News
NBA Playoffs, Finals available from iTunes Music Store
May 12, 2006 12:11 PM
Basketball fans this season have new ways to watch recaps of the remaining NAB Playoffs and Finals: on their home computers and their Video iPods.
The NBA and Apple will distribute the recaps from games broadcast by ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBATV at the iTunes Music Store within 24 hours after games conclude. In addition to the 15- to 20-minute full-game recaps available for each 2006 Playoffs game, during the Finals, fans will also be able to purchase complete game replays of every Finals game the day after they air on ABC.
ABC, ESPN and TNT Sports have joined the NBA in the launch of the service. TNT Sports will provide more than 15 episodes of Inside the NBA on TNT.
The 2006 NBA Playoffs on iTunes content will be promoted across ESPN and ESPN.com, TNT and NBATV.
Fans will be able to access the NBA content on iTunes through several download options, including a first of its kind "Follow Your Team" package, which provides fans with a way to receive automatic downloads of each of their favorite team's games.
Pricing begins at $1.99 for a la carte offerings of game recaps, game replays of the Finals and Inside the NBA on TNT.
For more information, visit www.nba.com.
SwingVision, CBS recognized for outstanding technical achievement
May 12, 2006 12:14 PM
The use of SwingVision on “Golf on CBS” propelled CBS to winner status in the George Wensel Outstanding Innovative Technical Achievement Award category at this year’s Sports Emmys.
Presented at a May 1 ceremony at Lincoln Center by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the 27th Annual Sports Emmy Awards recognize outstanding achievement by individuals and programs broadcast throughout the 2005 calendar year.
SwingVision beat out FLW Outdoors’ specialty miniature cameras use on Fox Sports Net for FLW Outdoors and FoxTrax used on MLB on FOX. SwingVision uses a special high-speed camera to capture the full range of a golfer’s swing at 1000fps for slow-motion analysis. A second camera zoomed onto the ball captures 12,500fps to reveal exactly where the face of the club struck the ball. Tech Imaging Services in Salem, MA, provided the technology for use by CBS since 2004.
The academy also recognized Bud Greenspan with its Sports Lifetime Achievement Award. Greenspan is one of the foremost writer-producer-directors of sports films. His films have received seven Sports Emmy Awards, and he has been inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.
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The breakdown of the awards by broadcast
and cable entities
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| HBO | 6 |
| FOX | 5 |
| ESPN | 4 |
| ESPN2 | 4 |
| ABC | 3 |
| TNT | 2 |
| CBS | 1 |
| ESPN Classic | 1 |
| ESPN.com | 1 |
| HBO/NBC | 1 |
| USA | 1 |
View a list of the technology related winners.
For more information, visit www.emmyonline.org/emmy/sports.html.
Teleproduction
NEP rolls out new multiformat teleproduction truck
May 12, 2006 12:17 PM
NEP Broadcasting's newest mobile HD production unit features a range of Sony multiformat HD technology, including cameras, production switchers and displays.
The new truck, named ND3HD, will be used primarily for coverage of golf and prime-time football. The truck, which hits the road this month, features 15 Sony HCD-1000 and five HDC-1500 multiformat cameras, as well as Sony's new HDC-3300 3x HD super-slow-motion camera system. The truck also will include Sony's SRW-5500 HDCAM SR decks, BVM-A Series CRT broadcast monitors and the MVS-8000A multiformat production switcher.
For the 2006 baseball season, NEP is also adding a new look to its coverage of New York Mets home games with the installation of three Sony HDC-X310 HD compact multipurpose cameras with Fujinon HSs18x5.5BMD lenses at New York's Shea Stadium. The operation of these cameras is further enhanced by the integration of Fujinon's EPT-7G-H2A pan/tilt/zoom robotics.
The cameras are placed in stadium locations previously inaccessible to human operators to gain a unique view of the broadcast booth and the bullpen area, as well as providing “eye in the sky" shots.
For more information, visit www.nepinc.com.
NMT debuts HD-11 teleproduction expando
May 12, 2006 12:26 PM
 ESPN has already booked the HD-11 for its Friday night NCAA college football game coverage throughout the fall 2006 season, including select college bowl games. |
All signal processing within the 53ft expando trailer is handled in native HD, including acquisition, switching, routing and monitoring.
To accompany 10 Grass Valley LDK-6000 Worldcam Mark 2 cameras, the HD-11 carries a variety of Fujinon Digi-Power HD zoom lenses. The Fujinon package includes two XA101x8.7ESM and six XA87x9.3ESM high-magnification HD zooms. The lens complement also includes four Fujinon HA22x7.8ERM handheld, ENG-style HD zoom lenses. All of the Fujinon XA101x8.7 and XA87x9.3 lenses provide image stabilization capability, which is vital in live sports telecasts where camera operators commonly push zoom lenses to the fullest extent possible.
ESPN has already booked the HD-11 for its Friday night NCAA college football game coverage throughout the fall 2006 season, including select college bowl games. The games will be produced and broadcast in 720/60p HD on ESPN and ESPN2.
HD-11 also has been equipped with a Grass Valley Kalypso HD production switcher, a Chyron Duet Hyper X live graphics system, a videowall of Sony Luma-9 HD LCD monitors, 22 channels of networked EVS brand servers and a Calrec 100 digital audio console capable of mixing 5.1 channels of surround sound.
For more information, visit www.nmtv.com and www.fujinonbroadcast.com.
Grass Valley builds OB unit for Euroscena
May 12, 2006 12:41 PM
Italian broadcast facilities company Euroscena has placed an order with Grass Valley for what is thought to be one of the world’s largest outside broadcast units.
The unit, which will be equipped for multiformat high-definition production, consists of three identical articulated vehicles and is scheduled to be delivered this summer.
The first vehicle is the primary production truck. Built in an articulated trailer with expansion along the full length of both sides, it is capable of supporting 34 cameras and will be delivered with 32, consisting of a mix of Grass Valley LDK6000 WorldCam multiformat HD cameras and LDK6200 HD Super Slo-Mo cameras.
The vehicle has two independent production areas, each equipped with a Grass Valley XtenDD production switcher. One switcher has three mix/effects banks; the other has two. Space for seven VTR/server operators is provided and audio is a 48-fader Stagetec console, equipped for 7.1 surround sound and Dolby E.
Vehicle two has a third production control room, with a 2 M/E XtenDD switcher and Stagetec console. It also has a large acoustically treated space that can be used as a conventional studio, a chroma key virtual studio or as a VIP lounge, depending on the production.
The third truck carries two generators and an uninterruptible power supply, as well as provides storage space for support equipment. Camera connectivity is by fiber, and audio and communication stageboxes also connect over the same type of fiber cable. Grass Valley HD modular products are used throughout. The primary truck also houses a 256 x 256 Trinix router. Coach building for all three vehicles is by Hatty with systems integration by Grass Valley at its workshops in Rennes, France.
For more information, visit www.thomsongrassvalley.com.
Fastbreak
The latest happenings from around the world of sports
May 12, 2006 12:46 PM
ESPN Regional TV to own, operate new Birmingham Bowl
ESPN Regional Television will own and operate the Birmingham Bowl, a newly created college football bowl game to be played at Legion Field in Birmingham, AL. The NCAA Football Bowl Certification Committee certified the game April 27.
The inaugural Birmingham Bowl will be played on December 23, 2005, and will be televised by ESPN2. The game will match a team from Conference USA against a team from the Big East Conference.
Argiva to provide HD OB facilities for Sky Sports
Arqiva has secured a three-year contract with Sky Sports to provide high-definition outside broadcast facilities. Under the deal, Arqiva will migrate from SD coverage of the Football League competitions it provides for Sky Sports to high-definition production in time for the 2006-07 season.
Arqiva's OB facilities will be used to provide HD coverage of the Coca Cola Leagues (Championship, League One and League Two) and the Carling Cup knockout competition. Sky Sports has already started to produce Barclays Premiership football and Guinness Premiership Rugby in HD and will produce England's Test and One-Day internationals and county cricket in HD this summer.
”Mayhem in Melbourne” to stream via IPTV
Information Architects and its subsidiary, Global TV, have entered into a contract with Florida Extreme Wrestling to broadcast a live, pay-per-view wrestling event. The event, "Mayhem in Melbourne," will stream live via the Internet on Saturday. The event will be presented on Global TV's "IPTV Sports Network" on www.iptvsn.com.
For more information, visit www.ia.com.
ESPN, Ziff Davis to co-develop sports video game channel on ESPN.com
ESPN and Ziff Davis Game Group will collaborate to bring sports video game-focused content to fans in a co-branded section on ESPN.com called ESPN Video Games Channel. The section, which launches this fall, will include sports video game news and reviews, trailers, audio and video podcasts, industry analysis, and interviews. Content for the section will be provided by both Ziff Davis Game Group and ESPN.com.
IMG Media, Nine Systems reach accord
Nine Systems and IMG Media have reached an agreement to create and distribute traditional and new media sports and entertainment content and services.
The partnership with IMG Media builds on a multiyear collaboration in delivering broadband video and audio for major sports and lifestyle events.
For more information, visit www.imgworld.com and www.ninesystems.com.
Sports Products
BTi Attendant Solutions to automate sports scores, tickers for SNY
May 12, 2006 12:49 PM
SportsNet New York (SNY) the television home of the New York Mets and Jets, has selected Attendant Solutions from BTi to automate the collection and on-air delivery of up-to-the minute sports scores and other data.
BTi News Update Attendant will integrate SNY’s high-definition graphics infrastructure with leading real-time data sources to create a continuously updated graphics ticker for the network.
BTi News Attendant automatically captures, formats and plays to air real-time data from almost any wire- or Web-based source. News Attendant enhances the capability of existing graphics systems, such as the Vizrt equipment selected by SNY, by turning a constant stream of raw data selected by the user into real-time data and formatting for instant playout to air as part of a sophisticated on air graphics look. BTi News Update Attendant eliminates repetitive, manual processes, freeing operator and equipment resources for other productive tasks.
SportsNet New York will use BTI News Attendant to capture data from service provider SportsTicker.
For more information, visit: www.bti.tv. For more information, visit www.bti.tv.
New Zeppelin windscreen designed for maximum wind protection
May 12, 2006 12:53 PM
 The new Zeppelin Windscreen has a microfiber-lined faux fur high-wind cover |
The new Zeppelin consists of a microphone basket, two rubber retaining rings, two foam end caps, the company’s K-GPS suspension with wide support bar, a rubber filler strip and an XLR attached pig tail. Completing the system is a microfiber-lined faux fur high-wind cover.
The Zeppelin windscreen basket is interchangeable, which allows the system to accommodate different size microphones. Assembled and with the microphone installed, the Zeppelin’s right-angled XLR connects to a male XLR by a woven cloth-covered audio cable attached to the rear bottom of the unit. This eliminates the need for special pig tails or XLR brackets.
For more information, visit www.mklemme.com.
CBS Sports relies on Utah Scientific control, routing in HD coordination room
May 12, 2006 12:57 PM
CBS Sports is using Utah Scientific MC-2020 SD/HD master control and UTAH-400 HD routing switchers in its prototype HD sports coordination room.
CBS has nine SD sports coordination rooms, which it uses to coordinate the switching and routing operations of concurrent games and pre-game shows throughout the country, as well as to insert commercials. CBS considers its new room a prototype for its HD sports broadcasting and plans to transition all of the SD rooms to HD.
Both the MC-2020 HD and UTAH-400 HD were designed to provide an easy upgrade path from analog to SD to HD operations, as well as the ability to perform complex switching operations.
CBS Sports installed the Utah Scientific MC-2020 HD master control switcher in the new room in conjunction with the UTAH-400 HD routing switcher. The 64x64 UTAH-400 sits in front of the dual-channel MC-2020, allowing CBS to increase the sources available to the MC-2020 as needed.
The MC-2020 comes standard with a fast commercial breakaway feature, particularly useful for large broadcasters, such as CBS, to coordinate the insertion of regional commercials quickly within one game broadcast for different parts of the country.
For more information, visit www.utahscientific.com.
CBS Sports puts Chyron 3-D DVE option for HyperX to the test
May 12, 2006 12:59 PM
CBS Sports’ production of NCAA Basketball’s March Madness and the Final Four was the first use of the new HD/SD 3-D DVE option for the Chyron’s HyperX graphics system, the company announced at NAB2006.
The DVE was used in master control to provide transparent operation and squeezeback of HD 1080i feeds to reveal sports data below the game action.
The HyperX DVE option comes complete with ancillary data pass-through and audio delay compensation. In a joint collaboration with Utah Scientific, the system is controlled directly through the company’s master control switcher.
For more information, visit www.chyron.com.
Pixel Power, Red Bee automate graphics at ESPN Classic
May 12, 2006 1:03 PM
ESPN Classic in Europe is implementing automated promo production and in-program graphics from Pixel Power and Red Bee Media to eliminate the need for post production.
Pixel Power's Pixel Promo provides the graphics for score updates, branding and historical information. It is used to build multi-language graphics with audio tags from templates for promo creation just prior to air and overlays the view time and program titles by searching the automation and listings schedules for the correct appointment to view.
To increase flexibility, Pixel Power applies graphics live to air rather than burning them to master tape. Working from prepared job files, events like score changes automatically trigger the corresponding on-screen graphics. Revising the look and feel simply requires a job-file update rather than post production.
Following its migration to Red Bee Media for playout, ESPN Classic will broadcast its dedicated sporting content in Italian, French and English with graphics in each appropriate language.
For more information, visit www.redbeemedia.com and www.pixelpower.com.
NEP outfits new HD trucks with Harris Videotek T&M products
May 12, 2006 1:06 PM
NEP outfits new HD trucks with Harris Videotek T&M products NEP Supershooters has purchased 22 Harris Videotek TVM series video and audio signal analyzers to outfit its latest HD broadcast trucks.
These additions to the NEP fleet of mobile broadcast facilities will be on the road in mid-2006 to broadcast coverage of golf's U.S. Open and the National Football League's new lineup of Sunday and Monday night telecasts.
The purchase is composed mostly of TVM-950 models with an assortment of video and audio options, as well as a new VTM Series instrument.
The TVM-950 provides accurate, stable display of single or multiple waveform, vector, gamut, audio, picture, timing and data analyzer functions in quadrant or full-screen views. The capabilities of the TVM-950 include advanced analysis tools, an extensive alarm set with peak level reporting.
For more information, visit www.nepinc.com and www.harris.com.
EVS equipment to be used extensively for World Cup coverage
May 12, 2006 1:09 PM
EVS equipment and staff will play a key role during coverage of the World Cup in Germany this year.
For production of World Cup live matches on location, equipment will be used to provide pre-match analysis, replay, halftime and end-of-game highlights, clip compilation, feed creation and an archive of iso angles.
All of the interesting action from every iso camera during the 64 games will be archived in HD on an EVS XFile[2]. In total at the stadium venues, 67 XT[2] servers and 14 XFile[2] storage devices will be employed under the control of 14 IP directors across a network linked with 13 Xhub[2]s.
At the International Broadcast Center in Munich, EVS equipment will be used by the host broadcaster for production to playout of features on the “EBIF show,” which starts 30 minutes before kickoff and finishes 30 minutes after final the whistle of each game. This turnkey program will include more than 500 specially produced features and will demand multiple feeds from the stadiums, interview turnarounds, halftime analysis and post-game analysis with highlights and voiceovers for multilingual features production.
The equipment also will be used for a highlights package of the current game, available as a continuous loop, and capture of video still frames for FIFA Web site updates and for SMS delivery to mobile subscribers.
In addition, a further 18 XT[2] servers and 10 XFile[2] will act as a central media server controlled by 62 IP directors. This will hold the all World Cup content (1600 hours in IMX40) produced by the host broadcaster.
For more information, visit: www.evs.tv. For more information, visit www.evs.tv.
Megahertz completes SIS facility
May 12, 2006 1:12 PM
 All major video equipment, cabling and infrastructure for the new Satellite Information Services master control room and text center was specified HD-ready for future proofing. |
SIS supplies television programming and sports data to licensed betting offices and already had broadcast facilities at its London location. Apart from backing up existing facilities, the new master control room and text center will provide the company with room for expansion.
All major video equipment, cabling and infrastructure were specified HD-ready for future proofing. The equipment list included Quartz routers, Trilogy talkback, Trilogy Sync Pulse Generators, a Wharton/Vortex GPS clock system, Vortex peripherals, JVC monitors, Tektronix video and TSL audio monitoring equipment, Leitch multiviewers, NEC 40in LCD screens, LG TV sets, BEL nearfield monitors and Teletest rack-mount LCDs.
For more information, visit www.megahertz.co.uk.
Broadcast Pix unveils SLATE 100 production switcher
May 12, 2006 1:17 PM
Broadcast Pix has unveiled SLATE 100, a new system that brings new live production opportunities to facilities with limited budgets.
SLATE 100 merges a video production switcher with a computer workstation, which brings the company’s user-friendly, studio-in-a-box design to small broadcasters and ancillary broadcast and mobile studios.
The heart of the system is the new Broadcast Pix Slate board, a professional switcher on a computer card. It lives inside the workstation, where it is closely coupled to the system’s clip stores, still stores and Inscriber character generator.
The system retains the familiar control panel layout of a traditional switcher, with full comprehensive preview capability. Nonstop, on-air operation enables video to stay on-air even if the workstation stops working. It produces 10-bit-quality video, including digital SDI and analog YUV, S and composite.
The SLATE 100 mixes up to six live inputs with up to two clips and five channels of graphics from its included workstation. The live inputs support both timed and asynchronous inputs for a wide range of cameras, video tape recorders, clip servers, DVD players and other sources.
For more information, visit www.broadcastpix.com.
