HomeMy WebLinkAbout10D - Purchase of Cable Television Production Equipment
MEETING DATE:
AGENDA #:
PREPARED BY:
April 21, 2008
10 D
Michael T. Peterson, Communications Coordinator
AGENDA ITEM:
DISCUSSION:
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF
CABLE TELEVISION PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT
Introduction:
The purpose of this item is to request approval from the City Council to purchase
cable television production equipment to be used to increase the number and quality
of productions on cable channel PL TV-15.
Historv:
Mediacom has a franchise agreement with the City of Prior Lake to provide cable
television transmission. Mediacom also provides services to Savage and parts of
Spring Lake Township. 1999 the City negotiated a new 15-year franchise agreement
with Mediacom. Among other things, The Franchise Agreement (Ordinance) provides:
1) that the City would receive a franchise fee of 5% from Mediacom; 2) that a public
education and government (PEG) access fee would be collected and; 3) the City
would receive a one-time $70,000 payment to upgrade the City's PL TV-15 production
equipment.
The franchise fee and PEG access fees are placed in the City's general fund to
defray the operating costs to support PL TV 15 and produce cable television
productions, Of the total $70,000 received for cable production equipment upgrades,
approximately $31,000 was used to upgrade cable television coverage of the City
Council and Planning Commission meetings. There remains $39,000 for production
equipment upgrades.
Current Circumstances
When City Hall was constructed in 2007, a basic cable studio was included. Also
included was cable production equipment devoted to provide improved quality
coverage of the City Council and Planning Commission meetings. Since moving into
City Hall, the Lake Advisory Committee and Park Advisory Committee meetings have
also been telecast.
The cable studio has allowed the City to increase the number of cable television
shows it produces to 52 each year. We have also begun a monthly Mayor's show and
are contemplating some on-site productions.
The Communications Coordinator is responsible for the production and broadcast of
City Council meetings on cable television, the Website, Prior Lake American articles
and media relations, the Wavelength newsletter, other printed materials, Web
streaminglWebcasting and e-newsletters.
The 2030 Vision and Strategic Plan calls for increasing communication efforts in each
of these venues. In order to accomplish this objective, we need to be as cost effective
as possible.
www.cityofpriorlake.com
Phone 952.447.9800 / Fax 952.447.4245
Accordingly, we have been researching the acquisition of equipment to reduce the
editing time required for each PL TV-15 production. With our present equipment, the
time involved in completing a 45-minute program is 455 minutes or 7.6 hours. To
complete 52 productions requires more than 394 work hours or more than 49 work
days each year.
PRODUCTION TIME COMPARISONS
TASK
Equipment Set-Up
Actual Production Time
Tear Down Equipment
Pre-Production (Music, Graphics)
Transfer Recorded Tape into Editor
Edit Music, Titles, Names, B-roll,
Credits
Export Show to DVD
Schedule and Play Show on PL TV 15
Total
Single Camera
45 min
45 min
45 min
30 min
45 min
180 min
45 min
20
455 min. (7.6 hrs)
Tricaster
45 min
45 min
45 min
30 min
o
o
5 min
20
190 (3.2 hrs)
Newer and more powerful computers for television production purposes have
revolutionized the field. The quality of production improves, special or unique features
can be added and the time required to complete a program is reduced from 7.6 hours
to 3.2 hours; a difference of 4.4 hours. For 52 productions each year, that saves 28.6
work days. City staff is seeking authorization to purchase a Tricaster production
system, two cameras, two tripods, one audio mixer and one 15" LCD monitor. The
Tricaster name is derived from its ability to accept signals from three cameras and
edit them into one, recording all edits as they happen.
The greatest time savings technology has been the ability to transfer recorded tape
into the editor, editing music, titles, names, credits and exporting the show to DVD.
Production time comparisons charted above have been reviewed and verified by
Dave Elbon, a member of the City's Technology and Communications Committee and
a full time employee at the Eagan/Burnsville Cable Television Studio. Mr. Elbon has
experience with Tricaster equipment.
There are some additional benefits which the Tricaster provides over our present
equipment:
I ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
Completely Digital Production (NO TAPES) No
Multiple Camera Angle No
Future Webstreaming of Live Events No
Can be used with a Computer Source No
Projector Output for Presentations No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Four pieces of production equipment make up the Tricaster: the keyboard, monitor,
computer hard drive and a hard shell case. Other equipment needed to realize all the
Tricaster's capability: 1) Two Digital cameras; 2) Two camera tripods; 3) one audio
mixer; 4) one 15" video monitor.
To obtain the best prices, we received quotes from a minimum of three vendors for
each of these five elements. Below are the quotes. The asterisks show the low
quote:
Tricaster Production System with keyboard, monitor and case.
Full Compass System (without case) $5,930.40
DVS Direct $6,689.00
DV Gear ** $6,139.00
Two digital video cameras
Full Compass System
DVS Direct
DV Gear
USA Photo Nation
Expo cameras
Two Boger/Manfrotto Tripods
Full Compass Systems
DVS Direct
DV Gear
Adorama
$4,749,34
$4,990.00
$5,258.00
* $3,398.00
$3,498.00
$946.20
$498.00
$690.00
* $438.00
One Mackie 1202 Audio Mixer
Full Compass Systems
DVS Direct
Power Max
Markertech
* $271.00
$349.00
$329.00
$299.99
One Panasonic 15" LCD AV Monitor
Webcam Store
Full Compass System
BH Photo
AV Supply
$648.00
$648.00
$599.95
* $575.00
* = lowest quote
** = the inclusion of a case to protect the equipment is critical. The $208.60 difference
for the case is less than it can be purchased separately.
The totals for each of the five components, including the number
needed, are shown below.
Total Cost
DV Gear (Tricaster Production System, keyboard,
preview monitor w/case)
USA Photo Nation (Two digital video cameras)
Adorama (Two Boger/Manfrotto tripods)
Full Compass Systems (Two Mackie 1202 audio
mixers)
AV Supply (Panasonic 15" LCD AV monitor)
$6,139.00
$3,398.00
$438.00
$271.00
Sales Tax
Shipping (estimated)
$575.00
$10,831.00
$704,02
$400.00
$11,935.02
----.-
Total
Conclusion
Acquisition will save 28.6 days a year in staff time. The Council should determine
whether it believes the time savings in video production justifies the purchase of the
production equipment.
ISSUES:
The City Council's Technology and Communications Committee has met to discuss
the proposal. A considerable amount of time was spent to verify that the estimated
savings are accurate. The Committee asked Dave Elbon to examine the numbers.
The estimates found in this report reflect Mr. Elbon's estimates (which were reduced
from what was originally provided to the Committee).
One of the goals set out in the 2030 Vision and Strategic Plan is to increase the
number of cable television events the City produces and to improve the quality of the
productions. The acquisition of the Tricaster will cut production time significantly, thus
allowing for a greater number of productions as well as freeing staff time to work on
other communication objectives set out in the 2030 Vision and Strategic Plan and
established by the policy directives set out by the City Council.
Acquisition of the Tricaster equipment will also prepare the City for public access if
and when it wishes to offer it. Public access provides training to person's who wish to
produce shows on their favorite topic (assuming it is consistent with our cable usage
policy) to air on PL TV-15.
Finally, this purchase still leaves approximately $27,500 in the cable equipment
account for future replacements or upgrades, All funds in this account are provided by
the cable company and are earmarked for cable television equipment.
FINANCIAL
IMPACT:
The $70,000 in funding originally received by the City from Mediacom was for
equipment. Presently there is $39,425 remaining. Our intent has always been to use
these funds to upgrade or replace equipment as necessary. This is not tax money,
but funding provided by Mediacom for the acquisition of cable television equipment.
The resolution allows for a purchase not to exceed $12,000 in the event that we have
underestimated the shipping costs,
After this purchase, $27,489.98 would remain in this account.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Adopt the attached resolution authorizing the purchase of this equipment
2. Take no action or request additional information.
RECOMMENDED
MOTION:
Alternative #1.
(.J
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF CABLE TELEVISION PRODUCTION
EQUIPMENT
Motion By:
Second By:
WHEREAS, The City has entered into a cable franchise agreement with Mediacom, Inc., for the
provision of cable television and broadband services to the Prior Lake area; and
WHEREAS, Through the franchising process, Mediacom provided $70,000 to the City to be used to
upgrade or replace cable television related equipment; and
WHEREAS, The City operates Prior Lake Television Channel 15 (PL TV 15) which is a government
access channel; and
WHEREAS, The City produces in excess of fifty cable television productions annually requiring in
excess of 7.5 hours to produce each; and
WHEREAS, Production hours can be reduced by one half or more by purchasing a Tricaster
production system including computer, hard drive, monitor, case, cameras, tripods,
audio mixer and 15" LCD monitor; and
WHEREAS, Staff has solicited quotes from at least four vendors for each piece of equipment; and
WHEREAS, The quotes are as follows:
Tricaster Production System with keyboard, monitor and case.
Full Compass System (without case) $5,930.40
DVS Direct $6,689.00
DV Gear ** $6,139.00
Two digital video cameras
Full Compass System
DVS Direct
DV Gear
USA Photo Nation
Expo cameras
$4,749.34
$4,990.00
$5,258.00
* $3,398.00
$3,498,00
Two Boger/Manfrotto Tripods
Full Compass Systems
DVS Direct
DV Gear
Adorama
$946.20
$498.00
$690.00
* $438.00
One Mackie 1202 Audio Mixer
Full Compass Systems
DVS Direct
Power Max
Markertech
* $271.00
$349.00
$329.00
$299.99
www.cityofpriorlake.com
Phone 952.447.9800 / Fax 952.447.4245
One Panasonic 15" LCD AV Monitor
Webcam Store
Full Compass System
BH Photo
A V Supply
$648.00
$648.00
$599.95
* $575.00
* = lowest quote
** = the inclusion of a case to protect the equipment is critical and the $208.60
difference for the case is less than it can be purchased for separately.
Subtotal
Sales Tax
Shipping (estimated)
Total
$10,831.00
$704,02
$400.00
$11,935.02
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PRIOR LAKE,
MINNESOTA as follows:
1. The recitals set forth above are incorporated herein.
2. The television production equipment purchases are hereby approved in an amount not to exceed
$12,000.
3. Funds for this purchase shall be drawn from Cable Franchise Fund account # 210-41340-580.
PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 21st DAY OF APRIL 2008.
YES
NO
I Haugen
I Erickson
I Hedber9
I LeMair
I Millar
Haugen
Erickson
Hedberg
LeMair
Millar
Frank Boyles, City Manager
M:\COUNCIL\RESOLUTI\2008\042108 Cable TV Production Equipment.DOC