NEP Visions Launches 1080p 3G-Capable OB Unit in UK
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NEP Visions, the U.K.-based European subsidiary of NEP, announced the launch of Atlantic, the newest addition to the company’s fleet of 16 HD-capable outside broadcasting (OB) vehicles. The triple-expander Atlantic is the UK’s first fully integrated 1080p 3G-capable OB vehicle, with the ability to produce a full single-path broadcast in 1080p50 or 1080p60.
“With Atlantic, we’ve redefined the leading edge of 1080p outside broadcasting,” said Steve Jenkins, managing director of NEP U.K. “This is the U.K.’s first truck to feature cameras and vision-mixing systems that were, until recently, not even available in 1080p — such as Grass Valley’s Kayenne vision mixer and support for up to 30 Grass Valley digital LDK8000 cameras.”
In addition to this state-of-the-art equipment, Atlantic houses eight new EVS XT3 servers wired to support an unprecedented 48 EVS channels, and the truck is also fully capable of producing 16 levels of discrete 5.1 audio.
Besides its advanced HD production capabilities, Atlantic also features a layout that offers 850 square feet of production space when the truck is fully expanded — the size of a three-bedroom semidetached house. Whereas clients previously required space to park both a full-size expanding VTR scanner and a full-size expanding production unit, both functions can now be combined within Atlantic — an important benefit when space is at a premium.
In a break from the standard layout of a traditional OB vehicle, Atlantic is designed to recreate the internal ergonomics and layout of a traditional studio setup — with at least 10 feet of head space in many areas and a fresh, appealing interior appearance.
“We wanted to create something different — a memorable and comfortable space for our clients to work in,” Jenkins said. “For instance, we realized that it’s important for the director to be able to interact with the sound mixer and the VT producer in the midst of a production, so we’ve engineered windows with blinds that enable all operators to see each other when necessary. Atlantic is definitely not your average OB truck.”