SVG Sports Tech Journal — Spring 2018 Edition by Sports Video Group

SPRING 2018

VOLUME 12 ISSUE 1 PUBLISHED BY

SPORTS BROADCASTING HALL OF FAME

Class of 2017

ADVANCING THE CREATION, PRODUCTION, & DISTRIBUTION OF SPORTS CONTENT

LIVE FROM THE

PYEONGCHANG OLYMPICS

INSIDE SVG UPDATE: Recaps of the Latest SVG Events, Initiatives, Sponsor News, and More SPECIAL REPORT: Super Bowl LII and College Football Playoff National Championship PLUS IN-DEPTH: NAB 2018 Previews From More Than 170 SVG Sponsors

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SPRING 2018 Volume 12, Issue 1

upfront 4 FROM THE CHAIRMAN Today’s Challenge: To Bring Diverse Ideas to Our Industry 6 COVERING THE FIELD Busy Start to 2018 Is Only the Beginning

SVGupdate 8 SVG SUMMIT 10 SVG@ND 12 TRANSPORT 14 INITIATIVES AND GROUPS 17 SPORTS BROADCASTING HALL OF FAME

page 8

coverstory starts on page 48

page 38

LIVE FROM THE

PYEONGCHANG OLYMPICS

50 NBC OLYMPICS OVERVIEW 58 NBC OLYMPICS STAMFORD 66 NBC OLYMPICS DIGITAL 70 OLYMPIC BROADCASTING SERVICES (OBS) 82 INTERNATIONAL: EUROSPORT, BBC, ARD/ZDF

special reports 38 SUPER BOWL LII 44 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 90 NAB 2018 PREVIEW What to expect from more than 170 SVG Sponsors

page 44

134 SVG SPONSOR UPDATE The latest technology, productions, and news 146 SVG SPONSOR INDEX 152 CLOSING COMMENT What’s on Your NAB 2018 Shopping List?

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

page 90

TO WIN, YOU’VE GOT TO PLAY AS A TEAM.

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FROM THE CHAIRMAN

TODAY’S CHALLENGE: TO BRING DIVERSE IDEAS TO OUR INDUSTRY By Tom Sahara Chairman, Sports Video Group In January, I attended the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show, where the world gathers to check out the latest in consumerelectronics devices that potentially change our technology roadmaps and relationships with our viewers. Although I came home without a sense of awe for a new technology and with a sense that everything was routine, when it came to what was under the hood of those next-generation products, I saw that advanced technologies pervade nearly all of them. And one thing became clear: how those advanced technologies are not present within the ecosystem that delivers content to TV sets. For example, nearly every product at CES touches “the cloud.” For storing data to process images and enable facial recognition, for example, the use of internet-based technology and cloud-based services enables products to come to market more quickly and at a lower cost to the consumer. And when those cloud services are coupled with machine learning and artificial intelligence, the products become more user-friendly: they can be customized without the drudgery of users’ inputting their individual preferences. As an industry, we need to learn how to use these technologies so we can develop our own products for the consumer. We also must consider that viewers are growing accustomed to these new products and the convenience of apps knowing who they are, what they like, and where they left off watching their favorite show. Figuring out how to advance technology and products is only part of the challenge ahead. We also need to advance a new generation of industry professionals who will come forward with fresh eyes and approaches to solving problems and preparing for the future. That is one of the reasons SVG recently implemented a new leadership structure designed to more accurately represent our industry’s various market segments. First, we have established an Executive Committee. You can see the names of its members on this page. Their role is to help advise SVG leadership on which new initiatives to launch, how to ensure that our events and educational efforts stay focused on the most important aspects of new technology, and more. In addition to the Executive Committee, SVG has established an Advisory Board Leadership Council to further the reach and depth of the various initiatives it supports. The Leadership Council is composed of the heads of the various SVG initiatives and events, ensuring that each initiative delivers maximum value to SVG members and sponsors. Every one of the products at CES started with an idea, and this is what the Executive Committee and Leadership Council provide: an avenue for ideas to be heard and to grow. A tremendous amount of attention is being paid to having a diverse workforce, but we must also pay close attention to having diverse ideas. In a way, our industry must follow the path laid out by the product introductions at CES: offer a diversity of ideas and initiatives that move the industry forward without upending it. < 4

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP >CHAIRMAN

Tom Sahara,Turner Sports, VP, Operations and Technology

>EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Ken Aagaard, CBS Sports, EVP, Innovation and New Technology Andrea Berry, The G.A.P. Media Group, CEO Eric Black, NBC Sports Group, SVP and CTO Digital Jason Cohen, CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network, VP, Remote Technical Operations Mike Connelly, Fox Sports Regional Networks, SVP and Executive Producer Michael Davies, Fox Sports, SVP, Technical and Field Operations Scott Gillies, VICE Media, SVP, Global Technology and Infrastructure Steve Hellmuth, NBA, EVP, Operations and Technology Jeff Jacobs, Industry Consultant Patty Power, CBS Sports, EVP, Operations and Engineering Susan Stone, MLB Network, SVP, Operations and Engineering

>ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Adam Acone, NFL Network, Director, Media Operations and Planning Glenn Adamo, Ivanhoe Media and Entertainment, President Peter Angell, Lagardère, SVP Onnie Bose, NFL, VP of Broadcasting Chris Brown, Turner Sports, Senior Director of Technical Operations Chris Calcinari, ESPN, VP, Event Operations Joe Cohen, The Switch, President, Sports Michael Cohen, Industry Consultant Don Colantonio, Industry Consultant Scott Davis, CBS Sports, VP of Broadcast Operations Jim DeFilippis, Industry Consultant Ed Delaney, Industry Consultant Jed Drake, Industry Consultant David Dukes, PGA Tour Entertainment, Senior Director, Technical Operations Jerry Gepner, L5 Media Services, Media and Technology Executive Steve Gorsuch, Industry Consultant Mark Haden, MLB Network, VP, Engineering and IT Ed Holmes, The Holmes Group, Principal Deb Honkus, NEP Broadcasting, Chairman of the Board George Hoover, Industry Consultant Robert D. Jordan CFE, Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment, SVP John Kvatek, University of Central Florida Knights, Associate Athletics Director - Multimedia and Creative John Leland, PSL International, LLC, Principal Louis Libin, Broad Comm, President Jodi Markley, ESPN, EVP, Content Operations and Creative Services Michael Meehan, NBC Sports, SVP, Operations Grant Nodine, NHL, SVP, Technology Ken Norris, UCLA, Director of Video Operations Gary Olson, GHO Group, Managing Director Del Parks, Sinclair Broadcast Group, SVP and CTO Paul Puccio, Industry Consultant Scott Rinehart, University of Notre Dame, Director, Broadcast Technology Larry Rogers, FirstInTV, President Mike Rokosa, NHRA, Technology Executive Bob Ross, CBS, SVP, East Coast Operations Scott Rothenberg, NEP, SVP, Technology and Asset Management Oscar Sanchez, CONCACAF, Director of Broadcast Operations Bruce Shapiro, Industry Consultant Tracey Shaw, WWE, SVP, WWE Network PMO Jack Simmons, Industry Consultant Don Sperling, New York Giants Entertainment, VP and Executive Producer Jerry Steinberg, Industry Consultant Patrick Sullivan, Game Creek Video, President Larry Tiscornia, Major League Soccer, VP, Broadcasting Jacob Ullman, Fox Sports, SVP, Production and Talent Development John Ward, AT&T Entertainment Group, SVP, Content Operations Ernie Watts, Turner, Manager, Transmission Operations Center Mike Webb, YES Network, VP, Broadcast Operations Jeff Willis, Industry Consultant Dave Zur, KSE Media Ventures, SVP, Operations and Engineering

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COVERING THE FIELD

BUSY START TO 2018 IS ONLY THE BEGINNING

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By Karen Hogan Ketchum, Editor, SVG SportsTech Journal No sooner did we ring in the New Year than the SVG editorial team hit the road, covering three of this year’s largest sporting events in less than two months: the College Football Playoff National Championship, on January 8; Super Bowl LII, on February 4; and the 2018 Winter Olympics, from February 9 through February 25. Of course, we’re not the only ones racking up the frequent flier miles. ESPN pulled off a massive production of the CFP National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. NBC Sports successfully completed one of the busiest sports-production months in memory, which began with a little event out at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis and led into more than two weeks in PyeongChang, South Korea. And CBS Sports, Fox Sports, Turner Sports, and others will surely have their hands full with the many marquee events planned for later this year. The tireless efforts of the countless men and women – and the technology they rely on to capture sports’ greatest events and deliver them to viewers around the world – are the focus of the Spring 2018 edition of the SportsTech Journal. Beginning on page 38, the SportsTech Journal looks back at NBC Sports’ production of Super Bowl LII – the biggest live game production in U.S. history. On page 44, we recap ESPN’s efforts at the CFP National Championship, including an inside look at its impressive MegaCast. Both productions set the bar high for what football fans can expect in the future (the added effect of two great games didn’t hurt). However, the seminal sporting event of 2018 (at least, until this summer) was undoubtedly the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. Starting on page 48, we devote 23 pages to this international event, capturing the incredible production efforts from every angle. Read on for in-depth reporting from NBC Olympics’ on-site contingent in South Korea (page 50) and at-home army in Stamford (page 58), as well as a look at how connected devices and social media are changing the way the Games are produced and consumed (page 66). Not to be overlooked, Olympic Broadcasting Services’ 4,000 staffers on the ground delivered more than 5,000 hours of content (page 70) and Eurosport – in its first Olympic Games as a rightsholder – provided coverage to 48 countries in 21 languages (page 82). The stories on these pages represent just a fraction of SVG’s on-site reporting from PyeongChang. For additional coverage of all things Winter Olympics, including special editions of The SVG Podcast, photo galleries, video reports, and much more, be sure to check out SVG’s SportsTechLIVE: PyeongChang 2018 Blog at www.sportsvideo.org/pyeongchang-2018. Before flipping the calendar to 2018, however, Team SVG finished 2017 strong with the 12th annual SVG Summit (page 8) – our most successful Summit to date – as well as our SVG@ND event (page 10) and our annual TranSPORT event (page 12). In December, the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Ceremony inducted the Class of 2017: Chris Berman, Stan Honey, Brent Musburger, Bill Raftery, Linda Rheinstein, Allan “Bud” Selig, Jack Simmons, Lesley Visser, John A. Walsh, and Michael Weisman. The contributions of these 10 industry legends will not soon be forgotten. If you were unable to attend, you can watch the 11th annual Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Ceremony in its entirety at www.sportsbroadcastinghalloffame.org. Lastly, as we look ahead at the weeks and months ahead, the SportsTech Journal offers up an in-depth preview of the 2018 NAB Show (page 90). Throughout the show, be sure to bookmark SVG’s SportsTech@NABShow Blog and download the SVG mobile app for the latest news, product introductions, and more from Las Vegas. And since there’s no slowing down for the broadcasters, teams, and technology vendors we cover, there’s no slowing down for Team SVG. See you at the next event! <

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

PREMIER

ADOBE SYSTEMS • AJA VIDEO SYSTEMS • AJT SYSTEMS • AKAMAI TECHNOLOGIES • ALDEA SOLUTIONS • ASPERA, AN IBM COMPANY • AVID • BROAMAN • CAMPLEX FIBER SOLUTIONS • CHYRONHEGO • CISCO • CLEAR-COM, AN HME COMPANY • CLOUDIAN • COBALT DIGITAL • COMREX CORPORATION • EUTELSAT • EVERTZ • EVS • FX DESIGN GROUP • IBM SYSTEMS • IHSE USA • IKEGAMI • IMAGINE COMMUNICATIONS • JOSEPH ELECTRONICS • MARKERTEK • MASSTECH INNOVATIONS • MICROSOFT • NEOTI • NEP GROUP • NEWTEK • NTT ELECTRONICS • PANASONIC • SES • SOS GLOBAL • TELOS ALLIANCE • TERADEK • THE STUDIO - B&H • THE SWITCH • VITEC • VIZRT • WAVE CENTRAL/CP COMMUNICATIONS • WTVISION/MEDIAPRO

CORPORATE

ADDER TECHNOLOGY • ADORAMA • ANIXTER • APERI • APM MUSIC • ARISTA NETWORKS • ARTEL VIDEO SYSTEMS • ARVATO SYSTEMS • ATEME • AUDIO-TECHNICA • BLUE FRAME TECHNOLOGY • BRAINSTORM • BSI (BROADCAST SPORTS INTERNATIONAL) • CANARE CORP OF AMERICA • CARTONI • CATDV • CLARK WIRE & CABLE • CORESITE • CRAWFORD MEDIA SERVICES • CREATIVE DIMENSIONS • CRYSTAL & COMPANY • DAKTRONICS • DALE PRO AUDIO • DALET DIGITAL MEDIA SYSTEMS • DELAPLEX • DELL EMC • DELUXE • DMC BROADCAST GROUP • EEG ENTERPRISES • ENCOMPASS DIGITAL MEDIA • ERICSSON • FANCONNECT • FINGERWORKS TELESTRATORS • FLETCHER SPORTS • FORBIDDEN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. • FRAUNHOFER • G&D NORTH AMERICA INC. • GAME CHANGER MVP • GERLING & ASSOCIATES • GLOBECAST • GRABYO • GRIMM • HAIVISION • HARMONIC INC. • IMAGE VIDEO • IMAGEN • IMT/VISLINK • INTELSAT • INTERXION • IPTEC • IRDETO • ISTREAMPLANET • JB&A • JVCKENWOOD • LEADER INSTRUMENTS • LEGRAND AV DIVISION • LIMELIGHT NETWORKS • LTN GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS • MARSHALL ELECTRONICS • MAXON • MEDIA LINKS • MIXON DIGITAL • MPE • MX1 • NET INSIGHT • NEULION • NEVION • NOKIA • OOYALA • OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION • PLIANT TECHNOLOGIES • PRG • PRIME FOCUS TECHNOLOGIES • PRIMESTREAM • PRODUCTIONHUB • PROFESSIONAL WIRELESS SYSTEMS • QUANTUM5X • RADIO ACTIVE DESIGNS • REALITY CHECK SYSTEMS • ROCK IT CARGO • RT SOFTWARE • SANKEN/BRAINSTORM ELECTRONICS • SCALE LOGIC • SENNHEISER • SHURE • SIGNIANT • SIMPLYLIVE • SIXTY AS • SMT • SOLID STATE LOGIC • SPECTRA LOGIC • SPORTRADAR • SPORTZCAST • STATS • STUDIO TECHNOLOGIES • SUPPONOR • TATA COMMUNICATIONS • TEKTRONIX • TELESTREAM • TELSTRA • THE VIDEO CALL CENTER • THINKLOGICAL, A BELDEN BRAND • TSL PRODUCTS • TV GRAPHICS • TVU NETWORKS • UTAH SCIENTIFIC • VERIZON DIGITAL MEDIA SERVICES • VIDOVATION • VISTA WORLDLINK • VITAC • VSN • WARNER CHAPPELL PRODUCTION MUSIC • WAZEE DIGITAL • WESCO BROADCAST & ENTERTAINMENT • WHEATSTONE • WIPSTER • WOWZA MEDIA SYSTEMS • WSC SPORTS • YAMAHA CMMERCIAL AUDIO SYSTEMS • ZAYO • ZIXI • ZYPE

MOBILE

3G WIRELESS • AE GRAPHICS • AERIAL VIDEO SYSTEMS • ALL MOBILE VIDEO • ALLIANCE PRODUCTIONS • ALPHA VIDEO • AMPTHINK • ARCTEK SATELLITE PRODUCTIONS • AV DESIGN SEVICES • AZZURRO GROUP • BEACON INTERNATIONAL • BECK TV • BSI (BROADCAST SERVICES INTERNATIONAL) • CALHOUN SATELLITE COMMUNICATION INC. • CAT ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES • CBT SYSTEMS • CHESAPEAKE SYSTEMS • CINESYS-OCEANA • CLARK MEDIA • COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING INC. (CEI) • CREATIVE MOBILE SOLUTIONS • CSP MOBILE PRODUCTIONS • CTG (COMPREHENSIVE TECHNICAL GROUP) • DIGITALGLUE • DIVERSIFIED • DNA STUDIOS • DOME PRODUCTIONS • DUNCAN VIDEO • DX3 MEDIA INC. • ES BROADCAST • F&F PRODUCTIONS • FILMWERKS INTERNATIONAL • GAME CREEK VIDEO • GEARHOUSE BROADCAST • GLOBECOMM SYSTEMS • HIGH ROCK MOBILE TELEVISION • ILLUMINATION DYNAMICS • IMS PRODUCTIONS • INTEGRATED MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES • KAUFMAN BROADCAST • KMH AUDIO-VIDEO INTEGRATION • LH COMPUTER SERVICES • LIVELIKE • LYON VIDEO • MEASURE • MEDIA 180 • METROVISION • MOBILE TV GROUP • NEXT VR • NILES MEDIA GROUP • NTC • PCCW GLOBAL • PROGRAM PRODUCTIONS • PROSHOW BROADCAST • PSSI/STRATEGIC TV • RAPTOR VISION • RF WIRELESS • SAUNDERS ELECTRIC • SDTV • SHOTOVER • SKYCAM/CABLECAM • SMARTCART • SONOVTS • T2 COMPUTING • UNITY SYSTEMS INTEGRATION

UPDATE

SPORTS VIDEO GROUP CONFERENCES IN REVIEW

> SVG SUMMIT

management and storage. The day also drew crowds for the annual meetings of SVGW (formerly SVG’s Women’s Sports Media Initiative) and the The sports-video–production DTV Audio Group; the latter’s industry came together for the afternoon workshop explored annual SVG Summit in New wireless spectrum. York City for two days of starDay 2 was highlighted by an studded Keynote Conversations, afternoon Keynote Conversation informational panel discussions with then-ESPN President John and workshop tracks, plenty of Skipper, which turned out to networking opportunities with be his final interview before top execs, and more than 75 tech- resigning on Dec. 18. Day 2 also nology showcases featuring the featured SVG’s first in-depth latest broadcast gear. Attracting panel focused on the esports more than 1,300 industry leaders revolution, with representatives to the New York Hilton, the 12th- of Riot Games, Turner Sports, Big annual SVG Summit was the most Ten Network, and MLG taking successful yet. the stage. Also on the schedule The SVG Summit kicked were three state-of-the-game off with a full day of in-depth sessions, in which top production, workshop tracks, giving attendees operations, and digital execs from the opportunity to dive deep MLB, NBA, and NFL discussed into such topics as IP remote how they are transforming their production, cloud workflows, respective production techniques remote engineering, venue and delivery mechanisms to serve production, and sports-content fans anywhere, at any time.

DECEMBER 11-12, NEW YORK CITY

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

DAY 1 SPOTLIGHT On Day 1, SVG Summit attendees were invited to attend a variety of workshop tracks and groups: IP Remote Production Workshop, Cloud Workshop: Production & MAM Workflows, Venue Production Workshop, Sports Content Management & Storage (SCMS) Workshop, DTV Audio Group (including the Wireless Spectrum Workshop), SVGW (formerly WSMI) Annual Meeting, and Remote Engineering General Sessions. Day 1 also featured the second-annual SVG Digital Summit and NewsTECHForum (in conjunction with TVNewsCheck).

SVGW hosted a Women’s Leadership Roundtable, featuring (L-R) CBS Sports’ Patty Power, EVS’ Muriel de Lathouwer, and Undefined Creative’s Maria Rapetskaya. SVGW Director Karen Hogan Ketchum moderated.

Relive the SVG SUMMIT with video recaps and audio recordings from Day 1 and Day 2 at www.sportsvideo.org and www.thesvgsummit.com

KEYNOTE CONVERSATIONS

Making the Case for HDR and UHD HDR and UHD production have become a part of everyday sports production in the UK, in the U.S.; the case has yet to be made to compel sports-production teams to embrace HDR and UHD in a large way. That tide may change in 2018, placing many production teams on a steep learning curve. Fortunately, a number of executives in the industry have experience working in HDR and UHD. In this Keynote Conversation, SVG’s Jason Dachman spoke with Dome L-R: SVG’s Jason Dachman, Dome’s Productions Director, Mike Johnson, and AT&T’s John Ward Engineering, Mike Johnson and AT&T Entertainment Group SVP, Content Operations, John Ward about some of the practical challenges in HDR and UHD production and how it will change the way teams work.

Fox Sports FIFA World Cup Preview Although the press has made much over what might happen with Fox Sports’ coverage of the FIFA World Cup following the untimely qualification exit of the U.S. Men’s National Team, it was clear during a Keynote Conversation that there’s no taking the foot off the gas for this summer’s massive soccer party. Fox’s FIFA World Cup Executive Producer David Neal and VP, Field Operations/ Engineering, Kevin Callahan took the stage in an interview with SVG’s Ken Kerschbaumer to L-R: SVG’s Ken Kerschbaumer, discuss how Fox Sports will Fox Sports’ Kevin Callahan and program around the event, David Neal its technical operations at the IBC in Moscow and across Russia, and much more.

BAMTECH’s Joe Inzerillo (right) offered his industry insights in a Keynote Conversation with SVG Director of Digital Brandon Costa.

The second-annual SVG Digital Summit, colocated with the SVG Summit, offered leaders in sports digital media the opportunity to discuss challenges and share best practices for engaging viewers in the new digital world. Throughout the day, panelists and presenters examined social media and live social video (including VR/360), over-the-top (OTT) distribution strategies, artificial intelligence, and much more. The day-long event was highlighted by a Keynote Conversation with BAMTECH Media EVP/CTO Joe Inzerillo, who explained the latest on the upcoming ESPN Plus launch, his take on consumer behaviors, why he values HDR over 4K in a streaming world, and how the industry is on the verge of finally defining what separates an elite digital experience from a linear one. The event also featured speakers from Bleacher Report, the NBA, NASCAR, NBC Sports, Univision, Sports Illustrated, the Dallas Cowboys, the USTA, and NextVR. L-R: SVG’s Troy Dreier, Akamai’s Mark Ramberg, CenturyLink’s Rob Roskin, BAMTECH Media’s Matt Restivo, and Zype’s Steven Tripsas

John Skipper, Then-President of ESPN As reports of Disney’s rumored $60 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox assets engulfed the M&E industry in early December, then-ESPN President/ Disney Media Networks Co-Chairman John Skipper took the stage to close John Skipper (right) out the SVG Summit. Though declining to comment on any reports related to on stage with SVG’s Ken Kerschbaumer the deal, he addressed a wide range of topics, including the upcoming launch of its ESPN Plus direct-to-consumer OTT service, the ballooning costs of sports rights, the network’s shift to Nielsen’s Total Audience measurement, ESPN’s soon-to-launch studio at NYC’s South Street Seaport, and the current state of sports journalism.

Watch full Keynote Conversations at www.sportsvideo.org

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

UPDATE

continued

> SVG@ND

OCTOBER 10-11, SOUTH BEND, IN SVG traveled to the University the end zone. The real-estate issue of Notre Dame for a one-of-awas that you can’t use the center kind two-day event: SVG@Notre of your campus seven times a Dame. The event, which drew year. So the inquiry became, more than 100 sports-video– What is the model for the future production leaders to South of this stadium that gives it everyBend, IN, featured behind-theday, year-round vitality?” scenes tours and panel sessions providing an overview of the recently completed renovations to Notre Dame Stadium and the new Rex and Alice A. Martin Media Center, as well as an in-depth look at the state-of-theart Campus Crossroads Project construction initiative. The event kicked off with a University of Notre Dame’s Keynote Conversation with Notre Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick Dame VP/Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick, who discussed The revamped Notre Dame the thinking behind the largest Stadium embraces both the old construction initiative in Notre and the new. Although the most Dame history. eye-catching element may be “[In 1930, Knute] Rockne built the 10-mm (4.8 million total the stadium off-campus, and pixels), 54-ft. tall x 95.5-ft. wide campus has grown up around the Mitsubishi LED videoboard, stadium,” said Swarbrick. “The the aesthetic of the overhauled geographic center of Notre Dame facility emphasizes Notre is now the northwest corner of Dame Stadium’s rich history: throughout the concourse, brick Evertz’s Nima Malekmanesh and reclaimed wooden benches gave attendees an overview of the line the walls, and banners of Evertz DreamCatcher in the replay classic game programs float room of the new Rex and Alice A. overhead. Martin Media Center.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

“We recaptured the history of the place,” Swarbrick pointed out. “We had lost it during the expansion 20 years ago when the second level was put on and they just poured concrete. We went in and recaptured the concourse. We bricked the concrete and put in period lighting to celebrate the past and recapture the sense of the 1930s stadium.” At the heart of the renovated stadium is the 18,000-sq.-ft Martin Media Center, which supports all university videocontent- and multimedia-creation efforts. From digital content in support of academics and faithbased programming/initiatives to production of videoboard shows in Notre Dame Stadium, Purcell Pavilion, and Compton Family Ice Arena, it will be a resource for students, faculty, and staff. “The great thing about this for me is that, years ago, we went to the university and said, ‘Let’s build the university’s media function in athletics as a beta test, and, once we’ve built it, we can then import it into the rest of the university,’” Swarbrick explained. “And that’s exactly what has happened. “If this were viewed as [solely] an athletics project, we aren’t sitting here right now,” he added. “It was a university project that athletics helped launch and was quick to turn over to the university to take the lead on it.” On Day 2 of the event, staff from the University of Notre Dame and the newly launched

Notre Dame Studios took the stage to delve deeper into the Campus Crossroads Project and how it will impact athletics, faith-based programming, and academics. In addition, key vendors involved in the design, integration, and implementation process detailed various aspects of the Martin Media Center and the Campus Crossroads Project as a whole — from systems integration and routing to audio and intercoms to storage and media-asset-management (MAM). The Martin Media Center, which was integrated by BeckTV, features two control rooms, two audio rooms, and six edit rooms, as well as a teaching studio, an academic-innovation space, and a variety of facilities to cater to all aspects of Notre Dame content creation. “The thing I love about the media center, which reflects the core value of what we’re trying to do here, is that, although it’s a media center in a football stadium, it’s not an athletics facility,” said Swarbrick. “It is also for faith and academic programming, student education, and then also athletics programming. It represents in so many ways what we were [trying to accomplish]. The rest of the [renovation] has [department]specific functionality … but the media center is everybody. Everybody touches it and uses it, and it’s a great resource for the university.”

For in-depth reports and video recaps from SVG@ND, visit www.sportsvideo.org

UPDATE

continued

> TRANSPORT

OCTOBER 17, NEW YORK CITY SVG’s TranSPORT event at the Microsoft Conference Center in New York City drew a record crowd of more than 250 sports-video professionals. The event, expanded to a full day for the first time, addressed a range of topics related to live sports transmission and how to balance cost and reliability. The event touched on such topics as the impact of at-home productions on transmission, the growth of IP networks, the future of 4K and HDR delivery, the impending implementation of ATSC 3.0, and low-cost transmission tools. SVG’s fourth-annual TranSPORT Survey (detailing fiber vs. satellite vs. IP contribution strategies) revealed that, in 2017, 59% of all live event productions were carried over fiber infrastructure. Although fiber lost about 5% of the market compared with a similar study in 2016, it remains far and away the most prevalent form of primary backhaul among the major broadcasters, easily besting traditional satellite and staving off the advancing use of the public internet, or IP. “At some of our largest events, we’ll always have satellite as backup, but we’re moving away from that for primary,” said Chris Connolly, senior director, transmission engineering and operations, NBC Sports Group, “but I think the biggest driver [of fiber and IP] is the need for data and file transfer.” 12

Although some in the industry might be ready to count it out, satellite went against the run of play this year, its use rising 3% from the year before. “A lot of it has to do with the location of the production,” said Keith Goldberg, VP, global operations and transmission services, Fox Networks Group, and the 2017 TranSPORT Committee Chair. “There are many venues we enter where first-mile access is not prevalent. Satellite still serves a huge function. At the end of the day, though, a terrestrial backhaul is a preference.” Said Adam Whitlock, associate director, remote traffic operations, ESPN, “We have a lot of international and digital tiered rights where we continue to exercise those rights and find homes for that programming. Satellite happens to be a pretty efficient way for us to get quite a bit of international programming back to Bristol to redistribute.” Although fiber and IP are the darlings, many acknowledged that satellite remains the reliable old friend, always there to serve as a sure-fire backup. “If it’s a Tier 1, Tier 2 event, there will always be a satellite component,” said David Chilson, director, broadcast distribution operations and engineering, CBS. “Satellite is still the guaranteed go-to.” There’s no denying that satellite has staying power,

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY CENTER, NYC • NOVEMBER 8, 2016

SVG’s TranSPORT event drew a record-crowd of more than 250 sports-video professionals to the Microsoft Conference Center.

thanks to its reliability and effectiveness in an increasingly international sports world, but many of the execs on the panel were apt to admit that they do see a much brighter future in IP and expect those annual numbers for satellite to tick down again in 2018. IP is appealing particularly to broadcasters specializing in the long tail of sports content. “There’s only so much of the revenue pie you can draw

from,” said Paul Spinelli, director, engineering, Sinclair Broadcasting Group. “We’ve found [IP] to be very costeffective and really the only way that we could justify putting on what some guys might call Tier 2 or Tier 3 events.” IP certainly has its place, but it still has quite a way to go before it will be trusted for many major broadcasters’ biggest events.

L-R: CBS’s David Chilson, NBC Sports Group’s Chris Connolly, Fox Network’s Keith Goldberg, and Sinclair Broadcasting Group’s Paul Spinelli

For in-depth reports and video recaps from TranSPORT, visit www.sportsvideo.org

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> INITIATIVES & GROUPS

UPDATE

SVG continued its venue-production efforts in late 2017 with the Venue Production Workshop at the SVG Summit, where the program addressed current industry trends and challenges affecting systems integrators. On March 13-14, SVG traveled to MercedesBenz Stadium in Atlanta, home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, for the annual Sports Venue Production Summit, which featured a behind-the-scenes stadium tour and plenty of in-depth panel discussions.

SVG’s division of talented and innovative SUMMIT college sports video production

continued

planned. At the 2017 SVG Summit in December, the SCMS Workshop featured a keynote presentation by NFL Films and case studies presented by CBS Sports and MLB Network and offered panels on Building an ROI Analysis, Virtualization and SaaS, Analyzing Usage and OS Data, Where We Are Going With Storage, and Cybersecurity. The annual SCMS Forum will take place on July 25 in New York City.

streaming • social • mobile • data

Over-the-top distribution and directto-consumer live streaming packages are dramatically changing the world of live sports video. While the entire media ecosystem is facing this new era of consumer behavior, the sports media industry faces its own unique set of challenges and opportunities. In response to the SVG community’s need to collaborate on these new technologies and business opportunities, SVG will debut its firstannual SVG OTT Summit, which will take place this July in New York City. Learn from the entire spectrum of sports streaming experts, from traditional broadcasters taking linear into the digital world to emerging media companies building digitalfirst streaming experiences.

professionals are set to meet twice in the coming months. The latest edition of the SVG College Regional Event Series will visit Fort Collins and the campus of Colorado State for SVG College: Rocky Mountain. Then, we return to Atlanta for the 10th annual SVG College Summit on May 30 June 1 at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center. This year’s program will include sessions on the impact of IP, the latest in centralized In an effort to better serve the sportscontrol room technologies, the launch of the production community coast to coast, SVG upcoming ACC Network, and much more. Regional Platinum Series meetups focus on major markets across the country. Over the past two years, SVG has visited Colorado (The Pepsi Center, University of Colorado’s Folsom Field, and other locations), Florida (PGA TOUR Entertainment HQ), Los SVG continued to serve the informational and networking needs of the Sports Content Angeles, San Francisco (Pac-12 Networks Management and Storage community with HQ), and Toronto. Watch for more SVG multiple events in 2017 and has a busy 2018 Regional Platinum Series meetups in 2018.

At the SVG Summit, SVG announced that the Women’s Sports Media Initiative would be rebranded as SVGW to more accurately reflect the membership and mission of SVG’s long-time women’s networking group. The group’s annual meeting on Dec. 11 included a Women’s Leadership Roundtable panel discussion. Next up on the SVGW calendar is its annual networking lunch on April 10 during NAB 2018. A presentation on managing unconscious gender bias in the workplace is planned.

On Dec. 11, the DTV Audio Group hosted its Audio Production and Distribution Workshop. Although RF-spectrum issues were still front and center, the imminence of object-based broadcast audio and new standards around IP-based transport also were high on the agenda. The DTV Audio Group will host the 2018 DTVAG@NAB Advanced Television Audio Forum on April 8 at the Alexis Park Hotel in Las Vegas. The transition to streamed content delivery and the growth of virtualized IT-based production infrastructure will be discussed.

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For more on SVG’s Initiatives and Groups, visit www.sportsvideo.org/initiatives 14

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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CLASS OF 2017

The Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame entered its second decade on Dec. 12 with a star-studded induction ceremony at the New York Hilton Midtown. Ten industry icons from in front of and behind the camera were honored during a touching ceremony, hosted by ESPN’s Bob Ley, that featured plenty of raucous laughs and heartfelt tears. For the sixth year, all table sales — totaling more than $175,000 — were donated in support of the SVG Sports Broadcasting Fund, which assists sports-broadcasting industry members in times of need. This year’s roster of honorees includes ESPN on-air personality Chris Berman, Sportvision founder and augmented-reality pioneer Stan Honey, seminal play-byplay voice Brent Musburger, CBS Sports college-basketball analyst Bill Raftery, graphics innovator Linda Rheinstein, former MLB Commissioner Allan “Bud” Selig, Fox Sports jack-of-all-trades executive Jack Simmons, sportscasting trailblazer Lesley Visser, ESPN storytelling stalwart John A. Walsh, and renowned production exec Michael Weisman.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

> CHRIS BERMAN A BOOMING PRESENCE AT ESPN

ime flies when you’re having fun. On Oct. 1, 1979, at age 24, Chris Berman began hosting the 2:30 a.m. edition of SportsCenter on a brand-new cable network based in Bristol, CT. In 2016, he completed his 31st year as host of ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown and his 38th year at the sports channel owned by The Walt Disney Company. From the beginning, he played a large part in creating ESPN’s tone. “People made a connection with Boomer,” says Norby Williamson, EVP, production, ESPN, referring to Berman by his nickname. “He, more than anyone who works here, is ESPN. He put ESPN on the map, and, through the decades, became synonymous with what we are and who we are.” Berman’s wordplay with players’ names (like Bert “Be Home” Blyleven), and his “back-back-back-back-back” home-run calls brought humor to ESPN and sports, which was played pretty straight at that point. He pulled off the balancing act between solid information and silly schtick delivered with a mock-urgent style. He also knows sports. Berman has been named National Sportscaster of the Year six times. He and shows he has been associated with have won 10 Emmy Awards. He has covered 35 Super Bowls. His Sunday NFL Countdown show with former Denver Bronco Tom Jackson ran for an astonishing 31 years until last year. “It was natural for Boom to be the face of the network because his persona is bigger than life,” Jackson says before ticking off Berman’s qualities: “His passion for the game. His hard work. His ability to look beyond the scenes to find out what’s really happening. And his style, which is unique. And the way he elevated highlights.” Says Former ESPN President John Skipper, “Chris is one of a kind, a singular talent who helped make ESPN a destination for sports fans. He wrote the book on how to deliver highlights; there’s nobody who’s ever been better. Whether he was hosting a studio show or calling a game, he brought joy to generations of fans because he made sports what it should be: fun. His place on our Mount Rushmore is assured.”

CLASS OF 2017

Chris Berman with CBS Sports President David Berson (left) and CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

“To quote a rock-and-roll legend, ‘What a long, strange trip it has been.’ That’s for sure. When I got into this business, you always hope you have the respect of those you work with and for. You always hope that you earn the respect from colleagues who are doing the same job as you at other places over time. What I hoped — and I didn’t know — that we would get is the respect of those that you cover. … What tonight’s honor in the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame says is ‘Maybe I did it.’ Maybe we achieved that.” He still has a featured role with ESPN’s NFL coverage, including his “Boomer’s Vault” feature, and continues with play-by-play duties during the MLB Postseason on ESPN radio. But he’ll admit he doesn’t get around quite as much anymore. “I miss the people,” he says. “I miss the action. But I don’t miss the grind — although I enjoyed the grind.” Watching games on television — as he did with the World Series — is a leisurely departure from the past. “You watch the game, see the post[game] interviews, go get your toothbrush, and go to bed. You’re not looking for somewhere to get a hamburger at 2:00 in the morning,” he points out. “I’m okay with that.” Berman had been working as a weekend sportscaster at WVIT in nearby Hartford, when he interviewed for the job at ESPN. He was amazed. He was offered a 30-minute nightly television show seen around the country. “Sports anchors at TV stations wouldn’t get 30 minutes a week!” he exclaims. What a deal. The only question was whether anybody would be watching. The punning around, he admits, was lingering adolescent silliness combined with a late-night/early-morning timeslot that seemed to encourage a little looseness. “I can tell you what the first one or two were: either Frank Tanana Daiquiri or John Mayberry RFD. People said, What the ...?” The Berman you see on TV is pretty much the Berman you’d meet off the air. That’s his mark. “It’s still what I tell young people who want to start in the business,” he says. “Do it like you’re talking to yourself. I don’t mean really talking to yourself but what you would like to hear. It really is as simple as that: you and me and the fellas and the ladies in the bar. Just be natural.” — P.J. Bednarski

> STAN HONEY MASTER INNOVATOR, NAVIGATOR, COLLABORATOR

he 1st & Ten line. K-Zone and pitch-tracking. Car-tracking pointer graphics on NASCAR. LiveLine course markers on the America’s Cup. Anything dubbed “augmented reality” on sports TV. Fans have come to expect such elements in live sports telecasts, but none of them would exist were it not for Stan Honey. The master innovator and co-founder of Sportvision has changed the way fans watch sports, creating augmented-reality tools that illuminate hard-to-see moments and allow the production team to better tell the story of the action. “Stan Honey’s influence and legacy in the sports-broadcasting industry is absolutely immense,” says Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer and Fox Sports founding president David Hill. “What Stan has done — from the glowing puck to the 1st & 10 line to tracking [stock cars] in a three-dimensional space — has totally changed the viewer experience.” The son and godson of navigators, Honey grew up in San Marino sailing dinghies and showed an early passion for engineering by constructing ham radios. After graduating from Yale, he worked as a research engineer and continued to sail and navigate professionally, including for entrepreneur Nolan Bushnell’s maxi yacht. With Bushnell’s backing, Honey founded Etak, which would pioneer the first car-navigation system using map-matching technology (a GPS precursor still used today). In 1989, Honey sold Etak to Rupert Murdoch and ran it under News Corp. ownership, becoming EVP of technology for News Corp. when Etak was sold to Sony in 1996. In 1994, Fox Sports had acquired the rights to the NHL and was looking for production elements that could attract new viewers. Hill proposed virtually inserting a glowing light over the puck and a trail behind it, and Honey went to work. In 1996, Fox debuted the FoxTrax glowing puck to much fanfare at the NHL All-Star Game. “Stan was the Neil Armstrong of L-R: Sportvision founders Fox Sports: he made us believe that Bill Squadron, Stan Honey, getting to the moon would be hard and Jerry Gepner but absolutely possible,” says Fox Sports President/COO/Executive Producer Eric Shanks. “What Stan was doing is known as augmented reality; we just didn’t have a name for it in those formative years.”

CLASS OF 2017

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

“Successful systems, in my experience, come from the close cooperation and communication between the technical teams. The thing that I am most proud of in my life is that I have been able to collect a group of technical professionals and drag them around with me for the last 40 years and find important problems for that team to work on.” Says Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Ed Goren, who was president in Fox Sports’ early years, “Stan Honey was, and is, a true genius. The technology that he developed for the glowing puck became the foundation for all [virtual-graphics] technology on television.” In 1998, Honey teamed with Fox Sports/News Corp. execs Jerry Gepner and Bill Squadron to launch Sportvision, and ESPN and Sportvision introduced the 1st & Ten line on NFL preseason coverage, marking one of the most significant sports-television innovations ever. “Pioneer is an overused word; so is genius,” says Jed Drake, then SVP/executive producer, ESPN. “But neither is overused in Stan’s case.” Following the success of the 1st & Ten Line, Sportvision continued to innovate, developing PITCHf/x virtual strike-zone graphic for ESPN’s MLB coverage, RACEf/x for NASCAR, GOLFf/x for golf coverage, and many more. In 2004, Honey departed Sportvision to navigate a yacht in the Volvo Ocean Race. “I had expected to get back in technology after that, but I kept getting great opportunities in sailing.” In 2010, Oracle Team USA owner Larry Ellison asked Honey to bring augmented-reality tech to sailing. The result was AC LiveLine, which overlays geo-positioned lines and data streams on live race-course video. It won an Emmy for its use on the 2013 America’s Cup and was used again for the 2017 edition. “Stan looked to provide innovative graphics solutions to enhance viewer understanding and enjoyment of sports coverage,” says Denis Harvey, who executive-produced both Americas Cups. “AC LiveLine transformed TV coverage of the America’s Cup, making it understandable and adding a new level of information.” Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer and frequent collaborator Geoffrey Mason, says, “I think Stan embodies the ultimate marriage between technical innovation and content awareness. He also has no ego whatsoever. You would not expect the smartest guy in the room to have the smallest ego and to be able to collaborate so successfully with the giants in our industry.” — Jason Dachman

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> BRENT MUSBURGER AN ICONIC VOICE ALWAYS UP TO THE BIG MOMENT

here’s the Doug Flutie Hail Mary. The “Holy Buckeye” Game. Edgar Martinez’s ALDS-winning double. Villanova’s Cinderella championship. Nebraska’s “Flea Kicker.” Garfield Heard at the buzzer. Ricky Williams breaking the NCAA rushing record. The legendary career of sports broadcaster Brent Musburger is bursting at the seams with unforgettable moments, and yet, the memorable thing about Musburger is that he made any game he called feel like a big moment, thanks simply to his voice. It was that gravitas that carried Musburger to a marathon, 40-plus-year career with CBS Sports, ABC Sports, and ESPN and cemented his as one of the most iconic voices in the history of sports television. “Brent’s presence and delivery have come to symbolize bigtime sports for multiple generations of fans,” said former ESPN President John Skipper in a statement at the time of Musberger’s retirement early this year. “When he opens with his signature ‘You are looking live,’ you sit up straight in your chair because you know something important is about to happen. He has skillfully guided us through some of the most dramatic and memorable moments in sports with his authentic and distinctive style. He is one of the best storytellers to ever grace a sports booth.” After an early career in sports writing, the Portland, OR, native began his relationship with CBS Sports in 1973. After calling play-by-play on numerous events, including the NFL, Musburger experienced his breakout role as host of The NFL Today beginning in 1975. The show blazed trails as the first live pregame show and catapulted him to national prominence. Over the next decade, he became the top voice at CBS, calling major events including the NBA Finals, US Open tennis, the Belmont Stakes, and The Masters. Following a dismissal under new management at CBS Sports in 1990, Musburger quickly made the shift to ABC Sports, where he further bolstered his legacy. When ABC Sports merged with ESPN, the opportunities became plentiful, giving him the opportunity to call events like Major League Baseball, the NBA, the Indianapolis 500, and the Little League World Series. He also stayed sharp as a studio host, anchoring ABC’s coverage of the Tour de France and the 1998 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. It was also with ABC and ESPN that Musburger deepened his love affair with a sport he would become largely synonymous with: college football. He became the lead play-by-play voice on ABC’s Saturday-night game of the week and racked up seven BCS National Championship Games. “Brent is a legend,” says Stephanie Druly, SVP, event and studio production, ESPN. “He is one of the best play-by-play announcers

CLASS OF 2017

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

“Thank you very much to all those who gave me this honor. It is so much appreciated,” Musburger said remotely from Las Vegas. “It seems like such a short time ago that I started out at CBS in Chicago. And I remember the great Vin Scully once reminded the All Stars at an All-Star break during midsummer, ‘Guys really appreciate it because it is such a short distance from the All-Star Game to Old-Timers Game.’ Believe me, here tonight, I understand exactly what Vinny was saying.” ever. Every game he did felt big. During a game, Brent is a true storyteller. He helps the viewer connect to the people in the game. He gives you a reason beyond team allegiance to be interested in the event. I knew, when I watched one of Brent’s games, that I would learn something. That’s the one thing I hope that young broadcasters take away from Brent’s career.” Musburger put an exclamation point on his career by helping christen the new, wildly successful SEC Network when he took over as lead play-by-play voice for football and basketball in 2014. He called his final game early in 2017 after announcing his retirement. He left a legendary voice behind, moving to Las Vegas to be the face of the Vegas Sports and Information Network. “Nothing in the world replaces the friendships I’ve made,” Musburger says. “And that includes the fans. I mean, I’m never alone. Wherever I go, someone’s going to come up. Someone’s going to come up and ask about a team. Or a game. Or an experience. I’ve got millions of friends out there.” — Brandon Costa

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> BILL RAFTERY THE COACH WHO BECAME A CROSSGENERATIONAL LEGEND BEHIND THE MIC

hen you think of the greatest moments in collegebasketball history, where does your mind go? Straight to March, right? How about a bitterly cold January night in Western Pennsylvania in 1988? In the first half of an early-season Big East conference game between Providence and Pitt, senior forward Jerome Lane threw down a thunderous one-handed dunk, shattering the backboard. Bill Raftery happened to be sitting courtside with a headset on. Without Raftery, that moment is likely nothing more than a YouTube clip oozing with ’80s nostalgia: a fun throwback to a long-past, “rock ’em sock ’em” era, when games were played in field houses and civic centers, not sparkling arenas with massive videoboards. Instead, it became one of the most iconic moments in the history of the sport when Raftery bellowed, “Send it in, Jerome!” “It just popped out,” he says of the line that he still hears from fans — some of whom probably hadn’t even been born in 1988. “There was no preconceived notion for it. I’m sure, somewhere along the line, I’d heard people say it.” The moment is the signature call of a career loaded with catch phrases (“Onions!” “With a kiss!”) but is known and loved mostly for its enthusiasm and sheer love of the game. “Few in this industry are recognized as being at the top of their game, as well as being universally respected and liked by colleagues, coaches, players, and fans,” says CBS Sports Chairman and Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Sean McManus. “Bill Raftery’s career has been recognized for all of these and is most deserving to take his rightful place in the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame.” Born to Irish immigrant parents in 1943, Raftery continues to find success behind the mic even as he approaches his mid 70s. For more than three decades, he has called games for CBS Sports, ESPN, and Fox, becoming an icon in the sport of college basketball.

CLASS OF 2017

Bill Raftery with fellow Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famers Ken Aagaard and Lesley Visser

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

“When you are in the television business, you have two families: your spouse and children and those people who you are with on the road. … I am grateful to all of them, as well as their associates, for teaching and nurturing me. … Thank you. It’s been a pleasure to be part of this great business.” Raftery coached in the 1960s and ’70s before switching over to the television side in the early ’80s. However, it was a meeting with legendary sportscaster Bob Wolff when he was a college senior that laid the groundwork for his future broadcasting career. Raftery recalls Wolff saying to him: “Someday, when you’re finished doing whatever you are going to do, you ought to try my profession.” “It always stuck in my head,” Raftery says. “It was just one of those things in the back of my head, and I said, ‘This will keep me in the game that I enjoy.’” Keep him in the game it has. Raftery has called NCAA Tournament games for 35 straight years, and his storied résumé includes classics like the 2006 Regional Final, when Cinderella George Mason upended Connecticut to earn a Final Four bid, and the memorable 2009 Big East tournament game between Syracuse and UConn that went six overtimes. “Raf’s excitement for the game of basketball is infectious,” says CBS Corp. Chairman/CEO Leslie Moonves. “His career has proven that he truly is one of the most original and beloved broadcasters — and people — in all of sports.” Throughout his career, Raftery has worked alongside play-byplay men like Sean McDonough, Gus Johnson, and Mike Gorman, in addition to a long run calling March Madness with fellow Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Verne Lundquist. In 2016, Raftery’s long career received a dramatic exclamation point, when the veteran broadcaster was tapped to call his first Final Four for television at the age of 73, working alongside Grant Hill and veteran play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz. “He is beloved,” says Nantz. “When you listen to him on the air, you can hear his smile. All the rest of the world has gotten a little bit older, but Raftery is this timeless guy who continues to see things very quickly, very crisp in his commentary, dropping in a quip here and there. I just laugh.” — Brandon Costa

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> LINDA RHEINSTEIN AN INNOVATOR AHEAD OF HER TIME

ports Broadcasting Hall of Famers are often industry disruptors, but rarely has there been as unique a disruptive force as Linda Rheinstein. The graphics pioneer has consistently pushed the envelope in every facet of her life and adhered to a personal philosophy to not wait around for someone to do what she can do herself. Throughout her career, Rheinstein has founded no fewer than five companies, beginning with Autographics in 1979, and played a pivotal role in creating the on-air graphic look for the young Fox Sports. Today, she is spearheading her latest venture, Space Games Federation, which aims to create original games and sports that can be played in zero gravity. “Linda Rheinstein, what can I say,” says Sports Broadcasting of Famer and founding Fox Sports President David Hill. “When we started Fox Sports in ’94, in the early days, I was introduced to Linda, and it was clear then that Linda is 20 years ahead of the rest of us.” Rheinstein attributes her entry into the broadcast-technology business to her father, NBC News director Frederic Rheinstein. After working alongside him on CBS’s production of Acapulco Aquacade, Rheinstein, at age 17, joined Videotape Enterprises as a Datavision operator. Not long after, she decided to take a gamble by purchasing a new piece of technology called a Chyron and began renting both her Chyron and new skills to broadcasters who either didn’t know how or didn’t want to operate the machine themselves. She named the company Autographics. In addition to Autographics, she worked at The Post Group as executive producer from 1985 to 1993. In 1986, Autographics and The Post Group teamed up to found Electric Paint, thrusting Rheinstein into the world of interactive multimedia development and production. She would later transform Autographics into On Air On Line, and focus the company on integrating traditional on-air broadcasting with the emerging online ecosystem. By the time the Fox Sports concept came across her radar in the early ’90s, Rheinstein found herself plenty busy with a wide variety of projects. In fact, when Post Group colleague Marc Yobs suggested pursuing the proposed network, Rheinstein passed. Shortly thereafter, Yobs Linda Rheinstein with her was killed in the Northridge beloved cat and former boss at Fox Earthquake on Jan. 17, 1994.

CLASS OF 2017

Sports, Hall of Famer David Hill

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

“For those of you who know me, speechless is not a word usually used to describe me, but, well, here you have it. I am blown away, humbled, and honored to be included in this incredible group of Hall of Famers. Thank you, one and all.” “I had no idea how to honor him. He was only 32 years old,” she recalls. “I called [Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer and former Fox Sports President] Ed Goren — who I had worked with for many years in the control room at CBS Sports as a graphics operator — and said, Ed, I’ve come up with something for Fox Sports, and I would love to present to you in honor of my friend.” At the time, Fox Sports had no graphics department and was relying on pitches from outside companies. Rheinstein, facing heavy competition, won over Hill and Goren with a simple idea she called “the bar test”: “When you walk into the bar, you better be able to read the graphics.” They were sold. “I had known Linda for many years from my CBS days,” says Goren. “She, back before there was a Fox Sports, realized the importance and the opportunity to upgrade graphics for sports. She was way ahead of her time.” Rheinstein continued to work with Fox Sports through On Air On Line, playing a pivotal role in the introduction of the constant scorebug and helping lay out the plans for foxsports.com well before the heyday of the internet. “Linda brought to life David Hill’s ongoing mantra of Fox Sports’ having a UVD: a unique visual difference,” says Eric Shanks, president/COO/executive producer, Fox Sports. “Linda’s work and David’s vision led to the first time on-air graphics were considered a character in the play; they were no longer there just to convey information.” Rheinstein has proved to be just as big a disruptive force outside sports broadcasting. In 2007, she founded the iDoggieBag Foundation to bring FDA regulation to the pet-food industry; proceeds also support the cure for cancer. Her current passion is Space Games Federation and what she calls the “STEAM” Movement, for science, technology, engineering, athletics, and mathematics. “If I accept the fact that Linda Rheinstein is 20 years ahead of the rest of us and the way she sees the world is actually going to work, we can expect to see cats playing football in space in 20 years,” says Hill. “If you want to lay a bet in Vegas, bet the fact that Linda’s right.” — Karen Hogan Ketchum

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> ALLAN “BUD” SELIG STEWARD OF AMERICA’S PASTIME AND UNLIKELY DIGITAL PIONEER

he irony is inescapable. The sport that is often scorned as too old-fashioned for modern times was the one that began streaming all its games way back in 2003. Streaming was so new that YouTube’s first video was still two years away. And Bud Selig, the Major League Baseball commissioner who pushed MLB’s digital strategy, is a guy who’s about as comfortable around a laptop as an American League pitcher forced into the batter’s box. “Commissioner Selig has a great sense of humor,” quips his successor, Rob Manfred. “The fact he made a set of decisions that pushed baseball into the digital age and to the forefront of digital in sports was a source of great amusement to him — given that he didn’t use any of it.” (Indeed, Manfred discloses that, in 2015, soon after he took over the job, he sent the first text Selig said he had ever received.) Major League Baseball’s digital prowess may be a source of amusement, but, today, it’s mostly a source of enormous financial gain for MLB. The genesis of MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM) dates to 2000 and what would become an $80 million investment paid by MLB franchises over time. Today, MLBAM and the newer BAMTech are each worth billions. The MLB game streams and other offerings, such as the MLB At Bat app, have as many 3.5 million subscribers. Did Selig know how big this would become? “Honesty impels me to tell you we had Bud Selig was joined by his no idea,” he says, also crediting family at the Sports Broadcasting BAM’s recently departed top Hall of Fame ceremony executive, Bob Bowman. In real ways, baseball’s on-field changes, such as the replay challenge inaugurated under Selig, are evidence of media’s influence. The replay challenge makes video a part of the story, not only at stadiums but also in living rooms and on mobile devices. The playoff system, the wild card, and splitting the leagues into three divisions ended up creating a new batch of contenders and, arguably, some of the postseason’s most riveting and highly viewed games. “One thing that Mr. Selig understood was how to balance the people who are interested in the history and tradition of the

CLASS OF 2017

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

“This honor means a great deal to me and my family. On my last day as commissioner in January 2015, I spoke before the New York Baseball Writers Dinner and told them, ‘What you see here before your eyes is a little boy’s dreams that came true.’ That remains true today, and I look at how lucky I’ve been the past 55 years. This has been quite a remarkable journey, and being inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame is yet another beautiful and appreciated honor.” game with the need for the game to evolve and change,” Manfred says. “I think replay is a great example. It got to the point that fans and viewers at home were ready for the change.” MLBAM’s massive technological infrastructure advantage caught the eye of content creators outside the baseball world, including HBO, ESPN, Turner Broadcasting, and WWE. MLBAM partnered with the NHL in 2015 to run its digital and streaming operations. And, over the past two years, The Walt Disney Co., in separate transactions, agreed to buy a 75% interest in spinoff BAMTech for a reported total of $2.5 billion. Having owned the Milwaukee Brewers prior to becoming commissioner, from 1992 to 2014, Selig had experience with the sports-media world long before cable’s sports explosion and the internet. “In 1970,” he recalls, “you had a simple little local contract, and I mean simple and I mean little. The national contracts were very small.” He then repeats a figure he likes to throw out there: “When I took over in 1992, our gross revenue was a billion two. When I left, it was about $11 billion.” It’s more than the money. What makes Selig special is that he’s a media mogul who is, first and foremost, a baseball man. He made that point with his induction speech at the Baseball Hall of Fame in July 2017: “I loved the baseball life. I loved living and dying with each game. I loved watching players come in as nervous rookies and grow and mature, to become winners in all sorts of ways.” — P.J. Bednarski

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> JACK SIMMONS THE LINCHPIN OF FOX SPORTS’ SUCCESS

pper management, production, remote operations, studio operations, on-air operations, accounting, purchasing, and even the mailroom — Jack Simmons has done it all in nearly five decades at Fox Sports and NBC Sports, while being one of the most well-liked and -respected individuals in the business. And, during 20-plus years as SVP of production operations, he became the axis on which Fox Sports turned. “To me, Jack has always been the center of Fox Sports,” says Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer and founding Fox Sports President David Hill. “He pulled together the elements of production, programming, promos, commercials, and made sure it went where it had to go.” A veteran of eight Super Bowls, 19 World Series, 13 Daytona 500s, three Summer Olympics (home-base master control), five Stanley Cup Finals, three BCS Championships, two French Opens, and three Heavyweight Championship Fights, the 25-time Emmy Award winner has seen it all in his storied career. Brooklyn born, Simmons split his childhood between Valley Stream, NY, and Breezy Point in the Rockaways. After attending Becker College in Leicester, MA, for a year, he fell in love with 30 Rock during a tour in January 1970, applied for a job, and began work in the NBC mailroom. In 1978, Simmons got his first big break in sports, landing a job as a scorer on the weekends for NBC’s NFL 78 studio show and then as Bryant Gumbel’s talent assistant on NFL 79. He became an NYC unit manager for NBC’s 1980 Moscow Olympics coverage and, by the end of 1980, was a full-time unit manager for Sportsworld, overseeing primarily boxing productions. He was named manager of advanced planning for NBC Sports in 1987. “Jack brought a natural approach or a ‘Breezy Point’ style to Sports Broadcast Operations,” says Ken Goss, SVP, remote operations and production planning, NBC, who worked with Simmons as a fellow unit manager. “Jack’s Jack Simmons was joined by ease with people enabled him to family and friends at the Sports get the job done in a high-pressure Broadcasting Hall of Fame atmosphere.” ceremony.

CLASS OF 2017

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“This business has given me amazing experiences. I’ve spent time with Muhammed Ali and John Wooden. I’ve worked at Super Bowls, World Series, and Heavyweight Championships. I’ve visited troops at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, the DMZ in Korea, and Walter Reed Medical Center. I recently got to touch the Play Like a Champion Today sign at Notre Dame, and tonight I’m in a room filled with champions. Thank you all very much.” In 1990, Simmons accepted a job as NBC Sports’ manager of West Coast Operations and ran a one-man show out of the West Coast office. When newcomer Fox outbid CBS for the NFL rights package in 1993, Hill offered Simmons a job as director of production with the fledgling Fox Sports, and he jumped at the opportunity. He and the rest of the newly hired team were tasked with building an entire sports franchise. Says Ed Goren, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer and former president of Fox Sports, “I don’t think there’s anyone, [including Hill and me], who had a greater passion for Fox Sports than Jack Simmons. Without him [in ’94], considering the volume of games [on an NFL weekend], things could have very easily fallen through the cracks.” Over the next two decades, Simmons was a staple of Fox’s NFL Sundays, not only overseeing game-day operations at Fox Sports’ broadcast center but also serving as one of its biggest cheerleaders. “His passion for what we were doing on the weekends with live events was second to none,” says Jacob Ullman, SVP, production and talent development, Fox Sports. “Jack made Fox Sports a better place to work.” Simmons also built a strong relationship with the ad-sales team, developing many ad-placement strategies that have become commonplace but were groundbreaking at the time. “From day one, Jack created an atmosphere of innovation and experimentation within production and operations,” notes Fox Sports President/COO/Executive Producer Eric Shanks. “We were trying a lot of new things with advertising, and Jack brought it all to life.” Of all Simmons’s accomplishments at Fox, he is perhaps best remembered for his role as liaison for Fox Sports’ military initiatives. “[Jack’s] work mentoring the next generation of talent in our industry is one of his biggest accomplishments,” says AT&T Entertainment Group SVP, Content Operations, John Ward, who worked for Simmons at Fox Sports for a decade. “Simply put, he left it better than he found it.” — Jason Dachman

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> LESLEY VISSER SPORTSCASTING TRAILBLAZER

ith so many “firsts” attributed to Lesley Visser throughout her storied career in sports broadcasting, it’s fair to say that she didn’t just blaze the trail for female sportscasters: she created it. When Visser was growing up in the 1960s, she says, “women were only three things: they were teachers, nurses, or homemakers. So, when I said I wanted to be a sportswriter, it was like saying, I want to go to the moon.” But Visser, through a combination of talent, perseverance, and a great deal of humor, accomplished her goal of becoming a sportswriter. Indeed, she would go on to become the most highly acclaimed female sportscaster of all time, and the first sportscaster — male or female — to work on the network broadcasts of the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, Triple Crown, Olympic Games, U.S. Open golf, and World Figure Skating Championship. “To be the first in anything is an accomplishment,” says CBS Sports Chairman and fellow Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Sean McManus. “Lesley’s career has been full of firsts as a pioneer in sports broadcasting. Her induction into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame is a testament to a career of being that pioneer for both women and men in sports broadcasting.” Born in 1953 in Quincy, MA, Visser moved frequently throughout her childhood but never lost her passion for Boston sports. That love for her hometown teams carried her through multiple moves and helped her realize what she wanted to be when she grew up. Although there were no female sportscasters at the time, Visser’s mother was incredibly supportive of her precocious daughter’s dream. “She said to me, ‘Sometimes, you have to cross when it says, Don’t walk.’ It was liberating,” Visser recalls. “It was permission for me to pursue a dream.” Visser attended Boston College, where she wrote for the sports staff of the school’s paper. Her big break into the industry would come in 1974, when she applied for — and won — a Carnegie Foundation grant, which was established to assist women interested

CLASS OF 2017

Lesley Visser with SNY/MLBN/TBS announcer Ron Darling

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

“To my entire broadcasting family, thank you. I thank everyone I work with because no one lands on Normandy by themselves. Thank you. I am humbled.” in pursuing careers in male-dominated fields. As a result, she joined the sports staff of the Boston Globe, where she would work for the next 14 years. Her career at the Boston Globe took off when she was assigned to cover the New England Patriots, becoming the first-ever female beat reporter for an NFL franchise. Although the job came with a fair share of challenges, Visser approached each crude comment she received with a witty retort and, to prove her critics wrong, diligently studied the sport of football. “I tried to understand that it was new for [the players], too: a woman covering football,” says Visser. “The Boston Globe gave me great support.” In 1983, after more than a decade writing for the Boston Globe, Visser began to split her time with CBS Sports. And although sportswriting would always be her first love, she transitioned to television full-time in 1987. During her first stint at CBS Sports, which would last until the network lost its NFL rights following the 1993 season, Visser covered a wide variety of sports, including the NBA, MLB, college basketball, and college football. She joined The NFL Today in 1990 and, two years later, became the first — and only — woman to handle the Lombardi Trophy during the Super Bowl presentation. Visser then transitioned to ABC Sports for nearly seven years, where her string of notable “firsts” continued: she became the first woman assigned to Monday Night Football and to report from the sidelines during a Super Bowl. In 2000,Visser returned to CBS Sports and The NFL Today and played an integral role in The Eye’s Super Bowl XXXV, XXXVIII, XLI, and XLIV broadcasts. Beginning in 2004, she teamed up with Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, becoming lead reporter on CBS Sports’ No. 1 NFL announce team. “The broadcasting industry is blessed to have a pioneer like Lesley,” says CBS Corp. Chairman/CEO Leslie Moonves. “Through 40 remarkable years of covering sports — including her terrific tenure as an NFL and NBA reporter for CBS — she has blazed a trail for women that will last forever.” — Karen Hogan Ketchum

> JOHN A. WALSH JOURNALIST, STORYTELLER, INNOVATOR

t’s safe to say that there aren’t many parents in Scranton, PA, who make it a habit of taking their son to the World Series. But John Walsh’s father did just that during the 1950s, instilling in his son a life-long love of big-time sports events (even though he was a Phillies fan) that turned into a love of the sports pages, a love of journalism, and, ultimately, a love of ESPN. But it took Walsh more than two decades to find his calling in TV. “After 22 years in print,” says Walsh, “I found a place for 27 years that was open to something new, that had a creative environment [where it] was easier to get a yes than a no and it was up to us to find the things that would stand out.” Joining ESPN in 1988 at the behest of Steve Bornstein, a fellow Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer, Walsh was looking to take his passion for journalism to a new medium. He had worked for more than 30 media companies, including Rolling Stone, Newsweek, and the Washington Post. He was also able to persuade publishing giant Katherine Graham to launch Inside Sports in 1979; the magazine ceased publishing in 1982. Walsh joined ESPN as managing editor of SportsCenter on Jan. 10, 1988. There was much to do, including catching CNN in the ratings. “I wanted a standard of three S’s for the show: smart, smile, and surprise,” he says. The first change? The very nature of highlights shows that tended to go from one sport to the next. “We changed the first segment to be like the front page of a sports section and make it a video version with the top five stories.” And then there was the talent. Walsh credits much of the successful turnaround at SportsCenter to the combination of Chris Berman and Bob Ley. “Bob knew what he was doing and was serious and insightful while Chris knew how to have fun,” he says. “And the idea was that there wasn’t enough ‘sports smart’ programming. So, the idea was to make SportsCenter the landing place for any fan at the end of the day and a must view and must see. But we need to

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John A. Walsh with ESPN commentator Tony Kornheiser

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

“I come here to thank everybody. … The hallmarks of ESPN were collegiality, consciousness, and competitiveness. And, to this day, that’s what makes ESPN, for over 30 years, the network that it is.” have entertaining people hosting it and we had to throw pages of stats at viewers to show we really love sports and are passionate.” But Walsh soon found himself surrounded by singular talents like Robin Roberts, Andrea Kramer, Jimmy Roberts, Stuart Scott, Mike Tirico, Rich Eisen, and “some nutcase” from Los Angeles named Keith Olberman. Toss in Dan Patrick, Gary Miller, and Charley Steiner (who formed a lethal trio with Ley and Roberts), and the personality of SportsCenter came through at home: smart, funny, insightful, and diverse. But Walsh was not done. In the 1990s, he would be critical to the launch of ESPN The Magazine, ESPN2, ESPN Radio, documentary programs like SportsCentury and 30 for 30, the ESPYs, and Page Two on ESPN.com. When discussing those efforts, he speaks most of those around him: John Skipper, Bill Simmons, Mark Shapiro, George Bodenheimer. Former ESPN President John Skipper notes that Walsh has been a mentor and confidant to hundreds, including himself among that number. “John is among the most influential people in the history of ESPN,” he says. “He brought a newspaperman’s sensibilities to television and helped revolutionize SportsCenter by championing smart content that educates fans. He was instrumental in launching many of our businesses and shows that feature journalism and storytelling in their foundation. Even more important, John has been a mentor and confidant to hundreds, myself included. I have always considered John one of my most trusted advisors and closest friends.” “The greatest quality of ESPN for my 27 years was collaboration,” says Walsh. “Everyone was always itching to make whatever the product was better day in and day out.” — Ken Kerschbaumer

> MICHAEL WEISMAN PRODUCER EXTRAORDINAIRE

here are people who say they want to do it all, and then there are people like Michael Weisman. He has been an executive producer (and more) on everything from major sports events to network late-night entertainment to network daytime TV and even morning and cable news. Bob Costas, whom Weisman placed on the national stage for NBC’s NFL Sunday pregame show, describes him having that great combination of belief in his own abilities and deep respect for the abilities of others. “He revels in your success as well as his own.” A career in TV was not part of the plan when he set off from Bayside, Queens, for the University of North Carolina. But, when his father died of a heart attack at 44, Weisman returned home as a sophomore, completed his studies at Queens College, and subsequently worked as a page at NBC. It was there that his education in TV began, especially when he would watch rehearsals for the Tonight Show With Johnny Carson and see how producer Fred de Cordova went about his business. On his final day as a page, he heeded his mother’s advice to stop by and thank Chet Simmons, who had hired his father as publicist and was now head of NBC Sports. Weisman was set to attend St. John’s University, but, when Simmons asked if he was interested in sports, he said yes and was hired as an assistant producer the following week. A couple of years later, Weisman was promoted to associate producer and then, at age 27, was named producer and would sit alongside the legendary Teddy Nathanson. “In effect, I was the producer of the game and doing Super Bowls and national telecasts as a kid,” he says. “That was tremendous.” He then worked for another legend: Don Ohlmeyer, who had joined NBC Sports as executive producer to do the Olympics. But, when the U.S. boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics, Ohlmeyer moved on, and

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“I’m delighted to receive this honor with such an accomplished group. I’m grateful for my friends, my colleagues, and my career, but I’m most proud that my family knows they were always and still are my priority.” Weisman, then 32, was named executive producer. Only the third ever to hold that post at NBC Sports, he was also the youngest. Weisman wanted to recapture a bit of the spirit that had existed in the 1970s, when experimentation and trying things out was not only accepted but expected. “We did the first SkyCam,” he recalls, “and we were doing new things all the time because we didn’t want rules when we were doing the game.” After the 1988 Olympics, Weisman went out west to try his hand at CBS Entertainment and late-night TV. The Pat Sajak Show was canceled, and Weisman then produced a show with a new host every two weeks. Comedians Bill Maher and Joy Behar were among those hosts, and a template for shows like Politically Incorrect and The View emerged. Weisman returned to big-time sports production, working for Fox Sports on its MLB coverage. His role there was not full-time and, in 2001, he reached out to Dick Ebersol, a move that led to his working on three Olympics. In 2004, he would help Jane Pauley launch her daily talk show and help Jim Bell transition into the role of producer of the Today show. He would also help get NBC Sunday Night Football off the ground and, more recently, spent a year as executive producer for Morning Joe on MSNBC. Says Weisman, “I always thought I have an ability to work well with others and adapt to the skill set of the people I am working with.” — Ken Kerschbaumer

Michael Weisman with fellow Hall of Famer Dick Ebersol

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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SVG SPECIAL REPORT SUPER BOWL LII

NBC Sports Embarks on Biggest Live Game Production in History By Jason Dachman

ach year, the Super Bowl broadcaster looks to up the technological ante at America’s highest-profile sports event. This year, to put it simply, NBC’s overall presence in the Twin Cities for Super Bowl LII was mind-blowing: 14 trucks, 250 engineers, 126 cameras, 32 EVS replay systems totaling 295 channels, 130-plus microphones. And not to be forgotten: just five days after the Philadelphia Eagles clinched their first Super Bowl title in franchise history, the Peacock embarked on an even larger-scale production in Korea with the Opening Ceremony at the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. “This has been 2½ years of planning, and we have meticulously walked through every aspect technically and operationally,” said Ken Goss, SVP, remote operations and production planning, NBC Sports Group, during the week prior to the game. “There is no better way to exhibit all that we have accomplished this year than the Super Bowl, and it is also the perfect launch pad into the Olympics for our whole team. Our team [does] it seamlessly. That’s where the experience of our team comes together the best.”

NBC’s Largest Camera Complement In terms of the game production, camera levels were (not surprisingly) at an all-time high. The 73-camera complement (featuring primarily Canon lenses) included 20 miniature cameras for the Admiral Video PylonCam system in addition to a bevy of 4K and high-speed systems: four Sony HDC-4800 4K robos, three HDC-4300’s in 4K mode, four HDC-4300’s running at 4X slo-mo, another seven HDC-4300’s running at 6X slo-mo, and two more HDC-4300’s at 8X slo-mo. “Outside of the Super Bowl, the Kentucky Derby is our biggest show, with about 55 cameras. We outrival that pretty significantly

For in-depth reports from Super Bowl LII, check out www.sportsvideo.org 38

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

NBC Sports used more than 60 Canon lenses for its Super Bowl LII production.

when you count our pregame and remotes here,” said Tim Dekime, VP, NFL operations, NBC Sports Group. “So this is easily the largest camera deployment we’ve ever done. And what’s amazing is, [producer] Fred [Gaudelli] and [director] Drew [Esocoff] are so squared away that we were here a year and a half ago and they had pretty much all the cameras selected already.” NBC once again deployed two SkyCam systems — a low and a high — as it did for selected games in the second half of the season on Sunday Night Football and Thursday Night Football. The camera complement also featured nearly a dozen robos (provided by Fletcher), including a pair of new positions: an HDC-4800 overlooking the entirety of each end zone to capture close plays along the side or back lines. “You could say that we do a Super Bowl every week with the [camera and equipment] levels we have on [TNF and SNF], but there is truly nothing like a Super Bowl,” said Keith Kice, senior technical manager, NBC Sports Group. “To go through the whole football season and have it culminate with an amazing Super Bowl production is just awesome. Our job is to bring the fan experience here at the stadium to the fan at home that doesn’t have the opportunity to be here. If you can make them get chills while sitting at home, that is our goal.”

New Virtual 3D Graphics Tech In addition to an army of cameras, NBC Sports took its use of augmented reality and virtual graphics to the next level with the debut of “volumetric-AR” technology, with which lifelike 3D player animations were inserted into AR graphics in the telecast. In the week before the game, the production team completed body scans of six players from the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, including quarterbacks Tom Brady and Nick Foles. These scans provided NBC with 3D player animations that replaced the 2D images in the on-screen AR elements superimposed on the field. The 3D virtual graphics were available on the same three cameras as Ross Video’s standard AR system — both end-zone goalpost cameras (with encoded lenses) and the lower SkyCam cable-cam system — and an additional exterior beauty shot. The system was driven by Ross Video’s Frontier gaming video-graphics–rendering engine which

One of four Steadicams that AVS supplied to NBC Sports for pregame and game production

NBC Sports’ operations team leaders, from left to right: John Roché, Ken Goss, Keith Kice, and Craig Bernstein

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

SVG SPECIAL REPORT SUPER BOWL LII NFL Media Builds Broadcast Nerve Center in a Skyscraper’s Basement Consider Dave Shaw spoiled. Traditionally, NFL Media rolls up a comprehensive truck compound to establish its tech presence during Super Bowl Week. For Super Bowl LII, however, it deployed more of an Olympics IBC model: the company secured a large, 18,000-sq.-ft. office space in the basement of the IDS Center in Downtown Minneapolis to serve, with the help of a flypack provided by VER, as its media nerve center. It’s a setup unlike any that NFL Media and Shaw, VP of production, have enjoyed before, and they certainly enjoyed it. Future Super Bowl host committees may want to take note. “It’s just awesome,” said Shaw during the week before the game. “You will always still debate [rolling up trucks], but it depends on what space you’re in and what you have. Nicollet Mall is very narrow, and, when we’re working with the host committee, there weren’t a lot of truck spaces. We did it in a flypack last year, and we knew we could do it. So we had to go this way. We got the space, and it all came together.” The space, previously the home of the now-defunct Globe University, had an open area where cubicles used to sit and which was the perfect size for dropping the flypack. Offices and classrooms were repurposed as video rooms, control rooms, edit suites, conference/ meeting rooms, catering rooms, and more. The main purpose of the area, though, was to serve as a fiberconnectivity center, pulling in all the feeds from Nicollet Mall, the Convention Center, and other locations throughout the Twin Cities and integrating with NFL Media’s home offices in Culver City, CA. In the Minneapolis Metropolitan Area, there isn’t a center point where everything happens. Instead, it’s a sprawling footprint with many exciting places to see and experience. Sure, there’s Nicollet Mall — the 12-block portion of Nicollet Avenue cutting through Downtown Minneapolis where the NFL hosted the event’s linchpin fan activation —

A flypack provided by VER was the nerve center for NFL Media’s presence in Minneapolis for Super Bowl LII. Super Bowl Live — but Opening Night took place across the Mississippi River at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Super Bowl Experience (or SBX) was across downtown at the Convention Center, and Radio Row was located almost 11 miles away near the airport in Bloomington. So, when it came down to establishing a presence at its biggest event of the year, NFL Media decided against the traditional single mega remote set for all its programming and instead scattered smaller setups throughout the Super Bowl experience. As a result, NFL Media operated from 16 setups in seven locations around the area. “Our philosophy at NFL Media and NFL Network is to be everywhere,” said Shaw. “That’s what we do all day, every day. When we looked at Nicollet Mall, we had the choice of putting up a glassed-in set of some sort, but you have to look at the location. When you look at Nicollet Mall and what’s going on, there’s a lot of neat interactions along the route. So we decided to have three smaller locations that allow us to capture more.” — Brandon Costa

creates photorealistic scenery for AR environments for broadcasts. Besides the NBC Sports team, many vendors were involved in the project: Rocket Surgery/Ross Creative Services (which creates NBC’s AR elements for TNF and SNF), Ross Virtual Solutions, SMT for virtual-positioning data, The Future Group for Frontier development, Fanview and Repronauts for the player scans, and RealMedia to handle cleanup, rigging, and animation in the Unreal game engine.

Inside the NBC Compounds

Operations Manager Carlton Young helped oversee ESPN’s on-site studio efforts across the Twin Cities, including at Mall of America, the IDS Center, and U.S. Bank Stadium. 40

With 14 mobile units onsite, NBC Sports was forced to expand its compound beyond the loadingdock area inside U.S. Bank Stadium. Although this is the norm at any Super Bowl, the potential subzero temperatures of a Minneapolis February made an outdoor compound unviable. Therefore, NBC erected a massive climate-controlled tent just outside the stadium to house the overflow trucks. Inside the primary compound, NEP’s ND1 (A, B, C, and D units) housed the main game production, accompanied by ND4 (A and B) for tape release and additional camera/replay sources. The pregame studio show’s mobile unit, ND7 A and B units, was also in the compound. Because there was no room for a full truck for transmission and distribution management, NBC worked with NEP to build an ESU flypack, which was also located in the compound. The tented truck compound housed ND7 C and D units, NCP14 serving Telemundo’s Spanishlanguage game production, and two Denali trucks. AVS and BSI had their mobile units on hand to manage RF needs for video and audio, respectively. “I would have to say that this is the most challenging Super Bowl that I’ve ever been a part of,” said

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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SVG SPECIAL REPORT SUPER BOWL LII NEP Senior Technical Manager John Roché. “A huge amount of planning went into this, and we had to account for a lot of different factors. But we’re definitely ready and excited for this week. We just want to make sure that the best seat in the house is in front of your TV. [Gaudelli] and [Esocoff] and their team are the artists. We just want to give them the tools to be successful.” All power for NBC facilities was provided by a new Aggreko UPS system, fed by three redundant 1,500-kVA generators; a fourth 1,500-kVA generator fed a failover switch in case all three went down. On the transmission side, CenturyLink provided a 10-Gbps fiber circuit between the stadium and NBC Sports headquarters in Stamford, CT. The pipe served NBC’s filetransfer needs, as well as 10 outbound feeds to Stamford and 30 Rock (where commercial integration took place) and 10 inbound feeds from Stamford to Minneapolis. “Any ancillary [feeds] that are not within this compound, go through Stamford, and then they send it to us — like [Boston and Philadelphia] cityscapes and a pregame piece [a live shot from] Korea,” said Mike Meehan, SVP, sports operations, NBC Sports Group. “As is the norm, we use a lot of Stamford edit bays to finish product, which saves us equipment and manpower onsite. We are providing a high level of connectivity to make that happen.”

Four Onsite Sets for Six Hours of Pregame NBC deployed four sets in Minneapolis for its six hours of pregame coverage on Super Bowl Sunday: its primary set and Coach’s Clicker side-by-side sets on the concourse, its on-the-field set, and its “yurt” set at nearby Nicollet Mall. And that was in addition to the Peacock’s weeklong studio presence throughout the city, with an array of NBC Sports programs airing live from Nicollet Mall, the Mall of America, and outside U.S. Bank Stadium; also airing from the Twin Cities that week were Today, The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, NBC Nightly News, CNBC shows, Telemundo Deportes, and a variety of other NBCUniversal properties. “There is definitely a lot of synergy here, and we’re trying to provide opportunities for [all of our shows] to shine,” said Tom Popple, VP, studio operations and facilities, NBC Sports Group. “Thankfully, we have great support teams to handle all that. If we didn’t all work together, this just wouldn’t work. You can’t do something like this without everybody being on the same page. You’re going to run into issues, and we’ve had a little bit of that. But we’ve been able to respond, and it’s been really great.”

After the Game, It’s Off to PyeongChang Although Super Bowl LII marked the final chapter in NBC’s three-year Super Bowl journey, it was just the beginning of its Winter Olympics effort. The day after the game, a large chunk of the NBC Sports operations and production team boarded a chartered plane to PyeongChang, South Korea, while the rest headed back to Stamford to handle NBC’s massive at-home operation for the Winter Games. “One of the challenges for NBC this year was the fact that we also have the Games, so our resources were challenged both facility- and manpower-wise,” said Craig Bernstein, senior director, technical operations, NBC Sports Group. “But we spent three years planning for this all the way from [Super Bowl XLIX in] Phoenix to now, and we’ve always planned for that. Every single thing we have done has been a run-up to this, so we know it’s going to be a great production and the perfect lead-in to the Olympics.” < Top: VWSE’s Bob Becker (left) and SMG’s Justin Lange were part of the all-star team that produced the videoboard show from the Mercedes-Benz Stadium control room. Middle: NEP’s Glen Levine (left) and Dan Turk at ND1’s A-unit, which housed NBC Sports’ Super Bowl LII game production. Bottom: NBC Sports’ primary set at U.S. Bank Stadium 42

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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SVG SPECIAL REPORT CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

ESPN Production Raises Big Game Bar By Ken Kerschbaumer

ESPN’s John LaChance said he’s proud of the collective effort put in for the 2017 college football season.

For more 2018 CFP National Championship coverage, check out sportsvideo.org 44

he College Football Playoff National Championship Game on ESPN featured the biggest production ever for a bowl game, thanks to the use of 125 cameras (between game, studio, and MegaCast coverage) and a game production coming out of nine Game Creek Video remote-production units. Camera and audio developments brought the viewer closer than ever before to Alabama’s come-from-behind OT victory over Georgia.

“The personal highlight is seeing it all come together,” said John LaChance, director, remote production operations, ESPN, of a massive effort that capped the 2017 college-football season. “To see the new angles, perspectives, and gadgets we are introducing and watch those get integrated from paper to plan to [execution] gives a great sense of pride. And it’s a partnership between those technicians, vendors, and production personnel.” A new element this year was a small RF camera that 3g Wireless installed in each of the four 1st-and-10 markers on each side of the field.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

It had been tested at the Celebration Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. “The cameras are on the top side of the 1st-and-10 markers and will offer viewers angles they have not seen in the past,” LaChance explained prior to the game. “It’s a perspective right from the sideline, and they can see whether a player made the first down.” Also new were two hat cams: cameras mounted in the caps of two of the folks who move the first-and-10 markers up and down the field. According to LaChance, this year’s systems did not require bodypacks, making them lighter and less obtrusive when worn by moving officials. The eight pylon cams also got a lift this year, with a microphone placed in each of the pylons at the corners of the end zones. The pylon cams offered a total of 28 angles of video coverage. The specialty cameras complemented the 51 other cameras deployed for game coverage, primarily a mix of Sony HDC-4300, HDC-2500, and HDC-4800 cameras coupled with Canon lenses, including two 95X super-telephoto lenses. Nine 4300 cameras operated in super-slow-motion mode; five 4800’s, in 4K mode (four on the goal line and one hard camera on the main-camera level). Five 2500 cameras were dedicated to the MegaCast production. In addition, there were two SkyCam units, one operating as a super-slomo and both available to viewers via dedicated channels on the MegaCast.

SVG SPECIAL REPORT CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ESPN’s MegaCast Bulks Up, Puts ‘Voices’ Front and Center Over the past four years, as the College Football Playoff has become a new tradition for college-football fans, ESPN has developed its own annual ritual: what and just how many unique viewing options it can offer viewers as part of its massive MegaCast presentation. As Georgia and Alabama battled it out for the national title on Monday Jan. 8, ESPN offered 20 ways for viewers to experience the game — up from 14 last year — making it the largest MegaCast offering ever. The concept has come a long way from its first iteration, which took place during the final championship game of the BCS era. “The first year, we got a lot of ‘why are you guys doing this,’” laughed Ed Placey, senior coordinating producer, college football, ESPN. “Now it’s become a fun tradition to see different ways of experiencing a big event and new ways that you can present it.” The 2018 MegaCast emphasized ESPN personalities, offering fans five shows for watching the game, along with conversation with talent from some of their favorite shows across the ESPN family. Voices leveraged sets, shows, and personalities from across the country. New this year was the inclusion of The Dan Le Batard Show; the popular radio talk show was hosted from its studio in Miami and produced and directed through ESPN’s facility in Washington, DC. The Bristol, CT, facility produced two shows: one from the crew at NFL Live and SportsCenter, which had Scott Van Pelt (and others) commenting on the game from the SportsCenter set, and Van Pelt’s regular late-night show following the conclusion of the game. Additional crews were stationed at ABC’s Times Square Studios in New York and ESPN’s Los Angeles-based studio.

Produced from various locations, each show featured its own lineup of guests and their real-time analysis of the action. ESPNU actually offered a linear option in which all five Voices shows — and the game — could be viewed simultaneously in a six-screen display. Also new this year, with the introduction of the dual-SkyCam system for the main game production, viewers could choose to watch the game from either of the two SkyCams streaming live on ESPN3. Returning this year were some of the most popular viewing offerings from previous years of the MegaCast. The Homers Telecast, which took over ESPN2, featured pairs of talent breaking down the game specifically from either the Alabama or the Georgia perspective. Coaches Film Room offered active coaches from across the NCAA in a studio reacting to the game and providing real-time analysis of plays. All in all, the MegaCast looked to get the most out of all the on-air and production talent nationwide that wanted to be a part of this major event, and it leveraged the technological resources — including 125 cameras — deployed at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. “It’s low-risk for us, because the main game production is well taken care of, and it’s an opportunity for us to explore the appetite for new possibilities,” said Placey, prior to the game. “It’s also a way to have a place where, if there are slower moments in the game, people can explore some different things.” — Brandon Costa

“The second SkyCam gives analysts and folks at home an angle they have not seen often, especially when it is behind the defense and showing all 22 players on the field,” said LaChance. On the audio side, four prototype robotic microphone systems from DynaMount enabled the submixer in the Game Creek Maverick truck to remotely rotate microphones. DynaMount’s original system was designed for musicrecording studios, but the company, in consultation with ESPN, built a waterproof housing and enabled a small camera to be mounted to the One of two SkyCam WildCat systems unit. That small camera at the CFP National Championship

gave the operator the ability to see where the mic was pointed and adjust its position manually. Presets were also available so that multiple mics could be quickly repositioned. Nine Game Creek mobile production units and support vehicles were onsite: Peacock A and B at the core of the game production, Nitro A and B handling GameDay and SportsCenter needs, Maverick overseeing the MegaCast, Webby on hand for the SEC Network, and Edit 2 and 3 supporting the game and MegaCast. BSI was onsite for RF needs (13 cameras), and PSSI Global Services provided satellite uplink facilities. LaChance expressed his pride in the work done by everyone involved in getting the production facilities up and running in five days. Two plans for the truck compound had to be crafted because, until two weeks before the CFP National Championship Game, there was the possibility of the Atlanta Falcons’ hosting a playoff game the same weekend as the championship game. “I think we had a great season for ESPN and the games that aired on ABC,” said LaChance. “We had some great finishes, and to be around college football when you are a college-football fan makes the season fly by. But it was a great season, and that is testament to some great technicians, staff, personnel, and vendors who made it come together and great for the folks at home.” <

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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LIVE FROM THE

PYEONGCHANG OLYMPICS T

he Sports Video Group team was once again on hand at one of the world’s largest sporting events: the Winter Olympics. The size and scale of the Winter Games is always smaller than the Summer Games, but this year’s production efforts were highlighted by everything from 4K with HDR to VR and even more 8K than ever. More importantly, OBS, NBC, and other broadcasters were able to leverage a All SVG LIVE FROM single production (say, 8K) by downconverting THE PYEONGCHANG OLYMPICS photos by it to 4K and even HD. On the following pages, Carrie Bowden you will have a chance to learn about the new For in-depth reports and workflows and see more photos than ever from video interviews, visit www.sportsvideo.org/ behind the scenes in PyeongChang. pyeongchang-2018

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > NBC OLYMPICS OVERVIEW

Advance Planning, Testing by NBC Olympics Smooths Out Production By Ken Kerschbaumer

he athletes weren’t the only ones who put in months of training and preparation ahead of the Winter Olympics. NBC Olympics took its preGames preparation to a whole new level this year, as nearly every technical system that was used in PyeongChang for coverage of the Games was first tested and re-tested at NBC’s broadcast production facility in Stamford, CT. And Dave Mazza, SVP/CTO, NBC Sports Group and NBC Olympics, told SVG early on in the Games that the work paid off. “Things are going really well, and it has been a good setup, better than the past three or four Games,” he said. “Our team has been awesome, and, while we had a few snags with people getting sick, fortunately, everyone is doing well now.” Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) and the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (POCOG) took construction of the International Broadcast Center (IBC), venues, and facilities to a new level of readiness, especially compared with recent Games. The 2016 and 2014 Olympics in Rio and Sochi, respectively, were plagued with construction delays, equipment shortages for things

NBC Sports and NBC Olympics’ Dave Mazza

For in-depth reports and video interviews, visit www.sportsvideo.org/ pyeongchang-2018 50

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

like outlets and power, transportation issues, and more. That was not the case in PyeongChang. “The Koreans understand technology,” Mazza noted. “They also do a nice job with construction. And they don’t do anything halfway. At times, we had to tell them, ‘Hey, guys, this is just a temporary setup’ while they were welding something that was designed to last forever.” This was also the second Games for which OBS broke down the previous IBC building, packed it into more than 300 shipping containers, and rebuilt it at the new location. “All of the panels, columns, and electrical systems were up when we got here. It was a godsend because it took all of the variables out of the equation,” said Mazza. “Our space was clean, ready to run cables, and the power was good. And, so far, the telco connections have been without incident. Both OBS and the POCOG have done an excellent job of getting everything ready.” While OBS and the South Koreans were busy getting the venues and IBC ready to go, the NBC Olympics team in Stamford, CT, spent months making sure the IBC systems were tested and

A Skeleton competitor speeds by the Olympic rings at the Olympic Sliding Centre.

NBC Sports Senior Director, Transmission Engineering and Operations, Chris Connolly oversaw transmission engineering and operations in PyeongChang.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > NBC OLYMPICS OVERVIEW retested to ensure that they would be ready for the massive workload. “We did a much better job of prefabricating and preconfiguring everything in Stamford,” said Mazza. By the end of December, the NBC Olympics technical team was about two weeks ahead of where it usually is in terms of readiness. In fact, the main drain on people was not the strain of getting ready for the Olympics but, instead, being in South Korea during a tense time geopolitically. “Even though we have learned to keep our heads down and get the job done, we haven’t been anywhere where there are actual threats of an all-out war from both sides,” Mazza pointed out. “We have dealt with Zika, security problems in Russia, and terrorist threats, but not a threat of war. That said, PyeongChang feels like an incredibly safe place.” In terms of technical and production changes, the team made a lot of changes on the venue side of operations and a bunch of small tweaks to the IBC operations. “On the venue side, we took what we have been doing with the at-home efforts in the States and applied it to the venues,” Mazza explained. “So we are doing some significant at-home productions in the IBC and also back in the States.” For example, the NBC Sports Network studio at the Coastal Cluster venue was controlled from Control Room 4 in Stamford. It ran 23 hours a day, with 16 hours of production originating from the studio at the Coastal Cluster and seven hours from a studio in Stamford. NBC’s NEWBERT flypack was in use for both hockey coverage from the smaller hockey arena and the Closing Ceremony. The NEWBERT system was contained in six flight cases and included a goodsize Evertz EMR 64 router. The flypack also housed a Lawo-based audio core, a small intercom system,

Philip Paully, NBC Olympics Graphics Team Span the Globe

hilip Paully, director, graphics engineering and operations, and the NBC Olympics graphics team of more than 30 people onsite in PyeongChang once again worked to meet the needs of a production team that created more content than ever and did so with an approach that was different from previous efforts. “The graphics center was prebuilt in Stamford, CT, before it was shipped,” said Paully prior to the start of the Games. “It’s been one of the best things that Terry Adams, [VP, IBC engineering, NBC Olympics,] and Dave Mazza did, because it meant we needed only two days to get the graphics department up and running. Our biggest job is to make sure everyone in production has what they need, and it is getting better as time goes by.” The pre-assembly of graphics gear like the ChyronHego Mosaic, Duos, and Prime Clips and Mac computers allowed the graphics team to hit its stride more quickly and also arrive onsite two weeks later than usual. “The Sony engineering team had everything plugged in and wired,” Paully explained. “We just had to fine-tune, get some software up and running, and scan every machine to make sure they were virus-free.” Graphic-operations managers in both PyeongChang and Stamford managed content creation and distribution in both facilities via a large Isilon server that handled all the data. FileCatalyst was used to provide high-speed transfers among the IBC, Stamford, and the venues. They also fed the graphics to playout devices like EVS and Mira servers. The onsite graphics team also included a Control Room A team with two ChyronHego Mosaic units, one for regular CG operation and one for still-store needs, and two ChyronHego Prime Clip players, one in HD and one in 4K mode for playback on studio monitors. A graphics room for the Control Room X production facility also handled graphics via ChyronHego Mosaic for ski jumping and the Closing Ceremony. It also had a backup Prime Clip Player for Control Room A. “Then we have one room with three art directors and one room with five Mac stations, all creating and rendering graphics,” said Paully, noting, “The team is about 80% the same as it as in Rio. It’s a wellorganized group of the most talented people I have met, and they are

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

The NBC Olympics graphics team in PyeongChang took advantage of faster rendering to meet production needs. the best at working under pressure that I have ever seen.” The challenge for the team, he added, was managing the human equation and making sure everyone got out the right content at the right time to the right place: “You can have fast equipment and the best artist in the world, but management is the most crucial part.” One of the big improvements from Rio 2016 was the doubling of the number of processors, from 80 to 160, used to render graphics. Alienware R2 Alpha Series computers allowed rendering of 4K elements (important for use on the 4K and 8K studio monitors) to be cut from an hour or more to mere minutes, which came in handy when last-minute changes or demands occur. “In Rio, we could render one or two graphics in an hour,” added Paully. “Now we can render four or five in an hour, and these are large 4K moving files. [At one point], we had to replace something in a 4K clip, and it took six minutes to render.” Also important was the use of ChyronHego’s Hub Drive software that allowed 25 ChyronHego graphics machines to be tied to a server and to share content with each other. — KK

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > NBC OLYMPICS OVERVIEW and an EVS replay unit. An AT&T Media Links frame sent 36 feeds to Control Room X for the Closing Ceremony through a 10-Gbps link. The alpine events also made use of some remote connectivity. The core NBC production-truck facilities, provided by Game Creek Video, were located at the speed hill and connected to an eightcamera flypack and a routing switcher located at the technical-skiing venue, where the slalom events were held. Located an hour apart, the production team at the speed hill were able to cut the technicalskiing show, thanks to a 10-Gbps circuit that delivered eight camera feeds and 20-24 split feeds from the host production. The decision to keep some of the at-home efforts based in the IBC, according to Mazza, was based on two factors: cost of the bandwidth to transport dozens of camera signals to Stamford and also the

NBC Olympics Digital Workflow Group Finds Its Groove

arryl Jefferson, VP, postproduction and digital workflow, NBC Sports, his team, and more than 600 people at NBC Olympics split between PyeongChang and Stamford, CT, found themselves in a good spot at the 2018 Olympic Games. A wide range of testing and preconfiguration allowed a massive digital infrastructure to be up and running in the days prior to the Games without many of the difficulties experienced during Rio 2016. “For me, the story of our group has been all the work we did beforehand,” said Jefferson. “We have been sprinting since last spring, and that goes for [the work we did on] every subsystem.” Those subsystems include a storage- and asset-management system used by NBC staffers at the venues, in the IBC, in Stamford, and even beyond. Last spring, the subsystems that would be used at the IBC in PyeongChang were set up in the basement level of NBC Sports’ Broadcast Center in Stamford, and tests were run to optimize the performance under real-world conditions. Matthew Green, senior digital workflow engineer, NBC Sports and NBC Olympics, noted that there were five phases to the tests. “The initial round of tests was to find the failure point and then identify the hardware that needed to be replaced and the software optimizations that Avid needed to make,” he explained. “Then, we would run another round, identify new places to improve, and test again. At the end, it was less about stability and more about usability and making sure search and playback was faster and better. We wanted to end up with a much smoother experience for everyone.” According to Jim Miles, director of digital workflow systems, NBC Sports and Olympics, tests in Stamford raised the baseline for readiness once the equipment was up and running in the IBC. That rock-solid baseline allowed the digital-workflow team to focus more on smaller issues and final tweaks. The digital system put together for the Olympics was used by hundreds of staffers not only to deliver the live content to viewers but also to edit highlight packages, feature stories, and graphics; create socialmedia content; and, ultimately, get that content ready for delivery via NBC networks, apps, social-media platforms, and connected-TV devices. At a basic level, the system began with content coming in from the venues as feeds or, if cut up and assembled at a venue or elsewhere, as files on EVS replay servers or Avid editing systems. Depending on what those files would be used for, they might land at one or more of 100 targets, such as storage systems at the IBC, Stamford, or even a production team at a venue. “If it is for fast turnaround,” said Miles, “it will be right next to you on the EVS server. If it was a host feed, it will be here at the IBC, and, if it was an off-air signal, it would be recorded in Stamford.” The SAN at the IBC was just under a petabyte of MediaGrid, about 72 TB of Isilon, and more than 700 TB of Avid storage. The total number of people who could touch the content in the assetmanagement system was close to 300 at the IBC and 300 in Stamford, and the system was built to handle upwards of 500 concurrent users. Jefferson said the team also worked with Avid on the behavior of

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

the player used to find content in the system. The player had been improved so that video-search results started up more quickly and the set of results was easier to manage. Harmonic played a key role in storage and ingest alongside Avid editing and storage systems used for both asset management and editing. EVS systems were at every venue and played an important part in the replay operation at the venues and in the control rooms. One important part of the process was a File Intake Room at the IBC, which was overseen by Kamal Bhangle, manager, remote engineering and technology, NBC Sports and Olympics.

(L-R) Jim Miles, Matthew Green, Darryl Jefferson, and Kamal Bhangle were responsible for leading NBC Sports’ digital-workflow efforts onsite in PyeongChang. “It is the only room where you can bring content in from the outside and get it into the system,” she said. “Everything is scanned on a separate machine before it is plugged into the main system. Yes, it takes longer, and people have to wait, but everyone knows how serious [virus] protection is now.” The second part of the digital workflow was readying the feed for delivery to a wide range of devices, from cable and satellite set-top boxes to streaming platforms and handheld devices. Rob McKnight, director of media operations, NBC Sports and NBC Olympics, said that the team in Stamford tackles transcoding of the multi-bitrate mezzanine-level file delivered to Akamai. “I think the team overall has been doing really well on both sides of the equation,” said Jefferson. “Our staffers have been great, the freelancers that we have known for years have also been great, and the folks we have selected from the vendor groups have been great. I feel really good about the team. At home in Stamford, we have a full team that wakes up when we go to bed, and we would not survive a day here without them.” — KK

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > NBC OLYMPICS OVERVIEW emotional impact on the production teams. “The producers want to be able to meet with the talent every day or talk and do camera diagrams with the camera guys,” said Mazza. “We think we have overcome the technical side of being at home, and we have moved everything home that doesn’t have an intimate relationship between the production team, the local team, and the talent. “There is a lot of subtle getting to know each other on a live event,” he continued. “And that doesn’t come just because they worked together last week.”

>UHD, HDR, AND ATMOS

American skiier Mikaela Shiffrin took home the gold medal in Giant Slalom and silver in Alpine Combined events at the Winter Games.

NBC expanded its UHD and HDR coverage of the Games and distributed audio in Dolby Atmos. “We are taking the 8K feeds with HDR from NHK and downconverting them to 4K in the HLG [format],” said Mazza. “We have a couple of circuits going home to route the signals to Mobile TV Group’s Flex 39 truck, which is in Stamford. It receives the two feeds, and we have two announce booths in Stamford.” The Dolby Atmos experience, which added a more immersive soundfield by adding channels that delivered audio from above and more positions than the traditional 5.1-channel setup, made use of additional microphones. “OBS was kind enough to put out some height mics,” said Mazza. “We [sent] those home along with the 5.1 channels for a 10-channel mix that can be fed into the Atmos encoders.” The UHD programming was delayed by a day, similar to what occurred in the early days of HD for the 2004 Athens Olympics and also for Rio 2016. “It’s primarily because we can’t scoop primetime; the affiliate stations cannot participate in 4K delivery,” said Mazza. “We still consider it a technology demonstration: it isn’t up to the level of production our viewers are used to and the distribution methods have to catch up.”

>GOING LIVE COAST TO COAST A big change this year for U.S. viewers was that viewers outside of the East Coast experienced live primetime coverage rather than tape-delayed. On the West Coast, live programming began at 5 p.m., with local news following at 8:30 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. That was followed by “Prime Plus,” NBC’s name for the additional Olympics coverage that aired following the local news on the East Coast. Despite the massive timezone difference (PyeongChang is 14 hours ahead of the East Coast), there was a tremendous amount of live programming in primetime (skiing was broadcast live on 11 of 18 nights, figure skating on 12), and that is just the way Mazza likes it. “Everyone is performing at their peak, and, when it’s done, it’s done,” he said. “There is a higher risk and definitely more pressure, but that usually just means people perform better. You just need to manage the risk of things going wrong.”

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > NBC OLYMPICS STAMFORD

At-Home Effort Goes Full Throttle By Jason Dachman

early 7,000 miles separate PyeongChang from Stamford, CT, but, for three weeks, the two were attached at the hip for NBC’s largest and most complex Winter Olympics production to date. The at-home operation at the NBC Olympics Sports Production Operations Center (SPOC) in Stamford was bigger than ever before and was truly a 24/7 operation, with crewmembers literally exchanging seats at shift change. Although at-home efforts do reduce cost and travel, NBC was more focused on how the expanded use of its Stamford facility boosted its production capabilities and quality for PyeongChang 2018. “The further expansion of our [at-home] production has been a major next step forward for us,” said Tim Canary, VP, engineering, NBC Sports Group. “We are doing more and more here without adding substantial amounts of people. When you look at [departments] like our Highlights Factory or the Off-Tube [commentator operation], we are doing a lot more compared with Sochi with basically the same number of people. It’s not just the technology that makes that possible but also the people and the level of consistency we’ve had here year after year.” During the Games, more than 1,000 people worked at SPOC on the PyeongChang Olympics. With more than 2,400 hours of total multiplatform coverage (roughly the number of hours for Sochi and Vancouver combined) and 10 days of 24-hour linear-TV programming, the SPOC was a pressurecooker of activity. The facility ran six active control rooms (in 24/7 operation on most days), as well an additional truck parked outside for NBC’s 4K coverage. Also returning to Stamford for PyeongChang 2018 were the Off-Tube announce-booth setup (featuring eight temporary commentary booths in Studio 4), the Highlights Factory and Streaming Factory operations, Broadcast Operations Center (BOC) and

NBC Olympics leaders in Stamford: (L-R) Stacey Georgiou, Tim Canary, Ken Goss, and Tom Popple

For in-depth reports and video interviews, visit www.sportsvideo.org/ pyeongchang-2018 58

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > NBC OLYMPICS STAMFORD Transmission, and a few newcomers, such as the Enhanced Viewing Experience room. Throw in an army of Avid Edit and Pro Tools suites, as well as all of NBC Olympics’ EVS servers and MAM ingest channels, and it’s obvious how big the at-home operation has become. “It once again has been a genuine team effort with a phenomenal group of people,” said Ken Goss, SVP, remote operations and production planning, NBC Sports Group. “We’ve been able to plan shifts for the 24-hour operation, so everyone is as fresh as they can be, and it’s been very positive. The entire team has done a great job, and I think everyone here feels that they have contributed to the overall success of the PyeongChang operation. Stamford has truly become a place that you can depend on to be rock-solid week in and week out — and that’s even more valuable during [the Olympics].”

>A Sextet of Control Rooms: NBCSN, NEWBERT, 4K HDR, Digital, and More For Sochi 2014, control rooms were located in SPOC only for curling and Gold Zone production. This year, a total of six SPOC control rooms served studios in both Stamford and PyeongChang. “It’s exponentially bigger this year,” noted Tom Popple, VP, studio operations and facilities, NBC Sports Group, “with all the sports and studio shows coming out of here.” NBCSN deployed three crews at PCR4 for its 24-hour days. PCR4 was the production hub for NBCSN’s Coastal Cluster Studio during the daytime in PyeongChang (16 hours per day); Studio 3 in Stamford took over for the recap show (eight hours per day during PyeongChang overnight). The NBC Coastal Studio had six channels in both directions between PyeongChang and Stamford on a

NBC Olympics Brings 4K HDR, Dolby Atmos to the Masses Out of MTVG’s 39FLEX

n one of the largest commitments to 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos by any U.S. broadcaster to date, NBC presented roughly 12 hours of content per day in the next-gen video and audio formats on a one-day delay throughout the PyeongChang Games. OBS and NHK handled capture of the 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos material, and these feeds were sent to NBC Olympics’ Sports Production Operations Center (SPOC) in Stamford, CT, where Mobile TV Group’s 39FLEX 4K mobile unit was parked at the truck dock to integrate the production and a pair of off-tube booths add commentary. “This is a pretty unique setup, and it’s been really interesting to be a part of,” said NBC Olympics’ David King, who served as technical manager on the 4K HDR/Atmos production. “We started here with two [MTVG] engineers for the setup, and then Phil [Blucas] has stayed with us for the duration. Since most of the [content] comes in overnight, we work in shifts and have our engineering team monitoring [the truck] overnight. It’s worked out really well so far.” NHK and OBS provided NBC with a down-converted feed of their

A combo director/producer sat at the front bench of Mobile TV Group’s 39FLEX for NBC’s 4K/HDR production in Stamford. 60

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8K HDR coverage, while OBS also served up 4K SDR coverage from Hockey 1. There were two 4K feeds being sent to Stamford and one return. OBS provided NBC with two sets of 4K HDR HLG feeds on four fibers formatted as 2SI, as well as a third set of fibers carrying the 4K SDR Hockey 1 feed. Any two of these could be sent to the SPOC at a time, and a third could be recorded on a local Sony PWS-4500 4K/HD server at the IBC. These 4K line-cuts essentially served as the program feeds for the 4K HDR coverage, so no switching was necessary inside 39FLEX. Instead a small production team was led by a single director/producer at the front bench and NBC-branded graphics are inserted. Four Sony PWS-4500 servers also recorded content inside 39FLEX as it came in. “Overnight is primarily when the events are happening, so they come in, they get logged, and we have our production crew in here,” said King. “But we’re not playing out to master control or anything. We’re just packaging the whole thing and then we come in the next day, mix it, play it out. That’s been a typical day for us.” Two Off-Tube Booths with rotating sets of announcers created the voiceover for all of this coverage – either live as the content comes in overnight or the following day. In addition, OBS’s 4K SDR Hockey 1 feed was converted to HDR inside 39FLEX. NBC Olympics Director of Advanced Content Production Technology Chris Seeger oversaw the inverse tone mapping process to make this happen. About 12 hours of 4K HDR content was delivered each day from the truck to Comcast VOD servers in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, via redundant 10-gig paths. In addition, a linear feed was fed to other participating MVPDs, including DirecTV and Dish Network. The 4K HDR content was then delivered the following day to subscribers of these MVPDs with the necessary 4K HDR TV and set-top box. The Dolby Atmos audio, the encoded ATMOS feed, was a 5.1.4 mix that NBC generated from a combination of the 5.1 surround mix and overhead height mics provided by OBS. NBC had the choice of the OBS 5.1 downmix or the 5.1 downmix from NHK’s 8K, 22.2-channelaudio Super-Hi Vision production. That was then sent to Stamford with an audio split of four height mics as well as a split of the PA system in the venue and the announcers. Once there, it was mixed by A1 John Steigerwald inside the 39FLEX audio room. The 10 discrete audio channels were then sent to NBC’s Englewood Cliffs, NJ, facility for encoding into Dolby Atmos for delivery to participating MVPDs. — JD

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > NBC OLYMPICS STAMFORD

NBC’s transmission center at the Sports Production Operations Center in Stamford Media Links Frame. All the cameras were shaded at the IBC in South Korea and sent to PCR4, where the show was integrated. “Going 24/7 was a big deal for us this year, so we worked closely with the rest of our team here to make sure we had everything we would need,” Popple continued. “We [established] a workflow for the three production crews, when we switch out everyone — producer, director, TD, graphics, and the others — when an event switches over. And it’s worked out great.” PCR4 also had control of a Calrec RP-1 remote audio-production system (new for this Olympics) to enable A1s to mix locally. In addition, NBC mirrored the teleprompter in both locations: prompting was done locally in PyeongChang and sent over IP to PCR4 for the producer and director to view. In addition, PCR2 handled hockey coverage from the smaller arena in PyeongChang along with SPOC’s Studio 2 for pre/postgame coverage and intermissions. The onsite operation used NBC’s custom NEWBERT flypack. PCR3 and Studio 1 served as home for NBC’s Olympic Ice figure-skating program and curling, while PCR8 and Studio 6 handled Olympic Gold Zone. On the digital side, PCR6 handled daily live news-desk updates for a multitude of platforms. In addition, PCR7 mini control room served NBC’s new Enhanced Viewing Experience, which was available for skiing, figure skating, and primetime coverage — and featured alternative camera views, behind-the-scenes content, Olympic fact cards, live leaderboards and a Team USA tracker, and marker displays of interactive key moments in the scrubber bar. The operation was split into a primetime team and sport-specific team, which had a remotely controlled Blackmagic switcher feeding an extra Haivision feed from onsite. The PCR7 team composited the switchable feed, and the OBS line was cut into the multi-box frame with changeable graphics behind.

>Off-Tube Factory Back in Action After debuting with one off-tube announce booth at the SPOC for Sochi (for curling) and growing to a whopping 18 for Rio, the Off-Tube Factory was back for PyeongChang 2018 with eight booths inside Studio 4. NBC also brought back the Lawo commentary kits and remuxing system created for Rio to serve as the core of this operation. The Off-Tube Factory was used to call curling, biathlon, and crosscountry, as well as for 4K HDR coverage and video description (for Opening and Closing Ceremonies, primetime, and Prime Plus programming). Play-by-play and color-commentary announcers in each booth were provided with monitors showing the OBS V-and-A feed from PyeongChang, the NBC dirty feed with graphics, and a return feed of the control room. Each booth was assigned a dedicated producer, who communicated between the on-air talent and control room. In addition, a “mini BOC” inside Studio 4 had two audio positions, each with access to the individual mic gains, web-mix output options, and all technical oversight of the eight commentator systems. 62

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > NBC OLYMPICS STAMFORD >File-Based Workflow Continues To Evolve, Expand NBC Olympics helped pioneer file-based workflows more than a decade ago, and its team continued to blaze the trail at the 2018 Winter Games, breaking down the walls between the PyeongChang and Stamford operations. NBC worked with Avid to enhance and expand its MAM system, increasing server capacity and fixing troubleshooting any bugs found during Rio 2016. In Stamford, NBC took a flood of content via its media servers: 28 Avid AirSpeed channels and 60 channels of Harmonic MediaDeck in all. This content was fed to 10 EVS playback rooms (featuring EVS XT3s, with plans to upgrade to EVS XT4Ks in the near future), 60 Avid edit suites, and 20 soft edit workstations, as well as to preditors in the Highlights Factory. In addition, all Pro Tools audio-sweetening sessions were taking place in Stamford this year instead of onsite, as was the case in previous Olympics. “We’ve grown by leaps and bounds from Sochi in terms of the file-workflow and communication back and forth, and it will absolutely continue to grow in the future,” said Stacey Georgiou, manager, post production and graphics, NBC Sports Group. “Since we are doing a lot more [at-home operations] here, our platform is much bigger. A lot of the edit rooms are actually able to stay home now, which means it gets bigger and bigger here. And we also can communicate better and better.” Georgiou added that the workflow among the venues, IBC, and Stamford had become almost seamless, with teams at all three locations pulling and pushing content, thanks to FileCatalyst highspeed file-transfer and more-refined workflows overall. “Our vendors have really listened to us. When we told them that we wanted to something for this [Olympics], they worked with us to make the product better,” said Georgiou. “Part of the reason our [workflow] has been so good for PyeongChang is, our partners have been so good. To be able to have that seamless communication back and forth constantly means the world to us.”

As Social Media Explodes, NBC Olympics Highlights Factory Churns Out Even More Content

ith social media increasingly ubiquitous in the lives of Olympics fans, NBC’s Highlights Factory (HLF) operation has become more integral to the Peacock’s success, delivering hundreds of highlights to various social and web platforms throughout the Games. As a result, NBC continued to beef up the HLF operation in Stamford, CT, tripling the number of Avid edit workstations from Sochi, retaining the same number of intern loggers, and adding a new group of experienced shot-selectors to help identify key moments and clips. “We are still producing highlights of all the big moments [during competition], but what we’ve added this year is a focus on the ancillary viral content that will really drive interest,” said Eric Hamilton, director, digital video production, NBC Olympics. “That defines our approach this year. Sometimes those are truly important things, and sometimes they’re just fun.” For example, a shot of a walkie-talkie rolling down a downhill slope as officials tried to catch it was spotted by one of the 23 interns at the

Eric Hamilton (far right) and his team at the Highlights Factory production area in Stamford 64

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HLF office, who raised a flag to notify a shot-selector (each logger was equipped with a different nation’s flag), and the clip was distributed across NBC Olympics’ social-media channels. The clip became a viral sensation, generating millions of views. Of course, the HLF team wasn’t all about runaway walkie-talkies; Hamilton and company still “make a lot of sausage,” as he put it. The operation generated more than 130 highlight packages per day, using 12 preditors at Avid Media Composer workstations at any given moment. “Since we are a digital [operation], we are able to pretty nimbly change things around, so the next Olympics always has something different,” said Hamilton. “Since we have more Avid workstations this year, we can cut everything live as it happens, which is different from the way we used to do it. The HLF also had access to Haivison-encoded camera feeds delivered to Stamford, showing behind-the-scenes content outside of the competitions themselves. For example, when Czech skiier Ester Ledecka pulled off one of the biggest alpine-skiing upsets in history by winning the gold in the Women’s Super G, HLF was able to capture the reaction of Anna Veith, who had been almost assured of winning gold prior to Ledecka’s shocking run. “We take those cameras, and we’re looking at them all the time,” said Hamilton. “It could be a shot from the workout room at figure-skating practice or an iso of [Veith] as she watches her gold medal disappear. It can be pretty powerful stuff.” The HLF operation has come a long way since its early beginnings in Saturday Night Live’s Studio 8H at 30 Rock for the Beijing, Vancouver, and London Games. For one, the Avid MAM system at the heart of the HLF operation has continued to evolve, growing exponentially — in both size and sophistication — with each Olympics. In addition, the number of camera angles the HLF team has access to continues to grow, opening up the boundaries of storytelling for digital outlets. “There are always new camera angles, and we have the luxury of being able to use those to create something alongside the normal broadcast highlight,” said Hamilton. “We get to produce these alternate versions that show things from a different perspective. That is a big factor in how we amped up the Highlights Factory capabilities this time.” — JD

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > NBC OLYMPICS DIGITAL

Connected Devices Are Breakout Stars By Brandon Costa

For in-depth reports and video interviews, visit www.sportsvideo.org/ pyeongchang-2018

espite the worries regarding the dramatic time-zone shift coming into the 2018 Winter Games, NBC Olympics in the U.S. blew its streaming numbers out of the water.

In numbers reported by NBC Sports (which it attributes to Adobe Analytics), viewers logged a whopping 1.31 billion live-streaming minutes on NBCOlympics.com and through the NBC Sports app as of Feb. 18. That number triples the same metric from the whole 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. In addition, there were 11.6 million unique views as of the same date, up 174% from Sochi (4.3 million). But, outside of the natural growth in usership of authenticated live-streaming apps over the past four years, what’s the deal? In the eyes of execs at NBC Olympics, the key reason for the explosion in digital viewers was connected TV. Devices like Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire — none of which, mind you, even existed during the previous Winter Games — provided an easy-to-navigate environment and a lean-back experience on one’s home television screen. “We’ve been blown away by connected,” said Rick Cordella, EVP/GM, digital media, NBC Sports Group. “Historically, the Olympics have seen our ‘primetime’ audience come in around noon on a weekday, when everyone’s taking their lunch break. Now it’s shifted with connected TVs, where we are mirroring what [linear] TV is seeing. So our peaks are at night in primetime, they’re on Saturday and Sunday, and we have a large number of people streaming tape-delayed coverage on NBCSN, which has never happened before.” Cordella noted that the app experience on a phone or laptop is great for viewing on the go but tends to deliver shorter use times. Through the connected-TV devices, users were more likely to throw an event on their big screen and consume content for longer stretches. “If you think about the different platforms, desktop and mobile,” he said, “you seek out content. You know it’s there, you know what you want to watch, you want to go find it, you watch it, and you’re done. Now we’re seeing the sort of lean-back experience of TV with all the connected devices.” For all of its international rightsholding broadcasters, host broadcaster Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) produced a white-label version of a live-streaming app that could be taken and directly delivered to consumers. Major broadcasters like NBC Sports, however, chose instead to take OBS’s package of APIs (application-programming interfaces) and SDKs (software-development kits) in order to plug the livestreaming video and event data directly into its own existing app. On the backend, NBC Olympics’ live-streaming experience was a product of NBC Sports’ Playmaker Media and its technology partner iStreamPlanet. More than 75 staffers worked through the night at NBC Sports’ facility in Stamford, CT, to provide support and QC for the technology of the livestreaming product. NBC Sports Group’s Rick Cordella said use of connected-TV devices was a boon to this Olympics’ streaming numbers.

66 66

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > NBC OLYMPICS DIGITAL Plus, the Olympics weren’t happening in a silo for NBC Sports. Its other properties — including the NFL, NHL, and Premier League — continued to test the infrastructure’s capabilities on a nightly basis. “It’s all still powered by the same technology stack,” said Eric Black, chief technology officer, NBC Sports Digital and Playmaker Media. “It’s really just a balance of volume and, frankly, overnights since our staff is largely [in Stamford] from 8 p.m. ET on. The volume and the concurrency of what we’re doing is pretty on-par with what we see on most of our weekends. The difference is, it’s every night for 17 straight nights. That’s where the challenges lie.” Users may have noticed a few enhancements to this Olympics’ streaming experience. NBC Sports called it “Enhanced Viewing Experience” because the network leveraged its archived media assets and data feeds coming in from OBS to provide a more informative and interactive UI. During the primetime show, viewers were welcomed with a slate of information, including a rundown of the events and athletes to be featured that night. ChyronHego Lyric Pro graphics-creation software was used to create and insert the dynamic, reactive “cards.” For example, during a live figureskating stream, users were able to access “cards” with data like the upcoming order of skaters, medal counts, and individual skater info with video highlights. “We have a massive database of facts, insights, and research,” explained Jack Jackson, VP, digital product development, NBC Sports Group. “It’s all about getting the athletes out of the helmets and goggles and connecting them with the fans.” NBC Sports also used chapter markers (available on most platforms) on the live-streaming timeline to make the navigation of longform/live content simpler for users. With a graphic-interface point, viewers could easily track back to the start of a race or identify where a favorite athlete’s run took place in the stream. NBC Digital also used a Blackmagic Design switcher to offer access to bonus camera angles — on such spots as the warmup room, the coach’s box, or the “kiss and cry” — at appropriate times.

NBC Olympics Social Team Does Its Part To Drive Ratings, Interest

ith each successive Olympic Games, NBC Olympics’ social-media strategy becomes more refined, mature, and expansive. Lyndsay Signor, senior director, consumer engagement, NBC Sports Group, took part in her sixth Games and, once again, steered a team of more than 20 focused on ensuring that moments of Olympic glory, the emotions the Games bring out in athletes and fans, and even the humor and light side were front and center on social-media platforms around the globe. “We want the heartfelt moment like Shaun White getting emotional after his win, but we also want things like putting the screaming goat head on a ski jumper,” said Signor. “We’re staffed better than ever, and we’re getting a lot of positive feedback, which is nice to hear.” Like much of NBC’s Olympic effort, the social-media team was both onsite in PyeongChang and at home in Stamford, CT, with upwards of 50 people at any point touching a piece of social-media content (that number included members of the Highlights Factory team, which identified social-worthy clips in the highlights system, and 16 BuzzFeed staffers who worked as a production arm to get content delivered to Snapchat). The core NBC Olympics social-publishing team comprised a team of seven in PyeongChang and 15 in Stamford, as well as interns. “We’re staffed 24 hours a day,” she pointed

NBC Sports’ Lyndsay Signor worked on her sixth Olympic Games. 68

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out, “and, for a good chunk between noon and the start of primetime [on the East Coast], everyone is working.” The team had a few key goals underpinning its philosophy, added Signor. First, to be a news and information source for all things Olympics, thanks to researchers and content producers focused on each sport. Second, to drive people to tune in and watch the Olympics live or on a VOD platform. And, third, to have fun and make the Olympics fun for viewers. Helping in those efforts for fun content was a new social-video studio featuring a green screen and a smart TV. The goal was to create an environment where athletes could come and see video clips from family and friends, tweets, other social reaction from fans, and more. “We showed reaction from fans and celebrities to Shaun White’s gold-medal run, like Leslie Jones,” said Signor, “and we have worked with a few folks to pull up family messages from home, like if there is a grandmother that couldn’t make the trip. And we have a smart monitor, so we can pull up tweets,” she said. “It gives us a stage and space to produce with the athletes.” The NBC Olympics social-media team relied on Dropbox and some internal file-transfer mechanisms to move content around and used Slack to communicate with each other; Spredfast was used for publishing content more easily. Each member of the team had very specific roles and responsibilities: while some were posting around primetime, others, for example, were looking for fun moments on those feeds. While focusing on the competition and the fun, the NBC Olympics social-media team also played a key role in disseminating news and information. In an Olympics where events were cancelled on several early days, that role was an important one. And then there were celebrities who helped amplify a message or created their own buzz. “Leslie Jones has been wonderful, and Mr. T has also emerged as a frequent tweeter and Olympics fan,” said Signor. “The Rock has also been tweeting, and more celebrities will emerge. It’s fun to watch and gives our team a boost.” — KK

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > OBS

OBS Enhances Global Viewing Experience By Ken Kerschbaumer

week that began with Super Bowl LII, the largest sports event in the U.S., ended with the beginning of the largest winter sports event in the world: the 2018 Winter Olympics. More than 20 rightsholders were on hand to deliver the action to viewers across the globe.

The distribution service area in the IBC played a key role in the explosion of Olympicscontent delivery.

Over the two weeks of competition, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention focused on seven sports with a total of 15 disciplines (skiing, for example, has six disciplines). The competitions were held in two clusters: a mountain cluster in PyeongChang with eight venues for the skiing and sliding disciplines and a coastal cluster in Gangneung with five venues for skating, curling, and ice hockey (as well as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium). Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) delivered more than 5,000 total hours of coverage, including 850 hours live from PyeongChang. It took a team of more than 4,000 OBS staffers to create that content and deliver it to rightsholders via 20 HD multilateral feeds (all with discrete surround sound and stereo audio), seven UHD multilateral feeds, and nine multiclip feeds (MCFs) that featured highlights, press conferences, and more. In addition, more than 7,000 accredited rightsholder personnel from 67 countries were in PyeongChang. Forty-five of those rightsholder organizations had a presence in the International Broadcast Center (IBC), the largest being NBC and, new this year, Eurosport. The IBC not only was home to the operations for those rightsholders but also provided a massive technical hub for OBS. More than 900 km of cable tied everything together and allowed the optimal exchange of content between OBS and the rightsholders. Each of the venues had its own host-feed operation (as well as mixed zones, where rightsholders could interview athletes and coaches) to create the core continued on page 74

For in-depth reports and video interviews, visit www.sportsvideo.org/ pyeongchang-2018 70

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > OBS

CTO Sotiris Salamouris on the Challenge of the Winter Games, the Promise of Technology

n the midst of Week 1, two consecutive days of alpine events had to be rescheduled because of high winds. And, for the OBS team and the dozens of rightsholders onsite, the change in plans required juggling of schedules, personnel, and technical facilities. But, for Sotiris Salamouris, chief technology officer, OBS, preparing for such occurrences is in the Winter Games’ DNA. “While the Winter Games are smaller than the Summer, the possibility of cancellations and delays are much higher, and it can wreak havoc with the schedule,” he said during the PyeongChang Games. “The only way to deal with these sorts of changes is to have the resources available to be able to adapt and to use technology to help.” The challenge of handling cancellations and delays is not just about coming up with another production plan. It’s also about making sure that all the downstream processes, like the apps and other ways in which content is distributed, are instantly aware of the new reality. “Digital platforms have to be accurate as to when things start and stop,” Salamouris explained. “We use that information to drive not only the apps but encoders, switchers, and more, so, when we make changes, they have to propagate to all of those different applications.” What happened with the alpine events exemplified the powerful role that data and metadata feeds play within Olympic operations. And it is one of the reasons the Broadcast Data Feed (BDF) technical area in the IBC continues to expand in size and scope. Data powers everything, from graphics creation to archiving and then for broadcasters to more easily find the most relevant content for their needs both at the Games and in the years to come. At the center of the production efforts was an IBC that measured 36,000 sq. meters, and according to Salamouris, every square meter was snatched up by a rightsholder before the Games even began. The 2018 Olympics marked the second Games where OBS used a fully modular and prebuilt building for the IBC, ending the need to build one from scratch. Salamouris explained that it not only allowed OBS to amortize the costs of the building over a few Games but also met the growing need for organizations to be more environmentally friendly and sustainable. The IBC walls, floors, and other physical structures were shipped in about 300 sea containers, with an additional 80 for the core technical infrastructure that powers the IBC. One big change in the IBC was a new face on the landscape: Eurosport, which snagged the rights for all of Europe and transformed the way Olympics content was delivered across the continent. Previously, Eurovision was the main gatekeeper for Olympics broadcast rights across Europe, but it was primarily a member-based organization. Eurosport’s presence was different in that it was a single broadcaster with its own commercial objectives and also a large number of sublicensees, such as ARD/ZDF, the BBC, ORF, and RAI. Eurosport’s presence in the IBC, for example, included separate control rooms to enable countries like Sweden and Norway to deliver more nation-specific coverage. “It’s nice and exciting to have Eurosport here,” said Salamouris. “[It comes] with new ideas that are refreshing because they deal with more digitally driven broadcasting.” Each Olympics offers a hint of future production technologies, and this year’s big advance was the use of 5G cellular technology to deliver wireless video and audio from bobsleighs as they roared down the course at the Olympic Sliding Centre. OBS partnered with Korea Telecom to install small cameras that used 5G modems to uplink highquality video with very little latency. “The use of 5G is not evolutionary but revolutionary,” Salamouris

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

OBS’ Sotiris Salamouris and his team embraced new technologies, like 5G wireless, to improve the production and technical services at the core of the Olympics workflow. observed. “When you use 4G networks, there is inherent latency that you have to accept. But, with 5G, there is low latency, and it isn’t because of broadcasters but because of the Internet of Things and self-driving cars.” He saw the 5G efforts as an interesting harbinger of things to come and believes that 5G could be the backbone technology for wireless broadcast contribution. “5G capabilities are open, widespread, and offer huge bandwidth with little latency,” he said. “What we see in the future is 5G becoming the foundation for wide-area camera needs like marathons, cycling, or helicopters.” More 4K and 8K production was done in PyeongChang than at previous Games, with 8K coupled with HDR at the top of the quality chain. An 8K theater at the IBC with a 350-in. projection screen hammered home the potential of 8K as a way to build a new experience around theater experiences. The role OBS played in creating host feeds that meet the diverse needs of Olympic rightsholders put it at the center of the global debate about the role of 4K, 8K, and HDR in the future of broadcasting. “The world is divided and will remain so for a while. 4K is progressing in Asia, but that also means a base of consumer TV sets that are SDR-capable. So 4K with SDR is more interesting to them,” said Salamouris. “But then, in the rest of the world, 4K is a challenge, and, in those places, HDR is equally or more important. It is a challenge to satisfy all demands, but we are in intensive discussions to learn our rightsholders’ expectations and how to fulfill them.” The next Olympics is more than two years away, and, historically, the Summer Games is where OBS and the rightsholders take the next step with respect to new technologies, workflows, and innovations. The 2018 Games provided a glimpse of that future as the role of IP connectivity continues to expand, the use of data grows, and nextgeneration digital services (plus UHD and 8K) are more present. “Live content is king and will remain king,” said Salamouris. “But there is so much interesting content being consumed in a nonlive manner, and things like social media grow more and more in importance. And things like AR and VR will have more impact in non-live delivery, and cloud-based content will become very important. There are new things to come.” — KK

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > OBS coverage for the events at that venue. Each venue, in turn, continued from page 70 was connected to the OBS facilities in the IBC, where the OBS IBC technical team brought in the content and finalized it for distribution to rightsholders. The IBC technical areas included a contribution, distribution, unilateral, and transmission center. The contribution team received, monitored, and controlled all incoming video feeds from the venues (a faulty signal, for example, would be replaced by a backup). The signals were passed to the distribution area, where they were processed and distributed to the rightsholders via HD-SDI signals. International sound was also embedded into the SDI stream along with black burst and color bars. Alongside that workflow was a team in the distribution area monitoring unilateral feeds from rightsholders, including feeds to and from remote studios. In addition, a commentary-switching center took all rightsholder and OBS commentary and coordination circuits and either terminated them or passed them on to rightsholders.

>Production Highlights for the 2018 Games

An OBS cameraman captures an Olympian in mid-trick during the Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Halfpipe.

More than 50 high-speed super-motion (HSSM) cameras were used, part of the more than 450 total cameras that were deployed across the 29 sports. And rightsholders had access to beauty shots from 12 cameras in PyeongChang, Gangneung, and Seoul, offering panoramic views and more. In a first for the Winter Games, two-point and four-point cable systems were used at ice hockey, figure skating, and short-track speed skating. Other specialty cameras included POV cameras at freestyle-skiing ski cross and snowboard cross; a ref POV for ice hockey; pop-up cam for sliding sports; a cone cam for speed skating; and various rail cams, including an inverted rail cam at bobsleigh and skeleton. And, yes, drone cameras were in use to provide a different look. 4K SDR and both 4K and 8K with HDR were also made available to rightsholders. For the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and several key sports, NHKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts on 8K HDR coverage served as the continued on page 78 backbone of a downconverted 4K HDR offering. continued on page 74

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > OBS

OBS’s Nuno Duarte Says the Future Is Immersive Audio

uno Duarte, senior manager, audio, OBS, was living the dream during the 2018 Winter Olympics. He loves the concept of immersive audio, and, with things like 22.2 surround sound and the freedom to approach audio in a way that focuses on the sport rather than the talent, he had a larger degree of freedom than almost anyone in the business. He discussed the OBS philosophy with SVG. How would you describe your audio philosophy? My main goal is to have good details of the sport. I need to close my eyes and be able to identify the sport. I want to hear the skis, and I want to hear the crowd because they are the emotion at the venue. But I want to be able to identify the sport with my eyes closed. If I can do that, then job done. That is not always easy. How many mics do you have on an event to be able to do that? Around 50. But it’s not only about microphone placement. We have to know the venue; we need to know the PA and work with the PA guys so we know where the PA will be and to make sure it will not interfere with our coverage. I think that is fundamental. Figure skating is a good example of that: we could have microphones out that could cover the skates and athletes; if they had a PA system that had audio that spilled out all over the place, whatever microphones you have and however many thousands of them you have, you’re done. It can be tricky, and it takes a lot of compromise. How can you figure out what it will sound like where there is a crowd in the venue? We have our experience, and we have made progress on the concepts and philosophy of ambience. To me, it is very important to feel as if you are in the crowd, and here we have the outside venues and indoor venues. Indoor venues are a controlled environment where we have catwalks, and we use spaced-pair stereo microphones that are aligned with the PA. Outdoor is much more difficult, and we will use a 4.0 microphone, which has two front and two rear mics; we don’t put audio in the center channel because that is free for commentators. If I put in mix information, everything there will be lost, so my base is 4.1, not 5.1 surround sound. You’ve mentioned not interfering with the competition or athletes in placing mics. How do you do that? I have 30 different types of microphones, and I know what I want covered in each sport. Then I have conversations with the federations because they approve the microphone plans on the field of play. They will say that a shotgun mic may not be good in a position, so we will find another mic like a boundary or mini mic. It’s a balance. You mention being able to identify a sport by the sound, but, at the Olympics, some sports share the same venue. Does luge sound different from skeleton or bobsled? Luge sounds completely different from bobsled. It’s the same track, but we don’t have the opportunity to change the plan from the morning to the afternoon. The [audio] teams work very hard to cover all the course and then do layers like more LFE for the bobsled; in luge, we don’t have that, so we need more crowd. It’s an interesting game. How about something like figure skating and short track, which share the same venue? They are very different. The microphone plans are the same. But the big difference is that, in figure skating, the athletes don’t crash and go against the padding. So the microphones I have to use in the padding for figure skating have to be different from the ones I use in short track. Also, on the curves, where the short-track skaters crash more, I can’t put microphones because, with safety, there is no question. I would rather have no audio and have everyone complain but have the athletes be safe.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

OBS’ Nuno Duarte says the goal is to create audio that allows the TV viewer to identify a sport without seeing it. How do you go about hiring audio mixers? At OBS, we hire the best experts in each sport. If you are the guy that used to do curling, we will bring you in. Or, if you do hockey every week, we will bring [you] in. And then I need to explain to them what we expect for OBS production, and that is consistency across all the sports so it sounds like one production. For professionals, that is not complex. Obviously, you can overdo audio and make it sound unnatural. How do you prevent that? That is the balance that I try to find and my responsibility. We have briefings, and we give them some levels for loudness. Loudness control is fantastic because it helps me make the levels the same across all the sports, even if it is cross-country or hockey. And that is the challenge and why I am in permanent contact with the A1s. What is your take on 22.2 surround sound for 8K? That is an NHK project. We support them, and they take our sound design. And, while they may add other microphones, they take our sound design, which works for 5.1, 9.1, stereo, or mono. Height is a big part of 22.2, but how do you add height to something like biathlon? That is why I am pushing for 4.0 microphones: on a pole or crane, it can support the mix for immersive audio. And it works. Automated mixing, like on bobsled, where the audio follows video automatically, is something of interest to more and more broadcasters because they can automate part of the mixing process. What do you think of automation and mixing? Sometimes it is needed, but my advice to the A1s, and my experience from car races, is that it is very difficult to follow the director when he cuts from Camera 30 to Camera 60. So we use audio-follow-video to identify the position on the track, and then, with faders in hand, we can accommodate and make it soft. That is my advice to all mixers: the last decibel must be done by hand. You might not get there in time, but at least you have something. But you need to follow the director because he might zoom in the camera, so you need to zoom in the audio. If you just leave it to an automated system, the levels will be the same independent of the zoom, and then it doesn’t match. — KK

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > OBS

The PyeongChang Olympics IBC was abuzz with activity throughout the Winter Games. Enhanced graphics also played a key part in telling continued from page 74 the stories of the competitions. Alpine skiing featured ghost-image comparisons and Stromotion replay analysis; sliding sports had Simulcam Replay analysis and sled path for rider comparisons. Cross-country skiing used GPS for real-time positioning of athletes, with distances to go and speed information. Figure skating and ice hockey, meanwhile, had a multicam replay to give the viewer a multiview angle in normal speed moving around the skater moving in slow speed. For freestyle skiing and snowboard events, enhancements included the use of jump-analysis graphics for cross, slopestyle, halfpipe, and snowboard big air to measure distance, height, hang time, speed, and rotations. Four years ago, OBS offered multiclip feeds for alpine events at the Sochi Olympics. This year, MCFs were available for ice hockey, figure skating, short-track speed skating, ski jumping, freestyle skiing, Nordic combined, snowboard, and sliding events.

The start for the Ladies Short Track Speedskating event was captured using a gimbalstabilized RF camera. 78

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > OBS In addition, MCF service was expanded to distribution of clips and angles not used in the hostfeed coverage. The clips included HSSM shots, super-slow-motion, and POV-camera shots, enabling rightsholders to better tailor the coverage for viewers. And, for the first time ever, the MCF provided enhanced graphics and analytical content for use in postcompetition analysis. Virtual reality made its Winter Games debut, with more than 55 hours of VR coverage produced, including alpine skiing, curling, figure skating, ice hockey, skeleton, short-track speed skating, ski jumping, and snowboard (as well as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies). Another first was Content Plus, a web-based content-delivery platform that allowed rightsholders to access fully produced and short-form content for digital and social-media needs. OBS also delivered individual digital components to better meet the needs of rightsholders. The Olympic News Channel also expanded its offerings. Traditionally, the around-the-clock packaged channel offers ready-to-air highlights, interviews, and feature stories. This year, it also offered B-roll footage and raw mixed-zone interviews via the OBS Media Server or Content Plus. The ONC was also a part of an expanded suite of Multi-Channel Distribution Service channels, allowing rightsholders access to eight ready-to-air channels delivered via encrypted satellite distribution.

Intel Partnership Brings Stability to VR Efforts

lthough, in the early days of the PyeongChang Games, much was made of the elegant drones used in the Opening Ceremony, U.S. tech giant (and IOC sponsor) Intel also played a key role in creating the global virtual-reality experience of the Winter Olympics. Working in collaboration with Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), NBC Sports, and Eurosport, Intel delivered live and on-demand VR content for 30 events to viewers using Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR headsets. For each event receiving the VR treatment, at least three 4K stereoscopic pods were strategically placed throughout the venue. The pods contained 12 cameras each, some shooting in 4K. A noted difference from the VR offering for Rio 2016 was that Intel and OBS offered a 180-degree stereoscopic view of live action. According to OBS Head of Digital Matt Millington, 180-degree works fine because, at many positions, the view behind the camera is of little interest, and it’s an overall better use of streaming bandwidth. “The picture quality is better,” said Millington. “Some people do prefer the 360 just because it offers more of a feeling of being there: you can look all the way around you. But, with the live [shots], 180 stereoscopic gives a much crisper image with less latency.” With the live experience, viewers were able to choose their own camera angles or select to view a “VRCast,” a version of the show cut by a VR director with inserted graphics and (sometimes) audio commentary. At this year’s Games, there was a stronger emphasis on providing on-demand content. For Rio 2016, maybe one piece of on-demand content was posted per day. In PyeongChang, there was a minimum of two or three pieces per day. The on-demand content was more experiential and was offered in 360 degrees. It placed viewers in the heart of the action: for example, viewers could experience a downhill slalom run for the perspective of a skier’s helmet. According to Millington, OBS found the 360-degree, on-demand content to be some of the most popular among users. That’s from anecdotal evidence gained in watching guests interact with the experience at a demo station in the lobby of the IBC. “We’re getting in our analytics,” he said, “but I haven’t had my analytics of the exact clips people are watching. Certainly, empirically,

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

OBS’s Matt Millington (back), with four students from an OBS outreach program that offered temporary tech jobs to local youth. The students provided VR demos to guests at the IBC. from just watching people, they all go straight to the downhill skiing or the ski jump [in on-demand].” Much as OBS does for its live-streaming Olympic Video Player (OVP), the broadcast service offered raw SDKs (software-development kits) with which rightsholders could integrate VR streams into their own new or existing consumer-facing apps. It also offered a white-label version of a VR app, providing simpler (but less customized) implementation. All those tools were built by Intel and facilitated through OBS. OBS, admittedly, lacked some continuity in its VR production over recent years (i360 was its VR partner for Rio 2016), but now, with Intel on board with a sizeable corporate sponsorship, there should be some stability for future Olympics. OBS knows that, for many consumers, especially in the West, VR is still a work in progress, but it wants to remain on the cutting edge of the growth process for this evolving medium. “The truth is, the only people who use [VR] for long periods of time are the gamers,” said Millington. “Sports is still quite niche in VR, and it hasn’t really taken off yet. We know there are huge amounts of investment going into VR. It’s evolving, and we believe it has legs and is going to get better.” — BC

LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > INTERNATIONAL

Eurosport Legacy Transcends Games By Ken Kerschbaumer

urosport’s ambitious plans for the 2018 Winter Olympics was a massive United Nations of sports production ultimately responsible for delivering the Olympics to 48 countries in 21 languages.

Discovery Sweden interviewed Swedish alpine skiier Anna Swenn-Larsson.

David Schafer, SVP, Olympics operations and planning, Discovery Communications equated it to a U.S. national network’s having production teams across every state and each state’s requiring different feeds with different languages: “If you think of it in that regard, it is quite complex.” Eurosport fielded a multinational team in PyeongChang at the IBC and at the venues; another large team in Paris, where the company is headquartered; and a team at NEP’s Mediabank facility in Oslo that logged and stored all assets and, in turn, made them available to editors and other production teams across Europe. In addition, Eurosport operations across Europe gave the content more local flair. “We have 50 Gbps of circuits in Korea, 50 Gbps of circuits back to Europe. Signals go through Frankfurt to Paris and then to London, where they go out over the Discovery WAN, which is a whole other set of circuits,” said Honeycutt. “All told, we have 150-200 Gbps of circuits so it’s fairly complicated.” Eurosport’s facility within the IBC had seven production-control rooms, including one each dedicated to Sweden and Norway, busy pulling in content from 28 OBS feeds, unilateral feeds from venues, and beyond. Eurosport also embraced remote production, the control room in the Hockey 1 venue also producing the games held in the Hockey 2 venue and the feed sent to the IBC via a 10-Gbps circuit. “There has been a lot of rapid decision making and load balancing across the team, but we have a great group of people who raised the production up really quickly,” said Discovery Communications CTO John Honeycutt. “It’s a complete and total host-feed operation with unilateral wraparounds, and it is all flypacks from NEP.” Keeping everything connected and moving was the Lawo V_remote 4 for transporting IP signals, as well as EVS replay servers, ScheduALL as the brain of the operations, and Vizrt for the Cube AR studio. Then there were production teams focused on specific nations: Germany, Italy, England, Norway, and Sweden. “We are across various platforms: free-to-air, pay, and digital,” Schafer explained. “And the freeto-air markets where we own those rights and have not sublicensed any of them are where we have invested significantly in the infrastructure. Norway and Sweden were those two countries.” In those markets, Eurosport took over for commercial broadcasters known for high production levels. That meant the Eurosport teams had a lot to prove with those viewers.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > INTERNATIONAL “We really went all-in to give them all the resources they needed to deliver on that promise,” he said. “And that is why you will see control rooms from Norway and Sweden, significant-size studios, and the most people onsite.”

>Common Ground

Eurosport shot socialexclusive content, including Facebook Live shows, inside its on-site Mobile Digital Studio. Inside the Eurosport Broadcast Operations Centre in PyeongChang

In recent months, Eurosport worked hard to find common needs and economies of scales that could be leveraged across the various production teams serving local needs. “If you look at the core teams from all the markets, there has not been one market that was not engaged or passionate about this since Day 1,” said Schafer. “And they all have other day jobs as well, with all of our other sports coverage. We were able to help them along that path. But coming into the Games, when they were able to completely focus on it, they have delivered beyond my expectations. I think that just watching them come together, get on-air, and the hosts and producers and everyone showing up in PyeongChang and rolling up their sleeves together has probably been the most rewarding thing for me at these Olympics.” Once the teams got onsite and the Games began, there was uptick in sharing of content, leveraging assets, and more. The result was an effort that found diverse teams working closer than ever. “Now that people are sharing [content and resources], we are working as one team because, naturally, you would think there would be some tension between teams,” said Schafer. “But I have not seen it, and I strongly believe that comes back to starting this project together.” Every day provided a chance for the Eurosport team to bring new energy and perspective to Olympics production. “Our promise to the IOC and to our audience was innovation, so there were a lot of teams working together, whether it was the digital or linear teams,” said Schafer. “Everyone was eager to deliver on that promise.” One way the team delivered was construction of The Cube, a studio with augmented reality that was the vision of Stefano Bernabino, VP, Olympic production, Eurosport. “Our central production team in Paris led by Stefano and his team came up with a fantastic concept to try to use new technology like AR for sports analysis,” said Schafer. “It is for delivery not only on linear, which was the traditional way of doing sports analysis, but also on digital in a short-form manner.” A team effort led to The Cube’s becoming reality, and it created a buzz all its own. “Every day, we see more and more folks on the schedule, whether it’s our commentators who are experts and are very excited about it for athletes,” said Schafer. “When Shaun White walked into it, he was wowed and really got into it, watching the analysis of his run from yesterday.”

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > INTERNATIONAL

BBC Takes Remote Production to New Level By Ken Kerschbaumer

he BBC presence within the IBC was on the frontlines of a coverage effort that began at the venues and extended all the way home to MediaCityUK in Salford, where a larger production team pulled together commentary, host feeds, beauty shots, and studio coverage to deliver all the action via two production-control rooms.

BBC’s Jonny Bramley says the team in PyeongChang worked closely with a team back home in MediaCityUK.

“We are essentially doing live presentation, mixed-zone coverage, announcing at curling, a few ENG crews, and have three Avid edit stations here at the IBC,” said Jonny Bramley, executive producer, BBC Sport, during the first week of PyeongChang 2018. “We are getting the best of what is onsite efficiently, and we are still very happy with the output. And so far, we have gotten great audience viewing figures and feedback.” Having been onsite for about three weeks before the Games, he said, it was a great feeling to arrive at an Olympics and hear nothing but good feedback about the state of the IBC, the helpfulness of the local organizing committee, and logistical issues like hotels and transportation. “I have never turned up at an IBC to find our installation crew so relaxed,” he said, adding, “OBS has been very happy as well.” There were about 90 people in PyeongChang for the BBC, and most of them spent their days in a space that had three editing facilities, off-tube–commentary areas, EVS servers for recording things like beauty shots, and a gallery designed to take in a wealth of content and cut it down to a manageable size for the production team in the UK. DEGA Broadcast Systems in the UK was responsible for the equipment integration in PyeongChang. “The bulk of the production, postproduction, journalism, and program transmissions is coming from MediaCityUK in Salford,” said Bramley. The two control rooms in Salford also added the branded BBC Sport presentation graphics, including name supers, results, program trails, and additional creative elements. These graphics were inserted using a standard Vizrt platform. Avid editing systems were used both in South Korea and at MediaCityUK, and the editing teams collaborated, if necessary, to finish off packages that began in the other location. The BBC had an outdoor presentation set in PyeongChang, featuring a single camera and a small Yamaha DM1000 audio desk, where athletes and other guests could stop by and be fed into the coverage back home and also during BBC Breakfast, which began at 6:00 a.m. GMT. The efforts from that set complemented the main presentation studio back home, which was used from 9:15 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Every Olympics offers a chance for the BBC to improve on previous efforts. During the 2014 Sochi Games, the BBC took some of its first steps toward remote production and experienced some delays when it came to cueing the talent because the signals would go from the studio to the IBC to MediaCityUK and then back to the studio. That long trip and multiple encodes/decodes introduced delays, and the BBC, in conjunction with Calrec, worked on a solution that kept all the audio cueing within South Korea, minimizing delays and making life easier for all involved. The BBC focused its efforts on the peak UK viewing hours with a nightly highlight show airing on BBC1 at 7:00 p.m. BBC4, meanwhile, offered a longer-form one-hour highlights package later in the evening before BBC1 live coverage kicked off at midnight and ended at 6:00 a.m., when it transitioned to BBC2. The Red Button Channel, meanwhile, offered 24/7 coverage. “The nightly BBC1 highlight show is a tight, energetic digest,” noted Bramley. “The one on BBC4 gives, say, a figure-skating fan a little bit more coverage.”

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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LIVE FROM PYEONGCHANG > INTERNATIONAL

German Broadcasters Embrace New Workflows By Ken Kerschbaumer

hen the 2016 Rio Games came to an end, it was unclear whether ARD and ZDF, the two national German broadcasters that combine efforts on the Olympics, would be at the 2018 Winter Games, given that Eurosport had purchased the rights for all of Europe.

Gunnar Darge and the ZDF and ARD production teams delivered for fans back home.

ARD and ZDF master control The ARD and ZDF audio and video racks

But, last August, a deal was struck, and the ARD and ZDF planning stage for PyeongChang began. The problem? Space in the IBC was limited, rental companies were short of equipment, and production staff had been committed to other events. Compromises had to be made. Gunnar Darge, head of engineering and operations, special projects, ZDF, explained, “In Rio, we had 2,700 sq. meters, and here we have only 1,100, so it was not possible to put all of the production parts in this small area. We made the decision to split it up. We have a National Broadcast Center in Leipzig, Germany, where we have Avid and EVS editing suites working for us. We also have three Avid edit suites and five EVS edit suites here with a total of 27 eight-channel EVS servers in use.” Public broadcasters ARD and ZDF alternated days for Olympic coverage and also shared a studio at the IBC. The space in the IBC housed three control rooms used to create the programming signal, which was delivered via either ARD or ZDF on alternate days. There was also a nice studio that offered multiple positions for different programming needs. The condensed production area may have been born out of necessity this year, but odds are, something similar will happen at Tokyo 2020 because ARD and ZDF are under increased scrutiny when it comes to costs. “Every country is doing more [at-home] productions,” said Darge, “and we will have to do more in Germany for Tokyo.” The ARD and ZDF facility also had three Horlemann Mobile Energy UPS systems on hand in case of power outage. “If there is a loss of power,” he said, “it will take up to 20 seconds to get our generators running, and, if the systems here power down and then up, it’s a disaster. So we have our own UPS.” <

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

NAB2018 PREVIEW

he 2018 NAB Show descends on Las Vegas April 7-12 and, once again, promises plenty of exciting new technology and product introductions. Read on for previews from more than 170 SVG sponsors and stay tuned to sportsvideo.org throughout the show! ADDER TECHNOLOGY

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DDERLink INFINITY 100T (ALIF100T) is an IP-based KVM transmitter that enables the use of standard network infrastructure to extend computers away from the user environment. It can be plugged straight into the back of a computer, meaning that it takes up zero U, can hang from the back of the computer source, and be easily retrofitted into an existing infrastructure, making it ideal for use in applications where rack space is at a premium. The ALIF100T uses just 2 W of power, ensuring that less heat is generated and less cooling is required, and can be powered directly from USB, which brings down energy costs substantially. It can also integrate seamlessly into any existing ADDERLink INFINITY setup, replacing or working in conjunction with any existing ALIF endpoints, making it a perfect IP-based, high-performance KVM solution for numerous broadcast and command and control environments.

ADOBE SYSTEMS

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dobe will showcase powerful new updates to Adobe Creative Cloud, giving video pros the world’s best tools for video editing and motion graphics. The latest release brings new features and faster workflows for color, graphics, audio, animation, collaboration, and VR. Highlights include shot comparison, automatic color matching, and intelligent audio and easy-rotate view controls for VR content in Adobe Premiere Pro CC; streamlined graphics workflows with master properties to rapidly edit layer properties across compositions in After Effects CC; added efficiency in Audition CC; integration with Adobe Stock

for sourcing video footage and motion graphics templates; trigger improvements in Adobe Character Animator CC; and easily invite anyone with refined collaboration workflows in Team Projects. Adobe Creative Cloud offers an ecosystem of interconnected apps and services. NAB attendees can see the latest product demos at the Adobe booth.

ADORAMA C4345

t NAB 2018, Adorama will have a selection of high-end broadcast equipment on display and in action for its real-world talk-show production right from the show floor. Attendees can visit the Adorama booth to see the full ecosystem of production gear, including cameras, lenses, support systems, lighting, drones, and more from brands like Canon, Sony, Panasonic, Angenieux, Fujinon, Arri, Blackmagic, and Sennheiser. Tech experts from Adorama Business Solutions — the company’s integrated B2B sales, product, and tech-support organization — will also be onsite to advise sports-broadcast professionals on the best equipment to meet their demanding production needs and to discuss the recently launched Adorama Access support program. Adorama Rental Company experts will provide information on the latest acquisition technology available from Rentals through the Rent-to-Buy Program, and Adorama Trade reps will be available for those looking to trade in equipment for cash or new gear.

AJA VIDEO SYSTEMS

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JA will showcase a slate of new and production-proven solutions designed to help

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professionals meet the growing demand for highresolution, high-frame-rate, high-dynamic-range content as HDR, 4K UHD, IP, and streaming workflows continue to evolve. From Thunderbolt 3 solutions to 12G-SDI, routing, broadcast IP, fiber, and HDMI 2.0 tools, AJA will spotlight products that give professionals greater flexibility, speed, and cabling simplicity in the field. FSHDR for real-time HDR and wide color gamut (WCG) conversion and frame sync will be exhibited alongside new FS-HDR v2.0 software; recent additions include 17 new parametric controls for fine-tuning the look of final FS-HDR transforms and support for new camera formats. Visitors to the booth will be able to see AJA’s line of mobile and desktop I/O devices, including the new Thunderbolt 3-equipped Io 4K Plus and Io IP. Furthermore, AJA will exhibit several Mini-Converters that meet a range of conversion needs, in addition to highlighting its KUMO routers. Other products featured will include the Ki Pro Ultra Plus multichannel HD recorder/single-channel 4K/UHD/2K/HD recorder/player, HELO H.264 streaming and recording device, RovoCam compact block camera, and RovoRX-SDI and RovoRX-HDMI receivers.

AKAMAI TECHNOLOGIES

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kamai Technologies is the world’s largest and most trusted cloud-delivery platform, with 20 years of experience in streaming for some of the largest media events globally. Its scale, performance, and functionality provide broadcasters a specialized, robust media-distribution platform to help deliver unparalleled experiences to their online audiences. Akamai helps its customers

provide their viewers a quality experience and improve engagement for their online audiences. Distributed Delivery Platform: Akamai’s delivery capabilities provide superior scalability, reliability, availability, and reach for content providers, while serving a high-quality experience to each viewer. Purpose-built liveOrigin: A purpose-built architecture to reliably handle the challenges of 24/7 linear and live event streaming and deliver a low-latency, high-quality experience to online audiences at scale. Dynamic, Server-Side Ad Insertion: Improved monetization opportunities through server-side stitching of viewer-level, dynamically targeted ads for live and on-demand content. Proactive monitoring and measurement: The Akamai Broadcast Operations Control Center (BOCC) provides operational insight and telemetry from origin to viewer for unprecedented control and transparency in video operations and performance.

ALDEA SOLUTIONS

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ldea provides end-to-end worldwide transmission and content-distribution services and operates an extensive fiber-based network, with points of service covering 35 cities and 25 countries throughout the Americas and Europe. At NAB 2018, Aldea will showcase its videodistribution services that will be available for this year’s FIFA World Cup in Russia, its 4K capabilities, and its new Media Cloud Platform, along with its many services used by leading major broadcasters and media companies around the world for transmission of sports, news, and television programming. Aldea, with 15+ years of experience and innovation, is best-known for its deep-rooted experience delivering high quality, ultra-low latency, and reliable video services for transmission of live coverage of sports, news, and other media events. Building off its success in South Korea earlier this year, Aldea is looking forward to continuing a very busy 2018.

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ne of the main presentations at the Aperi booth will be the third generation of Aperi’s V-Stack, featuring expanded functionality for multiple processes including feed monitoring and logging, license management, and support for third-party orchestration and control systems. Also on display will be the A2101, an edge network real-time media processor and gateway server, ideal for integration into any softwarebased remote live production. It runs all the media-processing functionality available in the Aperi App Store, on which the company will present several new applications. On display at NAB 2018 will be its new SMPTE 2110 Nat-firewall app, which supports 128 bidirectional flows per microserver, five of which fit in a single RU. Aperi

will also show its new TICO 4K compression app, its suite of 2022 gateway and standard codecs, including H.264 and J2K and a multiviewer, which monitors hundreds of IP inputs and creates five fully independent outputs in IP, SDI, or HDMI.

APM MUSIC

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PM Music, a joint venture of EMI Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing, is an award-winning creative music house and production library supplying music for sports entertainment broadcasters (ESPN, Fox Sports, HBO Sports, NFL Network), professional franchises (Yankees, Dodgers, Patriots, Eagles, Vegas Golden Knights, San Jose Sharks, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves), and colleges and universities (Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Georgia). Create cues with the award-winning APM Custom team or choose from more than 600,000 high-quality tracks by legendary composers and today’s indie trendsetters. APM offers more than 50 libraries, including the NFL Films Music Library and MLB Music Library, and is a mainstay in the sports industry, providing themes for programs like Monday Night Football and This Week in Baseball. With the APM Search site, APM Custom division, Music Director service and more, APM has been providing incomparable service and music to complement sports productions for more than 30 years.

ARISTA NETWORKS

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rista delivers software-driven cloud networking solutions for large data-center storage and computing environments. Arista’s platforms, ranging in Ethernet speeds from 10 to 100 Gbps, redefine scalability, agility, and resilience. The company has shipped more than 10 million cloud networking ports worldwide with CloudVision and EOS, an advanced network operating system.

ARTEL VIDEO SYSTEMS

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rtel will showcase an integrated end-toend hybrid IP network, addressing sports broadcasters’ growing requirements for IP-based solutions and more-efficient remote-production workflows. It will introduce the SMART Media Delivery Platform, a future-proof, software-enabled solution for transport of broadcast-quality 3G/HD/SD-SDI and ASI video plus Ethernet traffic over IP. The SMART features Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching for true, flexible data networking and supports SMPTE ST 2022-1 through 7 for hitless protection switching. As IP-based infrastructures expand, synchronization of multiple video and audio sources becomes paramount. Artel’s ARG Quarra PTP Ethernet switches provide accurate IEEE 1588v2 timing and synchronization with

nanosecond accuracy, support SMPTE 2110 and 2059, and are RAVENNA AES67-approved and QSC- and Dante-tested. For distribution of highquality video over unconditioned IP networks, Artel’s ARQ IP streaming system offers broadcasters a simple solution for delivery of timecritical multimedia.

ARVATO SYSTEMS

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rvato will demonstrate how sports organizations use its Video Production Management Suite (VPMS) to increase fan engagement and enhance player training. Focusing on the latest in search and collaboration, VPMS MediaPortal, the demo will show how highlight and compilation videos can be quickly and efficiently assembled and also how specific teams, players, and plays can be researched and collected. Complementing these workflows will be the new, web-based, unified logging tool, which will be shown for the first time at the NAB Show and which significantly reduces the complexity and overhead of rapidly adding accurate metadata to video.

ASPERA, AN IBM COMPANY

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spera will showcase significant updates to IBM Aspera Streaming for Video. Powered by FASPStream, the transport solution provides secure live and near-live global streaming of broadcast-quality video over commodity internet networks and offers guaranteed delivery at the stream rate, glitch-free playout, and negligible startup time with the lowest possible bandwidth overhead. These latest Aspera advances reduce the need for expensive and complex satellite links and equipment while avoiding the overhead of dedicated fiber. The latest capabilities include the new Streams Manager as well as support for bidirectional streaming protocols. Streams Manager offers centralized discovery, configuration, monitoring, and management of inputs, outputs, and streams; the newly supported streaming protocols include RTP and RTMP and such standards as SMPTE 2022/2110 and NMOS IS04.

AT&T SU7106

T&T is leading the way to the future for customers, businesses, and the industry. The company continues to develop technologies that make it easier for customers to stay connected. AT&T envisions a world where everything and everyone work together, a world that works for you. AT&T Global Video Service features flexible, cost-effective connectivity tailored to suit customer business needs. Available in more than 200 points of presence globally — sports venues, production studios, network bureaus, virtually anywhere content originates — this service features a high-quality network designed to meet the rigorous requirements of the broadcast commu-

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NAB2018PREVIEW nity, a network built to provide “hitless” switching with quick access, more bandwidth, and dual and diverse end-to-end routing-connection arrangements to help ensure network survivability. The company’s 24/7 video-management center proactively manages (including real-time monitoring of live TV events), and provides maintenance and dedicated customer support to help ensure successful broadcasts. The center is staffed with highly trained, seasoned industry professional managers who understand the nature of live event broadcasting. Combined with the flexibility of the AT&T iOS-based scheduling app, the company provides the connectivity, service reliability, and reach required to bring events “to live.” From a sports event televised worldwide to a local breaking-news story, AT&T Global Video Service can deliver broadcast-quality video virtually whenever and wherever it’s needed.

ATEME SU3710

TEME will be showcasing a range of its solutions at NAB 2018. In addition to HEVC, H.264, and MPEG-2, ATEME will demonstrate a production-ready TITAN with AV1 support, available to new and existing customers via simple software upgrade. AV1 is the “opex-friendly” codec, featuring ultra-high video quality, enabling CDN savings, and is 100% royalty-free. The company will also show CMAF (fMP4) on Apple devices and its contribution 2.0, the all-new low-latency, high-density software-based encoder and decoder, supporting all codecs, with any I/O: IP, ASI, SDI, and baseband over IP and including all TITAN and Kyrion features. Finally, the company will also be discussing the agile video datacenter, as it is expanding the TITAN micro-services offering with a JITT (just-in-time–transcoding) support, targeting CDN and storage savings via central and edge processing.

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stablished in 1962, Audio-Technica is a worldwide group of companies devoted to the design, manufacture, marketing, and distribution of problem-solving audio equipment. Initially known for state-of-the-art phonograph cartridges, A-T now creates high-performance microphones, headphones, wireless systems, mixers, and electronic products for home and professional use.

AV DESIGN SERVICES

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VDS is a professional design and systemsintegration company, providing specialized video-display solutions to the broadcast and commercial A/V markets. AVDS is an industry leader in all phases of the project process — system design and engineering, project management, programming, integration, and post-installation services — and comprises seasoned broadcast and pro-A/V industry veterans with more than 100 years of combined experience.

AVID SU801

vid will showcase MediaCentral solutions for sports at NAB 2018. Integrating the new FastServe family of video servers, the expanded Maestro graphics suite, and the next-generation MediaCentral production suite, MediaCentral solutions arm sports broadcasters and venues with tools to streamline delivery of content in UHD with 2D and 3D graphics on TV and the broad range of devices that sports fans use to follow their teams. The MediaCentral production suite powers workflows from the simplest to the most complex, connecting every user in a completely integrated environment with a unified view into all media. It gives sports, news, and postproduction teams the power to create and deliver more content quickly and efficiently. Maestro | Live offers data-driven graphics, video playback, and sports enhancements in a single solution, enabling operators to respond quickly to changes during live broadcasts. Plug-and-play integration with real-time sports databases and scoreboard protocols enables broadcasters to present relevant data in real time. Avid’s FastServe video servers are tightly integrated into MediaCentral as part of the industry’s most comprehensive UHD/4K workflows. Unified modular architecture supports UHD and IP I/O to enable ultrafast ingest, turnaround, and playout in broadcast, news, sports, and other live productions.

AWS ELEMENTAL

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mazon Web Services, an Amazon company, will feature cloud-based solutions using machine-learning services to build innovative AI applications for ingest, production, processing, delivery, and networking. Along with new functionalities for increasing the value and usability of content, AWS will also highlight advances in appliance-based and hybrid workflows and technologies. Demonstrations will also include solutions for CMAF, HDR, and other innovations.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

BECKTV N1819

eckTV has continued its steady growth and built its reputation as a premier sports-television-systems-engineering and -integration firm. It has continued its growth portfolio in college and professional teams alike. On the heels of a very successful 2017 that included current and recent clients Notre Dame Studios, Baltimore Ravens’ M&T Bank Stadium, and San Antonio’s Alamodome Stadium, BeckTV is expecting a very busy 2018 with recently awarded projects for Boston College and the University of Louisville. BeckTV offers comprehensive services for anyone needing broadcast-television expertise, providing customers a one-stop shop for all of their television-facility and system requirements. BeckTV’s services include space planning, design, engineering, equipment purchasing, technical furniture fabrication, and, of course, wiring and integration.

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During the NBA All-Star Game

elebrating more than 35 years of broadcast excellence, Bexel, an NEP Broadcast Services Company, skillfully delivers broadcast equipment rentals and engineered solutions for some of the most watched televised events. The company continues to invest in the latest technology and expand its rental inventory to serve a variety of broadcast applications. Most recently, Bexel added the latest from fiber manufacturers Studio Technologies and MultiDyne, audio manufacturers Lectrosonics and Sennheiser, 4K-camera technology from Sony, and graphics solutions from Vizrt. This, in addition to the company’s expansive inventory, supports Bexel’s technical expertise in fiber-optic solutions, flypack production systems, RF audio and intercom solutions, specialty and 4K cameras, and graphics. Bexel ESS remains the vendor of choice for custom systems integration, managed services, and fiberoptic solutions for permanent facilities, major events, and live game production. The specialty division completed infrastructure builds for the NFL’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, U.S. Bank Stadi-

um, StubHub Center, and Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Bexel TSS continues to provide the industry with quality equipment from acquisition to disposal. The business unit represents more than 100 leading manufacturers of new gear, a diverse inventory of pre-owned gear, and services including broker and consignment options, asset liquidation through equipment auctions, and RFreallocation solutions.

BLACKMAGIC DESIGN

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any camera angle; encode 1080p video; deliver to almost any streaming service; control IP audio with a new virtual-mixer panel; and post instant replays to social media. vCloud BlueFrame CMS and end-to-end streaming service features HLS delivery, nDVR for time-shifted viewing, autoarchiving, and immediate live-to-VOD transitions and now offers 1080p transcoding and PPV purchasing tools. BluePayer apps now include an updated HTML5 media player, mobile apps, and customer-branded OTT apps for Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV. Other NAB 2018 highlights will include wireless-camera options, permanent hardware solutions for athletic fields, and free OTT streaming for any college athletics organization.

BOXX TECHNOLOGIES

URSA Broadcast

lackmagic Design will showcase its latest broadcast and creative video products, including the Blackmagic URSA Broadcast camera and ATEM 4M/E Broadcast Studio 4K switcher. URSA Broadcast is a new high-end, professional camera designed for both studio programming and live production. URSA Broadcast works with existing B4 broadcast HD lenses, can be used for both HD and UHD production, and features a 4K sensor, extended video dynamic range, traditional external controls and buttons, built-in optical ND filters, dual CFast and dual SD-card recorders, and more. URSA Broadcast is like two cameras in one: a field camera for ENG and programming work and a professional studio camera. It is perfect for live sports, featuring traditional broadcast controls along with exceptional image quality, all in a compact design that is ideal for fast-paced, fast-turnaround production work. ATEM 4M/E Broadcast Studio 4K is an advanced high-framerate UHD 2160p60 switcher with 20 inputs, 4M/E, and a massive 16 next-generation ATEM advanced chroma keyers. In addition, it features two UHD multiviewers, full 2D DVE, built-in SuperSource compositing engines with four picture-in-picture DVEs, full resynchronization on each input, and more. The ATEM 4M/E Broadcast Studio 4K works in both HD and UHD and is designed for action-filled sports and live productions where smooth, crystal-clear, incredibly detailed, realistic-looking video is important.

BLUE FRAME TECHNOLOGY

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lueFrame Technology will exhibit new functionality at NAB 2018. Production Truck software now enables users to switch between two to six cameras with standard and custom transitions; apply sport-specific graphics, scoreboard overlays, fan-driven scores, and league score tickers; show variable-speed instant replays from

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or more than 21 years, BOXX has been the leading innovator of high-performance workstations and rendering systems for VFX and animation studios, national television networks, leading architecture and engineering firms, professional sports, universities, and a host of other organizations. The company’s customers include names like Disney, PIXAR, HBO, Fox, NASA, URS, and KPF.

BRAINSTORM SL4616

xhibiting at NAB 2018 for the 20th consecutive year, Brainstorm will feature the latest versions of its product line of virtual sets, augmented reality, and motion-graphics solutions, as well as several other technologies. The star of the show will be InfinitySet, which will display advanced, hyper-realistic virtual-studio and augmented-reality content, thanks to its Combined Render Engine and other technologies. This approach combines the Unreal Engine with Brainstorm’s own eStudio render engine to create state-of-the-art hyper-realistic background scenes and also integrate elements essential in broadcast operation, such as 3D data-driven motion graphics and charts. Aston — Brainstorm’s motion-graphics–creation, CG, and playout solution — now integrates even more tightly with InfinitySet, improving the graphics workflow. InfinitySet maintains the animation logic and structure of the Aston graphics, enhancing creation, management, and use of Aston content.

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roaMan (Broadcast Manufactur GmbH) is a Germany-based manufacturer of highly reliable, professional and advanced products for broadcasters, production companies, sports facilities, professional A/V integrators, and more. All BroaMan products are dedicated to using a fiber infrastructure to integrate video, audio, IP, intercom and other data on a redundant low-latency

system. BroaMan develops and manufactures a product portfolio that includes simple cost-effective converters featuring low power consumption and high-density, complete fiber distribution and routing networks as well as systems specifically engineered to the customer’s application. Using BroaMan’s modular building blocks, the customer can specify topology, system bandwidth, routing, type and location of interfaces, and any special features required for the application. As a result, the customer will benefit from a fully customized system that perfectly fits the application. With this approach, BroaMan can provide high-bandwidth infrastructure solutions for any application.

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alrec will showcase a live–remote-production demonstration, with live remote mixing between the Calrec, Grass Valley, and Net Insight stands. Attendees will get an opportunity to see Calrec’s RP1 remote-production unit address an increasingly prevalent requirement for high-quality content from remote locations. Net Insight’s Nimbra system will transport audio and video from microphones and cameras on the Calrec and Net Insight stands to a central production hub on the Grass Valley stand. Making its U.S. debut, the Brio12 compact 12-fader audio mixer has the same powerful feature set and mix capabilities as its larger sibling, the Brio36, which has seen unrivaled success. Brio12 is perfect for small-scale productions or as a submixer or backup mixer for larger productions. Inheriting a rich feature set and powerful surround capability from its larger sibling, Brio12 removes the limitations on ambition and creativity imposed by mixers of comparable size and price point. DiGiCo, a leading provider of high-end digital live consoles, will be showcasing its new 4REA4 installed audio solution, which is designed to meet the expanding performance requirements of large entertainment venues, houses of worship, theaters, and shared stages at festivals. At the heart of the system is the 4REA4 processing engine with DiGiCo connectivity options and powerful 4REA4 control software, providing routing, processing, and mix control that allows your performance area to expand across your installation.

CAMPLEX FIBER C7137 (TECNEC DISTRIBUTING)

amplex manufactures fiber-optic solutions that improve and extend the performance of broadcast operations and are specified as the gold standard by broadcasters and content-delivery networks around the globe. At NAB 2018, Camplex fiber will be demonstrated at work in the TecNec Distributing production trailer. New

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NAB2018PREVIEW products on display will be a line of fiber-optic multiplexers and demultiplexers that avoid the expense of deploying new fiber and save space by combining several signals over a single fiber and a 24-channel, small-diameter tactical-fiber cable series for locations where size and weight are concerns. This cable series is available with LC, SC, or ST connectors and in a variety of lengths and meets MIL-PRF-85045 specification. Camplex fiber-optic cables are backed by a zerodefect, 100%-inspection policy and offer reduced installation time and durability in demanding environments and applications.

CANARE CORP OF AMERICA

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anare manufactures the best in pro-audio and -video cable; 75-ohm BNC, F, and RCA connectors; patchbays; cable reels; snake systems; assemblies; crimp tools; and cable strippers. Professional broadcast engineers, sound technicians, A/V-facility integrators, design consultants, and many leading OEMs rely on Canare’s product, proven reliability, and top-notch customer service.

CANON USA

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anon U.S.A. will showcase its full line of professional 4K and HD imaging equipment for motion-picture and television production, videocontent creation, and still photography. Additionally, there will be presentations and panel discussions throughout the show featuring prominent and emerging voices in imaging culture. On display will be the new versatile and affordable 4K ENG broadcast lenses, full-frame cinema EOS camera, and CN-E cinema lens. Also prominently featured at NAB 2018 will be the DIGISUPER 95 TELE HD field lens. Ideal for sports production, this lens features the longest focal length in its class, at an impressive 1,178 mm (2,356 with built-in 2X extender). Realizing superb imaging performance throughout the entire zoom range, the DIGISUPER 95 TELE incorporates the latest large-diameter aspherical-lens technologies and optical-materials technologies, making use of fluorite and UD (ultra-low dispersion) lens elements. Furthermore, Canon’s proprietary opticaldesign technologies make possible the optimal positioning of these lens technologies to effectively correct for various aberrations, including chromatic and spherical as well as curvature of field, helping to deliver high-resolution imaging performance from the center to the peripheral areas of the image field. In addition to realizing an extended focal length at the telephoto end, the

new long-zoom HD field lens deploys Canon’s proprietary Optical Shift Image Stabilizer (ShiftIS), enabling the capture of stable, clear video with minimal image blur.

CATDV (SQUARE BOX SYSTEMS) SL5421

atDV will unveil innovations specific to sports-asset management: “free” tagging and AI, customization and extensibility, expanded support for creative workflows, and cloud and hybrid solutions. The company continues to supercharge sports deployments, benefiting more than 50 professional and college sports teams worldwide. New, button-based logging and sports-focused search saves more time, money, and stress and new JavaScript support and custom user interface toolkit enables completely tailored CatDV MAM workflows. Worker 7 also introduces custom Worker Plugins; examples include a file-path cleaner for removing invalid characters, document analyzer, and YouTube uploader. More creative workflows are unlocked with an updated Adobe Premiere panel that also works in Adobe After Effects, Illustrator, and Photoshop, and more Avid workflows have been added. CatDV also offers a range of cloud and hybrid (on-premises/cloud) deployment options, including seamless management and movement of content, plus new Aspera integration for file acceleration.

CHYRONHEGO SL1208

or live sports broadcasting, ChyronHego will showcase the latest updates of its solutions for real-time data visualization. Version 7.4 of Paint, the company’s telestration and analysis solution, now boasts full 4K support, including built-in 4K recording. Also joining Paint’s existing integration with EVS slow-motion replay servers is an all-new integration with the LiveTouch replay system from Grass Valley, a Belden Brand. In addition, Paint 7.4 now features new IP capabilities, including support for HTTP H.264 live IP stream recording. ChyronHego will also highlight improvements to its Virtual Placement product family, including support for 4K; a new auto masking feature; enhanced real-time data integration with the company’s optical and wearable GPS sports-tracking solutions, TRACAB and ZXY; and integration with third-party, real-time data sources, such as NFL Next Gen Stats. Also on display at NAB 2018 will be Click Effects PRIME, ChyronHego’s highly integrated, turnkey graphics-authoring solution for live arena- and stadium-based A/V presen-

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tations. ChyronHego also will unveil version 3.1 of Click Effects PRIME with key new features, including integrated PRIME authoring using the PRIME Designer, expanded HD-SDI inputs in an HD-SDI workflow, HD-SDI inputs added to the DVI workflow, and HDR output for 4K productions.

CINESYS-OCEANA RENAISSANCE PRESIDENTIAL SUITE

ineSys-Oceana specializes in innovative workflow solutions and integration, including storage infrastructures, tiered storage solutions, and archiving. Its team of specialists analyze customer needs and create a solution tailored to them, while providing the highest quality of service and technical support. And when there is no existing solution, it will build custom components to integrate seamlessly with your workflow. CineSys-Oceana currently works with several sports teams across North America in media storage and media asset management (MAM). How do you organize your new and aging assets? Anyone using shared storage needs a solution to streamline the workflow. With a great MAM system in place, users can increase efficiency and focus on the work at hand. Review, share, and deliver different versions to multiple channels with ease. For 20 years, CineSys-Oceana has remained at the forefront of technology. Get in touch to discuss how its team can help improve your workflow.

CISCO SU8502CM

isco will be showcasing its Media Blueprint 2018 portfolio of IP-based infrastructure and software solutions that help sports broadcasters and content owners engage fans everywhere from stadiums to devices to home. New additions to the Media Blueprint 2018 are AppDynamics, Tetration, and Cisco Spark, as well as updates to the IP Fabric for Media, Video, Multi-Cloud Orchestration, Object Storage, and Security solutions.

CLARK MEDIA

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lark Media has extensive experience in providing modular video and audio systems for production of studio and on-location television and events. It also offers a full-featured, expando straight-chassis production truck ready for HD and 4K UHD. Clients love the 40-ft. production truck for its compactness, efficient use of space, and technical proficiency. They always ask when the company is going to build another. Clark Me-

dia took note of the biggest requests and, in less than a year, responded. Its all-new 53-ft. production trailer will debut at NAB 2018. All the design considerations implemented will make it one of the most flexible and powerful production trailers available. It will deliver native 4K UHD signal throughout acquisition and distribution. The trailer is fully customizable to fit the needs of each project, including yours. Call today!

CLARK WIRE & CABLE

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lark opened its doors in 1989 with the goal of delivering highly engineered products built specifically for the unique demands of broadcast and professional A/V industry coupled with exceptional customer service and value-added support. Over the past three decades of growth, customer service and support has remained Clark’s top priority, and, as broadcast and A/V technologies evolve, the company continues to innovate with such products as gas-injected coax, hybrid fiber, and tactical fiber cables for use with the latest HD video standards and applications.

in your data center. HyperFile connects to most editing and MAM software to provide bulletproof data durability and scalable performance at 70% less cost than traditional NAS. Connect to any public cloud and migrate or replicate data for content distribution or data protection, all from a single console. No extra software to buy or manage. Compatible with Amazon S3, Google GCP, and Microsoft Azure, only HyperFile stores media in a cloud-native format to any cloud, so your files can be instantly accessed by cloudbased applications and analysis tools. Embedded metadata tags let you search media on-premises and in the cloud using Google-like tools. Find the media you want quickly, wherever it is stored, onpremises or in the cloud. HyperFile is available on a Cloudian appliance or as a virtual machine that can run on industry-standard servers, allowing broadcasters to keep hardware costs down. With HyperFile, storage costs start around 1¢ per month per GB.

in and listen to the audio feeds, enabling replacement of up to 30 POTS lines with one simple box. EarShot IFB features selectable feeds. Some feeds can be configured with full program audio, and mix-minus can be implemented on other feeds to prevent echo and other audio flaws. This versatility makes it simple for users to tailor the system to their needs. EarShot IFB interfaces with voice over IP (VoIP) telephone circuits using the SIP protocol. This makes it possible to replace up to 30 POTS lines via one simple box. EarShot IFB can handle 30 POTS calls or 10 wideband calls; users can configure the box to handle a combination of each. VoIP phone lines can be delivered from cloud-based VoIP providers, VoIP-based PBXs (in many cases), and via hardware gateway devices that bridge legacy phone circuits (for example, T1/ E1, POTS) to VoIP.

COBALT DIGITAL

CLEAR-COM, AN HME COMPANY C6908

lear-Com’s LQ Series devices are versatile connectivity interfaces for linking, extending, and expanding communications cost-effectively over secure LAN, WAN, and IP networks. Brand- and platform-agnostic, LQ can link different industry-standard intercom systems. It also extends the capabilities and intercom channels of a single system to one or more remote locations by simply positioning an LQ device at the destination location and interfacing with such ClearCom devices as wired beltpacks or smartphones with Agent-IC mobile apps. Each LQ Series IP interface can support up to eight individual AgentIC clients, meaning that up to eight users can call into the intercom system through 3G/4G or WiFi internet links. Up to 48 channels of LQ Series IP interfaces can be connected to a particular ClearCom partyline intercom system at any given time. LQ interfaces can also link any two-wire partyline and/or four-wire digital solutions over IP networks. All setups and configurations are easily managed within the browser-based Core Configuration Manager (CCM). The interfaces also work with SIP telephony systems, allowing Clear-Com’s portfolio of intercom systems to seamlessly connect with VoIP phones. Up to six LQ Series interfaces can be linked to form a unified system.

COMREX

CLOUDIAN SL6321

loudian’s HyperFile is an active media archive that combines limitless on-premises scalability with cloud integration. Start small and grow without disruption, up to petabytes of capacity

SL6505

obalt Digital intends to make a splash at NAB 2018 with multiple new entries across its range of products. For 4K-production applications, the 9904-UDX-4K is the latest generation of advanced image and audio processors for its openGear platform. The base card provides Quad 3G-SDI and 12G-SDI I/O with SDI muxing and demuxing and up/down/crossconversion. Options include RGB color correction and SDR-toHDR up-mapping via Technicolor’s HDR ITM Intelligent Tone Management processing. For 12GSDI distribution and extension applications, the 9414DA series of optical extension cards are the latest addition to Cobalt’s growing range of fiberoptic products. Externally accessible SFPs offer a range of performance option, and the card can scale from a single channel up to a quad 12G-SDI channel bidirectional EOOE. For flypacks and compact-system designs, Cobalt will introduce the OG-PC x86 computer on an openGear car. The PC takes advantage of the redundant power and cooling of the openGear frame and the modular form factor saves on rack space by replacing bulky 1RU PCs. Cobalt’s compression products division will introduce the 9992-HEVC series of contribution-class encoders and decoders. These products are perfect for remote-production extension with ultra-low-latency encode/decode performance.

C2330

omrex will be introducing EarShot IFB, a hardware-based system that delivers live audio feeds to callers. It is designed to provide telephone-based live studio-program and IFB audio to field-based remote broadcasts, such as live sports broadcasts. Up to 30 callers can dial

CP COMMUNICATIONS/WAVE CENTRAL C1108, 2807 (MOBILE VIEWPOINT) P provides customized mission-critical audio, video, and communications solutions to the premium sports, entertainment, corporate, news, and other live–event-production markets. For more than three decades, the company has offered quality and cost-effective production solutions to a wide range of clients, including major broadcasters, sports leagues and teams, and event and production companies. The company’s solutions provide access to experienced professionals, state-of-the-art equipment, and innovative technologies for wireless audio- and video-content acquisition, transport, and delivery. CP will be showcasing its 4K Smart Car, used at the NYC Half Marathon, along with other COFDM and bonded-cellular solutions at the Mobile Viewpoint booth. Wave Central manufactures world-class RF wireless products, including COFDM-integrated and camera-back systems and ENG, body-worn, and airborne wireless systems. Wave Central’s main focus is professional and collegiate sports. Customers trust the company for quality, custom-fit solutions, and after-sales support. In the first quarter, Wave Central offers a complete 4K product line, as well as 4K camera transmitters with remote paint control and standalone HEVC encoders and decoders, allowing users to further maximize the bandwidth requirements of 4K production.

CREATIVE DIMENSIONS

C859

reative Dimensions’ team of industry experts, visionary designers, versatile project managers, and skilled craftsmen has built a reputation as an innovative partner over the past 30 years. The team coordinates and produces a full range of signage, exhibits/trade

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NAB2018PREVIEW shows, and broadcast studios, sets, and desks, including the VERSA broadcast-desk line. Creative Dimensions delivers the outcomes you need, while striving to save you money and time. Whatever the project, Creative Dimensions’ passion for customer satisfaction, creative solutions, and quality products, along with its innovation and problem-solving skills will get the job done with style! Because Creative Dimensions listens, it is easy to zero in on a customer’s vision and provide that remarkable outcome. Whether your needs are in the signage, exhibit, or broadcast worlds, Creative Dimensions uses its skills to go the extra mile to help your project hit the mark.

DALET DIGITAL MEDIA SYSTEMS SL8010

alet sports solutions power highly effective game-to-audience workflows. Featuring its robust workflow engine and scalable content-management platform, Dalet offers broadcasters’ operation, editorial, and marketing teams a unified environment to collaborate, setting the framework for a new generation of editorial experiences. Addressing the entire content lifecycle with its modular platform, Dalet streamlines live and file-based ingest, analysis, fast-paced logging, remote and craft editing, graphics, broadcast, publishing, and distribution. Embracing hybrid and cloud architectures, the company cuts the complexities and bottlenecks often found in multi-siloed productions by opening new live, broadcast, social, and online distribution opportunities. The social-media framework empowers marketing and promo teams to analyze, produce, and deliver to social-media platforms. Dalet will also showcase its AI-augmented media workflows, featuring smart assistants with content insights and discovery, contextual and timely recommendations, advanced automation, and predictive analytics.

DELL EMC

SL9111

ell EMC provides flexible, reliable, and easy-to-manage storage solutions that help media companies create, maintain, and protect their most valuable digital-media assets. With simplified management of storage, media companies can focus on what they do best: create and deliver great media content. With solutions that allow better collaboration, broader access, and performance that keeps up with even the

most demanding media workflows, it’s no wonder that industry leaders and more than two billion content subscribers worldwide rely on Dell EMC. Its comprehensive technology portfolio and extensive partner community can help transform your organization to meet the challenges of digital media.

DOLBY LABORATORIES

SU1702

017 was an amazing year filled with innovative projects and incredible clients! As needs continue to evolve in today’s changing marketplace, so does Diversified’s ability to serve as a trusted technology solutions partner. With a portfolio of enhanced end-to-end solutions and an expanded national team, come explore all of the new ways Diversified can help your team achieve your technology goals! Come join the festivities and visit Diversified’s booth at NAB 2018 to relax, share a beverage, and learn how the evolution in digital transformation is meeting business goals. And, of course, it’s not Vegas without a party! Join Diversified on Monday night for the company’s Annual VIP Customer Party in the Westgate’s 13,200-sq.-ft. Tuscany Villa suite. Space is limited, so contact your Diversified Account Executive for more details.

Dolby transforms the science of sight and sound into spectacular experiences. Through its innovative research and engineering, the company develops breakthroughs that it shares with the world through collaborations that span artists, broadcasters, industry -ecosystem partners, and consumers worldwide. These breakthroughs deliver incredibly vivid experiences at home, at work, and on the go — experiences so lifelike that people feel as if they’ve been transported into an action-packed game, a cinematic story, or a pulsing sphere of music. In both entertainment and communications, through audio and imaging, Dolby gives everyone the power to see, hear, and feel the spectacular. At NAB 2018, Dolby will demonstrate how Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision enable broadcasters and pay-TV service providers to deliver the best entertainment experiences at accessible price points and use cases, including live and ondemand delivery. Dolby will also show how we are empowering content creators to bring stories to life with dramatic imaging and moving audio, anytime, anywhere.

DMC BROADCAST

EEG ENTERPRISES

DIVERSIFIED N3420

MC Broadcast will be all over the NAB 2018 show floor. ProVidius (N4517): Provides SDVN, IP analysis and multiviewers, and portable analyzers. The Network, Visualization, Routing, and Telemetry (NVRT) application documents WAN/LAN networks, provides a digital repository for all associated info and documents, visualizes network fabric down into COTS, and displays the info in a GUI dashboard for your operator. Embrionix (N4111): 2110 SFP direct into a COTS switch with your video. The integrated IP gateway solution is now available in ST 2110, ST 2022-6/-7, 12G fiber, HDMI 2.0, standalone SFP, or miniature enclosure with power for any application. Hitomi Broadcast (SL5221): MatchBox is an audio/video alignment tool that is compatible with VALID but does so much more. Time your IP path vs. baseband video. Read, measure, and compare up to four flows or signals at one time. Techno Mathematica (SL14214): Real-time low-latency studio/network feed to iPad, iPhone, and hardware decoder, up to 20 units at once.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

SL7610

EG has announced full iCap compatibility with the new SMPTE 2110 IP videotransport standard in time for NAB 2018. This development ensures a smooth transition for the most widely used human and automatic live-captioning services into modern IP and cloud video workflows. EEG’s Alta software will support native 2110 audio/captioning exchange, and the HD492 caption encoder will be able to provide a bridge between 2110 and SDIancillary-data workflows. Stop by EEG’s booth to learn more about closed captioning and ancillary-data insertion in the world of 2110.

ENCOMPASS DIGITAL MEDIA

SU2324

ncompass is a global media- and entertainment-technology services company focused on supporting sports leagues, TV networks, broadcasters, and digital leaders with the delivery of its linear/nonlinear-video content across television and digital platforms. The company designs, implements, and operates reliable solutions that capture, process, and deliver clients’ video content from any

Deliver immersive consumer experiences with a media-optimized infrastructure for content providers and broadcasters. Succeed with Cisco Cloud Scale Media Experiences.

cisco.com/go/media

NAB2018PREVIEW source, in any format, to any destination in the most efficient and reliable way possible. Encompass’s global connectivity, scalable technology infrastructure, and strategic partnerships create a single, synchronized contentdelivery environment for both traditional and digital delivery. Reach additional markets by streaming your live events online and deliver to any screen. Daily, Encompass services 850+ channels, processes 25,000+ hours of TV/OTT, streams 3,000 hours of TVE/OTT content, and acquires/distributes 275 live events for its clients worldwide via its nine facilities across four continents. Services offered are global transmission and connectivity, channel playout, OTT/TVE streaming and VOD, live events, and disaster recovery.

ERICSSON SU720

ricsson Media Solutions is a global leader in TV and media products and services, with a proven track record in planning and delivering TV and media business transformation for over 25 years. Working with customers around the globe, its extensive TV and media portfolio covers video service distribution, advertising, and content personalization solutions, high-efficiency cloud DVR, and TV, and video-delivery platforms. With a pedigree dating back over a quarter of a century, Ericsson’s immense Media Solutions portfolio meets the unique challenges that lie at every single stage of the video journey. From video processing and delivery to TV platforms and beyond, Ericsson enables customers to efficiently deliver a personalized and immersive viewing experience.

EUTELSAT COMMUNICATIONS SU3421

utelsat is one of the world’s leading satellite operators. With a global fleet of satellites and associated ground infrastructure, the company enables clients across video, data, government, fixed, and mobile broadband markets to communicate effectively to customers, irrespective of their location. More than 6,700 television channels operated by leading media groups are broadcast by Eutelsat to one billion viewers equipped for DTH reception or connected to terrestrial networks. Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat assembles 1,000 men and women from 44 countries who are dedicated to delivering the highest quality of service.

EVERTZ N1503

vertz, a global leader in media- and entertainment-technology solutions, will be showcasing its latest innovations. The company is focused on addressing the critical requirements of the media industry and, at NAB 2018, will be demonstrating its latest advances in Software Defined Video Networking (SDVN), virtualized media infrastructure, live media production, big-data analytics, cloud-based playout, UHD/HDR technologies, compression, RF, and remote production. With more than 100 global deployments since 2014, Evertz is leading the industry transition to IP with its SDVN IP-based solutions, which feature support for industry standards including SMPTE ST 2110 for Professional Media Over Managed IP Networks and AMWA IS04 and IS-05 for registration, discovery, and connection management of network devices. The company’s DreamCatcher live-media and -production platform leverages the efficiency, scalability, and agility of its SDVN technology. With its patented network architecture, DreamCatcher can access resources and processing capability across the network, both on- and off-premises. This capability enables new live-production workflows required for creating immersive user experiences for the expanding array of media platforms available to the consumer today.

EVS SL3816

VS will present several major changes to its technology offering at NAB 2018, including a new, next-generation live-production server and AI functionality integrated into its liverefereeing system. Utilizing the speed and flexibility of its latest technology ecosystem, EVS will highlight a brand-new live-production and replay server that gives users additional channels of 4K UHD I/O and supports the SMPTE ST 2110 standard for easy deployment within IP infrastructures. The award-winning Xeebra will also be on display, showing users how artificial intelligence can be implemented into today’s production workflows. EVS’s technology-innovation team has created its own machine-taught neural network, which shows Xeebra users immediately when a soccer player goes offside with the use of an interactive line. And making the production of small, niche sports more attractive to content producers and distributors is X-ONE, which will make its NAB Show debut.

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The all-in-one system allows ingest of up to six cameras and puts the capabilities of an entire production-control room into the hands of just a single user. The EVS booth will also feature presentation areas for two of today’s major production environments: live esports production and in-venue control rooms.

FINGERWORKS TELESTRATORS SL4606, SL5516 (NEWTEK)

ingerWorks is a leader in live telestration solutions for sports and now esports broadcasters around the globe. Its user list includes Fox Sports’ NFL, USGA, NASCAR, UFC, NHL, and NCAA; CBS Sports’ NFL, PGA, and NCAA; NBC Sports’ PGA, NASCAR, and NHL; NFL Network; NHL Network; MLB; A&E; Valve Corp.; ESL Gaming; RIOT Games; MLG, and NextVR NBA and NFL. At NAB 2018, FingerWorks will be showcasing FingerWorks Sidecar, the new frame-tracking production tool with live, under-player tool placement; FingerWorks Fusion, a new custom user-interface control allowing the import of live statistics on the fly; FingerWorks VR, 4K, and HDR options; auto team roster and the company’s new social-media interface; and FingerWorks ReVu, a new software interface designed for large on-camera touchscreen productions with clip ingest and control.

FRAUNHOFER SU4916

raunhofer has been an innovator in sound for more than 25 years, from the creation of MP3 and AAC to designing the future of audio entertainment. At NAB 2018, the company will demonstrate MPEG-H, the only nextgeneration audio codec that is on-air 24/7 in South Korea’s UHDTV broadcast service. The MPEG-H TV-audio system is part of ATSC 3.0 and DVB standards and offers personalized, interactive TV experiences with cinema-like 3D sound. Demonstrations at NAB 2018 will include a real-time encoding/decoding chain, professional broadcast equipment for authoring and rendering of MPEG-H. Visitors can experience the new interactive and immersive sound in a living-room environment with the prototype 3D soundbar. Additionally, the company will showcase xHE-AAC, which bridges the gap between speech and audio coding and provides high-quality audio at bitrates as low as 6 kbps up to transparent audio quality at higher bitrates.

TRUSTED BY THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS. Masstech Innovations combines many decades of broadcast experience with edge IT development to provide broadcasters, news and sports-focused organizations with simple, scalable and highly integrated storage and workflow management solutions. We’re committed to providing the M&E industry with the most dedicated, cost-efficient, intelligent and agile content lifecycle workflows, whether in the cloud, on premise or in a hybrid environment. Visit us at NAB2018, booth SU2806 to see why Masstech’s content storage solutions are trusted by over 500 of the world’s best-known M&E brands, and today manage around 40% of dynamic production assets around the world.

NAB2018PREVIEW FUJIFILM NORTH AMERICA, OPTICAL DEVICES DIVISION C7225

UA107x8.4

ujifilm is at the forefront in the development of 4K UHD/HDR and Cine optical technology. At NAB 2018, the Optical Devices Division of Fujifilm North America will showcase its entire range of Fujinon newly developed and existing 4K UHD Series lenses as well as the ever expanding categories of PL- and E-mount Cine lenses. The Fujinon 4K UHD Series of 2/3-in. lenses optimized for HDR will be joined this year by a new lens that will be announced at the show, bringing the largest line of 4K lenses to a total of nine! Additionally, the UA107x8.4B field lens featuring the biggest zoom ratio in the world and its sister, the UA80X9 field lens, and the UA27x6.5B studio lens will be on display along with their exceptional companion portable lenses, the UA13x4.5B, UA14x4.5B, UA18x5.5B, UA22x8B and UA24x7.8B. There are now 4K UHD/HDR lenses in every category, making them ideal for live coverage of large-scale entertainment and sports events, studio applications, and all portable-lens applications, including sports, entertainment, program production, and news reporting. The ever expanding line of lenses designed for Cine applications will also be featured in the booth, covering every application starting with the MK18-55 and MK50-135 Emount lenses for emerging cinematographers. The ZK and XK Cabrio series of PL-mount lenses will also be on display, as will the HK Premier series of PL-mount lenses used to make some of the world’s biggest blockbuster feature films.

FX DESIGN GROUP

C1112

t NAB 2018, FX Design Group will be showcasing its latest designs for broadcast sports and news, including scenic, AR, VR, lighting, and motion graphics.

G&D NORTH AMERICA

N3917

t NAB 2018, the KVM sports experts from G&D will showcase the company’s all-new

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KVM-over-IP matrix system. After the launch of its IP extender series, it now adds a massive switching functionality. In addition to a broad KVM offering, the series provides even more versatility to the portfolio. With solutions for compressed and uncompressed video and transmission over CAT, fiber, and IP structures any given project needs can be accommodated in a cost-effective way. Especially for sports production, the new IP series can offer further flexibility in its ability to share network structures and break the boundaries of dedicated cabling. The new ControlCenter-IP will include all the matrix features of G&D’s classical ControlCenter series: the necessary missioncritical features for maximum reliability are combined with functions for ideal and userfriendly operation.

GERLING & ASSOCIATES

OE2001

erling & Associates will exhibit the new High Rock Mobile Productions truck system built totally turnkey by G&A. The truck demonstrates the company’s ability to build from the ground up using the latest in 4K technology, providing a roomy truck totally ready for service. The new Clark Media trailer will also be on display, demonstrating the G&A quality that has become the industry standard. From a comfortable interior to the G&A hardened power system, the trailer meets all the current criteria required for major live production. The Gerling Nomad will be onsite, presenting the company’s answer for at-home production as well as to show why, in 2018, no production company should be using a van for long hours of work: for only a minimal amount more, the Gerling Nomad solves it all.

GLOBECAST SU11406CM

lobecast will show its new Cloud Channel Playout solution for SD, HD, and 4K channels at NAB 2018. The media-management service provides market-friendly solutions to customers. Cloud playout significantly enhances service-deployment efficiency, reduces time to market, and allows broadcasters to reach new international markets with lower upfront investment. In addition, Globecast’s liveSpotter live-to-VOD packaged-content service provides customers with the ability to create and monetizable short-form content quickly and efficiently, via an end-to-end solution — from signal-to-screen — from a single supplier. Also

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

on display will be Globecast XN, which enables customers to quickly reach new audiences, using the public internet and enhancements to its Content Acquisition, Aggregation, and Distribution (CAAD) services. And Globecast is helping customers protect their content via a new platform and content-protection system and its Business Continuity services.

GLOBECOMM SYSTEMS

SU3117

s one of the few infrastructure providers with an end-to-end workflow solution that offers global satellite, terrestrial, and cloud distribution options, Globecomm provides operators with the flexibility and speed critical for multiplatform live-video-content delivery. At NAB 2018, Globecomm will present the Vector state-of-the-art virtualized video-headend system. Vector provides a single, compact, vendor-agnostic platform for media processing, packaging, and customization of video content from acquisition and contribution to playout and distribution; it is scalable for supporting hundreds of channels. Leveraging Globecomm’s robust satellite, IP, and fiber content-delivery networks, along with direct access to AWS at key data-center locations, Vector delivers live video content across OTT, DTH, IPTV, cable, satellite, and terrestrial TV with high availability and in all compression formats. Offering a combination of software and compact data-storage solutions, Vector significantly reduces rack space, cabling, and power requirements.

GOOGLE CLOUD

SU218

oogle Cloud frees users from the overhead of managing infrastructure, provisioning servers, and configuring networks. The platform is secure, high-performance, costeffective, and constantly improving. Tap into big data and machine learning to find answers faster, build better products, and fuel amazing applications. Grow from prototype to production to planet-scale without having to think about capacity, reliability, or performance. Google’s pricing innovations, like per-second billing and sustained-use discounts, save you money. Google’s backbone network has thousands of miles of fiber-optic cable, uses advanced software-defined networking, and has edge-caching services to deliver fast, consistent, and scalable performance.

NAB2018PREVIEW GRABYO SU13706CM

rabyo has enhanced its live product with the addition of live-broadcast-graphics authoring to its cloud-based production platform, Grabyo Producer. Sports teams, broadcasters, and federations can produce live broadcasts optimized for digital and social platforms, featuring multiple live feeds, VOD, live graphics, scores, data feeds, and sponsored assets to create a unique digital viewing experience for sports audiences with the operating cost and workflow efficiencies of cloud-based production. Grabyo is the complete live and real-time video solution and is used by the English Premier League, La Liga, AETLC Wimbledon, World Rugby, Major League Soccer, Big 10 Network, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and MotoGP.

GRASS VALLEY, A BELDEN BRAND SL106

K-Frame X family

o help broadcasters and media organizations produce and fully monetize the best live-production content on any screen, Grass Valley will be showcasing solutions at NAB 2018 that provide the flexibility to handle all formats, with the affordability to meet any budget and the ability to easily upgrade from today’s infrastructures to tomorrow’s demands as business needs change. As a new addition to its extensive portfolio of production switchers, Grass Valley will introduce the GV K-Frame X Video Processing Engine, which builds on the power, performance, and flexibility of the current K-Frame by providing customers the added versatility of all-SDI, all-IP, or mixed SDI and IP board configurations. It supports TICO compression and uncompressed 4K along with HDR and can be paired with Kayenne, Karrera, or Korona panels. It also maintains an industry-leading I/O footprint with the largest I/O count (192x96). Other Grass Valley highlights at NAB 2018 include a variety of IP-enabled solutions for both on-premises and remote live

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production, including cameras, replay, switchers, routers, and servers. Other IP-enabled solutions include UHD 4K and dynamic HDR workflows, as well as virtualized solutions for craft editing and automated, multiformat content delivery. NAB 2018 will also mark the debut of the combined Grass Valley and SAM portfolios, enabling visitors to see the best of both demonstrated in one location.

HAIVISION

RENAISSANCE DELUXE F

vercome the challenges of point-to-point and point-to-multipoint video transport in remote workflows for sports broadcasting and officiating. Powered by SRT, Haivision’s solutions ensure that live video is delivered in the lowest latency with security and reliability across unpredictable networks. Sports broadcasters can get live video from the field to broadcast centers for production. Internetbased video transport offers a flexible and cost-effective alternative for sending video used in remote workflows. Haivision’s Makito X Series of encoders and decoders are used by sports broadcasters globally to send highquality, low-latency streams over any type of network and condition, including LTE wireless networks, public internet, and satellite links affected by weather. For replay systems, Haivision’s encoders and decoders are used in professional and college sports for collaborative, real-time review of game play.

HARMONIC SU810

armonic will present a range of solutions to enhance the OTT and broadcast delivery of live sports productions, with support for all deployment models, including software appliances, cloud and hybrid environments, and SaaS. The company’s solutions address the varying needs of video-content and -service providers and their specific workflows today and in the future. Using the solutions for studio production, remote production, ingest, playout, and encoding, customers can deliver crystal-clear video at the lowest possible bitrates, boost profitability through targeted advertising across all screens, and make the transition to a simpler, more efficient, and cost-saving workflow using new technologies like cloud, all-IP workflows, HEVC, and UHD HDR. Plus, with its powerful VOS media-processing suite, Harmonic enables customers to deliver pristine video quality anytime, anywhere, and on

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

any device and reduce bandwidth up to 50% for live streaming through its award-winning EyeQ content-aware encoding solution.

HGST/G-TECHNOLOGY SL6316

GST has a reputation for product quality and reliability; offering award-winning enterprise optimization software and a broad portfolio of innovative, high-quality hard disk and solid state drives that store, manage, and protect the world’s data. The company’s intelligent storage solutions are trusted by enterprises, Internet companies, consumers and creative professionals to store and manage their data efficiently and securely. HGST is a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of Western Digital Corporation, marketing and selling its leading storage portfolio around the world.

HIGH ROCK MOBILE TELEVISION OE2001

igh Rock Mobile Television will display its new High Rock 1 Super Stallion duel-stage expansion-class mobile production vehicle at NAB 2018. Designed to meet the evolving needs of the production-facility market with its compact, 40-ft. frame, HR1 offers in a smaller footprint the production quality that larger mobile units deliver. Featuring Sony cameras, a 4300 SSMO system, Grass Valley Kayenne switcher, EVS server, ChyronHego graphics, Utah Scientific routing, and Cobalt multiviewer system, it makes set-shoot-strike productions more feasible for larger events and makes HR1 the go-to solution for remote productions. Backed by a team with long production and engineering experience, HR1 has been successfully tested in productions across the U.S. and is ready to service a wide variety of sports, news, entertainment, and corporate events throughout North America.

HITACHI C4309

itachi designs, markets, and sells video cameras and systems and digital transmission, processing, and recording devices for the broadcast-television, cable, video-production, and industrial-vision markets.

IBM SYSTEMS

SL5305

n this cognitive era, IBM is a premier endto-end partner for driving better business results through digital reinvention, cloud, technology, analytics, and consulting expertise.

700 series

Go Live with 265 20 second boot-to-live 1080p60 30Mbps HEVC & H.264 compression SRT Ready

cube.teradek.com

NAB2018PREVIEW The company combines decades of storagetechnology excellence, experience, and expertise within the M&E industry. Its expansive solution portfolio, deep industry expertise, and strong ecosystem partnerships help organizations unlock the value of data while optimizing data economics. IBM brings together comprehensive software-defined storage and innovative systems tuned for the cognitive era to help outthink limits, reduce the complexity and costs of IT infrastructure, and prepare for future environments. IBM is a proud sponsor of NAB, where IBM Storage and Software Defined Infrastructure offerings will be highlighted with a keen focus on high-value solutions for storing, managing, and protecting structured and unstructured media data in multi-cloud environments.

IHSE USA

SL10216

HSE will introduce several new products for KVM and KVM-related extension and switching at NAB 2018. A new series of extenders based on the highly efficient Lici codec supports dual-head DVI, HDMI 2.0, and DisplayPort 4K for UHD video. Signal resolutions are encoded pixel for pixel, providing perfect image quality up to 4096x2160 (4K)/3840x2160 at 30 bit (4:4:4). In addition to KVM solutions, IHSE will debut a series of 3GSDI extenders that allow a hybrid combination of KVM-to-serial digital conversion — perfect for sharing signals between a KVM matrix and SDI matrix. Focused presentation areas will include an EVS/KVM workstation and an Avid Pro Tools/KVM workstation to demonstrate how KVM provides advanced computer sharing solutions for video playout and audio mixing. Several upgrade offerings for the Draco tera enterprise KVM matrix switch include a new controller card, an 8:1 fiber mux/demux card, and software advances supporting up to 24 levels of matrix grid sharing. Auxiliary signals such as USB-HID, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, digital audio, analog audio, RS-422, and RS-232 can be distributed across the same interconnects of Cat 5e/6 or fiber.

IKEGAMI C7218

kegami will introduce the UHK-435 camera, a 2/3-in. 3-CMOS sensor 4K/HD full studio camera. It provides Ikegami’s superb imagery in true 4K via three 2/3-in. 4K (3840x2160) CMOS sensors with RGB prism optics, for Real

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4K resolution from 24 million pixels (8 million per sensor). As the full-size, studio companion version of the UHK-430 4K camera from Ikegami’s Unicam XE camera series, the UHK-435 captures the extended depth of focus of the 2/3-in. format and permits use of the full range of B4 studio and field box lenses. The camera delivers wide dynamic range and wide color gamut, fully supporting HLG (hybrid log gamma) conforming to HDR International Standard ITU-R BT.2100. Ikegami UNICAM XE series peripherals — CCU-430 camera-control unit, VFL701D 7-in. Full HD LCD viewfinder, and VFE741D 7.4-in. OLED viewfinder — are fully compatible with the UHK-435. The viewfinder can be positioned close to the extended line of the optical axis. In addition, interfaces are available for a wide range of 4K signal protocols, including Quad 3G-SDI, 12G-SDI, and IP. Also debuting at NAB 2018 will be an advanced line of monitors.

IMAGE VIDEO

C5649

mage Video will showcase 44+ years of broadcast-industry expertise at NAB 2018. The TSI and LCP-16 line of tally controllers continues to set the standard for tally and GPI control and, with the TSI-4000’s record number of deployments since its launch, is the industry’s best-selling tally and GPI solution. Visitors are welcome to drop in and see firsthand why this remains the preferred tool for broadcasters and discuss new ideas with Image Video’s team of world-class engineers.

IMAGEN SL5021

magen has introduced live capture and social-media publishing to further extend the capabilities of its award-winning videomanagement platform. Previously known for managing archives of national importance and distributing large-scale broadcast-resolution content for media companies and sports federations, Imagen is accelerating the convergence of live and archive workflows, to deliver moreefficient and economically scalable cloudbased media management. The new live-toarchive streaming service enables content owners to view, capture, and archive incoming feeds from sports tournaments, live TV, or keynote speeches. Highlights can be clipped from the stream in real time and published to a subscribing audience or social-media channels. The finished live feed can also be added

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

to the archive, where it can be accessed and repurposed later.

IMAGINE COMMUNICATIONS

SL1516

magine Communications is bringing standards-based, all-IP processing capabilities to sports production. The company’s Selenio Network Processor (SNP) is a high-density processing platform that offers both SDI-to-IP gateway functionality and IP-to-IP processing capabilities. It is purpose-built to handle uncompressed UHD signals based on the SMPTE 2110 specification for transporting media over IP networks. It is especially well-suited for a hybrid SDI-IP environment, enabling sports-production units to make a measured and self-paced transition to next-generation architectures. Its programmable processing capabilities and densities make it a perfect SDI-to-IP transitional vehicle for live-production companies around the world. Along with powerful IP-enabled video processing, the SNP offers advanced audio processing, as well as timing, synchronization, and conversion capabilities, including HD-UHD upconversion, UHD-HD downconversion, HD-3G upconversion, and 3G-HD downconversion. It also manages the HDR adaptations and conversions required for integrating UHD and HD signals. SNP also features an edge synchronizer for processing streams before they enter the core router, reducing complexity in signal routing. As a next-gen, network-based processor, the commercially available SNP provides sportsproduction companies with a programmable processing solution that is easily adaptable to changing market requirements and capable of incorporating the latest technology innovations.

IMT/VISLINK C6008

MT-Vislink will display the MicroLite 2 HD ultra-compact, ultra-low-latency wireless video transmitter at NAB 2018. It features HD/ SD-SDI and HDMI inputs with COFDM transmission in a small, lightweight chassis. IMT’s COFDM technology ensures transmission of uninterrupted, live TV pictures over a twomile line of sight, despite the effects of foliage, challenging terrain, buildings, and other common non–line-of-sight limitations. It delivers up to 250 mW of power, providing long-range, reliable video transmission. A key benefit of the MicroLite 2 compared with alternative

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NAB2018PREVIEW solutions is its ability to operate at latency levels as low as 70 ms, making it well-suited for live sports broadcasts and video-assist applications. The MicroLite 2 was designed with a compact size, weight, and minimized power requirements, making it ideal for smaller cameras and batteries. It operates with both the 7.4-VDC camera lithium-ion batteries as well as the V-mount style of batteries.

INTELSAT SU1510

oday, programmers have many options for getting live video from a sports event to the production facility. Remote-production trucks equipped with conventional satellite or microwave broadcast-transmission equipment deliver high quality and reliability, but many programmers are tapping into cellular networks to transmit digital video. Cellular networks, though convenient in some cases, are shared by competing television programmers and mobile subscribers, making bandwidth availability unpredictable. To address this challenge, Intelsat partnered with network-blending–technology leader Dejero Labs to develop CellSat, a blended cellular and Ku-band–satellite solution that delivers reliable, robust, and high-quality video for IP video contribution. CellSat, which will be featured at NAB 2018, combines the convenience of cellular networks and the ubiquity of satellite connectivity ondemand, giving programmers greater assurance when going live from the field.

IPTEC SU10221

Ptec will feature the future-proof VNP-400 contribution encoder’s flexibility, resilience, and studio-quality H.264/J2K solution currently deployed for at-home sports production, newsgathering, major Hollywood award ceremonies, and mission-critical video. The sports-production industry benefits from low-latency transmission, license-based dualchannel encoding/decoding, and bidirectional codec configurations with user-selectable superior packet recovery for public or private IP networks. Selectable packet-recovery features include RFC 3366 ARQ Automatic Repeat Request, FEC Forward Error Correction, and 2022-7 Hitless Switching to ensure reliable delivery over unmanaged networks. Additionally, Decoder Genlock and 16 audio channels per video channel with lead and lag video adjustment demands the attention of production

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professionals. IPtec’s SMMT element-management system delivers secure 24/7 network and call monitoring with drag-and-drop ad hoc- and scheduled-service provisioning. The SMMT’s real-time alarm and call statistics provide the production professional enhanced situational awareness.

IRDETO

WYNN SALON C

rdeto will demonstrate its OTT Live Watermarking solution at NAB 2018. The value of sports content is at its highest while it’s being broadcast. As such, seconds count in disrupting illegal live streaming. Being able to quickly identify and remove the infringing content is key. OTT Live Watermarking embeds the watermark on the fly, ensuring that illegal activity is detected and the source of the leak identified in a few minutes, which is important when it comes to protecting the value of sports rights. For operators and broadcasters adopting this type of watermarking, the integration point is moved to their just-in-time packager, which means that their encoder stays the same. OTT Live Watermarking merges the benefits of ondemand headend-based watermarking with fast detection time. When it is combined with state-of-the-art Piracy Control Services monitoring all forms of online piracy, broadcasters have the best and most effective way to protect their content, revenue, and brand.

ISTREAMPLANET

PALAZZO SUITE

StreamPlanet kicked off 2018 by partnering with NBC Sports Group and Playmaker Media to livestream the record-breaking Super Bowl LII and with Turner Sports on the NBA League Pass and NCAA March Madness Live. Continually listening to customer needs, iStreamPlanet also launched the Orbis Direct-toConsumer Platform, a new product line for delivering video directly to fans. Integrated with the Aventus Media Processing Suite, Orbis features — including innovative personalization and flexible monetization options — make it easier for sports brands and content owners to create exceptional fan experiences. During NAB 2018, iStreamPlanet will showcase its new Orbis platform. Key capabilities include content management for both live and VOD assets, subscriptions, analytics and personalization, and integrated ad support. iStreamPlanet will unveil major customer products built on the Aventus + Orbis platforms later this year.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

JB&A DISTRIBUTION

B&A’s Pre-NAB Technology Event is a muststop on everyone’s NAB Show itinerary. After the show’s record attendance in 2017, get a jump-start on the new technologies you’ll see on the NAB 2018 floor from Quantum, CatDV, NewTek, SNS, Christie, and more. Come to the SLS Las Vegas Hotel on Saturday and Sunday April 7-8. Enjoy pizza and beer while going behind the scenes to explore the latest and greatest in sports-production workflows, technology, and trends; get hands-on demos of JB&A’s complete end-to-end digital workflow solution sets; and review roadmaps with CEOs in an intimate setting away from the hustle and bustle of the show floor. JB&A’s expert engineers will guide you through media workflows that solve key day-to-day problems. Specials will be available to all attendees, along with a grandprize drawing for an iPad Pro. Network with industry professionals just like you. Register at jbanda.com/tech-event-nab2018/.

JOSEPH ELECTRONICS

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oseph Electronics has served the broadcast industry for more than 65 years, not only as an authorized distributor for more than 100 premier broadcast and pro A/V brands but also as a specialist in custom fiber assemblies and transport solutions. Equipped with a stateof-the-art fiber lab staffed with Neutrik Certified opticalCON cable assemblers and Lemo SMPTE-certified fiber professionals, JE designs, manufactures, and supplies its own innovative fiber solutions and breakout cables using products from premium cable manufacturers, such as Belden, Furukawa, and OCC. JE is also a certified fiber-repair shop ready to work on any defective fiber-cable assembly or breakout, regardless of manufacturer. With those resources in place, JE can quickly fabricate, terminate, or repair any connector, assembly, panel, breakout, or interface in use today. Its fiber solutions can be found in prominent fixed and remote broadcast operations throughout the U.S. To meet the demands of the growing IP-based market and provide a bridge to the networking world, JE now includes Dante- and SMPTE 2110-compliant products in its widely recognized custom-tote series of configurable fiber-transport solutions.

NAB2018PREVIEW JVCKENWOOD C4315

VCKENWOOD is a leading manufacturer and distributor of broadcast and professional-video equipment and D-ILA front-projection systems.

LAWO N2813

V_matrix

awo’s NAB 2018 exhibit will focus on giving attendees access to a complete range of remote-production and core-infrastructure solutions, as well as its full line of hardware and software products widely deployed around the globe to create effective solutions for the migration from baseband to IP. The company will feature its V_matrix IP-native video-routing and -processing infrastructure solution with software-defined functionality that adapts within minutes to support new requirements and workflows. Significant new capabilities have been added to this open-standards–based broadcast ecosystem based on high-capacity generic compute blades that translate the cloud-computing approach into the broadcast world, creating a fully virtualized routing and processing core infrastructure. Lawo has further enhanced its popular VSM workflow and orchestration solution capable of combining and managing multivendor solutions, harmonizing both IP and baseband with a comprehensive feature set that includes router control, scheduling, tally management, monitoring facilities, and an expanded range of other capabilities designed to deliver the full benefits of IP-based broadcast installations and remote production. Also on display will be the flagship mc296 audio-production console is fully IP-based and specifically designed to provide optimized performance within video-production environments. Addressing applications requiring very large-format mixing and routing functionality, the desk offers a number of innovative mix-assist systems that enable engineers to focus on creating sophisticated high-impact

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audio presentations for viewers. New capabilities added to the full range of mc2 series consoles and a number of other new products will also be unveiled at the show.

LEADER INSTRUMENTS

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eader will show waveform monitors and rasterizers at NAB 2018 that not only can monitor 3G/HD/SD-SDI signals but also have options for 4K UHD, CIE color chart, HDR measurement (PQ, HLG, and Slog3) test-pattern–signal generator, eye pattern with jitter measurements, closed-captions display, focus assist, customizable layout, IP, and 12G SDI. Waveform monitors and rasterizers also come with Leader’s popular Cinelite and Cinezone features. Its test pattern/sync generators output 3G/HD/SD-SDI test signals and also have black burst, tri-level sync, AES, silence and word clock outputs, embedded audio, and, as an option, GPS with timecode. Redundant power supply is standard. Having helped many customers manage the transition from analog to digital, SD to HD, HD to 4K UHD, standard dynamic range to HDR, and BT.709 to BT.2020 wide color gamut color space, Leader is there as they transition from SDI to IP.

LIVEU C2617

iveU is driving the live-video revolution, providing live video streaming for TV, mobile, online, and social media. The Gadget Professor, Don Baine, will present live coverage of NAB 2018 from the LiveU Studio in the company’s booth. “The Gadget Professor Live at NAB” will give show attendees an exclusive look at new-product announcements, livestreaming–industry news, and expert interviews. Viewers will have access to compelling original content and activities that they can’t find anywhere else, including conversations with broadcast and online streaming experts covering topics and trends like HEVC, new hybrid satellite solutions, and social-media live streaming. Viewers will be able to see how the broadcast is produced — affordably and easily — using LiveU’s Wireless At-Home Production solution. Tune in to Facebook.com/LiveU.fans to watch additional live programming using LiveU Solo, streaming live from the convention center and Las Vegas.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

LTN GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS RENAISSANCE VIP B

TN is heading into NAB 2018 with outstanding momentum. In 2017, its collegeathletic-facilities footprint grew to more than 400 venues, and the company expanded services into more than 500 television stations. The total number of LTN-connected sites topped 2,000. The company’s events team handled more than 2,600 live productions from college, professional, and esports venues. LTN continues to provide live-video transport for traditional broadcasters as well as digital platforms, including sports, news, entertainment networks, cable channels, station groups, MVPDs, and OTT-service providers. For the past decade, LTN has continued to revolutionize video transport with an innovative, unique, and patent-protected terrestrial IP video-transport network that provides both live ad hoc and full-time services. Its worldwide customers rely on the cost-effectiveness, ease of use, fast deployment, high reliability, and low latency of the fully monitored and managed service.

MARKERTEK C5349

or more than 30 years, Markertek has been a trusted broadcast supply specialist. Stop by Markertek’s “education stations” for a hands-on demonstration of all the necessary building blocks that support a 4K UHD and IP video infrastructure. The company will feature the industry’s best names in cabling, connectors, and test equipment for assembling and cleaning fiber cables, 10G Ethernet cables, and 12G-SDI BNC cables. In addition, learn how to craft rack panels, wall boxes, and wall plates with Markertek’s live iPanelCAD Panel Builder software demonstrations. Markertek is proud to be 100% employee-owned.

MASSTECH INNOVATIONS

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asstech will feature its FlashNet media object-storage application and MassStore media-services framework, solutions that enable flexible, efficient media and storagemanagement on-premises, in the cloud, and in hybrid configurations. The company will highlight its solutions’ support for cloud vendors Amazon, Wasabi, Cloudian, and MS Azure and for all MAM, PAM, NRCS, automation, videoserver, and library solutions. Masstech also will focus on the flexibility of FlashNet and MassStore in delivering disaster recovery (DR)

NAB2018PREVIEW solutions optimized for any price point and DR strategy — from simple content replication to full archive duplication. In addition, any sports and media companies concerned about the uncertainty around the ongoing security of their archived content will be able to learn how easy it is to switch existing archives from, for example, Oracle DIVA to a Masstech solution without disruption of services or constraints on content access. NAB 2018 provides the best opportunity for sports organizations to see the latest developments in Masstech’s powerful, scalable, highly integrated, and fully optimized content-storage–management and workflow solutions, and to discover how FlashNet and MassStore are already powering the contentstorage systems of sports-focused providers around the world.

MEDIA LINKS

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ighlighted at NAB 2018 will be Media Links’ Occasional Use Network Solutions for broadcasters requiring on-demand access to the same rock-solid IP network and technologies as Tier 1 fixed services — but only when required. Now content providers can offer customers a service that takes advantage of agile packaged solutions designed to be deployed and redeployed, so they need to pay for only the bandwidth on the network that is actually used. Media Links is also highlighting its MD8000 Fly-Away Kits that support remote video and data services that can be adapted to almost all video formats and network bandwidths, whether working in J2K, H.264, SDI, or 4K. With deployments of Media Links technology and support services at this year’s two most-watched sports events — the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia — Media Links is trusted for its mission-critical media-over-IP transport solutions worldwide.

MICROSOFT SL6716

icrosoft is a leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Microsoft Azure is a growing collection of integrated cloud services that developers and IT professionals use to build, deploy, and manage applications through a global network of data centers.

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MX1 SU8124

t NAB 2018, MX1 will be highlighting the role its MX1 360 end-to-end media platform can play in speeding sports-highlights editing as well as unlocking new workflows with cloud-based remote editing. MX1 360’s editing tool allows quick, effective highlights creation from live feeds on the fly, as well as enabling the archiving and future repurposing of content, highlights, and associated metadata. It also offers powerful integration with third-party technologies, such as sportsdata providers, and publishing to social-media platforms. The company’s Smart Playout is a cloud-based solution that enables broadcasters and sports organizations to easily create linear-TV channels in SD, HD, or UHD with 24/7 maintenance, monitoring, and support by MX1. The easy-to-operate playout application is accessible via web browser from anywhere in the world and gives users the power to govern every aspect of playout from a single screen.

NEOTI SL9821

eoti provides LED-display solutions to a broad array of markets: rental and staging, broadcast, higher education, sports, digital signage, control rooms, hospitality, houses of worship, retail, museums, and transportation. The digital-signage innovator has evolved into a leading provider of display technology and a value-added reseller for multiple tier-one LEDdisplay manufacturers. Additionally, Neoti offers an in-house specialized LED-repair and -service center.

NEP GROUP

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or more than 30 years, NEP has been a worldwide technical-production partner supporting premier live sports, entertainment, music, and corporate productions. The company’s services include remote production, studio production, audio/visual solutions, host-broadcast support, premium playout, postproduction, and innovative softwarebased media-management solutions. NEP’s 3,000+ employees are driven by a passion for superior service and a focus on technical innovation. The company has supported productions in more than 85 countries on all seven continents. NEP is headquartered in the U.S. and has offices in 22 countries. Stop by NEP’s booth to see its cloud-based MAM platform and AR in action and to talk to the company

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

about its full suite of broadcast services, liveevent-production services, and media solutions.

NET INSIGHT

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et Insight will showcase enhanced TV experiences and latest innovations in media transport, live streaming, and resource scheduling at NAB 2018. Providing softwaredefined and service-aware media networking, Media Fabric offers the agility of a softwaredefined network with the assurance of guaranteed service isolation on top of any IP network. Remote/at-home production allows broadcasters and media providers to do more with less. With the massive growth of live event productions, remote production is a powerful way to increase efficiency and optimize the value of the content. Offering ultra-low delay and synchronized live feeds across all devices with low bandwidth requirement, Sye is a true live OTT streaming solution, enabling live content to be streamed with ultra-low latency and frame-accurate synchronization across devices. Reducing complexity, ScheduALL offers an operational- and financial-resource–management tool to take control of media and broadcast resources, facilities, and occasional-use feeds.

NEULION

WYNN SALON D

euLion believes in the power of video to transform the OTT experience. The company provides digital-video broadcasting, distribution, and monetization of live and on-demand sports and entertainment content to any connected device imaginable. As a complete end-to-end video solution, the NeuLion Digital Platform simplifies the digital-video workflow, enabling customers — the NBA, NFL, UFC, Univision, National Geographic, Carrefour, and others — to build, deliver, and grow their digital business with stunning video and personalized, interactive experiences across any screen. At NAB 2018, NeuLion will demonstrate its latest technology features and enhancements, including personalization, 4K and HDR, content protection, marketing and real-time analytics, live sports delivery, and SVOD success stories, as well as live demonstrations of services powered by NeuLion.

NEVION

SU5510

evion will be showcasing its range of IP media-transport and processing solu-

20 cameras streaming into master control

Two sports legends discuss a huge play

3M fans on the edge of their seats

5 slow motion editors finding the best shot

Join us at NAB 2018 so we can show you how to simplify your multi-platform playout infrastructure with Dell EMC Isilon, the high performance storage that grows with you.

The power to do more

NAB 2018 exposition dates: April 9-12 Location: Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV Dell EMC Booth #: SL9111

Schedule a 1:1 meeting today with one of our Dell EMC experts: https://etd.ji enow.com/nab2018/external_request/42cf3b

NAB2018PREVIEW tions for broadcast facilities, contribution, remote production, and digital terrestrial at NAB 2018. The company will be discussing virtualization and highlighting the opportunities offered by the convergence of LAN and WAN and how this can enable resources to be shared across locations, both preserving and enhancing existing production workflows. All the demos will rely on Nevion’s flagship convergent products, VideoIPath orchestration and SDN-management software, and Virtuoso software-driven media node. These demos will feature SMPTE 2110 and SMPTE 2022-6 transport, 4K encoding/decoding (TICO and J2K), a full range of protection and monitoring capabilities, support for third-party equipment (including IP switches from leading vendors), and media-flow orchestration across IP LANs and WANs.

NEWTEK SL5016

ewTek is transforming the way people create live, network-style video content and share it with the world. From sports events, web-based talk shows, live entertainment, classrooms, and corporate communications to virtually any place people want to capture and publish video, NewTek gives people the power to grow their audiences, brands, and businesses faster than ever. As the creator of NDI, the network protocol used on millions of devices and allowing multiple video systems to identify and communicate with each another over IP, NewTek has spent the past year pushing the boundaries of what is possible in video-overIP production. New product launches include the NewTek Connect Spark converters and the NewTek NDI PTZ camera. Both are designed to deliver video using NDI. Connect Spark converts SDI or HDMI signals into NDI sources to be shared over wired or wireless networks. The PTZ NDI camera is the world’s first PTZ camera to deliver video, audio, tally, PTZ control, and power over a single Ethernet cable. Both products work seamlessly with NewTek’s vast line of video-production solutions, including the new TriCaster, TC1, IP Series, and 3Play 3P1.

NOKIA SU5515

okia OZO+, a purpose-built design for VR, is crafted to support and enable the global VR community of professional creators who want to make emotional connections with

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audiences through empathy and the most immersive experience imaginable. OZO’s innovative features, software, and technologies (including OZO Creator, OZO Audio, and the OZO Player SDK) simplify the complexities of production from end to end, while simultaneously delivering professional-grade performance, reliability, and ease of use to greatly enhance creative capabilities and control.

NTT ELECTRONICS

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TT Electronics will exhibit its HC11000 Series and the brand-new MV7000. HC11000 Series is the company’s HEVC multichannel and 4K HDR real-time encoder. It has the capability to transmit broadcast-quality video images in low bitrate, low latency with low power consumption and can scale from SD to HD and to 4K/60p. HC11000 Series has the necessary functions as well as the stability to be used in the Olympics, World Cup, and other world-class sports events. HEVC technology will help reduce bandwidth and save operational cost while maintaining high quality. The brand-new MV7000 compact 1RU halfrack–size HEVC IP codec provides high video quality IP/ASI transmission with low bitrate and low latency. It supports various IP-related functions, enabling stable and reliable live IP transmission. Also on display will be real-time 8K/120p HEVC codec from NTT Media Intelligence Laboratories; spherical drone display from NTT DOCOMO; and smart contribution solution for live remote production, video server for IP/software-based workflow, and flexible IP video-stream handling and management from NTT-TX, a collaboration with NTT Electronics.

OOYALA

RENAISSANCE DELUXE H

oyala provides software and services that simplify the process of producing, streaming, and monetizing video. Ooyala’s comprehensive suite of offerings includes one of the world’s largest premium online video platforms, a leading ad decisioning platform, and a media logistics solution that improves video production workflows. Built with analytics capabilities that inform advanced business intelligence, Ooyala’s solutions help broadcasters, operators, media, and production companies get content to market faster, build more engaging and personalized experiences, and maximize the return for any video business.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

OPTICAL CABLE CORP.

C9718

CC is a leading manufacturer of fiberoptic cables sold primarily into the enterprise market and the premier manufacturer of military land tactical fiber-optic cable for the U.S. military. Founded in 1983, OCC designs and produces fiber-optic cables for the most demanding military field applications, as well as fiber-optic cables suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The company’s current broad product offering is built on the evolution of these fundamental technologies and is designed to provide end users with fiber-optic cables that are easy and economical to install, provide a high degree of reliability, and offer outstanding performance characteristics. OCC sells its products worldwide for uses ranging from commercial and campus installations to customized products for specialty applications and harsh environments, including military applications.

PANASONIC C3607

anasonic will showcase an array of new technologies and products, including the AK-UC4000 4K/HD high-speed studio camera, V. 6.0 firmware upgrade for the VariCam LT 4K camera, and its lineup of PTZ cameras with built-in Network Device Interface (NDI) support. Designed for live sports production and high-end event broadcast with high-speed, 240-fps capability, the UC4000 raises the bar for 4K HDR performance. The all-in-one UC4000 uses a new, larger, advanced 4.4K super 35mm imager to improve resolution while maintaining the same broadcast-lens compatibility and operation and keeping the same camera form factor — one of the overall bestperforming 4K HDR camera using 2/3-in. lenses available. The VariCam LT’s V. 6.0 firmware upgrade sets the cinema camera up for live and near-live multicam use for events, concerts, television shows, and corporate productions. Also on display will be Panasonic’s entire NDI PTZ camera lineup: the AW-HN38, AW-HN40, AW-UN70, and AW-HN130. Stop by to view the AV-HLC100 Live Production Center, also with NDI, that combines a 1M/E switcher, remote camera controller, and audio-mixer functions to enable easy live streaming with one-person operation.

NAB2018PREVIEW PCCW GLOBAL

SU10501CM

ith a global reach to 3,000 cities in 150 countries, PCCW’s network supports a rich portfolio of communications solutions that satisfy the needs and deliver value to the core businesses of our global customers. The company has more than 20 years’ experience providing solutions to the media and broadcast industry, including support for prime broadcasters at major global sports events. The company’s end-to-end network solutions, powered at the core by a resilient purpose-built global TV network, deliver full source-to-screen services, including live 4K, anywhere in the world. A specific showcase is the full source-to-screen live 360 VR delivery for one of Hong Kong’s largest annual sports events (the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens). PCCW is a provider of choice for live-streaming connectivity, right to the venue, for both major sports and major esports events worldwide.

PLIANT TECHNOLOGIES

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liant Technologies is now shipping its CrewCom innovative professional wireless intercom product, which will be displayed at NAB 2018 along with other Pliant products. CrewCom is based on a new technology platform that offers high user counts, unparalleled range, and scalability. The product features excellent voice quality, fully featured full-duplex wireless radio packs, multiple simultaneous frequency bands, and a host of other features. For the small-system/UHF- replacement market, CrewCom offers the easiest system deployment, along with the most user-friendly radio pack on the market. Even basic CrewCom systems offer full features at a very competitive price. CrewCom is also available in 900 MHz and provides outstanding performance in tough production environments. It enables production crews of all sizes to easily and quickly deploy communications solutions to connect more people in more places than ever before.

PRIME FOCUS TECHNOLOGIES SL9605

mong the products that PFT will unveil at NAB 2018 is the AI-enabled CLEAR Media ERP, which now offers advanced AI-driven

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visual-analysis capabilities — object, action, emotion, optical character, and logo recognition — and audio-analysis capabilities — speech-to-text, language translation, and sentiment-analysis. These capabilities enable sports organizations to search across a vast content repository at lightning speed, and leverage AIgenerated metadata to identify content related to a particular theme/player for creating riveting stories. By enhancing content discoverability, CLEAR will open up a host of new revenue opportunities for sports companies, including increased monetization of stock footage. It will also make it easy to calculate brands’ ROI on sports events in terms of number of brand imprints and their subjective value. Additionally, CLEAR will offer enhanced sports organizations security features like in-stream watermarking, forensic watermarking, and OKTA readiness for secure identity management.

PRIMESTREAM SL12111

t NAB 2018, Primestream will demonstrate new solutions for IP capture and delivery, a cloud-based review and approval system, and a robust 4K workflow. The company will also highlight a new public API to enable third parties to easily integrate into the Xchange platform and a new configurationmanagement portal for quick and easy installations. The portal introduces centralized licensing, an on-boarding wizard, integrated help, and more. Other enhancements include an updated Adobe Premiere Pro extension panel that features a new versioning system and improvements to archival workflow for storing and restoring media from leading cloud- and tape-storage providers. The next generation of its Dynamic Media Management platform built for ease of use with powerful features needed to manage even the most complex sports, enterprise, and broadcast workflows from capture through delivery.

PRODUCTIONHUB C12129 ProductionHUB is the global network of local crew and vendors for all your production needs, from corporate media and events to film, television, digital media, and everything in between. The company reduces the headaches

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and uncertainty associated with hiring in this extremely specialized industry by connecting you to the best-vetted, professional content creators and vendors in order to bring your project to life.

PROFESSIONAL WIRELESS SYSTEMS C1437

rofessional Wireless Systems (PWS) is an established leader in the development and implementation of wireless technology, and specializes in the creation of innovative gear for the increasing demands of the RF equipment. PWS is well-versed in sports broadcasts, supporting various high-profile sports-related projects such as the Super Bowl. PWS will be unveiling several new products at NAB 2018 this year, as well as their full lineup of antenna system components. A new line of support equipment for RAD UV-1G systems, including the DC-4R, Central PSU system; P-812S, 8-Input 2-Zone passive transmit splitter; I/O8, 1RU 8-port 4-wire XLR patch panel; and an updated V-IC, 4-Zone VHF RX Multicoupler. PWS will also display the new 4X4 Quad RX Distro for use with Shure Axient Digital.

PSSI GLOBAL SERVICES

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SSI is a leading provider of transmission, event management, and engineering solutions for live broadcasts across the globe. With an impressive fleet of more than 70 satelliteuplink/production trucks, 24/7 service, and the ability to support at-home, multipath, and 4K productions, PSSI is a trusted partner for the world’s most prominent television networks. This year, in addition to expanding its capabilities with the acquisition of PSSI International Teleport and Studios, PSSI renewed its contract with Golf Channel as the network’s exclusive transmission-services provider. PSSI also continues its partnerships with WWE and NASCAR, providing exclusive satellite, IP, and fiber transmission services. Through its partnership with AT&T, the company has also significantly expanded its fiber connectivity and data-storage capabilities and has launched the PSSI IPx platform for cutting-edge IP transport solutions.

Professional Solutions

THE STUDIO

TECHNOLOGY CENTER

THE TEAM

Building on B&H’s long history of superior service, The Studio is a unique solution-based environment dedicated to all professional market segments.

A revolutionary center created to provide a hands-on experience to high-end professionals. The Technology Center is a fully operational studio with an extensive display of high-end products and state of the art workflows.

A highly skilled team of applications specialists, sales engineers, project managers and account representatives, all assembled to create a formidable group of individuals, most of them active members of the professional community.

SERVICES CONSULTATION SYSTEM DESIGN SYSTEM INTEGRATION PRE- & POST-SALES SUPPORT TECHNOLOGY DEMOS

420 9th Ave. New York, NY 10001 212.502.6370 BandH.com/thestudio thestudio@BandH.com

Follow The Studio on Linkedin

Become a fan of The Studio on Facebook

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The Studio-B&H is a proud SMPTE member since 2009 NYC DCA Electronics Store Lic.#0906712; NYC DCA Electronics & Home Appliance Service Dealer Lic. #0907905; NYC DCA Secondhand Dealer – General Lic. #0907906 © 2018 B & H Foto & Electronics Corp.

NAB2018PREVIEW QUANTUM SL8511

Xcellis

uantum will present its latest innovations for demanding storage workflows, including major new enhancements for its Xcellis workflow-storage family and the StorNext shared-storage and data-management platform. The new Xcellis scale-out NAS solution delivers the highest levels of storage performance and scalability in a cost-effective Ethernet-based appliance. Powered by StorNext, the Xcellis scale-out NAS unites robust media and metadata management with scalability and unmatched performance to support collaborative 4K and higher workflows and ease the transition to IP-based infrastructure. A single Xcellis scale-out NAS system performs up to three times better than the market’s next-best NAS offering, while costing a fraction of a comparable Fibre Channel SAN solution. Quantum’s latest StorNext software, StorNext 6, extends collaboration globally and provides a host of new data-management options. Highlights include FlexTier for integrating public and private clouds into a StorNext environment; FlexSpace, which allows multiple instances of StorNext, located anywhere in the world, to share a common content repository; and FlexSync, which provides a fast, flexible way to synchronize content among multiple StorNext systems. AI offers many benefits for sports producers, including the automation of deeper levels of metadata. Quantum’s aiWARE for Xcellis system integrates with StorNext to allow users to leverage the power of best-ofbreed cognitive analytics to extract this hidden value from their video and audio content stored on Quantum appliances.

QUANTUM5X C1539

5X develops and manufactures innovative wireless microphone solutions for sports broadcasting, TV and film production, and live entertainment. New for 2018 is the

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true diversity wideband QR-M2, an ENG-style receiver. Q5X PlayerMics are the standard for NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL, MLS, and rugby, where miked-up packages are expected in the broadcast. In 2017, World Team Tennis adopted Q5X PlayerMics to capture the excitement and energy of tennis matches in live broadcasts. Other highlights for 2017 include long-life transmitters (up to 20-hour run time, and waterproof) buried in the field for MLB games, placed in golf holes for the PGA U.S. Open and installed directly inside lane-marker buoys for competitive rowing. All Q5X wireless solutions use RCAS, which provides wireless remote control of all transmitter functions. When size, quality, and safety matter, Q5X is the rugged and comfortable choice for the most demanding wireless-audio challenges.

RADIO ACTIVE DESIGNS

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adio Active Designs’ UV-1G wireless intercom system features body packs that operate in the VHF band, freeing up valuable space for wireless systems that require limited UHF bandwidth. Plus, the systems provide exceptional audio level at the headphone ensuring users are heard no matter how loud the venue. New Scene Change presets allow every pack to tune across multiple base stations for up to 20 wired intercom channels and 40 independent talk paths. Users can easily change belt pack parameters including radio frequencies, button assignment, talk paths, and audio channel.

REALITY CHECK SYSTEMS C8332 (MOLTEN MEDIA, TRACKMEN)

raphics headaches are a thing of the past. At NAB 2018, Reality Check Systems (RCS) will showcase its newest developments with Singular.Live, an HTML5 platform for live-graphics creation and control. Real-time graphics are challenging in any live-production environment. Singular.Live solves these challenges with its web-based solution for deploying live graphics over IP video. Hosted in the cloud and featuring robust authoring and control environments, Singular.Live simplifies streaming productions with a pay-per-use model, infinite scalability, and seamless integration with virtually any desktop or cloud production system. Bring streaming productions to life with dynamic real-time graphics. No hardware. No software to install. No upfront costs. It could not be simpler. Visit RCS

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

for a demo of its next-gen technology, which is changing how graphics are created and deployed in live production.

RIEDEL COMMUNICATIONS

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Bolero

iedel will unveil several innovations across its Artist, Bolero, and MediorNet product lines. After a massive R&D effort in the U.S. market, the company will introduce an intercom keypanel that incorporates all the features and capabilities users have been asking for. An extension of Riedel’s SmartPanel line of softwaredefined user interfaces, the panel is a completely new design that will power new possibilities and workflows while still allowing users to work the same way they always have. Just putting levers on a panel isn’t good enough. Bolero 2.0, a much anticipated software update to the best wireless intercom system on the market, offers several new capabilities, performance enhancements, and even a few surprises. The frequency repack continues to be a hot topic, and Bolero is perfectly positioned to help clients through these uncertain times. And Riedel has shown a very high degree of interoperability at the plugfests that it has attended around the world, and the company is happy to announce that it will be showing the MicroN-IP in its NAB 2018 booth and in the IP Showcase at the back of Central Hall. Riedel is very active in helping further the understanding of IP-based workflows, and the NAB Show is a perfect time to see what the company is doing. Riedel looks forward to welcoming the Venue Initiative and all other SVG members at NAB 2018.

ROSS VIDEO

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Ultrix Group

oss Video is gearing up for an exciting NAB 2018 and will be unveiling a variety

Let someone else handle the “big picture.” We’ll sweat the details. When it comes to meeting your specialized intercom, IFB & on-air audio needs we have lots of great solutions. Using Dante® audio-over-Ethernet technology, we offer: • Announcer’s Consoles

• Intercom, On-Air & Listen-Only Beltpacks • 4-Wire, Party-Line & IFB Interfaces • Mic / Line & Line-Only Interfaces • Audible / Visual Alerting

• Master Clock & Network Bridging

For more information, visit studio-tech.com or call us at +1 847-676-9177.

Skokie, Illinois USA

NAB2018PREVIEW of products and enhancements across each of its key solution lines. Ultrix-FR5 will have its North American debut. The latest addition to the company’s disruptive routing/AV processing platform and now available in a 5RU, 144x144 configuration, Ultrix-FR5 can replace up to five racks of traditional equipment, making it ideal for a remote-production or sports-stadium application. Ultrix-FR5 is software-upgradable — purchase one piece of hardware, then introduce additional features via a simple software key — and its modest size and weight can save a great deal of time, money, power, and cabling. Using 12G chipsets throughout the router, this new version allows users to switch anything from 270-Mbps to single-link 12G UHD signals within the same chassis, providing a simple path for customers to migrate all or part of their facilities to UHD production. Other highlights for NAB 2018 will include enhancements to the already powerful XPression real-time 3D-graphics render engine; Carbonite production switcher, the world’s most popular midsize switcher; and DashBoard control system, along with updates to the Abekas range of replay servers that will enhance the operator experience. Furthermore, Ross will introduce products to broaden its robotics range and showcase updates to the Frontier graphics-rendering engine, which offers hyper-realistic graphics for virtual-studio applications.

RT SOFTWARE

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T Software is a must-see company for sports broadcasters visiting NAB 2018. The show is the launch pad for a number of products that raise the game in sports graphics while reducing costs and embracing new workflow environments. The most significant is Tactic, a family of completely new sportsanalysis and telestration systems that make it easier than ever to add insightful and compelling high-quality graphics to video, raising viewer engagement and production standards. The products are flexible, working standalone or with video-replay servers, by operators on a console or by presenters using tablets and touchscreens; the graphics sequences made possible are industry-leading. There is even a version that brings top-end 3D AR graphics — virtual video walls, league table graphics, player head-to-heads, and the like — into the studio without the need for expensive and com-

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plicated camera tracking systems. Products boast big-ticket production values and are easy to deploy with small-budget prices. IP production workflows will be on the agenda for many visitors, and IP-based products are now available on solutions covering 2D and 3D overlays, through the telestration product family all the way to virtual studios. All the products support the emerging standards, with NDI versions available for demos at the NewTek booth.

SAM (SNELL ADVANCED MEDIA) SL1805, SL106 (GRASS VALLEY)

nell Advanced Media (SAM) is now a Belden Brand and is being combined with Grass Valley under the Grass Valley name. NAB 2018 will be the first public unveiling of the combined company’s product roadmap, which will be shown in the Grass Valley booth with supporting activities in the SAM booth. SAM and Grass Valley are excited about the advantages this transaction offers customers, who continue to deal with a rapidly changing broadcast landscape that includes almost constantly evolving viewer and advertiser behavior, changing business models and enormous unprecedented competition. This move enhances Grass Valley’s overall offering to provide customers with the most comprehensive, innovative selection of products and services, with assured interoperability and extended support.

SANKEN/BRAINSTORM ELECTRONICS C6046

erformance, reliability and outstanding sonic quality characterize Sanken mics and are the reasons why they have gained worldwide popularity with professionals for broadcast, film, live, and video applications. Sanken will introduce the CS-M1 short super-cardioid mic with the rejection of a shotgun and quality of a studio mic. At 4 in. long, it is perfect for close miking, podium, and booming into tight spaces. The COS-11D ultra-miniature lavalier mics, with its legendary vertical capsule design and superior digital noise rejection, have become the industry standard for high-quality production and live sound. The COS-11D is available in four colors, with XLR, battery and wireless connectivity options. Brainstorm Electronics products, from time code, to video sync, to digital clocks, promote fast, reliable, and efficient workflow in the studio. The com-

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pany will show off two of its flagship products, the SR-112 timecode and the new family of Master Clock Distripalyzers. The SR-112 reshapes and distributes timecode while analyzing it and is ideal in many environments to synchronize audio, lighting, and show control.

SCALE LOGIC

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cale Logic offers a complete line of hardware and software solutions, including RAID, SAN, NAS, scale-out NAS, backup, archive, disaster recovery, and extended warranty programs. Scale Logic’s team consults, integrates, and supports customers of all sizes in M&E, sports, healthcare, life science, retail, education, and houses of worship. With decades of industry knowledge and a global reseller channel, as well as its high-performance Genesis Platform, Scale Logic helps ensure that organizations are well-positioned for the ongoing need for data-asset management, growth, and support.

SENNHEISER C1307

ennheiser is shaping the future of audio – a vision built on more than 70 years of innovation culture, which is deeply rooted within the family-owned company. Founded in 1945, Sennheiser is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of headphones, microphones and wireless transmission systems. With 20 sales subsidiaries and long-established trading partners, the company is active in more than 50 countries and operates its own production facilities in Germany, Ireland, and the U.S. Sennheiser has around 2,800 employees throughout the world who share a passion for audio excellence. Since 2013, Sennheiser has been managed by Daniel Sennheiser and Dr. Andreas Sennheiser, the third generation of the family to run the company. As part of the Sennheiser Group, Georg Neumann GmbH, known as Neumann.Berlin, is the world’s leading manufacturer of studio microphones. Since 2010, Neumann.Berlin has expanded their expertise in electro-acoustic transducer design to also include the studio monitor market. .

SES

SU2010

ES continues to blaze the UHD trail, with more than 30 U.S. pay-TV providers testing its successful Ultra HD platform across their distribution networks. Many providers have already launched commercial UHD services

NAB2018PREVIEW with subscribers, who are enjoying more than 10 UHD channels, with more on the way. SES has a growing number of cable and IPTV operators testing and commercializing its Ultra HD solution, including some of the smallest and largest U.S. providers. Sports is an important driver behind the popularity and growth of the company’s Ultra HD platform, and it continues to explore exciting new opportunities to showcase its 4K UHD leadership through sports events of all sizes. SES will outline its Ultra HD vision at NAB 2018, including demonstrations of its packaged, all-in-one solution featuring a compelling 4K UHD channel lineup, satellite distribution, and reception gear. The success of SES’s Ultra HD platform continues to attract great 4K content: The Country Network, Travelxp 4K, C4K360, Fashion One 4K, INSIGHT TV, NatureVision TV 4K, 4KUNIVERSE, Funbox UHD, UHD1, and NASA TV UHD. SES looks forward to highlighting the success of its Ultra HD solution at NAB 2018.

SHOTOVER C1313

he SHOTOVER M1 is a six-axis gyrostabilized aerial gimbal platform that delivers unshakable stability with unmatched straight–look-down capability. The system is specifically designed to meet the needs of the ENG and live-broadcast markets and comes fully configured and set up from the factory. The M1 supports all major broadcast cameras, including both 4K and 2K models and allows for future resolution growth as new technology comes to market. The compact size and light weight of the M1 makes it ideal for use on a wide range of aircraft, including the Robinson R44 and R66, Bell 206 Jet Ranger, and Airbus AS350. Backed by 24/7 service and support, the system can also be used on a host of groundbased platforms, including cranes, cables, and rails.

SHURE INCORPORATED

C6015

ounded in 1925, Shure Incorporated is widely acknowledged as a leading manufacturer of microphones and audio electronics. Over the years, the company has designed and produced many high-quality professional and consumer audio products that have become legendary for performance, reliability, and value. Shure’s diverse product line includes world-class wired and wireless microphone systems, in-ear personal moni-

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toring systems, conferencing and discussion systems, networked audio systems, awardwinning earphones and headphones, and toprated phonograph cartridges. Today, Shure products are the first choice whenever audio performance is a top priority.

SIGNIANT SL8405

igniant will showcase its solutions at NAB 2018 for sports broadcasters, leagues, and teams. The solutions support a wide variety of critical workflows: rapidly and securely moving content, such as highlights, from remote venues to broadcast operations and non-broadcast distribution platforms; transferring content from remote archives to production teams; distributing content to affiliates and partners; exchanging content with sponsors; and supporting coaching staff. In the past year, Signiant has continued to innovate and lead the way in intelligent file transfer, making significant improvements across its entire product suite. Among the products are Manager+Agents, its flagship on-premises solution for automated and accelerated file movement between geographically dispersed data centers; Flight, its innovative SaaS solution that transports large data sets into and out of any cloud service; and Media Shuttle, the easiest way for users to send and share large files fast. The cloud-native SaaS solution is used by more than 150,000 professionals worldwide.

SIMPLYLIVE N3027

implylive will showcase the latest features in its innovative technology providing costconscious solutions without compromise on production quality. The company will highlight the award-winning ViBox All-In-One solution with multiple configurations from the four-camera ViBox6 single user to the 12-camera ViBox16 with multiple users. The ViBox8 4K will also be on display offering the same advanced and cost-effective ViBox solutions in 4K. The latest updates for the ViBox SloMo replay-only application include a newly designed remote controller as well as the Ref&Box system for official/referee review applications. The BMR master-recording application, which runs on the same hardware platform, will be available for demonstration along with the flexible MMR recorders for USB copies and live streaming.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

SIXTY ENCORE

ixty will be demonstrating its Ease Live solution and will show exactly why it is being chosen to power interactivity for some of the biggest names in sports and news broadcasting in the U.S. and around the world. Two years after it first showcased its award-winning product at the NAB Show, visitors to the Sixty demonstration suite will see a powerful cloudbased interactive-TV platform that bridges the gap between linear and online TV. Ease Live is cloud-based and scales automatically with virtual servers based on the traffic load. This allows broadcasters to deliver graphics and data to user devices on a global scale within seconds. Ease Live will enhance the viewing experience for consumers and enable broadcasters, especially within the sports industry, to elevate their service offering and retain viewers through exciting new methods of exploration, play, interaction, and communication.

SOLID STATE LOGIC

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olid State Logic will showcase major additions to System T, including immersive audio, “appified” software, DAW control, and the S300-32 console. Native support of nextgeneration immersive audio for ATSC 3.0, Dolby Atmos, and MPEG-H includes channel and bus formats from mono to 7.1.4. This supports multichannel beds with two or four overheads, and object bus routing direct to the authoring unit. Twelve-channel monitoring, three-dimensional panning, 7.1.4 metering, and FX are available directly from the control surface, and all System T devices are AoIP- and network-native, ensuring compatibility and support for future metadata standards. System T V2.0 introduces appified software: components launch as separate applications, and all apps are available anywhere across multiscreen control surfaces and PC control stations. SSL will also unveil the System T S300-32 control surface, compatible with all System T software, Network I/O, and Tempest engines. sonoVTS C8236

onoVTS has been a leader in the broadcast industry, offering products, rental, and systems for more than 30 years, and has experience in all areas of the broadcasting market. The company is headquartered in Munich, with offices in Frankfurt and Cologne and international subsidiaries in Austria and the U.S. The

NAB2018PREVIEW company currently has more 120 employees across its in-house production and manufacturing facilities, where the company builds top-ofthe-line broadcast displays, provides customers with rental products, and manufactures its own remote-production vehicles.

SONY ELECTRONICS

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ports producers are faced with new A/V challenges: from elaborate onsite productions to increased hours of streaming and ondemand video to content delivery for online, mobile, and traditional platforms. Sony has the mix of products, services, and solutions to make producers’ lives easier and keep fans engaged in their seats or at home. With sports organizations broadening their use of high frame rate (HFR), HDR, and IP, Sony offers HD and 4K cameras, switchers, servers, and displays. The HDC-4300 and HDC-4800 HFR cameras are the systems of choice for sports events of any scale, with the HDC-P43 and robotic PTZ cameras providing unique views. The PWS4500 IP server makes sharing and distributing content more efficient, and 4K OLED monitors are in remote-production trucks and onset for critical evaluation. Hawk-Eye Innovations delivers officiating, VAR support, and a full suite of SMART technologies for replay, coaching, and analysis. Sony workflow solutions can transform how sports organizations manage, distribute, and archive content: Memnon to help teams digitize and monetize their libraries of archival footage; Optical Disc Archive for long-term storage; and Ven.ue for OTT services, VOD, and online distribution. Sony solutions also include Media Backbone NavigatorX, Hive, and the Ci cloud platform, which offer content management for on- and off-premises environments.

SPECTRA LOGIC

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odernize the sports video lifecycle with Spectra’s BlackPearl converged storage system. Easy to use and built to scale, BlackPearl provides efficiency, control, openness, and ongoing value to sports organizations. The simple, cost-effective solution allows staging of content on multiple tiers of storage according to business needs. It scales to accommodate environments ranging from small sports-production sites to the largest sports networks, teams, leagues, and colleges. Spectra’s media and entertainment storage solutions help protect and

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store valuable content ensuring, that it is available and accessible without the costs and complexities associated with legacy archives.

SPORTZCAST SU5626

portzcast brings even more new technology and key partnerships for real-time scoreboard data feeds. Come see direct scoreboard data integrations into major broadcast environments, such as NewTek, vMix, and NewBlueFX. The company has expanded its in-camera broadcast overlay offerings with unique technology embedded within JVC, Axis, and Pixellot camera systems. Additionally, seamless website integration of live scoring feeds are easier than ever with Sportzcast’s direct-to-web tools. These exciting additions will be featured in Sportzcast’s booth, along with live demonstrations of real-time scoreboard data integrated into numerous live-production– and postproduction-software solutions. Make sure to also include a stop at JVC Booth C4315 to view live camera graphics in action, connected to an actual scoreboard.

STUDIO TECHNOLOGIES

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tudio Technologies will introduce several firmware enhancements and new products. Software updates add high-performance IFB (interrupted foldback or talent cueing) functionality for at-home applications. Supported products include the Model 5422 Dante Intercom Audio Engine, Model 216 Announcer’s Console, and Model 44D Audio Interface. New products include the Model 205, 206, and 208 Announcer’s Consoles. These compact units are perfect for spaceconstrained on-air–talent locations. All three deliver excellent audio performance in both Dante audio-over-Ethernet and analog audio environments. Interconnections are simple and flexibility excellent. The new Model 391 Dante Alerting Unit offers both visual and audible indication in conjunction with intercom beltpack call functions. Much more than a simple intercom call “beacon,” the unit offers many resources simply never before available. And finally, the Model 5401 Dante Master Clock product will be displayed with its fieldproven set of features and resources.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

TATA COMMUNICATIONS WYNN SALON E

s a global leader in communications, Tata Communications provides solutions to all segments of the media and entertainment industry, including gaming, sports, news, music, cable, and broadcasting. Its Media Ecosystem is an all-in-one global content-delivery solution that seamlessly connects content creators, aggregators, and distributors with specialist partners across the globe. It combines traditional video-contribution services with IP-based connectivity to create a highly innovative global media platform. . The media ecosystem provides a comprehensive solution that includes video connect, asset management, workflow management, channel origination, internet contribution feeds, cloud storage, OTT platform, live OTT, and transcoding as service. Through these offerings, Tata Communications works across the media and entertainment landscape globally to keep up with the fast changing demands of enterprises and end consumers. Tata Communications is the Official Connectivity Provider of Formula 1.

TEKTRONIX SU5006

ektronix will showcase innovative solutions that ensure content quality, signal integrity, and regulatory compliance as the transition to next-generation networks, workflows, and delivery solutions. Visit the Tektronix booth to see the latest advances in hybrid IP and SDI media-analysis solutions, 4K UHD with HDR video-monitoring solutions, and quality assurance in a virtual or cloud environment. See first-hand the PRISM hybrid SDI/ IP platform and Sentry video-quality–monitoring software with real-time picture-quality analysis. Headquartered in Beaverton, OR, Tektronix delivers innovative, precise, and easyto-operate test, measurement, and monitoring solutions that solve problems, unlock insights, and drive discovery. Tektronix has been at the forefront of the digital age for more than 70 years.

TELESTREAM SL3316

s processing and distribution of content in a multiplatform world becomes more complex, it has never been more important to automate tasks and leverage the scalability of the cloud. Vantage brings transcoding, media capture, metadata processing, and analysis

NAB2018PREVIEW into a single, unified system and enables automation of complex workflow decisions — on premises or in the cloud. New for NAB 2018, the Avid production-asset monitor enables users to manage files in Avid systems from within Vantage. Telestream iQ video-quality–assurance solutions deliver actionable intelligence, ensuring that audience expectations for video quality are met and provide metrics for optimizing traffic and cost. Also at the show will be an enhanced end-to-end adaptive-bitrate solution and new workflow that reduces the time between issue reporting and resolution. Wirecast is introducing a live-captioning and restreaming service: users can stream to multiple destinations with a single upload stream, saving uplink bandwidth and compute power.

TELSTRA SU7916

elstra will be showcasing one of the world’s most powerful networks along with innovative media solutions and broadcast services at NAB 2018. Visit the Telstra Broadcast Services team for an interactive demo of its global media network and to learn more about the company’s new remote-production solutions, as well as to check out the latest Globecam mini live cameras, including NetCam. Telstra Broadcast Services has had a great year delivering sports and special-events content around the world in innovative ways for our customers. Meet with Telstra at NAB 2018 to see how the company can help take your content global.

TERADEK C6025

eradek is spearheading the revolution in dynamic IP video transport. At NAB 2018, it will showcase the newest line of nextgeneration HEVC encoders and decoders for video over IP, as well as enhancements to cellular-bonding hardware solutions for redundant internet connectivity. Teradek will be launching its main series of integrated HEVC/H.265 Cube, Slice, and T-Rax decoders. Robust, powerful, and scalable, the decoders allow high-quality, low-bitrate video streaming from point to point while maintaining their signature practical form factors. HEVC compression enables broadcasters to save significant bandwidth in the field while delivering pristine video quality to viewers. Also featured will be the Link Pro cellular-bonding WAP for video streaming and internet browsing. Link Pro bonds multiple 4G/LTE USB modems into

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a single reinforced internet connection. Check out the Teradek booth to see the entire suite of professional video tools for broadcasters, cinematographers, and content creators.

THE STUDIO – B&H

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he Studio – B&H will showcase a wide range of solutions for all segments of broadcast, digital cinema production, and postproduction. On the camera-acquisition, live-production, and digital-cinema side, attendees will be offered an unparalleled selection of cameras available to the market. Brandnew and existing top-of-the-line systems from ARRI, RED, Canon, Panasonic, Hitachi, and Blackmagic will be featured. On-set and liveproduction workflows will also be featured, with an emphasis on HDR capture and monitoring. Broadcast environments will be front and center with the start of the company’s official partnership with Ross Video. In addition, a NewTek TriCaster hybrid NDI workflow will be on display. Last year’s best-in-show system at NAB NY, the Dynamicam 3D motion system will also be deployed. For the first time, The Studio – B&H will have a booth in the South Hall to demonstrate its commitment to the postproduction, visual-effects, and computergraphics communities. A wide range of solutions will be presented, including Blackmagic Resolve, Cinema 4D, Avid, Adobe, and Assimilate. The Studio – B&H’s hardware partners will include Silverdraft, G-Tech, Apple Computers, SNS, Next Computing, and HP.

THE SWITCH

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he Switch plans to exhibit its complete product line with emphasis on such products as The Switch Cumulus, its nextgeneration cloud-production product; and HomeRuns, its traditional at-home production product; OTT services; and studio services. The industry knows The Switch for its network and its strong reputation in transmission, but the company also is a global, full-service solutions provider offering advanced video switching and local fiber-circuit services, scalable Ethernet, at-home production, studio, and OTT services and supporting the complete media ecosystem. Visit The Switch at NAB 2018 to learn more.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

THE TELOS ALLIANCE

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he Telos Alliance TV Solutions Group continues to lead the television industry’s migration to audio over IP (AoIP). New at NAB 2018 will be the recently launched Telos Infinity IP intercom, which reimagines broadcast communication by converging voice communication and contribution audio on a single IP backbone using the latest standardsbased VoIP and Livewire+ AES67 transport. Its matrix-free design allows planned or ad hoc expansion using AES67 partner devices from more than 100 product partners, including Telos Alliance xNode AoIP interfaces. The TV Solutions Group will also exhibit the latest products from Linear Acoustic and Minnetonka Audio, including AudioTools Server, an enterprise-level asset-management–software solution for processing linear PCM, Dolby E, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Plus content, as well as the audio essence in MXF and QuickTime clips. Minnetonka’s SurCode for Dolby Digital Plus encoder, a direct plug-in to Adobe’s Premier Pro CC that allows full Dolby 5.1 audio encoding, will also be available for demonstration at the show.

THE VIDEO CALL CENTER SU10008CM

he Video Call Center is home to today’s most engaged sports TV. The company helps transform sports content through patented video-caller technology, comprehensive production services, and the unmatched experience from delivering more than 500 live video-caller–powered TV shows. The VCC’s Caller Queue cloud-based call-prioritization service makes it easy for producers to manage high volumes of smartphone video callers. Embedded social-media–amplification tools transform audience, guests, and cast into a show’s most enthusiastic promoters before, during, and after broadcast. Caller Cloud enables the creation and routing of high-quality live remotes via IP, integrating live or recorded smartphone contributions into the broadcast workflow without satellite or microwave costs. VCC capability can be integrated into existing production capabilities, or users can take advantage of the company’s full production services to create broadcast-quality live or live-to-tape programs, without a control room, for broadcast, cable, or Facebook Live distribution.

G&D stands for: Reliability for mission-critical operations Quality in all aspects Performance for all needs

! us today Contact t NAB Visit us a 3917 booth N

Compact matrix series and mix of computer and console modules – the right solution for any application

For all your KVM needs G&D offers the largest combinable portfolio: with transmission via CAT, fiber or KVM-over-IP™ and for any KVM complexity from small to very large. With a high

G&D North America Inc. New York · Los Angeles · Miami

emphasis on compatibility the systems support all different signals (DP, HDMI,DVI,VGA, SDI, USB, GPIO…) and a fast, easy and seamless future expansion. Perfect video quality up to 4K (including HD) and superb user interfaces for easy setup and operation make G&D KVM systems a high quality yet cost effective solution. For the Made in Germany products latency free operation and plug-and-play installation are self-evident.

EXTENDERS | SWITCHES | MATRIX SYSTEMS

The KVM Sports Experts

www.gd-northamerica.com sales@gd-northamerica.com Phone +1-973-462-7001

NAB2018PREVIEW THINKLOGICAL, A BELDEN BRAND SL6328

hinklogical is introducing a KVM extender (transmitter) module with an integrated virtual-machine desktop client. This module can host any standard thin-client software, including those produced by VMware, Citrix, Microsoft, and more. With Thinklogical’s TLX Client Integration module, customers no longer require separate desktop client machines in VDI or cloud applications; rather, they connect the VDI or cloud servers directly to the combined Thinklogical KVM transmitter/virtualmachine module, saving as much as 50% of the space previously required for both client machines and transmitters in the rack room. Thinklogical’s integrated approach dramatically increases the security of a virtual-desktop infrastructure by removing thin clients, network cables, and USB hubs from the user location; they are now incorporated with the KVM transmitter in the secure rack room. In addition, Thinklogical’s uncompressed KVM extension system creates no additional latency, for maximum video quality and peripheral performance.

TSL PRODUCTS

N5615

SL Products has announced that, along with Ember+ control protocol for thirdparty–device control, the PAM1-IP and PAM2-IP products now support ST 2110, allowing video and audio streams to be monitored and the device to be deployed in essence-based workflows. The new MPA1SOLO-8 and MPA1-MIX-8 are now available, equipped with 16 balanced analog inputs, eight balanced AES inputs, and eight GPIO ports and complete with a built-in web server to allow remote configuration and control, third-party control using SNMP, and free software updates. TallyMan advanced broadcast-control system continues to provide a truly responsive approach to the real needs of broadcasters worldwide. Significant advances have made implementation of new interfaces fast and agile, empowering operations to express and interact with their workflow intuitively. Emphasis has been placed on ease of configurability to ensure that users have total ownership of their system.

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TVU NETWORKS

C1707

VU continues its technological advances to HEVC and will be showcasing its entire HEVC-solution set integrated with the company’s proprietary IS+ video-transmission technology. The company will debut a new version of its popular TVU One mobile IP newsgathering transmitter featuring a universal modem. TVU expands its remote-production offerings with its TVU Timelock technology, which will be making its NAB Show debut. TVU Timelock enables multiple TVU transmitters to synchronize at a set latency, allowing mobile and wireless at-home productions without being tethered. Also making its first NAB Show appearance is the TVU Transcriber, an AI-based audio-to-text transcribing service. TVU Networks will also introduce feature and function updates for its TVU Anywhere, TVU Voice, TVU Grid, TVU Producer, and Command Center IP video solutions.

UTAH SCIENTIFIC

SL6324

tah Scientific — a leading specialist in routing switchers, master-control switchers, and related control software, — set the benchmark for the broadcast industry with the first no-fee 10-year product warranty. Since 1977, the company has provided industry-leading products and best-in-class service and support as recognized three times by Frost & Sullivan with its global Customer Service Leadership Award. At NAB 2018, attendees will see an endto-end IP/SDI hybrid broadcast environment including the UTAH-400 SDI/IP Hybrid Router populated with the industry’s first IP/SDI passthrough cards; IP and SDI multiviewers; signal processing and broadcast network infrastructure; unique applications for the OTT world; state-of-the-art universal control systems; fiber distribution; automation and storage solutions; the largest single-link 12-G enterprise-class digital router; and sync generators.

VENTUZ TECHNOLOGY

SL13316

entuz Technology provides software solutions for authoring and displaying real-time interactive, data-driven graphics to markets with high-end requirements — such as broadcast graphics, event installations, projections and professional presentations — by developing workflows and products that allow customers to create and play out highly appealing and cutting-edge visual content.

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

VER

S110LMR

ER is a leading, global provider of production equipment and engineering support. With the world’s largest inventory of rental equipment, VER supplies the most advanced technology to a broad array of clients in the sports broadcast market. Clients rely on VER’s depth of experience in broadcast, audio, video, lighting, LED, cameras, rigging, media servers, fiber, and more. With 35 offices across North America and Europe, 24/7 support, and unparalleled expertise, VER can support any live or taped production anywhere in the world. VER works on six continents and gives all it’s got to more than 50 productions a day, every day of the year. VER is committed to each client’s unique vision, which means the company believes a solution can always be found, even if it need to develop and manufacture it. VER has grown a lot in more than three decades, but its commitment to service hasn’t wavered – there’s no limit to what VER will do to help its clients create extraordinary.

VERIZON DIGITAL MEDIA SERVICES SU3605

erizon Digital Media Services will be exhibiting its end-to-end platform at NAB 2018. The company has a leading platform for preparing, delivering, displaying, and monetizing content for OTT and TV Everywhere distribution. Its platform consists of a global content-delivery network, comprehensive monitoring and compliance capabilities, and intelligent video workflows. Built on the world’s largest, most connected network, with more than 125 points of presence on six continents, VDMS’s platform reliably delivers high-quality, personalized experiences for every user, on every device, worldwide. With the simplest way to stream TV-quality video and reach viewers everywhere, the VDMS platform powers OTT video services, apps, and websites for many of the world’s largest publishers, media companies, and enterprises.

VIDOVATION C6906

y facilitating reliable video transmission over the public internet, VidOvation’s HE4000 offers a cost-reducing alternative for today’s at-home sports-production model. This highly adaptive, variable-bitrate HEVC 4K encoder also features advanced forward-error correction, automatic requests, redundancy,

Streamline Your Sports Content Operations Capture, enrich, produce and deliver multi-sports content across all distribution channels.

Learn more: dalet.com/sports

NAB2018PREVIEW bonding techniques, and precision timing, all in a compact, ½RU design. The HE4000 live encoder also integrates with the AVIWEST StreamHub decoder and transceiver for a seamless, highly reliable quad 3G-SDI or single 4K 12G-SDI transmission via the public internet, managed or unmanaged networks, WAN, satellite (Ka- and Ku-band, BGAN), and 3G/4G bonded cellular. The platform is compatible with the latest HDR formats and allows broadcasters to encode up to four simultaneous HD video streams or a single 4K UHD channel from a single encoder.

of the Viz Libero sports-analysis system integrated with AR in the studio, giving presenters a new way to talk about the action on the field. Vizrt’s sports-production tools provide new revenue streams for media companies by creating regionalized and targeted ads on the field with AR graphics and with virtual fieldside–advertising replacements. These sportsproduction tools are software-based and don’t require additional hardware in the stadium. This presents media companies with a set of tools that engage audiences while increasing revenues.

VITEC SL6821

VSN SL8006

esigned for enterprise customers, sports stadiums, and arenas, VITEC’S EZ TV IPTV and digital-signage platform is being used by such organizations as the Kansas City Royals, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Lakers, and the University of West Virginia Mountaineers. The company’s EZ TV platform combines low-latency, broadcast-quality IPTV distribution with powerful digital-signage capabilities to give audiences a more engaging and interactive experience. Designed to seamlessly integrate with any IT environment and run on all types of networks, EZ TV can be rapidly deployed and is economical and intuitive to operate and maintain for any size venue. The scalable, centralized design delivers cuttingedge video viewing, dynamic and engaging digital signs, IPTV archiving, and mobile streaming capabilities on any device. The EZ TV platform offers the most advanced IPTV experience with live streaming, on-demand video, digital recording, mosaic player, timeshifted TV, and customizable look-and-feel. Its AES content security is integrated with all major content providers for ensuring that TV content and in-house feeds are 100% secure. Using VITEC’s cost-effective, high-performance, hardware-based end-point behind the display, operators can turn any screen in the network into a new monetary opportunity.

VIZRT SL2416

mong the products that Vizrt will showcase at NAB 2018 are Viz Libero, Viz Arena, and Viz Eclipse. Engage sports fans with high-quality and informative analysis that allows you to create more content with your sports rights. New for the show will be a demo

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lobal technological company VSN specializes in providing advanced software solutions for media and workflow management within a wide range of businesses, including broadcast and media companies, private corporations, sports venues, and educational institutions. Its flagship platform, VSNExplorer, allows users to effectively manage media and business processes either on premises or in the cloud, allowing a facility to optimize efficiency and develop daily tasks faster. VSNExplorer is an open-ended solution comprising several optional modules: MAM for overarching enterprise solutions, PAM for production environments, BPM for workflow optimization, Business Intelligence for data and metadata analytics, and Wedit, for low-res web-video editing in the cloud. These modules allow VSNExplorer to provide clients with an intuitive and reliable platform to speed up processes in production, such as content archival and retrieval, file management, fast delivery to playout, and analysis of content performance anytime anywhere.

WESCO BROADCAST & ENTERTAINMENT SU5921

leading provider and distributor of broadcast- and entertainment-infrastructure products helping broadcasters transition to fiber networks, WESCO Broadcast & Entertainment can complete your setup with racks, wire management, and custom panels for your application, in addition to everything needed to go from the camera to the truck with SMPTE hybrid fiber and harsh-environment tactical-fiber products. WESCO Broadcast provides the complete solution for end-to-end connectivity that

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

includes junction boxes and panels, distribution panels, and patch panels. The company has also announced a new partnership with SEG (Satellite Engineering Group), a leading supply-chain–solutions provider specializing in broadcast, satellite, radio, and broadband networks, providing product and solution sets around all aspects of content acquisition and distribution, whether the network uses RF, terrestrial, satellite, IP/OTT, or a converged platform to deliver content.

WHEATSTONE N6806

heatstone will be showing a new expanded PR&E control surface with augmented feature set at NAB 2018: the EMXIP is designed to complement its previously introduced DMX digital audio console. Radio and television audio consoles including the Dimension Three Touch, IP-64, and Series Four will also be live and on display. The company also will demonstrate its at-home mixing and production gear, AES67 compatibility with third-party equipment, and new capabilities of its WheatNetIP intelligent network. In addition, Wheatstone will show its full line of digital-audio processing equipment, software for customized control and monitoring of extended network systems, and established product lines, including Audioarts consoles, LX and LXE networked consoles, new AirAura signal processing, and the latest VoxPro7 audio-editing hardware and software.

WOWZA MEDIA SYSTEMS

SU11010

owza is the recognized gold standard of streaming, with more than 20,000 customers in 170+ countries. By reducing the complexities of video and audio delivery to any device, it enables organizations to expand their reach and more deeply engage their audiences in industries ranging from sports to broadcasting. Visit Wowza at NAB 2018 and learn how to connect with confidence and ensure sportsstreaming success with ClearCaster; purposebuilt with help from Facebook, the ClearCaster appliance directly connects to Facebook Live’s API so you’ll be up-to-date. ClearCaster was developed to significantly increase the streaming success of Facebook Live broadcasts.

WTVISION SL6827

t NAB 2018, wTVision will be presenting its integrated solutions for sports broad-

Broadcast Hire. Covered. ONE OF THE WORLDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LARGEST 4K AND HD BROADCAST HIRE FLEETS, PERFECTLY SUITED TO LIVE SPORTS AND EVENTS 300+ SYSTEMS CAMERAS 140 SONY HDC-4300 4K CHANNELS SONY HDC-4800 8x 4K SLO-MO CHANNELS 200+ 4K CANON AND FUJINON LENSES 200+ VINTEN TRIPODS AND PEDESTALS EVS XT4K AND XT3 CHANNELMAX SERVERS TEKTRONIX WAVEFORM MONITORS AND RASTERIZERS

+44 (0)1923 811 520 esbroadcasthire.com

NAB2018PREVIEW casts, production-control–room operations, and master-control–room operations. The company will demonstrate its ability to deliver and integrate playout automation, on-air graphics and video controllers, sports scouting systems, render engines, media tools, social tools, video servers, and MAM. wTVision’s end-to-end software capabilities and more than 15 years of experience within the industry provide the knowledge to adapt to different broadcast necessities and come up with innovative and effective solutions.

YAMAHA PROFESSIONAL AUDIO C1725

amaha will exhibit a new addition to the Yamaha RIVAGE professional-audio lineup, the RIVAGE PM7 digital mixing system. The core of RIVAGE is the CSD-R7 digital mixing console, TWINLANe-based RPio622 and RPio222 I/O racks, and Dante-based Rio3224-D2 and Rio1608-D2 I/O racks. The CSD-R7 console is the central component of the RIVAGE PM7 system, positioned directly below the current RIVAGE PM10 digital mixing system. With an emphasis of preserving

workflow, the CSD-R7 is the same size as the RIVAGE PM10 system CS-R10 control surface but with the DSP engine built into the console offering enhanced portability and system flexibility while maintaining high operability. The panel layout of the RIVAGE PM7 is the same as the flagship RIVAGE PM10, with 120 input channels, 60 mix buses, 24 matrices, and a comprehensive selection of 48 top-quality plug-ins.

tures ZEN Master, a vital tool for managing IPbased video at scale. Schedule a demonstration with Zixi at NAB 2018 to see the latest features: a multi-tenant control and monitoring system suitable for large-scale live-linear projects; contribution management, ingest into CDN or storage, transcoding, and large-scale professional distribution; a clear abstraction layer that separates physical resources from logical streaming tasks; and more.

ZIXI SU9110

ZYPE SU6413PP

he Zixi Platform tackles live video, live linear, contribution, and distribution in the public cloud with quality on par with traditional satellite, fiber, and CDN. Unmanaged IP networks become a real budget contender, with Zixi software providing a flexible, scalable, and affordable solution for live broadcast-quality content. The Zixi Platform supports redundancy, failover, processing, and distribution. By virtualizing the live-stream infrastructure, Zixi-enabled networks provide the agility to create mass customized packages for globally diverse audiences. The Zixi Platform now fea-

ype, a cloud video-distribution service for OTT, makes it easy for content owners to connect directly with their audiences on every screen. With Zype, enterprise content owners and brands can own and accelerate all aspects of their video-distribution pipeline. The company provides pushbutton app publishing, monetization, streaming, audience management, and analytics integrated into hundreds of OTT apps and engaged by millions of viewers every month. Zype launched in 2014 and headquartered in New York with offices in Los Angeles. <

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SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

Professional Video

Delivering better quality across the value chain

Occasional Services

Live broadcasting

Special events

www.eutelsatamericas.com

Apr 6-8

CHAIRMAN’S FORUM (Open to Platinum, Mobile, and Event Sponsors) Red Rock Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

DTV AUDIO GROUP

Apr 8

Alexis Park Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

SVG PRE-GAME PARTY Las Vegas, NV

Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace

Apr 10

SVGW NAB LUNCH

May 9

IP PRODUCTION FORUM

Las Vegas, NV New York, NY

May 30-Jun 1

SVG COLLEGE SUMMIT & COLLEGE SPORTS MEDIA AWARDS Omni Hotel at CNN Center, Atlanta, GA

RSN SUMMIT

Jun 26-27

Chicago, IL

July 25

SPORTS CONTENT MANAGEMENT & STORAGE The Westin New York at Times Square, NYC

July 26

SPORTS OTT FORUM

Sept 15

Oct 16

New York, NY

SPORT PRODUCTION AWARDS NETWORKING RECEPTION RAI, Amsterdam, Netherlands TRANSPORT

New York, NY

Nov 7

LIVE TV SUMMIT • HDR • ENTERTAINMENT • DIGITAL Los Angeles, CA

Dec 10-11

SVG SUMMIT New York Hilton, NYC WORKSHOPS/INITIATIVES INCLUDE: VENUE PRODUCTION; DTV AUDIO GROUP; SVGW; SPORTS CONTENT MANAGEMENT & STORAGE; CLOUD WORKFLOWS; REMOTE PRODUCTION

Dec 10

SVG DIGITAL SUMMIT

Dec 10-11

NEWSTECHFORUM

New York Hilton, NYC

Dec 11 SPORTS BROADCASTING HALL OF FAME (Charity event; Tickets sold separately; extremely limited) New York Hilton, NYC * Event dates and locations subject to change.

Go to www.sportsvideo.org to learn more about these events, including registration details and sponsorship information.

WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY, SPORTS TELEVISION LEADS THE WAY

We’re proud to represent those professionals who enrich the fan’s experience, break new barriers, and establish new standards for all forms of live television, mobile, and broadband entertainment. SVG’s advocacy, communication, education, and market development activities are made possible by the following sponsors: PLATINUM SPONSORS

PREMIER SPONSORS

CORPORATE SPONSORS

MOBILE/INTEGRATOR SPONSORS

ADVANCING THE CREATION, PRODUCTION, & DISTRIBUTION OF SPORTS CONTENT

WWW.S PO RTSVI D EO.O R G

SPONSORUPDATE S

ome SVG sponsors won’t be exhibiting at the 2018 NAB Show, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been busy over the past year. On the following pages is an overview of these companies’ recent projects, new products and technology, and services for the sportsvideo production industry. For a complete listing of contact information for each sponsor, turn to the Sponsor Index on pages 146-151. 3G WIRELESS

g provides the latest RF video and audio solutions. It combines outstanding customer service with the best technologies in order to create the perfect solution for each production no matter the size. 3g’s team continually seeks the latest technologies and makes significant investments in development and deployment of the latest RF technologies. Currently, the company is leading the way in IP-over-RF technologies, 360-degree streaming video via RF, the highest-quality on-board camera systems, Steadi and MOVI cam systems, RF handheld systems, aerial downlinks for helicopters, RF POVs, wearable RF-POV technology (ump cam and ref cam), and road-racing technologies for marathons and cycling. 3g’s recent successes include the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, IMSA, Red Bull GRC, the Boston Marathon, 2017 Tour of Utah, and ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball and NCAA College World Series.

AE GRAPHICS

E Graphics was founded in 1992 to provide a computerized graphics and data solution to the BBC for its coverage of test cricket and World Snooker events. Today, the company’s in-house creative team works around the clock to create new content for clients and also regularly commissions work from trusted, external designers to keep a fresh creative input.

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AERIAL VIDEO SYSTEMS

VS is a leader in wireless 4K, HD, and aerial production with more than 70 HD RF systems by Vislink/Link Research, including the compact Link L-1700 and four GoPro HEROCast systems. AVS has four gyro-stabilized Cineflex camera systems and three Partenavia fixed-winged aircraft for aerial coverage. AVS debuted its 4K wireless camera on HGTV’s 4K coverage of the 2018 Rose Parade, the first time a low-latency wireless 4K camera had been used on a live broadcast in the U.S. AVS was also the first to integrate Sony’s P-1R to an RF Steadicam system, with video return and prompter, which became the preferred package for Dancing With the Stars, The Voice, America’s Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance, Christmas Story Live, Grease Live, The Wiz Live, The Passion Live, Hairspray Live, Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, Thursday Night Football, the Academy Awards, and more. Since 1981, AVS has provided innovative services to a variety of high-profile television shows, including NFL, NBA Finals, World Series, CrossFit Games, The Deadliest Catch, and Bering Sea Gold.

AJT SYSTEMS

JT Systems develops real-time live-toair graphics-rendering and video-server systems for the broadcast-TV industry. The company’s products are in use 24/7/365 with domestic and international broadcasters, delivering leading-edge HD graphics. AJT Systems’ technology and equipment are deployed by broadcasters including ESPN, CBS, and NBA TV, covering more than 6,000 live events a year.

ALL MOBILE VIDEO

ll Mobile Video is the premiere provider of live-video solutions to leading broadcast– and new-media–production outlets. Recent examples include the use of Sony F55 cinemastyle cameras to produce a live-switched commercial for Mass Mutual and the introduction of AJA FS HDR converters to accommodate all the HD content being integrated into a livestream of the Rose Parade in 4K HDR for Amazon. AMV strives to remain forward-thinking regarding the use of new production tools. The company has integrated end-to-end IP delivery, 4K-video-ingest/encoding/streaming/delivery, and HDR acquisition into its standard list of services to future-proof clients from any poten-

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

tial changes in the industry. Additional services include control-room–equipped sound stages, broadcast and uplink trucks, encoding and live streaming, teleports, virtual reality, full-time OTT channels, colocation, event management, and software development. AMV provides insight, expertise, and turnkey production/delivery solutions to networks, producers, production companies, distributors, and brands.

ALLIANCE PRODUCTIONS

lliance is celebrating its 20th year as a leader in broadcast services. Since its inception in 1998, the company has delivered quality facilities and attentive customer service with a personal touch. Alliance offers more than 30 HD mobile-unit options, always striving to match the perfect mobile solution to each customer’s needs. The Alliance Productions office is staffed with an experienced group of industry veterans who take tremendous pride in connecting with every client and every job. An original sponsor of the Sports Video Group, the company serves the television-broadcast community by developing relationships with clients based on trust and a shared sense of purpose. Alliance provides a total production experience that exceeds expectations by achieving excellence of service, facilities, and staff support.

ALPHA VIDEO

lpha Video’s Sports Group continues to specialize in helping clients find ways to use technology to engage fans, enhance teams, and expand revenue like never before. The company recently completed the upgrade of Louisiana State University’s production facility, which includes five control rooms, and is working on the Minnesota Vikings’ new production facility. Alpha Video continues to work with a variety of NCAA and professional-sports clients on upgrading the A/V technology at existing team facilities as well as complete, ground-up solutions for new facilities, including a renovation of the men’s basketball players’ suite at the University of Kentucky and all the A/V systems at Athlete’s Village, the new home of University of Minnesota Athletics. The company will soon be rolling out a series of new-technology solutions, including installed sound systems and wired/ wireless networking solutions. Regardless of the facility, the Sports Group has a solution that can help you meet all your technology needs!

AMPTHINK

ASTUCEMEDIA

mpThink is working hand in hand with the Minnesota Timberwolves and SMG at Target Center. As part of a three-year partnership with the NBA team, AmpThink installed a high-density WiFi network and an IPTV system running Cisco Vision. On the IPTV front, AmpThink is responsible for video creation, animation, and content management for multiple screens around the venue concourses. The company is working with the Timberwolves to use these screens to promote team content, and to execute test campaigns. These test campaigns are designed to discover better ways to collect fan data, enhance fan experiences, and generate incremental revenue via mobile. AmpThink conceives and supports these programs with mobile-content development (HTML5), data capture, and - services. This ongoing testing program is helping the team learn new ways to drive ROI from its investments in technology infrastructure, video software, and mobile.

stucemedia is a leader in real-time broadcast-graphics design and data integration. The company’s data-management platform integrates real-time streams from multiple vendors of finance, social-media, sports, weather, news, and election data into a unified workflow. Its API adapts data-driven graphics to any realtime broadcast, web, or mobile application. Astucemedia also has a world-class graphics-design and creative-services team to enliven data integration, interactive graphics, augmented reality, and channel branding.

ANIXTER

eliver the audio/visual experiences customers want with Anixter’s broadcast and professional A/V solutions. Select from leading manufacturers for A/V components, racks, patch panels, cable, and more. Remove the complexity of system design by consulting with Anixter’s IP experts or participating in its customer training or educational courses. Speed your project deployment as Anixter simplifies the supply chain by consolidating shipments and spending, minimizing purchase orders, conducting DOA testing, and managing inventory.

ARCTEK SATELLITE PRODUCTIONS

RCTEK provides nationwide, reliable uplink trucks for sports, news, and corporate events. It recently made the most of Super Bowl LII being in its backyard: ARCTEK trucks were seen around town all week working for multiple clients, covering Radio Row, concerts, and an athome production from the stadium. ARCTEK continues to cover the AMA Motocross series by transmitting six HD sources multiplexed together out of a single C-band uplink. It also provided production gear and crew for a 40-episode fantasy-football show produced by the Minnesota Vikings Entertainment Network that airs nationwide at Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants. ARCTEK solidified its commitment to satellite transmission with the rollout of ARCTEK Magenta, a fully redundant, 10-path Ku-band uplink built on a 2017 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis. When you think satellite, think ARCTEK. Nothing is more reliable then satellite.

AZZURRO GROUP

zzurro recently took ESPN’s First Take’s Stephen A. Smith and Golic and Wingo on the road for daily shows at the Hard Rock Café inside the Mall of America, leading up to Super Bowl LII. The company deployed its new popup studio for production, using public internet to transmit both program feeds to Bristol, CT, for final packaging. The pop-up studio contains all necessary components for live broadcast, including a PTZ camera, lighting, microphone, and IFB kit. It allows users to easily set up a complete insert studio at temporary locations and is a perfect solution for live shots, satellite media tours, and remote anchor locations. Available as a single- or multi-cam configuration, the unit can easily be shipped direct to event sites by common carriers.

BEACON INTERNATIONAL

eacon International represents the Holland Specialty Vehicles Division, its facility located in University Park, IL, less that 45 minutes from most Chicago venues. The Specialty Vehicles engineering team has years of experience in the TV-production–trailer business. Operating in a 185,000-sq.-ft. facility, Holland Specialty Vehicles has the expertise to do any TV-production–trailer refurbishment or repair service, including expando repairs, emergency and preventative maintenance along with an onsite trailer paint booth and storage area. Since 2013, Beacon International has grown to be a worldwide provider of services and equipment to the medical industry and television-production–trailer industry with offices and facilities in Arizona, Illinois, the UK, and Egypt. Beacon International is intent on providing clients with the highest quality and most beneficial results.

BSI (BROADCAST SERVICES INTERNATIONAL)

SI has been busy working on exciting new ventures in 2018 with the acquisition of a

highly respected company, RF Wireless Systems. With this new RF inventory, along with its rental-supplier partnership with Dejero, BSI continues to provide wireless and transmission solutions in not only U.S. and Canada but worldwide. BSI’s equipment inventory is growing to include a variety of fiber solutions, robotic cameras, gyro-stabilized and wide-angle lenses, the Simply Live Vibox System, 4K EVS servers, and a complete 18-position commentary system with multiple IP codecs. Continuing to adapt to the demands of online streaming with the newest technology, BSI is geared up for another actionpacked season with upcoming work at The Masters and NBA Finals as well as providing design and integration services for multiple clients at the World Cup this summer in Russia.

BSI (BROADCAST SPORTS INTERNATIONAL)

rom the largest sports match-ups to historymaking events, BSI works with its partners to produce compelling content through cuttingedge camera, wireless transmission, and microphone technology. BSI’s work is on the air around the world, and its fleet of state-of-theart production trailers are in action every weekend of the year at major events. BSI’s customers include major broadcasters, national sports networks, and many professional sports leagues. BSI is dedicated to providing robust technology and service to customers. Since BSI’s inception, the company consistently delivers the right technology for each customer and every production. Customers rely on BSI for turnkey live event coverage, custom-engineering challenges, in-studio support, and equipment rentals. With an in-house team of engineers and experienced manufacturing and support staff, BSI is fully licensed by the FCC for regular broadcast bands as well as additional portions of the wireless spectrum for large events.

CALHOUN SATELLITE COMMUNICATION

ounded in 1986, Calhoun is the oldest, continuous, transportable–earth-station provider in the U.S. With corporate headquarters in South Florida, the company has grown significantly throughout the years, always maintaining the highest level of customer service and attention to detail. Calhoun’s inventory includes two dual-dish C/Ku trucks, three Ku trucks, one C band, and one Ku trailer. Calhoun’s trucks are housed between Miami, FL, and Pittsburgh, PA, giving easy access to a wide geographic area throughout North America. As a gateway to the Caribbean, Calhoun has floated trucks to many Island locations as needed. Specializing in highprofile live special events, the company’s mobile

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018 135

SPONSORUPDATE units can be seen at major sporting and news events throughout the country.

CAT ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES

multi-tier event package awarded by the NHL kept CES technicians busy this winter providing power to a trio of celebratory events: The Scotiabank NHL100 Classic at TD Place Stadium in Ottawa in December; the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic in January at Citi Field in Queens, NY; and the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series game at the U.S. Naval Academy football stadium in Annapolis, MD. Each of these events required installing an 800-kW Twinpack system to power the ice plant that maintains optimum temperature for the temporary rinks, as well as a 375-kVA UPS and a 500-kW Twinpack to keep the television compounds operating. In between the Bridgestone Classic and Coors Light Series games, CES technicians installed a 375-kVA UPS with a 500-kW twin for the TV compound and cabled the house-power distribution for the in-house entertainment acts at the 2018 NHL All-Star Game in Tampa, FL.

CBT SYSTEMS

BT Systems is a worldwide broadcasttelevision and video-production design, engineering, and integration firm whose commitment to the industry is demonstrated in its knowledge, experience, and confidence. The company has built a reputation for providing systems of the finest quality and performance. It has completed projects demanding imagination, innovation, and precision. CBT Systems’ unique combination of skills allows it to provide clients with live event and production facilities unparalleled in the industry. The hallmark of the company’s success is due to the emphasis placed upon understanding clients’ programming and operational demands coupled with the development of a first-class system and facility in a timely, efficient, cost-effective manner. CBT Systems is a team of dynamic and dedicated professionals each with a common set of goals – quality work, personable relationships, and client satisfaction.

connect you wherever your business happens. With approximately 450,000 route miles of fiber, 360,000 international-transport miles, and more than 100,000 On-Net buildings, CenturyLink is equipped to serve you with reliable, flexible, and secure connections.

CREATIVE MOBILE SOLUTIONS INC.

CHESAPEAKE SYSTEMS

hesapeake Systems offers an engaged and embedded approach to analyzing, engineering, implementing, and maintaining highly advanced media-technology systems for organizations involved in creation, distribution, and preservation of content. As a specialist in M&E workflows, Chesapeake also provides targeted solutions for sports-video content. Its superior skill set is built on years of collaboration with leading sports organizations, such as the Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Rams. As leaders in understanding and assessing media-technology needs, Chesapeake prepares clients for future asset demands and develops systems that optimize the specific needs of the workflow.

COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING INC. (CEI)

n award-winning consulting, design, systems-integration, and equipment-sales and -service company in Newington, VA, CEI represents more than 500 of the media industry’s most valued equipment manufacturers for project integration and direct equipment sales. The company also operates a large service and support organization, available to the sports-media industry nationwide from both its service depot in Virginia to onsite field repair and maintenance services. CEI service engineers receive regular industry training and authorized certification to keep pace with new products and technologies. The company has an energetic, highly motivated team, focused on the success of CEI’s customer’s projects. CEI welcomes the most challenging technical issues of today’s sports-media projects to prove why you can always rely on CEI.

CORESITE CENTURYLINK (LEVEL 3)

evel 3 Communications was acquired by CenturyLink in November 2017. The company’s vast network footprint unites its deep local presence with an expansive global reach to

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world’s leading enterprises, network operators, cloud providers, and supporting-service providers choose CoreSite to connect, protect, and optimize their performance-sensitive data, applications, and computing workloads.

ince 2001, CoreSite has built and operated secure, reliable, high-performance datacenter and interconnection solutions supported by customer service. Across eight key North American markets, more than 1,200 of the

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SMI, a Burbank, CA-based boutique postproduction company, specializes in tapeless workflows for live event and studio-based productions. Providing workflow design, Avid, Apple Final Cut Pro, and EVS rentals, plus onlocation support, CMSI rises to any challenge. From sports events to award shows to feature films, CMSI’s expert team can help save your production time and money.

CRYSTAL & COMPANY

rystal & Company is the home for talented insurance professionals: creative, committed to their clients, and driven to deliver extraordinary results. The company drives the strategy and execution behind insurance and employeebenefits programs for businesses that want to be smart about risk. Crystal & Company is the insurance brokerage of choice for leading financial institutions, corporations, and nonprofit organizations. Headquartered in New York City, the firm has 11 regional offices throughout the U.S. Crystal & Company is an equity owner of Brokerslink, a global broking company with members in more than 95 countries.

CSP MOBILE PRODUCTIONS

SP Mobile, now entering its 30th year, covers North America from coast to coast, delivering HD productions to ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, and NBC, to name a few. From sports and entertainment to large corporate and news events, CSP Mobile’s fleet has you covered. In spring 2018, the company was involved with the NIT college basketball tournament. In spring and summer 2018, CSP Mobile will be providing mobile trucks for multiple MLS teams, both home and away, keeping them busy across the U.S. and Canada. As summer winds down, the company returns to the gridiron for NFL preseason football. Over the past three decades, CSP Mobile has gained the trust and respect of the top networks and production companies in television. The company has designed, built, continuously updated, and maintained a fleet of mobile units.

CTG (COMPREHENSIVE TECHNICAL GROUP)

ounded in 1991, CTG is a recognized leader that brings extensive experience, resources, and know-how to each client. Its quality approach has been consistent: provide the very best audio/visual and broadcast solutions. CTG designs, integrates, installs, and maintains individually tailored systems. Regional and national in scope, the company offers a complete suite of products and services to businesses large and small.

DAKTRONICS

aktronics recently partnered with Optus Stadium in Perth, Western Australia, to provide support for the first international cricket match at the new venue. Optus Stadium, which opened in January, is the third-largest stadium in Australia and houses a variety of Daktronics equipment. With eight Daktronics LED displays throughout the stadium, all controlled by Daktronics control systems, the company’s applications engineers worked with stadium staff to create a seamless production by automating commands for common in-venue technology, such as LED and sports lighting, IPTV, audio, and more. Support for this event began four days prior, when a Daktronics applications engineer and a Perth-based field engineer arrived onsite to perform pre-event checks. Optus Stadium worked closely with Daktronics to ensure that all timing and display equipment was game-ready and that the control system was operating at peak efficiency.

pany ESL needed a partner that could deliver live on-demand feeds at the highest quality to 13 broadcasters, reaching more than 46 million viewers in multiple regions. This was to be the most widely broadcast event in esports history, and ESL had to get it right. Deluxe has established itself as providing leading IP-based video-broadcast solutions over the public internet at pristine quality, low latency, and highest security. Using its cloud-based origination and distribution platform, the Broadcast Delivery Network (BDN) and Portalive (a web-based master-control room) tool, Deluxe was able to create a portable version of its IP encapsulation and encoder/decoder setup, enabling broadcastreception sites to connect to the BDN for ESL at the stadium. The project was shortlisted for the prestigious IBC Innovation Award.

DIGITALGLUE

igitalGlue provides equipment, integration, and software development for the production and distribution of digital video. The company analyzes your workflow to build an optimized solution for collaborative editing, automation, media-asset management, storage, and archiving. From contribution to distribution, the DigitalGlue team will work with you to efficiently deliver your programming over fiber, cable, satellite, IPTV, and OTT.

ale has been a distinguished leader in the broadcast, live-sound, contracting, and studio and postproduction markets since 1956. The company carries hundreds of the pro-audio industry’s top brands, stocks thousands of the best products, and has an expansive store and showroom in the Jamaica section of Queens, NY. In the half century since being founded by Stanley Lager, Dale Pro Audio has grown into a key leader in the industry. Because of its commitment to excellence, it has earned the trust of television and radio stations, recording studios, contractors, and a wide range of individuals, businesses, and institutions across the country. Dale’s staff goes the extra mile every day to help their clients do great things, and Dale can be a partner in your success as well.

DELUXE

DOME PRODUCTIONS

ith only three weeks to go before the championship match, esports com-

DUNCAN VIDEO

rom video-control rooms and edit suites broadcasting corporate communications worldwide to state-of-the-art commercial broadcast and production facilities, Duncan Video is where the professionals turn for complete evaluation, design, integration, and installation of today’s advanced telecommunication equipment.

DX3 MEDIA DNA STUDIOS NA constantly upgrades its three mobile units with equipment including additional Grass Valley HD camera chains, new Canon and Fujinon long lenses, and an additional EVS replay system. DNA was fortunate to have trucks and equipment used for such events as Super Bowl LI and the 2017 MLB Postseason and World Series, both of which were held in Houston, where DNA is based. As the sportsbroadcasting landscape continually changes, DNA continues to innovate and transform the way television is produced and delivered. In addition to mobile trucks, packaging services, and crewing, DNA provides at-home–production solutions for various clients. This technical and cost-saving workflow is becoming the norm, and DNA has already delivered almost 100 events via at-home production. DNA continues to deliver high-impact tools for the viewer at home with custom solutions, including graphics, clock and score units, telestrators, and virtual first-and-10.

DALE PRO AUDIO

can 4K sports and entertainment broadcasting, having facilitated more than 500 4K live broadcasts since January 2016. Dome made significant strides in 2017 with the introduction of HDR to its production format capabilities. In the last quarter of 2017, Dome produced five shows in 4K HDR with all video flow based on Sony Slog3 as a standard. The company produced the very first concert in live 4K HDR HLG with the Brian Setzer Orchestra Christmas Extravaganza show from Santa Barbara on DirecTV in December. Dome was able to provide all the audio mixing independently, eliminating the need for a secondary audio truck. Dome added the Sony F55 cameras to its growing inventory and provided 13 cameras to capture ISO records of RAW 4K material on media backs for the Leonard Cohen Tribute Concert in Montreal, which pushed the boundaries for live concert entertainment.

ome continues its strategic and aggressive growth and expansion into North Ameri-

X3 Media is a media-production–management and consulting company based in Canada. The company takes pride in providing out-of-the-box thinking, resulting in innovative solutions for clients’ projects. Its reputation is founded on delivering higher-than-anticipated results and always under the clients’ budget. DX3 Media has a strong network of equipmentand crew-vendor relationships throughout all North America. With a wide-ranging client base, which includes international media companies, professional sports organizations, broadcasters, independent production companies, and government agencies, they have the experience and a proven track record to generate cost-effective results for clients.

ES BROADCAST HIRE

S Broadcast Hire continues to pioneer the move to UHD sports broadcasting, thanks to the massive investment it has made in amassing one of the largest 4K broadcast hire fleets in the world. A year that saw the company provide equipment for prestigious events — English Premier League soccer, the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix, the IAAF World Athletics Championships — culminated in the provision

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SPONSORUPDATE of a huge array of 4K equipment for the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. More than 20 Sony HDC-4300 channels, as well as HDC-P43 cameras, were provided. Also provided were Canon CJ12 and CJ20 ENG lenses, Fujinon UA107 and Canon UJ27 box lenses, and monitoring and testing equipment including Sony’s flagship BVM-X300 4K OLED and Tektronix waveform monitors. The equipment was deployed for UHD and HD coverage of a wide spectrum of events.

EUROVISION

urovision has installed a new IP router at its Washington, DC, headquarters, providing enhanced connectivity with NBA Entertainment, allowing Eurovision staff to select any basketball game for live international transmission and providing a measure of disaster recovery through links between NBA’s IP-based network and the Eurovision network. Eurovision will be responsible for distribution of NBA games to international rightsholders until 2022. This new router also gives Eurovision the flexibility to adapt as other clients move into an IP environment and to encode several versions of sports events for viewing on different platforms. Eurovision is currently completing its fifth season of delivery of English Premier League soccer to NBC Sports, including a weekly game in 4K; once again, all 10 games on the last day of the season, Sunday May 13, will be delivered simultaneously for broadcast across a range of NBC networks. Eurovision is also responsible for worldwide distribution of the PGA TOUR. Along with the main live feed of each event, Eurovision delivers a second feed, PGA TOUR LIVE, with enhanced content for international broadcasters. Together with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), skiing, curling, and a range of other sports, it has been a busy winter and spring for the Eurovision teams in Washington and New York.

F&F PRODUCTIONS

&F Productions is recognized industrywide as an innovator for its contributions to remote-television broadcasting and is a leading provider of HD remote production facilities throughout North America. For more than three decades, F&F Productions has remained a top choice of veteran producers worldwide for all major league sports, network series, and enter-

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tainment specials, live concerts, and large-scale corporate events for Fortune 500 companies.

FANCONNECT

anConnect is a leading provider of cloudbased technology products centered on the creation and distribution of digital content to screens throughout sports and entertainment venues. FanConnect’s digital-marketing solution allows venues to enhance the fan experience, maximize sponsorship revenue, and increase brand exposure. The company supports IP or RF framework and offers a wide assortment of hardware options, providing flexibility no matter the application.

FILMWERKS INTERNATIONAL

ilmwerks had yet another demanding year in the television industry, providing turnkey experience to noteworthy events. Internally, its team has set a high benchmark for 2018: expansion beyond its main headquarters in North Carolina. Later this year, there will be fullfunctioning operations in New York City and Las Vegas. The decision to create a wider operation allows Filmwerks to better cater to clients’ needs, all while reducing costs and time to provide power/UPS, structures, lighting, and HVAC services. On top of this addition, Filmwerks will be looking to close several acquisitions with the goal again being to continue offering impeccable customer service for successful productions. Filmwerks International will continue to give clients the vision they wish to achieve, while still looking for ways to exceed expectations.

FLETCHER SPORTS

017 was the year that Fletcher made its most significant investment to date in emerging cutting-edge 4K technology and camera equipment. This enabled the company to offer its national and international clients access to these systems for a variety of high-profile events. With the high frame rates and superior image quality these cameras are now capable of, Fletcher systems has become the go-to choice for broadcasts and productions. These ranged from E! Network’s Academy Awards red-carpet coverage to on-the-ropes coverage of championship boxing by both HBO and Showtime. New systems were also in play on most of the major NFL broadcast packages, including CBS’s Thursday Night Football, NBC’s Sunday Night Football,

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and ESPN’s Monday Night Football. Fletcher’s European office also placed new systems across much of European sports, encompassing everything from the major European soccer leagues and tournaments to coverage of top-level auto racing across the world.

FORBIDDEN TECHNOLOGIES

orbidden develops, markets, and licenses a powerful cloud video platform using the company’s patented Blackbird technology. The technology underpins multiple applications used by rightsholders, broadcasters, sports- and news-video specialists, postproduction houses, other mass-market digital-video channels, and corporations. The company is currently working with Madison Square Garden to provide a compliant closed-caption clipping solution through a unified cloud solution using a combination of proxy workflow services. MSG Networks now has the ability to ingest, edit, and deliver video content with a concurrent component of a liveto-packaged-delivery process. Blackbird technology is compliant across multichannel and multiplatform delivery from the initial stage of live-source ingest, media transcode, closedcaption decode, and content clipping through to closed-captioning editorial, high-bitrate–video conform, and metadata delivery. The Blackbird proxy workflow can be integrated into a network’s media framework, combining toolsets using Forbidden cloud services.

GAME CHANGER MVP

ame Changer MVP is a game-presentation and entertainment multimedia production/postproduction studio and interactivegaming design house offering feature-film talent and many years of working in the sports business. The company’s founding partners have more than 50 years of combined professional experience in game presentation and entertainment, feature film, TV broadcast, and interactive gaming, working on in-game graphics packages, open videos, projection, social media, interactive videoboard and app gaming, and much more. Game Changer MVP works with more than 80 teams in all major leagues, including the Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Oklahoma City Thunder, to name a few. Whether it’s feature film, TV, or sports, Game Changer MVP has done it all.

GAME CREEK VIDEO

ame Creek Video serves the world’s largest television networks, production companies, and news organizations with state-ofthe-art mobile television production units. The company combines an advanced, modern fleet of mobile production units with an accomplished, reliable team of experts to ensure that the largest events in the world are televised flawlessly, including events like the Super Bowl, World Series, NASCAR, U.S. Open golf, and the FIS World Ski Championships.

GEARHOUSE BROADCAST

earhouse Broadcast USA offers services in equipment rental, equipment sales, and project solutions. The company has built on its global reputation for supplying high-end HD and SD equipment to a wide range of broadcasters, studios, networks, and production companies throughout the U.S. With the very latest in digital technology, backed with 24/7 support, and engineered by highly professional personnel, Gearhouse Broadcast USA clients rely on the quality of the company’s products.

UPS system designed to work off of shore power with an integrated backup twin-pack gen set. ID is an ARRI Rental Company with combined locations in Los Angeles; Charlotte; Atlanta; and Secaucus, NJ.

IMS PRODUCTIONS

MS Productions is a leader in full-service video production, content creation, satellite services, studio rentals, and mobile television. To ensure the highest level of client service, the company added a theater-style client screening room, updated its seven editing suites, upgraded its Avid technology to bring it up-to-speed for 2K and 4K workflows, and increased storage and archival capabilities. Furthermore, IMS Productions’ staff, technology, and service continue to exceed client expectations. Highlights include full production of original documentary programming for NBCSN and Team USA’s “Road to Rio” video series. This year, the company will continue to provide broadcast production for the Verizon IndyCar Series from the season start in St. Petersburg, FL, to its finale in Sonoma, CA, as well as system management and technical facilities for the Verizon IndyCar Series app.

Get in touch to meet with Interxion to learn how the company can deliver for the largest global content platforms and how they can help you.

KAUFMAN BROADCAST

n 2018, Kaufman has added a new C-band transportable uplink featuring a Comtech 5.5-meter antenna. Through a multi-year agreement with ESPN, Kaufman has expanded its fleet of uplink/encoding over satellite and fiber platforms for at-home production. At-home collegiate and professional sports broadcasts are produced remotely, saving on travel and labor expenses. Kaufman backhauls individual camera and audio feeds at extremely high data rates with microsecond accuracy. Centrally located in St. Louis, Kaufman has been providing transmission services for more than 35 years by satellite and fiber. The company also provides engineering services for the St. Louis Cardinals and Blues, and many broadcast and corporate clients throughout the Midwest.

KMH AUDIO-VIDEO INTEGRATION

RIMM is an engineering and consulting firm that researches, develops, and advises on the art of the possible in cybersecurity. The company services government and commercial clients in a diverse range of industries, providing security consulting, vulnerability research/ testing, and security training. Led by former military officers and industry experts, GRIMM provides tailored cybersecurity research, development, testing, training, and consulting services. The company’s practices build on the operational experience in cyber mission support for national defense as well as business and service improvement.

INTEGRATED MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES ntegrated Media Technologies is a digital-media and -technology company with offices in Los Angeles, Boston, and Dallas. Inc. magazine ranked IMT as the 25th fastest-growing private company in the technology-services industry. IMT serves the telecommunications, media and entertainment, institutional, and enterprise sectors with a broad range of solutions designed to drive new value and efficiencies from technology. IMT’s operations are segmented into three principal businesses: Consulting and Systems Integration Business, Video Collaboration, and IT Services.

MH is a full-service systems integrator providing end-to-end solutions to both the broadcast and postproduction environment and the retail, financial, and educational business segments. The company’s technical experts deliver high-quality, personalized service coupled with broad flexibility in diverse business environments. KMH associates have more than 100 years’ combined experience and offer solutions in turn-key, file-based workflow for digital asset management, project planning/management, architectural design and engineering integration, staging, programming/testing, commissioning, maintenance/support, and systems specification. KMH clients include the New York Giants, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union, and other Major League Soccer teams.

ILLUMINATION DYNAMICS

INTERXION

LH COMPUTER SERVICES

llumination Dynamics provides power, lighting, and technical services for numerous sports events across the nation and supports lighting in different parts of the world. January was very busy for ID’s broadcast division, starting off 2018 with college-football bowl games and including the CFB National Championship in Atlanta, golf in Hawaii, AMA SuperCross, ID’s 16th consecutive year in Aspen for X Games, the Pro Bowl in Orlando, and two shows in Minnesota for Super Bowl LII. Several new generators were commissioned and put to use in the new year, providing redundant power for most of these jobs. This past fall, ID completed its first college-football season using its newest

nterxion plays a key role in the OTT distribution of all content, especially sports. If you are in Europe or surrounding countries, it is extremely likely that the content you consume is delivered from one of Interxion’s highly connected data centers for the largest content platforms. Interxion enables its customers to reach their audiences with the highest possible user experience. If you are a content platform with European aspirations, Interxion should be on your meeting schedule. Interxion also plays a key role in the transition to at-home production by providing infrastructure for service providers to deliver centralization of sports-production facilities accessible by your own operators.

H, a reseller specializing in video-storage solutions for professional and collegiate sports, offers solutions that provide nextgeneration platforms for content production, distribution, and archive with the performance and reliability needed to meet extreme production and delivery deadlines. The company offers solutions with file systems, optimized for video, in an end-to-end solution from ingest to archive designed for performance from the ground up and built on the foundation of highperformance collaboration to leading post and broadcast organizations. LH has a variety of manufacturers to draw from, providing directattached storage, FCSANs, and a traditional NAS

GRIMM

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SPONSORUPDATE to meet the demanding workflow needs. Trust a partner like LH Computer Services that has a history of architecting and providing solutions to clients in the NBA, NCAA, and others.

LIVELIKE

iveLike is a technology company delivering the best live sports experience to fans on any mobile platform. Its white-label platform integrates the latest innovations in VR, AR, and MR to revolutionize sports viewing around the world. LiveLike supported Fox Sports in premiering live VR hockey content in UHD at 60 fps through the Fox Sports VR app at Hockey Day in Minnesota on Jan. 20. Fans used LiveLike’s innovative social virtual-reality feature allowing multiple people to view a game together, no matter their geographic location. This feature uses 3D avatars and spatial audio so that people can communicate immersively with friends in VR. Additionally, fans could choose their POV or watch the Director’s Cut, interact with stats, and much more.

LYON VIDEO

yon Video provides mobile televisionproduction facilities, equipment, technical management, and crewing for a wide variety of sports- and entertainment-event clients. Its recent investment in 4K UHD and high-speed image-capture equipment continues with EVS XT4K servers, UHD Fujinon lens, and UHD high-speed camera equipment. Lyon Video recently supplied a complete HDR hybrid log gamma production solution to Red Bull for Crashed Ice 2018 in Minneapolis. Equipment manufacturers Grass Valley, Sony, and Tektronix are supporting their HDR production with Lyon 11 and B5. HDR HLG content was authenticated to Samsung HDR-enabled devices via Red Bull TV. All video sources were available and distributed in HDR and SDR as needed by production.

MEASURE/M2 AERIALS

easure’s M2 Aerials division with NEP provided aerial coverage to the 2017 FISA World Rowing Championship in Sarasota, FL. M2 deployed a three-person team, led by Emmy Award-winning aerial cinematographer Eric Austin and assisted by a camera operator and a visual observer. Flying a DJI Inspire II fitted with a micro 4/3 lens and a 360° rotating gimbal, the team was able to capture HD broadcast-quality

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video for live race coverage and exciting scenic and establishing shots for bumps and show open and close. M2 Aerials offers highly experienced aerial cinematographers using the best in drone-based technology to create the ultimate visual experience for live events and scripted production.

MEDIA180

igital transition throughout the broadcast field has made it critical for all staff levels to learn new ways to go about their job and adapt to these changes to better control them. This challenges not only the evolution of the infrastructure but also the ability of all members of the team, including senior management. Media180 offers a customized training program for media, TV networks, and broadcast-services providers. After a thorough, onsite needs assessment, a course is created to cover the needs of IP networks and video-broadcast concepts. Developed with a majority of hands-on workshops, trainings allow better communication and an indispensable pooling of skills between people who have a primarily broadcast background and those who have a networking background. Studies have also shown that comprehensive training will allow companies to better retain their workforce and directly impact a company’s bottom line.

is affordable. Best of all, switching colors, logos, languages, and data is a breeze. Taking up just 4RU, Mixon Tech DD1 is a plug-and-play solution that gives anyone from a graphics novice to a seasoned professional the power to create exceptional graphic displays. Mixon Tech DD1 is a great solution for venues that host multiple teams, events, and sports and is designed to be easily configured as a year-round total event and venue entertainment-graphics solution.

MOBILE TV GROUP

obile TV Group continues to make advances in production technology and efficiency around 4K HDR, super slo mo, and the future of remote productions. Thanks to numerous live 4K HDR sports and entertainment events combined with in-house research, MTVG has developed systems to produce in HDR without affecting production workflow. Since mid December, all of MTVG’s 4K NBA productions have been in HDR, and its 39 FLEX mobile unit provided NBC with a 4K HDR facility for the 2018 Winter Olympics. MTVG continues to roll out new double-expando pairs of mobile units with the launch of 43 FLEX/VMU43 and 44 FLEX/VMU44 in 2018. These two-trailer systems will have four super-slo-mo cameras as standard equipment.

MPE METROVISION

etrovision has been offering domestic and international clients a full spectrum of mobile-production, mobile–satellite-transmission, flypacks, IP-media, and live–event-presentation services across North America since 1988. Along with having a fleet of mobile units and an extensive equipment inventory, Metrovision takes a turnkey, solutions-driven approach, combining technical expertise with strong commitment to customer service.

MIXON DIGITAL

fter two full years of rigorous worldwide venue testing, the Mixon Tech DD1 graphics product made its public debut as the venue-graphics solution for the 2018 NBA AllStar Weekend. Mixon Tech DD1 is a turnkey product that provides event producers an affordable and dynamic graphics solution for all venue displays. Now presenting any kind of team or player stats in a slick, cutting-edge look

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hen it’s extra innings and the go-ahead run is on base, whom do you want up to bat? When there’s only time to run one more play, whom do you get the ball to? MPE. MPE provides mission-critical postproduction video solutions for sports events across America. The company makes sure that its fly kits are rocksolid before they are shipped to your site. It packs items with care and packs spares because folks in the field need contingency plans. If things start to unravel mid-game, you can bring MPE in off the bench to get them under control. Just give them the damn ball! What does “postproduction video rentals” mean? To keep it simple, think Avid Composer, Adobe Premiere, sharedstorage networks, and tech support. With a vast inventory, MPE can equip any situation and fit within any footprint.

NATIONAL TELECONSULTANTS

ational TeleConsultants (NTC) provides comprehensive advisory and technology

services for a wide range of media enterprises, including sports, news, and general-entertainment channels. Its experience spans multiple disciplines, with practical subject-matter expertise in supply-chain management for acquisition, production operations, asset management, cloud/virtualization, distribution, cybersecurity, and much more.

the-scenes network of highly skilled technicians, engineers, and innovators.

PROGRAM PRODUCTIONS

extVR is a leading virtual-reality platform for delivering live sports and music in virtual reality to fans globally. Launched in 2009, the company has multiple patented technologies that deliver an unparalleled virtual-reality experience, providing fans extraordinary access and immersion. NextVR has world-class partnerships with leaders in sports and entertainment, including the NBA, NFL, Fox Sports, Live Nation, and the International Champions Cup.

rogram Productions’ ProCrewz data-management platform pushes the limit of passion. The company is unveiling all sorts of new features to streamline service for staff and clients. With an online chat feed allowing you to keep in direct contact, you can comment on jobs, post files, and ask questions. The new layout allows you to view anything from upcoming jobs to estimates and invoices, keeping you up-to-date on changes in crew or expenses. The client stays in the loop, too: any travel-expense approvals are sent with a link via ProCrewz. Everyone’s a part of the portal. Program Productions loves any new technology that helps its people and clients. It’s just another example of passion from every angle.

NILES MEDIA GROUP

PROSHOW BROADCAST

iles Media Group launched Niles Support this past year. The company has partnered with schools and conferences to help elevate student-produced broadcasts and provide technical support for events. Participating schools have seen great success over the past year. Entering the second year of Niles Support, Niles Media Group looks to connect with more schools that may be interested in live technical support, recording, and archiving services, as well as professional training. The company has developed technology to provide schools real-time assistance by industry professionals.

roshow offers six HD mobile–productionunit units, including its flagship truck Maestro, which features a full-length curb-side expand to allow seating for eight people in production and five in tape. In addition to providing traditional production trucks, Proshow also specializes in designing and providing purposebuilt mobile facilities for the growing at-home production approach.

NEXT VR

ORACLE

racle is a global leader in providing content-storage–management solutions for preserving, managing, and protecting media content. Oracle’s Content Storage Management solutions provide smart storage and easy access to assets. Additionally, the company has created the first-ever media-grade private-cloud CSM storage solution. Creating, archiving, and monetizing content is your business. Perfecting that process for today and the future is Oracle’s.

PRG

RG, a leader in entertainment and event production, specializes in wide-ranging solutions that help bring the world’s greatest creative visions to life. Its expertise is sought out the world over to solve unique production challenges for a broad range of markets. As your production partner, PRG always aims to provide personalized, one-on-one service. Each production is also supported by an incredible behind-

RAPTOR VISION

aptor Vision is building an integrated solution-driven platform designed to enable the live–sports and entertainment-production industry’s desire to better know its customers, serve them better, and allow sponsors to personalize marketing communication with fans. Raptor Vision will allow venues, leagues, sports teams, and promoters to take advantage of the proliferation, collection, and analysis of valuable data to enhanced viewer/fan experiences. Raptor Vision is offering a 360/VR solution in a box with clear deployment and execution support.

RF WIRELESS

ith a 30-year history of providing wireless solutions to the broadcast industry, RF Wireless turns a new page and sets sights on the next 30 with Ben Boriss and Rob Bunn at the helm. RF Wireless believes it’s imperative to support clients’ growth; in turn, the company experiences equal growth. RF Wireless’s extensive event background permitted it to support partners at the Ironman World Championships, Hawaii; FIS Ski World Cup, Lake Louise, AB; NHL All-Star; NHL Winter Classic; CFL Grey Cup;

F1, Montreal; Formula E, Montreal and NY; ITU, Edmonton and Montreal; Crankworx, Whistler; LAAC Golf, Chile; World Junior Hockey Championships, Buffalo; and events supporting Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis. RF Wireless added the Wireless RAD intercom to its lineup for rental and retail, and expanded its line of camera links, backhauls, fiber transport, and wireless-audio solutions. RF Wireless continues to be central in frequency acquisition and management in Canada.

ROCK-IT CARGO

s a leading provider of freight-forwarding and logistics services, Rock-It Cargo combines highly seasoned agents with the most trusted global network in the industry to deliver extraordinary events. The company has spent decades building relationships with the most reliable and accredited cargo agencies around the world to ensure that your shipments arrive safely and on time no matter the location. Handcrafted logistics means that meticulous care is given to every project and personal service to every client. From supply chain management, project coordination, and tour planning to ATA carnet processing, insurance procurement, and on-site staff, Rock-It Cargo provides complete logistical support tailored to the specific needs of its customers.

SAUNDERS ELECTRIC

aunders Electric has been providing reliable portable power for live broadcasts and Hollywood productions since 1952. The company was awarded a Technical Emmy for development of the Synchronous Power System. Family-owned and -operated, Saunders Electric is an innovation leader in energy-saving systems and is an alternative-energy partner with Sandia National Laboratories.

SDTV

atellite Digital Teleproductions has been a leader in remote satellite uplink/downlink with multicamera television production for more than 25 years. The company was the first to design and build a multicamera broadcast vehicle and Ku-band satellite uplink packaged in a rapidly deployable format. SDTV has the capabilities to provide an instantaneous television or data feed to locations around the world. Additionally, the company is setting a new standard by offering cost-effective HD-television– production solutions while using the most advanced broadcast equipment for clients big and small. As specialists in the television industry, SDTV uses the latest in broadcast-quality tech-

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SPONSORUPDATE nologies. The company’s fully redundant equipment affords its clientele extra security with programming needs. Domestically and internationally, SDTV has expertly covered all types of breaking news, press tours, sports events, and teleconferences.

SKYCAM/CABLECAM

kycam/Cablecam is a leading designer, manufacturer, and operator of mobile aerial camera systems. The Skycam and Cablecam systems center around a sophisticated, computer-controlled cable suspension system that supports, stabilizes, and allows for three-dimensional movement of a camera to capture overhead video of major events. In 2017, SkyCam, with its partners SMT, Ross Video, and Vizrt, continued to develop new technologies including player tracking and next-gen stats, leveraging SkyCam WildCat data allowing broadcasters to insert volumetric augmented reality graphics in real-time.

SMARTCART SVX

martCart SVX is a mobile, custom-built, highly adaptable, ultra-bright, all-weather touchscreen analysis and presentation system specifically built for sports broadcasters as a presentation and analysis hub from the center of the live action. It returns for another round on CBS Sports in 2018, this time sponsored by Quicken Loans. CBS Sports will feature SmartCart SVX on every one of its 2018 PGA TOUR events. SmartCart technology allows on-air talent to analyze and telestrate a wide variety of data, including golf swings and shots, difficulty of holes, scorecards, and compelling content from action on the course. SmartCart SVX works seamlessly with broadcast-graphics solutions from all the major vendors and can also be equipped with its own on-board graphics server ready for the latest remote-production and OTT applications. The company has also launched SmartPad Pro, offers the technology used in the SmartCart SVX but in a smaller footprint. The built-to-order system ships in a flight case with 65- and 55-in. screen sizes available.

SMT

MT’s motorsports technology turns race fans into active participants, whether at home, at the track, or on the go. SMT’s graphics illustrate the cat-and-mouse chases between

142

cars, trucks, or motorcycles with driver comparisons, pit stats, fuel-mileage estimates, and chasing-the-leader projections. SMT’s technology captures the full breadth of the racing experience by translating this data into intriguing visualizations that keep audiences engaged. SMT products, such as NASCAR’s RACEf/x tracking and pointer system, directs fans’ attention to the storylines in play, and SMT’s Race Crawl system displays starting lineups, leaderboards, results, and points. SMT’s virtual offerings include sponsor graphics, billboards, pylons, pit-stall badges, player cards, and start and finish lines. In-stadium fans are riveted by SMT’s MaxVision scoreboard productions with live video, trivia contests, and social-media polls. Subscribers to SMT’s interactive NASCAR RaceView app are rewarded with 3D race virtualization, position tracking, driver telemetry, and race audio.

SOS GLOBAL

n 2017, SOS Global had the privilege to work on many high-profile events: the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia, Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia, Alaska Live (BBC), and many high-profile annual events, such as the X Games, Super Bowl, U.S. Open golf, British Open, PGA Championship, NBA, and MLB games. On the company’s 2018 schedule are the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia, and the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia. Planning for all these events includes in-country teams, air-charter flights, turnkey budgeting and execution, planning and performance that SOS Global’s customers routinely expect. SOS Global is a diverse company with a major footprint in the U.S. as well as an increasing international presence through wholly owned offices and long-term partners worldwide, most recently adding SOS Global Russia to the worldwide team. The company’s Russian team complements and works closely with the German, UK, and U.S. offices to execute major events throughout Russia and former CIS countries.

SPORTRADAR

portradar US is a fast-growing sports-data provider in North America. The company has developed proficient software, distributing content and data that is easy to consume while setting new standards for speed and accuracy. The Sportradar group is truly an international

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

organization, employing more than 1,600 people in more than 30 locations around the world.

STATS

TATS played a pivotal role in Super Bowl LII coverage, providing fast and accurate up-tothe-minute play-by-play scoring and updates across all devices, even with the particularly lively box score. Super Bowl coverage capped off another successful season of supporting more than 80% of NFL broadcasts, including extensive pregame storylines and player and team predictions, live updates, and postgame coverage. STATS replicated its Super Bowl success with extensive Winter Olympics coverage and has key moments planned for March Madness and the 2018 World Cup. Using STATSPASS, broadcast providers are able to quickly answer inquiries and uncover compelling stories using the largest sports database, dating back to 1876. In January, STATS was named FantasyPros’ 2017 Most Accurate Fantasy Football Experts, receiving the recognition for the third consecutive year, as well as the Fantasy Sports Trade Association’s 2017 Best Data Provider.

SUPPONOR

upponor, the virtual-replacement technology (VRT) specialist, continues to extend its range of deployment partnerships with broadcasters, rights owners, and other technology providers in the virtual-advertising ecosystem. Busy scaling VRT technology in European soccer with the likes of La Liga and Mediapro in Spain, Bundesliga and Sportcast in Germany, and other major leagues and clubs, Supponor remains active with various North American sports properties working on league-wide deployment opportunities for its technology. Recent highlights have included adding more LED signage partners to the Supponor Partner Programme (growing compatible systems), the latest being TGI (one of UEFA’s preferred suppliers and partner to many of the world’s biggest football clubs, such as Manchester United and FC Barcelona). 2018 will also see the release of Supponor’s next-generation optics technology – essential for delivering the high-quality virtualgraphics keying that broadcasters across the world will be comfortable with. Another great year in store!

T2 COMPUTING

2 Computing, an Axispoint company, knows the solutions and industry standards required to manage a company’s critical media assets. The company brings a solutions-based approach to content production and postproduction for media companies of all sizes. T2 is known for experience, talent, and creativity in MAM and storage and workflow solutions. From production to archive, its sales and professional services teams identify, deploy, and support tools and systems for end-to-end digital media solutions. The company’s clients span a range of verticals from traditional and newmedia companies to financial and medical services, advertising, and publishing.

TELESCOPE

leader in audience engagement, Telescope delivers record-breaking solutions for the world’s biggest sports brands and associations to create, publish, and monetize content. Its Live Studio Camera app lets you get fans even closer to the action by giving them true behind-thescenes access. Think live Q&As with athletes, interactions with coaches, or exclusive giveaways. Working in conjunction with the Live Studio streaming platform, the app enables the user to create professional live streams on the fly. For sports, it enables athletes and teams to create engaging live social-video experiences that deliver organic reach and build deeper connections with fans. Simply grab your phone and embrace moments wherever you are. Telescope is trusted by the world’s largest media brands and social platforms, including Facebook, NBC, Fox, NASA, CNN, Twitter, NBA, NASCAR, Sony, Amazon, CBS, Netflix, and Coca-Cola.

TV GRAPHICS

V Graphics continues to enhance its Allin-One solution, a flexible CG solution for broadcast and streaming. The All-in-One offers traditional features: clock and score, lower thirds, and full-screen, interstitial, and datadriven stat pages. Additional features include dual-channel functionality, multiple-playlist support, and NDI-IP compatibility. This core product of the TV Graphics catalog has helped clients like the Pac-12 Network, ROOT Sports, and the National Pro Grid League bridge the gap between traditional and online broadcasts while maintaining high-quality productions.

UNITY SYSTEMS INTEGRATION

orking with top Canadian companies Rogers Media and Dome Productions, Unity Systems Integration supported the end-

to-end design and integration of live 4K (UHD) broadcasting in 2017. Dome’s latest mobile unit, Vista, was Unity’s third 4K truck launched in Canada since the beginning of 2016. While Vista was being completed, Unity researched IP solutions for Rogers Media’s upcoming mastercontrol project in Toronto. In the U.S., Unity has been working with Syracuse University to expand its venue infrastructure in anticipation of the ESPN ACC Network launch in 2019. Whatever you need, Unity will bring your broadcast vision to life.

VISTA WORLDLINK

n 2017, VISTA Worldlink, a leader in global media solutions since 1988, completed expansion of the company’s South Florida facility as a premiere at-home broadcast center. VISTA executed more than 500 at-home events and 1,000 integrations throughout the year, distributing content to social-media, digital, and linear platforms. The evolution of VISTA has catapulted the company, which always embraced innovation and technology. This year, VISTA Worldlink celebrates its 30th year servicing the media industry. With an additional roster of at-home and integration services packaged with its core suite of services, the company is well-positioned to grow and expand with the rapidly changing industry. The company welcomes the second full season of at-home production, allowing the VISTA team to support additional customers enhancing production requirements while working within budgetary guidelines. Continuing to evolve, the company embraces the customer-service culture, the foundation on which all the growth was built. The VISTA team will be on hand to discuss its ongoing growth and expansion with industry colleagues attending NAB 2018.

VITAC

ITAC supports sports leagues, broadcasters, TV networks, OTT providers, stadiums, and arenas with reliable, high-quality captions for live and recorded sports events. The company captions more than 500,000 hours of programming each year and employs the largest team of qualified, trained captioners in the U.S. VITAC specializes in accessibility and compliance, helping sports-video providers meet FCC and ADA requirements, thereby reaching the one in three adults in the U.S. that benefit from captions. Recent successes include providing captioning services for the PyeongChang Winter Games, Super Bowl LII, and the NHL Winter Classic, as well as in-stadium captions for MLB’s Ballpark mobile app. VITAC also provides quick-turnaround captioning for live clips of sports events, simultaneous encoder

and IP connectivity for web and TV captioning, and dual-mode delivery of captions to ribbon boards and handheld devices in stadiums, arenas, and convention centers.

WARNER/CHAPPELL PRODUCTION MUSIC

leading production music rights service, Warner/Chappell Production Music has more than 35 years of experience uniting many of the most successful and respected independent brands in production music, including 615 Music, Non-Stop Music, Groove Addicts, V – The Production Library, and Full Tilt. The brands in its library have been the recipients of many industry awards, including multiple Emmys, Tellys, ADDYs, and Promax honors. Warner/Chappell Production Music comprises more than 90 catalogs worldwide. Collectively, it has composed works for countless well-known TV programs, movies, and companies, including ESPN, MLB Network, NFL Films, ABC, Super Bowl, NBA Finals, Fox Sports, 2014 World Cup, SEC Network, NASCAR, Cleveland Indians, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Cubs, Speed Channel, Portland Trailblazers, and Boston Red Sox.

WAZEE DIGITAL

azee Digital and technical partner BASE Media Cloud have combined their cloud-based services for Formula E. The joint solution allows Formula E to make its media content instantly accessible to a wide range of global media recipients, both during and after international live race events. This positions Formula E as the most innovative rights owner in the sports landscape. The solution incorporates BASE Media Cloud’s storage and Aspera platform, with Digital Media Hub, a SaaS portal from Wazee Digital, to enable secure search, viewing, and syndication of Formula E’s media assets — all from one easy-to-use, elegant Formula E-branded web interface. Digital Media Hub is a powerful, centralized, cloud-based solution that allows video content to be captured and made immediately available for global access, publishing, and syndication. Through Digital Media Hub’s elegant user interface, users can acquire, enhance, and distribute media gleaned from production, postproduction, and live-event environments.

WIPSTER

ipster is a cloud-based video-collaboration, -review, and -publishing platform that enables sports organizations to produce up to three times more video content in half the time. Used by MLB, NASCAR, and the Orlando

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O E D I V S T R O P S CTION PRODU ION T U B I DISTR ENT M E G ENGA

ATLANTA

FOR MORE INFO AND TO REGISTER: SPORTSVIDEO.COM

#SVGCOLLEGE

SPONSORUPDATE Magic, Wipster is the primary postproduction workflow tool for video content for live highlights, interviews, sponsored footage, and more. Integrations with Slack, Adobe Premiere and After Effects, and other video tools make real-time collaboration between both video editors and reviewers frictionless. Video plays a key role in keeping sports organizations engaged with the communities and fans that they serve: marketing teams rely on Wipster to help them store, tag, manage, and publish their media content so it can be used for updates, events, community involvement, and seasonal campaigns. When sports organizations use video to engage audiences, fans

get to be a part of the story whether they are at the games or not, and advertiser partners get additional exposure and value from sponsorships.

WSC SPORTS TECHNOLOGIES

SC Sports Technologies developed an award-winning technology that generates personalized videos for every sports fan on any platform, automatically and in real time. Using AI and machine learning, WSC’s platform analyzes live sports broadcasts, identifies each and every event that occurs in the game, creates perfectly packaged customized short-form video content, and publishes

to any digital destination. This enables partners to instantly generate and distribute professionally edited clips and videos on a large scale to engage their variegated audiences and create new monetization opportunities. WSC’s platform is used by leading sports organizations and media-rights holders, including Turner Sports, NBA and all its teams, FIBA, US Open tennis, and WSL. Recently, WSC Sports added Cricket Australia to its lucrative client portfolio. The WSC platform gives the organization’s digital team a chance to create more content and better content more easily. <

, 2018 JUNE 1 NN CENTER – 0 3 at C MAY HOTEL S OMNI TA SPORT L ATLAN LLEGE VA

THE 10TH ANNUAL

2018

SUMMI

ESTI ng CO featuri AWARDS&F MEDIA

Ceremony May 31 at

in Atlanta

SPONSORINDEX SPONSOR

PG.

3G WIRELESS ADDER TECHNOLOGY ADOBE

ADORAMA

LEVEL

CONTACT

PHONE

Mobile

Gordon Capaccio

GordonC@3gwireless.tv

410-969-3501

Corporate

Tim Conway

usasales@adder.com

888-932-3337

Premier

Kathy Scibetta

waiteassociates@gmail.com

408-564-8909

Corporate

Raymond Blumenthal

raymondb@adorama.com

516-356-3825

AE GRAPHICS

Mobile

Neale Connell

neale@aelgraphics.co.uk

[44] 1442 234 531

AERIAL VIDEO SYSTEMS

Mobile

Argyle Nelson

argyle@aerialvideo.com

818-954-8842

Premier

Christina Oliver

christinao@aja.com

530-271-3326

AJA VIDEO SYSTEMS

AJT SYSTEMS

Premier

Marilyn Monteagudo

sales@ajtsystems.com

954-776-4591

AKAMAI

Premier

Shane Keats

skeats@akamai.com

857-285-9061

ALDEA SOLUTIONS

Premier

Larry Tonon

larry.tonon@aldea.tv

514-461-4136

ALL MOBILE VIDEO

Mobile

Eric Duke

eduke@amvchelsea.com

212-727-9862

ALLIANCE PRODUCTIONS

Mobile

Craig Farrell

craig@allianceproductions.com

501-219-2653

ALPHA VIDEO

Mobile

Jeffrey Volk

jeff.volk@alphavideo.com

952-841-3311

AMPTHINK

Mobile

Chip Foley

chip.foley@ampthink.com

917-496-6800

ANIXTER

Corporate

Jon Roberts

jon.roberts@anixter.com

310-795-2600

APERI

Corporate

Joop Janssen

jjanssen@apericorp.com

[32] 4 717 171 79

APM MUSIC

Corporate

Betsy McColl

bmccoll@apmmusic.com

323-461-3211 x131

ARCTEK SATELLITE PRODUCTIONS

Mobile

Brian Stanley

bstanley@arcteksat.com

612-308-9079

ARISTA NETWORKS

Corporate

Bryan Obeidzinski

bryano@arista.com

917-940-0097

ARTEL VIDEO SYSTEMS

Corporate

Joanne Pederson

sales@artel.com

978-263-5775

ARVATO SYSTEMS

Corporate

Thomas Mauro

tom.mauro@arvatosystems.com

646-589-3859

Premier

Francois Quereuil

francoisq@us.ibm.com

510-849-2386 x207

AT&T GLOBAL VIDEO SERVICE

Platinum

Scott Beckett

sb9485@att.com

214-647-0486

ATEME

Corporate

Dave Brass

d.brass@ateme.com

484-860-0358

AUDIO-TECHNICA U.S.

Corporate

Mike Edwards

medwards@atus.com

330-686-2600 x2030

AV DESIGN SERVICES

Mobile

Jim Landy

jmlandy@avds.tv

609-531-2642

ASPERA, AN IBM COMPANY

AVID

Premier

Doug Price

doug.price@avid.com

817-239-9626

AWS ELEMENTAL

Platinum

Manuel De PeÃ±a

manueldp@elemental.com

703-819-1644

AZZURRO GROUP

Mobile

Mark Lowden

mlowden@azzurrogroup.com

212-625-2372

BEACON INTERNATIONAL

Mobile

Michael Hardesty

michael@beaconequip.com

623-975-2300

BECKTV

Mobile

Fred Wright

fwright@becktv.com

972-505-8941

Platinum

Craig Schiller

cschiller@bexel.com

818-565-4202

Platinum

Bob Caniglia

bobc@blackmagicdesign.com

408-954-0500 x319

BLUEFRAME TECHNOLOGY

Corporate

Darren Brown

darren@blueframetech.com

859-619-4288

BRAINSTORM

Corporate

Brad Rumler

brumler@brainstorm3d.com

201-888-9599

BROADCAST SERVICES INTERNATIONAL (BSI)

Mobile

Jim Eady

jim@bsi-tv.com

905-332-2171

BROADCAST SPORTS INTERNATIONAL (BSI)

Corporate

Jeremy Pink

jeremy.pink@bsintl.com

410-564-2621

BROAMAN

Premier

Florian Myrus

f.myrus@broaman.com

[49] 89 8999 640

CALHOUN SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

Mobile

Kevin Husband

k.husband@calhounsat.com

305-655-2629

BEXEL BLACKMAGIC DESIGN

146

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

SPONSOR INDEX SPONSOR

PG.

LEVEL

CONTACT

PHONE

CALREC AUDIO/DIGICO

Platinum

Jack Kelly

jackk@g1limited.com

631-396-0184 x102

CAMPLEX

Premier

Daniel Coscarella

daniel@camplex.com

800-445-7568 x7409

CANARE CANON U.S.A.

CARTONI CAT ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES CATDV CBT SYSTEMS CENTURYLINK (LEVEL 3)

CHESAPEAKE SYSTEMS CHYRONHEGO

Jose Martinez

jmartinez@canare.com

973-837-0070 x101

Platinum

Richard Eilers

reilers@.cusa.canon.com

609-480-6019

Corporate

Steven Manios

steve@maniosdigital.com

818-760-8240

Mobile

Greg Landa

greg.landa@es-cat.com

904-494-7532

Corporate

Ryan Servant

ryan@squarebox.com

646-423-3017

Mobile

Darrell Wenhardt

darrell@cbt-net.com

858-536-2927

Platinum

Jennifer Cleveland

jennifer.cleveland@centurylink.com

571-485-8781

Mobile

Nick Gold

nick@chesa.com

410-400-8932

Premier

Jesper Gawell

jesper.gawell@chyronhego.com

646-469-2272

CINESYS-OCEANA

Mobile

Brent Angle

brent.angle@cinesysinc.com

713-272-0732

CISCO

Premier

Shawn Tylka

Tylkas@cisco.com

770-236-4603

CLARK MEDIA

Mobile

Gary Snyder

garys@clarkmedia.com

610-694-9800

Corporate

Tom Yatabe

tom.yatabe@clarkwire.com

800-222-5348 x18

Bradley.Kellogg@Clearcom.com

510-337-6601

CLARK WIRE & CABLE CLEAR-COM, AN HME COMPANY

Premier

Bradley Kellogg

CLOUDIAN

Premier

Sean Coughlin

scoughlin@cloudian.com

914-715-8261

COBALT DIGITAL

Premier

Bob McAlpine

Bob.McAlpine@cobaltdigital.com

217-531-0165

Mobile

James Baldwin

sales@commeng.com

703-550-5800

Premier

Chris Crump

ccrump@comrex.com

978-784-1776

CORESITE

Corporate

Moe Younes

moe.younes@coresite.com

212-574-5876

CREATIVE DIMENSIONS

Corporate

Joel Roy

jroy@gowithcd.com

203-250-6517

Mobile

Noah Gusdorff

noah@cmsi.tv

818-847-7390

COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING INC. (CEI) COMREX

CREATIVE MOBILE SOLUTIONS INC. (CMSI) CRYSTAL & COMPANY

Corporate

Nick Hellmuth

Nicholas.hellmuth@crystalco.com

212-504-1827

CSP MOBILE PRODUCTIONS

Mobile

Len Chase

len@cspmobile.com

207-282-9680

CTG (COMPREHENSIVE TECHNICAL GROUP)

Mobile

Jim Lee

Jlee@ctgatlanta.com

678-387-5507

DAKTRONICS

Corporate

Sales

sales@daktronics.com

800-325-8766

DALE PRO AUDIO

Corporate

Michael Descoteau

miked@daleproaudio.com

857-756-6980

DALET DIGITAL MEDIA SYSTEMS

Corporate

Eric Carson

ecarson@dalet.com

918-327-9171

DELAPLEX

Corporate

Hayes Stamper

hstamper@delaplex.com

404-876-3334 x328

DELL EMC

Corporate

Bhavesh Lad

bhavesh.lad@dell.com

818-633-1228

DELUXE ENTERTAINMENT

Corporate

Rick Phelps

rick.phelps@bydeluxe.com

212-444-5805

Mobile

John McCluskey

john.mccluskey@barnfindamericas.com

888-491-6903

DIGITALGLUE DIMETIS GMBH DIVERSIFIED DMC BROADCAST GROUP DNA STUDIOS DOLBY LABORATORIES

Corporate

Glenn Booth

gbooth@dimetis.com

720-253-5706

Mobile

Christopher Sullivan

CSullivan@diversifiedus.com

201-670-6548

Corporate

Don Cardone

don@dmcbroadcastgroup.com

908-998-1080

Mobile

Sam Schrade

sam@dnawebs.com

281-802-8000

Platinum

Cherylene McKinney

cherylene.mckinney@dolby.com

646-823-1523

DOME PRODUCTIONS

Mobile

Mary Ellen Carlyle

mcarlyle@domeprod.com

416-341-2022

DUNCAN VIDEO

Mobile

Bryan Adams

badams@duncanvid.com

317-815-6300

DX3 MEDIA

Mobile

Dale Smith

dalesmith@DX3media.ca

416-433-3261

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

147

SPONSOR INDEX SPONSOR

PG.

LEVEL

CONTACT

PHONE

EEG ENTERPRISES

Corporate

Eric McErlain

ericm@eegent.com

516-293-7472 x502

ENCOMPASS DIGITAL MEDIA

Corporate

Joe Garzillo

jgarzillo@encompass-m.com

203-965-6334

ERICSSON

Corporate

Dan Burnett

daniel.burnett@ericsson.com

678-689-6535

Mobile

Alan Henry

alan@esbroadcast.com

[44] 0 1923 804645

Platinum

Jim Scott

jim.scott@eurovision.net

973-650-9577

Premier

Paul Kosac

pkosac@eutelsat.com

678-722-1107

orest@evertz.com

905-335-3700

ES BROADCAST EUROVISION

EUTELSAT EVERTZ

Premier

Orest Holyk

EVS

Premier

James Stellpflug

j.stellpflug@evs.com

973-575-2140

Mobile

George Orgera

GeorgeO@fandfhd.tv

727-535-6776

Corporate

Larry Witherspoon

larry@fan-connect.com

704-837-7099

FILMWERKS INTERNATIONAL

Mobile

Michael Satrazemis

michaels@filmwerksintl.com

910-675-1145

FINGERWORKS TELESTRATORS

Corporate

Bryan McKoen

bryan@telestrator.com

604-762-1477

FLETCHER SPORTS

Corporate

Dan Grainge

dan@fletch.com

312-932-2704

FORBIDDEN TECHNOLOGIES

Corporate

Richie Murray

richie.murray@forbidden.co.uk

615-859-5754

F&F PRODUCTIONS FANCONNECT

FRAUNHOFER

Corporate

Robert Bleidt

robert.bleidt@dmt.fraunhofer.org

408-573-9901

FUJIFILM/FUJINON

Platinum

Gordon Tubbs

gtubbs@fujifilm.com

973-686-2769

FX DESIGN GROUP

Premier

Mack McLaughlin

mmclaughlin@fxgroup.tv

407-877-9600

G&D NORTH AMERICA INC.

Corporate

Carlos YaÃ±ez

cyanez@gd-northamerica.com

786-456-5116

GAME CHANGER MVP

Corporate

Matt Coy

mcoy@gcmvp.com

602-625-1049

GAME CREEK VIDEO

Mobile

Pat Sullivan

sullgame@aol.com

603-821-2205

GEARHOUSE BROADCAST

Mobile

Marc Genin

mgenin@gearhousebroadcast.com

818-955-9449

GERLING & ASSOCIATES

Corporate

Fred Gerling

fredg@gerlinggroup.com

740-965-2888

GLOBECAST

Corporate

Tim Jackson

tim.jackson@globecastna.com

310-849-3901

Mobile

Mike Scotto

mikes@globecomm.com

631-457-1179

Corporate

Mike Kelley

mike@grabyo.com

914-584-7324

Platinum

Steve Stubelt

stephen.stubelt@grassvalley.com

862-216-7070

GLOBECOMM SYSTEMS GRABYO GRASS VALLEY, A BELDEN BRAND

GRIMM

Corporate

Christine Piry

christine@grimm-co.com

202-499-0886

HAIVISION

Corporate

Karen McCone

kmccone@haivision.com

514-993-2683

HARMONIC

Corporate

Bill Cordo

bill.cordo@harmonicinc.com

201-669-0890

Platinum

Erik Weaver

erik.weaver@wdc.com

408-717-9217

Mobile

Phil Engborg

phil@carr-hughes.com

518-584-0202

HGST/G-TECHNOLOGY

HIGH ROCK MOBILE TELEVISION IBM SYSTEMS

Premier

Scott Wig

swig@us.ibm.com

905-696-4945

IHSE USA

Premier

Dan Holland

dholland@ihseusa.com

732-738-8780

IKEGAMI

Premier

Erin Rice

erice@ikegami.com

859-333-4636

Mobile

Rich Williams

rich@illuminationdynamics.com

818-686-6400

ILLUMINATION DYNAMICS IMAGE VIDEO

Corporate

Zach Wilkie

zwilkie@imagevideo.com

416-750-8872 x228

IMAGEN

Corporate

Ian Mottashed

ian.mottashed@imagenevp.com

[44] 1954 262004

Premier

Mary Schoof

mary.schoof@imaginecommunications.com

703-869-2042

IMAGINE COMMUNICATIONS IMS PRODUCTIONS IMT/VISLINK INTEGRATED MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES (IMT) INTELSAT

148

Mobile

Robby Greene

rgreene@imsptv.com

317-492-8710

Corporate

John Procacci

john.procacci@imt-solutions.com

619-993-4518

Mobile

Tom McGowan

tom.mcgowan@imtglobalinc.com

818-761-9770

Corporate

Sales

sales.na@intelsat.com

703-559-6800

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

SPONSOR INDEX SPONSOR

PG.

LEVEL

CONTACT

PHONE

INTERXION

Corporate

Richard Craig-McFeely

richardc@interxion.com

[44] 07342 949663

IPTEC

Corporate

Glen Green

glen.green@v-tech-llc.com

936-520-6042

IRDETO

Corporate

Paul Ragland

paul.ragland@irdeto.com

303-396-0067

ISTREAMPLANET

Corporate

Eric Weinstein

bd@istreamplanet.com

718-732-0173

JB&A DISTRIBUTION

Corporate

Maria Casey

mariac@jbanda.com

415-256-2800

Premier

Yohay Hahamy

yohay@josephelectronics.com

847-501-1584

Corporate

Craig Yanagi

cyanagi@us.jvckenwood.com

973-317-5176

KAUFMAN BROADCAST

Mobile

Bill Kaufman

bill.kaufman@kaufmanbroadcast.com

314-533-6633

KMH AUDIO-VIDEO INTEGRATION

Mobile

Kevin Henneman

khenneman@kmh-integration.com

800-590-2520

JOSEPH ELECTRONICS JVCKENWOOD USA

LAWO

Platinum

Jeffrey Stroessner

jeffrey.stroessner@lawo.com

[49] 7222 1002 5150

LEADER INSTRUMENTS

Corporate

Scott Cannon

cannon@leaderamerica.com

800-645-5104

LEGRAND AV DIVISION

Corporate

Gordon Wason

gordon.wason@middleatlantic.com

516-350-2327

LIMELIGHT NETWORKS

Corporate

Meredith Johnson

meredithj@llnw.com

602-850-5384

LH COMPUTER SERVICES

Mobile

Doug Cole

dcole@lhcomp.com

954-752-5805

LIVELIKE

Mobile

Fabrice Lorenceau

fabrice@livelikevr.com

[33] 14 500 1949

LIVEU

Platinum

Mike Savello

mike@liveu.tv

201-742-5227

LTN GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS

Corporate

Rich Rozycki

rrozycki@ltndigital.com

646-832-1952

Mobile

Chad Snyder

chad@LyonVideo.com

614-319-4071

LYON VIDEO MARKERTEK

Premier

Gregory DeCelle

greg@towerpower.com

845-246-2357

MARSHALL ELECTRONICS

Corporate

Jackson Root

jackson@marshallelectronics.net

310-333-0606 x1187

MASSTECH INNOVATIONS

Premier

Luc Tomasino

Luc.tomasino@masstech.com

918-605-3236

MAXON

Corporate

Paul Babb

paul@maxon.net

805-376-3331

MEASURE

Mobile

Jon Ollwerther

jollwerther@measure.com

908-868-4674

MEDIA 180

Mobile

Pascal Souclier

pascal.souclier@media180.tv

212-260-5924

Corporate

David Herfert

dherfert@medialinks.com

860-206-9163

METROVISION

Mobile

Jim McGillion

jim@metrovision.tv

212-989-1515

MICROSOFT

Premier

Scott Bounds

sbounds@microsoft.com

646-225-4380

Corporate

Christina Mixon

christina@mixondigital.com

917-383-8121

MEDIA LINKS

MIXON DIGITAL MOBILE TV GROUP

Mobile

Philip Garvin

pgarvin@coloradostudios.com

303-542-5555

MPE

Corporate

Neal Pilzer

neal@mpenyc.com

212-245-0969

MX1

Corporate

Susanna MandelMantello

susanna.mantello@mx1.com

203-661-7971

Premier

Derek Myers

d.myers@neoti.com

260-494-1499 x601

Platinum

Susan Matis

smatis@nepgroup.com

412-423-1339

NET INSIGHT

Corporate

David Dellafave

david.dellafave@netinsight.net

201-669-2037

NEULION

Corporate

Dana Williams

Dana.williams@neulion.com

516-622-8301

NEVION

Corporate

Mike Root

sales@nevion.com

212-380-0550

Premier

Ruben Ruiz

rruiz@newtek.com

210-370-8000

NEOTI NEP GROUP, INC.

NEWTEK

NEXTVR

Mobile

Todd Cogan

todd@nextvr.com

949-494-4321

NILES MEDIA GROUP

Mobile

John Denison

jdenison@nilesmediagroup.com

816-457-1798

Corporate

James Kim

james.1.kim@nokia.com

415-640-8000

NTC (NATIONAL TELECONSULTANTS)

Mobile

Steven Mendel

steven.mendel@ntc.com

818-265-3605

NTT ELECTRONICS

Premier

Atsushi Takahara

takahara@nel-america.com

201-556-1770

NOKIA

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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SPONSOR INDEX SPONSOR

LEVEL

CONTACT

PHONE

OOYALA

Corporate

Jarrod Schwartz

jarrod@ooyala.com

650-814-6108

OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION

Corporate

Eric Altizer

eric.altizer@occfiber.com

800-622-7711

Premier

Carter Hoskins

carter.hoskins@us.panasonic.com

770-619-1779

Mobile

Koby Zontag

kzontag@pccwglobal.com

212-389-6257

PLIANT TECHNOLOGIES

Corporate

Gary Rosen

Gary.Rosen@PliantTechnologies.com

818-264-9730

PRG

Corporate

Brian Edwards

bedwards@prg.com

818-252-2630

PRIME FOCUS TECHNOLOGIES

Corporate

Chris Ziemer

chris.ziemer@primefocus.com

917-459-7469

PRIMESTREAM

Corporate

Robert Lisman

robertlisman@primestream.com

305-625-4415

PRODUCTIONHUB

Corporate

Steve Rotz

srotz@productionhub.com

877-629-4122

PROFESSIONAL WIRELESS SYSTEMS

Corporate

Jim Van Winkle

JimmyV@ProfessionalWireless.com

407-240-2880

PROGRAM PRODUCTIONS

Mobile

Robert Carzoli

rcarzoli@programproductions.com

630-282-0155

PROSHOW BROADCAST

Mobile

Tim Lewis

timlewis@proshow.com

604-293-1771

PSSI/STRATEGIC TV

Mobile

Clayton Packard

cpackard@pssiglobal.com

310-575-4400

Platinum

Ruth Compton

ruth.compton@quantum.com

949-856-7793

PANASONIC

PG.

PCCW GLOBAL

QUANTUM

QUANTUM5X SYSTEMS

Corporate

Paul Johnson

pjohnson@q5x.com

519-675-6999

RADIO ACTIVE DESIGNS

Corporate

Geoff Shearing

gshearing@radioactiverf.com

402-477-0695

Mobile

James Francis

james@rptrv.com

212-771-6110

Corporate

Jeff Heimbold

j.heimbold@realitychecksystems.com

323-465-3900

RAPTOR VISION REALITY CHECK SYSTEMS RF WIRELESS

Mobile

Rob Bunn

rob.bunn@rfwireless.com

613-228-7171

RIEDEL COMMUNICATIONS

Platinum

Joyce Bente

joyce.bente@riedel.net

818-559-6900

ROCK-IT CARGO

Corporate

Hillary Nosbisch

hillaryn@rockitcargo.com

940-465-0303

ROSS VIDEO

Platinum

Kevin Cottam

kcottam@rossvideo.com

613-228-0688 x4366

RT SOFTWARE

Corporate

Mike Fredriksen

mike.fredriksen@rtsw.co.uk

[44] 020 7384 2711

SANKEN/BRAINSTORM ELECTRONICS

Corporate

Jim Pace

jpace@plus24.net

323-855-1404

Mobile

Candace Saunders

candace@saunderselectric.com

615-514-8140

Corporate

Drew Wanstall

dwanstall@scalelogicinc.com

651-746-4319

SAUNDERS ELECTRIC SCALE LOGIC SDTV SENNHEISER SES

SHOTOVER

Mobile

Mark Parikka

operations@sdtv.com

619-293-7777

Corporate

Chris Clay

Chris.Clay@sennheiser.com

860-434-9190

Premier

Richard Lamb

richard.lamb@ses.com

[31] 70 306 4211

Mobile

Fabio dos Santos

fabio@shotover.com

818-285-1654

SHURE

Corporate

Bill Ostry

ostry_bill@shure.com

847-600-6282

SIGNIANT

Corporate

Danielle Rita

drita@signiant.com

781-791-4611

SIMPLYLIVE

Corporate

Gregory Macchia

g.macchia@simplylive.tv

484-273-0760

SIXTY AS

Corporate

Henriette Sæther

henriette@sixty.no

[47] 47 97 60 22 36

SKYCAM/CABLECAM

Mobile

Endre Buxton

endre.buxton@skycam.tv

817-984-6840

SMARTCART SVX

Mobile

Gil Cowie

gil@smartcartsvx.com

646-863-6263

SMT

Corporate

Patricia Hopkins

p.hopkins@smt.com

919-493-9390

SOLID STATE LOGIC

Corporate

Steve Zaretsky

stevez@solidstatelogic.com

212-315-9506 x15

Mobile

Franz Olbert

Franz.Olbert@sonovts.de

[49] 89 419 671 114

Platinum

Deon LeCointe

deon.lecointe@am.sony.com

201-930-6926

SONOVTS SONY

SOS GLOBAL EXPRESS

Premier

Stephen O’Connell

soconnell@sosglobal.com

252-635-1400

SPECTRA LOGIC

Corporate

Hossein ZiaShakeri

hosseinz@spectralogic.com

303-449-6444 x 1118

SPORTRADAR US

Corporate

Stephen Byrd

s.byrd@sportradar.com

847-274-3322

150 SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

SPONSOR INDEX SPONSOR

PG.

CONTACT

PHONE

SPORTZCAST

Corporate

Michael Connell

mike@sportzcast.net

321-888-3800 x101

STATS

Corporate

Matt Davidowitz

mdavidowitz@stats.com

847-728-4470

STUDIO TECHNOLOGIES

Corporate

Gordon Kapes

gkapes@studio-tech.com

847-676-9177

SUPPONOR

Corporate

Charlie Marshall

Charlie.Marshall@supponor.com

[44] 07931386774

Mobile

Ian Ash

iash@t2computing.com

212-220-9600 x367

TATA COMMUNICATIONS

Corporate

David Moore

david.moore@tatacommunications.com

704-806-6679

TEKTRONIX

Corporate

Mike Wright

mike.wright@tektronix.com

818-200-3008

TELESTREAM

Corporate

Scott Murray

scottmu@telestream.net

530-470-1306

T2 COMPUTING

TELOS ALLIANCE

Premier

Martin Dyster

martin@LinearAcoustic.com

717-735-3611

TELSTRA

Corporate

Bill Haubold

bill.haubold@team.telstra.com

415-287-2502

TERADEK

Premier

Jon Landman

jon@teradek.com

818-667-4258

THE STUDIO - B&H

Premier

The Studio Team

thestudio@BandH.com

800-947-9962

THE SWITCH

Premier

Christian Kneuer

christian.kneuer@theswitch.tv

212-239-3715

THE VIDEO CALL CENTER

Corporate

Larry Thaler

LThaler@TheVCC.TV

212-235-7019 x720

THINKLOGICAL, A BELDEN BRAND

Corporate

Richard Cooper

richard.cooper@thinklogical.com

484-467-5633

TSL PRODUCTS

Corporate

Greg Siers

greg.siers@tslproducts.com

301-272-0939

TV GRAPHICS

Corporate

Joseph Jopplin

josephj@tv-graphics.com

281-397-9100

TVU NETWORKS

Corporate

Eric Chang

echang@tvunetworks.com

650-288-0843

UNITY SYSTEMS INTEGRATION

Mobile

Doug Waldron

Doug.waldron@unity-si.com

905-707-3802

Corporate

Chris Harmon

charmon@utahscientific.com

801-575-3233

Platinum

Bob Hawkanson

rhawkanson@ver.com

407-582-0350

VERIZON DIGITAL MEDIA SERVICES

Corporate

Jeff Casey

jeffrey.casey@verizon.com

908-559-2036

VIDOVATION

Corporate

Jim Jachetta

jimj@vidovation.com

949-777-5435 x1001

VISTA WORLDLINK

Corporate

Joshua Liemer

jliemer@vistaworldlink.com

954-838-0900 x210

VITAC

Corporate

Brenda Nowicki

brenda.nowicki@vitac.com

303-468-4714

UTAH SCIENTIFIC VER

VITEC

Premier

Geol Yeadon

geol.yeadon@vitec.com

650-230-2563

VIZRT

Premier

Melanie Crandell

mcrandall@vizrt.com

506-988-7005

VSN

Corporate

Doug Wynn

doug@vsn-tv.com

608-345-1568

WARNER/CHAPPELL PRODUCTION MUSIC

Corporate

Jennifer Stowe

jennifer.stowe@warnerchappellpm.com

615-687-6859

WAVE CENTRAL/CP COMMUNICATIONS

Premier

Kurt Heitmann

kurt.heitmann@cpcomms.com

914-345-9292

WAZEE DIGITAL

Corporate

Mike Arthur

mike.arthur@wazeedigital.com

720-318-8157

WESCO BROADCAST AND ENTERTAINMENT

Corporate

Mike Vivian

mvivian@wesco.com

256-604-6362

WHEATSTONE

Corporate

Phil Owens

philowens@wheatstone.com

252-638-7000

WIPSTER

Corporate

Julia Farina

julia@wipster.io

513-304-0166

WOWZA MEDIA SYSTEMS

Corporate

Brad Wright

brad.wright@wowza.com

720-608-4733

WSC SPORTS

Corporate

Galit Shiri

galit@wsc-sports.com

[972] 54 471 6862

Premier

Mario Sousa

mario.sousa@wtvision.com

305-357-5893

YAMAHA PROFESSIONAL AUDIO

Corporate

Paul Furtkamp

pfurtkamp@yamaha.com

714-522-9011

ZAYO GROUP

Corporate

Michael Waters

michael.waters@zayo.com

918-978-1899

ZIXI

Corporate

Eric Bolten

eric@zixi.com

978-853-8482

ZYPE

Corporate

Chris Bassolino

cbass@zype.com

908-913-0880

WTVISION/MEDIAPRO

LEVEL

SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

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THE FINAL BUZZER

WHAT’S ON YOUR NAB 2018 SHOPPING LIST? By Ken Kerschbaumer Co-Executive Director, Editorial, Sports Video Group NAB 2018 is only days away, and, once again, sports-content creators from around the globe will head to the desert to take a look at the freshest ideas from the world’s leaders in broadcast- and video-production technology. It’s always fun to try to guess what the hot trends will be at the show. Of course, this year’s hot trend may not necessarily be next year’s (consider 3D, drones, 4K, and VR), but this year’s show might be different because the trends are driven by the wants and desires of organizations looking to become more efficient and futureproof, instead of by the wants and desires of viewers. Up first is going to be the move to IP as a replacement for SDI workflows. This trend is nothing new and has long been in the works, but this will be the first NAB Show where the SMPTE ST 2110 suite of IP standards will play a role in a new generation of products. Although the standards still have some final and very important bits and pieces to be put into place, the reality of ST 2110 and its ability to bring reliable compatibility to equipment from disparate vendors mark a huge step forward. Another increasingly buzzy topic will be the role of virtual machines and cloud-based production workflows. Virtual machines, whereby a CPU is not dedicated to a specific task but rather can be reconfigured on the fly, promise facilities a tremendous amount of flexibility and cost savings as well. For example, instead of buying five dedicated CPUs running five dedicated graphics devices, a user can purchase three software licenses and share them among a group of users, sharing the computer horsepower. In addition, the virtual machine itself can be reconfigured from one task to the next, allowing greater hardware utilization. Adding in cloud functionality brings yet another level of production efficiency because computer processing power can be spun up and down on an as-needed basis. A world where a sports channel can be created without the risk of a large capital expenditure is closer at hand every day. The area of virtual machines and cloud-based production still has plenty of issues to overcome. Manufacturer sales teams and customers have to embrace a move from capital expenditures and hardware-based sales with depreciation schedules and a move to operating expenses and software-based sales with subscriptions. And then there are issues around security, connectivity, and more. Another area of growing interest will be automated production. Expect to see more and more exhibitors showing off ways to remove some of the more mundane and repetitive aspects of sports production. Camera work, audio mixing, graphics production, editing, and even automated camera switching will be on display on the show floor or in whisper suites. And, of course, there will be continued interest in HDR workflows. Increasingly, it appears that a combination of 1080p resolution coupled with HDR is of most interest to sportsbroadcast professionals looking to fit 4K into certain (and appropriate) areas of the production. So, what’s on the top of your trends list? Feel free to send us your thoughts, and we will do our best at the show to take a deeper look at it. The role of SVG, especially at trade shows like the NAB Show and IBC, is to allow our members to more easily stay on top of the hottest announcements and most important trends and to make the best use of their short time at the show. The last portion of this edition of the SportsTech Journal does just that, and you can also visit the SportsTech@NABShow blog on our website to check out the latest developments. <

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SPORTSTECHJOURNAL / SPRING 2018

PUBLISHED BY SPORTS VIDEO GROUP 19 West 21st St., Ste. 301 • NY, NY 10001 Tel: 212.481.8140 • Fax: 212.696.1783 www.sportsvideo.org EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS PAUL GALLO, Executive Director

paul@sportsvideo.org | 212.696.1799

MARTIN PORTER, Executive Director

marty@sportsvideo.org | 516.767.6720 EDITORIAL KEN KERSCHBAUMER,

Executive Director, Editorial kenkersch@sportsvideo.org | 646.205.1810 JASON DACHMAN, Chief Editor jason@sportsvideo.org | 646.861.2373 BRANDON COSTA, Director of Digital brandon@sportsvideo.org | 646.861.2370 KAREN HOGAN KETCHUM, Senior Editor karen@sportsvideo.org | 646.559.0434 BRIAN HARRIS, Assistant Editor brian@sportsvideo.org | 646.880.4902 SUSAN QUALTROUGH, Copy Editor susan@sportsvideo.org RIVA DANZIG, Art Director riva@sportsvideo.org SPONSORSHIP ROB PAYNE, Managing Director,

Worldwide Sponsor Development rob@sportsvideo.org | 212.481.8131 ANDREW GABEL, Manager, Sponsor Development agabel@sportsvideo.org | 646.998.4554 DYLAN DAVIDSON, Sponsorship Coordinator dylan@sportsvideo.org | 646.559.0435 MARKETING, MEMBERSHIP, AND OPERATIONS ANDREW LIPPE,

Membership & Client Services Manager andrew@sportsvideo.org | 212.481.8133 CATHERINE WORLEY, Marketing Coordinator catherine@sportsvideo.org | 646.524.7497 CRISTINA ERNST, Operations Manager cris@sportsvideo.org | 917.309.5174 ALICIA MONTANARO,

Conference & Organizational Coordinator alicia.montanaro@sportsvideo.org | 646.880.4901 SVG EUROPE CONTACTS FERGAL RINGROSE, Executive Editor

fergal@sportsvideo.org Tel: +353 (1) 294 7783 JOE HOSKEN, General Manager joe@sportsvideo.org Tel: +44 74290 90134 ABOUT SVG

The Sports Video Group was formed in 2006 to support the professional community that relies on video, audio, and broadband technologies to produce and distribute sports content. Leagues, owners, teams, players, broadcasters, Webcasters, and consumer-technology providers have joined SVG to learn from each other, turn vision into reality, and implement innovations, while sharing experiences that will lead to advances in sports production/distribution and the overall consumer sports experience.

• Broadcast Equipment Rentals • Scalable Flypack Systems • Extensive Fiber Optic Inventory • Specialty & Robotic Cameras • RF Audio & Intercom

• Turnkey Design and Integration • Project Development • Enterprise Solutions • Managed Services • Maintenance & Support

• New Sales — Over 200 industry-leading manufacturers • B-Stock & Used Sales • Liquidation Services • Consignment • RF Reallocation Services & System Design 800.225.6185

services@bexel.com

bexel.com

Visit us in Booth C4337 Visit us in Booth C4337 Visit us in Booth C4337

TAKE THE FIELD WITH TAKE THE FIELD WITH TAKE THE FIELD WITH SOLUTIONS FROM RIEDEL SOLUTIONS Real-Time Networks for Video, FROM Audio, Data and RIEDEL Communications SOLUTIONS FROM RIEDEL Real-Time Networks for Video, Audio, Data and Communications Real-Time Networks for Video, Audio, Data and Communications

MEDIORNET MEDIORNET Modular signal networks and IP gateways MEDIORNET

Modular signal networks and IP gateways

ARTIST AND SMARTPANEL ARTIST AND SMARTPANEL Scalable and SMART intercom ecosystems ARTIST AND SMARTPANEL

Scalable and SMART intercom ecosystems

BOLERO BOLERO State-of-the-art wireless communications BOLERO

State-of-the-art wireless communications