SALT LAKE CITY - March 18, 2008 - Hearst-Argyle-owned WXII 12 in Winston-Salem, N.C., has deployed Utah Scientific‘s UTAH-400 routing switcher and the company‘s SC-4 Control System, along with associated control panels and soft panels, to enable the move from analog to digital operation and to take a step toward an eventual upgrade to HD. In addition, WXII 12 has deployed Utah Scientific‘s HD-2020 master control switcher.
“I look at the station router as the power train in a race car,” said John Norvell, director of engineering, WXII 12. “It may not cause anybody to ‘ooh‘ or ‘ah‘, but it‘s crucial if you plan on finishing the race. Having been a Utah Scientific customer for many years, we at WXII 12 know their gear just runs and runs. We‘ve got total confidence in the router - and that gives us confidence about staying in the race.”
An NBC affiliate and one of the oldest television stations in North Carolina, WXII 12 selected the UTAH-400 router, a 288 frame (loaded 144 x 196 HD), to replace a Utah Scientific analog router that was still going strong after years of 24/7 operation. The new digital router is a key component of the station‘s more streamlined workflow, whereby SDI video signals with embedded audio from satellite feeds are routed to an Avid® ISIS™ media server for ingest. The router connections afford edit bays using the Avid NewsCutter® NLE easy access to all sources directly. WXII 12 editors and producers also appreciate the Utah soft panels because they provide flexible, GUI-based router control directly from the workstation.
“We‘ve enjoyed a solid relationship with Hearst-Argyle over the years; in fact, I actually sold John some of WXII 12‘s original routing equipment many years ago when I was a regional sales rep,” said Tom Harmon, president and CEO of Utah Scientific. “Our long-lasting support is why many stations in the group are turning to us as they move from analog to digital. They know they can rely on Utah Scientific.”
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About Hearst-Argyle Television Inc.
Hearst-Argyle Television Inc. owns 26 television stations and manages an additional three television and two radio stations in geographically diverse U.S. markets. The company‘s television stations reach about 18 percent of television households in the United States, making Hearst one of the largest U.S. television station groups. The company owns 12 ABC affiliates; 10 NBC affiliates, including WXII 12; and two CBS affiliates.
About Utah Scientific, Inc.
Utah Scientific, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of analog, digital, and HDTV routing switchers, master control switchers, and related products including a full range of software for controlling and managing switching systems. The company has been serving the broadcast industry for 30 years with industry-leading products and best-in-class service and support as recognized by Frost & Sullivan with its 2005 Customer Service Leadership Award and demonstrated by the industry‘s first 10-year warranty. Additional information about the company can be found at www.utahscientific.com.
