Grass Valley Live Touch 1300 Replay, LDX 100 Camera, and K-Frame XP Engine Make Most of IP

Grass Valley has introduced the LiveTouch 1300, the company’s latest highlights and replay production system, as well as a new camera platform, the LDX 100, and production switcher engine, the K-Frame XP, and all three make the most of IP tech to provide format and production flexibility.

The LiveTouch 1300, for example, brings enhanced flexibility to 4K UHD production allowing users to capture video directly from IP sources, and delivers expanded collaborative workflow capability making it ideal for mobile production.

“The demand for captivating, stunning quality content is at an all-time high,” says Chris Merrill, Grass Valley’s director of product marketing. “We developed LiveTouch 1300 to help our customers efficiently create immersive 4K UHD and HDR replays in any production scenario. Now more than ever it is crucial to allow broadcasters and content owners greater freedom to cover live events regardless of their location. LiveTouch 1300 makes distributed production and collaborative workflows easy and fast.”

Among its new features is an HTML5 LiveTouch Dashboard makes system monitoring, control, start up and basic configuration straightforward and quick in the on-and-off environment of an OB truck. The LiveTouch Panel also now includes a uniquely integrated creative toolset that eliminates the need for external PCs. In addition, this latest version of LiveTouch enables multiformat production without changing the operator workflow.

With inputs that support up to full raster, single stream 4K UHD/HD processing and HDR/SDR up and down or cross-mapping LiveTouch easily works across production standards. Concurrent operators may have access to all cameras and servers to instantly create, edit and playout highlights packages.

Greg Huttie, Grass Valley, vice president, production switchers, says LiveTouch 1300 puts creative versatility at the operators fingertips with SDR, HDR, and full cross mapping functionality.

“The second them is flexibility as there is enormous flexibility with connectivity so it can be used to build out remi and at-home productions,” he says.

The LiveTouch 1300 enables new at-home workflows.

Simplifying content creation even further is Fileflow 4, a new streamlined UI that allows operators to quickly create rules for automated file delivery to social media, archive and other network-based destinations.

Built with the latest native IP environments in mind, LiveTouch 1300 simplifies 4K UHD requirements with unique dual redundant 50G SMPTE ST 2110 IP interfaces with NMOS IS-04 and IS-05 that allow operators to use standard IT network connections to quickly identify and connect the system. For the ultimate flexibility, panels connect over IP allowing operators to be miles away from the event and the Live Touch server, making the LiveTouch 1300 the ideal REMI/At-Home replay system.

Also new is the LDX 100 camera platform which was introduced earlier this month. This latest addition to the company’s camera portfolio is a high-speed, native UHD camera that takes a revolutionary approach to camera design. Built from the ground up with native IP connectivity, the camera delivers signals directly into the network, conveniently enabling access to them wherever they are needed – even, for example, as return feed monitoring from another camera position.  The LDX 100 unlocks greater creativity and flexibility for content creators, freeing them from the physical constraints of traditional live production environments.

“Today, live production workflows – particularly in sports – need to be smarter and more flexible than ever, removing barriers to creativity and collaboration,” explains

. “Our customers also tell us they want to harness the best creative and on-screen talent, wherever in the world they might be. We’ve driven the transition to remote production, which is a vital step in this direction, but now the industry is ready for the next step-change.”

At the heart of the camera is Grass Valley’s all new Titan imager. Designed to answer the specific demands of live sports production, this 2/3-inch imager provides superior UHD resolution and HDR/WCG color reproduction at up to 3X high speed. The camera easily pairs with industry standard B4 lenses to provide the zoom range and depth of field needed in sports without the optical gymnastics of other competitive solutions. This new solution allows production teams to create rich breathtaking images in full raster native UHD without compromising on the storytelling that viewers demand.

The LDX 100 leverages the full power and agility of IP by delivering easy, rapid set-up and configuration and the ability to add features as needed.

The LDX 100 is Grass Valley’s latest camera platform.

Its unique integrated design frees up multiple rack units per camera that were previously dedicated to camera base stations and deeply simplifies the logistics for mobile productions when having to pair the right number of cameras to CCUs at each event. The camera is a self-contained IP device that connects directly to the network, at up to 100 Gbps, allowing simple connection and discovery of audio, video, and control as well as superior PTP timing using open SMPTE IP standards. Implementation of NMOS IS-04 and IS-05 protocols means the camera is instantly identifiable to a network control system such as Grass Valley’s GV Orbit.

Further matching the needs of live event production, LDX 100 has a new mechanical design that provides ergonomic support for operators lifting and carry equipment, at-a-glance state indicators for operational status – and “Champagne shower proof” protection against moisture and dust.

The Grass Valley K-Frame XP offers no-compromise 4K support.

Also last week Grass Valley introduced the new GV K-Frame XP video production engine. Designed to make higher resolution content creation easier, the company says the new compact switcher packs a powerful punch with unmatched functionality across multiformat environments and high signal density, even with the increased bandwidth requirements of 4K UHD. Featuring true single stream, full raster, 4K processing at 2160p, the K-Frame XP eliminates the need for compromise in 4K UHD productions; there’s no reduction in I/O count in 4K UHD, no reduction in M/Es, keyers or DPMS in 4K UHD, and no change in operator workflow in 4K UHD.

Adds Lopez: “With the drive to deliver richer storytelling, we’re seeing customers really ramp up the volume of 4K UHD content being produced. This demand for increased production bandwidth has created workarounds that in the past have ultimately slowed down and put limits on the workflow.”

Packed into a compact 8 RU footprint, the K-Frame XP supports 4K UHD on every input or output stream with no additional conversion required, and no reduction in I/O count. The system comes with up to six full-featured mix effects (MEs), each with six full keyers, with associated 2DDPMs, which include perspective. There is an additional option to add up to 16 floating 3D iDPMs. The new K-Frame XP is also fully compatible with any Grass Valley Kayenne, Karrera and GV Korona switcher control panel, allowing customers to leverage their existing investments.

The next-generation K-Frame XP’s video processing is built on an innovative hardware platform. This compact solution has the smallest footprint of any professional 4K production switcher, delivering the processing power to handle any resolution (HD, 3G, and 4K UHD) – as well as HDR. The switcher also allows its 80×40 I/O count to remain unchanged, regardless of whether customers are producing in all IP, all SDI, or in hybrid environments at 1.5G, 3G, and 12G. The K-Frame XP supports all the latest IP and workflow standards such as SMPTE 2110 and AMWA/NMOS IS-04 and -05 standards.

Lopez says the new K-Frame XP meets all the needs of today’s 4K UHD production environments, allowing production teams to fully express their creativity with zero compromises and no change in operator workflow, giving them the freedom to deliver the stunning images and captivating viewing experiences that audiences around the globe demand.

The K-Frame XP also delivers eight-channel ClipStore with 4K UHD replay capacity; 12G single-stream connection on every input; smooth, full raster 4K effects from every keyer.

For more information on Grass Valley, please contact David Cohen at [email protected].