With 41HDX and 42FLEX Trucks, Mobile TV Group Blurs the Line Between National, Regional Productions The largest double expandos MTVG has built offer plenty of technological firepower By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Thursday, October 26, 2017 - 2:48 pm
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With the size and sophistication of regional-sports-network productions growing exponentially, Mobile TV Group continues to up the ante by rolling out trucks that can serve the rising production needs of RSNs just as well as a nationally broadcast college-football game. The latest generation of MTVG trucks is headlined by 41HDX, which is currently working Fox Sports college football after debuting earlier this year, and 42FLEX, a dual-feed, two -trailer HDR- and 4K-ready unit that debuted this month on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh's Penguins coverage.
42FLEX's A-unit features three rows of seating in the production area/
Both 41HDX and 42FLEX demonstrate that the line between regional and national shows has completely disappeared, say Director of Business Development Nick Garvin. These trucks are capable of doing your everyday regional show, which is quite large already, and then doing an even bigger national show the next day if needed. We believe there is really not much of a difference between what we're doing at a regional level and what's happening at a national level at this point, aside from major playoff and championship shows.
41HDX and 42FLEX are the largest double expandos MTVG has ever built, providing three rows of seating in both the production and replay areas. In addition, both units feature plenty of tech firepower, including Grass Valley Kayenne K-Frame switchers, four Grass Valley LDX 86 Universe 6X super-slo-mo cameras apiece, 12-channel EVS replay systems, and Calrec Artemis Beam audio consoles.
We're not saying that these trucks could do a Super Bowl or a World Series, but pretty much any other regular-season national baseball, basketball, hockey, or college-football game would be no problem, says GM/founder Philip Garvin. Essentially, with the four super-slo-mos, the tremendous amount of space, the four 12-channel EVSs, and now HDR [capability on 42FLEX], these are national-level trucks that can also do regional shows.
Inside 41HDX: A Standalone National-Level Truck
Built primarily to accommodate Fox Sports college-football, college-basketball, and MLB productions, 41HDX is essentially a standalone A unit traveling with a B unit that is used almost exclusively for freight and extra equipment. In addition to featuring three rows of seating in both production and replay (eight replay-operator positions total), it sports a versatile utility area that allows operators to be positioned at any workstation.
41HDX hit the road this year, working Fox Sports college football, college basketball, and MLB productions.
The thinking behind 41HDX was to be able to do a national college-football-game [production] out of one truck. And we've [accomplished] that, says Philip Garvin. It's done college-football games on both FS1 and Fox, but it can also do [smaller shows] if necessary.
The truck is built around a 5M/E Grass Valley Kayenne K-Frame switcher and 396 712 Evertz 3G video router. The camera complement comprises six Grass Valley LDX Premier 720p/1080i triax cameras and four LDX 86 Universe 6X super-slo-mo cameras outfitted with a mix of Canon and Fujinon lenses (as well as a Marshall POV cam). The replay room houses three 12-channel EVS XT3 replay servers, as well as EVS Epsio FX graphics and C-Cast multiplatform production system. 41HDX also rolls with ChyronHego HyperX3 graphics and a SketchHD telestration system.
41HDX features a spacious production room designed to serve either national sports productions or large RSN shows.
On the audio side are a 64-fader Calrec Artemis Beam console (256 routable inputs via MADI, 64 analog inputs, and 64 analog outputs) and a 2752 2848 audio router. The RTS ADAM-M Matrix comms system is capable of 64 ports of OMNEO, 64 channels of MADI, and 48 analog ports.
This is an extremely capable truck all in one very large unit, says Philip Garvin. We were very conscious to [incorporate] a lot of weight-saving technologies that have come along recently so that it could go drive the road without being overweight and still have all the high-end technology and extra space.
Inside 42FLEX: Taking the HDR Leap
MTVG's most recent launch, 42FLEX builds on the FLEX model that the company launched in 2015 (with 38FLEX), allowing clients to shift among HD mode, SSMO mode, 1080p mode, and 4K mode. 42FLEX, however, is MTVG's first truck to bring 1080p HDR capability into the equation. The truck not only is HDR-capable but can also produce a 1080 HDR show using almost entirely triax rather than fiber.
42FLEX sports a robust EVS replay infrastructure, as well as seating for six operators in the A unit (pictured) and three in the VMU.
The truck is very focused on HDR because the cameras can do 1080p HDR in triax, which is a very big deal in the regional-sports [market], says Philip Garvin. When you're doing same-day set and shoot like most [RSNs], fiber is your nemesis because it's complex and time-consuming. Also, a lot of venues still have only triax and have very little or no fiber. We're not saying you can't do HDR with fiber, of course you can, but, when you are at a venue that doesn't have much or any fiber, you're going to wish that you could do HDR with triax. And now we can.
42Flex rolls with a standard complement of 14 Grass Valley cameras outfitted with Fujinon lenses. Seven Grass Valley LDX 82 Premier cameras can shoot HDR over triax; the only need for fiber for an HDR show would be to accommodate the four LDX 86 Universe 6X super-slo-mo cameras. According to Philip Garvin
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With 41HDX and 42FLEX Trucks, Mobile TV Group Blurs the Line Between National, Regional Productions The largest double expandos MTVG has built offer plenty of technological firepower By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor 
