Workflow in TV Channels

[Haitham Lawati]

Hi there,
Does anyone know technical websites and links which explain briefly - or intensively - about the workflow in TV channels and what a to z equipments are used to deliver motion from capturing field to homes and public?

[Haitham Lawati]

Any reply?

[Haitham Lawati]

Thanks to the member who subscribed my email address in VITEC official website www.vitecmm.com

[Jon Fairhurst]

I think a reason you are getting so few responses is that the subject is so broad and encompassing. One could write a book or two on the subject. Also, I would imagine that few of us have such links at hand.

The heart of such a TV station is the Master Control System. You might look at various products in the marketplace. You also need an encoder and an uplink. The signal is potentially sent to your transmitter site and cable and satellite systems. And then there is the transmitter itself, including the modulator, amplifier, waveguides, tower, and antenna.

If you do live news, you will also need a studio, cameras, lights, switcher, mics, and mixer. You might also want an ENG truck with an uplink to the studio.

It's been 15 years since I worked in the broadcast equipment industry, so I'm not in a position to recommend the best, latest equipment. Take a look at Grass Valley, Sony, DVEO, and Harris for starters.

[Haitham Lawati]

Thanks for this response, but what I meant was only the basics and fundamental theories of TV stations workflow.

[Chris Medico]

Are you talking about how NEWS works or how the station gets the program content to air?

[Gary Nattrass]

This may be of interest : http://tech.ebu.ch/docs/events/hdtec...05_quested.pdf

and other documents from the BBC: BBC RD - Homepage

Also looking at delivery specification documents such as this one from CH4 can be a good source of info: http://www.channel4.com/media/docume...lStandards.pdf

and similar ones from the BBC: BBC - Commissioning TV - Delivery

hope this helps

[Haitham Lawati]

Yes Chris Medico, I would like get a general information about the broadcast and what are the key equipments used. It would be a very nice idea if you can find out a typical diagram that illustrates the workflow of broadcast inside TV channels.

[Chris Medico]

Here ya go:

What's in a TV Station?

[Jon Fairhurst]

That description is a bit dated in that it's tape based. In the old days, there were big CART machines that would robotically grab tape cartridges from an array and put them into one of multiple VTRs for playback. Those were fun to watch! I go to NAB each year and I haven't seen a CART machine there in over a decade. It's all played back from disc arrays today.

[Chris Medico]

Actually in the old days "I" would load tapes onto 2" decks the size of a fridge. Then we got 1" tape decks that was the size of a large tube type TV. Then it went 3/4" carts and I moved on to jobs with much better pay. ;)

Now I can put enough gear to do a 5 camera shoot and broadcast onto the internet in 2 carry on sized pelican cases. What that gear does what used to take up multiple rooms with 5+ people operating it. Most of a TV station in a bag. Amazing.

Even though things have changed a lot over the years the basic signal path is remarkably similar. It only comes from different sources and ends up in a different format. There are still sources, switching, conditioning, and broadcast. While the technology of that site is dated what happens to a program stream is the same.

[Jon Fairhurst]

Chris "Human CART Machine" Medico. :)

I think it was 1990 or so when the chief engineer at the Fox affiliate in Sacramento gave me a tour. They were still operating a 2-inch machine at that time for some of their legacy content. Those things were beefy!

Still, the transmitter impressed me the most. My friend, Rory, the chief engineer, had designed it. The waveguides are magical things. They're like air ducts (rather than wires) that carry high frequencies at high power. He had stories about going up the tower elevator on windy days. Whew!