Sky Deutschland has launched its new channel Sky Sport News HD using automated production equipment from Vitec Videocom of the UK. This includes Autoscript prompting, low energy LED lighting from Litepanels, and Vinten Radamec broadcast camera robotics.
Rather than isolate the channel presentation and programming in a separate studio, Sky Deutschland decided to build a 360˚ studio space in the center of the newsroom for the channel. The challenge for the designers was in enabling high quality production in the confined space with headroom of only about 4m.
The design involved use of a camera robotic system, featuring six Vinten Radamec Fusion FP-188 robotic pedestals with FH-100 heads. These, along with two Telemetrics cameras, are controlled by the Vinten Radamec HDVRC. A large number of pre-set positions are programmed into the controller in advance, and during transmission camera angles are selected by the Mosart production automation system. This means that, during normal programming, the studio needs no operator for cameras, with the floor manager providing any manual adjustments necessary to accommodate guests.
Like a growing number of broadcasters, Sky Deutschland views energy reduction as an important goal. This according to Vitec was one reason for its choice of the Litepanels’ LED lighting.
The Sky Sports News HD channel launched on the Sky Deutschland platform on Dec. 1, 2011.
