03/08/2001

Belfast company secures South African network contract

Belfast-based Audio-Processing Technology has secured a television network contract estimated to be worth around a quarter of a million with the South African Broadcast Corporation.

Audio Processing Technology (APT) has been commissioned by the South African Broadcast Corporation (SABC) to supply a range of audio data compression codecs, which will be used in a contribution network that will link up nine different regional studios to Johannesburg.

Paul Kruger, SABC’s principal technician for special projects, says contribution lines are regarded as a production tool and as such have to conform to the standards set by the broadcaster for digital production tools.

"The big problem with contribution lines where studios are linked in real time is the delay on the lines caused by codecs and routing,” Kruger explains. “After testing other systems it was clear that a short delay codec was needed for this job. APT was an obvious choice because it’s codecs have the shortest delay.”

APT’s commercial director Jon McClintock says: “As you would expect from a professional organisation, SABC did extensive and in-depth testing on both APT and several other manufacturers codecs and then put the contract out for tender. For APT to have won this tender is both excellent news and also a telling endorsement on the merits of the apt-X algorithm. We have proven again that for the broadcast industry the only viable compression algorithm for real-time, high quality audio contribution and distribution links is apt-X.” (AMcE)

Related Northern Ireland Business News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

13 May 2005
APT management buyout completed
APT (Audio Processing Technology), the Belfast-based audio compression specialist, has secured significant equity and debt funding which has enabled the company to complete a management buyout from its former owner, Oxfordshire-based Solid State Logic.
28 October 2003
APT welcome back John McCaffery
Belfast-based APT (Audio Processing Technology) have welcomed John McCaffrey back to the company as their new licensing manager. McCaffrey has spent the last four years handling OEM business for Andor, one of the largest high-tech companies in Northern Ireland and one of the UK’s fastest growing top 50 companies.
01 November 2002
APT sign Korean licensing agreement
One year after announcing a multi-million pound licensing deal with South Korean firm Open Solution, Belfast-based Audio Processing Technology (APT), have signed an additional exclusive licensing agreement.
09 August 2001
APT and Pulsecom announce joint development
Belfast based Audio Processing Technology (APT) and Pulse Communications, Inc (Pulsecom) have released details of a new agreement which will mean joint the development and marketing of a Broadband Audio Channel Card for the US telecommunications industry.
22 January 2004
Sound Images opt for APT’s WorldNet Tokyo
US-based audio specialist Sound Images recently invested in a WorldNet Tokyo ISDN codec from Belfast-based manufacturer APT. Sound Images is a company with an enviable client list pulled from across the music, film, multi media, advertising and corporate spectrum.