CHAMPAIGN, Ill.—Cobalt Digital is heading to IBC 2025 with an expanded lineup of IPMX-compliant products and solutions that highlight its simple plug-and-play approach to SMPTE ST 2110.

Cobalt will showcase its lineup of converters, encoders, audio monitors and multiviewers available in a variety of form factors, ranging from openGear cards to standalone units, all designed to reduce complexity without compromising performance.

“Our IBC lineup is all about flexibility and scalability,” Suzana Brady, senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing at Cobalt Digital, said. “Whatever our customers need—whether it's SDI, IP or compressed formats—our solutions are designed to integrate and adapt.”

At IBC, Cobalt will debut two new models within its SAPPHIRE BBG-2110 compact mini converter series: the SAPPHIRE BBG-2110-4Hi/4Sio and SAPPHIRE BBG-2110-2Hi2Ho/4Sio. Both IPMX compliant models feature HDMI inputs and the latter features two bidirectional signal paths.

Engineered for demanding workflows, these whisper-quiet SAPPHIRE devices deliver low-latency IP conversion with support for 10G/25G Ethernet, audio sample rate conversion and asynchronous audio mixing.

The company will also show its PACIFIC 9992-ENC flexible MPEG-2/AVC/HEVC encoder, which is now fully supports ST 2110-20 (baseband) and an ST 2110-22 option for JPEG-XS video. The encoder can be directly deployed in an IPMX facility for local encoding, low-latency internet transport using RIST or in traditional ASI workflows without having to deploy separate gateway devices.

Capable of handling up to four signals up to 1080p60, or one 4K signal, each channel can be individually selected between SDI and ST 2110. The card also allows for full asynchronous operation (IPMX-compatible) or IPMX operation via Cobalt’s INDIGO 2110-DC-02 factory-installed option for SMPTE ST 2110. This flexibility enables users to mix SDI, ST 2110 and IPMX feeds within a single platform.

Cobalt also will introduce a new base model of its ARIA AUD-MON audio monitor with a single-button interface for ultra-simple operation. The new model complements existing units, supporting the same input options, including: 2xSDI up to 12G or MADI, 2 SFP for SDI over fiber, AES, balanced analog audio and GPI for automation.

The company also will showcase the ARIA OG-AUD4-DANTE bidirectional audio embedder/deembedder router card with 12G, SDI, MADI, AES and Dante inputs and outputs.

Cobalt also will show its UltraBlue MV-SW Multiviewer with multiple new features. This software-based multiviewer supports all of the compressed flavors and uncompressed IP/SDI inputs and scalable output options, allowing the multiviewer to evolve alongside customers’ requirements. UltraBlue is also available as a turn-key server and features support for receiving audio/video content over IP across a variety of protocols and formats with flexible audio routing, bringing a multitude of options to suit every application.

See Cobalt Digital at IBC 2025 Stand 8.D83.

More information is available on the company’s website.

KINGS PARK, N.Y.—MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems has announced that it will soon begin shipping new openGear solutions that condense the features and functionality of its popular hardware products onto modular cards.

The company reported that the solutions will be unveiled at the 2025 NAB Show and that the latest innovations enable several advanced fiber-optic applications for the openGear community, including high-density PTZ camera extension and the conversion of digital cinema cameras for broadcast workflows.

MultiDyne exhibits at Booth N423 in the Las Vegas Convention Center from April 6-9.

MultiDyne said the latest openGear innovations extend the company’s 15-year track record of reimagining its award-winning hardware product designs for modern signal processing scenarios.

“We've been planning this expansion for a while, and it all comes down to our commitment to making things easier and more accessible for our customers,” said Jesse Foster, MultiDyne’s vice president of products. “With the ability to fit up to 10 openGear cards in a 2RU frame, we are packing serious signal density while keeping things manageable. With DashBoard’s intuitive GUI, monitoring video signal type and optical input power levels is a made even simpler. Our customers achieve top performance with minimal setup.”

The company reported that the most striking example is the new HoneyBadger OG, which streamlines the power and performance of the existing x4RU Control Room side unit into a single 2RU openGear frame. HoneyBadger OG’s streamlined form factor opens many new opportunities to leverage MultiDyne’s expansive feature set for production-based fiber transport between venues, trucks, control rooms and/or studios, including 12G throughput, IP connectivity over single-mode fiber, and support for eight camera feeds and SDI return channels.

During the show, MultiDyne will also introduce openGear modules for its Emmy award-winning SilverBack Series of 4K/8K fiber camera adapters to manage incoming production workflows carrying cinematic-quality video acquired in the field.

MultiDyne developed the SilverBack Series to help content producers convert digital cinema cameras into SMPTE studio cameras. SilverBack OG modules will prove valuable for live multi-camera productions in entertainment, sports and worship environments that require space-efficient processing solutions onboard trucks and within small control rooms, it said.

MultiDyne will also introduce openGear modules for its VB Series (VersaBrix) which are ideal for POV/PTZ camera extension in live production. MultiDyne’s VB Series of compact throwdown products offer a configurable platform that users can customize to specifications, including specific I/O counts for video, audio, data and Ethernet transport. The VB Series compatible OG modules can process up to 4 12G-SDI signals to or from a machine room or core processing rack, and bidirectionally manage all the ancillary signals a camera needs including timecode, sync and control.

Widely used in the industry, openGear is an open-architecture, modular frame system that lets users choose the feature, performance, and budget options that best suit their specific application. Its open-source nature gives users control over monitoring through the DashBoard control system for the openGear ecosystem, which includes cross-compatibility across products from the entire community of openGear vendors.

MultiDyne’s openGear innovation rids the need for bulky hardware in tight spaces while maintaining full support for important production signals, including Bi and Tri-Level Sync, Timecode, Tally, 12G-SDI,1GbE, Serial Data, MADI, AES, analog audio, and more. This broadens a user’s scope while preserving the performance of MultiDyne’s specialty packages, such as the camera-dockable SilverBack and high-density HoneyBadger.

MultiDyne will also demonstrate its MDoG Series of IP Gateways, an award-winning series of openGear solutions introduced at NAB Show 2025, working across varied ST 2110 workflows. More details on the demos will be announced later this month the company reported.

It’s funny how the lessons you learn in one part of your life often apply in others.

Such was the case with the pandemic that shut down so much of what I was doing in the corporate AV world as businesses adopted a strategy that sent employees home to work remotely to comply with social distancing recommendations from health authorities.

Overnight about 99% of what I was doing—mostly corporate AV services for gatherings in ballrooms—dried up. Looking around, I vowed that never again would I put all of my eggs in the same basket.

I wanted to create something that did not pigeonhole me in a single market niche that could be shuttered by a pandemic or any other unforeseen calamity. To the best of my ability, I would pursue a business strategy that emphasized flexibility so if one sector went down, I would have others to buoy me.

To that end, I founded and serve as president of three companies, Pittman Media Group, which focuses on AV production and integration as well as being the parent company of CINELIVE. CINELIVE is my OB mobile production company with a flagship 53-foot mobile unit serving hybrid or cinematic multi-cam and traditional live broadcast clients. My third company, which is unrelated to the first two, focuses on High-Density Ultra-Pure LED displays for video broadcast control rooms and critical control rooms in other industries.

Next-Level Flexibility
As I thought about how best to build an OB unit, I quickly realized that placing an emphasis on flexibility in its technical design, similar to my overall business north star, made perfect sense.

I selected an integrated media processing solution, aka a Ross Video Ultrix platform, in combination with Ross openGear-based modular-based processing to address multiple video production functions, such as audio and video routing, frame synchronization, multiview, production switching and other workflow essentials, in a single system.

Rather than relying on racks full of single-purpose technology and dealing with the footprint required for all of those racks and equipment, higher cooling loads and the increased complexity and weight of the cabling that would be necessary, the integrated processing available via Software Defined Production Engine blades and some supporting modular processing proved to be a far more elegant approach that could easily meet production requirements that vary from client to client and show to show.

Compared to OB units with traditional designs, CINELIVE devoted fewer equipment racks to video—about two-and-a-half, providing the flexibility to devote several more feet of truck space to audio, which runs one of the finest Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 audio suites ever built into an OB unit.

In this respect, flexibility equals scalability. Having additional free rack space means the unit can scale with new technology to enable new or expanded production requirements and associated workflows. Even more importantly, the fact the FPGA used to power our integrated media processing solution has additional processing headroom means the solution itself can also scale as new software revisions enable additional production capabilities to meet the needs of customers.

Besides space, this approach cuts weight by about 5,000 pounds when compared to a comparable traditional OB vehicle, meaning our CINELIVE OB vehicle is never even close to our 80,000-pound weight limit.

Other Benefits of Flexibility
There are several other important benefits of having such a flexible integrated signal processing solution. Adapting workflows is one example. No two productions are ever the same. As a result, tally identification of camera sources changes from production to production. Thanks to the flexibility built into our integrated system and our tally management system, which it supports, we can, for example, assign camera signals to various CCU inputs and all accompanying tally information, such as signal source name, automatically follows.

Having the flexibility to add new capabilities to our integrated media processing system as they become available also offers the potential to open up new monetization opportunities. One example is the addition of true 4K multiviewing support, which will give us the opportunity to upcharge our highest-end clients for this capability if we decide to do so.

Whether it’s the ability to add new capabilities to CINELIVE without major hardware additions, the chance to monetize new production capabilities, the means to make easy workflow modifications or the freedom to leverage more rack space, choosing to base our mobile unit on an integrated media processing system is delivering the flexibility needed to be competitive and keep clients happy for the foreseeable future.

As I learned coming out of the pandemic, building a business ethos around having the flexibility to adjust to come what may is also a recipe for success when it comes CINELIVE.

(Editor’s Note: Zack Pittman deployed a Ross Video Hyperconverged Ultrix integrated processing solution with Ross Acuity production switcher capability and a Ross Video openGear modular media processing solution to enhance production capabilities as required.)

More information is available in the Ross Video “Why Flexibility is Essential for Broadcast and Live Production Success” white paper and “CINELIVE Builds a Future with Ross” case study.

AMSTERDAM—Cobalt Digital has announced that during the IBC Show it will be sharpening its focus on IP-based solutions by adding a scalable software-based multiviewer to its IBC Show line-up. 

The COBALT UltraBlue IP-MV multiviewer will join numerous other ST 2110 solutions on Cobalt Stand # 10.B41 during the show. 

The new multiviewer can be provided as a turnkey solution with four HDMI heads, or as a software package to run on customer-supplied dedicated hardware. Features include support for receiving audio/video content over IP across a variety of protocols and formats with very flexible audio routing, bringing a multitude of options to suit every application.

The company explained that the solution’s intuitive web interface incorporates support for compressed and baseband (ST 2110) IP/SDI inputs and outputs allowing the multiviewer to grow alongside customers’ needs. Multiple user logins are supported, as well as per-user access privileges for maximum security.

Mosaic configurations are also greatly simplified. PIP configurations can be easily copied, and setups can be saved and restored. UltraBlue IP-MV will drive multiple HDMI displays in any orientation (landscape or portrait, selectable per-display). PIPs can also be arbitrarily placed and rotated, the company reported. 

In addition, the COBALT UltraBlue IP-MV incorporates support for the most common types of ancillary data, including various types of closed-captioning display. The multiviewer features full audio support, with flexible output audio routing and fully configurable audio bars.

UltraBlue IP-MV will be able to use GPU acceleration if available. The number of inputs, streams, and heads will be a function of the available CPU/GPU, the company said.

Cobalt’s lineup also includes two SDI multiviewers in openGear form factor: the cascadable 5-input 9970-QS, with support for resolutions of up to 3G, and the 18-input, 2-head 9971, with support for resolutions up to 4K.

During the IBC Show, Cobalt is also spotlighting its ST 2110 support with its new INDIGO family at the heart of the Stand. The COBALT INDIGO 2110-DC-01 factory add-on option for openGear cards adds native SMPTE 2110 support with 25G Ethernet interfaces. When added to Cobalt’s 9904 and 9905 signal processing families, users benefit from a solution that supports ST 2110 and provides unparalleled density and unmatched functionality.

During the show, the company will also be showcasing the COBALT INDIGO OG-2110-BIDI4-GATEWAY, a bi-directional quad-channel native ST 2110 interface to SDI I/O available in the openGear form factor, and the COBALT PACIFIC 9992-ENC-INDIGO openGear card that incorporates the INDIGO 2110-DC-02 option into the PACIFIC 9992-ENC encoder. For ST 2110 support on the go check out the COBALT SAPPHIRE ST 2110 Mini Converters that range from single, dual, and quad channel units.

CHAMPAIGN, Il—Cobalt Digital Inc. will be at NAB Show NY demo-ing its latest products for live video production and master control.

Cobalt, a founding partner in the openGear initiative, will be highlighting its 9904-UDX-4K card that has been enhanced with its Indigo 2110-DC-01, an option that offers support for high-density native 4K ST 2110 audio and video processing on openGear form factor. 

The company will also show its new version of the SafeLink Gateway as a virtual machine, and a higher-density solution of +MPx-DANTE-64x64, the industry’s first license-based quad-channel 3G-SDI bridge to Dante audio.

Cobalt will also conduct multiple demonstrations including ST 2110 processing, its line of compression products with a synchronized decoding demo of RIST (Reliable Internet Streaming Transport), and a new feature from Technicolor that allows reversible inverse tone mapping SDR to HDR, followed by SL-HDR1 in seamless fashion.

Cobalt will be in Booth #915 at NAB Show New York, Oct. 19-20 at the Javits Center.

GRASS VALLEY, Calif.—AJA Video Systems has announced the expansion of its lineup of openGear compatible 12G-SDI Fiber Converters with a pair of new OG-FiDO 12G cards for receiving signals from LC Fiber or ST Fiber and converting those signals to baseband 12G-SDI. 

The OG-FiDO-R-12G-ST is a Fiber receiver that supports single-channel conversion from ST Fiber to 12G-SDI. 

The OG-FiDO-2R-12G offers dual-channel conversion from LC Fiber to 12G-SDI. Both new models receive 12G-SDI signals from standard Fiber video sources, including AJA FiDO Mini-Converters.

“Fiber solutions are critical for facilities looking to reduce cable runs while also having the ability to securely send high-bandwidth signals very long distances, and we’ve witnessed a surge in demand from customers looking to upgrade to 12G-SDI infrastructures,” said Nick Rashby, president, AJA Video Systems. “In response, we’ve released two new robust and powerful OG-FiDO 12G openGear receiver cards – joining the OG-FiDO-TR-12G Fiber transceiver – that offer reliable conversion within a compact, high-density, rack mountable form factor.”

In addition to the new OG-FiDO 12G cards, AJA has also released a collection of new firmware updates for select AJA openGear card models, including OG-ROI-HDMI, OG-ROI-DVI, OG-ROI-SDI, OG-HA5-4K and OG-12GM. 

More information is available here.  

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.—Cobalt Digital is expanding its openGear product offering with the announcement that it has acquired the IP and manufacturing rights to multiple Ward-Beck openGear cards.

The Ward-Beck products being integrated into the Cobalt lineup include analog audio and video distribution amplifiers, audio analog-to-digital/digital-to-analog converters and single card rear modules in numerous three-pin terminal block configurations.

“We’ve always held Ward-Beck in the highest esteem and have respected the integrity of the company and quality of its equipment," said Chris Shaw, Cobalt executive vice president of Sales and Marketing. “We are honored that Kevin Lyver and his team have passed the mantle to Cobalt to keep these modules viable and available in the marketplace. We are delighted to add them to the Cobalt family of products and be able to serve an extended marketplace.”

Ward-Beck ceased operations on Jan. 31, but the company will provide support and assistance during the transition period, according to the Cobalt announcement.

For more information, visit www.cobaltdigital.com.  

SAN FRANCISCO—While the pandemic has temporarily changed live entertainment, it hasn’t fully ceased. In the classical music world, organizations such as the San Francisco Symphony have continued to perform for audiences through digital platforms.

These organizations will hopefully return to performing for live in-venue audiences before too long, but regardless of how they deliver live performances, they still require professional video and audio systems.

The 2,700-seat Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall is home to the San Francisco Symphony and until recently had very limited production capabilities. Working with Enlighten Digital and systems integration partner Sunshine Audio Video, the symphony quickly went from zero to 14 cameras, and built a new control room to support live production and recording. Enlighten Digital raised the bar by specifying a 12G uncompressed fiber transport and signal conversion infrastructure from MultiDyne.

KEEPING EVERYTHING CONNECTED

The infrastructure is impressive, with 32 strands of fiber available to transport signals from all 14 Panasonic PTZ cameras. Each camera is equipped with a 250-foot spool of cable with fiber for connectivity in three areas: the main performance hall, a small studio and the “soundbox,” a smaller adjacent venue. Each area has direct fiber home run to the new central control room, which includes a green room.

Depending on the size of the event, one of three mobile equipment racks are used; the smallest can accommodate four cameras and the largest all 14, along with monitors and other gear. A mix of MultiDyne’s modular openGear fiber solutions accommodates the varied transport and conversion needs, including OG-4603 transmitter cards, OG-4607 receiver cards and OG-5310 video distribution amplifiers. We also use MultiDyne’s CWDM card, which can multiplex multiple cameras over one fiber to optimize signal transport.

The CWDM (course wavelength division multiplexer), has the added benefit of supporting Panasonic’s 12G optical camera output option. MultiDyne developed properly matched CWDM SFPs for each camera to ensure consistency when taking in multiple 4K signals from multiple cameras. These 12G video signals are multiplexed and then sent into the OG-4603 card, along with AES audio, genlock, timecode and serial data.

MIX AND MATCH

MultiDyne’s diverse feature set and capabilities were instrumental in our decision. While other vendors provide plenty of options for throwdown boxes, we wanted a more elegant and flexible solution. A bidirectional, multipoint fiber transport system like this would require multiple throwdown boxes and auxiliary devices.

MultiDyne’s openGear solutions allow technicians to mix and match cards within and share frames across different racks as needed. That provides commonality beyond any other fiber transport on the market, with the added benefit of using openGear’s Dashboard to monitor performance and make adjustments on the fly directly from a laptop.

MultiDyne’s technical support was also critical to our success. Due to a deadline, we were unable to perform our typical testing and commissioning process at the venue. MultiDyne’s sales and engineering team were available on short notice, and helped us deal with the technical challenges.

Rob Ross is the president of Enlighten Digital. He can be reached at rob@enlightendigital.com.

For more information, visit www.multidyne.com.

OTTAWA—In an effort to improve its video production for content distributed to local cable television and online, the City Council of Irvine, Calif., tapped Ross Video to upgrade its production facilities.

Ross worked with Triton Technology Solutions and AVI-SPL on the project. The upgrade included the installation of an integrated Ross platform that features the Carbonite Black production switcher, XPression graphics and Ross openGear infrastructure.

The new equipment is being used to not only cover council meetings, but to help produce things like interviews and training videos.

“From router and switcher operation to automation and remote control of CG and other functions via the DashBoard control system, producing content has become easier and less time consuming, allowing for more dynamic production,” said Tom Macduff, public information officer with the City of Irvine. “We now have a system that is reliable, easy to use, scalable and will serve us for many years to come.”

NEW YORK—Cobalt Digital will showcase a number of its card-based solutions for openGear frames, including its new 9992-DEC Series of HEVC/AVC/MPEG-2 decoders. A companion technology to the company’s 9992-ENC Series of encoders, the flexible 9992-DEC Series supports up to 4K resolution with audio decoding capabilities. Plus, its pay-as-you-go licensing means users only pay for required features when needed. The series includes the 9992-2DEC dual-channel decoder, as well as the 9992-DEC-4K-HEVC with single-channel 4K or dual-channel 2K and support for H.265.

Cobalt also will demonstrate its new SafeLink software, which protects the transport of live video and audio data over unsecure networks. Through the use of the RIST protocol, the company says SafeLink eliminates video glitches and provides reliable video transport, even in live production environments that may experience network delay. SafeLink supports a variety of compression standards and up to eight discrete transmit and receive paths. The software can be installed on most computers or Cobalt’s openGear OG-PC-x86 platform, and is controlled through Cobalt’s DashBoard control and monitoring application.

For HDR content, the new SL-HDR Decoder feature for the 9904-UDX-4K provides SDR-to-HDR conversion using SL-HDR technology, which allows broadcasters to distribute SDR and HDR content over the same signal. Once an SDR signal has been processed through Cobalt’s SL-HDR Encoder, the SL-HDR Decoder software uses the metadata within the signal to reconstruct an HDR picture for compatible devices.

Attendees will find Cobalt in booth N531. NAB Show New York runs Oct. 16–17 at the Javits Center.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Oct. 3, 2019 – Cobalt Digital will showcase a number of its card-based solutions for openGear® frames, including its new 9992-DEC Series of HEVC/AVC/MPEG-2 decoders, at NAB Show New York (Booth N531), which runs Oct. 16-17 at the Javits Center. As part of its continued adoption of RIST, the Reliable internet Stream Transport protocol for low-latency video transport over the internet, Cobalt will also demonstrate SafeLink, an openGear solution that uses a RIST wrapper to protect multiple transport streams through existing encoding/decoding infrastructure. Plus, the company is announcing a new feature for its 9904-UDX-4K up/down/cross converter and image processor to simplify HDR content contribution and distribution.

A companion technology to the company’s 9992-ENC Series of encoders, the flexible 9992-DEC Series is designed to meet the most stringent requirements for today’s broadcasters. It supports up to 4K resolution with a full complement of audio decoding capabilities. Plus, its pay-as-you-go licensing means users only pay for required features when needed. The series includes the 9992-2DEC dual-channel decoder, as well as the 9992-DEC-4K-HEVC with single-channel 4K or dual-channel 2K and support for H.265.

“Our new 9992-DEC joins our popular 9992-ENC to create a complete transport solution for broadcasters at whatever resolution they need,” said Chris Shaw, executive vice president of sales and marketing, Cobalt Digital. “With its support for 5.1 audio, the 9992 Series is a cost-effective solution for contribution-level transmission.”

Cobalt will also demonstrate its new SafeLink software, which protects the transport of live video and audio data over unsecure networks. Through the use of the RIST protocol, SafeLink eliminates video glitches and provides reliable video transport, even in live production environments that may experience network delay. SafeLink supports a variety of compression standards – including MPEG-2, AVC, and HEVC – and up to eight discrete transmit and receive paths. The software can be installed on most computers or Cobalt’s openGear OG-PC-x86 platform, and is controlled through Cobalt’s DashBoard control and monitoring application.

For HDR content, the new SL-HDR Decoder feature for the 9904-UDX-4K provides SDR-to-HDR conversion using SL-HDR technology, which allows broadcasters to distribute SDR and HDR content over the same signal. Once an SDR signal has been processed through Cobalt’s SL-HDR Encoder, the SL-HDR Decoder software uses the metadata within the signal to reconstruct an HDR picture for compatible devices. The technology is similar to the card’s Technicolor HDR Intelligent Tone Management option, but with a scaled down feature set.

Cobalt has also announced new ordering options for the 9904-UDX-4K that combines all the Technicolor HDR options. The +HDR-TCHCLR and HDR-TCHCLR-4K options provide access to all three available firmware builds, including ITM, SL-HDR Encoder, and SL-HDR Decoder.

About Cobalt Digital
Cobalt Digital Inc. designs and manufactures award-winning edge devices that help live video production and master control clients transition to IP, 4K, HDR, the cloud, and beyond. As a founding partner in the openGear® initiative and proud member of SMPTE, Cobalt also offers a best-of-breed interoperability platform that simplifies technological adoption. Distributed through a worldwide network of dealers, system integrators, and other partners, Cobalt Digital products are backed with a five-year warranty. Learn more at www.cobaltdigital.com.

AMSTERDAM—Cobalt Digital has a handful of new products in its openGear line that offer support for 4K and HDR that will be shown during the upcoming 2019 IBC Show in Amsterdam. Among its products include decoders, encoders, RIST Main Profile, bi-directional SDR/HDR converters, multiviewers and distribution amplifiers.

One of the highlights from Cobalt will be its new 9992-DEC series of HEVC/AVC/MPEG-2 decoders for openGear. Similar to the 9992-ENC encoders, the 9992-DEC features pay-as-you-go licensing. It also features support for resolution up to 4K and has a complement of audio decoding capabilities. The 9992-DEC series includes the 9992-2DEC dual-channel decoder and the 9992-DEC-4K-HEVC with single-channel 4K or dual-channel 2K and support for H.265.

Cobalt will also use the IBC Show to debut its support for the RIST Main Profile, which adds features such as encryption (DTLS or PSK), tunneling, NAT traversal, point-to-multipoint distribution, low bit rate optimization and ST-2110 transport.

Additional products that will be on display at the Cobalt stand include the 9904-UDX-4K up/down/cross converter for generating dynamic metadata when converting HDR to SDR and back to SDR to preserve full HDR picture information; new versions of the 9971 series of multiviewers with added dual outputs and user controls; the new 9915 series of DAs that support 4K 12G-SDI sources; a new 12G-SDI openGear routing card with a 12x12 routing matrix; and SafeLink, an openGear system that can take in multiple transport streams and provide a RIST wrapper to protect video links between two points.

The 2019 IBC Show will run from Sept. 13-17. Cobalt will be located at stand 10.B44.

OTTAWA—Ross Video has announced that it has a new member to the family of companies that support its openGear signal processing platform in Vitec.The openGear system is a modular platform that allows other company’s cards to work with it, which Ross says numbers in the hundreds of cards from dozens of companies.

In addition to signing on board with openGear, Vitec has announced its first product that works with the platform, the Vitec openGear IP decoder card. “The Vitec openGear IP decoder card is a perfect complement to our HEVC contribution solution where channel density and system reliability is paramount,” said Richard Bernard, Vitec senior product manager.

Ross will showcase the openGear platform at its booth, SL1805, during the 2019 NAB Show.

LAS VEGAS—Part of the Apantac booth at the upcoming NAB Show will be the recently launched KM Switch that is specifically designed for the openGear platform.

As a hot swappable card for the openGear platform, the OG-KM card is designed to open up integration possibilities while simplifying system design and installation. With the KM Switch, users can control and switch between four or eight computers with a single keyboard and mouse, including an extended desktop from the same graphics card.

Since the new card is part of the openGear range, users can add multiviewers cards from Apantac and create a multiviewer with KVM functionality. Cards that can be combined with the OG-KM include OG-MiniDE-II cascadable HDMI multiviewer, OG-MiniQ cascadale SDI multiviewer, OG-MicroQ SDI quad-split and OG-Mini-DL-X-D cascadable HDMI + SDI quad-split.

Apantac will have the openGear KM Switch card at its booth, SL8006, during the 2019 NAB Show.

CHAMPAIGN, ILL.—Cobalt Digital has begun delivery of its 9992-ENC series HEVC H.265/H.264/MHEG-5 encoder for openGear frames.

The 9992-ENC, a dual-slot card, offers a variety of I/O options and extensive audio support for contribution, distribution, ENG, IPTV and OTT applications.

The base model supports MPEG-2 and H.264 (AVC) with low-latency 8- and 10-bit 4:2:0 encoding. Optional license keys offer H.265 (HEVC) support and 4:2:2 encoding.

The base model also offers 3G-SDI input supporting up to one 1080p60 signal; however, an upgrade that supports three more 1080p60 inputs or one 4Kp60 signal (four 3G-SDI or one 12G-SDI signal) is available.

Two independent ASI ports are available as outputs that can be interfaced directly to microwave modulators on ENG trucks. If licensed for multiple channels, an internal multiplexer can be used to build multi-program transport streams and direct individual encoders to either or both outputs.

Two Gigabit Ethernet ports support various protocols and stream replication with the same multiplexing capabilities as the ASI ports for distribution flexibility.

The encoder offers transport streams over standard UDP/RTP, RTMP and single profile HTTP live streaming (HLS), allowing it to be used for direct streaming to content delivery networks (CDNs).

Licenses for advanced protocols, such as SMPTE-2022 FEC and ARQ for packet loss protection, as well as RIST for reliable, low-latency contribution over the internet without the need for additional gateways, are available.

Audio support includes MPEG-1 Layer II, AAC-LC, HE-AAC (V1 and V2), Dolby Digital (AC-3), Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3) and 5.1 surround sound options.

More information is available on the Cobalt Digital website.

CHAMPAIGN, ILL.—At the 2018 NAB Show New York, Cobalt Digital will demonstrate the 9904-UDX-4K-12G UHD 12G/3G/HD/SD-SDI up/down/cross-converter, the company’s latest generation of advanced image and audio processors for the openGear platform. The base card provides quad 3G-SDI and 12G-SDI I/O with SDI muxing and demuxing and up/down/cross-conversion. Options include RGB color correction and SDR-to-HDR up-mapping via Technicolor’s HDR Intelligent Tone Management (ITM) processing.

Also on display will be Cobalt’s new 9971-MV18-4K series of openGear multiviewers. These support the latest signal types with a high-density modular design that can be expanded as required. The MV18 is equipped with 18 4K 12G-SDI auto-detect inputs, which the company says can be scaled as needed across a full 3840 x 2160 UHD raster output.

The 9992-ENC-4K-HEVC H.265 Streaming Encoder for openGear will be demonstrated. The platform supports quad 3G-SDI and 12G-SDI inputs and is also configurable as a multichannel encoder (up to four channels) for 1080p60 signals and below using MPEG-2, H.264 or HEVC, with all channels using the same compression standard.

The new Cobalt Digital OG-PC computer card is an x86 computer on an openGear card. The OG-PC takes advantage of the redundant power and cooling features of the openGear frame. The card’s modular form-factor saves on rack space by replacing bulky 1RU PCs.

Cobalt Digital will be on the show floor in booth N626.

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HAUPPAUGE, N.Y.—MultiDyne Fiber Optic Solutions last week announced two appointments aimed at helping to shape the company’s future.

Bob McAlpine, most recently CEO of Cobalt Digital, will serve MultiDyne in a key global advisory role. Jesse Foster, who was Director of Product and Business Development at Cobalt Digital, takes on the role of Director of Product Development and Western Region Sales.

Both will represent MultiDyne at IBC2018 in Amsterdam, Sept. 14-18, and meet with customers and the company’s partners. They will report to MultiDyne President Frank Jachetta.

Foster will be responsible for driving new product development to strengthen MultiDyne’s fiber-optic transport family and broaden its reach throughout broadcast and production infrastructures. His responsibilities also will include development of new MultiDyne openGear modular cards.

Foster joins MultiDyne as it opens a new service facility in the Los Angeles area (1221 Avenida Acaso in Camarillo, Calif.). In addition to repair, design and engineering services and technical sales support, the facility also will serve as a supply outlet for video accessories.

McAlpine joins MultiDyne through his Black Pearl Management Group consultancy, which he founded in August 2018. He will focus on the growth of sales globally and market penetration around the world, the company said.

More information is available on the MultiDyne website.

PENNSAUKEN, N.J. – Orban has expanded its Orban TV line-up with stereo, surround and Optimod loudness processing solutions integrated into Ross Video’s openGear platform for live TV, OB trucks, television networks and production facilities. These new product offerings include:

OTV-220: dual, discrete stereo instances of Orban’s Optimod TV loudness control, compliant with ITU-BS.1770 loudness measurement;

OTV-M2S: four instances of Orban’s newest Mono2Stereo algorithm that makes artifact-free stereo audio from mono feeds;

OTV-5.1 Live: a suite of ultra low-latency 5.1 surround processors for live and broadcast audio including the 257 Decoder, 752 Encoder and iMix 5.1 Headphone monitor;

OTV-510: Low-latency 5.1 Surround Loudness Monitor and Controller for production and transmission with ITU-BS.1770-compliant loudness measurement and Orban’s Optimod TV loudness control;

OTV-MUX HD: a program audio embedder for up to eight AES audio channels into a 3G/HD/SD SDI signal, providing sample rate conversion, summing with gain of +10dB, audio delay up to one second and channel invert; and

OTV-DMX HD: a program audio de-embedder for up to eight AES channels from a 3G/HD/SD SDI signal.

Orban’s openGear TV products will be introduced at NAB 2017 in booth N3203 and will ship in Q3 2017.

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y.—MultiDyne has announced a trio of fiber transport and connectivity systems that are now available for shipping. The new gear includes a new series of openGear modules, an expanded BullDog fiber transport system and an expansion of the company’s FiberSaver series.

Bulldog

MultiDyne’s latest entry to the openGear series feature new fiber cards that support two bi-directional links for HD-SDI signals to 1080p 3Gb/s. The cards also provide 8x8 signal capacity for AES and analog audio, Ethernet, data and GPIO control. New portable counterparts to openGear frames have also been introduced that have the same format flexibility but increases modular density and configurability.

The BullDog system is a 4K-compatible modular platform designed for broadcasters and production teams in the field. The compact and rugged enclosure features high-density I/O capacity and signal compatibility across HD-SDI video, audio, intercom, control data, tally and power requirements. It is also interoperable with openGear cards. The BullDog configuration can include both a send and receive unit to move signals over a single fiber, or can transport signals from the field unit to openGear cards at the receiver site. The system design can also reconfigure signal paths and hot-swap cards.

A new 12G/bs version of MultiDyne’s FiberSaver line is also being made available. The FiberSaver-12G can accept up to 36 optical signals for transport over two fibers, all from a 1RU frame. The system is compatible with 3Gb/s and 1.5Gb/s signals for format flexibility and can put up to 18 SMPTE camera or IP signals onto one fiber. All fiber savers can transport any optical or digital signal.

MultiDyne will showcase these new products at its booth (11.D40) at the upcoming IBC 2016 show.

CHAMPAIGN, ILL.—Cobalt Digital has released a pair of new fiber cards that work with the openGear modular terminal gear system. The first is the 9410DA series of 3G/HD/SD-SDI single- and dual-channel and transceiver fiber cards. The 9415DA-SFP series are configurable dual-path transport cards with an external SFP cage on the rear module.

The 9410DA are capable of providing up to 40 channels of 3G/HD/SD-SDI extension in two rack units. The modules also include distribution amplifier outputs on both the transmit and receive sides of the link. Up to 10 coaxial DA outputs are available per card. Rear module users can install up to 20 cards in a frame for 40 channels of EO conversion and up to 180 coaxial DA outputs. In addition, full status and control access is available locally or across a standard Ethernet network through Dashboard or Cobalt’s remote control panel.

With the 9415DA-SFP’s external SFP cage users can pull the openGear card out of the front while keeping the SFP and cabling in place. The ability to hot-swap the SFP module is also available. The 9415DA-SFP supports 3G/HD/SD-SDI single-channel, dual-channel and transceiver modes and can be configured for dual CVBS/composite analog transport, HDMI transport or MADI extension.

Both the 9410DA and 9415DA-SFP are now available from Cobalt.