Grass Valley sets a new standard in IP image capture with LDX 100 camera platform

Grass Valley continues to drive the evolution of live production with the launch of the LDX 100 camera platform. This latest addition to the company’s camera portfolio is a high-speed, native UHD camera that takes a revolutionary approach to camera design. Built from the ground up with native IP connectivity, the camera delivers signals directly into the network, conveniently enabling access to them wherever they are needed — even, for example, as return feed monitoring from another camera position. The LDX 100 unlocks greater creativity and flexibility for content creators, freeing them from the physical constraints of traditional live production environments.

Marco Lopez, Grass Valley’s senior vice president of live production commented: “Today, live production workflows — particularly in sports — need to be smarter and more flexible than ever, removing barriers to creativity and collaboration. Our customers also tell us they want to harness the best creative and on-screen talent, wherever in the world they might be. We’ve driven the transition to remote production, which is a vital step in this direction, but now the industry is ready for the next step-change. Grass Valley now leads the way with opening up true distributed production; we’re putting the full power of IP at our customers’ fingertips — right from the camera removing the need for base stations. The LDX 100 brings together Grass Valley’s deep knowledge of IP and long heritage in live production to create a future-ready camera solution that opens up new possibilities in production workflows.”

The LDX 100 leverages the full power and agility of IP by delivering easy, rapid set-up and configuration and the ability to add features as needed. Its unique integrated design frees up multiple rack units per camera that were previously dedicated to camera base stations and deeply simplifies the logistics for mobile productions when having to pair the right number of cameras to CCUs at each event. The camera is a self-contained IP device that connects directly to the network, at up to 100 Gbps, allowing simple connection and discovery of audio, video, and control as well as superior PTP timing using open SMPTE IP standards. Implementation of NMOS IS-04 and IS-05 protocols means the camera is instantly identifiable to a network control system such as Grass Valley’s GV Orbit.

At the heart of the camera is Grass Valley’s all new Titan imager. Designed to answer the specific demands of live sports production, this 2/3-inch imager provides superior UHD resolution and HDR/WCG color reproduction at up to 3X high speed. The camera easily pairs with industry standard B4 lenses to provide the zoom range and depth of field needed in sports without the optical gymnastics of other competitive solutions. This new solution allows production teams to create rich breathtaking images in full raster native UHD without compromising on the storytelling that viewers demand.

Further matching the needs of live event production, LDX 100 has a new mechanical design that provides ergonomic support for operators lifting and carry equipment, at-a-glance state indicators for operational status — and “Champagne shower proof” protection against moisture and dust.

Flexible SW-Option – available on a temporary or permanent basis — allow customers to leverage extensive upgrade capabilities and only pay for features when they are required.

Grass Valley will announce its latest product innovations and strategic updates at the GV LIVE Presents — Innovate 2020 event on April 23. This one-hour live program — the most ambitious customer engagement event in the company’s history — will be presented by Grass Valley’s president Tim Shoulders and streamed to customers and partners around the world at 11am and 9pm EDT. BCS Bureau