Ross Ultrix Carbonite Integrated Production System

Many years ago, Videocam (now VCI) brought one of the first Multi M/E 20+ input analog component switching and routing air pack systems to the AV production world. Back then, the dual rack system comprised a 20 input GVG 200-2, 80 Analog Video DA’s and a 32×32 routing switcher. The system was a full bandwidth 525 component system capable of 6 Mega (Million) Hertz of bandwidth. For the capability, capacity, and flexibility demands of 21st century productions, VCI is pleased to introduce the Ross Ultrix Carbonite Hyper-Converged Production Platform.

This system is designed around an uncompressed 12G SDI backbone. The massive bandwidth provides for resolutions from 480i (NTSC) up to 3840×2160 (and all common resolutions in between) at frame rates from 23.976P to 59.94i to 59.94P. The system has a bandwidth of 12 Giga (trillion) bits per second.

The performance and signal quality of our new Ross Video system is three orders of magnitude greater than that of the Grass Valley Group system from the late 1990’s.

Uncompressed resolution and frame rate agnostic routing and switching are only the beginning. At the core of the VCI Hyper-Converged Platform is the industry-leading Ross FR5 Ultrix Carbonite integrated production system. The standard video I/O configuration of our system is 68×68 but is readily expandable to 100×100 with existing design provisions.

The production switcher is the newest version of one of the most reliable digital switching systems in the world, the Ross Carbonite. The Carbonite SDPE (Software Defined Production Engine) in the VCI system can be configured as a 1 M/E, 2 M/E, or 3 M/E. The system boasts an additional 4 “mini-M/E’s”, 12 DVE channels, 14 Keyers, 4 chroma Keyers, and 4 clip players with Alpha Channels as well as virtually unlimited media player capacity (limited only by the size of external drives). We are excited about the abundance of creative capability that is sure to increase the content quality of every viewable screen.

On the routing switcher side, the Ross Ultrix Carbonite, includes 16 channels of embedded audio for each I/O as well as a MADI audio level allowing the assignment of audio sources in any combination from any sources, including DANTE, to any destinations. The audio matrix can be as large as 3456×3456. This makes it possible to potentially record isos with every microphone in the mixer being assigned to an individual channel of a record machine, without your video engineer or EIC being involved.

Additionally, the system is fully licensed with Input Frame Synchronizers, Clean Switch Router Outputs, Ultra-Mix Audio Mixer, 2 Carbonite Multiview, 2 Ultrix Multiview, and Ross X-Pression Live CG.

A Focusrite Rednet D64R MADI-DANTE Interface provides 64 channels of DANTE I/O’s to the Ultrix router’s MADI level which puts the Audio Engineer in control of their record assignments. Any or all of 16 channels of audio on each incoming video source can also be assigned individually to any combination of destinations in any channel location. We can even give the Audio Engineer a soft panel that allows him or her to change breakaways or assignments on the fly.

The result of these enhanced audio capabilities brings a meaningful workflow improvement by putting the Audio Engineer in complete control of audio assignments system wide.

Rounding things out are several dozen Cobalt Digital 12G DA’s, Ref DA’s, Time Code DA’s and other various Open Gear solutions including dual Ross SPG-8620 SPG’s with an ACO-2200 Auto Failover, a Phabrix QX 12G Test Generator and Instrumentation Rasterizer, a 15″Lilliput 12G monitor, and a multitude of additional terminal equipment providing the greatest possible operating environment and workflow flexibility. We even put a 5″12G Lilliput on the rear bulkhead to make it extra easy to confirm signal presence. Not to mention BPS router panels, soft router panels, intercom user stations, PGM audio monitors and Lilliput 12G monitors at operator stations. Custom operator environments have been fabricated for the Switcher Operator, Camera Shader, and Robo Cam Operator. 52″, 12G 4K Production Monitors, Intercom Stations, Program Audio Monitors, and a Small HD 22″OLED Reference Monitor for shading along with POE switches and UPS’s finish off the core system components. Additional workstations for Playback, Graphics, and Records are available as well.

Additionally, we made this system as fault-tolerant as possible with redundant power supplies on all critical equipment. We employed dual uninterruptable power supplies each powered from a discreet leg, two sync generators and an auto-failover, we even installed a 16X16 auxiliary 12G router just to monitor signals directly, outside of the Ultrix, and allow emergency switching in the event of a catastrophic system failure. This system was designed by former broadcast engineers for mission-critical use.

To crown it all, we’ve added gorgeous new Panasonic AK-UC4000 4K cameras with AK-UCU600 CCU’s and HRP-1010 POE RCP’S.

The Ross Ultrix Carbonite Hyper-Converged Production Platform is our “Top-of-the-Line” solution for high-volume input/output live event environments. We are proud to bring this system into service in the United States and look forward to being your number one technical services provider.

Transmission Rack:

(1) Custom 29”x 52” Dual Rack Case

(1) Redundant Power Distribution

(1) Ross Ultrix FR5 64×64 with Carbonite SDPE Blade

(1) Ross ACO-2200 Auto Changeover

(1) Phabrix QX 12G SDI Test Generator and Instrumentation Rasterizer

(2) Ross Open Gear Frames containing:

(7) Cobalt Digital 9915 4×16 12G DA’s

(2) Ross SPG-8260 Sync Generators

(3) Analog Audio DAs for Time Code and Camera Program Audio Monitors

(1) 12G Audio Embedder/De-Embedder

(3) Analog Video DAs for Reference, Return VF, and prompter

(1) Utah Scientific UHD-32 16×16 12G Routing Switcher

(1) Evertz 5010-24 24fps (23.976) and 30fps (29.97 and 59.94) Time Code Generator capable of

all system compatible frame rates.

(1) Focusrite Rednet D64R MADI-DANTE, DANTE-MADI Interface

(1) Clear Com LQ-R4W8, with Agent IC, for Camera Intercom Interfaces

(1) 17” Lilliput 12G Monitor

(1) Utah Scientific UDS-CP2 Control Panel

(1) Ross Ultra Touch 2 R/U Control Panel

(1) Cisco 48 port 1Gb Ethernet Switch

(2) APC 1500W Smart Uninterruptable Power Supplies

Broadcast TD (Switcher Operator) Position:

(1) Custom 29” x 52” Laminated Formica Desktop Case

(1) Ross TD-2S Switcher Panel

(1) 15” Ross TouchDrive Touchscreen

(1) Lenovo Laptop for Ross DashBoard

(1) Clear Com HRM-4X User Station

(1) Wohler 1 R/U PGM Audio Monitor

(2) 52” 12G 4K Sharp MV Monitors

(1) 8 Port POE Ethernet Switch

(1) 750W Uninterruptable Power Supply

Camera Shading Position:

(1) Custom 29” x 52” Laminated Formica Desktop Case

(1) Small HD OLED 22” Reference Monitor

(1) Lilliput 17” 12G Monitor

(2) Ross RCP-18 Panels

(1) Ross Ultra Touch Control Panel

(Up to 8) Panasonic RCP’s and Robocam Controller

(1) Clear Com HRM-4X User Station

(1) Wohler 1 R/U PGM Audio Monitor

(1) Samsung 32” MV Monitor

(2) 8 Port POE Ethernet Switches

(1) 750W Uninterruptable Power Supply