Technology Corner: Randy Hoffner

Randy Hoffner is manager of technology and strategic planning at ABC, New York, N.Y. The views expressed in his column are his own, and not necessarily those of ABC. Write to him c/o TV Technology.

Is Broadcast Television Losing Its Mojo?

by Randy Hoffner, 6.11.2008

The broadcast station business suddenly seems to be less of a financial sure thing than it used to be.

When NTSC is Shut off, BTSC Will be, too

by Randy Hoffner, 4.09.2008

BTSC brought us television stereo and other sound services, and in the process, it spelled the end of the big TV set with the tiny little loudspeaker.

2007: The Year of New Media

by Randy Hoffner, 2.06.2008

Technological developments are materializing very quickly in recent years, and the pace of development is, in fact, increasing. It was not so many years ago, well into the age of digital audio and video recording, that the broadcast television networks operated large plants with massive analog infrastructures.

Will the End of NTSC Be the End of 59.94?

by Randy Hoffner, 1.09.2008

Where did this strange parameter come from, anyway, and why do we need it?

White Space Devices: Threat to Broadcast TV?

by Randy Hoffner, 12.05.2007

We have recently heard many references to “white spaces,” but in this case, white spaces refer to the segments of the broadcast television spectrum in a given geographic area that are not occupied by television signals: the vacant channels.

SFN TV Broadcasting in The United States?

by Randy Hoffner, 10.03.2007

Many readers might remember the enthusiastic support of some for the adoption of coded orthogonal frequency division multiplexing, also known as COFDM, as the DTV transmission mechanism in the United States.

Successor to the Compact Disc?

by Randy Hoffner, 8.08.2007

The CD was revolutionary, of course, because it is a digital audio recording. Although digital audio recorders had previously been used professionally, the CD was the first digital medium available to the general public.

Free, Wireless Television Makes a Resurgence

by Randy Hoffner, 6.13.2007

We continue to see rapid changes in the way television may be delivered to viewers, and some of the research on what interests viewers in this respect is revealing—even surprising.

Tech Advancements: Friend or Foe?

by Randy Hoffner, 4.11.2007

Any reader who has been in the television broadcasting business for awhile is very much aware of the meaning of the expression, "The only constant here is change."

Remembering TV Stereo Pioneer Ron Estes

by Randy Hoffner, 12.06.2006

I was shocked and saddened to learn of the recent passing of a good friend and a pioneer of television stereo, Ron Estes.

Robotically Controlled Super Prism Displays

by Randy Hoffner, 10.04.2006

Scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich have developed a new experimental advanced display technology that, to say the least, differs significantly from currently used technologies.

Developments in LCD Backlights

by Randy Hoffner, 7.12.2006

The cathode ray tube that until recent years served as the principal television and video display device generates its own light.

The Next Step in HDTV: Super Hi-Vision

by Randy Hoffner, 5.10.2006

Those who have been involved in the television industry for a while might remember that the first HDTV system to be commercialized was the Hi-Vision system.

Hi-Def DVDs Are Finally Here

by Randy Hoffner, 3.08.2006

We are all aware that high-definition DVDs have been a long time coming, and as ever with A/V recording technology, two incompatible formats are vying for the hearts of consumers.

What Time is It?

by Randy Hoffner, 1.11.2006

Television engineers are quite aware of the importance of the accurate measurement of time. Precise frequency references as well as an accurate knowledge of the time of day have always been critical in television.

Maybe the CRT Isn't Quite Dead Yet

by Randy Hoffner, 12.07.2005

You may be hearing about the demise of the venerable CRT, which has been the display device used in most of the TV sets we have watched since television became a commercial reality.

1080p Displays: In Search of Applications

by Randy Hoffner, 10.05.2005

If you have attended any recent tradeshow featuring displays or paid attention to the display press, you will have seen and heard about 1080p displays.

EBU Likes Progressive Scan HDTV

by Randy Hoffner, 9.07.2005

Although the HD-MAC experience caused European broadcasters to question whether HDTV would ever be viable in Europe, the situation is rather different now from 12 years ago. There are three reasons to indicate the time for HDTV has come in Europe.

A Primer on Advanced 24p

by Randy Hoffner, 8.03.2005

The 24 fps film format has been used on television since television began.

Is Film Becoming an Endangered Species?

by Randy Hoffner, 7.06.2005

Video successfully supplanted film in newsgathering long ago, but in spite of the video recording industry's best efforts, film prevailed as the capture method for theatrical movies and primetime television. That tide appears to be turning.

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