Turner Broadcasting System plans to use the VC31 series of multiformat converters from ShibaSoku for its HD coverage of the 2005 British Open Golf Tournament on TNT in July. The VC31MA will be used to convert outgoing signals from 625i/50 directly to 1080i/59.94. It's designed to prevent judder and resolution degradation for a more fluid, natural-looking broadcast. (The units also permit conversion from European to U.S. HD standards.)
The VC31MA incorporates technology, which calculates motion vectors in real time by dividing the image into blocks of eight pixels by eight lines. By comparing two consecutive image blocks, intermediate images can be generated by motion adaptive (both line and field) interpolation, resulting in a smooth visual transfer between fields. Multiple intermediate fields can then be calculated by shifting the position of the moving image based on the direction and magnitude of the motion.
As a result, video "stuttering" which often accompanies camera panning and tracking fast-moving objects, is eliminated. ShibaSoku's unit (in conjunction with Asaca) can be mounted in a standard 2U rack and is compliant with 525 D1, 625 D1, and HD formats using HD-SDI interfacing.
