Since November 1st 2017, Hartmut Opfermann is managing the division Broadcast-IT Systems at BFE Studio und Medien Systeme GmbH in Mainz.

Implementing its first broadcast-quality video production initiative to support new online and social media distribution opportunities, the Athletics department at the University of Maine selected Z-HD5000 cameras from Hitachi Kokusai Electric America, Ltd. (Hitachi Kokusai) to provide the pristine picture quality and outstanding ease of use they needed. Building on the benefits the cameras bring to their live sports productions, the university also plans to extend its use of Z‑HD5000s to the educational curriculum with new video production courses next year.

Lighting and visuals rental specialist Colour Sound Experiment delivered lighting and video equipment for Neil Marsh’s stunning show design for popular alt.trance aficionados Above & Beyond at London’s O2 Arena. The high profile one-off was effectively a ‘soft’ album launch for their new “Common Ground” work and comes ahead of an extensive 2018 tour which will kick off in the U.S.

Recent LA12X and LA4X additions, installed by Rat Sound,
help maximize performance of iconic venue’s K1 system

Set against the striking backdrop of the Hollywood Hills with its iconic Hollywood sign, the Hollywood Bowl is the summer home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic and has been L.A.’s signature live-music venue for nearly a century.

Bluebell Opticom Ltd., provider of innovative fibre-optic solutions for fixed and remote applications, today announced upgrades to its BN390 stand-alone interface that supports single-cable 4K UHDTV transport in broadcast studios and outside broadcast (OB) applications. Among other improvements, the BN390 multiplexer and demultiplexer modules are now capable of converting between all the various formats of 4K UHD (not just 12G-SDI) for both copper and fibre, and they come with an intuitive new software interface for easy remote configuration and signal monitoring. The improvements come as part of Bluebell's rollout of remote production tools and will be most helpful in OB trucks, stadiums, news facilities, and event venues, especially for sport applications.

Gary Numan is back with industrial strength impact to match the success and acclaim of his 21st album, “Savage (Songs from A Broken World)”, which stormed into the UK charts at number 2, energising a massive interest in the artist who has influenced a generation of electronic music with innovative sounds and ideas whilst maintaining a super-loyal cult following.

This summer’s Celine Dion LIVE 2017 tour, in support of her 2016 French-language album Encore un soir, took the Canadian songstress on a 25-date tour of Europe in her first major tour for eight years. Celine Dion LIVE 2017 sold out at every venue as it visited stadiums and arenas in Denmark, Sweden, England, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland and Germany, and received stellar reviews that confirmed Dion is an artist at the height of her career.

Blackmagic Design has today announced that the URSA Mini Pro and URSA Mini 4.6K, as well as DaVinci Resolve 14, have been used to capture and edit backstage moments as well as live performance highlights on Robbie Williams’ 2017 European tour. Hangman’s James Tonkin, a long time collaborator with Robbie Williams, was tasked with covering the entire development of the tour, from rehearsals through to live shows in the UK and Europe.

For soccer clubs, a savvy digital strategy is almost as important as a standout team roster. Fan engagement can make or break brand value, so international soccer teams are always exploring new ways to connect with fans. With the proliferation of OTT and advances in mobile technology, it’s become more challenging over the years, as clubs need to reach fans across new technologies, viewing platforms and social channels. Southampton F.C. (Football Club) is recognized as a team with one of the most progressive digital strategies in the league – from its website to interactive live streams, which earned the club a BT Sport 2017 Cutting Edge Sports Award nomination

Grass Valley, a Belden Brand, developed the T2 Series 3 SD/HD audio/video playout center with versatility, reliability and efficiency in mind, three factors broadcasters depend on when creating content in demanding live event and mobile production environments. For ease of use in these environments, T2 Series 3 features an intuitive 7-inch LCD touch panel on its front panel, as well as 1-channel input and 2-channel output that can be used simultaneously for recording and playback.

It’s a project of superlatives, with several millions invested in building Sky Sports’ new Headquarters and broadcast hub, just next to the head office in Unterföhring. The 4600 square metre ground hosts two new studios, as well as an additional space for the Sky Bundesliga simulcast. The new broadcast complex is equipped with a broad range of advanced Sony 4K HDR ready technologies, demonstrating what a “studio of the future” looks like; seven HDC-4300 cameras, one HDC-P43 POV-camera,  one XVS-7000 mixer and over 140 Sony OLED and LCD screens, ranging from BVM-X300 and LMD-A240 to PVM-A170, PVM-A250 and PVM-X550.

ChyronHego announced the appointment of Boromy Ung as chief product officer, reporting to President and CEO Johan Apel. As leader of ChyronHego's global product management division, Ung has taken charge of the vision and roadmap for the company's award-winning family of solutions for live television, news, and sports production.

AJA Video Systems announced that it has collaborated with Avid® to develop Avid Artist™ | DNxIP™, a new hardware interface option for Avid Media Composer® users that supports high frame rate, deep color and high dynamic range IP workflows. Avid Artist | DNxIP is a Thunderbolt™ 3 equipped I/O device that enables the transfer of SMPTE standard HD video over 10 GigE IP networks, with high-quality local monitoring over 3G-SDI and HDMI 2.0.

AJA Video Systems announced the new Io IP capture and output device for broadcast IP workflows. The portable device simplifies the transfer of SMPTE standard HD video over 10 GigE IP networks, with high-quality local monitoring over 3G-SDI and HDMI 2.0, and supports high frame rate, deep color and high dynamic range workflows.

Clear-Com^®, the leader in wired, wireless and IP communications solutions, has further enhanced the HelixNet digital network partyline system to do more within the small yet highly-dense, all-digital system during live performances. The latest changes to HelixNet include a six-fold increase in I/O ports, direct connections to Agent-IC mobile app, VoIP telephony, and binaural functionality in its beltpack—all made possible through HelixNet’s connection to the latest LQ Series IP Interfaces.