Churchill Downs routes with Utah Scientific
The broadcasting arm of Churchill Downs has chosen the UTAH-400 series SD/HD routing switcher along with SC-4 routing control systems for the digital upgrade of two of its production trucks. The new signal management equipment will add capacity, ease the transition from analog to digital, improve production quality and make the production crew's job easier.
Churchill Downs Simulcast Productions (CDSP) produces live programming from five racetracks throughout the country, including the famed Churchill Downs in Louisville, home of the annual Kentucky Derby. CDSP programming is distributed to more than 1000 off-track betting facilities across the United States and Canada.
CDSP chose the UTAH-400 routers to replace analog routers as part of a broader upgrade that also includes the replacement of video servers. CDSP's Mobile Unit B (MU-B), based at Calder Race Course in Miami, was first to complete the upgrade in March with a complete UTAH-400 routing system configured for 48 x 40 SD video, 16 x 24 analog video and 32 x 32 stereo audio.
For more information, visit www.utahscientific.com.
YES HD truck sports Zandar MultiViewer
A compact Zandar Predator HD8 MultiViewer configured to display eight fixed images using the company’s DualQuad mode is installed inside the YES HD outside broadcast vehicle for YES Productions, based in New Orleans.
The 53ft expando HD trailer and mobile truck (designed and integrated by Beck Associates) provides SD and HD production services to handle a mix of live sports, concerts and special events.
The Zandar Predator HD8 unit drives a 37in display device centered in front of a production switcher area. It is integrated with an EVS software system that brings in graphics from a range of SD and HD sources including the Grass Valley Kalypso HD production system and a separate router. A TSL 100 tally and UMD system and Image Video software is integrated and supported by the Predator HD8 unit.
For more information, visit www.zandar.com.
Indy 500 goes the distance in HD
The recent Indianapolis 500 was broadcast live in HD from the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
More than 200 technicians used more than 40 Sony HDC-1500 cameras (plus eight in-car SD cameras) that were linked to an on-site production trailer. The longest cable run measured 7800ft.
The production facility was housed in two 60ft by 12ft trailers to form a single 60ft by 24ft unit. At the center of the production room was a Sony 8000 production switcher coupled with a Sony router. A mixture of Ikegami and Sony monitors (with 40 Sony LCD panels mixed in with some 9in glass monitors), a tape room with EVS replay servers and an audio room based around a Calrec 100 console and a Klotz audio router were also used.
In total, 10 trailers were located on-site, including the YES Production truck used by ABC, several trucks for IMS Productions, an archive trailer and an Avid editing trailer.
