Solid State Logic’s new Broadcast Equipment Demonstration Vehicle has begun a non-stop tour of the US and Canada.
‘This vehicle gives us a unique opportunity to take a sophisticated broadcast production environment out on the road to connect directly with our customers in their own locality,’ says SSL Inc CEO, Piers Plaskitt. ‘We know that money is tight and that many organisations simply can’t send as many people to exhibitions like NAB anymore, so this vehicle gives us the chance to show the whole production team the benefits of SSL and our partners’ technology.
The tour began in San Antonio, Texas, at the beginning of February and will continue for the next three years.
The custom designed mobile production vehicle features SSL’s C10 HD Compact Broadcast Console and associated routing and I/O solutions in conjunction with all of the key audio and video monitoring and communications systems required for a modern broadcast production facility. Housed in a Russ Berger-designed acoustically accurate space, the vehicle enables potential clients to have hands-on experience of SSL’s on-air audio production technology right outside their front door.
‘Bringing a mini-NAB to our clients ties in nicely with the way we have designed the product to fit today’s more challenging budgets,’ Plaskitt continues. ‘The vehicle is equipped to demonstrate a range of broadcast production systems and will be visiting local broadcast stations, sports arenas and houses of worship. This is also a fantastic opportunity for us to visit our extensive network of educational clients to share knowledge and insight with aspiring young audio engineers. We serve up an impressive cup of coffee, too.’
Designed by SSL’s Project Engineering team, the vehicle is built on a 2012 F550 Ford chassis with a custom body and was crafted by leading mobile vehicle specialist Shook Mobile Technology. The Russ Berger Design Group provided the acoustic design for the space using both absorbing and diffusing treatments as well as SpaceCoupler technology for the ceiling.
The vehicle is presented in association with SSL’s technology partners: Genelec, Miranda, RTS and Savant. The truck demonstrates the capabilities of all of these systems and the integration that is possible between them.
The mobile control room space is completely climate controlled, sound isolated and treated to provide a comfortable and acoustically accurate demonstration environment. The space can accommodate several people and a larger group can watch demonstrations from outside the vehicle via an external audio monitoring system and video display, which is linked to internal cameras.
The audio monitoring system inside the vehicle is a complete Genelec 8020.LSE Espresso 5.1 system, which consists of five Genelec 8020B two-way, bi-amplified monitors matched with a Genelec 7050B LSE Series active subwoofer. A pair of 6010A bi-amplified monitors for PFL and a pair of 8030A bi-amplified monitors for the outdoor display round out the audio system. A Miranda Kaleido-X16 multi-viewer offers silent, high-quality monitoring and Miranda’s Densité processing provides the signal management. An RTS Adam-M system with two key panels is employed for intercom, while a Savant True Image interface handles the vehicle’s lighting and video switching.
The SSL Broadcast Equipment Demonstration Vehicle will visit local US broadcasters, houses of worship, systems integrators, key sports and entertainment events, as well as being showcased at trade exhibitions. The schedule for 2012 begins with demonstrations in Texas, moving on to locations in New Mexico, Arizona and California, stopping in Las Vegas for the NAB Show in April, on to Utah and then the Eastern Seaboard.
More details of the vehicle and the equipment, along with view a tour schedule (with interactive map) and request a stop, can be found at the SSL website.
