With its new pro line, Grass Valley-a company best known for high-end broadcast gear-is making a serious play for the AV market.
Mike Wolschon, Grass Valley director of marketing, said the new pro line is synergistic with the company's broadcast line. According to Wolschon, Grass Valley won't be jumping into the projector business; instead, he said to look for the company to leverage its brand awareness to "fill every layer" between high-end production and prosumer gear. Distance learning and live event presentation are among the markets of interest for Grass Valley, he added.
Grass Valley isn't a complete stranger to the AV marketplace. Its CameraMan automated production system was showcased at InfoComm last year (the company acquired ParkerVision in 2004).
To that end, Grass Valley has introduced Turbo, an intelligent digital disk recorder (iDDR). Designed for distance learning and AV production, the 3 RU device can hold up to 40 hours of storage, handle the workload of three VTRs, and capture and deliver content in multiple formats, including HD. Turbo can be controlled with its touchscreen interface or with a keyboard, monitor and mouse. It's also compatible with control systems from AMX and Crestron.
