Cutting Edge

Fox Networks Engineering & Operations has signed a multiyear contract calling for Ascent Media Systems & Technology Services to provide ongoing system support and maintenance for the satellite earth stations at all Fox Broadcasting Co. affiliate locations. Ascent Media also assumes responsibility for the upgrades Fox Digital initiated in 2002, including a migration path from a single antenna to a dual-antenna satellite system. Ascent will install a new Andrew 4.5-meter antenna at approximately 125 Fox sites.

MIRA Mobile Television, based in Portland, Ore., has purchased 11 Fujinon HD lenses for use on a new HD production truck. The truck, dubbed M-5, hits the road in November. MIRA Mobile Television will add four XA72x9.3BESM and two XA87x9.3BESM (with stabilization) HD zoom lenses; three HA22x7.8BERM ENG lenses; and two HA13x4.5BERM wide-angle lenses. The lenses will be affixed to Sony cameras that will acquire signals in the new 1080/60p format.

It didn't take long for Harris Corp. to replace the recently retired Bruce Allan. Jeremy C. Wensinger was named president of Harris Corp.'s Broadcast Communications Business, moving over from his previous role as vice president and general manager of Harris Technical Services Corp., part of Harris's Government Communications Systems Division. Howard Lance, Harris chairman and CEO, says that Wensinger helped the technical-services business grow to nearly $200 million in revenue. "In his new position, he brings exceptional leadership skills to one of Harris's most dynamic commercial businesses," says Allan. "He will be building upon a new organization structure to more effectively serve our broadcast customers and markets."

There is a new digital-video encoder on the market, thanks to EGT's introduction of its Professional Video Encoder. The unit is built on a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) platform, and the company says it has 30% more bandwidth efficiency per channel than others on the market. It's designed for use by cable operators and handles two channels per rack unit. It also features encoder cascading, lowering the cost-per-stream of analog content.