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KITV(TV) began digital simulcasting of standard-definition programming on Jan. 15, putting this smaller market ahead of many counterparts. The station plans to broadcast ABC's HDTV signal as soon as the network delivers it.
KITV's lead in DTV deployment can be traced back nearly three years, when station management decided its all-new facility would be outfitted with serial digital video. Then the station leadership decided that compressing and transmitting digital video was the next logical step.
"Our management said, `Why not? Let's do it. Let's go ahead and buy some transmitters and see if we can make this stuff go out over the air,' " says Greg Johnson, director of engineering.
KITV purchased Itelco water-cooled solid-state digital transmitters for its three transmitters: one for its flagship enterprise in Honolulu and one each for its unmanned satellite stations-KHVO(TV) Hilo (best known as the recipient of the first construction permit for commercial DTV broadcast) and KMAU(TV) Maui. (The Maui satellite is currently off the air following a regulatory problem involving RF interference with nearby...