Content + Technology May-June 2011 by Content+Technology

PP: 255003/06831

VOLUME 8 ISSUE 3 MAY/JUNE 2011

MEDIA + PRODUCTION + MANAGEMENT + DELIVERY

www.content-technology.com

‘ear we go again’

the EDITING + WORKFLOW + AVIDS

News from NAB ISSN 1448-9554

Sports Casting

DAB + Digital Radio

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VOLUME 8 ISSUE 3 MAY/JUNE 2011

Also see C+T in PDF at www.content-technology.com

Cover Story – The Hobbit – Editing, Workflow, Avids

18 REGULARS 04

NEWS New Director for SBS, Fox Sports Australia’s CEO, Harris Asia-Pac Sales, ViewCast Asia-Pacific MD.

TAKING STOCK Manufacturers Tackle Broadcasting Skills Shortage; 3ality Digital Recapitalises with Clearlake Capital Group; Barco Acquires XDC Cinestore Business; Telstra Acquires Video Conferencing

Company; Sony Update on Quake Hit; Karl Jansson On Interview Technique; KIT Digital Takes IP Video Lead; Dolby Acquires Cine-tal’s Davio; Wohler Rebrands PANORAMAdtv, Rockridge Video Solutions; Former Grass Valley Business Sold.

OFF-AIR Wining and Dining at NAB

TIME SHIFTER NZ Hunts For Oldest Telly

FEATURES 16

BROADCAST ASIA PREVIEW

3D – THE THIRD DIMENSION

ACQUISITION Digital Hits its Stride in

The Hobbit – Editing, Workflow, Avids Vegas; ARRI Alexa; Grass Valley Focuses on Camera Connectivity; JVC’s Shouldermount Camcorder; Panasonic’s 3D Camcorder; Sony’s Integrated 3D Rotolight Creative Colour Kit Launched.

35 27

VALE JOHN BOWRING

SPORTSCASTING Every AFL Game Live; Hong Kong Cable TV, CTC go HD with Grass Valley; GlobeCast Bats Massive in Asia; NZ Westpac Stadium Upgrades; EA Sports, Orad Augment Reality for Soccer; DVCPRO HD Oﬃcial Format for London 2012.

NEWS OPERATIONS Japan Earthquake; Royal Wedding; Open Media: Newsflow

CONTENT+TECHNOLOGY: ISSN 1448-9554 PP:255003/06831 Broadcastpapers Pty Ltd (ABN: 34 095 653 277) PO Box 259, Darlinghurst, NSW 1300 Australia www.broadcastpapers.com PUBLISHER: Phil Sandberg Tel: +61-(0)2-9332 2221 Fax: +61-(0)2-9332 2280 Mob: +61-(0)414-671-811 papers@broadcastpapers.com SUB-EDITOR: Sushil Suresh

POST-PRODUCTION Video 8 Media Expands Digital Services With Sohonet; Engine Converges Media on a Razor’s Edge.

SALES & MARKETING MANAGER: Daniela Huelsen Tel: +61-(0)410 880 557 dh@broadcastpapers.com PRODUCTION MANAGER: Lucy Salmon Tel: +61-(0)29332 2221 production@broadcastpapers.com DESIGN & LAYOUT: Wide Open Media Tel: +61-2-9690 2835 info@wideopenmedia.com.au PRINTING: Whirlwind Print COPYRIGHT NOTICE: All material in Broadcastpapers’ Content+Technology Magazine is protected under

STORAGE & ASSET MANAGEMENT Dalet Adds Wham to MAM at Video-8; Alteran to Present ViTaDi Media Migration Systems; Front Porch Debuts ‘Archive Format of the Future’; Quality Control Critical for File Based Media.

AUDIO MAYAH Unveils MADI Products; Silver IP Audio Encoder, Decoder; Cobalt Digital Embedded Loundness Processor; Ross Video Uses Aeromax; RTW Loudness Upgrades for Digital Monitor Surround.

RADIO In-car DAB+, AXIA unveils Radius AOIP Console; Telos NX Users Upgrade with PhoneBox; Harris Expands Digital Audio Networking.

TRANSMISSION Australian Regions Switch to Digital only TV; ACMA Considers Spectrum for Mobile Broadband; Low latency IP Video Transcoder; HD Broadcast BNC Connectors; Blackmagic Spells New Era in Switchers; Snell Channel-in-a-box Solutions.

Australian Commonwealth Copyright Laws. No material may be reproduced in part or whole in any manner without prior consent of the Publisher and/or copyright holder. DISCLAIMER: Broadcastpapers Pty Ltd accepts no responsibility for omissions or mistakes made within, claims made or information provided by advertisers.

EDITOR’S WELCOME

The Ongoing Quest By Phil Sandberg

WELCOME TO THE NEW LOOK CONTENT+TECHNOLOGY! Given that it’s our eighth year of publishing C+T, we felt the time was right for a little makeover – one where the only silicon involved is under the hood of our designer’s Mac. At C+T, we’re constantly trying new ways of delivering information and we think the new look truly reflects the cross-platform nature of what we do - from the printed magazine you’re now holding to our web sites, email newsletters, YouTube videos, RSS feeds, embedded widgets and soon to be launched mobile apps.

Tim Renowden, Ovum analyst and author of the report, commented: “In Asia-Pacific, various methods of implementing 3D are used. For instance, several broadcasters and pay TV operators, such as Fox Sports and the Seven Network in Australia have presented 3D programming on an ad hoc basis; in Japan, NTT Plala’s IPTV service, Hikari TV, includes a 3D on-demand payper-view portal. However, the high cost of 3D production has limited content availability and delayed some channel launches. “The lack of broadcast content means console gaming is likely to provide an important driver of 3D adoption.”

Print and electronic media both have their fair share of those in denial and those who are like moths to the next big technology flame.

Despite this, enthusiasm among content producers for 3D remains high, as it does among cinema goers.

New platforms appear almost daily promising new rivers of gold for content providers. Some work, some don’t and many seem to benefit the platform provider at the expense of the content owner.

The International 3D Society (www.international3dsociety.com) recently released a 3D revenue study showing that 3D movie fans are driving opening weekend box oﬃce revenues by significant margins.

I, for one, am still waiting to order my pizza through the television.

The report showed opening weekend 3D ticket revenues outpacing 2D ticket sales by margins of 2 to 1. The report states that Alice in Wonderland generated over $81 million dollars or 70% of its opening weekend gross revenues on 3D screens vs. $34 million in 2D domestic ticket revenue.

However, here at C+T, we’re striving to help you do your job better in whatever form suits you best – so let us know if there’s a “channel” you want to see us on. One technology that has seen a slight retreat is that of stereoscopic 3D, not in solution development or content production, but in the willingness or opportunities for delivery into the home. Echoing what some broadcasters have told C+T oﬀ-the-record, a newly released Ovum report has found that investment in 3D programming is a low priority for broadcasters. C+T is normally sceptical about analyst reports and certainly wouldn’t stump up to buy one, but Ovum’s Media and Broadcast Technology Investment Strategies survey is ringing true with our conversations with broadcasters.

Regionally, the big 3D project in production is Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit. Slated for release in both 2D and 3D in 2012, with a guaranteed audience of Tolkien fans, it will be interesting to see if the extra dimension is preferred by cinema goers. (Read our piece on the dimensionally simultaneous oﬀ-line edit workflow on page 18). And, while we say hello to our new design, we bid a sad farewell to our Sales and Marketing Manager, Daniela Huelsen, who has elected to return to her native Germany. Daniela took to the broadcast and post industries with gusto and made an impression on all those she dealt with. We shall miss her – and our search for a replacement goes on.

When asked to rate their strategic priorities for 2011, senior IT and business executives rated “production of 3D content and/or launch of 3D channels” as the lowest priority for strategic investment. 53% of respondents globally said 3D content production was “not an important business consideration”.

Thanks for Reading

However, production of 3D content was rated as a slightly higher priority by executives in Asia-Pacific companies.

papers@broadcastpapers.com T: +61-(0)2-9332 2221

content+technology+SMPTE content+technology is publishing the Oﬃcial SMPTE 2011 Conference & Exhibition which will be handed out at the show, July 19-22, 2011 at Darling Harbour, Sydney.

Phil Sandberg Editor/Publisher

2011 C+T DEADLINES – SMPTE PREVIEW ISSUE JULY-AUGUST 2011 VOL 9 ISSUE 4

Editorial/Ad Bookings Ad Material

June 27, 2011 July 1

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2011 VOL 8 ISSUE 5

Editorial/Advertising Bookings Ad Material

August 12, 2011 August 19

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 VOL 8 ISSUE 6

Editorial/Advertising Bookings Ad Material

October 21, 2011 October 28

EDITOR’S WELCOME

FOR MORE INFORMATION

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NEWS + PEOPLE For the latest news visit www.content-technology.com

Oz Budget Boost for Digital TV THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT is extending its support to assist Australians to make the switch to digital television, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy has announced.

The HAS will become available in each switchover region six months prior to the switch oﬀ of analogue signals, and eligible recipients will receive a letter from Centrelink at that time, inviting them to opt in to the scheme.

The 2011-12 Australian Federal Budget provides AUD$376.5 million funding for ongoing assistance, including measures such as:

The Australian Government also announced it will support the conversion of 59 ABC and/or SBS self-help analogue television services across Australia, which includes some assistance towards ongoing costs. An estimated 31,000 households are expected to benefit from having this analogue self-help equipment converted to digital.

* $308.8 million for continued support for the Household Assistance Scheme (HAS) into regional New South Wales/ACT, Tasmania, Northern Territory, Western Australia and State capital cities, so that eligible pension recipients are provided with the professional assistance they need to convert to digital television; + $44.1 million for extending and enhancing on-the-ground community engagement through localised communication within each switchover area, backed up by targeted advertising campaigns and the comprehensive digitalready.gov.au website; + $21.3 million to continue the work of the Digital Switchover Taskforce for the remainder of the switchover process; and + $2.4 million to the Australian Communications and Media Authority to continue its coverage evaluation program to ensure that broadcasters are meeting their statutory obligations and inform consumers of digital reception in their areas.

Senator Conroy says. “However, the Government recognises that some Australians, particularly the elderly, people with disabilities and their carers, may require assistance to switch to digital TV. “The Household Assistance Scheme therefore remains the centrepiece of the Government’s ongoing assistance to Australians in making the switch to digital TV. “The HAS, at no cost to eligible households, supplies a high-definition set-top box, installs it on the person’s existing analogue TV and demonstrates how to use the equipment.”

+ The Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) service, which provides a full suite of digital television channels for viewers in remote areas and digital blackspots; + The Satellite Subsidy Scheme, which provides assistance to viewers currently served by analogue community operated ‘self help’ transmitters, to enable them to convert to the VAST service; and + Supporting broadcasters in regional South Australia and remote areas to provide the full suite of digital TV channels from their terrestrial towers. Further information on the timetable for digital switchover is available from the Digital Ready Information Line on 1800 20 10 13 or from www.digitalready.gov.au

“For most people, making the switch to digital television is straightforward and inexpensive,”

Tenders Invited for Digital TV Assistance

Oz Federal Budget Strengthens Broadband Commitment

THE AUSTRALIAN DEPARTMENT of Broadband,

THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT is providing funding in its 2011–12 Budget to underpin the continued rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN). The NBN is the largest nationbuilding project in Australia’s history and will deliver aﬀordable, high speed broadband to every home, business, school and hospital.

The Tender includes the procurement and installation of set-top boxes (and associated cabling, antenna and satellite requirements). The tender documentation is available from www.tenders.gov.au.

NEWS + PEOPLE

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy.

The 2011-12 Budget provides funding for the HAS until the end of the Digital Switchover program across Australia in December 2013.

Communications and the Digital Economy has issued a Request for Tender for the provision of services relating to the Digital Switchover Household Assistance Scheme (Regional Southern and Regional Northern New South Wales) on 29 April 2011.

The funding in Budget is in addition to funding already provided by the Government for:

The Department says it encourages proposals from suitable organisations for the provision of assistance to eligible households to switchover to digital television. An industry briefing will be conducted, details of which are available in the tender documentation. Tenders close at 10am on Friday, 10 June 2011. Visit www.dbcde.gov.au

Over the next four years, the Government will progressively inject equity into NBN Co totalling AUD$18.2 billion to help finance the roll out of the NBN, in line with NBN Co’s Corporate Plan. These are instalments towards the Government’s $27.5 billion equity commitment, starting at $3.1 billion in 2011–12. The Australian Government has committed $34.4 million over five years from 2010–11 for the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy to: + Provide information to consumers and small

businesses about the NBN rollout and support them in the migration from the copper network to the fibre network. + Provide technical and policy advice to Government on the implementation of the NBN policy objectives. + Establish a new USO entity and legislative scheme for the changes to the Universal Service Obligation arrangement. In addition, the Australian Government has committed funding of $5.6 million over four years to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to monitor competition outcomes arising from the structural change delivered by the NBN. A further $7.2 million over four years has been committed to the Australian Communications and Media Authority to develop standards and codes to facilitate the rollout.

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NEWS + PEOPLE

New Director for Australia’s SBS THE AUSTRALIAN MINISTER for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy has welcomed Michael Ebeid’s appointment as the Managing Director of the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS). Mr Ebeid will commence his new role on 13 June 2011. He has a background in media and telecommunications and his previous professional experience includes significant periods working for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Optus Communications and IBM. “The Gillard Government looks forward to working with Mr Ebeid in his role as Managing Director of our highly valued national broadcaster,” Senator Conroy says. “It is particularly significant that Mr Ebeid, who came to Australia from Egypt as a young child, is the first Managing Director of Australia’s multicultural national broadcaster – he is a first generation migrant from a non-English speaking background.” In the recent three-year funding period the Government provided an additional $20m to SBS, representing the largest increase in government funding for SBS production and programming. Government funding to SBS in 2011-12 will exceed $220m. Visit www.sbs.com.au

Patrick Delany Appointed CEO Fox Sports Oz KIM WILLIAMS, CEO of Australian pay-TV operator Foxtel, has congratulated Patrick Delany on his appointment as Chief Executive Oﬃcer of Fox Sports. “I would like also to pay tribute to David Malone who has run Fox Sports for the last 12 years. David and his team have transformed Fox Sports – taking it from an analogue only operation to one that today oﬀers FOXTEL customers 10 sports channels and a wide range of interactive services,” Mr Williams says. “In April 2002 I invited Patrick to join me at FOXTEL to drive the development and roll-out of FOXTEL Digital. In his time at FOXTEL Patrick has done a truly amazing job in overseeing the launch of a wide range of products including FOXTEL Digital, FOXTEL iQ, FOXTEL HD, FOXTEL on Xbox 360, and FOXTEL on T-box.” Visit www.foxtel.com.au/default.htm

Harris AsiaPac Names Choi VP Sales & Services HARRIS CORPORATION has named Dario Choi vice president of Sales & Services, Asia-Pacific, for its Broadcast Communications business. Based in Hong Kong, Choi will use his extensive industry experience to support the growth of the

Harris Broadcast Communications business in the Asia-Pacific region. Choi joins Harris from Ericsson Television Limited, where he held the position of Head of Asia-Pacific region. Visit www.harris.com

WTS

NEWS + PEOPLE

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Etere Gets Modernine TV Tender

NHK WORLD HD Launches on Sky

MODERNINE TV (formerly known as MCOT

GLOBECAST and Japan International

Channel 9) is a Bangkok TV network owned and operated by MCOT Public Company Limited. MCOT Public Company Limited is a Thai Media conglomerate. Its origins date back to the creation in 1955 of Thailand’s first television broadcaster, The Thai Television Company Limited. In August 2004, the Thai government corporatised the Mass Communications Organization of Thailand and renamed it MCOT Pcl. MCOT has upgraded to Etere to manage the video content of its new multichannel facility. Etere Media Asset Management will handle all the advertising content of CH9.

Broadcasting (JIB) have announced that NHK WORLD HD launched on the Sky and Freesat platforms in the UK. GlobeCast provides reencoding, uplink, and capacity on Eutelsat’s EUROBIRD 1, bringing the channel to a new community of over 10 million Sky subscribers, and over a million Freesat viewers.

Oz Proposes Mobile Broadband Spectrum for Emergency Services AUSTRALIA’S ATTORNEY-GENERAL Robert McClelland and Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Stephen Conroy have met with State and Territory public safety agencies and representatives of the telecommunications industry to discuss the development of a national mobile broadband capability for police and emergency services. A Steering Committee, co-chaired by the Attorney-General’s Department and the Department for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy with senior representatives from public safety agencies, will undertake further work with a view to reporting to the next meeting of the Standing Council on Police and Emergency Services.

TelkomVision Expands Pay TV Services with Irdeto IRDETO, software security and media technology company, together with Indonesia’s leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcast operator TelkomVision, have announced a deal involving TelkomVision’s use of Irdeto Conditional Access System (CAS) to increase its market size and grow its subscriber base. Irdeto will provide TelkomVision with 500,000 smart cards this year. Indonesia, with the third largest Asian market, has 59% television penetration. Pay TV penetration, currently at 3%, is expected to grow up to 8% by 2015.

Visit www.globecast.com

Screen Australia’s New All Media Fund SCREEN AUSTRALIA has announced the introduction of a new $3–5 million All Media Fund that encourages interactive or multiplatform innovative, risk-taking storytelling. The All Media Program comprises two streams: • Digital Ignition, providing development support for innovative, interactive projects (including games) with a strong storytelling component; and • All Media Production, providing production support for linear and non-linear (interactive) projects that push the creative envelope. Visit www.screenaustralia.gov.au/funding

Hong Kong Publishes Spectrum Release Plan OFTA, HONG KONG’S OFFICE of the Telecommunications Authority, has published its Spectrum Release Plan for 2011/12 to 2013/14, along with a Table of Hong Kong Frequency Allocations. As part of the implementation of the Radio Spectrum Policy Framework announced by the then Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau in April 2007, the Telecommunications Authority (TA) will publish a spectrum release plan. Visit www.ofta.gov.hk

Vietnam Satellite TV Expands HD Oﬀering

The deal with TelkomVision complements Irdeto’s position as the market leader in overall digital subscriber volumes in the region.

THE FIRST, LOCALLY ORIGINATED, highdefinition television channels in Vietnam will rely on a production and post-production workflow from Grass Valley. The MXF-based system uses Grass Valley K2 Summit and K2 Solo media servers with EDIUS editing workstations integrated with HD Vietnam’s (the region’s Grass Valley-qualified local systems integrator) traﬃc and automation software.

Visit www.telkom.co.id and www.irdeto.com

Visit www.kplus.vn and www.grassvalley.com

NEWS + PEOPLE

Visit www.etere.eu

Available on Sky EPG channel 507, NHK WORLD HD is a 24/7 English language channel.

NEWS + PEOPLE

ABC Employs SintecMedia for Broadcast Management SINTECMEDIA HAS ANNOUNCED that the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has successfully deployed SintecMedia’s OnAir Broadcast Management Solution across all four of its channels: ABC1, ABC2, ABC3 and ABC News 24. This deployment integrates the broadcaster’s systems for managing content programming, contracts and rights management, long term planning & scheduling, media management, promo management, and online scheduling, in addition to an array of other broadcast-related functions for all of its channels. The project, implemented at the broadcaster’s Sydney headquarters, leveraged OnAir’s off the shelf capabilities, to streamline ABC’s four channels into a single, unified and technologically coordinated system to assist management make decisions effectively and operate efficiently. Visit www.sintecmedia.com

Optus, FetchTV Partner on Multi-Device IPTV Service TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY OPTUS has announced that it is partnering with FetchTV to jointly develop an IPTV service with integrated mobile functionality for smartphones and tablet devices. The service is scheduled for launch in the second half of 2011 and is part of Optus’ broader TV strategy to develop a suite of converged video services, delivering choice and control for customers whether they’re at home or on the move. Pricing and specific details of the Optus service will be available closer to launch. Visit www.optus.com.au and www.fetchtv.com.au

Global, Nine Strike Deal on Docklands Studio

NEWS + PEOPLE

GLOBAL TELEVISION and the Nine Network

have signed a multi-year agreement for Global to facilitate all Nine productions at Docklands Studios. Global Television is providing the broadcast equipment and market-leading technical expertise to help bring Nine’s exciting slate of ‘Made in Melbourne’ studio productions to life. Global has also deployed and integrated all of the broadcast technical systems needed to set up the facility for Nine. Visit www.globaltv.com.au and www.channelnine.ninemsn.com.au

Magna Supplies Shine Australia With FOR-A Switcher ACCORDING TO NICK PARKER, Technical Manager at Shine Australia, the sales service and support he recently received from Magna Systems and FOR-A was nothing short of a revelation. Parker explains, “We have just finished installing our FOR-A HVS-350 vision switcher and it has a bit of a story behind it. We recently purchased a FOR-A HVS-350HS Vision Switcher from Magna Systems. As usual we had the ship date from them and in this case the vision switcher was set to ship within one week. Then the quake that shook the world hit Japan. Following the devastation that unfolded as a result of the tsunami and nuclear disaster, we started to look at alternative plans for vision switchers locally thinking the worst. Incredibly, four days later our switcher arrived on time from Japan.” Parker adds, “What followed the arrival of the mixer was a message from FOR-A that made it clear why we decided on FOR-A for our solution. We later found out that our vision switcher and many of the existing orders with FOR-A were made under candlelight and that the workers were walking many hours to work just to finish pending orders. We have reserved a space on the face of the mixer for a Japanese flag. This unit shouldn’t be here yet it is.”

for Shine Australia and their busy production schedule Parker says, “We decided on FOR-A as the technology in this switcher easily outclasses the competition in the same price range. With the 1.5 ME, 4 down stream keyers, 2 keyers engines, 4 still stores and more, the switcher has a lot of functionality that only a 2 ME mixer traditionally can do. Also, the HVS-350HS has 2 built-in multi-viewers with diﬀerent window configurations which gave us the chance to reduce costs, as traditionally an external multiviewer would be needed.

Shine Australia’s technical partner and FOR-A supplier in Australia is Magna Systems who Parker maintains were of great help adding, “Magna Systems helped us throughout the development of the project with all the answers to product questions we had for the FOR-A product range.”

“There were other cost savings too. The built-in sync generators with either Blackburst or Tri Level sync means additional hardware was reduced keeping the overall footprint smaller. The switcher is also highly configurable and easy to operate. We are working on a mixed SD and HD show at the moment having the 4 built-in scalers on the first 8 inputs and with our additional input boards, the scaling option makes working in a mixed HD/SD environment a dream. The HVS-350 allows for external AUX controllers making it very flexible for engineering or additional switching to occur and the HVS-350 even allows for dissolves between the AUX buses.”

When deciding on which switcher would be best

Visit www.magnasys.tv

Oz Convergence Review Committee Calls for Submissions AUSTRALIA’S CONVERGENCE REVIEW Committee has released a framing paper for the Review and issued a call for submissions. The framing paper outlines the Committee’s initial thinking on a number of principles that could inform the Committee in its conduct of the review. Glen Boreham, the review Chair, said the Committee was interested in receiving feedback on these principles. “Before we engage fully in our consultations we need to ensure we have the right starting point. We also want to hear the issues that stakeholders feel are important for the review to consider,” Mr Boreham said. Submissions in response to the framing paper can be made either online through the Department’s

website or by email to the Convergence Review Secretariat. The closing date for submissions is 10 June 2011. The review incorporates a number of Government 2.0 initiatives including searchable submissions that will be posted progressively, an RSS feed to keep track of new submissions and the use of the #converg Twitter hashtag for discussions related to the Convergence Review. The Committee has also released information about the timeframes for the review. This includes the likely timing around the release of important papers related to the review. More information about the review, including the indicative timetable and how to make a submission, is now available at www.dbcde.gov.au/convergence

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TAKING STOCK Moves in the business of content + technology

Broadcasting Manufacturers Address Skills Shortage

3ality Digital Recapitalises with Clearlake Capital Group

THE IABM (International Association of Broadcasting Manufacturers) has

CLEARLAKE CAPITAL GROUP, L.P. (CLEARLAKE) AND 3ALITY DIGITAL

announced that more than 80 leading companies and industry organisations have signed the IABM Lifelong Learning Manifesto — a call to action for the media industry to commit to creating genuine career development opportunities for broadcast and media technologists. The Lifelong Learning Manifesto is an industry initiative from the IABM to focus attention on the need to address the chronic shortage of skilled technical resources in the global broadcast and media industries.

have announced that Clearlake has led and sponsored the recapitalisation of 3ality Digital, the leading provider of 3D production technology and specialised equipment to the film and television industry. In connection with the transaction, Clearlake has acquired the majority of the newly-issued preferred stock of the company and will own a majority of the voting shares of 3ality Digital. 3ality management also participated in the transaction. Additional terms were not disclosed.

By signing, companies and organisations publicly recognise their responsibility to develop and train the technologists and engineers needed to secure and sustain the growth of the sector. This responsibility includes eight actions ranging from creating awareness of the range of technical careers available to encouraging schemes that provide for work placements and create opportunities to gain work experience. Although no specific commitment to action is required to make a statement of support, signing organisations agree to have their names and brands associated with the substance of the manifesto and are willing to make a public statement to that eﬀect.

“3ality Digital provides the highest quality 3D production technologies and equipment for film and television companies,” says Behdad Eghbali, a founding partner at Clearlake. “In addition, 3ality reduces the cost and time associated with 3D production, provides superior images, and reduces eye strain. We are very pleased to partner with this proven and innovative team as the momentum behind 3D continues to build and as 3ality continues to lead the way.”

Visit www.theiabm.org

Barco Acquires XDC CineStore Business BARCO HAS ANNOUNCED the extension of its digital cinema product oﬀering through the acquisition of the CineStore activities of cinema solutions provider XDC. The acquisition fits within Barco’s broader strategy to move up in the value chain from digital projection supplier to provider of total cinema visualisation solutions. XDC’s CineStore team, based in Liege, Belgium, will bring software knowhow and market knowledge of the digital cinema business. In 2010, Barco also acquired the digital signage expertise of dZine. With the addition of CineStore, the company can now oﬀer its customers an integrated theatre management system, spanning both the theatre and the lobby, while at the same time strengthening its software capabilities. The acquisition of CineStore activities will be closed by the end of Q1 2011. Visit www.barco.com

Telstra Acquires Video Conferencing Company AUSTRALIAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY TELSTRA has purchased video conferencing and collaboration company iVision to accelerate its growth in IP video services.

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Telstra CEO David Thodey says growth in new markets was a key strategic imperative for the company and the acquisition of iVision would provide added strength in Telstra’s network-based services.

www.content-technology.com/mediabusiness

Video conferencing and collaboration is one of the fastest growing areas in the network application services market. The purchase of iVision will make Telstra the number one provider of video conferencing services in Australia, and one of the top three providers in Asia. The acquisition will boost Telstra’s capability and expertise across multiple video conferencing products and platforms. Visit www.telstra.com.au

3ality Digital provides the film and television industry with camera platforms, stereo image processing systems and stereoscopic 3D (S3D) image scaling technologies that are considered the “gold standard” for the production of compelling and immersive S3D entertainment. The company’s systems are unique because they integrate software intelligence with precise hardware automation, and allow the production of superb S3D on a 2D schedule, with minimal impact on the bottom line. 3ality Digital’s equipment and technologies are optimised to handle the demands of live S3D broadcast, and are rapidly being adopted by networks, production companies, studios and consumer electronics manufacturers. 3ality Digital’s technology is already being used on feature films such as The Amazing Spiderman, which is currently in production. Visit www.3alitydigital.com and www.clearlakecapital.com

Sony Releases Update on Earthquake Affected Facilities SONY CORPORATION has released an update of the status of Sony Group manufacturing operations affected by the March 11 East Japan Earthquake, tsunami, and related power outages, as of April 28, 2011. As of March 14, 2011, operations at 10 Sony Group sites and facilities had been suspended as a result of damage caused by the Earthquake, tsunami and related power outages. As of today, manufacturing operations at nine of these 10 sites have resumed or partially resumed, and at the remaining site, Sony Chemical & Information Device Corporation’s Tagajyo Plant in Miyagi Prefecture, plans are in place to resume its manufacturing operations. Although the Tagajyo Plant sustained significant earthquake and flooding damage caused by the tsunami, as a result of extensive restoration and repair efforts, the site’s core manufacturing operations are now expected to resume. Optical disk manufacturing operations, including Blu-ray, are expected to resume around the end of May 2011, and magnetic tape manufacturing operations are expected to resume around the end of July 2011. Manufacturing of other products and components previously carried out at the Tagajyo Plant will be transferred to Sony’s core manufacturing facilities for these products and components located in Miyagi, Fukushima and other prefectures, in order to quickly restore full production capacity. The Company is continuing to evaluate the full impact of the Earthquake, tsunami and related power outages, including the impact of these production level adjustments, on Sony’s businesses and consolidated financial results.

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Interviewing Techniques Media staﬀ & strategy by Karl Jansson AS THE INTERVIEW IS THE MOST REVEALING element within the Employment cycle for both the job applicant as well the potential employer, we thought best to highlight some of the characteristics of some of the most popular types. It should provide in interesting insight at least, but hopefully it will provide some guidelines so the interview isn’t fraught with possible potholes.

TRADITIONAL INTERVIEW VS. BEHAVIOURAL INTERVIEW In a traditional interview, you will be asked a series of questions which typically have straight forward answers like “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” or “What major challenges and problems did you face? How did you handle them?” or “Describe a typical work week.” In a behavioural interview, an employer has decided what skills are needed in the person they hire and will ask questions to find out if the candidate has those skills. Instead of asking how you would behave, they will ask how you did behave. The interviewer will want to know how you handled a situation, instead of what you might do in the future. Questions in a Behavioural Interview: + Behavioural interview questions will be more pointed, more probing and more specific than traditional interview questions:

WHY YOU SHOULD FOLLOW UP AFTER AN INTERVIEW Following up can help you stand out to the crowd and can reinforce the fact that you’re a strong candidate for the hiring manager. Not following up could even cost you the job. Take the time to follow up with everyone you met with (collecting business cards is a good way to get contact information) and review these tips on how to follow-up after an interview: + Follow up after both in-person and phone interviews. + Send a personal thank you email to everyone you met with. + Email is the fastest way to say thank you.

+ Give an example of a goal you reached and tell me how you achieved it.

+ Send your email message as soon as possible after the interview.

+ Describe a decision you made that was unpopular and how you handled implementing it.

+ Consider sending a handwritten thank you note, as well. Keep a box of thank you note cards and a book of stamps handy.

+ What do you do when your schedule is interrupted? Give an example of how you handle it. + Have you had to convince a team to work on a project they weren’t thrilled about? How did you do it? + Have you handled a diﬃcult situation with a co-worker? How? + Tell me about how you worked eﬀectively under pressure. + Follow-up questions will also be detailed. You may be asked what you did, what you said, how you reacted or how you felt.

PREPARATION FOR THE POTENTIAL BEHAVIOURAL INTERVIEW What’s the best way to prepare? It’s important to remember that you won’t know what type of interview will take place until you are sitting in the interview room. So, prepare answers to traditional interview questions. Then, since you don’t know exactly what situations you will be asked about if it’s a behavioural interview, refresh your memory and consider some special situations you have dealt with or projects you have worked on. You may be able to use them to help frame responses. Prepare stories that illustrate times when you have successfully solved problems or performed memorably. The stories will be useful to help you respond meaningfully in a behavioural interview. Finally, review the job description, if you have it, or the job posting or ad. You may be able to get a sense of what skills and behavioural characteristics the employer is seeking from reading the job description and position requirements.

DURING THE BEHAVIOURAL INTERVIEW TAKING STOCK

It’s important to keep in mind that there are no right or wrong answers. The interviewer is simply trying to understand how you behaved in a given situation. How you respond will determine if there is a fit between your skills and the position the company is seeking to fill. So, listen carefully, be clear and detailed when you respond and, most importantly, be honest. If your answers aren’t what the interviewer is looking for, this position may not be the best job for you anyway.

+ Give an example of an occasion when you used logic to solve a problem.

+ Have you gone above and beyond the call of duty? If so, how?

THE RESULTS I.E. WHAT HAPPENED

During the interview, if you are not sure how to answer the question, ask for clarification. Then be sure to include these points in your answer: + A specific situation + The tasks that needed to be done + The action you took

+ Send your note within 24 hours of the interview. + Use this opportunity to reiterate your interest in the job and the company. + Highlight your relevant skills. + Mention anything you wished you had said, but didn’t, during the interview. + Keep your correspondence short. + Proofread your email and notes before you send them. + Review sample thank you notes if you’re not sure what to write.

“Following up can help you stand out to the

crowd and can reinforce the fact that you’re a strong candidate for the hiring manager. Not following up could even cost you the job.

”

Behavioral Interviewing is just one of many techniques practiced by Recruitment Professionals, whilst it is found at the beginning of the Recruitment cycle, an Exit Interview (that I will highlight in the next article) is normally introduced at the end. Till then, work to live, not live to work! Written by Karl Jansson who previously owned and managed “J-Curve Broadcast Recruitment”. He has since merged his business within Interlogic Placements at North Sydney. Karl is contactable on: karl@Interlogic.com.au or 9922 2711 or 0408 274 413

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KIT Digital Takes IP Video Lead with Ioko Buy-Out

Briefs

KIT DIGITAL, INC. (NASDAQ: KITD) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100 per cent of the

Barco Business up 23%

capital stock of San Diego, California and London, U.K.-based ioko365 Ltd (ioko) for total prospective net consideration of approximately US$79.4 million, including future performance-based incentive payments. ioko provides end-to-end managed cloud-based platform solutions for multi-screen video delivery over connected Internet Protocol (IP) devices to tier-one telco, cable, media and entertainment companies around the world, with a particular focus on North American, Northern European and Australasian markets. ioko’s over-the-top (OTT) capabilities – allowing premium video services delivered over the Internet to be formatted for and presented on televisions and other connected devices – and its closednetwork IPTV solutions are expected to add further depth to KIT digital’s OTT and connected device platform oﬀerings for its network operator and media and entertainment verticals.

BARCO closed its first quarter with an order book of 470.5 million euro, an increase of 23.0% compared to the same quarter of the year before. Incoming orders for the first quarter were 294.1 million euro. In 1Q10 incoming orders were 216.2 million euro. This represents growth year-on-year of 36.0%. Visit www.barco.com

ioko currently generates approximately US$54 million in annualised revenues related to IP video asset management, through a combination of recurring managed service fees, software licences, maintenance fees and professional services. The company operates profitably with minimal capex requirements, and is expected to contribute in-line to KIT digital’s stated 23% EBITDA margin target for fiscal 2011. Therefore, the acquisition of ioko is expected to be substantially accretive on both an EBITDA and cashflow multiple basis.

Technicolor Revenues Up 15.4%

ioko specialises in large-scale, complex deployments and serves approximately 50 clients, including AT&T, BBC, BSkyB, Channel 4, Diageo, Disney, Electronic Arts, FOXTEL, Evolution Gaming, ITV, Liberty Global, LoveFilm, Molson Coors Brewers, Samsung, SeeSaw, Universal Music, Univision and VimpelCom.

(Euronext Paris: TCH) met on 27 April 2011 to review the Group’s revenues for the quarter ending 31 March 2011.

Visit www.ioko.com and www.kitd.com

In the first quarter of 2011, Group revenues from continuing operations amounted to €812 million, up 15.4% at current currency compared to the first quarter of 2010, and up 16.2% at constant currency.

Dolby Acquires Cine-tal’s DAVIO CINE-TAL HAS ANNOUNCED that the core technology in its DAVIO product line has been acquired by Dolby Laboratories. Cine-tal continues to manufacture and sell the DAVIO product under licence from Dolby and is seeking a partner to continue that eﬀort. The cineSpace product has been acquired by THX. Last month iKan acquired the Cinemage Monitor product line. iKan will continue to develop new monitor solutions under the Cinemage brand name. Visit www.cine-tal.com

Wohler Rebrands PANORAMAdtv, Rockridge Video Solutions WOHLER TECHNOLOGIES has announced that its PANORAMAdtv and Rockridge video monitoring product lines have been consolidated under the Wohler brand. Eﬀective immediately, all products in the two categories will be oﬀered as Wohler-branded products, and will carry the same model numbers as before. Wohler’s line of broadcast-quality video monitors provides robust single or multichannel analysis in the most sophisticated broadcast production environments, including support for 3G/HD/SD-SDI.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS of Technicolor

Visit www.technicolor.com

Ericsson Q1 2011 Results ANNOUNCING the latest results of Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) company President and CEO Hans Vestberg said: “Group sales in the quarter increased by 17% year-over-year driven by continued strong demand for mobile broadband and especially for the multi-standard radio base station RBS 6000.sales for comparable units, adjusted for currency and hedging, increased 25% year-over-year. Net income improved from SEK 1.3 b to SEK 4.1 b. Visit www.ericsson.com

Visit www.wohler.com

Quantel Profits Up Former Grass Valley Transmission Business Sold TECHNICOLOR (EURONEXT PARIS: TCH) HAS ANNOUNCED the completion of the sale of its Transmission business (previously included in Grass Valley) to PARTER Capital Group on April 4, 2011, as contemplated in the oﬀer received in December 2010. PARTER Capital Group, a private equity investment consultancy firm based in Germany, is focused on traditional technology driven industries.

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As announced in early 2010, Grass Valley was reorganised into three distinct activities: broadcast, transmission and head-end. The Broadcast activity was sold to US-based Francisco Partners, while a binding oﬀer for the Head-End activity has been made by FCDE (Fonds de Consolidation et de Développement des Entreprises), an investment fund financed by the FSI (Fonds Stratégique d’Investissement) and major banks and insurance companies operating in France.

QUANTEL, the developer of content creation and delivery systems across post, broadcast and DI, has announced a provisional Operating Profit of £5.1 million (EBIT) for the First Half of its 2011 financial year – an increase of 43% year-on-year putting Quantel on track to beat its 2010 record results. It’s the best first half performance since the company’s Management Buyout in 2000. Visit www.quantel.com

The Transmission activity provides transmission products for terrestrial television and radio. With 291 employees operating in 5 countries, this activity recorded revenues of about 43 million Euros in 2009. In 2009, before restructuring, the Transmission activity accounted for 11% of the total Grass Valley perimeter revenues and 26% of the operating loss.

Crown Castle Quarterly Stock Dividend

The scope of the sale includes all assets and employees of the Transmission Business. This comprises the entire product portfolio: television and radio transmitter product lines, antennas, and scientific applications, as well as the associated R&D centres and sites worldwide. The oﬀer also comprises sales and customer support organisations around the world, systems activities.

quarterly dividend on its 6.25% Convertible Preferred Stock was due to be paid on May 16, 2011, to holders of record on May 1, 2011, in cash at a rate of US$0.78125 per share of Preferred Stock.

PARTER Capital Group will also enter a trademark agreement with Technicolor for the use of the Thomson trademark.

CROWN CASTLE International Corp (NYSE:CCI)

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Singapore Shows the Future of Television, Broadband

The Next Frontier of 3D With the growing popularity of Hybrid TV, analysts predict that there will be 1 billion Web-enabled televisions in operation, and worldwide shipments of pay-TV hybrid set-top boxes will grow to nearly 87 million units by 2015.

With the opinion that regional developments in Hybrid TV could shatter analyst predictions that IPTV revenues will increase more than 19% in the next seven years, Sunil Frida, General Manager of International Services at Sezmi The new home for BroadcastAsia, Singapore’s Suntec Centre. Corporation, will discuss how countries with strong broadband infrastructure can advance AT THE UPCOMING BROADCASTASIA2011 the convergence of TV entertainment services International Conference in June, 80 of the in wireless environments in his conference world’s leading broadcast professionals will presentation titled, “Global Opportunities in converge and lead discussions on seven broad Hybrid TV”. topics shaping the future of television. Taking Other speakers who will share detailed insights place at Suntec Singapore from 21–24 June, on the topic of Hybrid TV are Jean-Christophe the four-day event will see industry players Jubin from HTTV, Joss Armitage from IMPALA, and sharing their in-depth analysis and predictions Shahrul Imran Sultan from MEASAT Broadcast around the latest business and technology developments, with a focus on Hybrid and 3D TV. Network Systems (Astro).

IN A PRESENTATION TITLED, “3DTV - Hype or a Sustainable Business?”, Dr. Randolph Nikutta of Deutsche Telekom will discuss how the consumer electronics industry is driving the new 3D viewing experience, and share a case study on how this interest can be translated into a successful business. Titled, “Today’s Digital Revenue Reality Check – How to Capitalize on Changing Consumer Behaviour”, Rob van den Dam from IBM in The Netherlands will share his perspective on the new digital devices that present opportunities for consumer engagement, and how these may trigger disruption in the media ecosystem. Delegates will also learn more about the findings of an IBM study focused on business and revenue model innovation to oﬀset the value loss in traditional media. For the full BroadcastAsia2011 International Conference programme and list of speakers, visit www.broadcast-asia.com/bca2011international-conference-0.

CommunicAsia2011 MEANWHILE, over in the recently built Marina Bay Sands complex, CommunicAsia2011, the regional platform for information and communications technology (ICT) and the digital convergence landscape, will be highlighting how Next Generation Networks (NGNs) and Mobile Broadband are re-shaping the Asian commercial ICT industry. Held alongside the CommunicAsia2011 exhibition from Tuesday 21 June to Friday 24 June, the conference includes dedicated tracks such as: ‘Next Generation Broadband: The Business Models’, ‘Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure’ and ‘Next Generation Mobile Broadband’.

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Regional governments are exploring new regulatory approaches for their national NGNs to ensure open access industry structures through functional separation, a process pioneered by the Singapore government. The infrastructure for the new networks requires architectures that can handle massive traffic volumes while remaining cost effective. Effective terrestrial back-up for existing submarine cables in the region is fast

becoming a priority to minimise the disruptive eﬀects of earthquakes and other natural hazards. Moreover, the back-up is aimed at ensuring ease of access for transport networks and other end-users, while simultaneously introducing competition to drive down costs. The line-up for the ‘Next Generational Mobile Broadband’ conference track includes case studies on mobile web’s growth and its impact on emerging nations, discussions on mobile broadband networks such as HSPA, HSPA+, LTE and WiMAX. At the ‘Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure’ and ‘Next Generation Broadband - The Business Models’ tracks speakers will include Stewart White, MESA Head of Telecoms, KPMG, Bill Barney, CEO of Pacnet; Supun Weerasinghe, CEO of Dialog Mobile; Joseph O’Konek, CEO of CSL; Robin Mersh, COO of Broadband Forum; Allen Lew, CEO of SingTel,

and representatives from Acme Packet, AlcatelLucent, Alvarion, Andrew Solutions, Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh, BTI Systems, Broadlight, Ernst & Young, Eutelsat, Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers, ITU, LIRNEasia, Optus, Point Topic, SAP Asia, TM Forum, Telekom Malaysia, Telecom New Zealand, Telenor, TRPC, Webb Henderson and ZTE among others. Visit www.communicasia.com

Keep Up with with BroadcastAsia BroadcastAsiaand andCommunicAsia CommunicAsiaOnline! Online! For exhibition and conference news, Visit www.content-technology.com/broadcastasia

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Middle Earth Takes on New Dimensions Oﬄine Editing for The Hobbit By Phil Sandberg

SIR PETER JACKSON has returned to Middle Earth with shooting commencing on The Hobbit earlier this year. A two-part project, the first film is due out around December 2012 with part two out around a year later. There will be both 2D and 3D versions of the films. Dan Best is First Assistant Editor on the Hobbit 1 and 2, and was previously First Assistant Editor on the Adventures of Tintin and District 9. Goblin’ up that data. Dan Best, First Assistant Editor on the Hobbit.

Involved in the oﬀ-line editing of The Hobbit, Best has a one-eyed view of 3D – literally.

means that when we are handing shots to the VFX vendor we can provide them with all the information directly from the Avid.

The films are being shot with the RED Epic, which is the new RED camera, shooting with 3ality 3D rigs, and so they’re shooting two eyes.

C+T: Now, there’s quite an extensive network you’re using which allows you to work from various sites.

The footage is being recorded, processed by Park Road Post, and delivered to us. At the moment we’re choosing only to take one eye of the footage, so we have one eye, which is the right eye, which is the eye that’s going through the mirror rather than bouncing oﬀ the mirror in the 3D rig, and doing our initial cut in 2D, and then what we’re anticipating doing is having the ability to go 3D at some point by having both eyes.

DB: Why we chose the Avid is the ISIS solution essentially allows us to have a central storage and be within about 120kms of the storage just as long as we have singlemode fibre between the ISIS and there.

C+T: Are they using are mirror rigs exclusively? DB: They’re not exclusively mirror rigs. I believe they have some side-byside as well, but predominantly they’re using mirror rigs. C+T: There must be a lot of metadata involved, so what sort of information are you using and how are you managing it?

THE 3RD DIMENSION

DB: One of the key things that we’re having to keep is, of course, the other eye metadata, and the eye that we have so that we can conform to the other eye easily.

We want to be able to conform on the Avid, so we’re essentially tracking the time code and the tape name of the other eye in our metadata so that we can produce an EDL for the other eye and re-conform. It helps with any discrepancies and if there’s any discrepancies between time code between the two cameras or anything like that, then we’ve got a robust system to re-conform to the other eye, which enables us to do a stereo conform on the Avid. We’re carrying a lot of information for visual eﬀects in the way of camera names, which way the cameras are oriented on the rig, seeing if they’re bouncing oﬀ a mirror where the image is flopped, essentially, etc. So we’re carrying as much of that information as we can get in through the pipeline is coming and being carried in the metadata on the files, and that

So, there’s a fairly substantial fibre network around the group, around the sets, and so we can have access to the ISIS from essentially wherever there’s fibre. The other main reason for getting the ISIS was file count because it’s a digital shoot and we’re shooting with digital files instead of a traditional film shoot where you’d have a 20-minute lab roll, which is just one file, and then you separate it out in the edit. For this one, every single take is a file and then every single eye of that take is a file and then every single audio track for that take is a separate file as well. Very quickly, especially doing two movies at once, it just becomes too much file storage for some of the older products, so that’s why we went for the ISIS. We can plug into the ISIS wherever there’s fibre and we’re utilising that as much as we can. Park Road Post, who are delivering us rushes, basically dump them straight onto the ISIS for us, and they’re 2km down the road. And, then we have the ability to connect directly on set. C+T: So, could you talk me through your workflow? DB: We prep all the rushes. We’re doing the audio sync ourselves. It’s a traditional thing here in New Zealand is to do the sync with editorial, so we’re doing that and then we’re providing it to the cutting room, essentially, to the editor to cut. C+T: And, how are you receiving the audio files? DB: The sound recordist is giving us a whole bunch of WAVs, one for every take. We bring them in and convert them to MXF on the Avid and bring in all

THE 3RD DIMENSION to metadata and make sure the time code’s the same as the camera and we auto sync and then just check it all. C+T: Then it’s off to the editor? DB: He’s cutting, selecting, working with the director, and then he’s handing off sequences for VFX. The VFX editor will then sort that out and send all of the elements to the VFX vendor. In terms of everything else, we’re providing dailies for the director so that he can watch dailies. The studio have their own systems of dealing with that sort of stuff, so just use their systems to get the stuff across [the Pacific]. C+T: And for the final edits of the films? DB: What we’re aiming to do is provide an AAF file from the edit that would have the structure of the timeline that we have, and [Park Road Post] will be able to re-conform that in their tools, bring in the other eye, conform the other eye, and then do the final grade and the stereo QC and any sort of convergence editing that’s required or the like for stereo. There will be a reciprocation with some of that stuff as well, in the sense that, if there’s anything that requires any sort of edit changes, then that part will come back. C+T: You mentioned the data and the number of files. Are they the main challenges in working this way on a 3D production? DB: The main challenges, especially with this sort of stuff, is the the amount of data. We had a couple of months of testing beforehand and we established some pretty solid workflows of the way the data was coming through, and figured out how we would store it, then it was just making sure that it’s all databased correctly within the Avid and we know where everything is and we can go and search it. The other step, of course, is we have to back it up. It’s a fairly major production so one of the key things is that the cutting room can’t go down. So, we have a disaster failure system. If there is any form of disaster that causes the storage to go down, we can relocate immediately and carry on. It’s a fairly tight schedule so we certainly can’t be down for a week, let alone a day. So, what we’ve done is we’ve also got another system located offsite, an Apace system that is doing essentially a live backup of the ISIS, and it doesn’t have the same versatility as the ISIS or anything like that, but as a storage backup, well, it’s been working great and basically we can relocate the cutting room and assistants to that storage and just carry on. C+T: Alright. How often is that backed up?

Unfortunately, at the moment, the cheapest way is still to put someone in a plane with the drive and they fly in and just keep dropping off media and updating the media. C+T: There’s going to be both 3D and 2D versions of these films. Are you taking a different approach to editing 3D material as opposed to 2D? DB: Absolutely. We’ve been doing quite a bit of testing with 2D and 3D, and certainly with 3D you tend not to cut as much, or not need to cut as much. C+T: So, longer, slower takes? DB: Yeah, I mean, it’s the amount of time that the eye takes to resolve the 3D. Quick cuts don’t quite work as effectively. But, that said, we are doing the initial process in 2D and the idea would be that we would review in 3D and then things would change from there. C+T: So, if there is material that is felt not to work as well in 3D, you might have to go back to re-edit? DB: Yeah, and there is some anticipation of utilising Avid’s 3D tools and being able to provide that in the cutting room as well. So, one of the things, with all the metadata that I’m talking about, is being able to re-conform and have 3D available. It’s just that it’s not been required at this point. C+T: In terms of quality control, is there any difficulty in only dealing with one eye?

quickly, especially doing two movies at once, it “Very just becomes too much file storage for some of the older products, so that’s why we went for the ISIS. We can plug into the ISIS wherever there’s fibre and we’re utilising that as much as we can. Park Road Post, who are delivering us rushes, basically dump them straight onto the ISIS for us, and they’re 2km down the road. And, then we have the ability to connect directly on set.

”

DB: At the moment we’re backing it up nightly, but we can essentially set that up to go as often as we like, and it just uses our clients, our Avid clients to do sort of a background backup and just it backs up all our workspaces.

If something is deleted on the ISIS, I can actually go to the Apace and even if it’s missing from there, it’s putting it into a trash folder, so I’ve got, essentially, a backup of the backup. In those unfortunate cases where somebody accidentally deletes a media file or a media file becomes corrupt and has to be deleted to continue the process, an original version of that file is still available and we can then essentially go through and do our double-check on trash.

DB: We get a fairly substantial report done. The people at Park Road do a formal check on both eyes and they provide us with reporting on the other eye, which we carry that reporting with the clip on the Avid so that that we know exactly if there are any issues or anything like that, and they’ll note down if there is any sort of QC problem. Obviously, if it’s bad enough they’ll let the people on set know. But, in terms of being able to see it ourselves, if we needed to, we could ask for the other eye and check it out ourselves.

C+T: The Lord of the Rings trilogy was also concurrently shot, even though everything was acquired on film. What changes in technology have been applied since that project?

But, we’re not utilising the side-by-side or over-under system of providing stuﬀ because it degrades the quality - it’s half HD then. If we do have questions, we would either ask for the other eye or we’d go and see it in full res ourselves.

DB: The ability to have the same storage oﬀ set and be able to select and start cutting on set is a major plus now.

C+T: So, what would you say has been the big diﬀerence between what you’re doing now and other productions you’ve been involved with?

The main reason is eﬃciency, but also it’s preselecting stuﬀ, it’s being able to prepare the footage in such a way so that when we come into post, that it’s all ready to go and then it’s just how the director likes to work as well. He likes to be able to see his footage that he shot the day before. C+T: So, that’s on set. What’s the approach for on location?

DB: Well, the main issue is that where you used to just have to have audio in sync, you now have to have another eye in sync, and you have to make sure that you’re retaining that and checking that, so there’s a substantial amount more work involved. Especially, if for some reason a camera has gone out of sync or one of the cameras has stopped working.

DB: Well, the approach for on location, especially on top of a mountain or deep forest is that we all have an Avid that’s in a road case that will just have drives attached to it. So, we’ll just attach the drives. It will either be loaded with everything until that point, or will be the selection that the editor requires there and then.

We’re having to create a whole workflow for just keeping an eye on everything and making sure everything is okay for later on down the track when those shots are in the cart and then are in the movie. So, there’s quite a lot more prep work, there’s quite a lot more data that we just need to hold on to and be careful of as it’s coming from the set.

THE 3RD DIMENSION

It’s a diﬀerential backup so it’s not copying across all data every time, it’s just copying over the changes and the additions.

THE 3RD DIMENSION

Wingnut, Lynchpin RICHARD KELLY IS DIRECTOR of Wellington-based solutions company Atomise. More than an Avid reseller, Atomise has become integral to the editorial process at Peter Jackson’s Wingnut Films – the Atomise oﬃce is even housed within Wingnut’s main production centre. “Atomise is very honoured to have been able to supply and continue supporting all of the editorial equipment for the Hobbit which has been a fantastic opportunity to put together,” says Kelly. According to Kelly, the oﬄine editorial workflow for The Hobbit is being handled by Avid Media Composer and Nitris DNX Systems using the DNX36 codec with storage on an Avid ISIS7000. Editing is taking place in single layer only with Avid media handed over from Park Road Post who convert from the RED RAW Media format. In addition to systems being used on other projects, Wingnut has seven Media Composer systems for the Hobbit. A 10-gigabit fibre network links the ISIS7000 to the nearby Park Road Post facility where an Apace backup system is housed for disaster recovery purposes. There is also capacity at Park Road for a further 20 editing clients to undertake work as well, if needed. A second 10-gigabit link connects Wingnut to nearby Stone Street Studios, the main back lot and studios. There are two Media Composers there, one on set and one in a caravan that can be moved around as required. “Everything is instantaneously available right across the network,” says Kelly. “So, if some of the editing is done that’s ready to output or have another process done to it, it doesn’t have to be moved back here on hard drives or across a disparate networks, it’s all on the same storage and just ready to go.

so that’s six files all by themselves. You are carrying left eye and right eye, so there’s two files. And then you are carrying, if you are carrying a muxed version as well, there is another file on top. So you know, that’s gone from being three files to being seven files. Eight files if you are carrying 3D. And then you’ve got diﬀerent versions on top of that. So the file count has grown exponentially, which was part of the decision to recommend the ISIS7000 for this production, to deal with the file count that they were expecting.” According to Richard Kelly, his support of Wingnut has, in turn, been equally supported by Avid. “Avid have provided a great deal of support during both the implementation and the pre-sale process,” he says. “We received a lot of technical support out of the professional services group in Singapore in the preparation of the proposal. They checked the system was all set up properly prior to handover to the client. The actual build and implementation process was handled by us here at Atomise. I’m pleased to say that Avid didn’t require any changes to be made to our configuration. “We’ve had a large number of suggestions that have come out of this facility over the years, and are now part of the Media Composer. That’s been very pleasing to see. We’ve also had quite a large number of bug reports flow backwards and forwards over the years and get fixed as well. Avid really have done everything they can to make sure that the client’s needs are met. And that funnels back through to Atomise.” Visit www.atomise.co.nz and www.avid.com

“On-set, we’ve got sort of two aspects to it. We also do have a laptop editing system that is highly mobile. With the on-set system we have armoured fibre cable that links back to a fibre star network at Stone Street and they can just work and do whatever the director needs to see, also what the editor needs to see when he is working on set. “So, it’s all about making it faster for things to happen. Gone are the days of shooting a film and then going into post. The director’s able to work on things as other shots are being set up that they are going to film. He’s able to get in front of the editing system and work with the editor to just keep the whole show rolling nice and quickly.” Peter Jackson’s King Kong was the first film in the world to work with an offline HD for its post production. The DNX36 codec, which has now become the mainstay of film post production throughout the world, was implemented by Avid as a result of requests from the Wingnut production staff. “HD allows everybody to, obviously, see a better image,” says Kelly, “even in their offline workflow and see something much closer to what you would expect to see in the final release. It saves time and, in the end, it saves money, just seeing something better. “We’ve basically put in a much faster process for dealing with high def now right through the whole workflow. They’re not dealing with work print, they y can screen dailies effectively straight off what they are doing in the off-line.

THE 3RD DIMENSION

“Obviously, there is always the consideration that when you are working with an oﬀ-line resolution as good as DNX36, it’s not the 4K of a film or digital camera, so you do have a limiting factor in there. But, for oﬄine workflow, things have come up a massively long way since the days of Lord of the Rings and King Kong.

“One of the large changes that I’ve certainly noticed in film post production workflows is the file count. Up until now, the files you generated during the shoot, that was the majority of your media. But, it wasn’t that many files, and the majority of your files were eﬀectively your project and renders and titles and all the additional bits of data that you start developing once you begin the editorial workflow. “Now, in a digital post workflow you can amass a huge number of files. For example, you can have six tracks of audio coming out of the camera,

An Avid technology partner, Richard Kelly of Atomise.

THE 3RD DIMENSION

Quantel Demonstrates New Stereo3D Tools

JVC Introduces GY-HMZ1U ProHD 3D Camcorder

QUANTEL DEMONSTRATED powerful new Stereo3D tools for its Post and Broadcast products at NAB 2011 that will help speed Stereo3D work through the suite by cutting the time spent identifying and fixing errors in S3D shots.

JVC PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, a division of JVC Americas

Quantel also announced that the new Stereo3D toolset is now a standard feature on all V5 eQ, iQ and Pablo systems. Geometry errors between the left and right eye images are almost inevitable with the use of two cameras when capturing Stereo3D. Fixing these errors is essential for high quality Stereo3D, but undertaking this manually can be a very time-consuming process. The new Geofix tool automates the process, making geometry fixes fast and accurate. Geofix first analyses the two images then applies translation, rotation and corner-pin DVE processes to correct errors. The result is less time spent on fixing Stereo3D material, reducing costs and increasing the time available to make great content. A new Stereo Measurement Console adds a suite of tools that makes monitoring and working with Stereo3D faster and more productive. The console includes live on-screen histogram and vectorscope displays to help identify diﬀerences between eyes. The Console also includes a measurement tool for disparity, which makes it easy to meet the typical specifications being introduced for 3D channel content by broadcasters. There is also a new overlay and cursors on the main outputs, making it straightforward to see exactly where objects sit in 3D space. Flip on file import or conform is another useful new time-saving tool that allows signals to be flipped or inverted on import/conform. This means that images captured with mirror rigs do not need further correction before they can be viewed in S3D. The Stereo3D Auto Color Balance tool has been improved with gamma adjustment to deliver a better match between left and right eye signals. “Making great Stereo3D depends on getting the basics right quickly and eﬃciently,” says Steve Owen, Quantel Director of Marketing. “The new Stereo3D tools we’re showing at NAB help do just that, so that more time can be spent on creative tasks. We have already had some great feedback from early users of some of these new tools.” Visit www.quantel.com

Dashwood Cinema Unveils 3D Production System DASHWOOD CINEMA SOLUTIONS, developer of stereoscopic software,

THE 3RD DIMENSION

has announced a quantum leap in its line of cutting-edge Mac-based stereoscopic 3D products — Stereo3D CAT. Stereo3D CAT is an on-location calibration and analysis system that removes all of the complexities associated with stereoscopic 3D camera calibration in production. Stereo3D CAT is equipped with unique features, including an Alignment Tracker, a Stereo3D Visualiser, and a Parallax Inspector to calculate the correct camera alignment points, illustrate the depth of the 3D scene and avoid divergence in record-breaking time. “Dashwood Cinema Solutions has been building tools for years to speed up the process of aligning 3D camera rigs and we have been testing the eﬀectiveness of those tools on real productions. We can now calibrate, perform the necessary stereoscopic calculations, and check that everything is within safe parallax limits … and we can do it faster than ever before. No more waiting to go into post to see if the shot looks good — stereographers can analyse it on the spot and make adjustments with certainty throughout the entire shoot,” says Tim Dashwood, stereographer and founder of Dashwood Cinema Solutions.

Corp., unveiled the new GY-HMZ1U ProHD 3D camcorder at the 2011 NAB Show. With an integrated 3D twin lens design powered by JVC’s proprietary large-scale integration (LSI) chip for high-speed processing of HD video, the GY-HMZ1U can simultaneously record each left and right image in full 1920x1080 resolution.

The handheld camcorder features dual 3.32 megapixel CMOS sensors – one for each lens – and delivers 34 Mbps AVCHD recording in 3D or 24 Mbps in 2D. Video can be recorded with timecode at 60i to provide smooth motion (for sports and other fast action) or 24p for a film-like effect. The GY-HMZ1U can also capture 3D time lapse and 3D digital stills. “With the new GY-HMZ1U, video production professionals get true 3D with full HD resolution,” says Craig Yanagi, national marketing and brand manager. “3D production can be extremely complex, but JVC’s new ProHD camcorder makes 3D more accessible to independent filmmakers, commercial and corporate production houses, and even educational markets.” Equipped with an advanced image stabilizer, the twin F1.2 HD lenses offer a 5x optical zoom in 3D and 10x optical zoom in 2D. Video is recorded to non-proprietary SDHC or SDXC media cards or to the camera’s built-in 80GB internal memory. The GY-HMZ1U’s 3.5-inch colour LCD touch panel offers glasses-free 3D viewing and built-in tools like zebra pattern. Other professional features include a handle with dual XLR mic inputs and shotgun microphone mount (mic optional). Visit www.jvcpro.com.au

3DFUSION Demonstrates Glasses Free 3DTV 3D FUSION CORP DEMONSTRATED A TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION in broadcasting at the National Association of Broadcaster’s trade show in Las Vegas. 3DFusion demonstrated a “LIVE” 3DTV video feed from the 3ALITY Digital 3D camera array. 3DTV’s “Holy Grail” has been a glasses free 3DTV platform performing at Broadcast quality 2D standards. 3DFusion President Steve Blumenthal made the following comparison between 3DFMax 3DTV “Without Glasses” and “With Glasses 3D”. “Though we are targeting the richness of the With Glasses 3D imaging, our 3DFMax images are designed to mimic the way the eye sees. It is a more “real” natural 3D image, which can be enjoyed as eﬀortlessly as conventional television without any eyestrain, viewing restrictions or unacceptable side eﬀects. With the 3DFMax 3DTV technology, the viewer can adjust the 3D depth impact to his personal preference, on the fly in real time. He has the same control as he would in correcting colour or adjusting volume with his remote control.”

Dashwood has also released Stereo3D Toolbox v3.0. Stereo3D Toolbox is powered by Noise Industries’ FxFactory platform and designed to work with Adobe After Eﬀects, Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion and Apple Final Cut Express. New features include streamlined and optimised code for faster previewing, real-time playback, multi-input management options, and landmark parallax inspection and depth analysis tools.

3DFusion’s 3DTV platform is based on a marriage between depth mapping Math algorithms and classical stereoscopic left/right 3D data. The 3DFusion PC driven 3DTV platform is the first ASD 3DTV system to demonstrate and address all of the fundamental requirements of the broadcast television industry. “3DFusion is staking its claim as the first 3DTV Without Glasses company to come to market with a credible alternative to conventional 2D TV,” commented 3D Fusion C.E.O. Ilya Sorokin.

Visit www.Dashwood3D.com

Visit www.3dfusion.com

RAI Amsterdam Conference 8-13 September : Exhibition 9-13 September

The IBC Conference The IBC conference brings together industry experts who present, debate and learn about content related technical, business and creative issues. Founded in 1967 the conference is well respected for its peer reviewed technical papers and conference streams guided by industry experts. Whether it be content for broadcast, internet or mobile devices, today more than ever, the industry relies on successful interaction between technology, ideas, skills and business. Recognising this changing world of content, the IBC Conference presents a broad range of hot topic sessions across its six day, four stream, 60 session, 300 speaker event.

IBC2010 Keynote presenters included: • Gerhard Zeiler, chief executive ofﬁcer, RTL, Germany • Manolo Romero, managing director, Olympic Broadcasting Services, Spain • Sir Michael Lyons, chairman, BBC Trust, UK • Yoshinori Imai, vice president, NHK, Japan • Ingrid Deltenre, director general, European Broadcasting Union, Switzerland

For more information please visit: We look forward to meeting you in Amsterdam at IBC2011 for what is set to be another exciting event.

IBC Fifth Floor International Press Centre 76 Shoe Lane London EC4A 3JB UK T +44 (0) 20 7832 4100 F +44 (0) 20 7832 4130 E info@ibc.org

www.ibc.org

ACQUISITION www.content-technology.com/acquisition

NAB 2011

Digital Hits its Stride in Vegas Spurred on by the changes in digital image acquisition over recent years, many of the traditional broadcast and cinema camera manufacturers used NAB 2011 to reclaim the technical and workflow high ground from the much-hyped entry level players. For its part, 3D technology continued its steady march towards mainstream acceptance. ARRI PRESENTED AN EXPANSION OF ITS ALEXA CAMERA RANGE in the form of the ALEXA M. Custom-tailored to 3D productions, action photography and tight corner shots where the physical space available on set or on location is limited, the ALEXA M is based on existing ALEXA technologies and outputs the same quality images as the larger ALEXA. The ALEXA M camera head is optimised for small size and low weight, oﬀering flexibility when used on compact and lightweight 3D rigs; multiple mounting points on the top and bottom of the camera allow for an easy setup with many of the 3D rigs now in widespread use. Head and body are connected with a fibre optic cable that can also be used for powering the head. Sound and metadata can be recorded to SxS cards or external recording devices. ALEXA M has a PL mount and works with all existing 35mm lenses. It will also be compatible with a wide range of ARRI accessories. ARRI plans to present working prototypes of the ALEXA M at IBC 2011. The company also announced the ALEXA STUDIO, equipped with a quiet mirror shutter and an optical viewfinder like the ARRICAM Studio, but featuring the same control panel and buttons as the ALEXA Plus.

ARRI’s ALEXA Studio.

The viewfinder accepts both 435 and ARRICAM style eyepieces and viewfinder extensions and provides a high resolution, high contrast image with true colours and little geometric distortion. If need be, the optical viewfinder can be removed and replaced with the ALEXA Electronic Viewfinder EVF-1. Using the full 4:3 area of the ALEXA sensor allows plug-and-play use of 2x anamorphic lenses on the ALEXA Studio.

ACQUISITION

The optical viewfinder is equipped with a special anamorphic element that can be swung into the optical path to de-squeeze 2x anamorphic images. When the electronic viewfinder is used, special software takes care of the de-squeezing. The ALEXA Studio is due for release in 2011.

Visit www.arri.de

Small footprint, big images – ARRI’s ALEXA M.

CAMERA CONNECTIVITY WAS THE FOCUS FOR GRASS VALLEY

JVC INTRODUCED THE GY-HM750U PROHD COMPACT

at this year’s NAB with its new 3G Transmission system that “converges” triax and fibre connectivity into a single digital transmission solution.

shoulder-mount camcorder that records native HD or SD footage in ready-to-edit file formats on low-cost SDHC memory cards.

3G Transmission from Grass Valley is capable of carrying 3Gb/s signals over both triax and fibre. This allows any choice of transmission cable to carry either 1080i, 720p or 1080p50/60 video, while being prepared for multiplexed pairs of 720p or 1080i HD signals for stereoscopic 3D applications.

Equipped with the same 3-CCD imaging system found in the GY-HM790U, the GY-HM750U delivers 1920x1080 images in a lightweight form factor. It records at selectable data rates up to 35 Mbps and can record HD footage in 720p, 1080p, and 1080i, as well as SD footage (480i).

3G Transmission also extends the range of triax coverage by 25%, to a conservative minimum of 4,921 feet (1,500m).

The GY-HM750U includes a dual card slot design that records to nonproprietary SDHC cards and/or optional SxS recorder. Simultaneous recording to both SDHC cards is also available for instant backup or client copy.

In addition to the camera’s digital video output, 3G Transmission carries four digital audio channels back to the base station as two AES/EBU pairs and as an embedded signal within the digital video signals itself. Two independent video returns can be sent to the camera for operator monitoring and, for example, a stage-floor monitor, at the same time. 3G Transmission also provides talkback and a broad data channel for camera control, communication with robotics, real time graphical overlay processing or remote alignment of a stereoscopic rig. Visit www.grassvalley.com

JVC’s native file recording technology allows recording in ready-to-edit file formats for Apple Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere (.MOV), as well as other major NLE systems that are compatible with Sony XDCAM EX files (.MP4). For legacy SD applications, the camcorder can also record standard DV files (.AVI or .MOV). JVC has also improved its Pre Rec (retro cache) feature, which continuously records and stores footage in cache memory and helps prevent missed

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ACQUISITION

NAB 2011 shots of breaking events. The GY-HM750U stores 20 seconds of footage in its cache. Other features include variable frame rate recording, extensive image customisation, a high resolution (1.22 million pixel) LCOS viewfinder and 4.3-inch flip-out LCD monitor, and JVC’s Focus Assist functionality. The GY-HM750U also features two XLR audio inputs with phantom power, plus manual audio level controls with audio meter. A LoLux version of the camera specially designed for ENG use, the GYHM750LL, will also be available. JVC also provided a technology demonstration of the first large-scale integration (LSI) chip for high-speed processing of high definition (HD) video which will be an integral part of its next generation of camcorders. The new LSI enables processing, encoding, and recording of 4K2K images, which have four times the resolution of full HD. It also has the power to record two 1920x1080 images from left and right cameras simultaneously using MPEG-4 MVC for HD 3D production. Visit www.jvcpro.com.au

PANASONIC ANNOUNCED A FOLLOW-UP TO ITS AG-3DA1 integrated 3D camcorder with a shoulder-mount model, the AG-3DP1 that features 3D twin-lenses and P2 HD recording with 10-bit, 4:2:2 independentframe, full 1920 x 1080 resolution using AVC-Intra compression. The 3DP1 incorporates two 1/3”, full-HD 2.2 megapixel 3-MOS 3-chip imagers with enhanced sensitivity and a 20-bit Digital Signal Processor to acquire full production quality, native 1920 x 1080 resolution images. As with the 3DA1, the 3DP1 incorporates stereoscopic adjustment controls. The twin-lens system adopted in the camcorder’s optical section allows the convergence point to be adjusted. Functions for automatically correcting horizontal and vertical displacement are also provided. Conventional 3D camera systems require these adjustments to be made by means of a PC or an external video processor. Panasonic’s integrated professional 3D camcorders, however, automatically recalibrate without any need for external equipment, allowing immediate 3D image capture. The 3DP1 records in AVC-Intra 100/50, and is 50Hz/60Hz switchable. In AVC-Intra 100/50, it records in 1080 at 59.94i, 29.97pN, 23.98pN , 50i and 25pN, and in 720p at 59.94p, 50p, 29,97pN, 23.98pN and 25pN. For creative flexibility, the 3DP1 has variable frame rate recording for creating fast and slow motion effects. In 720p mode, a user can choose from 20 variable frame steps between 12 and 60 frames per second. The 3DP1 is equipped with dual optical, wide 17X (target) zoom lenses and can record for up to 80 minutes (each) on dual 64GB P2 cards in AVCIntra 100 1080/24pN. The camcorder offers dual HD-SDI outs, HDMI (3D compatible) out, and two XLR connectors. It offers genlock and timecode inputs for multi-camera operation. It is also equipped with a remote terminal

3D pulls up to the shoulder, Panasonic’s AG-3DP1.

for focus iris, zoom, REC start/stop and convergence point. Its 3.2-inch LCD screen provides the option to switch from Left, Right or overlay image display that facilitates reviewing depth information without the need for external tools. Also announced was the solid-state AG-HPD24 P2 deck featuring 3D synchronised record/playback (when used with another AG-HPD24); native 24p recording with variable frame rates; a super-fast USB 3.0 interface; and 24-bit, four-channel audio recording in AVC-Intra 100/50. Featuring AVC-Intra 100/50 record/playback, the HPD24 makes 10-bit, 4:2:2 master-quality video affordable and portable. This ultra-reliable, dedicated deck allows users to playback and review P2 cards on its 3.5-inch, 16:9 LCD screen; manage clip files and metadata; record full resolution, 10-bit quality content from a wide range of Panasonic and non-Panasonic cameras via its HD-SDI input; and backup data onto hard disk drives. With two P2 card slots and battery operation, the HPD24’s rugged, half-rack design holds up to the demands of field production, yet it is small and light at 5.5 pounds for easy transport. Two HPD24 units can be synchronised for master-quality, full resolution isolated left/right channel 3D recording, or synchronised for full HD-SDI 3D or 3D HDMI playback. The HPD24 adds native 24p 1080/720 recording, 1080/24PsF input/ output, 24p pull-down removal as well as real-time record/playback of variable frame rates (in 1080/24p over 60i, 720/24p over 60p) for work with special effects like over- and under-cranking. The HPD24 supports a wider range of high definition and standard definition recording formats including 1080 60i/50i/25p/24p, 720 60p/50p/24p and 480/60i, 576/50i in DVCPRO50, DVCPRO and DV. The unit plays back HD/SD content automatically and is internationally operable in 50Hz or 60Hz. The deck also offers an RS-422 control and includes audio I/Os,

ACQUISITION

Continued page 28 XX

TRIBUTE

Vale John Bowring CINEMATOGRAPHY LOST ONE OF ITS LEADING LIGHTS IN APRIL WITH THE PASSING OF LEMAC FILM & DIGITAL FOUNDER JOHN BOWRING ACS. Over 1500 people attended a memorial service for John on May 3 in Melbourne, which saw spoken, taped and written tributes to a man described as an “industry icon and stalwart”. According to Anne Boyd, John’s “annoying little sister”, his first contact with the film industry came as a model for a Val Morgan Cinema Slide advertising the “Handy Dandy High Chair cum stroller cum potty chair”. Much later, in a carport attic, the young Bowring established what his sister described as “Johnny’s headquarters of eccentricity”. “At secondary school, they had some old equipment and let him use it to film the school footy games. If he did that it meant he didn’t have to play. The film Retrogression that they made in Year 10 was groundbreaking,” said Anne. Professionally, he started as an assistant projectionist for Village Drive-ins, then as a news and current aﬀairs cine-cameraman/editor for GTV9 and later Willesee at Channel 7 in Melbourne. It was at GTV9 that he earned the nickname ‘Brolga’ for going oﬀ on walkabouts to investigate film stock and equipment in the bowels of the building and even the station’s dumpsters. Early cinematic triumphs included Morricide, a Homicide, police drama spoof.

MECHANICAL & WIND NOISE REDUCTION ENGINEERS Red u ci n g m ech a n i ca l a n d wi n d n oi se i n a u d i o reco rd i n g s wi t h o u t co m p ro m i si ng f requenc y resp o n se i s n o t a sim s k . IItt re reqq uir u ires es a ssoli olii d ol si m p l e t a sk n g i n eer r i ng n g b a cckkgg ro u nd nowledge en eeri n d co up u p led l ed wi th t h kknowledge o f tth h e n at a t u ral ra l scien scii en ces.

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The Modular Full Windshield System S ystem yst em is the complete compl co mplete ete ze zeppe zeppelin ppelin lin sstyle windshield & suspension package to isolate microphones p ffrom wind & handling noise. TThe system syste sy stem m is i s available a vailab i lable le in 7 designed ﬁtt all ssizes es des desi i gn ed d to ﬁ ll lleading eadi e ading ng microphone mic icc rop rophon hone products. hon

S-SERIES Kit

The S-series is a zeppelin/blimp style of microphone suspension & windshield. The patented “Lyre” suspension web, a revolutionary non-elastic suspension, gives ideal isolation for all axial microphones.

It was during this time that John met his future wife, Sue. According to his sister, “John pursued Sue with single-minded determination”. In his early years, John both shot and edited TV comedy programs including the Paul Hogan Show, Ernie Sigley, Graham Kennedy and Don Lane. For the BBC, he photographed and directed the Clive James Postcard series specials on New York, Cairo, Sydney and for the UK’s Carleton TV, Postcard from Bombay, Hong Kong and Melbourne. In 1996 he shot and was the telecine colourist for ELLE - Australia’s top rating TV documentary that year, and won an ACS Gold award for cinematography. Bowring started the company Lemac (a reversed-spelling tribute to his own Camel Films) in 1975 on the advice of GTV Channel 9 – originally to supply his services and equipment for Nine’s production department, outside of his own staﬀ news commitments. Later, after leaving GTV, the Lemac service would expand to the film and television industry generally. John Bowring was accredited ‘ACS’ by the Australian Cinematographers Society in 1990, made a life member of the society in 1998, inducted in to the society’s Cinematographer’s Hall of Fame in 2005, and was a member of SMPTE and the BKSTS. Speaking at the memorial, Victorian principal of the ACS, Alan Carl, said, “John is a legend, he is one of the most highly respected cinematographers. He was also a visionary. He was always embracing new technology. He knew more than anyone I know about video and digital technology. “John won over 30 ACS awards for his cinematography, and in later years would not enter the awards, because he claimed he was embarrassed that he won so many already.” The final word, however, went to John’s wife, Sue, who described him as “The best of the best. A loving son, a loyal friend, inspirational boss, extraordinary cinematographer, the best dad in the whole entire world, and the finest partner in life. A great man, we will love you forever and ever.” The John Bowring ACS Memorial Fund has been established to continue John’s passion for preserving the rich heritage of Australia’s moving image industry for future generations. Visit www.cinematographer.org.au for details. Thanks to John Nachef for attending John Bowring’s memorial on behalf of C+T.

SOFTIE

Kit

The Softie kit combines both the Softie Windshield and the Softie Lyre y Mount. To provid provide idee b both oth wi wind nd pro protection and sshock hock mounting for your microph microphone. p

UNIVERSAL

CAMERA

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The Rycote Universal Camera Kit is the essential accessory for achieving good, clean, audio recordings to professional standards, for outside ﬁlming using a shotgun or riﬂe camera mounted microphone. Miniscreen provides wind-noise attention of up to 20dB (plus 23 dB with Windjammer)

“I have used R ycote products on all of the Top Gear Specials, the North Pole, Botswana and Vietnam, they did not let me down, it’s as simple as that.” Russel Edwards, Sound Recordist For your nearest authorised dealer in Australia: Free Call 1800 648 628 | email sales@syntec.com.au New Zealand: Free Call 0800 100 755 | email sales@syntec.co.nz

ACQUISITION

NAB 2011 WW Continued from page 26

headphone jack, timecode in/out and a reference synch input. The company also introduced two new professional AVCCAM HD handheld camcorders, the AG-AC160 and AG-AC130, which incorporate highsensitivity 1/3”, full-HD 2.2 megapixel 3-MOS imagers to capture native 1920 x 1080 resolution images, with a new, wider 21X HD zoom lens. Key new features include two SD Memory Card slots for relay or simultaneous recording, compatibility with high-capacity SDXC media, an enhanced viewfinder and LCD display, and DV recording. The higherend AC160 includes such top production features as variable frame rate recording in 1080p, Linear PCM audio, HD-SDI output, and switchability between 59.94Hz/50Hz. The AVCCAM camcorders’ full HD resolution imager produces 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720 AVCHD video at high sensitivity. Because the MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 codec provides a doubling of bandwidth eﬃciency and improved video performance over the older MPEG-2 compression-based formats, recordings look clean and crisp, even during fast motion, without image degradation or dropouts. Utilising a 21X zoom lens with three independent adjustable rings for zoom, focus and iris, these new AVCCAM units oﬀer a wide 28mm (35mm equivalent) viewing angle, covering most shooting situations without the need for a wide-angle conversion lens. The AC160/130 record video in four professional AVCCAM HD recording modes, including the highest-quality PH mode (average 21 Mbps/Max 24Mbps), the HA mode (approx.17 Mbps), the extended recording HE mode (approx. 6 Mbps), and a PM mode (less than 10 Mbps, 720P only).

A 1TB memory card recording at 24 fps will store 50 minutes of footage in 4K 16 bit RAW. Sony also introduced two 3D single-body camcorders for professional applications - the PMW-TD300 shoulder-mount model, and the HXRNX3D1U NXCAM compact camcorder. The PMW-TD300 features a dual ½-inch Exmor 3 CMOS sensor design with full HD 1920x1080 pixel resolution. Left and right eye signals are simultaneously recorded onto separate SxS cards (4 SxS card slots in total, 2 slots for each view). Its shoulder-mount design provides stability in “run and gun” shooting environments. An inter-axial distance of 45mm delivers a wide range of shooting zones to capture quality 3D images, especially for near-side shooting with a 1.2m minimum convergence distance. A newly developed dual-lens system allows for full synchronization with high accuracy in focusing, zooming and iris adjustment. The camera is switchable between 2D and 3D modes. The 2D view is recorded onto a single card, with 2D redundancy achieved through parallel recording onto L/R cards. The latest product in Sony’s NXCAM line up, the HXR-NX3D1U allows users to simply adjust the left-right disparity to film 3D with the dial on the body and check the 3D eﬀect on its glasses-free LCD. Double Sony G Lenses and double Exmor R CMOS sensors deliver professional quality 3D shooting, while 1920x1080 full HD left and right images enable realistic HD recording.

Also introduced was the AG-HPX250, a new P2 HD handheld with 21X Zoom Lens and 1080/720p variable frame rates and 10-bit, 4:2:2 independentframe, full 1920 x 1080 resolution AVC-Intra recording. Offering a wide 28mm to 588mm (35mm equivalent) 21X HD lens with 3 independent adjustable rings, the HPX250 covers most shooting situations without the need for a wide-angle conversion lens. The 21X lens also features an Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.) function that ensures stable images during shooting. The HPX250 offers variable frame rate capability in 1080p up to 30fps as well as 720p up to 60fps for undercranking/overcranking to create fast or slow-motion effects. Equipped with two P2 card slots, the HPX250 can record for up to 320 minutes in AVC-Intra 100 at 720/24pN, 160 minutes in AVC-Intra 100 1080/24pN and 128 minutes in other AVC-Intra 100 or DVCPRO HD formats on two 64GB cards. In AVC-Intra 50, the recording time is twice that as AVC-Intra 100. Visit www.panasonic.com.au/Products/Broadcast/Overview

SONY ANNOUNCED WHAT IT SAYS IS A NEW BENCHMARK FOR digital cinematography with the oﬃcial unveiling of its next-generation CineAlta camera, the F65. Using an 8K image sensor, with approximately 20 megapixels, the F65 features 16-bit RAW output. At the heart of the F65 camera is Sony’s newly developed 8K sensor, which will deliver HD, 2K, and true 4K resolution and beyond 4K in the future. The Sony imager is also the first to provide a dedicated green photosite for each pixel in the 4K output image. This is twice the amount of green resolution compared with traditional 4K Bayer pattern sensors, providing a significant improvement in image resolution that is ideal for VFX processing.

ACQUISITION

The 8K CMOS sensor can run up to maximum 120Fps. This sensor performance combined with 16-bit RAW output makes the F65 the first image capture system designed from the ground up to support the Academy IIF-ACES, Image Interchange Framework, Academy Color Encoding Specification.

The F65 has also been designed for multiple production applications, including 3D rigs and Steadicam, and will oﬀer a compact detachable camera T-head. An optional mechanical rotary shutter will be available for eliminating motion artifacts inherent in other CMOS sensor technology. A dockable SR memory recorder – model SR-R4 – attaches to the camera to record directly on to an SR memory card of 256 GB, 512 GB or 1TB capacity with data security and sustained throughput of 5 Gbps. The recorder will enable ultra high speed recording of16-bit RAW data.

3D, Sony embraces the integrated approach.

Double full HD recordings are encoded in H.264 MVC (Multi-Views Coding) then packed in a single file. When the file is imported to compatible editing software such as Sony Vegas Pro 10.0d, it can be treated as L and R synchronized images without having to import them twice. The supplied Content Management Utility 2.1 software lets users split the single 3D file into L and R video stream files that can be edited in AVCHD compatible 3D editing software. The HXR-NX3D1U supports a range of recording formats: 60i / 50i / 24p for 3D and 60p, 50p, 60i, 50i, 25p, 24p for 2D then 60i, 50i for SD resolution. Meanwhile, Sony demonstrated the continued evolution of its HDCAM-SR technology into a file-based workflow. Under the umbrella of the SRMASTER platform, the company unveiled the SRMASTER SR-R1000 Studio Deck, the SRPC-5 SRMASTER Data Transfer Unit, the SR-M9000PL & M9000 SRMASTER camcorders, as well as SRMemory media. A range of SRMASTER portable field recorders was announced for various Sony Cameras. Sony also announced enhancements for its PMW-F3 handheld digital production camcorder with a Super 35mm imager: a 3D-Link capability, options for RGB 4:4:4 and S-LOG output and a wide angle and high power zoom lens. The 3D Link option (model CBK-3DL01) will be available later this year via a firmware upgrade and 10-pin cable connection. This communications link is designed to provide synchronous remote command between two F3s using only one remote controller, with Genlock, timecode and camera control. Recording start or stop can be done by remote control. Visit www.sony.com.au/production

ACQUISITION

Rotolight Creative Colour Kit Launched ROTOLIGHT HAS LAUNCHED a new HD Ringlight Kit for Creative Colour FX, which is designed for HD-DSLR users looking for a compact, lightweight on-camera lighting system for use in both HD video/cinematography and stills portraiture, macro and close-up modes. The Rotolight Creative Colour Kit is a portable, professional, single-light creative HD lighting solution and is designed for photographers and videographers alike. Rotolight ringlight produces a natural, warm and shadowless wide light beam, making it perfect for HD-DSLR photography, HD Cinematography, Videography and ENG applications for use on location or in a studio environment. As a continuous light source, Rotolight provides DSLR photographers with a ‘Shoot What You See’ alternative to flash, and delivers that classic, sought-after “fashion ringlight” effect , without red eye reflection or unwanted blink responses. Each Rotolight contains a filter holder and a custom ‘Lee Lighting’ 6-piece ring-filter Calibration Gel Set for studio calibrated colour at 6900K, 5600K, 4100K and 3200K plus soft diffusion and Neutral Density (ND) gels for accurate dimming over a range of up to 1.5 aperture stops. Also included in the Creative Colour Kit is the Rotolight Colour FX Gel Filter Kit, comprising 10 of the most popular Lee Lighting colour FX filter gels including 8 Colour FX filters for sidelight, backlight, kicker or top light, and two Cosmetic filters for skin tone enhancement enabling users to create a wide range of lighting effects from one compact, easy to carry Kit. The Rotolight Hotshoe/ Stand Mount, also included, allows mounting on tripods, lighting stands, rail support systems or to a standard accessory shoe for use with HD-DSLR Cameras or Camcorders. Visit http://rotolight.com

Fujinon Ergonomic Servo Pack, Wireless Controls FUJIFILM NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION, Optical Devices Division, introduced a new ergonomically designed DigiPower servo control system for its Select and Premier Series as well as a wireless control system for all of its 2D and 3D lenses at the NAB Show. The new digital servo control system’s ergonomic design includes improved space for finger placement and a wider hand strap for increased support. It also features lower power consumption and reduced backlash for a precise and steady zoom movement. The newly designed servo control system is designed for Fujinon’s Select Series of 2/3 & ½ inch lenses (ZA/ZS line) and Premier Series of 2/3 and ½ inch HDTV lenses (HA/HS range). The new WL-325A wireless control includes a transmitter and a receiver. It is available for all Fujinon Digi-Power 2D and 3D lenses and can operate a lens smoothly and quickly from up to 300 feet away. The receiver automatically synchronises to the transmitter after plug-in. The control operates the lens in precisely the same way as if the operation were wired, with the same speed and smooth motion. The WL-325A will interface with all Premier and Select Series rear hand controls. It runs on 2.4 GHz frequency and will experience zero interference from other pairing devices. Visit www.fujifilm.com/northamerica and www.fujinon.com

Sound Device Will Have CL-WiFi on Stand SOUND DEVICES

A focusable version of Gekko Technology’s colour-tunable LED-based luminaire, kedo incorporates a fresnel-based optic providing a 6:1 focal range. As a hard source, kedo fully complements the existing range of Gekko LED-based fixtures, which in the right environment can be combined to provide fully LED-based solutions entirely comparable to more traditional setups. kedo has presets at 2,900, 3,200, 4,300, 5,600 and 6,500 kelvin (as well as the ability to match a wide range of colour gels in the entertainment form of the lamp). The fixture is comparable in output intensity to a 900 watt tungsten source. The eﬃciency of the LED keeps heat generation to a minimum.

introduced the latest hardware accessory for its 788T Digital Recorders, the new CL-WIFI, at the 2011 NAB Show. The CL-WIFI allows users to control the already powerful 788T from anywhere on set. The CL-WIFI works together with its companion iOS software app to allow iPads, iPhones and iPod Touches to control a connected 788T. The CLWIFI turns an iOS device into a simple, portable control surface that allows a sound mixer to move around on set, away from the sound cart, yet still have extensive control and monitoring of their 788T recording system. The hardware CL-WIFI is a Wi-Fi access point when the iOS device connects to it over Wi-Fi. The CL-WIFI app then uses the Wi-Fi connection to communicate with the 788T. The iOS app controls metering of 788T input and track levels, time code, file length, frame rate display and to record start/stop control input-to-track routing, enabling take list and take name editing. Sound Devices’ 788T digital audio recorder is designed specifically for multi-track, on-location productions and features a significant expansion of input and output capability with eight full-featured microphone inputs and 12 tracks of recording.

Visit www.gekkotechnology.com

Visit www.sounddevices.com

Gekko 6006 DD, kedo at PRG Booth GEKKO TECHNOLOGY’S latest developments in LED lighting for broadcast and film were on show at US reseller PRG’s booth. The latest range includes: KARESSLITE 6006 DD Based on the standard karesslite 6006, the 6006 DD is populated with twice the number of LEDs. Available as tungsten or daylight, the 6006 DD has a peak output of 4,500 lux at 10 feet. As with all Gekko products, output colour quality is consistent with more traditional technologies as well as providing the many benefits that LEDs oﬀer. All karesslite fixtures can be operated under local control from the luminaire itself, from wired remote dimmer, or DMX. Powering options include a single V-Lock battery, 12 to 40 volts DC via an industry standard XLR4 connection, or mains transformer.

ACQUISITION

KEDO, THE COLOUR-TUNABLE HARD SOURCE

MAKE IT

POWERED

TriCaster™ sets a new industry standard for portable live production. Small teams can now set up quickly and produce quality video, even from conﬁned spaces. TriCaster™ Includes:

Multi-camera switching Audio mixing Titles and clip playback Live Streaming Virtual sets on most models.

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SEND IT … to the web Viewcast Niagara, the next generation in Multi-Format Web streaming. … to your network Kyrion CM4101 / DR8400, the ﬁrst commercially available 4:2:2 / 10 Bit H.264 Contribution Pair. Includes MPEG2 HD & SD. Migrate to MPEG4 while maintaining compatibility with all your MPEG2 Equipment. … to everyone SMD 989 DVB-S/S2 Satellite Modulator. Supports Multistream with Variable Coding and Modulation (VCM). MRD 3187B Receiver Decoder. Supports virtually any application with dual-channel processing of MPEG2, H.264, 4:2:0, 4:2:2, SD, and HD video decoding.

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SPORTSCASTING Sport coverage worldwide

www.content-technology.com/sportscasting

FOXTEL, AUSTAR to deliver Every AFL Game live FOXTEL AND AUSTAR will televise every AFL game live, nationally and commercial free, siren to siren, under a new agreement. Under the agreement: + Australian AFL fans will be able to watch every single AFL Home & Away game and FOXTEL Cup game live, in High Definition, and uninterrupted siren to siren on FOXTEL and AUSTAR. + FOXTEL and AUSTAR subscribers will be able to watch the entire Finals Series (not including the Grand Final) live, in HD and uninterrupted siren to siren. + FOXTEL and AUSTAR subscribers will be able to watch the entire Pre-Season Competition, including the Grand Final, live in HD and uninterrupted siren to siren. + All AFL games will be delivered live over Telstra Next G mobiles. Additionally, one match per round will be available via the internet to Telstra T-Box customers. Additional matches will be available to Telstra T-Box customers and Microsoft Xbox LIVE customers who subscribe to the FOXTEL channels.

+ FOXTEL, AUSTAR and FOX SPORTS will bring back a dedicated AFL channel for each AFL season. + Both FOXTEL and AUSTAR will carry the Brownlow Medal ceremony live and in full. + Viewers can access historical and memorable matches “from the vault”. + Even more resources for grass roots competitions – the deal is the richest in Australian sports history and will ensure that the AFL can continue to support players, world class facilities, its grass roots competitions and the AFL’s expansion to Western Sydney and the Gold Coast. This expansion will increase the weekly competition to 9 games per round – with all 9 matches being shown live on FOXTEL and AUSTAR nationally. FOXTEL, AUSTAR and FOX SPORTS will schedule their games on the new dedicated AFL channel (the FOX SPORTS AFL channel) as well as scheduling some games on FOX SPORTS 1, whenever there is a game overlap or conflict. Visit www.austarunited.com.au and www.foxtel.com.au

Hong Kong Cable TV, CTC Go HD with Grass Valley GRASS VALLEY has scored two major victories in the Hong Kong region. Hong Kong Cable TV Ltd. (HKC), a provider of subscription TV and Internet services, has deployed a shared storage, high-definition (HD) production environment, based on a K2 storage area network (SAN) and an Aurora Production Suite from Grass Valley. CineVision Top Choice Productions, Ltd. (CTC), one of the premiere broadcast and production equipment rental companies in Hong Kong, has invested in a full complement of Grass Valley high-definition (HD) cameras and production switchers, HD slow-motion systems as well as new upgrades to its existing Kayak HD video production switchers. CineVision Top Choice Productions, Ltd. (CTC), one of the premiere broadcast and production equipment rental companies in Hong Kong (with additional locations throughout China), has invested in a full complement of Grass Valley high-definition (HD) cameras and production switchers, HD slow-motion systems as well as new upgrades to its existing Kayak HD video production switchers to better serve its expanding client base. CTC will use two new Grass Valley LDK 8300 Live Super SloMo HD camera systems – the first in the region – to cover major sporting events in Macau, as well as the Asia Trophy football (soccer) tournament in Hong Kong in July. The company has also taken delivery of the latest Grass Valley K2 AppCenter Elite and K2 Dyno Replay System. With the K2 AppCenter Elite, CTC’s investment is protected, as the K2 Summit server can be configured from four channels with four video streams up to eight video streams. This means

the server can be used for 3X super slow-motion, 3D production or playout, or a more flexible multichannel server. “By working with a variety of clients that can all use the same equipment, major suppliers like CineVision Top Choice Productions are quickly able to get back their initial investment while providing their clients with the best technologies,” says Jeﬀ Rosica, Executive Vice President at Grass Valley. Visit www.grassvalley.com

SPORTSCASTING

GlobeCast Bats Massive Cricket in Asia

DURING THE CRICKET SEASON of March and April GlobeCast deployed to two major cricket events – the IPL Twenty20 Cricket right after the huge success of the ICC Cricket World Cup. For the IPL Twenty20 Cricket, which began on 8 April and continues until 28 May, GlobeCast is onsite delivering 450 hours and 74 matches from over 12 venues in 51 days. GlobeCast is bringing the world feed in HD to Nimbus/ Times Internet and a unilateral feed for Sony (Multi-Screen Media) in SD. In March, GlobeCast delivered the ICC Cricket World Cup for ESPN STAR

Sports, the host broadcaster and rights holder of the series. GlobeCast deployed a crew to over 13 venues in three countries, moving between India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. GlobeCast covered 49 matches in the series. ESPN STAR Sports received the live feed from the stadiums via GlobeCast at its studios in India for production and further customisation for its networks. For both events, several sets of HD and SD SNG vehicles were deployed at all venues. Visit www.globecast.com

SPORTSCASTING

NZ’s Westpac Stadium Upgrades with Broadcast Pix are produced in HD, then down-converted to widescreen SD for stadium replay (due to a fibre infrastructure that can only support SD). The 2 M/E capability of the Granite 5000 also allows Westpac to display a diﬀerent presentation on each screen.

Westpac Stadium Granite 5000

WITH THE WORLD MOVING toward widescreen presentations and digital production workflows, oﬃcials at Westpac Stadium, the 34,500-seat multi-purpose facility in Wellington, New Zealand, decided to upgrade its video production capabilities with a complete retrofit of its control room. At the heart of the overhaul is a Gencom-supplied Broadcast Pix Granite 5000 video production system, which feeds video and graphics to two large replay screens installed at the north and south ends of the stadium. “From day one, we have had a production room with capabilities in excess of what any other ground in New Zealand had,” said Craig J. Bain, Westpac producer/director. “We are just ensuring that we keep up with technology changes and features available for our various clients. We are really happy with our new system, and Broadcast Pix has been absolutely fantastic with support.” Westpac maintains a busy schedule of concerts and sporting events, and will host at least seven matches during the Rugby World Cup 2011 later this year. Before the upgrade, 4:3 video production was stretched to fit the 16:9 replay screens. Through the Granite 5000, productions

Gencom Technology, a media technology solution provider and systems integrator with two oﬃces in New Zealand, installed the Broadcast Pix system in December. Bernie Huynen of Gencom Technology said the company was tasked with a finding a solution that “could be operated by one operator for small events and up to three or four operators on larger events.”

)UHVK «

With the Granite 5000’s built-in Fluent MultiView, Westpac was able to reduce a large bank of CRT monitors to four dedicated 21-inch LCDs for the technical director. One of the monitors, showing all the sources is split to the CCU position, and is used for camera shading. For visitors and other personnel, the control room also has three 42-inch LEDs on the wall, which are fed by a separate Harris multi-viewer. In addition, Gencom installed a separate Harris router for additional system redundancy. Bain is particularly pleased with Fluent WatchFolders, Granite’s built-in file management system, because he can access new graphics and clips that have been created during a live production. “It’s an amazing feature of the system. We’re loving it,” he explained. “Watch-Folders allow you to add content while the show is live. You can see it pop up and it’s ready to use.” Visit www.broadcastpix.com and www.gencom.com

EA SPORTS, Orad Augment Reality for Soccer VIDEO GAME GIANT EA SPORTS, a label of Electronic Arts, and Orad Hi-Tec Systems have worked together to bring EA SPORTS Virtual Playbook and its digital capabilities to global soccer broadcasters.

the virtual game camera are tied together, ensuring that every one of the physical camera’s movements automatically aﬀects the virtual camera in real time.

The technology allows broadcasters to re-create specific sports situations using core EA SPORTS game technology to generate an “augmented reality”. EA SPORTS Virtual Playbook merges the depth and realism of EA SPORTS FIFA videogame with Orad’s advanced virtual studio and camera tracking systems. This allows broadcasters to enhance their sports broadcasts and allow in-studio hosts to analyse plays and game conditions alongside virtual players before the match, and highlight formations and scenarios.

EA SPORTS Virtual Playbook is created using feeds from in-studio real-world cameras as well as an in-game camera that captures EA SPORTS in-game graphics depicting real game scenarios. The real-world studio and game images of virtual characters are combined to create the eﬀect of “augmented reality” – virtual players appearing in the studio alongside real life hosts and analysts. Both real and virtual people are able to move realistically around the studio set to demonstrate plays and scenarios.

The physical in-studio or on-field camera and

Visit www.ea.com and www.orad.tv

ZZZ ULHGHO QHW

SPORTSCASTING

Telecast Fiber SMPTE Cable for Studio, HDTV AT THE 2011 NAB SHOW, Telecast Fiber Systems introduced a new line of SMPTE cable assemblies designed to meet the demands of HDTV broadcasting. The heavy-duty, stainless steel assemblies oﬀer high levels of performance, reliability, and durability for fibre connectivity between HD cameras and camera control units, in studio as well as outside broadcasting configurations. The new SMPTE cable assemblies are equipped with heavy-duty SMPTE 304M hybrid fibre connectors with solid stainless steel shells covered with a full-length rubber strain-relief boot to protect the connector from the rigours of outside broadcasting. The assemblies are fully backward-compatible with triple-plated brass connectors, and are rated for more than 20,000

mating cycles — a 50 per cent increase over previous assemblies. The assemblies can survive a two-metre drop onto concrete. The innovative design is a direct result of new synergy between Telecast Fiber Systems and Belden, Telecast’s new corporate parent. Telecast Fiber Systems also launched its nextgeneration T-POV links for robotic cameras at the NAB Show. Introduced last year at IBC2010, the new T-POV family of fibre optic video/data transceiver modules delivers the established functionality of the company’s original HD/POV solutions plus the options of Ethernet control and ruggedised Mini-Mussel Shell field enclosures, all at a new lower price. Telecast Fiber Systems’ T-POV modules allow

remotely operated, robotic POV camera systems to be connected via fibre — enabling unique points of view and camera angles at sports venues and other locations in which humanoperated cameras would not be feasible. The T-POV modules handle all of the signals typically required for POV cameras, including HD/SDI video, remote pan/tilt/zoom, camera control, and tri-level sync/genlock, audio and Tally/GPIs. Plus, the addition of Ethernet support permits use of the industry’s new generation of Ethernetcontrolled cameras and robotic heads. In addition, the new T-POV modules oﬀer a highdensity solution for base stations by providing up to nine links in just 3RU. Visit www.telecast-fiber.com

Haivision Zixi Encoders Reduce HD Video Costs HAIVISION, PROVIDER OF ADVANCED video networking, digital signage, and IP video distribution solutions, has announced that it has collaborated with Zixi, LLC, to incorporate Zixi technology directly within low-latency Makito encoder and decoder HD H.264 appliances. Zixi enables broadcast-quality HD video transport over low-cost public Internet connections. Haivision’s Makito is an ultra-

compact, low-power, easy-to-set-up and deploy appliance that can now be ordered with Zixi ready capabilities. The Makito/Zixi solution is ideal for electronic news gathering (ENG) where remote live sites do not have access to custom network or satellite services, and lead times for breaking news stories are short. The solution is also ideal for connecting facilities over low-cost and

readily available Internet connections, saving thousands of dollars every month. Zixi overcomes IP transport challenges specific to video through advanced multimedia time synchronisation and error recovery technology. Zixi also provides Internet services to distribute up to full HDTV (1080p/60fps) video to multiple destinations simultaneously. Visit www.haivision.com www.zixi.com

SPORTSCASTING

Lateral Linking Scores with All Wireless Golf OB IN WHAT IT SAYS IS A WORLD FIRST, Lateral Linking Broadcast has provided live television coverage of a major golf event using an all wireless camera system. “After speaking to colleagues in Europe and IMG’s head of golf in the US, I believe this is the first ever, full wireless coverage of 18 holes of golf ‘live to air,” said Wayne Soutar, Senior Broadcast Director, IMG Sports Media Australia, who produced and directed the outside broadcast. The World Salutes King Bhumibol skins tournament was held at Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi, Thailand and featured Tiger Woods, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, Camilo Villegas from Colombia and England’s Paul Casey.

The floating green, 17th hole, Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi, Thailand.

The decision to use an all wireless system was based on the demands of the Thai game and previous experience with Lateral Linking’s equipment and operations. “We only had a six week lead in when it was confirmed Tiger Woods could fit the game into his schedule between a Shanghai match and the Australian Men’s Masters. “The fact that it was a one-day event also made it cost prohibitive to roll out 30 kms of triax cable for wired cameras,” explained Soutar. “It seemed a natural fit for a fully wireless OB given we were dealing with a small group of players moving around together in a suitable location.” The Amata Spring Country Club features a large building centred between the front and back holes that provided an ideal high platform for Lateral Linking’s receivers. This was complemented by running 1500 metres of optical fibre cable to provide another receive site to assist the networking of six Sony PDW-700 HD XDCAM cameras. “This was not the first time we have used six wireless cameras on a golf course - normally they are integrated with a fixed triax camera coverage.

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IMG crew with Lateral Linking wireless camera system.

What was unique here was that it was completely wireless. I knew the Lateral Linking system could deliver the results required. It’s robust enough to allow for the expansion and integration of additional cameras, so I was confident putting it to the test,” said Soutar. “It was a bold move and a lot of planning went into the event. We were going live to more than 270 million homes around the world and there was not a metre of triax camera cable on the golf course. From a client’s perspective we have proved we can be more flexible and faster in rolling out a turnkey wireless solution for these types of events.” The director was also able to take advantage of the completely unrestricted coverage provided by the wireless camera OB, including the course’s famous floating green on the 17th hole. After players tee oﬀ from the 17th, they walk 100 metres to a landing and board a small boat for a three minute ride to the floating green. They complete their putting then return in the boat. “From my perspective the wireless cameras provided the freedom to follow the players oﬀ the green, walk with them aboard the boat and broadcast a live interview with Thongchai Jaidee as he was enjoying the short boat ride across the water - we could not have done that any other way.” “In a nutshell we have proved the wireless technology and it works well,” said Soutar. “It was shot and transmitted in SD but could very well have been HD - the cameras and links were HD capable so it could have easily been an HD OB if that was what was required.”

Tiger Woods during the King Bhumibol Skins Tournament.

The World Salutes King Bhumibol skins tournament was part of celebrations marking the King’s 84th birthday and his 60th year on the throne. All four players donated their winnings to His Majesty’s development projects.

photo credits: “Courtesyof IMG Events”

Visit www.lateral-linking.com.au

ZZZ ULHGHO QHW

SPORTSCASTING

Pacific Broadcast Captures the ‘Big Surf’ with Grass Valley Cameras

Asia-Pacific Sports Conference The inaugural 2011 Asia-Pacific Sports Conference will now take place on 27-28 September in Singapore. Organised by Informa Sports Group and supported by the Singapore Sports Council, this new conference will examine the wealth of new opportunities, as well as the challenges of hosting and organising sports events in the Asia-Pacific region.

ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A SHARPER EDGE, Pacific Broadcast Pty Ltd., a full service production company in Melbourne, is catchin’ some waves with eight Grass Valley LDK 8000 Elite cameras and a Kayak HD video production switcher to capture the action at some of the hottest championship surfing events around the globe. Pacific Broadcast will deploy the new Grass Valley HD equipment in their OB vans and as part of specially designed flyaway production kits. “The LDK 8000’s dockable capability allows us to create a lightweight RF camera system that can be used without crippling the camera operator. The rugged 2RU basestation is built to withstand the rigours of international transport,” says Matt Percy, Managing Director for Pacific Broadcast.

Pacific Broadcast also purchased two Grass Valley HD Triax Extenders to take advantage of extended cabling of up to 2.4 km. The LDK 8000 camera’s ability to capture images in multiple HD and SD formats means Pacific Broadcast can choose diﬀerent resolutions in 50 and 60 Hertz. Pacific Broadcast is also a long-term supporter of the Grass Valley Kayak production switcher. This new purchase represents a significant improvement in picture quality and keying flexibility as they transition to High Definition. “We rely on our equipment to work every time and we know that Grass Valley’s technology and reliability will always allow us to fulfil our often complex production requirements in the harshest of conditions,” says Percy.

“A number of influential sports bodies and key regional leaders have asked us to move the dates so that they can take part,” says Andy Treadwell, MD, Informa Sports Group. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has confirmed its support of APSC 2011 in September. The OCA’s Director General Husain Al-Musallam will present a keynote speech on the role played by events in developing society and sport in the region. Fresh from the IAAF World Championships 2011 in Daegu, Korea, Dong-Hoo Moon, Vice President and Secretary General of the Daegu 2011 Organising Committee, will present a case study of the city’s five-year journey to hosting the games. Thomas Lund, COO of the Badminton World Federation, Priscilla Ho, MD from Prescient Sports and Entertainment, China, and many more speakers will join the discussion during the conference. Visit www.asia-pacificsports.com

SPORTSCASTING

DVCPRO HD OďŹ&#x192;cial Recording Format for London 2012

PANASONIC CORPORATION, the OďŹ&#x192;cial Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category for the London 2012 Olympic Games, has announced that Panasonicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DVCPRO HD will be the oďŹ&#x192;cial recording format for capturing the London 2012 Olympic Games. Olympic Broadcasting Services London (OBSL), the Host Broadcaster, will also use the P2 HD series with solid-state memory cards for video recording equipment including P2 HD Camcorder AJ-HPX3100 and P2 Portable Recorder AG-HPD24 to support the broadcast of the London 2012 Olympic Games. The London 2012 Olympic Games will be the tenth Olympic Games where Panasonicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital technologies will be used as the oďŹ&#x192;cial recording format, dating since the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games. The oďŹ&#x192;cial international video will be produced and distributed from the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) in London Olympic Park, in 1080/50i High-Definition (HD) format. The 19 days of competition will extend for over 640 sessions across more than 300 events in 26 sports, and the Panasonic HD video is expected to deliver the spectacular images of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest sporting event to billions of TV viewers around the globe. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are proud that Panasonic is contributing

to the broadcasts of the London Olympics with our HD technology and latest broadcasting equipment, as we have been doing for the past 20 years,â&#x20AC;? said Kunihiko Miyagi, Director of Professional AV Business Unit, Digital Imaging Business Group, in Panasonic Corporationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AVC Networks Company. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will support OBSL to broadcast more exciting images to the viewers, enhanced by the P2 HD file-based workflow and other fast, eďŹ&#x192;cient IT technologies such as wireless, new Proxy and USB 3.0. We are eager to put these technologies to the test during the challenging conditions at the Olympic Games. We are hopeful that OBSL will test our latest professional format, AVC-Intra 100, which has the potential to achieve a better quality image recorded and broadcast to consumers.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are confident that the London 2012 Olympic Games will become one of the most popular Games ever,â&#x20AC;? says Manolo Romero, OBSLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CEO. â&#x20AC;&#x153;London 2012 will be another Olympic Games where we produce the international signal in High Definition and bring the Games to life for the viewers around the world. Also, we value our long-term partnership with Panasonic because of their experience, evolving technologies that they promise to deliver, and for supporting us to achieve our success.â&#x20AC;? Visit http://panasonic.net/olympic/

First Brand New London 2012 Venue Opens LEE VALLEY WHITE WATER CENTRE, the only brand new London 2012 venue that the public can use and enjoy ahead of the Games, has opened. The Centre will host the Canoe Slalom competition during next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Olympic Games, hosting five days of action across four events. Around 13,000 litres of water will power down the Olympic Standard Competition Course every second. OďŹ&#x192;cially opened to the public in April, the venue will enable thousands of people to experience the same white water rapids that the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading athletes will face at the London 2012 Games. The Olympic Delivery Authority started work on the venue in July 2009, with more than 150 workers on site at the peak of construction. The venue was finished on budget in December 2010, making it the first brand new London 2012 venue to be completed. The centre has two separate courses: a 300m Olympic Standard Competition Course with a 5.5m descent, and a 160m Legacy Loop with

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a 1.6m descent, which will be used at Games time for training and warm-up sessions. A total of 13,000 litres of water will power down the Olympic Standard Competition Course every second, which is enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in a little over three minutes. Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seeing the Lee Valley White Water Centre open to the public is a great example of an early legacy for London 2012. This venue provides the opportunity for a new generation of water sports enthusiasts to get active and engaged in fun and challenging sports as well as providing us with a world class Olympic venue for Canoe Slalom.â&#x20AC;?

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It has also been announced that the 2015 Canoe Slalom World Championships will be held at the Lee Valley White Water Centre, further demonstrating how the venue will open up white water rafting and canoeing to a new audience in London and the South East UK. Visit www.london2012.com

ZZZ ULHGHO QHW

NEWS OPERATIONS www.content-technology.com/newsoperations

In the Earthquake Zone with GlobeCast Asia IN MARCH, AN EARTHQUAKE OF A 9.0 MAGNITUDE triggered a massive tsunami in Sendai, the capital city of Miyagi prefecture in Japan. The destruction was catastrophic with tens of thousands dead, missing or displaced. GlobeCast Asia together with APTN and WARD deployed to Sendai almost immediately. According to Jay Sim and Mizuho Hikita, GlobeCast Asia’s Planning team, “We arrived in Tokyo after midnight and early next morning departed with 1 x SNG, 1 x ENG van, 2 x rental cars with other gear and crew. The SNG had the ‘emergency vehicle pass’ as it travelled with some clients. “However, three other cars had to depart later as we had no special pass. Altogether, it took us 15 hours to get to Sendai, via both a combination of highways and smaller routes. “As we approached Sendai, it got darker as the buildings had no electricity, and many shops were closed. The convenience stores and supermarkets still had goods available on sale except for mineral water. “Sendai city itself was not aﬀected by the tsunami – we only saw some damaged buildings. The damage was not very obvious especially as we arrived late at night.” “We started driving south towards Sendai airport to source for a suitable live position. On the way, we stopped by at one evacuation centre (a school) and marked it as a possible deployment location. We then proceeded towards the airport but had to stop before we reached the destination as the surrounding area was completely dark, and we thought it was too much of a risk to deploy there in case of another tsunami.

“Because of the lack of mobile coverage, it was getting diﬃcult to operate at Natori City Hall. So, we moved back into Sendai and found an old historical monument destroyed by the quake where we set up [the 2nd live position].”

day. It was a 10-hour drive.

During their time there, the crew witnessed long queues of people lining up for food.

The situation in Osaka was in complete contrast to that of Sendai and Natori. According to the GlobeCast team, it was as if nothing had happened.

“There were very long queues, but no fighting or no shouting. They were just mostly silent and waited for the food. Some found each other still alive and hugged with joy.” Following the earthquake and tsunami, another danger emerged in the form of fires at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima. The crew took the decision to evacuate the area. “By late morning, the fourth reactor had caught fire, and we decided to evacuate. Evacuation was also a problem because each vehicle only had about 120km worth of petrol. 120km south of Sendai is right smack in Fukushima, and we did not want to get stuck there in case there is no available petrol on the way. “So, our initial decision was to head towards North-West to Yamagata. There was no petrol at the first petrol station. We took a risk and went further by 25km to the 2nd petrol station in Fukushima prefecture itself. They had petrol. “We changed our plan and instead of heading up towards Yamagata, we decided to head back to Tokyo. However, once we reached Tokyo, AP London told us that there were many inquiries in Osaka. Therefore, we headed to Osaka the next

“Along the way, petrol was still a big issue. Each station would give you only 5 litres, or 10 litres at the maximum. There were long queues at every station.”

“There was lots of petrol, food and water. We ate as much as we could as soon as we arrived in Osaka! We were doing live ‘hits’ at night at temperatures from 0 to -3 degrees Celsius for 2 nights at least. We would hop into the cars in between feeds to warm up. It snowed during the day time. “The deployment was successful, and everyone could safely return home, mainly due to the support we have had from various places: AP Tokyo and London were constantly updating us on the nuclear situation. WARD at their head oﬃce was constantly on the phone with the Ministry of Transport to update us on the situation on the road, and also made lots of calls to find us accommodation in Sendai. Not to mention, the GlobeCast Asia operation team was manning the fort during our absence. “The situation there reminded us on how fortunate we are to have a home to return to, work to go back to, and most of all, family and friends.” Visit www.globecast.com

“We headed back towards Natori (a city next to Sendai) where we decided to deploy at the evacuation centre for the next day’s feeds. When we arrived at the evacuation centre, there was no mobile phone network or electricity. “We had to be in a location where there was basic infrastructure and easy for broadcasters to locate us. We finally set up the 1st live position at Natori City Hall, which served as a disaster centre.”

NEWS OPERATIONS

With the area’s infrastructure in disarray, the team had to spend the first night in their vehicles until alternative accommodation could be arranged.

“Luckily, from the next day on, we had accommodation arrangements taken care of, thanks to our partner oﬃce in Japan who was our logistics centre. We could not bathe for the first three days until we headed back to Tokyo. No hot water was available at the hotel. We didn’t eat much except for instant noodles and potato chips. “Sendai is located in the northern part of Japan. At night, the temperature dropped to almost zero or below zero by 1 or 2 degrees. We could not turn on the heater of the cars most of the time as we needed to conserve our petrol.

Sendai, before the earthquake of March 2011.

NEWS OPERATIONS

Royal Wedding – Briefs MORE THAN 700 TELEVISION NETWORKS WORLDWIDE received live coverage of the Royal wedding through Associated Press Television News (APTN). APTN oﬀered a worldwide High Definition (HD) live broadcast of the event. A full 10 hours of High Definition coverage was delivered to news channels on a network of specially-leased satellites. APTN clients received a further 35 wedding edits on Friday alone. In addition, AP’s Global Media Services (GMS), provided 65 international broadcasters, including Al Jazeera and CCTV English, with operational support and facilities comprising: + 21,000 minutes of live reports and anchoring for GMS’ international broadcast customers + 10km of fibre-optic cable transmitting in all world standards + 20 camera positions along the procession route and a live HD signal from UK news partner Sky News with more cameras for the big occasion + Five dedicated transmission booths in front of Buckingham Palace + Five permanent studios at New Zealand House, midway between the Palace and Westminster Abbey + 30 diﬀerent satellite channels spanning Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Middle East + 125 telephone, ISDN and DSL lines

UK GRAPHICS COMPANY MOOV used two Chyron HyperX3 on-air graphics systems to provide graphics for the BBC’s live coverage of the royal wedding. MOOV installed one HyperX3 system in a studio at the media village outside Buckingham Palace and a second at a temporary studio adjacent to Westminster Abbey. During the royal wedding, MOOV used the Chyron systems to enhance live video with specially branded graphics providing details about people and places and provided ongoing updates through tickers and crawls.

The media village outside Buckingham Palace.

THE EUROPEAN BROADCASTING UNION (EBU) delivered live pictures to more than 60 EBU Member broadcasters from London in standard and high definition. The EBU also provided broadcast services, such as manned cameras and stand-up positions at three sites – Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and the Duke of York Steps, along the wedding route.

THE COMMONWEALTH BROADCASTING ASSOCIATION made footage of the Royal Wedding preparations available through its CBA News Exchange, including the carriage rehearsal through London’s Pall Mall and a practice flight by the Royal Air Force. On the day of the nuptials, BBC footage was available to CBA Members signed up to the Exchange.

AUSTRALIA’S CHANNEL 9 NEWS has produced a great video tour of the Royal Wedding media centre with its 27 studios, 60 stand-up positions, and 100 broadcasters. Visit www.youtube.com/user/9NEWSAUSTRALIA#p/u/5/sRgE6uC_uW4

WE ENSURE THE WORLD’S “NEWSFLOW” OpenMedia is a true end to end news management application for TV - RADIO - WEB www.annova.tv

NEWS OPERATIONS

OpenMedia: Managing the Newsflow By Michael Schueller CEO, ANNOVA Systems WITH TWENTY YEARS’ EXPERIENCE OF DEVELOPING SOFTWARE that makes newsrooms work, and delivering newsroom software solutions to customers across the world, the ANNOVA Systems team is uniquely well positioned to comment on and react to the rapidly changing news and sports environment.

players based on Silverlight. Using the appropriate interfaces, an order for location filming or the booking of a communication line can be eﬀected directly from the editorial journalists desk. The resulting raw materials are automatically assigned to the right StoryBin and are available for journalistic editing and the completion of a story. Stories, along with other content held in the StoryBin can be sent to many diﬀerent output platforms: collaboration is easier, repurposing is simplified and content is always under control.

THE EVENTCALENDAR – FORWARD PLANNING While major breaking news stories – such as the earthquake in Japan – will appear “out of the blue”, the vast majority of news and sports coverage is pre-planned. Planning and allocating resources ahead of time not only reduces stress – it can also save money. The Event Calendar allows journalists to identify, locate and access all data -contacts, sources, reference files, research and video - related to a particular event. Metadata tag enabled searches allow journalists to see a filtered view showing only the events relevant to their newsroom, subject or platform. Items can be automatically inserted from agency sources and resource assignments can be made directly from the planning area and the EventCalendar.

We bring the core knowledge we’ve gained as market leader in our home country of Germany, and our understanding of the requirements of some of the world’s largest and most demanding broadcasters, such as WDR with over 4,000 workstations. We bring the expertise that has enabled us to tailor our software to broadcasters working in languages such as Malay and Arabic; to build workflows for Internet-only news organisations in the USA, and to design workflows for a range of diﬀerent types of programming beyond the conventional news format.

OpenMedia rundowns can be edited by several people simultaneously and are always current with dynamic updating. Complicated timing scenarios such as block timing or fixed timing are handled easily; single rundown items can be set to “Hold” to exclude them from timing and remove them from external playlists. Flexible layouts are available with thumbnails and metadata display for media clips.

THE STORYBIN

During playout, OpenMedia rundowns automatically transmit metadata and content to connected gallery devices according to a pre-determined set of rules and formats.

One of the key trends in broadcast today is the change in viewing habits. Not only do today’s media consumers surf across TV channels, they also expect to keep up with stories on many other platforms, following Twitter feeds, Facebook pages, RSS feeds, etc. While the linear broadcast model still plays a vital role in terms of output, the range of alternative platforms means that thinking and planning has become oriented around “Themes” rather than individual stories. A modern editorial system has to support this workflow as perfectly as possible.

OpenMedia supports sub-rundowns, which can be worked on individually and which integrate into the main rundown for timing and device control.

CONNECTING TO EXTERNAL SYSTEMS: OMIS In today’s broadcast environment, no system stands alone. Reliable, yet tailored, connectivity with external systems is essential to organizational eﬃciency. For this reason we have developed OMIS. OMIS (OpenMedia Interface Service) provides a framework which is used to install and run OMIS-PlugIns - modular enhancements of OpenMedia standard functionalities which match the specific requirements of broadcast stations. OMIS PlugIns are used for delivering additional functionality and workflows – e.g. synchronizing metadata fields between objects in OpenMedia; controlling import and export of data in ASCII, XML, HTML or proprietary formats and for managing the integration of 3rd party systems

THE JOURNALIST PORTAL The Journalist Editorial Portal (JEP) is a radical new way for organizations to relate to, share and manage newsroom assets. The JEP brings information from a huge range of sources to the desktop while giving the journalist the tools to analyze, manage, and enrich the information available.

Example Use of the StoryBin.

Using the OpenMedia StoryBin, a theme is created. This can be a breaking news event – an earthquake for example; a sporting occasion, such as a soccer match; a hyper-planned event such as a UK Royal Wedding; or simply a general discussion topic.

NEWS OPERATIONS

The theme is in fact a container which can hold agency wires; links to audio and video files, RSS feeds, contact information, references to the OpenMedia Event Calendar, URLs – all the information needed to write a story as well as the story itself.

As versions of the story develop, they are held together in the StoryBin – making it easy to control and correct content and to ensure that the right version of the story ends up in the right place. With standard interfaces like MOS, XML and WebServices, elements can be embedded in the StoryBin. A placeholder in the video- or audio management system can be directly created through the OpenMedia StoryBin and clips can be previewed, added to or edited with embedded ActiveX controls or

The Journalist Editorial Portal

Annova Systems is represented in Australia and New Zealand by Gencom Technology. Visit www.annova.tv and www.gencom.com

HD + 2K = 4.3k

THAT’S RIGHT – THE NEW FULL HD & 2K CAPABLE AUTOCUE BM-AC24E IS UNDER $4300 WHEN YOU TRADE BACK YOUR OLD CRT MONITOR FOR $500* Autocue, maker of the world’s most advanced video monitor processing engines for over 50 years - used in their highly acclaimed industry standard teleprompter range - have now unleashed their decades of knowledge into this amazing range of Broadcast Video Monitors. Offering superior performance, with visibly deeper blacks, whiter whites, better viewing angles, more accurate colour representation and low latency this monitor really needs to be seen to be believed. Key features at a glance:

Up to 2K resolution support HD/SD-SDI inputs and loop through DVI, Component and Composite inputs Waveform monitor

Timecode display Closed caption display 16 Channels of audio levels Plus much, much more

Drop in to one of the participating dealers below for a demonstration and take advantage of this strictly limited offer before June 30th 2011.

* Trade in monitor must have BNC Connections and $500 cash back by redemption, please see your local participating dealer above for full details. The Autocue BM- AC24E has a RRP of $4,795 inc. GST.

Proudly distributed by

www.blonde-robot.com.au Ph. 03 9016 8995 sales@blonde-robot.com.au

POST PRODUCTION www.content-technology.com/postproduction

Video 8 Media Expands Digital Services with Sohonet SOHONET, the specialist in connectivity and data management for the media and entertainment industry, has announced that Video-8 Media has signed up to its Sohonet Media Network. Video-8 Media, based in Artarmon, Sydney, has a 33-year history of providing broadcast, media production and distribution businesses with a wide range of services such as telecine, video duplication and conversion, technical Quality Control checks and DVD authoring. Gareth Collins, Video 8 Media’s Managing Director, says, “Sohonet certainly fits in well with our expansion strategy for our online service delivery. Our staﬀ have many years of broadcast production experience and if we can attach that to our customers’ production cycles for broadcast,

film and corporate work, then we are able to put our services in the cloud. As everyone moves to file-based content, the Sohonet Media Network will enable us to become seamlessly included in other members’ workflow.” Based on his 30 years in IT, including 12 with networking giant Cisco, Collins believes Sohonet makes a lot of sense. “The financial model behind Sohonet absolutely suits the business we are in. Sohonet allows us to provide our customers with firm bandwidth costs because we are not counting data packets and that is a great help with their production budgets. Sohonet oﬀers security and speed and gives us an opportunity to share files without adding unexpected costs to projects,” Collins adds. The Sohonet connection also provides Video

8 Media with the flexibility to increase speed and bandwidth as required, which suits the company’s plans. “We are looking at growth on the eastern seaboard and overseas,” says Collins. “Video 8 oﬀers vast experience in the detail behind getting the best quality content into the smallest package and onto any intended device. In a world of even more fragmented users and devices, our ability to repurpose media to those audiences will fuel our growth as these markets develop.” The fibre-based 100Mbit/s link to Sohonet has been installed by Future Reality and has been pressed into use immediately to take on Video 8 Media’s production data flow. Visit www.sohonet.com, www.future.com.au and www.video-8.com

Engine Converges Media on a Razor’s Edge FEATURING WATER SPLASHING out from a YouTube video player to soak the surrounding webpage, Engine EP Adam Wells says the recent Schick Epic Hydration 4th dimension job the company completed is a great example of the convergence shift in online and TV. Wells says, “After meeting our Creative Director Simon Robson (Knife Party) JWT Sydney gave us a brief that revolved around an integrated TV and digital campaign for the new Schick Hydro 5-blade razor.” Engine was tasked with integrating VFX into an Internet environment based on an existing concept JWT had developed overseas. Wells continues, “JWT Sydney gave us some pre-shot assets and storyboards so we could take the idea, adapt it and execute it for the new campaign. We created the VFX per the boards,

directed the talent, created the text, ink and 3D boxes, which really made the overall space and surprise effect.” Engine shot all the water seen on the piece on a Phantom camera at 500fps and from multiple angles. As Wells explains, “We had to match the footage to props at exactly the right angles so the water could create a realistic ‘blast out’ effect against the screen and so the drips would look realistic. All of this was done using water and ink shot in a fish tank. We then had to carefully add ink onto text, cut stencils and then create a bleeding text effect, all the while using the original overseas ad for direction.”

edited them in Final Cut Pro to get exact timings, with the elements then compiled into the piece by Lead Compositor Kent Smith. Lead on the job was Grant Everett, who was indispensible as VFX Supervisor and Designer.

The Engine team took all the main elements and

Visit www.youtube.com/SchickHydro

Rendering a “Blokey” Squirrel

POST PRODUCTION

STORM FX RECENTLY helped out Fuel VFX with the interesting challenge of giving Garry The Squirrel “enhanced blokey human attributes” in the latest BankWest TV ad, “Trampoline”.

This second instalment of Garry’s adventures required his body language, facial expressions and subtle tail movement to be given close attention by the Fuel VFX CG artists. “To convey certain feelings and emotions in a creature, you need to adapt parts that can be used in lieu of human features,” said Fuel VFX Supervisor Simon Maddison.

For the team to achieve this level of realism, they used Pixar’s Renderman, supplied by Storm FX. “We have written a Renderman shader that works quite well for most of our fur jobs. Renderman also gives us the ability to use deep shadow maps for our fur, essential for a realistic look, and the AOVs are a great way of splitting up renders cheaply for compositing,” explained Bryn Morrow, Fuel VFX Senior 3D Lighter and Character Artist. Visit www.stormfx.com.au, www.fuelvfx.com and www.pixar.com

POST PRODUCTION

Avid Interplay Central With Open User-interface AVID ANNOUNCED INTERPLAY CENTRAL With a new open user-interface, which allows

res H.264 files through the Interplay Access media tool and eliminates the publish step.

individuals in diﬀerent media production functions to access the tools they need to complete tasks with greater visibility to assets, team collaboration, and workflow agility. First available to users through both a lightweight, intuitive web-based portal and a mobile app, Interplay Central builds upon Avid’s family of Interplay asset management solutions.

Meanwhile, AirSpeed Multi Stream 1.8 introduced expanded capability for local news production and is a key enabler of the NewsVision 2.0 solution.

Using a laptop or desktop computer connected to the web, staﬀ members can sign into the Interplay Central portal and access self-contained persona panes that are designed for tasks associated with diﬀerent parts of the media production process.

+ FrameChase Editing: Users can edit media as it is being captured by AirSpeed Multi Stream.

The Interplay Central Mobile app will empower users to browse, create and edit content directly from anywhere, even when users are offline or out of network range. Content changes made by users who are working with Interplay Central Mobile in offline mode will be reflected in projects as soon as they have regained network connectivity. Avid also announced new versions of Interplay (2.4) Production asset management system, and AirSpeed Multi Stream (1.8). The Interplay Production 2.4 release heightens WAN workflow speed and interoperability, and boosts system efficiency with support for third party media transcode and transport applications. Enhancements in this latest release include: + Interplay Delivery support for high-speed transfers: Enables high-throughput transfers and allows third-party providers to directly connect to the Interplay Delivery service. + Scheduled Delete: Allows the regular process of media deletion to occur during off-peak hours, raising system utilisation and expanding the workflow production window. + Direct Streaming: Speeds proxy-based workflows with the ability to stream native low-

Release highlights are: + Four channels of real time ingest directly to Avid ISIS shared storage.

+ Real time or faster Send to Playback. + Studio Send to Playback: In one operation, users can automatically send sequences to multiple AirSpeed Multi Stream servers for increased availability and playback operations flexibility. + Built-in Playlist functionality enables users to modify live playlists, loop playlists, and easily accommodate mixed media encoding and formats. Avid has also expanded its ISIS shared-storage platform with Avid ISIS 5000-16, a 16TB entry point that oﬀers the same performance as the Avid ISIS 5000-32 range. ISIS 5000-16 is ideal for small- to mid-size postproduction facilities, rental houses, broadcasters, educational institutions, and government agencies. In addition to oﬀering superior workflow and interop with Media Composer, NewsCutter, Symphony, Avid DS video editors, and Avid Interplay Production asset management, ISIS 5000-16 also delivers full support for the Apple Final Cut Pro editing software. The ISIS 5000-16 system comes standard with Avid NewsVision 2.0, a complete entry-level newsroom solution for local and regional broadcasters. Additional capabilities: + Rigorous testing and verification with Avid professional editing systems, Interplay

The Bakery Cooks Up Lighting Software 3D COMPUTER GRAPHICS SOFTWARE

POST PRODUCTION

company, The Bakery used the recent NAB show to unveil its animation and visual eﬀects lighting and rendering solution Bakery Relight. Designed for the high-end feature film, television and industrial, automotive and architectural design industries, Bakery Relight is an interactive, all-inone lighting, shading and rendering solution.

Bakery Relight is the first software solution to support the lighters’ and shaders’ iterative process - progressive and interactive refinement of properties and details - with full resolution feedback within seconds. This incremental methodology also enables superior matching of CG illumination with composited live action elements. According to company co-founder, CEO Erwan Maigret, whose credits include technical lead

on Shrek 2, Madagascar and Shrek the Third, “Bakery Relight not only introduces new artistic possibilities, it solves the lighting and rendering bottleneck found at nearly all studios. Our research tells us that companies that use Bakery Relight can improve turnaround times by up to 300%.” Designed for both stereoscopic 3D and 2D productions, Bakery Relight provides 3D HD preview and rapid 3D rendering of left and right eye views. A highly customizable solution, Relight integrates smoothly with popular, complementary software packages both oﬀ-theshelf and proprietary. It also supports multiple artists and technicians working in parallel in a single or at multiple locations and provides easy ins-and-outs for them. Visit www.bakery3D.com

Production asset management system, and AirSpeedÆ Multi Stream video server. + Continued openness with full compatibility with Final Cut Pro and mixed Avid/FCP workgroups. + Performance efficiency to deliver media in realtime over the supported client and resolution matrix with fewer drives than any other storage system. * Superior storage and performance with capacity from 16TB to 96TB (6 ISIS 5000-16 Engines) and bandwidth to 1.8GB/sec. + Intelligent, self-balancing data architecture and linear and predictable scalability. Avid announced that content creators can use Avid Artist Color to control the color grading features of Assimilate Scratch, Image Systems Nucoda (formerly Digital Vision), and Pomfort Silverstack SET Edition via native support for Avidís EUCON protocol. Avid also previewed EuControl version 2.6 at NAB, delivering Windows functionality for Artist Color. EUCON is Avid’s open, high-speed Ethernet control protocol that allows Artist Color and other Avid Artist Series control surfaces to connect to a variety of third party creative audio and video software solutions, delivering deep, integrated control over multiple applications and workstations, resulting in increased efficiencies and cost-effective workflow expansions. Visit www.avid.com

OCEAN Navigates Cintel and DFT Telecines MARQUISE TECHNOLOGIES has announced that its telecine controller OCEAN now supports the Cintel DSX and C-Reality telecine family and DFT Digital Film Technology’s Spirit DataCine and Shadow Telecine. OCEAN is a turn-key solution not only able to take full control of telecine features, but also to apply dynamic colour corrections in real-time on the signal received: digital Pan & Scan, primary grading and optional secondary grading, all animatable. OCEAN is able to transfer the signal from SD to 2K resolution directly to a disk array or a SAN, all uncompressed for an optimal quality, turning a telecine into a flexible data-cine, or a traditional VTR in a DDR. Visit www.cintel.co.uk

POST PRODUCTION

Hitting the ‘Suite Spot’ IN AUSTRALIA EARLIER THIS YEAR for Adobe’s Digital Video Tour, Jim Guerard is Vice President and General Manager of Dynamic Media for Adobe. Dynamic Media is “all the cool toys within Adobe. It’s everything to do with video, audio, motion graphics, media production.” According to Guerard, these “cool toys” are designed to help content creators take advantage of the changes undergone by the industry in both production and delivery. “The change we’re seeing is pretty dramatic in multiple ways,” says Guerard. “I think the first thing is really around multi-screen and diﬀerent distribution and monetization models for content. That has a tremendous impact both on the technical side of things as well as on the business side of things. “From a technical point of view, people need enough convenient, eﬃcient, high quality ways of taking that content and bringing it to all these mediums and these forms of distribution. “And, at the same time, they need better monetization models. Because we own things like Flash, because we have HTML and HTML5 embraced as a core part of our workflow, we’ve done a lot in our video creation products to also be able to really work towards taking content and creating it once at the highest level of quality, taking it to traditional forms of distribution like television and film and DVD and Bluray and then also, with the integration with our web based technologies, seamlessly take that content out to the internet, to mobile and other devices.” According to Guerard, the key to achieving these goals is metadata. “If you have good metadata,” he says, “and you have rich information about the content, then you have the information that you need for search and discover, you have the information that you need for referencing content and so you can get more content that’s of interest. And, if the ads you’re putting in and around your content

are relevant to the content or to the viewer preferences, then you’re going to get higher CPMs. So that’s very important. “The other thing that’s going on that’s really important, from a technical point of view is what’s happening around cameras. Digital cameras everything from RED digital cinema cameras at the high end, to the work that Panasonic and Sony have done with their formats and now this unbelievable movement that we’re seeing around DSLRs with cameras like the Canon 5D.” Guerard says the goal with Production Premium and CS5 has been to create an open extensible, cross-platform set of tools that work well with “deep integration”. “We’ve done a huge amount work, particularly in the CS5 cycle with rearchitecting the product from scratch, making it fully 64-bit enabled, multi-core, multithreaded, additional memory, the whole bit. We’ve worked closely with Intel on the chip side and with NVIDIA on the graphic side to take advantage of those graphics processing capabilities. “We’ve also worked closely with the camera manufacturers to have native formats. You can shoot your video, you can take that memory stick out of your camera, you can plug it in to your computer and you can drag and drop those files onto your timeline. No transcoding, no rewrapping, none of that time and that waste and that lost productivity, it just works and it works seamlessly and it works fast. “That’s not the end by any means and, since we shipped CS5 and Premiere Pro last May, we’ve done three free updates of the product to make sure that we’re staying abreast of the latest changes with new cameras and camera formats, and new graphics processors. “The other one is the integration side. We’ve been working with people like the BBC and CNN and others. They have this huge pipeline and infrastructure and we need to make sure that

Jim Guerard, VP and GM of Dynamic Media for Adobe.

our products integrate seamlessly into EDL Asset Management Systems, into production systems for news like ENPS, SeaChange and Omnion and Omnibus and other people for storage and for play-out. So, we’ve made our products open and extensible and working very closely with all of those partners to make sure we have integration. “The fourth thing is multi-screen and how that is transforming the way people consume content and making sure that we’re working that endto-end production and distribution level so that people have the metadata, they have the easy way to take their content to these new form factors and these new devices and the metadata that goes with that to be able to make that a viable business.” Adobe’s Creative Suite is now in 5.5 release. The company is taking it on the road with a special focus on multi-screen and mobile. Dates for the roadshow are: Sydney - 31st May; Melbourne - 2nd June; Brisbane - 7th June; Canberra - 9th June; Perth - 14th June; and Adelaide - 16th June. A webcast of the Sydney will also be available. Visit www.adobe.com/ap/special/cs55roadshow

POST PRODUCTION

Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve 8 BLACKMAGIC DESIGN ANNOUNCED DAVINCI RESOLVE 8 that now includes multi layer timeline support with editing, XML import and export with Apple Final Cut Pro, OpenCL processing to allow use on latest Apple iMac and MacBook Pro computers, real time noise reduction, new curve grading, advanced multi point stabilisation, automatic stereoscopic 3D image alignment and other features too. DaVinci Resolve 8 also supports the Avidô Artist Color control panel. DaVinci Resolve 8 can even run on iMacs and MacBook Pro computers. The update is available free of charge to all Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve customers. Designed to ‘boost the art of colour correction’, the company also announced DaVinci Resolve Lite for Mac OS X as a free download. DaVinci Resolve Lite includes all the same high quality processing as the full DaVinci Resolve. However, it limits projects to SD and HD resolutions, only two colour correction nodes, a single processing GPU and a single RED rocket card. Stereoscopic 3D features, noise reduction, power mastering, remote grading and sharing projects with an external database server are features only oﬀered in the full DaVinci Resolve. DaVinci Resolve Lite can still accept high resolution source footage in 2K and 4K from the latest digital cameras from RED and ARRI, and it also includes high quality optical resizing, curve grading, XML import and export, 32 bit float processing, YRGB image processing, multi layer timelines, stabilisation, window tracking, primary and secondary colour correction, real time

processing, capture and playback with deck control, compatibility with third party control panels and many more. Blackmagic also announced UltraStudio 3D, designed to work with the new Thunderbolt technology. With built-in dual stream support, UltraStudio 3D dual link SDI connections helps users capture and play back two streams, one for the left eye and one for the right eye. The two streams are recorded into two separate media files. Dual stream 3D is higher quality because each eye is full resolution video. UltraStudio 3D also features the latest HDMI 1.4a so it can capture and play back full resolution 3D from HDMI as well. Visit www.blackmagic-design.com

Bluefish444 Enters Epoch | Supernova BLUEFISH444, manufacturer of uncompressed SD/HD/2K video cards, announced at NAB the availability of the Epoch | Supernova video card. Epoch | Supernova is a dual interface video card oﬀering uncompressed SDI I/O and DVB/ASI interface on a single video card. Epoch | Supernova has 4 bi-directional BNC connectors each supporting 3G-SDI, HD-SDI, SD-SDI, DVB/ASI, AES3ID I/O or LTC output in any combination. A 5th input BNC connector supports bi-level or tri-level genlock, 3G-SDI, HD-SDI, SD-SDI, DVB/ASI or AES3ID. Epoch | Supernova contains all the features and benefits of Bluefish444’s Epoch 2K Horizon model plus the following extra flexibility of: + 4 independent BNC inputs for capture of two independent dual-link streams (RGB, 12-bit or fill & key applications) or four independent 4:2:2 streams This makes Epoch | Supernova perfect for 3D 4:4:4 film workflows, 3D graphics, virtual sets and ingest & playout server applications. Like the rest of the Epoch product range, Epoch | Supernova is a modular design allowing customers to add extra functionality to meet their requirements. Epoch | Supernova can be loaded with up to two Jetstream modules for up to two channels of hardware up, down and cross conversion each with programmable stereoscopic 3D processing and a VariVue module to enable DVI/HDMI preview of SDI.

The Epoch | Supernova is backwards compatible with the existing Bluefish444 SDKs for Windows, Linux and Mac OSX. Bluefish444 and P+S TECHNIK, the manufacturer of digital cinema cameras, have announced a collaboration to enable Bluefish444 Epoch video cards to natively support the P+S TECHNIK WeisscamRAW format. Bluefish444 will engineer support for the WeisscamRAW format into the Epoch product range as a supported file format in the Bluefish444 Symmetry 3D & DI software. As a result, Epoch & Symmetry users will be able to ingest 2K and HD footage from the WEISSCAM HS-2 MKII digital high speed camera in 720p and 1080p variable frame rates. The company also announced the immediate availability of free installers, updating the functionality of the Epoch and Create video card line. The latest Bluefish444 Mac OSX and Windows 7 installers for the Epoch and Create product range add significant new 3D and DI functionality to a variety of new uncompressed and compressed post production workflows. The Windows installer V5.10.0 provides the following new features within Symmetry 3.10.0: 3D stereoscopic capture & playback – left & right eye and side by side, top and bottom; support for 3G SDI video modes; R3D 4K/2K proxy preview in 2K/HD resolutions; 2K/HD/SD up, down and cross conversion; preview of SDI as DVI/HDMI. Visit www.bluefish444.com

Quantel Upgrades eQ, iQ, Pablo AT NAB 2011 Quantel demonstrated toolset enhancements and workflow

POST PRODUCTION

integration developments for eQ, iQ and Pablo.

The New Quantel Range Control is an addition to the Pablo toolset, which gives absolute precision and subtlety in selective colour control. It allows the low, mid and high ranges for the individual colour controls to be precisely defined. Using the new range graphs it is possible to adjust exactly how each control will aﬀect the image, including the tensioning and slope for each curve. New range-based saturation controls provide even more precision. Everything is easily accessed from the Neo panel. More new colour controls on show at NAB were developed based on user feedback and include enhanced MLTFX Fettle control, better Keyframe Navigation and faster Storyboard operation.

Quantel now supports ARRIRAW for the new Alexa camera following ARRI’s recent SDK release. This allows Quantel systems to import and conform directly from Alexa ARRIRAW files, and also supports files from the wellestablished ARRI D21 and D20 cameras. Also released for NAB was support for the import, conform and export of MXF-wrapped DNxHD files in the full range of bit rates and depths. This new development simplifies Avid/Quantel integration. Using embedded audio on HDSDI it’s now possible to ingest and play out up to 16 tracks simultaneously, with full internal monitoring and track switching. This development is the result of feedback from customers who are handling increasing amounts of multi-language and 5.1 Stereo3D content. Visit www.quantel.com

STORAGE + ASSET MANAGEMENT www.content-technology.com/mediamanagement

Dalet Adds Wham to MAM at Video-8 DIGITAL MEDIA MIGRATION specialist Video-8 Media has announced it has commissioned Dalet Digital Media Systems (France) to provide endto-end Media Asset Management and workflow solutions across their business. Video-8 MD Gareth Collins explained, “With the growth and maturity now present in the digital media domain, the selection of a purpose-built media management platform to serve Video-8’s clients has become critical.” Dalet is highly committed to the asset

management market and its ability to work alongside a wide range of vendors, supporting a vast array of formats has been a critical factor in Video-8 selection of the company’s MAM system. Collins continued, “Video-8 Media has implemented Dalet Enterprise MAM solutions across our entire business and using Dalet WebSpace we now oﬀer our clients realtime, remote access to their media, meta-data and automated workflows.”

Video-8 has also established high-end data centre capacity in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and a high-speed private network to host its next generation Dalet MAM service. Gareth Collins concluded, “Along with our presence in the high-end data centres, Video-8 now also provides direct connectivity into broadcasters in each state and into our clients’ offices where required. This helps expedite and facilitate any move to more cost effective and efficient file-based workflows, industry wide.”

StorerTV QuantiX Ties Alteran to Present Media To Contract Rights ViTaDi Media Migration Systems STORERTV has announced QuantiX, a webbased library management system that makes organising media and its associated metadata simple. QuantiX securely ties all media to contracts while accessing multiple database libraries – making approvals of media for air simplified, and tracking easy. QuantiX is ideal for media companies that manage huge volumes of physical and digital assets and must rely on an intelligent system to quickly retrieve asset information from a virtually infinite area of storage. The QuantiX system is robust and provides extensible, rich meta-data search options that can be accessed anywhere at any time. QuantiX can also extend the reach of its functionality by seamlessly integrating with other StorerTV products, including the SIMS program and contract rights management system. Because all the metadata can be associated to a single essence, companies without a unified system for archiving, traﬃcking, and program management can use QuantiX for metadata augmentation.

STORAGE + ASSET MANAGEMENT

Visit www.storertv.com

ALTERAN TECHNOLOGIES will present its enhanced ViTaDi product suite oﬀering a series of low-cost, mobile and modular solutions for videotape ingest. Built around the company’s AutoPack, the world’s first low-cost 4-channel videotape capture flypack that operates in both automatic (robotic) and semi-automatic modes, ViTaDi’s scalable systems facilitate migration of all library sizes on location. ViTaDi AutoPack forms the core of the Company’s Media Migration series. This updated version features revised master control that organises and monitors the entire workflow process, broken down into logically delineated steps. Productivity is enhanced by flexible features including multiclip capture mode and timecode break mode. Native file formats include Quicktime, MXF and OP-atom. The AutoPack is scalable, has onboard storage & works with customer-supplied VTRs or with two diﬀerent ViTaDi playback configurations; the VTRPack (semi-automatic) for most formats including U-Matic, Beta, 1 Inch, VHS or the RoboPack (automatic) for Betacam formats & D2.

The ViTaDi mini-AutoPack is a 4-channel basic Videotape Ingest Flypack. This economical scaled-back version of the AutoPack is a single unit (non-scalable) system oﬀering basic ingest functionality. The mini-AutoPack’s Automatic Control Software (ACS) works with most RS-422 controlled VTRs and can interface with the ViTaDi VTRPack, RoboPack or customer-supplied VTRs that are ViTaDi approved. This complete turnkey semi-automatic 4-channel videotape ingest system is housed in dual flypacks. The ViTaDi-AutoVTRPack-UMatic includes an AutoPack and a VTRPack configured with 4 certified U-Matic Sony VTR/TBCs. The ViTaDi-AutoRoboPack-Betacam features a complete turnkey robotic 4-channel videotape ingest solution in double flypacks for maximum ingest of Betacam tapes. The system comprises the ViTaDi AutoPack, RoboPack loaded with 4 certified Betacam VTRs of choice, including Betacam Oxide, Digibeta, SP and SX. Visit www.AlteranTechnologies.com

STORAGE + ASSET MANAGEMENT

Front Porch Debuts ‘Archive Format of the Future’ that its DIVArchive V7.0 will mark the debut of the new Archive eXchange Format (AXF), an open digital storage format set to revolutionise interoperability among systems, making future media workflows more secure, seamless, and eﬃcient than ever before. Being content and storage technology agnostic, the new AXF format provides the world’s most open, flexible, dynamic, and protected mechanism for file-based archive, preservation, and exchange. “With interfaces to all leading broadcast devices, editing platforms, file systems, media asset management solutions, and broadcast control systems, our DIVArchive is history’s most successful and most implemented content storage management solution,” says Brian Campanotti, Front Porch Digital’s chief technology oﬃcer. “Front Porch Digital has now leveraged our unmatched experience to develop AXF, which we fully expect to become the long-awaited global, open, and portable standard for archiving and preservation of all file-based content. This format will become the new TAR.”

cannot keep pace with technical innovation,” added Campanotti. “When the SMPTE AXF committee went into a hiatus in 2008, we went back to the drawing board and leveraged more than a decade of expertise in storage technology and large-scale archiving systems to design, develop, and implement AXF. For me, this has been a personal and professional priority, and it required a significant amount of R&D resources. The result is an important achievement that we are proud to contribute back to the community. This truly is a game changer.”

component files of any size is a key advantage over the limitations of both legacy container formats and modern operating and file systems. As an entirely self-contained and self-describing format, AXF supports large-scale archive systems as well as standalone applications, facilitating encapsulation, long-term protection, and content transport between systems from diﬀerent vendors. Built-in features like per-file checksums, perstructure checksums, and easy replication across any type and format of storage technology helps to ensure compatibility with evolving technology and security for the future.

As a founding member of the SMPTE AXF committee in 2006, Front Porch Digital is firmly committed to open standards work. In fact, the company will contribute its AXF designs back to the SMPTE committee to further the goal of AXF standardisation.

Front Porch Digital based AXF on a file and storage media agnostic encapsulation approach that abstracts the underlying file systems, operating systems, and storage technologies making the format truly open. The AXF object contains any type, any number, and any size of files along with structured and unstructured metadata, checksum and provenance information, full indexing structures, and more, all in a single, fully self-describing, encapsulated package. Since the AXF object itself contains the complete file system, all of the complexities and limitations of the underlying storage technology, operating system, and file system are avoided and the same AXF object can exist on data tape, spinning disk, flash, optical media, or other storage technology now and into the future.

AXF is a truly IT-centric implementation, supporting any type of file encapsulation including database files, Microsoft Word documents, and image files — not just media assets. AXF oﬀers full support for the well-known Open Archival Information System (OAIS) model as well as key preservationist features like provenance for both media and objects, inherent GUID/UMID support, geo location tagging, error detection down to the file/structure level, and data-validity spot checking.

“Unfortunately, standards body work occasionally

AXF’s scalable ability to contain any number of

Visit www.fpdigital.com

In addition, because AXF does not rely on current tape storage functionality such as partitioning, it works with legacy as well as leading-edge storage technologies such as IBM and HP LTO-5 as well as Oracle’s T10000C.

STORAGE + ASSET MANAGEMENT

FRONT PORCH DIGITAL HAS announced

STORAGE + ASSET MANAGEMENT

File-based Media Content QC is Business Critical and Not an Option By Krishna Uppuluri, VP Marketing, Interra Systems INTRODUCTION As the media transitions from tape-based to filebased digital content, the existing workflows and operational methods of media companies will need to be updated. This impacts broadcasters, post-production houses as well as studios. Tapebased workflows relied on dedicated devices, to transform the content at each stage of content lifecycle, and physical storage such as tapes as a common means of content transfer. Such controlled eco-systems of tape-based content was augmented by visual quality inspection of content at every stage. However, file-based workflows disrupt the legacy of tape-based equilibrium drastically. A file-based content can be stored on traditional IT infrastructure, modified & analysed by software and transferred via high-speed networks. This increased flexibility to transform and transfer content introduces new challenges in ensuring content quality across filebased workflows.

FILE-BASED CONTENT – GROWING PAINS AND THE NEED FOR QC

STORAGE + ASSET MANAGEMENT

As discussed in the previous section, file-based workflows enable much more flexibility to transform and transfer media content. The flexibility grows in tandem with the emergence of many digital media standards, the ease of editing, the ease of content localisation for diverse regions, and the diversity of targets for media content that include cable, satellite, internet and mobile platforms. The growing flexibility of content transformation and transfer oﬀers more global opportunities for content monetisation. The flexibility also increases the potential for content quality issues. The content quality issues can be automatically verified by the new generation of software solutions for file-based QC (quality control) such as Interra’s BatonT.

Why is file-based QC important? With the emergence of high-definition broadcast and high-speed networks, global consumers will pay directly or indirectly to view the content anytimeanywhere on TV, Internet and mobile phones. In such a widely monetised content world, any quality issues in media content could have a direct financial impact on media companies – either as operational inefficiencies or as opportunity limitations. Operational inefficiencies - The following scenarios are a brief sample of content quality issues that impact operational efficiency: + Content does not conform to a required standard + Content freezes + Content has extended blurriness + Content does not comply with regional regulations (loudness or epilepsy control) The resolution of content quality issues could

require significant resources to resolve in terms of time and personnel, directly impacting a media company’s operational eﬃciencies.

software infrastructure in a media company in order to minimise content duplication, transfers and transformations

Opportunity limitations - If a media company wants to access content from external suppliers, it must be able to verify (QC) the content to ensure it meets the quality and regional regulatory requirements. Without the ability to verify or QC the external supplier content, the media company will be limited in leveraging the external content supply-chain. This could lead to delays and limitations in market expansion for the media company. Also, unverified content might not display properly on targeted platforms (Internet and Mobile), thus limiting the ability to monetise these new channels for content delivery.

+ External content suppliers – The content formats can change based on the external content suppliers. In order to consider content from a supplier, a media company must be able to verify the content in its format. Without the ability to verify a given content, the media company cannot depend on contents from the respective supplier.

INTERRA’S BATON: Baton is an Automated Content Verification or QC solution. Baton verifies file-based media

“With the emergence of high-definition broadcast and

high-speed networks, global consumers will pay directly or indirectly to view the content anytime-anywhere on TV, Internet and Mobile phone.

”

FILE-BASED QC – EXPANDED SCOPE: In the growing eco-system of file-based content, the traditional scope of Content Verification or QC has expanded to a broader scope. The singlepoint verification or QC has expanded to multipoint verification/QC spanning ingest, editing, post-production, play-out and archive stages. At each stage, the Content verification ensures content quality and compatibility to the next stage of content lifecycle. The various aspects addressed by content verification or QC include: + Formats – As the industry embraces various formats fine-tuned for various types of content and various target platforms, the content needs to be verified for ‘formats conformance’. + Quality checks – Content quality can be impacted either during transformation or during transfer. For example, content quality can get impacted during transcoding, editing, file transfer and during tape-to-file transfer of legacy content. + Regulatory checks – Content from one region may not be compliant with regulatory requirements in another region. Sample regulatory requirements include Epilepsy control, loudness control etc + Content size & volume – As the content size and volume grow, the quality issues may creep in due to oversights from tighter schedules and faster processing of content + Content integration – The content may be required to be compliant to the server &

content for formats conformance, Audio/Video quality, play-out specification compliance and more. As the file-based content evolves across various stages of workflow, the content is represented by various formats, metadata and requires relevant quality checks. In each workflow, Baton applies appropriate QC measures to check the format, quality & play-out specs compliance of the content.

CONCLUSION File-based media content impacts the workflows and operational methods of media companies including broadcasters, post-production houses as well as studios. File-based workflows oﬀer opportunities to transform and transfer the content for broader monetisation than ever. Content can be taken from creation to distribution faster, distributed to more regions and to more target platforms including traditional TV, IPTV and mobile TV. However, if the content has quality problems, it can have a negative financial impact on media companies – either as operational ineﬃciencies or as opportunity limitations. Such problems can be minimised using the new generation of file-based QC software solutions. The QC solutions can ensure that a given content is ready for each stage of a content lifecycle and they can also expand the possibility of getting ready content from external suppliers. Visit www.interrasystems.com/dms

AUDIO Digital soundwaves

www.content-technology.com/audio

TVNZ Adopts Softel’s AdePT for Audio Description AS PART OF A NEW INITIATIVE, Quinto Communications (New Zealand) and Softel have assisted TVNZ in launching a new service for visionimpaired and blind audiences. Audio description – the visual equivalent of captioning for hearing-impaired audiences enables those with visual impairment to have access to television and cinematic content. TVNZ has just commenced the service with episodes of Coronation Street. It has been made technically possible by using Softel’s AdePT audio

description software which creates, edits, records and encodes audio scene descriptions. This then augments the main program audio with an additional audio track that describes key information presented visually; for example, a character entering a room or the general context of a scene. The AdePT system supplied by Quinto Communications is based on timing and editing technologies developed by Softel. Visit www.quinto.com.au

Jünger Audio Launches Two New Combo Cards AT NAB, JÜNGER AUDIO launched two new Combo cards for its worldrenowned modular C8000 dynamic processing solution, which incorporate its LEVEL MAGIC algorithm for automated loudness control. The first of these cards is the C8586, a dual combo board providing two SDI streams, each with four channels of audio. This card is particularly well suited to the needs of re-broadcasters (Sat, IPTV, Cable) as it will enable them to process up to 32 channels in dual stereo and in one frame. The second card is the C8582 – an 8-channel analogue and DSP card that can handle four stereo pairs, enabling cable head ends to process four television programmes per board. Peter Poers, Managing Director of Jünger Audio, says, “This board works the same way as our existing C8486 board, but it uses analogue signals instead of SDI. It is highly cost eﬀective and the fact that it can handle four stereo pairs is

exactly what cable operators have been asking for.” Jünger Audio’s modular C8000 solution incorporates a suite of DSP and I/O interface cards enabling it to completely integrate workflow for managing surround sound and Dolby coded 5.1 audio signals in production, ingest and playout. These include HD/SDI De-embedding/Embedding with VANC, Dolby E resynchronisation with in-built video delay and Dolby Metadata generation. Because of its modular nature, each C8000 system can be designed to suit the individual needs of each broadcaster. Customers can choose the exact type and amount of input and output interfaces and processing they require for their particular facility. Visit www.junger-audio.com

Stagetec Mediagroup Opens Sydney Oﬃce

Stagetec is also offering several digital mixing consoles that can be integrated into a NEXUS audio network. All these consoles use a NEXUS network for providing the I/O interfaces. NEXUS also serves as host to the mixing-console processing boards. The CRESCENDO console fills the gap between STAGETEC’s successful flagship console AURUS and the small AURATUS. CRESCENDO is a freely configurable yet compact desk with up to 140 audio channels controlled by up to 56 fader channels on a multi-layered surface. The largest audio console in the Stagetec range is AURUS that offers up to 96 fader channels and can be configured for up to 300 audio channels. It offers instant access to all channel parameters and is equipped with 11 dual

encoders per fader channel and an analogue-style surface. AURUS consists of a main console and a separate audio processor board housed within a NEXUS STAR. The NEXUS STAR rack accommodates all the processing components; the main-controller board and one or more signal-processor boards. Stagetec consoles are designed for multi-channel applications such as Dolby Digital or any other surround format up to 7.1 channels. Another manufacturer in the Mediagroup is DELEC Audio- und Videotechnik GmbH, developers of high-quality digital oratis product family. Their components can equally build an intercom system, a networked commentary system or an intelligent combination of the two. oratis is not only used in broadcast but also as an annoucement system or as stage management system in theatre. A relatively new product of the Mediagroup is Vivace, an electronic room-acoustics emulation system. Vivace creates virtual acoustics in indoor and even outdoor performance spaces and is used typically to improve the acoustic features of environments that are too small or insuﬃciently reverberant. One first project of the new Australian branch, the integration of a DANTE audio connection into a DELEC paging system, has the potential to influence Mediagroup system designs far beyond Australia. Working with Sydneybased company Audinate, Stagetec is developing a stand-alone amplifier equipped with the DANTE IP protocol; a box which could be woven into almost any DELEC installation as an audio extension. Visit www.stagetec.com

AUDIO

RENOWNED PRO AUDIO BUSINESS in Europe, Salzbrenner Stagetec Mediagroup was originally launched as a repair and maintenance shop for radio broadcast systems. Today it is a consortium of enterprises with specialised expertise in a broad range of products and services. In March 2011, the Mediagroup established a subsidiary in Australia. Stagetec Mediagroup Australia Pty Ltd opened in Sydney to support the modernisation process in the pro-audio fields of broadcast, paging and evacuation technology, as well as in opera and theatre. Managing Director Treva Head, who has been involved in the Australian pro-audio business, and the broadcast sector, career says: “The digital systems by the Mediagroup provide bullet-proof reliability and meet the highest aspirations for audio quality. This is why it is time to introduce NEXUS with its consoles, AURUS and CRESCENDO, oratis and Vivace to our Australian market.” He also explains the timing of the new company foundation: “The new subsidiary joins the already well established branches in Europe, the U.S. and Asia.”

AUDIO

MAYAH unveils five MADI products GERMAN AUDIO CODEC MANUFACTURER

MADI audio stream between any of the interfaces.

MAYAH Communications has launched five MADI products for the musical instrument, live performance and studio market at the Prolight & Sound in Frankfurt and NAB in Las Vegas. The MADI format for simultaneous transmitting of up to 64 audio channels is gaining interest in the audio industry. MAYAH now oﬀers devices for cost-eﬀective MADI signal processing, routing and monitoring.

MAD2 provides a latency-free transparent signal conversion, splitting or distribution between its two coaxial BNC MADI interfaces and another two optical interfaces. Even the streams with diﬀerent clocking can be handled by MAD2. MAD3 is a 1RU high quality A/D D/A converter for 32 analogue channels supplied over DB25 interfaces. Two converters can be combined to use the MADI stream entirely with its 64 channels if necessary. Sampling frequencies up to 192 kHz are supported as well as all types of MADI formats. Two redundant power supplies ensure high reliability.

MADI with its headphone amplifier oﬀers direct monitoring of any stereo or mono channel in the MADI stream. With its BNC or optical MADI input and output an unlimited number of MADI can be put in a “daisy-chain” with a latency of just a few samples. Two additional Express Card I/Os provide an advantage for flexible routing of the

MAD4 is a multifunctional device, which can be used as Embedder/De-Embedder, Controller for Monitoring, Communication Device and even more. Due to the variety of interfaces, such as

Silver IP Audio Encoder, Cobalt Digital Embedded Loudness Processor Decoder STREAM-IN SILVER is a cost-eﬀective IP audio encoder designed for robust encoding of audio content over IP networks. A large range of algorithms including Enhanced apt-X, MPEG 4 AAC-HE and linear audio are available on the compact ½ x 1RU unit, which is fully compatible with all other APT and N/ACIP – compliant codecs. The Stream-Out Silver is an IP Audio decoder that decodes a wide range of professional and consumer audio formats. Perfect for broadcast, retail, hospitality and other applications, the Stream-out Silver oﬀers headphone monitoring, audio back-up courtesy of either an on-board USB port or ShoutCast server, embedded auxiliary data and auto-detection of an incoming IP stream. Incorporating Audemat’s ScriptEasy software, the unit can also be utilised for remote control of other units at a remote site using TCP/IP. Visit www.worldcastsystems.com

COBALT DIGITAL has announced the addition of a cost-effective embedded loudness processor to the Company’s 9000 series of COMPASS cards for openGear. The 9086 card, introduced at NAB 2011, enhances the manufacturer’s range of 3G/ HD/SD conversion gear by offering broadcasters a cost-effective solution for compliance with the CALM (Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation) act. The 9086 Embedded Loudness Processor provides ease-of-use and integration for embedded audio environments requiring loudness processing. The highly cost-effective 9086-SD offers stereo loudness processing for embedded audio on SD-SDI, and can be field up-graded to 9086-HD functionality at a later date. Featuring Linear Acoustic AEROMAX technology, the 9086-HD offers 5.1 channel or stereo loudness processing for embedded audio on HD/SD-SDI. Visit www.CobaltDigital.com

MADI, ADAT, AES/EBU, analogue, microphone, GPIO, MIDI, etc. many different applications in the field of Live-Events or Studio-Recordings can be optimised with MAD4. All different signals can be inserted in the MADI frame or taken from the signal in a flexible way. For a convenient control there is a Hardware Remote Control Unit and an intuitive software with the complete routingmatrix and file-based presets. MAD5 is a 2RU crossbar switch with up to 16 MADI ports, totally resulting in a full 1024 x 1024 audio channel matrix. MAD5 belongs to the middle range of the MADI routing systems available on the market. It can be equipped with two different modules, each with 8 MADI ports that can be either optical or with BNC interfaces. Visit www.mayah.com/products/mad

Ross Video Manages Audio Loudness Using AEROMAX ROSS VIDEO ANNOUNCED Audio Loudness processing at NAB 2011 using Linear Acoustic AEROMAX technology. The LDP-8242 Loudness processor automatically manages and corrects loudness level changes in the audio content. The Linear Acoustic AEROMAX algorithms apply adaptive loudness correction across multiple frequency bands to remove abrupt loudness changes while preserving the original content. Loudness processing can be configured for a full 5.1 surround sound environment or set to process stereo pairs. Video processing through the LDP8242 is fully compensated to match the audio processing delay in order to maintain proper audio to video timing. Visit www.rossvideo.com

Intercom Solution SMPTE 2011 Booth A23

AUDIO

1st class communication ... 52

MADE BY EXPERTS

STAGETEC MEDIAGROUP AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD. E-Mail: australia@stagetec.com www.stagetec.com

AUDIO

CAPTURE THE MOMENT RTW Loudness Upgrades For DigitalMonitor, Surround RTW, MANUFACTURER AND DISTRIBUTOR of professional audio metering and control devices, announced at NAB critical loudness upgrades for its DigitalMonitor 10500X-PLUS, SurroundControl 31900/31960 and SurroundMonitor 11900 lines of products. The upgrade adapts the groundbreaking loudness functionality of those instruments to current guidelines and standards and is expected to be released in July 2011. All units shipped after that time will implement the upgrade. The 2-channel DigitalMonitor 10500X-PLUS features a PPM display, a vectorscope, an RTA, an AES/EBU status monitor and is also used for visualising digital signals. Except for true peak and LRA, the unit’s loudness functions will comply with EBU R128 in the future. All 10500X units shipped so far can be upgraded with the new firmware version. The DigitalMonitor 10500X-PLUS processes AES3 signals with sample rates of up to 96 KHz. Similarly, the firmware upgrade enhances the loudness features of the SurroundControl 31900/31960 and SurroundMonitor 11900 multichannel units. Those 8-channel systems oﬀer several instruments for comprehensive analysis of analogue and digital signals and are highly customisable. Visit www.rtw.de

TC Electronic Updates TM7 & TM9 Dual Radar Display TC ELECTRONIC has added dual radar display to the LM6 loudness radar meter algorithm for TC TouchMonitors with software version 1.11. With the optional LM6 algorithm installed, users can load two independent Radar meters simultaneously on their TC TouchMonitor TM7 or TM9. This opens a number of highly valuable configurations. For example, it is possible to let one Radar meter instance display a pre-processing signal while the other instance shows a post-processing signal – and best of all, both can be monitored at the same time for the ultimate audio overview. Another scenario could be having two Radar meters display both a stereo and a 5.1 signal simultaneously – or two stereo or two 5.1 signals. Finally, both instances also provide a 24-hour history for the audio being monitored. It is now possible to run multiple instances of the Surround Sound Analyzer.

The Sennheiser G3 Portable camera ra system offers more bandwidth than n any other system in its class, making ng Sennheiser the only choice as we approach the Digital Dividend. Evolution wireless G3 The portable camera system with the highest bandwidth in its class.

Visit www.tcelectronic.com/touchmonitor

For more information on the G3 system m contact:

Linear Acoustic Releases AERO.calm LINEAR ACOUSTIC released AERO.calm — Coded Audio Loudness Manager — at the NAB Show. A hybrid of sophisticated multiband audio analysis and metadata control, audio can be processed in a consumerreversible manner, permanently for noncritical material, or anywhere in between. Smooth and consistent by default, individual viewers can choose to hear the full range of the original content if they desire. Versions of AERO.calm are available to handle baseband AES/SDI audio, DVB-ASI, and transport stream over IP. Visit www.linearacoustic.com

Syntec International Australia: Free Call 1800 648 628 Email sales@syntec.com.au New Zealand: Free Call 0800 100 755 Email sales@syntec.co.nz www.sennheiser.com.au

RADIO The original broadcast media

www.content-technology.com/radio

can broadcast over DAB parking spots that are available nearby or traﬃc snarls etc. But, we need to get it into cars before any of that can happen.”

REGIONAL RADIO Equally important to Australia’s DAB+ rollout are services outside of the major cities. Currently, however, DAB+ is limited to the capital cities. “National rollout and consumer take-up is important for car manufacturers,” says Joan Warner. “They keep telling us. They need to know this is going to be rolled out nationally. And, so do retailers for that matter. “Although our permanent DAB+ markets cover nearly 60% of Australia’s population, we believe that all Australians should be able to benefit from more free-to-air radio and they will get that through DAB+.

On the road with digital radio, BMW’s 6 Series.

Wheels In Motion for In-Car DAB+ MOMENTUM IS BUILDING for Australian DAB+ services with the announcement that BMW is to be the first car manufacturer in Australia to oﬀer DAB+ as an option, with availability on 5 Series and 7 Series from May, and the new 6 Series upon launch. BMW Group Managing Director Phil Horton says BMW has built its reputation in Australia being the pioneer of exciting new infotainment technologies. “BMW ConnectedDrive showcases BMW’s philosophy for enriching driving experience with the most cutting edge in-car technologies available today.” The option will cost $AUD750 on all 7 Series, and $900 on 5 Series Touring and Sedan. According to Joan Warner, CEO Of Commercial Radio Australia, “Cars are incredibly important to the uptake of digital radio. We know that about 32% of listening in 2010 was done in cars. “47% is still done at home, so it’s still the main place of listening. And, of course, of the peaks during the breakfast period and the drive period in the afternoon, we know if we can get digital radio into cars, then the uptake in listening to digital radio DAB+ will escalate rapidly.”

RADIO

In 2010, CRA hosted two automotive industry workshops – one in Sydney and one in Melbourne – with leading automotive brands such as Toyota, Mazda, Ford, Holden, Volkswagen, BMW, Audi and Jaguar in attendance.

According to Warner, these will be followed up with one-on-one discussions with some of the manufacturers. “Now we’re not at liberty to tell you what those discussions are, but all we can say is that we’re

feeling very positive about the developments that you might see over the next 12 to 18 months. “We’ve also developed DAB+ automotive technical guidelines to assist the motor industry with the field strengths that they need and the functionality in designing and linking any car options for DAB+. And, we’re going to run further technical workshops this year. “Last year we also took their engineers on drive tests, so they could see the reception of DAB+ and the strength of the signal compared to AM and FM. That’s part of the workshop they liked best, I think.” With German commercial and public broadcasters announcing DAB+ services this year and a family of standards made up of DAB, DAB+ and DAB Audio on air in nearly 40 countries across Europe (as well as Australia), making digital radios for vehicle manufacturers and receiver manufacturers has become a much more interesting proposition. “Any European cars, of course, which have the multi-function chip in them for France or England or Germany will work in Australia,” says Warner. “So, we might already have, thanks to the Europeans, a number of cars that will come in. “But, until we get some in-car, what we call factory fit happening, there’s still a couple of options available. We’ve got a sell for customers, and that’s an in-car adapter. I think the one that most people would be familiar with would be the Pure adapter and for a long time that was the only one that was available. And that’s mounted on the dash. “If we can get DAB into cars, not only do we capture the important car listening, but it opens the door for some of the other traﬃc and transport applications like the DAB radio that you

“Our regional members are very keen to have some plan in place. We know it’s going to take time, but we want to have a plan in place, an undertaking from government.” The Broadcasting Services Act 1992 provides for the start-up of digital radio services in regional licence areas, but does not specify a date. The Minister for the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has the power to determine the start-up date for regional licence areas, but has not yet determined that date. Due to limited availability of VHF Band III spectrum it is also possible that digital radio will not be available in regional licence areas before the end of 2013, when all analogue television services are switched oﬀ. According to Joan Warner, Commercial Radio Australia has repeatedly called on the Federal Government to allocate band 3 VHF spectrum for regional Australia for permanent digital services. “In October last year, the Minister actually announced the government had identified 14 megahertz. Now, some of us think that won’t be quite enough, and others think it can be done. But, at least it’s an acknowledgment that there has to be spectrum allocated for the rollout of DAB+ services to all areas of Australia. “This year we’ve already begun exploring how to plan that, both with the ABC and SBS and with the regulator. We believe it can be done, but we’ve got some lateral thinking going on the powers in the metro areas, and we think that will have to happen for regional areas as well. “This year we’re also going to start exploring necessary funding for regional rollout before we commence discussions with the federal government. We all know commercial regional television broadcasters enjoy significant financial support from the previous and current governments, and regional radio naturally looks forward to receiving exactly the same sorts and level of support.” Visit www.digitalradioplus.com.au

RADIO

Axia Unveils Radius AoIP Console AXIA USED THIS YEAR’S NAB CONVENTION

+ Monitor controls for an adjacent studio

to debut Radius, a new IP-Audio console. Radius is a compact networked mixing desk with four stereo buses, eight faders, 16 audio I/O ports and an Ethernet switch with Gigabit.

+ Fan-free mixing engine separate from control surface, with analogue, AES3 and Livewire I/O

Radius features include: + 4 stereo mixing buses + Automatic mix-minus for every fader

+ I/O expands using Axia audio / GPIO nodes + Desktop-mounted – no countertop cutout needed

+ 4 instant-recall Show Profile snapshots

Additionally, Radius has switchable VU/ PPM LED bargraph meters, 100mm conductive plastic faders, aircraft-quality switches with LED lighting, onboard NTPcapable clock, event timer, and high-resolution OLED readouts on each fader strip.

existing Axia networks simple. Simple Networking allows up to 4 consoles to be daisy-chained before an external Ethernet switch is needed.

+ Record Mode one-touch recording

Its built-in Ethernet switch makes connecting to

Visit www.axiaaudio.com

+ Talkback capabilities + Networkable - built-in Ethernet switch has six 100Base-T and two Gigabit ports + 4 GPIO machine-control ports

Telos NX Users Upgraded with PhoneBOX BROADCASTERS with Telos Nx6 and Nx12 Talkshow systems are receiving an upgrade, courtesy of Telos and its development partner, Broadcast Bionics. Telos Nx6 and Nx12 Talkshow systems now seamlessly integrate with PhoneBOX talk show software, and owners of Nx6 and Nx12 systems are entitled to a copy of PhoneBOX NX Lite software, free of charge.

Broadcast Bionics’ PhoneBOX software provides sophisticated “visual talkback”, including a dragand-drop database of all calls, and it presents visual warnings when persistent or nuisance callers are identified. The Nx6 six-line and Nx12 12-line systems are the latest generation of Telos broadcast phone systems, built to deliver the most consistent call quality from even the most challenging calls.

NX systems combine multiple advanced telephone hybrids with Telos’ famous Digital Dynamic EQ, a sophisticated multi-band equaliser that analyses and adjusts received audio spectral characteristics so that calls sound smooth and consistent despite today’s wide variety of phone sets and connection types. Visit www.Telos-Systems.com

ON AIR 24 Compact Broadcast Solution

N EXUS Digital Audio Network

Please visit our booth A 23

STAGETEC MEDIAGROUP AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD. email: australia@stagetec.com Phone: +61 2 80110500 www.stagetec.com

RADIO

DISCOVER STAGETEC INNOVATIONS

RADIO

Harris Expands Digital Audio Networking HARRIS CORPORATION HAS EXPANDED its PR&E family of digital audio solutions for networked and standalone studio environments that provide more options to radio broadcasters. Harris has introduced PR&E VMReact, a 1RU logic processing device that enables automated responses to changes in audio routes, logical conditions and other events, further enhancing control and monitoring in VistaMax networked audio systems. Harris also introduced PR&E RMXengine, an auxiliary device for PR&E RMXdigital on-air and production consoles, providing automatically generated mix-minus signals — a process that eliminates voice echo for live callers — for every fader on the RMXdigital console. The RMXengine

also enables advanced dual-console operation for dual-anchor studio operation. Meanwhile, Harris’ VMReact creates a new approach for responding to events in networked audio systems. Broadcasters can quickly and easily set up parameters and conditions in advance to trigger desired responses, supporting a variety of applications throughout the network. This includes switching audio sources, changing audio routes and triggering logic events to control external equipment — without the need for manual intervention. In addition, Harris’ RMXengine gives more options to board operators and producers by providing a mix-minus and IFB talkback channel on every fader of the RMXdigital console. This more than quadruples the amount of mix-

Radio Station Content Automation WIDEORBIT INC., THE PROVIDER OF business management software for media companies, has announced several new features in the latest release of its Radio Automation solution, WO Automation for Radio v3.0 WO Automation for Radio v3.0 features seamless integration with WO Traﬃc, WideOrbit’s leading sales, traﬃc and billing solution for an end-to-end

solution that allows Radio broadcasters to easily manage across multiple stations and markets. WO Automation for Radio v3.0 delivers several new features including: + New multi-market file transfer capabilities + Automated support ticket creation and distribution Visit www.wideorbit.com

Multiplexer Management VDL HAS RELEASED a new version of its Multiplexer Manager software for DAB, DAB+ and DMB audio, mobile TV and data applications. The D-VAUDAX Ensemble Multiplexer features all-in-one capabilities, ease-of-use and Linux operating system reliability. The latest multiplexer software release (1.2.34) features three new configuration options that provide an increased choice of input/output connectivity and remote Service Provider management. EDI (Encapsulation of DAB Interfaces) is now supported for inputs and outputs. EDI inputs can be single or multiple audio, mobile TV and data services. For re-transmission of programmes from other ensembles, service drop-andinsert is supported for both ETI and EDI inputs. Customers can also specify any combination of ETI and EDI outputs to provide maximum flexibility for distribution redundancy, as well as compatibility with existing ETI recording,

monitoring and analysis equipment. Service Provider Profile Management enables individual service providers to remotely manage their allocated multiplex capacity directly on the Ensemble Multiplexer. This includes the ability for Service Providers to reconfigure and create reconfiguration schedules within their allocated encoders and multiplex capacity without any impact on other multiplex Service Providers. This new option simplifies multiplex management and avoids the need for service multiplexers. VDL’s digital broadcasting product range includes audio encoders for Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB, DAB+ and DMB-A), a mobile TV video encoder for Digital Multimedia Broadcast (DMB) and an Ensemble multiplexer for broadcasters and network operators. VDL also oﬀer a range of test and measurement products for DAB/DAB+/DMB monitoring and analysis applications. Visit www.vdl-broadcast.com

Dalet Radio Suite Integrates with Axia Livewire

RADIO

NAB 2011 saw Dalet Digital Media Systems

and Axia Audio, the networked-audio division of Telos Systems, showcase the new Axia Livewire integration with the Dalet Radio Suite solution.

send studio-grade audio directly to Axia AoIP networks via their network interface cards, completely bypassing the need for PC soundcards.

This new integration lets Dalet Radio Suite users

Visit www.AxiaAudio.com and www.dalet.com

minus and IFB talkback capabilities on a typical 28-channel RMXdigital. Deejays and producers have the power to pull up live phone calls on any fader as a mix-minus event as opposed to being limited to specific faders. The RMXengine connects directly to the RMXdigital console, allowing the console to retain its autonomous capabilities in standalone studios. RMXengines on two RMXdigital consoles can be interconnected in the same room or separate studios to enable dual-console capability for one consolidated studio operation. While created specifically with standalone environments in mind, RMXengine is equally at home in VistaMax networked audio systems. Visit www.harris.com

Orban Licenses MPEG Surround for Audio Streaming FRAUNHOFER IIS HAS ANNOUNCED, in partnership with Orban, the availability of the MPEG Surround and HE-AAC Multi-Channel audio formats in Orban’s professional Opticodec-PC streaming encoders. According to Fraunhofer IIS, MPEG Surround is an ideal standard for bandwidth efficient surround Internet radio services, allowing the cost-efficient delivery of surround audio at stereo bitrates as low as 64 kbit/s for 5.1-channels. With the integration of MPEG Surround and HE-AAC Multi-Channel into Orban’s products, Internet broadcasters and pure play music services will be able to clearly distinguish themselves from competitors by providing an immersive surround audio experience to consumers. Thanks to the stereo-compatible nature of the MPEG Surround codec, listeners can enjoy music streams in the highest quality on both surround-enabled and stereo devices. “As consumer demand increases for high quality content delivered online, Fraunhofer’s audio codecs in Orban’s professional streaming encoders provide broadcasters with the best tools to fulfil this desire,” says Harald Popp, head of the Multimedia Realtime Systems department at Fraunhofer IIS. “This enables the delivery of true surround sound experiences to listeners at affordable bitrates.” “Selecting Fraunhofer for our streaming encoders was a clear choice for Orban due to the company’s reputation in the industry for delivering the highest quality audio and multimedia solutions,” says Greg Ogonowski, VP Product Development, Orban. “Fraunhofer’s expertise, as well as its flexible and efficient technology, will enable us to provide broadcasters with the technology they need to meet their listeners’ expectations,” says Robert Orban, Orban’s VP/Chief Engineer. Visit www.iis.fraunhofer.de/en/bf/amm/ and www.orban.com

TRANSMISSION Signal distribution, test & measurement

www.content-technology.com/transmission

Australian Regions Switch to Digital-Only TV AROUND 455,000 AUSTRALIAN HOUSEHOLDS in regional Victoria now receive digital-only TV following the shutdown of analogue television signals. “The switch oﬀ of analogue TV in regional Victoria is a significant milestone in Australia’s switchover to digital-only television by 2013,” says the Australian Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy. Analogue TV broadcasting commenced in regional Victoria in 1961 and ended at nine o’clock on May 5 when analogue services from 66 transmitter sites were switched oﬀ for good. “Regional Victoria is the largest switchover to date, following on from Mildura/Sunraysia on 30 June last year, and areas of regional South Australia and Broken Hill in December 2010,” Senator Conroy says. While most households in regional Victoria

receive their digital TV from broadcaster-operated towers, some communities that previously relied on local analogue ‘self help’ transmitters or could not receive terrestrial signals have moved to the new Government-funded VAST satellite. Regional Queensland is the next region to switchover to digital-only TV with some 506,000 households in regional Queensland across the Wide Bay, Capricornia, Darling Downs, Central Coast and Whitsundays, North Queensland and Far North Queensland to make the switch on 6 December 2011. “More than four out of five households in regional Queensland have already converted to digital TV, according to the latest Digital Tracker survey to the end of March 2011,” says Senator Conroy. “In the lead-up to the switchover date broadcasters are rolling out new digital TV transmitters to improve the quality of digital TV reception throughout the switchover regions.

“This includes the upgrading of analogue ‘self help’ transmitters to digital in several locations, and the installation of new ‘gap filler’ transmitters in other areas to provide better reception.” Households in regional Queensland that do not have adequate reception of terrestrial digital TV services in their area six months before the switchover – 6 June 2011 – will be able to access the government-funded VAST satellite service to receive the full suite of digital TV channels. Meanwhile, an agreement between the Government and broadcasters WIN and Prime Television (under joint venture WA Satco Pty Ltd) will provide the VAST service to Western Australia. All of the digital channels from the ABC and SBS are currently available on VAST nation-wide including ABC2, ABC3, ABC News 24, SBS TWO and SBS HD. Visit www.digitalready.gov.au

ACMA Considers Spectrum for Mobile Broadband THE AUSTRALIAN Communications and Media Authority has released two papers signalling its intention to develop a future spectrum strategy that unlocks significant spectrum for mobile broadband and makes the best use of current and future technologies. Towards 2020 — Future spectrum requirements for mobile broadband considers a broad range of issues intended to meet the longer term spectrum needs of the Australian mobile broadband industry, while the 900 MHz Band — Exploring new

opportunities paper looks at options to replan that particular band to improve its utility. Towards 2020—Future spectrum requirements for mobile broadband also provides detail on the existing mobile broadband environment in Australia and the ACMA’s ongoing analysis of the quantum of spectrum required to meet projected demand. 900 MHz Band—Exploring new opportunities looks at options to replan that band. This spectrum is used to support a number of services including

major mobile telecommunications networks such as Telstra’s Next G network and Telstra, Optus and Vodafone’s GSM and 3G networks. A synopsis of the Towards 2020 paper can be found on the ACMA’s Engage website. The closing date for submissions on the 900 MHz Band paper is 24 June and 1 July for the Towards 2020 paper. The two papers have been released in the lead up to ACMA’s spectrum management conference, RadComms2011 on 26 & 27 May in Sydney. Visit www.acma.gov.au/radcomms2011

Video Encoding with “Cheeky” Ad Insertion

The CES3000 outputs in H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC) and other standard based compression formats, and can be received by mobile devices, internet and media tablets, desktop computers and 1080P high definition display devices. The CES3000 supports IP, DVS-ASI, SDI and HD-SDI interfaces. The CES system can also be configured into clusters to support large scale file-based transcoding on a 24/7 basis. On the advertising side, Yuvad’s video-fingerprint

based advertising solution does not rely on cue-tone messages to automatically guide the timing of the local program insertion process. The CES3000 supports local advertising capabilities through splicing and “local digital overlays”. Yuvad’s localised advertising solution preserves the original national advertising content and correlates that content with local information. Multi-screen, multi-target, multi-zone, multidisplay format, and independently managed campaigns are possible with the Yuvad system. See C+T’s NAB video interview with Dr. Ji Zhang, Chairman and CEO of Yuvad Technologies at www. youtube/philsandberg. Visit www.yuvad.com

Dr. Ji Zhang, Chairman and CEO of Yuvad Technologies.

TRANSMISSION

This year’s NAB show in Las Vegas saw a diﬀerent take on video encoding with the launch of Yuvad Technologies’ CES3000, a multi-screen media encoding solution which oﬀers encoding of multiple channels of video services and local advertising in a single system.

TRANSMISSION

Ross Switches Broadcasters on to Carbonite ROSS VIDEO led its roll-call of its NAB releases with the new Carbonite Production Switcher, NK Series Router line and a comprehensive range of data insertion products. The Carbonite series includes two choices on panel size combined with a 16 or 24 input chassis. Carbonite 1 is a robust 1MLE panel with 16 direct access source buttons, full panel mnemonics and Ross ‘PanelGlow’ RGB buttons. This competent control surface has direct access to not just one but two full MLE’s, giving producers the operational benefits of a multi-MLE production in the same physical space as a traditional 1MLE production switcher.

Carbonite also includes a browser based, multi-

Low-Latency IP Video Transcoder

RFS Highlights Variable Polarisation

HAIVISION RELEASED its Kraken Enterprise and Kraken ISR real-time low-latency transcoding solutions at the 2011 NAB Show. Optimised for high-eﬃciency, low-latency performance, the Kraken systems are an ideal solution for demanding video delivery applications within the education, enterprise, and military markets.

IN A ENVIRONMENT of reorganised spectrum

The Kraken is oﬀered in two formats: Enterprise and ISR. Both models include compression format conversion, media scaling, stream encryption, stream encapsulation, and stream replication capabilities. The Kraken Enterprise tames large, volatile IP video streams, such as those typical to digital video broadcasts, converting them into IP video streams that can easily be networked and formatted to reach all authorised users, whether via set-top box, desktop, or mobile device.

At the 2011 NAB Show, the company showcased:

The Kraken Enterprise enables Haivision’s Furnace IP video system to deliver live HD digital broadcast content, which may only be available as MPEG-2 at bitrates up to 19.4 Mbps, as H.264 multicast with each stream output at the bit rate, resolution, frame rate, and other encoding parameters tuned specifically for network capacities and the receiving device capabilities.

TRANSMISSION

Carbonite’s 2RU processing engine includes 2 MultiViewers, 4 keyers per MLE, 4 DVE channels, 4 animation stores, internal synchronization and conversion and full MultiDefinition operation. Meanwhile, the SoftMetal 3000 Series is Ross’ Video Server product line, with version 4.4 building upon the robust feature of the platform adding VDCP control protocol over Ethernet and AMP automation control support. Unicode character support makes SoftMetal a good choice for multi-language applications.

Carbonite 2’s ergonomic panel harnesses the massive horsepower of Carbonite’s production engine eﬃciently and intuitively. 24 direct access buttons, full mnemonics, PanelGlow, 3 axis joystick and legendary Ross faders are all standard.

user GUI that can be instantly accessed from a Mac, PC or an Apple iPad. The GUI provides comprehensive graphics management for Media-Stores as well as control switcher setups and remote operation. It’s a unique and valuable Carbonite companion.

The Kraken ISR supports MISP compliant metadata, accurately passing through critical KLV/CoT data that is essential when forwarding military mission information. The Kraken ISR also enables users to monitor the fully uncompressed signal stripping and injecting metadata as required by advanced ISR exploitation systems. Visit www.haivision.com

Then there is the NK Series, a comprehensive family of router and control products ranging from fixed sizes of 16×4 1RU routers to 320×320 19RU utility routers. Control of the router matrices are handled using a selection of extremely flexible control panels that are fully programmable and can operate as a cut bus, multi-cut bus or XY control panels, not to forget, the ability to tie two or more panels together to operate as one. Visit www.rossvideo.com

HD Broadcast BNC Connectors

allo-cations, Radio Frequency Systems (RFS) used NAB2011 to tackle frequency rebanding challenges and the evolution of mobile broadcasting. RFS oﬀered products that provide variable polarisation technology. Variable polarisation is critical for mobile broadcasting, particularly to mobile receive devices. + PCP and PEP panel antenna arrays designed for digital TV (DTV), mobile TV, analogue TV and Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) applications. These UHF antennas allow the same array to be simultaneously used for horizontal, elliptical and/or circular polarisation. This gives broadcasters the flexibility to share the same antenna but individually choose the polarisation ratio that best meets their requirements and transmitter limitations. These antennas support frequencies ranging from 470 MHz to 700 MHz. + PHP12S panel antenna arrays designed to wrap around large structures while providing superior circularity. This horizontally polarised array has an optimised beamwidth to allow wrapping of large square or rectangular tower sections with 12 elements and to deliver omni-directional performance previously delivered only by topmounted pylon arrays. Broadcasters also benefit from the array’s full-band operation (470 MHz to 750 MHz). + CWseries directional filters which allow for highpower adjacent channel combining. As well as the PeakPower+ series of filters, featuring power ratings from 50 Watts to 10kW - all of which are tuneable across the UHF band and for 6, 7 or 8 MHz channels. Visit www.rfsworld.com

BELDEN HAS ANNOUNCED the launch of Brilliance High Definition (HD) BNC connectors. Designed for use with Belden Brilliance Precision Video Coaxial cables, the new family of BNC connectors provide better than -20 dB Return Loss performance through 4.5 GHz, exceeding the SMPTE specification requirements. The new Belden Brilliance HD Connector line is made up of: Breakthrough 1-Piece BNC Compression Connectors with Optional Patented Locking Feature; optimised 3-Piece BNC Crimp Connectors; and connector tools for both 1-piece and 3-piece connectors. The patented HD Brilliance 1-Piece BNC Locking Connector features an optional patented screw-on locking collar that securely aligns the connector and locks the bayonet nut of the BNC in place. Visit www.belden.com

TRANSMISSION

Blackmagic Spells New Era in Switchers AT THE NAB SHOW, Blackmagic Design introduced four new production switcher products. The first is the ATEM Television Studio full broadcast quality production switcher with real time H.264 encoding so customers can Software Interface for the ATEM Television Studio switcher. capture live events bit broadcast recorder for SSDs has dual directly to files for Internet distribution. This slots to allow automatic recording onto the lets customers perform live multi-camera next disk when one record disk fills, allowing production and broadcast encoding for the unlimited duration recording. Internet all in one product. The second is the ATEM Camera Converter, a new type of converter that allows consumer HDMI cameras or professional SDI cameras to use optical fibre for low cost connection to live production switchers up to 25 miles away. This lets customers get more cameras closer to the live action at much lower cost. The third is new SSD technology with HyperDeck family, a new uncompressed 10

Another highlight was the UltraStudio SDI, the world’s smallest and most aﬀordable SDI capture and playback solution with HDMI monitoring for USB 3.0 computers. Built with a machined aluminium design, UltraStudio SDI also includes built in HDMI 1.4 output for low cost local monitoring, genlock and RS-422 deck control. Visit www.blackmagic-design.com

Snell Channel-in-a-Box Solutions

Snell’s channel-in-a-box solution for news provides clean and accurate transitions between live feeds and the content played back from ICE. Reaction time is important in live, breaking news, and ICE’s built-in functionality for rapid response frees production staﬀ to focus on the creative aspects of making compelling news programs. Because ICE is file-agnostic and supports almost any industry compression standard, a single playlist can contain multiple video, audio, and graphics formats. For sports television, Snell’s channelin-a-box solution enables broadcasters to maximise revenues from programs, controlling playout to ensure the optimum number of commercial insertions while still making sure that viewers catch all the action. ICE facilitates HD/SD simulcasts so that broadcasters can satisfy all programming demands throughout the transition from SD to HD operations. Multiple inputs into ICE allow external advanced graphics to be “mixed” with live signals from remote sites

while inserting specialised graphics, such as scoreboard tickers and RSS feeds, and final routing to the desired destination. The Snell channel-in-a-box solution for multi-language playout integrates a number of advanced audio features for sophisticated broadcast operations, such as the ability to broadcast multiple language versions — a facility normally associated with higher-cost systems. ICE supports audio track-tagging strategies from various manufacturers to facilitate the broadcast of different languages on each HD/SDI audio pair. These pairs can then be rearranged for playing out to different audiences without the need to rewrap the file. In addition, audio-overs provide the flexibility for users to associate up to four different languages per channel of video playout. Snell also showcased two new features for the Kahuna 360 production switcher platform that automate key processing, interfacing, and control tasks, thereby giving operators more time to focus on the creative side of production. The new Source Safe technology ensures that any Kahuna 360 input can be safely integrated into a production, and the Galaxy Event List enables Kahuna 360 to drive third-party devices in performing a set series of routine production operations. Visit www.snellgroup.com

TRANSMISSION

AT NAB, SNELL INTRODUCED a new family of turnkey channel-in-a-box playout solutions based on its Morpheus automation technology and Integrated Content Engine (ICE). Tailored to television news, sports, and multi-language playout, the channel-in-abox solutions enable regional media and broadcast companies to bring new channels to air more quickly and at a significantly lower cost.

CLASSIFIEDS

Events JUNE

SEPTEMBER

IFA Consumer Electronics Show 2-7 September, 2011 Messe Berlin, Germany www.ifa-berlin.com

Digital Signage World Australia 2011 9-10 June 2011 Sydney Exhibition Centre www.terrapinn.com/2011/digital

IBC2011 - RAI Amsterdam Conference September 8 – 13 Exhibition September 9 – 13 www.ibc.org

KOBA 2011 14-17 June, 2011 COEX, Seoul, Korea www.kobashow.com BroadcastAsia/CommunicAsia 21-24 June, 2011 Singapore www.broadcast-asia.com www.communicasia.com Digital Signage Expo 2011 24-26 June, 2011 Messe Essen, Germany www. DigitalSignageExpo.eu

JULY

OCTOBER Internet Show Sydney 27-28 October, 2011 Sydney Convention Centre www.terrapinn.com/2011/sydney

NOVEMBER 2011 SPAA Conference November 13 - 16 2011 Hilton, Sydney www.spaa.org.au/conference InterBEE 2011 November 16-18, 2011 Makuhari Messe, Japan www.inter-bee.com/en

Incognito Global User Conference July 12-14, 2011 Simon Fraser University Morris J Wosk Centre Vancouver BC www.incognito.com/index.php

content+technology+video Catch up on all the behind the scenes action from NAB 2011 and much more with C+TV online video on the C+T web site.

SMPTE 2011 July 19-22, 2011 Sydney Exhibition Centre www.smpte.com.au ENTECH 2011-05-19 July 19-22, 2011 Sydney Exhibition Centre www.entechintech.com

Advertiser Index Annova Systems .................................. 39

Linear Acoustic ...................................... 15

AV Group ............................................. 7, 59

Lumina Broadcast Systems ............... 6

Blackmagic Design ................................. 5

Magna Systems & Engineering ............................... 11, 26

Broadcast Asia ...................................... 17 Blonde Robot ......................................... 41 Digistor ...................................................... 43 Digital Rapids ........................................ 49 Eureka Pacific ........................................ 47

Also on the Site:

On-Air Systems .................................... 31 Quinto Communications .................... 9 Riedel ........................................ 33, 35, 37 Ross Video ................................................ 34 SMPTE11 .................................................. 29

Gencom Technology ......................... 13

Storm FX ................................................... 45

+ News and product information from 27 C+T blog sites

Harmonic Inc (Omneon) ..................... 3

StageTec ............................................ 52, 55

+ Events

IBC ................................................................. 23

Syntec ................................................. 27, 53

Interra Systems ..................................... 48

Techtel ....................................................... 36

JVC Professional .................................. 21

Videocraft ................................................ 25

+ Whitepapers

www.content-technology.com

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OFF-AIR

TIME shifter New Zealand Hunts for Oldest Telly PROVING THAT YOU CAN HAVE FUN IN THE SWITCHOVER from analogue to digital television, the New Zealand Government has launched a nationwide search to find that country’s oldest working TV set. Launched by Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman (no, not that Jonathan Coleman), the Oldest Telly competition, part of a Going Digital campaign to raise awareness of the switchover to digital television, encourages New Zealanders to rummage through their homes and garages for their oldest TV set. The winning entry will be converted to digital TV ahead of the first switchover in Hawke’s Bay and West Coast in September 2012. The winner will also receive a home theatre system including a 46-inch Sony television with inbuilt Freeview receiver and Internet video. “Digital has changed the way we watch TV with better reception and sound quality, as well as more channels and features such as onscreen TV guides,” Dr Coleman says. “It will be great if we can unearth some examples of the earliest televisions and make them digital ready to show viewers that you don’t need a new TV to receive digital television. “Even televisions which showed the first moon landing in 1969 or [NZ runner] Dick Tayler’s 10,000 metre victory at the 1974 Commonwealth Games can be converted.” Veteran NZ television broadcaster Philip Sherry says digital television has changed the viewing landscape for the better. “I’ve been involved in broadcasting in New Zealand since 1962 so have witnessed the evolution of television from black and white to colour and now to digital broadcasts. “Digital TV represents the next generation of broadcasting in this country, and I’m encouraging Kiwis to search high and low for some truly old televisions to enter in the Going Digital competition.” The entry conditions of this wacky competition include: Only televisions that can demonstrably receive and display current television broadcasts are eligible. The winning entry will be based on the date/year and serial number (if any) of the television’s manufacture. In the event of two or more identical TVs being submitted and it is impossible to identify the oldest on the basis of technical information available, a coin toss or random selection process will be used to determine the winner.

TIME SHIFTER

Visit www.goingdigital.co.nz

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