May Meeting

Leitch Shares DTV Lessons Learned

"The DTV train is rolling out of the station, and broadcasters are climbing aboard," said FCC head William Kennard, regarding the first date for mandatory DTV broadcasting, which hit on May 1. The ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC outlets in the top-10 markets were to have begun transmitting digitally by then.

Last week's Television Digest newsletter reported that speakers at NAB claimed "12,518 DTV set sales to dealers" in the first quarter of 1999.

According to the FCC's web site, last updated April 22, only 35 stations (and one satellite station) are currently FULLY authorized for DTV.

Mike Duckworth of Leitch shared with us last year a free, well-organized primer on the principles of digital television, and we had perhaps the biggest meeting attendance ever.

This year, Leitch has offered a return visit. And a valuable one, as this time they will share a course in "Lessons Learned About DTV." Regional Sales Representative Steve Wong says the free evening seminar will share a series of stories about the application of DTV equipment and its consequences. Scott Ackerman and David.Strachan will be speaking. Scott is the Director - Sales Engineering - HDTV Products. David has been with Leitch since 1985 in a number of upper managerment roles and has written numerous SMPTE articles about DTV.

The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 19. We'll have a social hour from 6 PM to 7 PM, followed by a short SBE agenda, then the Leitch presentation. Rather than at a local broadcast facility, this meeting will take place at the Doubletree Hotel in Mission Valley, 7450 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego.

It's important that you RSVP so that Leitch can properly prepare for us. Please contact Maryann Niland at Leitch. Telephone 888-835-6424, fax 201-833-8089, or e-mail maryann.niland@leitch.com.

DIRECTIONS (from MapQuest.com): From SR 163, take the FRIARS RD exit. Merge onto FRIARS RD. eastbound. Turn RIGHT onto FRAZEE RD. Turn RIGHT onto HAZARD CENTER DR. The hotel is at 7450.

Previous Story |  Back to Top |  Home Page |  Next Story
Archives |  Contacts |  Jobs |  Calendar |  Subscriptions 
Members |  Links |  Sponsors |  EAS |  Search |  Home 

Web site contents ©1999 Society of Broadcast Engineers Chapter 36 San Diego. For more information, to become a member or a sponsor, or to make suggestions or comments, e-mail sbe36@broadcast.net. Write to P.O. Box 710702, San Diego, California 92171-0702.  

Edited by Gary Stigall. Updated May 4, 1999.