CINCINNATI — Eleven minutes between headliners. The sponsor loop needs to be on screen now, and the only operator on hand is the one running lights. With the Green Hippo Estuary Media Controller, that’s enough. Green Hippo, an ACT Entertainment brand, is now shipping the Estuary Series: screen management and live switching for LED walls and projection, controlled from the same DMX console that’s already running the show. The system currently includes the 1RU MC1 and 2RU MC2 models, with an MC4 version to follow.
Under the hood is the powerful CALICO Video Processing Architecture from sister brand tvONE, delivering one-frame end-to-end latency, 10-bit/HDR processing and up to 256 layers across four canvases, each supporting resolutions up to 64,000 x 64,000 pixels. At load-in and during the show, the platform supports DMX/sACN, HippoNet, Companion and REST API control, which allows a grandMA3 programmer to bring screens into the same cue stack as the lighting rig, automation, pyro and other show-control elements without requiring a separate media-control interface.
“I have sat in a lot of production meetings where video was the department that needed its own specialist, truck and timeline,” says Bob Bonniol, Chief Innovation Officer at ACT Entertainment. “Estuary is our answer to that. Stadium-grade processing, lighting-console control and a price that means the show doesn’t have to be a stadium show to get it. MC1 and MC2 are shipping now because people kept asking ‘when,’ not ‘whether’ the solution would arrive.”
A deceptively powerful yet elegantly contained, compact 1RU controller sized for studios, corporate environments and simulation spaces, Estuary MC1 delivers the full Estuary engine in instances where professional-grade media control is required, without the footprint of a larger system. With four 4K outputs, smooth multi-layer playback, HDR workflows and rapid cueing, MC1 integrates with lighting, automation and show-control systems. Further, its compact form factor makes it particularly well suited to installations where space and efficiency are priorities.
For more demanding production environments, the Estuary MC2 provides touring-grade
performance in a rugged 2RU chassis. Designed for concerts, corporate keynotes and
immersive environments, MC2 features four 4K inputs (2x HDMI and 2x 12G-SDI) and eight 4K outputs (6x HDMI and 2x 12G-SDI) with modular expansion options that support additional high-bandwidth HDMI and SDI workflows which users can specify. With up to 256 layers, HDR processing, seamless transitions and one-frame latency, MC2 is designed to handle complex, multi-layer visual systems with precision, across LED walls, projection systems and other large-format displays
Estuary MC1 and MC2 are available immediately through Green Hippo and its authorized distribution network. The 4RU MC4 version will be available soon.