Italy’s Cinevideo embraces 4K ultra slow motion cameras and wireless technology

Leading Pescara, Italy-based TV production company Cinevideo has tremendous form when it comes to the adoption of new broadcast technology. A while ago it became the first company in the country to adopt the hyper-slow motion I-MOVIX system, and now it is adding 4K/UHD filming capability and undertaking test filming in HD with wireless delivery.

Accordingly it has bought an I-MOVIX X10 UHD 4K Ultra Slow Motion camera for special sports occasions. For example, the camera will be used on Wednesday, November 25, for the Champions League match in Turin. It will be used in HD for Mediaset, the rights’ holder, and for the first time wirelessly.

Mediaset is enthusiastic about this experimentation, not least because it offers an important test ahead of the Final of the Champions League that will take place next May in Milan.

The X10 UHD is able to shoot up to 2000 frames per second in HD and up to 1000 frames per second in 4K. It is already being used for Serie A for Infront and to create the international feed as host broadcaster. Furthermore, for the same client, it was used to cover the European Volleyball in Rotterdam in October.

Ultra slow-motion deployments

Cinevideo is called to carry out the filming with one or more ultra slow motion cameras (they have two) to provide the replay slow motion service. From this year, however, the ultra slow motion camera can be used in combination with D-Flicker. This is an external I-MOVIX item of hardware (Cinevideo has bought two) which eliminates the typical ‘beat’ of the lights – a troublesome effect which tends to increase especially when the stadium lights are no longer new and their power output decreases.

Suitable for use only with I-MOVIX cameras, it operates in real-time and without delay on the signal which is shot. The camera shoots very high refresh frequencies and the frequency of discharge lights (45/55 Hz) is not uniform to that of the camera, hence the need for correction technology. The necessary hardware is placed within the UltraEmotion OB-Van, along with technicians, RVM and replay operators. The camera operator must be very good at anticipating different shots and focus-correcting. An out of focus shot at nominal speed can be annoying, but the same at ultra slow motion speed lasts 10 second and has a much more negative impact on the viewer experience.

Technological trendsetters

Cinevideo has specialised in the supply of this service for four years, particularly for Infront, with coverage of many different ski races. It is also working with RAI for Italian qualifier matches, the Tour of Lombardy, and more.

For the Champions League match on 25 November, the latest I-MOVIX camera will operate wirelessly with Gigawave devices provided and managed by EI Towers.

In Turin, two I-Movix UltraHD cameras will be deployed: the principal on hi-lo covering the shooting of the game in HD, while the secondary (which can work in UHD on request) will also be used in HD but with wireless delivery.

Ultra slow motion capture and wireless operation, it is clear, are helping to underline’s Cinevideo’s credentials as technological trendsetters.