Campus video distribution

Mark Hale, Director

CIRCA has recently been assigned responsibility for distribution of video on campus. This memo outlines our initial plans for this service, and requests input from colleges, departments, and other academic units using or planning to use these services.

Outline of plans for video service

The present video service consists of a classical “community cable” analog video distribution system, reaching a large number of campus buildings. Distribution within buildings has been a responsibility of the tenants; the exact extent of internal buildouts is unknown. Channels on the cable have included some external (commercial and non-commercial) channels, some down-linked signals provided on a regular basis, down-links for special events, and some signals originated within colleges using video for instruction or information.

Our first priority is to provide stable service to the instructional customers using video as part of their credit program. The second is to restore down-link services (the dishes are currently inoperable). A review of the distribution backbone will be carried out this fall, and a partial rebuild and retuning will be undertaken. Where specific commitments to new service are outstandting, these will be addressed as rapidly as possible, with attention to the deadlines of the units involved. This is basically a preservation and continuation effort of the present system.

Plans for the future development of video will be developed once the comments from academic units are received. Early draft plans will be available during the spring budget cycle, to make sure that the plans are consistent with the goals of the colleges and the funds available. Future plans and policies will be posted on the world wide web.

Request for response

We request that each academic unit with an interest in using video services identify a contact by name, address, and e-mail address, who can answer these questions for us:

1. What video signals does your unit currently receive or transmit?
2. What video services do you request for implementation in the next 6 months? What services were previously commited to your unit?
3. What are your long-term interests in receiving or transmitting video?
4. What video production capability does your unit currently have?
5. What are your plans for future video production?

Please send names of contacts and answers to these questions to:

John Pankow (video@condor.circa.ufl.edu)

CIRCA, E520 CSE

P. O. Box 116140

Campus

Questions about the video service should be directed to John Pankow, Todd Hester, or myself, at CIRCA (392-2007).