PBS: Embracing HDTV with Ikegami           Maywood, NJ: For PBS, producing the very best in programming and visual imagery has always been the top priority. So as they look to take the lead with HDTV, three PBS stations have chosen Ikegami cameras.           For the fast-moving trio of KPBS(San Diego), WBGU(Bowling Green) and WVIZ(Cleveland), the Ikegami HDK-790D Studio/Field and HDK-79D Portable Companion cameras are the logical choice. Whether they're shooting for arts, science, nature, educational or community programming, the versatility of the Ikegami cameras are key to producers with a special commitment to digital television.           "It's acknowledged that PBS is being very proactive in the DTV arena," notes John Folsom, Engineering Manager for KPBS. "Our station has a long history with Ikegami. The flexibility of these new cameras allows us to keep our commitment to multiple program streams and especially enhanced programming, where we can take advantage of the data capacity of DTV."           "The Ikegami HDK-790D's allowed us to future-proof as much as possible," adds Bill Leutz, chief engineer at WBGU. "These units give us high-performance on remotes and good sensitivity. Basecally, everything we wanted, plus we're getting HD."           "Taking full advantage of DTV is where PBS' and WVIZ' interests lie," says Gary Bluhm, Director of Engineering for WVIZ. "We're looking to enhanced television and data transmission to serve our schools, and HDTV provides stunningly superior pictures for arts, science and nature programming. When it came time to choose the cameras for our all-digital facility, we really liked the Ikegami HDK-79Ds."           With 2.2 million pixel 2/3" CCDs that provide selectable native-interlace and native-progressive read-out modes, the Ikegami HDK-790D and HDK-79D can be switched to deliver any of the leading HDTV formats: 1080i, 720p and 480p. A superior quality NTSC signal is always available from the CCU for simalcast or dedicated applications, and can be independently switched to 16:9, 4:3 side-cut or 4:3 letterbox aspect ratios.           As part of the public trust, PBS stations have a unique responsibility to maximize their budgets, and Ikegami's support provides extra insurance toward that mandate. "Since we are PBS and don't have unlimited funds, we need to make sure what we buy is viable for the long term," Gary Bluhm points out. "We've dealt with Ikegami in the past, and we've been very happy. The service, support and camera longevity have always benn excellent."           "One of the things we were looking for was good support," John Folsom says. "We needed someone that we could depend on to back up the product, and we're confident that Ikegami will continue to provide that."           "PBS has a long track record of taking the lead with new technologies," says Bob Estony, of Ikegami. "Early character generators, stereo sound, satellite transmission, and close captioning all took off because of their forward thinking. Now PBS stations like KPBS, WBGU and WVIZ are bringing HDTV production to the airwaves as quickly as possible, and we're excited that they've all chosen Ikegami technology."           Ikegami Electronics is one of the world's leading manufacturers of high-quality professional broadcast television cameras, monitors, and accessories. The company's High Definition TV Cameras (HDTV) have become the broadcast industry leaders as the change over to the High Definition Television format moves ahead.