IDS Real-Time Data Systems Back in Action for NBC Olympics

Stass Lordanov is no stranger to the perfectionist style of NBC Olympics. Having served as a technology provider for the Peacock since the 2000 Sydney Games, the senior IT manager for IDS (Information and Display Systems) knows firsthand just how hard NBC works to make sure every element of its coverage is perfect, and the network expects the same from its tech vendors.

“We take the data feeds from every venue, and there has not been a single Olympic Games since we started where it hasn’t changed. You have to be on top of it and adapt.” — Stass Iordanov, IDS

“NBC is unique in that they want to be different, they want to do it their way, and they want to do it better than anyone else,” Iordanov said last week in Sochi. “They challenge everyone around here, including IDS, to create a better product. One of the keys for us is that we have been reacting to NBC’s changes on the fly. You can’t go into an Olympics expecting that you are 100% covered. You have to adapt to accommodate everyone and be successful.”

Back on Board for NBC Real-Time Data Needs
In Sochi, IDS (a division of SMT) once again supplied real-time data, results, and timing interfaces to NBC Olympics. Lordanov’s nine-person support team was responsible for collecting real-time data and delivering TV-graphics interfaces for NBC Olympics’ Mosaic systems covering alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, figure skating, short-track speed skating, speed skating, bobsled, luge, skeleton, ski jumping, and the ski-jumping portion of Nordic combined.

“We take the data feeds from every venue, and there has not been a single Olympic Games since we started where it hasn’t changed,” said Iordanov. “You have sport changes, rule changes, and data changes. You have to be on top of it and adapt your system [accordingly].”

IDS’s Point-in-Time data allowed the NBC production crew to go back to the precise point in a competition to illustrate points being made by the announcers, for both live and taped coverage. With one click of a button, the software system could locate and connect NBC Olympics to a specific point in the competition, even from previous days, enabling reporters to show how a race began, when a lead changed, where an athlete improved his or her performance, and other key events.

“With the big-time zone difference between the U.S. and Sochi, NBC is doing a lot of postproduction. That is where we come in,” said Iordanov. “They can roll the tape back in terms of data. They can easily pull up, for example, the American who was fifth on the start list. We reset our point-in-time data to that point, and you get there instantly. That can be for live or for taped. To get that level of live data at the Olympics is a huge advantage for them.”

Taking Figure Skating to the Next Level
NBC was also looking for a unique way of tracking judging data during the figure-skating competitions. Although, the network had been working toward this effort since Salt Lake City, Sochi marked the first large-scale deployment of the IDS-designed system.

IDS custom developed the figure-skating-judging real-time data platform (shown here on a quad-split monitor) for NBC’s Olympics coverage.

IDS worked with official Olympics timekeeper Omega to analyze the elements of the data feed generated by the judging software and hardware and we were able to design a set of screens that would efficiently provide NBC Commentators with a host of information, including a warm-up timer for the pre-skate period; the performance clock; real-time posting of technical elements the indicate the exact components of the performance with running element technical score; real-time indicators of which elements judges marked as “Video Review Required”; difficulty factors for each element; penalties and bonuses; scores for each element; overall scoring information; and indicators that show when judges have locked in their final scores.

The figure-skating-judging platform show here displays all technical elements and their technical totals including Base, GOE (Grade of Execution), and Technical Totals. By looking at this, on-air talent and producers can tell that the American Dancers won the competition and prepare their broadcast coverage accordingly for the kiss and cry.

Once installed, IDS worked to tweak the screen elements, fonts, and colors needed. Finally, NBC Production Manager Ben Davies and Rob Hyland, NBC Producer for Figure Skating, gave thumbs up on the product and it was then provided to NBC Commentators Scott Hamilton, Tara Lipinski, Johnny Weir and others.

“Once the events began, the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ of the commentators were heard on the audio channels as they realize the treasure trove of previously unavailable information they now have on the new proprietary data feed,” says Iordanov. “Comments from the commentators like, ‘this screen is too nice for us,’ began to surface, and the feedback from everyone was overwhelmingly positive. More modifications were made to improve the product as suggestions came in from different users.”