The Studer Vista 8 in All Mobile Video’s Celebrity unit
Celebrity, All Mobile Video’s 53-foot triple expando mobile unit, carried the distinction of being the first fully digital (SDI video, AES audio) production truck in the United States when it was built in 1998. Now, seven years later, Manhattan-based AMV has upgraded the vehicle’s video facilities to high definition and added a Studer Vista 8 digital audio console, reportedly the largest ever assembled by the manufacturer.
At over eight feet wide, AMV’s new console comprises 50 input faders, a 10-fader master section and remote 10-fader input bay, in addition to an extensive outboard Studer DSP rack. The frame was customized to fit within the tight confines of the truck by Boulevard Body Works (Warren, N.J.).
According to AMV director of mobile operations Lee Blanco, who is stationed at the company’s vehicle depot in Lodi, N.J., the Vista 8’s comprehensive redundancy was a primary reason for selecting the console. “Our desk has a fully redundant control system with all current console settings mirrored from the primary system, which means that in the unlikely event of a control system problem, we can switch to the backup system and transparently restore to the most recent desk settings,” he says. “Seeing that Celebrity is frequently used for live broadcasts, this capability was vital in ensuring uninterrupted operation and gave us guaranteed peace of mind.”
During the retrofit, Celebrity was also equipped with new Sony HDC950 and HDC900 cameras, allowing the unit to capture images natively at 1,080/60i, 1,080/24p, 1,080/25p and 1,080/30p resolutions to new high-definition HDW-F500 VTRs and standard-definition serial digital to DigitalBetacam. New monitors, routers and converters were also integrated to bring the truck up to full HD spec.
Visit www.allmobilevideo.com for more information about the facility. For more information on the Vista 8, visit www.studer.ch.
