LINCOLN, Neb.—HuskerVision, the University of Nebraska athletics department’s video production and multimedia operation, has deployed Grass Valley K-Frame production switchers and LDX cameras as part of a new SMPTE ST 2110 production facility supporting sports venues across the campus.
The six-month project created three new control rooms and replaced HuskerVision’s aging baseband infrastructure with an IP production environment. The facility gives its production teams the capacity to support events across campus with UHD and HDR capability built into the system as they are needed.
Operated by students and staff, HuskerVision produces video and multimedia content for University of Nebraska Athletics.
“We had the opportunity to look at how we wanted to produce content across our venues for the next several years, rather than simply replacing the equipment we already had,” HuskerVision Director of Technology Garrett Hill said. “Grass Valley gave us the combination of functionality and price-to-performance we were looking for with an IP production system that can support what we need today and our move toward UHD in the future.”
The new facility uses Grass Valley LDX 135 and LDX 150 cameras, with XCU Xpress UXF base stations connecting the camera systems into the ST 2110 environment. The LDX 135 provides native UHD acquisition, while the LDX 150 supports multi-format production with both camera systems providing HDR and native IP capabilities.
Two Kayenne K-Frame SXP-I production switchers provide the main production control, with support for HD, 3G and 12G UHD production. Advanced IP I/O and 100 GbE connectivity carry signals across the IP infrastructure, while Creative Grading panels and a central control server provide color and HDR management.
The two switcher configurations provide separate production positions, giving HuskerVision the resources to manage multiple productions across its event calendar. The IP architecture also allows Grass Valley and third-party systems to operate across the same network rather than relying on fixed baseband routing.
An important part of the project was to give students experience with technology they are likely to encounter in professional live production. Grass Valley equipment is widely deployed across production trucks in the U.S., making familiarity with K-Frame and LDX systems relevant beyond their work at the university.
Grass Valley worked with systems integrator BeckTV on the deployment, which also included commissioning and on-site operational and technical training.
Grass Valley will exhibit in Booth 121 at NAB Show New York, Oct. 21–22, at the Javits Center in Manhattan. Visitors can learn more about the company’s latest live production, IP infrastructure and software-defined production technologies.
More information is available on the company’s website.
