Weather Network Toronto chooses realtime 3-D from VizRT

The Weather Network (TWN), Canada, has purchased Vizrt’s Viz|Trio real-time 3-D character generation and graphics system to enhance the look of its 24-hour network with live, 3-D animated graphics. The 24-hour network recently moved to a more spacious location in Oakville, Toronto. The addition of the Vizrt Viz|Trio software was part of that facility upgrade.

TWN purchased a dual-channel Viz|Trio CG, along with an optional DVE and Clips System providing two internal 2-D DVEs and two internal DV25 codecs for replay of recorded video clips. TWN also purchased one seat of Viz|Artist, the companion 3-D animation software for graphic design.

In a breaking news situation like a tornado warning, elements such as a 3-D tornado, 3-D map, and 3-D text can be composited in real-time using pre-created elements to give viewers a true understanding of the forecast.

Templates also enable TWN to quickly insert photographs or live video shots of reporters from its bi-coastal bureaus, in Vancouver and Halifax, into live, 3-D graphics, without tying up the production switcher and DVE in the control room.

There are plans to add this system at TWN’s sister station, MétéoMédia, in Montreal, which serves Canada’s French-speaking population. Currently, MétéoMédia is live 20 hours a day and uses the same meteorological database to produce weather images.

For more information, visit www.vizrt.com.

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