Leader Test And Measurement Technology Supports Global Broadcast

Leader Electronics of Europe has revealed that its PHABRIX Qx rasterizer and LeaderPhabrix LPX500 waveform monitor played a key role in the live UHD/HDR broadcast of Pope Leo XIV's visit to Barcelona’s Sagrada Família, one of the most technically ambitious live productions staged at the iconic basilica.

The event, held on 10 June, marked both the centenary of the death of the basilica's architect, Antoni Gaudí, and the completion of the Tower of Jesus Christ – now the world's tallest church tower at 172.5 metres. The ceremony was produced by Catalan public broadcaster 3Cat (TV3), combining coverage from inside and outside the basilica using a mix of broadcast and digital cinematography techniques.

Production director Pauli Subira Claramunt worked alongside artistic director Igor Cortadellas to deliver a UHD/HDR production that incorporated technologies, including Sony Cinema Line cameras, which had not previously been used in a European international UHD/HDR live broadcast.

Broadcast engineering consultant Hector Sole-Bradshaw Beltran served as technical director for the project, overseeing the challenge of integrating traditional broadcast infrastructure with digital cinema workflows.

"Regardless of the cost that UHD/HDR might have [for an event like this], the importance of the production and the relevance in terms of archival and distribution is so large that it doesn't really matter if it's more expensive," said Hector Sole-Bradshaw Beltran, the broadcast engineering consultant who served as technical director for the project, and who describes his primary hurdle as "how to unify two fields of expertise – the broadcast engineering requirements of Tier One production, and digital cinematography tools".

To support the production, Sole-Bradshaw relied on two products from the Leader Electronics portfolio, including the PHABRIX Qx advanced rasterizer.

Indeed, he reveals that he "always brings" his PHABRIX Qx advanced rasterizer to a production, adding that it "surely has a place in any high-end OB deployment in the world. What I tend to do is have a V-Lock battery powering the unit, so I don't need to have it plugged into mains, and that allows me to move to different places in the engineering footprint and do the required testing and analysis".

The production team also used a LeaderPhabrix LPX500 quad 4K-input hybrid IP/SDI waveform monitor to display and monitor four 12G-SDI signals throughout rehearsals and the live event.

Sole-Bradshaw also brought along a LeaderPhabrix LPX500 quad 4K-input hybrid IP/SDI waveform monitor, which in this instance was used to display and monitor 4 x 12G-SDI signals (there was no IP element to this production). He noted: "I was able to check a camera anytime during the show or rehearsals, including both HDR and SDR sources. Again, it's another item of very reliable equipment that helped make the production run smoothly."

Despite having just two days to complete the load-in and installation within the unique architectural constraints of the basilica, the production was completed successfully, with the technical infrastructure supporting a global audience for the historic event.

Reflecting on the production, Sole-Bradshaw said: "One of the most difficult things to do nowadays, especially when you take into account different political and religious beliefs, is to arrive at a production that is pleasing to everyone. But by focusing on the building itself, which is outstanding and unique in the world, it was one of those occasions where there was universal acclaim and people were left with a really beautiful memory of the day."

leaderphabrix.com