Megahertz upgrades university studio to HD with scope for future 4K transition

Systems integrator Megahertz Ltd has upgraded Anglia Ruskin University’s SD television studio and gallery to HD, with provision for a future move to 4K. Anglia Ruskin University brought Megahertz onboard as the systems integrator to provide consultation services including equipment selection advice with a focus on interoperability across multi-vendor systems and implementation of a UHD workflow. Megahertz went on to design, install and commission the studio upgrade.

“We were looking to create a highly proficient learning environment, built to broadcast industry standards,” explains Daniel Jagger, Creative Design Technical Manager at Anglia Ruskin University’s Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences. “With Megahertz’s vast knowledge and experience, along with their impressive portfolio of broadcast clients, we were confident they would deliver a system that would meet our present and future commercial, technical and practical requirements.”

The new UHD capable studio replaces an in-house analogue solution that the university had installed 10 years ago. The project involved the entire redesign of the existing gallery layout, which Megahertz managed to deliver in under six months.

“This Megahertz design gives our students access to a facility that is as close as possible to a ‘real world’ operational TV studio while offering them a simple yet flexible system on which to learn. Ultimately this will give our graduates an ‘edge’ when it comes to future employment in the broadcast industry,” concluded Jagger.

With three Panasonic AK-UC3000 4K cameras and AK-UCU500 Camera Control Units positioned in the studio, Anglia Ruskin University is one of the very first customers in the UK to purchase this cutting-edge camera system. An AW-UE70 Panasonic remote PTZ camera, AJA UHD VTR and HD graphics/character generator are also installed.

All UHD feeds are generated from a Ross Carbonite Black 2ME vision mixer for programme/transmission and preview monitoring. HD streaming is possible from HD sources or down-converted UHD sources, such as the programme output from the vision mixer. Other key equipment installed at the studio include an Allan & Heath QU16 audio mixing desk.

“It’s a pleasure to be involved with an educational facility that is pioneering some of the key new 4K technology. With such installations, we are effectively contributing to the future of the broadcast industry, which will certainly involve graduates from Anglia Ruskin University,” concluded Jon Flay, Managing Director, Megahertz.

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