News Releases

Iroquois, ON, Canada – May 5, 2006 - Ross Video, Cobalt Digital and Ward-Beck today announced that they received an NAB Award for Innovation in Media (AIM) at the NAB2006 Conference & Exhibition. As one of the five companies receiving the highest number of attendee votes in the Content Management category during the second annual AIM program, Ross Video, Cobalt Digital and Ward-Beck received AIM recognition for openGear during the NAB Technology Luncheon held at the Las Vegas Convention Centre on Wednesday, April 26, 2006.

“As the professionals who are using broadcasting technologies day in and day out, NAB attendees are in a unique position to recognize the hottest products emerging into the marketplace. The NAB would like to extend its congratulations to all of the 2006 AIM winners who received this esteemed recognition,” said Chris Brown, NAB Senior Vice President, Conventions & Expositions.

The top five products within each of the Content Creation, Content Management and Content Delivery categories received recognition with a 2006 AIM. Each winning product also will be eligible for further recognition when a judging panel composed of key industry editors reviews the AIM-winning technologies and other new products at the exhibition to select an overall winner within each product category. The 2006 Editors’ Choice Award winners will be announced on Thursday, May 4, 2006.

“We are very pleased NAB attendees have recognized openGear as the best terminal gear platform at the show,” said Eric Goodmurphy, Marketing Product Manager, RossGear. “The response to openGear at NAB2006 has been outstanding with many of our customers and potential partners. The ability to select products from a range of technology leaders without the need to invest in multiple frame standards sets a new standard in the broadcast industry.”

openGear is a 2RU rackframe standard based on a modular backplane that can house up to 10 modules of any type. openGear modules are available from a selection of openGear partners allowing customers the flexibility to pick the best module for their application. Customers are no longer locked into one manufacturer for their terminal equipment solutions. openGear also provides the platform with a web-based control system that allows quick and easy monitoring and control of openGear frames and modules on the network.  

“We are excited to have won the AIM award for innovation and have had excellent feedback from our customers at NAB2006 regarding this leading edge technology,” said Gene Zimmerman, President, Cobalt Digital. “openGear allows our customers the freedom and flexibility to customize their terminal gear installation to suit their needs.”

The openGear founding partners include, Cobalt Digital, Ward-Beck and Ross Video. At NAB2006 Ross formed a new openGear partnership with Claratech, specializing in digital video fibre optic conversion.

“We are thrilled to have won the AIM award at NAB2006 and look forward to providing customers with a solid solution for their conversion equipment needs,” said Michael Jordan, Director of Sales, Ward-Beck. “We finally have a non-proprietary terminal gear platform that puts the customer’s needs first.”

NAB2006 took place April 22-27 in Las Vegas, with an exhibition that started on April 24. The NAB spring convention is the world’s largest electronic media show covering the development, delivery and management of professional video and audio content across all mediums. Complete NAB2006 details are available at www.nabshow.com.

About the National Association of Broadcasters
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association that advocates on behalf of more than 8,300 free, local radio and television stations and also broadcast networks before Congress, the US Federal Communications Commission and the Courts. Information about NAB can be found at www.nab.org.

About Ross Video
Ross Video designs, manufactures and supports a wide range of innovative products for use in broadcast, distribution, live event and production applications. Ross products are used to produce and distribute video and audio signals in over 100 countries daily. Ross' award winning product line includes the Synergy SD, Synergy MD and MD-X Video Production Switchers, openGear, RossGear and GearLite Terminal Gear, Ross Routing Systems and the OverDrive Production Control System.

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For further information, please contact:
Jennifer Nicolaassen Barrie
Public Relations Co-ordinator
T. (613) 652-4886
F. (613) 652-4425
E. jbarrie@rossvideo.com