New studio technology - HD
Rainbow’s HD origination facilities
In 2001 Rainbow Network Communications (RNC) moved into new television facilities located in Bethpage, NY. Systems designer and integrator Communications Engineering, Inc. (CEI) of Newington, VA, provided engineering and implementation services for the original Bethpage facility, and was assigned the task of engineering and implementing the new operations and origination facilities into the existing 42,000 sq ft of technical space. Having already built an HD backbone in the first facility phase, CEI was challenged with building the new infrastructure, which included a cluster of HD-specific functions as well as extensive HD and SD expansion of the existing Rainbow core facilities; all without interrupting any daily or ongoing operations.
The first challenge required seamless integration with existing operations The new facilities included a complement of HD live master control rooms, HD multichannel playout control rooms, HD quality control/ingest suites and HD linear and nonlinear editing suites. The second issue was creating new technology to meet the desired needs and requirements. It was decided that Evertz Microsystems had technology well-positioned to meet the challenge and would accommodate Rainbow’s requirements.
New solutions for signal processing, encoding/decoding and timing resolved challenges related to the format-quagmire, real-time signal monitoring, and getting more efficient use out of each QC station.
Evertz developed modular closed captioning processes, frame synchronizers, audio channel shufflers and format converters.
The Evertz multi-image video processor (MVP) became the monitoring backbone of the operations in the facility. The MVP system is flexible and provides signal quality monitoring and alarms. It integrates with the VistaLINK, all of which is part of the key strategy to use monitoring and configuration software for real-time access to hundreds of network nodes throughout the facility.
All critical processes in the signal path are controlled by VistaLINK, which is an SNMP-enabled monitoring and control system. Furthermore, the Evertz MVPs monitor all analog and digital HD and SD signals entering or leaving the facility via fiber and satellite, displaying video signals across 40 plus Clarity Bobcat LCDs.
The SNMP connectivity allows facility engineers to provide corrective maintenance by pinpointing a possible signal or component failure quickly and efficiently.
Design TeamTechnology at Work CEI: Accom John Wesley Nash Dveous MX DVEs Jim Conley Axial editors Evertz Avid HD Nitris edit suites Romolo Magarelli Chyron Hyper HD CGs Rainbow: Clarity Bobcat 40in LCD screens Mike Mallozzi Dolby 5.1 and Dolby E audio processing Butch Hinson, sales eng. Evertz: Glenn Thomason, dir. of eng. Video and audio frame sync. Troy Pazos, installation mgr. VistaLINK monitoring and control Bill Blush, VP sales MVP multi-viewers Downstream logo insertion Globecom: GSI transmission shelter 9-meter satellite antenna Grass Valley: Trinix SD/HD hybrid router Profile PVS2000 HD servers MC2100 HD switcher Kalypso production switcher Harmonic transmission and compression equipment Harris multichannel automation control Motorolla transmission and compression systems Panasonic HD VTRs Quintech L-Band distribution system Tektronix WFM700 T&M Videotek VTM400 monitoring Yamaha DMX1000 mixing boards Zaxcom Aria mixing boards
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