User:Natzadova/CGV - Compagnie Generale de Videotechnique

History
CGV - the Compagnie Generale de Videotechnique is a french industrial company making video appliances which was founded in 1978 in Strasbourg, Alsace, France by Jacques Bisch. Ownership passed to the Alsatian industrial group "Info Reality" for 3 years from 1998, before the present CEO Tony Fasciglione bought up the company with the help of several banks. In 2005 smaller new premises were built several miles south of Strasbourg in Ostwald to better suit its needs, as production had been transferred to China (Shenzhen) several years before. A new complementary section of consultants specialised in professional Video surveillance (CCTV) and Public address systems (CGV Systeme) joined the company in 2003. At present the development of new products is a joint venture with various small firms in Shenzhen.

Products
The first products invented were video adapters/RF modulators to let people connect their Game Consoles to the aerial input of their TV set. This was before the advent of SCART sockets on TVs. Then came adapters (the REP range) for the Canal+ Decoder which arrived in 1983. Then there were colour transcoders PAL-SECAM and SECAM-PAL, a balanced line video transmission system for the home (the Visiline), and then the wireless video transmitters (Freeline). There were all sorts of RF video modulators (Moduline) too. For the last five years the main product has been the Premio range of Set-top box or Digital TV adapters, since France is changing slowly to Digital TV.

Increased Web presence
The first web site of CGV with its Online shop was launched ten years ago in 1999. A new more pro-active version was launched in June 2009, which is bi-lingual French and English. In June 2008 the CGV Forum was launched for users to provide feedback on products. Press articles on the latest CGV products in French can be found in this forum under the heading Actualites.

Acronym for CGV in French
A Google search for CGV with pages in French often comes up with Conditions Generales de Vente (General Sales Conditions) which hinders a search for the company CGV of this article. However associating CGV with "TNT" (Television Numerique Terrestre i.e. DVB-T) or one of its product lines such as "Premio" brings up several useful links.