Vista Studios Taps SAM Technology for 4K and IP Production Studio

Snell Advanced Media (SAM) announced that it has partnered with Los Angeles-based startup, Vista Studios, a broadcast and production facility located in the Westside Tech Hotspot, Playa Vista/Silicon Beach. The company has selected SAM’s technology for its 4K, state-of-the-art production studio. Vista Studios is a turnkey broadcast facility with four production stages, four production control rooms and a technology core that offers conversion services, routing, camera records, editing, business office space as well as playout origination.

Building a 4K and IP Technology Core

Vista Studios core will be built using the following SAM technology:

• Sirius 850multi-format router and IQ Modular intelligent infrastructure – Vista Studios’ core routing infrastructure is centered on SAM’s Sirius 850 multi-format router. The router offers unmatched operational flexibility and power with SAM’s Advanced Hybrid Processing technology as well as sophisticated monitoring capabilities with the router’s integrated MV800 MultiViewer. Using dedicated MultiViewer output slots in the Sirius 800 router, the MV800 also includes complete alarming and monitoring by exception. It was also important for The Vista Studios to receive IP sources from outside the building using the IQ MIX cards to convert them to SDI for downstream processing and encapsulate back to IP if necessary.
• Kahuna 9600 production switcher – SAM’s Kahuna 9600 production switcher was chosen as it works as seamlessly in UHD as it does with HD content. SAM’s unique FormatFusion3 technology in the switcher ensures the input and output signals are all converted to the production format and each M/E outputs UHD as well as HD simultaneously. The Kahuna has both SDI and IP inputs and outputs ensuring any studio tenant can send IP or baseband signals to production control using their camera of choice and intended workflows.
• Morpheus and Momentum Automation – For playout origination services, Vista Studios has standardized on a fully redundant and versatile automation system utilizing SAM’s Morpheus automation and Momentum MAM technology to ingest, segment, and playout channels. The workflow can integrate with a network’s own traffic system or can be used with a manual playlist imported into Morpheus.
• ICE Channel-in-a-Box – ICE was chosen from SAM to offer ingest, QC, and playout of a full network feed or segments with full branding capabilities for both domestic and international distribution.
• Alchemist XF format and framerate conversion software – Utilizing SAM’s Alchemist XF software ensures Vista Studio’s clientele the highest quality framerate conversion available in the industry.

Randall Heer, CEO at Vista Studios, comments, “It was important we build an environment with the latest in 4K technology and IP infrastructure, as well as the latest in workflow management capabilities. Working with some of the most demanding and innovative clients in the Los Angeles market means that you have to have technology that produces top-notch content at a moment’s notice. SAM’s flexible, integrated technology is exactly what we need to ensure that we produce the best content for our many clients.”

Russ Johnson, SVP of Americas at SAM, comments, “Randall Heer, Frank Gianotti and the rest of Vista Studios team are well known throughout the production world, and have a record of success in Los Angeles and beyond that speaks for itself. We look forward to seeing the end product of this partnership with them as they seek to continue to provide the LA production community with market leading services. Our technology meets Vista Studios’ wide range of production requirements to help keep up with the demands of their clients. SAM’s continued success and further expansion into the Los Angeles market is proof that our technology is in high demand, especially as video quality becomes a bigger and bigger priority for consumers.”