LARGEST SINGLE HD OB INSTALL OF ZANDAR PREDATOR HD8
March 6th 2007
Dublin, Ireland ~ March 6th 2007 ~ Arqiva,
a leading provider of transmission services for broadcasters and
end-to-end media solutions for content and channel providers, has
acquired 48 Zandar Predator HD8 MultiViewers for use on HD content
provision for Championship Football for Sky Sports, Sky HD. The
Predator units provide significant space and cost benefits as well
as flexible operation. They are installed inside two UK-based
OB
trucks, making this one of the largest single HD8 OB projects yet
undertaken. The system was integrated by Sony Professional Services.
In each truck, 24 Predator HD8 MultiViewers are
installed. There are 10 installed in the production area, 12
in the video tape recording area and 2 located in audio. The
Predator HD MultiViewers feature native HD input processing to offer
true HD quality images and drive high resolution displays up to
1080p. Coupled with low minimum frame delays (less than one
frame) from source to output, the high performance HD systems
provide the ultimate in image excellence and control in Arqiva's
critical HD sports production and monitoring environment.
The Predator HD8 accepts and auto-detects up to
eight SDI or HD-SDI inputs with a high quality DVI output to the LCD
displays up to 1080p resolution. The systems feature Zandar
Dual Head (ZdH) to drive one or two displays independently or
configured as a virtual monitor wall, with spanning capability. ZdH
is particularly ideal in space restrictive
OB
vehicles as the system saves on rack space by combining two
MultiViewers in a compact 1RU enclosure.
Using the ZdH mode has enabled Arqiva to build
up a display wall using an array of 26 x 17-inch and 32 x 23-inch
LCD screens. Eight images from each system are displayed
across two LCDs with no loss of functionality or control.
Arqiva Operations Director Ewen Hamilton, who
was responsible for product selection and planning on the HD truck
project explains the benefits of using the Predator HD8 MultiViewers.
"The matrix-fed HD8 allows us to place and manipulate one
output per screen for the display of four HD images on a single
flat-screen monitor providing significant space and cost saving
benefits. We can configure the system so that each screen
displays three small previews of HD material alongside a single,
larger output image. With the flexibility of the Zandar units,
we are able to change or manipulate the images to our specific
project."
Predator HD8 features, as standard, intuitive
Z-Configurator layout editing software which seamlessly controls ZdH
and ensures system setup and operation is easy. At any time,
the Arqiva operators have full dynamic control over the
configuration of all sources being shown on any single display
including the display of dynamic UMD and Tally display from external
routers, clock and timecode display.
"The MultiViewers are interfaced with TSL
Tallyman to create a Tally border and flexible font sizes which is
driving the critical UMD data," adds
Hamilton
. "With Z-Configurator, any layout can be tailor-made with
ease."
Summing up the significance of this latest
mission-critical installation, Deirdre Smith, CEO at Zandar
Technologies, says: "Quality and flexibility is critical in HD
outside broadcast monitoring applications where only the most
advanced technology is considered. We have experienced
phenomenal success in this market with many of today's leading
HDTV OB/mobile vehicle operators relying on the powerful video
processing of our Predator HD systems to offer the ultimate in
picture quality, performance and features."
As a sub-contractor to Sky, Arqiva was tasked
with providing High-Definition pictures for the broadcaster's HD
platform, which was initiated last year. A key content element of
the platform is a lucrative Championship Football soccer coverage
contract that Arqiva facilitated and which went live in August 2006.
See Zandar
MultiViewers on Booth #321, NSCA07 and Booth #SU2729, NAB 07
About Zandar Technologies plc
Zandar Technologies is a leader in the development of high quality
multi-source display processors that match the specific needs of
any display, monitoring and surveillance environment. The company
combines innovation and experience to provide a wide range of expansive,
flexible and resilient MultiViewer solutions for many applications
including the FusionPro+, Predator, DX and MX series. Zandar’s
international customer base includes many of the world’s leading
companies in the Broadcast, Security and professional Audio Visual
markets. The company’s dedicated sales and engineering team,
professional resellers and responsive technical support specialists
underline a commitment to quality, continuous improvement and customer
satisfaction.
For further information about this and other leading MultiViewer
products please visit www.zandar.com
or contact:
Sharon Smyth
Marketing Manager
ssmyth@zandar.com
Tel: +353-1-450 0901
Fax: +353-1-450 0977 |
