The Hottest Seat in the Stadium
Source: Television Broadcast, November 2000
Buffalo, NY - The on-site jumbotron production of sporting events is very similar to broadcast live productions, except for one major difference; the production crew is within earshot of a very critical audience. If a play is missed or an instant replay is not "instant," the response from the audience is immediate and honest.
David Ross, executive vice president and product development manager at Ross Video, was well aware of this difference as he switched his very first live production at the Buffalo Bills' home game against the San Diego Chargers on October 15. "He's in the hot seat now. If he messes up, we won't yell at him," says Bills' Video Systems Engineer, Steve Asposto, "they will," pointing to the 72,000 fans that crammed into Ralph Wilson Stadium.
In a testimony to the ease of operation of the Ross Synergy digital production switcher, Ross accepted the challenge of switching all but the first quarter of a game that was won by the Bills in over-time. "Synergy makes me look good," says Ross. "I'm proud to have faced my fears and switched that game, but I'm even more proud of Synergy." Ross admits that the "DVE Send" feature that allowed effects from the Pinnacle Extreme DVE to be integrated as a switcher transition helped his production. "Not only could I get replays on the screen on the director's cue, but I could throw them up as cool-looking DVE effects."
Innovations such as Ross' "DVE Send" button greatly contributed to the production of the jumbotron and broadcast coverage of live sports events and news. Instead of setting up the effect on the DVE, then routing it into the switcher through an aux bus and assigning it to a switcher crosspoint, the "DVE Send" feature actually brings the effects from the external DVE into the switcher. These effects can be selected from the switcher "Pattern Selector" area and used as a switcher transition by a single button selection in the transition area of the switcher control panel. What's even better, the "DVE Send" feature is available for each MLE of the switcher. This gives the T.D. tremendous live production power.
Digital technology continues to increase the flexibility of live productions, including the on-site jumbotron productions of stadiums and arenas.