IBC 2016: Sony intros highlighted by 4K POV camera, HDR/SDR converter
Sony’s IBC stand is highlighted by two new products that they company says will allow professionals to seamlessly incorporate high dynamic range (HDR) and high frame rate (HFR) content into a 4K live sports production workflow. The first development is the HDC-P43 POV camera that uses the same imager and camera circuitry as Sony’s HDC-4300 and supports 4K HDR and HFR. The camera body weighs only 2 kilograms and also can be mounted in all the positions where current HD POV cameras are deployed (its dimensions are 119mm wide x 140mm high and 212mm deep).
Sony’s HCD-P43 is a new 4K POV camera designed to fill critical gaps in 4K production.
“Live sports productions need to easily and efficiently handle a variety of sources, from HD and 4K to HDR and HFR formats,” says Norbert Paquet, Strategic Marketing Manager, Sony Professional Solutions Europe. “These new technologies solve many of the challenges traditionally associated with live production, and add new and exciting story-telling tools and maximum production value.”
The HDC-P43 POV camera has a three-chip, 2/3 inch 4K image sensor and can deliver 2x slow-motion at 4K, and 8x super-slow motion in HD in conjunction with 4K live server. Along with support of the ITU-R BT.2020 color space and S-Log3 for high brightness and high contrast imagery the camera be located as far as 5 kilometers away from the production center via single-mode fiber cable.
In addition, Sony’s Share Play feature, incorporated into its newest sports production technologies, allows a single operator to control editing and output of slow-motion highlights with file-sharing capabilities over a single network (10G or faster), linking a Sony 4K live camera system with a video server.
The HDC-P43 offers all the interface functions necessary for live production and studio shooting such as tally signal, return image, and teleprompter output and features a built-in fiber adaptor by connecting with BPU-4000, BPU-4500 baseband processor unit or the HDCU-4300 camera control unit.
Sony has introduced new BVM OLED monitors at IBC.
Also new from Sony is the HDRC-4000 HDR production converter unit, designed for use in simultaneous live 4K HDR and HD SDR content production workflows. Based on Sony’s recommended S-Log3 and BT.2020 production workflow for 4K HDR live production, the unit is able to do real-time conversions to the appropriate delivery formats for various applications (broadcast, OTT, public viewing), as well as formats for input (OETF/EOTF, color space, HDR/SDR and resolution), including conventional HD content production, and video signals apart from S-Log3 without compromising picture quality.
Using a unique algorithm, the HDRC-4000’s AIR (Artistic Intent Render) Matching function ensures accurate format conversion of content produced in S-Log3 and BT.2020, to match the required distribution format delivering creators’ intention. Its compact 1.5U body can support two-channel conversion.
“It enables broadcasters and productions to enjoy outstanding HDR image production as well as conventional 4K SDR and HD production,” says Paquet. “A typical sports production work flow of “SR Live for HDR” is configured with a 4K/HD live camera system such as the HDC-4800, HDC-4300 or HDC-P43 with S-Log3, using a BVM-X300 for HDR monitoring. Now the addition of the HDRC-4000 ensures a perfect EOTF conversion that retains the original image quality intended by production.”
Sony also introduced the second generation BVM-X3003 OLED master monitor, giving users more flexibility and more features for HDR and 4K production applications. Next month the new version of the BVM-X300 will feature updated Version 2 firmware including additional HDR EOTF and function support, a new hardware with an HDMI input for easy connection to cameras or Blu-ray players, and a second 3G/HD-SDI 4K input for simpler system integration.
The BVM-X300 V2 firmware update also delivers new display functionality for HDR production, including Hybrid Log Gamma HDR EOTF setting supporting the new ITU-R BT.2100 standard; new EOTF called S-Log 3 (Live HDR) that supports easier camera control for live production; new one-touch relative contrast modes (1/2, 1/3 and 1/4), allowing display of HDR images with higher peak luminance; and faster access to the status menu page (Color space, EOTF, User Preset and more).
In other monitor developments the all-new 17-inch BVM-E171 and 25-inch BVM-E251 TRIMASTER EL OLED HD master monitors were rolled out. The HD master monitors are equipped with enhanced features for 4K production, delivering outstanding performance, a quick response time with virtually no motion blur and a wide colour gamut.
“Sony has a deep understanding of the specifications that are sought after within the content creation market by listening to the needs of those involved in production,” says Daniel Dubreuil, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Sony Professional Solutions Europe. “Sony’s BVM-E171 and BVM-E251 master monitors are introduced to answer the demands for wider colour space for HD OLED master monitors with accurate colour reproduction for 4K production while resolving the issue of screen flicker.”
Notably, the BVM-E171 monitor is re-sized for better handling on-site. The new 17-inch monitor is shorter in dimension and lighter in weight, ideal to be fitted in 6U rack size in OB trucks.
The new HD monitors will support ITU-R BT.2020 colour space, the broadcasting standard for Ultra HD, for accurate colour reproduction and
the monitors are enhanced to include S-Gamut/S-Gamut3 and S-Gamut3.cine. Further, they are also equipped with S-Log 3 and S-Log2 in SDR. The new S-Log 3(SDR) feature can display up to approximately 1500% by contrast adjustment in the range of 250cd/m2.
And with respect to IP-related developments, Sony also introduced several new products that are built around its Network Media Interface (NMI), including the the PWA-MV1N multi-viewer software that enables a very efficient monitoring solution into an IP Live Production Infrastructure, reducing drastically the video matrix resources used for monitoring. Also introduced were the NXLK-IP45F, a new AV Multiplexer/DeMultiplexer board enables to multiplex and de-multiplex video and audio over IP signals with an SDI signal output that includes embedded audio, and the NXL-IP4F, an SDI-IP converter that Sony says is ideal for 4K/HD standalone source or destination to integrate with an IP-based Production System. Also new is the HKCU-IP43F, an NMI board for HDCU-4300 camera control system enables easy connection to the IP Live System network and the XKS-Q8111 and XKS-Q8166, an NMI supported QSFP+ I/O board (output) for XVS switchers that allows the direct connection to the core switch of an IP Live System network using 40Gbps fiber link.