RaceTech Takes Grass Valley HD Cameras

The new Grass Valley LDK 4000 Elite cameras and Kayak™ HD switchers will be used by RaceTech crews on board three new HD outside broadcast (OB) vehicles to produce live and tape-delayed racing programming for Racing UK. This significant order includes 22 LDK 4000 Elite cameras, which have been ordered to acquire images in the 1080i/50 HD format.

Each of the three new OB vans will also be equipped with a Grass Valley Kayak 1.5 M/E HD switcher, which can handle the variety of standard-definition and HD projects RaceTech requires, and includes important live production features such as clean feed, HD graphics keying, and replay control directly from the switcher panel.

“We have used Grass Valley cameras for the last eight years, so we're very comfortable with them,” said Mick Both, Director of Engineering and Technical Operations for RaceTech. “We considered all the cameras available on the market, and Grass Valley offered us the best performance and value. We also like the customer support we have received in the past and know that it will continue going forward.”

“We understand the needs of customers like RaceTech that want to produce high-quality content in a single ‘house’ format and that’s why we offer cost-effective HD cameras in single-format versions, like the LDK 4000 Elite,” said Jeff Rosica, Executive Vice President of Grass Valley. “What we’re seeing is that production companies like the flexibility to choose what they need without having to buy what they don't. And the Kayak is ideally suited to the types of productions RaceTech is doing on a daily basis.”

RaceTech provides television services at more than 1,000 horse race events in the UK each year. From a single truck, it supports several broadcast platforms, such as Racing UK’s direct-to-home satellite channel and Turf TV, its service to off-course betting shops. The trucks will also feed the large screens around the course and will be used for ISO recording and playback of all cameras when required as well as providing feeds for national broadcasters Channel4 and BBC.

“Our trucks are on the road all year long, and our switchers are critical in providing all the different outputs we need,” continued Both. “The Kayak delivers on all of our requirements and the quality of customer support was also a key deciding factor in its selection and the crew couldn’t be happier using it.”

The Grass Valley LDK 4000 Elite single-format HD production camera is available as either a 720p or 1080i camera head. It features low power consumption and Grass Valley's leading HD-DPM+™ technology that produces images unrivaled by any camera in the industry. Combined with Grass Valley frame transfer CCD technology, this ensures perfectly clean, low noise signals free from artifacts such as vertical smearing and aliasing. Dynamic anti-aliasing-on-sensor processing reduces artifacts. A SuperXpander large lens adapter enables configuration with full size studio or mobile lenses as well as accessories.

The Grass Valley Kayak HD and HD-upgradeable Kayak SD switcher family includes 14 highly affordable systems designed for live production, small corporate studios, and editing applications in environments requiring HD and/or SD production capabilities. This powerful, multi-format expansion of the popular Kayak family features a compact design, superior image quality, and a number of high-end features not found in any other manufacturers' products. Kayak HD is also available with an optional Kayenne™ XL control panel.

About Racing UK

Racing UK is the premier independent horseracing broadcaster in the UK and Ireland. The specialist channel was set-up in 2004 and is dedicated to broadcasting more than 650 live race meetings a year with commentary, debate and tipping from 30 of the UK’s top racecourses. Racing UK services more than 45,000 commercial and residential subscribers. Racing UK is available on Sky 432 (UK, NI, ROI), Virgin 536 (UK) or UPC 411 (ROI).

About Grass Valley

With a rich history serving the broadcast and professional video industries, the Grass Valley name is synonymous with innovation, leadership, and performance. With a full range of products and services supporting many of the world's most high-profile television events, Grass Valley offers the most comprehensive portfolio of flexible and cost-effective digital technologies and systems available. Customers deploying Grass Valley solutions include most of the world's leading broadcast and teleproduction facilities, independent video professionals, as well as emerging content creators and distributors providing broadband, telecommunications, and transmission services. When you’re watching news, sports, or entertainment programming, whether on a TV, the Web, or a mobile phone, you’re watching Grass Valley at work.