Sony Australia signed a multi-year deal to become a major partner and the exclusive entertainment technology partner of the iconic Sydney Opera House. The association will enhance the technological capabilities of one of the world's leading performing arts centres.

As part of the collaboration, visitors to Sydney Opera House will benefit from Sony's cutting-edge technologies across both the consumer and business divisions, including broadcast and production equipment. This incorporates new state-of-the-art digital signage and professional display products around the precinct highlighting the events and activities on the arts calendar.

"With over seven million visitors each year, Sydney Opera House is a cultural icon not only in Australia but around the world," said Carl Rose, managing director of Sony Australia. "It is an absolute privilege for us to become a partner of this global symbol for arts and innovation."

Rose continued, "Not only does Sydney Opera House offer us unrivalled access to some of the most phenomenal cultural performances and events, but it also brings us closer to an audience that has imagination and creativity at their heart. This is especially important for a company like ours, which prides itself on enabling the celebration of life and the creation of products and content to fuel any dream."

Richard Evans, CEO of Sydney Opera House, said, "Like Sony,

Sydney Opera House is innovative and committed to pursuing imaginative experiences. This significant partnership will transform and modernise Sydney Opera House public spaces with new technology including digital content delivery, creating a more vibrant and interactive experience for our 7.4 million visitors each year. This partnership will be one that transforms Sydney Opera House in ways we can only imagine today."

Continuing the string of installations, MediaCorp Singapore made substantial investments in the future of broadcasting with recent purchase of Sony XDCAM HD422 camcorders and decks.

The equipment was delivered to their Caldecott Broadcast Centre in November 2008 and was put to work immediately on the set of 'First Class', one of the many locally produced, award-winning TV programmes.

One of the main reasons for this new acquisition was to streamline the production process in the face of technological advances. File-based operations provide more efficient workflows, content management and archive processes.

MediaCorp replaced its existing Sony Digital Betacam gear with fifteen PDW-700P camcorders, eight PDW-HD1500 recording decks and eighteen PDW-U1 drive units.

According to Tang Siong Chuan, location resource supervisor at MediaCorp, "The Sony cameras are fantastic – I have no regrets buying the PDW-700Ps. The image quality is much better and there is an improvement in the sharpness and colour. The outstanding picture quality can be fully appreciated by the viewing audiences of HD5 – the only free-to-air high definition channel in Singapore. The PDW-700P is very well balanced which makes it easy for the cameramen to handle and carry for a long time. My operators like using the new Sony cameras."

With the growing excitement surrounding high definition pictures and the increasing demand for high definition content, MediaCorp plan to expand their fleet of Sony XDCAM HD422 equipment in the future. Tang said that the fifteen PDW-700P camcorders are constantly in use. "I need more cameras to cope with the demand," he professed.

"We are delighted that MediaCorp has selected Sony XDCAM HD422 as the format of production to meet their need of video tape migration. They are one of the very first broadcasters in Asia Pacific to pioneer in the adaptation of the file-based operation across the production cycle from shooting to editing," said Isao Matsufune, assistant general manager, Business and Professional Products Asia Pacific Company, Sony Electronics Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN Philippines, Asia's first commercial television broadcaster, also made known its intention to acquire 24 Sony HDC-1400R HD portable studio cameras. ABS-CBN is upgrading its studio facility at Quezon City, north of Manila, from SD to HD and made Sony their choice.

ABS-CBN is at the forefront of broadcasting in the Philippines and the first to invest in Sony high definition studio cameras.

The decision to upgrade to high definition was based on the increasing demand for high definition content from ABS-CBN's domestic audiences as well as those they export to around the globe.

ABS-CBN owns the biggest cable network in the Philippines and is involved in the production of television programming for domestic and international audiences. The broadcaster delivers content around the world to countries including North America, Europe and the Middle East.

Before making the decision to go with Sony, ABS-CBN evaluated a number of products from other suppliers too. The decision to go with Sony was sealed when the technical evaluation team saw the stunning picture quality delivered by the Sony HDC camera.

The evaluation team also noted that the portable HD studio camera offered enhanced operational flexibility for a variety of studio and Outside Broadcast applications.

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