KUHT/Houston Public Television goes on the air with CRISPIN Total
Automation
Raleigh, NC - Feb. 23, 2001 - KUHT/Houston Public
Television, America's first public television station, has begun
airing the Crispin new total station automation package, System 2000.
Crispin's System 2000 provides total automation to KUHT's new $12
million state-of-the-art facility, The LeRoy and Lucile Melcher Center
for Public Broadcasting. The Center began construction early last
summer and signed on the air the end of the year with digital channel
9, complementing their current analog channel 8.
KUHT's first move in 36 years, the new facility provides 55,000
square feet of space for television production, compared to 42,000 in
the old complex. Built with digital broadcasting in mind, a new master
control handles the digital data stream, as will two DTV on-line
editing facilities- one equipped for digital broadcast, the other
outfitted for digital and HDTV. The building contains an on-line
analog editing suite for current programming, two-studio control
rooms-one digital/HDTV capable and one analog, and the latest in
digital audio post-production facilities.
KUHT/Houston Public Television use the Crispin System 2000 Total
Automation Systems to create automatic operation of master-control
functionsÑincluding spot playback, and record and playback of
syndicated and network programming. Crispin's System 2000 features
database management, playlist management, and device control. It
accommodates network delays, long form records, playback operations
and commercial record playback operations.
Crispin's System 2000 works on Windows NT 4 utilizing TCP/IP to
establish communication via a LAN to the Crispin applications. KUHT
utilizes the Crispin application modules: RapidPlayX 2000,
Turbobrowser, Mapper 2000, Record Scheduler, Segmentor, Dubber 2000,
DubberAssist, ClipCopX, and the Crispin DeviceServer. This automation
system is designed to provide complete station control, including
unattended operation for a complete range of mixed broadcast devices.
These devices include video servers, cart machines, stand-alone VTRs,
Master Control switchers, routers, audio cart machines, still store,
digital effects systems, and more.
KUHT uses Crispin's ClipCopX module to mirror, via fibre channel,
two HP Mediastreams for playback and backup. RapidPlayX 2000 with
TurboBrowser controls the Main and secondary Master Controls working
with the Phillips Saturn Master Control Switcher with Digital Video
Effects, and the Phillips Venus Routing Switcher with Jupiter Control
System. Crispin's Mapper 2000 creates and controls a playlist from
their ProTrack traffic system to the HP MediaStreams. The Crispin
DeviceServer module allows for real-time control of the master control
devices using house LTC. All software modules work with Crispin
DeviceServer for scheduling of an action that the device needs to
control, such as playback, dubbing, record scheduling, segmenting,
caching, etc. The schedules are executed with precise time-of-day time
code and the information is stored in the Crispin AssetBase database
system for retrieval by any of the applications as needed for
execution. The Crispin System 2000 controls thirteen Sony protocol
videotape or videocassette recorder/producers, as well as two HP
MediaStream Video Servers, Phillips Saturn Master Control Switcher
with Digital Video Effects, and Phillips Venus Routing Switcher with
Jupiter Control System.
Crispin's Mapper 2000 and Record Scheduler will interface control
of their traffic system and the automation via their web browse able
facility database, AssetBase. A flexible device server architecture,
this database uses a Microsoft SQL server with a total facility
playlist and asset control. Since the system uses a web browser
interface, anyone authorized on the network has full access to the
automation system with any standard web browser. This flexibility
brings data and control to the users, directly where they need it.
With Mapper 2000 and AssetBase, KUHT has the ability to show automatic
discrepancies and show the content of the media in the database and on
the servers. Automatic dub lists can be created and viewed in Dubber
2000. Kill lists can also be created by DubberAssist.
KUHT will be recording and segmenting their programming with
Crispin's Record Scheduler, which works with Dubber 2000 for the
recording of programming materials, and Segmentor that is used to time
out the segments.
Crispin's SmartWedge will give the system GPI device control. The
I/0 SmartWedge board is a microprocessor-based programmable hardware
device that interfaces to the serial port of a PC and accepts up to 12
GPI remote inputs, which are opto-isolated and 12 remote outputs.
ABOUT THE COMPANIES:
CRISPIN: Founded in 1997, Crispin Corporation is a leading provider
of reliable, cost-effective, high- performance broadcast automation
solutions. Based in Raleigh, NC, Crispin offers automation solutions
to broadcast facilities worldwide from simple operating systems to
total facility automation, including archiving and databasing. Crispin
supports a broad range of broadcast devices, including Videodisk
servers, VTRs, cart machines, switchers, and other devices. Crispin
provides creative and "cutting edge" automation solutions to
meet the diverse needs of multi-channel, network, and DTV environments
with flexible, reliable, affordable solutions and superior support.
Additional information about Crispin products are available at www.crispincorp.com
or call 919-845-7744.
KUHT/Houston Public Television- America's first public television
station, KUHT signed on the air on May 25, 1953. A Houston
institution, the station even pre-dates the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting (CPB) and the Public Broadcasting System (PBS).
KUHT has lead the way serving as a model and example for other
educational television stations and systems throughout the country.
The new LeRoy and Lucile Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting will
lead other PBS stations into the digital age of television. This new
state-of-the-art broadcast facility will allow KUHT to prepare for
programming on its digital channel. With the increased capabilities of
the digital channel, the station's future plans include expanding its
electronic courses and long-distance education programs.
KUHT/Houston Public Television, licensed to the University of
Houston.
