NFL Officials to Use Harris Corporation High Definition Systems to View Instant Replays

Harris to upgrade 31 stadiums and Pro Football Hall of Fame to HD

    LAS VEGAS, April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- National Football League
 (NFL) referees for the first time will be able to review instant replays
 with the sharpest images possible thanks to high definition (HD) technology
 from Harris Corporation ( HRS), an international communications and
 information technology company.
     The NFL has placed an order with Harris for the purchase of hardware,
 software and services that will enable the league to upgrade its
 officiating instant replay system to HD at its 31 stadiums nationwide. The
 instant replay systems are used to help make determinations that are
 challenged by coaches and booth reviews.
     The order includes 33 Harris(R) NEXIO(TM) HD servers as the primary
 servers with another 33 providing redundancy, an HD version of FORCE
 software (Football Officiating Replay Challenge Expeditor), routing and
 distribution gear. The new NEXIO(TM) HD server systems will replace the
 current analog instant replay system, which have been in use since 1999.
 The existing systems have been based on the Leitch VR-300 server, now
 considered older technology. One of these systems will be sent to the
 Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio for display purposes. The original
 system was developed by Leitch Technology Corporation, a company since
 acquired by Harris Corporation.
     The new NEXIO(TM)-based HD instant replay system will be deployed and
 ready for use at the opening preseason game on August 5th at the Pro
 Football Hall of Fame between the New Orleans Saints and the Pittsburgh
 Steelers on NFL Network.
     "The NFL wanted to move its instant replay systems to next-generation
 HD server technology to maintain a continued, high-level of reliability for
 future broadcasts," said Rich Zabel, vice president of sales for the
 Eastern region, Harris Corporation's Broadcast Communications Division.
     "We are pleased to upgrade our systems to reflect innovations in
 technology," said Mike Pereira, the NFL's vice president of officiating.
 "The new HD systems will provide our officials with state-of-the-art
 equipment to further enhance their ability to make proper calls."
     "Since today's NFL games are being broadcast in HDTV, it was critical
 to have this official replay system also support all the major HDTV
 broadcast formats," added Jeff Howard, the NFL's senior executive of
 engineering and broadcast technologies."
     These Harris products are a part of an NFL initiative to provide HD
 upgrades to the infrastructures of the 31 NFL stadiums nationwide. At each
 stadium, the new HD instant replay system will be installed in the replay
 booth, which are manned by replay official, a video technician, a video
 operator and a communicator.
     The two remaining HD instant replay systems will be used by the NFL to
 train officials at its annual officiating clinic, slated for July in
 Dallas, and at other training sessions.
     "Our customers are transitioning to HD on a global scale, and we see
 them embracing the reliability of our NEXIO(TM) HD server technology as
 they do," said Tim Thorsteinson, president of Harris Corporation's
 Broadcast Communications Division. "NEXIO(TM) is a reliable technology --
 with thousands of channels currently operating at broadcast facilities
 worldwide. The NFL has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Harris,
 and Harris met the NFL's specific needs by working with the NFL on the
 FORCE development that customizes the control application for Instant
 Replay."
     About Harris Corporation
     Harris is an international communications and information technology
 company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150
 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has annual
 revenue of about $4 billion and more than 14,000 employees - including more
 than 6,000 engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing
 best-in-class assured communications(TM) products, systems, and services
 for global markets, including government communications, RF communications,
 broadcast communications, and wireless transmission network solutions.
 Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at
 www.harris.com
 
 

SOURCE Harris Corporation