Newsletter from 03/02/2013
Schladming all set for “Ski Festival with Heart”
MOBILE PRODUCTION
Game Creek Glory
Game Creek Video was founded in 1993 with a very simple concept - to provide our customers with top quality television production units, top quality support and coordination, and most importantly, the highest quality engineering. From that concept, Game Creek has grown to become the mobile production company of choice for those customers who rely on a positive approach to getting their productions on the air. Game Creek can provide a wide variety of mobile units to fit our customers needs. From the largest, most technically complex shows to the simple closed-circuit corporate event, our units are positioned to meet every demand. Customers include the country's leaders in television production: ABC, CBS, ESPN, FOX, HBO, NBC, Major League Baseball, NBA Entertainment, YES Network, The USA Network, The NFL Network, and Winnercomm are some of the companies that continue to use Game Creek Video. Our mobile units and engineers have been providing service for these and other customers at events such as the World Series, MLB All Star Game, the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals and the NBA All Star Game, the MLS Cup, the Masters, the Kentucky Derby.
Get the specs of Game Creek Glory here
TopVision HD Ü1 3D
TopVision Telekommunikation GmbH is Germany’s leading TV production company and are a familiar sight at Germany’s largest sports event and are employed on a number of high-profile national and international assignments. Although sports coverage plays a major part of the company’s activities (Bundesliga, Champions League, Athletics, Tennis, Wintersports), the portfolio includes high profile concerts (New Years Concert, Salzburg Festival) and other shows and events (Live Earth, Scorpions). With its Ü1 3D TopVision is able to produce 3D alongside HD simulcasts. And with its Ü5.1 TopVision has set the standard for HD production. Besides Sky Germany, the client list includes ARD, ZDF, Sportcast, Plazamedia, Swiss Television, Austrian Television ORF, DFB, Infront, Kentaro, and Music Delight Concert. Outside of its native Germany, TopVision operates in countries as far apart as Japan, the USA, Korea, Greece, Russia and the United Kingdom.
Get the specs of TopVision HD Ü1 3D here
Gearhouse Broadcast Adds New HD OBVan to Australian Fleet
Gearhouse works with many of the top producers in Australia including Seven Network, Fox Sports, Granada Media, Fremantle and Foxtel to bring viewers exciting content such as AFL, A League soccer, Australia’s Got Talent and Super Rugby. The new HD5 unit was designed by Gearhouse Broadcast’s team of Senior Broadcast Engineers and was built and integrated at Gearhouse Broadcast UK Head Office in Hertfordshire. The systems integration took fourteen weeks to complete and includes the latest in broadcast technology Cameras, Vision Mixers, Monitors, Routers, Communications, Audio Mixers and Glue Products. Gearhouse Broadcast’s Chief Executive Officer John Newton said “We are pleased to have developed a new outside broadcast vehicle to strengthen the offering within our existing outside broadcast fleet. Our expert in-house teams ensure that all our trucks offer the very best in technology and flexibility, making them suitable for all of our clients’ needs”.
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Mobile TV Group Builds First Triple-Feed Mobile Truck with Grass Valley
“33HDX will have a lot of firsts for Mobile TV Group to better serve our customers,” said Philip Garvin, General Manager for Mobile TV Group. “The 11 LDX Première cameras will be the first of the LDX Series cameras in our fleet and we can’t wait to start using these advanced cameras. Teamed with the Grass Valley Kayenne with K-Frame, we’ll also have our first triple-feed truck. Until the Kayenne with K-Frame, a triple-feed truck wasn't practical because it needs more than two control panels,” We need at least three control panels and enough mix-effects buses so that all three feeds have the M/E power they need to do a quality show. Grass Valley made the triple-feed 33HDX and VMU33 possible.”
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Omega Console to Turkish OB Leader HDProtek
HDProtek installed a 32-fader Omega console in a 40-fader chassis for future expansion. The console went into the new HDP03 truck, which became operational at the beginning of the year and mainly covers sports. Since that time, it has covered a number of live soccer games including some Turkish Cup matches. Turkish systems integrator Teratek handled the sale for Calrec along with installation and support. "The Turkish market is a good expansion for Calrec, particularly since we're working with such a high-profile client as HDProtek," said Anthony Harrison, Calrec's Middle East and Africa sales manager. "The service that Teratek provided in helping with the installation and integration will ensure that this first for Calrec will be a great success."
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Alfacam Group has received extension of the WCO and continues negotiations with Hinduja Group
Following a financial, tax, legal and commercial due diligence, Hinduja Group has reiterated the intention to proceed with negotiations on its contemplated investment in Alfacam Group, along the lines of the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 11 December 2012. Alfacam Group and Hinduja Group will continue negotiations with the objective to reach an agreement as early as possible. The contemplated transaction will result in a significant controlling stake for Hinduja Group which may result in dilution of the existing shareholders. The exact details of the transaction structure are subject to further discussion and agreement between the parties, respecting all regulations and stakeholder interests. Alfacam will communicate the exact details as soon as full agreement between the parties has been reached in respect thereof.
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STUDIO PRODUCTION
Magic Media Company Studio 53
With the studio lot Coloneum, which covers 39.5 acres, Magic Media Company (MMC) is one of Europe’s largest and most advanced TV and film studio operators. MMC operates 19 sound stages and TV studios with a total floor area of 221,000 sq ft. These stages and studios offer space for every type of movie, TV or event production. Sizes range from 1,900 to 27,600 sq ft, including the two tallest stages in Europe with a height of 85 ft each (one of them also has a water tank), as well as a green screen (3-Wall-Cyc) with a floor space of 2,325 sq ft and an operating area of 1,350 sq ft. All TV studios and sound stages are equipped with built-in production offices, dressing rooms, makeup & hair facilities, wardrobe areas and green rooms, as well as spaces dedicated to costume storage.
Get the specs of MMC Studio 53 here
ORF Studio 1
Österreichischer Rundfunk, ORF, ("Austrian Broadcasting") is the Austrian national public service broadcaster. Funded from a combination of television licence fee revenue and limited on-air advertising, ORF is the dominant player in the Austrian broadcast media. The ORF television channels are broadcast terrestrially and via the SES Astra 1H satellite at 19.2° east. Via satellite ORF1 and ORF2 are encrypted, allowing only Austrian residents who pay the Austrian television licence to watch them. ORF2 Europe is unencrypted and receivable via satellite in Europe. ORF is a supporter of the Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) initiative (a consortium of broadcasting and Internet industry companies including SES, OpenTV and Institut für Rundfunktechnik) that is promoting and establishing an open European standard for hybrid set-top boxes for the reception of broadcast TV and broadband multimedia applications with a single user interface.
Get the specs of ORF Studio 1 here
TEN Network Studios 1 + 2
Ten Network(commonly known as Channel Ten or simply Ten) is an Australian commercial television network. Ten Network is one of five main free-to-air networks in Australia. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country. Ten Network consistently rates third amongst all networks. Ten's current Australian program line-up consists of television shows such as: Offspring, Puberty Blues, MasterChef Australia, The Biggest Loser, Can of Worms, The Project, Bondi Rescue, Bondi Vet, The Living Room, Ready Steady Cook, Before the Game, Good Chef Bad Chef, Everyday Gourmet with Justine Schofield, Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation, Huey's Kitchen, ifish, and Young Talent Time.
Get the specs of TEN Studios 1 + 2 here
HD Signs Presents ARRI's ALEXA with Fiber Remote Option at Bavaria Film Studios
The system introduces ALEXA’s exceptional dynamic range, latitude, highlight and shadow details, color rendering, natural skin tones, high sensitivity and low noise to entirely new applications, allowing a significant increase in production value for a wide range of televised events. Fiber connectivity permits the ALEXA’s unparalleled image quality, already highly sought after for film-style, single camera production, to be used for live, multi-camera productions. The FRO consists of a Fiber Remote Box mounted on top of the ALEXA camera, coupled with a Telecast CopperHead 3400 system, which includes a camera-mountable transceiver, base station and CHRCP-2050 remote camera control panel. The CopperHead 3400 system is ARRI-certified as an essential third-party accessory that enables the ALEXA cameras to be connected and remotely controlled via SMPTE 311M fiber.
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SPORTS
Schladming is Ready for the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships
From February 4th through 17th 2013 the focus of international ski competition shifts squarely to Schladming. During the 14 days of the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships, a total of 400,000 visitors are expected. In eleven different competitions with a field of around 450 athletes from 70 nations, 33 medals will be handed out. Over 3,000 media representatives from around the world will provide comprehensive coverage. The host broadcaster ORF has commissioned sono Studiotechnik GmbH, Munich to build and to operate the master control room (MRC) at the IBC (International Broadcast Center). For all the fiber optic connections between the IBC, the Planai (the competition area) and the medal plaza as well as for the intercom sono has sub-contracted Riedel.
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UEFA Executive Committee Confirms EURO 2016 Venues
The UEFA Executive Committee has confirmed the ten venues for UEFA EURO 2016, presented by the tournament hosts, the French Football Federation (FFF). At its meeting at the House of European Football in Nyon, the committee confirmed the following venues for the final round in three summers’ time: Bordeaux, Lens, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Paris, Saint-Denis (Stade de France), Saint-Etienne and Toulouse. Before then, UEFA's member associations will begin the qualifying competition for UEFA EURO 2016 in September 2014, following the qualifying competition draw the previous spring. The final-round draw will follow at the end of 2015.
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EVS XT3 Servers Help Al-Kass at the 21st Gulf Cup of Nations
Al Kass covers domestic sports and provides extensive coverage of football, including major tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup qualifying matches and the AFC Asian Cup. For the Gulf Cup of Nations, Al Kass needed a solution to help it get the Bahrain-hosted tournament to air, so it looked to EVS to provide a suitable workflow. Al-Kass provided a fleet of OB vans for the live production and produced highlights packages from the main media centre at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Manama. enlarge image copyrighted by liveProduction.tv “We needed an integrated and collaborative workflow that would help us turnaround content faster and more efficiently,” said Samer Younes, consultant engineer for Al Kass. “We relied on EVS’ expertise in live sport production to give us the tools to make this happen reliably. The project was a huge success and delivered great quality live football and highlights packages.”
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SHOWS
First Robe ROBIN DLF Wash Moving Lights On Tour in UK with The Human League
The first of Robe’s new ROBIN DLF LED Wash lights to go on tour in the UK were just ideal for Rob Sinclair’s lighting design for The Human League's recent UK tour – which incorporated ten of the PLASA Innovation Award winning fixtures. The rig also contained several other Robe fixtures, including five DigitalSpot 7000 DTs, which together with the DLF Washes, were used to illuminate and project on to a scenic back wall above and behind the band, constructed from ten Airformance Design ‘Waben Blocks’. The concept of utilising the Blocks originally came from lead vocalist Philip Oakey, who had seen these at a festival during the summer and thought they would look very cool onstage – which they did!
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Bryan Hartley Picks Hog 4 For TSO
Hartley has been an advocate for Hog 3 since employing it on a Motley Crue / Aerosmith tour ten years ago. He says, "I saw the Hog 4 at LDI, and thought it looked awesome. Initially, my thought process was to wait until next year to upgrade, as the board was not quite yet available for delivery. But when I got into rehearsals, something just triggered; I called Craig Burross at High End and told him I wanted to buy a Hog 4 … he said 'absolutely'. Bryan did all the programming for TSO on the Hog 3, and received the Hog 4's about two weeks into the tour. "We were already in a groove," he says. "Chris Muenchow from High End came out with the desk and got it all going. The change was amazingly seamless; we just brought it in and used it. I put my show in from the Hog 3, and just about everything came up. I did have to change my palettes around a bit because of the larger screens. Chris helped me get a few issues sorted out, and it worked perfectly on both legs for the entire tour!"
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Clay Paky Sharpy Illuminate the Carrie Underwood’s World Tour
Country music superstar Carrie Underwood continues her Blown Away Tour with a large inventory of Clay Paky Sharpy fixtures on hand to accent the video components of the show. The singer’s first worldwide tour is in support of her fourth album, “Blown Away.” Lighting designer Peter Morse of Peter Morse Productions in South Lake Tahoe, California based his lighting scheme around three extremely large, trapezoidal-shaped, moving LED panels, which posed dynamic weight, power and sight-line block challenges. A tilting projection floor added to the task, “necessitating a ‘surgical’ application to lighting design and programming to avoid washing out all the projected images,” Morse reports. He decided to hang the trussing in a way to complement and amplify the angles created by the trapezoid-shapes moving LED walls.
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PRODUCTS
Sony PMW-1000 SxS Memory Recording Deck
Due to its versatility, the PMW-1000 meets the needs of broadcasters and individuals in studio or Outside Broadcast vans, and is suitable for the production of commercials, documentaries, or corporate and education videos, at an affordable price. “Last year we introduced the PMW-50 SxS field gear to expand support of XDCAM HD422 video production in the field. We also introduced our new open codec XAVC, already implemented in the PMW-F5 and PMW-F55 CineAlta cameras. The PMW-1000 studio recording deck is the next natural step to bring enhanced and easy workflow support,” said Fabien Pisano, Strategic Marketing Manager, Sony Europe. “The versatility of the PMW-1000 in terms of interfaces, coupled with linear-like operation and the ability to record the XAVC HD format on SxS media, make it an ideal choice for broadcasters and production houses looking for an affordable, quality production solution or for a smooth transition from SD to HD.”
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The Power of the Senses
Audio description is a technique that is used to help blind or visually impaired people to better understand and perceive visual processes. To this end, special commentators, trained in individual sessions and familiar with theoretical knowledge, comment on any ongoing action. Since the idea of audio description is essentially to replace what would usually be perceived through the eyes, the primary task is the conversion of all images into vivid headlines. Much more difficult for the commentator is the expression of atmosphere without adding personal emotion and opinion – the main difference between this and a radio commentary.
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New Martin Professional M6
More Than Just a Lighting ConsoleIncorporating the latest available technologies with an industrial multi-core processor, solid-state drives and custom-designed high-brightness touch screens, the M6 is capable of delivering up to 64 DMX universes directly from the console’s network ports without using costly external processors. With advanced features like a LiveBlender™ T-Bar, FastDial™ rotary encoders, Paired Playback buttons and BriteTouch™ display, the M6 is Martin’s most advanced console design ever. It offers a total of 44 playbacks, including dual Main Go sections, 10 motorized faders and 12 additional faders, as well as a total of 17 encoders for parameter access.
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IMT Soars to New Hights on Yves "Jetman" Rossy's Jet Pack
IMT’s RF Central microLite HD digital transmitter will be on board Jetman’s jet-engine powered wing to help the aviation trailblazer transmit high-quality live HD video of his flight to receive sites below and for live broadcast feed to New Zealand Channel 3 News. This will enable tens of thousands of fans to view his flight up close and personal on displays positioned on the ground. The New Zealand International Air Show, which will take place at North Shore Airfield, marks the first time Rossy will be flying in New Zealand. Known as the only man to fly with a jet-propelled wing, the 53-year-old’s perilous flight will begin as he is dropped from a plane with only his wing, comprised of carbon fiber and four jet engines, keeping him in the air. Reaching speeds of up to 300km/h Rossy will steer using his body movements. According to him, this allows him to fly as free as a bird. Thanks to IMT’s microLite video transmission capabilities, those attending the air show will be able to view his flight, which will be captured by two GoPro cameras mounted on the jet pack’s wing tips.
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3D / 4K ARISING
Japan to start 4K TV in July 2014
The first 4K broadcasts in Japan will be transmitted via the country’s communication satellites rather than via the direct broadcast satellites. However, usage of BS satellites is planned at a later stage, quickly followed by digital terrestrial broadcasting. Originally, the Japanese were planning to launch 4K broadcast in 2016. The move to bring the world’s first regular 4K broadcasts forward is intended to boast 4K television set sales. The 4K televisions are now on sale by Japanese makers including Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba and Sharp as well as from Korean manufacturers such as LG and Samsung. This does not mean that public broadcaster NHK is abandoning plans for 8K transmission. Asahi re-states that NHK’s 8K Ultra-HDTV transmissions will kick off in 2016.
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China’s Hunan TV goes S3D with Quantel
The new Enterprise sQ system handles ingest, editing and output of S3D media within a totally integrated S3D workflow. The fast-turnaround production system will be used in Hunan TV’s new studio to produce 3D content in line with new regulations for China’s top broadcasters. Director of Hunan TV, Mr Gong Rulin, said, “The broadcast industry in China is very competitive, so we needed a high quality and reliable broadcast system to deliver excellent results to our wide audience. We chose Quantel Enterprise sQ because its video quality is much better than other systems. The Enterprise sQ workflow is much quicker, with an excellent time-to-air. Enterprise sQ collaborative workflows enable us to produce a lot of 3D content in a very short space of time. It allows a number of editors to work simultaneously on different sections of a program, making our turnaround time much faster.”
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ITU Agrees HEVC Standard
According to the ITU, the new standard, known informally as ‘High Efficiency Video Coding’ (HEVC), will considerably ease the burden on global networks where, by some estimates, video accounts for more than half of bandwidth use. The codec will need only half the bit rate of its predecessor, ITU-T H.264 / MPEG-4 Part 10 ‘Advanced Video Coding’ (AVC), which currently accounts for over 80 per cent of all web video. HEVC will unleash a new phase of innovation in video production spanning the whole ICT spectrum, from mobile devices through to Ultra-High Definition TV. ITU-T’s Study Group 16 has agreed first-stage approval (consent) of the standard known formally as Recommendation ITU-T H.265 or ISO/IEC 23008-2. It is the product of collaboration between the ITU Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) and the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG).
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