Sports production technology
Jan 1, 2010 12:00 PM, By Michael Grotticelli
File-based digital productivity is the name of the game.
File-based production on a grand scale
The MLB Network employs a system called BallParkCam. Three signals from up to 15 live games as well as 48 channels of discreet audio are sent live via MPEG-4 4:2:2 AVC encoded streams to the highlights factory, and a clean version is recorded on a local server.
The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) provides fans with a variety of live and post-produced shows from its HD broadcast and production facility in Stamford, CT. The network produces more than 50 hours of programming per week on a SAN-based facility using Grass Valley K2 servers and the Aurora HD editors. The file-based infrastructure permits editors to quickly turn around packages, sometimes in less than an hour. For the show “Wrestlemania,” the backhaul starts airing before the final tail is finished.
In January 2008, the facility was converted to HD with multiple Aurora HD systems, and a file-based infrastructure is handled as I-Frame MPEG-2 at 70Mb/s, which maintains a high-quality level and makes it easy to store and retrieve from a dozen four-channel Grass Valley K2 servers. This also allows editors to avoid working with mixed formats.
WWE's HD digital production system now includes 16 HD ingest channels. There's a maximum capacity of 3800 usable hours of HD with 15,000 hours of online disk base proxy storage. At full capacity, the system will enable 50 simultaneous users, 20 full-resolution viewing seats and 36 full-featured multistream nonlinear editors.
The Aurora platform works alongside an Apple XSan supporting FCP editors, which are not tied into the K2 SAN. A Telestream FlipFactory moves content between the XSan and the K2 SAN. WWE archives its digital files to an SGL robotic library system.
IP networks expand reach
Another file-based workflow proponent is Major League Baseball, which launched its MLB Network channel a year ago from the former MSNBC facility in Secaucus, NJ. The MLB Network has a large 140,000sq-ft space that is tied into all 30 MLB ballparks around the country via two-way links.
To complement its NBA and NASCAR coverage, Turner Studios uses a Slate 3000 production system from Broadcast Pix to produce live webcasts accessible via Web or mobile devices.
Systems integrator The Systems Group installed most of equipment under the guidance of broadcast design firm CBT Systems, which drew up the plans and supervised the massive rebuild. Mark Haden, vice president of engineering and IT for the MLB Network, supervised the engineering group.
The new facility features 25 edit rooms, employing 10 Apple FCP workstations, 15 Grass Valley Aurora LT NLEs, multiple Grass Valley K2 HD servers and two large studios — one of which contains a full-sized baseball infield complete with mound, dugouts and scoreboards. A new production space includes 15 Apple FCP edit suites and two Fairlight-based audio sweetening rooms.
Employing a system called BallParkCam, three signals from up to 15 live games as well as 48 channels of discreet audio (effect, TV audio, radio calls and foreign-language commentary) are sent live via MPEG-4 4:2:2 AVC encoded streams to the highlights factory, and a clean version is recorded on a local server. In addition, HD content with multitrack audio is sent from Secaucus back to the ballpark for use in the local scoreboard or the on-site production truck.
Once complete (more than half of the MLB ballparks have been finished), each ballpark will have from two to five robotic cameras, supplied by Canon, providing unique POV shots of the dugout, centerfield, the pressroom and both bull pens. The MLB Network uses a Riedel intercom system that allows the crew, talent and guest players to communicate over an IP network between Secaucus and the various ballparks.
Integrated production systems
At a time when virtually everyone is looking to limit production costs while providing more content for their fans, the use of integrated production systems has become popular with both professional sports organizations as well as colleges and high schools. The systems have become increasingly popular because they require only a single operator to manage an entire production.
Turner Studios is using a Slate 3000 integrated production system from Broadcast Pix to produce an innovative “second screen” experience for sports fans. Accessible via Web or mobile devices, these live webcasts complement Turner Sports' NBA and NASCAR coverage. Viewers can see additional HD camera views of the live action, as well as timely scores, stats, and exclusive interviews.
No matter what level of competition, the adoption of IT-centric infrastructures has helped improve coverage of sporting events and allowed productions to do more than was ever possible before. Today, that's the name of the game. BE
Michael Grotticelli regularly reports on the professional video and broadcast technology industries.
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