Boston Celtics HD Upgrade Routed By Network Electronics

Network Electronics, manufacturer of the popular VikinX router range and innovative flashlink signal transport systems for the professional video and broadcast industry, has announced that the Boston Celtics installed a VikinX video / audio routing configuration to serve as the backbone of its new HD video edit suite. The new system creates business videos for the team's administrative offices as well as entertainment and information segments played for up to 18,500 fans on four large HD scoreboard screens at TD Banknorth Garden in downtown Boston.

The HD edit system incorporates a Network Electronics HD0808 8x8 high definition router, an AD0808-110 ohm digital audio router and a P-8-Proxy 8x8 multibus X-Y pushbutton control panel.

To keep pace with a recent HD upgrade at the Garden, the edit suite was transformed in only a half-day from analog to HD over the Christmas holidays when the Celtics were on the road. "Network Electronics falls into the equipment category I love," said Jay Wessel, VP of Technology for the Boston Celtics. "I just push a button and it works, which in my mind is the greatest thing you can have in technology."

Brian Raynes, Director of Little Bay Broadcast Services, designed and integrated the new HD rack off-site enabling a fast cut over. "The Celtics asked for a rack that was seamless, simple and easy to operate. For smaller systems I design, Network is the first router I would go for. It still blows me away how thin and small it is, how much it does, how cleanly it switches, how fail-proof it is." Little Bay (www.littlebay.tv), based in Madbury, NH, is a one-stop-shop for facility design, integration, redesign and maintenance.

The Network Electronics' VikinX routing system supports Adobe Digital editing, Sony HD Beta, BetaSP, DVD recorders and a QC station for audio-video monitoring. The small size and low power requirements of Network components were also a consideration. "Our equipment space is limited and we don't have separate air conditioning for the rack, so keeping the heat down was also important," Wessel added.