Crystal Vision Chosen For BBC’s First HD Studio

The BBC has selected Crystal Vision to
supply 72 of its newly launched combined up, down and cross converter,
Up-and-down for installation into TC1, BBC Resources’ largest studio
located at BBC Television Centre in London.
The Up-and-down boards purchased will enable TC1 to operate as the BBC’s first High Definition studio.

Incorporating a number of processing features
including adaptive motion compensation, Up-and-down will choose the
best processing method based on the video content to always ensure an
exceptional output picture. Up-and-down performs up conversions from
Standard Definition to 720p and 1080i, at both 50Hz and 59.94Hz. Down
conversions are 720p and 1080i to Standard Definition also at both
frame frequencies, with cross conversions of 720p to 1080i and 1080i to
720p also available. One of the applications of the Crystal Vision
Up-and-down boards purchased is to up convert all the Standard
Definition sources coming into the studio to High Definition format,
mainly 1080i.
The Up-and-down modules are also being used to
subsequently down convert the feeds from High Definition so that both
signal monitoring and individual programme recordings can be completed
in Standard Definition.

The Up-and-down boards are housed in five Indigo 4S frames, which can
hold up to 24 modules each, under the control of Statesman PC Control
software and alongside 30 Crystal Vision DADA208D dual digital audio
distribution amplifier modules also included on the same order. The
audio delay cards, giving a maximum of two inputs and four reclocked
outputs and offering selectable delay on each channel, are being used
to match the audio to the one frame fixed delay provided by the
Up-and-downs.

Purchased through the UK broadcast design and installation company –
Dega Broadcast Systems, who has previously been involved in other
significant projects installing Crystal Vision equipment, the
Up-and-down converters being used in TC1 are operating alongside an
existing Crystal Vision system. The original equipment was installed
ten years ago when Crystal Vision was chosen to equip the BBC studio
for its conversion from analogue to digital. The final decision to
purchase the Up-and-down converters required detailed evaluation by the
BBC in which they considered both the price and performance of the
boards.
Following installation of the Up-and-down converters, the first
programme to be made in the newly equipped studio was broadcast live on
12th August 2006.