OIT to provide better video access

OIT has been investigating new products for Portland State’s campus televisions. Currently, it uses a product called Access Control, said Chief Information Officer Sharon Blanton.

According to Blanton, when OIT broadcasts video segments with the program Access Control, “it would start to play…then things would just start failing, failing and then it would be totally dead.”

She said, “If we stop having any video, it works, but that’s not a good solution.”

With the present system, PSU-TV, Portland State’s student television network, cannot broadcast on campus.

John Miller, president of PSU-TV and a senior in communication, said, “We have no plans, in the near future to move back to [OIT’s campus televisions].”

Instead, the student group, which began over five years ago under the name “Sustainable Community Media,” filmed its first program for public access television through Gresham’s Communications Media on Monday.

“A door closed, but a window opened for [PSU-TV],” Miller said.

According to Miller, even when OIT has the capability to broadcast moving images, Miller hopes to continue broadcasting through other means, like public access television and YouTube, because the OIT monitors do not allow for audio necessitating subtitles and the extra work they entail.

However, when OIT can broadcast video, Miller said, “[PSU-TV] would explore that as a means to project our material.”

OIT hopes to find a suitable replacement by late spring or early summer.

“I would like to have the current system replaced this summer—sooner would be fantastic,” Blanton said.

Until OIT replaces Access Control, those interested can watch PSU-TV on its YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/psutelevision.

According to Miller, the group is finishing a piece regarding the relocation of American Sign Language to the Foreign Language Department, as well as ongoing segments about entertaining events on campus, like movies playing at the 5th Avenue Cinema and department events.