NTC Builds HD Control Room for Discovery Communications

NTC Builds HD Control Room for Discovery Communications

GLENDALE, Calif., May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- National TeleConsultants -- the nationwide leader in strategic technology consulting and engineering design services for the media industry -- is pleased to announce that it has recently completed an HD control room for Discovery Communications' Technical Production Center, based in Silver Spring MD. This project is designed to enhance Discovery's industry leadership in high-definition television and media technology.

Using its 25 years of media design experience, NTC built the new Discovery control room in order to meet necessary in-house programming and live remote broadcasting capabilities for Discovery's networks, which reach nearly 1.4 billion cumulative subscribers through more than 100 networks globally. The control room was designed by NTC to serve both HD and SD needs with a production switcher, character generator, and servers that could switch between the two, allowing Discovery to edit and format HD material.

"NTC is proud of its role in the design and creation of Discovery's new HD control room," states Ed Hobson, Vice President of National TeleConsultants. "It is a first-class facility for the global leader in real-world and knowledge-based media, boldly pioneering in HDTV and SDTV program production and delivery."

Working with Discovery's executive, engineering and operations management, NTC selected some of the most leading-edge HDTV broadcast technologies available for Discovery's HD control room, including: EVS XT[2] HDTV production servers, multiple formats of Sony and Panasonic HD VTRs, a Grass Valley Kalypso Duo HD/SD production switcher, an SD/HD Avid/Pinnacle Systems Deko 3000 Hybrid character generator, an Evertz 3000 MVP monitor wall with four flat-panel Clarity 40-inch Bobcat LCD monitors, and a Calrec Zeta 100 48-input audio console for the audio booth.

"NTC distinguished itself by coming into the preliminary meetings with ideas already developed for how this room could be laid out and how it could work," said Tony Cole, Vice President of Engineering for Discovery Production Group. "Discovery has the highest quality facilities and services at our Production Center and NTC was integral in expanding our portfolio of production capabilities."

"Our clients don't do this kind of work every day, but NTC does," added NTC's Ed Hobson. "NTC uses a thought-leadership style of collaboration that combines our quarter-century of experience with each client's own particular vision of what they want to accomplish. This results in cost-effective, leading-edge solutions that meet the client's present and future HDTV media- technology needs."

About Discovery Communications Inc: Discovery Communications is the leading global real-world media company. Discovery has grown from its core property, the Discovery Channel, first launched in the United States in 1985, to current global operations in 170 countries and territories with nearly 1.4 billion cumulative subscribers. DCI's over 100 networks of distinctive programming represent 27 network entertainment brands including TLC, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Discovery Kids, Discovery Times Channel, The Science Channel, Military Channel, Discovery Home Channel, Discovery en Espanol, Discovery Kids en Espanol, Discovery HD Theater, FitTV, Discovery Travel & Living (Viajar y Vivir), Discovery Home & Health, and Discovery Real Time. DCI's other properties consist of Discovery Education and Discovery Commerce, which operates more than 100 Discovery Channel Stores in the U.S. DCI also distributes BBC America in the United States. DCI's ownership consists of four shareholders: Discovery Holding Company (NASDAQ:DISCA)(NASDAQ:DISCB), Cox Communications, Inc., Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, the Company's Founder and Chairman.

About National TeleConsultants: National TeleConsultants (NTC) is the United States' largest independent media systems consulting, design, and implementation firm with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington DC. NTC specializes in strategic technology consulting, media-related facility design and engineering, and systems integration. For more information, visit http://www.ntc.com/.

Source: National TeleConsultants

CONTACT: Brian McKernan of Marcomm Group for National TeleConsultants,
+1-516-829-0404, bmckernan@marcommgroup.com

Web site: http://www.ntc.com/

-------
Profile: intent