When ABC-affiliate KITV in Honolulu, Hawaii received the first DTV construction permit from the FCC, they had a decision to make: Of all the competing digital videotape formats in the market today, which one would meet the station's needs now, and well into the future? After reviewing all of the competing formats, they selected JVC's DIGITAL-S because of its high quality.

The broadcast television industry is abuzz with the advent of Digital Television (DTV). Soon, television stations will broadcast multiple programming choices simultaneously, provide Internet access and CD-quality sound, and most importantly, transmit the clearest, highest resolution picture ever seen. As stations scramble to purchase and install the equipment that will make DTV transmission possible, they are coming to the realization that only high quality 4:2:2 component digital will fulfill the demands of the new digital standards.

The first DTV construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission has been awarded to ABC affiliate KITV-TV in Honolulu, Hawaii, making this the nation's first all-digital television station. KITV chose JVC's DIGITAL-S as their station-wide format. A Hearst-Argyle Television station, KITV has made a major investment of more than one-half million dollars in JVC's DIGIATL-S with the purchase of over 70 units, including BR-D85 DIGIATL-S edit recorders, BR-D40 DIGITAL-S dockable recorders, BR-D750 edit recorders and SA-D80 digital I/O boards. KITV's choice of DIGITAL-S validates JVC's position that this new era of digital television requires a cost-effective high-quality 4:2:2 digital tape format. It proves that DIGITAL-S is a natural fit for DTV.

Formerly Argyle Television, Hearst-Argyle Television, based in New York City, was the result of a merger August 29, 1997, between Argyle and The Hearst Corporation's Broadcast Division. It is the third largest non-network-owned broadcast television group in the country, reaching approximately 11.6 percent of U.S. TV households.

The FCC granted the first DTV construction permit on September 3, 1997 to KITV's satellite station, KHVO-TV in Hilo, Hawaii, and shortly thereafter, to KITV and its other satellite, KMAU-TV, KITV has been in its present location since 1954 but will move into a new 33,000-square-foot location within the city of Honolulu. The new station is among the first in the country to be designed and built as an entirely digital station. The debut broadcast from the new facility is scheduled for December 1, 1997.

The station uses DIGITAL-S for recording and airing its syndicated programming, for acquiring and airing news and for commercial production. In addition, KITV uses DIGITAL-S for achiving. The station acquires news in the field in 4:2:2 digital using the BR-D40s docked to JVC KY-27C cameras. News acquired in the field is transferred into Avid Newscutters for editing and then back into DIGITAL-S to air. Avid Air Play and Philips Media Pool can be used alternately as needed for airing news and syndicated programming.

According to Mike Rosenberg, general manager of the station, KITV Channel 4, along with its satellite stations, KMAU-TV and KHVO-TV, will be the first in Hawaii to achieve digital transmission and among the first in the United States. The stations will offer digital high-definition television (HDTV) as soon as the ABC network can deliver a high-definition signal.

"We are very excited about becoming an all digital station and being awarded the first construction permit for a digital transmitter," said Rosenberg. "We are very pleased with our decision to install DIGITAL-S as our house format. We are confident that this high quality digital format will serve us well and allow us to operate efficiently within the new digital standards."

Rosenberg and Greg Johnson, director of engineering, examined other digital formats and found DIGITAL-S to be the most cost effective, high quality digital format offering a 50 megabit per second data rate. "We absolutely needed a true 4:2:2 format because our entire plant is designed for that specification," Johnson said. KITV's digital television transmitters will be capable of delivering four or more quality prgrams to its viewers simultaneously, according to Rosenberg. The station may also offer high-speed Internet and other data services during most of the broadcast day and a superb, theater-quality picture during prime time. All viewers who receive KITV's ATV signal over the air will enjoy an interference-free, highly detailed picture.

Now that the FCC has set a timetable for all television stations to transmit DTV programming, the rush to digital is on. Fortunately, JVC's DIGITAL-S is designed to meet the demands of the digital future, providing broadcasters an important tool they need to achieve astounding quality for their viewers.