Mobile TV is alive! - TVBEurope

Matrox helps Ant & Dec
reduce production cost
By Melanie Dayasena-Lowe
Matrox’s Convert DVI was chosen
to assist in the live workflow
on Gallowgate’s entertainment
show Ant & Dec’s Push the Button
which returned to peak-time
ITV1 on 12 February.
Gallowgate’s line producer
Marcus McKinlay said, “We
are using Skype to webcast from
the homes of four families to
Fountain Studios in Wembley.
Each Skype feed then uses
a Matrox Convert DVI to
provide live SDI video for
transmission… The combination
To The Editor
Flying
Monsters
Sir,
I came across your February
issue article on Flying Monsters
and was pleased to notice the
interest raised by this 3D documentary.
To be honest, I was a
little less pleased to see that the
project is described as the ‘the
first 3D documentary intended
for general cinema release’ —
because you may have heard
about the project Sea Rex, currently
playing in La Geode in
Paris? Sea Rex is also a 3D documentary
for movie theatres
and may actually be the first
one in that area.
Mikros Image has completed
a number of CG creatures
for Sea Rex with director
Pascal Vuong, and if you need
any further information, we’ll
be glad to provide some details
of our work.
Yours etc,
Carine Quignon
Chargée de communication
Mikros Image
www.mikrosimage.eu
Matrox Convert DVI provides live SDI video for transmission
By Melanie Dayasena-Lowe
FOR-A has supplied two FRC-8000
multi-format frame rate converters
to Galaxy Light and Power. The
new converters, already deployed to
provide conversion of live TV coverage
of international sporting events,
complement Galaxy’s fleet of
FRC-7000 frame rate converters.
The FRC-8000 converters feature
a range of options including
Psf/P progressive format handling
and the 16-channel audio cards that
can handle up to two channels of
Dolby E. These are the first units to
be supplied with the new innovative
touchscreen control panel.
Andy Grant, chief executive,
Galaxy Light and Power, said, “We
now have the largest hire stock of
broadcast level HD standards
converters worldwide. Performance
is our primary concern and these
FOR-A converters are unsurpassed
for frame-rate conversion
quality. The FRC-8000 adds even
more for performance with handling
for SD and up/down/cross
of Skype and Matrox technologies
has dramatically reduced
our production costs and in
turn has enabled greater creative
freedom.”
The Convert DVI scan converts
from any DVI source to
SD/HD-SDI with support for
external bi-level or tri-level sync.
It also allows you to output a
Region of Interest and scale the
source as well as operate in
‘standalone’ mode.
A PC laptop equipped with
16:9 webcams was placed in
the homes of the contestants
and using their broadband
connection a Skype call was
made to workstations based at
Fountain Studios Ant & Dec’s
Push the Button demonstrates
how a combination of freely
available software and lowcost
hardware can help push
the boundaries.
www.matrox.com
Galaxy grabs FOR-A converters
SoundField 5.1 audio
for Super Sport in SA
By Melanie Dayasena-Lowe
South African Pay-TV channel
Super Sport has installed another
SoundField DSF-2/DSF-3
surround-capable digital microphone
system in its latest HD
outside broadcast vehicle, constructed
by Sony Broadcast
Professional in the UK. The latest
installation totals six DSF-2
systems in use in sister pay-TV
channel MNET’s OB vehicles.
The microVB is a breakthrough in both
form-factor and functionality for real-time
analysis of customer home network performance.
This unobtrusive device provides deep packet
inspection and end-to-end visibility in
broadcast quality media delivery over
any IP based infrastructure.
m
Super Sport broadcasts a mix of
sporting events similar to those covered
by BSKyB in Europe — rugby,
cricket, soccer, boxing, and tennis’
Davis Cup. When the South African
channel moved to HD transmissions
with audio in 5.1 in the mid-2000s,
they considered the HD workflow
BSkyB had adopted. SoundField
systems including the DSF-2 mic and
the DSF-3 digital surround processor
are now the broadcast standard for
TVBEU RO PE NEWS & ANALYSIS
The FRC-8000 frame rate converter
has a touchscreen control panel
conversion as well as HD. Also,
customers really like the new intuitive
touchscreen user interface as
it gives them easy access to the
operational parameters.”
www.for-a.com
5.1 OB transmissions at Sky, and
MNET/Super Sport has pioneered
the same technology.
“The DSF-2s and our DSF-3s
have done some great work on HD
rugby, cricket and boxing coverage
here in South Africa,” commented
MNET/Super Sport audio supervisor
Mark Boyle. “Once we had a few
SoundField systems up and running,
the managers of MNET insisted on
coming in to have a listen to the
system. They trusted our technical
judgement, but wanted to hear what
was possible from a 5.1 mic setup.
All it took was a quick listen and
they were convinced. We raised the
fader on the DSF-3, they listened for
a while, and were blown away.”
www.soundfield.com
THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE
FAMILY OF MEDIA MONITORING,
MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSIS
PRODUCTS IN THE WORLD
www.bridgetech.tv
CONTENTS
News & Analysis
Conference Preview
Save the dates for
TVBEurope’s first two
conferences of the year:
3D Masters on 15 June
and The IT Broadcast
Workflow on 5 July
The Workflow
Tapeless debate
David Fox talks to camera
owners on their
experiences with
tapeless media
production
Sky files through
Will Strauss speaks to
Sky’s Director of
Operations John
Lennon on the
broadcaster’s move
from a tape to filebased
workflow
NAB Sneak Preview
Whether or not you’re
going to NAB Las
Vegas this year,
TVBEurope gives you
a sneak preview of
what you can expect
from the show floor
The Business Case
Solving the skills crisis
Dick Hobbs talks to the
IABM’s Roger Crumpton
to find out how the
industry vendor
body aims to get
technology training
back on the agenda
News & Analysis
BVE Wrap Up
David Fox covers the new
products on show at the
Earls Court exhibition
Channel in a Box
Picking up from last
month’s debate, Russell
Grute asks whether
there has been too much
emphasis on the ‘box’
rather than ‘channel’
part of the discussion
News & Analysis
HPA forecast
‘Snowflake’ workflows
were a topic of
discussion at the
Hollywood Post Alliance
Tech Retreat, writes
Carolyn Giardina
The Workflow
Global broadcast
with iTX
Philip Stevens finds out
how one large playout
centre acquired new
equipment to meet
increasing demand
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