TCI International, Inc. Completes On The Air Tests Of Worldís First Wideband Digital TV Slot Antenna

30-Mar-00

TCI International, Inc. (TCII), a Sunnyvale, California-based developer of broadband products and systems, announced that its new and revolutionary Model 888 DigitalPLUSô Wideband UHF Digital Television Slot Antenna has successfully completed full power on-the-air field strength tests at WRLK-TV in Columbia, South Carolina, a station owned and operated by South Carolina Educational TV (SCETV). Data from the successful testing, which was conducted by SCETV's engineering staff, will be presented at the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) and National Association of Broadcasters Technology Conferences that are held in April 2000 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Model 888 slot antenna is uniquely capable of transmitting on two or more UHF channels simultaneously, thus allowing broadcasters to transmit both analog and digital TV signals on the same antenna. Although the 888 DigitalPLUS antenna has the same cylindrical shape and low wind area as the slot antennas commonly used by UHF TV broadcasters, it has vastly superior performance characteristics. Typical slot antennas can only operate in one channel or at most two channels that are close together. The 888 can operate on multiple channels between channels 14 and 69 without adjustment or costly changes. Mr. L.W. (""Hap"") Griffin, Jr., PE, Vice President of Engineering of SCETV said, ""We are very pleased the TCI Model 888 has met our performance expectations. SCETV selected the Model 888 Wide Bandwidth Slot Antenna because it allows us to broadcast digital television without having to replace or modify our tower. If we had used other antennas, we would have had to strengthen our tower or move to a new tower, either of which would have been expensive and delay our DTV conversion."" The conversion of the nationís approximately 1,700 TV stations to digital TV - which broadcasts a stream of digital bits instead of standard video and audio signals, providing much sharper pictures, improved sound and capability for new TV services - was mandated by the Federal Communications Commission in April 1997. Digital TV must be implemented by all US commercial TV stations in 2002 and in all non-commercial and educational TV stations in 2003. Similar programs are in place or are about to be launched in Europe, Asia and Australia. Presently, fewer than 10 percent of the nationís TV stations have completed the required antenna and transmitter upgrades necessary to meet the FCC mandate.About TCITCI International, Inc. is a holding company comprised of two product groups. The broadcast group offers broad-bandwidth antenna and transmission feeder solutions for the FM and TV broadcast markets, and high power short wave and MF broadcasting applications. The signal processing group provides direction finding, spectrum monitoring, and specialized communication receiver and transmitter products to both commercial and defense-oriented customers.