Posts Tagged ‘Sony’
OLED Technology Monitor, Sony’s next generation in colour monitor
Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
Sony’s latest TRIMASTER EL OLED Monitors have taken post production houses to another level. Where visual performance and accuracy is critical, the Trimaster EL OLED monitors allows you to achieve the highest levels of accuracy and picture quality.
Sony’s BVM series monitor optimises the latest Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) technology and is available in various screen sizes. The combined key technologies of Sony’s ‘Super Top Emission’ has revolutionised the BVM series with it’s: -
1) Enhanced light efficiency by top emission structure
2) Advanced colour purity by colour filter and micro-cavity
3) Improved the contrast by colour filter and micro-cavity
4) Improved a higher reliability by complete solid structure
The OLED is the new way for colourists to put the final touches on productions. It’s the new ‘must have’ tool for creating the desired effects that has never been achievable by post production houses. Sony’s OLED Technology Monitor
GEARHOUSE BROADCAST ANNOUNCE THE SALE OF HXC-100 TO BLITZ COMMUNICATIONS
Thursday, March 17th, 2011Gearhouse Broadcast announces the sale of 4 Sony HXC-100 Camera Channels to Blitz Communications to increase their inventory of high definition cameras for their Rental Fleet.
Upgrade from Standard Definition Sony DXC-D50 to HD Sony HXC-100 Camera Channels
Broadcast equipment Sales specialists Gearhouse Broadcast had been speaking with Leroy Murray at Blitz Communications about the company’s plan to upgrade their existing Standard Definition Sony DXC-D50 Camera Channels to one of Sony’s High Definition Camera Channels. Working very closely with Blitz, Gearhouse Broadcast found the perfect solution for their needs, the Sony HXC-100.
The Sony HXC-100 Camera Channels allows Blitz to offer both SD and HD productions. It’s the industry standard camera with excellent picture performance and excellent system versatility for all types of production.
Official High Definition Sony HXC-100 Reseller
Blitz Communications Head of Video, Leroy Murray said ‘As an official High Definition Sony Reseller Gearhouse Broadcast is uniquely positioned to assist us with our purchase. Gearhouse is a highly reputable company, which has always provided us with an excellent service and as a business it can offer us 24 hour technical support if needed. With this in mind it was an easy choice for us to go with Gearhouse Broadcast.’
Gearhouse Broadcast has been a Sony Specialist Dealer since 2004 and has supplied broadcast equipment to many broadcast markets including Studios, Outside Broadcast and production companies. By attending regular Sony seminars and training courses Gearhouse Broadcasts sales team are highly trained on all the latest Sony equipment. (more…)
Gearhouse Broadcast Provide HD Camera Solutions For Nation’s Favourite Sports Broadcast
Monday, September 6th, 2010
It seems that no sooner was the World Cup over than the English Premier League was back on our screens and with it the national institution that is football.
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. (more…)
World Cup Used Broadcast Equipment For Sale
Monday, September 6th, 2010
This summer’s football World Cup finals was one the most challenging and complex projects Gearhouse Broadcast has been involved in to date, and now broadcast equipment sent out to South Africa, much of it bought in especially for the event, is up for sale.
Demand and enquiries for the ex-World Cup used broadcast equipment has been constant ever since it arrived back in the UK from South Africa.
Amongst the stock of ex-World Cup kit that is available are a wide range of Harris Dual 1×4 and single 1×8 Distribution Amplifiers, Harris Up/Down/Cross Converters, Harris Signal processing equipment, Evertz HD/SD Duel Multiviewers and state of the art Tektronix Multi-Format Waveform Monitors.
The World Cup was responsible for a big surge of activity in the broadcast services sector, with huge demands placed on manufacturers and broadcast system solutions specialists like Gearhouse Broadcast to provide the most up-to-date equipment and technology, including broadcast system cameras and Audio Video test equipment.
The sheer volume of equipment required to meet demand, ensure that the projects ran smoothly and to deadline, involved Gearhouse Broadcast making significant investments in Canon HD Lenses, Sennheiser Microphones, Sony HD Monitors, Sony HD Cameras and Sony HD Camcorders. Added to this were Pro-Bel SD/HD Routers, Tektronix Test Equipment, Evertz VIP Multi Viewers, Harris Distribution and Glue products and 14 EVS XT2+ servers to compliment an existing inventory of 32, all just in order to service the demand for the product at the World Cup.
It was not just Gearhouse Broadcast’s equipment that was in demand. Given the size of South Africa, the sheer logistics of the operation around the whole tournament meant the technical infrastructure behind the scenes had to be spot on, and Gearhouse Broadcast’s project solution and systems integration expertise had a major part to play.
For more information on ex-World Cup used broadcast equipment you can download a full list at www.gearhousebroadcast.com/i/worldcup-equipment.pdf or call the Gearhouse Broadcast Sales Team on 0845 820 0000.
Gearhouse Broadcast Support SIS LIVE and Help Serve Up HD Treat at Wimbledon Championships
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
As an equipment supplier to SIS LIVE, broadcast solutions company Gearhouse Broadcast ensured that every serve and volley at this year’s Wimbledon Tennis Championships could be seen around the world in outstanding high definition for the second year running.
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.
Gearhouse Broadcast Heading For IBC Amsterdam Industry Showcase Event
Friday, July 30th, 2010
International broadcast solutions specialist Gearhouse Broadcast will be showcasing some of their latest work for clients around the globe at the IBC (International Broadcast Convention) in Amsterdam next month.
IBC is the premier annual event for professionals engaged in the creation, management and delivery of entertainment and news content worldwide.
It brings together the leading broadcast companies, brands and investors under one roof at the RAI Centre in Amsterdam, attracting almost 50,000 attendees from more than 140 countries.
As well as exhibiting the latest cutting-edge technology in the rapidly evolving electronic media industry, IBC features a series of conference events led by leading figures within the broadcasting industry and a wealth of networking opportunities.
This year, Gearhouse Broadcast will be represented by its System Integration and Broadcast Sales Divisions.
Visitors to the Gearhouse Broadcast stand, situated at 10.C41, will be able to learn all about the latest broadcast systems integration projects the company has been involved in for international clients such as Al Jazeera and South African broadcaster M-NET.
The Systems Integration Division has carried out HD installations for studios, outside broadcast facilities and venues across the globe, and has a wealth of experience in providing solutions for studios and outside broadcast facilities covering everything from transmission and automation, tapeless workflow, master control rooms and broadcast cabling.
Over recent years Systems Integration has completed numerous HD outside broadcast (OB) truck builds for the UK and international markets.
As the UK’s leading international reseller of professional broadcast equipment, our Broadcast Sales Division specialise in sourcing and selling both new and used broadcast equipment.
Gearhouse’s extensive stock list of used broadcast equipment covers SD and HD camera channels, SD and HD camcorders, camera accessories, camera lenses, VTRs, monitors, vision mixers, audio video test equipment and audio video measurement equipment.
We are authorised dealers for a number of leading manufactures including Sony, Evertz, Harris, Snell, JVC and Tektronix, and to mark the occasion will be offering ex-World Cup kit broadcast equipment at very special IBC rates.
This year’s IBC is an excellent time to visit us at stand 10.C41 to discuss your next broadcast project or acquiring broadcast equipment at very competitive prices.
To register for FREE log on to www.ibc.org/registration and enter Gearhouse Broadcast’s password 10138.
Gearhouse Provides Broadcast Solutions for World Cup
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
THE football World Cup is often described as the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’, and once again Gearhouse Broadcast is right at the heart of it as the finest players around the globe descend on South Africa this summer.
With a worldwide TV audience of billions, Gearhouse Broadcast is being used by seven major multinational broadcasters to supply both project solutions and equipment.
As well as the Technical Operation Centres (TOC’s), Gearhouse Broadcast is also providing location services such as the systems integration and building of studios and facilities at the international broadcast center for individual rights-holding broadcasters can produce their own style and flavour of transmission back to their home countries.
HBS – Host Broadcast Services
As a service provider to HBS, Gearhouse Broadcast’s Project Solutions team built and installed the Technical Operation Centres at each of the ten stadiums. Gearhouse also supplied engineering staff for each of the Technical Operation Centres.
ESPN America
We have designed and installed a very large 1200 m2 facility for ESPN. This facility is made up of three production galleries each with its own audio mixer, a central logging and ingest area, an on-air EVS area, Avid edit suites, a transmission area and a remote large studio overlooking Soccer City. There is also a large central production office with various audio, video and communications facilities installed on desks as required. The whole facility is virtually tapeless with a central EVS server for Ingest and logging which is connected to an Avid Unity server to allow transfer of files between Avids, Ingest and on-air EVS machines. We also have three Lawo MC56 audio desks connected together via four cores that allow total flexibility between all the control rooms for transfer of audio signals for the various 5.1 mixes being done. The communications with Bristol and all the remote sites in South Africa is being handled by a large Telex Adam system with 270 ports which include 64 RVON ports.
Univision
Gearhouse Broadcast has supplied broadcast equipment, communication facilities, two control rooms, studio and crew at the IBC in Johannesburg. This facility also has a large EVS and FCP server system making it an almost tapeless facility as well. We have also supplied a remote three camera studio facility that is connected to the IBC via a 3rd party supplied fibre and data connections.
ITV
Gearhouse have supplied one HD outside broadcast (OB) facility for all of ITV’s pitch-side presentations. The units will supply 2 way interview and presentation facilities pre and post match, together with pitch-side reporter facilities during the match. The OB facility is a small four camera unit that has been built out of our fly away rigs and installed into a small vehicle that travels around the country. Gearhouse have also supplied crew including Engineer, Sound and Cameramen for the facility.
ESPN BRAZIL
Gearhouse Broadcast have designed and installed an IBC facility that includes a production control room, studio facility, 12 x ENG kits, EVS servers and integrated Avid editing and storage servers. This facility is on air around 14 hours per day showing matches and background stories that are edited in the four edit suits on site.
TYC Sports AND TE LE FE Argentina
Designed and installed the IBC facilities for these Argentinean broadcasters in the IBC in Johannesburg, South Africa. This includes monitoring, distribution, production galleries and studio facilities. Torneos y Competencias S.A. was responsible for hiring the equipment and Torneos y Competencias ARG is in charge of the production of DirecTV Latin America, Fox Sports, TELEFE, Canal 7 and TyC Sports.
The tournament has kicked off a surge of activity in the broadcast services sector with huge demands placed on manufacturers and broadcast solutions companies, like Gearhouse Broadcast, to provide the most-up-to date equipment and technology.
Gearhouse have made significant investments in Canon HD lenses, Sennheiser Microphones, Sony HD Monitors and Sony HD Cameras and Camcorders. In addition to these they have invested in Pro-Bel HD/SD Routers, Tektronix Test Equipment, Evertz VIP Multi Viewers, Harris distribution and glue products and from EVS they have purchased 14 XT2 Servers to add to an inventory of 32 EVS’s to service the demands for this product at the World Cup.
It’s not just Gearhouse Broadcast’s equipment that is in demand – the sheer logistics of the operation around the whole tournament means that the technical infrastructure behind the scenes has to be spot on, and Gearhouse Broadcast’s Project Solution and Systems Integration expertise had a major part to play.
Gearhouse had over 70 people on the ground putting in 2650 man hours in the weeks leading up to the event. Once all the equipment was shipped to South Africa, they had just 16 days to build and run system checks before kick-off.
“This has been one of the largest and most challenging projects we have undertaken due to its scale and the complexity of the logistics involved. Because of the amount of kit and the distance involved, we started preparing for the World Cup 12 months ago and it has been a very complex process” says Kevin Moorhouse, Gearhouse Broadcast’s Chief Operating Officer.
“The size of the country means that our planning and logistics needed to be extremely well organised so that everything was there and in place with plenty of time prior to the start of the tournament. We’ve got a six-person team just handling logistics from a large warehouse in Johannesburg from which all equipment and materials will be prepared and distributed and a small satellite workshop for our service engineers”.
“Whereas in other countries we would normally be able to source new equipment if we needed it overnight, in South Africa, we had to be more prepared. We’ve had to bring extra equipment with us because there is no source of broadcast equipment available in the country. If we needed another VTR, I would have to fly one in, so our planning had to be so much better”
“Our goal was to supply cost effective broadcast solutions for all our individual rights-holding broadcasters. The choice of our equipment suppliers for these high profile live sports events is always a carefully considered decision, we choose the most reliable technology on the market every single time”, said Kevin.
Gearhouse Broadcast Enjoys World Cup Success
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010The football World Cup is often described as the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’, and once again Gearhouse Broadcast is right at the heart of it as the finest players around the globe descend on South Africa this summer.
With a worldwide TV audience of billions, Gearhouse Broadcast is being used by seven major multinational broadcasters to supply both project solutions and equipment.
Some of the broadcast equipment in South Africa consists of 36 EVS Hard Disk recorders, 42 EVS IP directors, 20 Sony HD 1500 channel cameras plus 42 Canon HD lenses.
Rental equipment AND logistics
It’s not just Gearhouse Broadcast’s rental equipment that is in demand. The sheer logistics of the operation around the finals mean that the technical infrastructure behind the scenes has to be spot on, and Gearhouse Broadcast’s project solution and integration expertise will have a key part to play.
To make sure everything works properly, Gearhouse Broadcast are supplying an array of ‘glue’ equipment, large routing systems, audio and vision mixers, thousands of metres of fibre, video and audio cabling, camera systems , down and up converters, and distribution and monitoring systems.
In case of any technical issues Gearhouse Broadcast Engineers will be on the spot to rectify any issues immediately, we have 82 crew working a total of 2650 main days on this project.
“This is our biggest event of the year, with a massive global audience and definitely the sort of project that we want to be involved in,” says Gearhouse Broadcast’s Rentals Division Account Executive Ben McKeenan.
“We started preparing for this project back in September 2009. Because of the size of the kit and the distance involved, we’re sending it out this month so there is plenty of time to get it all in place and working.
“But it’s non-stop and a lot of this equipment has either come straight from other projects, such as the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and will be straight off elsewhere as soon as it gets back.”
Even with so much equipment half way across the other side of the world, the Rentals Division always strike a balance to ensure they can readily service customers here in the UK and elsewhere.
Gearhouse Broadcast agree order with XL Video for fifty Sony HXC-100s
Thursday, March 4th, 2010
HD approved Sony specialist dealer, Gearhouse Broadcast has agreed an order for fifty Sony HXC-100 HD camera channels to concert touring and event specialist video company XL Video.
XL Video’s Managing Director Lee Spencer explained “XL’s business is growing and the increasing demand for HD required a long term investment. We made a conscious decision to move our inventory to HD throughout 2009. The HXC-100 was evaluated against the best of breed alternatives and was selected as the best value and most appropriate fit to support our intensive HD expansion plans.”
Gearhouse Broadcast was tasked with trialing the HXC-100 on XL’s behalf to ensure the camera was capable of meeting the company’s high-demands. With the assistance of Sony, the first HXC-100 in Europe was supplied to Gearhouse and tested in live broadcast applications. Working closely with XL’s technical team, Gearhouse was able to determine that the HXC-100 was an ideal fit for their application.
“The transition to a new camera is a major undertaking, especially when prestigious client projects are involved and resources and support are required immediately.” Said Eamonn Dowdall Gearhouse Broadcast’s Managing Director. “As an authorized HD Sony Dealer, Gearhouse Broadcast was uniquely positioned to assist XL in their transition to HD. Our product knowledge is supported by the resources of expertise and equipment from our Rental and Project divisions enabling XL to have a smooth and hassle free transition.”
Spencer concluded “as a result of the investment XL has now become the leading HD Events business in the UK. The HXC-100 is a cutting edge camera, allowing XL to offer both SD and HD productions with features and quality previously unachievable without major budget investment. Our investment in HD technology and infrastructure has redefined the quality potential
and possibilities for our clients.”
XL Video has used the HXC-100’s on the Kylie, Elbow and Neyo tours and will take delivery of the remaining 38 channels later this autumn. Gearhouse Broadcast is the first reseller to sell the Sony HXC-100 HD Camera Channels into Europe.
I’m A Celebrity Series 9 sees Gearhouse Broadcast return to the Jungle
Thursday, March 4th, 2010ITV Studios has awarded broadcast solutions company Gearhouse Broadcast the contract for I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here series 9!
Gearhouse Broadcast will provide ITV Studios with technical and broadcast facilities for series 9 of the production using flyaway facilities which will create a large Production gallery, an MCR area, a CCU area, a VTR/EVS Room, two big Audio Control rooms and a Comms area.
Helen Kruger Bratt ITV Production Executive said “We’re looking forward to working with Gearhouse Broadcast again on Series 9. It’s no mean feat having to produce over 40 hours of live programming over 3 weeks from the Australian bush. We have reality cameras filming 24/7 out in the jungle in all weathers and terrain: torrential rain, hail storms and lightning strikes can be frequent occurrences in the Australian Outback.”
Eamonn Dowdall, Gearhouse Broadcast Managing Director said “We are looking forward to returning to the jungle for Series 9 of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here. Once again we will be presented with many challenges working in the tough jungle climate but we are confident that we have the experience and expertise to deliver the technical facilities required to meet ITV’s needs.”
Working with the latest technology including Sony MVS vision mixers and a Calrec Omega with blue fin audio desk Gearhouse Broadcast will use over eighty cameras with many speciality models to ensure extensive coverage of all the jungle action which will be broadcast on both ITV 1 and ITV 2. A technical team will be supplied to provide onsite engineering support.