Los Angeles superstation KTLA added a new component this year to its annual New Years' Day global telecast of the famed Pasadena Rose Parade: HD video streams compressed by Telairity BH8100 encoders using H.264/AVC (MPEG-4) technology and relayed through a portable microwave transmitter.
To ensure uninterrupted service for the annual event, the station established three HD backhauls using Telairity BH8100 encoders, transmitting a microwave signal from the parade to the station's tower at the top of Mount Wilson above Pasadena. While the Rose Parade primary backhaul was encoded in the JPEG2000 format, the use of the Telairity-supported H.264 system marked the first time an H.264 installation was viewed as a viable transmission path for one of the station's signature events.
The HD equipment used to telecast the Rose Parade marks the vanguard of a fleet of eight electronic newsgathering (ENG) vehicles scheduled to be put into service by KTLA for live HD field reporting over the next few months. Six are currently in service today.
Each will be equipped with a Telairity BH8100 encoder. KTLA also expects to equip its news helicopter for HD using a ruggedized Telairity BH8100 encoder specially designed for aerial use.
In January 2007, KTLA became the second station in the market to transition HD from SD for studio news reporting. By taking advantage of falling prices for HD technology for ENG applications, KTLA is among the first stations in the nation to switch to HD for live field reporting.
For more information, visit www.telairity.com.
