CYPRESS, CA, November 9, 2009 – Since making its U.S. debut at the 2009 NAB Show in April, the FOR-A HVS-300HS HD/SD multi-format portable video switcher has been embraced by a variety of video professionals in North America. More than 400 units are now in use worldwide and unit sales continue with strong growth in the U.S. and Canada.

The switcher has gained popularity and has been embraced by the house of worship and education markets, as well as broadcast and production studios. First demonstrated at IBC 2008, the 1 M/E switcher features a compact 1RU main unit, making it an ideal solution for use in flight packs, mobiles, or small production facilities.

“In challenging economic times, the success of the HVS-300HS HD/SD portable video switcher is a testament to its cost-effective design and efficiency,� said Mr. Hiro Tanoue, President and CEO, FOR-A Corporation of America. “The ability to mix various SD and HD signals opens up a whole new world for our customers. It’s an ideal and affordable switcher for both video production and A/V markets.�

Educational facilities across Canada are taking advantage of the switcher’s flexible design. Memorial University at St. John’s Newfoundland has installed one HVS-300HS in its studio control room, while another unit is used in a mobile flight pack. The Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario, uses the switcher as a base unit with PC I/O options. And the University of Montreal uses an HVS-300HS as a base unit in studio. In the United States, Collins College in Phoenix, the University of Texas Medical Center, San Francisco State University, and Peralta College in Oakland, Calif., are all putting the switcher to work in various capacities.

Customers in the house of worship market buying the HVS-300HS for A/V include: the Light Presbyterian Church in Toronto; First Baptist Church-Seattle; First Baptist Church-Houston; Woodman Valley Chapel, Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Rolling Hills Covenant Church, Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.

With its compact, portable design, the HVS-300HS has also been a popular choice for broadcasters and production companies that have not fully upgraded to HD. Rogers Cable in Toronto, for example, bought three units for use in municipal government chambers and also uses it as a base unit with its flight pack system. CTV Network (Canada’s largest private broadcaster) purchased one for a small studio they will use in Winter Olympic coverage from Vancouver. Other companies using the switcher for remote production include: RPR Sports in Santa Monica, Calif.; Remote Transmission Management in Los Angeles; TV Pro Gear in Glendale, Calif.; Elie Lee Productions in Corona, Calif.; and Remote Digital Media in Montclair, N.J.

Some customers are keeping the HVS-300 in the studio for production, including MVT Productions in Santa Ana, Calif.; Lamour Nails in Garden Grove, Calif.; and WGN-TV Chicago. Because of its versatility, systems integrators such as Ford Audio-Video in Oklahoma, Calif., bought an HVS-300HS for an installation, while AMT Systems in Clarita, Calif., purchased a unit to assist with audio system integration. IGN Entertainment in Brisbane, Calif., is a videogame and entertainment resource that uses the switcher for its online promotional videos made from interviews at trade shows. In New York City, Barclays Bank and The Bank of New York are also using the switcher for promotional and internal media productions.

About FOR-A

FOR-A Corporation of America is a major manufacturer and distributor of video and audio systems to the broadcast, postproduction, and professional video markets. For more information about FOR-A’s product line, call (714) 894-3311 or visit our web site at www.for-a.com.