When Katie Couric made her debut as a primetime network news anchor so did a pair of Vista Systems Spyders. The systems are employed on the new set of The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric where they support a Christie 16x9 projection screen behind the set, an LED display in front of the news desk and plasma screens on the set.
The network wanted a system that could feed both LED and projection, provide keying capabilities, and feed rotating plasmas. No other single server could pass every display on the set. The Spyders are networked and controlled via Vista Systems software; a Ross SDI router interfaces with the Spyders. The Spyder supports the Ross router, allowing any source on the router to be displayed anywhere. Spyder fills the need of the newscast to display live feeds and other news clips as well as a looping CBS logo and additional show graphics.
“Spyder is the only system capable of performing all the image-processing tasks required for the newscast,” notes Victor Vettorello, Vista Systems’ director of applications engineering. “The show’s technical directors have embraced the control interface and Spyder’s ability to program and edit on the fly, which is necessary in the news environment. They’ve discovered how simple it is to program and trigger Spyder no matter if you’re using an external triggering device or the system software.” Spyder’s superior image quality was also a consideration in its selection.
“Broadcasters are under increasing pressure to produce high tech looking sets with a variety of display options at their disposal,” continues Vettorello. “The Spyder is a perfect compliment because of the support of multiple display technologies at different configurations, resolutions, and formats. Because the Spyder can do this from one point of control, the broadcaster’s integration of visual elements into the set is much more dynamic as well as simple. Broadcasters are also challenged with incorporating many different digital and analog formats from standard definition to HD to high-resolution computer graphics. With Spyder’s universal inputs, there is never a concern about hardware or input formats.”