ESPN Picks FOR-A FRC-8000 Frame-Rate Converters for Transmission Facilities

ESPN has purchased five FOR-A FRC-8000 HD/SD frame-rate converters for the new transmission facility at its Bristol, CT, headquarters. An additional two FRC-8000 units will be going to the ESPN facility in Brazil next month. FOR-A is showcasing the FRC-8000 technology at NAB, Booth C5219.

The FRC-8000s will be used for ESPN’s broadcast of the World Cup in South Africa this summer. ESPN chose the new FRC-8000 units based on the network’s success with two FOR-A FRC-7000 HD frame-rate converters.

ESPN will use the FRC-8000s to convert feeds from 1080i/50 to 720p/59.94. It is also using them for some tape dubbing for SD NTSC and SD PAL to 1080i/50 or 720p/59.94 to 1080i50.

“We are proud that ESPN will rely on the new FRC-8000 as part of its new transmission facility,” said Mr. Hiro Tanoue, president/CEO, FOR-A Corp. of America. “ESPN will be using the FRC-8000’s remote Web control, which will maximize some unique functionality in our frame-rate converter.”

The FRC-8000 features simultaneous HD and SD output, along with an optional front touch panel for easy operation. Equipped with FOR-A’s motion-compensation-processing technology, the multiformat frame-rate converter supports a wide range of signals, including 1080i, 720p, NTSC, and PAL. Up/down/crossconverters provide both frame-rate and format conversion in a single unit. The FRC-8000 also features scene cut, 2:3 pulldown, and text-field detection for optimal conversion. Plus, it supports multichannel audio conversion, with optional two-channel Dolby E encode/decode support.