Harris Corporation Prepares for Active ATSC Transmission Market as FCC Deadlines Approach
New ATSC transmission solutions address power maximization and analog sunset as crucial DTV deadlines approach
CINCINNATI, March 8, 2006 — Harris Corporation’s (NYSE: HRS) Broadcast Communications Division will address important industry developments in U.S. ATSC digital terrestrial transmission at NAB2006 as broadcasters prepare for the coming analog sunset. The FCC’s recent announcement that it will shut off analog television on February 17, 2009, along with the impending July 1, 2006 deadline for digital signal power maximization of most U.S. TV stations, means that the ATSC market will remain active for the foreseeable future. At NAB2006, Harris will showcase new digital transmission solutions that address modern issues such as network integration, channel re-assignment — known as "Repack" — and ATSC redundancy.
"The confirmation of analog sunset has focused activity in the ATSC market as broadcasters look ahead to early 2009" said Dale Mowry, vice president and general manager of the Harris Television Broadcast Systems business unit. "Many stations will relocate their digital transmission to their old analog channel assignments in 2009. Meanwhile, all stations must start thinking about digital redundancy, with three years remaining before their analog transmission stops. Harris is addressing these issues and others through a variety of ATSC solutions that optimize the modern transmission plant and its integration into the networked broadcast facility"
Harris will showcase the following ATSC solutions at NAB2006:
* Platinum - i™. Harris announced its vision of the "Intelligent Transmitter" in 2005, launching its first transmitter with an integrated Harris eCDi® enhanced network control and monitoring system in the PowerCD® transmitter. Harris continues on this path this year with new control cabinets for the popular Platinum®CD Series of VHF transmitters. The integration of the eCDi system allows the transmitter to be added to a TV station’s modern network infrastructure, such as a facility-wide SNMP network, without the need for an external box. The new Platinum - i™ Series control cabinet, which also houses the "brains" of the transmitter (Harris’ Apex™ exciter and transmitter control), is designed for simple field upgrades. Platinum® users can implement analog-to-digital upgrades in the field by simply swapping out the older control cabinet. Users can also upgrade control cabinets in operational analog and digital models.
* Atlas™ ATSC solid-state digital transmitter. The latest transmitter in the Atlas™ range is the first liquid-cooled, solid-state ATSC UHF transmitter offered by Harris. Available in five power levels, from 1 to 12 kW, the new transmitter is also ideal for Class A stations that need to purchase an analog transmitter today that can be readily "flash cut" to digital.
* PowerCD® high-power UHF transmitter. Harris will display a single-cabinet version of PowerCD® for the first time at NAB2006. PowerCD® is the newest, cost-effective, high-power UHF ATSC transmitter from Harris, offering additional power and sharp reductions in operating costs for stations transmitting at the maximum power allotted by the FCC. The single-cabinet PowerCD® specifically targets power maximization at stations where the dual-cabinet version introduced last year would exceed requirements. The single-cabinet version is an ideal solution for stations thinking about ATSC redundancy with the approach of analog sunset. Like the PlatinumCD transmitter, PowerCD® is an Intelligent Transmitter offering an integrated eCDi® system for connection to a modern network infrastructure.
Harris ATSC transmission products are at the wireless delivery end of the Harris four-phase total content delivery chain, which addresses content acquisition, management, distribution and delivery. Harris transmitters can receive and transmit broadcast content over-the-air for viewer consumption. The introduction of the Harris Intelligent Transmitter further integrates Harris’ total content delivery solution by enabling connectivity to a facility-wide network infrastructure for comprehensive control and monitoring.
About Harris Broadcast Communications Division
Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150 countries. With headquarters in Melbourne, Florida, the company has annual sales of over $3 billion and more than 13,000 employees — including 5,500 engineers and scientists — dedicated to the development of best-in-class assured communications™ products, systems, and services. The company’s operating divisions serve markets for government communications, RF communications, broadcast communications, and microwave communications. Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at www.harris.com.
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- Harris Broadcast Communications Division
- Harris Corporation
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