*Imax acquires DPI

The purchase by Imax Corporation of u.k.-based Digital Projection International pla is a union that both parties say gives them an edge in their respective fields.

Based in Manchester, Eng., dpi’s primary business is the development, production and sale of projectors used in high-end digital image delivery applications.

The company is currently developing a system that will project digital images at cinema standards. The acquisition, Imax says, will allow the company to share in such research and joint product development.

The deal also gives Imax a foothold in what is likely the future of feature film delivery and could save the company millions of dollars. dpi is currently developing a way to deliver feature-length films digitally to computer servers via satellite or phone line, which would eliminate the costly need to create multiple prints for each release.

For its part, dpi will welcome the infusion of cash and the technological know-how that will allow it to advance its r&d, says Chick Collins, dpi’s market development manager in the u.s. ‘The immediate impact is an increase in financial resources and an increase in human resources. It will allow us to further explore electronic cinema.’

dpi’s systems have been used to project images at rock concerts, casinos, trade shows and a variety of other venues, including museum displays and electronic billboards and on the sets of nearly every major news network.

The acquisition is not expected to have a material impact on Imax’s earnings in 1999 or 2000.

*Studer to release new software for D950

Studer is set to launch its new Version 2.0 software for its flagship D950 digital mixing system that enhances the console’s operation as well as its surround mixing capabilities.

The upgrade, which is to be demonstrated in New York Sept. 24, features an enhanced multiformat panner with a variable centre percentage control that allows the user to dial in the amount of direct versus phantom centre imaging for surround-sound mixes. Areas of project management, two-person operation, automation, control surface operation, control groups, eq and diagnostics have also been enhanced.

Studer’s exclusive VirtualSurround Panning system has also been upgraded. vsp allows users to create a 5.1 sound field within the console on a channel-by-channel basis and is fully integrated with a channel’s multiformat panner.

The upgrade is available free to D950 owners.

*Accom unveils new NLE system

Accom of Menlo Park, Calif., has unveiled its new Affinity Nonlinear Editing System, a realtime uncompressed digital 601 editing line for high-end broadcast and video production.

The Affinity, which also handles effects, compositing and finishing, features five simultaneous realtime streams of uncompressed and compressed video which can be mixed in any project. Accom says Affinity is based on a unique architecture which allows its realtime hard drives to actually reside on the host pc’s pci bus. This, in turn, provides fast access to files, even by other applications on the host pc.

To coincide with the release of Affinity, Accom also unveiled its Dimension.8 software, which features three-point insert, overwrite and fit-to-fill editing in a simple drag-and-drop format.

Affinity will ship initially with software for the Mac, Accom says. Windows nt support is due out in early 2000.

*Avid ships 9th generation Media Composer

Avid Technology has begun shipping version nine of its award-winning Media Composer. The new system, available on the Windows nt platform, includes the introduction of dual streams of uncompressed video for online and a new universal offline editing option.

The dual-stream online option allows for up to two streams of uncompressed ITU-R 601 video complete with realtime operation of 2D and 3D effects with the downstream keyer.

Media Composer 9.0 will also offer other new online editing options such as key frameable dual-stream color correction, realtime spill suppression and scratch removal, work flow and networking capabilities.

The universal offline editing feature enables the creation of 24-frame offline projects from any film or 24P video source.

Along with the new system, Avid is also shipping a new Film Composer xl and the Media Composer 9000 xl.

Film Composer xl systems are priced at us$75,200 ($110,434) and Media Composer xl systems go for us$105,200 ($154,490).

*TV manufacturers in position for HD

Television set manufacturers are jockeying for position on both sides of the Canada-u.s. border with the hopes of sparking sales of hdtv sets and equipment.

North of the border, Panasonic Canada has announced an alliance with the Acura Technology group to distribute Panasonic Broadcast and Television Systems products. The agreement positions the electronics manufacturer for the emergence of the digital tv era. Panasonic says the move will help accelerate the transition to digital production technology in Canada.

Meanwhile, Panasonic and two of its competitors, Mitsubishi and Samsung, are going ahead full bore in the u.s., sponsoring a full range of hdtv programs that began airing this month.

Broadcasting and Cable reports that cbs, underwritten by Mitsubishi, is going on air with an hd lineup of 15 series, including Ladies Man, Family Law and Judging Amy. In exchange for Mitsubishi’s backing, cbs will display an on-air banner attributing the telecast to the electronics manufacturer. The network will also run a series of mows in hd, to be sponsored by Samsung.

abc began broadcasting Monday Night Football in hdtv on Sept. 13 under the sponsorship of Panasonic.

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