WWAY-TV, the ABC affiliate in Wilmington, N.C., has installed an Echolab Overture 2 M/E SD/HD production switcher in its revamped control room, saving cost on external upconversion devices because the switcher does it internally. The station is also relying on Echolab's Conductor touch-screen interface to simplify and centralize production control.
Southeastern North Carolina viewers saw an immediate difference when the Overture2 MD went on-air in February 2009. Not only was it the last piece of the puzzle to bring about WWAY's HD production, it also has enabled WWAY directors for the first time to incorporate compelling visual effects such as 3D boxes and page-turn wipes into their programming.
Billy Stratton, WWAY chief engineer, said the fact that they chose a 2 M/E switcher saved the staion money over a 3 M/E system and that they don't miss the other M/E because Echolab’s SuperSource crosspoint keyer lets his production staff build effects and recall them with the push of a button.
WWAY-TV3, owned by Morris Multimedia, is using the Overture2 MD switcher for its live studio newscast and for taped shows including "Your Hometown Show," which features regional merchants.
Echolab’s Overture2 MD production system features internal conversion and synchronization along with two downstream keyers to enable title keying for graphics, logos and bugs. It also offers four channels of DVE with warp and lighting effects, accepts up to 32 multiformat analog and digital signals, and provides as many as 16 multiformat outputs.
Conductor is a touch-screen software suite that enables automation and execution of complex tasks. During preproduction, Conductor can configure the switcher, build sequences and assign them to soft buttons. On-air, it becomes an extension of the control panel that can be used to execute sequences, load graphics into the frame buffer, route auxiliary outputs and control third-party devices.
