It has recently been announced that Beverly Hills-based Ocean Video integrated the Blackmagic Design Micro Videohub, the world's smalles 3 Gb/s 16x16 router, into the 3D HD video assist cart they provided for use on the set of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger tides."

Ocean Video, whose video assist systems have been used on films such as "The Matrix Reloaded" and "Angels & Demons," was selected to provide a mobile 3D environment for the filming of the fourth installment of "Pirates of the Caribbean." The resulting Mac-based video assist cart was built around Blackmagic Design's Micro Videohub, which provided 16x16 SDI routing in a compact one-rack unit. This allowed the film's DP and technicians to be able to view the multiple camera feeds needed for 3D work, as well as provide the flexibility to be able to work in any location with a wide variety of cameras and other devices.

Micro Videohub also includes built in Ethernet, USB and serial router control interfaces. Ethernet control is fully compatible with Blackmagic Design's wide range of software control panels and Videohub Smart Control hardware panel, and includes free Videohub software control panels for easy-to-use, icon-based push button control from any computer. The standard serial router control port lets systems integrators interface to computers for automated routing control systems and integration into broadcast play out servers. The USB interface can also be used, combined with Blackmagic Design's Videohub SDK for Windows and Mac, to enable full control of router crosspoint switching.

The movie was shot entirely in 3D, doubling the amount of work for the router," Jeb Johenning, president of Ocean Video, said. "I was drawn to the Micro Videohub because it made it possible to bring four streams of video from two RED cameras together, switch views and route signals where needed, instantly."

Johenning continued, "Having the Micro Videohub in the cart gave us foolproof routing and switching, and a level of control over hardware that's hard to come by in the chaos of a movie set."

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