Tech Talk

Station group ACME Communications has bought six high-definition encoders from Japanese manufacturer JVC.

ACME is using the DM-JV600U High Definition MPEG-2 encoder (above) as the primary on-air HD encoder at six stations that recently upgraded in the process of becoming CW affiliates.

These stations are now broadcasting HD with the JVC encoders: WIWB-DT Green Bay and WBUW-DT Madison, Wis.; WBUI-DT Decatur, Ill.; WTVK-DT Fort Meyers, Fla.; WBXX-DT Knoxville, Tenn.; and KASY-DT Albuquerque, N.M.

The National Cable Television Cooperative has named Suwanee, Ga.-based Arris as a preferred vendor of the primary line of voice- and data–modem equipment known as an Embedded Multimedia Terminal Adapter (E-MTA).

NCTC, a programming- and hardware-purchasing cooperative made up of more than 1,100 cable operators throughout the U.S., has given the seal of approval to Arris’ Touchstone E-MTA products, which include DOCSIS and PacketCable-certified modems for both high-speed–data and voice-over-IP applications.

Says Mark Bishop, NCTC senior VP of hardware, “We have selected Arris E-MTA equipment because of the superior quality, value and service associated with their Touchstone line of E-MTAs and cable modems.”

Harris will provide its broadcast-sales software to U.K. satellite operator British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB). BSkyB will implement Harris’ H-Class Airtime Sales System, a scalable solution for controlling, monitoring and executing complex advertising campaigns.

Harris will provide a multichannel H-Class Airtime Sales System designed to upgrade BSkyB’s existing sales mechanism.

The contract includes support, facilities management and development, and implementation of each stage of the project.