Live From IBC 2024: Monday’s Latest From Amsterdam
The SVG Europe and SVG Americas teams are onsite in Amsterdam for IBC 2024. As the production and broadcast industry gathers to launch new products and reconnect, the SVG team is out in force in the exhibition halls of the RAI to gather and share the latest news with the SVG community. You’ll find all the key announcements and news here with daily updates.
Today’s issue features AJA Video Systems, Ateliere Creative Technologies, AWS, BCE, Blackmagic, Brightcove, Christy Media Solutions, Dalet, Disguise, Dizplai, Dolby, Dotscreen, Eluvio, EVS, Farmerswife, Fraunhoffer, Fujifilm, Globecast, Grass Valley, Hitachi, JW Player, Leader, LucidLink, Magnifi, MainConcept, MRMC, M2A Media, MultiDyne, Net Insight, Open Broadcast Systems, Panasonic Connect Europe, Pixellot, Reuters Imagen, Ross Video, RTS Intercom, Shure, Signiant, Skyline Communications, Studio Network Solutions, Techex, Telemetrics, Vindral, Vislink, Vivaro Media, Wisycom, WTVision, Wowza, Zero Density, and Zixi.
AJA Video Systems (Stand 7.B19) is looking to help the live-sports-production and TV market get on board with HDR workflows more easily via its ColorBox, which is now available as an openGear Card versus a dedicated box. The card handles inline color transformation for SDR and HDR as well as camera-log conversions. “As it pertains to live production,” AJA Senior Product Manager Tim Walker explains, “you might have some SDR cameras that you need to convert into HDR to be part of that single-master, single-stream HDR workflow, and you can do that with this card. It also has a built-in downconverter for UHD to HD and, in this openGear card for factor, it can do that with greater channel density and less rack space as we can get 10 channels of UHD conversion in 2RU. The frame also offers redundant power supplies, can be controlled by hardware control panels via an API, and has a latency of less than half a video line. That is important because that means it is within the timing window for switchers, so the switcher doesn’t need to add a frame of delay.” Also new is the Kona IP25, which provides uncompressed bi-directional SMPTE ST 2110 support for the transition from SDI to IP. The 8-lane PCIe Gen 4.0, SMPTE ST 2110 IP I/O card supports bidirectional uncompressed video. It has two SFP cages that support 10- and 25-Gigabit Ethernet (10/25 GigE) SFPs and includes a 1GigE RJ-45 connector.
Ateliere Creative Technologies (Stand 5.C24) is using IBC 2024 to launch a graphics-processing unit–based live-production and editing platform. Software-based and cloud-native, Ateliere Live offers the ability to cut pictures, mix audio, and add graphics and effects via a web browser, with the video staying in the computer’s GPU until just prior to distribution. This removes the need for repeated encoding and decoding, in turn saving on energy usage and, according to Ateliere, reducing the costs per hour of live TV by up to 70%. The platform uses proxy contribution feeds and synchronised proxy-master feed timing for remote production. Public APIs allow integration with third-party applications. Ateliere customers include Swedish broadcaster SVT, which has already used the Ateliere Live tech on coverage of the FIA World Rally Championship.
AWS (Stand 5.C90) has launched AWS Elemental MediaLive Anywhere, a feature of the company’s MediaLive offering that caters to hybrid workflows by allowing users to run live video encoding on-premises while using the cloud for management. “When you can’t get your live video sources to the cloud, MediaLive Anywhere brings the cloud to you,” says Manish Rao, GM, AWS Elemental. “If you have a video source or destination anchored on-premises or a compute investment that you want to continue to use, MediaLive Anywhere brings the same great capabilities, APIs, monitoring tools, console, and pay-as-you-go pricing that you get with MediaLive to enable encoding anywhere.”
BCE COO Frédéric Fiévez
BCE (Stand 10.C21) is demonstrating its Media-as-a-Service offering. Provided as an online platform, it is populated with a range of apps: remote-commentary service Holovox, which was adopted by the Basketball Champions League to boost remote voice-over capabilities; Playit, for cloud-based TV-channel management; Freecaster, for streaming live events and VOD content; and NxP, for content exchange and distribution. Says BCE COO Frédéric Fiévez, “Rightsholders trust us to manage technical aspects of a production from glass to glass.”
Among the new products that Blackmagic (Stand 7.C49) is exhibiting, 12K and 17K cameras are well-suited for such situations as putting one camera at midfield to capture the whole field, cropping into the frame, and deriving a multicam production out of one camera. Says Simon Westland, director, sales, EMEA, Blackmagic, “We’re also showing a new immersive camera called URSA Cine Immersive, which is coming and is an 8K stereoscopic camera for productions for Apple Vision Pro. That opens a whole load of opportunities for sports. Then we have the postproduction technology with DaVinci, the only commercial end-to-end system to do immersive content for Apple Vision Pro and other formats moving forward.” There has also been a lot of interest in Blackmagic’s Replay system, he adds, which takes advantage of the cloud to provide a fully scalable system.
A major focus for Brightcove (Stand 5.A90) at IBC 2024 is a new AI Suite, which comprises five elements: AI Content Multiplier, AI Universal Translator, AI Metadata Optimiser, AI Engagement Maximiser, and AI Cost-to-Quality Optimiser. AI Content Multiplier uses generative AI to automate time-consuming tasks, such as reformatting 16:9 to 9:16 content, auto-clipping, and creating highlight reels from longer content. AI Universal Translator allows users to deliver translations across 130 languages with the ability to fine-tune, plus dubbing in more than 80 languages and hundreds of voices. AI Metadata Optimiser can generate descriptions and automatically transform content into searchable and AI-optimisable data sets. Each solution is currently available to existing customers to pilot, with general availability planned for later this year.
Christy Media Solutions (Stand.1C37) is looking to help attendees solve a critical issue: finding talent in an industry where job duties and skill sets vary greatly, often requiring a good deal of vetting in the selection process. Whether your organisation is big or small, international or local, and a broadcaster, manufacturer, facility, or just about any other industry segment, Christy Media offers bespoke hiring efforts as well as a database of 45,000 broadcast contacts. If you didn’t have a chance to swing by the stand in Hall 1, you can reach the company via email [email protected] or telephone (44) 1908 308770.
Dalet (Stand 7.A43) is emphasizing artificial intelligence. With such products as Dalet Pyramid and Dalet Flex, customers are able to tap into the power of a single, cloud-native technology stack to facilitate production, distribution, archive, and monetization for various sectors. In fast-paced environments like news and live sports production, aspects like quick turnaround for editing and collaboration set users up for success. Other services also are on display, including Dalet Media Cortex for media-asset management and workflow orchestration, Dalet AmberFin for high-quality transcoding, and Dalet Brio for invest and playout.
Disguise (Stand 3.B61) has unveiled its latest broadcast-product developments and is showcasing Emmy Award-winning creative services, highlighting cutting-edge projects and productions including the Olympics, UEFA Euro tournament, and the U.S. and Mexican elections. Partnering with InFiled, Samsung (with White Light), Roe Visual, and Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC), Disguise has a presence on multiple booths, demonstrating how its advanced solutions are driving the next generation of broadcast workflows. On the InFiled stand (3.B61), event-goers can witness the Disguise Porta graphics controller in action, enabling the playout of all graphics types, from motion graphics to LED, AR or even XR, all from a single easy-to-use interface.
The buzz on the Dizplai stand (5.B57) is all about the possibilities offered by the launch of its gaming division, Dizplai Gaming. Born out of the acquisition of the PickGuru free-to-play,gaming platform, the new division creates interactive game experiences for first and second screens that enhance fan engagement for sports rightsholders, brands, betting companies, and broadcasters. Dizplai Gaming’s first major public move is MailOnline’s Teamsheet. Launched for the 2024-25 Premier League season, the interactive social-media game invites users to test their football knowledge by naming the starting 11 of a team from Premier League matches. Players earn points based on speed and accuracy.
Dolby (Stand 3.B60) is showcasing its Dolby Vision Live production, which enables users to manipulate live data to correct and enhance the look and feel of a picture, just by encoding the metadata live. It is also talking about its dialogue-separation tool, which increases audio intelligibility by allowing the user to extract audio, decoupling dialogue from the main video content. Additionally, Dolby has unveiled a new range of cloud video products and solutions supporting real-time interactive streaming. This follows the company’s recent acquisition of Theo Technologies, a provider of high-quality video-streaming tools embraced by top sports, media, and entertainment companies worldwide. TheoAds’ pioneering ad insertion capability improves the quality, flexibility, and targeting of advertising within TheoPlayer. Also, the combined Dolby and Theo offering brings together Dolby Millicast, an ultra-low-latency streaming solution, transcoding powered by Dolby Hybrik.
Eluvio (Stand 14.AIB10) is demonstrating its full-stack solution for live streaming, PVOD, FAST channels, and video-archive monetisation at scale and also sharing details of new customers and partners. As part of the expansion of its European business, the company has appointed Glenn Broere EMEA commercial director and launched the Content Fabric operations team in Europe to support its growing streaming and archive-monetisation business. Eluvio is also discussing its work with European Professional Club Rugby and a new solution partnership with Videon focused on Eluvio’s growing of live-sports-streaming business through the Content Fabric.
EVS (Stand 5.G08) is showcasing its use of generative AI as part of its XtraMotion offering. The AI suite can transform single-phase cameras into super-motion cameras, improving broadcast quality in budget-constrained environments. Features include shallow depth of field, adding cinematic effects, and de-blurring, which sharpens replays and improves advertising visibility. “We have a lot of these effects in the pipeline,” says Jan Mokallai, VP, Solutions, LiveCeption. “By the end of the year, all of these will be released into a general availability.
Farmerswife (Stand 6.C24), provider of resource scheduling and project management, is talking about its now one-year-old partnership with Octopus Newsroom. Together, they are actively working on innovative solutions that promise to take their collaboration — and the efficiency of newsroom operations — to new heights. The latest integration addresses key challenges in media operations by streamlining processes, reducing information overload, and empowering news teams. The company is also discussing Cirkus, a tool for creative teams that enables companies to manage everything from budgets and people to invoicing.
Fraunhoffer (Stand 8.B40), always a hot-bed of cutting-edge audio technologies, is spotlighting MPEG-H audio. “It’s a next-generation audio system being used in Brazil and South Korea and currently in standardization in other countries for broadcast and streaming applications,” says Yannik Grewe, senior manager, media technologies and business development, Fraunhofer. “It has a number of benefits compared with other audio codecs, including compatibility with immersive sound and 5.1.4 with height speakers, which means a better experience. It also comes with audio objects that the user can interact with and define, like the commentators and the crowd. The third benefit is, those objects allow the viewer to decide if they want to increase the volume of the commentary without increasing the volume of everything else. Or they can switch off the commentary altogether and even have alternate tracks.” The demonstrations here give a sense of how the technology not only can be deployed through TVs and set-top boxes but also can make audio postproduction easier and simpler.
Fujifilm (Stand 12.B20) is highlighting the new DUVO HZK 14-100mm T2.9-3.9 portable PL-mount zoom lens. Like its predecessors, DUVO HZK25-1000mmF2.8-F5.0 PL-mount cinema box lens and DUVO HZK24-300mm T2.9-4.2 portable PL-mount zoom lens, the newly available DUVO 14-100mm produces a cinematic look with the ease of broadcast-lens operation. It supports dual large image sensors, covering 14mm at the wide angle to 100mm in Super 35mm and 21-150mm in large format with its built-in 1.5X expander. The lens achieves 7.1X zoom and at 266.9mm length and, weighing only 2.54 kg, is the smallest and lightest in the DUVO Series.
Advanced TX and connectivity capabilities and end-to-end hybrid cloud solutions are the focus for Globecast (Stand 5.C75). Backed by major investment in IP and cloud technologies, Globecast has broadened its acquisition, remote-production, media-management, playout, and distribution solutions. The company is now focussed firmly on the accelerating pace of hybrid-cloud-technology integration and orchestration, growth of its OTT service model, and its sustainability strategy. Globecast enabled playout and global distribution via an IP/cloud distribution mix for the Africa Cup of Nations 2024, Premier Padel Tournaments in Rome and Malaga, and UEFA Euro 2024 for Sky Italy and RAI, utilising unilateral delivery via fibre.
Grass Valley (Stand 9.A01) has launched the LDX 110 and LDX C110 entry-level cameras, which provide UHD capture at “the lowest possible price points,” says Grass Valley Chief Product Officer Adam Marshall. With a native UHD 2/3-in. CMOS imager equipped with Global Shutter technology, the cameras targets sports, studio, and entertainment productions. In addition, Grass Valley has expanded its K-Frame XP family with the K-Frame VXP, which provides “enterprise-grade production- switcher capabilities in a compact 5RU chassis” and is pitched at flypacks and smaller OB vans and small to mid-tier production events.
Hitachi’s (Stand 11.C10) major intros are 4K UHD cameras space, including ST 2110 functionality, and an upgradable HD-camera system for broadcast production and live events with a cost-effective path to 4K UHD. Also on exhibit is a next-generation 4K UHD box camera for a wide range of applications. The SK-UHD7000E, for example, incorporates three 2/3-in. global-shutter CMOS image sensors with native 4K resolution while minimizing unwanted artifacts, such as flickering and banding, that could otherwise occur in capturing LED walls. And the Z-HD6500 HD camera with Full UHD Sensors and BT.2020 prism is for customers seeking exceptional HD visual quality and cost/performance value for studio and live-production applications. The F11 sensitivity of 50 frames per second (fps) enables high-quality acquisition in reduced lighting, and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 62 dB delivers super-quiet images.
JW Player (Stand 5.A53) and multiscreen-app developer Dotscreen have announced a strategic partnership under which JW Player’s advanced content-delivery technology dovetails with Dotscreen’s proficiency in user-experience (UX) design and app development. Together, they offer an end-to-end OTT solution that they believe will improve the viewer experience across various devices. The collaboration is being showcased with a joint demo application. In addition, JW Player recently supported an upgrade of VBTV, Volleyball World’s proprietary media platform offering a range of volleyball content, including premier professional and collegiate leagues and Beach Pro Tour action. Improvements include enhanced streaming quality, localised content and language support, and broader device compatibility. Other partners involved in the upgrade are Applicaster, Cleeng, WSC, and Deltatre.
Leader Sales Engineering/Technical Marketing Manager Kevin Salvidge
Leader (Stand 10.C01) has launched a quad-input waveform monitor with dual-independent screens for hybrid IP/SDI workflows. The LPX500, the first in a new range of video-analysis and -generation instruments, features simultaneous display of four 4K inputs, 4K and 2K inputs, HDR and SDR inputs, or SDI and IP inputs, plus dual 10GE, 25GE and 100GE inputs. “It’s the first jointly developed product of Leader and Phabrix teams,” Leader Sales Engineering/Technical Marketing Manager Kevin Salvidge says, “so it brings together Phabrix’s quality of service and expertise, and Leader’s quality of experience expertise. It’s also the first device with no physical buttons. We have seen more and more of the tapping and swiping generation becoming operators, so, rather than presets and buttons, this product has a fully customisable interface. It’s the next generation of test and measurement products, and we’ve had a very positive response to it. In addition, Leader is showing its Zen Series, which now enables a user to import an apply a 3D LUT to aid simplification of a single-layer workflow and allay fears of SDR’s being compromised. The software upgrade was made available in early September.
LucidLink (Stand 3.A63) is making a point to highlight new products. The latest is LucidLink 3.0, a next-gen storage workflow that assists in making the creative process even more streamlined. It will allow customers to tap into real-time collaboration and fast retrieval of media files with the utmost security. In addition, the company is debuting its latest integration of LucidLink Panel with Adobe After Effects. This partnership allows creatives to improve playback performance with greater efficiency.
Magnifi (Stands 5.H52, 14.AIP4), an AI-powered enterprise product developed by VideoVerse, features several enhancements: a built-in editor, automated subtitles and captions, Geogating to stay compliant with local regulations, and Tenant Management to ensure the right content gets to the right person. The company is actively seeking value-add resellers, referrals, and other partners as it looks to grow and expand. Magnifi allows content owners and rightsholders to automatically detect key moments in live or recorded video feeds and create real-time highlights and short-form videos.
Video- and audio-codec provider MainConcept has expanded the availability of LCEVC with Wowza Streaming Engine developed by Wowza (Stands 4.A02, 4.B05). By adding LCEVC into Wowza Streaming Engine, which uses MainConcept codecs to encode or transcode to and from AVC/H.264 and HEVC/H.265, the two companies teams have been able to provide reduced bitrates by enhancing compression efficiency, significantly lowering encoding costs while retaining backward compliance with all sorts of legacy playback devices. Says Wowza CEO/Founder Dave Stubenvoll, “With Wowza Player now supporting LCEVC, customers can benefit from higher-quality streams and the flexibility to accommodate both legacy and future playback environments, all while reducing storage and delivery costs.”
MRMC Sports Broadcast Manager Marius Merten
MRMC (Stands 11.C28, 12.C20) is showcasing its robotic and AI solutions for remote production. MRMC Sports Broadcast Manager Marius Merten says, “Today, we are looking into robotic automation and are currently working on a game-changing solution of a complete AI workflow for sports broadcast, which we’re looking forward to announcing in a few weeks.”
M2A Media (Stand 5.H78), the live-event cloud-broadcast firm, has appointed Ciarán Doran CEO to work alongside founder Marcus Box, who takes up the role of CTO. Formerly in senior leadership roles at Rohde & Schwarz and Pixel Power and a familiar face to many at SVG and SVG Europe, Doran has more than 30 years of experience in broadcast tech, including a decade each at Sony and Harris Broadcast in engineering, product-management, commercial, and executive roles. In recent years, through his company Deep Blue Sapphire Ltd, he has specialised in transforming businesses that bring leading-edge technology to market by building growth in sales and the corporate bottom line. Doran is on the stand at IBC 2024.
MultiDyne (Stand 11.C12) arrived at IBC 2024 with a 10-Gig fiber extender that can also do POE into Ethernet. Also on display are the MDoG-6060 and MDoG-6061 ST 2110 IP gateways. Also available, a version for JPEG-XS codecs can handle up to 10 cards per frame and, depending on the rear-module selection, can be used for HD or 4K workflows. There are frame syncs on each input, in-band NMOS status and control, and DashBoard status and control. An openGear card can also act as a base station for MultiDyne’s camera adapters and, in one frame, it can handle three 4K cameras.
Net Insight (Stand 1.C48) is displaying the Nimbra 204, a network-edge streaming appliance well-suited to sports contribution over unmanaged internet networks. Suitable for both fixed and remote broadcast environments, the small-form device dovetails with Net Insight’s Nimbra Edge and Connect iT network-orchestration and device-management systems, providing an open-standards-based, cloud-agnostic solution that allows full “observability” and media awareness across a sports-contribution workflow. Nimbra 204 includes low-latency HEVC compression and 4:2:2 10-bit resolution. The company has also announced that the Nimbra 400 platform now features multichannel HEVC 4:2:2 video encoding and decoding.
Open Broadcast Systems (Stand 1.A40c) is discussing its 5G Flyaway, which launched at NAB 2024 and has since saved the Professional Squash Association from being grounded by a lack of connectivity at the German Open 2024. Built in collaboration with Zixi, the 5G bonding solution lets sports broadcasters reach fibre and satellite picture quality over cellular networks and deliver them as standard constant-bitrate MPEG transport streams. The Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway external weatherproof 5G directional router can be placed up to 100 metres (300 ft.) away. It delivers connectivity for sports broadcasters in areas of poor connectivity, such as beneath a stadium, as well as allowing the use of distant cell towers, keeping traffic separate from spectators. It is available with a global data plan using a SIM from Webbing, avoiding the need to swap SIM cards and providing an affordable pay-as-you-go data plan.
Panasonic Connect Europe (Stand 2.G102) has extended NDI support to its 4K Integrated PTZ cameras (AW-UE40W/K, AW-UE50W/K, AW-HE145, and AW-UE 150W/K). The upgrades, which previously required a paid licence, will be made available via a free firmware update between December 2024 and April 2025, after which the models will ship with NDI pre-activated. The upgrade will activate NDI functionality as a standard feature in more than 80,000 units currently in use.
Pixellot (Stand 7.C24) is continuing its extensive work in AI-based live sports production. Solutions that enable a complete end-to-end broadcast at a cost-effective price point target shows of all sizes — from high school athletics to collegiate sports. With support from NBC Sports NEXT’s SportsEngine in the U.S., the company is building off successes experienced over the last year to make more inroads. This is also being done through enhanced fan engagement and insights driven by rich data.
AI is everywhere at IBC 2024, with plenty of examples showing where it can be used to enhance everything from product development and data analysis to content creation and media distribution. Occasionally, it is simply just a marketing tool. For Reuters Imagen (Stand 5.A35), it is most certainly the former. The company’s AI-driven content library makes use of multimodal video-data analysis, looking at multiple inputs —faces, text, objects, logos — to decipher what it can see. The company believes this makes video and rich media infinitely more searchable. A year after Imagen was acquired by Reuters, the combined teams are also talking about how they bring together their technologies, enabling sports and media customers to transform content workflows.
Ross Video Carbonite Ultra Solo
Ross Video (Stand 8.B91) has launched a compact professional UHD production switcher in a cost-effective package. Carbonite Ultra Solo is positioned as an ideal choice for HD/UHD flypacks, space-constrained production facilities, or mobile units. It’s available in two versions: an all-in-one system with frame and control-surface electronics in a compact unit, and a 1RU frame that can be controlled by separate hardware or a software-based control panel.
RTS Intercom (Stand 11.D09) is displaying its new PH+ series of deluxe, ultra-lightweight passive noise-reduction headsets designed specifically for broadcast professionals. Designed for directors, floor managers, and camera operators, the PH+ series features the company’s advanced passive noise-reduction capabilities, reducing fatigue and allowing clearer communication even in noisy environments. Large ear cushions provide a superior acoustic seal, ensuring that ambient noise is minimized while conversations and critical sounds remain audible. Also be sure to learn more about the RTS NEO Intercom Management Suite, the next-generation software ecosystem designed for faster, more flexible configuration of OMNEO-based RTS intercom systems. The software supports ADAM, ADAM-M, and ODIN matrices, as well as OMS from the RTS Digital Partyline family.
Shure (Stand 8.C32) is talking about Wireless Multichannel Audio Systems (WMAS) technology. The new ETSI standard is designed for multichannel-audio applications integrating wireless microphones, IEMs, and other audio applications into one radio interface. A more spectrally efficient wireless-microphone technology, it can be used in parallel with existing narrowband devices when a high number of audio links is required. Says Tuomo Tolonen, senior director, global marketing development, Shure, “WMAS gives us a much more flexible set of rules. It opens the door for innovation for manufacturers.”
Signiant (Stand 5.C74) has added new features to its unified media platform: TPN App and Cloud Gold Shield assessments for its SaaS products and Proxyless Play. The latter makes it possible to play media assets without having to pre-generate and store yet another set of proxies, saving time and costs. Partial File Restore allows a user to mark in and out points on a file and create and transfer just the selected clip without having to move the entire asset. Cloud-to-Cloud Transfer via Jet has also been added, allowing video transfer within and between cloud storage endpoints. Although this can be done with other tools, having a single full-stack product provides lower TCO, the company says.
As was the case at NAB 2024, Skyline Communications (Stand 1.A57) is using IBC 2024 to showcase dataminer.MediaOps, its platform for simplifying and automating operations across the media supply chain. Built on Skyline’s DataMiner platform, dataminer.MediaOps can be run on-premises, in the cloud, or in a hybrid setup. It enables the management of technical resources, personnel, and satellite-transponder slots; allows planning of functions facilitating production and news events across various platforms; and includes tools for infrastructure provisioning, intelligent monitoring, and comprehensive reporting on resource utilisation and billing.
Studio Network Solutions (Stand 7.B27) is exhibiting the latest updates and changes to its acclaimed EVO Suite. This includes ShareBrowser, a media-asset–management system with integrations in Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects, Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer, and DaVinci Resolve for a smoother user experience. On the remote-production front, the company is assisting clients’ transition to remote/hybrid environments with remote-editing capabilities via ShareBrowser v.7 and Nomad.
Techex (Stand 3.B44) is demonstrating solutions focused on helping broadcasters. Designed for hybrid and pure-cloud software workflows, tx darwin offers secure and flexible live media processing, transport, and monitoring micro-service–based platform to solve key requirements within critical contribution, mezzanine, and distribution workflows. It is also chatting about tx edge, a software gateway providing protection and monitoring for broadcast content between facilities, ingress to and egress from the cloud, and between other software transformation processes. It offers a comprehensive array of protocol options for both content ingest and egress, along with numerous possibilities for traffic manipulation within the IP domain. It is also talking about transport-stream splicing, an innovative technology that can be spun up and down in the cloud as required.
Telemetrics (Stand 12.G43) is showcasing quality camera robotic pedestals, tracks, and controls, featuring tracking technology improved with the addition of ultra-wideband tracking. “In addition to facial and object tracking for our reframe feature,” explains Telemetrics VP Michael Cuomo, “we can now have ultra-wide-band sensors, giving us three layers of tracking capabilities.” UWB, a small sensor about the size of a deck of playing cards, can be placed into the pocket of talent or onto objects, and the cameras will track that sensor, even if it is off camera. Telemetrics is also showing its TG-5 Teleglide track, which can be recessed into the floor, eliminating worry about someone’s tripping over it.
In collaboration with TATA Communications, Vindral (Stand 14.H06) is exhibiting a broadcast workflow seen during SailGP’s 2024 New York Sail Grand Prix June 22-23. It builds on work done at the New York City Marathon in April and the Tour of Britain in September. For live production of a sports event that didn’t take place in a building with existing infrastructure, the company played an integral role of providing 28 total feeds — two camera feeds from the 14 participating vessels — as well as video signals from the overhead helicopter and the world feed with low-latency and in synchronization with each other. The solution was imperative to keep fans at the event up-to-date on the action taking place on the water. Another aspect of the workflow was the need for quick channel switching, which allowed users to jump from vessel to vessel instantaneously without buffering or lagging.
Vislink’s (Stand 1.C32) latest wireless transmitters, the DragonFly V and INCAM-GV, are having their European debuts at IBC 2024. The DragonFly V, a miniature HEVC HDR COFDM transmitter, is designed to deliver real-time, high-quality video from point-of-view (PoV) cameras, UAVs, and body-worn devices. The INCAM-GV, available in both RF and 5G versions, integrates with Grass Valley LDX 100 Series live-production cameras. The HEVC 4K UHD, HDR-ready wireless system enables full broadcast-quality encoding with resolutions up to 4K UHD. Also on the Vislink stand is a demo of a VR camera system used onboard fully autonomous race cars competing in the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL): an 8K ultra-high-resolution camera from IO Industries is mounted on a real A2RL racing car and operated via Vislink RF equipment.
Vivaro Media (Stand 5.H82) has added AI-enhanced versioning tools to its FLOW on-demand live-video-procurement, -management, and -delivery platform. Included are captioning, translation, and voiceover. AI Media has partnered with Vivaro to make it possible. FLOW now also includes D2C streaming capabilities, thanks to a tie-up with French company SPORTALL. Vivaro provided live-video transmission and production resources for broadcasters in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and France during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
Wisycom (Stand 8.C44) is rolling out the MTH610 handheld wireless microphone transmitter at IBC 2024. The latest addition to the brand’s Symphony line of products, the new handheld features dual-band capability in the 470- to 1,260-MHz range, which is essential for global events covering a wide range of locations and frequency spectrums based on specific country regulations. It was developed to fill a need in the live-performance industry for a wireless-microphone solution offering flexibility and durability. “This new transmitter features an ergonomic design that makes it one of the lightest and easiest to carry in the professional audio world,” says Leslie Lello, product specialist/project manager, Wisycom. “The MTH610 also incorporates all the functionalities of our popular and globally acclaimed MTP61 and MTP60 portable bodypacks, including remote control via Bluetooth using the Wisycom app.”
WTVision (Stand 7.C10) is discussing a number of products on its stand that will help sports broadcasters. These include its AR³ Football product, which uses AI to enhance camera tracking with precision and efficiency. On AR³ Football, Pedro Duarte, Portugal Sales Director, WTVision, says, “It allows you to introduce graphics on the field for a much more immersive experience for people at home. It can be integrated into the game to show player stats and information, and it can also be used to drive sales. Clients want to monetise their products, so we’re helping them to do that.” WTVision is working on expanding AR³ Football to other sports, using AI. Additionally, it is presenting a new version of SportStats featuring advances and an array of capabilities and is introducing the latest R³ Space Engine and Designer updates.
Zero Density (Stand 7.B01) is discussing its new Lino real-time motion-graphics platform. Lino enhances rendering and compositing quality while significantly cutting down implementation and production costs and redundancy. All production assets in Unreal Engine can be used in video-wall content, on-air graphics, or preproduction motion graphics and virtual-production graphics. Lino now has additional features and new positioning on Zero Density’s expanding graphics ecosystem. The company also has announced a partnership with Matchday Production, a Danish sports-production company and part of DMC Production Group, to provide virtual-production technology. This collaboration will deliver a comprehensive end-to-end solution for two white-label virtual studios in Copenhagen. The first users of the new studios will be Disney+, streaming the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League, and ESPN Matchcenter, providing football updates. The setup includes Zero Density’s Reality5 virtual-production platform.
Zixi (Stand 5.A85) has adopted the tagline “Do the math,” with Chief Executive Gordon Brooks encouraging IBC attendees to speak with company reps to understand the cost savings that would allow them to do more for less. Zixi is demonstrating features and functionalities that allow broadcasters, OTT providers, sports leagues, regional sports networks, and local affiliates to reach global audiences by using the Zixi Enabled Network, with analysis of total cost of ownership of large-scale IP delivery applications compared with other industry alternatives.