Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic

By TVTechnology
published

Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic

Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, located in Bethesda, MD, is the official television partner of the Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens, Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, D.C. United, Atlantic Coast Conference and Colonial Athletic Association.

The network delivers more than 500 live sporting events per year, along with Emmy Award-winning news, analysis and entertainment programming, to more than 4.7 million homes throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, as well as parts of West Virginia, Pennsylvania
and Delaware.

While the network had been capable of delivering some live events in HD, much of its programming was in SD due to the existing systems in the facility. Communications Engineering, Inc. (CEI) was chosen to handle a comprehensive HD upgrade and expansion of the studio and news facilities for Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, enabling all of the network’s news and entertainment programming to be delivered in HD.

The project, which was completed on time and on budget, included upgrades to the production control room and studio, two additional master control rooms, equipment core area, transmission system and additional edit suites. CEI handled comprehensive design, equipment procurement, systems integration, installation, testing, training and overall project management for the HD upgrade and expansion.

A key challenge was meeting a hard deadline, which was the start of several collegiate and professional seasons in late summer. It was also imperative that CEI kept Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic on the air at all times during the project, which was successfully accomplished.

With a broad scope and a firm deadline, plus the additional challenge of upgrading a working facility with no downtime or program interruption, the project team met the scheduling and technical requirements of Comcast. The result is that millions of sports fans across this region will enjoy much more quality HD programming from Comcast SportsNet.

  • New studio technology – network
    Submitted by Communications Engineering, Inc.Design teamComcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic: Steve Weber, dir. of eng.
    CEI: Frank Giliotti, VP of technical services; Felix Pena, dir. of mechanical eng.; Tim Bailey, sr. managing eng.Technology at workApple: Final Cut Pro edit systems
    Click Effects: Crossfire HD clip server system
    Chyron: Cameo graphics management, HyperX3 CGs
    Fingerworks: Studio HD/SD telestrator
    Fujinon: 2/3in Digi Power Select ENG HD lenses
    Harris: NetVX HD encoders, NEXIO Volt servers, Velocity edit systems, waveform monitors and terminal equipment
    Image Video: TSAI-3000 tally system
    Miranda: Kaleido-X multi-image processors, master control switching, NVISION routing
    Panther: Trixy and Vario jibs
    Sony: BRCZ700 and HXC100K HD cameras, FWDS47H1 and FWDS42H1 professional displays, MVS8000 switcher, test monitors
    Vinten: Osprey Elite studio pedestals, Vector 450 camera heads
    Wohler: Audio and video monitors

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