Pac-12 Networks Supported by Bevy of Sony HD Gear

Last week, Pac-12 Enterprises launched Pac-12 Networks using an array of Sony high-definition broadcast production technology.

From the playing field to the studio, Sony studio cameras, camcorders, production switcher and monitors are key to producing about 850 live sporting events annually for the new network.  In the new studios, eight Sony HDC-1400R cameras plus an MVS-7000X HD production switcher are the heart of the ground-up 3G-capable facility in San Francisco. In addition, the facility includes a full array of Sony production monitors including BVM-series OLED screens for critical viewing.

“What’s most impressive about our choice of Sony equipment is how it delivers the best imaging in addition to the best efficiencies and performance,” said Hal Reynolds, senior vice president of Technology, Pac-12 Networks. “We are a not-for-profit, and so we need to maximize the dollars that go to support sports at these schools. Sony meets our needs for cost-effectiveness while delivering extraordinary HD quality.”

The production system is built around Sony’s 50Mbps XDCAM workflow. Sony XDCAM decks are used to ingest outside content including legacy material. Systems integrator Diversified Systems of Santa Clara
designed and implemented the installation.

In the field, Pac-12 Networks uses “flypacks” at the schools featuring Sony EX Series and the new PMW-200 XDCAM HD 4:2:2 camcorders as well as Sony ECM 77B lavalier microphones.   The 40 PMW-200’s are among the first to be delivered in the United States.  In addition, each school has a “Campus-Cam,” using a Sony remote-controlled EVI-HD1 camera to conduct interviews with athletes remotely.

Pac-12 Enterprises was created in 2011 to create Pac-12 Networks, a full-time linear network available to cable, satellite and telephone companies, dedicated solely to the Pac-12. The national network consists of six regional feeds to deliver 24/7 access to Pac-12 teams and universities. At launch, affiliate partners include Bright House, Comcast, Cox, and Time Warner Cable. In addition, Pac-12 Digital group will provide multiplatform distribution including mobile, university websites, and social media.