Starz Deploys Wohler Presto Video Switcher

As part of the migration to an upgraded IT-based playout operation for its 16 movie channels, Starz Entertainment has selected Wohler Technologies' Presto video switcher, which is being used in its confidence recording, compliance, and logging infrastructure.

"As we have many times in the past, we turned to monitoring solutions from Wohler to provide this important and vital link in our new infrastructure," noted Douglas Reither, broadcast engineering manager, Starz Entertainment, in a statement. "The choice of the Presto was easy, based on our long history of using Wohler's renowned rack-mountable audio monitors. We rely on Wohler Touch-It Digital 16-channel video color monitors for our server-based playout system, but for confidence monitoring, we sought a more compact solution. Presto offered exactly what we needed at a reasonable price point, as well as the ability to show the active video for each crosspoint on the buttons."

As part of its new playout operation, the Presto video switcher works in tandem with the facility's existing Volicon monitoring and logging system, which continuously records the network's 44 unique HD and SD return confidence feeds. A compact 1RU solution, Presto provides quick at-a-glance monitoring for all of the inputs going to the Volicon servers - making up to 16 sources readily available for monitoring and straightforward switching via integrated OLED push buttons.