NEP’s SS20 Is a Leaner, Greener Medium-Big Truck

By Carolyn Braff

When it comes to mobile-television-production trucks, bigger is no longer necessarily better, so NEP’s newest big truck, SS20, is designed to act like a medium-size truck as well.

“The interesting thing that’s happened is that big trucks have stopped doing big shows and started doing medium shows, and that doesn’t always work so well,” explains NEP CTO George Hoover. “With Supershooter 20, it was time for us to do a major redo to rehab, rework, and come back with something that was more responsive to where the industry is today.”

SS20, built from the ground up, has done just that. Robust enough to handle large shows, the 53-ft. mobile unit was designed without the need for a B unit and consumes two-thirds less power than most single-unit trucks.

“The trucks are now working much more on shorter-duration events, so they have to be faster and easier to set up,” Hoover explains, adding, “We’re all feeling the pressure to reduce costs and be greener at the same time, and this truck takes that into consideration. The fact that it runs without a B unit is a key feature, so it can get in and get out, setting up and breaking down efficiently.”

The virtual-monitor wall is also a key feature, allowing a more spacious, open design in the interior.

“It’s gotten away from what I call the submarine design of smaller TV trucks, [where] it was a little bit claustrophobic cramming everything in,” Hoover says. “Now the technology has moved that far forward where everything has gotten smaller, denser, and you can hide things out of the way.”

Some of those things include a Grass Valley Kalypso production switcher, EVS XT[2] servers, a Calrec Sigma digital audio console, and Thompson LDK-6000 MKII Worldcam HD cameras with Canon and Fujinon lenses.

SS20 debuts this week with ESPN at the College Baseball World Series but will travel around throughout the fall, supporting events ranging from NBC’s Notre Dame football coverage to PGA events and the Summer X-Games.