Journalists are optimistic after Microsoft announced it was rolling out what is believed to be high-quality service for Skype that will allow for clearer and crisper recording. The move has been cautiously praised by reporters, radio and television alike, that it could help to deliver better sound than currently found on Skype.
The Skype TX will push the Seattle-based company into the broadcasting sector and should help boost its production of top notch sound and video suitable for professional level broadcasting.
In a statement, the company said it was offering "integrated production-grade system" that would enable journalists and others record clearer video than is currently on the market with standard Skype.
"Skype TX is a hardware/software combo, with a box offered to broadcasters for integration with their existing systems, handling I/O in HD-SDI video and balanced audio, with automatic aspect ratio conversion." Richard Chirgwin, an author of a tech website wrote.
That will do wonders for the existing media outlets - most of the mainstream large companies use Skype regularly - who have long struggled to deliver the best quality picture and image to their viewers and listeners.
"By sending feeds to the switching suite, Skype TX will let the operator handle the calls, including multi-channel calls." Chirgwin added.
Journalists here in the San Francisco Bay Area are hopeful that it will help to modernize even further the current media options available and help to create more online presence and feeds in locations where high cost cameras and sound equipment are hard to get into.
"It will make it possible for us to go to a lot more remote regions, or get to a place quickly without needing a lot of stuff with us, and report in real time the events as they unfold," a producer at a local news program told Tech Times. He did not want his name and organization revealed as he was not authorized to speak on the network's behalf.
The move comes after Microsoft acquired Cat and Mouse, who developed a Skype video-audio routing system that optimized calls and helped to resize video imaging without forcing adjustment converters.
While the pricing of the new technology has yet to be announced, the company promised that pop-ups and notifications would not intrude on users.
