Mobile Unit Snapshot: MU-5 (Aspen) 45′ 3G Single-Expando Production Truck

MU-5 is a 45-foot-class 3G single-expando mobile production truck in the Live Media Group fleet, built around a 4 M/E Grass Valley K-Frame X switcher, a Grass Valley Sirius 840 router under EVS Cerebrum control, a 56-fader Calrec Artemis Beam audio console, and eight Sony HDC-3500 HDR cameras. Previously known as Aspen during its Gravity Media service, it joined Live Media Group in August 2026. It carries 56 wired channels of EVS replay — a complement most trucks twice its size would be glad to claim — inside a 60′ × 22′ working footprint that fits venues a full-size expando cannot.

For producers who need big-truck switching, routing, and replay density without booking a 53-footer, MU-5 is the fleet’s answer. Here is what is inside, system by system.

What runs the show: switching

MU-5’s production switcher is a Grass Valley K-Frame X 3G frame with a Kayenne 4-stripe, 35-button control panel, configured for 4 M/Es with 64 inputs and 32 outputs. FlexiKey, DoubleTake, and chroma key are all licensed, so a TD can split M/Es across pre-shows, inserts, and secondary feeds without giving up the main program bus.

Replay: 56 wired EVS channels on a 45-foot truck

MU-5 carries four EVS XTVia LSM 12-channel replay servers with dual-user operation, plus an EVS XS3 six-channel spot server with a Lance controller, and the truck is wired for 56 channels of EVS. That density is the truck’s signature: multi-angle replay, melts, and spot playback for a replay-heavy show, handled onboard rather than farmed out to a B-unit.

Routing and control

Routing is a Grass Valley Sirius 840 at 384×288 under an EVS Cerebrum control system, with 46 3G framesyncs, 336×60 of multiviewer capacity, and 768×1536 of MADI audio routing. Cerebrum — EVS’s broadcast control and orchestration platform — gives engineering one control layer over the router, syncs, and multiviewers, which shortens setup on show day and makes source management legible to a visiting EIC.

Cameras: Sony HDC-3500 HDR 

MU-5 fields eight Sony HDC-3500 cameras with HDR and QFR (quick frame rate) licensing, and the truck is wired for 16 CCUs. Four Sony HDLA-3505 large-lens adaptors put box lenses on hard positions, with Vinten Vector 750 heads and V20 pan heads with tripods in the support package. The HDC-3500’s native 4K sensor block means clean HD and 1080p HDR today with headroom for UHD-capable workflows as shows call for them.

Audio: Calrec Artemis Beam

The audio room is built on a Calrec Artemis Beam digital surround console with 56 faders and 12 dual-fader layers, carrying 564 DSP processing paths and 340 input channels. Console I/O spans analog, AES, MADI, and Dante (48×48 analog, 64×64 AES, 640×640 MADI, and 120×120 Dante per the truck’s published I/O), so venue feeds, RF mics, comms mix-minuses, and record splits all land without adapters and workarounds.

Comms

Intercom is a 256×256 RTS Adam II matrix with 18 RTS DBP Omneo digital beltpacks and eight Glensound Dante IFB beltpacks, supported by Beyerdynamic DT-108 and DT-109 headsets. That is matrix capacity for a full crew plus talent IFB on a mid-size show, with digital beltpacks that ride the truck’s existing Dante and Omneo infrastructure.

Power and footprint

MU-5 needs three-phase, 190–240-volt, 200-amp service and travels with 200 feet of feeder cable. The box is 43′ long by 8′6″ wide at 13′6″ tall, expanding to a 60′ × 22′ working footprint — compact enough for tight compounds, big enough inside for a full production, audio, and replay crew.

Specifications at a glance

Class45′ 3G single expando (43′L × 8′6″W × 13′6″H box; 60′ × 22′ working footprint)SwitcherGrass Valley K-Frame X 3G · Kayenne 4-stripe/35-button panel · 4 M/E · 64×32 · FlexiKey, DoubleTake, chroma keyReplay4× EVS XTVia LSM 12-ch (dual user) + EVS XS3 6-ch spot w/ Lance · wired for 56 EVS channelsRouterGrass Valley Sirius 840 (384×288) · EVS Cerebrum control · 46 3G framesyncs · 336×60 multiview · 768×1536 MADICameras8× Sony HDC-3500 HDR w/ QFR · wired for 16 CCUs · 4× HDLA-3505 large-lens adaptorsAudioCalrec Artemis Beam · 56 faders, 12 dual layers · 564 DSP paths / 340 input channels · analog, AES, MADI, Dante I/OCommsRTS Adam II 256×256 · 18× RTS DBP Omneo beltpacks · 8× Glensound Dante IFBPowerThree-phase 190–240 V, 200 A · 200′ feeder cable

Where MU-5 fits in the fleet

MU-5 slots into the fleet’s mid-size class with a heavyweight toolset. Its acquisition siblings bracket it: MU-17 steps up to a 53′ 3G HDR expando with five M/Es and RF camera capability, while MU-26 matches the mid-size class with a nine-camera Sony HDC-4300 package. The rest of the group’s mobile units — from 20′ production/uplink hybrids to 53′ double expandos — are on the complete fleet page. For a deeper look at a home-grown unit in the same weight class, see the MU-15 Mobile Unit Snapshot.

What MU-5 is built for

• Professional and collegiate sports where replay depth decides the show — 56 wired EVS channels handle multi-angle coverage without a support unit.
• Entertainment specials and awards-style broadcasts that need 4 M/Es of switching and a 56-fader audio room in a venue with a tight compound.
• Multi-day tournament and event coverage, where the 60′ × 22′ footprint and 200-amp service simplify siting and power planning.
• Shows feeding multiple destinations, using the Sirius 840’s 384×288 routing and 336×60 multiview to manage outputs cleanly.

FAQ

What is MU-5?

MU-5 is a 45-foot-class 3G single-expando mobile production truck in the Live Media Group fleet, carrying a 4 M/E Grass Valley K-Frame X switcher, 56 wired EVS replay channels, a Calrec Artemis Beam console, and eight Sony HDC-3500 HDR cameras.

Is MU-5 the truck previously known as Aspen?

Yes — MU-5 operated as Aspen in Gravity Media’s U.S. fleet before joining Live Media Group in the August 2026 acquisition; it now carries the MU-5 designation.

How many cameras does MU-5 support?

MU-5 carries eight Sony HDC-3500 HDR cameras with QFR licensing and is wired for 16 CCUs, with four large-lens adaptors for box-lens positions.

What replay capability does MU-5 have?

MU-5 is wired for 56 channels of EVS, served by four XTVia LSM 12-channel servers with dual-user operation and a six-channel XS3 spot server with a Lance controller.

Is MU-5 an HDR truck?

Yes — MU-5 is a 3G truck with HDR-licensed Sony HDC-3500 cameras, supporting 1080p HDR production workflows end to end.

How do I book MU-5?

Contact Live Media Group at solutions@livemediagroup.com or 833.933.5483 with your venue, dates, feed count, and destination platforms, and the team will confirm availability and configuration.

Book the truck

If your next production needs big-truck replay and switching in a mid-size footprint, MU-5 delivers. Download the current spec sheet on the MU-5 truck page, or reach the solutions team directly at solutions@livemediagroup.com / 833.933.5483.