Meet Our Broadcast Project Team
Cape Town
Maruis van Straaten
Director
Roedolph Louw
Senior Broadcast Engineer
Tom van Greuning
Senior Broadcast Engineer
Zelda Wilson
Broadcast Solutions Manager
Visual Impact South Africa: Engineering Excellence in Entertainment
Visual Impact South Africa is the pioneer and leader in broadcast repairs, boasting the oldest engineering workshop in South Africa. Our team of skilled engineers, featuring Gordon de Beer, Jose Da Silva, Tom van Greuning, and Roedolph Louw, collectively boasts over 60 years of unparalleled experience in Johannesburg and Cape Town. When it comes to engineering support, there's simply no substitute for our expertise.
Your Trusted Partners in Broadcasting
At our workshop, we offer a comprehensive array of services, including:
- Broadcast Repairs: Ensuring your equipment, including Sony and ARRI brands, is always at its best.
- Camera Firmware Upgrades: Stay ahead with the latest technology.
- Specialized Cable Making: Tailored solutions for your unique requirements.
- Warranty Repairs: Quick and hassle-free solutions for Arri, Sony, Black Magic, Canon, Red, and more.
- Product Training: Unlock the full potential of your equipment.
Visual Impact's rapidly expanding sales division provides our workshop with exclusive access to top broadcast products from Arri, Sony, Black Magic, Canon, Red, and other leading brands. This ensures prompt repair services or access to necessary resources for any task.
Beyond the Workshop
Our engineering team excels in high-pressure environments, ensuring seamless productions with their problem-solving abilities and Visual Impact's extensive resources. We've achieved remarkable milestones, such as engineering the first-ever HD feature shot in South Africa and recovering from a catastrophic lightning strike during the IAC show, all while providing repair services to globally renowned productions.
Global Collaborations
Visual Impact South Africa collaborates closely with Netflix and some of the biggest international producers in feature films and reality TV. Our track record includes hit shows like Netflix's "The Ultimatum," "Fear Factor," "Survivor," "Master Chef," "Big Brother," "Project Runway," and many more.
Explore Our Work
Discover the visual excellence we bring to the entertainment industry through our extensive portfolio:
- Reality TV: Witness our contributions to your favorite shows.
Visual Impact South Africa: Where innovation meets entertainment engineering excellence. There is no substitute for experience.
Please call us on Johannesburg +27 (0)11 788 9879, or Email Us!
Engineering Services
Visual Impact Engineering
Gordon de Beer and Jose Da Silva takes us through the Visual Impact engineering office.
DIGITAL SERVICES
Visual Impact Digital Services
Visual Impact services include broadcast rentals | 3D Stereoscopic services | Digital Imaging | Digital finishing solutions | Broadcast services | Sales VI is also proud to announce our new devision Digilabs incorporating the services of HD HUB. Digilabs caters to deliver to the full spectrum from features to inserts.
Lens Fungus – What It Is and How to Prevent It (Especially in Coastal Areas Like Cape Town)
Fungus can spread across internal elements, degrade image quality, and in advanced cases, render a lens irreparable. This is especially common in coastal environments where humidity levels are naturally higher.
Store in a cool, dry environment
Avoid humid areas like garages, basements, or beach houses without proper climate control. Ideally, use a ventilated or climate-stable space.
Use a dry cabinet or airtight container
Clear dry cabinets are ideal as they allow some light in while maintaining low humidity. Light exposure helps inhibit fungal growth.
Silica gel is essential
Place silica gel packets in your gear bags or storage containers. They actively absorb moisture and help regulate humidity levels around your equipment.
Let in light occasionally
While it’s not necessary to leave your gear in direct sunlight, storing it in a lightly lit space (not total darkness) can deter fungus. If stored long-term, consider airing out and checking your equipment regularly.
Preventative care is far easier—and cheaper—than cleaning or replacing a lens. If you’re unsure whether your lens might already be affected, our engineering team can inspect and advise. Better safe than sporey.
Protect Your Camera from Power Damage – Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
No SDI or HDMI output
Camera won’t power up or shows flashing status LEDs
GPS functionality fails
Error code E91-1D0 (indicates internal circuit damage)
MI Shoe board – often damaged when accessories are connected to a loose or unstable handle
GPS board – sensitive to grounding and power inconsistencies
SDI/HDMI boards – these control your video output and are highly vulnerable to electrical mismatch
Secure the Handle Properly
Always tighten the top handle using a hex wrench. A loose connection increases the risk of electrical shorts through accessories.
Balance Your Power Sources
When using external batteries, adapters, or monitors, ensure that the voltage difference between components is less than 0.5V while powered on. Mismatched power can cause internal shorts.
Always Connect with Power Off
Power down all devices (camera, monitor, accessories) before making connections. Once everything is securely connected, power up in sequence.
Electrical faults are often preventable with good handling practices and proper setup. If you're unsure about your gear configuration or experience any of the symptoms above, consult with our engineering team before further use.
