Issue 80 | FeBRuARY 2017
Publication licensed by Dubai Production City
virtual reality expert talks about the future of vr INTERVIEW Abdul Hadi Al Sheikh on Abu Dhabi Media's digital strategy
HISTORY IN THE MAKING
7 Production on filming the high-profile launch of Dubai Canal
Arabsat BADR-7 @ 26ËšE, with unparalleled market specific beams covering the Middle East and Africa
with unrivaled Ku and Ka-band payload and a special Ka-band mission tailored to deliver broadband services from satellite.
Join us at CABSAT 2017 Hall 8 - Stand: B8-10
Mull-Spot Beams in Ka-band
30
Transponders in Ku-band
www.arabsat.com
YAHLIVE BRINGS YOU CLOSER TO YOUR VIEWERS Find out more about our latest news and satellite broadcasting solutions at CABSAT 2017 21-23 March 2017 Yahsat Stand No. D7-10, Hall 7
Yahlive, Satellite Television Entertainment for Communities | No.1 Choice for Farsi Communities
PROintRO
Publishing Director Raz Islam raz.islam@cpimediagroup.com +971 (0) 4 375 5471 Editorial Director Vijaya Cherian vijaya.cherian@cpimediagroup.com +971 (0) 4 375 5472 EDITORIAL Editor Vijaya Cherian vijaya.cherian@cpimediagroup.com +971 (0) 55 105 3787
Welcome
Deputy Editor Vibhuti Arora vibhuti.arora@cpimediagroup.com +971 (0) 4 375 5478 Sub Editor Aelred Doyle
ADVERTISING Group Sales Director Sandip Virk sandip.virk@cpimediagroup.com +971 (0) 50 929 1845 DESIGN Art Director Simon Cobon MARKETING Marketing Manager Lisa Justice lisa.justice@cpimediagroup.com +971 (0) 4 375 5498 CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION Production Manager Vipin V. Vijay vipin.vijay@cpimediagroup.com +971 (0)4 375 5713 Circulation Manager Sunil Kumar sunil.kumar@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5476 DIGITAL SERVICES Mohammad Awais Sadiq Siddiqui Shahan Naseem Published by
I thought it was going to be a quiet year, judging by the slowdown in December 2016, but every morning of 2017 thus far, no sweet call to prayer has awakened me. Rather, a rude cacophony, created by cranes, drilling machines and the other construction machinery surrounding us on every side in every street, wakes us up each morning. I have always seen this as a sign of good times. If there’s noise, hustle and bustle and neverending traffic on the streets, it must mean we are in the middle of that rat race again, with everyone elbowing each other on their way to the new horizon whose margin fades forever and ever as we move towards it. This probably also explains the musical chairs in the market, with several high-profile entries and exits within the broadcast space. Incidentally, we have seen some restructuring at several organisations, with management shuffling people around in the hope that this will lead to better bottom lines. The number of management changes just within Dubai this month, the number of new office launches, the new projects in the market that
everybody is eyeing – these are definitely a reflection that business is slowly on the rise. Everything may centre around Expo 2020 in the UAE, but don’t forget there is also Vision 2030 in KSA and something similar in Qatar. In the meantime, the inaugural edition of DISCOP in Dubai was an eye-opener to how much demand there is for good quality Arabic content. Did you know that China is one of the biggest suppliers of dubbed Arabic content, while Bulgaria serves as a big centre for its production? Content is always an interesting topic, but most of the money in broadcast lies in equipment, services and systems integration, and action has begun on this front. I’m sure we will see more of it as we head towards March with CABSAT drawing close. But let’s wait and watch. Things are still unfolding.
Vijaya Cherian, Editorial Director
CPI Trade Publishing FZ LLC Licensed by TECOM PO Box 13700 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 (0) 4 375 5470 Fax: +971 (0) 4 447 2409
ISSUE 80 | FEBRUARY 2017
Publication licensed by International Media Production Zone, Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Authority
VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERT TALKS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF VR INTERVIEW Abdul Hadi Al Sheikh on Abu Dhabi Media's digital strategy
On this month's cover…
Let’s create a vibrant online broadcast community! @BroadcastProME www.facebook.com/BroadcastProME BroadcastProME
www.cpimediagroup.com FOUNDER Dominic De Sousa (1959-2015) PRINTED BY Printwell Printing Press LLC © Copyright 2017 CPI. All rights reserved.
HISTORY IN THE MAKING
7 Production on filming the high-profile launch of Dubai Canal
Filming the highprofile launch of Dubai Canal.
Subscribe online at:
While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 3
Sennheiser’s best performing analogue and digital receiver system in one compact pack. The EK6042 two-channel camera receiver handles analogue and digital transmitters simultaneously.
A BROADCAST MASTERPIECE
THE NEW SENNHEISER EK 6042 TWO CHANNEL CAMERA RECEIVER
One Receiver Fits All sennheiser.com ME-info@sennheiser.com
PROCONTENTS
Inside this issue 06 NEWS Voddler Group announces high-profile appointments for Dubai office, Starz Play Arabia signs multi-year deals with Hollywood studios, Intigral appoints new CEO, Al Jazeera and Avid tie for cloud-based newsroom, Ikegami opens Dubai office, mena.tv launches content hub, job track and more news
February 2017 voddlEr opENS dubai officE
18
18 hiStory iN thE makiNg Dubai-based 7 Production covers the Dubai Canal opening ceremony
filmiNg dubai caNal lauNch
06 iN a virtual World
chooSiNg thE right cdN
28 iN a virtual World Lewis Smithingham on the future of VR
37 thE futurE of archiviNg A look at some safe and costeffective storage options
40 abu dhabi tv gEarS up for thE futurE Abdul Hadi Al Sheikh on the broadcaster’s digital strategy
28
42 cabSat 2017 prEviEW
42 thE right cdN
improviNg uSEr ExpEriENcE
What’s better — CDN as a service or a dedicated TV CDN?
46 cabSat prEviEW Exhibitors discuss their plans for the upcoming show
56 dElivEriNg a glitchfrEE ott SErvicE Starz Play’s Saleem Bhatti on how to use a CDN to deliver a glitch-free user experience
46
56 February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 5
PROnews
Voddler opens Dubai office, announces key appointments
Adam Lewis, CEO of Voddler Group (l) with Marwan Shehab.
Cloud-streaming service provider Voddler Group has opened a new office in Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai and announced a couple of key appointments to strengthen its Middle East & Africa (MEA) operations. Marwan Shehab, who previously advised on video strategy at du, will head Voddler’s MEA operations. Shehab will be based in Dubai and is tasked with driving the company’s expansion in the region, where several significant deals are already in the pipeline. Joining Shehab at the Dubai office is Khalid Mualla, who has taken on the role of Director of Technology. Mualla was previously with Intigral and responsible for Quality Assurance for Intigral’s operations. “Marwan is a highly respected and connected individual, which makes him a fantastic addition to Voddler’s team as we expand our reach in the MEA region,” said Adam Lewis, CEO of Voddler Group. “He brings with him extensive knowledge of the region stemming from a broad range of experience across the telecommunications, pay TV and OTT spaces, which will directly benefit our customers. Likewise, Khalid brings a wealth of experience
on the OTT side and we have worked with him extensively in the past so we believe he is a fantastic addition to our team. The growth potential in the MENA is huge and we now have two great professionals to take that forward for us in this region.” Lewis added: “Viewer experience is the number one priority for Voddler in the MEA region, where OTT services are faced with an extremely high demand for mobile content consumption. VoddlerNet, our flagship product, not only provides service quality improvements across all networks, but it also offers specific functionalities that allow additional support on mobile devices without impairing performance. We look forward to seeing VoddlerNet used by more OTT service providers in the region to guarantee the best quality viewing experience to all their subscribers, and in particular those who are using mobile devices to access content.” VoddlerNet is a hybrid peer-assisted video streaming solution that expands the reach of streaming video services while maintaining the highest bitrate and quality of service possible, to drive subscriber loyalty and reduce the cost of video streaming.
Selevision opts for VoddlerNet to optimise streaming experience Selevision has chosen Voddler’s hybrid peer-assisted and secure delivery to its global technology platform to optimise the subscriber’s streaming experience. Selevision provides broadcast and online channels direct to consumers under several brands from its bases in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. VoddlerNet combines controlled and secure peer-assisted delivery with direct streaming from the source provider. This hybrid peer-assisted video streaming solution expands the reach of streaming video services, while claiming to maintain the highest bitrate and quality of service possible. “Providing the best possible viewing experience for the end user is vital to us, regardless of which of our entertainment services they are using and wherever they may be viewing from,” said Dr Raed Khusheim, CEO of Selevision. “To maintain our position, we are continually innovating behind the scenes. Voddler’s ability to offer broadcast quality content limitlessly offers real advantages in driving up the quality of experience.” One of the challenges for OTT services in the Gulf region is the high demand for mobile consumption, with mobile penetration rates in KSA exceeding 168%. VoddlerNet provides service quality improvements across all networks but has specific functionality which allows greater support on mobile devices without impairing performance. “As a pre-eminent OTT provider in the MENA region, Selevision already reaches millions of viewers. We want to help them continue their growth,” said Adam Lewis, CEO of Voddler Group.
News flash: Hamad Abdelrazaq has been promoted to Director of Technology at LIVE HD. 6 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
IP Delivered. Making the Complex Simple SAM is at the forefront of developments in IP with products that work today in the SDI domain and allow expansion into the IP world without excessive risk or substantial upgrades. Our switchers, routers, infrastructure and playout systems are all available with IP interfaces supporting both uncompressed (SMPTE 2022-6 and VSF TR-03) and a range of compression formats, including VC-2. Familiar control interfaces provide hybrid SDI/IP operation. Discover more all-round innovation, visit: www.s-a-m.com
PROnews
jOb traCk
telestream has appointed kyle Ford as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO). a new position within telestream’s senior leadership team, Ford will be responsible for the tactical implementation of operational strategies, reporting to company CEO Dan Castles. Ford has a background in the software and digital media industries. In his role as President and COO, he will focus on expanding the company’s market penetration as well as establishing the new live streaming products that telestream introduced in 2016. He is said to bring a fresh perspective to telestream’s go-tomarket strategy.
Intigral appoints new CEO Intigral has appointed Hamoud Al Rumayan as CEO. Al Rumayan will lead Intigral’s future growth plans in the Saudi market, in line with the Saudi Vision for 2030 and the 2020 National Transformation Plan. The announcement follows the recent move by Saudi Telecom Company (STC) to purchase a 100% shareholding in Intigral, and is aligned with the company’s vision to expand operations across the Middle East.
Al Rumayan has more than 25 years of leadership experience in banking, investment, media and consultancy. Prior to joining Intigral, he was an advisor to the minister and also served as finance director and transformation team leader for Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 at the Ministry of Culture and Information. He has also held various leadership positions at Banque Saudi Fransi, National Commercial Bank, SRMG and Gulf Investment Company.
Hamoud Al Rumayan, CEO of Intigral.
Starz Play in multi-year deals with Hollywood studios
Khaled Benchouche, SVP of Programming & Acquisition, Starz Play.
Starz Play has signed a multiyear agreement with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution and 20th Century Fox Television Distribution to stream content in the MENA region. Starz Play now has access to Warner Bros. TV shows such as The Flash, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, Blindspot and all ten seasons of Friends. Khaled Benchouche, SVP of Programming & Acquisition at
Starz Play, commented: “This is a landmark deal which adds some of the most demanded and searched titles to our library. We have been successful in attracting top studios to our platform and we are delighted to bring premium OTT content to the MENA region.” The agreement with 20th Century Fox also adds a large number of blockbuster movies and TV series to the Starz Play content library.
Icflix launches Super Geek Heroes Icflix and Yellow Spot Productions will collaborate to stream an early years' 3D animation series titled Super Geek Heroes. Each episode focuses on curricular areas such as health, literacy, numeracy and social-emotional development. Narrated by children, it
encourages viewers to interact with the content as they watch it. David Lawrence Jones, CEO of Yellow Spot Productions and creator of the Super Geek Heroes, said: “We are excited to be working with Icflix. This is a fantastic opportunity to introduce our early years'
animation series and share our character’s missions to learn!” “We are delighted in working with Yellow Spot Productions in bringing the animated series Super Geek Heroes to Arabic audiences around the world," said Radia Saadaoui, Manager Content Acquisitions & Programming, Icflix.
News flash: Mohamad Othman has joined Videlio; Awad Mousa is now MD of BSS. 8 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
PROnews
OSN to showcase UFC content OSN has entered an exclusive long-term agreement with UFC, a mixed martial arts organisation to deliver UFC shows for its subscribers. The new partnership ensures all UFC content including live events, pre- and postevent shows, and The Ultimate Fighter reality series, is available exclusively for OSN subscribers. Andy Warkman, SVP, Sport & Sports Production, OSN, said: “We are very excited about bringing UFC back to OSN viewers and entering into this long-term partnership. We are listening to our customers, and delivering exclusive content and great value to our new sports channel packages. UFC has seen massive growth and we look forward to working with them and WME|IMG to build on that growth in our region. UFC will be one of our standout offerings in the new sports line-up for 2017. “UFC on OSN will be industrydefining, as for the first time, we will produce localised Arabic content ‘for the region, from the region’ to give UFC fans an unrivalled viewing experience,” continued Warkman. James Elliott, UFC Vice President, EMEA, added: “We are pleased to be partnering with OSN once again to bring even more exciting, new and localised content to viewers across the Middle East and Africa. UFC has previously held two very successful events in the UAE and witnessed first-hand the passion of the fans across the region. Together we will bring athlete stories and events to fans like never before, ensuring they don’t miss a minute of the action.” Also in partnership with UFC, OSN is launching UFC Fight Pass, a digital subscription service featuring the world’s largest combat sports library.
bbC Worldwide announces Middle East deals Natasha Hussain, GM and VP, Middle East & Mediterranean region, BBC Worldwide.
BBC Worldwide has announced the completion of several high-profile deals across the Middle East and Mediterranean region. The announcement was made at DISCOP Dubai. A significant multi-year factual output deal has been agreed with Turkish free-to-air broadcaster NTV for landmark documentaries including Planet Earth II, Forces of Nature and Life in the Air. Another factual deal has also been completed with Al Jazeera in the Middle East for programmes such as City in the Sky, The Hunt and Wild New Zealand. In Drama, Sherlock has been sold across the region and was simulcast alongside the UK’s premiere on BBC First on OSN, Discovery’s TLC channel in Turkey and Cosmote in Greece. SS-GB, based on the book by Len Deighton, will also be simulcast with the UK premiere on the Cosmote channel in Greece. SS-GB based on the alternate history book by Len Deighton, will also be simulcast with the UK premiere on
the Cosmote channel in Greece. Other programme deals have seen the Doctor Who Christmas Special simulcast in Turkey and on BBC First via OSN across the Middle East over the festive period. In Iran, a two-year output deal for drama, factual and music content has been completed with the Marjan TV Network Ltd for their flagship Manoto channel. Titles include War and Peace, Doctor Foster (series one), Life In The Air and Adele – Live in New York City. The key BBC Worldwide format, Dancing with the Stars is also proving to be an on-going draw for broadcasters across the region. MTV Lebanon is just completing its fourth run of the dance show, whilst in Greece, Antenna has signed a deal for the sixth and seventh series. The popularity of BBC Worldwide’s global channel brands has seen a multiyear deal for BBC Entertainment, BBC Earth and BBC World News on the Cyprian IPTV platform MTN. Cablenet in Cyprus has also extended its contract for BBC Entertainment, whilst du has renewed its licence for BBC World News. Natasha Hussain, General Manager and Vice President, Middle East and Mediterranean region, BBC Worldwide said: “We’re delighted that BBC Worldwide, as the powerhouse for British premium content is continuing to go from strength to strength across the Middle East. The range of our programmes and channels is resonating locally and we’re looking forward to enhancing our reputation in the region.”
GCC’s first stand-up comedy premieres on OSN Comedy Central, a division of VIACOM International Media Networks (VIMN), has announced the completion of Comedy Central Presents, which premiered on OSN this month. The brand has teamed up with local talent from across the Middle East to create exclusive regional content, which was produced and recorded
live in Stereo Arcade, Dubai. Comedy Central Presents is the first stand-up comedy production in the GCC, gathering 30 of the region’s most promising Arab comedians. The diverse group is made up of both professional comedians and first-timers who will perform in Arabic and English, blending international and regional tastes.
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 9
PROnews
turkish news channel trt World expands to 190 countries
Turkish broadcaster TRT has signed a new agreement to launch its international news platform TRT World on 10 additional satellites and expand its reach and viewership. This multiyear agreement was signed with Globecast, a global solutions provider for media. TRT World can now be viewed all over the world in new territories (190 countries in total) via Turksat and 10 additional
Discovery Communications deploys Signiant Flight Discovery Communications is using Signiant’s Flight solution for accelerated delivery of programme content to the cloud via Discovery’s global media asset submission platform, the Producer’s Portal. The new system allows content creators to ingest media assets directly into cloud object storage rather than physically shipping data tapes, which reduces delivery time from several days to just a few hours.
Discovery’s Producer’s Portal provides content submission services to its global network of more than 600 production partners, allowing them to send finished programmes and all associated elements to cloud object storage over any internet connection. Producers interact via a browserbased interface, initiating high-speed transfers at the producer’s facility and infrastructure in the cloud.
10 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
major broadcast satellites operating across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Africa, Australia and North America. This expanded reach has already begun and will be completed in the coming months. As a strategic partner to TRT World, Turksat has been working extensively with Globecast to provide the technical broadcast solutions needed to achieve this expanded global delivery. Globecast is providing worldwide connectivity and uplink distribution services using its unique reach to access the 10 satellites. Director General of TRT Senol Göka said that this is an important project for the broadcaster. “As TRT World, we keep growing and making new international broadcast agreements. With this deal, TRT World’s reporting-from-thefield approach to creating news that focuses on the humanitarian aspect of the stories will be available in 190 countries. TRT World will continue to bring a new perspective to international news broadcasting to an expanded global audience,” Göka said.
BroadbandTV expands in Asia, Middle East Canadian multiplatform network BroadbandTV (BBTV) is expanding into the Middle East and Asia and is now available in Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt. In addition to reaching 22bn monthly impressions across its owned and operated library and brands
as well as its network of 85,000 content creators, BBTV is also the third largest video property worldwide, following only Google and Facebook. Founder and CEO Shahrzad Rafati commented: “These regions have huge potential. The Middle East can add $95bn annually to its GDP through digital by 2020.”
jOb traCk
Snell advanced Media (SaM) has appointed Phil Myers to lead its IP product range. With more than 20 years’ experience of product management and business development, Myers has held a number of technology leadership roles within the industry, most recently for Grass Valley in the EMEa region, where he was responsible for architecting digital media workflows and IP solutions. He previously worked at CVP Group, Pinnacle Systems and Sony and co-founded Oddfish films in 1997. Commenting on his appointment, Myers said: “I am delighted to be joining SaM at this time. I’ve witnessed first-hand the excitement that SaM has generated in the market and I am eager to bring my experience and background to help to further develop SaM’s compelling proposition in IP."
PROnews
al jazeera and avid tie to build cloudbased newsroom Mohamed Abuagla, CIO/CTO at Al Jazeera Media Network.
THAT FEELING YOU GET WHEN YOU COLLABORATE SUCCESSFULLY
Avid and Al Jazeera are collaborating to develop and test cloud-based technology deployments of the end-to-end Avid newsroom solution, with the aim of building the world’s first-ever hybrid cloud deployment of the MediaCentral Platform across the Qatari network’s large, global newsroom operation. The collaboration has also led the two companies to sign a major multi-million-dollar framework agreement. Avid’s team has been working closely with Al Jazeera on a long-term Avid Everywhere strategy to implement an open, integrated and efficient news workflow based on MediaCentral across its global news network. The final and most complex phase of the implementation was at Al Jazeera’s Doha headquarters and went live at the end of 2016. Avid is presently working with Al Jazeera on the next phase of its technology strategy, which will see the broadcaster introduce cloud-based capabilities into its workflows and new hybrid cloud deployment models for its global news production infrastructure, to help drive even greater global collaboration and operational efficiency across the enterprise. “Our industry is increasingly competitive, complex and is changing rapidly. Despite our success, we knew we had to overhaul our global newsgathering and delivery platforms to remain an industry leader. We needed a partner that understood the industry, could deliver innovative technology solutions to solve our strategic needs and could work collaboratively over the long term,” said Mohamed Abuagla, Executive Director of Technology & Operations (CIO/CTO), Al Jazeera Media Network.
AT G&D, WE DON’T JUST BUILD THE BEST KVM SYSTEMS. BY WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER, WE’LL BUILD THE BEST SYSTEM FOR YOU.
G&D AT CABSAT STAND C3-31 G&D AT NAB STAND N5624
To us, it’s not enough to have an unmatched reputation for reliability, usability and performance. Or to be an ISO 9001 certified company with the most comprehensive product range in the industry. Or even to be continually developing innovations such as our compression algorithm that delivers the highest video quality whilst ensuring latencyfree operation.
Our overriding aim is to put together a KVM system tailormade to your needs. This involves exceptional levels of consultation from the outset – and exhaustive attention to detail during and after construction. Investing in a G&D system will provide your business with tangible advantages now and into the future. Let’s make that first connection. Contact us today.
www.gdsys.de
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 11 16/01/2017 12:21
Collaborate 85x230 CABSAT/NAB.indd 1
PROnews
aCQUISItIOn GlObECaSt SEllS StakE In nEtIa Globecast has sold all its shares in netia to two French media entrepreneurs, anthony Savelli and Vincent benveniste. the acquisition was made via radio act SaS, their consulting and services agency. both businessmen have more than 25 years of experience in media It and are known for transforming technology businesses in synergy with customers, partners and staff. netia CEO thierry Gandilhon explained: “Our teams have already started a dialogue with several customers, and we are confident that they will benefit from this new set-up, particularly from a user experience and lifecycle management standpoint.”
mena.tv provides broadcasters platform to monetise content mena.tv, an initiative from Dubai-based broadcast consultancy and services provider, ChannelSculptor has launched a content hub to give regional broadcasters a common platform to showcase their programming libraries and attract both regional and international buyers. The mena.tv hub at DISCOP Dubai hosted content from top-tier broadcasters such as LBC International, Spacetoon, Al Hayat, Al Aan TV, Ro’ya, Al Kahera Wal Nas, Ajman TV, CNBC Arabia and Rotana Group. DISCOP was held from January 29 to 31. Content such as LBCI’s Amelia, Al Hayat’s Ramez Around the World, CNBC Arabia’s Between Numbers and classic kids' shows such as Masha & the Bear were amongst the hundreds of titles showcased at the mena.tv hub. Speaking about LBC’s participation in this initiative, Pierre El Daher, Chairman of LBC International commented: “We are delighted to be working with mena.tv to develop new opportunities for our content.
BFE and Brightcove enter strategic partnership BFE and Brightcove have entered into a strategic partnership to provide tierone broadcasters and operators with converged video workflow technology for both traditional and online broadcast formats. Broadcast services companies are increasingly entering the digital and OTT space, and this convergence between traditional broadcast and digital media was the key factor in Brightcove’s decision to add a
12 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
modular technology strategy. Through this, the company is able to offer specific capabilities and players, encoding in parallel with endto-end publishing workflows in the shape of video cloud. This dual strategy has resonated in the market and given Brightcove the opportunity to partner in support of converged workflows for the broadcast vertical. which led to the decision to partner with German SI BFE.
LBC has amassed an exceptional library, and DISCOP provides the perfect stage to showcase it to the global content industry.” The content featured at the mena.tv hub will also be available for programme buyers around the world to browse online at mena. tv. Rights owners from the Arab world will now be able to market their programming to the global content industry through this new B2B content trading portal. “There is a wealth of great content in the region, and the potential for business is considerable, especially when you consider the number of new content platforms launching around the world,” commented Nick Grande, MD of ChannelSculptor and founder of mena.tv. “but the regional TV industry spans over 20 countries, so coordination and cooperation is a big challenge”. He added: “mena.tv will help broadcasters and content owners to have a clearer message and louder voice”.
Ikegami inaugurates Dubai office Ikegami announced the opening of its Dubai office last month. The new office is located in JLT in Dubai and will be headed by Abdul Ghani, General Manager, Ikegami Middle East.
Ikegami's newly opened office in JLT, Dubai.
Ikegami Dubai will offer demonstration stock, sales as well as technical support for its Middle East customers. The Dubai office will be a hub for the company's Middle East operations.
Ultra-high picture quality: HEVC video encoding from Rohde & Schwarz. The compact ¸AVHE100 platform is setting new standards for audio/video headends with full support for UHDTV/HDR and HEVC statistical multiplexing. Our proven HEVC encoder provides ultra-high picture quality at far lower bitrates than you might expect. The flexible and scalable ¸AVHE100 platform also integrates other functionalities such as video format conversion, audio encoding/transcoding, versatile failover mechanisms, event scheduler, DVB-T2 gateway, SFN inserter and much, much more. See for yourself by visiting www.rohde-schwarz.com/ad/avhe100
Visit us at CABSAT March 21 to 23, 2017 Dubai World Trade Centre Booth E2-10 in Hall 2
Rohde & Schwarz 4K: more than just resolution
PROnews
Es’hail-1 adds Iraqi channel Al Rafidain TV channel is now available on the Es’hail-1 satellite located at the 25.5 East hotspot covering the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Al Rafidain is an Iraqi satellite TV channel, which showcases Iraqi political, economic, cultural and social
identity. With the goal of advocating unity among Iraqis, the channel broadcasts programmes that reject intolerance and fight sectarianism and racism, while highlighting the history and tradition of Iraqi civilisation. Es’hailSat President & CEO Ali Ahmed Al Kuwari said: “We are delighted that Al Rafidain TV Channel has chosen Es’hail-1 satellite to reach customers across MENA. This is a testament to our commitment in promoting Arabic content across the region. With one satellite in operation and a second satellite scheduled for launch in 2017 and a new teleport, we believe that we have the optimum solution Ali Ahmed Al Kuwari, for broadcasters and viewers President & CEO, Es’hailSat. in the MENA region.”
www.c a n a r e . co . jp/e n
Japan Quality
See us at CABSAT2017 Hall1 Stand:118
14 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
Adder announces new senior appointments Adder Technology has announced the appointment of Caleb Hooper as Vice President of Business Development and Product Marketing. Hooper has 15 years of experience in the control room industry, with a proven track record in business development and product marketing across industrial, broadcast and government environments. The company has also announced the promotion of Jamie Adkin to Vice President Sales EMEA. Adkin has worked in the industry for almost 10 years. His expanded remit includes developing company strategy that directly contributes to the growth and expansion of Adder across EMEA. Working closely with Adder’s sales and marketing team, Adkin will be responsible for implementing a channel strategy which focuses on partner development and sales enablement.
BBC iPlayer to be reinvented to rival Netflix and Amazon by 2020 BBC Director General Tony Hall has said that the BBC iPlayer will be reinvented in a bid to make it the UK’s top online TV service by 2020. He described iPlayer as “the biggest revolution of the last charter” and said it now had to increase its reach. The BBC’s centenary will be in 2022, by which point Hall says, he wants the BBC to be “irresistible: to all audiences". "The online portal plans to take on rivals Netflix and Amazon to claim top spot in the UK VoD space. In an attempt to do so, the broadcaster will consider adding more relevant content and entire series to the service before they are screened on TV.
Tom Williams, Chief Executive at Ostmodern, reacted to Hall’s statement to say there is no single formula for success in the VOD world, considering the growing competition. “BBC iPlayer is a great example of the success broadcasters can find in VoD. Between traditional broadcasters, streaming services and other players that are jumping on the bandwagon, it’s become a very complicated and competitive market. Giving viewers more control over what they want to watch and putting out an entire series in one go is sometimes effective, but isn’t always necessarily helpful without the right approach to manage this.”
Be the first on air. R&S®VENICE. Streamline your production workflow from ingest to playout up to 4K with the R&S®VENICE ingest and playout platform. Be the first on air with R&S®VENICE. It is especially suited for the high demands of live production, content creation and distribution. Benefit from the system’s open platform, advanced connectivity, smart operations and vast selection of broadcast and production codecs out of the box. Get more information here: www.rohde-schwarz.com/ad/media-solutions
Visit us at CABSAT March 21 to 23, 2017 Dubai World Trade Centre Booth E2-10 in Hall 2
Rohde & Schwarz 4K: more than just resolution
PROfilm
Prague celebrates Iranian cinema The recently concluded Festival of Iranian Films in Prague screened several new films, including documentaries and features. Artistic Director Kaveh Daneshmand provided more details about this year’s edition, along with Kaveh Farnam, CEO of Dubai-based company Advanced Media, a long-term partner of the festival The Festival of Iranian Films took place in Prague from January 10-15, 2017. The festival was first launched in January 2012, with 410 seats in two screening halls in Kino Světozor, a Prague arthouse dedicated to films. In its six consecutive editions, the festival has attracted more than 26,000 visitors, including 80 international guests. Countries represented at the festival include Iran, the Czech Republic, Afghanistan, Egypt, the UK, France, Germany, South Africa and the US. More than 100 Iranian films have been presented at the festival in more than 300 screenings. Kaveh Farnam, CEO of Advanced Media, the main sponsor and a partner of the film festival, says
every year the festival represents a diverse collection of films. “The festival represents a cross-section of Iranian filmmakers from Iran as well as the Iranian diaspora. In fact, this year I noticed a number of entries from Iranian filmmakers based out of Iran. Many of the films focused on immigrant issues and dealt with life during the eight-year-long Iran-Iraq war. “The festival attracts film lovers from different parts of the world and offers a window into Iranian sensibility. Hadi Mohaghegh’s Immortal (Mamiro) was particularly memorable for me. It’s a low-budget film but very impactful and leaves an indelible mark on the viewer. This film has also won many
16 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
awards at various film festivals around the world,” says Farnam. Over the years, the festival has expanded to other venues in Prague, such as Kino Lucerna, Bio Oko and Gallery Langhans, and to other Czech cities such as Brno and Olomouc as well as to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Artistic Director, Kaveh Daneshmand, says the festival has generated a lot of interest among audiences, as is evident from the way it has grown Alongside in the last few years. film “Iranian cinematography is screenings, the festival indeed one of the most dynamic hosts several film industries of the world workshops with over 200 fictional features, with 3,000 shorts and 100 feature established filmmakers. documentaries produced annually.
PROfilm
A huge majority of these films are produced by independent filmmakers and with very little financial support. A large number of these films premiere in prestigious festivals every year.” The Festival of Iranian Films is organised by Media Nest, a production company based in Prague with direct connections to the film industries of the Czech Republic, Iran and the UAE. The festival is managed by an international team of film professionals while at the helm is Torang Daneshmand, President, followed by Kaveh Daneshmand, Artistic Director; and Andrea Svobodova, Executive Director. The majority of the festival team are Czech film professionals and it is supported by the Czech Ministry of Culture as well as Prague Municipality.
Daneshmand says the festival is not limited to a few venues in Prague but takes place in various parts of the city to make it accessible to more audiences. “Throughout the year, the festival hosts several events focused on Iranian art. What began as a vehicle to present some of the best cinema from Iran has now evolved into a well-rounded event to showcase Iranian art. The festival now includes music, theatre, painting and graphic design as well.” Last year, the first IranianCzech feature film co-production, A Very Ordinary Citizen, premiered in Kino Lucerna. “This co-production was initiated in the fourth edition of the festival and within its industry programme. The film was supported by the Czech State Fund for Cinematography and marked the
The festival has grown into a wellrounded art event.
beginning of the collaborations between the Czech and Iranian film professionals. It has quickly opened the doors to more feature film coproductions,” explains Daneshmand. The festival has hosted notable figures of Czech, Iranian and Arab cinema such as Eva Zaoralova, Petr Koliha, Rakhshan Banietemad, Ali Mosaffar, Katerina Besserova, Rokhsareh Ghaemmaghami, Alaa Karkouti, Ronald Bergan, Siddiq Barmak and Nujoom Alghanem since its launch in 2012. “I must add here that the festival has received very positive support for its programme and structure from organisations such as Czech TV, People in Need and FAMU, as well as tremendous support from many reputable media partners such as Respekt, A2, Aktualne and National Geographic among others,” concludes Daneshmand. PRO
Kaveh Farnam, CEO of Dubaibased Advanced Media, a long-term sponsor and partner of the Festival of Iranian Films.
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 17
PROCOVER
18 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
PROCOVER
History in The making
Dubai-based 7 Production became a part of history in the making with its coverage of the Dubai Canal opening ceremony as it brought spectacular images from the event to TV screens worldwide. Vibhuti Arora speaks with the men behind the scenes to find how they recreated the magic of the event for TV audiences Dubai unveiled yet another man-made wonder in the heart of the city with the opening of Dubai Canal on November 9, 2016. The opening ceremony of the iconic site was a fittingly grand event with a stunning display of sound and light complete with breathtaking fireworks and live performances. Italian events company Prodea was in charge of the event and Dubai-based 7 Production filmed the opening. 7 Production was also responsible for covering the opening of the Dubai Opera, in October last year. That production was undertaken in 4K as it was not intended for live broadcast. The opening of the Dubai Canal, however, was a complete end-to-end HD production. In this scenario, perhaps one of the biggest concerns was being able to undertake a production in the midst of a large gathering while also ensuring that the security of dignitaries was not compromised. The production covered the entire ceremony including aerial performances, laser displays, fireworks and a VIP tour of the canal on both water and land. The event was, therefore, divided into two segments to cover the performances and the VIPs, as well as the inauguration ceremony of the canal conducted by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. 7 Production put together the production of the entire ceremony in a 50-minute programme broadcast on Dubai TV and its partner broadcasters worldwide. Pierre Tabet, Managing Director of 7 Production, says the event was very demanding because of its stature and importance. There was absolutely no room
for error because it represented Dubai to the world outside and was potentially a springboard of success for future projects for the production company. “The 2.7 billion dirham ($735m) Dubai Canal was inaugurated on the evening of November 9, amidst much fanfare and had several dignitaries and VVIPs in attendance. There was a live show and lots of grandeur around it, which had to be recreated for TV. So we treated it as two events rather than one in order to capture the essence of the ceremony. We had to make sure that not a single moment was missed. We had to deliver more than 100% and make this a success,” he says. 40 cameras, both wired and wireless, were controlled by two OB vans and more than 140 crew were on-site to manage the show. The two OB vans were placed strategically along the length of the water canal at a distance of 3.5km, with one van acting as the hub that delivered the final feed to the broadcaster. Planning was key, according to Commercial and Production Director Nabil Abou Samra, the in-house director. He covered the VIPs gathered for His Highness to announce the opening of Dubai Water Canal by lighting up the canal. Another director, Paul Van Koelen, was roped in from the Netherlands to handle the performances. Both were posted in different OB vans. “We filmed the VVIPs during the opening ceremony and as they toured the canal. The cameras placed on the boat also filmed the performances held in the canal, as well as the views from the launch of the waterfall and fireworks on the other end of the canal. A Steadicam was constantly following the VVIPs to capture their expressions and
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 19
You tell the story, we control equipment News • Studio • MCR
A strong, independent company with the industry’s largest portfolio of automation products • ASTRA Studio news production automation • ASTRA Take 2 – studio automation with multi-camera ingest • ASTRA MCR playout automation • ASTRA MAM media asset management
www.aveco.com
PROCOVER
reactions during the show. I handled these camera feeds from one of the OB vans, while the other one had Paul, who took care of camera feeds that captured the laser and light shows, fireworks and live performances,” says Abou Samra. A large screen was also installed at the venue to showcase footage from the Dubai Creek opening from the 1960s and 70s. This was also an important part of the event and was covered as part of the inauguration by Abou Samra. It presented a mix of the old and the new with some shots from the live performances as well. Host broadcaster Dubai TV posted two reporters in the VIP area for interviews and commentary, and on one of the bridges over the canal, which were also filmed. Five SNG vans for main and backup feeds transmitted the signals to satellite for live broadcast. With no line of sight between the two vans, the fibre optic cable installed provided the most
“The 2.7 billion dirham ($735m) Dubai Canal was inaugurated on the evening of November 9, amidst much fanfare and had several dignitaries and VVIPs in attendance. There was a live show and lots of grandeur around it, which had to be recreated for TV. So we treated it as two events rather than one in order to capture the essence of the ceremony. We had to make sure that not a single moment was missed. We had to deliver more than 100% and make this a success” Pierre Tabet, managing Director, 7 Production
reliable main and backup link between the two vans, explains Tony Jabbour, Head of Engineering and Operations at 7 Production. “The two signals were being received and delivered between OB 1 to 2 and OB 2 to 1. The vans also had intercom – both the vans could see each other and interact with each other as one single OB. While the fibre cable was the main transport mechanism between the two vans, there were two backups for this setup, one via SNG and the other through RF. We had three plans to secure our transmission and live feed.” Tabet further adds that multiple backups were required to make the production glitchfree and 100% reliable. “We couldn’t risk it, so a number of backups were established.” It was not an easy job for 7 Production when the team started preparing for it four days before the actual ceremony. The
Pierre Tabet, Managing Director, 7 Production.
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 21
Meet Newtec Dialog the platforM that eMbraces chaNge flexibility • scalability • efficiency NEW RELEASE 2.1
hub portfolio for small to multi-service hts & global networks NEW complete Dvb-s2x wiDebanD moDem portfolio
visit us at CABSAT 2017 march 21 - 23 booth b7-20 Dubai worlD traDe center #NewtecDialog www.newtec.eu
PROCOVER
canal was in the final stages of construction and a lot of loose ends had to be tied up on-site. “We couldn’t disrupt the ongoing jobs and had to figure out ways to do our cable and camera setup alongside. The cameras had to cover the entire area yet they had to be deployed very discreetly. None of the cables could show either, so the entire broadcast setup had to merge with the background and not stand out,” points out Tabet. Hence the team relied heavily on wireless camera systems. The audio was captured using in-camera and ambient mics. The canal was covered on all ends with 12 Vislink wireless camera systems installed on Sony cameras, with some of them on the bridges and on the boats as well as some strategically placed along the walkway.
Nabil Abou Samra, Commercial and Production Director, 7 Production.
“We were prepared for different scenarios because in live events, things rarely go as planned. We had covered the entire walkway where the sheikhs would walk and also provisioned to cover the area in case they decided to take a detour. As it happened, they did take a detour from the main path, but we had that covered too and did not miss any crucial moments” nabil abou Samra, Commercial and Production Director, 7 Production
SGL has an established history serving the archive needs of broadcast facilities in the Middle East and around the world. SGL’s archive solutions now include new FlashNet Lite. FlashNet Lite combines the power and flexibility of FlashNet with the elegance of FlashNet Infinity, all at a highly compelling price. Discover more about FlashNet Infinity, FlashNet Lite and all our new developments at CABSAT 2017 booth D2-41
T: +44 (0)1489 889930 | E: sales@sglbroadcast.com | W: sglbroadcast.com
Global leaders in Archive & Storage Management
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 23
PROCOVER
Two helicopters were deployed with one Cineflex each for aerial footage. These were also equipped with two powerful Vislink wireless systems of five Watt each and covered a circular area of three kilometres around the canal. Another vantage point that captured panoramic views of the canal and the ceremony was a camera from the top of the JW Marquis Hotel, a few metres from the canal. An RF Relay was installed with antennas atop the 72-floor hotel, one of the highest buildings in the vicinity. This RF Relay system captured all the signals transmitted from the wireless camera systems, decoded them and multiplexed them into one signal. These were then sent back to the OB vans, where they were de-multiplexed and distributed to receivers to decode the RF signals and receive pictures from the various wireless cameras.
“There were far too many frequencies so we had to use filters with permission from TRA. Special RF spectrum analyser tools were used to scan the frequencies in this area and we were able to choose the best and the ‘cleanest’ frequencies to avoid any disruption on our signals. As each wireless camera had to have a different frequency, we used 12 to 13 frequencies” Tony Jabbour, head of engineering and Operations, 7 Production
Tony Jabbour, Head of Engineering and Operations, 7 Production.
24 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
Having 12 wireless cameras on the premises that stretched less than 5km was a big challenge, says Jabbour. “There were far too many frequencies so we had to use filters with permission from TRA. Special RF spectrum analyser tools were used to scan the frequencies in this area and we were able to choose the best and the ‘cleanest’ frequencies to avoid any disruption on our signals. As each wireless camera had to have a different frequency, we used 12 to 13 frequencies,” he says. One of the OBs acted as the hub that delivered the final feed to the broadcaster. The footage from all 40 cameras was available to both OBs, where the directors created a single final feed for the broadcaster. “Initially we were asked to provide different signals to different parties who would be present on the premises, but this didn’t work out to be a viable option as the venue would have been too crowded in
Bridging the Gaps Affordable Mini-Converters for Analog and Digital Conversion, SD Distribution and SD/HD Transformations HD is fast becoming the norm, but SD is a reality you can’t ignore, whether digital or analog. Look to AJA’s V2Digital and V2Analog Mini-Converters for ultimate flexibility between analog and digital signal types. Distribute your NTSC or PAL input signal to 6 outputs from a single SD source with C10DA and convert between SD and HD in either direction with the portable and powerful UDC.
UDC
C10DA
V2Digital and V2Analog
Up, Down, Cross-Converter
Analog Video 1x6 Distribution Amplifier
The UDC is a broadcast quality up, down, cross Mini-Converter which can convert between SD, HD, and 3G video formats. Using the same AJA industry leading conversion technology as in our FS2 frame synchronizer and converter, the UDC provides very high quality conversions affordably.
The C10DA is a 1x6 analog distribution amplifier with support for NTSC and PAL offering the ability to distribute multiple copies of the incoming signal or extend content of composite video with gain adjustment to compensate for long cable runs where needed.
Analog to HD/SD-SDI and HD/SD-SDI to Analog Mini-Converters
The C10DA can also be used to DA tri-level sync in an HD facility when a sync signal is fed externally into the video input.
|
Find out more at www.aja.com
Mediasys
Tel: +971 4 4503795 • www.mediasysdubai.com
AJA makes high quality conversion even more affordable. The V2Digital and V2Analog Mini-Converters handle a wide range of analog and digital signal types for easy integration and pristine image quality.
PROCOVER
that case. So we decided against it and provided a single feed to the broadcaster, who then distributed the international feed from their end. The feed was in,” adds Jabbour. The production house had all the equipment required to cover the opening ceremony. A traditional OB setup was used in the production, although Jabbour points out that 7 Production is now readying for IP productions as well. “We have not used IP in our productions so far because the ecosystem is not yet ready for it. An IP setup in such scenarios is ideal but the infrastructure should support it. Also, the client should be ready to handle IP productions. There are several issues with IP, such as bandwidth, compression, cost and engineering, which require cross-functional skills and knowledge,” he points out. Jabbour believes that broadcast technology will eventually change the approach for many types of productions, creating new workflows, but “the migration from SDI baseband to IP video routing/ networking is imperative”. “This coming NAB, I am expecting a lot of development in IP to make it a mainstream technology,” he adds. The production house is in the final stages of acquiring a 4K OB van, claimed to be the first-ofits-kind in the region, which will be capable of an end-to-end 4K production. Once ready, the OB van will be used for HD as well as 4K productions as the company gears up for 2020 and 2022 events. “We are equipped to handle seven big productions simultaneously, thanks to our vast inventory of equipment and our robust OB fleet comprising seven large and medium trucks as well as flyaway kits. We bought a few lenses for the canal opening for optimally capturing bird’s eye footage,” says Tabet. A key highlight of the Dubai Canal opening ceremony was the
The two OB vans feature: • 34 x Sony camera HDC 1700 • 4 x Sony SuperSlomo camera HDC-3300R • 2 x helicopter • 2 x Cineflex • 12 x Visling wireless system • 40 x Canon lenses: XJ100 / X95 / XJ86 / XJ72 / XJ60 / HJ40 / HJ22 /HJ17 / HJ11 • Vinten & Cartoni tripod • 10 x Stanton Jimmy Jib • Kayak HD 3.5ME vision mixer • Lawo MC2 66 audio mixer • GVG Trinix 128X192 video matrix • Clearcom Matrix Plus 3 • Motorola wireless talkback • EVS servers • Ross Carbonite • Midas Pro 6
• Clearcom Matrix Plus Iii + RTS panels
26 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
play of light and sound, which had to be captured in pristine quality for TV viewers to feel they were attending the event live. “Lighting can be a major challenge in filming. The lights have to be camera friendly, otherwise the footage, despite the best cameras and lenses, will not be up to the mark. We worked with the events company to use lights that were suitable for filming. The role of the camera operators is critical in doing this right. They should understand how the camera sensor and the lens will react when exposed to a certain type of light and adjust the cameras accordingly, to capture the right amount of light to produce quality imagery. Several mood lights were installed on-site especially for the event. We didn’t change any of those and recreated the same effect on TV screens,” Tabet says. “It’s passion that drives us. With every new event, we learn something new. We were prepared for different scenarios because in live events rarely do things go as planned. We had covered the entire walkway where the sheikhs would walk and also provisioned to cover the area in case they decided to take a detour. As it happened, they did take a detour from the main path, but we had that covered too and did not miss any crucial moments. “The Dubai Water Canal opening led to many more opportunities for us. Our client RTA was extremely happy with the coverage. You can achieve anything with proper planning, and for this production we drew up a map of our entire camera network and the execution just fell in place. At the end of it, we produced a memorable event. In fact, we bagged another highprofile project as soon as this one was completed. 7 Production was contracted to cover the opening of the Etihad Museum with all the seven rulers of the seven emirates of the UAE,” says Abou Samra. PRO
PROVR
28 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
PROVR
Recognising the growth of Virtual Reality (VR) in the UAE, the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) held a number of sessions on the state of VR and its potential for immersive storytelling. One of the speakers at the event was Lewis Smithingham, CTO of 30ninjas, a pioneer in VR filmmaking who has worked on VR content around the globe for the past four years. He recently completed Invisible, a VR mini-series with Doug Liman, producer and director of films including The Bourne Identity. First, can you give us a quick overview of VR? VR isn’t new; it’s been around since the 1990s. It’s only in the last few years that it has been consumerised. VR is a realistic and immersive simulation of a threedimensional environment. The viewer can literally look and go anywhere in the film. There are two key points in VR. First, the viewer has to be wearing an HMD (head-mounted display) to be right in the middle of the action or immersed in the film or content. Second, it is completely different for the video storyteller because you give up some control to the viewer and he or she can look and go anywhere in the story. It sounds dangerous for creatives, but actually they can put cookie crumbs or sounds to guide the viewer in the film. It’s not something that is taught in film schools yet, so most VR filmmakers do an awful lot of shooting and experimentation to find out what works and what doesn’t. But when it’s done right, the viewer experience is really thrilling and rewarding.
a virtual world
uS-based virtual reality expert, lewis Smithingham, was in Dubai for DiFF recently, to explore the use of vr technology in the region. in an interview with BroadcastPro ME, Smithingham discusses vr and where it is headed
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 29
PROVR
For those who didn’t attend DIFF, was there a particular highlight of the event for you? One of the highlights for me at DIFF was the Embodied Media Project from Japan. In talking with UAE filmmakers during the event, they were just as enthusiastic because they could see the potential for them and the consumer/viewer of tomorrow. Embodied Media’s goal is to create future media technologies that record, share, enhance and create experiences that entertain, enchant and empower us. Is there really a VR scene in Dubai? Before I visited Dubai, I thought it might have been in the gestation stage – between conception and birth – and for that, I apologise. Dubai is one of the fastest growing and most progressive cities in
Lewis Smithingham and crew on a film location.
www.asperasoft.com moving the world’s data at maximum speed
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 31
PROVR
For the Conan O’Brien 360 show, 30ninjas shot the show with multiple cameras and did production/post work on the set to quickly deliver final content for the network.
the world, and from my brief visit I saw some very progressive studios and marketers who are seriously looking at how they can use the technology to entertain people and promote products. I know you were in Amsterdam for IBC and am not certain if you had an opportunity to visit the Virtual Reality Cinema, but I would guess that there are probably creative groups working right now to open facilities soon in Dubai. Knowing how progressive IMAX is and how quickly they are moving to open the next-generation theatres, I’m certain the city is on their roadmap. Why cinemas, you might ask? It is because of the richness of the content you participate in. Every time you put on an HMD and enter an immersive story, it is never the same viewing twice. As I alluded to before, you can go right, left, look up, look down and every time the film is different. The viewer controls the story and tries new avenues. It’s amazing. I visited Giga Works while I was in Dubai, and they are currently doing some excellent work in the areas of documentaries, travelogues, streaming 360/VR work, and are pushing the technology
“People are amazed at how much content we capture when we’re doing a 360 or VR project, and you can easily use 2550 terabytes of storage a day. It’s an important part of the VR equation and as we shoot in 4K and HDR, it’s only going to increase. High-performance computers and highthroughput, expandable storage are mandatory” lewis Smithingham, CtO, 30ninjas into marketing consumer and business products/services. Pixel Hunters is a Dubaibased animation company that I unfortunately didn’t have the time to visit but have been told are doing some great animated VR segments. Animation was tailor made for VR, because you can immerse a person into a virtual world that only exists in the mind of the creators, so you can let them go into outer space or
32 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
visit the centre of the earth, interact with non-existent characters, run 100kph, fly unassisted and vanquish monsters or your enemy. It’s not just a cartoon; the viewer is right in the middle of everything and it feels and sounds remarkably realistic. There are other firms I heard of that are using VR to design and sell building projects. Once the person puts on the HMD, he or she can look inside, outside of a building – for example – from the top down, inside and out, walking through rooms that your mind says are real. So you know before the ground is broken that you’re going to really like the completed work. Are there applications and opportunities for VR in the broadcast industry? Talking with DIFF attendees and the people at Giga Works, it is already in the experimental usage phase in Dubai. Broadcast opportunities have been in the testing trial phase through most of last year for us, as well as several partners and broadcasters around the globe. For example, one of our European partners produced several livestream soccer matches with our assistance and then we jointly critiqued the
PROVR
results to provide the viewer with the feeling that they were at the match and in the middle of the action. Most of the streaming concerts and sporting events – including the Olympics in Brazil – have been and are being done in 180. It’s good, because it’s an improvement from standard flat image capture/ streaming. But from our tests, we know rich 360 coverage is possible. The NBA and Golden State Warriors regularly stream 360 coverage of games so you can feel you are right in the middle of the action, not just sitting courtside but able to view a play or shot from every angle. We’ve been working with Nokia Ozo on projects for Ozo Live. I feel full 360 capture and streaming is necessary to give the viewer the honest feeling of being at the event, viewing the play and shot from every angle. The same is true of streaming a concert or play, because well planned and executed VR capture, production and streaming gives the viewer a rich, satisfying
“The most frustrating part of the 360/VR creative process is stitching [the process by which multiple camera angles are fused together into a spherical video panorama]. While the software is steadily improving, it is still very laborious and expensive – often $10,000-plus per finished minute”
We shot the entire show in 360 with multiple camera rigs, with post-production being done behind the scenes to finalise the entire special in record time for delayed broadcast streaming. It is a tremendous effort on the part of the production/post-production team, but the show owners couldn’t believe the outstanding response they received from the audience. All of this right now is still in the experience development phase at the present time, but I am completely confident that you’ll see more and more of it over the next two years, and soon it will be standard viewing lewis Smithingham, CtO, 30ninjas fare. There have already been sporting events and TV show specials experience that is hard to explain produced here in Dubai, and the until you see it and feel it. volume is only going to increase. Networks, studios and specific By 2018, I am confident that every shows have also been doing network and studio will have regular 360-degree specials that have been 360 specials, including dramas, enthusiastically reviewed by the documentaries, regularly scheduled The various specials’ producers and the audience. VR rigs shows, concerts, plays and sporting Last year, our firm produced events that people throughout the used in productions. UAE will be putting on their HMDs the Conan O’Brien 360 special.
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 33
PROVR
From top: The crew prepares for filming; VR shoot in the ocean and Lewis Smithingham shoots a 360-degree selfie.
to enjoy. Once you experience it, it is just too compelling! What other uses for VR do you see here in Dubai and elsewhere around the globe? They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but VR lets you experience a product, a service and a location. The technology, properly executed, I believe, will be a major marketing tool in the coming years. You can experience a travel location. In fact, in a couple of hours, you could visit a dozen exotic places and almost feel as though you had been there. You can do breathtaking, risky adventures like climbing the Himalayas, skydiving, scuba diving in spectacular locations… almost anything you can think of in the privacy of your HMD. You could take off your HMD and be as exhausted as though you did everything in the location in five action-packed days. Want to test drive multiple cars but don’t want to waste weeks and months doing it? You can go to a kiosk or stream the content to your home and put them through their paces, so you know exactly which you want before you buy. You can try new furnishings in your home, test out new tools, try new layouts to your house before you remodel and know you’ll be completely satisfied. Will VR be mainstream production and viewing this year? Let me first be a little cautionary, because too many people have oversold and overhyped VR, saying it is the complete solution for tomorrow’s media and entertainment industry. The cameras are very good today, the HMDs are good and getting better, and the prices are now very reasonable for consumers. The prices will continue to drop and the gear will get better. As I mentioned earlier, I feel by 2018 everything will be feature-rich and ready for everyone to experience and use without even thinking twice about it.
34 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
PROVR
Over the past four years that I’ve been doing VR, we have tested and used almost every piece of shooting and production gear that has been introduced. The professional cameras available today are very good. People are amazed at how much content we capture when we’re doing a 360 or VR project, and you can easily use 25-50 terabytes of storage a day. It’s an important part of the VR equation and as we shoot in 4K and HDR, it’s only going to increase. High-performance computers and high-throughput, expandable storage are mandatory! We are still learning a lot about what works and what doesn’t for the viewer. When we produced Invisible, we shot and reshot hours of content, reviewed it – and some worked and delivered the viewer experience everyone wanted, while some didn’t. Production and editing is a labour
“By 2018, I am confident that every network and studio will have regular 360 specials, including dramas, documentaries, regularly scheduled shows, concerts, plays and sporting events that people throughout the UAE will be putting on their HMDs to enjoy. Once you experience it, it is just too compelling!” lewis Smithingham, CtO, 30ninjas for every filmmaker, and the key to a great 360/VR film is that we constantly think about the audience. This is completely new and unique,
and requires a different approach for the director and the filmmaker. The most frustrating part of the 360/VR creative process is stitching [the process by which multiple camera angles are fused together into a spherical video panorama]. While the software is steadily improving, it is still very laborious and expensive – often $10,000-plus per finished minute. But once you put on an HMD and immerse yourself in really good content… you’re sold. Why am I sure it will succeed? This is one of the few technologies in history that all of the major players – Intel, Qualcomm, Nvidia, AMD, Samsung, HTC, Adobe, Avid, Google, Facebook, Sony – have weighed in and invested in early. That has had a profound effect on how quickly solid and economic products have become available. PRO
SECURING THE CONNECTED FUTURE
Visit us at CABSAT 2017
Mar 21 - 23 • Dubai, UAE • Booth # C6-22 www.verimatrix.com/verspective
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 35
S-2410C
AMTDubai
advanced_media_uae
amt_dubai
AMT_DUBAI
AdvancedMediaDubai
PROARCHIVING
the future of archiving With growing content, there is a growing need to store these assets safely. Sony's Nabil El Madbak says optical discs are a cost-effective and safe storage option
We all know content is king, but just as important is the need to prepare, protect and preserve the content through viable and long-lasting solutions. Within the video production industry alone, data-heavy content such as HD, 4K and high frame rate videos is exponentially growing by the day. These newly created assets need to be managed effectively, stored safely and used along with the old assets.
Broadcasters, production companies and other content holders are not only handling large and growing quantities of daily content, but are also much concerned with digitising the massive VTR assets currently sitting on shelves. As it becomes increasingly possible to effectively manage and rapidly search these materials via shared networks, new potential is discovered for the reuse of such assets.
As data volumes rise, so do storage costs, making it essential to implement storage systems that distinguish between hot (frequently accessed), warm (occasionally accessed) and cold (infrequently accessed) data, and select the best storage media for each. The main obstacle for the content owners is to ensure the ability to preserve, access and reuse their valuable assets without incurring repeated investment and huge running cost.
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 37
PROARCHIVING
The requirements of long-term reliability, the ability to maintain large quantities of data at relatively low cost and the ability to maintain data integrity in green environments with limited environmental controls are essential. Optical disc storage fills all of these requirements, and is therefore ideal for both warm and cold storage. The new technology, with an open and non-proprietary format, involves the use of multiple bare discs contained within a robust cartridge and a dedicated disc drive unit with an associated software driver able to manipulate the discs individually, providing a seamless read/write capability. The non-contact read/write technology offers the ability to access data with remarkable speed compared to tape data that necessitates the physical fastforwarding and rewinding of a tape 800 metres or more in length until the location of the required data is reached. Also, it’s never going to jam, tangle or snap. The fact remains that optical discs are considerably more durable than hard disc storage systems or
“By leveraging the proven optical technologies and inter-generational compatibility of optical discs, ODA technology can store important data safely, eliminating the need for migration every few years. This eliminates the need for media, hardware and software reinvestment” Nabil el Madbak, technology Marketing Manager at Sony Professional Solutions MeA magnetic tape-based media, with a 100-year shelf life. The system is highly reliable and optimised for long-term archiving. It also succeeds in keeping down total archiving costs and has a low environmental footprint. It offers accessibility and high speed, and can be scalable to fit the users’ needs, which can begin with a small archive stored on a few shelves and expand into a large library as data accumulates. While the professional AV media
38 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
industry has moved steadily from its tape-based origins toward filebased workflows for acquisition, post-production and distribution, the archive domain continues to remain largely tape-based. An alternative modern-day solution, the Optical Disc Archive (ODA), has been created to help organisations achieve safe long-term storage of video, photos, text and other important digital assets. Both LTO magnetic tape and ODA are viable cold storage options. The most common complaint from the user community is the constant need to migrate valuable assets from one form of tape media to the next version upgrade, simply to maintain a viable archive. This requirement for copy migration every two generations (approximately five to six years) incurs substantial media and labour costs. By leveraging optical technologies and inter-generational compatibility of optical discs, ODA technology can store important data safely, eliminating the need for migration every few years. This eliminates the need for media, hardware and software reinvestment, as well as
PROARCHIVING
the cost of human resources required to perform copying work, resulting in reduced total cost of ownership. These solutions are also ideal for deep archive, whereas data tape does not provide the assurance or meet the need for very longterm archive requirements. It also provides a second copy broadcast archive solution at a remote site and is suitable for business continuity, disaster recovery, post house and production back-up and for video, film and stock footage archives or AV national archives. The system can also be used for news and sports clips that need to be near-online and as an online browse and proxy clip store. Recently, the second generation of Optical Disc Archive System was unveiled, which doubles the capacity of a single cartridge and doubles read/write speeds
over the previous generation, accommodating 4K video in real time, and maintains backwards read compatibility with firstgeneration optical disc drives. ODA can serve as the core of highly productive archive systems capable of managing and storing valuable, high-volume data – including 4K video, futuregeneration video, older video assets and multimedia video content. The technology is future-proof and achieves a revolutionary jump in the world of data storage ideal for any circumstance. Now and in future, this system delivers an efficient, secure and reliable archive solution. Unlike data tape technology, where you have to migrate your content or you can’t access it as your technology moves on, the ODA media written today will be readable
by the drives of tomorrow. The bottom line is: with the region predominantly being tape-based, it is now time to transition towards the future. Optical disc archiving provides a solution that is long-term, economical and ultimately scalable to grow with your business. PRO
Nabil el Madbak is technology Marketing Manager at Sony Professional Solutions MeA.
Monitoring in a Hybrid World Facilitate the move to IP at a pace that suits you with TSL Products’ award winning solutions. Bridge the interface gap
No matter the application or location, our highly reliable and customisable products are designed to integrate seamlessly in to hybrid SDI/IP workflows where existing standards interoperate with the new and provide a cost-effective solution to becoming IP-ready.
MPA Range
PAM-IP
TallyMan
Compact, ease of use audio monitoring, featuring SDI, Analogue, MADI, DANTE, AES67 and HYDRA2 Inputs.
Smooth the transition to IP with Video over IP (S2022-6 & S2110), Audio over IP (Dante / AES67), 4K and Dolby decoding, as well as SDI/Analogue and AES.
Advanced broadcast control capable of controlling hybrid SDI/IP systems.
3G SDI
12G SDI
AES
ANA
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 39
PROINTERVIEW
gEArIng up for the future In an exclusive interview with BroadcastPro ME, Abdul Hadi Al Sheikh, Executive Director of Abu Dhabi TV, speaks about how the broadcaster is reinventing itself to brace for competition
There is growing interest in digital media these days. How is Abu Dhabi Media gearing up to be more digitally equipped? Reflecting the UAE Vision 2021 and Abu Dhabi Vision 2030, we aim to strengthen national identity across all our digital operations and utilise our platforms to share the region’s stories and accomplishments with the world. Abu Dhabi Media is dedicated to producing dynamic digital content, and supporting the creation and distribution of Arabic content in particular. The launch of TV.ae highlights our commitment to exploring the most innovative media technologies to enhance the viewing experience. By providing inclusive and accessible content as well as services, the company aims to create highly diversified programming that appeals to every sector of society. TV.ae has attracted more than 1.3 million views since launch last June.
40 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
The launch of Majid Kids TV, YAS TV, EDGE TV further demonstrates how Abu Dhabi Media is ensuring that bespoke and engaging programming is combined with the latest technological advances to provide pioneering digital entertainment in the region. What are some of Abu Dhabi Media’s future projects when it comes to digitising content? Will it be easier for audiences to access? Abu Dhabi Media is forging ahead in its strategic objective to advance its digital content. This progress will allow us to meet growing demands for high-quality video content online. Through securing easy accessibility to our content for audiences throughout the region, we have been able to reinforce our position as one of the fastest growing and most successful multimedia and entertainment organisations in the Middle East.
PROINTERVIEW
How is ADM preparing for competition? Abu Dhabi Media has already adopted a five-year strategy, which includes a two-year goal to transform and modernise the company across its digital and TV platforms. The launch of TV.ae was an important shift for digital media in the UAE as well as the region. The service provides access to more than 6,000 hours of content which can be viewed on multiple mobile devices simultaneously. This is just one example of how Abu Dhabi Media is constantly innovating and seeking strategic partnerships to further develop our media platforms. Going forward, Abu Dhabi Media will continue to embrace digital media as a fundamental factor to building upon its 27 brands across multiple platforms. Producing powerful and intelligent content remains our key objective. A number of locally produced documentaries, such as the Megastructures episode on the Abu Dhabi Super Tunnel, demonstrate the company’s commitment to creating highquality programmes which highlight the region’s accomplishments. The board of directors has also made impressive structural changes, such as hiring a number of talented Emiratis. This further demonstrates ADM’s commitment to having a world-class workforce, with Emiratis at the core, as the company continues to modernise and innovate to further develop its network and brands. What kind of content is your key differentiator? What's your strategy to retain your viewership? In a fast-paced media industry, it is imperative that we align our content with the latest trends and accurately reflect the ongoing development of Abu Dhabi. Our content is therefore differentiated
by the emphasis on exclusive content delivery to a vast range of audiences. Our brands are ideally positioned to cater to our Emirati audience, our Arabic-speaking audience, our younger viewers through Majid and our Englishspeaking audience following our adoption of EDGE HD. Abu Dhabi Drama TV’s recent conversion to HD represents another milestone as we continue to utilise the most innovative technology to further enhance our content and the quality of our programming. By boosting its weekend segments through the introduction of Hollywood movies and top US television series to air alongside pan Arab, Turkish, Mexican and Spanish programmes, we have further widened our reach to ensure Abu Dhabi Drama TV becomes the entertainment destination of choice. Abu Dhabi TV network already has a community of 65 million viewers and is constantly evolving its content to find new ways to further improve its reach. Any stats to share with us about viewing, ratings and so on? Abu Dhabi Channel witnessed an increase of 13% in its viewership figures in 2015 compared to 2014. The channel has retained these figures throughout 2016. The UAE is one of the most engaged countries in the world in terms of social media. To this end, Abu Dhabi Media adopted a clear strategy to utilise its digital media platforms to showcase tailored programming to reach new audiences. As a result, ADM has increased its social media community by 340% during two years to more than 60 million followers, which is the highest for any media organisation in the region. As social media and digital platforms and trends evolve, ADM will continue to evolve its content.
Have you increased investment in content? If yes, by what percentage? Our sports and entertainment channels have flourished as a result of large investments over the past six years. Our capacity for sports coverage reached a new and exciting phase when Abu Dhabi Sports received exclusive rights to broadcast the European qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup. The 2017 Copa Del Rey, and Spanish and Italian Super Cups will also be aired as part of the channels’ football coverage, while Abu Dhabi Sports also features the fan channels of Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Roma and Juventus. Viewers can also enjoy live matches, and preand post-match analysis from the Arabian Gulf League (AGL). In terms of serial content, one of our new series introduced over Ramadan was Ritaj, which has since gained widespread acclaim from our audience and won a number of prestigious industry awards. The hard-hitting drama series, the first episode of which aired on the first evening of Ramadan 2016, was viewed by 72% of Emiratis and since been watched by more than 48 million people across the Arab world. The official hashtag of the series picked up more than 250 million impressions throughout the month of Ramadan. Ritaj demonstrates our ongoing commitment to producing compelling content that deals with extremely important contemporary issues facing our society and the world today. We are dedicated to developing our diverse media assets and promoting the UAE’s national identity, providing compelling content that reflects the interests and opinions of the wider community. Viewers can look forward to new and exclusive content throughout 2017. The channel is constantly evolving its content to find new ways to further improve its reach. PRO
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 41
PROCDN
ThE righT cdn
Does a dedicated TV CDN deliver the best value when serving regional TV markets like the Middle East, or is using CDN as a service a better proposition? Göran Appelquist, CTO of Edgeware, explores
The internet has dramatically changed the way we consume media, and this has had a major impact on how we watch television. Much of today’s content is now accessible through services delivered over IP and can be accessed through internet-connected smart TVs, web platforms and browsers, and channel- or broadcasteroriented mobile apps. With that comes varied viewing options – audiences can watch TV however, whenever and wherever they want. This has provided
audiences with the power to start, stop, pause and rewind what they’re watching, giving them more control than ever before. But it’s also empowered them with greater freedom to look elsewhere, should the quality of the content, or how it plays, not be up to standard. Delivering larger TV formats whenever and wherever The challenge now faced by broadcasters, content owners, telcos and OTT operators is how to deliver higher quality programming in increasingly large
42 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
formats via the internet to multiple destinations on many devices. Traditional broadcast meant anyone who received the signal could tune in to a channel, and the number of people watching had no impact on the strength of that signal. IP-delivered TV services, however, deliver content via unicast, with every viewer receiving an individual IP stream. This can place a huge strain on a service, with more bandwidth required as it increases in popularity and new formats such as 4K emerge. To put this into perspective, one
PROCDN
“Running a TV CDN has many advantages over using CDN as a service, particularly when operating in a region where there will be a high demand for particular programming, such as Arabic content owners operating within the Middle East. CDN as a service is better suited when demand will be less concentrated in one particular area and users are evenly spread far and wide” göran Appelquist, CTO, Edgeware have the right CDN to meet a content provider’s specific needs.
million people watching an HD programme online increases the streaming capacity from a broadcast requirement of about three Mbit/s to more like three million Mbit/s of simultaneous capacity. When it comes to 4K, that figure quadruples. While broadband speeds in homes are fast enough to watch more than one programme at once, this doesn’t mean the bandwidth is the same all the way from the TV show’s source. Unforeseen blockages in the delivery network can dramatically affect performance. This is why it’s so important to
Introducing the dedicated TV CDN Originally built to deliver software updates, general-purpose CDNs are now also used to manage the transport of content for today’s internet audiences. The problem is that these networks have not been designed for video and the unique challenges that moving such large files throws up. They also tend to carry a lot of other traffic, which inevitably adds delays to the content’s journey. Delays are never a good thing, especially not with television. Nothing ruins a viewing experience like a programme buffering or its progress being disrupted by glitches. And the best way to avoid these niggles damaging a service is to use a dedicated TV CDN, rather than relying on a third-party one. Running a TV CDN has many advantages over using CDN as a service, particularly when
operating in a region where there will be a high demand for particular programming, such as Arabic content owners operating within the Middle East. CDN as a service is better suited when demand will be less concentrated in one particular area and users are evenly spread far and wide. Aside from being the only traffic within the network, there are many other advantages that OTT operators and broadcasters benefit from when it comes to using their own dedicated TV CDN. Delivering guaranteed performance and efficiency Having the ability to scale a TV CDN up and down depending on demand is particularly advantageous. As the use of IP-delivered TV continues to increase, OTT operators and broadcasters need to be able to cope with more viewers accessing their service, potentially at the same time. Netflix’s management of its surge in users over the last few years is a great example of how implementing a dedicated delivery network can allow huge growth in demand while maintaining high quality and consistent performance when it comes to content delivery. In the same vein, a dedicated TV CDN is also much more cost-effective for a broadcaster or OTT operator. When using a generic CDN, scaling services and adopting more bandwidth to cope with higher demand can become costly. The implementation and management of a bespoke delivery network, however, lets users use the network in whatever way they need, keeping maintenance costs to a minimum. To give this some context, a recent business case shows that implementing your own TV CDN infrastructure becomes worth it when you have an average of 250,000 users watching content on your service for a minimum of an hour a day.
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 43
PROCDN
One of the main reasons we’re finding more broadcasters choosing to implement their own dedicated CDN for TV delivery is the control it gives them over their network. By using a TV CDN, operators can offer a personalised viewing experience with digital ad insertion. The ability to insert or replace in-content adverts when content is requested by users can be used with live, catch-up and VOD programming for both IPTV and OTT services. Because they control their own network, users can monitor and analyse all aspects of their TV services. Detailed TV analytics provide viewer data which includes network behaviour in real time, using data sources like devices used, network applications and integrated third-party CDNs. Being able to analyse user details gives broadcasters a better understanding of the relationship between network performance and customer satisfaction. This ultimately lets operators design and deliver an enhanced viewing experience for its users. The beauty of owning a dedicated TV CDN is that it can also generate income when it’s not being used by
“One million people watching an HD programme online increases the streaming capacity from a broadcast requirement of about three Mbit/s to more like three million Mbit/s of simultaneous capacity. When it comes to 4K, that figure quadruples” göran Appelquist, CTO, Edgeware
its owner. While an OTT provider or broadcaster can use its TV CDN for the delivery of its TV services, the network can simultaneously be rented out to other content owners or distributors to leverage additional revenue streams. This level of ownership wouldn’t be possible when renting space from someone else. The owner has complete control of its network and the traffic being delivered on it. Using a generic CDN means users don’t have that kind of visibility, increasing
44 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
the likelihood of buffering, delays or glitches in output. Getting closer to more viewers Network operators, cable companies, broadcasters and OTT providers can all scale their TV delivery to huge volumes of viewers with a TV CDN. With this unique and scalable three-layer architecture designed specifically for TV, they can distribute much of their content nearer to the viewers with no buffering, delays or glitches, guaranteeing performance and saving on network and third-party CDN costs, as well as learning more about how the content is consumed. PRO
göran Appelquist is Chief Technology Officer at Edgeware.
21-23 MARCH 2017 Dubai World Trade Centre Presented with
1000 900+ s
Of new products & solutions Exhibiting companies
The Middle East’s & Africa’s Definitive Event For BROADCAST . SATELLITE . ENTERTAINMENT CONTENT Learn, Lead And Innovate With Cabsat’s 90+ Hours Of Content Headline case studies include:
PLUS perspectives from all the leading Satellite operators
REGISTER NOW AT:
#CABSAT2017
www.cabsat.com/register TECHNOLOGY INTELLIGENCE FOR THE SATCOM MARKET
Official Media Partners
Organised by
Official Publications
Official Online Media Partner
Official Publisher
Content Studio Partner
TECHNOLOGY INTELLIGENCE FOR THE SATCOM MARKET
Supporting Associations
Official CABSAT TV Partner
WTA
Official Travel Partner
Official Courier Handler Official Airline Partner
Proudly on
PROCABSAT
WhAT’S on show The MENA region’s broadcast and satellite industries will converge for three days of product exhibition and conferences at CABSAT 2017. We bring you a preview
CABSAT, which will be held March 21-23, will host 911 exhibitors from 113 countries and is expected to be attended by more than 13,000 media and entertainment professionals. The show will have a dedicated section for augmented and virtual reality this year. According to market research from CCS Insight, the total sales of virtual and augmented reality devices will soar from 2.5m in 2015 to 24m by 2018, becoming a business worth more than $4bn. The number of active VR users is forecast to reach 171m by 2018, with a portion of these growing figures expected to be from the Middle East, as the region is believed to be one of the fastest growing for VR for gaming and enterprise applications. As they do every year, the exhibition halls will host product launches alongside demonstrations of the latest technologies driving the broadcast and satellite industries. CABSAT regulars and new exhibitors will share exhibition space to showcase their products and technologies. The show will also host the Meetings Programme, Content Congress, Content Delivery Hub, Roundtables, Content Studio Hub and the Satellite Hub Summit. CABSAT’s Content Congress will be a platform for gaining industry knowledge for all stakeholders across the broadcast, satellite, content delivery, digital media, filmed and audio entertainment communities. Some of the key
46 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
topics of discussion this year include next-generation TV and personalised content on demand. Experts will discuss how content creation and distribution can be adapted to an increasingly connected world and the business transformation taking place due to TV everywhere. The panel discussions held during the show will explore the latest trends and innovations in Ultra HD, VR, OTT and multi-platform services. Regional business cases will be discussed to study the adoption of the latest technological applications in the region. Is the region ready for Ultra-HD (UHD), and is it being viewed as a future mass-market reality? The changing landscape of filmed entertainment and personalised content will be discussed at length as part of the youth debate. Case studies on transition to digital broadcasting and monetising multi-platform services will also be presented at the conferences. Other highlights of the show include the Content Marketplace, SATEXPO, GVF Satellite Hub Summit and NABShow. CABSAT TV will be back for the third time in a row, with interviews and news from the show floor during the three days of CABSAT. The expanded Content Delivery Hub will focus on OTT technologies that facilitate the delivery of video and digital content on various platforms for anywhere, anytime consumption.
PROCABSAT
Turkish SI brings 4K on wheels
Infomir to showcase Stalker
SRTEK Sound and Video Technologies will introduce its Mini OB 4K van at CABSAT. The van boasts a Mercedes Sprinter long frame with a generator powered by the vehicle’s engine. It houses separate audio and video production areas that cover a full six metres of the 7.3m vehicle length. This dual space design accommodates up to seven operators inside the vehicle while providing 135RU rack
Infomir will be exhibiting at CABSAT for the second year in a row. The company will showcase its Stalker Middleware, which is tailored to organise IPTV and OTT projects of different scales around the world. Features like PiP, multilanguage, parental control, CAS and DRM system support, and customisation of the user interface ensure this solution meets the latest requirements of the market. Stalker
space for various equipment. “Our 4K Made Mobile concept allows us to fit this compact vehicle with up to eight 4K cameras and two ME 4K vision mixers, 48x48 4K router, four-channel 4K event highlights rec/ playback system and full surround audio mixing capabilities,” said Deniz Gürses, GM at SRTEK Sound and Video Technologies Ltd. Stand D3-20
Middleware is multiscreen, which means users have access to the operator services using applications for Android and iOS, Samsung Smart TV and Samsung Tizen TV. “We chose MENA as one of our top priority markets. We are looking forward to making more partnerships and entering new markets,” said Maliarov Egor, Business Development Director, Pay TV Solutions at Infomir. Hall 4, Stand CD-19
Pixel Power focuses on playout and graphics Pixel Power will focus on playout and graphics automation in its demonstrations at CABSAT 2017. The presentations will feature on-premise, virtualised and cloud solutions. “Media businesses today, faced with the many challenges of delivering rich content to multiple platforms, need to implement new approaches to delivering content,” said James Gilbert, CEO of Pixel Power. Working in cooperation with Amazon Web Services, Pixel Power has delivered broadcast playout solutions with sophisticated 3D graphics, DVE moves, live feeds and manual control, all in the cloud. “Software-defined solutions are redefining the way we
work today,” he added. Alongside the advanced automation proposition, Pixel Power is also demonstrating new ways to use its core graphics products at CABSAT 2017. Used for automated content creation for broadcasters around the world, Factory adds a layer of intelligence to Pixel Power Clarity graphics and media management to generate large quantities of sophisticated clips such as promos, trailers and other marketing content. Creative editors design templates to set the brand values of the channel and Factory automatically populates them, saving 50% in post. Hall 2, Stand 214
James Gilbert, CEO, Pixel Power.
February 2017 | www.broadcastprome.com | 47
PROCABSAT
V-Nova features PERSEUS
Fabio Murra, VP Product and Marketing, V-Nova.
V-Nova will present the PERSEUS video encoding software solution that closes the capacity gap for quality delivery to connected devices over existing networks. By shifting the bitrate-quality curve, V-Nova PERSEUS enables operators and service providers to provide high-quality video within their bandwidth constraints: UHD at HD bitrates on large screen TVs, HD at SD bitrates on legacy set-top boxes and mobile devices, and SD at sub-audio bitrates over bandwidth-constrained mobile networks. In quality-critical video contribution applications, V-Nova PERSEUS enables significant bandwidth savings whilst maintaining intra-only performance and ultra-low latency. It provides UhD/4K contribution at practical bitrates, increased capacity on multi-channel backhaul and remote production operational efficiencies. Fabio Murra, SVP Product
& Marketing, V-Nova Ltd, commented: “We have just announced a partnership with Turkish distributor Arttek, who will act as an official reseller of V-Nova PERSEUS in Turkey. This helps us extend our footprint in Turkey and expand our distribution network.” Arttek constitutes the latest addition to the V-Nova partner programme, which combines V-Nova PERSEUS software and solutions with the expertise and geographical proximity of local market leaders. Benefits to regional broadcasters, content and rights owners and TV service providers include better access to products and people, as well as a reduction in risk and overall improved customer experience. This strategic partnership enables local pay-TV operators, broadcasters and mobile service providers to deploy and use the technology for contribution and distribution in a number of applications. Working with a leading regional distributor also paves the way for developments in highgrowth areas, including VR and 360-video, Ultra hD and high Dynamic Range (hDR) and mobile video services. Stand TBC
48 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
AVT brings more MAGIC
AVT will present new features to the MAGIC Telephone Hybrids TED at CABSAT. The MAGIC Th2plus, MAGIC Th6 and MAGIC ThipPro now support the Ember+ protocol, which can be used to easily exchange control and signalling commands over IP with mixing consoles from manufacturers such as Lawo and other consoles supporting Ember+. Calls to the telephone hybrids can be accepted via a button on the mixer and switched to
Pretalk or ON AIR. The user can also establish a call from the mixer. Complicated cabling via TTL contacts is no longer necessary. For DhD mixing consoles, the AVT hybrids offer, in addition to the Ember+ protocol, the DhD SetLogic feature. DhD SetLogic can be used to transmit commands over IP from the AVT hybrids to the mixer and vice versa. If the mixing console also supports Ember+, both variants can be mixed. For the MAGIC ThipPro VoIP telephone hybrids, a Dante module which supports the AES67 standard is now available. Stand E2-52
Adder creates the link
Adder Technology will once again showcase its IP-based KVM solutions at this year’s CABSAT. The company’s stand will feature an interactive technical demonstration of its flagship solution, AdderLink Infinity. The team will also be previewing some of the company’s latest innovations, such as the CCS-PRO8 command and control switch and the AdderLink XDIP, a high-performance IP-based AV extender with USB extender. The Adder CCS-PRO8 allows operators to control up to
eight machines across eight displays using just one mouse and keyboard. It is suitable for improving ergonomics in a control setting where space is at a premium or management of multiple computers from one station is required. Featuring FreeFlow technology, the Adder CCS-PRO8 enables users to move from one display to the next simply by moving the mouse across screen borders. Both the Adder CCS-PRO8 and AdderLink XDIP will be available later this year in Q3. Stand C2-30
21-23 MARCH 2017 Dubai World Trade Centre Part of
Presented with
The Markteplace For Satellite
PRODUCTS & SOLUTIONS
Global Satellite industry is estimated to be growing at 3% CAGR, and with different satellite industry segments posting growth, the satellite industry is now more affordable and accessible to a broad swath of public agencies, industries, and individuals.* *SIA Industry Report 2016
Expanding our Reach to New Horizons: SATEXPO featuring CONTENT MARKETPLACE and CABSAT is an exhibition for all satellite-led communications, technologies and business solutions for the MEASA region. Traditionally focusing on the broadcast industry, SATEXPO is expanding its reach to cater to other major verticals such as Maritime, Telecommunications, Military, Aviation, Commercial Enterprises and Aerospace.
BOOK YOUR SPACE TODAY
+971 4 308 6552
SATEXPO is the only platform in the MEASA region to: Showcase a new wave of satellite technologies Discover the hottest satellite market trends Access buyers from major industry verticals Develop professional relationships cabsat@dwtc.com
www.cabsat.com
TECHNOLOGY INTELLIGENCE FOR THE SATCOM MARKET
Organised by
Official Media Partners
TECHNOLOGY INTELLIGENCE FOR THE SATCOM MARKET
Official Publications
Official Online Media Partner
Official Publisher
Official Travel Partner
Official Courier Handler
Official Airline Partner
Proudly on
PROCABSAT
Exterity to feature new digital signage
Exterity will bring the newly updated ArtioSign digital signage application to CABSAT. ArtioSign is designed for organisations that want to install multiple displays to enhance employee, visitor and guest experiences by offering feature-rich, fully configurable digital signage that integrates seamlessly with Exterity’s IP video system. The CABSAT stand will showcase ArtioSign’s new, intuitive scheduling and
management capabilities, enabling users to schedule complete signage campaigns to the exact minute, and target messages to the right audiences at the right time. Signage can also be updated on the move using ArtioSign on an iPad or Android tablet, as well as from the desktop, which can be particularly useful in a large or expansive venue, such as a stadium or airport. ArtioSign combines live news updates, tailored messaging, branding and graphics with TV and video in a single screen, together serving to strengthen communications. Stand A5-30
Telestream highlights product integration This is the first CABSAT show since Telestream acquired file-based quality control specialist Vidcheck. The company will showcase the integration between Vidchecker and Vantage, highlighting the latest updates in Vidchecker and the operational efficiencies these two platforms bring to their users. A particular focus for Telestream at CABSAT will be live video streaming. Telestream has been developing streaming solutions since 2009 and has more than 50,000 active licence holders of its Wirecast live streaming production platform, which last year became one of the first
streaming platforms to support Facebook Live. Telestream will also highlight its Lightspeed Live Stream enterprise-class live multiscreen encoding, packaging and distribution system. It can be deployed as a standalone solution for live multiscreen streaming services or combined with the Vantage Media Processing Platform via the optional Lightspeed Live Capture product. Hall 2, Stand 208
Aspera speeds up file transfer
Francois Quereuil, Senior Director of Worldwide Marketing, Aspera.
50 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
At CABSAT, Aspera will showcase its complete portfolio of high-speed file transfer software and automation solutions for the broadcast and media industries. The stand will focus on the new SaaS platform, Aspera Files. Built on Aspera’s FASP transport technology, Aspera Files enables any organisations, small to large, to establish a branded webbased presence for the fast, easy and secure exchange and delivery of any size filebased media or data between end users across separate organisations, combining multiple storage platforms. Francois Quereuil, Senior
Director of Worldwide Marketing at Aspera, said: “At CABSAT, Aspera will showcase multiple breakthrough capabilities and advanced features powered by the next generation of our patented FASP transport technology.” he added that Aspera has invested in local resources to cater for the expected growth in the region, both technically and commercially. “Growth, as forecast, will lead to additional resources being implemented. With IBM’s public global strategy, the addition of solutions focused on media will inevitably drive the investment in the region further over time.” Stand D2-41
T U E S D AY - T H U R S D AY
LEVEL 3 – 6, SUNTEC SINGAPORE
NEW VENUE
www.Broadcast-Asia.com
Redefine your visiting experience at BroadcastAsia2017!
Pre-Register NOW
Enjoy 3 full days of hands-on experience with exciting technologies; acquire knowledge from the wide variety of free workshops and presentations from experts and interact with peers from across Asia.
@
Check out the website for the full information.
www.Broadcast-Asia.com
UHD
NEXTGEN DISPLAY
IP BROADCASTING
WIRELESS PRODUCTION
IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES
TV EVERYWHERE
Hop onto the free shuttle service to also visit CommunicAsia at Marina Bay Sands.
Organised by:
Worldwide Associate:
Held concurrently with:
www.CommunicAsia.com @ Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
A Part of:
Hosted by:
#BroadcastAsia2017
Endorsed:
CommunicAsia & EnterpriseIT incorporate: www.EnterpriseIT-Asia.com @ Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Supported by:
www.Satcomm-Asia.com
Held in:
PROCABSAT
Verimatrix secures content beIN Sports, the largest sport content rights holder in the region, is requiring watermarking in order to broadcast its content, and other major operators in the region that want to deliver UhD content are also focused on Geir Bjorndal, VP meeting more International Strategy, stringent security Middle East and Africa Sales, Verimatrix. requirements. Commenting on the company’s participation At CABSAT, Verimatrix in CABSAT, Geir Bjorndal, will highlight its role in VP International Strategy, revenue enablement and Middle East and Africa protection across major Sales at Verimatrix, said: industry trends, including “The MENA region is a premium UHD deployments, very important market for multi-DRM options for Verimatrix, especially as over-the-top (OTT) video and the prevalence of premium high-integrity video analytics. content delivery – as well as of Booth demonstrations will threats of illicit redistribution showcase how Verimatrix can – continues to rise. enhance revenue security “having worked with by taking more proactive several of the large telcos approaches to combat in the region, we have revenue threats and identify noticed a trend of new emerging opportunities services being introduced that can further monetise to the market, as well as a its business. shift in its infrastructure. Watermarking is becoming “We have developed new increasingly crucial in the solutions targeting the MENA region because Middle East region. These UhD content offers greater solutions can eventually be scope for pirates to copy, applied on a global scale. even just by camcording, “Several requirements for and then redistributing over new security enhancements the internet. This threat is are coming out of this region, amplified by the parallel rise which we are following very of over-the-top (OTT) video, closely in order to provide turning redistribution into the optimum solutions.” biggest threat to premium content revenues, taking over Stand C6-22 from control word sharing.
52 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
Interra Systems powers QC
At CABSAT 2017, Interra Systems will demonstrate integrated and intuitive QC monitoring solutions available in the market. A key highlight will be hEVC and 4K support across all of the company’s products, including ORION-OTT, a software-based monitoring solution for adaptive bitrate (ABR) content; ORION real-time content monitoring and video analysis systems; BATON automated, file-based QC; and VEGA media analysers.
Leveraging industryproven audio/video quality analysis technologies, ORION-OTT enables OTT service/equipment and CDN providers to seamlessly monitor online video delivery for quality and compliance. ORION-OTT monitors ABR content via user-defined automated and manual schedules, checking for inconsistencies pertaining to ABR package compliance, Hall 3, Stand 308
Sennheiser introduces AMBEO VR Mic
At CABSAT, Sennheiser will spotlight the AMBEO VR, a compact handheld mic for professional VR production. The audio specialist also aims to educate the market in the emerging field of VR/ AR audio capture through its AMBEO Music Blueprints platform. This dedicated website helps users explore how to record, mix and deliver live music as a truly 3D audio experience. “3D audio is an integral part of an immersive experience, but up until now the complexities associated with this have been
daunting. In creating AMBEO VR, we conducted extensive field testing with VR content producers. This helped us identify and address key pain points and thus make the mic as intuitive and user friendly as possible,” said Mig Cardamone, Director of Sales and Marketing at Sennheiser Middle East. “With this new product, we hope to engage with VR production agencies, VR content creators, the Ambisonics community as well as studio engineers and owners.” Stand C1-30
PROCABSAT
Nautel to showcase regional projects
Custom Consoles to introduce Module-R Lite
At this year’s CABSAT, Nautel will highlight several turnkey MW and FM projects in the MENA region. The company will showcase FM transmitters featuring IP audio I/O, Livewire, AUI, Orban Inside and MPX over AES, and power levels of 300W to 80kW. Also displayed will be web-compatible interfaces on all AM and FM products and a 17” touchscreen advanced user interface (AUI) on NX and GV series transmitters, for unmatched monitoring and control. There will be a live demo of Nautel’s AUI. Advanced digital radio solutions including DRM and hD radio that offer end-to-
Custom Consoles' Module-R Lite studio control desks will make their Middle East exhibition debut at CABSAT 2017. Also on display will be the latest version of the EditOne postproduction suite desk, a MediaPost freestanding monitor mount and an example of the scalable MediaWall monitor display. "Our standard Module-R desk has a 1,200 millimetre front-to-back depth and allows control surfaces such as vision switchers or audio mixers to be embedded into the main horizontal work surface," said Sales Manager Gary Fuller. "Module-R Lite is identical
end digital radio capability will also be available at the stand. Nautel already has installations in several independent studios in Ajman, LIVE hD in Abu Dhabi, Oman PART and Sharjah Media Corporation. There have been some orders for N+1 systems; an NV20lt 5+1 system and an NV20lt 2+1 system and two NX10 transmitters have been supplied to UAQ Broadcasting Station. Stand A1-42
CANARA illuminates CABSAT Canara Lighting Industries is participating in CABSAT 2017 under the theme Global Illumination through Green Technology. “We exhibit at CABSAT because our customers and prospective customers from the MENA region visit this show on regular basis. Also, this is the best broadcasting show in the MENA region. The region has many emerging economies and broadcasting business is growing at a faster rate than other areas,” said Ajeet Khare, MD of Canara Lighting. Canara Lighting provides total studio lighting solutions right from consultancy at the project stage to technical and project design solution. This is followed by
a commercial proposal. The entire equipment from lighting fixtures to rigging equipment to network management system, dimmers, console and electrical power distribution panels are manufactured at the company’s factory in India. A team from the company installs the lights and offers after-sales support as well. Canara will showcase its latest LED Fresnel and panel lights. Also on display will be control systems including dimmers and consoles, grids, rigging systems, grips and accessories. The company is presently looking for distributors in the MENA. Stand F3-30
54 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
Ajeet Khare, MD of Canara Lighting.
in structure to the standard Module-R range but based on 930mm front-to-back desk dimensions. This is ideal for production staff working in support services such as graphics and editing. The option of fitting monitor display screens above the rear edge of Module-R and Module-R Lite desks makes even more efficient use of space." Stand C2-42
LEVEL 1 MARINA BAY SANDS, SINGAPORE
T U E S D AY - T H U R S D AY
DAY SHOW!
www.SatComm-Asia.com
Asia’s Largest Congregation of Satellite Operators The rapid growth of IoT has unveiled greater opportunities for teleport and satellite operators. SatComm2017 will showcase advance satellite technologies and sustainable solutions to meet the needs of telecom operators, broadcasters and key enterprises.
Pre-Register Your Visit
@
www.SatComm-Asia.com
Hop onto the free shuttle service to also visit BroadcastAsia at Suntec Singapore
#CommunicAsia2017 Organised by:
Worldwide Associate:
A part of:
Held concurrently with:
www.CommunicAsia.com @ Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
A Part of:
Hosted by:
Endorsed:
www.Broadcast-Asia.com @ Suntec Singapore
www.EnterpriseIT-Asia.com @ Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Supported by:
Held in:
PROGUEST
“No single CDN provider is 100% capable of serving the MENA region without impacting delivery performance. If a CDN doesn’t have good coverage then content delivery will be delayed and users will experience buffering”
CDN as a service User experience is critical for VOD services. To ensure a smooth video experience for our subscribers, we use a load balancer that directs traffic to the best-performing CDN, based on selected key metrics. We are continually learning about route optimisation and investigating where our traffic is routed before arriving on our subscribers’ screens. Part of this learning is focused on CDN performance, and specifically on which CDN achieves the best results in a given territory. This allows us to optimise the route towards the path of least resistance and ultimately, create a better user experience. Our experience of a public CDN service has generally been good, and in line with our go-to-market strategy. However, there can be a number of challenges. The biggest issue with using public CDNs lies in coverage and the number of PoPs your CDN provider holds in the territory your members are streaming in. Performances vary from country to country and among ISPs (internet service providers), simply because the network infrastructure is less mature than in Europe or the US; however, we are seeing steady improvements. No single CDN provider is 100% capable of serving the MENA region without impacting delivery
performance. If a CDN doesn’t have good coverage then content delivery will be delayed and users will experience buffering – a far from optimal experience. A load balancer deployed to sniff out the best routes ahead will help, but if capacity isn’t there to begin with, the difference is minimal. The topic of build versus buy is currently heating up as larger VOD services enter the region and deploy their CDNs; it certainly makes sense in regions where experience expectations are high. Local VOD services are investigating this approach now to understand the benefits of building a CDN – and the associated costs – versus using a public CDN. Controlling the traffic routing through peering with ISPs and operators is an essential complementary activity. Otherwise, delivery is just through a private CDN as opposed to a public CDN – and both face similar disadvantages. Congested networks result in inconsistent playback as achieving HD through bitrate adaptation takes longer, further affecting the user experience. The optimal way to boost content delivery is to build a CDN cache and peer with local networks to have the best possible traffic routing that keeps your content within
56 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2017
the region at least. Negotiate peering arrangements with operators and ISPs that prioritise your content delivery, and build additional caches inside the operator's network to enhance the uplift at the last mile. Digital giants such as Facebook and Netflix take this approach in dense markets where public CDNs don't have enough coverage. There will be a considerable initial outlay in capital expenditure to create the infrastructure to manage the storage of content; network peering arrangements take time and patience to set up. Building your own CDN is a long-term commitment, not to be tackled unless you are comfortable with your growth trajectory to make it worth the while. Conclusion If you face a time-to-market constraint, then choosing a public CDN is the best option. Once you are in the market and your service is live, you will be able to gauge the responsiveness of your CDN against the user experience. If the economics still work on a public CDN against your service’s operational efficiency, then there is no need to build your own CDN. However, if you are experiencing restricted business growth due to average results from your public CDN, then it might be time to start looking at controlling your delivery supply chain. PRO Saleem Bhatti is CTO at Starz Play.
AMTDubai
advanced_media_uae
amt_dubai
AMT_DUBAI
AdvancedMediaDubai