Burst News

KQCK Moves to New Facility, is on the Air in less than a Week

Burst’s future-proof design created efficiencies, streamlined move

When Burst claims they have the know-how to design future-proof broadcast solutions, they know what they’re talking about. Burst recently completed a two-part project for Christian Television Network (CTN) when they moved the master control room they designed and built in 2015 to a new site, and had the station up and running in record time.

In the spring of 2015, Burst was contracted by CTN to provide design and integration services for their recently acquired Colorado station KQCK-TV. It seemed like a straightforward project until CTN added a caveat; the master control room would need to be moved to a new location in two to three years. Burst reviewed the parameters of the project and designed and constructed a solution to control and monitor one HD and two SD streams.

The design featured bulkhead connector panels at the rear of every rack. All wiring that was connected internal to a rack were home runs within that rack. Any rack-to-rack connectivity was via the bulkheads in each rack. Initially this increased the total number of cables needed for the project.

The project was completed in the summer of 2015.

Skip forward to the spring of 2018. CTN was ready to move to their new Greenwood Village, Colorado and called on Burst to complete what they’d started three years previously. Burst simply removed the interconnecting cables between racks, then moved the racks, connecting cables and any console mounted equipment. Once the racks were placed in the new facility Burst re-used the interconnecting cables to re-join the racks.

“Don’s very creative design of the original KQCK Master Control room installation compressed a week long moving project into one day,” explains Paul Garber, Assistant to the President at KCQK. “By bringing all of the connections to a bulkhead mounted at the back of each rack and attaching wheels to each rack, we were able to simply disconnect the interconnecting cables and move each rack without removing any equipment.”

Burst completed the move and had KQCK up and running in less than a week. “The savings realized in minimal lost airtime along with the savings in labor amounted to thousands of dollars,” Garber notes. “Working with Burst Communications has always been a very positive experience. They demonstrate more concern for their customer, than for their profits.”

Key Code Media Acquires Burst Communications

Broadcast Equipment Provider and Integrator Combine Forces To Become Major Reseller Nationwide.

LOS ANGELES (October 2, 2018) – Key Code Media has reached an agreement to acquire Rocky Mountain and Southwest region integrator Burst Communications. The acquisition complements the strengths of the media and entertainment industry’s trusted media technology provider with the leader in broadcast and AV solutions, offering the market turnkey technology solutions and unparalleled engineering services.

With coverage in Colorado, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, and Southern California, Burst Communications will operate as a new division of Key Code Media, maintaining their existing team. Burst Communications will also add additional competencies with large integration vendors, such as Crestron, Barco and Grass Valley.

“Strategically Key Code Media and Burst Communications have substantial synergies which will drive more value to our clients” commented Mike Cavanagh, founder of Key Code Media. ”Burst Communications has a 27 year legacy of excellence in Broadcast Engineering and AV, which directly compliments Key Code Media’s leadership in editorial, storage and asset management.”

Kirk Basefsky, CEO and Founder of Burst Communications, remarks that Key Code Media is the perfect fit to extend Burst Communications’ reach. “This acquisition is a huge opportunity for Burst Communications, giving us access to new markets, new products, and new offices while maintaining our core brand competencies that our customers know and love.” Burst Communications will continue under its current brand name and its existing locations, maintaining the full Burst team.

Burst Communications was founded in Denver, Colorado in 1991 by Kirk Basefsky, along with a core team of sales and technical experts. Embracing broadcast technology from its inception, the company has grown to be an industry leader in broadcast integration for TV stations, sports, churches, local government and education. Burst also has a strong presence in the Corporate AV space, designing conference rooms, classrooms, lobbies, and large-scale digital signage installations.

“Together, we will offer broadcast, AV, integration, and post-production solutions at a comprehensive level of support and services across all markets and geographies,” noted Mike Cavanagh. “This union positions us both to serve the industry with more advanced engineering and services- across the nation.”

About Key Code Media

At Key Code Media, we design, integrate, train, and support live production, post production, and media automation solutions. We focus on helping our clients maximize their budget, creativity, and workflow efficiencies.

Key Code Media supports production systems nationwide for broadcast, entertainment, government, education, reality television, pro audio, and a majority of the U.S. Fortune 100 corporations. Founded in 2001 by Mike Cavanagh, Key Code Media has expanded in Burbank, Irvine, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Detroit and New York, with revenues exceeding $35 million per year.

The company pride itself on our extensive employee technical training, educating on manufacturer products, industry certifications, and hands-on field training. Workflow consultations and technical support are our core competencies, staffing 27 cross-trained, technical, and workflow solution architects and engineers.

For more information, visit www.keycodemedia.com, or join the company on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and YouTube.

About Burst Communications

Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

For more information, visit www.burstvideo.com

Burst provides equipment, integration services at Cowboys’ new World HQ

Burst helps DCPA capture and transmit HD content to locations around the world

Burst helps Aurora upgrade its City Hall broadcasting operation from SD to HD

BURST goes to work at Dallas Cowboys’ World HQ in Dallas

BURST helps Aurora Municipal Center Upgrade to HD

BURST was selected to upgrade the current SD television system at the City of Aurora Municipal Center to a full HD television system. The design is already underway, and installation will begin in early 2016.

Burst Partners with Denver Media Services to migrate to High Definition

January 27, 2015

Denver, CO – System integrator Burst is working with the City and County of Denver to install new systems and upgrade existing systems to migrate Denver Media Services (DMS) production and broadcast facilities from Standard Definition to High Definition (HD).

Burst is providing research, design, procurement, installation, testing and training for the project, which includes upgrading production control rooms, edit suites and master control rooms. When the project is complete, all City and County of Denver media operations will be HD-SDI.

The goal of the project is to integrate all facilities so that DMS’s new production control room is the central point of signal termination for all signals coming from remote facilities within the Downtown City Campus, which incorporates the City and County Building, Wellington Webb Building McNichols Building, the Crime Lab, the Justice Center the Detention Center and the flight packs which operate as portable, self-contained production units.

The project also includes upgrading the master control room for Channel 58, which provides City information and services, including hourly announcements on City services, activities and events It also includes a display of the City of Denver’s traffic cameras. The new system will be able to play back graphics pages as well as video files and will integrate into the HD-SDI router.
Additionally, Burst will ensure the edit bay systems and associated equipment are fully functional and integrated into the DMS technical operations structure.

This project is scheduled for completion by the end of April, 2015.

About Burst: About Burst: Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky since 1991, Burst covers the Rocky Mountain Region with its headquarters in Denver, Colorado, and offices in Arizona, California, Texas and Utah.

University of Wyoming upgrades HD production control room; Improvements enhance fan experience

December 8, 2014

Denver, CO – Denver-based Burst recently completed work on the University of Wyoming’s new HD production control room in Laramie, WY. The new facility serves as a central command center for scoreboard playback for football and basketball, as well as for live HD streaming for football, basketball and volleyball, and wrestling.

The goals of the project were to upgrade video operations to high definition and to build a central command center from which to run all live video productions functions. Previously, these functions were performed in a mobile production trailer that was moved from point-to-point to cover various sporting events.

Both fans and the production crew at the University will enjoy the benefits of the new system. A big advantage, says Dennis Trapani, Director of Video Production and Digital Media, University of Wyoming Athletics, is the way it enhances the fan’s experience. “All the cameras are connected now. We can control the irises and paint the camera(s) from the back room. The engineers worry about exposure and color; the camera guys just shoot. They don’t have to worry about exposure and light balance, and as a result, the performance of our camera operators has improved.
With two robotic cameras that can be controlled with a joystick from the Director’s station, “We can get different shots than we could get before,” says Trapani. “Above the court shots are now possible which, in particular, enhance the fan’s experience in the arena.” These shot allow for replays from different angles and provide better footage for referee review.

Fans will also enjoy the two 47-foot wide ANC Video Boards, one on either side of the arena. They make the whole presentation much better than it ever was before. The bigger screens are much better for fans. You can see a video board from every seat.

About Burst: Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for displaying, distributing and producing media. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky since 1991, Burst covers the Rocky Mountain Region with headquarters in Denver, Colorado, and offices in Arizona, California, Texas and Utah.

About University of Wyoming: The University of Wyoming provides quality undergraduate and graduate programs to 13,800 students from all 50 states and 94 countries. Established in 1886, UW is a nationally recognized research institution with accomplished faculty and world-class facilities. Offering 200 areas of study UW provides an environment for success.

Denver-Based BURST acquired Gamut Communications, LLC in Albuquerque

Denver, CO – September 17, 2014 – Denver-based Burst, an equipment reseller and systems integrator for the broadcast and AV industries, announced today it acquired Gamut Communications, LLC in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Gamut Communications, established in 2009, specializes in broadcast video equipment sales for the broadcast industry.

“We are very pleased with this acquisition,” says Kirk Basefsky, president of Burst. “We’ve had an office in New Mexico since 1996, but this acquisition allows us to significantly expand our coverage and ability to serve the broadcast industry throughout New Mexico and West Texas.”

Gamut Communications will operate under the Burst name, and Dale Scherbring, Burst’s VP Engineering and Sales will be the liaison for the New Mexico clients and other key accounts.

Thom Johnson, who has managed Burst’s Albuquerque operations since 1996 will retire at the end of the year.

Contact Dale Scherbring at dales@burstvideo.com for more information.

About Burst
Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

SMU Journalism Division gets new HD control room and studio

Dallas, TX – September 26, 2013 – The Division of Journalism in the Meadows School of the Arts at SMU in Dallas recently selected Burst to design and integrate a new HD control room and studio for news production. The new system replaces an antiquated analog system and features functionality that enables the automation of production control. With such current generation technology, faculty can adequately educate and train future broadcast journalists and prepare students for the realities found in modern broadcast news operations.

In the new facility, students will produce news casts using several production control scenarios. Programs could be fully manual, fully automated, or some combination of the two.

The Burst engineering and sales teams worked closely with facility engineer Robert Emery and consulting partner Tommy Goodson of Leader Instruments to maximize SMU’s budget and design a system best described as “lean and mean.”

The system features a 2ME Grass Valley Karrera production switcher, a four channel Grass K2 Summit 3G video server, two channels of Chyron, four Hitachi HD5000 cameras, Grass Valley’s Ignite automated production control room system, Utah Scientific routing, Ross and Black Magic terminal gear, Apantac multi view monitoring, a Telestream Episode transcoding/encoding station, an extensive Avocent KVM system, and a Yamaha LS9-16 audio console.

Creative use of existing camera support, intercom and audio, racks and furniture enabled the design team to include all the tools necessary for a powerful and highly functional system.

Burst completed and brought the manual portion of the system on line in time for the start of classes in late August. Automation is added during semester break in mid-December. The new facility, once completed, will advance SMU’s Division of Journalism into a select group of elite universities with the technical facilities necessary to educate and train the next generation of broadcast journalists.

BURST Upgrades the Moreno Valley City Council Chambers

Newport Beach, CA – August 29, 2013 – When the Moreno Valley City Council returned from its summer recess last week, members found their council chambers had been upgraded with new HD television broadcast equipment and an electronic voting system.

Burst was awarded the contract for the design and build of the Moreno Valley City Council Chambers upgrade. This fast-track project started in July and was completed in mid August, just a week before the Council reconvened from its summer recess.

The project included installation of seven Panasonic cameras with full robotic PTZ heads, a Ross Switcher, a Tightrope file server and a SIRC electronic voting system.

The upgrade from a tape-based to a file-based system provides for more efficient data management and a cleaner graphics system. Six large-screen HD monitors are being installed in the chambers, as well, to give those attending council meetings a cleaner, closer look at the action. Time Warner, Verizon and AT&T will pick up the signal for broadcast.

The SIRE electronic voting system features a monitor for each council member and provides easy viewing of presentations and convenient voting.

About Burst

Burst Wins Coliseum Bid

Denver, CO – February 6, 2013 – Burst announced today it was awarded a contract to design and install a video scoreboard feed system at the Denver Coliseum for the Cutthroats, Denver’s CHL minor league hockey team.

The goal of the project was to build a comprehensive integrated video system able to capture and record the action on the ice when Cutthroats are playing, but that can be stored when the Cutthroats are off the ice and other events, like the stock show and the circus, take over the Coliseum.

To achieve this goal, Burst built a flypack system contained on two rolling racks that fit neatly into storage when the system is not in use. When the Cutthroats are playing, the system is set up on the mezzanine to feed play action, slow motion replay and other visual elements to the scoreboard.

The rolling system is unique in that when in use, it is located in a public area referred to as “the Fishbowl.” Visitors to the mezzanine can observe the entire production process from the director’s point of view.

The video system feeds a center-hung, four-sided Daktronix scoreboard installed over center ice. It consists of three Panasonic HPX 370 cameras. Two are mounted above the Fishbowl at pressbox level and connect to a Ross Carbonite Plus 16-input switcher to capture the action on the ice; the third is wireless and uses an Anton Bauer video system to relay images with almost zero latency. It captures close-ups and game events behind the glass at ice level. The signal is sent via an RF transmitter to a receiver at the top of the arena.

A ZePlay, 4-input, 4-output slo-motion replay system by Tightrope Media Systems, a Grass Valley T2 playback server for video Inserts, and an AJA KiPro Rack for archiving game video make up this quick and agile system. Game footage is provided to the Central Hockey League on a JVC Blue Ray disc recorder.

First Baptist Church Builds Impressive New Home: Burst selected for the broadcast and projection systems scope of work

Denver, CO – January 13, 2013 – Work on the historic First Baptist Church In downtown Dallas is nearing completion. The massive LEED certified $130 million upgrade adds 500,000 square feet of space for worship, education, performance and rehearsal to an already impressive campus. Denver-based Burst is integrating the broadcast and projection systems, which are scheduled for completion in time for the Easter 2013 grand opening.
The project is part of a unification of First Baptist Church’s campus buildings in downtown Dallas, an expansive, 21st century campus that will enable the historic congregation to become a recognized spiritual center in downtown for generations to come.
The 3,000 seat worship center features a state-of-the-art projection environment with a 150’ wide curvilinear screen above the staging area. A blended array of seven Barco 22K lumen projectors driven by four dual channel Cool Lux Pandora’s Box image processor/servers will create a remarkable visual experience unique to house of worship presentation.
The broadcast system features nine Grass Valley LDK8000 multi-format HD cameras, a Grass Valley 4.5 ME Karrera production switcher with dual control panels to serve both Imag and broadcast, Chyron and Pro Presenter graphics. Evertz handles routing, multi-view monitor processing, and terminal gear. A Clear Com Digital Matrix system provides all important intercommunications.
To enable convenient pre-production and monitoring, the system features a much smaller, yet otherwise identical, version of the worship center projection screen in the production control room itself. Seven DPS LED projectors receive distributed feeds from the Cool Lux processors, allowing Church technical directors and producers to easily manage content preparation and in-event monitoring.
Lastly, a custom SAN system to serve multi-channel ingest, play out, and archival, along with multiple NLE systems, is part of the package.
Burst has worked closely with Church staff, noted A/V consultants Acoustic Dimensions, Church representatives AnchorPointe, and project architect, The Beck Group to finalize and implement the complicated and challenging design. Manhattan Construction is general contractor.

About First Baptist Church
The First Baptist Church of Dallas was organized on July 30, 1868. First Baptist was organized with eleven charter members on the first floor of the Masonic.
Since the 1970s, the church has established a number of ministries that are affiliated with the church. First Baptist Academy of Dallas and Criswell College (formerly Criswell Bible Institute) were formed to champion Christian education. In the mid-1970s, Criswell College purchased KCBI, to be used as a Christian radio station and has resided on the lower frequencies of FM. Now at 90.9 FM, KCBI broadcasts as part of the Criswell Radio Network, and includes KCRN and KCRN-FM of San Angelo, Texas and KSYE of Frederick, Oklahoma.

Denver-Based Integrator Burst Scores at Nationwide Arena

Denver, CO – October 17, 2012 – Fans will soon be closer to the action at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, home of the Blue Jackets hockey team. The 12-year-old arena is currently being updated with four center-hung Daktronics video scoreboards and a HD control room.

Denver-based Burst was awarded the contract for the design/build of the HD video control room in the 20,000-seat arena, which hosts sporting events, concerts, and even monster truck events. When complete, fans throughout the house will enjoy a better viewing experience.

The control room will feature Grass Valley cameras and a K2 Dyno Replay System, Fujinon lenses, a Chyron Character Generator, EditShare centralized editing storage system, Evertz routing, multi-viewer, fiber and technical core and a Ross Production Switcher.

Anthony James Partners is the consultant and project manager.

Burst wins bid for design/build of HD Control Room at TCU

Fort Worth, TX – September 26, 2012 – Football fans won’t be the only ones cheering when TCU’s new HD control room is complete this fall. Production crews and students will also be celebrating the enhanced clarity and functionality, both on the field and in the studio, when the University’s new high definition (HD) control room goes live.

Burst was awarded the contract for the design/build of the HD control room at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, which includes a rack room and studio. The control room, located in the Moudy South Building, is part of the Film-Television-Digital Media Department and will serve several functions. Besides providing students in the sports broadcasting major access to state-of-the art equipment, more than 40 events per year will be broadcast on a regional sports television network, campus arena video boards and the internet.

The University’s five athletic venues: the Amon G. Carter Stadium (football), Daniel-Meyer Coliseum (basketball), University Recreation Center (volleyball), Garvey-Rosenthal Stadium (soccer) and Lupton Stadium – (baseball), will be connected to the new control room.

According to Mike Martin, Assistant Professor of Professional Practice at TCU, “The majority of the productions that will originate from our new HD control room will be student productions. As a matter of fact, our TV and internet coverage of TCU sporting events will use production crews staffed entirely by our sports broadcasting majors. These students will fill every crew position – including producer, director, technical director, audio, replay, graphics and talent. The video board productions for the new football stadium will utilize a combination of both professionals and students on the production crew.”

The HD Control Room is a fast track project, due for completion in early October. Burst will provide the necessary design, equipment, engineering services, testing and commissioning of the system and training.

“At TCU, the academic and athletic sides came together and made a commitment to give our new sports broadcasting program the resources it needed to be top program, with that primary resource being our new HD Control Room. With this commitment, our students will now have access to the latest technology in sports broadcasting,” says Martin. The system features Ikegami cameras, Fujinon lenses, Telecast Fiber, GV Carrera production switchers, Harris routing equipment, EVS slow motion, and Chyron Graphics.

Burst is no stranger to TCU. In 2010, Burst migrated the broadcast studio from SD to HD; the HD redesign featured a Sony PMW-EX3 cameras, a Sony MFS-2000 switcher, and FWD S47H1 display monitors.

About TCU
Located in Fort Worth, Texas, Texas Christian University aims to educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community.

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In with the new. Cash from the old. Burst backs Apples’ trade-In campaign

Denver, CO – July 19, 2012 – Ready to upgrade your Mac? Through September 29, 2012, Apple makes it easy to reinvest in new Apple electronics with a trade in allowance for your old equipment.

To find out what your used Mac or PC system is worth and to get the most out of your new technology investment, contact Burst, your certified Apple Value Added Reseller. Call Chris at 303-858-9814 or email chrisn@burstvideo.com.

The longer you hold onto your outdated technology, the more the value of your used equipment will diminish. Invest before September 29, so your business can gain greater productivity and benefit from Apple’s trade-in program.

Systems Integrator Burst wins contract for design/build services at Denver 8

Denver, CO – July 17, 2012 – Burst announced today it was awarded a contract from the City and County of Denver to consolidate its television production systems to a single location and upgrade broadcasting capabilities at Denver 8 from its current analog infrastructure to a digital television (HDTV) environment. Burst is in charge of the design, procurement, installation, interconnectivity and testing of systems and equipment throughout the project.
Denver 8 is the municipal access television station for the City and County of Denver government. It creates and cable casts programming to enhance understanding of and access to the processes of Denver city government. Denver 8 is a fully programmed station that operates 24-hours a day, seven days per week and provides information on local politics, events and culture and more.
This is a two-part project. In the first phase, Burst will manage the design/build of a new master control room in the City and County Building. This will allow Denver 8 to move from its Stapleton facility and consolidate all broadcast and cable operations at a centralized location. In the second phase, Burst will manage the design/build of the edit bays and studio.
The upgrade features an Evertz core package and master control switcher, Panasonic cameras, and a Ross production switcher
About Burst
Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.
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Burst signs agreement with Sony to represent their CineAlta and large-sensor camera lines

Denver, CO – June 26, 2012 – Burst announced today it now has access to Sony’s SUPER 35MM cameras & camcorders, which include the PMWF3, NEXFS700 and NEXFS100.

“We are pleased to be representing Sony’s CineAlta and large-sensor cameras. Our customers are increasingly requiring this new technology, and we are delighted we can work with Sony to deliver cameras that meet their ever-changing needs,” says Burst president, Kirk Basefsky.

These cameras open up a whole new world of high-quality video production convenience and creative expression, and they produce dramatic, high-quality footage. With extraordinary picture quality, low light sensitivity, a shallow depth of field, and other creative aspects, videographers can capture a look similar to that of a film camera.

The PMW-F3L/RGB ($13,960) and PMW-F3K/RGB ($19,890) are the newest members of Sony’s CineAlta lineup. They inherit DNA from the F35, which has been used for years in high-end digital cinematography, as well as most of the features and file-based workflow capabilities of PMW-EX1R and EX3 XDCAM EX solid-state memory camcorders.

The NEX-FS700U ($7,999.00) and NEX-FS700UK ($8,599) Full-HD Super Slow Motion camcorders are the latest in Sony’s line-up of NXCAM interchangeable E-mount camcorders. They are designed for high-speed shooting, capable of capturing footage at up to 960 frames per second and feature a range of capabilities such as 3G HD-SDI output and built-in ND filters.

The NEX-FS100U ($4,999) and NEX-FS100UK ($5,599) feature a 35MM e-mount interchangeable lens system. Sony’s E-mount interchangeable lenses feature precision-crafted optics with aspherical glass elements for compact high performance, and circular iris mechanisms for smooth background defocusing.

To demo one of Sony’s new large-sensor cameras, contact Chris at (303) 858-9814 or Chrisn@burstvideo.com.

Denver-Based Integrator Burst Scores at Folsom Stadium

Denver, CO – June 13, 2012 – Denver-based Burst, an equipment reseller and systems integrator for the broadcast and AV industries, announced today it is working with PCL and Daktronics on the multimillion dollar video scoreboard upgrade and replacement of the video boards at Folsom Stadium on the University of Colorado Boulder Campus as well as the relocation of the existing Buff Vision offices and editing bays.

BURST was named the Design/Builder for the new video replay system for the control room which will support both the Coors Event Center and Folsom Field. The project calls for relocating the existing Buff Vision offices and editing bays into a new state-of-the-art facility located at the Coors Event Center. The move will consolidate the Athletic department’s existing video production operations into one location that will serve as the headquarters for BuffVision, the media division of CU Athletics.

The Replay Equipment Replacement / Control Room Facility includes the design and constructing the new Buff Vision Office Suite and Control room suites on the service level of the Coors Event Center based upon the conceptual layouts, technical documents and specifications.

PCL is the general contractor for the project. Daktronics is installing the new HD video scoreboards on the north and south ends of the field. The project will be complete in time for the 2012 football season. The $7 million project replaces the antiquated 13-year-old displays currently in use.

Systems Integrator Burst wins contract for design/build services at Bush Library in Dallas

Denver, CO – June 7, 2012 – Burst, an equipment reseller and systems integrator for the broadcast and AV industries based in Denver, announced today it that its Dallas office was awarded the contract to design and build the broadcast and production systems slated for installation at the George W. Bush Presidential Center at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas.

Burst will provide all necessary services, including design, equipment procurement, installation, and commissioning of the broadcast and production systems. The facility will include media control and equipment rack rooms to serve various production venues within the facility, including an auditorium, media studio, and multiple interconnect locations throughout the Center. When complete, the broadcast system, tightly interconnected to the AV system, will be equipped to broadcast, monitor, record, and archive a wide range of events taking place at the Center, such as seminars, speeches, award ceremonies, press events, meetings and tele-conferences.

Relying on extensive use of fiber optics electronics and infrastructure, the system can accommodate a number of different production scenarios virtually anywhere in the facility, from press events to single camera shoots to multi-camera broadcast quality productions of the highest level. Major components include three HD cameras in full studio configuration, four robotically controlled HD cameras in the auditorium – two of which can be converted to fully manned operation – a fully equipped 3.5 ME HD video production switcher, a two-channel character generator, routing and monitoring, an audio mixing and monitoring system, wired and wireless matrix intercom systems, extensive encoding and decoding interface, and a complete shared storage system for video ingest, play out, video and audio non-linear editing, and archival.

Burst is working with Broadcast Consultant Russ Berger Design Group of Addison, Texas and with Manhattan Construction Company from Dallas.

About the George W. Bush Presidential Library
The George W. Bush Presidential Library is the nation’s thirteenth presidential library. It is administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Temporarily located in Lewisville, Texas, the permanent center, which consists of the presidential archives, containing documents and artifacts of the Bush Administration; a museum with permanent and traveling exhibits; and an independent public policy institute, will be located on the campus of Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas. Construction on The Bush Center began in 2011; completion is expected in Spring of 2013.

Systems Integrator Burst Expands Denver Sales Engineering Team

Denver, CO – March 6, 2012 – Denver-based Burst, an equipment reseller and systems integrator for the broadcast and AV industries, announced today that Chris Nicholson joined the company as Sales Engineer. Nicholson will assist clients with their video and AV equipment and integration needs.

Nicholson developed his passion for production at WGBH in Boston. More recently, he founded Clear Mountain Productions in Denver, which offered a comprehensive menu of video services, including event video production, documentaries, legal/claims investigation videos, advertising and promotions.

“We’re glad to have Chris on board,” says Burst president, Kirk Basefsky. “We’ve been looking to expand our sales team with a professional who has a solid production background, and that’s what Chris brings to the table.” He also brings enthusiasm, a knack for new technology, project management skills, outstanding customer service, and extensive experience working with large accounts to Burst.

BURST Co-Sponsors Tektronix VideoInsight Seminar in Dallas

Dallas, TX – August 22, 2011 – Join solutions provider/systems integrator BURST and Tektronix, the market leader in broadcast video test, monitoring and analysis solutions, for a free VideoInsight Seminar and learn about today’s test and measurement challenges. The seminar will be presented at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Dallas on September 2nd from 9:30AM – 3:30PM; a tour of the video production control rooms and technical areas at the stadium is offered at the conclusion of the seminar.

The free seminar present a hands-on opportunity for attendees to learn new techniques for addressing post production and broadcast challenges. Demonstration and presentation topics will help attendees:
Gain knowledge on how to use Waveform Monitors together with Apple’s Color Correction software to achieve the best artistic rendering for your content.
Get the latest update on ATSC A/85 Recommendation for Controlling Audio Loudness and learn how to control audio levels between program and commercial transitions.
Learn about the importance of the Ancillary Data, and new tools to verify critical signal elements including payload ID, AFD, and Closed Captioning.

“As digital video evolves, a new class of test and measurement tools to accommodate new, faster and often more complex technologies are required. We are committed to helping broadcast video professionals understand the challenges they face and the new techniques available to meet those challenges,” said Eben Jenkins, General Manager, Video Test at Tektronix, Inc. “The VideoInsight Seminar Series provides an easy and convenient way to have hands-on access to the latest video test and measurement technologies and techniques.”

To register or for more information, visit http://tek.gcsevents.com/videoinsight/event/?evd=257&s=. After registering, attendees will parking instructions, what entrance to use, and at what venue in the stadium the event is being held.

The seminar will be presented by Scott Howard, Sr. Application Engineer. Howard has been with Tektronix for 32 years and has held technical support positions in manufacturing, product marketing, Government marketing and sales. Today, he consults and teaches test methodologies for broadcast, studio, cable and manufacturing for customers throughout North America.

City of Lafayette’s Broadcast Facilities Expand to Library

Denver, CO – May 18, 2011 – Burst announced today it was awarded a contract from the City of Lafayette to expand the city’s broadcast facilities from City Hall to the Lafayette Public Library. Burst is equipping a public meeting room at the Lafayette Library with three wall mounted robotic cameras and a Vaddio switcher/character generator; the meeting room will connect to City Hall via Comcast fiber.

The library facility will enable the broadcast and recording of civic and community events including:

Book readings by authors
Lectures on Lafayette history and other subjects
Book clubs
Classes, such as math, social networking and beekeeping
Community meetings, including Lafayette board and committee presentations on open space, public art, energy alternatives, etc.

The library broadcast facility will allow civic and community groups to broadcast their events and meetings live on Lafayette Channel 8 or record them for later broadcast or distribution. The project is scheduled to begin in August, 2011.

Burst Scores Texas Trifecta: Wins Contract for HD Video Replay System and Control Room at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington

Denver, CO – March 15, 2011 – Burst, a Denver-based systems integrator, announced today it was contracted by Sony Electronics’ Systems Solutions group to build and commission the high definition digital video replay system and replay control room at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

It’s a Texas Trifecta for Burst, who already has a solid reputation for its work at sports arenas in Texas. Burst designed and built the video replay systems for both the Dallas Cowboys Stadium and the American Airlines Center.

The digital HD video replay system Burst is installing at the Rangers Ballpark will give fans a better game day experience. They’ll see the action clean and clear on the 42 foot wide by 120 foot wide Daktronics large-screen LED display in the Home Run Porch behind right field. Three strategically-placed main cameras and two point of view cameras will capture game day action; two wireless “fan cams” will capture fan antics in the stands and around the venue.

The replay control room will double as a general control room to accommodate the team’s varied production needs, including games and game day live production as well as prerecorded special feature pieces on players, events and history that may be used during the game. Two nonlinear editing stations in the control room provide offline editing capability.

At the heart of the control system is a Sony MVS-8000X 3D-capable switcher and cameras. Other products driving the system are EVS ‘slomo’ equipment, Evertz core and routing equipment, four Chyron LEx3 graphics systems, a Click Effects Crossfire system will provide instant access to video and audio clips, two Ross servers which will be used as clip servers, Riedel and Clearcom intercom equipment and TBC consoles.

The video replay system and control room will cost about $2.5 million dollars. Work began in January and completion is slated prior to first pitch on April 1, 2011. Chris Williams of WJHW is the consultant for the project.

About Rangers Ballpark
Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, opened in 1994 and seats nearly 50,000 fans. This unique complex includes a four-story office building within the ballpark, a youth baseball park, a 12-acre lake, and parks and recreation space on the perimeter. Total cost of the project was approximately $191 million.

University of Michigan Prepares for New Media Facility

Denver, CO – January 3, 2011 – Burst, a Denver-based systems integrator, was selected to provide engineering design services for the new North Quad TV and Film Studios at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, which will be operational for the start of the 2011/2012 school year.

Burst is creating a complete drawing package and equipment list for three studios: a 2,500 square foot film studio, a 1,250 television studio and a 2,400 square foot multi-purpose production studio. Related support areas also being designed include a master control room, two director’s control rooms, two audio booths, two voiceover rooms and a green room. The plans, due in February of 2011, will be incorporated into the University of Michigan’s RFP for facility integration.

The TV and Film Studios are part of the University’s new $175M North Quad Academic and Residential Complex, which features a 10 story residential unit and a seven story academic tower. It houses 450 students as well as the School of Information, and four academic units within the College of Literature, Science and the Arts: Screen Arts and Cultures, Communication Studies, the Language Resource Center and the Gayle Morris Sweetland Center for Writing.

Burst to Design and Build Digital Video Production facility at Moore Norman Technology Center

Denver, CO – December 9, 2010 – Burst, a Denver-based systems integrator, was awarded a contract to design and build a digital video production facility at Moore Norman Technology Center (MNTC) in Norman, Oklahoma. Upon its completion, the facility will feature a state-of-the-art studio and associated control, engineering and audio rooms, sound stage, editing bays, green room and sound booth for students in the Digital Video Production (DVP) program.

MNTC’s DVP program prepares high school and adult students for careers as digital video technicians, digital video producers and production assistants. Students get hands-on experience in all aspects of digital video production – from pre-production planning through post-production editing and graphics. It’s also an Apple Authorized Training Center where students earn industry certifications in Final Cut Pro applications.

“With the new space and the capabilities we’ll have here, our facility will be among the best in the state,” said DVP Instructor Chris Kalinski. “I’m convinced we will rival any other school in Oklahoma.”

Burst will create a top level design and detailed engineering drawings, recommend equipment, and manage the installation, commissioning and training for the facility, which will be housed in the new Information Technology Building at MNTC’s Franklin Road Campus.

Burst Scores Integration Contract at Matthew Knight Arena

Denver, CO – October 26, 2010 – Burst, a Denver-based systems integrator, was recently awarded the contract for the integration of the video production system at the Matthew Knight Arena at the University of Oregon in Eugene. The arena will be home to the Oregon Ducks basketball and volleyball teams and will host numerous other sports, events and concerts.

The $200 million arena is currently under construction with a completion date coinciding with the Pac-10 Conference basketball season in January 2011. The 12,541-seat multi-purpose arena is on target for LEED Gold certification, which will make it among the first LEED-certified sports facilities in the nation. It will also boast one of the largest scoreboards ever installed at a college sports facility: 3-stories tall, 36-feet wide, and more than 60,000 pounds.

Burst is working with Anthony James Partners (AJP) and Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon & Williams, Inc. (WJHW) to detail the engineering design and to build the HD control room to feed the scoreboard. This project is on a fast track to be ready for its first event. Other parties involved in the arena project are Ellerbe Becket, TVA Architects, Hoffman Construction, JMI Sports and IMG College.

Key components include, Hitachi Cameras, Ross Production Switcher, Grass Valley K2-Dyno Slow-Mo, Chyron Character Generation, Miranda Multi-Viewer and Snell & Wilcox Routing Switcher.

BURST Builds the City of Beverly Hills a New Media Facility

August 19, 2010 – Denver CO – The City of Beverly Hills is consolidating its television production and post production functions and moving the department to a turnkey facility at 331 North Foothill Road.

This new facility will house a state-of-the-art, high-definition digital broadcast production and transmission facility to support the City’s media operations and a portable production “Flypack” for recording and broadcasting field events.

The facility will serve as a production hub for City originated programming airing on BHTV channels 10 and 35 and webcast at beverlyhills.org. It includes a production studio, a production control room, an audio control room, a master control room and post production suites.

Key technical components include Panasonic AG-HPX500 HD Cameras, a Grass Valley Kayak HD Production Switcher, Evertz Multiviewers and a Tascam audio mixing console. In master control, Grass Valley routing switchers will handle the basic on-air switching function with Video Technics HD servers providing the content playback. A Creston control system is also incorporated. Laguna Designs will provide several custom consoles for the production, editing and master control areas.

The “Flypack” is a self-contained high definition portable studio control system with cameras, a switcher, audio and intercom systems that augments the studio, enabling on-location production in the community. It permits the recording and broadcasting of field events and will be used in ENG and EFP multi-camera live switched production scenarios. The “Flypack” includes Panasonic AG-HPX500 cameras, a Ross Crossover 12 HD production switcher and audio and monitoring equipment.

This six month project began in early August. Burst is providing all necessary engineering, programming, configuration, hardware, equipment, software, cabling, termination, installation and integration. The project will be closely coordinated with the City of Beverly Hills, Multimedia Services Manager, Mark Geddes and consultant, John Brooks of BFA. Jim Schoedler is the Senior Project Director for Burst.

For more information please contact John Switzer at johns@burstvideo.com or call 303-649-9600. You can also visit our web site: www.burstvideo.com

About Burst:
Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

El Paso Independent School District’s TV Production Studio Goes Digital

June 15, 2010 – Denver CO – The El Paso Independent School District (EPISD) is upgrading its District Professional Development Center’s TV production studio and control room as it transitions from analog to digital high definition. The project, which was designed by Howard Steele of Technology Plus, began in early spring and will be completed prior to the start of the 2010/2011 school year. Tom Norman is design engineer and Dave Stengel is project manager for Burst

The enhanced, multi-use production studio features a design unique for a school district production facility with a built-in classroom for recording lessons and best practices. It will be used primarily for instructional programming, teleconferencing with other schools in the district, and teacher training. It will also feed programming to the local Time Warner cable system and will stream content to the Web.

The studio will be equipped with Sony PMWEX3 cameras: two mounted on Telemetric pan/tilt heads. A third “EX3” is for use in the field. The studio will also house three additional self-contained Sony EVIHD1 pan/tilt/zoom cameras and Lifesize video conferencing set up as a virtual classroom for distance learning. The studio is designed to use Reflectmedia for chroma keys.

The control room features a TBC console with Broadcast Pix HD Switcher, 360 Systems Maxx2500HD server, and a TASCAM audio mixer. The design incorporates two existing two Apple Final Cut Pro NLE workstations, as well as other legacy equipment. Infrastructure includes a new Harris routing switcher, various signal processors and converters housed in new Middle Atlantic Racks.

For more information, contact johns@burstvideo.com or call John Switzer: 303-649-9600. About Burst:
Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

Burst Joins 90+ Exhibitors at 57th Annual TAB Convention & Trade Show

June 22, 2010 – Denver, CO – Burst will be exhibiting at the Texas Association of Broadcaster’s (TAB) Annual Convention & Trade Show on August 11 and 12 at the Renaissance Austin Hotel in Austin, Texas. This is the largest state broadcast association convention in the nation, and attendance is expected to exceed 1,100. Joining Burst at Booths 79 and 80 are Hitachi, Tektronix and Rohde & Schwarz.

The packed two-day event includes a golf tournament, more than 30 seminars and training sessions, a sold out trade show with over 90 exhibitors and an opening reception with a performance by Texas Country Music Superstar Kevin Fowler.

Complementary TAB Guest Passes are available at www.tab.org/documents/convention-and-trade-show/trade-show-guest-pass.pdf. These passes allow access to the Apple and Avid sessions and the 2010 TAB/SBE Trade Show during regular exhibit hall hours. The Avid and Apple sessions run from 9 am to 4 pm Thursday, August 12, and the Trade Show runs August 12 from 9 am to 5 pm.

For a full schedule of events, visit the Texas Association of Broadcasters website at www.TAB.org.

About Burst: Burst designs, engineers and installs integration solutions for broadcast and cable facilities, sports venues, city and county buildings, educational institutions and places of worship. They are also a value added reseller and represent hundreds of top manufacturers.

BURST Completes D-backs HD-SDI Video Coaching System

May 18, 2010 – Denver CO – Just in time for the 2010 season, the Arizona Diamondbacks are sporting a new, state-of-the-art, HD-SDI video coaching system at Chase Field in Phoenix. This internal coaching system gives coaches a strategic, multi-angle look at batters and pitchers in action, and provides information that allows them to work with players on a more personalized basis.

The D-backs previously relied on an analog fixed-camera, closed circuit television system. The upgrade is an HD-SDI set-up featuring four strategically-placed Sony BRC-Z700 robotic cameras that pan, tilt and zoom, a Sony RM-BR300 controller, an 8×8 Harris Panacea HD-SDI router, and a complete CSI fiber optic transmission system to both transmit the HD signals from the cameras to the video coaching control room as well as to provide bidirectional communication to each camera to control pan, tilt, zoom, and other functions.

Burst provided the engineering and drawings of the complete system signal flow, and installed, tested and commissioned the control room equipment. Burst also commissioned and had installed custom fabricated housings for three of the four cameras.

For more information, contact daves@burstvideo.com or call Dave Stengel at 303-649-9600.

Burst Integration Specialists to Discuss Stadiums, PBS and City and County Projects at NAB

March 31, 2010 – Denver, CO – Burst, a Denver-based systems integrator announced today that integration specialists will be facilitating information sessions at their booth, C11126, at the National Associations of Broadcasters (NAB) tradeshow April 10th – 15th in Las Vegas. Burst’s specialists will be on hand to discuss integration issues specific to stadiums and arenas, public television stations, and city and county buildings and to answer questions.

On Monday, April 12, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m., Don Rooney, Burst’s VP of Engineering, will provide an inside look at the technology behind the Dallas Cowboys Stadium and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, two recent stadium and arena projects that presented unique challenges and opportunities,

On Tuesday, April 13, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m., Jim Schoedler, system architect and designer, will discuss how new technology is creating powerful efficiencies in the PBS market. Burst has also completed a number of integration projects at PBS stations, including WHUT and KNCT.

And on Wednesday, April 14, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m., Robin Heywood, Burst VP and founder will be at the booth to discuss the technology driving the City of LA’s new $10 million Emergency Operation Center. Burst also provided systems integration for the City of Dallas and the City of Denver.

These expert sessions are unique in that there is no predetermined agenda. Rather, participants can utilize the resources to obtain information pertinent to their specific needs. No appointment or registration is necessary.

Burst Teams Up With Sony at Texas Christian University

March 11, 2010 – Denver, CO – Burst, a Denver-based systems integrator, is working with Sony Electronics to upgrade the broadcast studio at the Schieffer School of Journalism at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas. The project includes construction of a new HD television production studio and control room, a working media lab and a seminar classroom in which students will be trained for careers in all media.

Students will produce TCU’s News Now, a student-run campus news program, and other programming in the new HD studio. In addition, the new studio will tie into the existing SD and analogue operation for on-campus sports broadcasting.

Burst’s contributions include the detailed engineering design and installation plan, procuring equipment and managing offsite systems fabrication. The project is currently underway and will be completed in the spring of 2010.

Key components in the new studio includes three Sony HD cameras, Sony monitoring, a Sony production switcher, Pesa audio and video routers, a Fast Forward Omega HD server, a DNF 4000 controller, Chyron Microx character generator, a Harris multi-viewer and terminal equipment, an Evertz sync generator, and an expansion of the existing Clear-com intercom.

About Burst: Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

For more information, contact donr@burstvideo.com or call Don Rooney at 303-649-9600.

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Burst Helps DISH Network® Streamline Spot Encoding Operations

Dec. 1, 2009 – Denver, Colo. – Burst, a Denver-based systems integrator, is building two encoding workstations for DISH Network, L.L.C., a subsidiary of DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH).

The workstations will allow DISH Network’s Advertising Sales department to encode paid short form advertisements in MPEG2 and MPEG4, then transfer them through a fiber network from their Englewood, Colo. headquarters to their uplink facility in Cheyenne, Wyo. In Cheyenne, the advertisements will be inserted into programming delivered via DISH Network’s programming platform.

The workstations will be capable of encoding from several different tape formats, including HD Cam and DVC Pro HD, as well as other standard definition and tapeless video file formats. In addition, this will allow DISH Network to streamline its encoding operations and place advertisements on the air quickly and efficiently.

About DISH Network L.L.C.
DISH Network L.L.C., the nation’s HD leader, provides approximately 13.851 million satellite TV customers as of Sept. 30, 2009, with the highest quality programming and technology at the best value, including the lowest all-digital price nationwide. Customers have access to hundreds of video and audio channels, the most HD channels, the most international channels, state-of-the-art interactive TV applications, and award-winning HD and DVR technology including 1080p Video on Demand and the ViP(R) 722 HD DVR, a CNET and PC Magazine “Editors’ Choice.” Visit http:///www.dishnetwork.com.

For more information, contact kirkb@burstvideo.com or call Kirk Basefsky at 303-649-9600.

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Burst Completes 1st Phase of WHUT-TV’s Upgrade to Digital; Phase II Underway

August 20, 2009 – Denver, CO – WHUT-TV’s end-to-end digital conversion is now complete. Burst replaced the station’s analog, tape-based master control with a digital, server-based system designed to handle one HD and up to four SD channels of programming. WHUT-TV/Channel 32 is a PBS-member television station owned and operated by Howard University in Washington D.C. Burst designed the system in 2008.

This end-to-end digital conversion included the installation of three new Sony HDC-1400 HD digital studio cameras, a Sony MVS-8000 HD production switcher, a new audio control room with Logitek Artisan digital audio mixer, a video control room, and five Apple Final Cut Pro non-linear editing suites with associated Promise Technology SAN storage system. To support the master control and production operations, Burst installed new Thomson Concerto SD and HD routing switchers, Omneon Spectrum HD/SD servers, two Thomson Maestro master control switchers, a Harris ADC automation system, and all new Tandberg ATSC encoding systems capable of statistical multiplexing for optimum use of bandwidth.

Burst is currently working on Phase II of the project, which includes further enhancements to the production and post-production areas as well as repurposing the former analog master control as a high-end editing suite with full Dolby 5.1 surround monitoring environment.

About Burst: Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in Arizona, California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona and Utah.

About WHUT
WHUT-TV is a PBS-member television station owned and operated by Howard University in Washington, D.C. It airs a variety of standard PS programming as well as programs produced by WHUT. The station has won numerous awards including 13 Emmys for original productions. In 2005, the NAB awarded Howard University the “Spirit of Broadcasting” award for its contributions to the industry.

For more information, contact kirkb@burstvideo.com or call Kirk Basefsky at 303-649-9600.

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Burst Scores Contract for 3D Virtual Studio at City Hall in Dallas

July 27, 2009 – Denver, CO – Burst announced today that it was awarded a contract to design, build, equip and install broadcast equipment for a 3D virtual studio at City Hall in Dallas, Texas. The contract also calls for upgrading the existing automation systems at the Public, Education and Government Access (PEG) locations, and upgrading the automation systems used to edit, produce and deliver cable access programming to cable TV head ends and 600,000 households in Dallas.

This is the fourth and final phase of a project designed to equip and support PEG users in the Dallas area. This project began in 2002.

Burst has been involved with the PEG project since its inception and completed the first three phases of the project, which included installing fiber optic technology to deliver PEG signals to cable company and installed digital automatic playback systems. Phase II replaced production equipment with digital video servers, digital cameras, edit bays, and control centers, including upgrades to City Council Chambers and Council Briefing Room. And Phase III of the project included upgrading cable plant in Dallas City Hall, purchased additional digital production, storage, and archiving system for all PEG users.

About Burst: Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in Arizona, California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona and Utah.

For more information, contact kirkb@burstvideo.com or call Kirk at 303-858-9848.

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Burst Upgrades Video Replay Control System at American Airlines Center in Dallas: New system to support state-of-the-art LightHouse video boards

July 21, 2009 – Denver, CO –Burst announced today that it scored a contract to upgrade the video replay control room at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Burst expects to complete the fast track project in about 90 days, just in time for the Visa Championships, the first event to showcase the facility’s brand-new HD video boards also being installed this summer.

With a limited budget, Burst is bringing to bare the vast experience and knowledge of its sales and engineering staffs to design, build, test, and commission the new system, as well as to provide most of the new equipment.

Burst will incorporate existing SD digital and analog routing systems with a new Harris Platinum HD switcher, along with Evertz and aja Video conversion and distribution equipment, to completely rebuild the video infrastructure and provide the hybrid facility the client requires.

Rounding out the system will be a new Sony MVS-8000G production switcher, Chyron HyperX3 and Click Effects graphics, along with existing HD EVS and Leitch servers, Sony cameras, and a new monitoring and tally system from Harris/Zandar and Image Video.

Burst designed and built the original facility in 2001. “Our continuing involvement reflects a commitment to excellence by our customer and our organization,” said Barry Samuels, sales engineer at Burst’s Dallas office.

Burst Welcomes John Switzer as VP of Systems Sales

June 4, 2009 – Denver, CO – Burst is pleased to announce that John Switzer has joined the integration team as VP of Systems Sales. With more than 30 years of broadcast industry experience, Switzer offers a unique skill set that advances Burst’s mission to provide intelligent, customer-focused system solutions.

Before joining Burst, Switzer was with Sony’s Broadcast and Business Solutions Company for 20 years. As a Senior Account Manager, he provided broad product knowledge and integration expertise to end customers and resellers in Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, and West Texas.

While at Sony, Switzer worked on a number of the high profile systems projects in Colorado that were built in the Denver area starting in the mid 1990s. He worked on TCI’s National Digital Television Center (now the Comcast Media Center) to build multiple studios and program origination control rooms. He also was the account manager for Sony’s System Integration Division’s work on production and origination facilities for both Starz Entertainment Group and Technicolor Network Services (previously Crown and Hallmark). These projects represented an excess of $20M in Sony revenue. Switzer brings a strong technical background and systems approach and solid relationships with key industry professionals to Burst.

“John will be a real asset to our integration team,” said Kirk Basefsky, president of Burst. We’ve worked with him for years and respect his commitment to providing exceptional service and maintaining current technology and product knowledge, and his ongoing commitment to the industry.”

Switzer is the current secretary treasurer of the Rocky Mountain Section of SMPTE. He is a graduate of the University of Denver where he studied television and technical theatre. He and his wife, Valerie, live in Centennial, CO.
At Burst, Switzer will work with the broadcast integration team to develop national engineering and integration projects, targeting broadcast TV, sports and educational facilities.

About Burst: Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in Arizona, California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona and Utah.

For more information, contact kirkb@burstvideo.com or call Kirk at 303-858-9848.

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KAZT-TV’s Upgrade to High Definition Digital Delivers Cleaner, Clearer Transmission

May 12. 2009 – Denver, CO – KAZT-TV’s Phoenix and Prescott viewers are enjoying cleaner, clearer sound and picture, thanks to a recently-completed master control facility upgrade at Arizona’s only locally owned TV station.

Burst, a Denver-based system integrator with a well-established office in Prescott, managed the project, which included upgrading the station’s standard definition digital systems to high definition digital and expanding the transmission capabilities from one channel to two. With the upgrade, KAZT-TV broadcasts one high definition channel and one standard definition channel to viewers receiving digital television and still provides KAZT-TV with two-way video/audio between their studios in Prescott and Phoenix.

Burst also replaced the station’s routing switcher and master control switching equipment and added an HD encoder to enhance their encoding platform. Burst also upgraded KAZT-TV’s satellite control facilities, replacing an older Sundance automation system with a new Crispin system.

In 2003, Burst upgraded Channel 27, KAZT-TV’s low power TV station, in Phoenix. This project included managing the digital transmitter installation, proof-of-performance, and antenna installation of KAZT-TV’s digital transmitter, which was installed to boost the signal from one KW to five, with an Effective Radiated Power (ERP) of approximately 150 KW.

About KAZT: KAZT-TV (AZ-TV) is Arizona’s only locally owned TV station. From Phoenix to Prescott; from Yuma to Kingman, AZ-TV’s twelve translators cover most all of Arizona; over-the-air and on cable.

About Burst: Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

For more information, contact robinh@burstvideo.com or call Robin Heywood at 303-649-9600.

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Burst Designs/Installs Video Replay System For World’s Biggest Video Board

Denver, CO – May 7, 2009 – With a center hung HD scoreboard extending from the 25 yard line to the 25 yard line, there won’t be a bad seat in the house when the Dallas Cowboys open their new stadium later this year in Arlington, Texas.

Burst, a Denver-based systems integrator with a well-established Dallas office, was selected to design and install the video system that feeds the HD video boards. When this super-sized project is complete, fans throughout the stadium will be able view crisp, clear images of all the action no matter where they are seated.

The center hung 4-board cluster features two 160 foot long by 72 foot high boards for sideline view and two additional 53 foot long by 30 foot high boards serving the end zones. The assembly, the largest in the world, will hang 90 feet above the field, and is the first such center hung video board in a US stadium.

The HD video system spans three control rooms and features a Sony MVS-8000G production switcher, 16 cameras, Chyron and Click Effects graphics, EVS replay, Evertz terminal and multi-image display systems, an extensive fiber optics infrastructure, Reidel Intercom, and TBC consoles.

“Burst is pleased to provide our expertise to this cutting edge project, and we look forward to meeting the Dallas Cowboys unique requirements. Per Jerry Jones, owner, president, and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, the display will meet the viewing standards of a 60 inch high definition television at home. The system will set the standard by which other professional stadiums and arenas are judged for some time to come,” said Robin Heywood, VP Burst.

Burst Upgrades Production Control Rooms at Two Idaho Public Television Stations

March 20, 2009 – Denver, CO –Burst recently upgraded the production control rooms at Idaho Public Television (IdahoPTV ) stations KUID-TV at the University of Idaho in Moscow and KISU-TV at Idaho State University in Pocatello. The upgrade is part of IdahoPTV’s ongoing migration to digital technology and transmission. It takes both facilities into the digital age and allows the universities to produce more programming in concert with their journalism and communication schools.

The upgrade began several years ago with the installation of a Multi-Format Digital HD Production Control Room at IdahoPTV’s network operations center in Boise, Idaho. It will eventually include completion of the full broadcast transition to DTV, “hardening” the facilities’ generators and back-up systems, moving toward full tapeless operation and archiving.

Baseline equipment installed by Burst at both facilities includes Ross Vision Switchers, Yamaha DM1000 Audio Mixers, Harris Nexio Servers, Avid Deko1000 HD Graphics Work Stations, Harris Panacea Routing Switchers and RTS Zeus frame based intercoms.

The studio in Boise is predominantly used for statewide production for the IdahoPTV network. Most programming originates in Boise and is retransmitted in real time by passing through the KUID and KISU facilities. The Pocatello and Moscow facilities are primarily used for instruction and contribution feeds to Boise-based productions.

Programming received at KISU and KUID is aired directly. Non-live productions are time- delayed in the Moscow feed one hour to account for the Pacific Time Zone, however live programs are carried in real time statewide.

About Burst: Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video, broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.
About Idaho Public Television: Idaho Public Television is Idaho’s only statewide medium. It offers national and Idaho-produced programming from five transmitters and 37 translators. Local programming includes OUTDOOR IDAHO, DIALOGUE and IDAHO REPORTS series, plus a variety of specials about interests and issues important to the state’s citizens. It also provides 60 hours of children’s programming each week, plus an overnight schedule with educational offerings for students, teachers and adult-learning.
For more information, contact kirkb@burstvideo.com or call Kirk Basefsky at 303-858-9848.
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Tom Norman Earns SBE Certification for Life

February 17, 2009 – Denver, CO – Tom Norman, CPBE, was recently awarded Life Certification from the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE). This is the organization’s highest level of certification. To earn this distinction, Norman qualified for CPBE certification in each of four successive five-year renewal periods. In addition, he was a member of SBE continuously for 20 years. Norman is a Senior Engineer at Burst.

About Burst: Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

About SBE: The Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) is the only organization devoted to the advancement of all levels and types of broadcast engineering. SBE provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and the sharing of information. SBE provides professional certification and offers educational opportunities to maintain and expand those skills and by speaking out on technical regulatory issues that impact the industry.
For more information, contact tomn@burstvideo.com or call Tom at 303-858-9839.

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Burst Completes TV Studio System Upgrade at Truman State University

February 13, 2008 – Denver, CO – Burst completed a digital upgrade to the television studio and production and master control systems at Truman State University’s student-run television station, KTRM-News 36, which includes interconnections to KTRM-FM and numerous classrooms in Barnett Hall.

The facility was constructed in the Barnett Hall Building at the University’s Kirksville, Missouri, campus.

KTRM-News 36 is part of the Truman Media Network, which also includes two campus radio stations, KTRM and KKTR, which broadcast hybrid IBOC signals, and a student newspaper. Students manage current day-to-day operations at KTRM-News 36, which broadcasts on campus 24/7, and oversight is provided by professors. As a result of the upgrade, wider content distribution is possible.

About Burst: Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in Arizona, California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

For more information, contact kirkb@burstvideo.com or call Kirk Basefsky at 303-649-9600.

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Shawnee Mission Unified School District Launches New TV Master Control System

January 9, 2009 – Denver, CO – The Shawnee Mission School District in Kansas is now broadcasting instructional and educational productions and student programming to its 50 district schools and to the subscribers of Time Warner Cable in Johnson County, Kansas, via a new TV master control automation system. Burst provided turnkey engineering design, documentation, and integration services for the project, which launched in early December.

Technology in use includes Evertz Quartz routing switcher, Evertz VIP multi-image viewer, various Evertz modular format converters, Omneon MediaDeck video server networked with both Apple and Windows non-linear editors, ChyTV graphics engines and NVerzion automation.

Daily broadcasts from Indian Creek Technology Center on Time Warner Cable provide teachers with instructional resources and educational programming for the classroom and district-produced programs highlight activities and initiatives in the schools. Students in radio and TV classes at the district’s five high schools tape, edit, and produce their unique views of their own campus.

Other Shawnee Mission School District productions include Town Hall meetings, Categories (an academic game show), high school graduations, and State of the District presentations.

About Shawnee Mission: The Shawnee Mission School District is located in northeast Johnson County, Kansas, a suburban community of Kansas City. Shawnee Mission is the second largest school district in Kansas. It includes 35 elementary schools, seven middle schools and five high schools; serving approximately 28,000 students and 4,000 employees.

About Burst: Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

For more information, contact robinh@burstvideo.com or call Robin Heywood at 303-649-9600.

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Bob Ward to Expand Burst’s Arizona Operation

November 5, 2008 – Denver, CO – Burst is ramping up operations in Arizona and Nevada. Kirk Basefsky, president of Burst, announced today that Bob Ward of Prescott, Arizona, has accepted a position to manage product sales throughout Arizona and in Las Vegas, Nevada. Consulting and integration will continue to be handled out of Burst’s corporate office in Centennial, Colorado.

With more than 25 years of experience, Ward brings a considerable amount of industry experience to Burst. Initially, he will be assisting clients in a number of industries, including government, education, places of worship, and broadcast television.

“We are pleased to have Ward on our team,” said Basefsky. “He has earned a solid reputation over the years and is known for his integrity and his high level of customer service.”

Contact Bob at 928-445-4330 or 928-499-2060.

About Burst: Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and now in Arizona and Southern Nevada.

For more information, contact kirkb@burstvideo.com or call Kirk Basefsky at 303-649-9600.

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Shawnee Mission Unified School District Up For New TV Master Control System

August 26, 2008 – Denver, CO – The Shawnee Mission Unified School District in Kansas will soon be broadcasting instructional and educational productions and student programming via a new TV master control automation system.

Burst was awarded the contract to provide turnkey engineering design, documentation, and integration services for the Shawnee Mission Master Control Automation project, which will provide broadcast-grade video file server-based playback on two existing cable channels to the 51 schools in the district. The project is scheduled for completion in mid-November.

Shawnee Mission is the second largest school district in Kansas. Daily broadcasts from Indian Creek Technology Center on Time Warner Cable provide teachers with instructional resources for the classroom on Channel 2 and educational and patron information programs on Channel 18. In addition to district-produced programs highlighting activities and initiatives in the schools, students in radio and TV classes at the district’s five high schools tape, edit, and produce their unique views of their own campus.

Other SMSD productions include Town Hall meetings, Categories (an academic game show), high school graduations, and State of the District presentations.

About Shawnee Mission: The Shawnee Mission Unified School District is located in northeast Johnson County. It includes 35 elementary schools, seven middle schools and five high schools; serving more than 28,000 students and 4,000 employees.

About Burst: Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

For more information, contact robinh@burstvideo.com or call Robin Heywood at 303-649-9600.

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Burst Completes Upgrade at City and County of Denver Facilities

June 30, 2008 – Denver, CO – Burst completed a major upgrade to the Denver 8 TV facilities in Denver’s City and County Building. Denver 8 TV, which features award-winning productions including coverage of Denver City Council meetings, Mayor news conferences, community forums, and public policy and issue-oriented productions, is Denver’s official government access cable channel and provides television production services to City and County of Denver agencies and elected officials.

During the six month project, Burst upgraded the current production infrastructure, including constructing two “mirrored” control rooms designed to significantly enhance the station’s production capabilities at its downtown Civic Center location. Burst provided all equipment, installed and commissioned the system and trained city employees to use the facilities.

The new digital facility adds flexibility and functionality to the entire system. The installation supports 11 remotely controlled robotic cameras and maintains manually operated camera capabilities. In addition, it extends a fiber infrastructure to accommodate more productions in more places, including a second nearby municipal office building.

About Denver 8 Television: Denver 8 TV is Denver’s official government access cable channel and provides television production services to City and County of Denver agencies and elected officials. Programming features award-winning productions and includes coverage of Denver City Council meetings, Mayor news conferences, community forums as well as public policy and issue-oriented productions. The channel is fully programmed and operates on a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week basis, and is available on Comcast Cable in Denver and via internet streaming at www.DenverGov.org .

For more information, contact robinh@burstvideo.com or call Robin Heywood at 303-649-9600.
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Burst Welcomes Don Rooney as VP Engineering

May 28, 2008 – Denver, CO – Burst announced today that Don Rooney has joined the team as VP Engineering. With more than 30 years of television engineering, production, and IT experience, including an extensive amount of hands-on and managerial experience, Rooney is a tremendous asset to Burst.

Previously, Rooney was Director of Operations and Engineering for Tribune Broadcasting’s KWGN-TV in Denver, where he oversaw technical operations including transmission, broadcast operations, studio production and computer systems. While at KWGN he rebuilt the technical facility, implemented server-based broadcast automation, launched DTV service and automated the production and airing of news graphics.

Prior to that, Rooney was Director of Operations and Engineering at WGNO-TV, New Orleans, where he was project manager for a multi-million dollar, award-winning news start-up and transition from a WB affiliate to ABC. Rooney also served as Production Manager and Executive Producer of all live sports productions at WGNO.

For more information, contact DonR@burstvideo.com or call Don Rooney at 303-858-9817.
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Burst to Upgrade KAZT-TV’s Digital Facility

May 23, 2008 – Denver, CO –Burst announced today that it was awarded a contract to upgrade KAZT-TV’s digital facility, providing the infrastructure changes necessary for the station’s migration to HD content. The upgrade will provide a streamlined process for the file transfer of spot and syndicated content into a larger server, and new station automation will provide on air playback with increased capabilities of satellite scheduling and acquisition on server and tape.

The project involves replacing the existing routing and master control switchers and the installation of new server equipment and a high definition up-converter with noise reduction for better HD quality. KAZT-TV is located in Phoenix (Prescott), Arizona.

The project will commence in summer of 2008.

About KAZT-TV: KAZT-TV (AZ-TV) is Arizona’s only locally owned TV station. From Phoenix to Prescott; from Flagstaff to Kingman, AZ-TV’s 8 translators cover most all of Arizona; over-the-air, on satellite and on cable.

For more information, contact kirkb@burstvideo.com or call Kirk Basefsky at 303-858-9848.
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Burst Gets Green Light to Upgrade Two Idaho Public Television Stations

May 13, 2008 – Denver, CO –Burst announced today that Idaho Public Television (IdahoPTV) has chosen this Denver-based systems integrator to upgrade the production control rooms at KUID-TV and KISU-TV. Burst will be involved with equipment procurement and integration at two separate university campus environments: KUID-TV is located on the University of Idaho campus in Moscow, Idaho and serves northern Idaho, and KISU-TV is located at Idaho State University in Pocatello, and serves eastern Idaho, including Pocatello, Idaho Falls, and the surrounding area.

The forthcoming HD digital control rooms are the first phase of a multi-year project that will impact equipment and facilities statewide; including field and editing, studio production facilities, internet-related content and delivery, transmitters and repeaters and network operations center upgrades relating to the federal mandate and public trust for digital television.

The project will commence Summer 2008.

Burst Scores Contract to Build Digital Master Control System at KNCT-TV

February 4, 2008 – Denver, CO – Burst announced today it was awarded the contract for the turnkey digital master control system at KNCT-TV, the PBS-affiliate at Central Texas College in Killeen, Texas. KNCT-TV serves as a laboratory facility for students enrolled in the Radio Television Broadcasting Program at Central Texas
College. Burst will design the turnkey system, purchase the equipment, complete the installation and manage implementation. The project will be completed in summer of 2008.

About KNCT: KNCT is the Central Texas PBS affiliate. It is located on the main campus at Central Texas College in Killeen, Texas. Its mission is to provide quality programming to viewers and to serve as a laboratory facility for students enrolled in the Radio Television Broadcasting Program of Central Texas College. The station has a coverage which includes Waco and Austin Texas. KNCT has severed Central Texas for 38 years.

For more information, contact dough@burstvideo.com or call Doug Houston at 303-858-9818.
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See Burst At NAB – Booth N1308

March 21, 2008, Denver, CO – Burst announced today it will exhibit at NAB 2008 at Booth N1308. This Denver-based systems integrator keeps pace with changing technology and protocol to deliver integration solutions designed to meet the exacting needs of its clients. Company president Kirk Basefsky noted Burst will participate at the industry’s biggest convention to showcase recent integration projects and to introduce key personnel. For more than 15 years, Burst has designed, engineered and installed innovative integration solutions for broadcast and cable facilities, sports venues, city and county buildings, educational institutions, and places of worship.

The Burst engineering and integration team understands that a quality product calls for more than technical expertise. Also essential to all projects – from simple upgrades to turnkey solutions designed to meet a facility’s changing needs – is clear communication and a forwarding-thinking approach. Burst approaches each project with meticulous attention to detail, and care is given at the onset to ensure the desired outcome.

Staffing Booth N1308 will be company owners Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood; they’ll be joined by other key staff members from Burst’s Denver and satellite offices who will be on-hand to answer technological and project-related questions.

For more information, contact kirkb@burstvideo.com or call Kirk Basefsky at 303-848-9818.
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Burst to Upgrade City and County of Denver Facilities

February 13, 2008 – Denver, CO – Burst announced today it was awarded a contract with the City and County of Denver for a major upgrade to the Denver 8 Television facilities in Denver’s City and County Building. The project will replace current production infrastructure and includes the construction of two new “mirrored” control rooms to significantly enhance the station’s production capabilities at its downtown Civic Center location. Burst will provide all equipment, install and commission the system, and train city employees to use the facilities.

Denver 8 TV’s new digital facility will provide additional flexibility and functionality to the entire system. The Burst installation will support 11 remotely controlled robotic cameras as well as maintain manually operated camera capabilities. It will extend a fiber infrastructure to accommodate more productions in more places, including a second, nearby municipal office building.

The project commenced in early January and will be completed in June.

For more information, contact robinh@burstvideo.com or call Robin Heywood at 303-649-9600.

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Burst Scores Contract to Upgrade KSKC-TV

January 15, 2008 – Denver, CO – Burst announced today that it was selected to manage the design, documentation, equipment procurement, integration, commissioning and training required to build a digital broadcast master control, digital infrastructure and upgraded STL link at KSKC-TV in Pablo, Montana. KSKC, a public television station located on the campus of Salish Kootenai College, serves the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwest Montana and surrounding areas through broadcast and cable systems. KSKC broadcasts local programs, documentaries and classes as well as PBS news, public affairs, children’s, and entertainment programming.

About KSKC: KSKC-TV is located on the campus of Salish Kootenai College and provides PBS and local programming to the Flathead Indian Reservation in Northwest Montana and surrounding areas. The station has been on-air since 1988. Salish Kootenai College (SKC) owns and operates KSKC. SKC serves about 1100 students with eight bachelors’ degrees, 13 associate degrees and seven certificate programs. It celebrated its 30th year in 2007.

Scott Barella Completes TANDBERG Television Service Partner Programme

January 9, 2008 – Denver, CO – Burst’s VP Engineering, Scott Barella, recently completed the TANDBERG Television Service Partner Programme, which positions Burst as the only U.S. Business Partner (BP) that has completed the Accredited Service Partner (ASP) program and is certified by Tandberg to service its products.

“This certification is very important to Burst and our clients,” explains Barella. “Now we can upgrade our client’s Tandberg equipment at their facility. Previously, equipment had to be sent to Tandberg for certain upgrades, a task that was difficult, even impossible because these encoders and multiplexers are on the air. With ASP certification, we can go to the station and complete the required service work onsite. This is a tremendous advantage for Tandberg customers, and we’re very excited to be able to deliver this unique service.”

Tandberg’s Channel Resale Programme is designed to help Business Partners, including Burst, resell the TANDBERG Television products with value added services, focused technical expertise and high levels of customer satisfaction.

For more information, contact dough@burstvideo.com or call Doug Houston at 303-858-9818.
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Burst Wins Contract For Design/Build of WTVX’s New Master Control

November 6, 2007 – Denver, CO – Four Points Media awarded Burst the contract for the design/build of WTVX’s new master control system, which includes control of WTCN and WWHB’s off air signals, in West Palm Beach, FL. Burst will provide system integration services, design, documentation and equipment procurement for WTVX, WTCN, and WWHB. WTVX’s master control is currently located at WFOR in Miami.
WTVX’s end goal is to have its own master control.

The project will commence this fall with completion scheduled at the end of January, 2008.

About Four Points Media Group LLC: Four Points Media Group is a television station holding company founded by Cerebrus Capital Management. Four Points owns seven television stations, all previously owned by CBS Television Stations.

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Burst to Develop Technical System Design for WHUT-TV Master Control

October 18, 2007 – Denver, Co – Burst announced today it was selected to develop a technical system design for the master control system at WHUT-TV/Channel 32 in Washington D.C. WHUT is a PBS-member television station owned and operated by Howard University. It airs a variety of standard PBS programming as well as programs produced by WHUT. The studios are on the Howard University campus.

The project calls for the design of a new automated and server based digital master control system, technical core, and future digital production facilities that will allow WHUT to proceed with a phased-in upgrade from analog to digital equipment. The master design will meet present and upcoming needs which will allow WHUT to incorporate future digital production facilities and master control system for the station. The system will be constructed in the existing WHUT facility with minimal interruption to the stations present broadcasting schedule.

According to Robin Heywood, VP of Burst, “We’re pleased to have the opportunity to design a reliable, efficient and cost effective system for WHUT. Our plan will help them transition to digital broadcasting with a system that meets high tech performance standards with full automation and multi-channel capability for standard definition programs and high definition program playout.”

Burst will place additional emphasis on providing storage for program material consistent with PBS scheduling and converting the existing tape-based archive to digital.

The project will begin in fall of 2007.

About Burst
Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video, broadcast technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in Arizona, California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

For more information, contact dough@burstvideo.com or call Doug Houston at 303-858-9818.

About WHUT
WHUT-TV is a PBS-member television station in the Washington, D.C. area. It is owned and operated by Howard University, and studios are on the Howard University campus. The station has won numerous awards including 13 Emmys for original productions. In 2005, the NAB awarded Howard University the “Spirit of Broadcasting” award for its contributions to the industry.

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Burst’s Doug Houston to Present at WFX

Denver, CO – July 25, 2007 – Doug Houston, Vice President Systems Integration, Burst, will join Bob Langlois, Vice President of Worship Design, Audio Analysts and Brian Pascouau, Vice President and CMO, SCE/CON Services at the 3rd Annual Worship Facilities Conference and Expo (WFX) in Atlanta, October 24-26, 2007. The trio will host High Tech Sanctuary Design for the 21st Century, a panel discussion on technology’s role in communicating a worship facility’s vision, mission and message.

Panelists Houston, Pascouau, and Langlois bring unique skill sets and experience to the discussion and provide insight in the areas of sanctuary design, audio and broadcast video.

Houston has been involved with TV operations and engineering management for more than 30 years. He has designed innovative and effective solutions for TV broadcast, worship facilities, stadiums and arenas. Langlois has been in the audio design business for more than 30 years and is involved with many churches in providing them with the best audio system for their sanctuary. Pascouau has extensive experience in church planning, meeting organization and logistics, teaching, and music in worship. He currently helps pastors and their staff’s define how best to communicate the congregation’s vision, mission and message.

This panel promises to be informative and educational for those who are building a new worship facility or planning to upgrade their present facility.

For more information, contact dough@burstvideo.com or call Doug Houston at 303-858-9818.

About WFX
WFX was established in 2005 to match worship facilities find the information and resources they need to plan, execute and manage their growth. More than 5,000 church and industry leaders and 400 exhibitors from around the world are expected at this year’s event

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Burst Awarded Contract to Rebuild KTOO Studio Control Rooms and Digital Infrastructure

June 20, 2007 – Denver, CO – Burst announced today it was awarded a contract to rebuild the studio control rooms and digital infrastructure of KTOO-TV, a PBS station in Juneau, AK. KTOO broadcasts Gavel to Gavel Alaska, a statewide cable service similar to C-Span that provides live and taped coverage of the Alaska Legislature, the Administration and the Alaska Supreme Court. In fall of 2007, KTOO will launch a year round 24-hour service called 360 North, which incorporates Gavel to Gavel Alaska programming as well as other programs about and for Alaskans. The digital conversion is essential to this new service.

Burst will manage the engineering design, equipment procurement and installation required to convert KTOO’s control rooms from analog to digital, and make improvements to workflow and production capabilities. The new facility, funded by a one million dollar grant, will allow KTOO to improve production capabilities with a new design of their primary control room for Gavel to Gavel and improvements to the studio production control room.

The project calls for expansion of a digital router, new digital switchers, improved graphic capabilities and digital conversion equipment. The design allows for a new digital equipment area away from the current rack room and will require construction of a new floor plan for the ECR control room. Work will commence in June with an anticipated completion date in late fall.

Throughout the project, Burst will work closely with the KTOO staff to address unique workflow issues relating to the production of Gavel to Gavel

For more information, contact dough@burstvideo.com or call Doug Houston at 303-858-9818.

Burst Completes Design/Build of Video Production System at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park

May 7, 2007 – Denver, CO – Burst recently completed the design and build of the video production system for the big screen display at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, just in time for the inaugural game of the MLS season, in which the Colorado Rapids defeated D.C. United 2-1 in front of a sellout crowd.

Dick’s is the largest soccer sports complex in the world, with 24 full-sized lighted outdoor fields and an 18,000-seat outdoor stadium. It houses the MLS Rapids and is the official home of Colorado Youth Soccer and NDP Lacrosse.

Burst worked in partnership with Kroenke Sports Enterprises (KSE), Turner Construction and Empowercom Inc., managing the engineering, design, equipment procurement and installation of equipment in the video production room at the Park, which is owned and operated by KSE.

The design meets the present and future needs of the video production system for the stadium screen and other stadium video needs. Burst’s flexible system design accommodates various staffing requirements for events of differing sizes.

“We were pleased that Burst came forward and created a design on such a short timeline that is flexible and functional. Burst has been exceptional in dealing with the accelerated time issues,” says Alan Schroeder, Manager of Arena Technology at Denver’s Pepsi Center. Schroeder is also responsible for technology at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

“Burst is happy to have had the opportunity to work with Kroenke Sports in designing and building an effective, functional, reliable video production system for a state of the art MLS stadium,” says Doug Houston, VP of Systems Integration. “We are confident in our abilities to provide a system that meets the operational capabilities of one or more operators and will meet the demands of today and the eventual growth of tomorrow.”

About Kroenke Sports Enterprises: Denver-based KSE is the Rocky Mountain West’s premier provider of live and broadcast sports and entertainment. KSE owns and operates the NBA Denver Nuggets, NHL Colorado Avalanche, NLL Colorado Mammoth and MLS Colorado Rapids. KSE owns a number of Denver-area venues including the Pepsi Center arena, downtown Denver’s historic Paramount Theatre and CityLights Pavilion. The Altitude Sports & Entertainment regional sports network is owned by KSE as is the Opera Shop theatrical lighting and design group and Altitude Profit Consulting retail division. Kroenke Sports is also a partner in the AFL Colorado Crush.

For more information, contact dough@burstvideo.com or call Doug Houston at 303-858-9818.
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Burst Scores Contract for Big Screen Display at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park

February 26, 2007 – Denver, CO – Kroenke Sports Enterprises (KSE) recently selected Burst for the design and build of the video production system for the big screen display at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado, located nine miles northwest of Downtown Denver

With 24 full-sized lighted outdoor fields and an 18,000-seat outdoor stadium, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park will be the largest soccer sports complex in the world when it opens this spring. The sports park will house the MLS Rapids starting next season and will also serve as the official home of Colorado Youth Soccer and NDP Lacrosse.

Working in partnership with KSE, Turner Construction and Empowercom Inc., Burst will manage the engineering, design, equipment procurement and installation of equipment in the video production room at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, which is owned and operated by KSE.

The design will meet the present and future needs of the video production system for the stadium screen and other stadium video needs. Burst’s flexible system design accommodates various staffing requirements for events of differing sizes.

The project will be completed in early April, just in time for the April 7 inaugural match, Rapids vs. DC United.

“Burst is happy to have the opportunity to work with Kroenke Sports in designing and building an effective, functional, reliable video production system for a state of the art MLS stadium,” says Doug Houston, VP of Systems Integration. “We are confident in our abilities to provide a system that meets the operational capabilities of one or more operators and will meet the demands of today and the eventual growth of tomorrow.”

About Dick’s Sporting Goods: Pittsburgh-based Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc. is an authentic full-line sporting goods retailer offering a broad assortment of brand name sporting goods equipment, apparel, and footwear in a specialty store environment. As of July 29, 2006 the company operated 268 stores in 34 states primarily throughout the eastern half of the U.S.
About Kroenke Sports Enterprises: Denver-based KSE is the Rocky Mountain West’s premier provider of live and broadcast sports and entertainment. KSE owns and operates the NBA Denver Nuggets, NHL Colorado Avalanche, NLL Colorado Mammoth and MLS Colorado Rapids. KSE owns a number of Denver-area venues including the Pepsi Center arena, downtown Denver’s historic Paramount Theatre and CityLights Pavilion. The Altitude Sports & Entertainment regional sports network is owned by KSE as is the Opera Shop theatrical lighting and design group and Altitude Profit Consulting retail division. Kroenke Sports is also a partner in the AFL Colorado Crush.

Burst Picked for Design/Build of Gems TV’s First US Production Studio

November 20, 2006 – Denver, CO- Burst was awarded the contract for the design and build of Gems TV Holdings Limited’s (“Gems TV” or the “Group”) first US production studio, which is expected to be completed in February, 2007, in Reno, Nevada.

Gems TV is an integrated manufacturer and television home shopping retailer of colored gemstone jewelry that airs on Sky Digital, ntl:Telewest and DirecTV. The Group manufactures its products in Chantaburi, Thailand, which is one of the world’s leading centers of gemstones, and sells its products primarily through television as well as the Internet through a ‘’reverse auction’’ system, known as “Snatch It’’. Gems TV also owns and operates one dedicated jewelry home shopping channel in the USA and two dedicated jewelry home shopping channels in the UK.

Jason Choo, CEO of Gems TV, said, “We are delighted to have awarded our first production studio contract to Burst. As this project marks our entry into the US, it is imperative that we work with partners that understand our needs. I am confident of a successful working relationship with Burst.”

Burst will design a ground up turnkey production facility for GemsTV which includes design and documentation, equipment procurement and installation of the audio, video, lighting for the production control room, technical equipment room, and studio of the new facility. Burst is working closely with the staff of GemsTV to build an SDI facility that meets their unique production needs for 16 hours of broadcast per day on DirecTV.

About Burst
Burst designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video, broadcast and presentation technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in Arizona, California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

About Gems TV
The Company was incorporated with limited liability in the Cayman Islands on 23 April 2001.

The Group (comprising the Company and its subsidiaries) is an integrated manufacturer and television home shopping retailer of colored gemstone jewelry. It sells its own handcrafted gemstone jewelry directly to customers primarily via television, as well as over the Internet, through a “reverse auction” system. The Group is UK’s leading dedicated television home shopping retailer of colored gemstone jewelry, and currently operates its business through three principal operating subsidiaries, a manufacturing subsidiary in Thailand and television home shopping subsidiaries in the USA and the UK.

The Group currently owns and operates two fully integrated production facilities in Thailand. It also owns and operates one dedicated jewelry home shopping channel in the USA and two dedicated jewelry home shopping channels in the UK through which it sells exclusively its own handcrafted gemstone jewelry and the jewelry it purchases from its outsource partners. It also sells its products on the Internet, through its own websites www.gemstv.com, www.gemstv.co.uk and www.thaigem.com, as well as on third-party websites such as eBay. The Group has plans to expand into Japan, the PRC and Germany.

The Group’s principal places of business are currently in the USA, UK and Thailand.

WIBW-TV Awards Systems Integration Contract to Burst

October 30, 2006 – Denver, CO – In September of 2006, Fox parent News Corporation launched MyNetwork TV, an alternative prime-time network which debuted with just 12 hours of programming and two shows per week.

Topeka-based WIBW-TV, a CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television is one of the first stations to offer the new programming. They will utilize a digital sub-channel to air MyNetwork as a standard definition channel on the digital spectrum.

Burst was awarded the contract to manage the systems integration for the MyNetwork TV project, which includes upgrading their master control room and router to provide a comprehensive baseband infrastructure for WIBW’s standard and high definition channels. Burst will be involved with engineering, design, equipment procurement, integration and transition required to bring WIBW’s master control to full capabilities for running MyNetwork TV on the digital channel. Completion date is the end of November 2006.

About WIBW-TV
WIBW-TV is the largest station in Northeast Kansas and a CBS-affiliate owned by Gray Television.

For more information, contact dough@burstvideo.com or call Doug Houston at 303-858-9818.

Burst Celebrates 15th Anniversary

Denver, CO- August 1, 2006 – On July 15, 2006, Burst, a Denver-based firm specializing in the design, engineering and installation of integrated systems for video, broadcast and presentation technologies, celebrated its 15th anniversary. The company was founded in 1991 by industry veterans Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood who saw a need for a personable, professional outlet selling best-of-breed broadcast equipment in Colorado and Wyoming and joined forces to fill it.

While the need for a high quality equipment reseller and systems integrator remains, that’s about all that has stayed constant in the industry over the last fifteen years.

Initially a high-end boutique catering to professionals in the broadcast video marketplace with best-of-breed equipment, Burst gradually expanded its services to include system integration, design, and installation, a move Basefsky says, that “allowed Burst to provide a more turnkey solution to clients without sacrificing the sales side of the business.” It also allowed Burst to keep abreast of rapid technological advancements in a fast-changing industry.

In the past 15 years, Burst has seen:
• the entertainment revolution – with cable television, satellite television, broadcast television, and sporting venues competing for the eyes of America and the world
• the merging of video and computer technology in broadcasting – moving from linear to non-linear workflows has provided the production community with affordable alternatives in production and programming – and dramatically increased mainstream and specialty program availability
• the evolution from standard definition to high definition broadcasting – resulting in higher quality, better resolution and the means by which to produce feature film material electronically, virtually eliminating the expensive time requirements previously associated with production.
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Throughout the changes, Burst has continued to be recognized as a leading provider of best-of-breed broadcasting equipment and innovative integration design and installation. Still privately owned by Basefsky and Heywood, Burst currently has 24 employees and offices in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, California, Kansas, and Utah.

As both the sales and integration sides of the business continue to grow, Basefsky has no intention of changing direction. In fact, he remains a strong advocate of sticking with the company’s original core values: Integrity, excellence, innovation, and consideration. “Going forward,” he says, “We plan to grow as an engineering resource while still providing quality service to our clients.”

For more information, contact kirkb@burstvideo.com or call Kirk Basefsky at 303-858-9848.
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Burst Awarded Idaho Public TV Design/Build Contract

Denver, CO – June 15, 2006 – Burst was recently awarded a contract to design and build a Multi-Format Digital HD Production Control Room for Idaho Public Television’s (IDPTV) flagship station, KAID-TV Channel 4, in Boise, Idaho. Burst’s design for the production control room incorporates the multiple user functionality of the different work areas while maximizing equipment layout, workspace and workflow.

Burst has worked with Idaho PTV to incorporate the latest HD equipment and design to bring a fully capable 1080i HD production facility online. Work began at the end of May and will be competed by the end of June, 2006.

For more information, contact dough@burstvideo.com or call Doug Houston at 303-858-9818 cell 817-881-4497.
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Burst to Exhibit at NAB 2006

March 7, 2006 – Denver, CO – From April 22 to April 27, 2006, Burst will join nearly 1,400 exhibitors from 130 countries at the Las Vegas Convention Center at NAB 2006, the most comprehensive showcase of electronic media in the world. Nearly 100,000 spectators are expected to attend this event, which covers the entire spectrum of media.

Though 2006 marks Burst’s first year as a NAB exhibitor, the company has been involved at NAB in a variety of ways over the years. Last year, Burst’ designed the master control for NAB-HD, the functioning broadcast station located on the 2005 NAB exhibit floor. Additionally, Burst earned a 2005 Pick Hit award for technological innovation for the new LARCAN PLUS series, a complete digital transmission solution to LPTV broadcasters.

This year, in addition to exhibiting, Burst will be part of the NAB 2006 educational program. Scott Barella, VP Engineering, will present a paper entitled, Designing the Digital Transmitter Facility on April 22. The aim of Barella’s presentation is to educate those who want to learn more about the fundamentals and make-up of a sound DTV transmission plant or shore up an existing facility.

Kirk Basefsky, president of Burst, explained, “We’ve been in business for nearly 15 years and lately we’ve been gaining a lot of ground with our systems integration work. NAB seemed to present at great opportunity to meet with clients and tell our story.”

Burst’s Doug Houston on NRB Panel to Discuss the Transition to Digital

February 2, 2006 – Denver, CO –Doug Houston of Denver-based Burst Group will be on a panel entitled, Open Water: Navigating the Unknown Currents of the Digital Transition at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention (NRB) Monday, February 20th, 2006, in Dallas/Fort Worth.

Houston joins moderator Rod Payne (President, Christian Family Network Television in Wichita Falls, Texas) and panelists Chip Doss (Edgemont Video, Inc., in Edgemont, Arkansas) and Stuart Reynolds (Addison, Texas) to discuss how to thrive during the immanent transition to HD and digital technology and how to navigate the challenges that lie ahead.

The NRB Annual Convention & Exposition in Dallas/Ft. Worth is the largest nationally and internationally recognized broadcasting event dedicated to professionals in Christian communications. Whether you’re creating programs for distribution or airing programs on your station, this is critical information you don’t want to miss.

Find out more at www.nrb.org.

For more information, contact dough@burstvideo.com or call Doug Houston at 817-514-8811.

Doug Houston Joins Burst’s Broadcast Integration Team

October 20, 2005 – Denver, CO – Burst is pleased to announce Doug Houston has joined its broadcast integration team. With nearly 30 years of broadcast experience, Houston offers a unique skill set that advances Burst’s mission to provide intelligent, customer-focused solutions.

Before joining Burst, Houston was Director of Broadcast Operations and Engineering at KTVT/KTXA in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. He was responsible for production, engineering, operations and information systems for the CBS/UPN duopoly. He also managed all station capital projects.

Prior to KTVT/KTXA, Houston worked at Denver’s CBS-affiliate, KCNC, for more than 20 years. He was post-production editor, remote supervisor, engineering supervisor, and finally, operations manager.
Houston’s hands-on experience provides an invaluable understanding of the needs, wants, and problems broadcasters face, as well as the budgeting process, staffing demands, and complex projects with which stations are involved.

Says Scott Barella, Burst VP Engineering, “Doug and I worked together at CBS4 in Denver for many years. We made a great team then and now we’re ready to pick up where we left off. Doug has a knowledge of television operations like no other, and I am pleased to be working with him again.”

At Burst, Houston will work with the broadcast integration team to develop national engineering and integration projects, targeting broadcast TV, cable, arena, and church facilities.

Burst Becomes K-WILL Reseller

TORRANCE, Calif. — Aug. 23, 2005 — K-WILL Corporation, a leading provider of professional evaluation and measurement equipment for video and audio quality, has named Burst Communications, Centennial, Colo., to resell K-WILL products to their customers as a part of Burst Communications video and audio solution packages in the Western region of the United States.

As a part of the agreement, Burst will handle K-WILL’s VP21H and QuMax-2000, designed to satisfy the needs and requirements for real-time baseband video and audio quality monitoring in the networks of broadcasters, CATV companies, satellite service providers and telecom carriers transmitting video.
“After looking at our market requirements, we realized Burst Communications was a great fit in the professional video and audio evaluation and quality assurance market in the Western region,” said John Alexenko, Director of Sales, K-WILL Corporation. “Burst demonstrated their salespeople have a lot of experience designing and installing large systems for high-profile clients. We are very pleased to have them add the K-WILL line to their solutions offering.”

K-WILL’s VP21H is a powerful double-stimulus picture quality evaluation system for detailed measurement and comparison of a reference source and comparison videos on a real-time and fully automated basis. The system provides more than 150,000 real-time measurements on each field of video and offers unique pixel-by-pixel comparison of SDI or HD-SDI video. The VP21H combines the two products recently referred to in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) document J.144. The VP21H also was selected as a “Pick Hit” at NAB 2005 by Broadcast Engineering magazine.

K-WILL’s QuMax 2000 is a multi-module chassis that can take up to 12 inputs of analog, SDI or HD-SDI. It is ideal for automated quality control of on-air signals or a dubbing system, replacing the human eye. As it checks for errors such as blackouts, freeze frames, slice errors and audio mutes, it logs these events and gives them a time stamp of when they occurred. The QuMax 2000 is also a useful tool for monitoring video into a server as well as for any other applications that require several hours of quality control usually done with the naked eye.

Burst Communications President, Kirk Basefsky stated, “K-WILL has been recognized several times by the industry and they have some great products to measure picture quality of High Definition signals. We have already had success in selling their products and we look forward to working with K-WILL to expand our offerings to our customers.”

Burst Awarded Contract ro Rebuild the Production Control Room at KCNC – Denver’s CBS-Owned and Operated Station

July 15, 2005 – Denver, CO – Burst was awarded a contract to rebuild the production control room at Denver’s CBS-owned and operated station, KCNC – Channel 4. Upgrading the digital facilities improves production quality and readies the station for the FCC’s ruling to eliminate analogue broadcasting in the United States in the not-to-distant future.

The new control room will be used predominately for live news production. For KCNC’s viewing audience, this means better images immediately and better sound in the future.

“While the FCC mandates that stations must convert to digital broadcasting prior to December, 2006, there are no requirements dictating how news is produced, “explains David Layne, operations manager at KCNC. “ In planning this project, our motivation was to improve the quality of our production and to differentiate how we produce news from that of other broadcasting companies in the area. We think that this new digital control room will allow us to add production values that no one else has.”

The production control room is the key component of KCNC’s renovation. The core of the room is a Sony MVS 8000A multi-format switcher processor that is capable of operating in standard and high definition formats. “The switcher meets our standard definition needs now, but it’s HD-ready, so we can make the transition to HD when we’re ready,” says Layne.

Three Miranda Kaleido-K2 multi-image display processors are also incorporated into the design. These drive four 67-inch monitors, which replace multiple monitors and allow operators to customize image display. “We chose the Miranda because it offered a lot of flexibility for a high-end quality production. We can reconfigure the control room to meet the various needs of special productions — like elections,” says Layne.

The project is already underway with completion expected by early September. For Layne and his staff, that’s good news. “The control room was originally built in 1984. We didn’t want to retrofit; it was time for a complete rebuild,” he jokes.

For more information, contact tomn@burstvideo.com or call Tom Norman at 303-649-9600.

Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood Honored with Prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award

May 11, 2005, DENVER, CO – Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood of Burst were recently honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award from the Rocky Mountain Chapter of SMPTE (Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers) and Chapter 48 of the SBE (Society of Broadcast Engineers). The award recognizes individuals for their dedication to the industry, support of SMPTE and SBE, and dedication and willingness to assist industry colleagues over the course of their careers.

“As an organization, Burst has provided industry leadership and support of our local activities, and this is our way of saying thanks,” said Rome Chelsi, Rocky Mountain Section Chairman of SMPTE. He noted, “They’ve been so good to us over the years. They’ve been unfailingly there to support us.”

“We are very proud of this award,” said Robin Heywood, Vice President, Burst. “Kirk and I wish to thank the Rocky Mountain Chapter of SMPTE and SBE Chapter 48 for this award. We will continue our support of the chapters, recognizing their value to our local broadcast community and industry at large.”

For more information, contact kirkb@burstvideo.com, or call Kirk Basefsky at 303-649-9600.

Burst’s Larcan Plus Wins Pick Hit Award at NAB

BURST’s “Larcan Plus” one-box solution for low-power terrestrial television features multiple TANDBERG Television E5710 encoders to produce multi-channel, FCC-compliant ATSC stream. TANDBERG Television congratulates BURST, a business partner offering design and systems integration services for the broadcast and post-production industries, on its “Pick Hit” award from leading industry publication Broadcast Engineering.
Received at NAB, only 40 “Pick Hit” awards were distributed amongst thousands of products displays. BURST received the award for Larcan Plus, a multi-channel ATSC solution for low-power digital terrestrial television. BURST’s NAB display of the system, seen at the Larcan booth, featured four TANDBERG Television MPEG-2 E5710 encoders with remux capabilities. The one-box solution provides a cost-efficient, multi-channel encoding platform for the price-sensitive low-power community as they prepare for the digital transition through at least 2007. The multi-channel design will also allow low-power stations to begin generating more revenue thanks to its ability to transmit more than one digital channel to the home.

“With more than 5,000 low-power television licenses in the United States, BURST expects there will be an enormous need for a multi-channel encoding system of this flexibility over the next several years,” said Scott Barella, Vice President of Engineering, BURST. “TANDBERG Television is one of the very few compression vendors that offer a completely FCC-compliant encoder. Its E5710 encoder features the closed-caption encoding and Dolby audio encoding that meet FCC requirements. In addition, the E5710 meets our rack-space requirements for Larcan Plus and offers the remux capabilities to send bandwidth-efficient multi-channel ATSC streams to the digital transmitter. We are honored that Broadcast Engineering recognized our efforts to reach out to the low-power community with a ‘Pick Hit’ award.”

At NAB2005, the Larcan Plus was configured to accept signals being sent from a file server. A typical real-world deployment featuring four E5710 encoders would accept signals from microwave or satellite. A remux card featured in one of the four encoders multiplexes the four encoded channels into a legal ATSC 19.39 output for streaming to a Larcan transmitter. The one-box solution is designed for integration into the transmitter’s allotted rack space rather than as a separate rack installation.

“BURST’s Larcan Plus presents lower power stations with the advertising revenue opportunities that networks typically allocate to higher power stations thanks to its multi-channel design,” said Matthew Goldman, Vice President of Technology, Compression Systems, TANDBERG Television. “TANDBERG Television is pleased with BURST’s confidence in our MPEG-2 encoding expertise, and we look forward to serving the low-power television community along with BURST. We believe that our E5710 encoder, along with its remux capabilities, will be crucial to providing the multi-channel ATSC streams that low-power stations will need to generate new revenue opportunities as they deploy their digital services.”

About TANDBERG Television
TANDBERG Television (Oslo:TAT.OL) designs and develops professional systems that enable new business models in the media and entertainment market through the delivery of high quality live digital video and on-demand content.

Burst Heads to NAB

Don’t miss Burst at the NAB-HD, a functioning broadcast station located right on the 2005 NAB exhibit floor! From capture to editing to delivery, NAB-HD offers a wonderful opportunity to see how the intricacies of system integration come together. This marks the first time that NAB will have a full-scale working model DTV station on the exhibit floor.

The impressive NAB-HD facility will be built in just four days! It will feature a master control room (designed by Burst’s Tony Roccanova), an HD production center, a three-camera news set for an anchor and roundtable discussions, and an adjacent HD production truck. Stop by the NAB-HD booth in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center and say hello, and get a close-up look at everything that goes into putting together a digital television operation.

If you don’t make it to the NAB-HD booth, be sure to watch for the live and pre-recorded NAB broadcasts that will be aired throughout the exhibit area, on convention busses, and in hotel rooms. Or catch it via satellite. The NAB-HD signal is AMC9, Transponder K-14

Tom Norman Joins Burst as Senior Project Manager

Burst announced today that Tom Norman, CPBE, has joined the company as a Senior Project Manager. Norman, an experienced designer and project manager, will work closely with Burst’s sales team and designers, and manage project installation and implementation. “Tom brings a lot to our design and engineering team,” said Scott Barella, vice president of engineering at Burst. “His broadcast experience speaks volumes.”

“Tom is highly respected among his peers, and adds a new level of engineering talent to our staff,” added Kirk Basefsky, Burst president. “We feel very fortunate to have him here.”

Norman has nearly 30 years experience in broadcasting and related fields. He has built facilities ranging from simple circuits to entire television studios and television transmitter plants. Prior to joining Burst Communications, he was a systems engineer for Harris Corporation for seven years. Prior to Harris, Norman served as a chief engineer at KTWO-TV, the University of Wyoming, and at KVZK-TV. From 1970 to 1991, Norman was president of his own company, Sontec Corporation, which was engaged in the custom design and manufacture of devices for broadcast and data networking spaces.

Norman is a member of the Society of Broadcast Engineers and of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.

For more information, contact kirkb@burstvideo.com or call Kirk Basefsky at 303-649-9600.

Burst and Sony to Host Lunch and HDV Camcorder Demo

January 20, 2005 – Denver, CO- Wondering if the words affordable and professional-quality HDV can be used to describe the same camcorders and video recorders? Mark February 16, 2005 on your calendar and find out.

Bust and Sony will host a very special lunch and demo event at Denver’s Botanic Gardens, February 16, 2005, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at which they’ll preview Sony’s remarkable new high definition camcorders and video recorders. This technology provides the means by which you can deliver professional grade images without spending tens of thousands of dollars.

Sony’s new HDV camcorder and recorder are designed to provide video professionals with a flexible and affordable migration from standard definition infrastructures to the rapidly expanding world of HD.

This equipment, which begins shipping in February, is ideal for broadcasters, independent producers, videographers, and cable, community, and educational producers who would like to dabble in widescreen and HD production for news, local TV specials, and commercials.

Don’t miss this chance to demo Sony’s new HDV equipment at the Botanic Gardens, where you can capture crisp, clear, HD imaging for see-it-to-believe-it proof that this technology truly does produce professional-quality imaging at a price you can afford.

You’ll also have the opportunity to:
· learn the differences between the consumer and pro models
· get inside information from the Sony HD Product Specialist
· get all your questions answered by someone who really knows
·
Lunch will be catered by Three Tomatoes.

For more information or to R.S.V.P., contact Kirk Basefsky at 303-858-9848 or kirkb@burstvideo.com.

For more information, contact kirkb@burstvideo.com or call Kirk Basefsky at 303-649-9600.
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Burst Awarded Contract to Manage KTRV’s Transition to Digital

November 18, 2004 – Denver, CO – Burst announced today that it was awarded a contract to manage TV station KTRV’s transition to digital television (DTV). KTRV, the local Fox affiliate in Boise, Idaho, is going above and beyond basic FCC DTV compliance requirements and is building a full power operation “to give viewers the best quality signal we can,” said Lance Hankins, chief engineer at KTRV.
With DTV technology, stations can broadcast television with movie-quality picture and CD-quality sound. In addition, as stations convert to DTV, broadcast airwaves are freed up for use in other important services, including advanced wireless and public safety services (law enforcement, weather emergencies, etc.). All stations must convert to DTV by December 31, 2006, the target date set by Congress.
The KTRV project consists of integrating a Larcan 3KW VHF transmitter, reharnessing an existing RCA antenna, replacing transmission lines, and managing HVAC and electrical subcontractors.
“This is a challenging project with a tight timeline due to weather considerations,” explained Robin Heywood, vice president and founder of Burst. “Part of the work is on a 200-foot transmission tower that’s located at 7,000 feet – at the top of Bogus Basin Ski Resort!”
“We’ve known Burst for a long time, and we selected them because we’ve heard lots of good things about their integration skills,” Hankins says. “ We looked at several other companies, but Burst was the best value for the money and we felt they could get the job done.”

Burst Awarded Contract to Manage KTRV’s Transition to Digital

With DTV technology, stations can broadcast television with movie-quality picture and CD-quality sound. In addition, as stations convert to DTV, broadcast airwaves are freed up for use in other important services, including advanced wireless and public safety services (law enforcement, weather emergencies, etc.). All stations must convert to DTV by December 31, 2006, the target date set by Congress.

The KTRV project consists of integrating a Larcan 3KW VHF transmitter, reharnessing an existing RCA antenna, replacing transmission lines, and managing HVAC and electrical subcontractors.

“This is a challenging project with a tight timeline due to weather considerations,” explained Robin Heywood, vice president and founder of Burst. “Part of the work is on a 200-foot transmission tower that’s located at 7,000 feet – at the top of Bogus Basin Ski Resort!”

“We’ve known Burst for a long time, and we selected them because we’ve heard lots of good things about their integration skills,” Hankins says. “ We looked at several other companies, but Burst was the best value for the money and we felt they could get the job done.”

Burst Replaces Technologix Transmitter at KMIZ-TV

November 10, 2004 – Denver, CO – Burst recently began work to replace a Technologix transmitter at KMIZ, Channel 17 in Prairie Home, Missouri, with a previously-owned Harris Sigma Classic transmitter and related accessories from an NBC-affiliate in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The project includes coordinating the transportation of the transmitter from Raleigh to Columbia, plus re-installation, reconditioning and commission of the unit at its new location. This fast track project presents several challenges, mainly a quick turn time and space limitations at the KMIZ site.

In the first phase of the project, the Harris Sigma Classic will be installed with two operational cabinets for aural and visual. To expedite the project, concrete pads will be installed at KMIZ ‘s Prairie Home, Missouri, site prior to re-installation, so that beam supplies, heat exchangers and other outdoor equipment can be placed more efficiently. Once the Harris transmitter is operational, Burst will transition from the Technolgix to the Harris unit.

In the second phase of the installation the Technologix transmitter will be removed so electrical equipment can be located in that space. Downtime will be necessary, but Burst foresees minimal disruption to service.

Burst Wins Contract for Design/Build at Comcast’s Digital-Pay-Per-View Room

June 9, 2004- DENVER – Working as systems integrator for Comcast Media Center’s high-definition (HD) project, InDemand, Burst designed and built the first two HD movie channels for Comcast’s Digital-Pay-Per-View room where InDemand’s current Standard Definition (SD) movie play-out center is located.

The design was an extension to the current room, where over 38 channels were already operating. The new system utilizes Dolby 5.1 audio processing, Pinnacle Media Stream Servers, Evertz conversion equipment, Teranex upconverters, Sony HDCAM video tape machines and video monitoring, and Wohler audio monitoring.

According to Scott Barella, Vice President of Engineering, “the project was completed under a very aggressive timeline. We were pleased to meet Comcast’s expectations while providing them with a very thorough and complete design.”

Burst Completes Transmitter Installation for KQFX

June 2, 2004 – Denver, CO – Burst is pleased to report the completion of a comprehensive transmitter installation project for KQFX Fox 38 in Columbia, MO. Burst provided design, documentation and installation of a Rohde and Schwarz NV 7100 Series analog transmitter, RF Technology Chromastar custom pattern antenna and related accessories. Burst project managed general construction, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, tower crews, and provided final acceptance for the system.

David Joseph, Chief Executive Officer of JW Broadcasting, LLC states, “Burst did a first rate job and our new signal is stunning. Viewers contacted us the day we made the switch to the new system telling us they had much better reception. We expect substantial increases in ratings and revenues based on the improvements made by Burst.”

Scott Barella, VP of Engineering at Burst reports, “The project offered a few logistical challenges, but I feel we provided a quality turn key service to a client who might not have been able to manage the project themselves.”

For more information, contact kirkb@burstvideo.com, or call Kirk Basefsky at 303-649-9600.

About KQFX
Fox 38-KQFX is owned by JW Broadcasting, LLC. JW Broadcasting also owns Missouri stations KMIZ-TV, KZOU-TV, and The Show Me Weather Channel.

Burst Moves Caption Colorado’s Offline Captioning System and Test Rack to new Facility

January 15, 2004 – Denver, CO — Caption Colorado is up and running at its new Denver Tech Center location. The new space provides plenty of room for growing the company’s online and offline closed captioning services and for continued development of additional products that enhance communication capabilities for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

Caption Colorado is the largest real-time captioning service provider in the country. “The company experienced tremendous growth last year, and we just ran out of room at our old site,” said Mike Lyons, vice president of offline operations. “This new space will allow us to increase production capacity in our offline service and add to our development and IT teams.”

Denver-based Burst moved Caption Colorado’s offline captioning system and test rack to its new facility. The project included dismantling Caption Colorado’s existing system, setting racks at the new location, moving all offline equipment, including computer workstations and real-time gear currently contained within the offline room, rewiring the offline system with new cable and connectors and full function testing of the systems involved. “Caption Colorado has a very sophisticated system. They have three racks of video equipment and three computer work stations tied into the racks,” said Tony Roccanova, engineering project manager at Burst. And, they needed the facility move done quickly to minimize downtime.

“Our main requirement was minimal downtime,” explained Lyons. “Basically, Burst needed to pull the plug late on Friday and have us up and running again first thing Monday morning! Thanks to Burst, moving our operation was painless. We walked into the office Monday morning, turned the lights on, and got to work!”

Roccanova helped Caption Colorado set up its initial offline captioning operation in 1999. As the company evolved and the system grew however, expansion work was completed through various vendors at various times. As a result, the system worked, but did not operate as efficiently as possible. Now that the entire system has been recabled, it operates more efficiently and will allow for future growth.

Burst Awarded DTV Contract with KTVB

November 7, 2003 – Denver, CO — Thanks to Denver-based Burst, KTVB debuted its DTV 24/7 NewsChannel at the end of October, making it one of the first stations in the country to run two separately programmed signals on their DTV channel, one in HD and one in SD.

KTVB Television, a Belo-owned property, in Boise, Idaho, added the channel to fill a need in the community for more local programming. In addition to providing greater opportunities for localism in the marketplace, 24/7 NewsChannel will serve as another promotional channel for KTVB newscasts, and as a KTVB brand extension. It also creates a new local product on a new distribution platform.

Initially, 24/7 NewsChannel will provide time-shifted newscasts for KTVB, as well as five other programs that won’t appear on KTVB. Eventually, KTVB plans to produce newscasts unique to 24/7 NewsChannel and explore more hyperlocal programming.
Craig Harper, Belo’s Director of Engineering worked directly with Thomson Grass Valley Group and Sundance Digital to provide the specification guidelines for this new project.

“KTVB is ahead of the curve,” said Scott Barella, vice president and chief engineer at Burst. “They’re running two different signals on their DTV channel, which makes them unique in the country. Most stations are just running one channel — a repeat of their normal broadcast — on their DTV channel. This unique system fully leverages KTVB’s news dominance.”

“This was a massive project, and it’s remarkable we were able to do it in less than 90 days,” said Doug Armstrong, KTVB President/General Manager. “Burst helped by designing the entire layout and also managed the installation. They helped us work with other vendors and gave us several extra pair of hands and extra labor so we could condense the project into a 90-day window, which was necessary because we had a launch date promised in our contract with the cable company.”

Richard Strack, Director of Engineering of KTVB Television was instrumental in keeping the project on time and coordinated with all the vendors involved. Under his direction, the project met all the critical milestones necessary to insure a successful launch date.

“The first thing we did was convert the existing two-channel automation system that ran both the Boise and Twin falls stations to accommodate a third completely unique channel,” explained Barella. “Then we converted the sources from analog to digital so that the new channel would be purely digital based.” Burst had previously converted nearly 70 per cent of the existing analog plant to an SDI embedded plant.

The system is comprised of a Thomson Grass Valley XP Profile server platform, a GVG Encore-Concerto routing base and Sundance Digital Automation. Burst Communications designed and implemented the new service in conjunction with Sundance Digital, and Thomson Grass Valley Group.

For more information, contact scottb@burstvideo.com or call Scott Barella at 303-649-9600.

Burst Completes City of Dallas Reconstruction Projects

July 25, 2003 – Denver – Burst recently completed the first and second phase of the reconstruction of several facilities that provide cable TV access to the fifteen local access TV channels in the City of Dallas. This project, valued at approximately 2.6 million dollars, has effectively converted the city-controlled channels from a tape-based system operated by Comcast Cable, Inc. to server-based systems operated by the city at various locations. These locations include Dallas City Hall, Dallas Fire Department Training Center, Dallas Community Television (DCTV), and the Dallas Independent School District.

The majority of these installs included automation-controlled multi-channel origination capabilities. Full production and post-production facilities were installed in addition to a new city channel monitoring system at Dallas City Hall. The DCTV portion of the project included the construction of a three-camera production studio, multiple nonlinear edit suites and a local production truck.

When AT&T and WIN were awarded a 15-year cable TV franchise with the City of Dallas, the cable TV systems gave the City of Dallas control of the access channel and provided grant funds for the first five years of the franchise. The grant funds cover the cost of upgrading the cable TV access infrastructure.

“Our objective was to upgrade all the P.E.G. operations, to provide consistent automation technology with digital signals, over a fiber optic network,” said Bennie J. Wilcox Jr., Manager, Cable Systems for the City of Dallas, Office of Cultural Affairs. “We also needed to automate City Hall to improve quality of the transmission without increasing staff requirements and production costs. We installed eight robotic cameras — four in the council chamber and four in the briefing room — and servers,” said Wilcox. “The quality of our broadcasts is now as good as the quality at commercial stations.”

Burst’s Tony Roccanova provided all design, CAD documentation, and project management. The project included two multi-camera studios, three non-linear edit bays, one mobile production unit, one automated playback systems, one multi camera city council recording system, city council briefing room taping system, and one multi channel media monitoring system.

Burst Expands AV Systems Integration Department

July 11, 2003, DENVER – After focusing on the broadcast industry for more than a decade, Burst is expanding its A/V systems integration department. Burst now provides design/build services for conference and boardrooms, classroom and training centers, auditoriums and theaters, command and control centers, video conferencing rooms, and other facilities requiring media and collaborative applications.

“Recently, there has been a lot of movement within the A/V marketplace and we feel there is a need for high-end engineering and installations,” said Kirk Basefsky, president and co-owner of Burst. “We have been successful in the video integration market since the early 1990s, and our knowledge of broadcast video provides a stellar foundation from which to build our A/V integration services. When the economy was weak, we focused on our core competencies. Now we are ready to ramp up our A/V consultation, implementation, and training offerings.”

Additions to Burst’s Phoenix and Denver staff will allow Burst to better meet its client’s A/V needs, nationwide. “These markets were selected to fill gaps left when other companies closed their doors,” explained Basefsky. Though staff has been expanded in Phoenix and Denver, Burst is not limited to working in these markets. “Burst offers nationwide service and has the know-how to manage projects of all dimensions – from education and training facilities to auditoriums, boardrooms conference rooms, network operation centers, digital signage, distance learning facilities, and more,” Basefsky said.

In Denver
Fred Scurti joined Burst’s Denver sales team. With more than 12 years of A/V integration experience, Scurti’s project list includes everything from small projector and screen installations in classrooms to six million dollar installations at the JD Edwards campus and the US West training facility in Denver. His well-rounded knowledge of how a project comes together — from design, through project management, to sign-off — helps him to stay with customers throughout the entire process.

Robin Kazmeroff joined Burst’s Denver team as sales engineer. With more than 20 years of industry experience, Kazmeroff as been involved in all aspects of A/V integration industry including sales, purchasing, and project management. Past project involvement includes everything from small boardrooms to multi-room conference facilities for clients including the Society for Security Analysts, Avon Products, and Morgan Stanley

In Phoenix
James Chalifoux, CTS and Steve Lingol, CTS joined Burst’s Phoenix office. Chalifoux has more than 25 years experience in sales, system design and installation in the audiovisual industry. He has an extensive background in broadcasting, distance learning, video conferencing, multimedia production and presentation systems. Chalifoux is an affiliate member of the AIA and a certified technology specialist.

Lingol has been in the audiovisual and presentation industries for more than 17 years and maintains experience in control system, design, infrastructures and audiovisual integration. His responsibilities include systems installation, project management, programming, project coordination, organization, inspiration and leadership. Lingol is a certified technology specialist.

Burst Competes Dolby Systems Integrator Training Program

DENVER – February 21- Burst recently joined the ranks of an elite group of systems integrators who have completed Dolby’s Systems Integrator Training program. Burst’s entry into the group raises the number of Dolby factory-trained systems integration partners to 13 in the nation.

The FCC’s mandate requiring that stations broadcast digitally deadlines for public television stations and stations in the top 30 markets at the end of May, 2003. ATSC created the standards for digital broadcasting, which requires stations to use Dolby’s digital technology to encode multiple channels of audio into the transmission stream.

Tony Roccanova and Burt Covert, engineering project managers at Burst, attended the training. “It was worthwhile,” Roccanova said, “because a lot of our business deals with converting older stations to digital broadcast plants. This training will help us provide better engineering solutions.”

“When stations capture network programming from satellites, the digital encoding piece that allows the information to pass through their transmitters is already in place,” Roccanova explained. “Stations inserting local newsfeeds and local programming need a way to take the standard audio that they’ve produced and encode it via a Dolby digital compliant signal. That’s where the training will come in handy.”

Dolby’s Jeff Nelson explained, “This training was customized for systems integrators. In contrast to dealers, systems integrators need to look at the entire system and the bigger systems questions. They need to know how all the pieces and products from different vendors fit together. We took information we learned from the major networks to see how they operate and design their facilities, and how it all fits together.”

Any broadcaster going on the air must adhere to ATSC standards. Following the training, Burst understands the technology necessary to do it right. “Burst has the systems experts. Their expertise in system design and our expertise in audio technologies combine well. Together, we offer the very best solutions for broadcasters,” Nelson said.

KAZ’TV Broadcasting Loud and Clear In Phoenix and Prescott

DENVER—February 15, 2003— Thanks to an innovative and integrative solution designed and installed by Denver-based Burst, KAZ-TV’s signal can be heard loud and clear throughout the Prescott and Phoenix markets.

In January of 2003, Burst won the contract to manage transmitter installation, proof-of-performance, and antenna installation of KAZ-TV’s new analog transmitter. The new transmitter will boost the signal from 1 KW to 5 KW with an extensive radiating power (ERP) of approximately 150 KW. This is the final phase of a nearly year-long project which modernized KAZ TV’s LPTV station KAZT-CA Channel 27 in Phoenix.

When the Londen Media Group of Phoenix, Arizona, acquired KAZ-TV (formerly KUSK-TV) in 2002, it did so with plans to rebuild and modernize the facility. Londen wasn’t anticipating a typical upgrade; they wanted more than the usual new tape decks, routers, and servers. They envisioned a system that could:

·transfer its broadcast signal to the Phoenix market in high-quality digital instead of capturing the signal using antennas from a number of tired translators

·broadcast live programming from both a new production facility and from a local AM radio station in Phoenix, KTAR AM.

·deliver the programs to Prescott, where the broadcast license originated, and then send the signal back to the Phoenix market via the Cox cable system.

·maintaining a connection to receive University of Arizona and Arizona State University sporting events.

And they envisioned that the system would be up and running in less than three months! After reviewing Burst’s RFP, Londen Media selected Burst to help them achieve their goals.

Londen’s plan to deliver top quality programming to the Phoenix and Prescott, Arizona markets was not business as usual, admitted Scott Barella, vice president and chief engineer of Burst. They were proposing an extensive project with a tight deadline. And it was a major departure from the project specs that typically crossed his desk.

To tackle the project, Londen Media and Burst formed a team and drafted an aggressive timeline to chart their progress on this intense undertaking. Londen Media representatives included CEO Ron Bergamo, General Manager Rich Howe, and Chief Engineer Wally Macomber. The Burst,contingent was comprised of Barella, along with Sales Engineer Pat Pintus, and Project Manager Tony Roccanova. It didn’t take the group long to realize that meeting the tight deadline wasn’t the only challenge they faced.

For example, to keep things moving along quickly, Burst had to select components that meshed well and offered a high degree of interoperability and flexibility.

Burst also had to determine how to transport the signal from Phoenix to the rest of the network. The system needed to provide a robust DS-3 microwave infrastructure to and from Prescott to tie in the two sites. The system also needed to provide key deliveries to the COX headend and gather the sports feeds from ASU and U of A.

And Burst had to determine the most effective way to encode signals and deliver them through the DS-3 wireless topology. This dilemma was solved with an MPEG3 compression scheme using Scientific Atlanta encoders. They could compress the signals and transport them over standard G.703 topology.

In the end, Burst successfully implementing a number of cost-effective new technologies. Scientific Atlanta encoders and decoders were the key ingredients to distribute and maintain signals that might be a challenge using more traditional, more expensive equipment. DS3 distribution topology was a key ingredient.

Burst Group Upgrades Satellite Reception at KMGH-TV in Denver

DENVER—March 14, 2002—The Burst Group recently upgraded the satellite reception at KMGH-TV in Denver with new antennas and computerized control systems, making the station one of the few in the country with completely automated satellite technology.
Burst installed two new 4.5-meter satellite (TVRO) receivers and retrofitted two additional antennas with KU- and C-band capability. All four satellite receivers were upgraded with fully automatic computer controls.

According to Rick Craddock, Director of Engineering at KMGH-TV, the new system allows the station to define a recording schedule for all of its regularly scheduled satellite feeds. The automated controllers from Novus Development tune the receivers to the correct channel and then route signals directly to designated servers for playback. “There are very few stations in the country that have upgraded all of these elements in their satellite systems,” says Craddock. This is a significant time savings for our engineers and ensures the reliability of our network feeds.”

Scott Barella, vice president and chief engineer at the Burst Group, said one of the challenges with the upgrades was keeping the entire system operational during the changeover. “We were working within a very tight end-of-the-year time window,” Barella says. “KMGH needed to keep everything operating during a busy time of the year. When we switched on the new system it worked flawlessly.”

Craddock said he and KMGH-TV are pleased with the new system. “We agreed on a budget and an aggressive time schedule with Burst and they exceeded our expectations. Burst has wide-ranging experience and is exceptionally creative about the way they approach their installations.”

A subsidiary of Burst Communications, the Burst Group designs, engineers and installs creative, integrated systems for video, broadcast and presentation technologies. Burst specializes in bundled solutions to complex projects, from hardware and software, to installation and training. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in Arizona, California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

For more information, call Burst Communications at 303-649-9600 or visit their web site at www.burstvideo.com.

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Burst Group Completes HD Installation at KCNC in Denver

DENVER–February 13, 2002—The Burst Group recently helped KCNC-Channel 4 in Denver complete a high-definition (HD) installation at that enables the station to broadcast digital high-definition television signals. The installation is also one of the first in the country to allow a high-definition network tape delay.

According to Scott Barella, vice president and chief engineer at the Burst Group, all network programming in the Mountain Time zone requires tape-delayed feeds to allow for time-zone differences. “The KCNC installation is a unique and creative system that uses high-powered servers to record programs, store them and play them back, allowing KCNC more direct control of its programming needs,” says Barella. “It’s one of the first HD net delays in the country that we know of.”

Barella overcame several unique challenges in the KCNC installation. Among them were integrating two in-house signals to broadcast simultaneously, and strategically locating the broadcast antenna pattern on top of the Republic Plaza Building, Denver’s tallest building. “The best and least expensive option to send the signal to Republic Plaza,” says Barella, “turned out to be using fiber optics rather than microwave antennas. Not only was fiber cable less expensive, it also carries a pure digital feed, which means we encountered no signal loss.”

David Layne, KCNC Director of Broadcast Engineering and Operations, says the station is delighted with the quality of the HD broadcast. “Barella consistently finds innovative and cost-effective solutions to challenging installations, that’s his trademark,” Layne says. “KCNC regularly receives compliments about the broadcast from a small group of local HD enthusiasts who have significant investments in their home entertainment systems. We know it is a good signal because these are the most difficult people to please.”

While the Federal Communications Commission has set a 2002 deadline requiring all television stations in the U.S. to broadcast a high-definition digital signal, fewer than five percent are currently capable of meeting this government mandate. Even fewer television households are capable of receiving digital signals. Barella says the Burst Group has several digital installations planned or in progress around the country.

Burst Communications’ professionals engineer, install and integrate creative solutions for video, broadcast and presentation technologies. Owned and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood since 1991, Burst Communications is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices located in Arizona, California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

For more information, call Burst Communications at 303-649-9600 or visit their web site at www.burstvideo.com.

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Burst Group Awarded Contract with Idaho Public Television

ENGLEWOOD, CO, October 31, 2001 – The Burst Group was recently awarded the contract for the design and consultation of Idaho Public Television’s project to transition from an essentially all-analog broadcast facility to an all-digital facility. The purpose of this transition project is not only to update broadcast equipment, but also to comply with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruling that requires all stations across the country to transition from analog to digital by May 2002. The Burst Group will lead this transition project, which is projected to take approximately two months.

Digital television will provide the average viewer clearer reception and higher quality pictures. Digital television sets, or digital converters, which convert analog TV sets to digital, are currently available. However, there is no need to immediately purchase a new television set or converter, as the transition process will take several more years to complete.

The objective of this design and consultation project will be to present a viable working design that will provide the core infrastructure for video, audio, and data for the new century of digital television technology. Burst will provide all the schematics, wiring lists, and budget figures. The Burst Group was chosen for its experience and aptitude to provide the optimal level of design required by Idaho PBS. After the design phase has been completed, the Burst Group will be writing the bid specs for the installation phase.

The key engineer for this project is Scott Barella, Vice President and Chief Engineer of the Burst Group. Mr. Barella’s experience includes Chief Engineer positions at AT&T Digital Media Center, KCNC Channel 4 in Denver, KTWO Channel 2 in Casper, WY, and KKTU Channel 33 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Mr. Barella holds a B.S. degree in Radio and Television Broadcast from the University of Wyoming and has been in broadcast engineering for nearly 25 years.
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“Many broadcasters are challenged with the transition from analog to digital — especially the smaller stations, which have sited budget constraints or other logistical reasons.” says Scott Barella, key engineer for the Idaho PBS project. Barella also explains, “Because of our qualifications, these type of endeavors are perfect for the Burst Group.”

The Burst Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of Burst Communications, Inc. Corporate and sales offices for Burst Communications, Inc. and the Burst Group are co-located at 8200 South Akron Street, Suite 108 in Englewood, Colorado, 80112. Additional offices are located in California, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Utah and Kansas. For more information please call 303-649-9600, or e-mail theresab@burstvideo.com
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Scott Barella Joins the Burst Group as VP and Chief Engineer

ENGLEWOOD, CO, August 3, 2001 – The Burst Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Burst Communications, just announced the addition of Scott Barella, new Vice President and Chief Engineer. Mr. Barella brings 24 years experience to Burst and has dealt with nearly every aspect of broadcast engineering. He has an extensive background in design and architecture, construction, integration and operations.

Mr. Barella’s experience includes positions such as Chief Engineer of the Broadcast Operations and Engineering Departments at the AT&T Digital Media Centers. Previously he was Chief Engineer at KCNC Channel 4 in Denver, where he helped design and integrate a unique News Gathering Operation Center as well as Copter 4, the nation’s first digital helicopter news transmission system. Mr. Barella also served as Director of Engineering at KTWO Channel 2 and KKTU Channel 33 in Casper and Cheyenne, Wyoming. Other positions include Chief Engineer for KTKA Channel 49 in Topeka, Kansas and KTGF Channel 16 in Great Falls, Montana.

Mr. Barella holds a B.S. degree in Radio and Television Broadcast from the University of Wyoming. He is a member of SMPTE and is currently the SBE Chairman for the Denver SBE Local Chapter 48. He is a regularly published writer for industry trade journals including TV Technology and Broadcast Engineering.

“We are excited about the appointment of Scott Barella as Vice President, Chief Engineer of the Burst Group. We are confident that his background, expertise and reputation in the broadcast industry will be a valuable asset to the company,” states Heywood.

Robin Heywood and Kirk Basefsky, co-owners of Burst Communications, formed the Burst Group a year ago to meet the ever-growing demand for systems integration. This division will help achieve the owners’ primary goal of becoming one of the top five system integrators in the country in the next five years. Mr. Heywood oversees the Burst Group as President and believes these goals will be reached with an expert staff of professionals such as Mr. Barella.

Corporate and sales offices for Burst Communications and the Burst Group are located at 8200 South Akron Street, Suite 108 in Englewood, Colorado, 80112. Additional offices are located in California, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Utah and Kansas. For more information please call Diane Townsend at 303-649-9600 or e-mail dianet@burstvideo.com.

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Burst Communications to Design and Build the Video Replay System at the New American Airlines Center in Dallas

DALLAS, TX, July 24, 2001 –– Burst Communications, Inc. was just chosen by Center Operating Company as the professional broadcast systems integrator to design, build and supply all equipment for the video replay control system at the new American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. This project includes industry standard production tools and an upgrade-adaptable infrastructure. Though there will be cable interfaces throughout the facility, the new system will be fully self-contained.

This project is valued at approximately $1 million, and will be completed in time to meet the fall schedules for both the Dallas Mavericks (NBA) and the Stars (NHL) franchises. The system was designed to maximize the functionality of the new scoreboard display system that will be installed into this world-class arena. This fully digital system will meet clients’ needs for years to come.

“As an experienced company with many similar projects to its credit, this job is perfect for Burst Communications,” says Barry Samuels, Broadcast Sales Engineer in Dallas. “We have the experience and expertise to create an outstanding facility for the American Airlines Center.”

With corporate headquarters in Denver, Colorado, Burst Communications, Inc. maintains a team of experts who provide engineering, installation and integration solutions for video, broadcast and presentation technologies. Founded in 1991, the company represents hundreds of recognized brands. Additional Burst offices are located in Arizona, California, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah and remain privately held and managed by Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood. For more information please call Diane Townsend at 303-649-9600 or e-mail dianet@burstvideo.com.

Burst Communications Celebrates 10th Anniversary

ENGLEWOOD, CO, April 16, 2001 — 2001 marks the 10th anniversary of Burst Communications, Inc., a Denver based professional video, presentation and broadcast dealer. Started by owners with a strong business ethic and a conviction to sell the right product to the right customer, Burst opened its doors in August of 1991.

Casual business acquaintances, Kirk Basefsky and Robin Heywood initially joined forces to start Burst Communications through a mutual friend. Since then, the strength of the two men’s relationship has grown along with the business. With years of experience in the industry, a solid reputation for providing the best solutions to customers, and similar values and ethics, Basefsky and Heywood have established a strong foundation in which to maintain a successful company.

Burst Communications still remains privately owned by Basefsky and Heywood. Basefsky is in charge of Sales and Marketing while Heywood oversees Finance and Operations. Both men are very involved in the day-to-day tasks of running their company. In ten years sales have soared from 1.5 to almost 32 million and the number of employees has grown from three to about 40.

Recently Basefsky and Heywood opened another division of the company called the Burst Group. “Two years ago we recognized that to remain successful in the industry, Burst Communications needed to funnel more energy and resources toward providing systems and integration,” said Basefsky.

The newly formed Burst Group helps achieve the owners’ primary goal of becoming one of the top five system integrators in the country in the next five years. Heywood says those goals will be reached with the help of a knowledgeable sales and service staff. “We’re known in the industry as an organization with valuable expertise, where the tenure of our sales engineers and technicians averages 10-15 years of real-world experience.”

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the company created a special anniversary logo and has placed special ads in major trade journals and periodicals. A special company event is planned for August. Basefsky and Heywood agree, “We are very proud of this company. Not only surviving, but thriving for ten years in this industry is quite an accomplishment.”

Corporate and sales offices are located at 8200 South Akron Street, Suite 108 in Englewood, Colorado, 80112. Burst Communications, Inc. has additional offices in California, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Utah and Kansas. For more information please call Diane Townsend at 303-649-9600 or e-mail dianet@burstvideo.com.

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Burst Communications Launches New Website

ENGLEWOOD, CO, April 18, 2001 – Burst Communications, Inc., a Denver based professional video, presentation, broadcast equipment and integration company, just launched its new website. This newly designed and updated version includes an all-new look and feel with vastly improved function and updated link information to more than 100 of its manufacturers.

Now more user-friendly, the site allows visitors new, advanced search options for manufacturers and equipment. Shortly after NAB in April, Burst Communications will unveil its secure e-commerce portion of the website by offering online ordering of all video tape products.

In addition to the new e-commerce section, the website now also provides more flexibility by providing customers the opportunity to register online for company events. The company’s six other locations now appear with hyperlink accessibility and the new press release section will give site visitors up-to-date news about Burst.

“Not only is this site more user friendly and functional, but it will be immediately updated to reflect any changes,” says Kirk Basefsky, president. “I hope our customers will be curious enough about Burst to want to view the new site right away.”

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