The WJZY/WMYT Master Control Room undergoes a major transformation. Check out the before above… |
and now the after. |
The task is now complete…Master Control has a whole new look in Charlotte and it’s all HD! Engineers spent most of the summer removing all of the analog based equipment in Master Control for both CW46 and My TV12 and installing all of the new equipment that allows a single HD stream for monitoring and transmission. Sounds simple enough, right? Think again!
Let’s sit down with Director of Engineering, Robert Castillo, one on one to break it all down for us…in layman’s terms if you will Robert…
Interviewer: “Robert, what exactly is “single stream?”
Castillo: “This upgrade created significantly greater efficiencies for station operations. It streamlined procedures and freed up the ops from the previous practice of creating programming twice, once for the HD side and once for the SD side. It also allowed traffic to cease creating double logs for HD and SD programming, and more importantly for our sales efforts the upgrade provided the Charlotte Division the ability to broadcast commercials in HD, a service in much greater demand every day from our advertisers. The recent addition of Antenna TV to our programming portfolio on 46.2 is a great example of how this project opens up our opportunity to provide more options for free over the air television to viewers. Plans are in place to fill 46.3 and 55.2 and two mobile channels with similar programming as we grow to better compete in the digital world”.
Interviewer: “Robert, How did you keep each station on the air while gutting MC from the inside out? “
Castillo: “For each station we designed and wired a mirror system with the proposed single stream project. It was double the work in design and wiring but this made the transition smooth as we had planned it. Preplanning is the secret to a successful transition. “
Interviewer: “Spoken like a true engineer!” Robert, were there any hurdles or challenges you faced during the project? “
Castillo: “I would not say hurdles, but we were faced with many challenges since we were updating a functional analog- standard definition infrastructure to a single steam HD facility while both stations were still on the air.“
A quick look at the process:
- Removed all analog based equipment in Master Control for both WJZY and WMYT:
1) Master Control Switcher
2) Sources and OFF air monitoring systems
3) Removal of vertical racks that housed monitors and equipment
4) Clean up wiring after rack removal
New equipment will allow a single HD stream for monitoring and transmission.
- New equipment added:
1) Master Control Switchers
2) Multiviewers
3) (2) Harris Icon stations for video branding
4) Omneon HD record playback servers expansion
5) Equipment consoles
6) Rewired facility to incorporate new equipment
Entire project performed by station employees during regular normal working hours.
- Station Integration:
Designed by Robert Castillo
Technical: Ed McKay
Technical/IT: Keith Carroll
Assistance: WJZY-WMYT Master Control operators
The project started in March and was completed in July. Take a look at before and after photos. View the Slideshow
Thanks to WJZY/WMYT’s Angela Golden & Robert Castillo for this capcom story. Thanks to WJZY/WMYT’s Crystal Rose for these capcom photos.
