A tipster says WSVN is getting a new 7Skyforce chopper this week that will be the fastest in Miami. It will be a Bell 407 Jet Ranger.
I think currently they fly a Bell 206 Jetranger.
Update: anonimous tipster sent more info regarding the new chopper. It will be a a Bell long-ranger 407 matching what WTVJ and WFOR are leasing right now with 170mph top speed. WPLG’s chopper tops at 110-130mph.
Skyforce won’t have an HD gyro-camera unfortunately, although it’s a new one, the FLIR UltraMedia III, with 360x zoom, HD upgradeable. The other stations use FLIR UltraMedia IIs with 72x zoom.
So does this mean that they’ll have two choppers??
it means we can see that runaway school bus even faster!!
Why the hell spend so much money on a new chopper and not on a new plex or street level studio, tv stations here in sfla don’t use their choppers as often as in LA or NYC, we don’t get to see the reporter or pilot inside the helicopter while their reporting a breaking news story, i don’t even remember the last time i saw the TVJ reporter inside the ENG chopper, i think the current chopper looks great.
remember the station about which you are discussing…
for 7 to go street level, what will they show? the water, condos, or old people going to the old Lums restaurant?
Nice picture either way.
But, I do get your point Frank.
Maybe you’re right ib-td, Since TVJ AAA studio is a complete failure and they don’t use it ‘cos its boring and it looks at the bay and not even a bird aproaches the site 7 doesn’t have to build theirs in North Bay Village, now why don’t they upgrade 7 sky force’s equipement to a complete HD system instead? but hey its Ansin’s money and way to spend it.
lol @ib-td
Newswatcher, no it means the old is getting ditched. Rather the 7News paintjob is getting stripped. From what I know 7 rents the chopper and the pilot from a local company, only photographer Ralph Rayburn works for 7.
Don’t think they need a new stree-level studio. During hurricane season it will be below sea level flooded studio. Not much use having to repair it constantly.
LOL, it’ll be fun to see these 2 shorties (Craig and Belkis) w/ a fooded studio, by the way SVN rent’s 7skyforce to HMC Helicopter Services.
You mean rents from HMC 🙂
I figured Belkys and Craig might be short, short people always look tall on TV and tall ones short. Although you can tell Richard Lemus is 6’4 whe he’s at the sat center.
Not that there’s anything wrong with tall or short peoples 😀
LOL
Imagine, if it bleeds it leads…during a hurricane, at street level. – all windows and one blows while on the air.
What a laugh. ROFLMAO
Wow ib-td lol well I think its a great idea that there getting a new chopper and also I do think that they should switch to a HD system it will help em out alot and they should get a sat. on the chopper i mean there is a ton of interference and static on the chopper so i think the sat will help out alot.
A satellite on a chopper would not work, because having satellite uplink depends on you being in a fixed, or at least steady enough position to remain the uplink connection. Not only would this not work with the movements a helicopter must do, but it is totally impractical. Imagine, news breaks: okay, the chopper is there, but we need to get the desk to book us a satellite window. So the desk books 15 minutes, the window closes, and the best pictures of the day happen 17 minutes after (not that you can realistically book or tune in that quickly either) the chopper arrives.
Also, HD would be nice, but that would require the station to upgrade its receive sites and replace it’s production switcher and much of its wiring just to bring you HD pictures from the air.
Chopper,
Thanks for the tips I guess it kind of was a stupid idea but it would of been nice to it have worked out though i mean wouldnt you like to have a steady shot and with out interference???
Satellite is by no means a guarantee of a perfect picture. Look at how many times sat shots go to crap on the air.
for Helicopters to transmit in HD
they need to upgrade the Microwave transmitters in the choppers to the 2 GHZ digital Band + the Cameras onboard to the Cineflex HiDEF Camera System
http://www.mrcbroadcast.com/index.html
and if they have an aggrement with Sprint/Nextel
Nextel will provide the station the necessory Equiptments free of charge 🙂
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Andrew
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These guys are the leaders in gyro-stabilized camera systems, both SD and HD formats…