tvte may 2015 nab special report

May 2015 I NAB Show Supplement

www.tvtechnologyeurope.com

NAB Show 2015 Special Report

CONTENTS

NAB: HDR IS VITAL IF ULTRA HD IS TO BE SUCCESSFUL

End-to-end

IP, virtualised

services and dive-

bombing drones

not withstanding,

the big

hysteria at NAB

surrounded 4K

and UHD. There

were working

4K-capable

cameras, switchers, lenses et al, and many

successful transmission tests.

But for every technological

breakthrough there were just as many

conversations about the benefi t 4K

would deliver once it was compressed to

‘broadcastable’ fi le sizes. The consensus

was ‘not a lot’.

If UHD can’t provide viewers with

a ‘wow’ factor or a visible or audible

benefi t, as a mass-market proposition it is

potentially doomed from the start. And, in

my opinion, it never will provide a benefi t if

we, as an industry, fail to take into account

an important cultural consideration. Even if

it’s possible to squeeze 4K into the home,

science tells us that to be able to detect the

additional resolution, TV screens must be

quite large and viewers must sit fairly close.

In Europe, especially in the UK and Ireland,

houses are small. And living rooms are

small. So TVs are small (relatively speaking).

And we don’t sit that close to them.

In my long but narrow living room in

the North of England, in order to retain the

same chair layout, I would need to upgrade

my current 32-inch HDTV to a 90-inch

(2.3m) 4K UHD screen that would block out

all of the light from the window. Either that

or I would to need to buy a 55-inch screen

and sit 3.5 feet away. Neither is practical.

This is why High Dynamic Range (HDR)

should be part of phase 1 and not phase 2

of the UHD roll out. The colour advantages

of HDR are plain to see on any size of

screen. With HDR included, UHD can create

a ‘wow’. Without it, there is a possibility that

no one will see a benefi t. And, as a result,

there may not even be a phase 2. Will Strauss

Editor

THE END ZONENAB vice president of technology John Marino discusses the themes and trends that epitomised this year’s show, covering UHD, IP, RF amplifiers, audio networking and more.

NO BROADCAST KIT BY 2020? In five years’ time, video production and distribution will be 100% IP-driven, argued Fox engineering VP Thomas Edwards during the NAB conference.

4K CAMERA ROUND-UPDirect from the show floor, Bob Kovacs provides an insight into the array of new 4K acquisition devices and 12G-SDI connection products that were on display at NAB.

14

08 16NAB COMMENTARYFrom IP and the death of SDI to HDR and the rise of the drones, Ericsson’s Steve Plunkett saw plenty in Las Vegas to get him excited this year.

FRENCH CONNECTIONFrancois Abbe, the chief executive of Montpellier’s Mesclado, provides TVTE with a French perspective on NAB, taking in 360-degree cameras, HDR and manufacturer reinvention.

NAB MARKETPLACE4K-capable equipment was high on the agenda at NAB this year and not just at the acquisition end of the broadcast chain.

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www.tvtechnologyeurope.com 03 NAB Special Report May 2015 TVTechnology

10

NAB REVIEW

There’s always so much to take in

at NAB, with all the new product

launches and refinements made

to recently released tools. What

really stood out for me this year though was IP.

To put it simply: IP has come of age. It’s

now a real option, meaning that everything

can be routed over IP.

From a sales and systems integration point

of view, IP presents us with an opportunity to

increase the flexibility of a workflow and reduce

the amount of cable required, therefore cutting

the overall costs of building infrastructures. All

of the major router manufacturers – Imagine,

Snell, Evertz and Axon – seem to have solved

the issues with using IP in their latest releases,

although the fact that they’re all slightly different

is a concern. The emergence of SMPTE 2020/6

as the preferred standard should help with

this going forward.

A real game changer for me is the Lawo

V_link4 single box video-over-IP tool (pictured,

above). We’re fortunate enough to be the

exclusive seller of this in the UK and Ireland,

because it has a big future. It enables remote

production over Gigabit Ethernet and will allow

users to put multiple picture and talkback systems

over the line, something that’s ideal for major

sporting events that are spread over a long period

of time or long distances.

Feeds can be taken straight into the vision

mixer which is either local, or at a different

site, and they can be mixed as live without any

redundancy or delay. Users of the V_link4 will

benefit from absolute certainty of reliability,

knowing that there will be no problems relaying

media over long distances.

ADDING VALUE

At Gearhouse, we look to deliver complete

solutions to help to our customers, rather than

just selling boxes, so at a show like NAB I’m

always interested in what will offer better

functionality or add value. It’s all well and good

having a 4K camera, which we do with the new

Hitachi SK-UHD4000 system, but that’s just one

part of the chain.

Fujinon announced its ‘world’s first’ 4K

broadcast zoom lens which adds credence to the

whole 4K story, and shows that the acquisition side

is ready. What’s interesting now is that routers and

vision mixers are also hitting the market with 4K as

standard, rather than being an optional extra. Of

course, 4K requires a means by which to record,

edit and broadcast what’s captured, and at NAB

this year, a number of those required elements

fell into place.

I was particularly interested in the new Cinedeck

ZX. It’s a relatively inexpensive 4K disc recorder that

looks like it would fit nicely into a 4K workflow,

enabling users to record in 4K, HD and low-res

proxy all at the same time. Up to now, the difficulty

has been how to turn around 4K media quickly,

but that challenge is currently being addressed by a

number of manufacturers.

Similarly, V-Nova’s new Perseus codec was on

the Hitachi stand. This could be a very important

development as it compresses a 4K broadcast

signal into the same bandwidth as an SD signal.

It seems that all of the various different

hardware aspects of an end-to-end 4K TV workflow

are now emerging. To me, this demonstrates that

4K is becoming a realistic option for the future.

BEST OF THE REST

EVS always has a raft of different products and the

presentation of its C-Cast APPlied contest winners

was interesting this year. These four applications use

EVS technology to distribute and utilise live video

content to mobile phones. Amongst them was a

VR app, a user-generated content aggregation app

and an app for social media integration with live

content. EVS also had the DYVI switcher on display.

Gearhouse was one of the first companies to buy

one of these. It a powerful piece of kit that’s going

to easily fit into remote production workflows.

Graphics-wise, news of Avid’s planned

acquisition of Orad stood out as it could help

Avid add content creation solutions to the Avid

MediaCentral Platform, while RCS Uppercut, which

was on the Vizrt stand, is a touchscreen device

that’s ideal for sports productions. It makes the

vision mixing and graphics interface much easier

and quicker to do, and its small footprint reduces

the amount of space required.

I also felt there was a lot of potential to add

new production values into sports and other events

with the Ncam 3D camera tracking system as it

allows virtual reality images to be placed into a live

environment like a football pitch.

IP comes of age NAB 2015 was all about the advancements in IP and the acceptance of 4K production workflows rather than the launch of individual standout products, argues Kevin Fitzgerald, head of system and product sales at Gearhouse Broadcast

www.tvtechnologyeurope.comTVTechnology NAB Special Report May 2015 4

IP presents us with an opportunity to increase the flexibility of a workflow and reduce the amount of cable required, therefore cutting the overall costs of building infrastructures.

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INTERVIEW

I t looks like 4K/UHD is here to stay. Is 4K just

a stop on the way to something even higher,

or should broadcasters plan to incorporate

some variety of 4K into their budgets?

John Marino: Of course, the consumer electronics

industry is heavily promoting 4K. Broadcasters on the

other hand, for the most part, have their sights set

on another technology that will improve the viewer

experience: HDR (High Dynamic Range). While 4K has

a lot to offer for production and post-production, 4K

does not offer much advantage to the typical in-home

viewing environment where most consumers have

small displays. HDR offers visible improvements on

all size displays and can be more easily implemented

by broadcasters. Dolby had a fantastic demo of HDR

video at the show that highlighted the improved

realism that HDR can bring to video content.

There was a lot of pre-show discussion about

IP video but the show featured multiple

companies showing 12G-SDI over coax. What

are your thoughts on the equipment connection

technologies shown at NAB?

Marino: IP video was a very hot topic at the 2015

NAB Show. Many companies are promoting

IP-centric products and applications that promise

to make the broadcast facility more efficient. In

these days of multiple channels and ever-changing

content and distribution demands, IP seems to be

a natural progression of the content ecosystem.

We’ve heard predictions that within the very near

future – five to ten years – IP will be the norm for

broadcasters. Based on the recent decision from

companies like Disney to jump on the cloud-based

IP bandwagon, we can certainly expect others to

soon follow.

When the digital transition began 15 years

ago, the focus was on MSDC IOT transmitters.

NAB: In the end zoneJohn Marino, the vice president of technology for the NAB, provides an insight into the themes and trends that epitomised this year’s show, covering UHD, IP, RF amplifiers, audio networking and more


About John MarinoPrior to joining NAB (National Association of

Broadcasters), John Marino was president of

a consulting firm with clients in the broadcast

and telecommunications industries. He

went on to become the vice president of

engineering for NewCity Communications

and a member of the NewCity Common

Council. During his 12 years at NewCity and its

predecessors, he managed a team of engineers

and was responsible for the evaluation, design

and construction of the company’s broadcast

stations. He is also a former radio personality

and programme director.

Marino joined NAB in

1991 as manager of

technical regulatory

affairs. Always interested

in helping broadcasters,

his responsibilities

presently include technology evaluation and

the development of NAB technology

conferences and educational activities. With

his technology and management background,

as well as his responsibilities for NAB, Marino

has a unique perspective on the show and its

technology trends.

www.tvtechnologyeurope.com NAB Special Report May 2015 TVTechnology9

However, it seems that solid-state transmitters

are now the favoured technology due to their

increasing efficiency and lower maintenance.

What impressed you in regard to RF trends at the

NAB Show?

Marino: Much R&D has gone into the development

of solid-state devices that will operate at high

power levels and high frequencies. We are

already seeing solid-state RF amplifiers equalling

or exceeding the efficiencies of IOT devices.

Transmitters utilizing solid-state in lieu of IOTs were

seen on the show floor this year from companies

such as GatesAir. One of the issues RF designers

are challenged with today is the demand for

broadband operation. With repacking concepts

being discussed, broadcasters may need to shift

operating frequencies. The ability of transmitting

hardware – including antenna systems – to

accommodate broadband operation can save

considerable dollars should channel changes

become necessary.

With cameras getting smaller and more

capable, the amount of camera support gear

(including drones) is exploding. From your

perspective, what are the more interesting trends

in camera support?

Marino: Interestingly – and largely unexpected

at this year’s show – we saw a large variety of

gimbals used to stabilise cameras. And companies

are still pushing the envelope to develop smaller

cameras with higher resolution. This is likely due to

the need to control weight for drone applications.

This trend seems to also be moving over into the

category of lenses, with companies improving

quality and reducing weight. I suspect that the next

few years will bring a lot of aerial photography

content – based on improved camera technology

and the low cost of unmanned aerial vehicles. We

also noticed the trend for camera developers to

offer ever more varieties of format options directly

from the camera body.

Audio networking standards have made news

lately. How do you see that part of the market?

Marino: Television audio has been sorely lacking

over the years. Since audio is a subjective art,

we have seen little attention being paid to it

aside from the ubiquitous synchronisation and

loudness concerns. Unless the station or network

has a resident ‘golden ears’ on staff who knows

how to properly monitor audio, quality is often

lacklustre. Flatscreen displays have ushered in the

home theatre environment with many consumers

opting to install audio gear along with their HD

sets. We expect this trend will encourage more

broadcasters to fine-tune their audio paths to

bring enhanced quality to the viewer. While NHK

[in Japan] has for many years at the NAB Show

demonstrated 22.2 channel audio, we don’t expect

this level of improvement to be available anytime

soon outside large cinema facilities.

However, surround sound of the 5.1 variety is here

to stay and broadcasters would be wise to take

advantage of it for local productions.

Do you have any other thoughts on technology

trends from NAB Show 2015?

Marino: We are seeing companies look at how

Millennials consume video content. Our new

generation of consumers expects to have its

content available anytime, anywhere and on any

device. While Facebook, Twitter and other social

media companies are addressing this basic need,

media organisations are seeking ways to make sure

they do not get left out. Content producers are

finding ways to improve user-generated content,

insert advertisements unobtrusively and produce

short-form entertainment that will capture the

passion of younger consumers. This year’s NAB

Show was a study in demographics as a myriad

of young technologists, producers, editors and

academics looked for professional options to satisfy

the future needs of the next generation. Time will

tell where we go from here but if content remains

king, technology will create new and better ways to

make it available to all.

Unless the broadcaster has a resident ‘golden ears’ on staff who knows how to properly monitor audio, the quality is often lacklustre

CONFERENCE REPORT

B y 2020 we should be able to walk into

a broadcaster and not see a single

piece of broadcast equipment, the

engineering vice president of one of

the US’ largest broadcast networks has argued.

Fox’s Thomas Edwards, speaking at a seminar

at NAB 2015, expects to see servers and some

storage solutions, just like in any data center,

“but I don’t [foresee] any broadcast equipment.

The future of production and distribution

of video services – for broadcast, cable and

other major programme providers – is an

IP-driven model.

“[In my mind] I don’t see any boutique gear or

bespoke hardware,” he added. “I want everything

to be virtualised and running on common off-

the-shelf Ethernet switchers and servers,” resulting

in a flexible and agile operation that can better

accommodate today’s massive drive for video

consumption and the increasing bandwidth

required to deliver programmes in 4K.

Edwards’ thoughts summed up the session

Cisco Presents: From Capture to Consumer: How

New Content Dynamics Are Affecting Broadcast

Infrastructures. The expert panelists, it was said,

are staring into the face of SDI-run backrooms

and declaring that IP will rush in and sweep much

of the old technology away. And whether you’re

on board now or think it’ll take five years to get

there, the shift is unavoidable.

THE IP MANIFESTO

Fox is certainly on board, having just built an all-IP

production truck that will be used for its upcoming

golf coverage. The trend is the same outside

the United States as well. The Brazilian television

network TV Globo has been running its drama

productions off IP workflows since 2010,

according to Raymundo Barros, chief technology

officer of TV Globo, and is in the midst of

developing a new IP-based OB truck for the

2016 Summer Olympics.

The benefits of IP manifest themselves in a

number of places, said Jaime Miles, group vice

president of the National Content Group at

Time Warner Cable. The group’s development

teams can now invest in staff who are focused

on building end-user applications, as opposed

to requiring engineers to understand the entire

infrastructure of the facility in order to get a piece

of equipment installed.

“Now our workflow [has become] fairly

IP-specific, [and this] allows us to go even farther,”

Miles said. “How do we become an application

development company? How do we build these

next-generation platforms? It also allows us to

scale really quickly.”

SECURITY CONCERNS

The panel discussion also touched on the impact

of consumer-created content, security concerns

that crop up when using a cloud infrastructure,

the ongoing battle over broadcast spectrum and

the importance of analytics when it comes to

understanding your audience. But what’s holding

back the wave of mass consumption via IP?

Primarily economics, the panelists agreed.

“Live news and sports are still [running

on an] SDI-based infrastructure,” Barros said.

“It will take a while until we can change the

whole infrastructure.”

But one of the technology’s strongest pulls

is its future-proofing capabilities. “Why do we

care about IP in the broadcast plant?” Edwards

asked. “One reason is that we don’t know what

the heck we’re going to be [using in] five years —

will we be doing 1080 60p, HDR, wide gamut?

We could be doing all of these things. The good

news is it all flows over IP. We future-proof

ourselves a little bit, which enables us to do all

these different things.”

There is no longer really a debate over

whether the industry should convert to IP; it’s

just about how to get there, Miles said. “It’s really

an economic question. It’s about managing

this evolution and doing it in a way that makes

economic sense and meets the demand,” he said.

“But there’s no question that over the next few

years, 100 per cent of our video delivery will be

end-to-end IP,” he said.

Cisco Presents: From Capture to Consumer:

How New Content Dynamics Are Affecting

Broadcast Infrastructures’ took place on 14 April at

the Las Vegas Convention Centre during

NAB Show 2015.

No broadcast kit by 2020? In five years’ time, video production and distribution will be 100 per cent IP-driven, says Fox engineering VPBY SUSAN ASHWORTH


IP will rush in and sweep much of the old technology away. That’s our vision. The question is, how do we get from here to there? Thomas Edwards

“T here is an ever-growing

demand for more channels

and services for increasingly

fragmented audiences, and

broadcasters need solutions that enable them to

achieve this without increasing either capex or opex

costs,” said Tim Thorsteinson, Quantel and Snell CEO.

“Our whole philosophy is based on future-proofing our

customers’ investments, helping them to transition to

the full benefits of the IP and 4K future without the cost

and disruption of complete infrastructure replacement.”

TRANSITIONING TO INTEROPERABLE

IP WORKFLOWS

Production infrastructures today need to

transition from SDI to IP and be built from

commodity hardware and media aware software

to take advantage of the IT industry’s huge

R&D investment. At NAB, Quantel and Snell

demonstrated a complete IP system including

routing, production switching, processing and

playout. We also showed how it is possible to

transition painlessly from today’s SDI world into

the IP future with plug-in modules for Sirius

800 routers and Kahuna switchers and a hybrid

SDI/IP control system, with industry-standard

interoperability guaranteed. This evolutionary

approach enables current products to work

across both worlds – eliminating the cost and

disruption of a complete refit.

There was also a raft of new developments

on show across routers, switchers, channel in

a box and news production that ensure customers

can get the best out of their existing infrastructure

while they transition to the IP future.

INCREASING EFFICIENCY AND OUTPUT

With audiences fragmenting and the number of

media channels continuing to multiply, content

creators and distributors need to deliver more with

less to make the economics add up. The answer is

more intelligence and automation in the pipeline.

Media-aware monitoring has the potential

to dramatically improve output quality while

simultaneously lowering costs. The Snell Media

Biometrics technology makes media-aware

monitoring a practical proposition: new Media

Biometrics modules for lip-sync, channel mapping

and logo assurance were introduced, as well as a

Media Biometrics signal generator.

In addition, enhancements to Morpheus (including

the schedule data miner that enables Morpheus

playout automation to interact intelligently with the

broadcaster’s scheduling system), and ICE CiaB (new

master control panel, eight outputs, faster transfers,

built-in scaling) deliver a sophisticated on-screen

presence more efficiently, with Media Biometrics

capability also enabled in ICE. Adaptive Cadence

technology was introduced for Alchemist OD, further

streamlining file-based conversion workflows.

TELLING COMPELLING STORIES

However efficient the operation is, it is great

content that attracts and retains audiences. Quantel

and Snell showcased a host of new developments

at NAB that enable content creators to tell

compelling stories in new ways.

Developments on show included: Pablo Rio

handling 8K 60p in real time; advances in 4K;

enhanced teamworking with the new Go! cross-

platform browser – enabling the right people to

work together on a story, wherever they are in the

world; and the new LiveTouch sports highlighting

system with integrated editing, enabling more

sophisticated and engaging sports coverage,

more quickly and easily.

Squaring up to the issues

SPONSORED REVIEW


At NAB, Quantel and Snell were sharply focused on delivering answers for three key issues facing the broadcast and media industries, writes Neil Maycock, the company’s VP of marketing

The Kahuna Maverik

ICE channel in a box


ACQUISITION

T he big action at this year’s NAB show

was definitely in 4K acquisition,

recording and editing. All the vendors

you might expect – Sony, Panasonic,

JVC, Canon, Hitachi, Grass Valley, Blackmagic

Design and Ikegami – showed either new or

recently introduced models.

There were also plenty of other manufacturers,

such as GoPro, AJA, Red, Arri and Nikon, who

had big displays at the show that focused on

cameras, and 4K was a good part of that. Here’s

a quick overview of the camera highlights from

NAB Show 2015.

STUDIO OPERATION

For studio operations, there were both

large-sensor single-chip cameras (such as the

Ursa line from Blackmagic Design) and small-

sensor multi-chip cameras from Sony, Hitachi

and Grass Valley.

Sony’s HDC-4300 stands out for using three 2/3-

inch 4K sensors, making the camera compatible

with B4-mount lenses that have traditionally been

popular in the television industry. In addition to

providing 4K at standard frame rates, the HDC-

4300 works with an optional software package to

deliver up to 480 fps HD video.

Hitachi displayed a prototype camera that uses

three 2/3-inch 4K sensors, and used the show to

promote its SK-UHD4000 camera, which uses

four ‘super-sampled’ 2K sensors to achieve its 4K

output. Since the sensors in the SK-UHD4000

are 2/3-inch, the camera will work with existing

B4-mount lenses.

Grass Valley’s LDX 86 4K delivers 3,840 x 2,160-

pixel images from super-sampled 2K sensors, and

it can simultaneously deliver live standard-frame-

rate 4K video and 6x slow-motion HD video. The

LDX 86 line from Grass Valley (there are multiple

models for HD and 4K) all fit B4-mount lenses,

which is a big feature for many producers that have

expensive high-quality lenses.

SHOCK AND AWE

Blackmagic Design continues to surprise NAB

attendees with new cameras and new versions of

existing cameras. Based on the premise that 4K is

not enough, Blackmagic now has a 4.6K sensor for

its Ursa single-sensor digital film cameras. The 4.6K

sensor is Super 35-sized and features resolution of

4,608 x 2,592 pixels at 120 frames per second. The

company also claims 15 stops of dynamic range for

images comparable to traditional 35mm film.

The Ursa is now available in two sizes, with the

original large unit that has a ten-inch flip-out display

and the Ursa Mini that has a five-inch flip-out

display. The Ursa Mini comes with the 4.6K sensor

and will retail for $3,000 (€2,768) when it becomes

available in June. As fantastic as that price seems,

even Blackmagic will tell you that you need to add

significant accessories to make the camera usable,

including a lens and storage products. Blackmagic

sees the large Ursa as being more popular for field

shooting, while the Ursa Mini is a more studio-

friendly package.

Panasonic had a nice display for its Varicam

line, which includes the Varicam 35 4K camera.

Capable of working in low light for realistic on-set

atmospherics, the Varicam 35 features in-camera

colour grading and 3D LUTs for on-set pre-

visualisation to its dual native ISOs.

Pushing the boundariesThe increasing number of 4K acquisition devices and a

plethora of 12G-SDI connection products were two of

the big themes of NAB show 2015

BY BOB KOVACS

Hitachi SK-UHD40 Ultra-HD camera

Panasonic also debuted the AG-DVX200 4K

large-sensor, Micro Four-Thirds (MFT), handheld

camcorder at NAB Show 2015. Some of the

features include 4K/60p recording, a built-in

13x optical zoom lens and a V-Log L gamma

curve with 12 stops of contrast latitude.

Panasonic additionally announced a

firmware upgrade for its popular 4K-capable

Lumix GH4 MFT camera.

WORKFLOW TARGET

JVC made several camera announcements as well,

showing three new models that target a variety of

workflows: the GY-LS300 Super 35mm camcorder,

GY-HM200 streaming camcorder and GY-HM170

compact camcorder. The GY-LS300 is targeted

at cinematographers, documentarians and

broadcast production departments, and it features

a 4K Super 35 CMOS sensor and MFT lens mount.

The GY-HM200 is aimed at ENG, corporate

and government applications, featuring a

1/2.3-inch backside-illuminated CMOS chip and

built-in 12x zoom lens. It delivers 4K and 4:2:2 full

HD at 50Mbps, and includes a built-in HD streaming

engine with Wi-Fi and 4G LTE connectivity that

allows live HD transmission directly to hardware

decoders, the Wowza streaming engine, and the

ProHD Broadcaster server powered by Zixi.

The third new JVC camera is the GY-HM170,

which is similar to the GY-HM200 but without the

streaming capability. The GY-HM170 also lacks the

XLR audio inputs that its larger siblings have.

MAKE THE CONNECTION

IP video gear was expected to be a major focus at

the NAB Show, and there were plenty of items that

use IP connectivity for equipment interconnection.

However, it was very much a back-panel feature of

equipment, so the push toward IP connectivity was

not always visible unless you looked.

In the meantime, at least a few companies

featured 12G-SDI connection products, which

I was told were good for signal distribution

up to 100 metres – easily far enough to wire

control rooms and studios. However, just as in

the switch from SD-SDI to HD-SDI, 12G-SDI

will require new BNC connectors and cable.

Also keep in mind that SMPTE and other

standards bodies have not formalized a

12G-SDI standard, even if some vendors are

already selling the components.

One such vendor was Blackmagic Design,

which showed a range of range of 12G-SDI, 60p

products. Three of these included: the Smart

Videohub 40 x 40 router that allows all SDI video

formats up to 2160p60 to be routed all on the

same router, all at the same time; the Teranex Mini

format converter; and the HyperDeck Studio 12G

recorder that can record up to 2160p60 video.

At the same time, Semtech announced a

family of 12G connectivity products. These

included a UHD-SDI cable driver and an adaptive

cable equaliser, both with integrated retiming to

clean up the digital pulses.

Simlarly, Macom rolled out six 12G-SDI

products that are a complete chipset to support

12G-SDI applications. These include equalisers,

drivers and re-clockers, and will work with either

coax or fibre distribution.

If you need more than distribution and

processing, the Atomos Shogun is a 12G-SDI

and HDMI monitor/recorder that features

1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution on a seven-inch

touchscreen with 400nit brightness.

The Shogun can record 24, 25 or 30p

from the camera and up to 120fps HD if the

camera is capable.


Keep in mind that SMPTE and other standards bodies have not formalised a 12G-SDI standard, even if some vendors are already selling the components

Grass Valley LDX 86 Universe BMD Smart Videohub

Sony HDC-4300 tripod

Sony HDC-4300

COMMENTARY

A s the dust settles on another NAB

(quite literally as there was a major

sand storm in Las Vegas during the

conference), what were the major

themes and talking points of this year’s show? In

truth, there was little radically new or unexpected

but there was solid progress on the evolution

towards the next generation of broadcasting.

Here are my technology highlights:

IP, IP AND MORE IP

IP is the new new (unless we are talking about

file-based transport and OTT delivered content,

where it is old hat). Product vendors operating

from content acquisition all the way to content

consumption discussed, and in some cases

demonstrated, their IP wares.

From IP contribution, IP studios, IP playout

and IP distribution solutions, this new disruptor

seems poised to finally displace the venerable SDI

interface in broadcasting.

SMPTE first standardised SDI way back in

1989, so it has had a good run. But when did the

newcomer appear? It’s actually older than it looks,

having been first described by Vint Cerf, Google’s

Chief Internet Evangelist, and Bob Kahn, the

president of the American Corporation for National

Research Initiatives, back in May 1974, and its

current widely deployed version (v4) standardised in

1981. Since that time it has gradually been adopted

as the universal transport protocol for many

industries, and our turn has finally come.

IMPRESSIVE NUMBER

There were an impressive number of vendors

demonstrating IP capable versions of their

products at NAB, typically using SMPTE 2022:6

for uncompressed video or VC-2, JPEG2000 and

other emerging solutions for lightly compressed

material. This was a significant step forward

compared with last year (when support was often

promised but not shown).

However, there is still a lot to do here. While

SMPTE 2022:6 seems to be establishing itself as

the industry standard for uncompressed video over

IP, there are multiple contenders for low latency

lightly compressed video with different vendors

placing their bets accordingly.

There is also a bit of a free-for-all in terms of

control plane implementations, with a variety

of vendor-specific SDN variants being shown –

standardisation is important here for the future if

we are to have sufficient vendor choice.

SOFTWARE/VIRTUALISED/

CLOUD-BASED PRODUCTS

The transition from selling atoms to bits (from

hardware to software-based products) continues.

The implementation of IP transport is closely

related, at least for those products processing

real-time video, as you can’t plug an SDI cable

into a virtual machine.

While we saw announcements at last year’s

show, and a few early prototypes, things were

much more tangible this time around including

some significant customer announcements. There

are multiple strands to consider here.

At the most basic level, pretty much every major

vendor was talking up their software-only product

variants. Delve into what this actually means and

some were more credible than others – ‘yes we

have it running as software on a virtual machine

now’ is some way behind providing reliable,

customer testable, fully supported software-only

products with the associated licence flexibility that

makes them actually useful.

CLOUDY OUTLOOK

Then there was the cloud. If the spectrum

of cloudiness between different vendors was

measured in Hertz, we would have enough to

carry an infinite number of channels. At one

extreme there were companies who were selling

hardware appliances with the word cloud stuck

into their product name, and at the other were

those who have really put in the effort to create

‘cloud native’ products that can be delivered as

pay-for-use services.

The reality is that writing real cloud applications

is hard and porting existing products designed

for a different software era is harder still. The

cloud is also a different business model and those

companies that are transitioning to as-a-service

vendors need to learn many new skills to be

successful. I think it’s fair to say, on balance, that

many companies are trying hard to embrace this

new structure and progress is being made.

The one disappointment from the show in

this regard is that, with a handful of notable

exceptions, there were no exciting disruptive new

entrants that really caught my attention. Software

and cloud technologies in particular create a

breeding ground for disruptive new entrants to

an industry but they have not really arrived yet in

broadcasting. However, there were a few in the

Sprocket area that looked very promising and

worth tracking in the future.

UHDTV

The approach to Ultra High Definition (UHD)

was interesting. A number of vendors – selling

everything from cameras to encoders – had

working products and demonstrable expertise

gained in developing 4K systems. But there seemed

to be less focus on 4K screens running video loops

Everything over IPFrom IP and the death of SDI to HDR and the rise of the drones, Ericsson’s Steve Plunkett saw plenty in Las Vegas to remind him why it is still a very exciting time to be working in the broadcast industry


Plunkett: Little radically new at NAB but plenty of progress


(we have all seen those by now) and more serious

discussion about the challenges of building

end-to-end 4K systems and the actual payback

(both in commercial and viewer terms).

The ‘wow’ factor has given way to the ‘why’

factor with many highlighting the relative impact

of higher spacial resolution versus higher dynamic

range, frame rates and a wider colour gamut. UHD

looks best when it combines all of those things but

there is work to be done to get us there.

COOL STUFF

The GoPro stand was bigger, and the crowd

noisier, than ever. Even the mainstay of the NAB

crowd, not necessarily the younger, adventure

seeking demographic often associated with these

amazing little cameras, got worked up into a

frenzy when free plastic accessories were

|thrown amongst them.

Next door on either side were some of the

latest drones on offer. It is really amazing to see

how this sector has evolved in the past three years,

with some incredibly sophisticated products now

available at prices that are within reach of even the

most cash strapped filmmakers.

All in all it was a good NAB that showed

an industry undergoing great change but

still able to put on a good show with a

bit of swagger.

It’s a good reminder of why this is an exciting

time to be a part of the industry.

Steve Plunkett is chief technology officer, Broadcast

& Media Services, at Ericsson

Drones: the market has evolved in the past three years with ever more sophisticated products now available


COMMENTARY

W hen the Las Vegas Convention

Center (LVCC) doubled in size

in 2004, a split initially appeared:

NAB exhibitors in centre and

north halls became ‘the old world’ whereas

software-led companies in the South Hall were

‘the new kids on the block’.

Today, entry-level cost hardware and software

is omnipresent. The booming ‘cheap’ production

market, including drones and all-in-one IP-based

solutions, has flooded the entire show and the

LVCC, and cloud-based services have become a

de-facto part of portfolios. This is the new NAB.

In this crowded but merged business,

media groups rely on innovation as a way to

add value to the multimedia experience. During

NAB I was pleasantly surprised to bump into

the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of one of

Europe’s largest media groups. He had managed

to escape from the many executive meetings

organised by vendors and was checking out

360-degrees cameras. Amongst them was

Point Grey’s Ladybug – the camera we used

on a France 24 Election 360 project – plus

Fraunhofer’s multi-mirror model and VideoStitch’s

multi-GoPro one.

HUGE IMPLICATIONS

High dynamic range (HDR) is another differentiator.

HDR was a distant pipedream until brands like

Samsung and Sony announced compatible mass-

market TV screens at CES 2015. Many very good

working demos appeared for the first time at

the NAB show.

In the same field, Dolby displayed Dolby Vision

pictures (pictured) at IBC 2013 but that was behind

closed doors. The company showed an actual

display product at NAB 2015. Dolby is taking two

directions: film and live sports. Dolby’s demo

showed a fast-moving motorbike shot on a Grass

NABA French perspective

Francois Abbe, the founder and chief executive of Montpellier-based

broadcast systems architecture and consultancy firm Mesclado, talks

360-degree cameras, HDR and manufacturer reinvention

Valley camera. The system produced nice looking

pictures with live shooting using Rec.2020 (a wider

colour-space) converted on the fly to Rec. 709 (the

standard colour-space used for HD).

For film, the implications, along with the

potential cost-savings, are huge: a film is colour-

graded once in the largest colour space (i.e. Rec.

2020) then automatically colour-converted for

standard LCD screens or cinema projectors.

Sony has also entered Rec. 2020 production

with its new HDC-4300 camera directly targeted as

live programming including sport.

SECURITY, NAB’S LAST MINUTE GUEST

The cyber attack on France’s TV5MONDE media

group in early April 2015 was on many people’s

mind during NAB with both Europeans and

Americans eager to learn more and take the

relevant actions to lower security risk level.

Are these incidents a drawback for the cloud

business?, I asked Signiant chief executive Margaret

Craig. No. She thinks it will boost the cloud

business as security is at the heart of their cloud

data centres. On the flipside, a former studio

executive added that Sony Pictures also had

comprehensive security procedures but sadly that

didn’t prevent the March 2015 hack.

I also saw Aspera interviewing France Televisions

staff members – including the CIO Philippe

Rouaud – about moving to file-based delivery. It is

not everyday you see so many France Televisions

employees on the big screen in Vegas.

ADAPT OR DIE

In 1998, my former employer Snell & Wilcox launched

the ‘adapt or die’ ad campaign. At that time, the US

was moving to both Digital Terrestrial TV and HD.

Many years later, that slogan is still applicable.

For one, Bob Siedel, the vice president of

engineering and advanced technology for CBS,

showed impressive figures at the NAB conference

with his ‘CBS All Access’ offering. Viewers subscribe

for $5.99 to an unlimited VoD package made up

of Viacom’s catalogue.

When it comes to adapting, stations-in-a-box is

another good example. France’s Thomson Video

Networks showed Fuze, one of many market

solutions of that ilk.

Reinventing also applies to vendors. There have

been CEO appointments recently including Muriel

de Lathouwer at EVS, Tim Thorsteinson at Quantel-

Snell, and Simon Derry at Vislink. I don’t know

much about the visions that they have for their

businesses but one challenge will be to work in

the new ecosystem rather than the one just gone

(referred to herein as ‘the broadcast industry’).

At the peak of the broadcast industry in the

90s, you could just be arrogant, sell high-end gear

(aka ‘expensive’ and ‘proprietary’) and appoint your

own people as CEO. Not any more. I briefly met

de Lathouwer thanks to the IABM and its NAB

Advance Party on Saturday night. It felt good to

see the staff ‘united’ around their new boss. Maybe

some lessons have been learnt?

TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN

On a similar theme, it was clear that there were

two types of companies at the show: people

looking backward and people looking upward.

Starting with the former. They would say: “I

am so eager for the market to recover because

today every sale is a hard sale”. As an example, a

TV station typically needs to buy routers that video

inputs and outputs go through. A router is costly,

with larger models exceeding several thousands of

Euros. This market is shrinking whereas the overall

TV station budgets remain stable. Conclusion:

money is not spent where it should be. These

days, buyers find alternatives especially with video

increasingly transported and routed using IP. Snell

proved at the show that IP video switching is a

today thing. Even EVS produces a full IP vision

mixer. Another example can be seen in the move

from CAPEX to OPEX – with fewer investments

and more running costs – which has become

more obvious at the show. Montpellier-based

start-up company Virdys offers 3D animated news

reconstitutions as a service. Within two hours, news

channels get their 3D scene ready to use where it

used to take a lot more with standard technology.

That’s a great example of being disruptive and one

that may be devastating for traditional vendors.

LOOKING UPWARD

And there are the other people who are looking

upwards, and at the business on the bright side. In

post production there are large changes. In France

alone, Quinta died in 2011, Mikros Image became

part of Technicolor and Monal Group merged with

Spain Tres60. When I met up with Eclair Group

R&D director Frantz Delbecque during NAB, things

were looking brighter: the Group is offering new

services now including on-set grading and cloud-

based services to boost the business.

Obviously the 4K/UHD adoption rate is driven

by the capacity to offer programmes, and high

production cost remains a limiting factor. For

professional equipment, one major hurdle has been

the need to use four 3G-SDI links to transport UHD.

The long-awaited 12G-SDI interface is now more

popular with chip manufacturer Semtech releasing its

chip to vendors. However, we may have to wait until

2016 or 2017 before the 12G-SDI interfaces become

the de-facto standard and prices fall.

NAB’S UNDERGROUND REVOLUTION

This NAB probably featured two ‘wow effects’:

some incredible HDR pictures with colours and

contrast we’ve never experienced before on a

screen, and small production systems including

drones at prices never seen before (around $1,000).

And yet the real revolution is happening

underground where major vendors are shaken up,

led by media organisations reinventing themselves.

An interesting side effect of this is the need to

constantly stay in touch with colleagues in the

business. In England alone, the SMPTE UK Section

held over 20 events in 2014. This is a very positive

sign for the media technology community.


In this crowded but merged business, media groups rely on innovation as a way to add value to the multimedia experience

MARKETPLACE – NAB NEWS


NAB: From the show floor4K-capable equipment was high on the agenda at NAB Show 2015 and not just at the acquisition end of the broadcast chain Content courtesy of NAB Daily: © 2015 NAB

Mini fibre convertors added to AJA range

AJA Video Systems has announced a host of

new mini-converters including the FiDO-4T-ST

and FiDO-4R-ST 4K-capable fi bre converters.

The two new products enable quad-channel

SDI to ST fi bre and ST fi bre to SDI conversion,

allowing fi bre transmission of 4K and Ultra HD

signals. Both can carry up to 4x 3G-SDI signals

on a single converter, with the ability to send

signals from a 4K/UltraHD source, such as

from the CION camera, up to 10 kilometers.

Alternatively, the quad-signal path also allows

for multiple HD signals to be carried across long

distances. A third new converter, the HA5-4K,

converts Ultra HD/HD HDMI to 4x 3G-SDI.

Nick Rashby, president, AJA Video Systems

said: “These products are the grease in the gears

of any digital video environment, and with our

new FiDO boxes and HA5-4K we’re making it

simpler than ever before to streamline pipelines

in multi-format environments.”

First iAM product from WohlerWohler Technologies has introduced the fi rst

of a range of new products in its new iAM

(intelligent Adaptable Monitoring) series of

audio and video monitoring technologies.

The iAM-MADI is a 1-RU multichannel

monitor developed in close collaboration with

Wohler’s partners in the mobile production

sector. Initially available with either eight or

16 individual level controls - with audio inputs

assigned to any of those - the new system

allows inputs to be selected by muting inputs

and outputs where necessary.

Above each level control is a small display

that indicates the label associated with a

particular channel. This feature allows inputs to

be slaved off of a MADI router, with all selected

channels clearly identifi ed for the operator.

Each of the iAM Series signal monitors will

provide a monitoring and analysis toolset,

as well as built-in networking features that

support remote monitoring.

All products in the iAM Series also feature

a uniform control surface. Multiple iAM

units can be networked allowing operators

to use stored templates to perform remote,

single-setup confi guration in one or more

systems to suit a given show or production.

With access to a Web-based

interface for all units, operators also have

remote monitoring capabilities on any

connected device.

“In addition to providing a convenient

and familiar interface across all monitoring

systems, our new iAM Series gives users

unprecedented fl exibility in adapting the

functionality of their monitoring solutions

to meet current operational and technical

demands,” said Wohler chief executive Carl

Dempsey. “Users can invest with confi dence,

knowing that they can adjust very quickly as

new formats and protocols emerge or as their

own workfl ows evolve.”

Satellite operator SES, working with Harmonic,

Sony, TelVue, Superior Satellite Systems and

PACSAT, demonstrated a full end-to-end Ultra HD

(UHD) transmission system and delivered live and

linear UHD broadcasts to a cable system at NAB.

A mixture of pre-produced content and live

interviews were shown being sent via satellite and

IP to Sony displays.

The broadcasts were enabled by SES’s satellites

and teleport network with Harmonic contributing

its Electra X3 advanced media processor which

provided live, full-frame, full-GOP UHD (HEVC

Main 10 profi le) encoding. ProView integrated

receiver-decoders were used for satellite

reception, and the NSG Exo distributed CCAP

system for DOCSIS transmission. Sony provided

content and UHD smart TVs.

TelVue playout servers were stationed at the

SES teleport in Woodbine, Maryland to enable

content delivery. Superior Satellite Systems

enabled satellite downlink services over an onsite

antenna while PACSAT provided uplink services

from its SNG truck next to the SES UHD studio

located at the Las Vegas Convention Centre.

“Satellites provide the best solution for

delivering high quality, premium content,”

said Steve Corda, vice president of business

development for SES in North America. “We have

created a full end-to-end UHD broadcast solution,

with live UHD broadcasts at NAB to demonstrate

that SES and its partners are well positioned to

deliver live and linear UHD to the home today.”

Jeremy Rosenberg, vice president, business

development, at Harmonic, added: “It requires no

set-top box, and we look forward to supporting

SES in off ering this to cable operators.”

SES demos live linear UHD broadcast to cable


Evolution extends MAM functionalityTedial used NAB to launch Tedial Evolution,

an enhanced version of its Media IT platform.

Tedial Evolution is saod tp extend MAM

functionality by adding: advanced search/

indexing tools; new services for exploring

archives; and improved ingintegration between

archive and workflow engines.

Jay Batista, Tedial general manager, US

operations, said: “It takes media management

to a whole new level. It provides a business

platform that marries logistics planning and media

preparation into a complete supply chain, enabling

customers to grow their businesses even as the

business of media consumption evolves at an

unprecedented speed.”

Built on the Tarsys MAM platform, the

customisable HTML5 user interface keeps

frequently used tools on the screen. The Tarsys

Search/Indexing engine has also been extended

to organize and search collections.

UHD zoom lenses imminentPotentially helping to overcome

one of the barriers currently

blocking the widespread

adoption of Ultra HD (UHD)

for broadcast, Canon and

Fujinon have both announced

zoom lenses.

For live sport in particular,

the price and availability of

suitable zooms has been

a problem. To counter this,

Canon is in the process of creating

a zoom for 2/3-inch cameras. Specs are

not yet available but a prototype was

shown at NAB.

The new zoom is being developed as a model

within Canon’s DIGISUPER series of studio and

field broadcasting lenses

At the same time the Optical Devices division

of FUJIFILM North America introduced the first in

a series of UHD lenses.

Designed for a 2/3-inch sensor, the Fujinon

UA80X9 has an 80x zoom and optical image

stabilization. Focal lengths range from 9mm in

wide angle to 720mm in telephoto.

Fujinon has also announced the UA22x8,

a portable broadcast zoom lens with optical

performance that is compatible with 4K cameras.

Both the UA80X9 and UA22x8 are due to

become available in the summer.



Future-smart live production from EVSEVS used NAB to stress its commitment to live

production, with advancements in established

products and brand new innovations in areas the

vendor has more recently entered.

The EVS XT3 and XS live production servers

now off er extended SuperMotion camera

confi gurations with up to two Super- Motion 6x

camera recordings and two additional recording

and playout channels available.

In addition, 12 channels can be confi gured

with full codec support, including XDCAM for

studio operations with XT3 and XS Spotbox

modes. 4K/UHD replay and zoom capabilities

are included and the servers are IP-enabled.

EVS also unveiled Ingest Funnel, a single front

end that transforms, legalises and masters all

ingest formats — including fi les such as MP4,

MXF, AS-11, IMF and more plus ENG sources,

video feeds, tapes and IP streams from multiple

sources — and transforms them into ready-to-air,

archive and post production formats, and delivers

them to storage.

The company also announced advancements

to DYVI (pictured), proclaiming it a 4K-ready

IP production switcher. DYVI features a

distributed, scalable architecture that enables

remote switching.

At NAB Riedel Communications introduced the

MicroN, an 80G media distribution network

device for the company’s MediorNet transport

and management products.

Working with the MediorNet MetroN

core fi bre router, MicroN is a high-density signal

interface with audio, video, and data inputs

and outputs, including 24 SD/HD/3G-SDI I/Os,

two MADI optical digital audio ports, a Gigabit

Ethernet port, two sync reference I/Os, and

eight 10G SFP+ high-speed ports. MicroN is

available as a fully networked MediorNet device,

as well as in a point-to-point edition. “In

just a single rack unit, the MicroN off ers

a highly versatile signal interface that can

be used in productions of every size and

complexity,” said Lars Hhmann, Skype and

MediorNet product manager at Riedel

Communications.

“For the largest media networks built on

our MediorNet transport devices, MicroN can

serve as a breakout box for a MetroN router and

extend connectivity beyond the fi ber I/Os to any

type of video and audio I/O required.

Or, MicroN can simply work with a MetroN

router, with other MicroN units, or in a

standalone point-to-point confi guration.”

Shure debuted the Motiv MVL lavalier microphone

at NAB. Designed for capturing quality audio for

fi eld recording, dictation, news reporting,

audio/video recording, and more, the

omnidirectional condenser lavalier microphone

connects directly to any iOS and Android

device and can be used with the ShurePlus

Motiv mobile recording app.

The MVL includes a tie-clip and standard 1/8-

inch plug connection (TRRS) and is said to

off er an improved user experience, revealing

less noise and sensitivity in the circuit, optimal

radio frequency (RF) immunity, and decreased

susceptibility to clipping.

“With the MVL, we are expanding the

options in our new Motiv product line to help

professionals and consumers record quality audio

on-the-go through mobile devices,” said Matt

Engstrom, category director for Wired Products

at Shure. “MVL is a lavalier microphone ideal for

many applications, including dictation, interview,

audio for broadcast and more.”

The Motiv MVL Lavalier Microphone will be

available in summer 2015.

Riedel MicroN 80G media distribution network for MediorNet

Ross bolsters Carbonite family with Black switcherRoss Video has added the Carbonite Black to

its production switcher line. The new mixer

brings an expanded I/O and ME count to the

Carbonite series.

Carbonite Black features a new control

panel, three full MEs, 36 Inputs and 22

outputs as well as features found in

other Carbonite models such as MiniMEs,

MultiScreen, 3G and UHD support.

“When we introduced Carbonite, it became

an instant hit as it completely changed the

price and performance model for 1 and 2 ME

production switchers,” said Nigel Spratling,

Ross Video marketing product manager.

“Carbonite Black is designed to do the

same thing, but for productions that require

larger I/O or 3 MEs. It not only looks fantastic,

but has more production features and

performance than any other product available

at this price point. We know that customers

will really like this product – and it’s what

many of them have been asking us for.”

The 2RU Carbonite Black frame will be

available with two or three MEs, and will

accept all current signal formats as standard –

including 3G/1080P 50/59.94 and UHD quad

link with “no reduction of resources” when

processing higher data rates.

Debut for Motiv MVL mic

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Audio technology developer Calrec turned its

NAB 2015 focus on interconnection, debuting a

trio of technologies designed to improve digital

audio networking and interoperability.

Calrec’s Hydra2 networking topology, widely

deployed for large event and sports coverage,

is the underlying technology powering the

three new entries.

The fi rst, called Fieldbox, is intended to

provide a convenient, high-quality method

to join local analogue sources to the Hydra2

digital network. “It’s designed as kind of a

‘throwdown box,’” said Calrec sales vice

president Dave Letson.

Boasting AoIP capabilities

as well as Hydra2 fi bre,

Fieldbox can leverage

the second new Calrec

off ering, H2Hub, to

consolidate multiple

Fieldbox placements while

enabling the extensive control layer that has

become the Hydra2 hallmark.

In addition, Calrec announced that the

Orange Box, off ered by its sister company

DiGiCo, would add Hydra2 networking and

control capabilities, supplementing its native

MADI protocol interconnect.

Recognising the recent appointment of Henry

Goodman to head the fi rm’s support and market

research, Calrec chief executive James Gordon

said: “We want to focus more on the support we

off er our customers, more on the new products we

release. Henry will look after customers and make

sure we’re delivering what they need.”

IP-based offerings from AdderAdder Technology, the KVM (keyboard, video,

mouse) specialist, showed both the AdderLink

Infi nity Dual 2020 and the version 4 of the

AdderLink Infi nity Manager (AIM).

Developed in line with customer feedback,

Infi nity Dual 2020 compliments the AdderLink

Infi nity range as a dual head, single link digital

KVM extender that can form part of the

AdderLink Infi nity matrix.

Version 4 of the AIM provides users with

a centralised management off ering that

features a new hardware platform with

increased power over previous versions,

confi gurable user access rights with a full

audit trail and enhanced security.

Its updated design not only provides a

sleeker look, it also allows two of the units to

be rack mounted back-to-back in 1U of

19-inch rack space.

The AdderLink XD150, a 150 metre, single

head DVI extender featuring high-speed DVI and

USB extension, was also on show.

IP on the agenda for Snell and QuantelSnell and Quantel unveiled several key product

developments for the newly combined

companies’ IP-migration strategy at NAB 2015.

These include support for Sony’s IP

Live Production System, SMPTE2022-6

interoperability with Artel DigiLink and IP

modules for the Kahuna production switchers

plus new modules for IQ Modular

backbone products.

“The move to IP routing in the broadcast

production chain is a once in a generation

change that will require IP and SDI to run

side by side for some time to come,” said

Robert Rowe, Snell managing director, Live

TV. “We have a strong vision for how IP should

be embraced, and at NAB we showed IP

production workfl ows between real-world

broadcast equipment that demonstrates how

broadcasters can today make IP part of their

overall workfl ow.

“Critically, we’re not asking customers to

suff er the massive expense and disruption of

replacing their existing systems or learn new

skills and workfl ows,” he added. “Our strategy

involves IP-enabling existing systems alongside

their SDI capabilities, using familiar control

interfaces to provide hybrid SDI/IP operation

without requiring any new knowledge or skills

from the operator.”

Also amongst the NAB demos was a Sirius

800 multi-format router switching 40 gigabit

VC2 encoded IP streams.

Harmonic eases move to IP

At NAB Harmonic launched the Spectrum X, a

media server system for production and playout

that is designed to ease the transition to IP

broadcast workfl ows by integrating SDI and IP I/O

on the same chassis.

The software-based system uses Harmonic’s

VOS technologies and combines fi le, baseband

and transport stream ingest with integrated

channel playout (ICP) capabilities, including

graphics and branding, DVE, master control

switching and audio mixing.

“As the fi rst playout server to mix SDI and IP

I/O with up/down/cross-conversion capabilities

in the same chassis, the Spectrum X server not

only facilitates users’ shift to IP playout, but

also powers new revenue-generating services

at a lower total cost of ownership,” said Bart

Spriester, senior vice president, video products

at Harmonic.

Supporting a range of SD and HD formats, and

upgradable to Ultra HD, the Spectrum X system

can operate as a channel-in-a-box, an integrated

channel playout server, or as a conventional I/O

server connected to Spectrum shared storage

infrastructure or internal storage.

At the show the Spectrum X server was

displayed providing playout with graphics and

branding to Harmonic’s Ultra HD live workfl ow.

Interconnection focus for Calrec



EDITORIAL EXECUTIVE EDITOR James [email protected]

EDITOR Will [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS Bob Kovacs, Susan Ashworth

NEWBAY MEDIA LLC CORPORATEPRESIDENT AND CEO Steve Palm

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PUBLISHER Steve [email protected]

TV Technology Europe ISSN 2053-6674 (Print)ISSN 2053-6682 (Online)is published four times annually by NewBay Media. ©2015 by NewBay Media. All rights reserved.

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CONTACTS EDITORIAL +44 (0) 20 7354 6002 SALES +44 (0)207 354 6000

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Ben [email protected]

SALES EXECUTIVE Nicola [email protected]

U.S. MIDWEST, NEW ENGLAND & CANADA Vytas [email protected]

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PRODUCTION

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Davis White

HEAD OF DESIGN Jat Garcha [email protected]

EDITORIAL PRODUCTION MANAGER Dawn [email protected]

PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE Jason [email protected]

Sony showcases 4K over IPAt NAB Sony showcased a technology

demonstration of a 4K live-over-IP set-up

for live production.

Centred around a prototype 4K-ready

IP-networked live production switcher the

exhibit included mock-ups of a 4K/HD

baseband processor and a 4K/HD video server

that are currently in development.

The demo made use of Sony’s Networked

Media Interface which allows all devices to be

connected, and all signal types transmitted, via a

single Ethernet cable from SD to 4K.

To achieve interoperability and compatibility,

Sony discloses technical information under

license and provides developmental support to

third parties who support the Networked

Media Interface. As of April 2015, 30

manufacturers were included.

Norbert Paquet, strategic marketing manager,

Sony Professional, Europe said: “The diff erent

devices we are demonstrating for the fi rst time

here are the fruits of developing end-to-end

IP solutions that are built in collaboration with

standardisation organisations and together with

supporting manufacturers in the industry. This will

enable us to deliver on producer’s expectations.”

The new 4K IP based switcher, which is still in

development, allows users to select which type of

terminal IP or SDI they place into each of the unit’s

I/O slots. This allows customers to confi gure their

equipment for IP only, SDI only, or IP and

SDI hybrid. It will also allow customers to

continue using their existing SDI assets while

gradually migrating to IP.

The demo used a single 40 GbE fi ber-optic

Ethernet cable to transmit 4K and HD video

streams from a camera area on Sony’s booth.

Compact J2K replay system unveiled

‘Insert edit’ added to Cinedeck v5

Fast Forward Video (FFV)

presented the Studio Pro

Replay, a compact JPEG2000

(J2K) digital video recorder

for replay and time-shift

applications, at NAB.

The new addition to FFV’s

Omega HD family is designed

for broadcast time delay,

slow-motion sports replay

and event staging applications.

Kent McGuire, president of FFV said:

“Whether the customer is a sports network

looking to advance its instant replay

capabilities, or a live event broadcast seeking

to avoid ‘wardrobe malfunctions’ by adding

a set time delay to the on-air feed, the Studio

Pro Replay provides a powerful solution.

“At the same time, the Studio Pro Replay

is easily the market’s most compact and

aff ordable replay system, costing thousands of

dollars less than competing products.”

The half-rack Studio Pro Replay enables

simultaneous recording and slow-motion

replay of both SD and HD signals.

FFV says that the new replay system has

a patented fi le access system that “records

every frame and guarantees delivery of

a usable recording every time, with no

corrupted fi les.”

Cinedeck used NAB to demo fi le-based ‘insert

edit’ functionality for its RX, MX and ZX record,

ingest and transcode platforms.

Overcoming one of the hurdles created by

the move to fi le-based programme delivery,

Cinedeck’s off ering allows editors to quickly

perform frame-accurate changes to a digital

fi le, in a similar manner to insert editing on tape.

Available in the forthcoming v5 software

upgrade, the new feature eliminates what

has become a time-consuming and costly

workaround procedure of editing and

re-rendering entire fi nal programme content,

or editing and laying off to tape then

re-encoding to a delivery fi le.

“The matter of fi le-based insert editing has

been a major productivity problem, that other

manufacturers have not solved,” said Charles

DAutremont, chief executive of Cinedeck.

“The process is familiar to editors, takes just a

few minutes and, in many situations, delivers

signifi cant time and cost savings.”

Wrapper independent, the fi le-based

‘insert edit’ functionality works with various

intermediate formats including those

used by Avid Media Composer, Apple

Final Cut and Adobe Premiere, plus Avid

ProTools audio workstations. These include

DNxHD, Prores, and AVC-I as well as

uncompressed and DPX fi les.


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