NBC has completely integrated HD EVS XT[2] servers into its sports broadcasting infrastructure at 30 Rockefeller Center in New York City.
All of the game feeds that are brought into the 30 Rock facility are recorded on one of the 16 XT[2] servers that have been installed in the new state-of-the-art HD production systems area used by NBC Sports.
Metadata describing the action on the field is created using one of the 34 EVS IP Director suites. Producers are equipped with their own individual IP Director browsing station that gives them the ability to intelligently sort through the enormous amount of material that is being recorded.
They search against terms such as “Third Down” or “Touch Down” and have a complete overview of the “story” pertaining to each game. This sort of interconnected workflow allows multiple producers to collaborate on the various pieces that are part of the show.
Down the hall from the highlight operation, the analysts sit in a special screening room that allows them to watch multiple feeds, review and mark plays on the XT[2] network. They use the logs to spot trends that may have not been apparent before, such as a team's tendency to run on third-down, or a certain player's performance in various situations with instant access to every recording while the game is still in progress.
The announcers can contribute to bins that are visible to the producers and editors and thereby clearly communicate which plays they want to see in their packages. For the producers and editors, the system is very flexible. They no longer need to worry about where a feed was recorded. Once it is captured by any server on the network, it is available to any and all outputs simultaneously.
For more information, visit www.evs.tv.