Endemol Sport has marked the start of the 2013-14 Dutch football season with the opening of three HD studios and production galleries, dedicated to match-day programming and highlights. Built around a common fibre-optic backbone at the MediArena in Amsterdam, the facilities are equipped with two Studer Vista 5 digital mixing desks.

The project’s aim was to improve both the quality of content contribution across multiple platforms for viewers using Fox Sports Eredivisie football pay-TV channels. 

The two 42-fader consoles provide audio control over a sophisticated technical installation by Eredivisie Media & Marketing, and were supplied by Heynen, Studer’s Dutch distributor, and installed by system integrator DutchView. Overseeing the design and specification was a team comprising Endemol Sport Head of Production Victor Winkelhage, Fox/Eredivisie Consultant Jinne Tania and Endemol Resources Manager– who prepared the tender document and acted as Project Manager for the construction phase of the operation.

The facilities use Riedel MediorNet media networking to support their studio technology and IP-based platforms: ‘We can now handle three different live programmes on three different channels, using one video/audio router for the three studios, one intercom system, Virtual studio manager and other software solutions,’ Vreeburg says. ‘The workflow from EVS is directly streamed to the storage facility. We can start editing instantly on up to 12 sets for playback in the studio by IP-directory, or file transfer to the Fox playout facility and MCR in Hilversum.’

The new set-up places content at its centre, not only for TV broadcast but also for internet streaming (and C-Cast) to mobile devices and tablets. ‘This enables us to deal more with sport and less with technical issues,’ Vreeburg says. ‘The combination of incoming lines and the connection to the Studer mixer and the intercom givers us so much more flexibility.’

The Studer systems were chosen on the recommendation of DutchView working with system integrator D&MS: ‘We knew the quality and flexibility of Studer’s Vista series and were deliberating between the Vista 1 or Vista 5,’ Vreeburg explains. ‘Jinne and I visited the Integrated Systems Europe Show to satisfy questions about the Madi router, number of faders and stage boxes, Input/Output boards, de-embedding and routing. Niels [Mijnlieff, product specialist from distributor, Heynenbv] provided all the answers we needed and DutchView advised us to opt for the Vista 5 in view of the configuration required.

‘We have lots of trained audio engineers who are extremely familiar with Studer Vista consoles and operating systems,’ says DutchView’s Robert Reparon. ‘There is also the possible expansion of the system with additional Studer preamp stageboxes from our own stock.’

Although DutchView is the house supplier for Endemol, it was obliged to participate in the three-way tender process. Having nominated DutchView, Endemol and Fox then addressed the configuration details – namely to build three complete new studios (Studio 4, 5 and 6) each with four cameras and LED lighting, while Studio 5 and 6 each have six projectors for background projection in the set. The two Vista 5 consoles will mix programmes in Studios 5 and 6, alongside Grass Valley vision mixers, Vizrt studio and match graphics.

Each Vista 5 is equipped with the SCore Live processor and accompanied by a 6U-high Input Output Frame, with a Studer D21m 3U I/O Frame, each frame equipped with redundant power supply. This is populated with five SCore Live DSP boards; SCore Live Bridge board; sync generator board; GPIO Board; 12 mic/line inputs; 16 analogue line inputs; 24 analogue line outputs, eight digital AES/EBU inputs (stereo); eight digital AES/EBU outputs (stereo); Madi I/O board; three Madi input/output board (Hub) optical with single mode fibre I/O; two HD board for link to DSP core; two 19-inch 1U fan units and two 19-inch 1U air deflection panels; two 19-inch 1U air deflection panels with cable feed-through; serial merger card; Vista 5 System Software; and Configuration Editor software.

All the signals coming from the venues, the master control room and local playout servers are merged in Madi streams via a third-party audio router. Local studio audio sources (such as mics) are patchable directly to the Studer D21 I/O frame.

‘There is no comparison between the present configuration and the situation before, with usage of all eight audio channels, the incoming lines, live studio production, commentary positions and playback from EVS via the excellent interface between Riedel and Studer,’ says Vreeburg. ‘This has given us greater flexibility, speed, multitasking, fewer faults and a better operation/understanding between directors and audio technicians.’

In addition to providing operational training, DutchView provides two OB vans for covering four soccer matches during a weekend, both equipped with Vista consoles and D21 routing systems. ‘All our audio engineers are very satisfied with the Vista set-up in the studios,’ says Robert Reparon. ‘They feel comfortable during the shows and are confident with a system on which they rely.’