Carbonite and Acuity Add UHD Features, Carbonite 12G System, CB Solo Media Player and More at NAB

Sunday, April 23^rd, 2017 [Las Vegas, Nevada] – At NAB 2017, Ross is showing a range of new features and functionality for the Carbonite and Acuity lines of production switchers.

While Carbonite Black users are familiar with the benefits that arise from the continuous growth of this platform, which consistently adds new features via free software upgrades, this is an especially huge step forward.

Carbonite UHD is the latest Carbonite software version that transforms Carbonite Black or Carbonite Black Plus models into a powerful UHD switcher. This is a complete “ground-up” design for UHD switching, not merely bus-linking and mapping of 3G – but the realization of a fully UHD production switcher.

With this software version, Carbonite Black becomes a complete 1 ME UHD switcher with 4 full keyers including a UHD chroma keyer, and transition key for MediaWipes and DVE moves. Also included, are 2 channels of UHD DVE and 2 MiniME’s – each with 2 full keyers and next transition preview. Naturally, Carbonite UHD also features full UHD MediaStores which can play back UHD Key and Fill animations.

This is an unrivalled step forward in switcher design, it simply isn’t possible to find another product at the Carbonite Black price point that offers this level of UHD performance.

In tandem with Carbonite UHD, Ross Video is also announcing the Carbonite Black Plus 12G chassis, which adds single link 4K connectivity.

Like standard Carbonite Black Plus frames, the new Carbonite Black Plus 12G frame features 36 x 22 I/O, all of which accept SD/HD/3G and 3G Quad signals. The pivotal feature of Carbonite Black Plus 12G is a 12G link on every fourth input or output, providing total flexibility for signal format mixing and matching.

Carbonite UHD utilizes 2SI UHD sampling, so standard Carbonite Black frame UHD inputs and outputs need to be in 2SI format and not square division quad. However, Carbonite Black Plus and Carbonite Black Plus 12G features input and output conversion to convert between square division and 2SI – as well as up and down conversion to HD formats.

Carbonite UHD firmware will be downloadable from the Ross website in mid-2017.

Introduced at NAB 2016, Carbonite Black Solo has been a hit with customers involved in smaller-scale productions where quality and operational performance is essential, but spending needs to be kept to a minimum.

At NAB 2017, Ross has exciting news for existing and soon-to-be Carbonite Black Solo customers. Specifically, Ross is unveiling a powerful internal media player that is immediately ready for activation via download from the Ross website at no additional cost.

The built-in media player permits the use of video clips stored in a connected USB media device to be played back as part of any production, operated entirely from within the Solo system.

This is another Ross first. While many production switchers possess vast internal media storage, the playback is comparatively limited. In many cases, the ability to playback video and audio is either limited to a few seconds, or is completely non-existent. With this internal media player, Solo can play back clips of any length, with the only limitation in this instance being the storage capacity of the connected USB media storage device. Clip playback control is of course fully integrated into the Ross ecosystem and is operable from an intuitive DashBoard interface.

Carbonite Black Solo users are going to love the added functionality of this powerful media player. This is the advantage the platform approach to equipment that Ross Video provides, a growth path that constantly adds new features via software upgrades at no additional cost

The Carbonite Black Solo Media Player software update will be available in the fall of 2017

Ross is showing a range of new features for the advanced Acuity production switcher, which is designed to handle the world’s most challenging live events.

First is the Acuity v6.0 software update, which adds LiveEDL and Soft Panel operation. LiveEDL is great for “live-to-tape” productions. In LiveEDL mode, Acuity tracks source selections and creates a timecode locked edit decision list. This can then be exported as a file and imported to a non-linear editing system (NLE) along with camera iso-recordings, to re-create the line cut to the NLE. Final changes are easily made, and this functionality saves massive amounts of time in the post-production process.

The new VirtualPanel for Acuity provides full setup and operation from a graphical web user interface. The cost and space of a physical panel is no longer required, which is often desirable in automated environments like when deployed with Ross OverDrive Automated Production Systems. The VirtualPanel can be used standalone, or in conjunction with a physical panel. The freedom of fully-featured remote operation is a great advantage for larger facilities.

Acuity V6.0 also adds SDR/HDR conversion abilities. These are presets that can be enabled when working in HLG600 or HLG1200 to ensure SDR sources are adjusted to match the HDR color space. Traditionally, this process required additional equipment to accomplish. A common application would be the incorporation of SDR graphics into an HDR production. HDR video can also be converted to SDR with this update.

Acuity v6.0 also includes the addition of Ethernet-based SideBoxes, support of the new SideStick for OverDrive, UI improvements, and other small features for operational enhancement.

Next, is the Acuity v7.0 software update, which vastly simplifies UHD production via Quad Link 2 Sample Interleave (2SI) with an Acuity production switcher. In the past, setting up an Acuity for 4K-UHD production in this format required users to manually set-up MEs to work in tandem, create differing bus maps for every bus and link everything together properly.

With the introduction of Acuity v7.0, this process has been reduced to a single button push. Simply select the UHD format in the menu, and Acuity will handle all the processes required to accurately link all the MEs and signals together. This eliminates the complexity and time spent preparing Acuity for UHD.

Operationally, switching on the Acuity in 2SI UHD used to be a complex affair. If a key was needed, tech directors had to do the math for offsets, linking, and combining of resources manually. Now, UHD mode is just another format without any additional burden on the user. Acuity’s DVE’s, transitions, and effects intelligently function across all four links of the 4K output.

With Acuity v7.0, the world’s largest 4K switcher that includes 4MES- each with 4 Keyers in UHD – productions just got a lot simpler.

Acuity continues to rapidly evolve, offering substantial new features and constant improvements based on user feedback. Ross continues its significant investments in production switcher R&D to ensure that they are not only the best available choice today, but will remain so for many years to come.

Acuity v6.0 is currently available for download from the Ross Video website, Acuity v7.0 will be available Summer-2017.

For updates on Carbonite and Acuity releases, be sure to subscribe to the Ross Insider for email updates. Otherwise, be sure to visit the Ross website for more information on all Ross solutions.

About Ross Video
Passionate about live production, Ross Video designs, manufactures and delivers dependable technology and services that power exceptional live video productions seen by billions of viewers around the world every day. Ross Video’s goal is to make it easy for customers to create compelling news, weather and sports broadcasts, engaging material for sports stadium screens, legislative assemblies, entertainment shows and rock concerts, and inspiring content for houses of worship.

Relentlessly innovating, Ross Video delivers the world’s widest range of products and services for augmented reality and virtual sets, mobile live-event solutions, real-time motion graphics, robotic camera systems, social-media management, production switchers, routers, infrastructure products, video servers, newsroom systems, terminal equipment and more.

Ross products and services are designed to offer best-in-class system integration and unmatched customer choice by both working together seamlessly and integrating tightly with third-party solutions.

Ross Video has offices around the world, and provides free-for-life telephone support staffed by technical experts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year—even for products bought on eBay. Recognizing the time-critical nature of the broadcast industry, all Ross employees are empowered to provide “whatever it takes” customer service, even down to renting helicopters when necessary to deliver needed parts and service.

Ross Video: The Production Technology Experts. www.rossvideo.com.

 

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Ross Video Media Contact:

Sara Bell
Media Relations Specialist
Tel:      +1 613-652-3020
Email:  sbell@rossvideo.com
Twitter: @ross_video
www.rossvideo.com

 

Ross Video Media Contact – EMEA:

Stuart G. Russell
EMEA Marketing Manager
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Email:  srussell@rossvideo.com
Twitter: @ross_video
www.rossvideo.com

 

 Ross Video Media Contact – Asia Pacific:

Vivian Yu
Marketing & Operations Manager, Asia Pacific
Tel:      +65 9827 3531
Email:  vyu@rossvideo.com
Twitter: @ross_video
www.rossvideo.com