Ross Video’s new 12G-ready Ultrix FR12 is a single platform with endless configurations. The FR12 “packs 12 equipment racks of technology in one rack” and allows broadcasters to significantly reduce the resources and space they need on premises, said Jeff Moore, Executive VP and CMO, Ross Video.

It includes routing and signal processing and, as a software-defined platform, is claimed to offer “significant cost, space and power efficiencies” with considerable flexibility, especially as it’s the “world’s only router with an integrated production switcher”. It has lots of I/O, plus 48 non-blocking multiviewers with access to everything, and a large audio system with mixer. It is also ready for UHD, as “we’re seeing UHD really gaining traction now”.

D3-Ross Video

Moore: The FR12’s smart door is ’not only good looking, it’s very functional’

“All these things used to be external to the router - now they are internal.” In the same way that a mobile phone has taken on the role of many other devices (camera, calculator, digital assistant), he believes Ultrix does for broadcast.

Its capabilities are available on a pay-as-you-go basis, so users can add new features through additional software licences as they need them, with no additional hardware required. “You buy it and turn it on when you need it,” said Moore.

The smaller Ultrix systems have been particularly successful in OB trucks and Moore believes they are also ideal for rental houses, “as they can configure the resources they need for each event”.

Ross has already shipped the first five FR12s to a customer in Latin America.

One FR12 feature Moore particularly likes is its smart door, “a touchscreen display where you can control the system and monitor everything. This is going to change expectations about the system you install in a rack that it should give intelligent feedback. It’s not only good looking, it’s actually very functional.”

Stand Number: 11.B10

Company: Ross Video