Systems integrator and coachbuilder TVC and outside broadcast production company Croatel continue their long lasting and successful relationship. Last year both companies embarked to build the UHD 4K OB van. This was the first 4K endeavour for both companies with numerous challenges and tough technical decisions along the way. Croatel OB5 UHD 4K has been in operations for a year already and lessons learned can now be shared with the broadcast audience.

Live production isn’t static – it never has been. Workflows and the processes they enable are constantly evolving. With the introduction of UHD-4K, the adoption of IP for the deployment of infrastructures and the roll out of workflows that support new, more immersive consumer-facing formats, outside broadcast facilities are facing more challenges than ever before.

The broadcast industry has been experiencing a tremendous transformation since the arrival of the Internet, and digital convergence has become a reality. The way media content is created, produced, distributed, shared and consumed has been undergoing a huge change. User’s habits have radically shifted and social media, as well as personalized services, have become popular. While traditionally broadcasting services were offered by specific organizations and companies with a well-established business model, currently the line between the traditional broadcasters and IT-based companies has blurred.

Challenge

Construct a flexible and versatile production center and control room at space-constrained corporate headquarters with a new state-of-the-art technology foundation that will seamlessly evolve to meet future video consumption and business requirements

Products

▪ Selenio™ MCP media processors with Uncompressed-over-IP (UCIP) modules

▪ Nexio+® AMP™ media servers

▪ EPIC™ MV multiviewer

▪ Magellan™ SDN Orchestrator control system

With the size and sophistication of regional-sports-network productions growing exponentially, Mobile TV Group continues to up the ante by rolling out trucks that can serve the rising production needs of RSNs just as well as a nationally broadcast college-football game. The latest generation of MTVG trucks is headlined by 41HDX, which is currently working Fox Sports college football after debuting earlier this year, and 42FLEX, a dual-feed, two -trailer HDR- and 4K-ready unit that debuted this month on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh’s Penguins coverage.

OSU simplifies multi-platform streaming and expands audience reach for important events

On stage receiving a hard-earned degree is a poignantly thrilling moment. So is winning a coveted sports trophy. Oklahoma State University (OSU) is on hand to capture as well as share such student experiences. OSU’s official video portal OStateTV is home to over 1,000 videos and more than 100 live streams in a year. The live-streamed events range from convocations, pageants (Miss OSU), cultural nights, and sports, to a variety of speakers and seminars hosted on campus.

Until recently, WebStream Sports was an independent provider of remote broadcast, in-venue and studio production. Starting out in 2006, the Indianapolis-based business had focused primarily on live sports, spent nearly a decade in high demand for its reputation for high-quality sports productions, and achieved remarkable success in a relatively short time.

The company’s history started back in 1976, with the TV Broadcast institute in Šiauliai (Lithuania), where all the broadcast equipment for CIS countries and OB vans were manufactured for the Moscow Olympic games in the summer of 1980. In 1996, following the Soviet Union collapse, a team of engineers established TVC. Over the years, the company has constantly grown and now works on projects around the globe.

2016 has without a doubt been a year of significant growth for ES Broadcast, not only for the sales division, but in all areas of the business. There have been a number of additions to the team over the last 12 months, across all departments, securing the company’s ability to expand into new aspects of the broadcast market, maximising the services we are able to offer to our growing list of valued customers.

In the international Outside Broadcast (OB) market big is not always most beautiful. From its state of the art design and manufacturing centre in Istanbul, Hitachi Kokusai Turkey (HKT) has developed a range of compact and versatile OB vehicles that provide a range of highly cost-effective production solutions.

Bexel expertly delivers unparalleled production services and bespoke solutions for the live broadcast market, with expertise in hire equipment, systems integration, fibre solutions, managed services and product sales. With a global footprint that has recently expanded beyond North America to include the United Kingdom and Mexico, Bexel is equipped to deliver the most important sporting and entertainment events to a worldwide audience.

SoCal Rentals was founded in 2008 to provide clients in broadcast, reality TV, live event production and AV/staging with full service audio, video and LED solutions offering production-specific engineering design, equipment rentals, expert technical management, project consulting and crews. The company recently added 12 AJA Ki Pro Ultras into their rental pool, which already includes massive quantities of AJA gear including hundreds of FiDO fiber and Hi5 SDI to HDMI Mini-Converters, 30 Ki Pros, 20 Ki Pro Racks, multiple FS1 and FS2 frame synchronizers, KUMO routers and more.
 

Cologne based Filmwerk has been a leading player in television, digital media, corporate and commercials for more two decades and has worked on some some of Germany’s most watched television programs, including “Supertalent” and “Kleines Wunder großes Glück.” With a team of more than 45 production professionals, Filmwerk has gained a reputation as one of Germany’s leading media production specialists.

Fujifilm is at the forefront in the development of 4K UHD optical technology. Since the emergence of two-third inch (2/3”) broadcast cameras and subsequent technology transformation which was initiated by the launch of Sony’s 4K 2/3” HDC camera series, other camera manufactures soon followed this trend (Grass Valley, Panasonic, Ikegami and Hitachi etc.). We believe that it is safe to state that this is not just a trend, as was witnessed a few years back with the introduction of 3D broadcast technologies. The demand for 4K Ultra High Definition production acquisition, workflow and transmission technology has thus increased since the first live trail productions back in 2014 (FIFA World Cup). Since then we have seen a substantial surge in 4K UHD live productions, especially in the past twelve months, which to some extent can also be contributed to the increased proliferation of 4K UHD TV sets in private households and resulting demand for more 4K UHD content.

Ikegami cameras have been chosen for the OB-10 live production vehicle recently completed for sports channel Al Kass in Qatar. The vehicle is believed to be the largest ever commissioned by a Middle East broadcaster. Dimensions including tractor unit are 16.5 meters length and 4 meters height. Width is 2.5 meters expanding to 4.1, fully self-supporting. Total weight is 37 tons. It is equipped with 31 cameras for operation by a 29-strong crew.