Content+Technology Asia June 2013

PP: 255003/06831

ASIA VOLUME 1 ISSUE 4 JUNE/JULY 2013

MEDIA + PRODUCTION + MANAGEMENT + DELIVERY

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PREVIEW

Strategy Plays Out

Colourful Colourist

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VOLUME 1 ISSUE 4 JUNE/JULY 2013

Also see C+T in PDF at www.content-technology.com

29 REGULARS 02

EDITOR’S WELCOME

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NEWS Broadcast ONE Buys Gencom, BT M&B Expand to Jakarta, Benchmark Broadcast is Back

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CLASSIFIEDS AND EVENTS TIME SHIFTER Happy 40th Birthday to Ethernet

TAKING STOCK BBC Closes DMI, Recruitment Industry News, Kodak Settles with KPP

FEATURES 16

BROADCASTASIA PREVIEW Conference

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RADIO Media Prima Taps Triton, WorldDMB DAB+ Workshop

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AUDIO A Spiritual Vista at Godlywood,

Preview

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COVER STORY4K OK? Looking at the broadcast plant

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ACQUISITION Kodak on the Reef, To 4K or Not 4K?, JVC 750 Review

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SPORTSCASTING Download Service from IMG, Ten Gets Winter Games, Glasgow 2014 Diaries Part 3

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NEWS OPERATIONS New AP Images, Mosart Updates Newscast, Importance of Video Grows for Online News

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POST-PRODUCTION Proven Reliance

Adobe Integrates TC, DPA Opens HK Office

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TRANSMISSION MediaHub Strategy Plays Out, Adaptive Bitrate Streaming to the Rescue

with Ken Metzker, Future Reality Opens Adobe Lab

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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)2-9211 8205 Fax: +61-(0)2-9211 8208 Mob: +61-(0)414-671-811 papers@broadcastpapers.com

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SUB-EDITOR: Keith Ford PRODUCTION MANAGER: Lucy Salmon Tel: +61-(0)29211 8205 production@broadcastpapers.com DESIGN & LAYOUT: Wide Open Media Tel: +61-2-9690 2835 info@wideopenmedia.com.au PRINTING: DAI Rubicon, Singapore COPYRIGHT NOTICE: All material in Broadcastpapers’ Content+Technology Magazine is protected under

Australian Commonwealth Copyright Laws.

No material may be reproduced in part or whole in any manner without prior consent of the Publisher and/or copyright holder.

DISCLAIMER: Broadcastpapers Pty Ltd accepts no responsibility for omissions or mistakes made within, claims made or information provided by advertisers.

7/06/13 5:31 PM

EDITOR’S WELCOME

Out of the Trenches and Over-The-Top!

By Phil Sandberg THIS YEAR’S BROADCASTASIA CONFERENCE in Singapore is set to be dominated by two areas of technology – the DVB-T2 terrestrial TV transmission system and Internet Protocol-delivered Over the Top Television (OTT).

It’s not hard to see the appeal in the former throughout the region. It builds upon the open ecosystem of previous DVB standards, enables interactivity and brings with it a bandwidth efficiency that can potentially carry terrestrial TV operators into the realm of 4K broadcasting. Plus, the new infrastructure can be “laid over” a broadcaster’s existing network of towers, there are affordable, standardised receivers in the market and encouragement from Government regulators is there because of the potential revenue gains from sale of analogue TV spectrum.

Throughout the Asia-Pacific countries that have embraced the DVB-T2 transmission standard include Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, Brunei Darussalam, India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Taiwan and Thailand while countries such as Australia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Bangladesh have the potential to migrate from DVB-T to T2 at some point in the future.

The benefits of economies of scale for both transmission and receiver equipment are substantial.

The economies of scale for OTT, however, are closer to infinite with lower cost to entry, scalable and brand-customisable user interfaces and, above all, a lot more bandwidth than existed in the early days of streaming video.

There are over 50 countries currently rolling out infrastructure under the umbrella of a national broadband network. This number equates to around a quarter of the members of the United Nations. In the Asia-Pacific, countries embarking on this modern version of the nation-building project include India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand, as well as Hong Kong.

Of course, the technology mix for a broadband network varies from country to country, but there is a tendency in high density areas towards fixed fibre and/or DSL as well as 3G/4G wireless with more isolated population areas being serviced via satellite.

And, video is set to be a huge part of these broadband networks, particularly in the area of wireless where video traffic is estimated to be growing by 60 percent annually, driven by better network speeds.

According to the new edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report, mobile-data traffic will continue to grow significantly in the coming years, a trend driven

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For those with an interest in mobile video, smartphones accounted for around half of all mobile-phone sales in Q1 2013, compared with roughly 40 percent for the whole of 2012.

The Ericsson report says video consumption is on average 2.6GB per subscription per month in some networks and makes up the largest segment of data traffic in those networks.

Interestingly enough, the report also says that while video is popular, users don’t necessarily tend to spend the most time on data-heavy applications.

Consumers spend more time on social networking: an average of up to 85 minutes per day in some networks.

At any rate, while an efficient terrestrial network is a necessity, traditional broadcasters must, more now than ever, also embrace the world of OTT, particularly mobile broadband delivery to ensure they maintain their market position.

Thanks for reading Phil Sandberg Editor/Publisher papers@broadcastpapers.com T: +61-(0)2-9211 8205

2013 C+T DEADLINES JULY-AUGUST 2013 VOL 10 ISSUE 4

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Jakarta

EDITOR’S WELCOME

Globally, the report says, the number of total mobile subscriptions grew by 8 percent year-on-year by Q1 2013. Of those, WCDMA/HSPA added around 60 million subscriptions, GSM/EDGE-only subscriptions grew by roughly 30 million, and LTE added around 20 million new subscriptions. Mobilebroadband subscriptions grew even faster over this period (at a rate of 45 percent year-on-year), reaching around 1.7 billion.

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND EDITION

Seoul

ASIA Sydney

The C+T (Time) Zone.

According to Douglas Gilstrap, Senior Vice President and Head of Strategy at Ericsson, “LTE services will be available to about 60 percent of the world’s population in 2018. We expect LTE subscriptions to exceed 1 billion in 2017, driven by more capable devices and demand for data-intensive services such as video. Owing to the build out of WCDMA/HSPA, network speeds have improved, and so has the user experience.”

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Beijing

Mumbai

mainly by video. Overall data traffic is expected to grow 12-fold by the end of 2018. The report says that increasing usage is driven by continual growth in the amount of content available as well as the improved network speeds that come with HSPA and LTE development.

FOR MORE INFORMATION www.content-technology.com +61-(0)2-9211 8205 or +61-(0)414 671 811 Email: papers@broadcastpapers.com Sales enquiries: papers@broadcastpapers.com +61-(0)2 9211 8205

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6/06/13 3:28 9:37 PM AM 5/06/13

NEWS + PEOPLE For the latest news visit www.content-technology.com

BT Media & Broadcast Expanding to Jakarta THE SPECIALIST PROVIDER of connectivity for broadcasters and post-

Singapore, initially.”

production companies, BT Media & Broadcast, is expanding its presence to the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.

While the company has been going through Indonesian Government approvals, it has also been looking at how to ‘virtually PoP’ a number of other Asian countries, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, as well as establishing partnerships with local operators such as AAPT in Australia.

According to Mark Wilson-Dunn, the company’s VP of Global Sales & Marketing, the Jakarta expansion is a recognition of the growth of media production and consumption there.

“We’re taking a speculative look at it at the moment,” says Wilson-Dunn.

“We’re not actually building a solid pipeline business. It’s a case of trying to understand the market and we believe there’s sufficient demand there to justify it.”

BT M&B Jakarta will target TV companies who need contribution and content links as well as mobile phone companies wanting to deliver content to mobile phones.

“It’ll be technology first and foremost,” says Wilson-Dunn. “There’ll be a remote PoP (Point of Presence) which will sit in the BT office there. In terms of people, we’ve been recruiting in Singapore for someone to look after the whole region, so myself plus there will be someone in the office in

“The driver for us was the advent of digital television in the United Kingdom and we built and designed the first MPLS IP-based IP broadcast network,” says Wilson Dunn.

“Having established the principle for broadcast over IP, we then took the concept globally. So, we established a network covering the main media hubs around the world, so wherever media is produced, consumed and post-produced. The first place we did this was the U.S. in Los Angeles, New York, Washington, Denver, then we went to Asia Pacific, so Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, India, and then we did Africa and the Middle East.

“We have something like 22 PoPs on that network, places that are absolutely driving media. We have six PoPs alone in Singapore.”

Visit www.btwholesale.com

Encompass Digital Media Asia Value-Adds with Pilat PILAT MEDIA HAS announced that Encompass Digital Media Asia has

operations as their businesses expand.”

launched a value-added service for its clients using Pilat Media’s IBMS Express Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform. IBMS Express is a modular and scalable entry-level business management system for broadcasters, based on Pilat Media’s broadcast management solutions.

Encompass Digital Media Asia provides an international teleport and the full range of playout, master control, media management, and global archiving services. With its new broadcast management service, Encompass is offering its clients three operational models: a fully managed service in which Encompass provides all staff and performs all business management tasks; a dry hire service in which Encompass provides access and 24×7 support, but the client performs all business management tasks; and a hybrid service in which Encompass and the client jointly handle business management tasks and Encompass provides access and 24×7 support.

“Encompass, together with the digital media industry, continues to grow rapidly in the region, and we recently announced the origination and transmission of 100 channels from our Singapore facility,” said Deepakjit Singh, managing director, Encompass Digital Media Asia. “We are very excited to deploy IBMS Express to make it simple for our users to add channels and services, and bring new operational efficiencies to their

Peter Hutton to Join MP & Silva MP & SILVA, an international media rights company, announced that Peter Hutton is the new Chief Operating Officer of the MP & Silva Group.

MP & Silva has seen a rapid growth since 2004 and Peter Hutton will add his long broadcasting experience to lead the Group’s global commercial strategy. Hutton was the managing director of ESPN Star Sports, the Asian regional broadcaster, which has rebranded as Fox Sports in South East Asia.

NEWS + PEOPLE

Peter will be based in MP & Silva’s London office starting from July 2013.

Andrea Radrizzani, Group CEO, MP & Silva, said, “We are very glad to welcome Peter to work with us at MP & Silva. Peter has over 30 years of sports broadcasting experience and he is the perfect person to join MP & Silva’s leadership team to help the group into our next phase of commercial expansion.”

Visit www.mpsilva.com

Visit www.pilatmedia.com

MediaCorp Invests in Cubinet SINGAPORE’S MEDIACORP PTE LTD has taken a majority stake in Cubinet Interactive (MSC) Sdn Bhd, a Kuala Lumpur-based digital games publisher with a growing reach into five Asian countries.

Cubinet offers a variety of both casual and Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing (MMO) games, including the popular 9Yin and Forsaken World. Started in 2006, Cubinet has a base of mainly young adult gamers in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam. It offers an online point-based redemption system and has even gone into online comics.

MediaCorp CEO Shaun Seow says, “Our investment in Cubinet rides on the burgeoning MMO and casual games market in Asia, but it goes beyond that. It’s a strategic fit with our outreach to youths, who spend a lot of time online. Cubinet’s reach provides a regional audience for our youth-oriented services. In turn, MediaCorp is keen to see how for example, Cubinet’s content could be turned into popular TV shows. The possibilities are endless.”

Visit http://mediacorp.sg and www.cubinet.com

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NEWS + PEOPLE

Broadcast ONE Acquires Gencom Technology BROADCAST ONE, one of South-East Asia’s premier RF broadcast and communication Systems Integration companies, has acquired the shares of all companies in the Gencom Technology Group.

The Gencom Technology Group includes operations based in Auckland, New Zealand; Sydney, Australia; Singapore; and Johannesburg, South Africa.

Under the new ownership, the Gencom Group operation will remain essentially unchanged and continue to offer products and system integration across the APAC region. The two companies will continue to operate independently.

According to Broadcast ONE owner and CEO, Darren Kirsop-Frearson, “The acquisition meshes perfectly with our plans to expand across the APAC region and provide a well-rounded solutions offering.”

Outgoing Gencom CEO, Ray Sanders, said, “I look forward to seeing Gencom proceed under new leadership and I will be working alongside Darren to assist him in his new endeavours.”

Gencom offers a wide range of Broadcast technology solutions, including design and delivery of turnkey projects.

Broadcast ONE is a Sydney based RF Systems Integration Company with offices in Manila, Philippines.

SINGAPORE-BASED SYSTEMS INTEGRATOR, Benchmark has announced it is back – three years after Benchmark Broadcast Systems (S) Pte Ltd was acquired by Kit Digital, Inc., Benchmark Telecast Integration Pte. Ltd. has acquired the entire shareholding of Kit Digital Asia Pte. Ltd. The new company is owned by the original Benchmark founders and a few key employees. Key executives of the new Benchmark are Ashish Mukherjee, CEO; Aale Raza, President; S Ramesh Babu, CTO; and Shanthi Gurumurthy, CFO. “We continue our focus on Broadcast Systems Integration in this region while gaining independence from meeting objectives set by a large listed company’s needs. Our own ambitions lie in providing regional broadcasters with best of breed designs, coupled with the highest standards of build quality and follow-through with superb managed support services over the life of the system,” says Ashish Mukherjee, CEO. Aale Raza, President, adds, “With one of the largest and most experienced engineering teams on our staff, we continue to provide both existing and new customers world-class broadcast systems integration services from regional offices, keeping us both close to the customer and extremely responsive to their needs.”

“As a part of Kit Digital we added IP-video skills to our traditional broadcast system skills – setting the stage for us to handle all forms of television delivery from the systems we build. As the consumers of television move from the traditional TV set to multiple devices, broadcasters need to do the same, and we have ability to lead them there,” says S Ramesh Babu, CTO. Visit www.benchmarktelecast.com

NEWS + PEOPLE

Visit www.broadcastone.com.au and www.gencom.com

Benchmark Broadcast is Back

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NEWS + PEOPLE

ASIA NEWS CHINA TSL PROFESSIONAL Products Ltd. (PPL), has recently made sales to Beijing TV (BTV), the Chinese government owned-and-operated television station, and Shanghai Media Group (SMG). BTV has installed six PAM2 MK2 Audio Monitoring Units in its production facilities, while SMG has taken delivery of five Touchmix Combo Systems, which are to be used as backup solutions for each studio’s main audio consoles.

Visit www.tsl.co.uk

INDIA TV5 NEWS has installed the Teranex 2D Processors at its Hyderabad head office in Andhra Pradesh, India, for PAL to NTSC standards conversion, aspect ratio conversion and colour matching. Transmission in India is over a PAL SD SDI embedded signal, however TV5 also has an NTSC playout feed for the US. Visit www.blackmagicdesign.com

THAILAND LOCATED IN Nakorn si Thammarat, Thailand, Walailak is a public university that offers programs ranging from medical science to arts. The University recently installed a Ross Video Carbonite 1M Production Switcher for classroom training and broadcasting. The Ross Carbonite switcher is being used in Walailak University’s broadcasting program.

Visit www.rossvideo.com

CAMBODIA DVB-T PAY OPERATOR, One TV, has new channel packaging, with more Asian channels offered. One TV says it is catering to the content-preferences of the Cambodian population who prefer local content in the Khmer language. One TV also now offers a number of Vietnamese, Korean and Thai TV channels.

SINGAPORE JAMPRO ANTENNAS has been awarded a major broadcast equipment contract by MediaCorp, Singapore. Jampro will provide a complete system comprised of a Jampro model JUHD broadband UHF panel antenna and an extremely complex switching and patching matrix to integrate MediaCorp’s three main towers that serve Singapore and the Malay Peninsula.

NEWS + PEOPLE

Visit www.jampro.com

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JAPAN YOMIURI TV, a major broadcaster in the

VIETNAM HTV (HO CHI MINH CITY TELEVISION) has chosen to expand their ETERE system, specifically the LTO Petasite library is migrating to LTO5 and upgrading to 500 slots to facilitate the accommodation of the huge quantity of video files that HTV produced during the last few years.

Visit www.etere.eu

Kansai region of Japan, has selected Grass Valley to replace its entire tape-based linear editing workflow with a new file-based solution. The Grass Valley system includes; K2 Summit 3G production clients, GV STRATUS non-linear production toolset, and a series of Grass Valley editing workstations with Storm 3G Elite I/O interfaces.

PHILIPPINES ACCORDING TO standards body, the DVB, “Contrary to speculation and earlier reports that the Philippines had endorsed ISDB-T as its digital TV standard, no final decision has actually been made.”

DVB’s Executive Director, Peter Siebert was recently invited to meet with the Office of the President in Manila.

Visit www.dvb.org

PAPUA NEW GUINEA ITV CHOICE, part of ITV Studios, has launched on HiTRON, the leading pay-TV platform in Papua New Guinea. The deal marks the first time that ITV Choice has expanded its reach to include the Pacific rim, and further extends the channels footprint in the Asia Pacific region.

Visit www.itv.asia

AUSTRALIA right across the Brisbane switchover region, including the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, were switched off permanently, becoming Australia’s tenth region to switch to digitalonly free-to-air television successfully.

Regional and Remote Western Australia is the next region to make the switch, on 25 June.

Visit www.digitalready.gov.au

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCTION HOUSE NHNZ’s latest series, Middle Kingdom Ride, following two daring brothers tackling the world’s first motorcycle circumnavigation of China, has been picked up by Travel Channel’s international group.

Middle Kingdom Ride is a co-production between NHNZ, G219 productions Ltd and CICC, and distributed by OTF. 65 incredibly challenging days.

Visit www.mkride.com and www.nhnz.tv

NEWS + PEOPLE

AT 9AM ON MAY 28, analogue signals

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NEWS + PEOPLE

Philippines’ Solar Entertainment Selects Jampro Antennas JAMPRO ANTENNAS WAS was recently awarded three antenna systems contracts by the Solar Entertainment Corporation of Mandaluyong City, Philippines. The order included new VHF antenna systems for tower sites supporting Solar’s Channels 5, 6, and 7, located in the cities of Cebu and Davao.

For Channel 5 in Cebu and Channel 6 in Davao, Solar Entertainment ordered the JHD-LV2 VHF antennas for each site along with rigid transmission line, and Rigid Line Kits.

For Channel 7 in Davao, a JHD-HV4 VHF antenna was specified along with dual runs of rigid transmission line, an RCPU power splitter/ patch panel system, and Rigid Line Kits.

The JHD-LV2 antenna is a half-wave spaced, dual horizontally polarised dipole flat panel antenna system with a pressurised feed system designed for Low Band VHF Channels 2 through 6, Band I covering 54 to 88 MHz. The JHD-HV4 antenna is also a half wave spaced dual horizontally polarised dipole flat panel antenna system with pressurized feed, but engineered for high band VHF for Channels 7 through 13 on Band III at 174 to 230 MHz. Both JHD models are built of hot dipped galvanised steel, well suited to the tropical weather of the Philippines. Many omni-directional and custom directional patterns are available to Solar Entertainment to custom fit their coverage objectives for each city.

Visit www.jampro.com

National Archives of Singapore Digitises with DAMsmart AUSTRALIAN AUDIOVISUAL DIGITISATION agency, DAMsmart, has been appointed by the National Library Board of Singapore to digitise a 2-inch Quad and 1-inch B video collection for the National Archives of Singapore.

The National Archives of Singapore holds a vast audiovisual collection that contains a full range of analogue video formats. The Archive identified a portion of its 2-inch Quad and 1-inch B collection for priority digitisation and subsequently sort services to undertake the challenging migration process.

DAMsmart will provide an end-to-end solution, from packing to archiving. The project sees DAMsmart relocating the collection from Singapore to Canberra across two consignments, providing its own professional packing services onsite in Singapore to pack and manage the temporary relocation. Once in Canberra, DAMsmart will prepare and rejuvenate the media, which exhibits all the classic signs of degradation expected of tapes of this age.

The encoding process will deliver the National Archives of Singapore with a series of quality outcomes that include lossless JPEG2000 delivered back on LTO5 written under Storage DNA’s implementation of LTFS for preservation and hard drives containing IMX, H.264, and Windows Streaming Media files, as well as Digital Betacam copies for traditional access.

Joe Kelly, General Manager of DAMsmart, said, “We are very excited to be working with the National Archives of Singapore again. These formats represent the origin of TV broadcasting in Singapore and date back 30 or 40 years. Today, these obsolete formats present three major challenges – the condition of original tapes that have been stored in the tropics for decades, the availability of reliable playback equipment is virtually nonexistent, and so are the specialist skills to operate the VTRs, especially in the case of 2-inch and 1 inch B formats.

“As specialists however, and having the unique technical skills and workflows developed by DAMsmart over hundreds of thousands of hours of digitisation, we provide the unique ability to migrate the content safely and professionally to the extremely high standards demanded by organisations like the National Archives of Singapore.”

Visit www.damsmart.com.au

AP Names Ronson VP Asia Sales THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (AP) director of Asia sales, Maria Ronson, has been promoted to vice president, Asia sales. She will be responsible for all AP international licensing revenue across Asia Pacific.

BROADCAST ASIA 18th – 21st June 2013 Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

NEWS + PEOPLE

See Digital Rapids at the Gencom Technology Ltd Stand 5D2-01

+61-(0)2-9436-1460

Daisy Veerasingham, senior vice president and head of AP’s video business, said, “Maria’s excellent leadership of AP’s Asian business is well known. This promotion reflects the tremendous contribution that Maria and her team have made to growing AP’s revenue in the region and also the increasing importance of Asia to our business.”

A former journalist for the AP, Ronson was a senior regional editor for Worldwide Television News (WTN) before the merger with AP in 1998.

She later became deputy regional editor for AP video before taking responsibility for Asia broadcast sales in 2000.

Ronson is based in Hong Kong and oversees the commercial activities of the Associated Press in Asia which includes broadcasters, newspapers, key partners and new media in Asia. She manages a team of sales and marketing executives in the region.

Visit www.ap.org

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Dunya TV Wins Pakistan Election with Orad DUNYA TV RECENTLY deployed Orad HDVG+ video rendering platform, Maestro on-air graphic suite, Interact graphic solution, and 3Designer authoring software to display powerful on-air graphics to enhance production and the on-air broadcast of Pakistan General Election coverage. The advanced Orad graphics production workflow provided viewers with engaging visuals that clearly illustrated detailed election results in real time.

“We were very pleased with production and enhanced broadcast of the Pakistan 2013 General Elections,” comments Mr. Sohail Noor, technical director, Dunya TV. “The general election is such an important event. It is viewed by millions and requires captivating and relevant real-time graphics that are only made possible with Orad’s enterprise broadcast graphics solutions,” says Mr. Haris Iqbal, head of creative, Dunya TV. Orad’s production solution is designed to support election coverage by enabling broadcasters to display large quantities of complex election data accurately and in real time, with compelling 3D charts, interactive graphics and powerful virtual images of landmarks. Broadcasters also rely heavily on Orad for post-election coverage, visually illustrating points made by political analysts regarding the impact of the electoral results.

Visit www.orad.tv

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Briefs IN THE SECOND quarter of 2013, Dong Yang Digital was appointed as the exclusive distributor for Sonifex in Korea. Marcus Brooke, Managing Director of Sonifex, said, “Dong Yang Digital have an excellent track record and many years of experience in the Korean marketplace.”

Visit www.sonifex.co.uk

ORAD HI-TEC SYSTEMS, the developer of 3D real-time graphic solutions, has invested in a joint venture with an un-named Chinese Broadcast and Telecom company to customise and resell Orad solutions to local and provincial Chinese broadcasters. The investment will increase Orad’s penetration in the Chinese broadcast market by offering customised technologies backed by strong local support.

Visit www.orad.tv

BRIDGE TECHNOLOGIES has appointed Acetel Co. of Seoul to supply and support Bridge Technologies digital media monitoring systems in South Korea. Acetel is one of the country’s foremost systems integrators, with a considerable presence in terrestrial, digital cable, DTH, and telco integration.

Visit www.bridgetech.tv and www.acetel.co.kr

SGO HAS ANNOUNCED Tokyo-based Kyoshin Communications as an official Mistika reseller partner in Japan. The company will promote Mistika’s Post, DI and Stereo 3D post production systems as well as its workflow solutions along with the newly launched Mistika Air – an intelligent broadcast system for HD, Ultra HD and 8K. Visit www.kycom.co.jp and www.sgomistika.com

5/06/13 3:05 PM

TAKING STOCK Moves in the business of content + technology

www.content-technology.com/mediabusiness

£98.4m Up in Smoke as BBC Closes Digital Media Initiative It was a project that was going to set international benchmarks and revolutionise traditional broadcast workflow as we know it, but all that has ended with the BBC announcing the closure of its Digital Media Initiative (DMI) and the suspension of its Chief Technology Officer, John Linwood.

the BBC’s chief technology officer who was responsible for the running of the project, has temporarily been replaced by BBC Director of Operations, Dominic Coles. Linwood was appointed in 2009 from Yahoo and had formerly worked at Microsoft. He reportedly receives a £287,000 salary and was one of four of the organisation’s top managers to receive a bonus last year – in his case amounting to a reported £70,000.

LAUNCHED IN 2008, the DMI set out to move the BBC’s production

“We are very aware that the mistakes made must not happen again. We never forget we are spending Licence Fee payers’ money and we will learn some hard lessons from this experience. By their nature technology projects, especially those that attempt to break new ground, are high risk. This is not unique to the BBC. But in future we will do more to mitigate those risks. We will be quicker to act when projects are not delivering.

and archive operations to fully integrated, digital operations. Originally undertaken by consulting group Siemens, which had previously purchased the BBC Resources unit, the project was taken in-house after the agreement with Siemens broke down. The DMI’s closure follows an operational review of the project which commenced in October 2012. The report found that DMI was not going to deliver on its stated objectives and as a result BBC DirectorGeneral, Tony Hall, took the decision to close it with the agreement of the BBC Trust. The total cost of DMI to the BBC will be £98.4m.

Following the decision to close the project, the BBC Trust has launched an independent review to be conducted by Price Waterhouse Coopers to establish what went wrong and why.

BBC Director-General Tony Hall said in a statement, “The DMI project has wasted a huge amount of Licence Fee payers’ money and I saw no reason to allow that to continue which is why I have closed it. I have serious concerns about how we managed this project and the review that has been set up is designed to find out what went wrong and what lessons can be learned.

Ambitious technology projects like this always carry a risk of failure, it does not mean we should not attempt them but we have a responsibility to keep them under much greater control than we did here.”

In an email sent to BBC staff, Hall went on to say,”… we are writing-off all of the assets related to this project. That’s a prudent thing to do. We believe it is better to close it now rather than waste more money trying to develop it further.

In a statement on the BBC web site, Dominic Coles wrote, “It is clear DMI has not delivered what was expected and in order to learn lessons from this experience the BBC Trust has launched a wide ranging independent review to establish just what went wrong. We will also be taking disciplinary action where appropriate.

“The need to work digitally and ambitiously remains but, moving forward, the BBC will deliver this digital environment in more manageable stages with stricter project management controls and clearer objectives that reflect the current business and technological requirements.”

According to Coles, the £98.4m cost is so great because “… much of the software and hardware which has been developed would only have a value if the project was completed and we cannot continue to sanction any additional spending on this initiative. Essential development work will continue on the Fabric Archive Database but at no additional cost.”

“The BBC delivers brilliant technology projects such as the BBC iPlayer, the digital Olympics and the migration to New Broadcasting House and BBC North,” said Coles. “These are the benchmarks that we aspire to and have proven we can deliver. However, DMI did not work and we must ensure that there can be no repeat of a failure of this scale. The lesson isn’t that the BBC shouldn’t be bold and ambitious in charting new territory. The lesson is that we must put in place the right steps to ensure our major infrastructure projects deliver.”

Visit www.bbc.co.uk

“DMI was an ambitious project when we launched it in 2008.

The intention was to build new digital production tools to allow teams to develop, create, share and manage content digitally from their desktop as well as retrieve archive footage direct from the BBC’s vast archive at Perivale.

TAKING STOCK

“After we brought the project back in-house from Siemens, we relaunched it in 2010 and rolled out the first parts across the BBC in 2012, including the Fabric Archive Database. But DMI has continued to face challenges. It’s struggled to keep pace with new developments and requirements both within the BBC and the wider broadcasting industry. There are now standard off-the-shelf products that provide the kind of digital production tools that simply didn’t exist five years ago.

“The need to produce content digitally hasn’t gone away. We will continue to work on ways to move, store, find and retrieve media from a central, digital archive at the BBC. The existing Fabric Archive database will also continue to be used across the BBC. However, we will stop developing our own in-house production tools, and instead use the industry-standard production systems that are now available.”

According to UK newspaper The Guardian, John Linwood,

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TAKING STOCK

Belden Forms Global Business Segments

Argosy Expands ASEAN Operations TO SUPPORT GROWING DEMANDS from Southeast Asia, Argosy, an international supplier of HD broadcast cables and studio infrastructure products, has expanded its stock and warehouse space at its offices in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The new expanded premises – which are operated in collaboration with its joint venture partner, Argosy Broadcast Asia Sdn Bhd (ABA) – now includes office space, a showroom and, to cater for additional stock and the ever-expanding range of products distributed by Argosy, a new, extended warehouse.

ABA stocks a wide variety of HD and fiber optic products at its facility in Malaysia, including a broad range of Draka 3GHD IMAGE video cables, Gepco video and audio cables, ADC patch panels and BNC connectors, Argosy branded MDU’s along with cable markers, strain relief boots, network and data products, and a wide variety of video accessories and tools. ABA also offers wiring services to SI customers, using a qualified team of wireman.

Visit www.argosycable.com

BELDEN INC. (NYSE: BDC) has announced that the company is now organised across four global business segments: Industrial Connectivity Solutions, Industrial Information Technology (IT) Solutions, Enterprise Connectivity Solutions, and Broadcast Solutions.

Industrial Connectivity Solutions – Highperformance industrial cable and connector products that transport mission-critical signals enabling reliable network communication and machine-to-machine connectivity. Christoph Gusenleitner now leads this business segment.

Industrial IT Solutions – High-performance, reliable and secure hardware and software systems that address mission-critical networking demands. This segment is led by Dhrupad Trivedi.

Enterprise Connectivity Solutions – Efficient network infrastructure systems that transport voice, video and high-speed data in enterprise IT applications. Glenn Pennycook enters a new role as leader of this segment.

Broadcast Solutions – Advanced hardware, software and connectivity systems for media companies to create, manage and deliver highquality content around the world. This portfolio will continue to be managed by Strath Goodship, Dave Jackson, and Jimmy Rayford.

Visit www.belden.com

An elite class of partners

- service beyond your expectations

Multiviewers and Signal Processors

SPX to Close Dielectric Communications

Intelligent Video Transcoding Solutions

U.S. COMPANY SPX has announced that it will close Dielectric Communications, its broadcast transmission equipment business by mid-2013.

SPX purchased Dielectric Communications in 2001, which was established in 1942 when Dr. Charles “Doc” Brown’s Dielectric Products Corporation started developing transmission lines for early wartime radar systems.

In a statement to customers, Mark Fichter GM Dielectric Communications, said “After careful consideration, SPX has decided to discontinue the broadcast television and radio and wireless antenna operations of its Dielectric Communications business unit worldwide, due to extremely difficult global economic conditions in the broadcast marketplace, and SPX’s ongoing efforts to further focus its future growth strategy on its Flow Technology business.”

Fichter says the company will continue to operate in a limited capacity through the end of June 2013.

Visit www.spx.com/en/dielectric/

Offering solutions to get you ahead of the competition and the support you need to stay there.

SINGAPORE

+65 6334 0848 www.techtel.com.sg

AUSTRALIA Disk Recorders for Instant Replay/Slo-Mo

News Production Tools

+61 2 9906 1488 www.techtel.tv

NEW ZEALAND 0800 832 485 www.techtel.tv

Fine Signal Processing Gear

Media Asset Management

18-21 June, Singapore, Stand #5J3-03

TEC022

Visit Techtel at Broadcast Asia 2013,

TAKING STOCK

Integrated Production Switchers for Live Production

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TAKING STOCK

Recruitment Industry News!

Media staff & strategy by Karl Jansson The editorial in this edition is going to be a little different, as I thought you might like to see where the recruitment industry is heading, whether you’re looking for a job or you’re an employer. There are significant changes ahead that may affect you.

Recruitment agencies have been around for centuries, and the standard model was one of being a one-stop shop regardless of your industry.

That means that someone in there may have, at some time managed an assignment for a company in the broadcast community, in between an assignment for a bank and a health food company. That was yesteryear!

RECRUITMENT AGENCIES COULD HALVE OVER THE NEXT 3 YEARS!

of your privacy that is maintained throughout the assignment. This consultant will only allow employers with a definite interest in your background and experience to be introduced to you. You then have a choice to accept or decline the invitation to send all of your details to them. You are kept up to date, every step of the way!

YOUR 24/7 CONSULTANT. Introducing www.BroadcastJobz.tv, your interactive consultant!

It provides all the services mentioned above, plus as an advertiser, you don’t need to be a wordsmith to write an advertisement. Your advertisement is formatted for you.

For urgent staff needs, we have an SMS facility that will automatically contact candidates for you, so replies are received within minutes and hours not days or weeks.

Today there are less agencies operating under that model, and as a result of their generic approach to clients, they unfortunately won’t survive the next 18-24 months.

So too is the fairness of providing a service that is more than just a job board that you would normally pay hundreds of dollars for each advert, with no guarantee of any suitable candidates.

That means that the number of generic employment agencies could halve in number over the next 3 years, unless they become industry specialists in one area of the market.

At BroadcastJobz.tv you pay an initial $200 AUD as a line of credit, and with that you can place as many jobs on-line as you like, no restriction.

Being an industry specialist within the electronic media, and particularly for the broadcast community for more than 15 years, I’ve forged some solid long term business relationships, as well I’ve met a few mates along the way. To-date, it has been personally rewarding.

If, as the advertiser, you review all applications and realise that no applicants are suitable then the advertisement is free! If say three candidates are a match then $33 AUD is logged against your credit.

All the above-mentioned services are inclusive, so no additional costs!

From experience, my services have always been on call by clients who have difficulty in locating the right person for the job, whether by experience or by reputation. For me it’s a no brainer, because I’m a trained ‘Search’ (Headhunting) consultant so locating the most appropriate candidates and forming up a short list.

All we ask is that to place any future job advertisements you bring your credit line back to $200 AUD or more. It’s that simple.

However, I’ve noticed that not all of my global network contacts are able to justify a cost to engage my professional services, and I know that their time is better served managing issues within their own business. So where do they go? Generic websites pull in a myriad of varied responses in bulk and once sorted through, you then have the task of devoting time to ascertain whether any applications are suitable.

Unlike generic job sites, where an industry category is all you have to select, we drill down through the departments into position titles, and with well over 600 already logged in, we know that when a candidate receives a job alert it will definitely be of specific interest. For the advertiser you’ll be dealing with quality responses, not generic replies.

Ok, so generic websites are really not the answer because you end up doing most of the work yourself, and the industry consultant would clearly be the better choice! But, what about the cost?

All the skills and industry knowledge I’ve acquired as a dedicated Search consultant have been integrated into this website. It really has been over 15 years in the making.

With such specific attention to detail we are able to offer additional market information for the region such as salary reviews per position plus much more as well.

Read on, I’ve employed a unique industry based consultant prepared to work for you, 24/7!

There’s much more inside, so regardless of whether or not you’re seeking a change of employ or seeking staff, register today. This is a global industry reference portal for everyone.

AS AN EMPLOYER, WOULD YOU LIKE A DEDICATED BROADCAST CONSULTANT WORKING FOR FREE?

Karl Jansson is the principal of “BroadcastJobz.tv”.

Contact: karlj@BroadcastJobz.tv or +61 (0)408 274 413

So, what if a dedicated industry consultant could be provided without the professional service fee? That’s right, no professional fee?

That means that from the initial brief, you’re provided a timeline, showing when interviews should start and finish, second interviews, and so on through to a short list, and when a decision should be made in order to appoint on time.

TAKING STOCK

Also what if your consultant keeps all candidates up-dated, not a generic contact to all applicants, but individual personalised emails from the initial ‘Thank you’ to several more updating them on their application?

Sorting applications can be a little tedious, so your consultant will do this as well!

AS A CANDIDATE, WOULDN’T YOU LIKE TO BE KEPT INFORMED OF YOUR APPLICATION AS WELL WHERE IT LANDED? Not a problem, by employers using our 24/7 consultant you’re assured

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TAKING STOCK

Kodak Settles with KPP EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY has announced a comprehensive settlement agreement with the U.K. Kodak Pension Plan (KPP), its largest creditor, with respect to its Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganisation. Under the agreement, which will be filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Kodak’s Personalised Imaging and Document Imaging businesses will be spun off under new ownership to KPP. The settlement agreement provides, among other things, for the spin-off of Kodak’s Personalised Imaging and Document Imaging businesses to KPP for cash and non-cash consideration of $650 million. Certain proceeds will be used to support the emergence of Kodak from Chapter 11 and the growth of its

Commercial Imaging business. The agreement also settles approximately $2.8 billion of claims

by KPP against Kodak and certain of its affiliates.

“In one comprehensive transaction, Kodak will realise its previously announced intention to divest its Personalised Imaging and Document Imaging businesses and settle its largest legacy liability,” said Antonio M. Perez, Kodak Chairman and CEO. The agreement will be implemented as part of Kodak’s Chapter 11 plan in the United States.

At consummation of the spin-off, Kodak and its worldwide affiliates will be released from their obligations to KPP.

AUSTRALIAN-BASED ATOMOS, creator of the Ninja-2 and Samurai field recorders, and the Connect converters, has used NAB 2013 to announce the opening of a new U.S. office. ”Our phenomenal growth over the past year means we can make this kind of investment to better support our customers in the Americas,” said Jeromy Young, CEO and Founder of Atomos. “The new office will provide technical support for the region, as well as some product development.”

Visit www.atomos.com

Visit www.kodak.com

Triveni Digital Goes Independent TRIVENI DIGITAL HAS SPLIT from parent company, LG Electronics, having been purchased by a group of Triveni Digital employees, led by company president Mark Simpson. The transaction, which closed in late February, makes Triveni Digital a fully independent company.

LG founded what would later be called Triveni Digital in 1997 as a research and development (R&D) lab. Triveni Digital developed into a vendor of systems that enable television service products for program guide and metadata management, data broadcasting, and video quality assurance.

Simpson said, “We believe the industry is entering an exciting transition phase. Content consumption and viewing habits are changing rapidly, just as new technologies are emerging to address this pent-up demand.”

As part of the buyout agreement, Triveni Digital will continue to develop technologies for LG Electronics’ industry-leading hospitality TV business.

Visit www.trivenidigital.com

IMAX Corporation Reports Q1 2013 Financial Results IMAX CORPORATION (NYSE:IMAX; TSX:IMX)

compared to 261 as of March 31, 2012.

has reported first quarter 2013 revenues of $49.9 million, adjusted EBITDA as calculated in accordance with the Company’s credit facility of $13.9 million, adjusted net income of $5.6 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, and reported net income of $2.9 million, or $0.04 per diluted share.

In the first quarter of 2013, the Company signed contracts for 25 theatre systems, of which 17 were in new theatre locations and 8 were additional signings for laser systems and conversions to digital systems. In the quarter the Company installed 17 theatre systems, of which 10 were in new theatre locations.

The total IMAX theatre network consisted of 738 systems as of March 31, 2013. There were 283 theatre systems in backlog as of March 31, 2013,

Atomos Opens US Office

Visit www.imax.com

Revenue Growth for Technicolor in Q1 THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS of Technicolor (Euronext Paris: TCH) have met to review the Group’s revenues (unaudited) for the first quarter of 2013.

In the first quarter of 2013, Group revenues from continuing operations amounted to €775 million, up 2.1% at constant scope and current currency, and up 2.2% at constant scope and currency compared to the first quarter of 2012 revenues.

Gross debt at the end of March 2013 amounted to €1,222 million at nominal value and €1,107 million on an IFRS basis, a decrease of respectively €14 million and €8 million compared to the end of December 2012, mainly resulting from €36 million of debt repayments partly offset by the impact of the appreciation of the US dollar. The level of cash was lower compared to end of December 2012 mostly due to debt repayments and the payment of the €38.6 million EU antitrust fine in March 2013.

Technicolor has put in place a new €50 million receivables backed committed credit facility with Natixis replacing the previous facility which expired in April 2013. This new facility, at improved terms versus the previous one, matures in April 2016.

Visit www.technicolor.com

DVEO, THE BROADCAST DIVISION of Computer Modules, Inc. (CMI), has announced a licensing agreement with RealNetworks Inc. DVEO will offer high-end Telco-grade encoder/ transcoder/video distribution server systems, built on RealNetworks Helix Universal Server.

Mac and Smart TV. Well-known for reliability, high-performance and easy integration, Helix Universal Server includes support for MPEGDASH, multi-protocol stream ingest and stream pushing to content delivery networks or service providers.

The Helix Universal Server delivers the highest-quality video streaming across all devices – from iOS, Android and tablet to PC,

DVEO’s LiveMedia Anytime: TELCO delivers stored and live groomed (pre-formatted with the right protocols) or ungroomed video via

IP to mobile devices, set top boxes and IP televisions. Reality Anytime: TELCO delivers pre-groomed live streams along with stored video on-demand (VOD) files. The systems support over 500 simultaneous users who can initiate “pulls” or demands on the video content at any time. More users can be supported with optional Intel Solid-State Drives.

Visit www.dveo.com and www.realnetworks.com

TAKING STOCK

DVEO and RealNetworks Sign Licencing Agreement

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TECHNICAL STANDARDS www.content-technology.com/standards

MPEG Hosts Multimedia Ecosystem Event DURING ITS 104TH MEETING, held from April 22-26 2013, MPEG has hosted the MPEG Multimedia Ecosystem event to raise awareness of MPEG’s activities in areas not directly related to compression. In addition to standards for compression technologies, MPEG has developed mediarelated standards that enrich the use of multimedia such as MPEG-M for Multimedia Service Platform Technologies, MPEG-U for Rich Media User Interfaces, and MPEG-V for interfaces between real and virtual worlds.

consumption (Green MPEG). Green MPEG is envisaged to provide interoperable solutions for energy-efficient media decoding and presentation as well as energy-efficient media encoding based on encoder resources or receiver feedback. Responses to the call are due at the 105th MPEG meeting in July 2013.

Also, new activities such as MPEG Augmented Reality Application Format, Compact Descriptors for Visual Search, Green MPEG for energy efficient media coding, and MPEG User Description are currently in progress.

The event was organised with two sessions including a workshop and demonstrations.

The MPEG eXtensible Middleware (MXM) API technology specifications (ISO/IEC 23006-2) have reached the status of International Standard at the 104th MPEG meeting. MXM specifies the means to access individual MPEG tools through standardised APIs and is expected to help the creation of a global market of MXM applications that can run on devices supporting MXM APIs in addition to the other MPEG technologies.

MPEG has issued a Call for Proposals (CfP) on energy-efficient media

Visit http://mpeg.chiariglione.org

Thomson Coordinating H2B2VS THOMSON VIDEO NETWORKS HAS launched the H2B2VS project, aimed at investigating the hybrid distribution of TV programs and services over heterogeneous broadcast and broadband networks using the upcoming HEVC video compression standard.

A project of the Eureka/Celtic-Plus research initiative for telecomms and new media, H2B2VS is also endorsed by the French “Images & Réseaux” research cluster. The 30-month project was launched in February 2013.

The H2B2VS project addresses broadcasters’ requirements for hybrid distribution as well as its impact on other technologies such as DASH, content protection, and content distribution networks, with the goal of proposing solutions to ensure the best quality of experience for end users.

Partners will share their recommendations from the H2B2VS project with relevant standards bodies.

Visit www.thomson-networks.com

VESA Updates Dual-Mode DisplayPort Standard THE VIDEO ELECTRONICS Standards Association (VESA) has announced the latest release of the DisplayPort Dual-Mode Standard.

This release supports the next generation of Dual-Mode DisplayPort enabled personal computers and Dual-Mode DisplayPort cable adaptors, expected to be available to consumers later this year.

Among several refinements to improve interoperability, the updated standard enables a higher data rate for DisplayPort-to-HDMI cable adaptors, providing support for HDMI 1.4 display resolutions such as 1080p 3D at 60Hz, and Ultra HD (4K x 2K) up to 30Hz frame rate, as well as 1080p with deep colour.

Visit www.displayport.org and www.vesa.org

Call for Proposed ATSC 3.0 Technologies THE ADVANCED TELEVISION SYSTEMS Committee (ATSC) has announced a call for proposals for the “physical layer” of ATSC 3.0, its nextgeneration broadcast TV standard that in the years ahead could replace the current digital broadcasting systems used in the United States and around the world.

While work is already underway to enhance the existing ATSC TV system with Internet compatibility and caching capability for storing programs (a backwards compatible suite of enhancements dubbed the “ATSC 2.0” standard), the future needs of viewers and broadcasters will be the focus of the “ATSC 3.0” initiative.

Multiple types of TV receivers, including fixed devices, handheld devices, vehicular screens and portable receivers will be considered in the work on ATSC 3.0. Spectrum efficiency and robust service will be key areas of evaluation. Increased data rates to support new services such as Ultra-HighDefinition services will be considered.

Initial responses to the call for proposals are due on Aug. 23, 2013. Detailed technical descriptions of proposals are due on Sept. 27, 2013.

Visit www.atsc.org

TECHNICAL STANDARDS

The focus of the call for proposals is on the ATSC 3.0 physical layer

technologies to define the modulation and error coding technologies that will provide a foundation for the next terrestrial broadcast system.

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www.Broadcast-Asia.com Pre-register at www.Broadcast-Asia.com/ Pre-Registration by 7 June 2013!

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PREVIEW The 18th International Digital Multimedia & Entertainment Technology Exhibition & Conference

www.Broadcast-Asia.com/visitor-pre-registration

BroadcastAsia2013 Conference to Uncover Transformational Trends BROADCASTASIA2013 International Conference, Asia’s most established conference for the film and TV industries, returns this June with 120 speakers from 31 countries/regions, its largest ever speaker line-up. More than a hundred case studies will be presented from 18 June to 21 June 2013 at Marina Bay Sands Singapore.

Over The Top (OTT) technology will dominate this year’s conference programme. Industry leaders from across the globe will share vital insights on where the opportunities lie in harnessing OTT technology, and divulge valuable tips from its widespread adoption in the broadcast industry.

The conference will also see an interesting set of keynote addresses, case studies, panel discussions, and workshops. The line-up will feature the likes of Nicholas Wodtke, Vice President of Content & Services of Samsung; Fedor Ezhov, SPB TV’s COO; Fintan McKiernan, CEO of Ideal Systems; Felix Chandra, CEO of IMTV; Tae Sung Park, CEO of Vidiator; Sreedhar Subramaniam, President & CEO of ABNxcess; and Brian Lenz, CIO of Astro.

NEW FEATURES FOR 2013 BroadcastAsia2013 will feature five new tracks and four new sessions – Country Focus, Broadcasters Exclusive Interviews, CIO/CTO Panel, and Captains of Industry Dialogue.

The new ‘Captains of Industry’ dialogue will be led by top-level speakers from radio and television broadcaster Media Prima Berhad; telecommunication operator Starhub; software security and media technology company Irdeto; independent production company, activeTV Asia; and video and broadcast technology company, Grass Valley. The dialogue will provide perspectives from various aspects of the industry.

This year, the conference tracks are organised into two broad categories: content-based tracks and infrastructure-based tracks.

SHEDDING LIGHT ON OTT OPPORTUNITIES

BROADCAST ASIA

With the rise in mobile devices ownership around the world, consumers are progressively turning to their mobile devices to access content. As OTT development in Asia is still in its infancy, companies from broadcasters and content providers to device manufacturers are able to embrace the opportunities available to deliver more content to consumers. The OTT video market surpassed US$8 billion in 2012 and is expected to exceed US$20 billion by 2015.

In Singapore, MediaCorp partnered with OTT platform provider, Tvinci to provide multi-screen content through its mobile content service, Toggle, as a paid service. Telco operators, such as SingTel and StarHub, are also jumping into the OTT bandwagon by offering consumers the

Wohler – from Monitoring to Transforming FileBased Media BROADCASTASIA2013 will see Wohler Technologies highlighting its expanding product range on Stand 5G4-03. New Wohler products at BroadcastAsia2013, include:

option to watch their favourite content across multiple platforms at their convenience. However, monetisation of OTT services may be the greatest challenge which mobile OTT providers will face.

Delegates at the BroadcastAsia2013 International Conference can hear expert views on ‘Making OTT a Business Reality in Asia’, from Seow Yoke Kong, VP Technology Services of Mediacorp and Ido WIesenberg, Co-founder and VP Business Development of Tvinci. In a keynote address, Benjamin Grubbs, APAC Head of Partner Marketing at YouTube will discuss the future of TV and share insights on why OTT is a game-changer.

Danny Wilson, President and CEO of Pixelmetrix will elaborate on ‘Ensuring Effective Delivery of Content through OTT and Multi-Screen’.

A half-day interactive OTT workshop led by Stephen Lee, Business Development Manager of Conax AS and Ather A. Baig, Senior Manager IP operations of Pakistan Telecommunication will conclude the conference on day four.

With the increasing convergence of technologies between the telecom and broadcast sectors, attendees will hear from leaders of both industries, who will be speaking across BroadcastAsia2013 and CommunicAsia2013 Summit on successful OTT deployment.

BROADCAST TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE Delegates at BroadcastAsia2013 can also gain insights into strategies for leveraging a range of advanced technologies to cope with transformations in the broadcasting industry. Some of the technologies that will be covered include Ultra HD, DVBT-2, Pay-TV, Hybrid Interactive TV, Cloud Broadcasting, and 4K technology.

CTO/CIO Panel titled ‘Developing Next-Gen Technology Solutions for the Changing Landscape’ will touch on topics like the future of media services in the cloud and also the expected major challenges the industry will face in the years to come. The panel will consist of Michael MacDonald, Group CTO and Executive Solution Consultant of Huawei; John Carlucci, CTO Americas of Alticast; Peter Docherty, Founder and CTO of ThinkAnalytics; and Brian Lenz.

The Wohler RadiantGrid Intelligent Media Transformation Platform, which offers an efficient solution for transcoding, standards conversion, and audio processing.. iON, Wohler’s next-generation monitoring solution, makes Wohler’s technologies for signal management and confidence monitoring available on a single software platform that users can access and control remotely from any device, with video and audio content streamed in real time.

The Wohler AMP1-MADIe is an in-rack portable MADI unit with Ethernet control and configuration. It can be connected in series with a 56- or 64-channel MADI stream for individual volume adjustment and audible monitoring of any eight selected MADI channels at once.

The AMP1-16M Dual 3G/HD/SD-SDI Audio Monitor de-embeds and provides metering and monitoring of any or all of the 16 audio channels in the selected 3G/HD or SD-SDI stream.

Wohler’s new DVM-5210, a 5-RU system with two 10-inch screens is the latest in Wohler’s family of video monitors, along with the DVM-4290, a 4-RU system with two 9-inch screens; the DVM-3270, a 3-RU system with two 7-inch screens; and the DVM-2443 with four individual 4.3-inch screens and decoders.

The Wohler HDM-170 and HDM-215 are cost-effective, reliable 17-inch and 21.5-inch HD/SD-SDI video monitors that feature full HD-resolution displays with 178-degree viewing angles and dual split or picture-inpicture monitoring modes.

The RMQ Series quad-split video monitors allow users to watch video and monitoring data in up to four display windows on a single 1920×1080 LED backlit screen.

Lastly, Wohler’s RMV16 multiviewer accepts inputs including analogue composite video, component, SD-SDI, HD-SDI, and even 3G, and it can provide outputs in VGA, DVI, and HDMI formats. The 1-RU model supports up to 16 inputs and eight outputs.

Visit www.wohler.com

Visit www.broadcast-asia.com

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PREVIEW

NETIA Updates Radio-Assist

The Snippet range of editing tools available within the Radio-Assist automation products is now available for iOS devices. Sharing the same look and ergonomic principles as the Snippet desktop interface, the new iPhone- and iPadcompatible iSnippet tool allows field reporters and other remote users to enjoy the Radio-Assist audio editing capabilities — familiar from the desktop — on their portable devices.

The new teleprompter module for the Radio-Assist suite gives presenters and journalists convenient visual access to news scripts, which scroll continuously across the presenter’s screen and are

linked with the playout system in the studio.

At BroadcastAsia2013, NETIA will showcase the latest version of its media asset management (MAM) platform. The latest version of the NETIA CMS includes new features within its metadata management module. Enriched with a new metamodel editor, this graphical tool enables the user to manage and customise the metadata model structure.

The new release of NETIA CMS includes a recording feature with which users can schedule specific recordings or continuous channel ingest.

Video is stored in the MAM database along with corresponding transcript text files, generated by a speech-to-text engine. A new monitoring feature facilitates the searching and browsing of these recorded channel feeds, either according to a timeline or through a full-text search.

Visit www.netia.com

Version 7.0 for Volicon Observer VOLICON WILL BE DEMONSTRATING the latest update to their Observer system, version 7.0, at BroadcastAsia2013 (Booth 5G2-02). Version 7.0 of Volicon’s Observer TS MPEG transport stream logging and monitoring system has been enhanced to accommodate an even broader array of inputs and to provide improved system density for HD and SD programs.

At BroadcastAsia2013, Volicon will demonstrate how the Observer 7.0 system allows users to log MPEG transport streams continuously, as well as monitor A/V content Additionally,

New SatCom Products Take Centre Stage HILTRON WILL PROMOTE its full range of satellite communication products and services at Broadcast Asia 2013. Exhibiting on stand 5A1-01, centre of attention will be the HMAM-IOT advanced satellite antenna mount, HCS4 satellite communications control system, and HMCS D-SNG satellite-link monitor and controller.

Based on Hiltron’s established and successful HMAM motorised antenna mount, the HMAM-IOT satellite antenna mount enables cost-efficient uplinks to be operated via inclined-orbit satellites.

The Hiltron Control System version 4 (HCS4) is a versatile controller with a wide range of applications in satellite communication. The HCS4 can be used to power, control, and monitor optical-fibre transceivers.

Hiltron’s HMCS is a software-based compact monitor and controller, which enables digital satellite newsgathering truck staff to operate a complete satellite link.

Observer 7.0 allows users to stream and export content to all stakeholders in the media enterprise.

Because Observer TS logs the full transport stream, the user is able to go back an hour, a day, a week, or a month to examine and/ or export content and effectively eliminate chronic issues with service handoffs. Lowbit-rate proxies, WMV or H.264, and DVRlike frame-accurate controls allow for easy content review, even when operating over an enterprise network or WAN. Visit www.volicon.com

DIGITAL RAPIDS WILL BE SHOWCASING the company’s newest media transformation and workflow solutions at BroadcastAsia (Booth 5D2-01), in partnership with systems integrator Gencom.

The enterprise-class Digital Rapids Transcode Manager 2.0 automated media processing software goes far beyond transcoding, blending media file transformation and workflow processes while offering efficiency and agility for applications from post-production and archive to multiscreen distribution.

Simplifying the convergence of core television and multi-platform streaming operations, the new StreamZ Live 8000EX integrated broadcast/ multiscreen live encoder combines the multiformat flexibility and output quality of the StreamZ Live family with robust features for the unique demands of broadcast, cable, telco and satellite television deployments. The StreamZ Live 8000EX features simultaneous encoding for broadcast television (H.264 or MPEG-2) and adaptive bit rate streaming for delivery to other platforms.

A new version of the software for the StreamZHD multi-format ingest and encoding system will be shown, featuring further quality and performance enhancements for Digital Rapids’ H.264, MPEG-2, and DVCPro encoding, plus expanded support for transforming advertising insertion markers for multiscreen protocols.

Offering a deep feature set, StreamZHD provides superior quality, flexibility, format support and efficient automation for transforming media for applications from post production and archive to live and on-demand multi-screen distribution.

Visit www.digitalrapids.com

Quantel Showing Workflow and Finishing QUANTEL WILL BE EXHIBITING solutions for fast-turnaround production and high-end colour and finishing at BroadcastAsia2013 (Stand 5L3-01).

For broadcasters, Quantel will demonstrate Enterprise sQ fast-turnaround production systems. Files, video and metadata are handled in an integrated workflow that’s first to air, mobile, tablet and web.

Enterprise sQ integrates with major file-based acquisition systems, NRCS, automation, MAM and archive systems.

Quantel will also be showing QTube global media workflows. QTube allows media professionals to find and use stored media – wherever it is and wherever they are. Its global workflow is scalable, providing users with frame-accurate editing of video and audio.

For post houses Quantel’s new Pablo Rio colour and finishing software is on show.

Pablo Rio is Quantel’s software colour correction and finishing system that runs on high-performance PC hardware. Pablo Rio handles everything demanded of a modern post facility – from realtime 4K and HFR to S3D. Pablo Rio now supports the latest NVIDIA Kepler architecture-based Tesla K20 GPU accelerators and the AJA Corvid Ultra video card.

Visit www.quantel.com

BROADCAST ASIA

NETIA IS UNVEILING VERSION 8.2 of the company’s Radio-Assist digital audio software suite at BroadcastAsia2013 (Stand 4B3-11). This latest release of NETIA’s flagship software boasts two powerful enhancements, which will be showcased throughout the show.

Digital Rapids StreamZ at BroadcastAsia

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FlashNet Update From SGL AT BROADCAST ASIA 2013 (Booth 5E3-02), SGL will show its web-based interface for its flagship SGL FlashNet archive system for the first time in Asia. SGL will also demonstrate the latest version of its client-based web tool – FlashBrowse.

systems. Using the new FlashNet GUI’s tools, the user can archive directly to any configured FlashNet disk or tape group. Once in the archive, metadata can be extracted or added manually, and searching for and restore of clips is quick and easy.

Using SGL FlashNet broadcasters and content owners can now easily archive and restore material for smaller projects that fall outside the sphere of the controlling MAM or automation

A client-based web tool that further enhances and simplifies the archive workflow, FlashBrowse provides at-archive browse creation, automatically generating browse resolution

copies of clips as the high resolution versions are archived. The FlashBrowse interface, which is an extension of the new FlashNet GUI, allows operators to instigate restores or partial file restores directly from their browse window.

SGL also continues its rollout of next-generation archiving technology with the demonstration of SGL FlashNet and LTFS interoperability in a production environment.

Visit www.sglbroadcast.com

Cobham to Unveil Lightweight HD MPEG4 IP Encoder COBHAM will introduce a lightweight, easyto-connect HD MPEG4 IP Encoder specifically engineered for broadcast applications at Broadcast Asia 2013. Able to operate in standard, low and ultra-low latency modes, the highly energy-efficient encoder also has balanced audio inputs and includes integral broadcast-standard IFB talkback.

Cobham will also demonstrate MediaMesh,

an IP-based, rapid set-up field newsroom that enables field reporters to get on air almost instantly.The ultra-lightweight MediaMesh unit includes a broadcast quality transmission path for live two-ways; remote camera control; high quality file transfer; plus a high-capacity internet connection that provides access to base newsroom computers and cell phones.

All of this can be transported in a single, easily

carried case and be operational within minutes.

Also featuring at the show will be one of the world’s smallest wireless HD camera transmitters. Cobham’s new “Solo Micro HD” transmitter, a matchbox-size addition to Cobham’s “Solo” range, employs MPEG encoding for excellent image quality retention, with integral COFDM modulation.

Visit www.cobham.com

LYNX Technik Launches yelloGUI App for yellobriks LYNX TECHNIK AG is launching its new yelloGUI application for yellobriks, and its new CDH 1813 SDI to HDMI converter, at Broadcast Asia 2013 (Stand 5A6-01). yelloGUI is a new complementary software application that permits select yellobriks to be controlled and configured over USB using a PC. With the new yelloGUI, users have access to a host of advanced settings and adjustments of the individual yellobrik that were not possible before.

The yelloGUI user interface, like the yellobrik modules, was designed to be simple and intuitive. Once the module is connected, a virtual

image of the module is displayed showing the user all switches, controls and module indicators. yelloGUI also displays status information such as the detected video format, HDMI output resolution and frequency, as well audio signals.

The CDH 1813 yellobrik replaces the CDH 1811 SDI to HDMI converter, and offers an enhanced feature set for a host of audio/video monitoring and display applications.

A key new feature in this module is the addition of 3D format support, making this yellobrik an ideal tool for monitoring single link 3D SDI streams on a 3D HDMI monitor. This feature

Encoding Solutions from Media Excel MEDIA EXCEL WILL BE highlighting its

BROADCAST ASIA

new contribution encoding platform during BroadcastAsia2013 (Stand 5K2-01). The company will also present its multiscreen MPEG4 AVC encoding and transcoding solutions. The HERO product line can also encode for live and VoD adaptive delivery over HLS, Smooth, Flash, and MPEG-DASH to consumer devices.

Additionally, Media Excel will demonstrate how its products are upgradeable to its Intel-powered H.265 High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) encoding technology. This allows operators to maintain the same quality as MPEG-4 AVC encoding while utilising half the bandwidth.

Media Excel is also expanding its presence in the Asia-Pacific region after its recent wins in the South Korean telco industry. The company’s

HERO platform was selected to power the largescale multi-screen transcoding projects of the three largest telcos in South Korea – SK Telecom, Korea Telecom, and LGU+.

The HERO 5000E is a new low-latency encoder platform specifically designed for point-to-point delivery over IP and ASI networks. It delivers up to two independent channels in MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 AVC from SD to HD and from 4:2:0 to 4:2:2.

The HERO 5000D is a new decoder platform specifically designed for point-to-point delivery over IP & ASI networks. It can ingest up to four independent MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 AVC channels and deliver SD or HD 4:2:0 or 4:2:2 uncompressed outputs.

Visit www.mediaexcel.com

supports side-by-side, top and bottom, as well as frame packing 3D HDMI display modes.

The CDH 1813 is also available with various fibre I/O options. Transmit the SDI signal over fibre with the fibre transmitter option, or receive an SDI fibre input and convert to electrical SDI and HDMI for display. This unit also allows you to send and receive SDI fibre signals simultaneously. The module can also be equipped with CWDM fibre for multiplexed applications with 18 wavelength selections.

Visit www.lynx-technik.com and www.yellobrik.com

Ross Video to Stage Demonstrations THIS YEAR during BroadcastAsia, Ross Video will not have a booth at the Exhibition hall, but will, instead, set up demo pods at its Singapore office to showcase some of its latest technology and solutions, including the Furio Robotics systems, Augmented Reality with Xpression and Unreel, ViewControl on Carbonite, and the new Dashboard.

Lunch will be provided for guests, as well as transport to the Marina Bay Sands for those wishing to visit BroadcastAsia afterwards.

The Singapore office of Ross Video can be reached via +65 9818 0589.

Visit www.rossvideo.com

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Sonifex Adds Two New Products SONIFEX IS SHOWING a number of products at BroadcastAsia (Booth 5M710) this year, including the new CM-TB8 8 Channel Talkback Control Unit and the Redbox RB-IPE IP Extender for GPIO & Analogue Control Signals.

The new CM-TB8 8 is a powerful and highly flexible self contained communications unit providing 8 channels of 4-wire communication, housed in a 1U rack mount enclosure. It has individual connections for both a headset on 5 pin XLR and microphone/headphones on XLR/stereo TRS jack, with the current selection indicated on the front panel.

The new Redbox RB-IPE IP is a 1U rackmount unit designed to provide remote control of GPIO and analogue control voltages over an Ethernet network. Configured using a built-in web server, two units can control each other across an Ethernet network, or a single unit can be controlled via Ethernet commands and the web server interface.

Visit www.sonifex.co.uk

TSL Presenting New Solutions TSL PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS LTD. (PPL) will present a host of new solutions from its expanding product portfolio at BroadcastAsia 2013 (Stand 5E4-03).

The compact PAM PiCo Five, complete with StarFish surround sound display, allows for real time logging of all relevant loudness parameters, including high and low loudness levels, peaklevel and corresponding peak channel, as well as integrated loudness.

The SAM1-3GM is a flexible, intuitive audio monitoring system with settings ranging from Multi-language and surround sound/stereo production to live sports and event broadcasting.

On display from the Monitor Plus Family will be the MPA1-3G, which provides de-embedding capabilities and accepts any SD- or HD-SDI signal up to and including 3G. TSL will also exhibit the MPA1-ASB+ and –ASC+ units, which are available in dual- or eight-stereo-input versions and are built around a brand-new hardware platform.

The SoundField X-1 upmix/downmix audio processor is a solution for stereo to 5.1 upmixing.

Employing the same algorithm as SoundField’s UPM-1 upmix processor to achieve 5.1 to stereo upmix/downmix, the X-1 is just 1U-high.

Visit www.tsl.co.uk

TMD Demonstrating Workflow Solutions TMD WILL SHOW major new enhancements to its Mediaflex platform at BCA 2013 (Booth 5E4-05).

Previously the realm of only the largest enterprises, Mediaflex CI (content intelligence) provides the ability to design workflows and business analytics. More than just automating processes, the use of analytics means that the system itself can make intelligent decisions based on business rules developed by the organisation, delivering huge productivity benefits.

Alongside Mediaflex CI, TMD will also be showing the latest additions to its cloud-enabled i-mediaflex application environment. The latest modules are aimed at creating collaborative post production workflows. Creative services teams can manage the entire end to end process from wish lists and make lists through content search, browse, selection, editing, review, approvals, and distribution. With i-mediaflex, producers can view, comment and approve content through apps for smartphones and tablets.

Visit www.tmd.tv

Front Porch in the Cloud AT BROADCASTASIA2013 (Stand 5B2-02), Front Porch Digital will showcase its DIVArchive V7.1 content storage management (CSM) system.

The new AXF Explorer offers an intuitive interface for parsing Archive eXchange Format (AXF) objects, with straightforward operations that are performed using drag-and-drop procedures.

DIVArchive V7.1 is also directly integrated with Telestream’s Vantage Transcode and Vantage Transcode Pro. In March, Front Porch Digital announced an agreement with file-transfer software company Data Expedition Inc. to integrate its ExpeDat

WAN acceleration product into DIVArchive V7.1.

The integration gives DIVArchive users a WAN acceleration option that is fully managed and supported by Front Porch Digital. It is the first direct integration of a WAN acceleration protocol directly into a CSM cloud-based solution.

DIVAdirector V5.1 is Front Porch Digital’s newest update to its DIVAdirector media asset management (MAM) system. It is a permissionbased Web application that enables complete access to file-based content stored by DIVArchive CSM systems. DIVAdirector V5.1 contains new features that make it even easier for any media

organisation with DIVArchive to manage its digital files, especially if that organisation is using Front Porch Digital’s new LYNX platform.

The company will also show LYNXdr and LYNXlocal. LYNXdr is a hosted disaster recovery service that allows global media enterprises to centralise critical assets and consolidate operations, and LYNXlocal is a simple extension to LYNX that operates locally as an appliance, caching cloud content and providing integration to specialised systems, if needed.

Visit http://fpdigital.com

Crystal Vision Shows Virtual Studio Products products for the virtual studio on Stand 5E2-09 at BroadcastAsia 2013, with the launch of its Safire 3 chroma keyer in Asia, accompanied by a touch screen control panel. Other new products on show will include a logo keyer with lots of new features and a new range of featurepacked variable video delays offering up to 110 seconds of delay.

Crystal Vision’s new chroma keyer is likely to be the visual highlight for visitors to the stand, along with its dedicated control panel which has yet to be debuted in Asia. The new Safire

3 works with 3Gb/s, HD and SD sources and is ideal for all live virtual productions.

An extensive range of fine-tuning tools are then available to optimise the picture in more challenging conditions. These include blacks, whites and greys reject for realistic shadows and a solid key, and tints reject which leaves the key colour unsuppressed in areas of low colour, such as grey clothing. Edge shaping will eliminate hard outlines, while colour spill processing will throw a new spill colour back on to the suppressed Foreground.

Accompanying the chroma keyer at Broadcast

Asia, the Safire 3 Controller is a dedicated 3U control panel able to operate a number of Safire 3 chroma keyers over an Ethernet network, with an eight-inch touch screen and physical controls. Safire 3 can also be controlled using SNMP or the Statesman PC software.

Along with the new Safire 3 chroma keyer, Crystal Vision will also be showing four new versions of its MultiLogo modular logo keyer, and a new version of one of its most successful specialist products: variable video delays.

Visit www.crystalvision.tv

BROADCAST ASIA

CRYSTAL VISION will be showcasing its new

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New MediorNet Card and RockNet from Riedel RIEDEL COMMUNICATIONS WILL showcase the MediorNet MN-GV-2 card at BroadcastAsia 2013 (Stand 5F3-01). This new interface card allows users to network Grass Valley 3G camera systems and their base stations via the MediorNet fibre infrastructure. Users can route bidirectional camera signals through MediorNet, which facilitates the free assignment of cameras to any base station or CCU within the network.

New RockNet expansion solutions for Solid State Logic (SSL) consoles and Soundcraft Si Compact consoles will also be showcased at BroadcastAsia 2013. Next-generation firmware for the RockNet RN.334.MD MADI interface makes SSL mixing consoles an integrated part of the Riedel RockNet digital audio network, with complete remote control functionality over all gains.

Riedel will also hold a keynote about the Red Bull Stratos project. The session will be held by Jacqueline Voss, System Engineer Broadcast Solutions at Riedel and deeply involved in the Stratos project. Voss’s presentation, “The Red Bull Stratos Case Study: World Record Technology for Broadcasting Transmission and Distribution”, will look at the record-breaking skydive by daredevil Felix Baumgartner. The presentation will take place on June 21 at 16:20 pm.

Visit www.riedel.net

Bachofen Giving Insight on Hybrid TV TRIVENI DIGITAL’S vice president of sales and head of marketing, Ralph Bachofen, will speak during BroadcastAsia 2013 on “Strategies for Monetising Hybrid Television Services” as part of the OTT conference track at 2:30 p.m. on June 19.

The presentation explores the current state of the connected TV environment, providing attendees with insight into how to develop hybrid television services deliver a more engaging television experience to viewers.

“Television viewing is dramatically evolving into a personalised and interactive experience as consumer electronics manufacturers roll out hybrid TVs,” said Bachofen. “As the number of connected TV households grows, it’s important that broadcasters develop an effective business plan for capitalising on these new capabilities.”

Bachofen has more than 20 years of experience in voice and multimedia over IP, telecommunications, and in the semiconductor business as head of Triveni Digital’s sales and marketing group.

Visit www.trivenidigital.com

LiveU Uplinking at BroadcastAsia LIVEU WILL DEMONSTRATE ITS complete range of bonded 3G/4G uplink solutions for broadcast and online media at BroadcastAsia 2013 (Stand 4B1-11 + 4B1-12).

Based on the fourth-generation of LiveU’s disruptive technology, the portfolio includes:

+ Professional-grade LU70 backpack, with its proprietary internal and external antenna arrays for extra-strong resiliency and subsecond latency;

+ Handheld, lightweight LU40-S device, weighing less than 700 grams, with internal antenna and live newsgathering features;

+ LU-Smart mobile app solutions, bringing bonded transmission to mobile phones and tablets (iOS and Android devices);

+ LU-Lite software-only solution, enabling file transfer and live video over multiple platforms;

+ LiveU integrated Xtender antenna for extrastrong resiliency in extreme scenarios.

All LiveU products are incorporated into the LiveU ecosystem by LiveU Total, enabling control rooms to manage multiple video feeds from LiveU units operating in diverse locations.

Visit www.liveu.tv

Harris Broadcast’s Latest Integrated Solutions HARRIS BROADCAST IS SHOWCASING an array of its latest integrated broadcast solutions at BroadcastAsia 2013 (Booth 5B3-03).

The acceleration of IP connectivity makes the new Harris Broadcast Platinum IP3 router the centrepiece of its display. Being shown in the Asia-Pacific region for the first time, this new iteration of the Platinum router series is unique in offering triple-path routing, with unique paths for audio, video and other services including IP data in the same frame.

The display will also focus on the Versio

integrated channel playout solution, Harris Broadcast’s approach to channel-in-a-box.

Updates include HD/SD simulcast, playlist control, and enhanced graphics management.

Harris Broadcast will also emphasise the significance of file-based workflows with its NEXIO Volt server, addressing the need for higher channel counts in a compact form factor.

NEXIO Volt will be demonstrated in conjunction with the NEXIO Farad online storage system, which provides central resources for complex ingest and playout networks.

On display for the first time at Broadcast Asia is the Harris Broadcast Inscriber G8 graphics production system. The Inscriber G8 provides uncompressed imagery and offers real-time creation and execution of the high-calibre, complex 3D graphics and animations that live news, sports and special events demand.

The last stage in the content lifecycle is delivery to the consumer. For conventional transmission requirements the demonstration includes the latest Flexiva and Maxiva transmitters.

Visit www.harrisbroadcast.com

IBMS Enhanced By Pilat Media

BROADCAST ASIA

AT BROADCASTASIA2013, PILAT MEDIA will be demonstrating the latest enhancements to its flagship Integrated Broadcast Management System (IBMS), a software system for enterprisewide management of broadcasting and airtime sales operations.

IBMS Express is a new cloud-based platform that addresses the full spectrum of broadcast business management functions. IBMS Express dovetails with a broadcaster’s outsourced IT strategy. A “pay as you grow” software-as-aservice pricing model gets stations up and running with minimal upfront investment. Pilat

Media’s professional services team provide configuration, training, and ongoing maintenance.

Pilat Media has unveiled new enhancements to IBMS OmniCast, its business management solution for non-linear next-generation services such as VOD, over-the-top (OTT) TV, and catchup TV across all delivery platforms. The latest version of IBMS OmniCast includes a service matrix for multiplatform delivery, linking all service offerings in a hierarchy.

Available as either a stand-alone solution or as an addition to IBMS-managed environments, IBMS Rights delivers centralised rights

management across all broadcasting operations.

At BroadcastAsia 2013, Pilat will showcase additional IBMS Rights functionality for distribution licenses.

Making its debut in the Asia-Pacific region at BroadcastAsia 2013 is the OTTilus OVP (Online Video Platform). OTTilus OVP is an enterpriseclass over-the-top (OTT) TV solution designed to expand broadcasters’ and TV operators’ multiplatform product offerings, while leveraging their broadcast operations’ existing workflows and systems.

Visit www.pilatmedia.com

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Digital TV Labs – Up to the Test AT BROADCASTASIA 2013 (Booth 4A1-08), Digital TV Labs will be showcasing the latest version of its HbbTV test harness and test suite, Ligada iSuite. Ligada iSuite is an HbbTV Test Harness for testing connected TV devices in productive and automation-enabled environment.

It is fully compatible with the Official HbbTV Test Suite, and includes a rich selection of over 500 additional test cases. Ligada iSuite test reports enable manufacturers to officially register as HbbTV compliant and use the official logo.

Recognising the myriad of wider conformance issues facing TV operators deploying into a horizontal receiver market, the expanded Ligada iSuite includes not only an HbbTV v1.5 test suite, but also OIPF and multiple DRM test cases.

Additionally, Ligada supports DASH adaptive streaming and new HbbTV profiles, such as the French TNT2.0 platform and Spanish TDT Hibrida.

Digital TV Labs will also be highlighting its role as a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) accredited Independent Certification Vendor (ICV). The company provides testing and certification services as part of the official DLNA Certification Program for companies with products that need to comply with the increasingly popular home networking standard.

Visit www.digitaltv-labs.com

Emotion Systems Showcasing eFF v3.0 EMOTION SYSTEMS, together with partner Media Village, is bringing the latest version of the eFF loudness compliance solution for file-based workflows to BroadcastAsia (Stand 4G1-03).

Loudness is now a major issue and many countries have either introduced or are going to introduce some form of loudness compliance standard. eFF from Emotion Systems is designed to address this need, within file-based workflows, quickly and easily.

“Emotion Systems and eFF were conceived based on three principles; reasonable cost, simple to operate, and founded on the best engineering standards. I am really proud to be able to say that we are now delivering on these values,” says M C Patel, CEO of Emotion Systems. eFF Version 3.0 brings many new features including Dolby E support, True Peak using its innovative DNA (Dynamic Normalisation Algorithm), and workflow integration using its extended API. Visit www.emotion-systems.com

File-Based Workflow, Multi-Platform Integration from Magna THIS YEAR’S BROADCAST ASIA sees Magna Systems and Engineering demonstrating its systems integration expertise across file-based broadcast workflows, multi-platform, and OTT solutions on stand 5B2-02.

Principals sharing Magna Systems and Engineering’s stand at Broadcast Asia include ChyronHego, Front Porch Digital, iPV, Penta, Switch Media, Telestream, TVU Networks and XORMedia – all of whom will be demonstrating their latest products and solutions for the Asia Pacific market.

“Broadcast Asia is always an excellent event for Magna Systems as it’s a show where we are able to stand out from other systems integrators and demonstrate our proven track record and level of expertise to a wide range of customers from the Asia Pacific region,” explained Magna Systems Director – Asia Pacific Operations, Patrick So. “This year we will also be demonstrating our continued investment in personnel, training and the quality of our service and support. Magna is also constantly striving to stay ahead of the game in terms of technology and workflows – both of which will also be clearly evident on our stand.”

Visit www.magnasys.tv

ChyronHego Showing Combined Range AT BROADCASTASIA 2013, ChyronHego will be bringing their combined solutions to BroadcastAsia (Stand 5B2-02), including AKI Paint, Virtual Placement, ENGAGE, and LyricPRO. ChyronHego will demonstrate AKI Paint, an advanced telestration system that produces analysis graphics with ease of use and rapid turnaround times. The system features a 3-channel built-in clip recorder, as well as a keyer that allows the user to easily add virtual tied-to-surface graphics.

Also on display at BroadcastAsia 2013 is Virtual

Placement, a tool for adding virtual graphics to video in real-time without the need for camera sensors. Virtual Placement allows the user to easily incorporate clips, animations, images, texts and live video sources into a 3D space that is extracted in real-time from up to three simultaneous live cameras.

ChyronHego will showcase ENGAGE, its second-screen and social TV gateway. ENGAGE gives broadcasters the ability to add viewer interaction – such as votes, polls, and tweet battles – into their live news and sports

programming, along with rich call-to-action graphics and infographics. ENGAGE integrates with popular second-screen and social data partners, eliminating the need for custom integration.

Also being demonstrated at BroadcastAsia 2013 will be ChyronHego’s LyricPRO 8.6 graphics creation software. LyricPRO 8.6 boasts native support for stereoscopic 3D, scriptless transitions, and touch-screen-enabled graphics, enabling sophisticated graphics creation.

Visit www.chyron.com

Pixel Power OnDemand at BroadcastAsia launch of two Pixel Power products, Pixel OnDemand and Pixel Factory, along with updates to the company’s ChannelMaster, Gallium, and Clarity, on Stand 5E1-05.

Pixel OnDemand delivers Pixel Power’s core graphics engine with use-based pricing to suit IPTV, VOD, multiscreen and other content repackaging business practices. Pixel OnDemand puts the graphics engine into an easily deployed software package that runs on standard IT servers.

Pixel Power will also debut Pixel Factory in Asia, a new turnkey, server-based implementation of its core graphics engine. The new system supports file-based operations in broadcast workflows where output quality and process automation are highly valued, but the enhanced hardware demands of live production and playout are not required.

ChannelMaster, a family of integrated, scalable channel playout systems that provide a costeffective approach to deploying new channels, and Gallium will also be on show. Gallium is the company’s integrated and scalable scheduling,

asset management and automation system that provides the intelligence to build a variety of playout solutions using Pixel Power devices.

The latest developments to Clarity will also be highlighted. These include TextFX, which greatly increases the creative scope for text elements.

This includes highlights, edge effects and drop shadows with all of those effects able to be animated. Smart Stacks combines multi-layer, multi-timeline pages with the company’s automated transition logic (ATL) functionality and existing staking system for playout pages.

Visit www.pixelpower.com

BROADCAST ASIA

BROADCASTASIA 2013 will see the Asian

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Harmonic Simplifies Workflows AT BROADCASTASIA2013, Harmonic (Booth 5C3-01) will showcase solutions that enable more efficient multiformat content production, more cost-effective distribution of content over any network, and better support of highquality video delivery regardless of the display device. Throughout the show, Harmonic will provide demonstrations of HEVC compression for OTT, as well as the company’s latest Ellipse contribution encoder.

Harmonic will showcase new features for its market-leading Spectrum media server product line. The Spectrum ChannelPort integrated channel playout system will feature powerful new channel-in-a-box capabilities such as dual DVEs with independent branding.

At BroadcastAsia2013 Harmonic will showcase the Ellipse 3000 contribution encoder for the first time in Asia. The Ellipse 3000 employs MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC 4:2:0/4:2:2 8and10-bit compression technologies to enable transmission of pristine real-time video over satellite and broadband contribution networks.

By encoding the highest-possible picture quality at the front end of the broadcast chain, the Ellipse 3000 offers broad codec support

Polecam in Shot with Starter Pack and Long Head STEFFAN HEWITT, ORIGINATOR OF Polecam and director of Polecam Systems will be in Singapore at BroadcastAsia 2013 with Polecam Systems’ two trading partners H Warta (Stand 4E3-01) and Antel Trading & Services (Stand 5F4-01).

Steffan will be sharing his time between stands and demonstrating the new versatility on offer from the Polecam Starter Pack, which together with the Long Head from the range of new Polecam heads allows a wide range of cameras to be mounted on the jib including the new large sensor cameras and DLSRs.

BROADCAST ASIA

Now the versatility, portability and speed of the Polecam single operator jib system is opened up to using DLSR cameras from Canon, Nikon and others, and also to dedicated cinematic video cameras like the Black Magic Design Cinema camera, the Canon C300, and the high quality lenses available for these cameras. Iris, zoom and focus can in most cases be controlled from the rear of the rig.

On show also will be the new Z10 high performance HD Zoom lens and ZIF controller, as well as the well-established classic Polecam rig and the Toshiba IK-HD1 camera, RCP, Polecam accessories like the Wire Strut System, lenses and the Goal Cam system.

New UHF Broadband Antenna Solutions from Jampro

and simple in-field firmware upgradability.

JAMPRO ANTENNAS, INC. has revealed plans

Harmonic has made significant enhancements to its ProMedia suite of adaptive bit rate (ABR) solutions for multiscreen processing and delivery. New features include support for HEVC for VOD transcoding, increased synergy with the Harmonic MediaGrid shared storage system, and support for closed captioning, regional blackouts, and Nielsen ID3 tagging.

to exhibit advanced versions of its family of UHF Broadband antennas that offer enhanced polarisation options on Booth 5B3-02 at BroadcastAsia 2013. The Company is also highlighting its established FM, TV, RF, and rigid line products.

Leveraging Harmonic’s market-leading ACE transcoding technology — which currently supports over 25,000 live channels — the new ProStream 9000 with the ACE product family optimises broadcast television and nextgeneration multiscreen video applications.

The first offering from the 9000 series — ProStream 9100 with ACE — supports 2 Gb of data throughput and up to 250 simultaneous multiplexing/scrambling services, 20 HD or 60 SD broadcast transcoding services, 20 HD/SD multiscreen inputs with 80 multiscreen output profiles, and integrated any-to-any audio transcoding with audio levelling capabilities in a single rack unit.

Visit www.harmonicinc.com

New antennas include Jampro‘s UHF Broadband Medium Power panel antenna is now available for Bands IV & V in all polarisations: CPOL, EPOL, HPOL and VPOL. The antenna is designed as either a side-mount or a top-mount for DTV, ISDB-T, DVB-T/H, NTSC or PAL broadcasting.

Now available for both VPOL and CPOL polarisation, the JVD-U and JCD-U broadband antennas for UHF Bands IV & V were designed as low to medium power solutions, with a special focus on rooftop deployment. The antenna is broadband over band IV/V allowing multiple UHF channels to be transmitted at the same time.

Also on show, Jampro’s Broadband Batwing IV/V 470 – 860 MHz Antenna is a radome-enclosed unit that can be either top or side mounted on a tower offering long life and many years of continuous service, making it suitable for broadband multi channel UHF applications.

Visit www.jampro.com

Snell Updating Their Range IN SUPPORTING a dynamic Asia-Pacific market that is demanding more integrated and flexible solutions, Snell is offering 4K at no additional cost in a range of products including select routing switchers, fibre infrastructure, and the Kahuna 360 production switcher. At BroadcastAsia 2013 (Stand 5D3-01) experts will also be on hand to discuss the latest in playout and virtualisation in response to broadcasters having a need to share resources and improve efficiencies among regional channels.

Snell has made the functionality of the fullsize Kahuna 360 available in a new, lower-cost Kahuna 360 Compact — including seven keyers per M/E, resource sharing with Make M/E technology, and FormatFusion3, which supports any format in and any format out.

Kahuna Flare is the first midrange switcher to offer standard single-link 1080p support alongside SD and HD formats at no extra cost — making it ideal for over-the-air broadcasts, IP, or Internet delivery platforms, and even large progressive-screen presentations.

Snell’s ICE now includes integrated 3D and 2D graphics, CG functionality with timeline editing control, and the ability to populate fields from Morpheus automation schedule events or external data sources.

Morpheus v3.0 boasts full virtual machine support to allow operation in the cloud and private data centres, facilitating lower space

and power requirements while improving system resilience.

The KudosPro MC500 provides up, down, and cross-conversion from any broadcast standard (50Hz or 59Hz) to any other broadcast standard, with optional composite and fibre connectivity.

Snell’s Vega is a new routing platform that allows users to configure any signal port independently for fibre or coax, easing a mixed connectivity environment and helping broadcasters to migrate simply and costeffectively.

Snell is introducing a new IQ format converter range that provides conversion of common SD, HD, and 3Gbps formats for broadcast systems. In addition to conversion, the new modules can perform a host of video, audio, and metadata functions. Snell is also unveiling the IQQSM range of 3Gbps/HD/SD-SDI quad split monitors, ideal for local monitoring with LCD displays.

At BroadcastAsia2013, Snell is showing its range of 3Gbps-capable Hyperion monitoring solutions engineered to meet the need for increasingly advanced monitoring capabilities in a multi-format system environment.

Hyperion is a signal monitoring technology that helps operators to monitor content more efficiently and, in turn, ensure that contractual and legal obligations are met.

Visit www.snellgroup.com

Visit www.polecam.com

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PREVIEW

MILLER CAMERA SUPPORT has been designing and manufacturing professional fluid pan/tilt heads and tripods since 1954. As the holder of the world’s first patent (1946) for fluid pan/tilt heads Miller continues to be a leader and innovator in professional camera support.

Having proven themselves in applications like ENG, Documentary, video production and small studio production with their DS, Compass, and Arrow range, Miller is branching in to the next level and taking on the big guns in Digital Cinematography and OB/Studio production with the Skyline 70 – 150mm fluid head. Designed in consultation with some of the world’s leading Cinematographers, the Skyline 70 boasts many features and optimum performance to accommodate even the most demanding shoot.

At BCA this year, Miller will showcase the new SOLO Rapid Lock tripod. Utilising multi-thread technology, the self-adjusting twist lock mechanism can now be released and tightened with less than a quarter of a turn. This allows the camera operator to deploy and pack up the tripod with minimal effort and speed. The SOLO range has been extremely popular amongst leading DPs and freelancers because of its versatility and lightweight. The SOLO can be positioned very low and easily extend to above 2 metres in height. It can easily be packed in to a suitcase or backpack for those travelling.

Visit www.millertripods.com

Sony Showing Off Anycast Touch SONY WILL BE SHOWCASING their Anycast Touch, Optical Disc Archive, and PMW-400 at BroadcastAsia 2013 (Booth 5B4-01).

The Anycast Touch AWS-750 Live Content Producer is a powerful content creation tool for live events, education, houses of worship and corporate seminars. With an all-in-one style featuring a double touch-screen, Anycast Touch enables intuitive operation and eliminates the cumbersome setup and signal adjustment process typically required when connecting various devices.

Following the introduction of Optical Disc Archive drives and cartridges, Sony has launched a new ODS-L10 compact robotic library. It is specifically designed for small to medium scale production systems where media assets are managed by multiple users, and high reliability is achieved with incredibly durable optical discs, as easy to use as conventional external storage devices. With all these qualities, this mini robotic library makes shelf-based archive management easier and more efficient.

The PMW-400 is a shoulder-mount camcorder that comes equipped with a 2/3-inch Exmor Full HD 3CMOS sensor. It is capable of capturing images with high sensitivity and low noise due to the quality CMOS sensors and 3-Dimensional Noise Reducer (3DNR) technology. The camera supports the XDCAM HD422 format and offers future XAVC support for HD. Sony has also developed a wireless adapter that can be directly connected to the PMW-400 to enable proxy files generated on the microSD to be transmitted via 3G/4G/LTE/Wi-Fi. Visit www.sony.com.hk

Thomson Feels the ViBE AT BROADCASTASIA2013 (Stand 5H3-04), Thomson Video Networks will showcase the ViBE VS7000 multi-screen and HEVC solution for cable, IPTV, and over-the-top (OTT) delivery; the dense and flexible ViBE CP6000 contribution system; the EM series of encoders for superior multi-channel video compression; the company’s resilient and versatile Sapphire content capture and playout solutions; and the Amethyst DTV switch.

The ViBE VS7000 video system is a breakthrough “anything in, anything out” encoding/transcoding platform for Web TV, over-the-top (OTT) services, IPTV, and cable delivery. The ViBE VS7000 video system combines Thomson’s next-generation compression platform in an all-IP environment with live, broadcast-quality encoding; innovative video preprocessing; and faster-than-real-time file transcoding. Thomson Video Networks will also showcase both real-time and offline HEVC encoding on the ViBE VS7000 platform.

The ViBE CP6000 is a dedicated, multi-format, high-performance platform for contribution of live video. With the product’s modular

implementation of the optimal MPEG-4 contribution codecs, eight HD channels per 1-RU chassis, and compression performance, the ViBE CP6000 is a substantial advance for contribution applications. MPEG-4 and MPEG-2 codecs can be enabled as required with software licensing, and the high-density support simplifies infrastructure and saves energy costs.

The ViBE EM Series of MPEG-2/MPEG-4 AVC encoders represents the benchmark for HD or SD encoding, ideal for satellite, cable, and terrestrial broadcast applications and other types of content aggregation. The EM4000 HD encoder leverages Thomson Video Networks’ Mustang 2.0 compression technology to deliver efficiency improvements of 20 percent or more when encoding in MPEG-4 AVC, freeing up bandwidth that can be used to broadcast an extra channel per multiplex or transponder. For SD encoding, the ViBE EM1000 and EM2000 encoders combine compression efficiency features and the latest pre-processing techniques to deliver clearer pictures with increased depth and clarity.

Visit www.thomson-networks.com

EVS to Present Enriched Live Solutions EVS WILL SHOWCASE advanced solutions for enriched live production at BroadcastAsia (Booth 5K3-04). EVS’ APAC product and technical specialist, Will Munkara-Kerr will speak at the conference on fully integrated workflows for fastturnaround news.

On Tuesday 18 June, Munkara-Kerr will present a case study on the state-of-theart production facility at Sky News Arabia.

The presentation will examine how the 24-hour Arabic news service accelerated and optimised its newsgathering operations with a fast-turnaround production workflow, and the challenges involved in integrating the complete production environment from ingest to archive. It will further explore Sky News Arabia’s strategies for effective multiplatform delivery.

At their booth, EVS will demonstrate practical innovations, which maximise broadcasters’ live production infrastructure to deliver content to wider audiences and enable more creative programming. Based on EVS’ XT3 server, these innovations help broadcasters and content owners maximise the value of live content and make it instantly available across multiple, integrated workflows, from venues to the living room. EVS will also present new products and features across its four key markets – Sports, Entertainment, News and Media.

Visit www.evs.com

ENENSYS Focusing on DVB-T2 ENENSYS WILL BE DEMONSTRATING its comprehensive solution for DVB-T2 at Broadcast Asia on stand 4B3-07, including its T2 Gateway, ASIGuard and IPGuard seamless switches, Gigacaster II ASI/IP adapters, NetMod II DVB-T/T2 modulators, and T2Edge, with a demonstration of local content insertion using PLP substitution on the stand.

New products that will also be shown at Broadcast Asia include the DTH solution, to enable standard satellite transmissions to also be used for DVB-T2 distribution to transmitters operating in an SFN. ENENSYS TESTSYSTEMS will also present new products. The DVB-T2 monitoring probe EdgeProbe including SFN drift measurement for DVB-T2, as well as the most complete DTV test tool ReFeree II, the latest version now including support for V1.3.1 of the DVB-T2 specification.

Visit www.enensys.com

BROADCAST ASIA

Miller Branching Out

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PREVIEW

Grass Valley Debuts Non-Linear Live Production Solutions GRASS VALLEY WILL showcase the latest innovations in its non-linear live production portfolio at BroadcastAsia (Booth 5B3-01). Visitors to Grass Valley’s booth will be able to see demos of the latest advancements in Grass Valley’s end-to-end workflow of solutions for the production and delivery of live television including switchers, replay solutions, playout solutions, integrated production solutions, cameras and media workflow tools.

Grass Valley will introduce several new products to the APAC market. On display will be the GV Director Non-linear Live Production Center, which integrates the most commonly used live production tools into a single, intuitive system, dramatically simplifying producing and delivering live content. Also making its debut to the APAC market will be LDX Flex, the entry level offering in the LDX Series of upgradeable cameras. The LDX Series offers varying levels or operational flexibility through the simple GV-eLicense program, which allows users to enhance a camera’s capabilities perpetually, or just for a 7-day term depending on requirements.

Showcased will be the latest updates to GV STRATUS, a framework for modular non-linear software tools to support every part of the content creation and distribution lifecycle through an adaptable user interface model. Advancements to GV STRATUS include support for the seamless processing and delivery of content to multiple screens, content tagging from multiple ISO cameras and segmentation integration with the Grass Valley Smart Playout Center.

Visit www.grassvalley.com

Tieline Working Their Magic TIELINE’S CHARLIE GAWLEY will be on the GBS booth (5C4-01) during BroadcastAsia to showcase Tieline’s latest IP audio codec innovations, including Genie Distribution, Merlin PLUS, Bridge-IT, and Report-IT. Merlin PLUS allows for rapid expansion of remote capability and management of up to 6 bidirectional mono connections with IP codecs, or smartphones using the Report-IT audio codec application (Android and iOS), saving money on codec hardware costs and reducing studio rack space requirements.

Merlin PLUS is also capable of stereo bidirectional IP audio and full-duplex communications between the studio and a remote codec.

Genie Distribution is a most powerful DSPbased IP audio codec for multipoint audio distribution over IP networks. Connect 6 channels point-to-point, or simultaneously distribute stereo audio to up to 50 multiunicast endpoints, or multicast to any number of IP codecs.

Both Merlin PLUS and Genie Distribution have dual power supplies, dual Ethernet ports and feature the Opus algorithm and SmartStream PLUS redundant streaming software for STLgrade reliability and audio quality over low cost IP networks like the internet or wireless broadband. This will save you thousands of dollars compared to synchronous networks like ISDN. Tieline’s Bridge-IT is the ultimate affordable, high-performance, stereo IP audio codec solution designed to expand your IP network at a fraction of the cost of competing IP codecs without compromising on broadcast quality or features.

A WheatNet-IP enabled Genie Distribution and Merlin PLUS audio codec will be displayed on Wheatstone Corporation’s booth #5G3-02.

Visit www.tieline.com

Exset Integrating DMS with HbbTV COMMUNICASIA 2013 will see Exset showing

BROADCAST ASIA

its Digital Monetisation System (DMS). DMS bridges the gap between technology and valueadded services for digital TV deployments in emerging markets. It allows digital television platforms to be created that can then be monetised in a new dynamic way where previously impossible.

Allowing interactive services over and above TV via digital broadcast networks, DMS provides a low price point for operators. This means that revenues can be generated not only via a very low subscription fee, but also via interactive transactions and information dissemination.

It uses a popular application model that sees core processing carried out centrally with content then distributed when the application is accessed via the TV screen.

Exset will also be discussing for the first time the integration of DMS with connected TV standard HbbTV. Already rolling out widely across Europe, HbbTV will provide an enhanced DMS experience where bandwidth allows. The use of this set-top box middleware also facilitates multi-device usage as DMS can be run on a browser, opening up a new world of possibilities for service providers.

Visit www.exset.com

Vizrt Highlights IP Streaming AT BROADCASTASIA, the emphasis in the Vizrt booth (5H3-01) will be on the importance of an integrated workflow for video and graphics production and distribution. Vizrt will demonstrate the IP media streaming capabilities of its Viz Engine real-time compositing and rendering engine, which is at the heart of the Vizrt graphics, newsroom, and presentation workflows.

This past April, at the 2013 NAB Show, Vizrt introduced a new IP version of Viz Engine that’s capable of real-time IP streaming input and output, including compositing of 3D graphics and HD/SD video. Multiple Viz Engines can render the same content and output different formats for multiple platforms. Removing the need for a costly video card or transcoding capability for every platform, the IP version provides an affordable and compact solution for online delivery. Vizrt will also show a multi-platform workflow enabled by the Viz Media Engine media asset management system, which automatically encodes live video from high-resolution to any format at speeds faster than real-time for online and mobile devices.

Vizrt gives journalists the edge for getting a story on-air and online quickly and efficiently with a newsroom workflow that integrates easy-to-use templates with the journalists’ native newsroom computer system (NRCS). With Viz Content Pilot, journalists access these templates for creating graphics, editing maps with Viz World and selecting videos from Viz Media Engine to add to a playlist for on-air use and online multi-platform delivery.

Vizrt partner Mosart will demonstrate the tight integration between its newsroom automation system and Vizrt’s live graphics workflow to enrich the content and quality of newscasts while also reducing costs.

Vizrt will present a highly integrated workflow for online with the Vizrt Online Suite. Journalists and publishers can produce video and text other content from the same solution and use video efficiently in the storytelling.

With the Vizrt Social TV solution, Vizrt will demonstrate how the audience becomes part of the story with social media content captured, moderated then visualised using Vizrt’s 3D graphics capabilities. Content is captured from Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Youtube, Instagram as well as third party partners like never.no. never.no will be at the booth with Social TV demos that will highlight the latest enhancements to never. no’s Interactivity Suite.

Visit www.vizrt.com

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ASIA www.content-technology.com

MEDIA + PRODUCTION + MANAGEMENT + DELIVERY

Plant 4K Migration Strategy

By Stan Moote, VP Business Development, Harris Broadcast

4K is a very attention-grabbing topic from the broadcaster’s point of view. As you may know 4K, or what is often called digital cinema, is well accepted in the film world. Taking advantage of digital techniques directly from the RAW footage is really cool. But in what way can this relate to how broadcasters will use 4K technologies and distribute this to the newer 4K TV sets on the market today.

TO MAKE THINGS CLEAR, when I refer to 4K, I don’t mean the cinema definition of 4K (which is 4096 pixels × 2160 lines having an aspect ratio of approximately 17x9). Broadcasters want to focus on resolutions that match the TV sets being made, being close enough to 4K, hence get called 4K (or Ultra High Definition) — having a 16x9 aspect ratio and an actual resolution of 3840 × 2160. This resolution is now standardized. What isn’t yet standardized is the frame rate. In fact the frame rate is one of the misleading areas about 4K. As much as I hate to say this, the limitations of 4K are concealed in the hype.

By limitations, I mean short-term technical issues. When we view programs on televisions, our minds have been trained for certain expectations. Part of this is due to how creative and technical directors portray how we visually perceive a program.

Figure 2 – Using a 4K multiviewer in master control gives the operator full HD resolution on the program feed.

frame rates, it detracts from the full 4K experience. Its simple, great-looking spatial detail requires a comparable temporal resolution. For 4K television to be stunning, it needs to be running at 50p or 60p.

Going through these details sets the scene about good-looking 4K television and helps us to understand the wiring needed within the broadcast facility.

Without getting too deep into some of the nuisances that make 4K different than HD, just consider 4K as four times 1080 and also remember that 4K is inherently a progressive scan. This leads us to have a clearer understanding of what is required since we know that 3Gb/s is needed for 1080p50/60, then four 3Gb/s “pipes” are needed for 4K running at 50p or 60p. Remember what I said about movies and the 4K hype? For this they are typically running 24p, 25p or 30p, which only requires half the bandwidth hence, only two 3Gb/s pipes.

Whilst many 4K cameras record directly to memory, some offer live outputs via four 3Gb/s SDI connectors. This is the format needed to support 4K within a broadcast plant. Now if your plant only supports 1.5G/s, you would need eight coaxes which does get messy. Four lines is bad enough, but thinking back to the days of analogue, production houses that kept away from composite video ran RGB and Alpha, which consisted of four coaxes, was not impossible to handle. Labeling is crucial; this includes both physical labels on wiring/patch-panels and soft labeling (databases).

In a single coax per signal world, finding the right signal in a large plant can be difficult enough, but think of trying to find four matching signals!

Documentation is crucial.

Figure 1 – New generation 3Gb/s routers are future-proofed for new standards such as 1080p and 4K with drop-down configuration menus.

We would classically think of having supporting 4K support by building “4K islands” just as we had “digital islands” during the transition from analogue.

Nonetheless, if your plant already supports 3Gb/s routing – you are in good shape. As extra paths will be needed to handle 4K, this shouldn’t be an issue as most mid to large size routers are expandable to handle growth. Although

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So why do we care about this technicality when we simply want to have 4K running in our facility? This is a key part of the misconception. Most of the 4K we see today is running at film frame rates. Tests have shown that when we are viewing live television at film rates, our minds think we are watching a movie. For example, live news can be perceived as a fictional movie. 4K technology takes advantage of this lower frame rate to use less data. At the same time, even HD at 24, 25 or 29/30 FPS stretches the ratio of static to motion detail. These frame rates are well below those needed to deliver the kind of visual experience 4K is capable of, and when watching 4K at lower

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COVER STORY router control systems can switch four signals together as salvos, or simply with four different takes, having one that can support 4K certainly makes life easier. To future-proof broadcast plants, 3Gb/s directly does the trick — and many infrastructure products are already 3Gb/s-ready. Some simply need software upgrades and have device control parameters set for various uses.

In Figure 1, we can see a router drop-down menu for connection ports. For 4K considerations, different options are available for binding together two (dual) or four (quad) ports for different 4K frame rate options. For longer runs, Harris Broadcast has a cool card that puts four 3Gb/s onto a single fiber, which provides the assurances that the 4K signals are travelling together.

A few final words about routing and distribution - in the days of RGB, timing was very critical. However in today’s digitally buffered world we don’t have the same issues. So basic routing and distribution delays are of no concern in the digital world. A word of caution though since frame syncs are all over the plant, and often put in for one feed and later forgotten. So be sure paths are matched at least within half a line. More is OK, but if these are sloppy they will predictably come back later to bite you!

Beyond routing and distribution is where the kicker comes into play.

Let’s look at servers and storage. Putting four 3Gb/s SDI’s into a server, isn’t difficult. However ensuring they can record, compress and playback simultaneously is the concern. Additionally 4K files will be sent around and MXF’ed directly into the server as a single 4K file, not as four streams. Can the server support this? What compression format will be used?

Assuming your server plays out OK, joining four switchers or even having multiple logo and branding products linked together can get you on-air with 4K. This issue will be the final distribution scheme as 4K has a lot of bits to get to the home user! New compression formats like HEVC will be required and most likely HEVC decoders will be built directly into television sets within the next couple of years.

So after reading this, you may have decided that 4K is not worth a look within your broadcast plant. I don’t think this is true. In the production

environment, 4K is going to be great! Shooting at 4K and using file-based editing systems is perfect. Zooms and pans for HD can be produced in post more elegantly without a loss in resolution — resulting in lower HD production costs and fewer re-shoots. The statement “fix it in post” will have new meaning. In this environment, 4K streams never happen beyond the editing room. It’s all kept as files — no need to worry about tying up so many SDI paths and the final output is HD. 4K is also very useful in master control and monitoring environments. The switch from having a wall of multiple CRTs to flat screens has created a dilemma: Users forget that putting 16 pips on an HD screen is clearly not the same as having 16 HD monitors. The maximum resolution of the monitor is divided by 16 for each pip. As operators often sit very close to the monitors, switching to 4K displays radically improves quality. Figure 2 shows a typical MCR layout. Notice the program feed is one quarter of the flat screen. When using both a 4K multiviewer and monitor this means the operator is viewing the actual HD resolution, since 4K is four times HD resolution.

There is no question that 1080p50 or 1080p60 are great formats. HD camera sensors are 1080p and if we could shoot and produce everything in 1080p, we could easily down convert to 1080i or 720p. Whereas if we shoot in current HD formats, we often need to cross convert to/from 1080i and 720p formats leaving artifacts. Using the 1080p format we lose these types of artifacts which mainly come from the de-interlacing process. Additionally 1080p upconverts very nicely to 4K as 4K is a progressive scan format only.

So in summary it is understandable that broadcasters have concerns about 4K as it requires new systems and new distribution formats. However with many broadcast facilities already implementing 3Gb/s-ready infrastructure, they are in a good position to embrace both 1080p and 4K technology and look ahead to an even brighter future.

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www.content-technology.com Tel: +61 2 9211 8205 Email: papers@broadcastpapers.com

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ACQUISITION www.content-technology.com/acquisition

Sun, Sand and Serenity on Reef Doctors THE ADVANTAGE of working on Reef Doctors is getting to be in the sun, sand and serenity of Australian tropical paradises like the Gold Coast, Port Douglas and the Great Barrier Reef.

So what’s the catch? Sand, sun and serenity aren’t always all they’re cracked up to be.

Reef Doctors is produced by Jonathan M. Shiff and co-produced by Lisa McCune, who also stars in the drama series. The show is about the remote Hope Island Clinic on the Great Barrier Reef, run by Sam Stewart (McCune), an accomplished doctor who along with her team looks after the residents of all the neighbouring islands, as well as the holidaymakers and thrill seekers who visit the area. Sam is also a single mother with a free spirit, and a determination for an unusual hobby: venom.

“Hope Island, where the show takes place, is not a real island but a carefully selected showcase of tropical Queensland locations,” explains Colin Budds, the director of the first seven episodes. “We were in the rainforests in the southeast, palm-lined beaches of the far north and the brilliance of the Great Barrier Reef. What a gig, eh? But it was bloody hot and we had stingers (jellyfish) in the water and leeches in the trees. One day when we laid down track, there was a giant Python within one metre of us. Seemingly unperturbed with its feed, it remained unmoved whilst slowly digesting.”

Reef Doctors will premiere on Australia’s TEN Network in 2013 and has been shooting on KODAK Film since the beginning.

“KODAK VISION3 500T Color Negative Film 7219 has given us excellent results when shooting in the rainforest under a dense canopy,” says cinematographer Zenon ‘Butch’

Sawko, who worked his way up to director of photography from a grip at the Australian Broadcasting Commission. “It has superior performance in low-light situations – handling extremes in contrast well. We managed to use minimal lighting whilst maintaining detail in densely shadowed situations.”

Sawko found that KODAK VISION3 50D Color Negative Film 7203 was ideal for exterior shots, producing rich colour saturation with a clean image and great tonal range. And for interiors he uses KODAK VISION3 200T Color Negative Film 7213.

“As with the other KODAK Films selected for Reef Doctors, the 200T Film produces a more natural balance in skin tones and texture with a fine grain and richer blacks,” adds Sawko.

Filming in the hot, humid tropics is no easy task. Whether working in the sand, scrambling through the tropical jungle, or fighting the tide, there aren’t many easy shots to set up.

Sawko and Budds knew they’d need ample support from local experts and in the end felt they were well provided for from ground to air, beach to reef.

Sawko shot on AATON XTR prod 16mm cameras with 10.5mm-180mm CANON lenses, framing for 4:3 and protecting 16:9.

“We’d use two cameras wherever possible to maximise coverage,” says Sawko, who has won three Australian Cinematographers Society Awards, one for a dramatised documentary Just Another Climb and two for corporate films. “My directors (Budds and Grant Brown, who directed episodes 14 through 26) would block a scene for the A-camera and when able to, without compromising the shot, add a second camera.”

“As usual,” adds Budds, “I (politely) demand and the crew facilitates, with most of the onus falling on the camera department, or more specifically Butch. But we have worked together for over 20 years so there’s shorthand and a trust. His results under the conditions are just outstanding. From burning skies, blinding reflections off the water, black beneath ancient canopies and the unpredictable fronts of the wet season, his was not an easy task.”

Visit http://motion.kodak.com

Sound Devices Updates PIX 260i

With Version 1.02, all drives are now formatted as exFAT instead of UDF. While this new drive formatting is available, it is still possible for PIX 260i users to record and play back from UDF drives for compatibility with the PIX 220i

and PIX 240i. Users have the ability to set each PIX 260i drive independently to Ethernet File Transfer (Network) mode. This offers the convenience of transferring files over a network while the PIX 260i records new data. Drives will also automatically switch to the Ethernet File Transfer mode when full. In addition, the end user can now read and write data to PIX 260i drives over Ethernet.

The update also enables the PIX 260i to provide users with both simultaneous recording to multiple drives or sequential mode, recording to the next successive drive as drives become full.

A 10-second (maximum) pre-record buffer for the audio-only mode has also been added.

“The PIX 260i offers an innovative new approach to file-based audio and video recording,” says Paul Isaacs, Technical Development Manager for Sound Devices.

“Every new version of PIX 260i firmware, including version 1.02, is the result of feedback from customers who have incorporated it into their everyday workflows.”

Based on Sound Devices’ PIX 240i portable audio/video recorder, PIX 260i is a rackmounted, file-based audio/video recorder that seamlessly replaces tape-based video decks in production and post-production environments.

Visit www.sounddevices.com

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IN AN EFFORT TO CONTINUE TO streamline workflows for production and post-production environments with its rack-mounted PIX 260i Production Video Recorder, Sound Devices now offers expanded audio and video recording and file transfer capabilities with its newest firmware update, Version 1.02. Available as a free download to all PIX 260i users, this latest version has been highlighted at Cine Gear 2013.

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ACQUISITION

It’s Not All About Resolution Credit: Todd Wawrychuk / ©A.M.P.A.S.

According to ARRI Managing Director, Franz Kraus, the hype over 4K and resolution have obscured other factors in the overall quality of images.

WHY ISN’T ALEXA A 4K CAMERA? First of all, the importance of resolution when shooting a project of almost any kind is greatly over-hyped at the moment. To put it in perspective, when ARRI writes the specifications document for a new camera, we include a single line about resolution and some 60 pages on all the other aspects that make a professional, reliable and future-proof product that will provide a solid return on investment.

A transition to 4K is certainly underway, but it has not yet permeated the market. 4K workflows on set are cumbersome and 4K in post is still prohibitively expensive and time consuming. Almost all feature films are posted in 2K, including movies that originated in 4K or higher, such as The Hobbit and Prometheus. Productions sometimes choose a 4K camera with the idea of maintaining a 4K workflow through post, only to discover that it is far too costly and revert to 2K. There are very few 4K DCPs, and even these have been mostly upsampled from 2K material. Movie theatre owners have only just upgraded to 2K, so the last thing they want to do is replace their new 2K projectors with 4K models.

Many broadcasters are still in the process of upgrading to HD; it will be a long time before they switch to 4K, which is why a lot of TV series choose to capture and archive in ProRes 422 today, even though the higher quality formats are readily available.

So, in the worlds of both feature films and television, 4K isn’t actually here yet. There is still time to put in place all of the other vital elements, besides resolution, which is exactly what we’re working on right now.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO IMAGE QUALITY? A 4K camera does not automatically produce a better moving image than a 2K camera, because resolution is just one of several factors in overall image quality. Dynamic range or latitude is particularly important because if you lose detail in the shadows and highlights, no amount of resolution will get it back for you.

Colour fidelity and separation are important for skin tones, and other factors include sensitivity, contrast, image processing or compression, digital noise and frame rate. These must be carefully balanced against each other to get the best result; prioritising just one of them over and above the others would be detrimental to image quality.

Perhaps the key point is that images should be pleasing. If resolution was all you needed, then everyone would be making films with the cheapest 4K cameras available, but they’re not. Filmmakers want cameras that make human faces look good without a significant amount of work in post. A huge majority of shots in narrative films are those in which the eye is drawn to human faces. High resolution might be the most important image quality element for certain types of landscape shots, but for shots of the human face, other elements are more significant.

ACQUISITION

Sufficient resolution for the intended output medium is certainly a key parameter, but many cinematographers have told us that exposure latitude, highlight handling and natural skin tones are actually more important. By using a sensor design with relatively large photo sites for the ALEXA, we were able to create a camera that outputs the best overall image quality.

WILL ARRI MAKE A 4K CAMERA? We are currently developing the next generation of cameras and, yes, they will be of higher resolutions than today’s ALEXA. However, higher resolution is not the overriding goal – we aspire to the highest possible

image quality combined with real-world practicality, which is what has made ALEXA such a success for the last three years. These priorities have to remain in place for higher resolutions to be of any use at all.

When the market can better support 4K workflows and distribution, and when higher resolution does not come at the cost of lower image quality, we will be ready with a camera system – one that can provide a dependable return on investment for our customers.

ISN’T BUYING A 4K CAMERA NOW A FUTURE-PROOF INVESTMENT?

E

If you look at the speed with which 4K cameras are being introduced, it seems probable that any camera you can buy now will be replaced by newer and better 4K cameras when 4K is truly a reality. Besides this, ALEAXA images already are future-proof, because the very high overall image quality gives you such good source material that you can do anything with it. ALEXA images can be output to HD, 2K or up-sampled to 4K with stunning results.

For instance, Skyfall and Amour have been up-sampled to 4K and released as great-looking 4K DCPs, and Skyfall has also been released as a fantastic IMAX 4K DCP, up-scaled from the uncompressed 2.8K ARRIRAW Digital Source Master (DSM). ALEXA images will look superb on future 4K displays, but future displays won’t just have higher resolution, they will have higher contrast ratios, so ALEXA’s exceptional dynamic range will come into play as well, since increased contrast is perceived as increased resolution.

In addition, ARRIRAW is an open format – it is unencrypted. Anyone can open the files and apply any kind of image processing at any time in the future, even if ARRI no longer exists. Other manufacturers are exerting more control over how their files can be handled, which imposes sanctions on how people archive for the future.

Crucially, ARRIRAW is also uncompressed, so there are no compression artefacts for visual effects or colour timing. With our new XR module, which comes with all ALEXA XT cameras but is also available as an upgrade for existing ALEXAs, you can shoot uncompressed ARRIRAW incamera at up to 90fps for 4:3, or 120fps for 16:9.

Visit www.arri.com.au

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ACQUISITION

For 4K, Oblivion is Just the Beginning OBLIVION, STARRING TOM CRUISE, is one of the first major motion pictures shot with Sony’s F65 camera to be released worldwide. DOP on Oblivion, the Life of Pi academy award-winning Claudio Miranda, ASC, recently told a packed Sony press conference at NAB that the movie was captured in Sony’s 4K RAW format with a good deal of the movie’s VFX work also in 4K, leading to the very sharp final 2K image seen in the cinema release.

Miranda went on to say that after exhaustive testing, both he and director Joseph “Joe� Kosinski chose the F65 when production commenced back in March 2012, as they liked the way the camera looked and that it suited the feel they were going for in the movie. By pushing the camera’s boundaries and limits Miranda felt he captured cleaner, more resolute images and made the most of its very wide colour gamut.

Claudio Miranda, ASC, with the Sony F65 on the set of Oblivion.

The DOP was also impressed with the F65’s workflow stating that with the right preparation for the amount of data shot, the production team easily managed the data pipeline and as a result, they were able to take full advantage of the camera’s much-heralded dynamic range and how well it holds in the highlights.

Miranda concluded by saying that he thought Oblivion would give people serious food for thought about Sony’s flagship F65 4K camera in part due to its amazing performance in low light and also because some of the movie’s key scenes, including the sky tower sequences, were all achieved in-camera, with extensive use of on-set front projection. He also made particular reference to shooting in Iceland, a country of amazing natural beauty and how the team best used the F65 to reproduce textures in capturing its stunning landscapes in full 4K resolution.

Visit http://pro.sony.com.au

Load the Code To see the full interview with Claudio Miranda ASC where he talks about shooting Oblivion with Sony F65 4K cameras, scan the above QR code or visit http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/video/relatedrecently_added/video-claudio_miranda To watch the Oblivion discussion panel, with Claudio Miranda, ASC, DIT Alex Carr, and Technicolor’s David Waters at this year’s NAB which was hosted by Jon Fauer, ASC, scan the code above or visit http://vimeo.com/65295112

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ACQUISITION

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ACQUISITION

JVC HM750 Review

By Paul Mullan, Black Magic Media

IN THE NICHE BUSINESS of motorsport production, Black Magic Media is no different to any other production company. The art of survival has become more important than the art of television itself, as smaller lightweight cameras are brought out to compete with traditional broadcast cameras.

Having travelled the path of Betacam SP, DVC Pro50 16:9 through to SD XDCam 530 and finally HD XDCam700 over the last twenty years, I’ve been aware all the time of the challenge of staying competitive with entry level operators and ‘pro’ grade camcorders at a fraction of the price.

With Black Magic’s major focus in 2013 again the six round Australian Rally Championship with 12 x hour-long episodes for Channel Ten and OneHD, we set about looking at alternatives. We had long been using the JVC GY-HM100 to fill in holes around the main SD camera coverage quite satisfactorily however with the prospect of gathering everything in HD, the issue of what cameras required a little creative thinking. Our budget would never stretch to the hiring of traditional crews so within our financial limitations the decision was made to trial the JVC GYHM750, as it was a light, cost effective alternative.

The results of the 750 were outstanding. We used the cameras during the International Silver Fern Marathon Rally in New Zealand and later the Variety Bash. In both cases the cameras exceeded expectations.

My first thoughts were that I would need to make significant compromise in shooting to bring about a comparable end product, but that wasn’t the case. The 750 is refreshingly light after the heavy XD700 but it still has the ergonomics of a shoulder based camera and traditional lens. It uses a normal camera base plate but has the advantage that it can be used on a lightweight Miller Solo tripod.

In operating terms it has all the features required for our kind of coverage including colour view finder and flip out LCD plus a host of similarities to cameras tens of thousands of dollars more expensive.

Even the usual preset position for colour balance has two options simply by pressing the white balance switch usually reserved for A and B position adjustment only.

Recording to SD Card has revolutionised our world and can be done in parallel or series depending on whether immediate back-up is required. No longer having to rely on a proprietary piece of hardware

and software to access footage has meant we can quickly ingest, edit and upload for WebTV, a component of production that is in as much demand as a television program itself. Interestingly, we have two clients who rate their WebTV content higher than the mainstream television delivery format.

Another concern was shooting from helicopters. Traditionally trying to hold a steady hand held shot from a chopper with a lightweight camera is a disaster and combined with the fact most small cameras are CMOS, this too makes the pictures often unsteady and look amateurish.

The 750 is a chip camera and has enough weight on the shoulder to produce great pictures from a chopper, not only matching the heavier XDCam, but providing more flexibility due to it’s smaller size.

It poured for several days on the Silver Fern Marathon and the cameras were soaked right through and covered in mud from rally cars. Despite only a light ‘dust/spray’ cover, at no stage did any of the cameras fault due to weather. I sent them back in for checking after the event but they were clean as a whistle, a factor attributed to no moving internal parts.

Is there a downside – maybe it’s a 1/3-inch lens (but still a 20x Fujinon) and maybe because it’s a maximum of 35mbps, but really, how many broadcasters actually deliver double figure quality to the end viewer anyway?

The next step for us is looking at upgrading the HM-100s that have been in service for some time and for that we are about to trial the 600/650, a camera that is considered a perfect all round news style camcorder. Why do I say this? Well the BBC has just ordered 500 units, so that’s got to tell you something.

Visit www.jvc.com.au/professional

Mark Wareham ACS Upgrades with Fujinon Cabrio Lenses AS ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S best known cinematographers, Mark Wareham, ACS, is dedicated to his craft and this dedication also means always buying the right cameras and lenses to get the job done. Recently, Wareham upgraded his range of lenses to include two new Fujinon Cabrio lenses.

As Wareham explains, “The 19-90mm Cabrio lens really was a revelation and worked so well on all the shoots we used it for. You can really see the vast and dramatic improvement in Fujinon lenses over the last few years.

They also work well with proper motion picture cameras as opposed to lenses made for DSLRs which give you a totally different feel. I used the Cabrio on a Sony F5 and a Canon C300 “commando-style” cameras with excellent results and was very excited to hear that there was also an 85300mm lens becoming available so I got a demo and placed an order.”

ACQUISITION

Wareham was particularly impressed with the Cabrio lenses’ sharpness, light weight and flexibility.

He added, “I now have the broad 19-300mm range, 2.9-4.0, with just two lightweight zoom lenses. They are an excellent compliment to my existing range of lenses and perfect for shooting docos, TVCs or high turnaround TV series – seriously I can see shows like Home and Away and 60 Minutes eventually changing to these types of lenses as the 19-90 is perfect for drama. I love the versatility they give me as I am not having to continually

Mark Wareham ACS with his 19-90mm Fujinon Cabrio lens on the set of a Coles TVC shoot.

change lenses when using a handheld camera, Steadicam or crane. I’m also no longer weighed down by big, heavy lenses.”

Visit www.fujifilm.com.au

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SPORTSCASTING Sport coverage worldwide

www.content-technology.com/sportscasting

IMG Sport Video Archive Launches Download Service IMG SPORT VIDEO ARCHIVE, a division of IMG Worldwide, has launched a new online platform allowing access to the world’s largest dedicated sports library via the internet for the first time.

The research tool will allow customers to search, browse, watch, clip and download some of the world’s greatest sporting moments. As of May 1st 2013, the latest available action from Wimbledon, The Open Golf Championship, the Barclays Premier League, IRB Rugby World Cup, and the Australian Open, is available online.

The content has been digitised from its original film, SD, and HD formats to be made available online. The archive consists of match footage, programming and interviews. New content will also be continuously uploaded every week with other major sports and federations also coming onboard. While the priority is to upload the most recent footage, the archive dates back more than 100 years.

Richard Wise, Senior Vice President, IMG Media, said, “A tremendous amount of research and development has gone into this new resource including working very closely with our partners throughout the process. The result is a service that has a very user-friendly browser navigation system for our clients and customers. This in turn means that searching and viewing the specific footage they require will be a much easier process. We are confident the new website will prove an extremely popular addition to the service we already provide. Our aim has always been to create the world’s best sports archive and this is a major step in achieving our goal.”

Part of IMG Media, the largest independent producer, packager, and

distributor of sports programming in the world, IMG Sport Video Archive provides premium content solutions for a wide variety of mediums, including television productions, advertisements, movies, DVD and home videos, corporate presentations, mobile phones, training, websites, trade shows, education, and museums.

Users of the site will have instant access to the extensive catalogue of footage and customers will also be provided with news and content updates via quarterly e-newsletters and social media platforms.

Representing over 40 of the world’s biggest sporting federations, governing bodies and events, IMG Sport Video Archive is based in London, with offices around the world including New York, Shanghai, Sydney and Tokyo.

Among the highlights featured within the IMG Sport Archive: Seve Ballesteros’ three Open titles, Bjorn Borg’s and Roger Federer’s five in a row Wimbledon wins, Jonny Wilkinson’s 2003 Rugby World Cup winning drop goal, David Beckham’s goal from the halfway line in 1996 and action from The ATP, The Ashes, the Ryder Cup, and the U.S. Open and US PGA Championship golf events.

Visit www.imgsportvideoarchive.com.

Ten Secures Oz Rights for Winter Games

Evertz Dreamcatcher 4K Slo Mo Replay

THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) has awarded Ten

SINCE ITS LAUNCH AT NAB 2012, the Evertz Dreamcatcher slo-motion replay system has been used in a number of large sporting events including professional football, professional golf, auto racing, and baseball.

Network Holdings the rights to broadcast the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, in 2014. Ten Network Holdings has acquired broadcast rights on all media platforms in Australia.

IOC President, Jacques Rogge, said, “Australia is a sports-loving nation with passionate Olympic fans, and therefore we are very pleased to be able to announce this agreement with Ten to ensure fantastic broadcast coverage of the Olympic Winter Games.”

IOC Finance Commission Chairman, Richard Carrión, said, “Ten is an experienced sports broadcaster with a clear passion for the Olympic Games.

The agreement ensures there will be extensive free television coverage of next year’s Olympic Winter Games, as well as the very best broadcast coverage on other media platforms, including online and mobile.”

Ten Network Holdings CEO and Managing Director, Hamish McLennan, said, “We are delighted that Ten will be Australia’s Olympic network in 2014. The agreement with the IOC delivers on our strategy to increase our investment in premium sport. Australia will field its largest-ever Winter Olympic team at Sochi, and we are confident that some of those 56 athletes will be among the Games’ star performers. We are also confident that Australian viewers and advertisers will embrace our coverage of the Sochi Games.”

Visit www.olympic.org and www.ten.com.au

Now, with the advent of 4K UltraHD cameras, Dreamcatcher has the ability to provide the broadcaster with the ability to “zoom” into the 4K UltraHD raster to provide a totally unique replay experience in both 4K and the more conventional HDTV television standards.

According to Alan McIlwaine from Quinto Communications, Evertz’s distributor for Australia and New Zealand, “Dreamcatcher brings a host of new production techniques to sporting events including its impressive Mosaic feature that allows for multiple angles to be synchronised and played out at a single button press, offering the production team the ability to show the captured event from new perspectives. With its 4K capability and a host of new production features we believe Dreamcatcher can offer viewers exciting new images, whilst future proofing its technological lead.”

Based on Evertz’ VUE, Dreamcatcher is the first to utilise multi-touch interfaces to simplify the way operators prepare instant replays and highlights packages. Dreamcatcher’s interface allows operators easy access to various controls (such as router control) while providing an integrated multi-viewer system.

Visit www.evertz.com

SPORTSCASTING

IMG’s clients will have their own branded pages within the IMG Sport Video Archive site which uniquely allows access to full-length coverage as well as highlights of major events.

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SPORTSCASTING

The Glasgow Diaries: Chapter 3

By David Bowers

ACH! IT’S HERE SOMEWHERE...

I follow the muffled chiming of my mobile phone and find it beneath a pile of compound drawings – just as it goes to voice mail.

THE MISSED CALL IS FROM one of our Sydney-based broadcast engineers, checking in before Australia heads off for the ANZAC Day long weekend. The rest of the team is also preparing for yet another trip to Glasgow for the next stage of review with Ian Hirst and Caroline Ramsay, my colleagues looking after production and venue operations.

Even before the Sydney contingent arrives our steadily expanding Host Broadcaster team has outgrown the project office and we are in the midst of expanding to our adjoining premises at 227 Ingram Street.

Our task list is growing exponentially so we are keeping strictly to the timeline our project management software mandates.

What may look like chaos to the casual observer is well under control, really!

Phone exhumed, I return my attention to the latest release drawings, formally called R2, which are the third such release on the critical path:

R0 Base layouts and overall outdoor elements required for design.

R1 Indoor elements. Sport details. Positions for cameras and commentators. Mixed zones. Display boards. Utility locations and access.

R2 Detailed elements for broadcast components, roads and access.

Major cable routes. Seating and stand locations. All press and broadcast position details.

R3 Refine elements and add broadcast lighting overlay.

R4 Final drawings release.

The hectic pace within our office mirrors that across Glasgow. Early last Sunday morning a telecommunications crew were laying fibre optic cable in front of my building.

SPORTSCASTING

The extent of activity is also apparent from the air, and on precious clear days I have been fortunate enough to fly over the city and vicinity to finalise the flight plans for the event weeks, which I have just submitted to the Organising Committee.

Survey for microwave link from Glasgow University to the SECC (Main IBC).

Kelvingrove lawn bowls green in the foreground, the Hydro (background left) and Clyde Auditorium

These need to be set far in advance given the extensive activity that will be taking place in the skies – both visible and invisible.

In addition to helicopters capturing aerial footage of the city and events such as the marathon, at Games time we will also have an aircraft that will act as a repeater platform for the motorbike-mounted cameras as well as a repeater back-up for the helicopters if they fly out of the ground-receive zone.

Accordingly, establishing the sites for cameras and clear radio frequency (RF) coverage for communications and video transmission is critical. With local RF experts I have spent the past two months surveying promising locations, though it’s been a little deceptive as many of Glasgow’s trees are only just getting their leaves. By summer they’ll provide market umbrella-like shading – something that will impact both aerial pictures and signal reception.

The extensive local understanding of RF-related topics has been invaluable: knowing the premium locations as well as areas to avoid due to mobile phone signal congestion, radar interference, and the spots where police high power data links operate.

From an initial list of preferred and backup sites, we finalised the RF surveys this week in conjunction with the venue technical managers and the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee.

One of the most central RF coverage points will be the City of Glasgow College site that overlooks Glasgow Green with a spectacular view of the River Clyde and into the distance where much of the marathon course will run.

Meanwhile, many of the venues are rapidly taking shape and will soon be ready for us to begin readying them for broadcast activities.

Among them is The Hydro, Scotland’s largest purpose-built indoor arena, scheduled to officially open in early September. A striking, 12,000-seat circular auditorium on the river bank, it will be used for gymnastics during the Games.

Next door is the Scottish Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC), which will serve as the hub of the International Broadcasting Centre. The Host Broadcaster project team has established a precinct in the exhibition car

Home for weightlifting during the Games, Clyde Auditorium – also known as the Armadilo!

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SPORTSCASTING park that will eventually evolve into the broadcast hub for the event.

We are about to embark on the first round of site visits for outside broadcast (OB) supplier and specialty camera systems. Over a two-week period we will walk through each of the venues with our nominated suppliers to cover off all aspects of our needs. To name just a few: parking, power, camera locations, cable paths, security, access, and accreditation procedures.

The International Swimming Centre in Tollcross is one example of a specialised venue where the Host Broadcaster will subcontract overhead, poolside track-mounted, and underwater cameras to specialist providers.

Camera mounting and mechanical requirements however need to be scoped out well in advance, hence our site visit today.

The changes since my first visit five months ago are dramatic.

On the way home I drop by the excellent Maggie May for a wee pint and discuss the day’s activities with my colleagues. This all-in, big early effort is great to be part of – a career highlight for me, and still 14 months to go!

David Bowers is head of engineering and technical operations for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Host Broadcaster contract.

Glasgow Games gymnastics venue, the Hydro.

BBC Lines Up Live Streams from Glasgow BBC AUDIENCES THROUGHOUT Scotland and the UK will be kept in

“In this endeavour, we will work closely with colleagues in Salford

the picture with live streams from the Commonwealth Games venues.

and London and with BBC teams and other broadcasters across the

Delivering the Royal Television Society’s Campbell Swinton Lecture in Glasgow recently, BBC Scotland Director Ken MacQuarrie said the broadcaster will be taking up the baton from the coverage of 2012’s Olympic Games in London.

Commonwealth to ensure that the programming of, and around, the He told the audience 2014 is a particularly important year for the broadcaster. He said, “It is the year in which we will commemorate the outbreak of the Great War, we will cover the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and, of course, we will report on every twist and turn of the debate surrounding the [Scottish] Independence referendum.”

SPORTSCASTING

He said, “In many ways, the Games came of age in a digital world, defined to large extent by the BBC’s approach to coverage. We will adopt a similar approach to the Commonwealth Games, during which 15 separate streams will be beamed from 17 locations around Scotland.

Games will be second to none.”

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NEWS OPERATIONS www.content-technology.com/newsoperations

Importance of Video Grows in Online News A REPORT FOR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

their PC, smart phone or tablet.

(AP), produced by Deloitte with research by GfK, provides what is claimed to be the first in-depth study into video news consumption.

The report entitled “White Smoke, the new era for video news”, demonstrates the increasingly critical role of video in online news sites. The report, based on a survey of respondents in UK, Germany, and Spain examines demand for video news content and the implications for broadcasters, publishers and other organisations offering online news.

The report advises online publishers, especially TV broadcasters, that their online video news strategy should not simply replicate the editorial strategy for TV news. The findings clearly indicate that online video offers opportunities for engaging different types of viewers, particularly the young: while 16-24 year-olds appear the least engaged with news in general they are the heaviest users of online video news. Two-thirds watch video news once a week, the highest proportion of any age group.

The research findings include: Most (86%) UK consumers have accessed news online frequently; of these nearly half (47%) watch video news clips on a regular basis; 85% of UK consumers believe video brings a news story to life; and 77% feel it improves their understanding of a story.

Deloitte’s expectation is that consumption of video news online should increase over time, driven by the continuing spread of smart phones, strong growth in tablets, as well as steadily increasing broadband speeds, via fixed and mobile connections. Further, the rising resolution of smartphone and tablet screens will enable video to become more vivid.

The research also found that a third of respondents (32%) would go elsewhere if video content was not available at their preferred news source. In addition, the research found that respondents who watch news videos online also place the greatest importance on keeping up-to-date with news.

The research also showed the important role online plays in breaking news stories. While TV predominates as the first source (41%) for breaking news, online is the key source for greater depth on a story, with 69% turning to

watched the smoke turn white signifying the election of the new Pope on TV and many more were watching live online. That is the nature of today’s news where video plays a vital role in bringing a story alive, not just for TV broadcasters but for any online publisher."

Matthew Guest, Deloitte media director, said, “This research has shown that video is no longer a luxury option for a professional news site; it is becoming an obligation. Most consumers, in most markets regard video as essential to the news experience – in conjunction with text and images. Video increases loyalty, adds differentiation between services among a crowded online news marketplace. Video enables news organisations of all kinds to engage with the social media generation in a way that text-only websites, newspapers, and TV do not.

The research also found that tablet owners are enthusiastic consumers of video news online. In the UK, 91% of respondents have watched a news video on a tablet. As well as clearly indicating that smart phone and tablet proliferation will drive the need for online publishers to include video news content, it also showed that the format of video news needs to be appropriate for these platforms.

“The news industry must challenge itself to think about the way consumers will enjoy content on all of these platforms, providing news to consumers when they want it, in the format and on the device they prefer. Online video provides another option for doing this and an exciting opportunity to engage the younger audiences that are often – and inaccurately, based on our survey – perceived to be uninterested in news.”

Sue Brooks, director of video transformation at AP, said, “Tens of millions of people recently

View the report at http://marketing.ap.org/videonewsinsights

Mosart Updates Newscast Automation MOSART NEWSCAST AUTOMATION 3.4 has a range of new features and functions, including a redesigned graphical user interface (GUI) with full user configurability.

NEWS OPERATIONS

Story elements such as cameras, clips, and graphics can be assigned to buttons for simple and quick access. A range of interface overviews also can be assigned to buttons, making the GUI a shot box for touch screens and adaptable for a range of TV productions.

Story scripts from the newsroom computer system are shown directly in the Mosart GUI, and Mosart operators can store clips and graphical elements in a pool ready for execution on request.

Newscast Automation 3.4 now also includes interfaces with Harris Nexio and Grass Valley K2 video servers; Calrec and Stagetec audio mixers; Casper, Xpression, and Pixelpower graphics; and Brainstorm virtual studio and Camerobot systems. Mosart’s industry-

Content repurposing/reuse and media asset management (MAM) integration are enhanced with Mosart’s delivery of news as-run information to continuity control systems such as Snell’s Morpheus. Through the news as-run integration, continuity and MAM systems are now able to reuse individual stories or events from earlier recorded Mosart productions. Mosart can also be user-configured to query MAM systems for metadata information.

package for larger multi-studio broadcasters, and consists of Mosart Media Router and Mosart Template Sharing. The package provides highly efficient, streamlined sharing of resources and coordination across several control rooms. Scarce resources such as video server ports and graphics engines can be shared for optimal use of infrastructure.

Workflow for journalists and production staff is optimised across the broadcasting facilities through template sharing and an automated template database, making it possible to create templates that can be called by the journalists from the Newsroom Computer System (NRCS) throughout the organisation and can be used in multiple control rooms.

Mosart’s system also integrates with studio management systems to provide the ultimate in efficiency and economy.

Mosart multi-studio solution is a software

Visit www.mosart.no

leading open-systems compatibility is extended with new support for Octopus and Annova’s OpenMedia in addition to ENPS, iNEWS, Dalet News, and NorCom’s NCPower.

Mosart’s Virtual Audio Fader Panel gives the director and production staff more control and a better overview of audio faders and levels — both those on air and those coming up next.

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NEWS OPERATIONS

Rugged Mobile Server Notebook GETAC TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, a manufacturer of rugged computers, is introducing the X500 Rugged Mobile Server and will be distributed exclusively by Synnex Australia. Designed for mobile command centers, the new briefcase-size X500 is a commercial off-the-shelf, high-performance, mobile, rugged server that provides quick deployment and can be transported into emergency, disaster, and temporary set-ups across Australia and overseas.

a quad core X500 ultra-rugged notebook, and adds a RAID expansion chassis, complete with RAID controller board and up to five shockprotected storage drives that can be accessed or swapped through one of two quick access doors. Embedded inside the RAID expansion chassis is a RAID controller card for enterpriseclass server applications. The X500 supports RAID levels 0, 1, and 5 and includes software designed to make it easy to view, monitor, and configure the storage in a mobile server.

The X500 rugged mobile server is built from

The X500 is powered by an Intel Core i7-820QM

1.73 GHz quad core processor with 16GB of RAM. Additionally, the server features the NVIDIA GeForce GT330M discrete VGA graphic controller with 1GB of memory and comes standard with an integrated 15.6 inch 800NITs QuadraClear sunlight-readable display.

The X500 Rugged Mobile Server weighs less than 8.6kg, is MIL-STD-810G certified for ruggedness and shock protection, and its IP65 rating covers it for water and dust.

Visit http://apac.getac.com or www.synnex.com.au

New AP Images Platform THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (AP) has unveiled a new platform to give customers better access to its vast collection of news and archival images, one of the largest in the world.

“This platform makes it easier for our customers to capitalise on our broad distribution network and extensive collection of imagery,” said Fernando Ferre, vice president of AP Images. “We

have listened to feedback from our clients and redesigned our user experience to include more of what they are looking for when searching for, purchasing and using our content.”

Ferre added, “Our new storefront also enables us to market our comprehensive offering in new ways and to target and convert new customers.”

Visit www.ap.org.

NEWS OPERATIONS

The new platform for AP Images, can be found at www.apimages.com. It offers quicker search speed with type-ahead functionality, infinite scrolling, curated collections, and a design with image rollovers and larger thumbnails providing

users with a much improved experience. It also makes image downloads faster, sharing photos simpler, and a user’s workflow more efficient with the ability to tag images with multiple project names.

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POST PRODUCTION www.content-technology.com/postproduction

Proven Reliance - Colourist Ken Metzker Ken Metzker joined Reliance MediaWorks in Mumbai, India, as senior colourist in August 2007. Here, he talks about the everyday challenges of colour grading.

C+T: How did you get into the job as a colourist?

KM: My first role in post-production was as ‘the coffee guy’. However, the beauty of this role was that I got to meet the clients and see everything that was possible in the grading suites. This is when I realised I wanted to be a colourist.

C+T: What gives you a buzz about colour?

KM: Colour also has a critical role in storytelling. I love how colour can help covey specific emotions in a scene. It can make the scene richer and less forced and help the flow of the movie. I get a real buzz when I am able to help recreate a time or event with colour, to separate a certain period or location.

C+T: What sort of projects do you work on?

is exciting - especially as we move further into the independent market, as the looks can be much more intense.

C+T: What makes for a good day at the desk?

KM: Making film is all about collaboration and it takes a big team of people to be successful.

Along with this collaboration, comes some disagreements and a lot of my day can be spent as a visual facilitator. A good day for me is when the DP, Director, Producers and I all have very similar ideas on the vision of the movie and time is spent enhancing and finessing this vision.

C+T: What is the best film you have ever worked on? And why?

KM: I started out working on music videos and then moved to TV series and commercials, but now I am solely focused on digitally manipulating colours on feature films: specifically, Bollywood movies. The movies are twice as long in their running time as those in America so timing the movies can sometimes be twice as challenging as the process is longer and there is usually a large team of creatives involved.

KM: It is very hard to decide as each project has its own special features. One project, like Talaash, can be really gritty as the setting of Mumbai actually becomes a background character, while other projects, like Student of the Year, can be spent making the characters look beautiful and flawless. I also really enjoy working on movies like Barfi!, as it allowed such scope in creating different looks to separate different times and locations in the characters’ lives.

Traditional Bollywood movies are good fun as there is so much variation of colour in one film.

Catering for the entire family, one movie may combine four different genres, for example: kids, comedy, romance and action. The new school Bollywood, though, is becoming more and more popular as we begin to see movies tailored to a specific demographic, as well as more independent movies for the domestic audience. The market is changing quickly, which

When describing the best film for me, I think of movies where my work has been able to better tell the story. A recent movie that comes to mind is Mani Ratnam’s Kadal. Initially, the director was thinking of doing the beginning scenes – which mostly featured the main character as a child struggling with the loss of his mother - in black and white. However, along with the DP, Rajiv Menon, we were able to come up with a look that conveyed what the director wanted but in

Ken Metzker, top colourist (not so good at paintball).

a much more dramatic way that helped create a mood more suited to the story. We were able to enhance the blue of the ocean, which is an important element of the film, while emphasising the beach with a more monochromatic yellow feel and, overall, gave a dated feel to this section of the film.

C+T: How much of a part does technology play in the way you work?

KM: Technology definitely has a big part to play in my role as a colourist. In the past, the colour timer of the lab had only the brightness of red, green, or blue to finalise the look of the movie. Today, it’s not that simple as we have a huge number of tools and techniques that can be applied.

This means we can finesse the image to a much greater degree. This is extremely important nowadays, especially for VFX shots when the colourist is matching VFX with multiple shot elements in one image. Not to mention when a film combines shots from digital capture and stock footage. With all these challenges we can still achieve a consistent look, ensuring the movie flows from scene to scene and giving the entire film its own unique feel.

POST PRODUCTION

Another area where technology has really changed the way I work is the speed in which I am able to go from grading to release. Grading used to be done months in advance of a film’s release date but today it’s done very last minute and time is absolutely critical. We couldn’t meet these deadlines without good, reliable technology around us.

C+T: How does FilmLight’s Baselight compare to other technology you’ve used in the past?

KM: I’ve been using FilmLight’s Baselight for five years now, so as long as I’ve been at Reliance.

I was extremely lucky because when I started in this position I was given the opportunity to 2013’s Kadal (The Sea), a Tamil drama film directed and co-produced by Mani Ratnam.

Continued page 38 

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POST PRODUCTION

Smoke 2013 Extended AUTODESK HAS ANNOUNCED AUTODESK Smoke 2013 Extension 1 professional video editing software. As part of the product roadmap and influenced by extensive feedback from editors, the release will feature numerous enhancements to help improve functionality, add flexibility and increase speed.

The Smoke 2013 Extension 1 release will introduce support for Blackmagic video IO devices: DeckLink (PCIe video boards); UltraStudio (Thunderbolt boxes) and the Intensity product line; as well as a powerful new set of trim tools.

Key features include: New support for Blackmagic DeckLink, UltraStudio and Intensity series video IO devices New Trim View and new dynamic trimming tools for faster editing New support for SonyRAW footage from Sony F5 and F55 cameras Improved conform workflow with Apple Final Cut Pro X allows more accurate translation of speed changes and ability to conform ARRI Alexa ProRes files Improved feedback mechanisms help editors better track background processes, monitor renders and identify errors Improved performance in MediaHub when navigating large data sets Improved 3D compositing performance in Action when working with 3D objects, shaders and textures Visit www.autodesk.com

Future Reality Opens Adobe Laboratory AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR FUTURE Reality has announced the establishment of its Adobe Demonstration Laboratory to support the launch of the Adobe Anywhere collaborative workflow platform and new Adobe video tools.

“Our laboratory in Lane Cove, Sydney, has been running as the only Adobe Anywhere pilot site in this region with multiple workstations configured with Adobe software,” said David Edgar, Managing Director of Future Reality. “We have been working closely with local broadcasters, production and post-production facilities on this new and exciting technology and we are now fully equipped to offer training, sales and support.

“The next version of Adobe video tools has been developed with features created in direct response to the needs of filmmakers, broadcasters and video professionals and we are ready to introduce teams or individual freelancers to these advances,” said Edgar.

Launched at NAB, Adobe Anywhere empowers teams using Adobe professional video tools such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, and Adobe Prelude to work together accessing and managing centrally stored media and assets across virtually any network.

Adobe Anywhere’s unique open platform architecture allows the use of existing infrastructure and integration with standard IT hardware, software, and network processes, thus reducing the need for additional capital expenditure and resources. Adobe Anywhere complements Adobe Creative Cloud and enables deep collaboration features for enterprise-ready production workflows.

Two key components of Adobe Anywhere include the Adobe Mercury Streaming Engine and the Adobe Anywhere Collaboration Hub. With the powerful Adobe Mercury Streaming Engine, video professionals can eliminate hours of time spent transferring or duplicating large files and give team members instant access to files from anywhere.

The Adobe Anywhere Collaboration Hub removes the boundaries between project files and allows multiple people to use different applications to access work on the same project files at the same time. And, to support the Adobe Anywhere open platform, Adobe is collaborating with industry-leading companies including EMC Isilon, HP, NVIDIA, Quantum StorNext, and Supermicro.

Particle Simulator for Autodesk Autodesk 3ds 3dsMax Max THINKBOX SOFTWARE HAS ANNOUNCED Stoke MX, a particle simulator plug-in for Autodesk 3ds Max designed to simplify and accelerate the creation of high-volume particle clouds driven by velocity fields.

Fast and easy to use, Stoke MX supports a large number of emitter and velocity sources, and introduces new workflows. Previously unavailable capabilities include multi-threaded particle advection, rapid memorybuffered playback, and asynchronous multi-threaded particle file saving, which enables significantly higher performance compared to existing workflows.

“The flexibility of Stoke is phenomenal so we are super excited to see what artists can do with it,” said Chris Bond, founder, Thinkbox Software. “Stoke enables a completely new way of working. Instead of being stuck in a rigid linear simulation workflow, artists can essentially layer their particles and work backwards to mix, enhance or alter simulation data quickly and easily without having to re-simulate. It opens up a lot of possibilities.”

Visit www.thinkboxsoftware.com

Visit www.future.com.au

AJA Supports FilmLight AJA VIDEO SYSTEMS HAS announced an OEM relationship with FilmLight through which its KONA 3G capture and playback card will support multichannel ingest and playout for FilmLight’s FLIP real-time image processor.

FilmLight will bundle AJA’s KONA 3G as part of FLIP. Leveraging KONA 3G, FLIP users will be able to preview the colour grading of live raw footage with a range of HD video I/O channel combinations and can set FLIP to record or playback multiple HD-SDI streams.

FilmLight’s FLIP applies lookup tables, grades and filter effects to the live output of a camera while shooting on set. Inserted directly in the single or dual-link HD-SDI feed between camera and monitor, it utilises GPU accelerated hardware, Baselight grading, and Truelight 3D LUT technology to apply looks to raw footage to preview how the final grade will appear in post.

KONA 3G is AJA’s professional video and audio desktop I/O card with 10-bit uncompressed video 3G/HD/SD SDI I/O, HDMI 1.4a output for stereographic monitoring to consumer 3D displays, 4K I/O, 8-channel AES digital audio I/O (16-channel AES with optional K3G-Box) and 16-channel SDI embedded audio I/O. Visit www.filmlight.ltd.uk and www.aja.com

POST PRODUCTION

Editors can now make more precise timing decisions quickly with the new trim view in Smoke 2013 Extension 1.

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POST PRODUCTION  Continued from page 36

choose my team and my equipment. I am very pleased that I chose Baselight.

When I was told I could have any system I wanted, I went off to IBC in Amsterdam to research my options. FilmLight’s Baselight quickly became the obvious choice for grading: it was simply a ‘no-brainer’ for me. We evaluated many possible solutions and found that nothing compared. With Truelight, it is such a well thought out software. Even today I can’t think of another system that comes close to the combination of grading tools, real-time grading (no matter what resolution or codecs), ease of use (because it is designed for post with a road map to the future) and colour management system.

A simple example of this is what happens when software crashes, or loses power. When I was researching my options at IBC I pulled the plug on each system I looked at. When I powered the Baselight back up, I was shocked that not even one grade was lost. As an experienced colourist I knew the software engineers at FilmLight were thinking about the working colourist when they added this valuable feature.

On the more complex side, Baselight can handle multiple VFX mattes, with multiple VFX versions in an intuitive and timely manner. This allows the colourist working with multiple clients in tight delivery schedules to work efficiently in making the right decisions for the VFX and grading of the VFX. No other system comes close.

C+T: Do you find the new generation of “RAW” cameras give you more control?

KM: Raw cameras like that of F65, Alexa or Epic allow for great control and are rapidly approaching the image building capabilities of film; and in some specific areas exceeding it. However, in all honesty, I personally prefer to work with content that has been shot on film because of its organic feel.

That said, I have completed the grading of many films captured digitally and have been very happy with the results. The capture dynamic quality and delayering tools of each manufacturers format has improved dramatically since I started grading digital formats. This will continue and it will not be long until I am surprised that I ever favoured film capture, as the digital formats will soon have exceeded the ability of film in all ways.

Bluefish444 Support for Creative Cloud BLUEFISH444, has announced its support for Adobe Creative Cloud, including a Windows plug-in for Premiere Pro CC enabling 4K SDI preview.

Bluefish444 Epoch | 4K Supernova video cards are now supported by the Adobe Mercury Transmit plug-in. Epoch | 4K Supernova enables Adobe video editing tools new 4K SDI functionality building on the existing 2K/HD/ SD workflows already provided by the Create and Epoch video card range.

New 4K SDI functionality brought to Adobe Mercury Transmit by Epoch 4K | Supernova includes: 4K/2K/HD/SD HD-SDI Outputs on a single video card QFHD 3840×2160 23fps-30fps 4:2:2 YUV 8/10-bit HD-SDI 4 x Level A & B 3G BNC Outputs Visit www.bluefish444.com

Fujifilm Showcases CCBOXX FUJIFILM HAS SHOWCASED ITS CCBOXX Image Processing System

POST PRODUCTION

at NAB 2013. Consisting of a hardware unit that delivers high-speed and high-precision image processing and an accompanying iPad app, the system accurately presents the colours that would appear on cinema screens on an on-set monitor, and offers intuitive operations by using the iPad as a controller.

NAB 2013 also saw Fujifilm introduce its new concept CCBOXX Mini, which can work with multiple monitors and cameras. The CCBOXX Mini enables multiple monitors to be individually calibrated for proper viewing.

Visit www.fujifilm.com.au

A scene from Barfi!, the 2012 romantic comedy-drama directed, written and coproduced by Anurag Basu.

C+T: The gap is closing between production and post, do you get asked to consult at the start of a project? If yes, can you give some example of how or what you do.

KM: Once in a while I’ll get a phone call from a DP asking what I think would be the best digital camera for a specific production. Through my experience of grading various formats and seeing the final results I am able to offer advice on what camera might best fit their needs in a very unbiased way.

DPs have started to ask more questions and I will often find myself inviting them in to do a test on material before the official production begins. It might be to help them determine the power of lighting that’s needed to achieve a certain look and feel, for example, but in the end it allows both of us to understand what can be accomplished in post and what needs to be achieved during production. It also allows the colourist and DP to develop a common visual communication.

DPs today have a lot more knowledge of what goes on in post-production, and vice versa. The gap is closing rapidly and I believe that in five years from now everything will be done on-set and traditional post houses, as we know them today, will no longer exist.

Visit www.reliancemediaworks.com

Self-Serve Workflow with MediaSilo AT THE 2013 NAB SHOW, MediaSilo unveiled the company’s new selfserve workflow automation platform, which gives creative professionals a simple way to build the video workflows they want. With the platform, users can select and link key tasks in a cohesive end-to-end solution tailored to their needs. Workflows can include automated tasks and human tasks, with an online user interface for task management. Users can launch a workflow just by dropping a file into the platform’s new desktop application.

MediaSilo has partnered with a premier editing software supplier to build a lightweight and efficient digital dailies solution for use with videoediting applications. Engineered specifically to meet the requirements of a top U.S. entertainment network, the integrated solution facilitates ingest, logging, rough-cuts, and collaborative review of content without the need for costly on-set server systems and associated technical staff.

The MediaSilo platform’s new Paper Cut feature enables fast and easy creation of rough-cut video clips based on transcripts of video managed

by MediaSilo. The user simply drags transcript snippets from one or many videos to the Paper Cut pod to create a rough-cut edit. The Paper Cut player provides a preview of the resulting clip, which can be exported as a Final Cut Pro sequence file and viewed as an edited rough-cut in Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, or Avid Media Composer.

The MediaSilo iPad App gives users access to their media assets from anywhere. Creative professionals and teams can use this native iOS app to access the MediaSilo cloud library, locate the content they need, and download it for offline review. Newly introduced enhancements include content annotation and approvals.

Visit www.mediasilo.com

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RADIO The original broadcast media

Media Prima Radio Taps Triton for Ad Insertion TRITON DIGITAL has announced a successful deployment of its Advertising Platform including Ad Injector technology to Media Prima Radio Networks, the radio division of Malaysia’s leading integrated media investment group which includes Hot FM, Fly FM, and one FM. Triton Digital’s Ad Injector replaces over 500,000 on-air spots per day, powering more than four million sessions each month, adding up to five million listening hours. The technology provides broadcasters with the ability to customise the online consumer experience and drive incremental revenue through the growing audience in this channel.

Media Prima Radio Networks is the first Asia Pacific-based publisher to utilise Ad Injector within its interAds product.

“The ability to replace ads enables us to deliver a personal experience to each and every listener, resulting in increased engagement and audience growth for each of our stations,” said Seelan Paul, CEO of Media Prima Radio Networks.

“Ad replacement is absolutely critical to a radio broadcasters’ ability to monetise their online streams and results in a better overall experience for listeners. We are very proud to serve the advertising needs of Media Prima Radio Networks and have them further validate Triton’s Advertising Platform and Ad Injector technology to manage and monetise their online audience,” said Jay Supovitz, SVP/ GM of International Markets at Triton Digital.

Visit www.tritondigital.com

Digigram LINKing in Singapore AT BROADCASTASIA2013, the Digigram team will feature the company’s audio and video solutions.

The Digigram CANCUN 442-Mic features four mic preamps, a professional level of +25 dBu max, simultaneous analogue and AES/EBU support, and latency below 4 ms on both Mac OS and Windows platforms, just some of the features offered by the CANCUN 442-Mic. Digigram will demonstrate how the IQOYA *MOBILE iPhone app transforms an iPhone into a high-quality AAC and MPEG-L2 recorder/editor IP codec. Armed with just an iPhone, journalists can record audio, edit it, and send the finished piece to the studio either as live audio over IP or via FTP. During the show, Digigram will highlight IQOYA *CALL/LE, a versatile addition to the IQOYA range

of audio-over-IP (AoIP) codecs. It provides fullduplex IP audio sessions over standard Internet and 3G connections thanks to hassle-free symmetric RTP connection mode.

The IQOYA *LINK and *LINK/LE are stereo IP audio codecs for mission-critical program delivery. Featuring Digigram’s FluidIP and designed from the start for dual-stream operation, IQOYA *LINK and /LE will demonstrate their ability to assure broadcast-quality audio transmission on imperfect IP networks.

For custom multiple-stereo or multichannel solutions, Digigram offers the IQOYA *SERV/ LINK, which groups several distribution codec instances on a single processing hardware platform.

Visit www.digigram.com

www.content-technology.com/radio

Chinese Auto Maker on Board with DTS DTS INC., the developer of high-definition audio solutions and audio enhancement technologies, has announced further collaboration with BYD, a rapidly-growing automotive and green-energy technology company in China, to expand implementation of DTS Digital Surround into four models of BYD vehicles, set to launch in China in Q2 2013.

DTS’ existing alliances enable BYD owners to enjoy high-definition audio content when listening to the Guangzhou Broadcasting Network (GZBN) and Anhui FM radio stations in their vehicles. DTS Digital Surround is an audio codec designed to deliver high-quality surround sound with greater frequency response and dynamic range.

Visit www.dts.com

WorldDMB DAB+ Workshop at BroadcastAsia BROADCASTASIA SERVES as the regional launch pad for the latest and most wide-ranging technologies by some of the biggest and most promising enterprises from around the world.

At this year’s BroadcastAsia 2013 Exhibition and Conference, WorldDMB will be in attendance and will host a workshop on the roll-out of digital radio and hold meetings with industry stakeholders from across the region The WorldDMB DAB+ Workshop will be held on Thursday 20 June 8:30 – 17:00, focussing on the latest trends and developments for digital radio.

There are sessions on keeping radio relevant, revenue opportunities, choosing the right digital radio standard, hybrid radio, radio in cars, and a regulatory “super session”.

Visit www.broadcast-asia.com

Load the Code – Automobile Growth Opportunities in the Asia Pacific To view, scan the QR code or visit http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=72bVJ2PABdA

RADIO

Joan Warner, Commercial Radio Australia

A VIDEO PRESENTATION by Joan Warner, Chief Executive Officer, Commercial Radio Australia and Chairman of the WorldDMB Asia Pacific Committee, was shown at the recent 5th WorldDMB European Automotive Event in Hamburg, Germany. The presentation gives a brief overview of DAB+ digital radio in the Asia Pacific, its growth and its impact on the automotive sector, as well as the opportunities offered by emerging markets throughout the region.

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RADIO

Lawo EDIT: The Editing Software For Radio Broadcasting production tasks proceed more swiftly and efficiently. The software also reconciles an intuitive user interface with operating philosophies now prevalent in the radio sector and is easily adapted to the personal preferences of users.

LAWO HAS broadened its product range with the launch of EDIT, a software solution for radio production. EDIT is a powerful tool for the generation of the full spectrum of editorial content in radio broadcasting. Whether reporting, interviews, or the creation and continuous updating of recurring pieces, EDIT offers a dedicated toolkit for each task.

With its clever system of user guidance and variety of working modes, EDIT ensures

Prism Sound Launches New Versions of SADiE 6 PRISM SOUND HAS RELEASED two new versions of its SADiE 6 software.

SADiE 6 Professional and SADiE 6 Lite are designed to bring this audio production and recording software to a much wider audience by allowing users to access the software at a lower price point.

Graham Boswell, Sales Director of Prism Sound, says, “SADiE has always excelled in roles where the most sophisticated editing capabilities are required and where reliability and robustness are paramount. However, we have recognised that not every user needs a full complement of features and functionality, so we have tailored specific versions of SADiE 6 software to suit different budgets and applications.”

RADIO

SADiE 6 Lite presents the core capabilities of SADiE in an entry-level package, while SADiE 6 Professional can handle unlimited tracks and incorporates one year’s free support including all major updates.

Both SADiE Lite and SADiE Professional include SADiE’s array of flexible and non-destructive editing tools such as the Playlist, Trim, and Region editors. They also provide a slimmed down core set of iZotope VST plug-ins and the wellestablished palette of SADiE channel strip processing.

Visit www.prismsound.com

EDIT boasts a whole array of sophisticated features, such as the voice-over production solution, Reporter Box, or the simultaneous use of multiple data formats in one and the same project. Native integrated sound processors from the mc² mixing console series assure audio signal processing of reference quality. Also included is a loudness function in accordance with EBU R128 and ATSC A/85 that can be used not only for real-time metering, but also for the loudness analysis of archive material (whether clips or entire takes).

EDIT can be used with the full range of commonly encountered audio hardware as well as being fully compatible through its standardised interfaces with database solutions in the radio sector.

Various versions of the program are available for different areas of application.

Visit www.lawo.de

Government Boosts Support for Regional Services THE GOVERNMENT is providing $2.7 million over four years to help communities in regional and remote Australia access an increased range of radio services on the Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) service.

“The VAST service is being deployed across Australia to provide digital television and radio services in remote and regional areas, replacing the Aurora satellite platform, which will cease transmission at the end of 2013,” Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy said.

VAST currently provides more than 90 radio services from the national, community and commercial broadcasters, an increase from the 65 radio services provided on the current Aurora satellite service.

“The funding of $2.7 million will assist community groups and local councils upgrade their radio transmission equipment so they can retransmit radio channels from the new VAST service,” Senator Conroy said.

This additional funding is on top of the $2.7 million the Government is providing to the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (AMRAP) over five years.

“AMRAP is a highly successful and important program that assists musicians and community broadcasters increase the amount of contemporary Australian music they put on air,” Senator Conroy added.

Visit www.dbcde.gov.au

ASI and WinMedia Announce Agreement AUDIOSCIENCE, INC. (ASI), who designs and manufactures advanced DSP based digital audio peripherals, has announced that WinMedia, a France-based multifaceted Value Added Reseller has agreed to standardise on ASI Broadcast products for their Radio Automation Solutions.

By incorporating ASI’s audio cards and WinMedia’s pre-set packages and tailormade solutions this provides greater choice for the broadcaster’s precise needs.

“This is a very important day for the WinMedia’s sales force, because with this agreement, we could offer to our distributors, a worldwide pricing based on USD. The range of ASI card coverage all the needs of our modules, production, ingest, live and automatic playout, multi-area splits, logger, podcast and streaming,” says Stephane Tesoriere, CEO of WinMedia Group.

Visit www.winmedia.us and www.audioscience.com

Factum and Teracom Cloud-Based DAB+ FACTUM AND TERACOM have recently been successful in its efforts to make the transition from traditional DAB+ HW to a solution based on virtual machines.

The Swedish network operator Teracom is now on air with a complete DAB+ head end system running on a virtual platform.

This is the first time that a complete DAB+ system is capable of being realised without dedicated hardware. Instead, it is now running as a piece of software on an existing IT infrastructure for virtual machines.

Product Manager at Teracom, Per Borgå, comments, “Running a complex system like DAB+ multiplexers on existing virtual infrastructure gives benefits that are clear and easy to measure. It is now easy to add regionalisation and new services without the additional cost for setting up dedicated hardware. Adding digital radio to our existing IT infrastructure also means we can share backup strategies, clustering, 24/7 performance monitoring and more, with other critical services in the Teracom network.”

The Factum DAB system generation 7 can be running on all existing virtual platforms, and has been intensively tested with Microsoft Hyper V, Oracle Virtual Box and VMWare.

Visit www.factum.se and www.teracom.se

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AUDIO Digital soundwaves

www.content-technology.com/audio

A Spiritual Vista at Godlywood BRAHMA KUMARIS, World Renewal Spiritual Trust has recently constructed Godlywood Studios in its Shantivan Complex at its International Headquarters at Abu Road, Rajasthan, India. This highly advanced electronic media studio creates television programs and films dedicated to spreading spiritual knowledge and Raja Yoga meditation. This ambitious studio project was conceived and initiated by BK. Ramesh Shah, Managing Trustee of the Brahma Kumari Organization. To help achieve this vision, Godlywood Studios has installed a HARMAN Studer Vista 1 mixing console to serve at the heart of its audio system.

The Brahma Kumaris, World Renewal Spiritual Trust organisation is spread over 138 countries with 8,500 centres. Following BK. Ramesh Shah’s vision to create a world-class studio with all functional infrastructure facilities under one roof, the implementation of this project was handed over to Shri.

Haridas Bhanushali (BK Harilal). Under the leadership and guidance of BK Harilal, the team executed this project in a short span of one year.

“The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organization (BKWSO) chose the Studer Vista 1 as the perfect fit for Godlywood studios because the primary requirement was that of a compact solution without compromise on system performance, DSP capability or reliability. The Studer Vista 1 enables us to have the control surface, I/O system, DSP and power supplies all contained within one very small footprint console,” said Shashi Mekal, Technical Head, Godlywood Studios.

The BKWSO was also impressed with the Vista 1 for its user-friendly, easy-tolearn interface and unique functionality with its Vistonics user interface and

Astro Tackles Loudness with STAGETEC KUALA LUMPUR-BASED BROADCASTER Measat Broadcast Network System Sdn Bhd has appointed SALZBRENNER STAGETEC Media Academy as consultants to support their switch from level-based loudness management to loudness metering based on the ITU 1770 standard for their Astro Pay-TV channels.

By switching to loudness metering and processing Measat aims to deliver a uniform, high-quality sound experience throughout all the Astro channels. Since 2010 Astro has been equipped with STAGETEC NEXUS audio routing systems and AURUS consoles which offer native loudness metering as well as support for third-party-solutions such as Pinguin LndServer.

A first round of training and consultancy was held in March 2013 and led by loudness expert Jean-Paul Moerman from the MEDIAGROUP headquarters in Buttenheim, Germany. For a week Jean-Paul, together with the Astro Audio Committee, imparted theoretical and practical knowledge to all audio staff members in all areas of the Astro campus including studio production, MCR, transmission and post-production.

“Jean-Paul’s expertise has provided us with a deep insight to build our foundation and to go beyond in order to provide our customers with uniform and superior audio quality,” said Gautaman Ramasamy, Project Champion of Astro Audio Committee.

Visit www.stagetec.com

40 on-screen rotary knobs.

The system integration for the project was performed by TASS Services of Mumbai. AVF Distributors, the authorised dealer for HARMAN’s broadcast range, supplied the console to Godlywood.

In addition to the Studer Vista 1, Godlywood Studios deployed a full array of HARMAN technologies in the space, including three JBL 3730 ScreenArray cinema loudspeakers, one JBL 4642A subwoofer, and eight JBL 8320 compact cinema surround loudspeakers. The system is powered with five Crown DSi 1000 and two DSi 4000 amplifiers.

Godlywood Studios also features an audio dubbing studio equipped with AKG C414 microphones and dbx processors, as well as an HD multicam shooting floor that has JBL LSR4326 studio monitors Visit www.harman.com

DPA Microphones Opens HK Office FOLLOWING A RECORD YEAR for sales in the Asia and Pacific regions, DPA Microphones is consolidating its success by opening a new regional office in Hong Kong.

Headed by Ken Kimura, DPA’s general manager for the APAC region, the new office will act as a hub for sales, marketing and after-sales service. It will also enable the company to expand its sales network and develop new business channels in market sectors that have yet to discover DPA’s technology and products.

Kimura, who was previously based in Shanghai, says, “Establishing our new office in Hong Kong makes sound economic and geographic sense.

By basing our office here we can significantly expand our reach as well as visibility within the entire region and thereby aim our ambitions much higher.”

During the last trading year, DPA’s sales have been on the increase in virtually every APAC country with some showing growth as high as 40%.

This success has been achieved by DPA developing strong partnerships with its distributors and dealers so that they can fully support their customers.

Visit www.dpamicrophones.com

AUDIO

Determined to create a modern facility with world-class tools and equipment, Godlywood studios enlisted a technical committee comprised of BK Shiva, Shashi Mekal, and Gerard Goveia of Broadcast Media Equipments Pvt Ltd (BMEPL) along with Ashish Barje, Sales Manager, Recording & Broadcast, HARMAN Professional India. The team selected HARMAN’s Studer Vista 1 mixing console (the first in India) to serve at the heart of the studio.

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AUDIO

Adobe Integrates TC Loudness Radar

Artist Input from Riedel on iTunes THE RIEDEL IOS App “Artist Input Monitor” is now available at the iTunes Store.

The Artist Input Monitor is the first application of a new series of utility apps for the iOS platform from Riedel Communications.

TC ELECTRONIC, A LEADING manufacturer of loudness metering and processing equipment for broadcasters, has teamed up with Adobe to integrate its LoudnessRadar in the next versions of Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Audition on a license agreement.

The LoudnessRadar builds on TC Electronic’s LM6 Radar Loudness Meter and offers a wide range of loudness measuring tools that are key to content creators delivering for broadcast, film and internet. In short, the LoudnessRadar provides an easy-to-read overview of loudness over time.

“Loudness compliance is a key requirement for content creators today and moving forward,” said Simon Williams, director of strategic relations at Adobe.

“Our Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Audition users will be able to have access to an innovative and easy-to-use loudness monitoring solution.”

“By adding the LoudnessRadar to the Adobe Premiere Pro toolset, Adobe has made it easy for video editors to get audio standards compliance right.

The audio Target is always in sight, and it’s easy for all to balance speech consistently against background sound and foreground music,” says Thomas Lund, HD Development Manager at TC Electronic.

The Artist Level Meters application can monitor and control up to eight freely assignable audio inputs of an Artist Digital Matrix Intercom system.

The app gives the intercom administrator a new way to manage the 4-wire input levels of a system without having to be in front of a computer. The Level Meters can be configured wireless directly on the iPad. The Artist Input Monitor App is available in the iTunes store: https:// itunes.apple.com/us/app/artist-input-monitor/id642301513?mt=8

Load the Code Scan this QR code to access the download page for Riedel’s Artist Input Monitor app for iPad.

Visit http://www.tcelectronic.com

DPA’s Defacto Vocal Mic DPA MICROPHONES HAS INTRODUCED the d:facto II Vocal Microphone, which provides the added benefit of an adapter system, which allows for integration with many professional wireless systems.

The new d:facto II guarantees users the DPA sound with popular existing wireless systems such as Sony, Lectrosonics, Shure, Wisycom and Sennheiser. The d:facto II provides improved audio performance as it is linear in frequency and phase, both on- and off-axis, while its definition and accuracy reproduces a singer’s voice.

Visit www.dpamicrophones.com

Load the Code - SMPTE Loudness Meeting

TSL New Broadcast Solutions TSL PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS LTD. (PPL) has released a selection of new audio, loudness, tally, power distribution, and surround sound capture and processing solutions.

The new SAM1-3GM Studio Audio Monitoring Solution, a flexible system ideal for broadcasters and content producers alike, offers operation in settings ranging from multi-language and surround sound/stereo production to live sports and event broadcasting. It is also capable of a range of functionality for EVS monitoring, Master Control, Ingest operations and throughout broadcast production environments.

Meanwhile, the Monitor Plus family offers robust entry-level audio monitoring, with the same performance elements found in TSL PPL’s highend confidence monitoring line.

The MPA1-3G provides de-embedding capabilities and accepts any SD or HD-SDI signal up to and including 3G, will be featured, while the MPA1-ASB+ and –ASC+ units, which are available in dual- or eight-stereoinput versions, are built around a brand-new hardware platform. Recent enhancements to the MPA1-ASB+ and –ASC+ units include upgraded power amplifiers and speakers for improved clarity.

AUDIO

Scan the above codes to view presentations by Glenn Carrick, Chair, Free TV Australia Audio Group, and Adam Birch, Global Product Marketing Manager, Harris Broadcast (UK), speaking at the recent SMPTE Australia Section Meeting on Audio Loudness, or visit: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUlpcworPCM6Atu4paH1x-Q Proudly sponsored by Techtel and Harris Broadcast.

TSL Professional Products Ltd.’s PAM PiCo is a compact standalone audio and loudness meter featuring the revolutionary StarFish surround sound display. PAM PiCo handles stereo or 5.1 metering with a vast array of user-selectable bar graphs. All four models are equipped with loudness measurement tools compatible with EBU, ITU and ATSC recommendations, AES and analogue audio inputs and moving-coil meter emulation. The latest, PAM PiCo Four, features a landscape mode, screen grab application and FTT spectrum analyser as standard.

Visit www.tsl.co.uk

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AUDIO

Avid Live in a Networked, Modular Design AVID HAS INTRODUCED the new Avid S3L, which delivers the sound quality, performance, and features of Avid live systems in an all-new modular, networked design. The open and flexible system is comprised of a highperformance HDX-powered mix engine running VENUE software and AAX DSP plug-ins, scalable remote I/O, a compact EUCON-enabled control surface, and Pro Tools software for integrated live sound mixing and recording.

The streamlined networked design simplifies system set-up and configuration with drag-and-drop functionality, while direct Pro Tools recording and mixing capabilities open opportunities for live album releases.

Key S3L features include:

+ HDX-powered floating-point mix engine + Fault-tolerant Gigabit Ethernet network connects all devices using open AVB Ethernet and EUCON standards

+ System can be configured with up to four Stage 16 remote boxes (up to 64 mic inputs)

+ Ultra-compact design fits anywhere and transports with ease + Pro Tools and other DAW control using the S3 control surface as a EUCON controller (feature coming soon)

Harrison Releases v2.3 of Mixbus DAW HARRISON CONSOLES HAS ANNOUNCED Mixbus v2.3, which includes many small improvements and fixes, as well as major enhancements to its workflow.

Mixbus is a full-featured Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) with “True Analog Mixing”: A combination of Harrison’s sound and features in an affordable, knob-per-function interface. Mixbus provides professionallevel features to import or record an unlimited number of audio tracks to your computer, edit them, and mix them together. You can use Mixbus to record your band, mix a record, make a podcast, or edit the audio for your video.

Mixbus is a largely open source project, but is the first DAW with a Mixer implementation that was actually created by a Mixer company.

New features include several new shortcuts for faster Bus Assignments, as well as a complete user-driven editing and keymap overhaul that makes Mixbus more intuitive to users of other widely used DAWs. Mixbus v2.3 also introduces 3 new, high-end plug-ins “bundled” inside that users can evaluate and purchase.

Visit www.harrisonconsoles.com

+ On-board Pro Tools AAX plug-ins from Avid and third-party developers to re-create the sound of the studio in a live setting through a laptop Ethernet port

+ Direct stereo recording/playback with any standard USB flash drive + Total VENUE show file compatibility with all Avid live systems The S3L System will be available in a variety of configurations for different I/O needs, from 16 to 64 inputs. Avid S3L will be available at Avid resellers worldwide in Q3.

Visit www.avid.com

Three-Way Active Monitor from Neumann NEUMANN HAS RELEASED a new active studio monitor: the KH 310A. The KH 310A treble, midrange and bass drivers, have all been simulated and designed directly by Neumann. They have been carefully optimised using acoustic simulations and an extensive series of measurements to give an extremely linear reproduction across the entire frequency response.

Accuracy in the bass, which goes down to 34 Hz, is achieved by using a sealed cabinet design to give a fast transient response. A dedicated soft dome midrange driver reproduces the mid-frequencies, essential for speech and vocals, with precision. An alloy fabric dome in an elliptical Mathematically Modeled Dispersion (MMD) waveguide handles high frequencies. The result is an authentic sound, rich in details, that provides a wide sweet spot while minimising reflections in the vertical plane.

Three powerful class-AB amplifiers and a high capacity SMPS power supply bring a very high headroom to the system with no audible distortion, and the acoustical controls for bass, low-mid and high frequencies makes the KH 310 A a problem solver for acoustically challenging workplaces such as edit suites and OB vans.

The status of the comprehensive protective system is indicated by a back-lit Neumann logo, which signifies the highest manufacturing quality: the tolerances are so small that any two KH 310 A monitors can serve as a matched pair. The KH 310 A is magnetically shielded, and an extensive range of accessories offers diverse mounting options.

Visit www.neumann.com

Jünger Takes V*AP Voice Processor to Asian Broadcasters DYNAMICS SPECIALIST JÜNGER AUDIO will be showing its new V*AP two channel voice processor at Broadcast Asia 2013 (Booth 5E6-01).

V*AP draws on the company’s extensive experience with previous Voice Processing devices such as its v-series, but adds new tools and algorithms to create a new, easier and more efficient approach to voice processing with no compromise in sound quality.

V*AP’s main task is to offer perfect control of microphone recordings.

Jünger Audio has also included processing such as HP/LP filtering, dynamic section, full parametric EQ and de-essing. Jünger Audio has also provided a dedicated leveller combined with a voice over circuit to help auto-mix voice programs into loudness-based broadcasting on the fly.

Available as either an insert into a mixing desk or as a stand-alone unit, V*AP offers interfaces that allow integration in existing environments via an AES insert. The unit can also be used with an optional analogue board that adds two high quality mic-preamps.

Jünger Audio will also show its M*AP audio loudness processor, which combines an audio monitor controller and a loudness measurement device in one unit.

Designed for quality checking surround (5.1) and/or stereo programs, M*AP can be used for live monitoring and also to ensure compliance with today’s standards and regulations (ITU 1770-3, ATSC A/85 or EBU R128).

Alongside loudness measurements, M*AP also offers functionality for acoustical QA. It has eight speaker outputs that allow for A/B checking of stereo compatibility of a surround downmix through alternative speakers, as well as via L/R front speakers.

For no extra cost, the M*AP’s SDI board acts as an embedder as well and comes with video delay to compensate for any kind of audio delay. This feature is ideal for those looking to maintain lip sync in QA suites or control rooms. M*AP also features a built-in Dolby Metadata generator and an optional Dolby decoder that allows users to decode Dolby-E, Dolby-D (AC-3) and Dolby Digital plus (E-AC-3).

Jünger Audio will complete its Broadcast Asia line-up with the T*AP TV Audio Processor and Loudness Logger, a tool that offers customers of all Jünger Audio levelling processors an easy way to monitor the development of the loudness over time. Using this new software, broadcasters can monitor in real time or by analysing previously stored loudness log files.

Visit www.junger-audio.com

AUDIO

+ 64 channels of direct recording/playback to Pro Tools (or other DAW)

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TRANSMISSION Signal distribution, test & measurement

www.content-technology.com/transmission

MediaHub Strategy Plays Out

By Keith Ford

Tucked away in an industrial area in the south-west Sydney suburb of Ingleburn, MediaHub resides in an inconspicuous building that belies the enormity of the task being performed there 24/7. Behind the plain façade is a playout centre handling in excess of 171 channels of broadcast television from a single control room.

MEDIAHUB HAS BEEN IN OPERATION since April 2010, originally set up as a joint venture between WIN Network and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), gradually rolling out channels until they were responsible for the play out of every channel from both organisations.

“From April 2010 there was a progression of channels being brought on air. So it wasn’t, whack, suddenly there’s 171 plus channels. It was a progression,” explains MediaHub CEO, Alan Sweeney. “ABC 3 came up first, then ABC 2, then ABC 1, then ABC News 24. Following that the WIN channels came on progressively over two years.

“At the same time, while we were bringing all those channels on line at MediaHub, we were dealing with leading edge technology. As a result in the very early days of Media Hub, we experienced some failures.”

Sweeney, who moved from the CFO position to CEO in January 2012, is upfront regarding the teething problems experienced by MediaHub when it first came online. Both of the shareholder clients were affected, in some instances quite badly, and changes had to be made to the system design.

TRANSMISSION

“The technical architecture at MediaHub was so new it had never been attempted on this scale before, never done with this complexity before.

In the first six months of operations, all of that

Snell Morpheus Automation at Media Hub.

was solved, the facility requirements were so complex and unique, that vendor software was re-written in line with our requirements and additional hardware installed, and operations were stabilised. So for the first six months we had teething problems, as is experienced with any technical installation of this complexity. Then we went into 18 months of highly stable operations.

This reflected the board and the company’s view from inception. Before we do anything, let’s get it stable for the two shareholder clients. And that was achieved.”

This extended period of stable operation led to the board of director’s decision to take MediaHub to market in January of 2012, coinciding with Sweeney’s appointment as CEO. The company had to be confident they could provide a valuable service and show that this ambitious project represented a better way of operating. Analysis of error rates for both clients demonstrated that, under MediaHub, the rate of errors were significantly and substantially below the level being achieved when operating playout In-House.

“Within three months of opening MediaHub to third party clients we had our first client signed up, which was SBS Subscription TV (World Movies and STVDIO) and NITV. Within a couple of months of that we had our second client, Thoroughvision Pty Ltd (TVN), signed up. And within two months of that we had our third client, which was Australia Network (the ABC’s

International Television Service), signed up,” said Sweeney. “And each of those clients went to air, in September for SBS, November for Australia Network, and December for TVN. “At the same time, we have been holding discussions with other broadcasters around Australia, and those discussions continue to this day and are well advanced. So there was this Sea-Change for MediaHub, away from being a shareholder-centric, inward looking company, to a market driven deliverer of product.

“It’s working really well, and the market is recognising just how efficient it is. And that’s driven by a recognition within the broadcast industry that a service organisation such as MediaHub can take all of those non-competitive areas of your business, which are very expensive, and unwieldy, with older technology and ultimately open to a refresh, and deliver it through a non-competitive, centralised portal.”

The actual systems being used at MediaHub have stayed mostly unchanged since the last time C+T visited the facility in 2010. The only other additions to the system have been expanding to accommodate the new channels.

The original build was completed by Grass Valley, utilising a substantial amount of Grass Valley equipment. Most notable are the K2 media servers, which look after all of the file-based storage for the completely tapeless MediaHub.

Alan Sweeney, CEO, Media Hub, “, Just because we’re based around a playout today, doesn’t mean we’ll be based around a playout tomorrow.”

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TRANSMISSION Along with the Grass Valley kit is product from a number of other vendors, such as Tektronix, Evertz, Junger, Wohler, Tandberg (now Ericsson), Scientific Atlanta, Cisco, and Snell. It is Snell, and its Morpheus automation system, that has formed the largest part of how the facility operates.

“This is a Grass Valley build, but it is 50% Grass Valley, and 50% Snell,” explained Sweeney.

“Generally speaking, you might say the design, and significant elements of hardware, are Grass Valley, and the integration of the system was done by Grass Valley, but the automation system is Snell Morpheus. The combination of quality hardware and automation software, matched by a team of highly skilled and trained operators is what provides MediaHub’s quality service.

The new channels that have come on board however; STVDIO, World Movies, from SBS Subscription TV and NITV; two channels for TVN; and three channels across India and Asia for Australia Network, have all been put to air using new equipment from Snell.

MediaHub is also able to provide IPTV playout without the need for additional equipment. They are already providing this as a service for TVN, with a service that streams the content over IP while also taking rights into account. TVN does not have the rights for online distribution of all the content that they broadcast and those particular races are automatically omitted from the stream.

Following the move to open the business up for new clients and extra channels, MediaHub is continuing to plan well ahead. The entire facility was built with an eye to the future, from the massive, dedicated server room right through to the equally massive generators, everything has been designed to allow upgrading. The Server room, for instance, not only has ample room for more rows of racks, there is also a wall that was designed to be moved, opening up further

available space.

Even the control room floor has been designed in a way that will allow MediaHub to surpass what has already been put in place, which again has room free, with relatively minor adjustments. This is kept in mind when it comes to their choice of technology as well.

“Our objective, even with our existing clients, is to ensure Media Hub is not considered to be a solely backroom play out space. We will move with the overall market, and we will expand our services,” noted Sweeney. “So, while playout will always remain as our core deliverable for our clients, it doesn’t mean we’ll be solely based around playout tomorrow. Seamless multi platform delivery of content continues to be demanded by clients and consumers, and this capability will be a key factor in the future of any playout facility.

MediaHub is a service organisation, but all our clients (existing and prospective) are continually demanding more and more services from us.

“So we have started responding to all those demands introducing differing levels of product, different ranges of product, slowly and cautiously moving out to full end to end service for clients.

Our objective for our client base, current and future, is to allow them to focus on the front end of their business, and allow MediaHub to deliver the rest,” concluded Sweeney.

Visit www.mediahubaustralia.com.au

TRANSMISSION

“What MediaHub has introduced for new clients, is Snell’s Integrated Content Engine Technology (ICE). And the reason we’ve done that is to maintain the investment we have made in our staff, through continual training. This allows staff to be interchangeable between clients and Playout Suites without fear of loss of integrity through lack of knowledge.

“Also, relative to our two foundation clients, they were relatively small builds. If we were to implement another substantial build, and we will, we consider the needs and wants of the client in determining the final build recommendation and that could be a traditional Grass Valley Storage Area Network utilising Morpheus Automation, or it may be a larger Snell ICE installation. Ultimately that will be determined when it happens, because the client has input to that as well,” added Sweeney.

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TRANSMISSION

Adaptive Bitrate Streaming to the Rescue!

By Manik Gupta, Product Architect, Interra Systems

The world is at our finger tips, anytime and anywhere. There are tons of online content and high speed networks. And when the network is good, content always seems good. But when network conditions slacken, content delay and buffering can be extremely frustrating leading to what we call poor Quality of Experience or QoE. MOST OF THE BUFFERING related QoE issues can today be addressed by a new and emerging technology called Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) streaming. This technology works on the principle of understanding the available resources (bandwidth and CPU) and accordingly adjusting the quality of the delivered content.

HOW ABR WORKS Till recently, content used for video streaming was generally encoded at a single bitrate and transmitted using RTSP and RTP protocols. The major limitation with encoding at single bitrate was video freezing or delay while streaming high quality content on slower networks.

Today’s on the go consumer has no patience for video buffer delays. So, now we have ABR to the rescue! ABR needs content to be encoded at multiple bitrates - ranging from low to very high bitrates. Lower bitrate encodings target slower connections while high bitrate encodings are streamed on high bandwidth connections.

Streaming clients are expected to start with lower bitrate content. Clients can then switch from one bitrate to another depending on the network conditions and also the device’s CPU capability. This switching ensures the continuity in play and also delivers a better overall user experience for the viewer. Switching is easily facilitated as content at each bitrate is partitioned into multiple chunks where duration of each chunk generally

“The quality of content at various bitrates can take a hit due to variations in encoding.

”

varies from 2 – 10 seconds. The beginning of each chunk can be easily used to switch to a different bitrate. ABR technology relies on the standard HTTP protocol to transfer the content as HTTP is safe and secure.

TRANSMISSION

There are different flavours for the ABR streaming. Microsoft has defined the Smooth Streaming standard. Adobe has HTTP Dynamic streaming (HDS) while Apple has HTTP Live Streaming (HLS). MPEG/ISO standard that goes by the name of MPEG-DASH is the only international standard today.

All these standards use the same basic concept of encoding the stream at multiple bitrates. Streams are primarily encoded either using the MPEG-2 Transport standard or MP4/QuickTime format. All of the above variations have some kind of an XML file (with exception of HLS), which is shared with the streaming client before the content is played out. This XML or the manifest file contains information about different profiles present for the encoded content. Using this information, streaming clients can request servers for content at appropriate bitrates depending on the available resources.

CHALLENGES WITH ABR Adaptive bitrate streaming can significantly raise an organisation’s complexity in terms of cost and storage. Just imagine a 30 minutes sample content

that has to be encoded at 6 different profiles. Each profile has chunks of 10 seconds! We are potentially looking at more than 1000 files. At the same time, a content provider has to ensure that each chunk of the content has good quality or delivers the right user experience. In addition, each chunk should match the parameters as defined in the parent profile. How does one handle quality of 1000 such files corresponding to a single content?

Automated file based QC solutions such as Interra’s Baton play a key role here by analysing the whole ABR content as a single file and significantly saving on time and resources.

BATON’S ABR SUPPORT ABR content is accompanied with a manifest file that describes the high level metadata for each of the profile. Manifest files normally define the bitrate, resolution, language, duration, aspect ratios for each of the profile.

These manifest files (.ism,. mpd etc) can be QCed by Baton against a user defined quality specification. Baton reads these manifest files and accordingly performs QC on different profiles of the content. Finally, an integrated verification report is generated containing all the information and errors. With Baton, QC of ABR content becomes so much easy and efficient!

Baton’s ABR Metadata checking ensures that each chunk of the profile matches the exact criteria as defined in the manifest file. Some metadata checks include: Bitrate : Check the actual calculated bitrate of the content versus the one supplied in manifest file for a particular profile.

Resolution : Different bitrates for a content are often achieved by varying the resolution. Check the actual resolution of profile versus the one specified in the manifest.

Frame rate, Display Aspect Ratio: Check values of these fields with the value provided in the manifest file.

GOP Length: GOP Length is generally defined as a distance between the two (Keyframe) pictures. If the keyframes are too far apart, then one may not get a fast and a smooth switch. It is also desired that GOP Lengths remain consistent across different profiles. Check the acceptable GOP Lengths and also check for consistency of GOP structures.

Audio Sampling Frequency, Audio Bitrate: Check the actual values of these audio parameters against the manifest file.

The quality of content at various bitrates can take a hit due to variations in encoding. For example, in pursuit of low bitrates, encoders may quantise content with extremely high values leading to blockiness. A good QC solution should be able to objectively determine the blockiness levels for streams at different quality levels. Often content with the least bitrate is expected to have a very high level of blockiness. Encoders may also drop few frames in order to achieve a target low bitrate. Drop in frames can lead to still frames that may affect video quality leading to what we call the freeze frame artifact. Now, who would want the ball to freeze just as it was heading for the boundary at the Ashes! Not me!

While ABR makes life so much easier for broadcasters trying to capture the media hungry consumers, it also adds to the overhead. Efficient file-based QC solutions, such as Interra Baton, can reduce some of the overhead and help the broadcasters and content providers to efficiently handle QC of various flavours of ABR content. As I would say – automated QC to the rescue!

Visit www.interrasystems.com

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CLASSIFIEDS what’s on JULY

OCTOBER

SMPTE AUSTRALIA July 23-26 Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia www.smpte.com.au

BROADCAST INDIA October 9-11 Bombay Exhibition Centre Mumbai, India www.broadcastindiashow.com

AUGUST PALMM PHILIPPINES 2013 August 15-17 SMX Convention Center Manila, Philippines www.globallinkmp.com BIRTV August 21-24 China International Exhibition Center Beijing, China www.birtv.com

SEPTEMBER RADIO ASIA September 3-7 Howard International House Taipei, Taiwan http://aprasc13.ntu.edu.tw IBC 2013 September 13-17 RAI, Amsterdam The Netherlands www.ibc.org

CASBAA CONVENTION 2013 October 21-24 Grand Hyatt, Hong Kong www.casbaaconvention.com SMPTE ANNUAL CONFERENCE October 21-24 Loews Hollywood Hotel Hollywood, California, USA www.smpte.org

NOVEMBER PALME VIETNAM November 6-8 Saigon Exhibition & Convention Centre Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam http://palmeseries.com/vietnam/ INTERBEE November 13-15 Makuhari Messe Chiba City, Japan www.inter-bee.com/en/

Advertiser Index BroadcastAsia ...............................15

Magna Systems & Engineering .....3

Digital Rapids ................................. 8

Miller Camera Support...............29

Gencom/Broadcast ONE.............. 5

Ross Video .....................................35

Harris Broadcast....................... OBC Ideal Systems.................................. 9

Sony Professional Solutions Asia Pacific ....................................IFC

IRT Electronics ..............................14

Techtel ............................................11

CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum 2013 – An Industry in Transition CASBAA’S ANNUAL SATELLITE INDUSTRY FORUM will take place on 17 June 2013 at the Shangri-La, Singapore. The Association’s comprehensive forum on the thriving satellite market in the Asia-Pacific will examine An Industry in Transition this year, highlighting key issues top-of-mind with stakeholders in the region.

“CASBAA has again assembled an incredibly diverse group of guests and speakers for our annual Satellite Industry Forum 2013,” said Christopher Slaughter, CEO, CASBAA. “Representing the total value chain of the satellite industry, our panel of leading international executives will share their collective experience and knowledge across a wide range of topics and issues.”

Tackling the big issues for satellite operators and users in the Asia Pacific region, this year’s Forum will delve into the worries about spectrum access, market access and regulatory regimes and identifying growth markets and future trends in the region.

Additional panels will explore emerging satellite technologies and how they will change the face of the industry, the booming launch services sector and an entire session devoted to the dynamic and complicated Indian market.

Opening the proceedings this year will be Keynote Speaker Gwynne Shotwell, President, SpaceX. Joining her on the day will be David Ball (CTO, NewSat), Thomas Choi (CEO, Asia Broadcast Satellite), Steve Collar (CEO, O3b Networks), Yvon Henri (Chief, Space Services Department, ITU), Huang BaoZhong (EVP, APT Satellite), Osamu Inoue (Director of the Board & Group President, Space & Satellite Business Group, SKY Perfect JSAT), Sameer Kanse (Global Head, Tata Communications Media Services), Tarun Katial (CEO, Reliance Broadcast Network), Ted McFarland (Regional VP, Business Development, GEO Satellite Communications, Orbital Sciences), Deepak Mathur (SVP, Commercial, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, SES), Serge Van Herck (CEO, Newtec), Bill Wade (President & CEO, AsiaSat), Bill Weller (VP, Marketing & Sales and Government Relations, SSL) among many others.

Partners for the CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum 2013 include Supporting Sponsor JSAT and Sponsors Arianespace, AsiaSat, Eutelsat, Marsh, MEASAT, MHI Launch Services, SES, SSL and SpaceX. For more information about the CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum 2013: Visit http://www.casbaa.com/events/events-calendar/details/363satellite-industry-forum

GEARING UP TO DELIVER the latest in ground breaking technologies,

keynote speaker.

products, services and education, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) has announced the conference program for SMPTE13 held from 23 - 26 July 2013 at Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour.

Presenting The Future Landscape of Media & Entertainment, Mr Fevre will showcase how the national broadband network will unlock new opportunities in the future digitalisation of media drawing on his extensive career, which spans more than 20 years across multiple countries in Asia Pacific.

As Australasia’s premium event for the motion-imaging, sound and broadcast industries, the biennial Conference and Exhibition will offer a compelling program aligned to this year’s event theme, Delivering the Personalised Content Experience, with over 60 presenters from nearly a dozen countries, in 24 sessions spanning 3 days.

In recognition of the key enabling role that Australia’s National Broadband Network will play in Delivering the Personalised Content Experience, SMPTE13 will welcome Landry Fevre, General Manager, Media at Sydney’s NBN Co, as its

Network and catch up with colleagues or treat your staff to a night out, at SMPTE13’s Gala Dinner taking place on July 24 at Dockside - Cockle Bay I & II and Quay 2. Serving inspired Australian cuisine, Dockside is one of Sydney’s most dazzling locations, affording panoramic views of Darling Harbour.

Registration to the SMPTE13 Exhibition is free and all registrants are automatically entered into the draw to win a GoPro Hero3 Black Edition camera.

Visit www.smpte.com.au

CLASSIFIEDS

SMPTE13 Delivers Personalised Content Experience

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TIME shifter Happy 40th Birthday Ethernet IEEE Standard 802.3 Hits Middle Age IEEE, the world’s largest professional organisation advancing technology for humanity, has celebrated Ethernet’s 40th anniversary. IEEE 802.3 “Standard for Ethernet” and the varied technologies, applications and networks that the family of standards helps enable have changed the world as we knew it, and multi-dimensional innovation never stops.

FRONTIERS OF IEEE 802.3 ETHERNET INNOVATION include everincreasing speeds and new applications for the technology. For example, in April 2013, IEEE announced the launch of an IEEE 802.3 study group to explore development of a 400 Gb/s Ethernet standard to efficiently support ever-increasing, exponential network bandwidth growth. Fastgrowing IEEE 802.3 Ethernet application areas include energy efficiency, the globally emerging smart grid, data centres and supercomputing, access networks, mobile-communications infrastructure, healthcare and medicaldevice communications, entertainment and networking for automotive and other industries.

Furthermore, in both developed and developing areas of the world, IEEE 802.3 Ethernet is being deployed with infrastructure build-outs to support the exploding array of applications that users rely on in their every-day lives.

“IEEE 802.3 Ethernet is everywhere; its uses are constantly expanding, and Ethernet works so well and seamlessly that we are almost unaware that it’s there,” said Michael Howard, co-founder and principal analyst with telecom marketresearchfirm Infonetics Research. “In fact, it is a sign of Ethernet’s maturity that, as the world grows increasingly dependent on the technology – in new markets, new applications and new industries – Ethernet’s presence goes almost unnoticed. IEEE 802.3 Ethernet today connects people and touches lives in so many diverse ways in every corner of the world, yet it’s so easy to overlook the underlying enabling infrastructure. That’s the mark of a fundamentally good technology.”

Initially developed in order to standardise connectivity among computers, printers, servers and other devices inside a local area network (LAN), IEEE

802.3 – first published as a draft in 1983 and as a standard in 1985 – steadily has evolved to deliver increased capacities and connect more devices, users, media and protocols across more types of networks. IEEE 802.3 defines the standards that provide the fundamental basis of networking.

Over the last three decades, industry has invested heavily in IEEE 802.3 and other networking infrastructure standards, and the result of the investment has been the creation of a vast global market and a transformation in the way people access, consume and use information.

“No matter where you are in the world, connecting a device to the Internet is simple and universal,” said David Law, chair of the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Working Group and distinguished engineer with HP Networking. “In large part because of the consistent interoperability and innovation enabled by IEEE 802.3, the Internet has spawned novel approaches to the ways we work and play, such as border-crossing e-commerce, information sharing and community operations. New business models have been invented; a powerful, new engine for global economic opportunity has been created, and the lives of billions of people in markets around the world have been improved.”

TIME SHIFTER

“This anniversary is an opportunity to acknowledge and congratulate the thousands of engineers that contributed to the development of the IEEE 802.3 suite of standards over the past three decades,” said Paul Nikolich, chair of the IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee and IEEE fellow. “Its success is rooted in these individuals’ dedication to working in an open, transparent consensus process to produce standards of the highest quality, which resulted in an ubiquitous, low-cost, error-free datacom infrastructure.

And their work continues in response to market needs. Well done, IEEE 802.3 participants. Well done.”

Added Konstantinos Karachalios, managing director of the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA), “IEEE 802.3 and other IEEE standards are created within a rigorous process that is rooted in consensus, due process, openness, right of appeal and balance. In these ways, the IEEE 802.3 development process is emblematic of the principles that the ‘OpenStand’ market-driven paradigm for global, open standards is based upon. In the case of IEEE 802.3, it is an empowered marketplace itself that drives development, refinement and adoption of a globally relevant standard, and the resulting benefit to humanity is monumental. The IEEE-SA provides the forum through which the standard thrives.”

Visit http://standards.ieee.org/events/ethernet/

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