Hot Off The Press

I told you that there were some awesome things going on in the background here. And it's all for the awesome readers of the CVHD blog!

Presenting CanesVision HD & Wolfpack TV HD desktop wallpaper, exclusively from the CVHD blog!

To download the wallpaper, click your resolution choice below the picture.

CANES WALLPAPER: 1200 x 800 (16:9)

CANES WALLPAPER: 1024 x 768 (4:3)

NC STATE WALLPAPER: 1200 x 800 (16:9)

NC STATE WALLPAPER: 1024 x 768 (4:3)

Instructions on setting the dekstop background can be found HERE.

Don't forget: you can be alerted of new posts to the blog via Twitter @CVHD!

Enjoy, everyone, and have a GREAT weekend... don't stare at your computer screen too much!

Lighting It Up

A few pictures to update you. These were actually taken yesterday, but not much has visibly changed since then :)

I keep referencing the monitor wall because it will really be the focal point of the room on game day. The final monitors were placed, so this is the final configuration of the wall :)

And... the switcher control surface was installed yesterday!

Switcher: under wraps

IT LIGHTS UP!

(Demo Mode)

See?

Wanted to get this out before the weekend.

Also... something AWESOME is coming in just a few minutes... stay tuned!

Oops...

Another project got in the way of an update today!

SORRY!

I will do my best to make up for it tomorrow ;) (and then some!)

Red Bull, Anyone?

Why is it that I can't get around to starting this until nearly midnight? You think you fall asleep READING it... sheesh... ;)

I do have some cool stuff coming down the pike. I have to run it through the channels first, but stay tuned within the next couple of days for something really cool :) Have I piqued your interest enough yet? Good! Now, stay awake!

First, I'd like to give a shout out to Destination Wake Forest for drumming up interest in what we've got going on here. Thanks so much for the mention!

Now to the geeky stuff:

I got to see the camera that we're going to be using on the robotic head.

It's simple, but it works :) Something I learned about the robo head that I thought was interesting... Stay with me, I don't know how much I can simplify :)

Basically (I know, ha ha), there's fiber running from the control room to the robo head for the HD camera signal. However, the signal from the camera actually comes out HD SDI (BNC Connector) and plugs straight into the head. Then, the signal is converted into light and transmitted through the optical slip rings and actually exits the head as fiber! I figured there would be some elaborate external "box" we'd have to mount on the side of the camera for conversion - NO! The head actually converts it for us :) Streamlining the process is good!

A part of this whole process is the camera control station. This is where the color/iris (brightness), etc. for all of the cameras can be set remotely.

The large monitor (which is identical to those on the monitor wall - 46"er!) is a source monitor driven by the multiviewer. The smaller monitor just below and to the left is the "match monitor" (to make sure all the cameras look the same).

Notice the four identical RCPs (remote control panels): those are for our four main "manned" cameras.

The medium-sized RCP is for an additional camera that we can use for our show or that we can convert for ENG work. If the opportunity presents itself, I will try to go into more detail on all the cameras other than the robo :)

Okay... for those who are still awake... or have unexploded brains...

We have our main monitors on the wall that will show the video sources through the multiviewer. It looks good to see the big guys on the wall :)

It's not quite finished yet, but it's certainly closer! WOOO!

Someone also asked me why I'm putting these crazy watermarks on all my pictures. I noticed early on that my photos were showing up in places that I didn't put them... and no one knew where they came from... So, I know they're annoying, but I am doing this so that I can still get credit for staying awake writing all this stuff down :) It's inevitable that these pictures will be re-circulated elsewhere... All I ask is that you give the blog credit. The address is http://canesvision-hd.blogspot.com/. You could also promo the Twitter address @CVHD.

Thanks!

Now that the mean stuff is out of the way, and because I got so many good comments about the Canes picture, I wanted to make sure I spread the love to the NC State crowd!

Special framing just for you! Includes the '74 and '83 Banners :)

I can almost hear a distant "WOLF"... "PACK"...

Update: In Pictures

A few things have been going on over the past couple of days, and I wanted to update you on it! I may not be as timely as I should, but hopefully I'm keeping you interested ;)

While the overall room looks pretty much the same as it did last week, a few details have popped up that are worth noting :) The second row of the control room started getting some of its auxiliary user equipment - some of which has been posted previously, but it's cool to see it finding it's final resting place... um... finally!

This is one of the EVS replay stations; the "shotbox", keyboard and touchpad/stylus have been placed.

The second EVS replay station.

Something familiar for our CanesVision crew... the "Profile" Slo-Mo machine still lives!

For those who have no clue what I'm talking about... We are actually keeping our "old" standard-def (SD) replay system to be used for extra replay angles. We can actually run these on either analog or down-converted [HD to SD] signals, then bring them into either a frame sync or directly into the switcher and voila! Two additional replay angles! These are perfect for football, as the cameras are already analog (we're using the cameras we used to use for football/hockey/basketball solely for football for now... until Carter Finley gets HD displays, at least...). For hockey and basketball, we will be able to put either goal overheads or "slam cam"s into these units for extra looks in-game.

Info overload, huh?

More pictures, then!

I know I posted a similar picture Friday, but look... it's alive! The audio board is the first operational thing in the control room :) Of course, it isn't quite fully hooked up to everything on the output side yet... because not everything is there yet!

The robotic camera controls were placed on the second row, as well. It's a big box, but the ability and flexibility of the camera will be tremendous!

And now... what many of you have been waiting for... the main event! We threw together some logos to place on all the boards for a photo op for the Sports Business Journal, which is doing a story on our HD conversion... No ideas on a publishing date just yet, but I'm guessing pretty soon....

Also, due to Daktronics still ironing out some last minute details on the physical board, it was down on floor-level, but that just means it's closer to take pictures of ;)

Nevertheless, here's a small preview of things to come! Do enjoy!

I hope to have a similar NC State look by the end of the week (don't hold me to it!).

Until next time...

Can You Hear Me Now?

Good!

The audio console was hooked up today, along with the other peripherals for the audio room (CD player, meters, etc.)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Quick Pictures Post

A couple of images from today.

First is the controller for the EVS replay system. This is what the operators can mark, recue & replay the footage. It interfaces with the EVS computer and can have the replays/clips labeled and logged so that we can access them later to make videos and such. This is the same brand of replay system that nearly every sports broadcast truck uses for live production. YAY :-)

And... two more monitors are up on the wall! They will wait to place the last couple of monitors until the top ones get completely wired up. But, it's nice to see them up there!

Man I can't wait ;)

Coming along

Wow... things are going slow tonight. It took me about an hour just to upload the pictures for this post. YIKES... Since I'm running on borrowed time, I'll be quick :)

Several things are going on all at the same time right now (imagine that). First, Engineeringland is starting to fill up more and more. It's getting harder to see through the racks. But that's a good thing!

Engineering Racks

Close up of what will be our video shading (camera matching) station.

The match monitor is up top and the CCUs are down below.

Something I think is amazing is the size of the video switcher's brains. The previous switcher took up the better part of a full rack (roughly 6.5 feet tall), and now it's shoved down into a 3RU box (about 5.25 inches tall). There is a tally display controller that is about the same size. Overall, I'm impressed by the size of the unit!

Switcher "Brains" are highlighted.

Another nifty item that came in today is the Robotic camera head and controller. I referenced this in a much older post, but it's finally here. I can't wait to see it in action. Fast, HD game coverage from right above center ice. Sweet!

Nice case... too bad the mount will go under the Megatron and never go back in there!

I'm sure we can find something to store in here. Whatever it is will stay watertight ;)

The camera controller that will live in the Control Room.

This box was custom built for CanesVision.

Note the finishing touch of the Canes logo in the corner ;)

And finally, the some of the monitor wall monitors were un-crated today. DSI is waiting on some extra fiber connectivity to get signal run to the wall, but they started putting it together today!

Staging in the hall.

It's a long way to the top...

One is better than none ;)

On a side note: sorry to any of you that were expecting the Megatron to be active during Select-A-Seat. There were plans to use it, but Daktronics had to come back and resolve some power issues. The boards were off most of the day today and may be off quite a bit tomorrow, as well.

Hopefully soon we can start to post some more images of the board clad in Canes & NC State garb, but know (a) we aren't going to tip our hand too much on what's to come in the season and (b) we're busy rebuilding stuff from the ground up so it may be a couple of weeks :)

Thanks to all who are keeping tabs on us. We are still just as excited as you are!

2009-2010 Hurricanes Schedule

Okay, I know I'm late with this, but better late than never, right? :)

If you've been living under a rock and are using this blog as your only source of news and information... get a life...

And... Here's the Canes' schedule for the 2009-2010 season :)

CLICK HERE FOR THE SCHEDULE

Shaping Up

Things are begining to take shape in the control room :) It's cool to see the equipment going in. Each day, the stack of boxes in the hall is getting gradually smaller while the room itself is looking more like "home".

It's been a few days since my last post because of Daktronics training. It was a good session, and actually a day longer than originally planned. We have enough now to really start working on creative content to get things lighting up the right way. There are still some issues and a ton of growing pains, but we're coming along.

Since the last post, the router panels, audio monitors at each station and workstation (desktop/GUI stations) have been mounted.

July 16: Router, Intercom & Audio Monitor placed in the first bay (from the left), source monitors in the second...

July 16: By the end of the day, individual GUI monitors were mounted.

July 16: Also by day's end, the mounting brackets for the monitor wall were in place. Power strips are ready to go, as well. Note that one of the Marshalls (used in the consoles) is already living in it's place on the monitor wall, as well.

July 17: Early on, the consoles were supplied with power. Here you see a station that utilizes two router panels (for source selection) and an intercom panel is sandwiched in between.

July 17: Other items were wired up and turned on, including the Marshall monitors (glowing blue here). Signal and power have been run to the workstation GUI monitors, but the machines they connect to have yet to be installed in the racks :)

July 17: A closer look at a powered up console.

Next week, the monitor wall monitors should go up. That will be a fun picture day ;)

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

The Equipment Has Landed

Three days before the 40th Anniversary of Apollo 11's launch (no real correlation other than date... and the corny title... and a little history perspective...), CanesVision's HD eqiupment has landed at the RBC Center!

[Equipement Photos: July 14]

Monitor Wall Monitors! 46"ers... times 5 :)

Video Switcher

Replay System

Audio Console

Last week, a few equipment racks landed, including the Daktronics rack (that was previously moved to my office - now finding its final resting place), the closed-circuit TV rack (sending signal to the concourses, suites), the demarcation rack (basically, termination point for every cable in the control room... I know that's over-simplification, but... still...) and a couple of blank racks to be filled in... well... now :)

[July 10] Daktronics Rack

[July 10] Demarcation Rack on Left; CATV Rack on Right

On Monday [July 13], the equipment showed up and DSI's on-site crew got to work pulling cable.

DSI brought five total racks, built with some time-consuming connections such as the audio & video patch panels among other things. Other equipment such as the frame syncs and multiviewer "brains" were placed in the racks, as well.

[Remaining pictures, July 14]

Equipment racks filling in

Tally Display Controller

Frame Syncs (responsible for up/down/cross conversion of signals)

Today, the first of the equipement started going into the consoles :) This is an exciting thing for me personally as it will start to feel more like a real control room.

The intercom panels, the router panels and the audio monitors for each station were placed today.

First equipment in the consoles :) Intercom Panel.

This is a 12-channel box.

Even though it's not in it's final place, here's a

32-channel intercom panel in comparison.

Also, the video monitors for each position were placed.

Used as alternate Program (what's on the main videoboard), source (what each position's machine is outputting to the switcher) or even router-fed (selectable) inputs in each position.

While all of this has been going on, several of us have been getting some training with the new Daktronics system.... which is ironically a lot like the old system.... just with a prettier board to play stuff on :)

[Misc Photos: July 14]

Another look at some of the consoles

"Turret" for the Technical Director, including intercom,

rasterizer (digital vectorscope/waveform), etc.

The 32-channel intercom won't be there ;)

Carolina Hurricanes 2009 Exhibition Schedule

Fri. Sept. 18 vs. Nashville: RBC Center, 7:00 p.m.

Mon. Sept. 21 at Atlanta: Philips Arena, 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 25 vs. Atlanta: RBC Center, 7:00 p.m.

Sat. Sept. 26 at Nashville: Sommet Center, 5:00 p.m.


UPDATE:

Training camp schedule and partial roster can be found HERE.

Taking shape

The TBC consoles are here :)

Of course, DSI will be coming in next week to put equipment into the consoles, but they're here and almost completely installed!

These consoles are much more user-friendly than the ones we had before and a lot less bulky. Each console has a 4-RU (rack unit) tall backsplash. In addition, there is a tray that you can slide and position the articulating arms for the monitors.

There are three consoles, the first of which is for the director/tech director. The second console is for our replay system and robotic camera operator and the third console is for our graphics/video playback operators.

From the back of the room

One of the consoles from the side.

There are many advantages in using pre-fabricated technical consoles such as this. I referenced the advantages in a previous post.

I just wanted everyone to know that things are moving along just as planned :) Thanks for sticking with us!