Content+Technology Asia August-September 2016

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Blackmagic in Bangladesh, 20

REGULARS 02 EDITOR’S WELCOME 04 NEWS 4K Trial for Vietnam in September,

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48 EVENTS

Interra QCs SiTV, Sony Gives HD HeadStart to SCTV-IVM Indonesia, Jackie Chan to Produce New Film Down Under, MCA Brings QYOU to Asia Pacific, Tencent Selects Ideal for IP/4K OB Vehicle, People Moves

FEATURES 10 STANDARDS ITU Launches Standards

29 NEWS OPERATIONS ABC Selects Grass

Effort for Immersive Experiences, SMPTE AXF Format Standard Declared a Success, New Standard for High Dynamic Range TV

Valley for Nationwide News, PNN TV Cambodia Picks Imagine for MCR and Newsroom, Thanthi TV Expands News with LiveU, Google Backs “Immersive Journalism”, Mediacorp Awards Outstanding Journalists

11 TAKING STOCK DaySequerra Acquires Orban, Accedo Secures US$10M in Funding, HTC Teams for USD$10 Billion VR Fund, Akamai’s State of the Internet Report

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32 MEDIA IN THE CLOUD MAM Musings with Caton, New Products

12 SHOW PREVIEW: IBC2016 20 ACQUISITION NahidRains Shoots with Blackmagic for BTV Chittagong, Percy Fung Goes UHD with AsiaSat, The ABCs of NDI – NewTek’s Video Over IP for Everyone, High Resolution Waveform Monitors in UHD/4K Production

24 SPORTSCASTING Rio Olympics, Commonwealth Games HQ Launched

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POST-PRODUCTION Deluxe’s Iloura Creates VFX for Game of Thrones, In conversation with Avid CEO Louis Hernandez

38 AUDIO TVNZ on Sound Footing with Calrec, In conversation with sound designer Dave Whitehead

42 RADIO LAWO Adds Spice in Bangladesh, JAA Hits Sweet spot Across Malaysia

44 CONTENT DELIVERY The IP CEO Imagine Communications’ Charlie Vogt, Are you ready for cloud playout?, NHK Builds 8K media player

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CONTENT+TECHNOLOGY: ISSN 1448-9554 PP:255003/06831 Broadcastpapers Pty Ltd (ABN 34 095 653 277) PO Box 259, Darlinghurst, NSW 1300 Australia www.broadcastpapers.com PUBLISHER: Phil Sandberg Tel +61 (0)2 4368 4569 Mob +61 (0)414 671 811 papers@broadcastpapers.com

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EDITOR’S WELCOME

A Pokémon in the Eye of Content Delivery

By Phil Sandberg A YEAR AGO, IF YOU’D SAID “Pikachu” to me, I would have said, “Bless you”. But, the launch of Pokémon Go on July 6, 2016, signals a shift, not just in gaming, but in the delivery of content more generally. The augmented reality (AR) game uses mobile phone location data to trigger an overlay of digital creatures on the user’s physical environment as viewed on the screen of their mobile device.

This in itself is not earth shattering. There are many examples of AR applications in tourism, marketing and the like. In fact, development company Niantic, in the building of Pokémon Go, drew upon experience gained with the roll-out of Ingress, a sci-fi “real world gaming” platform which drew in players from some 200 countries around the world.

by pushing for Pokémons where their stores are located, the success of Pokémon Go doesn’t mean will be getting our video content via Pokémon TV.

So, why Pokémon and not Ingress? The reasons are threefold:

business model – finding that convergence of app, device, users and brand/

• the user demographic, nostalgic Gen-Xers and younger, is of a sufficient size and is tech savvy; and

ersburg

While there may be opportunities for marketing and publishing content

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• The technology to create and deliver the game is not only available, but pervasive;

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Its daily active user base has already overtaken Twitter and average user times exceed that of Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and WhatsApp. It is also giving both traditional broadcast and OTT video a run for their money.

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Pokémon Go looks likely to dwarf that success many times over. In its first week, the app was downloaded over 10 million times in the United States, Australia and New Zealand alone. It is now available in more than 30 countries and is estimated to generate USD$1.6 million in revenue per day through in-app purchases.

the app and there are certainly possibilities for tie-ups between augmented reality developers and the owners of content such as sports, travel and historical, to name a few.

• the brand, something users have either grown up with during its first run, or have been exposed to via repeats on broadcast TV

At the very least, you should buy shares in Specsavers.

These factors have led to Pokémon Go achieving almost instant “network effect”, the critical mass phenomenon that has propelled Facebook and other social networks – and attracted investors.

Thanks for Reading

So, what does this mean for the traditional content providers? While stories have emerged of bricks and mortar retailers trying to entice more foot traffic

Phil Sandberg - Editor/Publisherpapers@broadcastpapers.com T: +61-(0)414671811

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SiTV Improves Distribution with Interra INTERRA SYSTEMS HAS ANNOUNCED that SiTV, a branch of Shanghai Media Group (SMG), one of China’s largest media conglomerates, recently installed Interra Systems’ Baton, an automated, file-based QC solution to enhance the accuracy and speed of its QC operations. SMG chose an enterprise-class version of Baton over other systems on the market based on its comprehensive quality checks, scalable design, and support for a range of media formats and codecs.

future expansion into the OTT environment,” said Mr. Chen, Vice President of SiTV, a branch of SMG. “We were delighted with the results of the Baton QC system, which is highly flexible, reliable, and even provides QC reports in the Chinese language.

Baton is hardware and OS independent, allowing us to quickly scale to accommodate the increasing size of our asset library, ensuring exceptional content quality, at all times, for viewers.”

SiTV is currently using Baton to perform content quality checks for its cable and satellite TV networks, subscription-based digital pay TV channels, as well as production of films, animation, and documentaries. As a critical part of the central check, Baton detects and corrects content, while also ensuring compliance with broadcast television standards and closed captioning requirements.

“SiTV-SMG has over 20 channels and we also provide several hours of programming to other TV stations, IPTV, cable, and OTT operators. Given the various distribution methods we deal with, efficiency is critical during the QC process as is the capability to perform checks for our current MXF OP1a and MPEG-2 transport stream formats, with

Using the free add-on media player, SiTV can pinpoint and play the media around the error location, check the severity of the error, and choose whether to ignore, comment, or rate the error.

Baton simplifies quality assurance for SD, HD, UHD, 4K, and mixed workflows, offering support for a wide range of codecs and media containers.

Featuring a scalable architecture, Baton enables SiTV to quickly support OTT and expanded broadcast offerings in the future. Seamless integration with media servers, transcoders, MAM archiving, and workflow solutions assures troublefree installation and upgrades. Built with high availability, Baton continues operating even if one of the hardware components is down.

Visit www.interrasystems.com

Vietnam to Trial 4K from September SAIGON CABLE TELEVISION (SCTV) says it will broadcast television programmes using the 4K standard in Vietnam this September, the first test of its kind in Vietnam. SCTV will initially broadcast in 4K on one channel and then on others, with content produced by both Vietnamese and foreign channels.

The test will commence in September and the audience will officially enjoy the new standard

next year. Under the plan, Vietnam will be one of the first countries in Southeast Asia providing 4K standard television programmes.

provided on cable TV channels but also through satellite television or the Internet in the form of on-demand content.

During the trial period, SCTV will provide free 4K services. However, to benefit from the new technology, the viewer must use SCTV television services, have a 4K TV set and a new digital set-top.

In Vietnam’s domestic market, about 1/3 models of TV sets are UltraHD 4K resolution TV screens.

However, 4K content is not common as all television services in Vietnam currently supply content in HD standard.

In the future, 4K standard will be not only

Visit http://english.mic.gov.vn

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SCTV-IVM Indonesia Gets a Head Start in High Definition ONE IS A FAMILY-ORIENTED REGIONAL TV STATION famous for its award-winning children’s and religious programmes, the other is a private TV station specialising in cultural programmes. What seemed like an odd couple has blossomed into one of Indonesia’s most successful partnerships in broadcasting.

SCTV-IVM, formed as a result of a merger in 2011 between PT Surya Citra Televisi (SCTV) and PT Indosiar Visual Mandiri (IVM), has grown from strength to strength. Managed by Surya Citra Media (SCM), the new entity has steadily expanded its repertoire of programmes to include news, reality shows, variety shows, talk shows, sports, dramas and soap operas.

To cope with its increased production of original content, the station embarked on an upgrading programme in 2014. It also used the upgrading exercise to prepare itself for the inevitable analogue switch-off in Indonesia (scheduled for 2018).

Although all its programmes are broadcast in Standard Definition, the station decided to embrace the future by investing in a wide range of dual-format system cameras. This head start would also give its camera and technical crew sufficient time to get up to speed with the demands of High Definition.

“SCTV-IVM believes in investing for the future. Our new investments will go a long way towards helping us achieve our goals to produce high quality SD and HD content for our viewers,” says Suwarno, Broadcast Support Division Head, SCM – Emtek Group.

Amongst the purchases made by SCTV-IVM include the HDC-1700 HD system camera, PMW-200, PMW-150 and PMW-100 camcorders, MVS-3000A multi-format switcher and the XDS-1000 professional media station.

The XDS-1000’s ability to record the XAVCTM HD format on SxS media also made it an ideal choice for broadcasters like SCTV-IVM who are looking for an affordable, quality production solution that opens up diverse operational possibilities.

SCTV-IVM invested in 30 units of XDS- 1000. Compact in size, it can be easily deployed in a studio, ENG or OB van. Another benefit of this entry-level deck is that it facilitates the station’s migration from an all-media to a file-based workflow. This not only enhances the station’s speed in getting content on air but will also improve its workflow when the station makes the switch to HD. Adds Suwarno, “The Sony XDS-1000 is extremely flexible. We use it as a live recorder, library, editor, digitize content and as an MCR playlist. With its XDCAMTM 4:2:2 format, we will be able to enjoy more creative options both in the studio as well as live applications.”

Visit http://pro.sony-asia.com

Cinegy Partners with HK’s Broadcast Technology Limited CINEGY, THE DEVELOPER OF SOFTWARE technology for digital video processing, asset management, video compression, animation and effects, has announced a new partnership with Broadcast Technology Limited (BTL), the broadcast systems integration service provider and equipment distribution company based in Hong Kong.

BTL Sales and Marketing Manager Herman Hui said, “We have been a major systems integrator and equipment distributor in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macau as well as China for the past 30 years, supplying a broad

spectrum of world-class broadcast systems and equipment to our clients.

“The quality and scalability of Cinegy’s software platform and IP-based software technologies complement not only our existing technology portfolio, but the modern and future requirements of what broadcasters and playout facilities are asking us for daily. Having Cinegy on board will enable us to help our clients grow their businesses as they wish, and to provide even better, and more efficient, solutions.”

Visit www.cinegy.com and www.btl.com.hk

Riedel and Ideal Ink Deal for HK, Macau, and Taiwan

including products such as Riedel’s Artist digital matrix intercom system, Acrobat digital wireless intercom system, MediorNet real-time media network, and Micron 80G media distribution network device to customers in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Japan.

TAKING FURTHER ADVANTAGE of systems integrator Ideal Group’s network

“As both a renowned and respected systems integrator, Ideal Group has the expertise to design and deliver Riedel-based solutions that address the specific requirements of broadcast stations in target markets in Southeast Asia and beyond,” said Cameron O’Neill, Director, Asia-Pacific, at Riedel Communications. “We’re excited about working collaboratively with Ideal Group to provide intuitive yet cost-effective solutions to an ever-greater global user base.”

of offices, Riedel has extended its contract with the company to address growth opportunities in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Through this new agreement with Riedel, Ideal Group will be positioned to offer Riedel’s signal distribution and communications solutions to an even greater swathe of Asia.

Ideal Group is a multinational systems integrator that specializes in designing and delivering solutions to customers in the broadcast, telecommunications and enterprise sectors. The company already offers integrated solutions

Visit www.riedel.net Broadsignal’s Gerald Travers, “OTT content owners IBC 2016 can now adopt a variety of business models.”

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Jackie Chan to Produce New Film Down Under

“Securing Bleeding Steel is a great win for NSW and the highly skilled jobs demanded by the screen industry will create hundreds of new opportunities for those young people who’ve undergone training for our creative industries,” Mr Barilaro said. “Locally trained stuntwoman Maria Tran from western Sydney will now have an opportunity to realise her dream of working alongside lifetime idol Jackie Chan and his stunt team.”

LEGENDARY MOVIE ACTION HERO Jackie Chan will star in and produce his next film Bleeding Steel in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW). It will be the first film produced under the NSW Government’s AUD$20 million Made in NSW fund.

Heyi Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures Asia, the China production arm of the Village Roadshow Group, are co-producing Bleeding Steel.

Bleeding Steel will mark the first time Jackie Chan has filmed in Australia for almost 20 years. The 1996 film, Police Story 4: First Strike, used numerous locations in Queensland and Victoria. Chan’s connections with Australia date back to 1960 when, as a small boy, his parents emigrated to the Australian national capital, Canberra, where they worked at the U.S. embassy.

Acting Premier and Minister for the Arts Troy Grant said the NSW Government secured the production of Bleeding Steel for Sydney through its recently announced AUD$20 million Made in NSW fund, which provides incentives to attract international film and high-end Australian television drama production to NSW. “Bleeding Steel is set to be a box office smash in China, where it will showcase our magnificent city and its iconic locations, such as the Sydney Opera House, to the largest growth market for tourism in NSW,” Mr Grant said. “The production will pump more than $20 million into the local economy and support local film industry professionals, including stunt, safety and rigging crews, by providing them with the opportunity to work on a film alongside one of the world’s leading action heroes.”

Minister for Skills John Barilaro said this is the biggest budget Chinese film to ever shoot in Australia and will cast 40 NSW actors and dozens of local extras as well as create 200 production jobs.

Launched in August 2014, Heyi Pictures is the film production company of Youku Tudou Inc., one of China’s leading online video companies. As a film company that draws heavily on online content business models, Heyi Pictures explores innovative uses of “big data” for strategy, marketing and brand development in its film production process. To date, Heyi Pictures has co-produced and co-financed films with total box office receipts of ¥9 billion RMB (USD$1.35 billion), including Surprise, Detective Chinatown, Saving Mr. Wu, The Master and 34 other films. The company’s co-financed Monster Hunt earned ¥2.44 billion RMB (USD$367 million) at the box office to become the highest-grossing Chinese film of 2015.

Village Roadshow Pictures Asia, meanwhile, was established in 2011 to undertake the development, financing, production, marketing and distribution of films for Greater China. The majority of VRPA’s projects are structured as Sino-foreign co-productions and filmed in Greater China. Recent releases have included Stephen Chow’s Journey to the West, Leste Chen’s Say Yes!, and Peter Pau’s Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal, as well VRPA affiliate Irresistible Films releases Go Away, Mr. Tumour! and Cold War 2. Upcoming films include Mountain Cry, Hide and Seek and Reborn.

Visit http://screen.nsw.gov.au and http://vreg.com/village-roadshow-pictures-asia

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ASIAPACIFIC NEWS CHINA WANDA CINEMA LINE CORP has signed IMAX’s largest new theatre deal ever, 150 additional theatres which will be built throughout China over six years, starting 2017, with 110 to be installed by 2020.

The agreement builds on a partnership that dates to 2007, when Wanda Cinema opened its first IMAX theatre in Dongguan, China.

Wanda currently operates more than 160 IMAX theatres and is Asia’s largest cinema owner. The deal is expected to expand Wanda Cinema’s footprint of IMAX theatres to 360, with the majority opening over the next three years and the full rollout to be concluded by 2022. Nearly half of Wanda’s new IMAX theatres may be outfitted with new laserprojection technology, commencing at the end of 2018.

VIETNAM

INDIA NEXGUARD HAS ANNOUNCED that ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Limited is deploying

ATEME RECENTLY ANNOUNCED it is providing its Kyrion encoders to drive 70 major content channels for FPT Telecom in Vietnam. The encoders will be deployed on the premises of content providers where they will encode content and stream it back to the FPT operations centres in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

its NexGuard forensic watermarking system at its Mumbai facilities.

Specifically aimed at deterring piracy, the watermarking technology enables forensic watermarking of its video content with a unique identifier during post-production, making its worldwide distribution traceable

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and secure.

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SINGAPORE MEDIACORP’S OTT SERVICE, Toggle, has launched ‘Toggle Red Button’, based on Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV), to bring live broadcast TV and Toggle’s video-on-demand (VOD) services into a single environment.

The service is delivered via HbbTV-enabled smart TVs.

JAPAN ASIA SATELLITE Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (AsiaSat) and Japan International Broadcasting Inc. (JIB) recently announced an expansion of their partnership. JIB is now using AsiaSat 7 to broadcast NHK World TV HD, an English language news and lifestyle TV network, and for the continued distribution of its SD channel in the Asia-Pacific.

HONG KONG THE COMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY (CA) has approved the application of Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) for changes in its shareholding structure arising from the disposal of shares in Young Lion Holdings Limited. The ultimate and other intermediary voting controllers of TVB’s voting shares remain unchanged. Dr Charles Chan Kwok Keung will remain the ultimate voting controller of 26 percent of TVB’s voting shares.

INDONESIA OPERATOR OF THE LARGEST bouquet of panAsian channels, Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE), along with content creation and distribution company Viva Communications and Filipino DTH satellite provider Cignal TV have partnered to launch Celestial Movies Pinoy (CM Pinoy) in the Philippines. CM Pinoy is the first fully localised Chinese movie channel in the Philippines. The channel is available exclusively on Cignal TV in its basic tier, reaching over 1 million subscribers.

AUSTRALIA VICE, THE GLOBAL YOUTH BRAND, is to partner with Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) to launch a new channel in Australia. The lifestyle and culture TV channel will feature to-air on SBS in late 2016. The channel will

NEW ZEALAND

be owned and operated by SBS, with a focus

THE 14TH OF JUNE SAW the New Zealand

on lifestyle and culture content for young

Prime TV network cease transmission of its

viewers, and featuring Australian produced

two regional broadcast feeds, which allowed

programs.

different advertising in different parts of the country, in favour of one national feed. The move required some New Zealand viewers to retune several channels on Sky, Freeview and hybrid set-top boxes.

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programming from VICELAND, and screen free-

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NEWS + PEOPLE Shotoku Expands India Presence with New Sales Manager SHOTOKU BROADCAST SYSTEMS has named Ashish Srivastava its new regional sales manager to help expand the company’s presence in India. Recognising the growing demand for reliable broadcast camera support equipment and professional staff in the region, Srivastava, with more than 16 years of experience in the broadcast industry will play a vital role in India as a key part of Shotoku’s global growth strategy.

According to Ken Takahashi, Global Sales Director, Shotoku, “India is, and will always remain, a major power in the media industry. Ashish is pivotal in our expansion efforts, bringing the superior quality that comes with the Shotoku brand to more people than ever before. On behalf of the entire Shotoku team, we welcome Ashish Srivastava on board as regional sales manager.”

Visit www.shotoku.tv

PAT Adds Prestidge as GM for Australia PROFESSIONAL AUDIO & TELEVISION has announced the appointment of Keith Prestidge as its new General Manager for its Sydney office, effective from the 1st of August.

Mr Prestidge, who brings a wealth of senior management and sales experience with him, has worked for brands such as Klotz Digital, Studer, and the Stagetec Salzbrenner Group across the APAC region over the last 20 years. He has held various roles within engineering, sales and senior management, which have provided him with a keen business acumen that has successfully contributed to growing businesses across the Asia Pacific region.

“We are delighted to have Keith join our team,” commented PAT’s Managing Director, Patrick Salloch. “As Keith and I have previously worked together very successfully, I am well aware of the value and experience he will bring to our Australian operation.”

Mr Prestidge added, “I have followed PAT’s projects and successes over the years and I am very much looking forward to getting involved and contributing to the growth of the business in Australia.”

Visit www.proaudiotv.com.au and www.proaudiotv.co.nz

EditShare Appoints William Wong as SE Sales Manager EDITSHARE HAS ANNOUNCED that William Wong has joined the company as sales manager for the Southeast Asia region. Wong comes to EditShare with more than 20 years of industry sales experience, excelling in both direct sale and indirect channel sales management.

Prior to joining EditShare, Wong was Imagine Communications’ Southeast Asia Channel Manager. In addition to his work with Imagine, Wong worked for Matrox Video as regional sales manager for the Southeast region, overseeing the company’s reseller channel and OEM partners for the broadcast and post production market verticals.

Visit www.editshare.com

Chee Lek Kew Key Account Manager for Qvest QVEST MEDIA HAS EXPANDED

its sales activities in Asia with the appointment of Chee Lek Kew as new Key Account Manager. Chee Lek Kew will be responsible for the management of the existing client base and the establishment of new relations to key customers in the SEA and APAC regions.

Kew has extensive experience in the broadcast industry. Before moving on to Qvest Media, he was engaged at Grass Valley in Singapore where he took responsibility for the overall direction, completion and financial outcome for small to very large projects. As a former leader and manager of several project engineers, consultants and trainers, Kew is also well experienced in personnel management.

“We are happy to welcome Chee Lek Kew who will strengthen our market development and sales activities in the APAC region,” said Konstantin Knauf, Managing Director at Qvest Media, Singapore.

“With more than a decade of experience in the broadcast industry, he perfectly fits our team. His know-how of building customer relationships will help us to bring in new businesses, retain existing clients and obtain further growth.”

Visit www.qvestmedia.com

Brett Smith Joins ARRI Australia as GM INDUSTRY STALWART BRETT SMITH has joined ARRI Australia as its new General Manager. Smith, who brings with him over thirty years experience in the film and TV industries, will be responsible for the sales, service, and support of all ARRI product lines including ALEXA, AMIRA and ALEXA Mini cameras, Alura lenses and the full range of lighting across Australia and New Zealand.

Smith said, “It’s an honour to be given this opportunity. The ARRI Australia team is well respected throughout ANZ for its unequalled service expertise and depth of product knowledge. The result is strong relationships with local customers and partners, and an ongoing and active support for societies like the ACS, AFTRS, NZCS and SMPTE.” Smith has had an extensive career in film and television, most recently with Tiffen where he was Asia-Pacific manager and solely responsible for significantly growing sales of the company’s film and TV acquisition products across the region. Prior to Tiffen, Smith, also a former board member of SMPTE Australia, had successful roles at Australia’s Nine TV Network, Miller and Codan Broadcast.

Visit www.arri.com.au

Grass Valley Names Somu Patil Regional Sales Director GRASS VALLEY HAS APPOINTED Somu Patil as the regional sales director

NEWS + PEOPLE

of South Asia and the ASEAN region. Patil served as the regional sales director for South Asia for the past two years and is expanding his responsibilities to include the ASEAN region.

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South Asia team of sales, service and project management be one of the top suppliers to the broadcast industry in the region.

With more than 20 years of experience in the industry, Patil started his broadcast career with Zee TV and Star TV before transitioning to the manufacturer side. He has been successful in building the South Asia broadcast equipment business, first for Harris, and more recently for Grass Valley.

“Somu has worked hard to develop our business in the region and reinforce the Grass Valley name as a leader in broadcast technology,” said Andrew Thornton, Vice President of Sales, Asia Pacific, Grass Valley. “With his new, expanded role, he will continue to work closely with our customers and help them navigate the changing landscape to capture the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.”

Having joined Grass Valley in March 2013, he has established Grass Valley’s

Visit www.grassvalley.com

Tencent Selects Ideal for IP/4K OB Vehicle

MCA Brings QYOU to Asia Pacific

IDEAL SYSTEMS GROUP has announced it has won a tender with

MULTI CHANNELS ASIA (MCA) has announced a partnership deal with

Tencent (China), one of the largest internet companies in the world, to build

The QYOU to bring The QYOU’s TV formats to Asia and the Pacific for the

a ten-camera, 4K, multi-purpose OB truck. The OB truck which was designed and will be built by Ideal Systems uses the latest 4K Grass Valley LDX 86N cameras which will be fitted with Canon 4K Lenses.

first time.

Gregg Creevey, Managing Director, Multi Channels Asia said, “The QYOU curates the world’s most fascinating and captivating short form videos into a multiscreen entertainment suite for the global subscription TV industry.

The LDX 86N cameras feature native 4K and native 3G/HD image capture,

Globally, Millennials are increasingly disengaged from pay TV and The

using three 3840x2160p 4K XensiumHAWK CMOS imagers with DPMUltra

QYOU is without a doubt, a perfect partner to bridge the gap between

(dynamic pixel management) functionality.

Millennials and traditional linear pay TV in Asia. Together with our recent

The cameras will feed over IP back to redundant GV Nodes. GV Node is designed to handle deterministic vertically accurate switching within IP, supporting SMPTE ST2022-6 IP inputs and outputs, as well as TICO visually lossless compression for 4K applications.

announcement to launch Viceland in early 2017, and our existing channel, Havoc Television, operators in Asia now have a three channel combination that will reconnect Millennials to subscription TV.” By expanding into Asia Pacific, The QYOU continues its rapid growth across more than 35 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

For full broadcast capabilities, GV Node also supports the range of Densité

Bob Reid, VP of Business Development and Sales at The QYOU said,

signal processing modules, along with a Kaleido multiviewer. The GV nodes

“Moving into the Asia Pacific market is a great step forward for us, but

will in-turn feed the IP outputs to the GV IP Switcher.

also a natural one. Consumer viewing habits here are extremely advanced

Inside the vehicle has seating space for up to twenty-five people: eight for production, four CG operators, two audio engineers, and the rest for camera

and there’s a strong appetite for internet content, and all the imaginative and diverse video it encompasses. By teaming up with MCA we can show people that they don’t have to venture online to get their entertainment

control and slow motion operations. Manufacture of the truck has already

fix – they can now find it at their fingertips on linear and VOD, without

begun in Ideal Systems offices in China with delivery slated for later in

having to waste time searching for the most relevant, captivating content –

the year.

because we’ve already done that for them.”

Visit www.idealsys.com

Visit www.multichannelsasia.com and www.theqyou.com

Somet hi ng’ sComi ng We’ r eaboutt ot ak el i v eI Pv i deot oanewl ev el .

Cel ebr at i ng 10 y ear s of i nnov at i on, L i v eU c ont i nuest os ett hes t andar df orhi ghqual i t y andr el i abl el i v ev i deoac qui s i t i on, management anddi s t r i but i onov erI P. AtI BC2016,L i v eU wi l lbe maki ng a maj or pr oduc tannounc ement ,onc e agai n br i ngi ng l i v eI Pv i deot oanewl ev el .

I BC2016 St and3.

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NEWS + PEOPLE

L i v eU’ sf ul l r angeofl i v eI Pv i deos ol ut i onswi l l be al s oons how.

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TECHNICAL STANDARDS www.content-technology.com/standards

ITU Launches Standards Effort for Immersive Experiences A NEW ITU STANDARDS effort on ‘Immersive Live Experience’ aims to bring the sensation of live events to remote audiences, replicating the experience of being present at the event venue. It is thought this next evolution of the live telecast will create a multimedia environment in which viewers will experience realistic perceptions of sound, lighting and space.

The new standards effort will be led by the ITU standardisation expert group responsible for multimedia codecs, systems and applications, ITU-T Study Group 16.

Immersive Live Experience (ILE) is a collective term for a set of advanced technologies that allow synchronous transmission of lighting, spatial and environmental information together with audio and video streams. ILE enables the reconstruction of an environment at remote sites using life-sized 3D presentations of people and objects and recreation of the sounds and sensations of on-site participation.

ITU-T Study Group 16 will develop international standards to enable the

SMPTE AXF Format Standard Declared a Success

An ITU workshop planned for September 2016 will explore ILE use cases and associated ILE standardisation demands.

Visit www.itu.int

ITU’s New Standard for High Dynamic Range TV ITU HAS ANNOUNCED a new standard for High Dynamic Range Television that is said to represent a major advance in television broadcasting. High

(SMPTE) has announced the SMPTE Archive eXchange Format (AXF)

Dynamic Range Television (HDR-TV) brings an incredible feeling of realism,

standard (SMPTE ST 2034-1:2014), published in 2014, has now been

building further on the superior colour fidelity of ITU’s Ultra-High Definition

successfully adopted and executed, smoothly supporting the transparent

Television (UHDTV) Recommendation BT.2020. ITU’s Radio communication

and independent exchange of complex file-based assets and metadata

Sector (ITU-R) has developed the standard – or recommendation – in

between storage management applications from different vendors.

collaboration with experts from the television industry, broadcasting

Designed for operational storage, transport, and long-term preservation,

organisations and regulatory institutions in its Study Group 6.

AXF was formulated as a wrapper, or container, capable of holding

“High Dynamic Range Television will bring a whole new viewing experience

unlimited collections of files and metadata related to one another in

to audiences around the world,” said ITU Secretary-General, Houlin Zhao,

any combination. Known as ‘AXF Objects’, such containers can package,

welcoming the announcement. “TV programming will be enhanced with

in different ways, all the specific information that different kinds of

brighter pictures that add sparkle to entertainment and realism to news

AXF is already being used to store and protect complex media assets in formats such as Material eXchange Format (MXF), Interoperable Master Format (IMF), and Digital Picture eXchange (DPX), as well as more generic, enterprise information technology (IT) file-based assets such as geophysical databases. By supporting the interchange of SMPTE AXF Objects, the SMPTE AXF standard enables interoperability among

coverage.”

Visit www.itu.int

CBC and Triveni Team for ATSC 3.0 Simulcast

disparate content storage systems and ensures content’s long-term

JUNE 2016 SAW TRIVENI DIGITAL TEAM UP with Capitol

availability, no matter how storage or file-system technology evolves.

Broadcasting Company, owner and operator of WRAL-TV, WRAZ-TV, and

Front Porch Digital (now part of Oracle) and Burbank, California-based Digital Preservation Laboratories became the first vendors to exchange

TECHNICAL STANDARDS

The new standards effort will support the implementation of the wide variety of technologies required to enable ILE, such as technologies for real-time object-extraction; spatial-location sensing; sound-direction identification; media transport of extracted objects, including spatial-location information; synchronous transmission of video, sound and lighting; and 3D virtual presentation.

THE SOCIETY OF MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION ENGINEERS

systems would need to restore content data by any AXF-aware system.

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coordinated development of ILE technologies for the transport of relevant multimedia information, as well as their presentation methods for realistic event reconstruction. A key part of this study will be the standardisation of end-to-end architectures for ILE and mechanisms for the interoperability of ILE services offered by various entertainment providers.

WILM-TV in North Carolina, to broadcast the first live commercial ATSC 3.0 simulcast in the United States.

SMPTE AXF Objects created by their respective storage management

For the ATSC 3.0 simulcast, Capitol Broadcasting Company used Triveni

applications and to read and recover the file-based payloads and

Digital’s new GuideBuilder XM signalling and announcement system to

encapsulated metadata. They were successful in their first attempt. Front

manage metadata, streamlining the delivery of advanced EPGs/ESGs and

Porch was a major contributor to the development of the standard and

localised, enhanced emergency alerts. In addition, Triveni Digital supplied

among the first to market with software built on AXF.

an integrated ROUTE encoder capable of converting multiple DASH

AXF has been adopted by multiple vendors and is installed in more than 100 systems worldwide, storing many petabytes of content that now are protected for future recoverability, independent of the systems that stored them.

Visit www.smpte.org

streams into ROUTE. QoS is managed by Triveni Digital’s StreamScope XM, which enables channel sharing broadcasters to perform detailed analysis of ATSC 3.0 streams and data structures to allow error detection, isolation, and resolution.

Visit www.trivenidigital.com and http://www.capitolbroadcasting. com/2016/06/29/wral-begins-broadcasting-in-next-gen-tv-technology/

TAKING STOCK Moves in the business of content + technology

www.content-technology.com/mediabusiness

DaySequerra Acquires Orban DAYSEQUERRA, a leading provider of high-performance audio solutions for radio, TV and internet broadcasters, has entered into an agreement to purchase Orban from its parent CRL Inc., effective immediately. Orban will be reorganised into a new DaySequerra subsidiary, Orban Labs Incorporated, and will be located at the DaySequerra facility in New Jersey. All current Orban administration, marketing, sales and product development functions will be transferred to DaySequerra.

“Orban has advanced the state-of- the-art in audio processing for broadcast and streaming since 1975,” said Bob Orban. “Over the decades, Orban products have been at the heart of broadcast facilities as vital tools for attracting and keeping audiences. Our expert engineering and development team has deep knowledge of Orban’s intellectual property and some members of our team have been with Orban for more than 30 years. I personally look forward to working with DaySequerra; our team will continue

to innovate under the new Orban Labs banner and will drive leading-edge product development in the years ahead.”

“Orban is the world leader in broadcast audio processing and Bob Orban has developed some amazing surround and loudness audio technologies. The fit with DaySequerra is a natural,” said DaySequerra’s President, David Day. “The synergistic opportunity that this acquisition represents is just fantastic – opportunities like this don’t happen very often. We look forward to working with Bob’s team and Orban Europe to develop and bring to market the nextgeneration of intelligent audio processing in the broadcast, consumer and automotive spaces.”

The acquisition of Orban by DaySequerra is subject to approval by the shareholders of Circuit Research Labs, Inc. formerly OTC/ BB NASDAQ. Visit www.daysequerra.com

Akamai Issues Q1 2016 State of the Internet Report AKAMAI TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (NASDAQ: AKAM) has released its first

quarter, 2016 State of the Internet Report. Based on data gathered from the Akamai Intelligent Platform, the report provides insight into key global statistics such as connection speeds, broadband adoption metrics, notable Internet disruptions, IPv4 exhaustion and IPv6 implementation.

“Live sports will be at the forefront this summer as we prepare for the games in Brazil, with expectations that this year’s events will be watched by more online viewers than ever,” said David Belson, editor of the State of the Internet Report. “Global connection speeds have more than doubled since the summer of 2012, which can help support higher quality video streaming for bigger audiences across even more connected devices and platforms.”

quarter of 2015 to 6.3 Mbps, a 23 percent increase year over year.

• Global average peak connection speed increased 6.8 percent to 34.7 Mbps in the first quarter, rising 14 percent year over year.

• Global 10 Mbps, 15 Mbps, and 25 Mbps broadband adoption also grew significantly in the first quarter of 2016, posting year over year gains of 10 percent, 14 percent and 19 percent at each threshold, respectively.

• The number of unique IPv4 addresses connecting to the Akamai Intelligent Platform declined 0.2 percent to 808 million.

• Belgium remained the clear global leader in IPv6 adoption with 36 percent of its connections to Akamai occurring over IPv6, down 3.1 percent from the previous quarter.

Highlights from Akamai’s First Quarter, 2016 State of the Internet Report, include:

• Australia remained in 48th position in Q1, with average connection speeds of 8.8 Mbps.

• Global average connection speed increased 12 percent from the fourth

Visit www.akamai.com

Accedo Secures US$10M in Funding, Appoints James Ackerman as Chairman ACCEDO HAS PARTNERED with SEB Private Equity, a Stockholm-based private and growth equity fund, to accelerate its growth and further position itself as a “Video Experience pioneer”. Accedo’s offering includes a global solution team, managed services, and products such as Accedo AppGrid and Accedo Application Sphere.

The transaction allows early investors of Accedo, including Industrifonden and Acacia, to exit as part of their investment strategy, and adds a total of up to $10M in additional capital to be deployed for a continued growth and innovation.

Accedo has also appointed industry veteran James Ackerman, formerly of A&E, BSkyB, OpenTV, Documentary Channel and Broadway Systems, as a new Chairman of the Board.

“It’s rare to see a transformation of an industry such as what we’re seeing in the TV industry at the moment. The traditional value chain is evolving with

new and existing players embracing OTT technologies to reach consumers and monetise video content in new and innovative ways. I believe that Accedo is perfectly positioned to continue to drive that change, help customers embrace the future opportunities and turn TV Viewers into video lovers. I’m thrilled to be working with Michael Lantz, Fredrik Andersson and the rest of the Accedo management team to fulfil Accedo’s potential,” said Ackerman.

SEB Private Equity invests capital from top-tier third party institutions and is a part of Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken’s (SEB) investment management business. In the tech and media industry, recent investments by SEB Private Equity range from mature companies such as Sintec Media and eFront, and early investments in growth-oriented companies such as WeWork, iZettle, GrubHub, LearnVest, Boku and Yello Mobile.

Visit www.seb.se and www.accedo.tv

HTC Teams for USD$10 Billion Virtual Reality Investment Fund operations in Beijing and San Francisco.The group says it will invest in Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Mixed reality startups of any size from anywhere around the world.

The VRVCA says, “We believe that VR is a transformative technology that will revolutionise entire industries, one that will leave a lasting impact for many future generations to come. In order to achieve that dream, we are working tirelessly to ensure that the VR startups today get the resources they need, so that they can grow into the industry titans of tomorrow.”

HTC, with partner company Valve, recently released Vive, a virtual reality system designed from the ground up for room-scale VR, allowing trueto-life interactions and experiences thanks to an adjustable headset displaying graphics, two wireless controllers with HD haptic feedback and 360° motion tracking. Vive incorporates smartphone functionality and features a front-facing camera that blends physical elements into the virtual world.

The VRVCA will hold six funding meetings per year with bases of

Visit www.vrvca.com

TAKING STOCK

TAIWAN-BASED SMARTPHONE developer, HTC, has joined with 30 venture capital funds to form the Virtual Reality Venture Capital Alliance.

With a potential investment pot in excess of USD$ 10 billion, the purpose of the Virtual Reality Venture Capital Alliance (VRVCA) is to foster longterm growth in the VR industry through identifying, sharing and investing in innovative VR technology and content companies.

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8 - 12 September 2016, IBC Conference | 9 - 13 September 2016, IBC Exhibition

IBC 2016 PREVIEW Transformative Change at IBC2016 Entitled “Transformation in the Digital Era: Leadership, strategy and creativity in media and entertainment”, the IBC2016 Conference will see more than 300 Executives sharing insights on key issues at the heart of the entertainment, media and technology sector.

ORGANISED INTO SEVEN THEMATIC STREAMS across five days, the conference has been streamlined to make discovery, navigation and access to the wealth of industry expertise easy and intuitive.

in which he will share key research insights into how the online generation listens to and views music and how music has provided an enormous catalyst for growth in streaming media.

For 2016 IBC introduced new streams: Platform Futures examines platforms, content aggregation and distribution strategies, whereas Audiences and Advertising explores how broadcasters and TV platforms can reach, engage and monetise their viewers.

TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE

Revamped content strands include Content and Production, covering innovative content strategies and production techniques, and Business Transformation, which brings together the latest operational developments and technology.

The first is HDR 4K, which now has its own consumer-friendly label — Ultra HD Premium — and looks set to become the minimum spec of consumer sets as 2016 unfolds. HDR truly is a game-changer for picture quality and was one of the dominant topics at last year’s show.

Returning in 2016 are: Advances in Technology with technical experts presenting details of the industry’s latest innovations and inventions; IBC Big Screen Experience which examines the hottest topics, themes, and insights surrounding the art, science, and business of cinema; Rising Stars, the educational programme for industry starters.

The new standard even includes adjustments so that both OLED and LCD screens can feature. OLED has been tricky to produce up till now but new, experimental screens that can be rolled up like a newspaper suggest that the developmental effort is starting to bear fruit.

POWER SPEAKER TO KEYNOTE CONFERENCE In addition to director Ang Lee and Shahrzad Rafati, founder and CEO of BroadbandTV (see page 13), the IBC2016 Conference will feature a host of compelling keynote presentations.

Then, of course, there’s the Internet of Things. There is still speculation about how exactly television will fit into the nascent AllWeb, but CES developments seemed to indicate that it might end up playing a significant role as the main control interface.

This opening session which kicks off the IBC2016 Conference will offer up insights and strategies about how he is leading Vodafone-KDG through today’s transforming media landscape.

Elsewhere, drone development continues, new audience metrics are revealing just how important social media is becoming to broadcasters, and the battle for the HDMI 1 slot is being waged between traditional broadcast STBs and the new streaming boxes.

Global advertising and marketing guru Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of WPP, will deliver the Keynote address on Friday 9 September at the IBC2016 Conference.

As one of the most respected global industry leaders, Sir Martin’s views are keenly followed on both business and macro-economic issues. In his IBC Keynote, he will talk about the trends driving rapid change in the world of media, together with the critical role of content, data and technology in the 21st-century marketplace.

Under Sir Martin’s leadership, WPP has become the world’s largest communications services group. It is in the FTSE 100 and employs some 194,000 people (including associates and investments) working across 150 companies in 112 countries. In addition to advertising and media companies, including Ogilvy & Mather Advertising, Y&R and MediaCom, Sir Martin has ramped up WPP’s investments in data analysis and advertising technology through Kantar, to better position WPP with the growing power of GAFA (Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon).

IBC 2016

Virtual Reality is an extremely hot topic for 2016, too. Deloitte has predicted that the market will break through the US$1 billion barrier this year, with anywhere between 1 million and 1.75 million headsets sold. The announced price of Oculus Rift, US$599, was an unwelcome surprise to many, but the amount of activity around the format — the recent Sundance Film Festival featured 30 titles alone — suggests that momentum is building.

Dr Manuel Cubero, CEO of Kabel Deutschland Holding AG and Chief Commercial Officer of Vodafone Germany, will deliver a Keynote at the opening plenary on Thursday 8 September 2016.

Dr Cubero has enjoyed a long and successful career at Germany’s largest cable network operator. He first joined Kabel Deutschland in 2003 and held a variety of management positions before moving into his current role as CEO in 2014. He has also been the Chief Commercial Officer of Vodafone Germany since 2015.

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IBC2016 is being staged at a time when significant technologies promise (or threaten) to bring enormous change to the consumer landscape.

Arguably the world’s leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform, Vevo enjoys over 17 billion monthly views globally. President and CEO Erik Huggers will deliver a Keynote on Saturday the 10th of September

Visit www.ibc.org

Help Celebrate IBC’s 50th Birthday in 2017 IN SEPTEMBER 2017, IBC will reach a significant milestone and celebrate its 50th Anniversary, and it wants all industry members to help out with the celebrations.

The amount of change over the course of the five decades is astounding and the broadcast landscape of 1967 was a very different one from the one we see rapidly evolving around us now. Then, television was monochrome with mono audio. Since then, we have seen the advent first of colour, then of HD and now of Ultra HD and beyond. Audio has progressed through stereo to 5.1 and the astonishing 22:2 of Super Hi Vision. 3D has come and gone and now VR is attempting to change the way we interact with our screens.

First the personal computer (which didn’t even exist till as late as 1981) and then the internet have completely changed the way we live and work, while non-linear editing and digital VFX have transformed post-production out of all recognition. Then, of course, there’s the mobile phone.

The changes are many and IBC wants to celebrate them. If you have any photos from your past IBC visits, the organisation would like to include your memories in a special 50th Anniversary book it is publishing to mark the anniversary.

Head to IBC.org/50photos to find out more.

IBC 2016

IBC HAS ANNOUNCED THAT SHAHRZAD RAFATI, founder and CEO of BroadbandTV, will deliver a keynote on Saturday the 10th of September at the forthcoming IBC2016 Conference.

Over the last 11 years, BroadbandTV has become a powerful force in online video, and is the world’s largest multi-platform network. Built on technological expertise, Vancouver-based BBTV represents 16.2bn monthly impressions with over 76,000 online video creators, providing a full suite of services and solutions including content distribution, technology, promotion, production, creative and design services, and monetisation opportunities in addition to niche value propositions for creators within each of its verticals.

BBTV also offers rights management services for media giants including the NBA, Viacom, Sony Pictures, and FremantleMedia. Shahrzad is an advocate of positive social change and a champion of entrepreneurism.

Shahrzad will talk about how BBTV is working across platforms and creating novel partnerships like the one with AOL’s Huffington Post to create a new kind of online video journalism network called Outspeak and NBA Playmakers, a groundbreaking community for video creators focused on basketball and basketball culture, in partnership with the NBA. She will also talk about how the younger YouTube generation interacts with technology and content and what this means for traditional broadcasting.

Entitled ‘Transformation in the Digital Era: Leadership, Strategy and Creativity in Media and Entertainment’, the conference will see more than 300 executives sharing insights on key issues at the heart of the entertainment, media and technology sector.

Visit www.ibc.org

Ang Lee to Keynote IBC MULTI-ACADEMY-AWARD-WINNING DIRECTOR, Ang Lee, (Brokeback Mountain, Life of Pi) will deliver visionary Keynote address on Monday the 12th of September at the IBC2016 Conference in Amsterdam as part of the ‘IBC Big Screen Experience’. The IBC Big Screen Experience is at the heart of the IBC2016 Conference where more than 300 speakers are expected to attend to share insights on key issues at the heart of the entertainment, media and technology sector under the headline conference theme, Transformation in the ‘Digital Era: Leadership, Strategy and Creativity in Media and Entertainment’.

Julian Pinn, Executive Producer, IBC Big Screen Experience said, “There is no finer keynote presenter for this year’s IBC Big Screen Experience than Ang Lee and we are very honoured to be hosting him. For over two decades, Ang Lee has shown true mastery in utilising cutting-edge science and cinematographic techniques towards his creation of some of the very finest works of cinematic story-telling art.”

Ang Lee’s Keynote will set in the context of his latest work, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (2016). The new cinematographic technique utilised not only unlocks a new level of story-telling power and emotional connection with the on-screen characters, but offers greater control over preserving artistic integrity over the increasing range of delivery formats, both within cinema and to the wider electronic entertainment market. Registration for IBC2016 is now open via this link.

Visit www.ibc.org

IBC 2016

Shahrzad Rafati on Leadership, Strategy and Creativity

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IBC 2016

The Foundry: A Journey from TV to VR ALEX MAHON, EX-CEO OF SHINE GROUP and now CEO of The Foundry, will talk attendees through her journey from traditional TV to the new world of VR and special effects, and discuss some of the most exciting products of her new company at a special IBC2016 Conference session, on Friday 9 September at 9:30.

Alex Mahon is the CEO of The Foundry, a leading global developer of creative software used to deliver high-end visual effects and 3D content for the design, visualisation and entertainment industries. Clients including Pixar, Weta, ILM and Mercedes Benz, and its tools are behind award winning movies such as Star Wars, Lord of The Rings and Interstellar, with every single film nominated for the best VFX Academy Award in the last five years made using The Foundry’s software.

At the forefront of virtual reality, The Foundry is working with leading players in the industry, from Nokia to Google, to help them create immersive experiences, to fulfil the demand of this growing sector.

The high-growth company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in London, with 300 staff in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Shanghai and the UK. In 2015, the company was acquired by HgCapital.

Alex was previously CEO of Shine Group, departing in 2015 after successfully completing the sale of the company into a new joint venture between 21st Century Fox and Apollo Global Management. She joined Shine as Managing Director in 2006 and built the group through M&A and organic growth into an organisation with 27 creative labels in 12 countries and brands including MasterChef, Biggest Loser, Broadchurch, Spooks and The Bridge. Prior to this, Alex had a career in media across Europe – at Talkback Thames, FremantleMedia Group and RTL Group. This followed on from her early career as a PhD Physicist and also at strategy consultants, Mitchell Madison Group, working in the internet retail sector.

Visit IBC.org/conference

IBC ‘Big Screen’ goes HDR in 2016 IBC HAS ANNOUNCED its forthcoming IBC2016 Big Screen Experience conference stream, which kicks off on the 9 September, in Amsterdam in the RAI Auditorium, will for the first time feature High Dynamic Range projection from Dolby Laboratories. In addition, Dolby Atmos immersive audio will be featured again powered by QSC audio.

The Big Screen Experience conference stream will focus on the wide gamut of key developments that affect the art, science and business of the motion-picture sector from production through to exhibition. The stream offers an editorially-led programme that is set up as a state-ofthe-art cinema - this important aspect enables the many salient topics of the programme to be directly experienced as well as academically discussed.

Of the four-day conference, the Friday and Saturday will focus more towards the capture end of the content-supply-chain and we will examine new tools from motion capture to lightfield imaging. The culmination will be a masterclass from visual effects guru, Kevin Baillie, on the application of virtual sets in productions such as Robert Zemeckis’ and Sony Pictures Entertainment’s, ‘The Walk’. The Sunday and Monday will, amongst other topics, examine experiential innovation (such as High Dynamic Range, Wide Colour, Immersive Audio and High Frame Rate) as well as business innovations such as in marketing and analytics — always asking the key question on the mouths of film distributors and cinema operators: what does all this mean for my ROI?

Imagine Communications Brings Media Industry Transformation into Focus IBC2016 WILL BE THE VENUE for Imagine Communications [the Amtrium, Stand 4.A01], a founding member of the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), to unveil its latest innovations, demonstrate the widespread interoperability of its solutions and present a series of knowledge-sharing seminars featuring thought leaders from across the media and entertainment and IT industries.

optimization capabilities that enable video service providers to cost-effectively meet various legal and copyright requirements, including private copy laws.

The company’s next-generation dynamic ad insertion and unified distribution portfolios enable content distributors to consolidate and simplify their infrastructures to reduce costs and explore new monetization opportunities.

Hybrid SDI-IP routing and multiviewer solutions empower media companies to transform live production operations and leverage commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) IT-equipment without squandering investments in traditional broadcast technology or sacrificing performance. Imagine Communications’ production and contribution portfolio provides ultra-low latency encoding and decoding and the delivery of uncompressed media over IP transport, as well as support for Sony Network Media Interface (NMI) and intoPIX TICO mezzanine compression for UHD operations. Imagine’s live production portfolio also supports the most recent UHD processing technologies, including up/down conversion and the latest standards for delivering media over IP networks, high dynamic range (HDR) image quality and precision timing.

Imagine’s end-to-end, omniplatform ad management portfolio features open, modular systems that help maximize ad revenue. Highlighted capabilities include sales, scheduling and analytics for linear and nonlinear delivery. The company will also demonstrate integration of playout and scheduling achieved through the unification of its Versio and xG Schedule solutions.

IBC 2016

Imagine Communications’ Versio UHD playout and graphic workflow solutions support compressed or uncompressed IP-based playout, advanced multichannel and UHD playback and branding. Also featured will be a new user interface, new automation features and the company’s native IP and hybrid playout and master control solutions, which seamlessly unify playout, automation and graphics supporting fully virtualized deployment for cloud environments.

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Imagine’s multiscreen delivery portfolio is among the most comprehensive available and supports high-density and high video quality transcoding and delivery for OTT linear and VOD services. An end-to-end cloud DVR solution, including recorders and packagers, is supported by advanced storage

Close collaboration with IT giants Microsoft and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) will be highlighted at IBC2016 throughout Imagine Communications’ booth. Microsoft Azure Certified solutions based on Imagine Communications’ 100-percent software based playout and live encoding solutions will be featured, as will media cloud services that leverage HPE’s cloud-based, virtualised and orchestrated network services. Imagine Communications will also showcase how its next-generation offerings, including processing, playout and monitoring, are powered by Zenium, the company’s workflow management platform.

Imagine Communications will also host its ImagineLIVE! Power Sessions, a series of presentations and interactive discussions featuring prominent executives and subject matter experts from Imagine Communications and its partners and customers from across the IT and media and entertainment industries.

Visit www.imaginecommunications.com

Make it Kula

IBC 2016

4K/1080p/HD/SD/1ME/2ME

The new Kula production switcher range has the true multi-format flexibility you need, the panel options you require and the SAM quality you can rely on – all at a remarkable price point.

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IBC 2016

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IBC 2016

Telestream Tackles Multi-Platform Live Streaming

Tedial Showcase Version Factory and Evolution BPM

TELESTREAM WILL USE IBC2016 to showcase scalable broadcastquality live streaming solutions, strategic advances in video encoding and transcoding systems, and its developments in cloud-based enterprise services.

TEDIAL IS SHOWCASING Version Factory and Evolution BPM at IBC2016.

Telestream will introduce Lightspeed Live Stream, which brings broadcast and OTT together in the live space. Lightspeed Live Stream is the company’s enterprise-scale live streaming platform, developed to provide produced, high value, premium content OTT to end users watching on their device of choice.

millions of file input to output configurations and can be managed from

Another European first for IBC is Lightspeed Live Capture, which provides encoding of real-time SD, HD and UHD into all high-quality mezzanine formats, while simultaneously supplying a streaming proxy for each channel being processed. This integrated hardware and software appliance combines multiple CPU and GPU cores as well as targeted ASIC CODEC acceleration.

proof ’N-input to N-output’ operations, and provides maximum flexibility

Also at IBC, Telestream will exhibit new functionality within its flagship software product – Vantage. Through an Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) optimisation feature, Vantage can reduce delivery bandwidth needs and slash content distribution network costs by up to 40% within multiscreen distribution applications.

level, presenting a suite of Media IT software modules that automate

Telestream will also demonstrate Telestream Cloud, a video encoding SaaS suited to meet the needs of video production and post production professionals. Telestream Cloud extends the reach of encoding capabilities to a wider audience seeking Telestream quality encoding, while offering cloud-encoding scalability for current users.

Visit www.telestream.net

New Calrec Audio Products CALREC AUDIO’S NEW BRIO CONSOLE takes centre stage at IBC2016. Brio is a powerful and compact digital broadcast audio console, with a comprehensive broadcast feature set that supports a wider breadth of broadcasters.

The smallest in Calrec’s Bluefin2 family, Brio’s control surface is only 892mm wide – the dual-layer, 36-fader surface provides more faders in a given footprint than any other audio broadcast console. Brio’s compact, and configurable surface gives instant access to a large number of audio paths, while a 15.6-inch HD touchscreen UI provides quick access to more in-depth control. A bank of illuminating hardware rotary controls provide control over parameters displayed in the touchscreen UI. Brio is entirely self-contained, with analogue and digital I/O and GPIO built into the surface. Additional expansion I/O slots allow for further I/O integration, and fitting an available Hydra2 module makes it possible to connect to and share audio over Calrec’s Hydra2 network.

Both solutions will be demonstrated on stand 8.B41 throughout the show.

Tedial’s Version Factory is a single efficient workflow that supports a single operator screen. Designed to interface to content management/ rights management/traffic/work order systems for automated operations, the Version Factory stacks chosen media engines (transcoders, quality control, DRM, CDN, etc.), employs SMPTE standardised designs for future and scalability for OTT/VOD platforms, network operations and media companies focused on managing their Brand across all distribution formats.

Evolution BPM is a Business Process Management (BPMN 2.0 compliant) Workflow engine. Evolution BPM has driven media management to a new preparation, movement and distribution of media.

Visit www.tedial.com

Enensys DTTCaster ENENSYS WILL LAUNCH A NEW PRODUCT, the DTTCaster at IBC2016 – designed to provide retransmission of DTT networks at regional/local transmitter sites where IP (microwave, fibre and so on) or satellite connectivity isn’t possible. DTTCaster allows reception of the network content using a simple antenna, then re-generates that content on another frequency. The content remains exactly the same and is SFN-compliant.

Enensys will also be presenting AdsEdge. AdsEdge addresses the problem of cost-effective regional content insertion in DTT and cable networks. It supports the ‘splicing’ of file-based content, such as advertising spots, local news and regional weather forecasts, at the final stage of signal distribution – the transmitter site in DTT’s case. It is single frequency network-compatible for DTT, and combines the Ads Server and Splicer in a single unit.

Enensys will also present its IPGuardV2. This is a transparent IP switch that provides network and equipment redundancy. It works across standards and formats and is vital in maintaining service. It benefits from dedicated features and switching criteria for TS (DVB-T, ATSC), BTS (ISDB-T) and T2-MI (DVB-T2).

Following a successful reception at NAB, Calrec’s RP1 remote production unit makes its IBC debut. Visitors will see a live-broadcast product that directly addresses an increasingly prevalent requirement for high-quality content from remote locations.

IPGuardV2 provides smart and automatic redundancy for all IP-based appliances and networks, and is designed for any customer that needs to secure IP stream transport or generation. For example, used in DTT headend it allows single frequency network and T2-MI switching, preventing loss of synchronisation between transmitters in a network and thus, avoiding complete TV blackouts.

Visit http://calrec.com

Visit www.enensys.com

LiveU Solo: European Rollout AT IBC2016, LIVEU will be making a major product announcement, and LiveU’s

IBC 2016

full range of live IP video solutions will be on show. Launched successfully in the US, LiveU will showcase LiveU Solo, its plug-and-play live streaming bonded solution for the online media market.

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LiveU Solo allows users to live-stream into any web streaming workflow by connecting automatically to OVPs and content delivery networks such as Facebook, YouTube Live and Wowza Streaming Cloud.

LiveU will present its LU710 4K/p60 HEVC rack-mountable 1U encoder.

Combined with the Xtender transmission device and LiveU’s enhanced server

with 4K output, the LU710 encoder transforms any SNG truck into a fully mobile hybrid cellular/satellite solution for transmitting 4K/HD video with improved efficiency.

Also new is Version 6.0, a major software revision for its LiveU’s range of portable transmission and management solutions. Version 6.0 includes a new interface design for LiveU Central, LiveU’s cloud-based management and video distribution system, and an improved LiveU Matrix management workflow.

Visit www.liveu.tv

IBC 2016

ULTIMATE VERSATILITY Subtitle Monitoring 4K & OTT Logging IP Multiviewers

Loudness Monitoring Compliance TS Analysis

Compliance

Monitoring

Analysis

The globally leading LogServer platform provides 24/7 multi-channel recording and review of SD/HD and 4K input sources via intuitive web-based user interfaces. Available as a turnkey system or software-only license, LogServer provides regulatory compliance for content, closed caption, loudness and more at the highest level of reliability and accessibility.

The highly versatile LogServer platform offers comprehensive live broadcast monitoring for any SDI, ASI/IP and OTT source. Unlimited access to the leading edge Monwall IP multiviewer enables proxy and native MPEG decoding. New data panels open up new workflows to enable low bandwidth transport stream and OTT monitoring.

TSAnalyzer provides powerful transport stream analysis for ATSC and DVB compliant network streams, TS ďŹ les and Muxes analyzed on LogServer in real-time. It also provides seamless access to any LogServer via a low bandwidth connection to monitor TS section trees, ETR290 (ASI priority 1, 2 & 3), TS errors and closed captions via the leading edge user interface.

LogServer mediaproxy.com

IBC 2016

Visit us at IBC Booth 7.J07

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IBC 2016

TMD Media Services OnPoint DURING IBC2016, TMD will feature OnPoint, an intuitive PAM solution for creative services and post houses. OnPoint is part of TMD’s range of media services products, which can be used as a standalone workflow solution for a workgroup, combined as an approach to media management, or configured for a complete enterprise solution as part of a Mediaflex Unified Media Services (UMS) platform.

Post houses and creative services departments must be able create large volumes of content, whether this is re-versioning of long-form material or short form promos, often quickly and with sensitive content, which presents a significant challenge in scheduling and managing the work, while providing controlled access to those assets. To make the process easier, TMD’s cloudnative OnPoint production management solution provides workflows for the creation and fulfilment of wish- and make-lists. It supports the browsing and selection of clips, restoring for edit, integration with craft editors such as Avid and Adobe Premiere Pro and comprehensive approval criteria, all within a framework of controlled user access rights.

TMD will also demonstrate its range of media services products – designed to meet individual business process requirements, and the requirements of specific operational teams. The available media solutions include Aperture,

EVS: Connecting the Live EVS WILL SHOWCASE its future of live connected production at IBC2016. Stand 8.B90 will act as an IP-enabled hub showcasing live media flows that connect live sports venues, broadcast centre control rooms and consumers.

Being introduced this summer at international flagship sporting events, C-Next is a live connected tool that reflects EVS’ IP4Live strategic

The packaged media services products are part of a complete revitalisation of TMD’s flagship Mediaflex product, the new Mediaflex-UMS platform, which delivers the multiple benefits of a service-oriented architecture in a truly cloud enabled environment. Because Mediaflex-UMS can be fully virtualised, it can run and scale flexibly on premise, in a data centre, in the cloud, or in any combination that suits the precise needs of the customer.

Visit www.tmd.tv

Cinegy to Infinity and Beyond 8K AS SD PHASES OUT and HD becomes a commodity, more and more 4K channels and 8K broadcasts are already starting in Japan. Will the race ever end for broadcasters, and are any technology investments future-proof? At IBC2016. Cinegy will answer these questions by

ability to share files and metadata content over IP, from any OB truck,

showing broadcasters and content producers how moving to Cinegy

broadcast centre or production HQ.

technologies can ensure they can make the resolution journey without

EVS will also demonstrate its new-generation IPWeb – a remote

technology obsolescence.

where they are – and the IT/software-based, scalable architecture of

Cinegy’s software products for capture, playout, production, and archive

its production switcher DYVI. Enabling more creative and productive

– combined with its GPU-powered encoding, decoding and processing

program assembly based on a pooled resources model, DYVI will be

technology – make 8K workflows possible now, and accelerate HD and

demonstrated in full 4K/UHD mode.

EVS’ newsroom production solutions will be demonstrated at the EVS stand and will power IBC TV’s ingest, playout and multimedia delivery.

4K workflows.

Cinegy’s existing customer base has smoothly migrated from SD to HD

EVS news solutions rely on the latest features of its IPDirector live

and is now repeating the process in the move to 4K. At IBC2016 Cinegy

content management system for multiformat and multisource ingest.

will preview 8K-capable versions of its products that will enable early

It also features advanced browsing and integrates seamlessly with

adopters to start 8K trials now.

craft editors, graphic systems and the latest newsroom control systems (NRCS).

Cinegy’s flexible and open software platform is what ensures

Showcasing the fast, efficient nature of EVS’ live officiating tool Xeebra,

investment stability and workflow scalability. With commodity IT and

the #EVSlamDunk Experience will be brought to IBC for the first time.

clever software architected for global enterprise environments, Cinegy

EVS will also present its live production servers and creative tools.

achieves far more than the traditional, dedicated hardware boxes that

This will include the XT4K server with its advanced configurations for

still exist in the market, and costs a lot less.

multiformat 4K/UHD and HDR, which offer support for live replays and virtual effects for 4K productions. EVS will deploy its live connected

The core of Cinegy’s 8K IBC demo is the company’s DANIEL2 GPU

infrastructure management tools that support OB facilities’ increasing

video codec for acquisition and production, which was designed for

need to operate within an IP-compliant environment.

recording from camera sources, editing, post-production, and playout.

Visitors to the EVS stand will also be introduced to C-Cast Syndication

Being totally GPU-based, DANIEL2 has zero dependence on legacy

which allows broadcasters and media rights holders to expand

codec architectures. Using an off-the-shelf, sub-€1,000 PC, DANIEL2

audiences. This is achieved through the distribution of near-live multi-angles and highlight VoD to affiliated partners like regional and

IBC 2016

Paragon for archiving now supports MAID storage systems and LTO-7 data storage technology, and Paragon+ for content management provides intelligent, media-aware workflow management. Each media service can be used as a stand-alone solution, or be combined using TMD’s Mediaflex-UMS platform.

initiative. This contribution network platform gives remote teams the

access application that lets users browse and select content no matter

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a new ingest tool for digitisation, capture, and management of content for broadcast operations and media owners. Chameleon, for DAM, enables staff throughout an organisation to manage media, search for content, and raise work orders to fulfil all media requirements. Guardian provides for collections management provides accessioning, acquisitioning, preservation, storage, and the management of physical and digital collections.

can decode up to 1100 frames per second in 8K, which is 16-times the

unilateral broadcasters, as well as sports teams, leagues and federations.

resolution of full HD.

Visit https://evs.com

Visit https://home.cinegy.com

IBC 2016

IBC 2016

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ACQUISITION www.content-technology.com/acquisition

NahidRains Produces Programs for BTV Chittagong with Blackmagic Cameras BLACKMAGIC DESIGN RECENTLY ANNOUNCED NahidRains Pictures, a

production and post-production company based in Chittagong, Bangladesh, is producing programmes with Blackmagic Design’s URSA, Production Camera 4Ks, Blackmagic Cinema Camera, Pocket Cinema Cameras and DaVinci Resolve Studio for BTV Chittagong, a television channel affiliated to Bangladesh’s largest television network Bangladesh Television (BTV).

BTV Chittagong originated from BTV’s sub centre in Chittagong, which was intended to produce local programs for BTV and to broadcast BTV programmes to local audiences. Now the Bengali government has decided to turn this centre to a brand new digital television channel that broadcasts quality modern programs to audiences nationwide.

As a pioneer in Bangladeshi digital filmmaking, as well as YouTube films, NahidRains Pictures was chosen to make new programmes for BTV Chittagong.

“All the cameras we are using for production of the programs are Blackmagic cameras,” said Nahid M Helal (better known as NahidRains), CEO and owner of NahidRains Pictures. “Once I first got my Blackmagic Cinema Camera, I fell in love with its wide dynamic range and the beautiful images it produced, which the succeeding models including the Pocket Cinema Camera, Production Camera 4K and URSA also inherit. So, gradually I upgraded all our cameras to Blackmagic cameras.”

The company is using the Blackmagic Cinema Camera and Production Camera 4K

‘Drone Arena’ for Korea DJI, MAKER OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES, will open a DJI Arena in Korea, providing a safe and enjoyable environment for customers to learn how to fly a drone and a gathering place for aerial enthusiasts. The 1,395-square-meter arena is located in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, 49 kilometres south of Seoul, and will open in mid-August.

The indoor venue will be equipped with safety nets, an adjustable LED-lit circuit for those who want to test their skills, and a LCD TV for a more immersive experience via first-person view from their drone. A maintenance room will be fitted with charging docks and a workstation for

for indoor studio shoots, most of which are for chroma keying.

“Blackmagic cameras are very good for chroma keying and we got the best quality among mainstream cameras we have used,” said Nahid.

The URSA camera, along with another Blackmagic Production Camera 4K, are being used to shoot drama series and big productions, while a number of Pocket Cinema Cameras are being used for those shots where space is tight.

In its office of around six thousand square feet in Chittagong, NahidRains Pictures has ten dedicated 4K capable editing suites and six DaVinci Resolve Studio colour grading suites, all equipped with Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink 4K capture and playback cards.

However, with DaVinci Resolve becoming also a powerful NLE editor, Nahid is working to replace all the existing editing suites with DaVinci Resolve Studio.

“For our colour grading, we exclusively rely on DaVinci Resolve Studio and two of our editors are editing with DaVinci Resolve Studio as well. All our Resolve suites are running efficiently with three NVidia 980ti GPUs in each. We know Resolve goes on evolving and we want all our colourists and editors to enjoy its powerful performance and features,” he said.

Visit www.blackmagicdesign.com people to do minor repairs.

The DJI Arena will be open for individual and group bookings, corporate event rental and a venue for DJI’s ‘New Pilot Experience Program’ and workshops. For skilled drone pilots and UAV clubs, the arena can also offer the stage for more advanced flying experiences and drone racing.

DJI recently opened its first overseas flagship store in Hongdae, Seoul.

The Korea Flagship store has now become a gathering place for aerial enthusiasts to learn about DJI’s latest aerial platforms and camera equipment.

Visit www.dji.com

ACQUISITION

AsiaSat and Digital Magic to Create Original UHD content for ‘4K-SAT’

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ASIA SATELLITE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CO. LTD. (ASIASAT) is collaborating with Hong Kong’s Digital Magic, an industry-leading provider of advanced imaging solutions to co-produce UltraHD (UHD) content for AsiaSat’s UHD channel ‘4K-SAT’, on AsiaSat 4 at 122°E.

this is a meaningful attempt to broaden public interest and knowledge in space and communications,” said Percy Fung, Production Director of Digital Magic.

Digital Magic serves the advanced imaging sector, from movies, TV commercials, corporate and large venue content production. Technologies covered: 3D stereo, 3D Autostereo, Virtual Reality (VR), Panorama and Dome cinema, D-Cinema DI and DCP services, animation and VFX, Aerial filming, Large Venue cinema design and system integration. It has offices in China, the Philippines and the USA.

AsiaSat’s ‘4K-SAT’ channel is currently broadcasting a variety of full UHD content.

Major TV operators in the Asia-Pacific have access to it via AsiaSat 4.

The co-production includes a knowledge-based UHD mini-series on satellite communications to provide an easy-to-understand introduction to topics such as how a satellite works, how it serves people and how it is used in broadcasting high quality content.

• Orbital Location: 122°E

“Compelling content is the key to drive UHD viewership. Creating original content is the first step of our collaboration with Digital Magic. Digital Magic is an industry renowned content producer in UHD and VR. We look forward to developing more together for our audience in Asia,” said Sabrina Cubbon, Vice President, Marketing and Global Accounts of AsiaSat. “We are delighted to partner with AsiaSat, Asia’s UHD satellite broadcasting pioneer to create original, insightful content to educate and inform our viewers in the region. Initial content viewing among youth has suggested that

‘4K-SAT’ is available free-to-air on AsiaSat 4 with the following reception parameters: • Transponder: A4-C13H • Downlink Frequency: 4120 MHz • Downlink Polarisation: Horizontal • Transmission Standard: DVB-S2 • Compression Standard: HEVC

Percy Fung, Production Director of Digital Magic.

• Modulation: 8PSK • Symbol Rate: 29.72 Msym/sec • FEC: 5/6 Visit www.digitalmagic.com.hk and www.asiasat.com

ACQUISITION

The ABCs of NDI – NewTek’s Video Over IP for Everyone Aiming to help this flow of video, NewTek recently introduced NewTek Connect Pro, a multi-purpose software tool designed to connect the IP video formats of new and existing video production hardware and software, allowing them to work together. As well as NDI, ASPEN and SMPTE 2022, Connect Pro also supports streaming IP formats found in cameras from JVC, Panasonic, PTZ Optics, Sony, and Vaddio.

According to NewTek’s Andrew Cross, “Our call with NewTek Connect Pro was to create the converter box of all the standards in the IP world and so we built something where you can come in with, for instance, existing cameras.

By Phil Sandberg ANNOUNCED BY NEWTEK AT IBC 2015, Network Device Interface (NDI) is an open protocol enabling IP video workflows across standard fixed and wireless Gigbit Ethernet networks. NDI is a bi-directional standard that allows video systems to identify and communicate with one another over IP, and to encode, transmit, and receive multiple streams of broadcast-quality, low latency, frame-accurate video and audio in real time. The NDI encoding algorithm supports all video resolutions and frame rates up to 4K and beyond, as well as multi-channel, floating-point audio up to 16 channels and beyond. NDI also includes tools to implement video access and grouping, bidirectional metadata, tally, and more.

“One of the ironies of all of this discussion about IP is that most cameras can do IP today. You watch JVC cameras, your Panasonics, your Sonys, all of them will do a transport stream out. It's just in the wrong format for all this new IP stuff, so we allow it to cross convert from those into NDI. We allow you to bring in SDI capture cards, HDMI capture cards. It can cross convert between

Support for the standard has come from the likes of Adobe Pro Video, AJT Systems, Archion, Autocue, Evertz, JVC Professional Video, LiveU, Panasonic, PlayBox, and Vaddio.

With IP-video platforms evolving around SMPTE 2022-6, VSF TR-03 and VSF TR-04 standards (backed by AIMS, the Alliance for IP Media Solutions) and the Evertz-backed ASPEN standard, where does Network Device Interface fit into the broader IP ecosystem?

“If you think about it, once every office building anywhere in the developed world is wired for Ethernet, it's all going to be 1 GigE. So, part of NewTek's vision – and I think what's going to happen in the industry - is that more and more people are going to want to do video but we want to enable them to work in the facility that they have, not need to rewire it, because the difference between a TV station and an office building is the TV station's already wired for video.

“What we're focused on is making a solution that just works for people wanting to do it on regular 1 GigE. So, I would say we've got AIMS and ASPEN at the top of the pyramid and our goal is to fill from them on down.”

“If you take AIMS and ASPEN, while they really do serve the needs of broadcasters very, very well and I should say we're collaborating with them, the problem is that the small guy in the basement is not going to be able to build something around them. So, that's kind of the difference.

“I bring that up because we have to see ourselves as highly complementary to what they're doing and we really don't want to position ourselves as competitive with them at all. In fact, we are part of ASPEN and Evertz has done integration with NDI because it recognises that in a TV station you have the big studios and you have the small studios. Your small studios and your small plants are going to run something like what NewTek has, and the big studios are going to run theirs, and the video should be able to flow between them.”

Dr. Andrew Cross, President and CTO, NewTek.

any of these things.”

Moving from cameras to the edit suite, NewTek also recently announced NDI for Adobe Creative Cloud, a software plug-in which enables users of Adobe Premiere Pro CC, Adobe After Effects CC and other Adobe Creative Cloud applications to send real-time video and audio to any NDI-enabled receiving product, such as production switchers or capture cards, across a standard Ethernet network.

“One of the great things about the IP world is that, in some ways, we have standardised on one thing which is the cable and the packets that go over it,” says Andrew Cross. “And, while we're all talking about all these different formats you can have a single Ethernet cable and it can do NDI, ASPEN and AIMS all at the same time. We're virtually standardised in a way we haven't ever before, but one of the great things about having that is it means that people can use the right technology for their needs.

“If you think about the internet, there's not one technology. You can use PNGs or JPEGs or java script and python, and the cool thing about the Internet is that, by having these different technologies, people can choose the thing that serves their needs the best. And, I think the same has got to be true in our space. We hope to change the discussion from one about formats into one about how we solve problems. That's our goal with it and we'll find out, but I know our customers have a need for it so that's going to be exciting.”

Visit www.newtek.com/ndi.html

ACQUISITION

According to Dr. Andrew Cross, President and CTO, NewTek, “The best way I can describe it is there are multiple IP standards. At the top of the pyramid, you have AIMS and ASPEN, which are the two 10 Gigabit video, high bandwidth, over 10 Gigabit Ethernet. And, what we saw was a need to make something that's accessible for everybody else who wants to do video.

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ACQUISITION

The importance of High Resolution Waveform Monitors in UHD / 4K Production

By Alan Wheable FISTC, MITOL, Senior Technical Author at Omnitek.

THE HUMBLE WAVEFORM MONITOR has always been the tool of choice for anyone working in the video industry. Waveform monitors are used for everything from system design, manufacturing, installation setup, outside broadcast, grading, through to quality control. And that’s only to touch on a few areas.

There has been a significant change in demand since existing HD and 3G-SDI waveform measurement technology was developed. There is now a demand for equipment that can cater for all the possible physical interfaces, myriad video formats, new colour spaces and High Dynamic Range. This is just a few of the challenges facing the industry.

With more and more manufacturers developing 4K products and significant program makers demanding all program content be created at 4K with high dynamic range, there is an increased need for equipment to support new production workflows.

supporting all of the different video formats that will be present in the industry for many years to come. It needs to be able to display waveform, CIE gamut charts and vectorscope instruments to pixel level. This is regardless of the physical link over which it is delivered, and needs to be future-proofed to accommodate the emerging needs of the industry.

The new high resolution waveform monitor available as standard on the Omnitek Ultra XR and as an option on the Ultra 4K Tool Box supports video formats from SD up to 4K/UHD at frame rates up to 60Hz and supports both BT.709 and BT.2020 colour spaces. BT.2020 extends the viewable palette of colours (for 4K/UHD formats above 60Hz) and improves dynamic range and the CIE Gamut display allows this to be viewed.

The region of interest functionality of the waveform display allows it to be expanded to see any digital level issues, image construction issues and colour space issues that may otherwise go unnoticed on some other T&M equipment.

This is especially important to anyone working with different colour space material or the conversion of program content from one domain to another.

The Omnitek Ultra XR debuted at NAB 2016 is configured specifically for content creators, colourists, post-production editors and other processors of DI, and working with ultra high resolution UHD images delivered over QL 3G, DL 6G or 12G SDI and HDMI links.

The Ultra XR provides all the traditional tools needed to work with DI – high-resolution waveform display, vectorscope, CIE chart and so forth – but engineered specifically with 4K/UHD in mind. The Ultra XR supports 12-bit 4:4:4 SDI input formats in YCbCr and RGB, along with Wide Colour Gamut RGB – ITU-R BT.2020 and High Dynamic Range (HDR) inputs – ST2084/PQ and Hybrid Log Gamma.

Working with HD and 3G-SDI waveform technology may have been a solution in the early days of UHD/4K to display the waveforms from individual square division feeds, but it does not help if you cannot see the combined image at an appropriate size, resolution and correct colour space, or the waveform monitor doesn’t have the required physical connections.

It can be challenging to ensure the quality of UHD/4K program material if the required tools are not available. The importance of waveform monitor technology in UHD/4K content creation and distribution increases with the need to ensure conversions between link types (for example between QL 3G-SDI, 6G-SDI, 12G-SDI, HDMI and IP), between encoding methods (such as square division and 2 sample interleave), between different bit depth formats and between colour spaces (i.e. BT.709 and BT.2020) are correct before even touching on the complexities introduced by images with high dynamic range.

Rather than providing confidence that the picture is present at the correct levels, the waveform display must now be expandable to pixel level to observe any digital level issues (e.g. when converting between 8-, 10-, and 12-bit video), image construction issues (e.g. when converting between link types and encoding methods) and colour space issues that may otherwise go unnoticed on T&M equipment with small, low resolution displays.

ACQUISITION

Ideally the waveform display needs the ability to view the waveform of the composite image as well as the waveforms of individual links to make it easy to identify issues with 2-sample interleave and square division images that may otherwise go unnoticed in an environment using existing HD/3G infrastructure to deliver 4K/UHD material.

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Although some T&M equipment may boast 4K/UHD waveforms, these are often low resolution displays, with sub-sampled waveforms, that give a level of comfort and familiarity but will hide any underlying issues.

What is required is waveform monitor technology that has been designed specifically to meet the exacting needs of 4K/UHD environments while

The Ultra XR has the same small form factor as the Ultra 4K Tool Box which makes it ideal for any environment, especially where space, power, and weight need to be kept as low as possible. The range of input, output and monitoring connections mean it can easily integrate into all environments.

The Ultra XR supports SD, HD, 3G and 6G-SDI as standard, with 12G-SDI as an option. The ability of the Ultra XR to monitor different physical links, as well as square division and 2-sample interleaved sources ensures the signal can be viewed and checked regardless of how it actually arrives. This flexibility makes the Ultra XR an ideal fit for existing installations as the technological landscape continues to evolve.

Intuitive user control and monitoring is provided via HDMI, SDI, or web browser connections. The use of an optional mouse and keyboard allows the control surface to be configured exactly as required, and presets can be used to quickly recall previously saved settings.

In addition to the high resolution waveform monitor, provided on the Ultra XR, traditional instruments such as vectorscope are included. Although this basic tool provides a level of usefulness in 4K/UHD applications, other tools such as CIE Gamut charts (supporting SMPTE C, EBU, BT.709, BT.2020, and DCI colour spaces) are provided to ensure the colour space rendition of the image is always correct.

All the waveform instruments can be viewed as tiles, or as full screen, which is ideal for grading and quality control applications where detail is vitally important.

The demand for the best possible user experience has fired up display screen and camera manufacturers to develop equipment that offers the ability to do this. One of the challenges for content providers is to be able to deliver this ‘user experience’.

The tools within the Omnitek Ultra XR and 4K Tool Box are available now to help deliver the best possible user experience.

Visit www.omnitek.tv

ACQUISITION

Gulliveo – a ‘Getty Images’ for Video GULLIVEO IS A NEW ONLINE B2B marketplace looking to facilitate the sale of video between broadcasters, producers, advertising companies, and others seeking to buy and sell high quality, video footage.

Described by Gulliveo’s Business Director for Asia, Michael Blohm, as a “Getty Images for Video”, the online content broking service includes categories such as technology, health, animals, comedy, movies, history, lifestyle, sports and politics.

So, in terms of how the marketplace works, it’s a web based platform and potential sellers of video content create an account and upload the video?

“Yes. Whoever wants to sell videos or just video clips, second rights or even third rights. Some material has been used already, load it up, bring it on the platform and buyers will content them direct. Gulliveo will get in the end a commission, but all the selling, purchase process will be online between both parties.”

And, in terms of resolution, it can be HD, 4K? “Whatever quality you load up. It starts, of course, with SD. The buyer will get the clip in the same quality.”

What types of footage are online at the moment?

“It will be everything, like how to kickbox, or a TV show from Germany or a tennis tournament five years ago from Shanghai, and there’s also upcoming events, so they load up a trailer and try to sell the live rights.”

Michael Blohm, Business Director Asia for online video marketplace, Gulliveo.

Where do potential users need to go?

“It’s Gulliveo.com. Everything is explained there, how it works, with examples.

Everybody can watch every video there. There are always small resolution videos on it. You can click through everything and that’s it. If you want to buy something, you need to register, pay with Paypal for every credit card. If you want to sell something you need a Paypal account, but it’s very easy going when you look on the website, it’s self-explained.”

Visit www.gulliveo.com

Update for Blackmagic Production Camera 4K

and stop recording in tandem with the camera automatically. This makes

BLACKMAGIC DESIGN HAS ANNOUNCED the availability of Camera 3.4

before.

update for the original Blackmagic Production Camera 4K. This new update adds SDI record trigger, RP-188 timecode output and improved 6G-SDI output compatibility. Camera 3.4 update is available for download now from the Blackmagic Design website and is free of charge for all Blackmagic Production Camera 4K customers.

Customers using the original Blackmagic Production Camera 4K can now download the update and get features that were previously only available on newer cameras like Blackmagic URSA and URSA Mini, making it more compatible with external monitors and recorders.

Camera 3.4 update adds support for SDI start/stop record trigger which allows external video recorders, such as Blackmagic Video Assist, to start

operating both the camera and an external recorder even easier than Customers also get SDI RP-188 timecode output support which allows output of camera timecode via SDI so customers can now record files with the same exact timecode on both their camera and an external recorder.

For example, customers can record RAW files on their camera while also using a Blackmagic Video Assist to record ProRes or DNxHD files with matching timecode at the same time. This makes it possible to use the ProRes or DNxHD files for editing, and automatically re-link the camera original wide dynamic range RAW files with matching timecode for grading and finishing in software such as DaVinci Resolve.

Visit www.blackmagicdesign.com

Panasonic Releases Camcorder for Pro Videographers

The HC-PV100 is designed to meet the needs of professional on-site acquisition, with the versatility to support the busy sole operator. It has triple manual rings, with a focus ring, zoom ring and iris ring on the lens barrel enabling speedy and intuitive camera work. Two-channel XLR audio input terminals ensure high quality sound (pending the attached microphone quality), with support for everything from external microphones requiring a phantom power supply to audio equipment with +4 dB output. An illuminated LED ring on the side of the camcorder shows when it is recording, convenient for one-person operations when the cameraman is also the presenter.

When capturing low light evening events, the HC-PV100 ensures successful results with a 1/3.1-inch Back Side Illumination (BSI) Sensor, and a built-in LED video light providing a bright 300 lx at 1 metre.

The camcorder’s dual SD card slots provide continuous recording. When the first card reaches full capacity, the system automatically switches to the second card, and hot-swap recording allows cards to be exchanged while shooting. Simultaneous recording captures data at the same time onto both SD cards as backup against data loss.

Other features include a colour conversion and a diffusion filter, optical 20x zoom/F1.8 lens, and blur suppression from wide angle to zoom shots via the 5-Axis HYBRID Optical Image Stabiliser (O.I.S.+).

Visit www.panasonic.com/au

Panavision Integrates Cooke’s /i Technology

Other manufacturers that have adopted the /i Technology protocol include:

COOKE OPTICS HAS ANNOUNCED that Panavision has joined the list

Cinematography Electronics; CMotion; Codex; Element Technica; Fujifilm;

of /i Technology Partners, pledging to build support for the /i Technology

Global Boom International Ltd (GBI); IB/E Optics; Mark Roberts Motion

protocol into its portfolio in the future.

Control; Optitek; Ovide; Preston Cinema Systems; RED Digital Cinema;

Cooke’s /i Technology is an open metadata protocol that enables film and

Service Vision; Sony; The Foundry; The Pixel Farm; Transvideo; Vision

Aaton; ANDRA; Angenieux; ARRI; Atomos; Avid; Birger Engineering; Canon;

digital cameras to automatically record key lens data for every frame shot

Research (Ametek); and Zeiss.

and provide it to post-production teams digitally.

Visit www.cookeoptics.com

ACQUISITION

PANASONIC HAS ANNOUNCED the HC-PV100, a palm-sized full HD camcorder that provides the videographer with a full suite of features – including professional controls, audio and lighting features, plus dual SD card slots for continuous recording and a versatile 20x zoom, as well as a convenient handle for shooting.

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SPORTSCASTING Sport coverage worldwide

www.content-technology.com/sportscasting

Olympic Channel Launches THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) has launched its new media destination, the Olympic Channel, where fans can experience the power of sport and the Olympics all year round. From Sunday the 21st of August, after the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games, Rio 2016, the Olympic Channel platform is available worldwide via a mobile app for Android and iOS devices and at olympicchannel.com.

In addition, athletes and fans can follow the Olympic Channel on its newly launched social media handles on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, and sign up for Olympic Channel updates at olympicchannel.com.

IOC President, Thomas Bach said, “The launch of the Olympic Channel on 21st August is the start of an exciting new journey to connect the worldwide audience with the Olympic Movement all year round. Fans will be able to follow sports, athletes and the stories behind the Olympic Games. The Olympic Channel will inspire us all and reach out to new generations of athletes and fans.”

With the goal of providing a new way to engage young people, fans and new audiences in the Olympic movement, the Olympic Channel is a free platform that will present original programming, live sports events, news and highlights offering additional exposure for sports and athletes all year round. Olympic Channel original programming will include both short-form

and long-form content, focusing on elite athletes, their quest for success and sport around the world.

Designed for a global audience, the Olympic Channel digital platform will showcase content from around the world, and will initially be offered in English. Additional features at launch will include fantastic content as video on demand, as well as individual sport pages within a user-friendly and mobile-responsive interface, subtitled in nine different languages.

The Olympic Channel includes an option to register for a personalised experience, where users can follow their favourite athletes, teams, sports and countries to receive an individually-tailored content selection. The dynamic environment also allows videos to be easily shared across social media, and encourages users to regularly interact with the Olympics.

After the launch of the global digital product in August, the Olympic Channel intends to foster partnerships with other Olympic stakeholders, including rights-holding broadcasters and National Olympic Committees to develop localised versions of the Olympic Channel. Localised versions will offer language-specific user experiences on digital platforms, and will also include linear television programming options.

Visit www.olympicchannel.com

IOC Approves New Sports for Tokyo 2020 THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) recently agreed to add baseball/softball, karate, skateboarding, sports climbing and surfing to the sports programme for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The additional sports in Tokyo will not impact the athlete or event quotas of existing Olympic sports or be binding on future host cities. The current athlete and event quotas are unaffected.

Plans call for staging the skateboarding and sports climbing events in temporary venues installed in urban settings, marking a historic step in bringing the Games to young people and reflecting the trend of urbanisation of sport.

The inclusion of the new sports will add 18 events and 474 athletes, with equal numbers of women and men for all sports except baseball/softball, which will have the same number of teams but different player totals, because softball teams have 15 players whilst baseball teams have 24.

Tokyo 2020 will rely heavily on existing and temporary venues to stage the competitions.

The Organising Committee for the Tokyo 2020 Games proposed the five new sports in response to the new flexibility provided by Olympic Agenda 2020.

Tokyo 2020, the first Organising Committee able to take advantage of the change, submitted its proposal for the five new sports to the IOC in September 2015.

RFS Supplies Wireless Comms for Rio

DELUXE ENTERTAINMENT HAS EXPANDED its relationship with MP and Silva

RADIO FREQUENCY SYSTEMS (RFS), the global wireless and broadcast

With this new offering, Deluxe extends its relationship with MP and Silva, building on the success of its current work delivering live American football games to broadcasters in Europe for MP and Silva through its software-defined broadcast platform, Deluxe MediaCloud.

SPORTSCASTING

Visit www.olympic.org

MP and Silva Delivers Live Sports with Deluxe to provide a managed broadcast delivery service that will take European sports properties to viewers in Asia using the public internet. Launched in June 2016, the Deluxe Broadcast Delivery Network (BDN) is delivering live broadcast signals from the UK to Singapore for MP and Silva, enabling them to reach more viewers faster with their popular sports properties.

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Discussions on the event programme in the existing 28 Olympic sports for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 are ongoing, and will be finalised by the IOC Executive Board in mid-2017.

infrastructure specialist, provided wireless communication systems for several main venues hosting the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

RFS’ turnkey solution includes provision of active DAS system equipment and passive components. In addition RFS managed the project to ensure reliable, high-capacity wireless communications at the Games opening on August 5, 2016.

The systems supplied by RFS provided indoor coverage in the IBC (International Broadcast Centre) and MPC (Main Press Centre) in Olympic

The solution is designed to transport and deliver up to 16 simultaneous live broadcast signals to Singapore using the public Internet. Deluxe will downlink MP and Silva properties in Europe, encode them to an IP stream, then transport and deliver them directly to the Deluxe data centre in London for monitoring and control purposes where the signals will be inserted into the Deluxe BDN. Once the signal is on the BDN, Deluxe will deliver the live video signals to MP and Silva’s production facility in Singapore, where Deluxe will provision decoders to convert the IP stream to SDI or HD/SDI for handoff to MP and Silva. Deluxe MediaCloud enables MP and Silva to reach multiple broadcasters with a single output channel, and exploit their properties on new OTT and VoD platforms in the region.

Park, Engenhão Stadium, and the Rio Centro Convention Centre, as well as

Visit www.bydeluxe.com and http://mpsilva.com

Visit www.rfsworld.com

coverage for the Maracanã Stadium outdoor arena.

RFS supplied equipment for an active DAS solution with Cobham Wireless plus passive components including cables, indoor antennas, diplexers, combiners, and low- and high-frequency stadium antennas. RFS’ Hybriflex, a hybrid feeder cabling solution, was also used to connect master to remote units in the active DAS systems. RFS was alsos responsible for a full deployment including RF design, project management, field supervision, commissioning and tests.

See us at IBC booth 10.A31

SPORTSCASTING

CONTROL COMMUNICATE

INTERCOMANDMEDIORNETCONTROL SMARTPANEL RSP-2318

RIEDEL widens its SMARTPANEL app portfolio with the new MEDIORNET CONTROL app. Switch video, audio or combine in macros… all while using your intercom.

www.riedel.net

SPORTSCASTING

TOGETHER IN ONE DEVICE

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SPORTSCASTING

Launch for 2018 Commonwealth Games’ Host Broadcaster HQ THE GLOBAL HEADQUARTERS of the Host Broadcaster delivering the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) television broadcast have been officially opened by Queensland’s Minister for the Commonwealth Games, the Hon Stirling Hinchliffe MP. The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games will be held from April 4-15, 2018. Led by NEP Australia, with the support of production partners the Seven Network (Seven) and Sunset+Vine (S+V), the Host Broadcaster will produce High Definition multi-camera television coverage across 11 days of sporting competition plus the Opening and Closing ceremonies (with the Opening Ceremony also to be produced in 4K Ultra HD) for delivery to rightsholding broadcasters around the world.

The Host Broadcaster is also responsible for the International Broadcast Centre (IBC), which is the nexus of all Commonwealth Games broadcasting activity, handling incoming video and audio from the venues and distributing it to broadcast rights holders’ home countries. The IBC, located at the Gold Coast Exhibition and Convention Centre (GCECC) at Broadbeach, will also manage outgoing worldwide transmissions from rights holders based on site.

During Games time more than 1200 broadcast technical and operational experts will work from the IBC and venues to deliver event coverage. 1,100 hours of live television will be transmitted via 25 outside broadcast vehicles and control rooms. 350 cameras will be deployed at venues in and around the Gold Coast, with more than 100km of broadcast cable laid.

Gold Coast 2018 is NEP Australia’s fourth Commonwealth Games contract. The company delivered the Host Broadcast for Glasgow 2014 in partnership with Sunset+Vine. NEP also designed, installed and operated the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) for Delhi 2010 and provided IBC and venue broadcast equipment and personnel for Melbourne 2006.

Sports television production company Sunset+Vine, part of The Tinopolis Group, has previous Commonwealth Games and Paralympic Games experience, most recently Glasgow 2014 in partnership with NEP Australia.

The company was Host Broadcaster for the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 and was recently awarded ICC’s Live Events Production Services contract 20162019 which included the recent ICC World T20 Championships.

The Seven Network is the GC2018 Australian broadcast rights holder. Under the Host Broadcast partnership with NEP Australia and S+V, Seven will provide digital applications, specialty cameras and personnel, production and planning resources, and management personnel.

The Host Broadcast team currently numbers 20, comprising the key management group and broadcast training manager, two venue-planning teams and administrative staff. It will expand to 30 members in early 2017, 60 over the course of next year, and reach a Games-time workforce of more than 1200.

In addition to the Minister, guests at the launch – held at the Host Broadcaster’s Bundall Road (Bundall, QLD) HQ – included Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) Chairman Peter Beattie AC, and CEO Mark Peters; NEP Australia President Soames Treffry; Seven West Media’s, Event Director – Rio Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Chief Revenue Officer, Kurt Burnette and Seven Network’s Head of Sport, Saul Shtein; sports commentator and Olympian Giaan Rooney OAM, who also

Queensland’s Minister for the Commonwealth Games, Stirling Hinchliffe, at the launch of NEP’s Commonwealth Games broadcast HQ.

acted as event MC; and a number of Queensland university students who will be gaining hands-on work experience through the Host Broadcast training program.

To ensure Gold Coast 2018 achieves the best-ever coverage across all platforms, the Host Broadcast team is drawing on its collective experience from previous Commonwealth Games, Olympic and Paralympic competitions.

NEP Australia President Soames Treffry said, “As our previous Commonwealth Games experience has shown, detailed forward planning is key to getting a project of this complexity off to a flying start. We hit the ground running, with our core team in place more than two years from the Gold Coast 2018 Opening Ceremony.”

Seven’s Head of Sport Saul Shtein said, “Seven is delighted to be joining with NEP and Sunset+Vine in what will be the biggest event to hit our shores since the Olympic Games in Sydney. We are looking forward to being a partner in the production of the global television coverage and bringing these Commonwealth Games to all Australians.”

The 121-week project schedule is well underway. Current priorities include: • Surveys to determine camera positions across 20 venues in and around the Gold Coast (including basketball from Cairns and Townsville, and shooting and track cycling from Brisbane).

• Confirming Host Broadcaster space requirements at each of the venues.

• Determining broadcast compound layouts.

• Sourcing suppliers.

• Connecting to Queensland universities and colleges for the Host Broadcast training program.

The project’s training program includes work experience opportunities for 200 Queensland students during the Games, who will work alongside some of Australia’s leading broadcast professionals. This will provide students with invaluable broadcast industry experience for their future careers in television.

Visit www.gc2018.com

H.265 Live Streaming Over 3G/4G Networks

SPORTSCASTING

SOLITON SYSTEMS, developers of mobile H.265 HEVC live streaming and video contribution solutions over 3G/4G networks, has partnered with Redwood’s Technology Solutions to launch Soliton’s Smart-telecaster Zao to the Australian and New Zealand market.

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Aimed at the sports streaming, remote news gathering and public safety markets, Smart-telecaster Zao’s mobile H.265/HEVC hardware encoder delivers full HD quality with at least 50 percent more efficiency in carrier bandwidth usage compared to traditional H.264 solutions. Made in Japan, Zao also features dramatically reduced power consumption.

Coupled with Soliton’s RASCOW bonded technology Smart-telecaster delivers HD quality even in low 3G or 4G bandwidth environments.

RASCOW is a protocol developed by Soliton to automatically balance the

load between various network base stations during live broadcasting.

This allows stability in video transmission, even under network congestion or weak network signals. The 4G Bonding algorithm has been improved compared to the traditional 4G bonding systems. The overall result is high image quality, with less latency and optimal audio quality.

It is even possible to have two-way communication between the camera team and the home base editorial people with minor delay via the Zao. Due to its light weight and portability, the Zao can be carried either in a small backpack or can be mounted on a camera or drone for connection via HD-SDI or HDMI to the camera. Zao supports 3G, 4G, LTE, WiMAX, Inmarsat BGAN, Wi-Fi, and wired LAN. Visit www.solitonsystems.com and www.redwoodstech.com

SPORTSCASTING

Manila eSports Championship powered by Blackmagic DESPITE REQUIRING LITTLE PHYSICAL EXERTION, there are many leisure activities that have attracted the label of “sport” – darts, lawn bowls and golf, to name a few. The latest activity vying for this status is eSport or, as married adults would know it, “playing video games”.

Live production at this year’s Manila Major, one of the biggest gaming Championships in eSports, was delivered using a live solution built around Blackmagic Design technology.

The six day tournament, which saw sixteen elite eSports teams battling for a $3,000,000 prize pot, was produced by PGLeSports and takes place at the Mall of Asia Arena, with thousands of spectators at the venue and many more watching sports channels or online.

Each of the four production hubs featured an ATEM 2 M/E Broadcast Studio 4K switcher for localised production, while a centralised switcher and Smart Videohub 40×40 were used to bring the action together. Signal management was monitored and standardised using the Blackmagic MultiView 16 and Teranex Express.

The scale of production at the event was huge, with 28 cameras and dozens of computer screens in action at any one time, so the PGL team developed a solution that split the video production into several hubs, including delivering in game content, or capturing player and commentator reactions, with content from each hub being produced through an ATEM 2 M/E Broadcast Studio 4K. Vlad Petrescu, head of broadcast for PGL explains that the ATEM’s creative features are integral to the way in which the team helps fans follow the multiple storylines unfolding through the various battles on screen.

“Blackmagic’s MultiView 16 is a crucial element in delivering onstage coverage of the players; we couldn’t monitor ten player cameras and ingest all of the various live graphics feeds via the ATEM alone. Having separate hardware multiviewers made monitoring all of that action a lot less painful,” explained Vlad.

“As well as traditional picture in picture effects, we also created a ‘Tri-Lane Cam’, with two screen wipes alongside the main camera shot, so fans could follow the three paths in the game simultaneously,” he said.

The final live program mix was screened throughout the arena on four 16x9m large scale LED screens and streamed out to a global audience through Twitch. tv and mainstream broadcasters including TV5 in Manila and VIASAT in Poland.

Signals were also combined with PGL’s own graphic production, which used DeckLink capture cards for player statistics and scoring overlays. All camera, computer and CGI inputs were standardised using Teranex Express processors to PGL’s default 720p5994 format, before being taken into a central video router.

“Capturing those special plays that differentiate a great player from a casual one, and complementing this with the live audience reactions is so important,” concluded Vlad. “Achieving this in eSports is far more complex than in traditional sports broadcasting. Blackmagic’s hardware has allowed us to develop a very robust solution for live production, but in a way that is really easy to operate in a highly pressurised live environment.”

Signal monitoring was managed with a package of Blackmagic hardware including SmartView HD preview monitors, Blackmagic Audio Monitor and three MultiView 16s.

Visit www.blackmagicdesign.com

Immersive Platform Explores Endurance Sports SPORTS FANS ARE ABOUT TO GET a whole new way of experiencing the upcoming Tour de France and select endurance sports at the Rio 2016 Olympics, thanks to a start-up out of CSIRO’s Data61 group.

This year, spectators through doarama.com were able to access customised 3D interactive map visualisations of the routes which were be used for the Tour de France (July 2nd to 24th).

Fans were able to interact with the maps by controlling how they view the route in a 3D virtual world. Spectators were also be able to preview selected routes for the Rio 2016 Olympics.

“Until now we’ve ‘made do’ with a 2D overhead map and a separate terrain profile,” Mr Field said. “3D fly-through maps were only available to large media broadcasters, and even then, these maps were limited to a single point-of-view, and only made available for the largest races. With Doarama, sport routes can be made available online, and it is completely interactive. The viewer can move around inside the 3D world while the route is laid out before them. For athletes, sports enthusiasts and event organisers, Doarama gives you an edge when preparing for that big event.”

“Paragliders and ultra-marathon races in Italy, France and California and the RedBull XAlps Competition have been early adopters,” Mr Field said. “We’re expanding into more sports including base-jumping competitions and we’re excited to see the new ways people use Doarama.”

Doarama is free to use, works on desktop and mobile devices, and gives sport enthusiasts the opportunity to experience the walk, run, hike, rock climb,

Doarama’s 3D visualisation of the 2016 Olympics Marathon course.

paraglide, cycle or ski route, using its GPS route visualisations.

Other key features include: • The ability to share experiences on social media.

• Ability for anybody to create their own 3D maps.

• Ability for content providers to embed Trayse into their web service.

Originally launched in 2013, the revamped Doarama platform has seen great uptake with approximately 400 percent user growth this year by offering a new, engaging way to gain a deeper understanding of the environment and obstacles that athletes are tackling.

“Television and 2D maps just don’t compare – with Doarama, it’s visceral,” Mr Field said.

Visit http://doarama.com

SPORTSCASTING

CSIRO’s Data61 Software Engineer and head of Doarama, Pete Field, said the 3D maps are changing how endurance events are experienced, either as a spectator or an athlete.

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SPORTSCASTING

Clear-Com Intercom at Summer Games FROM THE FIRST EVENT COMPETITION on August the 3rd, to the Opening Ceremony on August the 5th, through to the Closing Ceremony on August the 21st, Clear-Com has been selected by a number of broadcasters from around the world as their choice for essential communications during the 2016 Summer Games.

During the Games, Clear-Com’s range of intercom and audio connectivity products will be used by a number of broadcasters in a variety of applications, including: • At the International Broadcast Centre, the majority of broadcasters will be using a Clear-Com system.

• TV Globo (Brazil) has just completed the build on its first 4K OB truck.

Communications is based entirely on Clear-Com Eclipse HX-Omega digital matrix network and will be used at the European football/soccer stadiums, as well as other sports venues throughout Brazil. In addition, TV Globo will use six Eclipse frames at their main headquarters, and two at the IBC that will be interconnected via IVC-32-HX boards using IP technology, and use MADI and fibre as a redundant interconnection. TV Globo has also secured approximately 30 Agent-IC Mobile App licenses, connected to the Eclipse HX systems for roaming crew members using iOS devices.

• SportTV (Brazil), a Globo Network channel, will dedicate 16 live channels broadcasting multiple events over eight connected Clear-Com Eclipse HXOmega matrix frames.

• ESPN (Brazil headquarters) will rely on Clear-Com’s Eclipse HX-Omega digital matrix systems for communications, as Clear-Com installed in TV Globo’s well as Clear-Com’s HD3 OB truck.

MADI and IVC-32 IP boards for audio connection between the Eclipse matrix systems and IP-based intercom systems.

• Fox Sports Brazil, Rai Italy’s Rio de Janeiro studio, and Esporte Interativo (Brazil) rented OB mobile units from the OB truck rental supplier, Salvatore de Lucca, for local broadcasting. Each unit is outfitted with ClearCom Eclipse HX-Median digital matrix intercom systems and support equipment.

Clear-Com’s Brazilian distributor, Savana Comunicações, located in Rio de Janeiro, was instrumental in facilitating the relationships and the equipment installations with the broadcasters listed above. In addition to use at the sports venues, a Clear-Com FreeSpeak II system will be used throughout the Olympic City by TV Globo.

Visit www.clearcom.com

BarnOne Frames Head to Rio BARNFIND TECHNOLOGIES has announced more than 100 Barnfind BarnOne frames is being employed for mission-critical transmissions this August during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

According to Wiggo Evensen, Barnfind CEO, there will be between 10 to 12 broadcasters and sports/event-related companies that will be using the flexible BarnOne frames to ensure their operations run smoothly.

“Broadcast sports is an extremely important market segment for Barnfind.

Our unique built-in router and our ability to handle any SFPs enables clients to change signal transport configurations on the fly, making the platform ideal for events with multiple locations. Barnfind gear has been used in many different instances such as race tracks like MotoGP and F1, and we are pleased to report that sales in that area have increased tremendously over the past two years,” explains Evensen. “Our flexible stage-boxes can handle any signal format in any mix.”

The BarnOne platform is based on the universal SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable) offerings. Barnfind accepts all kinds of SFP manufacturers

following the MSA standard, which means the company also allows clients to integrate other SFPs into the BarnOne platform other than those the company offers in its own portfolio. With BarnOne, users can reduce their footprint from 3-6RU to 1RU BarnOne. The platform offers all functions in one frame including fibre transport, PtP, WDM, CWDM, DWDM, routing, embedding, IP/ASI conversion, distribution, add/drop/pass, HDMI, SNMP and offers easy integration to other third-party control systems.

“Our popularity among many camera manufacturers is also increasing,” added Evensen. “They realise the Barnfind solutions are very valuable for CAM-CCU (video, audio, tally, intercom and RCP) transport. Barnfind’s new high-low SFP system is unique in its ability to handle up to 18 cameras and CCUs on one single fibre which has resulted in significant interest and many sales.”

Visit www.barnfind.no

SPORTSCASTING

Sports Federations Sign with Olympic Channel

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OLYMPIC CHANNEL SERVICES (OCS) has announced it has reached cooperation agreements with 27 International Sports Federations (IFs) to collaborate on content for the Olympic Channel.

announcement of these cooperation agreements with our IF partners is

IOC President, Thomas Bach, who recently chaired a joint Olympic Channel Board of Directors meeting at the newly inaugurated OCS facilities in Madrid, said, “The Olympic Channel will mark a major shift in how the Olympic Movement connects with young people all year round. The International Federations have embraced the Olympic Channel and we look forward to working with them on the exciting programming and promotional opportunities. The newly formed Olympic Channel team is making steady progress, with the emphasis on ensuring the product is right and the quality of the programming matches our ambition.”

Content production has begun, the technology and platforms are being

Mark Parkman, General Manager of Olympic Channel Services, said, “Preparations for the launch of the Olympic Channel are on course and the

promoting a healthy and active lifestyle.

another important step forward. We expect to make further announcements regarding collaborations with other IFs and stakeholders in the near future. tested, and there is a growing sense of energy and excitement here among the Olympic Channel team as we prepare for launch this year.”

The creation of an Olympic Channel was one of the key recommendations of Olympic Agenda 2020. The Channel will broadcast live sports events, news and athlete stories, as well as historical Olympic footage and official films from the IOC’s archives. There will also be a focus on educational and youth-oriented programming, sustainability, sports science and nutrition, and Visit www.olympicchannelservices.com

NEWS OPERATIONS www.content-technology.com/newsoperations

ABC Selects Grass Valley for Nationwide News Equipment Upgrade GRASS VALLEY HAS ENTERED

into a contract with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) to provide one of the largest single system technology upgrades ever undertaken in Australia. The long-term project represents a major technology refresh and replacement in its studios across all Australian states.

The cornerstone of the system will be Grass Valley’s GV STRATUS video production and content management system solutions that include EDIUS nonlinear editing software, K2 Summit 3G media servers and other Grass Valley core technologies.

NETIA will provide NETIA Radio-Assist 8, while the Associated Press will provide its AP ENPS 7 scripting system. Both will be deeply integrated into the GV STRATUS system.

The process involved a multi-year tender process and negotiation covering nine separate aspects based on an exhaustive evaluation of available technology and vendors. After careful consideration, as well as both a testing phase and a proof of

concept phase, Grass Valley was selected as the exclusive solution provider.

The installation will be implemented over two and a half years in each of the ABC’s major news and current affairs facilities. Grass Valley will be responsible for all facets of the design, planning, implementation, commissioning, training and ongoing support of all systems.

With a number of critical aspects to the implementation, the project is a partnership between Grass Valley as the systems integrator, NETIA, and the Associated Press. This is the first time these two technology providers have been involved in such a major partnership with Grass Valley, which will include a total refresh/replacement of systems for TV news, radio news, and scripting creation.

Grass Valley, along with its two partners, will be rolling out the technology across Australia beginning in August of 2016.

Visit www.grassvalley.com

MCR and Newsroom Win for Imagine in Cambodia IMAGINE COMMUNICATIONS has supplied PNN TV, a recently

high-quality output and excellent efficiency. It is a key part of PNN’s ambitions

launched Cambodian private terrestrial channel, with critical components from across its networking and playout solution portfolios. The solution delivers automation for the newsroom and master control room (MCR) of the largest television production complex in the country.

to be a world-class station. Also incorporated in the news workflow is a Nexio

“We just made a significant investment in equipment which is expected to take broadcasting in Cambodia to the next level,” said Mr Seng Nhak, a director of a Cambodian investment company, L.Y.P. Group. “Imagine Communications demonstrated the efficiency and the practicality of their proposals, and was able to offer us good support in the region, which gave us the confidence to take this big leap forward.”

The PNN TV complex, which lies on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, employs over 300 staff for the production of news and entertainment television. Imagine Communications provided PNN TV with a host of networking and playout equipment to support the channel’s automated MCR and newsroom, as part of a large turnkey solution.

Central to the solution is the Imagine Communications ADC automation system, the Nexio Ingest Suite and Nexio Motion content management system. Tightly integrated with a newsroom computer system (NRCS) from Octopus, the ADC and Nexio solutions provide editorial collaboration, ensure high productivity and minimise human error. The automation system provides a consistently

broadcast graphics system for live and realtime production graphics.

The Selenio 6800+ core processing and distribution platform sits at the heart of the new automated PNN TV news workflow, providing a hub through which all signals can move across the facility. In addition, the Selenio X50 and Selenio X100 deliver accurate frame synchronisation and conversion, with signal distribution support from Platinum routers and multiviewers, while Nexio AMP integrated servers enable the automated ingest and output of broadcast content. Videotek test and measurement equipment ensures all video and audio signals are measured and analysed.

“This is an important customer win for Imagine Communications in Cambodia,” said Joe Khodeir, Senior Vice President of Asia Pacific at Imagine. “PNN TV is the most modern station in Cambodia and we believe this project will be a catalyst in convincing other stations across the region that Imagine Communications can deliver state-of-the-art, end-to-end turnkey solutions anywhere in the world.”

Visit www.imaginecommunications.com

Thanthi TV Expands News with LiveU LIVEU HAS ANNOUNCED that Thanthi TV, a 24-hour Tamil news

used the LU500 to cover the recent elections in Tamil Nadu and the results were

television channel based in Chennai, India, is increasing its LiveU

excellent.”

deployment to support its live newsgathering capabilities. Thanthi TV is

Powered by LiveU’s multi-processor video encoding engine and weighing 1kg, the

adding eight LU500 portable transmission units and upgrading another nine

LU500 is LiveU’s flagship uplink device for professional newsgathering.

Mr Prasanna Jothi, COO, Thanthi TV, said, “As existing LiveU customers, we’ve been very satisfied with the product and service provided by LiveU’s local partner, Lamhas Satellite Services. When we decided to increase our fleet of products, the LU500 was a natural choice. As well as being compact and user-friendly, it offers

Mr Ajay Jain, CEO, Lamhas said, “Technologically advanced and commercially competitive, the LU500 is the solution of choice for customers in India. This latest agreement is reflective of the service we give to the customer in cooperation with LiveU as well as the confidence in LiveU’s technology in general.

superior video performance and reliability due to its robust internal modems and

LiveU owns the patent for cellular bonding for remote news gathering in the US,

proprietary antenna technology. We’re discussing further expansion in 2017.”

Europe, China and other countries. All LiveU products are based on this fourth-

Mr Yuvaraj, Thanthi’s CTO, added, “LiveU always comes out with the latest cutting-

generation patented technology.

edge technology, and we know that we can rely on it, even in remote areas. We

Visit www.liveu.tv

NEWS OPERATIONS

LU70s to the LU500 spec.

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NEWS OPERATIONS

Google Funding Backs Euronews’ Immersive Journalism Project EURONEWS HAS ANNOUNCED that it will launch virtual reality news reporting with funding from the DNI Innovation Fund. The project, under the framework of Google’s Digital News Initiative, will see Euronews producing regular multilingual 360 degree interactive videos around international current affairs.

Euronews will become the first international newsroom to fully incorporate 360 degree interactive video news into its regular production workflow across all of its language editions. The productions will also include virtual reality versions of Euronews’ “No Comment” format. These programmes encourage the audience to come up with their own interpretations of the story and embody Euronews’ “All Views” Identity.

All Euronews’ teams – whether in the main newsroom in Lyon, in offices around Europe, or correspondents worldwide, or the newsroom of its sister channel Africanews, based in Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo – will be involved in pioneering the first regular multilingual 360° interactive video production process at an international news organisation.

The Google Digital News Initiative chose to fund Euronews 360 in February as one of its 128 selected projects in Europe, and will be a source of financial backing for the Euronews 360 degree video initiative for three years.

The DNI fund is a collaboration between Google and European news publishers to support high quality journalism and encourage a more sustainable news ecosystem through technology and innovation.

Google’s funding will allow Euronews to produce an ambitious amount of intricate unique news as well as, introduce a specific workflow, involving their editorial, technical, journalists, producers, editors, graphic designers and sales teams.

Euronews’ teams will experiment with various interactive video formats to create a variety of content from “All Views” best suited to users worldwide. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of the collected data will help Euronews develop its expertise in the format.

To secure the long-term financial viability of this development, and to ensure that it becomes an important component of Euronews’ digital business portfolio, sales teams will include the Euronews 360 tool in their multiplatform campaign propositions to advertisers.

According to Euronews’ Duncan Hooper, Editor in chief, digital platforms, “We are delighted to be implementing this new interactive video production method, giving our audience the power to view the story from their own perspectives. Through our collaboration with the DNI we will be able to take advantage of the latest technological innovations, which now make it possible – and relatively simple – to harness virtual reality in the service of news and in your home.

“360° interactive reports immerse viewers to give them a greater sense of atmosphere. This sensory experience is also interactive – unlike a conventional report, everyone can choose their point of view. The core mission of all Euronews’ teams is to offer their audience fact-based news that is as neutral as possible. This new dimension of journalism allows them to get even closer to unadulterated reality.”

The 360 degree video process will kick off this northern summer with the launch of availability in the production of No Comment 360, which is the iconic Euronews programme tailored to this new medium that allows the audience to select their interpretation of a video that speaks a thousand words. The newsroom will then also produce reports in Euronews’ editorial sphere (international news, culture, sport, high tech, etc.) voiced by the 13 language editions.

The 360° interactive videos are now easily available to the public on smartphones, tablets or computers – and with virtual-reality headsets for a more advanced experience.

Euronews’ 360° videos will be incorporated in the daily newsflow produced by the teams, on all of Euronews’ digital platforms without distinction: on euronews.com, on the 20 YouTube channels, and on the 13 Facebook accounts.

This package will be supplemented by VR360-dedicated platforms Vrideo and Littlstar, which attract enthusiasts of the immersive experiences enabled by virtual reality.

Visit www.digitalnewsinitiative.com and www.euronews.com

EBU Backs Campaign to Create UN Special Representative for Journalist Safety THE EUROPEAN BROADCASTING UNION (EBU) has lent its support to a Reporters Without Borders (RSF) campaign to create a Special Representative to the United Nations Secretary General dedicated to the safety of journalists.

prominent public figures calling for a Special Representative at the UN with responsibility for enforcing international law and ensuring crimes against journalists do not go unpunished.

Delegates at the EBU’s recent General Assembly in Montenegro heard how there had been a failure to reduce the frequency and scale of targeted violence that journalists face on a daily basis. In the last 10 years, 787 journalists and media personnel have been killed in the course of their work including many from EBU Member broadcasters. Last year alone, 67 journalists were killed worldwide.

Support for the RSF campaign is the latest measure by the EBU to try and improve the safety of journalists in the field. Members are offered a variety of tools including dedicated training; unique apps such as ZeroRisk; the creation of safezones and networking opportunities between broadcaster’s safety personnel. The EBU also campaigns with UNESCO and the Council of Europe against impunity for those that attack the media and works to improve awareness of safety concerns.

RSF is leading a coalition of media outlets, NGOs, journalists and

Visit https://rsf.org/en/protectjournalists-campaign

NEWS OPERATIONS

Autocue’s QStart Teleprompting Software Now Free

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AUTOCUE, A LEADING teleprompting company and a Vitec Videocom

action buttons. Scripts can be easily imported from .doc, .rtf and .txt files.

brand, is looking to show how teleprompting can save productions time and money by making the unlimited version of its QStart teleprompter software free to everyone. Effective July 1, 2016, Autocue’s Windows/OS QStart software is free to all users with or without hardware.

In addition, QStart offers script markers and assignable hot keys for added

Unlike many free teleprompters online, Autocue’s QStart is downloadable software that can be used offline. This entry-level teleprompting application is based on the renowned QMaster software that is used for leading broadcasts and public events around the world. Autocue’s QStart is easy to use, featuring multi-language text and menus, and icon-based

speed and flexibility.

Autocue’s QStart software is designed to save time by reducing the number of takes for faster production and post-production. Users will have the opportunity to control the speed of the text by keyboard or mouse.

Alternatively, Autocue offers a wide range of wired and wireless hand and foot controllers to allow precise operator or talent control.

Visit www.autocue.com

NEWS OPERATIONS

Mediacorp Awards Outstanding Journalism SINGAPORE’S MEDIACORP has honoured some of the best

Deputy Chairperson of the Government Parliamentary Committee for

journalistic works across its news platforms – on television, radio, print, and online – at the recently held 2016 Mediacorp News Awards Gala.

Now in its tenth year, the Mediacorp News Awards celebrates excellence in journalism and commends journalists for constantly raising the bar of Mediacorp’s news reporting.

Communications and Information.

While making his speech at the event, Mr Shaun Seow, Chief Executive Officer of Mediacorp, said, “The Great Digital Disruption has lowered the barriers for entry to our business. Journalism as a trade is under siege.”

He added that Mediacorp journalists have what it takes to overcome these challenges. Those attributes according to Mr Seow included: ‘quality journalism that begets trust’, ‘investing time and resources so audiences find Mediacorp’, and qualities such as: ‘intelligence, determination, an unwavering moral and ethical compass, a relentless drive to beat the competition’, adding, most importantly, the ability to work tirelessly.

First place winners in the five categories were:

• Documentary/Special of the Year: ‘Get Real: Heart of the Haze’ (English Current Affairs).

• Feature Story of the Year: ‘Sabah Quake: Heart of Courage’ (English Current Affairs)’ • News Story of the Year: ‘Nepal Quake’: Singapore Gurkha confronts destruction at home village of Barpak.

• Young Journalist of the Year: Jackson Board, Senior Correspondent (Digital News) • Journalist of the Year: May Wong, Correspondent (International News).

Visit www.mediacorp.sg

Special guest at the gala was Ms Sun Xueling, Member of Parliament and

Cuescript’s Latest Prompting Technology CUESCRIPT RECENTLY UNVEILED the latest versions of its CueiT prompting software, as well as a range of professional prompting units during the recently held IBC2016.

CueiT prompting software is Unicode compliant with multi-language and full bi-directional ability within a script. It is available in three versions: CueiT Premier for the entry level market, CueiT Production, and CueiT News. The production and news versions of CueiT are supplied with the CueScript CueB, an external device that produces composite and SDI video. The CueB can be connected either via USB or ethernet. The flexibility of the ethernet connection further enhances the integration of the system.

AF210Wx140H-ISBrainstorm-ContentTechnologyIBC.pdf

1

1/8/16

12:18

CueScript controllers, whether desk or presenter foot controls, can be connected

either by local USB, ethernet or CanBus. No special devices are required to connect multiple controllers. In theory, users can connect an unlimited number of controllers over ethernet and at any distance, while up to 128 controllers can be connected over CanBus using standard coax cable.

CueScript also presented its latest prompting units, including the CSF10 lightweight yet fully featured prompting system, designed for use with jibs and cranes. It can be used with a collapsible hood and prompter glass or as a straight reading system without any additional hardware. It also features a 2000nit screen for legibility in daylight.

Visit www.cuescript.tv

THE MOST ADVANCED VIRTUAL SET SOLUTION

Hand Tracking

Video Tele Transporter

Visit us at IBC Amsterdam (7.C12)

www.brainstorm.es

DEMO ONLINE

NEWS OPERATIONS

3D Presenter

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MEDIA IN THE CLOUD, STORAGE & DAM FATS Digital Streamlines Archiving with Cinedeck and Digistor THE HISTORY OF A NATION’S BROADCAST VIDEO and film projects can only be unlocked through skilled preparation and digital archiving.

However, cost can be a barrier to bringing old media to new audiences.

Mike Solomons, Technical Operations Manager for Australian company, FATS Digital, explains. “There is a big push to digitise archive material because it is ageing and deteriorating rapidly, especially early generation broadcast videotapes which can arrive here looking like a roll of sticky tape.

“And while content of cultural significance and popular programming is often prioritised there are many film and videotape collections that remain untouched because of the cost factor. Our job is to make restoration and digital archiving more affordable and the more efficient we can make our workflows, the more cost effectively we can offer our services. In this case we wanted to build a dedicated ingest facility rather than tying up other multi-purpose workstation suites just for ingest, which isn’t the best use of our facilities.”

In response, FATS Digital selected a Cinedeck production server through local technology solutions provider, Digistor. The server also delivers improved economies of scale for film and video transfers by allowing more material to be digitally archived more quickly.

FATS Digital offers a range of media services including video file encoding/ transcoding and transfer, blank media sales, digital cinema services, DVD and Blu-ray authoring, media duplication and replication, graphic design and packaging. The company also undertakes the restoration of film and video using scientific dehydrating ovens and cleaning equipment before playback and conversion.

“Support from Cinedeck through Digistor has been excellent and the few times we have had quereis they were addressed essentially immediately,” said Solomons. “Our aim was to find a multi-port device to sit at the centre of a suite that could take signals from any of our playback devices and convert them into any format. All our clients have different requirements and we need to be able to effectively deliver files in any format without having to spend extra time transcoding.”

MEDIA IN THE CLOUD, STORAGE & DAM

After 12 months of researching products and providers Solomons followed up on a Cinedeck webinar to request sample files for evaluation.

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“We needed to evaluate Cinedeck files for compliance, so we asked for material in many formats such as ProRes, DNx XDCAM and JPEG 2000,” said Solomons. “We were specifically concerned about Apple ProRes files as not all ProRes files are created equally when output from a Windows platform. Some Windows platforms create ProRes files that technically differ from those created in a Mac environment. However, the ProRes coming out of the Cinedeck systems behaved exactly like a file coming from a Mac-based solution.”

“What tipped the scales in the end was Cinedeck’s ability to directly capture to any codec and wrapper desired. It could directly ingest to JPEG 2000, ProRes, IMX, XDCAM or DNx formats while making a proxy file at the same time – simultaneously from four channels. Each of those channels could be doing something different. It offered full flexibility, so it was not just doing just one type of work. It could be doing HD JPEG 2000 on one channel and SD NTSC ProRes on another channel at the same time.

“Cinedeck also provided the flexibility to source audio and timecode.

Timecode could be sourced from RS422, SDI, LTC and VITC which is very helpful as some archive tapes are not in particularly good condition or recorded with a non-standard timecode arrangement. It’s the same with

audio which we can embed from SDI, AES or Mike Solomons, Technical Operations Manager, FATS Digital. analogue sources. All that flexibility also comes with RS422 machine control on all four ports simultaneously to enable us to set the in- and out-points on the ingests.”

FATS Digital worked with Digistor to order a fully optioned Cinedeck ZX 40 four channel rack mounted server, the first such configuration to be installed in Australia. They have also allowed for expansion to add further servers in the future.

The ZX is available as a modular build of Cinedeck software tool sets and hardware configurations to deliver cost effective, custom-built configurations to meet specific ingest, playback and transcoding needs for 4K, UHDTV-1, 2K, HD and SD. It also features the unique patent-pending ability to insert edit deep into any compressed flat file wrapper.

At FATS Digital the Cinedeck is principally used for digital archiving in a dedicated suite with four operators covering 14 hour shifts over five days.

The rack mounted system utilises a quad split on the output of the four channels feeding a 40-inch ultra HD monitor for full time video and audio monitoring. The finished file is then spot checked before backup and distribution.

“The Cinedeck is very flexible and we make settings decisions based on each task to ensure there are no mistakes. We don’t use presets as every project is different – even in same project there are variables,” said Solomons.

“While it is powerful we didn’t need a lot of training to use the Cinedeck as we understand these systems so it was more about simply learning a bit of theory and the interface which is based around a touch screen. In the end I wrote a detailed internal workflow instruction manual that was concise and included screen shots.”

Keeping multiple client projects on track using one system has not caused problems for FATS Digital, and Solomons keenly acknowledges the advantages of dealing with a small, tightly focused company in Cinedeck.

“Support from Cinedeck through Digistor has been excellent, and the few times we have had queries they were addressed immediately. At one stage we put in a third party GPU acceleration card to enable GPU-based proxy files – when this caused a problem the Cinedeck engineers wrote updated code overnight. They are also open to suggested modifications and are very forward in their help.

“Essentially we made our decision to invest in Cinedeck’s system based on the full suite of codecs and wrappers it could produce and the flexibility of the way it captures video and audio while providing full machine control.

It is a proven full, turn-key device and we are currently making changes to our setup to allow for expansion into another unit.

“Currently we are in the midst of five large projects encompassing digitising broadcast libraries, sporting archives, 16mm and 35mm film archives. We are delivering the content within South East Asia and worldwide for re-broadcast, publicity, publication and monetisation,” said Solomons Visit www.cinedeck.com

MEDIA IN THE CLOUD, STORAGE & DAM

Weta Workshop Expands Aspera Deployment

ASIA

2016

IBM RECENTLY ANNOUNCED that Weta Workshop has upgraded and

that provides a centralised transfer history database, and detailed auditing

expanded its implementation of high-speed transfer software from Aspera

and reporting.

to meet growing demand for high-volume transfers of large 2D and 3D

By upgrading, Weta Workshop can now transfer multiple large 3D design

design and video files.

or video files that often exceed seven to eight gigabytes each in under an

Weta Workshop is best known for its design and effects work on film

hour. The speed of delivery is particularly important when the Workshop

projects such as The Lord of the Rings motion picture trilogy, King Kong,

needs to send alterations to production teams on set; Aspera enables the

The Chronicles of Narnia, Avatar and a large number of other blockbuster

DVB Comes To Bangkok

movies and television series. Over the years, Weta Workshop has expanded its business from traditional manufacturing processes to include digital

team to share 3D design files quickly and reliably with clients anywhere in the world, guaranteeing the files are always delivered on time.

The initial decision to deploy Aspera’s high-speed file transfer technology

3D modelling solutions for large and small-scale props, costumes,

came after a discussion with the heads of technology at sister company

animatronics, miniatures, set dressing and exhibitions. This is primarily

Weta Digital – an early adopter that has used Aspera since 2005 as a

due to technological advances in 3D printing and milling techniques.

Additionally, the business needed a way to quickly move higher volumes

reliable way to transfer large data files that are at the core of the visual

of video-based content captured by their behind-the-scenes team. This

effects business.

shift in production process required changes to their digital collaboration

“Aspera is the only trusted method of exchanging files with digital media

workflows, based on the need to move even larger assets and larger

companies. We followed Weta Digital’s lead and selected Aspera, and we

volumes of data between members of the design and manufacturing teams

haven’t looked back since. We’ve had a truly great experience,” said John

29 November - 1 December Conference + Exhibition

and overseas clients and collaborators.

McMullen, IT manager at Weta Workshop. “Plus, the support we’ve received

To accommodate the increases in file sizes and transfer volume, and

over the years has been exemplary.”

preserve the security and reliability of their existing file transfer workflows, Weta Workshop decided to expand its network pipeline and upgrade its

“For Weta Workshop, Aspera is the bridge that connects globally dispersed

teams and clients, improving collaboration and accelerating line-up the approval Speaker sessions include an impressive process so designs can be finalized and ready for manufacturing or network bandwidth. Connect Server is used to quickly and securely send of influential figures in the broadcast industry to use in production whenever needed,” said John Wastcoat, VP Business large files from the Workshop’s New Zealand headquarters to production update and inform on“Bythe transition toessentially HD and Development, Aspera. deploying Aspera, they have future teams and film sets in the US, Canada, Australia and the rest of the world. proofed their workflows with the abilityHFR to increase transfer volume, speed UHD with emerging HDR and technologies Clients use the free downloadable Connect Browser Plugin to initiate throughput to match any increases in their business.” uploads and downloads. The company’s IT team monitors alland transfermuch and more.

A pre-conference Masterclass, Mediaproxy_Ad_Content_Plus_Technology_ANZ_July_3.pdf 1 20 Jul 16 3:05:22 pm Visit http://asperasoft.com and http://wetaworkshop.com activities through Aspera Console, the web-based management application focusing on DVB-T2 starts the event. licensing of Aspera Connect Server to take advantage of the additional

Lunches, coffee break sessions and a night out for dinner and celebration provide the opportunity to connect with other delegates, exchange ideas and explore new horizons.

ULTIMATE VERSATILITY

OTT Monitoring TS Analysis further information the program Caption Compliance on IP Multiviewer

For and the event please visit the DVB Asia website.

LogServer

www.dvbasia.org

MEDIA IN THE CLOUD, STORAGE & DAM

mediaproxy.com

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MEDIA IN THE CLOUD, STORAGE & DAM

Quantum’s StorNext Primes Workflows DURING IBC2016, QUANTUM will showcase its StorNext platform

Lattus object storage, LTO tape and Q-Cloud services.

across the entire media life cycle. The company’s stand will feature

Xcellis has the ability to support embedded applications, which run on the system to deliver functionality while streamlining operations. During the IBC2016 show, Quantum will demonstrate this capability, the execution of applications via virtual machines, and how this approach both reduces the need for dedicated application servers.

demonstrations of content transcoding and delivery with object storage, the use of hybrid flash and disc storage in combination to enable frame-based animation creation and stream-based editing on a single storage system, and embedded applications running natively on high-

configuration of performance and capacity. The solution supports online work-

Quantum’s demonstrations will also focus on an Xcellis-based solution that includes combined hybrid flash and disc storage to meet the requirements of animation and visual effects (VFX) workflows. This takes advantage of flash technology to deliver the performance needed for frame-based animation workloads while also providing the connectivity and access essential to streambased editorial processes. Not limited to large sequential files, Xcellis optimises the way storage works so performance is high for both large and small files.

in-process, ingest and delivery, and archive through Quantum’s portfolio of

Visit www.quantum.com

performance workflow storage.

Quantum will also showcase its Xcellis workflow storage system and demonstrate how the converged capabilities of this solution empower users to boost their efficiency in delivering the products and services that drive their businesses. Based on the StorNext 5 platform, Xcellis facilitates flexible

EXEcutor Servers from PlayBox

Sonnet Reigns in Thunderbolt 3

PLAYBOX TECHNOLOGY (PBT) makes its IBC2016 debut unleashing its EXEcutor line of broadcast servers. Designed with broadcasters, production and post-production facilities in mind, the EXEcutor Broadcast Server range was manufactured and rigorously tested by PBT to meet industry exacting standards.

SONNET WILL BE EXHIBITING a number of new products and developments

The EXEcutor Broadcast Servers provide a customisable, robust and dependable

The new Fusion Flash Drive connects to any computer with a Thunderbolt 3

backbone for television stations, production studios, and post-production

port via a user-replaceable captive 0.5-meter Thunderbolt 3 cable. The device

companies. By providing facilities for ingest and media management, titling and

is also bus-powered.

graphics, as well as playout and scheduling, the EXEcutor Broadcast Servers can provide a ‘TV channel-in-a-box’ solution, or be configured to provide any combination of component services using PlayBox software. Resolutions from SD to 4K are all supported, including the ability to stream multiple channels

at this year’s IBC. On show will be Fusion Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Flash Drive, a pocket-sized solid-state drive (SSD) storage device capable of transferring data at speeds of over 2100 MB/s. The Fusion Flash Drive is an ultra-fast alternative to portable SATA-based hard disk drives, SSD storage, and USB thumb drives.

Sonnet will also show the Echo 15+ Thunderbolt 2 Dock, a docking station for computers with Thunderbolt ports. The Echo 15+ enables users to connect multiple devices to a central hub, and connect to all of them with a single cable.

simultaneously.

The Echo 15+ includes the user’s choice of an 8x DVD±RW drive, a Blu-ray

Also new at IBC is the EXEcutor Virtual Control Panel (EVCP), PBT’s own virtual

BD-ROM/8x DVD±RW drive with Blu-ray player software for OS X, a 4x BD-R/8x

control panel to complement the server-line. The EVCP Control Panel is web-based, DVD±RW Blu-ray burner drive, or a new low-cost model without an included optical drive (which can be added later) but with the option to mount an additional internal allowing cross-platform and remote management of all functions of the master EXEcutor Broadcast Servers.

drive.

Visit http://playbox.tv

Visit www.sonnettech.com

MEDIA IN THE CLOUD, STORAGE & DAM

TMD Media Services at IBC

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DURING IBC2016, TMD will feature OnPoint, a simple and intuitive PAM

ingest tool for the flexible digitisation, capture, and management of content

solution for creative services and post houses. OnPoint is part of TMD’s

for broadcast operations and media owners.

range of media services products, which can be used as a standalone

Paragon for archiving now supports MAID storage systems and LTO-7

workflow solution for a workgroup, combined as a cost-effective approach

data storage technology, and Paragon+ for content management provides

to media management, or configured for a complete enterprise solution as

intelligent, media-aware workflow management. Each media service can be

part of a Mediaflex Unified Media Services (UMS) platform.

used as a stand-alone solution, or be combined using TMD’s Mediaflex-UMS

Post houses and creative services departments must be able create large volumes of content, whether this is re-versioning of long-form material or short form promos, often quickly and with sensitive content, which presents a significant scheduling challenge. To simplify this process, TMD’s cloud-native OnPoint production management provides workflows for the creation and fulfilment of lists. It supports the browse and selection of clips, restoring for edit, integration with craft editors such as Avid and Adobe Premiere Pro.

platform.

The packaged media services products are part of a revitalisation of TMD’s Mediaflex product, the new Mediaflex-UMS platform, which delivers the multiple benefits of a service-oriented architecture in a truly cloud enabled environment. Because Mediaflex-UMS can be fully virtualised, it can run and scale flexibly on premise, in a data centre or in the cloud.

TMD’s sales staff will be on hand to demonstrate the new media services products, Mediaflex-UMS, and the advantages of building systems architectures

TMD will also demonstrate the range of media services products designed

around intelligent metadata on stand 2.B59 and on BroadStream Solutions’

to meet individual business process requirements and the requirements of

stand 8.B35.

specific operational teams. Available media solutions include Aperture, an

Visit www.tmd.tv

POST PRODUCTION www.content-technology.com/postproduction

Deluxe’s Iloura Creates VFX for Game of Thrones’ Battle of the Bastards Before and after, VFX from HBO’s Game of Throne episode Battle of the Bastards.

what was added. Amazing.”

DELUXE ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES GROUP (Deluxe) has announced that its Australian animation and visual effects studio Iloura delivered a significant suite of work for the recent Battle of the Bastards episode of HBO’s tentpole series Game of Thrones. Working on the epic battle sequence for the Season 6, Episode 9 crescendo, Iloura’s team of visual artists used a mix of VFX and handcrafted animation techniques to realise the vision for the bloody showdown.

Iloura’s work was led by VFX Supervisor Glenn Melenhorst on the pivotal sequences that bring to a head the heated feud that had been brewing between hero Jon Snow and his army of Wildlings, and the Boltons, led by Snow’s nemesis Ramsay Bolton.

The battle required many photorealistic horse and rider collisions, 3000-strong armies, a mix of close-ups featuring live-action and CG humans and animals and massive crowd simulations, as well as hundreds of assets: CG armoury, weapons, flags, saddlery, body parts, and environmental assets such as blood, mud, smoke, fire and mist.

Iloura was selected to work on the episode after presenting the show’s VFX Producer and Supervisor, Steve Kullback and Joe Bauer, with a series of tests presenting photoreal CG horses and riders colliding with other horses, rendered from various points of view. With Games of Thrones' huge fan base, its exceptional production values and the scrutiny that is placed on the VFX across the series, it was essential that Iloura prove its strength via its rigging and muscle pipeline and the robustness of its animation team.

“Battle of the Bastards is shocking in its audacity,” said HBO’s VFX Producer for Game of Thrones Steve Kullback. “More shocking still that we pulled it off and so much credit for that goes to Iloura. We are up close and personal in this battle with CG horses and collisions right in front of the lens and we constantly needed to review Iloura's shots side by side with the photography because it was hard to remember and even harder to see the difference between what was shot and

To meet the animation challenges, Iloura’s artists researched and reviewed video references of horse behaviour in scenarios such as steeple chases, jousting, racing and associated accidents to garner an accurate representation to achieve the shots. Witness cams of horses captured on set proved to be valuable resources for the animation team as they provided multiple angles of reference for the same actions. Further, Iloura tapped its large library of animated clips to quickly assemble a blocking pass for shots, which became the foundation for animation that ended up on screen. Overall, the animation work consisted of motion capture, rotomation and key frame for horses as well as soldiers, building into a library of custom interactions and motion behaviours that could be used for both close-up shots as well as crowd shots built in Massive.

The initial brief was for the Wildling and Bolton armies to face off and then collide, but once production began, it became increasingly apparent that more complexity would be required. Each army comprised smaller factions with custom armour, weapons, flags, banners, saddles, bridles etc. Further, every asset needed a clean, pre-battle version as well as a muddy version, a bloodied version and a very-muddy-very-bloody variant.

To achieve the high-density shots and photoreal quality required, Iloura revamped its pipeline considerably and integrated systems. Its internal publishing tool, BOSS, was improved to help with the number of assets, animation publishes and traffic going through the pipeline; Massive was integrated into the render and shading pipeline, and large sections were reengineered to allow for more control and flexibility, with the pipeline moving completely to Alembic with rigging, animation and lighting achieved in Maya, FX in Houdini and compositing in Nuke using deep pixel compositing.

Game of Thrones’ Battle of the Bastards episode aired in the US on June 19 on HBO. A VFX breakdown video can be found here: https://vimeo.com/172374044 Visit www.iloura.com.au

Marquis Launches Parking V5 Business Continuity for Avid of Avid storage management products, at IBC2016 on booth 7.G05.

Project Parking archives, moves and restores Avid projects and analyses and manages media to optimise edit storage utilisation. Project Parking is certified and supported by Avid and used around the world to help manage Avid edit storage. Also in the Parking range, is Workspace Parking: Marquis’ ‘set and forget’ disaster recovery solution for Avid workspaces designed to get editors back up and running in minutes. The Parking family of products backs-up and protects over 30 PetaBytes of both ISIS and NEXIS storage worldwide.

New functionality in Parking V5 includes the addition of Avid workspace synchronisation. Workspace Parking Sync synchronises production critical workspaces to different locations. This new process allows entire workspaces or selected folders on a source Avid system to be synchronised to workspaces in a second location. As the Workspace Parking Sync identifies changes on

local workspaces, it pushes these to the remote system, including all file creations, modifications and deletions. Backup locations can also be defined per job rather than per Workspace Parking instance and users can create an exclusion list of file patterns for Workspace Backup.

In the context of a major outage, Workspace Parking Sync offers the best value insurance policy against loss of time critical ‘in production’ workspaces and assets. It is the first time an intelligent business continuity solution has been developed for Avid shared storage. In the event of failure in a primary location, the editor can connect to an identical workspace in a second location and production work can continue without any outage. The client simply selects the frequency of the synchronisation typically 30 minutes based on available bandwidth.

Visit www.marquisbroadcast.com

POST PRODUCTION

MARQUIS BROADCAST has announced it will launch Parking V5, its range

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POST PRODUCTION

All Aboard for MediaCentral Avid Technology CEO, Louis Hernandez Jr, talks to C+T about the progress of the Avid MediaCentral Platform, Apps and embracing the competition.

By Phil Sandberg.

WITH A RAPIDLY EXPANDING user base and partner ecosystem, the Avid MediaCentral Platform is an ‘open, extensible, and customisable common services foundation’. The platform provides a series of application suites, a marketplace, collaboration tools, flexible licensing and deployment options, resolution independence, third-party connectivity, and comprehensive solutions for content creation, management, and distribution. According to Avid Chairman, President, and CEO Louis Hernandez Jr, the platform has undergone significant growth in uptake throughout the APAC region.

third-parties. But, the best are probably going to be those that are developed

“I think in Asia, we have 35,000 or so total MediaCentral users, which is the big underpinning to happen everywhere and that's up 51%,” says Hernandez. “That's just booming all over the world. But, how people are using it and the degree to which they're embracing the full power of it is dependent on other components.

by our clients, by sophisticated folks who are convinced that the vendor

Is there a deadline, do you think, to make the change or be left behind?

“I don't know what the timeline is but I think if you already aren't in a major realignment internally, you're probably severely at risk, unless you're in a very protected niche or funded by a source that is not dependent on market forces, which is increasingly going away, I think you've got to be knee deep in some kind of realignment right now.”

And for Avid?

“I think the big step for Avid in the industry is to move away from the heritage of automating siloed steps because that was the most efficient way to do it, it's not. Just like manufacturing, just like all the industries I've invested in, they're all just – very similar attributes.

“You put together a repeatable process and you automate each step and then you try and combine the steps. This is what other industries have done, this is what the media industry is doing. And it's hard for people when you're used to going from step A to step B and you think automating each step is how you're using technology when, if you were to whiteboard the whole thing and the whole connection's digital, you can make it much faster and more powerful.

POST PRODUCTION

through the app store many of which are ours directly, many of which are

What’s the progress of MediaCentral adoption throughout APAC?

“Once our clients get comfortable with running the heritage products, they start to explore what else they can do, maybe playout, maybe distribution, maybe an asset manager. They start to see how efficient it can be and the savings are real, they're dramatic for some of my clients. The economic reality in the media industry now is not unlike many other industries; when the rate of change accelerates, it becomes more disruptive, it becomes technically more disruptive and economically more disruptive and everybody's adjusting.”

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not going to surprise you that there will be thousands of apps available

“The question is ‘how does the industry make it economically sustainable also so we can create all the great stories’, and we can make it easier to distribute, but we need to have an economic way to sustain it. I believe there is one and it's through automating those things that don't make it unique.”

So, what is next?

“In terms of what's coming next, just picture anything you could want to do in a media company, from an individual to a large enterprise all integrated on the one system, all available through apps through Avid, whether or not they're ours or somebody else’s. And if you were to map that out, it's

community couldn't offer them what they wanted so they built it themselves.

They just didn't have a way to share it. I think those are going to be cool.

“I wouldn't be surprised if we're eventually launching hundreds of apps per quarter and, as you sign up to your UX, it just tells you all the apps that, based on your product, you may be interested in hearing about.

“I think in the future you'll have where, if you have a test environment, you could download the apps for 30 or 60 or 90 days for free, try it out in your environment in a test case. If you like it, you either buy it or we turn it off. It'll be a different world and this is the way everything's going.

“I want you to come on the platform, you look up Editor, you see six Editors, you choose the one you want, you can get them all from the app store.”

Who's likely to be next on that list?

“When we've certified alternates to our own product, it has been based on three criteria. One is market demand for new areas that we can be in the market for. Second is speed of integration and likelihood of success and, third, the biggest economic impact on clients.

“So, why Editors? Well, it's one of our key heritage products. Look at how much we dominated in film this year. I mean, we blew it away this year, we blew it away on every award piece, and so, obviously, we think we have the best editor. But, we know that we're not your best partner if that's all we cared about. We care about the whole thing. So you choose. Let each of us decide.

“With Avid, it has to decide where it actually wants to compete and it only wants to compete in areas where we think we're better. And if somebody else is better, we'll just have it with another preferred certified partner. So, those are areas we've decided that's not our expertise, let's just go get the best partner.

“And, where we do compete, it's because we really think we can add something of more value. We don't think there's a better storage system than us anywhere in the world. We don't think there's a better editor than us anywhere in the world, but we know that the editor's not the problem.

If you want to use somebody else's editor, go ahead because we're not a good partner if we're restricting you and we're not then addressing your big problem.”

Visit www.avid.com

POST PRODUCTION

KONA IP Capture Card from AJA AJA VIDEO SYSTEMS has released KONA IP, the next generation of AJA’s KONA line of PCIe capture cards, and simultaneously rolled out a free v12.4 Desktop software update for KONA, Io and T-TAP which adds support for Adobe CC June 2016 releases, Avid Media Composer 8.5.3, and updated Avid DNxHR support in AJA Control Room.

KONA IP is and is already supported by content creation software and solutions companies including Avid, Adobe and Grass Valley. KONA IP works with AJA Desktop software, including AJA Control Room, Control Panel, and SDK tools. A founding member of the AIMS Alliance and participating member of the Aspen Community and Sony’s IP Live Alliance, AJA designed KONA IP to be a flexible platform that offers support for SMPTE 2022-6 IP-encapsulated uncompressed 3G-SDI video, audio and VANC data. Through future firmware updates and codec package offerings KONA IP will also support compressed codecs like J2K and advanced IP protocols including VSF TR-04, VSF TR-03 and more.

Flanders BoxIO Dual Channel LUT Box FORBIDDEN TECHNOLOGIES PLC, the developer of professional video editing software, Forscene, has announced a new partnership with Australian technology solutions provider, Digistor. Under the nonexclusive agreement Digistor will become Forscene’s first Australian service provider and boost the software’s representation in the Australian and New Zealand markets.

Digistor has supplied technology solutions to the VFX, post-production,

KONA IP features include:

broadcasting and digital media industries in Australia for over 25

• SMPTE 2022-6 support, offering uncompressed video and audio, with support planned for additional IP standards in the future.

years. They provide design, installation and support to clients including

• HDMI output for local monitoring.

• Multi-channel input and/or output to read or send multiple IP-based encapsulated 3G-SDI video streams to and from software applications.

• Two 10GigE SFP cages supporting several standard SFP+ modules, for routing of video over IP and 10GigE networks.

• Support for major third-party NLE, compositing and streaming applications.

Network Nine Australia, Channel Seven News, ITV Australia, Endemol Shine Australia and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from offices based in Sydney and Melbourne. With many of their clients expressing interest in cloud-based workflows, Digistor was impressed by a demonstration of Forscene’s capabilities at NAB earlier this year

• Software compatibility with AJA Control Room and Control Panel software.

and proposed the partnership.

• Compatibility with AJA’s NTV2 SDK, for integration by AJA Developer Partners.

Forscene provides professional post-production software in the cloud

• Eight-lane PCIe 2.0 video and audio desktop I/O card.

and has demonstrated exponential time and cost savings to clients in all

Meanwhile, AJA’s 12.4 Desktop Software for KONA, Io and T-TAP is available as a free download and offers the following updates: • Support for KONA IP, Avid Media Composer 8.5.3, and the latest version of Adobe Creative Cloud • Ancillary data capture functions in Media Composer with KONA 4 and Io 4K. • Updated DNxHR codec to AJA Control Room and other capture plugins.

• Improved DNxHR capture performance.

• New Open GL compatibility in 64bit versions of AJA Control Room for enhanced performance when capturing and playing back high resolution and high frame rate files.

Visit www.aja.com

video industries – including broadcast entertainment, news, and sports.

The software allows video producers to access centralised material from a web browser or app on any device and to collaborate from anywhere in the world using a full range of post-production tools. It is the only unified platform that offers review, logging, editing, and publishing entirely in the cloud.

Visit www.forscene.com and www.digistor.com.au

Sony Just the Shot for Mocha Chai SINGAPORE IS FAST BECOMING the go-to place for filmmakers from the US, Europe and Asia. The island has seen a prolific rise in start-ups offering a wide range of support services for the local and global film industry.

One such start-up is Mocha Chai Laboratories. The first of its kind in Singapore, Mocha Chai Lab provides a range of cinema-related services for filmmakers, exhibitors and producers. These include DCP mastering, format conversions, subtitling, DCP censorship and KDM generation. The company has also morphed very quickly into ‘Singapore’s first digital lab’ offering everything from offline editing to final picture online, colour grading and sound post services. It is also the first and only facility in Singapore to have Dolby ATMOS certification.

A quick look at Mocha Chai Lab’s facility reveals an array of the best of the best in audio-visual technology. One product that Yeewei gushes about and has found indispensable in helping raise the bar at Mocha Chai is Sony’s BVM-X300 4K TRIMASTER ELTM OLED Master Monitor.

In fact, Mocha Chai was the first client in Singapore to purchase the BVM-X300, Sony’s flagship model in the OLED professional monitor series.

According to Yeewei, “We used the BVM-X300 to monitor materials in 4K and Ultra-High Definition and deliver them to clients in both the broadcast and

cinema industry.”

The BVM-X300’s specifications make it a match for Yeewei’s obsession for technical excellence across Mocha Chai Lab’s workflow.

“A big part of our business is ensuring industry standards are met in colour accuracy for cinema monitoring and film production. The BVM-X300 features cutting-edge technology that simply leaves no room for contention in its colour accuracy. 4K HDR is also the next technology that will drive viewers experience in the cinema and at home. It is crucial to be ready for clients who want to embrace the future sooner rather than later,” adds Yeewei.

Visit http://pro.sony-asia.com and http://mochachailab.com

POST PRODUCTION

Yeewei Chai is Mocha Chai’s founder, as well as a film director, writer and producer. He explains, “Singapore never had a one-stop facility for films, all the way from offline to online, and with final cinema colour grade to sound mix all under one roof. Our filmmakers including myself have always been going to Thailand or Hong Kong to have our film finished. I’ve always looked at them enviously and dreamt that we too could have one place to call our own. Mocha Chai Laboratories is that dream comes true.”

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AUDIO Digital soundwaves

www.content-technology.com/audio

TVNZ on Sound Footing with Calrec FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, Television New Zealand (TVNZ) has served up an outstanding array of programming to Kiwi viewers – and for almost half of that time, the national broadcaster has placed its trust in Calrec Audio. TVNZ has just installed its latest investment in Calrec, a brand-new Artemis Light audio console and a Concord processor upgrade on the network’s existing Artemis Beam desk.

“We’ve enjoyed a long and successful partnership with Calrec, going back to 1996 when we brought in two analogue Calrec C2 consoles for our live television production studios,” said Paul Hedges, General Manager, Production Services and Facilities, at TVNZ. “When it came time to upgrade, we had no doubt the Artemis consoles would meet our needs.

“Calrec’s feature set, roadmap for the future, and fit for our productions continue to be very compelling. Plus, we really value the personal relationships we have established over the years with the sales, marketing, and support at Calrec and their distributor, Synchrotech. They have always been quick to respond when we have any support issues, and they’ve done an outstanding job of meeting our technical and budget needs.”

A government-owned national broadcaster, TVNZ serves viewers throughout New Zealand and other Pacific regions with daily news and current affairs programming, as well as a broad range of live and recorded entertainment shows.

TVNZ brought in the Artemis Beam for its news studio in 2014 as a replacement for the Calrec analogue consoles which had delivered almost two decades of reliable daily service. This was part of a strategic plan to expand production capabilities with a new Artemis Light console for a second studio. TVNZ installed the Artemis Light earlier this year for production of a wide variety of lifestyle programs, including live-audience comedy shows and variety shows featuring interviews, product demonstrations, and live music performances.

The Calrec consoles have doubled the resources available to both studios, enabling TVNZ to handle a line-up that would have required hiring additional personnel or purchasing extra resources.

The upgrade to the Concord processor has brought newfound flexibility and power to the Calrec configuration, enabling TVNZ to handle highly complex programs with ease. The network produces an audience-based show that required stems and clean mic splits to be recorded to an external device.

Steve Houston, audio engineer at TVNZ, works with a Calrec Audio console.

With Concord a complicated patch can be set up, tested, and saved for recall week after week, and yet at a moment’s notice the production can revert back to a basic show mode.

“The Artemis Light is a perfect complement to our existing Artemis Beam console, bringing flexibility and agility to our operation,” Hedges said.

“We can change quickly and easily from one production to another with zero downtime and zero patching errors, and the ability to share resources between the studios and save output configurations is invaluable.

“Plus, from our many years of experience with Calrec, we know we can count on absolute reliability for critical programming. Live news production forms a large part of the TV One schedule and it’s vital we have a robust production audio console. Another example is our twice-weekly live lottery draw in the other studio. There’s always a lot of scrutiny when people have a chance to win big cash prizes, and a failure on air would be a huge issue – but we have complete confidence in Calrec.”

“We have worked hard for many years to earn TVNZ’s trust, and the new Artemis deployments there are just the latest examples of how our technology can evolve to serve a customer’s ever-changing needs,” said Anthony Harrison, International Sales Manager for Calrec. “We can’t wait to see what the next 20 years holds for our partnership with TVNZ. Whatever it is, we know it will be exciting.”

Visit www.calrec.com

BAE Audio 500 Series Graphic EQ ANALOGUE GEAR MANUFACTURER, BAE Audio, has announced its new G10 equaliser is shipping. The unit, first unveiled at the 139th AES Convention, combines a punchy, transformer-based signal path with the versatile 10-band graphic EQ configuration and 2520-style discrete op-amps – making it suitable for tweaking drum or guitar sounds, or even processing an entire mix. It is available as a 500 series unit.

AUDIO

With 10 carefully selected bands offering up to 12dB of boost or cut on tap, the G10 is designed to offer a level of tone sculpting that can help any audio sit perfectly in the mix. The easy-to-use slider-based interface helps users intuitively visualise the EQ curves they are applying. Switchable high-pass and low-pass filters, tuned at 80Hz and 12kHz respectively, help make the G10 a truly complete sound shaping solution.

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“We had been asked by many of our customers to put our spin on the 10-band graphic EQ,” says BAE Audio CEO, Mark Loughman. “In keeping

with our pedigree, we did it with superior components and build quality, and combined that with an innovative implementation of input and output transformers in the path. As a result, the G10 is a versatile EQ that can do wonders to enhance your sound during tracking, mixing, or mastering.”

The BAE Audio G10 implements an op-amp like those used in well-loved ‘70s American boards. Unlike some other 10-band equalisers presently on the market, the G10 includes balanced input and output. The G10 also features input and output transformers that imbue any audio passing through it with a unique tonal character.

“The transformers give the G10 an incredibly tight sound that has plenty of punch without harshness,” Loughman says. “It has a colour and personality to it all its own and provides a nice counterpoint to the Britishdesigned BAE EQs that you probably already have in your lunchbox.”

Visit www.baeaudio.com

AUDIO

IP-based Monitoring from Wohler WOHLER TECHNOLOGIES WILL BE DEMONSTRATING its latest monitoring technologies at the HHB Communications Ltd. stand (8.D56) during IBC2016. Among the offerings will be its new IP-based solutions – the iAM-MIX multichannel audio monitor and mixer iAM-AUDIO audio monitor, as well as Dante and Ravenna modules for the AMP2-16V series audio monitors. For those looking for Wohler’s audio monitoring in an affordable package, the AMP1-8-M dual-input SDI 8-channel audio monitor will also be on display. iAM-MIX features an intuitive front-panel control surface for individual master and per-channel mixing and muting, for operators who require robust auditory monitoring from a range of sources. A simple yet full-featured platform for eight- or 16-level control out of the box, audio-only monitoring, iAM-MIX integrates with A/V router solutions to push and pull channel-name data. The iAM-AUDIO introduces touch-panel interfaces to allow command and control of the unit and new I/O options, including Dante and Ravenna combined, with rich data displays and Wohler’s audio monitoring.

All products running on the iAM platform offer a browser-based GUI to complement Wohler’s traditional front-panel monitoring interfaces for remote control, and future options for remote monitoring and logging. In addition,

A/V workstation with a suite of tools for analysing and managing audio quality, level and loudness, metadata and more.

Finally, with the AMP1-8-M, Wohler is providing access to its advanced audio monitoring technology at an aggressive price point. The AMP1-8-M offers fast operation for monitoring SDI audio in the most demanding production applications. AMP1-8-M provides instantaneous selection and summing of any grouping of the first four SDI audio pairs. It features adjustable volume and

all units can be controlled by third-party software via an API. The use of SFPs

balance controls, clear display of levels, and phase indications on bright 2.4-

enables simple, in situ adaptation of interfaces and a wide selection of signal

inch, LED-backlit LCD displays, with configurations that can be created, saved

I/O. This, in combination with other software-defined features, creates an

and recalled via ethernet using a PC interface. Users are able to monitor both

upgrade path to new and emerging audio protocols, such as Dante and AES67.

in stereo and surround through built-in speakers, headphones or analogue

The new Dante- and Ravenna-capable modules bring audio-over-IP monitoring

outputs with optional muting for internal speakers.

functionality to the AMP2-16V platform. The AMP2-16V is a 16-channel, 2RU

Visit www.wohler.com

calrec.com/brio

190x127 C+T.indd 1

07/06/2016 15:26

AUDIO

Slogan created by: Name: Brendon Murphy Job Title: Broadcast Services Manager Company: Mediaworks NZ

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AUDIO

White Noise, Hot Sounds From a small Mac Plus studio at New Zealand’s University of Waikato to international feature films such as The Hobbit, District 9, Elysium, and Chappie, Dave Whitehead has been refining the craft of sound design for over 23 years.

C+T ‘sounded him out’ at BroadcastAsia2016.

By Phil Sandberg With sound design, how bespoke is your work on a project by project basis? How different your approach with each one?

Sound Designer Dave Whitehead of New Zealand’s White Noise Ltd.

“I believe you have to give each film its own voice. I mean, it's got to have an original voice and it's got to come from a place where you're not referencing another film.

“I'll get given a reference from someone and they’ll say ‘Have a look at this’.

And, then I'd look at it and then I'd try and throw it away, then try and use that as maybe something to spur me on and spur my own ideas on. But, I think they have to be different in the sense of – it's more fun for you if you make it different.

“If you're trying to find a new process, like trying to advance the technology, for instance, on Chappie, it was an interesting process. We had a digital character, a robot that is walking around, and we decided ‘okay, can we extrapolate data from the effects to control this character?’ And, we did.

“We designed an application. A friend of mine living in New Zealand, David Lawrence and came up with an application to upload a VFX text file, data file, and it spat back a MIDI file. And, so then we would import that into Pro Tools and that would be the data for one of his limbs.”

So, instead of an instrument, the MIDI data was driving a sound effect?

“Exactly. So, we made contact banks of, say, the feet. We'd have a content bank of dirt feet, for the metal feet, for little ratchets, for servos, for those little earpieces. And, each one of those came up as a MIDI track. So, the data was completely correct as it came from the VFX and so the motion was perfect.

“There was too much data, though. We had to thin it out, but that's an example of a situation with Chappie where we have a problem to solve which is we've got the printable character who is a robot. Let's try and use the actual data to make the robot come to life.

“The other thing I did was put a guitar pickup on the console to get electrical impulses coming from the faders moving and reacting to the MIDI. So, it was like the robot created itself.

Using MIDI like that, what sort of parameters are you drawing on?

“So, the VFX data, we asked them to limit the export to 0-127 which is MIDI.

of lions and pigs, and the like. How much have things progressed from those films to The Hobbit?

“As sound designers, you all have libraries. I've got the first recording I made which was rain outside my window that I recorded with a Shure VP-88.

I'd recorded stuff before that, but that was the first one that was a great recording - and a bumblebee - and they are still in my library with metadata and I can call on those.

“But, the fidelity nowadays has changed and, so, we've got extended frequency range on microphones, speakers have got better. The technology is changing and also, a lot of times, we were recording on DAT, 44.1KHz 16-bit, so those libraries are grainy, but still some of them are irreplaceable and there are some things that I still use to this day.

“We recorded every day when we were on those Hobbit films, in some way or form. If we're not doing it then, we're getting our assistants to record it.

We need some mud splats, we need some dry ice being rubbed across the metal, anything to get detail. Sometimes, we can add too much detail, but with a film like that you've got to try and give the re-recording mixers and the director everything that they need so that you're creating a canvas for them.

velocity situation. For each of the limbs, when the MIDI data changed direction to positive or negative, that's when you had a note change.

With those films being in 3D, is that a consideration for you as well?

“I'm actually thinking of putting it up as freeware. It's one of those things that a

“I guess it does once you see it in 3D, because a lot of times we're obviously just working with 2D pictures and once we had a screen that we could go and see it in 3D, ‘oh boy, are we going to need something extra for this moment’.

small market of people that would use it, but it could be of use to someone.”

You’re a Pro Tools user?

AUDIO

When Lord of the Rings was made, the sound designers made use of recordings

“Pro Tools is my canvas and I paint, but then I'm providing it for them to paint themselves once everything's in place.”

From there we decided whether it was an on-off situation or whether it was a

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“So, this is where Dave will insert a dirty big ‘raaaaaar’, and you run away from the CGI dragon.”

“Pro Tools is my canvas. I've used it for years and years and years. It's just part

“And, of course, with Atmos being here now as well, we're starting to be more conscious of separating components that we want to be going into the top

of my work life. I don't have to think about it. It's an extension of my process.

speakers and moving around the room.”

AUDIO

So, is Pro Tools your entire toolset?

So what are you working on now?

“I explore a lot of options. I use things like MidiSynth and iZotope’s tools. I

“We just finished Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi called Story Of Your Life. He did

use anything I can to make the sound I need to make and I will explore. I have

Sicario and he's about to do Blade Runner. I'm working currently on Fedor

synthesisers, external ones, Midi Voyager. I have my old JP80-80 synthesiser.

Bondarchuk, who's a Russian Director, his science fiction called Attraction - at

I use whatever I can, but Pro Tools is the inbox for me. That is where it all

least that's the working title. And, then later in the year, Bong Joon-ho, his film

comes together. I don't have to think about it.

“As well as the synthetic sources, there's still quite a lot of original recording from original sources. I have a recorder everywhere. Some directors hate synthesised material as well. Neill Blomkamp prefers to have organic material and so we always try and start with organic sources. For Elysium, we had a Dobro guitar and a vibrator shoved between the strings swinging it around my head. That was one of the spaceships, the Raven. They was an original source, different pulses and vibrations, and it came up with an amazing synthetic sounding sort of a spaceship.

“So yeah, I record nearly every day. Its means storage has to be great and so

called Okja. He did Snow Piercer and The Host.

“So, all those films I'm working on from my studio and I've been doing a lot of international work from my studio which brings up the encryption question like, you know, and I have to say MediaSeal was quite amazing. That was one of the most secure methods I've come across recently, but we encrypt drives that we work on as well so that you have to put in passwords to open the drives.”

What's your feeling towards storage in the cloud?

“I'm not so into the Cloud, for that sort of thing. If the studio's providing that Cloud, right, then I think I'm comfortable with it. I'm not comfortable putting media up there. It's someone else's house, pretty much. I mean, if it's not in

we have, at the home studio, a 12TB RAID.

my house, it's in someone else's and whose house it is, I don't know whose

“That is metadata named, just full descriptions and all that sort of thing.

it is.

I use Soundminer as well. Justin Webster who has The Cargo Cult has

“The one thing I do like is this collaboration feature within Pro Tools. And

something called Slapper and Conformaliser, which has been huge for us. It

this is something new for me which I haven't actually explored it yet. The

helps us conform our massive sessions. But, Soundminer, since I've moved

Russian project, I'm going to start using it to send my 7.1 pre-mixes as work-

to my home studio which is where I work, I use that. I can search and find

in-progress weekly. And, I think it's going to be great for me to push a button

something. For a film though, I like to give it an original voice. People don't

and he knows that there's something to download and then he uploads it and

use stock footage in feature films, so, you don't want to use stock sounds.”

he's got fresh stems.

So, how do you approach a new project?

“First off, I will make extensive lists of the script, looking at art work, from concept art. You can make a lot of sounds from the concept art itself and I

“I mean, this is really cool for working off shore. I think that's going to change a lot of the ways that we work. At least, it's going to make things easier. I don't have to export all those tracks, zip up a file, send it, all that sort of junk. And, delivery. I mean, in the past it was using Dropbox, using HighTail, and all that

encourage, directors or producers to give me that stuff so I can actually start

sort of stuff. I just think it's going to simplify things.”

early planting seeds. But, you can write an effects list just off those and then

Dave Whitehead, along with Australian-born sound designer, Michelle Child, operates White Noise Ltd. Visit www.whitenoise.co.nz

when you see the film itself, then you start getting specific.”

Research Finds Audible Differences with High-Resolution Audio LISTENERS CAN HEAR A DIFFERENCE between standard audio and

Reiss. “Our study finds high-resolution audio has a small but important

better-than-CD quality, known as high-resolution audio, according to

advantage in its quality of reproduction over standard audio content.

a new study published in the June issue of the Journal of the Audio

Trained listeners could distinguish between the two formats around sixty

Engineering Society (JAES) by Dr. Joshua Reiss of the Centre for Digital

percent of the time.”

Dr. Reiss explained, “One motivation for this research was that people in

The meta-study compared data from 18 studies involving 450 participants

the audio community endlessly discuss whether the use of high-resolution

listening to samples of music in different formats. In total, the studies

formats and equipment really makes a difference. Conventional wisdom

involved over 12,000 different trials where participants were asked to discriminate between formats. Overall, listeners could distinguish between the formats, especially if they had been trained to hear a difference. This is the first time that formal meta-analysis techniques have been applied to audio engineering research.

In addition to training, the research suggested that careful selection of stimuli, including use of long duration samples, may play an important

states that CD quality should be sufficient to capture everything we hear, yet anecdotes abound where individuals claim that hi-res content sounds crisper, or more intense. And people often cherry-pick their favorite study to support whichever side they’re on.”

He continued, “We gathered 80 publications in the field, and analyzed all available data, even asking authors of earlier studies for their original

role in the ability to discriminate. Studies that did not show an ability to

reports from old filing cabinets. We subjected the data to many forms of

discriminate were generally more prone to biases or flaws in their design.

analysis. The effect was clear, and there were some indicators as to what

Reiss concluded that “the perceived fidelity of an audio recording and

conditions demonstrate it most effectively. Hopefully, we can now move

playback chain is affected by operating at a resolution higher than the CD

forward towards identifying how and why we perceive these differences,

standard.”

and better experimental design.”

“Audio purists and industry should welcome these findings,” said

Visit www.aes.org

AUDIO

Music, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).

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RADIO The original broadcast media

www.content-technology.com/radio

Bangladesh Spice FM Goes Virtual with Lawo A LOT OF THOUGHT has gone into Dhaka’s new 96.4 Spice FM radio station.

With a high-profile staff recruitment mission undertaken in 2015 and test transmissions made during June this year, it is bringing a new wave of technology to its studios and a fresh voice to the Bangladesh airwaves.

The station has launched with the adage, ‘We’re Gonna Change the Way You Listen to Music’, and is changing the way its programming is delivered – using Lawo’s virtual studio technology.

Located on the 13th floor of Dhaka’s MG Tower, the 96.4 Spice FM studios are immediately impressive with their futuristic interior design. This is supported and enabled by the adoption of Lawo’s crystalCLEAR virtual mixing. This is no over-funded folly, however, as equipment costs were also very high on the Spice FM agenda.

“Price was one of the main concerns,” confirms Boon Siong Tan, Southeast Asia Sales Director at Lawo’s Singapore office. “The crystalCLEAR virtual radio console offers them the best fit for their requirement, both in terms of price and their aim to make the studio design special and unique – it’s a futuristic and cool setup, with very few components in studio.”

The installation began in early 2016 and was completed in May, allowing the station to begin broadcasting in June. It is a neat and simple setup, but one that still provides full radio facilities.

In the studio, there are just two PC screens – one for the crystalCLEAR virtual console and another one for radio automation. The PC with crystalCLEAR also serves as social media PC and providing the station’s other Internet services.

There are four microphones and a headphone amplifier for guests and DJ, and a telephone set for incorporating phone-ins into the programming.

The Spice FM team had discovered crystalCLEAR technology as part of their research, both by industry word-of- mouth and via the Internet. Providing a

virtual mixing interface, a high-resolution computer display, crystalCLEAR exists entirely in software. This allows it to operate without the limitations of physical knobs, buttons and faders. Instead, it presents operators with the controls and information relevant to their role, hiding everything that is not currently needed.

With its small footprint and high functionality, crystalCLEAR has played perfectly into the Spice FM vision.

“We are very satisfied and grateful for the support given to complete the studios with minimum concerns over operation, technical setup and implementation,” says the station’s representative.

Visit www.lawo.com

JAA Systems Rebuilds Malaysian Radio A DIRECT TRANSLATION of the Malaysian word ‘Manis’ means

system. JAAS was engaged to supply the Klotz Graphite ONE digital audio

‘Sweet’. Indeed, it was a sweet success for JAA Systems Sdn Bhd (JAAS).

The company was selected to rebuild and relocate Manis FM, a stateowned Malaysian radio station, from its building to Chabang TIga, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia.

mixer, ENCO radio automation for all the studios, and a complete re-

JAAS, which is headed by David Chan, secured the deal with the right design proposal at the right price which included acoustics and sound proof work, new Klotz mixers, RCS radio automation, and complete integration of all accessories, console tables and cabling. The project was completed in two months. Manis FM successfully broadcast live from the new radio studios on the 25th of May, 2016.

RADIO

“It was great project to start of the new year,” said David Chan, General Manager of JAA Systems Sdn Bhd. “We were given a tight deadline to complete the turnkey project. As the project was located at east coast of Malaysia, we faced some logistical issues. Anyway, I am proud of JAA.S project team which is headed by Engr. Azhar managed to complete the project within the timeframe. I would like to thank Manis FM management for the trust in us.”

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JAA Systems was also appointed to upgrade and refurbishing all cabling and systems at CATS FM, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. It has been many years since CATS FM had refurbished and upgraded its on-air controlroom, especially the old audio mixer, the radio automation and its cabling

cabling and integration of the back-up, production, edit, and MCR studios, with the project taking 15 days to complete.

“It is not a straightforward job, especially when we have to go live while doing the upgrading. Thankfully, JAA Systems was able to upgrade from old to new without a problem. Overall, we’re very happy with the work done by David and his team.” said Hj Iskandar, CEO of CATS FM. “It was a challenging project for us. We had to fully utilise all our resources and staff to complete the project. As CATS FM is a famous radio station in Sarawak with broadcasts live everyday, we have to ensure all our work would not interrupt transmission. Most work has to be done after midnights. There has been many midnight work to ensure the project ran smoothly. Another challenge was the migration of the radio automation system to the Enco radio automation. We are proud of all CATS FM operators and DJs for their patience and hard work learning the new system. I would like to personally thank Hj Iskandar and Mr. Johnny, manager of CATS FM for their trust in us.” said David Chan, General Manager of JAA Systems.

Visit www.catsfm.my and www.manis.fm and www.jaasys.com

RADIO

NETIA Integration with iNEWS NETIA HAS ANNOUNCED that New Zealand TV and radio broadcaster, MediaWorks, is working alongside Avid, NETIA, and NETIA distributor Syncrotech Systems to provide consolidated news assets on both radio and television platforms. MediaWorks is deploying the NETIA Media Assist software package throughout its radio departments. The solution will help MediaWorks streamline workflow, optimise management of its media assets across multiple sites, and improve productivity in bringing content to air and to digital platforms.

After seeing the Media Assist suite at the BroadcastAsia2015 show, MediaWorks invited NETIA experts to its headquarters for a proof-of-concept demonstration. Just three weeks later, NETIA held on-site workshop sessions at the Auckland facility and demonstrated the integration of NETIA Media Assist with Avid iNEWS. “Media Assist will help Newshub and other MediaWorks news operations units to streamline their workflow and take full advantage of news assets across their broadcast operations,” said Alexandre Martinez, pre-sales engineer at NETIA. “Using NETIA software in conjunction with iNEWS, MediaWorks will be able to reduce its reliance on manual operations, boost content transfer between its radio and TV departments, and ultimately realize an optimal return on its assets.”

NETIA’s radio automation modules cover the digital audio workflow, supporting production and playout of radio news programming. The modular structure of NETIA software makes it easy to integrate into existing operations and facilitates ingest, editing, scheduling, broadcast, multicast, archiving, data security, and administration via a single user interface. The

new solution at MediaWorks will allow journalists from central and regional sites in New Zealand to connect to servers within MediaWorks’ Auckland headquarters. Media ingested and edited locally by journalists at regional sites will be pushed to the NETIA server in Auckland.

MOS integration of NETIA and iNEWS will enable radio journalists to work on NETIA audio assets from within the iNEWS client workstation. Media Assist tools, including a browser, player, and NETIA’s Snippet editing tool, are accessible from within the iNEWS workstation session as ActiveX plug-ins.

Any rundowns with audio assets created in iNEWS can be used to create audio playlists on Media Assist, which will manage playout.

Visit www.netia.com

Klotz Appoints Pacific Live Media for ANZ KLOTZ COMMUNICATIONS HAS ANNOUNCED the appointment of Pacific Live Media as its exclusive partner for Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.

Pacific Live Media will be responsible for all sales and support activities for Klotz Communications’ complete product range including the recently launched DC 3 console, and the Touchstone controller.

“We are excited about the appointment of Pacific Live Media and look forward to working with Chris and his team. Chris has been in the radio space in Australia for nearly two decades and is very familiar with the market place and our technology. We’ve launched a series of products over the last 18 months which allow our customers to upgrade their VADIS system to the next generation of hardware and software. With his technical expertise and his knowledge of the radio industry Chris is the perfect choice to guide users through this transition,” commented Andre Sauer, General Manager and Partner of Klotz Communications.

With the recent launch of the DC 3 console and the new DX interface devices, Klotz Communications has a complete suite of products, which are backwards compatible with VADIS systems, and allow a seamless and gradual upgrade of existing systems without the need for large capital expenditure. The DC 3 control surface allows an in-situ replacement of older DC 2 surfaces, and the DX interfaces take care of the upgrade from IPX/SPX networks to the TCP/IP protocol. The new VADIS G2 engine and its interface cards are compatible with older generation VADIS technology.

“Klotz product has always been synonymous with quality and reliability, the large installation base and reliability over that period is a testament to their product integrity. It is an honour to be working with them in the region, and we look forward to engaging with the Radio industry as Klotz partner,” commented Chris Dredge, Managing Director of Pacific Live Media.

Visit www.klotzcommunications.com and www.pacificlivemedia.com

Lawo R ELAY Virtual Radio Mixer INTRODUCED AT THIS YEAR’S NAB SHOW, Lawo’s RELAY Virtual Radio Mixer software is designed to make maximum use of today’s laptop and desktop PCs. Taking advantage of computer virtualisation technology adapted from the IT industry enables RELAY users to pack an entire studio’s worth of broadcast gear onto a single PC.

RELAY software lets engineers replace physical consoles, and entire racks of accessory gear, using a single desktop or laptop PC – with significant cost savings. With RELAY, all mixing is done natively on a standard Windows laptop or PC. Its multi-touch interface gives talents a familiar way to mix audio, behind the scenes, software apps from RELAY partners supply virtualised codecs, phone hybrids, audio processors, cross-point routers, streaming encoders and other broadcast tools that run entirely in software, RELAY is aimed toward grab-and-go remote kits, field journalists, fast setup of on-location studios, webcasting, a replacement for ageing studio hardware, or as a permanent personal studio at home. Bundles include RELAY VRX4 and VRX8 (4- and eight-fader mixer) software, paired with a compact Lawo

OnAir 4 audio interface to supply mic, line, AES3 and RAVENNA / AES67 I/O. A heavy-duty RELAY backback with space for a laptop and other on-air accessories like mics and headphones is also included.

Visit www.r3lay.com and www.lawo.com

RADIO

interfacing with the mixer via standard WDM or ASIO interfaces.

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CONTENT DELIVERY Terrestrial, Mobile, Broadband

www.content-technology.com/delivery

STN Looks to Serve Ex-Pats in Europe EUROPEAN TELEPORT AND BROADCASTING SERVICES PROVIDER STN is spearheading a new commercial initiative to help Asia Pacific content owners and broadcasters reach new audiences.

The Slovenian provider of transmission services and solutions has invested in additional resources to help Asia Pacific broadcasters grow their businesses in markets including Europe, Africa and the US, and help broadcasters take advantage of what it says is the growing phenomenon of ‘diaspora broadcasting’. STN offers a portfolio of media services including playout, multicast and uplink.

STN’s infrastructure includes access to some 19 satellites with a combined footprint stretching from the Asia Pacific to Europe and the Americas, a teleport of 65 RX and 21 TX antennas, and data centre POPs in Asia, Europe, Africa and North America.

The company recently took four channels from Asia and delivered them into Europe and the Americas and, at the recent BroadcastAsia show, signed contracts for a further two channels.

STN manager Anver Anderson will be a familiar face to many Asia Pacific content providers. His experience in the market extends back to his time as VP Asia for satellite technology provider Newtec.

“Today people are more mobile than ever before, and we see consumers more readily moving from country to country to pursue career and business opportunities,” says Anderson. “In particular there are growing communities in the Middle East, Africa and the US of people who have moved from the Asia Pacific region to develop their careers. With their increasing prosperity and buying power, those communities are keen to be entertained in their own language with original content from their country of origin.”

Thailand Monitors with Mediaproxy LogServer MEDIAPROXY, THE PROVIDER OF SOLUTIONS for broadcast compliance logging, content monitoring and transport stream analysis, has announced that Interlink Telecom has selected LogServer to enhance and monitor the quality of service for its broadcast customers. The highly scalable IP-based system will be installed and supported at the Interlink facility based in Bangkok by partner Strong Brothers.

Interlink Telecom owns and operates nationwide Core Network and the fully fiber optical network in Thailand with the state of the art mixing between expertise in fiber optical cable to deploy all armor fiber optic cable as well as transmission and switching technology with the latest IP network equipment. Riding on the advanced fiber-optic technology, MPLS, SDH and DWDM, core backbone via Railway combining with redundancy via Highway route, provides customers with services such as Redundancy, Ring Topology access, corporate data transmission solutions, International

MCOT Thailand Deploys NETIA Playout and Automation NETIA HAS ANNOUNCED that its radio automation and playout software suite is being rolled out across Thailand by state-owned public radio broadcaster MCOT. Supplied by NETIA’s Southeast Asia master dealer, Broadcast Communications International (BCI), the NETIA software will enable MCOT to automate and enhance both the production workflow and playout operations at its national and local radio stations.

CONTENT DELIVERY

“NETIA solutions address the requirements of today’s distributed radio broadcast operations, helping users to realize greater efficiency and flexibility in delivering audiovisual content to their audiences,” said Colin Tan, director at BCI. “By uniting robust functionality with intuitive user interfaces and streamlining the sharing of assets across stations, NETIA’s radio automation and playout software empowers broadcasters such as MCOT to provide timely, compelling programming across all of its stations.”

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With its headquarters in Bangkok, MCOT operates one international, seven national, one district, and 52 provincial radio stations, as well as two terrestrial free-to- air television channels and two satellite television channels. Working with BCI, MCOT is installing six stand-alone workstations running NETIA software at its Bangkok facilities and another 18 such systems across 18 regional sites. The NETIA playout system and radio automation modules installed on these workstations will enable MCOT station users to record, edit, or prepare content for broadcast and distribution.

Visit www.netia.com

Private Leased Circuit Services, Internet Protocol Transit Services, MPLSbased IP-VPN Service with total quality control and management.

The LogServer platform provides 24/7 multi-channel recording and review of SD/HD and 4K input sources via intuitive web-based user interfaces.

Available as a turnkey system or software-only license, LogServer provides regulatory compliance for content, closed caption, loudness and more at the highest level of reliability and accessibility. LogServer offers comprehensive live broadcast monitoring for any SDI, ASI/IP and OTT source.

Unlimited access to the leading edge Monwall IP multiviewer enables proxy and native MPEG decoding. New data panels open up new workflows to enable transport stream and IP source monitoring.

Visit www.mediaproxy.com

IPM DTH First on Board with Thaicom 8 THAICOM PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED, one of Asia’s leading satellite operators, has announced that its THAICOM 8 satellite at the 78.5°E prime orbital position has been chosen to provide satellite transponder services to IPM Company Limited, a leading DTH provider in Thailand. The contract is a major milestone for THAICOM 8 which was launched in May 2016. IPM is the first customer on the new THAICOM 8 platform.

The satellite capacity will enable IPM to move its existing four million satellite dishes to Thaicom’s 78.5°E position. IPM is Thailand’s leading satellite dish provider on the Ku-band with over four million subscribers Mr. Manop Tokarnka, CEO of IPM Company Limited commented, “We are pleased to enter into the partnership with Thaicom through this deal.

With THAICOM 8, we will able to utilise Thaicom’s leading video channel neighbourhood and broadcast platform at 78.5°E for the cost-effective expansion of our business including High Definition TV service in the not-sodistant future.”

The THAICOM 8 satellite provides Ku-band coverage for broadcast and data clients in Asia and Africa. It has a total of 24 Ku-band transponders which cover Thailand, South Asia, and Africa. Co-located with THAICOM 5 and THAICOM 6 at 78.5°E longitude, THAICOM 8 entered service in July 2016. The rich video channel neighbourhood at the 78.5 E orbital slot is one of the leading positions in Asia for a variety of programming. Orbital ATK manufactured the satellite and SpaceX was responsible for the launch.

THAICOM 8 is designed to operate for more than 15 years.

Visit www.thaicom.net and www.ipmtv.tv

CONTENT DELIVERY

Imagine the Transformation Imagine Communications CEO, Charlie Vogt, speaks to C+T about the impact of IP-based technologies on the broadcast industry.

By Phil Sandberg Some three years ago, when Charlie Vogt left his position as head of Voice-Over IP infrastructure provider, Genband, to become President and CEO of Imagine Communications, it became clear to him, after witnessing the transformations in the telco environment with IT, SDN and cloud virtualisation, that the broadcast industry would go through the same transformation.

On the subject of early adopters, what metrics are you getting back from the ABC-Disney IP install?

“The Disney win was a significant opportunity for us to really take what we were doing to transform playout in automation and be able to IP-enable and cloud-virtualise what we were doing with our own internal servers, automation, graphics and that's gone extremely well. It's created a lot of opportunity for us around the world. We've launched many shows and programmes in North America. We're now expanding that ecosystem across the globe and we're working with ABC and Disney affiliates in the APAC regions and the EMEA regions and we expect that the second-half of 2016 and 2017 will be very beneficial periods of time for us because Disney wants to standardise on a platform around the world, which I think is the right strategy. The economies of scale, the operational efficiencies, the level of consistency and the ability to control more content on one common architecture around the world gives them, I think, a lot of advantages.”

So, no unforeseen issues have popped up?

“We've had all kinds of challenges over the last 18 months but, together, we've solved them. Our latency between New York and LA is less than 100 milliseconds. Nobody thought that was possible and we were able to accomplish a lot of that working very closely with ABC and Disney over the last year. And, you don't move into this kind of technology environment with technology that's working great in the lab until you're able to actually prove it in a live environment.

“So, we've learned a lot. We've cut our teeth. I feel like it's prepared us for a more global opportunity with other companies who want to move in that direction, so the learnings have been amazing.”

Do you see those types of North American companies going down the IP path before their regional operations in APAC and elsewhere?

“I don't think so. I think everybody's in the same sort of environment.

The biggest difference with an IP software-defined, cloud virtualised environment and the way these networks have been designed for 40 years is that you're creating, for the first time, a true homogeneous global network infrastructure that can be deployed in a very common architecture around the world where you had all these unique instances in the way you deployed playout and automation in all these different regions.

“The power of IP and the power of software-defined networking really allows global brands to be able to create that sort of consistency around the world.

But, it doesn't prohibit a local broadcaster or a local TV network or a service provider like GlobeCast to be able to move into that sort of environment for this region specifically.

“Over the next 12 to 18 months, I think this region is going to experience a lot of what we participated in with a lot of the North American companies that kind of helped jump-start things. I'm actually encouraged and I feel

Imagine Communications CEO, Charlie Vogt, and SVP Asia-Pacific, Joe Khodeir, at BroadcastAsia 2016.

“I've certainly met with enough customers from each one of the countries in the region, from Vietnam to Philippines to Myanmar to Malaysia to Cambodia to Australia to get excited about the fact that it's not 10 years from now, it's not five years from now. In the next 18, 24, 36 months, I think you're going to see a pretty significant migration.”

like most of the major operators and broadcasters in this region are certainly embracing change. I feel like they know that they need to embrace this change to be able to compete because prices are not going up.

“The competitive landscape is not getting easier. The business models are changing and they're not going to be able to compete based in a traditional SDI world. They're just not. This notion that every five years you completely replace your entire playout and automation architecture is a complete disadvantage not an advantage. And, we want our software to be deployed and never leave the network.

“Now that we've been able to untether our software from the hardware, companies can look at upgrading their compute server storage, independent of the software, and we can continue to enhance that software for years to come.

I think that that's going to be a significant advantage in the long-term for broadcasters and TV networks and service providers, that we can continue to enhance things over time and not find ourselves in an RFP mode and displacing it and disrupting the network. You wouldn't do that with your Oracle SAP CRM – and that's what this industry really needs to migrate to and I think that will be the power long-term.”

How do you see the level of IP awareness throughout APAC? “Two years ago, nobody was talking about IP and cloud virtualisation.

Today, whether they're ready to deploy it, everyone is certainly thinking about it, everyone is certainly assessing it. Like any new technology, I think there needs to be a phase of adoption and early adopters and reference counts.

“What we've been focused on is aligning ourselves with those customers who want to be early adopters who have some trigger point, whether it's a facility change or a technology refresh cycle that aligns with them looking more aggressively at IP playout and cloud playout.

“I've certainly met with enough customers from each one of the countries in the region, from Vietnam to Philippines to Myanmar to Malaysia to Cambodia to Australia to get excited about the fact that it's not 10 years from now, it's not five years from now. In the next 18, 24, 36 months, I think you're going to see a pretty significant migration.”

Continues Page 47

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“I think the industry is certainly bracing itself for, not a technology refresh, but a technology transformation. I think that the internet and mobility and IP has created an environment where our traditional TV network and broadcast station partners have got to think much differently about their business models, and how they're going to market, and the technology that is going to be required to enable all that, we think, is going to be the focus for the next decade.”

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CONTENT DELIVERY

Cloud Playout – ready today?

By James Gilbert, Pixel Power.

I BELIEVE THAT ALL THE TECHNOLOGY Is now in place for a real, premium cloud-based playout service. By that I mean something with all the functionality you expect of a best of breed playout centre, including the ability to take live and unpredictable events, to automatically add branding content, and fully integrated 3D graphics and DVE. The point of this article, though, is not to question whether linear channel playout in the cloud is possible. The aim is to start a debate on whether this is the right time for you to make the move to the cloud. So beyond the technology I will suggest the considerations you need to make before investigating a cloud solution. I will talk about the upsides and the downsides, and make some suggestions about when, how and what you should move to the cloud.

TRADITIONAL PLATFORMS The traditional playout chain, in most cases, is an assembly of best of breed equipment. Typically the broadcaster or service provider will choose the automation platform that best meets their operational requirements, then they will add to that the necessary hardware to make it all work: servers, graphics, switchers, audio shufflers, subtitles and more.

Building this is a significant capital cost, not least because most of the hardware (apart from the automation PCs) is bespoke broadcast equipment.

Designing and implementing the system is complex and testing is timeconsuming.

Support is a challenge, not least because it may not be immediately clear precisely where the fault lies, and therefore which vendor needs to respond.

Change control is very important: the possibility of an upgrade or change in API in one device causing significant problems somewhere else in the system is very real.

Finally, it is extremely inflexible. Such a system tends to be built for a fixed number of channels and a single format. If you consider that even today some broadcasters are still going through the process of migrating channels from SD to HD, which in practice means wholesale replacement of much of the hardware, and significant changes to the software in the rest of the system.

With this in mind, how can you protect a future that might involve Ultra HD in some form?

CONTENT DELIVERY

In a bid to overcome at least the high capital cost of a best of breed playout system, a number of vendors came up with so-called channel-in-a-box systems. This was always a slightly misleading name as they were never just one single box. Although the switching, immediate content playout and perhaps the graphics might come from a single rack cabinet, there had to be external devices for large-scale storage, scheduling and routing, logging and archiving.

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time performance, to software running on COTS computers. Other applications may be more covert: a video server remains a specialised piece of hardware, but if you take the front panel off the chances are there will be rows of enterprise-quality disk drives with a PC-based controller.

One of the key difficulties in using standard IT hardware is that it does not talk ‘broadcast’. Because of the nature of audio and video signals, we in the broadcast business have always had to create our own standards for moving audio and video content from place to place; such as SDI and AES. IT equipment talks IP over Ethernet.

Just as the processors have been getting faster, so too has Ethernet. Gigabit Ethernet is now absolutely standard in any computer you buy today. 10 gigabit Ethernet is widely available, and 40 gigabit Ethernet has moved from labs to practical implementations. These are data rates comfortably fast enough to move real-time uncompressed broadcast audio and video signals.

VIRTUALISATION If all the functionality can be accomplished in software running on standard computers, with content stored on standard servers, and all interconnections over standard Ethernet, then we are at the tipping point.

It means that we no longer need dedicated devices. There need not be a box called audio embedder, or bug inserter, or even routing switcher. These can all be software processes, and therefore they can run on virtualised machines, which are spun up and shut down as necessary, either in a server farm or in a data centre.

That data centre may be on-premises, either in what would otherwise be the broadcast machine room or as part of the enterprise IT set-up, or the servers could be in a third-party data centre, or in the cloud, where the operation becomes infrastructure as a service.

Infrastructure as a service is transformational because you no longer spend capital budget buying hardware to do a job. Instead, you pay for processor time and data storage, as you use it.

This has benefits both ways. If you are not using a process you do not pay for it. But if you suddenly find yourself with a peak in demand – perhaps a whole series has arrived and needs to be transcoded – then you can quickly and easily increase resources through extra processors to get the job done.

Some argue that, on that basis, playout is not a good candidate for virtualisation, as it is a pretty continuous processing load. I would argue that a well-designed playout system should be incorporating functionality such as creating new branding material and trailers automatically, which definitely results in peaks in processor demand.

I say “perhaps the graphics”, because while it was common for channel-ina-box vendors to offer integrated graphics, they tended to be somewhat primitive, 2D computer-style graphics rather than the rich complexity that we have become accustomed to.

The cloud service provider – or the internal accounting for your on-premises data centre – should map your use of processing and storage to your broadcast activities, so your operational expenditure should track what you do. But this also calls for a change in business model from the vendors of software-defined broadcast equipment.

Perhaps for this reason, above all others, channel in a box solutions have not achieved the massive penetration that was predicted in the early days. Its use is largely confined to thematic channels where the schedule is fixed and mostly repetitive, and where low advertising revenues preclude too much in the way of fancy presentation.

We, as vendors, have to find a way of licensing software modules by use, not by the year or as a capital purchase perpetual license. This way all your playout costs become operational expenditure. This allows you to be very agile around trial services or pop-up channels, because you only pay when you are on the air.

IP

MOVING TO THE CLOUD

But, all the while Moore’s Law has been at work, and the IT companies have been using it to vastly increase the power of standard hardware. Remember that the IT industry is significantly larger than the broadcast business, and the R&D budgets of companies like Intel, Apple or Cisco rival the size of the entire broadcast market.

If the technologies are all now in place for cloud-based playout, then why are we not all rushing towards it?

So, we are moving to a state where much of the functionality can be accomplished in standardised hardware running clever, application-specific software.

This might be overt: Pixel Power has migrated its top-end graphics devices from the bespoke hardware we once needed to achieve any sort of real-

The answer is that it is a major change and challenge for any organisation, and its impact is felt across all areas of the business: engineering, operations, finance, sales, production, scheduling, ingest and more. I will touch on just a few issues.

Clearly, moving to the cloud represents a once in a lifetime opportunity to change the way we do things. First – and this may come as something of a shock – we have to stop thinking that broadcasters are somehow different, that our challenges are unique.

CONTENT DELIVERY Yes, of course we deal in relatively small numbers of very large files compared to, say, an airline which deals in very many more, but much smaller, data entities. But that aside, most of what we do is a standard set of processes. We need to move away from bespoke development and toward standardised systems overlaid with a good workflow engine allowing us to set up our specific requirements.

If you are considering the cloud, how do you choose a service provider?

In general terms they know nothing about broadcasting, and that is probably a good thing. Your interest is simply in getting the best deal for processing time and storage space.

It means, though, that you will need to negotiate carefully around SLAs. They will not intrinsically understand our need for at least four nines – 99.99% availability – and you may have to explain this carefully and clearly.

This is not to say that the cloud companies are not looking to broadcasting and content as a strong future source of business. Amazon Web Services acquired encoder specialist Elemental late last year, for example, with a clear eye on providing tightly integrated services.

COSTING Remember that virtualisation and the cloud are not synonyms. Although the cloud is by definition a virtualised system, many will choose to run virtualised playout in an on-premise data centre. The difference comes down largely to a preference between capex and opex.

While the pricing of cloud services is transparent – AWS has a clear price list on its website – it is actually really quite difficult to predict costs starting from nothing. It probably requires a new set of financial modellers to make reasonably accurate calculations, and therefore predict the commercial viability of new services.

Another important cost to consider is moving content up and down between the broadcast base and the cloud. That means the installation of redundant signal paths, and almost certainly the use of a file transfer acceleration service like Aspera or Signiant.

In addition, you need to design into the cloud system a good proxy system to minimise the need to move full resolution files up and down. Each download from the cloud is costed by the gigabyte, and moving a lot of full-resolution HD files quickly sees the costs mount up.

It is also important to remember that “the cloud” is a broad description for services offered by a number of vendors, and already it has effectively become a commodity product. As such, the offerings of the major players will continue to evolve, and competition will be on functionality and cost.

There may be opportunities in future to move operations from one cloud provider to another to get a better deal. Your user interfaces in the broadcast centre, and your operational practices and workflows, will not change even if the location of the underlying processing and storage has moved.

Finally, a real and key issue when building the commercial case is staffing.

Moving to an infrastructure which is IT-based means that either staff have to retrain or you need to replace some staff. Given that humans are generally resistant to change, this can be a significant challenge and cost.

Some tasks will be outsourced along with the processing. Broadcasters will need to make a value judgement about the risks and the cost benefits of deskilling in this way.

SECURITY Logically, the big public cloud providers are going to recruit and retain the best computer security people in the world because it is absolutely central to their business. It is widely known that the CIA uses Amazon Web Services: American intelligence services are reported to have said it is more secure and capable than legacy systems.

But that level of endorsement does not necessarily stand up in the media world. Intellectual property contracts, often negotiated over many years, may well insist on the basis that the content must be under the direct control of the rights holder. Further, they may insist that if you hold the broadcast rights for, say, Australia, then the material must be held in Australia.

Inevitably these entrenched attitudes are having to change. OTT streaming, for instance, increasingly uses cloud services just to cope with the peaks and troughs in consumer demand and the needs of encoding and packaging. BBC iPlayer is the most popular OTT streaming service in the world: it moved to AWS a couple of years ago.

CONCLUSION I have set out just some of the considerations you need to make when contemplating the cloud.

Today you are limited in your choice of vendors and cannot necessarily always choose the best of breed for your business. But that will certainly improve with time.

There are no universal standards so interworking between vendors may be difficult. But that, too, will improve, with bodies like AIMS driving forward the adoption of common standards. It is in the industry’s broad interest to ensure that they offer the flexibility in workflows that will offer real benefits.

We are at the beginning of the revolution, and the economics are completely new. Until we have some practical experience to put into some sophisticated cost models it is not easy to work out the real cost. Cloud providers need to make a profit, of course, but they are competing over a commodity service, so in time prices will probably fall.

Everyone has to make their own business decisions based on the economics, the impact on staff and security.

Visit www.pixelpower.com

Continued from Page 45

“Everything that we're doing is really focused on a hybrid solution. Today, it's really less about the religion of moving to IP and moving to a software defined work flow environment or moving some part of their network to a virtualised cloud environment. I don't think there are any doubters. But, nobody has an unlimited amount of capex and so, to me, it's how much you can afford to migrate on an annualised basis, the resources and the intellectual property required to make the transition. There's certainly alignment with where the industry needs to go. But, then you've got a look at the different pieces, from the people pleasing part to the spending part to the natural operational capabilities to transition so much of your network into that sort of environment that it's going to create a hybrid environment for the next three, four, five years.

“I think every opportunity that the larger networks have to move more and more of their network to an IP playout environment, they will do. We're starting to see more and more hybrid SDI baseband and IP networking architectures being developed. So, everything that I think we predicted was going to happen is beginning to happen. Now, we're exiting some of the early proof-of-concepts and entering into some of the first office applications which will, eventually, migrate into full-scale deployments.”

years ago that the industry was going to move into an IP domain and we needed to foster those relationships with Cisco and HP and Microsoft and others, selfishly initially, to make sure that what we were doing from a technology perspective would work on those platforms.

“One of the first things that we did 18 months ago was untether our software from proprietary hardware. It sounds easy, but it wasn't. And, to be able to do that and still perform in low-latency environments was phase one, and I think what came out of that was some unique relationships with Hewlett Packard and Microsoft where we're taking advantage of their technology and our technology and an aligned go-tomarket strategy to where we're leveraging each other's resources around the world to help those customers who want to be those earlier adopters.

“I'm really excited about what we've been able to prove out in Microsoft Azure's cloud. We've validated a lot of our compression technology, a lot of our playout technology, our ad management technology. We've been able to turn up and spin up new channels and new services inside of Azure.

Moving onto your alliances with HP and Microsoft, what's new coming out of those relationships?

“With regards to HP, they've certainly put their arms around Imagine on a globalised basis and we've got lots and lots of activity that we're working with them around the world. In Asia Pacific, there's a lot of instances where we're working very closely with the HP team to bring best-in-breed servers, storage, compute, Imagine playout and networking equipment into these new architectures. I'm pretty excited about it.”

“The IT partnerships stem from the philosophy that I had two-and-a-half

Visit www.imaginecommunications.com

CONTENT DELIVERY

What's your message to those broadcasters in how to manage that transition?

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CLASSIFIEDS + EVENTS Broadcast Indonesia Bears Fruit in the Big Durian IT WAS INEVITABLE, GIVEN THE MARKET SIZE and the explosion in the number of media operators, that Indonesia should look to hold industry events which reflect industry issues facing the country The inaugural Broadcast Indonesia 2016 - The International Digital Multimedia & Entertainment Technology Exhibition & Conference will be held from 31 August – 3 September 2016 at the Jakarta Indonesia Expo.

Supported by the Ministry of Communication and Informatics and MASTEL (Masyarakat Telematika Indonesia) - The Indonesian ICTs Society, Broadcast Indonesia 2016 presents a timely opportunity for to see the latest technologies available for broadcasters, operators, ISPs, governments, houses of worships, enterprises and system integrators in Indonesia all under one roof.

Exhibitors who have confirmed participation at Broadcast Indonesia 2016 include: Akamai Technologies; Armybeat Electronic; ATDI; Axel Technology; Canara Lighting Industries; Canare; Canon; Cryptoguard AB; Datavideo Technologies; Dawon IT; Db Elettronica Telecomunicazioni; Dielectric; Echo Music; Electrolink; Epson; Erry Guna; HGST Asia; JAA Systems; Kupo; Lumens Digital Optics; Lynx-Technik; Media Alliance; Nagamas Sinar Surya; Neetra; Netweb; Percon Export SLU; Playbox Technology; Rentak Setia; Shenzhen Chewa; Shenzhen Justek Technology; System Engineering Solutions S.R.L – SYES; Tata Communications; Zhuhai Gotech Intelligent Technology; and Zycast Technology Inc. Besides networking opportunities at Broadcast Indonesia, the Indonesia ICT Summit 2016 will offer a platform to hear insights from influential leaders on the latest trends and challenges pertinent to the broadcasting industry. Trends and case studies that will be covered include: • Driving Digital Economy Innovations in Indonesia’s ICT and Broadcast Landscapes

BEIJING INTERNATIONAL RADIO, TV & FILM EXHIBITION (BIRTV)

• Power Panel: Licensing and Investment Across the IP Value Chain • Animation Nation - The Driving Force of the Licensing Boom Visit www.broadcast-indonesia.com

Hartford Marriot Downtown

Melbourne, Australia

www.birtv.com BROADCAST INDONESIA

BROADCAST INDIA 2016

31 August 3 September

20 October22 October, 2016

Jakarta International Expo, Indonesia

Bombay Exhibition Centre

www.broadcastindonesia.com

SEPTEMBER ASTRA 2016 CONFERENCE 6 September, 2016 The Star Event Centre Pyrmont, Sydney, Australia

http://astra.org.au/ conference CASBAA – THAILAND IN VIEW 2016 6 September, 2016 Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld Bangkok, Thailand

www.ibc.org

• Co-Production Synergy in Creating Innovative Content and Audiences Experience

15-17 November, 2016

http://bts.ieee.org/ broadcastsymposium

• Internet Era of Television – Are Broadcasters Ready to Face Up to this Challenge?

• Indonesia's Broadcast Pillars: Brands, Content, and Sponsorship

12 October14 October, 2016

CIEC, Beijing, China

9 - 13 September, 2016

• The Southeast Asian Dream and the Indonesian Promise

SCREEN FOREVER CONFERENCE

Hartford, CT, USA

• Broadband/IP – Content Distribution through Multiple Retail Market Platforms

Key speakers from GroupM Entertainment, Hub Media Group, Maxima Pictures, MVP Picture and Silver Media Group will cover topics such as:

IEEE BROADCAST SYMPOSIUM

24-27 August, 2016

www.casbaa.com/event/ tiv2016 IBC 2016

Finally, in collaboration with the Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association (SAAVA), the Content Creation & Distribution Conference 2016 will be a first-of-its-kind in Indonesia for all TV, film and content producers and filmmakers.

CLASSIFIEDS + EVENTS

AUGUST

• Facing Convergence in the Market Place – Identifying the Opportunities and Threats for Telcos, Broadcasters and OTT Operators

• Radio Broadcasting and the Internet

48

what's on

Amsterdam RAI

OCTOBER AES LOS ANGELES CONVENTION 29 September 1 October 2016 Los Angeles Convention Center

www.aes.org/ events/141 2016 NATIONAL RADIO CONFERENCE

www. broadcastindiashow.com SPORTSCASTING, NEWS & LIVE PRODUCTION EXPO 26-27 October, 2016 Etihad Stadium, Docklands Melbourne, Australia

www.sportscasting. com.au SMPTE ANNUAL TECHNICAL CONFERENCE 2016 24 October27 October, 2016

Crown Conference Centre

https://screenproducers. org.au INTER BEE 2016 16 November18 November, 2016 Makuhari Messe Tokyo, Japan

www.inter-bee.com/en/ NATIONAL ETHNIC AND MULTICULTURAL BROADCASTERS COUNCIL (NEMBC) ANNUAL CONFERENCE 25 - 27 November 2016 Novotel Central Sydney, Australia

www.nembc.org.au DVB ASIA 2016 29 November – 1 December, 2016 InterContinental Hotel

Loews Hollywood Hotel

Bangkok, Thailand

Los Angeles, USA

www.dvbasia.org

www.smpte.org/ATC

NOVEMBER CASBAA CONVENTION 2016 7 November 10 November, 2016

DECEMBER IABM ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CONFERENCE AND AWARDS 2016

Studio City Macau

1 December- 2 December, 2016

www.casbaa.com/event/ cc16

www.theiabm.org SIGGRAPH ASIA 2016

NAB SHOW NEW YORK 2016

5 December-8 December, 2016

9 November10 November, 2016

The Venetian Macao

Javits Convention Center

https://sa2016.siggraph. org

New York, USA

www.ccwexpo.com 2016 CBAA CONFERENCE

Macao SAR, China

NAB GIX 7 December9 December, 2016

Friday 7 October, 2016

10-13 November, 2016

Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre

Pullman Hotel, Albert Park Melbourne, Australia

Shanghai New International Expo Centre

www.commercialradio. com.au

www.cbaa.org.au/ conference

www.gixnabshow.com

Shnaghai, China

Advertiser Index

Calrec………………………………..39

EMC………………………………………..OBC

Magna Systems & Engineering….IFC

ABU Digital Symposium.............. IBC Advanced Broadcast Solutions….5 Brainstorm……………………………….31

CASBAA…………………………………..19

Ideal Systems………………………………3

Media Proxy…………………………….17

Dejero……………………………………13

HSE GmbH Asia Pacific……………4

Riedel………………………………………25

DVB Asia…………………………………..33

LiveU……………………………………….9

Snell Advanced Media..…………..15

DIGITISE, DIGITALISE & DOMINATE