Production systems

Vendors offering production systems at NAB2002 looked to improve efficiency, expand interoperability and offer more integrated solutions. Production switchers with onboard DVE, clip players and color correction; still stores with character generation capability; and character generators with multi-layering, multichannel effects environments, all strive to enhance a single operator position with greater functionality.

Today, many systems import, manipulate and store JPEGs, MPEGs, TIFFs, AVI, QuickTime, BMP and a wide variety of other formats along with hundreds of true type fonts. Relying on drag-and-drop functionality, they are relatively intuitive to use, fast and feature rich. Systems can operate on Ethernet or accommodate a dedicated SAN, and have interfaces to multiple platforms. These capabilities provide the graphics designer, CG operator, or TD with the tools to create complex stills, cell animations, effects and multi-layering 3-D on-screen images that just a few years ago would have required a considerably greater investment in isolated hardware platforms.

The first of several highlights at the show was the Thomson booth and their introduction of the Grass Valley product line with the existing Philips and Thomson brands. Traffic at the booth was heavy around the Kalypso 4M/E 80-input standard-definition production switcher. The Kalypso was being demonstrated with an onboard DVE and, new for this year, an integrated KlipCache still store and Kurl effects. The KlipCache had 1800 pages of still store and is capable of 60 seconds of animation playback. The Kalypso AUX Bus supplements the system with a dedicated power supply, 32 inputs with two external keys and emergency bypass functionality. Also shown was a 1M/E version of the Kalypso and the Zodiak production switchers, updated this year to include a new transform engine that offers 12 channels of video and key effects such as page turns, cubes and other effects, as well as four full-function keyers per M/E.

Nearby was the Thomson XtenDD high-definition switcher and a standard-definition version. The platform is designed as a single frame that can be upgraded from a 2M/E to a 4M/E system via software. The XtenDD is capable of 90 inputs and 36 outputs and can be outfitted with up to four full keyers with chroma key and eight downstream keyers. It has four channels of 3-D digital video effects and four channels of RAM that can provide up to 32 seconds of clip storage.

Thomson was also displaying the Grass Valley Concerto router, the 7500 series router, the Philips Venus system and the new Trinix router. The Trinix routing systems are available in three chassis sizes: 8RU for a 128×128, 15RU for configurations up to 256×256, and 32RU for a 512×512 system. The Trinix router currently runs on the Jupiter control system platform. An additional feature of the Trinix 512 routing switcher is the Broadlinx Web-based status and alarm monitor, which provides users with real-time status. The Grass Valley NetCentral software will integrate with the Broadlinx application to provide users with SNMP-based reporting capabilities.

The next standout was the large Sony booth in the new South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, which featured the MVS-8000 production switcher — an 80-input, 56-output multiformat switcher. Further expansion is possible via S-bus connectivity to the Sony router. The switcher supports HD at 1080i, 1080p, 720p and 480i, as well as 24p. The same frame can support HD and standard definition, has an onboard DVE with up to eight DME channels, and is complemented with a shotbox system capable of 192 custom defined register recalls or switcher commands. There are four keyers per M/E, and all have chroma key capability.

Also shown at the Sony booth was the Sony eVTR solution: the MSW-M2000 and the BKMW-E2000. This system can play multiple formats natively such as Beta SP, SX and Digital Beta, while also translating to MPEG-2. The BKMW-E2000 interfaces the MSW-M2000 VTR to a standard Gigabit Ethernet network via the use of MXF files. The eVTR also supports the local encoding of metadata.

Finally, Sony had the HDS-3700 and HDS-5800 routing switcher solutions on display. Both are compact systems. The 3700 is 8RU for a 128×128 configuration, while its larger cousin, the 5800, stands at 22RU for a 264×272 SD or HD router. The 5800 can be expanded to 1056×1088 by cascading multiple frames. Both systems rely on the Sony S-bus control system, are front-loadable and have hot-swappable modules for ease of maintenance.

The Pinnacle booth experienced heavy traffic. It was showcasing a four-channel Thunder, capable of character generator content creation and equipped with an onboard DVE. Their FX Deko II had a clip player with 30 hours of storage, a Deko object controller, and the ability to input and manipulate a wide variety of files, clips and images. Rounding out their production suite systems, Pinnacle displayed the PDS 6000i and 9000i production switchers. The 9000i was shown equipped with nine integrated 3-D DVE channels; an EMEM system integrated with the Thunder and FX Deko, allowing drag-and-drop capability; and 19 onboard four-page frame stores with an optional onboard RGB color corrector and standard chroma keying. The Deko, Thunder and 9000i, when demonstrated running together, created complex visual imagery and effects transitions with drag-and-drop type editing via timeline or snapshot platforms.

A popular demonstration on the show floor was Chyron's Duet LEX running Lyric software. With 500 true type fonts, the graphics system had a clip player and a dual-channel DVE with real-time 2-D and 3-D graphics and timeline editing capability. The system was also configured with the new Harvester plug-in, giving it the ability to access a user-specified Web site and pull predetermined source information like stock prices, election results or sports scores to automatically update a given CG page. The Aprisa on display was also running Lyric software, giving it 3-D animation capability, multiple light sources and texture mapping. The system comes standard with six hours of storage.

Kaydara and BOXX Technologies announced the Kaydara's production solution, FiLMBOX online 3.5 with video I/O, is available on BOXX's 3DBOXX workstation. The FiLMBOX system integrates real-time character-based 3-D content into virtual environments. It features camera tracking with Intersense, Radamec and hybrid motion-tracking systems, as well as virtual set integration with Orad and vizrt.

Pixel Power, with over 1300 installations worldwide, showcased updates to its Clarity, Collage and Graphite character and graphics generator product lines. A new enhancement was the RapidRecall keypad. Designed for live applications, it gives immediate access to stills, clips and character generator pages from a small, low-profile keypad device. The new PixelBrowse image browser provides desktop viewing of still images across a network of Pixel Power devices. The PixelCOM is an easy to use interface to external databases, documents and spreadsheets.

Leitch had the spotlight on their MediaFile still store system, capable of communicating over standard PC networks as well as Leitch's proprietary StillNet network. Existing StillFile customers can expand their still store capabilities, while bridging the gap between proprietary StillFile systems and existing data networks. The system has an integrated CG and real-time effects capability. Also on display was Leitch's Integrator router system, scalable from 32×32 to 512×512, as well as modular products, frame synchronizers, clocks and amplifiers that are in use throughout broadcasting and production facilities.

A.F. Associates, a systems integrator providing consultation, design and integration services, announced the construction of a new Network Operations Center for USA Cable. USA Cable's existing origination facility underwent a complete transformation, from hybrid analog/digital infrastructure, to a fully digital, multichannel NOC, employing advanced archiving and digital asset management systems.

Another systems integrator, Doyle Technology Consultants, has announced a new relationship with StorageTek, which offers digitized data storage. Additionally, Doyle Technology has been named a Master Value Added Reseller for LSI Logic's product offering of large storage area network solutions. LSI has recently partnered with StorageTek in a nationwide distribution program.

Ross Video was showing their Synergy line of production switchers including the 1M/E Synergy 1. The Synergy 1 is a 16-input switcher with internal aspect ratio converters for simultaneous 4:3 and 16:9 production, “Squeeze&Tease” 2-D digital video effects, and an Ultimatte Insider matting device.

The Barco booth was displaying their virtual monitor wall solution, the iSTUDIO system. This user-configurable projection system can display up to 30 individual sources per module in any combination of composite analog, serial digital video, PAL, SECAM or NTSC, 4:3 or 16:9. The system also supports SVGA up to UXGA formats, as well as computer-generated objects such as digital clocks, counters or animated logos. The visual indications include audio monitoring with on-screen level meters, dual tally displays, and source identification and loss of signal alerts. The system is currently available in 50-inch, 67-inch, and 84-inch versions.

At the Videotek booth this year, the Digital Prodigy production switcher was on display. It comes with five standard-definition, serial digital video inputs (plus options for analog composite, component or additional serial digital inputs) and two upstream keyers with three dedicated key cut input connections. A small footprint switcher, the Digital Prodigy is capable of six layers of video and has an optional RS-422 serial port that links to a variety of editing controllers.

At this year's show, Pesa's high-definition and standard-definition routing solutions were front and center: the Ocelet at 16×16, the Cougar at 32×32, the Jaguar at 64×64, the Tiger at 144×144, and the Cheetah topping out at 512×512.

Also on display was Ultimatte's HD matte compositing system, which features dual-link, 4:4:4 I/O, internal 4:4:4:4 image processing, external matte input, automated ambiance color adjustment, field-upgradeable software and support for all broadcast HD and digital-cinema 24p/psf image standards. Panavision announced that it will be the exclusive distributor of Ultimatte's compositing system and will make the 24p high-definition Ultimatte systems available through Panavision offices worldwide.

Fairlight has acquired the intellectual property of DSP Media. The acquisition includes DSP's V motion and AV transfer products. Fairlight launched new releases of AV transfer and V motion as Fairlight-branded products at NAB2002.

The Systems Group was selected as the systems integration consultant for WJLA and NewsChannel 8, the Allbritton Communications combined ABC affiliate and regional cable news channel for Washington, D.C. TSG will integrate the automated server-based air operation for this multichannel facility and provide integration services for all core operation systems. The project is scheduled for completion in July/August 2002.

Canal+ Technologies released the results of a survey conducted by CANALSATELLITE with its subscribers in France. The survey shows that interactive TV applications resulted in $133 million (U.S.) in revenue for 2001. New interactive TV services such as Mosaic Navigator, pari-mutual (horse races) betting, custom portals, T-Commerce and digital pay-per-view events were identified as the biggest draws for subscribers.

DVB and CableLabs, a technology consortium for cable systems operators in North and South America, have announced that North American cable operators have agreed that MHP is to become the core of the OpenCable Application Platform. The OpenCable set-top box will allow cable households to access both digital broadcasting and interactive digital applications. More than 85 percent of North America's cable households could potentially benefit from MHP-based interactive services.

Of additional note were offerings from Snell & Wilcox and Evertz. Snell & Wilcox showed the HD DaVE 2524 production switcher. This 32-input system can be configured with a dual-channel 3-D digital video effects system per M/E and is available in a 16-input, 1M/E version as well. Evertz's line of standard-definition closed captioning systems, frame synchronizers, embedders and other modular products, as well as an HD test generator, were also on display.

Whether it was at the new South Hall or back on the main show floor, the next generation of production systems were popular stops for attendees at NAB2002. Vendors presented highly integrated solutions that accommodate a wide range of graphics and image formats, surf the Internet for content automatically, can be browsed from desktop applications, and are controlled under simple operator interfaces. In addition, flexible production switchers with integrated DVEs, multiple layers of keying and shotboxes that can provide cell animation playback, offer today's technical director tremendous capabilities from a single position. The story of this year's show is that content production capabilities operating across multiple platforms are now available from a number of vendors and are scaled to fit most budgets and technical requirements.