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BROADCAST • PRODUCTION • BROADBAND • SATELLITE • MOBILE£3.80 I Volume 32 I Issue 6 I October-November 2014

Game-changers in ProductionENG-EFP

Product Review: Canon’s EF 28-300 mm USM L IS Lens25 Things You Might Have Missed at IBC

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October/November 2014 I TV Technology Europe 3www.tvtechnology.com

Contents

4 IBC TV TECHNOLOGY EUROPE BEST-OF-SHOW AWARDS TV Technology Europe picked 14 products worthy of a second look and more

10 IBC 2014: 25 THINGS We preview a few of the ‘25 Things You Might Have Missed’ at IBC, and point you to the website where the remaining items are archived

16 BUYERS GUIDE: ENG & EFP A product review of a Canon

lens, a case study on acquisition at the World Cup, and product information

on some of the new ENG/EFP

kit launched at IBC

24 SHARPSHOOTER A chat with Giuseppe Maio

of Rome, currently residing

in Australia

In this issue

The IBC show was where all the M&A and rebranding of Q1 and Q2, 2014, started to come a bit more in to focus. Over the last year or two industry leaders – particularly those who have recently come from outside the industry – have really started to talk about the way forward. While these voices don’t speak with a completely unified voice, there is consistency in their messages.

Many are calling for more consolidation, saying there are too many small- and mid-sized vendors in our space. There is good and bad to consolidation I suppose. Integration can be easier with big vendors, but perhaps we could lose a bit of innovation or the ability to move quickly at the corporate level. Should we hope for big companies that can move fast and innovate, with enough competition across the industry to keep prices down and fill in the tech gaps as needed?

What is in motion today feels quite a bit bigger than the transitions and consolidations that took place in the mid-to-late 1990s, when forward-thinking vendors had to re-tool away from black boxes running proprietary software to more open products.

Just as the industry started a trend towards open standards, commodity hardware and software 20 years ago, we’re well in to another big transition today. This one is moving faster, but it is still the ‘computer and IT guys’ coming in to broadcast. It makes for interesting projects according to a few friends I know involved in SI ventures – the two cultures are different and those who realise this and can bridge that gap effectively should have good job security, I would think.

IP infrastructures and software-defined architectures are also clearly the near-term future. How long will we be in this transition from baseband and dedicated devices to the Promised Land of high efficiency and low-cost? That’s where debate begins, and planning gets a bit murky. And obviously a greenfield site is quite different than a facility that has been around a decade. Just as the accountants told us when to send most tape playout kit to the dump or the broadcast museum some years ago, the same tipping point faces SDI infrastructures.

I won’t hazard a guess on a timeline. I’ve seen too many bright people chastened over other tech hurdles related to the advent of the ‘tapeless facility’ or ‘tapeless camcorders.’ These things exist now, of course, but they were proclaimed for many years before they really came about.

What I can opine is that we should be thinking past 10 GigE, to 40- or even 100 GigE bandwidth on one cable. It’s a similar mind-set to those who don’t want a major change for ‘Phase 1’ of UHD, preferring instead to invest in the inevitable ‘Phase 2’ where higher resolutions, higher frame rates and higher dynamic range make the jump more worthwhile.

Transitions certainly seem to be happening faster than in the past. We are being pushed by consumer trends, rather than a situation where we are trying to get consumers interested in ‘HD’ or multichannel SDTV as in the last transition. Good luck.

Challenge & Opportunity

Mark HallingerEditor & Associate [email protected]

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@TVTechnology

EDITORIAL Executive Editor James McKeownEmail: [email protected] Mark HallingerTel: 1 301 467 1695 Email: [email protected] Tech Editor Craig NorrisContributors Ann-Marie Corvin, Kevin Hilton, Phil Reed

NEWBAY MEDIA LLC CORPORATEPresident and CEO Steve PalmChief Financial Officer Paul MastronardiController Jack LiedkeGroup Circulation Director Denise RobbinsVice President of Web Development Joe Ferrick

PUBLISHERSteve ConnollyTel: +44 (0) 20 7354 6000Email: [email protected]

ADVERTISINGSales Manager Ben EwlesTel: +44 (0) 20 7354 6000Email: [email protected]

U.S. Midwest, New England & Canada Vytas UrbonasEmail: [email protected]

U.S. West Pete SemblerEmail: [email protected]

U.S. Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, US Classifieds & Product Showcase Michele InderriedenEmail: [email protected]

Hong Kong, China, Asia/Pacific Wengong Wang Email: [email protected]

Italy Raffaella Calabrese Email: [email protected]

Latin America Susana Saibene Email: [email protected]

PRODUCTION Production Director Davis White

Group Head of Design & Production Adam Butler Email: [email protected]

Editorial Production Manager Dawn BoultwoodEmail: [email protected]

Production Executive Jason DowieEmail: [email protected]

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ARRIS GROUPARRIS ME-7000

Converged Video

Compression Platform

The ME-7000 is a high-performance

converged compression platform

for multiscreen delivery of IPTV,

cable and satellite applications. It

offers multi-codec—MPEG-2, AVC,

HEVC—multiformat support with SD/

HD/4K encoding and transcoding. The

ME-7000 is fully modular and flexible

for scalability and upgradeability.

ASPERAAspera On Demand

Auto-scale Platform

Aspera On Demand enables seamless,

line-speed transfers of very large files

across the cloud-based object storage

of Amazon Web Services, Windows

Azure and OpenStack. Auto-scaling

automatically scales and expands

transfer capacity of Aspera server

software in the cloud to adapt to

unpredictable spikes in activity.

BLACKMAGIC DESIGNATEM 2 M/E Production Studio 4K

ATEM switches between SD, HD or

4K video and can handle a range of

cameras, disk recorders and slide shows

or animations from computers. Features

include chromakey, creative transitions,

media pool, downstream keyers, audio

mixer, multiview, etc. More advanced

models include up to 20 SDI inputs,

a SuperSource multilayer engine, full-

motion DVE, stinger transitions, larger

media pool with full-motion clips and

up to six auxiliary outputs.

COBALT DIGITAL9970-QS 3G/HD/SD-SDI/CVBS

Quint-Split Multi-Image Display

Processor

The 9970-QS is a single processor

capable of auto-detecting and

displaying up to five independent

3G/HD/SD/composite inputs.

Multiple cards can be cascaded to

provide expanded PiP muxing. An

Ethernet-based GUI control enables

intuitive set-up of video windows and

advanced on-screen graphics, and a

simultaneous display output over SDI

and HDMI supports flexible system

design and easy integration.

CRYSTAL VISIONLKEY SQZ squeeze-back keyer

The Crystal

Vision

LKEY-SQZ

is a unique

product.

It offers

the highest

quality picture squeeze and picture-in-

picture effects combined with three-

layer keying, all in a low-cost modular

product. LKEY-SQZ was originally

developed for a major broadcaster who

required the highest quality picture

squeeze and could find no alternative

product already on the market.

DECIMATOR DESIGNDMON-6S low-cost 1-to-6

channel multiviewer

The DMON-6S allows viewing of up

to six video streams on one screen on

both pre-set and customizable layouts.

Features include a

robust aluminium

case with easy-

to-use LCD

and button

control system;

custom layouts with

various standard layouts;

fast switching between inputs using

full-screen scaling; selectable output

format in both full-screen and

multiviewer mode; and low latency

buffering for each input allowing non-

synchronous inputs.

Inputs and outputs include

Linked (3G/HD/SD)-SDI and

HDMI outputs; 6 x (3G/HD/SD)-

SDI inputs with auto detection (26

Formats supported in total); and

6 x (3G/HD/SD)-SDI active loop

copies of each input. Each window is

independent of the others, allowing

any 3G/HD/SD format of any frame

rate to be displayed simultaneously.

TVT Europe’s IBC 2014 Best of Show Winners

NewBay Media’s Best of Show Awards are evaluated by a panel of engineers and industry experts, and are selected based on innovation, feature set, cost efficiency and performance in serving the industry. We picked 14 from the recent IBC show. Congratulations, all.

October/November 2014 I TV Technology Europe

AWARDS of

2014


AWARDSVariable aspect ratios per window

are available, and in Pass-Through

mode the selected input is passed

through to both the (3G/HD/SD)-SDI

and HDMI outputs. Other features

include 32 GPI and RS422/485 on

37-pin DSUB for Dynamic Tallies;

USB port for control and firmware

updates; and a metal thread locking

DC power socket.

ENCO SYSTEMSHotShot2 audio playout and clip

management package

HotShot, an instant audio playback

package, is a complete hardware

appliance with a full-screen

interface. HotShot is quick to learn,

easy-to-use and flexible enough for

any broadcast application.

HotShot2 is ENCO’s all new

audio playout and clip management

package for television studio

production, master control, remote

production, and stage events.

HotShot2 provides instant access to

audio assets anywhere locally or on the

network, via a searchable database that

supports a virtually unlimited number

of audio files and audio types. New

features include more flexible audio

transferring, an instant trimming and

cueing mechanism, more powerful

reporting, and a new backlit button

box that shows actively-playing cuts

on its 8 banks of 70 buttons. HotShot2

is available now as a turn-key package

with support for stereo and surround

sound applications.

EVERTZ EXE 46 Tbps

Video/Data

Service Routing

Platform

Evertz’ EXE is a

video/data service

routing platform

that features

up to 46Tbps

of switching

capacity and

supports 2304

10GE ports per single chassis. The

EXE is at the core of Evertz’ 10GE

SDVN — Software Defined Video

Networking solution.

In 40RU, the EXE can seamlessly

switch 13,800 video services, eclipsing

anything available today. The EXE

has been carefully designed to handle

the demands of live UltraHD 4K &

8K video, and make the switching of

video over Ethernet not only possible

but as reliable and deterministic as a

traditional SDI router.

Through its intelligent utilization

of extreme bandwidth switching

the EXE Platform will allow service

operators to unleash the true potential

of their 10GE /100GE IP-Ethernet

network. Evertz’ SDVN solution

with EXE provides unprecedented

scalability, highly efficient workflows,

and a reduction in capital and

operational costs.

HAMLET VIDEOEnterprise Tablet handheld IP- and

ASI-based services analyser

The Hamlet Enterprise Tablet series

of portable stream analysers have

been engineered to provide real-time

analysis of streaming IP- and ASI-

based services encoded as MPEG-2,

H.264 (MPEG-4 part 10) and many

other compression formats. The tablet

presents an intuitive graphical user

touch interface allowing for dynamic

configuration with user-definable

presets developed on a portable and

handheld architecture.

It’s intended to cater to the huge

increase in Internet streaming traffic

that needs a convenient compliance tool

that can ensure services are successfully

decoded by consumers. It is a small,

ruggedized, handheld portable tablet-

like enclosure with a built-in high

resolution 11.6-inch, 16:9 split screen

viewing capable touch screen.

The Enterprise is a complete

integrated package designed to work

as a system for decode, analysis and

trend. It’s not a single purpose device

that requires multiple dongles. Beyond

stream analysis, it can perform record;

of

2014


AWARDSplayback; IP packet capture; monitoring

audio with display of bar graphs; FTP/

SSH/SERIAL PORT all integrated into

one platform; and more.

IMAGINE COMMUNICATIONS Magellan SDN Orchestrator

The Magellan SDN Orchestrator

is a software control system for

managing hybrid baseband and IP

facilities. An anchor component of

Imagine Communications’ Software-

Defined Networking portfolio, the

Magellan SDN Orchestrator enables

seamless integration of baseband and

IP networks.

Imagine says that as media

companies embrace the technology

evolution that will lead to the

transformation of their facilities from

baseband to IP, they face investment,

operational and workflow challenges.

While they envision an all-IP future

brimming with the promise of new

business opportunities, the migration

path is fraught with anxieties about

how to proceed, what infrastructure

changes to make, which solution to

choose and how best to achieve

the benefits of IP with as little

investment risk and operational

disruption as possible.

At this time, Imagine has unveiled

its Magellan SDN Orchestrator, an

overarching software control system

for managing hybrid baseband and IP

networks, ensuring a smooth transition

to an IP-based future. By facilitating

the integration of baseband and IP, the

Magellan SDN Orchestrator protects

existing infrastructure investments,

allowing customers to maintain

operational and workflow integrity in a

hybrid environment, while on the path

to an all-IP network.

MULTIDYNEUpgraded SilverBack family

of camera-mounted fibre

transport solutions

MultiDyne showed significant new

features for its SilverBACK family

of camera-mounted fibre transport

solutions at IBC, including a new

operator control panel that offers

intuitive, user-friendly controls

and displays.

The SilverBACK family now

includes four models: The flagship

SilverBACK-II; the SilverBACK-II-IL

for multicamera production; the

SilverBACK-II-4K-L, a feature-rich

model that includes Ethernet support

and a video option for viewfinder

or monitor viewing in the field,

enabling camera operators to turn

any 4K camera into a true Ultra HD

multicamera production; and the

SilverBACK-II-4K, a low-cost model

without the viewfinder/monitor

viewing option, designed to support

traditional film-style productions.

Ultra HD support can be added to any

existing SilverBACK system through a

simple upgrade, enabling customers to

deliver a state-of-the-art 4K television

experience cost-effectively.

THOMSON VIDEO NETWORKSViBE XT1000 Xtream Transcoder

The ViBE XT1000 Xtream

transcoder is a new high-density

video transcoder for live content.

The XT1000 supports up to 54 HD

channels or 180 SD channels with

transcoding from any format to

any format including MPEG-2 and

MPEG-4 AVC, making it applicable

for linear broadcasts on cable, IPTV,

DTH, and DTTV services, as well as

multiscreen delivery.

As a crucial addition to Thomson

Video Networks’ Behind Every

Screen strategy, the ViBE XT1000

joins the company’s other industry-

leading ViBE compression solutions

in providing customers with every

key capability they need to deliver

a profitable and successful multi-

platform convergent video delivery

solution. The ViBE XT1000 provides

a dense and scalable solution for

operators to launch new turnaround

services rapidly and cost-effectively.

By offering up to 50 percent more

transcoding density than competitive

products, the ViBE XT1000 offers

the ideal compromise of cost and

compression performance in non-

premium channel lineups. Housed

in a highly resilient 2RU platform

equipped with hot-swappable

redundant components, the ViBE

XT1000 offers industry-leading

reliability through load balancing

and built-in redundancy powered

by Thomson Video Networks’

MediaFlexOS video operating system.

Beyond audio and video

transcoding, the product offers state-

of-the-art features including VBR

statistical multiplexing/CBR/ABR

output, logo and text insertion, subtitle

management, and audio loudness

control as well as WebTV scrambling

and packaging (Apple HLS, Microsoft

HSS and MPEG DASH).

VISLINK/TVUTVUPack TM8200 powered by

Vislink hybrid technology

TVUPack with Vislink’s integrated

hybrid microwave IP technology

simultaneously aggregates microwave

bandwidth with multiple cellular data

connections. The system supports

up to six 3G/4G/LTE connections as

well as 2 or 7 GHz microwave. The

solution is the first to offer Vislink

microwave transmission functionality

in a backpack, sending video

signals up to four times farther than

COFDM/DVB-T.

Vislink says this is the first of

its kind holy trinity of broadcast

equipment; combining cellular,

IP and microwave transmission

technology in one unique, compact

backpack that delivers reliable, live,

HD video picture quality on the go.

Given that TV stations increasingly

require more video production

but have fewer people to do so, the

TVUPack TM8200 powered by

Vislink Hybrid Technology is the

perfect solution. Mobile, lightweight

and small, the pack can be up and

running in just 20 seconds. Its one-

button operation makes the capturing

and transmission of live video fast

and easy.

Using TVU’s Inverse StatMux

technology to aggregate all

transmission connections, the

TVUPack lets news broadcasters

transmit live video stream from

a remote location back to the

newsroom using any (and all) 3G/4G,

microwave, satellite, Ethernet,

wireless and even Broadband Global

Area Network (BGAN) connections

simultaneously, dynamically

aggregating all connections for

maximum transmission throughput.

WOHLER TECHNOLOGIESModular iON Monitoring Platform

Uniting Wohler’s signal management

and confidence monitoring

technology on a single software

platform, iON gives users the ability

to access, control, and manage a

broad range of signals and associated

data remotely from any Web-enabled

PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet

device, with video and audio content

streamed in real time.

The modular iON is a

monitoring platform that enables

broadcasters to perform signal

monitoring of baseband and stream-

based signals anytime, in any way,

from anywhere. Empowering users

to access, control, and manage a

virtually unlimited range of signals

and associated data remotely

from any Web-enabled PC, Mac,

smartphone, or tablet device, with

video and audio content streamed

in real time, the highly customizable

platform offers unprecedented

versatility and scalability.

Supporting a range of

monitoring interfaces, including

baseband, ASI, IP, and RF, the iON

platform addresses the demands

of past, present, and future signal

monitoring models and formats.

The modular platform evolves

alongside users’ business and

engineering needs, enabling practical,

highly efficient monitoring of both

baseband and stream-based signals

and presenting monitored content

in a browser for convenient review

anywhere and anytime.

of

2014

25 Things You Might Have Missed at IBC

The contributors and editor of TV Technology Europe and the editor of sister publication TV Technology (U.S. edition) selected 25 ‘’things’ from IBC that you might have missed. These were profiled in an October 21 webinar. Thanks to Davide Moro, Ed Lister, Kevin Hilton and Andy Stout for their input. We’ve featured several of the 25 ‘things’ here, and if you want to see the remaining items, the webinar is archived on the TV Technology homepage at www.tvtechnology.com, under the resources tab


EXHIBITIONS

A Glimpse of the FutureSeasoned IBC goers have long made a beeline for the Future Zone situated

just outside Hall 8 to see what the industry’s R&D labs have been up to.

Traditionally the main attraction has been witnessing the latest fruits of NHK’s

Super Hi-Vision project (which this year had a studio camera on display,

and was basking in the transmission of nine matches from the FIFA World

Cup back to Japan) but that has recently been overshadowed by the BBC’s IP

Studio. “We believe very strongly that the future is based around finding an IP-

based solution for network operations in studio environments,” said no less a

figure than EBU director of technology and innovation, Simon Fell.

The BBC conducted extensive tests of IP live production during the

Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, as well as looking at object-based

media which it reckons could satisfy the audience’s growing demands

for content personalisation across multiple platforms. 4K might grab the

current headlines, but it is this sort of ‘under-the-hood’ technology that is

really exciting interest in the corridors of power.

Quantel — LiveTouchIt takes a brave company

to go up against the

big beast of the live

production world, EVS,

but if anyone can do it

Quantel probably can.

LiveTouch is a

scalable studio sports

highlighting system

offering bidirectional

editor integration which

the company claims

makes it faster and easier to integrate editing and highlights operations. It’s

made up of three components: A dedicated control panel, a control application

and a new LiveTouch iteration of the company’s sQ Server. Taking a leaf out

of its newsroom production systems, it can scale from a single server with six

inputs to a multi-server system with more than 40 record ports. Crucially,

any control panel can access any clip on any server and play out highlights

instantly via a new inter-server streaming mechanism.

Such products can often live and die on the quality of their control

ergonomics — the industry is, of course, used to driving EVS machines

and doesn’t want to retrain — but Quantel says it has consulted extensively

with broadcasters and operators to achieve its mix of dedicated and soft-

programmed buttons, with a jog/shuttle wheel for fast and accurate clip

navigation and a slow motion T-bar for precision playback speed control.

The integration of highlights and editing is interesting. An operator

can capture highlights on the fly and provide instant playback and slo-mos,

while an editor can be simultaneously editing the same media into packages

ready for playback from the LiveTouch panel the moment the live action

is over. Whether that will be enough for productions to spec Quantel over

EVS remains to be seen, but it looks like a serious product with serious

chops rather than an exercise in hubris. It’s something to keep an eye on.

Mergers & Acquisitions Compared to the rampant consolidation that led the Q1 run up to NAB this

year, activity on the M&A front was quiet over the summer. But, that said,

Blackmagic’s purchased of the Eyeon Fusion compositor and Oracle’s swoop

for Front Porch Digital will both have ramifications.

Being the MegaCorp that it is, Oracle has a longstanding track record of

buying companies that allow it to cross sell its other services into new markets,

and with data analytics very much a growth area in the industry, it will look

to pitch its database, content management tools and analytics packages to the

healthy Front Porch customer base. It will be interesting to track how Oracle

ownership adds functionality to the FP product line too, not to mention how

FP’s competitors will react to the company being backed by some seriously

deep pockets.

Blackmagic’s own track record is all about taking high end tools and

loping a zero or two off their price while continuing development and

repurposing them for a mass market. It pulled off the trick with DaVinci’s

Resolve colour

corrector (now

on v11 and

pictured), so

now expect to

see Fusion drop

in price, become

seamlessly

integrated into

Resolve (or

at least have

roundtrips

enabled between the two) and even start cropping up in live production work

in a year or two’s time. All in all, the company has an increasingly powerful

production ecology on its hands…

EXHIBITIONS


Pixel Power – BuzzWith broadcasters still trying to find a reliable and seamless way to integrate

social media and television that doesn’t simply look like some sort of kludge,

Pixel Power’s new Buzz software at least holds out the promise of making it

technically simple.

Essentially, it’s a new software accessory for the company’s playout

devices designed to allow users to scan, moderate and broadcast social media

interactions. Its interface has been designed with non-technical staff in mind

and displays multiple social media feeds — Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn etc

— within a single, integrated display. Moderation, a bit of a key skill especially

when the bear pit of Twitter is involved, modification and approvals can be

handled from local or remote desktops, while approved output automatically

populates existing graphics templates driven by any installed Pixel Power

graphics playout system with a single click.

Some of the features that have made social media such a powerful tool,

such as the ability to search for keywords to discover trends and relevant

contributions or track topics are all built in, all of which should make it a

quick and easy tool for (hopefully) maximising viewer engagement.

Ross Video — openTruckStandards initiatives proposed and curated by manufacturers have a

slightly problematic history within the industry. Market dominance,

of course, almost ensures compliance but sometimes it just has to be a

good enough idea, and at first glance Ross Video’s openTruck initiative

certainly falls into that later category.

Aimed very much at lower tier live productions, Ross claims that

openTruck will make cost-efficient, high-performance production

vehicles readily available and, crucially via the companion openCrew

program, also ensure that there is a pool of talented and trained

freelance

operators to

run them.

The format’s

blueprint

includes

open

protocols,

specifications

and

schematics,

while

openCrew,

meanwhile,

provides

training opportunities and certification for operators (some of which,

the company admits, is still under development).

It all uses the company’s Dashboard Protocol developed for its

openGear program to control the kit and promises to decrease

set-up time and use less staff with a lower skill base. And while such

moves are sometimes contentious amongst the OB industry, they tend

to be approved of by broadcasters, especially as they look to expand

coverage of live events further down the chain.

Ericsson – mediaFirstIt’s been a year

since Ericsson

acquired

Microsoft

MediaRoom

and the fruits

are starting to

show with the

MediaFirst TV

Platform, a new

end-to-end,

cloud-based

SaaS platform

that Ericsson

rather grandly says embraces all content sources and delivery

networks and will be available in Q2 2015. According to the company

it’s based on an open and standards-based approach, architected

to be cloud-agnostic, and will deliver seamless deployment

capabilities for operators while enabling innovative viewing

experiences for consumers.

It’s calling this approach “True TV Anywhere” and in the home

the system allows users to create their own profiles and receive

tailored recommendations and content feeds based on various data

extractions, including user viewing history and trending content.

Personal device recognition also means the customer unit recognises

the viewer device being used and dynamically customises the

experience to suit.

Unified search allows for content discovery across live, video on-

demand, time-shift and OTT content, while the company also promises an

intuitive user experience complete with voice commands that hopes to create

a fast and fluid browsing experience, which would be a nice change from the

current inelegant interfaces dominating the Connected TV market.

Elemental Technologies Delta Multiscreen PlatformElemental Delta is a video delivery platform designed to optimize the

monetization, management and distribution of multiscreen video across

internal and external IP networks. Through just-in-time video packaging and

intelligent caching, the platform enables a complete solution for time-shifted

TV and real-time content delivery with advanced levels of customization and

control, including network bandwidth optimisation and targeted ad insertion.

Delta can work with Start-over, catch-up TV, nPVR, delayed TV, pause TV,

and VoD. Device and content-specific rules allow video to be optimised for

bitrate, resolution, audio format, captions and number of channels, resulting in

the best user experience and low distribution costs. Delta combines embedded

encryption and

decryption capabilities

with just-in-time

DRM wrapping.

Protected content can

be stored and moved

efficiently through the

network and DRM

applied in real time

upon delivery.


EXHIBITIONS

UHD1 & UHD2 at the ConferenceThis year the IBC Conference was rejigged and tweaked to be slightly smaller,

slightly more manageable and, as a result, slightly more focused than in

previous years. It probably needed to be too.

“There has been more change in the past five years than in the previous

50 years. And the next 18-24 months will see even greater changes take place,”

commented Charlie Vogt, CEO of Imagine Communications, setting the

scene for much of the debate that would follow over the next five days.

There were many obsessions — spectrum allocation, the problems of

producing genuinely transmedia content and leveraging social into broadcast,

the suitability of the cloud at all stages of the production chain, and more —

but few were as charged as the UHD1 or UHD2 discussions.

While considered very much a done deal at all levels of the industry, the

EBU has recently emerged as one of the many powerful bodies that see UHD1

as a distraction at best, and voices are saying the industry should sit back, take

stock and get UHD2 absolutely right from the outset. The manufacturers,

somewhat predictably, demure.

BSkyB’s chief engineer, Chris Johns, summed it up perfectly: “4K is a bit

like an airline,” he said. “HDTV is obviously economy class; everyone has it

and they can fly anywhere in the world. But it’s nicer in premium economy

where you can get UHD-Phase 1. Then in first class, it’s UHD-Phase 2. Of

course, 8K then means you are in your own executive jet.”

Huge Hitachi UHD Camera deal at IBC2014 GMIT PRISMON: All-Around Broadcast Signal MonitoringHitachi’s award winning new broadcast 4K ultra-HDTV camera,

the SK-UHD4000, was launched at IBC. Leading broadcast services

specialist Gearhouse Broadcast agreed to a multi-million pound deal to

buy the first 50 of these cameras. Gearhouse, which already has a sales

partnership with Hitachi for its broadcast production cameras, expects

to take delivery of the first batch of the SK-UHD4000 before December,

2014. The first actual road test for these cameras will be at the 2015 AFC

Asian Cup international football tournament, which is held in Australia

in January 2015.

Gearhouse plan to put the cameras to use in its brand new 4K OB

truck, which is currently being built for production in Australia, as well as a

new 4K truck planned for use in the US. The rest of the cameras will be used

in its UK systems integration, projects and rental divisions.

The SK-UHD4000 is a broadcast 4K ultra-HDTV camera system

which can take the 2/3-inch B4 mount lenses used in conventional HD

broadcast cameras. The use of standard HDTV lenses eliminates the

need for optically degenerative lens mount adapters. This technological

advantage allows broadcasters and production companies to effectively

use their existing camera lenses to shoot video in 4K resolution, while

capitalizing on well-established TV production workflows associated with

normal HDTV cameras. What this means is that Gearhouse can continue

to use its existing Canon lenses.

Equipped with newly developed 2/3-inch CMOS sensors, the camera

can produce stunning video images with extremely high sensitivity and

resolution. It can output HD and 4K video signals separately, which means

that it can be used in the current HD environment and capture archive

material in 4K ready for the transition to 4K as soon as demand arises!

When all the production world is going mix-and-match, monitoring too

has to become flexible. Conventional broadcast headends are presently

hit by a number of different signal standards, resolutions and frame rates.

When it comes to hybrid headends capable of managing broadcast and

IPTV signals and standards, monitoring gets tough.

The Rohde & Schwarz subsidiary GMIT GmbH’s PRISMON is a

compact, flexible solution for monitoring different types of broadcast

signals. In just one RU, PRISMON monitors SDI, ASI, TS over IP and

T2MI signals and automatically detects content errors such as still pictures

and zero levels in audio signals.

A single system monitors up to 36 TV programs in parallel and detects

dropouts and content errors as are caused by playout, a headend or a

broadcast network. All detected errors are signalled to a central network

management system both locally and via SNMP.

Thanks to the large number of supported interfaces, PRISMON can be

easily used at different points of the transmission chain to ensure uniform

monitoring of all signals. In addition, PRISMON generates a high-quality

mosaic picture for visual monitoring of all programs. Besides videos and

audio bars, even a wide range of metadata such as teletext, EIT information

and data from transport stream tables can be displayed.

PRISMON is also suitable for use at unattended transmitter sites. The

system can be completely operated and monitored via narrowband IP links.

The generated mosaic picture can either be output locally or encoded as

an HD video and streamed via IP networks. This allows convenient visual

monitoring of remote transmitter sites.


EXHIBITIONS

BBC Single Camera Interview PositionsThe viewers of BBC

news will now be able

to enjoy even higher

quality live interviews

from around the

country with thanks

to the new system of

‘single camera’ interview

facilities supplied by dB

Broadcast.

These single camera

facilities are designed

to be operated and

controlled by one person,

this allows interviews

to be carried out more

quickly and without the

need for a full camera

crew or studio.

Although these

systems are designed to

be used by non-technical reporters and are simple

to operate, there is no compromise what so ever

where quality or equipment is concerned: Both

HD and SD are supported plus remote tilt and

pan, blue and green switchable chromakey light

ring and a low energy lighting system are all

available features. This system is entirely under

BNCS control.

The single camera positions are designed for

use when local dignitaries are interviewed. This

can happen several times a week at each location

depending on the actual news content being covered.

Seven of these systems have very recently been

supplied for the south of England in Nottingham,

Bristol, Norwich, Oxford, Tunbridge Wells,

Southampton and Plymouth.

And More …What other ‘things’ will you see online? How about Accedo’s VIA, the Atomos Power Station product, and the Bird device from Orad & MUV. Also expect slides and commentary on Thomson Video Networks’ViBE XT1000, Net Insight’s Nimbra VA 220, the Ensemble Designs BrightEye NXT 450 compact router & up/down/cross converter, BLT’s SportTOUCH sport anchor product, and cool little DIY AMPs from Calrec. For these, go to www.tvtechnology.com, find the resources tab, and click on ‘webinars.’

There are multiple

sets of prime lenses

now available for use

with DSLRs and large

sensor digital cine

cameras available in various price

ranges. However, the selection of

multipurpose “pro zoom” lenses

that could be called affordable is

somewhat restricted. If you add

another criterion—a zoom ratio

of more than four or five to one—

then that list shrinks to less than

a handful. However, there is one

EF-mount-only lens that combines

an impressive focal range (especially

on the telephoto end), but still goes

wide enough to serve as a general-

purpose lens, especially with a full

sensor camera.

As you may have guessed, this

optic was designed for use as a still

photo lens; however, budget-minded

DPs haven’t let that become a deal

breaker ever since the DSLR/large

sensor revolution revealed a paucity

of bona fide “cine zoom” lenses

available below the US$5K mark.

Canon’s EF 28 to 300 mm f-3.5-5.6

USM L IS lens is a notable exception,

which is why I had to try it out.

FEATURESThe EF 28-300mm f-3.5 to f-5.6L IS

USM lens features an exceptional

zoom ratio of nearly 11 to one,

making it useful for a broad range of

applications including sports, nature,

documentaries, TV commercials

and general purpose EFP—and even

ENG—shooting. Moreover, the lens

is equipped with a dual-mode image

stabilizer that’s optimized either for

moving or static shots.

The EF lens feels heftier than its

official 3.7 pounds, thanks partly to all

of the L-series Pro glass it contains: 23

elements in 16 groups, including three

UD and two aspherical elements for

aberration correction and for optimal

optical performance throughout its

focal range.

The lens also may have the

longest zoom ratio of any lens not

expressly made for video capture

purposes. It’s impressive too in

that you can focus down to 2.3 feet

throughout the zoom range for eye-

popping close-ups.

This large lens

is also reasonably

light sensitive,

opening to f-3.5 at

28 mm and f-5.6 at

300 mm. In video

mode, exposure

may be adjusted

manually or

automatically. For

maximum exposure

control, however, it

should be adjusted

manually to expose

for highlights,

shadows or for

something

in-between.

The lens

uses a push-pull

zoom mechanism,

meaning that

the focal length

increases as you

stretch the barrel

forward and

decreases as you

compress it. A metal

collar next to the

manual focus ring

lets you tighten or

loosen the tension

on the barrel.

As this is a still

photography lens, it really wasn’t

designed to zoom smoothly; however,

with the tension level set low enough,

smooth short zooms are quite

doable with just a little practice and

patience. (When the tension is set

to “max,” the lens becomes a fixed

focal length device.)

The lens has several useful

features not typically found on cine

lenses, including full-time manual

autofocus override, an ultrasonic

sensor-controlled autofocus motor

and a focus range-limiting function.

There are two autofocus range

options: seven meters to infinity and

two-and-a-half meters to infinity.

(I found the latter range to be ideal

when shooting through glass, fencing

or light foliage.)

This lens also has special coatings

to minimize ghosting and flare and to

resist dust, moisture and even water

droplets, making it ideal for outdoor

use in less than perfect conditions.

The front element can accept a

standard 77 mm filter for extra

protection.

This lens is fairly user-friendly,

particularly for those familiar with

Canon’s EF lens series.

Another feature worthy of note

is Canon’s Image Stabilization (IS)

system. According to the company,

when you’re using IS in still

photography you can handhold the

camera at three f-stops less than when

you’re using a non-stabilized lens. For

video applications, “level 2”—which

is optimized for panning—should be

used as the default mode.

IN USEI tested the 28-300 with two Canon

DSLRs: the EOS 60D and the more

compact Rebel XTI. With its blond

barrel, black rubber adjusting rings

and basic design and proportions,

the 28-300 unit looked strikingly

similar to my own long EF lens, a

Canon EF100-400 mm, although it’s a

bit heavier in hand.

I relaxed the “tension” on the

barrel so that I could zoom in and

out as smoothly and quickly as

possible. I also wanted to attempt

some short zooms with the review

lens, even though it wasn’t designed

the way most variable focal length

lenses are. The key was to keep the

tension level low, but set with just

enough resistance to moderate the

zoom speed. This does require some

amount of trial and error.

The really frustrating element

here was that I had to keep re-

tweaking things, as the tension ring

often locked up with the focus ring,

thus taking things outside of the

“sweet spot.” However, some amount

of repeated tweaking usually solved

the problem.

Fortunately, the lens’s ultrasonic

autofocus function integrates

seamlessly with the 60D, including

the manual override. If you don’t like

what you get with autofocus, then you

move things manually. The autofocus

isn’t flawless, particularly in shadows

where depth of field is shallow. This

sometimes triggered a “hunting”

behaviour and resulted in variable soft

focus, so it’s nice to be able to revert

to manual mode.

Ergonomically, the autofocus

and image stabilizer switches are

both recessed and “sticky,” so they

can’t be inadvertently changed while

you’re shooting. The adjustments are

also clustered close to the camera for

easy “blind access” while shooting.

However, as the switches are all

identical to the touch and “sticky,”

users should be cautioned that

switching while shooting is ill advised.


PRODUCT REVIEW

Canon’s EF 28-300 mm USM L IS Lens

The EF 28-300 mm USM L IS lens

FAST FACTS

APPLICATION

Television production with

DSLRs and large sensor digital

cine cameras.

KEY FEATURES

Broad focal, selectable focus

range, manual autofocus

override, dual-stage internal

stabilization, removable tripod

collar, rugged construction

PRICE

US$2,689

By Carl Mrozek

BUYERS GUIDE: ENG & EFP


PRODUCT REVIEWA great example of the utility of

using both the autofocus feature and

the manual override occurred while

I was shooting deer in woodland

at dusk. The Canon Series III 1.4X

extender that I was using reduced the

maximum aperture to f-8 in the 200

to 300 mm range. Hence, the depth

of field experienced was very shallow

in the fading light, with the autofocus

sometimes keying on trees and

branches rather than on the deer.

On the other hand, I found that

the extender made it much easier to

nearly fill the frame with deer, with

only immediately adjacent foliage

affecting the AF. I quickly overrode

this by manually tweaking the focus.

It’s worth noting that the 60D,

and Rebel XTi both lack full-frame

sensors and this results in a 1.6X

crop factor. This means that even less

of the softer, outer perimeter of the

lens is used when shooting, as most

of the action is captured in the lens’

sharpest centre core. This allowed

me to use the best parts of the high

quality L-series optical elements for

maximum sharpness.

Even when the lens was operated

with its iris wide open at f-5.6, the

image corners remained quite sharp

through most of the high end of the

focal range. Edge sharpness was even

better in partial sunlight, enabling me

to stop down one or two more steps.

As may be expected, the results in

bright sunlight were better (even with

extenders), when maxed out between

200 and 300 mm. The key thing was

always being in focus, even with

kinetic subjects such as wildlife, by

manually tweaking as needed.

I didn’t notice any vignetting

issues, although I really wasn’t

shooting the kinds of subjects that

typically trigger it, so I can’t confirm

that this may be a potential issue

under some circumstances.

I also didn’t encounter any

problems with the stabilization

system which I kept set mostly on

level “2” for vibration-free panning

and tilting. According to Canon, it’s

important to keep the system on, even

when shooting from a tripod, as this

lens senses when a tripod is being

used with the camera. Keeping the

stabilization system activated when

using the camera/lens package on a

tripod is also recommended to take

full advantage of the secondary IS

mode, thereby reducing the chance

for loss of image sharpness from

shutter activation, camera handling

and wind-induced vibrations.

I also briefly tested the 28-300

lens on Canon’s XL H1 1/3-inch

CCD camera, using a mounting

adaptor which probably doubled the

device’s 1.6X (APS-C) DSLR crop

factor. Whatever the de facto crop,

I was able to fill the frame with the

image of a stationary snowy owl at

least 120-feet away.

I experienced perfect sharpness

all around the frame, along with

decent depth of field and very good

overall colour rendition in full

sunlight conditions. The images also

intercut seamlessly with the other

footage I’d shot with the Canon 20X

video lens plus a 1.5X front-mounting

tele-extender.

SUMMARYBy itself, the EF 28-300 mm is a

versatile, well-designed rugged lens

with excellent optics and internal

stabilization for use with DSLRs and

large sensor digital cine cameras, and

also with some broadcast cameras via

adaptors. With its broad focal range,

the lens can fill many production

niches, especially in sports and wildlife

applications, thanks to features such

as manual override autofocus,

two-stage internal stabilization and

dual-range autofocus.

Despite some warnings to the

contrary, I found that this lens can

be used with Canon series III

tele-extenders to take its nearly 11X

zoom to an impressive 600 mm,

although it’s not recommend for

work at the full 600 mm zoomed-

out focal length. Combined with an

additional crop factor of 1.6X, this

yields – with most nonfull frame

sensors – a lens that’s equivalent

to nearly a 1000 mm focal length

on a 35mm SLR camera, making it

ideal for many applications where

telephoto power is key to capturing

those special shots.

Contact:Carl Mrozek operates Eagle Eye Media, and specializes in wildlife and outdoor subjects. His work regularly appears on the Discovery Channel, The Weather Channel, CBS, PBS and other networks.

Canonwww.canon.co.uk

Contact:


MARKETPLACE

TWO NEW CAMERAS, PL LENS MOUNTSNew this year from Blackmagic are two new cameras, models of the

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K and Blackmagic Cinema Camera with PL

lens mounts. This means cinema lenses can be used.

The PL mount is made out of machined steel so unlike the cheap adapters

made from aluminium; the PL lens mount on these cameras won’t bind onto the

lens and get stuck. There are nice big tabs to allow a user to put good positive

pressure on the lens fastening ring, and the whole mount is incredibly strong so it

can hold a heavy lens. Because the whole chassis of this camera is machined out

of aluminium, it has a lot of strength and can hold these heavy lenses.

The PL mount front face can be removed it can be shimmed. This means

a user can collimate a lens onto the camera for matching the lens and camera

perfectly. The PL mount also lets camera operators use decades of “vintage

glass” to achieve the look of old cinema film by using the very lenses they

used back in those days.

Blackmagic

now has 5 models

to choose from in

this chassis, with

2 different sensors

and 3 different lens

mounts. This means

you can choose from

a 4K sensor with 12

stops of dynamic range, global shutter and large Super 35 size, or the 2.5K

sensor with 13 stops of dynamic range, rolling shutter but better low light

performance. The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K PL is US$2,995 and the

Blackmagic Cinema Camera PL is US$2,295.

www.blackmagicdesign.com

REMOTE NEWSGATHERING CONTROLAVIWEST’s new DMNG Manager

is a live video contribution platform

that enables control over a wide

range of newsgathering equipment

including DMNG transmitters,

smartphones using the DMNG

APP, and DMNG Studio receivers,

allowing broadcasters to easily

allocate resources and route live

video content for transmission over 3G/4G cellular wireless, WiFi,

Ethernet, and satellite networks. By streamlining DMNG operations, the

solution provides broadcasters with significant time and cost savings.

Prior to AVIWEST’s DMNG Manager, handling a large fleet of digital

mobile newsgathering devices was extremely complex. The DMNG Manager

transforms remote newsgathering by enabling broadcasters and video

professionals to manage and control hundreds of devices with a single tool.

Through an intuitive, Web-based user interface, which can be installed

through either a cloud-based application or a headend solution, the DMNG

Manager brings simplicity, flexibility, and efficiency to any news organization.

One of the unique capabilities of the DMNG Manager is resource allocation.

Utilizing the system, users can route live streams and video files to dedicated

receivers to increase their operational efficiency.

Fast remote set up and configuration is also a feature: The DMNG

Manager enables operators to push a configuration file to several field

units simultaneously, thus speeding up a broadcaster’s operations.

Additionally, the DMNG Manager provides access to the Web page of

every connected field unit and receiver, enabling easy remote control.

www.aviwest.com

ON-CAMERA COLOUR GRADING

SUNLIGHT READABLE MONITORSThe new SRM-074W-N and SRM-095W-N are upgraded versions from TV

Logic’s established SRM-074W and LVM-095W respectively, with higher

luminance capability. Offering the same high technical performance and

operational features of the popular sister monitors, the new SRM-074W-N

and SRM-095W provide clear, readable

pictures when shooting outdoors in

the brightest sunshine instantly, at the

touch of a button. The SRM-074W-N

is a 7-inch field monitor with enhanced

backlight system that gives out the highest

luminance possible on a 7-inch field

monitor - 1500cd/�. TV Logic says the

SRM-095W is the very first 9-inch field monitor with Full HD resolution

and high luminance of 800cd/�. Both accommodate multi-format 3G/

Dual Link HD-SGI, SD-SDI, HDMI and analogue (SRM-074W-N) signal

inputs. All the professional features including Timecode Display, Waveform/

Vectorscope, Range Error, User Aspect Ratio, UMD, Closed Captions and

Focus Assist are supported.

www.tvlogic.co.kr

SmallHD on-camera

monitors are colour accurate,

durable and provide the

sharp high-definition display

necessary to make critical

focus decisions. Thanks to a new

firmware upgrade, the full-featured

1280x800 DP7-PRO monitor offers an industry-first on-

camera colour grading system, designed to dial-in quick colour grades

and provide clients and crew onset with a clear view of the look of the

finished product. The AC7-OLED SDI and AC7-OLED HDMI monitors

offer outstanding OLED colour and contrast benefits along with many

features of the DP7-PRO, including focus and exposure tools— at cost

effective pricing.

www.SmallHD.com

CONTROLLER FOR AXIS STABILIZERFreefly Systems, designers and manufacturers of the MōVI 3-axis

stabilizer family, has begun delivering its new MōVI Controller. The

MōVI Controller is purpose built to provide for a true two-user MōVI

stabilizer setup by letting a second operator control pan, tilt, roll, focus,

iris, and zoom of a MōVI-mounted camera while the first operator holds

the system. The MōVI Controller can be utilized on the MōVI M5, M10

and soon to be released M15 stabilizers.

Freefly Systems’ engineers built the MōVI Controller with a slew

of asked-for features. An ergonomic joystick delivers tactile feedback,

allowing smooth and accurate control. The new Controller provides

access to MōVI configuration settings, and features assignable buttons

and knobs offering the ability to customize the Controller to an individual

operator’s working style. In addition

to sending control information

to the MōVI stabilizer,

the Controller receives

and displays information

from the stabilizer, such

as whether it is locked into

GPS control and also displays

how many satellites to which the

MōVI is locked. The Controller is built with

full carbon fibre construction for durability. In addition to its precision

joystick, the controller has a high-resolution focus knob, zoom control

rocker and a Shutter/Record start-stop button.

The Controller features a long-range wireless link (1200 ft.), and delivers

real-time telemetry from the MōVI stabilizer. It is designed with hard points

for mounting a monitor and accessories, and can be powered by V-Mount

batteries or by Freefly Systems’ AC power adapter. The Controller Includes a

5V USB power output, tripod mount and neck strap for mobile operation.

www.freeflysystems.com


MARKETPLACECION CAMERA FORMAT SUPPORTED IN ADOBE PREMIERE PRO CCAJA’s CION professional production camera is capable of shooting at 4K/

UltraHD and 2K/HD resolutions. CION offers in-camera recording directly

to the Apple ProRes family of codecs including ProRes 4444, and ProRes

422 up to 4K 60 fps, and offers the ability to output 4K AJA Raw data at up

to 120 fps via 4x 3G-SDI outputs. When recording in HD or 2K, the image

is oversampled from the full 4K sensor, retaining focal length as well as

providing a vibrant and detailed image. CION features a simple interface with

direct controls, as well as camera menu parameters and live video stream

that are remotely configurable and viewable through any web browser via a

LAN connection. Pricing for

CION is US$8,995.

At IBC AJA announced

its AJA Raw CION camera

format will soon be

supported in Adobe Premiere

Pro CC. Adobe previewed

several new developments

and updates to Adobe

Premiere Pro CC at IBC.

“The reliability and performance of AJA’s products on the video/audio I/O,

recording and digital workflow end of things are well established, and we’re

excited to see them enter into the camera market with CION,” said Simon

Williams, director of strategic relations at Adobe. “Now creative pros will have

an even more powerful workflow with the support of the AJA Raw CION

camera format in Adobe Premiere Pro CC.”

AJA Raw support is enabled through the Cinema DNG format and allows

for a familiar and powerful workflow when the utmost flexibility is required

for colour work for VFX, feature and complex lighting and location pipelines.

www.aja.com

UPGRADED FIBRE TRANSCEIVERThe new CopperHead 3430AP integrates the existing

CopperHead 3400 fibre transceiver with the PowerPlus

3000 power adapter to provide a single, ergonomically

enhanced, multifunction solution. By supporting

cutting-edge 3D and dual-link operation, this new

unit reduces size, bulk, and external cabling associated

with the existing system. It also improves mechanical

stability, lowers cost, reduces case temperature, and improves the

product’s overall aesthetics.

Transmitting all signals digitally and optically, the CopperHead 3430AP

assures the highest transport quality — free from interference, grounding

problems or drifting due to temperature variations. The entire system

requires only two interconnections — a tactical fibre from Base Station to

HDX+, and an SMPTE hybrid fibre cable from HDX+ to the CopperHead

3430AP, which provides signal communication and power to the camera rig.

new.grassvalley.com

Shotoku’s new 2-stage TTH1502C carbon fibre tripod

incorporates the latest technology to give operators a

lightweight, yet sturdy tripod system that is perfect for

EFP or documentary production. Built to last with carbon

fibre legs, the tripod weighs a mere 5.9kg (13 lbs.), features

a 150mm bowl base, and stands over 1615mm (5’) tall at

its maximum height. Available with a ground spreader

or a mid-level spreader, the tripod is ideally paired with

Shotoku’s SX300 pan & tilt head for optimal performance. www.shotoku.tv

2-STAGE CARBON TRIPOD

One only has to look at

the money involved

with modern football

and the growing global

support to see what

an opportunity this provides for

broadcasters. But it’s also a challenge.

Consumer requirements when it comes

to the coverage of large live events have

grown as competitive pay-TV offers

have come to dominate the top end

sporting landscape: consumers expect

more and better coverage!

Never were consumer

expectations higher than at the

2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Broadcasters across the spectrum had

to deliver, and this is where cellular

uplinking came in.

Juan Alberto Esquivel, Director of Transmission, RCN television, was one user: “We took the LiveU units to São Paulo, Brasilia, Rio, Natau, Salvador, Recife and Belo Horozonte. LiveU exceeded our expectations. It gave us the mobility to go live from anywhere, anytime. We knew the Brazilian landscape would be challenging. However, we hit 9 Mbps in some areas. Also the management system, LiveU Central, gave us flexibility and geo-location

that allowed us to maximise the use of the units in field.”

The 2014 FIFA World Cup

was a real game-changer as the

numbers reveal. During the course

of the tournament, more than 200

broadcasters used LiveU solutions,

which handled over 2,650 hours

of transmission and a staggering

40Tb of data. But perhaps the most startling statistic – and one that testifies to the signal robustness of the latest technology, including the flagship LU500 – is that 98 per cent of the broadcasts were live. This figure remained consistent across the tournament. Broadcasters and online

outlets used technology from smartphone apps through to the LU500 to provide 360 degree involvement.

Media organisations

have to have mobility

and flexibility to deliver

this type of content;

more traditional OB

units simply aren’t

able to do this, or do

it at great expense and

complexity. It’s not

their role. Journalists

equipped with cellular

units can wander and

roam, go to where the story is rather

than waiting for it to come to them.

Of course, football stadiums are

competitive places beyond the game

on the pitch: Bandwidth is a valuable

commodity with many people

wanting it during a match. This

resulted in widespread use of LiveU’s

Xtender technology, with the Xtender

remaining stationary and benefitting

from additional modems. Units up

to 1,000ft away can utilise these via

Wi-Fi for even greater bandwidth

and signal robustness. All worries about the weakness of Brazilian telecommunications networks, which led to mobile phone blackouts during

last year’s Confederations Cup, were swept aside.

Juan Pablo Marino, Director of

Transmission, Caracol TV Colombia,

said: “We used several solutions

from LiveU for the World Cup. The

mobility we had with the units and

Xtender gave us the ability to go live

from five different locations at the

same time following the Colombian

team and its fans; a true game-

changer for us, in the creation of

content for global events.”

In something a bit new, TERRA, the largest Internet company in Latin America, used LiveU technology during the tournament. The content was available on TERRA’s web site (www.terra.com.br) for multiscreen viewing. The future of big event coverage will demand more and better production technology.

Coverage with a Kick By Ronen Artman


CASE STUDY BUYERS GUIDE: ENG & EFP

Contact:Ronen Artman is VP Marketing, LiveU.

LiveUW: www.liveu.tv

Contact:

3-CMOS HDTV CAMERAIkegami’s new HC-HD300 is a

compact, aggressively-priced high-

definition camera designed for a wide

range of applications. It is equipped

with a 1/3 inch bayonet lens mount

and employs three 1/3-inch CMOS

progressive-scan sensors, each with

2.2 million pixels, in RGB prism

formation. It delivers high quality

pictures in all commonly used HD video formats: 1920 x 1080/59.94i,

1920 x 1080/50i, 1280 x 720/59.94p, 1280 x 720/50p and 720 x 480/59.94i

(NTSC), 720 x 576/50i (PAL).

Typical performance characteristics of the HC-HD300 in 1080/59.94i

output mode are 1,000 television lines horizontal resolution, 58 dB

signal-to-noise ratio and 2,000 lux sensitivity (89.9 per cent white

reflection) at F10 aperture. Equivalent aperture in 1080/50i mode for this

light level is F11. Camera gain be attenuated from mid-level to -3 or -6

dB, or increased by +3, +6, +9, +12 or + 18 dB. Integral neutral density

filters (100 per cent, 25 per cent, 6.2 per cent and 1.6 per cent) can be

switched in as required, plus operator-selectable 3,200, 4,300, 6,300 and

8,000 kelvin electronic colour conversion. An electric shutter can be set

to 1/100, 1/120, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1,000 or 1/2,000 second speed.

Available options include the newly-developed FA-300 fibre adaptor

and BSF-300 base station. The HC-HD300’s output cable is fitted with a

Neutrik opticalCon Duo connector to provide efficient protection against

dust. Up to 250 metres of cable can be connected direct to the camera,

extendable to 10 kilometres by using external power.

http://de.ikegami.co.jp/products/broadcast/camerasystem/

CION SUPPORTAJA has announced

significant CION

Support from

camera accessory

manufacturers

Alphatron, MTF,

Wooden Camera,

Vocas and Zacuto.

Alphatron’s

electronic viewfinder

(EVF-035W-3G) will

work with CION’s

standard connectors, along with their full line of accessories including

matte boxes, follow focusses, camera plates and a pedestal. Additionally,

through Alphatron’s camRade division, the company is developing a rain

cover and camera bag custom fit to CION’s specifications.

Leveraging CION’s removable lens mount, MTF has announced a

host of new lens adapters already in production including Nikon/G to

CION, Canon EF to CION, Canon EF (electric) to CION, Canon FD

to CION, ARRI Bayonet to CION and an optical B4 to CION package.

Wooden Camera is also developing several alternate lens mounts for

CION. Vocas develops an array of standard camera accessories that work

with CION including matte boxes, focus controllers, cheese plates and

much more.

Zacuto’s newest EVF the Gratical HD announced at NAB 2014, along

with their entire line of standard camera accessories will also be ideal

complements to CION shooters.

www.aja.com


MARKETPLACE

LOW-COST LONG-DISTANCE PRODUCTION POWERAt IBC last month EASY-DC joined the Video Ghost

and GhostRack at the BHV stand. The series brings an

intelligently designed, robust and cost-saving solution

to any situation where local powering is difficult or

impossible. The Power Solution Series targets any

temporary or permanent application that traditionally

relies on batteries for power. The Easy-DC rounds

out series by providing low-cost, long distance power

for monitors, cameras and LED lights in situations

when AC is difficult or dangerous to access. Operating

at distances up to 300m (1000ft) over twisted pair wiring, Easy-DC’s rugged

housing and flexible design make it ideal for temporary use in the field, or as a

permanent part of the technical infrastructure of a studio, building or campus as

a distributed solution delivering power in a “wheel and hub” configuration.

www.bhvbroadcast.com

FIELD FIBRE TRANSPORT WITH POWER OPTIONMultiDyne is now

shipping the BullDog,

a field fibre transport

system that packs

functionality into a

compact, rugged package.

Using the BullDog,

professional camera

operators can significantly

extend the transmission

distance of multiple

camera signals, including

HD-SDI video, audio,

intercom, control data, Ethernet, GPIOs, tally, and power. In addition

to transporting any camera signal over a single fiber cable, the BullDog

can efficiently transport up to eight HD-SDI signals in any direction.

Already operating on a lightweight battery pack, the BullDog gives

users the option of adding the MultiDyne JUICE power supply. In

addition to transmitting signals to and from the camera with a hybrid

optical cable, users can send power to the BullDog and the camera.

With the JUICE option, there is no need for a battery or local power,

which is particularly useful at golf courses and venues without a power

infrastructure. MultiDyne also offers the BullDog Big Brothers, two

larger-sized units that pack even more functionality into a rugged and

compact form factor.

www.multidyne.com

5-INCH OLED MONITOR WITH H.264 RECORDINGStarliteHD is a 5-inch OLED monitor from Transvideo with

advanced functionalities such as H.264 recording

and playback, metadata reports on PDF, metadata

extraction from SONY and ARRI camera (RED

coming soon). .jpg snap-shots are also available.

Ruggedly constructed of avionics grade aluminium,

the product features low weight (190grams) and low

power consumption. StarliteHD accepts many accessories, a viewfinder

adapter, several battery holders, sun hoods and more. www.transvideo.eu

Name: Giuseppe Maio

Age: 29

Star sign: Gemini

What languages do you speak?

Italian, English, Spanish.

Home town: Rome

Where are you based now?

I arrived in Australia in late 2013. I

lived for a while in Adelaide because

I shot a TV commercial there. Then I

travelled a little across Australia.

At the moment I’m staying in

the Byron Bay area of New South

Wales, working as a photographer

and following a project. Soon I’ll

move to Sydney but I don’t know

how I’ll continue my trip after

that move.

Occupation: Cinematographer,

camera operator and — when it

happens — I love to work as a

photographer.

Education: I first studied Letters

and Philosophy for three years at

university, with a specialisation

in cinema. Then I managed to

get into the National Italian Film

School Centro Sperimentale di

Cinematografia where, from 2008

to 2010, I attended the course in

Cinematography with Master DOP

Giuseppe Rotunno ASC, AIC.

Current assignments. Where, doing

what, shooting for whom?

I’m currently working as a

photographer in Byron Bay. I’m also

working on preparation of a couple of

projects for short films and a feature.

It’s a debut in a feature for two very

talented directors.

I hope that shooting will begin as

soon as possible because it will be

very exciting to shoot and the story is

very interesting.

What was your Italian experience?

In Italy I worked on various types of

productions; features, commercials,

documentary, short movies, and

music videos.

Have you been busy?

Yes, I’ve been quite busy.

Shooting where?

I shot mostly in Italy. Some of the

projects took me around Europe:

France, Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia.

How do you find travelling

around Europe?

I travelled around Europe shooting

some projects. I shot a commercial

in France and a documentary

took me through a large part of

the former Yugoslavia: Croatia,

Bosnia- Herzegovina, and Serbia.

It was a beautiful project, a road

trip that gave me the opportunity

to cross places surrounded by

an incredible history and a

cultural heritage.

What types of productions have you

mostly shot?

Shorts and documentaries.

Do you prefer working with a big or

small crew?

It really depends on the type of project.

Each project needs the right balance of

people and technical means.

Projects like features, shorts or

commercials call for more people and

equipment. On documentaries I think

it’s very important to have a small

crew; often the directors ask for this.


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I love to work in a minimally invasive

way to give reality the right space.

What was your first shooting job?

A short movie.

Do you prefer working on big or low

budget productions?

I started working with super indie and

low budget productions. They’re very

popular in Italy because unfortunately

there is not enough money invested in

the cinema and the arts in general.

It was excellent training and

helps you adapt to any situation,

concentrate and make the best

use of ingenuity. Even today I

shoot independent work and do it

willingly because it keeps my spirit of

adaptation alive. Working on larger

projects gives you a way to confront

problems and to give you space to

grow professionally.

Most recent, interesting assignments?

Surely it was the opportunity to debut

as Director of Photography in a feature:

Tulpa. It was an important experience

in which I had the opportunity to

experiment a lot. The film has obtained

success all over the world and has been

sold in America, bought by a very

important distribution house for the

horror film genre.

Another very interesting project

was a documentary about a scientific-

technological project, which is trying

to study an alternative solution to the

wheelchair to allow people to return

to an upright position supported by

an exoskeleton. ‘Humanly’ was a very

intense experience.

Current equipment you use?

I always carry with me — except

when I forget! — my Canon 60D. It’s

very versatile!

I use it to take pictures and video,

for when I go location scouting

for shoots, to capture interesting

atmosphere and moments that occur

every day in our eyes. I carry it with

me on the set …

Other gear you have access to?

Potentially all.

Let me explain: Every project is

different and requires its specific and

precise visual style and narrative. I try

to choose the most suitable equipment

(film or digital camera, lenses, filters,

lights) to tell that particular story in

the most appropriate way possible

and also to take into account budget

demands. Then I give this list to the

production people and I hope they

manage to get the maximum deal

from the rental companies.

Equipment “wish list”?

I don’t have a specific wish list. Yes,

I would love to have total freedom to

choose everything I think is necessary.

What piece of gear do you wish

someone might make?

I don’t know exactly. I would love to

build a small light source for myself

and I would like to experiment and

create interesting filters. I think with

experimenting a lot and having a

good crew you can be able to satisfy

your needs.

Best thing about your job?

When I’m working and that magical

energy is created where all the crew

works towards the same goal.

Worst thing about your job?

When I’m not working!

Dullest assignments and why?

When you’re passionate in your work

it’s hard to get bored. I try to find

more stimuli and learn new things in

every situation.

Hairiest/scariest assignments

and why?

I was shooting a shot from a dolly,

in the open countryside. A very

bucolic piece of scenery. The light

was beautiful, a car raised a cloud of

dust along a road so the crane went

lower and the car passed in front of

the camera and led us to discover the

house ... this was the plan!

We did the check run, the camera

began to roll, everything was going

in the right direction until there was

only sky in my viewfinder. I suddenly

realised that the crane was falling!

Fortunately, the dolly grip was quick

off the mark and softened the fall.

The crane came slowly to rest on one

side. The camera assistant and I were

able to get off before it fell completely.

However, at the end, the crane was

restored in record time and we were

able to finally shoot that shot.

How much 16:9 do you shoot?

Honestly I don’t usually shoot in 16:9,

apart from TV commercials. For other

works I prefer to use formats such as

1.85, 2.35 and — rarely‚ the 4:3 that I

love so much.

What’s your taste in music?

Favourite band?

It really depends on my mood. I vary so

much between different musical styles.

Some of my favourite bands are Pearl

Jam, Lucio Dalla, Ben Harper, Dave

Matthews, Nick Cave, and Brian Eno.

Favourite food?

I am lucky to have a girlfriend who

always manages to prepare beautiful

dinners with whatever she has

available, so I eat everything. But if I

have to choose, I love fish.


SHARPSHOOTER

Publisher Steve Connolly T: +44 (0)207 354 6000 E: [email protected] Ben Ewles T: +44 (0)207 354 6000 E: [email protected] Raffaella Calabrese T: +39 02 92884940 E: [email protected] America Susana Saibene T: +34 607 314071 E: [email protected] Kong, China, Asia/Pacific Wengong Wang T: +86 755 5785161 E: [email protected]/New Zealand Eric Trabb T: +1 212 378 0400 x532 E: [email protected] Central, New England & Canada Vytas Urbonas T: +1 212 378 0400 x533 E: [email protected] West Pete Sembler T: +1 212 378 0400 x324 E: [email protected] Classifieds & Product Showcase/ Michele Inderrieden T: +1 212 378 0400 x523 E: [email protected] US Southeast and Mid-Atlantic

Advertising IndexAdder www.adder.com 19

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Blackmagic Design www.blackmagicdesign.com 9, 13

Bridge Technologies www.bridge.tv 3

Canon www.canon-europe.com 11

CES www.cesweb.org 21

Cobalt www.cobaltdigital.com 15

Enco www.enco.com 6

GatesAir www.gatesair.com 7

Gearhouse www.gearhousebroadcast.com 24

Grass Valley www.grassvalley.com 2

IBC www.ibc.org 23

Lupolux www.lupolux.com 25

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Wheatstone www.wheatstone.com 28

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