WISN may be going HD soon i think

[tencom]

Up until now all the stations could carry HD programs from the Network. In order for WISN to carry syndicated programming like Oprah, they need special tape delay equipment that can do HD. Apparently they just invested in the equipment and just got it in time for the new fall season.  Now if CBS-58 did the same, "Wheel" and "Jeopardy" may go HD.

 It May not be a tape delay but also be a direct satellite feed for both shows
satellite time is not that expensive, and may have several repeats, by satellite tailored to local markets.

[John L]

They yet need to get HD studio cameras as well as a HD Master Control before they can do the local News in HD.

[uwgrad]

Up until now all the stations could carry HD programs from the Network. In order for WISN to carry syndicated programming like Oprah, they need special tape delay equipment that can do HD. Apparently they just invested in the equipment and just got it in time for the new fall season.  Now if CBS-58 did the same, "Wheel" and "Jeopardy" may go HD.

It May not be a tape delay but also be a direct satellite feed for both shows
satellite time is not that expensive, and may have several repeats, by satellite tailored to local markets.

A direct satellite feed would be ideal for the local station, but it is unlikely that is what is happening.  

Most stations (if not all at this point) use video servers for commercial and pre-recorded content playback.  Syndicated shows are sent down over a satellite at a specific time earlier in the day, and then that file must be broken into the airable segments.  In order for a station to do this in HD, there is a lot of equipment that has to be replaced or upgraded.  New satellite receivers that are HD capable.  The server will need more storage space since as we all know HD takes up alot more hard drive space.   HD input/output cards for the server, either SD downconverting equipment so that the video can be viewed properly on the multiple existing SD monitors and segmenting stations, or replace all of these monitors with new HD capable ones, audio decoders in order to listen to the audio on all of the analog speakers, running all new wiring, and lastly getting the computer systems to talk nicely to everything.

It's alot of work and kudos to WISN for pulling this off, and hopefully other local stations will upgrade their systems soon, although I wonder if they're waiting until February when analog goes away so that there is only one signal path to deal with.  That will simplify the upgrade significantly.

As to local HD news, again, that is a huge undertaking.  It would pretty much require complete replacement of most of the equipment throughout the building.  The studio cameras themselves are one of the easiest upgrades, although still pricey if they go top of the line - $100,000 per camera.  The biggest upgrade is all the control room, master control, and newsroom equipment - the monitors, speakers, graphics systems, recording decks, router system, etc.  Upgrading to HD field footage is even more expensive.  

Another thing to consider is redesigning the studio sets.  They were designed for 4:3 framing, and when they shoot widescreen, most likely there will be issues with unwanted things getting in the shot.

[REVM1M]

Dr. Phill is HD on ch 12. Probably Oprah too later at 4:00 p.m. But Ellen is not on CBS 58. There you go again Jim Hall:bang: :bang:

[REVM1M]

Yes Oprah is HD thank you CH12.

[tunce]

Wow every thread as a nasty comment about Jim Hall...

Deservingly so -