The judges have spoken and Broadcast Engineering magazine has announced the IBC2008 Pick Hit Award winners which included the PHABRIX SxA, an innovative new test and measurement device. This was the second award gained by PHABRIX at IBC, the first being the prestigious IABM Peter Wayne Award for Design and Innovation.

The IBC Pick Hit Award winners are chosen by an independent panel of judges made up of working broadcast, production, post, cable and satellite industry professionals. Judges make their selection based upon technical improvements and cost-savings a product offers broadcast, production and post-production facilities.

The PHABRIX SxA was chosen by the judges for its ability to meet the needs of the professional broadcast engineer who requires a portable solution for the growing sophisticated test requirement in the broadcast engineering industry. The PHABRIX SxA supports 3G-SDI, HD-SDI, SD-SDI video plus AES audio testing and monitoring - a world’s first for such a product. Additionally the SxA affords the unique combination of 3G, HD and SD testing and the ability to generate, analyze and monitor test signals in a single unit. The SxA stands out as an affordable portable highly technically advanced testing device for use in the studio, outside broadcast installations, broadcast stations and for remote testing of installed equipment. With the implementation of many differing standards in broadcast, the Sx is the first product to launch supporting the new 3G standard alongside HD and SD. The Sx can also generate at one standard and analyze at many. The integrated generator/analyzer is closed loop for control. The Sx has its own reference in lock with auto Bi-level, Tri-level and SDI genlock with cross lock capability.

The operating system chosen for the Sx is Linux, providing the advantages of open source development, upgrade simplicity, a mature system environment and enhanced networking facilities which have been implemented in the Sx’s remote control functions.

The audio support within the SxA is also advanced and designed to complement the video toolset present. The Sx has full 16 channel embedded audio with visual PPM’s. Additionally the function of embed and de-embed out of the AES ports allows engineers to fully analyze signal in and if required, separating the audio for audio out analysis. The unit supports tone generation and modulation between channels.

In use, the interface of the PHABRIX SxA has been carefully chosen to make it as intuitive as possible. The user can return to the main screen at any time by pressing the main menu button so aiding in set up and not confusing the operator. Each of the functions of the generator, analyzer and monitor are colour coded and all function requirements are within two to three button clicks. The control of the unit is via 8 buttons on the front of the unit with navigational and input selection using the circular mounted selection buttons to the right. This enables right thumb control while holding the unit, - the left thumb can select the button functions under the screen.

This type of control has kept the screen completely free for display and makes the SxA easy to control while hand held. Repeat testing set ups can be saved to memory and the scripting facility enables repeat test conditions to be implemented which can create data logs. These be accessed from the main screen or from a remote unit using the SxA’s remote facility if the unit is connected to a network.

In conclusion the PHABRIX Sx has been designed upon a technically advanced platform specifically to meet the challenges of the test environment of the professional broadcast engineer. The cost effective implementation of this technology has created an affordable unit with a high specification toolset. It is unique in its 3G capability and its multi standard fluency, the combined generator, analyzer and monitor making it a world’s first for such technology.

Note to Editors: Images are available either supplied or from download at www.phabrix.com by entering the ‘press’ section on the top menu bar. More information can be obtained from Paul Nicholls at PHABRIX on +44 1635 255494 or email: paul@phabrix.com