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MillimeterU.S. Open Captured Live With Grass Valley
Aug 28, 2006 12:36 PM
Placing its trust in digital video production equipment from Grass Valley, suppliers to CBS Sports will use the Grass Valley Kalypso high-definition (HD) and Zodiak standard-definition (SD) switchers to catch all of the action of this year’s 2006 U.S. Open Tennis Championships live, beginning on August 28.
NCP-VIII, the latest multi-format HD mobile production truck from New Century Productions (NCP) has hit the road with a Grass Valley Kalypso HD Video Production Center switcher. The 53ft. portable production studio, which is built around the Kalypso HD switcher to manage dozens of live and pre-taped sources for live production, will be used to cover the 2006 U.S. Open.
Due to its multi-format flexibility, the same Grass Valley Kalypso HD switcher used for CBS’ 1080i HD format production during the 2006 U.S. Open was used to televise Little League Championship games, in Bristol, CT for the ESPNHD channel in the 720p HD format. The switcher’s ability to support both HD formats is a valuable advantage for NCP, which will use the new NCP-VIII truck to produce a variety of live sports and entertainment productions.
Mike Mundt, vice president for engineering at NCP, based in Allentown, Penn., says his company has been using Grass Valley switchers since its first mobile production truck was built in 1984 (which included a Grass Valley 16003F production switcher). The company currently owns two more Kalypso HD switchers and several Grass Valley 3000 and 4000 series SD production switchers on board other trucks in its fleet.
“We are a long-time user of Grass Valley switcher because we appreciate their power, reliability and the customer support we receive from the company,” says Mundt. “In addition, Grass Valley continues to upgrade the switcher and add new features that help us produce an exciting show each and every time we use it.”
NCP’s previous state-of-the-art truck, NCP-VII, also uses a Grass Valley Kalypso HD switcher, as well as 16 Grass Valley LDK-6000 Mk II HD cameras and a new Grass Valley LDK 6200 HD Super Slo-Mo camera.
In addition to NCP, national rental house and broadcast equipment supplier Bexel Corp. will also be on hand at the U.S. Open with two Grass Valley Zodiak SD switchers, in dual control rooms, to supply the main feed for participating international broadcasters. Bexel has provided equipment and technical services, as well as on-site engineering personnel, to CBS Sports for the past ten years.
The 2.5 M/E Zodiak switchers were purchased by Bexel in January for use on the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, and have been employed for a variety of clients ever since.
“The Zodiak switcher gives us all of the functionality we need in a small footprint, which helps us immensely,” says Lee Estroff, head of technical sales for Bexel Broadcast Services. He added that the switchers will be installed on two mobile production trucks outside the stadium. “We’re careful about the equipment we select for high-profile events like the U.S. Open and are confident in the Grass Valley equipment’s reliability and feature set.”
Continue the discussion on Crosstalk the Millimeter Forum.