AMSTERDAM—Dolby Laboratories’ next-gen AC-4 audio delivery system, which was engineered to deliver high-quality television sound, along with the Dolby Atmos surround sound system dominated the company’s IBC Show stand this year.

Mathias Bendull

Mathias Bendull, Dolby’s vice president of multiscreen services audio, described AC-4 technology and some of its many benefits to members of the press in a Sept. 17 stand briefing.

“[As part of the audio encoding process] we identify the frequencies which are dialogue and put a flag there to identify these frequencies,” he said. “The decoder recognizes the flag and can boost those specific frequencies and duck the others so that you can understand the dialogue a little more clearly.” He noted that performing this speech frequency identification as part of the encoding process brought with it several benefits.

“You could do the same thing [at] the TV,” he said. “But you would have to have a stronger chip set; you would also have more latency. You want to avoid these things and [do] as much as possible upstream.

“AC-4 supports the ideal scenario where you create the dialogue as individual audio elements and allow the consumer to distinguish the ratio of the dialogue to the music. We have dialogue intelligibility in the existing workflows, so we take the existing 5.1 mixes and through an intelligent encoding process create better intelligibility on the playback device.”

He observed that it would be fairly easy for television receiver manufacturers to implement a button marked “improve dialogue.” This would instantly boost intelligibility of commentary or other dialogue for consumers who might have a hearing disability, or just want to minimize some of the music and sound effects being transmitted.

Bendull said that some of the major television receiver manufacturers are beginning to support AC-4, including Samsung and LG, and that two European broadcasters—Spain’s RTVE and France Télévisions—have been airing AC-4 audio.

“RTVE is using one of their channels [in Madrid] to deliver AC-4. The other one is in Paris, and that one has been on the air for almost a year-and-a-half now transmitting an AC-4 combination with HD, or sometimes 4K using Dolby Vision.”

SURROUND SOUND AS PART OF THE BIG (TV) PICTURE

Rob France, senior product marketing manager at Dolby, provided information about another Dolby technology, the Atmos surround sound system.

“Dolby Atmos for live sport is really about bringing [home] the passion of the game in ways that the vision alone just can’t [deliver],” said France. “Audio is the only way you can connect the fans with the crowds that are there [in the sports venue] in a really compelling way.

He explained that crowd noise, the sound from the kicking or striking of a ball, public-address audio, all contribute to a spectator’s experience when attending sports events in person and producers of such events for television employ all of these audio elements, and more, to bring the “live viewing” experience to the home television consumer as fully as possible. He added that live sports audio production differed from that in most other types of programming. 

“First, you are listening [mostly] to scene-based rather than specific individual sounds. [And] because of the time pressure and the complexity in producing a live event, you really have to look at a simpler way of producing audio,” noting that Atmos technology enables broadcasters to more easily do this and enhance the home viewer’s experience.

“[U.K. broadcasters] BT Sport and Sky Sports are producing regular football games in Dolby Atmos. BT Sport launched their Dolby Atmos broadcast as the world’s first broadcaster to do live content on a regular basis...in January of this year. Sky Sports recently launched the start of its season [with Atmos] about one month ago, and between them, they’re going to deliver about 200 events and matches through next year.”

DOLBY AND ATSC 3.0

As the audio use cases described centered on European deployments, France and Bendull were asked about U.S. broadcasting applications, specifically in connection with the pending ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard.

“You’re seeing it on Netflix and other services,” said France. “[And] we’ve see trials in the past with broadcasters in the U.S. as well. ATSC 3 will drive a lot of the content production, and it will naturally bring along all of the features of AC-4 such as the dialogue enhancement, which is absolutely key. Premium content will be mixed in Dolby Atmos…giving more features. Ultimately, ATSC 3, I think, will be one of those things that [will] cause content to be created in a better way.”

“Within ATSC 3, the U.S. broadcasters have decided to use AC-4 for the next-generation transmissions,” said Bendull. “The CTA…has followed that recommendation in their recent decision about next-generation ATSC 3 TVs as well, and we are currently engaged with a number of networks in the U.S. to launch trials in 2018 to test that, as we have done in Europe.”

(AC-4 audio has been adopted by the DVB Project and standardized by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute. It was approved on Feb. 23 this year as one of the next-generation audio transmission standards for use in ATSC 3.0.)

AMSTERDAM—Pixar’s “Toy Story” character Buzz Lightyear is famous for saying “To infinity and beyond,” and if the Telos Alliance TV Solutions Group has its way broadcasters too will be uttering something similar when deploying an intercom and planning for contribution audio.

At IBC 2017, the company introduced the Telos Infinity IP intercom that it hopes marks the next logical step beyond traditional matrix switching technology.

Telos Infinity transports both voice communications and contribution audio on a single IT backbone, the company said. Relying on standards-based voice-over-IP and Livewire+ AES67 audio-over-IP for transport, Telos Infinity is a distributed IP network solution that the company says is simple to use and “elegant” in form.

Key features include what the company calls “infinite scalability” for internal and external communications; plug-and-play device integration; and a lower total cost of ownership than traditional intercoms.

At the industry gathering in Amsterdam, TVB Europe, a sister publication of TVTechnology,honored the Telos Alliance TV Solutions Group with a Best of Show Award 2017 for the Telos Infinity IP intercom.

AMSTERDAM—The trio of Sinclair Broadcast Group, One Media and TeamCast were singled out during the Innovation Awards Ceremony during IBC 2017 to honor the work the three had done on the Next Generation of Broadcast Platform project. The project received the Highly Commended award in the Content Distribution category.

Kevin Cage, One Media (far left), Mark Aitken, SBG (center right) and Eric Pinson (far right) receive the award for the Next Generation of Broadcast Platform project.

Conducted by Sinclair, with the support of One Media and TeamCast, this project reconsiders the traditional way of deploying and operating a Terrestrial Broadcast Network. Some differences include the “small cell” network topology approach and the implementation of a standard agnostic and centralized transmitting technology, as implemented by TeamCast.

The concept was put to the test with an ATSC 3.0 Single Frequency Network experiment in Baltimore, which began in March 2016. A first deployment began during the second quarter of 2017 with the addition of a third transmitter to help refine the field experiment and acquire the experience for a nationwide deployment.

IBC awarded the trio the award on Sept. 17.

For a comprehensive list of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see our ATSC3 silo.

AMSTERDAM—The next 20 years are likely to see more technological innovation than the world has seen in the past 300 years, and Louisa Heinrich’s ‘Inventing the Future’ panel looked to predict and analyse some of the possibilities.

Hiroyuki Kawakita (a research scientist at NHK, Japan) showcased the broadcaster’s experimental work using stereoscopic TV as an overlay to mobile phone image capture. Another project was very high-resolution 360-degree (with footage captured in Patagonia) using a 4K image for each ‘eye’.

Nils Lenke (Nuance Communications) explained how ‘intelligent assistants’, already present in vehicle audio and some home automation systems, would grow exponentially. He talked about Amazon’s Alexa, and how it and similar concepts would expand and become even more versatile and how the internet giants would—no doubt—try to dominate. “It will be usual that these AIs will talk to each other. But would you let yours talk to your bank?”

Sasha Schriber, from Disney Research in Zurich, supplied a compelling demo of how Disney prepares for current and future projects, not least in tough to render problems like snow (real and collected from Davos for digitisation), human skin and eyes, and with clever applications such as their Cardinal ‘script to screen’ time-saving software.

George Wright (head of internet research, BBC R&D) explained that huge progress was being made. Notably, projects such as VR had moved out of the lab and was now in the hands of the commissioners and for delivery. “But some of our experiments fail. It isn’t always easy to hit the sweet spot.” Wright said he had no doubt that machine learning and AI would remain of huge interest to the BBC.

This story first appeared on TVT's sister publication TVB Europe. 

AMSTERDAM—IBC 2017 has revealed record-breaking attendance figures for its 50th anniversary conference.

Over the six-day event from Sept. 14-19, 57,699 people visited the RAI Exhibition and Convention Centre in Amsterdam to find out more about new innovations and opportunities across the technology sector.

Visitors to the 15 exhibition halls witnessed many exciting new launches; from the Launch Pad with its record number of exhibitors; the Future Reality Theatre; and the free programmes on offer at the Content Everywhere Hub.

IBC chief executive Michael Crimp said: “IBC 2017 celebrated its 50th anniversary with record attendance, bustling exhibition halls, new features and a dynamic conference.

The conference’s three new initiatives were a “huge success,” Crimp added, with the IP Showcase, Startup Forum and C-Tech Forum welcoming large audiences.

IBC 2018 will take place from Sept. 13-17, 2018, with the exhibition running from Sept. 14-18.

This story first appeared on TVT's sister publication TVB Europe. 

AMSTERDAM—TVBEurope has announced its Best of Show winners for IBC2017.

The awards honor innovation and outstanding product development, with an independent panel of judges examining each nominated product throughout the course of the show.

Products were judged according to a wide range of criteria, including ease of use/maintenance, performance against category standard, richness/relevance of the feature set, value/ROI, versatility, anticipated reliability and originality.

The NewBay Best of Show winners in the TVBEurope category are:

Amino ENABLE, Amino Communications

Aspera FASPStream in conjunction with Telestream Vantage and Lightspeed Live Capture, Aspera

Avid Media Composer | First, Avid

AIR320, AVIWEST

SNAPBOX, DoPChoice

Suggested TV, Easel TV

MediaFirst Video Processing Encoding Live mixing SDR content with HDR content in live broadcasting, Ericsson Media Solutions

ONE, EVS

Selenio Network Processor, Imagine Communications

LU600 with 4K HEVC Pro Card, LiveU

Mistika VR, SGO

NewTek NDI PTZ Camera, NewTek

Network ID, NexGuard

Paywizard Agile and Massive AXIS, Paywizard

All-New flowtech Tripod Technology, Sachtler and Vinten

Timed Text Speech, Telestream

Telos Infinity IP Intercom, The Telos Alliance: Television Solutions Group

Timeline’s triple-expanding IP 4K HDR outside broadcast truck, UHD2, Timeline Television

TVU Router, TVU Networks

Verspective RT, Verimatrix

PERSEUS-powered Universal Media Player, by V-Nova Ltd and THEO Technologies, V-Nova

news, x.news information technology

All entrants will also be featured in a Best of Show Digital Edition sent out after the show.

This story first appeared on TVT's sister publication TVB Europe. 

AMSTERDAM—IP is no longer a “future”—it is here and now. A visit to the IP Showcase at IBC 2017 (located in E.106) can confirm that real-time IP for production, playout and contribution is a practical, flexible, efficient reality that is ready to go live. An impressive array of diverse equipment from more than 50 vendors astonishes visitors as soon as they join the IP Showcase experience. This all-IP super-system includes almost any equipment that could be part of a linear broadcast workflow. All of the equipment is working together to demonstrate real-world IP interoperability based on SMPTE ST 2110 final draft standards and AMWA NMOS specifications. About 130 video signals are managed, routed, processed and delivered simultaneously. To prove ease of use as well as interoperability, the demonstrations are divided into logical application pods—live production signal flows, contribution and playout signal flows, etc.—all shown under the control of familiar user interfaces.

Imagine Communications introduced Versio Platform, a modular and highly customizable media workflow platform designed to optimize playout and related operations to meet individual operational and business objectives. According to the Firm, Versio Platform represents the industry’s first cloud-native, microservices-based and modular playout solution designed from the ground-up for pure-IP, geo-dispersed environments using commercial-off- the-shelf (COTS) hardware.

Versio Platform provides content producers and distributors with a menu of tightly integrated functional building blocks, including playout engine, automation and input/output requirements, on a function-by-function basis to support precise workflow requirements. Numerous value-added options, such as advanced audio track routing, multi- language captioning, UHD and proxy generation, can also be implemented incrementally—and on an as-needed basis. The platform also provides users with a choice among multiple deployment models, including premises, cloud (private or public) or hybrid.

Blackmagic Design is showcasing Ultimatte 12, a real-time hardware compositing processor that’s perfect for broadcast quality keying, adding augmented reality elements into shots, working with virtual sets and fitting the next generation of broadcast graphics. Ultimatte 12 features new algorithms and color science, powerful edge handling, improved color separation, reliable color fidelity and better spill suppression. The advanced 12G-SDI design gives Ultimatte 12 customers the flexibility to work in HD today and switch to Ultra HD when they are ready. Customers get sub pixel processing for great image quality and textures in both HD and Ultra HD. Ultimatte 12 is compatible with virtually all SD, HD and Ultra HD equipment, so customers can use it with the cameras they already have. Ultimatte 12 is controlled via Ultimatte Smart Remote 4, a touch screen remote that connects via Ethernet. Smart Remote 4 features physical buttons for switching and controlling any attached Ultimatte 12. There are also buttons for quickly loading and saving presets, along with a touch screen that provides total control over every parameter. Customers can also create their own custom control solutions. 

The keynote session “The Future with Robots that Are Like Us” allowed attendants to familiarize with man-like robots and the artificial intelligence technologies. David Hanson, founder and CEO of Hanson Robotics, was joined on stage by Sophia, Hanson Robotics’ latest and most advanced robot, and Professor Einstein, the first consumer robot from Hanson Robotics. Both robots can listen to the human voice and dynamically interact with other people.

Professor Einstein is an amazingly expressive humanoid robot who walks, plays games to improve memory and teaches science. Sophia is an evolving genius machine with human likeness, expressiveness, and a remarkable story as an awakening robot. Up to now, Sophia has become a media darling, has given numerous interviews to multiple media outlets and has been hosted in a talk show. Sophia’s AI learns from conversations with real people in the real world as she quests to learn what it means to be human. Looking at the real-time interaction between Sophia and a real human while they are (properly) talking to each other gives anyone a previously unexperienced feeling. Hanson said human-like robots will likely have a role in the TV and Media industry, for example actively acting like characters in lieu of computer-generated ones, as well as in supporting man-made activities.

The IBC Show runs through Tuesday, Sept. 19 at the RAI in Amsterdam. 

AMSTERDAM—Management software developer Xytech is the newest member of the Advanced Media Workflow Association. AMWA is billed as a community-driven forum that works on advancing business-driven solutions for networked media workflows. Xytech said in its announcement that it joined AMWA to keep its systems interoperable with all media workflows.

One of AMWA’s developments is the Networked Media Open Specifications. Xytech uses these specifications to monitor and manage devices within each media company’s network. The specifications enable vendors’ equipment and software to advertise themselves on the network the same way.

As part of AMWA, Xytech customers will be able to manage and monitor node interactions to introduce real-time accuracy to invoicing and billing with real-time dashboard reporting.

“With the work of the AMWA and the NMOS incubator project, Xytech understands the future is IP-based solutions as they offer broadcasters the flexibility to explore new business models, maintain top-of-the-line networks and add new capabilities without proprietary lock-ins or having to rebuild networks,” said Daniel Lynch, Xytech vice president of broadcast services.

With the addition of Xytech, AMWA reports that 11 media companies and 60 vendors are currently participating in its workstreams.

AMSTERDAM—There’s a huge amount of investment going into VR, AR and MR, in terms of content creativity and hardware. But panellists at IBC’s ‘Leaving the Hype behind’ session agreed that there was still some way to go. Ed Tang, founder and CTO at Avegant, and the business behind the Glyph headset and technology, said that as exciting as the industry is today, in reality it is at the same stage of development as the very early Motorola ‘brick’ mobile phones. “But we are moving very rapidly forward.”

That progress was demonstrated in a powerful presentation by Leen Segers, who told delegates that some €490 million investment cash had been raised in the past year, and that there were 487 companies in Europe working in the VR/AR/MR space. “And it isn’t just start-ups. Players such as Barco and Zeiss are extremely active, as are studios, media, education, distribution, gaming, social media, sport and healthcare as well as the high-profile hardware producers.”

Seger admitted there were problems, not helped by low penetration and fragmented distribution. She demonstrated the number of keystrokes needed to get to content on some apps and also said that for some consumers getting the hardware to link with content was a challenge. “Things are getting better. And 360° is totally underestimated, and super-interesting.”

Sky VR’s technical director Richard Mills showcased its Rebel Queen production, which took Sky’s creatives into Egypt for a comprehensive look at Queen Nefertiti, and which won a ‘Commendation’ at this year’s Venice Biennale. “It’s part-game, part-discovery but with a strong sense of involvement and empowerment for the user.”

LittlStar CEO Tony Mugavero drew attention to his company’s impressive list of clients, major Hollywood studios and international broadcasters, each of them investing in VR/AR and MR. LittlStar now has its own distribution arm where, he stressed, user analytics are a key component.

This story first appeared on TVT's sister publication TVB Europe. 

CUPERTINO, CALIF.—Broadcasters, pay-TV and OTT service providers have a new resource to help with quality of service and quality of experience following an announcement that Interra Systems is partnering with Verimatrix. This team effort will see Interra’s Orion content monitoring suite integrate Verimatrix’s ViewRight Web security client platform with availability on cloud-based servers or local data centers and provide a way to monitor in-depth content quality.

The Orion content monitoring products allow for the delivery of video on devices through software-defined architecture, audio and video checks, and deployability on cloud-based infrastructures. There is also Orion-OTT, the software-based OTT system, which validates ABR streams along with QoE in real time for multiscreen service delivery over unmanaged networks.

The ViewRight system, meanwhile, provides a multiscreen and multi-DRM platform for content security and monetization. The system is based on the Verimatrix Video Content Authority System platform and services. It has a MultiRights OTT plus offering a provide a user experience with a secure media player and uniform interface across all devices.

The companies will display the technologies at their respective booths, 7.B13 for Interra and 5.A59 for Verimatrix.

AMSTERDAM—Nevion, a media transport provider, is the latest manufactuer to make its products Tico-enabled. Tico, which was developed by intoPIX, is a compression technology designed to be the standard for moving live content over IP networks.

Nevion is adding Tico to its Virtuoso software-defined media node. The Virtuoso system provides real-time IP adaptation, compression, protection, monitoring, aggregation and signal processing functionality.

Virtuoso enables Tico UHD/4K encoding and decoding for transport over 10GE/IP or 3G-SDI video links, with a visually lossless 4:1 compression ratio and a low latency. It also offers multi-channel bidirectional Tico UHD/4K compression in a 1RU media server.

AMSTERDAM—With IBC 2017 officially underway, Xytech is offering attendees a look at its new MediaPulse Transmission and Digital Order Automation features.

The MediaPulse Transmission system helps provide mobility, transmission, cloud and internationalism capabilities. It features enterprise-class operations and financial management tools designed to streamline transmission and automation functionality across multiple broadcast platforms. With the new release, users can reserve, provision and monitor specific feeds, while also simplifying the process of booking routes. Additional features include a notification engine, personalized feed dashboards and a Big Board list of feeds. The system is available as both an on-premise and cloud installation.

Xytech will also have the MediaPulse Reporting system, a new automation module that can capture an order and drive required tasks. This new Digital Order Automation module streamlines workflow processes and can integrate with third-party applications through an open adapter technology.

Both MediaPulse modules are now available and will be featured at Xytech’s booth, 6.C22, throughout IBC 2017.

AMSTERDAM—Facebook product director Daniel Danker, who delivered an opening keynote address at IBC yesterday, said that video was “exploding” on Facebook, with video content making up 50 percent of all the company’s mobile data traffic. “We expect it to grow to 75 percent in the next five years,” said Danker.

Facebook launched original video platform Watch two weeks ago in the U.S., enabling users to find serialized content on the platform, with Danker describing how the social network has been working with publishers to produce content for the platform.

“Watch also allows publishers to create groups that connect them with their audience, enabling them to engage with their community between episodes—particularly through the comments section.”

Danker said that genres such as reality TV, live sports and comedy are going to be significant.

He also listed some of the experimental new content that Facebook was trailing on the platform, including; “Humans of New York,” a weekly series based on a photo-blog by Brandon Stanton; a behind-the-scenes series “Hala Madrid” about Spanish football team Real Madrid; and “Returning the Favor”—a series based on ordinary Americans who do good work.

“Any producer can find a loyal audience on Watch,” said Danker. “Shows are presented to users based on their interests, so it’s personalized, with users given the chance to connect with shows their friends are watching. Plus there’s a watch list so you don’t miss anything.”

Danker confirmed that Facebook is to expand the Watch platform to international territories, allowing more broadcasters “to discover communities of passionate fans”.

“It’s a new platform, which allows broadcasters to make something bespoke for the Facebook audience,” he added.

Facebook has been trialling 6-7 minute videos on the platform, and the platform has hosted live sports such as Major League Baseball.

“It’s interesting to see the reaction—and how a community is built around live sports. We are seeding the ecosystem with commissioned content from publishers to see what works.”

This story originally appeared on TVT's sister publication TVB Europe. 

ARMONK, N.Y. & AMSTERDAM—Digital video from sources like Netflix and YouTube are directly competing with traditional broadcasting services, but what do consumers think of the new viewing opportunities? Also, what impact could cognitive computing have on the broadcasting industry? These were two of the main questions that IBC and IBM attempted to answer with the “Creating a ‘Living’ Media Partner for Your Consumers: A Cognitive Future for Media and Entertainment” study, released at IBC 2017.

The first part of the study was a survey conducted with 21,000 consumers from 42 countries about their video consumption habits. The results showed that 51 percent of those surveyed—67 percent in emerging markets—access free, over-the-internet video; 48 percent access video through regular subscription services from traditional pay-TV providers.

Watching content on mobile devices is also becoming more popular, as 55 percent of respondents said they watch streaming videos every day on mobile devices; about a quarter use mobile broadband instead of Wi-Fi for one or two hours. However, respondents said the experience could be improved; 65 percent say they experience buffering problems very often or regularly, while 62 percent have long waiting times for a video to start.

One of the possible solutions the industry is considering to help improve these experiences is cognitive technology. Using cognitive technology could interpret data that would reportedly yield audience, content and contextual insights. Ninety-two percent of the 500 surveyed media and entertainment executives believe cognitive technology will be an important part of the future of the industry.

As a result, IBC and IBM recommend organizations do three things: apply cognitive technology to achieve personalization; revamping infrastructure to meet the coming demands; and reengineering business models to profit from the new media landscape.

IBM will be offering these findings at its booth, 15.MS13, throughout IBC 2017.

AMSTERDAM—IBC 2017 opened today in Amsterdam with a rich lineup of conference topics, many aimed specifically at exploring what is and what can be in the way television is acquired, transported, managed, produced and ultimately distributed to an audience that’s evolving how it consumes media.

Beyond the seven conference program streams and keynote track, this year’s industry gathering at the Amsterdam RAI Exhibition and Convention Center will host some 1,700 exhibitors in 15 halls Sept. 15-19 -each with its own unique offering.

As at other recent industry gatherings, a major theme at IBC 2017 will be the progress individual vendors and the standards community has made on IP as a real-time, uncompressed transport alternative to baseband video standards.

The IP Showcase will present an interoperability demonstration of technology from more than 50 vendors using the SMPTE ST 2110 draft standard and Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) Network Media Open Specification (NMOS).

Outside Hall 10 in Conference Room E106, the showcase will host the biggest IP interop ever attempted, said Scott Barella, CTO of Utah Scientific, a showcase participant.

Education on all things IP for media will be an important component of IBC 2017.

For instance, Andy Rayner, chief technologist at Nevion, will present the “Essential Element of the Evolution to Essence” Sept. 15. He is expected to discuss SDI, SMPTE ST 2022-6 and ST 2110.

Utah Scientific’s Barella is hoping to meld a degree of lightheartedness with serious IP education during two presentations of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to IP” (Sept. 17 and again on Sept. 19).

“The idea is right from the novel,” he said. “I want to offer a 50,000-foot view of IP, a 10,000-foot view and then a closer look with an edge of humor.”

The presentation will place a special focus on working in a mixed SDI-IP environment, he added.

In their booths, many of the vendors leading the charge into IP are expected to focus on practical implementations that are being deployed today and will shape the future.

For example, Imagine Communications will feature its Selenio Network Processor, “a pure media microservices cloud platform” for public cloud or private datacenter use, said the company’s chief marketing officer Glodina Connan-Lostanlen.

The solution offers all major microservices modules needed for ingest and playout, and users can customize the platform to their unique workflow requirements by their module selection, she added.

Practical cloud-based deployments is also an important focus at the Snell Advanced Media (SAM) stand.

The company will show live channel deployment on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and will demonstrate how broadcasters can spin up and spin down channels as needed with its ICE SDC, the big brother of the company’s CiaB solution.

SAM also will highlight its turnkey IP routing solutions with support for SMPTE ST 2110 and how it has successfully deployed IP for remote production of the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Final in UHD.

Virtualization of media workflow will be among the key developments at the Grass Valley stand, said Jan Pieter van Welsem, company VP sales and marketing, EMEA.

“We have built a framework to have a real cloud-based architecture based on microservices,” he said. The approach offers broadcasters “flexibility and agility” in the way they manage channels by leveraging the cloud, he added.

Evolution of its GV Stratus video production platform will be another major development. “Stratus is becoming much more open” and moving to become a “services-type, data-based system,” said van Welsem.

Ross Video and Evertz are teaming up to show a joint implementation of AMWA NMOS. The demonstration will focus on the Evertz Magnum orchestration and control system directing Ross Video’s Raptor-Edge-IP gateway via the AMWA IS-04 and IS-05 specifications for NMOS discovery, registration and connection management.

However, IP in media is not the sole focus of technology at IBC 2017. For example, German research institute Fraunhofer will be highlighting the success of MPEG-H Audio as the audio codec for ATSC 3.0 4K television in South Korea.

Fraunhofer also will present the latest developments in the new JPEG XS standard, a lightweight, low-latency imaging coding system with support for video up to 8K. Dr. Siegfried Fobel is giving attendees an introduction to JPEG XS during his paper session “Beyond HEVC – How to build an even better codec.”

NHK will whet the appetites of broadcasters of what is truly possible in the living rooms of viewers at the IBC Future Zone. There, Japan’s national public broadcaster is demonstrating an 8K living room of the future.

Also Read: 

IBC Show Celebrates 50th Anniversary 

BASINGSTOKE, ENGLAND—IBC 2017 will serve as a sneak peek of EditShare’s upgraded XStream EFS storage platform, which will offer a new shared storage auditing capability of all file system activity in all XStream EFS scale-out storage models.

The XStream EFS models set to be on display at the show include the standard XStream EFS, the XStream EFS 450, XStream EFS 200, XStream EFS 300 and the brand new XStream EFS 40NL. Each model will have the XStream EFS auditing dashboard that provides a view of activity down to individual users and files. This allows for an audit on each EFS storage pool and user, as well as real time analysis on what actions were carried out and by who. The auditing data can be exported to third parties and other auditing applications.

EditShare will showcase the XStream EFS systems at booth 7.C27 during IBC 2017.

OSLO, NORWAY—Virtualized media production system provider Nevion isn’t constraining itself to a single booth at IBC 2017, instead announcing that it will have a presence at multiple locations throughout the show floor.

Nevion will have its own booth (1.B71) where it will demonstrate interoperability with equipment from Meinberg, Phabrix and Tektronix. It will also highlight support for multi-vendor IP networks with equipment from Arista, Cisco, Juniper and Mellanox.

Other company booths where Nevion will have a presence include BT (D.02) with its media nodes and VideoIPath for BT’s next generation outside broadcasting network; Huawei (4.C70) will have a demonstration of an IP media network with Nevion’s VideoIPath controlling Nevion media nodes and Huawei switches; as well as SMPTE 2022-6 and SMPTE 2110 capable media nodes at Arista (8.A21), Cisco (1.A71), Elemental (5.C80), Phabrix (10.B12) and Vizrt (7.A20).

Andy Rayner, chief technologist at Nevion, will also be giving a presentation—“Essential Elements of the Evolution to Essence”—at the IP Showcase (E.106) on Sept. 15, 16 and 17.

OTTAWA, ONTARIO—In addition to its previously announced slate of products coming to IBC, Ross Video will roll up with a new openTruck vehicle it constructed with partner BarnFind.

The new truck is filled with Ross equipment, including products from its Abekas acquisition, that showcase Ross’ SmartProduction technology. Both the Ross and Barnfind stands at the show will be linked via fiber to enable robotic cameras on the Ross booth to be controlled from the openTruck and demonstrate remote CAM-CCU. This setup is also meant to highlight Ross’ DashBoard control platform and its ability to control any Barnfind transport frame.

Barnfind and the openTruck will be located at booth 8.A33. Ross Video will be located at booth 11.C10.

AMSTERDAM—The Virtual Reality Industry Forum has crafted its first draft of guidelines and will be presenting it at IBC 2017. The guidelines will be discussed during a business supersession co-hosted by DASH Industry Forum, where attendees will be given an introduction to the guidelines and the role interoperability plays in driving a VR business ecosystem.

One of the key areas of focus of the guidelines is the delivery ecosystem of 360-degree video with three degrees of freedom (3DOF). This will include documentation of cross-industry interoperability points (based on ISO MPEG’s Omnidirectional MediA Format); best industry practices for production of VR360 content, with an emphasis on human factors like motion sickness; and security considerations for VR360 streaming, including user privacy and content protection. The finalized guidelines are expected to be released at CES 2018.

The VRIF/DASH-IF supersession will also address topics that include VR content production recommendations and the need for standardization of distribution methods for immersive content. The session will take place on Sept. 16 at 5 p.m. in room E102.

MONTREAL—Grass Valley is going live at IBC 2017, showcasing a number of products that it bills as part of its “Value Production” portfolio. Among the products that will be on display are the K-Frame V-series production switcher, the GV Korona 1, 2 and 3 M/E switcher panels, the GV Matrix router and Focus 75 Live camera.

The K-Frame V-series production switcher is modular for field reconfiguration and serviceability, as well as upgradable to an all IP or mixed SDI and IP environment. It features a 36x18 matrix that supports SD, HD and 4K UHD in quad split and 2SI modes and can handle up to three licensed M/Es and two additional video processing engines. The K-Frame comes in at 3RU and can complement the GV Korona switcher panel, including the GV Korona 3-stripe.

The Focus 75 Live camera is designed and built with fully digital Xensium FT CMOS imagers. It can capture full 1920x1080 HD resolution and is user switchable for quick conversion between 1080i or 720p. It also offers performance for all 1.5G HD standards. At IBC, GV will introduce a new video processing engine for the Focus 75 Live.

There will also be GV Matrix, a 4RU platform for SD/HD/3G SDI routing with integrated processing, including Kaleido multiviewing for live production, playout and general purpose infrastructure. GV Matrix can fit up to 144 inputs and 144 outputs in a compact frame and supports discrete audio routing, including de-embedding and re-embedding of audio signals from embedded sources or MADI I/O with V-fade audio capabilities.

Grass Valley will showcase all of these products at its booth, 1.D11.

PORTLAND, ORE.—Apantac is preparing its new video over IP multiviwers for display at the upcoming IBC 2017 show.

The new Si-16 series of multiviewers from Apantac are designed for monitoring video and audio over an IP network infrastructure. Apantac will demonstrate the Si-16’s ability to support the ST 2022-6 standard for encapsulated SDI over IP. Apantac expects that the multiviewers will also be able to support the ST 2022-7 standard, as well as the ST 2110 video over IP standard. The Si-16 multiviwers accept 16 VoIP inputs using SFP modules. The connection between the IP Switch and the Si-16 is done via fiber.

Apantac has three models for Si-16 multiviewers, all of which share the same 1RU hardware. The Si-16 is a 16x1 multiviewer with a dual set of identical HDMI and SDI outputs. The Si-16+ consists of two 8x1 multiviewers where the output from each is available as both HDMI and SDI. And the Si-16# is a 16x2 multiviwer with two sets of HDMI and SDI outputs, where any input can be displayed on one or both outputs.

Apantac is also expected to feature a new VoIP input board for its modular T# multiviewer series accepting up to eight ST 2022-6 signals.

Apantac will be located at booth 8.E37 during IBC 2017.

AMSTERDAM—MAM technology system provider Tedial will use the IBC 2017 stage to showcase a range of its products, including its new Evolution Live Event Archive system.

Among the MAM tools that Tedial will display during IBC is the Evolution Version Factory. Part of the display will feature a demonstration of end-to-end Interoperable Master Format workflow that applies SMPTE standards to provide a SaaS cloud system for distribution applications. The Tedial architecture can also support UHD and HDR, provides adopters with multi-versioning support and can address late pending components for previous watermarked versions.

The Evolution Dashboard tools that will be on hand enable real-time monitoring of key performance indicators and reporting tools to measure business efficiency and capacity.

The company will also have its new level of Hierarchical Storage Management with Augmented Storage (AST). AST provides a storage system for cloud workflows and hybrid scenarios. AST can transparently manage the same content in multiple locations, automating task assignment and data transfers as needed.

Tedial’s support for cloud and cloud hybrid operations now features multi-resolution MPEG-DASH for full web GUI and integrates to Adobe Premiere Pro CC, Adobe After Effects and Avid Media Central. Content is processed and moved independent of storage locale, enabling minimal transfers in local high-res operations.

In addition, Dan McConnell, managing director of Timeline Television, will be giving a presentation during the show that will discuss Tedial and EVS’ new technology partnership and the Evolution Live Event Archive. The presentation will take place Sept. 16 at 10 a.m. at Tedial’s booth, 8.B41.

AMSTERDAM—The shortlist for the NewBay Best of Show Awards at IBC 2017 has been announced.

Our Best Of Show awards honor the best new products on display at the IBC trade show in Amsterdam.

The shortlist for the TVBEurope category is as follows:

– Amino ENABLE, Amino Communications

– Aspera FASPStream in conjunction with Telestream Vantage and Lightspeed Live Capture, Aspera

– Avid Media Composer | First, Avid

– AIR320, AVIWEST

– Context Aware Encoding, Brightcove

– Dejero Cellsat, Dejero

– SNAPBOX, DoPChoice

– Suggested TV, Easel TV

– MediaFirst Video Processing Encoding Live mixing SDR content with HDR content in live broadcasting, Ericsson Media Solutions

– Product under embargo, EVS

– GV Matrix, Grass Valley

– LU600 with 4K HEVC Pro Card, LiveU

– Mistika VR, Mistika

– NewTek NDI PTZ Camera, NewTek

– Network ID, NexGuard

– OnFrame, OnFrame

– Paywizard Agile and Massive AXIS, Paywizard

– Ross Graphite All-in-One Production System, Ross Video

– All-New flowtech Tripod Technology, Sachtler and Vinten

–Selenio Network Processor, Imagine Communications

– Product under embargo, SmallHD

– FormatFusion4, Snell Advanced Media

– Timed Text Speech, Telestream

– Product under embargo, The Telos Alliance: Television Solutions Group

– Timeline’s triple-expanding IP 4K HDR outside broadcast truck, UHD2, Timeline Television

– TVU Router, TVU Networks

– Verspective RT, Verimatrix

– PERSEUS-powered Universal Media Player, by V-Nova Ltd and THEO Technologies, V-Nova

– Wedit, VSN

– x.news, x.news information technology

The Best of Show Awards at IBC are supported by six NewBay brands—TVBEurope, our sister publication TV Tech Global, PSNEurope, Audio Media International, Radio World and Installation. For the full NewBay shortlist, click here.

Congratulations to those who have made the list with their new products and services. The NewBay Best of Show judges look forward to visiting your stands and awarding some worthy winners in Amsterdam.

This story originally appeared on TVT's sister publication TVB Europe. 

CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND & AMSTERDAM—After recently releasing the Vividteq color filter technology, Spectral Edge will be giving IBC 2017 attendees a first-hand look. Vividteq is designed to improve image quality and allow for the delivery of HDR-like experiences without needing to replace or update equipment.

Vividteq is deployed within the broadcast head-end or Content Delivery Network to extract and enhance live TV or VoD in real-time on a frame by frame basis using Spectral Edge’s Phusion image processing technology. This produces an enhanced feed for broadcast via terrestrial, cable, satellite or IPTV channels.

Spectral Edge will demonstrate Vividteq at its booth, 10.A42, throughout IBC 2017.

CULVER CITY, CALIF.—A slate of new upgrades to its Clear Media ERP Suite is the main attraction at Prime Focus Technologies’ IBC 2017 booth.

One of the highlights for Clear is a new functionality for end-to-end Work Order Management, pre-integrated with its Media Asset Management, workflow Engine and video tools. This enables users to manage assets, resources, tasks and orchestration of content workflows on a single system. The new Work Order Management can track all incoming work requests through completion; it also has resource and task assignment modules for the assignment of manual tasks. Additional features for the new Work Order Management include BMP driven tasks, due date based Work Order monitoring dashboards, data analytics and reporting.

There have also been additions to PFT’s hybrid cloud-enabled Clear Media ERP suite, including a Dax production cloud; promo operations; mastering automation; and Interoperable Master Format.

Prime Focus Technologies will highlight all of this at its booth, 7.B12, at IBC 2017.

OTTAWA, ONTARIO—IP is the thing for Ross Video when it sets up shop at IBC 2017. The company, through its One Network vision, has been pushing technology for moving high bandwidth, real-time, studio quality video over IP networks.

One of the examples of the Ross’ work will be the Raptor-Edge bidirectional 12-stream studio video over IP gateway with software-defined media processing that employs SMPTE ST 2110. The company will also show its Ultricore IP-routing switching control, which features a shared infrastructure across applications including real-time studio video, audio, and control, synchronization and file transfer.

Ross is slated to participate in the IP Showcase as well, where it will show Raptor-Edge, XPression, SRG-series timing generator and the BACH audio over IP platform from Coveloz. Nestor Amaya, founder of Coveloz and now director of IP solutions and infrastructure product marketing for Ross, will lead a session in the IP Specific Interests track of the IP Showcase.

Ross Video will be located at booth 11.C10 during IBC 2017.

MARLOW, ENGLAND—TSL Products is preparing to arrive in Amsterdam for IBC 2017 to show the latest versions of both its TallyMan control system and FlashBoard information distribution and display system.

TallyMan

TallyMan’s new core software version 1.9 and virtual control panel design tool are the key features that will be displayed during the show. The newly installed software adds the Ember+ standard, expanding the controls that are directly accessible to the operator or allowing those controls to be automated. A recent partnership with Jünger Audio implements the Ember+ protocol across its range of products, enabling TallyMan to access the parameters of all Jünger Audio devices.

The updated virtual panel design software, meanwhile, allows users to create tailored control surfaces on physical panels or on touchscreen computers. The design software gives users the choice for the appropriate control for all functions, like rotary or linear sliders, or X-Y control. The virtual control panel can be defined by color and the screens can include branding.

The FlashBoard display will show attendees how the system can linked to TallyMan through the TallyMan API and with other control systems via common interfaces. A drag-and-drop design software enables users to create multiple display formats, each with a unique combination of data, clocks and timers, on-air and cue lights, and product information.

Both TallyMan and FlashBoard can draw on system-wide monitoring information via common standards and manufacturer specific APIs. Engineering monitoring of system usage and status data can be done through the InSite platform, with alarms capable of being sent through email or SMS.

TSL Products will offer these new systems, as well as additional products from its range, at its booth 10.B41 during IBC 2017.

AMSTERDAM—The Pixel Power Factory software will take up space on the IBC 2017 show floor, as the automation, branding and graphics developer has come out with a new application for it.

The new Factory automated file-based production software will demonstrate the creation of all assets required for a multi-platform video on demand or catch-up service. Factory allows for a VoD service to be created in advance, with each version tailored to a specific rule set.

Pixel Power built Factory on its Gallium workflow orchestration platform. This interrogates the playout automation system to determine what content needs to be prepared for VoD, the pulls the assets from archive or secondary storage. The resulting content is prepared and loaded into the VoD server for immediate access at the pre-set time.

Factory can also be used to create additional broadcast assets like trailers and marketing content.

Pixel Power will demonstrate Factory from its booth, 7.A31, during IBC 2017.

LONDON—There is some symmetry between IBC and the recipient for its International Honor for Excellence award. As the annual convention celebrates its 50th anniversary it is recognizing 50 years of sound innovation from Dolby Laboratories.

In 1967, when IBC first began, Ray Dolby developed the Dolby A-Type Audio Noise Reduction system, which would become a de facto standard. Dolby would also introduce the Dolby B consumer cassette format.

Dolby’s influence would spread to movies, providing improvements to cinema audio with films like “A Clockwork Orange,” “Star Wars” and “Batman Returns,” as well as many others. It would offer further advancements with Dolby Digital for TV and DVDs, and in 2012 introduced Dolby Atmos, object-based audio that can place individual sounds anywhere in a three-dimensional space.

“Dolby’s great achievements in changing the soundtrack of all our lives, over 50 years, cannot be underestimated, and I am delighted that Dolby is the recipient of the IBC 2017 International Honor for Excellence,” said Michael Crimp, CEO of IBC.

IBC had previously honored Ray Dolby in 2000 with the John Tucker Award, which was the predecessor of the International Honor for Excellence.

Craig Todd, senior vice president and CTO of Dolby Labs, will receive the award during the IBC 2017 Awards Ceremony on Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the RAI Auditorium, which is appropriately equipped with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos technology.

AMSTERDAM—For the second year in a row, Imagine Communications is providing assistance to IBC TV, the news and information service for the IBC Show that’s produced on site and distributed on multiple platforms. Imagine will once again provide live streaming and video-on-demand encoding infrastructure that will include Imagine software-defined technology powered by its microservices platform Zenium.

SelenioFlex Live will provide the core encoding and transcoding functionality for IBC TV. Workflow customization using Zenium microservices components provides the automatic generation, management and publishing of metadata, making the content available as VOD packages or live streaming for YouTube, Twitter, Periscope and Facebook platforms.

IBC TV, which is live throughout the show, features live interviews, debates, coverage of key conference sessions and reports on issues emerging from the exhibition. Some of the content is produced from the IBC IP Showcase studio, while the rest of the production and distribution is handled from the studio center in Hall 13.

IBC 2017 is taking place from Sept. 15-19 in Amsterdam.

SAINT-HÉAND, FRANCE—Angénieux will travel to IBC 2017 with two new series of lenses, the Angénieux Type EZ series for S35mm and larger image formats, and the new Optimo Style 48-130 lens.

Optimo Style 48-130

The Type EZ series lenses were designed for both Super 35mm and Full Frame/VV cameras. These lenses work with the new generation of large sensor digital cameras. It also features Interchangeable Rear Optics technology, a modular lens design that enables different lens configurations. The EZ series of lenses include the EZ1 and EZ22.

Angénieux will also showcase its new Optimo Ultra 12x lens. With IRO technology, the Optimo Ultra 12x is a multi-format high magnification lens. It comes with the standard PL mount lens and has a sub-mount system and is capable of covering three different formats: S35, U35 and FF/VV.

Another new addition to the Optimo lens series is the Optimo Style 48-130, a companion lens to the Optimo Style 16-40 T2.8, 30-76 T2.8 and the 10x Optimo Style 25-250 T3.5. The 48-130 covers an image circle up to 34.6mm in diameter with a constant T3 aperture throughout the entire zoom range.

Angénieux will also use the IBC show to feature some new accessories for its lens series.

IBC 2017 begins Sept. 15 and goes through Sept. 19. Angénieux will be located at booth 12.E36.

LUXEMBOURG—City-Producer, a new integrated professional broadcast mobile journalism app, is getting its official release at IBC 2017. During the show, attendees will be able to see demonstrations of the newly released app and ask questions of City-Producer’s sales and development staff.

City-Producer was designed for broadcast TV facilities and incorporates tools to provide mobile journalists remote content creation and uploading to TV stations or social media websites. The app works with both the iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone 7 Plus processors.

The app features an integrated HD camera with built-in stabilization, independent aperture and ISO control. It allows for either automatic or manual settings for all functions, including pre-setting color temperature. Variable zoom and the ability to switch between cameras with the iPhone 7 Plus is also available. While recording, the screen display indicates processor use, battery level, available storage and the length of the recording. Zebra, grid and waveform displays can be enabled or disabled, as can manual or automatic focus and “Tap to Focus” features.

Editing tools include the use of an Illustration track, access to audio level settings separate from the video clips, cross fades, mark-in and mark-out points for voice-over insertion, static graphics and dynamic graphics. Additional features include a five-second visual countdown.

City-Producer also features two special modules, City-Live and City-Connect. City-Live runs on the iPhone and streams using the RTMP protocol to any RTMP compatible server/device/platform, like Facebook Live. City-Connect is a Mac-based application that allows the user to directly export projects from City-Producer to any Mac and to manage music and graphic libraries.

City-Producer is now available. The company will demonstrate the app at its booths, 7.G12 and 11.C51, during IBC 2017.

BOTHELL, WASH.—The Media Network Alliance, like it did at the 2017 NAB Show, will be a key participant in the IP Showcase planned during IBC 2017. Together with AES, AIMS, AMWA, EBU, IABM, SMPTE and VSF, MNA is an official partner of the IP Showcase.

MNA will look to highlight the role of AES67 in defining the audio element of the new SMPTE ST 2110 suite of standards for real-time media transport over IP. Fourteen MNA members will be on hand at the showcase to demonstrate IP interoperability based on the SMPTE ST 2110 standards and AMWA NMOS specifications. The MNA members participating in the IP Showcase include, Artel Video Systems, Calrec Audio, Coveloz Technologies, Digigram, Focusrite Audio Engineering, Lawo AG, Merging Technologies, Riedel Communications, Solid State Logic, Harman International, the Telos Alliance, Ward-Beck Systems, Wheatstone Corporation and Yamaha Commercial Audio.

Also as part of the IP Showcase, a number of MNA members will take part in expert sessions that seek to explain and explore the business, technical and creative benefits of IP workflows.

In addition, 22 MNA members will be located throughout the IBC Show floor exhibiting some of their latest AES67 products.

The IP Showcase will take place in room E.106 during IBC 2017.

AMSTERDAM—Solid State Logic will be touting its new System T-S300 compact audio console at this year’s IBC Show. The S300 is a fixed layout compact control surface that can be combined with the complete portfolio of System T network objects: consoles, remote tiles, touchscreen interfaces, Tempest Processing Engines, remote PC software and network I/O. It can be specified as part of a larger System T installation or as a standalone configuration.

SSL is offering the S300 in two version: 16+1 faders and 32+1 faders. The system can connect to either at Tempest T25 or a T80 Processor Engine, and runs the same software as the S500 surface and Tempest Control Rack.

Included in the S300 is a fully integrated Dante control API that provides arbitrated audio and control resource sharing for SSL’s network I/O range across SSL��s Tempest platform based consoles. Routing control is directly from the console GUI or software instances of the console control software running on standard PCs remotely connected to the main surface.

Additional features include complete showfile compatibility between all System T consoles and controllers; up to eight Dialogue auto mixers and two Dynamics sections per path; full processing capabilities on all channels and busses; and an additional effects rack to provide multiple reverbs, dynamic EQ, noise reduction, signal generators, summing tools, upmixers, downmixers and bus compressor.

SSL will demonstrate the System T-S300 at its booth, 8.D83, during IBC 2017.

AMSTERDAM—Broadcast and media professionals from around the world will descend on the RAI Convention Center, Sept. 15–19 for the annual IBC Show, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

Nearly 56,000 visitors attended the 2016 IBC Show at the RAI.

Nearly 56,000 attendees took in the technology exhibition and dozens of conferences in 2016, but along with the show, IBC has also expanded its services with the launch of IBC365, an online editorial platform and weekly e-bulletin that covers the latest developments in television technology, earlier this year.

TV Technology recently spoke with Michael Crimp, president of IBC to discuss how changes in the industry are impacting the annual gathering.

TV Technology:What do you think are the biggest changes that have occurred in the industry since IBC 2016?
Michael Crimp: Broadcasters have traditionally been the trusted brand for news: Is the era of social media and universal internet access changing that? It is a critical topic to debate at IBC, because the industry’s response to it is central to its future, both commercially and technically.

More broadly, the industry continues to widen beyond traditional media, entertainment and technology into adjacent markets; IP interoperability is far more widely accepted than it was this time last year; and nascent technologies like VR and AR are increasingly being seen as far more than mere gaming gadgets. IBC will be exploring all these areas and more.

Michael Crimp

TVT:Are there any new areas in the media industry that IBC is focusing on for the 2017 show? And if so, why?
Crimp: There are many new markets melding with the traditional broadcast sector, including cloud, AR/VR, mobile, IoT, social networks, artificial intelligence and telecoms, and there is much we can all learn about different ways to produce, manage, monetize and aggregate content. We are pleased to welcome a number of high-profile speakers from these sectors, as well as from broadcast networks, to discuss the changing media landscape.

TVT:How successful have your efforts been at increasing IBC’s presence beyond the annual show?
Crimp: Last year we carried out extensive independent research to pinpoint areas where IBC could offer greater value to IBC exhibitors and visitors. A key feature of the research results was a desire for more IBC-generated industry intelligence outside of show time. This led to the launch of IBC365, an online portal with a treasure trove of content including hundreds of IBC videos, technology papers, and analysis of industry trends, as well as commissioned content specifically aimed at adjacent markets in order to engage them more fully with IBC.

TVT:Who are some of your keynoters this year and what will they be focusing on?
Crimp: The opening keynote will explore how the rise of fan and friend power in the media ecosystem is driving new approaches to broadcasting, as well as paving the way for new partnerships and funding models. Speakers include Dan Danker, product director at Facebook and Jørgen Madsen Lindemann, president & CEO at Modern Times Group.

Brian Sullivan, president & COO, Digital Consumer Group, Fox Networks Group at 21st Century Fox, will take to the stage to deliver insight into the American market and developments of Fox Network’s leading TV Everywhere services. Balan Nair, executive vice president and chief technology officer at Liberty Global will join other key industry leaders for the “CTO Roadmap” keynote. With many CTOs certainly facing the same challenges as most executives in the broadcast and media industry, this panel will explore what they see as the biggest challenges and most importantly, how they intend to address them.

Delivering the Technology Forward Keynote, ‘What’s Happening in VR, AR and Mixed Reality’ is Rikard Steiber, president, Viveport and SVP Virtual Reality, HTC. The session will look at the emerging swathe of consumer devices and services, as well as showcasing successful VR experiences across platforms.

TVT:What new features/pavilions/attractions can we expect this year? Any new features for the mobile app?
Crimp: The C-Tech Forum offers two days of specialist presentations and debates, on the same invitation-only, behind-closed-doors basis as the established Leaders’ Summit. The first day will focus on the critical topic of cyber-security, while the second day will look at the potential for 5G.

The IBC Startup Forum also launches this year. Our industry is based on innovation, on people with bright ideas who can create new techniques and the technologies to support them. Working in association with Media Honeypot, we are aiming to bring together startup and scale-up businesses, investors and media houses, to take the best new ideas from the spark of invention to full fruition.

This year’s IP Showcase will show how far we have come in just a year. IP is no longer ‘the future’—real-time IP for production, playout and contribution is a practical, flexible, efficient reality that is rapidly taking hold in mainstream broadcast operations. The IP Showcase will offer demonstrations, real-world scenarios and education sessions, showing the full potential of IP workflows.

The free mobile app now features a fully interactive map, including 3D views to find exhibitors, save their locations, and plot your route around the RAI. It also has a neat tool to help you request and schedule meetings, with inbuilt social media to enable informal online chat. There is also a searchable conference schedule, and you can even check which of the many catering locations in the RAI have queues, ensuring you always make the best use of your time.

TVT:How has your partnership with other industry associations evolved over the years and affected how you develop the conference section of the show?
Crimp: IBC is organized by the industry for the industry, and at the top of our organisation is the Partnership Board which contains representatives of the six leading professional and trade bodies in the industry: IABM, IEE, IET, RTS, SCTE and SMPTE.

My day job revolves around the invaluable feedback we receive from our partner bodies and from the committees, which draw upon valuable industry knowledge. We take all that input and develop a strategy for the continuing development of IBC as an agile platform for industry education, ready to respond to new trends and technologies as they arise.

TVT:Are there any new changes at the RAI itself? I heard a rumor that “The Beach” is no longer, is this true?
Crimp: A large new hotel is under construction between Hall 12 and the station, scheduled to be open in time for IBC 2019, and the North-South metro line is due to open in July 2018. As for “The Beach,” anyone visiting the RAI earlier this year might have been dismayed to see the popular waterfront bar area looking like a building site…but fear not, The Beach has now reopened with a completely new look, with a restaurant as well as various bar areas and rooms for private events.

For more information, visit https://show.ibc.org/.

NEW BERN, N.C.—Wheatstone will use the IBC Show platform to feature its WheatNet-IP system and its AES67 compatibility and IP audio networking capabilities for radio and television environments.

Wheatstone plans to demonstrate WheatNet-IP’s AES67 compatibility in an overall system based on SMPTE ST 2110 final draft standards. This will be included in the larger IP Showcase that will take place during the IBC Show, which will be held in room E106.

Wheatstone will also display WheatNet-IP and some of its other products at booth 8.C91 during IBC 2017.

LONDON—There will be two new attendees at IBC 2017, the humanlike robots Sophia and Professor Einstein created by Dr. David Hanson, Ph.D, founder and CEO of Hanson Robotics.

Sophia and Dr. David Hanson

Sophia is the latest robot from Hanson Robotics, possessing human-like expressions and an evolving intelligence that reportedly enables her to converse and build relationships. Professor Einstein is a personal robot from Hanson Robotics and Andy Rifkin, a toy inventor, to serve as a teaching tool modeled after Albert Einstein that can play educational games, share scientific facts and answer questions on a set of topics.

Dr. Hanson, Sophia and Professor Einstein will take part in “Tech Talks Keynote: The Future with Robots that Are Like Us” to discuss how robotics and artificial intelligence are looking to become a more prevalent part of people’s lives. The session will take place on Sept. 17.

LONDON & AMSTERDAM—OnFrame is a new media software company from the team that founded Nativ and that will have its big debut at IBC 2017. OnFrame aims to provide users the ability to create AI-enabled automated analysis, processing and repurposing pipelines and scale them out.

The OnFrame platform is a real-time video processing stack with pluggable architecture that supports media processing use cases. The platform is cloud-based and API-driven. The beta version of the platform will be shown at its stand 10.A42 during IBC 2017.

Jon Folland, Gordon Ashworth and Nick Ryan are the founders of OnFrame.

“We want to provide an API-driven developer platform to capture, process and augment masses of video and audio streams cheaply and scalably, using state of the art machine learning,” said Folland. “The aim is to generate real-time actionable data and augmented video, tailored by the customer, for their own needs.”

NEWBURY, ENGLAND—Snell Advanced Media will be pulling up to IBC 2017 with a slate of products that demonstrate IP and remote production, UHD sports production workflows with HDR support, cloud-based playout, multi-format news production and automated monitoring and control.

Go!

SAM will showcase its cloud technology with demonstrations of live channel deployment on AWS through its ICE SDC workflow, which can spin up/down fully featured channels. For IP, SAM will have native IP multiviewers, processing systems, production and master control switchers featuring 25, 50 and 100GbE interfaces.

Remote production over IP capabilities from SAM will be highlighted by the Go! multi-platform editor, which consumers can use to view, carry out rough cut edits and finalization from any device in any location. Go! works with SAM’s Vibe multi-platform news production system for shared workflows to create content.

To demonstrate its UHD sports production workflows, SAM is bringing its Alchemist XS system for frame rate conversion of live events. The company will also show live production workflows that can use combinations of format and resolution.

Additional products that will be at the booth include media content monitoring and control systems like Media Biometrics, as well as its logo detection technology and schedule aware monitoring.

Special displays at the booth will include Timeline Television’s latest UHD2 IP, 4K and HDR OB truck and live graphics specialists RT Software, which will demonstrate its AR studio products.

SAM will be located at booth 9.A01 during IBC 2017.

LONDON—The roster for IBC’s inaugural Startup Forum has been revealed, featuring more than 75 companies from 22 countries covering a wide range of industries, including VR/AR, sports, micro-payments, streaming video and publishing. The Startup Forum will serve as an opportunity for these companies to identify new business opportunities, grow strategies and potential partnerships.

Among the startups making up the Forum are Oovvuu from Australis, which uses AI to match broadcasters’ videos and publishers’ articles on a global scale; Tiledmedia from the Netherlands, a VR streaming company; LiveWeatherViews, also from Australia, that has developed a timelapse camera system to help TV networks capture weather vision with full automation over IP; Choicely from Finland, developers of a fan engagement platform; German company SatoshiPay, which processes nanopayment transactions; and Giraffic from the U.S., Israel and Hong Kong, a client-side multimedia software acceleration that helps device manufacturers and OTT content providers overcome internet congestion challenges.

All of the companies selected to participate in the Startup Forum has a viable product with an estimated revenue potential of 20 million Euros and ambitions to expand in different markets, according to IBC.

A number of media companies have already announced they will attend the Forum, including Sky, MTV Oy, Cisco Systems, VRT, ProSiebenSat.1 Commerce GmbH, The Venture Reality Fund and HTC.

The Startup Forum will also offer a series of key speakers. Confirmed speakers include Joost Barkel, director of digital operations, Sanoma NL; Jakob Wais, head of new platforms and video, content strategy, BILD; Sara Lisa Vogl, co-founder, VR Base; and Teresa Potocka, CEO and founder of the Potocki Communications Company. His Royal Highness Constantijn van Oranje-Nassau, who leads the Netherlands’ StartupDelta, will speak during the Forum.

At the end of the Forum, five startups will be selected to take part in a pitching competition, pitching their business ideas to industry experts and receiving feedback from an expert panel. The winning startup will receive a cash prize.

The IBC Startup Forum will be held on Sept. 17 and is run in association with Media Honeypot.

MAHWAH, N.J.—Ikegami is bringing its newly launched UHK-435 camera, an addition to its Unicam XE series, at IBC 2017, along with additional updates to its existing product lines.

UHK-435

The UHK-435 is a 2/3-inch 3-CMOS sensor 4K/HD studio camera that can capture the extended depth of field needed for studio and outdoor production and can be used with B4 bayonet-mount large studio or OB lenses. The camera delivers wide dynamic range and wide color gamut with full support for Hybrid Log-Gamma conforming to HDR international standard ITU-R BT. Unicam XE series products like CCU-430 camera control unit, VFL701D 7-inch full HD LCD viewfinder and VFE741D 7.4-inch OLED viewfinder are fully compatible with the UHK-435.

Ikegami will also feature its new addition to the Unicam HD camera series, the HDK-73. The HDK-73 now has HDR compatibility, features F13 high sensitivity 2/3-inch CMOS sensors in either 1080i or 720p and a HLG hybrid log gamma for HDR picture origination.

Additional products expected to be shown are the CCU-430 with a new 12G-SDI interface option; the 4K HQLM-3120W monitor; and the HLM-1760WR and HLM-960WR HD 60 series monitors. Ikegami will also have prototypes for its new 4K HDR monitor and 4K POV camera for robotic or unmanned studio operation.

Ikegami will be located at booth 12.A31 during IBC 2017, which runs from Sept. 15-19 in Amsterdam.

DALLAS—Imagine Communications has a full plate planned for IBC 2017, as the company will use the annual conference to showcase a number of products and provide insight into industry trends and opportunities in organizes sessions.

Among the products that Imagine will have on hand is the Selenio Network Processor, an all-IP-capable processing system for handling uncompressed UHD signals based on the SMPTE ST-2110 specification for transporting media over IP networks. Other products expected to be shown are the Versio playout system, the hybrid SDI-IP Platinum IP3 router, UHD-ready Epic MV multiviewer, Versio IOX storage platform and its multiscreen delivery portfolio.

Outside of its product offerings, Imagine will present the Imagine Live Power Sessions, as well as Master Classes, that take a look at technology trends like microservices, cloud, all-IP production, standards and next-gen technology. New details on Imagine’s Open Zenium program will also be announced, which shares source code to the Zenium microservices library with Imagine customers and partners. Imagine is also slated to participate in IBC’s IP Showcase.

Imagine Communications will be located at booth 4.A01 during IBC 2017, which takes place from Sept. 15-19 in Amsterdam.

AMSTERDAM—IMT and Vislink, subsidiaries of xG Technology, will share a single booth at this year’s IBC conference to showcase their range of wireless camera transmitters and receivers, including the IMTDragonFly, microLite and INCAM-G transmitters, and the UltraReceiver and DR3 receivers.

IMTDragonFly

The IMTDragonFly transmitter is designed to capture real-time video from UAV/UGV/body cams/concealments for display on fixed or mobile receive applications. It offers HD/SD-SDI or optional HDMI inputs with COFDM transmission and can deliver up to 100mW of power to provide long range HD video transmission.

The microLite COFDM HD transmitter is a portable system of wireless camera transmission links for video applications of up to one-mile line-of-sight. The transmitter features H.264 SD and HD encoding capabilities and can operate in the standard 2k DVB-T COFDM mode, enabling the H.264 video encoder to support the main profile of the H.264 standard.

There will also be the INCAM-G wireless camera transmitter that is built into the Grass Valley LDX series HD camera to provide full HD broadcast quality encoding at 1080p, 1080i and 720p, as well as built-in wireless camera control. It also has ultra-low delay and a full configuration available by Windows PC software.

On the receiver side, the UltraReceiver is a 1RU half-width, rackmount chassis receiver that features four UHF inputs with maximum –ratio combining, DVB-T and LMS-T demodulation, as well as ASI and IP capabilities. The DR3 IP diversity receiver, meanwhile, has a built-in IP diversity switch, works with Nucomm’s High Dynamic Range Block Down Converters and can daisy chain up to eight receivers to share the same set of antennas.

IMT and Vislink will be housed at booth 1.A69 at IBC 2017.

MARLOW, ENGLAND—TSL Products is putting the focus on its new audio products to highlight its support for the IP transition at its IBC 2017 booth.

MPA1 Dante

One of the products set to be on display is the MPA1 Solo SDI. This 1U high and 100mm deep console allows users to view all 16 embedded audio channels in an SDI stream and monitor any individual channel or channel pair using a ‘scroll to listen’ feature. Set up and operation can be done through a standard web-browser for control through a central location. The MPA1 Solo SDI works in SDI, AES and analog environments.

There is also the MPA1 Dante system, which now supports AES-67 audio for use in Dante and AES-67 networks. This new support allows the MPA1-Solo and Mix Dante confidence audio monitors work for customers who are making the move to IP.

In addition, the PAM-IP range of audio monitoring devices now feature dedicated ports for connection to existing Dante networks, while also providing compatibility with AES-67. Users looking to operate SMPTE 2022-6 or SMPTE 2110 networks can make use of two dedicated 10Gig/E network ports on the PAM-IP. TSL will also offer a demonstration of PAM-IP’s new web server.

TSL Products will be located at booth 10.B41 during IBC 2017.

AMSTERDAM—IBC 2017 will serve as the unveiling for Verimatrix’s new Service Cloud deployment option that provides video service operators with a framework for video content security and analytics. An alternative to on-premises systems, Secure Cloud is monitored by a Verimatrix Global Services team 24/7 and can be utilized by operators of Verspective MultiRights OTT Plus and Video Content Authority System.

Secure Cloud is implemented via a customer-dedicated Amazon Web Services virtual private cloud environment that includes private and secure storage for critical data and assets. Deploying VCAS and Verspective software in Secure Cloud make the video service components interoperable with other components of the cloud video ecosystem, including encoders and streamers, CDNs and content management systems.

Vertimatrix will showcase the Service Cloud at booth 5.A59 during IBC 2017, which runs from Sept. 15-19 in Amsterdam.

MONTREAL—Matrox’s lineup of products on display at IBC 2017 has been unveiled and is set to include its lineup of video-aware broadcast IP cards, live-streaming capable Monarch HDX and Monarch HD encoding appliances, the Monarch LCS lecture capture appliance and Matrox DSX developer products.

X.mio3 IP

The recently added broadcast IP cards to the DSX developer product line are a diversified range of SMPTE 2110-ready cards. The Matrox DSX LE4 IP provides IP encapsulation of HD, 3G and 4K video for all IP transport protocols, along with added security of ST 2022-7 redundancy and non-bursty packet transmission/reception, all of which are provided on-board the card with zero CPU storage. In addition, the X.mio3 IP expands upon the LE4 IP’s feature set by providing onboard de-interlacing, as well as broadcast-quality scaling and compositing.

The Monarch HDX and HD systems are streaming and recording devices that now feature native integration for live streaming to Facebook and YouTube. The Monarch HDX is a single input, dual-channel H.264 encoding appliance with 3G-SDI and HDMI inputs that can stream to two distinct destinations, or the device can be set to stream and/or record with independent encoder settings. The Monarch HD encoding appliance can take and HDMI input from a camera or switcher and generate an H.264 encoded stream for live streaming and can simultaneously record a higher quality MP4 or MOV file to an SD card, USB drive or network-mapped rive.

Matrox has also added interoperability focused-features into its Monarch LCS lecture capture system. It now features on-system scheduling and store & forward functionality to operate with third party VMSs. The systems lecture capture capabilities include SDI/HDMI or HDMI/HDMI inputs, mixing with integrated production layouts and synchronized dual encoding for multi-stream playback.

Matrox also has plans to show some of its additional DSX Developer products and graphics products.

IBC 2017 takes place from Sept. 15-19 in Amsterdam, with Matrox located at booth 7.B29.

PARIS—Dalet’s social media framework within its Unified News Operation system has added a new addition, the Dalet Social Media Panel. The new technology from Dalet gives editorial teams a synthetic view of all of their social media posts and includes analytics of the posts. The Social Media Panel will be displayed by Dalet at IBC 2017.

The Social Media Panel is accessible within the Dalet Galaxy workspace. Indicators for the number of views, likes and shares are available, while comments and threads are also viewable. This data is available to journalists, producers and assignment desk editors.

Dalet designed the Social Media Panel with a look and feel of current social media platforms. The panel provides a central point for approving posts, as well as scheduling publish date and times.

Dalet will demonstrate the Social Media Panel at booth 8.B77 during IBC 2017.

LONDON—IBC has built a specially designed auditorium, featuring the latest Dolby Vision imaging and Dolby Atmos immersive audio sound installation, to house its Big Screen program. The four-day program will examine and demonstrate topics, themes and insights currently surrounding the art, science and business of cinema. Specifically, a committee of global industry professionals has designed the program to provide a look at the future of cinema from virtual reality to laser and camera assessments.

One of the planned sessions is a look at the future of camera and display technologies and applications that is leading to AR/VR, immersive media and holography. Cinematographer, VFX supervisor and author David Stump will be joined by Light Field Lab’s Jon Karafin to discuss how content creators can explore these new methods and technologies. The session will take place on Sept. 16 from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Another session, “Event Cinema on Steroids: Shooting and Delivering HDR and Immersive Audio Alternative Content to the Big Screen,” will use the example of the UEFA Champions League Final from June to see how BT Sport shot and broadcasted the event in HDR and immersive audio live to homes and a cinema screening room. This session will happen on Sept. 15 from 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.

The business of cinema will be looked at through a number of sessions on Sept. 18, including “Who is Your Cinema Audience in 2017?,” “The Digital Journey of a Cinemagoer,” and “Innovation and the Big Screen Experience.”

In addition, attendees will get the chance to see Edgar Wright’s “Baby Driver,” which was released over the summer, in the Big Screen auditorium in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

IBC 2017 runs from Sept. 15-19 in Amsterdam.

CAMPBELL, CALIF.—Audio and video quality measurement and analysis systems provider Video Clarity is putting its focus on its new IP-specific test systems at this year’s IBC show. These systems are designed for honing IP productions and delivery networks.

IP Network Testing Demonstration With Video Clarity, Macnica Technology, and PacketStorm at IBC2017

For one demonstration, Video Clarity will partner with PacketStorm Communications to show how manufacturers and program service providers can apply a test system for the new SMPTE suite of standards, SMPTE ST 2110. The demo will feature a fully operational interactive demonstration of IP network transport, IP network emulation, media flow analysis and quality and performance testing for uncompressed video, audio and ancillary data. Video Clarity will provide its RTM real-time monitor for the source video playout and test the source against the network output.

There will also be a pair of new IP products from Video Clarity at the show. The first is the ClearView IP, the latest addition to the company’s line of video quality analyzers. ClearView IP plays or records up to two channels of uncompressed video from a high-capacity testing server into a SMPTE-compliant network. The platform can apply new IP standards and play while recording in the IP domain. Operators can perform recording, automatic alignment and quality measurements through either automation or desktop controls.

The ClearView IP Player will also be shown. This high-capacity server is designed for use in an IP infrastructure, with record and playback functions for uncompressed video using IP-related video transport standards. The system can record one channel and play back up to two channels of uncompressed video programming into a SMPTE-compliant network.

Video Clarity will run these demos from its booth, 2.C57, during IBC 2017.

LONDON—PlayBox will look to have attendees covered with its display of its cloud-based CloudAir and server-based Neo platforms, as well as some hybrid configurations, at Septembers IBC 2017 conference.

PlayBox’s has issued updates to its CloudAir platform that will make their debut at IBC. Among its new features is a transcoder capable of handling multiple file wrappers and formats, including MPEG PS/TS, MXF, QT, AVI, MP4, GXF, MPG2, H.264, ProRes, DNX HD and MJPEG. There is also an enhanced graphics editor template preparation interface, improved playlist editing, advanced playlist export to EPGs and automated linking of stored assets.

For the Neo platform, PlayBox will showcase the Neo TS IP Stream Delay. Available as a standalone 1U chassis, the Neo TS IP Stream Delay provides transparent delay of IP streams of video and audio for single or multichannel time zone shift and disaster-recovery applications. The platform is designed for automated operation and can be configured with multiple input channels and multiple delayed outputs. Each input has one zero-delay output. Additional features include a web-based user interface, program information display of MPEG-compliant transport streams and automatic error logging.

PlayBox touts that it has 40 additional new features for other modules in the Neo series, including the ability to integrate ProductionAirBox Neo with the Associated Press ENPS news production system via MOS gateway; extended control features; expanded file handling capabilities; greater input and output connectivity; and Microsoft Windows 10 compatibility.

IBC 2017 runs from Sept. 15-19 in Amsterdam. PlayBox Technology will be located at booth 8.B71 during the show.