
The largest part of WCTV’s new production
facility is Studio “A” and its dedicated Control
Room. In this area, production sessions for most
of WCTV’s “live” and “live-to-tape” programs
take place.
The Studio “A” Control Room is exactly what
its name implies: it is the room in which the crew
controls the action in the studio. All of the source
devices in the two rooms (microphones, cameras,
tape decks, etc) are connected to the control room.
It is here that those sources are combined to make
the final program.

The first station on the left is the Graphics Station. This
area contains all of the equipment necessary to compose
“on-screen” graphics using text and various image elements.
In addition to the SCALA InfoChannel Designer software,
this area is also equipped with image editing tools for use in
conforming large pictures to the dimensions needed for use
in television applications.
Operators at this station can compose professional-looking
two-dimensional and three-dimensional graphics for use in
their respective productions.
The next station over is the Director’s Area.
in which the project’s Technical Director would
control the look of the entire program.
This station is equipped with a video switcher/
special effects unit and an array of video panels
which allow the director to monitor up to twelve
video sources at any given time.
Other monitoring devices allow the director
to keep an eye on the overall program quality
as well as the level of program audio.
A wired headset keeps the director in touch
with the operators in the studio.
An array of larger flat panel monitors mounted
on the wall over the Director’s Area allows the
Control Room crew to see what’s going on with
the main program, and preview upcoming video
sources.
Another monitor allows the crew to see what’s
going out over the three WCTV cable channels.
A pair of monitors, connected to cameras
mounted overhead in the studio, allows the crew
to get an overview of what is happening in the
studio during the course of a production.
Next to the Director’s Area is the Capture/
Edit Station. Program content generated in the
studio can be recorded onto a computer hard
drive and accessed or edited almost instantly.
Another nice option is the ability to connect
via an in-house network connection to one of
the computer editing bays for more editing and/
or post-production polish.
The Capture/Edit station uses Adobe Premiere
and is connected through a analog-to-digital
conversion device, allowing not only smooth and
quick recording and editing capability, but the
ability to play video files right out of the computer
and onto the program.
The right side of the Control Room console
contains most of the playback and recording
equipment. Producers can record their programs
onto a variety of formats including S-VHS, DV,
MiniDV, DVD, and MPEG video. Programs that
are completed in “real time” can then be digitally
transferred into our automated playback system.
This area also includes processing equipment
for optimizing (or cleaning up) audio and video
signals, as well as devices that allow crew
members to remotely make adjustments to the
cameras in the studio.
On the lower right you will see the audio mixer
which combines the audio sources (microphones,
playback sources, live feeds, etc.) into the final
soundtrack you hear with the program.

