Lyon Video chooses For-A FA-9600 signal processors for upconversion

Columbus, Ohio-based audiovisual services company Lyon Video has purchased a dozen For-A FA-9600 multipurpose signal processors with the high dynamic range (HDR) software option.

The first eight units have been installed in its Lyon-14 mobile unit, which it is using in NCAA Division I college soccer production. Although the FA-9600s will be used for sports this fall, the plan is to employ them in a wide variety of productions.

Chad Snyder, president of Lyon Video, said the two additional units will be installed at Lyon-14 later this year.

The Lyon-14 unit includes 11 Grass Valley LDX 86N native 4K UHD cameras. Although Lyon Video produces soccer matches in UHD, not all content from external sources (such as graphics, POV cameras and effects) is delivered in UHD. The FA-9600s will provide upconversion of the HD signals, which helps avoid a jarring difference in picture quality between elements for the viewer.

“The quality of the conversion is so important. When we looked at the options available to us, the FA-9600’s quality was superior to their competitors. Having these signal processors as part of our equipment package allows us to include these extra visual elements that viewers are accustomed to seeing. This gives it a consistent feel at the network level,” notes Snyder.

Live HDR

Designed for live HDR broadcast production, each of the FA-9600’s two 3G/HD/SD-SDI inputs includes a frame synchronizer, HDR and Wide Color Gamut support, and multiple format conversion, including 12G, 4K (UHD), 1080p and HD/SD-SDI.

Its 12G-SDI terminals provide support for 4K production (with optional software), while an optional expansion card adds four additional channels of 3G-SDI I/O or six channels of distributed 12G-SDI output. Integrated LUTs, as well as support for 3D LUTs for SDR-HDR, HDR-HDR and HDR-SDR conversions in mixed SDR and HDR production environments, offer high conversion accuracy.