The Big Picture
HD is future of news
By Ken Kerschbaumer -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/12/2004 7:00:00 PM
Six months ago, KUSA Denver became the first TV station to capture and deliver live HD images from its news chopper. Since then, major broadcast networks have seized on this technology for sporting events. Now other TV stations are following suit; several are on tap for HD in 2005. Helinet CTO J.T. Alpaugh discussed the market with B&C's Ken Kerschbaumer.
What other stations have started using the HD system?
We have several, such as KGO San Francisco, KPNX Phoenix and KXTV Sacramento. Right now, all are in downconvert mode. But when they're ready to do HD news, we take the HD output and add an encoder to the digital transmitter.
With only one station, KUSA, signed up, why offer it?
We have close to 30 TV-news contracts across the country, and we're starting to see a buzz about HD. The future in news is HD; we're waiting for the wave to catch on. We also think KUSA's results will fuel demand.
When will that happen?
We'll know better after this holiday season. We're hoping to see a spike in set sales, and that's going to have a real effect on what drives the HD market.
Will the growth pattern be similar to that of helicopters? For example, a station will add a chopper only to compete with another station that has one.
That's a very good analogy. It will be pretty similar, except that the cost incurred to convert a news department to HD is more than just adding HD to a helicopter.
Can your system be used outside of helicopters?
Yes. Football broadcasters have put the system on a remotely controlled camera mount that flies over the field. We've been doing one NFL game a week, and we'll also be doing the Super Bowl.
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