KOIN, the New Vision TV-owned CBS affiliate in Portland, OR, has implemented a Utah Scientific routing system based on UTAH-400 144- and 288-frame routers, two MC-400 master control switchers, sync generation equipment, and an SC-4/ MX-Lator control system as part of an upgrade to HD broadcasting. KOIN also transmits the signal for KBNZ, a CBS affiliate servicing central Oregon.
KOIN's extensive local news coverage means lots of sources feed into the routing switcher. At the same time, because KOIN was renovating a 25-year-old building, space, cooling and electrical capacity were limited.
In essence, the station's nine-month upgrade was a green-field project using existing space but bringing in new racks and new equipment, moving master control to a new room, and upgrading and converting almost all sources. Today, the station's glass-walled, modern control room stays cool and quiet because the master control switcher operates on a GUI-only control panel, allowing remote KVM operation. The Utah Scientific MX-Lator also enables the switcher to control existing external routers.
