[opendtv] Re: DTV Transition Premiers in Wilmington, North Carolina
- From: Nat Ostroff <nostroff@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 21:23:19 -0400 (EDT)
Ahhh, a walk down memory lane.
Nat Ostroff, former President of Comark now at Ai.
Warm regards to all
Nat
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark A. Aitken" <maitken@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, May 9, 2008 12:23:44 PM (GMT-0500) America/New_York
Subject: [opendtv] Re: DTV Transition Premiers in Wilmington, North Carolina
You are 2 years ahead of the times :-) It was 1996...
From WRAL site:
<SNIP>
On May 9, 1996, WRAL-TV filed the first application in the nation for a license
to operate a high-definition television station. On June 19, the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) granted WRAL-TV the first experimental HDTV
license in the country. The new station, WRAL-HD, operated on channel 32 at 100
kilowatts with an antenna 1,750 feet above the ground.
Thirty-four days later, on July 23, 1996, WRAL transmitted the first digital
signal. It culminated 20 years of dreaming and planning by broadcasters around
the world. It took an army of engineers and equipment experts those 34 days to
get to transmission capability.
<SNIP>
An interesting aside...there was a serious "who done it first" contest
underway. The Model Station Project provided the first transmission of HDTV
signals to be transmitted and received over-the-air. In the case of WRAL, they
had no encoder when they went 'on-the-air', and were transmitting PRS...(an
argument at the time was "if someone transmits a PRS sequence in the forest,
and there are no receivers to receive or display to display, was anything
broadcast?") To the credit of WRAL (and Jim Goodmon), they were and continue to
be pioneer Broadcasters, and made the serious effort that started a series of
"firsts" in the DTV arena...
From B&C:
Comark transmitter first in at Model Station
By Dickson, Glen
Publication: Broadcasting & Cable
Date: Monday, July 8 1996
The MSTV/EIA Model Station project will begin broadcasting high-definition
television (HDTV) signals on July 31, 1996, using a UHF transmitter provided by
Comark Communications Inc. The Model Station will broadcast from WRC-TV
Washington's tower. The test will broadcast Grand Alliance-compliant data
signals on a dual-use prototype. The company's commercial model with an 8-VSB
exciter will be available in Fall 1996. Sony, Panasonic, Tektronix, and Leitch
are also providing equipment to the Model Station.
HDTV signals to go on air July 31...
(MAA - I think that the actual on-air date was August 6th...dang electricians
and unions delayed the actual as I recollect).
For more details (from IEEE
<http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?tp=&arnumber=626814&isnumber=13639>
):
Digital television implementation solutions
Aitken, M.A.
Comark Commun. Inc.;
This paper appears in: Broadcasting Convention, 1997. International
Publication Date: 12-16 Sep 1997
On page(s): 171-179
Meeting Date: 09/12/1997 - 09/16/1997
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
ISSN: 0537-9989
ISBN: 0- 85296-694 -6
References Cited: 0
INSPEC Accession Number: 5744855
Posted online: 2002-08-06 20:55:31.0
Abstract
The first UHF transmitter for “The Model Station Project” has been installed in
the US. This has provided equipment manufacturers and suppliers an opportunity
to deal with some of the real challenges of deploying a digital broadcast
television service. This project was formed for the purpose of designing,
installing and operating the first full digital HDTV station in the US. In a
similar US context, involvement with the National Institute of Standards and
Technology supported “HDTV Broadcast Technology Research Collaborative” has
allowed an understanding of many technology gaps that must be closed. This
paper discusses some of the new technology opportunities and choices being made
as a result of the increased awareness such activities make available to
broadcasters and manufacturers
On 5/8/2008 6:04 PM, Manfredi, Albert E wrote:
It looks like a more gradual approach to ending the DTV transition is
taking shape, as the larger European countries are doing.
The interesting little tid bit here is that (IIRC) NC is also where the
first real-world trial ATSC transmissions occurred, in 1994. WRAL, I
think it was.
Bert
--------------------------------------------
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-282032A1.pdf FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2008 Clyde Ensslin, 202-418-0875 Email: clyde.ensslin@xxxxxxx DTV
Transition Premiers in Wilmington, North Carolina
DTV Test Pilot Program to Begin September 8, 2008
Washington, DC - Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin
Martin today announced Wilmington, North Carolina, will be the first
market to test the transition to digital television (DTV) in advance of
the nationwide transition to DTV on February 17, 2009. The commercial
broadcasters serving the Wilmington television market have voluntarily
agreed to turn off their analog signals at noon on September 8, 2008.
Beginning at 12:00 pm on September 8, 2008, these local stations, WWAY
(ABC), WSFX-TV (FOX), WECT (NBC), WILM-LP (CBS), and W51CW (Trinity
Broadcasting) will broadcast only digital signals to their viewers in
the five North Carolina counties that comprise this television market.
Representatives of each local affiliate, Donna Barrett, President and
CEO of Southeastern Media Holdings, Inc. (WSFX (FOX)), Andy Combs,
Station Manager of WWAY (ABC), Jim Goodmon, President and CEO of Capitol
Broadcasting (WILM-LP (CBS)), Paul McTear, President and CEO of Raycom
Media Inc. (WECT (NBC)), and Colby May, Esq. on behalf of Trinity
Broadcasting (W51CW) made the announcement along with the Mayor of
Wilmington, Bill Saffo, and the President and CEO of the Wilmington
Chamber of Commerce, Connie Majure-Rhett.
The DTV transition for the whole country will take place on February 17,
2009, when all full power television stations must turn off their analog
signals and broadcast only digital signals. This test market will be an
early transition that will give broadcasters and consumers a chance to
experience in advance the upcoming DTV transition. The Commission is
coordinating with local officials and community groups to accelerate and
broaden consumer education outreach efforts. The outreach will focus on
the special transition date for Wilmington and the steps viewers may
need to take to be ready by September.
In making the announcement, the Chairman said: "On March 3, 2008, my
colleague, Commissioner Michael Copps, suggested that the Commission
engage in real-world experience readying broadcasters and consumers in
advance of the upcoming digital transition, including test markets that
would switch to all-digital service before February 17, 2009. I commend
the Wilmington broadcasters for their pioneer spirit to go first to help
the entire country prepare for the final transition to digital on
February 17, 2009. This experience will help us to spot issues that we
need to address elsewhere in the country before next February."
The Commission identified Wilmington as one of a limited number of
potential test markets to test the transition because all the commercial
stations in the market have already completed construction of their DTV
channels and are operating at full post-transition power. The Wilmington
PBS station, WUNJ, will continue broadcasting in both analog and
digital. One other low power station has its digital channel assignment,
but will continue broadcasting an analog signal. The Commission will use
the test market as an opportunity to work very closely in advance with
broadcasters, viewers, cable companies and others who will be affected
to anticipate and address any problems. The Commission is also
coordinating with NTIA and local retailers to be sure that
digital-to-analog converter boxes are readily available in local stores
for consumers who rely on over-the-air service and have analog
televisions.
-FCC -
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--
Regards,
Mark A. Aitken
Director, Advanced Technology
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