Toronto, ON - Feb 19, 2008 - Lawo has released a version 2.8 upgrade for the company's Zirkon on-air radio console. The upgrade features a number of enhancements to the system control and configuration software as well as the company's Vistool touch screen surface visualization software. The most notable update is the new DSP card mode for the Zirkon. With The new Sig 80 DSP mode, the system supports an additional 40 DSP channels (mono/stereo) with EQ, dynamics and limiting provided by the use of a second masterboard.

Lawo's new v2.8 firmware also includes a change in the transmission method used for Vistool metering data. Performance and communication has been improved by changing to UDP as compared to earlier versions that use TCP. UDP avoids the system overhead of checking every last data packet, so metering response is faster and provides greater compatibility in networked environments.

With the change to UDP data transmission for metering information, the new software also provides a new Logic Element UDP Matrix, which can be used, for example, to simultaneously route RBDS information and/or audio with equipment from a variety of manufacturers using UECP (Universal Encoder Communication Protocol).

Zirkon users can obtain the new v2.8 software by contacting Lawo North America's technical support services at 888-810-4468. Users outside North America should contact their local Lawo representative.