Trojan Vision finishes converting studio to HD
Trojan Vision will broadcast its first true high definition programs today, after receiving $400,000 from the Office of the Provost to buy equipment that allows it to film, edit and broadcast in high definition.
TV in HD · Cassie Bussing, a junior majoring in cinematic arts and a Trojan Vision executive producer, works at the station. Trojan Vision is available on channel 8.1. - Daily Trojan File Photo
The station acquired four HD television cameras, two 65–inch monitors, one computer graphics machine, five Mac Pro processors, one HD video mixer, more than 20 computer monitors, a new router, master switcher, three new interface amplifiers and a vector scope for measuring color in images.
The new cameras enable students working at the station to film in HD and the rest of the equipment allows them to produce, edit and broadcast the video.
Trojan Vision General Manager Peter Lansworth, a junior majoring in film and television production, said the switch was a response to changes in what type of televisions people have now.
“A lot of students are upgrading to HDTVs,” Lansworth said. “You don’t even see standard definition televisions being sold at major outlets now.”
Though the station still used standard definition equipment, it began broadcasting its shows in HD last semester by using an “upconversion” machine.
Lansworth said the process filled in missing information so standard definition images can be shown on a high definition screen.
“If you’re watching a standard definition television, then it’s much more of a square than widescreen,” Lansworth said. “[The upconverter] takes that box and stretches it and adds some extra data in the places where it wasn’t before.”
Television screens show images line-by-line and more lines create a sharper image. Standard definition TVs have 480 horizontal lines, whereas HDTVs have 1080 horizontal lines, so the upconverter fills in the space.
Lansworth said students will notice the difference in the clarity of images.
“It was a lower quality picture signal — not the crisp, sharp one you’re used to seeing on HDTV,” Lansworth said. “Now we have high definition at every step.”
Kristy Pyke contributed to this report.