ALAMEDA, Calif.—Mobile live production solutions provider Ross Production Services (RPS) has standardized on Clear-Com intercom systems across its fleet of mobile units, flypacks and production control rooms to support complex live production workflows.

RPS supports a wide range of productions, including sports broadcasts, entertainment concerts, rodeos, esports, political debates and corporate events. To meet the demands of these diverse environments, the company relies on a fully integrated Clear-Com ecosystem that spans headquarters facilities, production trucks and remote user workflows.

“Every show has Clear-Com involved, from party lines to point-to-point communication and IFB connectivity,” said Lance Bracale, RPS director of broadcast engineering. “Any time you step into an RPS mobile unit or control room, you will be using a Clear-Com panel.”

RPS has deployed a comprehensive Clear-Com infrastructure throughout its operations, including Eclipse Omega and Delta digital matrix frames, IrisX user panels, Agent-IC mobile app, LQ Series IP interfaces and FreeSpeak wireless intercom systems. The systems are integrated into Ross Ultrix routing environments and configured to support both local and remote productions.

According to Bracale, Clear-Com’s flexibility and hybrid workflow capabilities were major factors in the company’s decision to standardize on the platform.

“One of the biggest things is deploying two-wire comms in the field over network using the LQ interfaces, while also being able to add four-wire connectivity when needed,” said Bracale. “Agent-IC has also been incredibly valuable for at-home users and as a fail-safe option for remote connectivity.”

RPS engineers and audio teams also benefit from the usability of Clear-Com’s EHX configuration software.

“The ease of the EHX software has made it simple for engineers and A1s to program and control intercom workflows,” Bracale said. “The Go LIVE functionality makes changes instantaneously without needing to push a full configuration, and Supervisor Mode gives engineers visibility into what users are hearing and selecting in real time.”

RPS has expanded its use of Clear-Com’s wireless solutions, transitioning from standalone FreeSpeak systems to IP-based wireless deployments using E-IPA cards and FreeSpeak Icon beltpacks.

“We are slowly upgrading to IP antennas connected directly to the E-IPA cards along with the new Icon beltpacks to save time during setup and simplify deployment,” Bracale said.

The company has also leveraged remote panel connectivity and Agent-IC clients to support distributed production teams, allowing users working from home to connect directly into production environments as though they were onsite.

More information is available on the Clear-Com and RPS websites.

OTTAWA—Ross Video is renaming its in-house production and rental services division from Ross Mobile Productions to Ross Production Services.

Ross said the rebrand reflects “the expansion of the division’s workload and the increasingly diverse nature of the projects being worked on.” Stephen Repass, general manager of Ross Production Services, says his division has expanded since it was acquired by Ross Video in 2013, including the launch earlier this year of its seventh production vehicle and the current building of an eighth.

Ross Production Services has been tapped to assist with the production of WNBA games in Palmetto, Fla., when the league resumes play on July 24. Other upcoming projects include working with the World Tennis Team for three weeks starting July 12, and a new sports league, Athletes Unlimited, on softball games starting in August.

For more information on Ross Production Services, visit www.rossps.com.

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y.—Ross Mobile Productions has five 1080p trucks to cover sports and other live events, but many of the venues it conducts its coverage have an outdated cabling infrastructure. The company, as a result, has looked to make the move to fiber and has gone with MultiDyne to do so.

LiGHTCuBE

Ross is now using MultiDyne’s LiGHTCuBE and SMPTE-HUT systems for all five of its trucks. The LiGHTCuBE system provides a 14-inch cube for managing video, audio and data across long distances. The SMPTE-HUT, meanwhile, simplifies camera power and connectivity at great distances to enable conversion from SMPTE hybrid cable to single-mode fiber and back again.

The LiGHTCuBE features an array of I/O ports and is capable of handling 4K, HD, 1080i, 1080p or 720p. The SMPTE-HUT is capable of providing connection up to 1000 feet and offers a built-in optical reader; the reader is also available as a standalone unit to support 12GB/s applications.

Ross Mobile Productions is based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.