SINGAPORE—Magna Systems has designed, built and completed what is believed to be the first full UHD and IP-based OB truck in Southeast Asia for a Singapore media company.

Magna declined to name the client, which it described as Singapore’s “media network and largest content creator.”

As its existing OB truck neared the end of its life, the media organization wanted a new, technologically advanced truck that was at the cutting edge of outside broadcast and production by leapfrogging into IP workflows, Magna Systems said.

UHD support was a key requirement for the new truck so it could be at the forefront of high-quality production, the company said. The new OB unit would also be required to serve as a test bed for IP workflows to further deepen the organization’s knowledge of SMPTE ST 2110 design and implementation.

Additional requirements included full internal UHD processing; UHD and HD copper and fiber interconnections to reduce cabling and speed up OB deployment; support for remote workflows from afar; and the ability to interface with other OB companies.

The truck also needed to be compatible with campus systems, offer support for seamless integration into an on-site theater, be easy to use and be future-proofed to be expanded for larger events.

To meet these requirements, Magna specified and integrated 20 full UHD cameras (16 wired and four wireless), full internal UHD processing, hybrid HD compatibility for events, full UHD replay and UHD super slow motion.

“It was an honor to deliver this landmark project,” Magna Systems group CEO Matthew Clemesha said. “Our team collaborated closely with the coachbuilder and client to architect the truck from the ground up, including all electrical systems and interior finishes. We handled the technical design, importation, registration and installation and completed full configuration with support from manufacturers and Magna group personnel.”

Magna also helped with training, performed site tests, supported OB events and project-managed and coordinated all aspects of the build with all suppliers and vendors.

The new OB truck is typically used as an external production hub from the National Stadium and other arenas. It was also the main truck used for Singapore’s National Day production earlier this year.

It will also be used for international sporting events, such as the Toyota World Para Swimming Championships, and as a control room for the company’s theater.

More information is available on the company’s website.

At the 2025 IBC Show at the RAI Amsterdam, Sept. 12-15, Lawo and Italian-based broadcast systems integrator ARET Video & Audio Engineering will showcase a new demo OB truck that combines cutting-edge ARET coachworx exclusive Box over Box technology and will be “a showroom of advanced video and audio technology,” the companies said.

The new OB trailer, currently under construction at ARET’s Milan facility, will be presented to the public for the first time at IBC 2025. The truck will showcase samples of next-generation Lawo IP technology designed to redefine mobile production standards, the companies said. At booth 8.B90, Lawo will present its full portfolio of IP-native broadcast solutions, including the HOME platform for broadcast infrastructure management, the mc² audio production console series, the A__line and Power Core audio interfaces, and the flexible VSM control and orchestration system—technology that powers both broadcast studios and OB units around the globe.

Brand new, and ready to start system integration, it will make its debut on site in Amsterdam, giving visitors a firsthand look at what will soon be “one of the most modern OB trucks roaming the world,” according to the companies.

With support for up to 34 UHD cameras, hybrid 12G-SDI/IP workflows, and full UHD HDR production capability, this 14-meter (46-foot) mobile unit is built to perform under the most demanding production and environmental conditions. It also offers a rare “box-over-box” expansion on the left side and one wide traditional “box-in-box” expansion on the right, creating three acoustically optimized and fully separated workspaces for video shading, production, and audio.

Lawo’s IP-native audio and control systems form the technical backbone of this high-end production vehicle. The audio control room is centered around a 64-fader mc²56 audio production console, a top-tier mixing surface designed for agile operation in complex environments. With full native support for SMPTE ST 2110, AES67/RAVENNA, MADI, and Dante, the mc²56 delivers maximum format flexibility. The console is driven by redundant A__UHD Core engines, each offering 1,024 fully processed DSP channels, ultra-low latency, and full support for immersive audio workflows such as Dolby Atmos—making the system future-ready for evolving production demands.

Complementing the mc² system is a Lawo Power Core, which acts as a high-density gateway between IP and baseband audio, while also providing additional DSP resources and I/O expandability. The modular nature of Power Core ensures easy adaptation to any future changes in workflow or signal format.

For control and orchestration, the OB trailer will be equipped with Lawo’s Virtual Studio Manager (VSM)—the industry’s most powerful control system for IP-based broadcast infrastructure. VSM enables unified routing and control of all signal types and devices across video, audio, intercom, and multiviewers. With customizable touch GUIs, logic-based automation, and snapshot-based reconfiguration, VSM gives operators complete control and maximum flexibility, reducing downtime and ensuring operational continuity in fast-paced production environments.

“Lawo technology provides a perfectly integrated and highly flexible IP backbone for this complex project,” says Alessandro Asti, Vice President Sales at ARET. “From the mc²56 console to the A__UHD Core and Power Core, the Lawo infrastructure allows us to build a scalable, future-ready audio environment with full format compatibility, superb sound quality, and rock-solid reliability. Combined with VSM control, and thanks to the great support of Lawo HOME in IP environments we are able to offer a highly adaptable system that’s easy to operate and quick to reconfigure for different production needs.”

To ensure uninterrupted performance even in extreme temperatures and weather conditions, the trailer is equipped with a high-capacity, multi-zone HVAC system and advanced airflow design. Every element of the unit—from coachbuilding to systems integration—has been engineered and tested by ARET in-house, ensuring consistent quality and end-to-end accountability.

The truck will be located at outdoor position 0.A07 at the RAI Amsterdam during the show.

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.

TORONTO—In 2019, I founded The Live Stream King, a Toronto-based livestreaming and audiovisual solutions provider. With more than 600 live streams under our belt, The Live Stream King has produced and streamed a range of events for clients such as Walmart, TD Bank and more. In 2025, we introduced a modular OB truck to expand the company’s offerings even further.

Over the past several years, I’ve seen the company grow exponentially, allowing us to service customers in diverse industries ranging from weddings to concerts and sports to religious gatherings. Our success in North America has been one of the many reasons why we launched an OB truck to achieve seamless setups and flexibility to meet our clients’ needs. Because many of the projects we work on require in-venue configurations, we opted for a modular approach that can be easily adjusted and allows us to use only what’s necessary for each project, no matter how small or big.

Designed To Stream
Our OB truck is equipped with Blackmagic Design products that allow us to deliver each project with precision. For large events, we usually use an ATEM 2 M/E Constellation 4K live production switcher paired with an ATEM 1 M/E Advanced Panel 10. For events that need a more mobile and compact setup, we use an ATEM Television Studio HD8 ISO live production switcher and for smaller productions, we rely on an ATEM SDI Extreme ISO live production switcher.

We also use an URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 as well as a Pocket Cinema Camera 6K and DaVinci Resolve Studio for editing. Recently, we started using the DaVinci Resolve Replay Editor for multicamera editing and replays for sports.

At the heart of our workflow, a Blackmagic Videohub 40x40 6G router is paired with the ATEM 2 M/E Constellation 4K, which is primarily used for large gigs where we need a lot of inputs/outputs. We also use a Videohub 20x20 with the ATEM SDI Extreme ISO to feed projectors, confidence monitors, screens and internal routing to our system, eliminating the need for multiple SDI splitters and resetting cables.

Signal flows are managed through our main Videohub 40x40 6G. By having a networked interface and app control in our iPads, every team member can make changes to their tasks and preferences as needed. The small preview screen on the Videohub 40x40 6G ensures that the appropriate signal is coming in when assigning it. For the truck setup, each person can use their iPad or the Videohub Smart Control Pro, allowing them to make changes to their own screens or inputs/outputs without having to be physically next to the switcher.

Videohub Setup
The Blackmagic Videohubs allow inputs to be assigned to any output very quickly, eliminating the need to manually unplug and plug cables. Sometimes we may want to send different feeds to different devices for display, recording, monitoring or GFX purposes, so having the Blackmagic Videohubs as our central component rather than tons of cables smooths out our workflow.

Looking back at some of the projects we worked on recently, like the Badminton and Racquetball Association winter competition, snocross racing events and plenty of conferences, I am amazed at how we were able to rely on the Blackmagic Videohubs to manage all of our SDI workflows so efficiently. Having input all cameras and media sources to the Blackmagic Videohub, then outputting them back into the ATEMs, monitors and the rest of the gear, was extremely easy and allowed us to deliver each project with superior quality.

For additional information, contact Blackmagic Design at 408-954-0500 or visit
www.blackmagicdesign.com.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The mobile production company provider TNDV has announced that it will showcase its state-of-the-art 4K production truck, Aspiration, at the upcoming National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) 2025 International Christian Media Convention. During the event, which is being held at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas from February 24-27, Aspiration will be the only production truck featured on-site at the event, the company reported.

Aspiration first rolled into service in 2011 and has become one of the most favored 40-foot production trucks in the country. With its recent 12G 4K video and audio updates, TNDV reported that Aspiration delivers high quality broadcast and production solutions for producers of Christian entertainment and worship events who must work within tight budgets.

“Our presence at the NRB convention allows us to demonstrate the unique capabilities of Aspiration in both 4K broadcast mode and as a multi-cam production hub capable of integrating with digital cinema cameras,” said Rob Devlin, president TNDV. “This flexibility empowers content creators to achieve high-quality productions while keeping costs down.”

The NRB Convention is the largest gathering dedicated to Christian media professionals. TNDV reported that it’s ability to translate the in-house AV experience to broadcast and streaming audiences has made it an important production partner for religious broadcasters and for such events as the Chick-fil-A Leadercast, Global Leadership Summit, and World Outreach Church Easter celebrations.

The company also noted that it recently celebrated 15 years of bringing exceptional production values to Passion Conferences, held this year at State Farm Arena in Atlanta over two weekends in January.

The company said it offers a comprehensive fleet of TV production trucks for varying industry needs, with units that support UHD and 4K and that provide crystal-clear multi-track audio. Building on this momentum, Live Media Group launched GameTime Productions in 2024, which offers clients a dedicated team of professionals for fully produced live events.

“As demand for high-quality religious content grows, our mission is to provide creators with the tools they need to compete with the highest industry standards. Our presence at the NRB Convention is another step in that direction,” added Devlin.

Achieving sustainability targets is becoming a major consideration for Outside Broadcast facilities providers in Europe and will likely weigh heavily in the thinking of OB companies around the world as government regulators adopt measures to reduce carbon emissions.

For OB companies, compliance is a heavy lift. On one hand, they must satisfy all of the production requirements of their clients—something that’s heavily dependent upon what technology is on board. On the other hand, OB facilities providers face penalties or even worse for not complying with sustainability targets when it comes to vehicle weight.

Until recently, there hasn’t been a suitable alternative to business-as-usual remote production. Large, expando tractor trailers, essentially TV production studios on wheels, have required lots of technology, signal routing and remote power. 

However, that’s all changed thanks to the Ross Video Ultrix hyperconverged production platform. Ultrix combines production switching, audio mixing, multi-viewers, video and audio routing, color correction, signal processing, audio embedding and de-embedding and frame synchronization in a single platform, thus the term “hyperconverged.”

This means weight is dramatically lower; less rack space is needed; fewer cables are necessary, and required on-site power is far less. 

By way of comparison, consider an Ultrix FR12 Hyperconverged production platform and a traditional OB trailer decked out with the same production capabilities. The Ultrix FR12 delivers and same production punch in 14 rack units vs.as what would take a row or even multiple rows of full racks in a traditional system.

Power savings are huge, too. An OB vehicle would require significant amounts of power to do what the Ultrix FR12 can do with only 2,400W. There are big savings in terms of cables as well: thousands of interconnect cables for a traditional unit vs. a few hundred cables for the Ultrix FR12.

All of this adds up to a huge weight difference. In a traditional OB trailer, thousands of pounds of technology, racks and cables would be required to deliver the same production capabilities as an Ultrix FR12 setup weighing just 128 pounds. 

Smaller, lighter production trucks made possible by Ultrix burn less fuel than their heavier counterparts and therefore have a smaller carbon footprint. They are also becoming increasingly important in Europe as countries place weight restrictions on commercial vehicles traversing city centers—precisely where many broadcast sporting and entertainment events occur.  

While weight savings, reduced fuel usage and lower on-site power requirement are significant in the context of sustainability for OB facilities providers, they are equally as important when it comes to production flypacks.

The weight savings of Ultrix alone are significant because lighter flypacks cost less to ship. Beyond these savings, Ultrix-centric flypacks mean setup, maintenance and teardown are far easier and less time-consuming simply because there are fewer discrete tech components in the system. And regardless of whether it’s an OB truck or a flypack, ease of deployment and use translates directly into easier management and ultimately higher profitability.

Keeping It Simple
The desire to boost profits where possible has driven a movement among OB facilities companies towards simplification. The simpler things are, the less effort ultimately required to bill for OB facilities and flypacks.

The effect of the Ultrix Hyperconverged production platform on simplification is far-reaching. Before a new production truck or trailer is even built, the availability of a hyperconverged production platform simplifies design, reducing equipment room space and cooling load as well as drastically cutting the number of cable runs otherwise required.

From an operational perspective, Ultrix simplifies operations and engineering as well as personnel training. Not only do fewer discrete pieces of technology make Ultrix simpler to use and maintain than a traditional production setup, but having one system do so much in software means system training is simpler.

With many OB facilities providers reporting problems with higher-than-normal turnover, easier training makes managing frequent personnel departures simpler to handle by reducing the time and effort necessary to bring new hires up to speed.

Having common control over so many functions, Ultrix also simplifies configuration, monitoring and troubleshooting and potentially reduces the number of personnel needed to staff any given production.

The Ross Video Ultrix Hyperconverged production platform is enabling today’s OB facilities providers and others to succeed in a changing landscape of environmental impact concerns, staffing and personnel demands and operational realities.

Consolidating what previously were multiple discrete production technologies into the compact, lightweight and power-efficient platform that is Ultrix makes achieving sustainability requirements possible—something that’s a must-have in Europe and soon will likely be required around the world.

But simply baking so many diverse production capabilities into a single system isn’t enough. In the high-stakes game of television production of sporting and entertainment events, delivering superior video and audio quality is table stakes. Here too, Ultrix excels.

For all of these reasons, many OB facilities providers in Europe and elsewhere where sustainability is a top priority are specifying Ultrix for their new OB vehicles and in the process are positioning themselves for future success.

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.”

PITTSBURGH—NEP Group has announced that it has named Martin Stewart as its new CEO. Steward, who had been the company’s chief financial officer, succeeds Brian Sullivan.

Sullivan steps down from being CEO after leading NEP’s recovery from the severe impact of COVID through to record profitability and strategically repositioning the business for growth in new areas such as centralized production, the company said. 

With a career spanning over 30 years in leadership roles in the media telecommunications and sports sectors, NEP reported that Stewart has led businesses through both acquisitions and organic growth and that his insights and experience helped NEP identify new growth and efficiency opportunities during his time as CFO.

Stewart has led several companies that have undertaken successful change programs including at Ono in Spain, OSN in Dubai and Sky NZ in New Zealand. Prior to these roles he was CFO at Sky UK as the company transformed from an analogue business to a digital one and helped double the size of the business during his tenure. He has held many other executive and non-executive roles gaining experience in both public and private companies.

In a statement announcing the leadership change, the NEP Board of Directors said, "We thank Brian for his significant contributions to NEP Group including delivering record profitability for the company in 2022 and winning marquee centralized production contracts that will be a foundation of future growth. We appreciate his dedication and service and wish him all the best in his future endeavors. We are delighted Martin will be stepping up to lead the company as it enters its next phase of growth. Martin is an established leader with an impressive track record driving business transformation, which will be hugely influential as we continue to grow the business and double down on operational excellence.”

The company is also announced that effective immediately, Doug Kovach will be promoted to the role of CFO, NEP Group. 

Kovach has been with NEP for over 12 years and is currently NEP’s senior vice president, finance and treasurer. In addition to his finance expertise, he brings a deep knowledge of NEP’s mergers and acquisitions, tax planning strategies, global treasury activities and accounting and operational processes.

For more information about NEP, visit www.nepgroup.com. 

CHANGSHA, China—KILOVIEW has completed work on its first Outside Broadcast (OB) truck to be completely based on NDI workflows.

The all-electric truck, dubbed NDI OBV, was built in collaboration with YouKu, an Alibaba group company and one of China's top online video and streaming service platforms. It is the culmination of four years of cooperation between the companies, KILOVIEW said.

The company leveraged its NDI video encoding/decoding, transmission, routing, monitoring, recording and content management experience in designing and building the vehicle. The new vehicle has the ability to produce 20 channels of 4K video or 70 channels of HD video over a single Ethernet cable. IP connectivity inside the truck has contributed to significant weight savings and a spacious production space, it said.

Calling the vehicle “proof of the low-cost” associated with NDI transmission, KILOVIEW said the IP protocol brings live productions within the grasp of an entirely new strata of content creators.

"Back in 2016, we built a prototype of an IP-based studio and made IP-based video transmission and production an option across the industry,” said KILOVIEW CEO and co-founder Jacob Zuo. “I'm extremely excited and proud to say that our completely IP-based solution is now fully mobile and that we are covering all the elements and processes of video transmission within the confines of this new NDI OBV truck.”

The vehicle includes:

• CUBE X1: A turnkey solution for NDI multiplexed distribution.
• CUBE R1: A turnkey solution for reliable NDI recording.
• LinkDeck: To link and control the whole KILOVIEW ecosystem.
• KILOLINK Server: Centralized KILOVIEW product management platform.

 The production truck features: 

• A full IP-based production solution, supporting 20 channels of 4K video or 70 channels of HD video over a single Ethernet cable.
• Lower cost enabled by NDI’s significant cable reduction that helps to minimize the cost of every aspect of equipment deployed.
• Flexible connection and interaction based on IP, which makes the solution easy to deploy and operate.
• The ability to connect with multiple OB vehicles via a single cable to maximize production capability.
• Support for remote operation via IP.
• Dual independent Ethernet links to ensure a stable production environment.
• Greater availability of space than typical OB vehicles due to cable reduction and minimizing devices.
• Sustainability stemming from the extended-range electric vehicle using a long battery life for operation.

“Until now, single teams weren’t able to finish an OB truck project, covering the whole workflow with NDI tech alone; that’s the whole video production process from the encoding, production, recording and post-production, even with effects like slo-mo,” said Zeng Wei, senior A/V technician at YouKu. “But now we've integrated all the NDI and IP-based tech into one vehicle, and we believe this is the first one of its kind in the world.”

More information is available on the KILOVIEW website.

Telewizja Polsat, one of Poland's largest broadcast media companies, has chosen Leader reference signal generators and hybrid IP/SDI test and measurement instruments for a recently completed IP-based 4K HDR outside broadcast camera truck. 

The instruments were supplied by Leader channel partner 4Vision.

"This new vehicle is a powerful and flexible production capability for capturing entertainment and sports events right up to HD-HDR and UHD-HDR," said Pawel Fila, 4Vision's Project Manager. "Leader's LV5600 and LV7600 test instruments support Sony's SR Live for HDR workflow and operational practices. They can analyze and display the SR Live metadata, allowing productions to ensure all HDR sources and SDR conversion products are correctly configured. The LV5600 and LV7600 can also display multiple HDR transfer characteristics with the waveform, vectorscope and picture."

The 14 meter long vehicle conforms to the latest SMPTE ST 2059, SMPTE 2110, SMPTE 2022 and AMWA NMOS suite of standards, enabling interoperability with current and future systems that Telewizja Polsat will create around this truck. 

It incorporates Leader’s latest technologies including an LT4610 IP/SDI video sync generator, LV5600 IP/SDI waveform monitors, an LV7600 rasterizer and an LT4448 emergency changeover unit. LV5600 waveform monitor displays have been integrated into the vision engineering positions plus the LV7600 rasterizer for the engineer in charge.

Leader's LT4610 IP and SDI video sync generator will be used to generate traditional black-burst/tri-level sync and PTP reference. These signals remain locked together even if external GPS reference is lost. The LT4448 emergency changeover unit adds resilience for traditional SDI and audio references and the PTP best master clock algorithm.

"An OB vehicle built on the basis of IP technology is for us, as one of the largest video content producers in Poland, an entry into a completely new area of production technology," explained Jacek Sierpiński, responsible for the 4K HDR IP OB van project from Telewizja Polsat. "In this exciting challenge, we are glad to have a helping hand from the Leader company which has proved to be strongly committed to the development of IP technology along with its standards."

"Being able to monitor IP and SDI within a single test and measurement environment is a big advantage," added Kevin Salvidge, Leader Europe's Sales Engineering Manager. "Broadcast production teams have long experience with SDI-based test equipment. The LV5600 waveform monitor and LV7600 rasterizer can display IP and SDI video sources simultaneously. They provide the same monitoring and measurement resources irrespective of whether the video signal is IP or SDI. They also give engineering staff the tools they need to monitor and analyze IP network activity."

The 4K HDR IP OB truck's crew additionally have access to Leader’s CINEZONE which uses the color spectrum to represent luminance values. Luminance levels can be confirmed quickly without need for waveform representations. Levels over the adjustable maximum are displayed in white, highlights in red, mid-grays in green, shadows in blue and levels under the adjustable minimum in black. CINEZONE also reveals variations in luminance levels across dark areas.

CYPRESS, Calif.—FOR-A Corporation has announced that the live video production company Custom Media Solutions (CMS) has launched a new 40-foot broadcast production truck with a FOR-A HVS-2000 video switcher. The truck has been in use since mid-January, including on location for live coverage of Camping World’s Ultimate RV Expo.

Marc Shroyer, president of CMS, said the company took delivery of the truck in early November. “We got it to replace our 24-foot production trailer,” he explained. “It was great, but you could only put eight people in it, and there was not a great space for audio. When everything started going virtual, we really needed to create some space for broadcast audio.”

Originally, the truck had been designed to use CRT monitors, so CMS modernized the interior with an eye on flexibility. The infrastructure was designed to support 12G with all I/O via fiber, so the truck can be upgraded by swapping only a few components. Plus, audio is handled through Dante digital audio networking.

Shroyer reported that CMS recently added five new 4K broadcast cameras that produce footage in a variety of frame rates, including 24p, which is a feature that clients had been requesting. The FOR-A switcher supports 24p, as well as a number of HD and SD formats.

CMS currently owns 10 FOR-A switchers, including four HVS-2000s. “The HVS-2000 can do everything we need, and its price point is significantly less than the switchers many companies would expect to find in a truck of this size," Shroyer said. “If you want to talk about bang for the buck, we were doing things on this switcher that you normally need a much more expensive switcher to do. I can do anything the client wants to do. It’s our secret sauce.”

For example, CMS will use the truck in April to produce live coverage of a large corporate conference in Atlanta. Shroyer said the HVS-2000 will be used to switch both the live broadcast and the I-MAG (image magnification) for the live event. Instead of running feeds between trucks to accommodate the simultaneous productions, a second control panel will simply be added to the switcher, and the directors will sit next to each other during production.

“It’s easy to add a panel. You just plug in a network cable and you’re ready to go,” Shroyer added. “We have plenty of I/O, plus plenty of multi-view and keyers and DVEs – and that creates a lot of flexibility.”

Compatible with four different control panels, the HVS-2000 2 M/E video switcher offers 24 inputs and 18 outputs as standard, and can be expanded up to 48/18 or 40/22 with optional I/O cards. The switcher also includes MELite technology that previews output from an AUX bus when applying transitions or keying for expanded M/E performance, as well as FLEXaKEY architecture for flexible reassignment of keyers separate from the standard keyers of full M/E buses, FOR-A said.

Custom Media Solutions will hold an open house on February 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at its headquarters in Alpharetta. The open house will provide an opportunity to get hands-on with equipment and see demonstrations of the latest offerings at CMS. Registration is available here.

YANG QUAN CITY, China—Yangquan TV, a government-run broadcaster, has rolled out a new outside broadcast (OB) truck optimized for 4K to meet the growing appetite among viewers for higher resolution sports coverage.

The truck, outfitted with a complement of Cobalt Digital 12G and HD openGear modules, will help enhance how viewers engage with sports programming, said Mr. Hu li, general engineer at Yangquan TV.

“The migration from 1080i HD transmission and acquisition to 4K and 3G HD is starting to gain traction all over China,” he said. “Cobalt’s solutions brought us the latest advances in these technologies for enhanced resolution, which leads to an elevated entertainment experience for our viewers and ultimately attracts better advertising prospects.”

The new OB truck uses Cobalt’s 9971-MV18 expandable UHD multiviewers for flexible 4K monitoring. It also relies on the company’s 9904-UDX-4K up and down converter. The device is a next-generation advanced scaler/frame synchronizer for the openGear platform, offering simultaneous HDR and SDR production from a single path. This approach offers operators a dynamic means to map HDR color space onto an SDR color space.

The truck also used Cobalt’s 9915DA quad-channel multirate reclocking distribution amplifier (DA) for crosspoint routing up to 16 DA outputs.

“We conducted a thorough evaluation of competing solutions for these significant projects and found Cobalt’s products provided the perfect solutions for us, both in the 4K truck and in the news studio,” said Mr. Hu li. “The 12G system in the truck addresses all the requirements of 4K production and is even compatible with legacy HD formats through the company’s up/down/cross conversion solutions.”

Yangquan TV tapped Cobalt solutions to migrate to 3G in its new news studio, which went on air at the end of last year.

The broadcaster installed Cobalt’s 9902-2UDX 3G/HD/SD-SDI dual-channel up-down-cross converter/frame sync/audio embed/de-embed in the studio as well as the 9903 universal format converter, and the 9910DA-AV analog video distribution amplifier. 

More information is on the Cobalt Digital website.  

MUNICH—NEP Belgium has taken delivery of core technology from Imagine Communications, including the company’s Platinum IP3 router, for a major refresh of its Unit 14 outside broadcast truck.

“Our Unit 14 still had many kilometers in it, but with a technology platform that was life-expired,” said Geert Thoelen, transitions manager at NEP Belgium.

“We wanted a solution that would fit into the existing space, would give us all the functionality we need today and be ready for the future, including increasing use of IP connectivity. And we could really only take the truck off the road for little more than a month earlier this year, so our partner had to be capable of moving swiftly to install and commission.”

Imagine and VP Media Solutions, its Belgian dealer and partner, were able to meet the tight deadline for the refurbishment, said Imagine.

The new Platinum IP3 router, which was delivered with a single 15RU chassis, offers high-density switching of HD-SDI signals and the capability to seamlessly integrate uncompressed video over IP, making it ready for a migration to IP connectivity, such as a move to Ultra HD signals, the company said.

The router installed in Unit 14 is also fitted with Platinum SX Pro multiviewer cards, which reduces the amount of rack space needed as well as power consumption. Overall system control is provided by Imagine’s Magellan SDN Orchestrator. It delivers unified operational interfaces in a hybrid environment, making the transition between SDI and software defined IP infrastructures easier.

“The small frame size fitted well into the truck, but what really made it the right choice for us was the integrated multiviewer,” Thoelen said. “The multiviewer is also much more flexible than our old monitoring setup. Unit 14 might do football Friday, Saturday and Sunday, then entertainment and concerts during the week, so we constantly need to change the configuration. We can set up as many PiPs as we need for whatever the director wants.”

The refresh of Unit 14 took five weeks. It returned in time to cover a Ladies of Soul concert in Amsterdam.

More information is available via Imagine Communications.

BINGEN, Germany—As the demand for UHD productions increases across Europe, NEP is adding a new UHD capable production truck to its fleet. Specifically, NEP the Netherlands has partnered with Broadcast Solutions GmbH for the deployment of UHD 2, which is based off NEP Sweden’s UHD 1, a large, 24-camera UHD OB truck.

The UHD 2 operates with 24 UHD cameras and provides 27 workspaces. The trailer is a double-expando and offers more than 45 m2 of working space plus VIP accommodation with extra-large UHD screens. It also features a large variety of monitors in the production area and has 8x slomo desks with access to 6x EVS XT4 servers. Grass Valley LDX 86N cameras and Karrera video switchers are installed in both production areas. The Riedel MicroN platform, meanwhile, provides video switching, multiviewing and digital glue options. For audio, the truck features a Lawo mc2 56 Mark III audio console with 64 faders, as well as a Nova73 audio matrix.

The UHD 2 truck can be deployed all across Europe, whether operating solo or serving as the backup to the UHD 1 truck (and vice versa).

NEP the Netherlands tested out the UHD 2 in April to produce an Eros Ramazotti concert in Amsterdam. It also worked with the UHD 1 truck for the production of the Ice Hockey World Championships in Slovakia.

ROMAGNA, ITALY—Global Production is a provider of top-end outside broadcast facilities for a range of productions, in its native Italy and around Europe. Increasingly, its clients are demanding Ultra HD (UHD) capabilities for their productions, which tend to be the biggest shows and events.

While many outside broadcast companies compromise on Ultra HD, using up-conversion on some of the cameras to provide the capacity, Global Production took the opposite view. If it was going to build a UHD truck, as its customers demanded, then it would be uncompromised. It wanted to build a unit that would support as many as 30 4K cameras natively. The company turned to systems integrator Chromaline to develop a solution.

BEYOND CONVENTIONAL

It was a challenging because the limiting factor in building functionality into an outside broadcast truck is that we have to live within the size and weight limits that we can take on the roads. We can start with an epic wish-list, but it has to be practical. What Global Production needed would simply be impossible using conventional technologies.

The only solution was to make everything ourselves, relying on software solutions when possible to maximize space. That implied a hybrid architecture, using both SDI and IP connectivity.

To maximize processing in software, we needed to keep signals in the IP domain as much as possible, while providing traditional interfaces where necessary to work with other systems. To achieve this, we used Imagine Communications’ Selenio Network Processor (SNP).

The SNP is a standards-based processor built on FPGA hardware to host software which defines its functionality. It provides four processing blocks in a single 1RU cabinet, with each block acting independently, capable of being reconfigured on the fly for maximum agility. The SNP acts as a seamless interface between the SDI and IP environments, and as an IP-capable signal processing platform.

ALL IN FOUR RACKS

Our design for the new truck uses four SNPs for SDI/SMPTE ST 2110 conversion, signal processing, and HD/Ultra HD up and down conversion. Doing all of that in just 4RU was a huge boost to our weight-and space-saving requirements.

The infrastructure is managed by the Magellan SDN Orchestrator software control system from Imagine, which also supplied the Platinum IP3 router, integrating mixed-format video and audio routing, multiviewers, synchronization and audio multiplexing.

During the design and implementation phase, engineers from Imagine worked closely with our team to realize the vision and to deliver all the functionality our customer expected in a practical solution. The truck has been on the road since September 2018, covering a broad range of sports and other events.

One event in particular provided a spectacular challenge for the new unit. At the Ferrari Challenge World Final in Monza, the organizers set up a shootout to see if a variety of technology solutions could deliver a whole range of outputs from standard definition to Ultra HD and HDR. Most important, it wanted to see complete consistency, not least in color rendition, across every format.

To deliver all these outputs means multiple transformations in software, all running inside the SNPs. The clients were insistent that they should be able to see every single available standard at the same time, with completely consistent results. The big test came with the familiar Ferrari red trademark. I am delighted to say that the new Global Production truck ensured it looked exactly the same on every output.

This exciting project was far more than just a huge outside broadcast truck. It is an entirely new way of approaching production and systems integration, giving the crew a familiar look and feel in full 4K Ultra HD.

Nicola Dall’Asta is the CEO of Chromaline, a systems integrator based in Romagna, Italy. He can be reached atnicola@chromaline.it.

For more information, visitimaginecommunications.comor call 866-446-2446.

BURBANK, CA.–Bexel, an NEP Broadcast Services Company, provided a host of equipment and engineering support for the five games of the World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers, at Fenway Park and Dodger Stadium.

Bexel was again called upon for the eighth consecutive year to support the Post Season for MLB Network, starting with the Wild-Card and Division Series with 10 Panasonic AJ-PX270 handheld AVC-ULTRA HD camcorders to cover its press kit needs. Eight AJA KUMO 32x32 HD-SDI routers were chosen for signal distribution to ensure the highest signal quality and powerful signal control.

For the Championship Series, Bexel supplied MLB Network with an IPTV system with monitors, which were used throughout the production compound to deliver program feeds, with additional monitors positioned in operational trailers.

As the 2018 World Series were planned at both Fenway Park and Dodger Stadium, Bexel equipment and engineering support were ready to be on-site at both locations for MLB Network for the duration of the game series. With equipment coming from both Bexel offices in Burbank and Dallas, the company supplied the entire signal distribution hardware to deliver the vast number of signals between outside broadcast trucks used for MLB Network, MLB International, and Japan’s national public broadcasting organization NHK. Of the OB trucks, NEP Mobile Units were on-site with EN2, SuperB, and NCP14.

As part of the signal distribution hardware system, Bexel implemented a large router and DA infrastructure for both Fenway Park and Dodger Stadium. Two Bexel engineers were dedicated on-site, and traveled between Boston and Los Angeles to manage the signal distribution hardware for the World Series.

Due to a small compound at Fenway Park, Bexel outfitted MLB Network productions with ‘glass cows’ to help move fiber across the city’s street. Each glass cow is a 72-breakout fiber patch panel, moving TAC-12 single-mode fiber cables extended out to audio, video and camera feeds.

To round out the bases, Bexel also supplied ancillary gear to MLB International with a number of Litepanels Astra 1x1 LED panels, Sound Devices 688 12-input field production audio mixers, and MultiDyne VF-9000 video fiber optic transport frames.

NEW YORK--CP Communications, a provider of live event production services expanded its RF presence at this year’s MLB All-Star Game at Nationals Park in Washington DC.

With a crew of 27 — its largest yet to support the All-Star Game—CP returned with for the 18 consecutive year with its RFHD7 53-foot production truck, which served as the central communications and distribution point for each client and system involved in the broadcasts and events.

The CP Communications team managed and coordinated all RF activities for the global All-Star Game, network studio shows, Home Run Derby, and a Red Carpet Show. Additionally, and for the first time, CP Communications provided RF support for various digital and streaming productions. The company also provided a production kit for PLAY Ball Park, an adjacent venue that served a free interactive center during All-Star Week with baseball celebrity appearances, adult baseball and softball games, youth tournaments, batting cages and more.

“The events surrounding the All-Star Game are different each year depending on each client’s needs, which results in strategic adjustments in crew and technology,” Michael Mason, president of CP Communications. “With RFHD7 as our resource distribution center, our 27-member crew worked hard to meet intensive scheduling deadlines across multiple venues, and eliminate disruptions in the RF spectrum that would adversely affect signal quality. The latter included clearance of 420 RF frequencies for wireless communications alone.”

The complete RF infrastructure across all events and venues included 50,000 feet of fiber-optic cable to support multiple camera feeds (including 14 RF camera feeds), video monitors, data communications, transmission links and an extensive Dante networking solution from Audinate among other systems. Dante networks were used across several events to carry digital intercom, IFB, and microphone feeds, with a separate headend to support analog audio needs.

The technical infrastructure employed much of the same equipment as in previous years on a larger scale. However, CP Communications this year added a Pliant CrewCom intercom systemfor productions associated with the Home Run Derby, as well as All-Star Game ceremonies included the National Anthem, God Bless America and the 7th Inning Stretch.

“The Pliant system enabled us to provide a much wider area of coverage,” said Mason. “The antennas in this system run data streams over Cat5, which gives it a lighter architecture that is very easy to deploy overall. We deployed antennas across several positions to maximize coverage, and even integrated all communications carried over Pliant with scoreboard control operations.”

Other specific highlights of the RF transmission infrastructure include:

• Two RF cameras, 39 RF microphones and an EFX audio-submix package for Fox Sports’ All-Star Game and Media Day video/audio needs

• Nine parabolic dishes and 80 RF radios for Fox Sports’ All-Star Game and Media Day communications requirements

• Four RF cameras, six Sennheiser head-worn microphones and six stereo RF IFBs for the ESPN Home Run Derby production and Baseball Tonight onsite studio show

• Twenty RF microphones (eight player, eight EFX, four handheld with talkback, and four in-ground) and four RF IFBs for the Home Run Derby production

• RF Steadicam, handheld and batting cage POV cameras for network pre- and post-showproductions

• Dante Audio over IP networks for the All-Star Game, Media Day, Red Carpet Show and network pre- and post-show productions, carrying Shure Axient Digital and other 1.4 GHz microphone feeds

• A Sony 4300 RF handheld camera for live streamed productions, with a WaveCentral integrated transmitter and paint receiver

Beyond Dante, Mason and his team also employed MADI and analog audio networks depending on each client’s infrastructure. “By keeping everything in the digital realm as often as possible, we eliminate the problems that haunt analog audio such as cable management, power distribution, and hum and buzz,” he said. “However, we’re always fully prepared to work with any client’s infrastructure across analog and digital.”

NEWBURY, ENGLAND—Television Broadcast Ltd. (TVB), Hong Kong’s largest broadcaster, is rolling out its first UHD outside broadcast vehicle and has turned to Snell Advanced Media to supply some of the infrastructure. Stocked in the UHD OB truck is SAM's’Kahuna multi-format live production switcher and IQ Modular infrastructure.

With these SAM systems, TVB can support complex productions, including HD and UHD. The Kahuna switcher can handle any combination of SD, HD, 1080p, 4K, IP and HDR via the FormatFusion3 and FormatFusion4 technology, which eliminates need for external conversion.

The TVB truck went live in April 2017 and in addition to the SAM gear includes UHD 4K HDR cameras from Ikegami and lenses from Fujinon.

The truck replaced the broadcaster’s previous SD truck and will be used to support a mix of HD and UHD broadcasts, including the coverage of international events.

HEBDEN BRIDGE, ENGLAND – Timeline Television’s UHD 1, Europe’s first UHD/4K OB truck built to provide content for BT Sport, has installed a 40-fader Artemis console from Calrec. Timeline chose the Artemis for its large fader count in a small foot-print, minimum setup time, and the console’s ability to overcome complications in embedding audio and encoding/embedding Dolby E in 4K video.

Calrec's Artemis console

The Artemis console features Hydra2 routing, which enables integration with the truck’s infrastructure. The integration extends Timeline’s existing Hydra2 network at BT Sport, where three Artemis consoles network to a central Hydra2 router core. In addition, the Artemis processes 5.1 audio, offers redundancy, and features loudness metering and ‘look-ahead’ limiters to help mix engineers meet EBU R128 requirements.

The UHD1 truck recently covered its first broadcast event, the FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium in London on Aug. 2.