Staff Editor Javier de Martín editor@tmbroadcast.com Director Jesús Carrillo director@tmbroadcast.com Key account manager Cristina Feduchi Javier M. Gutiérrez international@tmbroadcast.com Creative Direction Mercedes González design@tmbroadcast.com Editorial staff press@tmbroadcast.com
Summary
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Editorial
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PAN SHOT
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Helicopter system at TVE
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Elite engineering Administration Margarita Quevedo administration@tmbroadcast.com
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MotoGP Video Pass The future is now!
ZOOM IN TM Broadcast International #12 July 2014
TM Broadcast International is a magazine published by Daró Media Group SL Centro Empresarial Tartessos Calle Pollensa 2, oficina 1 28290 Las Rozas (Madrid), Spain Phone +34 91 640 46 43
Published in Spain, July 2014.
Etia 2014 overview
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Editorial
IBC approaches, the most important fair in Europe and one of the most important worldwide. At NAB Las Vegas, we saw various business movements like important merges and purchases. The first half of 2014 has been full of operations that have restructured the market. TM Broadcast International has spoken to several executives of many companies involved, they told us there were many questions about what was going to happen and the way to go. This IBC will be very relevant for this topic, rather than technological developments. Moreover we saw at NAB several decisions to get more IP capacity in several companies, we are expecting specific products for it but we do not know yet when will we see some development, maybe in Amsterdam? What concern to production cameras, it will be very interesting to see how Black Magic is doing and AJA’s new bets, and of course, what steps are giving other companies to stay in the market. It will be a very interesting show. Certainly is showtime.
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NESN implements EVS’ C-Cast Xplore for state-of-the-art remote production capabilities NESN (New England Sports Network) has partnered with Game Creek Video for remote broadcast capabilities centered on the C-Cast Xplore remote content access tool from EVS, the leading provider of live video production systems. The solution will be used to enhance NESN’s coverage of Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins games and for its nightly news show NESN Sports Today. “C-Cast Xplore has opened up entirely new coverage possibilities for NESN,” said Dan Brokowski. senior manager, technology and production operations. “Our production team’s ability to remotely tap directly into the server network, instantly access any camera feed and
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transfer footage is a tremendous advantage, both for its efficiency and for delivering an enhanced viewing experience, including ultra-fast highlights.”
archiving. Access to live camera content and expedited delivery of alternative camera angles are achieved without disrupting the ongoing live production.
Added NESN’s VP of Engineering Dave Dresochers: “The additional camera angles now available to us are very valuable to our pre- and post-game coverage. That coupled with an interface that’s very intuitive and easy to use have had a direct impact on the kind of programming we’re able to create.”
In addition to reducing the number of onsite production personnel, CCast Xplore gives production teams unprecedented capability to work remotely and enhance content on the fly.
Based on EVS’ C-Cast connected content platform, C-Cast Xplore is a web-browsing interface that gives authorized users remote access to EVS XT3 live production servers for content editing, re-packaging and
“For the kind of high-quality live production services we provide, CCast Xplore could be an industry game changer,” said Jason Taubman, vice president design and new technology, Game Creek Video. “This is one of our first applications of this tool and so far it’s exceeded our expectations.”
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Ralf Schimmel new Director of Global Sales for the Lawo Group Lawo has appointed Ralf Schimmelas Director of Global Sales, with effect from 1 July. In his new post, he is responsible for the strategic orientation and coordination of worldwide sales activities for all products, systems and solutionsfromthe Lawo Groupof companies. His appointment coincides with the expansion of Lawo’sinternational activities, as well as an expansion of the company’s audio, video, software, and IP networking technologyproduct portfolio.
Schimmel.
"I am looking forward to my new role with Lawo. I am joining at an important time for anexpanding company,with exciting opportunities for the future opening up,"says
Prior to joining Lawo,Schimmel was Chairman of the Board at a system integration anda service company. He hasalso previously worked as a sales directorfor many years.
"In our new market position, it is important to co-ordinate the worldwide sales of individual Lawo companies for an effective market-driven strategy. We are delighted that Ralf Schimmelis taking on this important taskwithin our group,"says Philipp Lawo, CEO of Lawo. "His broad expertise, and his ability to develop and implement innovative sales strategies, are a great asset to the Lawo companies."
Lawo enjoys a high reputation in the industry as a manufacturer of high-quality audio mixing consoles, routing systems, and audio networking products. In addition, the Rastatt/Germany-basedmanufacturer is pioneering innovative video processing systems and solutions for IP-based video and audio contribution.
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Advantech Wireless and SATCOM Digital Networks presented details of Next Generation Discovery Adaptive Satellite Access Technology (A-SAT™) platform Advantech Wireless and SATCOM Digital Networks (SDN) presented details of the Next Generation Discovery Adaptive Satellite Access Technology (ASAT™) platform. The Advantech Wireless A-SAT™ technology is revolutionizing the satellite communications industry. A-SAT™ is beyond dual mode TDMA-SCPC in return channels, it continuously monitors channel utilization and switches the satellite access method and MODCOD seamlessly for the return channel to dynamically maximize the space segment utilization efficiency. Additionally, by having TDMA and true SCPC technologies in a single platform, the switch between traffic patterns is efficiently supported and all risks of equipment obsolescence are not just miti-
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gated but completely eliminated. David Chisholm, President at SATCOM Digital Networks states, “The Discovery Hub was chosen based on 3 specific requests from our customer, speed, reliability and clear un-interrupted phone calls. Although these may appear as a given, the current deployed infrastructure in the Marcellus region was lacking these important requirements. Our relationship with Advantech Wireless and the deployment of the Discovery Hub has raised the bar in the gas field VSAT market. The ability to use the ASATTM technology to support customer demands for high payload data transfer has given us a distinct advantage in the gas and oil industry. Additionally A-SATTM/ACM keeps the link established when others fail due to atmospheric conditions. These are great features. The Discovery 100 has deli-
vered the results needed to operate in this specialized environment. In plain words it works and it works well.” “Our solutions are delivering maximum satellite spectral efficiency, hence the smallest occupied bandwidth at superior link availability and radical CAPEX and OPEX costsavings to our customers,” stated Bob Petrucelli, Vice President, USA Sales at Advantech Wireless. “In conjunction with our industry leading Multi-Channel Demodulator MCD-2, A-SATTM is truly redefining and transforming the way satellite communication will be deployed on a global scale.” Advantech Wireless A-SATTM system exhibits the lowest jitter in either SCPC or TDMA access scheme. The extremely fast scheduler reassigns channels almost 40 times per second in MF-TDMA/SCPC formats, making it ideal for GSM and 3G backhauling, Enterprise PBX, managed VoIP, analog voice and all other latency/jitter sensitive applications.
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Riedel Real-Time Media Network and Intercom system support broadcast and comms for European Elections Riedel Communications announced that the European Parliament employed a large-scale MediorNet real-time media network and Artist digital matrix intercom system to meet the signal transport requirements of the 2014 European Parliament elections in Brussels. During the weeks surrounding the May 25 elections, the fiber-based Riedel installation provided a flexible and redundant network for HD video, audio, and broadcast-quality intercom signal management, routing, and processing. "For this 'mother of all elections,' we needed a dependable and very versatile network to support all broadcast and communications requirements," said Michel Melotte, technical video coordinator for DB Video, which provided the complete Riedel system for the elections as well as all broadcast sets and audiovisual facilities. "We have used Riedel equipment on big events like Tomorrowland TV and were familiar with its power and flexibility, and we knew that we could deploy it to create a decentralized matrix with signals available throughout the whole network. Thus, despite the fluid, fast-paced nature of elections coverage, we ultimately were able to accept any signal, process it as needed, and deliver a quality output to any point on the network." The large-scale system installed within the parliament buildings by DB Video for the elections included 40 MediorNet frames connected over redundant fiber, two Artist 64 systems, the Riedel RockNet digital audio network, and a number of Riedel panels already in use on site. These systems were connected in a ring topology over a fiber network put in place by DB Video in co-operation with Amubel, which then connected to the in-house fiber network. The Riedel network enabled DB Video to interconnect seven diffe-
rent broadcast sets with up to 10 cameras each, which were used for press conferences, interviews, and live commentary on the results. An additional 40 SNG and over 60 live stand-up positions were set up throughout, and adjacent to, the parliament buildings to complement these sets. Because DB Video had created a plan to address both routing and processing, including up/downconversion, embedding/deembedding of audio, and synchronization, Riedel was able to preprogram and test the whole system in advance. The installation was nearly plug and play, allowing DB Video to install the network much faster than expected and to focus on final adjustments to the network configuration. During the elections, the Riedel systems proved to be very stable, maintaining high quality outputs even when pushed to 95 percent of available bandwidth. Technical support from Riedel was on-site throug-
hout the event to ensure that any issues could be resolved quickly. Given the success of the Riedel gear in this application, the European Parliament is evaluating the system for a fixed installation in its Strasbourg, France, parliament buildings. "Riedel equipment excels in the most challenging of environments, including live coverage and communications support during high-profile elections," said Thomas Riedel, CEO of Riedel Communications. "The Riedel Benelux team worked closely with DB Video and our counterparts within the European Parliament to make sure that the installed fiber network could support a high volume of signals while maintaining high video and audio quality, as well as flexibility in managing a continually changing array of sources and outputs."
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3D Storm Hires Bruno Lesté as LiveXpert Product Manager 3D Storm is pleased to announce that Bruno Lesté has joined 3D Storm team as LiveXpert Product Manager. Formerly, Sales Manager for proBruno Lesté fessional video and broadcast at Visualdis, 3D Storm partner and NewTek distributor in France, Bruno Lesté has more than 25 years of experience in the field of video, broadcast and IP. After founding CIS his first company in 1988, specialized in professional software for Amiga computers, he joined Visualdis in 2007, enhancing the Infodis company assets on the market of professional video and broadcasting. "3D Storm is NewTek distributor since 1999" says Franck Lafage, managing director of 3D Storm, "Today, 3D Storm is taking part in the development of NewTek TriCaster, the live production and streaming solutions, and 3Play, NewTek replay servers, by providing to our resellers' network and to the whole market a complete range of tools to complement and extend NewTek amazing products' capabilities. We are happy to welcome Bruno in our team." Launched in September 2013, LiveXpert is a range of tools dedicated to all live and sports productions. LiveXpert is a complete range of solutions developed to complement NewTek TriCaster™ multi-camera live video and 3Play™ sports production solutions. LiveXpert solutions are the links between the capabilities needed to create a professional workflow and the expectations of professionals and broadcasters for complete all-in-one solutions. "The opportunity I had to be close to customers on the field, during real live production situations, gives me a valuable experience to answer concrete requests.", says Bruno Lesté, "I am excited about the task and is looking forward to embracing this challenge". In charge of developing the market as well as the line of products, Bruno Lesté is based in 3D Storm head office in Bordeaux. Thanks to wide technical knowledge of NewTek products as well as production processes, Bruno will be the primary contact for LiveXpert development, training and sales.
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DiGiCo SD9 hits the road with Hard Rock’s rising talent Touring Europe with an articulated truck stage and a long wheelbase van and just four personnel is a tough assignment, so a compact but versatile and fast to set up mixing console was essential. This is why Darren from Pro Tech Tour and Hard Rock Cafe chose a DiGiCo SD9. “There are two guys setting the stage up and two of us doing Front of House and monitor sound, lighting, backline, sorting out the generators, driving the van, tour managing - basically everything!” he says. “The longest drive between shows is about 2,700 miles, so it’s quite an undertaking for four people. “We’ve got very limited space and I chose the SD9 because of its footprint and we can run a cat5 multicore, which also saves a lot of space. Despite its compact size, the console has more than enough effects and graphic equalisers, it does everything I need it to for mixing both FOH and monitors.” To accommodate the tour’s needs, the SD9’s DRack is expanded to 16 outputs, routed to an Ecler CKL PA and Martin Audio Blackline monitors. “I haven’t used a DiGiCo desk for about five years, but if you watch the online videos you can understand it very easily. I think I had to make two phone calls to the office, that was all. It is very intuitive,” says Darren. “We save a show file at each venue, then I load it and tweak the system at the next show, save a new show file for that venue and so on,” he continues. “I’m snapshotting everything for each band at their sound check, so I can just recall it for the performance. I’m using the Macro buttons to do my aux sends and I’m really happy. There have been no problems at all.” In Rome, the trailer stage will form a second stage to complement the main stage in Piazza del Popolo. “Across the two stages there will be continuous live music,” Darren grins. “It will be a bit like David and Goliath.”
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Thierry Gandilhon joins NETIA as Managing Director NETIA announced that Thierry Gandilhon has joined the company as its Managing Director. To this new leadership role, Thierry Gandilhon brings more than 25 years of technical experience in the field of software development, as well as a strong record of establishing and building successful technology companies. "Thierry is an exciting addition to the company, as he has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to lead companies to success through technical excellence," said Philippe Fort, president of NETIA. "His tremendous experience developing computer software in multicultural environments and his dedication to using complex technologies to create simple yet powerful solutions make him a smart fit for NETIA, and we're looking forward to achieving further success with the benefit of his gui-
dance." Prior to joining NETIA, Thierry Gandilhon co-founded Eptica, where he served as executive vice president and chief technology officer (CTO). Eptica is the leading European provider of multichannel customer interaction software. During Thierry Gandilhon's tenure, Eptica developed its activities in Europe and Asia and was selected as one of the leaders in its domain by the Gartner Group through its prestigious Magic Quadrant analysis. Thierry Gandilhon earlier served as vice president and CTO at MATRAnet: CTO at Step One/Sharing Technologies; R&D director at Business Objects, where he was one of the first employees; and project manager and research engineer within the BULL artificial intelligence research group.
"I am passionate about building simple solutions that fit the market and customer need using complex technologies. I see this same dedication at NETIA," said Thierry Gandilhon. Thierry Gandilhon will be based in NETIA's head office in Claret, France.
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Miller Fluid Heads (Europe) LTD. celebrates its 60TH anniversary with range of film and production camera support solutions at IBC 2014 Miller Fluid Heads (Europe) Ltd., it prepares for the European leg of its 60th anniversary celebration at IBC 2014 (Hall 11, Stand 11.D30). Continuing its professional progression in supplying the film and television industries with revolutionary high-end tripods and fluid heads, the Australia-based camera support solutions company will introduce its new Cineline 70 Fluid Head to the European market at the show. “Since Miller’s launch 60 years prior, the company has delivered more than 100,000 tripods and fluid heads, acquired several patents and won numerous awards for its exceptional quality and design,” says Mike Lippmann, European manager, Miller Fluid Heads (Europe) Ltd. “We look forward to celebrating our 60th anniversary at IBC and are thrilled to be introducing our new Cineline 70 Fluid Head, with its smooth, advanced precision fluid drag control and perfect diagonal drag transition, to the European market.” A family-founded company, Miller skyrocketed into a globally recognised brand shortly after father Eric Miller and his son, Bob, developed and patented the first fluid action head in 1946, which they designed to create smooth pans and tilts when shooting film in the field. Less than one year after the company’s commencement, the Miller Fluid Head made headlines when the New York Times reported that Miller was on the cusp of technological innovation. By 1958, Miller was exporting the heads worldwide, which included sending the first tripod to Hollywood, forever changing the landscape of cinematography. Today, Miller continues to stay true to its roots with the Cineline 70 Fluid Head, one of the company’s latest camera support solutions that is purpose-built for film and digital production cinematographers who desire a
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new dimension camera support.
in
professional
Constructed of corrosion-resistant alloy, the robust Cineline 70 Fluid Head is a feature-rich, cost-effective solution that is ideal for use on feature films, documentaries and highend television commercial productions that require heavy payload, frequent re-rigging and a diverse range of lenses and cameras. For easy setup changes, its eight-position counterbalance system, with “all-inone location” rear-mounted controls, easily allow users to capture the big picture. The fluid head also features an extended sliding range to promote quick and seamless rebalancing of the rig when changes in lenses and accessories result in weight distribution shifts. It is set to accommodate industry-leading camera mountings, including Arri, Sony, RED and Canon, and it features an Arri-compatible side-loading camera plat-
form, with an optional, easy-to-fit 1225 Mitchell Base Adaptor to suit traditional Mitchell Flat Base tripods. Additionally, the fluid head offers dual side mounts for monitors and accessories. Also on display at Miller’s IBC stand will be its compact Air and DS tripod systems, the multi-award winning Compass series, the industry stalwart Arrow series and the robust 150mm ball levelling Skyline 70 fluid head and tripod systems. The company will showcase its complete range of carbon fibre and alloy tripods, as well. Known to be the brand with “the right feel,” Miller will also display one of its new, limited special edition LP ’54 Classic tripods, built by hand as they were when first introduced, from remaining components left after the last production run of the Light Professional (LP), in celebration of the company’s 60th anniversary.
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Volicon and Grass Valley partner to accelerate and streamline collaborative content repurposing workflow
Volicon announced a new partnership with Grass Valley that enables the companies' customers to realize a rapid repurposing workflow in which high-value content is quickly and easily captured, clipped, and edited for delivery to any platform. The Capture and Share applications, part of Volicon's Observer® Media Intelligence Platform™, and Grass Valley EDIUS® video editing software together enable fast, efficient collaborative production of compelling content for TV, Web, mobile, and social media platforms. "Today's competitive and economic factors make it critical that content providers establish an efficient and cost-effective way to leverage all available media sources to enhance their service offerings, whether content is broadcasted or delivered over the Internet," said Russell Wise, vice president of global sales at Volicon. "The combination of our Capture and Share applications with the EDIUS editing solution from Grass Valley provides an accelerated production pipeline to
support the rapid creation and delivery of compelling content." The Capture application facilitates the continuous real-time capture of high-quality (up to 720p) content from any source — cable set-top boxes, studios, and live camera feeds — at any time and makes it immediately available to users across the enterprise. The Capture application pairs HD H.264 encodes with proxy versions so that both local and remote users, such as remote staff, partners, consultants, outside talent, and reporters in the field, can collaborate seamlessly to review live or previously captured content, clip high-value segments, and push them directly into Grass Valley's EDIUS video editing software. Because the Capture application captures a composite feed that marries closed caption data to both the high- and low-resolution versions of the content, users can perform complex searches of all captured content. Capture returns a list of results, each with a representative
image and a short excerpt from the closed captioning. The footage is immediately viewable, or frameaccurately sub-clipped and made available to the MAM system for rebroadcast or to the Grass Valley editing system for repurposing. EDIUS empowers editors with superior real-time workflows in all resolutions. With no rendering and no limitations with respect to the number of audio, video, graphics, and title tracks it supports, the Grass Valley software enables a fluid and rapid creative process that yields a more engaging finished product. To accelerate content distribution, the Share application provides single-click publishing profiles that facilitate rapid processing of content to meet appropriate container and encoding requirements for an array of platforms, including target websites, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. The Share application also makes use of existing closed captioning text to publish content that is compliant with government regulations.
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Imagine Communications wins large-scale routing tender with Australia’s ABC
Atomos Ninja Star ready to fly Atomos confirm that the Ninja Star has completed the first production runs and is being shipped to the reseller channel ready to meet pre-orders. "Ninja Star is truly a breakthrough in professional recording." said Jeromy Young, CEO and Founder of Atomos. "We have priced this for the masses, broken the barrier to flash media cost by offering affordable CFast and supplied clever cabling solutions that customers desire. There is now no reason for professionals with a camera purchased in the last 10 years not to have the best recording available with ProRes and Ninja Star" By recognising a common need for a light and portable ProRes recorder with flexibility mounting options Atomos have responded to the numerous requests for ProRes 'as small as possible'. The Ninja Star's compact, self-contained size allows DP's and cameramen to add recording to just about any POV set-up and offer edit ready format recording with ProRes, making it ideal for extreme sports and reality TV cameramen The Ninja Star is the next breakthrough in external HDMI recorders based on core technologies that have made Atomos the leader in camera mounted solutions. The dimensions of the Ninja Star are a slender 3.7" (95mm) wide, 2.3" (60mm) tall and 0.9" (22mm) deep and it weighs a fraction of a normal recorder at just 130grams (4.5 oz.) for applications with onboard batteries and 240g (8.5oz) with the included battery and optional CFast media. The Ninja Star is perfect for creative or extreme camera work or in situations where a large monitor is prohibitive. To keep the Ninja Star as streamlined as possible Atomos have adopted Flash Media and the Ninja Star can utilise either CFast, 1.0 or 2.0 cards. CFast 1.0 offers a great solution for HD recording and specifically meets the data rates required for ProRes HQ at 80MB/s sustained write and 200MB/s sustained read. CFast 2.0 is currently achieving 450MB/s + speeds, which will allow recording to 4K ProRes at 30p and beyond, allowing CFast to assist in the high 4K data rates on other products such as the Shogun.
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Imagine Communications announced that it has won a major contract to replace all video routers in the television service of the Australian Broadcast Corporation (ABC). The national broadcaster will replace existing routers with a flexible, scalable, HD-capable infrastructure centred on Platinum™ largescale router solutions and their extensive range of facility signal distribution functionality including fibre input switching, audio management and integrated multiviewers. The contract also includes hundreds of Magellan™ control panels for accessing the routing platforms’ rich capabilities. “We are delighted that ABC has selected Imagine Communications for this significant project,” said Joe Khodeir, Senior Vice President for Asia at Imagine Communications. “Routing on a national scale can be a complex technical challenge, and this will be one of the largest router projects of its kind undertaken in the southern hemisphere. The extensive scalability, powerful integrated capabilities and forward-looking design of Platinum routing solutions make them the ideal choice for broadcasters taking a long-term view of their operations.” Imagine Communications’ Platinum routing solutions combine a highly robust architecture with exceptional flexibility and rich integrated functionality including mixed-format video and audio routing, multiplexing and demultiplexing, multiviewers and advanced I/O support. Platinum IP3, the latest evolution in Platinum router technology, brings these industry-leading benefits and a path to an IP-enabled future to customers with even the largest system requirements. Delivering high-quality, multiformat signal routing up to 576x1024 in a single, 28RU frame, Platinum IP3 can seamlessly scale to matrices beyond 2Kx2K in multi-frame configurations without disruption to on-air operations. Platinum IP3’s uniquely integrated architecture and redundant crosspoints protect audio, video and multiviewer signals, helping maximise on-air reliability and reduce cost and complexity.
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Greenland's state broadcaster chooses Danmon Systems Group to relocate TV and radio production and playout centre Danmon Systems Group announces the completion of a major project for Greenland's state television and radio broadcaster, Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa (KNR) in Nuuk. This involved moving the entire existing facility into new premises. In 2012-13 it was decided that KNR should be relocated due to an accumulation of unhealthy mould and fungus in the structure of the building which was originally built for the Air Greenland heliport.
Peter Thomsen. "It was essential that the move, rewiring and post-installation tests be performed without interrupting the normal daily schedule of live broadcasts. In close partnership with KNR, we were able to agree a work schedule which ensured that the network was able to maintain full-time on-air status. This required precise organisation. A closely monitored build schedule was achieved over nine weeks in two phases.
"The central element of this project was the relocation of all KNR's existing radio and television broadcast studios, postproduction and playout infrastructure to two new buildings," comments Danmon Systems Group Project Director
"Phase one of the project embraced the relocation of the radio studios, including three Studer On-Air 3000 desks, and installation of a new Ross digital audio router for transmission. This was completed on time and on schedule.
"Phase Two centred on moving the existing television facility, with a five-camera studio, video and audio production control rooms, continuity playout master control room, plus the entire equipment room with 16 racks. All were moved to a newly refurbished building. The new television building was wired for audio, video and control area cables. All external cables in the equipment room were then removed and the remaining 1,000-plus inter-rack cables were retained and later reconnected. System test and commissioning were completed on time and under budget and the new facility was officially fully on-air in May."
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4K boom drives Pablo Rio sales in Japan With 4K rapidly gaining hold as the medium of choice in Japan for movies, high quality TV programs and large screen public displays, post houses have turned to Quantel and Pablo Rio to handle 4K post production. The move to 4K is being boosted by the Japanese government which is targeting widespread delivery of 4K to homes throughout Japan by 2016 in time for the Olympic Games in Brazil. Japanese post houses need to be able to offer fast and creative 4K to their customers. As a result of the 4K boom many of Japan’s leading post houses have purchased Quantel Pablo Rio 4K color and finishing software and in some cases Genetic Engineering 2 shared workspace systems. These are:
Azabu Plaza, Tokyo “Pablo Rio’s power is supreme. It has revolutionised the traditional HD workflow, and our editors - already familiar with the Quantel interface on our existing Quantel iQ systems – have immediately taken to 4K HFR finishing on Pablo Rio,” said Daisuke Matsuo, Director.
jects we do - it is essential to have uncompressed 4K 60p playback for our jobs. Currently we are using Pablo Rio to finish the 4K movie ‘Patlabor, the next generation’, which is produced by the Omnibus Group,” said Rintaro Doke, General Manager – Technical Services, Post Production Center.
ted editing, finishing and color correction toolset saves us a tremendous amount of time. We think Quantel has produced a unique and very advanced post production technology which we can trust and use to the full,” said Toshihiro Shiota, Manager, Post Production.
ONKIO HAUS, Tokyo
Tokyo Laboratory
“We upgraded our Quantel eQ system to Pablo Rio 4K HFR because it is the only system available on the market that supports 4K 60p realtime monitoring during editing,” said Yasuteru Oda, Senior General Manager, Engineering Division.
“Tokyo Laboratory has a long and distinguished history in film scanning and DI and we were the first company in Japan to adopt Pablo Rio. We have chosen Pablo Rio 4K HFR to cope with ever-increasing demand for 4K; its file handling is fast and easy and it has all the creative tools we need,” said Katsuji Nishino, General Manager, Image Media Department.
Studio Rec, Fukushima “Our main business is TV commercials production in North Japan and we have upgraded our four Quantel eQ systems to Pablo Rios with Genetic Engineering 2 shared workspace to give us major efficiency improvements, particularly with hi-res jobs,” said Takayuki Ishige, General Manager.
Omnibus Japan, Tokyo
Toei Lab Tech (Toei Digital Lab), Tokyo
“We have adopted Pablo Rio for handling every aspect of the 4K pro-
“We produce many TV programs every day and Pablo Rio’s integra-
Tokyo Sound Production “We have a strong demand for 4K finishing from one of our leading clients – a key commercial TV station in Tokyo. Pablo Rio gives us the ability we need to handle 4K 60p uncompressed RGB,” said Sei Takahashi, Sales Director.
WINK2, Tokyo “We chose Pablo Rio 4KO for movie post production work because of its integrated editing, color correction and finishing toolsets,” said Kenji Fukuda, President. “Japan is moving ahead rapidly with 4K, with the world’s first regular 4K broadcasts already under way and an increasing demand for 4K post for both movies and TV production,” said Martin Mulligan, Quantel Sales Director. “However, handling 4K 60p in realtime remains a challenge for many systems; not so Pablo Rio, which is why it is the system of choice in Japan and the rest of the world for 4K HFR post.”
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Guizhou Province TV chooses Thomson Video Networks' ViBE™ VS7000 to power new IPTV Service in China's Guizhou Province Guizhou Province TV has deployed Thomson Video Networks' ViBE™ VS7000 encoding and transcoding platform to drive the launch of its new IPTV service, Guizhou IPTV. Installed in Guizhou Province TV's operations center in Guiyang City, the ViBE VS7000 joins an existing footprint of Thomson Video Networks video compression solutions including ViBE EM1000 and EM3000 encoders and the NetProcessor 9030 MPEG processing platform. Currently delivering 17 HD channels and 35 SD channels via IPTV, the ViBE VS7000 is providing the foundation for the network's long-term strategy to offer a range of IP video services, including multi-screen delivery. "As a longtime user of Thomson Video Networks' encoding and video processing solutions, we knew we
could count on world-class quality, reliability, and service when deploying the ViBE VS7000 to drive our new IPTV solutions," said Mr. Huang Xuejun, division manager of Guizhou IPTV. "In addition to compact size and efficient operation, the ViBE VS7000 provides outstanding picture quality and the scalability we need as we continue to expand our services." Driven by Thomson Video Networks' MediaFlex v3.0 video operating system, the ViBE VS7000 video system combines renowned compression technology for outstanding picture quality with live broadcast-quality encoding; innovative video preprocessing; and fasterthan-real-time file transcoding. For H.264 encoding, the 40 percent density improvement provided by MediaFlex v3.0 enables the VS7000
to process up to 448 SD channels or 80 HD channels on a single frame — delivering significant OPEX savings in hardware, rack space, and power consumption. "The ViBE VS7000 is an ideal choice for Guizhou Province TV because it provides all of the transcoding capabilities needed to offer the highest quality HD and SD IPTV services today, with the ability to expand its functionality into the future to support emerging standards such as ultra high definition TV," said Tony Berthaud, vice president, Asia-Pacific sales, Thomson Video Networks. "We appreciate our longterm partnership with Guizhou Province TV and look forward to working with it as it continues to add exciting new services for viewers."
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Globosat kicks off World Cup with help from Ross Video Ross Video announced that Globosat is using Ross Video products to deliver highquality coverage of the 2014 World Cup. Launched in 1991, Globosat leads the Brazilian pay TV market and has 33 channels and more than 1,800 employees. Globosat delivers entertainment, information, and leisure programming via channels including Rede Telecine, SporTV, GNT, Multishow, Globonews, Viva, Gloob, +Globosat, Universal Channel and Canal Brazil. “Ross Video’s Furio Robotic Cameras are playing a leading role in production of shows from Globosat’s spectacular Glass Ball studio on Fiscal Island,” said Juan Carlos Ortolan, Ross Video’s Director of Sales for Latin America. “This studio is hosting SporTV channel’s primetime daily FIFA 2014 show, which is considered to be the most-important daily show of the World Cup.” The Furio Robotic Cameras are being used by Globosat for camera automation and to support data tracking for the augmented reality elements. A Ross Video Carbonite production switcher with a C2 panel is being used to run the show from the Glass Ball Studio while openGear is being used for sync generation, distribution and down conversion. “Getting everything ready in time for the start of the World Cup was a significant challenge, and we were delighted with the stellar support we received from Ross Video to help make that happen,” said Lourenço Carvano, Technology Manager for Globosat. “Since its inception, Globosat has been a pioneer in Brazilian broadcasting, Ross Video’s products make it easy for us to continue to explore new technologies and deliver exceptional live productions for what is arguably one of the most important sporting events of the year: the 2014 FIFA World Cup.” Globosat is also using Ross Video equipment at its headquarters in Rio de Janeiro where an NK-3G34 router is being used for 4K quad 3G link routing, and a Carbonite switcher is being used for 4K routing, mixing and keying. “We’re very excited that Globosat is using Ross Video’s Carbonite production switcher to produce 4k routing, mixing and keying for the 2014 World Cup,” added Jeff Moore, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Ross Video. “For us at Ross, it’s about helping our customers not only meet their production goals, but also make their productions better and easier through improved workflows, tight integration between products, and tailored automation.”
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SapphireBluTM Series GaN technology based HPAs empower4K Ultra HDTV transmission of the most viewedsportingevent of the year Advantech Wireless announced that its SapphireBluTM Series of UltraLinearTMGaN technology based High Power Amplifiers have empowered the Ultra HDTV transmissions of the most viewed sporting event of the year. Due to the combination of Advantech Wireless Ku-Band UltraLinearTMGaN based HPAs with Advantech Wireless 13m A-Line Antenna in a major DTH Uplink system in LATAM, millions of viewers in Latin America and Brazil have been able to follow the transmissions of the biggest sport tournament in Brazil. “This powerful technology offers unprecedented ground power, linearity and cost savings,” stated David Gelerman CEO at Advantech Wireless. “For the first time we are able to experience worldwide tournaments and fast moving sporting events produced in4K Ultra HD. It is anincredible experience that brings the world together and makes us appreciate how close we are. We are very proud ofbeing part of this worldwide achievement and contributed to the successful transmission of the biggest sport event of the year.” Awarded Teleport Technology of the year 2014 by the World Teleport Association and “Vision Award” as Most Innovative Product of the Year 2013, the SapphireBluTM Series of UltraLinearTMGaN based HPA Systems from Advantech Wireless are designed to provide the ultimate in performance and convenience and offers the highest linear power available in the market. This pioneering technology is so powerful, that it’s possible with them to saturate all transponders of the modern satellite with a single 13m antenna and a single amplifier per polarization. These new systems are redundant ready with no external controller required, perfect for Single Carrier, Multi Carrier and Multi Transponder Uplinking.
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Grass Valley LDX Flex cameras and XCU Base Stations deliver ultimate camera flexibility to Wellen+Nöthen Wellen+Nöthen has purchased six LDX Flex cameras with accessories and six XCU eXchangeable Control Unit (XCU) base stations from Grass Valley, a Belden Brand. The deal builds upon the longstanding relationship between Wellen+Nöthen and Grass Valley, and it marks the first time Grass Valley LDX cameras will be available in the rental market in Germany. “Today we are one of the leading systems architects and service providers of broadcasting and media equipment for a wide range of international sporting events, including motorsports, the Winter/Summer Games, soccer tournaments, track and field as well as various leagues in European soccer and tennis,” said Peter Nöthen, managing director of Wellen+Nöthen. “Wherever there is a demand for professional live production technologies, we support the producers and broad-
casters with our know-how, services and technical equipment. Grass Valley has been a reliable partner for many years, and our investment in the latest generation of LDX and XCU systems for our rental pool further underscores the significance of this partnership.” Grass Valley’s LDX Flex studio camera system is the entry-level offering in its high quality line of software upgradable LDX cameras that also includes the LDX Premiére, LDX Elite and LDX WorldCam. The LDX Flex camera system is software upgradable through Grass Valley’s unique GV-eLicense program, which allows customers to flexibly tradeoff between CapEx and OpEx expenditures. By purchasing the GV-eLicense upgrade option, Wellen+Nöthen can easily elevate the camera's capabilities to the next level of functionality as its business needs require. The XCU base sta-
tions give Wellen+Nöthen full 3G transmission connectivity for both triax and fiber. The unique cradles of the XCU are pre-mounted and prewired in the rack, making a secure mechanical and electrical connection. They can easily slide in and out whenever needed and are transferrable between OB vans and studios. “There are more and more customers in Germany appreciating the outstanding image quality and the unique flexibility of the LDX series of cameras, with their 3G transmission solutions and flexible XCU base stations,” commented Said Bacho, senior vice president, EMEA, Grass Valley. “We’re so pleased to build upon our strong relationship with Wellen+Nöthen and finally deliver the LDX Flex camera solution on a rental basis to the German market.”
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Riedel to provide radio communications network and equipment for Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games “The ability to communicate effectively at Games venues and throughout Glasgow and other parts of Scotland is an essential element to delivering a successful Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games,” said Brian Nourse, chief information officer, Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. “We have benefited from Riedel’s extensive experience of being involved in many previous major sporting events to ensure a robust communications solution is delivered for our event,” Riedel Communications has designed a radio communications solution for use across Glasgow and at the 14 venues hosting 17 different sporting competitions. The company is providing all radio handsets and radio communication accessories — including more than 6,000 radios — used in the lead-up to and during the Games, along with a terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA) digital net-
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work and a Motorola MOTOTRBO digital radio repeater system. Both the TETRA and MOTOTRBO systems are dedicated, fully monitored, and serviced solutions. TETRA combines the advantages of analog trunked radio with those of digital mobile radio to provide optimal frequency usage, high transmission quality for speech and data, maximum security against eavesdropping, as well as flexible networking and connection management. Beyond that, the digital trunked radio system supports full duplex communication, GPS-positioning, and connection to the public telephone network. The system offers the option of operating different virtual channels, and it can leverage IP connectivity to support wide-area operation. With this communications infrastructure, Riedel will ensure outdoor
street-level coverage at all official venues, throughout the city of Glasgow, and along the official cycling road race and marathon routes, as well as indoor coverage at Glasgow 2014 competition venues. Riedel is also supplying the radio communications solution for the Scottish leg of the Queen’s Baton Relay, ensuring radio communications run smoothly as the baton makes its way through Scotland to Glasgow for the Games. “We are delighted to be the Official Radio Communications Partner of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games,” said Christian Bockskopf, head of marketing for Riedel Communications. “We’ve worked closely with the organizers to develop a radio communications solution that satisfies both the technical and operational requirements of all the key players during this world-class event.”
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2014
Orad provides Casablanca integrated content solution for Fox Brazil’s World Cup Broadcasts Orad and Casablanca have joined forces to provide Fox Brazil an integrated solution for their World Cup production. The solution is based on a holistic, integrated approach for all the generated content including video and graphics. Orad’s PlayMaker replay sports server is deployed to generate fast highlight editing packages, while TD Control live production system manages and controls the content displayed over the studio video walls and on-screen graphics. Orad MVP sport enhancement solution is deployed for analyzing key events during the World Cup. All of Fox Brazil’s extensive World Cup broadcasts are done in these facilities using Orad’s solutions.
After the World Cup, Fox will continue using the facilities to broadcast their other sports productions. “For us, Orad was an obvious choice. Our previous experience with Orad’s high level of service and technologically advanced broadcast systems gave us confidence to place such an important event like the World Cup in Orad’s hands,” says Mr. Luis Santos, Chief of Operations, Fox Brazil. Orad already provides Casablanca’s broadcast facilities and Fox Brazil with market-leading solutions for both their Rio and Sao Paulo facilities, including PlayMaker, Maestro enterprise graphic suite, and 3DPlay sports controller for their news and sports pro-
ductions, and more. “We chose again to partner with Orad for Fox’s World Cup production because Orad has already proven without a doubt that their systems and services are of the highest standards in the market. Orad’s solutions provide the flexibility required to work in a high paced World Cup production," says Mrs. Arlet Siaretta, CEO of Casablanca Brazil. “The extensive size of project and the tight timetable was not a problem for Orad, who has had a significant presence in Brazil for over 18 years. We enjoy working with partners like Casablanca and Fox Brazil, and are confident of their success in the World Cup,” says Luis Pinievsky, VP Sales, Orad.
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Primestream at IBC FORK 4.6 Production Suite v4.6 At IBC2014, Primestream® will show FORK™ Production Suite v4.6, the latest version of its software platform for managing the automation of complex broadcast workflows. With new modules, functionality, and integrations, FORK v4.6 is the most extendable, configurable, and powerful version of FORK ever released and includes major revisions to the underlying structures of the version that debuted at the 2014 NAB Show. These upgrades increase overall system responsiveness and provide for the handling of a vastly increased quantity of media assets. These many improvements position FORK for the support of H.264, H.265, and MXF formats as well as 64-bit and 4K workflows. FORK v4.6 also includes deep twoway integrations with nonlinear editors like Adobe® Premiere® Pro, Avid® Media Composer®, and Apple® Final Cut Pro X®. The integrations support edit-while-capture workflows with XDCAM®, ProRes®, and AVC-Intra® — empowering sports, news, entertainment, and corporate video operations to use industry-leading NLEs — while gaining the benefits of the FORK media asset management and automation platform for I/O, logging, tagging, proxy editing, workflow management, and archiving.
FORK Xchange Suite v3.0 Making its European premier at IBC2014, Primestream® will demonstrate FORK™ Xchange™ Suite v3.0, a major upgrade to the application that gives broadcasters instant Web access to content on their FORK Production servers from any Windows®, Mac®, or tablet device. Xchange v3.0 features a completely redesigned iPad® interface optimized for Apple® iOS 7. Also new in Xchange, users can now manage non-video files such as audio, image, document, and project files. Direct integration with mul-
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tiple transcode engines for proxy rending is also made available in Xchange v3.0. Other new features and capabilities include: - Xchange Uploader: Allows users to submit raw or finished packages directly into the FORK production environment via a Webbased interface. - Xchange Downloader: Allows users to download source content in order to edit final packages locally, with the ability to choose among multiple qualities to download. - Xchange Partial File Download: Users can download sections of media, allowing faster download workflows and eliminating the need to download entire media. - Quick, Cuts-Only Editing: Allows users to create a rough cut with footage in Xchange and send the timeline to the FORK Production environment for distribution. Making its European premier at IBC2014, Archive Bridge™ v1.0 is a new module for the FORK™ Production Suite that provides tight integration between industry-leading
archival solutions and the FORK media asset management and production automation platform. Archive Bridge enables disaster recovery workflows and interconnects multiple production environments with a central archive point — adding essential visibility into the archival workflow and allowing facilities to make the most of their archiving dollars. Making its European debut at IBC2014, FORK™ Logger, the metadata tagging module in the acclaimed FORK Production Suite, now integrates with in-depth data feeds from STATS, the global leader in sports information, technology, and content. With this service, FORK Logger users can start their sessions with prepopulated placeholders that contain rich event data, such as team name, location information, rosters, conference name, and win/loss records, pulled from the STATS feed. Working from these populated placeholders enables users to avoid manually entering data, which increases the accuracy of the descriptive information.
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NUGEN Audio, 10 Years On NEW: LMB DPP AS-11 Program Compatibility
hin an MXF container while preserving all other data within the file.
NUGEN Audio's LMB is an offline file-based loudness analysis and correction program for high throughput applications. A new update to LMB's MXF file-handling option introduces DPP AS-11 compatibility. NUGEN Audio is a participant in the DPP compliance program, an initiative founded by U.K. public service broadcasters to help speed the transition to fully digital production and distribution for television. As a member of the AS-11 DPP compliance and certification program, NUGEN Audio is helping to develop quality assurance criteria for the AS-11 DPP specification for digital file formats. Making its IBC debut, the MXF file-handling option introduces native MXF audio-handling that enables LMB to perform automated analysis and correction of audio wit-
NEW: Loudness-Compliant DynApt™ Dynamic Adaptation Technology Adapting dynamic content such as theatrical releases for TV or TV content for mobile streaming is a challenging task, particularly in relation to dialog. At IBC2014, NUGEN Audio will present DynApt™, a groundbreaking solution for intelligent repurposing of audio for TV and streaming at faster-than-real-time speeds. The DynApt algorithm has been designed to adapt the dynamic content of audio appropriately for different listening environments and playout systems, while respecting the level of dialog in the original mix and meeting specific loudness criteria. The first implementation of this new technology is now available as
a DynApt extension for NUGEN Audio's LMB offline loudness correction program.
Version 1.1 of MultiMonitor for Loudness and TruePeak Monitoring NUGEN Audio will showcase version 1.1 of MultiMonitor, the company's powerful loudness and truepeak monitoring software application. MultiMonitor offers up to 16 individual loudness and true-peak meters in mono, stereo, and 5.1 formats for up to 96 individual audio channels. With the new version, MultiMonitor now includes network meter reset options and a "tall" meter configuration. MultiMonitor is now available as standalone software or as part of a turnkey solution available through SSL in the LMS-16 hardware system.
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HuskerVision kicks off an enhanced fan experience with EVS HuskerVision is implementing a new live production workflow with EVS’ XT3 media production server and the C-Cast connected content platform. The workflow will enhance the content that fans view on screens throughout the University of Nebraska’s famed Memorial Stadium during games, as well as drive a new branded mobile app for download to stadium attendees’ PCs, tablets and smart phones. Systems integrator Alpha Video designed the system to meet HuskerVision’s desire for an unparalleled fan experience. “Between the capabilities of the XT3 and C-Cast, we can create and deliver content with context and give fans more ways to enjoy games,” said Jeff Volk, vice president, Alpha Video Sports. “With this workflow, fans will receive targeted informational content along with exclusive on-demand replays and game highlights on their own connected devices.” Connecting on-site TV production infrastructure to a flexible, central cloud-based platform, C-Cast enables content owners like HuskerVision to aggregate content, enrich it, or instantly deliver it to any platform. Based on EVS unique con-
tinuous recording loop technology, the XT3 seamlessly melds history, high-definition output, precise editing and the human touch into compelling storytelling. XT3 offers builtin proxies, live multi-angle review and an industry first: 12 live recording channel support. “The XT3 and C-Cast workflow is helping stadiums increase attendance across multiple spectator sports by increasing fan engagement before, during and after games,” said Fred Garroy, SVP, The Americas, EVS. “Positive metrics point to increased fan interactions as well as
increased revenue opportunities.” An enhanced IPDirector media asset management suite provides complete production control, including on-the-fly editing and metadata management. “HuskerVision was the nation’s first college football team to install instant replay boards two decades ago, so it’s only fitting that they’re the first to implement this advanced multimedia distribution capability,” added Volk. “They’re a trailblazer in college sports, and we’re thrilled to once again help them set the standard for what’s possible.”
AXON's adds RTS intercom control to Cerebrum control and monitoring AXON's monitoring and control software Cerebrum has been enhanced with RTS intercom control. Introduced at IBC2013 Cerebrum delivers a customizable control and monitoring interface for a wide range of devices from different manufacturers - including routers, production switchers, servers, receiver decoders, multiviewers and waveform monitors - using either SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) or third party protocols. Since the launch AXON received numerous requests for control of third party devices of which one was the RTS intercom systems. Because of the long-lasting partnership between AXON and RTS, AXON distributes the RTS product line in the Netherlands, the decision to enable this integration was easily taken. The integration of the RTS protocol allows in Cerebrum for an easier set up and a better graphical interface for controlling and monitoring the intercom systems. Amongst the first users of this integrated functionality is ITN News channel.
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SMPTE at IBC2014 Sessions SMPTE members will lead a variety of sessions during the IBC2014 exhibition. The Society will offer "Laser Projectors Part 1: Seeing is Believing" and "Laser Projectors Part 2: Is the Devil in the Details?" as part of the IBC Big Screen Experience. Produced and chaired by Peter Ludé, past president of SMPTE, the session will address the impact of laser projection technology on digital cinema and provide a look at breathtaking images shown on the Big Screen Experience's 6-Primary laser projection system from Christie. SMPTE will also co-produce "Go With UHD1, or Wait for UHD-2?" as part of the IBC Technical Stream. In this session, Dr. Hans Hoffmann, past SMPTE standards vice president, and Howard Lukk, a SMPTE stan-
dards director, will lead a discussion with major players in this space to explore strategies and standards for content creation and delivery to the home. Additional sessions featuring SMPTE members include "Trifocal Camera Systems" as part of the IBC Big Screen Experience; and "Moviemaking in the Matrix," presented by SMPTE Governor Richard Welsh, who will join fellow experts in examining virtualized movie production. SMPTE will also present "EDCF Global D-Cinema Update," in which an impressive array of SMPTE panelists — including SMPTE Governor Angelo D'Alessio — will bring attendees up to speed on the latest business and technology developments in digital cinema.
Announcements The SMPTE 2015 Forum in Berlin,
produced in collaboration with FKTG, has been officially confirmed, and the Society will announce details at IBC2014. The rapid convergence of connectivity, bandwidth, and media technology improvements, coupled with consumer interest, has led to a rapid increase in Web-based media distribution. This conference will explore the "old" and the "new" in the context of the technology required to deliver a compelling entertainment experience over the Web. Examining related opportunities and challenges from a European perspective, this unique two-day event at Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems (FOKUS) will provide fresh perspectives to help engineers, creatives, and researchers understand the technical trends that drive the future of media over the Internet.
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Globecast extends West African reach with Sonatel PoP partnership Globecast announce that it has extended its reach in West Africa via a new PoP partnership with Senegalese telco Sonatel. Sonatel is headquartered in Dakar with the company serving additional local markets including Mali, Guinée Bissau and Guinée. The PoP – which in this case is operating as an access (in/out) point to Globecast’s international network dedicated to the backhauling of audiovisual services – is located in Dakar. It’s physically connected via fibre to Globecast’s Parisian hub. The partnership is ideally positioned, from both business and technology perspectives, to attract local and international broadcasters or production centres that need to backhaul signals to or from Senegal for onwards cable, MMDS, satellite or OTT distribution. Lionel Antoine, Globecast’s African Sales Manager, says, “This is an important step in increasing our reach in West Africa, facilitating the easy and cost-effective distribution of content. It allows us to connect customers directly via fibre at their Senegalese premises without any investment in an earth station or in space segment, which until now has been used for backhaul from Senegal. These economic and technical benefits can then be passed on to our customers.” Globecast is providing its Platinum 1+1 service, providing a high level of resiliency by transmitting signals twice through two diverse routes, offering additional security and service availability.
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Miller Camera Support , LLC debuts Air Tripod System at Texas Association of Broadcasters Miller Camera Support, LLC, is set to take a smooth pan into the depths of the U.S. broadcast industry and debut its Air Tripod System, newly released to the U.S. market, at the 61st annual Texas Association of Broadcasters (TAB) 2014 (Booth 91). “Texas Association of Broadcasters is the ideal tradeshow to introduce the Air Tripod System to the U.S. market, as it is attended by an array of forward-thinking leaders in the broadcast industry who are interested in learning about costeffective technical solutions that can help their productions to operate smoother,” says Gus Harilaou, regional manager for the Americas, Miller Camera Support, LLC. “Our products are well-suited for ENG crews, both for their exceptional durability and versatility. The Air Tripod System, in particular, is essential for crews shooting stories on-the-go in challenging locations who require a lightweight, dependable tripod system that can be set up in a matter of seconds.” The “little brothers” of Miller’s range of Compass tripods, the company’s Air Tripod Systems are the ideal, lightweight travel companions for ENG crews who are shooting both videos and photos in rugged, outdoor conditions. The systems come in two versions—the Air Carbon Fibre System and the Air Alloy System. Both are compact, adaptable and durable. Each system consists of an Air Fluid Head, offering professionals authentic Miller fluid head pan and tilt technology, and a variant of the Solo 75 2Stage Tripod. The Air Fluid Head, composed of magnesium alloy housing and precision components, comes with two positions of selectable counterbalance and a dual pan handle option. Both systems have the ability to support payloads ranging from 5.5 pounds to 11 pounds.
Miller will be showcasing the Air Carbon Fibre System, which consists of the Air Fluid Head and the Solo 75 2-Stage Carbon Fibre Tripod, at the show. The system is purpose-built for professionals who desire to work with the most lightweight camera support technology. The Air Carbon Fibre System features all the same benefits of the Air Alloy System but at a much lighter weight—totaling at 9.9 pounds versus the Air Alloy System’s weight of 10.8 pounds, while still retaining its durability. The Air Carbon Fibre System offers both cinematographers and photographers rock solid stability and is ideal for handling
rough, outdoor shooting conditions. In addition to the Air Carbon Fibre System, Miller will also be showcasing its Compass 12 Solo 75 2Stage Carbon Fibre Tripod, Arrow 40 Solo ENG 3-Stage Carbon Fibre System, Compass 25 Sprinter II 2Stage Carbon Fibre System and Skyline 70 Heavy Duty Studio Alloy Tripod System. Sitting atop the tripods will be prompting solutions company CueScript’s new CSM17 17” LED High Brightness HD-SDI Prompter Monitor, which was built to exceed all necessary requirements for today’s broadcast productions.
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2014
KVM bridges distance of 16,000 km
Only recently, G&D’s latest development, the ControlCenter-Digital80, has made its first appearance at Broadcast Asia in Singapore. From here, the digital KVM matrix started its journey across the ocean to Sydney.
- Replaceable input and output cards (I/O cards)
With 80 dynamic ports, the KVM matrix serves as a digital switch point between computers and users. Whether 1 user accesses 79 computers, 40 users switch to 40 computers or any other constellation – the ControlCenter-Digital is ready to be expanded thousands of ports. Which type of module is connected (computer module or user module) is automatically detected by the matrix. Configuration is kept to a minimum. Thanks to the ControlCenter-Digital’s modularity, it is easy to replace components and flexibly expand the matrix. Its modular setup consists of:
- Three redundant power packs
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- Switch card including the central switching logic - Controller card with the central processor unit
impress when transmitting 4K or Ultra-HD videos in addition to keyboard, mouse RS232 and USB 2.0 signals. Therefore, resolutions up to 3840 x 2160 or 4096 x 2160 pixels are not reduced to 24 or 30 Hz, but provide high-quality images at the full frame rate of 60 Hz and a colour depth of 24 bits.
- Two fan boards.
Distances and dimensions according to Australian standards Distance plays an extremely important role in Australia especially since the continent is almost 22 times larger than Germany. Whenever great dimensions come into play, KVM from G&D is able to bridge distances of several kilometres via optical fibres. Especially the multi-channel variant of DL-Vision KVM extenders knows how to
Leading the way in digital KVM Integrate Sydney takes place on 26-28 August 2014 at the Showground of Sydney’s Olympic Park. The products of Guntermann & Drunck GmbH are exhibited by their partner KVM Australia at stand D82. Guntermann & Drunck GmbH is regarded as a pioneer in KVM technology. The German manufacturer was already developing and manufacturing KVM solutions before they even had the name.
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Worldwide Chinese TV program produced with Lawo equipment
Hongkong-based Phoenix TV, covering news, reports and entertainment programs for more than 100 million Chinese speaking people worldwide, has been supplied with Lawo consoles for the brand-new Beijing building. The large facilities in Beijing comprise also a 600 m² studio with a control room fitted with a Lawo mc²56 console. Further two sapphire mixing consoles are installed for the Phoenix TV news channel. The state-owned but pri-
vately run Chinese company, popular with the middle class and management, serves one channel with recorded shows and talk rounds whereas the information channel provides news and reports on culture and religious issues. A very successful streamed IP TV channel distributes further information. The installations are planned to be completed by the system integrator by end of July.
Ross Video adds strength and depth to team EMEA
help them realise their production goals.”
Ross Video announce that Chris Bennell has joined the company as Sales Manager for the United Kingdom and Ireland.
“This is yet another exciting appointment for us and we’re very pleased to welcome Chris to the Ross EMEA team,” commented David Dowling, Director of Sales for EMEA. “The UK has always been a dynamic market and I know Chris has the drive and tenacity to bring our product portfolio, which is the most complete in the industry, to an even wider audience. For us, it’s about helping our customers make their productions better and more streamlined through improved workflows, tight integration between products and tailored automation. No other company can match the range of live production solutions offered by Ross Video.”
“This is a great time to be joining Ross Video. The company has amazing momentum in EMEA and I’m delighted to be part of such a successful team,” said Bennell. “Team Ross has a depth of experience gained from 40 years of focusing on the needs of live production, and knowledge gained from the countless new shows we’ve helped top broadcasters around the world to launch successfully. I’m looking forward to sharing Ross Video’s unique approach with more customers in the UK and Ireland, partner with them and
Before joining Ross, Bennell held a sales management role at Canon and he previously worked in the broadcast industry with TNP Broadcast and Fujifilm.
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A GOOD ENGINEERING WORK Since several years ago the mobile link unit is specialized on event broadcasts with helicopters, like for example the “Vuelta Ciclista a España”. The main advantage of these types of transmissions is you can broadcast live TV programs when you have to cover a wide area of land. The use of an helicopter system is compulsory when you have to broadcast sports events, like a marathon, a triathlon or the follow-up work of a dignitary, for example the visit of the Pope or the recent coronation of Felipe VI. In these types of situations is when TVE does an excellent work, because it has a wonderful mobile link unit which nowadays has a totally digital helicopter system. This system can work with HD as the best option to do the production of the programs.
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In this system the helicopter has the function of repeating the signals sent by the camcorders, which can go on motorcycles, cars, quads, etc… The video and audio signals of the different elements are transmitted through a modulation system based on microwaves that are sent on a straight line. This way both the transmitter and the receiver have to be aligned and have a direct vision. The TVE system uses four video motorcycles, one helicopter with a gyro-stabilized Wescam type camcorder and one audio motorcycle where the announcer explains the different situations. Also, the system has a technical support vehicle equipped with reserve equipments to repair the motorcycles in case of breakdown. Above the motorcycles and the Wecam helicopter there are two relay helicopters and sometimes, there is also an aeroplane which can be used as signal relay.
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A COFDM MODULATION SYSTEM IS USED ; HOWEVER THIS SYSTEM HAS A VERY IMPORTANT SPECIAL FEATURE : IT ’ S A STANDARD J APONESE ISDB-T SYS TEM
AIR
TRANSPORTS
We have to clarify the air transports are not property of TVE, they are hired for the events and inside them all the different equipments for the system are installed. As a curiosity, TVE uses for these transmissions biturbine helicopters, because they have the necessary permits to
overfly big cities. Single turbine helicopters are faster and use less fuel, but they can’t enter in the air space of big urban areas and in these type of transmissions is essential to have good coverage. On the other hand, the airplane is not used every time, although in Europe there are companies which
specifically offer these services and basically use their airplanes for repeating signals. TVE has a system based on helicopters because they can be better equipped if they are used occasionally. If they use an airplane as main transportation, it must be equipped with more things than a helicopter due to its specific characteristics. The airplane used on these types of systems has to have special features, like being able to fly at low speed or making small turns. Moreover, the pilot has to have a lot of experience. All these characteristics make it impossible to always hire airplanes for occasional events, it implies more difficulty and a greater cost. TVE uses an airplane for broadcasting when helicopter can fly due to climate conditions, like for example, on stormy days o days with low visibility. In these occasions the airplane is less precise than the helicopter, but is perfectly valid. Inside the relay helicopters there are to qualified technicians who work with the equipment used for the reception and signal transmission. These technicians are in charge of configuring equipments according to the necessities of each moment. The helicopters have direct transmission antennas equipped with an auto-aim system which uses GPS signals for orientation. With this transmission system highgain antennas can be used in order to transmit signals to the follow-up vehicles of the helicopter. The system also has two follow-up vehicles, which are all terrain trucks that can access difficult places, go up hill, manoeuvre on forest paths, etc. These trucks are called Unimog.
STANDARD COEXISTENCE I have to highlight something important of the project of TVE and that is they haven’t limited themselves to just one system and have
T HESE ANTENNAS AREN ’ T OMNIDIREC TIONAL BECAUSE IF YOU WANT TO OBTAIN A HIGH GAIN ANTENNA YOU HAVE TO USE DIRECTIVITY
adapted themselves to it. They have investigated which are the technologies that could work on their operative, which ones are the most coherent and the strongest. Thanks to this investigation now they have a modulation system for the transmission between motorcycles and helicopters which is very strong. For that, a COFDM modulation system is used; however this system has a very important special feature: it’s a standard Japonese ISDB-T system.
TVE is the first broadcaster that uses that modulation for the communication that goes from the motorcycles to the helicopters. Manuel Delgado Cañizares, Radio Contact Responsible of TVE, explained to us: “This format is better when there is movement. We did a lot of tests and we compared a lot of types of modulation, but we decided to choose the Japanese standard, which is very similar to the European but with some differences that make it very interesting for these transmissions. The ISDB-T standard, unlike the DVB-T European standard, does a frequency and time interleaving of the carrier which is transmitted. Although, this introduces a delay because until all the information reaches the receptor the carriers can’t be deinterlaced, it has a great advantage over the DVB-T standard. The advantage is that in case there are errors on the transmission, these don’t affect just one area of the image, the errors on the ISDB-T system are random and therefore there are less and are spread over several areas of the image. The error correction systems which are added to the transmission standard don’t work on the same way, it’s better to correct a big number of small errors than correcting one big error. This way the error can’t be seen on screen. We did a study between DVB-T, ISDB-T and other systems and the result was clearly in favour of ISDB-T. We tried to do some test with the DVB-T2, but the manufacturers didn’t have anything similar which used this standard for the audio and video signal transmission recorded by camcorders in movement.” In one of the tests a car was equipped with two twin transmission systems and two receptors were placed on Prado del Rey: one with DVB-T and another with ISDB-T in the same spot in order to have the same reception conditions. In this test the car drove thought the inside
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of Prado del Rey knowing that they would lose the signal at certain places. The two signals were recorded and several test with different modulation diagrams were done. The results were the transmission system with ISDB-T always loose the signal afterwards and recover it earlier. Therefore, the TVE engineering staff decided to use the Japanese standard because it was better for transmitting from the motorcycles to the relay helicopters. Another key aspect defined in the project was the link between the relay helicopters and the Unimog follow-up trucks. In this case, they decided to use the standard DVBS2. Manuel Delgado said: “We chose the DVB-S2 standard because our experience with that transmission system is very positive. We have a lot of point to point microwave links with the DVB-S2 which work really well, although this implies using transmission and reception antennas with auto-aming . Despite the fact the DVB-S2 is a heavy standard for satellite transmissions; we use it on terrestrial transmissions with success. We decided to use it and we did right because it’s one of the wise choices we made for the helicopter system. “ On the previous helicopter system, TVE already used auto-aiming links. This means the transmission antennas of the helicopter and the reception antenna of the follow-up vehicle are in line and are pointing to each other. This guarantees a strong link and the use of al lot of gain. In this helicopter system, TVE uses 16 dB antennas for the transmission and 25dB for the reception to guarantee a good link. If this link was made with ominidirectional antennas, they wouldn’t be able to use antennas with such a gain. From the old TVE system they have used everything that was possible: “it hasn’t been an expensive project and technically is giving very good results, which is translated into a very good HD quality image.
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D ESPITE
THE FACT THE DVB-S2 IS A HEAVY STANDARD FOR SATELLITE TRANS MISSIONS ; WE USE IT ON TERRESTRIAL TRANSMISSIONS WITH SUCCESS . W E DECIDED TO USE IT AND WE DID RIGHT BECAUSE IT ’ S ONE OF THE WISE CHOICES WE MADE FOR THE HELICOPTER SYSTEM .
Nowadays our system is the best” added Manuel Delgado.
GPS
DATA
Another key point of the system is the GPS data included in it. It’s necessary to have different OB trucks perfectly geolocated every time. The video motorcycles have a GPS which sends a multiplex signal with data, the video and the audio to the relay helicopters. In the past, they used a specific radio channel for the data transmission and now everything is included in the video stream. On the helicopter the data are decoded and inserted in the navigation software with cartograp-
hic maps to be able to see them. Now, the new engineering comes into play again. They have used a Spanish company for the use of these data which is not related with the TV sector. The GPS has been installed thanks to a modification made on the devices used for the geolocation of animals. For Manuel Delgado, “It was almost a craftsman work specifically designed for what we needed and it was cheap. Vehicle geolocation systems are many, but all of them work with mobile telephones with GPRS or GSM. These systems can be installed on motorcycles, although there are areas where there is no mobile telephone coverage. Moreover, where there is almost sure no telephone coverage is on the helicopters when they have to fly over more than 5.000 feet. Therefore, we were looking for a radio system. Then we found another difficulty, there are many GPS that work with radio, but they have to be transmitted to a cartography software or navigation software to be able to see the data in a map and in real time. There aren’t many of that type and the systems we found could include one GPS piece of information or something similar, but we wanted to be able to see the different vehicles and at that moment we found this company which made necklaces for hunting dogs. Is a very cheap system which uses a protocol with many streams
and professional cartography.” This is a key factor because the helicopters have to know at every time where they are in relation to the video motorcycles, as they have almost to be placed on the vertical line of the motorcycles trying to stay in that same place. The relay helicopters have four reception antennas and a modulation system based on the diversity of four. The antennas are placed with a controller shape and are place in an actuator, that is the name of the supports installed on helicopters and airplanes which are able to be opened on the takeoff and leave the relay antennas below the helicopter landing skids to be free of obstacles which could reduce the signal reception. These antennas aren’t omnidirectional because if you want to obtain a highgain antenna you have to use directivity. There is a second GPS system between the relay helicopters and the follow-up trucks to communicate
the coordinates of the helicopter to the relay antennas, in order to be able to aim at the helicopter. Although the helicopters are constantly moving the signal reception point is fixed as the two follow-up trucks are always in the same place. “The problem of this system is that if they lose the data, the antennas don’t know where to aim and they remain still at the last known posi-
N ORMALLY WE 25 MH Z , BUT
USE WE
COULD REACH 50 MH Z WITHOUT PROBLEM AND THIS MEANS 90 M BITS OF TRANSMISSION .
tion. This is true, but in this system when there is a low signal, the system decodes the data and is capable of adjusting the relay antenna very accurately. If the signal is lost, for any reason, the antenna waits in the last position and when it receives again the helicopter signal, it’s capable of finding the new position. It’s not normal to not receive anything from the carrier, but in case this happens the system has an option to move the antennas manually”, added Manuel Delgado.
FOLLOW-UP (UNIMOG)
VEHICLES
They use two vehicles for several reasons. If the competition is long or it implies a lot of time, two follow-up vehicles are used in different places to guarantee the maximum coverage possible. This way, the helicopters know to which area they have to transmit their Unimog signal. The old
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system had a maximum coverage of 50 km, with this system they can reach 140 km in a straight line. With this system they can do an entire phase, like the Tour de France, of course, they have to carefully plan the helicopter refuelling. Each relay helicopter can repeat up to four signals and each of them have two carriers which can be configured in many ways. Two signals can be sent per each carrier or four per each to obtain a total redundancy. This provides the system with a lot of flexibility and it’s very important, because these events could last longer than what was anticipated. In a cycling race, for example, is normally to have a breakaway group and the bunch several kilometres behind. In this case, one motorcycles and one helicopter remain with one group and the rest go with the other group. The helicopter with the Wescam usually has some freedom and can move according to the producer directives. To be able to choose at any time the
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type of modulation and the number of signals repeated on each helicopter, makes possible the adaptation of the system to each moment.
IMAGE
QUALITY
Another important point of this system is the image quality it has. They have tried to minimise the coding and decoding process of the video signal and that is way all the system works with ASI signals. The video signal is coded in MPEG-4 in the motorcycle and it’s not decoded until it reaches the mobile unit on the finish line and then used in the production. Except at this moment, the rest of the system works with Trasport Stream. To be clear, the signal flux was checked in several tests on which they measured with an equipment the quality of the compressed signals. They did several tests comparing the signals bit by bit and pixel by pixel. This generated a measurement similar to PSNR, which offers impartial information. Moreover, some test were done to
evaluate the subjective quality. With all this information they created several curves to see the signal loss after the different process of coding and decoding. From the third decoding, the quality loss was significant. The results indicated that it was best to code just one time and this is the reason why the image is coded on the motorcycle and a second time to be sent to Torrepaña. This also explains the use of ASI. It’s has also been important the election of the bitrate with which the signals are coded in the video motorcycles. “We did several tests with 9, 10, 11, 12 megabit, etc. The reason why, is because in not the same one case than another. We observed the advantages and the values we obtained at the end. If all motorcycles coded at 30 Mbits the data flux at the end was of 120 MBits, which is very big. We have to reach a medium point and that is why we did different tests with several diagrams, until we found what we liked. We measured the PSNR, bet-
ween 30 and 40 dB and the signal was good, but was better near 40 db, so we decided to use the 35 dB. This value can be achieved in different ways, the modulation can be modified, like the FEC, etc, depending on what you want. The one we used the 16QAM with a FEC of ¾, a TS of 14 Mbits, which included audio, data and video that took up 12 Mbits. This diagram of modulation and coding provided a quality of more than 36 dB. It’s also important to take into account the delay when watching La Vuelta Cicilista and to have a short one. This implies you can have a slower encoder but with better coding capacity. Nowadays, our system works with two helicopter carriers and in each of them there are two video signals with a bitrate of 30 MPS. This is a strong modulation diagram”, said Manuel Delgado. The modulation diagram can be changed during the event to prevent any problem, like the loss of a helicopter due to a breakdown or fuel problems. Operators carry some tables with all the data they need for the different scenarios. They have an ASI matrix, some multiplexors and the necessarily equipment to configure the Transport Stream according to the criteria of the system responsible. The DVB-S2 standard enables the width variation of the carriers without problems, which means a transmission of 90 Mbits. All of this is planned earlier, of course. Once La Vuelta España ended they made some comparative tests between the TVE signal and the signal of the Tour de France. It was a subjective test and on it a great number of people saw images in two TVs of the same brand, same model and perfectly calibrated. These people saw different typical images were they weren’t able to distinguish the origin. “The surprise is that in the comparative we obtained the best results in all the images, and by far. There was only one on which the
AS
IT WORKS WITH TWO CARRIERS PER HELICOPTER , THERE ARE TWO DEMODULA TORS PER ANTENNA . T HE SIGNAL RECEIVED IN THE UNIMOG IS NOT DECODED , THEY ARE JUST TRANSFERRED IN ORDER TO USE THE TS SIGNAL DIRECTLY
images of the Tour were better and they were the images of the Wescam. Therefore, this year we will have more bitrate on the camera. But the truth is we are very satisfied with the result”, added Manuel Delgado.
RECEPTION
AND
COMMUNICATIONS We have already said the signals are received in two trucks known as UNIMOG, these vehicles are normally parked in one of the most elevated points to avoid the obstacles which could cut the RF links. Each truck has two reception antennas with an individual auto-aiming system, this way each antenna can follow one of the helicopters or the airplane, depending on what is necessary.
Once the helicopter has taken off and it’s on the air sending GPS date, the system follows it, tunes in the same frequency and receives the signal. As it works with two carriers per helicopter, there are two demodulators per antenna. The signal received in the UNIMOG is not decoded, they are just transferred in order to use the TS signal directly. Using the ASI matrix, the signals are sent to the OB trucks when they are needed. There they choose the best reception path to receive the signals. In the opposite sense they design a communication link from the production of the Unimog and with the VHF radio signals they send the data to the helicopters and this to the video motorcycles. With this communication return, the producer can talk with everyone, the cameras, the drivers of the motorcycles....
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Moto GP Video Pass On the last Moto GP season, Dorna Sports developed a new appli� cation created to improve the viewer’s experience. This application allows fans to watch the activities of different pilots, the timing of each session and several additional contents. All according to the preferences of the user, this enables him to enjoy a customizable experience wherever he has an IOS or Android device and an Internet connection. This is a clear example of the new television consumption. We have talked about all this with its creators.
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INTERVIEW WITH MANEL ARROYO, MANAGING DIRECTOR How was the Video Pass experience? It was a very positive experience which enables us to satisfy the demand of fans around the world who want to have access to all the
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WE
WANT TO COVER MARKET NICHES WHICH ARE DIFFICULT FOR THE TV S OF SOME COUNTRIES ( LIVE BROADCAST OF ALL THE SESSIONS AND PRESS CONFE RENCES , HISTORICAL FILES , ACCESS FROM ANY PART OF THE WORLD , CON TENT ON DEMAND , ETC ….)
action of the Grand Prix during the weekend and also to the entire historical file. Video Pass was created as a complement of the TV. We want to cover market niches which are difficult for the TVs of some countries (live broadcast of all the sessions and press conferences, historical files, access from any part of the world, content on demand, etc‌.) What have you learned from the consumption trends?
We are detecting content is seen from more devices every day. Consumption varies a lot depending on the device used, for example from a mobile device users consume shorter clips compared to computers. The platforms from where the content is accessed is also a key factor, for example in Twitter the near-live videos have more success, while in Facebook the content behind the scenes is more popular. In the web the trend changes becau-
se the visualization times are longer than in social networks, they watch longer and more elaborated videos. In any content strategy is important to distinguish the platforms and devices and these two factors are related. What is its contribution to the traditional emission? Video Pass is a complement of the TV. With Video Pass, motorcycle fans have the possibility of acces-
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sing all the free and official trainings, press conferences and watch the races from different points of view… All this content and functionalities are available through the TVs of the entire world. Video Pass is a service for the hardcore fans who want to see everything. On which places of the world is working better? Is working better on those places that don’t have a good TV coverage due to the hour difference. Regarding technical infrastructures, what has been taken into account? Have you used the existing ones or are there new implementations? We have an advantage and that is
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Dorna, the TV production responsible, therefore we already have the live signal. Technology changes quickly and we have to evolve as quickly as it does, that is why we are constantly doing new implementations. Lately, we are focused on improving the user experience in order to try to offer the content in a pleasant framework, easy to handle
I N 2015
and adapted to each device. In 2015 we are going to implement many improvements on the online channels. We have been working on these improvements all the year. We will be able to choose any camera from any device? Maybe in the future… limitations are more related to costs than to
WE ARE GOING TO IMPLEMENT MANY IMPROVEMENTS ON THE ONLINE CHANNELS . W E HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THESE IMPROVEMENTS ALL THE YEAR .
cal, journalist and production criteria in a meeting before the Grand Prix. All these images, together with the audio and data are sent from a transmitter installed on the motorcycle. The reception is done on different points strategically placed on each circuit to offer a total coverage. Where is this all going? It’s possible to see a future where all MotoGP is seen thought the Internet? We think technologies are going to coexist and continue to be used. The user will be in charge of accessing the content from the different devices and technologies depending on its location or they way he likes to see the content.
T HE
technical issues. Nowadays, this is possible with up to 6 different signals in some devices. For example, Italy trough SKY and in Spain you can choose from some cameras thought the TV and tablet applications with Movistar. With Video Pass, by using the computers and tablets you can choose between 6 signals: 4 onboard cameras, helicopter and the international sign. Apart from choosing the different cameras, we offer the users the possibility of watching 4 signals trough different split-screens. How can you handle all the data flux? Are the workflows very complex?
Signals go out the circuit thought the fibre, they reach Barcelona in broadcast format where they are coded in IP and are sent to the CDNs which are responsible for sending them to the different users. Do all motorcycles have the same equipment? How is the information transmitted? There are three positions of fix cameras and an optional forth camera to install it on the motorcycles, but not all motorcycles carry equipment and not all of them have the same number of onboard cameras. The type of motorcycles, the number of cameras and their positions is decided according to techni-
USER WILL BE IN CHARGE OF ACCESSING THE CONTENT FROM THE DIFFERENT DEVICES AND TECHNOLOGIES DEPENDING ON ITS LOCATION OR THEY WAY HE LIKES TO SEE THE CONTENT . What is the role of the social networks? Social networks enable us to have real conversation with our users. We use them to communicate information, but also to listen. They help us improve the offer and know the user in order to offer them products which satisfy them. They let us now the novelties.
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OVERVIEW Showcasing the state of the art in technologies for providing enter‐ tainment over digital infrastructures, the second Entertainment in the Internet Age (ETIA) conference was jointly sponsored by SMPTE and Stanford's Center for Image Systems Engineering (SCIEN). On June 17 and 18, attendees gathered in the Nvidia Auditorium in the Huang Engineering Building on the Stanford campus to hear presentations from more than 50 industry experts. These visionaries shared their insights on best practices and future challenges for serving the enter‐ tainment needs of consumers worldwide over IP‐based infrastructure.
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KEYNOTE SESSION. WEB BUSINESS MODELS FOR ENTERTAINMENT.
In her keynote address, Vubiquity's Darcy Antonellis provided impressive statistics about the state of nontraditional TV viewing. Only 21 percent of pay TV customers are making use of on-the-go viewing, but that number is increasing quickly. She stressed both the
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T HE
CHALLENGE IS FIGURING OUT HOW TO USE BIG DATA TO DETERMINE WHEN TO HIT USERS WITH OFFERS FOR SOMET HING THEY WANT TO BUY AT THAT TIME
amount of behind-the-scenes work required to make the system work, and the need for improvement in the way options are presented to the viewer. Antonellis pointed out that users want a combination of a linear viewing experience with a personalized navigational capability and a
social component for sharing, commenting, and rating. From a business perspective, Antonellis noted that the challenge is figuring out how to use big data to determine when to hit users with offers for something they want to buy at that time.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE. VP9 AND CLOUD-BASED CONTENT DELIVERY . With participation by Jan Skoglund and Renganathan Ramamoorthy from Google, this panel focused on the motivation for the new VP9 codec that is now being deployed to enable 4K video streaming. VP9 has also greatly reduced buffering for YouTube vie-
wers — by 25 percent in developed markets and 50 percent in developing markets — while allowing HD videos to start 15 percent faster. YouTube's own Anil Kokaram followed up with some of the underlying technical data about the site's streaming backend. He said that parallel processing is critical to timely content delivery, but that doing it effectively requires content-aware splitting of videos to avoid creating artifacts. He also said that YouTube typically does a relatively quick first pass on content to make it available as soon as possible, but then the company does a more time-intensive second "high-quality" pass for content that
proves to be popular. Kokaram's YouTube colleague Doug Stallard explained that the two-pass system enables the company to handle the 100 hours of user-generated content uploaded to YouTube every minute. Finally, Microsoft's Martin Wahl took the audience through the advantages of a cloud-based media platform such as Microsoft's own Azure Media Services. Microsoft's Origin Server can provide real-time delivery of content in whatever format is needed for a particular viewing device, customized with business logic supplied by the content provider.
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DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION IN MOVIEMAKING, SPORTS, AND GAMES. New York University's Chris Bregler moderated a panel featuring Marv White of ESPN, Kim Libreri of Lucasfilm, and Erik Johnson of game-maker Valve. White marveled that the equipment ESPN needed to implement the famous "first and 10" first down overlay for football originally filled an entire truck but can now fit on a tabletop. Going forward, ESPN is working on new ways to mix broadcast and computer content; one example is to integrate video games with broadcast content.
logy into real-time games, such as in the company's 1313 project. Interestingly, Lucasfilm has found that the same technology can be used as a creative tool for moviemakers, allowing directors to preview the end results of action on their motion-capture stages with full lighting, computer-generated costumes, and backgrounds.
Johnson from Valve represented the hard-core gaming community, which has more than 75 million active gamers as users. Valve's core online gaming offering has been rounded out with a growing live tournament presence — now filling entire arenas — and even a documentary movie about the experience of creating the tournaments.
Y OU T UBE
TYPICALLY DOES A RELATIVELY QUICK FIRST PASS ON CONTENT TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE AS SOON AS POSSI BLE , BUT THEN THE COMPANY DOES A MORE TIME - INTENSIVE SECOND " HIGH QUALITY " PASS FOR CONTENT THAT PROVES TO BE POPULAR .
Libreri revealed that Lucasfilm is exploring integrating movie techno-
EXPLORATION ZONE. TOWARD THE ENTERTAINMENT HOLODECK.
Unique to this year's ETIA conference was a demonstration of cutting-edge products and prototypes for virtual reality (VR), which was designed to showcase the variety of technologies needed to create the ultimate immersive entertainment experience. The event was dubbed "The Entertainment Holodeck" after the famous "Star Trek" virtual reality environment. Organizer David Singhal of LightField Interactive was able to attract a range of companies large and small, including many that were exhibiting their cutting-edge technologies publicly for the first time. TMBi - 48
following the Exploration Zone demos. The session began with Electronic Arts co-founder and KPCB partner Bing Gordon in a oneon-one conversation with Dave Singhal, in which they discussed the power of immersive technologies to complement and enhance entertainment experiences. That discussion was followed by a panel in which Gordon and Singhal were joined by Kati London of Microsoft Research, Paul Debevec of the University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies, and David Cohen of Variety magazine, as well as moderator Jon Peddie of Peddie Research. The panel further examined the role of technology and the importance of content development
T HE
During the two-hour interactive session, attendees enjoyed handson demos of several recently introduced and much-talked-about products including Google Glass; a cinematic VR system from Jaunt VR; the Leap Motion Controller from Leap Motion; an untethered VR device from GameFace Labs; 3D technology from Sixense; a concave HIVE (Highly Immersive Visualization Environment) video wall measuring 10 feet by 24 feet; and Epson's new augmented reality platform. Contributions from colleges and universities included a smartphone-based 3D modeling solution created by Stanford Project Tango and a wireless VR solution from the VR Club at Homestead High School in Cupertino, California. (A complete list is online at www.etia2014.org. Click on the "Exploration Zone" link in the righthand column.) VR headsets were standard equipment among the exhibits, which included several immersive experiences built around Oculus Rift
models augmented with audio. One of the most elaborate of these was "Surround House 2: Monsters in the Orchestra" from AMD. Shown for the first time in a personalized form, the system combines an Oculus Rift headset with high-quality headphones and a Leap Motion Controller to allow the user not just to fly around a 3D world, but also to control a variety of animated monsters and their simulated musical instruments. The immersive visual experience is coupled with a very effective 3D sound capability so that as the player and the monsters move, the sound from their instruments appears to move as well.
EVENING EVENT: ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE N EXT GENERATION The most talked-about event at ETIA was a special evening session
IMMERSIVE VISUAL EXPERIENCE IS COUPLED WITH A VERY EFFECTIVE 3D SOUND CAPA BILITY SO THAT AS THE PLAYER AND THE MONSTERS MOVE , THE SOUND FROM THEIR INS TRUMENTS APPE ARS TO MOVE AS WELL . platforms in bringing once-fanciful concepts for immersive experiences closer and closer to reality. The panel discussion also offered news on the most recent developments in the field.
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