Cutting Edge

The New Jersey city of Bayonne has approved a memorandum of understanding with the Metropolitan Television Alliance for construction of a 2,000-foot transmission tower for New York City stations on Bayonne's peninsula but that doesn't necessarily mean the tower will definitely go there. According to Ed Grebow, MTVA president, it simply means that if it's going to be built in New Jersey it will be in Bayonne. There are still difficult steps ahead, including getting approval from the FAA. Both Continental Airlines and the Air Line Pilots Association have filed objections to the tower with the FAA citing concerns over flight paths from Newark Airport. The tower is to replace facilities destroy by the World Trade Center collapse.

Sony Pictures Digital is using Avid's Active ContentManager for its SoapCity Download service. The site delivers full-length soap opera episodes without commercial interruptions via broadband. Avid Active ContentManager system is based on JAVA standards and automates the process of collecting digital content from multiple sources and distributing it across numerous channels, including wireless devices, interactive television, and the Internet. Steve Banfield, senior vice president, Technology of Sony Pictures Digital says the Avid system is attractive because of its open architecture, scalability and application program interface.

Canadian multicultural broadcaster Channel M will use a FOR-A digiWarp EX-II Virtual Studio System for its new broadcast center to open this summer. The station is owned by Multivan Broadcast and will use the digiWarp EX-II to create graphics and a virtual studio for dual video walls. Displaying specially designed 2D and 3D video inserts, the dual video walls will give the illusion of a real set. It will be installed by Applied Electronics.

Comcast Cable has begun taking delivery of DC-510 set-top boxes from Pace Micro Technology and plans on deploying them throughout its subscriber base. Pace has a strong installed base in Europe and the Comcast move is its second large MSO deployment in the U.S.