CHICAGO—Mobile TV Group (MTG)’s 56FLEX mobile production unit has found a home here assisting Chicago Sports Network in covering the Chicago White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks.

“At Chicago Sports Network, our focus is on delivering high-quality, compelling broadcasts that match the energy of the teams and fans we represent,” said Joe Riley, executive vice president of production, programming and broadcast operations at the network.

“56FLEX has supported that mission by providing the tools and flexibility needed to execute consistently across multiple venues and sports,” he said. “From the White Sox to the Bulls and Blackhawks, it has helped us maintain the level of production our viewers expect.”

The mobile unit is outfitted with a Grass Valley Kayenne K-Frame XP Switcher, Evertz NATX IP Router, RTS ADAM-M Matrix System, EVS XT-VIA Servers, Sony HDC-5500 SSMO cameras with Canon lenses and a Calrec Artemis console. To date, most games have been produced in 1080p HDR, MTG said.

56FLEX includes a visitor mobile unit (VMU) to enable dual-feed production of games on-site or from a cloud control room, it said.

The unit’s inaugural broadcast a March 29 Los Angeles Angels-Chicago White Sox game. Since then, it has delivered 57 home broadcasts for the network and will continue covering Major League Baseball’s White Sox, the National Hockey League’s Blackhawks and the National Basketball Association’s Bulls as their seasons progress.

More information is available on the company’s website.

ENGLEWOOD, CO—Mobile TV Group (MTVG), a provider of live broadcast technology services, today announced its newest mobile unit, 52FLEX. The unit, custom-built for Bally Sports, will broadcast primarily Columbus Blue Jackets and Cincinnati Reds games, as well as Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Guardians games for Bally Sports Ohio. 

Custom built at MTVG’s Englewood, Col., 52FLEX is housed inside of a 53-foot expanding trailer and seats over 20 members of the on-site broadcast team. 52FLEX is equipped with Grass Valley LDX82 Premier cameras and Grass Valley LDX86 universe SSMO cameras, a Grass Valley Kayenne K-Frame XP switcher, Evertz 3G router, Calrec Artemis Beam Audio Mixer, and more, according to the company.

52FLEX’s Visitor Mobile Unit (VMU) is the first of its kind, MTVG said. Built on top of the engine and chassis, this VMU embraces a smaller footprint and is ready to mobilize in seconds. This new VMU construction addresses lower cost and sustainable transport, without sacrificing essential technology and space.

“MTVG prides itself on the unmatched quality and performance of our Flex Series, and 52FLEX is no exception,” said Nick Garvin, COO, MTVG. “Every detail of these units, from construction to wiring and the final aesthetic details is overseen by our in-house team to bring incredible clients like Bally Sports the best solutions to assist their team daily in bringing the best broadcast experiences to their audience.”

With one of the nation’s largest fleets of mobile production units, MTVG has more than 30 active A-units that broadcast an average of more than 4,000 events annually, the company said. 

“Mobile TV Group and their Flex Series mobile units have consistently given us the ability to bring world-class productions to our regional audiences day in and day out,” said Mike Connelly, senior vice president and executive producer, Bally Sports Regional Networks. “MTVG is a key partner in our productions because of the attention to detail and high-quality systems and services they provide.”

Live broadcast technology services company Mobile TV Group (MTVG), has hired Melinda Wright as director of operations,  where she will oversee all day-to-day operations for the OB company’s Flex Series, which provides facilities for over half of all NBA, MLB and NHL games in the United States.

Wright, who is the first woman hired for this position in the company's history, will lead MTVG staff to meet and exceed customer expectations on a daily basis by communicating directly with partners, coordinators and engineers. Wright brings more than 15 years of experience and has been with MTVG since 2005, previously serving as an event coordinator and crewer administrator, the company said. 

“Our industry is growing and diversifying the platforms for live event coverage and constantly evolving technology plays a large role in that,” Wright said. “Ensuring that our teams are prepared, agile and adaptive to this ever-changing landscape is crucial to our success. My primary areas of focus are keeping our scheduling and operational flow stable while we re-establish norms after the upheaval the industry experienced the past two years, building upon our strong relationships with clients and vendors, and building networks of support for our team.”

The Flex Series, which Wright will be overseeing, combines industry-leading live production systems with Cloud Control technology. The Flex Series and Cloud Control allow for live production crews to broadcast from anywhere in the country, saving on travel costs and avoiding potential infrastructure and supply chain slowdowns. MTVG has built 50 Flex Series units, all in-house, which cover all four of the major professional sports in the United States.  

“Operations and logistics are fundamental to the success of what MTVG delivers to its partners,” said Nick Garvin, chief operating officer at MTVG. “Melinda is an invaluable member of our team and knows the ins and outs of our operation and industry as well as anyone. Having her lead our operations makes me extremely confident in our ability to handle the growth we anticipate in the coming years.”

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Mobile TV Group has announced that it has completed its first Cloud Control Container, Cloud-C1. Built for Bally Sports Ohio, the unit will facilitate live broadcasts of the Ohio and Great Lakes regions’ leading sports teams, including the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Cloud Control Container represents the latest innovation in Mobile TV Group’s effort to expand access to its suite of mobile production services, the company said. 

Mobile TV Group introduced Cloud Control as the first fully-remote production solution designed to meet the requirements of professional broadcast networks in response to the industry’s evolution toward remote workflows in 2020. 

Since then, Mobile TV Group has completed the buildout of over 20 Cloud Control rooms in office spaces around the country. The Cloud Control Container extends further flexibility in managing live productions at a fraction of the cost of a traditional production room.

“Our goal with Cloud Control is to provide storytellers with the ability to deploy all of the capabilities they need to deliver the highest quality broadcast from any location, and we are taking the versatility of this solution to the next level by building it into a repurposed shipping container,” said Nick Garvin, COO of Mobile TV Group. “Delivering solutions that expand the access and endpoints of our services is key to meeting the current and future needs of our customers.”

Mobile TV Group’s Cloud Control solution delivers all of the functionality of a traditional production room and requires less than 24 hours to set up. Cloud Control gives broadcasters the ability to access multiple mobile units from a single location – eliminating the need for additional production rooms that can cost millions of dollars and take months to build out.

With the introduction of the Cloud Container, broadcasters can now have a prefabricated unit fully equipped to integrate into their existing live production workflow with no on-site build-out required. Sourced from environmentally sustainable materials, the Cloud Container is easily deployed to any location due to its compact and durable design.

Mobile TV Group provides production solutions across the country. Using decentralized and remote units, Mobile TV Group produces more than 4,000 major live events each year, covering professional and collegiate sports, live music, entertainment, eSports and business events.

CYPRESS, Calif.—For-A has announced that Mobile TV Group over the last year has added four FVW-700 telestrators to its fleet of live production trucks.

Mobile TV Group is a provider of live production services, helping out with sports broadcasts for the NBA, NHL and MLB, as well as other types of projects. The FVW-700 helps deliver engaging sports content, according to David Morris, For-A western regional sales manager.

The FVW-700 is available in three configurations to fit specific needs, including 4K, HDMI and all-in-one models. Users can draw freehand, as well as add straight lines and graphics. Numbers, still images and animations can also be placed over video. 

FVW-700 advanced tools include automatic freehand formation, which uses a noise reduction algorithm to allow sharp angels as well as shaped smooth objects, and edge joining, which uses an edge-rendering algorithm that recognizes edges of lines drawn as outlines of a larger shape that joins them.

There is also a wireless tablet option for control of the FVW-700 via the network, allowing multiple operators or commentators to draw on the screen remotely and simultaneously.

“Telestrators are an important part of live sports coverage” explained Nick Garvin, COO of Mobile TV Group. “We’ve been standardizing with FOR-A telestrators in our mobile units for years because they are reliable and easy to use.”

For more information, visit www.for-a.com.  

HEBDEN BRIDGE, U.K.—Mobile TV Group is launching its third FLEX mobile unit, which like its predecessors is fully equipped with Calrec technology for its audio setup.

The 47 FLEX unit is stocked with Calrec’s Artemis digital audio console, with audio-over-IP capabilities via Calrec’s H2-IP Gateway system. The truck also features MTVG’s Cloud Control capability.

The FLEX mobile units and dual-trailer outfits, with a 53-foot expanding trailer for Unit A and a 53-foot long Unit B. The infrastructure is based around the Grass Valley Kayenne K-Frame X IP switcher, an Evertz 384-port EXE 2.0 IP router and an Evertz Magnum control system.

MTVG has also announced that it is building the 48 FLEX OB truck, which will also feature Calrec Artemis.

The 47 FLEX OB truck is predominantly used by Marquee Sports Network, the network home of the Chicago Cubs.

LOS ANGELES—In an upcoming edition of SMPTE Hollywood’s “Meet an Industry Innovator” webinar series, the organization will tackle new approaches to producing sports and other live events.

Taking place on Oct. 8, “SMPTE Hollywood Meet an Industry Innovator: Remote Production Comes to Sports Broadcasts” will feature Mobile TV Group COO Nick Garvin and Director of Technology Dale Canino to discuss the company’s IP-based mobile production unit. Marc Genin, executive vice president, and Will Wright, head of production and content/executive producer, of Gravity Media will also be on hand to discuss their efforts to help move sports and other broadcasters off-site

Greg Ciaccio, creative technologist, has been tapped to moderate.

PLUS: Your Guide to the Latest Industry Webcasts

The SMPTE webinar will take place at noon PT/3 p.m. ET on Oct. 8. To register for the free event, click here. 

DENVER—Mobile TV Group plans to roll out 47 FLEX, its third SMPTE ST 2110-based mobile unit, before the end of March, an introduction that comes on the heels of the last year’s launch of IP-based units 45 FLEX and 46 FLEX.

The infrastructures of the new dual-trailer units currently in service are based on the Grass Valley Kayenne K-Frame IP switcher, Evertz 384-port EXE2.0 IP router and an Evertz Magnum control system. The units deliver 1080p production capacity that would at least require a 3000x3000 baseband router.

Both are dual-trailer outfits with 53-foot trailers. Unit A of each expands to 16 feet, 6 inches in width, while the VMU-B unit trailers are 8 feet, 6 inches wide.

For audio, the new units rely on Artemis digital broadcast consoles from Calrec with support for audio-over-IP. To integrate Calrec’s audio solution into the IP infrastructure of the units, Mobile TV Group is using the company’s audio-over-IP I/O unit, which provides a Hydra2 AoIP interface for up to 512x512 channels using AES67 or Ravenna. That is connected directly to the Evertz router.

“Taking the units’ infrastructures into consideration, that’s amazing for ease of connectivity and use. Of course, it also helps on weight, which is a big issue on these trailers,” said Peter Wehner, Mobile TV Group director of engineering.

DUAL-FEED

Mobile TV Group currently has 41 mobile units, each with a crew of about 50 engineers, traversing the United States to cover sport and entertainment events. Fifteen of those rigs are dual-trailer setups consisting of Unit A and VMU-Unit B. The approach enables the company to employ its dual-feed production strategy that provides for both home and visiting teams to operate from two spaces with shared technical resources.

Over its 25 years in business, which the company marked in 2019, Mobile TV Group has achieved several firsts, including the first HD mobile units in North America, the first ground-up 4K UHD mobile unit and the first HDR broadcast in America, the company says.

However, the emphasis on enabling such firsts hasn’t impeded the familiarity engineered into the designs of its units. For instance, Mobile TV Group relies on industry standard tools to create an environment for clients that is comfortable and easy to use. “Our clients will hire freelance operators who may or may not have seen our mobile units before,” he says. “Being able to come in and get working straightaway is incredibly important.”

A case in point is Mobile TV Group’s use of Calrec audio consoles and technology. Seventeen of the last 18 mobile units the company has designed and built have been equipped with Calrec Artemis audio consoles, Bluefin 2 processing and integrated Hydra2 routing. While fader counts vary between 48 and 64, the consoles all have the Artemis Beam package, which offers 340 channel processing paths.

As the company’s unit designs transition from baseband to IP, clients have come to appreciate a new level of flexibility that will enable an “everything, everywhere future,” says Wehner.

“Every feed can be available everywhere,” he says. “That in turn has now become an expectation for clients who understandably don’t want any restrictions.” Before the dawn of this new age, there were restrictions on how many audio channels could be sent between units.

“Now those restrictions are going away thanks to the latest audio technologies like those provided by Calrec,” he says.

More information is available on the Calrec website. 

LAS VEGAS—The bottom line for Nick Garvin, COO of Mobile TV Group, when it comes to IP-based production trucks is that the real benefits of this transport technology are flexibility and capacity, two qualities in abundance in its new 45Flex end-to-end native IP double-expando OB vehicle on display at the recently concluded 2019 NAB Show in Las Vegas.

“In the past, when you needed a very large show, you might need to roll multiple mobile units,” said Garvin. “Three mobile units just because of the sheer size of the router and the equipment needed. With this, we can pack it all into one mobile unit.”

The truck, parked during the show between the Central and South Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, isn’t simply a mobile production studio with an IP router. It’s what Mobile TV Group has dubbed “end-to-end IP native.”

In other words, in addition to the Evertz 16 RU EXE-VSR router with Magnum control system, all major technology components transport audio, video and ancillary data as IP packets using the SMPTE ST 2110 protocol. Those include a Grass Valley Kayenne control panel and K-Frame X production switcher; Grass Valley cameras—the LDX 85 with IP XCUs and LDX 82 with IP XCUs; EVS XT-VIA and XS-VIA replay/record servers with IP backplane; Evertz evMV-32x10G-Q and 36x4 IP multiviewers; and Leader LV7600 IP waveform/vector rasterizer. “Even the [Calrec Artemis] audio mixer is connected via IP,” adds Garvin.

By leveraging SMPTE ST 2110 IP transport, 45Flex, which was bound for Fox Sports Midwest following the NAB Show, is relatively easy to transition to meet individual show requirements for 1080i, 1080p or 4K UHD HDR. “Part of the reason that this unit is IP is that it can be flexible and transition to these different resolution and whatever the customer needs,” he said.

During a walkthrough of 45Flex at the NAB Show, Garvin repeatedly pointed out instances where IP transport contributed to the vehicle’s overall flexibility. “This is the back of the EVS,” he said, as he pointed to the backside of the replay/recorder. “Traditionally, you would see all of these spigots filled with digital coax, and now you can see all of the spigots are empty and just the fiber coming out there.”

“Why this matters is it gives us the ability to say ‘Yes’ more often,” explained Garvin. “‘Can we add this camera here?’ ‘Can I have this monitor do this?’ ‘Can I move positions?’ The answer is just more yeses.”

Another benefit of having the added capacity shows up in meeting the need for multiple feeds from the regional sporting events 45Flex will cover. “Most people don’t know that a regional sporting event is enormous now. We are talking close to college football-level,” said Garvin.

“That’s not only the cameras we have out in the field, but also camera feeds that are coming out of the truck.”

Garvin listed some of the frequently required feeds: two different shows—the home show and the away show; a league feed, such as to the NBA; a referee system feed; a special feed for viewers watching on a mobile device; clean feeds distributed internationally; and a feed for OTT platforms. “And that’s just an everyday regional sports network event,” he said. “So having IP capacity is becoming more and more important.”

As would be expected, an end-to-end native IP truck is lighter than a coax-based baseband truck, said Garvin. However, this won’t necessarily translate into fuel savings.

“Our traditional mobile units run exactly at 80,000 pounds, which is the DOT [Department of Transportation] limit. We are hoping to have a little more flexibility with 45Flex to add more and different things,” he said.

While multiple vendors have participated in multiple plugfests and other industry-facing interops to promote harmony among their disparate pieces of ST 2110-based technology, influence exerted privately by companies like Mobile TV Group has also played a role in making sure these products can communicate with each other.

“Luckily we are big enough. We work really closely with the manufacturers,” said Garvin. “We bring them all together at our shop and say, ‘We’ve got to work together. We all know it’s going to be 2110. Now make your systems talk.’”

“We are almost the mediator, bringing everyone together and making the systems work flawlessly.”

LAS VEGAS--Mobile TV Group is launching its newest outside broadcast truck equipped with an Evertz IP core.

Critical requirements of Mobile TV Group’s 45FLEX included dual feed, the ability to perform two simultaneous productions, super slow-motion capabilities, 4K/HDR upgradeability and enough scalability to accommodate the largest production events.

Evertz' Software Defined Video Networking (SDVN) solution was selected by Mobile TV Group because its advanced capabilities were the only industry solution available that could meet their aggressive schedule and demanding technical requirements according to Evertz. SDVN's advanced IP infrastructure enabled a more flexible and scalable production environment where truck resources could more efficiently be utilized enhancing their overall production capabilities.

45FLEX features 25G infrastructure and its IP routing core is an Evertz EXE-VSR16 25G high capacity IP switch. The fully non-blocking architecture of the EXE-VSR 25G switch enables the seamless interconnect of all IP systems on the truck, including the IP replay systems, IP production switcher, IP audio console and IP cameras. For interfacing baseband SDI systems into the IP core, 45FLEX utilizes Evertz' 570IPG-X19-25G gateways. The 570IPGs versatile bidirectional architecture, supporting both IP and SDI interfaces enables baseband systems to interface with the IP core. Monitoring requirements on 45FLEX are handled by Evertz' 3067VIP-HW-10G IP multiviewer. 45FLEX's infrastructure features advanced IP timing technology with an Evertz MSC5700 IP Network Grand Master Clock distributing ST 2059 Precision Timing Protocol throughout the truck.

Evertz' SDVN IP Technology features comprehensive support for industry standards and in order to facilitate interoperability between internal and external systems, this OB truck utilizes SMPTE ST 2110 and AES67 for the routing of video, audio and data.

The 45FLEX is also using Evertz' MAGNUM Orchestration platform to enable a single point of unified control and monitoring for all of the resources on 45FLEX. Along with MAGNUM, VUE, Evertz' Intelligent User Interface platform, is utilized to create customized user interfaces enabling highly efficient operational workflows. MAGNUM is utilized on several of Mobile TV Group's fleet of production trucks and was a major contributing factor for the selection of an Evertz SDVN solution for 45FLEX according to Evertz.

LAS VEGAS—The Mobile TV Group booth at the NAB Show will be the spot for attendees to check out what the company is calling the first end-to-end SMPTE 2110 uncompressed IP-based mobile production unit, the 45 Flex.

The 45 Flex interconnects all main production equipment via IP in an uncompressed format. The majority of components are connected using 10 Gb and 25 Gb SFP’s, making the system compliant with SMPTE 2110 and IS-O4; it is also expected to soon be IS-O5 compliant.

On board the 45 Flex, as far as equipment, attendees will find the Evertz 16 RU EXE-VSR Routing Infrastructure and Magnum Control System, with each line card providing 100Gb port capability; the Grass Valley Kayenne Control Panel, K-Frame X production switcher and GV cameras LDX 86 with IP XCUs, LDX 82 with IP XCUs; EVS replay/record servers XT VIA and XS VIA with IP backplane; Evertz’s evMV-32x10G-QSFP+36x4 IP multiviewers; and the Leader LV7600 IP waveform/vector rasterizer. The unit’s interior also includes special wall coatings for enhanced sound absorbing qualities.

MTVG will display the 45 Flex at the outdoor booth OE2000.

To register for the NAB Show, visit www.nabshow.com.

BALTIMORE—With the 2018 Major League Baseball (MLB) season about to get underway, it’s time for the fans to see what video upgrades are being offered for their viewing pleasure. And they’ll find out after a close play at the plate, a devastating curveball or the look in a player’s eyes—from many angles.

That advancement can be summed up in two words: Super slo-mo (SSM).

SSM is being brought to the forefront of broadcasts by MLB’s three main mobile unit providers: Mobile TV Group (MTvG), Game Creek Video and NEP U.S. Mobile Units. That also means more high-speed cameras will capture the action at very high frame rates, while the various networks, regional sportsnets (RSNs) and viewers wait for “safe” or “out” calls from the MLB Network nerve center in Secaucus, N.J., the home of MLB Network, or get deeper, more concise reaction shots that underscore the passion for the national pastime.

Baseball is also important in a mobile industry where trucks are getting more expensive and providers need that steady home schedule of 81 games per year to create revenue; however, HD costs to the RSNs are leveling off, and broadcasters are contemplating hiring less expensive, non-union crews.

4K UNDERWAY

The pie in the MLB market is sliced into but three large slices, with the largest by far belonging to MTvG. The company operates about 35 units for Fox Sports and ROOT Sports at 18 MLB ballparks This includes one 4K truck, the 39 Flex, that “constantly goes coast-to-coast,” said Nick Garvin, COO for Englewood, Colo.-based MTvG, plus several 1080p trucks. It is currently building the 43 Flex, which will be used by ROOT Sports for Colorado Rockies home and selected away broadcasts.

“[No. 43] is a 1080p-capable truck and will have four super slo-mos,” Garvin said. “That’s the big push this year. We have four super slo-mo cameras on four trucks and two super slo-mos on two of the others.” MTvG has other trucks that are “4K ready,” but are not licensed as such, since “the only broadcasters doing 4K baseball are Fox Sports and MLB Network,” Garvin said.

The SSM push is happening because the Texas Rangers and the Tampa Bay Rays (units 38 Flex and 40 HDX, respectively) were the only teams that used four super slo-mo cameras last year, which were in demand by the RSNs due to an increasingly sophisticated viewership.

“Two weren’t enough, because the cameras are aimed at different things; so this year, we have a total of seven trucks with four” SSMs, said Garvin. “Cameras with the record and playback system make the whole chain, which runs at six times normal speed,” which also moved MTvG to buy four new 12-channel EVSs and Grass Valley Dynos for every mobile unit. “We buy about 10 every year, as well as 30-40 Sony 4300 and GVG 86 [cameras], as we’re on a constant build cycle at headquarters. We build four main units a year.”

Garvin also noted that the networks are working with MLB to offer viewers a more comprehensive experience. “This season, we’ll see the regular broadcast with bigger lenses, plus StatCast, PitchCast,” etc. “Even for RSNs, viewers expect the optimum experience, any place, any time.”

‘BIG DEAL’ UPGRADES

Hudson, N.H.-based Game Creek Video is one of two truck providers that contracts with the regional carriers of six MLB teams: the Boston Red Sox, New York’s Yankees and Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals and Houston Astros.

[Facebook, MLB Play Ball on Weekly Broadcast of Games]

Garrett Sullivan, senior vice president of production and finance, said the deals with each RSN are “a little different” and that Game Creek assigns No. 94 in Boston for NESN; Yogi in New York for Yes Network, and Webby for SNY; Chesapeake in Baltimore and Washington for MASN; and Apollo for Fox Sports Houston.

Game Creek works with Fox Sports, as well as MLB Network’s Showcase Game of the Week, “which will air 26 games in 4K HDR,” said Sullivan, adding that Fox will also carry a handful of 4K games.

As for what’s inside the trucks, the “newest, latest and greatest 4K HDR is on the Riverhawk for MLB Showcase,” he said, “and we’ve joined with AT&T/DirectTV to make it HDR capable. The only way that’s delivered to the home is via DirecTV.”

This year’s upgrades to the Riverhawk, according to Sullivan, include 10 Sony HDC 4300s, seven Sony HDR BVME 171E monitors, Tektronix HDR scopes, HDR cross-conversion gear from Evertz, five 12-channel EVS XT 4Ks and the Grass Valley Kayenne K-frame with the “crowning jewel,” the 4K SSM Sony 4800.

All told, the additions will lead to a more refined broadcast. “MLB is mandating that regional trucks have at least two SSM cameras, and some clients require four,” Sullivan said. “It’s all part of telling the story of breaking bats, seams of the ball, curves breaking, a runner’s cleat touching the base and the great plays.”

EASIER TO RECORD

The setup with NEP, of Pittsburgh, is similar to that of Game Creek. NEP contracts with the regional carriers of six teams, including the Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Oakland A’s, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago’s Cubs and White Sox, as well as ESPN for its Sunday, Monday and Wednesday game broadcasts.

NEP U.S. Mobile Units President Glen Levine said the company supplies 19 mobile units for baseball, with a variety of the trucks recently accentuated with various “technological advances.” The units mainly contain Sony and Grass Valley cameras, Calrec audio consoles, EVS servers, Grass Valley Kayenne switchers and various routers.

NEP’s EN2 rolls in for the ESPN Sunday night games and is streamlined with a plug-and-play setup, “to heighten efficiencies, with recallable files, A and B fiber interconnect between units and a consistent crew,” said Levine.

NCP 10 does ESPN’s Monday and Wednesday games, and contains similar technology, aside from Utah Scientific routers; the SS18 supports Turner, which broadcasts 10 Sunday national games.

Levine, as well, noted “the biggest production adds” for this season are in the SSM vein; the ROOT (which covers the Mariners) and ESPN trucks each contain four SSM cameras, and Comcast added two for all regions. “It’s also easier to record content than ever,” said Levine. “The viewer wants to see the different angles. Since technology is always improving, the more replays you can have in SSM, the better.”

SSM FOR ALL

From the network perspective, Michael Connelly, senior vice president and executive producer for Fox Sports, discussed the heightened use of SSM, as well as other advances to broadcasts.

“Game Creek handles the east coast and Lyon Video handles some in Ohio, but MTvG does most of our work,” he said. “So, for instance, we purchased full units from Vizrt for the MTvG trucks, which MTvG services; [they provide] up to three channels of graphics for all events; a couple of years ago, when we moved to the Grass Valley LDX cameras, we bought the first 14 that were manufactured and also installed them in the MTvG trucks; now they’re standard with every new MTvG unit.”

Connelly also appreciates that, unlike other sports, baseball is played most days. “It’s a stable broadcasting option, due to all the home games, so we have an opportunity to build what equates to a proper studio,” he said. “With the new technology from the SSM manufacturers, we’re now able to employ it for everyday games instead of just special ‘jewel’ events, like the MLB All-Star Game and the World Series. It’s easier to use and you can see up to six SSM cameras on a regular telecast.”

But that’s not all. Another big addition to Fox Sports broadcasts is increased bandwidth.

“We’ve upgraded every MLB stadium with two 1 gig IP lines,” Connelly said. “That provides a few boosts to our broadcasts: a redundancy path as a backup, in case one path fails, one to master control in The Woodlands, Texas, the other to the appropriate regional studio; second, it allows integration from the studio into the game broadcast, in real time, throughout the broadcast; and third, real-time network return to the remote site for the production team and talent. That’s a big add, because it allows our production team and talent to view the broadcast in real time and eliminates the prior 8-second delay.”

Fox is also integrating StatCast in the broadcast this year, “which will be a first,” he said. “You’ll see shifts in the outfield, the spin rate on a curve ball, tracers on HRs and their distance, all driven by game data,” which is believed to be a first for Fox RSNs.

“We’ll also be testing file sharing between the studio and the stadium, and it won’t have to be facilitated by the people in the truck,” Connelly said. “That makes it faster.”

[Fox Sports Readies the Field for World Series]

And, in the end, technology making things faster facilitates blossoming creativity.

“[Broadcasting a game] is all about storytelling,” Garvin said, “and that includes using technology to bring the close plays even closer for our audiences.”

TIME TO DOWNSIZE

Fred Gerling is another invested observer who appreciates the demand for mobile units baseball creates. But he’s wondering if today’s business model could evolve.

“Baseball uses small trucks in spring training, such as the 45-foot, double-expando with a C/Ku-band link on the back,” said Gerling, president of Gerling & Associates, a mobile unit manufacturer in Sunbury, Ohio. “So I would think that more baseball broadcasters would opt for Remote Integration (REMI) production suites. I’ve heard the conversation about doing baseball from that standpoint, since the picture is transmitted back to a big facility, but I don’t see it happening.”

Gerling is also hearing questions about whether big union crews in the field are needed. “If you have streaming video that goes back to a big network facility in New York, a big union city, it gets expensive to use union crew,” he said.

That begs the question about why broadcasters aren’t going non-union. “A truck is crewed by the owner, who flies people and pays for accommodations,” Gerling said. “If the owner hires non-union crew, they’re more affordable, even if you fly them in.”

But as of today, he thinks broadcasters will continue to use the large trucks.

“Many people think baseball isn’t as popular as it was, but domestically and worldwide, plenty of people are watching,” he said. “People have no idea where those satellite links end up.”

LIÈGE, BELGIUM—Mobile TV Group has added some new tools to its pair of mobile production trucks, giving the 39 Flex extended 4K production truck and the new 41HDX HD production truck some live production technology from EVS. Among the installed products are servers, effects telestration and connected media tools.

The 39 Flex truck now features three XT4K live production servers as part of its setup. The servers enable the truck to ingest 4K feeds and a 10 bit codec that supports HDR productions as well as the two sample interleave format for Quad-SDI. There is also an option for expanded support for 12G-SDI and native IP connectivity. In addition, MTVG can now switch from 12 UHD-4K channels to more than 30 Full-HD 1080p channels when needed.

EVS’ live production servers will also be part of the MTVG’s new 41HDX truck. The new unit will feature three XT3 servers in its ChannelIMAX configuration to provide more than 12 channels of configurable I/O in each server with Dual-LSM functionality to allow two operators to use a single server. The truck will also carry EVS’ Epsio FX, XFile3 and Connected Agent systems. Epsio FX adds visual effects to replays, including data visualizations. The XFile3 allows operators to backup and restore live content when operating in the field and the Connected Agent helps to deliver media to multiple locations. The EVS servers allow the 41HDX to be immediately connected with clients utilizing other EVS gear.

EVS will display both the 39 Flex and 41HDX trucks at the 2017 NAB Show in Las Vegas.

SOUTH BEND, IND.—College campuses are places for higher learning, and NBC is getting in on that mentality as well this year as the broadcaster is initiating a 4K simulcast to its traditional HD broadcast of Notre Dame home football games using the 39 Flex truck from the Englewood, Colo.-based Mobile TV Group (MTVG). The truck is specifically built to handle 4K production, and with it, NBC has been able to test out the process for possible uses in the future.

39 Flex

NBC announced back in September that it would be offering simultaneous 4K broadcasts of Notre Dame home football games to DirecTV customers. So far the network has handled three broadcasts, with the fourth taking place this weekend as the Fighting Irish take on Stanford. According to NBC’s broadcast director for the games, Pierre Moossa, it’s been an exciting process so far, but there is still a learning curve.

“This is a little bit of a unique production for NBC, in that we still have our normal mobile unit, an HD mobile unit, that we normally do our production with,” said Moossa. “The Mobile TV Group 39 Flex is a side-by-side production.”

Specifically, there are about seven to eight people working in the 39 Flex during Notre Dame broadcasts, a smaller number than what is in NBC’s NEP HD truck. Moossa, who operates from the NEP truck, is in communication with the operators in the 39 Flex so that they can mimic HD production’s moves, creating an identical broadcast for those who are able to watch on 4K.

However, despite the HD broadcast being the driving force behind the production, 4K is quickly putting its fingerprints on how these games are captured. Eleven of the 16 cameras being used during the production are native 4K, with mostly only specialized cameras used for aerial footage remaining just HD. The 4K cameras’ feeds are sent straight to the 39 Flex and then shaded and downconverted to be sent to the HD truck. To do so, NBC has also had to change its format to work with the 4K cameras, switching from 1080i to 1080p for footage, graphics and playback clips.

“The transition alone has required a lot more time and it’s also been a bit of a learning curve there,” explained Moossa. “Generally speaking, it’s a much bigger set-up and it’s a much bigger connectivity between the trucks… but it’s definitely one that’s had a huge impact and a huge benefit.”

Including the game this weekend against Stanford, there are four more Notre Dame home games where NBC will utilize the 39 Flex truck from MTVG. Where things go after that, however, is still up in the air.

“In the short term, there are plans to do more,” said Moossa. “Nothing’s been confirmed yet… but really the Notre Dame focus has been baby steps… let’s make sure we get this operation moving and make sure it’s a huge success and it has been. So now the next steps are to take a look at other properties and projects that we could do that.”

The time when NBC will be able to handle entire productions with just a 4K truck will depend on when 4K is more prevalent and accessible, but Moossa feels that the experience thus far with the 39 Flex has been valuable in preparing them for that step whenever it comes.

NILES, ILL.—Mobile TV Group is making room on its 39 Flex 4K outside broadcast truck for Joseph Electronics’ full-size fiber booth kit. The custom-built booth kit is the first for Mobile TV Group, according to the company’s press release.

The fiber booth kit contains eight bidirectional HD-SDI video feeds, eight IFBs, four partylines, and two 1 Gigabit Ethernet connections. The booth kit was first used at the 2016 Masters Golf Tournament. It is used about half of the time on 39 Flex truck projects. Mobile TV Group has retrofitted some of its other trucks to use the kit when it is not needed in 39 Flex.

In addition to golf tournaments, the 39 Flex has been used to cover concerts and Canadian Football League games.

PARK RIDGE, N.J.—Mobile TV Group’s latest 4K and HDR mobile production unit is revved up and ready to go and features Sony camera and monitor systems, Sony announced in a press release. The 39 Flex production truck comes with 12 Sony HDC-4300 live camera systems and uses Sony’s BVM-X300 4K/HDR master monitor.

Part of MTVG’s fleet of 30 mobile production trucks, the 39 Flex is a 53-foot double-expando that can operate 4K/HDR, high frame rate and HD.

MTVG has announced that it will use the 39 Flex for live sports production.

DALLAS—If fans of the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars have noticed anything different about the regional broadcasts of their teams this season there’s a good reason for that. Back in August, Fox Sports unveiled a new 4K production truck to cover the Dallas region, and the broadcaster made sure they covered it from all angles with the addition of six slow-motion cameras.

Fox Sports’ 38Flex, built by Mobile TV Group, is a two-trailer, dual-feed production truck that features six Grass Valley LDX 86 cameras and an EVS 12 channel XT3 server. The 38Flex, built by Mobile TV Group, is a two-trailer, dual-feed production truck, featuring six Grass Valley LDX 86 cameras and an EVS 12 channel XT3 server. With six slo-mo cameras—a first for regional sport broadcasts—the production team is able to cover nearly every angle of the action, as well as provide the visitor broadcast team access to the cameras.

NEW BENCHMARK
This new equipment is leveling the playing field for regional broadcasts when compared to some major national sports broadcasts.

“If you were to ask around and find out how many super slo-mos there were at the NBA Finals or World Series, you’re going to find that six is a pretty good number,” said Philip Garvin, MTVG president and founder. “It’s representative of what’s being done for major sports events.”

Ratings for regional sports broadcasts are on the rise, according to Fox Sports Regional Networks Senior Vice President and Executive Producer Mike Connelly. “We catch more viewers in one week than a lot of national games do in one game,” Connelly said. “We just want a better experience for the home viewer.”

The new truck is also having some impact on the field. The 38Flex was first used for Texas Rangers’ baseball games, and the slo-mo cameras contributed to the overturning of a handful of calls during replay review.

Fox Sports intends to use the 38Flex as a base for all future production trucks, expanding its services as technology and needs arise. One such need Garvin is already anticipating; while the LDX 86 cameras are 4K-capable, Garvin knows that the entire production truck must be able to support both 4K and high dynamic range in the future. “We don’t know whether that is going to be demanded by distributors in a year, three years or five years, but since the life of a truck exceeds all those, I have to make sure that that technology is on board any truck going forward,” he said.

With the 38Flex, Fox Sports and MTVG believe they are off to a good start.