projects. We wish him the best!

HD Upgrade for 'World Series of Poker'.

Markertek customer, "World Series of Poker" is being upgraded to high-definition, reports TVWeek.com. Starting in July, 32 hours of coverage will be presented in HD for the first time. The coverage will include the main Texas Hold 'Em event as well as other World Series events. The upgrade makes "WSOP" the first regular poker series to be produced in HD. ESPN has broadcast "WSOP" since 1993. The event really took off in 2003 when the network added the hole-card camera and amateur Chris Moneymaker won the top prize. Every year since, the network has increased the number of production hours dedicated to the event. ESPN has an agreement to air "WSOP" through 2010.

Clear Channel to Sell TV Group for $1.2 billion.

Clear Channel Communications has entered into an agreement to sell its 56-station television group, and related Web sites, to Providence Equity Partners Inc. The stations, which include 18 digital multicast stations, are located in 24 states. Also part of the sale are Clear Channel's Television Operations Center and Inergize Digital Media, which manages the group's online and wireless efforts. "While we will miss the important role they have played in the Clear Channel family, we are excited that they will be partnered with Providence Equity to continue to pursue growth opportunities in the rapidly changing media environment," Clear Channel CEO Mark Mays said in Friday's announcement. The sale is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2007.

Hot Delvcam LCDs from TecNec.

Las Vegas, NV - TecNec (Booth C2041), exclusive worldwide distributor of Delvcam, unveiled several new 16:9 high resolution broadcast LCD monitors this week to the delight of both national and international show attendees. Among this hot line of LCD's was the dual 7" rackmount swivel monitor which is already gaining wide popularity in both mobile and studio applications. Delvcam LCD monitors are widely accepted as the industry's highest quality, feature rich and best value in broadcast LCD monitors.

Markertek Rolls Out Video Production Trailer.

Las Vegas, NV - We're used to bringing you the latest industry news. This time, you're bringing the news to us. NAB show goers have flocked to the Markertek booth (OE #427 outside in the mobile area) the last three days with rave reviews of our famous Video Production Trailer. "I have seen this in the Markertek catalog before," said Aaron Flett of Pixel Perfect Post in Los Angeles. "Now that I've seen it up close, I'm convinced it's time to buy. I'm very impressed with the quality of this thing and the price is a fantastic value." The VPTR-1 has been a popular mobile broadcast around the U.S., most notably with Carr-Hughes productions who toured the country this year using it to cover the AMA Supercross series for CBS and Speed.

Laird Telemedia Unveils HDSDI Switcher at NAB.

Las Vegas, NV, - As NAB 2007 opened to its biggest attendance ever this morning, attendees stood 3 abreast and 4 deep to get a glimpse of the new Laird Telemedia 4x4 HDSDI Matrix Routing Switcher (booth SL2009 next to Avid if you're headed to the show). This latest Laird innovation promises to deliver affordable HD-SDI vertical interval matrix routing for broadcasters.  It packs several customer demanded features including full PC or front panel control, a Take button for executing multiple switches simultaneously, a looping genlock input and more. An inside source at the Laird booth also claimed several new HD-SDI products will be forthcoming in the third quarter of 2007.

National Geographic Society - Bringing Amazing Media to the World with Bogen.

Washington, DC  –   Markertek recently assisted The National Geographic Society in a selection of Bogen tripods and Audio Technica microphones for their location field crew. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest not-for-profit educational and scientific organizations. Its interests include geography and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical conservation, and the study of world culture and history. With 8.5 million members in the society, their media features are heavily accessed through magazines, internet sites, film and a dedicated cable / satellite television channel.

The 411 on Google.

Google has just launched Google 411 phone directory service for local business. Currently in the experimental stage, the automated service is free of charge, and even connects the call for you. The results can also be sent to your cell phone as a text message. 1-800-GOOG-411.

Home Delivery ITV Downloads from Veoh.

Video site Veoh has announced a new feature that allows users to select a video and have it download in DVD quality to their computer at home. So when you arrive home it's ready to go. "We believe that Home Delivery represents the next step in the evolution of internet television: First we rented videos; then we had them delivered by mail; now Veoh users can push videos directly to their hard-drives from anywhere in the world with an internet connection," said Dmitry Shapiro, CEO of Veoh Networks.

ATSC Launches Mobile TV Standards.

The Advanced Television Systems Committee has launched development of its own mobile TV standards system. With ATSC-M/H broadcasters can "use of their DTV broadcast channels to provide new services directly to small hand-held receivers, laptop computers and vehicles moving at a high rate of speed," said ATSC president Mark Richer. According to Richer, ATSC-M/H will be backwards compatible with existing ATSC services and will not adversely affect existing receiving equipment. As envisioned, the new standard will support advertiser-supported television and interactive services delivered in real-time, as well as subscription-based TV, and non-real-time content download for playback at a later time. It could also be used for transmission of data services, such as real-time navigation data for in-vehicle use.

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

Radio Disney Phoenix
Dolby Labs Engineering
Far East Broadcast
Studio West
Modern Props
Camp Creative
Starz Entertainment
Denver Intl Airport
Wal-Mart Corporate Media
CSX Transportation
Harvard Medical School
Cape Cod National Seashore
Full Stealth Films
Ear Goo Inc. NYC
The Philadelphia Orchestra

Wiring up the "HOUSE" for an Emmy Award Winning Hit.

Universal City, CA. - Everyday at Markertek we work closely with the fast-paced film and television industry, rushing must-haves to sets and studios. We recently supplied the Emmy Award winning Fox TV show "House" with loads of Canare cable and connectors for their production floor. The Emmy- and Peabody-award-winning medical drama debuted on the FOX Network in 2004. In 2006 and 2007, "House" show star Hugh Laurie won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Drama. The show has earned a huge fan base and is enjoying considerable media success… and we here at Markertek are proud to serve them.

Play Ball - MLB Coming to iTunes.

Apple announced yesterday it will be offering Major League Baseball video highlights for the 2007 season on the iTunes Store. MLB video on iTunes will include a daily 25 minute MLB.com Daily Rewind highlight show and two weekly Games of the Week, featuring full versions of the best games from the National and American Leagues. Downloads will be $1.99 ea.

Breakthrough Chip Allows Instant Hi-Def Downloads.

San Francisco - IBM announced this week it has developed a tiny chip capable of transmitting an entire high-definition movie in a single second, in a breakthrough that will make computers faster and more energy efficient. The chip was made using existing production methods and works by converting electrical signals to laser light, allowing it to transmit 160 gigabits of data per second! The chip also promises energy savings since it uses just 2.5 watts of power, about one-third the amount used by a night light, and covers only 17 square millimeters. The chip is not expected to be used for entertainment anytime soon but could find its way into the powerful processors that run server computers in three to five years.

YouTube Goes Mobile.

YouTube will launch a mobile site in June of this year, with 800 "editorial picks" of video. YouTube has been working closely with mobile carriers, and handset makers such as Nokia on the mobile version of their video service. The end goal is to create a truly mobile YouTube experience with eventual access to the entire video catalog.

Older Devices May 'Spring' Ahead.

This weekend, April 1, remember to keep an eye on older devices with time capabilities. This Sunday is the traditional Daylight Saving Time start date. Older equipment that was not updated with a software or firmware fix for the new date, and was set ahead manually, is at risk. These devices may spring ahead an additional hour this weekend. Take a minute now to check these devices, and avoid the headaches on Monday morning.

Markertek Welcomes to the Family this Week:

Oakland Raiders
Bitmax
Digital Cut / Irvine
Sea World of California
The Museum Of Natural History
Key West Film Society
New England Technologies Group
Bose Corp
Tenneco Inc.
Metropolitan Opera Media
Accu-Scope
Refinery NYC
New York Life
Virginia Tech Institute
Wyoming Public Television

Harpo Studios - 3-2-1...On the Air with "The Oprah Show"

Chicago, IL. - Markertek recently heard from Angelo from Harpo Studios, who just outfitted their main broadcast rooms with Markertek On-Air lights. Harpo Studios houses the highly rated "The Oprah Winfrey Show," a talk show that attracts almost 100 million viewers per week. The "Oprah" show is highly influential and many of its topics penetrate into the American pop-cultural consciousness. It is the longest-running daytime television talk show in the United States, currently in its 21st season. The show has now been renewed for a twenty-fifth season, which will be broadcast in 2011.

Headplay Introduces Personal Cinema System.

Headplay has introduced a wearable video monitor called a Personal Cinema System that is just like watching a 52-inch TV from 6 feet away. “While watching, I kept questioning whether the screen looked like a big screen, or a small one that looked like a big one because it was only a few inches away and I was wearing the equivalent of a scuba mask,” said CNET’s Michael Kanellos, who says the picture quality is a lot better than you might think. The PCS will be available April 2, with a cost of $499.

Shure Donates $50,000 To Support Hearing Conservation.

NILES, IL - Shure Incorporated announced that it will again donate $50,000 this year to four organizations as part of the Shure Listen Safe program. The four organizations are: Columbia College, Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers (H.E.A.R.), The House Ear Institute (HEI), and the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) Scholarship Foundation. In addition to making these donations, Shure Listen Safe will promote hearing conservation by providing free hearing screenings and distributing hearing protection devices at professional audio industry trade shows, music conferences and festivals, and to Shure's employees.

Media Companies Join Forces Online.

News Corp and NBC Universal are teaming up with some of the biggest Internet destinations to create a Web video enterprise meant to challenge YouTube's supremacy as a resource for watching television and movie clips online. TVWeek.com reports the new site will feature full-length TV shows, movies and clips, drawing content from at least a dozen TV networks, as well as the Universal and Twentieth Century Fox film studios. That content will be available on sites, including News Corp.'s MySpace, that are visited by as many as 96 percent of Web users each month, the companies said. TV content on the new venture will be free, supported by advertisers including Cadbury Schweppes, Cisco, Esurance, Intel, and General Motors.

AT&T Introduces IPTV to K. C.

AT&T has introduced U-verse, its Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) service, in Kansas City, Kansas, extending its national reach to 15 markets across six states. The service, which uses digital video switching technology to deliver multi channel television service to homes over existing copper telephone wires, is now available to "tens of thousands of homes" in the Kansas City market, says AT&T. U-verse programming packages start at $44 per month, depending on the programming and what high-speed-data packages they are bundled with.

Margaritaville - Getting it to the Parrotheads with Expanded HD Sight and Sound.

West Palm Beach, FL. - PJ from Margaritaville Holdings LLC recently modified their Sony HVR-V1U cameras to add some new external hard drives (HVR-DR60) for expanded HD storage. Margaritaville, a concept started by Jimmy Buffett in the early 1970's ( then a fairly unknown singer / songwriter ) has fast become a huge worldwide corporate sensation. The Margaritaville banner now encompasses satellite broadcast radio, cafes, clothing, frozen food, beverages, music publishing, concert performances, films, books and recording studios under one large umbrella. Jimmy Buffett fans, affectionately referred to as "Parrotheads" rabidly attend his sold out concerts and are widely attracted by Buffett's cool laid back style and "good time" tropical imagery.

NCTA Calls FCC for Cable Limit End.

The National Cable & Telecommunications Association is urging the Federal Communications Commission to abandon its limit on the maximum number of households any single provider can reach. The FCC originally acted to prevent a single cable owner with significant power from exercising life or death over a cable channel. Comcast -- which reaches about 27% of households -- recently told the FCC that it considered the rule “a relic” “devastated” by video competition changes and now unconstitutional and exceeding the FCC’s statutory authority. The FCC has continued to enforce the rule, despite a 2001 court ruling requiring it be reconsidered.

Loud Technologies Acquires Martin Audio.

Waterloo, Ontario - LOUD Technologies of the USA has entered into an agreement to purchase the entire share capital of Martin Audio Limited of the UK. Jamie Engen, CEO of LOUD said "We are delighted to have [Martin Audio] become part of the LOUD Group. The management at Martin Audio has a proven track record of success in developing premium and innovative products along with an excellent International Distribution network." The LOUD Technologies family of brands includes Mackie, Crate, Ampeg, Tapco, Alvarez and others.

Half of HDTV Owners Watching True HD.

Only 52 percent of Americans who own HDTV sets also subscribe to an HD cable or satellite service, according to a recently released study by the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing. Experts say the problem starts at the store. When a customer buys an HD set, retail outlets and manufactures often don't inform the customer that he must subscribe to HD service, or use an antenna, to receive HD signals. So many owners pay thousands for an HDTV, without actually watching HDTV. The CTAM study also said 34 percent of owners who are not HD subscribers were not aware they needed a programming service, and 61 percent of non-subscribers falsely believe that HD picture quality is the same as DVD. "It's surprising the number of Americans who are investing in high-end HDTV sets who aren't getting true high-definition channels," said Char Beales, president and CEO of CTAM. "People are not only missing out on a stunning experience, but a world of HD-only shows."

Video Disk Space Calculator.
Freeware/Shareware

Simple application designed to calculate necessary disk space for video editors. Also calculates length available for a specified disk size. Simply select your desired video codec, enter the length of the footage or available disk space, and VDSC will display the space needed or length available. A printable chart of many codecs and their respective data rates is also built in. Get it Here.

 

 

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