|
|
| Ryerson Home > Rogers Communications Centre > About > History |
 |
 |
About the Rogers Communications Centre's History | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | "Education is not the piling on of learning, information, data, facts, skills, or abilities--that's training or instruction--but is rather making visible what is hidden as a seed." - Thomas Moore, "The Education of the Heart"  Outstanding Technology That Delivers Relevant Education - In an industry that defies prediction, the Rogers Communications Centre’s record has been unparalleled in it’s leadership; mirroring rapid technological shifts that occur in media production workflow, society and business. This has meant that students who study in the Centre work with tools and methodologies that are relevant in today’s rapidly changing media production environment.
The 1990’s saw the widespread deployment of computer networking. The CDROM became a mainstream consumer item, the digital production workflow was applied to the creation of animated content, while the Internet became recognized as a major communications medium. The combination of the digitization of media with networking on a global scale caused major shifts in business practices. The millennium closed with the dot.com crash, leaving those in the financial community wondering what the “business model” in digital communications was all about. At the turn of the century, new technological developments such as High Definition Television (HDTV), Digital Cinema, Satellite Radio and the evolution of global peer-to-peer data networks gave rise to new distribution mediums like Podcasting, Digital Signage and Mobile Content. The consumption of media content continues to grow as the landscape of media production and distribution changes. Keeping pace with ongoing advancement, the people and technology in the Rogers Communications Centre have remained at the forefront of this rapidly changing field. In concert these factors provide relevant design, production and learning opportunities to the students, faculty and staff that make use of the Centre. We invite you to review our development over the context of time and its relevance with the Media Industry as a whole.
During the summer of 1992 - the move into,
and the technical build, of the Rogers Centre
started. Five additional people including Bruno
Boccia, Ken Goodings, Reg Michie, Ian Miller,
and John Pugh, all of CCS, were added to the technical
installation team. Two students and one cart moved
the existing departmental technology into the
Centre. Administrative departments, namely Purchasing
and Physical Plant, went out of their way to ensure
deadlines were met for the Ryerson installation
team that had delayed their summer vacation. Manny
Ravinsky of Campus Planning, troubleshot the building
as it came on-line assisting with hundreds of
details in the complex building. With the exception
of TV Studio C -which came on-line by the third
week in September- all of the labs opened on time
with operational technology. All this was accomplished
without a single hour of overtime by Ryerson staff.
The biggest departmental change occurred in the
School of Journalism. The school had gone from
six curricular Macintosh computers when they closed
in April to well over three hundred in the new
Centre when it opened in September. From the day
the Centre opened it became a magnet for innovation
and development.
Rogers Communications Centre's History - 2008  The Reorganization of FCAD's Shared Audio Production Labs - and associated networked based audio facilities under Ryerson's Rogers Communication Centre show that Ryerson University's audio facilities have grown to be both the countries largest and amongst the worlds best. Audio production capabilities in 2008 are comprised of a bevy of interconnected labs with advanced audio production capabilities. The enterprise employs six servers to support its back end, over fifty audio production computers, five multi-track audio mixing control rooms and an additional nine recording studio's used to record, mix and edit voice, music, radio programs, hybrid radio/television content and produce sound effects for movies and television by employing the Foley process.Click here for more information on the Audio Facilities found in the Rogers Communications Centre.  Television Studio A's Television Switcher - upgraded with a ROSS Vision Panel. The panel provides users a choice of control panel styling from clean simple styling of all white buttons, classic and familiar colour coded buttons while allowing creative to develop a color scheme that suits their personality or production style.Click here for more information on the Television Studio's found in the Rogers Communications Centre.  4K Digital Cinema Workflows - In response to a growing demand for knowledge relating to 4K Digital Cinema the Rogers Communications Centre hosts 4K Cameras, 4K workflows Conference in February. It's the first of its kind in Canada and it's done in conjunction with DJ Woods Productions, and Post DNA Productions to showcase 4k cinematic cameras and 4k digital imagery. The conference is split between Toronto's Theatre D Royal Cinema and the RCC where hands-on demos of 4k cameras and 4k workflows and a panel discussion with industry leaders discussing the future of 4k.
 Colour Correction and Grading Facilities - Five of the Rogers Communications Centre's enclosed Final Cut Studio non-linear editing facilities are equipped with latest generation eight core Intel Apple Mac Pro, JL Cooper's Eclipse Colour Grading surface that ties directly to Apple's Final Cut Studio's Color software and grading monitors. The monitors consist of a Matrox MXO unit that turns Apple's 23-inch Cinema HD displays into artifact-free, true-color video displays that provide for a vertical refresh rate of 59.94 Hz. With 24 frame RAW based digital cinema media on the horizon from companies such as RED Digital and Canon Inc., the colour correction process becomes an important and essential part of video and film production workflow that next generation videographers and filmmakers will have to contend with.Click here for more information on the Colour Correction and Grading Facilities found in the Rogers Communications Centre.  Lab Automation - In a bid to improve lab access to 24 hours per day the RCC staff employ a number of innovations to automate lab processes. Innovations include an Edge 5000 Series Vending Machine that dispenses tools and materials related to Physical Computing on a 24 hour a day basis to students. Other innovations include providing 24 hour access to laptops and electronic key distribution via safes for students who choose to take advantage of evening and weekend lab access to RCC facilities.
 Rogers Communications Centre plays a large part of Society Of Motion Picture (SMPTE) Toronto’s 16th Technical Seminar in May - Themed Advanced Technologies: Beyond HD it attracted 230 attendees to hear papers from 25 speakers. The RCC assisted by recording and streaming all of the sessions and by hosting a trade show that featured twenty vendors that included demonstrations of 3D Movie technology and live Virtual Set technology.Click here for more information on the Toronto Section of the SMPTE  The Era Of Videotape Based Camcorders - comes to an end in the Rogers Communications Centre. Videotape use in field camera's originated in the Journalism School in the early 1970's when its newscasts started employing ½" open reel EIAJ format recorders attached to small black and white cameras. Over the 30+ years videotape was used at Ryerson, formats included 2" Quadruple, ¾" UMATIC, 1" IVC, 1" Type C, S-VHS, Betamax, Betacam, Betacam SP, VHS, S-VHS, DV, DVC-PRO 25 and 100 and HDCAM. With the exception DVCPRO 100 tape based cameras, and a couple of DVCPRO 100 VTR's to feed the data onto Ryerson's X-SAN all DVCPro VTR's were removed from production as of the end of the Fall 08 semester. The Rogers Communications Centre continued to provide a duplication service from DVC-Pro format tape within its Interformat facility located in RCC-230.
 FCAD Fibre Optic Network - The Rogers Communications Centre completes the pull of the first of five strands of the Faculty of Communication and Designs Fiber Optic Network. Each strand contains 72 fiber cables and interconnects Ryerson University's Rogers Communications Centre located at 80 Gould Street with the Image Arts Building located at 122 Bond Street. With the establishment of the Photonic Network new processes and technologies can be employed that include the file based playback of HDTV, 2K and 4K materials to the various Theatres in FCAD's distribution and teaching chain. The goal of the cluster is to avoid duplicating facilities and manpower, make maximum use of limited space and to construct advanced media infrastructures using as few dollars as is feasible.
 Student Produced Internet Radio and Interactive Technologies (SPIRIT) - is reborn in an era of IP based audio transport. The station extends its radio automation beyond live to the Internet to include the creation of Podcasts as well as other forms of on-demand downloadable content. The station is constructed as a Radio/Television hybrid that provides HDTV quality video distribution to a new campus wide television station -RUTV- that is integrated into Ryerson University's digital signage initiative.http://www.spiritlive.net/  Building Upon Knowledge and Experience - gained from FCAD's Virtual Audio Lab and the flexibility built into the Mixed Reality Production Cluster, 15 additional MacBooks with the full package of software and a portable cart to house them added to the labs inventory. This set-up allows for splitting Physical Computing classes over multiple classrooms. Other improvements to the Hybrid Media Computing Lab include the addition of Nikon D-40 cameras and iStopMotion 2 software packages for advanced stop motion animation work.
 Ryerson Launches its Digital Signage Initiative - following mentoring and prototype development by staff in the Rogers Communications Centre. Launched with about 10 screens in the Library building it becomes the base of a campus wide digital signage system. The system will also carry Ryerson University Television (RUTV) --a student run TV station-- to all of Ryerson's high traffic area's across campus.
 Ryerson University Television (RUtv) – With mentoring from the Rogers Communications Centre, RUtv makes a comeback after a 25 year absence at Ryerson. RUTV is a student-run television station broadcasting content from a variety of genres including drama, comedy, music, entertainment, news, current affairs, reality, lifestyle, sports, events and more. It features student-produced content, with a student-centric perspective, created by students from all programs at Ryerson University. RUtv is made available for viewing on the sets created by Ryerson's Digital Signage Initiative. The station is displayed across the Ryerson University campus, in residence and online.http://www.rutv.ca/ Rogers Communications Centre's History - 2007  The Rogers Communications Centre launches the Distributed Interactive Media Initiative. It's a series of developmental and research projects designed to bring the communications disciplines of Computer Sciences and Interactive Media production closer together at Ryerson. Its goal is to build bridges between undergraduate and graduate students along with associated faculty and staff in both the Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Communication and Design (FCAD). The three projects were developed as a result of this effort include research into Open Source media tools, the development of a prototype based on Apple technology for information and media syndication, and the practical implementation of an algorithm relating to pervasive and ubiquitous media. The work was spread between the Rogers Communications Centre and the George Vari Centre.Click here for more information on the George Vari Centre.  Mixed Reality Production Cluster - is established to enhance both Scholarly, Research and Creative (SRC) Enhancement programs and to meet the day-to-day teaching needs associated with undergraduate and graduate program requirements. The cluster will start by utilizing the side-by-side rooms of RCC-357 (Hybrid Computing Lab), RCC-359a (Mixed Reality Extension Lab), RCC-359b (Visual Computing Lab) and RCC-361 (Electronic Field Production and Practice Lab). These labs are located in the south east quadrant of the third floor of the Rogers Communications Centre. The cluster also integrates the second floor RCC Apple Learning Lab (Room RCC-224). The cluster will is planned to roll-out in its entirety over a three to four year period (08-10) with the expectation its associated network will eventually wire the Faculty of Communication and Design that will meet emerging research, classroom, community as well as teaching and learning needs across the division. The Mixed Reality Production Cluster of rooms in the RCC represents “the mothership” of the production cluster.Click here for more information on the Mixed Reality Production Cluster.  The Hybrid Computing Media Lab - is established to address the technological and curricular environment for the production of Physical Computing related to New Media installations and the development of curricula and production space related to Mobile computing. The lab is heavily booked for 07-08 with a projected 90% utilization in Winter 08.The lab was designed to be multi-purpose in nature having the personality of a “quick change artist”. It's built upon the institutional knowledge gained from the establishment of the Shared Virtual Audio Production Lab and the New Media Lab established in Image Arts. It is Ryerson's first physical lab built upon mobile furnishings, movable technology and stowaway laptops. Click here for more information on the Hybrid Computing Media Lab.  PodCamp Toronto 2007 - In February the Rogers Communications Centre opened its doors to host PodCamp 2007. A PodCamp is a free BarCamp-style community UnConference for new media enthusiasts and professionals that includes bloggers, podcasters, YouTubers, social networkers, and anyone curious about new media. The first PodCamp was held in September 2006 in Boston, Massachusetts with the Toronto event comming short on its heels. PodCamps are now being held worldwide and the Toronto PodCamp was the first to stream all of its sessions live over the Internet.Click here for the Toronto Podcamp seminars held in February 2007  Production Cluster Planning Concept - the planning system devised from the Rogers Communications Centre's leadership in planning and developing shared facilities is tabled for consideration at FCAD's System Committee as a model for future planning of FCAD's IT infrastructure.802.11n Wireless (WI-FI) Network - is established for the laptops, portable media devices and gaming consoles that reside in FCAD's Mixed Reality Production Cluster.  Classroom Presentation Systems - Due to the design requirement for the Mixed Reality Production Labs to operate as multipurpose rooms, portable classroom presentation systems are acquired for use by teaching faculty. The systems consist of RDY2GO Espresso Media Center's, Panasonic projectors and portable Draper RoadWarrior projection screens.Click here for more information on the Rogers Communications Centre's Presentation Technologies.  The Visual Computing Lab - is re-located to RCC-359B with a teaching friendly layout, an interactive whiteboard system integrated with a state of the art classroom software management system that allows for instructor control of software on computer workstations and the switching of displays to suit a variety of lecture environments. The facility becomes Ryerson University's first SMART computer lab designed for a teaching and learning environment.Click here for more information on the Visual Computing Lab.  The Advanced Media Lab - is upgraded to twenty-seven G5 and MacPro workstations, new software to support the Mixed Reality Production Cluster, upgrades to its Non Linear Editing software capability, and fibre optic X-SAN connectivity to all workstations. Between the network and storage capability coupled with the advanced level of workstation hardware, the Advanced Media Lab becomes one of the best Apple media labs in the country.Click here for more information on the Advanced Media Lab.  With the installation of a Cisco 9509 Fiber Channel Director the Apple X-SAN - becomes ready to roll out for its testing and implementation phase. This occurs with Apple's announcement of Final Cut Server. Final Cut Server is seen as revolutionary from a workflow perspective as its implementation allows for a distributed editing and approval process. Final Cut Server in concert with X-SAN allows Ryerson University to centralize high cost output technology for HDTV and Digital Cinema media. The technology is so revolutionary that planned upon high end conform suites will most likely give way to render farms, storage and output formats as the last stage of the editing process.
 Graduate Program Support - To facilitate the three semesters of activity the Video Lab Assistant position and the Television Studio Support Lab Assistant position are extended from eight month to year round positions. Through the elimination of a number of curricularly obsolete processes in the Video Post area, the Television Services Assistant is reassigned to the Mixed Reality Production Cluster to play a similar support role within the grouping of media labs it comprises. The position is teamed with the Lead – New Media Support, who's role includes ensuring the smooth operation of the New Media Production Cluster labs and to provide support for advanced components of FCAD's Graduate Programs and linkage into FCAD's SRC activities.
 Collaboration for 4K Motion Picture “Dailies” - The Rogers Communications Centre is home to a unique global collaboration by demonstrating International Networked Collaboration of 4K Motion Picture “Dailies”. The demo involved connecting three sites (Ryerson University's Dcinema Lab, Calit2 at UCSD and Barrandov studios in Prague) via 10GigE optical connections in a layer-2 network.Click here for more information on the 4K Motion Picture “Dailies” demonstration.  Harris Inscriber Infocaster - Building upon past investments in Inscriber Graphics hardware and software, the Rogers Communications Centre (RCC) has obtained a Harris InfoCaster 2 Starter Kit that will replace the aging electronic signage system in the RCC. To encourage a broader understanding the system its placed in the Digital Media Projects Office and the implementation efforts are undertaken by the members of its staff. With a broader understanding by the University on how such a system might work , Ryerson University Television (RUTV) would be ideally carried on Infocaster or another system like it if a digital signage system was ever to be adopted by the University.Click here for more information on the Digital Signage Project.  The future direction of Electronic Field Production and Practice Lab - calls for the space to be enhanced in its capacity as an EFP training and production room. The recommended improvements also include making it more suitable Mixed Reality environment as an I/O room. The plans call for adding elements such as green screen area's, motion capture and presentation technology to the lab. Plans call for the room to be fitted with some form of simplified ceiling grid or truss. The truss would house motion capture camera's, provide for a curtain system, fixed projection for presentations and a grid rigged between the truss structure could also provide a means to drop power and Ethernet to any location in the room ato be used for the exhibition of installations and both “New” and “Old” Media of all forms.
 The Interformat Facility - is relocated and redesigned from the ground up with a number of curricularly obsolete dubbing processes eliminated. This includes the sale of materials via the front desk of the Video Post Production Facility. The staff time required to administer the old inventory has been freed up to focus on other services within the Rogers Communications Centre's shared facilities. Amongst the services dropped include the transfer of 16mm film to video and the duplication of material to Betacam SP format. The sale of materials was no longer seen as required given that readily available blank DVD media was the major media being sold.Click here for more information on the Interformat Facility. Rogers Communications Centre's History - 2006
Click here for more information on the 4K Digital Cinema Streaming CineGrid demonstration
Click here for more information on the Media Server System
Click here for further information on the Master of Arts in Media. Click here for further information on the harmonization that occurred
Click here for more information on CJRT Radio and its history at Ryerson University
Click here for further information on the Master of Journalism program.
Click here for an article on the Rogers Communications Centre's involvement at SC Global 2006
Click here for more information the NMBA.
Click here for more information on groups that make use of the Centre and links to them.
Click here for the AccessFabrik website
Click here for more information on the Master of Fine Arts in Documentary Media
Click here to visit the Infoscape Research Lab website Rogers Communications Centre's History - 2005
Click here for more information on Maya Software Click here for more information on Final Cut Pro editing software
Click here for more information on Television Studio A
Click here for more information on the Visual Computing Lab To support the online communications programs in FCAD, a reconfigurable teaching lab is established directed primarily towards the online Journalism program. Employing an electronic movable wall, its sound tight characteristics allow the classroom to be easily converted from a full sized 60-seat lab into two 30-seat spaces allowing for both teaching and practice space.
Click here for more information on TV Studio C.
Click here to read a report on the installation.
Click here for more information on TV Studio B.
Click here for more information on the Apple Computer Lab The Electronic Field Production And Practice Lab is established to better facilitate field camera training for FCAD courses. Click here for a copy of his presentation.
Click here to read a copy of his presentation.
Click here for more information on Apple Computers Final Cut Studio
Click here for a report on how this innovative program works.
Click here for a pdf of the presentation delivered by Brad Fortner of the RCC and Richard Grunberg of the School of Radio and Television Arts. Rogers Communications Centre's History - 2004  Rogers Communications Centre partners with the School Of Radio And Television Arts in a significant upgrade to HDTV Projection and Access Grid support in its Broadcast Multimedia Lag. The technology assistance is undertaken to provide the lab with advanced research capability through a full scale Access Grid installation and HDTV projection.Click here for more details on the lab.
Rogers Communications Centre's History - 2003  The Rogers Communications Centre Operations Committee authors and endorses a whitepaper on the future of Non-Linear Editing requirements and its curricular requirements. The whitepaper calls for Layer 1 systems to address News Editing, Layer 2 Systems to address Craft Editing and Layer 3 systems to address HDTV and future Digital Cinema systems. It also asks that future systems address central storage and media serving from a centralized IT perspective. Rogers Communications Centre establishes the first FCAD supported DVD Production Lab. It makes use of Apple's DVD Studio Pro software.Click here for more info on DVD Studio Pro software.
Rogers Communications Centre helps launch The Toronto Technology Alliance with a demonstration of the ability of ATSC Digital Television Transmission to deliver data including robotic control, interactive multimedia applications and interactive television.
Rogers Communications Centre's History - 2002
Click here for more information on Kaydara.
Click here to learn more about Envivio's MPEG-4 tools.
Click here to view a copy of the press release from Panasonic Canada.
Click here to read the press release. Click here to read the story from The Digital Edge newsletter.
Click here to read more about CinéWave HD technology.
Click here to read more about the partnerships that assisted Ryerson in moving into HDTV from The Digital Edge newsletter.
Click here to learn more about B2C2's technology.
Click here for more information on how the Rogers Communications Centre is using Triveni Digital's Skyscraper system for datacasting.
Click here for a report about the seminar from The Digital Edge newsletter.
Click here for information on the system.
Click here to learn more about New Media Centers. Rogers Communications Centre's History - 2001
Click here for a feature article on Mr. Duan form our "Digital Edge" newsletter.
Click here for more information.
Click here for information on the Liberty Village New Media Centre form our "Digital Edge" newsletter.
Click here for more information from Broadcaster Magazine on Ryerson's participation in the roll out of digital terrestrial transmission in Canada.
Click here to visit the Interactive Broadcast Learning Lab which houses the gear.
Click here to read about the project.
Click here for more information on the research from our "Digital Edge" newsletter. Rogers Communications Centre's History - 2000
Click here for a story on the conversion from the Fall 2000 issue of the "Digital Edge" newsletter.
Click here to read a story on Ryerson's first HDTV production from the "Digital Edge" newsletter.
Click here to learn more about the one of Canada's pioneering HDTV productions.
Click
here to visit OnTarget's website.
Click here to read an article tilted "The Editing Revolution" from the "Digital Edge" newsletter that documents this work.
Click here to read the paper. The joint Graduate Programme in Communication and Culture is established with York University. Click here to visit the website. The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Graduate School for Advanced Communications is established through a donation of $10,000,000 by Ted and Loretta Rogers. Click here to see the announcement. Rogers Communications Centre's History - 1999
Click here for more information on MBone in the Rogers Communications Centre.
Click here to learn more about ColdFusion.
Click here for more information.
Click here for a video lecture on CO-Media.
Click here for more information on the Ryersonian of the Year Award.
Click here to learn more about LINES. Rogers Communications Centre's History - 1998
Click here for more information on DPS editing systems.
Click here for more information on Digital Fusion software.
Click
here to visit its website.
Click here
to read the latest from Extend Media's (formerly
Digital Renaissance) website.
Rogers Communications Centre's History - 1997
Click here to read the press release on its development.
Click here to read how DVCPro has evolved.
Click here for story on how the Visual Computing Lab is looking towards the future from the Spring 2001 "Digital Edge" newsletter.
Click here to read the following story from the Ryersonian on how SPIRIT has evolved.
Click here to view Ryerson's X-Prise animation produced in the Visual Computing Lab for the University Space Network in 1997-98.
Click here
to visit Newtek Limited's website.
Click here to learn more about SoftImage.
Click here to learn more about Tascam.
Click here to learn more about Side Effects and Houdini software.
Click here to visit Inscriber Technology Corporation's website and learn more about Inscriber. Rogers Communications Centre's History - 1996
Click here for more information on Hitachi Denshi Canada.
Click here for and article on the Retail Math courseware.
Click here to visit Matrox and how their nonlinear products have evolved.
Click here to visit the Digital Media Projects Office website.
Click here for more information on the work of Dr. Michael Murphy. Rogers Communications Centre's History - 1995
Click Here for more information and to see how the University Space Network has evolved.
Rogers Communications Centre's History - 1994
Rogers Communications Centre's History - 1993
Click here for an article on how PARIS has evolved as an online teaching support tool.
Click here for more information on the Ryersonian of the Year Award.
Click here for more information on MOSAIC. Rogers Communications Centre's History - 1992
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Much of the Rogers Communications Centre's
- building design, construction, technical design
and installation were seeded by the efforts of
many of Ryerson's faculty and staff. 1985 was
the year that the opportunity first arose for
a new building with the Ontario Government, then
Ryerson President Brian Segal called together
Greer Lavery (Computer Science), Ron Keast (RTA)
and John Miller (Journalism) to formalize the
concept of the communications centre. At the time,
the technology supporting these schools had become
antiquated and the new Centre would be built to
support and equip the schools with the tools required
due to the rapid technological changes occurring
in their respective fields. 
Once approved - George Hume and Brian Barron,
then of Ryerson's Campus Planning, took over the
role of coordinating the space requirements and
the unique physical spaces required for a modern
communications building. In 1988 the three-year
construction phase of the building started. Darryl
Williams, of the School of Image Arts, was appointed
to oversee the technological equipping of the
building from an academic perspective. The technical
team that designed the technical infrastructure
and facilities now found in the building included
Ken Woo of CCS, who specified the initial networked
infrastructure in the Centre. Brad Fortner -then
with Applied Arts-was seconded to lead the planning
of all of the video and audio facilities for the
building. Finally, CCS employees Don Smith, Wayne
Detcher, Greg Martin and Bruce McCleod joined
the Technical Installation Planning Group that
designed the facilities and planned the customized
wiring required by many of the broadcast labs
initially found in the Centre.
Although the labs had yet to be completed
- the general-purpose classrooms located on the
second floor of the Rogers Communications Centre
were first used in January of 1992. Most of the
Rogers Communications Centre's facilities were
obtained during 1991 and throughout the spring
of 1992. With limited capital to purchase facilities,
industry partnerships were key to meeting the
technical requirements of the Centre's schools.
ADCOM, AVID Technologies, City-TV, Digital Equipment
of Canada, IBM Canada, Image North Technologies
(now Inscriber), Imagineering, Panasonic Canada,
Roland Corporation, Sony of Canada, Soundmaster
Group and Tascam of Canada were among the initial
technological partners in the building.
Rogers Communications Centre research team joins an interdisciplinary community that is focused on the research, development, and demonstration of networked collaborative tools to enable the production, use and exchange of very-high-quality digital media over photonic networks. From an origination point on the third floor of the Rogers Communications Centre it demonstrates live streaming of 4K next generation digital cinema between from Toronto to California through the Calit2 CineGrid project.
The RCC fires up its new Media Server System. Its put in place to integrate a number of aging and technologically disparate systems that had appeared in the Centre with the adoption of on-line media. The system targeted technology to serve SPIRIT Radio, The Canadian Broadcast History Website, the Rogers Communications Centre website and to meet the serving needs related to the establishment of Journalism's on-line program.
The School of Radio and Television Arts located in the Rogers Communications Centre announces its Master of Arts in Media production that will start in September 2007. The program will rely on RCC facilities to deliver the practical elements of the Graduate Program.
The Rogers Communications Centre's Shared Audio Committee harmonizes high end FCAD audio facilities with the adoption of Protools. This occurs as the result of a "diversity effort" for high end facilities that resulted from and an FCAD wide meeting on the subject.
After nearly 50 years of occupying Ryerson University property, CJRT (renamed JAZZ.FM91) leaves the Rogers Communications Centre. JAZZ.FM91 begins broadcasting on April 3, 2006 from its new street front facilities at 4 Pardee Avenue, Unit 100, in the King & Dufferin area known as Liberty Village.
The School of Journalism located in the Rogers Communications Centre announces its Master of Journalism program that will start in September 2007. The program will rely on RCC facilities to deliver the practical elements of the Graduate Program. The progam's website compliemts RCC staff by noting "In addition to their instructors, students have regular access to well-trained, highly qualified and helpful technical support staff."
Ron Rankine becomes the first non-US citizen to take the lead in coordinating this
SC Global 2006 chairing by an international coordinating team. Ron and fellow Rogers Communications Centre colleague (and Canadian Access Grid guru) Many Ayromlou collaborated with 10 other team members from throughout the world to coordinate the logistics-intensive global showcase. The team is also responsible for managing the remote connectivity for SC06, over live satellite link or through desktop connections over advanced networks and the Internet.
The Rogers Communications Centre joins The New Media Business Alliance (NMBA). The NMBA is a not-for-profit industry trade organization committed to the growth of the Ontario interactive digital content industry.
The Toronto Final Cut Pro Users Group starts meeting in the RCC on the third Tuesday of each month. 2006 will mark the 14th year that Ryerson University's Rogers Communications Centre has been supporting Toronto's Media Community with its Tuesday Evening Series. It's a concept that was born with the establishment of the Centre in 1991.
The AccessFabrik research lab, located in the Rogers Communcations Centre, comes of age as it launches its website. The lab develops collaborative research projects in the world of interactivity and multimedia design. The AccessFabrik team uses the Access Grid and 3D design programs to explore the impact of web technologies on collaborative industrial design and manufacturing.
The School of Image Arts located on Bond Street announces its Master of Fine Arts in Documentary Media that will start in September 2007. The program will rely on both Image Arts and RCC facilities to deliver the practical elements of the Graduate Program.
Infoscape Research Lab located in the Rogers Communications Centre is launched. The Infoscape Research Lab hosts research projects that focus on the cultural impact of digital code. The lab engages in software and other new media tool development, code mapping, interface design, and new media content analysis.
MAYA 3D software is set as the standard software for digital animation training in the Rogers Communications Centre with significant investment in Maya Unlimited for the 33-seat Visual Computing Lab.
Apple’s Final Cut Studio feature Final Cut Pro editing software and X-SAN Technology selected as craft video editing technology and SAN configuration for the FCAD Communications programs that the Rogers Communications Centre supports. 
Canada’s first three-camera, High Definition TV studio is built in the Rogers Communications Centre. It’s among the first fixed multipurpose HDTV production studios in North America.
Hardware upgrades turn the newly relocated Visual Computing Lab into Ryerson University’s first gigabit-to-the-desktop lab. It’s also developed to support HDTV applications and Animation Training using PCI-Express video technology.
Re-equipped the AVID iNews and Grass Valley NewsEdit system, Television Studio C is rebuilt to support expanded double cohort activities. Innovations include a NUNS Uni-set system.
With the 10 Gigabit network wiring being installed on the third floor, the Rogers Communications Centre becomes Canada’s first media facility ready for advancing Ethernet applications.
Television Studio B upgrades result in it being rebuilt into a 16*9 all-digital TV studio. This is done in partnership with an additional transfer of gear from the Rogers Communications Centre.
The 13 seat, 24 hour-accessible Apple Learning Lab opens to support classroom teaching and practice of the video editing software and workflow.
Dr. Abby Goodrum is appointed the Velma Rogers Graham Research Chair in News Media and Technology and Professor, School of Journalism, Faculty of Communication and Design.
Many Ayromlou gives a presentation on 3 new, innovative services designed by his department at the 5th annual AccesGrid Retreat in San Francisco, California. These prototype AccessGrid services provide additional functionality that up until now, had not been available. 
As a result of the Operations Committee Whitepaper 14 shared enclosed exisring suites are equipped with Apple G5's, Final Cut Studio, Photoshop CS and Adobe After Effects. The technology is readied for the X-SAN implementation.
The Shared Audio Committee of the Rogers Communications Centre establishes the Virtual Audio Production Lab as a shared resource between the Theatre School and Radio and Television Arts. This innovative solution provides an additional 30 seats of Audio production through a University funded Audio program. 
The Rogers Communications Centre closes our the year with a tour of the Rogers Communications that highlights the HDTV studio for the Toronto Section The Society Of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.
Two Nortel Enterprise Level data switches significantly improve computer network speeds throughout the Rogers Communications Centre. It provides the foundation to apply 10 gigabit technology and applications that are at the developmental stage in the broadcast industry.
Investments in industrial grade servers, controllers and cabinet systems significantly improve backend infrastructure in the Rogers Communications Centre. Electrical infrastructure is also improved to accommodate IT backend infrastructure.
Grass Valley’s NewsEdit system is selected as the news editing technology for Ryerson University’s Broadcast Journalism program. Ten NewsEdit Systems are installed in conjunction with its integrated studio playback system that tie into the existing Avid iNEWS systems. 
Rogers Communications Centre,Program Director of Operations and Technology, Brad Fortner, receives Society Of Motion Picture and Television Engineer’s “Citation For Outstanding Service." 
Dr. Charles Davis is appointed Edward S. Rogers Sr. Research Chair of Media Management and Professor, School of Radio and Television Arts, Faculty of Communication and Design.
Dr. Greg Elmer is appointed Bell Globemedia Research Chair and Associate Professor, School of Radio and Television Arts, Faculty of Communication and Design.
The Rogers Communications Centre hosts the Access Grid Retreat. Ron Rankine and Many Ayromlou of the Rogers Communications Centre are key to bringing the retreat to Toronto. The event features sessions lead by Dr. Michael Murphy of RTA, Dr. Tim Jackson of Image Arts and Ron Rankine of the RCC.
As a replacement for SAW, the Shared Audio Committee establishes Nuendo as the FCAD wide audio production package.
Rogers Communications Centre Hosts Santa Fe High Definition Workshop. The Santa Fe Workshops is a year-round source of experiential learning and creativity for image makers. 
Rogers Communications Centre demonstrates potential of ATSC datacasting by controlling robot with CDTV’s experimental transmitter and demonstrating its operation at a Toronto section meeting of the SMPTE. 
The Rogers Communications Centre experiments with Interactive MPEG-4 Content developed using iVasts Software. It demonstrates both MPEG 4 video and it's interactive capabilities as part of a High Definition documentary on the city of Toronto.
Dr. Paul Hearty announced as new Academic Director of Rogers Communications Centre and Associate Dean, Faculty of Communication and Design. 
First IEEE-1394b devices arrive in the Rogers Communications Centre enabling the next generation of portable video editing equipment that will be both high definition and laptop capable. 
Rogers Communications Centre completes construction of two 1080i HDTV editing suites to support HDTV Field Cameras. They go into operation becoming Canada's first DVCPro 100 based non-linear editing suites employing Apple's Final Cut Pro software, Panasonic DVCPro 100 VTR's and stand alone storage. 
Using Cyradis Master Control System, The Rogers Communications Centre first tests its automated TV station. 
Real Time SGI - workstation equipped with
Kaydara Software installed in TV Studio C gives
studio live real time character animation capability.
Envivio Partnership - supports RCC's Interactive
Broadcast Learning Lab with MPEG-4 tools. 
With 14 Real Time DPS Velocity - nonlinear
systems operational for student use, the Rogers
Communication Centre completes its conversion
from its original analogue linear tape base of
edit suites. The Centre is operating the largest
number of digital real-time nonlinear edit suites
in Canada to meet the editing demands of its students. 
Panasonic Partnership Extension - results
in the largest acquisition of High Definition
Television technology for education in Canada.
The extension places seven HDTV camera's in schools
and provides VTR support for HDTV editing. 
Brad Fortner Nominated - for Canadian New
Media Award in the Educator of the Year category. 
Through Its Membership - in Toronto's New
Media Trainers Alliance, the Rogers Communications
Centre sponsors EMMA Foundation MasterClass at
Bloor Cinema. The MasterClass allows Ryerson students
to hear presentations from the worlds top experts
in New Media who are in Toronto for the EMMA judging. 
SummitFX Inc./Pinnacle Systems Partnership
- results in Final Cut Pro CinéWave HD technology
for HDTV editing in Rogers Communications Centre. 
Partnerships To Place High Definition Cameras
- in field include support from Applied Electronics,
Canon Canada, Cartoni Tripods, Cavision and Precision
Camera.
Interactive Broadcast Learning Lab - acquires
ATSC data reception capability using B2C2 technology. 
Triveni Digital Partners with RCC/CDTV
- by placing it's SkyScraper technology in the
Interactive Broadcast Learning Lab and CDTV's
test transmitter head end. It establishes Canada's
first broadcasting ATSC system that can schedule
the transmission of data in addition to standard
definition and high definition digital television.
On Behalf Of Toronto's New Media Trainers Alliance
- The Rogers Communications Centre hosts the EMMA
Award Judging for the EMMA Foundation. 
Rogers Communication Centre - hosts CDTV-ATSC
seminar on Innovations In Digital Television on
behalf of CDTV. Its the seminal seminar series
that launches HDTV in Canada.
DVD Authoring Environment - harmonized
to provide better classroom support in anticipation
of an HDTV format to act as distribution medium
for Centre's HDTV infrastructure. 
Visual Computer Lab and Inscriber Lab Upgrades
- include addition of Firewire and USB 2.0 that
brings video production capability to all of the
Centre's multimedia computers.
Cyradis Partnership - adds Broadcast Master
Control facility to RCC bringing true broadcast
capability to student television channel. 
Audio System Upgrades - improve RCC's video
duplication area significantly. 
Rogers Communications Centre - becomes
a member of the New Media Centers organization. 
Albert Duan - visiting scholar from China
joins RCC for one year stay.
Bluescreen Environment - established TV
Studio C creates foundation for virtual sets,
real-time character animation, motion capture
and special effects. 
Rogers Communications Centre - demonstrates
multiprocessor parallel based Radiosity rendering
based on software developed in the Centre. 
Ross Synergy Digital Switcher - installation
in TV Studio C advances its infrastructure to
make it Canada's first all-digital 16x9 educational
TV studio. 
Rogers Communication Centre - becomes founding
sponsor of Liberty Village New Media Centre. 
Rogers Communications Centre - builds and
houses the Master Control for CDTV's Toronto Digital
Test Transmitter. From it Toronto's first HDTV
programs, data content and DVB terrestrial video
is transmitted, received and tested. 
Terrestrial High Definition Television
- reception equipment installed in Rogers Communications
Centre, it includes PC based HDTV cards and rooftop
aerial installation. 
CANARIE InSite Project Funding - formalizes
Access Grid development in Rogers Communications
Centre placing them in the group pioneering Access
Grid development in Canada. 
Motion Capture - research continues in
RCC using MAX, a Macintosh based programming language
as well as SoftVNS a plug-in that is able to capture
motion. 
Rogers Communications Centre Television Studio
C - becomes Canada's first educational 16x9
aspect ratio television studio.
Rogers Communications Centre - builds Ryerson's
first HDTV compositing stations using an Intergraph
workstation and eyeon Software's Digital Fusion
compositing software.
Perfecte - Canada's first student produced
HDTV drama was completed in the Rogers Communications
Centre. 
OnTarget Initiative Is Funded - through
SMART Toronto and the New Media Trainers securing
Ryerson's participation in the initiative. 
Rogers Communications Centre - supports
Image Arts research into Final Cut Pro editing
software for use as a render based software for
use at Ryerson. 
Rogers Communication Centre - partakes
in New Media Trainers Alliance visit to Montreal's
Alliance Numerique organization. The result is
the creation of One Voice position paper advocating
the creation of a single voice organization for
the purpose of representing Toronto's media sector. 
Multicast Backbone (Mbone) - production
and meeting facility established in Rogers Communications
Centre.
Allaire Incorporated Partnership - results
in ColdFusion database software established for
web authoring across campus.
Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language
(SMIL) - group established to develop skills
and encourage use of streaming video at Ryerson.
Rogers Communications Centre Opens - Canada's
first educational Dolby 5.1 surround sound production
lab. 
Rogers Communication Centre - joins The
Enhanced Television Enhancement Forum (ATVEF)
and Canadian Digital Television Inc. (CDTV), in
anticipation of R&D relating to digital broadcasting
and HDTV. 
Communications and Information Technology Ontario
(CITO) - and the Rogers Communications Centre
announce funding for the Ontario - Baden-Württemberg
Research Project. 
The Rogers Communication Centre - hosts
the Canadian Association Of Broadcasters forum
on Interactive Television.
Interactive Broadcast Development Group
- formed to advance study in Interactive Television.
Interactive Broadcast Ontario -(IBO) was a multi-sector consortium of research, technology and communication innovators formed to incubate the growth of interactive broadcasting in Ontario, Canada. The project ran from January 2000 through January 31, 2002. The Interactive Broadcast Learning Lab served as the base for the 13 iTV based projects undertaken by IBO. Interactive Broadcast Ontario was one of five digital media projects that was funded in part by the $10 million Interactive Digital Media Small Business Growth Fund, from the Ontario Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology. 
Ryerson's First DVD Authoring - and production
station established. A LINE, a parallel film,
is created to test the DVD's multi-angle capabilities. 
Gigalabs Partnership - extends Gigabit
network to Image Arts building resulting in an
extension of Rogers Communications facilities
and capabilities into Image Arts. 
Wright Design Partnership - extension updates
software to v2.0 across all labs at Ryerson University.
Intergraph Computers Partnership - provides
PC hosts to house DPS nonlinear editing systems.
Rogers Communication Centre - hosts Canadian
launch of WebTV in Eaton Lecture Theatre. 
Eyeon Software Partnership - results in
Digital Fusion compositing software for use in
Ryerson's Radio and Television Arts and Motion
Picture Film program.
Puppet Works Partnership - results in motion
sensor technology for Visual Computing Applications
being placed in Rogers Communications Centre. 
Rogers Communications Centre Completes All
Digital Plant - by connecting integrating
digital EFP, digital nonlinear editing, digital
compositing and digital animation into a seamless
network. 
Canada's First Datacasting Lab - called
the Interactive Broadcast Learning Lab is established
to provide facilities and develop expertise in
interactive television, interactive radio, DTV
data streams and webcasting.
Digital Renaissance Partnership - provides
software and authoring tools for iTV in the Interactive
Broadcast Learning Lab.
Rogers Communication Centre Initiates -
beta test of Gravity next generation non linear
compositing suite.
Rogers Communications Centre Beta Tests Avid/SoftImage
- nonlinear compositing software and stations.
World's First Multi-terabyte Web Server
- is developed in Rogers Communications Centre
by combining Storagetek Nearline Storage system
with Apache web server software.
Retail Math Courseware - transferred to
distribution over World Wide Web marking Ryerson's
first distance education courses offered over
the Internet.
Panasonic Canada - partnership extension
brings DVC-PRO to Ryerson. 
Insolvency Training Series - converted
to Web for Industry Canada.
Digital Canada Limited - partnership establishes
Visual Computing Lab (VCL).
Student Produced Internet Radio and Interactive
Technologies (SPIRIT) - is launched in Centre
becoming one of the first Internet radio stations
on the web. 
The Rogers Communications Centre Beta Tests
- its first real time non linear system, Speed
Razor from In-Sync Technologies. 
University Space Network - converts to
World Wide Web distribution making it Ryerson's
second on-line offering.
Newtek Limited - partnership places Lightwave
3D software in Visual Computing Lab. 
New Media Trainers Alliance (NMT) - is
formed as a project of SMART Toronto. Rogers Communications
Centre is a founding member of the alliance with
Centennial College, International Academy Of Design,
Seneca College and Sheridan College. 
Microsoft Limited - partnership places
SoftImage 3D software in the Visual Computing
Lab. 
Tascam Partnership - results in an advanced
Audio for Video facility in the Image Arts building.
Side Effects Software Partnership - arranged
through the School of Image Arts places Side Effects
Houdini software in the Visual Computing Lab. 
Visualization Initiative - launched with
Architecture, Image Arts and Geography.
Inscriber Technology Corporation Partnership
- extension updates Inscriber Character Generator
software. 
Hitachi Denshi Canada - partnership results
in new television camera's for RTA's Television
Studio B. 
Retail Math Courseware Compact Disc series
completed - marking the Rogers Centre's first
educational compact disc and providing the roots
to what is now Ryerson's Online Retail Management
Program.
Matrox Partnership - establishes nonlinear
video station development for Rogers Communications
Centre Shared facilities. 
Digital Media Projects Office - established
by Rogers Communications Centre and Computer and
Communication Services 
Dr. Michael Murphy - appointed as Rogers
Communications Centre Academic Director. 
StorageTek - automated tape library placed
in the Rogers Communications Centre as base technology
for Research activities.
APG development - starts with seven multimedia
systems and support base in RCC. This pilot project
would lead to the widespread adoption on New Media
at Ryerson and eventually the formation of Ryerson's
Digital Media Projects Office.
Summer 1994 - RTA television studios A
and B completed with significant Rogers Communications
Centre technological support.
The HTML Working Group - is formed with
a mission to pioneer HTML knowledge and adoption
within Ryerson.
SMART Toronto Organization - forms and
the Rogers Communications Centre is a founding
partner.
Darryl Williams - then Academic Director
of the RCC is recognized as Ryersonian of the
Year. 
MOSAIC Browser and Webserver - are installed
in RTA's Computer Communications Lab. This makes
it one of the first labs of it's type installed
to design content online content inside a Communications
program in Canada.
January 1992 - Rogers Communication's Centre
opens January 2002 with classes limited to Eaton
Lecture Theatre, Rooms 201, 203 and 205.
Summer 1992 - Technology is built in Centre
in anticipation of a full commencement of classes
for fall semester. 
September 1992 - Rogers Communication's
Centre opens all of its planned facilities with
the exception of RTA's TV Studio A and B. They
are to be fitted in the summer of 1993.
Rogers Communications Centre Research Staff
- develop "Editly", a PC based video edit control
system for use in the Centre.