Grass Valley Releases Ignite Automated Production System Version 7.5

Grass Valley continues to lead the way in automated production with the release of Ignite Automated Production version 7.5. New features of Ignite include integration with the GV Director nonlinear live production system, support for the Karrera K-Frame S-series production switcher, enhancements to the Lawo audio console interface and support for Solid State Logic (SSL) audio consoles.

The updates in Ignite version 7.5 signify Grass Valley’s commitment to continuously expanding development of the industry’s Emmy Award–winning and most capable automated production system.

“Solid State Logic and Grass Valley share a substantial and prestigious customer base around the world,” said Niall Feldman, director of new products at SSL. “It is excellent to see the close integration between SSL digital broadcast consoles and Grass Valley’s Ignite within the release of version 7.5, and we are confident that our clients will enjoy the benefits of using these two first-class systems together for many years to come.”

Combining Ignite version 7.5 with other Grass Valley solutions provides more streamlined workflows with optimized production, including Ignite with GV Director for automated control of production processes for video switching, multilayer effects, animated graphics, multiviewer monitoring and more — all in a single, intuitive and highly creative system. Ignite with GV STRATUS helps broadcasters generate alternative revenue streams by providing higher rates of throughput for multi-distribution delivery of content for the web and mobile devices, whileIgnite with the Karrera K-Frame S-series production switcher creates an ideal mid-range automated production control and switching platform.

“With the broadcast industry embracing digital, nonlinear media production models whereby content is acquired, managed, modified, transferred and played out as digital files, Ignite is a proven and reliable means of choreographing these activities in as streamlined a fashion as possible,” said Mike Cronk, senior vice president of strategic marketing, Grass Valley. “Through tighter integration with Grass Valley production systems as well as strategic third-party support, version 7.5 represents the latest in a series of ongoing, differentiated enhancements to the Ignite solution that will continuously increase our customers’ overall production value and maximize their return on investment.”

Ignite technology enables users to easily control on-air timing, accommodate last-minute show changes and direct any type of production on the fly. The Ignite solution delivers consistency and repeatability of shows with high production values, the broadest and deepest support for audio devices and consoles, and more opportunities to repurpose content for digital multicasting and webcasts. The flexible Ignite solution can be used in multiple broadcast environments, including houses of worship as well as governmental and educational facilities.

Grass Valley Helps Mediatec Broadcast with Remote Solutions for Broadcasting Live Events
For Mediatec Broadcast, an international leader in broadcast production, bringing its viewers all the action from nearly a dozen horse racing tracks across Norway is a top priority. To keep costs down, Mediatec turned to Grass Valley, a Belden Brand, for a remote broadcasting solution that can send camera feeds via fiber connections to its main facility in Oslo.

The company purchased 20 LDX Première cameras with digital triax connections and four LDX Première cameras with fiber connections. LDX Première cameras are easily upgradable, can switch between 1080i and 720p, and offer a feature set which is optimized for live productions. With their high sensitivity and dynamic range they deliver outstanding image performance even under the most demanding lighting conditions.

The LDX Première cameras and their Ethernet-based C2IP camera control system have been specially configured, in this case, to work within a WAN environment. For the best workflow efficiency, all of the OCP 400 camera control panels are located at one central location while the rest of the camera systems are located at the different horse race tracks around the country.

“We had a very specific vision of how we wanted this to work,” said Paul Henriksen, CEO of Mediatec Broadcast. “The team from Grass Valley listened to our needs and worked to tailor a solution that meets all of our requirements while delivering the outstanding broadcast quality and flexibility we demand in our operation. The solution is performing very well and doing everything we had hoped.”

Mediatec has been a Grass Valley customer for nearly a decade and already operates hundreds of cameras along with transmission systems, switchers, routers and other equipment from Grass Valley. As the company has grown, it has expanded and upgraded its Grass Valleysolutions, taking advantage of the Future-Ready technology along the way.

“For years, Mediatec has relied on us for our expertise and experience to help them grow and succeed,” noted Said Bacho, senior vice president, EMEA, Grass Valley. “They, like so many other companies in Europe, have built a very strong business model around our LDX Series cameras. Our advanced camera solutions continue to drive the quality and efficiency of broadcasters around the globe. That’s why it’s so critical to partner with a supplier like GrassValley that really understands the business.”