NEP Belgium embraces the future with Broadcast Solutions’ Streamline S8L UHD OB van
NEP Belgium’s brand new Unit 18 OB
NEP Belgium has begun utilising its first OB truck from the Broadcast Solutions-developed Streamline OB van family. Unit 18, the newly added production vehicle, is an S8L and represents a new variation for the Streamline family of OB vehicles.
With new room concepts and additional interconnectivity technology, the S8L offers more flexibility during productions and adapts to future IP-based workflows.
The OB van is works in HD and UHD formats alike and can handle productions with up to 12 (HD) or 4 (UHD) cameras. Due to a change in workplace design (the production bench is arranged alongside the driving motion), the S8L stands out with ten comfortable workplaces. Housed in a self-propelled box-body/truck combination, the OB van offers three separate working areas: Production, Audio, Engineering. Additionally, there are flexible interconnectivity capabilities, using IP-based audio and video bridging devices.
For basic production tools, the S8L sticks to the field-proven mix of reliable technology by major global brands, but with slight changes that extend the van’s capabilities significantly. Broadcast Solutions has equipped the S8L with a Sony XVS6000 vision mixer, Imagine SX Pro video matrix and multiviewer, IHSE KVM and Riedel Artist intercom – with an AES67-card to implement a Bolero Wireless Intercom in a second step. A Lawo mc²36 40-fader console with its compact size, its integrated router, in-built DSP and I/O meet all the requirements for 5.1 surround productions and workflows. With a Genelec 5.1 monitoring system, all audio needs will be fully satisfied.
Technological innovations
New to the S8 and the Streamline OB vans in general is the implementation of a Lawo V__matrix software-defined IP-routing and processing core which handles processing, De-/Embedding and RGB colour correction of the signals. The S8L comes with two video stageboxes, each equipped with a Lawo V__link4. This provides a one-box-solution for all the requirements of IP-based stageboxes including video and audio signal transport and processing.
The video stageboxes provide 4x 3G/HD/SD SDI inputs and outputs. Each stagebox is connected via a 2x10GbEthernet fiber to the V__matrix IP-Core. The system supports 2022-6/7 video streams and Ravenna/AES67 audio streams. For flexible audio connectivity one audio stagebox with Lawo’s mc² Compact I/O has been chosen to expand the mc²36’s connectivity. Connected via fiber, the ruggedized 5RU stagebox provides 32 Mic/Line inputs, 32 Line inputs, 8 AES I/Os and GPIOs in a Ravenna/AES67 transport mode.
In addition, a DirectOut Montone 42 MADI to audio-over-IP (Ravenna) bridge provides seamless integration of network audio with the existing infrastructure. Providing overarching control is a VSM-System, which oversees the video switcher, multiviewer and audio routing, as well as handling the IP streams.
With the new S8L OB Van, Broadcast Solutions again proves its Streamline OB Van family concept to be future-proof and adaptable to future workflows and technologies in the IP world. The S8L is also available with a generator included in the S8GL model.