Testimonials - Synergy 4

Two Ross Synergy 4s with Squeeze & Tease 3D for Waterman Broadcasting

Bob Hannon
Director Of Production
Waterman Broadcasting
Fort Myers, FL

Waterman Broadcasting owns WBBH-TV, the NBC affiliate in Fort Myers, Florida, and operates WZVN-TV, an ABC affiliate, for Montclair Communications through an LMA. The two stations have a full commitment to local news, producing over 9 hours a day of local news programming.

Having two full-blown network affiliates in the same building can be daunting in and of itself. Add in the commitment to local news and it can get overwhelming very quickly. That's why quality, reliability, support, and flexibility are always at the front of the list when planning for new equipment.

One of our main goals has been to get the stations on common ground concerning operational equipment. Having common systems among the two stations allows for less training and better utilization of the staff in our effort to provide the best news coverage in Southwest Florida.

Our purchase of two Ross Synergy 4s with the Squeeze & Tease 3D DVE options is a big step toward achieving those goals. Delivery of the first Synergy was March 2002 and was installed into the WZVN studio. Over the course of a week, we were able to get all 12 directors up to speed on Synergy in a real-world environment.

With the cabling in place and the input matrix and source locations laid out, installation was very quick and straightforward. We began installation at 8am with removal of the old switcher panel and main frame. By 9:15am, we could have gone on-air with the basics, and by 10am, we were fully operational with all set-ups and effects ready to go.

The switcher is used in the production of four daily live ABC newscasts and the preproduction needs of both stations. We use the switcher to control the router assignments from our Phillips Venus router, along with GPI controls over the Chyron Aprisa 100 still store, Chyron Aprisa 200 clip player, and Ross frame capture cards. By utilizing the custom controls, all operations are handled by the touch of a single button.

All the directors love the power Synergy gives them in dealing with the demands of a live news broadcast. From 8 channels of Squeeze & Tease 3D to the 100 memories per MLE to the sturdy construction and feel of the switcher, Synergy gives the ability to control the live environment and produce a quality newscast.

We plan to install the second Synergy in the NBC control room later in the year to produce 8 daily newscasts for WBBH.

With the reliability Synergy provides translating into less maintenance and down time, our news directors will have more time, power, and flexibility to put a cleaner, better news product on the air.