Harris to Receive Technical Emmy for
Transmission Filters
October 23, 2007
Source: Harris Broadcast
Harris Corporation
(NYSE: HRS), an international communications and information
technology company, will be awarded a Technology & Engineering
Emmy® Award from the National Academy of Television Arts
and Sciences (NATAS) for developing special transmission filters
that help broadcasters improve the quality and reduce the
costs of operating digital television signals. Harris will
be presented the award for developing the ATSC Broadcast Transmission
System RF Filters at a ceremony January 7, 2008, at the International
Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
The ATSC RF filter technology, which was
awarded a U.S. patent in 2005, was pioneered by Robert J.
Plonka, principal engineer with Harris Corporation (now retired),
to overcome potential quality and interference problems stemming
from operating adjacent analog and digital channel assignments.
The resulting band-pass RF filters maintain highly reduced
side-band emission levels to eliminate interference with other
signals in adjacent channels, particularly when broadcasting
at full power DTV with dual-purpose capability to use that
same filter as an adjacent channel combiner. When used as
an adjacent channel combiner, the RF Filters provide the necessary
mask filtering and merge the two adjacent channels together
into a single transmission line feeding the antenna. This
concept reduced broadcasters’ installation costs, tower
reinforcement costs and maintenance costs associated with
running a second transmission line and antenna.
In November of 2000, KFSN-TV, the ABC affiliate
in Fresno, Calif., became the first station to employ the
technology in its broadcast operation, broadcasting its digital
signal on VHF channel 9. Today, the ATSC Broadcast Transmission
System RF Filters have become an industry-standard component
deployed across a variety of ATSC DTV transmission platforms
by third-party vendors
Tim Thorsteinson, president of Harris Broadcast
Communications, said, “We’re thrilled to have been
selected by NATAS for our efforts to advance ATSC signal transmission
through the use of sharply tuned band-pass RF filters. Today,
DTV stations in the United States use these RF filters to
stay in strict compliance with FCC specifications. Ensuring
that DTV signals maintain highly reduced side-band emission
levels means that adjacent spectrum may be used reliably for
other purposes without the risk of interference.”
The ATSC Broadcast Transmission System RF
Filters technology is one of many patented solutions developed
by Harris Corporation, the industry leader in ATSC VHF and
UHF transmission and encoding equipment. .
Harris Broadcast Communications offers products,
systems and services that provide interoperable workflow solutions
that span the entire broadcast delivery chain. The Harris
ONE approach brings together highly integrated and cost-effective
products that are ideal for emerging media business models
and for customers upgrading media operations to digital and
high-definition services.
About NATAS Emmy® Awards
The National Academy of Television Arts
& Sciences (NATAS) is a professional service organization
dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television
and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational
and technical achievements within the television industry.
It recognizes excellence in television with the coveted Emmy
Award for News & Documentary, Sports, Daytime Entertainment,
Daytime Creative Arts & Entertainment, Humanitarian &
Public Service, Technology & Engineering, and Business
& Financial Reporting. Beginning in 2006, NATAS began
recognizing programming produced for the Internet, cell phones,
and portable media players with its new Broadband Emmy Award
for Outstanding Achievement in Content for Broadband and Portable
Delivery. Excellence in Primetime programming and international
programming is recognized by its affiliate, the Academy of
Television Arts & Sciences. Regional Emmys are given in
19 regions across the United States. Beyond awards, NATAS
has extensive educational programs including National Student
Television and its Student Award for Excellence for outstanding
journalistic work by high school students, as well as scholarships,
publications, and major activities for both industry professionals
and the viewing public. For more information, please visit
the website at www.emmyonline.tv.
Submit a Company
Submit News
Submit a Job
Submit an Event
|
