QampA Les OReilly Ross Video

When it comes to production switchers, what are the three features that houses of worship should consider as most important?

Even though HOWs are working to the basic principles of video production, many of them are quite different in how they present the video. So the key features are not easily tangible, like simply saying ‘24 inputs’. They are more subtle, yet recognisable:

Ease of use. Above all, the smooth operation of the product during a live event is essential. Things change on the fly and the ability to navigate the product to create a compelling production is first and foremost.

Value. This is more than just the price of a product. What am I getting for this price? What kind of product lifespan do I need? How is this product rated by my peers? What’s the company support like? Long-term ownership is an important variable in this kind of a product. Knowing that it will be backed for years to come with easy, downloadable improvements, or knowing that you can pick up a phone without having to pay additional fees… these are assets to production facilities that are constantly evolving.

Capabilities. The individual features are not enough. What can you accomplish with these features, and how can new features enable you to do more – without having to compromise any production value? Are the features easy to use? Can all the features be used at the same time? There are some devices out there that offer the ‘Swiss army knife’ experience and do multiple things, but sometimes they can’t do all of them together. Make sure that the capabilities of the product fit your needs today, and look forward as far as you need to.

In terms of purchasing a switcher, what expansion features should it have to help accommodate growth?

In some cases none. When you look at this question you need to ask yourself: do you want to buy something that has a little more growth but is more or less a finite product? Or do you want to buy a slightly more expensive modular system that allows unlimited growth?

Ross Video offers two product lines – CrossOver and Carbonite – that are one price, one feature set and will allow growth within the purchased feature set. On the other hand, Vision is a fully modular product that offers a broader range of options and modular growth. It’s slightly more expensive, because modular growth requires added cost and complexity to the design. All of these products use a lot of common components and parts. They’re all built with the same metal and broadcast components, and all three are built on the same software core and include some of the industry’s leading features and patents. But they’re at different price points to give the most coverage to all markets – including HOW.

Are production switchers getting smaller in footprint?

Yes, production switchers are getting smaller: mostly by using rack electronics, also known as the processing engine. The panel is not getting smaller – unless you move to a PC-based control surface – and that’s as it should be. The human being is not getting smaller, so it’s a lot harder to try and use smaller buttons and controls that would become overcrowded and lend themselves to mistakes on air.

But the rack frame is not limited by human scale. True, a BNC is a certain physical size, but those connectors are also considered as part of size reduction. When we see the SMPTE body start to ratify a single standard, we too will look at moving to these standards. However, currently these are not limiting our progression yet. Currently Ross Video is using a 2RU chassis for the Carbonite and CrossOver Series. It’s essentially a box with a 3.5-inch height, a 17.45-inch width and a depth of 17 inches. Yet, in this size, a Carbonite has a Dual Head MultiViewer, two MLEs, 24 inputs, 10 outputs, built in reference generator with two outputs, LTC input, USB media drive with room for installing a drive in the front of the chassis, two DB 37 connectors for Tally and GPIO, four RJ-45 connectors with one for Panel, RS-422 and two Gigabit Ethernet connections. This has all been made possible by using the latest technology and components.

What type of training does Ross Video offer that a HOW can take advantage of?

Ross Video has full training programmes for all of our products. There are different options available based on number of attendees and the products that were purchased. What’s great is that the programmes can be tailored to the level of ability of the users. Most of the core functions of a switcher are the same across our family of products, although new operators may require additional days. The purchasing stage provides the opportunity to evaluate the needs of each individual customer, and offer an appropriate package. With a full product line up – including switchers, graphics systems, video servers, terminal gear, routers and even production control automation – it’s even more important that the products are trained as an integrated solution rather than separate items from separate vendors.

www.rossvideo.com