Volicon Customer Quotes

Our commitment to high-quality programming permeates our organization, and we rely on systems such as the Observer to help us fulfill that commitment,”…“Since installing the Observer, we’ve noticed a marked improvement in our ability to validate performance and maintain transmission quality, and thus our operators are working smarter and more efficiently. Jonathan Perkes, Vice President of Engineering
Discovery Television and Technology Center

The Volicon Observer allows us to quickly access sponsored program elements, convert them into video clips, and transport them digitally to anywhere in the world,”… “Overall, it’s an extremely useful tool for helping us maintain the high level of quality and performance we require at the channel. Kevin Annison, Vice President of Business Development and Operations
Fox SPEED

I love the Observer! It’s hi-tech and sexy. It just works! We are extremely pleased with the efficiency of the Volicon Observer. It eliminates 4-6 hours a day of searching videotape… It used to take our public information officers half their days to search, edit together, and deliver important news stories to the city manager. Now, this process takes about an hour. Bennie Wilcox Jr., Manager
City of Dallas’ Cable Television Systems

The Volicon Observer has helped bring about a sea change in terms of how news content is managed at Governor Vilá’s office. Combined with the radio and print elements of the overall system, it provides an efficient, comprehensive solution for the office’s news monitoring needs. Abner Serrano, Engineering Consultant
Puerto Rico’s Governor Acevedo-Vilá

We were impressed with the Observer demonstration provided by HOEI because it illustrated how easily the system would enable us to meet government regulations and make the shift away from tape-based recording and archiving, Akihiro Shiraishi, Technical Officer
Kumamoto Asahi Broadcasting

As soon as I saw the Volicon system and its capabilities, I knew it was the right solution for us,” …“Fundamentally, the key benefit the Observer offers is easy access to information, and this information is valuable to the operation of so many departments at our station. When I look at the Observer now, I think of the new application we found for it today, and I know we’ll find another use for it tomorrow and another the day after. Deana Coble, Director of Technology and Operations
WFMY News 2

The Observer RPM provides audio and video monitoring beyond the set-top box, and this capability augments the JSDU goal of continuous and proactive end-to-end visibility from ‘headend through the home,’”… “With Volicon’s Observer RPM, our customers achieve service visibility through to the media consumer, and this awareness is critical to the maintenance and availability of media delivery services. Paul Antolli, Vice President of Complementary Products Organization
JDSU

The Observer records all audio, video, and closed captioning, providing us with simple access to recorded clips for compliance, along with an easy-to-use software interface for fast closed-caption word searches,”…“We were able to deploy the system within a day, with a negligible learning curve. As we continue to work with Volicon, we plan to leverage the technology to benefit our business beyond engineering and operations. John Ajamie, Senior Vice President of Broadcast Operations and Media Logistics
Scripps Networks

We really depend on private groups and benefit events for support, and we try to get as much positive exposure as possible to encourage continued generosity from fellow Texans,”… “Local media often cover stories about our patients and their families and how they’ve received care through the hospital. We have celebrities coming out to visit the kids as well, and the Observer gives us a very efficient means of finding those stories, whether they consist of a lengthy profile or a quick mention of just a few seconds. Roger Bell, Director of media services
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (TSRHC)

Cable operators industry wide are more focused on quality assurance and on taking a more proactive approach to monitoring,”… “We do a very good job of getting alarms from telephone and data devices that are down, but to do the same for our channel map, we would have to assign a live body to scan all of our channels manually, all of the time. The Observer RPM automates this process, allowing us to dedicate technicians to other projects while improving customer satisfaction. It fit all our needs and proved very affordable compared with competing solutions. Gregg Gehlbach, Network Operations Center Manager
Sunflower Broadband

The Observer allows us to track our daily broadcasts and supply our advertising clients with clear proof that we’ve met the conditions of their media purchase orders”… “Easy access to recorded clips allows us to build trust with our advertisers and maintain an uninterrupted revenue stream from the airing of ad spots. We’re also able to use the content recorded by the Observer to keep an up-to-date archive of our broadcasts and enhance new broadcasts with the addition of archived clips. Odio Abiobele, Head of the IT Department
Silverbird Communications, Lagos, Nigeria

The Observer system gives us functionality similar to that of a security system, but with extended storage capability and a much better broadcast-quality picture that provides smooth playback on a full-screen display,”… “We needed a set-it-and-forget-it application, and the proven performance and reliability of the Observer system ensures that we can access the video we want when we want it. It’s been bulletproof for us so far. Dale Looper, Engineering/Program Operations Manager
Bright House Networks

Before adopting the Observer RPM system, we relied on staff review of channels and calls from subscribers to identify issues with channels, particularly those with fewer viewers”… “The Observer RPM has found problems in the middle of the night, before we get calls and before our service center is open, so we’ve been able to work proactively in maintaining maximum uptime for our channels. We’ve noticed a significant decrease in calls, and I’d estimate that 95 percent of the time, our Volicon system is addressing outages before our customers are even aware of them. Jeff Kelly, Chief Engineer
Service Electric Cable TV

The Observer system helps cable operators achieve a better visual understanding of how select types of MPEG problems detected by our StreamScope RM-40 monitoring and analysis system affect the viewer experience,”… “This helps operators determine what kinds of problems are likely to result in complaint calls. Ralph Bachofen, Director of Product Management and Marketing
Triveni Digital

Observer gives us powerful new tools for improving our business at both the group and station level,”…“Corporate officers and outside consultants can easily view all of our stations and get directly involved without each station having to go through the expense and effort of sending tapes, DVDs, or video clips. We use the Observer Central Monitoring system to provide station group executives and consultants with immediate and comprehensive access to all of Raycom’s broadcast stations. The Observer solution has been a perfect fit for us, both in function and budget. Dave Folsom, Vice President of Technology and CTO
Raycom Media

We’re very pleased to be representing Volicon products in Japan,”… “The unique capabilities of the Observer system offer many new benefits to broadcasters. With Volicon systems among the best-of-breed systems we supply, we’re able to offer Japanese broadcasters new levels of functionality and efficiency in monitoring broadcast integrity and content. Mr. Takanori Kudo, Group Manager of System Products’ Sales Department.
HOEI, Tokyo, Japan

Our alliance with Volicon gives us the continued distinction of representing companies on the leading edge of broadcast technology,”… “Volicon’s expertise and knowledge in signal analysis, acquisition, alerting, recording, archiving, and streaming of real-time applications will certainly strengthen our portfolio. The company’s Observer RPM products are exceptionally well-suited to the CATV market, particularly with the industry’s current shift toward all-digital transmission networks transporting hundreds of channels. Guy Levassar, Director of Business Development
Mega Hertz

As a television network with a large geographic distribution of stations across the country, we’re very aware that simplified monitoring and compliance are critical to our operations”... “When I saw how efficient the Volicon Observer was, I knew it was the system for us. Reinaldo Gilli, Engineering and Operations Director
TV Record, São Paulo, Brazil

The immediacy provided by the Observer system allows us to work far more efficiently and to disseminate information at a very high level across our facilities, as well as to our clients,”…“We looked at other products, but none offered the same features or Observer’s capacity for closed-captioning monitoring. That’s an important aspect of every program, and Observer gives us a very effective way to confirm closed-caption display and to perform rapid keyword searches when necessary.” …“We are a rapidly growing communication organization, and the ability to coordinate the exchange of information across our facilities is a real issue. The Observer system gives us a valuable tool for gathering, sharing, and reviewing critical data about our broadcasts, even when staff is spread across separate buildings or locations. Bart Palmer, CTO and Vice President of Engineering
The Inspiration Networks and MediaComm

We put great value in the cultivation of the possibilities that digital video systems can provide our operations,” …“Volicon’s Observer system helps us capitalize on these opportunities by enabling our personnel to monitor and analyze video quickly through a simple and intuitive interface. As a result, we dedicate less time and fewer resources on our monitoring tasks, and we are able to act rapidly in addressing issues that could compromise the programming transmitted to our viewers. Risto Sirts, System Architect
Eesti Television, Tallinn, Estonia

The Volicon Observer has helped bring about a sea of change in terms of how news content is managed at Governor Vilá’s office,”… “Combined with the radio and print elements of the overall system, it provides an efficient, comprehensive solution for the office’s news monitoring needs. Abner Serrano, Consulting Engineer
RGB Broadcast Services

I had been looking for a system like the Volicon Observer for quite some time,”… “In addition to the on-air logging, we needed to be able to automate the storage of these signals for both our NTSC and digital stations. The ability to quickly search on-air events for content as well as the capability for multiple users within the station to access the unit from their desktops was also a necessity. In short, the Observer meets all of these needs. Bob Sink, Assistant Chief Engineer
WTOG-TV/DT

In addition to replacing our traditional analog tape based system currently in use, the Observer system offers us powerful new capabilities helping to streamline our network operations and ensure signal quality,”…“Now we have the ability to instantly retrieve and email requested video clips as proof of advertising to our clients as well as remotely monitor our broadcasts by streaming them live over the Internet. Lisa Hyams, Acting Senior Vice President of Operations
Discovery Networks, Latina America

We purchased the Observer for archiving and were pleasantly surprised to find a number of additional uses for the many features. From an engineering standpoint, the Observer passed the most important test: it worked exactly as advertised, right out of the box- and is still working flawlessly. John Scott, Chief Engineer
KPLC (Raycom Media Station)

Previously, when a request came through for a recorded segment we would have to manually find and pull the tape off the shelf, a cumbersome and sometimes unreliable process. Now we can pull live or archived data instantly and share it over the internet, without even having to leave our desks. The observer enables CBS News to look at what our competitors are doing at any time, a major benefit for us. As events go on the air, we can actually see who broke the story first, right down to the second. Frank Governale, Vice President of Operations
CBS News

An entire wall of recorded tape logs have been replaced by a user-friendly tool that is immediately available to all station departments. The system has been online for almost a year without any downtime or maintenance issues. The observer frees my Master Control operators from the daily chore of changing three 8-hour logger tapes. The Observer is very straight-forward in its operation and performs all the tasks I need. It really worked, as they say, right out of the box. In addition to the on air logging, the Observer automates the storage of both our NTSC and digital stations. Bob Sink, Assistant Chief Engineer
CBS O&O WTOG TV

Before, it took us an enormous amount of time and effort to locate a specific item. Volicon has made this process fast, easy, and effective. The uncomplicated Volicon system makes it so easy to capture information that even our interns are now experts at it! Jose Luis Torres, Manager, Public Information Office
City of Dallas

We put the Observer system through a rigorous evaluation process, and it was the only solution that stood up to the test and met all of our requirements…With the Observer installed in our Milan broadcast facility, we streamlined our monitoring processes and are experiencing much greater flexibility in identifying and accessing recorded clips. Ben Leenders, Engineering Manager
Sky Italia, Milan, Italy

Because the Observer is file based and utilizes our existing IT network, it’s right in line with our strategy to adopt digital systems in support of our upcoming migration to HD broadcasting…By replacing inefficient, manual tape-based processes, the Observer will make it much easier for us to stay in compliance and remain accountable to our customers and viewers. Bernard Langlois, Technical Director
Télé-Québec - Quebec, Canada

The Observer is an essential player in our overall strategy to transition to a digital, file-based infrastructure for broadcasting operations, and we believe it will be an ideal solution for standardizing on a single monitoring platform across all of our stations… The system’s ability to provide centralized monitoring for a large number of remote stations, its advanced alarming and notification capabilities, and its ubiquitous desktop access were all large selling points. Shea Clark, Director of Engineering Support and Services
ION Media Networks

Volicon has some of the best support people I’ve ever worked with. They’re proactively involved in supporting their Observers, checking on them to make sure they’re running correctly. James Jefferies, Manager of Development
Raycom Media

In the short time that it has been up and running, the Observer has already caught the attention of other departments that can see its value for such functions as verifying to customers that advertising aired as contracted, or monitoring and evaluating newscasts for quality control. Rich Lochmann, Director of Engineering
KFMB

The Observer provides the full functionality we require at a fraction of the cost of its competitors…Since we are able to identify, troubleshoot, and document problems much faster, Observer is helping ensure that we provide the top levels of service to our subscribers and avoid noncompliance penalties. Derek Caney, Vice President of Technology
TV Cable, Ecuador

Previously, we were having to check the lineup manually at least six times in every 24-hour period, a task that was tying up two to four engineers for 20 to 40 minutes each time…Now, those engineers are free to concentrate on verifying other equipment, and since the Observers are constantly scanning, we have a much more consistent and reliable method for identifying and correcting failures before they become customer complaints. Harold Brady, Headend Manager
Cable Onda - Panama

I’m a true believer in the Volicon Observer. It has drastically improved our corporate processes for evaluating the quality of our broadcasts and providing compliance reporting, and the stations are completely committed to the system; they’ve been using it effectively from the beginning…Of the products we evaluated, the Observer was head and shoulders above the others for its long-term storage capacity, ability to monitor multiple channels simultaneously and remotely, as well as alarms and notifications for alerting people at anytime and anywhere if a problem needs to be corrected. Brady Dreasler, Director of Capital, Engineering, and Facilities
Quincy Newspapers

For IZZI, the Volicon Observer was the clear choice over other monitoring solutions because of its highly flexible features for monitoring and alerts, as well as its ability to analyze a signal coming directly from a set-top box…Since implementing the Observer, IZZI has been able to increase its quality levels significantly and reduce its operating costs. The system does a much more thorough job of catching errors than human operators could, and the operators can now be deployed more cost-effectively. Dmitry Gerasimenko, Managing Director of TILTS Integration Ltd
IZZI, Latvia

All of our broadcast clients require that we give them an air check so they can verify the integrity of the signal we are transmitting for them. The Observer gives clients much more convenience and flexibility in accessing and sharing their aired content, which offers them significant time savings as well. Furthermore Volicon’s technical support has been second to none. Steven Southern, Senior Broadcast Engineer
Crawford Communications

We looked at a number of other platforms, but the Observer’s search capabilities were far and away the best on the market — and the system offers us a way to differentiate ourselves by providing a much higher-quality end product than the low-res clips that other news monitoring services provide. Brian Sargent, FOX Account Executive
ITN Source

With the Observer, we can count on consistent high-quality recorded video that is incredibly easy to access and use, and the savings in rack space, videotapes, and maintenance for VCR systems has yielded an impressive return on our investment. Roengrit Sereejumroenrojn, Senior Manager of Transmission
True Visions, Thailand

It’s a great tool. I use it almost daily and I know it gets a lot of use around the building. It’s performing very well for us. I would recommend it to anyone. Dennis Majewicz, Director of Engineering
WIVB / WNLO Television

Just to make sure the word gets up there, I continue to be impressed by the responsiveness and ingenuity of your support team. It’s one thing to buy a good product. It’s another to get complete and full support after the sale – above and beyond. I really hope your pushing that as a part of your sales pitch. James Jefferies, Manager of Development
Raycom Media

Magazine Articles Quotes:

After testing the Volicon Observer, I can’t imagine why any station or network would not want to have one. …the monitoring, search and management functionality make this an incredibly powerful asset for a wide range of users including PR firms, ad agencies, content providers and media research groups….There are hundredths of applications made possible by the ability to search unlimited television streams worldwide on any topic, name, brand or phrase. And the ease of clip management and transfer combine to make this an extraordinary tool with a universe of applications. Volicon Observer: Multichannel Recorder, By Geoff Poister, PhD
TV Technology Magazine

Going tapeless with the Volicon Observer means more than just getting rid of tape…The fact that the Observer can do so many things, and do them so well, is undeniably impressive. Keeping an Eye on the Competition, By James Careless
TVB Television Broadcast

The Observer RPM system seems to be the only product currently on the market that offers this functionality at an appealing price point. Volicon Observer RPM Improves Monitoring Workflow Efficiencies at Time Warner Bob McFalls, Network Operations Manager
Time Warner, San Diego Division

Flexible access to the Observe rmnitoring system saves us time, as it is possible to work with the system from any connected workstation in the facility….The advantage we gain is well worth the investment. KAB Goes Tapeless, By Akihiro Shiraishi
TV Technology, Asia Pacific

With the Observer we have been able to move to a completely digital environment for recording and storage that runs on our existing IT network, saving time and helping our entire facility operate more efficiently. Advanced Digital Video Recording
Dorit Lenz, Head of IT
Keshet TV

We were using modified TIVO’s and they are very time consuming when going back to see what happened on any particular channel, date and time Frank Shorter, Chief of Broadcast Engineering
Defense Media Center