KERO-TV Chooses Matrox MicroQuad Multiviewers to Help Control Costs
When it came time for KERO-TV, an ABC affiliate in Bakersfield, California to overhaul their Studio A control room, they turned to the Matrox MicroQuad multiviewer to help control costs.
The Studio A control room is used for evening news broadcasts. Instead of purchasing many costly SDI monitors, KERO is using four Matrox MicroQuad units in conjunction with four inexpensive 23-inch LG HDMI monitors to preview up to 16 SDI signals. Five of the signals come from on-set cameras in Studio A, two come from traffic cameras, and one shows weather graphics. Other video feeds come from broadcast trucks out on location or from Studio B, where events such as telethons and a yearly home give-away take place.
Michael Tamson, IS Director at the station, had this to say "The price of Matrox MicroQuad itself was attractive and it let us save space in the control room while avoiding the cost of multiple SDI monitors. But most importantly, the video quality is fantastic. We see all the details we need to see and use the MicroQuad Remote control application to easily switch from quadrant view to full screen."
The Matrox MicroQuad Remote application runs on a Windows computer and lets users toggle between full screen and quadrant view, select the input channel, pick audio channels, as well as hide labels and the red input selection box. It also lets users create custom labels of up to 10 characters, which will be retained even when the unit is disconnected from the computer.
Tamson found other benefits of Matrox MicroQuad in the installations at KERO. "In the past, we have used monitors with built-in multiview capability but we like the fact that the Matrox units are independent, so we aren't tied to a certain monitor size. Also, when a monitor starts to go off color due to age, we can easily swap it out for a new one. Another nice touch is the screw-in power connector that prevents technicians from inadvertently disconnecting the units."
Read more about Matrox MicroQuad