Testimonials

Want to know what folks are saying about Grass Valley products and services? Then this is the place. Whether its Live Sports, Live Entertainment, News, Studio Production, or Playout, Publishing and Content Management, see what people are saying and why when people are watching TV... they're watching GV at work.

Share Your Story With Us
Are you using Grass Valley in your day-to-day operations? Let us know, by contacting:

Denise R. Williams
Public Relations Manager
Tel: +1 503 526 8160
Fax: +1 503 526 8109
denise.williams@grassvalley.com

Learn more about our Video Technology Solutions

Lyon Video

Challenge—To adapt to any situation or environment during the production of a live sports telecast to satisfy their clients' needs to deliver both 1080i and 720p high-definition productions, without sacrificing reliability.

Solution—Advanced end-to-end production solution with total multiformat camera fiber/triax flexibility in the field with full transmission diagnostics.

Value—Ability to easily handle any client HD format request while making use of any venue cabling infrastructure to increase revenue.

We finally have a solution that won't limit where and when we can work. Our customers know we'll get the job done, no matter where the venue is.

Bob Lyon
President
Lyon Video

Sky Racing

Challenge—To move to a completely tapeless in-studio and on-location graphics environment, with high-quality and open standards for media exchange, that meets with approval from partner companies.

Solution—Highly compact, portable, and flexible file-based graphics server system with an open control interface, industry-standard Ethernet and USB ports, and simple workflow integration.

Value—Increased graphics workflow efficiency with enhanced file-based flexibility and multiple format capabilities.

I've always said that technology drives efficiency. Grass Valley STRATUS is exactly what large media creation organizations like ours need to keep up with consumers and viewers of our content. In many cases, we don't get a second chance to do it right and make our customers happy. They have a lot of choice now.

Carl Petch
Chief Engineer
Sky Racing

SES Platform Services

Application: Master control, automation, and playout for TopTV in South Africa from Europe
Customer: SES Platform Services, Germany

We like the integrated playout approach because it takes up very little real estate in our facility (only 1 RU per server) and it allows customers to launch new channels, compete with animated on-air branding, easily and at relatively low cost.

Roger Gresser
VP Playout & MAM
SES Platform Services

KVVU (FOX5)

Application: Local news production
Customer: KVVU (FOX5), Meredith Corporation, Las Vegas, US

For us, the Ignite system has been a huge improvement and has brought a lot of efficiency to how we produce our daily newscasts. The Ignite system performs the same, error-free way every time. We don't have to worry about a TD that might be sick that day or whatever and might miss a cue.

Gary Prager
Production Manager
KVVU (FOX5)

Rupp Arena

Application: Sports and live entertainment
Client: Rupp Arena (Lexington Center Corporation), Kentucky, US

We zeroed in on the Grass Valley Summit server because we think it is one of the best products on the market. We talked to a lot of people in the industry and found that there are a lot of happy customers using the K2 Dyno Replay system. That was important to us, because we didn't want to commit to a system that was not tested in real-world situations and did not have a lot of installed units in the market. Nearly every Grass Valley user we asked said it was the best system they had ever used. We also think the server offers great value.

Merrill Richardson
Director of Facilities
Lexington Center Corporation

WGBH Getting Ignited and Finding Efficiency Along The Way

Application: News and current affairs production
Client: WGBH, Boston, US

After a number of internal discussions centered on understanding the impact the new integrated production system would have, it was decided that the Ignite system would be used to produce popular WGBH news and current affairs shows.

I think Ignite has made our technical staff more efficient because they don't have to deal with the latency of the reaction times involved with telling someone what to do and then waiting for them to do it. With Ignite, effects and graphics appear exactly when they were timed to appear, there's no second-guessing or waiting. Shows run a lot smoother now.

Ed Chuk
Director of Production Services
WGBH

Morgan Martini Aspiring Director Takes EDIUS to the Limit

Application: Postproduction of the independent short film Gesualdo
Client: Morgan Martini, Savannah, Georgia, US

Morgan Martini film directing student in her senior year at Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia (US) editing her Student film on a system she knew well: the Grass Valley™ EDIUS® multiformat nonlinear editing system.

I know how to edit in Avid Media Composer, Apple Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Premier, but the Grass Valley EDIUS software tops these systems with features like real-time editing and the ability to seamlessly interact with other professional industry-standard applications, such as After Effects and Digidesign Pro Tools.

Morgan Martini
Director, Gesualdo

New Century Productions (NCP), Sweden

Application: Live 3D production of the comedic opera Zémire et Azor at the Royal Swedish Opera House in Stockholm
Customer: New Century Productions (NCP), Sweden

NCP tackled its first 3D production, working at the Royal Swedish Opera House in Stockholm to televise a live staging of the comedic opera Zémire et Azor in stereoscopic HD (dual 1080i signals). NCP parked a 3D-capable OB van outside the Opera House to handle the production, which used numerous LDK 8000 Elite multiformat HD cameras, the Kayak™ HD video production switcher and the T2™ iDDR.

I think live 3D production will become a common way to produce live events, but it will take time. It's the same as with the early days of HD. We started with SD and then learned a few things as we migrated to HD. The equipment got better and we got better at using it. We recognize that these rigs should be reduced to one camera and one lens. It will come in the future, I'm sure of it.

Hans Öberg
Project Manager
New Century Productions

Hall of Music Productions, Purdue University

Application: Live event productions, including video scoreboards
Client: Hall of Music Productions, Purdue University, US

Hall of Music Productions at Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana, has continued to captivate fans with the latest in video production equipment from Grass Valley™.

I can't say enough about the great job that Grass Valley did in helping us get up and running. They helped us figure out how we wanted the equipment to be installed so that it would make our workflow as efficient as possible.

Stephen Hall
Director, Hall of Music Productions
Purdue University

Al Caudullo Productions

Application: EDIUS 3D Preview Version
Client: Al Caudullo Productions

Al Caudullo of Al Caudullo Productions writes of his experiences shooting in the rugged highlands of western Mongolia using an entirely 3D-based workflow, including working with the new EDIUS® 3D Preview Version NLE software from Grass Valley™.

During our on-site production, we stretched EDIUS's capabilities to the limit and beyond. It never failed us. EDIUS was a marvel to work with, easily creating stereo pairs and stereo adjusting using only the Toshiba laptop and a 24 inch LG 3D CinemaDisplay monitor.

Al Caudullo
Al Caudullo Productions

University of Oklahoma

Application: 100 television studio shows, 65 big-screen events, 50 live HD broadcasts
Client: University Of Oklahoma

University of Oklahoma (OU) stands out both for its athletic prowess and its ability to cover its various sports teams with the latest HD video production gear.

We're proud of what we get accomplished here and equally proud of the education our students get in training on professional-level equipment that they'll likely see in the real world after they graduate.

Brandon Meier
Executive Director of Video Production, Athletics Department
University of Oklahoma

Carlsberg Group

Application: Editing videos for internal communications and public media use
Client: Carlsberg Group

Carlsberg, one of the world's most well-known premium beers and the 4th largest brewery group in the world, is investing heavily to reposition its brand for future growth.

Video is used extensively as part of our internal storytelling. The point is to keep everyone connected and feeling good about the company and the work they do. The EDIUS system helps me do that in the best possible way.

Andreas Horup Nilsson
Journalist and Communications Advisor, Communications Department
Carlsberg Group, Denmark

MediaHub Australia

Application: Multichannel playout facility
Client: MediaHub Australia

The Australian Broadcast Corporation (ABC) is the country's state broadcaster and the WIN Television Network is the world's largest privately owned regional commercial television broadcaster. They have come together to pool their resources and develop one of the world's most advanced playout centers: MediaHub Australia. The entire operation is, of course, HD capable, with any channel switchable between SD and HD at any time.

This state-of-the-art facility has transformed the capability and capacity for delivering television programming to audiences. With the help of Grass Valley's engineers, we now provide our clients with more options for content delivery than ever before.

Andrew Hogg
CEO
MediaHub Australia

Al Kass

Application: Sports coverage in the Gulf region.
Client: Al Kass

For its latest investment project, Al Kass commissioned two new large outside broadcast trucks to augment its existing fleet with large-scale production capabilities. Although the units will be based in Doha, the expectation is that they will travel throughout the region, and particularly to neighboring countries including the United Arab Emirates.

The two trucks are being built for Al Kass by Grass Valley at its outside broadcast systems center of excellence in Weiterstadt, Germany.

Since the foundation of Al Kass, we have looked to Grass Valley as our professional partner. The Grass Valley Systems Group demonstrated clearly that they could undertake the entire project, building trucks to suit our requirements exactly, including the challenge of providing effective air-conditioning for the Gulf region where outside temperatures can reach over 50°C [122°F].

Samer Younes
Technical Advisor
Al Kass

Lindenwood University

Application: Hands-on video production training
Client: Lindenwood University

In 2008, Lindenwood University, in St. Charles, MO, built new production and teaching facilities, now called The Charter Communications High-Definition Studio, to support its educational mission. The state-of-the-art HD facility includes a main control room—based around a Grass Valley™ 2 M/E Kayak™ HD switcher.

Because of its renowned reliability, that Grass Valley equipment has been working steadily ever since it was installed, getting a "full workout," by the hundreds of student operators in the Communications program.

The menus are very easy to get to and activate. We're very pleased with how intuitive the panel interface is. It makes our jobs as teachers that much easier and gives students a great learning experience, one that they will take with them when they graduate.

Ed Voss
Director of Operations/Assistant Professor, School of Communications
Lindenwood University

Mobile Television Group

Application: Mobile production facilities to produce more than 4,000 sports and entertainment events each year
Client: Mobile Television Group

Each time MTVG builds a new truck reliability in its chosen technology is key. MTVG relies on the Kayenne™, Kalypso™, and Kayak™ video production switchers, LDK Series HD cameras, and Trinix™ NXT multiformat routers to help produce more than 4,000 sports and entertainment events each year.

Over the past seventeen years, Mobile TV Group and Colorado Studios (which builds MTVG's trucks) have designed and built a wide variety of SD and HD mobile production trucks, which now cover both the home and away games of about half of the NBA, NHL, and MLB teams in the US.

While we've had great success with the LDK cameras, what's really important is that our customers love the images they produce, with most of our trucks carrying at least 10 LDK cameras on board. It just makes sense to purchase the latest technology that Grass Valley has to offer for our trucks as they offer value, performance, and reliability. Basically everything we want in an HD camera. And the new LDK 8000 Elite digital triax system make the pictures look even better than the regular LDK 8000s.

Philip Garvin
President, Colorado Studios &
Co-Owner/General Manager, Mobile Television Group

Nine Network Australia

Application: Live, back-to-back News and News Magazine Programming
Client: Nine Network Australia

Before making any decisions on a new switcher, the engineering staff at Nine Network Australia conducted the proper due diligence and researched four other manufacturers' products, just to be sure they were making the right decision.

Gary Newnham, Video Switcher Director at Nine Network Australia, sat down and played with the new Kayenne Video Production Center at several trade shows and it had instant visual appeal for him. With its RGB buttons, OLED displays, and ergonomic design, it looked ready to take on the 21st century.

Among the many new features that the Kayenne contains, the one that has made a big difference to our operations is having multiple levels of macro OLED displays and saving them as Panel E-MEMs.

Gary Newnham
Senior Director
Nine Network

Trio Video

Application: Live Sports and Entertainment Production
Client: Trio Video

Due to its reputation as a reliable, state-of-the-art technology company, Trio Video now holds the production contracts for virtually every professional local sports team in Chicago with Comcast SportsNet Chicago and WGN-TV.

Trio's trucks also produce over 16 weeks of NFL football games for the FOX Network, as well as college football and basketball games for ESPN.

On top of that, for the last six years, Trio has been responsible for helping to capture and broadcast every major music festival in North America.

We also get great customer support from Grass Valley's field office (in Salt Lake City, Utah), which is an advantage for our guys who are on the road all the time. With Grass Valley behind us, we have a highly beneficial relationship that we feel comfortable with and will grow into the future with. That's why we keep coming back to Grass Valley.

Roger Redensek
Director of Special Projects
Trio Video

Thirteen/WNET

Application: HD Infrastructure/Digital Signal Distribution
Client: Thirteen/WNET

In an automated broadcast environment like the one that Thirteen/WNET has implemented, it's critical to have a reliable, totally redundant routing infrastructure that gets signals where they need to go, at exactly the right time they need to be there.

The station still handles some SD content, so the new Trinix gives the station much more capacity than it had before on the SD side. They now have expanded HD routing capability as well for moving signals throughout the building and—once programs are finished—sending them directly to master control for playout.

We like the Grass Valley Trinix and Apex platforms because they offer lots of features per card and give us the ability to mix and match different processing cards in the same frame. This has helped immensely with our migration to HD by keeping our costs low while still giving us access to the most advanced features.

Frank Graybill
Director of Engineering
Thirteen/WNET

RodeoHouston

Application: Sports Programming
Client: RodeoHouston

The Broadcast and AV division of RodeoHouston is responsible for producing every video element that is displayed throughout Reliant Park in Houston, Texas. This includes high-quality content supporting all of the thousands of video displays of all sizes located within Reliant Stadium, Reliant Arena, Reliant Center, and the Reliant Astrodome.

For their main event, the three-week Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, they use Grass Valley Kayenne switchers to produce coverage of the rodeo and all of the activities surrounding it. Segments are displayed on eight large screens in Reliant Stadium, hundreds of monitors located throughout Reliant Park, and the Fox Sports Network.

Our operators that now use the Kayenne switcher were very familiar with the Kalypso's control panel and had absolutely no problem sitting down to the Kayenne and using it immediately. In fact, they found that many of their favorite features on the Kalypso have been improved on the Kayenne, which makes their job that much easier. We've had the new Kayenne systems for more than a year now, and they still tell me how very pleased they are with the performance.

James Davidson
Managing Director, Broadcast and AV
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Game Creek Video, Hudson, NH.

Game Creek has a reputation for quality projects, that's our calling card, and the Grass Valley switchers are clearly the most sought after by our clients and freelance operators, so it's a nice fit for us. That demand among the live sports production community makes a huge difference and it's why we've used Grass Valley products to help produce all of our sporting events. We know a good technology when we see it.

Pat Sullivan, President, Game Creek Video

Alfacam (Belgium)

Application: Outside broadcast truck
Client: Alfacam, Belgium

Alfacam is one of the world's largest OB companies with over 20 HD trucks being used all over the world supporting the most prestigious events, including those in 3D.

Alfacam has been an early adopter of Grass Valley Super SloMo cameras, starting in 1998 with the LDK 23. Today, Alfacam owns 34 LDK 8300 Super SloMo cameras, which have been used in Beijing, Vancouver, South Africa, and other diverse locations.

The unique AnyLight™ feature—which compensates for flicker in artificial lighting situations—combined with the flexibility to operate in 1X, 2X, and 3X mode, makes the LDK 8300 the super slow-motion camera of choice for Alfacam.

Producing the world's most prestigious live events, with tens of millions of viewers worldwide, requires highly reliable and top-quality acquisition tools. With the LDK 8300 and the LDK 8000 Elite cameras in our fleet of over 250 HD cameras, we have the confidence to meet any client's challenge.

Gabriel Fehervari
CEO
Alfacam

Fox Sports+ Mexico

Application: Sports Programming
Client: Fox Sports+ Mexico

Popular programming for the Fox Sports+ Mexico network originates from a new, HD production facility in Mexico City, which includes numerous Grass Valley file-based production and distribution equipment and systems.

At the heart of the facility is a totally tapeless workflow that features 12 LDK 3000 HD cameras that support in-studio and remote production. One reason Fox Sports+ Mexico selected the LDK 3000 is that it contains powerful colorimetry and color-matching capabilities, including two independent skin-contour circuits. These circuits allow an operator to select any two color values and adjust contour processing in those areas, allowing dramatic improvement in the appearance of facial tones.

The LDK 3000 offers many benefits to Fox Sports Network Control. Design, image quality, reliability, and versatility as well as its ergonomic design allow easy manipulation in the studio or in the field. All backed by the quality we expect from Grass Valley.

Hector Manuel Sánchez Castro
Engineering/Operations Manager
Fox Sports Network Control

NEP Visions (UK)

Application: Premier League Coverage
Client: NEP Visions, UK

NEP Visions choose the LDK 8000 Elite with 3G Triax transmission for Premier League coverage.

NEP Visions, one of the UK's leading outside broadcast companies, is one of the first customers to use Grass Valley's revolutionary 3G Triax systems. Their first order for 20 systems was used to future proof its new Gemini OB truck.

Using LDK 8000 Elite WorldCam cameras with 3G Triax transmission offers NEP Visions the ultimate in acquisition format flexibility while keeping the robustness and reliability that triax is renowned for. Native 720p, 1080i, and 1080p50/60 formats can be delivered to the base station over current triax cabling.

Our customers are very demanding, and they should be! Covering multiple Premier League soccer matches every week requires the highest quality equipment – equipment you can rely on. We know that this is a secure investment with the historically proven reliability of triax and the future security of uncompromised production in 1080p.

Stephen Jenkins
Managing Director
NEP Visions Europe

Talkback Thames

Application: Production of The Bill for ITV
Client: Talkback Thames, UK

Talkback Thames chose to use system cameras, rather than camcorders for The Bill.

The decision to use system cameras was two-fold: First, the style of the show requires that action move quickly from interior to exterior shots and the system cameras deliver excellent control of iris and color temperature.

The second reason is that the defining characteristic of the show is that it tells the story from the viewpoint of the police. That means often shooting inside a small British police car without the room for a top quality HD camcorder. These inside car shots are an integral part of the program, so using a lower quality smaller camcorder is not an option.

Producing an hour of high-quality television drama each week is a challenge, and the five LDK 8000 Elite cameras are used either singly or as two camera units as the locations require. It is very flexible.

Martin Williams
Technical Operations Manager
Talkback Thames

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