SALT LAKE CITY -- June 9, 2010 -- Utah Scientific today announced that Rhythm & Hues Studios, one of the world's leading producers of visual effects and animation, is in the process of implementing digital signal routing based on two Utah Scientific UTAH-400 routers and on its UTAH-100 series equipment. The Utah Scientific technology is being deployed as part of a facility expansion to two buildings on a new site, and an infrastructure upgrade to 3G HD-SDI from SD-SDI.
"Knowing we wanted a routing system with open, IP-based control, we considered solutions from several different vendors," said Will McCown, Rhythm & Hues chief engineer. "Ultimately, Utah Scientific offered us the most bang for the buck by a pretty good margin. As for implementation, Utah Scientific's team has been great, even helping us to link the new system to an ancient router made by another company. We are depending on the capabilities of the Utah control system to make this expanded routing system even easier for us to support than our old, simple system."
Rhythm & Hues' new system comprises a UTAH-400 64-frame router, a UTAH-100 16x16 analog video router, and a 16x16 timecode router, which replaces an aging system from another vendor. A second UTAH-400 64-frame router is being deployed in one of two buildings on Rhythm & Hues' new site to link digital projection, three Avid(R) editing suites, and four video servers. Rhythm & Hues is also using an 8x8 fiber I/O option on each of the two UTAH-400 routers for tie lines between the buildings, primarily to link editing with the VTRs and to enable videotape playback in the screening rooms.
Utah Scientific's UTAH-100 series packs the company's renowned power, quality, and features into smaller routers, distribution amplifiers, and signal generators that are priced affordably and aimed at the broader small-broadcast and industrial market. Compact fixed-frame and modular products are offered in the UTAH-100 family, all of them built to handle a range of signal types from analog to the new 3G HD format. And, like everything Utah Scientific manufactures, products in the UTAH-100 family come with a 10-year warranty and full-service customer support.
Based in Southern California, Rhythm & Hues provides character animation, visual effects, live-action, and design for entertainment and advertising. The studio has received two Academy Awards(R) for Achievement in Visual Effects ("The Golden Compass," 2007, and "Babe," 1995) as well as three Scientific and Technical Academy Awards.
"When we developed the UTAH-100 series, we had installations exactly like Rhythm & Hues in mind," said Tom Harmon, president and CEO of Utah Scientific. "Our traditional customer is a broadcaster, but today's routing systems support streamlined, system-wide efficiency in a wide variety of applications. As is obvious from its work, Rhythm & Hues is the kind of company that knows the value of top-quality equipment to produce a top-quality product."
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About Rhythm & Hues
Founded in 1987, Rhythm & Hues is one of the world's leading producers of visual effects and animation for movies and commercials. The studio has received two Academy Awards(R) for Achievement in Visual Effects, for "The Golden Compass," 2007 and "Babe," 1995. The studio is also the recipient of three Scientific and Technical Academy Awards. Recent Rhythm & Hues projects include "Marmaduke," "The A-Team," "The Wolfman," "Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakuel," and "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian."
About Utah Scientific, Inc.
Utah Scientific is the world's leading specialist in analog, digital, and HDTV routing switchers, master control switchers, and related control software. For more than 30 years, the company has provided industry-leading products and best-in-class service and support as recognized, again in 2009, by Frost & Sullivan with its Customer Service Leadership Award and demonstrated by the industry's first no-fee 10-year warranty. Additional information about the company can be found at www.utahscientific.com.
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