TM Broadcast International 66, February 2019

Summary News from the market.......................................................................6 Case studies Broadcast Solutions starts delivery of major order to state Broadcaster Belarus TV......................................................................26 Western Michigan University Broncos turn to Envivo Replay for slow motion playback on in-stadium screens and streaming to ESPN channels..................................................... 30 Mistika Technology unlocked MECHANICAL SOULS’ impressive final looks with very high-quality image quality......32 University of Wales Trinity Saint David turns vision for future learning to reality with Sony’s Vision Exchange.............34 John Brown University goes with Matrox to Webcast Upcoming centennial celebratory events...................................... 38 System T makes the news for Waterman Broadcasting............ 42 Elevating Work into a Dream Job....................................................44

Technology AV integration at museums: disguise..............................................46 AV integration at museums: Newtek.............................................. 48 Live From The Cloud: The Next-Generation Business Model for Broadcast, by Deluxe...................................................... 50

RTL Nederland.................................................................................52 ISE Previews..................................................................................... 62

52

Test Zone

Sony HXC-FB80 camera system.............................. 72

Editor in chief Javier de Martín

Creative Direction Mercedes González

editor@tmbroadcast.com

design@tmbroadcast.com

Key account manager Beatriz Calvo b.calvo@tmbroadcast.com

Translation Fernando Alvárez

Editorial staff Daniel Esparza press@tmbroadcast.com

Administration Laura de Diego administration@tmbroadcast.com

TM Broadcast International #66 February 2019

TM Broadcast International is a magazine published by Daró Media Group SL Centro Empresarial Tartessos Calle Pollensa 2, oficina 14 28290 Las Rozas (Madrid), Spain Phone +34 91 640 46 43 Published in Spain

EDITORIAL

Throughout 2018 we talked with the technical directors of some of the best televisions in the world, with the aim of knowing their technological state. Bloomberg, GLOBO, Eurosport or RAI are among them.

This year we want to continue broadening our issues with more points of view, expanding the list of companies. Adhered to that purpose, we have spoken this time with RTL Nederland. The company is involved in an interesting process of change, of which Giovanni Piccirilli, its CTO, gives us the keys. RTL has switched from being TV-centric to deploying a content-centric strategy. The market is moving fast, so RTL has been plunged into a new phase, which aims to become a fan-centric company. Piccirilli details what this means, and its implications from a technical side. We also observe that it is not an isolated case, so that his experience can help us better understand the evolution that the sector is carrying out.

In a few days it is celebrated, on the other hand, one of the most important audiovisual fairs of the year, the ISE. Despite being focused on the field of integration, and aware of the influence that this market has, however, on our sector, we have drawn up an analysis of the main innovations of this year's edition.

We hope these keys provide you with the necessary knowledge to navigate successfully in the new environments that are to come.

4 FEBRUARY ‘19

NEWS - PRODUCTS

Cobalt Digital announces its new 9904UDX-4K processor is now shipping Cobalt Digital has announced its new 9904UDX-4K up/down/cross converter and image processor for openGear® frames is now shipping.

Already installed in a select group of trucks and studio facilities, the dualslot card provides an ideal hardware platform for Technicolor High Dynamic Range Intelligent Tone Management (ITM) software. This enables the use of current SDR infrastructure, reducing the need for new camera purchases and other capital expenditures to produce HDR footage.

The 9904-UDX-4K provides clean and accurate SDR-to-HDR and HDR-to-SDR conversion.

Using the Technicolor conversion process (SLHDR technology) generates a single layer video stream to distribute SDR with dynamic metadata, allowing for inverse conversion back to 6 FEBRUARY ‘19

the original HDR. When a network service provider transmits the SDR feed, it will automatically deliver a full HDR experience to compatible TVs and settop boxes.

For HD and 4K live sports, the 9904-UDX-4K allows production truck operators to seamlessly create SDR signals from HDR sources. Plus, legacy SDR sources such as cameras, servers, and graphics systems can be converted for HDR productions. As a result, the 9904-UDX-4K eliminates the need for sports productions to use separate SDR and HDR cameras and processing paths.

“Using existing HD and 4K equipment to deliver HDR content – instead of separate truck and camera crews – is a much more affordable way to produce live sports for multiple delivery platforms,” said Chris Shaw, Cobalt executive vice president of sales and marketing. “Cobalt’s 9904UDX-4K, coupled with Technicolor’s technology, helps broadcasters keep operating expenses low and future-proof their equipment investment.” 

NEWS - PRODUCTS

NewTek has announced the release of LightWave 3D 2019 NewTek has announced the release of LightWave 3D® 2019, a new edition of the production-proven graphics and animation package that refines the artist’s workflow to make creation of complex, photo-real animation and imagery faster and more efficient. Leading the list of improvements are the revolutionary new integration tools with Unreal Engine for real time data transfer to the world’s leading game engine. The system performs automatic discovery to make the workflow entirely seamless.

“Game engines have become the predominant real-time rendering and visualization tools for 3D, far beyond their use in video game development,” said Dr. Andrew Cross, president and CTO for NewTek. Another major advance for the 3D artist is the new 8 FEBRUARY ‘19

Metamorphic system, which brings multipurpose animatable mesh sculpting and painting to Layout. Fully multithreaded for fast operation, Metamorphic includes a wide range of brush options and controls, multiple animation modes, nonlinear interpolation, motion blur support and much more.

LightWave 2019 includes additional enhancements for animators. Among these is a new ‘Limited Bones’ mode for the character animation

system. This provides the ability to match the number of bones able to affect a given point to the game engine in use. The new mode also has realtime optimizations to more closely match the performance that game engines expect from a bone system. Modeler’s enhancements for game development include new UV and UDIM tools, as well as support for smoothing groups, which allow for fine-tuned control of the contouring of models. 

NEWS - PRODUCTS

ChyronHego and Grass Valley creates an integrated graphics creation and switching solution for sports venues Major U.S. sports venues are using a new, singlepoint-of-control integration solution for graphics and production switching developed in collaboration between ChyronHego and Grass Valley, a Belden Brand.

Designed for complex venue productions, this integration allows a technical director (TD) to switch shows with gamein-progress graphics delivered simultaneously to multiple displays. These include LED ribbon boards, scoreboards, and concourse/concession screens, all in a simple, repeatable manner.

“Both Grass Valley and ChyronHego have a decades-long tradition of broadcast technology innovation. It was just a matter of time before we got together to create synergy between the world’s most widely

deployed broadcast graphics system and the global leader in sports production switchers,” said Randy Dickerson, ChyronHego’s national director, sports venues and strategic accounts.

“Formalizing a new, specific integration solution is great news for our joint customers. It means we can create synergy at the engineering and creative level to give TDs more control and greater efficiencies in fastpaced, high-pressure live arena production environments.”

The all-new, plug-andplay innovation places single-button control of ChyronHego graphics for stadium and fan engagement (Click Effects PRIME), as well as broadcast (LyricX and PRIME), into the user interface of Grass Valley’s Kayenne, Karrera, and GV

Korona Video Production Center switchers. This deep integration enables synchronized scene-byscene or individual layer control with guaranteed repeatability, giving the TD the confidence that graphics will play the moment they are called for. TDs can now directly execute frame-accurate transitions, trigger graphic-enhanced replays, and clear channels by remotely controlling ChyronHego graphics workstations to deploy rich, multilayer graphics presentations to scoreboards — even on a single output.  9 FEBRUARY ‘19

NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES

Anevia and TR Services are chosen by SBB operator to develop its B2B hospitality offer Serbian cable operator SBB has selected IT systems integrator TR Services and Anevia’s Flamingo head-ends to develop its hospitality offer and provide hotels with an unrivalled selection of content.

offering high-performance TV services. They are already available in a number of hotels that have subscribed to the SBB offer.

SBB, digital and analogue cable television, Internet and landline telephony operator in Serbia, aims to reinforce its presence in the B2B market. To this end, in April 2018, it signed a Frame Agreement with TR Services, Anevia’s certified re-seller in the region since 2012, sealing a strong partnership between the two companies.

“Flamingo’s modularity and scalability were undoubtedly the decisive factors in making our choice,” commented Dragan Bilic, Director of TR Services. “By embedding a coax modulation and the ability to create virtual internal channels, Flamingo IPTV head-ends are the perfect fit. Furthermore, with the scalability feature, hotels can easily provide multiscreen services and pause-TV to offer their guests a real home experience.”

The Flamingo head-ends were chosen as part of a project to capture an IP bouquet and transform it into coaxial multicast streams that are compatible with hotel buildings’ coaxial structure and capable of

“We are thrilled to sign this agreement, which opens the door to many success stories to come in Southeast Europe with TR Services,” added Slaviša Danilović, Pre-Sales Engineer at SBB Solutions.

“There is a real need for

10 FEBRUARY ‘19

this type of product in the region, and Flamingo’s modularity makes it one of the most flexible headends on the market, as it can be embedded in any infrastructure, be it coaxial, IP, WiFi or hybrid.

Furthermore, as part of United Group, the leading telecommunications and media platform in Southeast Europe operating in six countries of the former Yugoslavia, we can take advantage of Anevia’s Cloud Monitoring Platform that allows us to survey our installations throughout the region in real time.

“Thanks to TR Services’ network of partners and United Group affiliates in the whole Balkan region, there are countless opportunities for development here,” commented Natalia Shapkina, Anevia’s Head of Strategic Partnerships for the hospitality industry. 

NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES

Swansea City AFC develops a live streaming platform with Blackmagic

Blackmagic URSA Broadcast

Swansea City Association Football Club (AFC) has developed its own streaming platform, SwansTV Live, with a live workflow featuring the Blackmagic URSA Broadcast and Smart Videohub 12G 40×40 router.

Joining the English Football League (EFL) Championship at the start of the 2018-19 season created a new opportunity for the football club. It could now consider live 12 FEBRUARY ‘19

streaming its own content, something that hadn’t been an option whilst in the Premier League.

Swansea City AFC had two options according to Jonathan Wilsher, head of media and marketing at the club: “We could work within the EFL’s own service, iFollow, or take the initiative to create our own. Opting out allowed us to implement a solution that would offer fans exclusive, high quality content that goes well

beyond match coverage and highlights.”

Having enlisted the help of specialist football broadcast consultant Peter Knowles and his StvdioExpert team, the club has deployed four channels of URSA Broadcast around the Liberty Stadium. A purpose built studio centered around a Smart Videohub 12G 40×40 router gathers in all of the live camera feeds via SDI, as well as the custom graphics and

NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES

discussing team selection and match analysis. This relies on a two camera setup featuring the Blackmagic Studio Camera.

Smart Videohub 12G 40x40

VT packages needed to produce the master program mix (PGM).

That is then taken through an ATEM Television Studio HD, which acts as a transmission switcher selecting the source to stream be it program or a holding graphic, before being fed into an AMG video on demand (VOD) server at 1080i50.

“The URSA Broadcast’s extended video mode is

the killer ingredient for us,” says Wilsher.

“Combined with good quality b4 lenses, the color reproduction straight out of the URSA Broadcast means you have a really cost effective system for live to air broadcast acquisition.”

Extending the service beyond just streaming 90 minutes of football, Wilsher and the 14 strong production team also produce pre and post match studio based shows

This new source of direct to consumer revenue is already widening the club’s fanbase significantly according to Wilsher. “We have exceeded all expectations in regard to subscriber numbers thanks to the solution we’ve implemented,” he concludes. “Having this level of control over our content has allowed us to engage with our fans and sponsors on a whole new level.”

NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES

Hitachi HDTV cameras improve production quality at Whitewater Community TV When Richmond, Indiana-based public, education and government (PEG) access broadcaster Whitewater Community Television (WCTV) set out to improve the visual quality of their productions, they purchased three ZHD5000 HDTV cameras from Hitachi Kokusai Electric America, Ltd. (Hitachi Kokusai) to achieve their goals. The resulting of the Hitachi cameras have WCTV staff hoping to add more ZHD5000s in the future, and may save the station money on other planned studio upgrades by reducing lighting requirements.

WCTV was established in 1988 as a communitybased, not-for-profit organization to bring news, event coverage, educational content and entertainment 14 FEBRUARY ‘19

programming to residents of Wayne County. The station operates three PEG channels while providing television studio facilities, equipment and training to members of the community wishing to create their own public access programming.

Located on the Indiana University East campus, WCTV also creates productions for the university and its Athletics department including NAIA basketball and volleyball match coverage as well as commencements.

Replacing their aging studio cameras in 2018 as part of an ongoing studio overhaul, improved image quality was a key objective for WCTV. “While we can only broadcast in SD, we have been upgrading our production capabilities to HD for future-proofing as well as

online delivery including Facebook streaming and our on-demand YouTube channel,” explained Ryan Harris, videographer and director at WCTV. “We had already changed our production switcher to an HD-capable, top-of-theline NewTek TriCaster 8000, but the cameras were our missing link, and we wanted better quality.”

WCTV compared all of the major camera brands at a systems integrator’s local trade show, and found the Hitachi cameras to be the ideal fit. “We saw the Hitachi cameras at the Duncan Video Showcase, and the full package with the 7” color viewfinder, lens and fiber adapter was perfect for our needs,” Harris recalled. “We then saw other Hitachi cameras in action at fellow PEG station DATV in Dayton, Ohio, and realized how well they would fit our

NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES

operations. We looked at multiple Hitachi models, and decided that the ZHD5000 was just right for who we are and what we do for our community. It gives us the quality of image we are trying to achieve, at the price point we were looking for.”

The improvement in visual fidelity provided by the Hitachi cameras was immediately evident. “The picture quality is definitely much better, not only for our online HD clips, but even our standarddefinition broadcast looks much better now,” said

Harris. “The image is so much clearer that it has created a different challenge for us, as viewers can now see any imperfections in our studio – such as holes in a curtain, or if we forget to sweep the floor. The color reproduction is also exceptional.”

The remarkable sensitivity of the Hitachi cameras has also provided immediate benefits that may be further amplified in the near future. “We are still in the midst of our studio upgrade, and we have a lot of old lighting

that is dying out,” explained Harris.

“The Z-HD5000s are a lot more forgiving of those aging lights. With our old cameras, we needed to open the iris all the way, and the image was still dark. With the Hitachi cameras, we can back the iris off, because they’re so much more sensitive. In fact, the Z-HD5000’s sensitivity may allow us to save money on our planned lighting upgrade, as our illumination requirements will be lower.” 

15 FEBRUARY ‘19

NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES

Technology from Imagine Comms proves successful in an unusual challenge at Monza

Imagine Communications technology delivers superior consistency at all resolutions including 4K HDR

Technology from Imagine Communications proved successful in an unusual challenge at Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in November 2018.

Its systems power the new live Ultra HD production truck operated by Global Production, which took part in an extensive trial 16 FEBRUARY ‘19

organised by Ferrari as part of its Ferrari Challenge World Final (1-4 November 2018). This trial determined who could deliver the most consistent and accurate live colour images across all resolutions — including, of course, Ferrari’s trademark red.

Global Production’s new truck was designed and built by Italian systems integrator Chromaline, with a hybrid SDI and IP infrastructure specified and implemented together with the engineers from Imagine Communications.

The outside broadcast company’s demanding

NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES

requirements include the ability to support as many as 30 true 4K Ultra HD cameras, with comprehensive and responsive production capabilities suitable for the rigours of premium sports coverage. This could only be achieved using software-based systems from Imagine Communications.

In the tests at the Ferrari Challenge, the Global Production truck beat the competition hands down during a competitive colour accuracy test. It delivered the most accurate rendition of Ferrari red to viewers watching on all standards, from SD and HD to Ultra HD in 4K and HDR. Aside from the test, Global Production was providing host broadcaster coverage of the four-day event for Sky Italia, RAI and other broadcasters around the world.

“This is the first time anybody has asked to see every single available standard and format at the same time, to monitor the accuracy of each feed

and, more precisely, to determine the accuracy of the colour space,” said Nicola Dall’Asta, CEO at systems integrator Chromaline. “Ferrari’s trademarked red colour carries as much importance as its logo — it is the essence of the Ferrari brand, so it was crucial that we delivered it more accurately than the competition.”

— essential to optimal mobile operations.

The tests demonstrated the power of the Imagine Communications hybrid infrastructure, built around the Selenio™ Network Processor (SNP).

The standards-based, highdensity platform offers SDI/IP gateway functionality and all-IPcapable processing with instantaneous conversion capabilities between environments. The significance of this demonstration is that the SNP enabled Global Production to seamlessly support hybrid SDI-IP workflows, while protecting the integrity of its mission-critical signals.

The compact SNP platform also delivers space- and power-savings

Mathias Eckert, SVP & GM EMEA and APAC, Playout and Networking Solutions at Imagine Communications, said, “When this vehicle went on the road a couple of months ago, we knew that Nicola and his team had created a truck for Global Production that is capable of truly remarkable feats.

Having a prominent customer like Ferrari perform neutral competitive testing of their highly guarded brand on our equipment — and be impressed with the results — is a testament to both Chromaline’s abilities and the strength of our technologies.” 

“In today’s hybrid world, broadcasters have to perform a lot of conversions,” added Dall’Asta. “Imagine’s SNP allows for any type of conversion, on any type of transport, with the best accuracy on the market.

This test clearly proves this.”

17 JANUARY ‘19

NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES

Jordan’s Al Mamlaka TV broadcast infrastructure is controlled by Lawo VSM Al Mamlaka TV, a 24/7 HD news channel and Jordan’s first state-funded public service broadcaster, went on-air in July 2018.

Although funded by the government, Al-Mamlaka (“The Kingdom”) offers public broadcasting services and is therefore neither state-owned nor commercial. It runs as an independent voice and delivers news and broadcast shows on both linear and OTT platforms.

Jordan’s new public broadcaster resides in a completely new six-storey facility in King Hussein Business Park, Amman, which provides around 8,000sqm of space. This was a greenfield project without any legacy infrastructure or media equipment. Work started in August 2017 and commissioning was done in January 2018. April 2018 saw the successful completion of the project and official handover.

18 FEBRUARY ‘19

The Al Mamlaka project features a sophisticated VSM (Virtual Studio Manager) solution by German innovator and manufacturer of broadcast equipment, Lawo, for facility-wide, overall broadcast system control in support of sophisticated workflows.

The systems integrator Qvest Media was responsible for the entire design, build and integration of the infrastructure for efficient station operations. In

addition, Qvest Media designed and integrated a customized motorized and curved video wall system that gives the news productions a distinct look and feel. For their commitment to this project, the company won the ASBU BroadcastPro Middle East ‘System Integrator of the Year’ Award.

Al Mamlaka TV’s broadcast facility provides complete redundancy, including AV and broadcast IT equipment,

NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES

and is based on virtualized systems. From the start, the new building was designed to be centrally managed, and the entire infrastructure to be easily expandable to meet future requirements. The other mandate was that the produced media content needed to be made available as a live stream, and the production workflow had to be designed to support 24/7 operation on all channels.

For news production, Al Mamlaka TV uses an alldigital production chain, from the ingest of various live sources and

newsfeeds, over news content production, to playout and distribution.

The main workflows comprise the planning of news shows and productions, the ingest of live sources and recorded contributions, the news production and approval process, and an automatic transfer of approved material to transmission and deep archiving.

“The major task and benefit of using the VSM system is that it creates a familiar workflow for all operators in all news studios and the MCR. VSM is the only control system

on the market able to work in a fully IP-based environment and with third-party equipment”, says Ahmad Al Kayal, Head of Sales at Qvest Media in Dubai. “The implementation of VSM across Al Malaka channel proves its ability to provide the overall control system, regardless of the hardware used and the overall system design.

Thanks to a virtual IP switching layer, the VSM system allows to set up a workflow in future news studios that is familiar to users by virtue of their established workflows” Al Kayal adds.  19 FEBRUARY ‘19

NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES

Quicklink Studio enables remote IP audio commentary for pan-European Football Tournament The Quicklink Studio Solution has been used recently at a prestigious pan-European football tournament to provide ultra-low latency audio commentary simultaneously over the internet from several remote locations. The tournament is played by the national league champions of the strongest European associations.

Audioconsulting AG are an independent consulting company that provide services for the major international football associations and the leading Swiss IPTV provider Teleclub/Swisscom TV. Audioconsulting AG chose the Quicklink Studio solution after a period of robust testing and evaluation. Martin Reich, Audioconsulting AG CEO says “This a true ‘plug-andplay’ solution. We received a commentary solution 20 FEBRUARY ‘19

that perfectly suits our needs. The Quicklink Remote Commentary Solution is stable, simple and reliable”.

Teleclub uses the Quicklink system internationally for commentators when they travel abroad and also home in Switzerland. The remote commentator opens a simple Chrome browser in order to transmit high quality audio commentary whilst viewing live video sent from the control room.

“The interaction between studio and stadium becomes more fluent and

more vivid thanks to the visual link between the studio and the commentator. The advantage is that we can send back the live video without putting more load on to the commentator.

However, on top, with this solution we are able to achieve the same quality of audio that can be achieved using ISDN or any Voice over IP only system“.

Audioconsulting AG plan to use the Quicklink Studio Solution for further international events for IP audio commentary. 

NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES

GatesAir supplies its Maxiva XTE exciter to prominent Australian broadcast entities GatesAir has supplied its Maxiva™ XTE exciter to prominent Australian broadcast entities — TX Australia, Broadcast Australia, and Free TV — for DVB-T2 field trials on Australia’s Gold Coast, just south of Brisbane.

Following a trial in Sydney earlier this year, the capabilities of DVB-T2 will again be tested, including in an extended singlefrequency network (SFN).

DVB-T2 is being considered as a technology to replace the current DVB-T standard for television, which has been in operation since 2001.

A key objective of these field trials is to test and verify interoperability between third-party systems used in both

classic transmission and SFN configurations.

According to Redmond, “The GatesAir Maxiva XTE Exciter platform has already demonstrated reliable, seamless transmission performance in multi-vendor DVB-T2 installations across Europe and Asia.”

This latest DVB-T2 trial will originate from a Gold Coast re-transmission site located on Mount Tamborine, which is managed by TX Australia, a joint venture company of the Seven, Nine, and Ten broadcast television networks. TX Australia, which provides transmission services to a wide array of TV and FM broadcasters and networks across metropolitan Australia,

has been collaborating closely with Free TV Australia, an industry body that represents all of Australia’s commercial free-to-air television licensees. Another key party to the field trials, Broadcast Australia, is responsible for delivering digital television and radio services for Australia’s national broadcasters.

The Gold Coast field trial utilizes the same video and audio content provided to the Sydney trial by members of Free TV. It also seeks to replicate the characteristics measured and analyzed in Sydney, including assessment of the service threshold across the target coverage area when operating in extended SFN mode.  21 FEBRUARY ‘19

NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES

TV channel Belarus 24 upgrades to HD with Globecast

The biggest media company in the Republic of Belarus – The National State TV and Radio Company of the Republic of Belarus – has selected Globecast to launch the HD variant of its international satellite channel Belarus 24.

TV channel Belarus 24 is building upon its decadelong relationship with Globecast with the launch of the free-to-air channel on Eutelsat’s HOTBIRD. The HD version was made available on December 1, with the SD variant 22 FEBRUARY ‘19

continuing to be carried

by Eutelast until January 1st, 2019.

Belarus 24 is a Russianlanguage channel that offers a mix of political, social and cultural content, selected from the broadcaster’s national output. The launch of the HD variant on HOTBIRD marks the first launch of an HD channel from a CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) country.

“We have a high trust relationship with Globecast, much like they

do with Eutelsat. Given the success and reach of Belarus 24 in SD since 2005, we felt it was time for us to deliver this important content in HD so that we can bring a significantly enhanced viewing experience to our customers. We are very happy with our choice of Globecast and Eutelsat as the project has gone exceptionally smoothly,” said Mr. Aleksandr Martynenko, General Director at Belarus 24.

Globecast is providing a backup/redundant link from Belarus 24 Moscow facility to Globecast’s hub in Paris via its GCXN solution. GCXN provides technical management of the transport of broadcast services over the public Internet. GCXN can be used for primary and secondary distribution with broadcast-grade quality. It comes as a standalone service or as a complementary solution to satellite services. 

NEWS - SUCCESS STORIES

Sinclair upgrades its fleet of hundreds of portable transmission units to LU600 HEVC Sinclair Broadcast Group recently signed a multiyear lease agreement with LiveU that upgrades its fleet of hundreds of portable transmission units to LU600 HEVC for its newsgathering operations. The agreement immediately upgrades Sinclair stations spanning 80 production locations in the US to

LiveU’s flagship model of HEVC field units. Sinclair has been a LiveU customer since 2011.

Sinclair is implementing LiveU Matrix to share live content for news events, such as the California

“From the beginning, Sinclair recognized the value that LiveU technology provides to our news gathering and content operations. It is the commitment of the people at LiveU who develop and support the product that make the difference. We value our relationship with the company’s COO & Cofounder, Avi Cohen and LiveU. This deal is a recognition of the value LiveU brings to our content operations,” said Del Parks, SVP Chief Technology Officer for Sinclair.

wildfires, across all its

Sinclair has also deployed other LiveU’s IPbased solutions including LiveU Matrix, LU-Smart and LiveU vehicle solutions.

phones, so they can go

broadcast and digital news platforms. LiveU Matrix, the company’s IP cloud video management platform, enables Sinclair’s stations to view, manage and distribute live content quickly and efficiently throughout the station group using lowcost internet connectivity.

As breaking news happens anywhere at any time, Sinclair is evaluating the ability to arm its field reporters and crew with LU-Smart app for smart live virtually anywhere and send that content back to the studio for editing and distribution.  23 FEBRUARY ‘19

NEWS - BUSINESS & PEOPLE

VITEC announces the strategic acquisition of T-21 Technologies VITEC has announced the strategic acquisition of T-21 Technologies, a provider of OTT streaming media solutions for media operations, broadcasters, and content owners worldwide. Kevin Ancelin, founder and CEO of T-21 Technologies, will join VITEC as vice president of worldwide broadcast sales.

“The acquisition of T-21 brings Kevin’s 32-year industry experience and knowledge to VITEC as we expand our product and strategy focus on the broadcast market,” said Mark D’Addio, senior vice president, VITEC. “His expertise in product and market development will expedite our new product roadmap and sales efforts for leading broadcasters worldwide.”

VITEC’s HEVC technology and solutions make it more efficient than ever to deliver the highest quality contribution links over dedicated and public IP networks, fiber, and satellite.

Powered by VITEC’s internally developed HEVC GEN2+ encoding core, the MGW Ace Encoder and Decoder establish new industry standards in video quality, bit rate efficiency, and ultra-low latency (ULL). This revolutionary solution provides best-in-class HEVC video quality up to 4:2:2 10-bit. 

24 FEBRUARY ‘19

Atomos and RED announce a royalty-based license agreement CEO of Atomos, Jeromy Young, said, “Atomos and RED are now further aligned to make more advanced video recording technology more affordable with no compromise to creative freedom. RED have always been at the forefront of digital cinema technology and propelled the industry forward at an astounding rate. ” In the process of negotiating Atomos’ licence to use RED’s intellectual property, the companies recognised that there is significant opportunity for them to enhance the integration of their product lines to produce what they both expect to be trail-blazing new camera recording systems. While the two companies have for many years worked together, this next phase of the relationship will be one to watch out for.

President of RED Digital Cinema, Jarred Land, said, “We welcome the new relationship with Atomos and feel that their innovation combined with our patented technology should fuel broader adoption of 4k and above, content creation. We are looking forward to what the future holds for our partnership.” 

NEWS - BUSINESS & PEOPLE

Broadcasting Center Europe (BCE) acquires Freecaster Montreux Volley Masters. I am looking forward to taking our collaboration to the next level and offering even more targeted and high-tech solutions to our clients.”

Freecaster at Tomorrowland

BCE has announced that it has fully acquired Freecaster, an online video service provider specialised in production and streaming of highquality content. The transaction closed on 1 January 2019 with Raymond Dulieu remaining the CEO of Freecaster.

With this acquisition, BCE strengthens its production capabilities and furthermore expands its footprint in the live and on-demand streaming of content. Frédéric Lemaire, Chief Executive Officer of

BCE, says: “At BCE we have already developed advanced online video solutions for the market.

These will be complemented by the know-how and recent developments of Freecaster which allow us to strengthen our offers and accelerate the development of our nonlinear portfolio. Since May 2018, BCE has successfully collaborated with Freecaster in livestreaming of events such as The Spot (the international sport innovations event) and the

Raymond Dulieu, Chief Executive Officer of Freecaster, adds: “Over the past 15 years Freecaster has grown from being the leading global extreme sports video platform to becoming a live 4K video production and streaming service provider to fashion houses, music festivals and broadcasters. Integrating within BCE will reinforce the company from a managerial, financial and technical point of view. It will also allow Freecaster to further offer its customers the high-end support and level of customisation they have enjoyed to date whilst also adding new services as part of BCE’s technical portfolio.”  25 FEBRUARY ‘19

CASE STUDY

Broadcast Solutions starts delivery of major order to state Broadcaster Belarus TV

Broadcast Solutions has begun delivery of a major order to Belarus’ state broadcaster Belarus TV. Belarus TV, BelTV for short, has commissioned four production sets to Broadcast Solutions, one of Europe’s largest system integrators. Each set 26 FEBRUARY ‘19

comprises an 18-camera HD OB Van, a 4-camera HD flightcase studio and a support vehicle. The first two production vehicles left Broadcast Solutions’ production facilities in December 2018 and the bulk order will be completed by April 2019.

Until this date, the other identical sets will be delivered to the customer at regular intervals.

The reasons for BelTV’s order are the second European Games to be held in June 2019 in Minsk, Belarus. To capture this major event

BROADCAST SOLUTIONS

comprehensively and to produce to international TV standards, the state broadcaster commissioned the vehicles and flight case studios.

One key factor that drove the customer to choose Broadcast Solutions is their ability to respond quickly to customer requests and deliver projects even of this size exceptionally quickly. Another important aspect for the customer was the high quality and the label “Made in Germany” all Broadcast

Solutions projects reflect.

Yuri Kolyachko, CTO of BelTV comments on the project and working with Broadcast Solutions: “When building the four production sets, for us it was important that our partner has all the experience and capacities to deliver such a large project in a very short time – without compromises regarding outstanding quality.”

Kolyachko adds: “Broadcast Solutions provided excellent support during planning

and production, and the first vehicles we have already put into service fully meet our expectations. We feel in good hands with Broadcast Solutions and look forward to the first productions with the new tools. They will elevate the level of television in Belarus decisively.”

All four OB Vans have an identical design and work as 20-ton semitrailers with two extensions and with up to 18 cameras in HD: two wireless, two SuperSlomo and 14

27 FEBRUARY ‘19

CASE STUDY

THE TECHNOLOGY 18-camera OB Van Trailer with two expansions »» Length: 2.43 m »» Width: 2.55 m (4.34 m with expansions) »» Hight: 4 m »» Weight: 20.6 t »» Cameras: 14x Grass Valley LDX 82, 2x Grass Valley LDX 86 (Slowmotion), 2x Grass Valley LDX 82 (Wireless) »» Vision Mixer: Grass Valley Karrera 3 M/E with 4 M/E KFrame; Grass Valley Korona 1M/E (2nd Production) Monitors »» Production: 2x 24” Konvision, 5x48“ NEC

standard HD-cameras. Each of the flight case studios is designed for four cameras.

Within the OB Vans, Broadcast Solutions implemented Grass Valley cameras, vision mixers, video routers, multiviewers and slow motion servers. The audio section relies on Calrec audio mixers and audio routers. IHSE KVM systems secure access to computers and workstations, and the intercom signals are processed using Riedel Artist systems.

The flightcase studios also work with Grass Valley cameras while FOR.A’s vision mixers and Ross routers are used. KVM systems from Guntermann & Drunck and Yamaha audio mixers are in place in the mobile studios.

Broadcast Solutions’ self-developed control system hi is used in the OB vans and the flight case studios for the first time. hi controls all production-relevant areas in the vehicles such as video routers, multiviewers, audio routers 28 FEBRUARY ‘19

»» Slomo: 7x 21,5” Iiyama »» Engineering: 4x 21,5” Konvision, 1x 24” Konvision, 3x 48“ NEC, 1x 21,5“ Iiyama »» Audio: 2x 24” Konvision »» Multiviewer/Splitter: SAM MV 820 »» Video Matrix: SAM Vega 700 216x216 »» Slomo Server: 2x Grass Valley K2 Dyno Elite-8 HD, 1x K2 Dyno Elite-16 for Supermotion or 4K with HD Cutout »» Control: Broadcast Solutions hi »» KVM: IHSE Draco tera »» Video Measurement: Tektronix WFM 5200, WVR 7200 »» Audio Mixer: Calrec Brio 36 with 36 Faders »» Audio Matrix: Calrec Hydra2 512x512

BROADCAST SOLUTIONS

»» Audio Monitoring: KRK »» Audio Effects: TC Electronic TCM6000 »» Audio Measurement: RTW-TM7 »» Intercom: Riedel Artist 128 »» Wireless Talk-Back: Riedel RiFace / Motorola »» Video Stageboxes: 4x Video with 1x SDI IN/OUT »» Audio Stageboxes: 1x Audio with 32 Mic/Line IN, 8 Line OUT, 4 AES IN/OUT, 2x Wireless MIC, 2x InEar,1x Surround Mic »» Networking: Cisco Switch 4-camera HD flightcase studio »» Cameras: 4x Grass Valley Focus 75 Live »» Video Mixer: FOR.A HVS 110 1 M/E »» Monitors: 1x 32“ NEC, 2x 17,3“ Konvision »» Video Matrix: Ross Ultrix FR-1 incl.

Multiviewer »» Slomo Server: Grass Valley K2 Summit 3G »» Control: Broadcast Solutions hi

and tally. Intuitive touch controls and newly developed hi hardware controls simplify day-to-day production operations in the OB Vans.

Part of each production set is a 26-ton support truck, which ensures the necessary independence during productions. Besides the usual storage space, the support truck is equipped with a 62 kW generator and restrooms for the production crew. The restrooms also have a kitchenette including self-sufficient fresh water supply. 

»» KVM: Guntermann & Drunck »» Audio Mixer: Yamaha TF-1 with 16 Faders »» Audio Monitoring: KRK »» Intercom: Riedel C44 Support Van, truck with box body »» Length: 12.43 m »» Width: 2.55 m »» Height: 4 m »» Weight: 21.2 t »» Features: Storage; Generator (62 kW); Restroom incl. kitchenette with self-sufficient fresh water supply

29 FEBRUARY ‘19

CASE STUDY

Western Michigan University Broncos turn to Envivo Replay for slow motion playback on in-stadium screens and streaming to ESPN channels Western Michigan University’s (WMU) Division I Broncos football program has a storied history at the Kalamazoobased school. As the 2015 Bahama Bowl winner, 2016 Mid-American Conference (MAC) champions, and participants in the 2017 Cotton Bowl, the popular team requires production technology that keeps pace with its sports program.

Video production professionals at the school determined that the slowmotion replay system used for in-arena replays and for live ESPN and ESPN+ feeds from home football, men’s and women’s 30 FEBRUARY ‘19

soccer, and men’s and women’s basketball games was not providing a true broadcast look or an optimum training ground for students. As part of the school’s video production unit, Bronco Productions, students are responsible for the school’s sports programming feeds for ESPN and ESPN+.

WMU turned to the Envivo Replay, sports and live event replay solution from Variant Systems, which is sold all over the world, and exclusively by FOR-A® in North, Central and South America. Envivo Replay is a complete replay solution with an intuitive user interface that offers support for

high-speed slow-motion cameras, as well as playlists for highlights playback, built-in branding capabilities, and direct publishing to social media platforms. It allows for multiple camera inputs and multiple controlled outputs.

As of this fall, Envivo Replay is used to capture slow motion footage for Broncos’ in-stadium replays and for its streaming coverage to ESPN and ESPN+.

“We needed a slowmotion system in our truck that was more broadcast ready,” says Devon Doxey, Assistant Director, Bronco Productions. “We were looking for a replay

FOR-A

system with the same look and feel as a professional system that was also easy to learn. The students absolutely love to use the touchscreen. I was a little worried about it at first, but it’s impressive how easy it is to use. It makes doing replays fun. I see our students use it all the time. We rely on them.

Envivo Replay gives us state-of-the-art tools that lets them produce broadcast-quality video.”

“Plus, we’re able to teach students on technology that’s similar to other systems used by broadcasters,” Doxey

continues. “Being able to get them broadcast-ready for replay gigs in the future is something we couldn’t do before.”

Doxey cites having a dual playlist mode as another benefit: “Access to more content has made our production quality even better.”

He adds Variant’s gameday support and the system’s pricing as other factors that contributed to the switch. “With Envivo, we don’t call a technical support line to talk to someone who may or may not know what we’re talking about. We have the

guy who created the system as our tech support. That’s incredible.”

Doxey serves as the Director and Producer for all ESPN streams at Western Michigan University, as well as leading all video production for scoreboard and social media content.

Envivo Replay is part of a complete live event workflow with FOR-A’s HANABI series of video switchers, ClassX 3D graphics, and video writer telestrators. 

31 FEBRUARY ‘19

CASE STUDY

Mistika Technology unlocked MECHANICAL SOULS’ impressive final looks with very high-quality image quality

MECHANICAL SOULS is a

directed by Gaëlle Moure,

association with DVgroup ,

multi-segmented narrative

presented by Digital Rise

Google JUMP , SGO and

VR series written by L.P.

(France) & Serendipity

Kaohsiung VR Film Lab .

Lee and Gaëlle Mourre,

Films (Taiwan) , in

The Pilot episode is having

32 FEBRUARY ‘19

SGO

its World Premiere today at at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival in the New Frontier section .

The director, Gaëlle Moure says that the story strongly features technology so it made sense to explore a format that could reflect its content. “I was convinced that VR was the right platform for many reasons, one of them is that VR actually generates a lot of empathy from the viewer. As, at its core, Mechanical Souls is a very human story, it makes complete sense to harness this and by doing so, making good use of the medium’s natural immersive potential,” described the director.

Mistika Boutique: empowering creativity Creators of MECHANICAL SOULS wanted to achieve a specific look with very high-quality images, explained Francois Klein, VR-360º producer at DV Group, the major immersive studio from France that provided the

France financing and technology to support Gaëlle’s vision of the project. “Today, VR still suffers a lot from lowquality images but even if the quality is high enough, the style is very realistic, close to a documentary approach. MECHANICAL SOULS is clearly a work of fiction, taking place in a futuristic universe. It was calling for a stylish, cinematographic look,” said Francois Klein. “The whole crew are experienced technicians that have been working with traditional filmmaking. It was essential to give them the tool that would enable them to show the full extent of their talent.”

The team opted for using Mistika Boutique, SGO’s soon to be released natively integrated software-only solution for Windows and Mac *, providing the flexibility and functionality of the world’s most advanced post-production hero-suite Mistika Ultima. Mistika Boutique offers an extensive spectrum of the post-production finishing

tools essential for creating first-class content, including conforming, VFX, color grading, Stereo 3D, VR/360º and much more.

“Mistika Boutique enabled us to work from the initial footage without losing any quality in the process and perform complex and subtle color and image corrections.

Being in a stereoscopic workflow, Mistika Boutique allowed us to focus alternatively on each eye or the overall S3D image,” continued Francois Klein and added that they were also impressed with the rendering power and speed. “Using just a regular computer we were able to render the different parts of the film (as it is an interactive narration) faster than what we thought. Initially we planned on using the multi-render capability but in the end, it was not needed.” 

33 FEBRUARY ‘19

CASE STUDY

University of Wales Trinity Saint David turns vision for future learning to reality with Sony’s Vision Exchange Formed in November 2010 through the merger of the University of Wales Lampeter and Trinity University College Carmarthen, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) is the oldest Royal Chartered University in Wales with campuses across South West Wales and in London.

As a trailblazer for technology enabled learning, UWTSD has invested significantly in its infrastructure and embarked on an ambitious regeneration programme to transform the educational experience. Its partnership with Sony has expedited a move from traditional lecture theatres and auditoriums to cutting-edge learning spaces, delivering a 34 FEBRUARY ‘19

collaborative and interactive environment that is driving new levels of engagement and attainment.

Background The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) has undergone substantial regeneration

and development as part of its mission to expand its campus and enhance its student experience. This culminated in the £350 million construction of its pioneering new SA1 Swansea Waterfront Development (completed in September 2018), home to the Institute of

SONY

WHY SONY WAS SELECTED “From the outset Sony shared our vision for the future of education. Of the many technology partners we considered, Sony was quickly identified as being a provider of tools and technologies we felt could be a right fit for us.

Importantly, they showed a firm commitment to truly understanding our challenges, our aspirations and our needs, and worked with us to engineer, test and adapt a solution that was designed to meet those.

Rather than coming at this technology first, our joint goal has always been to improve learning outcomes,” said Lyndon Shirley, , Executive Head of Technology Enhanced Learning at University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

Education, Faculty of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, the Construction Wales Innovation Centre and a new library.

In the upgrade of its existing campuses learning spaces and the ground-up construction of the SA1 buildings, the University’s primary goal

was to create an active learning environment with interactivity at its core. In 2015 it set about reimagining the learning experience at the University to set a new benchmark for technology-enabled, collaborative education.

Challenges In a competitive Higher Education landscape, Universities are increasingly seeking ways to improve, differentiate and attract future generations of students and educators. UWTSD faced the challenge of integrating the University more closely with business and industry, whilst also bettering the student experience and optimising its appeal to both existing and new students.

The University had clear ambitions to fundamentally rethink teaching and learning programmes to engage and create an educational environment optimised for all students. To realise its aspirations, UWTSD required a technology

partner with proven heritage and technical expertise, an impressive range of teaching solutions designed to encourage participation and – critically – a shared vision to pioneer the next generation of active, collaborative learning through smart technology.

A bold reimagining of the future learning environment necessitated an equally bold vision, leadership style and change management programme. To optimise organisational buy-in and speed of adoption, the University stipulated a technology solution that was simple and intuitive to use for students and lecturers alike – regardless of technical expertise. Moreover, stakeholders from across the teaching faculty needed to be actively engaged in both the development of the technology solution itself and its roll out in order to maximise uptake and impact.

In addition to preparing staff for a new campus, 35 FEBRUARY ‘19

CASE STUDY

new technology, learning process and educational approach, the University focused on providing benefits and assistance to staff in that process.

The Sony Solution From initial proof of concept through to the final tailored offering being rolled across all campuses, Sony’s Vision Exchange solution has been developed hand-inhand with UWTSD. The intuitive, scalable and flexible solution has been specifically tailored to the needs of Higher Education and the pedagogical requirements of UWTSD using: - Feedback sourced from the full spectrum of stakeholders (senior management, teachers and faculty members), many of whom played a critical role as early adopters, co-developers and mentors for the new system - Insight and intelligence from core project teams plus forty academic staff involved in piloting 36 FEBRUARY ‘19

- Quantitative and qualitative research from 300 students, including over 1,800 responses to questions on efficacy - An extensive piloting process across three campuses - The findings and input from the early adopter and co-development programme Encouraging freedom and supporting students with active learning, the education solution allows up to 60 students to work collaboratively in small ‘work-group clusters’ of up to 6 simultaneously connecting wirelessly to the platform via their own laptops (Windows/Mac), tablets or smartphone devices. Not only does Vision Exchange maximise the potential of BYOD, but unlike complex fixed solutions connecting different technologies, its scalability means it can be connected to and expanded simply by adding active learning workgroup PODs. The design of the new spaces at SA1 is underpinned by the core

principle of flexibility. The result is entirely configurable and adaptable, with moveable desks, seats and clusters.

Educational technologies like Sony’s Vision Exchange solution, are equally flexible in order to drive and empower the new learning environment.

The lecturer can easily ‘mirror’ any devices and share content with other groups in the room or on the main presentation screen via simple dragand-drop gestures that remain under their control. The solution can also bring in other participants located elsewhere to join the discussion and seamlessly share content regardless of geographic location, inspiring knowledge exchange, creative dialogue and higher-order thinking.

Vision Exchange is being progressively deployed across all of UWTSD’s existing campuses and incorporated into the ground-up build of the teaching spaces at the SA1 Swansea Waterfront,

SONY

enabling lecturers to feature the technology at the core of their education. The University has also invested in Sony’s TEOS Manage device and room management solution to efficiently manage, schedule and monitor the content that is displayed on all its networked BRAVIA professional displays and projectors.

Results to date In introducing a range of resources to the teaching scenario that simply

weren’t available previously, there is a new layer of possibility delivered, which means participants can share a wide variety of resources and tools within different scenarios. In turn, this has spurred new enthusiasm amongst university staff.

Allowing them to move more freely in the room, Vision Exchange has empowered better interaction between lecturers and students, improving participation and engagement with groups in the room as part of the educational

process. Bringing ideas from different members of groups together - both inside and outside of the institution itself - also allows UWTSD to expand the learning environment beyond just the ‘classroom’ setting and actively develop its distance learning offering.

Teachers have greater opportunities to observe what’s going on in an active setting and to bring in a range of different voices and ideas to evolve the journey of discovery.  37 FEBRUARY ‘19

CASE STUDY

John Brown University goes with Matrox to Webcast Upcoming centennial celebratory events John Brown University (JBU) celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2019, which will mark the start of a unique season of special live on-campus events.

JBU is a leader in Christian higher education, providing academic, spiritual, and professional training for worldimpacting careers. As part of their well-rounded scholastic experience, the university offers more than 40 areas of study along with a wide variety of athletic, cultural, and spiritual activities and events.

JBU’s audio, visual, and lighting (AVL) support team, a division within the university’s Information Technology Services (ITS), is typically involved in producing and live streaming over 650 live events on campus each 38 FEBRUARY ‘19

The 35th Toilet Paper Game, a John Brown University basketball tradition

year. This year that number is expected to grow considerably. The AVL department mentors more than 30 work-study students in producing seamless and subtle technical support for fullscale events from soccer, basketball, and volleyball

games, to worship services and special events such as convocation ceremonies, to musical performances, plays, seminars, and guest speaking engagements.

Challenge Darren Gould, AVL specialist at JBU, who

MATROX

primarily handles the system design, purchasing, and installation of most of the video infrastructure used on campus, had been experiencing a series of computer-based glitches when trying to stream— these included Windows® updates that would restart the computer during events, PCs logging users out, and even going to sleep while in use. “At the time we were using encoding software installed on desktop PCs with third-party I/O cards.

It was not an elegant solution; it was inconsistent, and frankly… terrible!” said Gould.

“Then, we had a dead computer CMOS battery cause our graduation ceremony stream to fail.

At that point, we’d had enough!”

There had to be a better solution that would allow JBU to stream campus events for family, friends, and alumni to enjoy when they could not attend in person. “Having only a single device to stream from—one that relied so heavily on a PC operating system—was something

we were determined to avoid. We needed a more reliable system that would give us much better quality.”

Solution Already familiar with Matrox, Gould began his research by comparing several hardware encoders with the Matrox® Monarch HDX dual-channel encoder. The Monarch HDX appliance offered the most beneficial features at the most reasonable pricepoint.

JBU purchased three Monarch HDX encoders.

One unit is part of a flypack used to stream various events across campus. The flypack is equipped with everything the AVL team needs to produce and stream high-

quality video, in a convenient and portable system.

The other two Monarch HDX appliances are mounted in a fixed rack in a server room, along with a video router connected via fiber-optic cable to three of the most-used venues on campus and to JBU’s TV Studio. These fixed installations—The Bill George Arena, The Cathedral of the Ozarks, and The Berry Performing Arts Center—are each equipped with multiple HD-SDI cameras, video switchers, and audio consoles. The exact setup and equipment differ slightly depending on the venue.

For live-streaming events, JBU uses Monarch HDX’s two encoding channels to

Two rack-mounted Matrox Monarch HDX units

39 FEBRUARY ‘19

CASE STUDY

simultaneously stream in RTMP to different destinations, providing viewers with a variety of viewing options. For example, a basketball game would be sent to two main destinations, one of which is the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ (NAIA) content delivery network (CDN) Stretch® Internet, and the other to a Wowza Media Server™ that is locally installed on the network. For the latter, once the stream is delivered to Wowza, the streaming engine then distributes the games with a live graphic overlay to a series of campus-wide digital signage displays and to other destinations such as Facebook Live.

Athletic games are streamed off-campus most frequently, while chapel services are streamed oncampus three times a week; other events—such as educational conferences, musical performances, and plays— occur regularly, but not on a fixed schedule. Since the university is equipped with multiple Monarch HDX 40 FEBRUARY ‘19

encoders, there is no issue if two out of the three fixed venues have overlapping events.

The AVL team uses Monarch HDX’s profile and presets to configure all encoding parameters, including resolution and bitrate for each destination. These settings are saved on all the Monarch HDX devices for redundancy if ever one of the units is needed to be used as a backup.

Depending on the venue, streaming parameters vary between 1280x720p, 59.94 fps or 1920x1080i, 29.97 fps to best suit the requirements of the event.

Since streams are sent to specific destinations with a unique purpose in mind, the ability to easily change and save settings is very important.

Operations for all fixed installations are controlled through the Monarch HDX Command Center, whereas for their flypack setup, Monarch HDX’s on-device buttons are used to start and stop video streams.

Results Online traffic for all events has increased dramatically across platforms, with one event receiving upwards of 70,000 views on Facebook Live.

“We’re no longer wary of live streaming—a good thing as our campus ramps up for a big year of extra events,” Gould explained. “We made a wise decision by going with Matrox. As hardware encoders go, we could have spent a lot more for far less capability. We bought a single Monarch HDX to see how well it would work for our application. It was fantastic, so we immediately made plans to purchase two more so we could really stream video the way we envisioned. Now we have the capability to send multiple video streams from anywhere on or off campus,” says Gould. “I can manage them remotely, I can send different video formats, I can instantly recall different setups and send

MATROX

although not tested by Matrox, it was a pleasant surprise when the team was able to configure Monarch HDX to send a non-NDI stream to NewTek™ Connect Pro, an NDI-enabled receiver.

“Monarch HDX gives us a rock-solid, dedicated streaming solution that provides our viewers with top-quality streaming reliability,” Gould concludes. “Occasionally we hear from other Matrox Monarch HDX is installed in a field flypack case which travels to soccer fields and other areas on campus

coaches in the NAIA that our small school is a leader in offering quality

to multiple destinations at the same time, and they are small enough to be installed in a portable video system. The Matrox Monarch HDX is really the perfect hardware video encoder!”

events simultaneously, or use the units to record events to a networkattached storage device.

Monarch HDX also has the ability to save files locally to an SD card or a USB drive.

With plans to add a fourth fixed venue to their fiber-optic network, the AVL team will purchase another Monarch HDX unit, allowing them to stream up to four separate

Recently, the AVL team has also been experimenting with NewTek’s NDI standard.

Appliances with an NDI output are still relatively hard to come by, and

video coverage of our events. True, we put in a lot of effort and training to teach our students to provide viewers with a great experience, but I know that no one would be congratulating us if our video streams were bad.

Matrox shares a huge role in the success of our program!” 

41 FEBRUARY ‘19

CASE STUDY

System T makes the news for Waterman Broadcasting Waterman Broadcasting, based in Fort Myers, Florida, has installed two identical Solid State Logic System T audio production consoles in its twin control rooms alongside a Tempest Control Rack for back-up and disaster recovery.

The broadcaster owns Fort Myers-licensed NBC affiliate WBBH-TV and runs the ABC-affiliated WZVN-TV for Montclair Communications under a local marketing agreement, with both channels produced from the same facility.

“The primary role of the station is news and we do, depending on how you want to count them, 19 to 21 newscasts per day over the two stations” explains Bob Hannon, Director of Production at Waterman Broadcasting. “The two stations are in one building, the news staffs 42 FEBRUARY ‘19

System T S300 at Waterman Broadcasting

are in one building, but the shows are produced completely separately. It’s like working in The Ark: we have two of everything.”

No single point of failure Two identical console systems serve the two channels, each comprising a 32-fader S300 control surface with a T25 256 path engine fitted with 512 channels of I/O. A third system, a Tempest

Control Rack (TCR) that can be controlled from a desktop touchscreen, has been installed as a backup.

“We do so much news we cannot have a single point of failure, it’s that simple,” says Hannon. “We bought one S300 for each control room and then we have a TCR that can go into either control room in case of catastrophic failure.”

And Florida being Florida, Hurricane Preparedness — the

SOLID STATE LOGIC

Eyewall of Irma went right over the station — is a constant issue. At a certain point during a Hurricane event the two stations will start to simulcast and broadcast the same programming out on both channels, although they continue to use both studios while they can.

“We bought System T with that in mind,” says Hannon. “Hopefully we won’t get another storm till after I’ve retired in 13 years, but if we get pushed into that scenario again we’ve got a system where we can do everything from one spot; the flexibility of the 300 means that I can work in one control room but access everything in the house. It also lets us use one control room for x amount of time, have the other control room fired up and ready, let them take over, and that give us time to do any preventive maintenance or just let things breathe in the first control room for a little while.”

purchasing the S300s was ease of use. The company is justifiably proud of both its diversity policies and its training programs. “We’re proud of what we’ve done,” offers Hannon.

Indeed, the vast majority of Hannon’s 42 staff are still effectively in their first jobs and have been trained in-house from scratch. Ease of use is therefore very important, especially given Hannon’s assertion that the audio board is often the most intimidating part of the whole production environment.

Ease of use

“Of all the boards I’ve looked at, when I sat down at the System T within five minutes, I thought I could do a show,” he says, “it was that logically laid out.

It’s a powerful board but it’s simple in its design and that’s what drew me to it.

Most of our operators are on their first jobs and I train them to be able to do everything everywhere, and the simplicity with which I can train on the board was a big draw”.

One of the attractions for Waterman Broadcasting in

“The multiple levels of the board are nice,” he

REPUTATION FOR QUALITY Other features of the S300 that Hannon rates very highly include the mixture between conventional hardware and touchscreen operation, the optional screen arm, what he refers to as the simplest mix minus configurations he’s ever seen, and its control surface ergonomics (“Big enough to give operators room to work but not so big they need their arms stretched out,” he says).

continues. “Having stuff that’s available to the operator but is also hidden is great. On any conventional board that’s not nine miles long, everything is there and if someone grabs the wrong knob a minor problem becomes a major disaster.

With the S300 it's good to have it all thereabouts but out of the mainstream.” 

43 FEBRUARY ‘19

CASE STUDY

Elevating Work into a Dream Job Any broadcast system developer would consider it a “dream job” to enter into a long-term partnership with such a highly regarded global player as Viasat World, a leading international TV company offering 27 Pay TV channels in 50+ countries together with non-linear on-demand services in many different territories. Their international team produces, curates and distributes to a massive network of content verticals including acquisitions from Hollywood, international and local studios and production companies.

When Viasat World were reviewing their workflow management systems, particularly scheduling, rights and content management, they opened a tender with strict requirements to replace their legacy systems and procedures. These previous systems were 44 FEBRUARY ‘19

based on two different standard broadcast management systems which were available some years ago together with programmes from the Microsoft Office Suite.

Provys were selected to make system updates and the transition in programme scheduling, rights and content management on one consolidated database platform which would offer the following advantages: unified workflows, perfect collaboration between different departments, all posted information to be available and shared to the whole team on a realtime basis, the removal of repetition and duplication in the workflow processes and the elimination of human errors. In particular, the non-linear department is ecstatic because operators can now access data with simply a few clicks, for example, the validity of

content rights for nonlinear delivery.

For the project management, they prudently recognised that such a mammoth task now required external professional consultancy to handle the complexities of changing, upgrading, integrating and generally improving all aspects of their operations. For this top-level task, they selected Posterity ~ Milestone, a trusted project delivery partner to worldwide clients for over 20 years. In particular, Posterity provide delivery capability and innovative consulting services. They focus predominantly on broadcasting, media, telecoms and digital transformations in the private sector and public service and government. It was Viasat World’s initiative to bring in Posterity as project managers who would sit in the middle of the supplier/purchaser matrix,

PROVYS

delivery of detailed programme schedules is required round the clock to playout centres in different countries, different time zones and different languages, including Russian. In addition, we needed to integrate with many other systems such as: MAM by Mediaflex, advertising sales software (e.g. Polsat Media), rights agency reporting (e.g.

Soundmouse), language translation systems for EPG (e.g. PAWA), etc.

Finally, Viasat World really appreciated our commitment to on-site training of their users.”

Jan Svihalek, Consultant for Viasat World

focusing entirely on resolving differences and completing the project on time and on budget.

Further discussion of the advantages of this methodology will be presented in greater depth in future articles.

“When we started our project analysis, we were surprised at the range and

scope of the requirements of Viasat World especially regarding the number of interfaces to be included in the new system. But we drew upon our depth of experience in this sector and submitted proposals to match the demands of the whole operation” says Ondrej Marik, Main Consultant for Viasat World, Provys. “Seamless

The project started in Q2 2018 and the “go-live” date is now imminent.

Dreams are normally overnight sensations, but the high level of open and flexible communication enabled Provys to go beyond the call of duty, spending some extra time to create the best possible solution for Viasat World. 

45 FEBRUARY ‘19

AUDIOVISUAL INTEGRATION AT MUSEUMS

Projection Artworks brings icon of the sky Concorde to life with support from disguise Award-winning creative production house, Projection Artworks, were recently tasked with bringing icon of the sky, Concorde to life with innovative video projection at Aerospace Bristol.

Projection Artworks undertook this large-scale, highly prestigious installation, creating a stunning projection show and interactive experience based around the Concorde aircraft, bringing together British heritage and cutting-edge technology. Located in Aerospace Bristol, the 200m squared Concorde Hangar which featured the Concorde 216, was the backdrop for the impressive video projection. The project was able to bring inspiration for the next 46 FEBRUARY ‘19

generation with a dose of aviation nostalgia.

“We’ve been in business for 14 years and work with large businesses and agencies to create memorable audiovisual experiences that bring people together,” says Jackson Tayler, Head of Technology at Projection Artworks. “We are unique in the industry in that we produce the whole workflow, from initial concept to delivery.”

“Prior to disguise, determining the best solution for a project more often required an iterative approach, which proved time-consuming – but we can now be well-informed when making key decisions ahead of time,” says Jackson Tayler. “disguise allows us to create a well-thought out workflow for each project.

We can figure out any potential issues and remedy these before we get on site, through previsualising a project, and making tweaks before final installation.

Everything is then ready to go before the kit even turns up at the job location. The disguise workflow affords us a level of polish and attention to detail otherwise unattainable on most projects; we have the peace of mind that it can do the job to the highest standard, particularly as the scale and complexity of projects increase.”

“The idea was to project directly onto the body of Concorde as well as the area around the plane, to celebrate Concorde’s history and its huge technological significance,” explains

DISGUISE

Jackson. “Divided into six stages, from fuselage projection telling the story of how Concorde was designed, to an interactive experience revealing the technical intricacies of the engine, our team worked on several elements simultaneously, while audio bites from engineers, pilots and stewards, who were lucky enough to work and fly with Concorde, helped bring this triumph of modern engineering to life.”

The team used disguise Designer to pre-visualise the content in 3D. “To be able show clients a quality

visual representation of the final project in situ and make tweaks that are immediately reflected in the pre-vis, has positively transformed our production process. From a content creation perspective, using 3D models of site we can reproduce shadows and ambient light conditions.

This then acts as a guide for our studio on how best to utilise the canvas and consider colour grading” says Jackson.

They used a disguise 2x2plus server for test projection in-house as well as installing one for the final installation.

“Concorde is a big canvas, so we needed to perfect the projector calibration – again, disguise was the ideal tool,” adds Jackson.

“It also integrated very well with existing systems at the museum, the ease of use meant we could set up a system which Aerospace Bristol could control.”

The installation has been a glowing success, showcasing the beauty of technological achievement and providing a fitting tribute to Concorde’s remarkable role in aviation history.  47 FEBRUARY ‘19

AUDIOVISUAL INTEGRATION AT MUSEUMS

NDI® Adds Interactivity to Live VR Video for Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg Focal Point VR believe that VR offers an entirely new way of experiencing the real world, which is why they are passionate about creating the technology necessary to realise the dream of people being able to put on a VR headset and then be ‘teleported’ to another place. Consequently, Focal Point VR is a leader in the field of live stream VR video and provides solutions to live stream VR content in sport, music, art, education and culture including The Gadget Show and the Champions Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall. Its UHD broadcast quality VR streaming platform called Ubiety, delivers the highest quality VR live streams to all platforms. The Ubiety software platform supports everything from delivering an HD 360° 48 FEBRUARY ‘19

stream to YouTube, Facebook and Periscope through to multi viewpoint VR event coverage delivered to customisable VR apps and html5 players.

Ultra low latency streaming In April 2018, Room One, an AR, VR and AI platform provider, approached Focal Point VR to provide a 360° video camera rig, live stitching and streaming solution for a 5G trial zone installation at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The application was a future technology demonstrator that mixes live stream immersive VR video with an interactive haptic setup controlling a remote robot arm. Focal Point VR’s standard solution met 90% of the

client’s goals but needed a low latency streaming solution suitable for the interactive environment.

As a result, the team at Focal Point VR started looking for a robust alternative to RTSP for its ultra low latency live VR video solution.

Adding NDI® to the pipeline After looking at a number of protocols including WebRTC, the programming team found the NewTek Network Device Interface (NDI) SDK easy to implement with initial testing showing NDI to be stable and worked well at the ultra high resolutions the team used.

NDI is a royalty free software standard that enables video compatible products to communicate, deliver and receive

NEWTEK

broadcast quality video in a high quality, low latency manner that is frameaccurate and suitable for switching in a live production environment.

By incorporating NDI into its VR video live production workflow, Focal Point VR provided its live stream processor (the FP-A6 model) and customised NDI playback using Oculus Rift headsets.

Running over a GigE network, the camera lens to headset display latency was less than 200ms enabling real time interaction with the remotely controlled robot.

Technologies of Tomorrow More recently, Focal Point VR has been approached by a number of clients looking for a low latency, high reliability live stream to a 360° dome providing a shared VR experience. In order to meet this demand, the programming team have developed a custom 8K cylindrical 360° video solution, which pairs with Focal Point VR’s proprietary packing technology with NDI running over the internet to deliver the fully immersive experience.

Jonathan Newth, CEO at Focal Point VR, said, “Integrating NDI into our 360° workflow was a very simple task and it has allowed us to deliver a higher quality, more flexible solution to our clients. We are also talking to NewTek about how to integrate NDI more completely into our multi camera VR workflow, replacing traditional fibre SDI with a more flexible network backbone and we are looking forward to continuing our work with the NewTek team.”  49 FEBRUARY ‘19

TECHNOLOGY

Live From The Cloud: The Next-Generation Business Model for Broadcast

By David Radoczy, General Manager of Deluxe

Livestreaming and sports broadcasting are a match made in heaven. Sports fans want immediate access to their teams’ games and they want to watch wherever they go.

With 24/7 coverage, a global presence and an ultra-engaged fan base, sports broadcasting is the best test of the abilities of any livestreaming broadcast strategy.

How much of a demand is there for livestreamed sports? The 2018 FIFA 50 FEBRUARY ‘19

World Cup tournament saw 393 million plays of matches successfully streamed during its first week alone, via 59 million unique video streaming apps. But the sheer amount of engagement can also create problems with the traditional broadcast workflow: according to Conviva, over 15% of attempts to stream the quarterfinal games failed. There’s a clear demand for livestreamed content, but all the gears have to be working perfectly to churn out successful delivery rates and optimal advertising revenues. As livestreaming expands beyond sports, broadcasters should start leveraging cloud technology to overcome this industry challenge.

Cloud-based business models provide the best

path to reduce costs, increase flexibility and make data-based changes to increase efficiencies with the end goal of targeting larger audiences and monetizing content.

The cloud reigns over broadcast The solution to achieving scale and flexibility in a cost-effective manner is integrating a cloud-based delivery platform that is integrated from end to end. These open platforms help shrink workloads as the content is truly in the cloud, utilizing traditional technologies with no proprietary technology or complicated networking.

The cloud provides flexibility for launching channels quickly, redirecting traffic to ensure the highest quality

LIVE STREAMING

and lowest latency delivery, increased ROI and disaster recovery to ensure no channels fall offline. To get the most flexibility, security and ROI from the cloud, there’s no need to invest valuable development money into building such a platform in-house. The key is migrating existing infrastructure into a tested cloud solution built to standards across the industry that anticipate needs before they arise.

So, choosing the right distribution partner with a solid understanding of the landscape and technology is paramount for success.

Team up for livestreaming success By partnering with a distributor with an open platform, broadcasters can easily integrate into their partner’s system. Once integrated, broadcasters can reach any geographic location with an IP endpoint when distributing content, allowing broadcasters to distribute their content at

a lower cost, while simultaneously reaching new markets and audiences. Previously niche markets and audiences that were not monetizable can now be targeted with content that is specifically tailored to them. A broadcast for an international contest between Russia and Spain needs to reach a Russian and Spanish audience, but with the right partner, fans in Hong Kong, Thailand, South Africa, Ecuador and other countries can get in on the action. Rather than creating separate files and containers for each region by hosting everything in the cloud, each region can access content with the click of a mouse.

The data you need to win The greatest advantage to using a cloud-based platform, however, is the influx of data. By leveraging the audience and content performance data that the cloud provides, broadcasters know what types of content their audiences

prefer, the best ways to target advertising, and the clearest paths to consistent high-quality delivery. The data can anticipate the peak times for audiences in New York City tuning into Wimbledon matches, giving broadcasters the knowledge of both their infrastructure needs and the best time to target the with ads from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods (as opposed to Sainsbury or Waitrose for the UK audiences).

The livestreaming landscape is still evolving, and now is the perfect time for broadcasters to begin migrating their existing infrastructure into a cloud-based platform to meet this increasing live OTT demand from consumers, whether they are tuning in for sports, esports, game shows or award ceremonies. Not only will this shift in technology increase efficiencies and be more cost-effective, it will help increase ad revenue through content delivery to more consumers around the world.  47 FEBRUARY ‘19

BROADCASTERS OF THE WORLD

52 FEBRUARY ‘19

RTL NEDERLAND

a ‘fan-centric’ strategy We interview the technical director of the Dutch leading media company

53 FEBRUARY ‘19

BROADCASTERS OF THE WORLD

RTL Nederland is involved in a process of changing its strategy, driven by new market trends. Over the last few years, RTL has switched from being TV-centric to deploying a content-centric strategy. Currently, it is facing a new stage. RTL now wants to become a fan-centric company.

We have talked with Giovanni Piccirilli, CTO at RTL Nederland, and Hank van de Loo, Broadcast Architect, in order to know what technological innovations the company is implementing to be successful in this new scenario.

Interview by Daniel Esparza

As an introduction, tell us what position RTL Nederland has on the current television scene in the Dutch market?

RTL Nederland is the Dutch leading and one of the most distinguished media companies. We entertain and inform a broad audience 24/7 on Digital and Broadcast platforms with stories that touch both the heart and mind. As an all-round media & entertainment company we boast five free to air television stations (RTL 4, RTL 5, RTL 7, RTL 8 and RTL Z), an independent news organisation, the leading 54 FEBRUARY ‘19

Giovanni Piccirilli, CTO at RTL Nederland

local video on demand platform Videoland, the leading MCN in entertainment with more than 1 billion views per year, a growing live events division, three Thematic channels (RTL Lounge, RTL Crime, RTL Telekids), the #1 Dutch digital weather platform Buienradar and a ventures division. Our channels and platforms offer a wide variety of international and predominately Dutch programs, documentaries, films and series. RTL Nederland is a subsidiary of RTL Group and part of the international Bertelsmann organisation.

RTL NEDERLAND

Facts 2018 Quarterly figures: RTL Nederland recorded revenues of € 352 million for the period from January to September 2018 (Q3 2017: € 331 million). EBITDA is € 55 million (Q3 2017: € 45 million).

On a general level, could you tell us which the most relevant technical challenges you face now are?

The most relevant technical challenges we face at the moment are: • The implementation of our fan centric strategy, which means the seamless cross-platform consumer-focused experience.

• The implementation of our cloud first strategy.

your information services?

• The movement to IP in production.

• We made a choice for a converged platform supporting our rights, royalties and scheduling across all customer touchpoints.

• And last but not least the war for talent: RTL attracting and retaining fresh talent in the field of data and technology.

Have you developed some recent technological innovations to improve

• SCTE35 implementation.

• Converged data backend.

What is your technological state in 55 FEBRUARY ‘19

BROADCASTERS OF THE WORLD

to use satellite solutions for important events.

Have you tried the MOJO (Mobile Journalist) technology for any of these coverages?

the graphics section?

Have you tried developments in augmented reality?

Yes, we have been doing VR and AR since 2013 in our news studio. We use an automated studio control.

What is the degree of integration of your internet and television newsrooms? Do you trust any integrated multimedia system?

We recently made the transition from platform centric to story-centric.

We produce our stories on one and the same platform and we can distribute it on different 56 FEBRUARY ‘19

channels. Our strategy now is ‘digital first’. At the moment we work with AVID MediaCentral Production Management system with AVID I-News as the Newsroom system, which is proving to be a great platform.

Do you use backpacks to cover live events?

We use different backpacks to cover live events: Live-U, WMT, Dejero, Aviwest, TVU pack.

The big advantage of these solutions is the ease of use and flexibility. The challenge though is the bandwidth required which is not always available.

We will therefore continue

RTL NEDERLAND

We made a MOJO-set which makes stand-uppers possible via iPhone for our news organisation and the RTL Z channel:

We face at this moment the implementation of a fan centric strategy, which means the seamless crossplatform consumer-focused experience.

https://youtu.be/tej3QjQqy 1U

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What is your opinion about remote productions? Have you tried this technology?

We work on different levels with remote productions: • The broadcasts of daily entertainment programs and talk shows RTL 58 FEBRUARY ‘19

Boulevard and RTL Late Night both take place in Amsterdam, but in different studio’s. For these productions we use one gallery that serves two locations.

Staff and equipment can effectively be shared for both programs.

• Programs such as e.g.

‘Tour du Jour’ where we report on the course of the day in the Tour de France are made with only a limited crew and equipment on location.

The rest of the crew is working in the central gallery at the facility house.

RTL NEDERLAND

We produce our stories on one and the same platform and we can distribute it on different channels. Our strategy now is ‘digital first’.

Do you use automation tools, such as artificial intelligence, for storage and indexing processes?

Currently we do not use this kind of tools for storage and indexing processes yet on the

Broadcast side (although we use these technologies heavily on our Digital platforms). Anyway, it is definitely on our roadmap.

We plan to work with Azure media services through AVID Media Central.

What strategy do you follow in the content security part?

When it comes to our broadcast content, it is physically stored in two locations. As far as OTT is concerned, the content is securely stored in the cloud, duplicated and DRM’ed.

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BROADCASTERS OF THE WORLD

What is your position regarding IP technology on the production side?

Do you think it is mature enough?

Maturity, in our terms, is tightly coupled with scalability, availability and reliability of our platforms.

This gives us possibility to continuously innovate and act quickly based on our fans needs. The standard has been set now (SMPTE 2110), but it’s still early days. The market is developing IP products now and we are looking forward to work with our partners and the industry to put these in place.

What is your degree of adoption of 4K-HDR 60 FEBRUARY ‘19

For RTL, HDR is a must-have in our UHD proposition.

resolutions?

The content for Videoland, RTL’s VOD platform, is produced and streamed in 4K. For linear broadcasting, 4k/UHD is definitely on the roadmap but not implemented yet.

For RTL, HDR is a musthave in our UHD proposition.

How do you think linear television channels should adapt to new OTT competitors? In this sense, what is your

strategy to take advantage of the vibrant OTT market?

We have a unique proposition which hardly any competitor on the market has: we are the market leader on TV and we are also the local number one in video on demand. For each production we decide on which platform a program or series is best shown based on the insights we have on viewership. Our fans decide where and

RTL NEDERLAND

when they want to view our programs. Some programs are better suited to linear television, such as the live broadcasts of ‘The voice of Holland’ on Friday evening.

Conversely, we see that some rawer series such as 'Mocro Maffia' and the documentary about Famke Louise are more suitable for Videoland. With 'Temptation Island' we discovered that the program scores not only linearly well but it did great also on our OTT platform. An episode of

AI will be an important technological innovation in several ways: AI from a content point of view, AI applied on advertising to make it more relevant and specific and AI applied on data.

the program was also streamed more than 1 million times online.

Do you have in mind any technological innovation for the near future?

For RTL, Artificial Intelligence will be an important technological innovation in several ways: AI from a content point of view, AI applied on advertising to make it more relevant and specific and AI applied on data.

And of course the implementation of 5G will become relevant in the near future, as well for distribution as for contribution with guaranteed QoS.

Do you want to add any conclusion?

Over the past few years,

RTL Nederland has switched from being TVcentric, i.e. a TV company focused on linear broadcasts of content and fully financed by advertising revenue, to content-centric, a media company developing and distributing for the most part its own content via its own platforms, financed by both advertising and revenue from consumers.

We are now transforming into a fan centric company, basing the company's developments and activities around relevance for Dutch consumers. Our company strategy, our Data Science capabilities our content and platform approach will make sure that we stay and improve the appreciation of our local fans. 

61 FEBRUARY ‘19

EVENTS

62 FEBRUARY ‘19

ISE PREVIEW

Amsterdam the world’s capital for AV integration Everything is ready for hosting all-time biggest ISE event

Amsterdam will be from 4 to 8 February the world’s capital city in audiovisual integration. The ISE exhibition –the sector’s most relevant event- will feature professionals from all over the globe in order to present and announce the latest developments.

More than 1,300 exhibitors and about 80,000 visitors are expected this year, which would set a new attendance record figure as compared to the numbers seen in previous editions.

Integration is a broad and diverse sector where technological solutions intended for a wide array

of environments go hand in hand. One of the trends we are seeing in this regard is the use of systems liable of being implemented in various verticals. The audiovisual market, far from being split into tight compartments, is growing more open and collaborative than ever before. This also leads to integration with other industries such as IT, which will be a common topic for discussion amongst ISE attendees. As phrased by Paul MacKenzie, AV Sales Manager, Finepoint Broadcast, “the AV market

has caught on to the IT aspect in recent years, which has led to increased demand for AV solutions which will integrate directly into IP networks and support today's increasingly mobile workforce".

AV over IP IP networks will undoubtedly be an essential field for innovation amongst solutions deployed throughout the show's exhibition area.

Magewell’s aim for this edition will be, for instance, securing a more cost-efficient, simple

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EVENTS

Picture from ISE 2018

transition towards video over IP. In this context, one the flagship products at their booth will be their new NDI Pro Convert range of encoders. These devices enable carrying traditional video signals to

live productions and IPbased AV infrastructures.

Available in 4K and 1080p60 configurations with a choice of input interfaces, the converters enable users to connect their existing equipment

Arrival of over 1,300 exhibitors and about 80,000 visitors are expected, which will set a new attendance record figure.

64 FEBRUARY ‘19

into NDI-enabled networks. Three Pro Convert models have already been unveiled, with additional models slated to make their debuts at ISE. Matrox will also focus their exhibition on strengthening IP-based AV environments. The manufacturer will reveal its complete IP-based portfolio, demonstrating world-class capture, streaming, recording,

ISE PREVIEW

extension, switching, decoding, display, and control on a one Gigabit Ethernet network.

Amongst their landmark solutions, the following are worth highlighting:

Picture from ISE 2018

Matrox Maevex dual and quad 4K enterprise encoders, Matrox Mura IPX capture/encode/decode and multiviewer cards, Matrox Extio 3 IP KVM

extenders and Matrox Monarch LCS and HDX streaming and recording appliances.

MuxLab will advocate for the use of IP technology to send 4K content through streaming anywhere by means of their new transmitter. The HDMI over IP H.264/H.265 PoE Transmitter, 4K/30 (model 500763-TX) works by connecting all sources to displays through an Ethernet switch riding on a LAN, Wi-Fi or the Internet.

Users can access content, switch sources, create video walls and more by the touch of a button.

Distributions of virtually matrixed displays and massive video walls that support multi-views can be created. This solution boasts exceptionally low bandwidth requirements with less than 200ms latency in low latency mode when streaming.

Because the scope of the system is limited only by network bandwidth, hundreds of sources and displays can be integrated into the same system for ultimate scalability.

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EVENTS

Audio The old mantra setting audio second to video is well known. But nothing further from the truth as one of ISE’s strengths lies precisely on the sound side. In this regard, the AudioForum conference (4 February 09:30 – 16:00) will deal with the concept of sound environments and locations. The relationship existing between quality-audio

Picture from ISE 2018

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propagation and architectural acoustics will be discussed, together with the listening experience, behaviour of sound and its related psychological implications. This seminar therefore targets both technical professionals such as sound engineers and people from the architecture and environment design sectors. Conditioning of spaces such as hotels,

schools, public buildings, football stadiums or cultural centres will be discussed as well. This session will be run by Connessioni, ISE's media partner, in collaboration with the Audio Engineering Society.

On the manufacturers’ side, Clear-Com will show the fair’s attendees their IP-based voice communications. Simon Browne, VP Product Management, summarized

ISE PREVIEW

expert staff will be available throughout ISE 2019 to guide our visitors through the complex world of IP audio and intercom to help them find the right solution for their unique requirements.”

Along with product exhibition, Clear-Com will offer in their booth a series of training sessions aimed at explaining visitors the benefits and applications of their solutions portfolio.

Easy-to-use

Picture from ISE 2018

Another prominent trend in audiovisual integration is ease of use. Many manufacturers intend, when designing their products, that clients become oblivious to the technology behind the audiovisual system. This was one of the goals, for

as follows the company’s aim for this edition: “Underlining our position as the industry’s trusted

Integration with IT world will be a common topic for discussion amongst those attending to the event.

partner for IP voice communications, our 67 FEBRUARY ‘19

EVENTS

Picture from ISE 2018

instance, being pursued by Avonic in creating their TREX system, a truly 3Dbased fully automated tracking system for event and lecture capture. This system uses multiple Avonic PTZ cameras located at strategic positions throughout, for example, an auditorium to create a TV-like capture experience.

Walter Harrewijn, the company’s Managing Director, highlights as one of the benefits of the TREX system that “the ability to automatically switch between multiple camera angles delivers a 68 FEBRUARY ‘19

more engaging viewing experience, capturing and retaining viewer interest and attention”. And indeed, he highlights ease of use: “There are no wearables to get lost or to be unavailable because they’re being repaired – and, because the educator doesn’t have to think about the technology, he or she can focus on delivering the content.”

Crestron will focus their exhibition on various themes. On the one hand, they will present their latest solutions for residential and commercial spaces. Worth

noting here is their DM NVX system, an integrated audiovisual network solution that supports standard network security protocols with no latency.

Furthermore, the company will offer various training courses and lectures targeting consultants. Last, the Crestron Awards will be given as recognition of excellence in projects having integrated the manufacturer’s technology. The presentation of winners will take place in their booth on 6 February at 15:00 hours.

ISE PREVIEW

Broadcast As for broadcast, major exhibitors such as Riedel will also attend. This manufacturer will seize the opportunity to showcase their innovations in real-time signal distribution for broadcast environments and live events. One of the booth's highlights will be the Bolero wireless intercom system, which features enhanced functionality. A new external power supply can power up to five antennas,

On the broadcast side, leading manufactures will also attend.

so power and data redundancies are easily achieved. A new, singleRU, half-width external interface box, with six analog 4-wires and three GPIOs, can be directly connected to any antenna

and then patched into an existing intercom system.

The system is easily configured via a web GUI internal to the antennas.

Other new capabilities provided by the Bolero update include individual rotary programming, Bluetooth headset support, and a new beltpack QuickMute feature that allows users to easily set the volume of all channels to zero.

Within this same context, Pliant Technologies will present, globally and for

Picture from ISE 2018

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EVENTS

Picture from ISE 2018

the first time, their new CrewCom wireless intercom system. As put

by Gary Rosen, VP Global Sales Plant Technologies, "CrewCom is deployed in some of the most demanding live production environments and we have received extremely positive feedback from both integrators and end users about the system’s RF performance." He further added: "With more reliable 70 FEBRUARY ‘19

RF, increased wireless user count, and a small learning curve for professionals onsite, CrewCom is changing the way integrators and end users approach wireless coms. We will continue to improve and evolve our CrewCom wireless intercom system for both large- and small-scale venues, and consistently address the changing needs of our customers through our firmware

updates."

On the other hand, VITEC ill showcase the latest improvements of their Digital Signage & IPTV EZ TV platform. The system has been implemented in sports scenarios and entertainment shows, military agencies, governments and companies, mainly in Europe and in the US. EZ TV's comprehensive feature set enables any

ISE PREVIEW

organization to centrally manage and stream HD, low-latency, in-house feeds and TV channels, as well as create eyecatching digital signage and video walls for distribution to any displays through a facility.

“We're seeing more outdated RF-based facilities being transformed by EZ TV”, claimed Bruno Teissier, Head of Marketing and International Sales, VITEC. He further added: "Not only is the platform bringing them into the IPTV world, it's also improving OPEX, supporting HD and even 4K as they explore future

Video mapping is the result of a unique merger between art and technology. The fair intends to become the scene of a new landmark in this sector.

capabilities, and allowing users and fans to access digital media from any screen — TVs, PCs, or mobile devices — and have the video-on-demand experience they crave”.

high sculpture. The work is the successor of the iconic Shogyo Mujo, premiered at Nevada's Burning Man Festival in 2014:

Ventuz Technology will make a strong commitment in this edition on their interactive presentation techniques and install a number of touch-based applications in their stand. From a multi-touch console to interactive video walls, attendees will be able to navigate the company's portfolio and test real projects from clients.

For this piece, four 30,000-lumen 4K PT-RQ32 laser projectors manufactured by Panasonic will be used. In this regard, Bart Kresa said: “The high-level of design and production that we have achieved with Sviatavoid -high resolution, four times 4K, 120,000 lumens, and a complete transformation of the sculpture- is innovative. When I think of the best place in the world to premiere cuttingedge new work, I think of ISE. We are so appreciative of Panasonic for collaborating with us on this project, and to ISE for supporting the premiere”.

Video mapping Video mapping is the result of a unique merger between art and technology. This is not the first time that ISE is going for this kind of shows. In this edition, the show intends to become the scenario of a new landmark in this audiovisual art. The expert in projection design Brat Kresa will showcase at the fair Sviatavoid, a projection over a 5-metre

https://vimeo.com/13803 6294

Sviatavoid will be on exhibition throughout the whole ISE event.

Furthermore, Bart Kresa will take part in the show’s opening speech, schedule for 4 February at 18:00.  71 FEBRUARY ‘19

TEST ZONE

WE TEST

SONY HXC-FB80 CAMERA SYSTEM

72 FEBRUARY ‘19

SONY HXC-FB80

In TM Broadcast we had the opportunity to test Sony's catalogue entry model in studio cameras. This laboratory comprises a HXC-FB80 camera head with the relevant HXCU-FB80 CCU, a HDVF-L750 viewfinder, the mythical RCP-1500 OCP and a Trimaster BVM-E171 monitor. Let us see each of these items in more detail.

By Yeray Alfageme, Business Technology Manager Olympic Channel

HXC-FB80 camera The first thing worth noting about the FB80 is simplicity. A robust body with basic functions holds an electronic system of the highest quality. As all other Sony systems, the FB80 comes equipped with three 2/3” Full HD ExmorTM CMOS sensors that offer excellent sensitivity (F13 at 50Hz and F12 at 59.94Hz in 1080 mode) with a normal -60dB signal-noise ratio.

The HXC-FB80 is Sony’s gateway to the 4K world.

This camera is able to easily generate 3G-SDI signals as 1080/50p and 59.94p. The 3G processor is also compatible with 1080/23.92PsF, in addition to 25PsF and 29.97PsF.

This camera’s new build enables decreased consumption without compromising performance.

Furthermore, coupling it with its HXCU-FB80 CCU enables 4K usage, even in

HDR through the HLG standard, something that is highly welcome as Sony normally includes only its S-Log3 gamma curve, which requires subsequent conversion.

The camera’s head can generate 3G-SDI signals in various formats up to 1080p50 and even 4K through 12G or quad-3G interfaces in the CCU.

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TEST ZONE

The camera’s head can generate 3G-SDI signals in various formats up to 1080p50 and even 4K through 12G or quad-3G interfaces in the CCU.

HXCU-FB80 CCU The CCU bears great resemblance with its bigger siblings as it features both the characteristic knobs for 74 FEBRUARY ‘19

primary colours and the robustness and aesthetics typically found in these systems.

We would really have a hard time in telling the differences between this new model and previous ones, as all typical functions can be found in the front panel. Of course, if we turn it around and see the backside, we then discover this is not a

traditional CCU but a 4K model instead.

As it is the entry model in the range, it has only two quadruple SDI output modules -HD/SD one of them and HD/UHD the other- enabling simultaneous availability of HD and 4K output, something in high demand nowadays. All other connectivity for syncing, viewfinder, return,

SONY HXC-FB80

intercom and fibre comes standard, which results in an easy set-up. The CCU is available both in0 Neutrik and Lemo fibre connectors.

This CCU can be combined with PC-RCP software, which allows controlling all camera parameters in the same fashion as the CCU itself.

The only restriction of the software is that we will

As it is the entry model in the range, it has only two quadruple SDI output modules -HD/SD one of them and HD/UHD the other- enabling simultaneous availability of HD and 4K output, something in high demand nowadays.

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TEST ZONE

neither have the 4K option available -due to the camera’s head limited connectivity- nor the HDR option, as processing of the latter is carried out by the CCU’s hardware.

Viewfinder HDVF-L750 The HDVF-L750 is Sony’s universal viewfinder. It may be used with Sony studio cameras, XDCAM camcorders, the F65 and the PMW-F55.

It features a 7-inch 1920x1080 HD panel of adequate size both for HD and 4K. Peaking level is just ideal and it is clear that was though out for making cameramen's lives easier as it helps keeping focus even in 4K productions, in which this becomes a critical factor.

The HDVF-L750 is Sony’s universal viewfinder. It may be used with Sony studio cameras, XDCAM camcorders, the F65 and the PMW-F55.

one of most popular OCPs in the market, boasting a long trajectory, both regarding mobile and instudio devices in demanding work environments, which results in a well-deserved reputation.

OCP RCP-1500

A touch panel –which responsiveness to the various commands could be improved, tough it is really tough- and a set of very well-known default and customizable controls make the RCP-1500 a market standard.

At this point, little remains to be said about

Be reminded that it has both a dedicated

It also features a high 1000:1 contrast in addition to built-in waveform and 3G-SDI output monitor for external monitoring.

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connection to the CCU – through which both information and parameters are sent and power received- and an Ethernet connection that requires using either PoE – Power over Ethernet- or an external power supply.

Whether dedicated data connection or Ethernet connection are used, a dedicated external power source is highly recommended in order to ensure that our operators will not be left without control in the middle of a live production.

SONY HXC-FB80

A highly practical feature is the HDMI input connection with 2K support that enables 2048x1080 pixel digital cinema signals.

Conclusions Sony’s FB80 system is the entry-level equipment to Sony’s 4K world, although it offers advanced functions usually found in its bigger siblings.

Trimaster BVME171 monitor This is the second generation of Sony's 16.5inch OLED monitor, now supporting 4K and HDR. One of the aspects that has been greatly improved

by Sony is the viewing angle. In the previous version it was critical as it allowed optimal – although limited- vision without contrast or brightness losses, but now the viewing angle of the BVM-E171 is much greater.

Additionally, even though it is a HD monitor, it supports both 4K and

HDR images, including EOTF 2.2, 2.4, 2.6 CRT, SLog3(HDR), S-Log3(Live HDR), S-Log2(HDR), ITU-R BT.2100(HLG), SMPTE ST2084 and 2.4(HDR).

As this is an OLED monitor, both better display of black hues and great colour space are achieved. It supports ITU-R BT.2020 through an ITU-R BT.709 matrix.

Additionally, it enables playback with no image flicker in 24p, 24 PsF and 50i. This is possible because of its 12-bit processor, capable of carrying out all command handling smoothly and in real time.

In spite of its simplicity, it has two simultaneous HD and UHD output connectors. It supports HDR through the HLG standard instead of Sony's S-Log3, a very welcome feature.

Being compatible with systems that are very popular in the market such as the HDVF-LV750 and the OCP-1500 standards supported throughout the Sony range- it makes HD-UHD and HD-HDR transitions very simple for Sony's existing clients while facilitating access to the 4K market for minor, limited-budget productions.  77 FEBRUARY ‘19