Brad's Blog

Foxtel launches two exclusive Ultra HD Channels for Movies and Sports in 4K

Media Release: Wednesday October 23, 2019

Foxtel launches two exclusive Ultra HD Channels for Movies and Sports in 4K

Foxtel also refreshes Movies offering plus new channel Foxtel Movies Kids

Foxtel continues to be the leading innovator within the Australian television industry launching two dedicated Ultra HD Channels on November 7 – Foxtel Movies Ultra HD (Ch 400) and FOX SPORTS Ultra HD (Ch 508) – with the hottest movies and live sport.

Also on November 7 Foxtel launches a new movie channel, Foxtel Movies Kids (Ch 403), and refreshes its movies offering with 11 exclusive dedicated Movies channels including the new Ultra HD Movies Channel.

The Foxtel Movies offering has the best movies all in one place, shown ad break free and in HD, with thousands of hours of movies on demand to enjoy at the touch of a button.

Foxtel Movies Ultra HD is the place to experience blockbusters, family favourites and all time classics in Ultra HD. Movies premiering at launch include this year’s latest hits Aquaman and Bumblebee, as well as popular titles Deadpool 2, The Predator, Star Trek, movie franchises including Batman plus The Dark Knight, Die Hard, Mission Impossible, all eight Harry Potter movies as well as the two Fantastic Beasts movies, and many more.

In 2019, Foxtel televised over 250 live sporting events in Ultra HD including: every day of the Domain Test series, every match of the Gillette ODI and T20INTL series and selected KFC BBL games; every race of the 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship™; every match of the 2019 Rugby World Cup; selected games of the 2019 Telstra NRL, 2019 Toyota AFL premiership and 2019 Vodafone Super Rugby, 2018/19 Hyundai A-league; plus a whole lot more.

Moving forward all this content will now be on a dedicated FOX SPORTS Ultra HD channel, kicking off with our summer of cricket and Australia v Chile women’s Football match on November 9. Ultra HD sports content is supplied by FOX SPORTS and other channel partners.

Foxtel Director of Television Brian Walsh said, “After introducing Australia’s first Ultra HD channel in 2018, Foxtel has continued its commitment to delivering the best in television and entertainment with the launch of two new dedicated Ultra HD channels in 4K for Sports and Movies.

“These new channels follow the success of our Ultra HD sports broadcasts starting with the 2018 Supercars at Bathurst, followed by a complete summer of Cricket, and the exclusive coverage of every match of every nation of the Rugby World Cup in 2019. We’re now excited to expand our Ultra HD channels into Movies and be the first broadcaster to offer a dedicated 4K home cinema experience.

“Foxtel’s plans for November 7 are an overall revitalisation of Foxtel’s Entertainment and Movies offering with the launch of four new and exclusive FOX Entertainment channels and a refreshed Foxtel Movies service including a new family movie channel, Foxtel Movies Kids.”

Foxtel Movies has a movie for every mood with everything from Hollywood classics, action, comedy, romance, thriller, and family movies to the biggest blockbusters across 10 genre based Movie Channels including current channels Foxtel Movies Premiere, Family, Action, Comedy, Romance, Greats and Thriller, new channel Foxtel Movies Kids, and the refreshed channels Foxtel Movies Drama, Hits and Ultra HD from November 7.

Foxtel Movies Kids promises to be a world of fun all in one safe place. Key content at launch will include kids’ favourites Shaun the Sheep, Storks, Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were Rabbit, Duck Duck Goose, Adventures of Elmo in Grouch Land, Early Man and many more. More titles will continue to be added weekly once the channel launches on November 7 including Happy Feet, the Air Bud franchise, and Chicken Run.

The new Foxtel Movies Kids channel will complement the hugely popular Foxtel Movies Family channel home to favourite animations including Shrek, How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Megamind, Shark Tale, and Monsters Vs Aliens as well as the biggest family franchises including Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts, Home Alone, the latest new family films like The Kid Who Would Be King, A Dog’s Way Home and coming in December The Lego Movie 2, Ballerina, Yogi Bear, The Simpsons Movie, Free Willy and many more.

Foxtel Movies Ultra HD is now included as part of the Movies HD subscription; and Fox Sports Ultra HD is now included as part of the Sports HD subscription. Access to Foxtel’s Ultra HD channels requires an iQ4 set-top-box and a compatible 4K TV.

Foxtel’s new channels commencing on November 7 include replacements for Foxtel 4K UHD, 111 Funny, TV Hits, Disney Movies, Movies Masterpiece and Movies More.

Foxtel customers can learn more at foxtel.com.au

-Brad

Foxtel to launch four exclusive new FOX-branded entertainment channels

Foxtel to launch four exclusive new
FOX-branded entertainment channels

Foxtel is revolutionising its entertainment offering with four new and exclusive FOX-branded channels – FOX ONE, FOX FUNNY, FOX H!TS and FOX CRIME – launching on air on November 7 with a huge line-up of content including new dramas and comedies and the world’s favourite shows. All in one place and only on Foxtel.

These new channels will join Foxtel’s existing FOX-branded entertainment channels – FOX SHOWCASE, FOX8 and FOX CLASSICS – ensuring customers all the best TV and On Demand, all in one place.

Brian Walsh, Foxtel’s Executive Director of Television, said: “These new channels are part of an exciting revitalisation of Foxtel’s entertainment offering, bringing an exclusive powerhouse of FOX entertainment brands to our subscribers. The four new channels, alongside the existing FOX-branded channels, are an unbeatable destination for the best range of premium TV.

“We know our customers enjoy a wide range of television from favourite dramas to classics, and the latest from around the world, as well as a mix of great comedies. The new FOX-branded channels will bring a diverse range of content that is aimed to ensure the best entertainment experience for our customers.

“These additional channels join a refreshed Foxtel Movies offering including a new family movie channel, Foxtel Movies Kids, and Australia’s first dedicated 4K Ultra HD movie channel.”

FOX ONE will be home to the world’s most addictive and entertaining dramas, and will launch on November 7 with the explosive mini-series War of the Worlds. Airing over two epic nights (Nov 7 & 8) and available to stream On Demand, this latest adaptation of H.G. Wells’ seminal tale is set in Edwardian England and follows George (Rafe Spall) and his partner Amy (Eleanor Tomlinson) as they attempt to defy society and start a life together, while swerving the ongoing chaos of an alien invasion.

Also premiering on FOX ONE in November are two of the hottest new series from the US – All Rise and The Prodigal Son. All Rise (Nov 12) is a CBS courtroom drama that looks inside the chaotic, hopeful and sometimes absurd lives of judges, prosecutors and public defenders as they work with bailiffs, clerks and cops to get justice for the people of Los Angeles amidst a flawed legal process.

Prodigal Son (Nov 13) is a FOX crime drama starring Tom Payne as Malcolm Bright, a gifted criminal psychologist who uses his twisted genius to help the NYPD solve crimes and stop killers, all while dealing with a manipulative mother, a serial killer father (Martin Sheen) still looking to bond with his prodigal son, and his own constantly evolving neuroses.

Returning favourites coming to FOX ONE include Magnum, P.I. S2 (Nov 10), Chicago Fire S8 (Nov 14) and S.W.A.T. S3 (Nov 17), as well as Strike Back S8, Burden of Truth S2, Blue Bloods, Sex & The City, The Mentalist, Hawaii Five-O and House.

FOX ONE will also be home to the long-running and hugely popular TV soaps Days of Our Lives, The Young & The Restless and Shortland Street, previously housed on Arena.

FOX FUNNY is the place to go for comedies and sitcoms that can be watched time and time again. The channel will celebrate world class comedies of the noughties and now, including The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, The Office, Two and a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother and My Name Is Earl.

FOX CRIME is the ultimate destination for thrills, mystery and murder. It’s arresting TV for lovers of crime and suspense enjoyed from the safety of their own homes. Key programs appearing on FOX CRIME include CSI, CSI Miami, CSI NY, NCIS, NCIS Los Angeles, NCIS New Orleans, Bones, Cold Case, Criminal Minds and Without a Trace.

FOX H!TS will feature iconic comedies from the 80s and 90s such as Friends, Will and Grace, Frasier, The Nanny, Everybody Loves Raymond and Seinfeld.

These four new channels will complement Foxtel’s existing FOX-branded channels – FOX SHOWCASE, FOX8 and FOX CLASSICS.

FOX SHOWCASE continues to deliver the world’s most ground-breaking stories, from cutting edge international and original dramas to must-see special events. A huge upcoming line-up includes Catherine the Great (Nov 3), His Dark Materials (Nov 5), Britannia S3 (Nov 12), Ray Donovan S7 (Nov 24), Upright (Dec 1) and Mrs Fletcher (Dec 8).

FOX8, Foxtel’s flagship entertainment destination, features all the hugely popular DC Universe series including Batwoman, Supergirl, The Flash and Doom Patrol, alongside animation favourites The Simpsons, Family Guy and American Dad and reality series American Idol and America’s Got Talent.

FOX CLASSICS celebrates the greatest film and television of all time, with Saturday Night at the Movies with Graeme Blundell as well as classic American television and British comedy including M*A*S*H, Keeping Up Appearances, Jeopardy! and Hogan’s Heroes.

“We are proudly the home of FOX in Australia,” said Brian Walsh “and this exceptional channel collection will boast some of the best television of all time.

-Brad

Foxtel scores record 56 nominations for the 2019 AACTA Awards

MEDIA RELEASE: Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Foxtel scores a record 56 nominations for the

2019 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel

Foxtel has secured a record 56 nominations for this year’s AACTA Awards, including an incredible 38 in the highly competitive Television Award categories for the 2019 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel.

Foxtel’s nominations were across all categories, from drama, lifestyle and entertainment to factual and sport, with its award-winning drama series leading the way.

Foxtel’s Executive Director of Television, Brian Walsh, said: “This stellar result is testament to our ongoing commitment to producing a wide range of Australian content for our customers, ensuring the best entertainment all in the one place. I am particularly delighted to see our Foxtel Original drama series receive such recognition, and must congratulate our partners, producers, creatives and casts on these nominations.”

Topping the drama nominations for Foxtel is the critically-acclaimed event series Lambs of God with 14 nominations in the Television categories, and an additional four nominations in the Subscription Television categories.

The four-part drama has been nominated for Best Telefeature or Mini Series while Ann Dowd, who played Sister Margarita, and Essie Davis, who played Sister Iphigenia, have both been nominated for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama. Sam Reid has been nominated for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama for his role as Father Ignatius, and Damon Herriman has been nominated for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama for his role as Father Bob. Damon has also been nominated in the same category for his role as Freddy in Mr Inbetween.

Lambs of God took out a swag of other nominations including Best Cinematography in Television; Best Direction in a Television Drama or Comedy; Best Screenplay in Television; Best Editing in Television; Best Original Score in Television; Best Sound in Television; Best Production Design in Television; Best Hair and Makeup; and Best Costume Design in Television.

Fighting Season has also been nominated for Best Telefeature or Mini Series, while Ewen Leslie has been nominated for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama for his role as Captain Ted Nordenfelt.

Mr Inbetween received a further three nominations in the Television categories (in addition to Damon Herriman’s nomination for Best Guest or Supporting Actor) including Best Drama Series. Scott Ryan, who created, wrote and stars in Mr Inbetween, has been nominated for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama for playing volatile hitman Ray Shoesmith, while co-star Brooke Satchwell has been nominated for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama for her role as Ray’s love interest, Ally.

Secret City: Under the Eagle is nominated for Best Drama Series, while Anna Torv has received a nod for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama after reprising her role as Harriet Dunkley. The series is also nominated for Best Cinematography in Television and Best Production Design in Television.

Wentworth has also been nominated for Best Drama Series.

In addition to drama, Foxtel has dominated both the Lifestyle and Sports categories, taking out four of the five nominations in two key categories.

Lifestyle’s top rating series Selling Houses Australia, Grand Designs Australia, Love It Or List It Australia and The Great Australian Bake Off have all been nominated for Best Lifestyle Program. In addition, the hugely popular Gogglebox Australia has been nominated for Best Factual Entertainment Program.

In sport, AFL 360, Bounce, On the Couch and Sunday Night with Matty Johns have all been nominated for Best Sports Entertainment Program. Foxtel has also been nominated for Best Sports Coverage for AFL 2019 on FOX FOOTY as well as Test Cricket Live on FOX CRICKET.

Rounding out Foxtel’s nominations in the Television categories is the HISTORY Channel’s documentary series 100 Days to Victory, with nominations for Best Cinematography in a Documentary and Best Sound in a Documentary.

In addition to these 38 nominations in the Television Award categories, Foxtel secured a further 18 nominations in the Subscription Television categories.

The winners will be announced at the two major 2019 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel events held at The Star Event Centre in Sydney: the Industry Luncheon on Monday December 2, and the AACTA Awards Ceremony on Wednesday December 4.

For additional information on the 2019 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel, and to view the full list of nominees including Subscription Television categories, please see attachment or go to www.aacta.org

-Brad

Epson launches two new ultra-low cost POS printers for retail and hospitality

Epson Australia launches two new ultra-low cost POS printers
For price and cost-conscious retail and hospitality businesses

SYDNEY, 22 October 2019 – Epson Australia has launched two new ultra-low cost POS printers – the TM-T82III and the TM-T82IIIL – both specifically designed for price- and cost-conscious retail and hospitality businesses that require reliable point of sale transactions.

The new Epson TM-T82III thermal receipt mid-range printer designed for tier two retail and hospitality businesses is built with speed, reliability, usability and functionality in mind. The TM-T82III features a new more durable printhead with improved reliability, capable of printing up to 150 km of thermal paper. Also, with an improved print speed of 250 mm/s, the TM-T82III is not only cost effective for any business, it is an easy-to-use thermal receipt printer.

The TM-T82III supports both English and simplified Chinese characters and WiFi connection can be achieved by attaching the optional Epson OT-WL06 WiFi dongle.

All-in-one convenience is clear and evident with the TM-T82III as accessories required to get the printer up and running are supplied in the box and this includes a power supply adapter, power cables, wall bracket, 58 mm paper guide and waterproof cover so getting started couldn’t be easier.

TM-T82IIIL
Epson’s cost effective new entry-level TM-T82IIIL thermal receipt printer is an economical, convenient and easy-to-use thermal receipt printer designed for retail and hospitality businesses with low volume point of sale transactions.

For added reliability, the internal printer’s mechanisms are housed in a rigid sheet metal chassis providing extra protection and enabling easy replacement and maintenance, thus reducing the cost of repair and repair time.

The new printer design also has multiple ease of use features including all the control buttons being located at the front of the printer for quick access, drop-in paper loading, partial-cut and auto-cutter status LED. There’s also a built-in AC adapter, eliminating the need for an external AC power adapter.

If that wasn’t enough both new printers are also able to reduce paper usage by up to 30% by using clever paper saving features and both come with Epson’s renowned two year manufacturer’s warranty.

The new TM-T82III and the TM-T82IIIL thermal receipt POS printers are available now through all Epson Australia business system distributors.

Picture credits
The new Epson TM-T82III and the TM-T82IIIL thermal receipt POS printers

Follow Epson on social media:
Facebook: @EpsonAustralia
Twitter: @EpsonAust
Instagram: @EpsonAust

-Brad

Silver Trak and MPS deliver new content distribution solution for ANZ cinemas

SILVER TRAK DIGITAL AND MPS DELIVER NEW DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY TO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND CINEMAS

MOVIE CONVENTION, GOLD COAST, 22 October 2019 – Silver Trak Digital and Motion Picture Solutions (MPS) have announced at the Australian International Movie Convention (AIMC) that they have agreed a strategic co-operation that will see Silver Trak and MPS collaborating in Australia and New Zealand on the provision of a market-changing content delivery solution for cinemas.

The “Better Connected Together” initiative, headed up by UK-based MPS, has seen a number of recent strategic agreements and partnerships put in place to establish a secure and reliable turn-key delivery service, one that offers distributors and exhibitors both physical and IP services powered by Gofilex technology. The first two territories to go live are Australia and New Zealand, with Silver Trak as the local market specialists.

“Dynamic content delivery backed by some of the most forward-thinking operators in our industry will transform feature and trailer distribution in our home territories,” explained Silver Trak CEO Tim Creswell. “We will be adding our experience of the distribution and post-production markets here to bring significant local knowledge to an internationally connected service. It’s a highly collaborative approach that is being adopted and we are confident that it will lead to the transparent, efficient network that distributors and exhibitors in Australia and New Zealand have been after.”

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David Ong, VP of Sales APAC, Arts Alliance Media with Kylie Thatcher from Silver Trak Digital on the Silver Trak MPS stand at AIMC 2019

“Our goal behind the “Better Connected Together” initiative has always been to draw on the best partners worldwide, bringing to bear their own skillset and expertise in each market”, noted Matt Aspray, CEO of MPS. “So we’re delighted to be partnering closely with Silver Trak and particularly pleased that Australia and New Zealand will be the first territories where the impact of dynamic content delivery will be felt. We’re already rolling out our infrastructure here thanks to the support of a number of exhibitors and look forward to expanding our distribution network in the region.”

Motion Picture Solutions (MPS) has more than 15 years’ experience providing content localisation, mastering, distribution and key generation services to leading studios and independent distributors. MPS’s recent investment in Netherlands-based E-delivery specialist Gofilex and strategic co-operation with the market-leading Theatre Management System provider Arts Alliance Media, has laid the foundation for an international distribution network that leverages complementary technologies. This network allows for truly dynamic content delivery of feature films, trailers and advertising for an industry that is seeing rapid change in this area.

Hosted annually by NACO (National Association of Cinema Operators-Australasia), the AIMC remains the only event on the Australian film industry calendar to provide opportunities to network with local and international colleagues from Cinema Exhibition, Distribution, Production, and Technology & Cinema Equipment Suppliers under one roof.

Silver Trak and MPS are exhibiting at AIMC 2019 held in Event Cinemas, Pacific Fair, Broadbeach, Queensland from 20-23 October 2019.

Picture credit
David Ong, VP of Sales APAC, Arts Alliance Media with Kylie Thatcher from Silver Trak Digital on the Silver Trak MPS stand at AIMC 2019

-Brad

D Link launches Wave 2 Unified Access Points with unparalleled bandwidth & flexibility

D‑Link launches Wave 2 Unified Access Points with unparalleled bandwidth & flexibility
Enabling businesses to handle increasing Wi-Fi demands of their staff and customers, with high bandwidth, seamless and flexible Wi-Fi connectivity

SYDNEY, 22 October 2019 – D-Link ANZ has launched the DWL-8620AP Wireless AC2600 and DWL-6620APS Wireless AC1300 Wave 2 Dual-Band Unified Access Points (AP) offering next-generation connectivity with higher speeds and greater coverage.

Creating and maintaining a network with seamless Wi-Fi connectivity can often be a challenge for small-to-medium sized businesses and enterprises, especially in high-density environments. Designed to enable SMEs to deploy flexible and scalable Wi-Fi networks, D-Link’s new unified APs promise consistently fast and reliable speeds and are ideal for future-proofing wireless networks.

Leveraging the full potential of 802.11ac Wave 2 technology, the DWL-8620AP delivers cutting-edge connectivity with ultra-high combined data rates of up to 2,533 Mbps. It also supports Link Aggregation, allowing two Gigabit Ethernet ports to act as a single port to double the available bandwidth and maximise overall throughput.

With 4×4 MU-MIMO, enabling simultaneous communication with multiple clients, the DWL-8620AP can significantly increase network capacity. It also includes enhanced network security and access control features.

The product can be used as a standalone AP, or be centrally managed by D-Link Wireless Controllers; allowing up to 1,024 APs to be deployed and managed easily and efficiently. Radio Frequency (RF) resource management allows wireless coverage to be managed centrally, providing the best possible coverage for wireless clients by avoiding channel interference with automatic channel selection and adjusting transmission power. If an AP is detected to have failed, transmission power will automatically increase on other AP’s nearby to seamlessly adapt to the outage and provide ongoing Wi-Fi coverage.

Installation is easy, and businesses can choose whether an AP is ceiling mounted or wall mounted, to meet the needs of any wireless application. For additional flexibility the DWL-8620AP has integrated Power over Ethernet (PoE) support, allowing the devices to be installed in hard-to-reach areas where power outlets are not readily available.

Advanced features of the DWL-8620AP include 802.1p QoS for better performance of time-sensitive traffic such as high-definition video traffic. It also incorporates a number of features to reduce network congestion, such as band steering technology to place clients on the optimal wireless band. In addition, Airtime Fairness ensures equal airtime is given to each client, providing increased performance even if slower devices are connected. 802.11k Fast Roaming is also supported, which allows the wireless client to roam seamlessly between APs.

The DWL-6620APS shares many features with the DWL-8620AP, but at a lower entry point. It is aimed at small to medium businesses with a growing ecosystem of connected devices, to high-footfall locations connecting the public such as hotels, shopping centres, schools and universities where it enables the deployment of a flexible and scalable wireless network offering excellent Wi-Fi connectivity.

The DWL-6620APS is ideal for creating efficient networks, using the 802.11ac Wave 2 standard, and allows combined data rates of 1267Mbps (867Mbps for 802.11ac and 400Mbps for 802.11n) over the air. MU-MIMO enables simultaneous communication with multiple clients, delivering significantly improved capacity and throughput.

Its Smart Antenna technology selects the optimal radio coverage pattern for each client and uses digital beamforming to enhance the antenna gain and achieve the best throughput. This allows multiple Access Points to be deployed in close proximity to provide connectivity for a large number of devices within a finite space, by greatly reducing interference.

Like the DWL-8620AP, the DWL-6620APS can operate as a standalone Access Point or be centrally managed by D-Link’s Unified Wireless Controllers (DWC-1000 / DWC-2000) and when deployed in conjunction with these controllers, up to 1,024 AP’s can be centrally managed. The DWL-6620APS also supports PoE (Power over Ethernet) for rapid deployment.

Availability
The new DWL-8620AP and DWL-6620APS are available now from www.dlink.com.au, www.dlink.co.nz and from all authorised D-Link partners in Australia and New Zealand for the following RRP:

DWL-8620AP – AUD$869.95 and NZ$989.99
DWL-6620APS – AUD$599.95 and NZ$689.99

Picture credits
The new DWL-8620AP
For more images of the DWL-8620AP go to:
http://files.dlink.com.au/Products/DWL-8620AP/Images/

The new DWL-6620APS
For more images of the DWL-6620APS go to:
http://files.dlink.com.au/Products/DWL-6620APS/Images/

-Brad