Ball State University Renovates Distance Learning Facilities with Broadcast Pix


Billerica, Massachusetts (October 5, 2010) Broadcast Pix(TM) today announced that Ball State University, a state-assisted doctoral institution in Muncie, Ind., recently renovated its three distance learning classroom studios with Broadcast Pix Slate(TM) video production systems. Ball State's investment in Broadcast Pix was part of an overall upgrade of its distance learning facilities, which included a transition to a digital production environment.

Two large classrooms housed in the Ball Communication Building were renovated in the summer of 2009. Renovations for a third classroom at the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities, a residential high school for gifted high school juniors and seniors that is housed on the Ball State campus, were completed earlier this summer. With seating for 24 students, the newly renovated classroom at the Indiana Academy is the smallest of the three, but it shares the same AV infrastructure.

Currently, the university offers a variety of distance learning courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as Advanced Placement courses for high school students offered through the Indiana Academy. Among the three classrooms, the university averages 65 hours of live production each week, according to Michael Dalton, distance learning media manager. Dalton's staff of four full-time directors also helps produce recruiting webinars for Ball State's undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Jim Scott, Ball State senior broadcast engineer, led the upgrade design and install efforts. He said the Slates are user friendly and have been very reliable. Plus, by using the Slate's built-in Fluent(TM) Multi-View, Ball State was able to purchase one large LCD monitor for each control room and save the expense of upgrading multiple monitors. Purchased from Roscor in Mount Prospect, Ill., the new Slate systems replaced aging Grass Valley analog switchers, as well as several other pieces of gear.

"The Broadcast Pix system allowed us to replace our switcher, CG, still store, and clip store with one box," Dalton said. "Our control rooms are kind of compact, so having everything in the one frame saved us a lot of space. And just being able to get a lot of functionality out of one box saved us a lot of money."

Generally, one director controls an entire production, with the help of a student audio assistant. Each renovated distance learning classroom is equipped with four Sony BCR-300 robotic video cameras, which are controlled through the Slate. Two cameras are positioned in the back of the classroom, with another in the front and the fourth suspended from the ceiling and used as a document camera.

If an instructor has a DVD, it can be played back live from the control room - or if the instructor provides the DVD in advance, clips can be captured and played back using Fluent Clip Store. Dalton said that some classes are repeated almost every semester, so the same video clips are reused. With Fluent Clip Store, those clips are easily accessed during productions. Slate's built-in Inscriber CG is also used to slate each production.

Audio is mixed through a Yamaha O2R V2 audio mixer, which is controlled through the Slate automatically during video clip playback. Dalton said each room is also equipped with both a PC and Mac, so PowerPoint or other data presentations can be used as sources for the Slate switcher, though instructors can also use their own laptops if needed. Classes are produced in standard definition, streamed live using Adobe Connect Web conferencing software, and archived online.

About Broadcast Pix Broadcast Pix is the leader in integrated live video production systems. Its Granite native HD and Slate hybrid HD/SD/analog systems create compelling live video. They run unique Fluent file-based workflow software that streamlines production and improves functionality. With integrated switcher, multi-view, CG, clip and graphic stores, and aspect and format conversion, Granite and Slate are a fraction of the cost of a legacy control room to buy, staff and operate. They are future-proof, as they can upgrade to 3Gbps 1080p. Customers include leading broadcast, webcast, podcast, entertainment, mobile, corporate, education, religious, and government studios in more than 70 countries. Learn more at www.broadcastpix.com.

Robin Hoffman

Pipeline Communications

277 Valley Way

Montclair, NJ

07042

(973) 746-6970

cell:(917) 763-8069

www.pipecomm.com

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