Live Switching:
KLTV Public Access broadcasts and streams
Babe Ruth Baseball World Series with VT[3]
added 12/14/2004
Babe Ruth World Series 2005 animated graphics created in VT[3]
Every live event brings with it some tension, but there are major events that simply must exceed client expectations, and KLTV Public Access Television, based in Longview, Washington was facing just such an event with the Babe Ruth Baseball World Series which the station had agreed to shoot, switch and stream.
NewTek VT[3] had been installed in the KLTV mobile truck. As it had already earned the “Best Product” award from the Alliance for Community Media, they were able to see how ready it was for the challenge. Kris Gurrad is a full-time graphics designer with a Portland, Oregon TV Station, but a regular volunteer with KLTV. Gurrad was technical director for the project, and was thrilled with the performance of NewTek's Integrated Production Suite. He quickly realized that high-end production quality was now in reach for this station. "[KLTV] had VT[3] for about 8 months, but this was its biggest test. When we did the games 3 years ago, I switched on an old EchoLab switcher, with no real CG, VHS machines for "instant replay" and no DVE or effects (other than a dissolve or switcher wipe.) If the baseball fans were happy with that, imagine what they thought after seeing what we could do with VT[3]!"
Game highlights, including VT[3] scoring and slo-mo replay, are available here:
Gurrad didn't have to imagine the reaction for very long. The show was set up with 6 cameras, and numerous animated graphics. KLTV also pre-produced a corner scoreboard and the integrated ToasterScript to quickly update strikes, balls, outs and runner positions on-screen. Additional graphics included player profile graphics with headshots and even animated sponsor billboards, which were all being recorded to tape, sent to the large screen stadium display and also streamed live to the Internet, for family and friends not able to make the trip to Washington.
All of this performed from a single VT[3] workstation.
VT[3] switches, titles and streams Babe Ruth World Series
Courtesy: KLTV Public Access
As the series began, KLTV shifted from pre-production to Live, and VT[3] quickly set new expectations in the audience. Gurrad tells it this way: "One of our camera folks overheard some people in the VIP tent watching our first day of coverage on a big screen TV say, "I wish we could see an instant replay on that." Another person in the tent told them that, "this is just public access TV, they can't do that." And right on cue, I happened to wipe to a slow motion instant replay of the play. After that, everyone turned around to the TV after any cool play to catch the instant replay."
KLTV was using the integrated Digital Disk Recorder to capture the action, and then, with a couple of mouse clicks, play it back in beautiful slow motion just seconds later. Gurrad says VT[3] has done more for KLTV's production quality and output than any other purchase. "Trust me, it was the best looking programming ever produced by KLTV! The Babe Ruth committee members were thrilled, as well as all the families who purchased copies of the games on DVD or VHS."
VT[3] is the heart of the KLTV Live truck
But the local audience was only part of the equation. KLTV tapped into the powers that earned VT[3] “Best of show award for Streaming Hardware” at NAB 2004. Using the integrated live streaming within VT[3], KLTV was able to expand their audience significantly, reaching out to an audience around the state, and in some cases, around the world. Gurrad says, "Families back home were able to watch via live Internet stream. We had viewers as far away as France, China and Australia. There were several thousand hits on our internet stream in one day."
KLTV created a customized basketball interface for CG scores
Looking back, Gurrad says KLTV's choice of VT[3] was probably the most efficient choice for live multicam operations. "After getting home from the championship game Saturday night, I happened to catch ESPN's behind the scenes of college football. It was cool to see the number of people it took to put that on, and all the millions of dollars of equipment. I sat there thinking how we were able to produce a product that was almost as slick, with only two people in the truck, and just using VT[3]. Thanks NewTek! We couldn't have done it (as cool or as fancy) without you!"
