Brussels, 8th June 2005
On Saturday 11th June 2005 eleven eye surgeries will be performed in the Saint-Trudo Hospital in Sint-Truiden (Belgium). Alfacam will record these surgeries in High Definition (HD). HD cameras are fixed on the microscopes in the surgery room. As from 8.30 A.M. surgeons will demonstrate the latest developments with regard to microsurgery of the front chamber of the human eye. Euro1080 will send the extremely detailed images via satellite to Kinepolis Brussels.
Many doctors will witness the surgical techniques in its smallest details live on a movie screen. Physicians willing to specialise into this kind of surgery undoubtedly have a need for this kind of broadcasts, which demonstrate far more clearly than any article in a medical magazine, the possibilities and difficulties of the operation. The project named “OOPS” (Opportunities and Occurences in Phaco and Refractive Surgery) is sponsored by several pharmaceutical companies.
Thanks to the efficient co-operation between the medical team of the Saint-Trudo Hospital, Alfacam, Euro1080 and the Kinepolis Group many eye surgeons will be able to watch the eye surgeries live in theatre hall 13 of Kinepolis Brussels.
Last Monday Alfacam technicians visited the premises of the hospital to prepare the recording and the broadcast. On Friday final preparations will be made to make sure that on Saturday the images can be beamed via HD2, the brand-new HDTV channel of Euro1080, to Kinepolis Brussels. The Movie theatre is equipped with two special digital HD projectors (Barco DP100) and EVS servers, which are capable to show images in HD.
It is not the first time Euro1080 sends live HD images to the Kinepolis complexes. Last year the final of the European Football Championship Euro2004 was shown on the large screen. Earlier this year a similar concert of Sioen was transmitted to several theatre halls of the Kinepolis Group. It is however the first time that the HD technology is being used in the medical field. Another novelty is the fact that the broadcast will be done via HD2. Euro1080’s newest HDTV channel will not only broadcast exclusive concerts and outstanding sports events but the “Oops” project demonstrates that HD2 is also very suitable for B2B purposes.
Alfacam, the Belgian TV facilities provider, offers services to TV stations and production houses. Alfacam’s 22 multicamera television facilities trucks (OB vans) of which already 14 are capable of making HD recordings, are omnipresent at many important music, sports and lifestyle events in Europe and even in the United States and Asia. Yearly, Alfacam carries out more than 1200 jobs. 60% of the assignments are done in HDTV.
Last month the company hit the news because it was responsible for the recording and transmission of the images, which were captured at the occasion of the 60th anniversary of V-Day in Moscow. Other recent projects are a.o. the International Queen Elisabeth Music Contest, the complete works of Beethoven’s symphonies performed by the Flemish Philharmonic, the Wiener Festwoche, the concerts of Destiny’s Child and Oasis, the UEFA Cup Final in Lisbon, the semifinals of the Champion’s League in Eindhoven, the Red Bull Air Races across Europe and many other large events.
Euro1080, the European HDTV Media Company based near Antwerp (Belgium), started its activities on 1st January 2004 with HD1, Europe’s first HDTV channel. One can view HD1’s superior HD image quality images by satellite and various cable companies. Apart from HD1, the first and until now the only HDTV channel in Europe, Euro1080 now launches its second channel HD2, which will not only broadcast exclusive concerts, sports and other special events, but is also very well suited for specific B2B purposes via satellite.
HDTV (High Definition Television) guarantees superior image quality. Instead of the 625 lines (of which only 575 are visible) of the current European TV screen, the HDTV image consists of 1080 lines. HDTV can display at least 4 to 5 times more detail than analogue TV. The aspect ratio of HDTV is 16:9, instead of 4:3, which is common for standard television. This 16:9 ratio gives the image a panoramic effect.
Kinepolis Group
Since its formation and subsequent Stock Exchange quotation in 1998, Kinepolis Group has evolved into the Belgian market leader as well as the leading player in the European cinema market. The group has entertained 24,5 million cinemagoers in 2004 in its 20 complexes in Belgium, France, Spain, Poland and Switzerland.
Kinepolis has always been a pioneer in technological innovation. The Group today has a unique platform of 21 hig resolution digital projectors in Belgium, France and Spain. Thanks to the multifaceted digital installations Kinepolis is no longer limited to classical feature film projections, but can also offer all sorts of alternative content. Alongside Hollywood productions film fans can also experience alternative content in digital format, including screenings of prestige events, TV fiction serials, live concerts and sports competitions.
