Ross announces enhancements of the company’s flagship switcher, The Acuity Production Switcher, which was launched in 2015. The Acuity now has 12G single-link connectivity and additional video processing resources.
Nigel Spratling, Ross Video’s VP of Production Switchers and Video Servers, points to clear customer demand as the reason for this enhancement. “Mobile production operators have expressed a strong, unified and vocal requirement for a solution that lets them produce UHD content but is better than Quad Link, so we’re implementing 12G into our flagship production switcher to directly support this. It’s yet another example of Ross Video’s customer-centric approach and shows how, as a privately-owned business, we can be agile and react quickly to do the right thing”.
Acuity engines are built with a modular input and output matrix, to swap-in unique I/O cards that build upon the Acuity feature set. All of these cards are compatible with each other on a single chassis and allow users to customize the Acuity switcher to serve as a hybrid-IP switcher, a signal-processing hub, or a 12G-capable UHD switcher.
The new Acuity 12G MultiProcessing Input Module is a 20-input card that adds single-link 12G connectivity (on every fourth input) and provides independent input signal management functions. Designed for a 12G SDI single-link facility, this new module advertises the following benefits during an HD-to-UHD migration beyond the obvious reduction in cabling:
Complete Video Processing on Every Input - Every connector on the input module has dedicated processing amplifiers and color correctors, for a consistent look among sources and freeing up the internal switcher resources.
Handle Untimed Sources and Varied Formats - Independent resources on each card for non-broadcast devices, external feeds, and lower-end equipment to match the system timing and video format of the production.
Legacy 1080P Level B Devices Supported - Older 1080P devices use a different 3G SDI rate than modern-day equipment. The Acuity 12G MultiProcessing Input Module ensures all 1080P 3G signals are compatible with a production.
Incorporate SD & HD Equipment into UHD Productions - In mixed signal environments, the 12G MultiProcessing Input Module can convert SD/720p/1080i signals to 1080p, which the Acuity switcher can then internally convert to UHD.
Leverage SDR Sources in HDR Productions - Every input supports HDR conversion, SDR sources can be mapped to the same profile as HDR sources, simplifying the processing path in HDR productions.
Convert Differing UHD Interconnect Methods – In Quad Link UHD mode, Acuity operates via the 2SI UHD Interconnect method. For legacy equipment that only operates in QSD (Quad Square Division), the Acuity 12G MultiProcessing input module can convert QSD inputs to 2SI format.
No Additional Monitoring Required - every input module is built with a 20-input MultiViewer that can be sent to any output in the system, or be included in other video processor based MultiViewers.
