CatholicTV Upgrades Network Operations to HD with Grass Valley

America’s Catholic Television Network, CatholicTV, is upgrading its studios and operations facility in Watertown, MA to full high-definition capabilities with new production technologies from Grass Valley.

The CatholicTV Network has purchased a new Grass Valley Kayenne HD Video Production Center, seven Grass Valley LDK 8000 Elite Series HD cameras with new 3G Fiber Transmission systems, and a variety of GeckoFlex signal processing modules in support of its existing Trinix router. The LDK 8000 Elite HD cameras are the first purchased by a major studio in the city of Boston and are key to the new project which was designed by David Haralambou of By Request Communications (Marlborough, MA.).

The CatholicTV Network had previously purchased a Grass Valley Maestro Master Control and Branding System for SD signals which will be upgraded for HD operation and a 128×128 Trinix router for 3G HD signals. The combination of equipment will make CatholicTV’s production center one of the most advanced facilities in the world, while ensuring the highest quality HD programming for its viewers.

“We’re excited to be using the LDK 8000 Elite cameras because we tested a number of different HD camera systems and found that the overall performance and multi-format signal flexibility of the LDK cameras and 3G SMPTE fiber transmission system is far better than the competition,” said Mark Quella, Director of Engineering and Operations at CatholicTV Network. “We also feel that the Kayenne switcher is a perfect fit for the highly integrated production systems at the CatholicTV Network, it will allow us to improve the production values of our programming and give us the ability to do much more than we could previously.”

The new LDK 8000 Elite cameras purchased by the CatholicTV Network will be used with large studio-style box lenses and will include the new Grass Valley RefleX SuperXpander, which not only acts as a large lens adapter but provides complete bidirectional 3G HD I/O’s and an easy to use full featured operator interface for studio operations. The super expander also allows the crew to quickly convert the cameras from studio configuration to EFP use, and provides full compatibility with Grass Valley’s 3G Transmission family.

“This is a major upgrade and we’re pleased to be a part of it and to be helping The CatholicTV Network take the next step in its continuing growth,” said Jeff Rosica, Executive Vice President of Grass Valley. “The new equipment purchased will not only improve the on-air look of the television network and its Internet complement, but it will also allow them to produce new types of programs and generate additional revenue by working with outside clients looking for the best production values available in the area.”

The CatholicTV Network has also entered into multi-year service level agreements (SLAs) with Grass Valley for all of the equipment now is use.