KitPlus | Articles

EPG: Guiding content discovery

by Keith Bedford Issue 95 - November 2014 Digital TV is something that we\'ve become accustomed to, we don\'t think about how we search and select the vast volume of content that\'s now available to us, we just know that with the press of a button we can see what\'s on, record our favourite shows, series link them, select recommendations based on o...

Submitted by Keith Bedford

Published 01 December 2014

Data visualisation: discovering and inventing new oppurtu...

by Simen Frostad Issue 95 - November 2014 People who like to find names for these things have dubbed this \'the information age\' - the age in which the most significant and transformative feature of human existence is the widespread and instant access to information. The term also carries the implication that it is the use of information as an eng...

Submitted by Simen Frostad

Published 01 December 2014

How I shoot those Amazing Spaces

by Chris Smith Issue 93 - September 2014 Channel 4 has just finished showing series 3 of its popular ‘Amazing Spaces’, which is all about people building unusual living spaces. Watch it, and even after one viewing it could have you looking at your back garden in a new light, ready to start building that underground family space or cinema, or maybe...

Submitted by Chris Smith

Published 01 October 2014

Satellite adapts again to find new roles

by Simen Frostad Issue 93 - September 2014 After a period in which it appeared to be falling behind the innovation curve, Satellite is fighting back. Recent developments are giving satellite a key role to play in combination with other technologies notably IP in a range of hybrids that broadcasters and infrastructure operators are exploring in the...

Submitted by Simen Frostad

Published 01 October 2014

Seamless and automated online publishing

by Rino Petricola Issue 91 - July 2014 In todays anywhere/anytime/any screen media environment, companies and advertisers have an unprecedented opportunity to connect with audiences. Consumers appetite for Internet-enabled gadgets and devices is showing no signs of abating, driven by improvements in encoding technology and bandwidth infrastructure....

Submitted by Rino Petricola

Published 01 August 2014

Giving Content Distributors an Edge in Quality and Compli...

by Adam Schadle Issue 90 - June 2014 Todays media and entertainment ecosystem relies on interconnections between content originators, who produce programming and deliver it over broadcast networks (including terrestrial, satellite, cable, and IPTV), and secondary content distributors who take that programming and deliver it to the end viewer. Incre...

Submitted by Adam Schadle

Published 01 July 2014

4K at NAB

by Bob Pank Issue 89 - May 2014 The long term NAB veterans will be well aware of just how quickly new technologies can come and go in the television industry. For instance, only a couple of years ago, 3D was still the hot topic, now it has gone quiet, but not altogether gone away. So it is good to report that 4K had another very good NAB, probably...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 June 2014

Get the 8k WOW factor at NAB

by Bob Pank Issue 88 - April 2014 Once again 4K will be a prominent feature at NAB. There will be a 4K Zone in the North Hall but surely the format is now so popular that its many supporters will make it 4K everywhere and not confined to a dedicated zone. But 4K is only a part of UHD, the other being 8K, which has far more wow factor (why else go t...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 May 2014

From the edge of nowhere to the centre of everywhere

by Joe Fulford Issue 88 - April 2014 Getting your images back to a studio for broadcast can be done in many ways. Getting the tapes or cards back to the studio will take however long it takes a dispatch rider to get there, and sometimes its just not possible to get a motorcycle out to your location. You can transfer the files via FTP from another l...

Submitted by Joe Fulford

Published 01 May 2014

Cutting the cord

by Will Strauss Issue 87 - March 2014 Wireless cameras are not new. In fact, they date back to the 1970s. But its only been in the last ten years that this technology has really blossomed, with engineers working out how to adapt the digital terrestrial transmission technology so that it can be used efficiently for programme-making. From that tippin...

Submitted by Will Strauss#

Published 01 April 2014

Bob is up in the air with 4K

by Bob Pank Issue 84 - December 2013 The closer you look at 4K UHD the more you see what needs to be done to make it work from scene to screen. Until that pipe is complete no practical service can flow to the consumer. The parts that are working and available now are the cameras, recorders and post production. Beyond those there are a few satellite...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 January 2014

The UKs PTZ explosion

by Kieron SethIssue 83 - November 2013 The advent of broadcast quality, remotely controlled PTZ cameras has had an enormous impact on television production in the UK. Not only can cameras now be discreetly placed in virtually any location but they can also be operated a very small team of technicians. This combination of creative freedom and the si...

Submitted by Kieron Seth#

Published 01 December 2013

Crystal Balls and the future of television TandM

by Steve NunneyIssue 79 - July 2013 Best to keep well away from the Australian fast bowlers then! Joking apart, what is the future of television test and measurement? Or should we rather refer to media dispersion MD for short. MD is taking off big-time. After the five year digital switchover process was completed, everyone had digital terrestrial t...

Submitted by Steve Nunney

Published 01 August 2013

A complete cable network out of a hat!

by Peter LampelIssue 79 - July 2013 Time-to-market a familiar buzz word for any engineer. Meeting these demands requires early concept testing where simulations have become an indispensable tool. This approach is particularly useful when developing cable TV components, which must cope with many different types of interference. Simulating complete c...

Submitted by Peter Lampel

Published 01 August 2013

Achieving the critical link in live HD deployment

By: Patrick Coenen, chief technical officer for Actua Films, GenevaAs employees of a facility service provider for TV stations, networks and corporate businesses, we at Actua Films understand better than most that in today’s broadcast world, it’s imperative to get everything done at lightning speed. We have our own camera crews going into the field...

Submitted by Patrick Coenen

Published 01 April 2013