Photo credit: Globo/JoĂŁo Cotta
Summary
News from the market..........................................6 Case studies Telegenics’ T-Wiz Decentralizes WITH MediorNet from Riedel..........................................26 Panasonic walks on the wild side at The 'Zoo of life'................................................................28 Making the Cut: Matrox helps The Australian Screen Editors guild webcast inaugural Edit Royale event.............................................................32
GLOBO Interview with its CTO Raymundo Barros........ 34
SDI vs IP: current status...................... 46 Today’s IP with Tomorrow’s Production........... 54
Best of IBC.............................................. 56 Test Zone
MixPre-10T............................................. 84 Professional multi-channel audio mixer from Sound Devices
34
Clear-Com LQ......................................... 94
Editor in chief Javier de Martín
Creative Direction Mercedes González
editor@tmbroadcast.com
design@tmbroadcast.com
Key account manager Beatriz Calvo b.calvo@tmbroadcast.com José Rodríguez j.rodriguez@tmbroadcast.com
Editorial staff Daniel Esparza press@tmbroadcast.com
Translation Natalia Álvarez Macarena Ortiz Administration Laura de Diego administration@tmbroadcast.com
TM Broadcast International #62 October 2018
TM Broadcast International is a magazine published by Daró Media Group SL Centro Empresarial Tartessos Calle Pollensa 2, oficina 14 28290 Las Rozas (Madrid), Spain Phone +34 91 640 46 43 Published in Spain
EDITORIAL Year in, year out, it is noted that the IBC trade fair continues to forge its position as an unmissable event for the entire market. Its calling power is relentless. Our editorial team deployed in Amsterdam has returned with the suitcase full of news and innovations, after six intense days of interviews with the most influential actors in the sector. We have seen first-hand that the audio-visual industry is progressing faster every day, a factor that requires more strident efforts on the part of broadcast professionals than ever to keep abreast of all innovations. In this scenario, the role of the media is undoubtedly of total relevance. From the magazine we wanted to match to this commitment and include in this issue an exhaustive analysis of the predominant trends in the 2018 edition of IBC. We believe, undoubtedly, that it is one of the most complete reports you will read on the fair.
4 OCTOBER ‘18
Yet this month, further, we also offer you an interview of exceptional relevance. We had the privilege of having a long telephone conversation with Raymundo Barros, CTO of the Brazilian Globo, one of the premier television networks worldwide. The result of that conversation has made it onto these pages. Amongst other issues, Barros unveiled a series of strategic renovations underway within the company to adapt to new consumption habits via OTT. We hope that the keys provided in these articles will help you to tackle the final quarter of the year successfully. All the parameters indicate that the market is moving swiftly, as was mentioned at the beginning. The standard of the contents that we offer in this issue shows that TM BROADCAST also follows suit.
NEWS - PRODUCTS
G&D North America will present KVM-over-IP systems at NAB Show NY
This year, NAB Show New York promises “media in action” for broadcast professionals on the East Coast. A promise the KVM experts from G&D North America Inc. (GDNA) will also keep with lots of action and the live presentation of their brand new KVM-over-IP™ systems. In 2018, GDNA will again visit the Big Apple with a suitcase full of novelties. The team of 6 OCTOBER ‘18
KVM experts will show original KVM systems as well as KVM-over-IP™ for typical broadcast control room applications from 17-18 October 2018 at booth N919. The new ControlCenterIP matrix enables the extension and distributed switching of computer signals via IP networks. Offering twice the flexibility of usual systems, the new matrix does not
only extend computer signals over IP, but also switches them as an n:m connection. In combination with G&D’s IP extenders, the ControlCenter-IP forms a powerful matrix system. While the network infrastructure takes over the transport of KVM-overIP™ by using network switches and routers, the ControlCenter-IP contributes the logic.
NEWS - PRODUCTS
Thanks to the network connection and the option of using standard network components, the application gains more flexibility. This ensures that the systems are expandable and scalable at all times.
4K over IP The ControlCenter-IP supports numerous signals
thus providing solutions for DVI single- and duallink, DP1.1 and DP1.2, including real 4K@60 Hz over IP. The new matrix for KVM-over-IP™ also impresses with the usual wide range of functions offered by G&D matrix systems. Functionalities such as monitoring and SNMP, the scripting function and
scenario switching, the push-get function for optimal collaboration and the control of video walls as well as CrossDisplaySwitching for absolutely intuitive operation at multi-monitor workstations have been integrated into the KVMover-IP™ matrix.
NEWS - PRODUCTS
ChyronHego announces Vidigo News, a newsroom solution
Optimized for live OTT publishing, Vidigo News incorporates a complete newsroom workflow into a single workspace – integrating Lyric graphics with switching and audio mixing – all via an easy-to-use, single-user GUI. VidiGo News is a scalable, modern newsroom production solution that compliments its current CAMIO workflow: - LyricX Graphics comes standard, providing a fast, familiar GUI for a seamless workflow. 8 OCTOBER ‘18
- The user can import Lyric templates into Vidigo News to match channel branding. - Vidigo News seamlessly talks to MOS-enabled CAMIO system. - It includes a full technical suite of control panels, switching, audio mixing, a multi-viewer with program and preview. - It expands to 4, 8, or 12 inputs – giving the user a complete studio from a single work surface.
Rotolight launches a HSS transmitter optimised for Fujifilm camera systems British LED lighting manufacturer, Rotolight, has announced the launch of a High Speed Sync (HSS) transmitter optimised for Fujifilm camera systems, in collaboration with Elinchrom. “As the system grows, so do the demands from our users for compatibility with thirdparty accessories. This is why we are so happy to have an HSS transmitter for our X Series and GFX System so that our photographers can expand their creativity with the use of the Rotolight range,” says FUJIFILM UK Marketing Manager, Andreas Georghiades.
NEWS - PRODUCTS
Grass Valley launches T2 4K Series digital recorder/player solution Grass Valley, a Belden Brand, has launched its new T2 4K Series digital recorder/player solution to help broadcasters and media organizations handle audio and video playout in any format, whether SD, HD, 4K UHD or 4K DCI. This solution is optimized for a wide range of applications, from live events to mobile production. Combining the look and feel of a traditional VTR with touchscreen and workstation operation, the T2 4K Series delivers a codec-agile 4K DCI/4K UHD/HD/SD platform for ingest, replay, transmission, editing and content management. A software application suite makes media clip selection, playlist creation and playout seamless, while integration with Grass Valley’s EDIUS solution enables users to edit and trim clips during recording for faster
with one record and two output channels simultaneously in HD/SD mode. Featuring a crisp, clear 7-inch LCD touch screen display with jog/shuttle control for fast content turnaround.
and intuitive operation,
Katsushi Takeuchi, vice president and general manager of editing systems, Grass Valley commented: “As the Number 1 player in media and technology, Grass Valley sets the bar for unmatched quality, flexibility and reliability to meet the needs of any live production environment. Our solutions enable our customers to adapt quickly as their needs change and evolve – and this ethos is clearly visible in our new T2 4K Series solution.”
the user-friendly GUI
Available in the Elite and Pro versions, the T2 4K Series supports 4K (UHD or DCI) content with single channel input or output, or
enables operators to easily realize 3D video output, key fill output and quick playback of playlists. Delivering rear-panel video/audio/remote/LTC connectivity, T2 4K Series can accept files via USB 3.0 or by data transfer over a standard Gigabit Ethernet network, and supports a comprehensive range of file formats, including Grass Valley HQX, XAVC, XAVC S, XDCAM, P2, AVC-ULTRA, Apple ProRes 422, Avid DNxHD and MPEG-2 files. 9 OCTOBER ‘18
NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES
China Central Television selects Nevion for new UHD/4K contribution Nevion has announced that China Central Television (CCTV), the largest television broadcaster in China, has selected Nevion Virtuoso software-defined media nodes to provide a contribution solution for 4K Ultra HD signal transmission between studios. CCTV wants to increase its use of UHD/4K, so it needed a solution that would enable it to transport these signals reliably and efficiently over its existing baseband (SDI) infrastructure initially, and over IP eventually. The new Nevion Virtuosos will be used to encode UHD/4K signals (4x3G-SDI) to fit on bandwidth equivalent to a single 3G-SDI signal – with the help of the lightweight TICO compression technology (profile 1 and 2). This will enable CCTV to use its existing 3G-SDI 10 OCTOBER ‘18
Hans Hasselbach, CCO Nevion
infrastructure to route and transport the UHD/4K signals, dramatically reducing the need to invest in additional capacity to support the higher resolution. Furthermore, the same Nevion Virtuosos also supports transport over IP (SMPTE ST 2022-6 and SMPTE ST 2110), allowing CCTV to transition easily to an IP infrastructure when they decide to, without needing to deploy new media nodes. Nevion Virtuoso’s versatility means that the platform will also be able to accommodate CCTV’s evolving needs. In addition to the features mentioned above, Nevion Virtuoso
supports a wide range of Media Functions including transport functions for various formats (uncompressed transport, as well as JPEG2000 and H.264 codecs, ASI/IP code stream adaptation, MADI), audio video processing functions and reliability and security enhancement functions (active and standby code stream switching, content encryption). This project builds on an established relationship between Nevion and China Central TV station, which has been using Nevion VideoIPath orchestration and SDN control software and eMerge switches as the core of its SDN system since 2017. This system has played a key role in the coverage of major events in China, including the Spring Festival Gala and the Boao Forum for Asia, as well as the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES
“We are thrilled that CCTV has extended our existing relationship and taken on Nevion Virtuoso in addition to Nevion VideoIPath and our eMerge switches. We look forward to helping CCTV as they make the move to using TICO for 4K Ultra HD coverage,” commented Hans Hasselbach, Chief Commercial Officer for Nevion. China Central Television (CCTV)
NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES
Telestream Vantage is successfully installed at ITV London Boxer Systems, a UK solution provider for video, film and TV markets, has announced the successful installation and implementation of Telesteam’s powerful, scalable, softwareenabled Vantage Media Processing Platform at ITV London. Boxer Systems is Telestream’s UK channel partner and worked closely with ITV to specify, install, and configure the system. Jayson Chase, Commercial Director, Boxer said, “ITV, as do many broadcasters, had a requirement to transcode ever larger amounts of data. For example, transcoding DPP compliant files to ProRes for international customers could only be done more-or-less in real time. Moreover, such timeconsuming work was anticipated to increase, which they needed a 12 OCTOBER ‘18
system that could handle far more data, faster. After careful consideration, we determined that Telestream’s Vantage with the right platform for the job.” Vantage is based on a flexible service-oriented architecture and is made up of services and connectors that combine to create automated workflows – all under unified system control. Vantage services provide transcoding, media capture, metadata processing, media analysis, and content assembly. Vantage connectors enable
seamless, API-level integration with thirdparty systems. Sonny Hanley, ITV Head of Content Operations and Delivery said: “We’ve worked with Vantage for a number of years so when we wanted to look at increasing our transcoding capability we again chose the Telestream Vantage system because we know it is one of the market leaders in this area. Boxer made the installation very easy and we’ve seen a positive impact on our content delivery workflows.”
NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES
Sky TV implements RAVENNA/AES67 AoIP solutions Audio-over-IP, so we have a way to go before we are fully AoIP, but we’re already appreciating the difference,” he commented.
Sky UK has recently moved the whole of its Sky News operation into new, state-of-the-art facilities in the Sky Studios building on the Sky TV campus in Osterley, West London. Described as being both the most sustainable broadcast facility of its kind in Europe as well as the most technologically advanced, the Sky Studios project is set to completely change the way that Sky TV works and the scope of content they deliver. Sky Studios is now home to a brand-new, purposebuilt digital news production facility comprising two
production galleries, three studios and the newsroom as well as all associated staff, functions and facilities. The new complex is designed to consolidate the various strands of journalism and production workflows to allow better collaboration and more efficient use of content across different output platforms. According to Tom Pidsley, Project Lead for Sky Production Services who oversaw the audio aspects of the technical installation, it was the ideal opportunity to move part of their workflow over to IP. “This was our first toe in the water with
“We elected to use RAVENNA as our main audio transport technology to ensure maximum compatibility with future video standards such as SMPTE ST-2110, as well as current compatibility with AES67. It suits our purpose perfectly.” Currently, the main areas that have been moved over to an IP workflow are the mix/monitoring systems in the production galleries and in-ear mix/monitoring systems for the presenters. Both solutions were supplied by British broadcast audio equipment specialists, Sonifex, with the IEM mixer systems being specially designed for Sky TV to their bespoke specifications. 13 OCTOBER ‘18
NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES
GatesAir wins in China GatesAir has announced a substantial radio and television win in China through channel partner Cimax valued at $428,000 USD. A large group of radio broadcasters has committed to GatesAir for new Flexiva FAX air-cooled FM transmitters ranging from 1kW to 10kW, with multiple transmitters equipped for China Digital Radio service. GatesAir remains the only supplier outside of China to support CDR. GatesAir customers receiving the new transmitters include Jiaxing Radio, Shanghai SOPT, Chengdu Radio, Shandong Yishan Station, Jilin Radio and Shandong Radio. Mengshan Station will take delivery of a Maxiva UAXT air-cooled transmitter for its new DTV channel. “We have strong, longterm relationships with the local GatesAir team, and have been very satisfied with the performance of GatesAir transmitters in the past,” said Mr. Jin Mingjie, Station Manager, Mengshan Station. “We are very happy to use GatesAir products for our new channel service.” 14 OCTOBER ‘18
NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES
CBC / Radio-Canada chooses Lawo VSM IP broadcast control CBC / Radio-Canada, Canada’s national public broadcaster, has chosen the Lawo VSM (Virtual Studio Manager) as the master IP control system for its new Montreal Broadcast Center, a planned state-of-the-art facility that will be fully compliant with the SMPTE 2110 standards for professional media over managed IP networks.
infographic workstations and audio mixing suites. Its massive Master Control and Playout Room is designed to host 40 TV channels, 40 Web channels and 160 Radio channels. The control and management of this broadcast infrastructure, and accompanying integrated technical resources, is based on Lawo VSM.
The contract was finalized at IBC in Amsterdam, capped with a handshake between Francois Vaillant, Executive Director, Engineering Solutions at CBC / Radio-Canada, and Lawo CEO Philipp Lawo.
“VSM Studio from Lawo is a field-proven broadcast controller than can directly interface with true COTS networking equipment and deliver the advanced functionalities our creative people need,” says François Legrand, Senior Director, Core Systems Engineering, CBC / Radio-Canada. “VSM is a true IP solution. It provides feature-rich user interfaces that require no middleware, which simplifies the software
The planned 39,000 m² (418,000 sq. ft.) Montreal broadcast facility will host several production areas dedicated to News, TV and Post Production activities, fed by dozens of studios, control rooms, editing and
stack and allows maintenance of the audio / video signal routing system over IP.” “This move documents the innovative character of the Canadian broadcast industry in applying ST2110 standards to ensure ultra-reliable IP workflows”, says Lawo CEO Philipp Lawo. CBC / Radio-Canada’s broadcast channels reach an estimated monthly audience of 14 million consumers. The new Maison de Radio-Canada (MRC) will be a showcase for Canada’s public broadcaster, with open, welcoming and inviting public spaces for both visitors, and the employees who work there every day. The creators and programmers it houses will enjoy a dynamic, stimulating environment designed to foster collaboration and innovation. 15 OCTOBER ‘18
NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES
Vista Productions purchases six SK-UHD4000 4K UHD cameras from Hitachi
Event production companies are increasingly embracing the visual clarity of 4K Ultra HD video for creating in-venue displays. When Vista Productions equipped their first mobile truck to support their evolving needs at the Walmart Arkansas Music 16 OCTOBER ‘18
Pavilion (AMP) and other locations, they purchased six SK-UHD4000 4K UHD cameras from Hitachi Kokusai Electric America, Ltd. (Hitachi Kokusai) to enable the image quality and versatility they needed. Founded in 1982 and headquartered just south
of Kansas City, Missouri, Vista Productions provides live event and video production services nationwide for clients including Fortune 500 companies, private firms, non-proďŹ t institutions and entertainment venues. Now in their fifth year of providing image
NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES
wide by 26 foot high LED screens. The resolution advantages of 4K acquisition are suitable for supporting the displays’ vertical orientation, allowing video to be center-cut for the screens while preserving visual fidelity. Warnock found the SK-UHD4000s to fit the bill perfectly.
typically deploys a trio of
third camera is deployed
At the same time, Vista began researching 4K cameras to support their expanding resolution goals. “4K is very practical for us, as our primary focus is not broadcasting,” said Mick Warnock, founder of Vista Productions. “Our goal is to present the most beautiful live images from a meeting or event onto a large local display. We wanted to design a purpose-built system that would stay in the 4K domain all the way through to those displays, while retaining the ability to downscale for alternate needs.”
“The HITACHI 4K cameras had all of the features we wanted, and were also affordable,” explained Warnock. “The AMP’s new displays support high dynamic range (HDR), so with the SK-UHD4000s we can have a 12G-SDI, 10-bit, 4K, HDR signal path all the way through the production and output chain. Besides their inherent 4K capabilities and 12G-SDI output, we were also attracted to the cameras’ ability to simultaneously output HD signals, allowing us to switch IMAG in 4K while recording HD for other applications.”
Vista’s transition to 4K was further motivated by the AMP’s new 14.5 foot
While the SK-UHD4000s are available as needed for corporate events, Vista
viewing the results on the
magnification (IMAG) for the AMP in Rogers, Arkansas, Vista found themselves outgrowing their allocated production space within the 9000-seat outdoor theater. The company purchased and began outfitting a 53-foot production truck – ARIA – that would operate from the back lot of the venue for concerts and travel to corporate events between concert series.
cameras for concerts at the AMP. Two fixedposition cameras with long lenses are stationed in the audience roughly 200 feet from the stage, providing coverage of the entire performance while enabling a variety of wide and close-up shots. The hand-held on or in front of the stage, depending on the preferences of the entertainers. For events such as symphony performances, a fourth camera shoots from behind the orchestra towards the audience, capturing the conductor. Tight integration with the Dashboard open control and monitoring platform from Ross Video lets Vista adjust the cameras remotely through an intuitive graphical interface from the truck or front-of-house while AMP’s incredible 3.9 mil LED portrait screens. 17 OCTOBER ‘18
NEWS - BUSINESS & PEOPLE
NEP Group acquires Fletcher Group, LLC NEP Group has announced its acquisition of Fletcher Group, LLC (“Fletcher”), a Chicagoarea company that provides the highest-end specialty ultra-slow motion and robotic camera systems. Fletcher has been in business for nearly 30 years and has delivered innovative angles for thousands of high profile events. The addition of Fletcher is consistent with NEP’s stated strategy to become the worldwide leader in 18 OCTOBER ‘18
Broadcast Services, and “camera capture,” both traditional and robotic, is an important part of the broadcast value chain. Founded in 1987 and based in Burr Ridge, IL, Fletcher has served “A” games for the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL and other major sporting events in the US, as well as for highly anticipated political and entertainment events such as presidential debates and the Oscars Red Carpet. The company also serves the
international sports broadcast market via its US and London offices. “We’re excited to bring the innovative specialty cameras and talent of Fletcher’s staff into the NEP Worldwide Network,” said Mike Werteen, Global President, NEP Broadcast Services. “We’ve partnered with Fletcher on several events, so we know firsthand the quality of their work and shared commitment to delivering superior service. Through this acquisition, our clients
now have access to cutting-edge ultra-slow motion and robotic camera technology and expertise along with NEP’s variety of broadcast services.” Among their many solutions, Fletcher offers an AI-based proprietary, patent-pending auto-follow camera system designed to follow and record the movement of players. In partnership with NEP, the Fletcher Tr-ACE system was recently implemented on seven courts at Wimbledon. Fletcher also provided the technology for nine courts at the US Open to track players’ movements during matches on the outer courts. In addition, Fletcher invented several innovative proprietary camera angles now commonly seen by audiences worldwide: shots from “above the rim” on top of basketball backboards, in-net cameras for hockey and rail cams in front of press tables. “NEP’s dedication to technical innovation and client service is impressive,” said Dan Grainge, President of Fletcher. “I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished at Fletcher and know that combining our talents and technology with an industry leader like NEP will take our business to the next level. It’s a great fit for us and a strong benefit to be able to add NEP’s broadcast services, media solutions and live event support for our clients.” The Fletcher brand will remain, with Fletcher supporting NEP and its clients across the globe. Dan Grainge will continue to lead the Fletcher team and will report to Mike Werteen, Global President of NEP Broadcast Services.
NEWS - BUSINESS & PEOPLE
CP Communications welcomes industry veteran Ken Dillard as VP of North American Sales CP Communications has appointed 30-year broadcast industry veteran Ken Dillard as Vice President of North American Sales. Leveraging his extensive recent experience in the cellular newsgathering space, Dillard’s first strategic initiative will be building on the exclusive partnership between CP Communications and IP transport solution developer Mobile Viewpoint to establish the latter’s products in the U.S. market. Dillard joins CP Communications from IPbased live video solutions provider TVU Networks, where he served nearly three years as Vice President of Sales, North America. Prior to that, he held senior sales management roles at Dejero, Statmon Technologies Group and 20 OCTOBER ‘18
Harris Corporation as well as Avid, where he gained insights into the unique needs of news production operations. Before turning his career focus towards sales, Dillard spent 14 years as Chief Engineer at multiple U.S. radio stations, helping him deeply understand the challenges customers face today from an engineering perspective. “CP Communications has thrived for more than 30 years primarily based on word-of-mouth, growing our business through referrals based on the confidence our customers have in us,” said Kurt Heitmann, CEO, CP Communications. “It’s exciting to think how much further we can take our company with the addition of a sales leader of Ken’s caliber, proactively bringing new problem-solving offerings
to our customers while delivering the same level of service they expect from CP Communications. Ken’s established industry relationships and background in bonded cellular, streaming and newsgathering make him the ideal person to build our Mobile Viewpoint business and help our customers bring IP-based media transport into their operations.” Headquartered in the Netherlands, Mobile Viewpoint is a leading developer of innovative,
NEWS - BUSINESS & PEOPLE
live IP contribution and transmission solutions. Mobile Viewpoint’s latest products combine H.265 (HEVC) video encoding with bonding technology to reliably transmit video over bonded IP connections at the highest possible quality while using the lowest bandwidth. The partnership forged earlier this year gives Mobile Viewpoint its first
North American sales and support presence, with CP Communications offering the entire portfolio of Mobile Viewpoint solutions. In addition to providing Mobile Viewpoint products on a standalone basis, CP Communications’ Red House Streaming division will develop unique solutions and services powered by the Mobile Viewpoint products. While
other vendors provide point products for IPbased transport, CP Communications is uniquely positioned to deliver full-service, turnkey production solutions and services combining Mobile Viewpoint’s awardwinning technologies with production expertise, onsite deployment services and supporting third-party tools.
NEWS - BUSINESS & PEOPLE
Barix appoints Reto Brader as CEO Barix has announced that the company has promoted Reto Brader to CEO, following a highly successful tenure as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. The change in company leadership correlates with the availability of new products that Barix introduced in 2018, including its awardwinning RetailPlayer platform for background music distribution. The remaining Barix management team, which has worked together effectively for the past several years, will continue in their established roles with full support from Brader. This includes company founder Johannes Rietschel as CTO, Joan Parrilla as VP Engineering, and Mario Almeida as VP Production. Rietschel founded Barix in 2001 upon anticipating the need to move audio and control signals over IP networks. The company has since shipped more than 450,000 Barix and private-labeled OEM 22 OCTOBER ‘18
Instreamer ICE, Barix’s first AAC+ encoder with an integrated Icecast server; and AudioPoint 3.0, Barix’s low-latency audio-tomobile streaming platform.
hardware devices worldwide, and has more recently evolved into SaaS and managed services for business music and advertising distribution for retail, hospitality and other location-based businesses. Barix has invested heavily in the development of its next generation products that follow the latest IoT architecture, and that support the highest internet security standards. With Rietschel behind product development and Brader driving marketing strategy, 2018 also saw the introduction of the IPAM 400, a quad-core Linuxbased IP audio module for OEMs and developers;
Effective immediately, the Barix board has appointed Brader as CEO to seize the market opportunities afforded through these innovations. Before joining Barix as VP Sales and Marketing, Brader held key business and technical roles at Hewlett Packard, Pixelmetrix, Utah Scientific and Alcatel. He has a degree in Electronical Engineering and an MBA. While Barix will continue to focus on its core markets, Rietschel and Brader’s leadership positions will play a central role in moving Barix forward into new areas of opportunity for IP audio and control solutions. Departing CEO Ivo Killer will leave Barix following a three-year tenure that laid the business foundation for Barix’s recent success.
NEWS - BUSINESS & PEOPLE
Primestream brings industry veteran Ernie Leon onboard as VP of Sales & Business Development
Asim Saeed joins Ikegami Electronics as Business Development Manager
Primestream® has announced that Ernie Leon, an industry sales executive with more than 15 years’ experience, has been named Vice President of Sales and Business Development for the company. Effective immediately, Leon will be responsible for the worldwide sales team, developing new business opportunities and solutions to customer needs.
Ikegami has announced a new addition to its sales and support team with the appointment of Asim Saeed as Business Development Manager. Reporting to Ikegami Europe President Kenzo Ishizuka, Asim Saeed will promote the full Ikegami range of broadcast and medical products to existing and potential customers.
Leon comes to the company having most recently served as National Sales, Business Development Executive Manager (US) for the Sony Professional Solutions Division. In that capacity, he worked with NBC Universal, Fox Network, Viacom, HBO, Univision, Entravision, BSkyB, Endemol Shine, Fox Italy and others.
"With over 70 years of experience in highend image capture, processing and display, Ikegami is a highly respected brand with proven capabilities in terms of production quality, robustness and technical innovation," Asim Saeed comments. "It is a great opportunity to be joining the team at a time when the television industry is advancing into new technologies such as high dynamic range image capture and display, higher resolution standards such as 4K and 8K, and the many new production methods made possible by IPbased equipment control and signal distribution." 23 OCTOBER ‘18
NEWS - COMPANIES
CableCam Nordic AB offers an innovative way of filming in TV productions used in major live TV productions, from concerts to sports events. Eagle Cam goes and replaces the head so it can become 3D.
CableCam Nordic AB, based in Goteborg (Sweden), has attracted the attention of renowned corporations such as Broadcast Solutions. This new company is specialized in manufacturing cable cam 24 OCTOBER ‘18
solutions, which are rented around the world. One of its flagship products is the EagleCam, a 2D cable chamber system. It is capable of running up to 100 km/h along in lengths up to 1000 meters. It has been
The grand finale of Swedish Idol (realitycompetition talent show), Fotbollsgalan (annual Swedish sports awards ceremony), Svenska idrottsgalan (show to honor the past year's Swedish sports and athletes' achievements), Lotta pĂĽ Liseberg (Swedish sing-along show), Findings festival (EDM, house and techno event in Oslo), Goteborg Horse Show and Where's the Party? (Show by Carlsberg) are just some cases in which EagleCam has been used. There are two people needed to drive this system. The wagon operator must have the camera trolley in the right
NEWS - COMPANIES
position on the wire and drive the trolley smoothly and at the right speed following the instructions of the photographer. The photographer handles the camera with respect to pan/tilt/focus and zoom. In addition, a technician is required to assist with battery replacement for long transmissions/recordings as well as servicing and handling the equipment. Thanks to the agreement between CableCam and Broadcast Solutions, the
Nordic company can also offer Robycam systems, a special motion system for a cable-suspended 3-axis gyro-stabilized camera head. Its sophisticated control algorithms provide the opportunity to bring the camera to any point within the work area, while the head of the Robyhead R2 camera fully controls the viewing angles of the camera with an endless 360° panorama and an active rotation with autohorizon. A synergy of these features
allows Robycam to produce spectacular images. Other solution offered by CableCam is Sidetrack Dolly, a vertical rail system. It is a computerized controlled camera rack which allows users to set up cue points along the track for repeat shooting. Sidetrack Dolly has been used in several productions, such us ‘All time's hits’ (a live TV show on the Swedish channel SVT) or ‘One night with Jill Jonsson’ (also broadcast on SVT). 25 OCTOBER ‘18
CASE STUDY
Telegenics’ T-Wiz Decentralizes WITH MediorNet from Riedel THE CHALLENGE Telegenic, a major remote production company with its main office in the U.K. and U.S. office in Atlanta, chose MediorNet to provide the redundant and decentralized signal routing and transport infrastructure required for its US golf coverage. Their use of the MediorNet realtime signal transport, processing, and routing network resulted in several key advantages: • Unprecedented flexibility in workflow design • Integrated glue functions streamline operations • Drastically simplified setup with decreased time for set and strike • Integrated redundancies to enable disaster recovery in live production environments and widely varying weather conditions 26 OCTOBER ‘18
THE CUSTOMER Telegenic stands at the forefront of one of the broadcast industry’s most demanding fields of operation, that of outside (remote) broadcasting. For over 30 years Telegenic has delivered the highest standards of quality, expertise, and service to the world’s leading broadcasters. Highly skilled in project management, engineering, and execution they have helped deliver some of the most spectacular live events on the planet. Pioneers in High Definition and world leaders in 3D and 4K, they continually embrace and develop the latest technologies to exceed client expectations.
THE SOLUTION Telegenic’s MediorNet network consists of a MediorNet MetroN core
In order to effectively keep T-Wiz on the road for over 34 weeks a year covering golf tour events, Telegenic needed an integrated and comprehensive signal transport, routing, and processing solution. Having previously used a non-integrated solution made up of parts and pieces from multiple vendors, they realized that the only way to stay on schedule would be to invest in an infrastructure that could keep up with their demands. Telegenic had looked at various IP and ‘software defined hardware’ solutions from other vendors. The team at Riedel was able to demonstrate not only forward thinking, network based design, but also a proven track record for their hardware.
RIEDEL
router, 10 MicroN highdensity media distribution network devices, and four MediorNet Compact Pro stagebox/mainframes to facilitate transport of HD video and a variety of audio and data signals. At each golf course venue, the MediorNet components are all connected over a 10 Gbps optical fiber network to form a decentralized routing matrix. WDM multiplexers within the system cut the number of fiber connections required for the Riedel Compact Pros from six singlemode cores down to just two. With MediorNet’s automatic signal rerouting capabilities, Telegenic teams are then able to create full optical redundancy over just four cores. That built-in redundancy would prove critical during one event. One of the MediorNet Compact frames had only 7 out of 9 links to start and, over the course of a live half-hour show, went down to only 2 links. The system did its job, switching from link to
link, keeping the show on the air.
THE RESULTS
Integrated signal processing functions such as audio and video routing, audio embedding, de-embedding, and the distribution of sync are also of great value and eliminate the need for additional hardware.
Riedel’s MediorNet network is used in all aspects of the production from fiber-based acquisition of video and audio signals from the Host Broadcaster trucks in the TV compound, thru integration of various onsite locations, to the replacement of traditional broadcast routing and multiviewing hardware. And, thanks to the implementation of optical multiplexing within the system, they are able to reduce the number of fibers required for remote locations while taking full advantage of MediorNet’s unique ability to automatically reroute signals in case of cable issues.
In addition, running on two of the MicroNs, the MediorNet Multi-Viewer App provides multiviewing capabilities for up to 18 video signals that can be used to create up tp four Multiviewer screens. These can then be used locally or redistributed to any of the Medior-Net nodes. Also included is Riedel’s RockNet real-time audio network that rides atop the MediorNet backbone to provide backup audio transport from several remote locations.
27 OCTOBER ‘18
CASE STUDY
Panasonic walks on the wild side at The 'Zoo of life' “The interaction between the actors and animals was essential. Consequently, the projector was an actor itself!” Luc Peumans, Painting with Lights
Products Supplied PT-RZ31K
CHALLENGE
The Antwerp Zoo is considered to be one of the oldest, most beautiful zoos in the world, celebrating its 175th anniversary since opening in 2018. Having connected people and animals for over a century, the event was commemorated with the recently written musical, ZOO of Life. Over 23 performances at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, a 28 OCTOBER ‘18
total of 700 volunteers and 14 professional actors gave outstanding
To commemorate the 175th anniversary of the Antwerp ZOO with a musical uniting people and animals
performances whilst interacting with animals that were brought to life with projections onstage. To do this, the PT-RZ31K series Panasonic laser projector with a brightness of 30,000 lumens was an important contributor.
SOLUTION Using a Panasonic projector PT-RZ31K to provide high quality images of animals on screen with minimal disruption to the audience
PANASONIC
Lifelike illusion "ZOO of Life is an appealing contemporary story about the zoo, love, and loyalty between humans and animals," says an enthusiastic Luc Stevens, the director of ZOO of Life. "It was important that the animals have a strong presence in the performance. Of course, wild animals couldn’t be included, meaning we had to think of other options. In the end we chose to show them onto big LED
screens; a big 8mm LED screen onstage, two long 4m high side screens and extending the depth of the stage, two sets with LEDclad stairs and a considerable number of video panels in arches above the stage. This created the illusion that the actors were performing in the zoo." Luc Peumans, from Painting with Lights, the company that provided the decors, adds: "Our job was to create the
perception among spectators that they were sitting in the middle of the zoo and were entirely part of the show. Aside from a number of real decor items, the stage set consisted of LED screens where the animals were shown via rear screen projection. For two scenes we used a PepperScrim, which consisted of projecting images of a gorilla and an okapi onto a special holographic gauze with a 30K Panasonic laser projector. 29 OCTOBER ‘18
CASE STUDY
This way, the actors could interact with the animals. The gauze was invisible so that the audience experienced it as if the animals were actually standing on the stage. It worked incredibly well!"
Interaction between actors and animals Technological innovations made the intermingling of the virtual and the real worlds possible. New technology offers content in all sorts 30 OCTOBER ‘18
of new forms: mobile, 3D or 4D, or even life-sized via (holographic) projections. Because this technology has been highly simplified over the past five years, production costs have also been reduced whilst the quality continues to improve. This is important to ensure the technology is suitable to educational and cultural projects, alongside its typical use for big companies and the entertainment industry. The Panasonic projector was highly suited to the change in environment,
with the combination of 3Chip DLP™ imaging with original SOLID SHINE Laser Phosphor technology allowing the PTRZ31K projector to create great detail, excellent brightness, and lifelike colour images with high contrast in large spaces. With all elements combined, it was therefore ideal for the musical. "For the actors it was quite an experience to work with the projections. At first, the rehearsals were held without images on the backdrop. Only when we went to rehearse
PANASONIC
in the big hall did they see a gorilla with which they had to interact," says Stevens. "That was a special experience for the actors. In the beginning it was stressful, but ultimately it worked out very well. Certainly in the scene where an actor sang together with an okapi, the audience had a good reaction which was quite emotional. It really looked as if the animal was standing there, and the connection between the actor and the okapi worked immediately!” Peumans said, "The interaction between actors and animals was essential. Consequently, the projector was an actor itself! We had to be 100% certain that the projection would not fail during the show. The robustness of the equipment is therefore crucial in creating the experience and fulfilling the expectations of the audience. The reliability of the technology is imperative in this sort of situation. That was why we chose Panasonic. Already
we had long standing relations, and Panasonic is our preferred partner when it comes to projections.” Reaching a brightness of 30,000 lumens, the PTRZ31K was chosen due to the fact it offered high quality images, alongside the two laser diodes that are built into the projector to limit the chance of malfunctions. This makes the PT-RZ31K ideal for business-critical applications where image presentation has to be maintained at all times. “As we have come to expect from Panasonic, this projector was very strong, reliable, compact and quiet. The latter is an important aspect to perform a musical. The presence of the projector should not distract the audience from the stage."
enthusiastic Stevens asserts. "That is why theatre was created: for generating emotion in people. The LED screens and the projection contributed enormously to it. It gives me an incredible feeling of success. It's wonderful!" Peumans concludes: "We are all very proud to be a part of this production. It was very exciting to work in this fantastic hall and to be associated with such a popular and iconic monument as the Antwerp ZOO. There was a lot of camaraderie, and despite the many technical challenges, everyone was united and determined to produce something very special and memorable. I think we more than succeeded!" The 23 performances attracted over 36,000 spectators.
Generating emotion "The beauty of a performance like this was to see the emotion of the spectators that came out. They were in the zoo for real; they felt it!," an 31 OCTOBER ‘18
CASE STUDY
Making the Cut: Matrox helps The Australian Screen Editors guild webcast inaugural Edit Royale event Edit Royale: A game of cut-throat timing The Australian Screen Editors (ASE) guild is dedicated to the pursuit and recognition of excellence in the arts, sciences, and technology of motion picture film and televisual post production. It aims to promote and protect the role of the editor as an essential and significant contributor to all screen productions. One such promotional event held by the guild is the Sydney Edit Royale, where five emerging editors are given just two hours to edit and complete a one-minute music video using neverbefore-seen video footage and music. To make an impression, editors have to demonstrate their creativity and speed using only an Apple® iMac® computer and the editing software of their choice. 32 OCTOBER ‘18
At stake are two tickets to attend the Annual Australian Screen Editor Awards (The Ellies), and more importantly, an opportunity to make an impression across the industry.
Planning the event ASE wanted the competition’s video editing content to be displayed onto a large screen for the in-house audience to follow every contestant’s progress in the competition and gain insight about each editor’s unique approach to the challenge. The same content had to be live streamed for those unable to attend, and recorded for VOD consumption after the event. To help co-host the upcoming event, the ASE guild approached Digistor, a technology and services solutions provider to
oversee the technical implementation of webcasting the entire twohour long event.
Simple set up, exceptional streaming As a starting point, a switcher was required to capture the screens and audio from the five iMacs, video from a Sony® PXWX70 camera filming the contestants, and audio from the host’s mic providing live commentary of the event. After selecting the switcher, the next step was to find a reliable, high-quality, lowfootprint encoder appliance that was able to seamlessly webcast, record, and locally display the day’s events. Digistor, already familiar with Matrox® products,
MATROX
CUTTING-EDGE RESULTS “Overall, the event was well received—the competitors, emcee, and audience, all had a great evening,” said Greg Taylor, technical services engineer, Digistor. “I guess anyone can stream from a personal device these days, but Monarch HDX giving us the ability to be a portable TV studio that can push a clean, professional looking show to the web is the next level! The Matrox Monarch HDX encoder was key to our live stream solution for the Australian Screen Editors guild’s Edit Royale event. We certainly plan on using this for similarly‐designed setups in the future.”
contacted Matrox Video to help select an encoder that fit their needs. The Matrox Monarch HDX dual-channel streaming and recording appliance had all the features that were required—an easy set up design, input for a switcher, output for a projector, a compact form factor, and the ability to push streams to many compatible content delivery networks (CDN), including Digistor’s IBM Ustream cloud video service. Monarch HDX, capable of streaming and/or recording to two separate destinations simultaneously, and equipped with selectable HDMI and SDI inputs— both with internal frame synchronizers to ensure uninterrupted streaming operations—more than met ASE’s needs. Using an Ethernet connection, Monarch HDX streamed the SDI output from the switcher (which alternated between the six video inputs—focusing individually on each editor’s screen and the roaming camera). The Monarch HDX appliance
was set up to stream at 1280x720p60 to Ustream—a low enough bandwidth that ensured online users watching from home would have a smooth and consistent viewing experience. Monarch HDX simultaneously recorded the same content, that would be uploaded to YouTube for VOD at a later time. Monarch HDX’s output was connected via HDMI to an Optoma® DLP® projector, which pushed video from the switcher onto a large screen to conveniently allow in-house audience members to follow the live stream service as well. For convenience, Monarch HDX can be controlled and configured using the Monarch HDX Command Center using any device on the network that supports a standard web browsing application, but is also equipped with control buttons directly on the unit to start/stop encoding.
33 OCTOBER ‘18
TELEVISIONS OF THE WORLD
GLOBO ARE YOU READY FOR THE NEW OTT ERA?
34 OCTOBER ‘18
GLOBO
Raymundo Barros, CTO of GLOBO, tells us the latest technological innovations of one of the largest media companies in the world. By Daniel Esparza
35 OCTOBER ‘18
TELEVISIONS OF THE WORLD
One of the strategic priorities of GLOBO is to provide the user with an integrated experience. "The key - reveals Raymundo Barros - is to integrate broadcast and broadband worlds, providing a seamless digital experience, regardless of what the content is provided over broadcast or broadband". The large Brazilian company is in the process of renovating its facilities and services to adapt to new consumption habits. On the one hand, Globoplay, Grupo Globo’s OTT application, will be completely updated, both in terms of technology and content. The company is also building three new 'super-studios' of 1.500 square meters each equipped with IP and 4KHDR technology to double its ability to produce ultrahigh quality content, mostly in TV series for OTT delivery. This interview is part of a series of special reports that we are developing this 2018 to learn the current technological 36 OCTOBER ‘18
Globo reaches more than 100 million people through its multi-content platforms on a daily basis. In 2017, they had their largest audiences since 2011: they interacted with more than 190 million people per month or 94% of people with TV sets at home.
state of the most influential televisions on the planet guided by their top technical managers.
Record audience Globo reaches more than 100 million people through its multi-content platforms on a daily basis. In 2017, they had their largest audiences since 2011: they interacted with more than 190 million people per month or 94% of people with TV sets at home. The media company has a free-to-air broadcast network with 122 stations throughout Brazil. Five of them are owned by Globo, while 117 are affiliate stations.
GLOBO
Could you tell us about the current situation of television in Brazil, and how this affects your position? In terms of technology, we are in the middle of the analog switch-off process. Digital television has been available over the air in Brazil for ten years. We have already ceased broadcast of analog television for more than half of the country. All the major cities and all the metropolitan areas, 120 million Brazilians,
already solely use digital television. Thus, we have to address what we call small cities within the country, in which analog television is still broadcast and awaiting shutdown. This process will finish in 2023. In terms of broadcast, digital television has been massively deployed in Brazil. Our standard is based on the Japanese standard with certain innovations. Our codec system is H264.
We are already performing some demos in Brazil, in order to design the next generation of digital television.
Tell us more about these demonstrations. We can start from the past 4 years. In the last Summer Olympics, which were held in Rio de Janeiro, it was the first time, outside of Japan, that 8K content was broadcast over the air. We did that in 2016. We also had in the World Cup in Brazil, in 2014, the first 4K over-the-air broadcast, as well as a demo based on HbbTV technology, for Europe. In the last World Cup, we did two major demonstrations during the event. One of them was 8K/HDR in partnership with Japanese broadcaster NHK. We accessed all the matches that NHK covered in 8K/HDR. In partnership with IntelSat, we transported live 8K video transmissions from Japan to Brazil, and carried out a demo at the Museum of Tomorrow, a wonderful science and technology 37 OCTOBER ‘18
TELEVISIONS OF THE WORLD
museum in Rio de Janeiro. More than 30.000 people attended this demo, watching live matches and replays. We also developed a live broadcast demo based on the ATSC 3.0 standard in this World Cup. This channel is still on air, and here we broadcast on a daily basis some 4K demo content. A number of football matches have been broadcast in 4K-HDR, most of them from the World Cup, and also a second HD program stream in the same channel for mobile reception. We are also demonstrating a new hybrid broadcast/broadband framework that have been developed by the Brazilian
Telenovela shooting in Estúdios Globo — credit: Globo/Ramón Vasconcelos
Although the Brazilian current digital television standard cannot support 4K, Globo’s content that have been produced in 4K can be delivered for the end users over-the-top in a seamless experience.
38 OCTOBER ‘18
DTV Forum. Thanks to this, the TV sets already available in Brazil are providing a more seamless experience, meaning that you can watch Globo content over the air and, at the same time, receive Globo content over broadband in a single experience. This means that, although the
GLOBO
tracking systems in the camera to use augmented reality graphics in the sports coverage, not only in the games themselves, but also in sports programming.
How useful do you consider belt packs to cover live events?
Brazilian current digital television standard cannot support 4K, Globo’s content that have been produced in 4K can be delivered for the end users over-the-top in a seamless experience.
As we are seeing, you are highly focused on sports productions. How do you handle graphics?
Indeed, graphics are of the utmost importance in sports. In the case of our sports productions, we hold partnerships with some technology companies to provide an enhanced experience of the games. Furthermore, we have developed in our R&D area a custom graphic engine with
They are very useful. Nowadays, I believe that we are one of the largest media companies that use these bonded cellphone systems. Globo has a deep-rooted partnership with LiveU. Regarding the last World Cup, we had 21 ENG cameras in Russia, and each camera had LiveU units, which means that we could offer live streams from every venue in Russia and every major city where the most important teams were based. Comparing it with the World Cup held in South Africa in 2010, (the previous one was in Brazil), there we only had three SNGs. In Russia, we had 21 bonded cellphones systems based on LiveU technology, while not having a single SNG vehicle. 39 OCTOBER ‘18
TELEVISIONS OF THE WORLD
Jornal Nacional studios — Credit: Globo/João Cotta
How do you manage the need to move through a multiplatform environment? Globo has a parent company, Globo.com, which is our digital platform. An in-house tool has been developed, which is connected to the media asset management system, so our journalists can access any content that we have in our production pipeline at any time. They can edit it in a
40 OCTOBER ‘18
special manner, and post it on social media, on our website or in OTT apps in a very swift and seamless way. Indeed, what we have developed here is a multiplatform production environment. In case of news coverage we can publish our content in our free-to-air television channel, in the pay TV 24 hours news channel , OTT apps, web sites and social
media, based on the programming decision. In summary, on the technology side, our platform is able to take any content we have and move it to the platform that you decide.
What is the level of integration between the different newsrooms? That is a good question. If you consider radio and print, in the case of Globo Group, it is a wholly
GLOBO
independent operation. In the case of our newsroom for sports, for news and so on, a single newsroom produces content for the free-to-air broadcast network, for pay TV channels and for the web, social media and OTT apps. It is a single team producing content in this multiplatform way. The technology infrastructure and the applications have been developed in such a way that they are compatible with this multiplatform content production environment.
Do you use automatic tools to index content? The mainstream processes are still based on humans doing content indexing, yet we have some special projects where we are using automatic metadata extraction. We are bound by agreements, so I cannot mention them yet. We have two or three big technology companies with a deep interest in pattern recognition, speech-to-text and machine learning, in such a way that we are already
doing the metadata automatic extraction out of the content and integrating it with our system. It is a special project, it is not mainstream, but I really think that it is going to be scaled to almost all the indexing processes that we have. It is improving at every new release. It also runs in Portuguese as well.
Overall, how can broadcasters adapt to this new era? That is the billion-dollar question (laughs). However, I will try to give you my point of view. Although the content production process is already digital, in a good extent in enhanced
formats like 4k and it is being distributed in digital formats in every possible platform (ie: free to air television, pay TV operators or OTT apps), the consumer experience and the business models are still the same of the analogue times. What we are envisioning in Globo is to provide a fully digital and integrated experience for our customers in every possible platform. And also to develop digital business models that can be applied not only to the web and OTT, but also to the traditional platforms like linear free to air television and Pay TV operators. How do we think we can achieve this? We can take advantage of
What we have developed here is a multiplatform production environment. In case of news coverage we can publish our content in our free-to-air television channel, in the pay TV 24 hours news channel , OTT apps, web sites and social media, based on the programming decision.
41 OCTOBER ‘18
TELEVISIONS OF THE WORLD
the new capabilities of the TV sets and Pay TV set top boxes. In Brazil, 85% of the TV sets sold this year are smart. This means that almost every TV set in Brazil sold this year is connected to the Internet. Same is happening on the Pay TV operators where the new STB are IP ready. What we have to provide is a seamless experience to the customers, in such a way that our customers at home can watch content that is now being delivered by the broadcast channel and straight after, in a seamless way, they can switch to content that is now provided over broadband OTT. That content can be a sports event, a drama series or an advertisement. It is the holistic consumer experience on the TV set that, in essence, sums up our vision. In addition to this integrated experience and thanks to advanced Data Analytics, if you are a Globoplay user – our digital OTT app – then you have to log in to access our content and watch it 42 OCTOBER ‘18
The key is to integrate broadcast and broadband worlds, providing a seamless digital experience, regardless of whether the content has been delivered over broadcast or broadband, and explore the new business models that this logged-in experience enable.
on the TV set, in such a way that we will be able to deliver to the customers the content they truly wish to watch, at any time they want, on any device they want. If there is a World Cup match, 180 million Brazilians are going to watch that match at the same time. The broadcast platform is the best platform to deliver this experience to so many people at the same time. The Internet cannot do that yet. However, after the match, that same customer may want to watch a special TV series, which it is not available in the broadcast channel at that time, so he can enjoy this special content over the OTT app in a seamless experience. There is no
need to leave the linear channel, go to the app store, find the Globoplay app, open up the app, search for the content and play it out. No. It can be provided to him in a seamless way on the same screen, because we know who is watching our show. We know their preferences, habits, so I can show them a menu. “Do you want to watch this show? You watched an episode yesterday; do you want to watch the new episode now?” Based on these new voice assistant interfaces, it will be much easier for the customer to access the content they wish to watch. The key is to integrate broadcast and broadband worlds,
GLOBO
shooting in these brandnew studios, each of them has 1.500 square meters, on October of next year.
What about your OTT platform, Globoplay?
Globo at Russia World Cup.
providing a seamless digital experience, regardless of whether the content has been delivered over broadcast or broadband, and explore the new business models that this logged-in experience enable.
Are you involved in any other technological upgrade? As you know, Globo is one of the largest content producers in the world. We already have three series per year that we are able to produce in 4K/HDR. We are building new studios, at Globo Studios, our
production facilities located in Rio de Janeiro. We are adding three additional studios, and those studios are going to boost full IP 4K-HDR infrastructure. Then, we are doubling our ability to produce 4K content, mostly in primetime TV series for OTT delivery. We are increasing the amount of content that we can produce in 4K-HDR in a fully IP infrastructure. This project has been named MG4.
When will you start using these studios? We are going to start
Globo Play is an OTT app that is available on iOS, Android and most brands of connected TVs, Apple TV, Chromecast. Globoplay has been a very successful product since its launch in 2015. We have 20 million people engaged in the platform every month. Globoplay is currently undergoing an upgrade process. The new Globoplay is going to be the OTT platform not only for the catch up of TV Globo programming, but for original content that we are producing at our production facility, Globo Studios, and content licensed from abroad. We are changing Globoplay completely, including the user experience and technological aspects, in such a way that it will be even better than it is right now. This upgrade not only lies in the content, but also in the technology. 43 OCTOBER ‘18
TELEVISIONS OF THE WORLD
What are the technological challenges of this upgrade? The main challenge of this upgrade is to increase the coordination with different CDNs to improve capacity and enhanced Data Analytics to leverage content recomendation. To get an idea, this past World Cup we had a record of 1.3 million people watching at the same time one of the matches in the Globoplay app. We didn’t have any glitches at all. Yet the CDN is a major challenge, in order to increase the capacity and also the number of profiles. We need to deliver the content from a very low resolution for 500 Kbits/second in HD up to 18 Mbps in 4K. Each content is now being delivered on our digital platform with twelve different profiles. This is a big challenge.
WORLD CUP GLOBO deployed cutting-edge coverage during the last World Cup in Russia, where it 44 OCTOBER ‘18
integrated virtual reality, remote production and even 8K-HDR technologies. We did not want to avoid the opportunity to explore first-hand what challenges this ‘macro-event’ posed for them.
You took part in the World Cup. Did you find any specific technical challenge in this edition? Globo has designed its coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia targeting the tight integration and alignment of the teams and operations so as to produce content to all of our distribution platforms (Free TV, Pay TV and Digital). One Sports content production pool,
Globo at Russia World Cup.
with multiple outputs. With this target group in mind, we were aiming to innovate both in terms of on-air look and operational efficiency. Our panoramic studio in Red Square employed the latest technologies in terms of camera tracking and augmented reality graphics. The concept for this studio was so radically new that we have built an exact replica of it in our premises in Rio, with all of the equipment needed, so as to test it in real life. This has been an extraordinary experience, which has ironed out many questions and has built confidence among the team that the concept works well and the on-air look met our expectations.
GLOBO
You introduced VR elements during the coverage of the event. What did you do exactly?
You also developed a remote production project for the World Cup. How challenging was that?
Using three giant LED screens and three TV cameras – one in a crane, one in a pedestal, and one on a tripod - we inserted eye-catching augmented reality graphics that the presenters could interact with, surprising and entertaining our viewers, just like we did during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The graphics were produced daily by Globo’s Sports Art Department in Rio, using a 66 node render farm, partly on premises and partly in the cloud, and were exported to our Red Square Studio facility through a 450Mbps fiber link using file transfer acceleration protocols. Once loaded into the augmented reality graphics engines, animations were put into the desired sequence, according to the rundown of each of the six programs that were aired daily from the studio and inserted into the images captured by each camera.
Remote production was employed for content generated both at our Red Square studios and at the venues where the Brazilian team played. It means that we didn’t use OB Vans or control rooms in Russia to produce content at these two locations. The signals from our unilateral cameras and microphones were taken to our headquarters in Rio using fiber optics links, and there they were combined with the multilateral signals of the games, and with the live signals produced by our news teams positioned in all venues and cities of the World Cup. By bypassing OB Vans and control rooms in Russia, we had significant savings in equipment rental and infrastructure costs, as well as savings in head count. Our news crews on site used small and lightweight ENG kits, comprised of a handheld camera, a laptop with
editing software and a file transfer mechanism to transfer selected portions of captured content to our server in Rio. Final editing of news stories was done in Rio itself, again saving costs on trips, hotels, and crew. We had a terminal of the host broadcaster’s server in Rio as well, allowing us to remotely browse its contents using proxies, make lists of selected clips, and download these lists to our server in Rio, for editing together with our unilateral content.
Did you use 3G/4G backpacks when covering the World Cup? Yes. 21 out of the 26 news crews that we had in Russia for the World Cup were fit with a cellular bonding backpack to contribute live to our newscast. Live coordination of reporters for our news contribution feeds was done using VOIP APPs tied to our intercom matrix back in Rio and run from the reporters’ cell phones. 45 OCTOBER ‘18
TECHNOLOGY
SDI VS IP CURRENT STATUS 46 OCTOBER ‘18
SDI - IP
In this ever-changing industry, shifting more and faster with every day, one of the deepest issues to tackle is the means of transport of the signal. From the 90s, SDI has been the sole transportation method and has evolved, yet now transport natively over data networks, IP, is here to stay. Let’s delve deeper into where we have come from and where we are going with SDI and IP.
Author: Yeray Alfageme, Business Technology Manager Olympic Channel
A brief historical recap Originally, analogue video was created by bearing in mind the limitations presented by the era’s monitors. We are talking here about cathode ray tubes, CRT, operating in black and white, with a very slow refresh rate and which were based on an electrical network to be synchronised with the signal, whether this was 50
or 60 Hz. As this was originally a black and white display that adapted itself to show colours and not having a greater radioelectric space for itself, the system had to adapt to the existing transmission, which gave rise to chrominance components and colour deference. All of the foregoing conditioned by the existing limitations. Further on, digitalisation came onto the scene, which meant a significant
improvement in the transport of the signal and its quality. However, this continued to be based on the wave form of the analogue signal with which the same video signal was then digitalised, interlaced and limited to the response time of the former CRT monitors, with their colour components devised as based on the original limitations of the previous technology without updating it to the new techniques available. This 47 OCTOBER ‘18
TECHNOLOGY
approach allowed for the possibility of still broadcasting digital signals in the same space through which the analogue signals had been transported beforehand, though this offered few advantages and overlooked all the opportunities provided by digital technology beyond the intrinsic sturdiness and improvements in terms of quality. An interesting snippet, it can be said that digitalisation, at least in its SMPTE ST259 or ITU-R BT 601 standards, came into being in the nineties and even by the year 2003, there were still shared analogue systems and broadcasts‌ And the HD burst in. From here on in the shift to a more modern technology still based on the wave form of the analogue signal, introducing exclusively an improvement in terms of definition and progressive scanning. The assumption of the limitation of CRT monitors, completely removed from the world of high definition, and that of existing space, still form 48 OCTOBER ‘18
The detail involving bandwidth is particularly important in our case, as it is the main limitation that we face when exchanging audio-visual content via data networks.
part of the original design of the HD signal, which, with the benefit of hindsight, does not appear to be wholly logical. And, inevitably, the same happened with UHD. In real terms, both the video signal broadcast along with its capacity remain limited to the original design of the analogue signal. The only plus, with regard to the signal itself is that with UHD we finally leave behind interlaced scanning, as all existing monitors are progressive, and their response time is swift. This means a simplification, yet the
same still entails a liner video signal with its oldfashioned wave form. Furthermore, the inclusion of new techniques, such as HDR, High Dynamic Range, WCG, Wide Colour Gamut, and, HFR, High Frame Rate, means this situation must now be addressed, if it had not been required beforehand. In tandem with the world of audio-visual telecommunications, the world of data telecommunications came into being, almost concurrently. Computers increasingly began to take on centre stage in all industries, Internet was created and with it, the standards of information exchange between remote systems and technology, above all bandwidth, constantly improved to give us the digital universe we enjoy now on a daily basis. The detail involving bandwidth is particularly important in our case, as it is the main limitation that we face when exchanging audio-visual content via data networks.
SDI - IP
But, what does IP technology mean for us? It could be defined as a “a transport system for digital media that operates on conventional IP network standards. Perhaps saying this means not saying anything that takes us into new ground.
TRANSPORT SERVICE
UPPER LAYERS
Diagram 1 corresponds to the ISO/OSI layer model that describes the different protocols implied in IP data communication. Video transport is based on layer 3, the network
layer, with certain applications in the upper layers. It is outside the scope of this article to delve deeper into the description of the IP transport model, yet there are a multitude of articles published that deal with this topic in a highly enlightening and comprehensive manner. One of the standout features to be borne in mind is that data transport is based on packages, the opposite of what happens with linear and continuous video, although in digital, used beforehand on SDI,
which means a conceptual shift. Furthermore, these packages may be lost and shuffled, meaning that methods must be implemented to correct these possible errors, something that has been overlooked before in our industry. These concepts are easily understandable by any IT engineer, but perhaps not so familiar for audio-visual engineers used to grappling with signals. In the same manner, there are matters such as delay or synchrony which we all keep in mind
Application Layer
7
Message format, Human-Machine Interfaces
6
Coding into 1s and 0s; encryption, compression
Presentation Layer Session Layer
5
Authentication, permissions, session restoration
4
End-to-end error control
3
Network addressing; routing or switching
2
Error detection, flow control on physical link
1
Bit stream: physical medium, method of representing bits
Transport Layer Network Layer
Data Link Layer Physical Layer
Diagram 1.
49 OCTOBER ‘18
TECHNOLOGY
Pros
Cons
Cheap
It is not deterministic
Universal, standard
Comes with losses
Ubiquitous
Provides latency
The future
Does not come with synchronisation system
Renowned
It feels “odd”
Everyone knows about it
It is not ours, it is an IT invention
and deem critical for our IT colleagues or those working with data networks do not consider as such . Let’s leave the topic of losses of data packages well alone. That said, why consider IP as the transport method for our signals? One of the main features of the IP environment is that it is infinitely less expensive than a traditional IP transport system with the same capacity. As this is a universal system that is present worldwide, even in our very own homes, the price of hardware and the variety on-hand is greater and cheaper. Who has an SDI matrix at 50 OCTOBER ‘18
home? However, anyone can have a router for their Internet access. Nonetheless, this brings with it losses, as we have mentioned beforehand, losses can take place of packages, one has to wait for all the packages to be ordered, as these may have been shuffled along the way, thus providing latency, this coupled with not being something with which the majority of the professionals in our sector are familiar with, means its inevitable implementation is hindered. Data networks are designed to admit and correct the loss of packages and have on-
hand buffering systems, capable of reordering them, yet leading to delay. In addition, losing packages is not critical for data networks, as the same are rebuilt or resent without them being affected, although this is not the case with video signals. A method that allows for the correction of losses and reordering of packages in FEC, Forward Error Correction. FEC basically transmits additional information that allows for the reconstruction of the data section, yet it has more than one downside. It increases the information transmitted, so that it
SDI - IP
reduces the capacity to transfer useless information and increases delay, at times in a random manner which is lethal for a video signal.
Video over IP, a bygone era Before data circuits had reduced capacity compared to the size of video signals. An SD signal at 270 Mbps cannot fit into a 100 Mbps data circuit, meaning that it is compulsory to use compression. It is then when standards such as MPEG-2 o el JPEG2K
emerge, which allow for the compression the video signal without loss and transport it by data means of lesser capacity than the reconstructed signal. When the capacity was increased and links of 1 Gbps became more commonplace, signals could be broadcast without the need for compression using IP networks. For example, an SD signal at 270 Mbps fits perfectly into a 1 GBPS link, and an HD signal, whether this is 1.5 G or 3 G, in a 10 Gbps link. This would seem rather simple, yet major capacity offered
by the means is being squandered and we continue to overlook this new technology’s offerings for broadcasts, and as such it is still unknown how this will be optimised.
Video over native IP, the present A 1.5 G HD video signal, for example, for example, aside from visual images, transmits a great deal of information such as CRC, synchronisms, VANC or HANC native in an SDI environment yet not necessary for IP environments. The
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approach of coding this signal as IP for its subsequent reconstruction maintains this unnecessary information and uses up bandwidth, along with resources. Approximately 448 Mbps of the 1.5 Gbps an SDI HD signal issues is unnecessary information, leaving around 1.037 Gbps for information on the image to be broadcast. It can almost be stored in a 1 Gbps link when beforehand a 10 Gbps would have been needed. Furthermore, as we are dealing with data packages, their versatility is much greater, thus allowing for the transportation of different resolutions, standards, colour depths and even sampling frequencies along the same means. An
Diagram 2.
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example provided by the simplification that the adoption of native IP technology in our environment is linked with the connection between the different systems. In diagram 2, an example of the production system with its SDI links between all the equipment to produce the final signal is shown. Whereas in diagram 3, we can see an equivalent interconnected system using IP links and an intermediate date network. As can be noted, the number of links is minimised and aside from this, the equipment may be in different locations in the case of an IP network. However, by interconnecting the SDI
equipment, each component knows that it has connected to each port. This does not take place in an IP environment where a protocol must be implemented that allows for equipment to find other systems automatically. This protocol is called NMOS, Network Media Open Specifications and simplifies the interconnexion of video equipment over IP, as occurs with the SDI systems, thus taking advantage of the improvements of a data environment. All of the foregoing, and much more is contained in the standard ST2110, renowned already in our industry and which sets forth the rules and
SDI - IP
Diagram 3.
standards for the use of shared IP networks for the transport and production of audio-visual signals. This standard contemplates elements such as:
video, SDI, over long distances, we can use the following options:
• Synchronisation.
• Satellite links.
• Video without compression.
• Rental of a circuit from an operator.
• Audio.
All of these are expensive and often not on-hand in certain locations. However, by allowing for the broadcast of signals, with sufficient guarantees, using standard data links, this makes the broadcast process cheaper and more accessible for almost any signal from any place.
• Transport of metadata. • NMOS. •… This is a standard under development and the SMPTE is working on it, though undoubtedly the moment will come in which all our equipment is IP and solely IP, owing to the advantages that simplifying and reducing costs that it offers whilst providing new means of distribution and content broadcast. For example, when we wish to broadcast linear
• A dedicated dark fibre optic cable. • Land-based radio links.
Indeed, one can even go further. Why have a mobile unit if each camera can broadcast its signal to a production centre? In this way, the entire production process is centralised in a much
safer manner at a sole permanent point and the necessary infrastructure is reduced to a minimum. Even each operator could be in different locations, the graphic designer, the mixer, the repeats operator… Or even it might be that these functions cease to exist and are replaced by others we can’t even imagine yet. Who knows? Concepts such as remote production, operations and recording in any place, on-site editing, immediate posting from any location etc. are possible solely through the application of the benefits that that IP offer us. As can be imagined, the adoption of IP technology in our industry is, possibly the most disruptive change we have ever faced in our history. Yet at the same time, it is enthralling to be able to take part in it and see where the coming changes will take us. More than likely, we won’t have to wait too long. 53 OCTOBER ‘18
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TODAY’S IP WITH TOMORROW’S PRODUCTION By Brian Olson, Vice President of Product Management at Newtek
As manufacturers and developers in the video space continue to push the limits of the emerging IP technology, end users are innovating themselves, advancing their respective fields and achieving successes with new business models. With NDI®, SMPTE ST 2110, and other standards gaining widespread traction, it leads us to believe that the IP revolution is nearing completion—that it is now simply a matter of time, market maturation, and fiscal readiness before the world of broadcast, sport, and more endeavor to replace their baseband investments and never look back. 54 OCTOBER ‘18
Long-Distance Workflows The clichéd visual of the entire production crew, with all of their equipment, huddled together in a dark room and bathed in the glow of illuminated instruments will live on for some time. But, just as video calling and screen sharing have become day-to-day conduct of business, soon too will sending, receiving, and processing actionable real-time content in multiple locations become a mundane activity in the context of a live production workflow. Solutions providers simply need to adjust their mindset from clutching
tightly to what they’ve always known to trusting what IP can do.
Production Virtualization Releasing the essence of a live production solution is the next consideration and a distinct advantage of software-driven production. Beyond scalability and flexibility through code, the benefit of what amounts to a highly specialized computer program is that it isn’t bound to meticulously engineered hardware unless it is designed to be. This means it can be moved about the ether—called upon as needed, where
SDI - IP
needed, and within whatever data center there is vacancy, as well as combined with other platforms to create a virtual ecosystem. While a known and proven concept in the world of IT, it is worth pointing out that virtualization currently requires a unique collection of leading-edge technology for live production. But, the point is, with IP, that door is now open to broadcasters and producers—and not merely for secondary operations supporting the core process of program creation.
Cloud-Based Production Ultimately, exploring the model of decentralized video production goes beyond the control room and the facility, to beyond the site entirely. Legitimate cloud-based production will soon be on the horizon, with softwaredriven, IP-native video solutions and living in external data centers, readily and remotely
accessible by entitled users anywhere in the world, and with sources and destinations similarly distributed. It’s hard to argue that the cloud business model that has taken the world by storm, allowing other media and technologies flourish, isn’t inevitably where this IP movement is headed. And by all accounts, the groundwork is being laid right now.
Computers, Software and Networks It’s no secret that computer-based production was once considered a novelty and IP networks were the domain of another department within the organization. But, as the modern world evolved, it
was inevitable that those in the video space would find a way to follow suit. In the last decade-plus, production with computers, software, and networks has advanced— now manifesting itself as more than a force to be reckoned with, but the engine driving the transformation of an entire industry. While it is true that the established practices, principles, and longstanding ways of working that the industry has relied upon for decades remain valid, and stand to benefit immensely from IP interoperability, continuing down the road being paved by softwaredriven production.
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IBC 2018
IBC 2018 UNHINDERED PROGRESS, FASTER AND FASTER
This edition of IBC can be summarised with a series of words that have been repeated continuously, and among them we highlight two: "acceleration", referring to the speed of change, and "micro-services", alluding to the architecture that supports a large part of technological development." By Luis PavĂa
In the same way that as with our NAB special, we will aim to give you an outline of the feelings with which we have returned, going beyond a mere list of new additions. As all these developments, ultimately, are due to a market strategy: manufacturers, developers, suppliers, distributors, customers, all the actors involved share their desire to move forward in line with the
current, although each one seeks its differential characteristic to distance itself from the others. In that special edition, we widely discussed substantial changes in the sector, from the business model to consumer habits, with all the implications that this has both in terms of creating content as in the methods of generating income. All the agents involved, including ourselves, agree that the
acceleration, the increase in the pace of change is already perceivable on a day-to-day basis. One need look no further than the rhythm of the appearance of new launches in practically all the trends that we have discussed hitherto. Each change forges its own path, with increase in exponential speeds. This statement is nowadays valid for any aspect of the audio-visual and entertainment market. 57 OCTOBER ‘18
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Curiously, the other key word: micro-services, did not stand out so much, nor was it mentioned during the last NAB, yet was a talking point in this IBC. Precisely now when there are continually more products based on hardware architecture with reprogrammable processors, strides are made to facilitate software being an authentic stratagem in evolution. In a general sense, it is smoother to develop software running on existing hardware than undertaking new hardware development. And thus, through the efficient use of programmable platforms, the proper combination of micro-services (small programming units with defined, proven and stable functions) allow for the development of much more powerful services in a much more streamlined manner and to adapt to the needs of each client. Furthermore, they add the possibility through reprogramming of redesigning the operational readiness of 58 OCTOBER ‘18
the system with the need to modify the hardware. In other words, microservices, now, are contributing in a decisive manner in the
acceleration of the speed of transformation. In this point, our attention is undisputedly drawn, as a mere personal impression following quite
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a few kilometres on a daily basis wearing down the fair’s carpets, it seems that more and more services and more technology are on offer than the actual products. We are not wrong: products are still one of the fundamental pillars of the audio-visual market, although what is standout is that they now share centre-stage with companies that sell services, or even “simple” technology modules to integrate either into products or third-party services. The majority of these “household” name manufacturers have added the offer of the different services to their product portfolio and a large number of new companies that have appeared in the sector are engaged in, precisely, the offer of technology and services more than products. Upholding stable indexes from the 2014-2016 period, (with around 1,700 firms, more than 33,000 attendees and 22,000 exhibitors (according to official data published at https://show.ibc.org/past-
years-attendance-anddemographics), it will be interesting to see the progress of these last two fairs, above all in terms of the activity profiles of participant companies, once these are published. Yet not the entire fair can be boiled down to two terms. Not in the slightest. Within the complete channel from “glass to crystal” as we were defined by Jochem Haverman, head of marketing and communication at NEP, the amplitude of his company, alluding to the existing range on offer from the camera’s lens to any screen that a viewer can watch through, we expand our collection of terms as an aid to bring you all the activity involved in a fair such as this.
Micro-services, now, are contributing in a decisive manner in the acceleration of the speed of transformation
With the aim of avoiding repetition of what has already been discussed in terms of IP, interaction, accessibility, artificial intelligence… which of course continue to move the market, we shall make headway a little more with regard to other standout concepts, such as: alliances, creation, latency, contents, flexibility, virtualisation, management, e-sports, without overlooking the acronyms, namely: OTT, CDN, MADI,… It is undeniable that UHD and IP continue along their path. To the extent that some of the major players, such as Canon, exhibited solely equipment based on UHD/4K. Yet the amount of 13G devices has surprised us (SDI connectivity for UHD), understanding that the facility of connecting point-to-point with a wire, without the need to set up IP via a network, still has an important weighting in certain environments and organisations. From the entrepreneurial viewpoint, aside from the 59 OCTOBER ‘18
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major alliances, there are a multitude of collaborations, sometimes small, at times not so small. Some integrate technology and / or services of others, carrying out complementary tasks, leading us to think that the model of competitiveness is even changing. Of course, there are still firms that manufacture or develop similar products, though if we analyse them in depth, we will find that each one seeks out a small plot of terrain in which, by becoming differential, they find distinctions and specialisations to cater to all tastes. It seems that now, complementary differences and synergies are more sought after than what is classically understood as competition. It is understood that this behaviour favours both the sector, as well as the clients, whether these are manufacturers, creators, broadcasters, distributors or end viewers. The number and variety of alliances are highly significant. 60 OCTOBER ‘18
It is undeniable that UHD and IP continue along their path. To the extent that some of the major players, such as Canon, exhibited solely equipment based on UHD/4K.
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As a consequence of the changes in consumption habits, in which the viewers choose what they see and when they wish to view it, the content that remains at the fore and of maximum interest in any broadcast model are the live events. In this field, sporting events stand out particularly, though we can also include concerts, news broadcasts and any other situation in which immediacy is key. And by immediacy we are talking of seconds or milliseconds. Because nobody wants to see their team score thirty seconds after they heard the neighbours celebrating. Once all the parameters in terms of image quality, such as resolution, high dynamic range, elevated rate of images per second have been assured, the next key quality factor in the broadcast is latency. Bearing in mind that the delay caused by each process and each device in the chain until the image can finally been seen on the viewer’s screen, managing to reduce this to the minimum is a
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It is undeniable that UHD and IP continue along their path. To the extent that some of the major players, such as Canon, exhibited solely equipment based on UHD/4K. critical aspect these days. Certain firms are engaged solely in the development of technologies and products dealing with this element. And, we already have, for example, systems that allow for the sending of camera signals, without compression, wirelessly and with a delay of milliseconds. In other words, vastly inferior to 1 frame. Purposefully, latency is one of the aspects that will set out the difference and the area in which most firms focus their endeavours. The creation of content at the highest level involves different requirements distributed via a series of fronts that can be differentiated in the following manner: - Sports and live events, key content in real time. The maximum level of visual quality is required,
taking care of the narrative, to turn it into an immersive experience for the spectator. The aim pursued is that seeing it on the screen is as exciting as in the stadium itself. With slight differences between sports and events, since immediacy in the case of a concert is not as critical as in sports. - TV series, with requirements more and more similarities to cinematographic aspects. Again maximum visual and narrative quality is a must, but here the critical factor is security, so that no content is leaked before its release, or in other ways than those that ensure the return of the investment. - News broadcasts. In this
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case immediacy is not as critical as in sports as it is measured with different criteria. Commitments to quality are accepted if the content has sufficient interest. Being where the news is is pivotal. And bringing it to the viewers in the most direct way too. Take a look at the latest staging of Weather Channel using augmented reality.
E-sports. A new contender in the world of entertainment. Who would have dared say to those who are over 50 today that the video game console could be the future of their children ...? With requirements more and more similar to top level sports, they are gaining audience and highly significant growth rates are expected in the short-term.
Flexibility is another key aspect. In a changing environment, the ability to adapt will be decisive. In all evolution, species with adaptive capacity have progressed, not the strongest ones. Strength is a tactical value, but the winning strategy is adaptability. As transformation is not a leap from A to B. It is a continuous process that will go undeterred. We
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dare to state that the only permanent aspect will be continuous change. We think that technological evolution has always been one of the limits of development. Today, too, it is, only that its speed of growth has far surpassed our commercial, social and almost cultural capacities. In this state, the ability to respond quickly and reliably to the needs and demands of the market and society will be the key to determine who remains on the scene and what they do. A few months ago, there was discussion about the democratisation of production as one of the advantages associated with the ease of accessing a large number of tools. In that sense, virtualisation comes in addition to the facilities that exist today to create content. There are already several options and possibilities in which we can do a multicamera image capture with live transmission of any event without more than the cameras generating streaming, and 64 OCTOBER ‘18
a computer with a web browser to access the production platform. Of course, the computer can be literally on the other side of the planet, and the viewers with any device and anywhere a data network can reach. This also facilitates the creation of content, since it is increasingly simple and economical to perform this boasting just the skills and knowledge, without requiring large investments in terms of
equipment, although logically it is still far from what can be accomplished with other types of equipment. Connecting the idea of live events as a source of content of interest, with the possibility of doing it more economically, opens a whole new range of market, enabling a multitude of events, from school leagues in sports to family events, meaning they have the possibility
IBC 2018
are already, and will be, increasingly significant in this present-immediate future. Having the ability to locate, retrieve and provide any file in our library quickly and easily, facilitates monetisation and investment returns that would otherwise be impossible.
to be broadcast to a few extremely distant viewers in an affordable way. In this sense, we have also found many solutions for uses of this type. In relation to content, the assets of greater value of the creators, the range of companies that offer more and better services for their management continues to grow. "MAM" (Media Asset Management) or content management platforms
One must go beyond thinking solely from the broadcaster viewpoint, whose volume of content is large, but for years has used its own filing and management systems. Included herein are large producers who must distribute films or series in different languages, with teasers, trailers, with or without subtitles, and even with different versions for different markets, as well as small content creators that do not have their own infrastructure to manage said content as they are focused on creation. There are solutions on offer for the whole spectrum. And thanks to the modularity of design that microservices allow, they can be tailored to meet any need of any type of creator and scope of distribution.
In this sense, another aspect that is relevant is security. Security of contents and their distribution. So that what must be delivered arrives, to whom it must be delivered and when, plus, it is not distributable by other means. We all know those cases in which an episode of a series or a feature film has been leaked before its release or in networks alien to those of its creators. The damage that this creates to the industry is highly serious. If the investors do not obtain profits, they stop investing. If a company has a leak, it can no longer work in this industry. We are talking about big budgets and many working posts. Definitely, security is an aspect that requires major attention. Despite all the advances and acceleration on virtually all fronts, there are still aspects in which we think we are still far from what it should be: recognition of the role of women in broadcasting. In this sense, there is still much work to be done. 65 OCTOBER ‘18
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Yes, it is true that certain awareness is taking hold, and there are even days devoted to dealing with the subject. But it is a facet in which we are all responsible and we must contribute to this change accelerating at the same pace as technology. We must not allow all the work done to be left unrecognised, nor renounce everything that lies ahead. To conclude our appraisal, and as the icing on the cake, we want to highlight one last word on synthesis. Normally overlooked though probably the most important aspect for us: people. Brought to us by Olivier Suard, head of marketing at Nevion. Their stand extolled the values of the company with large human shadows, as maximum exponents of the importance of people. As artificial intelligence solves many of the routine tasks (such as the steam engine in the industrial revolution) and, for example, in these months between fairs we have 66 OCTOBER ‘18
been able to verify significant advances in the recognition of voice and incrustation of subtitles in real time during live broadcasts with learning capacity. Even so, all the activity of this industry revolves around people: from the creative minds that generate content from ideas to the spectators who enjoy them on their screens. Because, at least for the moment, only people feel and share emotions, and ultimately this industry and its future are tied to emotions. Below, a small number of exhibiting companies
has been included, selected for their overall representativeness or for the relevance of some of their latest releases. It being materially impossible to list all of them, we have provided a small sample that aims to offer a meaningful synthesis of what we were lucky enough to see first hand. To get an overview of the magnitude of the trade fair: 1500 companies, in 5 days, at seven and a half hours a day without breaks or travelling, would mean we could only allocate 90 seconds per company. Barely enough time to say hello!
ABonAir In its tenth anniversary, it has launched its sixth generation of products, the new wireless video transmission systems from autonomous camera with maximum quality, in which the latency of only 7 milliseconds even in resolutions 4k @ 60p, and bidirectionality are standout features. They use licence free frequencies, boast the possibility of integrating intercoms, use CCUs, and reach ranges of up to 3000 metres in HD and 500 in 4k per antenna. The antennae are connected to each other and to the fibre optic control centre.
Adobe Developing content creation software platforms, especially Premiere Pro and After Effects with new functionalities and significant improvements in workflows to innovate in the way of telling stories. Two new applications have been added: Character Animator with agile and powerful methods of expression and animation of characters based on movements of real people, and Project Rush, a new video editor designed to concentrate the most significant editing and retouching of video and audio on mobile devices.
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AJA Presenting both hardware and software innovations integrating applications and formats: the new KONA5 interface, with 12G ports and PCIe or Thunderbolt connectivity supporting multiple 4k flows simultaneously with the new version of the v15 desktop software. New firmware v4.0 for the KiProUltraPlus recorder; v3.0 for HELO h.264 streaming generator; and 2.6 for the FS-HDR converter. The range of stand-alone converters with IP-SDI and IP-HDMI are extended with 10-bit processors. Highlights the new HDR image analyser developed in conjunction with Colorfront.
Akamai Amongst its different new editions, at the fore is its technology that allows to reduce the latency through public internet networks. Working in collaboration with different manufacturers and models of encoders and decoders, the result 68 OCTOBER ‘18
benefits both in the case of transmissions from camera to reception, the downloading of content residing in public networks, and for broadcasters who can upload content for their OTT clients without depending exclusively on dedicated networks.
module as its own development to complete the chain with internal elements with latencies similar to the traditional broadcast in the environment of 3 seconds. Its business model involves customer support from design to implementation.
Amazon Web Services
Arvato systems
Its services and solutions offer the possibility of building reliable and broadcast quality video transmission networks for your viewers.
Anevia Creating television solutions on the Internet and OTT, through the management of content on different platforms, and focusing its activity on research and development, the company is created by the same creator of the wellknown VLC video player. With the acquisition, preparation and supply modules, this year's release is the coding
Contributing to the digital transformation of flagship companies, this
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time and thanks to the alliance with Vidispline, presents a new video editor based on an Internet browser with the possibility of embedding graphics and voice-over to facilitate editing wherever the location, and which includes the ability to send the content to Adobe applications for completion. They also present the advertising platform directed on all platforms, including linear television.
Atomos The renowned manufacturer of monitors / recorders 4k HDR presented two new modules for his Ninja V, a model that is expected to be available by the end of September. the AtomX Sync Module, designed to solve synchronisation issues by adding time code metadata without the need for an external generator; and the AtomX Ethernet / NDI module,
which offers this type of connectivity once installed in the bidirectional expansion slot of the unit, providing video and audio input and output and power.
Avid Media Central solutions were clearly the standout attraction at its stand, that integrate different products in a unique and open platform that includes besides Media Composer: Publishing Management, a manager of contents that allows to collaborate of safe, reliable and simple form from a navigator; Cloud UX, graphical user interface for any OS or mobile device, designed to facilitate the collaboration of any member with the team from anywhere; DNxIVvideo, a versatile multi-interface; Panel, to be able to access and import external contents to the Media Composer project in which we are working; and NexisPro, a storage system that now doubles its capacity to 160 TB. 69 OCTOBER ‘18
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Black Box Its new highperformance KVM solutions for 4k systems allow for interconnection with multiple remote servers and virtual machines via IP to facilitate collaboration by sharing audio, video and peripheral signals. A 100% videowall control solution based on software is also presented.
Blackmagic Design With highly competitive prices, thanks to its inhouse design and manufacturing concept, and with the aim of facilitating the possibility of creating quality content for everyone, its new RAW recording format, open and that allows obtaining a large amount of information in a file of manageable size for further processing. The new version of DaVinci 15.1 includes support for this format natively. Its eGPU, developed jointly with Apple, enhances the graphic and process capabilities of these 70 OCTOBER ‘18
computers, allowing for up to 4 units to be connected to the same computer. The fibre module to convert the UrsaMiniPro into a studio camera, the Web Presenter converter, which adapts any signal to convert it into a 720p streaming via USB and broadcast it through any platform, and the ATEM camera control, the console that with the controls of 4 CCUs allows for the control of up to 16 cameras.
Bluefish 444 With new hardware solutions for content ingestion from SDI and IP sources, the new software version has a customisable interface and functionalities to facilitate the integration into the ecosystem of each client. It admits ingestion both from within the network itself and through public networks and through precise statistics of quality control content can be validated without the need for previews.
Bosch-RTS Among the innovations, its ROAMEO intercom systems stand out, based on license-free frequencies to offer wireless connectivity and compatible with all RTS digital matrices. The ODIN OMNEO interconnection matrix that offers flexibility and scalability on an IP platform, being compatible with previous systems, including analogue connectivity. Additionally, two software packages for their KP series panels have been presented.
Broadcast Solutions As a systems integrator, we were able to contemplate one of the most advanced mobile units of the moment, designed to handle in 4K / HD all the needs of major sporting events. Indeed, the unit was in need of some minor tweaks at the end of the exhibition to travel to cover its first events in European domestic football leagues. They have also developed
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a zero configuration software for multimedia devices for the control and monitoring of complex infrastructures.
Canon It is indicative that a company like Canon no longer exhibited HD equipment, and all its video equipment was in 4k. Amongst the cameras, the novelty was the XF705 model with HDR capability with Canon clog and HLG curves, inch sensor, H.265 codec, recording 50p UHD in 4: 2: 2 to 10 bits in a new XFHEVC format, and with the
ability to generate UHD streaming streams. 3 new 4K optics for 2/3 "sensors, highlighting a new record of zoom, 8.2x122 and luminosity 1.7 in the Premium range, conceived for BT2020 colour spaces, and an ENG CJ7.6x25 of the 4k UHD-X series. To facilitate the work of operators in the face of increased zoom ranges and focus criticality in the 4K environment, new remote control has been specifically designed to accomplish these tasks. Its new range of mirrorless photography cameras with video capabilities was also on view.
ChyronHego Company at the forefront in products and solutions for the world of broadcast and sports, its new solutions contemplate the evolution to new IP environments. Through cross-cutting concepts based on virtual graphics integration technologies, augmented reality and data analysis, its systems allow to enhance the contents in news, sports, direct and meteorology to make them of maximum quality for the broadcaster and maximum attractiveness for the viewer.
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Clear-Com
Dalet
A new innovation in its intercom systems, the Iris V-series panel offers high quality audio without AES67 compression over IP with customisable colour displays. The new FreeSpeak II base station v1.5, which provides management and diagnostics, provides improved audio quality for 2.4 GHz pouches. In addition, the Apple Watch has been incorporated into the range of devices compatible with the Agent-IC functionality.
Thanks to its services and solutions, Dalet facilitates the creation, management, and distribution of content with maximum efficiency and speed. Its Galaxy platform for MAM facilitates the connection with the audience through collaborative productions created in integrated environments from flexible workflows conceived from operations decided upon as per data analysis resulting from the connected audiences. Its artificial intelligence services favour automated production. They also have remote editing and cloud storage capabilities on the AWS infrastructure.
Cooke optics As can be seen in how the changes to the consumer model are affecting the industry, traditional manufacturers of top-level cinema optics were also present in Amsterdam. In the case of Cooke, its optics as tools have a lot to contribute when it comes to creating the contents with the maximum image requirement, thanks to their precision and quality. 72 OCTOBER ‘18
Dejero Presenting its connectivity systems together with its cloudbased management system, Dejero premiers its vision of connectivity by providing equipment, software and connectivity services to make it accessible anywhere,
using secure methods of audio and video exchange.
Dell EMC Dell announced a collaboration agreement with Grass Valley in an environment that seeks to provide content anywhere, anytime, on any device. They provide end-to-end solutions for all new needs with support for the creation, management and delivery of content to complete the circle of rich content, audience analysis and improvement of the experience with apps. From the ECS, elastic cloud storage, dynamic storage in the cloud to the turnkey solution over IP, virtualisation, Media Function Virtualisation Solution.
Deluxe With deep roots in the audiovisual and film market for decades, they offer end-to-end solutions based on micro-services in the cloud with maximum flexibility and adaptability, from creation to
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and routing of signals, making it easier to modify and update the entire typology of our networks through the simple exchange of the interconnection module. With encapsulators and de-encapsulators, these are compatible with the standards of the industry transporting audio, video and metadata, being able to handle each content item independently. distribution platforms, seeking to facilitate clients' asset management and with all needs resolved from the same platform. Thanks to the modularity of the design, and depending on the needs of each client, the use of the modules required in each case can be personalised.
Editshare They are winners of a BaM award from the IABM manufacturers association for the security features of their storage system. Its three most important milestones are: Security, where its system of
control and monitoring of activities records all actions according to American and European security protocols. QScan automatic quality control, with parametric checks at each stage to facilitate the resolution of problems at source. And Flow Standalone, the storage shared in MAM, now operative on the proprietary systems of the clients.
Embrionix Within the wide range of products of the manufacturer, its SFP and emSFP modules stand out to facilitate the exchange
EVS Specialised in offering products and solutions, with the premise of creating emotions with technology and flexibility as a key concept, their proposals offer a response to the needs of their multiple types of clients. From those who already want to position themselves in 4k with HDR to those who do not yet need it, with both SDI and IP systems, all products are designed to facilitate the return on investment. They develop platforms with reusable processing modules operable on different products. And 73 OCTOBER ‘18
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amongst these this year, the Xeebra is worthy of special mention, used by LaLiga of Spanish football as a platform for video arbitration and the VIA platform, based on artificial intelligence.
Facilis Designer and manufacturer of turnkey systems for shared storage and archiving in collaborative production environments and networks. Its new 7.1 system in collaboration with FastTracker 2.5 facilitates the ingestion and organisation of content to increase the efficiency of its management and the security of its contents.
Fujifilm Optical (Fujinon) New optics were unveiled, a 70x and two 46x, adapted to the current market demands for 2/3" cameras, designed to meet the demands of 4k and HDR images. 74 OCTOBER ‘18
Grass Valley Continuing with the innovation and growth once the integration of SAM is completed, they respond to the acceleration in the evolution of the market presenting on its stand the new equipment and solutions according to the criteria of design for their integration onto multiple devices. To showcase the capabilities of its teams in one of the most demanding and complicated environments, a live broadcast of live e-sports with professional players stood out in its stand, in collaboration with a mobile unit of the Arena integrator.
Hispasat Well-known satellite transmission platform, its new platform Pantelio is already offering 4K satellite content in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, hybrid broadband broadcast services with added value, of which currently have
about 40 in SD and some 60 in HD At the same time, they facilitate new forms of consumption by offering video services on satellite demand, just like any other OTT, suitable for those areas where broadband internet coverage is not available.
Imagine Communications Based on innovation in both technology and how to develop the business to address changes in consumer habits, whilst also creating the new ecosystem that will facilitate advertisers outreach to their customers. They provide the full range of products, integration, distribution, processing ... to streamline workflows and facilitate the evolution of business with migration to more competitive positions by customising the solutions that each client needs at the time they need them.
Lawo As a founding member of AIMS, the company is
IBC 2018
deeply involved in the development of interoperable products with those of other manufacturers. Their beleif is that audio and video will always be closely linked and its goal is that everything is, or may be, IP. Amongst its innovations were a UHD core that supports 1024 channels distributed in 4
consoles, a virtual matrix with up / down / cross conversion capabilities and the virtual VSM Control studio maganer, integral IP control system for broadcast.
Matrox New hardware and software for streaming and recording was
unveiled, Monarch EDGE being its main new addition, with the development of hardware already completed and whose software will have all the available capabilities at the beginning of 2019. Designed to allow for the ingestion, production and editing remotely, through the nine, and with
EVENTS
NEP
different workflows, it is an open system and available to integrators and developers to be implemented as a means of support in their own solutions.
Microsoft Presently, in which the entertainment and communication industry is changing its model, one of the main software providers presents its proposals to face the new challenges through its Azure and Skype ecosystem to transform your workflows and experience of client through an active
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participation in different conferences.
Mobile Viewpoint Innovative company dedicated to developing IP-based custom solutions to facilitate end-to-end direct production featuring artificial intelligence technology.
Multidyne Their two new light and autonomous compact solutions for fibre optic signal transport for sports, news and various broadcast applications were unveiled.
Based on integration and compatibility concepts, they capture "glass to crystal " events for content creation. Its solutions handle even augmented reality, with integration with virtual objects in real time, for different sports chains through its inhouse distribution platform, compatible aims. Its remote production systems are covering distances of up to 400 km in Australia without latency, displacing solely the cameras, via IP-based systems.
Nevion Creators of infrastructure solutions for networks and broadcast, value the change in consumer habits and guide their solutions to facilitate that broadcasters can generate content of interest that viewers want to see. Currently the most demanded contents live are sports and managing to keep costs down while maintaining the feeling of immersion will be
IBC 2018
decisive. They are a network of media that transports, processes, monitors and manages content and signals, both video and audio. Its philosophy of vision, solution, products and services aimed at people facilitates the transition to new models of content creation and consumption.
With renowned prestige for the quality of its optics, this time we saw the first units of its new range of mirrorless photo cameras with full frame sensor and 4k video capacity.
Newtek / 3DStorm
Panasonic
In the Newtek product range, the new software for Tricaster is compatible with all TC1 and higher models and includes a new chroma key engine. Amongst the new arrivals, there are also new
Thinking about the new production styles, and within its extensive range, they highlighted the interfaces to be able to configure their wellknown EVA and Varicam cameras as studio
versions of its Spark connectivity system to convert signals to IP NDI.
Nikon
cameras, to generate direct contents with differentiated aesthetics, as well as joint developments with other manufacturers to integrate robotic arms and dollies. The new PTZ camera AW-UE150 offers 4k and HD signal simultaneously, as well as positioning data to be integrated with augmented reality systems. They also showed a versatile application of using a static 8K camera simulating camera movements in 4K or HD images.
Paywizard Provider of pay TV platforms, made its debut in this edition of the fair by showing its subscription, billing and customer management systems aimed at improving the viewer's experience with its pay-TV providers.
Phabrix Manufacturers of generators and signal analysers, the new delay 77 OCTOBER ‘18
EVENTS
measurement functionality so necessary today is software upgradeable in all its devices up to 10 years old. There are new rack models with enhanced and extended functionalities equivalent to 4 independent analysers. The Qx range stands out for being truly hybrid, with 12G and IP inputs and supporting and analysing all the standard HDR protocols. They include an exclusive tool for analysing up to two independent image areas on the vectorscope itself to guarantee colour fidelity.
Red Bee Media A Company that provides subtitle technology with voice recognition, playout from uncompressed inputs, modular OTT platform for settings in line with each client's needs, MAM content management including preparation and shipping, and automated workflow services. They have their own developments for each of their branches of activity if what exists in 78 OCTOBER ‘18
the market does not reach the quality levels they wish to provide their clients. Depending on the level of precision required in the creation of texts, the delay can oscillate between 3 and 7 seconds at the present time.
RGBLink Manufacturer of video mixers, escalators and videowall controllers, its products are characterised by the ability to present any combination of up to 32 signals of different formats on any size and configuration of videowall, including the presentation on panels rotated 45Âş to create any form of screen. They have modular systems and all-in-one equipment, aimed at customers who need a presentation on any panel size, including largeformat LEDs.
Rohde & Schwarz Provider of products and solutions for the audiovisual market and proud of having
participated in all 51 editions of this fair, presented new solutions related to the management of content storage, automation for the digitisation of large files even on tape with the highest requirements of quality, the software to provide convergent systems for monitoring the contribution and distribution, the improvements in the contribution through IP networks and the benefits of its Doherty technology
IBC 2018
for the power saving in transmission amplifiers.
Riedel The well-known Micron routing system, with bidirectional IP conversion capabilities, now includes the colour correction capability and independent up / down / cross conversion for each port. They also presented the new service they are already providing to the Bundesliga in Germany for the management of video
arbitration and intercommunication images with referees (VAR), supported with their in-house equipment and provided from their centres in Wuppertal and Cologne.
new cameras, new Xpression platforms, chassis, converters, even specific audio. The new Ultrix connectivity platform up to 144x144 is able to manage and correct up to 3000 delays and lip synchronisations of up to half a second per channel in a single system. A new Ultrix touch panel of size 1RU becomes a new customisable control dashboard capable of managing own equipment and that of other manufacturers as to offer all the traditional functions in a modern interface. And the latest Carbonite Ultra mixer, in which each input and output has its own video processor and is compatible with any control surface and Carbonite panel. With the new software version will include 12G UHD compatibility.
Ross Video
Screen Systems
Continuing at the head of innovations in equipment for direct, with 26 years of continuous growth, their workflows in automated production support WCG and HDR,
Company dedicated to the creation of subtitles that offer technology rather than service. It stresses its ability to create automatic subtitles from the voice of 79 OCTOBER ‘18
EVENTS
announcer or presenter in real time in a wide variety of languages, and with lower latency thanks to its in-house development technology. They have two differentiated systems, both generate subtitles in real time, some for immediate broadcast, and others for offline, generating editable text files to make the necessary corrections if there has been an overlap of voices and the content has been confusing or somewhat unintelligible.
Sennheiser The German manufacturer presented the latest developments in microphony technology and audio monitoring at the highest level with new tools and devices, many of them compatible with devices and mobile phones designed to facilitate field work in capturing sound with the highest standards quality.
SGO Creators of the wellknown platform of publishing and post80 OCTOBER ‘18
production integral Mistika, unveiled as a new release the boutique version, which allows for usage under Windows and Apple operating systems in addition to the traditional Linux OS. On the opening day of the fair, they presented Mistika review, a reproduction and viewing
application that is temporarily available for free to collect comments and observations from all users.
Sixty Ease Live from SIXTY offers a fully integrated, time accurate technology that can be used to
IBC 2018
distribute new and interactive on-air graphics to viewers across multiple platforms .
Sony In a clear orientation to build tomorrow, among its innovations stood out Intelligent Media Services,
a platform with an extensive portfolio of services and microservices aimed at adding value to content, an element recognised as the key core of the audiovisual medium. The new methods of production through remote services are added to the innovations in equipment, cameras, monitors and expansion of IP equipment... designed to create excitement in each frame through robust solutions, reliable and future proof. As a most striking innovation, the possibility of shooting with the Venice camera separates the camera's optics and sensor to achieve an impossible visual narrative even today.
Streamguys This company provides content for the web and mobile devices and OTT. Together with ENCO, they offer turnkey radio solutions with high levels of automation. Its main
aims are interoperability and content monetisation, integrating in a single solution more flexible advertising options, powerful video resources and virtualised platforms in the cloud that minimise hardware and operating costs.
Synaptics Leader in the evolution of interfaces and human recognition through acoustic and biometric sensors for fingerprints, voice detection, etc., exhibited their distant voice technology to integrate voice control into OTT devices.
Tedial The specialist in MAM technology solutions announced significant improvements. Smartlive is a remote access solution to automate content loading, clip creation and distribution, creating a production environment for work teams. With Hyper IMF MAM, an end-to-end solution that supports MFI 81 OCTOBER ‘18
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formats for ingest, file and supply, presents features that significantly improve content management towards non-linear platforms. And with aStorm we have an effective content management solution with high cost efficiency with an object-based structure, with scalable architecture that can virtualise content locations to facilitate multi-localised workflows via the cloud.
Telia After 25 years as a telecommunication company and internet service provider, they started offering new services in 2012, becoming today one of the most innovative, powerful and flexible OTT and CDN platforms for their clients. They guarantee the upload, transcoding, storage, security and streaming broadcast through any CDN to any viewer on any device. Embedding the content on the client's own web pages, such as fashiontv (ftv.com), one of its best clients, contributes to 82 OCTOBER ‘18
collaboration and development in a model of mutual benefit. They contribute to monetise content through the integration and management of advertising-based services.
Thinklogical Its products are matrixes, extensors and KVMs that distribute uncompressed 4k @ 60p 4: 4: 4 signals up
to 80 km away with virtually zero latency over fibre optic networks. The proprietary technology of its switches provide the highest levels of reliability and robustness for use in the most demanding quality environments such as post-production, and the highest levels of security, as in military-type applications. The characteristic that makes it a unique team is the
IBC 2018
feeling that customers have of not being separated from the source where the signal comes from.
Zixi Spanish company specialising in coding and signal transport, and also
TVU networks
provides its own
Its remote production system, RPS, now improves quality in the same bandwidth thanks to H.265 coding. And as a new addition, Producer, cloud application to make a remote production with frame accuracy of up to 6 signals with graphics overlay, bonding capacity and direct output to the main CDN and streaming networks. It includes the ability to replay and slowmotion over the last 60 seconds of any of the sources.
manufacturers to
technology to different integrate this into their devices. Its encryption and bonding technology allows collecting encrypted signals per client and transporting them encrypted in broadcast quality in any destination in the same source format. Through the optimised use of buffers and bonding, minimum latency is achieved. Amongst its products, a mobile transmitter capable of
Wowza
picking up the 4-camera signal and sending two HD
Experts in providing content via streaming on demand with the highest professional quality. Simplifying the delivery to any device, they make it easier for any organisation to reach larger audiences.
signals in parallel, one with the 2 +2 of the four signals, and the other the complete signal of the selected camera from a remote station was worthy of special mention. ď ľ 83 OCTOBER ‘18
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SOUND DEVICES
MIXPRE-10T "THE BLACK PEARL"
84 OCTOBER ‘18
MIXPRE-10T
Laboratory conducted by Carlos Lapuente
The world of advertising, film and television productions is undergoing a dizzying technological revolution in modern times. The advent of the digital world and computerised systems has made it possible to deploy a range of possibilities that offer new features to the equipment used up to now in these fields. On the other hand, businesses in these sectors have new requirements and increasingly need to optimise equipment
and personnel costs as well as minimising production time. The technological companies that design and manufacture digital equipment such as cameras, film and television cameras, sound equipment, etc. detect these needs and their engineers put all hands to the task immediately. Some of these needs are to provide increasingly lightweight and less cumbersome electronic equipment to
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This recorder / mixer with 10 inputs and 12 tracks is the smallest on the market with these features
provide mobility during field work, versatility to integrate various systems in one and that a single operator can handle autonomously, whilst still providing high quality in the materials of the equipment, both with regard to the frame and system itself, in order to provide durability while remaining cutting-edge insofar as audio-visual technologies are concerned. Given the omnipresence of DAW equipment (standing for Digital Audio Workstation or digital audio workstation) in the audio-visual media sphere, there are many studio-
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based multitrack recorders at very affordable prices on the market, yet it seems that the additional technical and ergonomic demands of a field recorder drastically increase the manufacturing price. This wonderful sector in continuous growth, never fails to bring us new services and products to make life easier for technical teams, musicians, engineers and production operators, etc. and in this way allow us to be technologically "up-todate". It is for this reason that today we are going to talk about a piece of
equipment that has reached our laboratory. It is the multi-channel sound recorder / mixer MixPre10T, one of the flagship products from the company Sound Devices. Sound Devices is a US company created in 1998 and based in Wisconsin, USA, designer and manufacturer of highperformance professional audio and video equipment. It also has offices deployed in Germany (Berlin) and boasts a worldwide distribution network. It is interesting to discover that this company was founded by three former employees of the
MIXPRE-10T
company Shure, another of the American companies that manufacture professional audio equipment with whom they often work on audio-visual media projects. Sound Devices specialises in portable audio and video recording equipment that is used in field work for small-scale tasks, or in cinema. Their products have won many awards in the industry and have been used in wellknown films and television shows. Its maxims are the highest standards in terms of quality, both with regard to electronics and in materials from which
they are built, as well as the sturdiness of their equipment.
DELVING DEEPER INTO THE SYSTEM To perform the laboratory testing we have chosen a MixPre-10T multi-channel audio recorder / mixer unit provided by Sound Devices. It is the newest member of the innovative MixPre series of recorders / mixers. This recorder / mixer with 10 inputs and 12 tracks is the smallest on the market with these features. It boasts a generator and Timecode
reader with world clock, one of the most accurate and with the best reputation in the world of sound. The MixPre10T provides very high-quality audio with discrete preamps supplied by Kashmir. The system contains highperformance, ultra-low noise, class A microphone preamps that are handmade by the Sound Devices team. These feature a noise level of -130dBV, analogue limiters and new 32-bit Analog-Digital converters to guarantee high-quality and stress-free audio recordings.
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Test in TV set.
It has 8 balanced XLR / TRS connection inputs and an unbalanced Aux / Mix minijack stereo input that can also be used for 2 channel line input, camera return or Timecode.
connector to recharge the external battery or power the AC transformer for the should there be electrical power in the workstation.
Alongside the notable features, worthy of mention are the following:
- The device registers sampling frequencies up to 192 kHz and 24 bits.
- Flexible power for stateof-the-art performance in terms of portability and convenience as MixPre's can be powered using either AA batteries or Li-Ion batteries in field work, as well as incorporating a Hirose
- With its two balanced XLR mini and minijack outputs it provides flexible routing thanks to a matrix and userfriendly set-up interface.
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- Possibility of saving and automatic backups via USB.
- Potentiometers or ergonomic knobs with individual multi-coloured LED indicators on each channel. - Bluetooth connection allowing for synchronisation and remote control via an Android or iOs handset thanks to the Wingman free application, available at Apple and Google Stores .
FIELD TRIALS Just by having the MixPre-10T in our hands,
MIXPRE-10T
the high quality of the materials with which it is built come to the fore. The die-cast aluminium chassis provides lightness and robustness as well as highquality plastic front buttons. At the top and bottom, areas with nonslip rubber have been fitted that also provide extra protection against falls and bumps. The first thing we notice is that it has 8 knobs or front potentiometers with multi-coloured LED lighting which controls the 8 combined XLR / TRS (or Canon / Jack) balanced audio side inputs, divided 4 on each side. Then we will see that it has 2 more input - output jacks and with the possibility of recording up to 12 tracks in total. After turning the desk on, it could be seen that there are 3 possibilities of powering the device. One is with the Hirose connection power supply included, another with the NP-F battery adapter
(battery not included) and another with 4 AA alkaline batteries (recommended as backup, batteries not included). As we conducted this first test indoors, we opted to provide continuous power through the Hirose feeder. The moment it is turned, you get a feel straight away for the full-colour screen showing VU meters and menus. It is surprising to see that it is a capacitive LCD touch screen with simple and intuitive menus, and with a brightness that allows for its use even in direct sunlight. The MixPre-10T also has a joystick on the front to start recording or playback, and a lever on top of it that has two userprogrammable shortcuts that allow for these to be customised. In comparison with other desks that we have used in the past, both the 633 Sound Devices and those of other manufacturers, we notice the reduced size
of the latter for this number of inputs and it is the smallest desk on the market offering these features. It has 10 inputs and 12 recording / mixing tracks. To get into the groove, so to speak, the MixPre10T is placed in a sound designer's carry-case and prepare to perform recording tests with several inputs, some in XLR and one with a jack (TRS) to check results. It is verified that the potentiometers or front knobs are highly ergonomic and are fitted with visual multicolour LED indicators in each
The moment it is turned, you get a feel straight away for the full-colour screen showing VU meters and menus.
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channel meaning that at a glance we can view the active channels, the disabled ones, as well as overserving the intensity of the line signal coming into each one of these as they are represented by different colour tones; green when it is in the right zone and red when saturated. Each knob allows for gains of up to +76 dB. During the tests, it could be verified that the time code generator as well as the world clock can operate through BNC, HDMI, or mini jack connections (3.5 mm TRS). In addition, should the MixPre-10T's battery drain, the watch can be maintained for hours without losing accuracy. On the side of the MixPre-10T there is a headphone output socket that, when tested, we can state with no reservations that the amplifier offers tremendously clear sound. It can be used together with the front mike input
90 OCTOBER ‘18
The USB audio interface allows you to use it as another audio output (with only 6 ms of latency), thus making recordings in order to deliver to the client or use it as a backup for ourselves.
that the desk has whilst also offering the option for talkback or intercom system, if this is set up. The USB audio interface allows you to use it as another audio output (with only 6 ms of latency), thus making recordings in order to deliver to the client or use it as a backup for ourselves. If the MixPre-10T is connected to a tripod and with a camera via HDMI, the starting and stopping of the audio recordings can be managed so that with these elements a basic professional working kit would be in our hands. Regarding the rest of outputs, it has two line outputs balanced in TA3-
M (mini XLR) and 2 unbalanced outputs via minijack (3.5mm TRS). It is worthwhile noting that the MixPre-10T comes with a Bluetooth connection, an element of added value that will greatly facilitate the sound operator's tasks. This allows you to remotely control the table from an Android or iOS device thanks to the Wingman free application available in the Play Store and the Apple Store. This light application will offer us the possibility to activate and deactivate the channels, control the VU meters (from 0 to -50 dB), alter the name of tracks and recorded files,
MIXPRE-10T
Ourdoors test.
start and stop recordings, generate quality reports on recordings, etc. This application will give "wings" to the technician or sound operator.
The maximum sampling rate of the recordings is 192 kHz at a maximum depth of 24 bits. It allows for recording on SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards.
The file format of recordings is inWAV Polyphonic, a format that allows different channels to be recorded in the same file, which can then be separated if necessary, so as not to generalise one file per channel (LEFT, RIGHT, ...).
From the front touch screen, we can control with a single finger many menu options and thanks to the design fitted. This allows for complete control without pressing by mistake any of the adjoining options so as not to spoil our working session.
Not wanting to go overboard with the infinite possibilities offered by the submenus, some of the most important options will be outlined below. These include: - Control of VU meters (L / R). - Pre-sets (load, save ...). - Projects (open, new, copy, create, delete ...). - Inputs (settings, channels 9 and 10, Aux, Mic ...). - Outputs (mute L / R, Gain L / R, mute X1 / X2 ...).
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- Headphone control (stereo LR, X1X2, USB, pre-sets ...). - Timecode (per BNC, frames per second, JAM, reference, world clock ...). - Tone (emission of reference tone). - Recording (L / R gain, sampling frequency, bit depth ...). - SD card (erase, format ...). - Editing metadata. - USB drive (change name, edit use ...). - System (USB audio, file transfer, activate limiters, Bluetooth, brightness, date, update firmware, plugins ...). In short, extremely complete menus that allow you to work with almost any settings range.
WHAT DOES IT LACK? Once the MixPre-10T is placed in the working bag or shoulder strap, the button or knob of the headphone gain
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adjustment is on the right panel just below the headphone output. This can be a nuisance for the operator as it is a challenge to have to handle it when it is in a sound bag since it is necessary to remove the velcro fastening the bag and raise the table to reach it. In static tasks like on a set, a second normal USB port would be a welcome addition, since in case of using the function of copy of recordings by USB it limits us to be able to connect another device, such as a USB keyboard to write the file names or channels. However, it is true that it must be said that the main use of the MixPre-10T is more for field work where you do not have so much space or the possibility of carrying a lot of equipment on it, such as an external keyboard. For this reason, it is easier to use the Wingman application and change the file or channel names from the mobile terminal.
It is not possible to power the unit with an external battery (Powercell) MixPre-10T through the USB-C port available in case of outdoor use, although the AC adapter with Hirose input included may be used.
CONCLUSION You could not ask for more from a recorder / mixer with 10 inputs and 12 tracks that is the smallest of the market and that weighs less than one kilo (900 gr.). This is a professional level recorder / mixer of incredible quality, flexibility and power. For audio professionals it can also serve as a highly useful backup desk when for example using the Sound Devices 633 as the main desk or as the main one in cases where more than 3 line inputs and 3 mic inputs are needed. Given its size and number of inputs it is surprisingly ergonomic.
MIXPRE-10T
You could not ask for more from a recorder / mixer with 10 inputs and 12 tracks that is the smallest of the market and that weighs less than one kilo (900 gr.).
The first-rate preamplifiers and limiters, the balanced outputs, the precision of the Timecode as well as the various external power options make the MixPre-10T a solid choice as a sound recorder / mixer both as a main desk and as a backup in musical, film or TV productions or even for trainee sound operators. As for its potential competitors, worthy of mention is the Japanese Zoom F8 which are gaining market shares thanks to their somewhat cheaper prices but cannot compete with the MixPre10T in terms of sound quality, versatility, or in the quality of the materials used in its construction.
All of the foregoing goes someway to explain the title of this article, the Black Pearl, since Sound Devices presents a black label product with extraordinary characteristics, compact, highly resistant, lightweight yet sturdy, with quality materials, small size and offering great beauty in terms of its manufacturing lines. It is a true competent, versatile and compact integrated professional recording and mixing system that will facilitate field work in sound and with the simplicity of remote use through our smartphone or tablet connected via Bluetooth to the computer with the app produced by Wingman.
Equipment to be considered for musicians, sound technicians or film or television professionals in their workflow of audio tasks. Should require more indepth information or obtain a more personalised appraisal of the different solutions offered by Sound Devices products, I recommend you visit their website at https://www.sounddevices. com. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Sound Devices and Guillermo Alberdi, Head of Products at Coel Audio Solutions, one of the distributors of Sound Devices equipment in Spain, for having lent us the testing equipment, as well as IB3 TV for allowing us to use its facilities and diverse technical equipment for to carry out this lab testing. ď ľ
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CLEAR-COM LQ
FACILITATING TRANSITION AND GROWTH IP Connectivity analogue equipment. It is indeed possible to create growth in our installation without relinquishing our previous investments. By Luis Pavía On this occasion, we offer you an interesting intercom device created by Clear-Com, a renowned manufacturer over many decades who in 2018 celebrated its 50th anniversary the NAB Show in Las Vegas. 94 OCTOBER ‘18
Since the very outset, technological evolution has experienced different moments that have compelled manufacturers and user to forego certain tools and technologies as “the latest stuff” was no
CLEAR-COM LQ
longer compatible with its predecessors. Because making it compatible involved a series of limitations and costs that meant it was not viable to continue along these lines. This scenario also conditioned the fact that certain pervious investments could not be fully amortised. In short, an awkward situation which in a general sense could be assumed due to the fact that the renewal cycles with technological leaps were somewhat broad. Nowadays, the outlook is completely different: technological evolution grows at an unbridled rate, and although the
investments required are no longer so great, the renewal cycles are continually reduced, meaning that proportionally, it must be considered as if they were. Thus, what possibilities open up before us? From the viewpoint of companies and users of technological equipment, we wish to maintain our investments and operational readiness for the longest time possible, yet without relinquishing the functionality and performance levels of our equipment. From the manufacturers’ viewpoint, it is necessary to offer responses so that clients can maintain their current
investment levels, capable of taking advantage, at the same time, of the new avenues offered by “new” technology. And this is the exact reason why Clear-Com offers us an ideal solution, laying down the bridge necessary that allows for us to embrace all the advantages offered by current technology, whilst maintaining full operational compatibility with equipment from previous generations. Along this line of development and for our appraisal, on this occasion we have had on-hand one of the most well-known Clear-Com intercommunication 57 OCTOBER ‘18
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systems, the Belt-pack RS701. Effectively, an analogue unit operating via wired connection, sturdy and more than proven performance levels on the market, with fullduplex group communication capacity using two threads. Even though its role has been as a complement to be able to evaluate wholly its interest to the genuine centrepiece of the analysis: the LQ intercom units family whose differential value is to provide instantaneous IP connectivity to all the families of previous analogue equipment.
from it, and even so, the development has carried out everything possible to maintain easy-usage on the part of the operator, achieving an unrivalled level of functionality and performance.
Although the idea is simple, its creation is far
For those of you who believe that a corded unit
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Even though for this analysis we have used one of the simplest units, the LQ-2W2, designed to provide IP connectivity to cabled units, this has sufficed to give us an idea of the system’s possibility, which features units devoted to covering practically each type of possibility depending on the starting point that we choose.
is a “remnant from the past”, it must be remembered that wireless connectivity is always subject to the availability of a radio-electric spectrum, that it will always be conditioned by circumstances beyond our control: it will always fluctuate, depending on other equipment and installations belonging to any other user in different times in the same physical flow. It may be scant, due to saturation of connected equipment. It might be unsecure, except when we integrate certain encryption protocols. And even inexistent, due to not
CLEAR-COM LQ
Clear-Com offers us an ideal solution, laying down the bridge necessary that allows for us to embrace all the advantages offered by current technology, whilst maintaining full operational compatibility with equipment from previous generations.
being able to interfere with other priority systems, or even due to inhibitors. Therefore, a corded unit is an excellent solution, or even the sole one, in certain situations. Although it must also be stressed that an installation with wiring has its limitations. This is where LQ’s Clear-Com family comes to the fore to align our classical equipment with all the possibilities of interconnexion and control offered by an IP environment: from power supply via PoE up to “infinite” distance, passing through wireless connectivity. LAN, WAN and any other IP network infrastructure becomes an available channel for transmission for any of its intercommunication devices based on 2, 4 or 4 wires with audio GPIO and call signalling, depending on the chosen model. 97 OCTOBER ‘18
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Another of the functional aspects inherent to IP systems is the possibility of being set up via a tool that can be run on any browser, thus facilitating their management even from remote locations. Furthermore, a mobile application, Agent-IC, is on-hand to aid set-up via tablets and smartphones.
This is a set of devices, available as independent modules rack units at height, whose aim and value contribution consists in facilitating the interconnection of user groups located in fixed posts, sets, stadiums or stages with one or more remote control stations, within the actual 98 OCTOBER ‘18
installation, in a mobile unit at a distance of several hundred metres, or in a broadcasting station at dozens or hundreds of kilometres away, without requiring the need for a public or private Ethernet network connection between the different activity nuclei, which, logically, may be however
many are needed. Once these have integrated into the IP chain, we will enjoy all the options that a communications network of this type offers: activity groups, individual communications etc. The simplicity of the concept “now your cable has no scope limits� combined
CLEAR-COM LQ
The simplicity of the concept “now your cable has no scope limits” combined with the capacity to use corded sections along with wireless ones between LQ devices whenever the situation requires it and the environment allows for it, provides all the security that an IP network affords us.
with the capacity to use corded sections along with wireless ones between LQ devices whenever the situation requires it and the environment allows for it, provides all the security that an IP network affords us. Another of the significant requirements that must be cared for in a communication on this type of IP network is latency, a parameter that controls the delay in transporting the signal, and whichever settings are in place, is maintained with a perfectly compatible range with the usage for which this equipment has been designed.
Another of the functional aspects inherent to IP systems is the possibility of being set up via a tool that can be run on any browser, thus facilitating their management even from remote locations. Furthermore, a mobile application, Agent-IC, is on-hand to aid set-up via tablets and smartphones. Alongside this range of products, and although we have not had the chance to try them all out in this laboratory, it is also worthwhile mentioning that currently a series of devices are available for 1, 2, 4 and 8 channels, and that as added features to the LQ product family can be connected with Eclipse
HX matrixes via a specific interface. Furthermore, LQ provides additional ports to HelixNet systems, whose main benefit is that they offer connectivity via microphone cables, allowing for their usage in show settings such as theatres or concert halls without the need to install Ethernet cables, somewhat uncommon in this type of scenario. To surmise then, ClearCom continues its endeavours to offer product ranges adapted to the needs and possibilities of each client and each installation, placing special emphasis on maintaining the worthiness of our previous investments, facilitating obtaining from their equipment maximum returns over time. Clear-Com is a member of AIMS, the alliance that oversees the interoperability of audiovisual systems in IP environments, which groups together the sector’s main manufacturers and developers operating at the present time. 99 OCTOBER ‘18