IBC 2010: Grass Valley Unveils Fusion Concept, Targets Enhanced Workflow

Grass Valley kicked off IBC with a renewed spirit as the sale to its new owner, private-equity firm Francisco Partners, moves toward completion. And with the future of the company more secure than it has been in years, the focus at the stand is squarely on new products and deals, including a concept called Fusion that gives customers who go end-to-end with Grass Valley products enhanced workflows and connectivity.

“When customers see the Fusion logo, they know they will be able to get greater value if they buy a suite of Grass Valley products,” says Ray Baldock, VP of marketing and technology for Grass Valley.

One of the capabilities that Fusion will offer enables the Kayenne production switcher to control Grass Valley servers, cameras, and router. The LDK Connect Gateway, powered by Fusion, uses a C2IP-based control system and an XML-based platform to allow any systems integrator to write user-specific camera-control applications. Routine interaction is through a remotely accessible intuitive GUI, which will make multiple camera setups faster and easier.

“There may be a setup situation where the camera operator is not on-site and the [production staff] needs to see a shot,” says Baldock. “With Fusion, the technical director will have utility-type control over the camera. They also will be able to transport all tally information to all the cameras.”

And trigger-based control of replays or servers from the Kayenne switcher, he adds, are taken a step further with integrated control of all clips via clip management.

“When you have control of both ends of the [production chain], you bring new value to the brand,” he says. “Only a company that provides all the pieces can attempt this, and only one with real efficiencies can make it happen.”

Also new from Grass Valley is the LDK 5307 high-resolution, color viewfinder with an 8-bit, 7-in. screen with 16:10 aspect ratio that can be used with all current Grass Valley high-definition system cameras: the LDK 3000, LDK 4000 Elite, LDK 8000 Series, and LDK 8300 Super SloMo camera. Why 10 instead of 9? “It gives users space at the bottom for menus and tally information,” says Baldock.

Other features include adjustable brightness and color temperature as well as a zoom function that enables the camera pixels to match the viewfinder pixels, allowing very fine focusing.

The Kayenne production switcher has been given an upgrade. Version 2.0 offers easier control over 3D production needs as well as enhanced clip-store functionality that allows up to 10 hours of full-HD–resolution key and fill to be accessed off a K2 Summit server. Clips can be stored, trimmed, and selected directly from the Kayenne switcher.

And the Kayenne upgrade makes it easier to build multiple-layer on-screen effects and make dramatic transitions that previously required a standalone digital-video-effects (DVE) unit.

The K2 Summit and Solo servers also have new capabilities, courtesy of a ChannelFlex software upgrade that redefines the concept of the server channel, according to Charlie Dunn, GM of editing and servers. For example, a four-channel Summit can handle six channels in and two channels out, and a two-channel Solo server can have four channels of functionality. And, for 3D needs, each channel can record a left- and right-eye signal in a single channel.

Grass Valley’s K2 Dyno Replay System can now share content on a K2-SAN (storage area network) and streamline file-based content creation for broadcasters, sports-production companies, and others producing live and studio-based entertainment programming and events.

The K2 Dyno Replay System comprises the K2 Dyno Replay Controller coupled to the K2 Summit production client. The system enables production professionals to capture live events in crystal-clear HD resolutions and instantly play highlights and playlists at variable speeds for critical analysis during fast-paced events. The K2 Dyno Replay System also supports standard definition.

Supporting DVCPRO and AVC-Intra 50/100 compressions, the K2 Dyno Replay System on a K2-SAN provides a shared environment system for replaying content as well as for sharing and managing highlight clips between multiple nonlinear editing systems networked together. Content being recorded to the SAN can be replayed, edited, searched, and played out without the time-consuming need to transfer files to the various individual workflow departments.