BroadcastPro Middle East

Technology inTelligence for TV, film and radio

issue 8 | feBruary 2011

CABSAT SHOW ISSUE

TECH REvIEWSSony NEX-VG10E and Avid Mbox tested

In dEpTHGoing 3D on location

RIdIng HIgHCamel racing in HD

Oman’s HD FUTURE

Mohammed Al Marhouby maps out Sultanate’s digital frontier

PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

qATARQMC updatestransmission

EgypTERTU’s mega OB project

yEmEntwofour54 calls theshots at Gulf Cup

BAHRAInOn-air graphics brighten up elections

UAECore broadcast IT migration at OSN

EXCLUSIvE InTERvIEW

MohaMMed al Marhouby, director General of enGineerinG, oMan Moi

Tel: +966 1 219 0888 Fax: +966 1 219 1888 P.O.Box 25560, Riyadh 11476, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The First Gulf Company For Supplies & Contracting LTD (FGC) was established in 2001. The company has diversified into many industries such as Electronics, General Contracting and Trading. Over the past years, the company has built a good reputation supported by highly qualified professionals.

The Company was formed to create its business with a commitment to quality in order to provide the ideal

solutions for each project. The staff of well qualified and trained engineers and technicians come together to produce significant and high quality engineering work.

Today, FGC dominates the broadcast Systems Integration business in Saudi Arabia, and is rapidly growing in its other business of General Contracting and Telecom Value Added Services (VAS).

www.fgcltd.com

Welcome to a brand new issue of BroadcastPro Middle East. This issue again breaks new ground as we secured an interview with one of the most high-profile but elusive and media-shy figures on the Middle East broadcast landscape — Mohammed Al Marhouby.

The director general of engineering at the Ministry of Information, Sultanate of Oman gave his first ever, full-fledged interview about Oman Radio and TV and himself this month. A well respected figure, Marhouby is also the vice president of the Arab HD Group and an honorary member of the EBU.

The reason we chose to highlight Oman on our cover this month is because the Sultanate has issued several international tenders in the last year with many more in the offing.

More importantly, unlike many Arab countries, which only award tenders to local players, the Sultanate has been well known for awarding tenders to

international players as well. As CABSAT is a time, when many local and international players congregate in Dubai, it seemed appropriate to focus on a country that appeals to both regional and global players.

Besides this, BroadcastPro ME has toured the Middle East and North Africa to bring you exclusive reports of some of the best regional installs across different aspects of the broadcast workflow from production and on-air graphics to digital transmission, new studio facilities, OB projects and more. We hope your business benefits from the information we have published in this issue. See you at CABSAT.

Welcome

Mark Billinge has been promoted to Vice President of Broadcast Engineering and Operations (BO+E) at OSN from February 1, 2011.

www.broadcastprome.comSubscribe now

Vijaya Cherian, Senior Editor, BroadcastPro Middle East

STOP PRESS

PublisherDominic De Sousa

COONadeem Hood

Commercial DirectorRichard [email protected] +971 (0) 4 440 9126

Senior EditorVijaya [email protected] +971 (0) 50 768 3435

ADvErtiSingSales DirectorRaz [email protected] +971 (0) 50 451 8213

group Sales ManagerSandip [email protected] +971 (0) 50 459 2653

CirCulAtiOnDatabase and Circulation ManagerRajeesh [email protected] +971 (0) 4 440 9147

PrODuCtiOn AnD DESignProduction ManagerJames P [email protected] +971 (0) 4 440 9146

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Published by1013 Centre Road, New Castle County,Wilmington, Delaware, USA

Head OfficePO Box 13700Dubai, UAETel: +971 (0) 4 440 9100Fax: +971 (0) 4 447 2409 Printed byPrintwell Printing Press LLC

© Copyright 2011 CPI. All rights reserved. While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

CoverMohammed Al Marhouby,Director General of Engineering, Oman MOI.

TenderOman’s Ministry of Information has issued a tender for the design, engineering, integration, supply, delivery and commissioning of a full-HD OB van. The OB van is to be used for live coverage of sports events, drama programme productions, and coverage of local and international events. The OB van should be equipped with 12 (HD), two of which will be Super slo-mo cameras. The van must be 3G Compatible (video) and pre-wired for 12 cameras with other related solutions.Open to international players.Submission date: March 14, 2011.

Photo courtesy of KCNC.© 2010 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Product features, specifi cations, system requirements, and availability are subject to change without notice. Avid, the Avid logo, and NewsVision are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

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3 January 2011 | www.broadcastprome.com |

in this issue

FEBRUARY 2011

14Cover story Exclusive Interview with Mohammed Al Marhouby, Director General of Engineering, Oman MOI.

CABsAt PAge 72

regionAl CAse studies20 BAhrAin gets fACelift On-air graphics transform

Bahrain elections 24 duBAi BroAdCAster

tAkes the leAP Core broadcast IT migration

takes OSN forward 36 egyPt on the move ERTU’s mega OB poject 48 QAtAr At the rACes Camel racing in HD 54 sCoring goAls in yemen Twofour54 intaj manages show 66 QAtAr uPgrAdes

trAnsmitters QMC gears up for

digital transmission viewPoints28 Chris Parks on 3D40 Dr. Abdulaziz Mulhem on

the power of e-broadcasting teCh reviews32 Sony NEX-VG10E44 Avid Mbox (3rd gen) teCh uPdAtes30 MXF- Part II50 Loudness Control58 Subtitling62 Intercom systems guest Column88 Efficient SIs wanted in the Middle

East, says Hasan Sayed Hasan

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6 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2011

PRONEWS

LIVE to proVIdE oB facILItIEs for doha asIan cupLIVE, ADMC’s OB facilities and production arm, has been contracted to be the main broadcast facilities provider for the 2011 Asian Cup in Doha for Al Kass channel. LIVE will also provide OB facilities for the Grand Prix 2 (GP2) which will take place this month, in Bahrain and the Yas Marina circuits.

“We have continuously grown our OB base and capabilities,” commented Abdulhadi Al Sheikh, CEO of LIVE, adding that the company had recently added a 20-camera truck to its existing fleet of four.

Syrian National TV (ORTAS) will work with Spanish firm VSN to expand its current infrastructure as part of its efforts to launch a new 24-hour news channel and relocate to its new HQ in Damascus. VSN was responsible for deploying an automation and news production system at the ORTAS facility two years ago.

The system installed at the new HQ will have two studio sets configured entirely for newscast production. The VSN infrastructure includes a scheduled ingest system, media asset management (MAM), 33 journalist stations for text and video editing, two two-channel studio playouts, teleprompters, a complete digital archive (VSNARCHIVE, HSM and control for one LTO-4 robotic tape library) and systems for publishing content on the web and receiving texts coming from news agencies for all 33 workstations.

SyRiaN TV ExPaNdS iNfRaSTRucTuRE WiTh VSN

The channel’s graphics module will include the advanced graphics system VSNCG+ along with several workstations for the advanced editing of vectorial templates and 3D as well as a powerful multi-layer tickers system with the ability to update in real time. The master control of this news channel will be commanded by the automation VSNMULTICOM controlling VMAX video servers in a redundant configuration.

The new 24-hour news satellite channel will be broadcast from the Syrian broadcaster’s present location. Its systems will incorporate an extension that includes the expansion of its existing ingest, playout and legal copy systems, two new VMAX video servers connected with its fibre channel storage, 10 new journalist stations, 2 VSNCG+ graphics systems with vectorial and 3D editing capabilities

plus a new ticker generation system with external data capture and one module to publish their contents on the Web.

For the complete management of all branches, ORTAS will install a content exchange server and 10 new customer licences of VSNIPTRANSFER for its remote reporters. VSNIPTRANSFER will be the foundation of its new production resources’ contribution and decentralised management system.

A spokesperson for the channel said the main reason for choosing VSN “as the main provider for our new 24-hour news channel and expansion of our current infrastructure is their commitment, fast delivery and quick and easy integration of their system with our channel”.

The contract includes a one-year renewal of its maintenance and support contracts as well as updating its current fibre channel storage system.

KIntronIc LaBs Enjoys Ksa succEssKintronic Labs, Inc. recently delivered three 200kW medium wave DRM-capable matching and filtering systems for the K-29 site in Saudi Arabia. These RF systems have been designed to present a DRM-compatible load to Nautel Limited Model NX200 MW transmitters that will be installed for each of the three separate non-directional stations located at the same site. Each RF system has been configured for installation in customer-supplied shielded tuning houses constructed on site.

Abdulhadi Al Sheikh, CEO of LIVE.

7 February 2011 | www.broadcastprome.com |

PRONEWS

Kuwait-headquartered IT/Broadcast systems integration company INC Technologies has created a new company in Dubai that will be focused entirely on providing broadcast system integration services, BroadcastPro ME has learnt. The new company, named INC Systems Integration, will be based in Dubai.

Speaking exclusively to BroadcastPro ME, Adeeb

fGc BaGs award and four major ordErs In 2011Saudi-based SI First Gulf Company (FGC) won the first prize among the “Saudi Fast Growth 100 Companies” in KSA last month for its competitive place in the market and for the high volume of business it had won. The Saudi SI has already bagged four orders this year from the Ministry of Culture and Information to the tune of US $60 million. The four orders included building four broadcast centres in Najran, Jouf, Arar, and Baha; upgrading five TV transmission centres and constructing a turnkey TV centre; supplying 20 camera systems based on P2 media; upgrading the décor and effects for various studios in Riyadh TV centre and the acoustical fitting of the Princess Noura University theatres.

“The reason we have succeeded in this market is because of our in-house technical capabilities, our good delivery track record, and the people we work with,” explained Walid Al Moukhtar, general manager of FGC.

iNc OPENS bROadcaST OfficE iN dubai

Abed, general manager of INC Systems Integration stated that relocating to Dubai has been on the cards for a long time.

“The idea of relocating our broadcast system integration business to Dubai has been under study for almost four years now as the emirate occupies an outstanding position on the trade map of this region. It has always been a flourishing business centre

and is the media hub of the region. Most importantly, and since INC serves the GCC area in general, Dubai is a simple and easy logistics hub for our projects implementation and team travel. In addition, Dubai is host to most of the broadcast business manufacturers whom we would like to be close to.”

Nine people will be based at the Dubai office initially, Adeeb added.

“Our resources including project managers, design engineers and support engineers will move to Dubai. However, we will ensure that there will be technical support engineers left in both Kuwait and Qatar serving our clients when needed,” he stated.

“INC Systems Integration will be responsible for the whole broadcast system integration business serving the UAE market as well as GCC clients through our group of companies including INC Technologies in Kuwait INC Qatar in Doha). Our Headquarters will continued to be in Kuwait,” he clarified.

BroadcastPro ME also learnt that INC Technologies has granted share capital to its key employees as part of the new company structure.

INC System Integration will continue to service its clients in Kuwait through its parent company INC Technologies.

Melody House, UAE distributor for HK Audio speaker systems recently supplied Evolution Rentals with the first ConTour Array system in the Middle East. Evolution Rentals provides a complete turnkey solution to clients that include staging, screens, lighting and sound.

“Evolution is extremely

EVOluTiON RENTalS PickS uP hk audiO

happy with its new ConTour Array,” commented Dino Drimakis, business development manager at Melody House.

“The system boasts an amazing output for the small footprint it has, which is great for companies that have a short setup and tear down time frame,” he added.

admc axEs staffAbu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC) axed several staff across all departments last month. The move was in keeping with the company’s efforts to “streamline and improve our operations”, according to an internal memo that was issued by ADMC’s chairman Mohamed Mubarak Al Mazrouei.

“The Board and [I] have mandated the Senior Management team to continue to develop the company as a commercial business,” he stated in his mail, adding that these changes were “essential to our goal of improving our performance, and building a culture of excellence and innovation”.

“These changes are not easy and we did not take this decision lightly. We regret the impact these business changes will have on a number of individuals, and do thank those colleagues affected for their hard work and contributions to the company,” he stated.

Adeeb Abed, GM of INC Systems Integration.


PRONEWS

Abu Dhabi-headquartered Al Dafrah TV celebrated its first year of success last month after launching a new look in January 2010 under the leadership of Fatima Mohamed, GM of the TV station. Al Dafrah is one of the few profitably run stations in the UAE.

To celebrate the success of the TV station, the channel plans to launch an Arabic radio station. It also recently opened a training academy in Abu Dhabi, stated Mohamed, who was instrumental in getting the channel up and running.

Mohamed, who is also an editor, director and producer, confirmed that the channel had become profitable owing

admc opts for sGL Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC) has installed two SGL FlashNet archive systems as part of a major expansion project. The SGL archives, which are both under the control of Harris Invenio automation, support 21 of ADMC’s channels (ten SD and eleven HD).

The first system forms the heart of the network’s new film archive digitisation project. Film coming into the facility is digitised and the files are then stored on a StorNext SAN. SD-standard browse copies are created by Omneon MediaDeck servers. Both the digitised high-res files and the SD browse copies are archived to SGL FlashNet under Harris Invenio control.

The second system provides an archive for ADMC’s sports channels. A number of ingest sources create files of varying formats. Some are stored directly on Harris NEXIO servers, while other workflows use Avid and Marquis Medway to transcode and then store the resulting MXF files on Isilon disk storage. The SGL FlashNet archive, again under the control of the Harris Invenio automation system, sits at the heart of the enterprise. Files are archived and restored directly from the Isilon and NEXIO storage.

Both systems operate concurrently sharing the digital tape archive storage, which is provided by a Spectra Logic T950 library and contains seven drives and 1850 slots.

tadrEEB orGanIsEs worKshops During CABSAT, twofour54 tadreeb will offer a series of free one-hour workshops in conjunction with industry leaders such as BBC and INA.

Andy Wilson, head of Centre of Technology, BBC Academy will conduct two workshops on multi-platform delivery and new broadcast technologies. A third masterclass on new digital archiving technologies will be conducted by experts of Ina, which operates the largest database of digitised audio and video archives-content in the world.

al dafRah cElEbRaTES SuccESS WiTh NEW lauNchES aNd cONTRacTS

to its efforts to produce innovative local content.

“There is a misconception that Arab culture is only about heritage and camels. We have done some practical programmes like showing women places where they can get their cars washed without being overwhelmed by male drivers; how to swap a tyre and some exciting competitions that have gone down well with our audiences,” she stated.

The TV station recently signed contracts with Egyptian state broadcaster ERTU and Dubai-based MBC Group to co-produce programmes with them. As part of the deal, Mohamed

has also negotiated for two of her crew members to go on set with both ERTU’s and MBC’s crew to learn on set.

“We recently signed a contract with the well known Egyptian singer Tamer Hosny. I believe in hiring young media graduates from local colleges and giving them hands-on experience at Al Dafrah. These contracts now give us the opportunity to upskill some of our older and younger team members. In addition, with our academy, which is now fully operational, we have been bringing in well known professionals from outside to train our staff as well as staff from other broadcasters,” Mohamed added.

Following its acquisition by Francisco Partners, Grass Valley has announced a new executive team which will be headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Leading the team as President and CEO will be Alain Andreoli, who was most recently an operating partner at Francisco Partners.

“This is an exciting time to be taking the helm at Grass Valley,”

NEW maNagEmENT TEam aT gRaSS VallEy

will take global responsibility for all customer-facing activities and drive the organisation’s marketing functions.

Other key appointments have also been announced.

stated Andreoli. “Together with the talented team at Grass Valley, we have ambitious and exciting plans for the company. I look forward to helping lead the team to new heights of success.”

Supporting Andreoli will be Jeff Rosica in the role of executive VP and chief sales & marketing officer. An industry and company veteran who previously served as a senior VP and the division head for the organisation, Rosica

Fatima Mohamed, GM, Al Dafrah TV.

Alain Andreoli, CEO.

Twofour54º_MB_Cabsat_BP_207x270.ai 1 1/20/11 5:35 PM


PRONEWS

Qatar Media Corporation, the state broadcaster of Qatar, has gone live with a Thomson Broadcast (formerly the transmission division of Grass Valley) customised anti-fading antenna for its national AM radio service. The new antenna enables the broadcaster to improve the quality and coverage of AM/DRM transmissions from its Al-Arish station in the north of Qatar.

The optimised solution was developed with extensive use of Thomson’s computer simulation systems for the best possible combination of efficiency, reliability, and bandwidth. A half-lambda antenna was used to create a superior radiation pattern for overcoming “fading zones,” and special attention was given to a solution for full grounding against lightning and static loads caused by atmospheric conditions.

“Thomson’s solution exactly matched our requirements, and its team was prepared to go the extra mile to deliver the customisation we needed,” stated Abdul

arGosy to dIstrIButE dtL mInIBLox and hamLEt In mIddLE EastArgosy has been awarded the contract to become the master distributor for Hamlet in the Middle East.

The UK company has also been assigned the distributor for the DTL MiniBox range in the Middle East region. Argosy will showcase solutions from both suppliers on its stand at CABSAT alongside its existing infrastructure products.

Steve Nunney, MD of Hamlet stated that Argosy’s recently-opened showroom in Bur Dubai will be an ideal place “to easily showcase our test and measurement devices to customers and have stock ready and available to meet quick delivery times”.

Likewise, Argosy will showcase the DTL MiniBlox range of conversion and distribution modules at the show.

Anwar Sultan, MD of DTL Broadcast Ltd stated that the MiniBlox modules “have created significant interest with our customers and we are keen to introduce this product into the Middle East market as part of our ongoing growth strategy.”

Mike Purnell, director of Argosy added that the addition provided his company “with further opportunities to help broadcasters improve efficiency while reducing the costs of their broadcast operations”.

“These cost-effective units have already drawn significant interest from the USA, Australia and Europe — and we are keen to handle their introduction into the Middle Eastern market at CabSat in Dubai,” he added.

Qmc OPTimiSES am/dRm cOVERagE WiTh ThOmSON bROadcaST aNTi-fadiNg aNTENNa

Wahab Aman Alkuwari, controller of transmitters, Qatar Media Corporation.

“Special expertise is very important for a successful implementation of a high-performance antenna project, and Thomson was able to provide this,” he added.

Working with system integrators Mansour Trading and Qatar Media Corporation, Thomson Broadcast engineers developed a custom-designed 222-metre anti-fading antenna with a 430-metre 9” outdoor feeder line supported on concrete pillars to overcome the particular challenges posed by the site and

terrain. Factors affecting the construction and operation of the antenna included high soil acidity, extreme climatic conditions, and underground saltwater sources.

“Qatar Media Corporation’s new Al-Arish antenna enables a significant upgrade of the service the broadcaster provides to its customers,” said Nicolas Dallery, president of Thomson Broadcast. “As with all of Thomson Broadcast’s antenna projects, the essential thing was not to rely on a standardised design, but to customise the exact solution that conditions demanded for complete success.”

moBy Group EstaBLIshEs rEGIonaL hQ In duBaI studIo cItyMoby Group, Afghanistan’s privately owned media company, has moved from its small office in Dubai Media City to a much larger facility in Dubai Studio City that will be its regional HQ.

Speaking about the move, Saad Mohseni, chairman of Moby Group, said: “Since we set up base five years ago in Dubai, we have rapidly grown out of our small office in Dubai Media City. The Dubai Studio City provides the ideal base for our expanding media operations. We are excited about moving to a location that has the facilities and equipment necessary for our production requirements and look forward to becoming part of this new media hub in Dubai.”

The Moby Group dominates the Afghan media market with a combined 80% market share. Its Tolo TV and Lemar TV lead the Afghan television market with more than 60% audience reach, while Arman FM is the most popular entertainment radio station in Afghanistan.

Speaking about Studio City’s new tenant, Jamal Al Sharif, managing director of Dubai Studio City and Dubai Media City, said: “We are privileged to welcome the Moby Group to Dubai Studio City. The dedicated media cluster offers complete technical and community infrastructure that caters to the film, TV, radio production and broadcast sectors. We are confident the world-class facilities will enable our business partner to effectively carry out all stages of production work.”

Mike Purnell, director, Argosy.

Jamal Al Sharif, MD, Dubai Studio City.

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PRONEWS

When the Arab League Summit was held in Sirte Libya last year, state-owned broadcaster, Libyan Jamahiriya Broadcasting (LJB) employed the MENOS network to broadcast the event live. A brand new International Broadcast Centre (IBC) was built at Sirte for the event, and a fibre connection was set up from the airport to the IBC for live TV and radio coverage of arriving and departing dignitaries, with use of existing MENOS SITs in Tripoli as backup for Sirte.

Live FM radio coverage and commentary was provided in Egypt and Sudan of delegates arriving at the airport and the opening ceremony.

Speaking about the event, Abdurrahman Lamin Bounaghasa, head of OB Section, Engineering Department, LJB and chairman of Board of Directors, Africa Radio Co. no1 said: “The speed of breaking news announcements during the summit was in real-time due to the MENOS live workflow. We even beat Al Jazeera news to it, as they were using a

crEatEasphErE comEs to caBsatCreateasphere, a global company presenting events, education, and access for content creators around the world, will be at CABSAT for the first time this year to conduct a series of high-end camera and digital workflow workshops for visitors.

Brian Henderson, director of Sales and Business Development for Createasphere told BroadcastPro ME: “Createasphere presents education, and such workshops all over the world, but this is our first venture into the Middle East. We have done workshops in Singapore, Japan, India and in many locations in North America, and are really looking forward to CABSAT.”

Canon, Assimilate, Avid and RED will be featured in the Creatasphere workshops. “Canon will lead off with a day-long workshop introducing its line-up of full HD cameras and camcorders including the next XF series, along with the Canon EOS 5D Mark ii,” stated Henderson.

“This will be supported by workflow demos from Avid. On the second day, the 3ality Digital team will present its TS-5 3D beam splitter rig, supported by workflow demos from AJA, Avid and Assimilate. Day three will see demos on RED Digital Cinema with Ted Schilowitz (well known as Ted Red), who will have the Red One MX and debut the eagerly-anticipated Epic camera, supported by workflow demos from AJA, Avid and Assimilate.”

libya uSES mENOS NETWORk TO PROVidE liVE cOVERagE Of aRab SummiT

delayed store and forward setup with their SNG.”

The use of MENOS did call for some expertise but Bounaghasa says “LJB engineers already had experience installing their own MENOS TV SITS”.

In addition, ASBU is said to have organised a special installation training session in Tunisia that benefitted LJB’s engineers.

“They also sent Network Operations Centre (NOC) engineers to assist with this very high-profile event at IBC. All expectations were exceeded and there was a great feeling of satisfaction. The IBC was the best equipped and efficient we’ve ever had. We didn’t get any complaints from journalists, which in itself is very special,” he added.

LJB now hopes to use MENOS more extensively for news and events.

“There is a clear recommendation for sports, where ASBU has broadcast rights. There will be another extraordinary Arab League summit in September as well as other Arabic/European

and Arabic/African summits in Libya. MENOS will be used increasingly and is now in our planning for a new IBC in Tripoli under construction,’ Bounaghasa explained.

“For national radio in Libya, there is a vital future, too. We see great advantages for satellite-based networks like MENOS to have radio terminals in maybe more than 50 cities. We are considering expanding MENOS usage for national TV & radio exchange with our own dedicated Virtual Network (VN),” he concluded.

Brian Henderson.

Samir Saiah, head of ASBU NOC configures the MENOS SITs.

(l)Abdurrahman Bounaghasa, LJB and Mohamed Abdalla, ASBU.

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You have been associated with Oman’s Ministry of Information for a very long time. Can you chart the progress of Oman TV and Radio and share some of its milestones with us? Sultanate of Oman Television began broadcasting for the first time from Muscat in 1974 and separately from Salalah in 1975. In 1979, the two stations at Muscat and Salalah were joined by satellite link to form a unified broadcasting service. Oman TV’s broadcasts are transmitted through a network of stations spread across the country in both populated and remote areas to overcome the natural obstacles created by the mountainous terrain.

Presently, there are 119 transmitters in operation - 29 ‘main stations’ and 90 ‘Transposers’.

Oman TV operates two national channels – a 24/7 general entertainment channel and a sports-oriented channel that broadcasts eight hours a day.

It broadcasts its programmes around the world via Arabsat, Nilesat, AsiaSat Optus B3, Telestar, NSS7 and Hot Bird among others. Since 1997, it has also begun broadcasting its programmes through its website.

Radio Sultanate of Oman began broadcasting on a 1KW transmitter on July 30th, 1970. In 1972, a new medium wave station was inaugurated and in 1979, the Muscat and Salalah stations were linked by satellite. The number of Arabic transmission hours increased from four hours a day in 1970 to round-the-clock transmission from November 1, 1998.

The Arabic programmes are broadcast by MW and FM stations spread across the country and via Radio Sultanate of Oman’s own channel on the Arabsat, Nilesat, and Hot Bird as well as via the internet.

FM English, Classic music, Youth and the Holy Qur’an programmes are also available on terrestrial as well as on satellite and internet.

When did you join Oman’s MOI?After doing my Masters in Electrical & Electronics

In his first-ever, full-fledged media interview, Mohammed Al Marhouby, Director General of Engineering – Ministry of Information, Sultanate of Oman, shares with Vijaya Cherian the vision of the MOI, its challenges and what lies ahead

Engineering from IUT, Montpellier-France, I joined the Sultanate of Oman Ministry of Information (MOI) in 1983 as an OB engineer. Then I worked my way up the corporate ladder. In 2000, I was appointed Director General of Engineering at the Ministry of Information and have continued in that capacity to date.

I hear you are the Vice President of the Arab HDTV Group as well? What is the role of this organisation?Yes, in 2006, I was elected Vice President of the Arab HDTV Group, which was formed by the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU).

The Arab HDTV Group was created to devise a strategic plan to introduce HDTV in the Arab World, taking into account all aspects of feasibility and economy for the broadcaster as well as the viewer. The group stressed the need to promote HD as the future of television for the public.

As one of its first recommendations, the Group adopted the progressive scan as the format to be used in the Arab world, both in production and most likely in transmission. The present and near future projects are to use the 720p format with a migration path to 1080p when the technology is ready to use in the entire studio chain. It has further adopted the MPEG-4 ITU-H264 as the preferred compression standard for HDTV transmission.

All TV broadcasters in the Arab World, Broadcasting Unions, Arab satellite operators, and equipment and receiver manufacturers are eligible to be members of the Arab HDTV group.

Oman made international headlines when it undertook a major HD project. Can you share with us more details about this project? The Ministry of Information wanted to establish a new digital TV studio complex in Muscat that would serve its two national TV channels. Channel One is

Oman’s HD future


PROEXCLUSIVE


PROEXCLUSIVE

“As per the Royal Decree issued recently in October 2010, a new entity called The Public Authority for Radio and TV will be formed. The idea, I believe, is to give Oman Radio and TV more flexibility and power to run its activities on a commercial basis and in a more competitive environment.”

RECENT PROJECTS

FM radio transmitting station for Holy Quran programme Radio automation and digital media archive system

IN THE PIPELINE Migration from analogue to DVB-T transmission New MW & FM transmission Refurbish radio studios and master control room Full HD complex


PROEXCLUSIVE

for general purpose programming while Channel Two is dedicated to Sports, in addition to the news section of the four associated radio channels.

The Ministry of Information felt the need to build a state-of-the-art system based on High Definition Television since it is the future of broadcast.

We hope to complete this project and go on air in November 2011 to mark Oman’s 41st National Day celebrations. The main contractor for this project is Sony Professional Solutions. They are executing the project under the supervision of consultant MASTERS. The key suppliers to the project are Sony, Avid, Tedial, Canon, Studer, ARRI and many others. This project was also a big dream so we are looking forward to its successful completion.

What is the aim of this project? The new studio complex has been designed to work using the most advanced digital HD technology. We will use a largely IT-based infrastructure and utilise as few tapes as possible. The full system infrastructure will be built to migrate towards the 1080p standard and the entire networking infrastructure will be 3Gbps compatible.

Nevertheless, as it cannot be proved that the full system can be built without any risk or speculation about ready-to-come products, in 1080p at the date of integration, the system will be built to support the 720p standard, over a 1080p compatible infrastructure.

Will you be producing everything in HD?Once the project is completed, the production and transmission will be in both SD and HD, since most of the viewers do not have HD receiving equipment yet.

Why did it take so long for the MOI to decide to build an HD facility?When HDTV was launched, there were two standards: 720p and 1080i, and then, along came 1080p. It looked like there were some differences of opinion on what common standard to adopt and

which would be the best format globally. Now that everyone seems to have agreed on 1080p, we decided it was time to invest. We are the first country in the world perhaps to implement 1080p across the entire chain. Some parts of the workflow may not be 1080p but at least 95% will be in this format by the time this project is completed.

Also, we had to construct a brand new building to accommodate our new complex and this had to be ready before the systems integrator could begin work.

Do you have any archival projects in mind given that you have decades of content that need to be digitised?We have been working on this project since 2004. We have 180 engineering staff between our Muscat and Salalah operations so we undertook this as an in-house project and have been converting all the material on our old tapes to digital. Even our old 16mm and 35mm tapes are being cleaned, edited and digitised in-house. About 40% of the work has been completed. On the audio side, we have been working with NETIA to digitise our tapes.

Right now, the objective is merely to transfer everything to a digital medium.

However, we have not pinned down the format in which we would like all this content archived eventually. This is one of the objectives of coming to CABSAT this year. We will be looking at archiving standards for both audio and video.

I hear Oman MOI has also invested heavily in some radio projects?In the last two years, the Ministry of Information has launched some tenders for new MW and FM radio transmission. There are plans for more projects in this area in the future.

The Ministry is also planning to migrate from analogue terrestrial TV transmission to DVB-T (digital TV) transmission. This is a five-year plan that will begin later this year. We intend to work with an outside consultant for this.

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“We have not pinned down the format in which we would like all of this content archived eventually. This is one of the objectives of coming to CABSAT this year. We will be looking at archiving standards for both audio and video.”

MARHOUBY Masters in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from the International University of Technology, Montpellier-France

1983- Joined the Sultanate of Oman Ministry of Information as OB engineer and later promoted to Director of Oman MOI’s OB arm.

Enrolled for a series of specialised courses with the BBC in Wood Norton Evesham which was held over a duration of three years, and became a certified “Broadcast Engineer”.

In 2000, Marhouby was appointed Director General of Engineering at the Ministry of Information, Sultanate of Oman.

2006 – Elected VP of the Arab HDTV Group, formed by Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU).

Marhouby is an honorary member of the European Broadcast Union (EBU).


PROEXCLUSIVE

What are some of the most recent projects you have completed for broadcast?One project that has literally just been handed over to us is an FM radio transmitting station for our Holy Quran Programme. It was a two-year project and has been completed by Rohde & Schwarz. The objective was to ensure that our Holy Quran programme would be made available across the country to all listeners. Another project that is nearing completion is a radio automation and digital media archive system. We have also recently awarded a contract for the renovation of our radio studios and the master control room. Our radio studios were created in the 70s. They will continue to operate out of our old building but we will work with NETIA and Studer to make it state-of-the-art and digital.

The Ministry is also presently evaluating a tender to develop the infrastructure for a fully operational web-based information and service portal for the Government of Oman.

What is the vision of the MOI?As per the Royal Decree issued recently in October 2010, a new entity called The Public Authority for Radio and TV will be formed. The idea, I believe, is to give Oman Radio and TV more flexibility and power to run its activities on a commercial basis and in a more competitive environment. It will mean more commercial production of programmes and running the station like any other commercial entity.

What are some of the merits of working in Oman?We have been very lucky that we have had no limitations in terms of issuing tenders and have had the opportunity to work with some of the best international players on our projects. We award our tenders according to WTO standards. Cost is important but adherence to international best practices is also a prerequisite to awarding tenders.

Are new media platforms part of your new plans?New interactive media platforms will play a big role in the future of TV and we are aware of this. We are studying the available standards and the need of our people and have plans to introduce such services in the future once we have a more clear understanding of their efficacy.

What are some of the key challenges Oman MOI faces and how are these being addressed?Like all broadcasters, we see huge changes in technology and with so many global formats, it’s sometimes difficult to make the right choice on what new technology to adopt. That’s the challenge.

What training provisions do you have in Oman presently to upgrade the skills of your employees?First of all, I am very proud to point out that more than 90% of our engineering staff in the Ministry of Information are Omanis. We will continue to train them on all new technologies. We have a standard contract with most companies with whom we sign up projects to conduct extensive training for our engineers at their international premises. We also have a training centre in Muscat that is designed to train media and engineering graduates in the basics. Those who show potential are then sent abroad to learn more. Some of them join us at our facility for hands-on experience.

Any last words?I believe that all broadcasters in this region should sit together and agree to adopt one common standard. For instance, I hope all the regional broadcasters can agree to deploy one set-top box for conditional access reception in the Middle East rather than making different choices. It would work in the interest of all parties concerned eventually. PRO

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When Bahrain TV wanted to broadcast the country’s 2010 elections late last year, the broadcaster approached Vizrt to design its on-air look and graphics. Vizrt was tasked with creating a look that would not just be new to the region, but also capture the spirit of Bahrain and simultaneously, appeal to local viewers. To provide a unique solution, Vizrt claims to have introduced interactivity to the TV station for the first time in addition to

come through to our office. The delay was worrying because elections are the most intense of all projects we can take on but it was eventually signed off and project was delivered in time for the elections.”

Watson conceived his first designs for the Bahraini broadcaster from his New York office, where he is based.

“I was inspired by the Islamic art and style, the geometric patterns and architecture,” explains Watson.

“We have the advantage of seeing design styles and ideas from around the world so I wanted to try and create a local Bahraini brand. The idea was to create a modern, yet traditional look that is respectful of the regional historical aesthetic. At the same time, we had a very short timeframe to complete the project so my approach had “to be totally focused and organised,” he adds.

Project FocusClienT: Bahrain TV SoluTion proVider: VizrtloCaTion: BahraindeliVery: To provide a complete on-air graphics solution for the Bahrain elections

providing a traditional graphics package.The entire package was customised for the Bahrain elections, and developed on site primarily by two key Vizrt members, senior designer Jonathan Watson, who designed the scenes for the project; and sales manager Theodore James Nuckolls, who built the templates and worked on the data integration. An engineer from the Dubai office also joined the duo at the site for upgrades and installation, and ancillary support was provided by Vizrt’s offices worldwide.

“Shaima Al Hamed, chief of Information Technology at Bahrain TV, who approached me at IBC for this project, was quite keen to get the project rolling as the elections were approaching quickly,” explains Watson, who is part of the Viz Creative Services team.

“But as is often the case with government entities, it took a while for the official PO to

Bahrain elections unfold on screenCreating interactive, on-air graphics for elections is no easy task, BroadcastPro ME learns from the Vizrt team that developed a customised solution for Bahrain TV

EXCLUSIVE


proBaHrain

While Watson worked on the initial designs, the company’s Dubai office coordinated with representatives from Bahrain TV to assess its installation of other Viz products and to see what options would be available to set up this special broadcast.

The technical challenges were many and several different factors had to be considered before delivering the final solution, adds Nuckolls.

“There are many ways to deliver election data, and they range from manual entry to dedicated election software packages. In this case, the goal was to limit the amount of manual entry to the system, but there wasn’t time or the need to get too sophisticated. So we opted to use a traditional spreadsheet as the data source,” Nuckolls explains.

Bahrain TV, therefore, had an excel sheet with the election results and these had to be manually updated by a Bahrain TV staff member.

The goal was to then seamlessly feed the data from this excel sheet into the graphics, adds Watson.

“Due to the network configuration, the nature of the data, and the type of interactivity Bahrain TV was after, we had to create new plug-ins as part of the customised solution along with our team members from around the world.”

In all, Bahrain TV took delivery of two packages. The first was a broadcast package that was to be controlled by Vizrt’s Content Pilot templates. The graphics list was an OTS (over-the-shoulder), multi-line banners and headlines with backgrounds.

For the full screens, the company delivered election results boards, video inserts, maps of Bahrain electoral districts, as well as some biographical

boards that were linked to the maps. “This entire graphic package was designed and built on site in the week we were there. It was a full transition logic package, so the operator could take advantage of our seamless and simplified workflow. The operator could go from one graphic to another without worrying about how to execute transitions,” explains Nuckolls.

The second package included an interactive election board comprising several different elements and interactive graphics. This was built from scratch and is the first such solution to be deployed at Bahrain TV, claims Watson.

“I design and build a lot of our interactive projects for Vizrt so I was able to design and build the interactive screen graphic in about a day, with another day of enhancements,” explains Watson.

The state-backed broadcaster also invested in an 80” single touch display for the purpose.

“BTV had never had a touch screen in their building until the days before the election so this was very new to them. Normally, we like to have time for testing, rehearsals and so on. But because of the tight deadline, we couldn’t do that. As the on-air talent was using this screen for the first time, their initial efforts were a bit

choppy but they adapted quickly and soon used it very professionally,” adds Nuckolls.

This package included a comprehensive map of Bahrain that could transition to any one of the five electoral districts.

“The map was a beautiful satellite image of Bahrain, generated from our Viz World software. Within each district, Bahrain TV’s talent could select from four options: local images, polling stations, results per region as well as a place for miscellaneous tidbits. The interactive graphic also had a full screen video live feed. Additionally, the broadcaster’s talent could press the icon for any electoral region, and bring up the results boards. We even developed a few custom info-graphic pie charts and bar charts during the broadcast to break down the story further. Like the broadcast package, all of these elements could be transitioned seamlessly from one to the other,” explains Watson.

The existing install was augmented by two Viz Engines. As part of the project, the Viz Trio live CG solution was deployed at various locations.

“I gave the local Bahrain TV artists a basic introduction and just minimal training on the Viz Trio and they immediately grasped its simplicity and were able to operate the system on their own,” says Watson.

“Due to the network configuration, the nature of the data, and the type of interactivity Bahrain TV was after, we had to create new plug-ins as part of the customised solution along with our team members from around the world.”Jonathan Watson, senior designer, Viz Creative Services.


proBaHrain

Nuckolls seconds that. “It was great to watch them take ownership of the project as the broadcast progressed,” he adds.

For Nuckolls, who moved last summer to Dubai from New York, the project was a brand new experience.

“Bahrain TV has been using Vizrt products for a few years, and the Dubai office has helped with projects in the past. But I just relocated to Dubai in July, and this was quite an introduction to the region. Elections are always hard work, but it was very successful,” he adds.

No doubt, there were significant hurdles to completing the project.

inconsistencies with the election boards being populated. We were not getting all the data into the election boards. We sent the package back to NYC where we had a support team to help us out, to take advantage of the time difference. Interestingly, the election boards and data were working perfectly in both the Dubai and New York offices. The conclusion then was that the network we were using was not 100% reliable, combined with some possible issues with the network security policies.

“This set us back by a few days, because we had to come up with a more traditional solution. Nuckolls and I rigged the graphics with traditional control plug-ins and a very advanced Pilot Template to aggregate the data and it worked,” explains Watson.

Despite that challenge, Nuckolls points out that “Bahrain noticed an improved and highly polished look and presentation to the country’s 2010 elections”.

“I hear even the king was pleased. That is how we measure our success. We came, we designed, we innovated, and we inspired,” he says. pro

For instance, the data and template aspect of the project posed a significant challenge, according to Watson.

“The Excel Sheet Data Reader plug-in we were going to implement needed to be reworked at the code level to function properly within the newest version of Excel. Luckily, Ian Davis, who heads the Dubai office, was also the original developer of the plug-in. So he rolled up his sleeves and helped us develop a fix. This delayed the data part of the project. When we finally had the solution up and running, and began testing it, we noticed that there were

“There are many ways to deliver election data [ranging] from manual entry to dedicated election software packages. In this case, the goal was to limit the amount of manual entry to the system, but there wasn’t time ... to get too sophisticated. So we opted to use a traditional spreadsheet as the data source”TJ Nuckolls, sales manager, Vizrt Dubai.

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Orbit Showtime Network (OSN) recently upgraded and expanded its existing broadcast IT and storage infrastructure in Dubai in order to cope with the increased number of channels that had to be played out from this site along with its increasing High Definition (HD) requirements and associated media workflows. OSN’s existing IT switch was obsolete and had been specified when the pay TV network’s facility was first opened in the emirate in 2004. Subsequently, it had neither the throughput nor the redundant topology required for a modern HD workflow. The solution, therefore, was to provide OSN with a long-term storage platform and network infrastructure that could grow with its needs while being cost effective and easy to maintain in the short-term, and scalable and robust for the long-term.

Part of the solution was to work with a systems integrator that had an equally strong understanding of both broadcast as well as IT infrastructure, and could support OSN’s in-house broadcast team piece the entire puzzle together.

Systems integrator TSL Middle East fit the bill, according to OSN’s director of Technical Support and Projects, Frank Kerrin. “TSL was an excellent partner for

this type of work because it has invested in local people on the ground in Dubai who not only understand traditional broadcast systems but also how IT and storage systems need to be architected for real time applications,” Kerrin explains.

The broadcaster had already set its sights on an Isilon solution to replace the existing production server, and worked with TSL to architect a suitable network topology to support it both now and into the future.

An Isilon clustered storage solution was, therefore, chosen with TSL calculating that the workflow would require 10 x IQ6000x nodes, explains Andrew Davies, business development manager at TSL Middle East.

“Up to N+4 redundancy selectable by file or folder meant that any four disks or any four nodes could fail without loss of data. This requirement was essential as this storage platform contains mission critical content. To match the high level of redundancy, up to 2GB/s of aggregate throughput was made available ensuring that each aspect of the workflow had ultra fast access to the content. TSL calculated OSN’s bandwidth requirements and customised the configuration of the Isilon to match both the current requirement and provide sufficient expansion for future needs,” explains Davies.

For the IP network, the systems integrator architected a topology based on

Project FocusClIeNT: Orbit Showtime NetworkSySTemS INTegraTOr: TSL Middle EastlOCaTION: DubaiObjeCTIve: To expand and upgrade OSN’s broadcast IT and storage infrastructureDelIvery: December 2010

OSN makes the switchDubai-based pay Tv network relies on core broadcast IT migration to take its show forward

a pair of redundant Cisco 6500E chassis in a fully redundant configuration.

TSL was able to provide a customised switch image and configuration that provided the fastest possible re-convergence times in the event of outages. The switch was also specified to ensure that the full high speed fabric of the Cisco high speed bus was accessible to the workflow.

OSN’s Kerrin explains that the network solution “resulted in a fourfold increase in performance in some of the key areas of our workflow”.

“What we have now is a highly efficient workflow that future proofs our investment,” Kerrin claims.

Defining the solution though was only the beginning, according to Davies.

With a legacy switch running the live on-air platform, system migration and delivery were always going to be a significant risk.

Early on in the process, therefore, OSN and TSL staff worked together to define a migration strategy.

“One of the great things about working with OSN is that it has experienced staff at all levels of the organisation. We benefited greatly from working with OSN engineers who had worked across several generations of file-based operations,” explains Davies.

To meet the project deadline and provide a rapid on-site installation, TSL prebuilt the

“As file-based workflows and stream-based workflows become more ... prevalent in our facilities, we will see an increased reliance on IP as an accepted delivery solution for broadcast critical data”Andrew Davies, business development manager, TSL Middle East

EXCLUSIVE


PrODUbaI

racks and wiring looms at its UK factory. This also allowed the complex switch configuration and testing to be carried out in the UK. This pre-build ethos allowed the project to proceed quickly against the prescribed timeline, says Davies.

“The existing edge switches were swung across to the new redundant Cisco core. TSL re-configured hosts as required to ensure continuity of service taking into consideration the DNS entries and other critical network parameters. As the project progressed, new fibres were laid in to provide a redundant architecture to the edge. Some of the most crucial parts of the migration were carried out during off peak hours to minimise disruption to the workflow. The final stage of the project was to hook the high-end Isilon clustered storage solution into the new core switch to open up its contiguous, high performance and high availability storage to the entire workflow,” he explains.

The Isilon solution TSL deployed was built on a dual bus technology platform utilising a high availability, low latency back end bus based on Infiniband to marshal packets and provide supercomputer class, internodal communication. Twin InfiniBand switches

What is Infiniband?

Infiniband is a bus used in many of the world’s highest performing supercomputers such as the IBM RoadRunner and Cray XD1. It is a switched fabric data link and is characterised by high throughput, low latency, quality of service and failover. One of its key design principles is that it is highly scalable, mainly as a result of its low latency. The architecture of an InfiniBand system creates a direct connection between a given processor and a high performance storage node. These characteristics make InfiniBand perfect for use in high-end media workflows where latency often becomes the defining limitation of any given workflow or link.

were installed to provide a redundant fabric for the InfiniBand transactions.

“This is TSL’s sixth large-scale deployment of an InfiniBand based solution in the last two years making us one of the leading regional experts on this high end network technology,” claims Davies.

The other side to the Isilon dual bus is a standard NAS (Network Attached Storage) presentation on the front side allowing the system to directly connect using standard

protocols such as NFS, CIFS and SMB to all the key parts of a given workflow.

“The NAS presentation allows rapid expansion, inexpensive connection using commodity IT interfaces, precludes the need for expensive fibre or HBAs (Host Bus Adapters) and ensures that network configuration can be carried out easily by existing IT professionals,” explains Davies.

The InfiniBand configuration was performed once by TSL engineers and was then hidden from the OSN end users who simply see the Isilon platform as a large contiguous network drive. Each front side connection on the Isilon nodes is on standard gigabit Ethernet with dual redundant NICs. Each NIC was connected on to either side of the redundant Cisco cores and the load was spread across the whole switch to eliminate any risk of bottlenecks.

The project was handed over in December 2010 to fit in with an aggressive migration of the pay TV network’s services from Bahrain to Dubai.

“From the first payment to final commissioning, it took less than 10 weeks with TSL spending around three weeks of that time on site,” explains Davies.

As well as the network and storage,


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TSL also provided a pre-built 3G compliant wiring loom and patch bay for OSN’s new 5122 Probel central router which was also installed and tested within the same time period.

The systems integrator deployed a multi-discipline team of approximately eight people to deliver this project backed up by the resources available at TSL’s 2000sqm factory in the UK.

TSL Middle East provided key personnel to ensure the continuity of the delivery.

Andrew Davies designed the solution and ensured the delivered project measured up to the initially calculated throughputs while former general manager Colin Sherriff project managed the UK pre-build and UAE delivery.

Suhail Ahmed, who recently joined the systems integrator as manager of technical services, handled the onsite activities and ensured the quality of the finished product.

The OSN project is typical of the potential market for this type of solution in the Middle East today, according to Davies.

“Many broadcasters have plans to deploy file-based workflows and most have already made the leap with some aspects of their workflow. However, mid-way through their project some of them discover that their IT and storage infrastructure cannot cope with the high demands being placed on them,” explains Davies.

“Not all switches are made equal and even the same switch from the same manufacturer can exhibit wildly different performances depending on its build and its configuration.”

The Middle East market has the advantage of benefitting from the lessons learnt in markets that adopted HD file-based workflows early on, and ensure that the same issues do not occur here.

“As file-based workflows and stream-based workflows become more and more prevalent in our facilities, we will see an increased reliance on IP as an accepted delivery solution for broadcast critical data. Whilst in its rawest form, a deeply flawed protocol for real time applications, TCP/IP can be made to work well if those deploying it have experience in the deep switch and software configuration necessary to make it work,” explains Davies.

“The benefits for those that take the time to do this are an incredibly flexible network platform that provides rapid expansion based on industry standards with ever reducing costs. These technologies if successfully deployed in this region will promote a new era of high-end television production at higher channel counts and at lower price points than are currently possible today. OSN has understood that trend and is making the leap; others will follow suit.” PrO

“What we have now is a highly efficient workflow that future proofs our investment”Frank Kerrin, director of technical support and operations


PrODUbaI

PRO3D


Stereo filmmaking has been around for almost 100 years but only with its latest digital incarnation has it started to be seen to have the potential to be a serious process rather than just a gimmick. If 3D is to survive, it will require all those involved to look at the subtleties of 3D that will enable it to become a serious storytelling tool, and it is the stereographer who is responsible for ensuring that this happens.

The role of the stereographer is threefold. The most obvious role is technical. Various factors are involved including determining rigs to use for a shoot, working with the DoP (Director of Photography) and the production to determine cameras and setups that give the look, the flexibility, the quality and to work at the budget that is right for the production. Setting the 3D parameters for each shot to ensure that what you see on screen fulfils the director’s vision, and gives a comfortable and enjoyable experience is crucial.

The second role is creative. 3D is a creative tool. When we are shooting a film, it isn’t about 3D, which is only the medium. It can be thought of as lighting or sound or colour. In the same way as you wouldn’t want an entire film to be saturated and bright, you don’t want everything to be big and bold 3D. Just because it is a 3D film doesn’t mean it can’t have flat scenes. ‘Flat’ is as valid a part of the stereographer’s palette as ‘deep’ is. You

Through the stereographer’s eyes

may want to use the 3D to mirror the narrative arc of a story, or the emotional state of the key character. Different characters could have different feels of 3D associated with them. A scene may be fast paced and the key factor there may be the energy and speed of cut. In this case, you may want to reduce the 3D element right down to ensure that the audience can still absorb the information. This makes more sense in this scene than trying to keep it at its maximum.

The third role is as a communicator. A stereographer has to work with the director, DoP and designers to ensure that their decisions are going to work in 3D, and that the stereographer’s use of 3D is consistent with the overall design of the film. 3D has a new idiom to it and while it is possible to shoot in 3D in exactly the same way as you would have shot in 2D, with the same scene construction, blocking and design, it would be like not changing your approach to the colours, tones and textures of a film if shooting in colour as opposed to black and white. You will still get a film that is shot in colour, but the effects of those colours will be accidental as opposed to deliberate and in sync with the story.

The stereographer’s role isn’t to tell the director how to use 3D, but rather to recommend how to achieve in 3D what they would normally achieve in 2D. In many aspects, 3D should be considered a new medium, but it is one based heavily

on the foundations laid by 2D films. There is a film grammar that the audience will take into a cinema when they watch a 3D film, that has been established over the previous 100 years of evolution of film. For example, over-the-shoulder shots and long lenses are used to convey a certain intimacy or closeness, and these work very differently if used in 3D.

Long lenses, rather than compressing the scene, can separate the components and make them look like cardboard flats. This can lead to bad 3D, but if used intelligently and intentionally, they can be used to control the space — making rooms look deeper, or characters more separated. Clean silhouettes in 2D can appear false or flat if used in 3D. It is much better to work with clutter and use objects to define the space available.

In 3D, you don’t actually need a lot of depth in the scene to achieve pleasing 3D. Some of the most striking shots can

The three-fold role of a stereographer is crucial to the success of any 3D production, says Chris Parks

PRO3D


be of seemingly flat objects which when viewed in 3D can reveal a whole new degree of texture and form that would be unimaginable in 2D.

All of us have been making three dimensional films — in every commercial or feature, doco or drama, the audience has been able to determine the depth within the scene using 2D depth cues. Some of this is natural such as motion parallax, one object sitting in front of another, atmosphere, textures, scale and so on. But some have been built up in the idiom of 2D film to simulate depth — the most obvious one of these being focus. To this repertoire, we are just adding one more — stereo — and whenever the natural 2D depth cues can be supporting our new stereo depth cue, we will get better and more satisfying 3D.

While getting the 3D right on set is vital, this can all be compromised by not seeing it through to post production and establishing a coherent workflow. It is

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for a less versatile and fl exible

solution?important that the stereographer sees the process through post production to ensure that the creative and technical intent is realised in the final film. A lot of work can be done in post to fine tune the experience of the viewer but equally, the 3D can be rendered almost unviewable by bad decisions made at this stage.

To conclude, I think it is important to appreciate that stereography isn’t primarily a technical role. It is vitally important that the stereographer has a complete grasp of the technical aspects but these are just the tools to enable him to realise the creative goal. Stereographers will develop their own styles and their own ways of working with depth, space and volume and it won’t be until this happens that 3D will become a credible medium that is here to stay. PRO

Chris Parks is a well-known international stereographer who has been working with 3D imagery for the last 15 years.

“The stereographer’s role isn’t to tell the director how to use 3D, but rather to recommend how to achieve in 3D what they would normally achieve in 2D”

The Material eXchange Format (MXF) is being widely adopted to enable file interchange and interoperability in TV workflows. As MXF incorporates vital metadata with the actual essence in the file itself, the format provides substantial benefits by reducing and sometimes eliminating the need to re-enter metadata at the various stages in the file-based workflow.

MXF uses some encapsulation techniques (“wrapping”) when encoding data into a file, but these techniques in no way compromise the data elements themselves. As a result, it’s possible to view and extract information using even the most basic of binary viewers. Monitoring and analysis of any such file-based clip requires that engineers fully understand the techniques involved in the creation and modification of MXF files.

Here, we look at how to improve coding efficiency by combining individual items into logical groups prior to wrapping them in KLV.

In the first part of this series that was published last month, we discussed the principles of Key-Length-Value (KLV) wrapping as used in MXF files. This paper will look at improving coding efficiency by combining individual items into logical groups prior to wrapping them in KLV

Encoding Data into MXF Files - II

Groups, sets and packsSometimes, it is convenient to gather a number of pieces of data into a single logical entity. This is certainly true for metadata items. KLV provides for this by allowing the data to be collected into groups, sets, and packs. Outside of convenience, there is another compelling reason for doing this: It’s clear that KLV coding offers a lot of flexibility, but it also adds overhead. If the value of the data being carried only fills 2 bytes, for example, the KLV packet will be 19 bytes long – 16 for the key, 1 for the length, and 2 for the payload. This might be okay for an occasional small value, but if the number of small items is significant — as is likely the case with metadata items, which are generally just a few bytes in length — then so is the overhead.

The answers to these problems come in the form of constructs called universal sets, local sets, and variable- and fixed-length packs, all of which can all be used to improve the coding efficiency. All work on the principle of recursion: One large KLV

packet can contain a collection of other KLV packets. (See Fig. 1.) Note that while all items (including the essence) in an MXF file are KLV-wrapped, this recursion/grouping technique is only used for metadata items, as they tend to have the smaller data sets.

Universal sets are the simplest construct to understand. They are simply a collection of KLV values sitting under a large KLV umbrella. The only reason for using universal sets is to gather a set of metadata parameters together conveniently under a single entity. There is no improvement in efficiency. This capability, however, does emphasise the object-oriented nature of MXF metadata, as all of the metadata items for a particular class of object are gathered together into a single KLV item.

Local sets take the preceding idea one step further, adding some efficiency in coding. The principle of recursion remains the same, but instead of using full 16-byte keys, the recursed data use 1 or 2 byte “tags” as their key value. This instantly and dramatically reduces the coding overhead.

Figure 1: KLV Recursion (the “Vallue” is made up of KLV packets)

Figure 2: Example of a “Local Set”

key Lengthk k k k kL L L L LV V V V V

Value

key Length 2-byte tag

2-byte tag

2-byte tag

2-byte tagL L L LV V V V

Value


PROTECH

While Basic Encoding Rules (BER) coding of the length fields is possible, in practice the length fields are generally constrained in size. The recursed KLVs in an MXF local set typically have 1 or 2 byte lengths. The tags can be converted back into full SMPTE ULs through the use of look-up tables, which are contained in a separate metadata block called the “primer pack,” located early in the MXF file. (See Fig. 2 for details of a local set.)

Variable-length packs take this idea further still. A variable-length pack is once again defined in byte 5 of the outer KLV coding. The recursed data elements now have no local tag at all. Thus, in a variable-length pack, the data items must exist in a logical, predefined order.

The final option is to use a fixed-length pack. In this case, even the length fields are omitted. The specification for the pack includes the order of the data items, as well as the length value for each data item. Fixed-length packs are analogous to a simple ordered list, contained in a single KLV construct.

concLusionThe combination of BER and KLV wrapping allows MXF to make use of IT best practices in minimising the effort required to place and organise complex metadata structures into sensible objects for inclusion with the essence. Though these basic principles initially can be somewhat daunting, they are simple to grasp. Once understood, the KLV wrapping scheme can be readily examined for analysis and compliance purposes.

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The slight increase in overhead caused by such wrapping is massively outweighed by the improvements in workflow efficiency and management that such techniques enable. Applications can be much more efficient if they have the ability to look at individual data sets and decide if the data carried is important in any particular instance, rather than having to read (potentially) huge amounts of data just to get to the items of interest.

This added intelligence reduces processing time, with a resultant increase in responsiveness, or it can mean that less expensive processors can be used to perform a particular task. As files are likely to be accessed many times as they make their way through the workflow, the savings accumulate in each stage, resulting in significantly improved solutions for file-based operations. PRO

Paul Turner is VP of Broadcast Market Development at Omneon, now part of Harmonic

“The combination of BER and KLV wrapping allows MXF to make use of IT best practices in minimising the effort required to place and organise complex metadata structures into sensible objects for inclusion with the essence.”Paul Turner, Harmonic.


PROTECH

Sony has achieved a major breakthrough in the consumer camera market with the NEX-VG10E is. Why? The first thing you would notice is that it has interchangeable lens. For the first time, a camera in the price range of US $2,300 offers filmmakers several options. That’s right. The ability to shoot wider or tighter is an important element in cinematography.

Traditionally, consumer-based cameras are generally very limiting with their focal length as they have fixed lens and you can only go so wide — which never seems to be wide enough or tight enough — especially when your child is playing a sheep in the school play.

Having an interchangable lens system (E Mount) takes the NEX-VG10E one notch above the other consumer cameras and into something that could potentially be useful for the video crowd.

The camera’s E mount lens system is compatible with Sony’s DSLR lenses. So for somebody who has a Sony NEX-3 or NEX-5 DSLR camera, you can mix and match the lenses. If you don’t have one of these cameras, you can buy Sony lenses that fulfill your filming requirement.

Having said that, the manufacturer does ship the NEX-VG10E with a diverse lens with a focal length of 18-200mm and an optical steady shot mode.

Having the ability to use DSLR lenses will improve the quality and cinematic look of your footage as you will be able to achieve a much shallower depth of field — taking the camera another step away from the consumer market.

The present fad seems to be stills cameras having video functions and manufacturers combining the

Focal point

two technologies. Canon’s 5D MKII was the game changer and mainly responsible for this revolution so you cannot blame Sony for wanting to try and claim a piece of the action in a more ‘camcorder’-friendly fashion.

Although the Sony NEX-VG10E does shoot stills which it does at 14.2 MP, it is primarily a video camera. The question is: ‘Is it any good?’

The camera uses an Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, which means it has 1920x1080i video recording ability (AVCHD format). This is awesome although it still does not have the option to shoot progressive.

The resolution is 19.5x (or so Sony claims) — the size of other traditional camcorders in its market. A couple of years ago, full HD was found only in pro-cameras that cost about four times more and now, the technology is available to the average consumer.

The camera records down to a Memory Stick Pro Duo removable media card or SD card, which is a big advantage as tapeless is the future and saves on digitising time when you come to post.

The camera powers up from cold in about two seconds. Bizarrely, the battery fits on upside down. It remains firmly connected though so you don’t have to

Director of Photography Harvey Glen takes the Sony NEX-VG10E through its paces

“The three-inch LCD screen is described as ‘high resolution imaging technology’ and helps you see your image even in the super bright Middle East sun so that’s ... much easier than sweating under a black cloth.”Harvey Glen, Director of Photography, Dubai.

worry about it falling off. Impressively, when fully charged, the battery has a long life of 330 minutes of shooting time.

The actual body of the camera is sleek, and its silver and blue look is impressive. The camera is a little front heavy, which is down to the DSLR style lens, but does have a good handgrip and screw fitting for a tripod.

The three-inch LCD screen is described as ‘high resolution imaging technology’ and helps you see your image even in the super bright Middle East sun so that’s very handy and much easier than sweating under a black cloth.

Being a professional DOP, I’m a big fan of using a viewfinder. For the low price of the NEX-VG10E, it does come with a decent one.

From my deep exploration though, there is no option (unlike other Sony cams such as the Z1) to have both the LCD and viewfinder simultaneously live. This is a big disappointment as all of the controls are in the menu hidden behind the LCD screen. I use the word ‘hidden’ and I mean it!

If you are shooting handheld and want to use the viewfinder (which is best for stability, having a three-point contact with the camera eye, and two hands), you have to have the LCD physically closed


PROTEST

PROS Interchangable Lens 1920 x 1080 Both Video and Stills Camera Good Value for money

CONS No 360 Degree rotational LCD screen Interlaced and no option of Progressive Scanning Access of the menu Front heavy

PROTEST


Iris, shutter speed, white balance and so on are all accessible via the menu. Once the LCD screen is open, you will discover the menu options can be selected via a conventional scrolling dial. This feature is usually seen on some of the more high-end Sony camcorder models. This dial is incredibly accurate and easy to use when you are not filming. This camera wasn’t designed to make these adjustments on the go. Fortunately, there is no onscreen touch menu, which I personally find a little impractical and too fiddly to use.

For all the benefits of the LCD screen and its ‘imaging technology’, it has one massive drawback. It doesn’t rotate all the way round. If you want to film yourself, for example, talking to the camera, you cannot see yourself.

That is, indeed, an unpardonable error. Sony has developed a complex recording machine that gives great picture quality at full HD resolution, but lacks the

simple features that it has done time and time again on other cheaper models.

To me, the manufacturer may have instantly alienated itself from so many users, i.e. reporters who perform solo camera and presenter duties, video diary users, snowboarders and the like.

On the plus side, the camera is physically robust. It has a hot and cold shoe. The hot shoe is for mounting something like a flash and cold shoe for additional mics — showing its adaptability between video and stills.

Sound wise, it doesn’t have XLR inputs, but you can still use external mics with a mini jack connector. The camera also boosts surround sound audio for its internal mic. The hiss factor is very low. The Quad Capsule Array Stero Mic can capture audible sound for non-broadcast projects. Sony has also added an option to choose between rear sound and front sound. The rear sound helps capture the audio of the person behind the camera.

I quite like the Sony NEX-VG10E, but find that it tries too hard to be a mix of a semi-pro and consumer camera. The picture quality is fantastic; the 1920x1080 resolution is just what you require in our modern age and the colour replication is spot on but the functions and usability let it down.

I am sure there will be adaptors released soon so you can use other manufacturers’ lenses and if they have a manual iris on them, you might be able to ride the iris without going into the menu (just like using Zeiss lenses on the Canon 5D MKII).

If you are an auto user, the auto functions are good. The focus is quite accurate and doesn’t hunt around too much like cheaper camera models.

In conclusion, I think the NEX-VG10E is more of a consumer camera than a semi pro camera. The fact that it lacks a 360 degree viewfinder, any option of servo zoom and has important functions like the iris control within the menu shows there’s still room for improvement, especially if it wants to be anyone’s number one choice.

The camera that is worth looking out for professional use though is the new Sony with 35mm sensor, which is built from DSLR technology. PRO

Harvey Glen is a DoP based in Dubai. He runs www.dopblog.com and has written four books including: How to Become a Cameraman, Lighting for Film and TV, Filming on Location and How to Beat the Competition.

“If you’re shooting handheld and want to use the viewfinder, you have to have the LCD physically closed preventing any access to the menu. This makes performing iris pulls a physical impossibility.”Harvey Glen, Director of Photography, Dubai.

preventing any access to the menu. This makes performing iris pulls a physical impossibility. Even if you are using the LCD screen, making an iris adjustment whilst shooting is incredibly tricky, because it is within the menu system.

Having used cameras of all different shapes and sizes, I like to have one thing constant and that’s the ability to access the controls quickly and simply without disrupting the movement of the camera.

I usually prefer to have the iris and focus physically on the lens, an option of servo, manual zoom, the shutter speed and white balance all easily accessible.

With the NEX-VG10E, the focus is on the lens and you can only zoom directly off the lens barrel. There is no option of servo zoom, which seems a bit uncharacteristic of Sony as servo zoom is the best way to ensure smooth controlled zooms, especially for the inexperienced shooter.


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Egyptian Radio and Television Union(ERTU) recently invested millions of dollars in a fleet of eight High Definition (HD) and Standard Definition (SD) Outside Broadcast (OB) vehicles.

The delivery included two full-length 14-camera HD rigs, four five-camera HD Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG) vans and two five-camera SD DSNG vans.

Eng. Hamdy Muneer, chairman of ERTU - Engineering says the panel vans will primarily be used for news coverage and gathering of news by the state-backed broadcaster but will also cover other live events.

ERTU on the move

Project FocusCliEnT: Egyptian Radio and Television UnionSySTEmS SUppliER anD inTEgRaTOR: Sony Professional Solutions Middle East & AfricaOBjECTivE: Delivery of a fleet of eight HD and SD OB vehicles

“While news coverage will be priority, these vans are designed for comprehensive sports coverage and other external events as well. They have been designed for simple operation and flexibility. More importantly, they can be used as stand-alone units or combined with other vehicles to enhance larger multi-camera productions,” Eng. Muneer says.

The largest vehicles in this fleet are two 13-camera HD OB trucks wired for 14. Both OB trucks are equipped with nine HDC-1450R HD camera chains and three HDC-1450R wireless camera chains as well as one HDC- 3300 super slow motion camera. These trucks are also fitted with a Sony MVS -8000GSF Vision Mixer; an Evertz video router; four VTR positions; two microwave systems; three EVS slow motion servers; Axon digital infrastructure; a fully integrated Harris two-channel inscriber graphics system and a range of LMD and BVM L-series.

One of the highlights of the two big trucks is the HDC- 3300 super slow motion camera.

“Super slow motion capabilities are very important for sports coverage,” explains Eng. Muneer.

“Content can be captured at the highest quality with the high-end HD cameras we have purchased. The content is processed throughout the OB production chain in HD with Sony’s broadcast production switchers and professional monitoring,” he adds.

Four HD SNG vehicles are part of this fleet and wired for five cameras including three HDC-1450R HD camera

Egypt’s state broadcaster recently took delivery of a fleet of eight HD and SD OB vehicles from Sony pSmEa making it the single largest OB investment in the middle East and africa. BroadcastPro Middle East takes you on an exclusive tour


pROEgypT

Dr. Hamdy Muneer, ERTU. Ghallab Mohamed, Sony.

EXCLUSIVE


pROEgypT

chains and two HDC-1450R wireless camera chains. They are also fitted with Sony’s MVS-8000GSF vision mixer with 2M/E and 4 Ch DME.

The last of the fleet include two five-camera SD SNG vans that are equipped with three BVP-E30PH SD camera chains, two BVP-E30 wireless camera chains, and the MFS- 2000 1.5 ME vision mixer with two channel DME.

The entire fleet is equipped with a 1.8m DSNG uplink system. Additional provision for microwave links is available on all of the vans in the fleet.

Both the HD SNG and SD SNG vehicles are fitted with Evertz video routers; two VTR positions; position for two microwave systems, an Axon digital infrastructure; a fully integrated Harris Inscriber Graphics system and a range of LMD and BVM L-series displays.

All of the eight vans are fitted with an Evertz audio router; the Trilogy Orator Intercom system; a range of wireless and wired microphones as well as various outboard digital audio devices.

While the two HD OB vans are equipped with a Studer OnAir 2500 Modulo audio console that has 24 faders, both the HD and SD SNG vans are equipped with a Studer OnAir 2500 Modulo audio console that has 12 faders.

The antenna section of all the eight vehicles are fitted with the Advent NewSwift 180, 1.8m dia antenna; two

Xicom XTD400K TWTA; an Advent DVE5000 MP2 encoding system; an uplink system built for 1+1 & 2+0 configuration as well as a Tandberg multi-format IRD.

“These OB vans (two SD DSNG, two rigid HD and four HD DSNG) have been designed to meet our objective of catering to the daily operational requirements of ERTU, coverage of various activities such as News, sports and productions,” says Eng. Muneer.

“In addition to that, we wanted to invest in future-proof technology while also having the flexibility in terms of space and operational areas within the vehicles,” he adds.

The fleet was delivered by Sony Professional’s teams in Dubai and the UK. The team worked closely with key third party partners such as EVS, Gigawave, Fujinon, Evertz, Axon, Studer, Trilogy and others, as well as coachbuilder ASGB (‘Smiths’) to provide the custom coach build expertise.

Ghallab Mohamed, project manager at Sony PSMEA adds that Sony’s Professional Services team provided full project management for the build of the vehicles, “to ensure the coach-build, video, audio and control system design, as well as the installation, configuration and testing to ensure it met the specific requirements of ERTU”.

One of the biggest challenges of undertaking this project according to Mohamed was the tight deadline for the delivery of the fleet.

“We had a very short delivery time to meet the customer’s requirements and event targets. It was also essential to consider the variations of weather in the UK during the different phases of project design and implementation,” says Ghallab.

“It was also important to design the vans, utilising the limited space available within the panel vans as well as ensure that ERTU’s engineering and operational needs were met. The vans have been custom designed to meet these special operational needs and daily requirements,” adds Mohamed. pRO

DSNG VAN SPECS The DSNG van is built by ASGB/ Smiths Gt Bentley and is a Mercedes 814D with a 15 KVA power generator.

The video section includes three BVP-E30PH SD camera chains, two BVP-E30 wireless camera chains, the Sony MFS- 2000 1.5 ME vision mixer with a two channel DME, Evertz video router, two VTR positions, Axon digital infrastructure, and a range of LMD and BVM L-series displays along with a fully integrated Harris Inscriber Graphics system.

The audio area is fitted with a 12-fader Studer OnAir 2500 Modulo audio console, Evertz AES audio router, Trilogy orator intercom system, a range of wireless and wired microphones as well as various outboard digital audio device.

The DSNG system includes Advent NewSwift 180, 1.8m dia antenna with two Xicom XTD400K TWTA, an advent DVE5000 MP2 encoding, Tandberg IRD and an uplink system built for 1+1 and 2+0 configuration.


pROEgypT

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Glue and beyond

IPTV and Mobile TV are still in its nascent stage both globally as well as regionally, according to Dr. Abdulaziz Almulhem, assistant deputy minister for planning and research at the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information (MOCI).

Dr.Almulhem, who heads the IT arm at Saudi MOCI goes on to maintain that the way forward for the media especially in the Arab world is through the internet as it is easily accessible and affordable.

Speaking specifically with regards to viewership figures in the Kingdom, Dr. Abdulaziz points out that Saudi TV and its various channels have had a huge viewership on the internet and through smart phones. By comparison, IPTV and DVB-H models of communication have had little or no penetration, he argues.

“We have statistics to prove that the internet is a good medium for broadcasting. The viewership has grown exponentially on www.sm.gov.sa, where you can watch all of our channels,” he says.

“The peaks in the charts show significant viewership habits on events such as Hajj, sport events and so on. This leads to the observation that media presence on the internet has deep penetration and availability. By comparison, IPTV and DVB-H technologies are not faring well both globally as

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IPTV and mobile TV penetration have been too low to justify further investment. Rather, developing technologies for the internet is the way forward, Dr. Abdulaziz Almulhem tells BroadcastPro ME

well as regionally. The way forward is internet over 3G and our business models have to change to accommodate this requirement or more investment has to be made in this area to develop it further.”

Dr.Almulhem claims that several reasons have deterred IPTV and DVB-H from taking off.

“For one, the technology itself is not widely accepted. Secondly, the cost of using this technology is still fairly prohibitive from a user’s point of view. Besides this, the technology is more diversified and sophisticated than the classical form of broadcasting. It calls for greater protocols and the learning curve is higher to use these technologies. Lastly, the diversification of content is a huge deterrent. As a result, it has failed to appeal to the masses. At the end of the day, some companies may use it but we do not see any future opportunities for those technologies,” he adds.

Dr.Almulhem adds that two telecommunications companies have been offering IPTV and mobile TV services in the Kingdom but “the rate of uptake has not been to their expectation”.

“Telecommunications companies have invested heavily to deploy mobile TV and IPTV but they are still to make any return on their investment so these technologies do not have commercial value,” he points out.

Caught in a Web

These statistics indicate that Saudi TV and its channels enjoy a huge viewership on the Internet

From left: Dr. Abdulaziz Almulhem with Dr. Abdulaziz Khoja, Saudi Minister of Culture & Information.


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By comparison, owing to the exponential use of internet over 3G, he maintains that more data network companies are “using communication infrastructure to send media content rather than using media infrastructure to send data.”

“The bottom line here is to broadcast globally and build content locally. The media outreach is no more constrained by geographical or political boundaries. It is more pragmatic to utilise the common carriers and channels of communication than media networks. It has been studied in one major media network, that potentially more home viewers use smart phones with internet connectivity. This has two major indications: the tremendous utility of handheld devices among home users and the wide availability of wireless networks with internet access within the home environment,” explains Dr.Almulhem.

“On another note, the cable companies that were solely investing in carrying media content to their subscribers are moving quickly into providing data services. This has drawn a phenomenal response towards the data services and its related investment rather than the media. We hear constantly today about mergers between giant media and data/cable providers. This paradigm shift has redefined the business scope of media providers,” he adds.

The point, therefore, according to Dr.Almulhem, is that investing in expanding media networks is not necessarily wise.

“Today, you cannot broadcast an international FIFA match outside your geographical footprint because of legal restrictions. By 2016, however, based on ITU regulations, we are likely to have a different model in place where your broadcast rights may be based on the number of subscriptions you can have rather than on the basis of a specific geographical footprint,” he clarifies.

As the head of the IT arm of Saudi MOCI, Dr. Abdulaziz and his team already work in close relation with private entities to co-develop applications that may be useful for future smart phones.

“Unlike traditional methods of broadcasting that is a one way method of communication, the internet calls for two-way interaction. If we improve the technical environment and invest more in improving this technology, we could do even more to take this forward,” he concludes. PRO

Radio figures

“The way forward is internet over 3G and our business models have to change to accommodate this requirement or more investment has to be made in this area to develop it further”Dr. Abdulaziz Almulhem, assistant deputy minister for planning and research, Saudi MOCI


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High End PerformanceHP Z600 Workstation• Two Intel® Xeon Processor SIX-Core• Genuine Windows 7® Professional 64-bit• Up to 48 GB DDR3-1333 ECC RAM4• Two 500 GB SATA 7200rpm drives• For Adobe Mercury Playback Engine optimization HP recommends:• NVIDIA Graphics Card

Affordable PerformanceHP Z400 Workstation• Intel® Xeon Processor Quad-Core• Genuine Windows 7® Professional 64-bit• Up to 24 GB DDR3-1333 ECC RAM• Two 500 GB SATA 7200rpm drives• For Adobe Mercury Playback Engine• Optimization HP recommends:• NVIDIA Graphics Card

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Advanced M edia Trading LLCNo. 410, Al K haleej Centre, Bur Dubai . P.O.Box: 44156, Dubai - UAE Tel . : +971 4 352 99 77 Fax : +971 4 352 99 76 Emai l : [email protected] v

The original Mbox from Digidesign revolutionised personal studio recording when it was first released. This 3rd generation Mbox family is the first to be released under the Avid name after Digidesign was acquired by Avid in 1995. Aimed at music professionals and hobbyists, the Avid Mbox offers a flexible solution to make music in your personal studio, at home or on the go. The Pro Tools LE 8 software (which is included), is based on the same platform used in commercial facilities around the world — ensuring pro studio compatibility and delivering everything one requires to compose, record, edit and mix music. You can also upgrade to the full version of the new Pro Tools 9, which will run on the same hardware.

The new lineup of Mbox 3 products features several key hardware modifications over the previous iterations, along with a complete cosmetic makeover. Avid claims that all three

Avid Mbox 3rd Generation Renji Mathews, a long-term Avid user delivers his verdict on the new Mbox

products in the Mbox 3 family (Mbox Mini, Mbox and Mbox Pro) were designed by the same engineering team behind the top-of-the-line Pro Tools HD systems.

The unit I received for this review is the standard Mbox (the middle child in the family). Although the unit is commonly referred to as Mbox 3, there is no mention of the ‘3’ on the packaging. The package includes Pro Tools LE Ver. 8.0.4, built-in Sibelius score editor, 70 plus effects and virtual instruments, more than 8 GB of audio loops and sounds, and a useful training DVD aimed at getting newcomers up and creating with Pro Tools in no time.

This unit features a completely redesigned metal chassis, which feels very rugged and sturdy. It is impressively heavy and can come in use if someone attacks you in a dark alley! The solid metal case construction and the sleek


PROREVIEW

System Requirements

MAC OS X Leopard 10.5.8 or Snow Leopard 10.6.3 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended) 6 GB free disk space Intel Processor (no PowerPC support) One native USB port

PC Windows XP 32-bit SP3 Windows Vista 32-bit SP2 Windows 7 (32-bit & 64-bit Native) 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended) 5 GB free disk space One native USB port

A dedicated audio drive is recommended for optimum performance.

Price: approx. $665

Ashvin Devasundaram

Ashvin Devasundaram, a guitarist, teacher, documentary filmmaker and audiophile, was asked to compare the merits of the Mbox with Apogee Duet, the hardware he presently uses.

As a professional who splits his time between London, Dubai and Mumbai, and as someone who wears both the guitarist and sound editor hats, here’s what he has to say: “I think the strong point of the new Mbox is the monitoring stage of its converters. There was a great deal of transparency and detail in the monitoring stage when I listened to some of my own music and other commercial tracks. The Duet sounded a bit coloured in comparison.

“The built-in guitar tuner is also a very handy and effective tool - just plug your guitar into the front and tune away! As I travel frequently, I don’t always get to work on a Mac, which works to the Duet’s disadvantage. For my work, the multiple platform compatibility of the new Mbox and the ability to work with almost any audio software is in itself worth the price.”

“Considering what a remarkable job Avid has done in designing the new Mbox, I think it should have gone the whole nine yards and launched it with a different nomenclature as well. As it’s so much better than the previous generation, it merits a new avatar”Renji Mathews, faculty member, University of Sharjah

black and silver colour combo makes the unit at once portable and appealing and the Mbox 2 pales in comparison.

The digital-to-analogue and analogue-to-digital converters seem to be of a much higher grade than the previous iterations and offer very low jitter.

Like the original Mbox, the new version features two XLR/TRS combo input jacks for microphone and line level signals, as well as two DI inputs to plug directly into the unit. Another long awaited improvement is the capability of 96kHz sample rates, previously only available on the Mbox Pro.

Each input has a microphone preamp with 48V phantom power and its own gain control, which


PROREVIEW

Pro Tools Mbox Mini

Pro ToolsMbox

Pro ToolsMbox Pro

ToTal siMulTaneous channels oF i/o 2/2 4/4 8/8

siMulTaneous analog inPuTs/ouTPuTs 2/2 2/2 6/6

Mic PreaMPs 1 2 4

inserTs no no 4

insTruMenT Dis 2 2 2

onboarD DsP eFFecTs no Yes Yes

builT-in guiTar Tuner no Yes Yes

48V PhanToM Power Yes Yes Yes

soFT-cliP liMiTer no 2 (on Mic PreaMPs) 4 (on Mic PreaMPs)

MaxiMuM resoluTion 24-biT/48 khz 24-biT/96 khz 24-biT/192* khz

assignable soFTware conTrol buTTon no Yes Yes

alTernaTe source inPuTs w/ MulTiPle MoniTor swiTching no no Yes

builT-in Mono, DiM, MuTe conTrols no Mono, DiM Mono, DiM, MuTe

DigiTal i/o none s/PDiF (2 channels) s/PDiF (2 channels)

MiDi i/o PorTs none 1/1 1/1

worD clock i/o no no Yes

sTereo heaDPhone ouTPuTs 1 (1/4”) 1 (1/4”) 2 (1/4”)

FooTswiTch inPuT no no Yes

connecTion usb 1.1 usb 2.0 Firewire

Power source usb usb incluDeD Power suPPlY

when pulled out, applies a -20dB attenuation to the incoming signal. Another welcome feature is the professional grade ‘Soft-clip Limiter’, which was previously available only on the high-end 192 I/O interface, allowing one to track much hotter signals without overloading the inputs and clipping. This results in great-sounding tracks at the recording stage and offers a much warmer classic overdriven tape saturation sound.

The source for each input can be selected individually, the Front/ Rear switch toggles between the XLR/TRS combo socket at the rear and the Instrument input at the front. The placement of the instrument input socket at the front of the unit is ideal for quickly plugging in guitars. Two independent stereo outputs, one analogue and one digital allow analogue output for speakers and headphones simultaneously. The headphone socket is placed at the front of the unit, next to a dedicated knob for phones volume control. As for the speaker output, Avid has re-designed the volume level control, implementing a bigger knob for easier and more

Comparison between products in the Mbox family

source: avid web site

“The output from this small box comes very close to the Pro Tools HD system that we have in the college. I think I’ll ... get an Mbox for my home studio”Saud Al Hajri, student, Graphic Design & Multimedia Department, University of Sharjah

STUDENT REVIEWS

I asked two senior students from the Graphic Design & Multimedia department at the College of Fine Arts & Design, University of Sharjah to revisit some of their previous audio projects using the new Mbox.

They tinkered with the Mbox test unit at the Digital Media Labs of the college (equipped with Avid Media Composer and Pro Tools workstations) for two days.

Zarlisht Khalid said: “Transparent and pristine audio output. I could not believe the difference when I

opened up some sessions that were originally created using the Mbox2! I like the very modern design of the box too.”

Saud Al Hajri, another student, was very pleased with the clarity, depth and width of the audio reproduction.

“At first I thought we had got new speakers!” he joked. “I’d say that the output from this small box comes very close to the Pro Tools HD system that we have in the college. I think I’ll probably get an Mbox for my home studio.”


PROREVIEW

THE GISTPROs

Extremely good build quality, rugged and knobs with great tactile feel Vastly improved Preamps and sound quality Built in DSP Mac & PC compatible Compatible with most major audio software

CONs Can be considered pricey compared to rival products. Pro Tools could have been offered as an option, to keep the price of the Mbox lower.

accurate monitoring levels. This knob, like all of the other controllers of the unit, feels very solid and responsive.

Other handy features include a ‘Dim’ button that reduces the speaker output by about 20dB (very useful if you want to have a conversation in the control room!) and a ‘Mono’ button that sums the left and right channels to the centre, to check mono-compatibility of the mixes and phase issues. The ‘Multi’ button can be assigned to one of numerous commonly used commands such as start/stop record, and create a new track, tap session tempo and so on. The integrated guitar tuner enables you to tune your guitar, bass, and other instruments directly from the interface. A single LED next to each input gain control indicates signal presence (green) or clipping (red) and these also double as an instrument tuner, by pressing the Dim and Mono buttons simultaneously, again, a very useful feature.

One of the best new additions is the internal DSP for flexible cue-mixing and reverb effects. The DSP chips are built into the unit and they work well for recording and over-dubbing. The internal DSP helps to monitor input via the audio driver (instead of

using Pro Tools) and prevents any issues with latency. With this edition of Mbox, Avid has thrown the door open to a number of third party applications that integrate perfectly with the Mbox hardware.

This is good news for those who do not use Pro Tools. They can now choose from a variety of audio applications like Logic, Cubase, Live, Sonar, Record, Nuendo, Reason and Fruity Loops to name a few. Although Pro Tools LE comes ‘bundled’ with Mbox, one assumes that the charge is part of the package. A version without Pro Tools may perhaps be more affordable and appealing to non Pro Tool users.

The verdict? After testing the new Mbox thoroughly, the impression one gets is a sense of quality — in terms of build as well as audio. In fact, considering what a remarkable job Avid has done in designing the new Mbox, I think it should have gone the whole nine yards and launched it with a different nomenclature as well. As it is so much better than the previous generation, it merits a new avatar.

It’s safe to say the Mbox is a few notches above most of the other USB interfaces in its category. This professional unit will make an impressive and invaluable addition to any personal studio. PRO


PROREVIEW

No Bedouin culture is complete without its camel races, which is one of the leading sport events in the GCC. In Qatar, the annual camel racing league carries on for about eight consecutive months from September until April the next year. This year, the Hejen Racing Committee, which is responsible for organising camel races in the country, took delivery of a state-of-the-art SD/HD studio facility at the camel racing track in Al Shahaniya, which is located close to Doha. The Hejen (meaning camel) racing track accommodates races of diverse lengths from four, six, eight and ten kms.

As racing is viewed across the country, the committee decided to upgrade its existing standard definition TV station to a multi-platform facility.

This included a system that presently transmits in analogue but is DVB-T2 capable, says Belal Hamran, project manager, Salam MediaCast.

“This meant installing brand new equipment across the facility while some of the old kit was also redeployed. Besides this, a Central Apparatus Room (CAR) and gallery building have been erected next to the existing facility,” he adds.

Project FocusClieNt: Hejen Racing CommitteeloCatioN: QatarSyStemS iNteGrator: Salam MediaCastoBjeCtive: To build an SD/HD studio facility that presently includes analogue and DVB-T supportDelivery: February, 2011

On your marks! Get set! Focus!the Hejen racing Committee in Qatar recently commissioned a full SD/HD facility to cover the races at the racing track in al Shahaniya. BroadcastPro ME brings you the details

directional antennae to cover the entire rack for microwave reception from mobile cars. The rugged link is impervious to the speed of the vehicle and the huge range that the vehicle has to travel in terms of the distance away from the tower.

In essence, nine main cameras will be used for the race coverage.

All incoming video signals will then be routed through a Snell router to various destinations within the facility.

A Sony MVS-8000G will be employed as the main vision mixer. Should this fail, the end user can manually switch to a Panacea video matrix with 16 inputs with Evertz downstream keyer.

Five VTRs have also been installed, of which four are digital betacam. These will be used to record the final output and play some archive content while the fifth supports HD.

A K2 server with four SD/HD channels I/Os will be used primarily as a slow-motion server as well as for recording and playing different clips.

Snell Sirius 64X64 3G/HD/SD video and 64X64 analogue audio is the main router.

Both the main vision mixer and emergency mixer feed a Newbury

The new project sees five fixed triax camera chains including three SD Sony BVP-500 and two SD/HD Sony HSC-300s installed around the track.

Four Vislink microwave systems are part of this project. Three will be used with vehicle-mounted cameras to follow the camels on the race track while a fourth shoulder-mounted Sony XDCAM camera with a Vislink portable microwave system that can handle both SD and HD signals has also been deployed.

As the vehicles are sometimes required to go at very high speed and also, quite far from the main 30-metre tower, the systems integrator has fixed four high gain

Hejen racing track, Al Shahaniya.

EXCLUSIVE


ProQatar

emergency changeover, which, in turn, feeds the UHF transmission system.

Two Deko1000 systems help generate graphics and animation sequences. A Chyron CG system was upgraded to HD and will be used as a backup for the two Deko systems.

Other key kit include an AURORA editing software, which helps edit recorded material; and a Trilogy commander talkback system integrated with a UHF wireless talkback system. This is the main mode of communication between the director and the cameramen while a Motorola walky-talky system is used for communicating between the different sites.

All audio sources in the new station feed into the main Soundcraft BB100 audio mixer, which has 24 stereo and 16 mono input channels. Various audio equipment including Tascam DC recorders, Digicart hard disc recorders and Telos telephone hybrid unit were installed for receiving incoming calls.

Other key kit include the Tektronix waveform monitor and Wohler units to measure and monitor video and audio signals as well as Sony and Marshall monitors; 10 DVD recorders to record simultaneous final programme output as it’s being transmitted; two Evertz SPG and GPS systems installed with automatic changeover as the main source for all reference signals and test signals in the station; Evertz glue cards to connect different components of the system and a 60KVA UPS system with 50 minutes backup time that can be used in case of a of power failure.

A new earth pit drilled 51 metres deep into the ground will connect all racks.

Likewise, a new UHF transmitter system from Italian manufacturer Screen Service has also been deployed. Fully redundant, this system enables an automatic changeover.

“Basically, this offers the best resilience,” explains Hamran.

“We had gone through long discussions regarding the topology and geography of the site area to determine the most beneficial gain from antenna arrangements and to accurately gauge the coverage. The system is presently used as an analogue system but is also DVB-T2 compatible. The changeover from analogue to digital can be done simply with the push of a button.”

Perhaps the biggest challenge in

undertaking this project was the time frame, explains Hamran.

“We had about three-and-half months to design, procure, supply, install, test, commission and train. The second challenge was redeploying some of the old systems in the new building without interrupting the existing setup and making the transition period very smooth and transparent to the end users and viewers. The third challenge was to make sure the new system was fully hybrid and well integrated with both the SD and the HD equipment,” adds Hamran.

Presently, the Hejen racing channel is a seasonal terrestrial channel that transmits UHF channel 66. It is only operational during the racing season within Qatar. However, there are discussions about the possibility of building a small earth station to transmit the channel via satellite. Pro

“The system is presently used as an analogue system but is also DVB-T2 compatible. The changeover from analogue to digital can be done simply with the push of a button”Belal Hamran, project manager, Salam MediaCast.


ProQatar

Making audio both intelligible and easy on the ear is currently a hot topic for the broadcast industry. Broadcasters know that viewers become annoyed and often complain if they have to adjust the volume every time there is a commercial break or they switch to a different channel.

These differences in loudness are most common between TV programming and advertisements, but they can also exist across the same channel and even within the same programme, for example with live sports feeds, during a movie or talk shows.

While it is easy for viewers to believe that differences in loudness are due to careless sound technicians or deliberate policies on the part of broadcasters and advertisers, in truth there are also some technical reasons for them. When sound is measured on a technician’s VU metre, the equipment registers the strength of the electrical signal, which is not in itself a direct measure of how loud the TV will sound to viewers. Loudness is also affected by other things such as the range or degree of compression of the audio.

As audio is an electrical signal with a limited bandwidth, it is possible to measure the voltage by using measurement instruments. One might think that by combining measurement with listening it would be possible to control the audio content. But it’s not that easy because two

Broadcasters offering viewers a mixture of standard stereo and 5.1 programming face particular problems with balancing their sound because there is usually a remarkable difference in loudness between PCM stereo tracks and related 5.1 coded AC-3 streams.

Various broadcast authorities have been working to rectify this problem and the first step towards a solution came in 2006 when ITU, the International Telecommunications Union set out its loudness metering recommendation. The ITU recognised that broadcasters needed a monitor or meter that displayed ‘loudness’ rather than the usual electrical signal strength. They also recognised that agreement was needed on a standard setting level for loudness so that sound technicians everywhere could make the same adjustment, thus bringing more uniformity to loudness in international programme exchange.

The ITU’s deliberations resulted in ITU-R BS.1770, an algorithm that measured audio programme loudness and true-peak audio level. Although loudness is essentially a subjective impression that depends on many parameters including the viewer’s attention to the subject, ITU-R BS.1770 did at least provided a simple and practical solution for finding an objective measurement – and better still, it was also easy to implement.

The ITU’s breakthrough generated new awareness into the loudness problem and inspired more research around the world. Among those working on this issue was the EBU PLOUD

With the advent of digital broadcasting, the issue of loudness variation has become even more pronounced and must be addressed, says Peter Poers

SOUND ADVICE

pieces of audio with the same audio level can sound very different and can also have very different loudness impressions thanks to the impact of factors such as spectral composition, equalisation and dynamic range compression.

At present, there are two main ways in which to distinguish loudness — sensory and perceptual. Sensory loudness is directly related to the neural activity of the inner human ear. It is possible to model this, and therefore to build a sensory loudness meter. In contrast, perceptual loudness is related to how interested the listener is in the sound. Obviously, this is not something one can model because it is a learned response that varies according to the personal involvement of the listener. As people are very different in how they use their senses, there are enormous variations in the information needed to form a perceived reality. This becomes very interesting for people working with sound and moving pictures because if the source can be seen, then the mind will prefer the visual evidence to the sound.

Loudness variation has become even more noticeable with the advent of digital broadcasting because of higher audio quality. The audio for most digital HD services is transmitted in 5.1 multichannel coded format, the dominant of which is AC-3 (also known as Dolby Digital).


PROAUDIO

Group, chaired by ORF Senior Sound Engineer Florian Camerer and supported by a number of specialist broadcasting stations as well as equipment manufacturers, including Jünger Audio, which contributed their expertise.

PLOUD set out to radically change audio levelling and metering by abandoning QPPM and peak normalisation, and embracing loudness metering and loudness normalisation. PLOUD looked at the whole transmission chain including production, distribution and transmission. The group’s work was supported by other broadcast authorities around the world, especially in Australia and Japan.

The result of these deliberations was finally announced at this year’s IBC convention in Amsterdam when Camerer introduced the long awaited EBU Loudness Recommendation R128. The core R128 recommendation - and the four technical documents that support it - build on the foundation of the ITU BS 1770 algorithm and specifications but also add a number of new developments, including a gating method.

R128 specifies loudness normalisation and permitted maximum level of audio signals. According to Camerer, it is designed to be “short, precise, and simple.” Basically EBU R128 recommends that broadcasters normalize audio at -23

LUFS +/- 1 LU, measured in integrated method with a relative gate at -8 LU. The metering approach can be used with virtually all material. To make sure meters from different manufacturers provide the same reading, EBU Tech 3341 specifies the ‘EBU Mode’, which includes a Momentary (400 ms), Short term (3s) and Integrated (from start to stop) meter.

The US response to loudness is the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, which has recently been signed into law by President Obama. The legislation will provide technical guidelines from the ATSC for compliance within one year. After that,

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PROAUDIO

DIGITAL AUDIO OUTPUT DIGITAL AUDIO OUTPUT

DOLBY METADATADOLBY METADATA

DIALNORM

content distributors, including broadcasters, cable and satellite providers, will have one more year to comply.

As the production and broadcast industries start to embrace loudness control they are going to face some important challenges. In the first instance they will have to get used to controlling audio material by using loudness measurement techniques instead of level measurements because, when it comes to complying with these new standards, what the level meter is showing will no longer be important. Engineers have to understand that loudness and level are two different things. If the audio material is aligned to equivalent loudness, the level might vary wildly — and that’s going to really confuse all those people who have been trained to look for proper leveling.

Another problem related to the practical use of loudness control is the lack of references. There is no evidence to show that loudness perception is different for different regions of the world, therefore it should be possible to evaluate and set an international reference. However, given the politics involved, one does wonder if this will ever be the case!

In the end, what it may well come down to is getting the industry to adopt the right technical solutions. Since the introduction of these loudness recommendations, equipment manufacturers have been working hard to implement the new specifications and there are already a number of solutions on the market, the most basic of which is to run an “automated fader” driven by the control signal out of the loudness detection.

But, of course, well balanced loudness control isn’t that easy. At Jünger Audio, we believe that combating loudness requires an intelligent approach that enables broadcasters to automatically monitor and adjust audio levels from any number of sources, while still allowing the dynamics of the programme to be maintained. Making sure the programming still sounds exciting without becoming noticeably louder is the only way to guarantee that viewing enjoyment is not diminished.

Ideally what the industry needs is a system that gives short term dynamic control as well as average level control (compliant to ITU 1770) in one box. With this type of loudness control system,

which does exist, the circuit should give continuous control, regardless of the source and without touching the sound of the audio material. There should be no breathing, no pumping, no spectral changes — just well controlled loudness. Loudness changes from different feeds, loudness differences between different programme parts — the process should take care of them automatically and give the listener the results they want to hear. This type of system also needs to restore dynamic structure and offer inaudible gain control. Transients and peaks should be precisely controlled, even if they aren’t represented with the loudness detection. The process should be easy to set up and adaptive to the programme material. And all this together should be performed with a very short latency time because the human ear needs about 200 milliseconds to perceive loudness. Therefore in order to avoid dangerous time base differences between audio and picture, a shorter latency is required.

There is no doubt that we are moving towards a situation where broadcast ingest, playout and distribution facilities will face mandatory requirements to implement loudness based audio control solutions. However, achieving consistent loudness output would be a lot easier if international references were given — and if production facilities began adopting loudness control as well. PRO

Peter Poers is managing director of JÜNGER AUDIO

2ms

t

Transient Detector

Peak Detector

Level Detector

Level Magic TMLevel Detection incl.

ITU. 1770

Transient Processor

Leveller

Limiter

Metadata Generator


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Putting Sound in the Picture

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207x270_BroadcastPro.indd 1 20/01/2011 14:24

When the 20th edition of the Gulf Cup of Nations was held in Yemen in November and December 2010, host broadcaster Abu Dhabi Sports was also tasked with providing coverage of the event free-of-charge to all broadcasters as a demonstration of the UAE’s support for the country. The event itself was a huge milestone for several entities.

For one, it was the first time the event was held in Yemen in the tournament’s history; secondly, this year’s coverage of the event by host broadcaster Abu Dhabi TV demonstrated twofour54 intaj’s ability to undertake complete production management in a country outside the UAE.

Owing to the security issues in Yemen, most people were sceptical about the country hosting the tournament but it

went as per schedule, and Kuwait won the match against two-time consecutive second place finishers, Saudi Arabia in a 1–0 score.

“We were approached by Abu Dhabi TV to manage the production and broadcasting of the event,” explains Hasan Sayed Hasan, head of twofour54 intaj.

“We have provided similar services for events in the UAE but the Gulf Cup in Yemen was our largest production outside of the UAE. We have the experience, know-how and man power to cover such productions in conjunction with local and international service providers and successfully managed this event despite the logistical nightmares and the very tight deadline for delivery.”

Three venues were earmarked for TV production. Two were the pitches in

Project Focus

CliENt: Abu Dhabi TVloCAtioN: YemenProDUCtioN mANAGEmENt: twofour54 intaj, Abu DhabiobjECtivE: Undertake production management of the Gulf Cup of Nations event for TV coverage.

Scoring a goal in YemenBroadcastPro ME brings you an exclusive report on how Abu Dhabi-based twofour54 intaj successfully undertook its first production management assignment outside the UAE

The Gulf Cup of Nationstournament in Yemen.

EXCLUSIVE


ProYEmEN

Aden and Abyan, where the matches were being played while a third venue was an onsite studio where Abu Dhabi Sports held talk shows and other tournament-related programming.

Besides its own staff, twofour54 intaj worked with a team of local and international players to manage the event.

Singapore-based OB solutions provider Broadcast Solutions Asia, which has managed several events in South Africa, was the main equipment supplier while Abu Dhabi-based production house Media Mania provided most of the glue.

Broadcast Solutions also provided the crew for both of the main venues.

Media Mania, which established an office in Abu Dhabi recently, provided the crew for the studio, where Abu Dhabi TV held talk shows and other programmes related to the event.

“We also roped in several smaller suppliers to provide equipment and

“400 flight cases of equipment including 50 HD cameras were flown to the venue”Hasan Sayed Hasan, head of twofour54 intaj

Tareck Slaiby from twofour54 intaj at the event in Yemen.

400 flight cases were flown to the venue.


ProYEmEN

TECH SPECS VENUE A (AdEN)

21 cameras: 18 Sony DXC-1500, 2 GVG LDK8000 super slomo, 1 wireless Video/slomo servers: 6 EVS LSM-XT2 6-channel HD recorders Lenses: Fujinon XA101x 8.9, XA87x 8.9, HA22X7.5, and HA13X4.5 wide angle lenses Tripods: Vinten Vector700 heads with heavy duty legs Video switchers: GVG 3ME Kayak Audio mixer: Yamaha M7CL Graphics System: Vizrt Talk back systems: Telex Cronus Fibre optic cables - 7,200 metres

VENUE B (AByAN)

18 cameras: 15 Sony DXC-1500, 2 GVG LDK8000 super slomo, 1 wireless video/slomo servers: 5 EVS LSM-XT2 6-channel HD recorders Tripods: Vinten Vector700 Heads with heavy duty legs Lenses: Fujinon XA101x 8.9, XA87x 8.9, HA22X7.5, and HA13X4.5 wide angle lenses Video switchers: GVG 3ME Kayak Audio mixer: Yamaha M7CL Graphics System: Vizrt Talk back systems: Telex Cronus Fibre optic cables - 5,000 metres

VENUE C (tALk Show StUdIo SEtUp, AdEN)

8 cameras: SONY HDC-1500 Video/slomo server: 1 EVS LSM-XT2 6-channel HD recorder Lenses: Fujinon HA22X7.5 and HA13X4.5 wide angle lenses Tripods: Vinten Vector700 heads with heavy duty legs Video switcher: GVG 3ME Kayak Audio mixer: Yamaha M7CL Graphics system: Avid Deko 3000 Talk back system: Telex Cronus Fibre optic cables - 1,200 metres

CrEw:80 international crew members21 local assistants, runners, gaffers

“We have the experience, know-how and man power to cover such productions in conjunction with local and international service providers and successfully managed this event despite the logistical nightmares and the very tight deadline for delivery”Hasan Sayed Hasan, head of twofour54 intaj

services, and we put everything together in a very short time,” explains Hasan.

“400 flight cases of equipment including 50 HD cameras were flown to the venue,” says Hasan.

He admits that one of the biggest challenges for this event was the logistics, whether it was mobilising the crew and equipment to and out of Yemen or accommodating people in hotels close to the tournament venues.

“Many airlines had stopped shipping anything to and out of Yemen owing to security threats so we used the chartered flights of some shipping companies to get the equipment in and out of Yemen. It was a very tough job. In addition, Yemen lacks the infrastructure that most of the developed nations have in terms of hospitality, production services and so on. This meant that we had to bring about 80 crew members as well as

equipment into the country. The logistics was a nightmare. Booking accommodation for the crew was very tough as there were no hotels close to the second venue. This meant that the crew had to take a one-hour journey from their hotel to the venue and back everyday. We also undertook the catering for the whole crew although the Yemeni government provided security and support to all of us,” he adds.

Despite the complete lack of any production or hospitality infrastructure in the country, Hasan proudly claims that the Abu Dhabi content generation zone along with its suppliers and partners was able to “manage such a large-scale production at such short notice”.

“It was very important to have a very high level of production and show it in HD and the host broadcaster was able to do this successfully,” he concludes. Pro

In the control room.


ProYEmEN

“the subtitler needs not only to translate, but to condense the dialogue, typically to something like 50% of its original length. This means that they must concentrate on providing an interpretation of the

The world would be a simpler, if far less interesting, place if we all spoke the same language. We don’t, though, and with the birth of the moving image, this has been an issue. Since the days of silent movies, captions had to be tailored to the language of the target audience, and the problem grew with the advent of the talking picture, and, later, television.

Movie material has always used the same methods of overcoming this problem; either replacing the sound track by dubbing with a new version in another language, or printing subtitles onto the film during the production process. Both of these work well, but they have the same limitation; only one language can be substituted at any one time.

This isn’t a problem in the movie theatre, where it’s reasonable to assume that all of the audience speak the same language, but it imposes some serious constraints on television, and, in particular, satellite TV. One of the great advantages of satellite TV is its ability to reach a very wide geographical audience, but this then raises a problem. How do you provide each one of these audiences with the programme in their own language?

The answer is to change the way in which the alternative language is delivered. Instead of committing a new soundtrack or set of subtitles to

Subtitling - background and foreground

the transmission, it is possible to send one or more soundtracks or subtitle files as data along with the programming. The viewer can then select the one that they want, and display or listen to it.

It sounds simple, but is, in fact, a fairly complex process. First of all, do you choose a replacement soundtrack or subtitles? Although it may seem that a new language soundtrack is preferable, there are powerful commercial and artistic arguments in favour of subtitling. New audio tracks are much more expensive to produce than the equivalent subtitling, and also consume a great deal more transmission bandwidth. Additionally, many viewers prefer to hear the original actor’s voice than a substitute local actor, which always sounds strange. Great movie actors are not only hired for their looks — their voice is a part of their art, and many viewers appreciate this.

There are some cases where alternative sound tracks are preferred. Children’s programming, for example, is often dubbed, as the children may not yet have developed the required reading skills for subtitling. Documentaries, wildlife in particular, also lend themselves to dubbing, as much of the voice track is simply commentary, with no presenter in the shot.

There are also national preferences. Some countries are historically accustomed to either subtitling or dubbing, and so, it is necessary to

Chris Pollard sheds light on some of the new trends in subtitling and how this process can help reach out to a wider audience across the globe


PROSUBTITLING

“the subtitler needs not only to translate, but to condense the dialogue, typically to something like 50% of its original length. This means that they must concentrate on providing an interpretation of the

take account of this when tailoring the programming for that audience.

Dubbing is self evident, so let’s look at the subtitling process in more detail, which actually divides into two parts — preparation and transmission.

Preparation, which involves creating the subtitle file for that programme, is carried out by specially trained translators, often contractors working for specialised subtitling houses. Typically, the subtitler works through the dialogue, listening to a passage of speech, decides on a translation, and types it into the PC-based preparation system. This is where the first part of the skill comes into play; the subtitle cannot simply be a direct translation of the dialogue. It would take up too much of the screen and it would be too tiring to read. Put simply, you can’t read as fast as you can hear!

So the subtitler needs not only to translate, but to condense the dialogue, typically to something like 50% of its original length. This means that they must concentrate on providing an interpretation of the meaning rather than a literal translation, which is more difficult than it sounds. The subtitler generally aims for a maximum of two lines per subtitle, with a limit of around forty characters per line.

The next part of the process is to time the subtitle to the content. This is critical to the readability of

“The subtitler needs not only to translate, but to condense the dialogue, typically to something like 50% of its original length. This means that they must concentrate on providing an interpretation of the meaning rather than a literal translation, which is more difficult than it sounds”


PROSUBTITLING

“Most TV transmission facilities are now highly automated. The automation system tells the subtitle

the final product, so the subtitler (or a separate timing specialist) assigns a timecode value to each subtitle which will define when it appears and disappears on the screen. Generally, 3- 5 seconds is ideal for a one-line subtitle, and 4-6 for two lines. Why isn’t it double? The human eye naturally knows where to locate the first character of a second line.

The subtitler builds the file, subtitle by subtitle, and then stores it in a suitable format, along with the unique ID which will be needed at the time of transmission. The file format and the numbering depend on the preferred equipment used by their customer.

The files are then sent to the broadcaster, stored on a server and indexed for later retrieval. Often, more than one language version will be transmitted with the programme, and so all of the required subtitle files can be grouped together into a single transmission file. Each language remains independent, though, so its unique presentation timing is preserved.

Most TV transmission facilities are now highly automated. The automation system tells the subtitle transmission control system which programmes are coming up. As each item goes to air, the corresponding subtitle file is played out, and coordinated with the video via the timecode.

There are several methods of sending the subtitles. The simplest, open captioning, uses the subtitle data to drive a character generator, whose output is then keyed directly over the video. This a simple and high-quality system, but only one language can be sent, which is a disadvantage if your transmission is going to several different countries.

A better approach is to send the subtitle as a group of data streams, with each stream containing one language. Software in the set top box then decodes and displays the required stream, which is viewer-selected via a simple menu.

The data can be sent as character codes, but this requires the storage of multiple fonts in the STB. A better approach is for the transmission encoder to create and transmit bitmap images of the subtitles, and so the STB needs no stored fonts. For some Oriental languages, bitmap subtitling is the only practical method; the large character sets make local storage on the STB economically

impractical. Even for Arabic, Roman and Cyrillic scripts with more manageable character sets, bitmap subtitling is popular due to its flexibility.

Bitmap subtitling has been around since the mid-1990s, but most of the early systems were proprietary. When the DVB consortium was formed to standardise all aspects of compressed digital satellite transmission, subtitling was included, and DVB subtitling is now the de facto standard. DVB subtitling releases the broadcaster from the need to commit to a particular manufacturer of subtitling equipment, and also means that the STBs can be standardised.

So where lies the future of subtitling? The DVB standard has been extended to cover HD, and most recently 3D transmission, and most suppliers now offer extensions to their systems to be able to offer subtitling compatible with these new formats.

Subtitling has proved to be a highly effective means of language transfer, but in the end, it isn’t about technology — it is about the ability to reach wider markets. We are, as always, a commercially-driven business. PRO

“Most TV transmission facilities are now highly automated. The automation system tells the subtitle transmission control system which programmes are coming up. As each item goes to air, the corresponding subtitle file is played out, and coordinated with the video via the timecode”

Chris Pollard has more than twenty years experience in TV subtitling, and has designed and installed subtitling systems in many countries and in a wide range of languages, and assisted many companies in upgrading their installations as technologies and requirements have evolved. He is a regular contributor to broadcast industry publications.


PROSUBTITLING

PROINTERCOM


The face of the humble intercom has changed dramatically over the last couple of years. What was a simple point-to-point voice communications device has now grown to accommodate major communication networks and large installations.

This evolution also brought about a change in our expectations of this technology. While it was good enough to provide a simple communications link between two or more users in the past, today several different data and signal types need to be integrated into an overall network.

Furthermore, such installations are getting more and more complex, demanding new approaches and new solutions that do not only include communications within one production site but also link together multiple production sites simultaneously.

What, therefore, are the requirements of the modern intercom system? What solutions are already available and what ideas should be further expanded?

The state of contemporary intercom applications

This paper from Riedel explores the current trends in intercom design and offers an outlook on possible future developments and ideas.

RequiRements foR modeRn inteRcom systemsThe demands for contemporary intercom systems are as diverse as the installations, where they are used.

Sometimes large productions facilities with hundreds of users need to be equipped and sometimes it’s just a couple of control panels at a theater production. To provide a solution for all of these different applications, a modern communication infrastructure needs to be scalable from a small single-matrix system up to very large networked intercom system with more than 1,000 ports, all using the same technology.

Without such a high level of scale-ability, the planning, installation and maintenance of any system would require

larger volumes of work than necessary and would not be cost effective. However, with scalable systems, already established solutions can easily be adapted to new environments, securing prior investments.

As much as scalability is important, modern intercom systems also need to be able to handle a large number of different signal formats.

Today’s intercom systems are doing a lot more than just providing a communications link between two people. Analogue and digital audio signals, IP data, control data and GPI signals are all interfaced in contemporary digital intercom applications.

How an intercom system handles different signal types and how it integrates them, is an extremely accurate indicator of its usability.

The seamless integration of analogue 4-wires, AES3, MADI, Ethernet, VoIP data and GPIs should be a given set in today’s systems.

The humble intercom has now evolved into a more sophisticated solution that links large communication networks and installations across various sites. This paper looks at the role of the modern intercom application and where this technology is headed

PROINTERCOM


Different network approaches to intercomTo understand modern intercom systems, it’s important to understand their different technological approaches. Four main paradigms are apparent in current intercom installations.

staR topology: Here, all control panels are connected to one central mainframe. Although this makes planning the system quite easy, the effort of setting up larger systems is extremely high, especially cabling.

Bus netwoRks: Bus or trunking networks are quite similar to star topologies. The network consists of several star topologies with nodes that are connected or trunked together. Additional four-wire cabling expands the bandwidth between the various mainframes.

meshed system: In this model, all mainframes are interconnected with one another. This ensures the continuing operation of the complete installation if one node stops working. With larger systems, the cabling requirements grow exponentially making this topology the most demanding in terms of cabling and set up.

Ring topology: In a ring topology, all available mainframes are connected in a dual fibre ring. Even in large systems, the effort needed for cabling is reduced to a minimum.

Configuration Computer





Audio Signal

Audio Signal

Control Panel

Control Panel

Control Panel

Control Panel

4-Wire Connection

COMPLEX 1

COMPLEX 1

COMPLEX 1 COMPLEX 2

COMPLEX 2

COMPLEX 2

COMPLEX 4COMPLEX 3

Bus netwoRkstaR topology

Ring topology

Audio Signal

Audio Signal

Control Panel

Control Panel

Control Panel

Control Panel

MATRIX 1

SUBMATRIX 1

SUBMATRIX 3

MATRIX 2

SUBMATRIX 2

SUBMATRIX 4

MATRIX

Audio Signal

Audio Signal

Control Panel

Control Panel

Control Panel

Control Panel

Audio Signal

Audio Signal

Control Panel

Control Panel

Control Panel

Control Panel


PROINTERCOM


Each of these four approaches shows different characteristics in terms of performance and reliability. Ring topologies and meshed systems are able to handle a high amount of bandwidth. In particular, ring topologies, with their non-blocking network approach, are able to provide maximum network and communications performance. Star topologies and bus/trunked systems, on the other hand, suffer from significant bottleneck issues. Especially with a high number of calls or significant data transmission, the whole system will be throttled down or calls will not make it through due to a lack of bandwidth. Therefore, it is not recommended to rely on systems based on a star topology, where reliable performance is always needed.

With regards to operational reliability, both the star topology and the bus networks systems are prone to single points of failure. The failure of one node within a trunked system, or even just a connection failure between two nodes, can bring the whole system down. Redundant ring topologies and meshed systems are secured against these problems. Because there is no master mainframe and every link is set up redundantly, the entire infrastructure will stay online even if a node or a link stops working.

inteRcom applications in today’s field opeRationsBeyond topology and network concerns, connectivity is one of the most important considerations for an intercom installation. Two aspects matter the most. One factors to consider is what type of signals are used. Secondly, how does the intercom system transmit the integrated signals and what kind of transmission protocol is used?

Three considerations should be taken into account with regards to signal integration. First of all, modern intercom installations deal with much more than just speech transmission. Secondly, this requires a greater variety of signal formats. Thirdly, this means that a higher signal density needs to be handled by the network. It is, therefore, no surprise that all of these new signals are based in the digital domain. The way an intercom

handles digital signals, and especially the combination of analogue plus digital signals, is a good indicator of its usability and the degree to which it is prepared for future applications.

The most common digital signals that are utilised are AES3 for ordinary audio and MADI for multi-channel audio transmission. This allows system designers to integrate digital audio routers seamlessly with the intercom system. Using digital audio formats offers several advantages such as easy integration of broadcast quality commentator audio at the panel or feeding multiple IFB sources to the matrix. This minimises the installation requirements and reduces costs significantly. In addition, this adds a lot of flexibility, especially when it comes to integrating other equipment into the infrastructure. Relying on non-proprietary standard conform data types like AES3 and MADI significantly expands the installation’s versatility.

The other crucial factor for modern intercom systems is the way the signals are handled within the network itself and in combination with the outside communications world, including remote installations. On the one hand, there is

on-site communication, which needs to be handled in real-time for obvious reasons like the general need to avoid latency and the use of commentator audio. Also, networking over greater distances is best handled via IP signals because it’s the most cost-effective way. Connections in real-time are not a priority in these cases – for example, when connecting to distant studios. Merged TDM/IP solutions that combine real-time TDM-based communications and IP-based communications into one integrated network are the answer to this demand. Relying on one approach only would limit the possibilities of the given installation. It’s apparent that former long distance communications solutions such as ISDN and analogue hybrids are going to be sooner or later replaced by completely digital IP-based solutions.

These days’ intercom systems rely to a large extent on hardware components such as matrices with processor and client cards, control panels and interfaces to provide all the functionality that is needed. To expand the flexibility of future systems, intercom infrastructures will need to begin incorporating software-based functionality. This will ultimately result in hardware components only providing the basic infrastructure, upon which the software-based intercom features will run.

Following this development, it is apparent that the usability of those software features will play a major role in the success of a specific intercom system. Features such as easy-to-configure IFB tables, extensive audio routing capabilities, GPI integration or real-time system monitoring and remote control are indispensible for contemporary intercom applications.

Integration of various signal types and transmission methods is the only way that modern intercom systems based on standard components can be adapted specifically to the individual needs of every installation without costly adaptations and special developments for each project. Any intercom can only be as effective as it is reliable and flexible in terms of connectivity, data types and network architecture. PRO

“To expand the flexibility of future systems, intercom infrastructures will need to begin incorporating software-based functionality. ”

Project FocusClient: Qatar Media Company.SyStemS Supplier: Rohde & Schwarz.Delivery: December 2010.ObjeCtiveS: Installing analogue TV transmitters that can be switched to digital; Deploying FM and DAB+ system.

The installation at QMC‘s site in Doha.


prOQAtAr

EXCLUSIVE

“The existing TV transmitters at these sites were very old and not capable of operating in digital. This is why QMC decided to replace its TV transmitters in both these stations,” explains Eshwarahally.

As per QMC’s mandate, the analogue TV transmitters that would be supplied for this project had to be digitally compatible.

“The reason for this is because most Gulf countries have agreed to switch from analogue to digital transmission (DVB-T) by 2013. As a result, all new stations are deploying equipment that can be switched from analogue to digital in the near future,” explains Eshwarahally.

Rohde & Schwarz, therefore, supplied transmitters that were capable of operating in analogue as well as digital along with its new generation of SX801 Exciters.

“The big advantage with this system is that QMC can convert the analogue TV transmitters to DVB-T by just changing the Tx system mode to DVB-T from the control unit of the transmitter. This does not take more than a minute, thanks to the combined amplification concept of R&S transmitters wherein no modifications are required at the amplifier stage to carry out such a conversion,” explains Eshwarahally.

The purpose of the Jumailiya site specifically was to provide coverage to the central and northern regions of Qatar.

Qatar media Corporation (QmC) recently took delivery of two turnkey transmission projects from rohde and Schwarz. A TV transmission project was recently concluded at two of QMC’s sites namely Jumailiya & Doha, while a second FM & Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB+) transmission project was also delivered. Rohde and Schwarz claims that the radio solution is the first DAB+ system to be deployed in the Gulf region.

The Jumailiya site, which was primarily an upgrade, included a complete turnkey project that comprised channel combiners, automatic upper lower antenna change over units, programme input equipment, electrical systems as well as a remote control system.

The second site, located in Doha, was a brand new installation, which included 16-panel dual input UHF & 16-panel dual input VHF dual antennas, dual feeders, programme input and monitoring equipment, electrical systems as well as a remote control and monitoring system.

Elaborating on the project, Vikas Eshwarahally, CEO of Rohde and Schwarz MEA states that the TV project was initially for the replacement of transmitters in both Jumailiya as well as Al Dafna sites.

However instead of Al Dafna, QMC decided to deploy the transmitters at a new facility built within its complex in Doha.

Qatar gears up for digital transmissionBroadcastPro ME brings you an exclusive report from Doha on two major tv and radio transmission projects

Rohde & Schwarz undertook a turnkey FM & Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB+) transmission project for QMC. This project included the provision of a 159m self-supporting tower (see pic), a six-channel FM combiner, 24-panel dual input FM antenna system with dual feeders, manual antenna change over unit, programme input and monitoring equipment, electrical system as well as a remote control and monitoring system.

R&S claims that this is the first Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB+) system to be implemented in the Gulf. The DAB+ system consists of a main and a standby 300watt R&S SLA8000 series transmitter. The system also includes a head end unit that can presently transmit 10 programmes but can be expanded to include an additional 10. It also includes programme input and monitoring equipment as well as a 12-panel DAB antenna system with feeder.

The FM project comprises six main and one standby 2.5kW R&S SR8250 transmitters.

“These transmitters are very compact and this was an important requirement for QMC as the space in this building was limited. The SR8250, 2.5kW transmitters are just eight rack units and hence a single 19” rack can hold a 2+1 system,” explains Eshwarahally.

QMC deploys region’s first DAB+ system


prOQAtAr

The system supplied was for two TV programmes transmitting in UHF band.

The transmitters deployed were the latest R&S NHNV8606 dual cast UHF TV transmitters that are liquid cooled and capable of dissipating 10kW in analogue and 3.7kW in DVB-T. The system has been designed to have two main transmitters and a common stand-by.

This solution includes channel combiners to combine the two transmitters into a single existing antenna system; automatic upper and lower antenna changeover units to enable to switch both the transmitters to one half of the antenna in case of a half antenna failure; programme input equipment to monitor the input as well as transmitted audio and video signals; electrical systems and a remote control system.

The Doha site, by comparison, is brand new. This station comprises a main 5kW and a standby UHF TV dual cast liquid cooled transmitters as well as a main 5kW and a standby 4kW VHF TV dual cast liquid-cooled transmitters.

These 16 panel dual input UHF & VHF antenna systems are again configured as upper and lower antennas with dual feeders, thus providing the flexibility to transmit on either of the half antennas in the event of a half antenna failure.

Here again, the newly-deployed dual cast TV transmitters may be

switched to DVB-T at any time without any additional hardware.

The Doha TV system was commissioned in December 2010.

“The NHHV8600 and the NMNW8500 series transmitters supplied for this project are the most efficient transmitters in terms of power consumption in the market. They have extremely user-friendly control unit menus that allow the operators to check the status of the transmitters and all the parameters of the exciters and amplifiers by a simple selection of menus. Another feature with these transmitters is that they can continue to operate with full power even if the control unit fails,” claims Eshwarahally.

More importantly, the TV transmission systems from Jumailiya, Doha as well as the FM & the DAB transmission systems from Doha can be controlled from the central monitoring station in Doha. prO

“Most Gulf countries have agreed to switch from analogue to digital transmission (DVB-T) by 2013. As a result, all new stations are deploying equipment that can be switched from analogue to digital in the near future”Vikas Eshwarahally, CEO, Rohde & Schwarz Middle East

The DAB+ transmitters at QMC‘s site in Doha.

The UHF and VHF transmitters at the Doha site.The FM combiners and antenna patch panels.


prOQAtAr

Hitachi BroadcastHitachi Kokusai Electric EuropeTel: +44 (0) 845 1212177 Email: [email protected] www.hitachi-keu.com

KSA - First Gulf company +966 1 219 0888 / Egypt - Etaco +20 2 5865270 / UAE - [email protected]

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P.O.Box 124137 Dubai - UAETel: +971 4 3390944 / 3390945Fax: +971 4 3390922

E-mail: [email protected], Road8, Al Quoz Industrial Area

Master PrimeUltra Prime

Compact PrimeCarl Zeiss Cine LensesWe make it visible

Projection

to

from

Visit Stand S2-G33Amaranthineat CABSAT, 8-10 February 2011

Production Your Reliable Partner

Authorized Representative

Avid iSiS 5000The Avid ISIS 5000 video storage solution provides reliability, performance and collaborative capability needed to put the media to work more effectively. Avid’s Application Specialist will be available at the Avid booth to answer all queries about the Avid Interplay PAM system and Avid iNews, a computer newsroom system that ties together a range of news production tools to streamline the process of completing a news broadcast and getting it to air.

Distribution partner MediaCast will also show how to enhance your post-production efficiency by eliminating the need to render effects, transcode video, or copy files. Video Satellite is a software option that allows Pro Tools|HD editors to quickly and easily play Avid HD or SD video sequences from a dedicated Mac or Windows-based computer, running Avid Media Composer software, in sync with their Pro Tools session. It also enables you to tap into Avid shared media environments to stream video. And because all video playback is offloaded onto a separate but synced (Mac or PC) computer, one can maintain the full audio track count and processing power of Pro Tools|HD. - S3-C31, S3-d1

Axon SynApSeAxon’s Synapse system continues to grow, with 3Gig processing and now with, the 3D processor G3D100, a low latency, dual-channel (stereoscopic) module with specific 3D functions; horizontal and vertical flip on either input for 3D mirror rigs, plus left and right ‘eye’ signal squeeze to present combined anamorphic side-by-side images in a single stream. With two full-blown colour correctors on-board, combined with the on-board mixer can be used to create any type op anaglyph 3D video. The unit has recently been enhanced with 2D to 3D conversion. The module has been used for various 3D demo transmissions in Europe, Middle East and the US.

Another important area within the Synapse product line is Dolby processing. AXON has 15 modules which can either encode, decode or transcode Dolby E, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Pulse.

Axon’s SynView multiviewer system is also available with DVI and VGA inputs, and output resolution of up to 1920x1200. Audio bar graphs, multiple Tally and UMD OSD are included as standard. Synview will accept LTC, VITC and NTP for multiple analogue or digital clock displays. Overall, an efficient, integrated monitor solution.

TRACS2, Axon’s third generation video air check / compliance and recording system and Cortex, its monitoring and control software will also be featured. - S2-B32

DaVinci ResolveThe Blackmagic/DaVinci Resolve for Mac will be one of the main attractions at the MediaCast stand. Colour enhancement in DaVinci Resolve centres around clip-based colour correction and real time conforming process. Within each clip, nodes are used to create and control the color correction and to enhance the image by simply adding a series of nodes together. Within each node, a primary and/or secondary YRGB correction may be applied and combined with a Circular, Linear, Polygon, or Power Curve Window. Each node can also have image and matte defocus as well as custom curves.

DaVinci Resolve includes an automatic image tracking tool for PowerWindows, native file support for several camera and image formats, EDL and conforming tools, and real time SD and HD tape ingest and playout. - S3-d1

Digital Vision’s Nucoda Film MasterDigital Vision will be demonstrating its Nucoda Film Master, a comprehensive colour grading and finishing solution for feature films and commercials, delivering digital cinema content up to 4k. Used by clients such as Pixar Animation Studios (Toy Story 3), Animal Logic (Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole) and Post Republic (StreetDance 3D) Nucoda Film Master creates complex looks and visual styles for animation, 2k/4k film and stereoscopic 3D. - S3-d41


PROCABSAT

Canon XF 100 seriesCanon Middle East has launched its XF105 and XF100 – the smallest models ever to include the broadcast-quality MPEG-2 Full HD recording codec (50Mbps, 4:2:2). Designed to offer highly-portable Full HD recording, these new camcorders provide high specifications, mobility and versatility. These cameras are designed for users who need the flexibility to work in a range of field-based situations.

The XF105 offers enhanced integration into a studio set-up or multi-camera shoots thanks to an HD-SDI output, and shared Timecode input/output and Genlock input. The cameras record MPEG-2 Full HD video in industry-standard, open-source MXF (Material eXchange Format) files to Compact Flash (CF) memory cards at transfer rates of up to 50Mbps, with rich 4:2:2 colour sampling – capturing high levels of colour information for post production. Canon MPEG-2 MXF video files are fully compatible with major editing and processing software packages from Adobe Systems Incorporated, Apple Inc., Avid. and Grass Valley, ensuring videographers can immediately integrate XF105 and XF100 into their workflow. - S1-e41

Chyron AxiSChyron’s AXIS graphics platform is a cloud-based service that has become a major player in on-demand graphics. The world’s only cloud-computing graphics creator designed specifically for the broadcaster, AXIS simplifies, streamlines, and facilitates the graphics creation workload across many users in a broadcast operation — from reporters to production assistants to news producers. Integrating into the broadcaster’s existing or Chyron-based workflow, AXIS combines technology and functionality, integration, and point-and-click customisation.

AXIS services include high-resolution maps, 3D charts, financial quotes, and a virtually unlimited set of tools for topical news graphics creation. Each service is designed for ease of use and maximum workflow efficiency.

AXIS provides broadcast staff pre-built templates that they can use for quick creation of graphics for multiple outlets, including websites, mobile devices, and print publications. Graphics creation that once took hours now takes minutes, saving time and money, and enabling artists to concentrate on high-end design. The result is a fast return on investment, followed by substantial savings in operations. AXIS services are set to launch in EMEA this year. - S3-24

neTiA ConTenT MAnAgeMenT SySTeMNETIA’s new Content Management System (CMS) will be showcased at CABSAT. CMS allows users to globally streamline all of their production. The new suite allows users to connect all of their partners and vendors within a single production ecosystem, simplifying the sharing and managing of media assets. Users can now manage all of the processes within the production environment from editing through post and distribution through one unique and easy to use interface. The new web-based interface, built on Silverlight technology, allows for more performance and greater security. - S1-A11

Wohler pAndorA loudneSS MoniTorPandora is a compact and easy-to-read desktop or rack-mountable loudness monitor that offers simple, accurate loudness monitoring. Pandora provides a clear, accurate reading of loudness measurements for any SDI video signal with audio. Accepting and analysing SDI, AES, stereo, or multichannel audio, Pandora gives the user an accurate reading of loudness measurements (LKFS) over a user-defined period of time, ranging from five seconds to 60 minutes. - S3-B31

BCe AT CABSAT BCE will present the evolution of its global file-based distribution over the cloud with its new applications with mobile devices, its open architecture allowing any company to receive or send content at a very high speed to any other companies in the world with or without the installation of hardware and its other applications such as the installation on dedicated lines and its strenght to erase latency issues. BCE is also looking to find a local sales partner at CABSAT to better support in the Middle East. - S2-A43


PROCABSAT

For more information

Tel: +971 (0) 44 329143 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.tsl.co.uk

TSL FZ LLC, Building 4, Office 4101, P.O. Box 502751, Dubai Studio City, U.A.E.

From design to realityMore than 2 billion Dirhams of equipment and services have been delivered worldwide giving TSL a unique level of expertise.

Our regional office in Dubai gives the Middle East market access to a large team of experts. We provide services ranging from consultancy and detailed design through to full installation and integration of IT, TV, Audio and Broadcast Systems.

TSL Middle East has also been busy installing a 4 camera news studio and providing consultancy services to some of the region’s top broadcasters.

Staffed with experts and supported by one of the world’s largest Systems Integrators, TSL Middle East is the partner of choice for both traditional broadcast integration and more complex integrations of IT, Storage, Software and Workflow.

Recent projects utilising our in region expertise and personnel include:

• Core IT network migrations

• Design and installation of high performance storage platforms

• Turnkey design and installation of cutting edge file based newsroom solutions

® Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories

See TSL Systems Integration at CabSat 2011, Stand S2-E21

egripMenT SySTeMSEgripment will showcase its TDT Encoded System, a high quality encoding package that can several kinds of augmented reality such as realistic backgrounds, virtual advertisements or virtually created figures that interact with a real person. In addition, it is easy to integrate with the graphics software of leading manufacturers of virtual studio systems and graphics systems. Egripment will also showcase its ProTraveller System, which includes a new jib/crane system for the prosumer type cameras and budget. No mounting is impossible and the ProTraveller system is very easy to transport. It will also show the Focus Dolly Light + Aluminum Pack Track, a lightweight, ultra-portable dolly for track use and the 305 remote head, which offers a smooth response and reliability. - S3-A31

Fujinon HA14x4.5BEFujinon’s new HA14x4.5BE RM/RD is a high-end HD Broadcast ENG style 2/3” wide-angle lens. It features an exclusive 2.2x extender that extends the focal length from 9.9 to 138mm. Without the extender, the lens has a focal length of 4.5 up to a maximum of 63mm. The lens has a 14x zoom factor with a maximum relative aperture; 1:1.8 / 4.5mm to 41mm and 1:2.8 at 59mm. Enhancements to the HA14x4.5BE RM/RD include minimised geometric distortion and improved corner resolution and contrast. It is well suited for studio productions, commercials, music videos, sporting events, digital cinema applications which require the highest image quality. It also features ‘Inner Focus’ and minimised lens breathing, Quick Zoom for rapid zoom movement and Zoom Limit for automated zooming parameters- Quick Frame is available as an option. - S3-11

p+S TeChniK 16Sr CAM16SR film cameras can now be transformed to digital cinematography cameras. With the 16Digital SR Mag, Arri 16SR cameras are able to shoot up to 60 fps, with a sensor resolution of 1920 x 1080, to HD RAW files. This camera alone presently permits shooting and capturing digital film in HD and analogue film.

Designed for versatility, the 16Digital SR Mag combines the intuitive user interface known from film with fast and convenient digital workflow advantages. The camera has a single CMOS sensor allowing the operator to shoot and digitally capture on set. The optical viewfinder remains intact and the on-set operation is close to film. All 16mm PL mount lenses can be used. All changes are non-destructive and completely reversible, meaning that users can easily switch back and forth from film to digital.

The 16Digital SR Magazine is designed for different apps such as documentaries and independent films. The power supply of the 16Digital SR Magazine is performed through the ARRI SR camera itself, external power supplies for the 16Digital SR Magazine are not necessary. Besides this, the 16Digital SR Magazine includes an innovative and convenient wireless operation concept via smart phones (iPhone, BlackBerry etc.), net- and notebooks.

P + S Technik solutions will be showcased at Advanced Media’s stand. The Dubai-based distributor will also demonstrate solutions from a wide range of other brands it represents in

the Middle East. - S3-C1

pixel poWer’S BrAndMASTerPixel Power is debuting its BrandMaster Control System, a user configurable, any-screen-to-any-device branding and master control environment in the Middle East at CABSAT. Customers can deploy Video Switch Panels (hardware) combined with unique full-colour TFT switches that can display images of graphics and video assets, alone or in combination with soft panels configured and hosted within the Pixel Power Management Console environment. Using TCP/IP protocols, this control system provides previously unseen levels of configurability and control over the BrandMaster environment and beyond. - S3-20


PROCABSAT

riedel MediorneT The new MediorNet On-Screen-Display options expand the system’s usability and monitor-ing features. The display shows connection status, distribution status, signal status, timecode, destination or source of the video inputs and outputs. An integrated Quadsplit-function enhances MediorNet’s display possibilities even further and continues to eliminate the need for external hardware.Likewise, the new MediorNet MN-HD6IO HD/SDI video card offers two inputs, two outputs and two universal connectors that can be defined by the user as inputs or outputs. This expands the connectivity of a MediorNet mainframe by 50 per cent. At the same time the card offers a saving of 30 per cent in costs.

The MediorNet MN-HD6IO video card is available in two different versions. While the standard version offers software based conversion and processing features, the enhanced version provides additional on-board signal conversion. Standard cards can be easily upgraded to the enhanced version. - S1-A32

REDROCK MICRO M3The brand new M3 is a 35mm lens adapter designed to achieve a film look with your existing video camera. The M3 from Redrock Micro features optics designed to deliver approximately ¼ stop nearly transparent operation; high rpm spinning ground glass to stop the lens down to f16 or more without showing grain; state-of-the-art power system with locking lemo-style connectors, auxiliary power ports, rechargeable batteries, and power status indicators; Pro housing, and tool-less setup and operation. Combined with a video camera, the M3 delivers an HDSLR “film look” while eliminating the drawbacks of HDSLR cameras. An M3 rig and HDSLR cameras can be used together for a high quality multi-camera solution. This product and others such as the RL48-A HD LED Ring Light series from Rotolight will be showcased at the stand of UBMS. - S3-B21

CABSAT will see the addition of Ross Video’s CrossOver Solo, Solo GFX and ‘Studio’ packages to the family of CrossOver production switchers. Crossover Solo is based on the CrossOver 12, and has the same features and specifications. However, the main electronics and signal I/O are combined with the panel as a single unit — reducing cost and size.

The Solo’s features include 12 external multi-definition SDI inputs; 10 input multi-viewer; SD/HD operation; six internally-generated sources; three keyers; two 2D DVEs; input frame synchronisation for untimed sources; internal SD to HD conversion; four internal media stores for stills and animations; superb UltraChrome chroma keyer; internal reference generator with three independent outputs and 100 event memory system with MemoryAI.

The CrossOver Solo GFX package combines Solo with a special version of XPression Live CG, a software only version that can be loaded onto a PC and directly interfaced to the Crossover Solo via a direct Ethernet link. With XPression you can build 3D graphics, add logos on multiple layers, and create titles into your production. Once completed, graphics are transferred to the switcher for inclusion in your production. Create and apply your look from an intuitive rundown based sequencer and render directly to CrossOver’s Media Store channels via a network link which leaves all 12 of the Solo’s video inputs free for cameras and other video sources. All CrossOver systems will be showcased at CABSAT. They can operate in SD and HD modes. - S2-B23

vinTen’S viSion Blue And veCTor 430Vinten will showcase its new Vision Blue and Vector 430 at CABSAT. The Vision blue is a competitively priced pan and tilt head and tripod system which is designed to provide the experienced camera operator with professional support to match the extremely high-performance of today’s popular small lightweight camcorders and DSLRs equipped for video. The Vision Blue addresses the need for a broadcast quality tripod system capable of genuinely balancing the smaller, lightly accessorised cameras. - S3-B41

CrossOver with Ross


PROCABSAT


PROCABSAT

Arri ALEXAThe Arri ALEXA is a film-style digital motion picture camera made by Arri. The camera marks Arri’s first major transition into digital cinematography after smaller previous efforts such as the Arriflex D-20 and D-21. The ALEXA features a new Super 35 format sensor that delivers high quality images with a base sensitivity of EI 800, low noise and an unsurpassed dynamic range of 13.5 stops. ARRI Imaging Technology (AIT) captures organic, film-like images, with natural colour rendition and pleasing skin tones.

The Dual Gain Architecture (DGA) design of ALEXA’s CMOS sensor ensures the same wide exposure latitude across a range of sensitivity from EI 200 to EI 1600. Good detail in both highlight and shadow areas as well as a very low noise level help the colourist to reduce time, effort and thus, cost in grading. ALEXA’s excellent signal to noise ratio and clean colour separation are particularly effective for greenscreen and VFX work.

ALEXA’s internal recorder encodes ProRes 422 (HQ) or ProRes 444 images, along with audio, metadata and Final Cut Pro (FCP) XML files. These files load directly into FCP for editing, coloring and finishing work. Furthermore, the extremely high quality of Apple’s ProRes 422 (HQ) and ProRes 4444 codecs means that the edited result can be immediately distributed. In addition, the Exchangeable Lens Mount (ELM) system allows the use of PL as well as Panavision, Canon or Nikon lenses. The camera will be showcased at Dubai-based distributor Amaranthine’s stand. Amaranthine also held a workshop on the ALEXA in January in Dubai. - S2-g33

TediAl WorKfloWSTedial will be showing solutions to address key challenges faced by broadcasters working with file-based workflows involving different technologies and formats. “Our 80-strong engineering team is continually improving our software by constantly integrating diverse technology solutions to enable broadcasters move content seamlessly and automatically amongst products, systems and facilities,” said Rafael Dubois, sales director of Tedial Tedial solutions have been chosen by many broadcasters including Turkey’s TRT, and Oman TV; both with large media asset archives and driven to significantly improve their production workflows. - S1-e31

Belden BrilliAnCeOne of Belden’s key new applications is the Brilliance 1794A Precision Video Coax Cable — the first cable designed specifically to meet the requirements of emerging 1080p/60 (in U.S.), 1080p/50 (in EU) 3 Gigabit applications. Brilliance 1794A Precision Digital Video Cable features the same high-velocity core as 1694A and has an enhanced Belden Duobond shield for the ultimate in shield effectiveness. The new, slightly larger cable design improves on the distance performance of 1694A (at 16AWG), providing 1080p/50-60 distance of 314 feet (96 meters) when calculated with the SMPTE distance formula. Belden will be at partner Al Mazroui’s stand. - S3-B1

Snell CenTrASnell’s Centra is the company’s next-generation control and monitoring platform, which delivers unified control, monitoring, and playout right across a business. Through enhanced integration with Snell products and third-party broadcast and IT technology, Centra brings new operational efficiencies through centralised configuration and control to all areas of real-time content preparation, infrastructure management, studio, and OB productions. Productions can be switched and infrastructure can be reconfigured at the press of a button. Also on show will be a new range of control panels for Centra. The highly configurable panels provide flexible user interfaces for standalone work with the system’s GUI. - S2-C11

Calrec’s Artemis, which is based on the Apollo platform, will be demonstrated at CABSAT. Utilising the Bluefin2 and Hydra2 core technologies, Artemis has an enormous routing and processing capacity. It gives up to 680 channel processing paths, 128 programme busses, 64 IFB/Track outputs and 32 auxiliaries. Its unique control surface provides instant visual feedback and unrivalled flexibility. It will be running the all new V1.5 software which, enables the operator to utilise H20. H20 is Calrec’s Hydra2 router organiser software, which

allows port to port patching, access rights management, and labeling and organizing of all sources and destinations.

Also making its Middle East debut will be the Hydra2 modular I/O solution. This is designed to provide maximum flexibility to a facility, allowing the I/O to be configured exactly to the customer’s requirements, allowing a cost effective and space saving solution.

Manning the stand will be Anthony Harrison, Calrec’s sales executive dedicated to the Middle East. - S1-A31

The Vinten Osprey Elite studio pedestal, fitted with a Vinten Radamec Fusion Bolt on Height Drive and Fusion FH-100 robotic and manual head will be the focus of this stand. These can be fitted to any Vinten or Sachtler non skirted manual pedestal in the field, giving precise control over pan, tilt and elevation when in automatic mode, with the capability of switching at the touch of a button to fully manual mode, giving the system the feel of a conventional Vinten pedestal.

It will be teamed with a Vinten Radamec HDVRC control system. Complex moves can be defined in advance, then initiated directly from a touch-screen controller. On-shot trims can be made using a joystick, ensuring perfect framing even when the performers are out of place. The networked architecture of the HDVRC brings multiple benefits, including the ability to control cameras over multiple sites, allowing remote and local studios to be operated simultaneously from the same controller. As well as the broad range of Vinten Radamec robotics the system is capable of driving Autocam and Radamec products, as well as specialist units such as external weather cameras. - S3-B41

Vinten Osprey

Calrec Artemis

Be STudio ToolSBroadcast Electronics (BE) returns to CABSAT with new studio tools for its AudioVAULT radio automation system and its latest low power, scalable FM transmitter with built-in extras such as exciter and IP connectivity. BE will showcase these and other studio and RF products, including RDS generators and new social media applications.

New AudioVAULT FleX tools include an enhanced voice tracker and segue editor with gain envelope control for seamlessly managing cross fades. Also new is an audio production gadget dock with support for quick records, and marking hooks and loops on the fly. These new features bring additional functionality into making the delivery of programming more efficient in real-time.

AudioVAULT FleX is BE’s next-generation automation system featuring reliability, true IP networking, and changeable screens according to talent preference, show requirements or other studio purposes.

BE will also present the STX LP FM transmitter, which is of particular interest to private broadcasters because of its price, size, scalability and feature-rich capabilities. It is scalable from 1 kW to 5 kW and features advanced, single-frequency technology for synchronised, continuous regional coverage.

In addition to its STX LP, BE makes a full line of AM and FM transmitters for a wide range of power levels and applications. - S2-14


PROCABSAT

B e c a u s e i t m a t t e r s .

From 3G to 3D,connect with AJA.

www.aja.com

Designed for the latest desktop workflows, KONA 3G builds on the industry standard KONA 3 platform, adding 3G SDI I/O,and true 3D HDMI 1.4a monitoring support.

Chosen for their outstanding performance and unparalleled reliability, KONA cards are cross-platform, giving you the freedom to work with any format - in the software of your choice.

KONA 3G. Power. Performance. Price. Multi-format SD/HD/2K Video I/O Hardware

Joining our range of Mini-Converters, Hi5-3D is a fast, flexible way to monitor true stereoscopic 3D footage. Combining two SDI inputs into various multiplexed 3D formats for output on true 3D HDMI 1.4a and SDI, Hi5-3D fully supports “side-by-side”, “top-bottom”, and “frame-packing” 3D modes.

Easy to set-up and configure, Hi5-3D features both dipswitch control and USB host control via AJA’s Mini-Config application.

Hi5-3D. Stereo 3D, Simply.HD/3G-SDI to true 3D HDMI 1.4a Stereo Mini-Converter

• Seamless integration with Apple Final Cut Studio, Adobe CS5 and more• Uncompressed Quicktime, and DPX file format support• FCP Dynamic RT Extreme and DVCPro HD / HDV hardware scaling acceleration• Broadcast quality hardware based 10-bit up-, down-, and cross-conversion• RED Epic and ARRI Alexa workflow ease with true 2K playback and LUT support in realtime• 3D workflow support with discrete left and right eye output

NEW

NEW

AJA Distributor for the Middle East - Tel.: +971 4 3903069, www.mediasysdubai.com


PROCABSAT

inTegrAl SySTeMS poinTS The WAyIntegral Systems, through its Integral Systems Service Solutions (IS3) division, will showcase its new service offerings for ground station Geolocation and QoS monitoring in satcom applications. Its infrastructure comprises a total of 10 Earth Stations and 2 NOC facilities. Those stations are used to analyse signals coming from the interfered satellite and to capture signals coming from an adjacent satellite. Based on complex algorithms and computation ISE can provide the location of the illegal transmitter. The services include electro-magnetic/radio frequency interference (EMI/RFI) characterisation and Geolocation of sources of interference identified (detected) by the customer. Depending on payload and satellite beam switching, the acquisition is performed over one or several regions.

Once a Geolocation process is completed by IS3 operators and the analysis is successful, the report will be sent to the customer. This analysis will provide a map with a confidence ellipse encompassing any uncertainties in the results.

If available, additional information could be added regarding the analysed signal. The QoS (Quality of Service) RF Link Monitoring is a service proposed by IS3. To perform those analyses Integral Systems uses its leading Carrier System Monitoring product combined with Digital Signal Processing to monitor carriers and bandwidth for QoS indicators.

As well as doing link analysis, the system displays any carrier under carrier to identify potential interference and characterise it with unique algorithm techniques. - S-f43

Technosat STBSet-top box manufacturer Technosat will bring to the Middle East a hybrid box that marries broadcast with broadband. In the company’s own words, “Free-to-air meets Pay TV” through Technosat’s ICHD platform. Features include DVB-S2 available in S/T/T2 and C; USB PVR; internet browsing and e-mail client to send and receive emails while watching one’s favourite programme; teletext; a programme guide; VOD with 50,000 movie titles and video content to browse from; video search engine; payment processing and T-commerce; a learning feature; and Conax chipset pairing cams among others. - S1-K13

Broadsat, a leading provider of services in the field of telecommunication, will showcase its PRISMA Deluxe Entertainment System which offers TV channels, Radio, Movies, Music and much more for hotels. It will also showcase its collective mobile solutions, which develops broadband service platforms for mobile vehicles including trains, ships, airplanes, coaches. All communication infrastructure including satellite, GPRS, UMTS, TETRA, WI-FI can be used. The system interoperates with any type of Service Provider that wishes to provide onboard services including connectivity, entertainment, maintenance thanks to the Vertical handover technology. - S1-14

OptributionGerman–based DEV Systemtechnik will present more than 50 new products for the optical transmission, reception and distribution of RF signals in satellite communications and CATV systems. The comprehensive product family Optribution – Optical Transmission and Distribution of RF Signals developed by DEV in the last couple of months, covers the entire spectrum of functionalities between antenna and receiver.

Four different form factors within the Optribution product line stand ready to meet the user’s signal transmission demands. Choice of the best fitting Optribution product depends on the number of signals to be transported. The 1RU chassis with two universal slots accepts up to two signals, the 3 RU chassis with up to 20 optical slots can handle up to 40 signals. The 4 RU chassis with actually 16 optical slots is additionally able to distribute (1:8, 16, 32, 64) or switch (4x8, 16, 32, 4x64) incoming signals. The newly implemented CWDM technology allows the user to transmit up to eight independent channels over only one optical fiber. The completely new developed Outdoor Chassis offers four slots, enabling a 4+1 redundancy at the antenna. It can be installed near the antenna and converts the signals directly there. The wide operating temperature range from -30 to +60 °C allows for worldwide deployment even in demanding weather conditions. - S2-21

Broadsat PRISMA

Total Lighting SolutionsLighting System

P.O.Box 124137 Dubai- UAE37, Road8, Al Quoz Industrial Area

Tel: +971 4 3390944 / 3390945Authorized Representative

www.amaranthine.ae

E-mail: [email protected]

Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011

Stand S2-G33 Visit us at




www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011





www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011





www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011





www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011





www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011





www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011





www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011





www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011





www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011





www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011





www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011





www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011





www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011





www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011





www.amaranthine.ae


Fax: +971 4 3390922

CABSAT 2011



PROCABSAT

BluSenS CroWd CounTerSpanish high-end consumer electronics manufacturer Blusens will officially launch its revolutionary crowd counting system that applies to Digital Signage at CABSAT.

The new Bluesens system provides a whole new perspective on Return on Investment (ROI) for advertisers, advertising agencies and facilities operators as it can accurately return ad impact count, an accuracy of up to 90% within the system’s range.

And, if this was not enough, the system will give you complete feedback on the age and gender of the viewer as well as the time they stood watching your ad.

This system has the capacity to provide all the tools to value, schedule and exploit the advertising value of any location. “The advantage of knowing the age and gender ratios at different times in one location allows the advertiser to tailor-make campaigns in ways unimaginable until now. Thanks to this solution, the advertiser can increase the effectiveness of digital signage campaigns using audience’s reliable and strong data instead of inference,” stated Miguel Churruca, marketing and communications director of Blusens Global Corporation. - S1-l11

ThoMSon eliTe 1000Thomson Broadcast’s Elite 1000 GreenPower Transmitter Line will be the focus at CABSAT. The high-performance UHF transmitter features 50-V LDMOS technology and boasts an output power of up to 9.6 kW DVB per unit with an energy consumption savings of up to 15 percent over the previous Elite transmitter series. Utilising Thomson real-time Digital Adaptive Pre-correction (DAP), the Elite 1000 GreenPower line provides leading-edge DTV transmission efficiency, optimised output power, exemplary signal quality, and high redundancy. Also showcased will be the DVB-T2 Exciter, which is for analogue broadcasters switching directly to DVB-T2 and the DRM Content Server With Diveemo Data Service. - S2-d32

Release 8 of Newtec’s Azimuth and Elevation professional equipment products for broadcast and IP over satellite applications adds AES encryption for full protection of the satellite link, a new full C-band upconverter, a completely new Graphical User Interface (GUI), Generic Stream Encapsulation (GSE) for Elevation IP products, extended Layer 1 and Layer 2 shaping functionality and more. A full broadcast uplink and downlink set-up will be available at CABSAT 2011. Newtec will also showcase DualFlow, a new technology that allows broadcasters to migrate cost-effectively from traditional ASI to IP-based satellite operation, with efficient investment during the transition period. Aimed at the contribution, DSNG and distribution markets, DualFlow enables two-way IP interactivity over satellite and allows operators to choose when they make the switch to IP by simultaneously supporting both ASI and IP. Operators can therefore continue to service clients using ASI and cater to clients already converted to IP operation. DualFlow is available as part of Newtec’s Azimuth satellite broadcasting modulation equipment. - S-f12

Televes will be officially launching its new advanced, interactive, digital HD set-top box – the STB2010, which is designed to receive IP services and have the ability to develop interactive applications and services on its integrated browser. The STB is already available in the Middle East facilities of Televes and will be commercialised under the Arantia brand name providing a base for further expansion into the IPTV world for Televes.

Key features on the STB include MPEG 2 and MPEG 4 AVC / H264 hybrid platform; HD up to 720p and 1080i; advanced user interface navigation via embedded browser; HDMI interface with HDCP copy protection; multiple Ethernet interface; USB 2.0 high speed communication port; TV Interface (TVI) and IR extender; remote configuration and management; open standards support to facilitate rapid application development; modular system architecture ready for the features and services evolution and a web-browser with a versatile Javascript API. - S1-l1

Televes HD-IPTV STB

Newtec Azimuth

PROGUEST


We have recently seen the emergence of systems integration firms in the Middle East. But there is a fine line between the truly specialised integrators (SIs) and companies that offer systems integration as an additional service beyond their traditional businesses of equipment supply or box sales. The latter typically hire contract engineers on a per-project basis and brand themselves as “systems integrators”. In order for SIs to be competitive in this market, they have to have a very broad but deep understanding of many facets of the broadcast industry, with working knowledge in the Middle East’s media industry.

Although the engineering skills may be there, many of them lack the stability, resources, and real-world experience required to successfully carry out complex implementations and crucial systems upgrades. They lack knowledge of the business, production, editorial, or creative processes and workflows within the media production and broadcasting chain.

Some international SIs have recently opened representative offices in the region, and that is an appreciated first step. However, what is required more than a token presence is the real availability of qualified project and engineering staff, as well as pre-building systems in the region.

The ever developing new technologies deployed in broadcasting, and the continuously-evolving workflow environment are making broadcasters, content producers, and service providers re-think their existing workflows.

Few customers have the opportunity to internally develop the know-how, the skills, and the experience required to design and implement large-scale projects. While some broadcasters and facilities have the

Wanted: Systems integration partners, not box-shifters

resources internally to complete these projects, these jobs are found, in many cases, to be either too complex or time-consuming to manage internally.

In addition to the fact that broadcasting now has a new architecture that carries complex file-based workflows, significant value-adds would be gained by tapping into knowledge sources and different perspectives from outside the “in-house” team’s experience and comfort zones of familiar products, systems and workflows.

The role of the SI, therefore, is to guide the customer through the various technology paths and choices. The SI should stay up-to-date, even ahead in their disciplines, in order to give customers objective and brand-independent advice in a consultative process working to a common goal to build best-of-breed solutions.

Every project is highly customised, and enhances the SI’s experience and the value it brings to subsequent projects based on their exposure to new methods and solutions of different proportions and philosophies. With high levels of experience, integrators would be able to build the best possible custom system for the next client.

The issues of training and after-sales support are also of great importance: training and support should be provided not just for individual pieces of equipment, but more critically for the entire “integrated solution”. Rather than just pass on third party manufacturer warranties, the SI should assume this responsibility.

They should design and implement integrated solutions. They should provide the corresponding training, support and warranty on the “INTEGRATION” of the systems they have designed and implemented for the end user.

In the current scenario, customers are left with installations where products or parts of a workflow work very well independently but leave much to be desired when integrated with the larger workflow. In short, they do not deliver the goods as part of a larger whole and it is perhaps, not their business.

The overall integrated solution that the SI put together often comes with no warranty. The after-sales support is also often wanting of expertise and training from the SI.

Customers are, therefore, increasingly entering into ‘partnerships’ with their suppliers and service providers. Broadcasters are shifting their focus to core competencies and outsourcing non-core processes to specialist companies. As a result, it has become even more important for the customer to choose wisely.

If SIs are to gain a reputation in this market and win good business, they will need to act not as outsiders but as reliable business partners who understand the requirement of the end user and provide corresponding solutions rather than sell products in which they have vested interests. In today’s globalised industry, customers cannot be familiar with every supplier and product available so they should be able to trust SIs to make proper buying decisions.

A reliable partnership is more important than the traditional equipment supply contract. We want SIs working in the Middle East to provide knowledge, experience and trained “real” manpower; not part-time, high-cost consultants who are flown in every time there is a problem. PRO

Hasan R. Sayed Hasan is the head of twofour54 intaj

SYSTEMS• Broadcast and Professional Video• Conference and Translation Systems• Auditorium and Theatre Turnkey Projects• Public address and CCTV• Projection and Display Systems• Studio and ENG Lighting• Architectural Lighting• Digital Signage System • 3D Display & Conversion Systems

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training• Fast supply & reliable installation• Projects Planning & management• After Sales Service• Maintenance Contracts

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CCTV & PA Systems– CCTV system at Burj Khalifa

Architainment LightingSystems – Burj KhalifaCelebration Lighting System

P.O. Box 93, Dubai, U.A.E Tel: +971 4 2821337, Fax: +971 4 2822617P.O. Box 35807, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E Tel: +971 2 6217043, Fax: +971 2 6217042E-mail: [email protected], Web site: www.oasisppd.com

Dubai International Conventionand Exhibition Centre

8-10 February 2011

Stand S3-A31 Sheikh Saeed Hall

System IntegratedTurnkey projects forVideo, Audio & Lighting

BroadcastPro Middle East

Documents

Transcript of BroadcastPro Middle East