Game Creek Video Relies on Studio Technologies’ Audio Interface
Story Highlights
Game Creek Video, a company providing remote sports and news event broadcasting production services for ESPN, ABC Sports, Fox Sports, the Yes Network, ABC News, NBC News, and CNN, among many others, relies on Studio Technologies’ Model 46 Dual 2-Wire Analog Audio to 4-Wire Analog Audio Interface for party line intercom connections in nine of its remote OB trucks, one of the youngest fleets in the business.
Game Creek Video chose Model 46 because of its extended feature set, signal monitoring, automatic nulling and rock-solid performance record for dependable install-and-forget-it performance.
“Game Creek Video is contracted every year to provide top-shelf equipment and engineering savvy for major sporting and news events such as the Super Bowl, the World Series and the Daytona 500,” says Jason Taubman, vice president of design and new technology for Game Creek Video. “Reliable and intelligible intercom communications are absolutely vital to our remote operations, so we needed to install a system that was straight-forward to use. The Model 46 from Studio Technologies has been a key addition to our RTS ADAM system, providing the capability to convert 4-wire signals to 2-wire party line signals, with full automatic nulling, for the remote beltpacks. We have more than 28 Model 46 and three Model 47 units installed over nine trucks.”
For major event production, Game Creek Video typically arrives on site with two 53-foot, expandable-trailer OB trucks equipped with the Model 46 units. Big events might require arriving several days in advance of the air date to accommodate the intricate setup. Once power is set, the equipment is turned on and tested. As a part of this process, an extensive intercom system is put into play, which is where the Model 46 shines.
“We have found that the Model 46 in particular provides a seamless and bulletproof interface between the ADAM 4-wire system and our 2-wire RTS beltpacks,” continues Taubman. “We typically use RTS 2-wire power supplies and source assign panel products, but the Model 46 really completes the intercom circle. It’s a rock-steady, old-school analog unit that really sounds good and works well. It’s very clean and, once installed, we never have to touch it. The Model 46 lives in our racks and does what it’s supposed to do—the essence of install and forget it. Model 46 also gives us full LED bar graphs relaying the comings and goings of all signals that go in and out of the unit, so our engineers are constantly informed about what is going on. The reliability and signal monitoring are extremely valuable in incorporating live events as a vital part of our equipment equation.”