Telecast Demos New HDTV Solution

Southwestern Bell used Telecast Fiber Systemsí Digital Viper system to provide live high-definition television coverage of a Houston Symphony Orchestra concert.The two and one-half hour concert was transmitted in full, uncompressed 1080i HDTV format via a fiber optic cable over a distance of 6.5 miles to KHOU-TV for live broadcast. Telecast has previously demonstrated 1.5Gbps uncompressed HDTV transmissions at distances beyond 50 km using its Digital Viper system.""This event serves to demonstrate that HDTV signals need not be compressed prior to being transmitted between locations in and between cities,"" said Telecast Fiber President Rich Cerny. ""This project also demonstrated that in order to trunk uncompressed HDTV at its 1.5 Gbps rate, it is essential to use fiber optic cable all the way from the production truck, since ordinary coaxial cable has severe distance limitations.""