IBC 2019 PREVIEW
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Meet the Magna Systems team at IBC 2019. To make an appointment, set a meeting or arrange a demo of one of the solutions we represent at the show contact your local Magna office today. Sydney +61 2 9417 1111 | Auckland +64 9520 1582 | Hong Kong +852 2563 4453 | Jakarta +62 8181 43923 | Singapore +65 6282 3613 | sales@magnasys.tv | www.magnasys.tv
IBC 2019 VOLUME 16 ISSUE 5
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
PREVIEW
Quantum Powers Remote Post for The Rebel Fleet ... page 31.
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REGULARS 02 EDITOR’S WELCOME 04 NEWS Gravity Media Buys Chief
46 INDUSTRY FOCUS Players in
Entertainment; Magna Systems/RTS Provide Intercoms for Telstra & Tregonning; CPC Picks FUJINON 4K UHD Lenses; People Moves.
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Content+Technology caught off-air. Presented by Fujinon/Fujifilm.
15 FEATURES 10 IBC2019 Preview 15 ACQUISITION ASC President Sees Big Future for ARRI Large Format Cameras in ANZ; Sony Cameras and Mics Own the Sky; Production Solutions from IBC.
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20 SPORTSCASTING Tabcorp
Gets Active with Sky Racing OTT App; Autonomous Cameras Lead EVS’ Lean Production Push; Dejero Goes the Distance with IRONMAN Australia.
25 NEWS OPERATIONS
AAP Factcheck Partners with Facebook; Weather Bureau to Use Cloud; ENG from IBC.
34 CONTENT+TECHNOLOGY ISSN 1448-9554 PP:255003/06831 Broadcastpapers Pty Ltd (ABN 34 095 653 277) PO Box 165 Surry Hills, NSW 2010, Australia www.broadcastpapers.com PUBLISHER: Phil Sandberg Tel +61 (0)2 4368 4569 Mob +61 (0)414 671 811 papers@broadcastpapers.com
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28 POST-PRODUCTION NZ’s
The Rebel Fleet Picks Quantum for Remote PostProduction; plus the latest from Siggraph2019.
33 MEDIA IN THE CLOUD Blue Post Gets a Handle on 4K and HDR with Quantum and Digistor; Alex Timbs: Data Animal.
42 CONTENT DELIVERY Netflix, SBS and Software Updates Headline the ‘New Foxtel Experience’; Consolidation for Australian FTA TV Transmission; Brightcove on the Upstream.
36 AUDIO Sound Mixer Dane
Cody Picks DPA Mics; Audio Compliance for Netflix Content; Keeping Up-ToDate with Dante.
39 RADIO MediaWorks
Moves to Uncompressed Audio-Over-IP Networking with GatesAir; Radio - the Bionic Plan; Lawo Debuts AES67 Stream Monitoring Software; Radio from IBC.
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EDITOR’S WELCOME
Disney - Taking the Mickey?
For the latest news visit www.content-technology.com MickeyFlix is coming …
By Phil Sandberg NOVEMBER IS THE LAUNCH MONTH for the Walt Disney Company’s direct-to-consumer streaming service Disney+ in Australia and New Zealand (as well as Canada and The Netherlands). While announcements on launch dates for other APAC countries have yet to be made, a Disney representative has told C+T that further territories in the region will be added over the course of 2020-21.
• Concurrent Streaming on up to four registered devices with no up-charges. • Multiple Languages - At launch, Disney+ will offer support for English, Spanish, French and Dutch, including both user interface as well as audio support and/or subtitles for library content, with additional languages available for Disney+ Originals.
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• Up to 4K Ultra HD video playback in Dolby Vision with HDR10 and Dolby Atmos immersive audio on supported devices for available programming.
As an aside, U.S. consumers will, naturally enough, be offered a SUPER-SIZED SERVICE! This will be a bundle of Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu for just USD$12.99 per month. While those outside of the U.S. will not be offered the bundle, the Disney+ offering is formidable in its own right with content from the company’s iconic entertainment brands, including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars National Geographic, and more.
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Disney+ will launch in Australia and New Zealand on November 19th, priced at AUD$8.99 per month (or $89.99 per year) and NZD$9.99 per month (or $99.99 per year), respectively. Netflix starts at AUD$9.00 per month in Australia for a basic SD service, AUD$13.00 per month for HD and AUD$17.99 up to 4K. Nine Entertainment’s Stan service, meanwhile, costs AUD$10, $14 and $17 for the same quality of services. By contrast, in Malaysia, the iflix streaming service comes in at 8 Malaysian Ringgit per month and PCCW’s Viu at RM10.
The Disney+ app experience, available to consumers on November 12, will feature:
• Profile Customizations - up to seven different profiles.
In the short term, Disney will probably leverage existing relationships to promote the new service. Australia’s Nine Entertainment, for example, has spent a great deal of 2019 churning through its Disney back catalogue on its FTA 9GO channel, probably in anticipation of losing broadcast rights. This, however, presents a short-term opportunity for both parties. Time will tell, but There Will Be Blood.
Original content will include Star Wars spin-off series “The Mandalorian,” “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” “The World According to Jeff Goldblum,” and “Encore!” and films “Lady and the Tramp” and “Noelle.” Alongside Disney’s library of film and television entertainment and
• Commercial-free Viewing.
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And this is where the service will impact on existing players – free-to-air, cable/satellite DTH and OTT. The sheer gravitational force of Disney’s content offering will see these players further spin-off profitable genre segments, as well invest in original content for niche audiences. Most immediately affected will be those Englishlanguage players who have historically offered Disney content, and ironically, it will be the trailblazer Netflix which will be most exposed as households streamline their subscription expenditure. After all, which parent doesn’t want the best quality babysitter at the best price available.
• Support for closed captioning, descriptive audio and navigation assistance.
The company has said it has reached global agreements with nearly all the major platforms, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, Roku, and Sony, to distribute the Disney+ app across partner mobile and connected TV devices. In terms of CDN provider arrangements, the company has also told C+T it is not sharing any details at this time.
• Unlimited Downloads: Subscribers have access to unlimited downloads of shows and movies on the Disney+ app to watch offline later on up to 10 mobile or tablet devices, with no constraints on the number of times a title can be downloaded per year. Once downloaded, subscribers can watch on the go and without an internet connection. The number of titles stored at one time on a device is dependent upon the available storage space on a subscriber’s device.
30 seasons of “The Simpsons,” the service will also be the exclusive streaming home for films released by The Walt Disney Studios in 2019 and beyond, including “Captain Marvel,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Aladdin,” “Toy Story 4,” “The Lion King,” “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” “Frozen 2,”and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.”
Thanks for reading Phil Sandberg – Editor/Publisher papers@broadcastpapers.com +61(0)414671811
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Gravity Media Buys Chief Entertainment from Telstra GRAVITY MEDIA, THE GLOBAL PROVIDER of live broadcast facilities and production services, has agreed to acquire Chief Entertainment Pty Limited, the Sydney, Australia-based provider of live studio and production services, from telecommunications company Telstra Corporation Limited. Chief Entertainment is a television and digital production company based in Artarmon on Sydney’s north shore. Chief provides production services and digital media delivery services to leading TV networks, sporting federations, entertainment franchises, agencies and commercial brands. With Telstra fibre connectivity in and out of the building, Chief Entertainment can send and receive content anywhere around the world at a moment’s notice. With around 50 staff, Chief produces
short and long-form programmes for both live and post-produced, as well as branded content and commercials. Gravity Media currently operates in Australia under the Gearhouse Broadcast, HyperActive Broadcast and Input Media brands and says this acquisition will complement its existing Input Media production centres in the UK as well as its Melbourne production and Sydney postproduction facilities. Chief Entertainment will continue to operate under its existing name and branding until it is fully integrated with Gravity Media’s Australia operations. Hamish Cameron, CEO of Chief Entertainment, will be stepping down as CEO but will continue to work with Gravity Media as it integrates Chief’s operations with those of its existing Australian businesses. Under its new
ownership, Chief Entertainment will continue to provide Telstra Corporation Limited with high quality production services for its enterprise division, digital sports rights and media services. John Newton, Founder & CEO, Gravity Media, said: “Chief Entertainment’s strengths include strong relationships with major Australian national sporting bodies, music and entertainment industries, as well as the creation of multi-platform entertainment and corporate television programmes involving some of Australia’s premier talent. We look forward to working with the Chief Entertainment team to continue to grow our content production capabilities and deliver enhanced services to our clients.” Visit www.gravitymedia.com and www. chiefentertainment.com.au
Magna Systems/RTS Provide Intercoms for Telstra Broadcast, Murray Tregonning TELSTRA BROADCAST SERVICES (TBS) has selected the RTS ODIN OMNEO digital intercom system, supplied by Magna Systems and Engineering, for its worldwide broadcast operations. As Head of Architecture & Integration, Carl Petch, explained, “TBS needed to replace our old, domestically-orientated intercom system as amongst other things it was end of life and not IP-based. We wanted to overlay a new digital intercom matrix solution to our network in Asia Pacific region and then globally. When we assessed all the options the clear winner that best suited our requirements was the RTS ODIN supplied by Magna Systems.” Petch and TBS’ requirements for the new intercom solution were comprehensive. “We wanted a single, interchangeable IP solution that could seamlessly work with other intercoms and use technologies such as OMNEO, RVON and 4-wire,” said Petch. “We chose ODIN as it gave us all of this in a comprehensive but compact 1RU package that’s easily scalable.” “It became clear it was the ideal choice for TBS as it can be used behind VPNs, across the Internet and across all forms of contented and uncontended networks for traditional broadcasting and new media. This intercom solved TBS’ network challenge as it was easy to install, easy to operate and easy to overlay across our existing networks.”
NEWS + PEOPLE
TBS will also use the RTS ODIN solution in ENG and SNG trucks through a cellular connection.
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The ODIN’s feature-packed frame and cost effectiveness is something Petch stressed as being a major reason for their purchase of the new
system as he concluded, “Having RVON support in a single 1RU box is excellent. The fact that ODIN supports different network standards and has built-in OMNEO technology is another big plus. Then the fact that there are enough I/O to use OMNEO and RVON within this compact 1RU box where historically we would have needed a frame and card-based solution really is a major bonus. ODIN is not only cheaper than the frame and card solution but it’s more flexible and more scalable which means TBS can roll them out easily and cost effectively.” TBS’ Asia Pacific install of the RTS ODIN OMNEO digital intercom solution is now complete and phase two which involves installing the solution across their EMEA and USA communication networks is currently underway. MURRAY TREGONNING’S MATCHCOM Murray Tregonning & Associates (MTA) also recently turned to Magna Systems and RTS for a digital talkback system to be used with its MatchCom Sports Communication System in sporting stadiums across Australia. Match Official Communications is a radio talkback system that connects referees, umpires and off field officials to enable real-time feedback and communication during game-play. Designed for TV Broadcast, the MatchCom Referee Talkback System is expandable, if required, to allow for any number of match officials and to allow a video referee/umpire, coaches and timekeepers to communicate with all on-field match officials. The system further facilitates this communication for the video referee, by allowing for direct communication between the television
broadcaster and the video referee to help direct the video replays for video decisions, and now even to a match official remote bunker. As MTA’s Brian Cornish explained, “MTA were in a position where we had to replace our existing talkback system within our MatchCom communication system utilised for sporting/ match official communications. We researched various systems and we took the time to see what would best suit our requirements and best service our clients’ needs. “We needed ultimate flexibility to satisfy the changing requirements of our clients. The RTS ODIN matrices recommended by Lucas and the Magna team fulfilled all of our requirements. As all MatchCom systems are flyaway-based, the 1RU form factor of the ODIN played an important part in our decision and despite its compact size, it still provides options that we want moving forward – such as its RVON capabilities which are definitely part of our future requirements and the direction we want to head in.” The new RTS ODIN provides the platform to interface between MTA’s digital mixing system and the RF facilities used in the MatchCom communications system the company provides to various sporting codes for on the field and video review officials communications. Cornish continued, “ODIN is a key part of the facilities that we provide to our customers and has now become a bigger part of our MatchCom system. The people using the RTS ODIN equipment are our technicians and it works perfectly.” Visit https://magnasys.tv/product/rts/
For the latest news visit www.content-technology.com
Talkback Communicate with camera operators and production staff.
USB Connection For updating switcher software and settings.
Program Mix Listen to the program audio mix.
Source Select Buttons Input buttons for PGM/PVW or cut-bus style switching.
Reference In Supports black burst or tri-sync reference for use with large broadcast systems.
Source and Control Downstream keyer, media players, fade to black and transition selection.
Source Inputs Connect up to 40 x 12G-SDI inputs for HD and Ultra HD or 10 Quad Link 12G-SDI inputs for 8K.
Spin Knob Control Scroll through on screen menus or adjust audio levels.
Independent Assignable Outputs 24 x 12G-SDI outputs for HD and Ultra HD or 6 x Quad Link 12G-SDI outputs for 8K.
Lock Button Locks front panel settings to protect against changes during production.
Multi View Outputs 4 multi view outputs for HD and Ultra HD or 1 Quad Link 12G-SDI multi view output when working in 8K.
Introducing ATEM Constellation 8K! The next generation 8K switcher with 8K DVE, 8K SuperSource, 8K chroma key and 8K MultiView! The new ATEM Constellation 8K is an Ultra HD live production switcher with so many features, you can combine them to make a powerful 8K switcher! You get 4 M/Es, 40 x 12G-SDI inputs, 24 x 12G-SDI aux outputs, 4 DVEs, 16 Keyers, 4 media players, 4 multi viewers, 2 SuperSource and standards conversion on every SDI input! Then you can combine everything for a powerful 8K switcher!
Full Resolution 8K DVE
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You get 40 independent 12G-SDI inputs, with each input featuring its own dedicated up and cross converter� That allows 1080p and Ultra HD sources to be upconverted to 8K on all inputs� You can even loop out audio from SDI inputs 1 to 30 to MADI digital audio outputs, so you can hand off the audio from switcher sources to an external audio engineer for mixing�
With a built in Fairlight audio mixer, the ATEM Constellation makes it possible to do complex live sound mixing� You get a massive 156 channels, for the biggest audio mixer in a live production switcher! Each input features 6 band parametric EQ, compressor, limiter, expander, noise gate and pan� Plus you can mix with an external Mackie compatible panel or full Fairlight Audio Console�
ATEM Constellation features 4 independent Ultra HD DVEs that all work together as a single full resolution 8K DVE when you switch to 8K formats� The DVE lets you create picture in picture effects with customizable 3D borders, shadows and lighting� DVEs can also be used to create amazing DVE transitions with squeeze, push and swoosh effects for adding excitement to your programming�
Includes 8K Multiview with Audio Meters The built in multi views let you view multiple sources in a single monitor� You get 4 independent multiview outputs that can each be individually customized or transformed into a single full resolution 8K multiview when you switch to 8K� Each multiview can be set to 4, 7, 10, 13 or 16 simultaneous views� Each view also has on screen status including a custom label, VU meters and tally�
ATEM Constellation 8K ������������������������������������� $15,155
Learn more at www.blackmagicdesign.com/au
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CPC Picks FUJINON 4K UHD Lenses for New OB truck
CPC PRODUCTIONS IS KNOWN in the industry as a company that has the ability to cover all broadcast requirements. They have the ability to offer multi-camera setups for image magnification through to broadcast and provide video, audio and communications via their state-of-the-art OB truck. Recently they had a requirement for new lenses to be installed in the truck and for that they chose FUJINON.
As CPC Productions’ Senior Engineer and Designer Owen Forsyth explained, “We are an audio, lighting and video production company offering clients complete solutions. As part of that we have always owned camera equipment and have always used FUJINON lenses due to their quality and reliability. A while ago when were asked to supply the Billy Graham Evangelical Association with a complete 4K/ UHD video solution for their Australian tour, we started the process of designing and building our own custom-made OB truck. In terms of lenses our big requirements were quality of picture, value for money and aftersales support. We also needed the lenses to be able to handle life on the road as part of the OB setup. FUJIFILM Australia and their FUJINON lenses simply stood head and shoulders above the competition.” After an evaluation of all available lenses on the market Forsyth and the CPC Productions team chose multiple FUJINON XA77x9.5BERD, HA23x7.6BERD and HA18x5.5BERM lenses for
other brands we had looked at. Being used as part of full HD OB truck that is custom-laid out for concert and live events and that can also work in 4K HDR, also means these excellent lenses give us a great edge in terms of quality and creativity.”
exclusive use with their Panasonic AK-UC3000 4K/UHD cameras. Forsyth concluded, “We use all of the lenses and our new OB truck in a variety of environments and productions including concert and live event capture and image magnification and always as part of an outside broadcast setup. The new FUJINON lenses we chose and use give us a sharper focus and more detail in the blacks than
Visit https://www.fujifilm.com.au/products/ optical_devices
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Riedel Further Expands APAC Footprint RIEDEL HAS APPOINTED Julian Hewitt as Regional Training Manager. As part of this strategic role, Hewitt will lead the development and deployment of various training materials, workshops, and industry educational programs. Hewitt’s 10 years of Riedel experience has covered roles from user to consultant and he has worked extensively with many key customers in the region including Lighthouse Church in Singapore, TV18 in India, PCCW in Hong Kong, and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
Deidre Joubert.
“Having excellent equipment is only half the story. Having amazing operators and Julian Hewitt. engineers using the equipment completes the picture.” said Hewitt. “With comprehensive training materials and educational programs tailored to the specific needs of the region, our APAC customers will get even more out of their Riedel gear.” Riedel has also appointed Deidre Joubert as
Regional Marketing Manager, Asia-Pacific. With experience in commercial roles in both professional sport and event broadcast for events such as the America’s Cup and Ryder Cup, Joubert will focus on supporting the Asia-Pacific region by developing a more localised approach. “Our marketing strategy needs to reflect, both, the differences and similarities in customer motivations and requirements across this economically and culturally diverse region while providing a conduit to the full range of Riedel’s knowledge and global experience,” said Joubert. “To be effective in our communication and have a genuine impact, we have to be able to talk to our customers where they are, in a language they understand. By developing local support structures, we increase our ability to influence decisions and deliver positive outcomes
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Netflix has been recruiting heavy hitters for its Asia-Pacific operations. Debra Richards, CEO of Australian funding body Ausfilm has been enlisted by the streaming giant to oversee production policy in the APAC region. Richards was also previously CEO of the Australian Subscription Television & Radio Association (ASTRA). Her appointment follows that of Adam Scott to the role of Post Partner Engagement Manager APAC at Netflix. Scott was previously General Manager at Spectrum Films, Director of Broadcast Operations at FOXTEL, and Head of Digital Intermediate at Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post.
for Riedel.” Visit www.riedel.net
Visit www.techtel.com.au
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Jeremy Brown has been named Head of Architecture - Video and Advertising at Seven West Media. He comes to the role after serving as the network’s Solutions Architect - Video and Advertising. Prior to that he held the role of tenplay Solutions Architect - App and Video with Network Ten. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------New Zealand’s MediaWorks has announced thatChief Content Officer Andrew Szusterman will leavethe business in October. He has been with Mediaworks since 2002. He will be replaced by Ben Quinn who has been apppointed Director of Content -TV for the Three channel. Quinn has been with Mediaworks for over 17 years, most recently as Head of Programming & Acquisitions. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Andrew King and John Lock are to be awarded SMPTE’s Citation for Outstanding Service to the
Philip Bowman New Chair of Sky NZ
NEWS + PEOPLE
FOLLOWING THE RETIREMENT of long-standing Chairman Peter Macourt, Philip Bowman has been appointed Chair of Sky New Zealand.
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TECHTEL HAS ANNOUNCED the appointment of Alex Harradine to the role of Business Development Manager – Live Production. Based in Melbourne, Mr Harradine is responsible for developing new business opportunities and creating customised broadcast and production solutions for Techtel customers, specifically in Live Production, as well as further develop the company’s relationship with vendors in the space. Alex joins the company from the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) (and earlier Tabcorp/Sky Racing) where he held senior IT and Infrastructure Management roles.
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
JULIE FLYNN HAS TAKEN UP the position of CEO at Freeview Australia. She previously served as a panel member of the Australian Federal Government’s Inquiry into the competitive neutrality of the national broadcasters, and was CEO of Free TV Australia from 2001-2016.
Harradine Joins Techtel in Live Production Biz-Dev Role
CEO Martin Stewart welcomed the appointment, saying “Mr Bowman is an experienced and distinguished businessman who has led several major global companies and served on the board of a significant number of public
Society, which recognises individuals for dedicated service for the betterment of the Society over a sustained period. Andrew has been recognised for his contributions to the SMPTE Australia Section, in particular, the biennial conference, while John Lock has also been recognised for his contributions to the SMPTE Australia Section and his proactive approach to section management over the past five years. Visit www.smpte.org.au ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Patrick Sproule has been named Acting Head of Content Technology Solutions for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). He was previously the ABC’s Head of Technology Support, Product & Content Technology. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Peter Wharram has assumed the role of VTM Venue Technical Manager with FIBA Media, the Host Broadcaster for the World Cup Basketball in Guangzhou City, Guangdong, China. He also serves as Managing Director of White Sand Media and Broadcast Production and Technical Manager with Wharram Productions.
and private companies. He brings knowledge of the media sector, including having served on the board of Sky UK for ten years. “We are delighted that someone of Philip’s calibre and experience is joining the Sky board, and look forward to working with him.” Visit www.sky.co.nz
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IBC 2019 PREVIEW IBC 2019 – Reflecting Change in Media IBC CEO Michael Crimp outlines the highlights on offer for this year’s conference and exhibition in Amsterdam. VISITORS TO THIS YEAR’S IBC SHOW (13-17 September 2019, RAI Amsterdam) will find much that is new as the event evolves to reflect technology, business and demographic changes across the media industry. According to IBC CEO Michael Crimp, “The most obvious change is that the conference will now run Friday to Tuesday, ending with the IBC Esports Showcase, a new venture supported by market leader ESL along with Lagardère and EVS. This means that our invitation-only Executive Forums will take place on Thursday (12 September), clear of the rest of the event, allowing us to focus all our attention on these vital, top level summits. “As ever, the conference looks at contemporary issues from a creative, commercial and technical viewpoint, allowing our visitors to form a fully rounded view and take part in the debate about the future of the industry. This year, each day has its own theme. “Friday is create and produce: creating disruption, which includes a look at new technologies including immersive experiences and beyond 4k resolutions. “Saturday sees manage: automating media supply chains, which looks at how emerging technologies like blockchain and AI can transform the media business. “Sunday we will look at publish: embracing the platform revolution and how the move towards new business models is disrupting the industry. “Monday’s theme is consume: engaging consumer experiences, and in particular what is going to engage. “Tuesday is monetise: scaling audiences and revenues, looking at how brands can lead to new models of advertising.
IBC 2019 PREVIEW
“The lounge talks programme - more informal chats about key topics - will be back, too, looking at topics which are harder to fit into the formal programme. That includes corporate social responsibility and inclusion, too.”
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IBC is still five-days, but you’ve aligned the conference and exhibition dates. Why? “I know I use this mantra so often, but it is absolutely true. IBC is run by the industry, for the industry. Our five-day format gives visitors the opportunity to attend over a weekend or on weekdays; they can drop in for a day or two, or benefit from the whole experience. “This is not me saying this. We commissioned research from an independent body and the results were clear, that most of our audience is happy with the number of days we run. If that is what our audience wants, that is what we will deliver.” Where does your collaboration with TM Forum to drive innovation across the telecom and media industries stand? “We established catalyst projects to seed development in important collaborative directions. At IBC2019 we will be showing the results of three of these projects. The three are very different in application, but use technological innovations coming from both industries to solve real-world issues. “The three projects are a 5G-enabled tourism experience,
championed by Aardman Entertainment and BBC R&D, and developed with Bristol University, Cambridge Communications Systems and Zeetta Networks; AI indexing for regulatory content management, championed by Associated Press, Al Jazeera and RTÉ, with technical participation from Metaliquid, QCRSI, Tech Mahindra and V-Nova; and mobile news gathering using AI-powered compression, again championed by Associated Press, Al Jazeera and RTÉ, working with V-Nova. “These three projects really show how collaboration across our industries can transform both businesses and consumer experiences.” What technical trends can we expect at IBC2019? “We will certainly see more developments in Ultra HD - 8k as well as 4k, with the Japanese launch of consumer Super Hi-Vision channels ahead of next year’s Tokyo Olympics. As well as resolution, that means growing interest in HDR. “The march from bespoke hardware connected by SDI towards software applications running on standard IT kit and connected by IP is well advanced. Continues page12>> IBC Chief Executive Officer, Michaell Crimp.
IBC 2019 PREVIEW
New Esports Showcase IBC2019 WILL EXPLORE THE technical and commercial opportunities and challenges of the rapidly growing world of Esports, with its first ever Esports Showcase on Tuesday 17 September. The IBC Esports showcase powered by ESL, EVS and Lagardère will feature a live esports tournament in the RAI Auditorium taking advantage of a unique combination of world-class tech placing spectators at the heart of the action. ESL’s National Championship teams from Germany and Spain will go head-to head in a live CounterStrike tournament on the big cinema screen in Dolby stereo. Before the tournament, as part of the IBC Esports Showcase, IBC will bring together some of the most influential people in the world of Esports, to explore the latest trends and development, considering the business case for esports from stretch targets, challenges and opportunities for esports players and the technical delivery of esports programs. Speakers include: Chester King, CEO – British Esports Association, Michiel Bakker, CEO – GINX Esports TV Canada, Jonas Gundersen, CCO – North A/S, Henrik Nyhuis, Head of Ran Esports – ProSiebenSat.1 Sports GmbH, Jens Fischer – EVS, Simon Eicher, Executive Producer, Director of Broadcast, eSports Services – ESL, Ryan Chaply, Senior Esports Program Manager – Twitch, Peter Emminger, VP Global Broadcast – Blizzard. Globally, esports delivers younger audiences on digital channels unheard of in traditional sports broadcasting making this a brand-new revenue
opportunity for players in the media ecosystem. Revenues are set to exceed $1billion in 2019, representing a year-on-year growth of +26.7 percent, and are forecast to reach $3billion by 2022. While sponsorship is currently the highest source of revenue, the fastest growing source of revenue is now media rights – estimated to reach 40 percent of total revenues by 2022. According to IBC Chief Executive Officer, Michael Crimp, “Esports have rapidly risen to become major global media events, calling for comprehensive coverage and with a unique set of technical and editorial challenges. Where else would you go to understand the issues and possibilities than IBC? “We have always taken the view that you need to see something to understand it, so we have always strived to make the IBC conference experiential. A
dry debate without appreciating the extraordinary excitement of esports would be very dull. “So, as well as conference sessions - which include the participation of the players emerging from the world of esports like Ginx TV, Twitch, Riot and Blizzard, as well as developers like EA Sports - we will host a live demonstration. Two professional teams from ESL’s National Championships in Germany and Spain will go head-to-head on Counter-Strike. “We think this is going to be an extraordinary afternoon, so we are hosting this in the RAI Auditorium, our largest space, which we will be kitting out with all the technology an esports championship demands. Everyone is welcome, and we anticipate a big audience.” Visit https://show.ibc.org
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IBC 2019 PREVIEW
Experience VOS360 SaaS In Action at harmonicinc.com.
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IBC 2019 PREVIEW >> continued from10
These applications enable the key challenges, like delivering to multiple platforms quickly and efficiently. “On top of these software-defined architectures, we will see major developments in AI and machine learning, again aimed at managing the massive amount of content we now generate, and deliver it to the audience that will enjoy it, whether they know about it or not. “Monetisation is the final part of the chain. Media businesses can only create, curate and deliver content if they make a fair return on their investment, so expect to see new ways of optimising, tracking and collecting revenues.”
“But limiting me to three means I miss out on all the other great stuff, like 15 exhibition halls, the Awards Ceremony on Sunday night, movies and screenings. That includes the chance to see a complete, battle-strewn episode from the final series of Game of Thrones, on the giant screen in the Auditorium in 4k and HDR. And there is so much more!
What are the top three things to do at IBC2019?
You have recently renewed your agreement with the RAI.
“This year we have a great programme of keynote presentations in the conference, including leaders like Cécile Frot-Coutaz, head of YouTube EMEA; YouTube; Arnaud de Puyfontaine, chairman of Vivendi; and Max Amordeluso, EU lead evangelist, Amazon Alexa.
“Yes, we have signed a new three-year contract with RAI Amsterdam and its partners, and I am very pleased we have. I am all too aware that there is pressure to consider other venues and I would like to assure everyone we take this matter seriously, continually monitoring our options.
IBC 2019 PREVIEW
“We are bringing back the IBC Global Gamechangers Stage again this year. Already signed up to speak on the stage are Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association; Jane Turton, CEO of All3Media; and Lisa Opie, Managing Director, UK Production, BBC Studios.
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“Number three for me would be something I am really looking forward to, the Esports Showcase. This is going to light up Tuesday with top level debates and discussions, and of course the chance to see what it is all about, with a real, live, here onstage contest between the national champions of Germany and Spain playing Counter-Strike.
“But, our conclusion remains that the RAI, and the city of Amsterdam, remains the right venue for IBC. The RAI allows us to stage the entire event under one roof, with spaces that are flexible enough as our requirements change, and which have the functionality we require.”
What new audiences will you attract to IBC2019? “The audience for IBC is anyone who has an interest in creating and delivering media, whether that is creating it, managing it or earning revenue from it. The nature of the media industry is changing, and our audience has to reflect that, reaching out into adjacent sectors like telecoms and mobile, IT and the cloud. “One of the ways in which we broach these topics is through our three Executive Forums, which are invitation-only events aimed at a C-level audience. In the Leaders’ Forum, the Cyber Security Forum and the Telco and Media Innovation Forum we bring together the most influential and visionary people at the top of the industry, giving them an opportunity - behind closed doors - to talk about the strategic issues facing us. “We also have specific goals to ensure that women in our industry are better represented at IBC, and to attract younger people working in media. We have made great strides in our inclusivity, but there is always more to do.” Visit https://show.ibc.org
IBC 2019 PREVIEW
AT IBC2019 HARMONIC WILL DEMONSTRATE real-world deployments of its unified OTT and broadcast delivery solutions. A variety of deployment strategies will be showcased, including cloud, on-premises and hybrid environments, to demonstrate how service providers, broadcasters and content owners originate and distribute video channels smarter, faster and simpler. Harmonic’s unique approach to video delivery includes cloudbased SaaS solutions that dramatically speed up the launch of new services, including live OTT channels, increase business agility and enhance video experiences. “At IBC2019, we’re drawing from our extensive deployment experience and showcasing concrete solutions deployed in the field by leading service providers, broadcasters and content owners,” said Tim Warren, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Harmonic. “The video market is highly dynamic, and consumer demand for live OTT services is growing. Harmonic’s expansive solutions portfolio and enhancements in cloud, targeted advertisement and 8K technologies, with a SaaS business approach are designed with a sharp eye to help our customers stay one step ahead of the video evolution.”
showcase a range of unique workflows for VOS360 SaaS to launch skinny bundles, create new pop-up channels, deploy disaster recovery and stream live sports in UHD.
Virtualised, Software and Cloud Playout Solutions At IBC2019, Harmonic will demonstrate real-world deployments of hybrid SDI/IP, UHD and HDR playout and on-premises/cloud-based channel origination for OTT and broadcast workflows powered by its virtualised Spectrum X media servers and VOS360 SaaS. By supporting the SMPTE ST 2110 suite of standards and AMWA IS-04 and IS-05 specifications, Harmonic enables video content and service providers to make a smooth transition to all-IP workflows. Live Content Distribution with CDN-Enabled Primary Distribution SaaS
Unified OTT and Broadcast Delivery
Harmonic’s CDN-enabled Primary Distribution solution, a powerful workflow supported by the company’s VOS360 SaaS, will also be highlighted. With the Primary Distribution SaaS solution, programmers can deliver linear channels to distributors, whether they are traditional pay-TV operators, virtual MVPDs or local broadcasters, anywhere in the world via CDN.
Unified delivery workflows running in the cloud and on premises will be demonstrated, which offer service providers a low-latency OTT solution for multiprotocol environments to provide the same delay between broadcast and OTT feeds – key for delivering live sports. In addition, Harmonic will
Harmonic will also showcase the powerful dynamic ad insertion (DAI) capabilities in Harmonic’s video SaaS solutions. With the company’s video SaaS solutions, operators can deliver advanced targeted
Monetisation with Video SaaS for OTT and Broadcast Services
advertisements and optimise ad campaigns to deliver personalised advertisements to viewers in real time. Harmonic’s solutions provide operators and advertisers a unified approach to reach audiences over hybrid broadcast and broadband delivery networks. Future Zone Brings 8K, AI Technologies to the Forefront The company will demonstrate high-quality 8K video delivery on 8K connected TVs and legacy mobile devices with EyeQ content-aware encoding (CAE), which reduces the required bandwidth by up to 50 percent while improving quality of experience. AI-based video compression will also be demonstrated, showing how it can reduce bit rates for broadcast and IPTV delivery, improve QoE for OTT and increase density for all applications. AI Video Compression, 8K and 5G Thierry Fautier, vice president of video strategy at Harmonic, will outline the opportunities that 5G networks promise and the challenges ahead for 8K in his ‘Taking a Look at 8K and 5G Technologies’ presentation on September14 at 1:50pm. in the Future Zone Theatre (Hall 8, stand F40). Also in the Future Zone Theatre, Stephane Cloirec, Senior Director, Video Appliances at Harmonic, will speak on how ‘AI-Driven Video Compression Brings New Revenue Opportunities and Cost Savings for Service Providers’ on September 16 at 4:10pm. Visit www.harmonicinc.com
IBC 2019 PREVIEW
Harmonic Brings Real-World OTT and Broadcast
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IBC 2019 PREVIEW
IBC TV - a Showcase for IP Workflow FROM ITS HUMBLE BEGINNINGS as a basic cable-TV style operation, IBC TV has evolved into both a content and technology showcase with news from the show floor brought to viewers by the latest production and delivery platforms. This year’s IBC TV will be based in Hall 13, Stand 13.A06. IBC TV will be shot, edited and produced in HD, thanks to EVS and Grass Valley. It will be played throughout the day in HD on the stand as well as repeated regularly on the IBC Info Channel: the digital signage system around the whole convention complex. At IBC2019, EVS technology will form part of a remote live production workflow for IBC TV, the annual media, entertainment and technology show’s official channel. The IBC TV workflow incorporates multiples EVS’ newsroom solutions. Integrating with leading technology specialists Arista, Embrionix, IHSE and Adobe, EVS will help to provide a completely live IP-based production environment for the in-house news service. This is the 11th year of the EVS and IBC TV collaboration, which delivers showrelated news and interviews live to screens throughout the RAI exhibition centre and to a global audience through the IBC TV website.
IBC 2019 PREVIEW
For IBC2019, IBC TV and its data centre will be housed on booth 13.A05 in Hall 13 at RAI Amsterdam. There, EVS’ Dyvi softwaredefined switcher, which enables the rapid operation of complex, multi-layered designs at the push of a button, will be used to create the content on the screens of a virtually animated studio that is being deployed for the first time.
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“Dyvi provides the kind of intuitive, ultraresponsive creativity and control that’s simply not possible with traditional switchers,” said Gillian Kelly, Producer at IBC TV. “We look forward to seeing how this solution will impact the entire virtual studio experience.”
Four GV LDX 86 Universe cameras from Grass Valley, that combine both higher frame rates like 6X, and higher resolution for 4K UHD into one camera head, are being deployed, alongside Grass Valley’s XCU Universe UXF base stations, that support the extended bandwidth requirements of LDX 86 Series high-speed cameras. IBC TV is also leveraging a three M/E GV Korona K-Frame V-Series system that combines mid-range broadcast and media applications. As part of the channel’s bid to leverage IP technologies for flexible and agile operations, all of the Grass Valley kit is SMPTE ST2110 video over IP enabled and native SDI connected. Grass Valley kit will also be running in the IBC conference rooms throughout the RAI, including the Densité 3 Frames with audio and video processing cards to enable multiple AV formats in a single frame. All live feeds and data from Grass Valley cameras will be input directly into EVS XT-VIA live production servers over IP. The all-IP control room also houses content management tools, including EVS IPDirector, which provides a centralized application for content browsing, control, edit and playout, and live PAM tools to quickly and easily create show highlights. Editors will use EVS’ IPLink plugin to instantly access any media available on the EVS nearline media library within Adobe Premiere Pro CC editor suites. Also new this year, Broadcast Solutions’ hi app, a dedicated IP control panel, will integrate with EVS’ Score Master software-defined IP routing system and Arista IP Switch. Together the solutions will provide unparalleled routing and switching that underpin the entire IP production workflow. Visit https://evs.com/en www.grassvalley.com and http://www.ibc-tv.org/show.html
DVB to Show DVB-I, Low Latency DASH and Multicast Adaptive Bit Rate AT IBC2019, DVB WILL DEMONSTRATE how it is enabling an open standards-based approach to OTT and broadband television through its new DVB-I suite of specifications, highlighting support for low latency, enhanced service discovery, and mABR. “The DVB-I suite of specifications is quickly taking shape and will soon be ready for deployment,” said Peter MacAvock, chair of DVB. “We look forward to demonstrating the exciting capabilities of DVB-I to broadcasters and service providers at IBC2019 and discussing how we can support smooth implementation and flawless OTT services on every screen.” At IBC2019, DVB will present the world’s first showcase of DVB-I, a new suite of specifications that is designed to improve OTT delivery, providing increased scalability and cost savings with the same user-friendliness and robustness as classical broadcast delivery solutions. DVB-I enhances the viewer experience for hybrid and broadband television through advanced features like integrated channel lists, interactive content guides, and simple lean-back channel selection. DVB-I will be showcased alongside Low Latency DASH (LL-DASH) and Multicast Adaptive Bit Rate (mABR), forthcoming standards from DVB. LL-DASH, for which the technical specification has been approved, will ensure that the overall delay for live OTT channels is the equivalent to broadcast, while mABR – still in development – will allow broadcasters and network operators to work together to optimise IP-based delivery to a large number of receivers simultaneously. IBC2019 visitors will also have an opportunity to book a one-to-one consultation with experts on a wide range of DVB-related topics. A panel of specialists drawn from the DVB community will be available on the stand, providing advice and guidance on diverse topics, from physical layer transmission technology to audio and video coding, interactive services, conditional access, and more. Visit www.dvb.org
ACQUISITION & LIGHTING www.content-technology.com/acquisition
ASC President Sees Big Future for ARRI Large Format Cameras in ANZ KEES VAN OOSTRUM ASC, acclaimed DoP and President of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), recently journeyed to Australia and New Zealand for a series of masterclasses in which he shared his experiences of using the latest large format camera systems. He was also the guest of honour at the official ANZ launches of the new ARRI ALEXA Mini LF camera. As van Oostrum explained, “ARRI flew in one of the first ALEXA Mini LF cameras in the world along with their new ARRI Signature Prime lenses for the masterclasses and launch events. My job was to explain the benefits of shooting with large format cameras and how these amazing new Signature Prime lenses can truly find a look to suit all tastes.”
van Oostrum continued, “We got straight into the advantages of large format and in particular 2.40 spherical extraction which presents us with a new way to show a widescreen image as opposed to the traditional anamorphic way. We then explored the quality of the new Signature Primes and how to match them with classic lenses to create the look, feel, tones and softness that people want. This includes the adding of lens elements to the back of the Signature Primes which enables you to truly customise the look of the lenses.” During each masterclass, van Oostrum used a variety of old and classic lenses some of which were nearly 100 years-old, and many of which were uncoated. He added, “Part of the masterclass was to help the cinematographers understand how much more control you have with modern lenses. The most extreme example we demonstrated was with an uncoated lens from 1920 which had lots of unique characteristics. That said, we were able to not only recreate its look with the new Signature Primes but we also had the added advantage of now being able to change the new modern lenses at a moment’s notice.” As a highly-acclaimed cinematographer van Oostrum has worked with his fair share of cameras. So, the praise he had for the ARRI family and its newest addition the ALEXA Mini LF, was praise indeed. He said, “The Mini LF is a large format camera that can shoot full frame 2.40 spherical extraction and is reminiscent of a regular ALEXA or ALEXA Mini shooting with anamorphic without any distortion but a similar depth of field. This is
what has helped create, in fact, a new look that’s never been seen before. There’s also much less noise in the image in large format cameras which means you can afford to shoot at much higher ISOs. You also get far better results in highlights and lowlights as the sensor simply holds the image in a better way. This, in turn, also means you can get away with blowing the image up more in post without losing much quality.” van Oostrum was also complimentary about the Mini LF’s form factor and functionality in a world where doing more with less in becoming increasingly common. He added, “The Mini LF is a wonderful, small camera that feels like half the size of an ALEXA LF but with a substantial amount of its features. The improved finder on the Mini LF is excellent and gives a much better representation of the image than the previous ALEXA Mini finder. This camera has a great future ahead of it as it’s ideal for commercials and high-end long-form features. Its sensor has the identical characteristics of those ALEXA and an ALEXA LF found in a regular so now you can also shoot a hybrid format production that might, for instance, be predominantly Super 35, but with the Mini LF used for extreme wide or VFX shots.” According to ARRI Australia GM, Brett Smith, participation by the region’s top cinematographers, including presidents Ron Johanson ACS and Simon Raby NZCS, made all three masterclasses memorable. A free-flow of ideas, particularly over lens ‘looks’, replaced the traditional teacher/student structure, while Steadicam operator Pat van Weeren’s demo of large format on ARRI’s Trinity added a muchneeded dimension to the format discussions,
and ARRI lens guru Thorsten Meywald chipped in to keep the discussions ‘telecentric’. “Kees also had the pleasure of handing over one of the first pre-release Mini LFs in the world to Stefan Duscio ACS for use on The Invisible Man, currently shooting in Australia with the Mini LF and a Cinoptix ALEXA LF camera,” said Smith.
As a highly-acclaimed cinematographer van Oostrum has worked with his fair share of cameras. So, the praise he had for the ARRI family and its newest addition the ALEXA Mini LF, was praise indeed.
According to Kees van Oostrum the ARRI large format masterclasses and ALEXA Mini LF launches were a great success and as such he sees a bright future for cinematographers using this technology in Australia and New Zealand.
He concluded, “We showed in the masterclasses that when you start pushing the ISO of a super 35 camera sensor you have to stop around 1600 ASA but with the Mini LF you can easily push it as far as 3200 ASA without any apparent loss of image quality. I saw how far these Australian and New Zealand cinematographers, who are some of the best in the world, are prepared to push these cameras and lenses and all I can say is, watch this space!” Visit www.arri.com
ACQUISITION
The masterclasses and launches kicked off in Sydney before moving to Melbourne, Wellington and Auckland.
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ACQUISITION & LIGHTING
Sony Cameras and Mics Own the Sky WHEN ROCKET-OBSESSED businessman David Mayman told his old school friend Gregory Read he wanted to build a jetpack, Read – the producer, director, DoP and owner of Paper Bark Films suggested they make a documentary. So began an incredible 12 year-long journey culminating in the documentary Own the Sky, a documentary that had Sony cameras and mics at the very heart of it. As Read explained, “I first met David when I was 10, we used to make rockets in our backyards so I knew anything was possible with this guy. Making Own the Sky was an incredible 12 years of ups and many downs.” For the first ten years of filming, the crew on Own the Sky consisted mostly of one person – Gregory Read himself. He continued, “The first Sony camera I used was a small Sony PMW-EX1. This camera was compact, reliable and easy to use in all lighting conditions. In 2010, in order to have two cameras covering David’s crazy RocketBelt attempt, I also had the larger, broadcast, disc-based Sony XD with the help of Denson Baker NZCS ACS. By early 2015, I put away my well-worn EX1 and bought a Sony A7S. This compact camera was very good in low light giving me more flexibility in environments where adding lighting was not possible. With this DSLR camera I used an external recorder to record ProRes 422.”
ACQUISITION
In 2016, Read purchased a Sony PXW-FS7 for initial interviews and location shots. He continued, “The FS7 is simply a great camera which I continue to
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use today. In 2017, with the film finance in place I was able to get two great cinematographers, Jesse Brunt in the US and Australian Sam Collins, onboard for reconstruction scenes and final master interviews which we shot using the Sony F55.” The majority of Own the Sky is shot as a ‘fly on the wall’ ob-doc. This meant the Sony cameras had to perform inside and outside and, in many cases, deal with extreme highlights and shadows. According to Read, “In 12 years, no Sony camera ever let me down on this project. Even in the most punishing of environments like shooting in 40-degree heat within a gritty, concrete jet testing facility, they still performed and gave me great results.” It wasn’t just Sony cameras that sat at the heart of Own the Sky, as Read also used Sony ECM-77BMP mics with UTX-B03 belt-pack transmitters and URX-P03 portable receivers throughout the shoot, too. He explained, “A lot of the environments I shot in were extremely noisy hence a close proximity, broadcast quality Sony ECM-77BMP lapel mic made it possible for me to hear intimate dialogue
as I was shooting. I also used the lapel mics for all the interviews. “For me, the one stand-out benefit of using Sony cameras and mics was their ease of use. Own the Sky was my first experience actually shooting one of my films and the reliability and quality of the Sony products was remarkable as they performed under all sorts of extreme environments. In most instances I only had one camera capturing moments that could never be repeated. Not only did I get the moment, I also got quality images and sound that look great on the cinema screen. There were no artefacts or drop outs, just great results often in very hot, contrasty environments.” Visit www.sony.co.nz and www.sony.com.au
ACQUISITION & LIGHTING
Two New Lenses from Cooke COOKE OPTICS HAS ANNOUNCED that two new lenses will be making their worldwide debut at IBC2019, giving cinematographers and directors of photography more ways to achieve ‘The Cooke Look’ for their projects. The new S7/i Full Frame Plus T2.0 16mm prime lens is currently the widest focal length lens in the S7/i range of lenses, designed for shooting Full Frame – including up to at least the full sensor area of the RED Weapon 8K (46.31mm image circle), as well as the Sony VENICE full frame digital motion picture camera system and the ARRI ALEXA LF large format camera system. The new Anamorphic/i 135mm Full Frame Plus T2.3 joins the Anamorphic/i prime lens range bringing The Cooke Look to large format productions with anamorphic characteristics, including flare and oval bokeh These two new lenses and more will be available to view on the Cooke stand (12.D10) at IBC2019. Visit www.cookeoptics.com
4K Integrated Camera Control System AT IBC 2019, VIDEOSYS BROADCAST will showcase Epsilon, a multifunction broadcast RF camera control system that includes a fully integrated 4K decoder and receiver. Comprised of base and head modules, Epsilon is suitable for HD and 4K live sports and music events. Significantly reducing rig time and equipment count, Epsilon delivers wide area coverage in stadia, large studio environments, houses of worship and educational centres, simplifying set-up and reducing production costs. The system works seamlessly with the 4K Aeon-CC TX digital video transmitter to provide the complete 4K wireless RF system. Also launching at IBC 2019 is Videosys Broadcast’s Stagebox solution which enables the delivery of video, audio and data from A-to-B, over fibre. Using an ad-hoc commentary position as an example, Stagebox enables all the audio and video components (microphone, monitors, talkback panel) to be multiplexed onto a single SMPTE fibre cable and powered remotely. Traditionally, operators would have to run a cable for each feed. Stagebox provides crews with a swiss army knife style production tool enabling all the feeds to be connected to the base unit in the OB truck and multiplexed onto the single SMPTE fibre cable. This reduces significant rigging time and costs. Stagebox can also be used for the lighting director’s position or in a small remote studio. The system can manage four video and four audio signals in each direction, which can be selected from a small screen. Additional features include a monitoring output and talkback. Visit https://videosys.tv
Egripment Presents Motion Tracker AT IBC2019, EGRIPMENT SUPPORT SYSTEMS will be showcasing several new systems for product automation and augmented reality. The Egripment Digital Line of Remote Heads just added a new feature making it possible to track moving objects or subjects and send the 3D position data to the Remote System allowing it to follow it automatically. The real-time data provided ensures that the camera can follow its object or subjects accurately. Egripment’ s Camera Based Tracking System can constantly track moving objects or subjects without necessity of calibrating the camera in real world. The complexity of the system and processing time is less due to the unnecessary camera unit conversions and calibrations. The system consists of two subsystems: vision and motion.
The objective of the vision control is to make sure that the moving object is always at the centre of the camera image plane. The system imitates eye tracking ability of a human when he always tends to focus on moving object within the range of its view before any action is taken. Visit https://egripment.com
ACQUISITION
The vision subsystem identifies and locates the object in 3D scene by means of image processing techniques and motion control algorithms direct the camera towards the object.
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ACQUISITION & LIGHTING
Production Solutions from Vitec at IBC BUSINESS UNITS FROM ALL ACROSS the Vitec Group will be hitting IBC2019 with new and improved production solutions. From Anton/Bauer comes Titon, a series of V-Mount or Gold Mount batteries designed for on-location productions. Offered in both 90Wh and 150Wh models, Titon powers the leading HD-DSLR, mirrorless, ENG, and digital cine cameras as well as LED panels. With P-TAP and high-speed Smart USB ports, Titon can also power accessories such as wireless transmitters, monitors, and smart devices. Using the onboard LCD screen or the camera’s viewfinder display, Titon users know the exact runtime and remaining available power for the devices being powered. LITEPANELS GEMINI The new Gemini 1×1 Soft is an all-in-one, cine-quality LED light that is easy to transport and quick to rig in the studio or on location. As a true RGBWW soft panel, Gemini 1×1 Soft offers full-spectrum colour adjustment. Gemini 1×1 Soft is ideal for lighting talent and rendering skin tones, enabling users to match a broad range of ambient lighting conditions quickly and easily. In addition, Gemini 1×1 Soft provides an extensive choice of control options with intuitive onboard controls as well as remote control through wired or wireless DMX or Bluetooth. Weighing in at just 5.31 kilograms, and with a maximum draw of just 200W, Gemini 1×1 Soft delivers flicker-free performance at any frame rate, shutter angle, or intensity, and with smooth dimming from 100 percent to 0.1 percent.
StarTracker module, offering an absolute-reference tracking system for floor-roaming pedestal combinations. Also on display will be the new virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/AR) solution for Vinten’s curved floor and ceiling tracks. A collaboration between Vinten, dolly manufacturer Tecnopoint, and Vizrt, the VR/AR option brings virtual set graphics together with the eye-catching camera movements and angles of Vinten’s curved floor and ceiling tracks. As the first curved track solution for the Vizrt graphics engine, the new VR/AR solution takes tracking data from the dolly, then uses an algorithm to calculate the position of the camera on the curved tracks and communicate it back to Vizrt. A new sequencing control option for Vinten’s robotic pedestals and pan-and-tilt heads enables curved movements for creating brand-building signature shots. Delivered through the latest version of Vinten’s HD-VRC control software, this new functionality enables operators to take the camera through a non-linear visual flow according to a series of user-defined waypoints. SACHTLER AND VINTEN FLOWTECH TRIPOD SYSTEMS At IBC2019, Sachtler and Vinten will also feature flowtech75 and flowtech100 tripods together with optional accessories for added stability and support, such as removable midlevel and ground spreaders, standard and studio dollies, carry handles, and rubber feet. These features combine to offer broadcasters, ENG teams, DPs, and independent filmmakers an innovative tripod solution for capturing images in the most rugged production environments.
VINTEN ROBOTICS
AUTOSCRIPT WINPLUS-IP
The new FH-155 is a robotic/manual pan-and-tilt head designed to support heavy payloads with a maximum payload capacity of 70 kilograms/155 pounds. The FH155 combines sophisticated software and mechanical engineering to enable exceptionally accurate, smooth, and quiet movements. In addition, the FH-155 is the industry’s first pan-and-tilt head with an option for a fully integrated
Visit https://www.vitec.com
Autoscript is set to release new features within its WinPlus-IP Intelligent Prompting software which offers a fully IP-enabled workflow that can also accommodate video workflows. The new features harness the power of IP to enhance remote production and studio workflows.
The Sachtler-VInten flowtech100 Carbon-Fibre Tripod.
Ross to Display Complete Camera Motion System Range ROSS VIDEO WILL BE ATTENDING the forthcoming IBC2019 exhibition in Amsterdam with its full range of camera motion system solutions, including the all-new SkyDolly ceiling-mounted dolly. The company is also launching version 5 of the SmartShell robotics control system, updated to include MotionDirector technology on all Furio robotics products.
ACQUISITION
“NAB Show 2019 saw Ross launch the world’s first 3-wheeled ceiling dolly that safely sits above the rails rather than hanging below them; SkyDolly is a beautifully engineered product and it received a very positive reception at the show,” says Bruce Takasaki, Marketing Product Manager for Camera Motion Systems at Ross Video. “Ceiling-mounted systems open up new creative possibilities and SkyDolly has been designed to lead the market in terms of safety, stability and feature-set. Unlike other ceiling-mounted products, SkyDolly is fast, smooth and can carry a full-size prompter. If a ceiling-mounted system is not right for you, however, we still have the most comprehensive range of rail and pedestal robotic solutions available.”
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SmartShell, meanwhile, is an intuitive control system that combines a touchscreen interface with an ergonomic joystick control panel, enabling customers to operate their Ross robotic systems through a single control platform using a centralised ethernet-based architecture. New for IBC 2019, the latest version 5 of SmartShell contains a MotionDirector firmware update for all Furio products.
MotionDirector is a new motion control algorithm that provides superior smoothness and more precise control, helping Furio deliver the most natural-looking camera movements, Ross Video’s SkyDolly ceiling-mounted dolly. even in demanding dynamic environments. As well as improving the look and feel of moving shots by always ensuring smooth start and stop movements, MotionDirector offers even greater flexibility by providing the ability to make manual camera adjustments and/or duration changes (‘time dilation’) via the joystick panel while the dolly dolly is in motion. Visit www.rossvideo.com
ACQUISITION
ACQUISITION & LIGHTING
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SPORTSCASTING Sport coverage worldwide
www.content-technology.com/sportscasting
Tabcorp Streams in HD with Sky Racing Active App AUSTRALIA’S TABCORP HAS LAUNCHED the Sky Racing Active app allowing live streaming of race fixtures in HD, as well as VOD replays, the ability to create “playlists” and to receive alerts. Free and in beta until October, the Sky Racing Active app is compatible with Apple iPhone, iPad running iOS 9.x or later, and Android operating system version 6.x or above. The Sky Racing Active app will give users access to Sky Racing’s live and on demand racing content across Thoroughbreds, Greyhounds and Harness, including coverage from New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and International racing. It also includes TV programming, as well as race replays and historical archives on-demand. Due to rights restrictions, Victoria and South Australian Thoroughbred racing is not included in Sky Racing Active. The app and its content is also geo-blocked and restricted to Australian access only due to underlying rights restrictions. Beta Access is currently free for 60 days until 7th October 2019, from activation date. Tabcorp says it will announce details of arrangements beyond the trial date closer to the end of the beta period. The company says it may offer subscription or additional account tier access. App features include: • Favourites – allowing users to follow their favourite racing events • Playlist – shows fixtures users are following for next 48hrs • Users can swipe between different live racing channels • There is also a “Sky Active Channel” featuring a curated “best of” the day’s racing across scheduled content, codes and markets. In between live scheduled races, users will see information for the upcoming race on each channel, the top right corner of the screen will show the number of minutes until the next race start. Below the screen (in portrait mode) to the right of ‘Up Next’, users can also click on ‘View Schedule’ to see all races scheduled for the day. Each race event also shows the time to the race start.
SPORTSCASTING
As Sky Racing Active uses a scheduling automation system based on industry triggers, audio may be muted during race mounting yard and gate loading until race caller audio is available (approximately 20-30 seconds from race jump depending on race event).
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The Sky Racing Active app will send users an in-app alert based on their Playlist items, four minutes out from scheduled race start time. They can join the stream in progress at this time or
come back later to enjoy the race action. Race Replays will be available approx. 10 minutes after the completion of a race event and will be available in the Playlist section. According to Dennis Dovale, Senior Manager Technology (Media Division) at Tabcorp, the app’s development was prompted by a desire to take advantage of OTT delivery. “We’re looking to get into the OTT space,” says Dovale. “For us it’s an emerging market. Digital is king and we thought we needed to lead the way with regards to what we do and how we do it. So, we’ve launched the new app. It’s currently running eight different channels of content. The advantage for us is we can split our time. Our biggest problem is time. We don’t have enough time in the day. So, the advantage of what we do now is we actually give everyone a bit more time across the app. Each code receives a lot more time pre the race and post the race. Traditionally, it would be 90 seconds out before a race and ride out 30 seconds. So, we’re running now 10 minutes in, 10 minutes out across some of the codes depending on what’s on. “The app also then has a lot of really rich data for us. We’re a wagering business, but what makes horse racing cool is the fact that it uses a lot of data for people to make value decisions on making bet. They do a lot of research. And, so, the app is full of really valuable information. You can go back and look at the last five runs of horses, you can identify horses, jockeys, types of racing or the venues that you like and you can mark them as your favourites and then it will notify you. A good part of the app is people who work all day, every day, you can’t sit and watch television all the time
so what we’ve done, we’ve given you the ability to build yourself a playlist. “You can go through the day, look at what you want to do, identify the racing or the tracks or the horses or the jockeys you want to watch and then the app will call you five minutes out. You’ll be able to click on the link and it’ll take you straight into the streams.” As with Sky’s traditional channels, minimising latency is of paramount importance for the new app, given the tie-in with the wagering side of the business. “There is an issue around latency,” says Dovale. “We’re currently running a latency of about 12 to 15ms, it just depends on when we join the stream. A couple of things we’re working on to resolve that. Within our current CDN Akamai, we’re working on MSL4 and we’re looking at chunked streaming. This should bring our latency down to about five seconds, which is pretty much on par with our satellite delivery. So that’s something we’re working really hard on at the moment. “As long as we’re consistent with our latency because the way they work is if there is a five second latency, they will deal with the five seconds. If the latency continues to change, that cocks them around because they can’t then really understand when the racing is closing. So as long as we’re consistent with what we do and we’re working on a bunch of things to make sure that’s the case.” In delivering the app, Sky has drawn heavily on technology from Vizrt. According to technology consultant Tom Kennedy, Sky was looking to leverage existing automation to power the new service.
SPORTSCASTING “Ultimately, we wanted to look at how we did this differently from our linear channels,” says Kennedy. “So, we looked at the automation feature of how we virtually tie into our existing station routers, how we use our Quad and Viz engines differently and really automate this from a workflow point of view right through to our encoding to the application platform. So, building on existing infrastructure that Dennis and the team have already put in place and then enhancing that with some new Viz products as we go. “So, we’re using two dual Viz quad box solutions which are driving the eight-channel stack. These are two Quad P6000s with Matrox HD video codec cards. It gives us both SDI and IP outputs times four across each engine and, of course, gives us eight channels of full frame data with CG and live video input and DV effect as we need. “We obviously have a range of Viz scenes for our markets and our racing data that you’ve seen on traditional channels and they flow through into our OTT channels as well. And we have a custom software workflow that the team has developed with the broadcast team. Then that feeds into our application middleware stack which is all in AWS, which essentially is a low-balance product using various traditional tools that house both our linear vision that comes out of our broadcast environment, marries it with the data flow and the scheduling, marries it with customer playlist management and then delivers that individually to the customer’s device through that process and the customers come in through their various device layer and Akamai, obviously, are CDN as we go through. So, it’s really about tying that best of
breed digital delivery and scaling it for large usage environments as we do get into with peak racing.” Despite the app being in beta with its first week seeing over15,000 downloads, Dennis Dovale says work is being done on even more features.
The Sky Racing Active app will give users access to Sky Racing’s live and on demand racing content across Thoroughbreds, Greyhounds and Harness, including coverage from New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and International racing.
“Some of the stuff will be what we call black book,” he says, “which is the function where you can go in and build your playlist and your playlist will then show up in the wagering app which makes it really easy for you to be able to spend the time, go through the data, identify what you want to identify and the have that ability to go very easily in if you want to make a play, or you want to do any wagering. You can just go and pick up that information. You don’t have to add it into apps twice. So that’s a really cool function. “We’re also looking at adding multiple channels. We’re working really closely with our partners at the moment and this app’s really built about our
Sky Racing’s Dennis Dovale.
relationships with our partners, being able to offer them much more time that we can’t do across our other channels, give them the ability for them to feature their own racing and to feature parade rings, all of that sort of stuff, and post-race interviews and jockey talks and stuff like that. So, we’re really, really happy with what we’re doing, where it’s going and we’re really looking forward to what it’s going to be.” Visit www.skyracingactive.com.au
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IP BROADCAST READY SOFTWARE-DEFINED IP-ROUTING
AUSTRALIA www.proaudiotv.com.au P: 02 9476 1272 E: sales@proaudiotv.com.au
NEW ZEALAND www.proaudiotv.co.nz P: +64 0800 002 417 E: sales@proaudiotv.co.nz
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PROCESSING & MULTI-VIEWING PLATFORM
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Autonomous Cameras Lead EVS’ Lean Production Push
AT IBC2019 (STAND 8.B90) EVS WILL PRESENT its future lean production solutions offering live production standards accessible at lower operational costs. Full IP interoperability and integration with third-party tools are also inherent in all new EVS solutions and updates.
highlights and dynamic live productions quickly and cost effectively. With X-One’s intuitive user interface, a single operator can do live switching, create replays, control audio, create and insert graphics, play back content and now create highlights.
IBC attendees will see the launch of a new automated multi-camera positioning and framing system that analyses the images of robotic camera feeds in real time and guides these cameras toward the live action with the appropriate zoom. Designed and tested to precisely mimic the movements of human camera operators, the solution uses machine learning enabled by VIA Mind, EVS’ AIdriven functionalities and assistance component that assists operators to focus more creatively through the automation of certain tasks.
New Centralised and Flexible Ingest Solution
The new solution integrates with the EVS X-One unified production system for ‘lean production’. X-One ingests up to six camera feeds, no matter the source - humanly operated cameras, autonomous cameras or a mix of both - enabling low-cost, broadcast-standard live productions of small and mid-sized events.
Through an intuitive HTML 5 web interface, the solution controls and schedules live feeds ingested directly into the XS-NEO server, shortening production cycles and increasing productivity. The solution natively writes onto third-party storage as well as to the Avid Interplay production management workflow solution, so content can be edited in post-production during recording and as a multi-camera sequence with easy-to-find
The latest version of EVS’ unified production system X-One enables a single operator to produce
Leveraging EVS’ new XS-NEO software-defined server and IPD-VIA Ingest app, one of the first applications for the VIA platform, the new solution provides fast, simple ingest with dynamic, concurrent support of multiple formats, codecs and frame-rates. The software-based server is hosted on EVS’ reliable PMR processing module and embraces all of the benefits of IP connectivity, while supporting SDI-based productions and also delivering EVS’ loop recording technology to users.
metadata that reduces search time. EVS will also unveil the latest iteration of its Dyvi software-defined switcher which now features a PMY processing module that supports both SDI and IP for hybrid SDI/IP connectivity and operation in multiple formats, including UHD-4K and 1080p. Demonstrations on stand 8.B90 will highlight how the XT-VIA and XS-VIA live production servers offer more capacity and greater flexibility to produce content in multiple formats including Full HD 1080p, UHD-4K and HDR, as well as enabling the upscaling of 1080p content to UHD-4K for playout. And with the new Multicam 16.2 software engine, which the servers run on, users now also benefit from an onboard SDR/HDR multiviewer that provides them with greater clarity and control. Both the XT-VIA and XS-VIA servers have passed the JT-NM SMPTE ST 2110 tests. The EVS servers have also seen their capabilities extended with the introduction of XNet-VIA, EVS’ high-speed ethernet-based media sharing network. This new network facilitates ultra-fast and bidirectional sharing of high-resolution and super motion content between both XT-VIA and XS-VIA servers. Visit https://evs.com
Tedial to Launch SMARTLIVE MULTI SPORT Configurations TEDIAL, THE INDEPENDENT MAM technology solutions specialist, will unveil new features to its sports and live events solution, SMARTLIVE, on stand 8.B44 at IBC 2019. The company will also unveil upgrades to its Tedial Version Factory 2019 for the first time in Europe. New for IBC 2019, SMARTLIVE will feature MULTI SPORT configurations, which allow users to generate automatic highlights or auto-clipping for any genre of sport quickly and easily. Agnostic to all data feeds, Tedial’s metadata engine makes it simple to add new configurations to the system as and when required. In addition, SMARTLIVE and Tedial’s Evolution MAM now includes a new module that allows all types of content to be published to any social network in just one click. Enabled by the system’s capability to create social publishing campaigns directly inside the MAM, content includes clips, highlights or historical media etc. Tedial will also highlight its technology
partnership with Speechmatics. By integrating Speechmatics’ Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) technology with SMARTLIVE, operators can search for comments made during a sporting match or live event, automatically create file locators and import a file or drop it into a watch folder and manually generate the speech-to-text from the commentary track.
Using the company’s Version Factory and HYPER IMF, its end-to-end IMF workflow now supporting 2018 SMPTE IMF standards, Tedial can easily support existing and new platforms, delivering content in the correct format with audio tracks and subtitles in the correct language, as well as any additional components required (artwork/trailers etc.).
The company will also show Tedial Version Factory 2019 upgrades for the first time in Europe. Tedial Version Factory is a single efficient and cost-effective workflow that supports millions of file inputs, transforming them to delivery configurations, ready to be distributed to multiple platforms from a single operator screen. Updates include, managing ‘on-the-fly’ assembly of unique versions, including pre, post and midroll insertions; matching contractual distribution requirements for timely deliveries; enabling IMFcompliant low-resolution proxy edits on media and templates, so seasons of episodes can be managed with a single configuration.
As part of Tedial’s Evolution MAM demonstration the company will also show new features to its Evolution aSTORM content management solution, which transparently manages various tiers across departments and locations or in the cloud. aSTORM now includes numerous costsaving features including, optimising transfers between sites for reduced transfer costs; and improved tape migration workflows between technologies for increased resource efficiency resulting in lower migration costs. aSTORM also now supports Oracle cloud storage.
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SMPTE2110-30/31
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Dejero Goes the Distance with IRONMAN Australia
IRONMAN is one of the leading mass sports brands in the world, consisting of over 260 events across 44 countries including long (IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3) and short (Sprint and Olympic) distance triathlons, mountain bike stage racing, road cycling and running, both marathon and trail. One of those events is the IRONMAN Australia, which takes place yearly on the Australian east coast.
The 2019 IRONMAN Australia took place in the New South Wales centre of Port Macquarie and captured not only local attention, but also a worldwide social media and live streaming audience, who joined the local spectators to watch the athletes live and in-the-moment, across various social channels. Live webcasting and streaming specialists Next-Up Digital were tasked with finding a solution for IRONMAN Oceania who is the team responsible for covering the event creative and production. They landed on Dejero’s EnGo mobile transmitter and a 4-channel WayPoint receiver to help them tell their “Anything Is Possible” story! The IRONMAN course is not only daunting for athletes - who need to swim 3.8 km, bike 180 km, and run 42.2 km - but also demanding for the production team who have to follow and capture live coverage of moving athletes. They needed a solution that allowed for reliable, high-quality, and mobile live content capturing. Traditional forms of broadcasting, such as RF and microwave, would not be a reliable solution for the crew with over 10 hours of live racing to cover through various terrain. This also applied to the technology needed to deliver footage live to Facebook’s live streaming platform, Facebook Watch, which gained over 1.5 million views. The team wanted to give viewers the best live viewing experience possible and these traditional forms of broadcasting just wouldn’t cut it. Stephen Kane, production manager of IRONMAN Oceania in Australia and New Zealand, is responsible for organizing, arranging and delivering all forms of video production for all the sports and events. “Our events have been broadcast on various channels over the years, and we currently distribute content through many international TV networks, local domestic television networks and largely on Facebook Watch/Live,” noted Kane. “IRONMAN Australia has the added challenge of a large field of nonprofessional athletes all competing on the same course at the same time,” added Stephen. “Our live coverage focuses on the lead males and females, which include roughly 40 athletes at peak times, but you need to take in to account the 3,500 other athletes that are out there too. The safety of our athletes, staff, and crew is of primary concern. Broadcast is secondary but is also equally important. Having a well-planned out process is obviously required.”
SPORTSCASTING
ALL TERRAIN BROADCASTING
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There’s no doubt that Dejero’s EnGo mobile transmitter had a place to shine in this case given its Smart Blending Technology which offers blending solutions in cellular, Wi-Fi, and satellite networks. This format allows production teams to reliably broadcast live and on the go, minimizing any impact of poor network coverage or other interferences (e.g. poor weather). A Dejero exclusive solution, the Smart Blending Technology’s claim to fame is the ability to blend multiple IP connections into one high-throughput virtual network and manage the fluctuating bandwidth and latency interferences in real-time to deliver footage with speed and reliability. “Knowing we were always going to be working within a mobile broadcast environment, the most important thing for us was the technical delivery
and access to a network that could support our needs,” Stephen explained. “Prior to the event, it was imperative that we went into this production knowing where our coverage issues may appear, as we were widely relying on mobile networks. Moving through various mobile coverage zones, repeaters and antennas was always going to be a challenge and Dejero helped us overcome these with ease.” Dejero solutions include equipment featuring the Smart Blending connectivity software, connectivity services, and access to Dejero’s virtual network. Everything is managed in the cloud and backed by industry-leading support. Given the nature of broadcasting and content production, it’s quite attractive to know that in addition to fast and reliable solutions, there is a team of experts readily available to connect for support, 24/7. For Stephen, choosing Dejero was the right decision made by Next-Up Digital to offer a more reliable output in a more costeffective manner for the IRONMAN Oceania team.
The IRONMAN course is not only daunting for athletes - who need to swim 3.8 km, bike 180 km, and run 42.2 km but also demanding for the production team who have to follow and capture live coverage of moving athletes. They needed a solution that allowed for reliable, high-quality, and mobile live content capturing.
“Using Dejero was easy, I sat back and watched the magic happen. If there were challenges, the team overcame them and when our crew needed further assistance, it was comforting knowing that we had the support of Dejero themselves, 24 hours a day, to add an additional layer of technical support.”
“Dejero has helped simply by its reliability,” concluded Stephen. “Mobile broadcasting has come a long way over the years and it will become more and more of a need for our business, as will Dejero. Dejero is stable, reliable, and flexible and it delivered beautifully during IRONMAN Australia.” The live broadcast of IRONMAN Australia reached over 1.5 million viewers in the first day and grew as the world woke up to the event. Visit www.dejero.com
NEWS OPERTAIONS OPERATIONS www.content-technology.com/newsoperations
Lip-Sync Analysis and Alignment App will launch ‘MatchBox Glass’, a new and free iOS App for near instant lip-sync alignment of mics and cameras at IBC this year (Stand 2.C11). Hitomi Broadcast Director Russell Johnson said, “MatchBox Glass enables quick and reliable camera line-up into truck, remote production facility or in newsgathering applications. By simply holding up an iPhone or iPad, running the Glass App in shot, allows our analyser to instantly verify camera and mic timing alignment. Glass reduces a time consuming and error prone process to a matter of seconds.” MatchBox is already used by broadcasters worldwide to ensure the timing of live sports, news and events, but until now has not been able to measure the paths through cameras and mics themselves. By putting a perfectly timed source in view, the analyser can measure exactly what delays have occurred to the pictures and sound. Not only that, you can point two cameras at the same iPhone and measure the latency difference between them. This is especially useful where significant delays through wireless links are involved.
MatchBox Glass offers greater convenience and flexibility by being a free, downloadable App for anyone using an iOS-based device. Smarter and more accurate than a clapper board and removing the subjective nature of a tap test. The additional option for its companion MatchBox Analyser is also being introduced at IBC. The MatchBox Analyser tool is typically situated in a master control room, studio or OB vehicle. It looks and listens for the specific Hitomi video and audio signatures produced by the hardware MatchBox Generator or MatchBox Glass App. The measurement performed by the analyser is very fast - just a few seconds - and highly effective, vastly speeding up the process and ultimately helping to eliminate the headaches and frustrations of last-minute lip-sync issues. Among its multiple sync and analysis capabilities, MatchBox is also a 4K test pattern generator. Visit www.hitomi-broadcast.tv
AAP Factcheck Partners with Facebook AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS (AAP) has
expanded the scope of its dedicated factchecking unit, partnering with Facebook to combat the spread of misinformation on the social media platform.
The Australian independent news agency set up AAP FactCheck ahead of the NSW state election in March this year, and after a second successful trial during the federal election, committed to running a permanent, independent and free fact-checking service. AAP FactCheck will continue to scrutinise statements presented as fact by public figures via the mainstream media, and retains full editorial independence under the unit’s newly appointed editor, Peter Trute. As Facebook’s first local Australian media partner, AAP FactCheck will now apply its rigorous editorial practices to falsehoods circulating on social media. Facebook uses a combination of machine learning, human review and community reporting to help identify potentially problematic text, video and images for review by third-party fact-checking partners across the globe.
AAP FactCheck focuses on the veracity of the content most relevant to Australians, and after arriving at an evidence-based verdict, applies one of nine designated ratings. A false, misleading or mixed rating will result in that content being paired with the relevant AAP FactCheck article and reduced in Facebook’s News Feed. People who try to share the problematic content, or who have previously shared it, are also notified of the factcheck outcome. “AAP FactCheck has always been committed to improving accuracy and accountability in public debate. Now we are applying that standard to a whole new content set, reaching more people than ever before,” Mr Trute said. Having worked for more than 20 years in the media in roles covering general news, science, the environment and business, Mr Trute was a senior writer for AAP’s National Bureau before his promotion to AAP Finance Editor. AAP FactCheck is published through AAP Newswire, Apple News and on a dedicated website, factcheck.aap.com.au. Visit https://factcheck.aap.com.au
Weather Bureau to Use Cloud UNISYS CORPORATION HAS ANNOUNCED that
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology has awarded the company a contract to design, build and manage new secure cloud infrastructure and an upgraded Wide Area Network (WAN) to better support current services and indirectly provide a modern operating environment. The three-year contract is valued at approximately AUD$16.48 million (approximately US$11.5 million), with options for multiple extensions with a total maximum term of not more than nine years and was awarded in the second quarter of 2019. The Bureau of Meteorology is Australia’s national weather, climate and water agency. Its expertise and services assist Australians in dealing with the harsh realities of their natural environment, including drought, floods, fires and tropical cyclones. Through regular forecasts, warnings, monitoring and advice spanning the Australian region and Antarctic territory, the Bureau provides one of the most fundamental and widely-used services of government. Visit www.unisys.com.au and www.bom.gov.au
NEWS OPERATIONS
HITOMI BROADCAST, MANUFACTURER OF THE MatchBox audio video alignment toolbox,
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NEWS OPERATIONS
5G-Enabled Solutions from LiveU
AT IBC2019, LIVEU will present its portfolio of 5G-enabled solutions for live newsgathering and dynamic sports coverage for every type of event. Looking towards the 2020 games in Tokyo, LiveU is already gearing up to support hundreds of customers with its award-winning HEVC technology.
LiveU’s flagship LU600 4K HEVC portable transmission solution’s latest HEVC 4K-SDI edition facilitates professional 4Kp50/60 streaming for top-quality production, supporting VR and 360 applications. The compact, robust LU300 HEVC unit for live streaming. The LU300 can also serve as a standalone video encoder or be used as a LiveU DataBridge mobile hotspot for general connectivity in the field. The 1U 4K HEVC rackmount LU610 encoder is designed for vehicles and fixed locations. Based on LiveU’s LU600 4K HEVC technology, it offers the a hybrid solution for SNG trucks, point-to-point and point-to-multipoint distribution. LiveU is also showcasing the latest Remote AtHome Production applications for sports and live event producers, including: • Tally Light – bringing the ease of the live studio experience to the field, this important new tool enables field reporters to know instantly when they’re live on air via a red-light indicator connected to a LiveU unit. • LiveU Graphics – an easy-to-use professional cloud production tool for adding dynamic
NEW
graphics to live streams. Users can simply select from ready-to-use graphic templates or create their own design and stream directly to any social media or CDN. • AV sync and support for up to eight audio channels • LiveU Control – enabling simple remote control of LiveU units via smartphones With precision measurement of end-to-end delay, LiveU’s Remote At-Home Production allows more events to be covered with simplified logistics and reduced costs. Multi-camera live events can be produced from a centralised studio control room instead of costly on-site production and satellite trucks. Meanwhile, LiveU AI offers a story-centric AI service for global newsgathering. The complete service, powered by newsbridge, offers a comprehensive set of contribution and AI-based video indexing tools for enriching, searching and accessing live or file-based content. Operating within the LiveU Central cloud management platform, LiveU AI will enable editors to search and find their required footage faster than ever, easing their daily workload and making real-time production much more efficient. LiveU will also be demonstrating its new LiveU Central feature, Single Sign On (SSO) for secure user management, integrated with the customer’s active directory or Identity as a Service (IDaaS). Lastly, LiveU Matrix is LiveU’s next-generation IP video distribution platform, recently selected by
CBS Newspath. Matrix provides a highly efficient content curation service, empowering newsroom managers to quickly and easily give hundreds of affiliates unparalleled access to live feeds from LiveU units in the field and other sources without any interruption, additional resources, or expensive fees. Matrix is also ideal for sports producers looking to live stream events easily and cost-effectively to multiple destinations and TV stations. Visit www.liveu.tv
New Major Walkley Bequest for Oz Journalism MORE THAN 60 YEARS after Australia’s Walkley Awards for journalism were established, a second member of the Walkley family has made a bequest to support the craft. New Zealand-born oil industry leader, Sir William Gaston Walkley, set up the prize celebrating Australia’s best journalism. Now, the Foundation has received an AUD$1 million bequest from Sir William’s sister-in-law, June Andrews, who died in 2017. According to Walkley Foundation chief executive, Louisa Graham, “It allows us to sustain the Foundation and continue our work investing in the industry through awards, grants, a digital archive of Walkley-winning stories, scholarships and mentorships.” Visit www.walkleys.com
EnGo 260
The world’s most durable and versatile mobile transmitter just got better • Patented Smart Blending Technology intelligently combines multiple network connections to deliver enhanced reliability • 85% larger screen • 30% lighter • 120 minute internal rechargeable battery • Unique content adaptive encoding automatically adapts to scene complexity • Global modems simplifies international travel • Advanced RF design for superior performance
NEWS OPERATIONS
• Professional grade mini-XLR for IFB
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Learn more about the new EnGo 260 by visiting dejero.com/engo STAND 11.C15
NEWS OPERATIONS
5G Solutions and SMPTE ST 2110 Support from Dejero DEJERO IS SHOWCASING ITS LATEST 5G-ready solutions, SMPTE 2110 support, return video solutions, CellSat blended connectivity, IronRoute for media content distribution solution, and GateWay connectivity at the upcoming IBC2019 show, stand 11.C15. The latest version of Dejero’s EnGo mobile transmitter, which is now 5G-ready, features more processing power to deliver unique content adaptive encoding technology and HEVC compression to provide even better picture quality in a wider variety of scenarios. Dejero EnGo now automatically adapts to content complexity as it is captured and supports up to 20 Mb/s bitrate for live transmissions and 1080p 50/60. Additional enhancements to Dejero’s mobile transmitter line-up will be made at the show. Dejero’s CuePoint 100 low-latency rack-mounted return feed server simplifies talent cueing, production and confidence monitoring, and real-time teleprompting in the field. With as little as 250 milliseconds of latency, CuePoint keeps teams at the broadcast facility and remote location synchronised, by sending video and audio, alongside teleprompting feeds, to production teams in the field to facilitate the creation of compelling live content. Up to eight return video and teleprompting feeds from the broadcast centre can be seen in the field by the talent on a tablet or dedicated monitor above or below the camera, or on multiple mobile devices by camera operators, field directors and technicians. The Dejero WayPoint 204 receiver makes the IP transition easier for broadcasters embracing the SMPTE ST 2110 suite of standards. As the first Dejero product to support SMPTE ST 2110 standards for professional media industries, WayPoint 204 reconstructs video transported over multiple IP connections from Dejero transmitters, decodes HEVC or AVC, delivers four channels of balanced IFB, and provides four outputs supporting SMPTE ST 2110. IronRoute offers a robust solution tailored to the needs of broadcasters and media organisations by combining the link diversity, service quality, and centralised management benefits of software-defined blended connectivity, with the flexibility and scalability benefits of a cloud-based workflow for cost-effective global distribution. IronRoute blends broadband, cellular (3G/4G/5G), and satellite connectivity from Intelsat’s global network. The cloud-based solution also simplifies the simultaneous distribution of live and file-based content to multiple locations anywhere in the world, whether it be network affiliates, station groups, or to other broadcasters and media organisations in point-topoint, point-to-multipoint, and multipoint-to-multipoint scenarios with a simple drag and drop interface in a web browser. Access to reliable connectivity has become even more critical for contribution and distribution. New features added to the Dejero GateWay solution include reliable connectivity on any type of IP connection and faster file transfer methods. Dejero will also show how the GateWay solution can be used for backup connectivity as part of a disaster recovery plan, and other use cases that solve first- and lastmile connectivity challenges of broadcasters and media organisations. Visit www.dejero.com
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POST PRODUCTION www.content-technology.com/postproduction
NZ’s The Rebel Fleet Picks Quantum for Remote Post-Production
QUANTUM CORP HAS ANNOUNCED that New Zealand-based The Rebel Fleet has deployed a Quantum StorNext storage solution to meet the rigorous digital workflow service demands of a large-scale film project. The Quantum Xcellis and QXS storage solution enabled The Rebel Fleet to support real-time processes involving highresolution content in the field while maintaining a small footprint. It also was configured to be used in a mobile rig, rendering 150 frames of footage per second in three different formats and supporting real-time colour grading.
The Rebel Fleet provides a wide range of digital workflow services for television and film production crews, including on-location colour correction and quality control, archiving, content delivery, and more. When a major Hollywood studio was recently preparing for principle photography for a live action film project set in New Zealand and China, The Rebel Fleet proposed a full range of digital workflow services, including conducting initial colour grading and quality control, archiving content to digital tape, creating mezzanine and proxy formats for post-production, and uploading clips to the web for immediate review by the director and other stakeholders. The solution had to be mobile, and therefore dense from the perspective of both performance and capacity.
The Rebel Fleet’s remote production rig on location.
“In the past, we had used direct-attached storage as part of our rigs,” says Michael Urban, founder and managing director at The Rebel Fleet. “But to manage the digital workflows for this new film, and to support onset processing of high-resolution media, we needed higher-performance shared storage.” To evaluate various technologies, The Rebel Fleet turned to Factorial, a Quantum partner with expertise in designing digital workflow solutions for broadcast and post-production studios. “When The Rebel Fleet team started to look at the next performance level up for their unique needs, we suggested they take a look at Quantum storage,” said Tim Benson, director and technology evangelist at Factorial. “Instead of focusing on capacity or bandwidth, we talked about workflow. And that discussion centered on the benefits of the Quantum StorNext platform.” The Rebel Fleet chose Quantum Xcellis workflow storage with Quantum QXS hybrid storage systems for online and nearline storage. High-performance storage based on the StorNext file accelerated colour grading. This ultimately made the entire production process run much more efficiently. “Our colourist has been working on large-scale projects for years, and he had never experienced the performance he achieved with this environment,” says Urban.
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High-performance storage also enabled fast rendering.
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“With the Quantum solution, we were able to crank out 150 frames of footage per second in three different formats while also supporting real-time colour grading,” says Urban. “Overall, this
Rebel Fleet remote production rig archictecture.
online environment delivered 6 GB per second of throughput. It was very impressive, and it helped us meet tight turnaround times.” The StorNext platform enabled the Factorial team to scale the ingest volume, doubling its size from 200 to 400 TB, without interrupting the shooting schedule. When the production team started shooting more than they had planned, Factorial was able to add storage without disturbing previously ingested data still residing in the environment. System reliability is particularly important on a remote location where support personnel are miles away, and the Quantum system exceeded The
Rebel Fleet’s reliability expectations. The positive experience with Quantum storage on the major studio film led The Rebel Fleet to acquire additional Quantum systems. The company deployed another Xcellis system for television and commercial workflows, and it has standardized on StorNext and Xcellis for all high-performance needs going forward. “StorNext has changed the way we work,” says Urban. “It provides the performance we need plus the flexibility to support a wide variety of creative tools and processes. With StorNext, we are completely unconstrained.” Visit www.quantum.com and www.rebelfleet.co.nz
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Red Giant’s VFX Suite for Adobe After Effects RED GIANT’S VFX SUITE is the company’s latest suite of keying, tracking, clean-up and visual effects compositing tools which can be used all right inside Adobe After Effects, part of Adobe Creative Cloud. Comprised of nine tools in total, Red Giant VFX Suite offers a powerful toolkit for realistic VFX composites, automatic chroma-keying, lightning-fast and accurate planar tracking, object replacement/removal, photo-realistic glow effects, beautiful prismatic displacement effects and camera-inspired lens flares for visual effects and motion graphics. All plugins come with a GPU-accelerated engine. The toolkit includes: • Supercomp, a compositing environment that makes it easy to create complex, seamless composites. In Supercomp, light and atmospheric effects interact with all layers and elements of a scene in a far more natural way, and with far less pre-composing in After Effects than before. Supercomp includes more than 15 GPU-accelerated context-aware tools for integrating all of your elements into your final shot, such as Light Wrap, Volumetric Fog, Optical Glow, and more. • Primatte Keyer, a powerful tool for fast, automatic chroma-keying.
• King Pin Tracker gives users fast, accurate planar tracking, right inside Adobe After Effects. King Pin makes it simple to place signs or objects into a shot, even if they aren’t simple rectangular shapes. With powerful ‘To’ and ‘From’ pins, and the ability to offset and rotate in planar space, artists can pin whatever they want, wherever they want it. • Spot Clone Tracker, a tool for lightning-fast, simple object removal with a built-in tracker for moving footage. • Optical Glow, a photo-realistic glow effect for use in professional visual effects and motion graphics. • Chromatic Displacement uses one layer to displace the pixels of another, while smoothly separating out the colours. Unlike the Displacement Map effect in After Effects, Chromatic Displacement uses the displacement image as a height map, which gives users organic results. Chromatic Displacement was designed for creating professional visual effects, such as force fields, heat ripples, light refractions, cloaking effects, and more, but can also be used for motion graphics.
SGO’s Mistika Workflows with FRAME.IO Integration
SGO HAS PRE-RELEASED A NEW UPGRADE of its all-new software solution, Mistika Workflows, which the company says will provide faster, smarter and easier content deployment and delivery.
Currently in the Open Beta, a significant highlight of the latest release is Frame.io node integration. “Based on valuable response since the initial
launch, we have decided to include the integration of Frame.io to Mistika Workflows. Thanks to responsive and very efficient support from Frame. io team we were able to do implement it on a very short notice,” said Miguel Angel Doncel, CEO at SGO. “The reaction from those already using Mistika Workflows has been incredibly positive and we will continue to add features and functionalities as the product evolves.”
AJA HDR Image Analyzer Update
AJA HAS RELEASED THE FIRST free firmware update for its HDR Image Analyzer, introducing a slate of new monitoring and analysis features. New features include: a new Web UI; Remote Desktop support; a UI improvement for HDR/ PQ display over DisplayPort; automated color space switching over SDI for SDR/PQ/HLG; out of gamut MAX warning; frame average Light Level (LL) bar; and Vectorscope and TC bypass enhancements. AJA Video Systems announced HDR Image Analyzer v1.1, a free firmware update for its powerful, real-time HDR waveform, histogram
and vectorscope monitoring and analysis solution. Developed in partnership with Colorfront, HDR Image Analyzer v1.1 introduces feature updates that help high dynamic range (HDR) productions deliver more engaging content with deeper colour and greater luminosity. HDR Image Analyzer allows users to remotely configure and control the device from multiple machines, make updates over Ethernet, download logs and screenshots, and interface HDR Image Analyzer from within popular applications. It also adds new HDR monitoring, analysis and other features designed to help
• Knoll Light Factory. Designed by John Knoll, Chief Creative Officer at Industrial Light and Magic, Knoll Light Factory creates camerainspired, photo-realistic lens flares that render fast, thanks to new GPU acceleration. Using the intuitive Lens Editor, artists can create their own flares from scratch, or customise one of the 200 included pre-sets inspired by some of the most iconic films of the past few decades. • Shadow is a plugin for After Effects that makes it easy to add a perspective shadow in front of or behind a layer, based on its alpha channel, brightness, and more. • Reflection is a plugin for After Effects that allows users to add a reflection to their layers. Controls include softness, distance fade, length and more. All of the tools work in Adobe After Effects CC 2018 and later. Knoll Light Factory, Primatte Keyer, Optical Glow and Chromatic Displacement also work in Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018 and later. All tools work on both Windows and Mac. Visit www.redgiant.com
Further developments in this new release of Mistika Workflows include updated Copy, Move and Trash Nodes, newly added Checksum node, quality parameter to H26X and non-GPU H264 Codec for macOS without Nvidia card. In addition, many performance improvements have been made throughout the application. Visit www.sgo.es
production professionals achieve their artistic visions. The HDR Image Analyzer supports PQ (Perceptual Quantizer) and Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) for 4K/UltraHD/2K/HD workflows. HDR Image Analyzer takes in 4K sources across 4x 3G-SDI inputs and loops the video out over 4x 3G-SDI spigots to continue the video chain to wherever desired, allowing for analysis at any point required in the workflow. Visit www.aja.com
Cinedeck Receives Patent for File-based Insert-Edit
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CINEDECK HAS ANNOUNCED the issuance of a USPTO patent for its Insert-Edit technology, confirming that it is “a unique and patentable technology”.
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“We are pleased to strengthen our IP offering with this USPTO patent for our core Insert-Edit technology,” states Charles Dautremont, CEO of Cinedeck. “We have consistently sought to expand and improve uses of cineXtools in both the U.S. and global film industries by creating workflows that are both inventive and direct. With this patent, our Insert-Edit technology is IP ready for technology partnerships.”
Prior to Cinedeck’s creation of cineXtools’ Insert-Edit, any small adjustment to a file required the editor to reopen the project in editing software to correct the mistake then re-export the entire file, often taking hours or even days. Using File-based Insert-Edit, users can make a revision while avoiding the timeconsuming process of re-exporting and re-QCing. Cinedeck presents Insert-Edit technology in several of its principal offerings. cineXtools enables users to directly edit video, audio and closed captions in the exported flat files as a stand-alone application which can be used interchangeably on either PC or MAC. cineXplugins allow insert-edit directly
from Avid Media Composer or Adobe Premiere in a familiar plugin architecture. Finally, cineX-API is a RESTful API for cineXtools functions allowing for interoperability and integration with any Media Asset Manager. Cinedeck’s Insert Edit allows efficiency breakthroughs for post workflows. Cinedeck has also added comprehensive finishing tools to the IP, including workflows for Closed Captioning, Audio Versioning, VFX Pulls and Metadata Editing, further simplifying file delivery processes. Visit www.cinedeck.com
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Flame Evolves with New AI Tools AUTODESK HAS INTRODUCED the Flame Family 2020.1 update for Autodesk Flame, Flare and Flare Assist, featuring new creative tools targeted at accelerating workflows, increasing productivity and streamlining organisation. Building on the recently released machine learning-powered Z Depth Map Generator and Human Face Normal Map Generator, Flame 2020.1 provides artists with more ways to isolate and modify common objects in moving footage for colour grading and compositing purposes, including new sky extraction tools. With Flame as the central hub for artist workflows, the 2020.1 update introduces more uses of AI for specialized image segmentation, new tools and customization in the Effects environment and easier access for Flame Python scripting capabilities. New creative tools include: • Semantic Keyer for Sky Extraction: Isolate skies in a single click for colour correction or compositing. Remove clouds, add treatments to sky backgrounds and more with the power of AI/machine learning algorithms for depth extraction. • 3D Selective 3D AOV Motion Vector Mode: Extract mattes from motion vector data. Apply effects selectively by feeding CG rendered or analyzed motion vectors directly into 3D selectives to combine with masks. Productivity tools include: • Effects Environments | Layouts: Customize layouts by setting viewports, storyboard, media panel, timeline effects pipeline, manager and more as desired, for easy recall of personalized user interface layouts. • Effects Environments | Groups: Filter the shots you want to focus on and make immediate comparisons and adjustments in Groups, a new visual organizational structure. • GitHub Repository for Python Scripts and Matchboxes: View and automatically
download python scripts directly within Flame for easy access. Acquires scripts via the Autodesk GitHub repository with a new dedicated Flame family location. • AJA KONA 5 6G/12G Output: Preview video with AJA KONA 5 and AJA Io 4K Plus playout devices. 4K and UHD video rasters are now available with 6G SDI single cable transport for up to 30P framerates, and 12G SDI single cable transport is available for up to 60P framerates. • IMF Export Support: Export content for distribution to broadcasters and video streaming services directly from Flame in Interoperable Master Format (IMF). .IMF export functionality is a purchasable 3rd party plugin provided by Fraunhofer IIS www. easydcp.com . • Nvidia RTX GPU Technology: Access Nvidia RTX GPU dedicated Tensor computation cores — for executing the intense Machine Learning computation. Whilst the processing
does work on older certified hardware, we are seeing a dramatic speed increase in comparison to P6000 to RTX6000 — specifically for analysis / processing time of AI / Machine learning algorithms. Flame Feedback Improvements in Flame Family 2020.1 include: • Action Schematic Compass: View colour coded organizational areas with refined node tidying functions in the action schematic. • Bypass: Bypass batch nodes in more intuitive ways and choose what channels are passed through. • 16K Project Resolution: Experience the power of higher managed media resolution and compositing with a new 16K maximum limit for project resolution, individual nodes, action and file-based output. Flame 2020.1 is available now available for download. Visit www.autodesk.com/products/flame
Autodesk Releases Bifrost for Maya at SIGGRAPH 2019 • Detailed Smoke, Fire and Explosions — New physically-based solvers for aerodynamics and combustion make it easy to create naturallooking fire effects. • The Material Point Method — The new MPM solver helps artists tackle realistic granular, cloth and fiber simulations. • High-Performance Particle System — A new particle system crafted entirely using visual programming adds power and scalability to particle workflows in Maya. • Artistic Effects with Volumes — Bifrost comes loaded with nodes that help artists convert between meshes, points and volumes to create artistic effects.
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• Flexible Instancing — High-performance, rendering-friendly instancing empowers users to create enormous complexity in their scenes. • Detailed Hair, Fur and Fuzz — Artists can now model things consisting of multiple fibers (or strands) procedurally. Bifrost for Maya will be available for download and will work with any version of Maya 2018 or later. It will also be included in the installer for Maya 2019.2 and later versions. Updates to Bifrost between Maya releases will be available for download from Autodesk AREA. Visit https://www.autodesk.com/collections/mediaentertainment/overview
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AUTODESK HAS ANNOUNCED BIFROST for Maya, available now with Maya 2019.2. Bifrost makes it possible for 3D artists and technical directors to create serious effects in Maya quickly and easily using a new visual programming environment. Bifrost for Maya highlights include: • Ready-to-Use Graphs — Artists can quickly create state-of-the-art effects that meet today s quality demands. • One Graph — In a single visual programming graph, users can combine nodes ranging from math operations to simulations. • Realistic Previews — Artists can see exactly how effects will look after lighting and rendering right in the Arnold Viewport in Maya.
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Maxon Announces Cinema 4D Release 21
MAXON HAS ANNOUNCED Cinema 4D Release 21 (R21), the next generation of its professional 3D modeling, animation, and rendering software solution. R21 marks the introduction of one singular version of Cinema 4D that includes the complete feature set at an affordable price. Customers no longer need to choose between editions of the software and will benefit from all feature updates as they become available. A new global online store allows users to subscribe and immediately activate licenses. Feature Highlights in R21 include: • Caps and Bevel – The all-new Caps and Bevels system in R21 lets users extrude 3D logos and animate text effects quickly, easily and more accurately. Caps and bevels are integrated on all spline-based objects – lathe, loft, sweep, etc., for unlimited possibilities. Enhancements include improved constraints and internal bevels, Delaunay cap skinning and a new library of bevel presets.
• R21 integrates Intel Open Image Denoise, a library for high-performance, easy-to-use denoising filter solution to improve visual quality and reduce rendering times via deep learning techniques. The solution works and is available with Cinema 4D’s internal rendering solutions as well as ProRender. • Material Nodes – Numerous additional nodes and UI improvements to accelerate workflow include the new Node Space that defines which material nodes are available to the chosen renderer. Additionally, an API is now available for third-party developers to integrate render engines with the new material node system. Workflow and core improvements include: • Interface speed augmentations which increase performance in R21 for quicker modelling operations, particularly in demanding, fast-paced productions that require heavy keyframe scene creation.
• Field Forces – The new Field Force dynamics object in R21 allows users to optimise motion graphics workflow in the MoGraph toolset, offering flexibility and power to control dynamic forces in modelling and animation effects.
• R21 leverages the latest processor optimisations from Intel and AMD. Cinema 4D users can also directly import files to the Unreal Engine and Unity game engines.
• Mixamo Control Rig offers a quick and customisable way to implement character animation by giving users the ability to adjust Mixamo animations imported into Cinema 4D.
The Cinema 4D R21 UI features include improved colour, updated menus and defaults. Support for HiDPI on Windows and Mac provides optimised, antialiased display on high-end laptops and monitors, and more.
Rendering Improvements in R21 include:
Visit www.maxon.net
Shotgun Previews Cloud Enterprise Architecture for VFX & Animation
LUT Mixer for FCP X, Premiere Pro and After Effects
THE RECENT SIGGRAPH 2019 SHOW in Los Angeles saw Shotgun unveil a tech preview of a new secure enterprise architecture offering supporting network segregation and customer managed media isolation on AWS. Shotgun has partnered with the Independent Security Evaluators (ISE) – one of the largest, most trusted and highly-regarded security organisations in M&E – for quarterly audits to ensure its pipeline management platform is industry compliant and exceeds the tightest security standards for all customers. Over the past two years, Shotgun has worked closely with AWS to develop its new cloud offering, with support and feedback throughout the process from ISE. Animal Logic, one of the world’s leading animation studios with facilities across Australia, Canada and Los Angeles, has been an early beta tester of the new Shotgun cloud enterprise offering. “We are excited to work with Autodesk and AWS to push this next level of content security forward in our studios. The new enterprise platform supports our long-term objective of cloud-native solutions, while ensuring we meet the strict security requirements of our partners,” said Darin Grant, chief technology officer, Animal Logic. Visit https://www.shotgunsoftware.com
LUT MIXER IS A COLOUR GRADING plug-in for FCPX, Premiere Pro & AE that lets users combine and apply multiple LUTs (Look Up Tables) with automatic skin tone protection and no loss in quality. In most apps LUTs can only be applied one after the other. Since most LUTs are optimised to be applied to unmodified footage, it commonly happens that any LUT applied after the first one will not deliver the desired results since it is not applied to the original image but to one already altered by the first LUT. With LUT Mixer, all LUTs can be increased up to a maximum intensity of 150%. In addition, 2 of the 5 possible LUTs can be applied negatively. Therefore, a LUT which warms up the image can also be used to cool down the look or an individual saturation LUT can also be used to desaturate the image. Skin tones have an important role in colour grading and there is a dedicated section to the skin tones to protect them from the tint of the LUTs and to adjust them separately if necessary. For every loaded LUT, a selection switch can be used to determine whether it will be summed or applied as an average. All LUTs with their selection switch set to the sum icon will be added up. Colour shifts towards the same direction will add up while differing LUTs shifting the same colour in opposite directions will mutually weaken that colour. If several similar LUTs are loaded, summing them can result in colours that are too intense. The option “averaging” makes sure that users don’t have to adjust all LUTs if adjusting the intensity of one single LUT. When in averaging-mode, the intensity of all LUTs is not adjusted in absolutes. Their ratio is being calculated and then normalized to 100%. Therefore, the cumulative intensity within the averaging group plays no role anymore. Since this mode also normalises very low values to 100% the averaging-group has a separate master control. Visit https://fxfactory.com
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MEDIA IN THE CLOUD, STORAGE & MAM Blue Post Gets a Handle on 4K and HDR with Quantum and Digistor BLUE POST IS ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S LEADING long-form post-production facilities renowned for its technical knowledge, creative flair and collaborative approach. The company prides itself on employing the industry’s best talent to operate state-of-the-art equipment and consistently provide world-class services to Australia’s leading production companies. Recently, the company had a requirement for a major new storage solution and for that it turned to Digistor. As Blue Post’s Peter Millington explained, “Digistor sold us a storage solution approximately six years ago. This served us well but it was time to upgrade to a new solution that met the current day requirements of 4K and HDR workflows.” Blue Post’s requirements were comprehensive and well documented and the company decided to approach the market and put out a request for tender. Millington continued, “Digistor responded to the tender putting forward two solutions, one of which was Quantum. When we assessed all the options, we believed that Quantum was the right solution for Blue Post and awarded Digistor the tender.” Blue Post had extensive requirements for their new storage solution. As Millington stated it had to be able to handle 4K uncompressed workflows incorporating editorial, VFX and finishing capability. He continued, “The new storage solution also had to have easy and predictable scalability. It then had to support BP Codecs including 4096 x 2160 (4K) 16Bit DPX 1.89:1, 3840 x 2160 16bit DPX 4K UHD, ProRes 4444 XQ - 4K and REDCODE 8:1 - 8K. There needed to be 200TB of storage as a minimum, the ability to scale up to petabytes and to see a linear increase in performance. We wanted simple admin and management for volume creation, fault identification, notifications and a strong support presence locally in Australia. When all was evaluated, Quantum met the technical requirements and Digistor met the support criteria.” The solution Blue Post chose and Digistor installed was Quantum’s SAN powered by the StorNext File System. This solution delivered a multi-tiered,
easily scalable, highperformance storage solution. There was also a coincidental benefit in choosing this system as the company’s incumbent storage system which had reliably performed as the company’s workhorse, was built with Quantum’s StorNext File System facilitating a simple transition.
Millington added, “Quantum SANs are industry-recognised as meeting the highperformance workflow requirements of 4K editorial and finishing. Peter Millington, Managing Director, Blue Post. Their solutions are expertly sized and both worlds (SAN+NAS) with HSM that can tier architected by their in-house specialists to meet to cloud storage and tape. The Quantum unified the performance and capacity requirements our storage which supports both file-based NAS and industry demands.” block-based SAN access from the same storage Blue Post’s new StorNext solution virtualises disk system enables us to consolidate our storage and intelligently manages data to sustain the and eliminate storage silos. This gives users the bandwidth and latency required for large sequential choice of using either IP or fibre channel protocols, file ingest, playback and post-processing in realdepending on the workflow’s performance time - significantly outperforming NAS-based requirements and is a major benefit of the new solutions. Its StorNext filesystem can be accessed system. natively by Windows, Mac, Linux and UNIX client systems with full security, access controls and file locking. Quantum solutions also scale, both in capacity and bandwidth, without the need for additional volumes, reformatting or re-architecting. Now, all of Blue Post’s non-linear editing, file Ingest, file delivery, finishing and colour grading workflows use the new Quantum solution. Millington added, “Our new Quantum solution provides us with enterprise-class features performance and reliability, offering the best of
“The new Quantum’s Xcellis High-Performance Workflow Storage solution provides us with flexible access, capacity, performance and easy to scale building blocks and coupled with proven the reliability we have come to expect from StorNext-based solutions. Digistor provide us with great service and support that underpins the new solution and validates our decision to purchase it.” Visit https://bluepost.com.au and www.digistor.com.au
ATTO and Cisco Systems Certify 32Gb Fibre Channel SAN Solutions
ATTO demonstrated what it called “astonishing speeds” during NAB 2019 using ATTO 32Gb Celerity host bus adapters (HBAs) and a Cisco MDS 9396T Fibre Channel switch. The combined Fibre Channel technology exceeded the bandwidth necessary to support many streams of 8K, 4K, and HDR video, demonstrating how effective this solution is for
high-performance, collaborative video editing environments. ATTO will have this demo at IBC2019 in Amsterdam. ATTO Celerity 32Gb Gen 6 powered HBAs deliver the highest bandwidth and lowest latency available on the market, as well as reliable and scalable connectivity with twice the maximum throughput of previous solutions. Celerity 32Gb HBAs feature ATTO Advanced Data Streaming (ADS) Technology to manage latency and provide controlled acceleration and ATTO MultiPath Director, which provides load
balancing and path failover protection. The next-generation Cisco MDS 9396T 32Gb 96-Port Fibre Channel Switch provides highspeed Fibre Channel connectivity in the SAN. This switch offers state-of-art analytics and telemetry capability built into its nextgeneration Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) platform. MDS 9396T addresses the requirement for a highly scalable, virtualised, intelligent SAN infrastructure in current-generation data centre environments. Visit www.atto.com
MEDIA IN THE CLOUD, STORAGE & MAM
ATTO TECHNOLOGY HAS ANNOUNCED that ATTO Celerity 32Gb Fibre Channel HBAs are certified with Cisco Systems MDS 9000 switches.
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MEDIA IN THE CLOUD, STORAGE & MAM
Alex Timbs: Data Animal After 15 years with global VFX leader Animal Logic, Alex Timbs is tackling the world of unstructured data. By Phil Sandberg. ALEX TIMBS HAS BEEN A PIONEERING force in the evolution of technology in Australia’s media and production sector. From his early days with DDB Advertising to 15 years with Animal Logic, Timbs has helped to shape tools and workflows used on some of cinema’s biggest VFX blockbusters. Now, he is taking on the world of “unstructured data” with Dell Technologies in the role of Senior Business Development Manager. “Essentially, the role is a global role where I’m really focusing on trying to maintain and establish new relationships in the media and entertainment space, bringing to bear my experience at Animal Logic, and prior to that in advertising, hopefully, being well placed to understand the unique challenges of the vertical and the workflows that go with it and be able to map that to appropriate technology. And, also help educate the sales organisation as to the unique elements of the media and entertainment space and how they’re a very diverse range of workflows that require different approaches - and also trying to tell the story, the media and entertainment story, and really being an evangelist for that particular vertical. Hopefully, my total of those 19 years in the media and entertainment space will assist me in that endeavour.” You would have seen in that 19 years quite an evolution? “Yes, a huge evolution. I suppose the greatest of which was probably the Internet and the digitisation of everything. It was definitely a big swing between early 2000 and up to around 2010 away from SD and analogue-based distribution of content and generation of content. And that facilitated an evolution, I suppose, almost a mini-industrial revolution within media and entertainment so things could be produced a lot quicker, distributed further and easier and it fostered new workflows as the old world gave way to the new.” And when you went to Animal Logic?
MEDIA IN THE CLOUD, STORAGE & MAM
“Animal Logic was just pioneering its first fullfeatured animation when I started, Happy Feet, and was a very different environment in terms of its intensity, the complexity that goes with producing a full-feature animation, that pipeline, the tools and techniques that have to be explored and constantly evolving – every day. It was much more intense, much more creative in many ways and a much more diverse environment so incredibly stimulating. It was essentially like a country boy going to the big smoke.”
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In many ways, Animal Logic would have been inventing the wheel? “Certainly, for almost every animated feature I think that I’ve had the privilege of working on with amazing people, I think it is really about reinventing the wheel. There’s certainly a lot of re-use of approaches, obviously people and brain work but the reality is unless the film is to look like it’s a
sequel and to look pretty much identical, which is never really the case because everyone wants more – better, higher resolution, better effects there’s generally a constant evolution occurring. No production that I’ve ever worked on is the same but certainly Happy Feet was a big step up for Animal Logic. “I think when it started it was around 100 people in total that were working the business and certainly during production that ramped up fairly quickly to around 650 working seven days a week pretty much 24/7 to get that film made. Looking at that film today, it’s still just as relevant visually, particularly the effects, the snow, the ice, etc., so I think that film was a huge achievement based on the technology and techniques that were available at the time.” And recent years would have seen you consumed by Lego-related production? “Yeah. Look, I’ve had a good five years of exposure to lots of bricks and the Lego films were, again, a very unique property and production process. The fact that they were all real bricks that we used taken from the Lego brick library and used in 3D space, essentially placed in three-dimensional space using procedural tools, it’s just mind blowing. These weren’t matte painting, these weren’t 2D images, these were real Lego bricks that were interconnected and locked together using the official bricks from the brick library from Lego. Amazing tools, amazing team and I think visually it speaks for itself. People still tell me and argue with me that it was stop motion and I think that’s just testament to the amazing techniques and tools we developed to make those films visually stunning.” So, where does the world of unstructured data come in? “Unstructured data comes from a lot of different
places. Certainly, in an animated feature you’re generating vast amounts of data automatically or elements that go on to produce data. At Animal Logic we tried to structure that data by using a very advanced visual asset management system, that was proprietarily developed over many years and that generated either automatic metadata that was associated with an element, or an artist could create some metadata that was associated with that element and so that gave it a bit of structure. Certainly, there’s vast amounts of data that are either render data, it could be free-form areas where artists are coming up with some concepts, it could be scratch data, it could be very large files that make up fixtures for a scene, it could be massive point clouds that represent fur on a creature or some biometric information.
“So, I think that the unstructured nature of media and entertainment, particularly in the animated and hybrid space, is only going to get greater and greater. I think the paradigm of storage requirements doubling every three years is not going away any time soon.”
“And while the asset, at a high level, may have some kind of metadata around it, a lot of the renders only read a part of that file or a bit of that information. Certainly, there’s not the level of granularity or structure with that data that we would consider that structured. There are vast
MEDIA IN THE CLOUD, STORAGE & MAM
“There’s also a lot of more recent techniques, including initiatives that were pushed heavily by Animal Logic, including universal scene descriptor (USD), and those approaches and techniques generate vast amount of small files ultimately leading to more efficient pipelines and much more embedded and compatible applications and platforms pipeline, but in the process it does generate potentially large amounts of very small files. “So, I think that the unstructured nature of media and entertainment, particularly in the animated and hybrid space, is only going to get greater and greater. I think the paradigm of storage requirements doubling every three years is not going away any time soon.” In your new role with Dell, are you a bridge between the world of IT and M&E? “No, I wouldn’t say necessarily the bridge between pure IT and the media and entertainment space. I think I do see my new role as being an industry evangelist, so I’m really preaching what’s unique about the media and entertainment space within Dell Technologies, so actually trying to explain how important it is, how it’s a growth industry, how it’s always evolving, how it’s exciting, so there’s a bit of selling internally in a way. And then, there’s really educating the potential clients or existing clients on the reasons behind Dell Technologies being the Mediaproxy_Ad_C+T_Asia_2019-02-04.pdf 1 4 Feb 19 6:03:53 pm right partner.”
How challenging is bringing together the scalable and commodified world of IT and the bespoke world of production? “It’s challenging and that’s why, I think, more than ever that the media and entertainment space needs partners, good partners. It needs partners because the complexity is going up, the amount of resource required to produce a lot of this content is going up and quite often the budgets are going down. So, media companies are having to answer the question about how am I going to produce a whole lot more with a whole lot less? And, I think to be able to do that effectively and while the media space has some incredibly dedicated and capable people, I think that more than ever relationships with key partners such as Dell Technologies is required more than ever. It’s not just about buying a bit more storage or buying another couple of servers, it’s coming up with completely new ways of working at, potentially, a much greater scale to produce art at an industrial scale.” On-premise or in the cloud? Where do you think all that sits? “My personal view is it’s going to be hybrid, the hybrid world. There’s a lot of factors that dictate on-prem making sense certainly for the foreseeable future for a lot of media companies, particularly the larger ones. There’s a whole lot of questions I think you need to answer, or ask yourself, before you can really answer that question. One of the first is, I suppose, what’s your size and what’s your budget and what’s your time frame and they’re questions that are generally asked on almost every production. “It’s complex to answer the whole cloud on-
Does any of the above apply to your current broadcast compliance system? If yes, join the hundreds of broadcasters around the globe who rely daily on Mediaproxy’s unified software solutions for monitoring, analysis, multiviewing
prem question. I think these workflows, these techniques and tools that are used, particularly in the animated, hybrid and visual effects space, they rely on very low latency, high throughput, high i-ops responsiveness from storage. Now, most of the cloud paradigm is based on object, and cloud providers can often be located a long way away from a facility. “So, unless your pipeline is completely virtualised, containerised and the cloud only-model, then I think you’re always going to have a fairly significant amount of on-prem technology that’s dictated purely by the physics, the speed of light, latency, responsiveness, throughput.” What other storage and MAM issues do you see facing M&E in the future? “I suppose the size of the amount of storage that’s required for a lot of these productions driven by increases in resolution, the constant push for better looking films or photo-realistic films or better special effects, that will obviously push data requirements up. Things like volumetric point clouds, obviously being able to do virtual steps and the flexibility that comes with that, I think that’s going to be pushed and adopted by a lot around the world and those point clouds, based on my experience point clouds are big so growth in storage requirements is not going away “So, I think it’s really just growth and how you’re going to grow your storage, increase your performance and be able to cost effectively do that is the next challenge of the media space.” Visit www.delltechnologies.com
and capture of live video from broadcast and OTT sources. Discover the industry’s leading compliance solution at mediaproxy.com/rethink
Explore the possibilities at mediaproxy.com
MEDIA IN THE CLOUD, STORAGE & MAM
amounts of ever-growing unstructured data being generated in the M&E space for the production of films, both hybrid, animated and visual effects, and you need somewhere to store that, access that.
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AUDIO Digital soundwaves
www.content-technology.com/audio
Sound Mixer Dane Cody Picks DPA Mics for Crystal Clear Dialogue DPA’S MICROPHONES HAVE PROVED INVALUABLE for Australian-based Production Sound Mixer Dane Cody who has been using the company’s latest technology on his last two productions. Cody used DPA’s new 6000 Series Subminiature Microphones to capture location dialogue for the second season of Harrow, the crime drama series produced by Hoodlum Entertainment for ABC Australia and ABC Studios International. He also used d:screet CORE 4061 miniature microphones to record dialogue for Paramount Players and Nickelodeon Movies live action remake of the classic animated children’s programme Dora And The Lost City Of Gold. Dane says both projects benefited enormously from these additions to his inventory because he was able to capture much clearer and fuller sound. “My role is primarily to ensure that the location dialogue from actors on a production is clean, intelligible and full bodied,” he explains. “This is achieved every day through technical proficiency, creative problem-solving and unrelenting determination by my team and I to give Editorial the best dialogue tracks we can to help shape a rich soundtrack for the audience. Using DPA on Harrow and Dora and the Lost City of Gold resulted in superb sound quality. I’ve used DPA microphones many times in the past but in my honest opinion the new CORE 6000 and 4000 Series lavalieres are better than any they have previously manufactured. The build quality is very robust and they’re easier to hide on costumes than anything we’ve previously used.” Shot on stage and in various locations in Brisbane and South East Queensland, Harrow is about a brilliant forensic pathologist and the cases he solves. On Season Two, Cody worked with Gunay Demirci (Boom Operator), Kara Moolman (Utility Sound Technician) and Michael McEvoy (Sound Trainee) to capture both on and off-screen dialogue using DPA body worn microphones and boom microphones.
AUDIO
“When we started work on Season Two, DPA had just released its 6000 Series of subminiature microphones so we convinced the production to purchase four d:screet 6060 lavaliers,” Dane explains. “Season one’s sound team used older generation DPA body worn microphones, so this purchase created some semblance of continuity for the sound between the two seasons, which was very important to both Sound Editorial and me. It wasn’t a hard sell as we have fantastically supportive producers who really care about the best sound for their show.”
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DPA’s 6000 Series lavaliers come black and beige and Dane says the sound team deliberately
chose a variety to make it easier for the costume department to hide the microphones on members of the cast. The microphones were supplied by Lemac via DPA’s Australian distributor Amber Technology.
as he wanted a more uniform and higher quality approach to his sound than ever. The 6000 Series had yet to be released but Dane had read about DPA’s new CORE by DPA amplifier technology and decided to put it to work.
“The actors were far happier with the 6000 series than with any other lavalieres because they’re so easy to hide underneath costumes and don’t compromise on quality, which was always the trade off with other subminiature capsules,” he says. “One of our primary directives on set is to help our cast feel at ease to perform and not worry about the tech – that’s for us to deal with. Suffice to say, we’re getting along better than ever with every department we work closely with. I’m certain our DPA gear contributes to that.”
“This was my first American feature film where I served as the Main Unit Production Sound Mixer and I wanted to do my best work to date,” he explains. “I used six d:screet CORE 4061 lavaliers, as well as two d:screet 4060 Slim lavaliers and two d:sign 4098 Supercardioid Gooseneck microphones as plant microphones. These were supplied by John Barry Group and they came through just in time for pre-production.”
For the feature film Dora and the Lost City Of Gold, which was shot at Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast and in various locations in South-East Queensland, Dane Cody and his team – Ben Wyatt (Boom Operator), Kara Moolman (Utility Sound Technician), Michael McEvoy (Sound Trainee) and Marco Arlotta (Additional Boom Operator) – faced a different set of tests. “I love a good challenge and studio films are the biggest challenge of all when it comes to getting a great location dialogue track,” he explains. “With a studio film, you’re working on quite a large set with many lights, ballasts, generators, FX and wind machines and a plethora of other infrastructure that all pose a challenge to the acquisition of clean and intelligible dialogue. The sound team’s role is largely diplomatic, putting out figurative fires all day long and working with all the other departments to minimise extraneous noise, before we can even get down to the business of recording and mixing dialogue.” After reading the script for Dora and the Lost City Of Gold, Dane decided that his existing lavalier microphone inventory would not be adequate
Dane adds that in terms of fidelity and the ability to handle high SPL, the CORE microphones were far superior to any lavalieres he’d previously used. “I knew Dora and the Lost City Of Gold was to contain quite dynamics scenes - from a whisper to yelling and back again, and seemingly quite often all in a moment,” he says. “I wanted to ensure that I preserved as much of the original dialogue performances as cleanly as possible on both boom and body worn lavalieres, and for it to sound as natural as possible. I’m incredibly pleased with the results we achieved with DPA lavaliere microphones – CORE technology has meant I can trust my lavs more than ever to ‘cut’ more seamlessly with our booms thanks to the fidelity and richness of the capsules, especially in dynamic scenes, which we encounter almost every day. “There are many challenges to recording good sound but lacklustre gear choices shouldn’t be one of them,” Dane Cody concludes. “After receiving a glowing email from the Dialogue Editor on Dora, I feel validated and content in my decision to invest in DPA’s new technology.” Visit www.dpamicrophones.com www.ambertech.com.au and www.lemac.com.au
AUDIO
ON SHOW FOR THE FIRST TIME AT IBC2019 is Calrec’s VP2 virtualised mixing system. VP2 has no physical control surface and utilises Calrec’s Assist software for setup and control. VP2’s 4U core comes in three DSP sizes; 128, 180 and 240 input channels, and incorporates Calrec’s powerful Hydra2 networking solution. Calrec Serial Control Protocol (CSCP) can allow the audio console to be completely controlled by an automation system. VP2 enables the station to reap many of the benefits of using a Calrec console, but without a physical control surface. Control and setup is via Calrec’s Assist software, which can be accessed from multiple locations via a webbrowser. The technical director/operator can be given basic control functions whereas an engineer can delve deeper to fine tune the setup or recall different setups as needed. Meanwhile, Calrec’s ImPulse core is a powerful audio processing and routing engine with AES67 and SMPTE 2110 connectivity. The ImPulse core is compatible with current Apollo and Artemis control surfaces, providing a simple upgrade path for existing Calrec customers. In addition, future scalable expansion will allow up to four DSP mix engines and control systems to run independently on a single core at the same time, providing the ability to use multiple large-format mixers
simultaneously in an extremely compact footprint. ImPulse provides 3D immersive path widths and panning for next generation audio applications, and has an integral AoIP router, which fully supports NMOS discovery and connection management, as well as mDNS/ Ravenna discovery. Calrec will also have on hand its H2-IP Gateway and the AoIP Modular I/O controller card. Both products are SMPTE 2110/AES67-compatible and expand the range of AoIP solutions Calrec now offers. The H2-IP Gateway provides an interface between a Hydra2 network and an AoIP network. It also awards an extra control level that allows audio labels to be passed in both directions between the two networks along with control data. This gives Hydra2 users the ability to control gain of Calrec AoIP mic inputs, and AoIP users can control gain of Hydra2 mic inputs.
Keeping Up-To-Date with Dante
AUDINATE, DEVELOPER OF Dante AV networking technology, has announced the availability of Dante Controller 4.2.3 with Dante Updater. Dante Updater is a new feature that makes it easy to update firmware in Dante devices. Firmware files are hosted by Audinate so they are always up-to-date. Dante Updater allows product manufacturers to more easily bring critical updates to customers by making them available directly in Dante Controller with oneclick installation. Dante Updater continues Dante Controller’s famed ease of use, automatically discovering and associating updates with connected devices in a clear, unambiguous interface. Now users can take full advantage of new Dante features and capabilities without hunting for productspecific installers and can deploy updates to an entire system at once.
The 1U gateway can pass either 256 or 512 channels of audio in each direction and multiple gateways can be used to increase capacity or to connect with multiple networks. For full hardware redundancy additional units can be deployed as backups.
According to Neil Philips, Product Manager at Audinate, “Audinate’s updater program allows manufacturers to include their specific firmware updates directly in Dante Updater for errorand headache-free deployment by end-users. Support costs are reduced, and users always have the latest features at their fingertips for the best possible Dante-enabled product experience.”
Visit https://calrec.com
Visit www.audinate.com/dc
AUDIO
Virtualised Mixing from Calrec
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AUDIO
Audio Compliance for Netflix Content
How to establish a quick, easy workflow for delivering content that matches Netflix requirements. By Emotion Systems. The Challenge: One Audio Mix, Global Distribution ALL OVER THE WORLD media is being created for global market consumption and that media needs to be versioned for multiple languages and delivery platforms. The implications for audio are that there are multiple Loudness compliance standards for each of these platforms. Europe uses EBU R128, North America uses ATSC A/85, Australia uses OP59, and so on. After discussing the challenges these deliverable requirements present with Post Production companies, Emotion designed a software product named ‘Eff’ (Emotion-file-finish) for measuring and correcting Loudness. The commercials that post houses were creating needed to be delivered globally and therefore needed to comply with the applicable global Loudness standards. When we extended these discussions regarding Loudness requirements to Broadcasters and content distributors, it became quickly evident that the much larger volumes of files to be checked for compliance and corrected dictated that automated workflows would become a critical requirement. This led to the development of our enterprise product – Engine. Our Loudness measurement and correction tools were designed to support a wide variety of both legacy and current requirements and our products have been progressively enhanced to provide solutions for any changes to existing as well as emerging various global Loudness standards. This resulting body of development has been carried out with extensive consultation and collaboration with customers and their evolving needs. With the rise of Netflix and their user base and global reach, it became evident to us through engagement with the PLoud discussion group that Netflix had created a notably different loudness standard. As our products are designed to be readily adaptable to changing standards, we engaged in conversation with Netflix and demonstrated our ability to quickly meet their standard, resulting in our solution being verified by their own engineers. If you’re looking to deliver content to Netflix and want to be sure it’s within acceptable loudness limits, read on to learn about the company’s specifications, why those specifications are important, and how you can adapt your workflow to simplify audio measurement and compliance. Why Did Netflix Change Its Loudness Specifications?
AUDIO
Netflix has written an audio specification that’s designed to help engineers and studios mix content to achieve particular loudness targets in their deliverables. In many cases, however, mixing facilities already have a completed mix, and what they need is a smooth, reliable, and fast way of measuring loudness and understanding how audio must be adjusted in order to match the Netflix profile.
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One of the main reasons Netflix introduced new specifications was to ensure that its subscribers enjoy the best possible experience of content. At the
Emotion File Finish (Eff) ensures compliance with Netflix benchmarks.
same time, Netflix wanted to protect the creative freedom of filmmakers and preserve their creative intent through to subscribers’ viewing environment. Netflix opted to move away from the relative-level gate in BS.1770-4 (-2/-3) (and from main loudness delivery specs EBU R128 and ATSC A/85) because it found that this measurement method tended to overestimate the loudness of wide dynamic range content. More specifically, this method allowed titles with sub-audible dialog to pass spec if they also included loud FX and music content that balanced it out. Believing dialog to be the anchor element around which FX and music are mixed — and the audio element that audiences use to set their volumes — the company wrote a spec designed to support mixing with the same emphasis. (In doing so, Netflix effectively went back to BS.1770-1 and the Dolby Dialog Intelligence algorithm that was a precursor to the current BS.1770-based loudness workflows.) The shift to dialog-based measurement is intended both to simplify workflows for re-recording mixers, give creatives more dynamic range, and ensure consistent loudness for audiences. Because mixes that use the full dynamic range aren’t typically ideal for Netflix subscribers, the company also incorporated loudness range (LRA) guidance as a tool for optimizing an audio mix. What Are the Netflix Guidelines? The full set of new Netflix guidelines is available at https://partnerhelp.netflixstudios.com/hc/en-us/ articles/360001794307-Netflix-Audio-MixSpecifications-Best-Practices-v1-0. Here are the basics: • Average loudness must be -27 LKFS +/- 2 LU dialog-gated. • Peaks must not exceed -2db True Peak. • Audio should be measured over full program according to ITU-R BS.1770-1 guidelines. Why Do the New Netflix Specs Matter? The Netflix specs for loudness are important for one simple reason: Netflix won’t accept files with an audio mix that does not conform to its average overall loudness specification. Netflix will check levels on receipt of a title, and thus the responsibility
for ensuring compliance falls on the mixing studio that prepares audio for that title. In other words, if your audio isn’t compliant, you’re out of luck! Given the many complaints of streaming service subscribers about speech being too quiet, the renewed emphasis placed on dialog by Netflix is understandable. Now the responsibility for measurement and correction is up to mixing professionals, who must have the tools and knowledge to adapt their deliverables appropriately. How Can You Ensure That Your Files Are Compliant? You can use an automated solution to make your files compliant. We have reviewed the Netflix requirements and had discussions with Netflix to confirm that the Netflix settings available on our Eff (Emotion File Finish) and Engine loudness compliance products for file-based media are effective in measuring to spec. In fact, they fielded very accurate measurements in line with the Netflix benchmark. Loudness Compliance Software from Emotion Systems Eff, a cost-effective software application that ensures loudness compliance in file-based media, Eff complies with the latest standards based on ITU-R BS.1770 and BS.1771, ATSC A-85, OP59, TRB-32 and EBU R128, and the Netflix July 2018 specification. Eff supports AIFF, WAV, MOV, and (OP1a) MXF files, with 16-bit and 24-bit uncompressed audio, and up to 16 channels of audio. It supports MPG files with compressed MP2 audio tracks, and it also supports SD, HD, 4K and UHD video resolutions. Eff reads in an existing file, compares the audio levels in the file with preconfigured profiles, and adjusts the audio levels up or down to meet your Program Loudness target. Eff can also measure and correct for True Peak, LRA, short-term and momentary loudness, and legacy PPM. Eff runs on Windows, Mac and Linux computers. Download the complete guide via http://bit.ly/ netflix-compliance-guide
RADIO The original broadcast media
www.content-technology.com/radio
MediaWorks Moves to Uncompressed Audio-Over-IP Networking GATESAIR, THE PROVIDER OF WIRELESS, overthe-air content delivery solutions for TV and radio broadcasters, has transitioned longtime customer MediaWorks, a New Zealand-based television, radio and interactive media company, to an uncompressed Audio over IP networking architecture. The new transport solution keeps all signals in the digital domain and streamlines signal delivery, at once improving audio quality, reducing system complexity, and lowering the costs of live distribution linking across a single-frequency FM radio network (SFN). Specifically upgrading the transport infrastructure of MediaWorks Radio’s iconic commercial brand, The Sound, the project refines and enhances the delivery of program audio from its studio in Ponsonby, Auckland, to synchronous transmitters on 93.8MHz FM at Auckland’s Sky Tower and Mount Ruru in the Waikato region. GatesAir’s regional channel partner Gencom Technology provided all presales design support, working with GatesAir product specialists and MediaWorks engineers to develop the now-live IP-based configuration. Mark Simpson, Account Manager, Transmission and Distribution Systems at Gencom Technology, confirms that migration from a more complex legacy TDM networking infrastructure was the “prime catalyst” for the upgrade. The complete solution leverages Intraplex IP Link MPXp codecs with built-in SynchroCast technology to transport FM baseband and manage local ad insertions across its single-frequency transmission network (SFN), with Flexiva FAX50 exciters to support FM radio signal generation at each transmission site. The modernized design eliminates the need to transport program audio to a separate studio for local ad insertions. “The migration from older E1 linking technology to IP, while partially prompted by the recent availability of the latter, also enabled simplification of the routing for the Auckland transmitter as it now
comes directly from the Auckland studio,” said Simpson. “This eliminates signal drops and vulnerability issues of the legacy architecture, which required Mediaworks to route the Auckland program to Hamilton for local ad insertion. The synchronous performance across the SFN has been outstanding, and Mediaworks reports excellent audio quality and stability from the next-generation Flexiva exciters.” Ray Smith, Transmission Manager for MediaWorks New Zealand, correlates the audio quality improvements with the flexibility of MPX over IP transport. The IP Link MPXp codecs support AES192 digital signal transport, which minimizes analog-todigital conversions and positions all audio processing and limiting functions at the studio. The latter removes audio adjustment requirements at the transmitter sites.
Mount Ruru, which transmits the station’s signal throughout the city of Hamilton and a large portion of the rural Waikato province. Simpson adds that the IP Link MPXp codecs have introduced a “significant cost benefit” across the expansive SFN by transitioning from expensive E1 circuits to IP, with an expected ROI of three to four years.
“By leveraging AES192, we can maintain high-end digital audio quality throughout the entire chain all the way to the exciter,” said Smith. “Uncompressed MPX over IP transport ensures that the transmitters can be fully modulated without any decibel overshoot generated by compression algorithms. The average audio levels are higher, which means the transmitted signal offers the best possible audio quality that FM radio can offer.”
“Audio over IP adoption continues to accelerate as more broadcasters report on its operational benefits and reliability as a transport platform,” said Rich Redmond, President and Managing Director, International for GatesAir. “We are grateful to report the success of MediaWorks New Zealand’s migration to IP and their anticipated return on investment, as well as the professionalism and technical expertise of our partners at Gencom Technology.”
The SFN covers Auckland City and hilltop site
Visit www.gencom.com and www.gatesair.com
Lawo Debuts AES67 Stream Monitoring Software
“Radio professionals have embraced AoIP. The majority of new facilities are based upon IP technology,” says Lawo Radio Marketing specialist Clark Novak. “Broadcasters are also vocal about their support for the AES67 standard. But they’ve had no easy way to inspect and monitor critical audio streams. AES67 Stream Monitor addresses this issue and fills their need.” AES67 Stream Monitor displays detailed information for as many as 16 user-definable audio streams, each of which can contain multiple audio channels. The main display
presents audio levels and alarm indications at a glance for all monitored streams; selecting an individual stream display allows users to do a ‘deep dive’ to discover detailed stream information. Functions include: • The ability to audition AES67 streams ondemand using the PC sound card. • Monitoring of two ethernet NICs simultaneously for true ST2022-7 compatibility. • A Stream Health Monitor that keeps track of jitter, dropped packets and data errors. • LUFS metering with detailed tracking of Loudness Units over time. • Alarms for silence-sensing, under-level or over-level alerts, with user-definable thresholds.
• SDP interrogation of each monitored stream, with information copyable to clipboard for documentation purposes or for use with other applications. • Per-stream Status Window with display of audio level content over time, errors over time, and file-based error report – ideal for keeping informed about deviation from loudness compliance for outgoing streams. AES67 Stream Monitor is can be used as a diagnostics tool for any engineer, installer or integrator who works with AES67 networks, or as a Master Control tool for tracking stream health and loudness compliance over time. The program runs on standard Windows 10 PCs, and is VMWare compatible, allowing multi-instance deployment on virtual machines to facilitate high-density stream information. Visit www.lawo.com
RADIO
BROADCASTERS USING THE AES67 AOIP standard in their studios and production facilities finally have an easy way to keep themselves informed about the state of their program streams: Lawo AES67 Stream Monitor, a new software product for Windows PCs debuting at IBC 2019 (Stand #8.B50).
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RADIO
Radio - the Bionic Plan EVOLVING FROM THE PHONEBOX call handling platform, and its add-on products Virtual Director and OASIS (On Air Social Interaction Server), Broadcast Bionics’ Bionic Studio is a family of products which includes Bionic Talkshow (call handling), Bionic Director (camera control), Bionic Social (social media curation), and Bionic Contest (which, as the name suggests, manages listener contests). Like the technology used in the classic TV series, The Six-Million Dollar Man, Bionic Studio is designed to make the radio broadcaster better … stronger … faster … According to Duncan Smith, General Manager of Broadcast Bionics, the Bionic Studio is more than just a family of products, it’s an overarching concept of how the modern radio studio should operate. “It’s trying to create a smart studio,” says Smith. “So, a studio that understands or allows the people working in the studio to understand what’s going on in the outside world because a lot of that communication is usually not available. Traditionally, you’d go into a studio, you’d close the door and it’s sort of like being put in a prison cell for four hours in that you know nothing about what’s going on in the outside world. However, with the advent of social media, it’s now possible to look through the different types of messaging and see what’s going on with certain target groups of people. “What we’re doing with our social media module is we’re trying to filter down the types of messages that you’re seeing from that huge pipe of data that’s coming into the building, So, we allocate the relevant social media feeds to your show login and so then we’re filtering what you can see from that perspective. We’re also looking at messaging that’s going on relating to the people that like and follow you, who in essence are representative of your listener group. It gives you a hint at what sort of conversations they’re having, both mentioning you and with you, but also with other people that they communicate with. It gives you kind of a different perspective on what your listener group might be interested in. “Social media has geolocation tags in it. So, in one of our features, it’s called a Smart Cue. You can set a location up as part of a Smart Cue. We’ve just had the Glastonbury Festival in the UK, Radio 1 has a Glastonbury show. There’s lots of content on the radio about it. They obviously know the people that are there, the artists, their colleagues, so they can easily find posts that are coming from those parties. But what they don’t know is the conversations that are going on in the crowd, so from a geolocation tag, you’re suddenly picking up messaging from that place, from that event that’s relevant to that event, so it gives you a whole different dimension about how people are feeling, what their sentiment is, what sort of things they’re talking about. That can also be the case for news items as well.
RADIO
“There are other types of things we can do to help discover messaging. So, we have a link in with the playout system in the studio. Bionic
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Social is seeing the ‘now playing’, the ‘next playing’ and the ‘next plus one playing’ from the music playout system. If we have a Rihanna song that’s just been played, then Bionic Social will bring you up a queue of all the authenticated social media feeds from Rihanna, so they always look at the artist for that ‘now playing’ song. So, as the song plays out, then there’s some real good, tangible knowledge and information that the presenter has at his fingertips that he can share with the audience.” RADIO WITH PICTURES Along with social media, recent years have seen radio studios transformed by the use of point-ofview cameras. Designed to integrate into existing workflows and compatible with a wide range of POV systems, Bionic Studio’s Bionic Director module automatically handles switching of these cameras based on who is talking at the time. According to Duncan Smith, “The opportunity with cameras in the studio is to find a way of making all that really good radio content that you have more shareable and discoverable. So, the way we do that is by pasting pictures and images to really good audio content. If you post a short audio form clip onto something like Facebook or Twitter, then it’s not likely to get that many likes, views or people listening to it. One or two people might click on it because it maybe says something interesting in the title. “However, a social media post is 75% more likely to be looked at, viewed and shared if it has an image or a video attached. That’s one way of taking this great content that we’ve had for years and making it more visible and more shareable and more discoverable to the audience at large. “The way that the system works is when you open the faders, it starts recording that link. When you close the fader, then that link is available to use for whatever purpose you want. “Simply having the cameras in the studio when people are talking allows you to capture video and image content of things that you would never have captured before. Therefore, the amount of content that you’ve got to share is also increased and a lot more available and accessible.” Broadcast Bionics is also working to make its technology accessible to more budget-conscious
broadcasters such as community radio, as well as podcasters. “For a number of years,” says Smith, “we had a product called PhoneBOX Solo. We’ve now retired that in favour of a new product called Caller One. Caller One runs as a service in your studio, but the interface that’s on the PC is in a web browser, a very light, thin client. All of the audio is done using WebRTC (realtime communications) and the OPUS codec. It’s a pure, simple software only solution. And it’s a self-install product, so it means that the community radios can manage it themselves.
“Simply having the cameras in the studio when people are talking allows you to capture video and image content of things that you would never have captured before. Therefore, the amount of content that you’ve got to share is also increased and a lot more available and accessible.”
“If I made a podcast from my living room at home, it’s not necessarily the sort of product that you would have there, but if you had a set of studios that were used for people to come in and rent to make their podcasts, or someone like Southern Cross Austereo, if they had a programme, a podcast that they do, then having a number of studios set up for specifically those purposes, then it’s the sort of product that would be in there. “It comes in a 12, a six-line or a three-line set-up and it’s very simple and intuitive to use. The other possibility with it, too, is that because it’s running in a browser, because it’s all HTML5, then you can use it on a different device other than your PC, so the opportunity to use it in more creative environments or creative production spaces. Caller One is currently in Beta and it will be ready and released for IBC.” Visit https://www.bionics.co.uk
RADIO
Comrex Ships ACCESS NX Rack COMREX IS NOW SHIPPING the newest addition to its ACCESS IP audio codec line, ACCESS NX Rack. Since it was released in 2005, the Comrex ACCESS Rackmount has become widely adopted. Now, it’s been updated to incorporate the technical advances from the last decade. ACCESS NX Rack includes AES3 or analogue audio I/O, along with AES67 compatibility. AES67 tested to be compatible with all major AoIP systems. It also features an entirely new hardware platform. ACCESS NX Rack can connect to Wi-fi and 4G modems, and supports a wide arrange of connection protocols and audio encoders. It’s driven via a new HTML5-based web user interface that is easy to use.
created to make it easy to make connections between Comrex IP codecs. ACCESS NX Rack is built around Comrex CrossLock technology. CrossLock features a proprietary suite of tools that solidify connections over IP networks, including forward error correction, ARQ, and an adaptive management engine.
ACCESS NX Rack is also compatible with all Comrex IP audio codecs as well as the Comrex FieldTap smartphone app.
ACCESS NX Rack also includes HotSwap , which allows users to designate a wireless network as a backup that will only engage when the primary network has failed.
ACCESS NX Rack comes with Switchboard Traversal Server which was
Visit www.comrex.com
Orban Introduces OPTIMOD 8700iLT FM Processor ORBAN, THE DEVELOPER OF audio processing solutions, has announced the release of the OPTIMOD 8700iLT FM processor. Replacing the 8600 FM/HD, this new processor offers a feature set close to that of Orban’s top-of-the-line OPTIMOD 8700i, including dual redundant power supplies, which are fully monitored and alarmed. The OPTIMOD 8700iLT also fully supports DMPX in 192/384 sample rates, and provides failsafe relay
bypass with analog, AES3 digital, and composite connections.
President. “The 8600 has been Orban’s most
For customers requiring Dante/AES67 I/O or IP streaming capability for remote monitoring and processor adjustment, an easy upgrade path to a full OPTIMOD 8700i is available.
some big shoes to fill. We think it does this easily.
“We’re pleased to be able to offer this exciting new product at the same price point as our OPTIMOD 8600 FM/HD,” said David Day, Orban Labs
popular processor, and this new product has Additionally, it comes with our full 5-year warranty, the best in the industry.” The OPTIMOD 8700iLT will be shown at this year’s IBC show in Amsterdam on stand 8.D93. Visit www.orban.com
StreamGuys APIs for Enterprise-Class Streaming announced a comprehensive new Application Programming Interface (API) for the company’s SGrecast live stream repurposing and podcast management system. The new API gives developers programmatic access to SGrecast’s extensive stream recording, content publishing, media player creation and rebroadcasting functionality, thus enabling broadcasters and content providers to seamlessly integrate StreamGuys’ services into their existing enterprise systems. StreamGuys will highlight the integration possibilities enabled by the new API at the upcoming IBC2019 exhibition. StreamGuys will co-exhibit with technology partner ENCO in stand 8.A59 at the event. “While our SaaS solutions provide very
powerful functionality on their own, large media enterprises such as radio station groups often have an established fabric of workflows spanning their production and publishing operations,” said Kiriki Delany, President, StreamGuys. “By offering APIs for SGrecast and other StreamGuys solutions, we are making it easier to tie our offerings into those customers’ current systems and bringing our services into their ecosystems. This creates more opportunities for automation, while enabling users to access our robust capabilities from within their current tools without needing to separately open our standard user interfaces.” The comprehensive, cloud-based SGrecast platform lets broadcasters record, repurpose, replay and rewind their live streams to improve audience experiences and effortlessly create revenue-expanding side channels and podcasts. The new API enables clients to programmatically
manage recordings, create new content in the system via uploads, edit content and metadata, list and view all content in the system, generate embeddable content players, request contentrelated information such as metadata and delivery URLs, and much more. As a RESTful API with OAuth 2.0 authentication, the SGrecast API is standards-based. StreamGuys will also introduce new APIs for its analytics and monitoring tools in the coming months, including the SGmon real-time listener and bandwidth metrics service and the SGreports logging and analysis service. Longer-term, APIs for additional solutions in StreamGuys’ endto-end SaaS suite for producing, managing, monetising, and delivering live and on-demand streaming media will be introduced based on customer demand. Visit www.streamguys.com
RADIO
SAAS-BASED PODCAST AND STREAMING solutions innovator StreamGuys recently
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CONTENT DELIVERY Terrestrial, Mobile, Broadband
www.content-technology.com/transmission
Netflix, SBS and Software Updates Headline the ‘New Foxtel Experience’ LINEAR, OTT AND OLD-TIME MOVIES met at the former Academy Twin Cinema in Sydney’s Paddington for the launch of ‘The New Foxtel Experience’, featuring a completely redesigned interface to simplify discovery and navigation of Foxtel’s 16,000 hours of TV on demand. Senior channel management, pay TV “celebrities” and the odd autocue support system listened intently as Foxtel CEO Patrick Delaney outlined how the walled garden has well and truly withered with the integration of app-based streaming services, starting immediately with Netflix, and SBS On Demand in coming months. Facilitating this explosion of choice is a sleek new Foxtel remote featuring a home button and a Netflix button, making Foxtel and Netflix content just a click away. ‘The New Foxtel Experience’ will provide customers with iQ3 and iQ4 set top boxes a completely redesigned user experience, bringing together the best of TV and on demand, all in one place. As part of the New Experience, Netflix will be available for the first time on Foxtel starting with the iQ4. The company says it is the latest step in Foxtel’s continued aggregation of the best content and streaming services for customers to view on demand. Patrick Delany, Foxtel CEO said: “We want our customers to have the best of TV and on demand in Australia all in one place. With our new user interface, accessing Foxtel’s 16,000 hours of TV and on demand content is as simple for customers as one-click on the home button of their existing remote control.
“I can’t think of a better streaming partner to kick off The New Foxtel Experience than Netflix.
Orange is the New Black; Lambs of God or Stranger
“The new customer interface puts two entertainment powerhouses together providing Foxtel customers with access to Netflix service alongside our Foxtel Originals and programs from HBO, FX, the BBC and more.
and more, on Foxtel.”
Things; Big Little Lies or The Crown, they will find it, The New Foxtel Experience including Netflix has been progressively rolled out to iQ4 customers and was scheduled to be completed in August.
“More than 1.1 million iQ3 and iQ4 set top boxes are already installed in our customers’ homes. Starting today, The New Foxtel Experience simplifies the way iQ4 users can enjoy Foxtel’s incredible range of drama, sport and movies as well as the best of video on demand, with the experience coming to iQ3 users coming shortly after.
The iQ3 roll out will begin in September with all
“So, whether customers crave Wentworth or
Visit https://www.foxtel.com.au
iQ3 customers expected to have The New Foxtel Experience during November. Software updates will be managed remotely over the coming months and The New Foxtel Experience will work with existing iQ4 and iQ3 set top box and remote control.
Consolidation for Australian FTA TV Transmission AUSTRALIA’S SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED has become the latest Australian network to move its television and radio broadcast transmission services to Broadcast Australia (BA).
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Under the agreement, SCA will transfer its transmission assets to BA, and BA will provide SCA with managed and maintenance services for over 500 radio and TV transmission services around Australia. The agreement is for an initial term of 15 years. SCA previously announced outsourcing of its television playout operations to NPC Media (the joint venture between the Seven and Nine Networks).
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SCA’s Chief Technology Officer, Stephen Haddad, said: “The outsourcing is a logical step for SCA, consistent with the group’s strategy of delivering content and media platforms and moving away from asset intensive activities that can be
delivered by specialist service providers. With the transition of television playout to NPC Media, the use of Telstra’s DVN network for distribution and this outsourcing of transmission services to BA, SCA has created a streamlined and efficient service that minimises the cost of delivery of broadcast radio and television to SCA’s licence areas.” Broadcast Australia is the long-term manager of transmission broadcasting services to the ABC and SBS, and recently took over as transmission provider for the TEN Network’s free-to-air broadcast channels: 10, 10 Bold, and 10 Peach. TEN’s transmission services were previously handled by TX Australia (a joint venture transmission services company established by the TEN, Seven and Nine networks). The move has seen a restructure at TX Australia with TEN exiting the joint venture company.
Meanwhile, Australia has completed a series of DVB-T2 trials in Queensland, originating from the TX Australia-managed Gold Coast transmission site at Mount Tamborine and the TXA Brisbane transmission site at Mount Coot-tha. The Queensland tests followed trials in the Sydney area in 2018 and utilised an ENENSYS DVB-T2 Gateway to feed an existing UHF transmitter that had been upgraded to support DVB-T2 with a Teamcast TwisterII modulator. The trial assessed the performance of DVB-T2 transmission modes in the Australian environment, utilising the UHF band for transmissions in both MFN and SFN configurations. While no migration plan has been formally announced, DVB-T2 is being considered as a 2nd generation DTT technology to replace the current DVB-T standard.
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Brightcove – on the Upstream
Charles Chu, Chief Product Officer with Brightcove, speaks to C+T about Ooyala integration, AVOD, SVOD and the challenges of bandwidth. By Phil Sandberg. FOLLOWING ITS ACQUISITION OF OOYALA’S online video platform business in early 2019, Brightcove has been busy integrating both Ooyala’s technology and customers into its own platform. According to Charles Chu, Chief Product Officer with Brightcove, the company continues to focus on its traditional market segments around OTT and broadcasters, as well as expanding into the digital marketing area. As well as picking up Ooyala customers in Latin America, South America, and Europe, there are certain Ooyala technologies which will find their way into the Brightcove platform. “There are close to two dozen capabilities that Ooyala has that we will now put on to the Brightcove platform,” says Chu. “Our strategy, fundamentally, is to have a unified platform, the underpinnings of which are the traditional Brightcove platform and then to layer on those capabilities on top of the Brightcove platform.” “So, things that are appropriate in an OTT environment. A great example is something like Rights Locker. Ooyala Rights Lockers is a way to manage subscribers, all the complexities around subscriber management and entitlements. People are moving from an AVOD supported model where I just want to capture who’s coming into my service to 30-day free trials, basic premium levels of service, people are experimenting with a mix of AVOD (Advertisement-based video on demand) and SVOD (Subscriptionbased video on demand). So, that’s an example of a capability that Brightcove did not have previously that we’ll be bringing over from Ooyala and putting it on to the Brightcove platform in a unified manner. “On the Brightcove side, we continue to work on a lot of structural elements in today’s environment, so things like greater stability in the platform, flexibility that expresses itself often times in live events which are dramatically more volatile than classic VOD. “And along the lines of volatility, especially when it comes to live, our publishing customers care a lot about being able to handle late-breaking news. There was one of our customers who was sort of idling along at average daily volumes of 70-80,000 concurrent viewers and there was a late-breaking newsworthy event in that country. In the span of 24 minutes we went from 70-80,000 viewers up to 3.4 million.” What involvement have around the Tokyo Olympics? “We will support the Tokyo Olympics. It’s an interesting challenge for us because all of our customers have their own stream and want to stitch in their own set of ads. It’s not one single stream coming in that we then now pump out to 150 and some-odd countries, it’s multiple streams per broadcaster per country which presents an interesting challenge for us to scale uniquely for each of those environments. And, of course, to overlay geo-restrictions in order to serve each of those customers.” What other challenges are you attempting to solve? “There are a couple. One is more technical and the other is more of a business challenge. A little bit on the technical side that bridges over into business is this whole issue around audience reach. A decade or two ago, there was one stream coming in, going to everyone’s set-top box and there were universal standards, every television had to work a certain way. Today, some people want to be reached through their mobile device, some people want to be reached through their gaming console where the content comes through a smart TV set or Roku or Firestick, on and on. “So, for us, the OTT flow-off ring solves sort of like this intermediate problem which is, above and beyond a platform that serves video, you want
Chief Product Officer with Brightcove, Charles Chu.,
subscriber management, you want to handle payments, that sort of thing but the real challenge for our customers is when - how do I reach an audience when there are 14 smart TV manufacturers in the world, when there are halfa-dozen gaming consoles, when there are multiple set-top boxes?” And different flavours of operating system. “Different flavours of operating systems. And while we talk about generically IOS and Android, there are 20-some odd standard screen sizes for mobile devices, right, and ensuring that you’re delivering the best experience across all of that is a huge challenge for our customers because their addressable market is the worldwide population and, unfortunately, that worldwide population now breaks down into, according to our count, over 60 some-odd different operating systems and devices.” What’s your feeling for bandwidth issues around the world? “It is probably the number one issue in terms of effective content delivery. There was a recent study that showed that over the next five years, the worldwide total minutes viewed is going to stay flat. It’s a little bit of math, right? There’s only so many people and so many hours in a day that these people can be watching. “However, the shift of viewership is significant because on a worldwide basis we’re going to go from roughly 15% consuming their video content via some sort of non-traditional, linear TV to 30%. So, that’s huge and that plays very much into the bandwidth issue that we all face. Compound that by the fact that bandwidth is going to go up by 30% because in the process of cord cutting, all of that traffic shifts over to the internet. And with 4K and 8K, you can watch exactly the same piece of content and now you’re consuming 20 times more bandwidth just because of the resolution. There’s an expected consolidation of network operators as well, isn’t there? “Yeah, absolutely. I think the management of how you deliver that content though CDNs and a mix of CDNs is going to be awfully important because with our operators, with our broadcast customers, a lot of them are starting to manage more complex relationships, right? So, in certain countries, one of our customers may own both traditional landlines, delivered pipes and they want to shape the traffic so that it only goes through their CDN. And they may also have a wireless property. So, if a device comes in through a certain device type, they want to steer that traffic to their wireless network or to their proprietary CDN and let traffic flow to other CDNs. So, the task of managing 2X more over the next five years and also, by the way, shaping that >> continues p44
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What sort of capabilities are we talking about?
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GatesAir Expands TV Distribution and Transmission GATESAIR (STAND 8.D60) will unveil a broadened family of TV transmitters at IBC2019 resulting from the company’s recent acquisition of ONEtastic, operating from now on as GatesAir S.r.l. in Brescia, Italy. The expanded portfolio both strengthens GatesAir’s low-power TV range and introduces several engineering innovations that will be new to GatesAir customers. While GatesAir has long offered low-power UHF and VHF air-cooled solutions through its Maxiva Compact series, the acquisition fills important power level gaps in the low-to-medium DTV product line. This includes ultra-compact 1RU transmitters at six power levels from 15 to 150W, 2RU systems up to 400W, 3RU systems up to 700W, and 4RU systems up to 1100W, with all systems available for analogue TV. At IBC, GatesAir will demonstrate the highefficiency 1RU and 3RU systems, along with a new outdoor pole-mounted DTV solution that can house multiple UHF or VHF transmitters and/or remux up to four satellite feeds into a single transport stream for transmission. The high-efficiency, DC-powered pole-mount design eliminates all moving parts and air filters, dissipating heat to the pole’s surface. The tower becomes the heat sink, eliminating the need for fans and cooling systems – making it a true outdoor solution. The transmitter is completely sealed by a telecom-grade weatherproof enclosure, ensuring continuous operation even in the harshest outdoor elements. GatesAir will also show a new ‘intra-mast’ transmitter, designed for installation inside a cylindrical tower. It comprises a very compact chassis which and can house up to six 70W UHF or VHF transmitters. Each transmitter can also be individually configured as a transposer or on-channel gap filler, offering customers a broad variety of options to fulfil all requirements for regional and national networks. These new design innovations and feature sets to the GatesAir transmitter family include no-cable, plug-in architectures that accelerate assembly and maintenance, reduce clutter and maintenance, and increase system reliability. Furthermore, these transmitters expand configuration options with
extensive modularity, including plug-in input cards to support satellite reception, ASI, IP and other transport streams. GatesAir will also demonstrate its existing range of medium-to-high power ULXTE (liquid-cooled) and UAXTE (air-cooled) transmitter families. These transmitters, along with the expanded low-power range, including cutting-edge echo cancellation and optimised modulation error ratio (MER) technologies that far outperform competitive solutions. The two technologies deliver a more robust broadcast signal for viewers, providing better reception in regions with challenging terrain. GatesAir has also added a new application to its Intraplex Ascent transport platform to support reliable and secure video over IP transport alongside audio. The new Ascent SRT Gateway will suit broadcasters managing contributed video and/or audio content for point-to-multipoint distribution. The application’s video support also brings Ascent into the television market, with an exceptional value proposition for national broadcasters feeding many destinations. Ascent will now provide transparent support of any real-time, IPbased broadcast video protocol, with applicability to ATSC 3.0 and DVB-T/T2. GatesAir introduced Intraplex Ascent as a nextgen Audio over IP platform at the 2019 NAB Show in April. Intraplex Ascent represents an evolution in broadcast and IT convergence, and is GatesAir’s first Intraplex system to live on a COTS x86 server. Ascent provides broadcasters with a highly scalable, redundant and cloud-based transport
platform for multichannel contribution and distribution. Designed for centralised control and maximum interconnectivity, Ascent is compliant with the AES67 standard, today’s leading AoIP networking solutions, and most Intraplex Audio over IP codecs. Ascent offers two key differentiating factors for IP transport: an ability to manage many Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) streams on a centralised platform, and its integration of GatesAir’s unique Dynamic Stream Splicing (DSS) software. The latter diversifies SRT data across redundant networks, and adds protection against packet losses and network failures. At IBC2019, GatesAir will demonstrate how the Ascent SRT Gateway supports reliable and encrypted transport of video content both in point-to-point and point-to-multipoint configurations. The addition of DSS software will support duplication of SRT streams with video and embedded audio over separate network paths, leveraging a single stream-splicing buffer for hitless protection against errors and failures. The core Intraplex Ascent platform is available in two form factors, each of which supports up to 32 audio channels (AES3, AES67, analog). Both versions will be on display at IBC2019: a 1RU server, with configurable options for physical and AES67 channels; and a software-only solution that operates in a virtualised container. Visit www.gatesair.com
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>> from p43
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traffic and steering to proprietary properties just makes it all the more interesting.
What are you seeing in terms of other industry verticals, non-traditional content producers?
“The third variable that exponentially compounds the problem is traditionally we’ve counted on CDNs to be smart about the content that they catch, right, how often they keep it fresh. In a world where increasingly our customers want SSAI (Server-Side Ad Insertion), caching becomes a problem because I now have to track how much what you’re watching as differentiated from your ten neighbours, right? It’s no longer one single piece of content that I can cache, but now it’s 10. Optimising for all of those is a research project that we have going on in our labs right now. We think of it as a variant of a supply chain problem, not unlike the physical world where something gets produced. In our world it gets transcoded, it gets stored in a factory and then it gets shipped out, this is somewhat similar to that. Does it make sense for me to manufacture it in different parts of the world instead of a single place in the world, the economics of shipping that one product. If I only have a single factory around the world versus multiple locations is not dissimilar to a supply chain problem.”
“What we are seeing is this proliferation of everyone can have their own channel if you will. We have a customer who owns content rights to Broadway shows. They are in the tens of thousands of paying subscribers per month and we are their back office and they literally have a little less than a dozen employees full-time. So, that gives you an idea of where we feel like our place is to provide the platform, whether it’s the infrastructure or CDN management or the OTT middle layer but that’s what we’re seeing. Half a dozen people can secure content rights to something and within a very short amount of time all of a sudden have tens of thousands of paying subscribers. I think that’s the way the world is going quite frankly. People talk about the long tail, I think OTT is a technology environment that enables the long tail from video content.” Visit www.brightcove.com
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4-6 November 2019, Intercontinental Hong Kong #AVS2019
With the recent slew of major M&A activities in the video industry, the coming year will be a time of exciting change as we expect to see new emerging trends, further disruption, evolving business models and execution of new strategies. Join us at Asia Video Summit 2019 as it brings together over 600 major players and 90 thought leaders from across the video ecosystem in Asia and globally to explore these key themes including: • How are Business Models changing in the video industry? Is there a need to aggregate services, and if so, who is best placed to do that? • Can Advertising become the dominant business model for streaming video? How is premium curated video best monetised through advertising today? • What of the Human Capital that makes up the industry today? What skill sets are in demand? Is there a divide between old media and new media? • What is the status of News within the video industry? What is the business model today behind monetising News?
the Check out ched n u a l y l w e n Tech o e d i V a i s A track n o i t a v o n n I
• What are the Policy goals for governments around Asia as they grapple with the regulation of video over the internet?
Early line up of distinguished thought leaders
!
Michael Fleshman CTO HOOQ
!
!
Datuk Kamal Khalid Group MD Media Prima
Tony Zameczkowski VP, Business Development Asia Netflix
Sutanto Hartono Cheong Shin Keong ! MD Executive Director and GM PT. Elang Mahkota TVB Teknologi (Emtek)
SAVE THE DATE
4 – 6 November 2019 Visit www.asiavideosummit.com for more information
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Anna Pak Burdin VP & GM - Southeast Asia Discovery Networks Asia Pacific
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001015>> DBS 2017 >>ABU METEXPO2019 >>>>
002016>> DBS 2017 >>ABU METEXPO2019 >>>>
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