The Gefen 4x4 DVI DL Matrix switcher
PURCHASE, N.Y.: Prior to the start of the 2011 Major League Baseball season, ANC Sports Enterprises installed three new high-definition video screens at historic Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.
The installation presented several challenges for us, including how to integrate this new technology into the ballpark without upsetting its traditional atmosphere.
MAKING NEW LOOK OLD
One of the tools we used to accomplish this is our patented operating system, VisionSOFT, which is capable of presenting unique graphic and statistical imagery in sports applications. The platform allows displays to look just like old manually-changed scoreboards. The can also provide a great deal of in-game and league-wide statistics, and, on command, dissolve into full motion animations and video.
Despite the implementation of this new signage, to arriving fans arriving at the ballpark, the scoreboards looked just as they did the prior year. (This unique large television display visual can be viewed at http://multimedia.ancsports.com/Baseball/Boston-Red-Sox/16395189_Qz5yz#1335496784_G24cz7s-A-LB.)
As part of this scoreboard project, we selected two Gefen DVI Switchers for use in the ballpark control room to help distribute content to the video system. A Gefen 4x4 DVI KVM dual link matrix (EXT-DVIKVM-444DL) is also run in parallel with the Gefen 4x4 DVI dual link matrix (EXT-DVI-444DL), with everything synchronized together. Both switchers route four video inputs to four displays to provide support for dual link DVI video resolutions of up to 3840x2400. The 4x4 DVI KVM dual kink matrix also routes USB keyboard/ mouse control for each input, allowing expanded access to data without the need for a networked system.
We’ve experienced a very high rate of success and low rate of failure with Gefen products, and have found the flexibility of the company’s technology to be its greatest asset, particularly since many of the components helping to run the signage systems are more than 10 years old.
BUILDING BLOCKS FOR SUCCESS
In order to meet the needs of the unique installation at Fenway Park, we needed to be able to fully preview content in the control room before pushing the visuals live. Due to ANC’s software capabilities for distributing uncompressed content, this preview function required multiple DVI outputs. By combining two Gefen matrix switchers with a single DVI input, we were able to create a dual DVI output.
We found Gefen’s matrix switching technology to be similar to Legos—an interconnection of pieces to create a dynamically visual presentation. Gefen’s DVI matrix switchers enable us to create a new customized solution for Fenway Park which met the venue’s individual objectives.
Mark Stross is the chief technology officer at ANC Sports Enterprises. He may be contacted at mstross@ancsports.com.
For additional information, contact Gefen at 800-545-6900 or visit gefen.com.
