Content+Technology ASIA April-May 2022

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REGULARS 02 EDITOR’S WELCOME

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04 NEWS+PEOPLE Comcast and Ideal

Systems in Strategic Alliance; Hero League Boosts Fan Engagement with Tellyo; Firstlight Media Delivers OTT for Philippines’ Smart Communications; i-CABLE Appoints Stephen SY Wong as CEO.

FEATURES 07 CAMERAS & LIGHTING Hulu Japan

Zombie Drama Shot On URSA Mini Pro 12K; HGTV Vietnam Chooses Ikegami Cameras; 8K Cinema EOS Camera from Canon; MoSys Extends Startracker to LED Volumes; Creamsource Vortex4 LED Fixture; BirdDog Enables Auto Tracking for PTZ Cameras; New Canon Outdoor PTZ Camera; AtomOS 10.71 Update.

11 SPORTSCASTING Global Advance

Productions’ remote outside broadcast production and distribution of APL soccer matches for Paramount/TEN.

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14 NEWS OPERATIONS India Today Goes 5G

with LiveU; Korea’s SK Broadband Brings News to Life with Ross; Broadcasters, Vendors Support Ukraine; Next-Gen Newsroom Solutions from Dalet; Vislink COFDM/Bonded Cellular Camera Workflow; Studio in a Box from US Startup.

17 MEDIA IN THE CLOUD DAMsmart

21 CONTENT+TECHNOLOGY ISSN 1448-9554 PP:255003/06831 Broadcastpapers Pty Ltd (ABN 34 095 653 277) PO Box 165 Surry Hills, NSW 2010, Australia www.broadcastpapers.com PUBLISHER: Phil Sandberg Tel +61 (0)2 4368 4569 Mob +61 (0)414 671 811 papers@broadcastpapers.com

Launches Digitisation Service in AWS Marketplace; Trusted Partner Network Expands; EditShare Boosts Media Workflows; Vidispine and MoovIT Integrate with Adobe; Evertz MAM and Playout Solutions; Dalet AmberFin Expands Streaming Workflows; Signiant Integrates with AWS Media2Cloud.

ADVERTISING MANAGER: Adam Buick Mob +61 (0)413 007 144 adam@broadcastpapers.com PRODUCTION MANAGER: Lucy Salmon Mob +61(0)412 479 662 production@broadcastpapers.com DESIGN & LAYOUT Wide Open Media Mob +61 (0)419 225 348 www.wideopenmedia.com.au PRINTING: SOS Printing, Sydney

21 POST-PRODUCTION Fuji TV’s ‘Don’t Call

It Mystery’ Graded with DaVinci; Tokyo’s ARTONE FILM Installs DaVinci Resolve Advanced Panels; Remote Production Offers a Safeguard for Indie Film Industry; Boris FX Delivers Blockbuster Effects; Accurate.

Video Edit Integrates with SDVI Rally Access; Assimilate, Brompton Enables On-Set LED Screen Colour Correction; axledit BrowserBased Video Editor; Maxon Universe 5.1; 3D Tree Assets for Unreal Engine.

25 POST-PRODUCTION ARC and Liverpool FC

Score with New Licencing Concept; Astro Adopts 12G-SDI & Dolby Atmos Monitoring with JAA.S and Wohler; Tieline Adds Native Livewire+ Support; RØDE Pro Headphones; New Sound Cards from Digigram and Audinate; Wheatstone Multipurpose FM/AM/ HD Audio Processor.Saramonic Wireless Mic System; TASCAM Updates Mixcast 4.

29 MEDIA IN THE CLOUD Planetcast Goes

International with Cloud Playout and MAM; Indonesia’s Batik TV Powers Playout with OBI and X-Pert; Thaicom Partners with AWS; Switch Media - Don’t Build the OTT Version of Frankenstein’s Monster!; Pay-Per-Use for Mediaproxy LogServer; Tellyo Stream Studio.

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EDITOR’S WELCOME

The More Things Get back to Normal

By Phil Sandberg

WHILE ANYONE with a modicum of sense (and elderly relatives) would tell you the COVD-19 pandemic is not over yet, it is good to see some aspects of life and the industry returning to routine schools, workplaces, live events, travel. One of the regrettable impacts of the pandemic, especially, has been its effect upon live sport, live performances, the venues, and the many people whose incomes rely on audiences gathering together.

And, while it is a small step for our industry, it is good to see the return of trade shows in the form of the NABShow in its traditional home in Las Vegas.

While smaller than previous years and likely to be missing many of its international regulars, it will provide an opportunity for people to do what they have always done, and that is, to come together, network, problem solve and forge relationships in a way that cannot be done via a Zoom call.

“The return to in-person events, including NAB Show, promises to drive innovation in technology that is transforming the media business,” said Eric Trabb, NAB senior vice president and chief customer success officer. “We are proud to showcase the prominent companies that are advancing technologies and leading our industry’s future.”

NAB follows the recent SMPTE METexpo in Sydney which provided a welcome, if tentative, forum for industry professionals to come together.

EDITOR’S WELCOME

Next on the calendar, of course, is BroadcastAsia, CommunicAsia and SatelliteAsia - all part of the ATxEnterprise stream of Singapore’s mega-tech event, Asia Tech x Singapore (ATxSG).

These events will take place at the Singapore EXPO from 1-3 June, and hopefully will signal a beginning of the return to normal for the industry in Southeast Asia.

Visit https://asiatechxsg.com/ broadcastasia/

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That’s not to say that, with the gradual lifting of COVID restrictions, industry trade shows should abandon the virtual platforms they have deployed

over the last two years. Like the accelerated evolution of remote production technologies, the conference side of virtual events, in particular, has found its niche with the convenience of saving time and money in travel and logistics - not to mention the ondemand aspect.

of Netflix - in particular the quality of our programming and recommendations, which is what our members value most.”

A Narrowing of the Stream

Gaming is also on the horizon. The company recently bought gaming studio Boss Fight Entertainment and expects to complete the acquisition of Helsinki-based gaming company Next Games in the second half of 2022. Curiously, unlike Amazon and a number of other streamers, there seems to be no move toward offering live sport.

During the recent Asia Video Industry Association’s online OTT Summit, this approach was characterised by Catherine Park, SVP, Head of Office & Streaming for Asia, Paramount Global, as a “glocal” strategy – to have global vision but with local execution.

With different go-to-market strategies to unlock maximum value, Paramount Plus planned to launch first in Korea with CJ ENM, then Japan as the next market followed by Southeast Asia in 2023.

In good news for APAC content producers, the company says, “Over the longer term, much of our growth will come from outside the US.

With APAC seen as a growth area for many streaming services, hopefully we can look forward to a boost in local production as the sector gets back to its “normal”.

Much has been made of the recent plunge in subscriber numbers and stock price of Netflix. Churn of 200,000 subscribers in a single quarter (with the expectation of 2 million to follow in the next) led to a 35.1% drop in its share value.

That’s some USD$54.3 billion from its market capitalisation.

In a letter to shareholders, the company singled out four “interrelated factors” for the contraction in its business: • Factors it doesn’t control uptake of connected TVs, adoption of on-demand entertainment, and data costs.

• Unmonetised sharing of accounts, estimated to be over 100 million households in addition to its 222 million paying base.

• Competition from other streamers as well as the launch of streaming services by traditional entertainment companies.

• Macro factors - sluggish economic growth, increasing inflation, geopolitical events such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and some continued disruption from COVID. The company also acknowledged that its growth over the last two years had been boosted by viewer uptake during COVID lockdowns, something now on the wane as consumers re-engage with the world, get out of the house and reduce time spent in front of the television screen.

So, what moves are being made to offset this setback?

Aside from attempting to convert those 100 million sharing households into paying customers, the company says, “Our plan is to reaccelerate our viewing and revenue growth by continuing to improve all aspects

Game, La Casa de Papel Part 4 and All Of Us Are Dead, which launched in Q1’22 and has accumulated 561m hours viewed in its first four weeks.”

This means a doubling down on production. In line with this aim, the company recently completed acquisition of leading visual effects company Scanline.

“We saw long ago that great stories can be made anywhere and loved everywhere. Netflix is now producing films and TV in more than 50 countries with a high degree of integration in the local entertainment ecosystem resulting in the creation of blockbusters from every region.

Keep safe, thanks for reading, and look after each other,

“In fact, three out of our six most popular TV seasons of all time are non-English language titles: Squid

Phil Sandberg – Editor/Publisher papers@broadcastpapers.com +61(0)414671811

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Comcast Technology Solutions and Ideal Systems in Strategic Alliance COMCAST Technology Solutions, a division of Comcast Cable which provides media and entertainment technology to content providers, operators, and advertisers, has announced a new strategic alliance with Ideal Systems, a leading systems integrator for broadcast and media systems throughout the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. Under the new agreement, Ideal Systems will serve as a strategic reseller of Comcast Technology Solutions’ CTSuite portfolio of products and services.

Ideal Systems will offer companies throughout APAC with access to Comcast Technology Solutions’ Cloud TV Suite, Direct-to-Consumer Suite, Live Linear Suite, and VideoAI. Ideal Systems currently provides a range of media technology services, including consultation, design, installation, integration, as well as operational and maintenance support of state-ofthe-art technology infrastructure across the APAC region. Ideal Systems has 12 offices across eight countries, and services the broadcast video, cloud video, and audio visual (AV) markets with deployments across China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and other markets.

“While Comcast Technology Solutions provides a technology stack to manage premium video services worldwide, this new relationship with Ideal Systems should significantly extend our capabilities to better serve clients in the Asia Pacific region,” said Bart Spriester, Vice President and General Manager of the Content and Streaming Providers Suite for Comcast Technology Solutions. “Ideal Systems has a proven record of serving broadcasters and video providers throughout APAC, and together we look forward to helping customers automate, secure, monetize, and scale their video businesses.”

“Comcast Technology Solutions is renowned globally for powering video entertainment services for leading broadcasters, programmers, service

providers, and brands,” said Fintan Mc Kiernan, CEO at Ideal Systems SEA. “As such, we are very proud to offer Comcast Technology Solutions’ industry-leading portfolio of solutions to help customers both simplify and scale their video efforts across APAC. Companies today want more efficient and flexible ways to deliver multi-screen, cloud-based video to viewers, and this new strategic relationship with Comcast Technology Solutions is aimed at meeting this growing demand.”

APAC-based companies interested in learning more should contact CTS@ idealsys.com.

Visit https://www.comcasttechnologysolutions.com and https://www.idealsys.com

Indian Super League Soccer Boosts Fan Engagement with Tellyo THE HERO INDIAN Super League is India’s top tier football (soccer) league and was created to boost the popularity of the sport in India, a country that has traditionally been dominated by sports such as cricket and field hockey. With the league’s popularity growing and the number of competing clubs rising from eight to eleven, fan engagement has become a key focus for the league organisers and they recently turned to Tellyo and the Tellyo Pro solution to help

optimise their social media content strategy.

Hosted in the cloud, Tellyo Proenables branded video clips, highlights and compilations to be created and published to channels simultaneously and instantly, from anywhere, all with one click.

media platforms quickly,” notes a spokesperson for Football Sports Development Limited. “Tellyo Pro works like a dream within our existing workflow allowing the social team to access match content remotely from across the country.”

“We needed a robust, efficient and cost effective media solution that would allow us to facilitate the dissemination of our match content across different social

Tellyo CEO Richard Colins says he is delighted to add another prestigious name to the growing list of sports brands supported by the company.

“We know that huge investment has gone into the Indian Super League and it’s great to see the league owners placing so much emphasis on fan engagement. Tellyo is very proud to be helping power the 2021-2022 league season’s digital and social content strategy, and we look forward to an exciting competition with plenty of goals and drama.”

Visit https://www.tellyo.com

Powering Beijing’s Winter Olympic Multi-Stadium Viewing Experience

NEWS + PEOPLE

ATEME, the provider of video delivery solutions for broadcast, cable TV, DTH, IPTV and OTT, has outlined how it enabled China Sports Media, a leading sports industry operation company selected by the Beijing Olympic Committee for sports presentation, to provide a multi-stadium viewing experience to attendees of the recent Winter Olympic Games.

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With all the different venues hosting the Olympic Games connected to each other, spectators in one stadium were able to view the action taking place in the 14 others that were being used for the Games. The

experience was interactive, with spectators being able to switch between individual events and participant interviews. Overall, 16 channels were connected in one unit across a low-latency setup of four frames in a comprehensive 15-stadium infrastructure.

The Ateme contribution and encoding solutions enabled an enhanced viewing experience with low latency and great image quality, as well as resource optimisation with high-density encoding, and optimum stability. The technology incorporated included Ateme’s KYRION for contribution and TITAN for primary distribution.

“We have a long-established partnership with China Sports Media, having supplied technology to the organisation for the past three years, so we’re delighted to have taken the next step in our relationship with this project. With advances in broadcast technology and evolving consumer demands, more sports fans are expecting a multi-channel experience, and we helped to facilitate exactly that in this year’s Games”, said Gautier Vandomme, VP Sales APAC at Ateme.

“The Winter Olympic Games is an international sporting event that is watched around the globe,

so we were looking for a trusted partner to provide a high-quality and low-latency solution for sports presentation. Ateme was the natural option to provide this”, said Jianping Zhu, VP at China Sports Media. “Its KYRION and TITAN products operated in a stable way, with no operational fault. They guaranteed high-level sports presentation, helping 15 competition venues to realize twoway interactive transmission. Many thanks to the Ateme China support team for the work they did during the 2020 Beijing Winter Olympics.”

Visit https://www.ateme.com and http://www.sportsmedia.com.cn

Firstlight Media Delivers OTT for Philippines’ Smart Communications SMART Communications, Inc. (Smart), a wireless subsidiary of Filipino telco PLDT is breaking new ground in Over-the-Top video for its customers with the deployment of Firstlight Media’s cloud native OTT platform.

Firstlight Media will provide what it describes as “… a seamless, crossplatform video infrastructure.

This will enable differentiated video experiences and a new suite of capabilities without the cost or complexity of maintaining separate, distinct systems. The new platform offers the elasticity and scalability of the cloud, while combining cloud-based innovation and in-country service delivery to optimise consumer experience.”

The new video infrastructure will improve the delivery of services like Smart GigaPlay, which currently features exclusive or premium premieres of content resulting from studio and production partnerships. These include live sports and music events, top shows, and first-run films. The new platform will also provide subscribers with access to TV channels, on-demand content,

pay-per-view, and subscriptions to exclusive live streams.

“This team-up with Firstlight Media is part of PLDT and Smart’s commitment to continuously elevate the experience of our customers,” said PLDT Inc and Smart Communications President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio. “Video is one of the primary drivers of data usage in the country. We at PLDT and Smart always strive to deliver world-class video experience for our subscribers, whether they watch at home using their fiber connections, or on their mobile phones using LTE or 5G.” “Compelling interfaces and responsive, reliable delivery of high-quality content to any subscriber anywhere have become table stakes for the best OTT providers,” said Firstlight Media CEO and Co-Founder André Christensen. “Our fast, flexible platform has made it possible for PLDT/Smart quickly to create a total experience that is second to none today, and that is future-proofed to enable rapid expansion to new engagement and monetization opportunities that lie

over the horizon.”

consumer loyalty and satisfaction.”

“More and more, viewers are consuming content on mobile devices and in out-of-home environments,” said Arvin L. Siena, Vice President and Head of Technology Strategy and Transformation Office for PLDT and Smart. “Using the scalability and the agility of the Firstlight Media platform, we are harnessing the efficiencies of the cloud to create a service that gives our subscribers greater control over the viewing experience, increasing their levels of engagement and improving

The new GigaPlay app was launched on March 26, at the start of the new University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) season.

Firstlight Media has also partnered with various companies and apps with global audiences, including Struum, Rogers Sports & Media’s Sportsnet in Canada, Arha Media & Broadcasting Private Limited’s aha 2.0, and others.

Visit https://firstlight.ai

Satellite Industry Forum Tuesday 31 May 3 - 9pm SGT Conference | Dinner | Drinks Singapore AAer a two-year hiatus, AVIA is pleased to finally welcome everyone back in person for the Satellite Industry Forum 2022! This year’s event will be a 3-hour industry conference and dialogue followed by dinner and drinks at the ParkRoyal Colleccon Marina Bay. Join us and be part of this long-awaited gathering of our members and peers from the global satellite industry, on Tuesday 31 May from 3pm – 9pm SGT. CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

For sponsorship opportuniies: adela@avia.org victor@avia.org For registraaon and other enquiries vanessa@avia.org

- Key Trends in the Global Satellite Industry and Its Impact on Asia - Keynote Conversaaon: Idennfying the New Role of the Satellite Industry

- How are Manufacturers Scaling Up Capabiliies for the Future?

2 190 r no 202 US$ 380 fo um For try s US$ u nd te I elli Sat

- The Customers Talk

www.avia.org

rs es Pric IA membbeers t e k V m c A e i T for n-m

#AVIASIF

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- Satellite Operators’ Roundtable: Staking Their Place in the Global Telco Ecosystem

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NEWS + PEOPLE

Hong Kong’s i-CABLE Appoints Stephen SY Wong as CEO HONG KONG-BASED i-CABLE Communications Limited has announced the appointment of Mr Stephen SY Wong as Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

Stephen joined i-CABLE as Senior Advisor in September 2021, and provided a comprehensive review of the business.

According to the company, “In the past few months, Stephen has contributed in developing an elite management team to enrich business development. As a graduate of the prestigious Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stephen is a design thinking evangelist whose reputation for strategic thinking, constant innovation and transformation for business growth will play an integral

role in helping shape the future direction of the company.”

His previous roles include CEO of Asia Miles, one of Asia’s leading travel and lifestyle rewards programmes, and co-founder of Dory Network Technology Ltd, a start-up that combines design and technology to create innovative global social impact solutions.

The announcement of a new i-CABLE CEO follows a number of new management appointments, including Ms. Regina Kwan Wai-Ling who has been appointed as Director of News and Infotainment. Ms. Kwan will also be the General Manager of i-CABLE News Limited and i-CABLE Finance Media Limited.

Ms. Kwan is a media veteran with more than 20 years of experience.

She has developed a distinguished career as senior management in a prominent media organisation. Ms. Kwan will oversee and direct news and infotainment development, and lead Mr. Hui Fong-Fai and Ms. Edna Tse of i-CABLE News to strengthen content creation and curation of programmes.

Other appointments include: • Mr. Alan Lui Siu-Lun as Director of Strategy and Transformation, responsible for heading up the Strategy & Transformation Office in strengthening the Group’s strategic blueprint and commercial development; • Ms. Irene Hui Lai-Kwan as Transformation Lead responsible for process re-engineering to improve management and

operational efficiency.

• Mr. Hong Wai-Lun as Transformation Lead responsible for the Group’s digital go-to market strategy and implementation plan.

• Mr. Lionel Kwok Shuk-Yi as Transformation Lead responsible for formulating optimisation and investment plan on network, infrastructure and application systems.

• Mr. Edmond Yip Ka-Shing as Transformation Lead responsible for identifying new business development opportunities and assisting in strategising subscription sales and marketing.

Visit http://www.i-cablecomm.

Ariff Bakar, Kien Hon Wong Join Techtel Singapore THE TECHTEL GROUP has announced that Ariff Bakar has joined the Techtel Singapore team as Regional Pre-Sales & Support Manager, operating in support of Techtel’s Territory Manager, Susan Lim. Ariff’s depth of experience includes having worked throughout Singapore as a Network Controller, Master Control Operator, Studio Technician and Media Manager.

Having a central function in Pre-Sales, Ariff will be involved in the technical detail behind Techtel projects, as well as demonstration of products – virtually or in-person.

Ariff commented, “The desire to understand and learn more about the industry has always been the driving factor in my career. I am really excited to join Techtel as it underpins my passion to specialise in broadcast and media.

I’m feeling great about working for Techtel who are a company that are focused on working with broadcasters to strengthen their operations.”

Susan Lim added, “Ariff will give us the ability to show off the Technology our suppliers develop in a way that makes sense for our local market and ultimately makes the decision to move forward with new technology much easier for our local customers.”

Meanwhile, Kien Hon Wong has joined the company as Senior Support Engineer as part of Techtel’s regional strategy to excel in support throughout SE Asia. Operating closely with headquarters in Sydney, Kien Hon will be the key focal point for all support related business in the region offering customers deep knowledge of technology coupled with regional market experience.

Kien Hon has worked throughout the industry for more than 13 years in both TV stations and with technology manufacturers. His experience spans acquisition, media processing, video contribution and distribution.

Techtel Singapore’s new Regional Pre-Sales & Support Manager, Ariff Bakar, and Senior Support Engineer

Kien Hon joins the Techtel team at a time when the local market is opening up more and more following disruptions during the pandemic.

Techtel’s SE Asia Territory Manager Susan Lim added, “We wanted a no compromise approach to the support we offer our market moving forward because we know that this is valued so highly by the customers we serve. Kien Hon is now right at the centre of how we want to differentiate ourselves and it’s great to have that confidence that when our customers need technical help, we have the team to get the job done.”

Kien Hon said, “The broadcast industry has always been evolving over the years and I am thrilled to ride along with the technological advancements from SD to HD, UHD and SDI to IP, cloud and many more to come. With extensive technical support and project implementation experience in ASEAN, I am truly excited to be part of the Techtel team to provide the right solutions to all the potential clients requiring excellent consultation for their media

requirement.”

Visit https://www.techtel.com.sg

Antony Tulloch Departs Iskandar Malaysia Studios

NEWS + PEOPLE

ANTONY TULLOCH has left the role of General Manager: Studio Operations at Iskandar Malaysia Studios to take on the position of CEO with Docklands Studios Melbourne (DSM).

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Mr Tulloch started as a lighting technician in Melbourne in 1985. Over the years he has worked in various aspects of filmmaking, with credits on major projects including The Pacific, Life of Pi, and The Great Gatsby.

Mr Tulloch replaces Rod Allan who has retired after 13 years, during which the studio has

helped drive enormous growth in the State of Victoria’s screen industry.

Board Chair David Hanna said, “Antony Tulloch takes the reins at an exciting time for the studio, with the imminent opening of a new super stage that will expand stage capacity by more than 60 per cent and enable the facility to host bigger productions than ever before.

“Antony is well placed to take over the running of DSM. He has a strong record in building the global market position of a studio business and

has maintained connections to the Victorian and Australian film industries during his time in Malaysia, ensuring he is able to hit the ground running.”

Mr Tulloch said, ““Docklands Studios Melbourne is a premier facility with an excellent and hardearned reputation for supporting productions.

I am excited to be joining the team and look forward to building on the strong legacy that Rod Allan leaves.”

Visit http://www.dsmelbourne.com

CAMERAS & LIGHTING Hulu Japan Zombie Drama Shot On URSA Mini Pro 12K BLACKMAGIC DESIGN has announced that Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K was used to film the new season of “Love You as the World Ends,” a popular drama series produced by Hulu Japan. The series was also graded on DaVinci Resolve Studio editing, colour grading, visual effects (VFX) and audio post production software.

The drama series is set in a post apocalyptic world infested with zombies called ”golems,” that are battling humans for survival. Starring popular actors Ryoma Takeuchi and Ayami Nakajo, it is currently available on Hulu in Japan.

“As this would be streamed on Hulu, we wanted to create a look that would set it apart from regular TV dramas,” said the producer, Hirofumi Ito of AX-ON inc. ”Since it is a zombie story, it would not fit the style if everything looked too clear. I wanted to give it a hard and dark look, emphasizing black. I wanted to show more blacks with gradations from pitch black to light black.”

To create the best suited look for this drama series, Ito consulted Hidetaka Ikeda of IKEDAYA, a production manager of this project.

“Considering both the quality of footage and budget, I chose two URSA Mini Pro 12K and a Pocket Cinema Camera as a sub camera. We also used two Video Assist 7” 12G HDR for the director to monitor,” said Hidetaka Ikeda of IKEDAYA. The series was shot using two URSA Mini Pro 12Ks, and was shot more like a film production

than a multi series show.

“In regular TV dramas, two cameras are often used to shoot from both sides between actors for efficiency; however, for this series, we took more time to create each scene with lighting and shot from the same direction with two cameras,” said Ito. Besides the URSA Mini Pro 12K, a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K was attached to a Ronin gimbal. Ito explained: “It is compact, so it was easier to handle compared to using a Steadicam. When I worked with a cinematographer from America for a different project, he told me that using Steadicam here was more difficult as houses and shooting locations in Japan were usually smaller or narrower. In that respect, the combination of the Pocket Cinema Camera and Ronin was very cost effective because it allowed us to shoot in tight spaces easily and get the footage we are after.”

This series makes extensive use of high speed shots, shooting at 60fps and 90fps. Switching between normal and high speed was smooth and stress free.

“URSA Mini Pro 12K allowed us to capture full sensor images without cropping up to 120 fps in 4K. Taking advantage of that fact, we shot in 4K,” said Ikeda.

“We used DaVinci Resolve Studio for grading,” said Ito. “I wanted to show both light and darkness beautifully, with the light and dark areas clearly separated in the same scene.

For example, the left side and right side of the image have different colour tones. It was great to use DaVinci Resolve to achieve that kind of dramatic expression.”

“The URSA Mini Pro 12K has 14 stops of dynamic range. With such a wide latitude, we can do a lot in grading. As a result, we could achieve a unique look, which you wouldn’t usually see on conventional TV dramas,” Ikeda concluded.

Visit https://www.blackmagicdesign.com

HGTV Vietnam Chooses Ikegami Cameras for 4K-UHD OB Vehicle VIETNAMESE BROADCASTER Hau Giang Province Radio & Television (HGTV) has chosen Ikegami cameras for deployment in a 4K-UHD OB vehicle. The project forms part of the station’s new HD terrestrial digital television service which was launched at the beginning of this year.

HGTV has operated Ikegami HD cameras in its OB workflow since 2012. Acknowledging the high picture quality and long term reliability of Ikegami equipment, it has now invested in six UHK-430 4K/HD portable camera systems plus a UHL-43 multi-purpose UHD/HD digital camera.

These will be operated as a fully integrated facility from the newly equipped vehicle.

The Ikegami UHK-430 is a 4K-native camera system with simultaneous UHD/HD processing.

Its three 2/3-inch CMOS sensors provide high picture quality plus the depth of field needed for live and recorded 4K-UHD and HD productions,

both in the studio and on location. An optional media-over-IP module for the Ikegami CCU-430 control unit allows 4K-UHD video plus additional signals such as intercom and return-video feeds to be exchanged with a local IP network hub over a lightweight optical fibre instead of requiring multiple copper cables.

match of colour reproduction. As a smaller counterpart of the UHK-430, it can be used in applications such as robotics, or cranemounted. HGTV plans to operate the UHL-43 for electronic news gathering with a compact wireless transmitter linking back to the control vehicle.

Ikegami’s UHL-43 camera employs the same 4K sensors as the UHK-430 to provide the optimal

Visit https://www.ikegami.de and www.haugiangtivi.vn

CAMERAS & LIGHTING

HGTV transitioned from SD analogue to HD digital terrestrial television broadcasting on January 1st, 2022. Progressing from SD to HD on all its platforms, it is now gearing for the anticipated 4K-UHD future by upgrading its technical resources to provide full support for 4K-UHD content creation.

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CAMERAS & LIGHTING

Full Frame, 8K Cinema EOS Camera from Canon CANON HAS ANNOUNCED the EOS R5 C, a hybrid cinema camera which combines the professional filmmaking features of the Cinema EOS range with the EOS R System’s photo capabilities. Underpinned by a high-resolution, full frame CMOS sensor, DIGIC X processor and the RF Mount, these three elements enable high fidelity 8K capture, and 45 megapixel still photo capture at burst speeds up to 20 frames per second, all in a single body.

EOS R5 C enables 4K and Full HD recording with exceptional clarity, colour and low noise through internal oversampling.

This also facilitates recording of High Frame Rate content at 4K 120p resolution, without cropping the angle of view and maintaining auto focus functionality.

Further enhancing the Cinema EOS line-up, Canon is also announcing an upgrade to the EOS C70 via a firmware update. This will improve on its Cinema EOS capabilities with the addition of 12-bit Cinema RAW Light recording, amongst other features.

Equipped with RF mount, which features a short flange focal distance as well as a 12-pin connection for faster communication between the camera body and lens, the EOS R5 C can be used with lenses from across Canon’s EF, RF and cinema lens line-up.

As demands for VR content increase, the combination of 8K video with Canon’s new RF 5.2mm F2.8L Dual Fisheye Lens, simplifies the production of immersive VR footage from capture to editing. As well as the flexibility of lenses, this camera has the same MultiFunction Accessory Shoe found on the EOS R3 and XF605 for directly connecting and powering accessories such as Canon’s DM-E1D Stereo Microphone and TASCAM’s CAXLR2d Audio XLR Adapter.

The EOS R5 C is capable of internal 8K 30p RAW recording and up to 60p (when using an external power source). Thanks to an internal active cooling system, content creators can enjoy hours of filming in high-quality 8K. With HDR support via PQ and HLG, as well as Canon’s Canon Log 3 gamma, filmmakers can capture true-to-life video.

Featuring Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF system, the camera offers Eye AF and EOS iTR AF X, ensuring precise focus. This advanced auto focus technology tracks people’s eyes in real time and can even follow their head as they look away from the camera. Working in combination with the Optical IS in compatible lenses, the camera features electronic image stabilisation with coordinated control that mitigates the effects of shaking when shooting hand-held, for smooth footage and sharp imagery.

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Thanks to the 45-megapixel sensor and DIGIC X processor, the EOS R5 C features high-quality still image performance and fast burst rates up to 20 frames per second. The DIGIC X processor also enables noise processing capabilities that enable sensitivity as high as 51,200 ISO – suitable for shooting in low-light environments, such as at indoor sporting events. 10-bit HEIF images can be captured with extended dynamic range and colour gamut. Additional options are available with the interval timer enabling the capture of high-resolution time-lapse content.

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The EOS R5 C records Cinema RAW Light internally, to sustain high fidelity 12-bit footage with a wide dynamic range and colour gamut, all in a manageable file size. Canon has also introduced three newly developed variations of RAW, including RAW HQ (High Quality), RAW ST (Standard Quality), and RAW LT (Light Quality), so users can select the mode based on their shooting needs and production process. Two card slots – a CFexpress 2.0 Type B and UHS-II SD card slot – allow for advanced simultaneous recording options where different formats, resolutions and bit depths can be recorded to each card at the same time for flexible workflow options. This includes audio recording when shooting at 4K 120p.

Along with 12-bit Cinema RAW Light, the EOS R5 C supports Canon’s 10-bit XF-AVC format up to 810Mbps and highly versatile MP4 options. Using its full frame 8K sensor, the

The EOS R5 C has also been fitted with a dedicated Timecode In/Out terminal for integrating into a professional multi-camera solution. With advanced connectivity, users can make use of Apple Content Transfer Mobile3 application for FTP transfers and the editing of ML-G2 metadata – suitable for news gathering and solo shooters.

The EOS R5 C has two separate menus for stills and video – the EOS R system and Cinema EOS interface. Controlled by a 3-position power dial, users can seamlessly switch between modes and access the relevant settings. With 13 assignable buttons and a range of professional video features, the EOS R5 C allows for a range of customisation. It also features a 0.5-inch high-resolution OLED viewfinder with 5.76 million dots for accurate image analysis, a dotmatrix display on the top for quickly checking camera settings and a bright articulating 3.2inch HD LCD monitor for convenient viewing from multiple angles during the day or night.

Designed with solo shooters in mind, the EOS R5 C employs an ultra-lightweight 680g chassis – making it the smallest and lightest Cinema EOS camera to date. While compact in nature, this camera features a durable magnesium alloy body with dust and weather sealing, thanks to an intuitive design that separates airflow from the electrical components.

EOS C70 Firmware Update The latest C70 firmware update unlocks advanced capabilities including an added Cinema RAW Light LT 4K recording option, and XF-AVC proxy recording function to support this. Creators can realise all new creative opportunities and enhanced image quality from the EOS C70, thanks to Cinema RAW Light LT and new Frame and Interval recording options, such as stop frame animation and time lapse video. With the firmware released in December 2021, users can also enjoy greater compatibility with 12 further lenses4 when using the EF-EOS R 0.71x Mount Adaptor, with full optical correction, metadata and auto focus support, giving filmmakers enhanced flexibility of lens choice.

The latest EOS C70 firmware will be available to download from late March, 2022 via https:// www.canon.com.au/support/support-news/ firmware-updates/eos-c70-firmware-updateversion-1-0-2-1 https://sg.canon

CAMERAS & LIGHTING

Canon Unveils New Outdoor PTZ Camera – the CR-X300 CANON AUSTRALIA recently announced the expansion of its remote camera system line-up, with the launch of the CR-X300 – a small, robust PTZ camera.

Joining Canon’s current range of PTZ cameras, which includes the CR-N500, CR-N300 and CR-X500, the CR-X300 offers high-quality 4K video output and various IP protocol compatibilities to address the continued demand for remote production. With simple operation and a number of connectivity options, the CR-X300 streamlines remote production workflows.

The camera has a durable body that meets IP65 dust-proof and water-resistant standards, helping to protect against the elements and therefore making it suitable for outdoor environments, particularly where budgets and space are restricted.

4K Image Quality in Varied Lighting Meeting the demand for professional 4K video products, the CR-X300 is equipped with Canon’s advanced imaging technology.

Powered by Canon’s DIGIC DV6 processor, it produces stunning 4K UHD up to 30P at 4:2:2 10-bit.

Combining a ½.3-Inch Type CMOS sensor with Canon’s renowned Hybrid Autofocus system, the CR-X300 is capable of fast and precise focus on subjects even in low-light. With a removable IR Cut Filter to enhance IR performance, this model is perfect for shooting in very low light conditions such as for reality TV or wildlife at night.

Employing Canon’s advanced optical technology, the CR-X300 features a stabilised 20x optical zoom lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.8 at its widest setting, further enhancing image quality in low-light settings. With a built-in, graduated type ND filter,

giving several options with a maximum setting of ⅛ ND, this camera functions equally well in brighter environments – such as when shooting in broad daylight.

Versatile Streaming Options The Canon PTZ line-up has compatibility with a range of protocols for video transmission, camera control and 4K video streaming over IP, and the CRX300 is no different.

Employing Canon’s network technology this PTZ camera supports multiple protocols, including RTMP/RTMPS, NDI|HX, RTP/RTSP Standard Communication Protocol as well as Canon’s newly developed XC Protocol – enabling streaming direct to the selected content delivery network for more efficient production. The XC Protocol offers the added benefit of enabling other Canon PTZ cameras and camcorders, such as those from the Canon Cinema EOS range, to be used within the same production system as the CR-X300. The CR-X300 also features a range of connectivity options including power over ethernet (PoE++), HDMI and 6G-SDI. This enables the camera to easily fit in to existing production systems and seamlessly integrate with existing workflows.

Enhanced Control, Simple Operation The CR-X300 uses a sophisticated pan and tilt drive mechanism, which moves at a variable speed of 0.3°/second to 60°/second, enabling the camera operator to smoothly follow the action.

This powerful outdoor camera is

compatible with Canon’s recently launched RC-IP100 controller and the Remote Camera Control Application via IP, as well as selected third-party controllers – giving operators the freedom to choose a set up that works for them. Featuring similar custom picture setting options to the CR-N300, the CR-X300 can colour match with other Canon Cameras from the Cinema EOS or XF/XA range, while settings are optimised for specific shooting conditions such as sport, portrait, low light and spotlight.

Robust Yet Compact Design The CR-X300 is designed to meet the growing demand for video distribution in outdoor markets – whether live or pre-recorded – such as sporting events or theme parks.

While many PTZ cameras rely on outdoor housing, the CR-X300 has a durable body that meets IP65 dust-proof and water-resistant standards, a weather resistant paint finish and an in-built wiper to ensure clear video, even in

rainy conditions. The rugged build of this camera can stand up to wind speeds of 60 m/s in and temperature ranges between -15°C to 40°C. Weighing approximately 7kg and with a convenient handle, the CR-X300 is a highly compact and portable model great for shooting on the move.

CR-X300 key features: • 4K 30p UHD and 60p FHD resolution video.

• ½.3 inch-type CMOS sensor.

• 20x optical zoom and 20x digital zoom.

• Hybrid autofocus and IS. • Various IP streaming and control protocols including NDI|HX1, RTMP/RTMPS, RTP/RTSP Standard Communication Protocol, Canon XC Protocol.

• Water resistant and dust-proof to IP65 standards IR Mode.

• HDMI / 6G-SDI / PoE++.

• Graduated Type ND Filter. https://sg.canon

NOW IS THE NEXT PHASE in the Atomos quest to bring Apple ProRes RAW video recording to more filmmakers. The release of the AtomOS 10.71 update for NINJA V and NINJA V+ monitor-recorder devices, introduces ProRes RAW format recording options for the legacy Sony FS series, the Canon EOS R5, and the Panasonic LUMIX BS1H. In addition to this, the AtomOS update includes brand new features for the AtomX CAST and compatibility with the NINJA V+ to create a new level of performance and versatility for live productions.

More RAW on NINJA V and NINJA V+

The powerful NINJA V+ Pro Kit (or NINJA V+ with the AtomX SDI Unit and SDI RAW activation) now support the recording of ProRes RAW from the FS5, FS5MKII, FS700, and FS700r with continuous output directly from the sensor up to 2K 240fps, 4K 60fps and 4K 120fps for 4s bursts. RAW output at 4K 60fps and 2K up to 240fps can also be added to the Sony FS7 or FS7MKII with the addition of the XDCA-FS7 module.

EOS R5 capitalises on the heritage of the Canon’s full-frame cameras to deliver next generation advances in image quality, performance, and reliability. The 45 Megapixel fullframe sensor can deliver 5K images that allow for high resolution reframing and stabilisation. The ability to work with 8K RAW on the NINJA V+ provides a huge canvas from reframing of 4K crops and an increase in image fidelity.

The combination of the Canon EOS R5 with the Atomos NINJA V yields recordings of up to 5K RAW at an unprecedented price point. The

Atomos is also releasing an update to the AtomX CAST. New features include compatibility with the NINJA V+, picture overlays,

Go Live with the AtomX CAST

Picture-in-Picture (PiP) recording and a dip to black/white transition.

The ability to record both the clean program feed or record with TX graphics, PiP, and transitions directly to SSD makes the AtomX CAST the perfect device for fast turnaround live productions.

When a fully equipped studio is impractical, a palm-sized switcher, recorder and video casting device becomes an ideal option. Other updates including support for interlaced inputs, an option for audio delay and bug fixes combine to make this the most compelling AtomX CAST release to date.

Visit www.atomos.com

CAMERAS & LIGHTING

Atomos Announces AtomOS 10.71 Update

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HFR StarTracker and NearTime for LED boost ICVFX Workflows MO-SYS ENGINEERING reveals new solutions for LED virtual production with a high frame rate (HFR) StarTracker camera tracking system and the NearTime workflow extended to LED volumes.

NearTime for LED is a smart solution to solve multiple challenges when shooting in-camera visual effects (ICVFX) in an LED volume. At its most basic level it is an automated background re-rendering service for improving the quality and/or resolution of Unreal based virtual production scenes, and is used simultaneously alongside a real-time ICVFX shoot.

NearTime solves one of the key challenges of LED ICVFX shoots, which is balancing Unreal image quality whilst maintaining real-time frame rates. Currently every Unreal scene created for ICVFX has to be reduced in quality in order to guarantee real-time playback.

Using NearTime with an LED ‘green frustum’,

the same Unreal scene can be automatically rerendered with higher quality or resolution, and this version can replace the original background Unreal scene. Whilst it takes longer to do this, no traditional post-production costs or time have been used, plus moiré issues can be avoided completely!

significantly higher quality composited shot.

Mo-Sys is also announcing a special StarTracker for LED that provides camera and lens tracking up to 240fps for slo-mo shots, as would be typically used for fight scenes in high impact action films. In this scenario, rather than drive the LED wall at high frame rates to match the camera, which requires significant hardware processing and comes with an Unreal image quality impact, NearTime for LED is used to post-render the Unreal scene at HFR following the HFR ‘green frustum’ shoot of the talent performing. During the slo-mo shot review, the re-rendered Unreal background and the talent foreground are re-combined, delivering a

The HFR StarTracker for LED has been designed in anticipation of future GPU processing improvements enabling higher frame rate Unreal scene playback. In conjunction with Mo-Sys’ VP Pro XR content server, the HFR StarTracker’s programmable phase shift feature can utilise Brompton Technology’s Frame Remapping or Megapixel VR’s GhostFrame capability for simultaneous multi-camera shoots in an LED volume.

“Proxies were used as a smart solution to solving computer processing limits in the early days of digital compositing and colour grading,” Geissler commented. “Similarly, HFR StarTracker and NearTime for LED is a smart solution to shooting slo-mo shots in an LED volume.”

NearTime for LED will be available in Q4 to MoSys customers with VP Pro and VP Pro XR. Visit www.mo-sys.com

Creamsource Introduces Vortex4 LED Fixture CREAMSOURCE recently announced the versatile Vortex4 1×1 foot 325W high-powered LED for film production. An extension of the proprietary Vortex lighting platform, the Vortex4 embodies the artist-first approach to UI/UX for maximum creative output for which Creamsource is known. The Vortex4 affords customers a seamless integration with the Vortex8 for easily expanded lighting configurations to bring their artistic visions to life.

“The Vortex lighting system allows us to bring new products to market that help artists easily build out their lighting workflows,” says Creamsource CEO Tama Berkeljon. “Each Vortex fixture leverages the same artist-focused UI which eliminates learning curves and downtime associated with rigging and programming multiple lights. All Vortex series lights work in concert with each other naturally thanks to the shared platform – it streamlines the entire lighting experience for users.”

Underpinning the entire Vortex platform is Creamsource’s industry-leading firmware, CreamOS. With the latest CreamOS 1.2.0 architecture, the Vortex4 comes equipped for creative expression with pre-programmed effects, colour gels, multi-zone control, and the recently introduced FrameSync technology.

High-Powered, Half Size, All Vortex Like the Vortex8, Vortex4 features a narrow native beam angle of 20° and CCT range from 2200K to 15000K enabling the extreme versatility that Creamsource fixtures are known for.

It can be used as a hard punch light to bounce or push through diffusion, or as a creamy soft light with the Creamsource diffuser or dome. This allows users to bring the fixture closer to the subject without the loss of space.

Built with durability and elegance in mind, the Vortex4 features world-class engineering, combining diverse production methods from precision-machined extrusions and high-strength die casting to leading-edge technopolymer components and aerospacegrade sealing technologies. The result is an IP65rated water-resistant fixture that can take on weather, messy effects machines, and extreme dust while integrated internal power supplies simplify rigging and cabling.

Berkeljon continues, “We’re so fortunate to have an incredibly engaged community of customers.

Their feedback from real on-set use cases for the Vortex8 enabled us to further refine and

enhance the Vortex series.”

For even more versatility, Vortex4 adopts ‘Vortex Connect’ a connectivity suite including LumenRadio TimoTwo built in, Ethernet with sACN, Bluetooth, 5pin DMX, Wifi, USB type A and Creamsource Accessory port. This makes interaction possible between Vortex4 and various third party instruments and protocols.

“We’re not out to redefine anything when we introduce new products, we leave that to the extremely capable and talented hands of our customers. As with all our products, our primary goal is to provide artists with the most versatile and powerful tools with which to bring their artistic visions to life,” he concludes.

Visit https://creamsource.com

BirdDog Enables Auto Tracking for PTZ Cameras

CAMERAS & LIGHTING

BIRDDOG has announced immediate availability of new Cam Control 3.0 software which enables auto tracking features to all BirdDog PTZ Cameras.

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Cam Control 3.0, a Windows 10 application, is a free download from BirdDog’s website and works with all BirdDog cameras. Designed to give users easy access to all functions and settings of the BirdDog cameras such as the advanced colour matrix tools, it now also includes facial and body recognition to enable auto tracking for all BirdDog PTZ cameras.

Building on from the previous version, Cam Control 3.0 also includes a new interface which supports up to 4 cameras per software instance with the ability to load multiple instances to increase the number of cameras supported.

“Cam Control 3.0 is an incredibly powerful tool for our camera users,” said Dan Miall, BirdDog Co-Founder and CEO. “We pride ourselves on increasing the value of our products over time with free updates and we’re really pleased to be able to offer BirdDog PTZ camera customers auto tracking with this release.”

To enable auto tracking on BirdDog PTZ cameras and take full advantage of the new Cam Control 3.0 feature set, users will need the latest camera firmware which is immediately available. This is an in-field update for all cameras except for A200 and A300 Gen 1 cameras which will be required to be sent to a BirdDog authorised repair agent where they will be updated at no cost. BirdDog will also cover the return shipping to customer once updated.

Visit www.bird-dog.tv

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CAMERAS & LIGHTING

A Global Advance for Remote IP Production There is no doubt the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the development and deployment of remote production technologies, creating economies around the delivery of live sport that would have been unfeasible a decade ago.

By Phil Sandberg

Coming under the regulatory umbrella of governing body Football Australia, the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) administers the ‘A-Leagues’ - currently 12 men’s and 10 women’s teams - as well as the National Youth League (Y-League), and esports competition the E-League.

According to Global Advance Productions’ Chief Technology Officer, Dennis Breckenridge, the company worked with the APL to create a model which delivered tier 1 sport to an international standard which brought cost efficiencies and scalability.

“We started working very closely with the APL to get the requirements, worked with them on ways that we could deploy, and build a structure for it,” says Breckenridge. “We looked at the different tiers that were required within that, from women’s to men’s. We came up with essentially four tiers of sport, that we then looked at and built to. The whole organisation was structured off that.

“What Global Advance undertook is to look at how to get those cost efficiencies, and still keep a structure that was professional.

Ultimately, it ends up into two segments. One which is the in-field, which we call the MPU (mobile production unit), and then the TCR, which is our traditional control room. Unlike other companies that were looking at the OB side of it, we decided to go quite radical, looking at the technologies, and the networks in Australia. We decided to go with a 2110 architecture, and see how far we could push that.”

Can you describe the workflow during a typical match?

“If you break it down, we go IP directly from the camera head, through a network switch, in a sprinter-type van with a single rack in it, with some network connectivity. We go straight from the camera head through the network connectivity, using primarily the DPN lines (Digital Production Network) from Telstra, and coming back from the venue, and control 100%, and process 100% in our data centre, versus anything happening in the mobile production unit. There is no vision switcher, there is no audio mixer, there is nothing in that respect in the field at all. It is really connectivity, and all of our devices use 2110 connectivity. We backhaul all of the signals, every camera, every microphone, everything by 2110, back to our data centre to then be processed.

“We felt like that brought us the real economies of scale. A lot of implementations of REMI (Remote Integration Model) have to have an element of hardware that is sitting in the OB truck, or in the portable unit and then a set of components that are sitting in the control centre, if you will. Often, they are almost duplicated.

You essentially have a mixer remotely, and then you’re remote controlling the mixer, or you have a bunch of tie-lines, or something like that, that are going between the two. We did not want to do that.

So, a camera with a microphone plugged into it creates a 2110-30 signal. That 2110-30 flows all the way back into our mixer in our broadcast centre.”

What cameras are you using?

“I decided to go with Grass Valley LDX100s.

Those LDX100s have the SFP (small form-factor pluggable) interfaces in the camera head. We do not need a traditional base station. We actually route the 2110 signals to and from that camera, whether it is super-slow motion, or standard camera. The audio, the comms, everything is transported through 2110 to that

Dennis Breckenridge, CTO of Global Advance Productions and CEO of Elevate Broadcast.

camera head. This reduces the amount of footprint that we need dramatically. Even if you have 10 cameras, or 15 cameras, where we would need 15 cameras, you would be in two racks just for the CCUs. All of that is eliminated, and it is just IP infrastructure and control.”

Are you using any PTZs? “Yes. The main PTZs that we went with were actually the Panasonic PTZs. They are obviously not 2110, so we just do a conversion. We use a multiplexing system to go from the camera head, to power the camera and everything. We use SMPTE with a multiplexing system which is from Multidyne. We do control, video reference, audio, etc., to the camera through that. Then it

is multiplexed into a 2110 signal, at the MPU, at the truck, and then sent back to us by 2110 from that point.”

And the non-camera microphones?

“That system has the ability for us to embed microphones onto it, if we want to. However, we also use remote stage boxes, which are 2110 stage boxes. We use a product from DirectOut, which is a Prodigy stage box. We like it because it is a generic 2110-30 system, which we can remote control, we can set the games. We can even do mix-minuses within that box locally,

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GLOBAL ADVANCE PRODUCTIONS is one recently established company benefiting from this acceleration. The firm is led by former Fremantle Australia and APAC CEO Ian Hogg; Chris McMillan former CEO of Global Television (now NEP Australia); veteran technology and management consultant, Mark Stoneham; and Singapore-based Elevate Broadcast CEO Dennis Breckenridge in the role of CTO. Taking advantage of advances in technology and bandwidth availability, the company has served as the lynchpin for delivering Australian Professional Leagues football (soccer) matches to Paramount ANZ for broadcast on the 10 Network, broadcast video on demand (BVOD) on the 10 Play platform, and on the subscription video on demand service, Paramount +.

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which then brings back those signals. It is an IP connection to our red and blue media network basically directly from that stage box.”which then brings back those signals. It is an IP connection to our red and blue media network basically directly from that stage box.”

seconds, four seconds of latency, because the people are not going to accept it.

How many cameras are we talking about?

“All the replays you will see in the stadium are coming through the same system.

They are maybe 200 kilometres away from where the big screen is showing that video. It is pretty impressive when it comes down to that.

“For instance, the women’s APL final, it ended up being essentially 17 cameras that were out in the field that were backhauling. We were doing scoreboard returns, all the signals that you are used to, within a Tier-1 coverage.

We are providing all of that through this new infrastructure. Semi-return signals, all the microphones, all the cameras, RF camera, sideline commentators, that whole compliment is sent through this infrastructure.

“So, say there are 16 cameras in the field, the cameramen are operating, but the shading, the camera control is happening in our TCR. Your OCPs (Grass Valley OCP 400 camera control panels) and everything are sitting in the TCR, where everybody is comfortable and operating those. Pan-tilt functionality, any of your robotic cameras, we’re able to be controlled both from the field, as well as from the control room. We build up all that infrastructure from the control room side. Audio, the same thing “We could do 20 cameras, we could do 25 cameras, so there is really no massive limitation to that. We had to build this in a way to create an environment where the bandwidth was less of a problem to be able to do that. Some stadiums, Telstra provides 10GB connectivity for that, some stadiums are 50GB connectivity. We have got to provide a certain tier of coverage from any of those venues. That was part of the architectural questions that we had to put into this as well.

“The way we achieved that is to then use JPEG XS or 2110-22, in order to create almost zero latency different streams that are using say 10 to 1 compression, which has a significant impact on the overall amount of traffic that we need to go from the venue to our processing centre. Now that JPEG XS is dynamic, meaning that at a venue with 50GB, we do not need to use any compression. At a venue that has 10GB, maybe we have to use 12 to 1, or 10 to 1, or 6 to 1, depending on the number of cameras we need to use. It gives us that elasticity to create an environment, where we can tailor our backhaul to the venue capabilities, rather than being limited by any false benchmark.”

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Are you supplying content within the stadium for the big screens?

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“Yes. All the big screen feeds and everything are coming through the same networks. So, that is where the latency is so important, because that feed is coming to us in the data centre. We do all the normal switching through a K-frame Grass Valley switcher right. We do all the normal production. We create all the auxiliary outputs.

Those auxiliary outputs are then fed back to the big screen, it is feeding to the (videoassisted referee) VAR system, it is feeding to the commentators, or the in-stadium host. All of those signals need to originate from our data centre, and flow back to the stadium. The latency is very critical to us, to keep that connectivity.

We cannot sit there and put two seconds, three

“We also Switching with GV’s Korona. integrate the VAR for APL, the assisted referee. We are doing a handoff for this in 2110 to NEP. It is actually going from us to the NEP hub, they are producing the video assisted referee, and then we take that feed back. It also shows from within this new technology side, that even in 2110, we have the ability to then deliver to secondary production teams, in this case hub to hub. This is also quite exciting. It means that there is flexibility on how the organisation wants to deploy, and who they want to hire for the different aspects. We are producing the production team, and switcher operators, and everything with 10, and providing a complete package. However, the next customer may say, no, I want to divide this up, or I want my hosting in another location. We have already proven that we can do that interaction seamlessly for the customer.

“One other thing that I would note, APL brought in AMC, which has an ad placement technology.

A lot of technologies are reliant on camera tracking, at the camera head, whereas AMC is really innovating in the sense they use AI engines to do the camera tracking. We bring back, for instance, Camera 1, the wide camera, and we have program feed, obviously. They are able to do the tracking through AI in real time on camera 1. We then feed the program back to them, and they are able to stitch together, in real time, when Camera 1 hits air, it will put the virtual ad replacement on there, so LED boards, and all those kinds of things. It skips over where our graphics are and everything. Thereby, we are able to do it fully upstream from our production.

Therefore, we do our full production, then we hand off camera 1 and program. They do the timing of that, the synchronisation of that between the two, and then they hand back to us, not only one, but in this case, they are handing back three unique feeds to us. One is an APL feed, one is a Channel 10 feed, one is an Asian feed that is, say, Mandarin language, that is going out to customers as well.”

Can you outline the switching and the director’s input?

“What we decided to do, which is quite unique,

“We could do 20 cameras, we could do 25 cameras, so there is really no massive limitation to that. We had to build this in a way to create an environment where the bandwidth was less of a problem to be able to do that.

Some stadiums, Telstra provides 10GB connectivity for that, some stadiums are 50GB connectivity.

there are three systems like I told you. Traditionally, you are going to have the mobile, and the transmission if you will. In our case, I decided to build it a bit differently. We have the mobile unit, it is fairly obvious. We have cameras to and from, big screen feds to and from, all that connectivity, microphones.

It feeds back over the DPN to Telstra’s data centre in Pitt Street [in Sydney’s CBD].

We terminate the DPN at Pitt Street, then we built our CAR (central apparatus room) inside of the Pitt Street data centre. All of our, we have Korona switchers on K-frame from Grass Valley, that are all 2110.

We have the LiveTouch replay system, which is all 2110 sitting in that same data centre. We have an Orbit control layer running in that data centre.

We have a Clear-Com intercom system running with 2110 in and out from that data centre. The data centre becomes our production hub, if you will, in that sense for the raw signal.

“From there we have connectivity that goes to the ATC (Australian Turf Club) in [the Sydney suburb of] Randwick. We built up two traditional

SPORTSCASTING

control centres. In that control centre we have a production control room, replay control room, vision control with shading, etc., commentary booths and audio control room, that are traditional in nature that are connected up by, in that case, dark fibre from Pitt Street to our broadcast centre.

of the control centres.”

“So, from a latency perspective, or connectivity perspective, they do not know the difference if the hardware is sitting in Pitt Street, or sitting in the room next door. We did that intentionally.

We wanted to be able to bring the control rooms to the customer, rather than the customer going to some production hub.

“Within our infrastructure, we have a hosting studio on site in our Randwick facility.

Essentially, APL and Ten have put their hosting set into our studio. That studio is run with robotic cameras.

Although it is The audio “suite”. in the same site, we do not use standard cameramen, it is all robotic cameras. That studio services our coverage - both pre-match and post-match. Obviously, the studio hostings tend to correlate to the on-air broadcast requirements, more so than Paramount +, generally speaking. We share that studio across two control rooms, and integrate it that way.

“It also gives me a lot of flexibility to extend.

From Pitt Street I am able to easily hand off to DVN (Telstra’s Digital Video Network), for instance. If I want to go into the Telstra network, and deliver to Channel 10, for instance, in this case. We also can hand off to IMG through that same infrastructure. Because we are in a data centre, we have a very large internet backbone that comes into that as well.

So, we are also providing streaming outputs of that directly to the likes of WSC, or things like that to do AI, or processing. We do not need to deliver a big internet pipe to each of the different production control centres.

We leave all of that in the centralised CAR, which happens to be at a data centre, and we simply move our control points around to the correct locations. We also do not need very fancy connectivity from the venue side. We can backhaul all that infrastructure back to the centralised data centre.

“It gives me this kind of very mobile, very agile type of production system, that we can adapt our requirements very quickly to. When we look at a place where we want to put a control room, all we really need to look at is, do we have the space that we need for the operators; is the environment correct from that perspective; audio for the audio room, or commentary. I can go into a normal office building. I do not need lots of special power. I do not need anything like that, because a fairly standard UPS can stand it up for the power backend. I do not need all the special cooling, and all the requirements from the data centre, or CAR perspective. It means that I am very mobile in my deployment

“Those camera feeds go back to Pitt Street. It is a video source going back to Pitt Street. The audio does the same, and we mix all of that through our same infrastructure, just like the MPU. We treat that studio like a mobile unit in essence.

The audio is worth mentioning. In this case, we went a bit revolutionary, in the sense that we went with a Calrec Type R console which is not your traditional big console with lots of knobs, but it is a more graphical touch screen type of console. We did that to give this flexibility, and cost point, that we would not have been able to achieve necessarily with another architecture.

The large scale capability within, let us call it, the new era with more touch screens, less knobs - you still have faders, of course - this gave us quite a powerful platform to work on, and still working in this full 2110 environment.

It still has all the same redundancy. Redundant cores, automatic fail-over, and all those types of things that we would expect in a broadcast operation. The audio is important because that very low latency capability, especially when you are talking mix-minus back to people’s ears, that was critical. Similarly, by using comms from Clear-Com, Clear-Com works directly on that 2110 infrastructure, so it can share by 2110-30.

The connectivity to all the control panels and everything within our infrastructure, is all by IP, because our core is sitting in Pitt Street. So, even in our control room, our comms panels are all by IP. One of the good things is, we can use mobile apps today to extend out to users before the DPN circuits come up, for instance.

So, we can get early connectivity. We can use standard internet connections to hand off to partners. Clear-Com has boxes that are called LQs. Basically, these boxes sit on any Internet connection, and then we can communicate to those to do hand-offs to our customers, to be able to communicate with them, etc. We do not have to have dedicated circuits. We can use

standard Internet connectivity to provide an extended reach of communication. That has been really important.”

I guess once the match is finished, it is available for On Demand viewing. What is your involvement there, if any?

“Generally, we do the live match. We push the live signal wherever the live signal needs to go, to syndicates as well. Sometimes those are off somewhere else. We do have streams.

APL has done some production all the way up to China, for instance. So those feeds are going out through the Telstra network to those different locations. The streaming side of it, we do push into a few services that create highlight packages, and things like that through AI. We do manual edits and post that get pushed out.

However, the Paramount + and things like that are really handled through 10. We hand off to 10, and then 10 pushes it they way they want within those services.”

You are mostly based in Singapore. Will you be taking this model into SE Asia?

“Yes. We believe that the model, and variance of the model, fit within say tier 1, tier 2 type of sport with a big number of cameras, and big venues. We believe the model works well with flight adaptation for what we call, nonconnected venues. It does not really mean non-connected, but you are not going to have this very large 50GB connectivity from them.

That is, say, tier 3, tier 4 type of sport, or even lower. Then carrying it out to different types of sports. It does not have to be football, obviously.

The idea of this was originally to create a model within Australia that we could prove, and make sure that it works right. Obviously, we will push it into other markets as well. We are absolutely looking into other markets. In saying that, I do not necessarily believe I will build a data centre in, say, Singapore by default. You do not have to assume that, because that connectivity could be from Singapore to Australia, and still produce the same coverage. The technology on that side of it, is some of the interesting stuff that we continue to push down.”

SPORTSCASTING

“That is really our next phase. If you are doing a sports broadcast for soccer, for football, you might want to put the control rooms in their facilities, so that their team and their people are there. By building this kind of three-part architecture, I have built a system where I do not really care where the control room is, because it is really just monitoring and control.

Your switcher panel is sending small commands over a control network. The vision we are feeding to it by 2110, but the bandwidth is not so bad with compression, with JPEG XS. So, it gives me this ability to have a very dynamic architecture where, maybe one season we’re located in one facility and the next season, I just pick up my control room basically, move it to another location, and it is just network connectivity. I pick it up, I move it, I plug in my switchers, and I have that connectivity at the next location. It gives me a lot of flexibility in how I orchestrate.

What about pre-match, half-time and post-match commentary?

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NEWS OPERTAIONS OPERATIONS India Today Goes Live with LiveU’s 5G Multi-Cam Solution

NEWS OPERATIONS

INDIA TODAY, one of India’s leading news networks, has increased its deployment of LiveU’s LU800 multicam solution across the country for its TV channels’ live coverage, complementing its existing fleet of LiveU live broadcast solutions. The LU800 offers enhanced flexibility for the broadcaster’s daily news, sports and entertainment coverage, with its simultaneous field switching capabilities. The network is deploying LU800 5G units, ready for the 5G network launch in India scheduled for later this year. Round-the-clock service and support are provided by LiveU’s local partner Lamhas Satellite Services Ltd. Mr. Mrityunjoy Pal, Asst. Vice President – Broadcast at India Today, said, “We’re really happy with the LU800’s robustness and video performance, especially with its multi-camera capabilities and switcher feature. For example, at a recent event, we were interviewing a leading politician in the run-up to the election. Using the LU800, we had two feeds coming into the station from one unit and our English and Hindi channels had the flexibility to pick different frames instead of the same frame playing on

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each channel. The LU800 played a key role in providing engaging coverage of the recent election as well as other daily news and events.”

India Today is a longstanding LiveU customer, using a wide range of solutions in the LiveU ecosystem. This includes tens of LU800s and LU600 field units, over 50 LU-Smart mobile apps, as well as IFB intercom production tools. Live content is broadcast direct to India Today’s broadcast channels and online media outlets via the Delhi and Bombay news bureaus, often using remote production (REMI) workflows.

Mr. Pal added, “Our national and international reporters, for example in London, use LiveU field units and the LU-Smart app daily to contribute high-quality video feeds back to our central newsrooms. The stability of the live transmissions is solid, and the LiveU Central management platform makes managing the multiple devices easy. The local support provided by Lamhas and LiveU is excellent as well; we always feel we’re in good hands,

whatever the circumstances involved in covering the live event.”

Using the LU800, camera operators can send up to four fully frame-synced feeds in high resolution (1080p50/60, 10-bit HDR) from a single unit to any remote production centre – physical or cloud-based. The solution offers the highest reliability and resiliency, leveraging IP bonding of up to 14 connections (cellular, LAN and WiFi).

Visit https://www.liveu.tv

Mobile Transmitter/Internet Gateway from Dejero

Korea’s SK Broadband Brings News to Life with Ross

DEJERO will be showcasing its new EnGo 265 mobile transmitter at NAB 2022 (Booth W3930) with built-in GateWay mode, as well as integrations with Grabyo and Dazzl cloud video platforms.

EnGo 265 is a mobile transmitter and internet gateway two-in-one device that delivers wireless connectivity. Featuring the new GateWay mode for wireless broadband internet connectivity in the field and glass-to-glass latency as low as 0.5 seconds over bonded cellular connections, EnGo 265 enhances the reliability in all latency settings with its improved blending algorithm.

The new mobile transmitter also addresses growing concerns in the industry around security and data protection with AES 256 encryption, a security-hardened Linux OS and a cryptoprocessor to authenticate the hardware.

According to Yvonne Monterroso, director of product management at Dejero, “With GateWay mode, ultra-reliable, high bandwidth internet access is made possible with Dejero’s Smart Blending Technology. It means that news teams only need to carry an EnGo 265 — in a backpack or mounted in a vehicle using a Vehicle Antenna Dock — to go live, quickly send or receive large files, and securely access private newsroom systems and cloud services from any

SK BROADBAND’S VISION of bringing dynamic graphic content to its new LED wall-based news set has been realised through Ross Video’s XPression Tessera SE graphics engine.

location.”

GateWay mode is powered

by Dejero’s Smart Blending Technology, which aggregates all the available networks to maximise reliability, expand coverage, and increase bandwidth, resulting in improved productivity of field crews.

The EnGo 265’s ability to reliably transport broadcast-quality live video and provide resilient, high-bandwidth internet access from a single device offers greater convenience to crews and boosts productivity. Field crews can broadcast breaking news, quickly transfer files to prepare and upload packages while in the field, and set up high-bandwidth access points for multiple devices. For film, television and commercial production, teams can leverage a reliable, ultra-fast connection to enable real-time collaboration with dispersed teams and accelerate delivery of content from the set directly to post-production, regardless of location.

Integrations with Grabyo and Dazzl cloud video platforms will also be featured on the Dejero booth, showcasing how production teams can deliver live content to multiple broadcast, digital and social platforms simultaneously, from anywhere in the world.

Visit https://www.dejero.com

Using Tessera SE, multiple XPression real-time motion graphics outputs can be scaled, synchronised, and mapped across SK Broadband’s massive, pixel-accurate display, giving them the creative power and freedom they were looking for.

were enabled through the Ross DashBoard Facility Control System and ongoing local support.

“The ability to bring XPression graphics across this large display has opened up so many possibilities,” said Taesoo Lim, SKBB Graphics Team Leader.

“The outcome is stunning, and the ability to customise the set for specific uses has been a huge time and budget saver. The set will be primarily used for news shows but now can be made very topic-specific for such things as the upcoming presidential and municipal elections through the use of XPression and Tessera.”

“DashBoard control makes the complicated studio wall workflow so easy and accurate,” said Lim. “Ross has been very supportive and educational to us as we integrate this new technology. After installation and commissioning, Ross continues to visit us to ensure that we are getting the most of our investment, even before we request it. We greatly appreciate the support from Ross throughout this project.”

Integration and operations

Visit https://www.rossvideo.com

NEWS OPERATIONS

Broadcasters, Vendors Support Ukraine Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has spurred a number of international broadcasters and technology vendors to step up support for Ukrainian viewers around the world.

NHK World-Japan is also providing news in Ukrainian on its website (https://www3.nhk. or.jp/nhkworld/uk/news/) where it publishes regular updates on the latest developments in Ukraine as well as information on activities in Japan aimed at supporting the people of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, NHK’s international English language service has been off the air in Russia since early March. Previously available to about 18 million households via satellite, cable, TV and IPTV distributors through a local contractor, the service was informed by its contractor that it had no choice but to suspend distribution.

NHK World-Japan continues to deliver information to Russia via Internet and overseas radio services while its Japanese service NHK World Premium remains available through satellite distribution.

In the UK, the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) and multi-channel TV service Channelbox have joined forces to deliver Ukraina 24, the 24-hour rolling news channel direct from Kyiv, via connected Freeview service across the UK. Also available on mobile through Channelbox’s iOS and Android applications, the news and information channel is produced jointly by the 1+1 International, Rada, Ukraine 24, Inter +, ICTV, UATV, and Suspilne media companies. Its purpose is to provide accurate and impartial news from across Ukraine, and to debunk disinformation and fake news that is being propagated about events in the country. The news service is also a vital link with home for the estimated four million Ukrainian citizens who have fled the country as the war has spread.

“The Association for International Broadcasting has been working since the start of the invasion to bring the Ukrainian news channel to platforms in the UK,” says Simon Spanswick, chief executive of the AIB. “We wanted to make a contribution to support Ukraine and its citizens. Bringing Ukraina 24 to viewers in the UK, whether expatriates or refugees, helps maintain links at the most difficult times of their lives. We are delighted that Channelbox is the first UK platform to make the channel available on a mainstream UK TV platform.”

Tanya Kronfli, Channelbox Head of Content and Business development, said: “We are honoured to be part of this project and to be able to help people of Ukraine to have access

to the news from home. This is true lifeline broadcasting and demonstrates the way that modern technologies like connected TVs are able to support people at times of crisis.”

Meanwhile, in the US, video delivery network Nextologies has announced that it is making “channels carrying Ukraine’s ‘United News’ broadcasts available to any North American broadcaster, IPTV or OTT provider free of charge”.

Free Live Feeds

Credit: President.gov.ua

For news services, TVU Networks, the provider of cloud and IP-based live video solutions, is offering a free, 24/7 live feed from Ukraine provided by the Ukrainian news media via TVU Search, its AI-based search engine for live broadcasts. This content from Ukraine is available immediately. TVU customers can use live and downloaded content on-air and over all platforms. Viewing and downloading content is free to non-TVU customers.

The Ukrainian media groups are taking turns providing uninterrupted information on the conflict. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Security and Defense Council, the Office of the President of Ukraine, and other Government agencies will be joining broadcasts as well. https://bit.ly/3riX0lR

Manufacturer Support Member companies of manufacturer group the IABM have taken advantage of IABM’s Stand with Ukraine initiative to announce their backing for boycotts of MediaTech equipment supply and support to Russia, and in many cases to pledge funding for humanitarian efforts in the region.

2wcom, Accedo, Argosy, Avid, Cobalt Digital, Codemill, Eon Media, farmerswife, Hi Tech Systems, Imagine Products, Lynx Technik, Mediaproxy, Newsbridge, Nextologies, Octopus Newsroom, Ross, Squared Paper, Techex, Telestream, Utah Scientific, Videon, and x.news have all announced that they stand with Ukraine. Organizations outside the IABM family, including Beam Dynamics, BNNRC, Lumina, Source Elements, TVB Europe and Videstra, have also joined the pledge. The list of supporting companies continues to grow; pledges of support can be made via https:// theiabm.org/the-broadcast-media-industry-

stands-with-ukraine/ The Support for Media Professionals in Ukraine group on LinkedIn, created by Cinegy and Playbox Neo, is posting “job openings and offers, as well as information about local help, shelters and transport, or any resource that could help our Ukrainian colleagues”. The group “Would also like to provide support for our colleagues in Broadcasting and Media currently remaining in Ukraine with all the help that they need – equipment, walkie talkies, resources, bandwidth, transmitters and satellite allocation, food, shelter, and any resource they may need”.

Finally, IABM is working with member companies and other industry organisations to organise the supply of key technology to maintain broadcasting in Ukraine.

“It’s impossible to not be shocked by the 95% destruction of previously beautiful cities like Mariupol and the associated humanitarian atrocities,” said David Ross, CEO of Ross Video. “Employees, shareholders, and customers today expect their companies to be about more than pure maximisation of profit but also expect them to make the obvious moral, environmental, and humanitarian decisions that are in front of them.” Ross went on to say, “Frankly, I’m surprised at the silence coming from some of the larger companies in our industry.”

Jeff Rosica, CEO & President of Avid, said, “What’s encouraging amid this very grave situation is that our industry simply won’t sit still and is acting with extreme initiative to bring relief to Ukraine’s people. Whether taking action as companies or as individuals, we know that we in media & entertainment technology have power and reach to make a difference in many ways.”

NEWS OPERATIONS

NHK WORLD-JAPAN is currently providing Ukrainian subtitles for its live video streaming with the subtitles being generated by artificial intelligence technology. Ukrainian joins other AI-generated subtitles provided by NHK World-Japan, including Chinese (simplified/ traditional), French, Indonesian, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese.

Visit https://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/live/

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NEWS OPERATIONS

Next-Gen Newsroom Solutions from Dalet HIGHLIGHTED BY DALET at this year’s NAB Show, Dalet Flex for Teams is now offered as-a-service for all teams with digital media management and multiplatform delivery requirements, while Dalet Pyramid solutions enable modern storytelling and news production practices with centralised planning, remote editing, and digital production capabilities.

Dalet Flex for Teams is based on the Dalet Flex media workflow platform. The new, multitenanted software-as-a-service (SaaS) offering democratises key media logistics use cases such as library management and multiplatform content distribution through affordable, preconfigured workflows fully hosted and managed

by Dalet. Dalet Flex for Teams makes it easy for customers to get up and running quickly and scale as needed with control over budgets.

Dalet Flex continues to be offered as an enterprise-grade media workflow platform available in subscription, with custom offerings

that can be tailored exactly to any organisation’s needs and specific requirements. Dalet Flex can be hosted by customers, in the cloud or on-premises, or by Dalet as a dedicated, singletenant implementation.

Meanwhile, Dalet Pyramid solutions provide a natural evolution for newsrooms running Dalet Galaxy five, expanding their workflow with next-gen news production capabilities.

Available as subscription, these “plug and play” solutions bring convenience and efficiency for centralised planning, remote editing and digital production: • Centralised Planning meets the needs of multi-platform and multi-site news operations with a state-of-the-art, kanbanbased news planning tool that allows news organisations to visualise, manage and assign stories at the corporate level.

• Remote Editing offers fast, web-based news editing capabilities in a browser even with limited bandwidth. Editors can upload

Studio in a Box

“We figured that we could leverage technology to control lights, camera and audio through a computer and then combine them all in a ready-to-record unit that could be shipped anywhere and set up in minutes,” explains Max. “By solving for Covid, it turns out we stumbled into the future of production, where it’s just easier and cheaper to send a Studiobox than fly and house a crew for a shoot.”

Designed for live webinars, interviews, press junkets, live-streamed web content, talking-head TV segments or even running a virtual course, each ‘Studiobox’ includes a professional grade 4k camera, lighting and audio equipment. Studiobox prides itself in providing a complete, one-stop, ‘out of the box’ solution. The tech is all hidden, leaving a simple, straightforward interface for clients, whilst everything is controlled remotely.

NEWS OPERATIONS

An EVO 8 audio interface powers the audio for Studiobox. EVO 8 is a 4-in/4-out audio interface with an intuitive feature set.

This includes four EVO Preamps offering 58dB of gain as well as high performance converters providing 113dB of dynamic range. Powered directly via USB, EVO 8 can be controlled via its customisable software, EVO Mixer.

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“In order to control lights, camera and audio via computer, each element requires an interface. The EVO 8 is our interface between the computer and the multiple microphones we use,” explains co-founder, Ian Smith

• Digital Production allows news organisations to plan, produce, edit video, and distribute digital-first news content. Experience fastpaced productions with support for multiple aspect ratios, digital graphics, and preconfigured social media publishing.

For those unable to attend this year’s NAB Show, Dalet offers dedicated meetings and demos through Dalet Connect and will host an online Dalet Pulse online session on May 4th.

Visit https://bit.ly/36987Xi

Single COFDM/Bonded Cellular Camera Workflow

THERE IS NO DOUBT COVID-19 lockdowns have accelerated the development of working-from-home and remote production workflow solutions.

Los Angeles-based Studiobox was born during pandemic lockdowns as a solution to continue production. Co-founders Ian Smith and Max Ostrove quickly realised that they could go one better than sending kits of parts.

rushes, gather source materials, edit videos from anywhere, and publish remotely.

FEATURED AT NAB 2022 on booth #C7508, Vislink and Mobile Viewpoint’s Quantum-LinkMatrix unified wireless camera workflow brings together COFDM wireless camera systems and bonded cellular/5G roaming camera systems into one single managed solution. By integrating the “An integral need for our product was an audio interface that could be controlled from a computer. The EVO provides a very slick, easy-to-use computer interface,” he continues, explaining their choice of EVO 8. “We work with the EVO through its software, allowing our operators to remotely control the unit over the internet without asking the talent to touch any hardware. The software controller is the major standout feature. It was the best one we found in an audio interface.”

With the operators monitoring and adjusting the audio in realtime, they haven’t yet utilised the automatic levels setting function, Smartgain. This could be set to change, however, according to Ian: “We have plans to automate many of the functions in the box, so that an operator isn’t necessary. At that time the Smartgain function could be a critical feature.”

Co-founder Max Ostrove confirms that the future is looking bright for this fastgrowing start-up.

“Studiobox is currently developing software to allow anyone to control a box,” he says. “We imagine remote production units becoming a part of video creator’s kits, like a drone or slow motion camera.

For the audio world, the remote podcast recording box is coming out next.”

Visit https://www.studiobox.co and on Instagram @studiobox.co

two production workflows into one video source and configuration management platform, live event production teams can efficiently manage content capture from all types of wireless systems.

The integration of the Vislink Quantum receiver with Mobile Viewpoint’s LinkMatrix leverages many existing LinkMatrix features for Vislink equipment, which together bring advanced capabilities to REMI productions. Notably, this includes being able to send wireless camera feeds directly to YouTube and social media accounts, as well as enabling remote control of Quantum functions from anywhere in the workflow.

The Vislink COFDM wireless camera systems and 5G/ bonded cellular systems have been field tested to operate together seamlessly at a variety of high-profile events.

This includes marathons, where action at the starting and finish lines are covered by COFDM systems, and the wider course is followed using bonded cellular technology, and stadium events, where COFDM camera systems provide immersive, closeup on-field action while bonded cellular systems support sideline reporting or team arrivals.

Through the unified workflow enabled by the QuantumLinkMatrix software control platform, the operational efficiencies created for the remote production bonded cellular market can be directly applied to the guaranteed quality, low latency, on-field COFDM wireless camera systems.

Visit https://www.vislink.com

MEDIA IN THE CLOUD DAMsmart Launches First of Its Kind Digitisation Service in AWS Marketplace DAMSMART, one of the Asia Pacific’s largest, fully established and dedicated audio-visual digitisation services bureaus, has announced the launch of its Film and Video Tape Digitisation Services in Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) Marketplace. DAMsmart’s services are the first of its kind in AWS Marketplace.

AWS Marketplace is a curated digital catalogue that makes it easy for organisations to discover, procure, entitle, provision, and govern thirdparty software.

Facing technology obsolescence and media degradation, all forms of media are now at risk of permanent loss within the next few years if urgent action is not taken to convert media on videotapes, audiotapes and film into data.

Media organisations facing these challenges can now consume DAMsmart’s services through their AWS account and take advantage of DAMsmart’s knowledge of AWS’s media services. DAMsmart has extensive expertise in preparing analogue media files for specific cloud-based media asset management (MAM) solutions.

DAMsmart General Manager, Joe Kelly, said, “DAMsmart is the largest commercial film, tape and audio to digital conversion service provider in the Southern Hemisphere specifically equipped to deliver the highest quality digitisation of legacy audio-visual formats.

From a single tape or film to the largest broadcast library, we are experts at ensuring your legacy content retains value and remains accessible in the 21st century. Our customers can now access all of DAMsmart’s services via the AWS Marketplace, making it even easier and more convenient to digitise and protect your most valuable media assets.”

With offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Auckland and Kuala Lumpur, DAMsmart is able to process any form of videotape, audiotape or motion picture film and convert these physical assets into high quality digital assets.

Since 2007, DAMsmart has processed and digitised over one million audio-visual media carriers for public and private sector organisations within Australia, the Asia Pacific region, and beyond.

DAMsmart also provides media organisations and collection owners with expert consultancy services for collection assessment, preservation strategies, workflow design and implementation and monetisation opportunities.

DAMsmart’s key service offerings available now via the AWS Marketplace include: • Up conversion from SD to HD and higher; • Restoration of legacy content in any form to maximise monetisation opportunities for archive collections; • Quality assessment and reporting; • Localisation and delivery services; • Metadata customisation capabilities to ensure compatibility to client MAM platform; • Creation of rich media archives to suit any requirements; and • Data-migration for media specific collections from legacy and current generation linear tape-open (LTO) formats to cloud or disc storage.

Visit https://www.damsmart.com.au

Trusted Partner Network Expands Content Security Program

TPN’s expansion will be rolled out in phases and will introduce a more flexible and comprehensive program to better suit service providers’ and content owners’ priorities and needs.

TPN, a division of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), is building on its original program, launched in 2018, that established security benchmarks and a site security assessment to prevent content leaks and piracy. Over the next 12 months, TPN will roll out its enhanced program including updated security best practice guidelines for cloud workflows; a simplified qualification onboarding process for all TPN assessors; an enhanced “Gold Assessment Program” for application, site and cloud workflows; and a new “Blue SelfAttestation Program” to provide vendors with the ability to report alternate security certifications to support the urgent need for a centralised, confidential and

flexible content security solution.

Content owners and service providers will benefit from TPN’s expanded service, which will leverage the cloud, simplifying global onboarding for assessors, and create a consolidated and trusted solution from which content owners can accelerate individual decision making.

“TPN is growing to keep pace with an industry where security threats are more insidious and sophisticated, and work in the cloud has become the new norm,” said TPN President Terri Davies. “Our expanded program will embrace all the ways work gets done in our industry today while growing capacity, making it easier for service providers to ensure they are meeting security benchmarks and for content owners to make more informed independent vendor selections from a more accessible and centralised solution.”

May 2022 will see TPN begin a pilot program to test, evaluate and elicit feedback to its expanded guidelines. The pilot program will include the participation of leading creative service providers, as well as cloud security subject matter experts from the MPA’s six member companies, the

Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) and Convergent Risks.

In June, TPN plans to launch a streamlined qualification program for security assessors.

The new criteria will encompass application, site and cloud security. The process of qualifying assessors will continue to be uniform, objective, and accessible globally. TPN understands the need to increase cloud security audit expertise and by changing the method of qualification to be a TPN assessor, expects it will greatly expand global capacity to meet the growing industry need.

In Q3 2022, TPN will publish expanded best practice guidelines covering application, site and cloud workflows. The new guidelines will be used to develop TPN’s Gold Assessment Program, to launch in Q1 2023, which will enable vendors to measure and report conformity to the industry’s most recognised standards. TPN will also launch its Blue SelfAttestation Program in Q1 2023.

The Blue program will provide a flexible framework for vendors to self-attest and report compliance with various alternate security control sets. Self-attestation data will be available to TPN content owner partners for use in making

independent risk assessments of their vendor. The program will serve as a single-source-of-truth for security information and is intended to reduce the need for multiple vendor audits.

Davies said TPN will be proactive in responding to future changes in technology, workflow practices and security issues.

“At the MPA, we are committed to the belief that our industry is stronger together than apart and we are driven to protect the work that our members create for audiences around the world,” she said. “We continue to build momentum on the great foundation that the TPN program has in place to reduce effort, time and cost related to security assessments in our industry while ensuring the highest standards are maintained. We are also committed to supporting our studio members and vendors with the tools and information they need to collaborate productively, securely and in the trusted environment provided by TPN.” Visit https://www.TTPN.org

MEDIA IN THE CLOUD

FILM AND TELEVISION CONTENT security initiative, the Trusted Partner Network (TPN) is expanding its program as the media and entertainment industry continues to grow globally and in complexity, and now conducts much of its business in the cloud.

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MEDIA IN THE CLOUD

Dalet AmberFin Update Expands Streaming Workflows DALET HAS ANNOUNCED updates to its Dalet AmberFin transcoding platform, including integration with cloud-native Dalet Flex media logistics and Dalet Pyramid unified news operations platforms. The company has also announced completion of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Foundational Technical Review.

“Dalet AmberFin sits at the heart of the rapidly evolving streaming workflow. Because it is a cornerstone technology for our customers, we are focused on its continuous improvement and integration in the wider ecosystem,” states Patrick Devlin, Product Manager for Dalet AmberFin. “This release threads the recognised Dalet AmberFin conversion quality and media processing technology across our flagship SaaS solutions, Dalet Flex and Dalet Pyramid. As a critical pillar of these solutions, Dalet AmberFin bridges the gap for Dalet customers who need a fully cloud-native media ecosystem with proven end-to-end production and distribution workflows that can support any existing or emerging market vertical.”

Dalet AmberFin provides a cloud-first approach that has been verified by the AWS Foundational Technical Review.

According to Patrick Devlin, “It is no longer sufficient to simply take an on-premises system and run it on EC2 instances in the cloud, customers want cloud-native applications that can take full advantage of containerised services, scale up and scale down and the security best practices in the cloud.”

The AWS Foundational Technical Review provides a baseline for cloud requirements and

covers development, best practices and operational considerations ensuring customers have the agility and firepower they need to manage through bursts in workload with ease, yet optimise cloud costs.

Dalet AmberFin’s advanced ingest management and conversion combined with elastic cloud resources enables enterprise users to cost-effectively facilitate large-scale projects.

The newly updated Dalet AmberFin Kiosk, which supports macOS and offers expanded support for formats including ProRes RAW and NEF, helps users fly through offloading and backing up mass amounts of content.

Utilising cloud storage, it concurrently verifies content integrity and enriches metadata so that content is organised and ready to drive further operational workflows easily. This new capability is particularly useful for teams out on location for long production shoots. Processing pipeline improvements leverage Netflix Photon validation tools to enable key IMF workflows in the cloud. Other production efficiency enhancements include support for UHD input and output with a standard transcode node and

support for writing ABR packages DASH and HLS while content is being ingested.

Dalet says its accelerated development plans will see progress across its entire suite of cloud-native solutions in 2022. Dalet Flex will be made available as a multi-tenanted SaaS offering, providing customers with scalability and elasticity when needed while offloading the costs of infrastructure investment and time spent on maintenance to Dalet. With Dalet Pyramid, newsrooms will be able to virtualise their entire operation with increased production and distribution capabilities that enable digitalfirst news story workflows anytime, anywhere.

Visit www.dalet.com

Thunderbolt Dual-Bay Desktop Storage OWC HAS ANNOUNCED the ‘Mercury Pro U.2 Dual Thunderbolt’ dual-bay U.2 desktop storage solution with up to 2800MB/s speed and 16TB storage capacity It utilises Thunderbolt’s full 2800MB/s of data bandwidth to function nearly 6x faster than your typical SSD. Dual drive bays house two NVMe U.2 SSDs for streamlined, easy-to-manage RAID storage.

An easy, plug and play design

makes the OWC Mercury Pro U.2 Dual convenient to use. Just connect the included Thunderbolt cable to your machine or OWC docking solution and start saving, editing, and sharing.

With OWC’s MacDrive software (sold separately) installed on your Windows PC, you can use Apple RAID formatted drives without jumping through hoops for a crossplatform workflow.

Uses include:

• Backing up simple to complex video editing projects.

• Time Machine and File History backups of essential business data and irreplaceable personal photos.

• Consolidating files from multiple smaller drives to a single location for faster, more convenient access.

• Migrating data from an existing machine to a new computer.

• Freeing up space on a

computer’s internal drive to improve performance.

An extra Thunderbolt USB-C port lets you daisy-chain devices to your OWC Mercury Pro U.2 Dual to expand your capabilities.

Attach a 5K display or two 4K Thunderbolt displays. You can even place a USB device at the end of the chain.

Visit www.owc.com

MEDIA IN THE CLOUD

Signiant Announces Integration with AWS’s Media2Cloud

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SIGNIANT INC., a leading provider in intelligent file transfer software, has announced that its cloud-native software as a solution (SaaS) products, Media Shuttle and Signiant Jet, are now integrated with Media2Cloud from Amazon Web Services (AWS). With Media2Cloud, framelevel metadata is generated using machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) from Amazon Rekognition, Amazon Transcribe, and Amazon Comprehend. Media2Cloud, application protocol interface,

APIs make it easy to integrate this metadata into other systems.

With this integration, customers can take advantage of Signiant’s SaaS products to transfer content directly into Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) with speed, reliability, and security and once the content is in the Amazon S3 bucket, Media2Cloud begins the content analysis and postprocessing.

any hybrid cloud or multi-cloud environment, with comprehensive control and visibility at any scale.

Media Shuttle and Signiant Jet are widely deployed across the media and entertainment space, connecting more than 50,000 organisations around the world.

Every month, Signiant software moves petabytes of content to and from AWS, supporting multiple aspects of the media supply chain.

Signiant software ensures the fast, secure movement of large data sets over any IP network, in

“This is another example of our continued innovation to make sure our products work seamlessly

with the media technologies our customers use. Given the central role Signiant plays in moving media assets to and from the cloud, working with Media2Cloud was a perfect fit,” commented Mike Flathers, Signiant’s Chief Solutions Officer. “Customers can easily move media assets into the cloud and use Media2Cloud AI/ML workflows to gain deeper insights to the content.”

Visit www.signiant.com

MEDIA IN THE CLOUD

EditShare Boosts Media Workflow Performance UNVEILED AT NAB2022 (booth N3008), EditShare’s latest enhancements include project synchronisation with NLEs – including Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve – and enhanced EditShare FLOW workflow tools.

The next release of the core FLOW software will include the first implementation of this integration, allowing complex projects to be readily moved between EditShare media management and the NLE environment.

Also added to FLOW is the ability to support the latest RAW format updates for RED and Blackmagic Design camera systems and impose LUTs in real time, both on full resolution material and on proxies. For news and sports fast turnaround editing, FLOW can now ingest NDI contribution feeds and immediately present them for editing. Meanwhile, the Helmut 4 orchestration platform from MoovIT integrates Adobe and EditShare for high pressure operations.

According to Sunil Mudholkar, VP Product Management, EditShare, “We have always provided interoperability with the NLE editing environment, but with this latest development we eliminate manual drag and drop, ensuring project information is continually updated.”

Content security and availability is vital to professional users, and EditShare is adding new hardware and software in this area. The EFS 60NL is a new device, aimed at nearline storage, and providing 60 drive bays in 4U of rack space.

Within the EditShare environment, nearline

storage is ideal for content which is needed but not being immediately worked on, ready to be transferred to the online servers with virtually no delay.

Adding to the security and sharing concept, EFS Multi-Site allows users with multiple locations to leverage built-in file acceleration to synchronise project storage between EFS clusters in different facilities. This ensures that users have ready access to content, wherever they choose to work. Cloud Sync extends the capabilities of Multi-Site to cloud storage, providing added flexibility in access as well as security in archiving. Further enhancements to the company’s cloud offering and partnership with AWS will be announced.

Visit https://www.editshare.com

Vidispine Partners with MoovIT for Adobe Integration VIDISPINE, the Arvato Systems’ brand that provides scalable IT solutions for media and industry, has announced that its media asset management (MAM) portfolio is now integrated with project management solution ‘Helmut’ from Cologne-based video and IT specialists MoovIT Software Products. With this integration, customers can take advantage of efficient and straight forward project management of editing projects for Adobe Premiere as well as enhanced automation of routine processes to accelerate and simplify production.

‘Helmut’ organizes editing projects in professional video production environments that use Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects or Adobe Audition. The products in the ‘Helmut’ ecosystem can manage projects, templates, preferences and profiles, control project-related assets from ingest to export and organise storage systems. All of this is now seamlessly integrated into the Media Service Platform VidiNet. The tight integration gives producers and editors direct access to the VidiCore repository from within Adobe Premiere.

‘Helmut’ creates and manages Premiere projects and makes them accessible in the Vidispine products like MediaPortal. Stream Engine, the integral element of ‘Helmut’ that connects and controls all of the underlying processes, automatically uploads rendered videos to VidiCore and triggers any desired workflows.

Arvato Systems will resell Helmut globally, offering the integrated solution from a single source. The integration is available immediately for new and existing customers.

Meanwhile, VidiNet now includes functionalities for facial

recognition and automated quality control.

Vidispine has also announced MediaPortal SaaS for Metadata which provides journalists and content producers with rapid and fluent access to a vast repository, as well as the ability to collect, curate and share that content with search logic and intuitive design.

The Software- as-a-Service (SaaS) solution is available on and through the VidiNet platform. Also new is a ‘SaaS for Metadata creation’, built in partnership with DeepVA. Visit https://www.vidispine.com

HIGHLIGHTED AT NAB 2022 (Booth N5907), Evertz Microsystems’ solutions for linear channel playout, Media Asset Management and on-demand services include the scalable and infrastructure agnostic Mediator-X platform and OvertureRT Modular Playout engine.

Mediator-X can run on private or public cloud infrastructure, giving media companies a versatile and reliable workflow engine that fully automates MAM processes.

The system can be configured to run just one of the MAM, TX or NLD core functions, but when all three are combined powerful benefits come into play in terms of simplicity of use and increased efficiency.

As an extensive playout engine, the OvertureRT delivers an extensive list of features including logo/graphics insertion, rich SCTE metadata messaging, audio loudness correction, Nielsen watermarking, Dolby D encoding and more.

Recently, Evertz says it has

seen significant demand for this solution, particularly from international customers who are choosing the Mediator-X/ OvertureRT platform because it offers extensive multi-language services. Also relevant is the system’s support for Parent and Child playout, which allows broadcasters to easily playout multiple channels customized for specific regions. This feature makes it easy to include regionalised news segments/ programs and localised programming.

Evertz is also introducing StreamPro, a cost-effective Playout and Automation solution for smaller broadcasters and for Over-the-top (OTT) applications.

Using Evertz Overture Playout technology, StreamPro delivers frame accurate linear playout streams, preconfigured workflows, task options and a choice of redundancy models. A simplified ingest process ensures that readyfor-air content and metadata is automatically delivered to

third–party storage and Evertz OvertureRT playout devices.

Scheduling StreamPro includes all Evertz standard templates such as Live, File Based Content, Captions/Subtitles, Graphics and SCTE104/35 insertion. Finally, StreamPro’s feature-rich user interface incorporates the latest HTML5 web–based standards to deliver all the speed and performance of a native desktop application to remote clients anywhere.

is a real-time safeguarding product that ensures audiences are protected from offensive video or audio content. With support for both SDI and SMPTE ST 2110, ProGuard provides up to 30 seconds of delay allowing operators to remove offensive material or correct technical issues so that broadcasters meet regulations and maintain program

Meanwhile, Evertz’s ProGuard

Visit https://www.evertz.com

continuity.

MEDIA IN THE CLOUD

Evertz MAM and Playout Solutions

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MEDIA IN THE CLOUD

VSN Metadata Rules Editor VSN, A LEADING PROVIDER in media solutions for the broadcast industry, has announced a new Metadata Rules Editor. As the lifeblood of an effective MAM (Media Asset Manager), metadata creation requires a balance between the theories of best-practice database management/structure and the specific data needs and demands of individual users. The new module provides users with the structures of best-practice metadata management without them needing any knowledge of how to structure metadata themselves, and at the same time allows them to fully customise their metadata arrangements.

Highlighted at NAB 2022 (booth N.925), the new rule editor incorporated within VSNExplorer grants users the ability to engage with an intuitive, straight-forward programming language that allows them to organise and query their metadata in the way that is most meaningful to them, all the time supporting them with intuitive processes and error detection.

The second major addition to the core VSN range occurs within VSNCrea – VSN’s Broadcast Management System, which has been designed with remote HTML5 access and full VSNExplorer integration at its heart. Here,

the Ad pricing solutions have been expanded within the new Commercials Module to allow for the assignment of price blocks at different times of day, the selection of Ad rate types (Fixed, Cost Per Mille, Cost Per Rating), and the direct exchange of this information with the commercial contracts on which they are based.

Through the integration of these automation and accuracy-enhancement tools, VSN further extends the monetisation options available to users.

Visit http://www.vsn-tv.com

GB Labs Supports On-Premise, Cloud and Hybrid Workflows GB LABS’ rack-based SSD accelerator, HyperSpace Generation 3, delivers double the performance of the previous version, giving users access to the fastest data rates on the market when combined with GB Labs SPACE and SPACE+. GB Labs has taken its deep understanding of production workflows to create

intelligent software and hardware enhancements to the underlying HyperSpace engine. The addition of new, predictive capability brings greater efficiency to fast-paced environments.

FastNAS Generation 2 now delivers a 1000% boost in capability, with up to 4GBytes/sec real deliverable network performance. The system

is up to ten times as quick for mixed tasks compared to the previous generation, delivering increased efficiencies.

GB Labs’ new Unify Hub platform is designed for scenarios that combine on-premise and cloud content. This solution is available as a standalone solution or as a software upgrade to existing

GB Labs appliances. Unify Hub empowers remote production while maintaining data integrity and security, managing storage – on site or in the cloud, from GB Labs or from other vendors – to create an ultra-productive environment which is simple and fast.

Visit https://www.gblabs.com

within a single thread, they remain unchanged.

degradation in comparison with traditional transcoding. The software update is a free release for all Etere users on a support contract.

Etere Transcoder Adds Transwrapping ETERE HAS ANNOUNCED a free upgrade included in ETERE 32.2 Etere Transcoder – a Transwrapping feature that allows transcoding without re-encoding.

The new feature enables users to trim a local file, capture a network stream to a local file, or transcode

a list of files in a single file of the same or different container.

In this process, the software extracts data packets from a source and the same packets can be used to create new frames in the output file. Subsequently, when the packets are processed

The Transwrapping Technology can be used when there is no format change between inputs and outputs. The technology allows around 50 times faster processing, and also has no quality

Visit https://www.etere.com

MEDIA IN THE CLOUD

Signiant Unveils Media Engine for Assets Anywhere

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SIGNIANT INC., the provider of intelligent file transfer software, has announced Media Engine, a modern media management service built into The Signiant Platform. Media Engine allows Signiant’s SaaS customers to easily search, preview and take action on media assets across all their Signiant-connected storage, from anywhere in the world. Customers can perform federated searches across multiple content repositories, both on-premises and in the cloud. Results are immediately actionable via the powerful services available on the platform anchored by Signiant’s best-in-class fast file transfer.

As a cloud-native SaaS offering, Media Engine is scalable, highly available, and simple to deploy and manage. Media Engine will be included with every Signiant SaaS subscription to extend the value of its market-leading products - Media Shuttle, Jet, and Flight Deck - well beyond file transfer. This expansion of the core Signiant platform provides additional tools to help media companies create workflow efficiencies and streamline operations.

Media Engine lets users search by keyword and phrase, file type and more to easily find assets across distributed storage. Users can preview

any media format and immediately download or send it using Media Shuttle, the Signiant SaaS product designed for person-initiated transfers.

Within the intuitive Media Engine interface, users will also be able to mark in and out points to select a specific portion of a video asset - and then move only the clip of interest, commonly known as Partial File Restore. In addition, Media Engine’s proxy and metadata framework will make it easy for users to bring the power of cloud AI services to media operations.

Visit https://www.signiant.com

POST PRODUCTION Fuji TV’s ‘Don’t Call It Mystery’ Graded with DaVinci BLACKMAGIC DESIGN has announced that DaVinci Resolve Studio editing, colour grading, visual effects (VFX) and audio post production software was used to grade the popular drama series “Don’t Call It Mystery,” which is currently airing on Japan’s Fuji Television Network (Fuji TV). The series was also graded using a DaVinci Resolve Mini Panel by Tomoyuki Abe, a colorist at the production/post production studio VASC. The series is based on the comic by Yumi Tamura, which has sold more than 14 million copies and is currently serialised in the Shogakukan Manga Magazine flowers.

Colourist Tomoyuki Abe said: “The time given for shooting is usually half the number of days of a feature film. For post production, we only have one day for each post process, including grading, online editing and audio sweetening, which is not enough time to check that everything is absolutely okay. So, we often have to make changes on short notice and go back and export to AAF to fix the process. DaVinci Resolve Studio allows me to deal with AAF more smoothly and trouble free than any other application.”

Abe continued, “There were usually about a thousand cuts per episode in this series. We had a very tight deadline for drama production, so conforming and rendering speed was very important. With DaVinci Resolve Studio, we were able to conform in a matter of seconds and work smoothly during grading.”

The grading was done at Fuji TV’s editing studio, and in addition to DaVinci Resolve Studio and a DaVinci Resolve Mini Panel, SmartScope Duo was used for waveform display, Smart Videohub router and Teranex Mini converters.

“When grading for TV dramas, I usually watch a 30-inch master monitor, and the Resolve Mini Panel is a perfect size for grading while watching this medium size master monitor.

Plus, it is the best size for this suite while giving me all the functions I need for intuitive grading,” said Abe. “For the first episode, I started grading at a studio in VASC and moved to the Fuji studio halfway through the project. We moved the project with the material server, and it was smooth and stress free.”

Since most of the scenes in the first episode were shot in a single location, a police interrogation room, it was necessary to create a visual that would keep viewers entertained as much as possible. It was raining or sunny depending on the scene, so Abe tried different looks for the scenes to give a sense of time and weather even though they were all shot in the same place.

“In one scene, the way the sunlight reflected off the wall was very complex and distracting to watch. This was an important scene for which the director requested a gradual change in the look to express the actor’s emotional state.

So, I used a keyframe editor to change the look from cold to warm colours to match the actor’s emotions, while keeping the distracting light changes unnoticeable,” explained Abe. Abe also made many other adjustments using keyframes. In a bus scene, which was shot while the bus was actually running, there were many instances where the actors’ faces became extremely dark or light due to the amount of sunlight. Abe fixed the uneven lighting to make those faces more visible.

“DaVinci Resolve allowed me to adjust this bus scene using curves and keyframes and gave a nice result. Without DaVinci Resolve, I would not have been able to make such precise adjustments without compromise in such a limited time,” Abe concluded.

Visit https://www.blackmagicdesign.com

TOKYO-BASED post-production studio ARTONE FILM has installed Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve Studio editing, colour grading, visual effects (VFX) and audio post production software and DaVinci Resolve Advanced Panels for its grading services. ARTONE FILM, founded by experienced colourists Masahiro Ishiyama and Toshiki Kamei, specialises in colour correction and since its opening in 2021 has worked on many projects, including Netflix originals, feature films, commercials and music videos.

Both Ishiyama and Kamei have years of experience providing colour correction for films, TV shows, music videos and commercials using DaVinci Resolve Studio. ARTONE FILM has quickly grown to become one of the most popular colour correction houses in Tokyo, completing the Netflix originals “Asakusa Kid” and “The Journalist,” the new feature film “Yomei Jyunen (Ten Years to Live),” music

videos such as King Gnu’s “Boy,” Domico’s “Chi wo Kirai Niku wo Konomu” (“I Hate Blood and Prefer Meat”), BUMP OF CHICKEN’s “Small World,” and TV commercials for companies such as Taisho Pharmaceutical and UQ mobile.

Both Ishiyama and Kamei said that DaVinci Resolve Studio was the first grading system they used. They chose DaVinci Resolve Studio as well as two DaVinci Resolve Advanced Panels for ARTONE FILM.

Ishiyama explained about the launch of the studio: “I wanted to create a company where colourists could make business decisions. By having the colourists themselves involved in the management, they could maximise their creativity. It never crossed my mind to become a freelance colourist. Since film/video is a comprehensive art form, I wanted to gather a lot of artists and do something as a company, rather than doing something on my own. That’s why I approached Kamei. I had taken notice of him since I was an assistant colourist, as I had seen his grading at Blackmagic Design seminars, and I liked the style of colour he created.”

“Since I was using the Advanced Panel at my previous job, the operation using the panel was so ingrained in my body that I couldn’t grade intuitively without it,” said Ishiyama. “There was a change in the panel design, and still this arrangement is much easier to use.

“Speed is very important for colourists no matter what kind of projects they grade.

DaVinci Resolve is simple and easy to use, with the ability to group and apply grading in batches. It can handle both long form and short form. No wonder it is used in studios around the world.”

Visit https://www.blackmagicdesign.com

POST PRODUCTION

Tokyo’s ARTONE FILM Installs DaVinci Resolve Advanced Panels

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POST PRODUCTION

3D Tree Assets for Unreal Engine QUIXEL, THE PRODUCER of 3D asset library Megascans, has announced early access of ‘Megascans Trees’, a brand new asset type which it says is “Far from being just another type of foliage”. The first pack is available on the Unreal Engine Marketplace for free, and is the culmination of extensive research, development and iterations on how to capture these complex and beautiful living things.

According to Quixel, “In order to do justice to the magnificence of trees and create a faithful adaptation of nature, our approach has been a scientific one, relying on botany and deep knowledge of how trees grow, react to light, wind and respond to seasonal changes. The result has been not just a set of

assets but also a powerful foliage master material to control seasons and wind.”

First pack in the series is the European Black Alder pack where artists will find early access Megascans Trees with 22 unique models of various maturity to build a photorealistic forest. It includes nine forest trees – versions of the trees that you’d typically find in a forest where the trees take in nutrients from the sun from the top of the canopy; five field trees of the sort that would have more direct sunlight; six saplings, and two seedlings.

Along with the trees, Quixel has included several new features to its foliage shader. In addition to the standard parameters, a season and health system has been added. This will work with an entire scene

by adjusting a few sliders, which are driven by the new global foliage actor, where artists will find everything related to the season, health and wind in their scene. On top of these global parameters, artists can also go into each material instance to fine tune the settings on a detailed level.

“Our scanning teams are busy capturing different tree species from a variety of biomes around the world,” says Quixel.

“We’re excited to continue rolling these out to you over the coming months.

Once Megascans Trees are out of beta we will also be making them available through Bridge to make it even easier for you to use this powerful new asset type in your environments.”

Visit https://quixel.com

Accurate.Video Edit Integrates with SDVI Rally Access Media Management CODEMILL HAS ANNOUNCED that its cloud-native editing tool, Accurate.Video Edit, now integrates with the SDVI Rally media supply chain management platform.

Accurate.Video Edit is a professional video editor designed to enable users to perform essential edits efficiently in the browser.

Its integration with SDVI Rally simplifies metadataassisted content QC and compliance tasks for media organisations.

POST PRODUCTION

SDVI, a California-based technology company, provides next generation supply chain optimisation for the media industry.

Its cloud-native platform, SDVI Rally, helps operators work smarter and faster by linking automated supply chain functions and the resulting metadata to the manual tasks that operators must handle.

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Accurate.Video Edit is designed to refine workflows and optimise quality control (QC) editing processes, all in the cloud. It provides a

user-friendly interface to carry out the edits needed for content compliance, content localisation for different channels or markets, versioning for different platforms, and segmentation for promo and marketing teams.

Built from the ground up, Accurate.Video Edit fits effortlessly into existing media workflows meaning companies can benefit from efficient, flexible workflows.

The integration of Accurate.Video Edit with SDVI Rally allows content operators to quickly manage, select, and edit media assets that have failed QC using time coded information (time-based metadata). The solution enables content to move seamlessly through the supply chain and integrates with existing workflows and established infrastructure.

Chris Brähler, Vice President of Products, SDVI, commented: “Codemill continues to be a valued partner of SDVI,

and the tight integration of our products gives our customers enhanced efficiency and saves time when having to review and edit content. By focusing only on specific work order requirements, operators maximise their throughput without additional overhead, completing the task at hand in an intuitive browser-based user interface.”

Rickard Lönneborg, CEO, Codemill, added: “We’re pleased to offer this integration to SDVI Rally users. Accurate.Video Edit is designed to meet the demands of modern media workflows and through its advanced metadata visualisation, it ensures errors are reduced and video consumer expectations are met. The seamless combination of our solutions means operators can ensure quality and compliance of video before delivery.”

Visit https://codemill.se and www.sdvi.com

Boris FX Delivers Blockbuster Effects BORIS FX HAS RELEASED what it says is a powerful creative photo editing and manipulation plugin to Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom workflows. Optics 2022 makes it easy to add the same high-end cinematic looks and effects to photos that the film and television industry has relied on for over twenty years.

Optics, available as a plugin and standalone application, features over 170 effects broken into 10 categories, 1000s of drag and drop presets, and a robust masking, paint, and layering system. Among its most popular effects are lens flares, light leaks, glows, gobos, film stocks, and color grades inspired by top films and TV series such as The Wizard of Oz, E.T., The Grand Budapest Hotel, Euphoria, and Stranger Things. Professional photographers, digital artists, and graphic designers can quickly browse through the extensive preset library and choose a preset as-is or customise it for full creative control.

According to Marco Paolini, Optics product designer, “The new Particle Illusion category gives photographers and artists the ability to quickly add photorealistic particles to images in seconds. It features over 1500 presets with options to control the particle size, number, angle, forces, and deflectors.

The creative possibilities are endless. Think adding steam to a coffee product shot, fireworks over a skyline, fantastical sci-fi elements, and so much more.”

What’s New in Optics • Particles for photo editing: Particle Illusion is a fast and easy-to-use particle generator to create photorealistic effects and creative

elements. Features thousands of particle presets and assets to enhance photo editing including smoke, fire, water, sparkles, explosions, dust, sci-fi, and more.

• Improved performance on Macs: Native Apple M1 support and Metal GPU acceleration deliver significant render speed increases.

• VFX: Adds more creative effects from the Boris FX Sapphire collection including UltraZap (superhero/ sci-fi lightning effects), UltraGlow (smooth and slick glows), Emboss_ Glass, Warp_Waves (lens/ distortion effects), and more.

• Improved alpha and masking workflows: Move layer masks between Photoshop and Optics for flexible compositing and layering. Masking tools, lighting effects, and render generators can now process and export alpha for unlimited asset creation.

• Beauty and portrait retouching tools: The Beauty Studio filter (from Boris FX Continuum collection) reduces blemishes, wrinkles, and pores for skin smoothing and digital makeup. The Pin Warp tool warps and reshapes faces or body parts using interactive pin controls.

• 2000+ more presets: Includes film stocks and movie looks, lens flares, gobo/light patterns, and tons of Particle Illusion presets.

• Improved user interface: Streamlined look, compact sliders, and ability to customise and import/export workspaces.

Visit www.borisfx.com

POST PRODUCTION

axledit Browser-Based Video Editor – Collaboration, Search, Publishing THE BOOM IN video use for social media and marketing has been paralleled by swift migration to the cloud. To meet this boom, axle ai has launched axledit, a browser-based video editor with integrated collaboration, search, and publishing features.

According to the company, axledit provides a level of power and control previously only available to editing solutions running on laptops and workstations. You can also export your sequences from axledit to software like Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer and Apple Final Cut Pro. axledit is available immediately on a monthly licensed basis. Available tiers are Free, USD$10 per user per month and $50 per user per month. In addition, an Enterprise tier is available with a number of key features including hybrid cloud/on-premise configurations, and workflow automations.

Complete, private instances of the axledit cloud back end are also available on request for clients such as content studios who wish to have a ‘walled garden’ version specific to their network. axledit’s collaboration features allow not only browser-based review and approval by producers and clients, but also simultaneous editing sessions with a shared view of the current state of the timeline and playback.

Other key axledit features include: • Professional-style timeline with multiple audio and video tracks.

• High speed, interrupt-resilient uploads of huge video files.

• Effects and transitions.

• Powerful sequence versioning.

• The ability to directly import stock video content.

• Access to axle ai on-premise and cloud media management servers.

Direct publishing of edits to YouTube and Vimeo is another feature of axledit, allowing creators to manage, edit and publish their content directly to these leading platforms without ever having to download large media files, edit them or upload finished media to the cloud. axledit is available immediately. axle ai 2022 Simultaneously, axle ai has announced the release of axle ai 2022, its flagship AIpowered media management solution which can catalogue and tag nearly any media on any combination of on-premise and cloud storage. Featuring an all-new user interface with a Dark theme, axle ai 2022 offers several key features including: • Integrated, speech transcription ($1 per hour).

• Integrated, fixed-cost face recognition.

• Integrated, fixed-cost logo recognition.

Maxon Announces Universe 5.1 MAXON, THE DEVELOPER OF professional 3D software solutions, has announced immediate availability of Universe 5.1., a new update to its suite of video transition and effects plugins.

This new version of Universe adds support for M1-powered Macs. Additionally, by replacing JavaScript with C++, Universe was completely rebuilt to provide a more future-proof and flexible foundation, paving the way for more powerful tools, creative options, and improved performance.

Along with these updates, two major bug fixes affecting Adobe Premiere users as well as many minor enhancements and stability improvements are included with this maintenance release.

• Integrated, fixed-cost object recognition.

The update is available immediately via Maxon App.

Visit www.axle.ai and www.axledit.com

Visit www.maxon.net

Assimilate, Brompton Enable On-Set LED Screen Colour Correction

Assimilate’s Live Looks and Live Assist tools work in tandem with real-time rendered environments from game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity, with Live Looks providing a powerful live grading solution and Live Assist offering record and playback, including in multi-camera setups. Live FX plays out plates and pre-rendered scenes and enables live on-set compositing for LED wall virtual productions, handling everything from previsualisation through to final pixel incamera VFX. Together, Live Looks, Live Assist, and Live FX can now leverage Brompton’s extensive API to streamline distinct areas of the virtual production on-set workflow for a cohesive

creative experience.

“Virtual production workflows are complex and still a pioneering field with the highest requirements.

We’re happy to have collaborated with Brompton to create an amazingly straightforward and powerful workflow for DITs as well as VP operators,” said Jeff Edson, CEO, Assimilate. “As the traditional DIT role has evolved, they can now use Live Looks and Live Assist on-set with the 3D LUT control in Brompton’s LED video processors to easily handle live colour correction in the LED volume. Integrating remote control functionality for the Brompton LED video processors into Live FX further streamlines the process on-set. Together we are enabling the most efficient virtual production workflows at the highest levels.”

“When we added 3D LUT import to our API, Assimilate were one of the first companies we spoke to about integrating with our LED video processors. It’s always exciting to work with innovative partners such as Assimilate to solve real-world problems together for creatives working in virtual production,” concluded Hugh Davies-Webb, Product Manager, Brompton Technology.

Visit www.bromptontech.com and www. assimilateinc.com

POST PRODUCTION

ASSIMILATE has announced that its Live Looks, Live Assist, and Live FX software solutions now support integration with Brompton Technology’s Tessera S8 and SX40 LED processors, enabling live colour grading and compositing in virtual production workflows.

This integration is currently available in the new v9.4 releases of Live Looks and Live Assist, and in the open beta of Live FX. Taking advantage of Brompton’s API, users working in LED volumes can now send 3D LUTs in near-realtime to Brompton’s Tessera S8 and SX40 LED video processors, powering live on-set colour grading on the LED screen.

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POST PRODUCTION

Remote Production Offers a Safeguard for Indie Film Industry The TV and film industries were left to deal with devastating effects from the Covid 19 pandemic.

By Parham Azini, CEO and Co-Founder, iconik SOCIAL DISTANCING, LOCKDOWNS and travel bans meant that opportunities to work on new projects were few and far between.

However, some film makers decided to explore alternative solutions that would allow them to continue production safely despite the restrictions.

Although the safety and wellbeing of staff was paramount during the peak of the pandemic, production companies still had overheads to pay and the disruption in income was causing concern. And while many companies had to suspend production, others adopted remote workflows.

Worrying Times for the Industry While the whole industry was affected, none were as hard hit as those in the independent sector. Larger productions were better positioned to delay filming or movie release dates, such as the long-awaited James Bond film, which was finally released in October 2021 after being pushed back on three occasions.

Unlike the major film companies, there are less options for indie films to pull out of release dates, and completely stopping production and delaying releases has the potential to destroy a smaller company.

Job security also became a major concern during Covid. With freelancers making up a large percentage of film industry staff in the US, enabling as many as possible to remain in work would not only benefit the industry, but also the individual’s wellbeing. Whilst there were numerous funds and support packages launched to help relieve the financial strain, such as the USD$21 million in emergency financial assistance from The Actors Fund, many companies were happy to simply survive the rollercoaster of the pandemic. Additionally, having to navigate the threats of positive Covid cases on film sets caused major concerns for production timescales and budgets.

An Alternative Way of Working Remote production is not a new concept; however, it has been accelerated by the impact of Covid. Cloud-based technology teamed with improved global connectivity meant teams could work on projects without being in the same location. The process of remote editing is much more efficient, and the ability to review footage is significantly quicker than traditional methods.

The traditional process of production typically involves storing raw footage on hard drives which would then need to be moved to a screening room and reviewed from there at the end of each day. The whole procedure is longwinded and uses considerable resources. With remote production, footage can be reviewed as and when needed, making it quicker to reshoot scenes and adjust as necessary if the actors aren’t on point or character continuity needs to be maintained. It also allows the production team to easily assess the impact of conditions, framing and composition on the footage.

The process used by the makers of the upcoming feature film Boon is a great example.

Filmed in a remote location in Washington, U.S.A, the producers chose to utilize virtual production techniques from iconik to overcome the challenges brought about from the pandemic. The team behind the recent feature film Boon (produced by Muscular Puppy and directed by Neil McDonough) used iconik to access and review footage almost immediately, which meant the team could quickly reference and make changes as needed.

Remote location? No problem Boon was filmed mostly outdoors in the mountains where the weather was unpredictable and internet connection was temperamental. Despite external factors causing issues, the benefits of collating the footage in the cloud outweighed the challenges.

In areas of little or no internet, dedicated mobile phone hotspots were setup resulting in very little downtime.

Traditionally, once footage has been transcoded and transferred to a drive, the only way to watch it back is to view it wherever the drive is located. Daily reviews would typically be done at the end of each day with any reshoots being carried out the following day. The process can be lengthy and adds additional, and unnecessary, time to productions.

For post-production and finishing, a MatrixStore storage system from Object Matrix was implemented for all media distribution and additional backups. Using iconik and MatrixStore further benefited the remote processes, with production teams able to selfserve access to content from anywhere. And although shots were carefully planned before filming, the knowledge that both the storage and media management could handle vast

POST PRODUCTION

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amounts of data made it an easy choice. Utilizing a cloud-based solution meant that a fraction of data storage was used (10TB) compared to traditional means (20-30TB).

Additionally, with iconik and Object Matrix providing secure solutions, the post-production team could work confidently knowing assets were protected from external sources.

Continuity is Key Using the cloud-native solution from iconik for reviewing video content, meant the crew could immediately refer to previous footage for continuity of lighting, weather conditions and other finer details within scenes. In one instance on set, producers were able to quickly refer to a scene from the previous day to confirm whether an actor should be wearing earrings or not. Having continuity during recording means there is less need for postproduction editing to fix unmissed errors.

Actors are usually their own worst critics and every now and again they may wish to review their performance in a scene. Unlike traditional production, a cloud-based solution meant that footage could be reviewed from any internetconnected device. The instant access to media also meant that filming and production times were significantly reduced, impacting positively on the overall budget.

Boon’s prequel, Red Stone, was also filmed and edited during the pandemic and was released earlier this year. Although Boon was filmed on location, utilising a cloud-native approach meant that the executive producers - located in Canada and Texas - were able to be part of the process. The ability to review and collaborate on a film from anywhere brought a new level of agility and insight to the production of Boon. By using a remote collaboration solution for review and approval, everyone involved in the film’s production could remain connected.

As we continue to navigate out of the pandemic towards the new normal, we can see that remote production is more than a temporary fix. Although Coronavirus disrupted the whole industry, it also highlighted innovations and the potential to improve workflows. The new era of connection and collaboration offers exciting opportunities for the film industry between the people that work in it.

Visit https://www.iconik.io

FOR OUR ADVERTISING RATES AND OPTIONS Contact Adam Buick adam@broadcastpapers.com or +61 (0) 413 007 144

AUDIO,RADIO RADIO,PODCAST PODCAST AUDO Asia Radio Concepts and Liverpool FC Score with New Radio Licensing Concept ASIA RADIO CONCEPTS (ARC) has announced a working agreement with Liverpool Football Club (LFC) to establish LFC-branded radio stations throughout the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. The multi-year agreement will see the creation of the world’s first footballbranded and content-driven “LFC Radio” stations.

ARC director, Guy Dobson said, “We’re thrilled to be working with one of the greatest football brands in the world on this

ground-breaking concept.

those stations as “LFC Radio”.

“The broadcast industry is highly competitive, and radio networks are always looking for that winning formula and a point of difference, and that’s where ARC and LFC Radio fits the brief perfectly.”

“These stations will not only benefit from the content and sales expertise of the radio executives at ARC but will be associated with one of the most respected and strongest brands in the world, Liverpool Football Club,” concluded Dobson.

ARC will work closely with interested radio groups to re-programme existing radio stations in terms of both music format and content offering, to maximize audience reach in that respective market, and relaunch

The roll-out of LFC Radio branded radio stations will have an Asia-Pacific first strategy, including the Middle East, before expanding into other territories and regions.

LFC Radio stations will also carry LFC content, including LFC match reports, LFC news updates, plus player and coach interviews.

The introduction of LFC Radio will enhance the sight and sound offering for both football fans and corporate partners around the world.

Contact Guy Dobson, ARC Sydney, via guy.dobson@ asiaradioconcepts.com or James Ross, ARC Hong Kong, via james@asiaradioconcepts.com

Tieline Adds Native Livewire+ Support AS LANGUAGE-DUBBING Tieline the Codec Company recently announced that it has added native Livewire+ support to Gateway and Gateway 4 codecs.

Livewire+ is widely used by many broadcasters for discovery and advertisement when streaming real-time IP audio. Integrating native support for Livewire+ facilitates interfacing easily between Gateway and Gateway 4 codecs and Livewire AoIP networks. Previously the codecs could only connect to Livewire+ devices in AES67 compatibility mode.

“Tieline always advocates for interoperability of equipment from different vendors of IP

systems and products,” said Charlie Gawley, Tieline’s VP Sales APAC/EMEA. “That’s why our Gateway platform includes native support for AES67, ST 2110-30, ST2022-7, AMWA NMOS IS-04 and IS-05, Ember+, RAVENNA, and now Livewire+.

An optional WheatNet-IP card is also available and we plan to support Dante in coming months. This allows devices using different open standard and proprietary AoIP protocols to connect seamlessly.”

Tieline codecs specialise in streaming low latency, high quality audio over the internet using a range of wired and wireless IP transports. The

codecs are ideal for STLs, network audio distribution, and multiple remote broadcasts.

They are often gateway devices in IP networks bridging between wide area network (WAN) nodes that may include the broadcast plant, other studios (inter-studio links), production facilities and live remote broadcast events.

Interoperability between multiple AoIP protocols delivers greater flexibility when

integrating IP audio streams into the broadcast plant from a range of sources.

New firmware supporting Livewire+ will be available in Q2 of 2022 and will be a free upgrade for existing customers.

The Gateway and Gateway 4 codecs debut at the NAB show in 2022 and can be seen at booth C1707.

Visit https://tieline.com

Astro Adopts 12G-SDI & Dolby Atmos Monitoring with JAA.S and Wohler

The UEFA Euro 2020 football games in 2021 were broadcast in UHD 4K format through a Dolby Atmos immersive sound system for the first time. Following the season, a Dolby Atmos monitoring system was specified for followon events. JAA.S, a Wohler distributor, was identified by Astro to assist the broadcaster to provide a solution, who proposed a Wohler iAM-12G-SDI video and audio monitor with

Dolby Atmos decoding. Incorporating two 4K / 12G SDI inputs on BNC, the upgraded version, including Dolby D, Dolby Digital + and Dolby E, enables decoding of Atmos content from either SDI or AES3.

“We provided an iAM-12G-SDI as a demonstration unit prior to UEFA 2020,” commented JAA Systems Sdn Bhd senior sales engineer, Kaartigaiyan. “It was the earliest and remains the only professional grade monitoring system to be equipped with Dolby Atmos. The multi-channel multi-source audio-video monitor is easy to operate, yet powerful enough to provide high quality monitoring of 12G, IP-ST 2110, 2022-6 signals.

The proof of concept was successful and met

all of Astro’s many requirements.”

“Wohler is honoured that Astro has become the first broadcaster in Malaysia to adopt and purchase iAM-12G-SDI units with Dolby Atmos monitoring,” added Wohler Technologies’ VP of Sales and Marketing, Kim Templeman-Holmes.

“Our iSeries units provide confidence, value, and future-proofing to support Astro in their development of Dolby Atmos immersive audio.”

In addition to the iAM-12G-SDI, Astro also acquired three iVAM1-3 16-channel monitors with Dolby for their Media Suite studio monitoring.

Visit https://wohler.com

AUDIO, RADIO, PODCAST

ASTRO HAS INSTALLED its first Dolby Atmos monitoring system into its pan-Asia Broadcast Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The satellite television and IPTV provider is the dominant sports broadcaster in both Malaysia and Brunei, for which most major sports events are transmitted to the main broadcast channels.

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AUDIO, RADIO, PODCAST

TASCAM Boosts Model 12 Integrated Production Suite TASCAM recently announced the Version 1.30 firmware update for the Model 12 Integrated Production Suite. As a desktop tool for music and multimedia creation, the Model 12 incorporates a mixer with I/O and analoguestyle controls, multitrack recorder, a USB audio/MIDI interface, DAW control functions, and a wealth of podcasting capabilities including mix-minus and smartphone input capability. With the new V1.30 firmware update, this versatile production tool gains additional functions that further enhance its ability.

The V1.30 firmware update increases the Model 12’s DAW control surface integration.

This latest update adds Studio One from PreSonus, Reaper from Cockos, Inc., and Cubasis 3.3 from Steinberg. This is in addition to existing support for Avid’s Pro Tools, Apple Logic, MOTU (Mark of the Unicorn) Digital Performer, Steinberg Cubase, Ableton Live, and Cakewalk by BandLab. Supported functions include basic external DAW control (Faders, Mutes, Pans, Solos, Record arm, Play, Record, Stop, FF/REW, and Jog) using integrated HUI/MCU protocol emulation for tactile control.

The Model 12’s dual headphone jacks have previously facilitated monitoring of two discrete headphone mixes simultaneously.

With the V1.30 update, this capability has been expanded to include Main Mix Pre to Phone Source selection in addition to Main Mix Post. Prior to V1.30, when working with headphones only, without producing sound from the speakers with Main Mix Post, the

sound of the headphone output was muted when Main Mix was muted.

When working on podcasts or other streaming media projects, the ability to have clean, accurate sound delivered through one’s computer speakers is of paramount importance. The V1.30 firmware update also adds a level attenuation function with a range of 0-40dB for the Model 12’s Main and Sub outputs. Whereas a small PC speaker could easily be overloaded resulting in distorted sound without raising the Master fader much at all, V1.30 corrects this situation.

For Model 12 owners who have not updated their systems in a while, two important previous updates should be noted. For streaming media applications, an Output Delay for Synchronized Audio/Video Streaming was added in V1.20. The output delay (adjustable from 0 – 2000ms) creates stable sync between streamed audio and video for all networks and video systems. This easy to set-up function enables dual Audio Delay for both the USB and Main outputs (Main

output can be selected On/Off). In addition, it is possible to monitor the output delay signal by headphones if the Main output on has been selected.

Equally noteworthy, a VAMP playback function was added with the V1.11 firmware update. The VAMP playback function provides seamless loop playback between two selected points in a song. In addition to being a valuable tool for individual practice or ensemble rehearsals, it can be used during live playback for extended solos/jams, or repeated playback of a selected track only. As many as ten VAMP points can be specified for an individual song.

Visit www.tascam.com

Nugen’s Paragon of Reverbs NUGEN AUDIO’S 3D-compatible convolution reverb, Paragon, is designed for the broadcast/ film audio market and offersing full control of the decay, room size and brightness via re-synthesis modelled on 3D recordings of real spaces. Paragon provides an unprecedented level of tweak-ability, with zero timestretching – meaning no artefacts.

AUDIO, RADIO, PODCAST

Using technology developed alongside the University of York’s Dr. Jez Wells, Paragon features spectral analysis and precise EQ of the Impulse Responses (IR), which are analysed, decomposed and re-synthesised to create new authentic spaces. This ensures a small digital footprint for the IR library and makes it possible to configure limitless combinations of spaces with just a few adjustments to the settings. Further, it features individually configurable crosstalk per channel; unique technology for re-synthesis of authentic IRs, HPF and LPF per channel; and switchable LFE.

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“With purity of sound at the forefront of this plug-in, Paragon operates in up to 7.1.2 channels of audio, making it perfect for surround applications, including Dolby Atmos, as well as for producing reverb in mono and stereo formats,” says NUGEN Audio Product Specialist Freddy Vinehill-Cliffe. “Unlike traditional convolution reverb, Paragon does not use static IR, which provides a wider scope

to transparently transform the sound of a space. It is ideal for re-creating authentic sounds of real spaces and manipulating IRs while still maintaining true convolution characteristics.”

Following the initial launch of Paragon, NUGEN added new pre-sets and an improved browser, with ‘search’, ‘tagging’ and ‘favourite’ functions. These added elements are especially important to people working on movies and TV shows with exterior scenes, which are found in nearly every production. Additionally, the new pre-set browser makes it easier for users to organise their pre-sets, which further expedites the creative process.

Most recently, the company released Paragon ST, a mono/stereo-only version of the software and, along with it, came a series of further updates to Paragon surround. This included new stereo width controls, which provide instant stereo enhancement with the assurance of superb mono compatibility and no unwanted artefacts. Additionally, the new mic distance control adjusts the level of the early reverb reflections, giving the impression that the affected sound is either closer to or further away from the listener, without adjusting the characteristics of the space itself. Lastly, the added modulation function gives users a greater level of creativity and a

dynamic character to the reverb.

NUGEN has also focused on updating several of its products, including Halo Downmix, which now has a broadened channel count support to address less common output formats. With this update, Halo Downmix is capable of downmixing from 7.1 and 5.1 to any of the following configurations: 7.0, 6.1, 6.0, 5.1, 5.0 and 4.0, as well as LCR and stereo.

The optional 3D extension also supports downmixing from 7.1.2.

Halo Downmix can now support all of the same channel arrangements as Halo Upmix, which allows users to fill in the audio gaps by taking productions from Netflix-compliant 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos formats fully down to lower channel counts.

Included in both the NUGEN Post bundle and Surround Suite packages, Halo Downmix enables precise surround balancing, mix monitoring and stereo fold-down.

Visit www.nugenaudio.com

AUDIO, RADIO, PODCAST

RØDE NTH-100 Professional Over-Ear Headphones RØDE HAS ANNOUNCED its debut into the headphone market with the NTH-100 professional over-ear headphones. They are designed for all forms of content creation at home, in the studio or in the field, including music production, podcasting and livestreaming, location recording, and video production or editing.

The NTH-100s feature custom-matched 40mm dynamic drivers to deliver an accurate frequency response and exceptional clarity.

Their design is based around a custom voice coil with a four-layer ultra-high-tension aluminium alloy as its core, which is coupled to an ultra-stiff triple-layer Mylar diaphragm.

Together with a rare-earth neodymium magnet, these high-grade components ensure optimal acoustic and electrical performance for extremely low levels of distortion and a highly accurate response across a broad frequency range.

These characteristics are further enhanced by the unique contoured earcup construction.

This ergonomic design has been precisionengineered to not only be extremely comfortable but also acoustically optimal, eliminating standing modes and frequency resonances for a more immersive listening experience. The earcups also feature highdensity memory foam for excellent noise isolation.

The NTH-100s are remarkably naturalsounding headphones, with a sound signature akin to open-backs but with all the advantages of closed-backs, including superior passive attenuation of external noise and no issues with spill when recording in close proximity to a microphone.

The NTH-100s feature Alcantara on the earpads and headband. This is an ultra-highquality material that is typically utilised in sports cars and high-end fashion.

Multipurpose FM/AM/HD Audio Processor THIS NAB SHOW will be a first for Wheatstone’s MP-532 multipurpose FM/AM/HD audio processor.

Described by broadcasters as having “... the most articulation and clarity of any audio processor I’ve ever heard” and able to “... go anywhere from clean and dynamic to loud and proud with just a few adjustments,” the MP-532 introduces new algorithms to produce deeper lows, detailed highs and a warm and present mid-range that have not been possible from an audio processor until now.

Underneath the Alcantara is a layer of RØDE’s CoolTech gel, which absorbs and dissipates heat, actively cooling the head and ears to significantly reduce wearing fatigue. Fatigue is further reduced by the balanced frequency response and low distortion levels of the NTH-100s.

The headband is fully adjustable and features our innovative FitLok locking system, which secures the earcups in place, so they feel exactly the same every time they are worn.

Each pair comes with a high-quality 2.4m straight black cable that is lightweight and unobtrusive, with 1.2m and coloured variants (pink, green, orange and blue) available separately. Also included are a storage pouch, a 3.5mm to 1/4-inch adaptor for use with professional audio equipment, and a set of coloured ID rings for easy cable identification (these are matched to the channel colours of the RØDECaster Pro and RØDE Connect).

Visit https://rode.com

Dante Virtual Soundcard for Apple Silicon and Windows 11 AUDINATE has announced availability of its Dante Virtual Soundcard software for both Mac and Windows computers, now optimised for Apple Silicon processors such as the M1, M1 Pro and M1 Max as well as the new Windows 11 operating system from Microsoft.

The MP-532 will be at Wheatstone booth N2631 along with the company’s full line of audio processors and AoIP products.

Dante Virtual Soundcard is software that turns a Mac or Windows computer into a Dantepowered workstation, seamlessly integrating with Dante audio devices on an Ethernet-based network. Instantly connect to record, process, and playout up to 64×64 channels using any audio application and any combination of Dante-enabled devices. Dante Virtual Soundcard now supports macOS on both Intel and Apple Silicon platforms, as well as Windows 10/11 for PCs.

Visit https://wheatstone.com

Visit https://www.audinate.com

The MP-532 is a multipurpose processor for FM, AM, and HD radio and includes RDS, multiplex power controller and WheatNet-IP audio network interface.

FRENCH AUDIO EQUIPMENT manufacturer Digigram has announced the release of two new sound cards, ALP-222e and ALP-222eMic as part of the ALP-X range.

The new ALP-X range comprises a series of digital and analogue sound cards with improved features that will gradually roll out throughout 2022 to replace the legacy Digigram VX sound cards. ALP-222e and ALP222e-Mic are the first two cards of the range to be released on the market.

Available April 2022 via Digigram’s network of distributors, both ALP-222e and ALP-2222eMic cards embed the signature features of VX222 sound cards: pristine sound quality for playing and recording (for the ALP-222-e-mic

version), and a robust design to provide the utmost reliability.

Linux systems compatibility are among the extra features.

“We are thrilled to open a new chapter with the new ALP-X range, with untouched sound quality and reliability,” says Nancy Diaz Curiel, Digigram’s Director of Sales, Marketing and Communications. “Both cards will seamlessly integrate broadcast studios or automation systems where high sound quality and robustness are key.”

As well as traditional broadcast, the new added features to the ALP-X range enable Digigram to address the global industry for all sound sensitive applications where reliability and performance are paramount: emergency systems, critical communications, and 365/24/7 run applications.

In addition to their reference features, ALP222e and ALP222e-Mic have benefited from new developments for enhanced performances: a slim, form factor design will increase flexibility and allow larger, embarked applications on any PC, while Windows and

Other additions to the new range include analogue and digital streaming at the same time, an embedded mixer with drivers available from Digigram website.

Visit https://www.digigram.com

AUDIO, RADIO, PODCAST

New Digigram Sound Cards

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AUDIO, RADIO, PODCAST

Saramonic Blink900: 2.4GHz Dual-Channel Wireless Microphone System SARAMONIC HAS RELEASED its new wireless microphone: The Blink900 2.4GHz dualchannel wireless microphone system which has the potential to redefine the industry.

Built with the new DSP technology, Blink900 delivers crystal clear sound with 6ms ultralow latency at distances of up to 200m.

Incorporating dual-channels, it offers users more recording solutions, they can use single or dual transmitters, and can choose mono or stereo mode to record each channel separately for ultimate flexibility in postproduction.

The system comes with a vivid colour LCD screen which includes a light sensor, so the

screen brightness can automatically react to the changes in the environment so the user always has a clear viewing experience, or they can manually change the brightness between 1-10 levels.

Comes with multiple useful accessories make the system a one for all solution for different kinds of use case scenarios such as vlogging, streaming, podcasting, interview, online teaching, and more. And with multiple types of cables in the package, Blink900 can connect to cameras, smartphones, tablets, and computers, etc.

lithium-ion battery with up to six hours battery life for transmitter and receiver, and the charging box can provide three times full charging for 18 hours use.

• Flexible Gain Control: 0-6 level gain control lets you precisely tailor the output to your devices. Blink900 can help you to normalise the output of the captured signal with the Auto Gain function.

Additional functions include”

• Premium accessories: The included premium SR-DK3G professional omnidirectional clipon lavaliere microphone can provide you with crystal clear sound just like the built-in mic of the transmitter.

• Battery life: designed with a rechargeable

Visit www.saramonic.com

TASCAM Announces Firmware Update – Mixcast 4 Podcast Station TASCAM has announced the Version 1.20 firmware update for the Mixcast 4 Podcast Station with built-in Recorder/USB Audio Interface. A tool for podcast creation, live streaming, event production, or voiceover work, the Mixcast 4 offers a wealth of functionality for streamlined content creation. With the upcoming V1.20 firmware update, the Mixcast 4 gains a significant boost in its feature set, resulting in enhanced audio production capability.

The V1.20 update provides for global voice effects for multiple mic inputs. With this new feature, users can apply a global voice effect to all four mic inputs. As an example, the Mixcast 4’s pitch shifter can be applied to any or all four mic inputs for special effects.

This can be useful for raising or lowering the timbre of one’s voice for a dramatic effect or to create a podcast featuring various character voices.

By popular request, the V1.20 update provides input gain control for the USB, Bluetooth, and 3.5mm (⅛-inch) Auxiliary input commonly used for accommodating outside calls or to serve as an additional input. As an example,

this new functionality enables the USB Skype input audio level to be governed by the host controlling the Mixcast 4.

Similarly, the input level of a caller connected via Bluetooth or the 3.5mm input can also be controlled.

As a means of preventing audio feedback, the new update also provides for automatic mute on monitor out when the Mixcast 4’s microphone inputs are active.

This new feature will be greatly appreciated by users who use the Mixcast 4 with nearfield monitors, as live microphones will now not be routed to the monitor outputs. This is particularly useful when using the Mixcast 4 and video conferencing.

Three additional enhancements complete the V1.20 update. First, the audio level display is now indicated in dB (decibels) as opposed to the green/red colour only indicators. By showing the audio level in dB, users now have a more accurate reference for signal strength.

Equally notable, the Mixcast 4’s audio ducking capability has been expanded. The audio ducking control can now be applied to the sound pads for automatic ducking when speaking over music beds or when effects are being played from the sound pads. Lastly, front panel channel buttons are assigned as a Jump function for quick access to individual channel settings.

Visit https://tascam.com/us

Pliant Announces High Density Mode Update for CrewCom

AUDIO, RADIO, PODCAST

BUILDING ON ITS CREWCOM professional wireless intercom solution, Pliant Technologies announces the CrewCom v1.10 Update. The latest CrewCom firmware and software update, version 1.10, adds two new major features as well as several enhancements to its already long list of capabilities.

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Topping the list is the addition of a new High Density mode, which is a selectable mode of operation that allows user densities to increase by more than five-fold. When implemented, this new software-selectable mode supports up to 32 Radio Packs (RPs) on a single Radio Transceiver (RT) while allowing any of the RPs to communicate using four available full-duplex talk paths. In addition, users will have the flexibility to simultaneously deploy ‘Normal’ mode-enabled RPs and RTs along with High Density mode-enabled hardware, providing ultimate adaptability for

application-specific setups.

“At Pliant, we pride ourselves on providing advanced communication products to the ever-changing needs of the industry, continuously updating our product offerings to provide cutting-edge communications solutions,” says Gary Rosen, Vice President of Global Sales for Pliant Technologies. “By offering this new software and firmware update at no charge to our flagship wireless intercom system, all CrewCom users can now access an additional mode of operation and more features than ever before at no additional cost.”

Along with the unique High Density feature, Pliant has also made system setup even easier with its new Auto Configuration function. This makes the out-of-box experience a breeze, as a series of menus walk the user through the setup process by simply plugging in the

needed hardware using standard Cat-5e/6 or fibre connections, turning on the Control Unit (CU), and selecting the Auto Configure menu option. If more customisation is required or a larger system with more than three RTs needs to be deployed, the CrewWare application can be used to create a tailored system configuration specific to the application.

Multiple feature improvements have also been made to the system, including external sync indication on both the CU and in CrewWare, auto system reboot when changing applicable system setup parameters, remote microphone kill per conference, and a new RP Summary menu added to the CU. The new CrewCom v1.10 firmware upgrade, which includes the new features and updates, is free of charge and is now available for direct download from the Pliant Technologies website.

Visit https://plianttechnologies.com

CONTENT DELIVERY Planetcast Goes International with Cloud Playout and Media Management PLANETCAST Media Services, a leading broadcast technology and media service provider in India and Southeast Asia, is setting its sights on global expansion with the launch of Planetcast International, a new initiative offering next-generation cloud media services across the Americas, Europe and the Middle East.

Planetcast International aims to empower media and entertainment (M&E) companies to efficiently increase agility and capacity to keep pace with rapid global growth and changing market conditions.

The company is bringing its proven cloud-based playout, media asset management (MAM) and disaster recovery services to a broader market at a time when the global media sector is projected to grow from close to USD$2 trillion in 2021 to nearly $3.7 trillion in 2026 – a compound annual growth rate of over 13% – according to The Business Research Company.

Planetcast is building a team of

internationally based, experienced M&E professionals, led by Mark Beard, Planetcast’s Senior Vice President of International. Beard is an experienced proponent of media services innovation who has worked with a number of pioneering companies in the space, including BBC, Ericsson Broadcast Services, GlobeCast and TVT Media. He is joined at Planetcast

by Vice President of Sales for the Americas Paul Kosac, another well-known industry player who has held senior roles at companies such as Eutelsat, Ateme and Cisco/ Scientific Atlanta.

“The time is right for Planetcast to take our business to the international stage,” said Sanjay Duda, Chief Operating Officer of Planetcast Media Services. “We are in the midst of a period of global growth and transformation in the media and entertainment marketplace. Content owners and providers of TV and video programming are seeking new ways to meet surging consumer

demand for more content through a growing range of platforms.

I am excited to welcome Mark and Paul to the Planetcast team.

Their vast experience combined with our in-house-developed cloud-first services will enable our international customers to more efficiently transition to the cloud by tapping Planetcast’s proven expertise and widely-used solutions.”

Planetcast International says it is strongly positioned to support media companies’ transition to the cloud through its Cloud.X (playout) and MAM.C (media asset management) solutions.

The company will provide clients with high-quality, individualised services aimed at helping them through every step of their transition to the cloud.

“Planetcast International is a new player in the global market, with an amazing heritage,” said Beard. “We are building on our parent company’s 25-year track

record of market leading media services and innovation, serving the major media brands in India and Southeast Asia and touching a billion lives. We also have the strong backing of our owner, Apollo Global Management, a focused and visionary investor that is driving our international expansion and has a firm belief in the opportunities to be derived from the M&E sector. I am truly excited about the future with Planetcast. I believe it is the ideal partner to address the needs of media and entertainment companies looking for cloud-first media services that enhance, protect, organize and deliver video content.”

Planetcast International will make its North American debut at NAB Show 2022 in Las Vegas on April 23-27 (Stand W4713).

Email info@ planetcastinternational.com

Indonesia’s Batik TV Powers Playout with OBI and X-Pert X-PERT MULTIMEDIA SOLUTIONS, a broadcast software and service provider, has enlarged its Indonesian user base with Batik TV entering into an agreement with X-Pert’s regional partner PT Horizzon Global Media (PT HGM).

PT HGM offers a full range of broadcast products under the OBI brand and fueled by X-Perts’ technologies and solutions.

The contract covers the flagship products OBI Advanced Play and Graphics bundle (based on X-Pert Advanced Playout and Graphics) and the Annual Subscription and Maintenance licence update.

“The products of X-Pert Multimedia Solutions provide an optimum price/quality ratio, which is

very important for a small TV channel like ours.

Usually, the lower price is not associated with high quality, but this is not the case with X-Perts’ products. They do not compromise on quality and at the same time the prices are affordable even for small media companies”, commented Onik Rosidin, IT & Broadcast Technical Manager at Batik TV. “In addition, we can fully rely on their quick reaction and support if needed, which gives us a possibility to concentrate on evolving our products.”

“We are proud to play our part to support local regional development in Pekalongan City, a wellknown educational and cultural city, by using our playout and graphics system to help them stream and broadcasting the city’s beauty”, said

Stefanus Tandra, Sales Director at PT Horizzon Global Media. “We are pleased that Batik TV Pekalongan has recognized our commitment and returned to us for improving its current system.”

“We are very happy about our stable growth and clients’ network enlargement in the Southeast Asian market and we are really thankful to have a reliable partner such as PT Horizzon Global Media. It’s good to know that our clients are treated with respect and receive full-range services. Every customer is unique and needs the appropriate approach, which we, together with PT HGM can give him,” said Ludmil Kushinov, CEO of X-Pert Multimedia Solutions.

Visit https://x-pert.tv/

ASIAN SATELLITE OPERATOR Thaicom Public Company Limited (SET Thailand: THCOM) has signed an agreement with Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) which will allow Thaicom to produce high-quality video streams for distribution to its national and worldwide customers.

Under the agreement, Thaicom and AWS will collaborate on building and deploying Thaicom’s first cloud-based satellite TV

broadcast distribution platform for Asia Pacific.

The broadcast platform will consist of cloud services providing software-defined encoding, transcoding, and statistical multiplexing capabilities leveraging AWS Elemental media services. Thaicom is using AWS Elemental media services to help scale its business, enhance customer experiences, and support development of Thailand’s broadcast industry landscape.

Patompob (Nile) Suwansiri, Thaicom’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “This agreement marks the beginning of a successful, long-term collaboration between Thaicom and AWS. I am confident that advancing our satellite TV broadcast platform using the world’s leading cloud will deliver innovative broadcast solutions and provide our customers with end-to-end solutions built on AWS.”

Visit https://www.thaicom.net/

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Thaicom Partners with AWS for Cloud-Based Satellite TV Distribution

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Don’t Build the OTT Version of Frankenstein’s Monster Who remembers back in 1999 when DVD rental company Netflix launched its online subscription service through the Internet?

By Oscar Gutierrez, VP Business Development, Switch Media THAT WAS AN EXCITING TIME for consumers that sparked a new era for television. Fast forward 22 years and now there are hundreds of OTT services that stream content to millions of people around the world. In Australia, as I write this, there are 27 OTT services available to the public – both free and subscription based.

In North America there are close to 50. Consumers in wealthier and larger nations have greater access to things like Smart TVs and the ability to sign up to a service and watch whatever content they like.

But in less wealthy countries or regions that aren’t as developed, access to OTT services, and to global content for that matter, is limited.

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As broadband connectivity improves and speeds increase, smaller communities in remote areas are being given the chance to access online video services.

Nations that are new to OTT, or start-ups with new content offerings that aren’t backed by millions of dollars, are now more able to keep up with the fast-paced OTT landscape, providing subscribers with affordable streaming services and repurposing local content.

Telecom operators can service small communities with pay-TV offerings that can be billed as part of their existing mobile phone service, providing on-demand content to subscribers and creating new revenue streams.

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What’s crucial for telcos to consider is if they want to successfully take this route, they need to build a platform that is future-proof. You can’t apply the same technology principles to an OTT platform as you might to a traditional broadcast service.

If you think you can build a streaming service in-house by patching together a bunch of encoders and software, then you’re going to create the OTT version of Frankenstein’s monster.

And nobody wants to create Frankenstein’s monster! This doesn’t mean having to invest in an all singing, all dancing, very highcost content publishing platform; clearly that’s not an option for small players. This is why it’s

important that telcos have access to an off-the-shelf, quick-to-market solution that enables them to launch services easily but includes an affordable level of integration and sophistication that make it flexible and future-proof.

In 2021, Switch Media delivered a new streaming service for Solomon Telekom Company Limited (STCL). The company took its free-to-air channels online to be accessed anywhere, anytime, from any device. Using Switch Media’s MediaHQ Lite online video platform, Telekom Television (TTV) was able to provide its subscribers with a two-channel service that’s available online across multiple devices including Chromecast streaming technology.

Our mission is to empower clients with cutting-edge, cost-effective solutions that allow them to be competitive and provide an exceptional viewer experience.

The TTV OTT service delivers a combination of free access and subscription, with subscribers receiving unlimited data via their ISP. Billing is carried out via mobile phones and users can purchase vouchers to access the service from local retailers.

By working closely with companies on projects like this, we’ve developed a deep understanding of the challenges facing customers globally and a clearer view of the current variances from market to market.

Because of the current climate, telcos and broadcasters are understandably looking at ways to reduce costs and complexity so they can extend their reach and free up time and money. To do this they need a best-of-breed online video solution without the need for customisation (other than adapting to company branding).

Some of the features that this type of off-the-shelf solution provides include secure VOD and live streaming with DRM; a global CDN service; real-time analytics reports; comprehensive metadata; high-definition ABR encoding; dynamic ad insertion (DAI); and a range of ready-to-go applications across every screen.

Using MediaHQ Lite, TTV has a

streamlined costeffective, fast-tomarket online video solution that meets all these requirements and more. It provides all the essential capabilities and features, complete with applications and the ability to monetise seamlessly without the complexity and overheads often associated with other OTT solutions. Drawing key components and features from our world-class online video platform MediaHQ, MediaHQ Lite keeps the lion’s share of features and value without complications or the need for a big budget with full support along the way.

It enables customers to get an online video service up and running within a matter of weeks.

The solution is designed so that it doesn’t have to be customised over and over, but rather it uses a proven framework that can be rebranded to a company’s own guidelines. This means a service can be delivered in record time, and it ensures businesses are

running at optimum efficiency by streamlining workflows.

We want content providers to have the freedom to think strategically and to be able to leverage agile technologies in OTT. Our mission is to empower clients with cuttingedge, cost-effective solutions that allow them to be competitive and provide an exceptional viewer experience, especially in smaller communities and evolving territories around the globe. By selecting an online video service like MediaHQ Lite and not building Frankenstein’s monster in-house, telcos and broadcasters can quickly and easily adapt to the ever-changing OTT landscape and consumer expectations.

Visit https://www.switch.tv

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Subs-based Broadcast Captioning and Subtitling TELESTREAM has announced Stanza, a new captioning and subtitling software product designed for large and small companies alike. Stanza provides a low-cost entry point for organisations requiring high-end captioning capabilities by offering a subscription-based OPEX business model.

Providing accurate closed captions and subtitles are critically important aspects of video content creation as legal requirements in many regions of the world mandate this information be made available for hearing impaired viewers. To help address the challenges of remote working, the client-server deployment model of Stanza allows captioning editors to work from any location from a simple browser-based editing console, regardless of where media files are stored. Stanza uses the powerful Telestream GLIM engine to play back original high-res files instantly without any need to create and transfer proxy images.

“With Stanza, large media files do not need to be downloaded or moved across a local area network,

nor do proxies need to be created to work on captioning projects,” says Scott Matics, Senior Director of Product Management at Telestream. “And with its built-in access to Timed Text Speech auto-transcription and integration with Vantage and Timed Text Flip transcoding and processing, Stanza represents a powerful new way to automate more of the caption creation process.”

With the ability to run on Windows, MacOS and Linux, Stanza is platform agnostic enabling editors and captioning agencies the ultimate in flexibility. Stanza includes optional access to the AI powered Timed Text Speech auto-transcription service which supports over 100 languages.

Stanza also integrates with the Vantage Timed Text Flip text transcoder and processor to provide automation for captioning

workflows.

“With Stanza, companies of all sizes, as well as independent transcriptionists, can now create and edit broadcast-grade, highquality captions and subtitles more efficiently and more costeffectively than ever before,” comments Matics. “This represents the future of closed captioning and subtitling workflows.”

Stanza is built upon the Telestream Media Framework, the same

technology that underpins several Telestream products and services such as the Vantage Media Processing Platform and Telestream Cloud Transform.

The Media Framework includes format and container support developed from over twenty years of experience, having been tested in some of the most challenging broadcast use cases around the world.

Visit https://www.telestream.net

Open Broadcast Systems Supports NMOS IS-04/05 OPEN BROADCAST SYSTEMS has announced that its highdensity C-200 Encoders and Decoders now have support for NMOS (Networked Media Open Specifications). In particular, the C-200 platform supports both the IS-04 and IS-05 specifications.

NMOS is a family of open, free of charge specifications that enable interoperability between media devices on an Uncompressed IP infrastructure. Adding NMOS

support allows for vendor-neutral routing of Uncompressed IP flows into the C-200 Encoder without the need for specific drivers to be written or for manual configuration. Likewise, the C-200 Decoder can be incorporated into Uncompressed IP facilities without complex manual configuration.

contribution, distribution or internal monitoring feeds. It can encode more than 64 channels in just 2U, much higher than traditional systems. Similarly, the C-200 Decoder provides high density decode of MPEG Transport Streams into Uncompressed IP formats such as 2110. The C-200 is available as pure software for IT-centric deployments or as appliances for more traditional setups. It delivers ultra-high value in pristine quality and with very

low end-to-end latency.

also the unprecedented scaling abilities to reach your entire audience,” said Steven Tielemans, CEO at THEO Technologies.

“We questioned our technology partners, clients and peers about their greatest video and streaming challenge, and live low latency at scale was seen as the number one priority. hesp.live has the ability to stream ultra fast and cost efficiently to thousands or even millions of concurrent viewers without any scaling challenges.”

flagship product THEOplayer, was an early adopter of low latency streaming protocols such as LLDASH and LL-HLS in THEOplayer, and invented HESP to further lower latency and improve the viewer quality of experience. HESP is an HTTP-based streaming protocol that works over standard CDN internet infrastructure. It can really bring interactivity at scale, something which is complex and expensive to achieve with nonHTTP based streaming protocols.

solution that covers the full pipeline from video ingest and distribution over a global CDN, to high-quality video playback and extensive scaling. hesp.live is designed to make real-time streaming at scale easy. It’s an API-first solution, which brings the video infrastructure of large media companies to any developer, so that they can easily embed real-time video at any scale in their applications.

THEO Technologies, with its

hesp.live is a cloud-based HESP

The C-200 Encoder allows for high density encoding of Uncompressed IP streams for

Kieran Kunhya, CEO, Open Broadcast Systems, commented: “It can be challenging to incorporate high-density encode and decode into Uncompressed IP facilities and so NMOS IS-04/05 allows for broadcasters to control encoders and decoders easily, without the need to go back to legacy SDI workflows, as many have done.”

Visit https://www.obe.tv

TELLYO, Video tech company THEO Technologies has launched hesp.live, which it claims is the first HTTP-based real-time video streaming infrastructure that reaches sub-second latency at scale. The company says it has achieved this by leveraging the High Efficiency Streaming Protocol (HESP) that enables live interactivity at scale for industries such as sports, betting, auctioning, gaming and live events.

“The real game changer here is not only the sub-second latency, but

Visit https://www.theoplayer.com and https://www.hesp.live

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HTTP Real-Time Video API at Scale

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Mediaproxy LogServer Now Available on Per-Use-Basis MEDIAPROXY is targeting the growing area of ‘pop-up’ television and streaming channels by offering its flagship LogServer system as a flexible OPEX option. The compliance logging and monitoring platform is now available for short-term rental to broadcasters covering special events or creating additional, temporary services.

Adding services to accommodate coverage of occasional events is now easier due to the greater capacity and flexibility of modern playout facilities. It is also possible to ‘spin-up’ channels on an ad hoc basis, such as for when a sports broadcaster needs to cover several live football matches simultaneously.

These ‘pop-up’ channels, which include both the ‘red button’ option on digital terrestrial platforms

and cloud-based services, allow broadcasters to offer their audiences more choice. They also bring more operational responsibilities to ensure quality of experience (QoE) and compliance with regulatory standards.

Monitoring systems like Mediaproxy LogServer provide a powerful and broad feature set for checking not only the output at the master control room (MCR) but also the various programs streams along the distribution chain.

Broadcasters and playout facility operators who buy LogServer licences for their full-time channels do not want to spend money on a permanent licence for a service that is used only occasionally.

With the continuing growth in and demand for pop-up channels, Mediaproxy has decided to make

LogServer available as a rented option. This allows users to licence the system as and when they need it without having to commit to a minimum period of rental.

This new package includes LogServer itself plus support and covers unlimited users and all client apps. Pop-up channels only work with a specific range of inputs sources: TSoIP, IP, OTT HLS/DASH, SMPTE-2110, SMPTE 2022-6 and streaming sources. LogServer has full capability to work with these formats and standards. It is also able to handle video transport protocols including SRT (Secure Reliable Transport), Zixi, HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) and RTP (Realtime Transport Protocol). Another benefit is that no capture hardware is needed, only a network card.

In this way a pop-up channel can

be based on physical equipment ‘on-prem’, on a virtual machine, or in the cloud.

“Modern software-based compliance systems such as LogServer have the flexibility to record pop-up or event-based channels for only the period these services need to run,” comments Mark Rushton, SVP Sales and Solutions of Mediaproxy. “The advantages are that this can be done at very short notice, something that is facilitated through deployment in the cloud.

Mediaproxy is pleased to offer ad hoc licences for LogServer to our users, who will have access to comprehensive compliance monitoring without having the expense of a full-time commitment for short-term operations.”

Visit www.mediaproxy.com

FSR Expands Next Generation Digital Ribbon Cable Series FSR, manufacturer of a variety of infrastructure and signal management solutions, has expanded its Next Generation Digital Ribbon Cable series to include USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C DR cables designed for most conferencing cameras, hard drives, PCs, laptops or any highend peripheral devices that use a USB Type-C connector to transfer data. Introduced at InfoComm 2021, these hybrid fibre/copper cables are now shipping.

Offered in 10m and 15m lengths the cables are compatible with both Windows and Apple iOS, can support a 5V/900mA transfer limit,

and deliver a speed of 10Gbps data transfer without signal loss or delay. Each cable is fitted with a discreet black jacket with connector shells labeled HOST and DEVICE to aid in error-free connection. The DR USB Type-C cables deliver superior per­ formance while providing a reliable user experience without the need for software. The cables are plenum rated (type CMP/FT6) and feature enhanced pull strength of 15kg. They join FSR’s extensive range of Next Generation Digital Ribbon Cables which includes 4K and 8K versions that utilise a proprietary technology to allow high-speed, high-definition, HDMI

signal transmission over distances of up to up to 100 or 30 metres.

“We’re excited to offer our customers a powerful digital ribbon cable solution for today’s high-end peripheral devices that use a USB Type-C connector,” explains Jan Sandri, President, FSR. “This latest version of our Next Generation Digital Ribbon Cables fulfils a market need with a product that meets the high technical standard the industry has come to expect from FSR’s product portfolio. The new cables are the next logical step to keep our customers ahead of the curve and we look forward to

demonstrating their power and performance at events throughout the year.”

Visit https://fsrinc.com

Tellyo Stream Studio with Stream Synch Engine

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TELLYO, the cloud-based video content production platform, has announced the latest version of its flagship Stream Studio solution.

Stream Studio was launched less than two years ago and has grown to be used by customers like Liberty Global, ESPN and Sunset+Vine to create compelling live content that can be easily streamed to multiple digital and social media destinations.

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The latest version of Stream Studio (V1.28 – codename ‘Black Burst’), makes frame-perfect switching of a live multi-camera production in the cloud a reality. This is thanks to a new stream synchronisation engine that precisely synchronises inputs from multiple camera feeds. V1.28 also includes Tellyo

Intercom, which enables full duplex communication between your production team and talent. In addition, this latest version opens up more granular and precise control of Stream Studio’s powerful audio mixing capabilities by merging the advanced and simple audio mixers into a single unified solution.

The new built-in stream synch engine changes the game by synchronising incoming multiple camera streams that share a common timestamping scheme.

The engine supports SMPTE 12M SEI in-band timecode metadata (the ‘digital’ VITC/LTC) and ‘wallclock’ NTP/PTP timestamps.

With incoming streams that include the timing information you can now

switch a remote multicamera production live in the cloud, without having to worry about cameras getting out of sync. Stream Studio even supports multiple timing schemes within the same production. Depending on your Internet connectivity, either an adaptive or static buffering mechanism can be chosen.

Commenting on the new release, Tellyo COO Jakub Majkowski is delighted to bring these valuable new features to Tellyo’s expanding customer base. “We’re excited to introduce the stream synch engine, as well as improving Stream Studio’s comms abilities by making two separate partyline

channels available – Talkback for the ‘core’ production crew and IFB for talent. Add in the configuration enhancements to the audio mixer, and you can see why Stream Studio keeps growing as a platform and is receiving so much industry attention. Our ambitious product roadmap keeps delivering on real-world customer feedback, and there’s much more to look forward to in 2022!”

Visit www.tellyo.com

ABE2022 REGISTER AT abeshow.com

August 9-11, Doltone House Darling Island, Pyrmont.

2022 ABESHOW Exhibitors include 4Amber Technology 4Pacific Live Media 4Arri 4Professional Audio & Television (PAT) 4Blonde Robot

The 2022 ABE Exhibition, Conference and Workshops are returning to Doltone House, Darling Island, Pyrmont, from August 9–11.

4Dalet

Hear from industry experts on hot topics such as IP production and delivery, 4K, HDR, HEVC, OTT, VR, cloud broadcasting and more.

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See the latest solutions to empower production and delivery of your content. Register now for updates & notifications on speakers and attendees.

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Streaming is on a meteoric rise in APAC Flexible tech is essential for growth.

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MAY 31 | 3 PM SGT | VIRTUAL EVENT