PHOENIX—NBC Sports Group’s International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., has added a third Spyder X20 system.
NBC Sports Group is a long-time Spyder user, beginning with 30 Rockefeller Plaza’s Studio 8G for Football Night in America in 2006.
“We were the first broadcast entity to use Spyder for multiple layers and display,” said Randy Raddatz, vice president of sourcing and production services.
Studio 3 in Stamford boasts “the largest indoor broadcast wall in the world,” according to Raddatz, which forms the main backdrop in the space. Two Spyder X20 systems are required to drive the approximately 36 x 12-foot LCD projection wall comprised of 28 70-inch Barco OL Series projection modules in a 7 x 4 configuration. The Spyders also drive a 3D rear-projection wall designed by Jack Morton and located upstage center.
“The projection wall shows many of the feeds from various soccer matches or a highlights package from a specific game with graphics,” Raddatz said. “The layering aspect of the Spyder allows us to use this very large template space and maximize production flow, graphics, the visual presentation and data feeds of the games themselves. We can have limitless configurations of pictures, video and graphics.”
Raddatz points out that “Spyder’s flexibility, layering capabilities, usage of total template and ability to show things in a different configuration with very high quality and resolution make Spyder an awesome tool.”
Raddatz also emphasized the value of support after installation. “Vista has been working with us to understand and define the capabilities of the system and work with the production design team to explain what Spyder can do. It’s a very collaborative process from design implementation through subsequent support.
