Blackmagic Design is shipping its Videohub Smart Control, a new style of router control panel that’s designed to be lower cost and to distribute router control throughout television facilities for dramatically faster and workflow – all for only $495.
According to the company, Videohub Smart Control is different to traditional hardware router control panels that cost thousands of dollars and are limited to being installed in small numbers and then shared by all router users. Videohub Smart Control is low cost, and features 40 YRGB illuminated crystal look buttons that can be set to any router output. It can be installed under each deck and monitor in a facility, so the router output to that monitor can be set with a single button press. This is a much faster way of working, because all routing only requires a single button press.
For example, if a Videohub Smart Control is installed under a monitor, then the router output connected to that monitor can be set to a different router source with each button press. Videohub Smart Control includes a USB connection and easy to use Mac and Windows software to set each button. Buttons are illuminated brilliant white.
Videohub Smart Control can also be used with multiple destinations, and customers can select to have a single destination for the whole control panel, or multiple destinations. When working with multiple destinations, buttons on the front panel become gold coloured and customers can select as many destinations as they need. Videohub Smart Control also allows the use of a “take” button, and when enabled, the take button is the lower right button, and illuminated red. Multiple destinations and the take button feature allow a single panel to be used for multiple devices connected to the router, and dramatically lowers the cost in large facilities.
Designed to be easy for customers to self install, Videohub Smart Control uses standard ethernet networking and simply plugs into the existing computer network. If used in mission critical environments, Videohub Smart Control could be connected to a dedicated switch. Videohub Smart Control can be powered via power over ethernet (PoE) without the need for a power supply.
Because Videohub Smart Control has been designed to fit into creative post production facilities, it includes attractive crystal look buttons that are designed for high reliability. The front panel can be removed to allow labelling of buttons. For world’s best illumination quality, all buttons are illuminated by both RGB and white LEDs so that a wider range of rich and clean colours can be displayed. When used in dark rooms, all buttons can be backlit, so button labels can be clearly seen.
“We have been asked for a router control panel for our popular Videohub routers, and we think we have a fantastic solution that will make all our customers extremely happy!”, said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design, “It looks wonderful and I am so excited by its clean, simple and attractive design, plus the best part is Videohub Smart Control is low cost so we can place them everywhere. Now every device in our facility has buttons underneath so we can just select its input with a single button press. You have to see this working to really understand how fast that makes router control. It’s incredible!”
