Digital Studio - Sept 2010 by ITP Business Publishing

10 people leading the evolution of the Middle Eastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s broadcasting industry

An ITP Business Publication 1 Licensed by Dubai Media City

Vol. 12 Issue 9 September 2010

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SEPTEMBER 2010 VOLUME 12 ISSUE 09 CONTENTS

MOST POPULAR ONLINE (JULY 27):

1 2 3

IN PICTURES: TOSHIBA’S FORTHCOMING CELL TV digitalproductionme.com takes takes a look at Toshiba’s forthcoming ‘CELL TV’. Powered by the ‘CELL Broadband Engine’, the ZX900 Series CELL TV can convert 2D content into 3D on the fly.

Toshiba says that it has 143 times more processing power than TV models currently on the market. www.digitalproductionme.com/in-pictures/

Tape vs. Disk Tila Tequila attacked on-stage Concert ticket scam uncovered in Dubai

Yahsat firms win 10-year UAE telco licences

Zain slashes workforce by 70%

EDITOR’S CHOICES NEWS

NEWS

SKYPE AND BSKYB IN LEGAL STOUSH

EMIRATES FACES LEGAL ACTION FROM IRAN FILMMAKERS

BSkyB is locked in a dispute with Skype about the internet phone company’s use of ‘Sky’ in its name. Justin Downing/Sky News via Getty Images

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SPOT POLL What most preoccupies broadcasters right now?

68% 20% 4% 4% 4% 0%

Lack of advertising revenue Upgrading to HD Multi-platform distribution Content restoration Storage Stereoscopic 3D

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Two Iranian producers say the airline has no right to screen their films. www.digitalproductionme.com/news/

READER COMMENTS Comments on Abu Dhabi Sports’ Premier League coverage “I paid my subscription, and get an on screen message saying that I have to have a valid subscription. Nobody responds to my e-mail, and the ADMC telephone is permanently engaged.” “I can only hope that the EPL will in future award the contract to those who could look after the interest of fans too. I am switching to other games.” “The coverage has been beyond amateur and the quality appalling. They have had so long to get this right and they have done nothing.“

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PEOPLE INDUSTRY GIANTS

10 PEOPLE

TO KNOW IN THE MIDDLE EAST

BROADCAST INDUSTRY An introduction to ten people who are helping to shape the future of the Middle East’s broadcasting industry

They come from different parts of the broadcasting value chain. Some are running pay TV operations; others manage free to air and encrypted channels; others run state or quasi-state broadcasters and some have a mandate to develop local production talent and invest in Arabic content creation. What they all share in common is a commitment to seeing the industry move forward in the region. So here, in alphabetical order, are ten people whom we believe are helping to shape the future of the Middle East’s broadcasting industry.

SAM BARNETT MBC

Sam Barnett’s association with MBC began in 2002 when he worked as a consultant on the launch of what would become the Al Arabiya news & current affairs channel. Today, he is the COO and general manager of the MBC Group. During his time there, MBC has developed into one of the most diverse private broadcasters in the Middle East, with movie, drama, entertainment and news channels. With the addition of MBC Persia, it now broadcasts in Arabic, English and Farsi. In an interview with Digital Broadcast magazine, a sister publication, last year, Barnett claimed that 106 million people were watching MBC channels every day, a fact that has helped it at a time when advertisers are directing their investments towards only the most successful channels. “We are an efficient machine. We’re commercial, we’re profitable, we’re cashflow positive and we get the ratings,” he says. Barnett has also been vocal in calling for greater audience measurement to boost the confidence of advertisers and direct money towards the most popular channels.

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PEOPLE INDUSTRY GIANTS

ED BORGERDING ABU DHABI MEDIA COMPANY AND IMAGENATION

Ed Borgerding joined Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC) in 2008, also taking a senior role at Imagenation, Abu Dhabi’s film financing company. After a long career with Disney International, Borgerding was able to use his contacts to forge partnerships with blue chips such as National Geographic, Hyde Park Entertainment and Participant Media. A number of Abu Dhabi-funded international feature films are now in the works. Development of Arabic language content and local filmmaking is one of Borgerding’s key objectives as head of ADMC. Around US $100 million was invested in the creation of the Arabic language National Geographic Channel Abu Dhabi. In April 2010, the company launched Abu Dhabi Drama, a 24x7

free-to-air drama channel, without any advertising breaks, focused on Khaliji, Egyptian and Syrian drama. Abu Dhabi Emarat, a channel focused on the heritage, culture and traditions of the UAE, was relaunched in October 2009 in a bid to increase its appeal. The company will produce six Emirati ﬁlms over the next two years and has created an

internship programme oﬀering young Emiratis placements in North America and India. The next big thing for ADMC is making the Premier League broadcast rights pay oﬀ. ADMC shelled out a reported US $300 million for the rights to show the Premier League for three years.

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SEPTEMBER 2010 23

PEOPLE INDUSTRY GIANTS

MARC-ANTOINE D’HALLUIN OSN

These are busy times for Marc-Antoine d’Halluin, the CEO of OSN, the pay TV operator formed by last year’s merger of Orbit and Showtime. If last year was occupied by the merger, this year has been dominated by how to regroup following the loss of the English Premier League broadcast rights, a major driver of subscriptions. The Frenchman’s response to the loss of OSN’s crown jewel has been to continue putting together agreements with major Hollywood studios and US networks. Couple that with a commitment to adopting the very latest technologies. The operator is currently rolling out HD set-top boxes to all its customers and now offers ten HD channels. D’Halluin has spoken of converting all Showtime’s 70+ channels to HD by the end of 2012 and switching off its SD services six months later. While all that is going on, OSN is looking into 3D and plans to offer 3D movies on-demand in the near future. This is all possible thanks to the rollout of those new boxes.

SHEIKH SALEH KAMEL ART

With Arab Radio and Television Network’s (ART’s) recent sale of its sports broadcasting rights to Al Jazeera, it may look as if its star is waning. But Sheikh Saleh Abdullah Kamel’s ART still maintains something very valuable – the largest pay TV subscriber base in the region, at least according to an Informa report published last year. Informa concluded then that ART had 894,000 subscribers compared to OSN’s 619,000. The researcher predicts that ART will have more than one million subscribers by 2011. The reason for ART’s lead is its focus on Arabic programming. It produces many popular Arabic language dramas and claims to own the largest library of Arabic language ﬁlms. Plus, despite the sale of its international sports broadcasting rights to Al Jazeera, it retains the rights to broadcast the popular Saudi domestic league.

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PEOPLE INDUSTRY GIANTS

WADAH KHANFAR AL JAZEERA

Its Arabic news channel made its reputation and the launch of the English language Al Jazeera International raised its profile further. Already one of the world’s most recognisable media brands, Wadah Khanfar has been quietly overseeing Al Jazeera’s expansion into new content areas beyond its original niche of news and current affairs. Al Jazeera Children’s Channel (JCC) and Al Baream are a growing hit with younger viewers. JCC recently upgraded its infrastructure to support tapeless workflow and multi-platform distribution. Khanfar has moved the broadcaster into the realm of pay TV with the purchase of sports broadcasting rights such as the football World Cup and Champions League from ART. Although both events are certainly high profile, the reported US $1 billion paid to ART was a hefty chunk of money. Al Jazeera’s World Cup coverage also got off to a bad start this year, with the highly publicised loss of signals in the first few days and widespread confusion amongst consumers about how to subscribe to the channels. Still, with news, current affairs, a children’s channel and major sports events, Al Jazeera is rounding out its content portfolio. How long before it launches its own movie channel?

DR RIYADH NAJM

KSA MINISTRY OF CULTURE Dr Riyadh Najm is a stalwart of the Saudi Arabian television industry, having started his career as an engineer at Saudi TV in the 1980s. His current assignment as assistant deputy minister for engineering at the Ministry of Culture & Information brings with it a lot of responsibility. He is overseeing a massive investment in new broadcast technology at Saudi TV. Moving all of Saudi TV’s new output to HD is one part of the plan, as is an extensive content restoration project. Further plans include the rollout of digital terrestrial television across the country, the establishment of radio and TV production facilities in each of the country’s provinces, and the kitting out of new portable HD studios and DSNG/OB vans. Dr Najm is also president of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) and chairperson of the HDTV Arab Group. Saudi TV has opted for 720p with a migration path to 1080p. Through the HDTV Arab Group, this is the approach he encourages all regional broadcasters to take. Turn to page 32 for an interview with Dr Najm.

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PEOPLE INDUSTRY GIANTS

TONY ORSTEN T TWOFOUR54 T

In Industry veteran Tony Orsten, CEO of Abu Dhabi’s twofour54 media zone, has no small challenge on his hands: Turn Abu Dhabi into a media zo production hub and help drive forward Arabic language content p creation. While it may take some time for Arabic language content crec ation to really take off, twofour54 has already made important moves. a Its media production precinct is filling up with major names, such as CNN, Fox and Cartoon Network, and a brand new 600,000m² bespoke C media zone is under construction at Mena Zayed. It will eventually m house all of twofour54’s facilities and partner companies. h Last year’s launch of twofour54 intaj added another vital component to the overall twofour54 offering: a set of the state of the art HD production facilities, offering five studios ranging from 60 m² to 650m² in size. The studios are equipped to support production in a range of fields and are available for any third party to hire. The opening complements twofour54 tadreeb, a vocational training academy, and twofour54 ibtikar, which provides industry funding and support. In calendar 2009, twofour54 tadreeb put over 800 media professionals through 55 courses. A specialised 12-month production skills programme for Emiratis kicks off in October. Turn to page 38 for an interview with Tony Orsten.

HUMAID RASHID SAHOO E-VISION

Despite being limited to the UAE and facing the challenge of satellite pay TV operators, Etisalat’s cable service e-Vision has established itself as a successful arm of the UAE state telecomms operator. According to market research firm, Informa, the provider had 340,000 subscribers at this time last year. This makes it the UAE’s number one pay TV service, the largest offered by any Middle East telco and the third mostsubscribed pay TV service in the region. The operator launched HD TV services last year and now offers a broad swathe of sports, movie, nature, documentary, music and travel content in high definition. Recently, its parent company beging offering triple play services over fibre, which provide IP TV services, broadband internet and a landline as one single bundle. E-Vision entered the world of stereoscopic 3D when it struck a deal with Al Jazeera to broadcast its 2010 World Cup channels, which included a 3D offering.

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PEOPLE INDUSTRY GIANTS

MOHAMMED AL SHAHI DU BROADCAST SERVICES

Du Broadcast Services occupies an unusual position in the UAE television landscape. Its status as the exclusive provide to freehold developments in Dubai has given it a TV subscriber base of around 85,000 accounts. Yet it currently remains unable to offer its services outside of those developments. According to the UAE telecomms regulator, that situation will soon change, allowing it to go after new customers, but also opening it up to competition on its own turf. To prepare for this new reality, Mohammed Al Shabhi, Du’s director of broadcast services, has overseen the transition of its cable service to an IP TV offering, dubbed ‘Du TV+’. New HD boxes have been rolled out to Du customers for free and as a result, the operator has been offering video on demand since December 2009. The new offering is built on Microsoft’s Mediaroom IPTV software platform, which offers features such as digital video recording, video on demand, HDTV and multi-view capabilities. On June 1, Du launched a 3D channel, offering it for free under its basic TV package. The operator says it is in talks with various providers to bring more 3D content to its customers.

HOSAM EL SOKKARI YAHOO MAKTOOB

He is best known for his long stint in charge of BBC Arabic, but now, Hosam El Sokkari has entered the dot-com world as head of audience of Yahoo Maktoob, the company formed by Yahoo’s acquisition of the popular Maktoob portal last year. While the move may appear to represent a change of direction, a recent agreement with Rotana Middle East gives some idea as to where El Sokkari’s efforts may be focused. The agreement will see www.maktoob.com’s forthcoming Video Network channel populated with Rotana content. The deal combines Rotana’s position as the Arab world’s largest entertainment company, with maktoob.com’s popularity as an online destination. Rotana’s assets include Rotana Records, a film production company, television channels and radio stations. The move appears to make sense. Recently-released research claims that those with internet access in the region spend more time online than they do watching TV. That opens up the possibility of Yahoo competing with conventional TV stations for TV advertising dollars. Future plans for the Rotana deal include mobile content and an IPTV offering. A content agreement is also rumoured to be in place with Lebanese broadcaster LBC and talks are underway with other potential content providers.

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CASE STUDY SAUDI TV

32 SEPTEMBER 2010

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CASE STUDY SAUDI TV

ALL CHANGE FOR SAUDI TV Saudi TV is upgrading infrastructure, changing the way it operates and helping to develop a free alternative to satellite TV

Change is in the air at Saudi TV. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s state broadcaster is rebuilding its production infrastructure, preparing for corporatisation and helping in the rollout of a nationwide digital terrestrial TV service. As part of the push to transform infrastructure, contracts to build three new regional HD production centres in Tabouq, Hail and Jizan have been awarded and further contracts to build centres in Al Jouf, Arrar, Al Baha and Najran are set to be handed out imminently. “These centres will have both TV studios and radio studios, and editing equipment for both radio and television,” explains Dr Riyadh Najm, assistant deputy minister for engineering, Ministry of Culture & Information. “This is a model that we will follow around the Kingdom in the less populated areas.” An order for three HD OB vans has been placed and delivery is expected within three months. One of the vans will have 16 cameras and the remaining two will each feature six. The Ministry has also been building out its transmission infrastructure to support its plan to oﬀer a comprehensive digital terrestrial TV service. In the last two years, it has stopped building analogue transmitters and by 2015 any remaining ones are likely to be shut oﬀ.

As for transmitting content in HD, there is no big bang switchover to high definition planned, but a gradual transition of channels. “What we’re doing now is building the new studios in HD and also the OB vans. Once we get to a critical mass of enough equipment and enough facilities in high definition, we will turn our channels gradually to high definition,” explains Dr Najm. The first channels likely to be transmitted in high definition are Saudi TV’s Quran and Sunna channels, which are based in Mecca and Medina and are already produced in HD. “In the next few weeks, we might take them onto satellite in high definition,” explains Dr Najm. “The studios in those locations are already high definition studios.” “The rest will follow later because it’s more complicated to change the others. It involves changing the studios, the OB vans, the editing equipment and so on. The infrastructure is being gradually converted and that will have an impact on the timing.” But with new regional studios being built in HD and with new HD OB vans set to start arriving, Saudi TV’s momentum towards HD is clear. Another big step in that direction is likely to be taken in 2011. “Our next big project in HD, which we will start implementing next year, is the conver-

The majority of people want programmes that are socially acceptable, that are good for the family and at the same time provide reasonable entertainment

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sion of Riyadh Television into high definition. Riyadh TV already has three studios in high definition and with another project that will be awarded soon, we will have three more high definition studios,” explains Dr Najm. “This is a big project for which we are now preparing the RFP and we hope to put it to tender next year when we hopefully get the funds for it. I would say that in the next two years we will have more than the two channels in high definition.” Amongst the vendors to be used by Saudi TV are Harris, Thomson and Rohde & Schwarz, systems integrator First Gulf and camera suppliers like Sony, Ikegami and Hitachi. In general though, Dr Najm says that Saudi TV tries to adopt a multiple vendor approach. “Although we might have more of some, we try to give an equal chance and most of our bigger projects are done in tenders,” he explains. “We try to be open and multivendor. We don’t like to be tied to specific manufacturers or specific systems.” Saudi TV has settled on 720p as its high definition standard and all of its studios are designed with a 1.5G network backbone. “The skeleton of the network” is, however, capable of 3G, so that things could be changed in the event of a decision to migrate to 1080p operations. “In the future, it will be ready to adapt to 1080p. It’s a matter of when 1080p becomes the de facto standard in terms of not having so much difference in price. There is still a difference in price compared to 720p, which is the standard that we have adopted,” Dr Najm explains.

SEPTEMBER 2010 33

CASE STUDY SAUDI TV Saudi TV has awarded contracts to build three new regional production centres and the award for four more is imminent.

Stereoscopic 3D is unlikely to be a driver of future 1080p and 3G adoption (see box overleaf). Even when it comes to sport, one of the prime candidates for stereoscopic 3D, Dr Najm says Saudi TV’s immediate priority is to convert its sports channel to HD. On the business side of its operations, Saudi TV is trying to take steps towards what it terms ‘corporatisation’. This does not mean a selloﬀ, third party investment, downsizing or the imposition of strict proﬁt and loss targets, but a change in the way things are done at the organisation. “What we are involved in now is trying to change, or transform, a government body, which is radio and television as part of a ministry, to become a corporation,” explains Dr Najm. “[It is] still owned by the ministry, but [is] driven and operated on a corporatised basis, meaning it has its own separate organisational structure and its own bylaws – whether for

34 SEPTEMBER 2010

HR or for administration & finance – separate from other government bodies. Then, it becomes more competitive and able to operate in a way that is more productive. “Part of the idea is that you have the flexibility on hiring and firing based on merit. Of course, it will remain a big organisation and we will have to respect general rules on hiring and firing.” The migration to HD and the planned corporatisation of Saudi TV both support the Ministry’s effort to roll out digital terrestrial TV in the Kingdom. If the Ministry’s plans come to fruition, digital terrestrial TV could, at some point in the next few years, constitute a viable, free-to-air alternative to satellite in KSA. Dr Najm agrees that comparisons to the UK’s Freeview are not wide of the mark. Freeview is a digital terrestrial service that offers around 50 channels from a combination of public service broadcasters, free-to-air commercial operators and satellite operators

such as Sky. Viewers need to buy a set-top box for around US $50 to get up and running, but then receive the 50 channels for free. Right now, KSA’s digital terrestrial service carries Saudi TV’s nine radio and TV channels, plus one interactive data service. More content needs be added, which will require the passing of legislation specifying terms and conditions of carriage. “What will be available are some selected, socially acceptable channels from the region and maybe some foreign programmes,” Dr Najm explains. “In order to do this, we will need to have [in place] what we call the Broadcast Act, which is now under evaluation by the government, which will outline how we will allow private channels to be broadcast locally and terrestrially.” Could the digital terrestrial initiative be seen as a move against satellite operators, whose content has sometimes oﬀended regional audiences? Dr Najm replies: “The

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CASE STUDY SAUDI TV d provide Dr Najm: Digital terrestrial TV woul satellite TV. to ative altern an with lation KSA’s popu

DR NAJM’S VIEWS ON STEREOSCOPIC 3D “I’m not sure that the broadcast industry will move totally to 3D. It’s not the same as moving from SD to HD. Everything that was SD can be moved to HD. sam “I think it will remain specialised content that is suitable for 3D. 3D is maybe ma good for sports with short depth of field, but long depth of field with 3D becomes unrealistic, at least with present day technology. “You really appreciate sports like tennis, or table tennis, or swimming with wi 3D, but when it comes to long shots, like some of the long shots with football, it becomes a little bit unrealistic. Although it looks very nice, it’s fo like lik you’re watching amusement rather than entertainment. “Most of the 3D we see is feature movies and most of it is animation. It’s It very nice to see animation, but when it’s real life shooting – and this is maybe my own feeling – the technology does not reflect reality 100%.” m

Once we get to a critical mass of enough equipment and enough facilities in high definition, we will turn our channels gradually to high definition

majority of people want programmes that are socially acceptable, that are good for the family and provide reasonable entertainment. Then, you don’t need to go to satellite, you just go to digital terrestrial.” The infrastructure to oﬀer digital terrestrial TV is pretty much in place, with most of the country now being covered. Now, the content just needs to be added, with Dr

36 SEPTEMBER 2010

Najm saying around 30 channels would be the ideal ﬁgure. Alongside its infrastructure upgrades, corporatisation and the terrestrial TV rollout, Saudi TV has made signiﬁcant progress on a massive archiving and content restoration project. Dr Najm believes the project is probably one of the largest of its type ever undertaken, with around 270,000 TV tapes

in diﬀerent formats and 500,000 audio tapes involved. Most of the TV work has now been done and around 65% of the radio content. A decision has been made to transport acquisition and ingest equipment to the remaining content in Jeddah, rather than transport tapes physically to Riyadh and risk damaging them. Two copies of each piece of material are being made, with metadata and low resolution browser versions being attached to each one. One quirky fact is that some of the material had to be baked in an oven in order for the restoration artists to be able to play it back. Within the next two years, Saudi TV plans to create a private network, linking all its production centres with the content archive. A future possibility is putting some of the archive material online for public access “It’s one of the projects that we are very proud of and hopefully when it is ﬁnished, it will be a good model for others to follow,” says Dr Najm. Through a combination of technical upgrades and organisational reform, the Ministry of Culture & Information is spearheading wholesale change in the Kingdom’s television landscape. Don’t be surprised if it one day emerges as a competitor to satellite TV in the country.

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PROFILE TWOFOUR54

TWOFOUR54 IS IN THE ZONE Tony Orsten, CEO of Abu Dhabi media zone twofour54, tells Joanne Bladd why the UAEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital is in line to be the Los Angeles of the Middle East

38 SEPTEMBER 2010

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PROFILE TWOFOUR54

This is all about people believing the Middle East is a new place for them to come and make a business worK

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Twofour54 is a reminder that if you build it, even in the sweltering Gulf desert, they will come. Two years ago, spotlight-shy Abu Dhabi was the most unlikely of media luvvies. Today its state-funded media hub is home to outposts of Bloomberg, CNN, and Cartoon Network – and a further 69 firms that have bought into the premise that the Arab world is the next media moneypot and twofour54 the key to unlocking it. “This is all about people believing the Middle East is a new place for them to come and make a business work,” says Tony Orsten, the British-born CEO of the multibillion-dollar media zone. “It has double-digit growth potential going forward across all media. That’s why they’re here.” There’s little doubt the Arab world will be media’s next great gold rush. There are 300 million Arabic speakers around the globe, but they are starved of content. Of the three gaming giants, Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony, not a single video game is available in Arabic. According to consultancy group Booz & Co, media revenues in the MENA region will fly from $14.1 billion in 2008 to $26 billion by 2013. Capturing a tiny sliver of that market would be a record haul for any media brand. The business case for twofour54 then, is solid. The firm splits into three arms – intaj, production facilities; tadreeb, a training academy; and ibtikar, a funding unit to give seed capital to new businesses. The result is a creative hub for training and production that is geared at coaxing out an Arab media economy. By 2014, it will have spent a rumoured US $3 billion on building studios, training facilities, and funding capital for Arab entrepreneurs and fledgling Arabic content firms. It will also have moved to its permanent home; a bespoke, 6.5 million sq ft media zone, currently under construction, whose buildings will resemble giant televisions. Some 21,000 people are expected to work there. “We’re here to create a media industry; by Arabs, for Arabs, in Arabic,” says Orsten. “The talent is there, we just need to upskill it and make it part of an industry.” For Abu Dhabi, the payoff is a thriving

SEPTEMBER 2010 39

PROFILE TWOFOUR54

re coming. It’s “There’s a lot mo says Orsten. ” as, are all oss acr

We’re here to create a media industry; by Arabs, for Arabs, in Arabic

economic sector unconnected to oil, that will create the kind of jobs that educated Emiratis are willing to take. Still, this is no blank cheque. Each of the ventures that twofour54 chooses to back must turn a proﬁt, to allow the ﬁrm to recoup

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its cash – though Orsten is tightlipped on the timescale. “We are sort of paying back all of the investment over a period of time – I’m not going to get tied into how long. But it will be a period of time that is all agreed. So we have a real case, a real business plan and

we are really going to pay back all our money to the government.” For a fledgling media zone, twofour54 has been staggeringly successful. At just two years’ old, it has caught the attention of some of Western media’s biggest names. Its deals include a joint venture with US media conglomerate Viacom, to launch Comedy Central Studios Arabia; a tie-up with Time Warner’s Cartoon Network to create an Arab animation academy and production studio; and contracts with the BBC and Thomson Reuters to school would-be media professionals. Another ten deals are in the pipeline for ibtikar this year. “There’s a lot more coming. It’s across all areas; it’s production, it’s gaming, it’s internet,” Orsten says. “In this country, it takes longer than expected to get from ‘let’s talk about it’ to signing the deal. But the theory is that when the deal is signed and we’re done, it floats.” One of these deals will involve a tie-up with a multinational gaming firm, to export homegrown Arabic-language video games across the region. “We’ll have a very large gaming partner working with us from the international world, which we can’t talk about,” Orsten says. “Gaming already has a way to get to market and is relatively cheap and these big firms are looking for opportunities.” If the case for an Arab media industry is clear, what is less so, is why twofour54 should be its epicentre. Not only are there better-established media zones in the Gulf, but its debut – made squarely in the global crash – came at a time when many media firms were notching up immense multibillion-dollar losses. “Our launch went something like this; ‘Hurrah! Oh,’” admits Orsten. “But the stream of people coming still came, which is not what was expected – but they still came.” So what is enticing them? Cynics would suggest they’re chasing the cash. Faced with anorexic ad revenues in the West, oil-rich Abu Dhabi would seem to be an easy sell. Orsten looks momentarily irritated. “No, no, no. We’re not sending out truckloads of cash to say, ‘You get this if you come here,’ at all. If [firms] come here, and

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PROFILE TWOFOUR54

some have, and say, ‘Where’s your chequebook?’ that conversation turns to, ‘Thank you for coming.’ We are absolutely not paying people to come. Not a penny.” He pauses. “We don’t want to create a subsidised industry. People understand that there’s an opportunity now to make content and make money from it. There is a hunger and a need.” Even without a golden handshake, there is money to be made. More than half of the people in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, Morocco and Egypt are estimated to be less than 25 years old. In the Gulf, that ﬁgure soars to two-thirds, creating a gargantuan opportunity for advertisers. Many of these consumers are young, wealthy and bored – and some of the faster adopters of new technology on the planet Ad spend in the wider Arab world was

put at around $9 billion last year, meaning spend per head is low. In the UAE, a study by Dubai Press Club put it at US $22 a year, compared with $361 in the UK. In short, then, there is plenty of room to grow. Kid’s television channel Cartoon Network, which has launched a branded animation training academy with twofour54, believes the region is wide open for growth. “We’re constantly told the advertising on kids’ channels here is tiny, it’s in its infancy, but… I think there is real scope for it to grow,” says Chris Groves, senior vice president of business aﬀairs and managing director for the Middle East at Turner Broadcasting, which owns the network. “Some of our consumer product businesses around this region have doubled

consistently every two or three years. There’s an awful lot of growth potential there.” Turner has bet the house on this potential. Later this year it is to launch a free-to-air, Arabic language Cartoon Network, in a bid to tap the region’s 35 million households. The network will air 24-hour coverage of kid’s shows such as Ben 10, and Powerpuﬀ Girls, alongside homegrown shows such as popular animation series, Freej. Turner is already in talks with at least three Middle East production studios to snap up new content ahead of the channel’s launch. In the future, it is banking on twofour54 to churn out a ready supply of content – and to take the lion’s share of the ﬁnancing risk. “This is where I think the twofour54 deal really comes in; to develop new content,”

ss to the best HD If you need temporary acce can offer you intaj. facility around, twofour54

42 SEPTEMBER 2010

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Grove says. “As and when great ideas come out of the academy – and they will – then twofour54 will make a contribution to a pilot. We can then buy and broadcast it, and twofour54 also gets its money back. “It leaves everyone whole, providing we make good judg-ments about what is going to be a hit show and what isn’t. Nobody has an unblemished record on that, but we’re quite good,” he adds. This, of course, is twofour54’ss edge over rival media hubs in the he region. Through intaj, tadreeb and ibtikar, it has married production, on, training and funding. The payoff ff for firms that base themselves in n twofour54 is that they get readyy access to future talent and first pick of any content. Content which, in

TWOFOUR54: FANTASTIC FACTS

• At the beginning of 2010, twofour54 hosted 60 regional and international media companies.

• In calendar 2009, twofour54 tadreeb put over 800 media professionals, from 27 companies, through 55 courses. Around 30% of these students came from outside the UAE.

The talent is there, we just need to upskill it and make it part of an industry

• Twofour54 intaj now has 70 specialist staff running its five HD studios and 22 post-production suites. It has taken bookings for more than 200 production days and produced more than 400 hours of TV programming.

• CNN, BBC, Rotana Studios, FT, Abu Dhabi Media Company, Imagenation, Thomson Reuters Foundation and Cartoon Network are amongst the companies based at twofour54.

• The name twofour54 is taken from Abu Dhabi’s geographical co-ordinates, which are latitude 24 north, longitude 54 east.

44 SEPTEMBER 2010

many cases, will initially be funded by ibtikar. “The talent level here in the region is high – we’re talking about 340 million people, some twenty different cultures – it’s about providing a path to market,” says Orsten. “The aim of tadreeb is to bring the skill level up. Because it’s difficult to get over that hump, you know: ‘I’ve got a great idea for a game, but how do I make it?’” More than 1000 students have already passed through tadreeb’s doors. Twofour54 estimates the industry will need between 12 and 15,000 Arab media professionals in the next five to ten years, to get up to speed.

“There is often an exodus to England, “The America – we want to keep the talIndia, A here. We want businesses that make ent he money, that can hire people and export mone their content,” says Orsten. “What we’re doing is making it [media] a real career. We’re We’r physically creating an industry with enough traction, that will have jobs available that will pay a real salary. “In “I the UAE, kids come out of university and go into government uni or gas and oil. But if they really don’t want wa to do that, we want to provide them with a real opportunity.” th Twofour54 might be changing the th face of Arab media at home, but b arguably its biggest test will be b rebranding the Middle East’s reputation abroad. The size of the r challenge was brought home to Orsten a few weeks ago, as he stood on a studio lot in Los Angeles, discussing the UAE. “I made a joke about how I was going shopping because I have to get something. And someone said; “Oh, so you go shopping in a black sedan with armed outriders?’” he s recalls. “And he wasn’t joking. “I almost felt like saying, ‘Yes. I’m going to Spinneys in my black SUV with my armed guards.’ That’s how crazy it is. “One of the biggest problems we face is that they think it is a small region, and people kill each other. That’s what they think people do in their spare time.” Media, Orsten says, will be the catalyst to change that perception, by guiding local cultures and traditions into the mass communications age. “Part of our job is to make this place export itself culturally to the rest of the world. Media is the fastest way to do that. But we have to do it in a way that is sustainable. “If you fund projects and say; ‘Hurrah, we’ve made a movie but we’ve lost $400m on it,” there’s no point. Because in several years time, as oil revenues run down, people won’t fund another.” He gestures across the lot. “So it – we – have to be sustainable. That’s going to be the key to all this.”

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CASE STUDY OSN

BEHIND THE SCENES A look at how Orbit and Showtime merged their billing and customer service infrastructures to create OSN

46 SEPTEMBER 2010

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CASE STUDY OSN

No matter where you come from – whether you are an Orbit legacy customer or a Showtime legacy customer – everybody can see the details and serve that customer

Corporate mergers are among some of the most risky, and complicated processes that most businesses will ever have to face, with a wide range of challenges on the path to completion. Issues such as incompatible corporate cultures, lack of disclosure, or even a failure to properly merge key IT and business processes can all stand in the way of a successful merger. With a customer-facing organisation, smooth management of the merger becomes even more important to retain customers and their goodwill. It was just this challenge that faced pay TV operator Orbit Showtime Network (OSN), which was formed by the merger of two of the Middle East’s pay TV companies, Showtime Arabia and Orbit, in July last year. While the two companies had a large, complimentary range of television services, provided via satellite providers and telcos across the region, it also had a geographically widespread, diverse organisation to support those services and the customers. The merger also included a sister company, GDTV of Kuwait, with the combined companies having operations in 22 countries across the region, with main offices in Egypt, the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. OSN’s broadcast technology was able to support a merged TV offering, meaning Orbit subscribers were able to receive Showtime channels, and Showtime subscribers were able to receive Orbit channels within a few days of the merger. This also created a need for the two companies to present a unified face to customers in terms of support and other services. Bas Wijne, director of information services at OSN, recounts: “At that point in time, it was really a matter of reviewing what [technology] we had, and how quickly we could create a unified customer experience with the

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setup that we had. We knew that we could launch combined packages very quickly from a broadcasting point of view. “For us, it is important that the moment the subscriber phones us, regardless of where they phone from, they will get a similar level of service and they will get the information. So the two crucial things at that point in time were the migration, or the unification, of the CRM and billing platforms, and the merging of our contact centres into one virtual contact centre.” In terms of CRM, both companies used the same system – IBS from broadcast technology specialist Irdeto – running on Oracle databases, which made the job of combining the data for hundreds of thousands of customers relatively easy, as the underlying core data structure was the same. However, the system also included a great deal of flexibility, which resulted in a large variation in deployment. Wijne says: “The CRM and billing is a key aspect [of our IT operations], so every employee of the new company needs to be able to see every customer detail, in the sense that no matter where you come from – whether you are an Orbit legacy customer or a Showtime legacy customer – everybody can see the details and serve that customer. So that was done pretty quickly; we had sorted that by the middle of November 2009. “The system is quite flexible in terms of the setup, so the way that the billing works, or the activation of subscription works, on one system might be quite different than the other one. And that again has an impact on how you recognise and report revenue, because we’ve got everything integrated, from the smallest detail to the profit and loss overview. It all comes from the same data source.” The proper integration of the IBS system was also very important to OSN, because of

SEPTEMBER 2010 47

CASE STUDY OSN Wijne opted to go with Ava ya technology in the combined company’s merged call centre.

its place at the centre of the company’s busiiness intelligence strategy. From Showtime’s perspective, the side of the business Wijne worked for before the merger, the companyy had a key strategy– to integrate systems as closely as possible, with data from a number of sources such as CRM, billing, call data from contact centres and broadcast system information all pulled into a centralised data warehouse. “We made sure that the back ends of the systems were actually integrated,” stresses Wijne. “I now get general ledger information from the finance team, my broadcast information is about to go in there, and acquisition of content will eventually be going in there. So there is a lot of information going into that data warehouse. We can then combine it and actually link the data. “From a broadcasting point of view, if there was a small outage for example, we would see then the actual number of related call volumes coming in, and see what error or what issue triggers what type of call volume. Or, if we start broadcasting particular content, we can find out if it has a particularly positive effect on call volume. “Basically, what we’re doing at the moment is giving the CFO a profit and loss overview in a web-based environment, one that they can literally drill through – even to the level of individual countries, product groups or methods of payment, for example. “Anything he needs, he can get access to, because the data is combined in such a way that it allows him to use the data in that way,” explains Wijne. The second part of the technology infrastructure to be integrated as part of the merger was the companies’ customer contact centres. Showtime had previously deployed Avaya solutions in the UAE and Egypt, while Orbit was mainly using Nortel systems. “One of the crucial things was to make to the experience the same regardless of which company you were a legacy customer of. This raised the question: what telephony platform should we going to go with?” explains Wijne. “Showtime had very good experiences with the Avaya platform, while Orbit had

48 SEPTEMBER 2010

If we start broadcasting particular content, we can find out if it has a particularly positive effect on call volume

Nortel systems, but they became relatively dated so we needed to replace them anyway. Also, after the Avaya-Nortel takeover, the decision was practically made for us and we went with the Avaya platform.” OSN deployed a range of Avaya solutions, including Avaya Aura 5.2, Avaya Elite Call Center 5.2 and Avaya Interaction Center (AIC), beginning with an upgrade of the core contact centre in the UAE. The company also worked with convergence company EMW to provide implementation and support services across the various countries covered by the network. OSN focused on the backend integration and customisation, while EMW took care of the rollout of the local contact centres. “EMW knows our company very well; it knows our expectations and our extremely aggressive expectations from a timeline point of view. It basically made sure that we had as little involvement in [the rollout] as possible, other than providing it with our requirements and giving access to the sup-

port of our local IT teams. We had too much on our plate to focus fully on doing all this project work ourselves,” Wijne explains. The roll out was completed by early February of this year – despite some delays waiting for connectivity in some countries – and OSN now has around 300 inbound customer care operatives on the system. Agents use a webbased interface to the CRM platform, with Avaya telephony solutions connecting them to the customer. The company’s CRM system – which is split across various sites – backs itself up via either ISDN or VPN connections, while the virtualisation of contact centres provides added resilience to the system. Wijne says that his team has developed a high degree of customisation for the solution, with a large number of custom scripts implemented on its Avaya Interaction Centre, and interfaces between the many diﬀerent systems within the company. “I feel we’ve really taken the Avaya platform to the next level,” says Wijne. “When it comes to integration, the Avaya platform is directly

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CASE STUDY OSN

NEW KINDS OF CONTENT VITAL TO THE FUTURE OF PAY TV The biggest challenge facing the pay TV industry is persuading consumers to pay for content, according to Marc-Antoine d’Halluin, CEO, OSN. In an age where content is freely available online, “the answer is a combination of having the right technology and the right content,” he said. That’s why OSN is rolling out HD channels at an accelerated pace (Sky News HD is the latest) and is starting to dabble with 3D. In a recent forum, d’Halluin said OSN would begin offering 3D content on-demand this summer. This is possible thanks to the company’s new HD set-top boxes, which are currently being rolled out to all its customers. “OSN will bring 3D to the market this summer,” said d’Halluin. “3D movies will be sent to the new Showbox- branded Showbox HD for users with 3D-enabled TV sets.” “The current generation is used to getting content online for free from many different sources. The challenge facing the pay TV industry is finding a way to get them to spend money on television,” claimed d’Halluin. “Technology-wise, it is important to offer the best – HD is a given, 3D is also important. If operators can bring value to the customer, then they will be happier to consider paying for it.”

50 SEPTEMBER 2010

linked to our CRM, to our data warehouse, to our payment gateway. All the interfaces that we have, like the web-based dealer interface, web sites, we did ourselves. Everything is integrated with the CRM, Avaya, the BlackBerry platform, SMS. If you can think of it, it’s there. We developed a lot of new tools that enable the hundreds of users that are on the system to work more efficiently,” he adds. One recent enhancement is providing BlackBerry smartphones to the field installation team. OSN is currently upgrading the set top boxes that every customer has to a high definition version. Previously, the installer would install the box and then leave while the customer waited for the broadcast system to update automatically. It meant that if there were any issues, the installer would have to make a second visit. Now, through the BlackBerry solution, the installer is

able to activate the solution while still onsite. Wijne says that OSN’s large in-house development team is essential in being able to provide new solutions, such as this, at high speed and low cost. The company has always been cost-conscious, he says, and that is reflected in the approach to development. “We get the maximum out of each dollar that we spend on our infrastructure and systems. That’s why we have a relatively large in-house team for software development. It means that we can deploy new products extremely quickly: basically within 24 hours. The moment that we not do that in-house, it would increase the time it takes to launch new features, so that’s where the cost and the benefits go hand-in-hand. It costs me a little bit more from a headcount point of view, but the flexibility it offers and the market edge that it gives you is very good.” TV operators D’Halluin: In the Internet age, pay mers. have to work harder to retain custo

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TECHNOLOGY 3D INFRASTRUCTURE

52 SEPTEMBER 2010

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TECHNOLOGY 3D INFRASTRUCTURE

HOW TO DELIVER

3D CONTENT Adrian Pennington looks at the technical implications for broadcasters wanting to offer stereoscopic 3D content

Broadcasters the world over are launching, planning or investigating launching 3DTV services and those in the region are no exception. Al Jazeera Sport has already aired select matches of the FIFA World Cup in 3D while E-Vision and Du also aired Al Jazeera’s 3D feed over their respective cable networks. Other operators and broadcasters are looking to follow suit, among them OSN and the Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC), which is building a new presentation, production and playout facility for sports programming. All are, of course, subscription-based services since 3D, as with HD a few years ago, is easier to monetise as a pay TV proposition. Indeed, public service or free to air commercial broadcasters still find investment in highdefinition channels a challenge to justify. The contrast is evident in the UK where Sky is set to launch Europe’s first 3D channel on October 1, while the BBC is taking a watching brief on the format’s emergence and

“Is 3D central to the future of TV or peripheral? There’s no answer now or likely in the next couple of years.”

remains uncertain of its value to mainstream programme making. “Is 3D central to the future of TV or peripheral?” questions Danielle Nagler, the BBC’s head of HD and 3D. “There’s no answer now or likely in the next couple of years.”

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The BBC is trialling 3D content and has a variety of R&D projects in the works, including an examination of the under-researched psychological effects of stereoscopy. Mike Darcey, BSkyB’s chief operating officer argues that pay TV businesses can grasp new technologies faster than FTA broadcasters, “since to them it looks like additional cost and doesn’t add new monetisation opportunities,” he says. Sky’s investment in 3D is a loss leader in the sense that there is more value to be gained by reducing churn with a bundled 3D offer, than in attracting significant new revenue from a separate paid service. “With HD, we took the view that it was best was to introduce a premier tier and to charge additionally for that, but we are earlier in the development cycle with 3D than we were with HD,” says Darcey. “We are still very much feeling our way, seeing how demand grows and it’s too early to see how it can be monetised.” The differing business interests between FTA and pay TV channels directly feeds into the technical considerations of how 3D TV can be rolled out. There are broadly two possible paths for delivery of 3D broadcast services. The first, with which operators can get services up and running quickly and the one adopted by Sky, Orange, ESPN and DirecTV, is termed Frame Compatible Plano-Stereoscopic. In this system, the left and right HD images are multiplexed (i.e squeezed either side by side, into a chequerboard pattern or split top/bottom) on leaving the broadcaster into a single HD signal which is decoded back into 3D by the viewer’s TV set on reception.

SEPTEMBER 2010 53

TECHNOLOGY 3D INFRASTRUCTURE

Ian Trow: Frame Compatible has its faults, but it’s the quickest and easiest way of getting 3D channels to market.

“There are broadly two possible paths for delivery of 3D broadcast services: Frame Compatible and Service Compatible.”

This system has the advantage of requiring only that the consumer invest in a new 3Dcompatible TV with very little other investment – including crucially no change to the set-top box – required by the broadcaster. The downside is that by compressing two HD signals into one, the resultant 3D image loses up to half of its original resolution. Of more concern to FTA broadcasters is that this route denies universal viewing of 3D transmissions. This version cannot be viewed properly on a conventional 2D set (the picture would be hopelessly blurred) and requires broadcasters to operate two separate services (for 2D and 3D), which often neces-

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sitates two expensive, bandwidth-intensive satellite transponders. “Colour television would not have got oﬀ the ground if the picture wasn’t able to be viewed on legacy black and white sets, and it’s a similar situation here,” observes Bill Foster, senior technology consultant, Futuresource Consulting. In the longer term, the industry, including Sky and others, would prefer to move to what’s called a Service Compatible format in which the left eye signal is broadcast as a standard MPEG picture while the data for the second eye is derived using the left as reference (this is also called 2D+Delta or 2D+ Dif-

ference). Such a system would require new decoders to be built into the set-top box. Stereoscopic 3D content would, however, be viewable at Full HD resolution and would simply look like a normal image on a 2D set. “While frame compatible has limitations in terms of the viewing experience (notably resolution), it is a good compromise, allowing broadcasters to get a sense of consumer take-up and build on existing HD infrastructure,” says Ian Trow, director of broadcast Solutions, Harmonic. Both methods do incur a bandwidth overhead, requiring more than a normal 2D broadcast, with the variation largely dependent on the type of content. “Broadcasters need to service new 3D and legacy 2D viewers; therefore, saving costs by reducing the bandwidth needed is one of the key factors,” explains Manuel Gutierrez Novelo, CEO of TD Vision, which invented and patented the 2D+Delta method. “Instead of using 200% (100% to service 2D and 100% to send frame-compatible 3D), the 2D+Delta method works with around 130%140% bandwidth,” he claims. However, the move to Full HD 3D channels would require a massive upgrade to infrastructure, beginning with contribution circuits, but eventually encompassing the entire broadcast centre. “It will be a challenge to manage production of a whole channel, including continuity and commercials, remotely from an OB truck where most 3D events are currently produced,” notes Foster. “You’d want the incoming left and right feeds to be ingested within a stereo-capable broadcast HQ rather than created side by side at the point of capture.”

SEPTEMBER 2010 55

TECHNOLOGY

Aside from the development of transmission formats, subtitling and monitoring are aspects of 3D that need more work.

3D INFRASTRUCTURE

Lukas Kernell, the general manager of thematic channels for the Netherlands-based playout provider Digital Media Centre, part of Cello Media, is tackling these issues head on. It aired the US Masters Golf tournament in 3D for Dutch cable operator UPC and worked with Orange to broadcast the French Open in 3D. “Although our part of the chain is substantially simpler compared to acquisition and post, there are issues,” he says. “Subtitling is an area that requires urgent development, particularly for providers that cater for distribution over multiple territories and in multiple languages. An industry-wide solution for 3D subtitling is essential.”

Monitoring will prove another challenge once the transition is made from event-based 3D to a fully ﬂedged consumer proposition. “Not only do we need to invest in monitoring for 24/7 transmission, but we also need to know what are we monitoring,” says Kernell. “Clients will expect a certain quality level, but how can we measure that? A lot of work needs putting into standards to be able to deliver a product to clients and their customers that ﬁts all expectations.” Standards are essential to grow the global 3D market – not least because CE manufacturers of Blu-ray discs and players, PVRs and

THE NEXT STAGE: MULTIVIEW CODING The Service Compatible format is based on the MPEG MVC (multiview video coding) compression format, the same as that used by Blu-ray. MVC can be ramped up to accommodate more than current stereoscopic 3DTV’s two views, which will come in particularly handy when auto-stereoscopic (no glasses) TVs eventually reach consumers. In that scenario, MVC could be required to handle fifteen or more simultaneous views – something it is, in theory, capable of, although its first iteration will use the stereo profile.

56 SEPTEMBER 2010

A more immediate concern for broadcasters considering a 3D TV launch based on MPEG MVC is that there are no commercially available real time MVC encoders. TD Vision is perhaps closest, having launched, “a reference design for a broadcast quality real time stereoscopic encoder,” in April. “It delivers 1920x1080@60fps per eye using 2D+Delta in around 12-16Mbps, a format that is not even currently supported by 3D Blu-ray discs,” claims Manuel Gutierrez Novelo, CEO of TD Vision.

TVs need unified specifications to build to. In June, Europe’s DVB Project agreed the commercial requirements for Frame Compatible stereo TV and it has begun to consider a set of similar specifications for Service Compatible modes. Dovetailing with its work is the SMPTE’s development of a file format needed for producing and transporting 3D TV in the studio. Meanwhile, the HDMI consortium has agreed formats for inputs to 3D displays with the introduction of HDMI v1.4a. The 3D@ Home consortium is seeking to get display manufacturers to agree to an interoperable shutter glass signalling system. Further generations of technology will see the introduction of auto-stereoscopic (no glasses) displays, which work by transmitting multiple stereo-pairs rather than a single stereo pair. Another generation yet may involve recording a continuous object wave passing through a given area. With that, we’re into the realm of in home holographic displays. which could be half a century or more away. Even the most far sighted broadcast engineers don’t have that on their radar.

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TECHNOLOGY NEW PRODUCTS

AVID UNVEILS SHARED STORAGE SYSTEM Avid has unveiled the Avid ISIS 5000, a new shared storage solution for broadcasters and post production facilities. The product was developed to address the needs of workgroups requiring 40 or fewer client connections. Major features include the ISIS ﬁle system, support for Avid and Apple Final Cut Pro editing systems, Ethernet connectivity and realtime storage resizing. Ian Burling, head of technical services, at Films at 59 Ltd., an end user who tested the system, said. “Our clients use a variety of editing systems, so in order to meet their needs ﬂexibility is a number one priority for us. We were looking for a solution that would allow us to consoli-

date high and low resolution clients and move media with greater agility and ease. “We are extremely impressed by how well the ISIS 5000 has

tested. It’s proven to be a flexible, easyto-use, high-performance standard-bearer—great for post production houses like us that need to integrate third-party editing systems such as Apple Final Cut Pro to handle a variety of workflows.” The Avid ISIS 5000 will be available on in a 32TB or 64TB switched configuration, or a 32TB Direct Connect configuration that offers four direct client connections and the ability to add a third party switch. All configurations support Mac or PC clients and include 40 seat licenses with either one or three years of Avid Priority or Avid Uptime Support. www.avid.com

SENCORE RECEIVES NOD OF APPROVAL

Sencore’s MRD3187B receiver decoder has been recommended by the European News Exchange (ENEX) for use in satellite news gathering (SNG) applications. According to Sencore, the next-generation of the Sencore MRD distinguished itself in comprehensive, biannual evaluations for overall ease of use, signal quality, robustness, and interoperability with a variety of encoders and equipment. As a result, ENEX will recommend the device

58 SEPTEMBER 2010

for SNG use by some 35 member stations located throughout Europe, as well as in the US and Japan. “SNG is a particularly challenging technical environment, requiring intermittent satellite reception and transmission and, more often than not, versatile interoperation with other systems and legacy equipment,” said Jean Lampach, chief technology and development oﬃcer for Broadcasting Center Europe, which performed the evaluations for ENEX.

“We evaluated dozens of devices in multiple categories, selecting for recommendation only those few that stood up to the rigours of the tough environment, including SENCORE’s MRD receiver decoder.” MRD3187B combines dual-channel processing capability with MPEG-2, MPEG4, 4:2:0, 4:2:2, SD, and HD decoding. It has a modular architecture and ﬁeld-upgradable hardware and software. www.sencore.com

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TECHNOLOGY NEW PRODUCTS

CAMERA CORPS INTRODUCES CONTROL UNIT Camera Corps’ new Multi Camera Keypad Control Unit increases from five to 96 the number of remote camera heads that can be operated via the company’s Joystick Control or CCU Panel. The keypad can also be used with Camera Corps’ Multi Camera Combiner unit to allow up to four joystick operators and up to four CCU engineers to control the 96 cameras as well as pan and tilt heads simultaneously using a single data line. An output is provided to drive many different types of video router, enabling the picture monitor to follow camera selection at any of the eight operator positions. Up to 255 channel numbers and routing-matrix assignment numbers can be selected via the keypad for easy integration of the 96 camera sources with existing camera channel configurations on video matrices with up to 256 inputs. The keypad uses a basic three-digit entry system. This can be shortened by ending the entry sequence with the Enter button. Up and Down buttons can be used to step up and down through the channel numbers. Left and Right buttons will step through a sequence of the most recent eight channels used. Four Mix buttons on the keypad can be preset to any four channel numbers as a means of quickly displaying up to four ‘stream’ or ‘mixer’ outputs. Up to eight channel numbers (any of the 255 available) can be pre-assigned to the joystick panel’s own selector buttons. www.cameracorps.co.uk

ARG UPGRADES NETWORK ADAPTER SOFTWARE ARG ElectroDesign is preparing a software upgrade for the Media Combiner range of broadcast network adapters. The upgrade features ARG’s patent pending Acu-Sync technology, which is designed to eliminate network jitter and make it possible to reliably feed digital terrestrial television (DTT) single frequency network (SFN) transmitter sites over telecommunication and IP networks.

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It does this without the need for a 10 MHz clock (GPS), while still conforming to Mega-frame Initialisation Packet (MIP) timing standards. By not requiring an external 10 MHz reference clock, the Media Combiner upgrade also helps ensures that DTT SFN transmitters can function even when the local GPS clock is lost. In this case, the DTT transmitter defaults to its internal clock and service continues.

“Our products continue to be the preferred choice for serious DTT SFN applications,” said Mike Footer, sales and marketing director, ARG ElectroDesign. “The ARG Acu-Sync technology in the Media Combiner is suitable for use over virtually any type of network, ensuring DTT SFN service and coverage are maintained at all times.” www.arg.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2010 59

TECHNOLOGY NEW PRODUCTS

GEKKO EXPANDS LED LIGHTING RANGE Gekko Technology has announced a new addition to its range of LED-based video and film lighting equipment. A soft light designed for studio and location use, the karesslite 6006-DD has twice the number of emitters and hence twice the brightness of the existing karesslite 6006. Available in daylight (5600K) and tungsten (3200K) versions, it incorporates a 6 x 12 emitter format in a 300 x 300 millimetre panel, with a front-to-back depth of 165 mm and a weight of 4.8 kilos, including the diffuser. “The 6006-DD is as compact and portable as the 6006 yet delivers the same 2600 lux at 1 metre brightness as the 600 x 300 mm karess 6012,” said Gekko Technology managing director David Amphlett. “It can be used as a single soft light source or deployed with additional karesslites to form a large multiple light source. Unlike traditional lighting products, colour temperature remains consistent throughout the full range of intensity variation. The light output is smooth and can be used either as a primary source or as fill.” Power can be derived from a single V-lock battery, a 12 to 40 V DC feed via an XLR 4 connector, or from a mains supply. Based on LED, Gekko says it is far more efficient than traditional film or video production lights and emits very little heat. Power consumption is approximately 85 W, allowing a reported 90 minutes of

continuous operation from a single rearmountable V-Lock battery. Accessories available include a Gekko swivel mount, yoke, encapsulated colour-

correction gel sets, removable barndoors, honeycomb louvers, remote dimmer and soft transit case. www.gekkotechnology.com

BRIDGE BOOSTS MONITORING AND ANALYSIS Bridge Technologies has released version 4.5 of the VideoBRIDGE monitoring and analysis software for cable, terrestrial, and satellite media delivery operations. The new 4.5 software release adds a range of upgrades for Bridge Technologies’ IP probes and VBC server, designed to improve monitoring and integration with third-party management systems.

60 SEPTEMBER 2010

All VideoBRIDGE probes have received new features such as audio metering with large thumbnail displays; Cop3.2 FEC detection and analysis; enhanced security settings for more comprehensive access control; software upgrade and upload via the Web interface; advanced auto threshold settings for RF interfaces; alarm ﬁltering and scheduling for services and PIDs; and major usability

enhancements to the Eii (External Integration Interface). The VideoBRIDGE Controller (VBC) now includes central alarm scheduling and enhanced equipment view and conﬁguration controls. The VB280 Content Extractor also features new real-time, large-thumbnail displays, audio metering and content detail display. www.bridgetech.tv

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TECHNOLOGY NEW PRODUCTS

GRASS VALLEY FREES CONTENT ON VHS

Grass Valley is letting Mac owners access, convert and edit content trapped on old VHS tapes and digital camcorders. The ADVCmini converts the video into ﬁles that can be edited on the Mac in Final Cut Pro or iMovie. The video can be captured via com-

posite, S-Video, or SCART cables along with stereo audio. According to Grass Valley, PerfectPicture technology helps to ensure high quality conversion from composite video sources. The ADVCmini unit is small, portable and is powered by the Mac’s USB port.

The included software provides a video capture tool and compresses the video as it converts. USB, composite video/audio, S-Video and SCART cables are provided. The ADVCmini for Mac has a standard list price of US $149. www.grassvalley.com

COBALT DIGITAL DROPS AMPLIFIER PRICES Cobalt Digital has announced a reduction on its range of 3G/HD/SD distribution amplifiers for openGear. Effective immediately, the distribution amplifiers will be available at an average of 50% off the former cost and will start at $399. OpenGear is a standard for handling video and audio processing cards from multiple manufacturers in the same frame. “Lowering the cost of a product that is a

62 SEPTEMBER 2010

staple in every broadcast facility is our way of helping our customers and our industry gain economic momentum as we recover from a worldwide recession,” stated Chris Shaw, VP of sales and marketing at Cobalt. “Our prices may have been reduced, but our quality has never been better. Our single and dual distribution ampliﬁers oﬀer all true ASI inputs and outputs for a wide range of solutions, as well as features like failover

switching in our dual DAs.” The distribution ampliﬁers are part of Cobalt’s 9000 series for openGear that also includes format converters, frame syncs, embedders and de-embedders. The 3G capable DA range comprises multi-rate SDI and ASI single, dual and triple channel reclocking and non-relocking units capable of supporting 3G, HD, SD signals. www.cobaltdigital.com

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TECHNOLOGY NEW PRODUCTS

IIG DEVELOPS RENTAL MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE Information Integration Group (IIG) has developed Rental Maestro, rental management software for the audio, video, and production industries. The software is designed to manage all aspects of a rental business, including sales, crewing, CRM and project accounting. Rental Maestro is built on the Sage MAS 90 ERP, Sage MAS 200 ERP, and Sage MAS 500 ERP (enterprise resource planning) platforms. It is certiﬁed by Sage Software. “Rental Maestro oﬀers best-in-class ‘vertical’ market functionality,” said Alec

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Baghdasaryan, president. “Other rental packages oﬀered today provide only limited integration. As a result, features that are commonplace in most ERP packages, such as automatic account postings and accruals, are rendered useless in these solutions. With Rental Maestro, the end result for our customers is less paperwork and fewer man hours because all aspects of their business, from rental agreements to invoicing and human resources, are fully integrated into one software platform.” www.iigservices.com

PHOTON BEARD UNWRAPS LIGHTING CONTROLLER Photon Beard has introduced Wi-Light, a new controller for studio lighting systems. It is an add-on to the DMX-controlled series of Photon Beard Highlight fluorescents and can be used to control a mixture of fluorescent and incandescent lighting systems. It is designed to deal with the problem of having multiple, wired data links to carry the universal DMX512 stage lighting and effects control standard. It can reduce the need for traditional wired DMX-controlled systems, which can prove to be time consuming and inconvenient because of multiple cable requirements. Wi-Light consists of one master transmit/receive module, which can be located at studio floor level, and individual receive modules or dongles added to each light source or dimmer. The master unit can be configured as a receiver for point-to-point links or as a repeater to cover wider areas. Transmitter range can vary but is generally 1-300 feet, which can be extended using repeaters. The small receiver module fits to the base panel of the Highlight on the outside of the casing. It is installed using a small screwdriver. Further setup instructions are either automatic or transmitted via wireless from the master module. This is the first of a family of products designed to provide cost effective and easy-to-install control options for small to medium-sized TV studios. www.photonbeard.com

SEPTEMBER 2010 63

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Anixter Middle East FZE, PO Box 16854, Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai, UAE • Tel: +971 4 806 7150 • Fax: +971 4 806 7155 • anixter.ae Anixter is a leading global supplier of communications and security products, electrical and electronic wire and cable, fasteners and other small components. We help our customers specify solutions and make informed purchasing decisions around technology, applications and relevant standards. Throughout the world, we provide innovative supply chain management services to reduce our customers’ total cost of production and implementation.

In the broadcast and entertainment industry, reliance on quality infrastructure produces high-performance audio and video systems. Anixter provides professional and commercial products that help you maintain absolute signal integrity for both field applications and permanent locations. With products ranging from analogue and digital audio wire and cable to video coax and instrumentation cable, Anixter supports a range of products used in major network and cable TV broadcasts, film studios and audio/video. Anixter's technical expertise helps customers make informed product decisions to ensure systems meet stringent engineering specifications, including UL/CSA, SCTE, NEC and AES. Anixter can develop a customised supply chain programme to help take costs out of your business while maximising efficiency. Our Supply Chain Services provide scalable inventory management, logistic and deployment solutions for your broadcast and entertainment needs.

We provide you with a one-stop product offering that covers your broadcast and entertainment needs regardless of the scope of work. Our product offering includes: • Analogue/digital audio cable • HDTV video coax cable • HDTV camera cable • Tactical fibre • HDTV cable assemblies. Let Anixter's experience help you select solutions that optimise your broadcast and entertainment needs. For more information, contact Anixter's Middle East location at +971 4 806 7150, or visit us on the Web at anixter.ae

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TECHNOLOGY NEW PRODUCTS

TV ONE EASES INSTALLATION ISSUES TV One’s new 1T-EDID-11 Selector is designed to allow easy setup of the EDID and CEC parameters between a source and display monitor. Instead of waiting for the source and display to synchronise, this HDMI switcher saves time by using preset EDID and CEC settings to speed up the process. Settings can be changed quickly in case of the selection of a diﬀerent source or destination device, or because new equipment has been purchased. SD and HD video, RGB video and embedded audio parameters can all be selected via the front panel and system operation is displayed on an LED array.

The product also features the TV One-task locking power connectors to enhance overall system mechanical security. Other features include compliance with HDMI v1.3

ROSS VIDEO OFFERS ONLINE FRAME CONFIGURATION TOOL Ross Video has released an online frame configuration tool designed to configure a Ross openGear frame with Ross terminal equipment products and accessories. The configuration tool provides a drag and drop interface with product descriptions, rear I/O images and block diagrams available. “The configuration tool is an easy way for our customers to go online, investigate openGear and build a frame to their needs,” said Eric Goodmurphy, RossGear marketing product manager, Ross Video. “The customer simply selects the Ross product and drags the rear module to an available slot in the frame. A downloadable PDF file is created for each configured frame, offering an

66 SEPTEMBER 2010

image of the frame’s rear I/O modules and a summary of products and accessories selected for the frame. It’s that simple.” Customers have the choice to send their conﬁgurations directly to Ross Video for a quote or save it by creating a project account with the click of a button. Saved conﬁgurations can be recalled at a later date for additions and changes. www.rossvideo.com

and DVI 1.0 standards, serial data rates of up to 2.25Gbps, selectable DTV Resolutions of 720p, 1080i/p and selectable PC resolutions of XGA, SXGA, UXGA. www.tvone.com

FXFACTORY PRO 2.5 FOR MAC SHIPS Noise Industries, a developer of visual effects tools, has released FxFactory Pro 2.5 for Apple Final Cut Pro, Motion, Final Cut Express and Adobe After Effects. FxFactory is used to run over 300 visual effects plug-ins optimised for the Macintosh platform. The new FxFactory Pro 2.5 introduces eight new filters, transition plug-ins and enhancements to the platform’s slideshow generator. The new filters and transitions enable the creation of new graphic effects, while the slideshow generator’s new interface allows selection, re-ordering and renaming of sets of images directly within Final Cut Pro. FxFactory Pro costs US $399. Current users can upgrade to version 2.5 for free. Additional plug-ins are either free or start at US $29. www.noiseindustries.com

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TECHNOLOGY NEW PRODUCTS

VINTEN LAUNCHES NEW HEAD Vinten is launching the Vector 750i, its ﬁrst encoded pantographic head. It incorporates a new intelligence module allowing semi automatic set-up, slide plate tracking and kinematic compensation, all of which help ensure stable and precise placement of virtual graphics into the live environment. The product has been shortlisted as one of the ‘Top 10 most innovative in design’ by the IABM judging panel. The winners of the IABM Design Awards will be announced at IBC 2010 on Saturday 11. www.vitecgroup.com

TIFFEN OFFERS GREATER SUPPORT Tiffen International is continuing to expand its range of camera supports and accessories. New products include three additions to the Steadicam stabiliser and Lowel lighing ranges. The Steadicam Zephyr is a lightweight rig for supporting camera loads of up to 9kg. It has control features previously restricted to the high-end Ultra and Clipper models. The Steadicam Tango delivers floorto-ceiling boom range with lateral reach and, according to Tiffen, full stability and intuitive control. It is intended for use with miniature HD cameras. The Steadicam Phantom is a low-cost big rig that works with loads of up to 20kg. It includes two telescoping posts, an Ultra2 tilting stage, an inertially adjustable sled and is supplied with a standard definition picture monitor and G70 arm. The latest additions to the Lowel lighting range are the SoftCore and Trio lights. SoftCore is a light fixture accessory for

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video softboxes that folds out to attach to a stand or boom. There is a choice of three quick-change lampheads that hold one, three or five Edison-base screw-threaded fluorescent lamps in individually switched sockets to provide variable light output. Trio is a studio quality, three-lamp fluorescent fixture that can be packed up and

taken on the road. Its three lamps can be individually switched to control the light output. Tiﬀen also continues to expand its range of over 2000 optical ﬁlters. The company will be at IBC, where it will focus on its solutions for IR and Far Red pollution. www.tiffen.com

SEPTEMBER 2010 67

TECHNOLOGY SUPER HI-VISION

BROADCAST SUPER HIGHWAY

68 SEPTEMBER 2010

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TECHNOLOGY SUPER HI-VISION

Stereoscopic 3D may have been the buzzword on the show floor at IBC 2009, but Super Hi-Vision – the muchhyped successor to high definition – is set to reclaim the spotlight this year

While high-deﬁnition television (HDTV) was hailed as the most important technical milestone in the broadcast sector since the development of colour TV back in the 1940s, an engineering team led by the BBC and Japanese broadcaster NHK hopes to make the standard redundant in the future

with the development of Super Hi-Vision. The standard’s relatively rapid development compared to HD – it was first previewed in 2003 with limited demonstrations following at NAB 2006 and IBC 2008, while HD research and development began in the 1980s – is all the more remarkable given its technical complexity, even allowing for advances in broadcast compression and storage technologies. Rated at 4320p, the technology boasts 16 times the resolution of HD 1080i transmissions (7680 x 4320) at 60 frames per second (fps), while offering an astounding 22.2 channels of audio distribution. Running DVB-S2, the signal absorbs around 150Mb/s of bandwidth on Ku-band (2x36MHz transponders). Key to the technology is ‘Dirac’, a video compression system devised by the BBC, which is based on wavelets and differs from MPEG in that it does not break an image into blocks or compress these blocks for the purpose of transmission. Instead, according to NHK researcher Yoshiaki Shishikui, it delivers images by means of a series of approximations of increasing resolution. “This means Dirac can compress very high resolution images like Super Hi-Vision extremely efficiently, with detail sent only

PRODUCT PIONEER: JVC

Super Hi-Vision/Ultra High Definition Video (7680 x 4320) www.digitalproductionme.com

JVC is leading the charge in terms of the development of Super Hi-Vision compatible cameras and projectors, having unveiled the world’s ﬁrst 4K2K 60p camera capable of 60 progressive frame live signal output and 8.29 megapixel 4K2K ultra-high resolution images in May 2009. The camera incorporates a single 1.25-inch CMOS image sensor and supports 12-bit signal processing. It also weighs just 3kg and leverages JVC’s 10Gb/s transmission format, making it ideal for remote access areas located up to 100m from the image processing unit. The company has also developed a Super Hi-Vision 1 D-ILA projector featuring 10,000 lumens of brightness and a 5500:1 contrast ratio. The projector features a 35 megapixel (8192 x 4320) D-ILA single display panel that provides full coverage of each RGB component to 4,000 TV lines. JVC claims it provides suﬃcient brightness for displays up to 400 x 600 inches, whereby each pixel is approximately one square millimetre in size.

SEPTEMBER 2010 69

TECHNOLOGY SUPER HI-VISION

Outdoor fan parks are one possible application for Super Hi-Vision (Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images).

when it is needed,” he notes. In the longterm, many pundits believe Super Hi-Vision has the potential to transform the fortunes of the broadcast sector and provide a key differentiator in its fight to maintain market share against newer rivals – mainly those operating in the web and mobile sectors. The technology’s development is being spearheaded by the BBC and NHK. Other stakeholders include the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Italian broadcaster RAI and the Institut für Rundfunktechnik GmbH (IRT) – the research centre of the German broadcasters ARD, ZDF, DLR, Austrian broadcaster ORF and the Swiss public broadcaster SRG/SSR. The involvement of these major broadcasters provides the platform with a viable pathway to development, as demonstrated by their collaboration at the first major European trial of the technology during IBC 2008. During the presentation, images were projected on a six-metre wide screen providing audience members located at Amsterdam’s RAI Convention Centre with an immersive

70 SEPTEMBER 2010

experience similar to that oﬀered by Imax, but with much higher resolution images and superior audio. A collage of footage shot by NHK in Japan was broadcast using an 8Tb uncompressed disk array with a 24Gb/s transfer rate. The demonstration also took in live footage provided by the BBC in London coded at 640 Mb/s using MPEG-2 and transmitted as IP, while RAI showcased the potential of

the technology using satellite transmissions, broadcasting live footage from Turin at 140Mb/s. The BBC footage showcased the standard’s potential to provide an immersive audio experience, with engineers using 17 strategically located microphones to capture the ambient noise of the city before replicating the experience in the IBC auditorium. At this year’s show, the partners will go one step

APTINA IMAGING’S SUPER HI-VISION SENSOR Aptina Imaging’s high-performance CMOS image sensor is designed specifically to accommodate Super Hi-Vision broadcasts. It boasts a HD resolution of 4112 (H) x 2168 (V), (8.9 Megapixels)/ 1.25-inch optical format and delivers 60 frames per second, which meets Super Hi-Vision standards as defined by SMPTE 2036-1. The sensor, classified MT9E501, uses a 16-channel SLVS differential output to speed captured image data for processing, and supports up to 60 frames per second (fps) at 4K format of 3840 (H) x 2160 (V) pixels. The image sensor is available

in both a mono chrome sensor (multi-chip 7680 (H) x 4320 (V) Super High-Vision format cameras), and a colour sensor (single chip with up to 4K HD class image format). “The MT9E501 sensor leverages those key elements that are setting the path for the next generation of standards addressing high frame rate and high deﬁnition in imaging,” says Curtis Stith, high performance segment director at Aptina. “NHK’s prototype broadcast video camera is representative of how advances in our high performance sensors are meeting performance and image quality requirements.”

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Media

Composer

“Get comfortable—with Media Composer 5, you can truly edit the way you like.” – Terence Curren, founder/president at AlphaDogs, Inc., blogger at CreativeCOW.net

“Avid has done it again—in a major overhaul of Media Composer, version 5 is going to blow your mind.” – David Michael Maurer, editor (Splinter, Barking Water, The Apprentice), blogger at FlickGym.com

“All in all, I am very excited about the new Media Composer software because it gives me a few reasons to tell clients that it would be more efﬁcient to use Avid instead of FCP.” – Q. Bryce Randle, lead editor/creative director at Post Fifth Pictures

You spoke—we listened. Get ready to edit faster than ever before with smarter tools, expanded AMA (Avid® Media Access) tapeless media workﬂows (including native RED, QuickTime, and Canon 5D/7D editing), UI enhancements, open, cost-effective monitoring, and more. Meet the new Avid Media Composer® 5—your wish list is now your reality. With affordable pricing, Media Composer has never offered so much for so little.

Test-drive Media Composer 5 today—www.avid.com/mctrial © 2010 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Promotions and discounts are subject to availability and change without notice. Product features, speciﬁcations, system requirements and availability are subject to change with out notice. Avid, the Avid logo, and Media Composer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

TECHNOLOGY SUPER HI-VISION

“In the short-term, a more appropriate application for the technology may be at outdoor festivals.”

further by demonstrating practical full-resolution cameras designed specifically for Super Hi-Vision broadcasts equipped with the latest 33 million pixel CMOS image sensors developed by Aptina Imaging (see breakout box for technical details). One camera will be located in the centre of Amsterdam and will provide live feeds via a fibre link to the auditorium located at the RAI, which will again be equipped with highbrightness projectors and a six-metre wide presentation screen. Interestingly, this year’s demonstration will also mark the debut of special 58-inch diagonal plasma screens boasting a 0.33mm pixel pitch. NHK engineers will also be on hand to explain the benefits of the new system, and its potential applications, which will initially

TECH TALK: SUPER HI-VISION SPECIFICATIONS Resolution: 7680 × 4320 pixels (16:9); approximately 33.2 megapixels Bits depth: 10-bit per channel Frame rate: 60 frame/s (progressive) Audio: 22.2 channels 9 — above ear level (top layer) 10 — ear level (middle layer) 3 — below ear level (bottom layer) 2 — low frequency eﬀects Bandwidth: UHF - 8 MHz, 35~45Mbit/s bandwidth (RAI DVB-T2 tests) Ku-band - 2x36MHz transponders, 140~150Mbit/s bandwidth (DVB-S2) Ka-band - 600 MHz, 500~6600Mbit/s bandwidth

72 SEPTEMBER 2010

HDTV vs SUPER HI-VISION Number of pixels (H x V)

Aspect ratio

Field/frame frequency

Interlace ratio

Super Hi-Vision

7680 x 4320

16: 9

60.00 Hz 59.94 Hz

1:1

HDTV

1920 x 1080

16:9

60.00 Hz 59.94 Hz

1:1 2:1

consist mainly of outdoor large scale presentation systems. While the BBC plans to broadcast the 2012 London Olympic Games to fan parks across the UK in Super Hi-Vision, and the Japanese government hopes to standardise the technology for broadcast purposes by 2015, the unheralded technical sophistication of the standard means serious – and in some cases, unexpected – challenges face any large-scale commercial rollout. US-based In-Stat market research analyst Michelle Abraham believes it will be some time post-launch before Super Hi-Vision secures even a paltry five percent of the television market. However, she is optimistic the technology will offer the industry lucrative commercial opportunities moving forward. “[Super Hi-Vision offers] a vast improvement over the currently available end user viewing experience in the home,” she says. “While the market will take many years to develop, there will be ample opportunities for technology companies, manufacturers, service providers and media companies to experiment with business models and strategies to make [it] a strong business in the long term.” A recent In-Stat report exploring this commercial potential found the technology’s acceptance as a next-generation digital cinema format could speed its acceptance in the home. Indeed, despite the disappointing forecasts for the technology’s rollout to 2021, by 2025 In-Stat predicts more than 28% of European households will be capable of receiving Super Hi-Vision broadcasts. Despite this optimism, Masuru Kanazawa, a research engineer at NHK’s Science and Technical Research Laboratory, has expressed concern over the suitability of broadcasting

the standard to home viewers. “The technology requires a screen size of at least 60 inches, which means there are limits on the usage of the system. It will depend on the viewing situation,” he says. Kanazawa concedes that in certain situations, fast-moving images broadcast in the standard had the potential to make viewers “feel sick”. However, BBC R&D lead and portfolio manager, (Media Fundamentals) Research & Innovation at Kingswood Warren, John Zubrzycki, who managed the Super Hi-Vision IBC 2008 demonstration, says the technology could have other applications in the home. “Is 4000-line TV too detailed for your living room?” he asks. “Perhaps not. A wall-sized display could show dramas, concerts, to give a feeling of immersion. At other times, the display could be divided up to show diﬀerent content in ‘windows’, rather like those on a PC display. “In the years before Super Hi-Vision would be ready for introduction to the home, this system has the potential to be used for large screen displays for community viewing of sports or special events.” The Middle East shapes up as a key market for Super Hi-Vision looking forward, given strong consumer demand for 60 inch-plus screens in the region. However, given the tardy response of the region’s satellite broadcasters to rolling out HD services, it remains unlikely the Middle East will join with the UK and Japan as potential test markets for the technology, even despite its reputation as one of the world’s most saturated satellite markets. In the shortterm – as demonstrated by the BBC’s 2012 Olympic plans – a more appropriate application for the technology may be at outdoor festivals and other events synonymous with large screen presentations.

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REVIEW THE YEAR SO FAR

A look back at what has so far been an eventful year for the broadcast and media production industry Jeffrey Katzenberg railed against inferior 3D content this year (Getty Images).

February saw the start of Dreamworks CEO Jeffrey Kaztenbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outspoken campaign against lousy 3D films

74 SEPTEMBER 2010

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REVIEW THE YEAR SO FAR

THE YEAR SO FAR WWW.DIGITALPRODUCTIONME.COM JANUARY 26, 2010

January The year began with the news that regional pay TV operator, Orbit Showtime, would rebrand itself as OSN. The merger of Orbit and Showtime, the number two and number three pay platforms in the Middle East, was the big story of 2009. Along with the rebranding, the network also made clear

DISCOVERY LOOKS TO EXPAND MIDDLE EAST PRODUCTION

The year began with ith th the news th thatt regional pay TV operator, Orbit Showtime, would rebrand itself as OSN

Discovery Networks is looking for local partners as it aims to ramp up its Middle East production, a senior executive has told DPME.com. Although Discovery has already filmed extensively in the region, it is looking to build on this with a commitment to broaden the range of themes covered in its Middle East focused programming. “We do a lot of production, we have just completed one in Egypt and another in Ethiopia. We have been capturing a lot of the major engineering projects in the region, but there are lots of topics outside of engineering – such as the history and culture of the Arab world – that fit our various programme genres,” said Caleb Weinstein, senior VP and general manager of emerging markets, Discovery Networks EMEA. “The Middle East is the home of algebra, the birthplace of astronomy for example, there’s the effects of oil on the region; there are lots of subjects we’d like to talk to partners about covering,” added Weinstein.

Tapeless TV Ingest NRCS News Room Live Production Playout Archive MAM MCR Automation Scheduling Traffic Advertising Graphics Generator SMS TV Legal Compliance Monitoring IP Contribution Web

www.vsn-tv.com 10-15 Sept. Amsterdam Stand 7G33

Spain

Miami

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Brazil

Uruguay

Dubai

SEPTEMBER 2010 75

REVIEW THE YEAR SO FAR

Hitachi Kokusai won this year’s Digital Studio award for manufacturer of the year.

In February, Al Jazeera was the first regional broadcaster to announce that it intended to begin 3D broadcasts

that HD would ﬁgure prominently in its plans as it sought to gain a competitive edge and maintain high monthly subscription rates. Dubai-based Taj revealed to Digital Studio that it would invest in signiﬁcant improvements to its broadcast infrastructure, studios, post-production and archiving systems this year. Internationally, the industry was still coming to terms with the success of Avatar and wondering what to do about stereoscopic 3D. Manaf Ahammed, direc-

76 SEPTEMBER 2010

tor of operations at Ten Sports, urged regional executives not to get too carried away with 3D. With HD services still in their infancy locally, Ahammed said 3D ambitions should be put to one side for the time being. “One of the main reasons that I don’t see 3D TV in this region in the next three years is content,” he said Ahammed. “Real 3D has to be shot in 3D; converting regular content is not enough. The resultant material from converting is much inferior.” January also saw the opening of the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa. Dubai TV covered the event with its ﬂeet of OB vans.

February In February, Al Jazeera was the ﬁrst regional broadcaster to announce that it intended to begin 3D broadcasts. Looking back, the announcement that it intended, as regional rights holder, to broadcast World Cup games in 3D wasn’t a huge surprise. Sony had already conﬁrmed that it was involved in a project to build the infrastructure for 3D transmissions of games.

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A total of 25 World Cup games were broadcast in 3D, with Sony hailing the exercise a success (Getty Images ).

Unfortunately Al Jazeera had Unfortunately, problems with the first few days of World Cup coverage

In other regional news, Hitachi Kokusai opened an office in Saudi Arabia. The supplier has a longstanding and very successful partnership with First Gulf, a leading systems integrator in the Kingdom. Dubai Media also extended a license for Harris products by five years and Morocco granted the country’s first private FM radio license. Internationally, February saw the start of Dreamworks CEO Jeffrey Kaztenberg’s outspoken campaign against lousy 3D films. The object of his ire was Clash of the Titans, which was turned into a 3D film in post production. The decision was taken after the massive success of Avatar at the end of 2009. Katzenberg was upset because Warner Bros chose to release the film close to How to Train Your Dragon, a Dreamworks animation in 3D. He feared that Dragon would be pushed off the limited number of 3D screens available. He needn’t have worried as Dragon went on to be a massive success.

March March was Cabsat month, which meant the hosting of the annual Digital Studio Awards. The coveted award for ‘Industry Identity of the Year’ went to Dr Riyadh Najm, assistant deputy minster for engineering at the KSA Ministry of Culture & Information. Dr Najm is overseeing a project to rebuild Saudi TV’s production

78 SEPTEMBER 2010

infrastructure in HD and is spearheading the development of a digital terrestrial TV service in the country (please turn to page 32 of this issue for more). As Digital Studio stated at the time: ‘He is the man who began the HD revolution in Saudi Arabia’. Hitachi Kokusai was recognised as manufacturer of the year and

WWW.DIGITALPRODUCTIONME.COM MARCH 1, 2010 US TV NETWORK SUING MBC IN $10 MILLION LAWSUIT MBC is being sued for $9.87 million by a TV channel in the US that claims to have been promised the same figure as a fee for securing the distribution of MBC on American satellite platform, Dish Network. Dandana – a TV network targeting Arab Americans – claims that is was promised 30 percent of MBC’s revenues derived from carriage on the Dish Network. The New Jersey-based broadcaster has calculated this fee to be $9.87 million. Its CEO and founder Amro Altahwi, however, claims to have received just $250,000. The suit was originally filed in November 2008 with the New Jersey district court. The eventual hearing in August last year was in favour of Dandana. Judge Dickinson R. Debevoise made the full award of $9.87 million. However, MBC says it was only made aware of the suit against it four months after this judgement, leading Judge Debevoise to overturn his previous decision on February 15 and re-open the case for a new hearing. Court documents seen by DPME.com show a suit lodged with Colorado District court on October 8 last year. MBC was unable to comment on the case at the time of writing.

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Advanced Media Trading was named distributor of the year. Twofour54 intaj was honoured as studio of the year and Sony Professional was awarded the gong for systems integrator of the year. In other local news, Abu Dhabi Media Company announced, on the ďŹ rst day of Cabsat, that it was going tapeless with Harris. Tadreeb, the education arm of twofour54, partnered with a French company to oďŹ&#x20AC;er a menu of specialised courses in archiving and media asset

News began to emerge that Prince Alwaleed bin Talal was considering setting up and funding a 24-hour Arabic language news channel

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SEPTEMBER 2010 79

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This year saw Al Jazeera banned from operating in Bahrain (Getty Images).

May’s big news was the government of Bahrain’s decision to ban Al Jazeera from operating in the country

management. Another announcement by Abu Dhabi Media Company, the holder of English Premier League broadcast rights, hinted at a future trend: the rise of the proprietary set-top box. The operator conﬁrmed that viewers would have to buy an Abu Dhabi-branded set-top box if they wanted to watch the English Premier League through satellite.

April In April, the Middle East International Film Festival was rebranded at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival. Dubai Studio City, Dubai Media City and International Media Production Zone (IMPZ) were re-organised and

80 SEPTEMBER 2010

henceforth referred to collectively as Dubai Media Cluster. Jamal Al Sharif, head of Dubai Studio City, took on responsibility for Dubai Media City. Nan & Lili, an animation series created for Al Jazeera Children’s Channel, was bought up by an international distributor. Twofour54 sealed a deal with Dubai-based Blink Studios to produce original, Arabic language episodes of UK children’s favourite, Driver Dan’s Story Train. DMA Media was contracted to undertake an extensive archiving project for Abu Dhabi Media Company. The project will take up to four years and will involve the digitisation and archiving of all legacy

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WWW.DIGITALPRODUCTIONME.COM APRIL 25, 2010 ‘WE WILL PURSUE 3D’, SAYS ADMC Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC) has said that it will pursue 3D broadcasts of the EPL should the rights to the format be released. Speaking exclusively to DPME.com, ADMC’s executive director of broadcast Karim Sarkis revealed that the company was “very excited” about 3D. “BSkyB supply a large portion of the live coverage of the competition to the EPL itself but the 3D productions is something it has been doing for itself,” said Sarkis. “It is not yet clear if 3D is part of the package of rights. We are waiting to hear from the Premier League,” added Sarkis. “It is definitely something we are interested in.” In the UK, BSkyB has shown 3D coverage of matches in commercial premises and in special cinema screens to negate the lack of 3D TV sets in homes, a strategy Sarkis would replicate at ADMC. “The price of 3D TVs is falling and the technology will come to the home much faster than HD did. In the short-term however, say the upcoming season, it is far more practical to talk about commercial screenings. “The set top boxes that we will be offering to viewers wishing to access the satellite feed of the EPL are 3D compliant but the adoption of the format is dependent on consumers purchasing 3D-enabled TV sets,” said Sarkis.

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Internationally, the industry was still coming to terms with the success of Avatar and wondering what to do about stereoscopic 3D.

material. News also began to emerge that Prince Alwaleed bin Talal was considering setting up and funding a 24-hour Arabic language news channel. Later reports have suggested that it would carry the Sky branding. Finally, the long-awaited City of Life emerged on UAE cinema screens. The feature film was filmed and set in the UAE and featured an international cast speaking Hindi, English and Arabic. In a surprising development, Hosam El Sokkari, the long-serving head of BBC Arabic, left to join dotcom firm, Yahoo Maktoob.

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Grass Valley’s long wait for a suitor ended as its owner, Technicolor, announced that a private equity firm will take over the company

Internationally, Jeﬀrey Katzenberg again blasted Clash of the Titans in a now famous interview with Variety magazine. “You cannot do anything that is of a lower grade and a lower quality than what has just been done on Clash of the Titans,” he said, another reference to its conversion to 2D to 3D in post production. “It literally is, “OK, congratulations! You just snookered the movie audience.” The act of doing it was disingenuous. “We may get away with it a few times, but in the long run, [moviegoers] will wake up. And the day they wake up is the day they walk away from us and we blew it. “And if we as an industry choose this 2D to 3D post-production

WWW.DIGITALPRODUCTIONME.COM MAY 9, 2010 HARMONIC TO ACQUIRE OMNEON FOR $274M Video delivery technology firm Harmonic has announced that it is to acquire server and storage manufacturer Omneon for $274m. Under the terms of the deal the Omneon product line will be integrated with Harmonic’s own range. The majority of Omneon’s senior management team will take-up positions with Omneon including current CEO Suresh Vasudevan and Lawrence Kaplan, one of the company’s founders. “This proposed combination will position Harmonic to become a global leader in video infrastructure for the digital media industry,” said Patrick Harshman, president and CEO, Harmonic. “Media companies are being driven by ever-increasing demand for video content coupled with consumers’ desire to consume video anytime and anywhere. At the same time, the dramatic growth of video delivery over broadband and wireless networks is blurring traditional boundaries between content producers and service providers.” The combined company will have 2000 customers in 100 countries, a total R&D organisation of 450 people and a sales and support staff of 330. “The combined company will have industry-leading technology and expertise in video compression, processing and delivery, video-optimized storage, production and playout servers, and media management,” said Suresh Vasudevan, CEO of Omneon. “Not only are the technologies complementary, but we see unique opportunities to leverage our technology adjacencies and drive market-leading innovation. We are very excited about this combination and the opportunities it creates for our customers and employees.” There has been no announcement so far regarding the possibility of redundancies resulting from the acquisition.

84 SEPTEMBER 2010

Imagenation provided funding for Nawaf AlJanahi’s Sea Shadow, the first in a series of Emirati films that will be supported by the company.

conversion, it’s the end. As quickly as it got here, that’s how fast it will go away.” Katzenberg has a lot riding on the success of 3D, after declaring in 2009 that all Dreamworks’ animations going forward would be produced in 3D.

May May’s big news was the government of Bahrain’s decision to ban Al Jazeera from operating in the country. According to a posting on Al Jazeera’s web site at the time, an oﬃcial Bahrain government statement accused the channel of, “ﬂouting the laws regulating the press and publishing” in the country. The statement said that the freeze would continue until a memorandum of understanding outlining the relations between the ministry and the channel had been signed. The ban was imposed soon after Al Jazeera aired a report on poverty in Bahrain. Qatar and Bahrain had also been in dispute over the naming of a new secretary general for the GCC and there had been clashes on the

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maritime border between the two countries. The dispute has not, oďŹ&#x192;cially, yet been resolved. May also saw a UAE national win his legal case against Etisalat over claims the company used his invention without his approval. Abu Dhabi First Instance Court ordered Etisalat to pay Mosa Isa Mosa Al Amiri US $8.2 million compensation and halt its mobile TV service. According to the report, Al Amiri sued Etisalat after failing to reach an agreement over the ďŹ rmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use of his system that transmits high-quality video over the Internet. There was good news for local ďŹ lm makers as Imagenation, the funding arm of Abu Dhabi Media Company, announced that the drama Sea Shadow would be the ďŹ rst in a series of Emirati ďŹ lms to be developed, ďŹ nanced and produced by the company. The Abu Dhabi Film Festival also decided to make the Emirates Film Competition a part of its program. The move will give local ďŹ lm makers more international exposure. Internationally, Google announced a plan to become a player in

WWW.DIGITALPRODUCTIONME.COM JUNE 13, 2010 AL JAZEERA BLAMES OTHERS FOR WC COVERAGE WOES Al Jazeera Sports has claimed that unnamed elements deliberately disrupted its coverage of the FIFA World Cup over the weekend. Nasser Al Khelaifi, general manager of Al Jazeera Sport, told arabianbusiness. com in a telephone interview that the people responsible for â&#x20AC;&#x153;destroying our signalâ&#x20AC;? would be found â&#x20AC;&#x153;very soonâ&#x20AC;?. His statement came after the first game on Friday, South Africa vs Mexico, was blighted by repeated losses of picture and English language commentary suddenly switching to French. On Saturday, the broadcaster experienced further technical problems, especially during the Argentina v Nigeria match. In an official statement, the broadcaster said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Al Jazeera Sport would like to condemn the actions of those involved in the deliberate attempts to block its signal during its World Cup broadcasts yesterdayâ&#x20AC;?, condemning what it described as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;deliberate act of sabotageâ&#x20AC;?. FIFA has seemingly backed Al Jazeeraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claim that saboteurs are responsible for the outages. A statement attributed to FIFA on aljazeera.net states: â&#x20AC;&#x153;[FIFA] is appalled by any actions to try to stop Al Jazeeraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s authorised transmissions of the Fifa World Cup as such actions deprive football fans from enjoying the world game in the regionâ&#x20AC;?.

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SEPTEMBER 2010 85

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May saw a UAE Etisalat was awarded to pay an inventor US $8.2 million in damages.

national win his legal case against Etisalat over claims the company used his invention without his approval

t broadcasting industry. It joined the forces with Intel, Sony, Logitech and f Adobe to introduce Google TV – an A open operating platform designed o to t enhance the television viewing experience. The implication is that TV viewers will be able to search for video and other content on the Web whilst also watching and surfing through channels on their TV. There was also a major international takeover in May, the first the industry had seen in some time. Video delivery technology firm Harmonic announced that it would acquire server and storage manufacturer Omneon for a handsome US $274 million.

June If it was June, it simply had to be the football World Cup. The greatest show on earth began and Digital Studio presented an in-depth of report on how the broadcasting of the tournament was done. HBS was the exclusive producer and distributor of images for the competition. Just about every major broadcast industry supplier was involved somewhere along the chain. Grass Valley supplied 43 production switchers, Gearhouse constructed ten technical operation centres, Panasonic supplied ENG cameras and Camera Corps supplied remote and tracking systems. Digital Studio also secured an

86 SEPTEMBER 2010

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interview with Sony’s Professional Mark Grinyer, who was involved in kitting out the OB vans used to film 25 games in stereoscopic 3D. According to Grinyer, the exercise was a breakthrough for 3D, proving that outside 3D broadcasts could be done well at reasonable cost. Unfortunately, Al Jazeera had problems with the first few days of World Cup coverage. A loss of signal during games on day one was blamed on saboteurs. The broadcaster vowed to pursue those responsible, but no word has been on heard on that since. There was, of course, life away from the World Cup and Digital Vision attracted attention by introducing lower cost, mid-market versions of its pricey restoration products. 3D was also in the news, as Technicolor persuaded a number of studios to support a 3D format called Technicolor 3D. The format would allow cinemas to start showing films in 3D without having to shell out on expensive new digital projectors. Simply

fitting a patent-pending lens to existing projection machines would do the job. Critics said it would produce inferior 3D and discredit the format at a time when it was still gaining acceptance. Locally, Jordan-based Rubicon Group and Turner Broadcasting signed a wide-ranging agreement covering development, production, broadcasting and merchandising. Under the agreement, Rubicon’s new Ben & Izzy and Tareq wa Shireen animated series will be shown on Cartoon Network in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) beginning in October 2010, and in additional regions including Europe, Asia and North America thereafter. Imagenation Abu Dhabi, in association with the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, launched Mawaheb, an internship program focused on developing local film talent in the UAE. The aim of Mawaheb (‘talents’ in English) is to provide Emirati students with an opportunity to gain hands-on filmmaking experience abroad.

A new 3D format called Technicolor 3D emerged this year. Dreamworks, the maker of Shrek films, signalled its support (Getty Images).

90 SEPTEMBER 2010

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Support will be provided by Imagenation Abu Dhabi’s international partners, including Participant Media, National Geographic Films and Hyde Park Entertainment. Internships will include appointments at joint venture offices in Los Angeles and New York City, and placements on the sets of productions in US and India. 3D hype was ramped up another notch by Sony. In addition to its efforts at the World Cup, the company announced the introduction of its first consumer 3D TVs. The company promised to launch 19 3Dcapable TVs and a 3D Blu-ray player within months.

WWW.DIGITALPRODUCTIONME.COM JULY 20, 2010 CONSUMER TECHNOLOGY GIANTS RAMP UP THE 3D HYPE The arrival of the football World Cup saw a renewed effort by consumer electronics giants to tout the virtues of 3D in the home. A total of 25 games were broadcast in 3D, with Al Jazeera showing them regionally through a dedicated channel. In a statement, Samsung predicted that live sports, such as the World Cup, will push 3D into the consumer mainstream, in the same way that sport promoted the uptake of HD television. “Professional sports have the opportunity to drive 3D adoption in much the same way they drove HD adoption,” said Ram Modak, general manager, digital media business, Samsung Gulf. “With wide, sweeping shots that can often feel far away, the immersive experience of 3D can allow viewers to feel closer to the action, and more able to see the angles and movements that the players see. The World Cup in 3D will continue the wave of other major sports experimenting with 3D, which will lead to a wealth of new 3D content in 2010 and beyond.” Samsung now offers a range of 3D-capable TVs, including the flagship C9000, which offers screen sizes up to 60 inches. Sony, meanwhile, began the worldwide rollout of its first 3D consumer TVs in June and announced the July launch of a 3D-capable Blu-Ray player. Sony will launch a total of 19 3D-capable televisions in the next few months. Some support 3D out of the box, while others require the addition of a 3D sync transmitter at an additional cost. Sony’s 3D Blu-Ray player, the BDP-S770, ships in June for around $300. Two existing players can be upgraded to play 3D films with a free online firmware update. “3D is revolutionising the entertainmenvt industry and only Sony is involved in every stage of the ecosystem,” claimed Chris Fawcett, vice president of Sony’s television business. The number people of people that saw the World Cup in 3D is, as yet, unknown. Given how new 3D television is, though, it is likely that most of those who did will have watched the games at cinemas. Research firm, iSuppli, predicts that 4.2 million 3DTV sets will be sold worldwide this year and 12.9 million next year. The number of people watching 3D content on their TV sets is another matter. Informa Telecoms & Media predicts that only 12% of 3D TV owners will watch any 3D content this year.

92 SEPTEMBER 2010

July Grass Valley’s long wait for a suitor ended as its owner, Technicolor, announced that a private equity firm will take over the company. The sales involves the broadcast & professional business activities, which represent the bulk of the company’s business. The transmission and headend businesses are in the process of being separated from the Grass Valley Broadcast & Professional business and will be sold separately. Grass Valley had been on the market since 2009 and has shed around 25% of its workforce since the recession began. On a more upbeat note, UK-based Sky announced that it would launch Europe’s first 3D TV channel on October 1 this year. It will be available to any UK home that has an HD set-top box and a 3Dcapable TV. The service will launch with Gulf coverage, with a couple of films showing around it. The lineup will then continue to expand in the run-up to the end of year festivities. Here in the region, OSN confirmed that it planned to start offering 3D movies on demand. There was another important technical moment for 3D, as Chicagobased camera supplier Fletcher Sports claimed it had completed the industry’s first deployment of extreme slow motion in 3D. Using twin I-MOVIX SprintCam Vvs HD systems with a PACE 3-D rig, Fletcher’s crew delivered a head-to-toe shot of a batter striking the ball. At 1000 fps and in 3D, every detail was presented with ‘stunning vividness’, according to the company. Dan Grainge, VP of Fletcher Chicago, called it, “the ‘wow’ shot”. Still on the subject of 3D, Panasonic said it would launch the world’s first 3D camcorder for consumers in October. This followed the news that Panasonic would launch an integrated ‘all-in-one’ Full HD 3D camcorder targeted at professionals. The announcement was significant since current 3D systems involve fitting two separate cameras to a rig. Regionally, Jünger Audio appointed Qvest Media to handle the distribution of its entire product range in the Middle East. This includes Jünger Audio’s Level Magic loudness control solution, a system that is much in demand as viewers become less tolerant of fluctuations in volume. Yahoo Middle East and Rotana signed an agreement that will allow Yahoo to populate its planned Video Network channel with Rotana content. The deal combines Rotana’s position as the Arab world’s largest entertainment company, with Yahoo’s popularity as an online destination. The channel was due to go live in Ramadan, but was still not live as of late August. Digital Studio’s research revealed just how expensive it will be to watch Premier League football. Subscribers to certain Etisalat TV and

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REVIEW THE YEAR SO FAR Panasonic released integrated 3D cameras for both consumers and professionals (Getty Images).

WWW.DIGITALPRODUCTIONME.COM JULY 18, 2010 SONY OFFERS AFFORDABLE WAY TO DO 3D TRIALS Sony has a solution for broadcasters who want to do trials with 3D, but aren’t ready to invest in permanent infrastructure. Mark Grinyer, Sony’s head of sports business development, told Digital Studio that the company can help put a temporary 3D ‘layer’ on top of existing HD OB vans. This would allow broadcasters to test consumer reaction to an individual event in 3D, such as a sports game, without having to make a big upfront investment. “From the point of view of an OB truck, if you want to have a go but aren’t sure if you have a market, you can hire in a platform,” said Grinyer. Sony recently did exactly that for a broadcaster in Russia that wanted to test audience reaction to ballet in 3D. “I think there’s more of that planned. It’s not difficult to take a system and put it over a truck that exists and do some testing and do some trial events so that you can see if the audience likes it and your consumer is into it.”

94 SEPTEMBER 2010

Sony recently added 3D functionality to two 1080i OB trucks for the World Cup in South Africa. According to Grinyer, the job of converting the trucks was quick and cost effective, and proved that 3D outside broadcasts can be done affordably. “We’ve managed to create a workflow that would mean 3D should be more attainable for sports broadcasting,” said Grinyer. “That was one of our targets, to try to drive out some of the high cost of doing 3D.” A total of 25 World Cup games were broadcast in 3D, through dedicated TV channels and a number of cinemas worldwide. With the experiment deemed a success, Sony is hoping that more broadcasters will now try covering events in 3D. “I think the important thing for 3D going forward is access to content,” said Grinyer. “Sky is shooting a large number of Premier League matches and we’re shooting a large number of matches at the World Cup, but it would be a shame if other leagues in other countries can’t start to do some of this for their consumers as well.”

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REVIEW THE YEAR SO FAR

WWW.DIGITALPRODUCTIONME.COM AUGUST 13, 2010 PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL WON’T COME CHEAP Subscribers to Etisalat’s eLife triple play packages of 8Mbps or above will get the English Premier League for no extra cost next season. ELife triple play packages give users TV, internet and fixed line telephony as a single package with one bill. Prices for the services are hefty, however, ranging from AED 339 for the 8Mbps package up to AED 539 for the 30Mbps package. Subscribers get one basic TV channel package, unlimited internet usage and 20 minutes of talk time thrown in. Additional talk time and extra TV channels have to be paid for. Subscribers to the 1Mbps eLife triple play as well as E-Vision customers will pay AED 29 per month for the Premier League, for a minimum of 12 months. E-Vision customers will also have to have an HD receiver, which costs another AED 999 upfront, or 125 per month over twelve months. “Etisalat is committed to bringing the best possible services and entertainment to our customers, especially when it comes to enhancing their overall home entertainment experience with the broadcast of exciting global sports events,” said Khalifa Al Shamsi, senior VP of marketing at Etisalat. “To add to this, we’re staying ahead of the curve by making sure that they get to enjoy them in high definition.” Alternatives to pay TV are available for those who want to watch the Premier League. Abu Dhabi Sports, the regional rights holder, is offering cut-price internet subscription packages and is selling a proprietary set top box, priced at AED 999, that unlocks access to the Premier League channels.

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internet services will not pay a monthly sub for football, but the price of the services themselves is high. People not on these services will need to have a set top box that costs AED 999.

August And so to August, a quite month for news, but one dominated by putting together this gigantic issue of Digital Studio. Our lead story in this issue is the Saudi Ministry of Culture & Information’s plans, conﬁrmed in an interview with this magazine, to launch a comprehensive digital terrestrial TV service. Other key developments include plans by local distributors to introduce important 3D hardware into the region, suggesting that interest in the format is growing. The month of September will doubtless be dominated by events at IBC. If you’re in Amsterdam reading this magazine, we hope you enjoy the show.

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PLANNING A

PROCESS- DRIVEN FACILITY James Doddington and Dave Headdon, Three Media Associates, look at how broadcast companies can make technology and processes better support business goals

The word “workflow” has been rife in the broadcast and media industry for more than a decade. At first there was no real, clear understanding of what it meant, and it became more of a marketing buzzword than anything else. With the coming first of the highly competitive world of multi-channel digital services, then the recent economic crisis, attention is moving back towards workflow. This time there is real meaning behind it. People want to know how work flows through their facility, and how well this is matched to operational and commercial requirements. The logic is that, whatever the nature of the business or the facility, you can define what needs to be done in terms of outcomes and commercial parameters. So a production company might have as a top level process the receipt of a commission from a broadcaster, with the outcome delivering a six-part series of 30 minute programmes, within a set budget. Within that process there are a number of individual workflows: shoot the new material, develop graphics, post production, create trailers and publicity, produce deliverables and so on. Each of these will be allocated a budget and a timescale to meet the overall objectives. A broadcaster might have a matching process which starts with commissioning the series and ends with broadcast transmission, making it available online, and putting it into the live archive for repeat transmissions. And again, within that

Whatever the nature of the business or the facility, you can define what needs to be done in terms of outcomes and commercial parameters

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Dave Headdon.

James Doddington.

The challenge is to create an infrastructure that allows large-scale automation of the dull and repetitive

there are individual workﬂows: ingest, quality control, compliance editing, transcoding if necessary to the in-house storage format, scheduling, transmission, transcoding to online formats and so on. Again, there are commercial and operational imperatives linked to these. If we ignore for a moment the creativity required to make and broadcast interesting television, what we have here is an outline description of an industrial process. If we

ABOUT MEDIASIM Mediasim, TMA’s simulation modelling product, will be launched at IBC, Amsterdam in September 2010. Mediasim is a new way to determine the workflows, processes, staffing levels and costs in an organisation, and using that data to optimise the most efficient use of scarce resources. Tailored system dynamics modelling collects seemingly disparate pieces of information to build a picture of the complete process, department or enterprise. Mediasim is the first of its kind to be developed specifically for broadcasters. Once built, users can run ‘what-ifs’ to see how the technology would cope with additional or reduced services or capital, or changes to resource structures, for example. The model can generate substantial improvements and significant savings at a time when capital projects are being cancelled or cut back.

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were planning a factory to build a car, you could break it down into nested processes – build chassis, mount engine, paint bodywork – in exactly the same way. You sometimes see the expression “content factory” used for some broadcast facilities. If you take this process-driven view then yes, producers and broadcasters are indeed factories – or they will be if they can make the necessary changes not just in the technology but also in the people and they way they think. How do we work smarter? What is required to adopt a process-driven operation? And what are the beneﬁts?

Creative and repetitive A few paragraphs back we suggested we ignore for the moment the creative aspect of working in television. But in truth, the creativity is the best part of the job: making and transmitting good television that delights audiences is what we are all in this business for. One of the ways in which we can derive real benefits from a process-driven approach, by working smarter, is to automate the often dull and repetitive tasks – which are ideal for automation – and thereby release staff to spend as much time as possible on the creative and productive. Provided we can develop reliable and secure automated processes, that has the benefit of controlling costs and at the same

time making staff more fulfilled. It should be a win-win. The challenge is to create an infrastructure that allows this large-scale automation of the dull and repetitive. Because we are looking at end-to-end workflows and processes, we need our technology to be linked up from end to end. For virtually every business in the broadcast and media industry this is a major shift from traditional practices. Up until very recently, broadcasters, post houses and production companies had chief engineers who made all the purchasing decisions – and they usually chose best of breed products because that was felt to be the right way to achieve “broadcast quality”. It led to islands of excellence rather than an end to end solution. Most of those making the decisions came from that distant time, now close to 10 years ago, when systems integration was simply plugging BNC to BNC, XLR to XLR, so developing facilities piecemeal in this way was perfectly acceptable. Today, we are as likely to be handling files as baseband video and audio, so we need to think about transfer protocols, codecs and wrappers. If we want to automate as many processes as possible, we also have to consider how they are going to pass instructions from one stage to another, which means considering the descriptive information: metadata. Throwing out all the existing equipment and starting again with a new, file-based, runtime decision-making, process controlled system is not economically viable. You have to analyse the legacy equipment and the working practices you have in order to see what it will take to develop new workflows that are more economical, faster, and better suited to encouraging staff to be productive.

Four layer model We consider the structure of a media company as being on four levels. At the top are business processes, activities such as scheduling, advertising sales, commissioning and so on. Below this are the operational services. These are the individual workﬂows and include complex tasks such as ingest, editing

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You may find that the holes in the end-to-end functionality are smaller than you think

ABOUT TMA Three Media Associates provides bespoke specialist services to the broadcast media market. Its goal is to define and deliver process improvement and technology projects that contribute to the commercial success of broadcast media companies. Three Media employs a team of media and broadcast professionals who can deliver projects on an international basis. Its headquarters are in the UK. All of its senior associates have held management positions within the broadcast industry and are APM (Association of Project Management) qualified.

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and transmission. The third layer is in many ways the most critical. This is the metadata management and data flows. Without good metadata, there is no prospect of achieving successful automation at any level beyond individual operations. Finally, the fourth layer is the technology infrastructure and the operations that people carry out using it. Modelling the system in this way should bring together into one view not just the hardware, but the people too. The first task, then, is to analyse what you already have and where it sits in this four layer model. Some products will cross more than one layer – a server might include archive management, so it bridges layers three and four. Very rarely will you come across a product which encompasses all four layers. ForeTV from MSA Focus is an example, a planning and operational tool that gives a top-level business oriented view of the enterprise, but goes all the way down to the fourth layer, driving transcoders and managing metadata. To achieve an efficient system capable of large-scale automation, you need equipment which can be integrated not just along each layer, but which will have clear points of communication up and down between layers. It is the vertical integration that is critical. Once you do this analysis you may find that you have much of the functionality you require already installed and working. Once you lay out your legacy equipment – including all the functionality that it offers which you may not yet be using – you may find that the holes in the end-to-end functionality are smaller than you think. In other words, the investment you require to move to a highly automated, process driven environment could be within your current budget, and the potential savings become extremely attractive.

Managing change Alongside an understanding of the technical resources, this analysis will also enable you

to take a look at the human resources, and plan for change accordingly. Inevitably there will be some resistance to changing “the way things have always been done”, and you need to work with the positives. You should be able to demonstrate that taking a new approach allows you to use the hardware better, with increased automation of the dull and repetitive. No-one wants to sit watching the progress bar advancing on a transcoding farm. The new approach will ensure that staff are happier because they are always doing jobs which require human skills and creativity. Automated quality control, for example, might clear 999 items out of 1,000: the one that is questioned will need a skilled and experienced operator to make an instant judgement call. For the rest of the time, the operator can be planning how best to add new services, making the operation even more productive. That is the biggest benefit of taking a process-driven, content factory approach: it makes the whole operation more flexible. It would be a poorly designed car factory if it could only make one model and needed a complete refit to be ready to build the 2011 version of the same car. So it should be with media companies. The business should be defined by commercial outcomes, not by the limitations of the technology. A company that is agile enough to respond quickly to a new business opportunity – adding a new playout channel, an online service, a post production contract – is in the best position to maximise the return from that opportunity. Using the four layer model approach is the clearest way to determine how your legacy equipment and working practices fit together, and what needs to be added or changed to achieve large-scale process automation. You may well find that the investment required is considerably less than you anticipate to get the right resources in place to secure a productive and creative future.

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Launch success!

Get ready for more reach, more choices and the coming HD-TV and 3D revolution with Arabsat’s newest satellite With the launch of Arabsat’s new state-of-the-art BADR-5 satellite, the largest Arab community in the sky now reaches farther than ever across the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. BADR-5 is the latest addition to Arabsat’s constellation of BADR satellites at 26º East, bringing more reach, more in-orbit redundancy, more entertainment choices, more possibilities and more power to experience the HD-TV and 3D revolution of the future. Join the largest Arabsat community in the sky and tune in to the future, today. www.arabsat.com

IBC WHAT TO DO

10 THINGS NOT TO MISS AT IBC How to make the most of your time at the industry’s number one trade show The world’s biggest trade show for the broadcasting industry is upon us again. As well as being a barometer for the health of the industry, IBC is an opportunity to view the latest eequipment, learn and see where the industry is heading. To help yyou make the most of RAI AMSTERDAM yyour time in AmsterCONFERENCE 9-14 SEPTEMBER dam, Digital Studio d EXHIBITION 10-14 SEPTEMBER suggests 10 things you su WWW.IBC.ORG shouldn’t miss at IBC. sho

WHERE & WHEN

SUPER HI-VISION IN ACTION Super Hi-Vision was first shown at IBC in 2008, where it surprised audiences with its mind-blowing 7680 x 4320 resolution – more than 16x that of high definition – and 22.2 audio channels. Developed by Japanese national broadcaster NHK, it has advanced further in the last two years and now it’s back at IBC. New for 2010 are practical full-resolution cameras, with three image sensors, each of 33 million pixels. One of these will be set up permanently in the centre of

Amsterdam, sending live pictures back over fibre to IBC. As well as the theatre, with its high brightness projectors, the signal will also be seen on special 58” diagonal plasma screens with 0.33mm pixel pitch. Staff from NHK and its partners will be on hand throughout IBC to talk about the practical implementation of Super Hi-Vision for museums and galleries, town centre screens for major events, and eventually perhaps for broadcast to the home. If you want to know what the future of TV might look like, don’t miss this.

TRAINING, TRAINING, TRAINING

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Covering the weekend of this year’s IBC, the two days of The IBC Digital Media Training Workshops are run by international training company Future Media Concepts. A series of courses are aimed at intermediate to advanced users and are based

around the tools that the industry commonly uses. The practical, intensive hands-on training covers platforms such as Apple Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer and Adobe Production Suite; with subjects including DSLR video, video production, 3D production workflow and motion graphics. One of the course options is a full, two-day programme covering Final Cut Pro Certification. The Post Production Zone in Hall 7 will also play host to a series of show floor demonstrations. Sessions and workshops will cover a whole host of topics, ranging from production techniques to desktop post-production tools from popular software providers. All post production sessions are free and give visitors the chance to get hands-on experience with the products under supervision from expert trainers. Nividia, Avid, Cinegy and Blackmagic Design are amongst the companies scheduled to hold sessions.

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SPORTS DAY ON SEPTEMBER 11

Sports Day will look at how big sporting events such as the World Cup were covered in the new world of high-def and 3D broadcasting. How was outside broadcast coverage for the first time on the African continent managed and did HD deliver? And how did the World Cup fare in stereoscopic 3D and is this the future of sports broadcasting? Manolo Romero, who has worked on the coverage of every Olympics since Mexico 1968, will give the keynote speech on Sports Day. Also making an appearance are Dave Mazza of NBC, fresh from the challenges of the Vancouver games, and Roger Mosey, the BBC’s leader for the 2012 London Olympics. Sports sessions run through the conference on Saturday 11, spanning both the content creation and business streams. Other sessions will look at interactive and online services, a sporting case study and how stereoscopic 3D could change the face of sport on television. The 3D session will be led by Peter Angell of HBS, the host broadcaster for the FIFA World Cup.

RESTORATION ADVICE ON SEPTEMBER 12

One of the IBC Conference highlights this year is the Sunday 12 September session ‘Digital restoration - new technology, new business’, which will look in detail at digital restoration tools and techniques. High profile speakers will include Chuck Dages of

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Warner Brothers Home Entertainment Group, who will examine some recent projects and address the business opportunities brought about by new delivery technologies. Paul Collard from Ascent 142 will look at the challenges inherent in several projects, one dating

as far back as 1928, while Reliance Mediaworks’ Sandeep Divekar will talk on 4k restoration, detail enhancement and approaches to the 2D to 3D conversion process. Mediaworks is the company that worked on the restoration of the original Apollo 11 Moon landing footage for NASA.

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IBC WHAT TO DO

3D DAY ON SEPTEMBER 13 By the end of this year, a number of stereoscopic 3D channels will have launched worldwide and many more broadcasters will have conducted trials. 3D TV is on its way and the range of programming being made in 3D is increasing. While pressure to create quality 3D content is growing, there is still a gap in understanding about the technology, filming techniques and the investments required to

make it all happen. The IBC Conference dedicates a whole day on September 13 to trying to close that gap with a series of presentations, tutorials and practical demonstrations designed to educate and encourage producers. A primer is scheduled for those new to the subject on September 12, before the Stereo 3D Day begins on September 13.

Here, all aspects of the emerging 3D content chain will be looked at, from acquisition to distribution. The day will be hosted at the IBC Big Screen Theatre.

THE CONNECTED WORLD A new element added to the show this year is Connected World, where the IPTV, Mobile and Digital Signage Zones will be brought together under one roof in Hall 9. Connected World will showcase the many opportunities being created for the electronic media industry by IP, broadband and mobile distribution. At the heart of Hall 9, the Connected World Hub will stage a series of free seminars, presentations and business briefings to help visitors understand the implications and opportunities of the Connected World. The Connected World Hub is also the new home for IBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Exhibition Business Briefings. Now in their fifth year, Business Briefings allow IBC visitors to learn from the experiences of companies that are already building businesses based on fixed and wireless broadband technologies, IPTV, mobile and digital signage. The Demo Stage @ The Hub will host demonstrations that illustrate how content is and will be managed, distributed and consumed across diverse consumer electronic devices.

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IBC WHAT TO DO

NEW TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS (NTC) IBC’s New Technology Campus (NTC) attracts researchers from the world’s foremost companies and academic institutions. Members of IBS’s Technical Papers Committee are constantly on the lookout for the latest technological innovations and the best are selected to go on display in the Campus. Previous shows have hosted the delivery of the world’s first live-by-satellite and fibre-optic international broadcasts. Last year saw demonstrations of virtual objects; context-aware and adaptive content and stereoscopic 3D technology. These live demos help give visitors an understanding of where the industry may be heading.

PRODUCTION VILLAGE Production Village, which made its debut in 2009, is where end users can try out the latest broadcast camera technology and network with fellow professionals. The Production Village 2010 is now located in Hall 11, where it will showcase a collection of the latest camera technology, ranging from DSLRs to 3D rigs and specialist cameras. Companies involved in the Production Village 2010 will include Nikon Europe, Fraunhofer Institute, Indiecam, Canon, Vitec and Panasonic, which will all demonstrate a range of cameras as well as camera accessories. One of the successes of last year’s show were the Production Village demonstration sessions, which deliver hands-on, free training for all attendees in a custom-built environment. A programme run by six industry experts covers a range

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of subjects, including 3D and HD workflow, lighting and working with small cameras. The sessions are divided into three levels – Foundation, Advanced and In-Depth – allowing delegates to

choose the level of information that is most appropriate to their needs. The Production Village also houses the production base for IBC TV News, which provides a working studio where visitors can watch the various TV and web productions being put together on the show floor.

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AVATARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SPECIAL EDITION ON THE IBC BIG SCREEN Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

A year ago, IBC received permission to show an extended 16-minute excerpt from the as-yet-unreleased Avatar. On Monday, September 13 at 18:30, there will be a complete screening of Avatar (Special Edition) courtesy of 20th Century Fox International and with the permission of Lightstorm Entertainment. This new special edition contains an additional eight minutes of content over the original film and will be screened using the Real D stereoscopic 3D system. Admission is free, but this is certain to be a popular show; be there in plenty of time to be sure of your seat.

TOY STORY 3 IN DOLBY 3D WITH 7.1 SURROUND SOUND

Fifteen years ago, Toy Story revolutionised the digital animation industry. Courtesy of Buena Vista International, IBC visitors will be able to see the latest instalment in the series, Toy Story 3. This is no ordinary screening though. Toy Story 3 will be shown in Dolby 3D, the least widespread of the three main 3D cinema formats, and Dolby 7.1 surround sound. This opportunity to watch the latest in digital 3D cinema is free to all visitors, but seats are limited. Be there well before 18.30 on Saturday 11 to secure a seat.

Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images

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IBC PRODUCTS

AVID DEMONSTRATES RANGE OF SOLUTIONS Avid will have its wide range of solutions on show at IBC. For film and video editing, Avid will feature Media Composer 5 and DS 10. For audio post solutions, check out Pro Tools|HD, ICON and System 5. Avid will demonstrate how users can be creative and improve sound quality with Pro Tools|HD and Avid’s newly extended line of consoles. In the field of storage, Avid will demonstrate Unity ISIS. Visitors can find out how to maximise workgroup collaboration with scalable storage solutions designed to offer high levels of performance, reliability and ease of operation. For HD news operations, Avid will demonstrate NewsCutter, AirSpeed and iNEWS. Stand 7 J20; www.avid.com

BRIDGE MONITORS AND MEASURES Bridge Technologies’ VB12-RF is a monitoring/ measurement appliance designed for real-world use by engineers on the road. The VB12-RF packs broadcast and IP interfaces into a ruggedised chassis with a form factor smaller than a laptop computer. It has full TR101290 alarming and analysis, and support for all professional media transportation codecs. The VB262 DUAL QAM/8VSB input option card is a solution for complete monitoring in DVB-C or hybrid DVB-C/IP networks. It now has optional built-in spectrum analytics capability for advanced RF analysis. Up to four independent RF inputs can be analysed in one 1RU chassis. Stand 1 A30; www.bridgetech.tv

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AUTOCUE ENTERS NEW PRODUCT CATEGORIES Autocue will showcase its first ever broadcast monitors and video servers at IBC 2010. There will be four Grade 2 broadcast monitors in the new range, all suitable suited to both production and post-production environments. The products will have a competitive feature set but be cheaper on price, according to a statement. The first sizes available will be the 24” and 42” monitors with the 17” and 32” arriving later this year. Also being showcased at IBC are Autocue’s first three standalone, Linuxbased video servers. The servers feature up to four bi-directional HD/ SD channels for simultaneous record and playout, and up to 12TB of storage. These products are an ideal replacement for tape machines, as well as an affordable solution for secondary applications within top-end broadcasters. The introduction of these new products forms part of a new strategy by Autocue to extend its reach within the broadcast sector. Back on more traditional ground, Autocue has redesigned its broadcast teleprompter range, the Master Series, equipping the models with LED backlight technology. Stand 11 F50; www.autocue-qtv.com

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IBC PRODUCTS

BRICK HOUSE LAUNCHES ON-AIR INDICATOR

Brick House Video has announced plans to introduce TallyHo at IBC 2010, a wireless on-air indicator for vision switchers. TallyHo is a wireless tally indicator system for use with a wide range of mobile production systems. It oﬀers camera operators remote on-air indication in the ﬁeld, and is designed to work with industry-standard vision switchers and production desks. The system comprises a central control station and charging unit,

and eight hot-shoe receiver modules. The receivers oﬀer visual indication to the camera subject when live, and a preview feature to advise the camera operator of the upcoming transition to air. The manufacturer will also highlight ShowTime, a new server control and live vision switching package. The package comprises Hi Tech’s industry standard server controllers, Brick House Video’s digital vision switchers and proprietary software. ShowTime will

work with any video server that responds to existing industry protocols. The Proteus multi-format, multipurpose, motion-adaptive standards converter (pictured) will also be shown, in both rack-mount and portable versions. It features 10-bit SDI, analogue video and audio I/O, an advanced standards conversion algorithm, comprehensive audio facilities and ARC. Visit Stand 8 D80 www.brickhousevideo.com

BROADCAST PIX POLISHES UP ITS GRANITE Broadcast Pix will unveil a 50Hz version of Granite, its new native HD live video production system. Granite combines a new HD switcher with a new HD server running the company’s Fluent workflow software. The Granite Switcher provides simultaneous multidefinition SDI I/O for 1080i/50, 720p/50, and 576i/50 sources – and is upgradable to 1080p. It offers 11 HD/SD-SDI video inputs (expandable to 22), plus the equivalent of 14 more inputs from the server via its PCI Express connection, including a clip channel, two animation channels and four graphic channels. Each SDI input automatically detects and sets its format to 1080i, 720p or SD. Inputs can handle 16:9 and 4:3 content without stretching images. The Granite Server completes the

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video production system by running Fluent workﬂow software, which provides up to 120 hours of clip store; animation stores;

a graphics system with a new Harris CG; a multi-view that displays video and file sources; watch-folders that streamline file import from editing systems and macros for file-based effects. It runs on an Intel Quad processor and can have up to 2 TB of storage in a RAID 10 array. In addition to the Fluent workflow software, it includes a new Harris Inscriber GS CG. Available in three models – the 1 M/E Granite 100 and 1000, and the 2 M/E Granite 5000 – the new product line provides an upgrade path between models. Customers can also upgrade to Granite from current Broadcast Pix Slate hybrid HD/SD/analogue systems, which use the same control panels and Fluent workflow software. Stand 7 C21; www.broadcastpix.com

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DIELECTRIC DEBUTS LOW POWER ANTENNA Dielectric's DLP low-power antenna series features horizontally polarized antennas in a number of standard directional azimuth patterns, with an average power rating of 1.6 kW. DLP antennas are designed to provide broadcasters with a low weight- and wind-load system for mobile media transmissions and distributed transmission systems. The antenna provides a single 7/8-inch input, a 1.5-degree beam tilt and a low-proﬁle slot cover for protection from environmental wear and tear. Dielectric’s TUA-L low-power broadband UHF antenna provides a wide impedance and pattern bandwidth designed for digital broadcasting operations. It provides a typical VSWR of under 1.05:1 per channel and 1.1:1 across the entire 20-channel bandwidth. DCR-M series of FM antennas is optimised for use in high-power broadband applications. It has wide bandwidth and high power input designed to support multi-station broadcasting. Stand 8 E77; www.dielectric.com

COBALT DIGITAL INTRODUCES FUSION3G Cobalt Digital will launch its new range of 3 G-capable Fusion3G cards for openGear at IBC. Fusion3G cards are multi-functional cards that address challenges such as loudness processing , audio loudness metering, colour correction and up/down/cross conversion. Inputs and outputs include analogue video and audio, HD/SD-SDI video & audio and ﬁbre. The Fusion3G range can be controlled and monitored using the free-of-charge Dashboard software, as well as by Cobalt Digital’s OGCP-9000 remote control panels. HD/SD-SDI versions of the Fusion range are also available. OpenGear can handle 3G/HD/SD video processing cards and audio processing cards from multiple manufacturers in the same frame. Stand 8 A94; www.cobaltdigital.com

SAN SOLUTIONS ADDRESSES STORAGE NEEDS SAN Solutions will showcase the company’s new ArtiSAN Storage Platform and ArtiSAN Application Platform. ArtiSAN storage platform is designed for small workgroup media production environments. It is available in a 2RU, 24-slot configuration — 24TB capacity — as well as a 3RU, 16-slot configuration for 32TB capacity. All RAID formats are supported, including RAID5 and RAID6. The ArtiSAN Storage Platform offers features such as 8 x 8Gb Fibre Channel host ports, global hot-sparing, dual redundant power supplies and automatic call-home break-fix repair. ArtiSAN Application Platform is available in a 1RU or 2RU enclosure. It is designed to suit various filebased workflow media applications, including content verification engines, digital disk recorders, media WAN acceleration distribution engines, management servers with topology discovery and media content verification and indexing engines. Stand 13 C31; www.sansolutions.com

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IBC PRODUCTS

GEKKO LAUNCHES LIGHTING SYSTEMS AT IBC

Gekko Technology has chosen IBC 2010 as the venue for the international launch of its new kezia 200F white-optimised spot lamp. The kezia 200F is optimised for use in ďŹ lm production or studio broadcasts. It allows adjustment between 2900 and 6500 degrees Kelvin, including presets

for selection of 2900, 3200, 4300, 5600 and 6500K via DMX or an optional rear panel. A built-in colour-feedback system ensures colour temperature remains constant when the light is dimmed, as ambient conditions change or as the unit ages. Drawing less than 200 watts of power, the kezia 200F is

comparable in output intensity with a 1 kW tungsten ďŹ xture. Interchangeable optics provide beam angles of 20, 35, 60 or 80 degrees. Output intensity is 8300 lux at 1 metre, 1900 lux at 2 metres and 900 lux and 3 metres. Stand 11 F40; gekkotechnology.com

HAMLET ADDRESSES NEW PRICE POINT Hamlet will boost its test and measurement range at IBC2010 with the launch of DigiScope DS900, a quality control instrument for production and master control environments. The new DS900 brings high precision digital video measurement at a new price point, according to Hamlet. The DS900 is supplied in a half rack width, 1U, shallow cabinet. Inside, it

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is based on the Hamlet bespoke digital modular test and measurement platform, with space for four internal input modules and a generator module. It is designed for 3G processing and measurement from the ground up, and modules are available for all common analogue and digital standards. Measurements available include the eye pattern for an at-a-glance check on the security

of a digital circuit. Test traces are displayed on any suitable monitor, and the DS900 has DVI and XVGA outputs as standard. On the front of the unit are three touchscreen displays which provide all control functions. The unit can support four simultaneous tests on each input and display all four inputs at the same time. Stand 10 A24; www.hamlet.co.uk

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IBC PRODUCTS

DELTACAST DISPLAYS VIDEO CARDS Deltacast’s Delta-hd-e 40 is a new four-channel addition to the Delta-hd range of video cards for OEM applications. The Delta-hd-e 40 doubles the per-slot capability of PCI Express cards to ingest SD or HD SDI channels to a PC server, allowing developers to design higher-performing and more economical solutions. The Delta-3G-e 22 is the ﬁrst member of the new Delta-3G family. The unit features 2x 3G-SDI inputs, 2x 3G-SDI outputs, Genlock and a four-lane PCI Express interface. It also works with the VideoMasterHD SDK. It provides all of the features of the Delta-hd-e 22 while adding the new 3G-SDI capability. The Delta-dvi-e 10 is Deltacast’s new one-input DVI solution. It supports ingest of a dual-link DVI, DVI-A, DVI-D, HDMI and analogue component video source on one PCI Express video card. Stand 10 D10; www.deltacast.tv

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IPHARRO IDENTIFIES AND TRACKS CONTENT At IBC, iPharro will showcase iPharro MediaSeeker Core Platform 3.0, a video indexing and identification engine that helps businesses implement effective content identification and tracking strategies within any existing media-centric workflow. At the heart of the iPharro MediaSeeker Core Platform is a fingerprinting technology developed at Germany’s renowned Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.

According to iPharro, MediaSeeker Core Platform 3.0 is an ideal solution for the full range of search applications, including archive versioning; content future-proofing; media redundancy prevention (MRP) and broadcast monitoring. Its Difference Detection detects and highlights differences between query video and reference content. It is video format and distribution platform neutral.Another iPharro solution, Media TV Content Monitoring

(TVCM) System, identiﬁes content across an unlimited number of TV channels. It can monitor any television source, including terrestrial, over the air, satellite, cable and mobile TV broadcasts. AdMon is iPharro’s automated advertisement monitoring and detection solution, used to identify ad placements across an unlimited number of TV channels. Stand 8 A11; www.ipharro.com

HAIVISION LIGHTS UP VERSION 5.6 OF FURNACE IBC marks the debut of version 5.6 of Furnace, Haivision’s solution for end-toend HD H.264 video over IP distribution. The upgrade includes a redesigned interface and a new conditional access (CA) module. The solution continues to support the Makito HD H.264 encoder to manage and distribute live video to computers and settop boxes, to create scheduled playback channels for enterprise TV and signage, and to record content and deliver video on demand. The Furnace Portal Server controls the direct and secure distribution of SD and HD H.264 video to both the InStream

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player and the Stingray set-top box. The Furnace Playback Manager supports scheduled channels for IP video broadcast and signage, and the Furnace Media Server leverages the eﬃciencies of H.264 to enable HD video on demand. The company also oﬀers an H.264 decoder that supports video up to 1080p60; the Makito HD video encoder with support for both component analogue and DVI inputs; and the MB6 chassis, which can hold hold up to six Makito or Barracuda encoders in a single rack unit. The hot-swappable design of this system allows for any combination of Makito encoders, Makito decoders or Barracuda encoders. Stand 9 IP701; www.haivision.com

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IBC PRODUCTS

JAMPRO SHOWS OFF ANTENNAS Jampro Antennas will show its time-tested range of antennas, RF components and a full series of rigid line and accessories at IBC. The California-based company serves a wide international clientbase with both television and radio solutions for DTV, FM, LP-FM, FM-HD and HD Radio. Highlights will include two of Jampro’s most versatile and economical products: the award-winning UHF RWED-516-U and the JA/MS-BB UHF broadband slot antenna. The UHF RWED-516-U compact TV mask/filter combiner with four-port directionality can be used as either a mask filter or constant impedance-combining module for high power UHF TV broadcasts. The unit has a cross-coupled design to accommodate adjacent channels, meets filtering standards and provides constant impedance performance for adjacent and channel separations greater than fifteen. Jampro will also feature its JA/MS-BB broadband UHF slot antenna, an economical alternative to buying, installing and maintaining multiple antennas. It is designed for multi-channel/combined channel operations in analogue-analogue, analogue-digital or digital-digital TV applications. Stand 8 B96; www.jampro.com

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PILAT HELPS MANAGE CONTENT Pilat Media has introduced Advanced Content Rights Management System based on IBMS. With it, users can record contractual terms and assign rights to centrally log and manage the consumption and distribution terms for all acquired or produced content. An application programming interface (API) enables integration with third-party systems. Complementing it is IBMS:OnTarget, an advertising campaign management add-on module to IBMS. This oﬀers the ability to sell and insert advertising and other promotional messages in on-demand content. Additionally, Pilat Media is introducing a set of automation system interfaces based upon BXF (Broadcast eXchange Format) standards, initially for OmniBus Systems automation systems. It handles the synchronisation of schedules, playout and plant routing between IBMS and automation systems to enable just changes up to airtime in ﬁle-based operations. IBMS acts as the central hub for orchestrating rogramming and advertising changes. Visit Stand 3 C46 www.pilatmedia.com

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LINEAR ACOUSTIC HELPS CONTROL TV AUDIO LEVELS

Linear Acoustic’s AEROo.air (pictured) is an all-in-one processor built to accept any Dolby-encoded or PCM audio, provide upmixing and loudness control, and to output both PCM and Dolby-encoded audio for transmission. Features include: Upmax-II 5.1 reference quality 5.1-channel automatic upmixing; CrowdControl to prevent dialogue from disappearing in the mix; internal Dolby E/Digital/Plus

decoding; Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Pulse (HE-AAC) encoding; and internal Nielsen Watermark encoding for audience measurement. Additionally, Linear Acoustic will oﬀer the AERO.mobile audio loudness manager for mobile DTV. The product employs new processing that enables content to remain audible on small mobile devices. Stand 8 D29; www.linearacoustic.com

PIXEL POWER ENHANCES GRAPHICS Pixel Power will unleash a number of innovations at IBC. BrandMaster is a stereoscopic master control switcher with integrated branding. It gives operators the ability to make dynamic adjustments to the eye separation and the Z-Plane position, helping ensuring that graphics remain (or are introduced) in the correct visual space. The company continues to expand its automated branding and promotion technology. It will highlight ﬁle-based output capabilities that enable broadcasters to deliver graphics to additional viewing screens such as mobile devices and PCs. Stand 7 A31; www.pixelpower.com

MARVIN'S MARTIN AUTOMATES WORKFLOW Marvin Technologies will unveil Marvin, a system that can automate backups, LTO tape masters, QuickTime proxies for offline editing and DVD dailies. The Marvin hardware features six or 12TB of RAID5 storage and a core i7 processor. Two built-in LTO tape drives and a DVD burner are included. Connection is via multiple CF card slots, e-Sata, Firewire 400/800 or UB, with custom ports (SxS, Fibrechannel) available on request. When removable media from a camera is attached to the system, Marvin automatically creates verified copies of every shot to its own internal RAID5 storage array. Marvin generates multiple LTO copies of all of the shots from the day, along with DVD dailies and QuickTime files for offline editing. The director, cinematographer, DIT or others can browse through a project and view thumbnails or video. After offline editorial, a companion application,

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Marvin InPost, assembles the shots speciﬁed in the Edit Decision List for post-production work and ﬁnishing. MARVIN supports the RED One camera, the Silicon Imaging SI-2K, ARRI D21/Alexa, Panasonic P2 and high-speed cameras such

as the Vision Research Phantom and Weisscam HS-2. MARVIN is controlled via a browser GUI running on a laptop computer connected to the system via Ethernet. Stand 13 A38; www.marvintech.com

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POLECAM TAKES A WIDE VIEW OF LENSES

Polecam will bring Theia’s MY125M ultrawide-angle eﬀects lens to market at IBC. The MY125M is said to be highly eﬀective in sports coverage; for example, it can capture an entire goalmouth without visible barrel distortion. The lens is designed for use with 1/3

inch single-CCD or CMOS cameras of up to 5MP resolution. The C-mounting MY125M captures a 125 degree horizontal ﬁeld of view and 10 cm to inﬁnity focal depth. Aperture is manually adjustable between F1.8 and fully closed. Rated for operation across a temperature range of

-20 to +60 Celsius, the MY125M weighs 100 grammes, is 54 mm in length and 36 mm in diameter. Being a rectilinear lens, the image is top-down so the camera must be mounted upside-down or the output inverted electronically. Stand 10 C49; www.polecam.com

QUANTEL DEMONSTRATES ENTIRE PRODUCT RANGE Quantel will demonstrate its plethora of broadcast solutions at IBC. For broadcast news & sports, it will be demonstrating HD workflows designed to make financial nd production sense. Mission 2.0, the company’s asset management system will be on show with various new capabilities. For high-end post production, it will show off new V5 software for eQ, iQ and Pablo, which includes new features such as realtime colour, soft-mount RED and DPX and stereoscopic 3D features and tools Stand 7 A20; www.quantelcom

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IBC PRODUCTS

NEVER.NO ENCOURAGES VIEWER FEEDBACK Never.no’s Interactivity Suite (IS) is a collection of software applications that allow viewer interaction with TV programmes and others viewers. It enables broadcasters to publish user-generated content and source aggregated content from social networking sites. Also on show is Interactivity Desk (ID), a software tool for on-air and oﬀair editorial control of interactive and multi-sourced social media content. ID harvests various forms of data, including text, images, audio and video, and enables the editor to schedule, moderate, edit and sort the data before submission to broadcast systems, social networking sites, web pages, or STB or IPTV middleware. ID has a built-in scheduler that can be used to control the running of content or interactive elements such as quizzes, polls, votes and feeds. Never.no oﬀers integration with Vizrt, Harris RTX, Adobe Flash, Microsoft Silverlight and social media platforms. An opendocumented XML standard is also available. Stand 2 C23; www.never.no

OMNIBUS ENHANCES MANAGEMENT CONTROL According to Omnibus, iTX Enterprise Suite is a single integrated system that can unify and streamline ingest, media management, workflow organisation, schedule management, asset management, automation, master control and playout to TV, radio and the web. It controls ingest and media management with scheduled and on-demand feed recording from satellite and live sources. Workflow management is monitored through job tracking and management information tools that generate business intelligence. Interfaces with third-party scheduling, production and DAM systems help automate the initiation and recording of workflow steps completed externally. Business metadata can be added to existing asset information, allowing the user to configure and build tailored metadata

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schemas using tools on the desktop. Radio functionality is integrated with iTX Enterprise Suite’s asset management and automation systems. This allows the management of audio broadcasting from within the same environment used for TV and Web-based video. The iTX Enterprise Suite supports a mixed frame rate environment (PAL, NTSC, HD, 60, 25, 30, 24 and future rates) and is conﬁgured for multi-domain operation. It includes a security model for service provider conﬁdentiality between customers. Stand 8 D41; www.omnibus.tv

SENSIO’S 3D TECH ON DISPLAY Sensio’s 3D technology, which includes compression, decompression, and display formatting, will be demonstrated at IBC in the products of Miranda Technologies (Stand 8 B80), International Datacasting Corporation (1 C29) and Teranex Systems (13.C46). According to Sensio, attendees will be able to judge for themselves how Sensio 3D renders the best-quality 3D at any bit rate. Sensio will also be allowing visitors, by appointment only, to a preview of upcoming applications and technologies. Its ﬂagship technology, Sensio 3D, allows the distribution of 3D content through conventional 2D broadcast networks and playback on any 3D display device, including home theatre and digital cinema projectors. Over 700 cinemas in 33 countries are part of the Sensio 3D Live Global Network, which allows the broadcast of live events in 3D to cinemas Stand 13 C46; www.sensio.tv.

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UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS TAKES CONTROL Universal Electronics will demonstrate its selection of wireless control devices, used by consumer electronics manufacturers and subscription broadcast operators worldwide. Universal Electronics’ Dolphin enables 3D navigation by incorporating the Freespace motion-detection technology developed by Hillcrest Labs. The Dolphin controller translates all hand movements into on-screen cursor movements. Dolphin will be introduced as part of a 3D presentation on the UEI stand. Universal Electronics will host a demonstration of its control device that works as part of the NDS Snowflake user interface. NDS Snowflake provides a unified solution for operators looking to enable access to all types of content, including broadcast, on-demand and Internet applications. Stand 1 B21; www.uei.com

TV ONE SHOWCASES 3G-SDI CONVERTER TV One will be demonstrating the new C2-2375A universal 3G-SDI converter at IBC. Based on TV One’s Corio2 Technology, it provides bi-directional conversion between a variety of analogue and digital video formats, as well as features such as seamless switching, picture-in-picture windowing, chroma/luma keying, integral audio switching and SD/HD compatible Genlock. Inputs and outputs can be SD/HD/3G-SDI, DVI, composite, s-video,

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YUV, YPbPr or RGB. Signal parameters of the incoming video can be adjusted as desired and the high resolution RGB/YPbPr output is selectable as virtually any PC or HDTV resolution. The second DVI and analogue output can be set to a diﬀerent format and resolution if required. Variable zoom to 10X enlarges any part of an input image to ﬁll the entire screen and position controls allow movement to any area desired. Variable shrink to as little as 10%

is available and allows fitting an image onto most displays. The digital flicker elimination circuitry helps to produce clear images, and temporal interpolation helps improve frame rate conversion. 3:2 Pulldown helps ensure proper 24 fps film extraction from NTSC and 1080i sources. The unit can be controlled via front-panel push buttons, RS-232/422/485, IP connection, Windows Control Panel software and most third party control systems. Ten user defined presets are also available to customise settings for various applications. Stand 7 C27; www.tvone.com

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IBC PRODUCTS

UTAH SCIENTIFIC ROLLS OUT NEW I/O BOARDS Utah Scientiﬁc will introduce a new family of I/O boards for the UTAH-400 router to the European market. These new I/O boards will allow users to choose MADI audio and IP video input and output options in addition to the existing analogue and digital video (up to 3G) and analogue and digital audio options. Utah Scientiﬁc routing switchers include a range of analogue, digital, and HDTV systems with integrated high-density frame sizes from 8x8 to 1056x1056 (including the 144-frame

in 9 RU, 288-frame in 16 RU, and 528-frame in 20 RU — all with 3G HD capability). Utah Scientiﬁc will also show new internal squeeze and graphics capabilities for the MC4000 master control switcher; a new control panel option for the family of master control processors; and the Dot.Box multichannel packages introduced late last year. Dot.Box is a combined dual-channel master control and routing system that oﬀers a complete system for broadcasters moving to multichannel operation. The Dot.Box package,

originally available with 32x32 and 64x64 router frames, has now been extended to include a 144x144 frame size. Both the Dot.Box 64 and 144 are wired for future expansion of inputs, outputs, and master control channels. A major new release of the U-Con conﬁguration software and R-Man management software will also be introduced. The new systems will include features such as SNMP-compatible alarm monitoring and management. Stand 2 B20; www.utahscientific.com

DATAMINER ENHANCES NETWORK MANAGEMENT

SGL MANAGES AND ARCHIVES CONTENT

DataMiner 6.5 is the latest major update to Skyline’s DataMiner Network Management System platform and will be demonstrated for the first time at IBC2010. The release includes features designed to help operators manage networks of mult-vendor technologies more efficiently. Updates include the new DataMiner Cube UI, the latest version of the DataMiner CPE Manager and a new version of DataMiner’s service management technology. The DataMiner Cube UI features user-definable drag & drop capabilities and realtime and historical graphing. DataMiner CPE Manager delivers detailed information on the elements that can impact a network’s performance. Stand 1 C33; www.skyline.be

Software Generation Ltd (SGL) will demonstrate its content archive and storage management software solutions at IBC. A worldwide debut will be given to the new Final Cut Server (FCS) interface for FlashNet, SGL’s content management solution. This allows allow users to copy content directly to and from an archive on an online shared storage system. The copy process works for both archive and restore. Support for Avid Interplay 2.2 will also be demonstrated. SGL claims FlashNet is the only third-party archive management software that has been through the full Avid development and QA cycle. There will also be a demonstration of LT05, the latest evolution from the LTO (Linear Tape Open) Ultrium consortium. Stand 8 A25a; www.sgluk.com

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IBC PRODUCTS

ZAXCOM DEMONSTRATES AUDIO PRODUCTS Zaxcom’s new TRX900LT digital audio transmitter, making its European debut at IBC 2010, combines wireless transmission, recording, and remote control receiving functions into a single system. The TRX900LT features 100% digital transmission. All audio transmissions from the TRX900LT are fully encrypted to combat the possibility of interception and theft. The system is designed to be robust, yet lightweight. Also on show are Zaxcom’s new ERX1 and ERX1TCD encrypted IFB body packs. They can receive digital audio, timecode and metadata from any IFB transmitter in the Zaxcom TRX series. Each unit’s LCD shows timecode and current scene and take metadata in realtime, with a hold button for

script supervisors. Another product, ZaxNet, is a 2.4-GHz RF network for the distribution of remote control signals, timecode, IFB audio and metadata for production sound. Included with all Zaxcom products, it wirelessly links Zaxcom’s Deva/Fusion, digital wireless recording, encrypted IFB receivers and compatible digital slates into a single system for audio recording and metadata distribution. Rounding out the display is Zaxcom’s QRX100 four-channel RF audio receiver (pictured), which receives four channels of audio from up to two Zaxcom stereo transmitters

to capitalise on cameras that record four discrete audio channels. The QRX100 will output these received audio channels as both analogue and AES digital formats. Stand 8 A80; www.zaxcom.com

OCONNOR INTRODUCES 2065 FLUID HEAD OConnor, a Vitec Group brand, has launcheed the 2065 Fluid Head. Designed to handle popular digital cameras like the RED One, SONY F-35, and ARRI Alexa, the 2065 is loaded with the features and controls normally provided by OConnor fluid heads. Replacing the 2060HD, the new 2065 shares the same design as OConnor’s higher-payload fluid heads like the popular 2575D and 120EX models. The 2065 also offers many of the same features as the 120EX. The platform is equipped with dual scales, one on each side, and four handle rosettes allow operation from either side of the head, as well as front or back handle mounting. A one-touch platform release lever enables one finger or hand action to undo the safety catch and open the lever. Stand 11 F60; www.vitecgroup.com

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SONY KICKS OFF ITS ‘CREATOLOGY’ TOUR

Sony Professional has announced that its Creatology Tour, the follow-up to the Power of Image events programme, will commence at IBC 2010. According to Sony, the tour is designed to open, ‘visitors’ eyes to the creative possibilities available to them using Sony products and solutions’. Inspiration will be provided through demonstrations of audiovisual content and the capabilities of Sony’s technology will be illustrated through hands on prod-

uct demonstrations. Sony’ stand will feature three specific areas that bring different perspectives on Sony’s products and solutions. The Technology Zone will focus on 3D, high definition and the latest media backbone solutions architecture. Visitors to the zone will be able to see products such as the PMW-320 (pictured) and the PVM-740 OLED monitor.

The Creativity Space will showcase content from Sony customers working in both HD and 3D production environments. Live 3D events such as concerts and sports games will feature prominently. The Dealer Village is dedicated to hands-on demonstrations. Independent certified experts (ICEs) will be on the stand alongside Sony staff to answer questions and offer advice. 3D will, inevitably, be one of Sony’s key focus areas this year. The company claims it is the only one able to deliver an end-toend 3D live production platform. Olivier Bovis, head of AV media business, Sony Professional Europe, says: “3D is the latest buzz word in the industry, but delivering quality 3D is far from straightforward. At Sony, we’ve been very lucky to be involved in most of the pioneering 3D live production projects around the world this year. IBC will offer us a great opportunity to share our knowledge and expertise from these projects with visitors to the stand. Stand 12 A10; www.pro.sony.eu/ibc

VINTEN STABILISES SMALLER CAMERAS Vinten, a Vitec Group brand and provider camera supports, will launch the Vision Blue at IBC. The product has been designed to provide high performance support for camcorders and DSLRs equipped for video. According to Vinten, ﬁlmmakers are increasingly using lightweight cameras, but need a high performance

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support to achieve the best rules. Vision Blue is designed to deliver the stability provided by Vinten’s Vision line. Peter Harman, Vinten product manager, says: “Up until now there has been a gap in the market for a broadcast quality tripod system that can genuinely balance the smaller, lightly accessorised camcorders that are so

common today, without any compromise on creativity. “We were asked for an innovative product to ﬁll this gap, and with the Vision Blue we are not only delivering a genuine Vision product, but believe it will exceed our customers’ expectations Stand 11 F60; www.vitecgroup.com

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IBC 2010 BURNING ISSUES Visitors will have a lot on their mind at this year’s IBC.

SIX BURNING ISSUES AT IBC Visitors to September’s IBC will certainly have a lot on their mind. Here are the six issues that we think are preoccupying show visitors the most

STEREOSCOPIC 3D Two years ago it barely registered at IBC, but this year it’s one of the main themes of the entire show. The question on everyone’s minds is whether 3D represents the future of home entertainment, or is just a fad with limited appeal beyond children’s animations. The answer won’t become clear for some time, but visitors will want to build up their understanding of the format now, just in case. They will want to know how much it costs to produce 3D content, how to ﬁlm well in 3D and what changes they’ll have to make to infrastructure to accommodate it.

THE FUTURE OF SPORTS BROADCASTING It’s one of the key drivers of ratings, it keeps many pay TV operators in business and it’s a driver of broadcast technology innovation. Sport has been cited as one of the main drivers of HD adoption in the home and it’s also a key driver of mobile content consumption. This year’s football World Cup has brought the question of sport and stereoscopic 3D to the fore. Sony put together a technical infrastructure that allowed 25 games to be broadcast live in 3D. The company claims that the broadcasts were done aﬀordably and that the quality of the production was good enough for a clean image both in the cinema and at home.

S3D, sports broadcasting and 3G are some of the key issues on people’s minds at this year’s IBC.

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Sony, along with other broadcast technology and home entertainment suppliers, is telling us that S3D will bring a new level of enjoyment to football and other sports. Show visitors will want to know whether or not sport in 3D really is that good, how to ﬁlm it and whether or not consumers want it.

HOW TO MONETISE CONTENT This is a diﬃcult time to be a pay TV broadcaster. In an age where content, some legal and some not, is so freely available, it’s tough to persuade consumers to keep paying for content. Internet piracy continues and despite threats by ISPs to disconnect the downloaders, the battle already seems lost. Pay TV operators are pinning their hopes on the rollout of HD, 3D and interactive television services, as well as the deployment of content to web sites, mobile phones and iPads. But are such initiatives enough to persuade people to pay for content, or is sport the only thing that will make people continue to cough up for pay TV? The IBC Conference features a number of sessions dedicated to the issues of content monetisation, IP TV, video on demand and convergence.

MULTI-PLATFORM DISTRIBUTION The increasing amount of time spent on the internet and increasing demand for mobile content has led broadcasters to embrace the concept of multi-channel distribution. As well as the technical challenge this presents, broadcasters want to ensure they maintain ultimate control of their content and are the main beneﬁciary in any revenue sharing agreement. Sessions under the ‘Content creation and innovation’ stream at the IBC Conference will cover some of these issues, including online video, social media and connected devices.

THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING It may be less of an issue here in the Middle East, but the role of public service broadcasters (PSBs) is being questioned in many parts of the world. One key question is whether or not they should continue to receive public money and access privileges in an age of greater competition and fragmentation of audiences across multiple channels. At the same time, they need high viewing ﬁgures to justify their existence, but they are also expected to provide less popular programming such as documentaries, arts & culture, current aﬀairs and regional news. With the audience migrating online, they are keen to establish internet delivery channels, but some see this as outside the PSB’s remit. Furthermore, is it right for PSBs to spend public money dabbling with 3D and Super Hi-Vision, or should experimentation with new formats be left to commercial broadcasters? The IBC Conference will include a keynote session entitled ‘Does Public Service Broadcasting have a future?’ on the morning of Thursday, September 9.

DO WE NEED 3G? Although the upgrade from SD to HD is a logical step for any broadcaster, the debate until recently centred on whether or not to opt for 720p or 1080i. Following the ratiﬁcation of the 3G (3Gbps) standard for routing 1080p video and the emergence of stereoscopic 3D, the debate has moved on. The race to 3G is now on, but how much existing infrastructure will need to be ripped out and how much will it cost? Visitors will be hoping to ﬁnd the answers at IBC.

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2010 September 10-14 Amsterdam Stand D41 HALL 10

JVC’s new GY-HM790 camera. Full featured. Cost conscious. Introducing the new GY-HM790 studio camera – versatile enough to play a central role in the studio or out in the field, the camera’s innovative modular design offers the ultimate in connectivity. It features superb picture quality, delivering HD broadcast-standard 1080i, 1080p, 720p or 576i live output in uncompressed 4:2:2, while accessories including a remote camera control unit, genlock, timecode and interchangeable lenses complete the package. The GY-HM790 delivers all the benefits of ProHD: XDCAM EX TM

codec and native QuickTime

.MOV files for seamless workflow editing with Apple Final Cut Studio and other non-linear editing

systems. The camera also features SD compatibility and records to two hot-swappable SDHC cards.

For more information on the GY-HM790, contact our sales team on +971 4 803 6210, or email exportsales@jvcpro.co.uk.

For UAE, please contact Oasis Enterprises LLC at Al Shirawi Group, P.O.Box 93, Dubai. W: www.oasisppd.com T: +971 42821337 F: +971 42822617 E: info@oasisppd.com For Middle East & Africa, contact JVC on +971 4 803 6210 or exportsales@jvcpro.co.uk. ©2010 JVC Professional Europe Ltd. E&OE. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.