Leipzig-based production company Media Mobil has selected Grass Valley to re-equip its Unit 7 outside broadcast truck ahead of a busy summer, writes David Fox. The fixed axle 12m vehicle, which is widely used to cover sports and music events, will now be based around a Kayenne switcher, Trinix NXT router and LDK 8000 HD cameras. “Re-equipping an outside broadcast unit is always a major decision for us,” said MMG’s Managing Director, Klaus Sandig (pictured). “We have to be sure that we invest in technology that our customers appreciate and are comfortable with, and we have to have a systems partner that can design and implement those solutions as quickly as possible so we can get the truck back on the road and earning revenue. After a competitive phase, Grass Valley was selected as the primary vendor for this project and we’re confident we made the right decision.” According to Grass Valley, MMG’s requirements were to install reliable live production tools offering flexible workflows, which it hoped would result in increased productivity. It chose the 3M/E Kayenne because of its small footprint, low power consumption and cool and silent (fan-free) operation, as well as the creative freedom it will allow directors thanks to the large number of macros it can handle, its 1,000 E-MEM registers, built-in K2 Solo clip store, and other creative features. Unit 7’s infrastructure will be based on a Trinix NXT router equipped with a 256×512 frame, initially fitted with a 160×192 matrix plus a 32-input multiviewer output. Incorporating the multiviewer inside the router saves both space and power, eliminating the need for outboard processing and cabling, reducing the weight of the installation, and thus saving fuel when moving between locations. MMG is an extensive user of Grass Valley cameras, and will buy six LDK 8000 HD models for Unit 7. These will be fitted with Grass Valley’s new 3G Transmission system to provide full digital HD functionality over either triax or fibre, so that the truck can be used for any project in any location. The upgrade was designed by Grass Valley’s systems engineers, and should be completed shortly after May.
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