TSL completes new ITV4 facilities

TSL are to build new facilities for ITV4, comprising a programme preparation suite and two playout channels.
ITV4, the first of the services played out from this facility, has been on air on Freeview and digital satellite for just over four months.
With an aggressive project deadline, TSL provided resources and expertise to manage equipment supply, integration and testing of the new system. TSL’s contribution was crucial to the smooth running and on-time delivery of the new channels - ensuring that ITV4 continued ITV’s successful strategy for new and innovative channels.
“TSL has already proved its capabilities around the country with the refit of ITV’s regional newsrooms”, said Luan Thompson, Head of Technology Development for ITV Broadcasting Technology. “TSL complimented the internal ITV Broadcast Technology team, working alongside this team and ensuring that the project was jointly owned. We needed to retain ownership of the design and to adhere to the existing high standards in the STC. It was an excellent partnership.”
To ensure smooth transition and continuity of future support, it was important that ITV4 used, where possible, designs similar to other ITV channels played out from the Southern Transmission Centre (STC). However, there was little or no capacity within the existing infrastructure to accommodate a further channel so this project was considerably larger than the previous channel ITV3, which had been undertaken internally. TSL offered additional systems integration capacity and third party expertise that ITV did not have available in-house, particularly where new technology such as LCD monitoring was used for the first time.
Russell Grute, Head of Sales at TSL, said: “The integration for this project was a challenge. We had to work alongside the existing live services in the STC, ensuring non-interruption of service, and to guarantee the smooth transition of operation. Highlights were the migration of the existing very large router database and the automation system – providing ITV with the most straightforward, long-term solution.”
(GB)