Aston Broadcast Systems
Encyclopedia
History
Following 15 years of employment with EMI Electronics, Sales Engineer Dennis Jones started up a company called D. N. Jones Electronics Ltd., selling electronic equipment. An ex-colleague then introduced him to a two-man firm in Aston, Birmingham, UKAston
Aston is an area of the City of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Lying to the north-east of the Birmingham city centre, Aston constitutes an electoral ward within the council constituency of Ladywood.-History:...
that manufactured digital Sync Pulse Generators for Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
systems. One of these men later left, so Dennis Jones and the remaining man partnered to form Aston Micro-Electronics Ltd. A few months later, Dennis' partner died, so Dennis carried on the business, manufacturing and selling Sync Pulse Generators from the loft of his home in Camberley, Surrey, UK.
Inevitably, Dennis was asked for products which at that time were unavailable, so to satisfy the requests, his friend and neighbour Laurie Mayhead - whom Dennis had first met at EMI in the late 50's - agreed to help design various television equipments in his spare time for Dennis to manufacture and sell. One day, London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
, who were preparing to take over their franchise, asked Dennis to try and acquire 2000 P.O.-type jack Sockets for their audio systems. This led to a year when Dennis, along with his wife, children, a local metalworker and assorted relatives worked around the clock making over 7000 jack sockets for LWT, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and a few other customers.
As the business grew, it became necessary to expand, so some disused buildings in Pirbright, Surrey, UK
Pirbright
Pirbright is a village in Surrey, England. Neighbouring villages include Worplesdon, Deepcut, Brookwood and Normandy. Pirbright parish has an area of some falling into two distinct communities with the military area to the north of the railway and the village to the south...
- originally used as stabling and latterly as a blacksmith's shop - were bought with planning consent for industrial use. At the same time, Laurie Mayhead decided to leave his job and join Dennis in partnership. As Dennis' deceased partner in Aston Micro-Electronics still had a shareholding in the company, it was decided to cease trading under this name and so in 1969 D. N. Jones Electronics Ltd. changed its name to Aston Electronic Developments Ltd., and Aston Electronic Designs Ltd. was also formed, headed up by Laurie to concentrate on the design of new products.
Following an enquiry from the BBC for another 25,000 jack sockets, Aston Electronic Developments Ltd. was led back into the jack socket business again, and over the next few years sold around 100,000 jack sockets per year, as well as manufacturing lamp sockets for Plessey
Plessey
The Plessey Company plc was a British-based international electronics, defence and telecommunications company. It originated in 1917, growing and diversifying into electronics. It expanded after the second world war by acquisition of companies and formed overseas companies...
, while Aston Electronic Designs Ltd. started on sub-contract wiring. The Television business, however, gradually increased - due in great part to John Holton, who joined the company in 1971 for this purpose - and so eventually the company decided to concentrate on this far-more-profitable side of the business and the jack socket business was transferred to Mosses & Mitchell Ltd. of Farnham, Surrey, UK
Farnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
, who'd been the main sub-contractor at that time.
During this period of expansion, the number of staff had gradually increased to twelve, working in 800sq/ft of space, so - thanks to an introduction by the Council for Rural Industries - the company relocated to its current premises in Deepcut, Surrey, UK
Deepcut
Deepcut is a village in Surrey, situated close to Camberley. It is home to the Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut.Malacologist Major Matthew Connolly lived at the Lock House at Deepcut where he brought up his son the writer and critic Cyril Connolly....
- a building originally built for use as a cafe, bungalow and garage. Today, following many extensions and alterations, the only original part of the building still in existence is a section of wall!
The company continued to be customer-led into new products. The original Sync Pulse Generator design that Dennis had acquired from his former Aston-based association was replaced by a new design by Laurie called the "SPG5", using the latest in integrated circuit
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
s. A Vision Mixer
Vision mixer
A vision mixer is a device used to select between several different video sources and in some cases Compositing video sources together to create special effects...
was also designed but didn't sell very well. Because of this interest in video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
, the companies were approached by an entrepreneur who wanted them to design a teleciné
Telecine
Telecine is transferring motion picture film into video and is performed in a color suite. The term is also used to refer to the equipment used in the post-production process....
machine that could be used in the home to show films on the home TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. A design was undertaken that would be smaller and cheaper than anything previously available, and Aston Electronic Designs Ltd. entered a new and challenging field of design.
Meanwhile, a special video system had been put together for the RAE
Royal Aircraft Establishment
The Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough...
at Farnborough, UK, which allowed them to record and freeze the movement of machine parts. The timing of these events was recorded by an ordinary clock which was included in the picture. This wasn't very precise so they were asked to design an electronic system which would enable each frame of the TV picture to be timed. They were able to crib ideas from the 7-segment displays that were just becoming available, and by this time real integrated circuits in DIL packages
Dual in-line package
In microelectronics, a dual in-line package is an electronic device package with a rectangular housing and two parallel rows of electrical connecting pins. The package may be through-hole mounted to a printed circuit board or inserted in a socket.A DIP is usually referred to as a DIPn, where n is...
were available, and so they were successful in their attempts - and being able to display time directly in this way was but a short step to the concept of an electronic video clock/timer, hence shortly afterwards the "VNG1" was launched which was known as a Television Number Generator, a forerunner to the Character Generator
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
.
By this time both companies were doing well, although the audio jack socket business was declining, so the two companies decided to join forces, with Laurie taking over R & D and production and Dennis looking after sales and finance. The combined business was run under Aston Electronic Developments Ltd., and Aston Electronic Designs Ltd. remained dormant for some years.
Since the company could now generate numbers electronically, they decided that it ought to be possible to generate the complete range of characters using the same principle but with more segments. With the help of friend and consultant design engineer Laurie Atkin, Aston launched the first Video Character Generator
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
, the VCG1. Following a demonstration of the unit at the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, the producers were so excited about the equipment that they insisted on hiring the only two prototypes to use for the 1974 General Election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
. Of course, Aston employees were the only people who knew how to operate it, so Laurie Mayhead and John Holton spent an exciting night live on-air showing a very wide audience just what an electronic Character Generator
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
could do. After that day, the company never looked back.
In the mid 70's Aston also became involved in designing Teletext
Teletext
Teletext is a television information retrieval service developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. It offers a range of text-based information, typically including national, international and sporting news, weather and TV schedules...
encoding & decoding hardware, and won a significant project with the European Broadcasting Union
European Broadcasting Union
The European Broadcasting Union is a confederation of 74 broadcasting organisations from 56 countries, and 49 associate broadcasters from a further 25...
(the EBU).
For the next range of Character Generators
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
, digital design techniques
Digital circuit
Digital electronics represent signals by discrete bands of analog levels, rather than by a continuous range. All levels within a band represent the same signal state...
were required, and so in 1978 John Wood was recruited from ITN, where he was head of development, to lead the design team on this project. Although the original Character Generators
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
had been called the VCG1, customers had been just calling it the "Aston", so it was decided that its successors would be simply be called "Aston" and sequentially numbered. This led to the "Aston 2" in 1980, and then the "Aston 3" in 1981, which was an improved update on the Aston 2. Significantly, users could now select from a palatte of over 4000 colours, instead of the previous eight, and great effort was taken to ensure that the product was easy to use. This attention to the ease of operation was to become a marker in the company's DNA - a factor that still drives Aston's designers today - and these two models were the backbone of the company's sales for several years, selling thousands in over 50 countries. In 1982, the company won the Queen's Award for export achievement.
The next Character Generator
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
was the "Aston 4". The major new feature on the Aston 4 was the anti-aliasing
Anti-aliasing
In digital signal processing, spatial anti-aliasing is the technique of minimizing the distortion artifacts known as aliasing when representing a high-resolution image at a lower resolution...
of the characters. This removed the stair-stepping and inter-line flicker produced by Character Generators
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
such as the Aston 3, which produced digital characters with hard edges. In addition to anti-aliasiing, it was possible to configure the Aston 4 to be a dual-channel Character Generator
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
, allowing dual user operation or Preview-Program use. The Aston 4 was launched in 1985. In addition, the "Caption" Character Generator
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
was designed as a single-channel cut-down Aston 4.
In 1988 the "Wallet" 'Still Store' was launched. This provided a cheap and fast way of storing and recalling images. This was superseded in 1991 by the "Wallet 2" Still Store, which offered improved functionality and dual-channel output. In the tradition of innovation, 1991 also saw Aston design and launch what is regarded as the world's first high-definition
High-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
Character Generator
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
, the Model 1250. Around this time, Dennis Jones & Laurie Mayhead decided that they should start preparing the way for the business to continue successfully after their retirement, so John Holton and John Wood were encouraged to take on more responsibilities.
As the product range grew, Aston dropped the sequential naming convention, and the "Motif" Character Generator
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
was launched in 1991. This Character Generator
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
offered new features such as online Fount sizing and smooth roll and crawl at any speed. The previous Character Generators could only roll/crawl smoothly at predefined speeds. The Motif "ESP" (Extra Static Plane) offered 32-bit colour and dual planes, allowing a static plane and a dynamic plane, which enabled rolls and crawls over static backgrounds - thus negating the need for additional Still Store hardware. The top of the Motif range of Character Generator was the "Ethos", which was launched in 1994, offering dual outputs which enabled Preview-Program operation, and also introduced character animation. The final member of the Motif Character Generator
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
range, the Motif "XL", was launched in 1995, offering the power and performance of an Ethos but without the Preview option - enabling it to be the same size as a standard Motif.
The Motif and Motif ESP were a big hit in Germany, and, through distributor Penta Studiotechnik, units were sold to most major regional broadcasters in the country. Aston were also one of the first manufacturers to address the needs of the new European electrical emissions regulations.
At IBC
International Broadcasting Convention
The International Broadcasting Convention, more commonly known by its acronym IBC, is an annual trade show for broadcasters, content creators/providers, equipment manufacturers, professional and technical associations, and other participants in the Broadcasting industry...
1996, Aston demonstrated the prototype "VIP" addition to the Ethos. The VIP (Video Insert Plane) enabled real-time video to be recorded and replayed. In addition to demonstrating the VIP at IBC 1996, the prototypes of the "Concept" Still Store were demonstrated.
The Concept Still Store followed the trend of many other broadcast equipment manufacturers in using Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
as the core operating system rather than products like OS-9
OS-9
OS-9 is a family of real-time, process-based, multitasking, multi-user, Unix-like operating systems, developed in the 1980s, originally by Microware Systems Corporation for the Motorola 6809 microprocessor. It is currently owned by RadiSys Corporation....
as used in products like the Motif. This helped reduced development time considerably as Windows developers were much easier to find.
Motto Character Generator
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
: TODO
In June 1997 the company entered new ownership, with Mike Clarke and Peter Radford joining the company as Managing Director and Financial Director respectively, and three senior executives joining the board.
In 199?, The Motif range of Character Generators
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
was replaced by a new improved range based on a new platform named "ViVid". This new range was a family of interfacing and offline preparation products designed to ease integration into any facility, no matter what the size or budget. The Aston "Green" was an entry-level single-channel Character Generator
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
aimed at budget-conscious broadcasters and facilities. The mid-range offering was called the "Blue", and was again a single-channel Character Generator
Character generator
A character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
but with greater power than the Green and the option of VIP for the integration of clips into the information graphic. Finally, the top-of-the-range "Red" offered dual-channels for live application where manual editing of one channel is required while the other channel is on air.
In 2001, Aston became a wholly owned member of the Softel Broadcast Equipment Group, consisting of Softel Ltd., Softel USA Inc., & Aston Broadcast Systems Ltd.
The latest generation Aston graphics product, the Aston 7, matches the strengths of modern Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
s and PC graphics hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
, with the needs of today’s 'IT
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
-centric' broadcasters, to offer a unique, powerful and future-proof 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
TV graphics presentation platform. For the new A7, Aston has abandoned the traditional design of CG hardware products and has developed a flexible and scalable graphics 'system' to meet the needs of the increasingly 'IT
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
-led' broadcast industry.
Milestones
- 1966 - Dennis Jones joins Aston MicroElectronics Ltd., manufacturers of Sync Pulse Generators
- 1973 - Aston's first Character GeneratorCharacter generatorA character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
, the VCG1, is launched. - 1980 - The Aston 2 is launched, Aston's first digital Character GeneratorCharacter generatorA character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
. - 1982 - The Aston 3 Character GeneratorCharacter generatorA character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
is launched. - 1985 - The Aston 4 is launched, the first anti-aliased Character GeneratorCharacter generatorA character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
. - 1988 - The Caption Character GeneratorCharacter generatorA character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
and Wallet Still Store are launched. - 1991 - The Wallet 2 Still Store and the HD1250 high-definitionHigh-definition videoHigh-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
Character GeneratorCharacter generatorA character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
are launched. - 1992 - The Motif is launched, the first Character GeneratorCharacter generatorA character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
with smooth roll and crawl. - 1993 - The Motif ESP Character GeneratorCharacter generatorA character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
is launched. - 1994 - The Ethos is launched, the first Character GeneratorCharacter generatorA character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
with animation. - 1995 - The Motif XL Character GeneratorCharacter generatorA character generator, often abbreviated as CG, is a device or software that produces static or animated text for keying into a video stream. Modern character generators are computer-based, and can generate graphics as well as text...
is launched. - 1996 - Prototypes of VIP and the Concept Still Store are demonstrated at IBCInternational Broadcasting ConventionThe International Broadcasting Convention, more commonly known by its acronym IBC, is an annual trade show for broadcasters, content creators/providers, equipment manufacturers, professional and technical associations, and other participants in the Broadcasting industry...
. - 1997 - Company enters new ownership with Mike Clarke as Managing Director.
- 1998 - VIP and the Concept Still Store are launched and the Concept Clip Store is demonstrated at IBCInternational Broadcasting ConventionThe International Broadcasting Convention, more commonly known by its acronym IBC, is an annual trade show for broadcasters, content creators/providers, equipment manufacturers, professional and technical associations, and other participants in the Broadcasting industry...
. - 1999 - VIP Clip is launched.
- 2001 - Softel acquires Aston.
- 2006 - The Aston 7 is launched
- 2009 - Brainstorm Multimedia buy Aston