Klover Box Enclosures Give Baseball Fans a New Point of View!

The Houston Astros television partner, Space City Home Network, wanted to add new camera angles to their home game coverage.  But adding cameras is not easy.  The cameras can’t block the customer’s view any more than absolutely necessary.  In addition, the cameras must be protected from foul balls coming at them at amazing speeds.  

Fortunately, Space City had installed two enclosures to protect their 16-inch KLOVER MiK parabolic microphones back in 2019.  Those enclosures protected the parabolic microphones, but they were also covered with foam padding to protect the players.  

We designed the enclosure to be modular so they can be easily customized to meet the needs of the different MLB baseball parks.  This modularity led Space City ask us if a new enclosure lid could be built that would accommodate a small POV camera from PTZ Optics.  We were able to ship custom-build lids that supported the cameras, with custom foam padding, in less than 6 weeks so they could be installed by opening day.

The updated enclosures allowed the cameras to be safely mounted behind the batter and provided a new, unique camera view for the Astro fans.

The Klover Box enclosure was developed to provide a stable, easily adjustable mounting platform for parabolic microphones.  The typical approach was to simply lean the parabolic mic against something or support the mic with articulating arms (such as Manfrotto Magic Arms).  Both options required a great deal of trial and error.  Each time the articulating arms are released, they lose all control over their position.  

The Klover Box provides three separate adjustment screws to easily adjust the vertical and horizontal angle of the parabolic mic’s collector dish.  In addition, the enclosure protects the parabolic mic and the players who may run into the hardware behind home plate.  

Klover Products provided the first Klover Box enclosures, designed for the 26-inch KLOVER MiK, to Fox Sports in 2013 for use at the MLB playoffs.  Fox purchased several sets of padded panels in different colors so they could match the color of the ballparks of the playoff teams.

In 2014, Fox purchased the first Klover Box enclosures designed for the 16-inch KLOVER MiK.  Again, they were purchased for coverage of the MLB playoffs, specifically for baseball parks where the size of the parabolic mic was limited due to their obstructing the customer’s view.  Once again, they purchased several sets of padded panels in different colors, so they could match the color of the ballparks of the playoff teams.

The same year, Sports Net NY purchased a number 16-inch KLOVER MiKs for Citi Field and purchased Klover Box enclosures for two of them.  

In 2017, two more Klover Box enclosures for the KLOVER MiK 26 were purchased for Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.

2019 was a big year for the Klover Box.  This year, Space City purchased their original Klover Box enclosures stretched to match the height of their backstop.  Turner Sports also purchased several 16-inch KLOVER MiK parabolic mics and the smaller enclosures for their coverage of the MLB playoffs, with several sets of different color panels.  In addition, two of the smaller enclosures, without padded panels, were purchased for installation at T-Moble Park, home of the Seattle Mariners.

Lastly, Fox Sports Florida purchased two KLOVER MiK 16 parabolic mics with custom Klover Box enclosures for Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays.  Both enclosures had a separate cavity above the parabolic mic for a PTZ camera.  The PTZ camera was behind a Lexan panel.  For various reasons, the Rays eventually quit using the PTZ camera.  The parabolic mics are still in use.

This spring, the Philadelphia Phillies purchased two standard Klover Box enclosures and the KLOVER MiK 16 parabolic mics for Citizens Bank Park.  
Every stadium and every client is different—our mission is to provide bespoke solutions that enhance audio and video quality for audiences everywhere.

Want to learn how Klover can bring precision and innovation to your next project? Contact us today!

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