Philadelphia's WFMZ-TV has installed another MC-400 master control switcher from Utah Scientific. The new MC-400 will allow WFMZ to add a new sub-channel.
A long-time Utah Scientific customer, the station currently uses the UTAH-400 (144) digital routing switcher and three other MC-400s, as well as some older Utah Scientific analog units.
"When it came time to do an HD upgrade, we knew we'd need to upgrade our master controllers, and we wanted something that would interface with our automation system and existing equipment, including our Utah Scientific analog router," explained Brian DeWalt, chief engineer at WFMZ, in a statement.
DeWalt also noted that onstalling Utah Scientific master controllers was a cost-effective because they use the same frame and infrastructure as the router, which cut down on "external wiring and DAs that would otherwise be required for stand-alone master control switchers."
The new system "also meant that we could keep using our analog router during our migration from an analog plant to an embedded HD-SDI plant," he added.
Adding the fourth Utah Scientific master control switcher will allow WFMZ to offer a fourth sub-channel and will ensure that is able to comply with Federal Communications Commission standards for the Emergency Alert System.
-- George Winslow, Broadcasting & Cable
