ANN ARBOR – The Community Television Network studios in Ann Arbor are getting $118,620 worth of upgrades for digital high-definition video capabilities from VTP Inc.
Ann Arbor.Com reports viewers will be able to see your favorite politician’s pores the next time a League of Women Voters candidate debate airs on CTN.
The Ann Arbor City Council voted 8-0 Monday night to approve the purchase and installation of the new digital HD studio and control room equipment from VTP Inc.
VTP Inc. was the lowest of four bidders. Other bids came from Thalner Electronic Labs ($142,224), Great Lakes Media Supply ($122,681) and Pro Video Systems ($129,291).
The purchase requires taking $90,000 from the CTN fund balance, with the remainder coming from the Production Equipment Fund in the approved 2011-12 city budget.
“We’ve been saving up for a couple of years to do this and we’ve pushed the equipment that we have to the extremes,” said CTN Manager Ralph Salmeron, who called it a big change for CTN.
Salmeron said CTN will use the new digital equipment to enable HD video-capture capabilities to productions for television and Internet content, and allow CTN to better serve the city of Ann Arbor and the community at large with quality programming.
Patrick Paterno, a spokesman for Comcast, said the company’s upcoming digital conversion shouldn’t affect the majority of customers who already have digital services.
“It’s a digital world and most of our customers are already using all digital TV, which includes better picture and sound quality,” he said.
Salmeron said based on information he’s heard from different sources he’s anticipating an announcement from Comcast near the end of May.
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