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News
DTV legislation: It may not be over yet!
Feb 27, 2006 1:57 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
After months of squabbling, Congress finally passed a controversial budget-reconciliation bill that set a deadline for the 2009 shutdown of analog television. President Bush signed the legislation into law Feb. 8. It’s over now, right?
Well, not quite.
It seems that due to a clerical typo the House and Senate bills were not identical, as the law said it must be. The Senate version contained a 13-month subsidy for Medicare patients’ equipment, while the House provided 39 months for equipment. The final bill sent from the House to the president’s desk contained the Senate’s 13-month limit. The error, apparently the fault of a Congressional clerk, resulted in $2 billion spending difference between the two bills.
What does this have to do with DTV? Everything, since the entire DTV legislative package is contained in this $39 billion dollar spending package. If the legislation is found not to be valid, neither is the new DTV policy.
In a less contentious time, members of Congress would simply vote to fix the technicality. But since the legislation is highly controversial due to its severe spending cuts for social programs, it barely passed both bodies in the first place. Neither body wants to revisit the issue in fear that a second vote may rip the entire bill apart. Several legislators, feeling pressure from constituents, have indicated they may vote against the measure if the opportunity arises again.
Don’t expect the matter to be ignored. One taxpayer is already suing in an attempt to topple the legislation, which a court is very like to do. Congressional leaders are currently at an impasse.
NBC premieres series on iTunes, bypassing affiliates
Feb 27, 2006 1:54 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
A series of recently announced, alternative distribution strategies are chipping away at the sanctity of the traditional broadcast model and stations’ exclusivity to key programming. Last week, NBC scored a first by debuting its new legal drama “Conviction” as a free download on Apple’s iTunes Music Store before its initial television broadcast.
Users of iTunes can download the Dick Wolf-produced hour-long production in its entirety for free. The promotion will extend until the show’s network debut March 3, after which each episode will become available to download for $1.99 the day after it airs.
Jeff Zucker, NBC Entertainment Group CEO, told Reuters that the network is trying to attract “a new audience increasingly comfortable with this downloadable format as a viewing option.”
NBC also will promote the free preview on the show’s TV promos, across NBC Universal Web properties and on iTunes. The network’s “The Office” is the television show now most often purchased from Apple’s online store.
NBC is not the first network to challenge the tradition of the broadcast premiere. Earlier this year, a new partnership between FOX Entertainment Group and DIRECTV allowed viewers to pay to see a program before debuted on a network.
Beginning in March, viewers with a DIRECTV Plus digital video recorder will be able to get a “first look” at prime time programming from FOX’s FX network a full 24-48 hours prior to their initial broadcasts. The cost will be $2.99.
Later in the year, DIRECTV subscribers will gain post-air access to FOX series. For 99 cents, a viewer can watch a show six to seven days following its first national broadcast.
CBS posts $9 billion loss on TV and radio
Feb 27, 2006 2:02 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
CBS last week reported a loss of $9.1 billion in the fourth quarter to write down the value of its radio and television businesses.
It was the first time CBS reported earnings as a separate company since its separation from Viacom. CBS reported the fourth quarter as if it were already a separate entity.
The write-down lowered the value of CBS television assets by $6.4 billion and those of the radio unit by $3.05 billion. On a per-share basis, that was equivalent to $5.99.
The bottom line was weighed down by charges to write down the fair market value of its radio and television properties. The latest results compared to an even larger net loss of $18.4 billion, or $10.99 per share, in the comparable period in 2004, when the company also recorded big charges to write down its radio stations as well as its outdoor advertising business.
The results were less gloomy than analysts had forecast, Bloomberg News reported. CBS hopes to counter the effect of sluggish broadcast advertising with revenue from Web sites and the sale of TV programs on handheld devices.
News Corp. announces network for orphaned affiliates
Feb 27, 2006 2:05 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
News Corp. announced last week that it is creating a new prime-time network to provide shows to stations it owns that are losing programming because of the merger of the WB and UPN networks.
The new venture, called My Network TV, will debut in the fall. The program fare will also be offered to other independent stations around the country.
FOX Television Stations, owned by News Corp., was affected most by the creation of the CW network. Those stations will make up the core of My Network TV, reaching 24 percent of the American audience.
Participating stations include WWOR in New York; KCOP in Los Angeles; WPWR in Chicago; KDFI in Dallas; WDCA in Washington; KTXH in Houston; WFTC in Minneapolis; KUTP in Phoenix; WRBW in Orlando; and WUTB in Baltimore.
My Network TV will provide 12 hours of new programming, for the 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. slot Mondays through Saturdays. The new shows will be created by Twentieth Television, FOX’s syndication subsidiary, and will include new soap operas, reality shows, a crime show and a quiz show.
Panamax acquires Furman Sound
Feb 27, 2006 2:08 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Panamax has acquired Furman Sound, a maker of audio and video signal processors, as well as AC power conditioning and distribution products. No financial details were provided.
The agreement offers significant growth potential for both companies, as Furman’s professional products complement Panamax’s Home Technology Group offerings.
Panamax is owned by Linear, in Carlsbad, CA. The goal for Panamax is to expand beyond the residential market and into the professional music industry, where Furman Sound has been a player for several years. Furman in return gets access to the high-end consumer electronics marketplace.
For more information, visit www.panamax.com and www.furmansound.com.
FCC & Industry Updates
FCC proposes $1 million fine for unauthorized audio equipment
Feb 27, 2006 2:12 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
The FCC last week proposed $1 million forfeiture against Behringer USA for apparent violation of the FCC’s equipment authorization rules.
The commission concluded that Behringer violated the FCC’s rules by marketing in the United States at least 50 models of unauthorized digital audio devices. The rules require that these devices be tested and verified compliant with FCC technical standards prior to marketing them in the United States.
In proposing its forfeiture amount, the FCC said it considered that Behringer marketed the unauthorized devices for more than five years overall and for almost a year after it was on notice of the FCC’s investigation, and that Behringer derived substantial financial gain from the sale of the unauthorized devices.
McCain bill seeks to tie video franchising to à la carte pricing
Feb 27, 2006 2:15 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) plans to introduce legislation that would reward cable operators with relief from local franchise obligations if they adopt à la carte pricing for programming, the National Journal’s Technology Daily reported.
Under the McCain bill, video providers would continue to pay franchise fees and incur other obligations, but would be subject to less cumbersome statewide or nationwide agreements. Consumers, in turn, would have more choice in selecting specific programming that is attractive to them.
However, one Journal source suggested that franchise relief would not benefit cable providers because they already have negotiated with localities. But a McCain aide countered that cable operators would not have to renegotiate the agreements. In addition, cable companies and telecom firms entering the video market would be regulated similarly.
Cable operators oppose the measure, the report said. Major cable operators in January agreed to offer tiers of programming deemed suitable for family viewing. But conservative and faith-based groups argue that the tiers do not go far enough, and they want mandatory, per channel choices for consumers.
HD discs shortchange early HDTV adopters
Feb 27, 2006 2:17 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Owners of early HDTV sets will get a nasty surprise when Blu-ray or HD DVD players hit the market this year, a new report said.
The mandatory piracy protection system used by the new disc players, called Advanced Access Content System (AACS), shortchanges owners of older HDTV sets equipped only with component video connectors, said a report by SciFi Tech.
The interim version of AACS approved for the first generation disc players won’t output a full HD signal from their component-video connections, since those jacks are analog instead of digital and thus have no copy protection, the report said.
“The ‘down-rezzed’ signals will be limited to a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels — exactly one-quarter the 1920 x 1080 pixels that you’ll get through the copy-protected digital connectors on the players,” according to SciFi Tech. “The potentially huge problem with this strategy is that the only HD inputs on a lot of older HDTVs are component video.”
Estimates vary, the report said, but it’s believed that 3 to 6.6 million such displays are in U.S. households. And the sun will set on analog video for good after Dec. 31, 2013, when AACS-licensed players can’t be made or sold with any analog video outputs, including the familiar yellow composite-video jack.
In addition to the down resolution issue, SciFi Tech said AACS has a few unresolved points, so the first players that are due to come out this spring won’t have all the features promised by HD DVD and Blu-ray. For example, users won’t be able to copy material from a disc to a personal computer via the managed copying function. Even when functional, however, copyright owners must give their explicit consent for the end user to make copies.
AACS was jointly developed by Disney, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba and Warner. It is considered mandatory by content owners.
Toshiba, who plans to ship the first HD DVD players in the U.S. as early as March, acknowledged that its first players will not support all the interactive features of the HD DVD format. However, the manufacturer said those features would be added later via firmware update. Toshiba players have an Ethernet interface for online connectivity.
Web-based Olympics audience grows
Feb 27, 2006 2:19 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Although it recorded lower ratings than its last Winter Olympic Games in 2002, NBC said its Web site, http://www.NBCOlympics.com/, attracted larger numbers in the first week than ever before. NBC Sports also claimed increases to its cable channels, including USA Network, MSNBC and CNBC.
The network’s TV ratings were down 35% from 2002's Salt Lake City games and down 26% from the 1998 games in Nagano, Japan.
However, NBC Olympics chairman Dick Ebersol said the network would make a profit of $50 million-$75 million on the Turin games overall, resulting from about $900 million in Olympics advertising spending.
NBCOlympics.com reported 232 million page views in the first week, significantly outpacing the total in Salt Lake City of 5.9 million video streams. Ebersol said it's the first time that the company will make a profit from the Web site: roughly $5 -$6 million.
This year’s coverage of the Torino Olympic Winter Games featured the most coverage, including the most live coverage, across all of the company’s terrestrial and cable TV channels, radio and Internet platforms than any Winter Olympics in history. Despite the six-hour time difference between the U.S. East Coast and Italy, the combined NBC Universal, NBC, USA, MSNBC, CNBC, NBC HD and Universal HD channels provided viewers with 416 total hours of coverage. That’s more than the 375.5 hours of coverage on NBC, CNBC and MSNBC from Salt Lake.
Bexel gets high marks at Torino Olympics
Feb 27, 2006 2:21 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Racks250.jpg) Bexel equipment packages helped a variety of broadcasters and production companies deliver the Olympics to viewers around the world. |
Craig Schiller, director of Bexel Broadcast Services, said most of the equipment they supplied was flown-in over a 60-day period prior to the games. A few Bexel engineers remained on-site throughout the games to provide technical support for Bexel’s customers.
For the duration of the Games, the majority of the equipment was installed within the International Broadcast Center (IBC), although some gear was also used on or adjacent to mobile trucks spread out across the different sporting venues. The IBC provided SD and HD feeds to the world from virtually every Olympic venue. To help capture the action of the Torino Games in HDTV, (nearly 90 percent of the Olympic content this year was acquired and produced in HDTV, the most ever for an Olympics), the equipment supplied by Bexel included fiber-optic transmission gear, digital disk recorders, telestrators, shotgun mics, audio mixers and NLE equipment, including edit controllers, for the edit rooms set up inside the IBC.
Some of the equipment was provided by Bexel in a variety of turnkey flyaway kits and highly portable systems that were configured and tested in the United States before going to Italy. Working with Communitek Video Systems, Bexel engineers set up a conversion network capable of converting the video and audio in real-time using a Brick House Video Proteus standards converter. Twelve Proteus standards converters were used to convert footage live from Italy’s native PAL format to America’s NTSC. Proteus is a 4-field, 4-line motion adaptive unit with multi-format inputs and outputs.
Ascent Media opens new digital facility in Burbank
Feb 27, 2006 2:30 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Ascent Media Group has unveiled what it is calling the industry’s largest, most technologically advanced independent digital post-production network and distribution facility. The 100,000sq ft Digital Media Data Center (DMDC), based in Burbank, CA, combines post-production, media management and syndication services under one roof.
The DMDC, built at a cost of $17 million over more than five years, consolidates multiple facilities and new workflows that address the increasingly complex delivery needs of an on-demand media landscape. It will offer a full slate of services to producers, such as editing, mastering, 4K digital intermediate, audio and video restoration, quality control, audio mixing, digital conversion, subtitling and closed captioning, data translations, water marking, versioning for region, data asset management, distribution and the archiving of digital assets. It’s all linked via a secure digital production network.
Internal production processes are facilitated by Ascent’s secure, high bandwidth network called ProdNet. This proprietary network allows Ascent to compress what were once linear and operationally dependent processes into time saving parallel workflows. In some cases, ProdNet-supported processes have delivered up to a 75 percent reduction in the time required to take projects through particular workflows, according to Ascent. ProdNet can process data at 1.2Tb/s and stores up to 368 hours of uncompressed high-definition content at any given time.
For more information, visit www.ascentmedia.com.
MTV Networks launches new HD channel in Dolby Digital
Feb 27, 2006 2:33 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 Using Dolby E encoders, MTV can deliver up to eight channels of audio, plus metadata, in the space of two traditional audio channels. |
Dolby Labs said MHD would use Dolby E, a professional-quality compression technology, to deliver the multichannel audio signal to their broadcast centers. The audio is then re-encoded into Dolby Digital 5.1 for transmission to cable head-ends and satellite providers, where it is passed on to viewers with HDTV receivers or set-top boxes.
Dolby Digital delivers up to 5.1 discrete channels of surround sound. It is the audio standard for North American HDTV and digital cable systems, and is an optional audio format for most digital video broadcast applications worldwide.
Dolby E is a compression technology designed for network distribution of up to eight channels of audio, plus metadata, in the space of two traditional audio channels.
For more information, visit www.dolby.com.
New Products & Reviews
NBC uses Telemetrics’ robotic systems for views of Olympic village
Feb 27, 2006 2:43 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 Telemetrics outdoor robotics systems were mounted throughout the Olympic Village in Turin, including the historic 1934 Mercati Generali building, without compromising the local architecture. |
The Telemetrics system employed consisted of the PT-LWP-S3 weatherproof pan/tilt system, the LWP-HOU-S3 weatherproof housing and the CP-D3A control panel. The precision pan/tilt head features provided smooth and quiet camera movements, due to heavy-duty bearings and motors with isolation mounts that replicated the look and feel of a manned camera position. Up to 255 presets were available and the unit was controlled through serial data using RS-232 or RS-422, or through 10/100 Base-T Ethernet.
The CP-D3A desktop control panel allowed operators to simultaneously adjust the pan/tilt/zoom functions of the system via the joystick or to conveniently call up programming camera selects with the touch of a button.
Designed for use with industrial box cameras and motorized zoom lenses, the LWP-HOU-S3 housing opened from the rear to facilitate accessibility during installation. The unit included thermostatic control of internal temperature with a heater, sun shield, fan and window wiper and also housed the electronics to power and control the system.
For more information, visit www.telemetricsinc.com.
FOR-A unveils new multiviewer
Feb 27, 2006 2:47 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 An optional UXGA or DVI output is available, which works well for displaying video on large-sized screens. |
FOR-A will introduce the latest member of its MV series, the MV-16S, a 16-channel, multiviewer at NAB2006.
The MV-16S supports analog composite and SD-SDI mixed inputs. The unit’s support for both SDI and analog composite inputs simultaneously, and the included UXGA and DVI outputs, makes it ideal for broadcast monitoring applications.
The viewer can be set to divide the screen in many ways, enabling the combination of small and large images. An optional UXGA or DVI output is available. The optional layout software offers flexibility to users to size and position any of the 16 inputs. The MV-16S also accepts asynchronous mixed input of analog composite and SD-SDI signals, and it is NTSC and PAL compatible (auto detect). Both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios are supported.
For more information, visit www.for-a.com.
New Helical antenna for crew communication
Feb 27, 2006 2:51 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
PWS, the Professional Wireless Systems Division of Masque Sound, now offers the HA-8089 Helical antenna, designed to provide reliable, dropout free performance for in-ear monitors, wireless microphones and intercom installations. A package of 15 units performed flawlessly at Super Bowl XL.
The HA-8089 delivers 14dBi of forward gain, and covers a bandwidth from 490MHz to more than 900MHz, with an overall estimated beam width of 57 degrees.
The HA-8094 transfers maximum RF energy regardless of the polarization of the transmitted wave. As the RF energy from an in ear monitor transmitter radiates out of the Helical, it is continuously spun through 360 degrees of polarization, millions of time per foot and actually bores through space as it propagates. This insures uniform coverage yielding crystal clear audio and eliminating dropouts. This same 360-degree coverage is also provided when the Helical is used as a wireless microphone receiver antenna.
The 13in unit features a sturdy 13in base, weighs less than 4lb, is molded from indestructible Polycarbonate, and includes a protective trim ring. PWS also supplies an aluminum mounting block threaded for both 5/8-27 and 3/8-16 (Euro) mic stands A custom model for frequencies lower than 490MHz is available by special order.
For more information, visit www.professionalwireless.com.
Masstech Group offers MassLogger Gateway at NAB2006
Feb 27, 2006 2:53 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 The MassLogger Gateway features an IT-centric database that automatically manages the transfer of logged material to archival devices while simultaneously allowing access to material from anywhere within the workgroup. |
MassLogger Gateway also provides an interface to the MassStore media life cycle management and archive, allowing users to integrate logged content into their existing archive infrastructure.
MassLogger Gateway allows multiple users to view and share logged content. It features an IT-centric database that automatically manages the transfer of logged material to archival devices while simultaneously allowing access to material from anywhere within the workgroup. Ensuring the continuous logging of all recorded channels, MassLogger Gateway sits in a 2RU chassis with dual redundant power supplies and dual power cords. It is also accessible from anywhere on the network with an intuitive Web interface.
For more information, visit www.masstech.com.
Matrox debuts graphics unit for remote information displays
Feb 27, 2006 2:57 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Matrox Graphics announced the introduction of Extio F1400, a remote graphics unit.
The Extio F1400 separates the graphics hardware from the computer by more than 800ft via fiber-optic cable. The graphics unit contains both USB ports and audio input and output allowing for remote use of a mouse, keyboard, camera, speakers and microphone. It supports up to four digital or analog displays at a time, and has passive cooling.
The system's remote graphics unit includes a Matrox-designed graphics chip, 128MB of graphics memory; dual-LC connector for fiber-optic cable; four DVI-I monitor connectors; six USB 2.0 ports (four in front, two in back); integrated audio hardware; an optical connector for digital audio output; and analog stereo-audio connectors for a microphone input, line input and line output. To meet different slot requirements, Matrox separately offers PCI or PCI Express (PCIe) fiber-optic interface cards for Extio products.
It will be available in the second quarter of 2006.
For more information, visit www.matrox.com/graphics.
Dielectric helps WSFJ-TV increase coverage area
Feb 27, 2006 3:00 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Dielectric Communications has supplied a uniquely configured new analog antenna to Newark, OH-based WSFJ-TV, an independent, Christian-themed TV station serving the Columbus market. Dielectric’s installation included a new tower and transmission line as well as the antenna, using a innovative solution for providing vertical polarization that resulted in significant cost savings for the station.
WSFJ’s previous antenna tower was located 40mi away from Columbus. By installing the new 310ft tower in a more central location on a ridge between Newark and Columbus, Dielectric said the station has achieved an increase of approximately 36 percent in overall coverage and can now be received over the air throughout the entire market.
The tower was erected by Dielectric’s tower operation and is characterized by a T-bar at its peak, with one side holding the new TFU-21JTT-R analog antenna and the other side available for a new digital antenna that the station plans to purchase and install this year. One of the unique features of the project was that WSFJ wanted to direct about 25 percent of the antenna’s power to vertical polarity. The solution customized by Dielectric was a combination slot and panel antenna, with the vertical polarization generated by rotating the panel 90 degrees onto its side. This solution resulted in cost savings of more than $100,000 over other vertical polarization schemes.
For more information, visit www.dielectric.com.
ScheduALL provides workflow management for NBC in Turin
Feb 27, 2006 3:03 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 In Turin, the entire scheduling process was managed through ScheduLINK software, allowing engineers to generate detailed daily reports on everything from the type of router a feed comes in on to what will be done with a specific clip. |
NBC used ScheduALL software to provide its 2006 Winter Olympics crews with broadcast workflow management solutions during coverage from Turin, Italy. Live and taped video feeds filtered through the software and out to the various NBC networks, including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC and Telemundo.
The network used ScheduLINK resource management software to track and manage feeds coming into its facility at the International Broadcast Center (IBC) in Turin from the various Olympic venues. The system included an intuitive database that tracked feeds going in and out of the IBC facility. NBC operators then determined how to manage where the feed went, whether it was live or delayed, and how it would have been edited.
In Turin, the entire scheduling process was managed through ScheduLINK. It allowed engineers to generate detailed daily reports on everything from the type of router a feed comes in on to what was done with a specific clip.
For more information, visit www.scheduall.com.
ICTV shows personalized video mosaic technology
Feb 27, 2006 3:08 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
 The ICTV technology enables personal mosaics to be assembled by subscriber, operator or programmer choice, or via system response to subscriber viewing habits, via any digital STB. |
ICTV’s mosaic solution, the initial result of its recent merger with Switched Media, enables cable system operators, programmers and integrators to deploy the interactive multichannel mosaics that can be aligned to reflect individual subscribers’ viewing preferences.
In addition to providing live video from, and navigation through, multiple channels simultaneously, the ICTV technology enables personal mosaics to be assembled by subscriber, operator or programmer choice, or via system response to subscriber viewing habits, all on any digital set top box.
The demonstration includes compilation of six live video feeds from a large group of channels, navigation and channel selection via the mosaic, and insertion of new favorites into the mosaic to meet changes in viewing needs.
ICTV is also demonstrating the capability of blending interactive elements, including targeted advertising, within the mosaic screens.
For more information, visit www.ictv.com.
Hitachi to intro digital triax for SD broadcasts at NAB
Feb 27, 2006 3:14 PM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter
Hitachi will introduce a digital triax system at NAB2006.
The TU-CX-Z4 has uncompressed digital transmission of audio and video between camera and CCU.
The system works with all its existing broadcast and professional cameras and is designed for users that require the highest image quality. It will be available in the fourth quarter of 2006.
For more information, visit www.hitachikokusai.us.
