Vendors throw 3Gb/s switch
Mar 12, 2009 10:06 AM, By Michael Grotticelli
Chris Marchitelli, marketing manager for Sony’s Content Creation division, said it could be five years before 1080/60p signals are broadcast to the home (where many sets have now infiltrated the living room), but vendors have to invest in R&D now to get the product ready.
Seeking demand
“We don't see a big demand [for 3Gb/s processing] today, but as more new facilities are built, engineers are thinking about the 1080p/60 format and adding it into their future roadmaps,” he said.
FOR-A’s HVS-5000 was one of the first switchers on the market to offer true 3Gb/s I/O capability.
With the major switcher vendors holding off on native 3Gb/s capability this year, there’s an opportunity for some of the smaller players to make some noise. That’s perhaps why companies like Broadcast Pix and Echolab have announced they’ll show (or soon will show) such products.
Broadcast Pix will show its new Slate G Series, replacing its current generation of live, integrated production systems, with a new quad workstation that houses the Slate video processing boards and is upgradeable to 3Gb/s 1080p boards (expected later this year). The Slate G Series and a prototype of its 3G upgrade will be shown at NAB in the Broadcast Pix booth (SU2617).
“There’s ongoing discussions that we’ve had with customers, who are considering investing in a new switcher but don't want to have to get rid of it in there years when 3Gb/s is commonplace,” said Ken Swanton, president of Broadcast Pix. “That’s why having a clear, upgradeable path is the right solution for smaller broadcasters and production facilities that have embraced our products.”
Making the overture
Echolab has developed a new platform for its Overture switchers unveiled at last year’s NAB Show that includes the internal circuitry necessary to perform single-link processing of 3Gb/s signals. Of course, the system didn’t have 3Gb/s I/O connectors then because the company couldn't readily get the necessary serializers. This year, the components are available, and they’re now available on the switcher.
“There’s still very little 3Gb/s equipment out there in users’ hands, so there’s not a lot of need for switching of these types of productions,” said Echolab President Nigel Sprattling, adding that he’s had trouble finding 3Gb/s sources to test the company’s Overture switcher. Echolab will demonstrate its Overture switcher routing sources from a Blu-ray player, for lack of a 1080p/60 camera.
“We built the Overture MD switcher for 3Gb/s from the start because we are new to the large switcher game and had to make a stand,” he said. “We had the capability last year but didn’t bother to talk about it because nobody would have been interested.”
Large input, 3Gb/s
FOR-A will showcase its HVS-5000 switcher series at NAB for the second straight year. The switcher — in three sizes — was one of the first prototype 3Gb/s models available, and the first large-input switcher for FOR-A. In addition to 1080/60p HD signals, the switcher supports 1080/59.94p and 1080/50p formats (for European broadcasters). An optional up/downconverter card also supports mixed input from HD and SD signals.
“The company wanted to be the first to make the move, recognizing that it will be part of our industry’s future,” said Anthony Klick, Northeast and Midwest sales manager for FOR-A. The company markets 3Gb/s color correctors and frame synchronizers as well. “We know that the American market is not 100 percent mature, but in other parts of the world [Europe, Korea and Latin America], we have sold 10 of these switchers.”
The investment in large-scale switchers is significant, both financially and logistically, considering that the buyer will probably use it for at least 10 years. In the end, it’s up to the customer to decide how soon the format will truly take off.
“I’m curious what the American market, particularly sports producers, is going to say this year,” Klick said. “Last year, we gave them a taste, and this year, they'll see production models on the floor. Now, it’s up them.”
| Want to use this article? Click here for options! |  |
