Beijing– China Central Television (CCTV) will use Snell & Wilcox’s Kahuna SD/HD multi-format production switchers on OB vans for live HD coverage of key sports events including the Beijing 2008 Olympics for which CCTV is the principal broadcaster. CCTV previously acquired a Kahuna switcher for its sports studio to mix SD and HD content for coverage of the 2006 FIFA Football World Cup.

The Kahuna production switcher offers simultaneous SD and HD operations in the same mainframe and control panel, and enables CCTV to offer HD without upgrading its entire infrastructure or investing in external conversion equipment. It also allows operators to mix SD camera feeds, graphics, handheld shots, and archive footage directly into an HD production.

In addition to flexible format handling, Kahuna offers considerable keying power and the IMPAKT DVE option, which combines eight channels of 3D DVE with operational logic and pre-made effects without the need for an outboard DVE unit. IMPAKT DVEs provide control and application of effects in SD and HD.