5280 Broadcast

Rocky Mountain PBS

5280 Broadcast has been awarded the contract for the reconstruction of Rocky Mountain PBS' central equipment room and master control facilities. The project includes the design, engineering, equipment procurement, and integration of the new systems as well as management of the transition and removal of the de-commissioned system components and infrastructure.

The modernization of the technical core will bring new capabilities to the state wide public broadcasting network which serves over 1.3 million viewers per month. The upgrades will create a fully HD-capable routing and master control core and the ability to process and distribute 5.1 surround audio on KRMA, KRMJ, and KTSC. Enhancements to the MPEG encoding and splicing platforms will allow for the carriage of V-Me, featuring Spanish language programming and Create-TV, featuring cooking, travel, home improvement, and other lifestyle programming as subchannels on each of the digital streams.

The project is scheduled for completion in June of 2010.

Harris Broadcast Communications, Englewood, CO

5280 Broadcast recently completed the design and construction of Harris Broadcast's new Lab for Automation Innovation and Research (LAIR) in Englewood, CO. The lab, which includes 17 Harris automation systems, a Platinum 256x256 wideband router, four IconMaster master control systems, and a host of video servers, graphics systems, switchers, and keyers from Harris and several other broadcast equipment vendors, was created as the center for research and development and customer service for Harris' automation products. Several of Harris' other product lines including Invenio Content Management and InfoCaster Digital Signage were added to the initial design to ensure complete interoperability with the core automation products.

The integration process utilized two technical crews and was divided into three phases. The first crew performed cable and rack preparation as well as the integration of new equipment at the Denver facility while a second crew was deployed to Sunnyvale, CA to de-commission the former lab, document the equipment removed, and prepare the legacy equipment and workstation furniture for transportation to Denver. The two crews were then merged at the new facility for final integration, cable dress, and system testing. System engineering, CAD, and project management services were provided by Randy Reed.

The project includes 26 racks of equipment, five workstations, and a custom master control console designed and built by Graham Studios which can accommodate up to five operators. More than 2400 cables were fabricated for the installation which took approximately 14 weeks to complete.

New FCC Report & Order Means Changes for
Wireless Equipment Users

In November, 2008, the FCC issued a long- anticipated Report & Order concerning the use of unlicensed RF devices within the television spectrum. There are two major components of this R&O which have implications for all broadcasters. The first is that there may soon be any number of unlicensed devices operating in the white spaces surrounding a station's licensed signal. While these new devices will be required to scan for unused frequencies before transmitting, there is still cause for concern among broadcasters as these devices begin to proliferate. The second, which is of more immediate concern to broadcasters, theater companies, production crews, and live event venues is the reinforcement of the mandate to end the use of the spectrum between 698 and 806 MHz (TV channels 52-69) currently being used by many wireless microphone systems, as those frequencies have been auctioned off and must be abandoned immediately. Many wireless mic manufacturers have initiated programs which will allow users to upgrade or replace their 700 MHz equipment at a reduced cost. 5280 Broadcast, together with our partners at Swanson Pro Audio, is offering consulting and engineering services to help those affected by this ruling to determine the best course of action regarding upgrades, replacement and the appropriate frequency blocks to migrate to in order to ensure the cleanest possible signals. Contact us for details or contact :

Bruce Swanson
Swanson Pro Audio
3140 S. Peoria Street
Suite K-448
Aurora, CO 80014
Mobile 720.480.7315
Bruce@SwansonProAudio.com

5280 Broadcast Making News Easy with Octopus Newsroom

5280 Broadcast and Octopus Newsroom have recently begun working together to expand this user-friendly, platform-independent, and highly flexible Newsroom Computer System's presence in the US. With an installed customer base spanning the globe, Octopus Newsroom has unparalleled 24/7 support and proven integration with equipment from Harris, Vizrt, Chyron, and many other top broadcast manufacturers. Features include MOS integration with element status, tabbed screens, customizable interfaces, non-subscription ownership and support, and an available Final Cut plug-in. And best of all, the Octopus NRCS is platform-independent, ensuring 100 percent operability on your station's current computer infrastructure whether you use Windows, Mac, or Linux.

5280 Broadcast selected as Lake Cedar Group Integrator

5280 Broadcast has recently been selected by Denver television stations KCNC, KMGH, KTVD, and KUSA to integrate the new consolidated digital transmission facility on Lookout Mountain.

The new facility, nearly ten years in the making, will house the transmitters, monitoring equipment, STL/TSL, and central receive equipment for the stations, collectively known as the Lake Cedar Group. The new tower and building will replace four existing towers and three transmitter buildings on Lookout, some of which have been part of the skyline since the 1950's.

5280 Broadcast will provide system design, installation services, technical documentation, and much of the equipment relating to the routing and monitoring of video, audio, IF, and transport stream signals. 5280 will also be responsible for the interconnection between the control rooms and the tower base, including monitoring and data signals. Engineering will be a collaborative effort between 5280 Broadcast's technical staff and the engineers from the individual member stations.

For more information regarding the Lake Cedar Project, please visit www.HDTVColorado.com

5280 Broadcast Welcomes BTSI Clients

5280 Broadcast is proud to announce our recently completed merger with Broadcast Technical Services, Inc. (BTSI). We welcome BTSI's clients and we are committed to providing the same level of support, service, and pricing that you have all become accustomed to. As part of this exciting new venture, Randy Reed will be joining the 5280 team to provide project management and technical design services. Peter Douglas will provide sales, technical, and customer relations support.