NAB SPECIAL 019 - The most prestigious technical trade magazine for broadcast, film and media technology - FKT Magazin
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WWW.FKT-ONLINE.DE
JOURNAL COVERING TV, FILM &
ELECTRONIC MEDIA
NAB SPECIAL 019
Image: ISE/Thomas Krackl
The most prestigious technical trade magazine for
broadcast, film and media technology
ISE_BEILAGE_FKT2019_1-2.indd 1 29.01.19 09:27
Magazin _Produktion und Post Januar/Februar 2019 FKT
MAGAZIN
All images: PBTEU
Subtitling: An Opportunity
for Broadcasters
Embracing Timed-Text Services
ensures Nothing’s Lost in Translation
The article investigates the challenges and technological breakthroughs in subtitling and why it
plays such a critical part in the broadcast industry.
A s subtitles provide so much value to the industry,
and not limited to just the hearing-impaired or as
translation devices for foreign films, why is it that so
ALEXANDER STOYANOV
is a Subtitling Professional and
many broadcasters and OTT providers are missing a trick
Managing Partner of PBTEU
by not taking up this obvious revenue-boosting oppor-
tunity in front of them? They could be using subtitles ø www.pbteu.com
to their advantage to reach a much wider audience and
extend their services to be made more accessible to an
even larger customer-base.
In a world that’s increasingly Recent research confirms that many people now view video
o Der Artikel untersucht inter-connected on every lev- footage without sound, whether on phones, laptops, iPads, or
die Herausforderungen und el from work to entertainment, other screens. The audience viewing it this way is increasing
technologischen Entwicklun- subtitles or “timed-text services” at a rapid rate, outnumbering traditional television viewers.
gen bei der Untertitelung und have become an indispensable and This trend is creating an even greater demand for subtitling
invaluable commodity. Following especially for younger generations where subtitles can pow-
warum diese eine so wichtige
recent government legislation erfully serve to bridge gaps in communities.
Rolle im Broadcast spielt.
enforcing broadcasters to deliver Subtitling has been a major factor in accelerating and
subtitling services to linear TV, generating the sharing of ideas across the globe at a pace
OTT, and online channels, the pressure’s on to migrate to never quite seen before. It can be compared to the irrevers-
time-efficient, cost-effective timed-text technologies. ible impact early writing and the printing revolution had on
The digital age of livestreaming, YouTube and other shaping events. During the 1970’s, subtitling technology
OTT platforms is placing increasing demand for immedi- went through diversification and improvements in both
ate timed-text services to be delivered with high levels of preparation and emission. Technology is now beginning to
speed and accuracy, combined with cultural and lingual have a positive impact in transforming traditional television
competence to ensure clear communication gets con- subtitling for the better.
veyed.
MAGAZIN_Stoyanov.indd 34 30.01.19 09:23
FKT Januar/Februar 2019 Magazin _Produktion und Post
MAGAZIN
With many subtitling platforms around, it’s crucial Social media penetration is an influential driver for the
solutions meet specific needs within budget. Subtitling industry and the most “unchartered territory” regarding
is evolving at a rapid rate and quickly adapted to HD and timed-text services. It’s a brave new world of possibilities
other formats. There are also ongoing requirements for and will greatly define whole new segments in producti-
improved subtitle presentation, as well as the introduc- on and methods of consumption.
tion of file-based production workflows, including the Live events form another niche where timed-text
inescapable convergence with web and online data. services show great potential. In the future it will grow
Subtitles are effectively timed-text metadata tran- to a standalone industry due to the particularities and
scripts with metatools. They complement many environ- specific challenges it represents. An emerging market for
ments by transmitting information, descriptions, trans- which we already have planned ahead for.
lations and even emotion. A major benefit of subtitling Quality is key, and broadcasters need to dramatically
ensures that the original material is still accessible to improve the accessibility of catch-up and on-demand
viewers and provides a more authentic experience than services. The consensus is that quality of subtitles
dubbing or lip-synching would. generally needs to improve overall, and pre-recorded
Language transfer methods using subtitles have programmes should have pre-recorded subtitles. The
become much easier to read too, with many channels live technology causes delays and inaccuracies. Once
now using subtitling for all foreign material. Rolling text viewers get a little more educated about what quality
performs a useful function in news broadcasts making it timed-text servicing really is, it will make a difference.
easier to follow with sound often muted in public places. Progress has been made in theatres, concerts,
Reliable and accurate timed-text used online can also churches, conferences, festivals, exhibitions, and univer-
help power searches, target advertising, increase search sities, in reaching live audiences through loop technol-
traffic, page views, search rank and engagement and ogy and subtitling. Theatres and home cinema are great
therefore increase awareness and attract new business. consumers of subtitling, with 3D, VR, AR becoming more
The advantages are practically limitless. popular. London’s National Theatre’s experimenting with
Subtitles not only play an instrumental role in “floating subtitles” by testing mixed-reality glasses. With
broadcasting but can be a crucial life-changing factor in
many other sectors too. They can be used for improving
speech recognition and literacy, aiding communication,
providing language learning support, help with hearing
impairment, live remote captioning and much more.
It’s also vital that people with impairments can fully
engage with television for social, cultural, and family in-
clusion. About 40% of UK viewers watch TV on demand,
over the internet for example, although less than 30%
of people with hearing difficulties. More than two thirds
of on-demand TV providers do not provide any ‘access
services’ – either subtitles, or audio description. Broad-
casters clearly need to keep up.
MAGAZIN_Stoyanov.indd 35 30.01.19 09:23
Magazin _Produktion und Post Januar/Februar 2019 FKT
form is our exciting offering. This enables subtitle artists,
ranging from enthusiasts to professionals, to accomplish
tasks quickly and efficiently.
MAGAZIN
Subtitling software should be considered by broad-
casters as a wider investment as it doesn’t have to be
restricted to subtitling functions alone. Many of the
technological breakthroughs in subtitling are down to
innovative modules that that now support universal sub-
title format transcoding and real time live content.
Subtitling software can also be multi-purpose and
used to secure systems. Hybrid solutions that combine
comprehensive business processing and management
systems with subtitling software brings the best of both
worlds. They can perform all text related tasks such as
translating, spotting, transcoding, and QC, both live and
automated, while also being able to manage complex
operas mainly presented in romance languages, subti- processes simultaneously. These layers work together
tling has made them more accessible. Our latest project with Cloud and desktop applications.
with Vienna’s State Opera House brought fans from Expedient technologies get defined by the people
several continents together to enjoy the show in their that use them. Proactive developers incorporate custom-
own language. er-driven development and understand how fundamen-
Respecting linguistic particularities is essential tal it is that software is fit for integration in collaborative
and being local is important for quality localization. systems within broadcast workflows. It should support
The battlefield where localization and AI meet is also a all media from local files, streaming, custom-protect-
topic arising on the agenda. With Brexit on the horizon, ed content for multipurpose text services, graphics for
attitudes of cultural exchange might alter within the television, cinema, web, along with customisable UIs and
European context. How audiences approach television more.
viewing and if expectations change, remains to be seen. Broadcasters have a uniquely responsible position to
Research shows 50% of viewers in Europe still prefer communicate “en masse”. Embracing subtitling technol-
subtitles in foreign programmes and films. ogy, can expand their influence for good to improve our
In my experience, the main challenge concerning the world.
adoption of subtitling advancements, is not technologi- At IBC 2018, PBT EU launched its new Timed-Text
cal or cultural, but in the mindset of today’s broadcasters. hybrid platform NEXT-TT powered by Profuz Digital,
Most broadcasters still live with the idea that subtitles providing users greater freedom of choice in how they
are an element of content that “magically appears.” Many work with desktop or cloud applications.
broadcasters need to get informed about the intricate The new web-based hybrid platform solution
painstaking process behind the scenes. Dedicated work consists of the subtitling software application
on lengthy and demanding processes that include edit- SubtitleNEXT working together with LAPIS (Limitless
ing, quality control procedures and endless deliveries of Advanced Powerful and Intelligent System). Combining
accurate timed-text services. these two separate components results in one powerful
On the post-production side, most editing software unified platform. Both components can also be used
contains very basic subtitling functions not to mention separately. The combination has resulted in efficient
how fundamentally inefficient it is for an editor to take capabilities that now enable much faster and even more
on the subtitling role as well. It’s ideal to have a stan- reliable high quality timed-text management, dubbing
dalone subtitling system that specializes in proficiently and localization toolsets that equip translators, AV
completing the process and is a great time saver. professionals, and creative freelancers to work at a much
Like everything in broadcasting, unforgiving tight more effective level.
deadlines, multiple versioning, and last-minute correc- PBT EU also presented the hybrid platform to the
tions also govern timed-texts. This requires intuitive, au- attendees of The Languages and The Media 2018 Con-
tomated, and fast handling of complex assignments. For ference in Berlin, which hosted over 375 participants
example, scene tracking or “on the fly” format conver- from 40 countries. This year’s event marked the 12th
sions, are just a couple of features we introduced lately to international conference on language transfer in AV,
help our customers face those types of challenges. designed to examine crucial challenges and the way in
There appears to be widespread ignorance among which cutting-edge technologies are changing how AV
many broadcasters concerning the various technical media is delivered globally and how it’s consumed across
formats and standards. Many professionals are missing languages.
potential opportunities that subtitling can bring. This is In addition, subtitlers are welcome to visit the
the first hurdle that needs to be overcome. Once broad- NEXTclub, a growing community sharing tips and tricks,
casters start to understand the benefits that subtitling where members can contribute to forums and have ac-
in all its forms can bring to their audience, and perceive cess to industry insights. More information at
it is an asset that adds value to their service, then a new https://subtitlenext.com/club/ ø
chapter will open for timed-text services in the industry.
A unified product environment that can generate as
many correctional tools as possible in one single plat-
MAGAZIN_Stoyanov.indd 36 30.01.19 09:23
FKT Januar/Februar 2019 Magazin _ Systemintegration
MAGAZIN
Bild: NewTek
One Day at the Museum
The present article outlines how the Network Device Interface (NDI) SDK adds Interactivity to
live VR video footage produced for Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.
F ocal Point VR believe that VR offers an entirely new
way of experiencing the real world, which is why they
are passionate about creating the technology necessary
testing showing NDI to be stable and worked well at the
ultra high resolutions the team used. NDI is a royalty free
software standard that enables video compatible products
to realise the dream of people being able to put on a VR to communicate, deliver and receive broadcast quality vid-
headset and then be ‘teleported’ to another place. Con- eo in a high quality, low latency manner that is frame-ac-
sequently, Focal Point VR is a leader in the field of live curate and suitable for switching
stream VR video and provides solutions to live stream in a live production environment. o Der Artikel beschreibt, wie
VR content in sport, music, art, education and culture By incorporating NDI into its VR das Network Device Interface
including The Gadget Show and the Champions Tennis video live production workflow, (NDI) SDK für die Eremitage in
at the Royal Albert Hall. Its UHD broadcast quality VR Focal Point VR provided its live Sankt Petersburg produzier-
streaming platform called Ubiety, delivers the highest stream processor (the FP-A6 ten Live-VR-Videoaufnahmen
quality VR live streams to all platforms. The Ubiety model) and customised NDI play- Interaktivität verleiht.
software platform supports everything from delivering back using Oculus Rift headsets.
an HD 360° stream to YouTube, Facebook and Periscope Running over a GigE network,
through to multi viewpoint VR event coverage delivered the camera lens to headset display latency was less than
to customisable VR apps and html5 players. 200ms enabling real time interaction with the remotely
controlled robot.
Ultra low latency streaming
In April 2018, Room One, an AR, VR and AI platform Technologies of Tomorrow
provider, approached Focal Point VR to provide a 360° More recently, Focal Point VR has been approached by a
video camera rig, live stitching and streaming solution number of clients looking for a low latency, high reliability
for a 5G trial zone installation at the Hermitage Museum live stream to a 360° dome providing a shared VR experi-
in St. Petersburg, Russia. The application was a future ence. In order to meet this demand, the programming team
technology demonstrator that mixes live stream immer- have developed a custom 8K cylindrical 360° video solu-
sive VR video with an interactive haptic setup controlling tion, which pairs with Focal Point VR’s proprietary packing
a remote robot arm. Focal Point VR’s standard solution technology with NDI running over the internet to deliver
met 90% of the client’s goals but needed a low latency the fully immersive experience.
streaming solution suitable for the interactive environ- Jonathan Newth, CEO at Focal Point VR, said, “Integrat-
ment. As a result, the team at Focal Point VR started ing NDI into our 360° workflow was a very simple task and
looking for a robust alternative to RTSP for its ultra low it has allowed us to deliver a higher quality, more flexible
latency live VR video solution. solution to our clients. We are also talking to NewTek about
how to integrate NDI more completely into our multi cam-
Adding NDI to the pipeline era VR workflow, replacing traditional fibre SDI with a more
After looking at a number of protocols including We- flexible network backbone and we are looking forward to
bRTC, the programming team found the Network Device continuing our work with the NewTek team.”
Interface (NDI) SDK easy to implement with initial ø ww.newtek.com
MAGAZIN_NewTek.indd 31 29.01.19 13:25
FKT Januar/Februar 2019 Magazin _ Technologien und Systeme
The Future:
MAGAZIN
It’s Whatever You Want It To Be
Back in computing time, implementing any kind of functionality in software was to be avoided
at all costs, such was the performance penalty compared with implementing the functionality in
hardware. But times have moved on. We now have more computing power – processor perfor-
mance, memory size and speed, ASICs, FPGAs and GPUs – than we know what to do with. That‘s
brought software back to the fore – system performance is no longer constrained by the inade-
quacies of the underlying hardware – because it brings numerous advantages. But: the impor-
tance of hardware should not be underestimated. This article will review how the best systems
solutions leverage both the flexibility of software and the power of hardware.
I n a world where the rate of change is not only relent-
less, but accelerating – whether that’s in technologies,
markets or customer requirements – software holds the
SIMEN K. FROSTAD
Bild: Simen K. Froatad
key when it comes to responding to those changes. That’s Chairman, Bridge Technologies
no less true for the broadcast industry. ø www.bridgetech.tv
Historically, ours was an industry that relied on
proprietary hardware, optimised for specific applica-
tions. There can be little doubt that, for a long time, that
paradigm worked well. No, those solutions weren’t cheap,
and customers found themselves locked in to one or buy solutions, not computers – and now, the nature of
more vendors – but in an environment that was, broadly, those solutions is changing forever.
stable, that didn’t really matter: the investment could be We’ve seen the rise of so-called ‘microservices’ –
amortised over several years. compact, single-function software components tuned to
But: over the past few years, there have been two perform a specific media function. These create a ‘pick
changes of huge significance. The first, of course, is that and mix’ approach that allows customers to choose only
the broadcast industry has undergone – continues to the functionalities they need – but the microservices are
undergo – a period of huge upheaval, driven by changing engineered to work seamlessly together, in whatever
consumer content consumption patterns and ubiquitous combination.
high speed connectivity. What’s less widely appreciated, though, is the grow-
ing role of software at the lowest levels in the computing
Unrelenting rise hierarchy. Take network probes, for example, which are at
The second has been in technology. The advent of IP has the heart of our business.
been transformative, and will be increasingly so – and Not all software is as visible as, for instance, our
it has been accompanied by the unrelenting rise in the Instrument View GUI that enables many of our probe
power of general purpose computing. So-called ‘COTS’ users to interact simply and intuitively in real time – from
– commercial off-the-shelf – hardware platforms are wherever they are in the world – with the network data
now capable of delivering hitherto undreamt of levels our probes provide. Much of our software development is
of performance, at prices that are driven by the growing invisible to the naked eye.
commoditisation of technology.
The parallel emergence of a rapidly changing broad-
o In den Anfängen des Computerzeitalters sollte die Imple-
cast landscape and new levels of hardware capability
mentierung jeglicher Funktionalität in Software um jeden Preis
is, to say the least, serendipitous. The industry needs
to position itself for an extended period of tumultuous vermieden werden, so die Leistungseinbuße im Vergleich zur
change – and the technology exists to enable that to Implementierung der Funktionalität in Hardware. Aber diese
happen relatively straightforwardly. Zeiten sind vorbei. Heute steht mehr Rechenleistung denn je
It has one significant implication. The broadcast zur Verfügung. Damit rückt die Software wieder in den Vorder-
industry of the future will be software-based, from the grund – die Systemleistung wird nicht mehr durch die Unzu-
lowest hardware level to the highest application level. länglichkeiten der zugrunde liegenden Hardware eingeschränkt
At the highest level, almost any functionality you – denn sie bringt zahlreiche Vorteile mit sich. Aber: Die Be-
will need will be delivered by software – delivered via deutung der Hardware sollte nicht unterschätzt werden. Der
industry standard servers, platforms, interfaces and Artikel wird zeigen, wie die besten Systemlösungen sowohl die
interconnects. That’s been an emerging theme of IBC in Flexibilität der Software als auch die Leistungsfähigkeit der
recent times. It has long been a mantra that companies Hardware nutzen.
MAGAZIN_Frostad_Technologien und Systeme.indd 29 30.01.19 09:18
Magazin _ Technologien und Systeme Januar/Februar 2019 FKT
MAGAZIN
Image: Bridge Technologies
Not always comfortable And, as we move forward, we meticulously revisit all those
legacy blocks of code to find out how they can be improved.
Although we’re perhaps perceived as a hardware compa- We’ve had significant success in that endeavour, achieving
ny, the truth is that we are primarily a software company significant performance increases as we find ways of doing
– and always have been. That’s not always a comfortable things better. That initiative has been of enormous benefit to
place to be, not least because there is a perception that our customers, because we’ve been able to provide regular
software is inherently unstable. performance upgrades to them – and because we’ve ensured
Windows, for example, is often derided for its alleged that our code is independent of the hardware, they can
instability. From that point of view, it’s compared un- pretty much all take advantage – whether they’re VB120,
favourably with Apple’s Mac OS X. But here’s the thing. VB220, VB330 or VB440 users. Software is unique in its
Apple has absolute control over the hardware environ- ability to provide such pain-free, affordable enhancements
ment in which OS X runs. Microsoft, on the other hand, to an existing installation.
has almost none. While OS X is a fantastic achievement, It’s also the key enabler for some extremely exciting
it could be argued that Windows is an even greater new network technologies. The hardware exists to sustain
achievement because it runs so well on so many different switching speeds that are orders of magnitude beyond
platforms. Software, in general, only fails when it relies where we are today: it just needs the appropriate software to
on hardware to do something – and the hardware doesn’t be developed.
do it. There are already great examples
The key – for Bridge as
The key is to abstract software from of the advantages that software
much as for Microsoft – is to can bring. Take Remote PHY, for
abstract software from the the underlying hardware level example, where software has ena-
underlying hardware level to bled complexity to be centralised,
the maximum extent possi- minimising the cost of deploying
ble – to make it as hardware-agnostic as possible - not large networks. Or: what about virtual radio, where a similar
least because that delivers the portability that enables software-based approach has transformed the viability and
a solution to be simply migrated from one platform to economics of the medium?
another with enormous benefits in terms of lower cost,
easier upgrade and improved scalability, for example. Numerous advantages
That’s a huge challenge because, historically, we have The fact is that, back in computing time, implementing any
relied on hardware to provide key hooks – such as timing kind of functionality in software was to be avoided at all
– that underpin the performance and functionality of the costs, such was the performance penalty compared with
software. implementing the functionality in hardware. But times have
Among the most daunting of those challenges is the moved on. We now have more computing power - proces-
challenge of maintaining absolute accuracy. Our network sor performance, memory size and speed, ASICs, FPGAs
probes have to be incredibly precise in order to deliver and GPUs - than we know what to do with. That‘s brought
meaningful information in an environment in which, for software back to the fore: system performance is no longer
example, a standard HD ST2022-6 SDI packet stream constrained by the inadequacies of the underlying hard-
will deliver 270 packets every millisecond: that’s one ware, and software brings numerous advantages in terms
packet every 3.5 microseconds. We’ve now managed to of flexibility, upgradability and scalability that have become
move ourselves to a position where our software enables essential to how we deal with a future that, if not uncertain
us to achieve what we once relied on hardware to do. or unknown, has certainly become harder to predict.
If there is a small cloud on the horizon, it’s that we can
Strong foundations be very conservative. That’s hardly surprising: we’ve built an
From that point of view, the end application can be enormously successful industry based on technologies and
likened to a building: without strong foundations, it will platforms that have worked well for us and that we trust to
be prone to failure. That’s why, at Bridge, we’ve spent a deliver. The good news is that software, written as it should
huge amount of time crafting each individual underlying be, is no less trustworthy. Few deny that the world is chang-
‘brick’ of code – to deliver the absolute reliability, repe- ing, and we need to change with it. Whether that means
atability and stability that our customers rightly expect embracing IP, or looking forward to a future in which almost
from us. It’s an endeavour that’s not for the faint of heart anything we desire can be delivered quickly and effectively
– but we’ve spent 14 years doing it and, in all modesty, by software – it’s good to know that we have the technolo-
it’s something we’ve become very good at. gies we need in order to continue to succeed. ø
MAGAZIN_Frostad_Technologien und Systeme.indd 30 30.01.19 09:18
Magazin Tech Across America Januar/Februar 2019 FKT
IP Comms Are Transforming
AV Productions And Keeping
MAGAZIN
Crews On The Same Page
T he difference between a successful AV production
and an embarrassing event filled with technical
errors often comes down to the crew communication
(voice, data, etc.) into the same intercom system, thanks
to IP.
However, the loss of traditional intercom and mi-
links (Comms) used to keep everyone on the same crophone spectrum due to the auction and subsequent
page. The margin of error is small and the consequenc- channel repack has placed a burden on product devel-
es of a lost audio or video signal or missed cue can have opment. The recently completed Phase 1 of the U.S. TV
Image: M. Grotticelli
a significant impact on a project’s bottom line. station repack has affected a wide array of industries —
Perhaps that’s why intercoms have taken on an from broadcast to corporate and even live stage produc-
ever more important role in live AV events. Intercoms tions — and has introduced a few wrinkles as to what’s
create the integral links between production crews and available frequency-wise. In addition, if your company
directors and the technology to maintain those links is works internationally, you should be aware that different
MICHAEL evolving rapidly. countries have different rules that can negatively affect
GROTTICELLI For many productions these days, including live spectrum availability.
is an experienced television, corporate events and even dramatic stage [In North America, 900MHz is the most popular band
editor and regular productions, the Internet Protocol (IP) is transforming used while 2.4MHz works well there as well as most every
contributor to the intercoms market, adding flexibility, scalability and place on the planet—without the need for the end-user to
FKT’s Tech Across mobility for users. Sophisticated belt packs, I/O matrix have a license.]
America column. systems and are now paired with consumer cell phones Traditional intercom systems have heretofore been
and audio networking standards like AES67 and Dante matrix based, where routing and mixing signals would
to give production crews the ability to integrate typically be sent back to a central location. With
a wide variety of communications tools on a an audio-over-IP infrastructure, users are able
common network. This also makes them to eliminate the matrix and distribute that
easy to use and deploy.
IP is routing and mixing across all the devic-
In tandem with IP, the development transforming es that are part of the intercom system.
of wireless intercom systems has in- Embracing IP also brings the advantage
creased mobility for production crews. the Intercom of a significantly reduced amount of
However, the impact of the now com- market cabling and interconnections required for
pleted broadcast TV spectrum auctions an IP based intercom system. Essentially it
in the U.S. has forced intercom companies just requires Ethernet cabling and switches
to develop “frequency agile” solutions that to set up an entire network. Devices can then
can automatically search and find an unused fre- be plugged in anywhere on the network, and do not
quency to work with. This allows the new generation of have to be routed back to a central location.
Intercom systems to work in environments with signif- And then there’s scalability. With an IP network, the
icant RF interference from other production companies user is not limited by the amount of I/O that was required
as well as from high-traffic consumer cell phone use. in a Matrix system. Instead, the limitations are mostly
Therefore, users of this technology should be aware based around available bandwidth, but once that is in
of interference issues related to this migration to new place, an unlimited number of audio channels, belt packs
spectrum bands, especially as an increasing amount of and POPs (points of presence) supported by Ethernet
wireless communication systems are deployed at live cabling and switches can be leveraged.
events. The key most experts say is to plan carefully Perhaps the best part is that as the Comms industry
and understand the environment in which you are continues to embrace IP — enabling the use of manu-
operating. facturer-supplied headsets alongside consumer smart
From a manufacturing standpoint, the use of IP-en- phones—users will see more and more compatibility
abled technology has led to the introduction of smaller among third-party devices. That means existing hard-
yet more flexible equipment that can be configured in ware can be used in tandem with new software-enabled
a myriad of ways for both fixed venues and temporary devices in a seamless way. There’s also the ability to
spaces. In this way, system resources can be shared connect remote locations together in a much more simple
among different parts of a production—or they can be and cost-effective way.
used to support multiple studios located in the same Indeed, the popularity of cell phones has generated
building or anywhere in the world. An IP-enabled increased demand for wireless intercoms infrastructures.
intercom system can also be employed to route audio Using a highly familiar, untethered device just makes
(Comms) signals as required (something not possible sense.
in ten analog world). Basically, equipment vendors So the key is for manufacturers of Intercom systems to
are now integrating a lot of different communications develop wired and wireless solutions that support the AES
11-21.indd 12 30.01.19 09:09
FKT Januar/Februar 2019 Magazin International
67 and Dante protocols so that customers can use standard [It’s been said that you could put 200 belt packs and 30
local area networks at venues or in their home production base stations in the same UHF footprint as one four-drop
MAGAZIN
studios. These new wireless intercom products must also FM system. Five years ago the engineering technology
operate in the VHF band, which is undesirable for consumer wasn’t even available to do it.]
communication equipment (which is what the spectrum Those are just some of the benefits that moving to IP
auction winners like AT&T and T-Mobile want to use it for). have brought to the world of Comms. And by all accounts,
They can also move from the FM band to AM to make their that sounds like a good thing. o
products more spectrally efficient.
BNJ FM Visualizes Its Live Shows TF1 Opts For Axon’s Cerebrum
Software
n BNJ already has a portal with access to video content
(BNJ.tv), and now wants to offer to watch the programs live n AXON Digital Design’s Cerebrum Master Control Soft-
and the videos afterwards. ware control and monitoring system offered the features
StudioTalk will enable the radio station to get a complete that TF1 needed to manage its audio/video processing,
video production infrastructure within its actual studios, multiviewer and tally/UMD management.
ensure live production of the daily shows and distribute the By acting as the nerve centre for all routing, Cerebrum
streams to the radio website as well as its social networks. simplifies multi device monitoring and control onto one
It is BCE’s all-in-one solution to produce shows, manage easy-to-use interface. It supports several of devices from
content, add special effects, control sets and broadcast different manufacturers – including routers, production
programs. Trough an intuitive Graphic User Interface, a switchers, servers, receiver decoders, multiviewers and
touchscreen and a dedicated remote, the customer can waveform monitors – using either SNMP (Simple Network
control the cameras, the feeds and the studio sets. It em- Management Protocol) or third party protocols.
barks a content management system as well and on the fly TF1 operate five television channels in France as well as
transcoding for immediate delivery to the viewers. several special interest pay-TV channels and their digital
BNJ FM broadcasts three radio programs for the coun- offshoots. They will expand the system in early 2019 so that
ties of Neuchâtel, the Jura and the Bernese Jura in Switzer- it can control more devices.
land. They report about proximity information, concerns ø www.axon.fr
and interests of the Swiss Jura ARC. The general-interest,
pop-rock music radio reception is done via FM, DAB +, web
and via mobile applications.
ø www.bce.lu
Remote Production Solution For Spanish Basketball League
n SPANISH DIGITAL TV subscription provider Movistar+ connecting the arenas with the main production facilities.
and media and broadcast services provider Telefonica The full package also includes the backup solution based on
Servicios Audiovisuales, both part of Telefónica, have rolled the Nimbra VA platform supporting up to two cameras with
out Net Insight’s remote production solution to cover the one return feed and capacity to reroute all the data require-
production of Spanish Basketball League (Liga Endesa) and ments. Nimbra VA and internet contribution is now mature
to enrich their EuroLeague and EuroCup productions with enough for remote production, with backup being a first
personalized feeds. step to put it into the production chain.
The setup is based on Net Insight’s remote production The order was won together with Net Insight’s Spanish
solution with Nimbra MSRs and supports up to six cameras partner MoMe in the third quarter and MoMe has provided
with two return feeds including specialized data transport, all integration and implementation services.
such as camera control and intercomms, over 1Gbps links ø www.netinsight.net
11-21.indd 13 30.01.19 09:09
Magazin _Tech Across America Dezember 2018 FKT
Service Oriented Architectures
Are The Foundation Of
MAGAZIN
Flexible Video Production
B y now it’s clear that software is more than capable
of handing all types of audio and video production;
long-simmering debate settled. Be it in the studio down
be reliably distributed to a central (main) broadcast center
and on too many platforms simultaneously, without intro-
ducing delay.
the hall or at a live sports event 3,000 miles away, The benefits are clear. Deploying a software-based
virtualizing common production and distribution tasks workflow—instead of traditional hardware-only or hybrid
(video switching, graphics insertion, ad insertion, etc.) architectures—enables broadcasters to turn on or off
Image: M. Grotticelli
makes economical sense. Therefore I’m declaring 2018 different functions as needed. This allows broadcasters
as “the year of virtualization and the Service Oriented to experiment with new types of tech-driven programing
Architecture (SOA)”. without the burden of a large equipment budget.
This was the year when the video industry finally As an example (and there are many others), a company
woke up to what the IT world has known for decades: called Aperi markets a software-defined platform called
MICHAEL how to move large amounts of data reliably and quickly. V-Stack, which includes an FPGA-powered software
GROTTICELLI
The video industry just had to get the timing right, and platform that, it says, provides more compute power than
is an experienced it did. CPU- or GPU-based processing. Optimized for live pro-
editor and regular The year started with a lot of experimentation and duction, they say it provides a much faster and more agile
contributor to trials of IT-centric technology strategies that extensi- remote production with lower latency. An Aperi remote
FKT’s Tech Across vely leveraged software to produce and distribute such production network can be deployed on either generic
America column. major live events as the Olympics and the World Cup. FPGA-powered servers or Aperi’s dedicated edge servers.
Both are world-class telecasts watched by millions With the V-Stack at its core, the platform enables the
and more than ever before both events relied on immediate start and stop of broadcast functions
software to get the signals into consumers through apps that are accessed via tiered
living rooms. Both events also proved that licenses. The platform is also based on con-
software versions of heretofore hard- BAM tainer-based technology (with automatic
ware-reliant devices and systems were can monitor discovery and registration proven in the
up to the task. data center software world), removing the
Among the many advances this
16,000 need for manual processes and adminis-
year in live production technology streams at tration or field engineers. At this year’s
and workflows, by far the most signifi- once IBC Show, Aperi staged a demonstration
cant is the emergence of the virtualized of its platform, showing how it can reduce
remote production network. Some call them seconds of latency to just milliseconds.
“At-Home” or REMI (remote-integration model) In 2014, ESPN opened its Digital Center 2
productions, where most of the physical technology is (DC2) in Bristol, Connecticut. DC2 is a $125 million,
not on site at the sporting event to be televised but at 190,000-square foot broadcast facility with a soft-
a remote facility. Camera signals from the event are ware-intensive infrastructure that can handle 60,000
sent back to this facility where they are intermixed with simultaneous signals and 46 Tbps data throughput. While
graphics and commercial advertising (some served in the project required a massive feat of engineering and
specific regions directed at individual viewers (via an significant costs, ESPN found long-term benefits from the
IP address) and then sent on to consumers’ homes or reliability, flexibility, determinism, power, and simplicity
mobile devices. of the software systems they deployed.
This would not be possible at such large scale Among a number of benefits, the architecture as de-
without the use of a dedicated suite of software, a bit of signed includes an internal Broadcast Audio Monitoring
interconnectivity via secured and unsecured networks (BAM) service that can listen to 32 streams on each panel.
(the internet), a single operator to monitor disparate In addition, it can keep track of all the devices talking
feeds, and a variety of software-enabled orchestration to the network. As a result, BAM can monitor 16,000
and control systems. streams at once to check status, analyze the type of
Most software architecture implementations used stream, define who can connect to what, and reach out to
thus far have included the use of a SOA software connect if streams stop. The software defines the availab-
design, allowing virtualized media functions to be le streams for the hardware, while each node stays aware
dynamically connected between one another for live of the connections as defined by the software. This makes
remote production workflows. Micro servers (really, it easy to reestablish a connection if a signal is dropped.
shared-memory multiprocessors, or SDMPs) and their Businesses from manufacturing to health, insurance
virtualized functions can be strung together within a to telecommunications, have adopted the SOA model. The
single server or between multiple racks using the IP Broadcast industry is catching on fast.
protocol to connect them all. In this way live video can The adoption of SOA leads to a more agile organizationFKT Dezember 2018 Magazin_International
that can adapt to change, can optimize processes to control Perhaps the biggest clue that software architectures
costs, and can provide management with better visibility in are here to stay is found in the hiring of new staff. All new
MAGAZIN
order to track their business model’s success. That’s becau- applicants to ESPN and any other major media organization
se in a SOA, interfaces are defined at the business level, not must have an extensive IT background and a close familia-
technical. So swapping out a service like transcoding or ac- rity with software. That’s because scalable, agile, format
counts for example, can be implemented without impacting friendly software-centric architectures are the key to it
the products or people providing the existing services. From all. o
this stems the business agility.
1080p50 HDR Technology at
Next Gen ATP Finals
A TP Media, the broadcast arm of the ATP World Tour
produced and distributed a 1080p50 HDR test feed at
the recent Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan in November.
The tournament is the ATP Tour’s showcase for innova-
tion across all aspects of the men’s professional game with
rule changes, line calling without humans, and player and
coach data services whilst the match is in progress.
Carried out in partnership with Gearhouse Broadcast,
the test covered the live and non-live workflows on site,
marking the first time HDR content has been natively in-
Image: 2018 Peter Staples
corporated into replays and edit workflows on a live sports
outside broadcast, as the parties stated.
This latest test follows an initial 1080p50 HDR produc-
tion trial during the Nitto ATP Finals in 2017, which put 4K
and 1080p50 HDR side-by-side in a live tennis environ-
ment. The results of that test suggested to ATP Media that
it was 1080p50 HDR rather than 4K HDR that would most
efficiently deliver the clear benefits of HDR to its broad- Overall, the test further demonstrated HDR technology’s
casters and to viewers at home. This follow up test was an ability to significantly increase the picture quality of tennis
important next step in delivering a 1080p50 HDR test feed matches for fans at home. In addition, while ATP Media
to broadcasters with a view to gathering their feedback for has no current plans to distribute content in native 4K, 4K
future planning. cameras were used on-site to capture live match action
The test was also a next step in incorporating HDR and as high resolution acquisition is very much part of the work-
SDR content across all onsite production, including the flow to produce high quality 1080p HDR for Broadcasters to
non-live content available on the EVS network, ENG camera distribute as part of a 4K HDR service.
footage, SDR archive and SDR content from other sources. ø www.atpmedia.tv
As host broadcasters, ATP Media produce a news service, ø www.gearhousebroadcast.com
premium content and bespoke social media content on site
for broadcasters managing HDR and SDR in the post-pro-
duction workflow.
DIE NEUE
DAMAR & HAGEN GENERATION 4K
www.damar-hagen.de Made
in
info@damar-hagen.de BNCpro BNCmicro DIN 1.0/2.3 Germany
P170064_Damar&Hagen_Banner_171122.indd 1 22.11.17 14:46FKT November 2018 Magazin_Tech Across America
Image Composition
MAGAZIN
Starts With The Camera
P erhaps one of the biggest worries any cinemato-
grapher has as they look into the future is, “Will my
work eventually look dated?”
nes and viewers are watching without complaint. Video
journalists there report that while the footage quality
is often sufficient, it can be difficult to capture quality
It’s a legitimate fear considering how much empha- audio, especially if your subject is too far away from the
sis the film and TV industries put on resolution, but in built-in microphone. That’s why reporters have been
the end, it’s more about the artistic value of the work, equipped with a separate audio recorder.
Image: M. Grotticelli
rather than whether or not it was shot in 4K, 8K, or Moving up the ladder, most “professional“ video
whatever is coming down the pike. cameras have high-end sensors and use interchangeable
Many cinematographers agree that no matter how lenses, with the ability to shoot both HD and 4K footage.
many pixels there are, the artistic intent should always Using these camera assumes a basic knowledge of color
be respected. Content will always be king and make up grading, setting audio levels, and an understanding of
for a lot of anomalies in your footage. It’s the subject video codecs (for file delivery and storage reasons). MICHAEL
GROTTICELLI
matter keeps footage from becoming dated. These cameras are not simple to set up either. You
Proper image composition also has a lot to do with will need the proper lenses for the camera’s mount, a is an experienced
a project’s longevity and that can only be captured monitor or viewfinder, battery packs, as well as any other editor and regular
with the right camera and image sensor. Therefore, necessary support gear. Yet, if set up properly, profes- contributor to
choosing the optimum camera is critical to the type of sional video cameras will capture stunning images. You FKT’s Tech Across
image you want to create for your project. may also have high-quality audio built in depending on America column.
So, what is the optimal camera? the model, and all of these cameras feature professional
A camera that allows you to shoot in 4K is great, but inputs and outputs for external gear.
you might get better results with an HD camera. If you are looking at shooting high-end commer-
Of course resolution is a big creative factor cial work or feature films, a true cinema camera
to consider before choosing a camera, but is going to be your best option. It’s also best
it’s not the only one. There are other, Image to have an entire camera crew dedicated
potentially more important features composition is to working with these cameras, as their
you should consider: like latitude, dy- a very subjective operation and the workflow involved with
namic range, form factor, and sensor handling the large amounts of data is
and highly
size. Even if you’ve got a camera that more complex.
shoots beautiful 4K images, it won’t do
personal Managing the increased data
you much good if, say, there isn’t enough thing consumption of 4K footage is another criti-
light to capture it in. cal factor for any 4K workflow. File are stored
Thankfully, many of the newer 4K cameras differently when using different cameras. If you’re
that have come out in the last couple of years take used to shooting in HD, 720 or 1080, media management
these important specifications into consideration and might be something you do sporadically throughout the
help ensure a successful outcome. However, it’s still day as needed. However, 4K is a whole other animal and
imperative to measure the value of a camera based requires a dedicated plan for dealing with the deluge of
on the needs of your project, rather than its own list of data you’ll be capturing. This is an important factor to
features. keep in mind if you’re an indie filmmaker who typically
Indeed, there are so many video camera options works on small crews. This is especially important if
available, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the you’ve never considered hiring a DIT to manage all the
choices. Instead of picking a specific camera or brand, data coming in.
it’s best to first decide what type of camera you need. Storage is also a limitation to using an iPhone. If you
A small form factor camera might be more approp- are shooting long videos or a ton a footage, you need
riate to a scene where handheld work is preferred. A plenty of space on your phone to store the video files. If
large sensor might capture what you are after. Careful you don’t plan on shooting much and are only interested
pre-production planning will help identify the right one in making quick short videos, this may be your best ca-
for you. mera for filming. If you’d like more production value, then
Many manufacturers now offer 4K video in the you’ll need to look into one of the following options.
palm of your hand. With built-in image stabilization, Managing the increased data consumption of 4K foo-
users can easily capture decent footage. You can also tage is indeed critical factor for any 4K workflow. If you’re
edit video on your phone and immediately upload your used to shooting in HD, 720 or 1080, media management
videos online. might be something you do sporadically throughout the
You might snicker, but today’s cell phone came- day as needed. However, 4K is a whole other animal and
ras are no joke. There is already an entire Swiss news requires a dedicated plan for dealing with the deluge
channel called Léman Bleu with content shot on iPho- of data you’ll be capturing. This is an important factorMagazin_International November 2018 FKT
to keep in mind if you’re an indie filmmaker who typically challenges will be identified and resolved next year and
works on small crews. This is especially important if you’ve going forward. The ley is to stay on top of the latest new
never considered hiring a DIT to manage all the data co- on the camera or cameras you might prefer and do your
MAGAZIN
ming in. homework. Image composition starts with the camera in
The technology is advancing fast, that while today we’re your hand.
all talking about the challenges of 4K data management, Image composition is a very subjective and highly per-
shooting in low light, and choosing between a camera with sonal thing. How you frame shots, with the right camera for
high resolution or a small form factor, a while range of new the job, is only limited by your imagination. o
Catalonia: Canal Blau, La Xarxa and TV3
at Castellers Events
tallest human tower was erected and safely dismantled,
having 10 levels with four people in each level.
In the event happening in Sant Joan, 24th June, Canal
Blau cameramen captured footage at Valls, Catalonia, Spain.
This was contributed as RAW HD video using a TVU One
mobile unit in combination with the TVU Grid solution over
a FTTH network to La Xarxa HQ in Maternitat-Barcelona.
In turn, La Xarxa used TVU Grid to transport this footage to
TV3 and back to Canal Blau studio. A second unit in Valls
edited footage at a mobile unit, which was also contributed
to La Xarxa for Broadcasting purposes through all their
Image: jarcosa / istockphoto.com
different channels.
TVU One delivers high-definition picture quality with
bandwidth efficiency all within a flexible, compact and rug-
ged hardware design. Through weighing just 2 kilograms,
TVU One ensures that outside broadcast cameramen are
able to get the shots unencumbered by wires or heavy and
bulky equipment. The solution enabled Canal Blau to cont-
ribute live video with the versatility of a small, lightweight,
IP-based high-definition video field transmitter without
n ALONG THE SEASON from April to September, regional sacrificing performance, features or picture quality. From
TV companies belonging to la Xarxa group filmed the Ca- the middle of crowded Valls square where castells were
talonian cultural events almost every weekend. The footage build, they were able to rely on TVU One to transmit at >9
was to be shared with fellow regional broadcasters La Xarxa Mbps with 1 second delay.
and TV3. TVU One has the one button operation used by the
The three broadcast partners needed a solution that vendor for portable live video streaming transmitters. The
guaranteed the low latency transport of the action for live system maximised ease of operation for Canal Blau came-
broadcast in news and current affairs programming. It was ramen through requiring no in-field configuration and a
important that the solution could, with redundancy, trans- boot-up time of less than 20 seconds.
port high quality HD video over an FTTH network. The IP based video switching, routing and distribution
A castell is a human tower built traditionally at festivals solutions enable broadcasters to share a TVU One live video
throughout Catalonia and the region of Valencia. Castells transmission with any other TVU Grid enabled station, ope-
were first documented in 1712 and originated within Valls, rations center or physical location. The three broadcasters
Catalonia, near the city of Tarragona. Interest in castells involved in the Valls Castellers project utilized the fully-in-
grew in the 1960s and 1970s and in 2010, castells were tegrated TVU One and TVU Grid solution to share both RAW
declared a masterpiece of human heritage by UNESCO. In HD video and a fully edited programme.
2015 a festival hosted 99 groups of castellers, at which the ø www.tvunetworks.comFKT November 2018 Magazin _ Technologien & Systeme
MAGAZIN
Quelle © Maksym Yemelyanov (fotolia)
Management of High Dynamic
Range and Wide Color Gamut in
Standards Conversion Applications
Since the earliest days of TV broadcasting, global viewers have wanted to watch programs from
other countries — everything from live breaking news and international sporting events to enter-
tainment and cultural programming. However, simple international program exchange has never
been possible because of huge differences in TV standards around the world. Similarly, transfer-
ring movies to formats suitable for home-TV viewing inherently requires both format and frame
rate conversion for audiences in all regions.
S tandards converters solve these problems by chan-
ging the format and frame rate of the content to suit
the required display specification. However, as tech-
narrower-color-gamut displays
can be problematic. Fortuna-
tely, a number of standards
o Dieser Artikel behan-
delt die Konvertierung von
Inhalten, die mit HDR und
nology advances and new formats and new production conversion manufacturers are
tools become available, more complications arise in the starting to include tools sup-
WGC gemastert wurden,
conversion workflow. porting HDR and WCG in their zeigt einige der möglichen
Whilst high dynamic range (HDR) and wide color products, but these tools must Probleme auf und schlägt
gamut (WGC) increase the artistic choices available to be used with care, as there are Lösungen vor.
content producers, converting that content for audien- many pitfalls.
ces watching on standard dynamic range (SDR)-only or This article discusses conversion of content maste-
red with HDR and WGC, highlights some of the possible
problems, and suggests solutions.
PAOLA HOBSON
Introduction
Managing Director, InSync Technology Producers of UHDTV content have many new tools at
ø www.insynch.tv their disposal to enhance programme-making, including
high dynamic range (HDR) and wide color gamut (WCG).
High dynamic range enables greater contrast ratios,
such that fine variations in blacks can be accommodatedMagazin _ Technologien & Systeme November 2018 FKT
at the same time as very bright whites. the expected viewing conditions — information that must
Wide color gamut, as defined in ITU-R BT.2020, be conveyed within the programme’s metadata. HLG is
extends the color space definition such that a larger described by the BBC (its originators) as a “scene-refer-
MAGAZIN
range of colors can be represented in the scene. Figure 1 red signal,” which means that it’s possible to obtain the
illustrates this concept. same artistic effect on any target display, independent
of that display’s inherent brightness, and no additional
metadata are needed.
Note that producers of UHD content don’t necessarily
use HDR. It is equally common to find UHD content mas-
tered at standard dynamic range (SDR), and, while most
existing HD content will use SDR, producers of some
newer HD content might have taken advantage of HDR
production tools. Project information from the BBC[3]
provides more detail on the opportunities HDR offers.
WCG is specifically defined in BT.2020 as applicable
to UHD content. However, UHD content may equally be
produced for the BT.709 color space, creating significant
opportunity for confusion — and therefore downstream
quality problems — when processing the content.
Conversion Applications
As broadcasters transition to UHD services, there are
many situations in which SD — or, more commonly, HD
— content needs to be integrated into a UHD produc-
tion. In these cases, the SD or HD content might need
frame rate conversion as well as resolution upconversion.
Similarly, UHD content is often downconverted to HD for
distribution on existing delivery networks, as illustrated
in the simplified HD workflow of Figure 2.
Figure 1: Illustration of color spaces BT.709 and BT.2020 If the UHD content was produced in HDR with
BT.2020 color, but the HD workflow has been configured
Multiple HDR standards have been defined, and the for SDR with BT.709 color, then clearly the Figure 2 ex-
ITU report BT.2408-1 titled “Operational practices in ample needs to be augmented with additional processing,
HDR television production”[1] presents in-depth guidan- as illustrated in Figure 3.
ce on the use of high dynamic range in television produc- UHD frame rate conversion might also require HDR/
tion using the Perceptual Quantization (PQ) and Hybrid WCG processing. For example, the incoming programme
Log-Gamma (HLG) methods specified in Recommen- might have been mastered according to the PQ standard,
dation ITU-R BT.2100[2]. Within the PQ standard, the but the output is required to be HLG. Therefore, in that
producer will select a peak brightness level depending on case, the workflow needs a PQ-to-HLG transformation in
Figure 2: Example HD
workflow
Figure 3: Example HD
workflow with HDR/WCG
processing
Figure 4: Example UHD
frame rate conversion
with HDR-HDR transformYou can also read
