Tektronix, which claims to be the leading worldwide supplier of video test, measurement and monitoring solutions, has announced a deal with Ushodaya TV. Ushodaya TV popularly known as ETV will use its solutions to evaluate their digital uplinks. ETV claims to be a leading South Indian cable television network operator.
An official release informs that ETV has selected Tektronix WFM601E waveform monitors to evaluate the quality of their video signal at their earth station. ETV will also use TG700 signal generators to verify the quality of their transmission path before satellite distribution.

Speaking on this Director, Sales & Marketing, Tektronix India V. Srinivasan said, "Testing of digital video paths to ensure quality has always been an important factor to the video industry. The Tektronix WFM601 waveform monitors will enable Ushodaya to accurately and reliably monitor signals and ensure quality of service in its broadcasts.

The TG700 signal generators will be used to transmit various video test signals from ETV‘s studio and earth station via optical cable prior to program distribution.‘‘

The Tektronix WFM601 family of serial component monitors claims to provide a complete solution for complex application requirements in the growing serial component digital video monitoring and measuring market according to the release. The WFM601E is specifically designed for digital installation, maintenance, and transmission applications by providing a comprehensive evaluation of the transport layer carrying the digital signal. The WFM601E‘s suite of format checks provides confidence that checked parameters meet industry requirements.

The WFM601E provides useful technology innovations, such as cable length or loss readouts and eye pattern display, which allows observation of signal path amplitude, response and timing distortions the release states.

Tektronix TG700 assesses the state of the infrastructure. The TG700 is a multi-format, precision signal generator platform, designed with the changing needs of the video industry in mind, especially broadcasters and content creators. It offers sync pulse generation and test signal generation for a wide array of analogue, serial digital and digital high-definition formats. Its modular architecture offers the flexibility to meet the single format, as well as the growing multi-format needs of the video professional.

Tektronix India is headquartered in Bangalore. It claims to be responsible for the distribution of Tektronix products in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka through its various sales offices and distribution network. Tektronix India is a subsidiary of Tektronix, Inc. USA.

Tektronix claims that it enables its customers to design, build, deploy, and manage next-generation global communications networks and advanced technologies.

Come Monday and Star Plus will tickle the funny bone with Krishna Sharma - C.A. Yesterday producers Cinevistaas Ltd. and Contiloe Films Pvt. Ltd. announced the launch of the weekly comedy series. The show airs from 8-8:30pm.With game show Kamzor Kadii Kaun and the Balaji Soaps Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki showing a gradual drop in ratings. Star Plus needed to do something different to maintain its leadership status by ensuring viewer loyalty.

Also Star Plus lags behind in the comedy genre where rivals like Sabe TV and Sony Entertainment Television have scored points with shows like Office Office and Hubahu.

Krishna Sharma C.A. represents the second venture between between Cinevistaas Ltd. and Contiloe Films Pvt. Ltd.The first venture Shhh... Koi Hai is a suspense drama that airs in the night on the channel.

On Star Plus Cinevistaas also has the religious show Dharam Aur Hum. The show hosted by Anup Jalota airs every Sunday morning. Cinevistaas also has the mythological Draupadi running on Sahara TV.

The director of Krishna Sharma C.A. Vijay Krishna Acharya said that the aim was to strike a delicate balance between serious and comic elements without sounding preachy. The show has a slapstick element to it. The show is also aiming to hit a nerve by dealing with basic issues that affect everyday lives like eve teasing, dowry, the controversial issue of child marriage. The focus is on the clever manner in which the lead protagonist gets out of tricky situations. Each episode deals with the intensity of a different issue.

He also said that though Krishna Sharma is a cartoon artist the word C.A. could lead to people thinking of a chartered accountant. Through the title the director said that he wanted to put across the point that the nature of people can be both dual and deceptive.

Regarding his background he mentioned that he aided Kundan Shah for three years on Kabhie Na Kabhie.

He also mentioned that he had earlier worked on a pilot for Cinevistaas. He also pointed out the difference between working for national broadcaster Doordarshan and private channels. With DD one has to take care of advertising in addition to conceptualising the story. However one has the rights to the show.

With a private channel things work in a reverse fashion. Finding advertisers is the channels headache but the rights remain with them. It is somewhat similar to writing an article for a newspaper he said.

The channel also pitches the idea to the show producers and the show is monitored by an executive producer for the channel. Abrupt changes in future episodes are not uncommon if ratings are not upto scratch.

About the choice of Shradhha Nigam for the title role he said that he found that she was able to tackle subtlety and difficulties of different situations in a natural fashion. He also found her quick on the uptake.

Anjan Srivastava plays Krishna Sharma‘s father. He said, " This concept is about true spirit and what television is all about i.e. a programme about ethical values with a message for the common man‘. Other cast members include Ravi Baswani, Neelu Kohli, Sandeep Mehta.

Sony has set its sights on leading prime time ratings every Friday with innovative fare. To this effect it has announced the launch of two shows aimed at having a dramatic effect on the audience.
The first one is a weekly supernatural show with a difference. Achanak the brainchild of writer Shridhar Raghavan will air every Friday at 10:30 pm starting from 22 March. It has the tagline 37 saal baad.

Speaking on this Director On Air Programming SET Anupama Mandloi said, " The name grabs your imagination. This is a psychological thriller. It is like reading a novel on television. The show is built on a solid foundation a great script. It is representative of the faith the channel and the producers have in taking this genre a step further. Most importantly it is created by a team which understands this genre and where its appeal lies for the viewer".

The producers of the show are Pradeep Uppoor and Neo Films. They together with Sridhar have worked on Aahat and CID for the channel. Like Achanak both of them had a lot of suspense. A serial from Pradeep Uppoor and Neo Films Srikant was shown on Doordarshan and Channel 4.

Speaking about the project Shridhar Raghavan said, " Achanak started off a few years ago as a slightly wild outrageous notion, a set of unlinked fragments of ideas. What if you went home and your parents did not know who you were? What if you were happily married and someone from your past told you that it was nothing more than a hallucination?

Achanak is a battle royal between good and evil. But its a long fight, a tough fight mostly a losing fight for good. Good eventually wins over evil but it gets one hell of a bloody nose before it does. Or does it?"

Shridhar also envisioned the setting which is the town of Gahota as a twisted version autHor R.K. Narayan‘s Malgudi. He sees the project as something unlike anything seen on Indian television. It is weird, bizarre and outrageous with a complex undercurrent running through it.

In the deceptively calm town of Gahota over the past couple of months something evil has been occuring. Murders, suicides and acts of madness have been taking place. An alchoholic journalist Dipankar travels to Gahota believing that he has the explanation for why crimes are committed in the town once every thirty seven years for a period of three months. Once the turbulent period has passed people cannot recollect what happened.

The producers built a real town in Panvel not just a TV serial set. a town square, clock tower, residential areas etc were created.

Regarding casting decisions Shridhar said that some important members do not appear until half the episodes are completed. Also some characters have a touch of eccentricity to them like a professor whose stance shifts with each encounter. There is a hint of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde waging a war within the characters. He also revealed that one of the central protagonists will appear only in the final act. Cast members include Raj Zutshi, Faraaz Khan and Shishir Sharma.

He pointed out the differences between Achanak and Aahat. Aahat was episodic involving a single continous story. Aahat dealt with big issues concentrating more on pace as opposed to plot. Achanak on the other hand is about small things. It is about how decption can hide underneath a sea of normality. It also deals with the thin line that separates sanity and insanity, light and dark, good and evil.

The second new weekly show on SET is called Par Is Dil Ko Kaise Samjaye. It premiers on 29 March at 8:30pm. It deals with how the relationship between two sisters gets affected by a series of accidents brought about through sheer fate.

A woman loses her sister and husband. For companionship and to support her sisters offspring she marries her brother in law. However later on it turns out that her sister survived the accident. Now both of them are married ot the same man. The show is directed by Imtiyaz Punjabi and stars Raj S Verma, Shweta Salve and Pooja Ghai.