Reno, NV, September 4, 2008 – KRNV-TV News 4 will be giving viewers the best seat in the house as the 2008 Great Reno Balloon Race takes flight on September 5 through September 7. The station will broadcast the “Hare & Hound: Hunting Balloon-Style” event in HD using four of RF Central’s RFX-CMT-II camera-mounted transmitters and four of its RFX-RMR-II rack mount receivers as more than 100 vibrant hot air balloons take to the Nevada skies. Each set of four will be deployed along with KRNV-TV’s HD field cameras for wirelessly transmitting video and audio back to its central receive point, located at its satellite production van.
David Feher, director of engineering for Sunbelt Communications, parent company of KRNV-TV News 4, explains, “When broadcasting in HD, it is important that we are able to transmit and convey an intact HD signal from remote cameras in order to maintain picture quality.” He adds, “Through RF Central’s CMT-IIs and RMR-IIs, we are able to capture pristine images that really bring the experience home to the viewers.”
The Great Reno Balloon Race is the largest free hot air ballooning event in the nation. During three days in early September, you can look up into the Reno skies and see a rainbow of hot air balloons soaring overhead. From its humble beginnings in 1982 with just 20 balloons, The Great Reno Balloon Race has taken off with more than 100 balloons each year. Taking place just a few miles north of downtown Reno, the event enchants both young and old with its vibrant colors and inspiring music.
About RF Central
RF Central, LLC manufactures and supplies state-of-the-art microwave equipment to television broadcast and government customers throughout the United States. As one of the premier suppliers of broadcast equipment required to complete the 2GHz BAS transition, RF Central has grown from a few employees in 2005 to over 60 full-time dedicated professionals today. Located in Carlisle, PA, RF Central also provides specialized integration, installation, and engineering services. RF Central is marked by its unique qualifications within the industry, its focus on customer service and its dedication to expanding and improving the terrestrial microwave options available to customers. RF Central, along with Nucomm, Inc. and Microwave Service Company, form The Vitec Group RF Systems business unit, a component of The Vitec Group Broadcast Systems Division. For more information, visit www.rfcentral.com.
About The Vitec Group plc
The Vitec Group plc is acknowledged as a global leader in the supply of equipment and services to the broadcasting, entertainment and photographic industries and has established a reputation for technical excellence and superior engineering along with an astute business strategy which has seen it grow by acquisition. Innovation is a cornerstone of the Group’s activities and the organization is committed to a policy of continuous product development. With revenues (2007) of $546m (£274m) and over 2200 employees world-wide, its products are distributed in almost 100 countries, through a strong, fully-resourced distribution network or direct to the end user or corporate customer. More information can be found at www.vitecgroup.com.
