As part of the ongoing expansion and updating of its infrastructure, UK commercial broadcaster ITV has installed a trial HD playout facility at its Southern Transmission Center. The facility was installed by systems integration specialist Broadcast Networks and was completed in May 2006, in time for ITV’s HD coverage of the FIFA World Cup Football tournament in Germany.
The trial facility is the latest in a series of projects that ITV has placed with Broadcast Networks over the last five years. The contract involved designing, building and commissioning a new HD playout channel to be trialed in the London area. Major new equipment included a Grass Valley K2 HD server system, Evertz Quartz QMC-2 HD presentation channels, Sony HDCAM-SR HD VTRs and the installation of a Harris automation system.
ITV, along with the BBC, Channel 4 and 5, is taking part in a technical trial to test the possibility of delivering HD programming through its customers’ TV antennae.
For more information, visit www.bcnet.co.uk.
