NEP Sweden Rolls out EVS XT4K Servers in New UHD-1 OB

Designed to cover the highest-profile events across northern Europe, UHD-1 was deployed for the first time to produce live coverage of the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship from the Royal Arena in Copenhagen where Sweden won the gold medal. NEP Sweden provided the tournament’s host broadcasting services for Host Broadcast Services (HBS), and for which it used 30 cameras, five of which were triple-speed super motion, and all recording in 1080p50 Full HD.

The XT4K ChannelMAX servers installed within UHD-1 ingested all the live camera feeds and were used to create the most engaging replays and highlights for ice hockey fans around the world. UHD-1 also featured XFile3 systems from EVS, which were used to efficiently manage all file flow requirements of the live production.

All the games, which were produced in 1080p50, were ingested and archived with the XT4K and XFile3 systems using AVC-Intra. XFile3 was also used to instantly export clips and highlights created by LSM operators during the live to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the host broadcaster for online and social media publication.

“NEP is a long-time user of EVS servers, as we know we can rely on the quality of the technology,” said Jens Envall, Technical Director at NEP Sweden. “Throughout the tournament the 1080p50 images ingested by the XT4K servers have been truly outstanding. And the level of channel flexibility that the EVS server offers is a huge benefit, as it lets us deploy our cameras, including super motion units, however we need to.”

Following the event, NEP Sweden’s UHD-1 will also become one of the first OBs to benefit from the installation of EVS’ next-generation server – XT-VIA. The new server features up to six channels of UHD-4K and ChannelMAX allows 12-plus channels of HD and Full-HD, so service providers like NEP can operate more efficiently, producing programming in whatever format and resolution is required by broadcasters and rights holders.

“We know that EVS’ technology and support always deliver to the highest standards,” said NEP Sweden’s Managing Director Rikard Troell Norén. “So, adopting a path to transition to the new XT-VIA server is a natural decision, because it fully supports HD, Full HD and UHD resolutions and operates in a higher dynamic range as needed. At the same time, the servers’ native SMPTE 2110 support and flexibility of operation in SDI or IP infrastructures implies we can deploy them in whatever configuration our customers require, in any kind of production workflow.”

Announced at the 2018 NAB Show, XT-VIA is built on EVS’ new VIA technology platform that uses modular services to allow users to create personalized software-centric live production workflows. NEP Sweden will integrate the new server into its UHD-1 truck once they begin shipping this summer

EVS is globally recognized as the technology leader for live video production. The company introduced Live Slow Motion replay in 1994, and has continued to build on its reputation for quality and reliability with solutions that enhance live sports, entertainment and news content. Innovations – such as the C-Cast multimedia platform and DYVI software-defined switcher – are raising the bar for live production enrichment, management and distribution. Broadcasters, rights owners, producers and venues alike use EVS to maximize the value of their productions and increase revenue streams.

The company is headquartered in Belgium with offices in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America, and provides sales and technical support to more than 100 countries.