Sony Clears Bar For NBC Olympics

When the Olympic Games begin on Friday Sony HD technology will be put to heavy use by NBC Olympics as NBC will use 30 PDW-700 cameras and 170 PDW-HD1500 decks. Additionally, 42 Sony HDC-1400 studio cameras, eight MVS-8000 switchers and two MFS-2000 switchers will be used by NBC in the International Broadcast Center. Sony HD studio cameras will also be at NBC’s facilities in the different venues, including the HDC-3300 3x Super Slow Motion cameras. Venue material will be acquired using a mix of Sony PDW-700, HDC-1400, and HDC-3300 cameras.

NBC is planning to use the new XDCAM HD camcorder as its primary ENG camcorder for the Games. Crews will use the camcorders to record athlete arrivals, interviews, venue press conferences and any other assignment that requires portable recording and capture. The XDCAM HD decks will be the primary recording device, used for the “ingest wall” at the IBC.

Telemundo, NBC Universal’s Spanish-language television network, will use the PDW-700 camcorders at its stand-up location overlooking the Olympic Stadium.
“From our experience with previous versions of XDCAM systems, we were confident that the technology had the right combination of features, quality and performance,” said David Mazza, senior vice president, engineering, NBC Olympics.

“These new models actually improve our picture quality and reduce our capture and storage cost over any previous HD format. The XDCAM camcorders will help to bring our production capabilities to a new level that will be a great asset to our Olympics coverage.”

The new XDCAM HD models include the PDW-700 2/3-inch CCD camcorder and the PDW-HD1500 recording deck, as well as the dual-layer 50GB version of Sony’s optical Professional Disc™ media, model PFD50DLA.

Also working closely with NBC is Sony’s Professional Services group, which is involved in product set-up and workflow testing, providing 100 percent uptime for all broadcasting equipment and operations.

“It’s rewarding to be an integral part of one of the major HD television sports events in the world,” said Alec Shapiro, senior vice president for sales and marketing, Sony Electronics’ Broadcast and Production Systems Division. “The broadcast requirements for the Games continually increase in scope and complexity, and are a perfect showcase for our HD production technology. This year, Sony’s new 2/3-inch XDCAM HD system, as well as all our proven HD equipment, will play a major role in the coverage of the Games, bringing viewers at home an unforgettable experience.”