NEP Broadcasting Launches Two High Definition Mobile Production Trucks
PITTSBURGH, PA (Tuesday, September 21, 2004) -- NEP Broadcasting, LLC, General Partner of NEP Supershooters, LP, the nation's leading provider of remote television broadcast facilities for the sports and entertainment industries, recently announced the launch of two High Definition (HD) mobile production trucks.
Supershooter 18 and Supershooter 24 were built by NEP to facilitate the broadcast of the “A”NFL football games for FOX Sports and CBS Sports in HD respectively. These games are broadcast by each network nationally and generally represent the most intriguing match-up of the weekend.
Supershooter 18, a multi-format truck, was upgraded from Digital to High Definition over the course of 8 weeks. NEP kept only the original trailer, audio, and intercom structures, swapping everything else out for the new HD equipment. The truck, which FOX has used for their NFL “A” game broadcasts for several years, will produce football games in 720p, FOX’s network distribution standard. Thomson/Grass Valley is supplying this truck with LDK-6000 mk II Worldcam HD cameras with Canon lenses, a Kalypso HD duo video switcher, and a Trinix SDI/HD router. In addition, this truck features a Calrec Alpha 5.1 Digital Audio Console with full compliment of audio processing in one of the largest audio suites on the road. Supershooter 18 will also be outfitted with a number of conversion products to allow for multi-format operation in order to serve a wide variety of clients. The truck is slated to broadcast the NFC Championship Game as well as the Superbowl.
Already used for recent broadcasts with FOX, Bill Brown, Senior Producer for FOX, commented, “We are very happy that we have negotiated a long term deal with NEP to provide FOX Sports with our lead NFL mobile unit and NASCAR mobile unit. Knowing NEP will be providing the technical facilities for FOX Sports on Super Bowl XXXIX and the Daytona 500 gives us the confidence we will have the best technical facilities possible.”
Supershooter 24 represents a giant leap in the mobile industry’s conversion to High Definition technology. The new truck built for CBS Sports is the largest HD unit in the country. NEP’s team of veteran designers determined that they would utilize two trailers to accommodate the HD equipment while providing additional space for the production team. The state-of-the-art twin units boast the largest control room on the road today with 138 color monitors in a 30-ft control room, a Sony MVS 8000 Switcher with internal DVE and an HD DVEous, generous seating and a kitchen to accommodate client needs along with several other interior amenities. The “A” unit contains the production control room, transmission area, and graphics room while the “B” unit houses the audio, video, main transmission, and record/playback room.
“The separation and system design allows graphics to begin loading as soon as the truck is powered, and during teardown the tape melt can occur while the production trailer is disconnected, closed, and packed, allowing for maximum setup and teardown efficiency,” says George Hoover, Sr. Vice President of Engineering. Ken Aargard, Senior Vice President of Operations & Production Services for CBS Sports added, “NEP has once again come through for CBS Sports and built a truck worthy of our "A" NFL game as well as other big events for CBS. Our production and technical team are excited about working in this superbly designed remote facility."
Supershooter 24 recently opened the NFL season with a nationally televised game in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, NEP’s headquarters. It is also slated to handle CBS Sports’ coverage of the NCAA Men’s Championship, including the Final Four and Championship game. In addition, SS24 is scheduled to broadcast all three Triple Crown events for NBC. SS24 is the 56th truck designed and built by NEP to meet the demands of the industry and its clients. NEP is one of the few mobile production companies that has the resources and engineering talent to build its own trucks as they continue to add to their fleet of 25 mobile units and 20 support units.
NEP Broadcasting, LLC, of Pittsburgh, PA, provides a wide range of services to the sports and entertainment industries. NEP Supershooters, LP, is known world wide as the top provider of remote broadcast facilities, management personnel, and engineering expertise for high-profile television events presented by the sports and entertainment industries. NEP can provide camera, audio, graphics and switching equipment in both digital and high-definition formats within their mobile production facilities. NEP also boasts the industry's deepest engineering staff in terms of expertise, creativity and technical savvy. NEP Screenworks, located in California, is the leading provider of mobile video systems and indoor and outdoor LED screens. NEP Image Group of New York City provides studio facilities and NEP Post provides post-production services for a wide range of clients.
Specification sheets and photos of these trucks are available on NEP’s website at www.nepinc.com.
For high resolution images or for further information, please contact Terence Brady at (412) 820-6030; 1-800-444-0054; or terence.brady@nepinc.com. The latest news and information regarding NEP Broadcasting is also available on the company's official website -- www.nepinc.com.
