Austrian ORF modernizes its facilities with Sony XVS series mixers

The Austrian public broadcaster will use Sony multi-format IP video switchers in its control rooms to meet the present and future challenges of IP Live production.

ORF has chosen the XVS-7000 multi-format IP video switchers Sony with the aim of modernizing its main production center. The first XVS-7000 will be used in the IP mobile unit of the Austrian public broadcaster.

Furthermore, more than 20 live mixers will be deployed at the audiovisual company's main production center in Vienna, as well as all its regional studios.

Innovative technologies such as 4K, HDR and HFR present great opportunities for broadcasters and their live production workflows, but they also bring new challenges. With mixed IP and SDI production capabilities, as well as the ability to upgrade to 4K and IP at any time, Sony multi-format switchers offer great flexibility to suit any production environment or workflow requirement.

With optimized frame memory, format conversion, multi-display options and a wide variety of input and output video formats, the XVS series inherits the exceptional and versatile features of the acclaimed MVS series of mixers. He modular panel design X of the mixers allows them to be flexibly adapted to individual ORF requirements.

All Sony XVS series mixers support SDI, as well as the new SMPTE ST 2110 standard for multimedia transfer and synchronization and with AMWA NMOS for device recognition. This makes it possible to combine IP networking technologies with the latest standard SDI interfaces to transmit video at any resolution, while reducing workflow complexity and increasing operational efficiency.

Andreas Fraundorfer, head of ORF's core systems installation engineering team, comments: "Requirements for live production systems are changing dramatically. That's why we were looking for a long-term partner with the experience and solutions to future-proof our facilities, so we can overcome the current and future challenges of IP Live production. The scalability, functionality, ease of use and reliability of Sony solutions has made us feel prepared for the present and not afraid of the future."

The ongoing collaboration between Sony and ORF includes current video switchers and their successor models, all complemented by PrimeSupport. With this added service, ORF has gained access to Sony's support and consulting services for the XVS series.

Rainer Lüthy, Senior Key Account Manager at Sony Solutions Europe, acknowledges that "ORF had high expectations. They needed a solution that could not only cope with demanding production conditions, but also offer great flexibility and protection. Our XVS series met both requirements and performed well in practical stress tests. By dynamically managing all the resources of ORF's live production network, our premium software solutions improved the efficiency of ORF's workflows."