TM Broadcast International 7, March 2014

Summary

04

Editorial

06

PAN SHOT

PREVIEW

24

Broadcast Video Expo

PREVIEW

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CABSAT 2014

TEST AREA Sony Z100

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50

Matrox Monarch HD

Staff Editor Javier de Martín editor@tmbroadcast.com Director Jesús Carrillo director@tmbroadcast.com Creative Direction Mercedes González design@tmbroadcast.com

Key account manager Cristina Feduchi Javier M. Gutiérrez international@tmbroadcast.com Editorial staff press@tmbroadcast.com Administration Laura de Diego administration@tmbroadcast.com

Editorial It’s time of fairs. The audiovisual party of this year began with ISE and it’s going to last until the end of IBC. Along 2014 we will see the development of the different companies’ bets in these fairs, some of them based on real market demands and others which aren’t based in very real demands. As always, time will prove them right or wrong. One of the clear movements which is obtaining success is downsizing the products. Each year new companies are created (some aren’t new), spin off and similar projects appear with good products at lower prices compared to the ones we are used to. This is the consequence of the globalization and democratization of technology designed in the middle of a crisis that affected the occidental market as well as the necessities of the emerging countries. This year we will see which brands continue on the market and which ones can’t follow the path of the best, the latter meaning the companies adapted to the situation, not the bigger companies.

Manufacturers are redefining their scale of prices and product range. The companies which don’t want to change or reflect on its products the demands would be left behind or even disappear.

Therefore, TM Broadcast International will be present in the most important fairs to explain firsthand the current situation. There are a growing number of shows despite of the technological century of XXI we live in, because the humane treatments face to face are of vital importance. We were able to verify this in the last ISE that gathered 51,003 people, an amazing increase in relation to the previous year and we have expectations of continue growing in 2015. Without a doubt this is going to be a very interesting year.

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Quantel Genetic Engineering 2 delivers workflow max for Pablo Rio Quantel announced the launch of Genetic Engineering 2. GE2 is Quantel’s second generation shared storage solution for post that delivers new levels of flexibility, performance and productivity for Quantel Pablo Rio color and finishing system users. The original Genetic Engineering transformed the efficiency of many post houses; GE2 will do the same for today’s multiresolution post world.

GE2 revolutionizes post workflow it enables instant sharing of high resolution jobs between suites giving users total flexibility to move jobs at a moment’s notice. Crucially each GE2 connected Pablo Rio has guaranteed realtime performance whatever the other suites are doing – even at 4K.

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GE2 is great for facility scheduling as it makes it possible to take on short notice jobs. It allows multiple suites to teamwork on tight deadline jobs and enables more suites to get involved when a job suddenly needs more resources.

GE2 enables up to four Pablo Rio systems to share the same GenePool storage. Third party systems can read and write to GenePool storage via the GenePool Gateway. Pablo PA also connects to the GenePool Gateway to handle back-office tasks, ensuring that the frontline Pablo Rio systems spend the maximum time on client-facing work.

There is a huge range of potential GE2 configurations, which means

that GE2 systems can be tailored to meet every individual facility’s workflow requirements. For example, the GenePool shared storage can range from 18TB to support a two-suite HD production requirement, to almost 400TB - more than enough for even multiple simultaneous 4K or 6K Red Dragon jobs.

“The number one issue facing post houses today is workflow, and Genetic Engineering 2 delivers the kind of flexibility and productivity they need to compete in a market where clients demand quality and speed in equal measure,” said Quantel Sales Director, Martin Mulligan.

Genetic Engineering 2 is available now.

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Felix Krückels now Lawo’s Business Development Director

Blackmagic production camera 4K is now shipping with a new low price Blackmagic Design announced the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K is now shipping and with a new low price of US$2,995. This new low price will be available for all customers, including existing pre-orders.

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K is available now from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide for only US$2,995.

As of January, Felix Krückels’role within Lawo has changed totake onthe newly created position of Business Development Director. In his new position, Krückels will evaluate and forward the development and implementation of new business ideas,as well as overseeing the advancement of the company, whichhas been building up new opportunities in audio-over-IP and video processing alongside its established audio broadcast solutions. With experience and expertise gained in his long-standing role at Lawo as Senior Product Manager for Lawo’s mc² mixing console series, Nova routing systems and V__line video solutions, Krückels is the ideal candidate for this position.

Krückels graduated from the renowned University of Music in Detmold/Germany as Dipl.-Tonmeister, and subsequently worked as full-time sound engineer, mainly in OB trucks.

He continues to work as a sound engineer for particularly ambitious broadcast productions (he is currently in Sochi for a high-profile sports event). In this way, he is ableto remain in direct contact with the industry, and conversantwith the requirements and trends in modern TV and radio production.

Felix Krückels commented: ‘The Broadcast market requires more and more comprehensive, integrated solutions. Audio and video merge more and more – and that IP networks will be used for signal distribution is beyond doubt, due to the indisputable benefits. Lawo is already using the IP-based RAVENNA network technology in its products. To amalgamate these new developments and technologies is an exciting challenge, and onethat I am ready to meet.’

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“The support from the creative community for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera and Production Camera 4K has been amazing,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “As with all of our products, we work hard in production to reduce costs so we can pass along the savings, even to our first Blackmagic Production Camera 4K customers. The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K is a perfect companion for ATEM Production 4K switchers and we hope the new low price will help more customers to expand their Ultra HD live production set ups with even more camera angles!”

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K is a super high resolution 4K digital production camera for Ultra HD television production. Featuring a large Super 35 sensor, professional global shutter as well as EF and ZE compatible lens mount, the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K captures high quality ProRes™ files, giving customers a complete solution to shoot high resolution music videos, episodic television productions, television commercials, sport and documentaries.

The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K has everything customers need right out of the box including a built in SSD recorder, rechargeable battery and a large 5” LCD touchscreen. In addition to focusing and monitoring shots, the touchscreen also lets customers enter metadata and change camera settings all on a single easy to use interface. Customers also get a full copy of DaVinci Resolve for amazing quality color grading and finishing for Mac OS X and Windows computers.

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MuxLab Inc. launches new line of HD CCTV baluns at Intersec Dubai 2014 MuxLab Inc. announce the launch of a new line of HD CCTV baluns. The HD CCTV Pass-Thru Balun (500720), HD CCTV Pass-Thru Balun with Cable Lead (500720CL), and the Active HD CCTV Receiver Balun (500721) are all part of the new line which focuses on the SD, HD & 3G environments.

The baluns are ideal for permanent set-ups which require high quality connectivity parts such as campuses, highways, airports, hotels, casinos, and commercial complexes.

"The HD CCTV market is on the rise and these baluns offer HD-SDI video, power and PTZ over one Cat5e/6 making installations simpler and affordable� states Lori Abramovitch, MuxLab’s Marketing Manager.

The Active HD CCTV Receiver Balun provides extended distance between an HD-SDI CCTV camera and an HD-SDI DVR via Cat5e/6 cable. The 500721 supports up to 150 feet (45m) @ HD-SDI (720p, 1080i).

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Front Porch Digital inks deal with thePlatform™ to provide leading cloud-based video-publishing service via LYNXSM Cloud CSM System Front Porch Digital announced that it has signed an agreement with thePlatform™, the leading whitelabel video-publishing company, to offer cloud-based video-publishing services to Front Porch Digital customers throughout the global media and entertainment industry. Under the agreement, Front Porch Digital will integrate thePlatform's mpx video-publishing system into the Front Porch Digital LYNXSM cloudbased CSM system for managing media assets. By taking advantage of mpx through the LYNX platform, LYNX users can more easily and affordably monetize assets and build new revenue streams.

"Front Porch Digital is a global leader in mission-critical workflow solutions for digital file-based video operations of all kinds," said Chris Drake, vice president of business development at thePlatform. "With mpx, Front Porch Digital can now offer its customers a complete, hosted multiscreen video-publishing solution in the cloud. We look forward to supporting the needs of the company's diverse customers around the world."

Fischer UltiMate™ Series 07: 10 pin configuration completes range of rugged connectors With its new 10 pin layout added to the Fischer UltiMate™ Series 07, Fischer Connectors completes this rugged product line for harsh environments. This push-pull circular connector is now available in a very large range of sizes and con-

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Front Porch Digital's LYNX customers will be able to use mpx to upload, manage, and distribute videos to their own websites, third-party sites, smartphones, tablets, and more. In addition, mpx provides LYNX users with a simple Web-based console for managing their video libraries, highly customizable video players with automated social networking tools, enterprise-grade reliability, and more — all accessible from the LYNX interface.

figurations suitable for all applications.

This high density version of the Fischer UltiMate™ Series 07 is a small, miniaturized connector containing ten contacts within plug and receptacle diameters starting at 12mm only. This is a major benefit as much less space is necessary to implement a connecting solution, allowing designers to create smaller, lighter devices.

With this additional configuration, the Fischer UltiMate™ Series of rugged connectors is now available in five sizes (07, 08, 11, 13 and 18) and in configurations from 2 to 42 pins. From its smallest 07 size

"More and more of our DIVArchive customers are embracing our LYNX cloud-based solution for storing and managing their assets with adaptable, on-demand scalability that reduces capital expenses and operational costs. Now, those customers can get the same benefits from a renowned video-publishing solution that's available directly through LYNX," said Andy Hurt, vice president, product management and marketing, to its largest 18 size, all Fischer UltiMate™ connectors have the same performance and are perfectly suitable for harsh and extreme environments: the Fischer UltiMate™ Series is sealed IP68/69 mated and unmated and has a high corrosion resistance of 1,000 hours. Combined with the 360° EMC shielding, the guaranteed 10,000 mating cycles and an operating temperature from -55°C to +135°C, the connector is the right choice for extreme environment applications as this connecting solution requires less maintenance, is cost effective and slow aging.

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EVS Technology drives World Rally Championship highlights for second year running

FilmWorks, the Finnish technical solutions and production services provider responsible for the entire coverage and distribution of WRC content, has selected EVS solutions to power its workflow for the second consecutive year. During the Championship, FilmWorks will deliver a range of coverage, including two highlights shows.

The Championship sees 13 rallies take place all over the world, with the next taking place in Sweden this week.

A key requirement for FilmWorks was getting content out as fast as possible to various stakeholders – car manufacturers, rights holders and the event promoter – and to produce the daily 26-minute highlight show. On top of that, they produce the 52-minute roundup show – featuring the best highlights of the week – and video clips for the WRC website. It was absolutely vital to have a system that could meet the challenge quickly and efficiently, keeping up with the intensity they required. They also benefitted from the workflow’s zero-failure reliability, having proven itself during the 2013 WRC, as well as its integration with post-production through EVS’ IPLink and FCP Exporter.

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In a similar setup to 2013, content recorded on ENG cameras and from on-board cameras in the rally cars is ingested with ENGSoft. It’s then logged and made instantly available to Final Cut Pro craft editors using the IPDirector PAM suite. Laptops equipped with IPBrowse allow the different stakeholders to swiftly search, view and export media for content contribution or analysis.

Whereas Xsquare enables the production team to control media transcoding and transfers, so that the content selected by the stakeholders is delivered in the required format. Finally, an XS media server is used for playout and SDI contribution.

“The EVS-powered system allows us to ingest and log a significant amount of media files in a very short time span. This means editors can easily identify, view and retrieve relevant content and begin compiling clips for highlights packages immediately – as content’s being ingested,” explained Jari Vuorenmaa, technical operations manager at FilmWorks. “We can then distribute finished edits to our multiple stakeholders. Fast turnaround production and quick time-toair both get big ticks.”

“EVS proved during the 2013 season that they were up to the job and so it was a no-brainer to use them for the 2014 season as well,” commented Marko Viitanen, CEO of FilmWorks. “Speed is certainly critical for us, but so is reliability as there’s no room for error here, and EVS gives us both those assurances.

The system also seamlessly integrates with post-production, meaning FCP craft editors can view and import media managed by IPDirector and then export those edits to the XS server for playout, which is another big plus for us.”

MuxLab Announces HDMI over IP Management Software at ISE 2014 MuxLab Inc. is excited to announce at ISE the launch of its new HDMI Over IP Management Software.

Designed and engineered in Canada by Canadian professionals, the software works in conjunction with MuxLab’s HDMI Over IP Encoders and Decoders to allow HDMI equipment to be distributed and routed via a dedicated Gigabit Ethernet LAN. The Windows-based software allows HDMI matrices of up to 16 x 200 to be managed when deployed on a DHCP and IGMP-enabled Gigabit LAN. The software is controlled from any PC that has a wired or wireless LAN connection.

"By allowing any MuxLab HDMI encoder to be switched with any MuxLab HDMI decoder, a wide range of broadcasting and multicasting HDMI solutions are possible” states Marc Bohbot, MuxLab’s Director of R & D. “For example, the software includes a Set-up Wizard that allows each HDMI device to be discovered and configured on the network for quicker system deployment”.

Additionally, the software allows device names to be customized in order to adapt to any residential or commercial application and features diagnostics that verify the HDMI link for greater ease of troubleshooting.

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Roland Systems Group introduces ‘All-In-One’ VR-3EX AV Mixer for live production switching and web streaming Roland Systems Group are pleased to announce the launch of the VR-3EX - the latest addition to the popular VR Series of ‘all in one’ A/V mixers, adding to a growing line up of AV mixers for live production, web streaming and recording from Roland. The innovative design of the VR-3EX incorporates a video switcher, audio mixer, touchscreen preview monitor and streamingready USB output all in a single unit.

Expanding the feature set of the Roland VR-3, the VR-3EX boasts 4 HDMI inputs, 2 HDMI outputs, builtin scaling with resolutions up to 1080p and WUXGA, HDCP support, a full 18-channel digital audio mixer with effects and over 200 video transitions and effects. The compact design of the VR-3EX makes it ideal for use in a variety of portable or permanently installed applications including house of worship, education, corporate A/V and live production.

The VR-3EX features audio embedding from the HDMI inputs whilst the built in audio mixer has delay settings on each input allowing ‘lip sync’ adjustments to be made to match the video source. Supporting HDCP allows the user to mix copyright protected material such as game consoles and Bluray content into a live production.

Composition effects such as Chroma key, Luminance key, and picture-in-picture enable title/logo overlay or lower thirds on background video.

HDMI inputs one to three on the VR-3EX accept video resolutions up to 480p/576p and input four accepts HDMI resolutions up to 1080p and RGB up to WUXGA (1920x1200).

Although internal processing is SDbased, the output can be scaled up to 1080p or 1920x1200. Video

inputs one to three feature composite (RCA) or HDMI (SD only) while input four accepts HDMI, RGB/Component or composite video. The video outputs have the ability to scale resolutions up to 1080p via HDMI or component, 1920x1200 (WUXGA) via RGB, or SD (NTSC or PAL) via the composite video output. An additional HDMI output is included to add anexternal preview monitor if required.

The 18-channel audio mixer is made up of 4 XLR/TRS with phantom power, stereo RCA, mini-stereo

and built-in stereo mics as well as stereo audio from the 4 HDMI inputs.

An impressive variety of dynamics such as delay, EQ, Gate, and Compressor can be applied to each balanced audio channel enhancing the audio and live production quality. The builtin stereo microphone on the top of the VR-3EX enables the operator to narrate or add ambient audio from the audience into the broadcast mix.

The VR-3EX also has a main and AUX buss output so that the audio for the broadcast and the in-house PA system can be mixed separately.

As a USB Video/Audio class device, web streaming is effortless by simply connecting to a computer running a live streaming service.

The output can also be recorded easily using the free VR Capture software from Roland for Windows or Mac or by using native OS applications such as QuickTime on a Mac.

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Broadcast Pix unveils ReVue Multi-Channel HD Slo-Mo replay system Broadcast Pix™ has introduced ReVue, a new HD slow motion replay system that work with any Broadcast Pix integrated production systems or independently in other production environments.

Developed in collaboration with strategic partner EditShare, ReVue will be available in March and demonstrated at the 2014 NAB Show (Booth SL6325), which runs April 7-10 in Las Vegas, Nev. Available in two and four-channel configurations, ReVue features SDI connectivity and up to eight tracks of embedded audio, with optional 1080p recording and playback. The system is housed in a 2 RU chassis and includes 8 TB of RAID 6 storage, which can be expanded up to 16 TB. ReVue’s compact controller includes a jog/shuttle wheel for reviewing footage, with dedicated buttons for marking in and out points for play-

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back. All video sources are played back in sync, so it is easy to cut between cameras and find the best replay angle. Playback speed is controlled manually with the fader bar, but three preset buttons allow users to assign specific speeds for more consistent slo-mo results.

Other intuitive controls allow easy navigation between cameras, clips, and servers.

“Broadcast Pix has built our reputation on reliable and affordable integrated production systems,” explained Steve Ellis, Broadcast Pix CEO. “When we decided to introduce a slo-mo replay system, our objective was to deliver a very high quality product at a price that nearly everyone can afford. ReVue provides a powerful, multi-source HD replay system that fits the budgets of schools and community channels.”

ReVue’s two output channels can be configured as preview/program

or as two programs. With its built-in multi-view, ReVue provides monitors for all active sources, plus preview and program windows. ReVue’s onscreen user interface makes it easy to keep track of marked clips and replays. Plus, Broadcast Pix integrated production systems can trigger ReVue playlists directly from the production switcher.

“Our customers demand solutions that improve workflow, and we focused our efforts on controlling all aspects of the production environment,” Ellis added. “The next evolution of this workflow is to move content from live production to broadcast infrastructure and post. By integrating ReVue into their Broadcast Pix live production environment, our customers can expand their workflow through seamless integration into the server, editorial, and asset management systems offered by EditShare.”

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KVM extenders for 4K News in the scope of KVM extenders: Ultra HD For the first time, Guntermann & Drunck offers a KVM extension for 4K resolutions. While others still talk about it, G&D is doing it. They already offer a 4K resolution, in order to provide AV professionals with a future-proof video resolution already today.

The ability of the DL-Vision KVM extenders to transmit even Ultra HD at full frame rate (60 Hz) makes it a capable extension system in the field of professional video signal processing and at workstations for monitoring comprehensive control room processes in different broadcast applications. Thanks to the UHD resolution many application processes can be displayed simultaneously on a single large format display. By using DL-Vision, staff from editing studios, CAD and 3D studios profits from computerfree workstations. Noise, waste heat and radiation leave the room together with the computers. The connection of the KVM system is enabled via optical fiber lines which besides the transmission of video signal also provide for transmission of keyboard and mouse as well as, optionally, audio, RS232, USB2.0 transparent.

Why G&D makes the difference in a broadcast environment G&D clearly focuses on a professional mixture of flexibility, modular design and simplicity. They are playing an important role in product and technology development of the German manufacturer.

The digital KVM matrix, ControlCenter-Digital, in parti-

cular, combines all features of KVM extenders, KVM switches, additional functions, monitoring and management functions in one system. That is why the KVM matrix has already been nominated for the ISE Award which will be presented in February. At BVE, the "small" CCD with 160 dynamic ports will be shown for the first time.

Many functions require as much security Wherever a variety of functions, computers and users come together, security plays a decisive role. Therefore, the ControlCenter-Digital system with an integrated "Trusted Platform Module" (TPM) protects any access and configuration data against exposure with an RSA-encrypting process and a 2048 bit key length. Sensitive information such as login data and passwords are permanently saved in an encrypted version. In addition, a RAID1 array system protects rights management and configuration data.

An integrated monitoring via web interface, SNMP and Syslog recognizes, measures, documents and reports any values defined as critical before they can lead to a system shutdown. This ensures that the user is always one step ahead of the problem.

2014

NBC Olympics’ production of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi to utilize MOG Technologies for centralized ingest solutions MOG Technologies has been selected to provide its MXF stitching and advanced GOP splicing to NBC Olympics, a division of the NBC Sports Group, during its production of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, from February 6February 23. The announcement was made today by David Mazza, Senior Vice President, Engineering, NBC Olympics, and Luís Miguel Sampaio, CEO, MOG Technologies.

Following previous years MOG Technologies has been selected by NBC Olympics to provide reliable video conforming technologies to cover the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

With access to a full range of automated solutions for File-Based MXF Conform, ReWrap, Digital Delivery and Real Time Playback, NBC Olympics will ensure great interoperability between all the platforms and media formats used in the coverage of the Winter Games.

The broadcaster will be taking advantage of mxfSPEEDRAIL F1000 capabilities, to conform the captured clips from Harmonic MediaDeck 7000, splicing the disparate clips together and re-wrapping the finished product into a new MXF OP1a. The output will then be rapidly delivered to the multiplatform distribution servers.

The system will also enable the handling of growing files, saving time to the editors, when sending their EDL’s for conform, merging sub-clips from several LongGOP sources.

The fully interoperable system will be integrated with Avid Interplay MAM, which handles the distribution and load-balancing of conform jobs, and Harmonic Media Grid storage, offering a high traffic performance and a great interoperability between platforms.

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TV Asahi upgrades OB truck with Lawo mc²56 console One of the most viewed television stations in Japan, TV Asahi is currently undertaking a refit of its EX 402 audio OB truck, including the installation ofa 48-fader Lawo mc²56 console. Two Lawostageboxes, based on the DALLIS I/O-system, will be connected to the console via MADI to provide the inputs and outputs for the system. The upgradedvehicle will primarily be used for sports productions, including baseball, soccer and figure skating –all very popular sports in Japan. TV Asahi was the first mc² customer in Japan, and isconvinced of the features and the usability of the mc² consoles. Havingworked on many international outside broadcast productions, for example on Alfacam trucks, TV Asahi’s project engineer has become very familiar with Lawo consoles: “By choosing the mc²56 for our OB truck, I can be sure of the highest levelsof sound quality, relia-

bility and usability. And I can be sure to find many engineers who can operate the consoles,” he says.

The Lawo mc²56 MKII is the latest addition to the mc² series, aimed at production use, as well as theater

and live applications. Because of its compact size, it is also ideally suited to OB van integration.The refit of EX 402 is being handled by Lawo’spartner in Japan, OTARITEC Corporation, and is expected to be completed in March 2014.

MOG Technologies partners with FileCatalyst For over a decade, MOG has provided IT solutions to broadcasters to increase the overall performance of workflows while migrating to file-based environments and ensuring high interoperability between systems and formats.

With mxfSPEEDRAIL product-line, MOG has been addressing broadcasters, post-production houses, outside broadcasters, mobile studios and live-feed productions needs with the ideal file-based solution for post-production, playback and file archiving as it integrates the essential components of the creation process into a single and unified platform, saving costs and reducing production creation time.

In today’s broadcast and post-production environments, there is the need to constantly handle a great amount of files that are spread over large geographical distances or between different organizations. Since the fast and reliable delivery of files is crucial for these workflows, MOG will be addressing its customer needs by adding FileCatalyst unique acceleration capabilities to mxfSPEEDRAIL file-based workflows.

This partnership will allow MOG Technologies’ to further automate delivery/reception capabilities of its current file-based Ingest, SD-HD/SDI capture, digital delivery and real time playback solutions. The aim is to enable users to achieve the highest performance in their workflows, whenever there is the need to transfer vast amounts of media files at blazing speeds, eliminating any bottleneck on the file transfer during the delivery/reception process.

FileCatalyst's UDP-based file transfer technology executes digital media transfers at maximum rates without being impeded by network impairments, such as latency and packet loss experienced with TCP/IP, meaning a perfect complement to mxfSPEEDRAIL innovative features.

“Enhanced data transfer rates are becoming increasingly crucial to broadcasters’ workflows as media files continue to grow in size,” said Rui Pereira, COO of MOG Technologies. “Integrating FileCatalyst technology with our Centralized Ingest workflows is a valuable additionfor many of our clients, and will be used in delivering footage for the upcoming major sport events.”

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RTW appoints professional audio technology its exclusive distributor in Australia and New Zealand RTW, is pleased to announce that since 31 January it named Professional Audio Technology Pty. Ltd. (PAT) its exclusive distributor in Australia and New Zealand.

Established in 2010 in Hornsby, Australia, PAT caters primarily to the broadcast and professional audio markets, offering customers in Australia and New Zealand the opportunity to experience worldclass gear from top European and American manufacturers. The company is known for its outstanding customer service, backed by a comprehensive pre- and post-sales support network for all the brands it represents. RTW equipment, including the entire groundbreaking line

of TouchMonitor audio meters and the new LQL (Loudness Quality Logger) software, will be sold alongside the entire PAT inventory.

“We are excited to add RTW to our current product portfolio, allowing us to offer our customers another leading worldwide manufacturer of pro audio equipment,” says Patrick Salloch, managing director, Professional Audio Technology.

“There is great synergy between RTW’s current product range, our existing customer base and the products we already represent in Australia and New Zealand.”

RTW demo equipment, such as the TM3 and TM7 TouchMonitors,

featuring the latest upgrades, will be available from PAT in the coming weeks.

“We believe that with Professional Audio Technology, we have found the right distributor in Australia and New Zealand for RTW products,” says Arjen Hofland, International Sales Manager, RTW. “The company is actively involved in high-calibre broadcast and pro audio projects and can provide our customers with outstanding service, training and pre- and post-sales support. We look forward to extending our current customer base, down under, with Professional Audio Technology.”

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The Public Television of Russia launches in Moscow with Calrec audio consoles

The Public Television of Russia, a new channel created by decree of the Russian government and launched in May 2013, has outfitted its brand-new Moscow facility with Calrec Artemis Light digital audio consoles. The consoles are being used in every studio to produce audio for a variety of news, cultural, and magazine programs.

The Public Television of Russia purchased four Artemis Light consoles with 32 faders and Hydra I/O boxes. The consoles are connected

by Calrec's Hydra2 plug-and-play audio routing system, which enables the station to create a network of consoles at minimal cost.

"With the Calrec desks, we can configure in any combination we need for any production and send any source to any output of any console, so we can easily pass productions from one studio to another with full redundancy of interfaces, Hydra connections, and consoles," said Pavel Ozhiganov, chief technical director of The Public Television of Russia. "A decentralized system makes it possible for us to connect

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our mics anywhere in the Hydra network to create 'interstudio' productions."

The Artemis Light consoles met The Public Television of Russia's criteria for a decentralized architecture that would allow it to use any studio for any type of production. That means each studio can handle many different programs, which makes the entire facility more efficient. Furthermore, having multiple connected desks gives The Public Television of Russia complete redundancy for maximum uptime.

Networked Stageboxes in each studio also gives extra flexibility across the facility.

Systems integrator Professional Television Systems handled the project, including system design, training, delivery, and support.

"In launching this channel on a short timeline, we couldn't afford to take risks, so it was important to install proven equipment that is known in the industry for its reliability and performance with the support to back it up," Ozhiganov said. "With Calrec, we got a well-respected pro-

duct with the optimal architecture for our situation, as well as high-level training, within our budget and tight delivery schedule."

Using Calrec's Hydra2 technology and award-winning Bluefin2 highdensity signal processing, Artemis Light has an enormous routing and processing capacity. Bluefin2 gives the console 240 channel processing paths with up to 128 program busses, 64 IFB/track outputs, and 32 auxiliaries — all in a 4U enclosure.

The console's integrated router means all I/O functions can be performed by Hydra2 using high-capacity 8192² crosspoint routers and a variety of I/O units.

"The Public Television of Russia studios were built from the ground up for maximum flexibility and efficiency, and it's gratifying that Calrec played such an important role in that design," said Michael Reddick, European sales manager. "Calrec consoles give the station the infrastructure and stability needed to deliver solid audio on every program."

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EVS provide live production workflow for NBC Olympics’ at the 2014 Olympic Winter GAMES in Sochi EVS has been selected to provide a live broadcast production workflow to NBC Olympics, a division of the NBC Sports Group, during its production of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, from February 6-February 23. The announcement was made today by David Mazza, Senior Vice President, Engineering, NBC Olympics and Frederic Garroy, Sr. Vice President of the Americas, EVS. EVS provided more than 70 XT series advanced media production servers in use for NBC’s coverage of the Games. Approximately 20 servers were installed at the NBC Olympics central broadcast production facility at the International Broadcast Center (IBC), and another 30 at the existing NBC produc-

tion centers in Stamford, CT and New York, NY facilities. The remaining servers were deployed at numerous individual sporting venues. In addition, approximately 50 EVS IPDirector workstations has been implemented in various locations, providing an integrated suite of video production management applications for complete ingest control, metadata management, onthe-fly editing capabilities, and playout scheduling. Together, the solutions allow the secure and streamlined ingest and management of vast amounts of content from the many sporting venues and the primary IBC broadcasting center for distribution around the globe.

“Over the years and across numerous locations, EVS has been an instrumental part of the onsite bro-

adcast architecture for the Olympic Games,” said EVS’ Garroy. “We are thrilled to once again provide dynamic and reactive critical live production services. Our Sochi deployment will bring even greater system flexibility and connection between venues, and extremely tight integration with Avid Interplay. While the workflow is clearly defined, EVS provides the tools to enable editors and engineers to push the bounds of technology.”

Mazza said: “We are pleased to be working once again with EVS, and we are confident this combination of advanced server and workflow technology will help us ignite even more excitement among viewers watching the Games on the networks of NBCUniversal.”

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RT gears up for HD broadcasting with Lawo Serving an overseas audience of 630 million people in more than 100 countries, Russia’s RT television network carries a cocktail of documentaries, talk shows, debates, sports and cultural programs, supported by round-the-clock news bulletins. Having recently moved home, the state-run broadcaster now operates from a new studio complex in Moscow, where it has recently been equipping for HD transmission of its programming.

Requiring what Lawo’s International Sales & Project Manager Phil Hey describes as an ‘extraordinary redundancy level’, RT turned to Lawo for a particularly extensive network to support its new operation.

Previously known as Russia Today, RT has included studios for its English, Arabic and Spanish channels, along with a Green Studio, Production Studio and a Backup Studio in its new facility. The complex is a combination of modern

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architecture and classic industrial buildings, fully renovated and equipped with a state-of-the art technical installation.

live broadcast. Additionally, Lawo’s STAR² technology provides an exceptionally high level of redundancy and failsafe operation.

The project got underway in November 2011 under contractor OKNO-TV, with Lawo subsequently being recruited to provide the heart of the audio infrastructure. Now fully operational, it represents a massive step forward over RT’s old studios.

The broadcaster had been using Lawo zirkon consoles for production duties at its old facility and is now using no fewer than six Lawo mc²66 MkII main on-air/production consoles and three crystal desks for voiceover work, along with a Lawo Nova73HD as its central I/O routing matrix and seven mxGUI servers providing additional remote GUIs.

“Our choice of Lawo mc²66/Nova73HD combination was because it allowed us to realize our vision of ultra-reliable audio in complex multi-program, round-the-clock news broadcasting,’ says Alexander Kolosov, Head of Phonics at RT. ‘A big plus is that the mc²/Nova73HD system provides non-problematic expansion. Our operational experience of the final set of six mc²66 MkII panels and the central matrix Nova73HD proved to us that the promises made by Lawo are consistent with the real requirements of our complex.”

The Nova73HD provides RAVENNA, AES3, MADI and SDH/STM1interfaces, and features a hot-plug capability and online configuration that allows reconfiguration and expansion of a system even during a

The Lawo system has been designed to offer rigorous redundancy, everywhere from the router and control system to its fully redundant signal paths. In addition, its extreme flexibility ensures that I/O resources are accessible from all of the studios

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PA N S H O T

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PHABRIX chosen to support major winter sports event

and the control rooms with access rights management. This is achieved by connecting all I/O to both the Nova73HD as well as all of the mixing consoles, while the control software presents it to look and feel like a local signal, regardless of its physical location. The Lawo network takes care of all tieline management and ensures that all tielines have an additional backup path available.

Networked resources and rights management are a customer specific configuration written using TCL (Tool Command Language) script. Widely used for rapid prototyping and testing, as well as to author scripted applications and GUIs, TCL is a common feature of embedded systems platforms, both in its full form and in small-footprint versions.

In detail, the audio infrastructure comprises five 48-fader mc²66MkII consoles, a 32-fader mc²66MkII console and three 8-fader crystal consoles, as well as the Nova73HD. The Nova73HD router can handle up to 8192x8192 crosspoints, with the RT installation currently supporting currently 2816 in/output signals with up to 480 DSP channels.

Key to its operation is that a very large number of I/O resources are managed very simply, with snapshot portability making transfer of setups between production rooms particularly easy.

Capable consoles “The Lawo consoles provide many features for easy and comfortable operation during live broadcasting. One of these is the mix minus busses – these are automatically pre-configured, but at the same time provide enough flexibility

for fine tuning, allowing easy operation during live transmissions with multiple external feeds,” says Anton Maksimov, RT Sound Editor. “One of the most important features is the ability to easily track the signal flow, which can help a new user to learn the details of a previously unknown configuration. Also very helpful is limited control of the source on the second layer, even without switching layers, as well as assignable Free Control modules and User Buttons on the surface for fast access to the most frequently used functions.”

Between them, OKNO-TV and Lawo have proven their ability to deliver on the “very high redundancy concept”, with system design, networking, customisation and audio quality, proven to the broadcaster through its use in a previous installation.

“This is the third Lawo console I have worked on over the past ten years, and the mc²66MkII has again proved Lawo’s leading position in this competitive market,” Anton Maksimov confirms.

“Thanks to the close collaboration between RT and OKNO-TV teams at every stage of the project, the new studio complex was completed concurrently with a switch to worldwide HD broadcast – a formidable task,” says Andrey Bukashkin, RT’s Chief Director. “OKNOTV’s specialists were highly receptive to all our suggestions and demands, whether they came from management or staff operators, and developed truly innovative solutions to meet our needs.

“We are very pleased with the results,” he adds.

The UK-based company has been chosen to supply 30 PHABRIX SxE units which will be used in every sports arena during the competition as events are streamed live to our living rooms, following their successful use at the London games.

Paul Nicholls, PHABRIX sales and marketing director said: “We’re really excited to be involved in this winter’s major sports event which will be broadcast to billions of television viewers across the world.

PHABRIX’s portable handheld SxE instrument provides a cost effective, quality test and measurement product they can rely on, with over 4,000 Sx’s in daily use.

“With a combined generator, analyser and monitoring toolset complete with physical layer analysis, the SxE offers engineers an easily carried instrument packed with tools to check broadcast infrastructure.

We wish everyone, especially the engineers, all the best at this great event.”

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Pablo Rio proves that quality matters for post Quantel announced that sales of its Pablo Rio high quality color and finishing system in its first year of release have grown the company’s sales into the post production market by 50%.

“Pablo Rio proves that quality still has value in the world of post production,” said Steve Owen, Quantel Marketing Director.

“That means quality in the widest sense – technical, editorial and creative. It shows that when a business can deliver quality for the right budget then customers really value that capability. And that is why Pablo Rio is being chosen by so many users across movie, drama and commercials post production.

“70% of the systems we have sold have been manufacturer-backed turnkey, the remainder software-only; Pablo Rio is unique in offering customers this choice,” Owen continued. “And with Genetic Engineering 2, we’re bringing a new era of productive teamworking to multi-resolution post.

“Pablo Rio is the only system on the market that can reliably deliver realtime 4K HFR and beyond. It is also unique in combining superb color tools, an intuitive user interface and a complete on-board editing, effects and finishing toolset into a single system, providing real workflow gains for users. We’ve tapped into the full power of NVIDIA GPUs which will enable us to keep delivering even better performance, and our R&D team keeps working hard. For example, Pablo Rio now delivers 6K realtime working, making it a perfect partner for projects shot on the new RED Dragon cameras.”

"Quantel has once again shown its engineering excellence and ability to take advantage of leading-edge technology for the benefit of its customers," said Greg Estes, vice president of Marketing for the Professional Visualization business at NVIDIA. "The integration of NVIDIA Maximus technology into Pablo Rio and ability to scale by adding multiple NVIDIA Tesla GPUs makes Pablo Rio a must-have tool for colorists and artists who want maximum performance in a standards-based platform."

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Montreux Jazz Festival and Montreux Music & Convention Centre Rely on Riedel MediorNet

Riedel Communications announced that the Montreux Music & Convention Centre (2m2c) used a Riedel MediorNet video and data signal transport network solution during the 47th Montreux Jazz Festival, the second largest annual jazz festival in the world.

The organizers used the Riedel system to distribute signals throughout the various concert halls of the festival, which attracts an audience of more than 200,000 people and covers six venues.

Besides the renowned jazz festival, the 2m2c is host to a number of events in Montreux including the Montreux Comedy Festival and more than 85 others.

"Our demands have changed drastically over the years," said Pierre-Yves Nussbaum, audiovisual and multimedia facilities manager at 2m2c, which is responsible for the overall production of the jazz festival. "In 1997, we started with only seven network connections. Since then, and with the help of our MediorNet infrastructure, the system has grown to a capacity of more than 1,200 links, plus a fair number of A/V channels."

The city of Montreux now uses the fiber-based MediorNet infrastructure for combined distribution and transmission of A/V and IP signals over a completely decentralized network. This infrastructure also allows for transporting the video signals

for internal DVB-T TV distribution.

"The flexibility of the systems helped us meet a lot of the Montreux Jazz Festival's A/V demands. The decentralized control system made it possible to distribute the various sources to the video walls and projectors we were using, and also helped us administer our internal TV programs — all capabilities that we'd

been

waiting

for,"

Nussbaum said. "The École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) has been assigned to administer and preserve the entire library of video material from the festival — more than 5,000 hours worth — so our goal is to expand the MediorNet infrastructure into the EPFL campus to enable direct access to this precious material. This move would be a crucial step toward a much-desired tapeless workflow."

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Wohler addresses growing business momentum with four new hires in sales and engineering Wohler Technologies announced four more new hires in key sales and engineering positions in a second series of new appointments this month. For Wohler signal management and monitoring products, Shawn Sennett will serve as director of western U.S. sales and Jerry Williamson will serve as director of eastern U.S. sales. For the Wohler RadiantGrid™ business line, Brian Massie has been hired as sales engineer and Tom McFarland as QA engineer.

"The unique forward-looking functionality of new product releases across our business has opened up significant growth opportunities for Wohler," said Carl J. Dempsey, Wohler president and CEO. "These new additions — Shawn, Jerry, Brian, and Tom — to the Wohler

sales and engineering teams will ensure that we can keep pace with the growing momentum created by innovations such as our MPEG monitoring line and the new WohlerDPP, powered by RadiantGrid."

Wohler's award-winning MPEG Series of broadcast-quality MPEG video monitors represents the first universal digital broadcast confidence monitor line in the broadcast industry. By consolidating MPEG-2 and MPEG-4/H.264 streams into the mainstream workflow, the Wohler monitors enable a single operator to monitor all video streams, even those destined for delivery via Web portals and mobile services, from a single system and interface. In doing so, the system further reduces the cost and complexity of handling

the various streams processed and distributed by today's broadcast and production facilities. Handling the MPEG Series and other signal management and monitoring solution sales, Sennett will be based in Los Angeles, and Williamson will be based in Philadelphia.

The RadiantGrid Intelligent Media Transformation Platform™ and RadiantGrid-powered file-based processing solutions are likewise transforming critical workflows within the media enterprise. The expansion of RadiantGrid engineering personnel comes as demand for these solutions continues to rise.

Massie will be based in the U.K., and McFarland will be based in San Francisco.

Shawn Sennett, Director Of Western US Sales

Jerry Williamson, Director Of Eastern US Sales

Tom McFarland, QA Engineer Radiant Gridat Wohler

Brian Massie, Sales Engineer Radiant Grid

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AJA Video Systems at BVE 2014 AJA Video Systems continues to advance camera-to-editorial workflows from SD to HD, UHD and full 4K with its complementary line of products that include the Ki Pro family of file-based recorders, Io family of portable video and audio I/O devices, KONA family of video capture cards, Mini-Converters, Converters, Routers and more. AJA solutions facilitate high-quality recording, automation, 4K acquisition and playback, and manageable 4K editorial for feature film, professional AV, post and television pipelines.

ATG Broadcast at BVE 2014 Exhibiting on stand N45, the company will be represented by Christoffer Kay (Managing Director), Tim Felstead (Head of Sales & Marketing), Clive Northen (Chief Operating Officer), Dave Whitaker (Senior Project Manager), Charlie McCaw (Head of Solutions) and Chris Elson (Product Sales Manager).

"ATG Broadcast pioneered the transition from tape-based technology to file-based production, content management and playout for terrestrial, satellite, cellular and IP-based viewing," comments Dave Whitaker.

"A key element of our service is the ability to meet tight installation and commissioning deadlines. We are able to draw on experience gained through working with a very wide range of technology suppliers in designing, integrating and commissioning complete turnkey systems that will work efficiently from day one."

"Being part of the Dan Technologies Systems Integration Group ensures that we have the full resources needed to meet our clients' current and future demands," adds Tim Felstead. "In addition to our role as a systems integrator we will be promoting selected third-party products which we offer as a distributor. These include the AmberFin range of broadcast file management tools plus the latest Vidcheck software for automated quality control and correction of file-based video and audio."

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AVT shows the brand-new MAGIC TH1 Go series at BVE For the first time AVT shows the new MAGIC TH1potsGo and MAGIC TH1ipGo Telephone Hybrids. The special highlight of these one channel POTS and VoIP systems is their simplicity. No complex settings have to be made before you can start with your show. Control is just as simple as the set-up: You can use the front panel or a connected POTS Telephone. With the phone you can accept the incoming call in Pretalk, talk to the caller and switch him or her to ON AIR or HOLD with the quickdial keys of the telephone. If necessary, he or she can also be switched back to the telephone for Pretalk – again just by pressing a single key on the telephone. The MAGIC TH1ipGo Hybrid provides a further highlight on top: HD Voice is already included in the standard delivery - calls from HD Voice compatible telephones can be received in 7-kHz quality. Of course, outgoing calls can also be transmitted in 7-kHz quality.

And HD Voice is also available for the other AVT Hybrids and Talkshow Systems. MAGIC TH2plus, MAGIC TH6 and MAGIC THipPro for maximum 16 caller lines complete the company’s telephone hybrid products range. Further smart highlights of the MAGIC hybrids are e.g. the Pretalk Streaming Upgrade which allows the system to transmit the Audio signal via LAN to the Pretalk PC. This is especially an advantage if there are not enough Audio interfaces available or if the Pretalk workplace is far away from your Telephone Hybrid. With the implemented Voice Disguise feature the voice of a caller can be changed so that it is impossible for the listeners to identify her or him which is highly useful for talkshows with sensitive topics.

Also on display at BVE 2014 are AVT’s ISDN, E1 and IP Audio Codecs with G.711, G.722, ISO/MPEG Layer2/3, apt-X and AAC-LD coding algorithms. AVT is a leading manufacturer of Telephone Hybrids, Audio Codecs and DAB/DAB+ Systems based in Germany. Visit AVT at the Preco booth P60.

At BVE Blackmagic Design will showcase the latest UltraHD 4K post , broadcast and live production solutions Blackmagic Design is one of the world’s leading innovators and manufacturers of creative technology for the feature film, post-production, television broadcast and live event industries. Dedicated to quality and stability and focusing on where it's needed most, Blackmagic has created some of the most talked about products in the industry.

The company’s ATEM production switchers have radically changed live production, with a range of switchers and converters offering hardware and software control for live production up to UltraHD 4K resolu-

tion. The range includes the ATEM Production Studio 4K and ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K, the world’s first UltraHD live production switchers.

Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability, and are now the world’s most popular video capture and playback solutions. The DeckLink 4K Extreme features 6GSDI technology for high bandwidth video standards, including UltraHD 4K. The company’s new range of digi-

tal film cameras, including the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, Production Camera 4K and Pocket Cinema Camera, are defining the future of filmmaking, combining the benefits of wide dynamic range image capture with the Emmy Award-winning DaVinci colour correction tools.

The Blackmagic Audio Monitor and SmartScope Duo 4K enable audio and video monitoring at incredible quality with UltraHD 4K technology, whether in an edit suite, flyaway kit or broadcast truck.

Bluebell Opticom Ltd, Stand L62, BVE Show BVE will see the introduction of a new signal transport platform for Outside Broadcast and Infrastructure applications. With the drive to 4K and 3G systems the PW140 Series from Bluebell offers a universal SDI signal transport over fibre in a compact 1RU frame. At the heart is a processor which provides simultaneous multiplexing and de-multiplexing of the signals presented to it from the input/output cards. The initial base configuration provides 6 x bidirectional HD-SDI signals over 2 fibresor 10G Ethernet. With the addition of audio, data and Ethernet I/O cards, the PW Series offers an optical backbone for all demanding signal transport applications.

When used with CWDM optical multiplexing 96 x HD-SDI signals

designed for Outside Broadcast and deployable applications.

BlueLite is a particularly cost effective solution for 3D camera positions and units have already been tested with compact remote cameras and portable camera cranes and jibs.

can be transported over a single fibre.

BVE will be the launch of an extensive range of stand-alone products, including the new BlueLite and Caddie-LB 3G, specifically

Caddie-LB provides a single cable link between cameras and ENG/OBs.Features include two 3G/HD/SD-SDI video paths in each direction, on-air and IFB audio, intercom, and Ethernet data.Based around field proven technology the units offer a range of signals to the operator including program video, audio, comms plus data and genlock for camera control and synchronisation. All signals are multiplexed onto 2 fibres to ensure easy and quick system rigging.

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Calrec products at BVE 2014 Callisto Audio Console BVE will host the U.K. debut of Calrec's brand new Callisto audio console. Callisto is designed for broadcast professionals who need to produce creative and engrossing broadcast audio easily, but may not require the full resources of the company's Apollo and Artemis audio consoles.

Calrec designed Callisto to keep the user interface simple and straightforward with a focus not just on features and capabilities, but on the totality of the user experience.

Callisto's mechanical design is refined, with a lean construction that keeps components and materials to a minimum. Disciplined power distribution means the console is up to 30 percent more efficient than a comparable Artemis Light.

When designing the new console, Calrec focused on ensuring that Callisto's highly intuitive GUI would be suitable for a broad range of operator levels. Users control the console via a 17-inch multitouch screen

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inspired by familiar tablet technology, with a straightforward interface that uses established finger gestures to navigate the system. The crisp, high-resolution display provides elegant controls and clear presentation of information.

At BVE 2014 Calrec will showcase its patented Soccer Sidekick iPadÂŽ app, an assistive mixing tool designed to simplify the job of tracking the on-field audio during a soccer game.

It provides an alternative approach for highly experienced operators while allowing those with less experience to create a quality mix very simply.

the desk, fading up only the most appropriate microphones for that moment in time. Soccer Sidekick provides a more intuitive and straightforward interface to assist the operator in this task. After defining the position and direction of the pitch microphones around an aerial image of a pitch on the display, the operator simply touches the corresponding area on the screen to indicate one or more locations of interest. Soccer Sidekick then calculates the optimal contribution from each microphone to best capture events at those locations and moves the appropriate faders on the desk.

The operator can take over control of the faders manually at any time, maintaining complete control.

One of the many tasks the audio operator must manage is to capture important on-pitch events while minimizing the amount of crowd and venue noise. The operator typically follows the action using a mentally challenging workflow that requires projecting a 2D location from the pitch onto the 1D row of faders on

"BVE is the leading broadcast event in the U.K. and provides the perfect opportunity to meet with our customers, operators, and partners.

We look forward to giving BVE visitors a chance to get hands-on experience with our new console Callisto." — Jim Green, U.K. Sales Manager, Calrec Audio.

Soccer Sidekick Audio Mixing Tool

Cambridge Imaging Systems at BVE 2014 Imagen now provides access to over 1 MILLION TV and Radio programmes for UK Education making it the largest catch up TV system in the world! We’ll show and tell you more on Stand M13 at BVE2014.

Cambirdge Imaging Systems technology has been developed for corporate, educational and government clients and is used by Ministry of Defence, BBC, Channel 4, IMG, Imperial War Museums, Endemol, British Library and many more.

Imagen is an end-toend Media Asset Management and publishing solution providing a cost effective way to manage all media assets - from ingest all the way through to browse, retrieval, output and distribution via a secure, branded website.

Camera Corps heads for BVE 2014 Camera Corps, a Vitec Group company, will demonstrate at BVE 2014 a complete remotely controlled camera system based on the Q-Ball compact pan/tilt/zoom head. Exhibiting on stand H05, the Camera Corps will be represented at the show by Business Development Director Shaun Glanville and colleagues.

"Since its original introduction at NAB 2009, Q-Ball has proved highly popular and successful across the entire television business," Shaun Glanville comments. "Available for purchase or rental, it gives producers seven major advantages over traditional cameras: 1. Q-Ball allows live content to be sourced from an unlimited number of cameras without needing a huge team of operators.

2. Q-Ball can be positioned anywhere in a studio, across a multi-set production site, indoors or outdoors in practically any climate.

3. Q-Ball allows smooth on-air follow-shots.

4. Q-Ball is tough enough to be placed right inside the action.

5. When supplied in its popular black

finish, Q-Ball is almost invisible to other cameras or to a live-event audience.

6. Q-Ball can be used in any lighting conditions, including infra-red-illuminated night shooting.

7. Q-Ball can be installed easily with short or long-range links plus a range of control and switching options, all built to the exacting standards we require in our own role as a production services support and rental company."

Q-Ball is a 1080i high-definition camera with 10:1 zoom optics plus a fully rotatable pan and tilt head housed in a cast-aluminum sphere of similar diameter to a standard Compact Disc or DVD. High-precision motors enable the operator to adjust the camera angle from practically any location, including smooth adjustment of vertical and lateral tracking speeds. Q-Ball has delivered close-up video from many very high-profile broadcast events in recent years, including the BBC Proms, Summer and Winter Olympics, international football, motor racing, water sports, tennis, football, rugby and many popular reality television shows.

The latest technology partnership with Object Matrix offers a robust, scalable and affordable asset management and storage system for content creators and owners.

The combined solution will be offered at a 20% discount on orders placed during BVE 2014, at Cambridge Imaging Systems’ stand M13 or Object Matrix’ stand K62.

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EVS to showcase cutting-edge solutions for enriched content production at BVE2014 On stand K05 at this year’s BVE, EVS will present its latest solutions aimed at customers in the entertainment, media and sports industries.

EVS Entertainment IPLink for Adobe, EVS’ plug-in panel for advanced integration with the new Adobe Premiere Pro suite, bridges the gap between production and post. Theworkflow enabler allows for immediate creative enrichment of content without any cumbersome content searching or processing. Using IPLink, editorscan swiftly search, preview, edit and import media from IPDirector’snearline storage into the Adobe Premiere Pro editing station.

This removes the need to have an additional IPDirector station, saving both users and facilities time and money.

Nano Air is designed for studio production facilities and broadcasters for on-stage entertainment. It offers cost-effective multichannel playout capabilities with simultaneous playback of up to four HD or SD channels to multiple destinations – including studio backgrounds and stage screens. It can also send the programme’s elements to switchers for on-air playout. Nano Air requires no configuration and gives production teams instant control of all EVS production servers for improved collaboration and integration within the production workflow.

EVS Media In time for BVE, EVS Media can announce that all of its solutions now support AS-11 UK DPP v1.1, the UK’s first common MXF file format to enable TV programme delivery by file.

OpenCube HD/SDis EVS’ most comprehensive solution yet for ingest and mastering in file-based workflows.

The ingest server for MXF file masteringprovidesmaximum flexibility within any production and post-production environment. The latest version of the server handles both the encoding of MXF 4K formats and transcoding from various file formats, including JPEG2000 in faster than real-time. It also preserves ancillary data, such as subtitles and closed captions.

XFReader is EVS’ high-performance MXF viewer. It lets the user browse all MXF and GXF files, regardless of their wrapped essence format. The XFReader is completely agnostic to any HD or SD video formats and has already been widely adopted by the broadcast industry. It allows all files to be read in one location, giving significant time savings.

EVS Sports EVS’new 4K XT3server provides content owners with full 4K support for Ultra-HD recording and replay, giving them increased flexibility and making their workflow 100% future-proof. Along with its Epsio Zoom, italso offersunique4K zooming capabilities. The 4K XT3 can be configured to work in either one in/one out, one in/two out or two in/one out, meaning a single XT3 can continuously record two UHD cameras while providing 4K instant replays and highlights.

EVS Sports keeps improving live OB operation capabilities with its MultiReview solution. Enablingoperators and assistant directors to browse multiple camera angles simultaneously, MultiReviewmeanslive replay and editing decisions can be made instantly. It also makes creating replay sequences from any camera on the network even more efficient.

C-Cast Xplore, the new browsing interface gives broadcasters, producers and editorsaccess to the live multi-cam recording feeds and clips on an XT server from remote sport centres. C-Cast Xplore lets users review, create clips and select content that was previously inaccessible andC-Castconnectivity means live server content can be reviewed while it’s recorded. It offers significant cost savings by reducing the number of people necessary on the shoot without compromising on quality, as well as encouraging collaborative production between different sites.

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Front Porch Digital featured products at BVE 2014 data for video files in order to illustrate visual information such as color, brightness, and luminance.

LYNXSM — Cloud Content Storage Management System Front Porch Digital will present LYNXdr and LYNXlocal at BVE 2014. LYNXdr is a hosted disaster recovery service that allows global media enterprises to centralize critical assets and consolidate operations. LYNXlocal is a simple extension to LYNX that operates locally as an appliance, caching cloud content and providing integration to specialized systems if needed. LYNXlocal is billed as a service element at a low monthly rate.

DIVArchive® V7.1 — Now for a Broader Array of Applications At BVE 2014, Front Porch Digital will feature its DIVArchive® V7.1 content storage management (CSM) system. New features and capabilities make the system ideal for a broader array of applications.

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

DIVAdirector® V5.2 — Easy and Efficient Media Asset Management System DIVAdirector® V5.2 is the latest version of Front Porch Digital's DIVAdirector media asset management (MAM) system, a permissionbased Web application that enables complete access to file-based content stored by DIVArchive® content storage management (CSM) systems. DIVAdirector's latest enhancements make the MAM more stable and versatile than ever before.

With support for multiple audio channels for different language tracks, users can provide multiple language options for a given video

DIVASolutions SAMMA® Migration Systems

file. Behind the scenes, the change from a Linter to PostgreSQL database offers increased stability.

DIVAdirector V5.2 also gives users more quality control options in the form of graphical metadata charts from Front Porch Digital's SAMMA® ingest system. The charts show graphical representations of meta-

Front Porch Digital will also showcase its SAMMA® product lines at BVE 2014. These solutions are the first of their kind to automate the digitization of videotape, moving content into secure, accessible, and searchable digital storage.

SAMMArobot and SAMMAsolo take content from videotape on the shelf into the digital environment, using an automated workflow that's tried and tested in high-profile installations. The SAMMAsolo product line offers a range of migration solutions built to meet specific archive migration needs. From a single SAMMAsolo to a multiple-stream SAMMArobot, these DIVASolutions systems maximize efficiency by encoding to multiple formats simultaneously, while also analyzing content to ensure the quality of the migration.

"BVE is the leading broadcast and production event in the U.K., and the perfect venue to share our latest product developments including advances within our cloud content storage management system." Rino Petricola, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Front Porch Digital.

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Forbidden Technologies at BVE 2014 New Enhancements to FORscene Forbidden Technologies looks forward to demonstrating the following recent FORscene developments: - Timeline overlay tracks with support for animated alpha channels, which can be used for cutaway material, to create picture-in-picture effects, or for logo placement.

- Voice-over recording directly onto the FORscene timeline.

- Increased capacity for loading more than 120 files per second into the play window.

port material.

tomisation for saving keysets and interface layout.

The Opportunity to Influence Change Forbidden Technologies has always believed that customer-driven development gives FORscene a loyal client base, attracts new business, and results in a better product.

At BVE, our local clients will have the opportunity to preview and influence, through feedback, the developments currently in the testing phase for release at NAB 2014.

These include:

- A new site manager interface with increased management tools. “BVE is the preeminent broadcast show in the United Kingdom and it provides a great opportunity to meet with current and potential customers as well as our industry partners.

Since enhancements to FORscene are largely user-driven, this is a great opportunity to get valuable feedback and to showcase the new

- High-resolution proxy.

features and improvements that continue to make FORscene the

- New account management features for greater control over usage and cost.

- Edit interface upgrades including the record timeline patch panel and improvements to trimming, audio editing, and publishing tools.

- Access to additional online sup-

- Increased account and user cus-

Forbidden Technologies plc.

- Ability to import multiple CSV files with logging information.

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best post-production solution available in the cloud today." Greg Hirst, Business Development Director,

Guntermann & Drunck at BVE 2014 KVM Extenders for 4K Great Britain’s most important tradeshow for broadcast, video and audio is just round the corner. The “Broadcast and Production Technology Event”, in short BVE, will take place at the ExCel London Exhibition and Convention Centre from February 25th to 27th, 2014.

The tradeshow will be accompanied by various seminars, conferences and workshops covering a variety of current technical topics.

Guntermann & Drunck GmbH (G&D) will again be present together with its British partner Omnio Technologies. Alongside with KVM novelties, the German-British tradeshow team will offer clear, customer-oriented and individual advice from planning to after-sales support.

News in the scope of KVM extenders: Ultra HD For the first time, Guntermann & Drunck offers a KVM extension for 4K resolutions. While others still talk about it, G&D is doing it. They already offer a 4K resolution, in order to provide AV professionals with a future-proof video resolution already today. The ability of the DL-Vision KVM extenders to transmit even Ultra HD at full frame rate (60 Hz) makes it a capable extension system in the field of professional video signal processing and at workstations for monitoring comprehensive

control room processes in different broadcast applications. Thanks to the UHD resolution many application processes can be displayed simultaneously on a single large format display. By using DL-Vision, staff from editing studios, CAD and 3D studios profits from computerfree workstations. Noise, waste heat and radiation leave the room together with the computers. The connection of the KVM system is enabled via optical fiber lines which besides the transmission of video signal also provide for transmission of keyboard and mouse as well as, optionally, audio, RS232, USB2.0 transparent.

Why G&D makes the difference in a broadcast environment G&D clearly focuses on a professional mixture of flexibility, modular design and simplicity. They are playing an important role in product and

technology development of the German manufacturer. The digital KVM matrix, ControlCenter-Digital, in particular, combines all features of KVM extenders, KVM switches, additional functions, monitoring and management functions in one system. That is why the KVM matrix has already been nominated for the ISE Award which will be presented in February. At BVE, the “small” CCD with 160 dynamic ports will be shown for the first time.

Many functions require as much security Wherever a variety of functions, computers and users come together, security plays a decisive role.

Therefore, the ControlCenter-Digital system with an integrated “Trusted Platform Module” (TPM) protects any access and configuration data against exposure with an RSAencrypting process and a 2048 bit key length. Sensitive information such as login data and passwords are permanently saved in an encrypted version. In addition, a RAID1 array system protects rights management and configuration data. An integrated monitoring via web interface, SNMP and Syslog recognizes, measures, documents and reports any values defined as critical before they can lead to a system shutdown.

This ensures that the user is always one step ahead of the problem.

Garland partners/Liveu BVE preview 2014 UK show debut for LiveU’s new LU500 and LU400 units Garland will showcase LiveU’s new LU500 Series. It benefits from a small form-factor combined with exceptional functionality, weighing approximately 1kg (2.2 lbs). The unit is powered by LiveU’s new multi-processor, video encoding engine and fourth-generation patented bonding algorithms. With boot time under a minute, the LU500 is essential for modern reporters who require the mobility and speed of deployment that’s inherent in its design and benefits from up to 13 network connections.

It also benefits from LiveU's proprietary internal antenna that supports a larger number of frequencies, ensuring enhanced signal performance with long-range reception and increased uplink capability. Bandwidth optimisation allows the LU500 to deliver broadcast-quality live HD video.

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Matrox at BVE 2014 Matrox Monarch HD — Video Streaming and Recording Appliance Matrox Monarch™ HD is a small, easy-to-use video streaming and recording appliance that received four important industry awards at the 2013 NAB Show. It is designed for professional video producers who need to simultaneously stream a live event and record a mastering-quality version for post-event editing. Priced at just £699, it provides these two independent modes in an integrated unit. From any HDMI input source such as a camera or switcher, Matrox Monarch HD generates an H.264-encoded stream compliant with RTSP or RTMP protocol. While encoding the video at bitrates suitable for live streaming, Matrox Monarch HD simultaneously records a high-quality MP4 or MOV file to an SD card, a USB drive, or a network-mapped drive. Matrox Monarch HD is remotely controlled using any computer or mobile device with a web browser.

Matrox VS4 — Live Production Streaming System Matrox VS4™ is a quad HD capture and ISO recording card for Telestream Wirecast for Windows live production streaming software. In a single PCIe slot, Matrox VS4 provides up to four independent HD inputs with up to eight embedded audio channels per source. It not only sends video feeds to Wirecast for streaming, it simultaneously provides ISO recording of all the original video and audio feeds to disk— ready for post-event editing.

Matrox Mojito 4K — 4K Video Monitoring Card Matrox Mojito™ 4K is a quad 3G-SDI, 4K video card for use with Adobe Creative Cloud professional video editing tools on Windows platforms. Matrox Mojito 4K lets post-production professionals monitor every pixel of every 4K frame in real time plus render and export projects in full 4K. It’s ideal for 4K workflows using the Sony XAVC format.

Matrox MicroQuad — Multiviewer Matrox MicroQuad™ is a four-channel SDI-to-HDMI multiviewer for 3G/HD/SD at a breakthrough price. It lets broadcasters and A/V professionals use an affordable HDMI display to view up to four SDI video signals and show or hide labels and VU meters. Its powerful 10-bit scaling engine and advanced filtering algorithms ensure a crisp, artifact-free monitoring experience. MicroQuad can be controlled using buttons on the unit itself or from a distance using a Windowsbased app.

Matrox Convert DVI Plus — Scan Converter Matrox Convert™ DVI Plus is a cost-effective, genlockable HD-SDI scan converter that lets broadcasters easily and economically incorporate content from computers, iPads and iPhones into broadcast programs. It is ideal for creating broadcast-quality video from computer applications such as Skype, YouTube, Google Earth, FaceTime, ProPresenter, PowerPoint and web browsers.

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Miranda to discuss key production, playout and monitoring solutions at BVE 2014 Miranda Technologies will welcome visitors and hold detailed discussions regarding its latest solution offerings on Stand J05 during BVE 2014.

Miranda representatives will discuss its flagship integrated playout platform iTX that offers unrivalled channel deployment speed, scalability and format flexibility by streamlining ingest, content management, transmission control, interfacing to traffic, archiving and monitoring. New enhancements such as version 1.1 of iTX Render Service for Adobe® After Effects® CS6 software automates and manages fully rendered After Effects graphics, making them immediately ready for playout from the iTX platform.

Kaleido-MX, and its modular version, Kaleido-Modular-X, combine class-leading multiviewer performance with weight, space and power efficiency. Miranda representatives will discuss how the latest introductions to its multiviewer line offer nocompromise video scaling quality that delivers “any source, anywhere” processing with the flexibility to place any signal on any display at any size without blocking or bandwidth limitations. Kaleido-MX is specially designed to be easy to select, configure and install, whether in large studios or OB trucks.

Fibre connectivity solutions from Miranda’s Telecast product line and a range of cables from parent company Belden will also figure prominently at BVE, including the advantages of the new, ultra-compact Telecast Rattler 4 fibre optic serial digital video transmission module and Terrapin fibre optic digital video transmitter, receiver, and digital video distribution amplifier.

Telecast’s CopperHead 3404K two-fibre strand camera-mountable fibre optic camera transceiver system will also feature. The system can simultaneously transport all bidirectional signals, including four 3Gb/s HD/SDI paths, for 4K productions.

NewTek shows live streaming, multi-camera production and replay/Slo Mo at BVE 2014 At BVE 2014 NewTekTM will present its family of professional TriCaster multi-camera production systems that were unveiled at IBC 2013. These systems offer innovations including mix/effects (M/E) channels, ‘holographic’ live virtual sets and extended graphics capabilities that enable video producers to create broadcast quality, cost-effective content with a single system.

Visitors to Stand F20 will also see 3Play 4800, NewTek’s flagship multi-camera replay server that redefines price/performance standards in live sports production.

“NewTek’s range of live multicamera production systems provide a level of professional functionality and visual impact previously out of reach of most video producers,” said Carter Holland, chief marketing officer, NewTek, Inc. “From broadcasters on limited budgets, to events companies seeing an increase in demand for live streaming, to sports organizations that want to improve the fan experience, the phrase we hear most from our customers is:

“We couldn’t do this before”. We are proud that our systems offer them new, cost-effective ways to enhance and increase their output and create new business opportunities.”

Professional TriCaster Models The family of professional TriCaster systems includes four models, each designed to address a wide range of multi-camera video production needs. The specific models are: • TriCaster 410—a streamlined, compact system with a full 4 M/E production switcher, HD-SDI connectivity, and tools for live-only delivery, ideal for anyone producing small to medium-sized live shows or webcasts with powerful media sharing and disk recording capabilities.

• TriCaster 460—a compact system with a full 4 M/E production switcher with greater connectivity and broader creative flexibility for any small or medium-sized production,

particularly where live video content is touched up, re-packaged or re-purposed for postproduction or supplemental programming.

• TriCaster 860—a system designed for full-sized live action with an abundance of angles, visuals, coverage and postproduction tools, offering a full 8 M/E production switcher, plus more channels, sources, I/O, graphics and effects, and greater capacity for media storage.

• TriCaster 8000—the flagship content publishing hub for all the media in a live programme, with a premium 8 M/E production switcher, built-in failsafe and redundancy capabilities, and extensive router support for enhanced broadcast integration, massive multicamera coverage, and mission critical high-end productions of any size.

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PlayBox Technology to introduce ProductionAirBox at BVE 2014 PlayBox Technology announces an addition to its ever-expanding portfolio of broadcast and production workflow solutions.

ProductionAirBox will be introduced

by PlayBox Technology on stand N 05 at BVE 2014 in London's ExCel exhibition centre, February 25-27.

alpha channel are output as independent fill and key sources.

Supporting capabilities include clip timecode on the SDI output plus a clip trimmer with a dedicated SDI output. ProductionAirBox can be controlled via VDCP and Media Object Server (MOS) protocols.

"ProductionAirBox is an extremely fast media manipulation and delivery system with the near-zero latency demanded for the fast-paced work environment of broadcast news, sports and live production." says PlayBox Technology UK Ltd Managing Director Don Ash. "It complements our NewsRoomBox production system by allowing practically instant switchover from one clip to another. A wide range of file formats and resolutions can be imported into the playlist, with up to 16 digital audio channels to accommodate multi-channel multi-language programmes."

Changes to the playlist can be made even while on-air. Every clip in the playlist can be trimmed or repositioned on-the-fly using commands such as next, jump or shuttle. All changes are performed seamlessly without interrupting the current playout session. Up to four independent players can be accommodated on a single server. Each player has separate playlist and playout control. Four SDI interfaces can be assigned as programme or preview outputs. Operation can be streamlined using single channel or multichannel user interfaces.

Based on multi-channel engine architecture, ProductionAirBox can deliver content rapidly in one-shot mode or from a playlist. Files with an

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The ProductionAirBox feature-set also includes forward or reverse shuttle at up to 32x speed, mixing of different video resolutions and formats in a single playlist, logical con-

tent trimming, multi-channel audio output, plus support for a wide variety of compression standards and media containers.

In addition to its broadcast production applications, ProductionAirBox is ideal for use wherever instant access to stored content is needed, including studio displays and presentation screens.

"We will also be demonstrating our complete Channel-in-a-Box broadcast playout system," adds UK Sales Director Ben Gunkel. "This is based on software modules which can be configured to match a channel or network's current requirements and easily expanded. The entire system runs reliably and efficiently on compact PlayBox Technology servers and processors."

PlayBox Technology UK representatives at BVE 2014 will include Don Ash, Ben Gunkel, Ananth Sam, Phillip Neighbour, Alan Bunting, Maurice de Jonghe and Jonathan Baker.

Riedel products at BVE 2014 MediorNet Processing Features

Riedel Artist digital matrix intercom control panels.

The MediorNet real-time network for video, audio, data, and communications is well-known for its networked approach to signal distribution and routing. At BVE 2014, Riedel will showcase the signal processing and conversion features of this powerful platform. These integrated features include frame store, frame synchronization, embedding and de-embedding, format conversion, a test pattern generator, timecode insertion, and quad-split capabilities.

The CPX-AVB is a dedicated card that fits in the expansion slot of the Artist 1100 series OLED control panels. The card turns the control panel into an AVB-enabled device, in turn making the panel's ports available within the entire AVB network.

The expansion card converts two Artist ports to the AVB network and vice versa.

These features are softwarebased so they can easily be expanded in the future without any hardware changes. Ultimately, this will eliminate the need for other external devices and results in a completely new approach to production environments, providing significant savings in infrastructure investments.

Integrated AVB Control Panel for Artist Digital Matrix Intercom During BVE 2014, Riedel Communications will feature its new CPX-AVB expansion card for Riedel Artist 1100 series control panels.

The CPX-AVB provides the next generation of AVB interfacing for

To enable further signal integration, Riedel offers a comprehensive suite of AVB-enabled interfaces for its Artist intercom platform. In addition to the existing Connect AVB x8 panel interface, the Connect AVB C8 offers eight AES connections on BNC. The device supports both bidirectional AES for intercom panels and unidirectional transport for broadcast AES. The Connect AVB A8 provides eight analog inputs and outputs on RJ45 connectors. Riedel's AVB Manager offers full AVB network management and features systemwide control of all AVB components.

WAN Production and Code One Backpack System Code One was acquired by Riedel last year in a move that brought the company a valuable portfolio of WAN-focused solutions, as well as

innovative technology for distributing video, audio, and data via mobile networks. At BVE, Riedel will have live demonstrations of the Backpack Kit Gen 2 to show how the company's application-oriented products empower users to distribute live content anywhere, at any time — a particularly powerful capability for broadcasters and other content producers requiring mobility in live production environments.

Other Products on Display - MediorNet Modular and MediorNet Compact systems - Performer, Artist, and Acrobat communications systems - RockNet 100 and 300 fiber-optic converters and console interfaces "BVE is the premier broadcast event in the U.K. and an ideal time to meet with our partners and customers. We will be showcasing the signal processing capabilities of our MediorNet line of real-time signal transport and routing networks as well as products that support the AVB standard. Also, the Code One WAN-based production backpack system will be making its U.K. debut." — Paul Rivens, General Manager, U.K., Riedel Communications.

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Roland Systems Group unveil new solutions for web streaming, recording and live production at Broadcast Video Expo Broadcast Video Expo will see the debut of the new Roland VR3EX AV Mixer to the UK market, adding to the expanding VR Series of AV mixers for live production, web streaming and recording from Roland. The recently launched Roland VR50HD HD Multi Format AV Mixer will also be exhibited, demonstrating a complete HD AV studio in one single unit and adding full HD/multi-format capability to the VR Series for an unbeatable professional production. Showcasing integrated audio and video solutions, visitors to the Roland Systems Group booth (D03) will be able to see the VR Series in operation alongside a full range of digital mixing consoles, switchers, recorders and digital snake products.

The innovative design of the VR-3EX incorporates a video switcher, audio mixer, touchscreen preview monitor and streaming-ready USB output all in a single unit. Boasting 4 HDMI inputs, 2 HDMI outputs, built-in scaling with resolutions up to 1080p and WUXGA and HDCP support, the VR-3EX also has a full 18-channel digital audio mixer with effects and over 200 video transitions and effects. The compact design of the VR-3EX makes it ideal for use in a variety of portable or permanently installed applications including house of worship, education, corporate A/V and live production.

The ‘all in one’ VR-50HD saves time and money, reducing the hardware and the set-up time required for multiple boxes and providing a ‘plug in and play’ solution for live events large and small. Instead of needing a num-

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ber of separate products, the VR50HD combines an audio mixer to mix the audio inputs from various sources including microphones, a video mixer to mix video and computer sources using different connectors (digital and analog), preview monitors to view all the sources, the ability to record or archive the event and also to stream the event online.

Commenting on the flexibility of the VR-50HD, Simon Kenning UK Sales Manager RSG, added ‘With internal scalers and multi-format support the VR-50HD is a great ‘hub’ to plug in HD cameras and laptops without having to worry about if they are digital or analogue or the formats they output.

This has proved a popular feature with our end users as you never know what you’ll have to deal with ‘on the night’!’

As part of the range of digital audio products on display from Roland, the M-200i iPad controllable mixing console features a 32-channel architecture with 17 motorized faders, 8 AUX, 4 Matrix, 8 DCA’s and 24 inputs and 14 outputs on the console itself (expandable up to 64x54 via the REAC port and the Roland Digital Snake technology). The M-200i can also mix in audio sources from a USB key inserted in the USB port. The ‘touch and turn’ feature allows the user to touch a particular parameter on the iPad and control it with a physical knob on the console. When using the M-200i without an iPad, the console is fully controllable via the built in LCD screen and an intuitive layout of buttons on a tactile control surface to navigate all of the mixing parameters.

Ross Video to showcase latest augmented reality solution at BVE Ross Video will be attending the BVE Expo at London’s ExCel Convention Centre (booth E05) and will be celebrating its 40th anniversary by showcasing its full range of live production solutions.

Highlights of the BVE Expo will include the first showing in the UK of Inception News, Ross Video’s social media management platform designed specifically for the news environment, along with a demonstration of how Ross Robotics and the XPression graphics system can be used to create incredible augmented reality content. Ross will also have the Carbonite Studio Black package on display; a powerful and feature-rich ensemble that offers great value in any live production setting.

According to David Dowling, Ross Director of Sales for EMEA, the company is in ambitious mood for 2014. “We’ve steadily grown the EMEA team in terms of sales, pre-sales and technical product specialists at a time when most of the industry has been consumed with talk of merger, consolidation and cuts.

That’s extremely satisfying and we are enjoying the benefits of being an employee-owned company with no private equity involvement. Recent acquisition activity shows that even the biggest names in the industry are not safe; Ross Video is definitely poised to take advantage of the uncertainty that customers must be feeling when they look at the stability of their traditional supply chain”.

Sennheiser ExCels at BVE 2014 Sennheiser UK will be showing many key products from its comprehensive broadcast related ranges at BVE 2014, which takes place from 25-27 February at London’s ExCel. Exhibiting on stand G60, highlights will include Sennheiser’s flagship Digital 9000 Series wireless system, as well as the 2000 Series wireless and 8000 Series wired microphones. Also featured will be Sennheiser UK’s RF Over Fibre system, which extends radio microphone remote receiving aerials to distances of up to 25km from their associated receivers.

Other wired microphones on show will include the MKE 600 shotgun and Neumann TLM 107 broadcast models, as well as the Esfera surround microphone system, which delivers perfect 5.1 surround sound from just two mic capsules.

Studio monitoring highlights will include the Neumann KH 310 and KH 120 monitor loudspeakers along with their associated sub the KH 810, Sennheiser HD 26 PRO headphones, HMD Mk II Series broadcast headsets and LimitEar® HDM® Pro - a Sennheiser Solutions product which integrates HDM Pro technology into HD 25 headphones, delivering the most audible, safe hearing experience possible.

Meanwhile, products on show from Sennheiser UK’s distributed brands will include the K-array AnaKonda loudspeaker system and KRM33 ultra-compact, low-profile powered wedges, the Nagra Seven portable digital recorder with Rycote microphone windshields and shockmounts easily located in a dedicated area.

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TSL products’ Soundfield surround solutions offer unique 5.1 capture and processing for event broadcasters, music producers and location recordists at BVE 2014 TSL Products, will present a variety of its SoundField surround sound microphones, control units and upmix/downmix processors at BVE 2014 (Stand H25), including the DSF-B Digital Broadcast System, the ST450 Portable Microphone System, the DSF-1 Digital Performance Microphone System, along with the UPM-1 Upmix Processor and the X-1 Combined Upmix/Downmix Processor.

“Our line of SoundField products provides users with the ability to easily capture exceptional surround sound recordings from our single point source four-element microphones as well as the ability to upmix existing stereo material with our UPM-1 or X-1,” says SoundField Product Manager Pieter Schillebeeckx.

The DSF-B Digital Broadcast System, consisting of a DSF-2 surround microphone, DSF-2 controller and DSF-3 processor, can generate multi-channel audio from a single point source. The microphone parameters can be controlled remotely using the DSF-2 controller, including orientation, angle, pickup pattern and rotation. This is critical for sound engineers covering live

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events, be it a football game or an audience-based talent show. Any adjustments can be made in the studio or OB truck without physically changing the microphone position.

The ST450 Portable Microphone System is conveniently batterypowered and is perfect for location use. The rugged, yet lightweight, microphone is fitted with a unique heating element that drives out moisture, and its studio grade condenser capsules offer enhanced sound quality and dynamic range. It also produces simultaneous stereo and B-Format (SoundField’s proprietary surround format) outputs for post production. All inputs and outputs are located on the same side of the control unit for easy access and connectivity when in the field.

The DSF-1 Digital Performance Microphone System is ideal for capturing musical performances in both stereo and high-quality surround sound. Aimed at performance recording applications on stage or in the

studio, this sophisticated microphone is able to remotely change its pickup pattern and record all instruments simultaneously. The control unit allows the user to rotate, end fire or invert the microphone without physical handling. Parameters can be tweaked after recording with the SurroundZone2 plug-in.

The UPM-1 Upmix Processor has a unique algorithm to perform detailed real-time analysis of stereo source material, identifying and separating the ambience from the direct sound. With only five physical rotary controls to manage all upmix parameters, the UPM-1's simplicity has proved to be a must for any OB application or broadcast studio working in 5.1 surround.

The new X-1 Combined Upmix/Downmix Processor accurately handles ingest of surround material into a stereo workflow, while providing a phase-coherent reconstruction of the original surround signal for HD broadcast.

Zeiss lens premieres at Broadcast Video Expo 2014 The wide-angle lens Compact Zoom CZ.2 15-30/T2.9 is the newest member of the ZEISS zoom family.

“With the Compact Zoom CZ.2 1530/T2.9 we are closing a gap in the wide-angle range in our family of cine zooms,” says Michael Schiehlen, Director of Sales of ZEISS Camera Lenses. “This offers sophisticated clients the greatest possible flexibility so that there are no limits to their creativity — even in cramped shooting situations.” The new zoom complements the existing Compact Zoom CZ.2 70-200/T2.9 and CZ.2 28-80/T2.9 lenses with a

wide-angle zoom in the focal-length range of 15-30 mm.

Cine zoom lens has all the features of the ZEISS Compact Zoom family. This includes a compact, lightweight design (2.5 kg/5.7 lbs on a length of 252 mm/9.92”), the interchangeable mount system (PL, EF, F, MFT and E mount) and full-frame coverage (36x24 mm), which creates a sweet-spot effect when used on Super-35 camera sensors.

Additional features are the color matching and an ergonomic surface for handheld operation as well as for use with a follow-focus system. In

addition, the lenses correspond to 4K production standards (4096 x 2160). The Compact Zoom CZ.2 lenses offer better protection against typical environmental influences on the set such as splashing water and dust. “Thanks to its many characteristics, the Compact Zoom CZ.2 lenses are also suitable for professional big-screen productions together with the ARRI/ZEISS Master Prime and ARRI/ZEISS Ultra Prime lenses, and therefore build an ideal set of cine zooms for the rental market,” adds Schiehlen.

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Mosart Medialab as products at CABSAT 2014 New Mosart® Newscast Automation 3.6 Mosart® Newscast Automation can control more than 55 different peripheral broadcast devices: vision and audio mixers; video servers; graphics systems; camera robots; routers; light desks; and other systems, very often through native API. Mosart's technology is flexible and adaptable, and its template-based approach facilitates adjustments to workflow or equipment in the least disruptive way possible. Because the system is intimately integrated with all major newsroom computer systems (NRCS), the user can plan the full studio production in the NRCS, and the Mosart automation system will continuously synchronize its rundown. Through a unique context-sensitive template system for headline sequences, producers and directors can change the order

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of headlines at the last moment without worrying about the technical details of transitions and graphics.

The Mosart automation system makes sure the headline sequence looks right, regardless of order.

With the release of Mosart Newscast Automation version 3.6, new at CABSAT 2014, Mosart has enhanced a powerful newscast automation GUI to put even more flexibility at the director's fingertips.

Mosart Newscast Automation 3.6 provides access to a customizable pool of content and enables direct playout, regardless of the rundown location. Content and sources from any point of the rundown can be sent to studio walls, both directly and through preprogrammed salvos taken to air at a single click. These innovations improve nonlinear news production by giving directors instant content access and further

enhance the Mosart automation system's capability to perform in breaking news situations, during deviations from the NRCS rundown, and when directors are making on-the-fly decisions about which content and assets to use.

“News organisations worldwide continue to choose Mosart automation to bring efficiency and flexibility to their operations, and we look forward to unveiling the new Mosart Newscast Automation 3.6 at CABSAT 2014. With a growing feature set and enhanced user interface, the new version of our acclaimed automation system is even better equipped to support optimisation of workflow and operations for all types of news and sports broadcasters.", said John Kjellevold, Mosart's Managing Director.

Riedel products at CABSAT 2014 MediorNet Grass Valley Camera Interface Card for MediorNet Compact The MN-C-OPT-GV-2 for MediorNet Compact allows the user to connect Grass Valley LDK and LDX cameras and their base stations directly to MediorNet. This provides a solution to route bidirectional camera signals, including all embedded audio and telemetry control data, through the MediorNet fiber infrastructure. MediorNet's network approach allows the free assignment of cameras to any base station or CCU within the network, providing unparalleled flexibility in setups and eliminating the need for rewiring when production needs change. The MN-C-OPT-GV-2 for MediorNet Compact fits into a MediorNet Compact expansion slot.

It provides two Grass Valley ports that connect either to cameras or base stations. The MediorNet Grass Valley card supports all video and sync formats supported by Grass Valley LDK and LDX cameras.

MediorNet Now Supports Studer Consoles Riedel will also present the MN-

ST-AL-2, the company's new MediorNet expansion card for Studer consoles. The MN-ST-AL-2 card provides two ports, each with redundant interfaces, for connecting Studer mixing consoles via the Studer A-Link protocol. In this way, the consoles become an integrated part of the entire signal distribution infrastructure. Users can gain up to 384 channels per connection and realize significant cost savings in cabling and maintenance while benefitting from MediorNet's unparalleled flexibility and signal quality.

The card supports all Studer Vista 5 and Vista 9 consoles, as well as OnAir 3000 consoles.

RockNet Console Interfaces for SSL, Soundcraft Si, Studer, and Yamaha Riedel provides RockNet expansion solutions with interface cards for Solid State Logic (SSL), Soundcraft, Studer, and Yamaha consoles. Next-generation firmware for the RockNet RN.334.MD MADI interface makes SSL mixing consoles an integrated part of the Riedel RockNet digital audio network, with complete remote control functiona-

lity over all gains and the flexibility of RockNet's renowned independent gain feature. As a result, several mixing consoles can operate with the same mic preamps without affecting one another — a capability that simplifies multiconsole and recording setups.

Riedel's RN.344.SI card enables integration with any Soundcraft Si Compact console, supporting 32 inputs and 32 outputs to the RockNet system.

The interface enables remote control of any RockNet mic preamp and also offers the benefit of RockNet's independent gain feature. The RN.343.VI card ensures compatibility with select Soundcraft and Studer consoles while the RN.341.MY works with select Yamaha consoles and host devices.

Other Products on Display: - MediorNet Modular and MediorNet Compact - Performer, Artist, and Acrobat communications systems - AVB Connect and AVB-enabled keypanels - RockNet 100 and 300 Fiber-Optic Converters and console interfaces

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TSL products introduces the new Soundfield Surroundzone2 plug-in and the ST450 MKII portable surround sound microphone system at CABSAT 2014 TSL Products is introducing the new Surround Zone2 DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) plug-in and ST450 MKII Surround Sound Microphone System at CABSAT 2014 (Hall 8, Stand B8-20).

The SurroundZone2 plug-in unlocks the information captured by any of the SoundField microphone systems, providing unprecedented control over a wide range of microphone parameters from a single intuitive user interface. The MKII version of the popular ST450 battery-powered surround microphone system delivers a new mic pre design with improved metering functions.

The new SurroundZone2 plug-in rolls all the functionality of the original “Surround Zone” and “SPS200 Surround Zone” plug-ins into one. At the same time the new software adds some exciting new controls such as “Snap Tilt” and “individual polar pattern control” for the surround modes.

SurroundZone2 supports Stereo (Mono) and surround sound formats including 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, 6.1, 7.0, 7.1 and SoundField’s proprietary B-Format (for SPS200 A-Format input only) outputs. Available Controls include Input and Output trims, Hi-Pass Input filter, Mic Orientation: End-Fire and Invert, Solo and Mutes for the Individual outputs, Rotate, Snap Tilt (individual front and rear tilt) and Zoom, Individual Width Controls and Individual Polar Pattern Controls.

The plug-in is available in the following formats: AAX Native and VST (both 32-bit and 64-bit, for PC and Mac) and AU (both 32-bit and 64-bit for Mac).

The new ST450 MKII further refines the design of the electronics in the original ST450 preamp package.

The new mic-pre design allows for 3dB gain steps, replacing the 6dB steps of the original, giving operators the opportunity to more accurately fine tune the gain structure during capture. In addition, the overall available gain has been increased from 30dB to 42dB, delivering more system headroom. This is especially important for location recordings of low level sources.

Finally, the seven-segment bargraph meter now includes a peak hold function for at-aglance tracking of signal overload.

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Volicon at CABSAT 2014 Observer TS® 7.1 At CABSAT 2014, version 7.1 of Volicon's Observer TS® MPEG transport stream logging and monitoring system will be featured. Enhanced to accommodate an even broader array of inputs, the Observer® line boasts support for ASI, QAM, 8-VSB, DVB-T/T2, and DVB-T MPEG TS interfaces. Available on all Observer TS systems — including Enterprise, Pro, and Scout systems — the new interface simplifies deployment and configuration for receiving off-air channels.

Observer® Mobile With Extended Capabilities Observer® Mobile gives users access to content anywhere, anytime through an iPad® or iPhone®.

Designed specifically for media executives on the go, the interface provides greater flexibility, unsurpassed portability, and the added convenience of accessing live Observer streaming along with back-navigation of previously recorded content from both local and remote locations.

Observer® RPM Volicon will highlight the latest additions to the Observer® Remote Program Monitor (RPM) family, designed for MSOs, independent cable operators, and IPTV and satellite operators. The RPM family enables customers to evaluate the quality of their linear, on-demand, and interactive content and advertising automatically at the point of the customer experience, after the set-top box (STB). The solutions use individual STBs to scan through a channel lineup and automatically test services, perform scheduled or triggered recording of advertising or other high-value content, or provide an interactive tool for real-time troubleshooting.

Expandable Observer TS® Systems Volicon will feature expandable Observer TS® systems that provide a clear path for cost-effective growth of a facility's monitoring systems. Volicon's growing array of software modules facilitates incremental growth by supplying broadcasters with specific monitoring tools and capabilities as needed.

Observer® OTT Observer® OTT provides networks, video service providers, and broadcasters with a solution for logging (recording) and monitoring the over-the-top (OTT) A/V services that stream content to computers, tablets, and smartphones. The solution offers a complete, cost-effective quality monitoring and/or compliance logging solution for multiplatform media delivery.

New Wohler products at CABSAT 2014 "CABSAT is the region's premier event for the digital media industry and a perfect show at which to highlight the latest advances within our signal management and audio/video monitoring line, as well as major upgrades to the Wohler RadiantGrid Intelligent Media Transformation Platform for automated file-based media processing."— John Terrey, Vice President Sales, Wohler

MPEG DVB-ASI and IPTV Monitors Wohler MPEG monitors decode and provide convenient at-a-glance monitoring of program content from MPEG-2/4 ASI and Ethernet IP streams, as well as 3G/HD-SDI inputs.

The MPEG video monitors decode and display MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 signals via BNC or Ethernet inputs, while giving users the ability to browse the PAT, PMT, and PID data for each selected stream. In addition to MPEG ASI and dual-input 3G/HDSDI with loop-through, the MPEG monitors also accommodate HDMI® video and audio with level meters, GPI, and tally. Wohler will feature the MPEG-4290, a 4-RU system with two 9-inch screens; the MPEG3270, a 3-RU system with two 7inch screens; and the 2-RU MPEG2443 with four individual 4.3-inch screens.

AMP1-16M Dual 3G/HD/SDSDI Audio Monitor Wohler's new AMP1-16M dualinput SDI audio monitor provides broadcasters with high-performance monitoring of embedded audio in two 3G/HD/SD-SDI streams at an attractive price point. The 1-RU system de-embeds and provides metering and monitoring of any or all of the 16 audio channels in the selec-

ted 3G/HD/SD-SDI stream. It assures intuitive operation and clear display of levels and other critical information using bright 2.4-inch LEDbacklit LCD displays, enabling onetouch monitoring and summing of any selected pair(s) to built-in speakers, headphones, or XLR balanced analog outputs.

AMP2-E16V Series Modular Audio/Video Processing Monitor Wohler will also present its flagship AMP2-E16V audio/video processing monitor. The monitor's feature list is the longest in the industry, yet the product is operated with onetouch simplicity. In addition to its top-quality audio system, it features simultaneous multiformat monitoring, quick program selection, instant stereo downmix, loudness monitoring, internal channel mixing including SDI re-embedding, audio delays, a wide variety of meter scales and ways to view meters, video, and Dolby® or SMPTE 2020 metadata.

AMP1-MADIe Audio Monitor The Wohler AMP1-MADIe is an inrack portable MADI monitor unit with Ethernet control and configuration, including compatibility with the Evertz MAGNUM facility control system. Ideal for sports production and other live broadcasts, it can be connected in series with a 56- or 64channel MADI stream to provide audio monitoring and metering of any eight selected MADI channels at once. Designed specifically for customers requiring unique functionality equivalent to a MADI audio hot-mic mixer, Wohler's new AMP1MADIe simplifies rapid selection and monitoring of MADI signals in fast-

paced, live-to-air production environments. Two models will be on display, demonstrating support for either multimode or single-mode fiber connections in addition to standard copper on BNC. Each model will also convert fiber to BNC and vice-versa.

RadiantGrid Intelligent Media Transformation Platform™ The Wohler RadiantGrid Intelligent Media Transformation Platform™ provides consolidated media processing capabilities, such as transcoding, standards conversion, audio processing, caption processing, and quality control, with a highly intelligent content management fabric and workflow orchestration layer.

Based on an extensible serviceoriented architecture, the platform integrates smoothly with editorial, archive, traffic, business process, and rights management systems.

New to CABSAT this year is the first version 8 series release of the RadiantGrid platform. This release contains a brand-new media processing engine that provides content transformation at speeds that are unparalleled.

At the audio level, the new media processing engine parallelizes complex audio loudness correction alongside the video at speeds never before seen. In addition to all of this, RadiantGrid version 8 enables fully compliant OTT offerings for Microsoft Smooth Streaming, MPEG-DASH, HLS, and H.265/HEVC, and introduces a unique solution for U.K. DPP compliance.

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4K AT A GOOD PRICE Sony has recently launched its first 4K professional camcorder at a “wonderful” price. It’s the PXW-Z100. However, we will talk about the 4K market in our country first.

Test bench made by Álvaro Bernal

It’s undeniable the fact that the recent HD camcorders offer enough resolution for the screens we use nowadays, especially for the most used ones: the tablets and smartphones. Nevertheless, we can’t deny the fair and natural desire to offer the best technology can give us at each moment. When we watch 4k in a 50” television screen it has the same effect on us as when we watched PAL resolution and then saw HD resolution. It’s a big change.

Despite the resolution aspect, the real change is the sensation. It’s the first time we can talk about threedimensionality without any kind of accessory.They are not 3D images, nobody is saying that, it simply that when you are recording general shots you feel much more near to reality.

What type of market has 4K currently in our country? I think 4K and HD will coexist for some time like what happened with Pal and HD. In the short term, the produc-

T HE

tions with fewer aspirations to last in time will be recorded in HD: events, interviews, features, many types…

It’s what they are used to because their budget is lower and lower each time while the demands are higher and higher. However, there are other products which want to be valid in the next years, like documentaries which include important and unrepeatable moments, making off of films, and as before many others… The speed of penetration is higher on the consumption market which without doubt drives the professional market. We only have to go to an electrical appliance shop to see the prices of 4K televisions are lower than the prices HD televisions had a few years ago. It’s a market where we obtain more for less each time. We are not implying they are cheap televisions, we simply say that with 4,000 Euros, at the date of this article, we can buy a 55“ 4K TV and eight years ago with that same money we could buy a 42” HD television. Of course, it’s a logic conse-

REAL CHANGE IS THE SENSATION .

I T ’ S THE FIRST TIME WE CAN TALK ABOUT THREE DIMENSIONALITY WITHOUT ANY KIND OF ACCESSORY .

T HEY ARE NOT 3D IMAGES , NOBODY IS SAYING THAT .

quence of the technological advance, but it’s what is going to move the 4K at a greater speed. On the consumption camcorder market we can find 4K camcorders for 2,000 Euros, which with good light conditions provide excellent images and which can record in productions where a 4K professional camcorder cannot be used. This is the case of the TMBi - 45

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more cost-effective and functional multirotors, small cranes, new generation steadys, travellings, etc. The fact is 4K is pushing hard and has come to stay.

The negative part is the cost and the length of the cards. Sony recently announced new codecs to optimize these aspects. We will be waiting for this to happen.

The Sony PXW-Z100 is a camcorder which will probably repeat the success of the Sony Z1 of some years ago. Back then, it was the only camcorder below 6,000 Euros which recorded in HD. It’s true its real resolution was inferior, but the result with good light was remarkable. Naturally, it recorded in an inferior format, back then was PAL. The best feature was it recorded on videotape which didn’t increase the cost and the length was almost the same as with PAL. The example repeats itself with the new Z100. It’s a camcorder which offers professional quality with good light conditions (the same as Z1) and at this moment is the only one capable of really integrating itself on solid 4K workflows.

With any resolution revolution, a higher demand of editing and storage features comes along. It’s important to understand we now have 4 times more resolution and a 4:2:2 colour sampling, which means the data flow is very interesting. We will explain in detail later.

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Regarding the shape and ergonomics, the Z100 is similar to the Z5 which records in 4K. The size is similar to the size of other camcorder brands and it includes everything we were expecting. It has a 20X lens with 30mm or 31.5 mm wide angle depending on our model selection: 17:9 and 4.096 x 2.160 / 16:9 and 3.840 x 2.160. In HD the mode will always be 16:9. We have to take into account that if we inclu-

de 4K material in a project destined for HD, either we will see small black bands or we will have to recompose the image. The wide-angle lens opens up to F 1.6 and it can go until F 3.2 with a zoom lens. It’s important to take this into account and to leave the last value fixed to avoid the loss of light as you zoom in. It includes three rings for zoom, focus and iris.

They are electronic and it’s clear they don’t have the touch of the mechanical rings, but I didn’t have any problem with them. The focus with the 20x optical zoom can be done correctly thanks to the peaking (finally it stays pressed once when we use the digital magnification of the image to see more clearly what is on focus). Despite of this, it’s important to take into account what we said for the HD focus when recording in PAL. It’s more complex.

Thanks to the sensor size we have a lot more focal length. The more appropriate use for the Z100 are the

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outside scenes and sometimes what we want is an almost infinite focus, but with the advanced telephoto because we already have pleasant soft focus.

The rest of the camcorder, as we said before offers the conventional features of this segment. We now have 3 ND filters: 1/4, 1/16 and 1/64.

This is very convenient if we want to always be in the ideal gap of iris.

The audio includes the usual XLR connecters, a built-in microphone and a shotgun microphone on the equipment. It has a lot of customizable switches and connections. All the manual controls are in its place, there is nothing to say about that aspect. The Z100 has been solidly made, it has a weight of 3 kilos and nothing is missing in this camcorder.

The only personal critic is the position of the screen. It has a 3,5” standard screen with a reasonable resolution of 852 x480. However, a lot of people (me included) would rather

have put it on the most advanced position as possible, unfolded almost at the end of the lens. This way we would be able to see and focus in a more relaxed way. It’s true it is more exposed on this position, but nobody wants to receive a blow on the lens or the screen. It offers a perfect vision and it can only get complicated in full sunlight. For the first time, I had the sensation that what I saw on the 4K monitor was better than what I saw on screen.

Normally, what we see on modern screens looks better than when we edit it. The rear viewfinder maintains the resolution and that makes it perfectly operational.

It has a 1/2.3 sensor, which is larger than the usual sensors of 1/3 and it has more than 8 megapixels.

Therefore, it’s not an especially luminous camcorder. The Z1 wasn’t very luminous as well and it had an undeniable success. I insist on the strong feature of this camcorder,

which is to support 4K productions on outside scenes. On interior scenes the performance is two points below a Sony EX1R, 200 or similar which include 1/2 sensors. If we connected it to a 4K monitor and

T HE

EXAMPLE REPEATS ITSELF WITH THE NEW Z100. I T ’ S A CAMCORDER WHICH OFFERS PROFESSIONAL QUALITY WITH GOOD LIGHT CONDITIONS .

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F ROM

MY POINT OF VIEW , THE Z1 PHENOMENON IS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE SELDOM WE WOULD BE ABLE TO RECORD THE NATURE WITH A 4K FIXED LENS CAMCORDER , FOR EXAMPLE .

use it in a low contrast shot with blacks and greys, the gain, from the point of view of different people, could be of up to 12 or 15 dbs without being dissatisfied and this is where other camcorders fail. It can go up to 27 dbs. It’s clear this sensation is totally subjective and each project, budget and expectations will establish what can be and can’t be accepted. That is the reason why long ago I stopped believing in sensitivity, dynamic range, etc. On the one hand for example, it’s illogical to show images of an important location in a high budget documentary with a lot of image noise because with all the licences, movements and staff pays we would have spent

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more than what the equipment costs. On the other hand, a coast city hall could want to bring back tourism to its area and be in search for beautiful images of its beaches. I wouldn’t doubt it there, I will use the Z100. It’s always the same: used resources against coherence.

From my point of view, the Z1 phenomenon is going to happen again because seldom we would be able to record the nature with a 4K fixed lens camcorder, for example with a 4K camcorder of fixed lens. I think initially the owners of the Z100 would be freelancers hired for 4K productions of higher rank in order to offer support for the scenes where is necessary a large zoom

and a equipment with reduced dimensions. I have compared the images from my Sony EX1 with the ones offered by the Z100 in a 42” small television. Both offered good images, but when we directly connect the camcorders to a 4K monitor we can see the edges, the lines, etc.

For the first time, the general shots can be seen perfectly in a camcorder below 6,000 Euros. The sensation is of not wanting to go back to HD. In the short term, another strong aspect is the possibility of drastically recomposing what we have recorded in 4K in HD projects. It’s surprising the way we can use this possibility, without being the main essence of the camcorder. It could be

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S IX

YEARS AGO THE S ONY EX1 RECORDED ON THE EQUALLY EXPENSIVE S X S CARDS AND NOW THEY ARE A REFERENCE ON THE BROADCAST PRODUCTION . I DON ’ T ANYONE WHO HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH ONE . sometimes very useful, for example to establish scenes.

And now comes the most controversial part, the codec and storage.

I don’t want to bore you will all the details of codec and sizes, just visit its web to know more. Currently you can record in 4K in 17:9 or 16:9 and HD. The codec is XACV, for the moment, also for HD. It includes 4:2:2 at 10 bits Inter-frame, nobody can say the codec it’s not solid, but the price is another thing. What is important is what the length costs not the bit-rate and gigabytes… All the information is available on its web. The issue is that with the maximum quality and resolution, 7 minutes cost round 300 Euros. It sounds crazy, especially when we are used

to the length and price of SD cards.

Sony records the 4K on XQD cards.

We have to remember than six years ago the Sony EX1 recorded on the equally expensive SxS cards and now they are a reference on the broadcast production. I don’t anyone who has had problems with one.

I am talking about the Sony cards and not the SD card adapter. It’s true they are expensive cards but they are strong. This was the bad part, the good part is other manufacturers are beginning to work with these cards and we will soon have some competitors, which added to the fact that every day speed writing and reading are being improved, these cards we will soon be compared to the use and cost of the mentioned SxS. We have been informed

by Sony it will also record in HD on AVCHD from a SD slot which is included. There are two XQD slots and what is best is that shortly there will also be XAVC codecs of less weight. This debate gets us nowhere, because some people think that optimized codecs are perfect as they don’t see the difference that others can detect, whether is really there or it’s just what they want to see. In any case, shortly the cost of recording 4K video will be comparable to the professional HD. In short, the Sony Z100 ends the fear towards 4K with astonishing images and is the starting signal for the rest of brands to compete in the 4K segment as some time ago the Z1 did.

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Today we are going to test a Matrox device designed for internet content broadcasting but with some added features. The Matrox Monarch HD is basically a real time video compression device that offers streaming and video recording, if necessary, in different formats and mediums. For example, we can connect our camcorder using the HMDI to the Monarch and upload to the web the recordings and at the same time record the video in a pendrive with MP4 format.

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Test bench made by Álvaro Bernal Before explaining the device in detail we are going to evaluate the situation of the economic device market when broadcasting contents to the web. Each day is more usual to watch on the web something that is being recorded at that same moment. It’s true there are companies which are implementing this idea and they don’t get enough viewers. However, there are many situations where this is a very logical project because the business model enables this process to happen.

Many professions related to teaching can take advantage of this and in fact, there are many teachers who use programs like Skype for this purpose. For some time we have been seing classes on the web, open to everybody or with payment requirements, some with poor presentations and others with a perfect edition, but what they have in common is they can’t interact with the teacher. Moreover, there are platforms like Adobe Connect and many others who have a similar environment to a conventional class and many people benefit from it. In the middle of these two examples we have this device which can transmit the recordings of our cam-

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IT

OFFERS THE POSSIBILITY OF SHOWING A LOOP OF THE VIDEO SIGNAL WE INTRODU CE . F OR EXAMPLE , THIS IS USEFUL FOR SOMEONE WHO IS TEACHING AND NEEDS TO SEE IN A TELEVISION IN FRONT OF HIM THE IMAGE THE CAMCORDER IS STAGING . corder by streaming the content. We have to bear in mind we will have to hire a live streaming service if we want to be seen by many people in real time and/or if we want to guarantee an uninterrupted transmission of the content for a long recording period of time. There are many options following the example of Youtube Live Streaming, but the project will depend on the soundness of the business model or the demands you have determined. The only concern a great number of people should have is to have a copy of all the content they upload. If a web service stops existing or if it’s no longer free, we have to think about the time we will spend uploading all the content and compared it to other options. We also have to evaluate if the cost balances out or not. I think that in a professional environment the payment services are, in many occasions, perfectly acceptable and

they offer us an extra control that is worth the trouble. Let each one decide what is best for them.

Let’s see what the Monarch HD offers us. It’s a solid structure of small size (a couple of cigarettes packs). At the rear we have the supply connector, the mains socket for the router, an input/output HDMI port of standard size and some input/ output minijacks of audio. It offers the possibility of showing a loop of the video signal we introduce. For example, this is useful for someone who is teaching and needs to see in a television in front of him the image the camcorder is staging.

Having said this, is understandable to place the Monarch within reach of our cables and sometimes we don’t anticipate this. For example, when streaming is important to simply take this into account, especially if we don’t know the distance at which the

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router is placed or if the HDMI cable would be long enough. At the front part it includes some lights which inform us of the state of the device, switches to start the broadcasting and recording, as well as the ports to do this. It has two USB ports and one SD slot, but they don’t work simultaneously. Although from some time our camcorder records in a card, we will save time if we configure the Monarch to record in MP4 what we are broadcasting. We can do this in a disk, a pendrive or in SD card. It could also be useful when we work for a third party and the client directly takes the content to its device.

Configuring the device is easy. We had some problems at the beginning, but once we introduced correctly the web addresses, the device connected both with the PC and the tablet we used to test it.

Streaming can be done in many resolutions and file sizes with a maximum of 30Mbps in the sum of streaming and recording. Nowadays a streaming of 10 Mbps shouldn’t be used on a modest connection, nor in a low budget project. I always try to be coherent with the things that we do and what it costs regarding the budget. For example, to transmit at 2 or 3 Mbps and store it in a MP4 at 25 Mbps, is easy regarding the edition of the content in any edition

software and this could be one of the many combinations. It can handle an input of up to 1.920 50/60p present in the last HD camcorders, which offers enough resolution for the great majority of projects and even more for web broadcasting.

The recording options are MP4 or mov and its selection will depend on the use of the file. Without a doubt, our camcorder offers us that bit rate, but maybe the goal is to do a simple editing of what we have recorded on the location, or simply leave everything on the file for the future and save us the time of capturing the card afterwards.

Once our Monarch HD is detected by the tablet, we just have to define in a menu the video and audio qua-

S TREAMING

CAN BE DONE IN MANY RESOLUTIONS AND FILE SIZES WITH A MAXIMUM OF 30M BPS IN THE SUM OF STREAMING AND RECORDING

lity both for the uploading content and for the stored material, if that is what we want. It’s easy and we can create different templates to use it afterwards without having to select options again. This also happens when detecting the device. This part of the device is well designed.

Before ending this article I want to say this device shouldn’t be compared with video mixers that include streaming because they are different products. It’s true than in many live broadcasting, as small as they can be, it’s necessary to work with at least two camcorders, therefore we should complete our system. Not all the mixers include the streaming function and it will be an interesting option to connect directly the HDMI output of the program (what we are mixing in real time) to the Monarch and that from there we could get the final copy an upload it to the web.

This combination is cheaper than buying a device which can do all the functions and at the same time.

What can we ask of Matrox? A more adjusted price, a Wi-Fi connection, despite of the lower upload resolution and the inevitable App to control it from a tablet in an even simpler way. The Matrox Monarch HD is a strong product in the growing market of uploading web content in real time.

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