Entertainment Technology News

(Fort Lee, NJ) NEP Supershooters, part of Pittsburgh-based NEP Broadcasting, has purchased four (4) For-A FVW-500HS Video Writers for several of its HD production and support trailers. The FVW-500HS allows users to draw in real time over SD or HD video through a touch screen interface.

Glen Levine, vice president of mobile engineering, said the FOR-A Video Writer was chosen in April for its robust feature set and moderate price. "We were looking for a telestrator that could work in both HD and SD since we have a number of our customers still televising in SD," he explained. "This unit switches formats easily with no need for extra aspect ratio converters - it is user friendly."

NEP's production trailers cover more than 100 golf events annually for clients including the Golf Channel and ERT (ESPN Regional). Golf Channel's main support units ST-19, ST-10 and ST-11 are currently using the Video Writer. SS19, a mid-sized HD unit, also uses the device. All NEP HD mobile units support 1080i or 720p production, making the Video Writer very flexible.

During the height of golf season, the Video Writers have performed without any major technical issues. "We've made minor adjustments throughout the season and worked with FOR-A to updated software to simplify operations," Levine added, "but overall the product has needed minimal tweaking."

Minor adjustments included the addition of a "clear all" function to the FVW-500HS, as well as a fiber optic feature to facilitate remote operation of the unit. "We needed to have a way to operate the unit remotely, since a significant distance sometimes occurs between the electronics and the touch screen. The only way to handle this is through fiber optics, and FOR-A was instrumental in helping us incorporate a fiber optic external product into the system."

The FVW-500HS Video Writer features pre-programmed graphic shapes for ease of use, but can also process line and free-hand drawings. Drawn objects can be moved, deleted, or changed. The unit also offers various options for line thickness, edge width, and colors, as well as customizable buttons.

About For-A

For-A is a major manufacturer and distributor of video and audio systems to the broadcast, postproduction and professional video markets. For more information about FOR-A's product line, call 201-944-1120 visit our web site at www.for-a.com.