PBS: Through the A-to-D Converter

David Horowitz

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is in the final stages of a project converting to an all-digital origination facility. The goals were to increase capacity without increasing staff, improve technical quality and the physical environment, and provide for HDTV tape origination. PBS faced signal and tape format decisions in the conversion. The new facility had to be built within the existing facility with analog and digital systems coexisting for the transition. An Interformat Room was built to transfer incoming tapes to the main format. An audio/video server, master control rooms, and a transmission center were also provided. PBS adopted a satellite compression system to deliver its signals to the member stations.

Print ISSN
Published
1995-09
Content type
Original Research
DOI
10.5594/J17231