IBC 2017: DB Video invests in SAM Kahuna for new 4K HDR OB truck

At IBC 2017 (Stand 9.A01), Snell Advanced Media (SAM) announced that Belgian OB and facilities company, DB Video, has invested in its flagship Kahuna 6400 multi-format production switcher to provide HDR support for live SD, HD and 4K/UHD productions. The Kahuna, along with its modular switcher interface panel, is housed in OB-11, DB Video’s new mid-sized OB vehicle.

OB-11 will be used to support live productions, including sports and events such as the annual Tomorrowland dance music festival, allowing DB Video to deliver simultaneous live UHD, HDR and HD services to its customers. Kahuna – running SAM’s latest FormatFusion4 technology, which brings HDR capabilities to all inputs and outputs – also allows the DB Video team to simultaneously record in 4K/UHD HDR and go live in HD SDR (1080p50). It is also fully compatible with all major 4K cameras on the market.

Dimitri Beyaert, CEO at DB Video says, “The combination of Kahuna and FormatFusion4 makes OB-11 a very flexible truck and allows us to meet the current and future needs of our customers in a growing 4K market. The modular control panel also gives us an extra layer of flexibility, providing an easy to use, compact mixing panel with all the buttons you need in one place.”

Robert Szabo-Rowe, EVP and General Manager, Live Production & Infrastructure, SAM comments, “SAM is committed to delivering the highest quality images and believes that the combination of HDR and UHD is the way to do this. We are also very focused on enabling our customers to seamlessly mix any format and any resolution in a live production environment without compromise or latency. We are delighted that our technology sits at the heart of DB Video’s new truck, allowing it to deliver unmatched HDR capability to its customers.”