Projects
Clients
BBCi Showcase
BBCi New Media wanted to createa showcase area in which to display their services to the world. It needed to be a lively, creative, multi purpose and functional area.
Whether looking through the themed windows from the street or by taking a tour through the area, an outstanding example of technologies awaits in which public and partners alike could visit to watch production and monitoring of the BBCi interactive services.
The new media centre has three distinct areas:
- Live Chat Studio - for web casting celebrity interviews
- Interactive Operations Area - for continuous monitoring of online and off air content
- Creative Area - a flexible meeting room with excellent multimedia presentation facilities
Interactive Operations
The main Interactive Operations area needed to demonstrate the range of interactive services while supporting specific operational requirements. For this, a sophisticated monitoring facility was required capable of displaying the range of BBCi outputs from the web to digital television.
IVC Media were approached to design a system which, by necessity, incorporated a number of custom designed devices for this installation but which would also provide perfect solutions for many other systems. The resulting design greatly exceeded the expectations of the client.
Ease of use was paramount. With innovative touch panel design and inventive system programming, even a novice can achieve the most complex of set-ups.
At the heart of the system are Kramer 32x6 and 16x8 RGBHV routers controlling the interactive flow of images to a series of 42" plasma screens, 14" television receivers, and bespoke TFT screens, strategically placed around the operations area and also to a high luminance projector displaying onto a 1.8m screen in the Creative Area.
Further, the interactive faciltiy needed to be accessible to the public from outside the building. This was achieved by the use of themed windows and window mounted touch pads.
In order to maintain the optimum quality possible throughout, all video sources pass through an IVC Media custom designed unit which allows the predominently domestic display screens to interface perfectly with the professional source and control equipment.
The specification for this facility was formulated by Ross Atkin, of BBC Professional Solutions from a concept devised by Dr William Cooper, Head of Interactive at the BBC who commented:-
"We are delighted with the control system, which has been well received by everyone on the team working in the area. The simple point and click interface is intuitive and easy to use, providing a high degree of functionality that conceals the underlying sophistication of the system."
Although the concept of the whole project was to form a showcase environment, the area is a fully functional workplace designed for everyday use by all personnel.
