The Ralph Engelstad Arena, on the campus of the University of North Dakota, has chosen the ZEPLAY Instant Replay Server by Tightrope Media Systems for slow-motion instant replays and highlights packages presented during the many events held at the arena. ZEPLAY is a 4 in/4 out instant replay server that constantly records four 100Mbps HD-SDI streams while simultaneously playing out any or all of the streams. It is designed so that a single operator can effectively manage all 4 angles and all eight streams and also includes a sequence editor for on-the-fly highlights package creation, clip store, melts, transport controls, and frame blending in both slow motion and fast motion for super smooth replays.
The Ralph Engelstad Arena hosts a number of sporting events throughout the year including Motocross, Mixed Martial Arts, Basketball, and of course, Fighting Sioux Hockey. According to Chad Hopman, Video Producer for the arena, ZEPLAY has been a perfect addition to their production arsenal. “We chose ZEPLAY because it was the only instant replay server that provided four outputs along with four inputs”, said Hopman. “With ZEPLAY you have instant access to all four independently recorded streams. We can play out one angle while we are cuing up any of the other 3 angles, and all the while ZEPLAY is continuously recording.”
Another feature of ZEPLAY that is used continually in producing Fighting Sioux hockey is the sequence editor for putting together highlight packages. “During each period we use ZEPLAY’s software to mark key plays and the best angles for the highlight sequence”, explained Hopman. “ZEPLAY’s sequence editor is built right into the User Interface, so at the same time we are airing replays, we can also drag and drop these highlights into the sequence we air at the intermission. The highlight editor allows us to play back clips at different speeds, and it even offers split edits that enable us to show the same key play from different angles and at different speeds within the highlight sequence. ”