Wexler & Canon’s Canobeam
Producers of the CBS reality series The Cut turned to broadcast solutions provider Wexler when they faced a transmission challenge during production. The show needed to transmit a video feed from a contestant’s house to the production office, which was over a block away in midtown Manhattan.
Wexler’s Technical Engineering and Design department chose Canon’s Canobeam to overcome the challenge. Because Canobeam uses a beam of light to transmit video it doesn’t require radio frequency allocation or licensing, which can be difficult in RF-heavy urban environments such as New York City. Wexler used a pair of Canobeam DT-50/SDI units in a solution that integrated a multi-screen display with multi-channel digital audio. The final product allowed for transmission of both multiple camera and synchronized AES audio feeds into a single SDI stream.
Wexler and The Cut found the Canobeams to be an effective solution for working in an urban environment as the data transmitted is secure and can’t be intercepted, and Canobeam’s Auto-Tracking function compensates for vibrations in the installation base due to traffic, wind and other factors.
Florida A&M & Crispin Automation
Florida A&M has selected Crispin to tightly integrate their ENPS newsroom system with Crispin automation for the creation of their on-air playback channel. The solution includes two Crispin-supplied workstations, each focused on a specific workflow task.
Florida A&M University is using Crispin’s News Rundown Manager (NRM), a MOS news system interface, to receive rundown information and dynamic updates from ENPS. The tightly integrated system provides a dynamic link between the newsroom computer and RapidPlayX, Crispin’s highly configurable on-air playback application, allowing program channel presentation to be managed from the newsroom system.
Crispin’s solution is fully-configured to match Florida A&M’s control room and news department requirements. RapidPlayX provides playlist monitoring and control for their on-air channel, allowing Florida A&M University to create and load playlists, edit events, issue playlist commands and monitor event status.
TurboBrowser, a companion application to RapidPlayX, allows Florida A&M University operators to quickly search and find any video clip in their system. Once located, operators can simply drag and drop clips into the playlist for immediate play.
Crispin’s four-port DeviceServer controls three 360 Systems Image Server video servers. In addition to device control, Florida A&M University can share use of the system between two production control rooms and master control.
Crawford Communications & Ensemble’s Avenue Converters
Crawford Communications purchased Ensemble’s Avenue signal integration equipment for it’s post production facility. The equipment purchased includes the 5200, 5300 and 5250 converters as well as the audio mixer and embedder/deembedder modules.
Avenue is a modular system with 3RU and 1RU frames, both of which handle HD, SD and audio signals. Modules include conversion, distribution, frame synchronization, proc amps, routers, logo inserters, digital noise reducers, sync pulse generators, test signal generators, and embedders. All of these can be controlled and monitored through Ethernet/SNMP.
Outdoor Channel & Harris Corporation’s HD Automation
The Outdoor Channel (TOC) is using Harris automation solutions for its new high-definition network, Outdoor Channel 2 HDSM, which launched on July 1, 2005.
TOC is using the ADC-100 automation system for the management and playout of content as well as control of the integration of promotional announcements, interstitials, and logos. Within the system configuration is the Harris Air Client, which provides broadcast operators with a dedicated interface to the device server, thus allowing flexibility in on-air control. Through this interface, the operator can receive real-time updates and streamline basic functions.
In addition, the system for TOC includes Harris Media Client, which oversees the cataloging, dubbing and timing of material for playout.
In October 2005, TOC plans to integrate its East and West Coast feeds of the channel into the Harris automation system as well. This action will come in conjunction with the channel’s move to its new broadcast facility, which is currently under construction.
Associated Press & Leitch’s NEXIO NewsNet
The Associated Press has selected Leitch’s NEXIO NewsNet server system. Comprising 500 hours of storage and two NEXIO NewsFlash non-linear editing systems, the NewsNet system will be used by AP to create news stories for distribution over the wire to print, radio and television networks and forms a critical ingest component of the AP network.
The NEXIO is a modular, scalable server system for transmission and news environments, which offers integrated application platforms for editing, browsing and media management across a multi-tiered storage hierarchy.
WTTW & Sony’s LUMA And BVM monitors
WTTW-TV (Channel 11) in Chicago has purchased Sony professional LCD and CRT monitors for its new digital multi-format control room, installing several LUMA LCD and BVM-A CRT monitors to enhance overall image quality and to upgrade the station’s monitoring capabilities. Sony LUMA wide-screen monitors will co-exist with two Sony 24-inch CRT monitors.
Belo & Telestream’s FlipFactory TrafficManager
Belo Corporation’s Television Group has selected FlipFactory TrafficManager to replace manual tape-based processes with more efficient, automated digital workflows. Telestream’s FlipFactory TrafficManager is now deployed to 12 of Belo’s 19 television stations. Roll out to the remaining stations is expected to be completed by the end of 2006.
The Telestream system was initially purchased to automate the ingest of commercial content being received from digital catch servers provided by DG Systems, Vyvx, FastChannel Network, and Media DVX. Belo quickly discovered that the Telestream system could provide the same tapeless benefits for promo and tag work being produced in-house on Avid or other edit systems. At most Belo stations, TrafficManager is also used to streamline transfer of Pathfire-delivered syndication content.
Crown Castle & Thales’ DVB-H Transmitter Systems
Crown Castle Mobile Media has placed orders with Thales for multiple Affinity DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld) transmitter systems. Crown Castle will use these transmitter systems in their initial deployments. The Affinity platform supports multiple markets and frequency ranges including UHF, L-Band and S-Band.
Global TV Halifax & Wheatstone’s D-9 Digital Surround Control Surface
Canada’s Global TV Halifax purchases Wheatstone D-9 Digital Surround Control Surface with a Bridge Main Frame and Bridge SAT frame. The D-9 will be used in their main audio control room and will replace an existing analog console. Delivery is slated for August 2005.
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