Among EVS’ top clients, Gearhouse Broadcast is extending its existing comprehensive range and inventory of servers (including 57 latest generation XT2+ Servers and supporting IPDirectors, XFiles and XHubs) with the addition of 20 new XT3 servers introduced by the Belgian manufacturer at the NAB Show in Las Vegas last April.  The new XT3 server offers eight full configurable video channels with 96 audio ports and six 3D channels.  It’s the first system to natively support all popular codecs without requiring hardware changes.

This transaction additionally includes the full upgrade of their existing rental fleet of EVS systems including IPDirector content management suites, XF2 media storage allowing them to guarantee their clients the most efficient and advanced production tools.

Gearhouse Broadcast’s headquarters are located in the U.K. with operating offices in Australia, US, Qatar and India. With a large inventory and always investing heavily in new technology, experienced engineers and a wealth of global experience in exceeding broadcaster’s needs, the company offers a full range of solutions and a proven track record in the delivery of broadcast solutions for all types of live broadcast events including football tournaments, Olympic Games, major reality television shows and music concerts.

Chief Executive Officer at Gearhouse Broadcast John Newton comments: “Our contract with a broadcasting equipment leader such as EVS places us at the forefront of live production technology   operations. It allows us to meet demanding broadcast requirements for current and future live operations anywhere globally.”  Newton continues that “Gearhouse Broadcast provides our global rental clients with the most up to date broadcast solutions on the market and EVS always guarantees the best of live technology while opening up the way to future broadcast operations.”

Head of APAC, EMEA & Events at EVS Luc Doneux says: “EVS is very enthusiastic with the success of its new live production solutions recently introduced at NAB.  Doneux continues: “The XT3 platform was conceived to keep up with live production solutions offering unrivalled flexibility, and a real path to future sports broadcast operations. When a leader in TV broadcast rental services, like Gearhouse Broadcast, confides in EVS equipment, it allows us to proudly keep up with market trends offering superior technology, and to open roads ahead towards future of sports.”

The BBC’s football programmes are among the most famous programmes in sports broadcasting, and the fact that all games are now broadcast in full HD is thanks in part to the HD broadcast cameras and infrastructure supplied by the Rental Division of Gearhouse Broadcast.

The BBC’s outside broadcast contractors SISLive are charged with arranging comprehensive HD coverage of matches taking place across the country, and Gearhouse Broadcast are the natural partners for anyone looking for that kind of volume of HD camera rental and HD broadcast infrastructure rental.

HD camera rental specialist

Every match day Gearhouse Broadcast’s Rental Division supply the latest HD system cameras and channel technology to ensure that every kick of every game is covered from every possible angle.

Each weekend you’ll find Gearhouse Broadcast Sony HDC 1500 multi-format HD system cameras positioned around all the grounds to capture the action in full HD as well as HD camcorders to record pitch side interviews and reaction.

These will usually be accompanied by the amazing Sony HDC 3300 Super Slow Motion camera, which allows the programme editor to access slow motion highlights from the game in a matter of seconds.

EVS Hard Disc technology

The boom in demand for HD sports broadcast equipment rental has only been matched by demand for hard drive servers capable of storing and backing up the vastly increased stream of audio and video information generated by HD broadcast cameras.

The undisputed market leaders in this field are EVS, whose EVS XT server and recently launched successor EVS XT2+ are in constant demand among professional sports broadcasters, not surprisingly given their respective 6x300GB and 12x300GB HD standard memory capacities.

Thinking ahead about HD broadcast equipment rentals

Fortunately, Gearhouse Broadcast anticipated some time ago the impact that HD broadcasting would have on the broadcast equipment rental market, and has healthy rental stocks of not only HD cameras and camcorders but has also built up the largest stock of EVS Hard Discs to be found among any UK broadcast rental company.

Indeed, it is currently in the process of gradually replacing all its 60 plus EVS XTs with the XT2+ version.

HD sports broadcast rental experience

Gearhouse Broadcast has a strong track record in supplying broadcasting equipment for sports events, including football.

Many of the HD cameras and infrastructure equipment supplied to broadcasters at this summer’s World Cup in South Africa is now back in the UK and available for sale and rental, and the company also hire HD system cameras, camcorders and EVS hard disc systems to contractors providing coverage for many high profile channels.

Ben McKeenan, Rentals Account Executive at Gearhouse Broadcast, says: “With the combination of technical expertise and levels of equipment we hold, unlike most broadcast equipment rental companies we can act as a One-Stop Shop for the customer.

“From the cameras, EVS servers to the glue infrastructure, we can supply a fully comprehensive package and can back it up with the expert knowledge of our Project Solutions and System Integration Divisions.”

The BBC’s football programmes are among the most famous programmes in sports broadcasting, and the fact that all games are now broadcast in full HD is thanks in part to the HD broadcast cameras and infrastructure supplied by the Rental Division of Gearhouse Broadcast.

The BBC’s outside broadcast contractors SISLive are charged with arranging comprehensive HD coverage of matches taking place across the country, and Gearhouse Broadcast are the natural partners for anyone looking for that kind of volume of HD camera rental and HD broadcast infrastructure rental.

HD camera rental specialist

Every match day Gearhouse Broadcast’s Rental Division supply the latest HD system cameras and channel technology to ensure that every kick of every game is covered from every possible angle.

Each weekend you’ll find Gearhouse Broadcast Sony HDC 1500R multi-format HD system cameras position around all the grounds to capture the action in full HD as well as HD camcorders to record pitch side interviews and reaction.

These will usually be accompanied by the amazing Sony HDC 3300 Super Slow Motion camera, which allows the programme editor to access slow motion highlights from the game in a matter of seconds.

EVS Hard Disc technology

The boom in demand for HD sports broadcast equipment rental has only been matched by demand for hard drive servers capable of storing and backing up the vastly increased stream of audio and video information generated by HD broadcast cameras.

The undisputed market leaders in this field are EVS, whose EVS XT server and recently launched successor EVS XT2+ are in constant demand among professional sports broadcasters, not surprisingly given their respective 6x300GB and 12x300GB HD standard memory capacities.

Thinking ahead about HD broadcast equipment rentals

Fortunately, Gearhouse Broadcast anticipated some time ago the impact that HD broadcasting would have on the broadcast equipment rental market, and has healthy rental stocks of not only HD cameras and camcorders but has also built up the largest stocks of EVS Hard Discs to be found among any UK broadcast rental company.

Indeed, it is currently in the process of gradually replacing all its 60 plus EVS XTs with the XT2+ version.

HD sports broadcast rental experience

Gearhouse Broadcast has a strong track record in supplying broadcasting equipment for sports events, including football.

Many of the HD cameras and infrastructure equipment supplied to broadcasters at this summer’s World Cup in South Africa is now back in the UK and available for sale and rental, and the company also hire HD system cameras, camcorders and EVS hard disc systems to contractors providing coverage for many high profile channels.

Jakki Hewitt, Rental Manager at Gearhouse Broadcast, says: “With the combination of technical expertise and levels of equipment we hold, unlike most broadcast equipment rental companies we can act as a One-Stop Shop for the customer.

“From the cameras, EVS servers to the glue infrastructure, we can supply a fully comprehensive package and can back it up with the expert knowledge of our Project Solutions and System Integration Divisions.”

As an equipment supplier to SIS LIVE,

SIS LIVE, Europe’s largest outside broadcast and uplink supplier and providers of all technical facilities at this year’s Wimbledon, brought in Gearhouse Broadcast to provide a large variety of the HD equipment for this summer’s tournament, including five Sony HDC 3300 slow motion cameras.

Broadcast technology also supplied by Gearhouse included; 264 x 264 3GB Cyprus video router, vision mixer, four Sony MFS2000 Multi Format Production Switchers, nine HD EVS systems, HD and SD distribution and audio embedding equipment, along with distribution amplifiers and the infrastructure, or ‘glue’ as it is known in the industry, to tie it all together.

Broadcast solutions

Prior to the event, Gearhouse Broadcast’s Rental Division and engineering staff worked closely with SIS LIVE’s engineers to ensure that all the equipment supplied met their technical solution requirements.

Once identified, all the kit was thoroughly tested and configured by Gearhouse Broadcast engineers in workshops at their Watford Head Office before being delivered to site.

Broadcast integration

During the set up week prior to the event, Gearhouse appointed a Project Engineer to assist SIS LIVE’s engineers with the integration of the equipment, as well as providing 24/7 technical back up.

Alan Wright, SIS LIVE Engineering Manager, said: “The Wimbledon Championships are one of the biggest and most complex annual events that we cover and Gearhouse Broadcast supplied a variety of equipment to ensure this year’s coverage was successful.”

What did you make of the HD broadcast coverage of this year’s Wimbledon? We’re always interested in your views, so please let us know.

Presented by the nation’s favourite hosts Ant and Dec, the show has made household names of the likes of judge Simon Cowell and contestants such as Diversity, Susan Boyle and this years winner Spellbound.

Audio broadcast solutions

With the acts and judges performing live in front of an audience it is essential that the audio broadcast technology and solutions within the studio are of the highest possible quality.

For the fourth year running Gearhouse Broadcast were awarded the contract to supply radio microphone equipment for the judges, hosts and contestants for the ITV live studio show of Britain’s Got Talent.

Gearhouse also provide Radio Frequency (RF) solutions for ITV’s other huge talent show hit, ‘X Factor’ as well as the Britain’s Got Talent spin off, ‘Britain’s Got More Talent’.

Jakki Hewitt, Gearhouse Broadcast’s Rental Manager, said: “With our history of successfully undertaking RF projects such as Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor, we have consistently proven that we can provide our clients flexible and reliable solutions to the very highest standards.”

Planning of the show began with a detailed frequency blueprint produced by Gearhouse Broadcast’s audio specialists, and in the end no fewer than 50 channels of radio microphones were in operation.

Broadcast integration and support

Dawn Gray, Britain’s Got Talent, Line Producer for talkbackTHAMES said, “We have worked with Gearhouse Broadcast on many projects before. Highly recommended, Gearhouse proved that their audio department could tailor their service to suit any needs and any schedule that we could throw at them.”

Gearhouse Broadcast audio also managed all stages from planning, kit preparation and delivery to onsite installation. Continual on-site and off-site support is also vital to provide seamless integration of wireless radio microphones given the size of the studio and the unpredictable and spontaneous nature of the programme.

Among the very latest state-of-the-art equipment supplied to meet the very specific needs of the programme were:

• 40 Sennheiser SK5012s
• a new SK5212 bodypack transmitter
• Six SKM 5200 handheld transmitters
• Two SKP 30 plug on transmitters, which when plugged into the microphone connector instantly converts to wireless operation
• Sennheiser’s MKE Platinum clip-on lavalier microphones were used for all presenters and contestants
• A purpose built Titan ProSplit antenna combiner/splitter which fed multiple zones of RF coverage to seven racks of Sennheiser EM1046 receiver cards

What did you think of Britain’s Got Talent 2010? Did the quality of the sound increase your enjoyment of the show? Let us know.

As one of Europe’s leading providers of broadcast equipment sales, rentals, project solutions and systems integration, Gearhouse Broadcast is proud of the excellent working relationship it has built up with Pinewood in recent years, and to have supplied the cutting edge technology used to realise some of the most popular shows currently appearing on British television screens.

And Gearhouse recently helped Pinewood break new ground by providing tapeless HD format and broadcasting solutions for the production of CBeebies’ latest hit for early years children, ZingZillas, the first time this technology has been employed at the studios.

HD Format Broadcast

The HD format is an important part of the show’s appeal, which is both strongly visual and musical as it follows primate friends Zak, Tang, Panzee and Drum through their colourful jungle home in their quest put together a daily performance, The Big Zing, inspired by a range of visiting musicians and singers.

Over the past few years Gearhouse has delivered an exhaustive range of audio and video equipment, including cameras and camcorders, both standard and high definition upgrade (SD and HD), MCR hubs, VTRs and infrastructure solutions to Pinewood.

The kit supplied is all specifically tailored to the needs of Pinewood-produced hit series such as the BBC’s ‘Would I Lie to You’, Channel 4’s ‘The IT Crowd’ and Sky 1’s flagship HD sports panel quiz ‘A League of Their Own’, presented by multi-award winning comic actor and writer James Corden of Gavin and Stacey fame.

HD Kit technical support

Gearhouse’s engineers and technicians have established a close working relationship with their colleagues at the studios over the years, ensuring their technical support is available on demand and any additional equipment requirements can be quickly and seamlessly met.

Simon Honey, Head of TV Studio Operations at The Pinewood Studios Group says:  “Gearhouse Broadcast always provide a professional all round package with exceptional customer service, through a dedicated knowledgeable rental team, dependable hands on technical support, and reliable state of the art equipment – at a competitive price.

“With a proven track record in delivering project solutions, we collaboratively provided a seamless HD tapeless workflow for the CBeebies production ‘Zingzillas’, and the results speak for themselves on screen.”

Gearhouse Broadcast recently teamed up with web design and online solutions specialists Optix Solutions, to develop a new web presence capable of keeping up with the demands of such a fast-moving industry, and we are pleased to announce the new site went live this month.

Optix Solutions were charged with creating a website that is truly easy to use, quick to navigate and flexible enough to be adapted to reflect every important development in the broadcast world on a daily basis.

At the same time it highlights all the products and services available from our Sales, Rental, System Integration and Project Management departments worldwide, as well as latest company and industry news.

“We wanted a site that is not only simple and satisfying to use and lets people know what we have to offer but that also reflects our position and gravitas within the industry,” said Eamonn Dowdall,Managing Director at Gearhouse Broadcast.

“Given the business we are in it wouldn’t be right to rely on a dull static site that didn’t give the visitor a feel for just what an exciting, technical business we are in. We are absolutely delighted with the result and believe our customers and visitors will be too.”

At the click of a mouse you can check out the latest outside broadcast truck being built at our UK headquarters, what cameras are available for rent in Australia, product sales in Doha or project solutions in India.

With so much to cover, it was vital that the site was designed to be as easy as possible to navigate, to take the visitor where they want to go quickly and efficiently.

We have incorporated a specifically designed filtered search facility which enables the visitor to, for instance, find a product by type, condition (new or used) or brand. In the near future you’ll be able to bid for an ex-rental or excess stock bargain via e-auction.

Case studies are used to introduce the sheer scope of the projects that Gearhouse Broadcast are involved in day in, day out.

Visitors are offered detailed insights into everything from the technology Gearhouse Broadcast supplies to bring ‘I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!’ from the Australian rainforest to our living rooms to the creation of India’s state broadcaster Doordarshan’s first custom-built outside broadcast truck.

Specially incorporated 360° panoramic image technology allows the visitor to take a virtual tour of everything from the VTR and audio set up in a HD (High Definition) outside broadcast truck to the wiring and cabling that makes it all work.

Our brilliant new ‘Truck Builder’ facility even enables you to build a virtual broadcast vehicle from scratch, specifying everything from the number and type of cameras and lenses required to the environmental conditions it will work under. Fill in the form and send it off and we’ll come straight back with a quote.

A new blog area allows us to tell you what Gearhouse Broadcast is up to behind the scenes, like news on the audio solutions we delivered to ITV for X-Factor or the lowdown on the latest in camcorder technology. And you can now also follow us on Twitter.