When most people talk about artificial intelligence (AI), they usually mean Generative AI (GenAI). While this has brought a great deal of flexibility and freedom to video, audio and text creation, it is also responsible for a substantial amount of ill-conceived or poor-quality material. This has not only sullied the reputation of AI but also overshadowed the potential of a more practical form of the technology, agentic AI.

More of a background technology than GenAI—which has also been around a lot longer, the modern iteration being formalized between 2014 and 2017—agentic AI is less generally known, even though it began to appear around three years ago. The crucial difference between the two is that while GenAI reacts to prompts or triggers to create content, agentic AI is intended to autonomously establish and control a function or situation.

AUTONOMOUS WORKFLOWS
In the context of broadcasting, agentic AI is regarded as key to the development of applications—known as “agents”—to run specific technical tasks, such as monitoring, dealing with system faults or failures, and manage a variety of functions across production and distribution chains.

"Unlike GenAI, which creates content on demand, agentic AI orchestrates entire content workflows autonomously," explains Stephanie Lone, global leader of solutions architecture, Media and Entertainment, Games and Sport at AWS. "This means systems can coordinate complex multi-step processes without constant human intervention at each decision point."

The basis for this, Lone adds, is multiple "specialized agents" working together proactively to natural language requests. This combination—and simultaneous operation of applications— forms the basis of systems from other developers, including Witbe's Agentic SDK, which was launched in February this year. Intended as a "test automation framework" to run and scale monitoring, testing and validation over video workflows, Witbe chief executive Mathieu Planche describes it "a suite of different agents" designed to automate test processes.

"Test automation used to be a script that people had to develop," he says. "We have moved away from this manual process into something that is, while not human-less because we still have [a] human to control what the Agentic SDK is doing, but it's a process that is largely simplified."

The first of the agents in the suite is Test Designer, which was developed to understand the testing strategy of the video service being analyzed and then write test cases based on that. "Agentic AI technologies can observe inputs, plan… actions and do most of the heavy lifting in different workflows that are otherwise taken care of by people," Planche adds.

As with previous methods of automation, the developers of agentic AI systems are quick to emphasize that the aim is not to replace human operators. Fares Birke, principal practice lead for Applied AI at Qvest, comments that the goal is to enable people to "work better, faster and with fewer interruptions" by automating tasks that are either repetitive or require a lot of coordination.

"Agentic AI is about achieving outcomes, while GenAI is primarily about creating outputs – text, audio, video—in response to prompts," Birke says. "This makes agentic AI far more relevant for complex media environments where speed, reliability, compliance and coordination matter as much as creativity."

‘ENRICHED METADATA’
Agentic AI-based systems are now proliferating in the broadcast sector for a variety of applications. These include: searches of archives, transcripts and live feeds; managing ingest, logging, review and delivery; triggering MAM, newsroom, post-production and distribution systems; and ensuring operational and editorial rules. This can be seen in the number of recent system launches, including ThinkAnalytics' ThinkMetadataAI. Launched at IBC 2025, with a U.S. debut at last month’s NAB Show, it uses agentic AI to automatically create "enriched metadata" for content catalogs.

ThinkAnalytics co-founder and chief technology officer Peter Docherty comments that over the past 20 years the company had focused on deep metadata enrichment for personalization and viewer engagement but in the last three to four years has moved into targeted advertising.

"A lot of agentic processes enable automation and operational efficiencies that weren't there before," he says. "That's obviously quite different from GenAI because agentic AI helps streamline operations. What we've done with our Metadata AI is combine GenAI with Agentic and other capabilities to automate processes that were previously manual. This enables huge automation at scale but with intelligence behind the decision-making."

At the NAB Show last month TVU Networks showcased “TV Cortex,” a service that uses Agentic AI to aggregate and manage the audio and video content used to create news stories. TV Cortex has the power to act autonomously and purposefully to achieve an outcome independently of our interaction with it. In theory, operating this way may involve less “human shading” of events and more factual coverage.

According to TVU Networks President Paul Shen, TV Cortex is intended to augment human productivity, not to replace it. If used effectively, the system frees up producers and editors to focus more on the creative aspects of news production, like crafting compelling stories and providing more human context.

“TV Cortex leverages agentic AI, deploying a hierarchy of master and subordinate agents that dynamically scale to handle the volume and complexity of incoming stories,” Shen said. “These agents automate the retrieval, categorization and scoring of stories based on factors such as recency, relevance, market size and customizable editorial priorities.”

KEEPING QUALITY—AND THE TRUTH IN CHECK
A crucial area of broadcast and streaming distribution that has undergone a high level of automation and streamlining in recent years is compliance and Quality of Service (QoS) monitoring. AI—and agentic in particular—is now offering the potential to take this further through new systems such as Bitmovin's Observability, which was introduced last October.

"We're leveraging AI in different areas of our product range, including the Observability product for looking at sessions, playback, QoS metrics, root cause analysis and error debugging," explains Jacob Arends, product manager for playback at Bitmovin. "AI is really good at summarizing data, for example, so we are using that in our Observability products to make it easier for customers to understand complex datasets [and] what actually went on in a session."

In the last year or so, doubts have arisen surrounding GenAI chatbots, especially with systems “hallucinating”—basically making things up— or just agreeing with a question. Because compliance monitoring is a crucial failsafe in the broadcast distribution chain, there can be no such doubts; any automation technology must be 100% trustworthy.

"Our Agentic SDK is not creating bugs within our customers' platforms," states Witbe's Mathieu Planche. "They detect errors and flag them for people to review and analyze. Then people decide if they are escalating them internally or if they just discard it."

As for the future, Planche acknowledges that agentic AI technology for broadcast is still "new for everyone" and that media control rooms, staffed by operators, are "not going away right now."

At AWS, Lone observes that the potential for Agentic AI in media production "is massive" but says the broadcast sector does have to be careful with it. "The industry still needs to establish strong guardrails around data governance, transparency, content provenance and responsible automation practices," she comments. "Once these are firmly in place, companies can have more confidence in AI-driven decisions and feel comfortable deploying the technology on a broad scale."

Standards and oversight are absolutely necessary for such an autonomous technology as agentic AI could be. But, right now, the broadcast sector appears to be weighing up whether there is already enough automation in key processes or if these new agents are the key to more efficient and fault-free operations.

LAS VEGAS—Terrible Herbst Motorsports is an established name in off-road racing with a history that spans generations of the Herbst family. The Las Vegas-based team has earned multiple SCORE Trophy Truck championships and is recognized for vehicles such as the Monster Energy Ford F-150 and the influential Herbst Truggy, which helped shape modern desert racing. Known for both consistency and innovation, our team continues to compete in some of the sport’s most demanding events across Baja California and the American Southwest.

As vice president of digital media and aerial production at Terrible Herbst, my role is to capture the race while also expanding the boundaries of what can be achieved in live streaming. These races, which take place six times a year, unfold across arduous terrain, with 850-horsepower trucks reaching speeds of 150 miles per hour. Streaming them requires helicopters, off-road trucks and connectivity across remote locations—all operating in real time, which challenges traditional broadcast models. Still, we’re determined to advance the fan experience, and that’s where TVU has been essential.

Extremely Remote
Prior to adopting TVU Networks’ cloud-production tools, we relied on large production trucks—expensive to operate and requiring extensive on-site crews. For the 2025 Baja 500, we implemented a remote, cloud-based workflow using TVU Producer, TVU MediaHub and TVU Anywhere.

Producer-enabled live multicamera switching in the cloud, with feeds ranging from in-truck cameras to aerial footage from helicopters and truck-mounted angles. All signals were routed and managed through MediaHub, with additional mobile feeds contributed via TVU Anywhere, giving fans a richer, more immersive experience.

Once in MediaHub, we converted SRT streams from the cameras into RTMP, allowing
us to distribute the broadcast across social platforms, YouTube Live, and our own website. Executing this through a cloud-based platform allowed us to leverage remote operators across the U.S.—ensuring we can deploy our A-team every time.

Using Starlink and TVU solutions allowed us to enable innovation in the cloud, from the cloud.

Given the extreme remoteness of desert racing, we equipped trucks and helicopters with rack-mounted cameras and fitted the aircraft with Starlink for high-speed, mobile internet. The combination of Starlink and TVU has kept our live feeds stable, sharp and compelling.

Off-Road Connectivity
We’ve even seen growing external demand for our proprietary, patent-pending helicopter mounts and power conversion systems for Gen 2/Gen 3 performance Starlinks. Through combining TVU’s remote production tools with advanced connectivity solutions, we’ve brought high-speed desert racing to life in a way that was immersive, efficient and scalable—proving that no location is too remote for world-class live coverage.

Partners like TVU Networks have become integral to advancing live racing. My background in cinematography has driven me to create not just a live stream, but a high-end live show—which is exactly what fans want. We’re excited to see where innovation continues to take us and grateful for partners like TVU that help redefine the possibilities.

More information is available at www.tvunetworks.com.

TVU Networks has launched TVU MediaMesh, designed for cloud-based live production.

Traditional live production, whether on-site or remote, has long been constrained by fixed infrastructure, dedicated equipment, and rigid routing, limiting both scale and flexibility. Currently only about 1% of live productions have fully migrated to the cloud due to the complexities of connecting sources, routing signals and integrating multiple applications.

TVU MediaMesh addresses these challenges by introducing global shared memory for live video, simplifying connectivity and drastically reducing configuration time, according to the company.

“MediaMesh removes the biggest obstacle to cloud adoption by making live signals instantly accessible anywhere, as easily as opening a shared file, said Mike Cronk, VP of Strategy at TVU Networks. “It gives teams the freedom to produce from anywhere, using the tools they want without worrying about the back end.”

As the foundation that powers TVU’s SaaS applications for the world’s largest live events, from routing and AI indexing to production and playout, MediaMesh now opens its APIs, enabling customers and partners to build, innovate, and shape the future of live production.

TVU will demo MediaMesh at Stand 7.B55 at the 2025 IBC Show, Sept. 12-15 at the RAI Amsterdam.

The platform’s collaborative approach has already drawn industry support.

Adam Marshall, CPO at Grass Valley, said: “By integrating Grass Valley AMPP with TVU MediaMesh, we’re giving our customers the seamless workflows they’ve been asking for across our best-of-breed solutions. AMPP users can now connect to sources from multiple vendors, including TVU’s cellular backpacks, without the usual integration complexity. This deepens the collaboration our customers have been calling for.”

Additionally, Telos Alliance and Jünger Audio have agreed to integrate Telos Alliance’s portfolio of cloud‑enabled audio solutions directly into TVU Networks’ MediaMesh platform, delivering next‑generation audio capabilities for broadcasters and content creators worldwide.

Integrating Telos Alliance’s and Jünger Audio’s audio-handling tools with MediaMesh will give TVU Network clients the direct ability to automate complex audio workflows, ensure consistent, high‑quality audio and leverage AI to ease manual workloads, the companies said.

TVU MediaMesh already connects and manages production resources via a resilient, cloud‑native network. With Telos Alliance technology embedded in the platform, users will be able to access capabilities including Jünger Audio flexAI for multichannel processing and Automix, Minnetonka AudioTools Server for post‑production automation, and Linear Acoustic upmix, downmix, and loudness tools, all of which are optimized for distributed, collaborative workflows.

TVU MediaMesh is available today, including on the AWS Marketplace, enabling customers to deploy instantly.

To guide the platform’s evolution, TVU has formed a MediaMesh Advisory Board (MAB), bringing together leaders from seven major media companies and five partner organizations including Chyron, EVS, Grass Valley, Solid State Logic and Vizrt. TVU will showcase integrations from select MAB members, as well as Mediatest, Eluvio, Pixelstorm and MXL interoperability demos with Grass Valley, Riedel, Matrox and AWS.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks, a global provider of cloud and IP-based live video solutions, has appointed Mike Cronk as vice president of strategy.

Cronk has more than two decades of experience in media tech, most recently as head of product for live media services at Amazon Web Services (AWS). Prior to that, he was with Grass Valley for much of the past 25 years, most recently as vice president of core technologies. He is also founding chair of the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS).

In his new role, Cronk will focus on scaling TVU’s award-winning software-as-a-service (SaaS) product line, expanding its adoption among media organizations worldwide and enhancing the company’s offerings for customers, partners and the broader media community, T said.

“Mike Cronk joins TVU at a time of unparalleled innovation and momentum for our company,” TVU CEO Paul Shen said. “His deep expertise in cloud transformation, media workflows, and product strategy will enable us to continue redefining how broadcasters engage their audiences. With Mike’s leadership, we will further strengthen our position as the trusted partner for media supply chain transformation worldwide, turning our customers’ most ambitious projects into reality.”

Reflecting on his new role, Cronk highlighted TVU’s commitment to innovation: “TVU has been at the forefront of live video production for nearly two decades, forging strong partnerships with media organizations worldwide. This year alone, TVU has enabled groundbreaking cloud-based workflows, from leveraging AI-assisted production during major sports events to powering fully cloud-based workflows for this year’s biggest elections. The opportunity to contribute to such a visionary company at this pivotal moment is truly exciting. Together with our customers, we have the potential to achieve even greater milestones and transform the industry further.”

“Mike’s vision and expertise align perfectly with TVU Networks’ mission to transform the broadcast industry,” Shen said. “His addition to our leadership team marks an exciting chapter for TVU as we continue to innovate and collaborate with our clients to redefine what’s possible in live media production.”

For more information about TVU Networks, visit tvunetworks.com.

TVU Networks has unveiled TVU MediaHub, a cloud-driven router for managing video signals in both IP and SDI environments.

As a cloud-based SaaS, TVU MediaHub’s cloud-centric and hybrid architecture supports limitless inputs and outputs, managing intricate signal matrices in both SDI and IP formats and will help advance media companies’ transition away from hardware-based solutions to cloud-based digital media workflows.

“TVU MediaHub is born from our collaboration with over 4,000 leading media companies globally,” said Paul Shen, CEO of TVU Networks. “As the demand for IP-based input and output sources grows, so does the complexity of managing increasing numbers of decoders and encoders. TVU MediaHub offers an innovative approach to handling, processing, and routing these signals. We’re thrilled to now offer this solution to a wider audience.”

TVU MediaHub accepts various input formats ranging from SDI, NDI, SRT, TVU Grid, to YouTube, and more, and can scale and direct outputs to multiple destinations in formats like RTMP, HLS, TVU Grid, Facebook, etc.

It uses resources on premise in data centers or in the cloud with TVU providing additional resources as needed. Its interface features an object-oriented visual UI, eliminating the need to train users. Monthly subscriptions start at $8.75/core monthly, with on-demand resources charged per minute during signal routing, TVU said.

TVU MediaHub is a key component of TVU Networks’ extensive broadcast ecosystem, integrating AI-powered ingestion, advanced graphics, and streamlined live production and ad management tools. 

“TVU MediaHub is more than a routing tool; it’s a portal to endless broadcasting possibilities,” Shen adds. “We’re eager to see how this platform will enable content creators and broadcasters to innovate and engage their audiences in novel, exciting ways.”

CUPERTINO, Calif.—TVU Networks will mark the North American debut of its ONE compact, full-featured 5G cellular transmitter at NAB Show New York, at the Javits Center Oct. 25-26. Weighing in at just 1.79kg and 200mm tall, the ONE incurs latency as low as 0.3 second using cellular connectivity and can also switch to REMI production within minutes for synchronized, multicamera live event coverage for up to four video sources, according to the company.

In addition to the ONE, TVU will demonstrate the latest updates in its full line up of 4K-supported, cloud-based solutions for live video production, including TVU Search, TVU Producer, TVU Grid and TVU Channel.

The ONE uses the latest generation Sub 6GHz, 3GPP Release 16, 5G embedded modems. With multiple antennas per modem, it offers the most advanced antenna array on the market, and also supports MIMO uplink. This ensures transmission with wider coverage, better range, increased data transfer rates, and the assurance of future compatibility of 5G network deployments.

The ONE includes the latest version of TVU’s patented Inverse StatMux transmission technology fully integrated into the unit. The newly developed ISX protocol provides the most reliable and efficient transmission protocol even in the most challenging transmission environments, ensuring the full utilization of available bandwidth, superior video quality, and extremely low latency.

TVU Search features content search capabilities based on advanced AI algorithms and automation, allowing users to locate live or archival feeds or clips for immediate playout, download, or sharing, the company said. It features a plug-in integration with Adobe Premiere Pro, giving users access to TVU Search directly from within the interface of the editing application. With TVU Producer, users can natively ingest live video to the cloud from virtually any IP video source or VOD content and fully produce the content in 4K. This includes switching sources, accessing graphics overlays, and custom PIP configurations to name a few. TVU Grid delivers highly scalable point-to-point and point-to-multipoint switching, routing and distribution of live video over commodity internet according to TVU.

TVU Channel doesn’t operate on customary infrastructure, but instead enables the user to schedule live and VOD programming from a browser. The cloud-based TVU Channel can be deployed in minutes to schedule and manage one or hundreds of live content channels including OTT, websites, apps and social media. It supports live and pre-programmed content, dynamic ad insertion with SCTE decoration, and can be set to operate continuously 24/7 with no downtime, TVU said.

“Since last year’s NAB NY, we’ve continued to expand the capabilities of the TVU cloud ecosystem in support of the Media Supply Chain with an emphasis on our microservices and AI-assisted offerings,” stated Matt Keiler, VP of North America Sales, TVU Networks. “With the addition of the ONE, plus the integration of our AI-driven TVU Search with Adobe Premiere Pro, and a new version of our ISX protocol for unparalleled cellular transmission, broadcasters can capture, produce, and distribute content easier, faster, and more cost effectively than ever before.”

TVU Networks will be in Booth 542 at the show. To schedule a demonstration or meeting, please visit TVU’s NAB NY page: https://info.tvunetworks.com/nabny-2023

BARCELONA—TVU Networks will support customers covering the 2024 Summer Olympics taking place at 35 venues throughout France and Tahiti with its cloud-based live video production tools and dedicated tech support onsite and remotely, the company said.

TVU saw more than a 245% increase in the number of hours logged across its cloud product portfolio during coverage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar compared to the cloud hours used dedicated to coverage of the Tokyo Summer Olympics and Beijing Winter Olympics combined, it said.

A variety of TVU IP and cloud-based remote production solutions will be used to cover the Paris Summer Games, July 26-Aug. 11, 2024. They include TVU RPS One for portable hybrid REMI; TVU Producer for professional cloud production; TVU RPS and TVU RPS Link Encoder for synchronized multi-camera IP remote production; and TVU Remote Commentator for synchronized on-air audio commentaries, the company said.

The company’s production tools will be available on a rental basis depending on the specific needs of users, it said.

TVU Networks tools are also available for other production- and distribution-related tasks. TVU Search is an AI-driven tool offering cloud-native ingest, indexing, search and clipping to help storytellers locate specific content quickly from a large volume of recorded and live video, it said.

TVU Channel is a user-friendly service to create, manage and monetize live channels across various platforms, including connected TV, OTA and OTT. For the Summer Olympics, users can leverage TVU Channel to launch dedicated channels for event coverage, it said.

TVU Networks also will make its TVU One 5G cellular transmitters available to broadcasters for coverage of the event. The transmitter, which supports 1080p and 4K HDR with sub-second latency, leverages TVU’s patented IS+ technology for resilience and bandwidth efficiency, it said.

A dedicated support team of experts will be available before, during and after the event to help the company’s customers with equipment pickup and setup as well as to answer technical questions. In addition to the onsite support staff, the company will offer 24/7 remote tech support during the event, it said.

"TVU Networks is excited to be a part of next year’s Summer Games and to support our customers in their coverage of this iconic global event," said TVU Networks CEO Paul Shen. "With our cloud-based remote production ecosystem, AI-driven TVU Search, and experienced equipment rental process, we are confident that broadcasters will have the tools they need to deliver captivating coverage onsite and remotely. Our dedicated technical support teams are committed to providing any assistance to our customers, ensuring their success throughout the event."

More information is available on the company’s website.

CUPERTINO, Calif.—TVU Networks has announced that its TVU MediaMind and TVU Search platform have been adopted by ANI, South Asia's top multimedia news agency. 

The TVU solutions are being used to enhance ANI's video processes and to ensure swift and engaging news delivery. For ANI, the deployment has simplified content discovery by analyzing video metadata, speech, text, and faces, freeing news teams to focus on storytelling, the companies said. 

"TVU gave us a fast and efficient solution to an immediate need from our editorial team,” explained Ishan Prakash, editor, ANI Live Services. “The speed, reliability and quality of their ingest and clipping solution is unmatched in the market and allows us to provide a world-class multimedia product to ANI subscribers across South Asia. ANI is constantly evolving its news agency offering, and companies like TVU are an important element to our technological upgrades. TVU technology is always in line with the changing ways in which news is consumed".

The integration allows ANI to harness the platform's live ingest feeds, clipping features, and the TVU Search portal, providing real-time access to the latest news. Clipped video content is automatically uploaded to ANI's AWS S3 Bucket, offering customers quick and accessible news updates on their new multimedia web portal.

In addition, TVU's all-in-one platform has improved ANI's operational efficiency, replacing complex manual processes with a centralized solution for managing video content, the companies said. ANI is now poised to further evolve their ingest capabilities into this automation platform, enhancing their multimedia offerings and audience engagement.

TVU also noted that the deployment is part of a growing trend towards cloud solutions for content creation. Overall, the video hours ingested by TVU MediaMind and TVU Search in 2022 increased by 630% compared to 2021.

“Ani's adoption of TVU MediaMind and TVU Search serves as a validation of our direction in developing cloud-native and hybrid technology for remote production,” said Paul Shen, CEO of TVU Networks. “We're thrilled to partner with ANI - a media powerhouse that shares our visionary outlook for the future of news production."

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks will introduce the TVU RPS One, an all-in-one hybrid cloud and studio remote production solution at the 2023 NAB Show, April 16-19 in Las Vegas. The new product combines the synchronized multicamera encoding and transmission functionality in TVU’s RPS (Remote Production System) in an ultra-compact and rugged form factor with six integrated 5G modems for wireless transmission.  

In conjunction with TVU's robust live cloud production platform or TVU RPS decoders, RPS One delivers an end-to-end cloud-based or on-prem live video production solution from field capture to distribution, TVU said. RPS One's unique ability to transmit wirelessly to the cloud and an on-prem decoder simultaneously enables production teams to create distinct programming using the same sources or set up a mirrored production environment for backup purposes.

"After extensive feedback from our global customers, we've combined RPS's power of fully synchronized multi-camera feeds at sub-second latency with the portability, 4K HDR quality, speed, and real-time wireless streaming capabilities of TVU One," said Paul Shen, CEO, TVU Networks. "RPS One equips content creators with everything they need for faster, more efficient, and more reliable workflows from anywhere. We're excited to demonstrate RPS One's capabilities to NAB attendees, and we believe they'll be impressed with its speed and connectivity."

The company says the TVU RPS One transmission device is the only product in its class that supports six,  next generation embedded 5G sub-6 GHz modems. It boasts an innovative 5G MIMO antenna array that guarantees the seamless operation of all built-in 5G modems at peak performance simultaneously. This feature is complemented by six next-generation 3GPP Release 16 modems, which provide comprehensive support for 5G SA and NSA modes, as well as compatibility with the most widely-used 5G, LTE, and 3G bands worldwide.

Additionally, the RPS One's dual WiFi modules, equipped with MIMO antennas, ensure top-notch connectivity with local devices and multiple available networks concurrently, delivering unmatched performance and versatility in the world of wireless communication.

RPS One has four 3G-SDI inputs that support 1080P/1080i/720p  HDR remote production. It also supports up to 16 channels of embedded audio (SDI), and up to 8 channels of embedded audio (HDMI).  It also supports a low-latency, single Return Video Feed from an SDI or IP input on any TVU Transceiver or TVU Cloud service allowing virtually any source to be routed to the field. 

RPS One simultaneously aggregates up to 12 data connections including internal/external cellular, WiFi, Ethernet, IP Microwave, Satellite (Ka/Ku/BGAN/Starlink) and more. It includes up to six embedded 5G/LTE/3G modems, embedded 2.4/5GHz WiFi, Ethernet, and four USB connections for external modem connections.

TVU Networks will be in Booth W1821 in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Hearst Television ABC affiliate KMBC in Kansas City, Mo. deployed gear from TVU networks to provide local and on-site coverage of Super Bowl LVII last week. Coverage included local watch parties, at-game interviews, and fan celebrations during the championship which saw the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in the last minutes of the game. 

Having prior experience of dealing with bandwidth limitations at crowded events like watch parties and fan celebrations, KMBC—for the 2023 SUper Bowl celebrations—deployed five TVU One 5G video transmitters; TVU Partyline cloud collaboration solution; TVU MLink uplink transmitter, and TVU Grid for IP-based video switching, routing and distribution to capture and deliver video from Kansas City and Phoenix - the championship host city.

“The beauty of the TVU One is that they’ve gotten to the point with IS+ that they’re so reliable we can anticipate bandwidth challenges on-site and correct them before they happen,” said Neeley Schmitz, Assistant News Director, KMBC-TV. “There were thousands of people at a watch party in downtown Kansas City on Sunday. We had some bandwidth challenges there. We simply adjusted the bit rate down and increased the latency by one second. The shot was clean without any issues. That ability to immediately adapt our equipment to the environment was crucial.”

TVU One delivers high-quality live video over a 5G cellular bonded infrastructure, according to the company Using its proprietary IS+ technology, all TVU uplink solutions use any combination of cellular, satellite, microwave, WiFi and Ethernet IP connections to deliver live HD video from practically any location. IS+ allows any IP connection at any time without stopping the transmission.

For the victory parade on Feb. 15h, KMBC set up four TVU One’s at various locations along the route using network connectivity, and one TVU One fed pool video to TVU Grid for sharing with other Hearst stations and other national networks. KMBC also shared live coverage from Phoenix, post-game interviews, and local live fan celebrations throughout the city on Grid.

A TVU MLink from the station’s SUV transmitted live video from the celebratory fireworks display from Kansas City’s Union Station after the Chiefs’ victory.

Schmitz said they appreciated being able to use TVU Partyline as a real-time return video feed for the remote crews in Phoenix to communicate with the control room. “One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced is communication between our local staff and our reporters and photographers out of town—for them to visually interact with the images they’re sending. During the championship game, we sent our photographers in Phoenix a Partyline link and routed our main feed from the control room to their Partyline screen so they could see the images they’re sending as we’re putting them out from Kansas City.”

He added that KMBC uses TVU Partyline for virtual, on-air interviews with one person and multiple interviewees. “It's clean because we can distribute it seamlessly through our TVU infrastructure in the studio, and it always works. It’s much more reliable for us than the mainstream video call software.”

Aside from its reliable transmission, the mobility and accessibility provided by the TVU ecosystem were two of the main attributes Schmitz cited during the remote live production: “Having to run a hardwire cable from a satellite or mobile truck from the watch party in Kansas City’s Power & Light district, with that crowd, would have made the shots we got impossible. TVU gives us that versatility. We had a photographer traveling from one sporting goods store to another, capturing people grabbing championship t-shirts and sweatshirts. We were able to quickly edit the video and get it on air. The efficiency and accessibility of TVU has really elevated what we’re able to do.”

“KMBC’s deployment of its full ecosystem of TVU solutions is at the heart of everything we do,” said Paul Shen, CEO, TVU Networks. “They’re using our technology to provide the most engaging video coverage possible during one of the year’s biggest live events in the city. The reliability of wireless TVU connectivity meant they could broadcast from several locations in Kansas City and Phoenix simultaneously. We’re thrilled we could help them reach their audience in a way that makes every viewer feel part of the action.”

FORT MYERS, Fla.—5G cellular service is widely available in populated areas and starting to have an impact on broadcasters from acquisition to distribution. Think “5G” and you’ll most likely think of fast smartphone downloads, home internet service or 5G bonded (or aggregated) cellular systems in a way similar to 4G bonded/aggregated cellular. But 5G is different and will be much more different as standards evolve.

5G for Acquisition
Using mobile network operator (MNO) cellular networks for acquisition is nothing new. 4G was, and in some areas, still is how a remote signal gets back to home base. However, 5G offers advantages in data rate and latency to enable 4K UHD, but not as much as you would think. Cellsmart’s mid-2022 “Global Cellular Performance” study of real-world conditions found that, globally and on average, 5G upload speeds only showed an increase of 55% to 31.27 Mbps over the 4G global average. This is in contrast to 5G download speeds of 241.61 Mbps. 

“5G is prioritized for downloading—upload speeds are not significantly maximized,” said Rob Waters, global director of sales at Dejero. “For our 5G bonded systems, it’s all about the lowest latency with the highest bandwidth, that’s where multiple antennas per modem really comes in as a powerful weapon.”

However, Dan Pisarski, CTO at LiveU adds that “there’s still a few other tricks up 5G’s sleeve. “The 5G protocol’s fixed deterministic latency of the network is an overlooked gem,” he said. “With MEC [multi-access edge computing], for example, latency can go from 60 ms to below 10 ms. The challenge is the entire latency budget. But taking the first hop to sub 10ms, we can increase redundancy by adding a bit more latency. This provides exciting applications for broadcasters.”

The Cellsmart study also showed that the cellular frequency being used has a significant impact on upload speeds. “Where results have been taken in areas with mmWave, there are dramatically different results including downloads in excess of 800 Mbps, uploads in excess of 250 Mbps and latencies of sub 10 ms.”

According to TVU Network’s founder and CEO Paul Shen, the upload speed you get depends on where you are. “Unless you’re in a populated area, you won’t see 5G mmWave deployment. Suburban and rural areas don’t present a financial incentive for telcos to use mmWave. Plus, some versions of 5G with sub-6 Ghz deployment use the same spectrum as 4G/LTE.”

While LiveU, Dejero and TVU have different technologies for 5G, there’s one thing all three agree on: For the end-user, operating 5G is basically the same as operating 4G, whether it’s someone acquiring footage or the organization receiving that footage. All three are seeing interest in 5G from similar populations. “Both existing 4G customers and those producing sports in 4K are looking strongly at 5G,” said Shen. “Existing customers are beginning to notice performance degradation using 4G, especially in mission critical situations.” 

It is a sentiment echoed by Waters. “Our existing 4G users are looking to upgrade and future-proof themselves. While 5G doesn’t give all advantages now, potentially it will as more 5G is rolled out. Plus, sports producers want to use 5G instead of satellite.”

5G offers greater reliability than satellite with 5G at over 95% vs. traditional satellite at 90%, according to Shen. “News is great at adopting new technologies,” added Pisarski. “The day after any MNO makes an announcement, we get calls asking ‘can we use it?’ from our news users.”

There’s another consideration for high-profile events: a private 5G stand-alone non-public network (SNPN). “Millimeter wave is very wide spectrum, so cell phone operators can easily dedicate service to a private network on an ad hoc basis,” said Shen. “We did that for an 8K project.”

Waters adds that private networks are the easiest to set up. “There’s no cable runs, giving you very short setup time.” 

It should be noted that MNO-based SNPNs are not the only type of private network—and most are in test and trail phases, according to Pisarski. “A real private network means somebody with their own hardware on a frequency they have access to.”

Pisarski is referring to CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service), spectrum from 3.5 GHz-3.7 GHz the FCC set aside for private 5G networks. This spectrum, along with SIM cards, can be leased from third parties that are licensed (priority access license or “PAT”) or used unlicensed (general authorized access or “GAA”), which is subject to the most interference. “All that’s needed is a popup antenna and a few computers to run the network,” he said.

5G for Distribution
This is where the phrase “5G Broadcast” comes into play, and it’s not the best term to describe how 5G can be used for distribution. Does “5G” mean the technology or the device? 

As MNOs’ 5G are unicast networks, there’s a difference between “a connected device” that sporadically sends requests for data needing to be downloaded and a significant number of connected devices that are all streaming content at the same time. The more devices simultaneously connected to a 5G cell downloading data, the less bandwidth each device gets, as they all have to share that unicast data capacity. 

Enter “5G Broadcast” from DTT broadcasters to 5G devices with an ATSC 3.0 (aka “NextGen TV”) receiver chip. 

“Today, the number of commercial smartphones with an ATSC 3.0 chip is 0%,” said Mark Aitken, senior vice president of advanced technology at Sinclair Broadcast Group and president of ONE Media. “But ATSC 3.0 will find its way into billions of devices that require data of some sort: cars, phones, smart cities and more.” Aitken is a true believer in what ATSC 3.0 can bring to quality of life.

Aitken does, however, have a Mark One Android smartphone evaluation sample with an ATSC 3.0 receiver chip, giving him the ability to watch stations broadcasting ATSC 3.0. “We wanted a chip that could live in a mobile device, with its operation and power needs,” he said. “We wanted efficient web app coding, for it to draw less power and run on lower level devices.”

Watching an ATSC 3.0 station is as simple as tapping on an app. Sinclair has their own open source app, another is the NextGen Broadcast App. In addition to live TV, stations provide frequently updated weather, news or other content. 

ATSC 3.0 receiver apps are simple. “It’s A/344 of the ATSC 3.0 standard,” says Aitken. “It’s nothing more than a uniform ATSC 3.0 browser with HTML5.” According to the standard, “A Broadcaster Application is used herein to refer to the functionality embodied in a collection of files comprised of an HTML5 document, known as the Entry Page and other HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, image and multimedia resources referenced directly or indirectly by that document, all provided by a broadcaster in an ATSC 3.0 service.”

According to Aitkin, “Sinclair’s app has the same features as TV sets with ATSC 3.0 tuners, except it’s been adapted to the small screen with gesture swipes and wipes for navigation. This is really about a more ideal user experience. There’s less friction to the nature of access to services available...there is a quality aspect to the user experience.” 

Broadcasters as ‘Pseudo’ 5G MNOs?
Graziano Casale, senior sales manager for transmitters at Rohde & Schwarz agrees with Aitken that it’s all about a better quality of experience for the consumer. 

“ATSC 3.0 plays into the 5G ecosystem and vice versa,” he said. “The main benefit is that [MNO] 5G broadcast technology is in the same chip already in the device, while ATSC requires an additional chip.” 

Casale is referring to “5G Broadcast/Multicast,” which R&S and Qualcomm demonstrated at IBC 2022, but is not yet commercially available. It uses UHF spectrum to broadcast to 5G smartphones. While there’s potential for revenue, it comes at a cost.

ATSC 3.0’s 6 MHz does not comply with those in the current 3GPP 5G specification, the lowest being 3 MHz—that’s half your spectrum. 

Simply, 5G Terrestrial Broadcast shares the DTT spectrum to provide other services. You could sell that 3 MHz of spectrum to an MNO to deliver media from your transmitter using the 5G chipset already present in smartphones. Of course, that leaves you with 3 MHz for actual television, which today could be a 720p signal. But in the 3.0 future, 3 MHz should deliver more. 

There must be a reason for manufacturers and MNOs to want a 3.0 chip in 5G smartphones and other mobile devices. There will need to be more work done on 3GPP and a reason for MNOs to lease your spectrum. 

When it comes to 5G for broadcasters, it just depends on what you want to do and when you’ll be able to do it.

DOHA, Qatar—TVU Networks is providing 24/7 on-site support servicing more rentals of live equipment than ever before to support broadcasters covering the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the company reported. 

Broadcasters from around the globe are on hand to deliver what is regarded by many as one of the most watched TV events worldwide. An important part of that coverage is capturing local sights and sounds, immersing audiences in the culture of the host nation. Of course, the main mission is to cover World Cup matches.

Each requires content not available from the international pool feed. To that end, broadcasters from multiple nations have commissioned hundreds of TVU One backpacks and a sizable number of RPS Link transceivers. TVU is also ensuring content comes from more than just the host country. Through an exclusive partnership with Total Media Cast, live fan zone feeds from around the world are being made available through TVU Grid, the company said.

“There has been an international investment explosion in TVU live solutions,” says Halid Hatic, TVU Networks vice president of media services. “Success after success naturally has broadcasters taking notice of how delay-free and problem-free TVU solutions are."

“Fox Sports, ESPN, CNN, the Alphabet Networks and hundreds of local TV stations have all been long-time North American customer, but now we’re very busy with customers from Korea, China, Japan, India, France, Germany, Australia, Israel, and many more," he continued. 

Company CEO Paul Shen described the situation as “a good problem to have.” 

“We collaborate with our customers so that we are in perfect sync, and in that way, there are no surprises. Despite our recent growth, every delivery is set in stone, and every order is filled,” he said.

More information is available on the company’s website. 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks will showcase its 5G remote production and cloud-based playout solutions as well as new device integration at the 2022 NAB Show New York,  Oct. 17-20 at the Javits Center in New York City. 

Guided by insight from news and sports media companies, TVU Networks releases new products, features and upgrades throughout the year to enable a seamless experience for users of its live multi-camera production-over-IP solutions, the company said.

The components of the TVU cloud-based ecosystem work together seamlessly even in the most challenging network environments. Using 5G cellular networks, TVU’s end-to-end solution provides greater bandwidth and resiliency, ultra-low latency and connectivity with speeds up to 100 times faster than 4G, it said.

The latest addition to the TVU production solution is TVU RPS (Remote Production System) Link Encoder. It allows multi-channel REMI production over 5G. The TVU RPS Link Encoder is compatible with the existing TVU RPS hardware decoder and TVU’s cloud ecosystem.

The TVU RPS remote production system uses an encoder and decoder to synchronize multiple remote sources perfectly and send them to the studio, while the TVU Producer platform enables production of live streaming programs from any of these sources without a studio infrastructure, it said.

The new TVU Channel Plus, a cloud-based playout service with integrated ad sales support, follows its predecessor TVU Channel. Initially designed for one of the world’s largest broadcasters, TVU Channel, enables the user to schedule live and VOD programming from a simple web browser. Both TVU Channel Plus and TVU Channel enable simple, yet powerful linear channel scheduling and playout running in the cloud, TVU Networks said.

With pay-as-you-go pricing, the TVU Channel supports an OpEx business model. TVU Channel Plus is free to the user, employing a revenue-split pricing model based on ad performance.

Another new module TVU will highlight at NAB New York is TVU Replay, a multi-camera control sports app. TVU Replay gives officials instant review capability during games. Video producers also can include TVU Replay clips within their coverage, it said.

The app has two modes: Review and Replay. The Review mode enables officials and coaches in game to review any close call immediately from their phone or tablet. Running within the TVU Producer live production platform, Replay provides all production elements necessary to output clips to any device, the company said.

“We’re regularly adding essential tools into the TVU ecosystem that save producers time and increase flexibility with more options for live event production,” said TVU Networks Paul Shen. “Our ecosystem of 5G, 4K solutions integrate in a microservices-based, building block approach that makes it easy to add capabilities as needed.”

In keeping with that commitment to innovation, TVU will demonstrate an integration with Stream Deck from Elgato. Stream Deck is a physical control interface device popular with gamers streaming on Twitch and YouTube, the company said. 

Using Stream Deck to control live production from the TVU Producer multi-camera, streaming platform makes seamless production easy for a new generation of content creators. Shortcut keys can be mapped for transitions, clips, overlays and ad insertions from TVU Producer onto the Stream Deck device for simple, one button control, it said.

See TVU Networks at NAB New York booth 1318.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Ca.—TVU Networks partnered with SpaceX’s Starlink service to enhance the reliability of France Télévisions’ coverage of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral last month.

Considering the magnitude of the event and the large crowds involved, it was anticipated that cellular networks would become overburdened, leading the TV network to certify the combination of TVU Networks’ TVU One with Starlink. The unique ability of TVU One to aggregate multiple separate signals into a single redundant stream frees its users from cellular saturation and puts an end to instability, the main cause of signal degradation in many live news situations, TVU said.

The combination of TVU Networks and Starlink technologies was tested and validated in the extreme transmission conditions in Ukraine and Corsica before being certified by the technical teams of France Télévisions.

"We must offer news production teams and reporters technological solutions to cover every major event regardless of constraints,” says Skander Ben Attia, Director of Engineering at France Télévisions. “The flexibility and ease of use of the TVU Networks solutions met these conditions 200%.”

This capability provides more reliability for broadcasters to successfully transmit their live footage to their newsrooms, particularly in cases of violent weather with impact on infrastructure, or in areas without strong communication networks, or in the case of Queen Elizebeth’s funeral, large gatherings that completely saturate the cellular networks. 

France Télévisions anticipated that media coverage combined with security associated with the funeral would rule out the use of live traditional vans and satellite trucks and that the cell service was going to be non-existent. 

Through its partner Magic Hour, TVU Networks provided transmission packs allowing the routing of signals via Starlink as well as reception servers to increase the traffic needs of the France Télévisions news control room on the day of the funeral.

Thanks to this configuration, France Télévisions was able to have continuous live broadcasts, control their production costs, and cover the event from all editorially relevant locations. The TVU One with Starlink deployed ensured the national editorial staff of France Télévisions success in its mission.

“After very conclusive trials in Ukraine and Corsica, we decided to deploy this TVU Networks/Starlink configuration on a large scale,” says Romuald Rat, News Production Director for France Télévisions. “TVU Networks/Starlink configuration has brought us to the crossroads of technology and history, creating the certainty of being able to serve our audience without fail and focus on the storytelling. It is impossible not to be very proud of what we accomplished.”

AUCKLAND, New Zealand—Pay TV operator Sky relied on TVU Network’s TVU Remote Production System (RPS) for live multi-camera contribution of content to supplement coverage of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in July and the Beijing Winter Games in February, the company said today.

Based on the success it had using TVU RPS at both events, Sky plans to use the same transmission model for the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, it said.

“Our TVU setup was rock solid for both events,” said Sky technical production manager Kerry Phelvin. “During the Beijing Games, our TVU system was up and running for 16 days, running 24/7. The TVU RPS system performed flawlessly, moving over 30 terabytes in that period. Not only will we use this again for the Summer Games in Paris, but we may get a second RPS.”

Sky covered both events using feeds for the host broadcaster via the multi-channel service (MCS), which were sent to New Zealand using traditional paths, including satellite, fiber and IP Ethernet private line links. 

To supplement coverage, Sky used the TVUP RPS frame-synchronized remote production system with a single six-channel RPS encoder on location and a six-channel RPS decoder in New Zealand. Sky transported the signals via a standard commodity internet connection as H.265/HEVC-encoded video, which proved to be economical and efficient, it said.

For the Beijing Games, Sky used TVU RPS to deliver six unilateral feeds and two studio return feeds between the event’s international broadcast center and Sky’s main studio and transmission center in Auckland. The unilateral feeds carried a mix of programming not featured on the main host broadcaster feed, such as longer format time-shifted replays, local beauty shots and regional in-studio stand ups. The return feeds were used primarily for monitoring the studio productions in Auckland. Sky use a similar setup for coverage of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Sky also relied on TVU for support during the games. “As always, TVU support was excellent. During the Beijing Winter Games, we discovered that we were missing an SDI-to-SDI cable for RPS. The TVU support team in Shanghai promptly found one and couriered it to our mountain hotel. No questions asked, no invoice in the mail – brilliant,” said Phelvin. 

More information is available on the company’s website.

WASHINGTON—If you work for a broadcaster, you know that distribution over IP is supplanting SDI as the best practice, both for in-studio and remote activities. IP is simply the “better mousetrap,” with more flexibility than SDI, at costs that are no greater and often less.

One of the interesting benefits of working in an IP production environment is that it is better understood by corporate IT departments than the traditional way of working in an SDI “island” that is strictly the concern of the television engineering staff. At a time when skilled broadcast engineers are retiring in great numbers, the transition to IP production infrastructures could not have come at a better time.

“Live production over IP is a definite reality now,” said Ulrich Voigt, vice president for product management at Vizrt. “It has reached a level most of us did not expect.”

Changing Quickly
Liam Hayter, senior solutions architect for NewTek thinks he knows why the change happened so quickly.

“[It’s] the acceptance of lightweight, high-efficiency, and crucially low-latency software-based compression as an acceptable tool for broadcast,” he said. “Early in the IP transition, there was much chasing of uncompressed zero-latency IP delivery, but this becomes heavy and unwieldy—particularly when globally everyone, in every scenario, needed to work remotely.”

As quickly as the IP production steamroller was upon us, that doesn’t mean it was easy or without growing pains.

“There were several hurdles that needed to be overcome to make this a reality and they have been conquered for the most part,” said Steven Bilow, senior product marketing manager at Telestream. “For example, the nondeterminism of IP switching versus SDI used to be a big roadblock. But now, with technologies like ST 2110 and, especially for widely distributed sites, ST 2022-6, as well as ever-increasing format efficiency with technologies like JPEG-XS, these latencies have largely been overcome.”

The inherent flexibility of IP has users and manufacturers thinking of ways to structure systems to capture and distribute signals in novel ways. Producers and content creators are pushing the technology into situations where SDI dares not go.

“We believe completely in the cloud and IP’s ability to transform live production in a way that dramatically expands who and how video is produced and delivered,” said Paul Shen, CEO of TVU Networks. “It’s what drives us to keep creating—empowering content creators is at the core of everything we do.”

One of TVU’s users is the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA), a soccer organization based in Latin America. In June, CONIFA produced and broadcast the Copa América, a professional soccer tournament from the remote Chilean city of Linares, with practically no equipment, minimal personnel and on a shoestring budget.

“With the TVU ecosystem, four or five people in different countries participating in production and transmission, a few pieces of basic equipment, and a couple of smartphones, we were able to stream live to the whole world from one small city in southern Chile,” said Diego Bartolotta, president of CONIFA Americas. “Before the Copa América, I was a bit incredulous that we could achieve a quality broadcast of a professional football game with only interconnected phones. But [this broadcast] totally changed my perspective.”

No Immediate Replacement
Although IP is now widely accepted for broadcast infrastructure, existing SDI cabling does not necessarily need to be replaced immediately. There are a few ways to keep both the IP and SDI gods happy.

“With SDI/IP gateways, there is no immediate need to make SDI equipment obsolete,” said Chris Scheck, marketing content manager for Lawo. Hardly anyone is seriously considering this option, because their CFO wouldn’t like the idea, and because [in some situations] there is still no equivalent IP solution.”

“The idea was always to phase out SDI naturally by no longer purchasing non-IP gear, but even that remains tricky as some tools are still firmly rooted in the SDI domain,” Scheck said. “What will happen, however is that SDI routers will disappear over time, because IP natives like Lawo’s .edge can replace them at a lower cost, while also offering almost unlimited scalability of the number of SDI inputs and outputs.”

At least one vendor sees a healthy SDI universe in the foreseeable future.

“As a big part of our business and an OEM supplier to major broadcast equipment manufacturers, we can confidently say that SDI is quite healthy,” said Francesco Scartozzi, vice president of sales and business development for Matrox Video Broadcast and Media Group. “That’s not to say that the IP is not being adopted, but SDI is still quite prevalent. At the lower end of the broadcast pyramid, SDI is very well suited, whether it’s for 3G SDI and 12G SDI for those moving toward 4K. As a supplier to those vendors, we can see these customers are refreshing all the SDI equipment with newer SDI equipment that now needs to handle not only HD-SDI but also the ability to go 4K.”

Monitor and Measurement
Of course, high-quality broadcasts are not possible without tools to monitor and measure the quality of the signals. As the use of IP production has mushroomed in the past few years, manufacturers of test and measurement gear have been racing to make monitoring and measurement practical, and for it to make sense in a live production environment.

“Point-to-point SDI connections used to be far easier to troubleshoot than IP connections. In some ways they still are,” Bilow said. “But the sophistication of tools, such as Telestream’s Inspect 2110 and PRISM, to allow proactive monitoring and problem identification in large-scale media networks has come so far in the past five years that it’s now possible to identify and diagnose even complex problems in a reasonable amount of time.”

Bridging current SDI systems to the IP world can be done with gear from a variety of vendors. One of the first to come up with a solution was NewTek, which developed its Network Device Interface (NDI) line of interfaces and processors.

“Five years ago, ‘IP’ in broadcast mainly referred to the SMPTE ST 2110 family of standards, which is designed to be used on-prem with mainly physical equipment,” Voight said. “If we look at IP production happening today, we see a clear mix of ST 2110 on-prem and NDI hybrid as on-prem and cloud. 

“We see NDI being used today at almost every large media entity, at least as ‘commodity’ IP production technology and ST 2110 for the high-end infrastructure,” he added. “The pandemic has been a catalyst to adopt NDI as one viable IP technology, as it was the only one supporting cloud, remote and work-from-home scenarios.”

New Options
The people producing content focus on getting good images and sound, and combining them in interesting and entertaining ways. However, even they are discovering that IP gives them options that were never before available—or were hopelessly expensive or complex.

For example, it’s easy to have bidirectional signals in an IP environment. And since IP is literally available everywhere, it is not a huge technical consideration to get a feed from India, Korea, Egypt or Peru. What was once complicated and expensive in a satellite uplink world is far easier and much cheaper with IP.

The Covid pandemic pushed broadcasters to embrace IP production systems and techniques faster than they would have otherwise, but the reality is that the advantages of IP are obvious for at least larger productions. Depending on what you’re doing, it can definitely make sense for smaller productions as well.

One final thought: SpaceX now has a constellation of thousands of satellites that can deliver modestly high-speed IP circuit anywhere in the world, and the company is adding satellites at the rate of 50-100 per month. With the ultimate goal of having tens of thousands of satellites and the capability to deliver upload/download speeds of more than 100 Mbps, this literally means that high-quality video can originate from anywhere in the world. At a moment’s notice.

Think of what clever content creators and video producers can do with that capability. 

NEW YORK and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Flowics, a developer of graphics and interactive content for remote and in-studio production, is partnering with TVU Networks, to provide simpler, more flexible, broadcast-quality instant live graphics from a single interface, the companies announced today. 

The companies have integrated Flowics’ remote control interface with TVU Producer, a cloud-based, multicamera live production platform that enables production teams to store and access their production workflows over the internet instead of locally on a computer hard drive. After user verification, the Flowics interface appears as an active window inside TVU Producer.

"This native integration between TVU Producer and Flowics Graphics is a prime example of the continued improvements we're making to this platform," said Rafael Castillo, vice president and general manager for EMEA and Latin America, TVU Networks. "Because the integration is natively run, Flowics Graphics users get to enjoy the same interface they're familiar with. There is zero retraining or downtime. We're thrilled to expand TVU Producer's capabilities with the power and feature set of Flowics Graphics, particularly its streamlined approach of incorporating social media data into live remote production."

With this integration, graphics operators and producers can now control Flowics Graphics directly from the TVU Producer interface, making it possible to create live graphic overlays with Flowics Graphics and insert them into live productions without having to leave the TVU Producer platform, the companies said.

"This integration with TVU Producer is further proof that Flowics Graphics works seamlessly with different platforms and production environments," said Flowics CEO and Founder Gabriel Baños. "Together, we are simplifying how content production teams, whether digital or linear, make live video production from the cloud, controlling both video and graphics sources from a single dashboard that unifies the interfaces of both tools. The integration also gives TVU Producer users new capabilities and graphic options from the TVU Producer interface."

Perhaps more than any other transition since the move to digital, the cloud has had the biggest impact on television production. Today, our industry is moving beyond the basic capabilities of using cloud for storage and processing to customizing its use based on user requirements. 

Throughout our new “Guide to Cloud Solutions,” we examine the latest developments in adopting cloud for media production and how the industry is developing best practices to enhance security and cost efficiencies. 

Download your free ebook here. 

WASHINGTON—So many things have changed in the television industry in the last couple of decades, and the pace of change only seems to accelerate. What seemed highly unlikely five years ago becomes commonplace today, and producing content in the cloud is one of those things.

The acceptance of at least some new techniques and processes can be attributed to COVID-19, which overnight forced us to get things done without actually being in the same place. And “getting things done without actually being in the same place” could be the dictionary definition of cloud production.

If your only concession to COVID is to do an occasional Zoom meeting, you may get the impression that video in the cloud is convenient but nothing special. However, with production in the cloud, you can get the quality you want to get.

“It is no longer accurate to assume that a cloud-based production is of lesser quality,” said Martin Jolicoeur, director of product management for Grass Valley. “One of the things we have learned from being forced to work remotely is that cloud technology is capable of handling top-tier live events.”

Keep An Open Mind
Jolicoeur said that keeping an open mind—and an open system—is the way to build a successful cloud production strategy.

“The global pandemic forced us to adopt new ways of working,” he said. “This has expanded our range of possibilities: SDI, IP and cloud all have applications for which they are best suited, both in terms of production capability and cost. We need to master the entire range of production options so that we aren’t locked into a single model. By being open, we can ensure that we are applying the best business and operational model for every production that we do.”

Like so many things where the internet is concerned, what you can do in the cloud is mostly limited by your imagination. You could use production talent from anywhere there is an excellent, stable connection—which brings up the subject of what the concerns can be for creating a production workflow in the cloud.

“The cloud offers unique opportunities for production workflows, but it also adds some new challenges that need to be considered,” Chris Brähler, vice president of product at SDVI. “Connectivity and latencies are certainly factors that play a bigger role in a cloud-based environment than when everything is available ‘next-door’ on premise.”

Relearn Some Techniques
Those of us who grew up in the industry and learned our roles by actually handling physical equipment and cables need to relearn some techniques and processes that we thought were the basics of production workflow.

“Ensuring that the entire organization understands the strategy and the benefits that will accrue to them is probably the most important factor in determining success,” said Grass Valley’s Jolicoeur.

Getting your head around how assembling a production in the cloud is key to making it work for your organization. A look into one company’s product—SDVI’s Rally—is one example of cloud production workflow.

Rally can automate content verification and metadata enhancement processing, which can assist an operator in the production supply chain. This can include steps as typical as creating proxies or daily renders. Rally Access, available as a plugin for Adobe Premiere and accessible via browser using a cloud-services provider such as Accurate.Video, can be used to both edit content, and also to review and approve edits and sequences. 

Sometimes it seems like you need a “spirit guide” to appreciate how cloud production can benefit your creative and distribution processes. If you step back and think about it, the benefits make sense.

“Designing a unifying workflow is key to getting your content accurately and securely distributed to all stages of production,” said Colin McDonald, product manager for cine products at Teradek.

The company’s Teradek Core is a control platform that allows productions to securely manage, distribute and collaborate with live camera feeds, instant proxy files for editorial, high-quality recordings for dailies, and low-latency HDR streams for post-production.

Using a hybrid cloud approach to media asset management is at the heart of Tedial’s introduction of its smartWork Media Integration Platform.

According to Julian Fernandez-Campon, Tedial CTO,  “a hybrid-cloud architecture offers broadcasters the ability to move operations in-line with business objectives quickly while maintaining current systems in operation ensuring a low-risk transition into the cloud. Customers retain full control of their critical workflows and operations while benefiting from the latest cutting-edge cloud features, technologies and infrastructures. 

“smartWork is based upon no-code architecture, follows Infrastructure as a Code (IaaC) and can be deployed on-premises, on any cloud or in a hybrid architecture seamlessly, allowing customers to integrate the more suitable systems for each deployment.”

Your Team Has the Skills
Just what sort of skills are needed to make all of this work? Look around at your team—it already has the skills.

“We worked with a group of top news and sports media companies to create cloud-native, microservice-based, media services,” said Paul Shen, CEO of TVU.

Shen said that one of these micro-applications is TVU Producer, a cloud-based live-production service. With its sync technology, the entire production team can all work from their home offices with their laptops and a normal home internet service. The application enables an audio engineer to have his own audio mixing panel and the video production engineer has his own live production panel. 

All production crews can communicate with each other in real time, as if they are working in the same physical space, and all the commands and instructions are executed precisely at the intended time without any misalignment introduced by network delay.

As well-formed as some of these scenarios sound, there is room to improve the processes and iron out the wrinkles.

“We are merely in the infancy of cloud-based production,” McDonald said. “Right now, content is being pushed to all levels of production without a direct form of feedback.  But soon, each of those departments and stakeholders will be able to push information back. This constant flow of information on a single platform will mean productions can work faster and with more accuracy.”

Increased Acceptance
Interestingly, the Covid crisis of the past two-plus years played a role in the increased acceptance of working on a real production using virtual tools.

“The biggest take-away has been that it works,” said SDVI’s Brähler. “Obstacles that were thought to be too big to overcome now had to be worked through, as there was no alternative.”

It looks like there is still a place for content creators to have their own facilities, even as the capabilities of “virtual” facilities are expanded and allow for greater flexibility.

“We believe completely in the cloud and IP’s ability to transform live production in a way that dramatically expands who and how video is produced and delivered,” said TVU’s Shen. “It’s what drives us to keep creating.”

The hesitancy from just a few years ago to shift to a cloud-based workflow has been replaced with urgency. The many improvements of a cloud production model became clear as COVID restrictions forced producers into a remote production model, Shen said. 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks and monetization platform InPlayer have formed a strategic partnership to offer existing and future TVU customers access to InPlayer’s pay-per-view and subscription tools, TVU said this week. TVU will highlight the partnership at the NAB Show, April 23-27, in Las Vegas.

The partnership, which makes the InPlayer platform available for use with any TVU product, creates a complete production, streaming and monetization workflow, it said.

“This partnership enables our customers and prospective customers to turn content they produce into a direct, revenue stream,” said Paul Shen, CEO of TVU Networks. “This integration breaks down barriers for our clients and creates new business opportunities for them. Our relationship with InPlayer is at the heart of TVU – to empower content creators.”

InPlayer will enable video producers and others to generate pay-per-view and subscription revenue from fans of their content. The scalable platform manages the complete monetization process, including authentication, entitlement, payment and customer support, TVU said.

A variety of tools to help users maximize transactions, including support for discount and access codes, free trials, merchandise, syndication, live chat and fan engagement, gift vouchers and donations. API-driven, the InPlayer platform offers users customizations and white label options, it said.

“Within the sports world, it’s becoming more commonplace for content owners to take their video and other assets direct to the fan," said Edit Kovács, Chief Product Officer InPlayer. “With the TVU Networks/InPlayer combination, any owner, event or organization has a complete workflow to bring that content directly to the viewer.”

See TVU Networks in NAB Show booth W3806. 

More information is available on the company’s website.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks has announced that it will be demoing a multi-camera control sports app called TVU Replay at the 2022 NAB Show that enables officials to instantly review play during games and for producers to include that live video within their coverage. 

The Replay app is part of an overall modular, microservice-based building block approach from TVU Networks, with the cloud-based production platform TVU Producer providing management of camera inputs, live feeds, audience interaction and audio mixing. 

TVU Replay will be demonstrated for the first time at the 2022 NAB Show between April 23 to 27 in Las Vegas at the TVU booth W3806.

“We’re introducing TVU Replay in response to customer feedback,” said Paul Shen, CEO, TVU Networks. “We’ve been speaking with various collegiate conferences and their need for a next-generation review solution. Everything we do is in response to solving customer challenges. With our devops culture, we quickly and easily built a solution that’s versatile for a variety of applications. We’ve created a tool set that has revolutionized the way replay is handled in terms of ease of operation and within a fully realized cloud workflow.”

Called TVU Replay, the app will have two modes – Review and Replay. 

The Review mode enables officials and coaches in game to immediately “review” any close call from their phone or tablet. Replay provides all production elements necessary to output clips to any device. The app is as simple to operate as any smart phone interface, TVU said. 

Frame speed in Replay and Review can be controlled with the user’s fingers on the touchscreen of a phone or tablet or using a video game controller for a laptop. 

“By replacing purpose-built replay hardware with a video game controller, we’re opening up the door to a new, potential talent base,” added Shen. “This is just another example of innovation through listening. We’ve heard from customers about the challenges they face and the roadblocks to doing what they want, how they want. The old way is just that, the old way. Our cloud solutions are available today.”

TVU Replay is ideal for sports teams, sports leagues, broadcasters and production companies.

In addition to Replay, TVU will be demonstrating its latest in cloud and IP solutions that are reinventing the media supply chain. Experience hands-on demos of TVU Channel, a 24/7 cloud-native broadcast solution with: full SCTE ad insertion, FAST Channels, emergency offsite remote master control and dedicated OTT Channels. TVU will also showcase REMI remote production and the latest in aggregated 5G cellular IP transmission with support for 8K, the company said. 

To schedule an appointment for a demonstration at the TVU Cloud Booth #W3806 in the West Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center, visit info.tvunetworks.com/nab-2022.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks is offering a free, 24/7 live feed from Ukraine’s news media via TVU Search, the company’s AI-based search engine from live broadcasts, it said today.

The content from Ukraine is available immediately and can be viewed online. TVU customers may use live and downloaded content over the air and distribute it via other platforms. Viewing content is free to non-TVU customers, the company said.

Ukrainian media companies are working together to broadcast a single newscast called “United News.” It provides round-the-clock news and information, including live reports, in real time to Ukrainian citizens and the world about developments in the war with Russia. The four largest Ukrainian media groups, including 1 + 1 media, StarLightMedia, Media Group Ukraine and Inter Media Group, are contributing content and collaborating on the ad hoc channel.

The media groups are taking turns providing uninterrupted information on the conflict. Others joining the broadcast include the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Security and Defense Council, the Office of the President of Ukraine and other government agencies, TVU Networks said.

More information is available on the company’s website.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks has announced that the stars of “HaHaHaHaHa,” the first traveling, reality show in China, relied on TVU One mobile transmitters to conduct interviews and deliver live broadcasts on their journey from east to west across China.

In the show, the 5HA Tour Group, which is made up of Chinese film and television stars Deng Chao, Chen He and Lu Han, go on ten journeys filled with surprises and challenges. They must earn accommodation, transportation expenses and everything they need on the road by completing tasks and games determined by the film crew.

In the tenth episode, the team arrives at Qingshan Village in Yuhang District, Hangzhou. People in the village had just finished the autumn harvest and were planning a post-festival party. The challenge for this episode was for the 5HA Tour to conduct multiple live broadcasts of the party, interviewing, filming and hosting the live report on their own – without help from the crew.

Because Qingshan Village is located in a mountainous area, there was a risk of poor and fluctuating signal coverage, making it essential that the live broadcast equipment maintain stable transmission in a weak network environment, be easy to use for non-professionals, and be rugged enough to withstand extreme weather and constant travel.

After testing several solution, the show chose TVU One mobile transmitter to ensure high-quality, stable delivery of this live broadcast, TVU reported. 

Signals from three locations in the village were transmitted back to the TVU Receiver in the producer’s temporary studio and production center from the three TVU One transmitters in the field. At the same time, using TVU One's VoIP call function, the “reporters” on location maintained an interactive connection with show hosts Chen He and Li Dan at the makeshift studio.

TVU One performed flawlessly throughout the three-hour live broadcast, delivering real-time backhaul of multiple channels between the field and the studio. The show was broadcast on the iQiyi and Tencent platforms, receiving hundreds of millions of views and enabling the audience to enjoy the antics of the 5HA Tour Group, the companies said. 

“We’re delighted that our technology was part of such an innovative, live program,” said Paul Shen, CEO, TVU Networks. “For the non-professional, 5HA reporters to deliver and produce their own live interviews and interact with show anchors through the VoIP function, the technology had to be very easy to use. Through this experience, the 5HA reporters have inadvertently become our biggest ‘spokespersons’ for TVU One - pushing it to center stage from its usual spot behind the scenes.”

“HaHaHaHaHa” (official name in English is “Let’s Work Together”) is produced by iQiyi and Tencent Video and co-produced by Zhejiang Blue Sky Media, Orange Image and Zhejiang Hexin Media. Season 2 of the 70-minute reality show ran for 22 episodes between November 20, 2021 and January 30, 2022.

LAS VEGAS—There are many different types of equipment used for news production, everything from cameras to satellite dishes to media management systems. One of the interesting evolutions in the industry is how gear that was developed for ENG applications in particular, is now used for a variety of media creation and management tasks.

This is due at least in part to Moore’s Law, the rule that doubles the complexity of electronic components every two years or so. In the television industry, this means that devices get additional features and capabilities regularly—as the price of the gear either stays the same or slowly reduces. Equipment that could only be afforded by well-paid news organizations is now available to a much bigger range of content creators, at very friendly prices.

This has led to an explosion of products and capabilities, and it gets used for programming from reality shows to sports to films. ENG is not just for ENG anymore.

Here is a brief look at what is new for news production teams at the 2022 NAB Show at press time: 

Ingest & Editing
Bitcentral will spotlight its Precis news production system that streamlines ingest and editing. Precis is scalable to grow with an organization, and works with a range of editing software, ENG cameras and newsroom computer systems.

Grass Valley will feature its GV STRATUS production and content management system. Grass Valley’s AMPP Connected STRATUS solution now allows users to have access to content across multiple sites and teams by federating the content in the cloud. AMPP also gives journalists access to a full-featured web-based editor that can be accessed from anywhere on any computer and works with proxies for fast response.

Dalet will highlight its new Pyramid newsroom system, a cloud-agnostic solution that supports multiple cloud providers, and can run in virtualized environments that support remote productions.

“Dalet Pyramid enables news storytellers to incorporate diverse content from any source into the virtual newsroom, including remote camera/ENG contributions and backpack integration,” said Raoul Cospen, director of business development (EMEA and APAC) for Dalet.

IP-Based Production
Aviwest will showcase its new PRO460 4K UHD 5G/4G transmitter, designed for remote and at-home video production. The PRO460 supports 4K UHD and multicamera workflows for up to four high-resolution, fully frame-synced feeds.

“The Aviwest PRO460 addresses many of the challenges that broadcasters face in ENG and for live-event remote production,” said Ronan Poullaouec, chief technology officer and co-founder of Aviwest.

Dejero will feature its new EnGo 265 mobile transmitter with built-in GateWay mode. The two-in-one mobile transmitter and internet gateway delivers reliable wireless connectivity with the new GateWay mode offering wireless broadband internet connectivity in the field. An improved bandwidth blending algorithm enhances all latency setting and delivers glass-to-glass latency as low as 0.5 seconds over bonded cellular connections, the company said.

LiveU will show new and existing products in its large booth, which features a live stage for fireside chats, panels and workflow demonstrations with other cloud production providers including Blackbird, Grass Valley, Grabyo, highlighting the ongoing removal of traditional and restrictive infrastructure. The company will highlight its contribution and distribution solutions that include the multicamera LU800 5G production-level field unit. LiveU will also demo its Air Control solution to get remote guests and live feeds into the system and on the air.

Also new is Cloud Connect, which simplifies live productions, reduces costs, and delivers a faster time-to-air by leveraging LiveU’s automated cloud workflows. 

TVU Networks will showcase a suite of cloud-based applications for remote production and new 5G-enabled transmitters and routers. Most of TVU’s technology is 5G-enabled and has been so for years. This includes the TVU One mobile transmitter, TVU Rack Router, and TVU MLink transmitter. 

TVU’s cloud-native pay-as-you-go TVU Channel playout platform, introduced in late October, supports hundreds of thousands of viewers. Designed for one of the world’s largest broadcasters, TVU Channel enables a user to schedule live and VOD programming from a web browser.

Education Sessions
Off from the exhibit floor, several conferences will consider current and future trends and advances in newsgathering.

On Sunday afternoon, April 24, in the CMIP Presentation Theater, Josh Keller from the Video Call Center will answer the question, “Are IP-Remotes Causing Headaches?” During the session, he’ll discuss ways to reduce latency, dropouts and improve the overall quality of IP remote delivery, an issue that has been top of mind for news stations that have had to increase their reliance on IP remotes for the past two years.

At “Advanced News Acquisition Workflows” on Tuesday morning, April 26, Ernie Ensign, senior director of news technology for Sinclair Broadcast Group, will look at how the use of metadata can help improve news workflows from the newsroom computer system to cameras in the field. 

Tuesday afternoon, during “Breaking News Barriers: 175 Years of Innovation in Factual Reporting,” representatives from the Associated Press will discuss its evolution from the days of communicating via horseback to today’s digital media technologies.

News teams will also want to check out “ATSC 3.0 as a Use Case for Public Safety Communications: Development Milestones,” on Sunday morning in the West Hall. This session will focus on how the use of advanced emergency alerting systems in NextGen TV will help broadcasters improve their reporting and public safety commitments. 

With plenty of competition and constant product improvement, news production systems at NAB Show 2022 promise new features, excellent performance and the agility to get your content where it needs to go—when it needs to get there.

For more information on the 2022 NAB Show, visit nabshow.com/2022

SANDWICH, U.K.—Japanese broadcaster TV Asahi supplemented the host broadcaster’s world feed coverage of The Open Championship with two TVU Remote Production Systems (RPS), the company announced today.

Synchronized signals from Royal St. George’s Golf Course in Sandwich, Kent, U.K., were sent over IP networks for production at the TV Asahi studios in Tokyo, TVU Networks said.

Twelve synchronized signals were sent from the golf course to the TV Asahi studios. The signals included coverage such as: wireless cameras from the golf course; locally switched signals of Japanese players in action; multiple camera angles from each hole; and the host broadcaster’s world feed backup and world feed preview, it said.

With each signal synchronized, frame-accurate switching between the live feeds was easy. TV Asahi was able to produce scenes that transitioned from golfer to golfer and hole to hole—a critical element of live golf production, the company said.

“We created a localized feed that we knew our viewers would appreciate,” said Itaru Takata of the equipment and operation management center of TV Asahi. “TVU RPS allowed us to enrich our programming with feeds targeting our audience. Our audience got to enjoy cheering on the tournament leaders and all of the Japanese players.”

Using the public internet instead of satellite or dedicated fiber saved considerable expense for the broadcaster. The production also required less crew and equipment than what’s needed with a typical mobile truck scenario

“The set up greatly reduced the equipment and the staff at the event, which was a key consideration, given tight COVID restrictions in the U.K., Japan and the rest of the world,” he added.

TVU RPS leverages existing studio infrastructures and the public internet to synchronize multi-camera live remote production. It’s available in four- and six-channel versions. Feeds are synchronized from the venue, sent to the broadcaster’s studio for on-air delivery, while a bi-directional IFB maintains communication between locations, the company said.

SHANGHAI—TVU Networks has announced an expanded relationship with Somoy TV, a 24-hour news channel in Bangladesh that has added new cloud-based newsgathering tools from TVU Networks for its remotes and country-wide coverage.

The news net began using solutions from TVU Networks in 2014 to strengthen its remote newsgathering, when TVU’s mobile transmitters and servers replaced the station’s planned DSNG van purchase, providing wider coverage at a fraction of the cost. 

A few years later, Somoy TV has further augmented their newsgathering fleet to increase the speed of and widen the coverage area of its reporting.

“Thanks to the cost savings we experienced using TVU’s IP and cloud-based solutions, we’ve been able to purchase additional tools,” said Ahmed Jobaer, managing director and CEO, Somoy TV. “TVU has been an important partner, helping us enhance our live coverage from the field with greater flexibility. TVU solutions deliver the lowest latency, fastest boot time and best transmission quality around. We’ve seen how their IS+ technology combined with HEVC produce outstanding picture quality using lower data bandwidth, which is ideal for the existing mobile network conditions we have in Bangladesh. Our coverage is no longer limited by distance. We cover breaking news from Capital City and beyond every day.”

Somoy TV has adopted the TVU Anywhere mobile broadcasting app for content acquisition. TVU Anywhere has integrated support for Center Stage, a new iPad Pro (M1 Chip models) feature that automates subject tracking. 

The integration of Center Stage frees the reporter or anchor using TVU Anywhere from the constraints of holding a fixed position, using AI to automatically recognize the subject and tracking as he or she moves. It also features dual-camera support for simultaneous broadcast from front and rear cameras in a picture-in-picture or split-screen option. Content captured using TVU Anywhere can be sent directly to the cloud to be produced and distributed.

“Somoy TV is a critical partner for us in Bangladesh,” said Sushant Rai, vice president of sales for SAMEA at TVU Networks. “They’re known for their honest and up-to-the-minute news coverage throughout the country. We’re thrilled that our technology is able to help fulfill the mission of this important organization. We look forward to seeing the results of the continued TVU-Somoy partnership.”

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.–TVU Networks announced the appointment of Douglas Russell as the Northwest regional accounts manager, North America Sales. He will be based in Seattle.

In a company statement, Kyle Luther, vice president of sales, North America, TVU Networks, said, “I’m thrilled to have someone of Doug’s caliber join us to take excellent care of our existing customers as well as develop new relationships in the area. His base of technical and sales experience is so broad it allows him to see things from many different perspectives. He’s got unique insights to offer on all the markets we serve – from corporate A/V, to live events and streaming, to PEG and professional sports. He’s going to be a tremendous asset to our TVU team.”

Russell joins the company from a varied A/V background, including senior-level engineering positions at Amazon Prime Sports and Keycode Media and field engineer at Raytheon. While at Keycode Media, he worked his way up to an account manager role, advising clients on the optimal systems for live production, broadcast, streaming, and post-production workflows. Russell also served as the director of operations for the live streaming company FlipOn.TV, and as product manager for Behringer North America.

“TVU has a strong reputation in the industry for being a customer focused and agile organization, and I’m excited to have joined at this time,” said Russell. “I’ve been amazed to see the speed at which TVU operates, delivers solution enhancements, and accommodates customers’ needs. I’m eager to engage with my TVU clients across the northwest and work with them on employing technology that will simplify their workflow and expand their ability to provide content to their audience.”

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks has announced that it is providing extensive support for new and existing customers at the Summer Games with a variety of services and products. 

TVU’s help at the game includes tech support, live pool feeds, rights cleared access to live video feeds, free use of TVU Anywhere full HD live transmission of video for athlete interviews and stories, and on-site studio and camera crew services. 

TVU also has an extensive inventory of TVU One mobile transmitters for rent in Tokyo, as well as the TVU Remote Production System (RPS) for multi-camera REMI production and professional ENG camera crews to cover the event. 

Other cloud-based rental options include TVU Producer for live multi-camera video production in the cloud with no latency, as well as TVU Grid for scalable point-to-multipoint live video distribution and the TVU Partyline broadcast-quality live production collaboration platform. TVU also has studio space in downtown Tokyo available for rent.

The services are designed to help broadcasters cope with the many challenges created by trying to cover the games during the pandemic. 

TVU has been on site before the start of the game, helping more than 100 broadcasters looking to elevate the quality of their remote production coverage, including: ESPN, beIN Sports, Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS), Shanghai Media Group (SMG), Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company (JTBC) in South Korea, China Global Television Networks（CGTN) and 7NEWS Australia, the company reported. 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks is offering rights-cleared access to live external video feeds from various locations around Tokyo beyond the conclusion of the Summer Games, the company said today.

The beauty shots are available on a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week basis and are part of the company’s on-site support effort during the event, it said.

Professional camera feeds from Tokyo, including from TVU’s local Japanese partners, are showcasing various scenes, landmarks and locations, including Japan National Stadium and Athlete Village.

TVU Networks will offer the live feeds through the conclusion of the Paralympic Games, which follow the Summer Games, and end Sept. 5, it said.

News organizations can use the fixed shots for bumpers, live introductions and other interstitial content for broadcast, the web and social media posts.

The feeds are available through TVU MediaSource, the company’s cloud-based market for real-time access to video content from trusted media organizations, TVU Networks said.

The company also announced it has an extensive inventory of TVU One mobile transmitters for rent in Tokyo during the games. Additionally, it is making available its TVU Remote Production System, a multi-camera REMI production system. Professional ENG camera crews are also available to cover the games.

Broadcasters can access the TVU Anywhere app, which allows full HD live transmission of video from iOS or Android smartphones. Other cloud-based rental options include TVU Producer for live multi-camera video production in the cloud with no latency, as well as TVU Grid for scalable point-to-multipoint live video distribution and the TVU Partyline broadcast-quality live production collaboration platform, it said.

TVU also has studio space in downtown Tokyo available to rent. Studios are equipped with TVU Grid for broadcast-quality video transmission, the company said.

With every studio rental, live video capture will be automatically recorded and indexed via TVU MediaMind’s AI-based technology. Video can be searched in real time, and clips can be downloaded for free for 30 days, it said.

For more information or to request live feeds, rental and services visit the company’s website. 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks was part of the team for the recent production of the 2021 NFL Draft, supplying its TVU Anywhere remote production app and TVU Grid cloud-based video distribution network for special footage during the three-day event.

The NFL Draft took place in Cleveland, but footage was shown throughout networks' coverage of the 32 NFL teams’ draft rooms and for incoming rookies that were watching the draft at home. TVU Networks supplied its technology in both these situations.

TVU Anywhere was part of the all-in-one camera kits that was sent to prospects, pre-loaded on a Mac mini; a webcam and lighting gear were also included. The camera feeds were set to a bank of 25 TVU servers in Cleveland, which provided up to 50 SDI outputs for use during live broadcasts. The servers were also networked through TVU Grid, which allowed for monitoring of all live video feeds online and on mobile devices with TVU’s GridLink.

Another bank of 17 TVU servers providing 34 SDI outputs were assigned to manage video feeds from all 32 teams’ draft rooms. Each team was shipped an iPhone preloaded with TVU Anywhere. All club feeds were also Grid-enabled and an SRT streaming output was provided for off-site monitoring and review.

TVU GridLink enabled remote monitoring of all draft rooms for sponsor alignment via built-in access restrictions and secure sharing protocols. They also created an archive of all content using TVU Search, an automated, AI-based solution that enables searchable archive.

TVU also offered a free live shot of the front of the draft location from a high vantage point for bumps and live intros for TVU Grid customers. The footage came from Cleveland’s ABC affiliate, WEWS.

“TVU’s solutions worked very well for us during the NFL Draft,” said Nate McCoart, director of technical operations, Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment. “They made it easy to manage live video from dozens of locations across the country for the broadcast, and they were able to manage secure draft room feeds for both our production and NFL officials.”

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks has appointed David Cohen as the company’s new global vice president, Strategic Marketing. He will report to TVU Networks CEO Paul Shen.

Cohen will develop and oversee the marketing strategy across the company’s worldwide digital, sales enablement, branding and communications efforts. His primary focus will be to accelerate the transition of the TVU Networks brand identity as the company delivers on its cloud-based production and media supply chain vision.

“We’re at a pivotal point in the growth of TVU,” said Shen in a press statement. “This past year has seen a dramatic increase in the technology development and use of our cloud-based remote production systems. At the same time, we’re seeing significant expansion in many key areas and applications throughout the world, including the use of 4K and 8K UHD transmission over 5G networks, live streaming and videoconferencing apps, and our Media Services support. As these advances converge and we look to expand into new markets, we’re thankful to have someone with Dave’s level of strategic thinking and marketing experience leading the communication of our company’s overall vision.”

Cohen has more than 18 years of experience in the media technology industry. Prior to his position as vice president of marketing communications at Grass Valley, which included several years with Miranda Technologies, he was the president of the PR agency 202 Communications and led marketing activities for the former Harris Broadcast Communications division.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks is expanding its offerings for remote production, announcing the new TVU Remote Commentator, which allows for a host or commentator to provide real-time commentary on a live event from a remote location using public internet.

The Remote Commentator is a cloud-based technology with push-to-talk functionality that allows independent audio control for communication and live commentary. It can be integrated with the TVU Anywhere app and a PC browser.

An intuitive user interface makes it easy to create events with predetermined start and end times. The event organizer can select any feed from a TVU Receiver SDI input and use it as the return video feedback (VFB) source and channel output, so commentators receive a high-quality video feed to follow the action.

Groups can be created using independent links, enabling people to engage with each other. Voice-overs can be added to recorded content as well. 

The Remote Commentator supports TVU Grid video sources (Live Source or SDI IN) as VFB. Users can access the Advanced Audio Mixer used by TVU Producer for audio control. The platform can support up to eight feeds in Audio Mixer and up to 17 users in Remote Commentator groups.

For more information, visit the TVU Networks website. 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks has announced the release of the TVU Anywhere SDK, a free software development kit for its TVU Anywhere live IP video streaming app. The TVU Anywhere SDK is designed to provide high-quality, low-latency live video to an iOS and Android app.

With TVU Anywhere SDK, developers can integrate TVU Anywhere into an existing app, adding a live streaming element compatible with TVU Networks products, including TVU Receivers, TVU Grid, TVU Producer and more.

With this SDK, broadcasters can add TVU Anywhere into their app, which enables reporters and crews to stream live video directly from the field without separate cameras or uplink equipment.

Live transmission feeds feed directly into the TVU ecosystem, providing compatibility with TVU Grid for IP video distribution. Live footage is also compatible with TVU hardware devices and cloud-based solutions.

“Our new TVU Anywhere SDK provides developers with a simple and affordable way to help media companies, sports organizations, and other content creators to generate more content from more people faster, which leads to more viewer engagement,” said Matt McEwen, vice president of product management at TVU.

TVU Anywhere SDKI is now available to download. For more information, visit www.tvunetworks.com. 

SHANGHAI—South Korea’s Munhwa Broadcasting Corp. (MBC) recently conducted a special COVID-19 broadcast, which utilized three integrated remote production technologies from TVU Networks to support it.

MBC’s live broadcast special addressing the pandemic called for 64 guests to participate live via remote locations, something that MBC’s broadcast facility was not equipped for. They also had to work with many different smartphones and rely on the public internet.

To meet these demands, MBC used TVU the Anywhere mobile broadcasting app, TVU Partyline cloud-based videoconferencing platform and TVU receivers. These technologies enabled MBC to support remote contribution, integrate live shots into the program and have real-time, interactive communications between hosts and guests.

Guests used the TVU Anywhere app through their smartphones and other digital devices, with MBC taking in and managing those shots through the TVU Receivers. The receivers fed their SDI output into the inputs of the broadcaster’s routing switcher. TVU Partyline, meanwhile, supported real-time, high-quality interactive HD video and audio.

“TVU Partyline, along with TVU Anywhere and TVU Receivers made it possible to overcome the distance separating everyone and the delays that you’d normally expect,” said Sang Dong Kim, production engineering department manager with MBC. “All of the guests and hosts could interact as if they were together in the studio, and viewers were spared the distraction of endless pauses due to technical limitations, so they could focus on the important information being conveyed about COVID-19.”

For more information, visit www.tvunetworks.com.  

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Allan Delaurier has joined TVU Networks as its vice president of sales for Canada and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Based in the greater Toronto area, he will focus on promoting TVU cloud-based and remote production solutions in both regions.

Kyle Luther, vice president of sales for North America, said in a press statement, “With his extensive industry knowledge and experience, Allan can help production teams in different market segments—including broadcast, corporate, houses of worship, and others—transition from traditional infrastructures to cost-effective, remote production cloud workflows.”

With 20 years of industry experience, Delaurier most recently served as sales manager for Canada at Avid Technology, where he rebuilt the company’s sales team and developed strong relationships throughout the region. He has also held leadership roles at Grass Valley, Harris Corp. and Evertz Microsystems, where he directed wide-scale sales and development initiatives for global markets.

“This is an exciting time to be a part of TVU because of our global expansion and the broadcast industry’s growing use of cloud-based technologies,” Delaurier said. “I’m enjoying the opportunity to work with our valued customers across Canada and the CIS to build long-term relationships and help them embrace IP-based production.”

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks has launched a new service called “TVU MediaSource,” a cloud-based platform that uses TVU’s AI technology to allow users to locate and download raw news feeds in seconds. 

With TVU MediaSource, users can view original, live feeds from a specific location. Video clips are searchable by keyword and/or name. Users can download any clips they like to create their own news stories, with credit to those who created the content.

Within MediaSource is TVU Search—an AI-based tool that uses speech, text and facial recognition to locate the precise video needed—down to the very frame—in seconds rather than spending hours manually searching the feeds.

Feeds from MediaSource can be purchased on a subscription or on a pay-as-you-go basis.

According to TVU CEO Paul Shen, TVU MediaSource brings together the content creator and the TV producer. 

“We’ve seen a lot of interest, especially from some of the local and small news organizations,” Shen said “All of a sudden they can get the footage and effectively create a story associated with the interest of their viewers. And it just cost them $33 per clip.”

MediaSource allows TV stations and other news producers to upload their feeds, providing an additional source of revenue, Shen said. “TV stations create a lot of raw material, but it’s not fully utilized; they usually only create the raw material for one story,” he said. “But people can easily create a part of the story, or, you know, have a different angle with the raw material. This is not about a finished program, but instead is about raw material for other people to produce the content.”

Advances in AI, facial and voice recognition, etc. in accessing any content anywhere is part of what has allowed TVU to offer this service. “Anything that’s put on-air is discoverable,” Shen added  

One TVU MediaSource provider, FedNet, a provider of multimedia content to the U.S. Congress, has cameras inside and outside the Capitol building. During the Jan. 6 riots, FedNet used MediaSource to provide live news rawed unedited news feeds—and later, the counting of electoral college votes that night. 

Additionally, Georgia Public Broadcasting’s feed of Georgia voters going to the polls Jan. 5, was used for some broadcasters’ coverage of the Georgia runoff election. This week’s U.S. Presidential Inauguration and the U.S. State of the Union will also be available as live feeds on TVU MediaSource.

TVU MediaSource is within a new umbrella of services from TVU called “MediaServices” that includes global rentals and the hiring of camera crews.  

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Spanish TV and radio broadcaster RTVE recently switched a live multicamera concert production for Radio 3 from Madrid’s Casa America palace using TVU Networks’ TVU Producer live production platform, the company announced.

The production, which featured top Latin American performers, was switched and distributed entirely from the cloud. Sources were synchronized and switched, graphics added and signals distributed to RTVE’s broadcast and digital networks with TVU Producer.

"We were able to set up our multicamera production incredibly fast with minimal equipment and expense," said Tomás Fernando Flores, director of Radio3. “The production and distribution were entirely managed in the cloud.” 

“With the click of a button, we sent a very high-quality stream, perfectly synchronized, to every platform in the correct format. I’m thrilled with what we delivered to our audience,” he said.

TVU Producer offers the ability to distribute a live event as an SDI signal or as vertically or horizontally oriented content via social media from the cloud with virtually no latency, the company said.

The multicamera production was shot with one traditional broadcast camera equipped with a 5G TVU One mobile transmitter and three smartphones with the TVU Anywhere mobile broadcast app (for fixed and moving images.) The production also marked one of the first uses of 5G for a live streaming in Spain, it said. 

The TVU One transmitter was equipped with six modems—two supporting 5G and four supporting 4G/LTE networks. The audio from the radio broadcast served as the only audio reference distributed to all devices and broadcasts.

TVU Producer’s multichannel IP video switcher automatically synchronizes its output to all receiving devices. Images were sent in the formats required for broadcast and streaming, including a specific vertical output for Instagram. The platform’s 9:16 Vertical Video feature allows users to produce a live program simultaneously in landscape and portrait mode, the company said.

TVU Producer distributed the live event to Television Espanola’s 24-hour channel and to RTVE social media platforms. The platform and format mix included: YouTube, horizontal; Twitter, horizontal; Facebook, horizontal; website, horizontal, SDI TV, Canal 24 Horas; and Instagram, simultaneous landscape and portrait modes, TVU Networks said.

The production will have a lasting impact on the broadcaster. “We have a solid history of innovation at Radio 3, and our recent application with TVU Networks solutions will change how we produce future live events,” said Flores. 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—When COVID-19 prevented competitors for Cybathlon 2020 to travel to Zurich, Switzerland, TVU Networks was brought in with its remote production technology to help create a live-streaming event so that teams from all over the world could compete.

Cybathlon 2020 is a series of races in which people with disabilities use exoskeletons, brain-computer interfaces and other state-of-the-art assistance systems to complete everyday tasks. The Cybathon organizations tasked TVU with finding a way to transmit high-quality live video over the internet from multiple locations to create a virtual event.

Using TVU One mobile transmitters and the TVU Anywhere app, the production was able to bring together a mix of footage captured by both professional cameras and camera phones. Thomas Stäubli, CEO of BBM Productions, whose team produced nine hours of live streaming content for Cybathlon, said the flexibility of the TVU systems helped with working with everyone involved, some of which had no broadcast or streaming experience.

To coordinate the live feeds from competing teams, the production used the TVU Command Center, a cloud-based management platform that remotely controls and monitors all live transmissions. Five BBM operators managed the event—one was assigned to the Command Center, the other four coordinated live streaming efforts with the competing teams.

In addition, the TVU Partyline system provided a videoconferencing interface for content creators to have real-time interaction between talent, crew and external content contributors.

TVU systems and support were provided by Cybathlon participants by Videolink, a systems integrator based in Zurich.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Natasha Dickson and Patrick Morel have joined TVU Networks in sales positions serving the Europe, Middle East and Africa regions.

Dickson is leading sales efforts in the southern and eastern part of the African continent. She will report to Sushant Rai, vice president, Sales – South Asia, Middle East and Africa. Morel is heading sales initiatives in France and the Benelux region. He will report to Rafael Castillo, vice president and general manager for Europe and Latin America.

“I am excited to welcome Natasha and Patrick to TVU,” said Paul Shen, CEO of TVU Networks. “The breadth of media and broadcast experience they each bring to their respective regions will be invaluable in serving the growing needs of our existing customers while also addressing the increased interest in our solutions across Europe and Africa.”

Dickson has more than 16 years of experience in the broadcast and telecommunications industries. Before joining TVU, she was sales director for pay-TV conditional access module maker SmarDTV. Prior to SmarDTV, she was sales and accounts director at SeaChange International.

Morel has more than 35 years of experience in the broadcast and media industries. He joins TVU after three years as business development director at Rohde & Schwarz. Morel has held several senior sales and management positions, including three years in a senior channel role at Quantum where he primarily focused on Media and Entertainment storage. 

More information is available on the TVU Networks website. 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Like many in 2020, Joe Calhoun, NBC affiliate WGAL’s chief meteorologist, has to present the community of Lancaster, Pa., with their weather remotely from his home. A key tool for him to do so has been TVU Networks' TVU Grid platform.

TVU Grid is an IP-based point-to-multipoint live video distribution system that uses commodity internet to provide a remote weather broadcast with what TVU touts as studio functionality and capability.

WGAL was able to help Calhoun create a studio-like setup at his home with TVU Grid’s bi-directional feature. The station set up a green screen with graphics and pushed it from master control to Calhoun’s home for presentation while providing video content from his home back to the studio. This was done with HD video and low-latency.

“The pandemic forced us to start thinking outside the box when it came to remote work,” said Kevin Kalia, director of engineering at WGAL. “The secret was sending a broadcast-quality feed of Joe’s weather graphics to him, keying his shot with a switcher at his location and then sending a program feed back to the station—all with TVU. The whole process was seamless.”

For more information, visit www.tvunetworks.com.  

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks was a part of the team put together by UEFA to help with the first remotely produced 2020 UEFA Champions League and Europa League Final 8 Draw, as well as the 2020/2021 UEFA Champions’ League Group Stage Draw and awards ceremony.

With COVID-19 travel restrictions instituted across Europe, TVU Networks provided turnkey remote production systems to  participating clubs, allowing them to broadcast from their home locations. TVU also provided on-site technical and training support for the clubs and at UEFA headquarters in Geneva.

Each remote setup needed to include return audio feeds, mix minus feedback elimination for team member interviews, synchronized intercom communication for camera operators and transmission with less than one-second delay, per TVU.

The TVU remote package included TVU One mobile transmitters and the TVU Anywhere mobile broadcasting app, which were used to send live feeds from the remote locations to Radio Télévision Suisse in Geneva for broadcast onto the UEFA website and other major sport channels.

Additional equipment provided by TVU included the TVU Partyline, which enabled the remote clubs to receive return video of the live program output in real time.

VideolinkAG, TVU’s Switzerland-based partner, also provided technical support in Geneva.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—When Kansas City’s KMBC sought to produce a live local news special that touches on race and policing following the protests that occurred after the murder of George Floyd this past summer, the Hearst TV ABC affiliate ended up turning to some of TVU Network’s cloud systems to help with the production because of in-studio restrictions from COVID-19.

KMBC utilized the TVU Producer, a live cloud-based production platform, and TVU Partyline, a cloud-based video conferencing system for live production, to provide two return video and audio feeds to the remote guests, enabling them to watch pre-recorded segments and see each other during live interview segments.

The four guests for KMBC’s “Project CommUNITY: The People and the Police” joined the program through TVU equipment as well—three through TVU One cellular transmitters and one through the TVU Anywhere mobile app.

TVU Partyline, with TVU Producer, enabled the low-latency of all of these different feeds through its Real Time Interactive Layer to enable the participants to see each other’s return video so that they could interact with each other with as little lag as possible.

This was setup by using the TVU Producer to create a quad-view box in which the four remote guests appeared. Live video of three guests was shot on ENG cameras and transmitted to the station using the TVU One transmitters; the other video footage was streamed live from the TVU Anywhere app on a smartphone.

Each of the four videos was assigned in TVU Producer to one of the panes in the quad-view box, which in turn was streamed back in HD with what KMBC says was no detectable latency using TVU Partyline.

“While this was one of our first uses of Partyline, it proved to be exceedingly easy to set up and delivered the low-latency interaction needed to make the discussion of these important community issues natural,” said Neeley Schmitz, director of news operations at KMBC.

“KMBC’s application of our technology illustrates how our solutions working in concert can solve production problems that arise—especially as the new requirement to respect social distancing mandates takes hold and remote workflows increasingly become the norm,” says Paul Shen, CEO of TVU Networks. “TVU Partyline in particular stands out in this application because it leverages both RTIL and IS+ technology to deliver reliable high-quality video and audio return with no detectable latency in a virtual interactive conference setting.”

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks has put together a turnkey production package to help broadcasters cover the 2020 U.S. presidential election remotely in the middle of the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The TVU package makes it so that no organization needs to send their own crew or reporter to a location, with the services provided until a winner is declared, TVU says.

As part of TVU’s election package, users will get:

• Access to on-site camera crews at various locations, including Washington, D.C., using TVU equipment like the TVU One mobile transmitter; 
• Delivery of live pool feeds from major U.S. cities; 
• TVU Partyline video conferencing platform; 
• TVU Anywhere mobile app for streaming full-HD live video;
• TVU Grid for point to multipoint live video distribution over IP; 
• Live transmission from location to recipients’ studio; and 
• TVU Search for locating archived and live content 

This is another offering from TVU Networks to help broadcasters provide high-quality content during the pandemic, following the TVU Project Pool Feed that was launched in its early days.

For more information, visit www.tvunetworks.com.  

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has opted to purchase a complete TVU Networks live video package for the task of sharing live coverage of the governor’s weekly COVID-19 press briefings to local and national broadcasters, as well as cable news networks.

Since April, Cal OES has been participating in TVU’s Project Pool Feed, which allowed government entities to provide essential video pool feeds for news stations. Now Cal OES has its own TVU equipment to serve as a longer-term solution for distributing content to local and national media outlets.

The TVU package includes a TVU One transmitter, TVU Transceiver and TVU Grid. The TVU One allows for coverage of remote briefings from any location. TVU Grid provides scalable live video distribution to TV, radio, news publications, news portal, social media platforms, CDNs and the state’s website. 

The TVU Transceiver, meanwhile, serves as the backbone of the TVU ecosystem, able to host multiple TVU applications and enabling users to view, manage and monitor all video content from one device. It also is the gateway to TVU Grid, allowing IP content to be routed and distributed within a network or partner networks, TVU says.

“The services provided by TVU have been critical for us to provide information to the public, while doing that through a safe means for staff and principals,” said Brian Ferguson, deputy director of Crisis Communications with Cal OES. “We were able to get the equipment set up without difficulty and begin providing crucial information to Californians.”

For more information, visit www.tvunetworks.com.  

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks welcomes two directors to its sales and marketing team in North America. Gerry McAree joins as director, strategic accounts, Eastern Region, and will be responsible for working with major television networks and station groups headquartered on the East Coast. Luc Comeau joins as director of product marketing and will lead product marketing efforts for the company’s cloud solutions.

TVU Networks CEO Paul Shen said in a statement: “We welcome Gerry and Luc to the TVU family and feel fortunate they’ve joined us during this pivotal time in the media and entertainment industry. Their deep expertise and experience will have an immediate impact on our ability to innovate rapidly and bring new technologies and solutions to market.”

McAree is a 20-year veteran of the media industry, having held senior sales leadership roles with technology and solutions providers in news, sports and entertainment. He will work closely with customers to provide IP-based solutions to address today’s challenges. Prior to joining TVU, McAree was vice president, sales, Eastern Region for Paris-based Globecast. He’s also held senior sales roles with satellite operators Intelsat and PanAmSat.

Comeau has more than 25 years of experience in the media and entertainment industry and joins TVU from Dalet Digital Media Systems, where he served most recently as market director. Comeau brings his expertise in production workflows, media asset management and supply chain pipelines and will collaborate with customer-facing teams to solve customer challenges.

MOUNTAINVIEW, Calif.—TVU Networks has added an audio mixing panel to its cloud-based TVU Producer multicamera, cloud production tool.

The TVU Producer is designed to assist with remote produced multicamera live events. By adding an audio mixing panel, an audio production crew can now manage the audio elements from a separate location from the video crew, per TVU.

The audio mixing panel features a browser-based user interface to offer full control of all audio signals. Users can operate the panel with touch-screen tablet computers. There is also TVU’s time synchronization technology, which provides zero latency execution of production commands and synchronization between video and audio.

“The mixing function is extremely easy to use and gives the audio operator full control over program audio,” said Paul Shen, TVU CEO. “As part of our continued expansion of remote production capabilities, this is one more piece that enables all crew … to be part of a professional production operating from a safe location such as their homes.”

TVU Producer can accept any standard IP video sources, as well as SDI signals via an IP encoder or TVU transmitter. It can also be used with the TVU Anywhere App or integrated with TVU Partyline.

For more information, visit www.tvunetworks.com.  

AKRON, Ohio—Religious broadcaster TCT Television will go live with a new hybrid master control (MC) system in mid-August that leverages a unique combination of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and MC and studio control automation to drive efficiency, save money and improve live program content.

“I’ve replaced a master control system that I literally put in in 2005,” says Bruce Hart, vice president of engineering at TCT. “I’ve been maintaining it now for 15 years, looking for the right option to transition to and move forward.”

Hart found his replacement in the form of master control automation, Media Asset Management (MAM) and studio control automation from Aveco and the MediaMind AI engine from TVU Networks. Besides automating master control for TCT’s three network channels originating in Akron, Ohio, and 22 O&Os around the country, the hybrid MC-AI system proved to be the answer for other important challenges facing the broadcaster.

“I needed to solve three problems: closed captioning, populating a database with descriptions of our programming and archiving,” says Hart.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

TCT is using four AI algorithms, including automated transcription, facial recognition, object recognition and lower-third recognition, as part of its TVU MediaMind deployment.

Not only does the transcription algorithm automatically generate accurate closed captions—thereby saving TCT on its captioning expense—but it also contributes to building a database of metadata along with the other three AI algorithms that together makes it possible for the broadcaster to derive other important benefits from its Aveco deployment, says Hart.

Integrated with the broadcaster’s 32 Aveco MAM seats, the TVU MediaMind AI algorithms are currently identifying unique characteristics that describe each frame of TCT’s 70,000 hours of programming. Currently stored on videotape, optical discs, individual hard drives and a RAID array, the archival content is bound for 925TB of storage and backup on sleeper disks from Alto under the orchestration of Aveco automation.

Unique identifiers, such as the facial features of people in shots, the shapes of objects in scenes, CG text burned into lower-thirds and speech translated to text, will one day make it possible to find desired footage from the entire archive in an instant, says Hart.

While that massive undertaking is going on in the background, the same set of algorithms is being used to create metadata for some 20 hours per week of live TCT programming, he adds.

“All of that footage will be available via a great portal for online [distribution] as well as for live program production,” says Jim O’Brien, president of Aveco.

When used for live production, the metadata will enable a show producer to search a topic being discussed on air, retrieve appropriate archival clips and choose the best one to enhance the live show—all in a matter of seconds, says Hart.

The TVU MediaMind-Aveco MAM hybrid also will put an end to the drudgery of manually completing quarterly FCC filings for TCT’s stations.

“That report is a very detailed thing, and it takes a full-time person to track down all the data the FCC requires for all of our 22 stations,” says Hart. “Now we can generate reports for each station automatically from the program data we are harvesting.”

While a significant time and money saver, today’s TVU MediaMind as currently configured is just a start. As new AI algorithms come along that prove to be useful to TCT, they can be integrated into the system to enhance metadata capture, adds Hart.

“With TVU’s AI interface module, we can use any commercially available artificial intelligence in the marketplace in conjunction with TVU’s own AI engine to ensure we are providing the maximum benefit,” says Kyle Luther, vice president of sales at TVU Networks.

MC AUTOMATION

TCT originally deployed a central-casting automation system to drive its hub-and-spoke model 15 years ago. With each passing month, it became ever more apparent the system, which relied on aging video servers running Microsoft Windows XP, was creaking ever closer to its demise. System reboots became a weekly occurrence, and reliability was sporadic, says Hart.

At the 2019 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Hart partnered with Ocon Solutions. Together he and Jim Ocon, president of the technology consultancy, identified the goal of relaunching TCT master control as an AI-driven platform—something both believed would be a first for the television industry.

Since then, Ocon has formed the OConsortium, an alliance of tech vendors, consultants and broadcasters working on next-generation media technology and solutions. Members participating in the TCT deployment include Aveco, TVU Networks, Ocon Solutions, Brainstorm, DTV Innovations, Alto, Titan TV, Teradek and Media Transport Solutions.

Planning for the hybrid master control system began in earnest two months later as TCT separately began preparations for a major renovation of its network headquarters in Akron, says Hart. 

The 26,000-square-foot facility has three studios, each equipped for productions enhanced by augmented reality (AR). One, a 40x30-foot studio, is outfitted with a Brainstorm InfinitySet for productions done on a virtual set. 

The facility’s control room is equipped with a 4K-capable Grass Valley Kula production switcher that TCT currently uses for 1080p productions. Signal routing and transport is a mix of baseband and IP, says Hart. 

Aveco’s centralized master control is at the heart of the new deployment. Responsible for network origination, control of each TCT station and two satellite dishes, the system is a night-and-day improvement for Hart.

“We will have one computer running the playlist for the three network channels and the 22 O&Os—25 playlists in total—running on a single screen that will have full control over every station and the network—all in one control room,” he says.

The system offers a “self-healing” feature that Hart found particularly attractive. “If a server fails, which is bound to happen, without having someone there watching the automation, the system will automatically switch to the backup and convert a server dedicated to recording to playout, change the router and put the video into the server so it plays out all on its own,” he says.

The Aveco system also controls the TVU MediaMind with respect to speech-to-text transcription turning it on when needed and off when not to control costs. “You pay for only what you need,” says Ocon. “When you don’t need to use the service, you can turn it off.”

For disaster recovery, TCT has deployed redundant systems at a site in Illinois, adds Hart.

GOING FORWARD

As TCT planned the renovation and its new hybrid master control deployment, Hart kept in mind it was likely the television broadcaster would continue to grow. “We started out last year with 14 stations. We are at 22 today,” he says.

“We are actively looking and planning to grow beyond that. To reliably control all of those stations, I needed a more robust system to ensure I had good, quality programming going out to all of those stations.” 

To do otherwise would diminish the broadcaster’s chance of winning viewers in markets targeted for expansion. “When you are new to a market, you’ve got one chance to do it right,” says Hart. 

More information on Aveco, TVU Networks and Ocon Solutions is available on the companies’ websites. 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Mount Everest is no longer just the tallest mountain in the world, it is now the tallest 5G tower in the world. This is according to details provided by TVU Networks.

According to information provided to TV Technology, on May 27 a team of Chinese surveyors summited Mount Everest to remeasure its height. In addition, Chinese telecom companies Huawei and China Mobile used the expedition to install a fiber optic data network up the side of the mountain, creating what they say is the world’s highest 5G network.

China Mobile deployed 5G to make the network immediately accessible. When it went live, it had base stations at 5,300, 5,800 and 6,500 meters. At an altitude of 5,300 meters, the 5G download speed was measured at more than 1.66 Gbps, with an upload speed that topped out at 215 Mbps.

In addition, China Central Television (CCTV) conducted a live, remote broadcast from Everest. To do so, it utilized three TVU One cellular mobile transmitters with new embedded 5G modems set up at the base camp for daily coverage. The TVU Mobile Anywhere app—putting its name to the test—was used at 5,800, 6,500 and 7,800 meters, as well as at the summit (8,848 meters).

TVU Networks tweeted about the broadcast back in May:

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Greg Doggett has joined TVU Networks as director of sports and entertainment in the TVU Sports group, the company announced. Doggett will help in spearheading deployment of the company’s IP-based cloud solutions for the sports and entertainment markets.

“We’re excited to have Greg on board. He will work closely with current sports customers on identifying their remote live video needs, as well as introduce our complete portfolio of cloud-based solutions to the larger industry, including professional and collegiate teams and leagues,” said Kyle Luther, TVU Networks vice president of Sales, North America.

With 25 years of experience in broadcast sales and business development, Doggett joins TVU after most recently working in the broadcast and media division of Rohde & Schwarz. Prior to that, he held multiple senior management and executive sales positions at Grass Valley, Snell and Miranda Technologies.

More information is available on the TVU Networks website.  

Late last month, TVU Networks announced Partyline, a communications tool designed specifically to make life a bit easier for production crews grappling with the challenges of show production during COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

Think of a mashed up intercom and IFB system together with HD video of all Partyline participants, such as producers, talent and guests, and you get an idea of what Partyline can do.

Leveraging the cloud and the company’s Real-Time Interactive Layer (RTIL), part of TVU’s Inverse Stat-Mux technology, to transport virtual intercom/IFB-related audio and video bits, Partyline enables common communications among all participants as well as directed communications to specific individuals regardless of their location.

Supporting a variety of professional features, including mix-minus audio, undetectable video and audio delay and synced AV signals, Partyline is available to users of TVU Producer, TVU Anywhere and TVU One.

Late last week, Paul Shen, founder and CEO of TVU Networks, took out a few minutes to talk about the origin of Partyline, what makes it different from consumer solutions like Zoom meetings and the future of remote production. 

(An edited transcript.)

TVTechnology: Was Partyline in the works prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, or did you suddenly see your customers needing this communications capability? In other words, what came first, the virus or the Partyline?

Paul Shen: The virus. 

TVT: So you hustled to get Partyline out.

PS: Yes. This organization’s [TVU Networks] entire development philosophy is based on what we call “Dev Ops.”

Our products are usually released on databases. What that means is internally we are not thinking of a product, we are thinking of microservices.

So when this [COVID-19] surfaces, we said: “OK, people are removed from working with each other. They no longer have the real-time interactivity among them and also with their equipment. That’s missing throughout the whole remote working process.”

So, there were two components that must be addressed. One is quality and the other is interactivity—and how we can put them together. We said, “Let’s create a real-time interactive way to do that.”

TVT: At the very beginning of the lockdowns and work-from-home mandates, broadcasters began using tools like Zoom and Slack. But Partyline is purpose-built for broadcasters and the production community. Given the short development cycle for Partyline is it fair to say your engineers drew on TVU’s experience with customers rather than lengthy research to guide them through the process?

PS: Precisely. In fact, this project was quite amazing. Partyline is available across TVU Anywhere, TVU Producer as well as our physical transceiver, our TVU One. It spreads across the entire portfolio. It’s another microservice that spreads across all of them.

One of the very important differences between Partyline and consumer products, such as Zoom, is mix-minus. This is a huge issue that Zoom cannot deal with.

Another big part of the problem is people being interviewed, they don’t just want to watch the host, they want to watch the program.

The same is true of the whole production crew. They want to be a part of it, but they want to talk to the right people—they don’t want to just broadcast to everyone.

Video conferencing really cannot handle these issues.

TVT: The Real-Time Interactive Layer (RTIL) that’s part of the TVU Inverse Stat-Mux technology serves to transport the audio and video of participants in a Partyline session. Does this in any way degrade contribution video quality?

PS: No. In fact, that is a very important part of what we’ve done. That is to make sure that there is a very clear priority separation between the bits transported via RTIL and the bits used to contribute video for the broadcast side. Broadcast bits are given the highest priority.

TVT: Even though the work-from-home orders are in place, many broadcasters are relying on skeleton crews on premise to carry on operations. This makes me wonder if there is the ability to integrate Partyline with existing professional intercom systems so production personnel on site can have this communication link with those working remotely.

PS: It integrates with existing intercom systems. It has an intercom interface. So, the intercom user can talk directly into it. That’s something that people inside of our industry think about, but it’s not really something that people from the computer industry would think about.

TVT: When COVID-19 finally passes, do you think production will return to normal, or do you think it will have a lasting effect and there will be a continuation of these remote workflows?

PS: As the producer of this product, we always said that remote production is where the future is. The main reason is the cost difference is so significant.

The whole coronavirus outbreak accelerated remote production because people are forced into this situation. But once people experience this, I don’t think they will return [to conventional ways].

The whole economy has caught a cold right now. In the next two quarters, we will see the effects. So during this period, people want to save costs. Moving forward, people will want to make production much more efficient so they can create much more product at a much lower cost.

The industry is moving in that direction. Young viewers want to watch much more content than the mainstream media can deliver because the production costs of the mainstream media are way too high. But with this, the production costs can be significantly less.

More information is available on the TVU Networks website.