Discovery Launches New Digital Facility
Discovery Communications' "Discovery Television and Technology Center" will be the new home for the network origination for 13 of Discovery's U.S. Networks and BBC America, a total of 17 network feeds.
The HD-ready playout facility in Sterling, Va. is a blend of broadcast and IT technologies that enable the use of digital files paired with high-bandwidth data networking, trading videotapes for digital and file-based content.
Ascent Media Systems and Technology Services provided system integration services for the glass-enclosed master control area that can support up to 64 channels of HD or SD programming. The master control has three on-air supervisor posts, with the ability to add more, and is surrounded by 10 "transmission pods" that can be configured to control six Discovery U.S. Networks.
Discovery Television and Technology Center features eight active media ingest/QC suites, an HD/SD-hybrid live events control room, two nonlinear post suites and a transmission operations center (TOC).
