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News
Analog TV shutoff date set
Feb 3, 2006 2:47 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Congress voted last week to set the official date for the analog spectrum handover at Feb. 17, 2009. By then, analog television transmissions in America should be history. The DTV transition will be over, and the ultimate fate of local digital television broadcasting will finally be revealed.
It almost didn’t happen. By a two-vote margin, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the legislation last week containing the television deadline. The vote was 216-214. Because DTV was part of a larger budget-cutting reconciliation bill, it became mired in a showdown over such contentious political issues as Medicaid, Medicare and student loan subsidies.
The final bill’s language on digital television is the same as a version cleared by the Senate just before its holiday recess. The package includes up to $1.5 billion for a government subsidy program designed to help families in need purchase digital-to-analog set-top converter boxes.
Qualifying households will receive up to two $40 coupons to use toward purchase of converter boxes. Estimates are the viewers receiving a subsidy will have to pay about $20 out of pocket toward the cost of a converter box.
The Feb. 17, 2009, shutoff date, a compromise between the House and Senate, was purely political. It was designed to appease viewers, coming after the Super Bowl, one of the year’s major TV viewing events, and before the “March Madness” basketball tournaments.
Dropped from the final bill was a provision that would have allowed the cable television industry to downconvert all high-definition digital signals to standard definition for viewing by analog cable customers.
This could have a huge impact since 39 million cable subscribers, the vast majority, are still on analog cable systems. Unless some interim action is taken, many of those subscribers may have to upgrade to more expensive digital cable service in order to receive broadcast programming from local stations.
Also omitted from the legislation was any mention of two controversial broadcast issues: multichannel must carry and the broadcast flag copy protection system.
Civil war simmering between networks and affiliates
Feb 3, 2006 3:15 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
The iPod revolution is apparently starting to take a toll. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that a "civil war is simmering beneath the surface of the television business." On one side are large television networks selling their premium programming to iPod owners and on the other, local television stations who want a piece of the action.
Local stations, said the WSJ, are demanding that networks include them as partners in digital ventures. “We aren’t going to be accidentally — or purposely — left out of the equation,” David Rehr, president of the NAB, told the newspaper.
ABC and NBC have made deals with digital media companies such as Apple without notifying affiliate stations. Network executives told the newspaper their contracts provide them that right.
However, WRAL-TV in Raleigh, NC, said it is in early discussions with CBS for an arrangement that might allow the station to stream network shows live on its Web site and then offer them on-demand afterward. Both versions would include commercials, with the live stream offered for free, and on-demand downloads sold for a small fee.
WRAL hopes to make its plan palatable to CBS by using technology developed by Decisionmark that allows stations to limit the geographic boundaries of their Web sites. Only viewers living within reach of a station’s on-air signal would be able to watch or download shows through their sites.
CBS declined to comment.
The WSJ said local stations are worried that when the networks make shows available on iTunes and Google’s new video service it will erode ratings, and thus ad rates. Also, owners of local stations see the distribution of shows online as a potentially lucrative business and want to be part of it, especially in light of recent declines in their own terrestrial broadcasting businesses.
The station business is increasingly under attack, the newspaper said. TV station advertising dropped eight percent in the first nine months of 2005 to $12 billion. Stations also face enhanced on-demand offerings from major cable operators; the proliferation of sports events on satellite and cable; and the shift online of local news and weather services.
On the other hand, the networks, said the newspaper, see the bulk of revenue from these digital ventures as theirs — primarily as an antidote for escalating production costs. Stations, the networks said, aren’t the ones financing dramas that now cost an average of $2 million an hour to produce. Program executives also said that making episodes available on the Web — in some cases just hours after they air — actually helps station ratings.
Next legislative battleground: cable retransmission
Feb 6, 2006 12:12 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
With the DTV transition winding down, the latest broadcast battleground appears to be retransmission consent deals between over-the-air television stations and cable operators. The American Cable Association (ACA) is asking Congress to overhaul retransmission consent, while broadcasters want to maintain the status quo.
The ACA is seeking changes to network non-duplication rules and exclusive contracts that bar cable operators from carrying TV stations located outside their markets. They also want cable systems to be permitted to offer stand-alone broadcast tiers which satellite TV providers now offer. Relaxing such restrictions would give cable operators more leverage in negotiating with broadcasters, according to the ACA.
Federal legislation passed in 1992 allows television stations to elect either mandatory cable carriage known as must carry or retransmission, a negotiated agreement in exchange for carriage.
Some cable operators contend that broadcasters are taking advantage of retransmission consent to make excessive financial and programming demands from cable operators. The operators claim that the playing field has changed, with satellite television providers making significant inroads into rural markets without the same carriage obligations.
John Casey, an economist and co-author of the report, said the economic value brought to broadcasters by cable carriage is often overlooked.
Bob Lee, president and general manager of WDBJ, a family owned station in Roanoke, Virginia, said the ACA study is “riddled with flaws.”
NAB president David Rehr argued that consumers benefit from the existing rules. “Retransmission consent is fair,” he said, noting that cable systems benefit by carrying heavily watched broadcast stations that consumers demand.
ABC News to increase use of mobile phone video
Feb 6, 2006 12:16 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
ABC News, in a new joint venture with AOL News, will increase their use of citizen supplied video journalism. Viewers will be able to contribute text and mobile phone video segments that comment on news events of the day.
Mobile phone video can be submitted to www.abcnews.com. ABC News anchors will answer viewer questions through video responses, which will be posted on www.abcnews.com and aolnews.com.
Neighborhood America of Naples, FL, is providing the technology and service for the ABC/AOL initiative, called "Seen and Heard in America." It is based on a Web-based solution that enables a news team to capture video and text content, moderate and review the submissions, and integrate selected content into their news process to enhance news coverage.
Called Neighborhood America's Public Comment Service, the system enables organizations to collect large amounts of information from the public in a structured and organized manner. The mobile video is delivered to ABC via a Software as a Service (SaaS) model, which means that it is a hosted service.
The SaaS model used by Neighborhood America is designed to eliminate the security risks associated with traditional e-mail programs. It also relieves the news organization of the burdens associated with storing, maintaining and protecting the data.
FCC & Industry Updates
Minnesota’s KARE to broadcast news in HD
Feb 6, 2006 12:19 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
KARE-TV, the NBC affiliate in the Minneapolis/St. Paul market, has announced plans to begin broadcasting all of its local newscasts in high definition beginning late April.
With this move, KARE 11 becomes the first and only local station in its market to broadcast HD news. It is estimated that less than a dozen stations in the U.S. are currently broadcasting news in HD.
With the launch of HD broadcasts, KARE said it would also unveil a new news set complete with Sony studio HD cameras.
DISH Network carries NYC TV stations in HD
Feb 6, 2006 12:24 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
EchoStar Communications' DISH Network satellite TV service will carry local high-definition TV channels, via its satellite TV service, to customers in New York City and surrounding counties.
Customers who sign up for any of the new DishHD packages can take advantage of more than 1700 hours of HD programming every week, including their local HD broadcasts.
DISH Network offers local channels via satellite to New York area customers in 14 counties.
DISH Network said it would launch HD local channels through its satellite service in up to 50 markets in 2006, starting with New York and reaching more than 50 percent of U.S. TV households with local HD channels by year's end. To make this possible, the company is beginning to transmit newly added HD channels using MPEG-4 signal compression.
VoIP used to backhaul Super Bowl XL in HD
Feb 6, 2006 12:27 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Several IP video gateways supplied by Path 1 Network Technologies helped provide the live HDTV broadcast backhaul signals of ABC’s Super Bowl XL telecast in HD last night. This is the third year that Path 1’s technology was selected for delivery of the Super Bowl broadcast over an MPLS-enabled fiber optic network.
Leveraging the IP video gateway technology, Path 1 was able to deliver high-quality picture resolution and eliminate broadcast delays between cross-country destinations.
Path 1’s IP video gateways help overcome the technical challenges associated with delivering broadcast-quality video at SD, HD and uncompressed video speeds over public or private IP networks. Using an embedded processor platform and patent-pending algorithms, Path 1’s IP video gateways shield the video signals from severe network impairments, such as significant delay, jitter, packet loss, out-of-order packets and error recovery, to maintain a high quality video signal.
Path 1’s IP video gateways enable broadcast network operators to extend their reach in exchanging HD video content using widely available IP networks.
For more information, visit www.path1.com.
Call for NAB-HD volunteers
Feb 6, 2006 12:33 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Following the success of the model HD station at last year’s NAB convention, the trade organization is once again building a fully functional HDTV station at the upcoming NAB show inside the Las Vegas Convention Center in April. It will include a three-camera studio, live talk shows, roundtable discussions, remote ENG and aerial feeds. Several camera crews will roam the show floor to conduct interviews with exhibitors and attendees.
Last year a team of 26 volunteers created more than 12 hours of program content on a variety of industry topics. This year the team, led by Project Director Nigel Spratling, is planning more of the same, but volunteers are needed to make it happen.
The NAB is calling for qualified volunteers who would like to help out in a variety of responsibilities, including news anchor, producer, director, production assistant, script writer, technical director, audio, floor manager, master control, studio/ENG camera operator, graphics, teleprompter operator, VTR/server operator, Final Cut Pro editor, administrative assistant and automation operator.
Anyone wishing to volunteer or find out more information should send an e-mail to NABvolunteers@mavens.tv. Please include a brief paragraph outlining your job preference and experience.
New Products & Reviews
Harris supports broadcasters’ multifaceted future
Feb 6, 2006 12:36 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 Among its new NAB product introductions, Harris will introduce the Leitch Platinum large-scale SD/HD router. |
Through a series of acquisitions and R&D funding that has cost some $800 million over the past three years, Harris has taken great strides to reposition itself as a supplier of equipment and services that address the entire content creation, distribution and transaction chain. After purchasing the assets and technology of Inscriber Systems, Leitch, Louth and Videotek, it’s clear that Harris is not just about RF TV transmitters —its bread and butter for many years and an image it is trying to shake — anymore.
At a pre-NAB press conference in New York City last week, company executives outlined new SD and HD features for virtually all of its product lines while announcing what it will show at NAB2006, April 24 – 27 in Las Vegas. This includes the immediate availability of several software modules within its new H-Class content delivery platform and application suite; the new Leitch Velocity XNG laptop edit system; Velocity NX, a craft editor for shared-storage environments based on the Leitch NEXIO server; the Inscriber G-Series of CG and graphics systems; the Icon SD/HD master control and branding system; the Platinum large-scale SD/HD router; the Nucleus control panel that helps centralize the operational control of Harris processing, branding and routing products; and the new Videotek VTM series of monitoring devices. Products will be showcased within two separate exhibit booths in Las Vegas this year.
The H-Class facilitates the delivery of content as digital files, and also addresses such traditional business and traffic issues as rights usage, revenue, cost, audience and channel destination associated with a specific piece of content. For broadcasters this process has heretofore been time consuming and labor intensive. H-Class automates most of these processes, to enable multichannel operations to run reliably and smoothly while generating the most amount of revenue.
Proving that it has not abandoned its transmitter roots, at NAB2006 Harris will show enhancements to its existing lines of analog and digital transmitter systems. The PlatimunCD digital transmitter will get a new control cabinet that features an integrated Harris eCDi transmitter network monitoring and control system. This enables network-wide monitoring of numerous transmit sites from a single location, anywhere in the world. Harris will also debut the Atlas series UHF ATSC transmitter that will be available in five different power levels. The PowerCD high-power UHF ATSC transmitter will also be shown in a single-cabinet configuration, for space-limited installations.
Harris said it has fully integrated its various acquisitions into a cohesive group of companies that complement each other. The Leitch products provide the hardware platform on which the H-Class software resides and takes full advantage of. The Inscriber graphics systems work well with the Leitch Nexio servers, and the Videotek monitoring products keep track of all incoming and outgoing signals created/generated by them all. The company has moved from a number of point products to an enterprise solution that brings broadcasters into the HDTV, IPTV and Internet broadcasting future.
For more information, visit www.harris.com.
NVISION to debut dense router in small package
Feb 6, 2006 1:30 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 Running at data rates up to 1.5Gb/s, the NV8288 is designed to support 3Gbits/s infrastructures that accommodate large file sizes for future formats such as 1080P HD. |
At NAB2006, NVISION will introduce its NV8288 digital video router, a compact routing switcher designed for a variety of uses where space is limited.
Running at data rates up to 1.5Gb/s, the NV8288 is designed to support 3Gb/s infrastructures that accommodate large file sizes for future formats such as 1080P HD.
The NV8288 is designed to support HD files but also accommodate all standard SD data rates. It is ASI-compliant. The basic NV8288 can be configured for systems ranging in size from 12 x 12 up to 288 x 576. For customers planning for future needs, the NV8288 Plus offers the same I/O block size, but is expandable with a second frame to 576 x 576.
All modules in the NV8288, including power supplies and cooling fans are front-serviceable and hot-swappable, which simplifies installation, upgrades and service.
For more information, visit www.nvision.tv.
Gepco to intro hybrid distribution rack at NAB
Feb 6, 2006 1:35 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 The HDRA features optical contacts, ceramic alignment sleeves, metal connector shells, dust caps, an extra-large designation strip, and is expandable up to four channels. |
Broadcast cable supplier Gepco will debut a new 2RU hybrid fiber distribution rack at the upcoming NAB convention. As the latest addition to Gepco’s HDR series, the HDRA features an angled front panel that reduces connector protrusion and cable strain.
The HDRA provides a simplified solution for the onsite installation of SMPTE hybrid fiber interconnections. Each hybrid fiber connector is broken out to separate single-mode fiber ST connectors and an electrical five-pin connector. This allows camera sources to be run over separate fiber optic and electrical cable elements. Component level termination enables simplified ST and electrical termination methods, eliminating the need for specialized hybrid fiber termination methods.
The HDRA system also offers improved serviceability, allowing for faster repair of camera connector positions. If a fiber contact is damaged or worn, the contact jumpers can be replaced onsite, eliminating the need to completely cut and re-terminate a standard hybrid fiber connector.
The HDRA features optical contacts, ceramic alignment sleeves, metal connector shells, dust caps, an extra-large designation strip, and is expandable up to four channels. In addition, five and six channel versions are available on special order.
For more information, visit www.gepco.com.
Hitachi to show two-piece HD camera
Feb 6, 2006 1:41 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Hitachi Kokusai Electric America will introduce a compact, HDTV camera at NAB2006.
The two-piece DK-H31S captures images in either 1080i or 720p HD resolutions via three 2/3in CCDs.
Other ideal applications for the DK-H31S include anywhere extra space provided by the small head is needed or where increased magnification optics inside robotic assemblies is required.
The DK-H31S HD camera will be available in the fourth quarter of 2006.
For more information, visit www.hitachikokusai.us.
Multidyne shows optical switching at VidTrans
Feb 6, 2006 1:44 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
At the recent SMPTE/VidTrans 2006 conference in Hollywood, Multidyne Video and Fiber Optic Systems showed several new solutions for distributing video signals.
Among the new solutions:
An 18-channel CWDM RGB/UXGA transport with RGB-5000 CWDM for point to multi-point switching. The RGB-5000 provides a total analog bandwidth of up to 500MHz, supporting loop-through HD15 XVGA inputs. Resolutions of up to 1600 x 1200 pixels is supported over a single optical fiber. It also supports RGB HV, RGsB, VGA, SVGA and UXGA, component and analog HDTV signals.
The system will also soon be available with 10-BaseT Ethernet, bi-directional data and RGB/UXGA support. A new daisy chain and Star capability for point to multi-point monitor configurations is also included.
Also on display was the EOS-4000 electro-optical switch. This versatile, non-blocking, transparent switch provides high-speed switching between ports with minimal effect on overall network latency. The EOS-4000 series is capable of switching digital signals up to 4.25Gb/s with any of its 144 ports, all in a compact 4U chassis.
All optical ports are hot-pluggable SFP transceivers. The GUI software allows user to build configurations by dragging and dropping ports. The system provides point-to-point, multiple loops, and multicast topologies simultaneously.
For more information, visit www.multidyne.com.
Scandinavian broadcaster chooses Latens for IPTV security
Feb 6, 2006 1:47 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Latens is providing security technology for Alcom as a safeguard against piracy. Alcom’s ADSL network reaches 98 percent of the population of Scandinavia’s Alcom Islands.
Alcom is to multicast MPEG-2 single program transport stream content encoded as MPEG-2 (SD and HD) and MPEG-4/AVC video using IP streamers to IP set-top receivers provided by Kreatel. The middleware for the Alcom system is the Northport Modulution.
TV content will be encrypted using the Latens Stream Encryption Engine fed from an Anevia streamer. The Latens VOD Encryption Engine, with both VOD and TV services protected by Latens FCAS, will encrypt the VOD content provided by the Anevia VOD streamers.
For more information, visit www.latens.com.
Azden offers three-channel field audio mixer
Feb 6, 2006 1:49 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 The Azden FMX-32 mixer connects to a video camera’s mic input via the unit’s balanced XLR outputs or its 3.5mm unbalanced stereo output. |
Azden has unveiled a new field audio mixer, the low-noise three-channel model FMX-32.
Designed to mix low-impedance, XLR-equipped microphones, the FMX-32 connects to a video camera’s mic input via the FMX-32’s balanced XLR outputs or its 3.5mm unbalanced stereo output. The mixer features three balanced mic inputs with individual input level controls.
Each input can be assigned to the left, right or combined output. Overall output is displayed through a five-step LED level indicator. The output features a switchable limiter to reduce the possibility of overload distortion.
Each microphone input has switchable phantom power (48VDC). Level controlled headphones can be used to monitor the left, right or combined output signal.
The FMX-32 can be powered for 15 hours by six internal AA Alkaline batteries or continually by an optional external 12VDC power supply.
For more information, visit www.azdencorp.com.
Scopus shows DSNG modulator and L-Band upconverter
Feb 6, 2006 2:08 PM
 The DSNG E-1720 is a compact platform for the DSNG mobile news market, including uplink vans, SUVs and flyaway packages. |
The DSNG E-1720 features modulation and upconversion in 1RU. The E-1720 standard unit provides broadcast quality of 70/140 IF and 950MHz - 2150MHz L-Band outputs as well as a separate L-Band monitoring output. Various satellite modulation schemes are supported in the form of QPSK/8PSK/16QAM.
For more information, visit www.scopus.net.
Snell & Wilcox adds multifunction decoding and HDTV conversion to modular line
Feb 6, 2006 2:12 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 The IQUDC Series HDTV up-, down-, crossconverter modules are designed for multirate broadcast operations or variable input/output environments. |
Snell & Wilcox has introduced a series of new IQ Modular broadcast infrastructure products for video decoding and HDTV conversion.
The IQDEC04 series synchronizer/decoder provides 12-bit “Golden Gate” decoding technology and compression-friendly noise reduction to deliver better picture quality while minimizing MPEG bit usage. The IQDEC’s 3-D decoding algorithms extract more information from analog picture sources.
A full-frame synchronizer with horizontal and vertical phasing controls allows the output to be timed to a facility’s master clock. Proc. amp controls and a built-in noise reducer provide a complete signal conditioning solution in a single-width module.
The IQUDC series HDTV up-, down-, crossconverters offer operation for multirate broadcast operations or variable I/O environments. IQUDC devices convert SD-SDI signals to HD-SDI and vice versa and cross convert HD-SDI signals of the same frame rate. Features include a fixed-mode aspect ratio converter and closed caption support for analog line 21 formats.
With full proc. amp and synchronization built-in, the IQUDC can serve as an incoming lines module on the front end, as an HD-to-SD or SD-to-HD converter on the back end, or as a stand-alone aspect ratio converter, with or without conversion. It also handles both embedded PCM and non-PCM audio and is capable of processing up to 16 channels of embedded audio alongside the video.
For more information, visit www.snellwilcox.com.
Streambox to intro transports at NAB
Feb 6, 2006 2:16 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
At NAB2006, Streambox will introduce its next-generation video transport solutions for mobile satellite newsgathering.
The new SBT3-7500 system is built on Streambox’s ACT-L3 codec and proprietary video compression technology. The encoder solution is integrated in one compact portable device that features low-power consumption. The SBT3-7500 system matches MPEG-2 video quality at a 75 percent lower data rate, and it is up to 50 percent more efficient than MPEG-4.
Also new for NAB is the SBT3-7400 ACT-L3 transport, full duplex, a bidirectional, full-featured, low latency encoding and decoding conferencing solution. The SBT3-7400 utilizes the ACT-L3 codec with advanced IP networking capabilities. In addition to its 24-hour plug-and-connect real time transport capabilities that deliver full-motion, full-frame interlaced broadcast video and audio, the full duplex encoder/decoder system enables the user to send and receive video and audio simultaneously.
For more info, visit www.streambox.com.
