TV Technology News

News features from the Television Industry.

Signal Trouble

Converter shortages, reception issues plague transition

by John Merli, 8.06.2008

Although broadcasters continue to reassure viewers that their old antennas will do just fine, others are predicting heartache ahead. more

Captioning Works to Keep Up

New tools spell solutions to new problems

by Sanjay Talwani, 8.06.2008

DTV brings better pictures, better sound and more channels and features. But closed captioning, the stalwart scroll of text that accompanies dialog, has proven trickier than many broadcasters—and their deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers—might have once figured. more

Democrats Descend on Denver

Networks to broadcast from dual sites

by Ken Freed, 8.06.2008

When the Democratic National Convention converges on the Pepsi Center here, Aug. 25–28, greeting the 7,000 party delegates and 25,000 visitors will be more than 15,000 members of the press representing local, national and international print, Internet, radio, and TV media. more

Old-Time Hollywood’s Journey to HD

Film restorers learn to work with what’s available

by James E. O'Neal, 8.06.2008

With the advent of HD and now the Blu-ray home entertainment business, some of this material could be a prime candidate for repurposing and a new revenue stream for its owners. more

A Marathon In Itself

The Games Are Boosting Business Locally, Too

by Martyn Green, 7.31.2008

"Till recently we only had one SNG in China, but because of the Olympics, we now have a second one capable of sending HD signals." more

NBC Clears HD Hurdle for Beijing

Peacock network takes on its biggest TV broadcast ever

by Susan Ashworth, 7.23.2008

Before a single Chinese pasi gong has sounded on the opening ceremonies on August 8, the 2008 Summer Olympic Games is already proving to be groundbreaking television. more

NBC Pursues Mass Streaming Initiative

NBC has devised a well-rounded game plan devoted to covering the 2008 Beijing Olympics via non-broadcast means

by Susan Ashworth, 7.23.2008

Viewers can get access to on-demand video clips, and receive programming via their mobile devices. more

A Big Job for BOB

For the two weeks of the Olympics, the IBC is the world’s biggest broadcaster

by Susan Ashworth, 7.23.2008

Running round the clock through the Olympics, the IBC will serve as the home for studios and production facilities for BOB, as well as rights-holding broadcasters. more

SIGGRAPH Celebrates 35 Years

Annual confab serves as crossroads for art, science and technology

by Scott Lehane, 7.23.2008

The show, which is expected to draw some 30,000 professionals from across the computer graphics, animation, gaming and Web design industries, strikes a unique balance between academic pursuits and the commercial interests of exhibitors. more

A New Day at the Weather Channel

Cable network unveils new hi-def facility

by Claudia Kienzle, 7.09.2008

One year and $60 million dollars after the official groundbreaking ceremony, The Weather Channel’s state-of-the-art HD facility set a new benchmark for hi-def weather programming 26 years after it pioneered the first 24x7 weather cable network in 1982. more

Airing Classics in HD Creates Challenges

It’s not just ‘put ’em up and play ’em’ anymore

by James E. O'Neal, 7.09.2008

Aside from the obvious scratches and gate weave problems associated from older footage, one of the biggest concerns in readying film for repurposing is keeping the colors true. more

Changing the BAS Transition Game Plan

FCC proposes dropping ‘Top 30 Markets’ rule and other requirements

by Robin Berger, 7.09.2008

The FCC is soliciting comments on a timetable and market-by-market approach for introducing the newly defined takeover and new operational requirements to facilitate the entry of MSS operators into the 2 GHz band. more

My Return to OTA

A broadcast engineer goes ‘back to the future’

by Dane Ericksen, 7.09.2008

After almost 20 years of cable TV, I decided that it was finally time to return to over the air. more

Wimbledon in HD Crosses the Pond

NBC carrying BBC’s hi-def feed of tennis’ premier event

by Susan Ashworth, 6.25.2008

Marking the 40-year anniversary of working with the BBC on Wimbledon, this year NBC will pick up high-definition coverage of the action on Centre Court and Court 1, and will also showcase upconverted standard-definition coverage of the remaining matches. more

Beyond the Box

CE manufacturers to hide upgradeable middleware inside sets

by John Merli, 6.25.2008

Earlier this month Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, ADB, Digeo and Intel all formally signed a comprehensive agreement with America’s six largest cable firms, including Comcast, Cox, Time Warner, Charter, Bright House and Cablevision to develop technology compliant with CableLab’s tru2way technology that could eventually lead to the demise of the cable set top box. more

Fox News Goes Tapeless

Network’s news and business channels install end-to-end digital workflow

by Craig Johnston, 6.25.2008

While the network could have chosen to go tapeless in a piecemeal manner as other networks had done, it decided to go tapeless end-to-end. more

Disks Still Drive Video Storage

Solid-state flash memory broadcast servers on the horizon

by Ken Freed, 6.25.2008

Broadcasters wanting the most cutting-edge solutions for digital video storage can consider emerging solid state “flash” memory systems for professional use, but spinning disk drives and digital tape remain the most cost-effective solutions for most operations today. more

Mobile DTV 101

OMVC test results: It works great

by Doug Lung, 6.11.2008

During the last few years, exhibit space at the NAB Show devoted to TV transmitters has shrunk. While this might appear to be an indication that terrestrial TV is dying, the packed technical sessions focusing on ATSC mobile-handheld TV and the capacity crowd at this year’s Open Mobile Video Coalition’s “Mobile TV: Opportunity at 100 MPH” breakfast showed it may be too soon to write-off over-the-air TV. more

AFD Coming Soon: Is TV Ready?

Broadcasters see light at the end of the postage stamp

by John Rice, 6.11.2008

AFD is a means by which any TV program is “flagged” with information instructing an encoder or TV set on how to frame the image. more

CBS News Rolls Out New HD Room

More feeds, more information bring new power to broadcast center

by Mary C. Gruszka, 6.11.2008

The new control room was designed to take in many more simultaneous feeds than before, accepting feeds arriving on fiber as data circuits or via satellite. more