4K ONE Kicks Goals for AFLW Broadcasts in Three Different States!
In late 2024 Innovative had the pleasure of assisting Sports Entertainment Network in delivering some of the AFLW matches throughout the 2024 season and what an experience it’s been! Our award-winning hybrid OB truck, 4K ONE, hit the road for matches in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria and didn’t miss a beat!
This was a milestone for Innovative and the team running 4K ONE as it was our first TV transmission via satellite back to major networks with the games going live-to-air on 7mate and Kayo.
It was extremely rewarding to see 4K ONE along with all the cameras and support equipment work so well and receive so many compliments from seasoned industry professionals. As many of you already know, an incredible amount of work has gone into building this truck and all the systems associated with it, so to see it really perform well made the team very proud and happy.
Some of the standout elements of the OBs were:
ROSS Ecosystem of Equipment: ROSS Video gear features heavily in 4K ONE and overall, the system performed extremely well. From the Ultrix for routing to Ultritouch user control panels to the TouchDrive main switcher, these components ensure seamless broadcasting and control, providing unmatched flexibility and efficiency in a live environment.
Panasonic AK-UC4000 Cameras with Fujinon UA107x8.4 and UA46x13.5 4K Lenses: It’s not often you see Panasonic cameras in sports broadcasting in Australia but when combined with Fujinon 4K lenses, they deliver stunning pictures, capturing every detail with exceptional clarity and colour accuracy. We had three different CCU operators work in the CCU and Engineering room, and all of them were amazed at how everything worked as expected along with great ergonomics!
EVS XT3 ChannelMAX 12 Channel Server: In many industries there is always ‘staple’ equipment that gets spec’d and used by the majority of professionals. But it’s rare that a brand of equipment becomes the descriptor for a complete vertical segment of an industry. Rarely does a brand or piece of equipment become so valued and qualified that it becomes a metric for simply being at a level to have the ability to do a job. That brand is EVS, and the product is their line of XT servers. An XT-3 Channel MAX Server is now at the heart of 4K ONEs replay solution, along with an XFile3. This powerful solution supports multi-channel recording, playback and super smooth slow-motion replays in 1080p, enabling top-tier FullHD live production workflows.
LAWO mc2-36 MK2 32 Fader Audio Console: Just before this run of OBs, the audio room had a remodel and at the heart of this was a new audio console. Our truck started with a Digico console and then an A&H dLive and while these where great consoles in their own right, we always wanted a truly powerful and industry respected broadcast audio console. Enter the LAWO mc2-36 MK2. After fitting out the audio room with new custom desks to allow the LAWO console to sit in its ideal position, it’s like it was meant to be… a perfect fit! To complement the new console and remodel of the room, new touch screens and KVM abilities put both Instant Audio Playback and Multitrack Record Systems at the fingertips of the audio director. Both Audio Directors from the three games gave glowing reports of the audio room and to quote one of them – ‘this is my new favourite truck!’
Riedel and Netgear AV for remote racks: Innovative has been long time fans of Riedel Communications gear and it was always going to be a Riedel Comms system with the Artist-1024 and Bolero in 4K ONE…a match made in heaven. But the real star of the show has been the combo of Reidel’s MicroN UHD units and the QSFP28 Fibre Connections. Over one pair of fibre (two pairs for redundancy) we have configured our remote rack to offer up to 16 bi-directional 3G-SDI lines, 128 channels of MADI and 3 discrete Ethernet trunks. Commentary Cameras, Program Feeds and Multiview monitors can all be routed and distributed easily from the remote rack without needing to run long cables back to the truck! Bolero antennas can also break off from these racks too. Using the other pair of fiber in the OpticalCON Quad connection we have access to all the other networks in the truck including the RAVENNA networks for the LAWO Commentary Panels! This simplifies and speeds up setup and pack down immensely.
Our main objective when building 4K ONE and its support systems was to ensure we integrated the best possible technology despite the initial financial outlay to make OBs easier, faster and more enjoyable. To attract the best, we needed to partner with the best!
It’s been amazing to see the truck seamlessly deliver events across sports, corporate and entertainment, and it makes the countless hours and sleepless nights all worth it. We have thoroughly enjoyed working on these broadcasts, gaining valuable insights, and collaborating with exceptional professionals along the way.
Reach out if you have an event that needs the Innovative and 4K ONE touch!
