ATP Media and Gearhouse test 4k and 1080p HDR technology at Nitto Finals
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ATP Media, the broadcast arm of the ATP World Tour carried out a live 4K v 1080p HDR test at the Nitto ATP Finals, the season ending finale held in November 2017 at The O2, London. The test was designed to see side-by-side, the two production formats in a live tennis environment, as part of ATP Media’s commitment to trialling the latest technologies to advance its broadcast offering.
The ATP Media and Gearhouse team were able to combine the Sapphire HEVC system seamlessly with the main production, with all the outputs coming from one desk and one Director’s cut. This allowed them to compare their existing 1080i output with 4K SDR, 4K HDR and 1080p HDR. ATP Media were therefore able to see exactly how the formats compare.
ATP Media are now engaging with their rights-holders to gather feedback on when they will be ready to broadcast in 4K or 1080p HDR.
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The demonstration room at The O2 was also an opportunity for ATP Media to test Dolby Atmos and compare it to Dolby Digital 5.1. As a globally travelling OB with a big variety of Stadia, the test was designed to understand the challenges of producing in Atmos and to experiment with what a “Tennis Atmos Soundscape” could sound like.
Shane Warden, ATP Media’s Director of Broadcast & Technology said:
“The test was an important step forward for ATP Media and the results showed that 1080p HDR could be a very attractive format for us in tennis that efficiently provides the huge benefits of HDR to our broadcasters and viewers. We’ll need to do further tests to include delivery, and dialogue with our broadcasters around the world will be important in our next steps.”
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Dominic Gresset, ATP Media’s Executive Producer added:
“4K might be the best option for a one-off football or cricket match, but covering an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event with up to four main televised courts has big implications when it comes to producing in 4K. As host broadcasters we have to find the right balance between creating the best possible product with realistic production and delivery budgets, along with the capabilities and requirements of our rights-holders.”
Discussing the performance of the system, Gearhouse Broadcast’s Mathieu Rocton said:
“This is a real game-changer for us as we are now able to offer our clients world class 4K productions including wireless video with low-latency UHD. We look forward to working closely with the team at Broadcast Wireless Systems in order to roll-out this new technology into future productions.”
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About ATP Media:
As the broadcast arm of the ATP World Tour, ATP Media was formed in 2001 as Tennis Properties Limited; providing the centralised exploitation across the ATP World Tour, host broadcast production for the Nitto ATP Finals, Next Gen ATP Finals, ATP World Tour Masters 1000s and world feed production for the ATP World Tour 500s. ATP Media has unrivalled access and expertise in the full-service broadcast production of men’s professional tennis with an end to end solution for global broadcasters incorporating: rights sales, multi-platform production, a global fibre distribution network and a market leading digital archive.
About Gearhouse Broadcast
Gearhouse Broadcast is one of the world’s leading and most innovative broadcast services providers. It supplies technical facilities, crew and services to capture the world’s most watched live and near live content from iconic events such as the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics, to popular entertainment programmes such as The X Factor and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.
It delivers services including project solutions, outside broadcast, equipment rental, systems integration, RF, equipment sales and event communications to the world’s most respected broadcasters, production companies and rights holders. With offices in the UK, France, Australia, USA and Qatar - and a fleet of HD and 4K OB trucks in Australia and the US - Gearhouse Broadcast can meet the most complex broadcast requirements locally or on location anywhere in the world.
Through its reputation for reliability and the early adoption of emerging technologies such as 4K, IP and remote production, Gearhouse Broadcast has built up an enviable track record of providing cost-effective equipment, end-to-end solutions and support for all types of broadcast needs.
Its talented and dedicated staff are employed for their expertise and experience. They offer unparalleled product and industry understanding, small and large-scale project experience, technical know-how, consultancy skills, systems integration knowledge and advanced awareness of emerging trends.
Clients include some of the most highly respected broadcasters and programme makers in the world such as BBC, Sky, UEFA, Al Jazeera, ESPN, Host Broadcast Services, ZDF, Channel 9, Fox Sports, MTV Networks, Univision, The London Studios, IMG, ITV, ATP Media, France 3, Globecast and TF1.