Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) has revealed some of its plans for the next Summer Olympics, taking place in Los Angeles in 2028.

At a meeting of rights holders last week, OBS said it intends to provide approximately 3,800 to 4,000 hours of competition and Ceremonies coverage.

The host broadcaster added it is expanding its use of first-person-view (FPV) drones, real-time 360° and stroboscopic replays, point-of-view (POV) cameras, microphones on officials and coaches, dynamic graphics, back-of-house access and enhanced digital content at LA28.

The broadcast ecosystem will be designed around virtualization, cloud-based workflows and AI-ready infrastructure, said OBS, to deliver increased flexibility, resilience and operational efficiency across broadcast operations.

Plans include expanded cloud services, AI-assisted production workflows, enhanced digital content delivery and new approaches to content distribution.

Work on the IBC fit-out will begin in early 2027, added OBS.

This article originally appeared on TV Tech sister brand TVBEurope.

ATLANTA—Tyler Perry Studios has announced a multi-year agreement with Synapse Virtual Production to develop and operate a next-generation virtual production facility on its Atlanta studio grounds.

Located on the historic 365-acre Tyler Perry Studios campus in Atlanta, which already includes premier sound stages, expansive backlots, standing sets, and production support facilities, the new virtual production-enabled soundstage will provide filmmakers, television producers, and content creators access to state-of-the-art LED volume technology, real-time digital environments, and advanced production workflows that expand creative flexibility, streamline production, and reduce costs while keeping crews at the center of the process.

As with all other facilities at Tyler Perry Studios, the Synapse soundstage will be available for third-party usage.

By combining modern technology with Tyler Perry Studios’ existing production infrastructure, the studio aims to provide a complete, end-to-end production offering.

The new soundstage is expected to be operational by the end of 2026.

The facility will combine LED volume, advanced camera tracking, and real-time 3D engines such as Unreal Engine with a production-ready operating model designed for real-world schedules and sets. Synapse also utilizes AI-supported tools for look development, asset iteration, and environment capture, helping productions move faster while maintaining creative quality and human oversight. This approach is focused on production-ready execution, consistent on-camera results, and a workflow designed for real sets and real schedules, the two companies reported.

Already operating flagship LED volume stages in Los Angeles, with a New York facility set to open next, Synapse offers end-to-end virtual production services spanning concept development, virtual art direction, real-time processes, on-set stage operations, and post-production integration.

The facility will support productions of all sizes, from feature films and television series to commercials, music videos, livestreams, immersive experiences, and emerging digital media projects.

Synapse’s services and technology ecosystem have been utilized in groundbreaking film and television projects for all the major studios and streamers. Recently, Synapse was a key production service partner for Artist Equity on “The Rip” and “The Accountant 2.” The company has received Clios, London International, and other prestigious awards for their work in advertising.

“I’m paying close attention to what these tools can do, and I’m also thinking about the people who make this industry work,” said Tyler Perry. “This collaboration is about moving forward in a way that keeps crews working and traditional production jobs intact while also allowing creatives new ways to build worlds and tell stories for the big and small screens.”

"Our mission at Synapse is to bridge the gap between imagination and innovation," said Justin Diener, CEO of Synapse. "Partnering with Tyler Perry Studios represents a defining moment for both companies and for the future of content creation. Together, we are building an environment where filmmakers, artists, and creators can harness real-time tools to tell bigger stories, create more immersive experiences, and push the boundaries of what's possible on screen. We are honored to help bring this vision to life alongside Tyler Perry and his incredible team."

To improve efficiency, reduce travel and make better use of specialized staff, TV broadcasters are moving away from traditional facility-bound control rooms toward remote, distributed and hybrid production models.

“Broadcasters are rethinking the traditional control room,” said Costa Kokorogiannis, product manager at Matrox Video, a global provider of AV-over-IP solutions for live, remote and distributed broadcast workflows. “Instead of tying operators to dedicated hardware in a single facility, they want IP-based KVM and control systems that allow teams to access production resources from anywhere without sacrificing responsiveness.”

“Broadcasters are looking for flexible environments,” added Greg Lenczycki, chief operating officer of IHSE USA, which offers secure, zero-latency KVM and matrix switching solutions for 24/7 mission-critical environments. “The future of the industry is relying heavily on hybrid workflows—keeping latency-sensitive or high-resolution processes on-premises while leveraging IP for scalability and remote access.”

Layered Systems and Distributed Workflows
Today’s remote production architectures involve multiple layers of technology, combining on-premises equipment, transmission infrastructure and localized monitoring with virtualized or cloud processing utilities.

“It’s now common for production teams to work across multiple studios, broadcast centers or remote venues, requiring secure, low-latency access to equipment and resources regardless of location,” said John Halksworth, senior product manager at Adder Technology, which develops high-performance IP KVM (keyboard, video and mouse) solutions for the secure control of local and remote live production systems. “As a result, they’re looking for technologies that not only provide reliable remote access, but also integrate seamlessly into the wider broadcast ecosystem.”

Given this new operational reality, “broadcasters are no longer looking for one single ‘remote production product,’” said Matt Keske, director of business development, North America, at G&D and VuWall, which provides integrated KVM hardware and video wall management software for secure control rooms. Instead, “they are building layered hybrid infrastructures that combine on-site systems, IP-based transport, centralized control, monitoring, and cloud or virtualized services.”

Why Low Latency Matters
In this remotely connected world, fast data speeds are essential. This is why, “as broadcasters continue to adopt hybrid workflows and remote operations, they are increasingly seeking equipment that enables secure, low-latency access to systems and resources regardless of location,” said Thomas Tang, founder and president of Apantac, which offers multiviewers, KVM-over-IP and video processing solutions for the broadcast and pro AV industries.

“KVM-over-IP solutions have become a critical component of this transition, allowing operators, engineers, and production staff to remotely access and control servers, workstations, replay systems, graphics engines, and other mission-critical equipment as if they were sitting directly in front of them,” Tang said.

Connecting these low-latency solutions over standard IP networks lets remote operators feel as if they are sitting right next to the machines even when they are hundreds of miles away. In some KVM-over-IP deployments, standard 1 Gigabit Ethernet networks with transparent USB support can deliver responsive control with little or no perceptible delay, provided the network is properly designed for the workflow.

“Remote production really only works if operators can forget that they’re remote,” Kokorogiannis said. “In live environments, there’s no tolerance for sluggish keyboard response, delayed video or inconsistent switching between systems.”

The Challenges of REMI
In an idealized remote operational environment, the transition from a localized setup to a Remote Integration Model (REMI) workflow goes without a hitch. In the real world, there can be issues.

A case in point: “One of the biggest challenges in REMI workflows is maintaining visibility and control as operators, systems, and signals become distributed across multiple locations,” Kokorogiannis said. “In a traditional control room, everything is physically nearby. In a remote production model, broadcasters need to manage routing, monitoring and operator access across facilities without introducing latency or operational complexity.”

This is where IP KVM technology plays an important role. “By providing secure, low-latency access to systems regardless of location, operators can interact with remote resources as if they were local,” Halksworth said. “Combined with centralized management and monitoring platforms, engineering teams gain a single view of users, devices and system status across the entire environment, helping them identify issues more quickly and manage operations more efficiently.”

Ultimately, successful REMI deployments depend on more than moving signals between sites. “They require a consistent operational layer that allows people to monitor, access and control distributed resources with the same confidence and simplicity they would expect in a traditional facility,” Halksworth said.

Mixing Old and New
The move to remote workflows comes as money is tight in the TV industry. “Most broadcasters can’t afford to rebuild their entire infrastructure overnight, nor do they really want to,” Kokorogiannis said. “The reality for many facilities is that SDI, IP, and cloud-based workflows will coexist for years.

“That’s why flexibility and interoperability are so important,” he added. “Matrox Avio 2 is designed to integrate into existing environments using standard IP networks, allowing broadcasters to centralize and extend systems gradually rather than forcing a complete operational overhaul. Support for ST 2110 and NMOS also helps broadcasters align KVM workflows with the broader evolution of their IP infrastructure.”

Other companies interviewed for this article cited similar product flexibility. “Broadcasters can easily turn their existing Draco control infrastructure into a hybrid or fully remote platform by simply adding a tera IP gateway,” Lenczycki told TV Tech. “This addition to current systems allows users to effortlessly gain remote access to their matrix without a total replacement of their system.”

Added Keske: “G&D systems can be introduced step by step because they sit at the access and control layer, not as a replacement for the entire broadcast infrastructure. A broadcaster can start by centralizing existing computers in a technical room and connecting current operator positions via KVM. Later, additional workstations, systems, or KVM-over-IP components can be added as the facility grows.”

For most broadcasters, modernization isn’t a single project, but an ongoing process—including the transition from localized production to full REMI.

One of the key requirements is ensuring that operators can continue to work efficiently throughout this transition. “Broadcasters can’t afford to disrupt production workflows every time new technology is introduced, particularly in live environments where reliability is paramount,” Halksworth said. “This is where IP KVM can provide significant value.

“Because it sits at the user access layer, it allows broadcasters to connect operators to a wide range of systems regardless of whether those resources are based on legacy infrastructure, modern IP networks or cloud-hosted platforms,” Halksworth continued. “From the operator’s perspective, the workflow remains familiar even as the underlying infrastructure evolves.”

As for the future? Improvements in automation, artificial intelligence, network speeds and transport latency levels are all going to make REMI faster and more invisible than ever. In fact, the day may come when there is no perceptible difference between local and remote production for operators or viewers.

“Broadcasters are already demonstrating that talent, systems and resources can be distributed across multiple sites while operating as a single production environment,” Halksworth said. “Perhaps the most significant long-term trend is that physical location will continue to become less relevant.”

The technology toolkit available to broadcasters has evolved dramatically over the past quarter-century.

During television’s digital and HD transition era, “future-proofing” became a favorite phrase among systems integrators designing 3G-SDI facilities. Yet television has never actually exceeded 1080i/720p over ATSC 1.0, which is effectively half-bandwidth HD, or 1.5G.

So why did Arizona Public Media (AZPM) choose to build a 4K facility, deploy virtual production capabilities and install 4K cameras in radio studios? The answer lies in understanding where content creation and distribution is headed.

Analyzing the Need
Recent industry research shows audiences are consuming streaming media at a greater rate than traditional broadcast-delivered content. Our own metrics at AZPM reflect the same trend. OTT consumption continues to grow while over-the-air viewership remains relatively flat.

As AZPM began planning the $65 million Paul and Alice Baker Center for Public Media (with a tech budget of about $10 million), we examined our current and future needs across TV, radio, streaming and digital media production. Our goal was to eliminate traditional silos and create technology-agnostic production spaces that support current workflows and can adapt to future requirements.

Quality was also a major consideration. AZPM already captures field content in 4K HDR using Sony FX6 and FX9 cameras and edits in DaVinci Resolve to leverage its advanced color-grading capabilities. Historically, however, field-acquired footage never fully matched in-house studio productions due to limitations in our 1080i SDR infrastructure.

While a migration to 3G HDR would have been the simpler path and would have produced solid results, we chose to push further by designing our internal production environment around 4K HDR. That decision naturally led to discussions about adding a dedicated color-correction suite and a Dolby Atmos mixing room.

We wanted to eliminate the traditional silos that often separate TV, radio, cable television and conference-room AV systems. Too often, these systems coexist without integrating effectively. We believed there had to be a better way.

Searching for the Answer
Because the AZPM facility was funded entirely through donor and member support, one of our earliest goals was to create a facility that donors would be proud to invest in while supporting our long-term mission.

Research became a critical part—the AZPM team visited numerous recently completed media facilities, observing operations and asking candid questions about what had worked well and what they would do differently.

Some organizations had committed to HD and 3G-SDI as their long-term strategy. Others aspired to deploy 12G infrastructures but were constrained by budget realities.

My vision for broadcasting’s future has always included both over-the-air and streaming delivery. Each platform offers distinct advantages. With ATSC 3.0 now approaching a decade of deployment, I remain hopeful that NextGen TV, coupled with integrated streaming experiences, can elevate OTA broadcasting by bringing content quality and user experiences closer to what audiences expect from streaming services.

AZPM currently broadcasts in ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 and chose to deploy a 1080p HDR NextGen TV signal. In doing so, we planted our flag firmly where we believe the industry must go to remain competitive and relevant.

Building the Team and the Plan
At AZPM, the transition began well before the move into the new facility. We migrated field-production equipment and editing systems to 4K HDR workflows while still operating from our existing location. Giving teams time to become comfortable with new tools and processes before introducing a completely new facility significantly reduced organizational friction.

My internal design team included leaders from engineering, information technology and production. Together, they transitioned to 4K acquisition, DaVinci Resolve workflows, LUT-based color management and enhanced audio production techniques.

The results were evident. This year, AZPM received eight regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in journalism. While great storytelling remains the most important factor, there is little doubt that improved production quality helped strengthen audience engagement and presentation.

As a result, when our production teams moved into the new facility, they encountered familiar workflows enhanced by better spaces, newer tools and expanded capabilities. The transition proved remarkably smooth.

Of course, adopting new technologies also introduces new support challenges. High-bandwidth IP-based production environments require expertise in software, networking, cybersecurity and systems integration that extends well beyond traditional broadcast engineering disciplines.

AZPM invested heavily in staff development while simultaneously upgrading portions of our existing facility to serve as a testing environment. Moving from HD to 4K requires more powerful editing systems, increased network capacity, improved monitoring and measurement tools, and significantly more storage.

Concept testing also played an important role in validating new operational models. One example was transforming a radio program into content that could simultaneously serve radio broadcast, podcast, vodcast, streaming and traditional television audiences.

To test the concept, we equipped an old radio studio with PTZ cameras, upgraded lighting and branded visual elements. A small flypack in an adjacent control room enabled student operators to produce the program efficiently with a much lighter operational footprint.

The experiment proved successful. Today, our new Press Room studio provides expanded space, dedicated cameras, planned lighting and digital signage capable of supporting a wide range of productions while maintaining operational efficiency.

Finding Partners
Successfully delivering a project of this scale while maintaining normal operations is an enormous challenge. Choosing the right partners was therefore one of the most important decisions we made.

We issued an RFP seeking a fully integrated design-build team capable of addressing construction, power, HVAC, acoustics and media facility requirements as a unified effort.

After selecting our construction partner, we completed a Phase 0 broadcast design study. I cannot overstate the importance of providing architects and builders with detailed requirements regarding space allocation, cable pathways, cooling capacity, power distribution and equipment density.

Our builder had recently completed a Meta data center and a film school production facility. Even so, assumptions can be dangerous.

For example, their initial studio-floor specification mirrored what had been used in film production environments. Television production places very different demands on floor surfaces. Pedestal-mounted cameras require strict flatness and levelness tolerances as defined by ASTM E1155-20. Without those standards, camera movements can become unstable and unlocked cameras can literally roll across the studio floor.

Perhaps the most important long-term partner in any facility project is the systems integrator. During installation, we routinely had 10 systems integration specialists on-site for six months to complete cabling, infrastructure deployment and equipment commissioning.

We ultimately selected a midsized systems integrator that demonstrated a willingness to innovate, collaborate and help us achieve our goals.

Building one of the region’s first fully IP-based media facilities—from VITEC-powered cable and digital signage systems to TAG multiviewers and an EVS-managed SMPTE ST 2110 infrastructure—is no small undertaking.

I must commend KCM (Key Code Media) for their collaborative approach and commitment to project success. On multiple occasions, we activated studio resources for live productions before formal project acceptance. KCM staff worked alongside our teams to ensure everything operated successfully, including complex 11-camera productions that occurred before final commissioning was complete.

From Skepticism to Enthusiasm
Few organizations are fortunate enough to build a greenfield media facility of this scale.

No project of this magnitude proceeds without challenges, compromises and occasional disappointments. Throughout the process, my goals remained straightforward: keep the team engaged, provide clear direction to our partners, maintain rigorous oversight and ensure that our staff remained healthy and focused.

One of the more amusing aspects of the transition was watching some of the strongest skeptics become enthusiastic advocates. Several longtime employees initially doubted that the new facility would improve their work, enhance quality or make their jobs more enjoyable.

Today, many of those same individuals enthusiastically explain to colleagues how they use the new tools, appreciate the new spaces and cannot imagine returning to the workflows of our previous facility.

In the end, most obstacles proved manageable and ultimately minor in the context of the overall project.

What I will carry forward from this experience is not only the accomplishment itself, but also the belief that the investment made by our donors, members, staff and partners has provided AZPM with a platform for innovation that will serve the organization for decades to come.

If we have done our jobs well, this facility will enable Arizona Public Media to create, innovate, educate and thrive for the next 75 years.

LOS ANGELES—Television City and Orbital Studios said they are collaborating on a new advanced virtual production facility on the lot in Hollywood’s Fairfax district.

The LED volume at 7800 Beverly Blvd. reflects Orbital’s steadfast commitment to providing best-in-class virtual production experiences for productions of all sizes, budgets, and creative aspirations, according to the companies.

“We could not be more excited to welcome Orbital Studios to Television City,” said Anthony Mazziotti, executive director of stage operations and marketing at Television City Studios. “Their work puts this lot among the most advanced production environments anywhere, while honoring everything these stages have stood for. This is exactly the kind of partnership that keeps Television City both iconic and essential.”

Originally CBS’s first West Coast videotape production facility, Television City opened on Nov. 16, 1952, at 7800 Beverly Blvd. in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. Over seven decades, its soundstages produced “The Carol Burnett Show,” “All in the Family,” “The Price Is Right,” “The Young and the Restless” and many iconic programs. The city of Los Angeles designated the studio a Historic-Cultural Monument in 2018. That same year, CBS sold the property to Hackman Capital Partners for $750 million, and the lot remains an active production facility.

Founded in 2020 by A.J. Wedding, Orbital Studios is a Los Angeles virtual production company. The studio operates LED volumes with camera tracking and real-time rendering, supported by an in-house Virtual Art Department. Orbital develops virtual production workflows spanning mobile operations in the U.S. and worldwide, AI-assisted content creation, real-time rendering, and location reconstruction technologies such as 3D Gaussian Splatting.

Orbital is currently in production on the series “The Drop: A Snowfall Saga,” and its recent credits include the Netflix series “Nemesis,” for which the team rebuilt portions of downtown Los Angeles from digital scans, “Justified: City Primeval,” “History’s Greatest Heists” and the recently released 20-part docuseries “World War II With Tom Hanks.”

“Walking these stages, you feel the weight of what was made here,” said A.J. Wedding, founder and CEO of Orbital Studios. “Generations of crews poured everything they had into these rooms. That legacy makes us determined to get it right. We’re bringing the latest in virtual production technology and the most talented virtual art and AI artists inside spaces that helped define American television, because the best way to honor a storied place is to make sure the next great stories happen there, too.”

DOWNINGTOWN, Pa.—PTZOptics and LayerJot will demonstrate how prompt-based AI, robotic camera control, and high-performance computing can work together to identify, follow, and respond to objects and events in real time at InfoComm 2026, June 13-19 in Las Vegas.

The demonstrations, which run on Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, combine LayerJot’s purpose-built AI software application with PTZOptics’ SimplTrack3 cameras, featuring advanced auto-tracking capabilities. The demos will show how natural-language prompting can guide the system to identify and/or track objects in the room, then use PTZOptics camera control to respond automatically.

The collaboration is designed to show integrators, educators, broadcasters, and pro AV teams a practical path for building on-site AI video workflows, according to the companies. By pairing PTZOptics camera robotics with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 -powered compute and LayerJot’s agentic AI application layer, both exhibitors will demonstrate how Visual Reasoning can move from concept to deployable workflow without requiring large teams, custom hardware stacks, or cloud-only processing.

"AV and enterprise buyers today are asking the same question: how do we deploy AI that actually works in our environment, without building a data center or waiting on the cloud?” said Dr. Ben Cope, Principal Engineer, Intel. “Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors were purpose-built with that reality in mind, delivering the on-device AI compute performance that makes local visual reasoning practical at scale. Collaborating with PTZOptics and LayerJot lets buyers take that compute capability and turn it directly into deployable, prompt-driven camera workflows. Together, we're removing the barriers between AI potential and operational reality."

Visual Reasoning
For PTZOptics, the demo is part of its broader Visual Reasoning initiative, which focuses on turning video into actionable data by combining camera robotics, AI, and open integration. Visual Reasoning is designed to help systems describe, count, understand, and trigger actions based on what cameras see, supporting workflows across broadcast, pro AV, education, healthcare, manufacturing, houses of worship, and live events, the company said.

“Visual Reasoning becomes powerful when integrators and developers can adapt it to the needs of everyday environments,” said Matt Davis, CTO, PTZOptics. “This partnership shows what is possible when robotic cameras, local AI compute, and prompt-driven automation come together. Our goal is to inspire the pro AV community to build customized solutions faster, more affordably, and with more flexibility than ever before.”

LayerJot’s Agentic Visual Application (AVA) connects to the PTZOptics SimplTrack3 camera and uses AI prompting to identify and/or track objects in the space. The demonstration will show how developers can create custom AI workflows that connect directly to camera control, while giving users the freedom to direct camera actions using natural language.

“We’re focused on delivering advanced visual AI solutions that combine scene understanding, automation, and natural-language interaction to support critical workflows in real-world environments,” said Etay Gafni, CEO of LayerJot. “This demonstration shows how scene understanding and natural-language instructions can drive meaningful actions in live operations, enabling users to interact with complex systems in a more intuitive and efficient way.”

Example workflows include prompting the system to identify an object or person in the room, directing the camera to track that target, and showing how similar logic could be adapted for classroom automation, event production, training spaces, and other applications where small teams need consistent video coverage.

The demonstration also reflects a larger shift in the AV industry, the companies said. Cameras are no longer limited to passive capture. With Visual Reasoning, robotic cameras can become intelligent endpoints that help systems interpret what is happening, make decisions, and trigger workflows in real time. PTZOptics says it is working with a wide range of partners and integrators to combine their own domain expertise with PTZOptics cameras via open APIs – supporting teams and improving operations across multiple industries.

The live demonstration will be available at PTZOptics’ booth N8227 during InfoComm 2026. For more information, visit https://ptzoptics.com/book-a-demo/

WEST LONDON, England—Andrew Beaudet has joined video processing and control systems provider Brompton Technology as head of sales, Americas.

Beaudet, who brings almost 30 years of experience in the music and digital signage industries, will help lead Brompton’s sales efforts in North and South America as the company looks to expand its presence in the region.

“I have always sought out companies and products that give real value to their customers, rather than selling for selling’s sake,” Beaudet said. “Brompton offers superior image processing quality with a workflow and mindset to match. I am most looking forward to working with the team, getting to grips with the amazing work they’re doing and, of course, joining them at the forthcoming InfoComm show to meet existing and potential customers.”

Beaudet joins Brompton after a career that included work with major LED display manufacturers as well as 10 years in Barco’s live event and retail division. He brings extensive experience working with LED makers and end users in the live event and digital signage markets, Brompton said.

Brompton Sales Director Lotta Schiefer said Beaudet brings valuable experience to its senior sales team.

“His knowledge of LED manufacturers and experience of guiding end users to the correct product for their application will be key to our continued expansion in both North and South America,” she said. “We are excited to see how his leadership skills and industry knowledge complement our existing teams.”

Beaudet will be part of the Brompton team on hand at InfoComm in Las Vegas, June 17–19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

HEBDEN BRIDGE, England—Calrec Audio has updated its ImPulseV Virtualised Audio Mixing Engine to expand the market for virtualized audio workflows.

The ImPulseV portfolio now includes two new, smaller DSP package options—96- and 140-path configurations—alongside the existing 256-processing path option. Tailored for smaller systems that still demand uncompromising, broadcast-grade audio performance, all three packages share the same comprehensive feature set, including full processing on every path and support for 5.1 and immersive audio formats up to 7.1.4. DSP resources can also be dynamically allocated across channel and bus paths in real time, ensuring maximum efficiency for any production setup.

Calrec has also introduced shorter, more flexible licensing terms—one year, 12 weeks and four weeks—lowering the barrier to entry and allowing broadcasters to scale their production capabilities with no need for long-term commitments or high upfront costs, according to the company. This makes ImPulseV “an ideal solution for boosting resources for temporary, variable, or one-off productions,” Calrec said.

“Traditional broadcasters are reinventing their operations so that they can produce more content for less, faster and across more diverse platforms,” said Henry Goodman, director of product management at Calrec. “Remote and distributed production, combined with virtualization, reflect the broader trajectory of live production: away from fixed infrastructure and towards flexible, hybrid workflows that blend on-premise, cloud and distributed resources.

“This transition is enabling broadcasters to increase agility and cost efficiency through new business models," Goodman added. “Hybrid workflows that incorporate a blend of existing and new infrastructure allow broadcasters to build resource efficiency into every production—and that is quite an attractive proposition.”

OBERKOCHEN, Germany—Zeiss has announced the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a novel solution for creating physically based cinematic lens looks for visual effects and animation.

Built on the Virtual Lens Technology introduced at FMX in 2025, this new Nuke plugin brings decades of Zeiss optical expertise into post-production, bridging the gap between on-set lens choices and the VFX pipeline.

With CinCraft LensCore, Zeiss offers compositing artists a toolset dedicated to achieving cinema-grade lens looks grounded in the characteristics and physics of real lenses. At its core is a unique GPU-accelerated, ray-traced rendering engine for The Foundry Nuke that simulates authentic lens behavior across every pixel and every frame, while far exceeding the capabilities of available digital lens effects.

“With CinCraft LensCore, Zeiss brings the effects of real-world optics to a 2D compositing environment,” explains Egor Nikitin, head of digital cinematography at Zeiss. “LensCore speaks the same language as the lenses on set, from the way light falls off at the edges of the frame to the nuance of out-of-focus highlights. That fidelity is made possible by Zeiss’ history and deep understanding of optical science.”

CinCraft LensCore combines accuracy with efficiency. With one click, a complete digital lens look can be applied to a shot, with realistic bokeh, defocus, distortion, vignetting, and other optical effects characteristic of a specific physical lens. Through the digital lens shelf, artists can instantly load lens profiles of a real cinema lens or of one their own custom presets and compare looks in seconds. This fluidly replaces time-consuming manual setups with repeatable, production-ready workflows to easily maintain consistency across sequences and teams.

Beyond replicating existing optics, LensCore also enables artists to generate entirely new, never-before-seen lenses that still behave with the physics of authentic glass. Artists can start from physically accurate Zeiss or custom lens profiles and manually adjust every key lens characteristic, pushing the look as far as the project vision requires, while remaining grounded in believable optical performance.

Zeiss stressed that every feature is driven by real optical parameters—focus, T-stop, focal length, and focus distance—keeping lens behavior physically coherent across the full range of adjustments. A built-in inpaint feature intelligently fills occluded areas behind defocused objects, reducing the need for complex 3D setups and speeding up compositing workflows.

“As a former VFX supervisor, I know firsthand how much time gets spent trying to match a specific lens look in post, even when it was properly documented during the shoot,” adds Joern Grosshans, product manager digital cinematography at Zeiss. “LensCore addresses that need at the source. This advance offers artists a virtual shelf of lenses with accurate, predictable behavior, accessible the same way a DoP pulls a lens from a rental house–to be implemented with just a click. That kind of workflow clarity is a gamechanger.”

CinCraft LensCore is being demonstrated at FMX 2026 in Stuttgart, Germany, by Joern Grosshans, Florian Hofmann, and Egor Nikitin from Zeiss on Tuesday, May 5, at 11:15 AM. Attendees can also experience a full demo at the Zeiss booth 2.1 in the FMX Marketplace.

Zeiss CinCraft LensCore will be available worldwide through the CinCraft webshop beginning June 1, 2026, with multiple licenses available.

For more information visit: zeiss.com/lenscore.

Virtual production is coming of age and entering a phase defined less by experimentation and more by repeatability, scalability and real-world usability.

Industry observers cite a clear shift in how VP technologies are deployed.

“There’s been a notable maturation in how productions think about workflow,” Pixotope Chief Experience Officer Simon Davis said. “The early conversation was largely about what’s possible; now it’s about what’s repeatable and reliable.”

Clients want solutions that their existing teams can operate, rather than relying only on specialist technicians, he said.

“We’ve also seen growing interest in hybrid approaches that blend physical and virtual elements more fluidly, as well as a continued push toward tighter integration between the creative and technical sides of production.”

Davis said Pixotope is working to democratize virtual production. The Oslo-based company announced its latest strategic partnership last month; it is working with Qatar-based systems integrator Ventum Tech to extend the reach of its accessible virtual production and extended reality solutions across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

Pixotope sees growing demand for advanced broadcast graphics, extended reality, augmented reality and virtual studios.

Cesar Caceres, product lead at LED processing technology producer Brompton Technology, noted quite a bit of change since the industry last gathered at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

“Over the past year, virtual production has moved decisively toward greater accessibility and scalability,” he said. “Networked systems now allow studios to expand or reconfigure setups on demand, making workflows far more adaptable. On the hardware side, higher-resolution LED panels combined with next-generation processors have set a new benchmark for control and image quality, enabling consistent in-camera final pixels.”

At the same time, he said, hybrid workflows that blend physical sets with virtual environments have become more common, improving efficiency and creative control.

“More importantly, there’s been a shift in mindset: Productions are no longer building fixed pipelines but flexible ecosystems that can scale from smaller shoots to large, complex volumes,” Caceres said. “That adaptability is becoming a key requirement rather than a differentiator.”

AI Expands Further

AI has also made further significant inroads into virtual production this year. Considering the technology’s impact, Davis anticipated how it might continue to expand.

“Within the Pixotope ecosystem, we already have products such as Fly and Zone that leverage machine-learning algorithms to support through-the-lens camera tracking,” Davis said.

“We see a huge interest in cutting down the work on modelling and creation of environments, and we now support Gaussian splatting formats — this is a technology we’re watching and actively engaging with.”

The ability to capture real-world spaces and objects as photorealistic, renderable scenes in a fraction of the time traditional workflows take is something to watch as technology improves, he said.

“Text- and image-to-3D-object workflows open new possibilities for background creation and asset pipelines. It’s still maturing, and its consistency and accuracy need to improve for it to be a reliable tool.”

Given the rapidly evolving nature of innovation driving the sector, Davis and Caceres each discussed challenges and how their respective companies are positioned to tackle them.

“The biggest challenge is arguably the gap between ambition and operability,” Davis said. “The technology has advanced rapidly, but the pool of people who know how to deploy and run it confidently hasn’t kept pace.”

He said that puts pressure on platform providers to build tools that are more intuitive, better documented and easier for production teams who aren’t virtual production specialists by background to support.

“Beyond skills, we’re seeing hardware prices rise due to the memory demands of the AI boom,” he continued. “Pixotope is slightly removed from that, being a software-only solution, so our customers can shop around for hardware rather than relying on vendor-locked hardware supply chains.”

Workflow standardization and monetization continue to be a struggle for many studios despite technological advances, Caceres added.

Scale Issues

“Smaller teams often find it difficult to scale processes used in larger productions, which can complicate project management and profitability,” he said.

“Integration across multiple vendors’ hardware, real-time engines, servers and processing also remains complex, requiring specialized expertise.

“Balancing quality, cost and operational reliability continues to be a challenge, particularly for smaller studios seeking to compete in an increasingly sophisticated market,” he said.

At the convention, Davis said, “We’ll be talking about the Pixotope platform and a host of quality-of-life improvements for our customers — demonstrating how we’re making real-time virtual production more accessible, stable and scalable for teams of every size.

“With the biggest XR (eXtended Reality) installs under our belt this past year, we’ve continued to focus on workflow. How do you take genuinely complex, multimachine production environments and make them manageable without sacrificing the power that large-scale productions demand?” Pixotope also will announce support for some Gaussian splatting formats.

Brompton, Caceres said, will focus on the evolution of LED processing and display technologies across industries, highlighting the importance of flexibility, scalability and real-time control.

“We will explore how creators are moving beyond static pipelines and adopting IP-based workflows that can support projects of any size. We will also examine how industry evolution and standardization work hand in hand with flexibility, ensuring consistent results across productions.

“Our goal is to show how adaptable systems empower teams to deliver high-quality content efficiently, while remaining creative and responsive on set.”

Davis said technological democratization should continue, with changes driven by those who are creating content. “We anticipate that Gaussian splatting and similar capture technologies will become a mainstream part of asset pipelines, dramatically compressing the time from location to a usable virtual environment,” he said.

“Perhaps most importantly, we see the center of gravity in the market continuing to shift: The next wave of growth won’t come from the biggest productions, but from midmarket broadcasters, sports leagues and content creators who are just now discovering what’s possible — and building the workflows to match.”

© 2026 NAB

LONDON—Vizrt will showcase its newly launched AI Keyer, which expands the possibilities and accessibility of virtual and extended reality (XR) scenarios, during the 2026 NAB Show, April 18-22, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The Vizrt AI Keyer enables background switching and augmented reality (AR) graphics insertion in every space, whether indoors or outdoors. The secure, proprietary solution is trained extensively on real-world footage across environments and lighting conditions to recognize human shapes as foregrounds and to separate backgrounds seamlessly so talent can move around while being locked into the virtual scene.

“Creating XR environments typically demands large infrastructure investments and requires specialized skills for daily operations. The Vizrt AI Keyer removes all these constraints so high-quality virtual scenes and AR graphics become a reality for live productions of every size,” said Edouard Griveaud, Senior Product Manager at Vizrt.

The Vizrt AI Keyer brings AR into any environment, whether it’s inserting remote speakers into a global town hall environment, switching the visual location of a presenter in a news segment or creating a completely virtual ad wall behind a player in a post-match interview.

Without needing green screens, complex lighting setups and time-consuming chromakeying, production teams can find new ways of engaging audiences and maximizing sponsorship value from anywhere.

“AI is transforming the world, and the creative industries are no exception. At Vizrt, we have been on this journey for years, embedding intelligence into our solutions, empowering storytellers, and delivering real, measurable impact for our customers,” said Rohit Nagarajan, CEO of Vizrt. “That is not a vision for tomorrow. That is happening today. The Vizrt AI Keyer is the latest proof point of our relentless commitment to innovation. Putting breakthrough technology in the hands of every creative, at every level, everywhere in the world.”

See Vizrt at 2026 NAB Show booth N2161.

More information is available on the company’s website.

LAS VEGAS—Sony Electronics has announced its lineup of new and returning products and services that it will be showing at the 2026 NAB Show, April 19-22 in Las Vegas, demonstrating the latest technologies designed to address emerging challenges and needs in broadcast and production.

“At this year’s NAB Show, Sony’s theme is ‘The Power Behind Your Story’ which demonstrates how our technologies are the driving force behind various forms of storytelling,” said Anthony Kable, CCS Group Manager, Sony Australia. “From products to workflows, and acquisition to delivery, Sony has the right people, tools and expertise to enable creators to capture their vision and communicate their truth with quality and authenticity.”

Sony says its new solutions address the entire production workflow, providing authenticity and provenance, creating more personalized and emotional viewing experiences, and supporting XR and spatial content creation.

At the Sony booth, the company will showcase its live production solutions including the evolution of Sony’s “Networked Live” ecosystem, as well as new system cameras, enhanced workflows for news production, the latest in virtual production tools and processes, and a comprehensive lineup of imaging solutions.

Cameras and Production Workflow
Sony will present its new “R Series” system camera range, which join the company’s existing HDC-5000 and HDC-3000 series camera lineup. The “R Series” significantly enhances image performance, allows system expansion through additional transmission pathways and infrastructure options, and usability that enables consistent color matching across models.

Additionally, the new series features an expanded dynamic range for enhanced details, and operation modes to address different lighting environments. Models include HDC-5500R, HDC-5500RV, HDC-3500R, HDC-3500RV, and HDC-3200R, along with related products such as the HDCU-3500R Camera Control Unit and the HKCU-LUT35 3D LUT option board. The models are expected to be available in mid-2026.

Sony will also demonstrate newly released firmware updates for the PTZ auto-framing cameras BRC-AM7 (Ver. 3.0), SRG-A40, and SRG-A12 (Ver. 4.0). Leveraging Sony’s latest AI technologies, these updates expand functionality to support increasingly diverse production needs, including sports broadcasting, education, and corporate content creation.

For the first time at NAB Show, Sony’s recently launched PXW-Z300 XDCAM handheld AI-powered camcorder—the world’s first to support the C2PA standard for video authenticity—will demonstrate the growing demand for trustworthy news reporting through authenticity and provenance.

Sony will also present an end-to-end workflow that leverages camera-originated authenticity files and metadata from the field through immediate production and editing. This workflow is achieved with the LiveU TX1, a compact IP bonding-capable data transmitter (announced in September 2025), the PDT-FP1 portable data transmitter, and the newly announced PWA-RXS Network RX Station.

In addition, LiveU has announced a further expansion of its integration with Sony’s PWA-RXS through an optional license. A reference demo will showcase a new workflow powered by Sony’s cellular connectivity management system, featuring real-time carrier optimization and seamless global connectivity for creators.

Sony will also show an expanded lineup of Alpha cameras and lenses, including the Alpha 7 V capable of 4K 60p capture without crop. The 33 MP (approx.) full-frame hybrid model incorporates a BIONZ XR2 processor with an integrated AI processing engine to facilitate subject recognition and Auto Framing. Additionally, the latest version (Ver. 2.6) of the Monitor & Control app, which enables video monitoring and remote control from smartphones, tablets, and Macs, will be showcased.

Sony’s diverse Cinema Line cameras will enhance their functionality. The FR7 cinematic PTZ camera recently added AI-based Auto Framing and support for OpenTrackIO protocol through a Ver. 4.0 firmware update, while the FX6 full-frame Cinema Line camera rolled out BIG 6 home screen display support for easy access to top functions.

Additionally, experience spatial content creation brought to life through the VENICE Extension System Mini (Rialto) combined with the glasses-free 3D Spatial Reality Display.

Media Processing
Sony will also demo MOXELA, a new software-based media processing platform running on COTS (commercial off the shelf) servers or in the cloud, designed to transform how broadcasters, production companies, and media organizations transport, process, and monitor live video, audio, and data.

Additionally, attendees will see demonstrations of new features for the MLS-X1 multi-format switcher, enabling efficient production by sharing input and output signals across multiple studios. Sony will also debut the ICP-X7000A, a control panel featuring a newly developed XPT operation panel that significantly improves visibility and operability and is planned to be available in late 2026.

Virtual Production and Spatial Content Creation
To manage its ecosystem of virtual production solutions that include cameras, camera tracking and LED walls, Sony will showcase firmware updates to its Virtual Production Tool Set Ver. 3.0.

Sony will also launch the XYN Spatial Capture Solution, which generates photorealistic 3DCG (3D Computer Graphics) assets from photographs taken with mirrorless cameras. This professional solution, which will be shown at NAB Show and is expected to be available mid-2026, is comprised of three tools designed for use across virtual production and a wide range of 3DCG content creation workflows. XYN Spatial Scan Navi is a smartphone app[5] that guides efficient image capture. XYN Spatial Scan is a web application that delivers studio-grade generation quality. Finally, the XYN Renderer Plugin, enables highly realistic rendering for virtual production studios.

Additionally, Sony will host many engaging presentations and talks on trending topics throughout the show featuring notable industry voices. For more details about the company’s presence, visit Sony’s NAB Show website.

Sony will be in Booth C8401 in the Central Hall of the LVCC.

SAN DIEGO—Sony Electronics is releasing a new spatial capture solution that creates high-quality 3DCG (3D Computer Graphics) assets based on its “XYN” (/zin/) spatial capture suite of hardware and software solutions. The solution will be exhibited in Sony’s booth, C8401, at the 2026 NAB Show, April 19-22, in Las Vegas.

Due to be available to professional customers in the United States starting summer 2026, the first release of this solution comprises three software tools: a smartphone application "XYN Spatial Scan Navi" to assist with shooting spatial content; cloud application "XYN Spatial Scan" for generating real-world spaces as high-quality 3DCG assets; and a rendering plugin "XYN Spatial Renderer Plugin" for achieving high-quality, stable image display.

XYN, an integrated suite of software and hardware solutions supporting spatial content creation, was announced in January 2025.

The spatial capture solution supports capturing, generating, and utilizing 3DCG assets optimized for virtual production in film, drama, and commercial production. It enables the efficient use of production-quality photorealistic 3DCG assets designed for use with large LED walls and real-time rendering environments in virtual production.

Future plans include expanding multi functions and applications beyond virtual production, aiming for broader adoption in fields like gaming, animation, architecture, manufacturing, digital twins, and cultural heritage archiving. Furthermore, it will roll out plugins and services designed to integrate with standard 3DCG production tools and game engines across industries, contributing to the creation of seamless workflows.

Key Features of XYN Spatial Scan Navi

• The AR navigation functionality assists real-time shooting
  By connecting to a Sony Alpha camera and a smartphone, it visualizes the required shooting position and angle using AR (Augmented Reality), guiding users to the optimal shooting position. It enables capturing the necessary photos to generate a complete, high-quality 3DCG asset.
  
• The Real-time preview feature visualizes the shooting status to minimize missed shots
  Features that allow users to view and confirm shooting locations from a bird’s-eye view, as well as clearly highlight completed sections, enable real-time monitoring of shooting progress. By preventing missed shots, this helps reduce overall production time.
  
• Automatic integration with cameras streamlines the shooting and generation workflow
  The application controls the optimal camera settings and capturing parameters based on the subject. This enables consistent, high-quality photography even without specialized knowledge of spatial content creation. Additionally, by automatically recording shooting information, lens data, and camera metadata, it contributes to improving the quality and accelerating the subsequent 3DCG generation process.

Details here

Key Features of XYN Spatial Scan

• Sony’s proprietary algorithms generate production-quality 3DCG assets optimized for virtual production.
  Even when 3DCG assets are displayed on the large LED screens—typically several inches in size—commonly used in virtual production, Sony’s proprietary generation algorithm faithfully reproduces details such as reflections, gloss, and the atmospheric quality of distant scenes in high resolution. By generating data compatible with the color management workflows required for HDR (High dynamic range) display, the system achieves rich tonal expression with minimal clipping in highlights and shadows.
  
• Deployment and operation independent of production environments
  Since rendering is performed in the cloud, the system can be deployed without the need for a dedicated production environment, and high-quality data can be generated and reviewed in the cloud even while on the go. Additionally, it enables the creation of high-quality 3DCG assets required for virtual production through simple operations.
  
• Flexibly adapts to creators’ existing workflows
  It supports input from standard mirrorless camera footage, and the generated data can be integrated into standard workflows using tools such as Unreal Engine. Furthermore, by combining the Alpha camera with the XYN Spatial Scan Navi and the XYN Spatial Renderer Plugin, you can achieve a higher-quality and more efficient workflow.

Details here:

Key Features of the XYN Spatial Renderer Plugin

• Production-quality real-time rendering achieves flexible virtual production shooting
  A Sony-developed rendering plug-in that enables production-quality playback of 3DCG assets generated with XYN Spatial Scan. Maintains high image quality on LED backgrounds regardless of distance or angle, increasing flexibility in virtual production shooting. It also supports HDR display, enabling more realistic virtual production shooting.
  
• Usability that realizes the creator’s creativity
  During virtual productions, XYN Spatial Render Plugin enables adjustments to depth of field, matching lighting between live subjects and LED backgrounds, color correction of any area on the LED background, and CG overlay, supporting the execution of the creator's creativity.
  
• Compatible with industry-standard media servers for seamless integration into existing workflows
  Compatible with Unreal Engine, widely used in virtual production, as well as media servers and software such as Disguise for integrating, outputting, and controlling video playback data, enabling seamless integration into existing production environments. Furthermore, by integrating with Sony’s “Virtual Production Tool Set”— which enables pre-shoot simulations and color calibration for both the actual footage displayed on LED screens and the footage captured by cameras — a more efficient workflow is achieved.

Details here

Blackmagic Design announced a range of new products it will launch at the 2026 NAB Show, April 18-22 in Las Vegas, led by its first immersive camera system for Apple Vision Pro.

The Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive 100G is being billed as the world’s first immersive cinema camera designed for live production with Apple Immersive Video. Featuring dual 8Kx8K RGBW sensors with 16 stops of dynamic range, URSA Cine Immersive 100G uses 100G Ethernet to deliver the bandwidth needed to output live immersive video for the first time.

Also new for the camera is the Blackmagic URSA Live Encoder, a live processor module that compresses live immersive video into Apple ProRes for output as SMPTE-2110-22 IP video, allowing customers to combine the stereo, high frame rate image streams into a single 100G Ethernet connection.

“Live immersive production is here, and it’s extraordinary,” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. “URSA Cine Immersive 100G makes it possible, and the images from this camera are just incredible to watch. It truly feels like you’ve been transported to the middle of the action. From sports to concerts, this opens up an entirely new world in live production!”

URSA Cine Immersive 100G features new sensors designed for incredible quality images at 8K x 8K per eye. Using the same revolutionary RGBW sensor design as URSA Cine, the new dual sensor layout features larger photo-sites, delivering 16 stops of dynamic range. The unique RGBW architecture provides equal amounts of red, green and blue pixels for incredible color super sampling. This means it is optimized to deliver incredibly rich colors and provide the ultimate in image quality and flexibility, even at the high frame rates live immersive video requires, the company said.

The Blackmagic URSA Live Encoder enables the Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive 100G to be used for live immersive production. It encodes live video into ProRes for output as SMPTE-2110 IP video via the high-speed 100G Ethernet port, creating an entirely new live immersive viewing experience. Plus, the camera data rate is under 50 Gb/s, so customers can combine two cameras into a single 100G Ethernet connection.

The URSA Cine Immersive 100G was recently used for Spectrum Front Row, a series of live Lakers games in Apple Immersive during the 2025-2026 season, which are now available to watch on demand using the Spectrum SportsNet and NBA apps for Apple Vision Pro.

Blackmagic’s first immersive camera, the URSA Cine Immersive has been used on a number of high-profile immersive productions, including MotoGP: Tour De Force, Debut at the BBC Proms, an upcoming documentary featuring Real Madrid, and NASA’s recent Artemis II launch.

Blackmagic will also debut its Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF 100G, with 100G Ethernet for high frame rate SMPTE-2110 live production output up to 440fps. Building on the digital film features of the URSA Cine 12K LF, including the large format RGBW 36x24mm sensor, the new model adds dramatically faster networking for cinematic live production workflows.

The camera will be available Q3 from US$8,995.

Software Updates
DaVinci Resolve 21 will be demo-ed at the Blackmagic booth, updated with a new Photo page,which enables colorists and photographers to use Hollywood’s most advanced color tools for still photos.

Other updates include new AI tools such as IntelliSearch for fast content searching, CineFocus for focal point adjustment, tools for facial refinement, and more. The Krokodove toolset adds over 70 new graphics to Fusion, Fairlight folders simplify audio track management, plus there are improvements to keyframing, MultiMaster trim passes, layer list node graphs and more.

DaVinci Resolve 21 public beta is available for download now from the Blackmagic Design website

Also new is Fairlight Live, a new software-based live audio mixer with spatial audio mixing and SMPTE-2110 broadcast workflows. Fairlight Live easily handles thousands of audio channels, working with standard computer audio or USB audio from ATEM live production switchers. Fully customizable, it has built-in effects and professional features such as a cue player, talkback busses, snapshots and more.

(Fairlight Live public beta is available immediately from the Blackmagic Design website free of charge)

Switchers
Two new additions to Blackmagic’s ATEM live production switchers platform, the ATEM 4 M/E Constellation IP and ATEM 4 M/E Constellation IP Plus are fully SMPTE-2110 native. They retain the features of the existing ATEM Constellation SDI based switchers, so they are familiar to users, allowing a seamless transition between SMPTE-2110 and SDI based switchers in facilities that have both.

Designed for high end broadcast and live production, the new design features front-to-back cooling, extensive redundancy, support for SMPTE-2022-7 on all 100G video ports, redundant PTP clock connections, 2 x 10G Ethernet for control ports and redundant AC power supplies.

The ATEM 4 M/E Constellation IP will be available in June from US$7,995.

Also new is the ATEM Monitoring Rack Panel, a new combination monitoring converter and control panel that can be used with ATEM Constellation IP live production switchers. It converts SMPTE 2110 IP to HDMI and 12G-SDI for connecting to monitors, however it also has front panel input buttons for controlling the switcher as well as an LCD and talkback connections.

It will be available in June from US$995.

Storage, Recording and Cloud
The new HyperDeck ISO Recorder 100G is a new SMPTE 2110 IP video recorder with 100G Ethernet that lets customers record all their cameras for live production. This means customers can also use DaVinci Resolve for live action replay. HyperDeck ISO Recorder 100G uses a single 100G Ethernet connection to connect all 8 video channels, plus it records high-quality Apple ProRes video to network storage via 100G Ethernet.

It will be available in June from US$4,995.

Blackmagic Cloud Store Ultra provides ultra-high performance flash storage with up to 48TB capacity and two independent 100G Ethernet connections that lets customers record and edit simultaneously without either workflow interfering with the other. Available in 24TB and 48TB models, it also features RAID 5 support, dual redundant power supplies and Blackmagic Cloud sync.

It will be available in June from US$8,835.

Conversion and Connectivity
The Blackmagic SDI Expander 8x12G converter lets customers connect all their 12G-SDI gear to the latest 100G Ethernet SMPTE-2110 IP systems. The converter supports 8 bi-directional 12G-SDI connections and has 2 separate 100G Ethernet connections allowing SMPTE-2022-7 redundancy.

It will be available in June from US$2,995.

The Blackmagic Media Dock Ultra is a new high performance dock for Blackmagic Media Modules with two fully independent 100G Ethernet ports. It also features SDI and HDMI status monitoring and Blackmagic Cloud sync that lets customers use Blackmagic Media Modules as extremely high performance removable storage.

It will available in June from US$2,995.

The new Blackmagic StudioBridge 10G PWR lets customers bridge eight separate 10G Ethernet SMPTE-2110 connections into modern 100G SMPTE-2022-7 redundant systems, allowing users to combine up to 8 separate cameras or converters into a 100G Ethernet IP video system. If the 10G Ethernet products use a single connection, then the Blackmagic StudioBridge 10G PWR will also bridge into the 2 x 100G Ethernet connections for a redundant broadcast system. Plus this converter has four separate internal power supplies so it can provide each of the 10G Ethernet connections with 90W PoE++ power.

It will be available in June from US$2,495.

The Blackmagic UpDownCross 100G standards converter lets customers simultaneously convert up to eight separate channels of SD, HD and Ultra HD video to any other standard. The new converter has redundant 100G Ethernet for full SMPTE 2022-7 compliance and a dedicated NMOS control port.

It will be available in June from US$2,435

The Blackmagic Ethernet Switch 820 is a new high performance, low latency model designed for advanced broadcast systems. It includes 8 x 100G and 2 x 10G Ethernet connections plus simple front panel SMPTE-2110 routing. Blackmagic Ethernet Switch 820 also has two redundant PTP clock Ethernet connections, a separate NMOS control port and a dedicated management port.

It will be available in June from US$2,295

Blackmagic Design will be in Booth N2502 in the North Hall of the LVCC.

A gold medal final lasts seconds. At Milano Cortina 2026, the short track speed skating final—in which Jordan Stolz and Femke Kok seemingly made short work of obliterating Olympic records—lasted just over half a minute. Britain, meanwhile, took a breathtaking gold in the mixed team snowboard cross by a narrow 0.43 seconds.

In this environment, when the starting gun fires, every framing decision must be locked in. As with all live sport broadcasting, the room for error is small, and there can be no second takes or resets to get a better shot. There’s a production risk that can’t be avoided; cameras can miss moments, angles can obstruct. While traditional broadcast innovation, like rail cameras and first-person view drones, has narrowed that risk and brought the viewer closer to the action, it still operates within a flat, fixed perspective.

How Volumetric Video is Changing Sports and Music
Volumetric video changes the capture model itself. By recording subjects from multiple viewpoints simultaneously, it preserves the spatial performance rather than committing to a single camera angle at the point of capture. Producers can then reposition the virtual camera in post-production, even if the final output is rendered in conventional 2D. The end result is a different relationship between time, perspective and editorial control.

This distinction matters in high-profile sporting arenas. Early deployments, most notably at Paris 2024, showed that volumetric replays could be successfully integrated into top level sports coverage. While often constrained to replay segments that required additional processing time, they showed clear editorial value.

Milano Cortina 2026 marked a further step forward for the technology. AI-powered replay systems built on volumetric capture delivered significantly improved visual fidelity, with some sequences approaching almost cinematic standards. The quality leap was immediately visible, signalling that volumetric workflows are evolving from experimental enhancements into credible broadcast tools.

The uneven pace of adoption across sectors, however, reflects differing priorities. In music and selective creative productions, volumetric capture has enabled directors to defer certain camera decisions until post-production. Artists from Radiohead to A$AP Rocky have captured music videos entirely volumetrically, demonstrating how the boundary between capture and creative decision-making can be collapsed, freeing the shot from being permanently defined on set.

Why Aren’t Blockbusters Keeping Up?
Cinema presents a much tougher challenge. Blockbuster filmmaking is deeply director-led. Framing decisions are deliberate and often central to narrative intent. Sets, lighting plans and blocking are constructed to be seen from specific angles. Volumetric capture fundamentally shifts this by decoupling capture from final framing.

The hesitation, therefore, is not primarily about technical feasibility, but about authorship and embedded workflows. Directors must reconsider how their control ebbs and flows in a spatial medium where perspective is programmable after the cameras stop rolling.

As a result, widespread volumetric capture of entire narrative features remains unlikely in the near term. More commonly, multi-view rigs are being integrated selectively into visual effects pipelines, where the flexibility they provide aligns with existing post-production processes. The technology’s strengths are tangible today, but they are being applied pragmatically rather than universally.

What Needs to Happen Next
Creative convention may shape adoption in cinema, but engineering constraints are still limiting deployment in broadcast. Live production environments require reliability under stress. It is one thing for volumetric workflows to work in controlled demonstrations, but another to scale them predictably.

Visual quality is typically the first compromise under real-time constraints. Techniques such as 4D Gaussian splatting can produce high-fidelity representations, but they introduce latency. Generating these models requires iterative learning processes that cannot be accelerated through forcefully adding in more parallel compute resources. Even emerging single-camera approaches struggle to scale effectively in multi-camera environments, which remain essential for full volumetric capture.

Bandwidth heightens the challenge. Uncompressed volumetric datasets are substantial, and even with compression, bitrates can still reach tens or hundreds of megabits per second. Distributing that at broadcast scale, particularly to large audiences or mobile devices, remains a complex challenge.

In short, the industry’s next breakthrough is unlikely to come from capture hardware alone, and will depend on mature, interoperable ecosystems for compression, transport and decoding of volumetric formats. That said, the direction of travel is clear. Just as first-person view drones and cloud-based production have altered expectations of live sports coverage, volumetric workflows point toward a future in which perspective is no longer permanently fixed at capture. In the near term, they will continue to operate within director-led 2D outputs, adding flexibility upstream without disrupting established viewing experiences. Over time, as delivery systems evolve and extended reality devices mature, the possibility of viewer-controlled viewpoints may move from demonstration to mainstream.

For now, volumetric video has flourished where the stakes are highest and the moments are unrepeatable. In the Olympic arena, where fractions of a second define history, preserving every possible perspective is vital.

At the 2026 NAB Show, April 18-22 in Las Vegas, EVS will introduce T-Motion, a new media production robotics solution based on the integration of Telemetrics and XD Motion. EVS acquired both companies last summer.

EVS's NAB showcase will feature the full T-Motion lineup: Arcam six-axis camera arm, OmniGlide roving platform, Telescope robotic jib, TeleGlide track system, Televator elevating pedestal, and XFly cablecam system.

Additionally, EVS will introduce a unified orchestration layer designed to integrate T-Motion systems seamlessly into its broader live production ecosystem. The approach combines creative flexibility with operational consistency while placing safety at the core of robotic system design and deployment.

At the show, EVS will also demonstrate its LSM-VIA live replay and highlights system, showing how a deeper integration with its Cerebrum broadcast control and monitoring system brings shortcut-based controls and integrated intercom management with push-to-talk functionality directly into the LSM-VIA operator interface. Support for the AMP protocol further sharpens responsiveness in fast-paced environments, the company said.

Creative tools such as XtraMotion leverage GenAI to produce super slow-motion, deblurred, and cinematic replays from standard feeds, while LSM-VIA Zoom enables operators to reframe wide-angle 4K feeds in real time, track action using AI-based object recognition, and quickly generate vertical formats for social and digital platforms.

For officiating and review, EVS will demonstrate how its Xeebra AI-driven field calibration, Virtual Offside Line and remote review capabilities can be further enhanced by XtraMotion's AI deblurring to ensure precise analysis of critical moments. Its mobile companion, Xeebra INSIGHT, extends these tools to coaches, medical staff, and pitchside supervisors, enabling live review, clip creation, and real-time sharing without any reliance on the control room.

A focus on stadiums and venues will highlight how unified control and scalable infrastructure within stadium and venue environments reduces reliance on multiple standalone systems, simplifies operations, and minimizes operational risk, ultimately improving content delivery for fans and sponsors alike.

EVS will also spotlight the VIA MAP Media Asset Platform, enabling seamless end-to-end workflows across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud environments. Supporting fast-turnaround workflows from live ingest to near-instant distribution, VIA MAP is ideally suited to large-scale sports productions, as demonstrated at major international events this year across North America, Milan, and Dakar. It leverages AI-enriched metadata, advanced logging, and seamless integration of third-party data feeds to accelerate content search and retrieval while enhancing archive monetization.

For news operations, VIA MAP unifies ingest, AI metadata enrichment, asset management, editing, playout and multi-platform distribution from a single interface. Deep integration with newsroom computer systems and NLEs, combined with AI-assisted tools, and flexible cloud deployments, facilitate efficient collaboration and content reuse across broadcast, digital, and social channels.

The MOVE product line will also be on display, offering cost-effective, all-in-a-box ingest, playback, and transcoding, ideal for entertainment, worship, and corporate production environments. MOVE I/O delivers customizable ingest and playback with extensive format support and extended EVS asset management and Avid environments integration. MOVE UP adds file-based ingest, transcoding, automated workflows, and a REST API for third-party control.

For broadcasters transitioning to IP, EVS will demonstrate how Cerebrum delivers a unified control layer across both SDI and IP environments, consolidating broadcast and router control, IP orchestration, and SDN into a single system. Pre-built UI packages, designed around common broadcast use cases and familiar operator terminology, mean teams can be productive from day one. For Neuron, new live preview capabilities allow engineers to monitor the processed video in the user interfaces of Bridge and Convert in real time.

The Strada routing system adds three new SDI-router replacement packages (160, 256, and 512 SDI I/O), enabling organizations to replace end-of-life routers today while preserving the ability to integrate into IP workflows when ready, all at a competitive price.

Also for the first time at NAB, EVS will showcase its Flexible Control Room solution, featuring Tactiq, a modular, software‑defined interface that decouples operator workflows from infrastructure, enabling role‑agnostic operations, scalable teams, and open or hybrid environments aligned with real production needs.

And lastly, the company will demonstrate how its EVS balanced computing model allows organizations to choose the optimal mix of CPU, GPU, FPGA, edge, or cloud resources for each workload. The new EVS eShop enables progressive system scaling, on-demand capability upgrades, and technology investment that adapts as production needs evolve. EVS specialists will be available at the booth to discuss how software-defined, flexible deployment and commercial models can be tailored to individual infrastructure and business needs.

EVS will be in Booth N1841 in the North Hall of the LVCC.

CYPRESS, Calif.—FOR-A will focus entirely on software-defined, AI-driven solutions, marking a dramatic shift with its hardware-centric foundation during the 2026 NAB Show, April 18-22, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The FOR-A booth will feature all solutions as interactive demos, accessible via touch screen at any kiosk. Visitors will be able to view demonstrations and drive operations from the kiosks. Video demonstrations will also be shown on FOR-A partner Alfalite’s LED wall for a more immersive viewing experience. FOR-A personnel will be on hand to discuss how the company’s new solutions help overcome today’s live video production challenges.

“This will be a momentous NAB for FOR-A,” said FOR-A America president and COO Satoshi Kanemura. “This year’s offerings demonstrate our commitment to developing the best future-facing tools that enable software-defined and AI-driven live production workflows across a range of budgets and applications.

“Our 9:16 real-time auto cropping and tracking AI tool can instantly unlock revenue streams with mobile phone viewers while reducing current workload and cost. AI-powered, visual-based, mix and effects creation with automatic system diagram generation enhance creativity while dramatically improving operational efficiency.”

To support vertical display, the company will highlight the expansion of viztrick AiDi’s GoVertical!, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV and delivered globally by FOR-A.

While many current solutions introduce a delay of five to 10 seconds, this AI-powered technology operates at true broadcast speed, enabling near-real-time processing. Powered by NVIDIA’s high-performance GPUs, it enables true live streaming, ensuring that audiences experience every moment as it happens and that broadcasters maintain the immediacy demanded by live production.

GoVertical! AiDi delivers 9:16 autocropping for immediate live streaming to mobile platforms. It also tracks objects—including players and the ball. It is in heavy use by NBC Sports, marking its first commercial deployment and signaling a broader expansion into AI-enhanced live-production markets worldwide.

Seamless use of AiDi with FOR-A partner ClassX’ graphics software solutions is planned and will enable rich graphic presentation.

The software-defined FOR-A IMPULSE live production platform is another highlight of this year’s FOR-A NAB booth. Best described as a “studio in a box,” FOR-A IMPULSE consolidates all software tools necessary for broadcast incorporated on servers with high-speed GPU processing.

It features signal processing, multi-view, switching, graphics, audio mix and media player as software functions. Operators create production pipelines within the platform’s highly intuitive graph editor. Because it’s a software-based solution, it’s easy to reconfigure the pipelines depending on the application.

Configurations can be set manually or with AI guidance, which is planned for future implementation.

FOR-A will also spotlight its MixBoard, a software-based switcher that enables users to create complex compositions with unlimited layers. Powered by ClassX, MixBoard switches between cameras, presentations and multimedia sources, using professional 2D/3D transition effects. Key innovations of the MixBoard include new video input types, such as the Media Engine for seamless playout of video clips, stills and playlists as well as the Compositor for creating complex layouts and transitions with greater control during live productions.

The company will also show its HVS-Q12 video switcher. Available for immediate delivery, the video switcher is a 2 M/E 3G switcher that is software upgradable to 12G. It provides 3 M/E equivalent operation with MELite technology.

Designed for broadcast control rooms and live event production, it is a compact 4RU switcher that provides up to 60 inputs and 30 outputs in 3G mode and up to 42 inputs and 21 outputs in 12G. Up to 8 keyers are available per M/E at HD/3G. Four keyers are available for 12G transmission. The HVS-Q12 has an IP interface for both Dante and NDI support.

FOR-A will host the FOR-A Connect event, April 18 4-5 p.m. at the Las Vegas Convention Center, West Hall, Level 2, Room W220-W221.

See For-A at 2026 NAB Show booth C4920.

More information is available on the For-A website.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Iyuno, a global provider of media localization services, is using Dante AV video to transport video streams throughout their production studios.

Based in Burbank, Calif. lyuno specializes in translation, dubbing, subtitling, and voice-over services for a wide array of entertainment content. The company helps major studios, streaming platforms, broadcasters, and production companies bring their films, television shows, video games, and other media to international audiences by providing culturally relevant and high-quality language solutions in more than 80 languages.

Iyuno’s 52,000 square foot facility features 10 recording studios, four Dolby Atmos mixing stages, a large format theatrical mix stage, multiple QC suites, and advanced video and audio editing stations. Iyuno was already using Dante for audio transmission and routing and wanted to find a complementary low-latency video transmission platform to simplify their workflows.

“One of the overarching goals for the facility was to increase our capabilities while also affording us the most flexible solution for delivering audio and video in a secure environment,” said Nate Green, Technical Manager at Iyuno’s Burbank facility. “With Dante audio being delivered via low latency over segregated IP networks, we recognized that a video solution that worked alongside the same infrastructure would provide multiple benefits. With Dante as the audio foundation, adding Dante AV video seemed logical, but it had to deliver flexible, reliable, and synchronized performance. After an exhaustive evaluation, we determined Dante AV video was the right choice for us.”

Dante AV video is a family of hardware and software solutions that enable manufacturers and end users to easily integrate networked video into the Dante platform. It provides interoperability between manufacturers while keeping discovery, configuration, and control to a single platform for all audio and video endpoints and is designed to run on standard 1GbE networks alongside Dante audio devices.

Iyuno selected Bolin’s D20H Dante AV Ultra transceivers to transmit video to its Voice Over (VO) and Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR) studios. Source videos in their original language are fed from a central AV server to a recording room via the D20 transceivers, where a VO artist dubs them in the desired target language, precisely in sync with the character's actions on screen.

Another design goal for the facility was to enhance client-centric services while providing engineers with maximum flexibility to support simultaneous and accurate video distribution solutions. Dante AV can route a specific video feed to a client’s viewing position or enable complex workflows that allow multiple performers in different studios to collaborate using the same frame-accurate video source through multicast feeds to decoders.

When Imagine Communications announced last fall that it was acquiring Pixel Power from Rohde & Schwarz, the company said its main goal was to “broaden Imagine’s live production ecosystem and playout offerings via integration of Pixel Power’s software-defined, deploy-anywhere platforms.” This week, Imagine President Steve Reynolds updated TV Tech on how the integration is progressing.

Of particular importance to Imagine is Pixel’s playout and multiviewer solutions, two parts of the production workflow chain Reynolds thinks are key to expanding the company’s presence in these markets.

“Imagine has been in the playout business pretty much since the playout and automation business started all the way back to when we were Harris, and it's always been a really important segment for us,” he said. “We like to be in those mission-critical operational systems, the things that our customers depend on day in and day out in order to run their business.

“Those are the kind of products that Imagine has really focused on as we made the transition from a hardware centric company—which is what Harris really was—towards the software centric company that we are today,” Reynolds added.

The Power of a Combined Solution
The acquisition of Pixel Power, Reynolds says, will not only help strengthen its current playout solutions portfolio—which include ADC, Versio and in more recent years, the Aviator orchestration platform—but also expand its geographic footprint, Reynolds said.

“Pixel Power—which is a company that we have competed with for years—has built a really great solution for the European public broadcaster space, where they had a lot of success,” Reynolds said. “With customers like TV2 in Norway, SVT in Sweden, the work that they've done with the German public broadcasters, the work that they've done with TV5MONDE in France, they had a really great customer base around those public broadcasters.”

The two main products Pixel had built its success on in this market, according to Reynolds, were the company’s Gallium automated multiplatform content management solution and StreamMaster platform for realtime graphics and control. Combining automation plus a media server “really formed a nice bundle for anybody that's in that kind of public broadcast space,” Reynolds said.

“Pixel had done a good job of winning market share with those [national broadcast] customers, so the reason we wanted to acquire Gallium and StreamMaster was really aimed at that market segment,” he added. “We saw the success that they had in that segment, and as we continue to move forward with investments in Gallium and StreamMaster, it's going to be focused, at least initially, in Europe, to continue to build on that customer base.”

Reynolds said the combination of the two created a powerful and sophisticated graphics solution for Pixel Power, which was beating Imagine when it came to bidding for business with European broadcasters.

“Imagine was bidding on a lot of those same projects, and Pixel Power was winning,” Reynolds said, “And one of the things that we consistently heard is that the graphics package that is in StreamMaster is a top-tier integrated graphics package that a lot of those national broadcasters were leveraging because it had the capabilities that they needed not only to be able to do the 2D graphics—which Imagine already had—but they had some more advanced capabilities to be able to handle some 3D and to be able to handle a lot of the kind of the more advanced and more sophisticated on-air look that that those broadcasters were looking for.

“They had a sophisticated graphics package that was integrated into a playout system that met all of the criteria—it supports all the formats, it supports all of the different resolutions, it supports all the ingest workloads that those guys need,” he added. “So it had it checked all the boxes on kind of the basic set of competitive features. But it also added in that higher power graphics.”

Scaling Up
The second product Imagine was keenly interested in was multiviewers, specifically Pixel’s Prismon platform, which is designed to scale up to support hundreds of channels. This large-scale type of monitoring platform was high on Imagine’s shopping list, according to Reynolds.

"Imagine has always been in the multiviewer business, but we had a different focus—we were more on the production multiviewer side of things,” Reynolds said. “[Imagine’s] SNP was intended to be a production multiviewer, very low latency, very high quality, but not large scale.”

Integrating Prismon into Imagine’s multiviewer product line gives Imagine the ability to build facility-scale, multiviewers, especially in production facilities, turnaround facilities including satellite and cable operators, or in large scale, playout operations where there's dozens or even hundreds of channels being played out of the same facility, Reynolds said.

“So we now have multiviewer offerings for large scale and for smaller scale, low latency, and that would be in OB vans, production galleries, or control rooms at a sporting venue, where the number of feeds that you're dealing with is 10, 20 or maybe 30.”

Reynolds said Prismon helps Imagine respond to more market demands for integrated solutions. “What we realized was we really need to have a product in our portfolio that lets us create that fully bundled solution, because increasingly, that's what the market wants to buy,” he said. “It's the same thing as with the playout solution, right? The market wants an integrated solution, they don't want to have to build, or have to be their own systems integrator. They want to buy something that is integrated. And so Prismon filled that gap for us.”

The timescales for building new media production facilities has been declining for years, according to Reynolds, another reason for increased interest in integrated solutions.

“The idea of having these multi-year facility builds… that's in the past,” Reynolds said. “And in many cases now, we're looking at time frames that are measured in months between the time somebody acquires rights and they want to be on air. And that's what's really driving the demand for these fully integrated solutions. Customers want to know that it's already been tested, it's already been integrated, and you can deploy it quickly, easily and within a set of budget constraints to get on air.”

The acquisition of Pixel Power was completed at the end of 2025 and Reynolds said not a lot will change in terms of what existing customers should expect, including keeping the product names.

“That's why we bought them, we like the products, we like the differentiation of those products, they fit well within our portfolio, and they give us something new to offer to the customers that want to buy that kind of solution,” Reynolds said.

NAB Show Plans
Imagine’s booth (N1328 in the North Hall of the LVCC) at the NAB Show, April 19-22 in Las Vegas, will reflect this expanded market focus, according to Reynolds. Among the highlights will be the company’s cloud-based XVR playout engine, which was introduced at the 2025 IBC Show.

Gallium StreamMaster will be demonstrated running on COTS and its expanded multiviewer portfolio will be highlighted, including advanced automation features such as intelligent monitoring, automated audio/video issue detection, and “penalty boxing,” which elevates problem signals for immediate operator attention.

"The other thing you're going to see is this kind of fully integrated solution of gateways—the ability to use the SNP as the gateway between the SDI and IP world, and to do format conversion with JPEG access and things like that, directly into ingest,” Reynolds said. “And we'll be using the new XVR engine, which is the Linux-based ingest engine with multiple playout systems. So you'll see StreamMaster, XVR, and Nexio all sitting side by side in a kind of a multiserver environment.”

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif.—For the thirty-first time, leaders of the television and cinema content production community gathered here in California’s Coachella Valley to discuss the latest developments in media technology, industry trends, challenges facing the industry, network, and also take a short break from the winter weather.

The setting, as it has been for several years, was the Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort and Spa, and once again, the Feb. 15-19 event was a “sell out,” quickly reaching its attendance cap of 800 and organizers opening up a wait list to try and accommodate registration procrastinators.

Reviving Old Tech to Enhance AI Workflows
Looming over most of the four-day gathering was what the impact artificial intelligence has had on almost every business and population segment, especially media production.

While LED walls or “volumes” have been popular for lowering production costs by creating sets virtually, these large arrays of LED video screens do come with disadvantages. One of these is the necessity to plan camera shots to avoid generation of moiré patterns due to LED array size and camera scanning patterns.

Even with very fine pitch arrays, there is a critical camera zoom point at which moiré patterning becomes visible. Other disadvantages include the large amount of heat generated by massive LED display arrays, along with high construction and operational costs.

In the session “Case Study: Beyond the Green Screen: Virtual Projection’s Revival in Modern VFX Workflows,” Chris Barnett and Joseph Conover from Christie Digital Systems discussed how these LED virtual set disadvantages are being addressed by applying a much older Hollywood (and television) technology for inserting visual elements into a live scene, front projection.

“What’s old is new and what’s new is old again and coming back full circle,” said Barnett, the driving force behind the technology at Christie Digital Systems. “When I joined Christie, I started talking to some really smart people in the company about my past experience with virtual production.”

Barnett explained that he’d been experimenting with standard LED panels driven by high-speed processors to push the limit of what’s possible in virtual production, and soon realized that laser-driven video projectors in front-projection applications might be better suited for creating sets virtually.

“We’d been leaving this technology on the table and not leveraging it for no good reason,” he said.

Barnett’s work with this modern iteration of old technology proved successful in terms of being less expensive in both upfront construction costs and operational power requirements, and he also discovered that the application of frontal projection created a better environment for utilizing AI.

“You don’t know how difficult it is to actually control AI so that it can tell your story accurately,” he said, noting that AI “really struggles” when in-camera video effects are being used. “It’s really apparent once you start to learn how to control AI in separating your foreground and background in order to get the most out of your storytelling.”

Barnett observed that this reincarnation of technology was also accompanied by a reduction in costs.

“Studios are going bankrupt left and right,” he said. “People are rescaling, trying to figure out how to get ahead of this new curve. The upfront cost we’ve calculated is about half of what’s involved in building an LED wall. The energy used by these laser projectors is next to nothing compared to an LED wall workflow environment where the heat generated is massive. This is all about creating a more sustainable and accessible workflow."

Broadcast Television Session Returns
After an absence of several years, the Tech Retreat’s “TV Panel” returned, rebranded as a “Broadcaster Update” from Matthew Goldman, vice president, strategic & technical initiatives for Sinclair Broadcast Group.

Goldman reflected on the changes that have taken place in television broadcasting since the digital transition began a quarter decade ago, noting that the video streaming trend has resulted in younger people being unaware that “you can just put this stick of metal up and get television for free over the air. It’s amazing how things have changed and (there are) so many people who don’t understand what over-the-air television is all about.”

Goldman described the advantages of the ATSC 3.0 standard over 1.0, especially its ability to provide much more useful and timely emergency alerting information.

“We all know people — probably some of those in this room — who were in the devastating Palisades fire where a lot of our colleagues lost everything. The emergency information that was going out was incorrect and people were told to do the wrong thing. The new EAS system is hyperlocal.”

He also expressed disappointment over the lethargy in setting a date for sunsetting ATSC 1.0 television service, as it’s keeping broadcasters from rolling out the full feature set available in NextGen TV.

“The National Association of Broadcasters…came out with a document saying we really need to establish a clear timeline because we have to break ‘the cycle of hesitation’,” said Goldman. “The television manufacturers don’t want to add another (ATSC 3.0) tuner to their sets because the consumers aren’t asking for it, and consumers aren’t going to ask for it until there’s a compelling reason to do so. Broadcasters can’t add new features because there’s not enough bandwidth to do that.”

Goldman stated that this cycle of hesitation could be broken by setting a firm date for sunsetting ATSC 1.0 and this could encourage production of receivers with NextGen TV capability.

“The FCC said to add the [ATSC 1.0] tuners and that actually accelerated the transition and the turning off of NTSC.”

A Detour into Healthcare
The Tech Retreat shifted away from traditional content production for something of a first at the conference — the application of some 21st century moviemaking technologies in the healing arts.

The session “Beyond Film and Television: Media Technology is Shaping the Future of Healthcare,” featured Thom Belda, director of immersive experimental learning technology at the Mayo Clinic. Belda explained how the use of augmented/virtual reality, large language models and “digital twins’ is being applied in medical classroom training.

“Our goal is to advance medical science through the use of digital technology,” said Belda in explaining the emphasis on digital imaging at the Mayo Clinic, noting that even back in the 1930s the Mayo brothers had hired a medical illustrator to provide drawings to supplement those in textbooks of that period.

“This was a major achievement,” he said, observing that tapping virtual reality was a similar step in providing surgeons with more detailed information about the human body. “VR allows people to be trained in all sorts of surgical procedures, and 3D models provide surgeons with advanced information on what they’ll be getting into.”

He noted that “digital twining” or the creation of a virtual replica of a physical object was also useful in the field of medicine, with the Clinic applying this technology in several areas.

“The digital twinning of human pathology allows surgeons to be able to ‘hold’ whatever the pathology is, a tumor for instance, in their hands,” said Belda, explaining that this was particularly useful in complicated surgical procedures, making a “huge difference” in many cases.”

He also stated digital twinning allowed the creation of very accurate 3D-printed structures for implantation in patients.

Belda described the ongoing construction of a large new Mayo facility that was specially designed to embody the latest digital imaging and other technologies, including an immersive learning lab, a visual light studio for internal image capture, an area for augmented/virtual reality, as well as a large-scale LED “volume” for interactive experiences.

Another use of digital technology by the Mayo Clinic was on the digitization of some 150 years of medical history amassed by the facility to make it more accessible for research purposes.

“The goal is to advance medical science through the use of digital technology,” said Belda.

Breakfast Roundtables
Learning opportunities begin early in the day at HPA Tech Retreats, with discussions on new and emerging technologies and practices taking place over breakfast. There were 30 such “breakfast roundtables” on the program at the Retreat this year, with topics ranging all the way from “Art in the age of AI” to “Why Hollywood won’t adopt your tech.”

One of these was of special interest for those who have to cope with today’s RF spectrum congestion and the ever-increasing number of wireless devices vying for connection to broadband wireless networks.

In the roundtable discussion “Private 5G and CBRS for live broadcast and remote production,” organizer and moderator Jim Jachetta introduced conference attendees to the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) and explained how this FCC-allocated and managed 3.55 GHz spectrum chunk can be useful when multiple users max out conventional bonded cellular spectrum.

“The CBRS spectrum is available on a shared basis with the government, satellite communications and wireless broadband companies that have purchased segments for use by their customers,” said Jachetta, CTO and co-founder of VidOvation. “There are several tiers and priorities involving its use. You go into the FCC’s data base and if a 10 MHz slice of 150 MHZ-wide spectrum is available you can get a minimum of one and as many as four slices.”

Jachetta explained that these public use “slices” could not be reserved, but if they were available a user could establish use priority by turning on a transmitter in advance of the event.

“A big use case would be at big sports venues,” said Jachetta. “You’ve got 80,000 fans in the stadium and they’re all on Instagram or filming the game and the Wi-Fi in the venue is oversaturated and the public cellular around the stadium is oversaturated, making use of bonded cellular video transmission difficult or impossible.

“This is where a private 5G network is very useful. Consumer phones can’t get into this spectrum. The band is 150 MHz wide, and if there’s not a lot of usage you can get up to four slices for a high throughput.”

Jachetta noted that most 5G bonded cellular gear used for video transmission is equipped for use in the CBRS band, and that most 5G devices can be tuned to operate in this spectrum by use of either a special physical SIM if the device can accept one, and also by an e-SIM.

Farewell to the Conference ‘Maestro’
On Wednesday, Mark Schubin, a very visible presence at HPA Tech Retreats, announced that would be stepping back from his post as unofficial conference “maestro” or “wrangler.” His involvement with HPA Tech goes back 30 years, with Schubin noting in an interview at last year’s event that he’d first heard about the gatherings during a 1997 New York City SMPTE Section meeting and made it a point to find out more about the event and to make plans to attend the 1998 conference.

From then on, Schubin, with his landmark flower-patterned pants and small bicycle horn used to alert attendees to the start of proceedings, has been an integral part of the Tech Retreat. (He recalled during the 2025 interview that early-on in his attendance, he had to take on multiple roles at the proceedings when members of a scheduled panel on high-definition TV didn’t arrive.)

“I flew out early and I got there, but there was a big snowstorm on the east coast, and none of those I’d invited were able to come, but they all gave me permission to present their policies on HDTV,” said Schubin. “So, I made a whole bunch of really large paper hats and I decorated them, and I would put on the different hats depending on which network I was representing at the moment, and people could ask me questions.”

Schubin was honored for his long-time service in a special ceremony Wednesday afternoon, with present and past HPA presidents on stage to thank him, along with a special video with many of those who had known him through the conference and television industry offering praise for his service. At the end of the ceremony, Schubin was asked to honk his bicycle one last time before it was laid to rest in a specially-prepared display case.

The 2027 HPA Tech Retreat will be hosted by the La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, Calif., Feb. 14-18.

NEW YORK—TAG Video Systems has expanded its Media Control System (MCS) version 1.7.0 release with Lens, a visual service health analysis interface that organizes monitored video feeds into hierarchical groups and displays alarm distribution. The new capability provides operators with a centralized view of monitored assets and active alerts across large-scale broadcast operations.

TAG reported that Lens is designed to address a common operational challenge: When multiple feeds trigger alerts simultaneously, operators typically cross-reference data across separate monitoring tools to identify the root cause. Lens provides a unified view of all monitored assets and active alerts with color-coded severity indicators.

Lens organizes video streams into customizable hierarchies to help engineers pinpoint root causes quickly. Operations can structure their facilities by data center location ("US West" → "Rack 7" → specific encoders), content type ("Sports" → "Basketball" → individual game feeds), or signal path ("Playout" → "Contribution" → contributor name). Each feed can belong to multiple categories simultaneously, allowing operators to view the same feed through different operational perspectives.

When issues trigger, color-coded severity indicators appear at each hierarchy level, showing whether problems affect isolated feeds or entire categories. Engineers can expand nested hierarchies to drill from high-level overview to specific diagnostics, filter by severity thresholds, and efficiently trace which upstream or downstream systems connect to affected assets. By consolidating alarm data and system relationships into a single interface, Lens significantly reduces mean time to repair (MTTR)—operators can identify root causes in seconds rather than minutes, minimizing downtime across large-scale operations.

"Broadcast operations manage hundreds or thousands of channels across multiple data centers, with each channel having dozens of monitoring parameters," said Michael Demb, vice president of product strategy at TAG Video Systems. "When something goes wrong, every second of downtime matters. Lens gives operators a unified view of system health and lets them drill down from data center-wide to specific sources."

Lens is available now in TAG's Media Control System (MCS) version 1.7.0 and later. More information is available at https://tagvs.com/.

STAMFORD, Conn.—As NBCUniversal prepares to air the Opening Ceremony of Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, the company has released additional details showing the immense scale of its coverage, which will provide more than 3,200 total hours across broadcast, cable, and streaming, including 2,500+ streaming hours, a record 700+ hours on linear television, all 116 medal events live on Peacock, and commentary from more than 80 commentators.

TV Tech’s full coverage of the tech plans and production technologies being used for the Winter Olympics can be found here, here and here.

The February Digital Edition of TV Tech also contains extensive coverage of the Olympics and previews of their production plans.

NBCU provides these stats to show the scale of its coverage:

• 115,000: Square feet in NBC Sports’ integration facility and warehouse in Connecticut, where nearly all of its production and engineering infrastructure begins its journey to northern Italy.
• 3,983: Distance in miles between NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., and Milan, Italy.
• 3,200+: Total programming hours across NBCU’s linear and digital platforms.
• 2,900: Approximate total number of athletes expected to compete at Milan Cortina 2026, a Winter Olympics record.
• 2,500+: Hours of streaming coverage across Peacock and NBC Sports’ Digital platforms.
• 1972: Year that marked NBC’s first-ever coverage of an Olympic Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan.
• 1,600: Approximate number of NBCU Olympics employees based at NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn.
• 1,000: Approximate number of NBCU Olympics employees on-site in northern Italy.
• 700+: Hours of coverage being telecast across linear platforms.
• 232: Number of Team USA athletes expected to compete at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
• 230+: Number of hours on the NBC broadcast network, a Winter Olympics record.
• 116: Number of medal events at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, all of which will be streamed live on Peacock.
• 92: Number of countries and territories taking part in the Parade of Athletes at the Opening Ceremony.
• 84: Number of commentators on NBCU’s talent roster.
• 62: Total number of medals won at the Beijing Winter Olympics by the United States and Norway, who will face off in mixed doubles curling on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 4:05 a.m. ET on Peacock, marking Team USA’s first event of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
• 50: Number of Full Remote Edit Rooms in use.
• 44: Number of Olympic medals won by NBCU’s Olympic commentators.
• 41: Number of total events that the NBC Olympics Research team went to in preparation for the Games.
• 35: Number of Multi-Purpose Flexible Use Rooms used for everything from replay operations, remote graphics, telestration, and more.
• 17: Number of purpose-built broadcast booths at NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., where a select commentators will call live competition from.
• 17: Consecutive nights of primetime coverage on the NBC broadcast network.
• 16: Number of Olympics that NBCU’s lead alpine skiing play-by-play commentator Dan Hicks will have worked.
• 14: Number of international trips that the NBC Olympics Research team went to in preparation for the Games, including four countries and five Canadian provinces.
• 13: Number of Production Control Rooms at NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn.
• 8: Number of Winter Olympics broadcast by NBC, including Milan Cortina.
• 6: Number of hours northern Italy is ahead of the U.S. Eastern time zone.
• 5: Number of Muppets of Sesame Street (Elmo, Cookie Monster, Grover, Bert, and Oscar the Grouch) who will travel to Milan and be incorporated into NBCU’s comprehensive social and broadcast coverage surrounding the Games.
• 4K: NBC and Peacock will be “4K All Day” for Super Bowl LX and the Winter Olympics on Sunday, Feb. 8.
• 3: Number of Olympic Winter Games that Italy has hosted, joining the United States (four) and France (three) as the only countries to host the Winter Games three or more times.
• 2: Number of cities officially co-hosting these Winter Olympics, marking the first time this has happened.
• 1: The one and only Snoop Dogg will contribute to NBCU’s coverage of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, providing his unique take on what’s happening in northern Italy.

NBC and Peacock will present live coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, Feb. 6, beginning at 2 p.m. ET. Primetime coverage will begin at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

The NBC broadcast network and streaming service Peacock will be the company’s primary platforms for its coverage of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, scheduled for Feb. 5-22.

For more information on how to watch the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics across NBCUniversal, click here.

STAMFORD, CONN.—NBC Sports has selected Chyron to provide technology for data-rich graphics for its production of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics, Feb. 6-22, and March 6-15, respectively.

NBC Sports will utilize Chyron PRIME CG to produce live broadcast graphics to display names, athlete information, scores, statistics, leaderboards, headshots and more for its production of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The full spectrum of top-tier design and data integration features in these Chyron technologies will be utilized, along with highly customizable playout Control Panels, enabling operators to display graphics and information quickly, accurately and on-brand throughout the Games in northern Italy, helping NBC Sports route the excitement back to viewers watching coverage of the Games in the United States.

“As we gear up for our coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, we are continuing our long-standing partnership with Chyron, built on a foundation of reliability and innovation. The advanced capabilities of the Chyron Prime platform, from real-time graphics to creative studio elements, empower our design teams to enhance live coverage and analysis. Its integrated data feeds enable fast, meaningful storytelling that gives viewers at home a deeper understanding of just how extraordinary these performances are,” said Stacey Georgiou, vice president, production engineering at NBC Sports.

Chyron has worked with NBC Sports for over 20 years, assisting NBC Sports’ production efforts at previous Olympics and other major international sports events throughout the world.

“NBC Sports is not just a customer for us, but a strategic partnership that drives innovation,” states Chyron CEO Mike Truex, “and we are always excited to see those innovations driving content that delights the whole world at major events like the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.”

Click here for more on NBCUniversal’s Milan Cortina 2026 programming.

TV Tech’s overall coverage of NBC Sports' overall tech plans for the 2026 Winter Games can be found here, here and here.

BURY ST EDMUNDS, UK—Vinten, a global provider of robotic camera support systems, has launched Vega Lite, a broadcast-ready PTZ control solution designed to deliver professional automation, consistent workflows, and scalable control for studios working with PTZ cameras.

Vega Lite brings advanced PTZ control together with integration for dedicated PTZ supports and higher-payload Vinten robotic heads, allowing broadcasters to adopt PTZ cameras within established broadcast workflows without the investment required for a full robotic system, according to the company.

The system is designed for broadcast environments where PTZ cameras are used alongside traditional production tools, including secondary studios, streaming spaces, and stand-up presentation positions, as well as facilities built around PTZ-centric workflows. Vega Lite supports broadcast PTZ cameras from Sony, Canon, and Panasonic, alongside Vinten robotic heads, giving broadcasters the freedom to deploy PTZ cameras without being tied to a single camera ecosystem.

Designed for live broadcast requirements, Vega Lite incorporates broadcast-style operational features including a shot grid for immediate visibility of preset shots, multi-shots for flexible output, joystick profile editing to suit operator preferences, and instant recall of presets for specific sets and shows. Advanced options include sequences where movement is defined by a series of stored keyframes, playout integration supporting all major automation systems, and AI-driven Presenter Tracking.

“PTZ cameras are now a permanent part of broadcast production, but the control layer has not kept pace,” said Sergio Brighel, EVP Robotics and Prompting Technology, Videndum. “Vega Lite applies the same control philosophy and workflow logic used in full robotic studios to PTZ environments, while integrating with third-party cameras, supports, and automation systems. This gives broadcasters the freedom to design flexible studios today, without being tied to a single vendor, and a clear path to scale from PTZ control to full robotic systems on one consistent platform.”

Vega Lite also provides a clear migration path to the full Vega Control System, enabling facilities to expand into higher-end robotic workflows, redundancy, and additional axes of movement as production requirements evolve, Vinten said.

Vega Lite is shipping now.

Surging college commitments to bankrolling students’ hands-on experience with virtual production in film and TV degree programs are rapidly closing the knowledge gap that has been a significant drag on the industry’s VP adoption rate.

From schools specializing in creative arts to big universities on both coasts and in many locations between, the last few years have seen a transformation in how students are taught not only to plan and execute productions, but also to work as writers, actors, set designers and other participants in the new creative environment. For the first time, vast numbers of undergraduates, as well as graduates and working professionals who need to update their knowhow, have access to the latest advances in LED volume design, multipanel synchronization, 3D in-camera visual effects (ICVSF), virtual object placement, automated lighting dynamism, camera tracking and other hardware and software technologies that are impacting every facet of professional video production.

“After the pandemic there was a retraction in virtual production because people weren’t able to use the technology,” Habib Zargarpour, co-head of VP at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, said. “We’re now getting a new generation of professionals who are able to do this work.”

The Right Environment
USC’s soon to be completed Blavatnik Center for Virtual Production, which will greatly enhance an existing VP curriculum, is moving in the direction taken by a long list of institutions like New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, with its new Martin Scorsese Center for Virtual Production, and the Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD), with professional-scale LED volume projects in Savannah and Atlanta.

Some other well-equipped VP learning centers include the University of Michigan’s Center for Academic Innovation, Arizona State University’s Media and Immersive eXperience Center, Texas A&M University’s Virtual Production Institute, the University of Florida’s Digital Worlds Institute and the University of South Florida’s Zimmerman School of Mass Communications.

NYU’s Scorsese Center, now midway through its second year, occupies 45,586 square feet in a building on the university’s 35-acre Innovation Campus along the Brooklyn waterfront. The facility supports two 3,500 square-foot double-height stages, two 1,800 square-foot television studios, state-of-the-art broadcast and control rooms, dressing and makeup rooms, a lounge and bistro, scene workshops, offices, postproduction labs, finishing suites and training spaces.

“We’re really proud of our facilities,” said Sang-Jin Bae, Tisch arts professor and Scorsese Center director. “A major benefit of what we’re teaching is we’re focused on providing an environment where you can learn the hard skills you need.”

This goes to the quality of the instruction as well as the equipment, he added. For example, the use of the all-important Unreal Engine software stack is taught by three Scorsese staff members who are Epic Unreal Authorized Trainers.

Among the many emergent VP innovations working with Unreal Engine’s real-time execution of 3D environments at the center, Bae lists VICON’s motion-capture system used in camera tracking; AV Stumpfl’s PIXERA media server, supporting 2D playback on the LED volumes; MegaPixel VR processors orchestrating displays on ROE Visual’s BlackPearl2 LED panels; and the ARRI Alexa35 Camera and Zeiss lenses that serve to mitigate the moiré effect resulting from mismatches between camera sensors and LED display patterns.

Of course, learning the technical dimensions is just part of the VP education process. In fact, a recurrent theme arising in discussions with educators like Bae is the extent to which the technical skills they teach are subservient to the goal of achieving creative success. “We’re coming from the end user storytelling side,” he said.

Winging It?
The VP education agenda unfolding at SCAD is no less impressive with regard to both the scale and sophistication of technical support and the range of learning experiences. As with everyone else engaged in bringing VP onto college campuses, the undertaking that started at SCAD in 2021 has been a “figure-it-out-as-you-go” experience, said Quinn Orear, associate chair of film and business at SCAD, who leads the film and TV department at the Atlanta facility.

“This technology is so new for everybody; a lot of us had to learn in step with students,” Orear said. But having no “how-to playbook” to work with had its advantages, including freeing staff “to be creative in discovering new ways to use the technology” aided by training provided by the teams that built the sites.

The experience has also brought into play a new realm of collaboration across disciplines that traditionally worked separately. Production design, visual effects, video game development, editing—it all came together with a faculty “that keeps our feet in the industry as we teach,” Orear said.

The first VP LED volume and XR stage installation was completed in 2021 as part of an expansion project on the 11-acre lot at Savannah Film Studios, which SCAD bills as the “largest and most comprehensive university film studio complex in the nation.” The project is now in its third stage, adding two sound stages and new backlot facades to over 40 separate street facades and more than 8,000 square feet of dressed set spaces that model historic Savannah, big-city streetscapes, and small-town USA scenes from a variety of eras.

A year later, SCAD opened the second VP stage at the recently expanded SCAD Digital Media Center in Atlanta, which, like the Savannah stage, comprises a 60-by-16-foot curved LED wall coupled with a 38-by-20-foot LED ceiling. Both stages are powered by Disguise xR technology running on Disguise VX 4 and RX II servers with LED volumes supplied by DeNyse Digital.

Orear said SCAD, with over 100 degree programs, has made VP training available wherever it’s needed. And, with the Atlanta facility sitting amid a thriving Hollywood East production environment, the VP assets are also getting plenty of commercial use, which contributes further to the general learning atmosphere. “We’re seeing a lot of cross-disciplinary collaboration,” he said.

A Multidisciplinary Mix
A similar culture prevails at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) in Los Angeles, where the first two courses in VP were launched in 2022 in support of short filmmaking using the Unity game engine. This was followed by the implementation of the Unreal Engine, with the installation of an LED wall supplied by Sony. A class in LED volume usage followed with students now competing to have their five- to 10-minute projects produced for presentation at the end of the school year.

“We have students from production, animation, interactive, experimental animation, cinematograph—graduates as well as undergraduates,” Zargarpour said. “The multidisciplinary mix has worked well with roles shifting and students learning the best way to make use of the LED wall and how to integrate real with virtual sets.”

SCA doesn’t yet offer a degree in VP, but “we’re working on it,” he added. “Once the new [Blavatnik] center is ready, we’re going to be able to make greater use of the VP technology.”

Funded by a $25 million donation from the Blavatnik Family Foundation announced in mid-2025, the project is still in the design phase with the goal of getting it done “ASAP,” Zargarpour said. The plan, which he helped develop and builds on lessons learned from work with the current LED stage, calls for a multiuse space housing two stages with wraparound LED panel walls, as well as performance capture, camera tracking and lighting systems, along with multiple classrooms and labs equipped with 3D design software and digital asset libraries.

Understandably, given that the schools profiled here and the many others committing to VP are rooted in cinematic arts training, support for use of VP in live sports, news and other TV-centered productions is generally not part of the curriculum. Live “is currently outside our domain,” Zargarpour said. Occasionally, SCAD’s VP facilities are used by “students who want to learn about how LED volumes are utilized in live production,” Orear said, but such experiments are “feeling like early days as that evolves.”

Ever feel like simply keeping up with the mixing demands of live production prevents you from doing your best work?

With so many microphones across the field, court, or set and so many channels to monitor and mix, it can be overwhelming. Adding to the challenge are ever-present budget realities that demand A1s do more with fewer people and tighter timelines.

But that equation is changing. The new Shure DCA901 digital broadcast mic array combines 78 individual microphones to create eight distinct software-steerable channels, an audio DSP that powers a built-in automixer, and control software to ease setup and reduce the burden of managing multiple microphones used to create a conventional mix.

With the DCA901 array, A1s can build their mixes as they truly intend them to be rather than out of concern over the precise positioning of mics, microphone failure or unwanted noise from, for instance, fans in the stands who may drown out the sound of a shoe squeak on court or a player calling for the ball on a football (soccer) pitch.

Ultimate Control

Consider a conventional live audio production for a televised basketball game. An A1 working with assistants would attach shotgun microphones to the stanchions supporting the backboard and point each toward the court, providing a wide pickup pattern. A pair of lavalier mics—one at each net—would also be attached to pick up the ball hitting the rim or the swish of a nothing-but-net free throw—and another shotgun mic at midcourt.

Add into the mix an assortment of on-camera mics, other mics positioned around the arena for crowd noise, and a couple of cameras with shotgun mics attached to capture the sound of those in-your-face under-the-basket shots.

Now consider replacing most, if not all, of that with a DCA901 mounted to each stanchion. With the microphones’ easy-to-use control software, individually steerable coverage lobes are positioned to cover each half of the court. Using the array’s Auto Position feature found in its web-based GUI, an A1 selects a channel and instructs an assistant to make a sound at a desired location. Using that sound, the system automatically aims one lobe at the sound to pick up audio from that location.

The DCA901 offers several key benefits in this scenario. First, there are far fewer possible points of failure—fewer mics and backup mics, less cabling, and fewer wireless channels that might fail. Next, setup time drops dramatically—from hours to as little as 30 minutes. Gone is the need for back-and-forth between an A1 and an assistant, tweaking each mic's orientation. Instead, DCA901 lobe steering is done in software away from the array. Fewer mics, backups, and support gear, along with faster setup, translate into lower production costs.

More Intentional Mixes

Perhaps the greatest benefit of using the DCA901 is that it unlocks the full potential of A1s to mix live productions the way they want, not as they must. The array’s powerful, yet easy-to-use functions and software give A1s the freedom to mix with intention.

For instance, replacing so many conventional microphones with a pair of DCA901s in the basketball scenario means A1s can rely upon the array’s automixer to create a submix of the action on court as it moves from coverage lobe to lobe rather than mixing multiple audio channels coming from stanchion shotgun mics, lavaliers, camera mics, and the rest.

Rather, taking the submix from the DCA901 automixer and a few mics around the arena for crowd noise, an A1 has enough time to focus on the other sound elements that go into the main mix, such as sound effects associated with animated graphics, which might otherwise have been missed.

Of course, these same benefits can enhance audio production by opening up new possibilities for A1s to mix intentionally and achieve their creative vision for other sports, studio shows, and even reality TV.

Having that extra set of virtual hands makes all the difference not only for A1s but also for producers and directors, who expect their shows to look and sound great.

Click here to learn more about the DCA901 and schedule a demo in your environment.

LISBON—In the runup to ISE in February, video connectivity provider NDI has released NDI 6.3, a major update designed to give professional and enterprise users greater visibility, operational insight and confidence when running NDI at scale.

The release focuses on advanced discovery, monitoring, and control, reinforcing NDI’s role in mission-critical broadcast, Pro AV, live event, and enterprise workflows.

"NDI 6.3 is the final step of the journey we started with the release of 6.0,” said Miguel Coutinho, head of NDI, which is owned by Vizrt. “This latest release establishes NDI into the world of large video installations by allowing monitoring and control of both senders and receivers, no matter the size of the network."

NDI 6.3 will be demonstrated live at ISE in Barcelona between Feb. 3 through 6, where Roberto Musso, technical director at NDI, will lead hands-on, demo-first walkthroughs on the show floor. These demonstrations will showcase live sender monitoring and diagnostics across multiple active NDI sources, highlighting how operators can quickly identify and isolate issues in scaled environments.

At ISE, NDI will feature dedicated demo pods with Vizrt, Ross, Science Image, Everet, CDN Live and TSL, while wall displays will highlight partners and users including Panasonic, Obsbot, BirdDog, Magewell, Bolin, Yealink and MMG. Together, these showcases highlight the breadth of the NDI ecosystem and reinforce third-party validation across professional video workflows.

As NDI deployments continue to grow in size, teams need clear insight into how their networks and video sources are performing. NDI 6.3 addresses this need by enabling real-time monitoring of multiple active sources, providing diagnostics for stream health, and helping operators identify issues such as packet loss or jitter before they impact production.

In addition to monitoring and control enhancements, NDI 6.3 expands secure Pro AV workflows through new HDCP compatibility. NDI now supports HDCP-enabled devices built in collaboration with ProITAV, enabling protected content workflows that were previously out of reach for many Pro AV environments, including use cases that require encrypted sources, licensed playback devices, or end-to-end content protection. Working closely with ProITAV, NDI developed the first NDI-enabled, HDCP-compliant encoder and decoder, which is fully integrated with NDI 6.3 for HDCP streams and Non-HDCP- Streams. This hardware solution opens the door to a new device category and new applications that provide a more secure deployment option for partners and customers.

The release also supports Agilex 7 FPGA chipset enablement, expanding hardware support and strengthening the NDI ecosystem for high-performance deployments.

NDI also reported praise from early beta partners for the 6.3 release.

“With NDI 6.3, we’re helping unlock secure, real-world Pro AV workflows that weren’t previously possible,” said Keith Kennedy, Managing Director at ProITAV. “Working closely with NDI, we developed the first NDI-enabled, HDCP-compliant encoder and decoder to support protected content end to end. This gives integrators and enterprise users a practical way to deploy NDI in environments that require encryption, licensed playback, and content protection, without compromising performance or flexibility.”

Artificial intelligence-powered media production solutions provider Emergent will unveil two new products designed to simplify and accelerate creation of broadcast graphics, virtual production and data-driven content at ISE 2026 in the ROE Visual booth, Feb. 3-6, in Barcelona, Spain.

“At ISE, we are demonstrating a fundamentally new way to create broadcast graphics and video content using AI,” Emergent CEO Grig Mindlin said. “Pulsar VS and Nova GFX are designed to remove complexity from production workflows and make high-quality, data-driven content accessible to anyone. This launch reflects our growing investment in AI-driven graphics production solutions and our belief that the market is ready for simpler, faster, and more efficient content creation.”

At the show, Emergent will debut Pulsar VS, an AI-powered virtual production and playout control solution that enables creators to generate virtual environments from a single prompt. Pulsar VS delivers AI virtual sets built to Unreal Engine quality, instant AI-generated and editable media and a streamlined setup that works with any camera-tracking system. The single-box solution offers intuitive playout control without requiring deep technical expertise.

The company will also launch Nova GFX, an AI-powered data aggregation and broadcast graphics platform that automatically transforms any data feed into broadcast-ready visuals. Nova GFX supports sports, finance, elections, social media and enterprise data sources, using AI design tools to generate graphics from prompts or live data.

The platform includes an AI-automated template builder for reusable designs, AI agents to integrate and convert data for multiple outputs and AI media tools to generate or enhance imagery in real time.

See Emergent at ISE 2026 in the ROE Visual booth 3C500.

More information is available on the company’s website.

Guntermann & Drunck (G&D) and sister company VuWall will showcase their next-generation, mission-critical workplace concepts unifying certified-secure KVM, multiview and video-wall control at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2026, Feb. 3-6 in Barcelona, Spain.

G&D and VuWall will demonstrate a unified operator user interface by enabling G&D’s PersonalWorkplace-Controller (PWC) to be operated via VuWall’s TRx control and orchestration platform. The approach streamlines how operators interact with sources, layouts and workflows, which is especially valuable in high-pressure environments, the companies said.

For integrators, the combination supports a cleaner operational concept. Visualization and interaction can be orchestrated through a consistent UI while keeping mission-critical KVM workflows aligned with secure deployments.

G&D will also highlight VisionVS, a new dual-encoding appliance that combines videowall visualization and KVM control into a single, compact solution. Engineered to simplify control room integration, VisionVS merges the strengths of VuWall’s videowall visualization technology and G&D’s KVM capabilities.

VisionVS combines G&D’s Vision product line of KVM and KVM-over-IP solutions with VuWall’s VuStream IP encoding technology. It captures KVM sources and transmits them as a G&D bluedec stream to G&D KVM matrix systems. At the same time, it outputs a VuWall stream to VuWall’s PAK processors for videowall visualization, KVM operator stations or remote access.

The encoding appliance bridges the two ecosystems, delivering pixel-perfect video quality with practically latency-free operation while enabling encrypted streaming to remote locations.

It supports both fiber and copper connections, features a DisplayPort DP1.1 input (up to 2560×1600 at 60 Hz or 4096×2160 at 30 Hz) and a loop-through HDMI 1.4 output (up to 2560×1600 at 60 Hz or 4096×2160 at 30 Hz). It provides a pixel-perfect, low-latency video stream and a second low-bandwidth stream. Both streams support encryption and up to 4:4:4 color fidelity.

G&D will also feature its PersonalWorkplace-Controller, combining multiviewing control with full keyboard-and-mouse interactivity for one or more operators or video walls. By integrating processing locally at the workplace, users gain flexible access to physical sources and streams.

Different PWC variants are tailored to specific requirements, offering connectivity options for nine to 27 sources and supporting configurations including up to six 5K at 60 Hz outputs and a mirrored HD output. Input flexibility is expanded through support for direct digital video and fiber-optic sources via PersonalWorkplace-CPU-Fiber modules, including loop-through functionality via HDMI, DisplayPort and HD-SDI.

Another of the company’s ISE focuses is DynamicWorkplace-CON, a new workplace module that integrates with digital G&D matrix systems to consolidate relevant information across one or up to four high-resolution monitors.

See G&D at ISE 2026 in booth 5H500.

More information is available on the company’s website.

Forecasting five years out used to be standard practice in predictions articles. But making five-year predictions is now untenable given the unprecedented pace of technological change.

Yet I would stake everything I own on this prediction: Technology will change more in the next five years than the last 50. Recent developments in AI, content creation and monetization, live production and smart stadiums also signal what we can all expect in the next 18 to 24 months.

Here are five ways that technology is changing our world.

• AI Runs the Show
  Directors have always run broadcasts through voice control. A director might call out to the technical director to adjust the lighting or ask the graphics operator to change an image. Now, a director can talk to AI and have it run the entire show. Instead of a technical crew switching cameras or managing graphics, the AI will listen, watch the feed and make changes automatically, enabling high-level production at a fraction of the cost.
  
  An OpenAI DevDay 2025 demonstration (42 minutes into the keynote) highlighted what this might look like. The presenter used an Xbox to build a control system in a few minutes and asked AI to assess the environment and adjust the venue’s lighting to illuminate the audience.
  
  This kind of thing is no more than three years out from becoming a mainstream capability. It will likely take hold in corporate media first, then gain adoption in broadcast media environments.
  
  This is part of a larger trend.
  
  Within 18 to 24 months, AI will be able to do anything a person can do on a computer. This doesn't necessarily mean AI will replace people, but people need to learn how to use the capabilities of AI to succeed in the future.
  
  Consider Microsoft Copilot Vision, for example. It allows the models to see anything on your computer screen, and its corresponding Copilot Actions feature can take actions on your behalf.
  
  What used to take teams of hundreds, tens of millions of dollars and years to accomplish can be achieved in a couple of weeks by small teams with far smaller budgets and the power of AI.
  
• Entertainment Experiences More Disruption
  New tools like OpenAI Sora 2 now enable anyone to create any kind of videos they want.
  
  You can use it to do characterizations using the likeness of a friend or authorized celebrity.
  
  AI-generated videos have already seen great success.
  
  Stormtroopervlogs, built by an anonymous creator using Google Veo 3, is an example. These funny, short-form videos feature Greg the Stormtrooper, a takeoff on the Star Wars characters.
  
  Disney allowed the Greg the Stormtrooper videos because they were so positive for the Star Wars brand at a moment when the franchise needed a lift. Now Disney plans to use AI to enable Disney+ users to generate their own content and consume user-generated content from others.
  
  Now that you can build content with friends, fan fiction is becoming the new blockbuster movie.
  
• The Wild West Gives Way to Law and Order
  Empowering fans with fan fiction and monetizing that is a drastic change from the Wild West, where creators did whatever they wanted with content and tried to fly under the radar.
  
  OpenAI is taking a similar approach as Disney with Sora. The company proceeds as if nothing is protected by copyright, but when the entity that owns the copyright approaches them, they make a deal to use that IP in specified ways and share revenue with the actual creators of the IP.
  
  The fact that 2025 was the year of the content lawsuit also signals the end of the Wild West.
  
  The copyright infringement lawsuit Warner Music Group filed against Udio, a major music platform whose AI trained on Warner Music artists, is a case in point. WMG settled the lawsuit in October, and terms of the deal were undisclosed. But Udio users one day discovered they were unable to download the music they created and were greeted with a splash screen indicating people who use specific artists’ influence will share revenue with them. Udio has announced plans to introduce a new platform in 2026 that’s trained on licensed UMG music.
  
  AI music company Suno, whose model is similar Udio’s, is likely the next to get hit.
  Meanwhile, AI audio company ElevenLabs recently announced partnerships with such actors as Michael Caine and Liza Minnelli to support the launch of its Iconic Voice Marketplace. As Deadline reported: “The deals are a sign of AI companies collaborating with rights holders at a time when they face serious allegations of exploiting intellectual property without permission.”
  
• Smart Stadiums Collide with Smart Cities
  Most smart stadiums being built are now following the template of smart cities.
  
  Not only will they be able to host sports events like football, basketball or hockey, they’ll also deliver experiences in and around the stadiums. That may include providing guests at a nearby hotel the opportunity to watch elements of a game they wouldn’t be able to see anywhere else. It may entail creating an environment that makes fans at next-generation sports bars feel like they’re at the game without having to buy a ticket. Think the Sphere meets Buffalo Wild Wings.
  
  Stadiums are also introducing apps that enable fans within the stadium to order food more easily, watch replays, get player stats, vote on things and place bets. Placing QR codes in and around the stadium can also allow fans to scan those codes to enjoy various experiences.
  
  When stadiums design their venues to be composable to meet the needs of other events, like concerts and monster truck rallies, it also creates considerable new revenue potential.
  
  Look for smart stadiums to use technology to provide additional experiences within and around the venues to keep fans engaged and better monetize the events they host.
  
• College Athletics Deliver More Premium Experiences
  The new rules that allow colleges to pay their athletes are changing the game. Schools are starting to feel the need to build up alternate revenue streams to pay for better players.
  
  It’s really altering the entire concept of college sports.
  
  This is prompting colleges to invest in updating their stadiums with way more high-end seats and booth spaces that people and organizations can rent out.
  
  As a result, colleges will be able charge more and have higher tiers of revenue from diehard fans, companies, executives, and other individuals and key groups. Meanwhile, college football game attendees will have the option of enjoying a wider array of more premium experiences.

How to Survive the Rapid Pace of Change
Those are my five big near-term predictions. But the only thing we can be certain of is change.

The art of surviving all this change lies in building infrastructure that allows you to adapt in real time, so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time a new tool or need arises and embracing a minimum viable approach so you can start small and stack up like Lego blocks.

Now you can build an agentic flywheel that gets better with every interaction. When new technology comes out, you can leverage it to take your stadium, company or environment to the next level without having to refactor, rebuild or move to an entirely new tool set.

Motion Impossible—a developer of camera robotic and stabilisation solutions—is working with SMPTE on a new open protocols initiative on the use of robotics in media production.

The company—which received an Outstanding Achievement in Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy for its modular robotic dolly system, in September, wants to bring together companies building motors and encoders for robotic camera systems to co-develop a shared framework that allows these technologies to work together more easily. Instead of competing proprietary silos, the goal is true interoperability—a common standard that gives creatives far greater freedom and flexibility in how they design and deliver movement, they said.

Helping drive this effort is Motion Impossible’s newly appointed CTO, Mat Hubbard. Hubbard made his name in the automotive sector, where he played a key role in standardizing protocols across a highly fragmented industry. Now he brings that experience into entertainment, laying the groundwork for an industry-wide effort to ensure a future where dollies, cranes, arms, remote heads and tracking systems can all sing from the same hymn sheet.

“We've all been living in a world where everyone has their own proprietary protocols,” Hubbard said in an interview with TV Tech. “Whether it’s an arm or a tracking piece of equipment or a stabilized head, or PTZ, everyone has their own way of communicating with that piece of equipment. What we want to do is open the book up so everyone's on the level playing field when it comes to protocol and everyone's talking with each other.”

Other People’s Gear
Rob Drewett, MI founder and CEO, says the very nature of assembling kits for robotic-enable production requires the use of a variety of vendors.

“[A media set up will] have our robotic platform and our lifter, but we're using other people's cameras, other people's remote heads, and we are very much agnostic to that,” he said. “We want to work with everyone who makes those bits of equipment, but as a customer of ours, if they want to go and do some filming, it'd be great if you can just turn up, take whatever remote head you've got, plug it into the equipment, and the kit just talks together.”

Hubbard stressed that MI is not the architect of any proposed standard but instead wants to instigate a process for MI and similar companies interested in proposing such a standard to SMPTE.

“We’re not looking to dictate a standard,” he said. What we’re proposing is a collaborative working group where vendors can jointly develop an open protocol the whole industry can use. We will contribute technical input alongside everyone else. The goal is a shared framework that all parties are happy to adopt.”

Drewett stressed the importance of interoperability among robotics developers in particular.

“We want more communication between companies,” he said. “We've always been agnostic, we've always taken third party products and added it onto ours. In fact, we don't work unless we've got all these other bits of pieces working on each other.

“But every time we've taken a piece of equipment, we've had to learn their language and then transform it into our system,” he added. “We would love to have the ability for everyone to have the same protocols that they're working with. Why is that important? It's important for innovation and it's important to speed up the way everyone works with each other’s robots as they're not going away.”

With robotics playing an increasing role in media production, safety is of paramount importance, Hubbard says.

“Safety is a major part of what we’re trying to address,” he said. “If you look at robotics in other industries, there are well-established safety frameworks that manufacturers can rely on. We’re not looking to import these systems directly, but to learn from the principles behind them, things like clear safety layers, predictable behavior and standard ways of communicating risk. Film and TV need their own version of that, especially when you’re moving cameras around people.”

Hubbard says they are in talks with SMPTE and have gotten good feedback so far, relaying a recent conversation he had with a member of the SMPTE Rapid Industry Solutions group, which, through its SMPTE RiS-OSVP group, has developed “Open Track IO,” a free and open-source protocol that seeks to improve interoperability in virtual production and beyond.

“He is an end user, and the reason why he's made Open Track IO is because they are fed up with not having the data for VFX,” Hubbard said. “He called me because I put a little post out on LinkedIn recently explaining what I'm trying to do and he said ‘my God, this is what we've been trying to do for ages; this is what Open Track IO was all about. Basically, as an end user, we need that data. It makes things so much faster.’”

More Buy-In
Paddy Taylor, Head of Broadcast at Mark Roberts Motion Control, thinks the initiative is a “really good idea generally,” but has some caveats.

“The problem is we have an open protocol already, so we give it away on the understanding that the third party company does the same, because we don't want to be in a situation where we're giving away our ability to be controlled to somebody that's not prepared to do the same,” he said. “That's where the problem lies.”

Taylor says that in the current scenario, MRMC has several workarounds for the issue when working with other vendors on a particular project.

“On very occasional scenarios where the customer has given their approval just for that project, the customer insists they give us access and the other vendor agrees solely because they won't get the business any other way,” he said. “And in a very small number of cases, it's not difficult to work out how a system is controlled, and we have reverse engineered those, particularly for legacy systems.

“So we have this kind of open agreement that if someone's prepared to give us access, we give them access,” he adds.

Taylor applauds MI for taking the initiative but also believes there will need to be more buy-in from other vendors.

“I think someone needs to start the conversation and it's a really good thing that Motion Impossible is doing that,” Taylor said. “We all need to come together and say, ‘you know, we've got a problem with this, because it won't support this number of axis or something else, because the way the system needs to be addressed doesn't work like that for them.’”

“But unless you're going to get those bigger players that are probably 50% of the market, unless they're going to come to the table to have that discussion, then it's very challenging, because I don't think you're going to get enough critical mass beneath that to address those issues,” he added.

SMPTE's Response
Thomas Bause Mason, head of standards at SMPTE said the organization has had preliminary talks with MI.

“What I usually do in these talks, I tell them ‘if you want to bring a project to SMPTE, then make sure that you bring support—talk to your competitors and make sure that they are on board.’”

Mason adds that SMPTE’s RIS group is already working on new solutions for on-set virtual production, encompassing camera and lens metadata, for example, but added that talks about a robotics standard are ongoing.

“I think it's in the very early conceptual stage,” he said.

Motion Impossible is seeking further feedback from like-minded vendors in the media production industry. Contact them at info@motion-impossible.com.

Netflix has announced that it is merging its Scanline VFX and Eyeline Studios creative companies into one brand called Eyeline.

Netflix acquired Scanline in 2021. In a blog post, Eyeline CEO Jeffrey Shapiro explained: “Three years after joining Netflix, we’re excited to take the next step and bring these two world-class innovators together for the first time under one brand: Eyeline. By combining Scanline’s award-winning visual effects with Eyeline’s cutting-edge production capabilities and innovative lab tools, we’re uniting two industry-leading teams under a single vision: to push the boundaries of what’s possible in production.

“Eyeline combines nearly four decades of visual effects artistry with cutting-edge virtual production, AI-enabled tools, and advanced research,” he added. “Merging Scanline VFX and Eyeline Studios under one brand enables us to pioneer new tools, facilitate creative collaboration, and drive the future of filmmaking for the most ambitious storytellers around the world.”

Both Scanline and Eyeline Studios, which operated as Netflix’s virtual production and research lab prior to the merger, have worked on a host of Netflix productions.

Shapiro noted that Scanline, which was founded 36 years ago, earned a Scientific and Technical Academy Award for its proprietary fluid simulation software, Flowline, and contributed groundbreaking work to global hits such as “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” and Netflix’s latest film, “The Woman in Cabin 10.” Last month, Scanline won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or Movie for “Andor: Season 2” on Disney+.

Eyeline Studios, founded in 2019, pioneered the use of virtual production and volumetric capture, earning the Visual Effects Society’s inaugural Groundbreaking Technology Award for its stage technology, most recently showcased in the creation of Professor Orloff in “Wednesday: Season 2,” Shapiro said.

Eyeline’s Light Dome—the first-of-its-kind virtual production stage to replicate any real-world lighting condition with exacting realism—was recently used on “Happy Gilmore 2” and the upcoming “A House of Dynamite.” Eyeline Studios has also led the field in applying generative AI to production, most notably in Netflix’s Argentine sci-fi series “The Eternaut,” Shapiro said.

AMSTERDAM—Shotoku Broadcast Systems, a major developer of robotic systems, has announced plans to take studio robotics to the next level at IBC2025 by debuting a new line of Swoop robotic cranes.

Swoop is designed to replace manually operated cranes and jibs, which typically require one or even two dedicated operators and are unable to be tightly integrated into robotic camera systems.

The new line of cranes will be demoed at Shotoku’s IBC stand 12.F47 during the show.

“We are so excited to be introducing Swoop to the world at IBC,” explains James Eddershaw, managing director at Shotoku. “Swoop represents a major step forward in studio robotics combining creativity, control, and safety in one elegantly engineered system.The crane enables broadcasters to reach new heights and, dare I say it, new lows by expanding creative possibilities while enhancing operational flexibility.”

The range launches with two sizes: Swoop 140 and Swoop 220, representing a boom arm reach of 140 cm (4'7”) and 220 cm (7'3"). Both versions combine precision engineering with Shotoku’s renowned reliability, enabling production directors to create and precisely repeat sweeping shots with confidence and ease.

Swoop also offers two base options to match production needs and budgets. The SmartPed robotic base (Swoop SP) provides complete freedom of movement across the studio floor with remotely controlled X/Y positioning. Alternatively, a manual base delivers a cost-effective solution for situations where manual relocating of the base between shots or shows is all that’s required, the company said.

Swoop integrates seamlessly with Shotoku’s TR-XT advanced control system for complete control of the crane within the studio. TR-XT’s StudioView display shows Swoop’s location relative to other cameras, while the SoftRail system allows Swoop SP to be controlled along tightly defined SoftRail paths ensuring precise, safe, and consistent movement across the floor, the company explained.

The Swoop system uses a specially configured version of Shotoku’s TG-47 robotic pan/tilt head. Mounted on the end of the Swoop’s arm, the TG-47 ensures operators can frame the perfect shot while the crane provides dramatic new camera angles and shot transitions, out of reach of even the most advanced robotic pedestals.

Given the importance of safety, the company said that Swoop systems are designed from the ground up with safety in mind. Multiple intelligent proximity detectors are mounted along the length of the arm and above and below the payload creating a dynamic protective “bubble” that detects obstacles, stops all movement, and prevents collisions.

A single button switches Swoop seamlessly into Local mode for repositioning when required. A safety locking bar is available in Local mode whenever the arm needs to be locked in position.

ATLANTA—CBS Atlanta has announced that it will officially launch its local newsroom with a new state-of-the-art augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) news studio on Monday, Sept. 15.

The station is billing the AR/VR news studio as the first of its kind in the area.

It also announced that three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and Atlanta native Jobina Fortson-Evans has been named anchor of CBS Atlanta’s newscast.

The newscasts will premiere Monday, Sept. 15, at 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM, anchored by Fortson-Evans, who brings a decade of experience and a deep connection to the Atlanta community. Fortson-Evans will solo anchor both evening newscasts from the virtual set, guiding viewers through immersive reports that blend cutting-edge technology with trusted journalism.

CBS announced earlier this summer that owned-and-operated WUPA (Channel 69) would become the new home of CBS’ network entertainment, news and sports programming.

Gray Media-owned WANF had been the CBS affiliate for 31 years. It has been renamed Atlanta News First and is transitioning to a local news-focused independent station.

“Our newsroom is built on the belief that local journalism thrives when led by people who know and care about the community,” said Shawn Hoder, vice president and news director of CBS Atlanta. “Jobina’s talent, integrity and deep Atlanta roots make her the perfect choice to lead our coverage as we continue to expand our news operation.”

“It’s an incredible honor to help shape CBS Atlanta’s voice and lead this groundbreaking newsroom,” added Fortson-Evans. “Atlanta is my home, and I’m deeply committed to telling stories that reflect the heart, complexity and resilience of our community.”

Before joining CBS Atlanta, Fortson-Evans launched and hosted ATL Live, a daily lifestyle show on Atlanta News First. She previously anchored and reported at KGO-TV/ABC7 News in San Francisco, WAVE 3 News in Louisville and WMDT in Salisbury, Md. A graduate of Howard University, she received a White House Correspondents’ Association scholarship, presented by President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama.

“To be the first anchor in the region to deliver local news through a fully immersive AR/VR experience is both thrilling and humbling. This technology allows us to engage viewers in new ways – making the news more accessible, more visual and more impactful than ever before,” added Fortson-Evans.

CBS Atlanta becomes the ninth CBS-owned station to adopt this next-generation technology, joining its sister stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco (the Bay Area), Denver, Miami and Texas. It is the third CBS Station to deliver all newscasts in a fully immersive AR/VR format – setting a new standard for how local news can be experienced. The AR/VR studio transforms traditional news delivery into a dynamic, visually rich experience, enhancing viewer understanding of complex topics – from weather systems to civic issues – through hyper-realistic simulations and interactive storytelling.

A video of the set's construction is below:

“Atlanta is one of the most vibrant and dynamic news markets in the country, and we’re thrilled to officially launch CBS Atlanta’s newsroom in a way that sets us apart,” said Jennifer Mitchell, president of CBS Stations and CBS News and Stations Digital. “It’s a chance to redefine how local news connects with the communities we serve. We’re listening, investing in innovation and delivering news that is informative and resonates with everyone.”

LONDON—Vizrt has introduced Viz Arena 6, the newest version of its all-in-one live augmented reality (AR) graphics and virtual advertising sports solution. The new version includes AI-powered features that reduce calibration headaches and radically simplify keying and masking in ways that greatly speed up AR sports production, the company reported.

More specifically, the new AI-driven features make it easier for operators to integrate AR graphics into live broadcasts, lowering the barrier to entry for creating stunning AR sports graphics. With AI calibration, AR graphics and virtual ads stay perfectly locked to the field, no matter how the camera moves. It also gets graphics to air 10 times faster without losing any precision. The Sports Intelligent Keyer uses ambient learning to intelligently separate foreground from background, with minimal manual input required, the company said.

The system is designed to efficiently produce higher quality graphics in less time. It provides users with a a reliable system that eases time-consuming and complex tasks in ways that allow producers to expand quality productions without scaling costs or complexity, Vizrt said.

That has already drawn praise from some early users. “We were blown away by the AI calibration and AI keyer, they really transformed our fast-paced MotoGP workflow. We were supposed to be beta testing, but Viz Arena 6 was so stable and consistent, that we decided to take it straight to air,” says Sergi Sendra, senior director, media content, technical and production departments at Dorna Sports.

By lowering the barriers to AR graphics, the benefit is not just in creating and inserting striking data-driven visualization; it also helps the bottom line, Vizrt stressed.

With virtual ads, productions can easily add tailored, sponsor-specific advertising to any live sport event. This flexibility expands creative possibilities and helps deliver greater value for commercial partners, the company reported.

“With this release, we’re expanding on the real purpose of AI in production technology: making the process more effective and accessible. Want better creativity and efficiency? AI-powered calibration and keying speed up the process. In sports, the action never slows, and productions need technology that can keep up,” says Edouard Griveaud, Senior Product Manager, Sports and AI, at Vizrt.

More information on the product’s features and its ability to save time can be found at https://www.vizrt.com/products/viz-arena/.

SURREY, UK—At the 2025 IBC Show at the RAI Amsterdam, Sept. 12-15, Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC), a Nikon-owned provider of robotic camera systems, will launch two new products: the Cinebot Nano and the RPS-LT (Roaming Pedestal System with robotic arm).

MRMC will exhibit alongside Nikon and RED Digital Cinema in Hall 11 (11.C20). In a dedicated MRMC Broadcast area shared with RED, MRMC will demo its new RPS-C2 (Roaming Pedestal System) with a lift column, and the latest addition, the RPS-LT, a variant option with a robotic arm.

Also on display will be the RLS (Rail Lift System) with the AFC (Agile, Fast and Compact) robotic head mounted with a RED V-Raptor (X) camera using Phantom Track Recording Mode, which will be demonstrating how these track-based robotics can seamlessly integrate into dynamic virtual production workflows, powered by Disguise. The immersive environment will feature dynamic backdrops with scenes that transition from day to night, showcasing the true power and flexibility of the integrated solutions, the company said.

In addition, there will be hands-on demos of the Slidekamera Orion Slider with the Bullhead Studio multi-axis robot head, and a dedicated section for Sports broadcast robotics.

The new RPS-LT is a next-generation free-roaming camera robotic system mounted with the compact Studiobot LT 6-axes arm. Designed for high-end broadcast studios, this new system brings MRMC’s core technology of robotic camera arm platforms to a roaming pedestal. Providing smooth, class leading motion, the RPS-LT enables broadcasters to capture otherwise challenging dynamic camera angles with ease and complete creative freedom, according to the company. 

A key selling point, MRMC said, is the integrated LIDAR system provided by industry leader’s SICK, which will provide MRMC's roaming pedestal range with ultimate precision for positioning and safety. Intelligent choreography and built-in collision avoidance ensure multiple units can operate safely within a studio with seamless movement.

MRMC says RPS represents "a product-defining evolution" built on the need to solve common issues experienced with many free roaming pedestal offerings currently on the market. Specifically, the MRMC RPS has three steering wheel trucks, each with two driven wheels designed to deliver perfectly balanced power. With the option to pair with a teleprompter, broadcasters can maintain perfect on-camera delivery while staying fully immersed in the creative process.

The Motion Control area will feature the new Cinebot Nano at IBC for the first time, a compact, nine-axis motion control robot designed for solo filmmakers and content creators. With a 7kg camera payload, one-meter reach and speeds up to one meter per second, the Cinebot Nano delivers smooth repeatable moves in tight studios or remote locations. The system packs neatly into three cases, remaining under air travel limits.

Cinebot Nano runs on MRMC’s simplified Flair Lite software, that provides an intuitive interface that strips back complexity without compromising on creative precision, according to the company. The system also features Push Moco keyframing.

Alongside the new Cinebot Nano will be its big brothers, the Cinebot Mini and Cinebot Max. This immersive interactive showcase will highlight the power of motion control and robotic precision in professional content creation and IBC attendees will have the opportunity to get hands-on and interact with the Cinebots, shooting objects on the stand. RED Komodo cameras will be mounted on the Cinebots for demonstration.

“We are looking forward to IBC2025 and being in Amsterdam once again, especially with such landmark new products,” said Assaff Rawner, CEO of MRMC. “The Cinebot Nano and RPS-LT showcase how we continue to evolve our technologies to meet the needs of our customers across the film and broadcast industries.”

“Chanteurs Masqués” (Canada’s version of “The Masked Singer”), one of the most popular shows on the airwaves north of the border, is riding high with this season transitioning from hourlong episodes to 90 minutes to feed the insatiable fan appetite for the program.

An entertaining mix of singing celebrities in elaborate costumes, exciting choreography and fantastical sets, the show has captivated the imagination of viewers with audiences of almost 2 million tuning in weekly to the show on Canada’s TVA French-language television network.

Going into its second season with augmented reality (AR) Sept. 14, the show’s producers have turned to the technology to keep viewers on their toes and wanting more.

“With AR, it’s possible to transform the studio into a completely different space,” says show Producer Julie Ross. “It allows us to open up a range of possibilities that we don’t have with real set elements.”

Since September 2024, “Chanteurs Masqués” has wowed fans with everything from a virtual airplane flying overhead on set to a tropical paradise complete with virtual palm trees gently swaying in the breeze thanks to augmented reality.

Luc Sirois, director of the show, remembers seeing what augmented reality could do for the first time in 2019 during the Video Music Awards performance of Missy Elliot when a UFO appeared above the stage. “I didn’t understand what it was,” he recalls. “It was too big to be rigged on the floor. I called Jonathan [Fortin, CTO of Montreal-based mobile production firm Rec4box] and asked him: “What the hell is going on?”

Fortin began to do his research, and by the next year he and Sirois were ready to tackle Canada Day production for CBC/SRC with AR. “It was a total learning experience, but we did it,” says Sirois.

When the show’s producer came to Sirois about adding AR to the production of “Chanteurs Masqués,” he expressed confidence and trust in selecting and using Ross Video’s technology.

Rec4box developed its AR tech infrastructure around the Ross Video Voyager and Lucid virtual production solution, which harnesses the Epic Games Unreal rendering engine to create photorealistic virtual environments.

Four flypack-housed servers, each running Ross Voyager, are positioned front of the house at the studio. Voyager AR is applied to four channels of video from the 12 cameras used for the production. The AR channels, clean feeds of those four channels and feeds from the other eight cameras are sent to a mobile production unit where the show is switched, mixed and recorded live to tape.

Rec4box owns a host of Ross Video Voyager AR systems used by other clients and was contracted by Canada’s Bell Media to build and manage another 17.

“One of the main reasons we went with Ross is because every time we need to have a specific software feature, they listen to us,” says Fortin. “We push the boundaries of the software pretty hard because we want to do big things for ‘Chanteurs Masqués,’ which is the biggest show in Canada.”

Workflow Demands
Transitioning the production of “Chanteurs Masqués” to integrate AR required Rec4box to train the production crew on the technology.

“A show like ‘Masqués’ is very regimented and requires a huge team,” says Fortin. “That team didn’t know what the effect of augmented reality would be on their jobs because it’s different. You don’t work the same way that you have worked for the past 20 years.”

However, after the training, the production staff quickly became proficient in AR. The team now thoroughly understands what AR can do and how to use it. “They've learned pretty fast, and they've discovered that they can do pretty cool things that were impossible before,” says Sirois.

Echoing Sirois’ comments, Fortin says Rec4box originally chose Ross Video’s Voyager AR solution specifically because it was so easy to learn.

Planning for augmented reality for each episode begins two months before filming via creative meetings with artistic director Geneviève Dorion-Coupal, Voyager designer/Unreal artist Maxime Rouleau-Villeneuve and some members of the production team. Depending on the characters and costumes that will be part of the season, the team develops ideas and universes to create with AR that can be advanced throughout the season and as characters develop over the course of the competition.

In a second phase, depending on the universe and the scenes created, the rest of the teams must accommodate the AR technology in different ways. For example, the choreographers must adapt their dance routines according to the AR elements and make sure the singers and dancers remain positioned in specific places to maintain the AR illusion of reality, says the producer.

“Augmented reality is a big part of our show,” she says. “In any given episode, we are using AR for two to three performances for show.” For the 2024 season, 13 episodes aired, meaning AR was deployed up to 39 times last year.

Touring the production last summer, Mike Paquin, senior product manager of Ross Video Virtual Solutions, noted the frequency at AR was being used. “I was impressed by how many AR musical numbers, they were able to create in such a short time,” he says. “If they are able to do that, there’s nothing to stop other producers from adding AR and virtual elements to their productions.”

Looking back on deciding whether or not to integrate AR into the production, Ross says she believed in what Rec4box could do with the technology, and that adding it was the right decision.

“We did it. We are proud of it, and it’s adding a very big touch to the show. I think AR is one of the reasons the show is remaining so popular,” she says. “Our AR opens up a range of possibilities for artistic direction that we can ride far into the future.”

Learn more:

Ross Video Virtual Solutions

Productions Déferlantes Demo

Rec4box website

SURREY, U.K.—Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC) has launched the Cinebot Nano, a motion control robot designed to make professional-grade camera movement more accessible to solo filmmakers, content creators and agile production teams.

The Cinebot Nano is portable, simple and intuitive to use. The travel-ready solution delivers dynamic, repeatable camera motion. Weighing less than standard luggage air-travel limits and packing neatly into just three cases—an arm case, track case and control case—this nine-axis robotic arm system is designed for creators who shoot on location, in tight studio spaces or anywhere in between, the company said.

Capable of supporting a 15.4-pound (7-kilogram) camera payload, with a 40-inch (1-meter) reach and integrating seamlessly with Tilta’s zoom and focus control, Cinebot Nano brings high-end performance to a compact footprint, MRMC said.

It is designed for rapid deployment and effortless setup—mountable on tripods, suctioned to vehicles or even suspended upside down. The system adapts easily to a range of creative environments and comes mounted on pedestal or on precision ball-bearing track where the robot can travel at 40 inches (1 m) per second.

Cinebot Nano relies on MRMC’s simplified Flair Lite software, which demystifies motion control. Flair Lite provides an intuitive interface that strips away complexity without compromising on creative precision. The newly designed interface allows content creators to create moves even faster with its entry-level, user-friendly design. There is no software subscription. Users own the software for life, it said.

For users who want to create moves on the fly, the system, like the company’s other Cinebot solutions, features Push Moco for basic keyframing, enabling quick setup and rapid execution in minutes, it said.

Cinebot Nano will be available Sept. 1. Basic packages start from $27,098.20.

More information is available on the company’s website.

SUNBURY-ON-THAMES, U.K.—Shotoku Broadcast Systems will showcase its SmartPed fully robotic pedestal working in concert with an enhanced version of SoftRail, the company’s system that merges the path-following capabilities of a physical rail system with the total freedom of a free-roaming pedestal, during IBC2025, Sept. 12-15, at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Center.

Together, SmartPed and SmartRail offer the benefits of a rail system with the ability to switch instantly to full X/Y roaming.

The company will also demonstrate its TR-XT control system and AutoFrame presenter tracking with upgraded functions designed to streamline day‑to‑day workflows. A full lineup of Shotoku’s pan and tilt heads, including the TG‑27, TG‑47, TG‑18i and TI-12, TI-11 height drives, together with control systems designed for broadcast, legislative and pro AV applications, will be on display.

“Our customers are at the heart of everything we do,” Shotoku managing director James Eddershaw said. “Every new feature we bring to market starts with feedback from the people using our systems day in, day out. That same dialogue drives the development of our future products, too, ensuring we’re not just meeting today’s needs but shaping tomorrow’s workflows.”

At the center of the stand, Shotoku’s SmartPed will be shown working seamlessly with SoftRail. The combination delivers the smooth, predictable movement of a rail system when a fixed path is needed while retaining the freedom to roam anywhere in the studio on-demand.

SoftRail has been enhanced with Branch Lines, a new feature that gives operators unprecedented flexibility in addition to advanced rail design and editing tools. Operators can switch instantly between guided rail operation and unrestricted X/Y movement.

The latest TR‑XT touchscreen control system with its StudioView interface gives operators a live map of the studio with safety zones, live status of all robotics and direct access to key features like AutoFrame.

Shotoku’s AutoFrame face‑tracking system now advances precision and flexibility with Framing Presets, which allow operators to recall a perfectly composed shot at the press of a single button.

See Shotoku Broadcast Systems at IBC2025 Stand 12.F47.

More information is available on the company’s website.

DEQING, Zhejiang—Absen and Versatile have launched what they are billing as world’s largest monolithic LED virtual production stage. Jointly developed by Absen and Versatile, this groundbreaking stage features a 270-degree curved LED screen with a diameter of 50 meters and a height of 12 meters. The total floor area of the stage reaches 5,000 square meters, with the LED display covering approximately 1,700 square meters – equivalent to four standard basketball courts.

The stage was unveiled at the grand opening of the Versatile AI Virtual Film Base and the AI Virtual Film Technology Launch Event in Deqing, China.

Powered by LED virtual production technology, the two companies reported that the recreation of complex, large-scale, and costly scenes in film and television can now be achieved through a combination of virtual environments and minimal physical sets. Scene changes can be completed within minutes, and when paired with immersive 8K LED walls and realistic lighting, the shooting experience becomes highly authentic. This significantly enhances both production efficiency and visual immersion, offering industrialized support for content creation that traditional on-location shoots simply cannot match, they said.

Absen’s LED virtual production solutions have been widely adopted in major markets including the United States, China, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and Canada.

With thousands of installations across the U.S., Absen has provided LED technologies for sporting venues used by the NBA, MLS, and NBC; casino installations for MGM Grand and Caesars Palace; premier events including the Ultra Music Festival, Comic-Con, and the Emmys; and digital signage in the heart of NYC’s Times Square.

Founded in 1993 and headquartered Hangzhou, Zhejiang Versatile Media Ltd. has established branches in Deqing, Beijing, and Vancouver. It operates the world’s first AI-powered virtual production base in Deqing and currently employs nearly 400 professionals.

The new screen is the latest example of the two companies working together in the area of virtual production.

During the implementation of this landmark project, the two technical teams worked in close coordination, from early-stage planning and tackling key technical challenges to on-site installation and calibration. Focusing on fine pixel pitch, high resolution, and precision display, Absen provided LED displays and a comprehensive solution that includes core display technologies, expert engineering execution, color management, and full-process technical support.

More information is available at https://www.usabsen.com/

HUELVA, Spain—Alfalite has launched SKYPIX RGBW & IM, a new series of ceiling-mounted LED panels designed specifically for virtual production (VP XR) environments.

This new solution combines RGB video playback with an integrated white lighting channel, Alfalite said, delivering more natural, coherent, and adaptable scenes from above.

FOR-A America is the exclusive U.S. business partner of Alfalite.

The SKYPIX series is aimed at film, TV, advertising, live event, and broadcast productions working within VP XR environments, the company reported.

With a 3.9-milimeter pixel pitch, up to 9,000 nits of RGB brightness and a 7,680-hertz refresh rate, Alfalite said SKYPIX offers precise light control, a color temperature range from 3,200 to 6,504 kelvins and a TM-30 color rendering index (Ra) of 90. Its average power consumption of just 35 watts (90 W max) makes it an energy-efficient option for long studio sessions, the company said.

“With SKYPIX, we’re taking the integration of image and light within virtual production volumes one step further,” said Luis Garrido, executive director of Alfalite. “We listened to studios and lighting technicians to create a panel that not only displays content, but also lights the scene with unprecedented realism and communicates with the broader production system. It eliminates the maintenance and synchronization issues associated with traditional tracking markers. Once again, we’re surprising the market with a cutting-edge solution unlike anything previously available for film, television, advertising, and broadcast. It’s a tool designed to let creators focus on storytelling without compromising technical precision.”

A standout feature of SKYPIX is its Invisible Marker (IM) system, which replaces traditional physical tracking markers with a virtual, invisible sticker compatible with existing tracking technologies. This system ensures accurate, real-time synchronization and allows for the configuration of customizable IM constellations that embed metadata directly into the shoot, the company said.

Lighting control is managed through a dedicated application that enables real-time adjustment of both color and intensity—by zone or by pixel—with user-defined presets tailored to production needs.

LOS ANGELES—The virtual production company GameChanger has announced that it is expanding its global footprint by bringing its virtual production technology to the U.S. television industry.

“Imagination knows no limits with GameChanger. We’re giving networks, production companies, and streaming platforms an entirely new way to create premium content—without the constraints of physical sets or green screens,” explained Yaron Yashinski, co-founder and visual effects expert. “This is just the beginning.”

The company’s technology eliminates the need for green screens, heavy production equipment and costly set builds and is designed to provide Hollywood-level visuals on a modest budget, the company reported.

As part of the launch, GameChanger said that its virtual studio technology will now appear in two game shows and will be accessible to broadcasters, studios and gaming companies in the U.S. market.

“For decades, television production has been limited by costly sets and rigid logistics. But with our virtual production technology we can help broadcasters, studios and gaming companies not only uncover cost efficiencies but Hollywood-level visuals—unleashing creativity like never before,” said Nimrod Harel, co-founder of GameChanger.”

To learn more about GameChanger’s technology, visit GameChangertv.io.

PARAMUS, NJ—Sony Electronics has announced its agenda for the 2025 NAB Show, April 6-9 in Las Vegas. With its Central Hall home in the LVCC under construction, the company has temporarily set up shop in the North Hall, N439.

Sony says its booth and production introductions support four key areas: live production solutions, news and production workflows, imaging solutions, and virtual production. New highlights include a Super35mm camera system with Variable Neutral Density (VND), an ultra-compact Full-frame camera extension system, and a camera tracking solution for enriching content creation.

Sony’s enhancements and technologies support the latest industry needs and capabilities by enabling new forms of expression and productivity through cloud and IP protocols, cinematic capture, and Spatial Content creation, as well as augmented extended reality (XR) and virtual effects (VFX) workflows. The company is empowering broadcasters, cinematographers, production teams and content creators at all levels to bring their vision to life with more flexibility and efficiency.

“We are excited to connect with and empower the industry at NAB Show and debut innovations and advancements that address the unique and evolving needs of our customers,” said Theresa Alesso, President, Imaging Products and Solutions Americas, Sony Electronics. “We’ve taken a very intentional approach, by providing enhancements to our lineup. Through easy to download firmware updates, we’re adding more value, providing longevity, reflecting the requests of our users and offering a return on their initial investment. With our expansive network of solutions and expertise, we’re creating a more efficient and seamless workflow that enables creativity and meets our broadcast and production customers where they are.”

Cameras
Sony’s newest camera, the HDC-F5500V, is a Super 35mm 4K CMOS system camera for live production, features a global shutter imager and PL lens mount. A new optional software license adds VND capabilities for increased depth of field control and a wide range of brightness control through virtual iris capabilities.

Designed for the demands of today’s live productions, the camera provides beautifully detailed imagery and ND control during on-tally. It also offers workflow advantages including a wealth of features for HDR and SDR production, and the same infrastructure as its HDC-5500V 2/3-inch counterpart, including IP networking, remote multi-camera operation and an in-CCU (camera control unit) record option. It is planned to be available in summer 2025.

The BRC-AM7 4K PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) camera with AI-enabled Auto Framing and Tracking, which was announced at NAB 2024, is now available. New Version 2 firmware, planned for summer 2025, adds multi-person framing, face registration, enhanced tracking range, lead room effect, and it adds compatibility with the CNA-2 for remote productions.

The addition of the v2 software will ensure a common feature set and operational style with the ILME-FR7 Full frame camera. Planned for early summer 2025, both the BRC-AM7 and FR7 will add compatibility with Sony’s latest Camera Remote Toolkit for remote camera operation and settings adjustments.

The recently announced VENICE Extension System Mini adds flexibility to Sony’s flagship VENICE 2 full-frame digital cinema camera, enabling the camera’s sensor to be separated and extended from the camera body via a thin, detachable cable. It is approximately 70% smaller than the previous extension system, for use in small and challenging locations. When using two units side-by-side, stereoscopic clips can be captured naturally for Spatial Content Creation and VFX background capture. The system is planned to be available in summer 2025.

A v2 firmware update for the BURANO full-frame cinema camera will include new recording formats for faster sensor performance, led by a 3.8K Full Frame crop up to 120 fps and a 1.9K Super 35 mode that can capture up to 240 fps. Further additions include standardized SDI video output for monitoring across X-OCN and XAVC, as well as an improved on-screen display, enhanced image output, additional exposure tools, broader auto focus capabilities, and live event and multi-camera functionality.

Also on display will be the compact PXW-Z200 XDCAM and HXR-NX800 NXCAM 4K HDR handheld camcorders with network connectivity, AI-powered subject recognition, precise auto focus and the option to add MPEG HD422. The PXW-Z200 supports SDI output and timecode, and with firmware expected in summer 2025, will add XAVC MXF recording.

For the first time at NAB Show, the new HDC-P50A compact and lightweight POV box camera will be on display. Now shipping, the multi-purpose camera features a 2/3-inch 3-chip 4K global shutter image sensor, installation flexibility, up to 8x HD and 4x 4K output, direct IP connectivity, and full CCU integration while offering the same image quality and operational features as the Sony HDC Global Shutter family. The camera can be paired with an optional HKC-VND50 variable ND filter unit, as well as the CNA-2 camera control network adapter, for centralized monitoring and remote operations.

Sony will demo a v1.1 firmware update for its CNA-2 Camera Control Network Adapter, now with support for integrated management of multiple sites through Sony's Global Multi Camera System (GMCS), enabling remote operation of numerous cameras for large-scale sporting events and other applications. Furthermore, through the optional HZC-MSUCN2 license, simultaneous configuration changes and color adjustments for multiple cameras can be enabled via a web browser.

Monitors
Sony’s latest 4K professional monitors, the 16.5-inch BVM-HX1710 and BVM-HX1710N (with IP interface), offer a peak luminance of 3,000 nits, excellent contrast and deep blacks, and will come equipped with new operational tools including a side-by-side display feature enabling direct comparison between two 4K signals or between 4K and HD video.

In addition, closed captioning over 3G-SD1 1920x1080/59.94P and flexible control over the maximum brightness settings allows for adjustment in eight steps – from 4000 nits to 400 nits. Settings created on the BVM-HX1710(N) can be shared with the flagship BVM-HX3110 color-grading monitor. The BVM-HX3110 will also receive new capabilities through a free v2.0 upgrade that mirrors the BVM-HX1710(N)’s features. The BVM-HX1710(N) and v2 firmware for the BVM-HX3110 are scheduled for summer 2025.

Networked Transport
Key enhancements to Sony’s Networked Live portfolio include updates to the Live Production switcher lineup. Newly released v2.3 firmware for the MLS-X1, highlighted by the Conditional Action Macros feature, allows operators to pre-build actions that can be executed based on the status of the switcher, enhancing the efficiency of the production and reducing the burden on the technical director. Additionally, the M2L-X software-based production switcher is being demonstrated on Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) equipment, as well as the cloud while the M2 Live cloud-based production platform will show new integration with third-party audio mixing boards.

Nevion, a Sony Group Company focused on real-time media transport processing and orchestration, will showcase recent updates. The software-defined media node, Nevion Virtuoso, expands with a new high-density AES/Analog/MADI converter and add-on that provides more audio sources. Virtuoso’s HEVC low-latency and low-bitrate technologies will also be highlighted. The Nevion VideoIPath Media Orchestration Platform, which can now orchestrate 5G and cloud environments, will be on display, giving customers greater flexibility for their contribution or production environments.

The PDT-FP1 portable data transmitter is updated with new features including support for external camera recording, in addition to high-quality live streaming from a connected camera and streaming app. Immediate workflow for delivering photos and videos from the field has been improved with the Transfer & Tagging app (T&T), as well as direct upload from camera-to-the-cloud services.

Together with the PDT-FP1 and NXL-ME80 media edge processor, Sony's CBK-RPU7 remote production unit transforms into a remote production solution. New enhancements to the solution add remote camera control, tally, capture with return video monitoring, and connection management via Nevion's VideoIPath, enhancing multi-camera operations and monitoring. Recent v1.2 firmware for the NXL-ME80 achieves more stable video transmission with even lower bitrate transmission, enhanced jitter resistance for increased stability, and newly equipped encryption functionality (AES256). It also provides virtually lossless ultra-low latency H.265/HEVC codec. Integration with Nevion Virtuoso is planned for a future update.

Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations, which provides sports organizations with leading broadcast production, officiating, and performance solutions, is showcasing HawkREPLAY—an instant replay broadcast solution for flexible on-premise, hybrid, and remote production workflows. It can be used alongside Sony’s HDC-5500 4x 4K camera or HDC-P50A POV camera and CCU for enabling 4K HFR and UHD pan and scan capabilities along with a cloud technology showcase. Within the Broadcast Solutions ecosystem, HawkNEST, an asset management and ISO record system, will also be on display with new Control Console and Channel Navigator tool features.

The DWX series expands with the DWM-30 digital wireless transmitter. For use in a range of professional audio applications including broadcast and live music, the updated model supports a wider range of frequencies and codecs, as well as multichannel simultaneous operation.

News and Production Workflow
Ci Media Cloud, a media asset management and collaboration service available as part of Sony’s Creators’ Cloud suite, has added new format support and exciting integrations to simplify and automate post-production workflows. Ci Workflow now supports nearly all camera RAW formats, making its self-service VFX pull solution even more powerful. Ci also added a DaVinci Resolve Studio extension which allows editors to seamlessly access Ci files, edit, relink, render, and share cuts without having to leave their NLE (non-linear editing).

Additionally, Sony has added direct camera-to-the-cloud support for FX3, FX30 and Alpha 7S III (sequentially) with additional model compatibility to come, allowing camera owners to automatically upload to Ci without the need for additional hardware.

Crispin, a Sony Group Company providing leading master control and asset management solutions, has rolled out new services, including CORE Dashboard, which provides customers with the ability to monitor all critical system components, playlist alerts or discrepancies, and a high-level supervisory view all within the CORE ecosystem, which empowers users with flexible browser-based user interfaces.

Record & Prep Manager (RPM) now includes Quality Control (QC) and prep functionality to accompany the scheduled recording, allowing for complete management of all resources available for prep and records. A new addition to the portfolio is List Assist, an innovative approach to playlist management using intelligent analysis for easy review and response to changes. FAST Wheel automatically creates a News rundown based on content available on a station’s website.

Sony’s Creators’ Cloud suite of software, services and apps includes Monitor & Control (M&C), a mobile app for video creators that enables wired or wireless video monitoring and precise remote-control for single or multi-camera operations. M&C is expanding functionality in the latest v2.3 update and will support additional features such as electronic crop framing functions for the PXW-Z200 and HXR-NX800 and improved focus maps resolution on mobile devices.

Virtual Production
Sony will showcase a suite of virtual production offerings that support Spatial Content Creation. New this year is the OCELLUS (ASR-CT1) camera tracking system, a marker-free tracking system that can be used both indoors and outdoors. The system is camera agnostic and uses four out of five image sensors on a sensor unit to track feature points on video signals. The OCELLUS is ideal for use in both broadcast applications such as news, sports and weather, as well as cinematic applications. The camera tracking system is expected to be available in fall 2025.

Additionally, Sony’s Virtual Production Tool Set, a series of resources that streamlines pre-production and on-set workflows, is gaining new features which will be previewed to bring pre-visualization to life, before a production takes place. Updated software addresses viewing angle correction, and adds Crystal LED off-axis color compensations. In addition, it provides rendering of high picture quality CG backgrounds at high frames per second by ray-tracing acceleration, and also supports real-time moiré alerts for VENICE 2 operation.

For more information about Sony’s presence at NAB Show, please visit https://pro.sony/nab.

Camera tracking and virtual production technology provider Mo-Sys has announced it will be showcasing its new StarTracker Mini at the 2025 NAB Show between April 6-9 in Las Vegas.

The StarTracker Mini, a ultra-compact, all-in-one camera tracking system, is designed to make camera tracking solutions accessible to content creators, in-house studios, and educators.

The StarTracker Mini offers the precision and dependability of the company’s StarTracker Classic, now condensed into an ultra-compact package with no external processing unit. The StarTracker Mini is specifically designed to meet the needs of content creators who operate in more confined spaces and lack the ceiling height of full-scale studio facilities served by StarTracker Max.

Unlike SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) technologies, the StarTracker Mini knows its place. It requires no re-calibration between setups, ensuring reliable operation without interruption. Its immunity to interference from direct light or changes in ambient lighting conditions makes it an ideal solution for smaller in-house studios, as well as corporate and education facilities.

"We are proud to be showcasing the StarTracker Mini, which brings the power of our StarTracker Classic technology to a wider range of users," said Michael Geissler, CEO of Mo-Sys. "Our latest addition to the StarTracker line reduces the complexity of absolute tracking and is set to transform the way content is created in compact studios, providing the accuracy and reliability that the film and broadcast industries expect to content creators, educators and the corporate sector."

Mo-Sys will be showcasing the StarTracker Mini at NAB Show 2025, at booth N3039 in the North Hall,

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J.—LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. that the company is describing as the consumer electronics industry’s first in-house virtual studio.

The facility will allow LG to create compelling content for its extensive product portfolios while achieving substantial savings on production costs and timescales. It will also reduce environmental impact and reliance on public spaces for production, LG reported.

“The new LG Virtual Production Studio will allow our product and marketing teams to commission content with scalability, efficiency and volume,” said Chris Jung, President and CEO of LG Electronics North America, who oversees all company divisions using the new space. “The studio provides a vivid, real-world demonstration of how LG digital production technology can be used to enhance creativity, increase flexibility, and achieve unprecedented new levels of efficiency for us and for our customers.”

The facility is a collaboration between LG and its affiliate creative agency HSAD. The LG Virtual Production Studio integrates LG’s own commercial LED display technology to create a 1.5-pixel-pitch display that spans two walls, allowing for immersive, cost-effective, and flexible content creation. It also leverages innovative partner technologies including Megapixel’s HELIOS LED Processing Platform and the Mo-Sys Camera Tracking Solutions/Server.

LG recently acquired an interest in Mo-Sys, a developer of virtual production solutions and camera robotics.

The facility integrates LG’s LED displays and controllers with Mo-Sys’s XR (extended reality) products and systems to create a total solution for XR.

In addition, the studio’s HELIOS Platform from Megapixel allows multiple users to control colorimetry, tone mapping, gamut adjustments, and camera integration features in real time without the need for additional software.

Unlike traditional studio setups, the studio enables rapid content production, reducing build times from days to hours. The technology, including parallax motion and real-time rendering, enhances believability and adaptability, and the studio’s launch aims to increase LG’s content output, improve efficiency, and reduce costs. Future plans include episodic content and potential partnerships with other brands, highlighting LG’s and HSAD’s innovative approach to content creation.

“This breakthrough production studio, enabled by LG’s advanced commercial display technology, now allows LG to craft compelling content designed to evoke aspirational feelings around its entire product line, boosting both its appeal and marketability, all while keeping costs down,” explained HSAD USA president Scott Lee. “We can produce more compelling content faster, with greater flexibility and cost-efficiency than ever before. LG content production teams are better equipped to scale output, meet demand, and be first to market – without relying on costly external resources and physical locations.”

Because production is done virtually, the studio eliminates the need for costly and wasteful physical set production and the utilization of public indoor or outdoor spaces, reducing the impact of production on the environment, LG reported.

The LG Virtual Production Studio includes a 25-foot, two-wall display designed around two 1.5- pixel-pitch LG MAGNIT Studio Series LBAG015 direct-view Micro LED displays – 13-by-8-foot and 8-by-4-foot displays – positioned at a 90-degree angle. The fine pixel pitch of the Studio Series allows for cost savings because creative backgrounds and special effects can be displayed closer to cameras in this modestly-sized (about 1,000-square-foot) fixed-location studio. By comparison, LED displays with wider pixel pitches require much larger studio spaces as cameras must be positioned further from the displays so that the pixels aren’t visible to maintain image detail.

Operating as an in-house agency for LG Electronics, HSAD is a global, full-service marketing and creative services agency with offices located in major cities around the world.

More information about LG Studio Series LBAG Direct View Micro LED displays, is available here.

FORT WORTH, Texas—Trilogy Studios has launched its state-of-the-art 100,000-square-foot Flex Space, a fully equipped warehouse that the company said is designed to adapt to any production's needs.

Targeted to TV, film and commercial productions, the Flex Space facility allows creators to utilize 15,000 square feet or the entire facility and transform the space into anything a production requires—sound stages, storage, production offices or set fabrication, Trilogy said.

The Flex Space is conveniently located adjacent to Trilogy Studios' LED volume stages in the area.

“At Trilogy Studios, we know production needs vary, and we're here to deliver unmatched versatility and convenience to filmmakers,” Trilogy Studios Director Joe Worth said. “With this new Flex Space, we're making it easier than ever for productions to scale up or down without the hassle of securing multiple locations.”

The Flex Space is equipped with power, water, HVAC and restrooms. Conference rooms and offices are readily available, providing ample workspace for production teams. A secure space is also available for storing sets while filming on Trilogy’s cutting-edge LED volume walls—the biggest in Texas.

Additional space is available for trailers, production offices, hair and makeup, and wardrobe.

For more information, click here.

Any lingering resistance to virtual production involving next-generation elements like LED walls, in-camera visual effects (ICVFX) and mixed reality (MR) is rapidly disappearing across the media and entertainment industry as an increasingly viable hybrid approach to using the technology takes hold.

From broadcast programming to motion pictures and advertising, producers and directors are no longer faced with making an either-or choice between VP or traditional production modes. Instead, thanks to a spate of groundbreaking innovations that have made hybrid use-case flexibility a reality, virtual production (VP) in all of its permutations is now seen as an essential tool that can contribute time- and cost-saving efficiency to just about any project.

“Virtual production is an ever-evolving solution,”
Jaime Raffone, senior manager of cinematic production at Sony Electronics, says. “The move to immersive and hybrid technologies has been extremely helpful for us.”

Even before the hybrid VP paradigm took hold, researchers predicted big things for VP. In one outlook typical of many findings, Research and Markets projects the global VP market will grow at a 19.98% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from $1.99 billion in 2022 to $7.13 billion by the end of 2029. According to Grand View Research, the VP spend in the U.S. over that span will increase at a 15.9% CAGR, reaching $1.09 billion in 2029.

Pros Are Embracing VP
By all accounts, resistance within professional production ranks to VP is rapidly giving way to enthusiastic embrace as benefits accrue from the more versatile hybrid approaches to exploiting the technology. Indeed, says Bob Caniglia, director of sales operations for the Americas at Blackmagic Design, the shift to VP is more creative-driven than a top-down, front-office phenomenon like the industry’s shift to video streaming.

“As effects guys and directors are pulled in, they start to realize they can really improve the entire workflow,” Caniglia says. While some directors are resistant to making the changes in production planning and execution required by reliance on LED volumes and ICFVX, many more want to benefit from things like providing “actors on set with live environments” and doing “more in shorter periods of time.”

The rise in VP adoption is having a big impact on Blackmagic’s output of cameras, switchers, editing tools and other products, as it meets demand for things like the locational flexibility enabled by cloud-based workflows and the LED wall-display quality stemming from the use of 12K and, soon with a forthcoming release, 16K cameras. The trendline in VP is “definitely moving upwards,” Caniglia says.

Sony’s Raffone, too, says the shift in perspectives on VP has been a big force behind new product development at her company. Notably, Sony responded to customer demand for LED solutions that aren’t fixed components of big studios by introducing the Verona line of modular LED displays in 2023. These employ the ground-breaking Crystal LED technology Sony created to achieve life-like realism through independent illumination of each pixel.

Over the past year, Verona displays have been deployed in multiple broadcast, cinema and VP educational projects, Raffone notes. New VP engagements in the broadcast industry include hybrid applications of Verona displays in live sports programming at WWE facilities in Stamford, Connecticut, and at the studios of another major sports broadcaster she declined to name.

Sony Bolsters Hybrid Use
Sony has also strengthened its position in the production space with a Virtual Production toolset that supports ICVFX (in-camera visual effects) within the Epic Games Unreal Engine multidisplay rendering platform to meld the real and virtual domains and cut production time through virtualized renderings of camera settings ahead of actual production. Integration partnerships with Brompton Technology and Megapixel VR ensure out-of-the box compatibility between Verona LED displays and leading production LED controllers, Raffone also notes.

The upshot is a hybrid-optimized VP portfolio that’s gaining traction worldwide across the company’s traditional market base as well as in new areas of business, education and government. “We continue to evolve with the needs of the market,” she says.

Ross Video is another major player benefitting from the hybrid VP wave. “Control and integration across all elements is probably our forte and strong suit,” Mike Paquin, senior product manager for virtual solutions at Ross Video, says.

Ross, which in December announced its intention to sell the G3 LED wall-supply business it acquired in 2021, is seeing widespread use of LED walls in VP, but primarily in hybrid situations where broadcast productions can take place on stages without a VP component or be augmented with LED and/or MR elements to whatever degree is warranted in a given situation.

A big contributor to this versatility is Ross’s support for rendering graphic elements in whatever dimensions fit a given scenario, Paquin says. The company’s XPression Tessera platform employs a distributed workflow system that allows users to configure graphic elements for pixel-accurate rendering across multiple display environments with a dynamism that enables real-time changes in content in tandem with live events.

Such flexibility has created a multiuse studio environment that’s saving broadcasters a ton of money. “Building three or four studios for a TV station doesn’t work anymore,” he says, noting that many Ross customers, including smaller stations that “see what their network parents are doing,” are in the process of refreshing their studio environments. “Virtual is a part of almost every one of them,” he says.

Toward that end, Ross at NAB Show in April will demonstrate support for a flexible workspace where a hard set and broadcast desk with display wall can become a weather reporting studio with the kind of green-wall functionality weathercasters are accustomed to, and then be turned instantly into a news or sports reporting venue with LED wall support for rendering the setting and attendant graphics. “You can rotate people through that space for different segments of the same live show,” Paquin says.

ICVFX Without the Walls
ENCO Systems, a pioneer in automated broadcast production workflows, has taken its own approach to VP by leveraging decades-old chroma key video monitoring technology with the compositing tool supplied by Miami-based Qimera. ENCO, the exclusive North American sales outlet for Qimera, markets the high-powered computing appliance Qimera Chroma as a way to weave VP capabilities typically supported by LED volumes into existing live broadcast production workflows without actually using LED walls to provide a visual context for onscreen personalities to work in.

Relying on Unreal Engine to pull together all the elements of virtual sets and augmented reality (AR) graphics created by the Qimera compositing tool, ENCO allows newscasters to view on their monitors what’s happening with their placement in the virtualized output their audiences are seeing on their home screens. “Just like VP with LED volumes, using chroma key with Qimera, you can change the sets and images with the click of a mouse,” says Bill Bennet, media solutions and account manager for ENCO.

This requires processing delivered by Nvidia’s GeForce RTX GPU and a 13th-generation Intel core along with other high-end hardware components in the Qimera appliance. Bennet says that’s a lot cheaper than investing in LED walls and all the processing they require. “The costs of LED volumes often start at $100,000 and go up from there,” he notes. “We built Qimera Chroma to avoid that. I love LED volumes, but we don’t always need them.”

Hybrid VP on Wheels
One of the more dramatic manifestations of the new hybrid flexibility in VP was recently on display in the middle of nowhere at Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch filming lot, a sprawling property north of Los Angeles. That’s where Brian Nowac, founder and CEO of Magicbox, was on hand for production of a series of Bush’s Baked Beans commercials. While the setting was appropriate for shooting the outdoor scenes, the rest of the filming was taking place in a tractor trailer outfitted by Magicbox as a complete self-contained LED studio.

Speaking with TV Tech, Nowac describes the rapidly expanding role the uniquely equipped Magicbox trailers are playing in hybrid M&E productions. “We’re building a fleet of Superstudio products we’ll be deploying all over the country,” he says.

The Magicbox trailers, measuring 52 feet long, 32 feet wide and 13½ feet high, can be used with a 10-foot high LED volume. A motorized turntable floor makes it makes it possible to rotate the car when inside the truck.

A recent Dodge Hornet commercial with a child version of an adult passenger at the wheel was shot entirely inside the Magicbox, Nowac notes, which would have been impossible with a child driving on city streets. Another example of what can only be done using virtual production is a commercial for Subaru that features in-car scenes involving a driver talking with her dog.

Along with the convenience of bringing LED studios to virtually any location, Nowac notes that Magicbox is making it possible for producers to save a lot of money by having another production space at hand when set-changing and other main studio downtimes would leave high-paid actors and staff standing idly by.

“Actors can walk right outside a sound stage into the Magicbox studio and do alternate takes or more of their key lines using the exact same lighting and other aspects as they’re using in the big studio,” Nowac says.

LOS ANGELES—The real-time CG animation company Mindshow has unveiled its virtual production platform and announced the appointment of former Hulu executive David Baron as chief operating officer.

The new virtual production platform builds on Mindshow’s proven track record in working with such entertainment brands and studios as Mattel, ESPN, Netflix, Pepsi, and Original Pictures, to deliver high-quality animation, the company reported.

"Every step of animation requires a specialized tool—from assets to previsualization to rendering and review. This technical fragmentation bottlenecks creativity costing production teams time and money," said Sharon Bordas, CEO of Mindshow. “Mindshow is purpose-built to integrate a growing ecosystem of virtual production capabilities as rapidly as cutting-edge content tools and technology hit the market, making studio-quality animation immediate and intuitive through a single platform.”

In launching the new platform, the company noted that the $400 billion animation industry currently demands massive teams and six-figure investments per minute of content due to linear production constraints. With the market soaring to $600 billion by 2032 (Statista, 2024), Mindshow said it is now enabling real-time animation that maximizes the value of existing brand IP.

Mindshow platform merges real-time rendering with asset ingest and character animation tools accessible across the entire production pipeline—from storyboarding to final pass, the company reported. Directors step into virtual studio sets through mixed reality (MR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets, including the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest, to instantly utilize a flexible toolkit with full creative control.

Key features and capabilities include:

• Advanced Voice Integration: Proprietary lip-sync technology converts pre-recorded audio into stylized animated facial performances and character movements.
• Virtual Studio Cameras: Directors capture unlimited angles with multiple cameras with industry-standard lens settings, enabling iterations for instant control and review.
• Seamless Motion Capture (mocap): Generates real-time character expression leveraging industry-standard mocap suits to rapidly evolving camera tracking solutions like Meta Quest.
• Asset Integration Pipeline: Existing character libraries are easily converted into 3D models that are rigged for performance, maximizing the value of brand assets.

Initial response from some users was positive. "Character authenticity lives in the details—a subtle expression, a defining gesture, a signature movement," said Carrie LeGrand, head of production at Mattel. "From creating innovative swim mechanics for Enchantimals to dynamic race tracks for Hot Wheels, Mindshow's real-time mocap and character animation tools allow us to perfect every performance while maximizing our existing character libraries. This creative precision has been transformative for Mattel, maintaining brand integrity across global studio collaborations."

The addition of streaming veteran David Baron as COO is part of Mindshow’s commitment to scaling its enterprise software platform, the company stressed.

A founding executive at Hulu, Baron also held leadership roles at Fox Digital Media, Paramount, and Microsoft, bringing decades of media innovation expertise.

"Content distribution hit a historic inflection point when streaming put libraries of content at viewers' fingertips. Mindshow brings that same accessibility to creation,” said Baron. "Brands can now move from concept to delivery in one production cycle, turning characters into multi-platform properties across social, streaming, previsualization, and beyond. For the business of animation, this changes everything."

Baron joins CEO Sharon Bordas, who has led Mindshow's evolution from full-service production company to enterprise-scale software solution, backed by 40+ industry experts spanning animation, technology, VFX, gaming, and media. Mindshow’s leadership team, bringing experience from Illumix, ZOIC LABS, MTV and Stoopid Buddy Studios, includes CTO Bibhash Biswas, VP of Content Production & Development Megan Kelly, and VP of Production Jessica Campbell.

"The future of animation lies in smart production technology that scales with creative ambition,” said Bordas. "Mindshow's secret to staying ahead of the curve for global brand partners? We embraced VR as more than a consumer experience, but as a breakthrough enterprise tool changing the animation game.”

Mindshow is now available for licensing to select entertainment companies, sports organizations, and consumer brands while continuing to offer its full-service production suite through its Los Angeles-based studio.

To learn more, visit www.mindshow.com.

LAS VEGAS—Virtual production tech provider Disguise has announced that it will be working with Nikon and its subsidiary MRMC on a “Studio Extreme” demo that will showcase a turnkey virtual production studio.

Studio Extreme will take participants on a journey into virtual production, the companies said. As they step into the activation, participants will be transported to a location just outside Vegas, where they will be tasked to deliver a live news report. As a twist, the showcase will see if they are prepared for all the weather conditions that Vegas can offer.

Designed for brands looking to tell powerful stories through immersive content, the showcase or “activation” will leverage Studio Pro by Disguise, a preconfigured solution. Studio Pro combines the most advanced virtual production technology with best-in-class creative and technical services, including 24/7 support, training and installation, enabling brands to shoot commercials, social media content, internal training material or important keynote or investor presentations — all from one stage on the same day, Disguise said.

“We’ve helped deliver 400 virtual production studios in more than 100 countries, and know just how transformational they can be for brands,” Alexandra Coulson, vice president of marketing at Disguise, said. “Traditionally, however, LED technology required significant upfront training and investment, making it reserved for Hollywood studios. We are changing that. Together with Nikon and MRMC we are showcasing the possibilities at CES 2025. Attendees will experience firsthand how they can take their brand’s story to the next level, producing a versatile offering of content with our comprehensive powerhouse solution, Studio Pro.”

The technology behind the Studio Extreme activation will include:

• Studio Pro — a turnkey studio solution by Disguise
• Studio Bot LT — MRMC’s most compact robotic camera arm solution
• RED Komodo 6K camera
• Lighting by Kino Flo
• L-Acoustics spatial audio

Once they complete their weather report, visitors will receive a personalized video downloadable via a QR code.

"MRMC Broadcast is proud to be leading the development of robotic camera solutions alongside the ongoing growth of virtual production technologies,” MRMC Deputy Head of Marketing Amanda Dixon said. “The Studio Extreme activation at CES will be a fantastic demonstration of how broadcast studios can seamlessly integrate robotic solutions into their virtual and augmented reality workflows while providing precise and repeatable motion. We are excited to once again be working with Disguise to deliver this immersive experience."

The virtual production activation takes place at the Nikon booth 19504 in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

DALLAS—Optic8 and Trilogy Studios have opened a state-of-the-art virtual production facility here that features Brompton Technology’s Tessera SX40 LED processors and Absen’s high-performance LED screens.

The facility is made up of three advanced production stages, including a main cinematic volume designed for film and TV, a specialized car process stage and a smaller stage tailored for commercials and music videos.

Equipped with 32 Brompton Tessera SX40 processors, this facility supports a total pixel processing capability of 324 million pixels.

Founded in 2020 by Dan Kretz, Optic8 is an technology integrator specializing in immersive experiences, virtual production systems and LED volumes. Teams from Seattle-based Optic8 travel to clients worldwide to help with everything from film and commercial projects to corporate applications and groundbreaking immersive installations.

“We test and retest so many products out there, and we bring those results to our clients,” Kretz said. “Trilogy Studios was impressed with everything from the ease of use, the customization capabilities and color accuracy, to the ability to do Genlock and multicamera virtual production shoots—Trilogy Studios was very excited to go with Brompton.”

At the heart of the Dallas stages are Absen’s PR series LED panels: the cinematic stage is equipped with 337.5 square meters of PR2.5 for the backdrop, 303 square meters of PR5.2 for the ceiling and 32 square meters of PR2.5 for the side walls.

The car process stage features 152 square meters of PR1.9 for the backdrop and 45 square meters of PR2.5 overhead, while the commercial stage utilizes 75 square meters of PR1.9 for the backdrop and 54 square meters of PR2.5 for the ceiling.

“We’ve had an incredible experience with the various Absen panels so far,” Kretz said. “Virtual production demands a lot from an LED panel, and Absen holds up nicely to those demands. The PR series is consistent, super light, easy to assemble, and the communication between the panels and the Brompton processors is seamless.”

Neil Morrison, vice president of rental and staging for AbsenLive, added: “We are incredibly proud to be a part of this groundbreaking project. Absen’s PR series panels were designed to meet the demands of high-performance virtual production and this facility showcases their full potential. The seamless integration with Brompton’s processors will ensure a flawless production environment for filmmakers and producers alike.”

Optic8 and Trilogy Studios said they have further expansion plans and are vetting several cities in North America as potential new sites for virtual production facilities next year.

“We’re thrilled that Optic8 and Trilogy Studios have opted to utilize Brompton processing in their new Dallas virtual production studio,” Brompton technical sales manager Webster Moyle said. “We created the Tessera SX40 to be the industry’s gold standard for virtual production, and we believe its wide array of features and customization will be great for any type of project that comes through the studio.”