It has been a great year for us in terms of technology upgrades and changes!  Take a look at all the things we’ve done!

Production switcher / router / multiviewer installed, replacing 12 year old infrastructure.

• The new Ross Carbonite Extreme combines three separate products into one integrated unit, allowing greater flexibility and customization.
• Allows for cost savings in wiring and jackfeild implementations; one third the typical resources are used in this configuration.
• Carbonite Extreme features RossTalk protocol which allows cross-communication with other Ross devices such as the Computer Graphics machine.
• Greater flexibility as the switcher can control multiple systems within the control room using RossTalk or GPI triggers, meaning crews can be as small as 3 or 4 people.
• Switcher / Router inputs is now 32
• Switcher / Router outputs is now 56

Computer Graphics (CG) installed, replacing 12 year-old infrastructure.

• The new Ross Xpression CG is a single output channel on-air graphics computer, however, can act like a multi-channel graphics computer by using multiple independent output layers.
• By using the RossTalk protocol, the production switcher is able to control the graphic playlist remotely.  This allows for production flexibility where small crews are necessary.
• Graphic animations are now possible
• Graphics operator is now responsible for bringing graphics to air (formerly the switchers responsibility).
• Control panel is being installed this summer to bring many of the on-air control capabilities to a single touch panel.

HD Monitors installed

• CG / Assistant Director node has 2x 7” monitors.
• Audio node has 2x 7” monitors.
• Producer node has 2x 7” monitors.
• VTR rack has 17” monitor.
• NER rack has 17” monitor.
• Video / Robotics has 24” HD Quality Assurance monitor.
• Monitor wall replaced with 2x 55” HD monitors flanking 4x 27” HD PGM /PV monitors

Router Panels installed

• CG / Assistant Director node has 40-button panel
• Producer node has 17-button LED custom mnemonics panel
• VTR rack has 40-button panel
• Technical Director node has 2×40-button panels to allow for system wide router configuration
• NER rack has 40-button panel
• Video / Robotics has 40-button panel

New Frame Synchronizers installed (5)

• Allows for format conversions form any signal type
• Allows reference locked integration of any signal from HDMI or HD-SDI
• Allows HDMI signal integration, ignoring HDCP protections
• Integrates computer systems to allow recording and live-on-air integration

Bonded cellular live feed system installed

• Allows for live feed from anywhere there is a decent cellular signal.
• Live production from any Sheridan facility over wi-fi.
• Mobile unit mounts to the top of an ENG camera.

Wireless Microphones and IFB systems in Studio

• 5x wireless microphone transmitters
• 5x wireless IFB ear pieces for direct communication to hosts
• 10-bank charger and rechargeable batteries

Avid Newsroom System

iNews Newsroom Computer System (NRCS) / iNews Command / Airspeed Playout Server

• Replaces our ENPS system with a new integrated system with iNews at the heart of it
• Communicates with iNews Command to create video playlists
• Communicates to Airspeed and ISIS storage to send edited content for playout, and notify iNews that it is ready to be played

ISIS Shared Storage / Interplay / Edit Suites

• Media can easily be accessed from any edit suite in the lab, allowing projects to be worked on collaboratively.
• Completed items can easily be sent from an edit suite to the Airspeed for immediate on air playback
• Recorded media can be edited as soon as five seconds have been buffered; no longer need to wait for an item to finish recording before editing!
• Works in both MAC and PC environments; our lab now has 8x HD 620 editing stations, and 6x MacPro editing stations

Other Computer-Based Systems

Axle Video Content Management System (JHUB)

• Allows for distribution of media outside of the Avid Newsroom System
• Able to upload and download media from anywhere there is an internet connection; reporters can submit field reports without returning to campus!
• Generation of low-resolution proxies makes it easier to embed videos to the web

Episode Transcode Engine

• Convert media to virtually any format available
• Quickly and easily converts incoming media from CNN Newsource to an ‘Avid Friendly’ format
• Creates multiple versions of the same file for use in many different locations

JPORTAL information site and forum

• The site you’re reading right now!
• Allows for easy distribution of information
• We’re able to share plugins and updates quickly and easily over the web

JSITES WordPress multi-sties server (In Progress)

• We’re working on a system to allow us to host multiple small-scale sites for class assignments and student blogs
• More information coming soon!

Field Equipment Purchases

More wireless microphones

• 5x EW100 G3 Wireless Mic Kits

New ENG Field Cameras

• 12x HXR-NX5U camcorders for second year students
• 12x HVR-Z7u camcorders for first year students

Slider

• Small, easy to transport slider for increasing production value by adding motion to otherwise static shots
• Great for documentary production

GoPRO Kit

• Includes a variety of attachments for a variety of situations
• Great for news gathering and documentary production