Features

RAVE (Ross Audio Video Engine) that was first introduced in Graphite is now available in Ultra. This licensable option includes internal audio routing and output channel shuffling, together with a hardware-based 24bit digital audio production mixer.

The number of audio inputs and outputs depends on the model and options you have. All audio streams are 24bit at 48kHz and can be controlled from DashBoard.

The 1RU Audio Breakout Unit (ABU) provides a number of analog and AES input and output ports. The analog inputs have direct control over gain, phantom power on/off, and 20dB pad on/off. These audio inputs and outputs are fed back and forth to the production system as embedded audio in the SDI-Audio Loop.

Clean feed is typically used for bilingual and live-to-tape productions. It provides a second Program output that is derived from a different location than the standard program output. A frequent application is the recording of shows for later airing without call-in phone numbers inserted.

This feature brings the power of macros to the switcher operator. Button presses, menu selections, event commands, or even the switcher state can be recorded to a custom control with pauses or holds between the events. A simple button press can play these events back again. Step through complex show openings as easily as pressing Custom Control buttons 1, 2, then 3.

The switcher has 5 Sequencers that allow you to create a playlist or rundown of custom events, much like custom controls. Each Sequencers can be run independently or linked to other Sequencers so that they all advance together. The Sequencer uses sequences to store the rundown of events. These sequence files can be loaded into one or multiple Sequencers.

The switcher can control a number of external devices, such as video servers and robotic cameras. For a complete list of supported devices, and information on how to set up and control these devices, visit the Ross Video website (rossvideo.com/production-switchers/carbonite/interface-list).

Device setup can be done through DashBoard.

The advanced DVE engine comes standard with each switcher and can be used for performing over the shoulder, or picture in picture, shots with 3D borders and lighting effects.

The Effects Dissolve feature allows you to interpolate from one memory to another using a memory recall. The switcher will interpolate from the starting memory to the destination memory, creating a smooth, two key frame effect.

Only elements such as clip level and pattern position can be interpolated in the effects dissolve. Other elements, such as crosspoint selection, pattern, and next transition data are recalled first, and then the switcher will slew to the recalled memory.

An effects dissolve can be performed on as many elements and MEs as required, based on the memory that is being recalled.

The switcher is equipped with 24 GPI I/Os that can be assigned as either an input or output independently.

The GPI inputs allow the switcher to interface with peripheral equipment such as editors. Each GPI input can be used to perform simple editing and switcher functions such as fade to black or an auto transition.

Edit Decision Lists (EDL) are files used by non-linear editing (NLE) suites to aid in post-production. Your switcher can capture EDL data in a file that you load into your NLE suite.

For information on using the LiveEDL feature, visit the Ross Video Website (rossvideo.com).

A matte generator and complex wash generator per ME, capable of multi-color washes comes standard. Any one of the color generators can be assigned to MATTE, or wipe pattern edges. An additional simple color generator is available for an Aux Bus.

The ME (Multi-level Effect) systems are standard. The number of MEs depends on the chosen switcher model.

Each ME provides independent keyers supporting pattern mask, box mask, self-key, linear key.

Each channel of Media​-Store provides a combined video with alpha for playout of stills and animations that are available switcher-wide, allowing for thousands of full screen stills and logos that can be cached and used on the switcher.

The MediaManager allows you to easily manage stills and animations on the switcher in a graphics interface.

A MediaWipe allows you to use an animation, with audio, from the Media​-Store to play over a background or key transition. When the transition starts, the switcher plays the selected animation and audio over top of the background and keys that are being transitioned. A cut, dissolve, wipe, or DVE wipe is then performed layered under the animation to bring up the next shot when the animation ends. The audio is played out one of the AES ports.

The clip player offers a single playout channel for compressed MPEG-4 AVC (ITU-T H.264) that can be assigned as a source on any bus in the switcher. Basic transport controls can be performed manually from the Clip Player page, using custom controls, or through AMP commands.

We take the guessing out of memory recalls by ensuring that a memory recall will not affect what is currently on-air. MemoryAI uses the content of the memory to configure the Next Transition area and Preview bus for the background and keyers so that the next transition takes the same sources on-air that were on-air in the memory.

For example, store a memory that has a key on-air with CAM1 and CAM2 selected on the background. When this memory is recalled normally, it pops the same key on-air with CAM1 and CAM2 on the background. When the memory is recalled with MemoryAI turned on, CAM1 is selected on the preset bus, and CAM2 is selected on a key that is not on-air. The transition area is then set up for a background transition to bring CAM2 onto the background, take any on-air keys off, and take a key on-air with CAM1.

Storage for 100 complete switcher snapshots per ME, MiniME™, and Canvas comes standard with all switchers. All of these memories can be stored to a USB media drive, providing custom tailored memories for every operator and every show.

Each memory has an independent set of Store and Recall Attributes that can be used to specify what elements are stored or recalled with a memory, as well as adding effects to memory recalls. This allows you to store a set of attributes with a memory and then recall it as stored, or override the attributes stored in the memory and apply different ones when the memory is recalled. A memory attribute does not need to be stored in the memory to be recalled.

The MiniME™ is an additional ME that is provided with the switcher to perform basic dissolves and cuts. Each MiniME™ has keyer, background, and preset buses. Unlike a full ME, the MiniME™ only supports dissolves and cuts. The MiniME™ shares all the same sources as the ME.

UltraScene provides a simplified interface for creating a show with multiple key layers and basic transitions. UltraScene consists of 4 scenes that share 8 layers in 4 layer pairs. Layers can only be added in pairs, so a scene can have 2, 4, 6, or 8 layers. Each layer is set up like a keyer with a video source, alpha, and key type. Each layer can also be turned on or off to cut the video source on or off-air. A background source is also available over which the layers are keyed, or the scene can be taken as a source on bus.

The Input/Output Video Processors are independent video processing engines that allow you to perform a number of functions for video correction.

• Format Conversion (FC)
• Frame Synchronisation (FS)
• Color Correction
• Frame Delays

The RGB color correctors are used to convert between different SDR and HDR ranges and between color gamuts (WCG).

The MultiScreen is made up of a number of Canvas generators. Each Canvas breaks the scene up into separate outputs (MiniME™ outputs) that can be sent to independent projectors or displays to make a unified picture.

Each screen in the Canvas output uses a MiniME™ to create the background and keys of the output.

MultiScreen can be further expanded with the Mosaic software and option codes to include more tiles, for larger canvases, and quad Splicers.

Splicers allow you to use DVEs to position up to four sources (2×2) on a single output. This can be used to position and stitch together the canvas outputs (MiniME™/Tiles) for the downstream LED processors.

The output rotation allows you to rotate the video on outputs 12-14 in 90° increments clockwise. The video can then be zoomed and shifted in the X and Y axis.

The ViewControl touchscreen interface through DashBoard allows you to select sources on switcher buses, perform transitions, and run custom controls to recall memories or control external devices. The MultiViewer Shift function allows you to assign sources to a shifted set of MultiViewer boxes, expanding the number of sources available on ViewControl from 16 to 32.

ViewControl takes the MultiViewer output of the switcher and overlays the DashBoard interface over it. Bringing the MultiViewer output into DashBoard is accomplished either by using multiple SDI/HDMI™ converters or a single SDI to NDI® converter.

Ultra can be controlled from OverDrive® using the Caprica interface. This interface allows OverDrive® to perform memory recalls, transitions, and run custom controls on the switcher. For information on setting up Caprica to interface with the switcher, refer to the documentation that came with your Caprica server.

It is recommended to have 3 MEs installed to be controlled by Caprica, but operation is possible with only 2 MEs.

A single pattern generator dedicated to wipes comes standard, and is equipped with 10 classic wipes. Most wipes can be rotated, bordered, multiplied, aspectized, and repositioned.

The switcher has 24 assignable tally transistors located in the rack frame. Each tally can be assigned to any number of combinations of input and output or bus.

The UltraChrome 2 chroma keyer uses independent chroma key engines to produce the video and alpha components of the key. These internal video streams can be composited in a keyer, or fed out two separate video streams to an external device, such as a video server.

RPM licenses are issued by the Ross Activation Server under a Customer Product Key. The Product Key is then added to a Ross Platform Manager that multiple switchers can access to request software licenses. Each switcher must request and release licenses from/to the Ross Platform Manager.

RPM licenses can easily be requested or released from a switcher to a pool of licenses on the Ross Platform Manager. This allows you to move licenses between different studios depending on production needs by releasing licenses from one switcher and requesting them by another.

Seamlessly combine the creative power of the Ross® XPression Designer software with the ease of use of your Ross® switcher. Create stunning still graphics using XPression Designer, and transfer them directly to an media-store channel on the switcher using the RossLinq interface. Up to four (4) channels with dedicated alpha can be controlled from the XPression Software Client. This feature supports still images only.

Each switcher comes with a single license of XPression. Additional licenses can be ordered.