United Keeps The Grand Tour 4K-Aligned with Leader LV5490

Hilversum-based video systems specialist United has chosen Leader's LV5490 as the test and measurement core of a 4K ultra-high-definition flyaway production system for Amazon Prime's new motoring television series, The Grand Tour.

The show reunites presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. An initial 36 episodes are being produced for release on Amazon Prime. The LV5490 was purchased via Leader's channel partner Fofic BV, based at Diemen near Amsterdam.

Bolke Burnaby Lautier, United's manager of special projects, said: "This assignment required a portable high-end solution that is lightweight but also fulfills the requirements of Amazon Prime. The new flyaway consists of a camera and a recording system plus a comprehensive audio setup. The cameras yield wide-colour-space 4K UHD files including proxies which can be edited immediately.

"We chose a Leader LV5490 as it enables our technical crew to check the colorimetry and gamut of the various cameras. The integral CINELITE feature also allows the camera crew to ensure maximum signal quality when shooting live rather than relying on signal renormalisation during postproduction. Getting it right from the start is by far the best way to achieve the full quality which wide-colour-space 4K UHD is capable of delivering.

"The flypack was developed over the course of three months and needed to meet strict requirements. At most locations, the equipment has to be flown in so we had to pay close attention to equipment size and weight. The entire production system fits into 13 pallets with a combined weight of 4,700 kilos. It includes everything we need: cameras, dollies, monitors, audio desks, audio amplification, cabling, tables and even a tea set: very important for our UK customer. To develop a flyaway like this demands significant expertise. To be on a mountain in South Africa and find you're missing a cable is unthinkable.

"The newly developed Grand Tour takes just four hours to set up and two hours to get flight-ready again. In between, it works like a charm.

Leader Electronics' European business development manager Kevin Salvidge, added: "This is the kind of project at which the LV5490 excels. It incorporates all the facilities required for no-compromise 4K high-dynamic-range signal measurement in a compact footprint which is equally suited to studio or outside broadcast operation. That includes the LV5490SER07 HDR option which enables this instrument to measure both 4K and high-definition high-dynamic-range in ITU.BT.2100 Hybrid Log Gamma, Dolby PQ and Sony SLOG-3 protocols."

Occupying a half-rack-width by 4U high housing, the Leader LV5490 offers 4K, UHD, 3G, HD and SD test and measurement features in a compact portable unit. Waveform, vector and picture display can all be viewed at the same time on the LV5490's 9 inch LCD monitor. The monitor is full 1920 x 1080 HD resolution with a wide viewing angle and high color reproduction. A 1920 x 1080 HD DVI and HD-SDI rasterized output is also provided to feed a larger monitor. Simultaneous viewing of up to four SDI inputs is possible, including overlays. The size and location of individual channels can be adjusted on the display using a USB mouse so the user is not limited to fixed-size quadrants.

Leader's CINELITE II toolset (comprising CINELITE and CINEZONE) also comes as a standard feature, allowing easy assessment of relative exposure and overall luminance during production. A Focus Assist option allows highly accurate on-set adjustment of camera focus to match the 4K format's ability to handle very precise image detail.

The LV5490 can also be controlled remotely using standard KVM tools. Additional options for the LV5490 include eye pattern with jitter measurements, digital audio I/O, Dolby decode, focus assist, CIE colour chart and 12G-SDI.

leader.co.jp

(MH)