Blackmagic Design | Stand: 4R500 — Prague’s O2 Arena, home to ice hockey team HC Sparta Prague, has undergone an AV overhaul, transforming its ability to improve content delivery, while boosting scalability and production flexibility, and Blackmagic Design is at the heart of the setup.
After evaluating various options, Bestsport, which owns and operates the arena, decided to use Blackmagic Design hardware for its AV control system. “We were looking for a cost-effective solution that could operate on the 3G-SDI standard with the flexibility to scale up to 12G,” explained Bestsport media technology lead Pavel Matějíček. “Blackmagic allowed us to do that, plus it supported remote camera correction, which was essential.”
The Blackmagic URSA Broadcast G2 camera hardware stood out for several reasons. One key factor was its compatibility with Bestsport’s existing B4 lenses and coaxial cable infrastructure. “We tested alternatives, but SDI won out in the end,” notes Matějíček. “Blackmagic allowed us to reuse several existing lenses and connect cameras using two coaxial cables with optical converters for long distances. Building a new infrastructure with LEMO hybrid cables would have been impossible within our budget.”
At the heart of the system is the ATEM 4 M/E Constellation 4K live production switcher, which handles all the content for the central cube display. It is complemented by the ATEM 2 M/E Advanced Panel 40, a Videohub 40×40 12G video matrix and two ATEM camera control panels for remote operation and shading.
The setup typically manages up to 18 input signals, including four Blackmagic URSA Broadcast G2 cameras, four Blackmagic Studio Camera 6K Pro units and a single Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro with wireless transmission.
Matějíček added: “The entire chain currently operates at a resolution of 1080p50. For recording, we also use HyperDeck Extreme 4K HDR and HyperDeck Studio 4K Pro. For monitoring, we rely on SmartView 4K G2, SmartScope Duo 4K, and the Audio Monitor 12G G2.”
