RT Software Intros Up 4K Stitch System at NAB

RT Software will introduce tOG-Vista at NAB, a system that stitches 4K cameras together so that HD sports productions can then create a user-defined HD output that catches all the action. The company says the product has multiple usage scenarios – not just reducing costs and simplifying production but also adding the ability to capture the game play in its entirety and being able to roll back and create replays of “off the camera” action. Also, an archive of the full view of the entire game can be archived.

Already successfully trialed in the UK, the solution consists of two 4k static cameras mounted close to each other at the field of play. The output from these is fed to a single broadcast specification tOG-Vista PC based workstation which stitches the two 4k camera outputs into a live panoramic view. Using joystick controllers two independent HD “areas of interest” can be defined in real time within the panoramic stitch view and output live as two HD SDI signals. The controllers can also be used to zoom into the action as desired.

The system can be configured for either single or dual operator use. With a single operator the system automatically generates a second wide shot of the operators selected HD view. Attaching an additional  joystick allows a second operator to select another independent “area of interest” and thus can add significantly to the production values. All functions of the joysticks are configurable including VT control.

The use of native 4k cameras leverages high quality zoom with minimal pixel degradation – output quality is assured.

tOG-Vista runs on a single top end Dell or HP PC workstation using nVidia GPU and AJA video i/o technology. The system ingests the two live 4k UHD video camera feeds along with 16 channels of audio. It outputs two HD views along with audio and a monitoring output of the panoramic view. The virtual cameras are controlled using 3D Connexion joysticks.

The system will have options to incorporate RT Software’s other sports solutions. This will include on pitch telestration graphics such as lines, arrows and regions for in depth analysis and also virtual advertising and jumbotrons for use during the live game. RT Software’s virtual advertising solutions are in action every weekend during the season and deliver a result that is virtually indistinguishable from painted adverts on the pitch. Features such as our luminance keyer that handles lighting changes during the game guarantees quality.

As the cameras deployed are static and locked off with a fixed focus and reasonably wide field of view, one of the key benefits of the system is that it is camera/lens agnostic. High quality results can be achieved using a wide range of camera and lens solutions.

There will be live demonstrations on our booth at NAB 2015 running on a Dell broadcast specification workstation streaming dual 4k clips from its SSDs. On a large 4k UHD screen you will see the panoramic view and the 2 HD outputs. Two controllers will facilitate all modes of operation and the live “virtual camera” control. Beta trials and product refinements are scheduled to continue over the summer months with general release scheduled for September 2015.

The system is aimed at making this technology available for the masses, with costs at a fraction of similar systems but with additional useful features. The hardware is “common off the shelf” broadcast spec PC hardware with customers able to purchase their own systems against the supplied specification – a ballpark figure for the rendering PC along with “camera controllers” is $20,000.  The software is available on a subscription basis, with packages starting at just $50,000.