Saturday, August 14, 2004
TIMARU HERALD
Olympic coup for local company
Timaru will be well represented at the Athens Olympics after a local telecommunications firm scored a coup.
Handsfree Kits NZ is providing the national broadcaster Radio Sport with six cellular media reporting units, which were developed in Timaru, to be used at the biggest occasion in sport.
In the past, New Zealand commentators and sportspeople have had to pass the mobile phone between them during live on air crossovers to the network stations. That was changed with the new innovation.
Company director Kevin Earl, a keen motorsport fan, said during the 2004 national motor racing series in Timaru, commentator Brian Kelly experienced a frustrating time using his existing provider lost back to the studio.
Overnight Mr Earl built up an improvised unit using a GSM mobile phone and after operating faultlessly all day, a request was made to use the unit for the rest of the summer series.
Handsfree Kits NZ discovered there was not a purpose built media radio interview unit available in Australasia .
Mr Earl said a THB-Bury System 8 car kit was modified and using a GSM mobile phone the unit was fitted with a headset and a broadcasting microphone.
The first purpose-designed unit was used by an award winning motorsport journalist to cover the International Rally of New Zealand.
r Kelly received very positive feedback with the on-air broadcasting service being lifted to a new level and Radio Sport management were both satisfied and complimentary.
The kit made such a positive impression, international cricket commentator Bryan Waddle requested the new media reporting unit to take with him on the Black Caps recent tour of England .
Since then Radio Sport have become big fans of the system and Handsfree Kits NZ are hoping others will follow suit.
Mr Earl said the big advantage of the kit was once it was installed it was a one-time investment.
“The revolutionary design means the mobile cradle can be replaced without having to replace the electronic base unit.”
Normally a phone specific car kit becomes obsolete with a phone mobile goes out of date, meaning a business has a capital write-off plus the de-installation costs as well as installation costs. Mr Earl said a number of local bodies, government departments and transport operators had already shown strong interest in the German made car kits.
Anyone interested in handsfree kits can look on the Timaru's company website at www.hfkitsnz.com
|
