New Balkans news channel chooses Trilogy
N1, a new news channel that will cover the Balkan countries of Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina has selected Trilogy’s Gemini distributed matrix intercom system. Sold by Amisys, an SI covering Serbia and neighbouring countries, to Balkan DTH and cable operator United Group which will run N1, the Gemini system will provide comms within the channel’s main production facility in Belgrade, Serbia, plus local news centres in Zagreb, Croatia, and Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Taking advantage of Gemini’s integrated IP capability, the system will link production staff and presenters at each of the facilities, with backup circuits provided by the system for VoIP & PSTN telephone services. Based on a distributed, IP-based architecture rather than a single central matrix, Gemini intercom systems can be expanded using LAN, WAN or satellite for even the most complex installations. This approach eliminates any single point of failure within the entire intercom system while retaining all of the operational characteristics of a single central matrix solution.
Amisys managing director Dragan Vuletic said, “We chose Gemini because it’s a reliable, flexible communication platform with the ability to extend connectivity across multiple locations using a combination of IP and telephony services, which is ideal for N1’s requirements.”
Balkan DTH and cable operator United Group will launch N1 this year, targeting more than 15 million potential viewers in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. United Group has signed a contract with Turner Broadcasting System Europe Limited, making N1 the exclusive partner of CNN International in the region.
N1 chief technology officer Igor Jović commented, “We chose the Trilogy solution as we wanted technology that was cutting edge in terms of functionality and flexibility but that had the pedigree that meant we knew we could trust it to work first time, every time.”