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SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO We’ve been anticipating the move to digital operations for several years, but it all became reality for us this year when we started construction of a new all-digital SDI production facility right next to our existing analog operations. We are being very careful to implement systems and equipment that are flexible enough to support our production and distribution activities, both now and in the future.
PUBLIC SERVICE PROVIDER
As a public station, our mission has always been to educate viewers in a variety of ways. Moving to digital operations will make it easier to provide these important public services. When we’re finished installing all of the equipment this fall, our broadcasts will be from new studio and master control facilities. As part of our educational mission, we plan to multicast one HD channel and one SD channel, along with four SD channels. This programming will be delivered by our two high power DTV transmitters.
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In building the new facility, the first step was to install a robust signal infrastructure that could handle both standard and high-definition signals. We chose two Grass Valley Concerto Series routing switchers—one configured as a 128x128 matrix for the four SD channels and one set up for 64x64 operation to handle the HD channel. We also purchased four Grass Valley Maestro master control switchers, which complement each other nicely by giving us the ability to control all of the systems from a central location. In addition to the TV station signal routing, the Concerto will also handle a nationwide EBS network (formerly ITFS).
Reliable routing is the heart of any production facility and we’ve used the same Grass Valley Horizon router for more than 15 years. In fact, when we get the Concerto routers on line later this year, their control system will also extend to the Horizon, which we plan to continue operating for as long as necessary.
The Concerto routers will also be tied to newly built HD production studios, SD/HD control rooms and other technical areas of the facility. The routers will allow us to configure and reconfigure different production and distribution areas within the facility in order to support the various channels we’re developing content for and broadcasting.
HAD TO MEET REQUIREMENTS
To meet our requirements, the router we selected had to be space efficient and flexible. The Concerto is both. The frame is 7 RU and it can accommodate a huge amount of signals, in different combinations of SD, HD and even digital audio. As we continue to move to other distribution platforms, such as mobile video and Internet broadcasting, the Concerto router will help us there as well.
Each day we have a lot of different formats coming into our station and those will all need to be routed through the Grass Valley system, so we’re putting a lot of trust in this router. We tested other routers before deciding on Grass Valley and feel optimistic that it will help us achieve our digital production goals. We’re betting our viewers will appreciate the high-quality images we broadcast as well.
Ariel Diaz Osorio has worked in Engineering at WMTJ for the past 20 years. He may be contacted at ca_adiaz@suagm.edu.
For additional information contact Grass Valley Inc. at 800-547-4949 or visit www.thomsongrassvalley.com.
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