Instructional Television
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Instructional Television

UHD TV provides video production services in support of interactive distance learning classes, telecourses, academic presentations and university promotional and community services programs.

Facilities

Distance learning broadcasts can originate from the instructional television studio/classroom or from electronic presentation classrooms equipped for broadcasting that are located in the TTLC or the Academic Computing Lab.

The ITV studio/classroom is a modern tv production facility that is outfitted with a light grid, backdrop cyc with chromakey curtains, 3 manually operated Sony broadcast grade cameras, 1 automatic camera, a presentation desk with PC computer with internet connection, a document camera an electronic white board and audience, student microphones and performer monitors. The facility seats 36 people at tables when in an ITV configuration. The TV studio is connected to a control room and off-line edting suite. The facility contains a 24 channel audio mixing console and its has Dvcam, Betacam SP, SVHS and VHS recording capability. A Media 100 editing suite is used to support digital editing and video streaming. The studio is operated by a professional staff of experienced video production professionals. The university offers various production and rental packages for use of the facility by outside clients. Call 713-221-8199 for information.

ITV classes originating from an electronic presentation classroom provide instructors with multiple media resources to access and utilize for teaching. Each room is equipped with 3 cameras, a video projector, an electronic white board, 3-27in color monitors. Student microphones and an instructor presentation desk with an AMX control system, pc computer with internet connection and a document camera. Two of these classrooms outfitted with students computers and networked via a classnet system.

The ITV studio and the electronic presentation classrooms are link to a university central distribution hub or MDF. The university has 4 codec units for transmission and reception of signals on the compressed video network. These units form the backbone for both distance learning classes and video conferencing.

The university is linked to the UH System Compressed Video Network.

UHD TV operates two closed-circuit video channels which can be received on the campus cable system.

Phonescope provides commercial cable tv service to the campus.

Production Services

UHD TV provides a full-range of audio and video creative production services. These include:

Studio production – single or multiple camera
Field production – single or multiple
Analog and digital editing
Audio recording
Multimedia software development
Video streaming
Recording of student presentation
Recording of campus "special" events
Scriptwriting
Videoconference
Satellite downlinks
IPTV

Telecourses

Telecourses are either are either videotapes or cable distributed programs which may serve as the predominate or supplemental learning source for a credit or a non-credit course. Copmmercially produced courses such as those produced by the Public Broadcasting Service are licensed for use by the university and distributed via the local educational cable channel or sold directly to students as videocassettes.. UHD TV provides duplication services and coordinated the scheduling of programs on local cable systems.

PREVIEWS

UHD TV produces a weekly 30 minutes public service program called "Previews". The program is videotaped in the ITV studio and broadcast twice a week on the HCC educational access channel. The show contains interviews and features with UHD faculty, students and administrators, campus guests. The program also highlights the downtown business and the local arts community.