Broadcast Sports Technology Using Cobalt Digital 9821 Converter Cards in Mobile Units

Broadcast Sports Technology recently installed Cobalt Digital 9821 Down Converter/Aspect Ratio Converter cards with openGear™ frames for use in their latest HD mobile units.

"The flexibility and capability of the Cobalt 9821 make it a vital component within our mobile units," said Peter Larsson, General Manager, Broadcast Sports Technology.

Delivered through Cobalt Digital's dealer, Electronic Video Systems (EVS), the Cobalt 9821 card is a 10-bit, HD-down converter with SD pass through and individual ARC controls for HD and SD inputs. The 9821 bridges SMPTE 292 high-definition and 259M-C standard-definition signal formats, and allows high-density and low-power conversion of HD signals, making them ideal for use in mobile video transmission units.

The 9821 will down-convert HD to SD serial component digital and analog composite video. The cards re-aspect images, using separate rules for HD and SD. It also adds 3:2 pull-down to 23.98 p/s for interlace inputs. In addition, safe area reticule overlays, 4x3 and 16x9, full aperture for 4x3, and center cross can be selected on the SD-SDI and/or composite outputs.

The image processing is full 10-bit using a 24-tap spatial filter. The analog output is encoded at 12-bits (video plus sync) to preserve the 10-bit 4:2:2 component encoded video signal. Operating also as a distribution amplifier, offering four reclocked output copies of the HD/SD input makes the Cobalt 9821 ideal for use in mobile trucks.

"The 9821 Cobalt cards offer first class engineering and reliability, both vital in our live-transmission environment. We have been very pleased with cards installed in our NASCAR truck and are seeing the same excellent performance with them in our new CBS Golf mobile unit," Larsson added.

Broadcast Sports Technology is the leading supplier of RF systems for live sporting events. They supply RF systems for CBS, ESPN and the Golf Channel's coverage of PGA golf events as well as RF cameras and Incar cameras for NASCAR, IRL, OWS, ALMS, GAR and NHRA events.

Cobalt Digital Inc. is a leading designer and manufacturer of innovative, reliable analog-to- digital converters. Headquartered in Urbana, IL, Cobalt began by building converters for remote television broadcast facilities for sports and entertainment. Today, Cobalt products are in nearly all U.S. broadcast networks, TV stations, cable operators, production and post-production companies, mobile/ENG vehicles, and theme parks, along with an increasing number of corporate and industrial facilities. Cobalt products are distributed through a worldwide network of dealers, system integrators, and an increasing number of new types of partnerships identified as applications for its products expand.