BURBANK SITE GETTING SET FOR DIGITAL TV.Byline: Dave McNary Daily News Staff Writer The digital revolution moved a step forward last week with the dedication of the world's largest facility specializing in supplying theater-quality broadcasts for TV stations. International Video Conversions, operating in a building used during the Cold War by Lockheed Corp. to develop top-secret stealth technology, held ceremonies Thursday to show off its 40,000-square-foot high-definition transfer and conversion center. About 200 people attended, mostly production and post-production staffers from Hollywood studios. The move comes at a time when the nation's TV business is scrambling to start airing digital signals. The Federal Communications Commission Federal Communications Commission (FCC), independent executive agency of the U.S. government established in 1934 to regulate interstate and foreign communications in the public interest. has required 26 stations in the nation's top 10 markets, including KABC KABC Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (Channel 7), KNBC KNBC Kings Norton Bowling Club (Channel 4) and KTLA KTLA KCBS TV in Los Angeles (Channel 5) to begin simultaneous digital TV broadcasts in November. ``We have two complete scanning rooms operating 24 hours a day,'' said co-owner Ken Holland, who founded IVC IVC abbr. inferior vena cava in 1985 and now supervises a staff of 65 employees. ``We're hoping to staff up as the timetable for HDTV (High Definition TV) A set of digital television (DTV) standards that offer the highest resolution and sharpest picture. Although some HDTV sets are available in standard (rather square) screen sizes, the overwhelming majority of sets are wide screen, which eliminates ramps up.'' That timetable calls for all of the nation's 1,600 TV stations to stop using analog channels and start airing digital signals by 2006. Digital TVs, which offer crystal-clear picture and sound, have gone on sale in recent weeks at high-end home electronics stores with prices in the $5,000 range. Holland acknowledges privately held IVC faces competition for the conversion services from other players, along with facilities on studio lots, but believes his company is the most active in converting TV programs and movies for use on digital TV. IVC, which also offers film restoration and clean-up services in a separate, 30,000-square-foot facility, has spent the past four years converting programs, mostly movies, for customers such as Japanese broadcaster NHK. Because of the need for more space, IVC moved earlier this year from another Burbank facility, which covered only 20,000 square feet. CAPTION(S): photo PHOTO Colorist col·or·ist n. 1. A painter skilled in achieving special effects with color. 2. A hairdresser who specializes in dyeing hair. col Brent Eldridge works on high-definition film transfers at International Video Conversions. Tom Mendoza/Daily News |
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