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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 (NYSE: 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
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