Post by Skaggs on Mar 11, 2004 19:54:16 GMT -5
This is an email I received from WMHT today in reply to an email I sent them in January asking when they will be on TWC. However, I don't understand the "official announcment". WMHT HD has been on 17-3 for months.
FROM: Marcy Stryker <mstryker@wmht.org>
DATE: Thursday, March 11, 2004
SUBJECT: Re: WMHT's High Definition Programming on Time Warner Cable
NEWS RELEASE
CONTACT: Marcy Stryker, Director of Communications
March 11, 2004 518/357-1824. mstryker@wmht.org
WMHT FLIPS SWITCH ON NEW DIGITAL TRANSMITTER
High-Definition PBS Programs Available 24 Hours a Day
(Schenectady, NY) Today at 1pm, WMHT, the public broadcasting station serving the Capital Region and Hudson Valley, as well as portions of western New England and the Adirondacks, officially begins broadcasting digitally from the new shared Capital Region Broadcasters facility in the Helderberg Mountains. In addition to its ongoing analog signal, WMHT-TV Channel 17, WMHT will also broadcast on Digital Channel 34, where it will broadcast two streams of digital programming. On one digital stream, WMHT will simulcast its analog programming. On a second digital stream, WMHT will provide 24-hour-a-day high-definition (HD) programming from PBS.
WMHT's new digital programming is available over the air to any viewer with a digital set-top box or a digital television set with a built-in digital television receiver. In addition, through a partnership with Time Warner Cable, WMHT's HD service will be provided to subscribers on the cable systems' digital tier on channel 1811.
"WMHT has reached a historic benchmark today with our first broadcast in the digital format," noted John Baackes, president of WMHT's Board of Trustees. "This transmission affords WMHT the opportunity to harness the power of digital television and use it to further our mission of encouraging people to know more, do more and be more.
WMHT's transmission of a digital television signal - also referred to as DTV - is the first phase in transitioning to an all-digital broadcast and production facility. WMHT's new site in the Rensselaer Technology Park will offer a facility built especially for digital broadcasting. After transmitting its first digital signal, WMHT will begin to change its operations and equipment from an analog format to a digital one.
"This launch is just the beginning of the many exciting services digital broadcasting will offer our community," said Deborah Onslow, President and General Manager of WMHT. "In addition to a beautiful picture and multi-channel sound, the digital signal will greatly expand the opportunities for WMHT to provide educational programming and services to schools, support for teachers and life-long learning opportunities for all of our viewers."
Digital conversion represents the greatest technological advance in television history and it will usher in an entirely new dimension of service for viewers. Multicasting, one of the unique features of Digital TV, is the process that allows the digital bandwidth to be divided into multiple streams so that WMHT can offer as many as four different programs at the same time. WMHT is currently providing two program streams - the first, a digital simulcast of WMHT-TV's analog programming; the second is high definition programming provided by PBS.
"In the future, on one of the multicasts, we might provide a home-study course for a single mom while her children can be in the other room watching one of our award-winning children's programming. At the same time, grandparents may be in a neighboring town watching a traditional PBS program," explains Onslow.
Equally exciting is the capacity of digital television to combine the content of television with the interactivity of the Internet, creating a world of new ideas for educational television viewers. Such a connection could send pictures, sounds, multi-media games, illustrated articles and other data related to the program being viewed. For example, a documentary about the New York State Capitol Building could be downloaded onto a computer or television. While watching it, an icon could be selected offering more detailed information about the construction of the site or the history of important legislative decisions made in the building.
If you would like further information about digital television and how it will affect you, please visit the WMHT website at www.wmht.org/digital.
This new signal signifies WMHT's compliance with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandate to convert to digital. WMHT will continue broadcasting its analog service until the FCC requires that the bandwidth be vacated.
WMHT Educational Telecommunications' non-commercial public broadcasting services include WMHT-TV, WMHT-FM 89.1/88.7 and RISE, a radio reading service for the visually impaired and print-disabled, as well as community outreach and family learning initiatives. More information is available at WMHT Online: www.wmht.org.
# # #
Marcy A. Stryker
Director of Communications
WMHT Educational Telecommunications
PO Box 17
Schenectady, NY 12301
(518) 357-1824
mstryker@wmht.org
www.wmht.org
FROM: Marcy Stryker <mstryker@wmht.org>
DATE: Thursday, March 11, 2004
SUBJECT: Re: WMHT's High Definition Programming on Time Warner Cable
NEWS RELEASE
CONTACT: Marcy Stryker, Director of Communications
March 11, 2004 518/357-1824. mstryker@wmht.org
WMHT FLIPS SWITCH ON NEW DIGITAL TRANSMITTER
High-Definition PBS Programs Available 24 Hours a Day
(Schenectady, NY) Today at 1pm, WMHT, the public broadcasting station serving the Capital Region and Hudson Valley, as well as portions of western New England and the Adirondacks, officially begins broadcasting digitally from the new shared Capital Region Broadcasters facility in the Helderberg Mountains. In addition to its ongoing analog signal, WMHT-TV Channel 17, WMHT will also broadcast on Digital Channel 34, where it will broadcast two streams of digital programming. On one digital stream, WMHT will simulcast its analog programming. On a second digital stream, WMHT will provide 24-hour-a-day high-definition (HD) programming from PBS.
WMHT's new digital programming is available over the air to any viewer with a digital set-top box or a digital television set with a built-in digital television receiver. In addition, through a partnership with Time Warner Cable, WMHT's HD service will be provided to subscribers on the cable systems' digital tier on channel 1811.
"WMHT has reached a historic benchmark today with our first broadcast in the digital format," noted John Baackes, president of WMHT's Board of Trustees. "This transmission affords WMHT the opportunity to harness the power of digital television and use it to further our mission of encouraging people to know more, do more and be more.
WMHT's transmission of a digital television signal - also referred to as DTV - is the first phase in transitioning to an all-digital broadcast and production facility. WMHT's new site in the Rensselaer Technology Park will offer a facility built especially for digital broadcasting. After transmitting its first digital signal, WMHT will begin to change its operations and equipment from an analog format to a digital one.
"This launch is just the beginning of the many exciting services digital broadcasting will offer our community," said Deborah Onslow, President and General Manager of WMHT. "In addition to a beautiful picture and multi-channel sound, the digital signal will greatly expand the opportunities for WMHT to provide educational programming and services to schools, support for teachers and life-long learning opportunities for all of our viewers."
Digital conversion represents the greatest technological advance in television history and it will usher in an entirely new dimension of service for viewers. Multicasting, one of the unique features of Digital TV, is the process that allows the digital bandwidth to be divided into multiple streams so that WMHT can offer as many as four different programs at the same time. WMHT is currently providing two program streams - the first, a digital simulcast of WMHT-TV's analog programming; the second is high definition programming provided by PBS.
"In the future, on one of the multicasts, we might provide a home-study course for a single mom while her children can be in the other room watching one of our award-winning children's programming. At the same time, grandparents may be in a neighboring town watching a traditional PBS program," explains Onslow.
Equally exciting is the capacity of digital television to combine the content of television with the interactivity of the Internet, creating a world of new ideas for educational television viewers. Such a connection could send pictures, sounds, multi-media games, illustrated articles and other data related to the program being viewed. For example, a documentary about the New York State Capitol Building could be downloaded onto a computer or television. While watching it, an icon could be selected offering more detailed information about the construction of the site or the history of important legislative decisions made in the building.
If you would like further information about digital television and how it will affect you, please visit the WMHT website at www.wmht.org/digital.
This new signal signifies WMHT's compliance with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandate to convert to digital. WMHT will continue broadcasting its analog service until the FCC requires that the bandwidth be vacated.
WMHT Educational Telecommunications' non-commercial public broadcasting services include WMHT-TV, WMHT-FM 89.1/88.7 and RISE, a radio reading service for the visually impaired and print-disabled, as well as community outreach and family learning initiatives. More information is available at WMHT Online: www.wmht.org.
# # #
Marcy A. Stryker
Director of Communications
WMHT Educational Telecommunications
PO Box 17
Schenectady, NY 12301
(518) 357-1824
mstryker@wmht.org
www.wmht.org