Sony Builds Seven State of the Art OB Trucks for Racing NSW
Six OB vans and one grip truck
SYDNEY, 28 June 2016 – Racing NSW is a statutory body created for the purposes of controlling, supervising, regulating and promoting the NSW thoroughbred horse racing industry. In the past race meeting broadcasts were provided via external operators contracted to the NSW thoroughbred race clubs but recently Racing NSW launched a project to build and manage their own outside broadcast facilities and vehicles giving them greater control over the quality and capabilities of their broadcast product. A tender was issued to build six OB vans – one Metro and five Country – and a grip truck that could provide outside broadcast facilities for coverage of thoroughbred horse racing events in NSW with the winning tender going to Sony Australia.
Racing NSW Manager – Special Projects Graeme Hinton explained, “The tender document was very specific and bidders were very much evaluated on their experience as it pertained to the scope of this project. All bidders had to show real life examples of their work on other outside broadcast facilities as well as client testimonials and references. There was also a great deal of emphasis placed on technical expertise and experience. With this in mind Sony Australia was ultimately successful as they have an outstanding track record for providing outside broadcast solutions in Australia and internationally. They have also proven themselves to be a key supplier of industry-standard live production equipment including cameras and switchers and have a long history of producing innovative broadcast system design using Sony and third party technologies.”
The new trucks are used for covering horse racing events across NSW with the Metro truck used for race coverage of Sydney metropolitan racing events at Randwick, Rosehill, Canterbury and Warwick Farm while the Country vans are distributed regionally throughout NSW to cover provincial and country race meetings. All of the trucks are used for the dual purpose of on-course broadcast, delivery of broadcast quality production to SKY Racing and to provide video footage to stewards for in-race and post-race judicial reviews.
Sony is unique not only in Australia but the entire Southern Hemisphere as a company able to provide a total outside broadcast facility solution completely in-house. No other supplier or integrator is able to provide the unique combination of products and services that includes the high quality broadcast equipment manufacture of cameras, switchers and monitors, full systems design, installation, commissioning, training and integration and coach-build facilities.
Hinton continued, “The coach build capabilities of Sony, are particularly impressive. As a result of their understanding of broadcast product development and integration they are able to design and construct a mobile solution perfectly suited for television outside broadcasts.”
The 16-camera Metro van was based on a Volvo FE series cab-chassis that was 12.5 metres long and 2.4 metres wide with operational areas that included a two-tier video production area, an audio production area, a server and replay area, camera CCU and technical area and an integrated clamshell external walkway awning system.
Sony Professional Solutions Asia Pacific Solutions Proposals Manager Tom Garvan explained, “The clamshell arrangement platform and awning maximises the operational space available by eliminating internal hallways and walk-throughs and the built-in solid awning provides weather-resistant access for production staff to the key operational areas. This design as a whole allows for fast, easy deployment and pack-up of the facility at a much lower price point than conventional expanding side facilities.”
Inside the van was an array of state of the art equipment that included twelve Sony HDC-2400 camera chains, a Sony PDW-680 RF camcorder and Vislink wireless link, Sony MVS-6530 Vision Switcher, Fujinon ZA22x7.6BERD lenses, Fujinon HA42x9.7BERD lenses, Fujinon XA55x9.5BESM and Fujinon XA77x9.5BESM box lenses, Vinten and Miller camera supports, Imagine Communications Platinum MX router and multi-viewer, Sony PVM-A170 OLED professional monitors for CCU and technical monitoring, Soundcraft Vi4 digital audio mixer, MADI audio transport, RTS Telex Zeus-III intercom, Tait UHF communications and a Sony HawkEye Officiating Review System (ORS) for stewards’ replays.
The country OB vans are provided by Racing NSW for regional and provincial race meeting coverage. Each Country van is based on a Mercedes Benz Sprinter LWB van and includes an all-in-one operational area that integrates six Sony HSC-100R camera chains, Fujinon ZA22x7.6BERD lenses with servo control units and Fujinon HA42x9.7BERD lenses with stabiliser and servo control units, six Blackmagic HyperDeck Studio recorders, a Sony
MVS-3000A vision switcher, a Yamaha QL1 digital audio mixer, RTS Telex Zeus III-LE Intercom and Miller camera supports.
The Grip truck is based on an Isuzu cab-chassis and integrates equipment storage facilities, rack and shelves, task lighting and power for equipment charging and a hydraulic tail lift.
Graeme Hinton concluded, “We are very pleased with all of the new Sony trucks as the high quality images they produce create a professional HD product for broadcast. The Sony HDC-2400 cameras together with the HawkEye ORS system allow stewards to efficiently review race footage in native HD quality with an easy to use intuitive multi-screen interface. The Sony cameras provided also allow for seamless integration with the existing triax cabling infrastructure installed at the racing venues and enable conversion to a fibre infrastructure in the future. Finally the coach itself has automated systems for power and air conditioning management, with a touch screen interface showing full status and control of these systems. All in all we have seven of the highest quality state of the art OB trucks now at our disposal and the results we get from them are truly excellent.”