NASHVILLE, Tenn.—As the founder of TNDV, a Nashville-based live event and broadcast production company specializing in multicamera television, music specials and large-scale live events, I know how recording and capturing content is one of the most crucial tasks we face on any project.

For more than two decades, our team has supported everything from concert broadcasts and awards shows to network television and corporate productions. As our company has grown, our technology choices have always been driven by reliability, efficiency and the ability to scale alongside increasingly complex productions.

Practical and Affordable
My relationship with AJA’s Ki Pro line goes back to the very beginning. I was an extremely early adopter of the original Ki Pro in 2009, and it fundamentally changed the trajectory of my career and my company. At the time, recording HD content meant relying almost exclusively on tape-based HDCAM systems that could easily cost six figures per unit, and it was preventing me from moving beyond an SD-SDI workflow. The Ki Pro introduced a practical, affordable way to record broadcast-quality HD using a file-based, disc-based workflow, arriving at exactly the moment our industry was ready for change.

We quickly recognized that the Ki Pro was not only just a recorder, it was a workflow solution. As our young company expanded from a single HD production truck to three and eventually to 12, we purchased as many Ki Pro units as we could. They became a core part of our technical infrastructure and a key differentiator when pitching new clients.

As the industry transitioned away from tape formats, we were already prepared to deliver file-based media that quickly entered postproduction pipelines in file formats our clients were asking for, like ProRes.

Deployment was straightforward. Ki Pro units integrated cleanly into our trucks, worked seamlessly with a wide range of cameras and switchers and proved themselves reliable in demanding live environments. On a typical production, we use Ki Pro recorders for ISO recording, program capture, backup recording and deliverables. The ability to hand off high-quality media immediately after a show without real-time tape transfers saved hours on every production and helped our clients move faster.

When AJA introduced the Ki Pro Rack, we immediately began purchasing dozens of units. The rack-mounted form factor was a natural evolution for mobile production and control-room environments. It allowed us to consolidate recording systems, improve cable management and expand channel counts without increasing complexity. The Ki Pro Rack was built upon everything we appreciated about the original Ki Pro while offering greater flexibility for larger shows.

Ready for the Future
A few years later, we were just as eager to adopt the Ki Pro Ultra, followed closely by the Ki Pro Ultra Plus. As our productions moved into higher frame rates and 4K workflows, these units provided the performance and consistency we needed. Today, we own and operate over 100 different Ki Pro recorders across our fleet. They are trusted tools for both HD and 4K shows, whether we are covering a live concert, televised awards show or high-profile corporate event.

Over 15 years after the original Ki Pro was introduced, the Ki Pro family remains a crucial part of our workflow. We have evaluated and tested many alternative recording solutions over the years, but the Ki Pro continues to stand out for its reliability, image quality and ease of use. In live production, failure is not an option, and AJA’s recorders have consistently delivered dependable performance show after show.

For our team, Ki Pro is not just a piece of gear—it represents a turning point in how we work and how we serve our clients. From our earliest HD productions to today’s multi-truck, multiformat broadcasts, AJA Ki Pro recorders have helped us grow, adapt and stay competitive in an ever-evolving industry.

More information is available on the AJA Video Systems website.

NASHVILLE—The mobile and REMI production company TNDV has announced that it headed south into Mexico to live-produce the three-day 2025 Zane Grey Championship Playoffs, a sport fishing tournament streamed live on ESPN+ from Oct. 18-20.

For the production, TNDV shipped a REMI flypack and camera jib to the production site in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for what was the company’s first live-to-air project outside the United States.

TNDV managed all content acquisition and live set audio for the streaming broadcasts over all three days, delivering live, three-hour program feeds to the TCL REMI broadcast facility, located at The Plex production facility in Fort Worth, Texas. TNDV leveraged SRT connectivity for secure, low-latency signal transport between the two points, ensuring a consistent near-real-time feed for all live broadcasts, reported the company, which is part of the Live Media Group.

TNDV’s custom flypack kit included four Kokusai Denki HD cameras for video capture and Haivision Makito X H.264 encoders for SRT transport, plus Sennheiser MD46 handheld mics and HMD 27 headsets for talent audio. Commentators on the live set used personal Model 214A announcer’s consoles from Studio Technologies, a Dante-enabled audio product that eliminates talkback, delays and other problems that interfere with discussion and intelligibility. This was a bit of a changeup from TNDV’s previous work with the TCL REMI team, which typically handles commentary locally.

“TCL’s usual strategy of producing commentary in-house removes all video and audio delay concerns,” Rob Devlin, president, TNDV, said. “The commentators for this event would often talk about what they are seeing on TV, and they needed to hear themselves in real time rather than on a two-second delay from flowing to the control room and back. The announcer’s consoles remove those distractions, and since we provide our own audio feed, we use them to manage each commentator’s mix.”

While the live set was staged in an open-air plaza by the action, TNDV had to get creative in other areas. The sole TNDV technician on-site, Devlin, transformed a hotel conference room into a temporary control room that was almost precisely 300 feet from key acquisition and production points. That kept home runs for all cables within the distance threshold, including dedicated camera cables and Cat5 for audio. Key components included an AJA router, Haivision encoding and camera engineering gear.

Three of the Kokusai Denki cameras were arranged in fixed positioned along the shoreline, while the fourth was added to a jib for live set coverage. And since no truck was required for the production workflow, shipping a jib required another dose of creative thinking, TNDV explained.

“Jib systems are largely built on site at events using barbells as a counterbalance to camera weight, which keeps everything nice and level,” Devlin said. “Shipping barbells amounts to extremely expensive shipping weights. We developed the idea of using water weights, which means shipping empty bags and adding 250 pounds of water on location. That made it feasible to ship an 18-foot arm, which was the ideal size for this event.”

Devlin also explained that driving a truck to Cabo San Lucas, located on the southern tip of Baja California, proved impractical for both business and technology reasons. “It’s a 20-hour drive from San Diego to Baja California, and there are desert roads all along that route,” Devlin said. “The fuel savings alone made sense, but the expense of sending a full truck crew for a modest-sized production didn’t equate. We restructured an existing TNDV flypack to meet size and weight parameters, and TSA and FAA air shipping requirements. Our flypacks have grown in popularity for many reasons, but this project was a prime example of positioning the flypack as an economical choice.”

More information is available at www.tndv.com.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Mobile and REMI production company TNDV has joined forces with sister company GameTime Productions to provide technical crewing and fly pack production services for the third TV season of “TCL Team Boxing League,” carried on Merit TV.

TNDV and GameTime resources were deployed to various venues across the country for ringside content acquisition and live program delivery to TCL’s REMI broadcast facility located at The Plex production facility in Fort Worth, Texas.

TNDV and GameTime, both Nashville-based divisions of Live Media Group, developed an on-site production strategy with minimal infrastructure and local technicians across all venues. TNDV shipped two fly packs with cameras, switching, routing, audio and support gear between venues on a rotational basis, giving TCL a professional, budget-friendly solution that removed road transport costs and required a minimal number of TNDV technicians.

GameTime Productions organized local technical crews in each city to execute TCL’s vision, typically operating four TNDV-supplied HD camera systems, including a jib, and TNDV’s flypack gear. Local venues provided the network infrastructure to relay video and audio signals to TCL’s REMI broadcast facility over the public internet.

The efficiency-driven crewing and technology strategy assured a smooth and consistent operation throughout the season, with few adjustments required.

“We occasionally changed the camera complement or would base the size of our jib on venue layout or available space,” said Rob Devlin, president of TNDV. “The careful planning and consideration in collaboration with our GameTime partners set the stage for a well-executed endeavor with manageable customer costs.”

GameTime’s expertise in sourcing local production talent untimely ensured success, especially considering the rural nature of select Season 3 venues.

“GameTime brings the benefit of elasticity, so we can easily scale up or adjust when working from a standard spec,” said Jenny Evans, GameTime Productions director of operations. “For ‘TCL Team Boxing League’ it was more about the nuances, like accounting for crew rest time during the longer double-match days.”

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.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.— Live Media Group Holdings (LMGH) has built and integrated a new production control room at TNDV headquarters, one of its three divisions, leveraging REMI (remote integration model) production.

“With REMI, the value proposition is that there’s no need to setup or build a full production suite at a remote location or send out skilled technical crew members to work the event. This cost-efficient approach allows for substantial savings on airfare, hotel and other travel costs, as well as streamlining complex logistics,” said TNDV president Rob Devlin. “Now, high-resolution camera feeds travel to us over IP and/or satellite from the remote location and our rich local talent pool handles the work right here.”

During the pandemic, TNDV sister company GameTime Productions began packaging live remote event productions for major networks, such as ESPN. When GameTime landed its first REMI production contract, TNDV had only 15 weeks to build its centralized video production control facilities to capitalize on the opportunity, it said.

A swift decision was made to convert an often-idle greenscreen studio that had been used for occasional satellite media tours. In its place, it designed and integrated an impressive, fully equipped 28-by-17-foot production control room suite, LMGH said.

The production control room is based on the Ross Video Ultrix Acuity platform with Ross XPression for real-time graphics creation. It integrates the Ross Acuity software-defined production engine with 4 M/E switcher cards, Ultrix hybrid routing and multiviewer capabilities, it said. 

The suite also provides adjacent, isolated areas for mixing digital audio and generating EVS-based sports replays and highlights, as well as comfortable seating for producers, technical directors, other team members and guests. If there’s a surge in demand for the REMI service, TNDV can harness a second control room that’s identically configured on its Elevation mobile unit, which is parked outside the building, it said.

TNDV’s facility already offered the critical REMI components, such as robust, reliable fiber-based high-speed internet and satellite uplink connectivity. TNDV added Haivision Makito X4 HEVC encoders enabling Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) of ultra-low latency 4K/UHD and HDTV High Dynamic Range (HDR) contribution video.

The Haivision Makito X4 platform ensures all incoming video signals for a particular event remain in sync for precision mixing and that the final program is dependably distributed to a customer’s destination. “Having these multiple tiers of transmission and networking is highly advantageous to REMI production and really sets this service apart,” said Devlin.

While the primary target is live sports, Devlin expects some projects will also come from music festivals and other live entertainment events—a core component of the TNDV live production business. The REMI control room first became operational in June 2024, with a series of women’s softball games produced for Athletes Unlimited. This new network of professional sports leagues specializes in delivering women’s pro basketball, softball, volleyball and lacrosse games for broadcast on networks, such as ESPN and Bally’s.

“With our new REMI service, we can now work with our media and entertainment customers any way they prefer,” said Devlin. “On-site production will never completely disappear, but in an era where many networks are hungry for content, using a REMI workflow helps with efficiency in delivering high-quality productions at lower cost. REMI saves content creators and broadcasters their two most valuable production commodities, time and money.”

More information is available on the TNDV and LMGH websites. 

NASHVILLE—TNDV has announced a complete refresh of its Aspiration production truck’s video, audio and IT infrastructure that brings the truck directly into the 4K world from 720p/1080i HD.

When TNDV hit the road with its Aspiration production truck in 2011, the 40-foot vehicle was celebrated as the first truck in the Southeast US to support live multicamera 3D productions. While 3D has faded, Aspiration found new life as the main truck for small to mid-sized corporate and entertainment events, and as the secondary truck for large broadcast and in-venue productions.

With the video, audio and IT infrastructure upgrade that now offers a 12G ecosystem, HDR processing capabilities, and modern systems from Evertz, Studer and Sony and other vendors, Aspiration is now positioned for success over a wider set of production scenarios. That includes sports production, with Aspiration serving as the main production truck for a 12-camera Tennis Championship match broadcast on the SEC Network in late April.

Its first post-refresh event, The March Madness Music Fest in April, Aspiration joined forces with TNDV’s Vibration audio truck at Hance Park in Phoenix to produce live performances for the three-day music festival, which coincided with the NCAA Final Four. Aspiration’s updated technology infrastructure, which includes Sony HDC-4300L 4K cameras, an Evertz NEXX router, and a Studer Vista 5 audio console, helped TNDV elevate the in-house AV experience for attendees. TNDV also switched and fed live video and audio to a third-party broadcast truck that brought select performances to air on CBS affiliates nationwide.

TNDV President Rob Devlin noted that the company wanted to increase audio capacity for multitracking – at 128 inputs, the Studer Vista V doubles the previous amount – and ensure that Aspiration could accommodate 12G throughput from the camera to the truck output. Transitioning to 12G would also slim down the infrastructure on board.

“We wanted to keep the video and audio as pure as possible,” he said. “The NEXX router was an essential part of this strategy. We historically had five or six purpose-built components to handle specific processing tasks. The NEXX brings responsibilities such as multiviewing, frame sync and audio embedding and de-embedding into a compact 5RU frame that fits easily on our truck, and it manages signal traffic without employing any compression to maintain purity. The fact that all embedding and de-embedding is achieved on the router inputs and outputs allows us to deliver the best possible audio quality from our Studer Vista 5 for live music and television.”

Like TNDV’s flagship Exclamation truck, the Studer console connects to ProTools and Sound Devices Pix multitracking systems and provides support for more discrete audio feeds to the truck than the original Aspiration supported. TNDV has also added DirectOut’s Prodigy units across its fleet (including Aspiration) to support varied audio workflow needs, including MADI transport, audio conversions, monitoring and sample rate processing.  

TNDV Founder Nic Dugger said Aspiration was the first truck he built for the company and the second he brought into service. 

“Aspiration has remained relevant because it can navigate tight streets and comfortably fit into small spaces, and remained affordable thanks to its modest technical infrastructure,” said Dugger, who served as March Madness Fest’s director this year. “Acting as the director for the new and improved Aspiration’s first event reinforced how much TNDV has grown over 13 years. Our refresh balances the costs of premium core systems with a streamlined infrastructure that can operated by a small crew. We are seeing strong interest from clients seeking affordable, high-end 1080p and 4K shoots requiring eight or more cameras.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—TNDV founder Nic Dugger with production colleagues from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) livestreamed the 74th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards, April 16, during the 100th NAB Show in Las Vegas.

The livestream was produced and delivered from a state-of-the-art LED Volume virtual studio at the Vû Las Vegas. The virtual studio allowed real-time rendered, full-motion imagery to be displayed on the curved LED panels that engulf the set, TNDV said.

“The use of the LED Volume studio on this awards show produced a visually captivating and immersive virtual set experience for our honorees, guests and audience,” said Dugger. “For a show based around technology and ingenuity, it was fitting to be in a facility that allowed attendees and viewers alike to feel like they were immersed in a cutting-edge environment.”  

Coverage of the ceremony—the second time Dugger has sat in the director’s chair for the awards—required close cooperation with NATAS head of IT services Delroy Binger, who oversaw distribution of the livestream to global audiences, it said.

Since the 2022 NAB Show, Binger and Dugger have worked together on three Emmy Award show productions, including the Daytime Emmy Awards live broadcast in June, and two exclusively livestreamed productions: The News and Documentary Emmy Awards in October and the Children and Family Emmy Awards in December, it said. 

Dugger also worked closely with Lisa Armstrong, head of NATAS production and events. The pair previously collaborated on Emmy Awards shows when Dugger served as technical producer, including the virtual versions of the News and Documentary Emmy Awards and Sports Emmy Awards that were streamed live from Nashville during the pandemic, it said.

ARRI, Harmonic, MultiDyne and NEC were among the honorees recognized for their innovation and technology achievements during this year’s ceremony. MultiDyne and ARRI were honored for their development of a digital cinema camera-mounted video extender for live audiences; Harmonic, Comcast and Intel for pioneering the development and deployment of a virtualized cable modem; WSC, IBM, Comcast and Google for AI-ML curation of sports highlights; and Nobukazu Teranishi and NEC for the invention and development of the pinned photodiode now used in most image sensors.

More information is available on the company’s website.

NASHVILLE—Mobile production company TNDV has made its second largest investment in Sony 4K/HD cameras, adding 20 Sony HDC-4300L camera systems, bringing a total of 28 Sony cameras to its gear portfolio.

Four of the newly acquired HDC-4300Ls have been placed on Exclamation, TNDV’s flagship 4K/HD mobile unit, bringing that truck’s camera complement to 12. The other 16 cameras have been split between Collaboration—TNDV’s newest truck, which rolled out on February 22—and Aspiration, another popular mainstay of TNDV’s mobile production fleet.

“The Sony brand is highly respected for high-end 4K video acquisition, and especially revered for live, large-scale entertainment event productions,” said TNDV President Rob Devlin. “The 4K image quality these cameras capture is impressive, even when displayed on massive LED screens in large arenas. With 12 cameras on Exclamation, we can easily handle large, 12-camera shows, or multi-camera shows that require ample backup cameras.” 

While Exclamation typically focuses on the biggest shows and events, Collaboration and Aspiration can now offer this same Sony 4K image quality on smaller entertainment event shoots. Professional cameras previously housed on those trucks have rippled down to smaller trucks in the fleet, such as Inspiration, as well as custom-configured flypacks the company said.

The Sony HDC-4300L camera system features three 2/3-inch 4K imagers and supports wide color gamut for precise color reproduction when shooting live. It enables 4K capture for multiple 4K and HD outputs and super slow motion, among other capabilities, while integrating seamlessly within Sony 4K live production workflows.

According to Devlin, the new cameras have already been used for live 4K/UHD production of two CMT Television series: CMT Crossroads and CMT Storytellers. “Our goal is to satisfy customer demands for Sony 4K acquisition and workflows, especially for large entertainment shows, while attracting more high-end customers for events of all sizes that prefer Sony cameras for their productions.”

NASHVILLE—Mobile production and audio facilities provider TNDV this week announced its adoption of LiveU rackmount decoders to support its evolving production business requirements, including remote integration model (REMI) production, while minimizing the cost of live acquisition and media networking.

TNDV recently bought a pair of LiveU LU20000 rackmount decoders. The units are used on its trucks and as part of its live production workflow in its Nashville network operations center (NOC).

The company also uses LiveU LU300 HEVC portable field transmitters for live content acquisition and to stream to its trucks and the NOC, it said.

“The simplicity of sharing the LU2000 between studio and remote applications was a major selling point for us,” said TNDV president Rob Devlin. “We can plug these into our network facility infrastructure on short notice and quickly integrate them into a remote broadcast that we manage from here in Nashville.” 

“We can just as quickly unplug it, put it on one of our trucks, and use it as part of a wireless camera system to capture a sports or entertainment event. We can even use it to provide reliable crosstown connections,” he said.

Recently, TNDV embedded two cameras outfitted with the LiveU wireless transmitters along with five wired Hitachi HD5000 cameras for coverage of the ACC Rowing Championship.

The races were recorded and returned to the ACC Network for post-production, with parts airing on a subsequent two-hour ACC Network special broadcast.

“We really wanted to make it more exciting than the traditional rowing event that anyone can watch from the shoreline,” said Devlin. “LiveU’s technology allowed to us get much closer to the action. We added them to what the ACC calls ‘chase boats,’ which placed us right next to the competitors on the lake.”
In the Nashville NOC, the LiveU LU2200 have helped TNDV manage the company’s growing REMI production business.

“We do a lot of live entertainment events, and as usual we had a busy season of concert festivals,” said Devlin. “While it’s not quite as exciting as how we use these on location, the dependability factor in our network facility is critical for REMI productions. Each of these units can take in four remote live HD feeds. It’s more of a set-it and forget-it type of application, but the reliability in performance is very important.”

TNDV leverages the LiveU Central management portal to monitor connections, quality and adjust settings as needed, he added.

The company has even used the LiveU LU2200 to assist with 4K transport over four-mile hop between venues during a concert assignment in Las Vegas.

More information is available on the company’s website.

NASHVILLE—Live Media Group Holdings (LMGH) has appointed Nic Dugger, longtime owner and president of company division TNDV, as chief marketing officer. Reporting to LMGH President Brad Sexton, Dugger will oversee marketing and communications for the company’s five divisions, including Live Mobile Group, Lyon Video and TNDV.

“Nic brings a marketing expertise to our executive team that will bring greater recognition to the Live Media Group Holdings company name and its brands throughout the many industries and business verticals we operate within,” said Sexton. “We are thrilled to create this position specifically with Nic in mind to lead our company-wide marketing vision now and well into the future.”

Dugger founded TNDV in October 2004, and over 15 years grew the company from a single-truck operation to a 10-truck fleet, developing a full production crew for live television, entertainment, worship and corporate event services throughout the United States. He has continued to lead the TNDV division following LMGH’s acquisition of his company in 2019.

Dugger started his career as the student television station manager at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), while also working as a freelance producer for live regional election returns and four Midsouth Regional Emmy Award telecasts. He has since received 14 Emmy Awards for live production, technical achievements and directing at TNDV.

“I am very excited at the opportunity to present our message to the world in ways that help people understand who we are, what we do, and how we are different from our competitors,” said Dugger. “My goal is to extrapolate the marketing successes we had over 15 years at TNDV, and scale that for a much larger company that offers an incredible diversity in production services throughout North America.”

TNDV production engineer Rob Devlin steps into the role of TNDV president with Dugger’s promotion.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—TNDV, a full-service provider of mobile production and audio facilities, as well as production and secondary services for broadcast television, live entertainment, and AV-related productions, has added new features to its “Virtual Press Room,” a specially-engineered turnkey video production and streaming solution that enables live, virtual celebrity media tours and red carpet interviews for remote journalists. 

Introduced during the height of the pandemic, TNDV has added several enhancements to Virtual Press Room in its second generation, which were developed following initial trials for national events. Updates include simultaneous content distribution to multiple online entertainment streaming platforms, including People, E! Entertainment and Extra TV. TNDV has also added the ability to produce one-on-one interviews in addition to group-style interviews, and has increased the speed of raw footage distribution to studios after interviews are completed.

The Virtual Press Room positions the artist, musician, producer, or other participant of a newsworthy entertainment event in front of a broadcast-quality camera while facing a large-format Zoom-style multi-viewer that displays live remote video of participating reporters, according to the company. It can be deployed within minutes, and extends the reach of large press conferences that were once always conducted in person. 

“The initial inspiration for the Virtual Press Room was to keep reporters and artists safe during the pandemic,” said Nic Dugger, Chief Marketing Officer, Live Media Group Holdings. “The early feedback we received proves the Virtual Press Room has staying power. Entertainment news reporters worldwide find it very convenient and cost-efficient to interview celebrities associated with a newsworthy national and international entertainment event. We have taken the time-proven elements of the traditional satellite media tour, added options for broader distribution, and put them to work in the exciting environment of a live award show press room.”

According to Dugger, positive feedback to date has emphasized both safety and cost-efficiency, as well as the simple but clever technology workflow. “The artist is there on site, trophy in hand, and in a controlled environment,” said Dugger. “Instead of facing 50 journalists in a cramped meeting space, the artist walks into a room with a giant flat screen display. We find that the format invites more casual conversations, with fewer interruptions. Everyone can hear and see each other, and we have high-quality cameras to capture the visual essence. Reporters can record the conversations, file their reports as if they were live in the press room, and share with media colleagues so they can start editing their reports for news programming.”

Dugger adds that content is uploaded in HD from two angles: one facing the artist to capture a normal fixed perspective; and a reverse angle looking over the artist’s shoulder and toward the reporters on screen. He refers to the complete solution as a “portable control room” that can be deployed on a TNDV production truck or within a flypack. 

“That infrastructure allows is to switch between multiple cameras, and we can mix and sweep the audio,” he said. “We can control IFB foldback with a mix/minus. But the virtual element is all about how we transmit. We can use a simple conferencing platform like Zoom, Teams or Skype, or we can go the more traditional route with an uplink truck. We recently used a Ku-band uplink option and sent satellite coordinates that allowed broadcast outlets worldwide to tune their satellites to our feed. We can deploy this in any way that the client wants.”

To date, TNDV has successfully provided the Virtual Press Room to media tours associated with such high-profile entertainment events as the ACM (Academy of Country Music) Awards, the CMA (Country Music Association) Awards, and the CMT (Country Music Television) Awards—and he sees opportunity to evolve the platform in fresh and innovative ways moving forward.

“Even as social distancing restrictions ease and travel safety improves,” he added, “We expect that this solution will continue to be an appealing virtual option enabling live remote media tours and red-carpet events for many years to come.”

NASHVILLE—TNDV has announced that it has just wrapped TV production services for new episodes of “Bluegrass Underground: The Caverns Sessions,” which will return to PBS this year for its 11th season. 

TNDV, which is a division of Live Media Group Holdings,  has provided all equipment and technical crew for 10 seasons of the nationally syndicated series.

The live concerts were captured by the TNDV production crew from March 18-20 at The Caverns, which became the official venue for "Bluegrass Underground" performances for Season 10. Located in Grundy County, Tennessee, The Caverns is a subterranean amphitheater housed in a natural cave. While the facility now includes The Caverns Above Ground Amphitheater, which was opened during the pandemic, The Caverns Sessions were recorded in the underground concert hall.

“This was the rebirth of `Bluegrass Underground’” said Nic Dugger, chief marketing officer, Live Media Group Holdings. “We have tried to produce new episodes a couple of times during the pandemic, but we finally got some dates on the books. It was like getting the family back together again – but with a new attitude.” 

TNDV used Aspiration, its 40-foot expando truck anchored by a Grass Valley K-Frame production switcher, for the shoot. Setup was simplified with the use of a single-mode fiber infrastructure, which TNDV installed for a previous season, as well as on-site power that eliminated the need for generators. The Caverns is “basically off-road,” Dugger explained, so a Class A truck was not an option. 

While Dugger said the performances have a “very solid line cut,” each of the truck’s eight Hitachi SK-HD1200 cameras were ISO recorded to AJA Ki Pro Rack devices for post. “The director and assistant director play a tag team role in making sure we have accurate coverage across all bands,” he added. “The director essentially acts as a technical director, as he likes to punch his own show. While the song is being performed live, the assistant director is telling the camera operators what’s about to happen. When there’s a guitar solo, we already have one or more cameras ready to capture the performance.”

The production included 64 channels of audio, engineered through a Soundcraft Vi3000 mixer and recorded to Pro Tools, with Sound Devices PIX 270i recorders used as backup. “In addition to the bands, we also have to mic the room,” he explained. “We need crowd noise and applause. And because a lot of the music is post mix, we capture that to Pro Tools.”

Dugger added that all entities involved in the production have learned how to work safely with the audience, crews and performers in alignment with pandemic safety protocols. That included a robust TNDV crew of production professionals. Dugger’s team included eight camera operators and a video shader for camera color correction, in addition to the two-director team.   

The new season will be broadcast nationally on PBS in partnership with WCTE, the PBS member station in Cookeville, Tennessee, that serves the Upper Cumberland region. Scheduled performers include Del McCoury Band, Widespread Panic, Lucinda Williams, and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit.

NASHVILLE—For more than a decade, TNDV: Television has provided live production support for the CMA Awards, working directly with media outlets onsite to support live coverage. That consecutive string continued for the 53rd Annual CMA Awards, which were presented Nov. 13, 2019, at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

TNDV’s technical responsibilities are focused less on the main event and more on supplying the equipment, infrastructure and crew to support surrounding production activities. This includes the ever-popular “Red Carpet” event, previously held outdoors.

This year, the Country Music Association (CMA) opted to move the event indoors at the nearby Music City Center, to avoid weather-related distractions that have marred years past. The transition threw us a curve ball heading into the event—we were now tasked with managing signal transport between two buildings across different city blocks, without any feasible way to run cable.

FORGING CONNECTIONS

We explored dark fiber as a viable transport option, and discovered a fiber interconnect between the two buildings. We calculated our fiber strand requirements and reasoned we would need 10 to get the job done. While technically possible, the expense for each strand far exceeded the production budget. We were given clearance for a single strand, and turned to MultiDyne’s FiberSaver.

The FiberSaver optical multiplexer can combine up to 18 HD-SDI feeds or optical signals of any wavelength onto a single strand. This architecture offered the solution for our “Red Carpet” event requirements: The ability to transmit and receive multiple signals between the two venues, while keeping the CMA on budget.

FiberSaver accommodated multiple video feeds (nine transmits, nine receives) available to media outlets before, during and after the event. Media outlets could choose from generic step and repeat feeds, limo arrivals, press room feeds and ABC’s network feed, and do so from any location between the two buildings. Traditional fiber hardware would require a strand of fiber per video feed in each direction, but FiberSaver carried all video feeds bidirectionally. The TNDV crew also leveraged Fiber-Saver to transport a bidirectional IP data feed, which allowed us to remotely control several robotic cameras.

AN EASY FIT

Setup was quick and straightforward. The FiberSaver offers a compact footprint and fits on tabletops inside each video village. We added each FiberSaver to a road case, prepared our SMPTE single-mode fiber interconnects and leveraged a custom-built BNC patch panel to manage inputs and outputs as they transitioned from fiber and copper. These simple connections allow the FiberSaver to work its magic and transport a clean multiplex between the two units. There is no need to recompress signals, as everything remains in the digital domain. FiberSaver provided a consistent digital signal for all 18 feeds, with no packet data loss or degradation.

We rely on MultiDyne for many of our live production needs, and use its SMPTE HUT transceivers and other fiber conversion gear. The FiberSaver’s level of reliability for the CMA Awards gives us the confidence we need to support optical multiplexing for today’s largest live productions and broadcast events.

Nic Dugger is the executive vice president of mobile production for TNDV: Television. He can be reached atnic@tndv.com.

For more information on MultiDyne, visit www.multidyne.com.

NASHVILLE, TN.—TNDV has redesigned and upgraded its Destination live multi-camera HD production truck to offer sports and entertainment producers an agile, compact mobile production solution in a 40-foot form factor.

“While there are plenty of full-sized HD production trucks on the road today, there aren’t many that can fit backstage or in the alley behind the venue,” said TNDV President and owner Nic Dugger. “By offering the same firepower in a much smaller footprint, Destination definitely fills that void in this specialized, niche market.”

The truck, originally called Blackjack, had been owned by three different companies before being acquired by TNDV, moved to Atlanta and parked outside the Philips Arena (now State Farm Arena) for four years where it was used to produce the home games of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks.

Once done with that coverage, the vehicle was redesigned, upgraded and rebranded. Destination was re-engineered with a robust infrastructure to handle a high density of video and audio feeds, said Dugger.

The redesigned Destination has expanding sides that broaden the production vehicle from nine to 11.5 feet. The interior is divided into a main video production area, an audio suite and an isolated video production space to allow producers and editors to work on content without disrupting live shows.

The main production space is equipped with a Ross Carbonite 3 M/E production switcher, which faces a large multiviewer. Digital video effects and live broadcast graphics options include two Ross xPression dual-channel CG systems, and either a Chyron Duet Hyper X3 or Pinnacle Deko 3000 dual-channel live graphics system.

A bank of AJA Video Ki Pro digital disc recorders are provided to record programs. Sony 1800 HDCam and Panasonic AJ-HD1200A VTRs are available as options. The production area also offers a six-channel EVS HD XT[2] slo-mo system for live sports production.

Destination carries Hitachi SK-HD 1200 portable HD studio/field production cameras that are capable of low-noise 1080p image capture with support for high dynamic range (HDR).

Audio support includes a Soundcraft Si Impact 32-facer digital audio mixer with a Soundcraft stagebox. A large Imagine Communications Platinum router handles video signal distribution, including multiviewer support.

More information is available on the TNDV website.

NASHVILLE, TENN.—TNDV: Television has added a new tool to its Exclamation 53-foot double-expando 3G/4K mobile truck with the purchase of multiple Sony HDC-4300 cameras.

The HDC-4300 is a 4K camera that features three 2/3-inch 4K imaging sensors and HDR capability. TNDV is expected to use the camera for live multi-camera 4K productions like sports, entertainment and special events.

TNDV cited the camera’s familiar user interface and high-bandwidth 4K-resolution imagery as key reasons for acquiring the product.

NASHVILLE, TENN.—TNDV is acquiring some strong horse sense when it comes to the production needs for the annual “Road to the Horse” competition. Partnering for the 10th straight year on the production, TNDV helped capture and broadcast the competition to those in attendance and through a live webcast and on TV.

“Road to the Horse” is a three-day competition that sees contestants try to tame and then ride colts that had never been ridden before. This year’s competition was an all-female affair amongst the contestants.

For coverage of the event, TNDV used a complement of HD gear, including Hitachi Z-HD5000 cameras, the Soundcraft Vi3000 console for mixing multiple audio channels and recording through a ProTools HDX and a Sound Devices Pix270 recorder. Each contestant was also outfitted with a Shure UHFR wireless lavalier mic.

TNDV is a broadcast and live production company based in Nashville, Tenn.

NASHVILLE, TENN.—Mobile production specialist TNDV made a pit stop at the 2016 CMA Awards back in 2016, using its Exclamation truck to produce a Red Carpet broadcast. The event was one of the first times that TNDV utilized the Exclamation’s 4K capabilities, per TNDV’s press release. TNDV aslo supplied its Aspiration truck to handle additional HD productions, including a livestream over Facebook.

DirecTV hired TNDV and the Exclamation truck for the express purpose of producing a 4K broadcast of the DirecTV AT&T Red Carpet Special. Exclamation deployed its quad-link architecture, which leveraged the truck’s existing Grass Valley Kayenne switcher, AJA Fido fiber bricks, and Ross Xpression graphics to achieve 4K quality. EVS XT3 instant replay servers and Sony 4K cameras were also added to the truck for this production.

The live Facebook stream of the ABC Backstage program was also new this year, joining the usual live stream on ABC.com that TNDV produces. For these streams TNDV employed Hitachi SK-HD 1300 HD cameras that distributed live content back to the truck and then live-switched to an onboard streaming server for delivery to mobile and web platforms.

Additional gear utilized during the production included a Studer Vista X system in the Exclamation for mixing of native 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo feeds; wired and wireless crowd mics; a shared routing architecture between the Exclamation and Aspiration that supported 72 video inputs, 128 video outputs and 32 multiviewer outputs; custom multiviewer outputs were also provided.

This is the ninth year that TNDV has assisted with production for the CMA Awards.

NASHVILLE, TENN.—TNDV has added an exclamation to its line on mobile production trucks, launching its first 53-foot, double-expando Class A truck to offer native 1080p broadcast and production capability, the Exclamation. The truck also offers 4K quad-link capabilities thanks to a Grass Valley Kayenne switcher, AJA KiPro recorders, and audio production and recording gear built around a Studer Vista X missing console from Harman.

The Exclamation can accommodate a crew of 30 throughout the truck, with 15 in production control alone. It offers full 1080p broadcast and production support with 24 fps capability. The installed GV Kayenne switcher offers up to 192 inputs and 96 outputs of native 1080p support, with the ability to support 4K productions upon request. The truck’s infrastructure supports up to 20 Hitachi SK-HD1300 cameras, with the option of using 4K cameras by plugging into Exclamation’s 4K backbone.

In addition, TNDV has installed new vendors into the Exclamation truck, including Cobalt Digital’s digital conversion and distribution gear; TSL Audio’s analog/digital/MADI audio monitoring and tally light control; and Flanders Scientific and Boland Communication’s multi-format video monitoring. TNDV also will continue to use AJA’s KiPro recorders, RTS’ ADAM intercom matrix, and Imagine Communications Platinum video router, which also integrates four Imagine HView modules and 12 QuadSplit cards.

TNDV says that the Exclamation truck has already been used for a large annual corporate event, and is scheduled to service an upcoming Baptist Convention in St. Louis, a music even in Nashville, and a special broadcast event in Los Angeles.

NASHVILLE, TENN.—Mobile production company TNDV recently organized two live worship events on both the east and west coast. TNDV provided turnkey HD production services to both events, which were held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and on the National Mall in Washington D.C., including mobile trucks, production crews operating multiple cameras, and associated video and audio infrastructures.

TNDV helped create a live link between the two, unrelated events. The live contribution was established with hardware from Teradek and Corporate Events Online helping to manage the live bi-directional link. The real-time HD feeds were encoded and decoded while communications were established over VoIP hardware interfaced with an RTS matrix intercom on each truck. That connectivity allowed for the transmission and reception of program content over a bandwidth-rich connection for optimum image quality.

The coverage of LA’s AzusaNow event featured TNDV’s 40-foot Aspiration truck, nine Hitachi SK-HD1000 cameras, SMPTE-HUT fiber transceivers and support for in-venue IMAG and live broadcasts. In D.C., the company used its Elevation HD truck to power cameras, video and graphics playback, and audio mixing and multitracking for the UnitedCry event.

NASHVILLE, TENN.—ABC broadcasted the 49th annual Country Music Awards in November, but TNDV was also on fan to provide fans with live streaming coverage of the night’s events. TNDV has worked with Disney/ABC on the Country Music Awards for the last six years, but for this year’s broadcast its role expanded to produce video of the CMA Press Conference, live celebrity interviews, and pressroom and backstage happenings.

TNDV records a backstage interview

Part of these expanded duties included “CMA Awards Backstage,” a live, multi-camera streaming second-screen experience that offered a behind-the-scenes look from the red carpet to the ceremony. For the live stream, TNDV produced four live, uninterrupted HD streams that viewers could select to watch on mobile devices. 16 HD cameras were used for the production.

TNDV utilized a crew of 34 with dozens of cameras, live sound and lighting kits, monitors, fiber cabling, and its 40-foot expanding side HDTV truck Aspiration.

NASHVILLE, TENN.—After just a year and a half in its new warehouse in Nashville, TNDV is expanding the space to add more creative services for onsite production and event streaming. TNDV will add a large studio space, green screen, satellite downlink capabilities and in-house live streaming servers for live events.

While TNDV is primarily known as a mobile production specialist, this expansion comes along as the company begins to focus more on fixed video production and post work, including multi-camera shoots, graphics, editing and multitrack audio recording. The expansion will build on the warehouse’s existing capabilities, which include a built-in networked infrastructure, 4K UHD displays and recording technology, and fiber-optic tie lines.

Dow Smith, who was in charge of the initial project, will lead the expansion project. The target date to complete the expansion project is early November.