WHAT’S WHAT IN MOBILE PRODUCTION
RESULTS OF THE TWELFTH ANNUAL SVG MOBILE PRODUCTION GEARBASE STUDY
T
he 12th-annual SVG Mobile Sports Production Gearbase Survey provides an ongoing database of production-truck technology
for the North American fleet of more than 250 broadcast vehicles. The 2018 Gearbase comprises 258 total mobile units, only two of
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
• The video-router sector remains diverse, judging by the 202 trucks that identified
With 60 trucks, NEP still has by far the largest fleet in North America, followed by
router brand. Evertz is atop the market in a total of 65 trucks (32%) with Grass Valley
Game Creek Video with 27 and Mobile TV Group with 25 (not including its Visitor
close behind in 56 (28%). PESA is third with 36 (18%), followed by Imagine Commu-
Mobile Units). In fourth place is Dome Productions with 19, followed by Lyon Video
nications with 16 (8%), Utah Scientific with 15 (7%), and Ross Video with eight (4%).
(11), F&F Productions (10), Live Media Group (nine), and All Mobile Video and
• ChyronHego is still the market leader in graphics. Its systems are in 88% of trucks
4K- and HDR-capable trucks — as well as units featuring IP-based
TNDV Television (eight each).
on the road (153 of the 173 that specified a system). Thirty-seven trucks carry Vizrt
infrastructure — are on the rise. Of the 258 mobile units covered in
• Of the 251 trucks whose camera complement was identified by brand, 132 use Sony
systems, and 21 deploy Ross Video graphics (although the majority of these trucks
which are SD-only. With SD officially dead and HD the status quo,
the survey, 35 are listed as 4K-capable (up from 20 last year), 43 are
(52%); 80 deploy Grass Valley (32%); 20, Ikegami (8%); 15, Hitachi (6%); and four,
also carry a ChyronHego system).
HDR-capable (the previous survey did not ask for data on HDR-
Panasonic (2%).
• In HD replay devices, EVS is once again the industry standard: 201 HD trucks were
capability), and 55 are 1080p-capable (up from 30 last year).
• The battle for lens-market share remains a two-horse race. Of the 229 trucks that
identified as relying on some form of EVS system as its primary replay device. Cur-
identified lens brand, 119 trucks carry exclusively Canon lenses (52%), 78 have only
rently, 18 trucks carry Grass Valley K2 Dyno replay systems, although the majority of
than ever before — 39 in all — and lists nearly a dozen mobile units
Fujinon (34%), and 28 have a mix of Canon and Fujinon lenses (12%). 2% of trucks
them also have EVS replay systems.
that debuted over the past 12 months. On the following pages is a
carry Agenieux lenses.
• Calrec Audio remains the number-one audio console on trucks, with 160 consoles in
listing of the trucks and their specs (based on data collected from par-
• Among switchers, Grass Valley continues to dominate, with its units found at the
63% of the North American fleet. Yamaha is second, with consoles in 27 audio rooms
ticipating companies in October 2017). Here is a brief summary of the
center of 204 mobile units (80%). Sony switchers are in 19 trucks (7%), Ross Video
(11%), followed by Studer (21 trucks), Harman Soundcraft (14), Avid/Euphonix (12
Gearbase Survey’s key findings in the North American truck market.
switchers in 15 (6%), Blackmagic Design in eight (3%), and FOR-A in four (2%).
trucks), Music Group’s Behringer/Midas (5), and DiGiCo and Mackie (four apiece) .
The 2018 Gearbase Survey drew more participating companies
A SPORTS VIDEO GROUP PUBLICATION