IBC2014: 4K, IP And The Shape Of Things To Come (Pt. 2)

(continued from Pt. 1)

GatesAir announced a two low-power TV platforms; The Maxiva Ultra-Compact series offering standalone, low-power translator and gap filler solutions for UHF and VHF networks, and the Maxiva Multi-Compact series comprising high-density, 4RU 19-inch rack-mounted UHF and VHF transmission systems available in several configurations, including N+1, N+2, or N+1+M+1 redundancy. The Maxiva brand provides a full line, single-source family of transmission products to support DTV networks of any size and scale.
"We continue to evolve our Maxiva solutions to ensure maximum performance, flexibility, efficiency and lowest total cost of ownership for our customers as they build out digital over-the-air networks," said Rich Redmond, chief product officer, GatesAir. "Every network is looking to streamline operations, and these two distinct low-power solutions simplify network deployment and enable cost-effective wireless content delivery."
On the Wohler stand, the company showcased its modular iON monitoring platform, enabling signal monitoring of baseband and stream-based signals and allowing users to access, view, control and manage a range of signals and associated data remotely from any Web-enabled PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet device, with video and audio content streamed in real time.
One of the big draws to the Wohler stand was the Tachyon Wormhole, developed in partnership with Cinnafilm. The solution enables users to shorten or lengthen video projects by ±10%, unbeknownst to the end viewer. It features dual stream, real-time processing (or faster) per server, ±10% run time adjustment, automatic audio adjustment and pitch correction.
The big news on the Matrox stand was the Matrox VS4, a quad HD capture card for multi-camera live production streaming. Suitable for use with Telestream Wirecast for Windows or StudioCoast vMix software, the solution sends video feeds for streaming and facilitates ISO recording to disk of original video and audio feeds for post event editing via a Matrox plug-in for Wirecast or Matrox Video for Windows (VfW) codecs for vMix MultiCoder software.
The VS4Recorder multi-camera recording app works with the VS4 card to give synchronised control over capture of the four inputs connected to the VS4 to create MOV, MP4, or AVI files.
Matrox Video announced support for the upcoming Adobe professional video editing tools in Adobe Creative Cloud, with the Matrox Mojito 4K monitoring card. Mojito 4K is a quad 3G-SDI, 4K video card that can be used with Adobe Creative Cloud tools on Windows platforms. Users will reap realtime monitoring and output of video footage at resolutions up to 4096x2160 and frame rates up to 60 fps (4K@60fps). A 10-bit H.264 intra-frame rendering codec facilitates full raster video previews.
Snell announced a new Kahuna switcher range. Kahuna 4800, Kahuna 6400 and Kahuna 9600 offer added 4K capabilities across the entire range. Combined with Snell's new flexible switcher control surface, Kahuna Maverik, the Kahuna 4800/6400/9600 provides a new feature set, including more power for M/E functionality and enhanced DVE resize engines. It enables chroma key capabilities on all keyers and 2.5D DVE on all models in the range. The range specifics are as follows:
• Kahuna 4800 – Up to 4 M/Es, 16 keyers
• Kahuna 6400 – Up to 12 M/Es, 24 keyers
• Kahuna 9600 – Up to 24 M/Es, 48 keyers

Vizrt celebrated its IBC2014 Innovation award for work with Sky Sports and ChyronHego to create a studio production for 'Monday Night Football'. Back on the stand, the company announced integration with NewTek's TalkShow, Skype-based video calling system. Vizrt's Viz One MAM system records feeds from TalkShow, while the Viz Opus control room system routes TalkShow's Skype feeds live on-air. Producers can choose which Skype feed to use in a broadcast using templates in Viz Pilot, while Viz Engine displays the live feed as a SDI signal or IP stream with real-time graphics overlays.
Jünger Audio demoed the inclusion of its proprietary Spectral Signature dynamic EQ for its new D*AP4 VAP Voice Processor. The new tool offers automatic EQ control to balance spectral differences in real-time. By analysing incoming audio and comparing its spectrum with predetermined voice 'fingerprints', the unit can automatically apply dynamic EQ corrections.
RTW debuted two updates to its TouchMonitor TM7 and TM9 audio meters. The meters' Timecode Reader License SW20008 now permits recalculation during loudness metering, while the Logging Data Server License SW20014 has gained expanded chart-display functionality.
The new Loud.Recal instrument automatically calculates loudness measurements for the complete runtime of a segment at the time corrections are performed to the mix or sequence (wherever located in the program). Logging Data Server License SW20014 now offers graphs with up to four different loudness and TP values, as well as real-time relative-gate display.
RTW also announced the second plugin in its Masterclass PlugIns line of software-based metering solutions. The new upgrade brings extensive analysis and display functions for mastering, metering and loudness measurement for single- and up to eight-channel applications as a standard-format plugin for Windows and Mac OS platforms.
Solid State Logic contributed to the IP news with a demo of IP Audio Networking. The new SSL Network I/O range consists of 'MADI-Bridge,' providing 64 bidirectional channels of fully redundant MADI-to-network bridging with front panel confidence headphone monitoring; 'SDI,' bridging eight 3G-SDI embedders and eight de-embedders to the network or MADI with internal per channel routing; and 'Stagebox,' which provides eight channels of mic/line I/O (using SSL's SuperAnalogue mic pres) with redundant network connectivity. The demo featured four SSL consoles (2 x C10, C100 and Live) networked with third-party devices from Shure and Sound Devices and SSL's 'LMS-16' Loudness Monitoring system connected directly to the network.
Video Devices, the new branch of Sound Devices, made its debut at this year's show. Its network-connected PIX 270i and PIX 250i video decks provide tapeless, file-based recording and playback with the ability to remotely control, set up and transfer high-quality files over Ethernet. They record edit-ready Apple ProRes or Avid DNxHD files and allow simultaneous multiple-drive recording. Audio capabilities include 64 channels of both MADI audio and Dante audio-over-Ethernet for PIX 270i and the PIX 250i’s 16 tracks of audio.
Screen Systems pulled it out of the bag this year with a demonstration of live web subtitling, showing that there are always surprises in store, even when you think you've seen it all.
The solution addresses the problem created in a live web video, as the player cannot correctly report the current play position within the video since it differs depending on when the viewer switched on.
With Screen's new solution, low bandwidth timing information is added to the video stream and used to synchronise subtitles to the frames of video being watched. The 'script' at the viewer's device obtains the current frame's time value from the video stream and uses it to determine when subtitles should be displayed from the subtitle server. Unsurprisingly, Screen's solution picked up a TVBEurope Best Of Show award for its efforts.

The article is available in BFV online.

(IT/JP)