Mobile production company Game Creek Video used a pair of Grass Valley high-definition production switchers to cover the Daytona 500 for Fox Sports on Sunday, Feb. 18.
The multicamera, live 720p HD production was so audio-, video- and effects-intensive, that a 3 M/E Grass Valley Kayak HD production switcher was used as a "sub-switcher" to capture and interweave live action replays and isolation feeds into a single feed, according to Grass Valley. The feed was relayed to a Grass Valley Kalypso switcher in the main truck, which incorporated it with other sources for the live telecast.
Paul Bonar, vice president of engineering for Game Creek Video, said the two switchers were also used for smaller races at Daytona during the week leading up to Sunday's main event.
Game Creek considered putting another Grass Valley Kalypso HD switcher to use, but stated that the compact (4 RU) Kayak was enough to fill its need for a powerful switcher with a small footprint for their "B" unit.
The New Hampshire-based provider had four mobile units on-site in Florida for NASCAR on FOX. The trucks handled everything from audio and video feeds to complete editing and Web streaming, and were linked via fiber-optic cabling.
