Newsletter from 30/12/2015
The TV Live Production of the 2015 Solheim Cup
The biggest and most prestigious tournament in women´s golf, the biennial Solheim Cup , was staged for its very first time in Germany from 18 – 20 September. U.COM Media was on-site at the Golf Club St. Leon-Rot to produce the world feed, daily international news, new media content for different social media channels, the event´s in-house TV and to coordinate four unilateral feeds for SKY UK, Golf Channel, SWR and the German Digital Feed provided by Riverside while the European Team tried to win the title for the third consecutive time against the US Team. U.COM was working together with TV Director Felix Marggraff who had laid out a camera plan consisting of 54 camera positions along the 18 holes course.
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MOBILE PRODUCTION
TV Skyline OB8
TV Skyline is an innovative service provider for television and broadcasting. Its HD OBVan fleet is equipped with the latest and highest-quality broadcast technology. For over 20 years, TV Skyline realizes productions for its customers at the highest level in the fields of sport, entertainment, music, events and industry. In addition, TV Skyline is one of the world's leading developer and manufacturer of specialty cameras. A separate studio operations and capacities in the field of digitization and post-production complete its service portfolio. With its new OB8 TV Skyline has moved forward anothe step in regards to technology and design.
Studio Video Art OB7
Driven by a passion for television, Studio Video Art is a leading service provider in the Romanian broadcast market. By combining the best available technologies, state of the art equipment and a team of professionals, Studio Video Art stands for customer-oriented production services. For the most important production events Studio Video Art can quote: Unilateral transmissions from EURO 2008 European Football Championship in Switzerland for Romanian Television (TVR), UNICEF and UNESCO’s - Making of Rigoletto, and the World Hockey Championship (Group A), in Budapest, Hungary, 2003, Live feeds from WORLD CUP 2006 in Germany, Live Boxing for Interbox and HBO BOXING USA, K1 Collizion Event in Split, Croatia in 2009 and 2010.
MMC’s OB Truck Premiere at the Web Video Award in Düsseldorf
A total of 13 cameras were used at the event location, Castello in Düsseldorf. The director, Michael Maier, positioned 10 cameras inside the event hall and 3 outside, by the red-carpet area. These cameras included 7 Grass Valley (GVG) LDK8000s, 3 wireless GVG LDK8000 elites—two of which served as Steadicams while one was a handheld camera—as well as one GVG LDX compact, one Toshiba HD1, and for the action behind the scenes, one Marshall CV500 with a Link wireless transmission system. The signals were processed in the outside broadcast truck, Ü1. The video signals were mixed on a GVG Kayenne XL. The playbacks were carried out via four channels on a Grass Valley Summit Server. Graphics and captions were created by means of a Ross XPression character generator.
NEP Forms New Group Dedicated to Supporting Major International Events
NEP CEO, Kevin Rabbitt said, “We see a growing market for major international events that require more than a standard OB. Since our founding, NEP has provided custom, high-quality broadcast infrastructure, technical support and host broadcast services for these types of events, but this new team will allow us to provide a dedicated service line focused solely on these major international events and projects. With the ability to draw from our exceptional worldwide network, our new major projects group will be able to provide industry-leading solutions to our clients no matter where they go.” NEP’s new major projects group will draw on their worldwide team of over 600 engineers and technical experts to help create custom solutions for each project.
TVN MOBILE PRODUCTION relies on Sennheiser: Always on the move and “DD ready”!
The special trademark of German production company TVN is its fleet of outside broadcast trucks. Designed by experienced engineers, these trucks are used throughout Europe for producing sporting events, shows and concerts for television in optimum audio and video quality. Wireless gear of Sennheiser’s 3000/5000 and 2000 series ensures that the sound engineers are perfectly equipped to meet all challenges of national and international events – even under the demanding conditions posed by the second Digital Dividend. The fleet of vehicles currently includes four 40-tonne tractor-trailers (OB truck and equipment truck), a six-camera SNG uplink truck based on a Mercedes-Benz Vario, a multi-purpose vehicle and various flightcase solutions that integrate OB truck technology into containers.
IP PRODUCTION
DutchView | Infostrada chooses SAM for enterprise-scale hybrid IP/SDI production via the Cloud
Dutchview | Infostrada’s bold vision will enable the company to dramatically reduce on-location and in-studio equipment requirements by centralizing all production operations around its own data center, fed by IP streamed media over its own fiber links direct from events, studios and centralized galleries. SAM has supplied Sirius 800 routers, Kahuna switchers and IQ Modular infrastructure for the project, which will begin production operations with SDI signals in October 2015, but transition over time to full IP operation. To achieve initial hybrid operation, SAM is supplying its new IQMIX IP/SDI conversion modules, using DS Link cables to reduce the cabling between the SDI systems and IP switch by a factor of 8.
NewTek Advanced IP Redefines Live Production Workflow
At IBC 2015, NewTek™ demonstrated NewTek Advanced IP Workflow, a visionary and groundbreaking new live production paradigm that provides broadcast stations and networks, studio facilities and video production departments in any company an immediate gateway to the IP future. This development builds upon NewTek’s deep experience with computer/IP-based technology already deployed in tens of thousands of live production systems. NewTek Advanced IP Workflow allows production switchers to communicate with cameras and other video sources connected on a network, assign any of them as inputs, and deliver multi-channel, high quality, frame-accurate video encoded in real-time, all over standard Ethernet networks.
Euro Media Group Is First to Deploy VidiGo Live Remote Production Environment
VidiGo, a ChyronHego company, today announced that it has signed a contract with Euro Media Group (EMG), Europe's leading provider of broadcast facilities and services, to deploy VidiGo's all-new VidiGo Live solution in four live production galleries. As the first user of the VidiGo Live software for live multicamera television production, EMG is now officially a VidiGo technology partner. "This new technological partnership is in line with EMG's proactive digital strategy and reinforces our leadership in the broadcast industry. We are pleased to work with the VidiGo team, whose solutions will add value to EMG Content Services' existing offering," said Thierry Drilhon, chairman and CEO of EMG.
Suitcase TV wins prestigious IABM Design & Innovation Award
Suitcase TV, a leader in software development for broadcast, has announced that it has received the IABM Design & Innovation Award for Acquisition & Production. The award was given for Suitcase TV’s ground-breaking iphrame Vision Remote solution, which offers centralised production of outside broadcasts and other live events. It enables broadcasters to significantly reduce their costs by allowing key personnel to operate the system from virtually any location where there is an internet connection. Additional cost savings can be achieved because of the reduction in travel and transport costs of personnel and equipment. Only the cameras and associated technical teams need to be deployed on-site.
SPORT EVENTS
Track and field coverage at IAAF WC in Beijing 2015 relies on Cobham systems
The historic Beijing National Stadium, known as the “bird’s nest” that hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics, was the focal point for CCTV’s coverage where CSS Group deployed four Solo H.264 ENG TX, PRORXD HD receivers, and respective camera control systems. Cobham liaised with CSS for installation, testing, operations before, and during the nine-day games to assist the host broadcaster produce the pragmatic general multicast (PGM) for regional broadcasters around the world. Video signals from the stadium were sent to the central production compound over standard HD-SDI fibre optic systems. Camera control was achieved with Cobham’s specialist four-in-one system enabling four cameras to be controlled over the one UHF channel.
LMC plays major role at The SOLHEIM CUP 2015
LMC LiveMotionConcept GmbH together with Keytoq supplied most of the „virtual enhancements“ during the 3 days of competition. One major element was LMC´s Protracer PICO solution. A combination of the awarded Antelope PICO UltraSlowMotion POV camera and swedish based ProTracer technology. Keytoq as official graphics supplier developed some new virtual graphics to illustrate distance and slope on the fourth green. Using a calibrated Canon J86x lens and a sensor head it was possible to measure putt-distances on the fly. Comparison of multiple ball positions on the green as well as a slope indication was also displayed during the telecast.
VIDELIO-Events + Utram and Riedel MediorNet Serve Up an Ace at Roland-Garros
As the giants of the tennis world battled for victory at Roland Garros, VIDELIO-Events + Utram and Riedel Communications' MediorNet real-time media network brought the spectacle to large-screen displays distributed across courts at the storied Stade Roland-Garros in Paris, as well as to the internal IPTV distribution network supporting the entire tournament. The live video processing and distribution system supplied by VIDELIO and Riedel enabled the Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT) to provide fans with the rich and informative visual and aural production expected of today's top-tier sports events.
PURE LIVE Directory 2015 now available in our Online Shop
The 2015 Directory gives an overview on high end live productions from all around the world: The Volvo Ocean Race, the UEFA Champions League Final in Berlin, The Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, The SEA Games in Singapore, The European Games in Baku, The UK Golf Open in St. Andrews, or The Glastonbury Festival to only name a view out of the 22 case studies we present. In addition you find 20 HD OBVans & HD Studios: _wige HD_one & _wige HD_two, Bayerischer Rundfunk FÜ2, CTV OB11, Gearhouse Broadcast OBPod, Gearhouse Broadcast Supertrucks 5 & 8, JSBC 4K OBVan, Nydalen Studios, OB-Team HD 2 & OB-Team HD 3, OB-Team SNG 9 HD, Oman TV HD1 Salalah & HD2 Muscat, Telerecord Unit 24, TopVision Ü2, TV Skyline Flight Pack, Videohouse HD one & HD two. Included in the 200 pages are also 17 company portraits like OB-Team Norway, Gearhouse Broadcast, _wige Group, Ostankino, or TopVision and finally a preview on NHK's 8K initiatives towards the Olympic Games 2020 in Tokyo.
SHOW EVENTS
Royal Albert Hall Gets Spaced Out with Robe
London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall (RAH) venue purchased 17 x Robe BMFL Spot moving lights in February which have been used on a myriad of shows and events in the last few months including Space Spectacular, a co-promotion between the RAH and Raymond Gubbay Ltd., featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) conducted by Anthony Inglis playing a series of space-orientated works. Lighting was crafted by the RAH’s Lighting Designer & Systems Manager, Richard Rhys Thomas, who used 16 of the BMFL Spots, 34 of the house Robe PARfect LED PARs together with 16 x LEDBeam 100s and 32 x Pointes which were hired in from TSL Lighting as part of a large rig.
Dave Grohl’s Iron Throne Powered by Ayrton MagicDot™-R
Foo Fighters front man, Dave Grohl, has famously reclaimed the stage for the band’s Sonic Highways tour, mounted on his own ‘Iron Throne’ after breaking his leg in a fall from the stage in Gothenburg in June. The throne is adorned with a corona of 12 Ayrton MagicDot™-R LED moving lights which are used by lighting designer, Dan Hadley, both as feature lighting and for illumination of the charismatic singer. MagicDot-R is one of Ayrton’s newest fixtures and the first professional LED moving head to feature a single 60W 4.5° RGBW LED source. Its totally round head fits within the diameter of its cylindrical base in all positions, allowing bold new configurations with barely a centimeter of space between two luminaires.
Colour Sound Lights Arcadia ‘Metamorphosis’ in Bristol
Arcadia’s awesome new immersive spectacular “Metamorphosis” came alive in a city centre setting for the first time in Queen Square Bristol, where together with the Lords of Lightening and an array of breath-taking aerial stunts the ground-breaking 30 minute mixed-media show united the energies and experimental spirit of rave and physical theatre with some impressive technical wizardry! London based lighting and visuals rental company Colour Sound Experiment renewed their excellent working relationship with Arcadia, providing lighting for the 12 metre high three-legged spider built out of industrial scrap metal. This invigorating project was co-ordinated for Colour Sound by Haydn Cruickshank (H) and Arcadia’s technical production manager, Tim Smith, with Stu Barr looking after all the Colour Sound elements on site, working alongside four Arcadia technicians.
PRODUCTS
Redefining Sports Audio Production with Lawo KICK
When interfaced with modern image analysis and tracking systems, KICK’s unique, patent-pending, technology guarantees a consistent, fully-automated, high-quality, close-ball audio mix for sports such as soccer, rugby and American football. KICK’s intuitive graphical user interface allows easy adjustment of all of all of its parameters, including the placement of microphones, their polar patterns and microphone prioritization. The system ensures transparent sound pickup with its excellent ‘noise-to-kick’ ratio, significantly reducing crowd noise. It also ensures a consistent audio level without noticeable fades for seamless inclusion in a broadcast mix, and delivers a mix that is 100% repeatable from match to match. It remains highly accurate, even after 90 minutes of play.
A world first: Sennheiser’s EK 6042 two-channel camera receiver
“This is a true “one for all” receiver,” said Tobias von Allwörden, product manager, Sennheiser Broadcast & Media. “It works with any Sennheiser series from Digital 9000, 5000 and 3000 down to 2000 and evolution wireless G3, and automatically identifies the transmitter via an IR link.” The camera receiver chooses its own operating mode depending on the transmitter, and also selects the appropriate bandwidth and frequency in the UHF range between 470 and 654 MHz. As a true diversity receiver with four separate receiver circuits, the EK 6042 is extra-reliable, even in difficult RF environments. The EK 6042 can be combined with either a 15-pin adaptor to slot directly into Sony cameras, or a 25-pin adaptor for Unislot- and SuperSlot-compatible devices.
Ross Video Launches Ultrix – The Ultimate Connectivity Platform
Ross Video has redefined the compact routing switcher space with the launch of Ultrix. Ultrix is much more than just a router, which is why Ross is calling it The Ultimate Connectivity Platform. Ultrix packs an unprecedented feature set into a compact package including formerly big router only technology like audio processing and multi-viewers while supporting the new SMTPE 12G standard that gets 4K/UHD video on a single coaxial cable. By incorporating these features, Ultrix substantially reduces system cost, increases flexibility and simplifies system design.
4K / 8K ARISING
NASA and Harmonic Partner to Launch First UHD Consumer Channel in North America
NASA TV UHD video is being sourced from high-resolution images and video generated on the International Space Station (ISS), Hubble Space Telescope, and other current NASA missions. Programming will also include remastered footage from historical missions, shots from NASA's development and training processes, and ultimately live launches. Leveraging the 8M pixel resolution of the UHD format, the channel will create the closest possible experience to looking out of the viewing Cupola of the ISS, for example. A test signal of NASA TV UHD is currently available on the AMC 18C satellite, with an expected launch date of Nov. 1, 2015.
Panasonic introduced new live production lineup
The Panasonic stand at IBC in Amsterdam featured the company’s newly launched 4K studio camera, the AK-UC3000. Set for release in winter 2015, it is equipped with a sensor that outputs a UHD signal up to 3840x2160/50p. In addition, Panasonic showcased the professional video industry’s first 4K PTZ camera. The AW-UE70 delivers 3840x2160 at 25p via HDMI, and is capable of 4K IP streaming, 4K USB video class and in-camera 4K recording. The company also displayed a new flagship studio camera. The Full HD AK-HC5000, is capable of high-speed output, up to 1080/200p and will also be available in winter 2015.
Grass Valley Is First to Offer 4K 1-Wire Capability for Cameras and Switchers
Broadcasters around the world are focused on the exciting opportunities for enhanced content and efficiency offered by 4K and IP solutions, but are struggling to deal with the increased infrastructure required to handle the signals. At IBC 2015, Grass Valley, a Belden Brand, is unveiling a suite of products that provide support for 4K 1-wire transmission. Rather than requiring four 3G wires to carry an HD or 4K signal, the Grass Valley solutions use the award-winning TICO 4:1 visually lossless compression from intoPIX to carry a high-quality signal across a single wire. As a key part of Grass Valley’s “Glass-to-Glass” IP solution, 4K 1-wire connectivity allows the transmission of 4K signals using industry-standard 10 GigE connections, which avoids the need to use cumbersome and error-prone four quad signals (4 x 1080p), while also offering the flexibility and power of IP infrastructures.