REPRINTED FROM JUNE 13, 2007
W W W. T V T E C H N O L O G Y. C O M
USER REPORT
Freedom Chooses Ross Synergy MD/X
by Fred Lass
Director of Engineering
WRGB and WCWN
SCHENECTADY, N.Y.
he chief engineers of eight Freedom
Broadcasting stations made plans last
year to improve the operational efficiency at each of our stations. Freedom
Broadcasting owns stations in Florida,
Michigan, New York, Rhode Island,
Tennessee, Texas and Oregon. We specified
Ross Synergy MD/X production switchers
and OverDrive integrated production control systems to achieve the goal.
Such collaboration had not occurred in
Freedom since the purchase of DTV transmitters in 2001. Historically, each Freedom
station has devised its own unique operational system. We needed to improve and
standardize our workflow, plus use common equipment as much as possible.
T
ACHIEVING AUTOMATION
We began our selection process by first
looking into our control rooms. We wanted
a product that would help us bridge the gap
between our existing manual operations
and automated news production.
The consensus was that we should select
the Ross Video Synergy MD/X high-definition video production switcher with its
OverDrive integrated production control
system.
We liked the Synergy MD/X switcher
because the Synergy standard-definition
series had already been selected for three of
our stations. The possibility of HD news
has been looming in several of our station
markets, and the MD/X would allow HD
Keith Betts, director of engineering at Freedom Broadcasting’s WPEC in West Palm Beach,
Fla. operates the new Ross Synergy MD/X production switcher installed there.
production when such changes made sense.
The MD/X switcher is designed to work
efficiently as a conventional manual production switcher, or in conjunction with
OverDrive. Switcher control panels that we
purchased for SD would be reused for HD.
NO RETRAINING FOR TDS
Technical directors who knew how to
run the Synergy SD could operate the
Synergy MD/X without retraining. Since the
switcher can operate with a mixture of
high-definition and standard-definition
sources, we would be able to upgrade our
peripheral equipment to HD at any time.
We looked closely at the workflow characteristics that are designed into OverDrive.
Operationally, the news producer selects the
Copyright 2007 IMAS Publishing (USA), Inc. Reprinted with permission.
camera shots, graphics, video and microphones from a pictorial list. That list of icons
works as a plug-in for both ENPS and iNews
newsroom systems in use at Freedom.
Each producer adds the OverDrive templates to their own show.
The producers of our shows usually
change every half-hour in our evening
newscasts, thus allowing for continuous
back-to-back shows without adding additional production staffing. The producers
learned the system in a single half-day
training session.
The third key to automated production
was the control of external equipment. At
first it seemed that the OverDrive interface
was limited to an audio board without true
mix-minus capability. Then we discovered
that Ross had already added the
Wheatstone D-10 board to their development list. The D-10 suited our needs, so the
decision was finalized to purchase
OverDrive and Synergy MD/X switchers.
EXTERNAL GEAR
The equipment was delivered on time
and the Synergy MD/X switcher has performed extremely well. The new OverDrive
audio board interface has worked without
any software bugs! Any software issues that
occurred with other peripherals have been
addressed quickly.
Right now Freedom has four of the new
Ross switchers operational and two more in
the process of being installed. The more that
we learn about the Synergy MD/X switcher,
OverDrive automation and Ross Video; the
more pleased we are with our decision.
Copyright 2007 IMAS Publishing (USA), Inc. Reprinted with permission.
Fred Lass is director of engineering for
WRGB & WCWN in Albany/Schenectady, N.Y.
and has been the chief engineer and director of
engineering with WRGB since 1984. He headed up the selection process for Freedom’s group
purchase of Ross switchers. He may be contacted at fredlass@wrgb.com.
For additional information, contact Ross
Video Ltd. at 613-652-4886, or visit
www.rossvideo.com.
Reprinted from TV Technology