Florida’s WTVX deploys Omneon Spectrum HD

Four
Points Media Group has deployed the Omneon Spectrum HD media server in a
redundant configuration to provide ingest and simultaneous playout of SD and HD
content for WTVX CW-34, Four Points’ station in West Palm Beach, Fla. The Spectrum
system is sited at an unmanned transmitter facility in the Everglades, which is
managed by remote control from master control facilities in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“The Spectrum HD system had the functionality we needed, in particular the
automatic internal up- and down-conversion that bridges the gap between SD and
HD, allowing us to live in both worlds,” said Kipp Greene, Four Points’
chief engineer. “But just as important as the functionality is the
reliability and robustness of the equipment, the on-time delivery, and the
excellent support from Omneon.”

A complete HD ingest and playout server in an integrated platform based on
proven Omneon components, the Spectrum HD media server combines high-quality HD
playout capabilities with flexible features to allow efficient migration to HD
broadcasting. The system supports four redundant channels of HD MPEG playout.

“Broadcasters like Four Points need flexible approaches to accommodate
both SD and HD ingest and playout,” said Geoff Stedman, Omneon senior vice
president of products and markets. “In addition to format, bit rate, and
resolution considerations, broadcasters are making their technology purchases
with an eye toward balancing existing investments and long-term strategy. With
our combined broadcast know-how and IT expertise, Omneon delivers media servers
that help meet business exigencies because they support all major formats and
adapt and scale to fit the evolving HD landscape.”