Having previously outsourced its HD work to Belgian company Alfacam, the BBC has now decided that worldwide demand for HD content is strong enough to justify a refit of its Unit 2 truck so that it will do both standard and high-definition work.
To convert the truck to HD the BBC will add eight Sony HD/SD switchable cameras and camera control units, a Sony production switcher and four Sony widescreen master control monitors.
The move marks something of a compromise for the facilities division of the BBC. Only last year director of technology Paul Grice said that demand for HD was 'a bit leanÓ and that he had decided against investing substantial amounts of BBC money in a new HD truck (Broadcast, 7.2.03). The refurb of Unit 2 is, therefore, a halfway house for BBC Resources.
The truck is pencilled in for use by BBC music and events on Songs of Praise in SD and should be ready for an HD production of The Last Night of the Proms in September.
BBC Outside Broadcasts is also buying kit for a truck that will produce Premiership football highlights when Match of the Day returns to Saturday nights next season. The new unit will contain a Sony vision mixer, a Calrec Sigma digital sound desk and will operate up to 20 cameras, eight Digibeta recorders plus an EVS server for slo-mos and analysis.
Meanwhile, BBC Studios has bought 24 digital portable SD cameras from Sony for Television Centre. The cameras will work with a wireless camera system to allow them to be moved around without the need for cable. Two SD production switchers will also be added to galleries at the studios. The investment is part of a planned two to three year project to upgrade the studio kit set-up at White City.
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