IMT Showcases PacTV’s AMT-Fitted ENG Truck
PacTV’s new ENG Truck features IMT’s Nucomm Newscaster VT7.4 transmitter
Integrated Microwave Technologies, (Booth OE1344), a business unit within the Vitec Group’s Videocom Division, is hosting a fully functional Accelerated Media Technologies (AMT) news truck from Pacific Television Center (PacTV), a Los Angeles-based independent global transmission and production company. Suited for live production, location shots, playout, remote production, and transmission backup, the vehicle features IMT’s Nucomm Newscaster VT7.4 HD/SD ENG/SNG/OB-van transmitter and other high-end gear.
PacTV’s new ENG truck combines the company’s existing and proven fiber network with IMT’s state-of-the-art microwave gear, providing a complete point-to-point solution for mobile-broadcast productions. PacTV’s longtime studio experience allows the company to manage the end-to-end fiber and microwave workflow, and its ENG truck and microwave network in Los Angeles can cover nearly 10,000 square miles. The mobile facility is equipped with a wireless camera and IFB with return-vision capability, giving users the freedom to get the shot at a distance. It can stream MPEG-4 HD-quality video and audio and is armed with encoders capable of doing four separate services, for multiple clients, at once.
“We are excited to demonstrate our new ENG truck featuring IMT’s Newscaster to NAB attendees at this year’s show,” says Nick Castaneda, VP of development, PacTV. “This truck is designed to interface directly with the master-control room (MCR) in our Los Angeles facility; it is like having an MCR and live-shot facility on wheels. Our microwave network, which includes the Mount Wilson and Century City receive sites, brings mobility and versatility to any live broadcast at a fraction of the cost of traditional satellite trucks.”
AMT, a specialist in vehicle integration for a wide range of applications, including broadcast and mobile communications, facilitated integration of the gear into the new PacTV truck. In addition to the IMT equipment, the truck also comes fully loaded with top-of-the-line communications and intercom products from RTS; extensive networking gear, including a hardware control panel and card from Trilogy and a router and synchronizer/converter from AJA Video Systems; and a complete remote camera-interface system from Studio Technologies.
“We are proud to host PacTV’s impressive ENG news van at our outdoor booth throughout this year’s NAB show,” says IMT Divisional Chief Executive Stephen Shpock. “The Nucomm Newscaster VT7.4 is a major step forward in van transmitter technology, as it offers more features than any other product in its class, and we are thrilled it has been integrated into this technologically advanced vehicle.”
More than 600 IMT Nucomm Newscaster VT7.4 HD/SD ENG/SNG/OB-van transmitters are currently in use across the globe. The most recent model (VT7.4) has been redesigned to support both HD/SD low-latency MPEG-2 and MPEG-4, as well as Part-10/H.264 encoding with digital RF power of up to 10 W. The VT7.4 features a two-box design and a wide array of inputs and can be configured for both analog and digital operations. The COFDM modulator has full control over the modulation formats, bandwidth, data rate, and guard interval. It features software-generated modulation formats that are stored in on-board circuit-board PROMs. Users can easily update the VT7.4 software as additional digital software formats become available, increasing the flexibility of the VT7.4 and avoiding obsolescence. Software-based modulation greatly reduces system complexity and component heat generation, thus providing even greater reliability.