Digital Production Switchers - Synergy 2 SD

Top Reasons to Buy

Proven Performer.
Buy into a proven product that works!  The award-winning Synergy Series is a proven, shipping product with a mature and growing feature set and a large satisfied customer base.  Synergy has won awards for innovation every single year since its initial release.  The Synergy Series is in its prime.

Synergy Family Software.
Get the development leverage of a true family of switchers.  With our unique software development approach, the Synergy Series software is a common code pool.  This means that features released on our top-of-the-line Synergy 4 are simultaneously available across the product line.  In fact, operators will be pleased to find the Synergy 1 menu system to be identical to the Synergy 2, 3, and 4.  This provides for a consistent operation between models and minimizes training costs for customers with a variety of Synergy models.

Upgrade path to HD.
All switchers in the Synergy line are fully upgradeable to HD.  Your control panel is worth about half of the cost of your switcher.  Protect your investment and simply connect the new Ross MD rack frame when the time comes.  The new rack frame will do everything your SD rack frame does and more.  This also protects your investment in operational training.

Squeeze and Tease™ WARP.
Great looking effects are a real production enhancer!  The Synergy Series integrates Squeeze and Tease™ WARP, a state of the art high quality feature packed DVE loaded with curvilinear effects.  Super easy to program.

Custom Control Macro Keys.
Macros make a production cleaner, faster and easier allowing repetitive functions, complex effects and machine control functions to be put on a button right where you need it. 

Editable Custom Control Macros.
Did we mention that macros are critical to today’s complex productions?  Not only does the Synergy Series offer up to eight full banks of macros, the macros themselves are fully editable.  Creating a macro is as easy as pressing the buttons on the control panel in the order you want.  Then you can look at your macro, event by event, and adjust timeline delays, delete events, add events, single step through events, and more.  It’s no wonder that Synergy TDs produce the cleanest and most repeatable productions.

External DVE Integration.
Already own an expensive DVE that you’d like to get the most out of?  The Synergy Series offers seamless interfacing with premium standalone DVEs such as the Accom Dveous and the Pinnacle DVExcel. 

Preview Overlay – Adjustable Safe Title and Center.
The Synergy preview output incorporates a unique graphical overlay that is filled with useful production information.  Not just limited to Safe Title and Center information, Synergy provides those SMPTE standard measurements and then allows you to have several additional customized versions available at the touch of a button.  These are great for lining up shots and setting custom safe areas for Dual Aspect Ratio production and odd size screens such as those found in stadiums. 

Preview Overlay – Source ID.
Synergy allows you to keep your eyes on the important program you are producing.  Preview Overlay shows you what’s on air, what’s on preview and the transition that you have selected.  In addition to being a terrific aid to the Synergy operator, this is great for nonverbal communication between a switcher operator and a director.  When a router source is selected, the display expands to show both the eight character router name AND the eight character Synergy name for the source. 

Preview Overlay – Timecode Display.
A switcher machine control feature is not complete without the ability to display timecode information.  Synergy provides this right on the preview monitor, when a TD selects a VTR or a Server on the preset bus, its name and timecode appear.  This makes it possible to confirm that a tape or server has been correctly cued, and to determine if it’s stopped or playing when all you see are bars or black.  This feature ties in well to the “auto roll” feature of Synergy, which rolls tapes with pre-roll when you take them to air.  It gives you confirmation that everything is proceeding as it should. 

Preview Overlay – Timeclock Display.
As everyone in television knows, accurate timing is critical to a great show.  Synergy makes it easy.  Synergy’s built-in count up/down timer allows you to time segments of your show right from the switcher – eliminating the need for an external clock or stopwatch in many applications.  The timer can be set to count down from a preset duration for timing an entire show or an individual clip.  It can also be set to count up from zero every time a background transition occurs in a designated ME.  TDs use it to time video clips and commercials or anything else. 

Consistent Panel Layout.
Your production is worthy of a serious control panel.  The Synergy Series offer a familiar “big switcher” layout that is consistent across the complete line of Synergy switchers. 

Direct Function Access.
Operators don’t have time to go digging through menus during a live production.  The Synergy has more buttons and knobs than competitors, thus providing a significantly higher level of direct access and on-air control.

Well-Positioned Controls.
Be sure to try a production on the switcher you are planning to buy.  Check out the positions of the controls.  You’ll find the Synergy Series well thought out with all of the transition controls and joystick at the front edge of the panel for ease of access. 

USB Media Drive.
Saving effects for later use has always been an important feature of serious production switchers.  The Synergy 1 offers an USB Media Drive for software upgrades, access to new Squeeze and Tease™ WARP effects, installation storage, switcher memory storage, and more.

Animated Logos.
Many productions feature animated logos – Synergy can store these and play them back.  The Synergy Series twin DSKs offer animated logo generation, synchronized with on air transition starts. 

Standard Chroma Keying.
The Synergy Series offers chroma keying as a standard feature on effects keyers with a handy auto-set up feature

Thirteen Integrated Serial Ports.
Synergy streamlines your production by enabling direct control over a wide variety of devices such as VTRs, Video Servers, Routers and more via the 8 serial ports on the control panel and the 5 serial ports on the rack frame.  A port expansion unit is available that provides additional ports when needed.

The Widest Range of Server and DDR Integration in the Industry.
No one matches Synergy’s server and DDR integration capability.  Synergy offers an advanced interface to video servers via the industry standard VDCP protocol.  This interface has been tested and individually tuned to work well with all popular servers on the market, offering you a choice of server vendors.  Providing this level of interface is not a simple task – you might consider asking for references before you take our competition’s “we interface to everyone” claims at face value.

ROLL VTR Button.
Synergy’s unique auto-roll feature makes taking a VTR or Video Server clip to air automatically with pre-roll easy.  Synergy has a ROLL VTR button in the transition area that is used to directly roll a VTR or Server or to selectively activate “auto roll” with pre-roll when a source is taken to air. 

VTR Clip Direct Recall.
Randomly accessing VTR or server clips on Synergy is no problem.  Synergy has a button in the memory area dedicated to directly loading and cueing any of 100 VTR, Server, or other external device setups. 

Audio Server Control.
Synergy makes it possible to precisely synchronize audio clips or sound effects with video.  Synergy has complete “native” control of the 360 Systems DigiCart, Sony, MiniDisc, and ENCO DAD for the integration of sound effects and audio clips in to your production. 

Robotic Camera Control.
No other switcher offers full integration of Camera Robotics.  Synergy can control the physical position of the camera if it’s mobile, in addition to pan and tilt controls.  Focus and aperture are there as well, easily recalled with every shot and integrated into our Custom Control macro system.

Router Control with Full Mnemonics Interface.
Nobody does router interfaces like Ross.  We offer the widest range of router interfaces on the market, including Pesa, Pro-bel, Quartz, Thomson Grass Valley products, UTAH Scientific, Nvision, Leitch, Codan, and more.  These interfaces are direct with no protocol translation boxes required.  The interface is bi-directional with instant updates and feedback.  The Synergy source name (ie. Router3) as well as the Router mnemonic (ie. VTR12) are both displayed together on the preview overlay.

Side by Side Keyers.
Synergy keyers have all controls and indicators available simultaneously.  This allows lightning-fast access to controls, easy confirmation that memories have recalled correctly, and absolute confidence that the right keyer is being taken to air. 

Clip and Gain Knobs.
Quick access to keyer clip and gain can be important in preventing the uglies on air.  Synergy provides clip and gain knobs for quick on air key adjustment. 

On Air Indicators.
Knowing what’s on air is of primary importance during a production.  The Synergy Series offers on air indicators in the transition area and in the keyer area to clearly show what’s on air and therefore reduce on air mistakes. 

Serial and Parallel Tallies.
Tally wiring to monitor walls and rack equipment is a breeze with Synergy with a fully assignable parallel tally system standard.  Serial tallies are available as an option using a comprehensive industry standard protocol for easy interface to tally, under monitor display systems, multi-image display systems, and virtual reality systems.

Quick CG Button.
Most productions make extensive use of the Character Generator and having quick access to it can be a real lifesaver.  The Synergy Series provide a quick Character Generator button in Key 2.  This instantly gives you clean CG with no masks, matte fill, or anything else that could cause an on-air glitch. 

Forty Pattern/Shotbox Buttons.
Accessing the pattern or transition effect you want is easy on Synergy.  The forty pattern buttons are context sensitive and are used for selecting wipe patterns, keyer preset patterns, Squeeze and Tease® wipe transition effects, Squeeze and Tease® keyer sequence effects, and external DVE effects.  They provide direct access and instant feedback. 

Normal / Reverse Control and Indication.
Once the effect is selected from the pattern control area, it sure is nice to be able to control the direction of the effect (i.e. push on or push off).  Synergy has buttons in the pattern control area to show and select normal, reverse, and flip-flop transition directions

Power Fail Indicators.
Synergy provides an instant alert to power conditions that could affect your live production.  Knowing that there is a disconnected power cord, tripped breaker or blown power supply is everyone’s business.  Synergy has indicators on the control panel telling the operator if a power supply or fan has failed in the rack frame or if one of the redundant supplies in the control panel has failed or is not getting power. 

Panel & Rack Frame Redundant Power.
Synergy offers redundant power in the control panel and a rack frame. 

Your Choice of Control Panel Styling.
Color choice is a personal thing.  Some people prefer the clean simple styling of all white buttons.  Others prefer classic and familiar color coded buttons.  The Synergy Series can be ordered either way. 

More Features for Less Money.
It’s a Ross philosophy to offer our customers a powerful package for a competitive price.  That’s why the Synergy Series is the number one switcher family in North America.

Frames for a Buck.
We recognize that integrating a switcher into your facility may involve conversion.  Ross provides a full line of RossGear® and GearLite™ terminal equipment.  When you purchase RossGear® converters with your switcher, we will sell you the rack frame and power supply for $1.

Faders Guaranteed for Life.
A malfunctioning fader can really mess up a live production.  Synergy Series faders are our fourth generation design and we’re so proud of them that we’ve guaranteed them for the life of the switcher.

Three-Year Transferable Warranty.
Protection for your investment!  The Synergy Series is so tough; we gave it the longest warranty in the industry. 

Free Software Downloads from the World Wide Web.
The Synergy Series has an extremely low cost of ownership.  There’s no need to budget for costly ongoing software maintenance plans because all Synergy  software upgrades are free for the life of the product.  We just love showing customers all the great new things their Synergy can do.  Keeping software current is often an extra cost on competitive models – be sure to factor this in when you make your decision.

Free Tech Support for Life.
One thing that Ross has always done is take care of our customers. In fact, the Ross Video Code of Ethics states: “Rule #1 - We will always act in our customer’s best interest”.  If you have a technical question about our products, we’ll answer it. Free.

• Even if your warranty has expired.
• Even if we have to put you in contact with the engineer that designed it.
• Even if you need to talk to David Ross himself (613-228-0688).