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The Dallas Cowboys Stadium

Jan 1, 2010 12:00 PM, By Don Rooney

Delivering an exclusive game-day experience to 80,000 spectators is no easy task.

A total of 16 HD cameras are available to the Cowboys' production crew. These include eight Sony HDC-1450 cameras with Canon lenses, one Sony PDW-700 with a MRC/LINK RF system, three Sony HDC-X310 POV cameras and four Canon BU-45H robo cameras with a Crestron PRO2 control system.

Content recording and playback is via a variety of devices that include a six-channel EVS slo-mo system with IP Director, two-record/four-playback channels of NEXIO server, a two-channel Click Effects CrossFire, a Sony HDCAM, two Sony XDCAMS and three Chyron HyperX3 CGs.

Although the main in-house audio mix is handled by the PA system, which ProMedia installed, the control rooms required two different audio controls. One is a way to create a basic audio mix that may be recorded or sent to the in-house distribution. This was accomplished by designing a CobraNet system that feeds three Yamaha mixing surfaces (one in each control room). The second requirement was a small mixer that could provide a “room mix” so the control room crew can hear sources such as the PA mix and referee mic to help guide their productions.

During an event, the control room crew has to communicate with camera operators, network production trucks and numerous personnel for coordination of player introductions, cheerleader performances, PA announcer, PA mixing control and a variety of other events that may require audio and/or video support. To accomplish this, a Riedel Artist 128-matrix frame was selected for its ease of setup, configuration and user interface. This system ties together all internal Riedel functions, as well as ties to outside devices such as two-way radios, wireless intercoms and wireless IFBs. It also can be linked with other systems via a four-wire to two-wire conversion and a source assignment panel.

Outcome

The state-of-the-art control rooms at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium are a perfect complement to support this technologically advanced facility. These systems seamlessly integrate with the rest of the facility including the four large center hung screens, eight outdoor Daktronics displays, two Barco displays at one of the end zones, four channels of the in-house IPTV system, thousands of LCD displays as well as the PA system.

The control rooms have the flexibility to integrate with network production trucks and other outside systems and will help set the tone for future stadium control room design. In short, it does everything Towell requested and more.

Don Rooney is VP engineering at Burst.