Leitch Technology has provided a turnkey system for deployment in NBC stations across the country in support of NBC Universal's recently launched NBC Weather Plus, a 24-hour, all-digital broadcast network that provides weather and related local community information. Rolling out to NBC affiliates for broadcast as a stream on their DTV channels, NBC Weather Plus debuted November 15 with WNBC-TV New York.
The customized NBC Weather Plus system incorporates Leitch's DTP, which provides MPEG-2 transport stream switching, branding effects, and rate control for up to one HD and four SD programs, or up to six SD programs. The baseband signal processing of the NBC Weather Plus systems includes Leitch's NEO and 6800+ aspect ratio converters, frame synchronizers, downstream keyers, distribution amplifiers and digital audio multiplexers, as well as Videotek and Leitch Panacea routing switchers.
Audio and video signals are received from both local and network sources by the Leitch system, which appropriately switches, aspect ratio converts and keys the signals before sending them to the NBC Weather Plus workstation. The workstation output is then encoded, sent through the DTP, decoded for monitoring and converted to SMPTE 310 for air. NBC Weather Plus combines national and local weather coverage with in-depth, live reports throughout the day from local meteorologists. When viewers tune into NBC Weather Plus, an L Bar on the perimeter of the screen provides current temperatures as well as five-day and hour-by-hour forecasts in real time, 24 hours a day.
For more information, visit www.leitch.com.
