Systems integrator Broadcast Networkshas announced its partnership with Ross Video to bring its openTruck initiative to the European market. A high-spec compact production unit, built by Broadcast Networks to the openTruck standard, will be front and centre on Ross Video’s stand at IBC 12-16 September.
Ross openTruck provides a standard yet customizable way to design cost-effective mobile production vehicles that deliver the highest quality video and audio content from sports and other live events. openTruck vehicles offer lower-cost production while retaining the quality expected of high-profile broadcast, at a fraction of the cost of traditionally capital-intensive OB productions. This opens up opportunities for producers to meet increasing viewer demand for multi-platform coverage of local sports and other live events, including non-Premiership football.
“Since its launch at NAB 2014, openTruck has generated considerable interest across the US and in bringing it to IBC, we’re confident that the initiative will also be well-received in Europe,” says Nigel Spratling, Marketing Product Manager at Ross Video. “Unlike the US, production techniques do vary across Europe and indeed from broadcaster to broadcaster, so it was essential for us to work with a systems integrator who understands this market. Broadcast Networks, with its track-record of designing and building quality live production OB units, is the ideal partner to help us demonstrate the flexibility, simplicity and power of openTruckwithin the European context.”
“Over the last 12 months, Broadcast Networks has been working closely with broadcasters and OB companies across Europe, Middle East and Africa to balance the need for powerful production capabilities against ever-tightening budgets,” says Malcolm Robinson, Director Media and Broadcast at Broadcast Networks. “We believe that openTruck vehicles can pave the way for production companies to strengthen their mobile capabilities with vehicles built to the highest standards against aggressive schedules and delivered at a very attractive price point.”
The vehicle, which has been built at Broadcast Networks’ UK facility, is based on a Mercedes Sprinter chassis. It features a Ross production workflow including sophisticated graphics using Ross XPression 3D motion graphics, with a feature-rich Carbonite Vision Mixer and OpenGear infrastructure integrated within a Ross Dashboard control and monitoring framework. Dashboard supports complete native control of multiple vendors, enabling users to quickly build unique, tailored custom panels to make complex operations simple. The production system is completed with an EVS slo-mo replay system and other essential equipment from openTruck partners.
Stand 9.C10
