SBP Commission Broadcast Networks To Refurbish OB Vehicle

UK system integration specialist Broadcast Networks has been commissioned to handle a third project for Italian broadcast facilities company SBP – refurbishing an existing 16-camera Outside Broadcast vehicle and upgrading it to full HD production capability.
SBP’s OB4 has been in service for some years and is mainly used for sports broadcasting and live events coverage. The refurbishment will see the vehicle stripped back to its original chassis, then re-fitted with new wiring, equipment and internal furniture.
The coach work will also be upgraded and the truck will be re-sprayed to give it a smart new look. Broadcast Networks will handle the entire project, which is scheduled to be completed by June 2007.
Tom Haye, Director of Broadcast Networks, said: "We are delighted that SBP has once again entrusted us to handle the refurbishment of part of its extensive OB fleet. OB4 is similar in size to OB6, which we re-fitted last year. It will be equipped with the very latest HD technology, thus reinforcing SBP’s position as the leader of the HD revolution in Italy."
Antonio Balsamo, SBP president and CEO, added: "SBP is currently expanding its HD OB van fleet and has added three brand new vans - OB20 with 24 HD cameras, OB21 with 10 HD cameras and OB2 with six cameras – as well as upgrading OB6, which has 20 HD cameras. Broadcast Networks are now upgrading our OB4 van to incorporate 16 HD cameras and this will join our HD fleet in June. SBP is now in a position to offer services to both National and International Clients."
Among the equipment scheduled for installation into OB4 are 20 Grass Valley 6000 HD cameras, a Snell and Willcox Kahuna HD vision mixer, two Sony HDCAM High Definition VTR’s, three HD LSM EVS 6.6.6. XT(2), a central Grass Valley HD router and a Studer Vista 5 audio mixer, now an industry standard for live OB productions.
Broadcast Networks undertook its first project for SBP early in 2006 when it was contracted to manage the build of a brand new 24-camera HD OB vehicle (OB20) through Sony PSE. A few months later, the company undertook the refurbishment of OB6, a 20-camera HD OB vehicle that was brought up to full HD specifications.
(DS/SP)