Kent State’s TV2 adds big-market look to new HD facility with virtual sets

Kent State University's School of Journalism and Mass Communication and Office of Student Media have begun using Orad Hi-Tec Systems' SmartSet 3-D virtual set system as a key component of a new HD facility for TV2, its student-operated station.

Every semester, more than 100 students work as part of the TV2 team to produce two newscasts each weekday, a weekly sports show and a weekly dating show. TV2 airs on Time Warner Cable in the surrounding communities.

The Orad SmartSet has increased the flexibility of the TV2 studio and sped up turnaround times between shows, said Dave Smeltzer, a Kent State assistant professor who advises TV2. Implementation has been so successful that TV2 is moving toward using virtual sets as the primary solution for its shows, he added.

The station is part of the university’s Office of Student Media, which includes newspaper, Web site, magazine and radio production. While the office has faculty advisers, editorial content is under student control.

Orad's SmartSet is a turnkey virtual set that accommodates up to four cameras for any type of broadcast. It can be used with a studio as small as 10sq ft to produce a sophisticated, big-market look.

For more information, visit www.orad.tv.