Mobile TV Group has selected Grass Valley to supply the cameras and production switcher for its first triple-feed mobile production truck.
To be built by sister company Colorado Studios, 33HDX will feature 11 of the new LDX Series cameras and an 8M/E Kayenne Video Production Center switcher with three control surfaces. Those surfaces will include a four-stripe Kayenne control panel, a two-stripe Kayenne control panel and a 1M/E KSP soft-panel. Mobile TV Group chose the LDX Première, a dual-format HD camera optimized for broadcast applications.
A triple-feed truck is designed to produce three distinct productions from a single event. Home shows will be produced from the 100-display production area in 33HDX; the visitor's telecast will come out of a three-bench production room in VMU33; and a third feed will come from the traditional dual-feed room of 33HDX. A triple-feed truck can also accommodate Spanish language feeds and pre/postgame shows.
Combined, 33HDX and VMU33 — which are completely integrated with video, audio and intercom — will have three production areas, three integrated audio rooms and two networked replay areas.
“33HDX will have a lot of firsts for Mobile TV Group to better serve our customers,” said Philip Garvin, general manager for Mobile TV Group. “The 11 LDX Première cameras will be the first of the LDX Series cameras in our fleet, and we can’t wait to start using these advanced cameras. Teamed with the Grass Valley Kayenne with K-Frame, we’ll also have our first triple-feed truck. Until the Kayenne with K-Frame, a triple-feed truck wasn't practical because it needs more than two control panels. We need at least three control panels and enough mix-effects buses so that all three feeds have the M/E power they need to do a quality show. Grass Valley made the triple-feed 33HDX and VMU33 possible.”
One of the primary benefits of Mobile TV Group's triple-feed system is that it requires a shorter set-up time as venue video and audio sources need only to be connected to one truck (33HDX), rather than two or three. Distribution to VMU33 will be through dedicated trunk lines. The resources of a single production switcher, routing switcher and intercom system are shared.