Original Productions Include Popular “Sister Theresa” Series.

Mahwah, NJ (July 24, 2002) – EWTN is a global Catholic cable network based in Birmingham, AL that broadcasts religious programming 24 hours a day. The network utilizes an advanced camera robotics system from Telemetrics for live and pre-produced programming. Some of the programs include Mother Angelica, the foundress of EWTN, who has been on the air for over 20 years.

EWTN transmits a weekly half-hour devotional program from Mother Angelica’s new monastery, the Monastery Farm of Our Lady of the Angels, situated in Hanceville, AL, about 65 miles north of the network’s facilities. This new monastery and basilica, the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, is unique in that it is a accurate replica of a 13th century style church. During its construction, custom designed products and materials as well as cutting edge technology were required. Mother Angelica insisted the cameras be hidden when not in use. This application included one of the first Telemetrics track systems, the LTS, along with specially designed Televator Elevating Pedestals. The track system is installed on top of several church structures, including the vestibule and the vestry to provide camera movement without disturbing the congregation. The track is out of site and the camera sits above riding along with just the lens in view. The Televator is utilized to lift the Pan/Tilt Head over a wall to raise the camera when needed. It is then lowered out of view when not needed. It also provides additional range of movement for a better angle of view of the altar.

Perhaps the most unusual camera is mounted in the church ceiling, through a bomb-bay door, about 50 ft in the air. This Pan/Tilt is in the inverted position and hangs from an access hatch at the very peak of the ceiling. The angle and position of this camera offers unique and impressive point-of-view bumper shots along with great wide shots of the entire congregation.

“Telemetrics is the only camera robotics systems supplier that offers remote operation via modem, which was an important criteria given the distance of our studio from the cameras’ location,” said Jim Charles, Affiliate Engineering Manager, EWTN. “Our Telemetrics camera robotics system provides the enhanced camera coverage we were looking for and has performed well for us to date.”

The system incorporates the Telemetrics coax multiplexing technology to simplify cabling and minimize disturbance to this church, which is one-of-a-kind here in the U.S. Telemetrics Coax Camera Control Systems permit cable runs of up to 1500 feet between camera locations and controllers or other transmission systems. The system incorporates genlock at the base station and automatically adjusts horizontal phasing for different cable lengths. The system also provides comprehensive remote camera set-up and adjustment capabilities, NTSC/PAL video outputs, return video, microphone, audio, intercom, program audio, tally and power to each camera.

Camera control and shading is typically accomplished from the church basement. But what is quite unusual is that camera control can be taken from the EWTN control rooms, some 65 miles away. The entire camera operation is accomplished via an RS-232 modem connection between the studio in Birmingham and the monastery in Hanceville. Four channels of video, as well as eight channels of audio are transmitted via satellite on Galaxy 10R transponder 11.

The system’s reliability can be seen when EWTN broadcasts Vespers worldwide at 5:30 Central every Sunday.

The technical staff at EWTN has commented that the most important aspect of the system is the quiet and unobtrusive effect of using the remote control Pan/Tilts, Track and Elevating Pedestal. Unlike mounting large camera tripods with local camera operators the production does not inhibit or affect the experience for the church attendees.

For more information on Telemetrics’ camera control systems call 201-848-9818, fax 201-848-9819, or visit www.telemetricsinc.com.

Telemetrics, Inc. offers a comprehensive line of camera control components and systems for broadcast, industrial, educational and military applications. The company's highly specialized line includes: Camera robotics systems including programmable computer controlled pan/tilt mechanisms, weatherproof camera robotic systems, motorized camera trolley systems, advanced control software, and a wide variety of programmable controllers. Additional products include camera control systems through triax cable, RF and fiber links; and Teleconferencing and distance learning systems.