Dutch broadcaster NOS relies on Blackmagic Design for signal routing, distribution

Blackmagic Design announced that Dutch broadcaster NOS deployed the Blackmagic Universal Videohub 288 for signal routing and distribution during its coverage of the Olympic Winter Games. Built by live production specialist Broadcast Rental, the Sochi facility will handle more than 60 live signals from across the Games.

As well as live feeds from commentary positions in more than 40 sports
venues, the master control room, based in the International Broadcast
Center at Sochi, will also receive inputs from ‘Holland House’, where
Dutch athletes, coaching teams and supporters congregate, to take
viewers behind the scenes of the team’s Olympic experience.

The Universal Videohub is controlled via a touchscreen monitor and
software, and will distribute HD-SDI video signals into the unit’s
ingest system for editing, where two broadcast feeds for transmission
in the Netherlands will be produced. The router will also manage
distribution of signals to multiviewers and monitors within the
control hub to assist with signal selection. A tally system is also
connected to the Videohub to monitor the status of the router.
Information from the tally, such as time codes or feed titles, can be
viewed in the under monitor displays in the multiviewers, giving
production staff all the information they need about each feed in a
glance.

Broadcast Rental will also have engineers working in partnership with
the NOS production team throughout the Games, providing dedicated
technical support and allowing production staff to focus on delivering
the most relevant and exciting action from across the Olympic venues.

“Blackmagic Design’s Universal Videohub really is the heart of our
Olympic operation, as it gives us a secure level of integration within
a temporary unit and has enabled us to build a highly reliable,
customized control suite that matches NOS’ requirements exactly,”
explained Martijn Swart, Broadcast Rental. “Its SD and HD-SDI
connections mean that we can quickly and easily link to the editing
systems to provide seamless transitions between events.

“The unit was initially conceived to deliver NOS’ broadcast coverage
of the London Olympics in HD,” he continued. “We’ve expanded and
refined the unit even further, retaining the Universal Videohub as our
central element of a control hub that facilitates exciting, engaging
coverage for Dutch viewers across the fortnight’s action.”