AMS Pictures with First Grass Valley Karrera Video Production Switcher

AMS Pictures is headquartered in Dallas (with a second location in Austin), where it maintains three production studios (the largest being 3,700 sq. ft), all supported by a single control room, which the staff of 75 uses to produce live-to-tape and live-to-air shows. There are two outbound fibre paths for distribution. The control room is now being renovated to accommodate the Karrera.

AMS Pictures is now one of the first production companies to offer full HD production and distribution services in the Dallas area and will use the new Karrera (2 M/E version in a 4 RU rack) switcher for all types of video projects – from corporate and educational productions to original programming (documentaries) for live broadcast and cable television distribution.

The Karrera’s size is ideally suited to the dozens of multi-camera studio projects produced each year. Its feature set provides an array of capabilities to increase AMS Picture's business and offer new services, such as native HD production in the 720p and 1080i formats and full SD/HD simulcast functionality.

“I’ve used the Grass Valley Kayenne, so I know that the Karrera offers virtually all of the power of the Kayenne in a smaller package,” said Bret Harrell, Director of Technology at AMS Pictures. “It’s great that I can get the full functionality of a large system in a mid-sized switcher, and the price point is super. Grass Valley has really produced a real winner.”

The company still produces SD work for its clients as well and the Karrera allows it to produce simulcast SD/HD shows. Harrell points out that the Karrera’s architecture and intuitive control panel makes this simple to do.

“The Karrera is finding a home with a wide variety of users that might not have been able to afford a larger Grass Valley switcher, but want all of the functionality and reliability of our higher end models,” said Jeff Rosica, Executive Vice President of Grass Valley. “AMS Pictures is the first company in the Dallas area to order a Karrera and, once word gets out in the market, I’m sure they won't be the last.”

AMS Pictures is working quickly to expand its multi-camera work by upgrading the quality of its equipment. The Karrera is the first step in what the company believes will be a very successful process to grow the company.

About the Karrera Video Production Center
Available in 1.5-2.5 M/E channels in a 4 RU frame and 2.5-4.5 M/Es in an 8 RU frame, the Karrera is a fully digital 10-bit 4:2:2 video switcher with up to 96 inputs and 48 outputs. It features HD/SD SDI signal support with (optional) up/down/crossconverters on selected inputs and outputs, and six keyers in every full M/E—four full-function keyers plus two linear/ luminance keyers. Each full-function keyer has two pages (frames) of video and key storage to free up Image Store outputs and reduce the number of external graphics sources.

About AMS Pictures
AMS Pictures is a Texas-based creative media company. Master storytellers who use digital media tools to create unique experiences that engage, enlighten and entertain audiences. AMS Pictures may be the largest, most technologically advanced media production company in the Southwest, but it’s the creative energy, the talent and passion of our people that defines AMS Pictures as a creative media shop. With a dedicated focus on creating incredible productions every day. With over 40,000 square feet of production space, AMS Pictures can handle practically any project.  Ever since we moved into our buildings in North Dallas and Austin, these facilities have been made available for a wide variety of production, post-production, and interactive purposes.  We even have a full-scale art department full of artists that dedicate themselves to creating gorgeous results on a daily basis.  Whatever your need, we have the horsepower and talent to meet those needs, regardless of the size or scale of the project.