Grass Valley Solutions Underpin NEP Europe’s Expanded IP Production Capability For A Summer Of Sport

Gearing up for a bumper year of premier live sporting events, NEP Europe has bolstered its production capability with a host of Grass Valley live IP production solutions. NEP is growing its capabilities across its OB and flypacks fleet, strengthening its position as one of the world’s leading outsourced technical production partners to premier producers of live sports and entertainment.

At the core of the expansion are nearly 60 new Grass Valley LDX 86^N cameras. The new cameras feature Grass Valley’s built-in DirectIP capability which was developed in conjunction with NEP. This unique technology allows NEP to send only the camera heads to the given location, while all other control for the cameras and the production can take place at an off-site location. With this latest purchase, NEP Europe now has over 500 native 4K Grass Valley LDX 86^N cameras in its portfolio.

Paul Henriksen, NEP Europe’s president, said: “2020 is set to be a huge year for live sporting and entertainment events around the world. We’re excited about the opportunity to help clients deliver innovative live productions that bring consumers closer to the action, wherever they are and on any device. Drawing on our long-established relationship with Grass Valley, and the close collaboration with its R&D team, allows us to leverage best-in-class solutions that are a perfect fit. Grass Valley understands our business model and is unrivaled when it comes to delivering the support that we, and our clients, demand.”

NEP Europe also purchased 30 RefleX SuperXpander Kit lens adapters, which convert handheld cameras into a studio/field production system, plus a number of LDX C86^N compact cameras and several grass valley switchers including the 6 M/E Kahuna 9600 with Maverik control panel and the Kula 3 M/E switcher. The switchers feature FormatFusion technology, innovative, built-in format conversion that seamlessly handles multiformat operations. The wider rollout of Grass Valley’s K-Frame, Kahuna and Kula switchers across NEP’s fleet allows for standardized workflows that ensure greater efficiency across the group.

Mark Hilton, Grass Valley’s vice president of live production, commented: “We’re delighted to be working with NEP once again and proud to be the clear choice when it comes to supplying live IP production solutions. As NEP readies itself for a demanding year of exciting sports and live content, we very much look forward to working alongside the company in the thick of the action.” BCS Bureau