The captivating live coverage of this year’s UEFA football championships, Euro2012 in Ukraine and Poland, was supported by outside broadcast (OB) trucks from across Europe that used more multiformat high-definition (HD) and super slow-motion cameras from Grass Valley than any other manufacturer.
In total, at least 130 Grass Valley system cameras were used to cover the matches across eight cities; this included at least 95 LDK HD camera systems and 35 LDK 8300 Live Super SloMo camera systems. In addition, a majority of the video production switchers used in the OB trucks were Grass Valley switchers and several Grass Valley video routing switchers were used for the live productions.
Belgium-based Alfacam, an international TV broadcasting services provider, deployed 50 LDK 8000 Elite multiformat cameras and 16 LDK 8300 Live Super SloMo cameras in tandem with four of its all-HD outside broadcast production units. These come from the huge pool of Grass Valley cameras that Alfacam regularly uses across all of its 21 OB trucks and 16 sound stages. Alfacam has also standardised on Grass Valley production and routing switchers, using Kayak™ and Kayenne™ Video Production Center switchers as well as Trinix™ NXT routers.
France-based Euromedia supplied four OB vans for the tournament, two of which are equipped with 20 LDK-series HD cameras and seven LDK 8300 Live Super SloMo camera systems. The four OB vans also used Grass Valley production switchers—two Kayenne switchers and two Kalypso™ switchers—all configured with a full 4.5 M/E chassis.
Germany’s Studio Berlin Adlershof had four mobile units at Gdansk and Warsaw with 50 cameras (LDK 6000 and LDK 8000 Elite) and 16 LDK 8300 Live Super SloMo cameras on site, as well as the Kayenne and Kayak production switchers and Trinix NXT routing switchers.
MediaTec, in Sweden, sent one OB van with five Grass Valley LDK 8000 Elite cameras to cover one of the matches.
“Our crews and freelance operators all recognise Grass Valley cameras and production switchers, are instantly familiar with them, and know how to get the best out of them,’ said Sven Marinus, CEO of Alfacam Group. “We have worked with Grass Valley for a long time; they listen to and incorporate our suggestions, which makes using Grass Valley cameras very easy and predictable.’
