UK’s ITV builds HD facility in time for World Cup

As part of the on-going expansion and updating of its infrastructure, ITV has installed a trial High Definition playout facility at its Southern Transmission Centre. The facility was installed by system integration specialists Broadcast Networks and was completed in May 2006 in time for ITV s HD coverage of the FIFA World Cup Football tournament in Germany. The trial facility is the latest in a series of projects that ITV has placed with Broadcast Networks over the last five years. The contract involved designing, building and commissioning a new HD playout channel to be trailed in the London area. Major new equipment included a Grass Valley K2 HD server system, Evertz Quartz QMC-2 HD presentation channels, Sony HDCAM-SR High Definition VTR s as well as the installation of a Harris automation system. ITV, along with the BBC, Channel 4 and Five, is taking part in a technical trial to test the possibility of delivering HD programming through its customers TV aerials. A range of ITV s programming has been commissioned and recorded in HD already, and much more will follow. Live sport is particularly suited to the new format, and ITV s games from this summer s World Cup in Germany are also benefiting from being broadcast in HD. Tom Haye, Director of Broadcast Networks recalls, We ve been working on various projects for ITV for many years and we have built up a really good working relationship with them. The HD playout is the latest contract to be awarded to us. All along we have been meeting tight schedules and we are happy to have finished this project well before the kick-off this month. Brian Hann, Senior Technologist and Project Manager for ITV, adds: We have worked with Tom on previous projects and we knew that we could rely on him to complete our installation in time for the World Cup. Jan Haye, Managing Director of Broadcast Networks, says: We are thrilled to have worked with the ITV team again on this exciting project. From the start, there was a very professional approach from the customer s side, which made it easy to communicate and meet deadlines.