Five former BBC engineers have launched a new company after buying kit from the soon-to-be-defunct BBC Special Projects unit.

The custom-built technology was bought from from the previous owner BBC Studios and Post Production (previously BBC Resources) and will form the basis of a new broadcast systems company called Round One.

The new entity will continue where Special Projects left off, engineering gameshow systems, interactive graphics, voting systems, scoreboards and video-writers for TV shows and corporate events.

Based within TV Centre, Round One will initially aim to work with in-house BBC productions and indies, using its electronic, software and graphic design facilities to provide a bespoke technology service from the programme idea stage.

Director Karl Schneidau said: “We are unique in knowing television as well as we know computer systems, enabling us to advise production teams of what’s most appropriate to their requirements.

Round One has already been working on panel shows 8 out of 10 Cats for Zeppotron and Mock the Week for  Angst, among others.

BBC Resources announced the closure of BBC Special Projects in December (Broadcast 02.12.08).

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