Newsletter from 29/04/2014
PAI Partners to Acquire Euro Media Group
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MOBILE PRODUCTION
TV SKYLINE Invests in 23 HD IKEGAMI Camera Systems
The production specialist from Mainz has equipped the most advanced Outside Broadcast Vehicle in its fleet with high quality camera systems from IKEGAMI. As part of the new high-end OB truck OB7, TV Skyline purchased a total of 22 Unicam HD cameras HDK-97A/970A. The brand new flagship OB7 celebrates its 2014 world premiere on today in Mainz. OB7 is also equipped with a HiMotion II camera system for HD productions in ultra-slow motion. TV SKYLINE builds its foundation for TV and television productions on world leading technology. Having achieved outstanding results in a test OB Unit, it was decided to increase their future use of the advanced HD camera systems from IKEGAMI.
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Africa-Based Dimension TV Facilities Relies on RTS in New OB6HD
Founded in 1997, Dimension TV Facilities is one of the biggest privately owned Outside Broadcast Facility in Africa today. Specialized in the broadcast of sports events, shows and business broadcasts, Dimension’s productions have amongst others included the broadcast of international football, golf and cricket matches in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. To meet not only the current but also the future expectations of its clients, Dimension has recently invested in a new OB truck. The new reference vehicle OB6HD will be used primarily for the production of golf events such as the tournaments of the European Tour in South Africa as well as other sports, music concert and business broadcasts.
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REC4BOX OB Factory Shakes Canadian Mobile TV Production Industry
Balancing the creative demands of production teams with the realities of tight budgets and production timelines, REC4BOX OB Factory specializes in manufacturing fully customized OB trucks. By designing and creating the first OB truck in its region that houses a HARMAN’s Studer Vista 1 mixing console, REC4BOX was able to set new industry standards in terms of versatility, deployment speeds and broadcasting capabilities. Currently, REC4BOX operates on a contract basis, renting out or selling fully operational OB trucks to networks in Canada and the US. Each system undergoes rigorous testing to ensure that networks are able to start production within an hour of receiving the trailer, with only two onboard technicians. The Vista 1 console is perfect for this application, as it contains all mobile broadcasting tools, eliminating the need for additional racks of gear.
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STUDIO PRODUCTION
Infostrada Links EVS Systems with Centralparq for Innovative Utopia Project
Utopia is a new year-long social experiment reality series developed by Big Brother creator, John de Mol and created by Dutch media group Talpa. The show follows 15 inhabitants that leave their lives behind to move into an empty structure, along with limited amenities, with the task of creating an ideal community. The project requires more than 100 robotic cameras and 60 microphones for 24 hours a day in order to capture all the action from this evolving society. The robustness of EVS solution and its ability to handle the intense continuous ingest of content over a 12 month period, as well as its seamless integration with its own Centralparq platform, was critical to Infostrada. Cameras follow the 15 inhabitants 24/7, allowing viewers to watch the ‘Utopian’ society develop both online and on television. EVS’ XS server is central to this process as it can record non-stop live HD-SDI signals for the entirety of the project.
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HSL Provides The Link
Blackburn UK based lighting and visuals rental company HSL supplied 30 x Clay Paky Sharpies and 30 x Jarag lighting fixtures to Lighting Designer Tom Kinane for the new BBC quiz show series of The Link. The first 25 episodes of the show was recorded in Studio A at BBC Scotland in Glasgow and produced by STV Productions. Presented by Mark Williams (of Harry Potter fame) and directed by Julian Smith, it will air on BBC1 during a primetime 5 – 6 p.m. slot. The show format sees three teams race against time to find ‘The Link’ between questions, in the process their daring, strategy and teamwork is rewarded. HSL’s Project Manager Sean McGlone comments, “We have worked with Tom on many projects and it’s always a pleasure. His lighting brings a freshness and a new visual dimension to any environment in addition to all the standard requirements, so there is always something different to look out for”.
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Turn Every Room into a Studio
Mobile Video Studios are fully integrated "one box" solutions designed around Datavideo's acclaimed switcher range, designed to meet the needs of users on the move. Datavideo MS-3000 instantly transforms any space into a complete live recording studio. As a powerful PPU (portable production unit) it is ideal for fast-turnaround productions. MS-3000 can be used in a dedicated facility, ad hoc studio or in a van. With high strength wheels, it can quickly roll into a vehicle for easy transportation. In an easy-to-use configuration, MS-3000 houses a production switcher that supports up to 16 HD/SDI, 10 bit 4:2:2 video inputs, together with flip-out monitors, hard drive video recorders, intercom systems, video test and measurement devices and much more. All are enclosed in a 16U moveable flight case providing secure protection on the move.
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SPORTS
Gearhouse Broadcast Delivers Facilities for ITV’s Broadcast from Brazil
Gearhouse Broadcast was commissioned to deliver additional facilities in the International Broadcast Center (IBC), including production office, master control room and transmission gallery. ITV has also commissioned a studio located on the iconic Copacabana beach and full talkback capability between the two sites. Gearhouse Broadcast’s Projects Solutions division set up the facilities and are also providing on-site support for the duration of the competition, which kicks off on 12 June. To support ITV’s production requirements, Gearhouse Broadcast has supplied and installed a range of equipment, including EVS XT3 servers and IPDirector production asset management suite for ingest and logging, Avid MediaComposer, Interplay and ISIS shared media storage system, Snell routers, Harris glue, Sony cameras and Riedel talkback systems.
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oratis in Pole Position
Two oratis matrix frames, connected via fibre-optic cable, are installed at the race management centre and in one of the two RACECOM trucks. These form the nodes in the DELEC system. The organisers have a number of subscriber units at their disposal, including 19" subscriber units with 28 keys and desk subscriber units with 16 keys, from the oratis product family. The race organisers use them, for example, to stop races or to deploy the safety car and yellow flags. In major races up to 100 portable radio devices are in use, each with its own unique identifier. They enable group calls, conferences and targeted individual calls. Team leaders at the pits and the track marshalls around the circuit also use them to stay in touch with the organisers.
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Adtec for PGA Tour Entertainment
PGA TOUR Entertainment needed more live contribution content for its vast distribution networks. The requirement led it just up the road to Adtec Digital in Jacksonville. The challenge was to deliver more excellent quality live contribution back to the PGA TOUR Entertainment production facility located in St. Augustine, Florida. The solution consisted of Adtec's EN-91P 1080P AVC platform, DTA-3050 Mux and RD-70 IRDs. For the PGA TOUR Entertainment “Transmission Hub” application, the EN-91P encodes and BISS encrypts 1080i AVC 4:2:2 at 12 Mbs per service which is then multiplexed in the DTA-3050 and, transmitted using 32APSK delivering 125 Mbs in a 36 MHz transponder. The DTA and EN-91Ps can concurrently deliver the transport streams over Ethernet.
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SHOWS
Anitta Adds Robe Power To Latest DVD Shoot
Brazilian singer, composer and dancer Anitta started her artistic career in 2010 and was rocketed to stardom in 2013 with her funky hit “Show das Poderosas” (Show of Powerful Girls). She recently filmed her first DVD at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro where São Paulo-based Apple Produções and Spectrum Iluminação combined resources to provide state-of-the-art equipment for Carlos Nogueira’s lighting design. The design included a variety of Robe moving lights - 76 x Pointes, 36 x MMX WashBeams, 34 x LEDBeam 100s, 24 x LEDWash 1200s and 40 x LEDWash 600s - all from Robe’s ROBIN series. Apart from keeping in mind the participation of dancers, some actors, an elaborate set designed by Zé Carratu and an automated stage, the biggest challenge for the designer was timing and positioning, together with integrating all the various performers and set elements.
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Robe Hits New Highs at SXSW
Felix Lighting of La Mirada, California, provided the Pointes for The Guitar Center Sessions at SXSW which took place in March. The event captured a series of incendiary live performances by Soundgarden, Snoop Dogg, Damon Albarn, Phantogram, The Wild Feathers and many more for exclusive future viewing on the Audience Channel. The show’s longtime Lighting Designer/Director of Photography, Victor Fable created the lighting design for the event. Fable has been with The Guitar Center Sessions, which started in 2010, since the third episode. Once a year, the show travels from its Los Angeles home in the GC Hollywood Vintage Room to new locations, and this year’s destination was the rooftop of the historic four-story Starr Building in downtown Austin. Battling 40 mph winds on the first day and rain on the third and final day, the production team had plenty of challenges to overcome, but the bizarre pre-spring weather posed minimal problems for the hardy and robust Pointes.
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Station 102.1 The Edge Powers On-air Performances with Avid S3L
Toronto’s 102.1 The Edge is one of North America’s most respected and listened-to modern rock radio stations, honored by the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry with the “Station of the Year (Rock)” award more than two dozen times. Located on the ground floor of the Corus Quay building, the eight-story waterfront headquarters of parent company Corus Entertainment, 102.1 The Edge broadcasts several live concert performances per month in addition to its regular programming. With a large garage door that can be opened in the summertime to accommodate outdoor audiences of up to 2,000, the studio hosts a range of artists, from up-and-coming local talent to the biggest international acts like the Foo Fighters and Mumford and Sons.
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PRODUCTS
Imagine Communications Makes NAB 2014 Debut
Visitors to Imagine Communications’ booths experienced advanced demonstrations of service-oriented, IP-based and software-defined networking frameworks that fundamentally improve the way media companies manage their workflows and monetize their media assets. The company also showcased an enhanced TV Everywhere portfolio that includes the recently acquired software-based workflow management and transcoding solutions from Digital Rapids. “We are investing rapidly in our business – driving innovation toward our vision for an industry defined by IP, software, multiscreen viewing and the cloud, and rounding out our portfolio through strategic acquisitions,” said Charlie Vogt, CEO of Imagine Communications.
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Clay Paky at LIVE 2014: Italy has woken!
After years without shows and fairs devoted to the business, the Italian world of show technology can finally count on an event that brings together some of the most important international companies in the industry. Several of the top Italian companies in the fields of lighting, sound, video and rigging were at Live 2014, which took place at the Pala de André in Ravenna on 13 and 14 April. Among these, Clay Paky is definitely one of the most representative Italian brands in the world. It is the Italian company that has been setting the benchmark for show lighting technology for nearly forty years. Live has a special format that distinguishes it from all other international events. The companies showcase their technology in the most direct way possible: live on stage.
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AKG AV100 Aviation Headphones
Hannes Arch, who co-developed the brand-new AV100 aviation headphones from HARMAN’s AKG, recently won the Red Bull Air Race in Rovinj, Croatia. Leading with 21 points, Arch claimed the rank 1 championship title within the Master Class of the race for the second time on April 13, 2014, adding to his previous victory in 2008. As the sole Austrian within his class this year, Arch demonstrated superb aerial capabilities, outmaneuvering 11 other contestants in a series of four elimination rounds over the course of two days. Introduced on April 1, 2014, the AV100 headset features the class leading Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling technology to cut out cockpit noise on every flight.
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3D/4K ARISING
The first 4K FIFA World Cup™
Sony and FIFA will collaborate on a range of 4K initiatives at the 2014 FIFA World Cup™, including production of the Official 2014 FIFA World Cup™ Film in 4K Ultra HD. FIFA will leverage Sony’s professional 4K equipment within its 4K live production workflow processes to film one match from the round of 16, one quarter-final, and the final at the Estadio do Maracanã, in Rio de Janeiro. Sony will be providing extensive technical support to FIFA, including the development of a 4K live production system. Sony’s products and solutions including its CineAlta™ 4K live camera “PMW-F55”, 4K multi-port AV storage unit “PWS-4400”, 4K LCD monitor “PVM-X300”, and 4K multi-format switcher “MVS-7000X”(subject to change) will be used to film the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The filmed 4K footage will be compiled into the Official 4K Film.
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Sony Succeeds with Another 4K World’s First
Sony has completed another 4K world’s first with a live 4K broadcast of the theatre production of ‘War Horse’ at the National Theatre, London, to a 4K cinema. The Curzon, Chelsea cinema received the images with only moments of delay, enabling the cinema audience to immerse itself in the 4K action at almost exactly the same time as the production was taking place in the theatre. Join the live production team today at 2pmGMT/3pm CET for a webinar about the world's first 4K live theatre broadcast to cinema, War Horse.
Register here
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