AMSTERDAM—At IBC 2011, Grass Valley is launching the Karrera Video Production Center a new lower-cost switcher platform designed for mid markets, placing it in the middle of the company’s switcher trifecta, which also includes the higher end Kayenne and lower end Kayak switchers.
Karrera has a suite of flexible features and its intuitive user interface ensures a familiarity for experienced Grass Valley switcher operators as well as novices. It features a variety of system options, which provide both an affordable Karrera entry price along with the ability to grow the system as needs expand. The Karrera family features two frame sizes (4 RU and 8 RU) with frame configurations from 1 to 4.5 M/Es. Either frame can be combined with a choice of 2 or 3 M/E control panels as well as a 1 M/E soft-panel GUI.
Karrera can also be expanded with a variety of software options to create a system configuration customized for a specific applications. Karrera also features Grass Valley‘s DoubleTake split M/E mode, which effectively increases the maximum number of M/Es (including an optional half-M/E) to a total of up to 10 channels. Included with the DoubleTake option is FlexiKey programmable clean feed, allowing assignment of keyers to any of four outputs per M/E in any combination, in any order.
Karrera is a fully digital 10-bit 4:2:2 video switcher with up to 96 inputs and 48 outputs. It features HD/SD SDI signal support with (optional) up/down/cross converters on selected inputs and outputs, and six keyers in every full M/E—four full-function keyers plus two linear/ luminance keyers. Each full-function keyer has two pages (frames) of video and key storage to free up Image Store outputs and reduce the number of external graphics sources.
“The Karrera brings a new level of performance to more productions with innovative features and all the signal processing capability you would expect from the global leader in video production switchers, said Scott Murray, Senior Vice President of Live Production Solutions at Grass Valley. “”With Karrera, we‘re enabling customers to take advantage of all of the powerful, high-end‘ features that Grass Valley has become famous for, at a price point that makes them available to a much wider audience. We expect Karrera to be the latest in Grass Valley‘s long line of successful production switchers.
A newly designed control panel accentuatës the most-used functions while providing quick access to more in-depth features through an instinctive menu structure and panel shift levels. The panel incorporates bright OLED displays for source and function names, and all buttons have RGB LEDs that dynamically change for color-coding functions and source grouping.
The new switcher also features up to four internal DPMs (iDPMs) per M/E for a total of 16 DPMs, which float to any full-function keyer in the switcher. Kurl and Spektra are standard on all DPMs. In addition, Karrera supports four independent channels of eDPM with independent timelines and primary and secondary combiner outputs, available in the 8 RU frame.
The new Karrera Video Production Center will be available to order this month with first shipments planned to begin in December.
