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News
Last-minute legislative push would force broadcasters to give up spectrum early
Dec 16, 2005 10:52 AM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
A legislative proposal that would force some television broadcasters to give up their analog spectrum early for emergency use has gotten a last minute year-end push in Congress.
Reps. Jane Harman (D-CA), and Curt Weldon (R-PA) urged House Speaker Dennis Hastert, (R-IL), to schedule a floor vote on the Homeland Emergency Response Operations (HERO) Act, introduced by Harman April 14, 2005, the National Journal reported.
The legislation, with 38 co-sponsors, would require broadcasters operating on channels 63, 64, 68 and 69, to vacate the frequencies by Jan. 1, 2007. The proposal, contained in a letter to Hastert, is meeting with resistance from The Walt Disney Co., Viacom/CBS, Univision, Paxson Communications and other broadcasters whose stations would be knocked off the air.
The legislators were pressuring Hastert to get the bill on the suspension calendar — which requires a two-thirds majority for passage — before Congress leaves for the year.
Harman told the National Journal that she supports amending the pending budget reconciliation package with her language. Reconciliation bill conferees will seek to reconcile the House’s proposal of a Dec. 31, 2008, hard date for transitioning broadcasters from analog to digital with the Senate-recommended April 1, 2009, date.
Harman, ranking member on the House Select Committee on Intelligence, blamed the emergency communications situation on broadcasters who refuse to move and said they would rue the day if another major tragedy occurs and emergency personnel cannot communicate effectively.
With two major acquisitions, Thomson eyes NLE, IPTV and mobile markets
Dec 16, 2005 11:04 AM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
About two years ago, Thomson looked at the emerging landscape for broadcast, video production and content distribution, and decided to make its move. Last week, the company announced that it had acquired the Thales Broadcast & Multimedia (TBM) business unit. The week before it acquired PC-based HD editing company Canopus. Both will complement Thomson’s Grass Valley Broadcast & Networks business in a number of key markets, such as broadcast, professional video production and government.
The two deals, valued at $156 million and $109 million, respectively, culminate a two-year strategy to extend the reach of Thomson’s Grass Valley business and make it more competitive in an era of manufacturer consolidation.
This two-year plan is not just about external growth, but internal growth as well, said Jeff Rosica, vice president of strategic marketing and technology at Grass Valley.
Many see Thomson’s new activity as a reaction to the on-going industry merger, such as Avid Technology buying Pinnacle Systems, and Harris Broadcast acquiring Leitch Technology. But Rosica said the acquisitions of Canopus and TBM are “more about opportunity than trying to defend ourselves.”
Joe Turbolski, director of marketing and sales operations for the TBM line of transmission products, was very positive about the merger and how it would help his business.
In buying TBM, Thomson gets a full line of products and platforms for IPTV services, video-on-demand, mobile TV and digital TV, and radio broadcasting systems and equipment. Although terrestrial transmission in the U.S. is not a growth business, broadcasters around the world are continuing to purchase DVB systems in large numbers. It’s estimated that TBM holds the No. 2 market share position worldwide for over-the-air transmitters.
The delivery of content over an IP infrastructure and sending video to mobile devices are two important markets for Thomson going forward. Yet, is there a danger of Thomson getting too big, as several companies did (e.g., Dynatech and Tektronix) in the mid-90s? Rosica said the Thomson business is run efficiently and includes fail-safe provisions that keep executives not only focused on growing the business but also on making the existing businesses profitable.
Thomson has also entered into a strategic partnership with Thales, the parent company of TBM, that will make Thomson a preferred customer of Thales’ video content management and distribution solutions for in-flight entertainment, security, and defense applications.
Cable agrees to family tier, but questions remain
Dec 16, 2005 11:29 AM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
The nation’s major cable companies now say they will introduce packages of family friendly television programs as early as the first quarter of next year. The action came only days after FCC Chairman Kevin Martin threatened to seek legal authority over pay television program content.
Kyle McSlarrow, the head of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, which represents cable companies and programmers, told Congress last week that at least six cable companies, including Comcast and Time Warner Cable, were developing packages of channels aimed at families wanting to shield children from provocative topics.
The cable industry initiative is the latest effort to head off pending legislation that might obligate them to block certain programming or sell channels to consumers on an à la carte basis, the New York Times reported.
FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, at a confirmation hearing on his re-nomination, said it’s too early to say legislation is no longer needed.
By week’s end, Time Warner announced specifics of its family package, which includes 15 channels of cartoons as well as news and educational shows.
Time Warner’s family tier includes Boomerang, C-SPAN 2, C-SPAN 3, CNN Headline News, The Science Channel, Discovery Kids, Disney Channel, DIY Network, FIT-TV, Food Network, HGTV, La Familia, Nick Games & Sports, The Weather Channel and Toon Disney.
The service will cost about $33 a month plus taxes, $12.99 for the family tier, plus $12 for basic cable service. A set-top box is needed to receive digital channels and will cost an additional $8 a month.
iPod gives viewers taste of à la carte future
Dec 16, 2005 12:06 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Complete episodes of HBO's show the "Sopranos" for viewing on your iPod? It may come sooner than the television industry thinks.
The Appleinsider Web site reported last week that Chris Albrecht, the chief executive of HBO, wants to make a deal with Apple Computer to deliver its premium programming to the video iPod.
Albrecht’s comments came as HBO and Cingular Wireless announced a multiyear exclusive deal, where HBO will beam clips of HBO programming to Cingular mobile phones.
The shift of television program distribution began in early October when Apple introduced its new video-capable iPod. Apple’s iTunes music and video store now offers customers the option of purchasing digital copies of some television shows for $1.99. Content providers, including ABC and NBC, have already signed on with programming.
For those TV shows not now available at Apple’s online store, fans are learning to do it themselves. Enthusiasts are moving their own favorite TV shows and personal videos to iPods with a $30 Windows Media Center software application called MyTV ToGo. Apple’s own Quicktime Pro software, along with others, allows the same capability on Macintosh computers.
The conversion of video for playback on the iPod is not difficult. The new video iPod can play any video stored in the H.264 or MPEG-4 format if properly sized for the iPod’s screen.
Though Apple said it has sold more than 3 million video programs since launching the service in October, other content producers are racing to distribute their own shows. Several adult entertainment companies are creating video content for the portable player. Bitmax, a Los Angeles company that manages and stores video for businesses, announced last week that its clients would soon be able to distribute their content onto iPods.
Ironically, the iPod phenomenon is coming at a time when the cable industry is fighting à la carte programming. Cable operators argue that the most popular networks subsidize the less popular ones and à la carte pricing would kill less popular channels.
Recently, however, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin tried to tie à la carte pricing with attempts by families to control indecent content. Thus, the industry responded quickly with family-oriented programming packages.
In addition to à la carte driving technology like Apple’s iPod, mobile phone operators are making a major move to become their own television distribution platform. For example, last week Sprint Nextel said it would start streaming full-length movies to its customers’ mobile phones for $6.95 a month.
Cingular Video, a new mobile service with news, sports, weather and entertainment content for 3G phones, will distribute two HBO-branded services, HBO Mobile and HBO Family Mobile. Content will include original material plus clips from HBO shows, comedy specials and boxing, as well as additional content created for cell phones.
Media, tech companies to develop HDTV guidelines
Dec 16, 2005 12:19 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Several media and electronics companies, worried that HDTV systems are too complex for consumers to handle, announced last week that they will develop guidelines to make it easier for people to view HDTV throughout their home-entertainment systems.
The group, called the High-Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance, said the goal is to ease the transfer of HD programs and movies, audio and other content between television sets, computers and other devices, Reuters reported.
The group will support Digital Rights Management and recommend interconnection of devices via a single IEEE 1394 cable. It will also tackle issues of multichannel recording, attempting to make it easier to simultaneously watch, pause and record up to five HD video channels.
The initiative also wants to tame the growing number of remote controls in media installations, seeking a way to use a single remote control to control all devices on a home network.
The group’s founders include Samsung Electronics and General Electric Co.’s NBC Universal television networks. Members include JVC, Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, Sun Microsystems and Charter Communications. The companies said they plan to work with industry organizations such as the CEA, CableLabs and the Motion Picture Association of America on the guidelines.
The first compatible products will go on sale the next year, predicted Heemin Kwon, the group’s president and an executive at Samsung Electronics.
FCC & Industry Updates
Agreement could end impasse over children’s programming
Dec 16, 2005 12:25 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
An agreement between major television networks and children’s advocates could break the impasse over new DTV programming requirements set by the FCC.
The new children’s TV requirements set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2006, have met resistance from broadcasters. Among the new rules, is a requirement that would tightly restrict child program preemptions, a limit that would cause problems for broadcasters wanting to carry live sports during the day hours on weekends.
According to an outline of the agreement, there will be no specific numerical limit on the ability of broadcasters to preempt and reschedule children’s programming in order to bring viewers other programming of particular interest to their community, such as live sports programming from another time zone.
While the children’s advocacy groups had to give up on a 10 percent limit for preemptions, getting the networks to agree to voluntarily adhere to the agreement by March 2006, even if the FCC doesn’t act, and winning other concessions made the deal attractive, Patti Miller, Children Now's vice president, told Reuters.
The FCC still has to postpone implementation of the rules and rewrite them to conform to the agreement. If that happens, the networks will drop their lawsuit seeking to overturn the regulations.
The agreement leaves in place the FCC’s multicasting guideline as originally written. To meet the guideline, broadcasters must air three hours a week of children’s educational programming per channel that they air.
Quantel shifts senior management
Dec 16, 2005 12:29 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Quantel, based in Newbury, U.K., has named Ray Cross as its new Chief Executive Officer, replacing Richard Taylor. Both Taylor and Paul Kellar, the company’s director of R&D, have stepped down voluntarily. Brian Paisley and Martin Mulligan will continue to lead Quantel’s Broadcast and Post/DI divisions, respectively
The company said the management shift was designed as part of a broad strategic initiative to accelerate the deployment of Quantel’s generationQ technology across the broadcast, post and DI industries.
Originally introduced in 2002, the company’s generationQ concept is now leveraged in a full range of products that offer expandability in both hardware and software. The generationQ product range includes Quantel’s sQ server, eQ for HD/multi-resolution post- production workflows; iQ, for DI projects, and the enhanced Paintbox for graphics production.
For more information, visit www.quantel.com.
New Products & Reviews
NMT upgrades graphics production with Chyron’s Duet HyperX HD/SD
Dec 16, 2005 12:37 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 The seven new Duet HyperX HD/SD units, which can switch between SD and HD operation, are primarily being used aboard NMT’s high-definition trucks. |
Mobile production company National Mobile Television, has purchased seven Chyron Duet HyperX HD/SD units for regional and national live sports coverage on the FOX Sports and MSG Networks.
Special event coverage includes NBA teams the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat, and NHL teams the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils.
The Duet HyperX HD/SD units, which can switch between SD and HD operation, are primarily being used aboard HD trucks. They also feature 3-D creation and animation capabilities.
The company is now using 22 Chyron character generators — 11 Duet HyperX HD/SD units and 11 Duet LEX units. Both ESPN and FOX Sports are using the Duet HyperX for all their events.
For more information, visit www.chyron.com.
DNF Analyst helps Rainbow Media prevent problems
Dec 16, 2005 12:50 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 DNF Controls’ Analyst monitors communication between equipment and verifies signal paths at Rainbow Media’s Bethpage, NY, facility. |
The Analyst RS422/RS232 Tester includes an easy-to-read, four-line by 40-character LCD screen, an eight-key keyboard, and separate RS-422/R-S232 connectors. It monitors communication between equipment, verifies signal paths, and identifies RS-422 to RS-232 adapter problems.
Rainbow Media also uses DNF’s ST300 and ST400 VTR controllers, SW32PS port switchers and Flex Control Network GTP-32 GPI Tally Processors.
For more information, visit www.dnfcontrols.com.
Eyeheight offers new Playout software
Dec 16, 2005 1:54 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
With Eyeheight’s new Playout Application Suite software, users can configure and manage its master control switcher, bugEyes logo generator, and SQ-2E image-squeeze processor from a standard PC running Microsoft Windows. Users can also perform a complete system diagnosis on new and existing installations, with automatic repair of any wrongly set parameters. Logging facilities are also incorporated to assist integration with third- party automation systems.
The Playout Application Suite connects via a single RS-232 cable and incorporates an easy-to-use 1024 x 768 pixel GUI. It will be issued on CD with all new Eyeheight playout master control switchers and is compatible with existing models.
The company’s playout master control switcher includes a 1RU base processor and six core modules that address mix/wipe, keyer, audio/voice-over, internal cross-point, logo-store and squeezback applications. These can be configured as an automated A/B mixer or scaled up to a complete multichannel master control system with manual over-ride.
The bugEyes logo generator reduces the complexity and cost of television channel branding. Up to six bugEyes modules can be accommodated in a 1U chassis, enabling a full-scale multichannel system to be created quickly and easily.
The SQ-2E is a dual-input squeezback processor with integrated keying. Designed for picture-in-picture and image-squeeze applications, it can perform real-time horizontal and vertical resizing effects, individually or simultaneously.
For more information, visit www.eyeheight.com.
Harris expands SNMP support for Leitch products
Dec 16, 2005 1:57 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Leitch's NEO and 6800+ modular platforms now include SNMP support for facility-wide monitoring applications. It also provides a standard interface to address interoperability between multiple vendors’ equipment.
SNMP support is now offered for all core products in the Leitch processing, routing, server and test and measurement portfolios.
By adopting SNMP as a common protocol to signal changes in equipment status, customers can use a single, facility-wide, Ethernet-based monitoring application to display critical alarms and warnings. An SNMP upgrade package is available for existing NEO and 6800+customers.
Leitch is part of the Broadcast Communications Division of Harris.
For more information, visit www.harris.com.
Oxygen DCT offers compact decoder with audio embedder
Dec 16, 2005 1:59 PM
Oxygen DCT has launched a new decoder with combined audio embedder.
The OxBox Mini Series 40463A decoder and audio embedder converts composite video to SDI, utilizing high quality dual 11-bit digital-to-analog converter with a 5x over-sampling comb filter decoder. While the entire unit is about the size of a cigarette pack, it includes a four-channel audio embedder that lets users of legacy analog equipment to easily combine both audio and video together into a single digital video SDI stream.
The functionality found in this OxBox Mini Series 40463A unit alleviates the historic need for a separate decoder and audio embedder by combining their functions together, not only making it the most compact unit in the world but simplifying installation and reducing system costs.
For further information, visit www.oxygendct.com/acatalog/Audio_Embedders.html.
New mobile HD truck uses Zandar multiviewers
Dec 16, 2005 2:02 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Zandar Technologies has installed more than two dozen of its HD MultiViewers on board a new HD truck for Switzerland’s TV production company, tpc. The truck was designed and built by Sony Professional Services.
Fully HDTV and SDI-capable, the new tpc vehicle will hit the road this winter with Zandar Predator HD MultiViewers to drive a large production monitor wall.
Seventeen Predator HD4 MultiViewers feed a bank of Sony LCD displays. The combination of multi-format LCD panels and auto-sensing SDI and HDTV MultiViewer technology not only reduces weight and equipment size to less than half of a traditional CRT monitoring wall equivalent but also provides much greater flexibility as the truck can be reconfigured at the touch of a button to meet different production requirements at each event.
The MultiViewer systems are integrated with a BFE control system that can change the set up in the truck according to the needs of the production crews at each location. The BFE system can control 16 Zandar Predator HD4 units simultaneously, dynamically switching between quad-split and full screen modes as well as changing the UMD overlay and tally information for up to 64 sources.
For more information, visit www.zandar.com.
China Central TV orders Dayang CG systems
Dec 16, 2005 2:05 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 The D3-CG-DH CG system provides an HD output while also supporting the ongoing need for SD production. |
China Central Television (CCTV) has ordered five Dayang D3-CG-HD graphics and title production systems for installation at its new HD production studio in Beijing.
CCTV is set to begin China’s first regular HDTV broadcast service Jan.1.
CCTV selected the D3-CG-DH because it provides an HD output while at the same time supporting the ongoing need for SD production. The D3-CG-HD offers high quality anti-aliasing and the tools required to create 16:9 HD graphics, titles and animation, including real-time letter-by-letter motion-path manipulation, 3-D titling and object-based timeline control for infinite-layer editing.
Operating on an open PC platform, the D3-CG-HD delivers 1080i-native multilayer graphics at 50/50.95/60 fields or 1080p at 23.967/24/25/29.97/30 frames.
For more information, visit www.dayang.com.
Panasonic AG-HVX200 coming soon
Dec 16, 2005 2:09 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Panasonic Broadcast will begin delivering its AG-HVX200, high-definition, solid-state P2 camcorder to resellers Dec. 29.
The camcorder records HD images at either 1080i and 720p at 100Mb/s. The DVCPRO HD format offers users intra-frame compression, and full 4:2:2 color sampling. Video is recorded onto P2 cards as MXF files in 1080/60i, 30p and 24p; in 720/60p, 30p and 24p; in 50Mb/s DVCPRO50 and in 25Mb/s DVCPRO or DV.
Using two of Panasonic's new 8GB P2 cards, the HVX200 provides 64 minutes of record time in DVCPRO or DV, 40 minutes in 720p, 32 minutes in DVCPRO50, and 16 minutes in 1080/60 and 720/60.
HD and SD video recorded on the P2 cards can be directly downloaded to a compatible NLE system or server, or edited virtually instantly from the P2 card through a IEEE 1394 or USB 2.0 interface. The HVX200 is also equipped with a MiniDV tape drive for shooting 4:3 and 16:9 images onto DV tape in 60i, 30p and 24p.
For ENG shooters, the camcorder offers the ability to hot-swap P2 cards as well as a loop-recording feature. In addition, the camera can be preset to pre-record (up to seven seconds in DVCPRO and three seconds in DVCPRO HD).
Audio support includes four-channel non-compressed 48KHz/16-bit digital processing in DVCPRO HD and DVCPRO50 and two channels in DVCPRO and DV. Interfaces include IEEE 1394 and USB 2.0, two XLR audio (with +48 volt phantom power) inputs, a component (D4) output, composite I/O, S-video in/out, audio (RCA) I/O, and headphone.
For more information, visit www.panasonic.com/hvx200.
Verizon FiOS-TV uses SeaChange technology
Dec 16, 2005 2:14 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 SeaChange’s IP Video System automates the entire FiOS TV on-demand service from content intake right down to set-top applications. |
SeaChange’s IP Video System automates the entire FiOS TV on-demand service from content intake right down to set-top applications. In Verizon deployments, the SeaChange system works in conjunction with advanced Motorola set-top boxes in a combined broadcast and IP system.
Featuring more than 330 channels and thousands of hours of on-demand movies and other programming, FiOS TV is available to Verizon customers in parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, area; Herndon, VA; and Temple Terrace, FL. It will launch soon in other states where Verizon is building its fiber-to-the-premises network.
FiOS TV currently offers more than 20 channels of high-definition programming and will offer more as it becomes available. The all-fiber network also supports a high-speed Internet service with current download speeds of up to 30Mb/s, and a high-quality voice service.
For more information, visit www.seachange.tv.
Ikegami integrates Mindspeed technology in production switchers
Dec 16, 2005 2:18 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Ikegami Electronics is shipping its HSS-3000 and 300 series multiformat production switchers with Mindspeed’s HD/SD broadcast video co-axial cable driver and multi-rate automatic reclocker devices.
Ikegami’s HSS-3000 large production and HSS-300 compact production switchers support multiple HD and SD formats and offer 1M/E with 8x8 input/output to 4M/E with 96x64 input/output configurations to meet various system requirements.
Mindspeed’s M21212 HD/SD broadcast video co-axial cable driver is pin-to-pin, electrically, and functionally compatible with existing legacy single-channel cable drivers. The M21212 provides enhanced performance such as improved differential input sensitivity (100mVpp to 2000mVpp), typical device output return loss of 20dBm, and an increased margin while reducing power consumption.
For more information, visit www.mindspeed.com and www.ikegami.com.
