Advanced Broadcast Solutions First Customer with Broadcast Pix Slate 2 M/E Live Integrated Production System
New Slate™ 5016 HD/SD Switcher to be Installed on Advanced Broadcast Solutions’ Multiformat HD Mobile Production Unit
Billerica, Massachusetts (July 14, 2008) Broadcast Pix™, the company
that redefined the production switcher as a live integrated production
system, today announced that Advanced Broadcast Solutions (ABS), a
Seattle-based systems integration firm, is the first customer to take
delivery of a Slate™ 2 M/E (Mix/Effect System) live integrated
production system.
Broadcast Pix launched the Slate 5000 switcher series at the NAB
convention in April 2008 of this year. The new switcher was delivered
and installed on ABS’s multiformat HD mobile production unit in June
2008, as the first of six Slate 5000 switchers that Broadcast Pix
delivered in June.
ABS previously placed an order for a Slate 3016 1/ME switcher, which
Broadcast Pix also installed on the new ABS truck. Until now, the Slate
3016 switcher had been the centerpiece of the multiformat mobile unit,
which hit the road in mid-May 2008. On May 17, 2008, the ABS truck was
used by KHQ-DT, in Spokane, WA, to produce its first live HDTV
telecast—“The Lilac Parade;” and on May 31, 2008, it was used by
KGW-DT, in Portland, OR, to produce “The Starlight Parade,” also
broadcast live in HDTV.
In terms of ABS’s configuration, the Slate 3016 and Slate 5016 serve
two different control panels driving the same switcher processor
engine. ABS intends to have both control panels networked to the Slate
switcher processor, giving customers the option of using either the
1/ME or 2/ME control panel, or both concurrently if desired.
“While the Slate 3016 control panel with 1 M/E is ideal for smaller
productions, having the larger 2/ME Slate 5016 control panel available
opens the door to bigger productions that expect to see a large,
traditional 2/ME switcher with all the bells and whistles,” said Mark
Siegel, president of ABS.
“We actually designed and built our mobile unit around the Broadcast
Pix Slate switcher because of its obvious price/performance. Because of
next-generation architecture, all the Slate switchers pack a tremendous
amount of power and functionality within a very compact, integrated
switcher for a fraction the cost of competing switchers,” Siegel
continued. The Slate 5000 series HD/SD switchers start at approximately
$45,000 but offers functionality comparable to switchers in the
$250,000 range and beyond.
The Slate 5000 series, the industry’s first live integrated
production system to integrate 2 M/E functionality, allow a single
operator to run all aspects of a sophisticated 2 M/E live HDTV
production, including the switcher’s built-in Inscriber graphics
system, animations, clips and effects, logo generators, and aspect
ratio converters, as well as robotic cameras and audio mixers.
“Both the Slate 3000 and 5000 series switchers access and control
almost the same functionality inherently built into the switcher. But
because the Slate 3000 has a smaller 1 M/E control panel, the operator
can’t access all the features and capabilities quite as easily as can
be done on the 2 M/E Slate 5000, making it ideal for smaller, simpler
productions,” said Ken Swanton, president of Broadcast Pix.
“With its larger control surface, the Slate 5000 has twice as many
buttons and controls laid out for fast, easy access, including a second
bank of controls for the additional M/E (mix/effect system). This
provides operation comparable to the industry’s larger, higher-end
switchers, so operators can quickly set up more complicated keying,
layering, and effects for a more dynamic, compelling live show,”
Swanton added. “And unlike any conventional switcher panels, the Slate
1 M/E panel has a device control bank for graphics, clips and other
parts of the integrated studio, while the new Slate 2 M/E panel has two
of these innovative device control banks.
The ABS truck, which is a 24-foot mobile unit, was designed
specifically to support the needs of broadcasters in the Pacific
Northwest; however, the truck’s market also extends to production
companies, houses of worship, and theatrical and musical events. With
the ability to take in and output virtually any video signal, the truck
is outfitted with the latest gear including: three Thomson LDK-4000
Triax HD cameras with 14-bit A/D conversion and 22-bit processing; a
Roland RSS M-400 48-channel 18-bit digital audio mixing console; and a
fully configurable multi-viewer LCD monitor system.
“As a systems integrator, I have found that—more important than the
Slate switchers’ low price tag—customers are especially pleased that a
single operator can handle all aspects of a live production, which
helps hold the line on production personnel and crews costs without
compromising the quality of the live show,” Siegel said. “Also,
operators who have worked on 3.5/ME and 4/ME switchers in large HDTV
trucks are blown away by the capabilities and ergonomics of the
Broadcast Pix switcher.”
About Advanced Broadcast Solutions Seattle, WA-based
Advanced Broadcast Solutions (ABS) specializes in personalized
broadcast services such as consulting, project budgeting, workflow
analysis, feasibility studies, project management, system and
architectural design and engineering, equipment specifying, procurement
and installation, maintenance support and training. ABS boasts a
technical staff with over a century of practical experience in
television operations, automation, traffic implementation, multiple
program stream management and signal distribution by fiber, microwave,
and satellite. ABS clients include: Fisher Communications, Real
Networks, Cisco Systems, and Microsoft Studios. For more information,
call 206-870-0244 or visit the company’s web site at www.advancedbroadcastsolutions.com .
About Broadcast Pix Broadcast Pix is the leader in
combining technologies from the computer and live television equipment
industries to create an innovative family of live video production
systems. Broadcast Pix systems are a fraction of the cost of
conventional live video production solutions; yet retain a switcher’s
fast action control and non-stop, on-air robustness. They can be run by
a single operator instead of requiring a team. Customers include over
800 leading broadcasters (including CBS, NBC and ESPN), webcasters,
cable stations, stadiums, corporate, education, religious and
government studios in over 50 countries. Broadcast Pix is based at 3
Federal Street, Billerica, Massachusetts, with offices throughout North
America and in Europe. See www.broadcastpix.com .
Broadcast Pix , Slate, and PixButton are trademarks of Broadcast Pix, Inc. Patents pending.
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Editor’s Note:
Color product photographs are available upon request.
Robin Hoffman
Pipeline Communications
277 Valley Way
Montclair, NJ 07042
Ph: 973.746.6970
Fx: 973.746.6701
email: robinh@pipecomm.com
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Broadcast Pix digital switcher blew the competition away by far.