One of the twin themes of this NAB show—accommodating 4K technologies and bundling in hybrid IP infrastructures—trickled into the purview of production switchers and routers. Combined with new GUIs, portability and compact stature, to name just a few, the newest slate of switcher and router options offered a sizable batch of real-world solutions.
SWITCHERS/INTEGRATEDI PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
AQ BROADCAST showed the newest features within the aQ Production Suite, an integrated production solution that combines components from a typical studio workflow into a single system.
Mondae Hott (L) of Ensemble Designs points out a feature of the company’s BrightEye NXT 450 clean streaming router to Taylor Mason of the Hosanna Lutheran Church.BLACKMAGIC DESIGN debuted a 4K option for the ATEM switcher and the Smart Videohub, an Ultra HD mixed-format router with built-in video monitoring and spinning knob control capability.
BROADCAST PIX debuted the Roadie mobile integrated production system, featuring built-in HD streaming and recording and even a pop-up handle. The company also showed new software solutions for the Granite and Mica integrated production switchers, which includes integrated PixPlay slow motion support for DDRs and support for embedded audio across all switcher product lines. Also new was Quicklink TX, which incorporates Skype interviews into live broadcasts.
DATAVIDEO debuted the SE-700, a four-input HD video switcher that includes dual chromakey, lumakey, downstream keying, clip storage, and control panel; and the SE-1200MU, a six-input HD video switcher that can be controlled remotely while streaming the multiview.
EVS showed the latest version of DYVI, an IT-based video switcher designed for studios with multiple control rooms and multi-venue campuses.
FOR-A unveiled its HVS-2000 switcher with a newly designed GUI and the ability to handle SD, HD, 3G and 4K signals; as well as the HVS-100 and HVS-110, a 3G/HD/SD portable video switcher.
In addition to its collaborations with numerous companies across the show floor, NEWTEK showed the newest version of its Tri-Caster production system, including the new TriCaster Mini compact multimedia studio.
Lucinda Ireland (L) and Glenn Hill (R), both from Sony, demonstrate the Sony ICP-X7000 switcher control panel to Joe Vinci (C) of NEP/WGN.ROLAND debuted the V-1200HD, a 2 M/E broadcast and live production switcher with a hybrid engine that combines a 4:2:2 2 M/E switcher with a 4:4:4 10-bit multiformat processor presentation switcher. The company also launched expansion interface cards for the V-1200HD and M-500 live audio mixing consoles.
ROSS VIDEO launched Carbonite Black, the latest addition to its Carbonite switcher line, offering an expanded I/O and ME count with 3 MEs, 36 inputs and 22 outputs.
SNELL debuted input embedding, 2Kx2K capability, IP routing and a new control panel for its Sirius 800 routers and unveiled a format-independent integrated multiviewer for Kahuna and new operation modules for Maverik.
SONY launched its first 4Kready IP-networked production switcher, givingbroad-casters the flexibility to configure equipment for IP only, SDI only, or IP and SDI hybrid. Sony also debuted the newest versions of the Anycast Touch production switcher; MVS-3000A compact production switcher; and the MVS-6530, now available in 3 and 2 M/E configurations. Also new are ICP-X7000 control panels, which add an RGB cross-point button, high-visibility OLED display and an easy-to-operate LCD button to the Sony MVS-8000X and 7000X professional/broadcast switchers.
WORLDNOW debuted Worldnow Channel-in-a-Box, a cloud-based virtualized broadcast platform designed to support branded channels for Web, mobile, over-thetop and digital sub-channels.
KVM
ADDER TECHNOLOGY debuted its AdderLink Infinity Dual 2020, a dual head, single link digital KVM extender. The company also introduced v4 of the AdderLink Infinity Manager (AIM) with a new hardware platform that provides increased power over previous version. Also new was the AdderLink XD150, a 150-meter, single head DVI extender.
GUNTERMANN & DRUNCK showcased its line of KVM extenders, switches, matrix switches and add-ons.
Craig Heffernan of Blackmagic Design (L) demos the ATEM 2M/E switcher with optional broadcast panel to Cody Waite of VTV6/Strata Networks.IHSE USA unveiled its Draco eight-port CWDM mux/demux unit which connects up to eight KVM extender units and transports signals over distances of 10 km via duplex fiber cable.
THINKLOGICAL showcased their TLX Hybrid Video and KVM matrix switchers and extenders, which offer uncompressed 4K capability with full color depth at 60 Hz.
ROUTERS
ENSEMBLE DESIGNS debuted the NXT 450 Clean Streaming integrated router, which combines traditional SD/HD SDI inputs and outputs with H.264 encoding and decoding.
EVERTZ showcased the EQX10 Enterprise hybrid video/audio/IP router, which supports 180x180 or 180x360.
FOR-A debuted the MFR-3000 routing switcher, which can be expanded by eight inputs or outputs modules, up to a maximum of 64-input/64-output matrix
IMAGINE COMMUNICATIONS unveiled a new version of the Platinum VX digital video router, which supports matrix sizes up to 288x288 and can handle HD/SDI routing up to 3 Gbps.
NEVION showcased the Sublime X² router, a hybrid video/audio router that offers users transitioning to IP baseband islands with interconnectivity and signal processing.
PESA demonstrated new 4K and streaming capabilities within its line of routers, and introduced the new R3232 compact router with 32 3G SDI I/O.
RASCULAR highlighted its RouteMaster PC-based router control system and also announced that its Helm and RouteMaster systems have been extended with support for routers from Utah Scientific and Barn-find Technologies, offering mnemonic retrieval and TCP/IP support.
UTAH SCIENTIFIC introduced a new family of four-channel add-on modules for its UTAH-400 Series 2 router, with several smaller routers as part of the UDS router family, upgrading members of the UDS-4K router family and introducing a new menu-driven system for the UCP-LC control panel.
