Atlanta-based Digital System Technology has added KBWB in San Francisco to its digital conversion portfolio. With the assistance of DST, the Granite Broadcasting-owned WB affiliate installed a new digital infrastructure and master control center that implements automation and allows for up to three simultaneous digital program streams.
KBWB was an analog facility with minimal automation prior to its digital conversion, according to DST. The station was looking to replace its aging master control, technical core and on-air delivery systems with a highly automated system that would reduce operational costs. DST implemented the station's transition with a complete rebuild of these systems and the establishment of an ingest room to prepare long-form server-based playout to air.
The design plan also leaves space for two additional simultaneous program streams. As designed, a high-def stream can be fed from the station's new Leitch router directly to a Miranda PressMaster digital master control switcher to accommodate a second channel. Space was also created for a third digital channel.
DST also installed three new controllable satellite dishes on the facility's roof to interact with the new satellite ingest system. The controllable aspect allows the ingest station to receive satellite feeds without human operation. The new satellite dishes also feature a narrower angle of reception compared to the previous models, which were often vulnerable to interference.
