BBC USES FIRST CRYSTAL VISION HD PRODUCTS FOR LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS (November 2004)

The initial customer for Crystal Vision’s first High Definition product was BBC Outside Broadcasts, which used the HDDA108R for the world famous ‘Last Night of the Proms’. The modules were used from an outside broadcast van to distribute HD signals within the vehicle and to the lighting director in the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Based in London, BBC Outside Broadcasts is part of BBC Resources, a commercial division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), one of the UK’s largest broadcasters. The event was needed in HD format for sending to international broadcasters, including NHK in Japan, where it was transmitted in High Definition from tape. Countries such as Japan and the USA already record and broadcast a significant amount of material in HD, meaning that there is a large worldwide sales potential for this kind of output. The higher quality of the format is also ideal for creating DVDs and for archiving purposes. It was recorded in HD and an edited version was created for international customers.

The Last Night of the Proms is the finale of the Proms season of concerts, hosted by the BBC, which aim to promote a wide range of music. Held in the Royal Albert Hall with a live audience of around 4,000 people, the final evening of the Proms has always been a much-loved British tradition and for this reason it is also of international interest.

BBC Outside Broadcasts used the HD DAs on the output of the main High Definition presentation mixer within the OB van. The signals were also sent to the lighting director in the auditorium at the Royal Albert Hall, who used an HD monitor to check the visual effects.

Because of discussion with Philip Scofield - Crystal Vision’s Managing Director - BBC Outside Broadcasts was able to buy the new product to a short timescale, even before it had been officially launched. The equipment was shipped the day after the order was placed. Previously the broadcaster has hired equipment from other companies in order to film in HD.

The boards were housed in an Indigo 2 2U frame with passive front panel, which was also part of the order.

The modular distribution amplifier is one of Crystal Vision’s first two High Definition products, and has the advantage of fitting in all of the company’s existing frames. The HDDA108R, used by BBC Outside Broadcasts, offers eight outputs while there is also a four output version, the HDDA104R. They can distribute both 270Mbit Standard Definition and the most popular High Definition formats and will adjust to accommodate the standard of incoming video. Used in conjunction with Crystal Vision’s Statesman PC control system, customers can access comprehensive signal information, but the modules can also be controlled from frame active front panel, or from the card edge, as happened at the Last Night of the Proms.

Based at Whittlesford near Cambridge in the UK, Crystal Vision provides digital keyers and a full range of digital and analogue interface equipment including converters, decoders, encoders, distribution amplifiers and audio embedders to the professional broadcasting industry worldwide.