tvbe october 2015

IBC2015 review I Best of Show winners I Interview: Elisabetta Romano, Ericsson

Forum, opinion, live IP production

www.tvbeurope.com

October 2015Business, insight and intelligence for the media and entertainment industry

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TVBEurope 3October 2015 www.tvbeurope.com

There was a notable change in the air

in Amsterdam this year. It was evident

in the conversations taking place on

the show fl oor as much as those inspiring the

offi cial debate in the conference sessions. The

difference between the IBCs of 2014 and 2015

felt akin to the adolescence of a much younger,

nascent marketplace that is slowly riding the

growing tide of technological change into an

uncertain but promising future.

Certainly, the general messaging emanating

from the show was a more measured affair: gone

(largely) was the tub-thumping about some

mythical future technological ideal; in its place,

more tangible, practical methodology about

the hybrid ecosystem that will carry the industry’s

component verticals sensibly into the digital age.

Fran Unsworth, director of BBC World Service,

put it in palatable terms when explaining that

“the future is digital and we need to expand it,

but not at the expense of television and radio”.

The general consensus is that broadcasters will

continue to have a fundamental role to play

as we reach furthering points of advance with

technology and cultural demand, and I believe

that as long as media in all its forms remains the

preserve of the storyteller, that consensus will

always hold true.

Despite the tight turnaround between the

close of the show and our print date for this issue,

we’ve managed to bring together a variety of

refl ective insights from this year’s exhibition and

conference, and we lead with unarguably the

hottest topic of them all at present: IP.

Our forum, live production

feature and opinion

columns cover an array

of perspectives around

IP as an enabling force,

and refl ect with some

accuracy the changing

mood of the wider

market: it’s no longer about proof of concept,

it’s about proof.

It was another record event, as decreed at the

offi cial press conference where a fi gure of 55,128

visitors was announced to an expectant crowd

of industry press. It was also another resounding

success for our IBC Daily team, who once again

ploughed through an incomprehensible amount

of work during the week. A signifi cant part of

that process was Melanie Dayasena-Lowe, who

securely managed the day-to-day operations

for the fi nal time as she leaves NewBay Media to

start the next chapter in her career.

On behalf of everyone at the company,

and especially those deeply involved in the

running of TVBEurope and the IBC Daily, I’d

like to thank Melanie for her hard work and

dedication over the last fi ve years and wish her

all the best for the future.

On a fi nal note, don’t forget our TVBAwards

on the 22nd of this month when we will be

recognising the success stories in our industry.

Book your tickets now and join us for an evening

of celebration (www.tvb-awards.com).

James McKeown Executive Editor

Welcome

IBC: the industry’s future zone

EDITORIAL

Executive Editor - James [email protected] Staff Writer - Holly [email protected] - Chris Forrester, David Fox, David Davies, Dick Hobbs, John Ive, George Jarrett, Adrian Pennington, Philip Stevens, Catherine WrightHead of Digital - Tim FrostHuman Resources & Offi ce Manager - Lianne DaveyHead of Design, Hertford - Kelly Sambridge

Senior Production Executive - Alistair Taylor

Sales Manager - Ben [email protected]+44 207 354 6000Account Manager - Richard [email protected]+44 207 354 6000

Sales Executive - Nicola [email protected]+44 207 354 6000Managing Director - Mark Burton

US Sales - Michael MitchellBroadcast Media International, PO Box 44, Greenlawn, New York, NY [email protected]+1 (631) 673 0072Japan and Korea Sales - Sho HariharaSales & Project, Yukari Media [email protected]+81 6 4790 2222 Fax: +81 6 4793 0800CirculationNewBay Media, Sovereign Park, Lathkill Street, Market Harborough, LE16 9EF, UK

Free [email protected] Tel +44 1580 883848

TVBEurope is published 12 times a year by NewBay Media, 1st Floor, Suncourt House, 18-26 Essex Road, London N1 8LN, England +44 207 354 6002

NewBay Media is a member of the Periodical Publishers Association

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Allow 8 weeks for new subscriptions and change of address delivery. Send subscription inquiries to: Subscription Dept, NewBay Media, Sovereign Park, Lathkill Street, Market Harborough LE16 7BR, England. ISSN 1461-4197

Printing by Pensord Press, Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, Blackwood NP12 2YA

Leaders unite to drive discussion on the changing media ecosystem

In this issue4 TVBEurope www.tvbeurope.com October 2015

36 IBC Best of Show winnersWe showcase the TVBEurope category winners from the IBC2015 NewBay Media Best of Show awards programme

24Feature: IBC reviewFresh from pacing the show floor at this year’s IBC in Amsterdam, our team of writers report back on the major talking points

IP forumThis month’s forum looks at the technology that’s occupying a great many minds: IP. Philip Stevens gathers thoughts from the leading players

Interview: Elisabetta Romano, EricssonTVBEurope speaks to Elisabetta Romano, the recently appointed head of TV and media at Ericsson, about her ten years at the company and her plans to drive the business forward 48 50

Opinion and Analysis WorkflowJoshua Stinehour, principal analyst at Devoncroft Partners, examines the relationship between investor activity and industry trends

Music to IP’s ears: Philip Stevens discovers how IP technology was used for broadcasts from Glastonbury, and beyond6 20

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Opinion and Analysis6 TVBEurope www.tvbeurope.com October 2015

This article complements the mergers

and acquisition (M&A) article from the

June issue of TVBEurope. It reviews recent

investment activity in the broadcast and media

technology sector along with the associated

trends impacting the investment environment.

Any review of M&A activity is complemented

by a review of investment activity since an

M&A event is often the necessary culmination

of an investment.

A review of equity investments in the

sector leads to several conclusions on the

state of the investor interests in technology

vendors. Moreover, investments follow market

opportunities as water flows to the sea, so

following investor activity highlights the trends

generating value for the vendor community.

Without question there is tremendous investor

interest in the sector attributable to changes in

media business models and contemporaneous

technology transitions. Investor interest,

however, is confined to vendors executing large

consolidation strategies or those benefitting from

the most impactful trends affecting the sector,

and preferably both.

Examples of investment activity supporting

M&A transactions are widespread, as M&A-

driven growth strategies are easily justified by

the tremendous cost synergies available in the

sector. Selected examples of investor activity

supporting consolidation strategies include

Spectrum Equity’s support of portfolio company

Extreme Reach’s acquisition of DG’s television

advertising assets, Riverwood Capital’s support

of portfolio company SintecMedia’s acquisition

of Pilat Media, and The Gores Groups ongoing

support of Imagine Communications’ acquisition

strategy (four deals and counting).

The changing business model of media

companies is fundamental to any investment in

the media technology sector. However, and this

cannot be overstated, it is indirectly related.

Near ubiquitous references are made to

charts from a variety of publications on the

Investing in change Joshua Stinehour, principal analyst at Devoncroft Partners, examines the relationship between investor activity and industry trends


Opinion and Analysis

growth of video as a portion of internet traffic,

the exponential increase in internet connected

devices, and the changing nature of video

consumption. These developments are the

cause of changes to the underlying technology

market supporting the media industry. Changing

media consumption is necessitating new media

business models requiring different technology

architectures. The media customer requirement

of different technology architectures is in turn

forcing a restructuring of the vendor community.

So the cause of changing media consumption

has the effect of forcing a restructuring of

technology vendors. Taken together with

fundamental technology transitions – such as

IP, virtualisation, and SDN – there is a structural

shift occurring in the market. This is the

investment opportunity created by new

media business models.

Firm market data points helps clarify the above

relationship. From 2012 to the conclusion of 2014,

Netflix subscriber totals went from 23.5 million

to 57.4 million, content uploaded to YouTube

went from 72 hours a minute to over 300 hours a

minute, BBC iPlayer monthly requests went from

187 million to 333 million, 4K TV sales went from

none to some (I could go on, but the point is

made). During the same time period, there has

been no growth in product sales in the media

technology sector. The source for the latter

statistic is the IABM DC Global Market Valuation

Report, which is a vendor-driven initiative to

share revenue data in an effort to produce

the most informed figures on the size of the

spend on technology product and services in

the broadcast and media industry. There is no

greater authority on industry revenues than the

actual constituent vendor revenues.

Nominal overall industry growth, unfortunately,

obscures the huge opportunities for vendors.

Aggregate figures smooth the growing segments

against contracting segments as well as growing

geographies and stagnant geographies. For this

reason, the more granular the data on segments

and geography, the more interesting, and the

more useful in making investment decisions.

Many examples of regional and market segment

distinctions are familiar. Significant technology

spending was experienced in Brazil ahead of the

recent World Cup and upcoming 2016 Olympics.

Significant pullbacks in spending have been

witnessed in Russia given currency disruptions

and the fall off in spending associated with

the conclusion of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

A general pause in spending has been

experienced in the area of transmission in the

US ahead of the pending outcome of the

anticipated spectrum auction.

‘One immediate side-effect of the inefficiency around early stage investments has been a noticeable

increase in investment activity from strategic parties’

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Technology developments hold equal

importance for investments and again are

obscured by aggregate figures alone. Tape-

based technologies are giving way to file-

based technologies. Contraction in microwave

communication equipment is in contrast to

growth in the bonded cellular segment. In other

areas, fast growing segments such as statistical

and data services, especially around live events,

have no counter balance and are new valued

added services additive to overall revenue.

Since the ubiquitous up-and-to-the-right charts

on video growth do not correlate with industry

revenues or – I would argue – inform individual

investment decisions, what trends are referenced

by the investment community, and why?

Focusing on industry trends follows from its

importance to the investment decision. While

there are other key decision factors, an investor

is foremost concerned with future performance.

All future vendor performance depends in

large measure on the industry trends driving

technology spend over the next five to ten years.

For instance, the largest drive of technology

spend for well over a decade has been the

transition to high definition. The first industry

driver listed in the prospectus filing of Miranda

(December 2005) was the transition to HD. The

prospectus filing of Evertz (June 2006) includes

a similar list of industry drivers, beginning with

the HD transition.

Devoncroft’s Big Broadcast Survey offers an

accurate annual review of the HD transition,

along with other industry trends highlighted

by technology purchasers. On a global basis,

the HD penetration figure passed 50 per cent

during 2014 – there remains a lot of SD and

analogue. This would give certain vendors

cause for celebration, but several points are

important about the remaining 50 per cent of

the world transitioning. Price premiums between

HD equipment and SD equipment have eroded.

The organisations still transitioning have smaller

budgets and are located in less travelled areas

of the world. This means the remaining 50 per

cent of the HD transition will occur at substantially

lower price points in regions where many vendors

may not have sufficient sales resources.

The HD transition – while still important – is

declining in impact. Any investigation of the next

industry trends should begin with technology

purchasers. This is the primary source referenced

by institutional investors, and it is the same

approach taken in the Big Broadcast Survey.

The 2014 Survey Index, which lists the top

trends anticipated to affect the businesses of

technology purchaser over the next two to

three years, found that the number one trend

cited is multi-platform content delivery, which is

consistent with the aforementioned discussion of

media business models.

Recent investor activity has been

consistent with these trends. In December

2014, Elemental Technologies announced

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a $14.5 million fundraising (bringing total

fundraising to approximately $42 million).

Referenced throughout the press release was

how Elemental’s solutions solve many of the

operational challenges associated with multi-

platform content delivery. QuickPlay Media

announced a fundraising of CAD $57 million

from existing investors in March 2015. This brought

Quickplay’s fundraising total to over $150 million

since 2003. The press release announcing the

fundraising refers to bringing efficiency to multi-

platform content delivery through the scale

of its managed services platform. Many other

fundraisings such as Clearleap’s $36 million of

fundraising and Kaltura’s approximately $135

million echo the technology requirements

enabling multi-platform content delivery.

Citing alignment with industry trends allows

technology vendors to reframe discussions

with investors away from – inherently limiting –

discussions of current market size. Narrow views

of the size of the immediate addressable market

for existing products or services for multi-platform

content delivery would not support fundraising

levels of the aforementioned.

Large, high profile financing transactions are

the exceptions proving the difficulty in raising

funds in the sector. The fundraising challenge is

highlighted in the relative lack of venture capital

activity for earlier stage vendors in the sector.

This is attributable to the maturity of the industry

and its relative small size versus other technology

verticals. Because of these characteristics,

investments in industry technology vendors

are necessarily smaller in order to align with

reasonable expectations around exits: usually

M&A events.

Venture capitalists want several times the

original investment back at the time of exit. An

investment of $20 million in an effort to sell into

a $100 million market segment is foolish. Such

a deliberately extreme example highlights the

broader point: Many high-profile venture capital

firms have raised funds requiring investments of

large sums of money, which are not justified by

reasonable exit expectations in the sector.

For this reason, the majority of earlier stage

investments in the sector have occurred at

more modest funding levels better aligned with

the market sizing realities. Some might argue

this inefficiency around smaller financings in

the sector creates a greater opportunity for

investments in earlier stage businesses. After all, a

dollar of return on a ‘small’ investment is of equal

merit to a dollar of return on a ‘large’ investment.

Aframe, Dejero, TVU Networks, and Volicon

are all examples of industry vendors having

raised more modest amounts of capital from

institutional investors to support initial business

expansion. Such an approach – to the extent

practical – allows for much greater flexibility on

eventual exit. The way the math works, every

dollar decrease in the initial investment is more

valuable than a dollar increase in the exit. Said

differently, every additional dollar invested

requires more than one dollar created in the exit.

One immediate side-effect of the inefficiency

around early stage investments has been a

noticeable increase in investment activity

from strategic parties – in this context media

companies, IT companies, or large industry

vendors. For similar reasons, media customers

and IT companies have a vested interest in

fostering new technology suppliers for the

professional media use case. Neither is keen

to build and manage specialised internal

business to focus on a market segment

outside of its core operations. There are

several examples. iStreamPlanet has received

investments from Juniper Networks, Intel Capital,

and Turner Broadcasting. In its recent financing

Elemental Technologies had participation from

Telstra and Sky Europe. Kaltura’s $50 million

fundraising in 2014 included participation from

the venture capital arm of Nokia. Harmonic

made strategic investments in Vislink and

encoding.com during 2014. The recent launch

of CBS All Access benefited from technology

provided by Syncbak, a technology vendor CBS

made a significant investment in during 2013.

‘Notwithstanding the activity of strategic investors, the most active investors have

been private equity firms’



Notwithstanding the activity of strategic investors,

the most active, and most visible, investors have

been private equity fi rms. These fi rms focus

investment activity on already established

companies having achieved an appropriate

size and requiring capital to accelerate growth

through critical milestones.

Examples of private equity investments are

plentiful across the technology segmentation.

Private equity fi rm HgCapital became the new

owner of visual effects software provider The

Foundry in early 2015. Data service provider STATS

received new ownership in 2014 when

Vista Equity Partners made a controlling

investment in the former Fox Sports subsidiary.

Well known private equity fi rm The Carlyle

Group made a $50 million investment in 2012

in Vubiquity, a media service provider for

content distribution. There are many long-

standing investments by private equity fi rms

such as Mentha Capital’s investment position in

infrastructure provider Axon Digital Design.

Since private equity fi rms tend to invest in more

mature companies already generating profi t, the

opportunity exists to use debt to enhance equity

returns. Given current, attractive interest levels

and wide debt availability, private equity fi rms

often take full advantage of this opportunity.

Every dollar of debt equates to a dollar less of

equity – which again is more valuable than a

dollar gained at the exit.

Irrespective of the use of debt, similar

observations apply to later stage investments on

the need to align with industry trends. Institutional

investors are not fools: interactions with investors

at trade shows will confi rm this observation.

Investment decisions are informed by rather

exhaustive investigations of the sector beginning

with an examination of industry trends and

alignment of these trends to relevant

market segments. Technology vendors

constructing an investment thesis solely on

oversimplifi ed observations – more content,

more devices – are unlikely to entice

substantial investor interest.

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If we discount the significance of what has

happened to the industry in recent years and

look back at previous decades, words such

as evolution and revolution would rarely be used

to describe changes in this sector. Yet, when we

think about the enormity of the move to IP, it has

shaken the entire broadcast infrastructure to the

core and will change the workings of the industry

both now and in the future.

The IT driversAccording to the latest IABM DC figures, the

professional broadcast and media industry is

valued at $49 billion, a fraction of the value

of the globe’s IT and telecom industries.

Subsequently, these industries have more

money to invest in R&D, so it is no surprise that

technological advancement in the IT industry

can be capable of outstripping what can be

achieved in the broadcast and media industry.

Traditionally, IT technology was not

appropriate for specialised broadcast

infrastructures, however advancements in

processing power, storage and networking

Opinion and Analysiswww.tvbeurope.com October 2015

The winding road to IP infrastructures

By John Ive, director of technology and strategic insight, IABM

12 TVBEurope



capabilities have paved the way for its

gradual introduction and today’s solutions

can now satisfy many of the needs of the

broadcast and media industry.

It makes sound financial sense for the broadcast

and media industry to exploit technological

developments wherever possible.

Rather than effectively reinventing the

wheel, it has become much more cost

effective to ride on the back of the IT

industry’s investment in R&D.

Flexible infrastructuresWe have reached a point where there is

now such a proliferation of formats that we

need an infrastructure to be less rigid and

easily adaptable to cope with those different

formats. Historically, with each major change

in format, broadcasters would have

developed a new infrastructure. If we look

at the amount of investment ploughed

into global infrastructures in light of the shift

from SD to HD, it is easy to see why it doesn’t

add up financially to reinvest and recreate

a new infrastructure each time a new

format comes along.

Change in formats is also happening far

more rapidly, with 4K/UHD on the horizon

and potentially 8K, it is placing even greater

importance on flexible infrastructures.

The fact that IT technology is independent

of any specific video format makes it very

attractive. The industry now has a neutral

platform for video data and it is the

software that determines which format

it is working in.

In terms of hardware, broadcast and

media specialists only have to invest once

and they can handle multiple formats with

that investment. This is far more difficult to

do in the traditional bespoke broadcast

and media world where we use

interconnects such as SDI/HDI.

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‘The professional broadcast and media industry is valued at $49 billion’

Broadcast budgetsTraditional investments in infrastructure involved

large capital expenditure and this proved to be a

challenge for companies to plan for and budget.

The ability to have an infrastructure based upon

an annual revenue expenditure rather than a

large irregular capital expenditure is particularly

appealing to today’s cost conscious industry.

The IT industry is very familiar with this financial

approach, with limited upfront costs and the

recurring payments associated with outsourcing

and cloud models.

The shift to servicesIABM DC’s latest figures covering the 2014-

15 period showed that 54 per cent of total

broadcast and media revenues ($25.6 billion)

came from services. Symptomatic of the growing

trend towards IT technology and outsourcing,

for the first time in its history these figures indicate

the industry is seeing more money being spent

on services than hardware. The broadcast and

media industry is evolving, and is increasingly

becoming a service based industry. The research

also showed that the top four global companies

benefitting most from this shift are Cisco,

Microsoft, HP and Dell in line with the investment

trend from capital purchases to outsourcing, and

bespoke hardware to IT hardware.

The greater emphasis on services and support has

also prompted a profound change in the vendor

community, which is restructuring itself from

being black box technology providers to service

providers. In addition, the systems integrators

are having a tough time redefining their business

models away from margins on hardware

orientated systems to becoming software

integrators where they have to encourage

customers to pay for consultancy.

Buying cyclesTechnology buyers a decade ago were

purchasing replacement boxes with large

engineering groups and there was a strong focus

on optimising the quality of video. The structural

shift means traditional boxes are no longer being

replaced at the end of their depreciation cycle.

End users and technology buyers are looking for

agile technology infrastructures and to a certain

extent quality is being taken for granted as there

is a greater emphasis on creating content and

a stronger focus on what audiences want. In the

past, IABM noted an expenditure cycle of four

years: expenditure peaked and dipped during

this period partly as a result of various high profile

sports events. Today, that cycle is diminishing,

and hardware is only being invested in if it cannot

be replaced by more generic IT technology.

The futureThis structural shift marks the first stage of transition

in broadcast technology from bespoke high

value hardware-based proprietary solutions to

open system architecture and flexible software

defined solutions. In the future, we’ll see a world

where software will define the infrastructure

and methodology, networks will be virtual,

automation will reside and simultaneous multiple

format playout will be delivered from the cloud.

This does not mean less expenditure, the industry

is growing and more content is being created

and consumed on multiple devices. It looks like

the broadcast and media industry better get

used to the words revolution and evolution and

take advantage of the new opportunities.


‘IABM DC’s latest figures covering the 2014-15 period showed that 54 per cent

of total broadcast and media revenues came from services’

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I am lucky enough to travel to many

broadcasters to talk to them about where

they see the direction of television technology

in the near future. It is clear that IP is the top

talking point at the moment. But this brings both

challenges and opportunities.

There is a widespread acceptance that IP-

centric systems using commercial off the shelf

(COTS) hardware can be adopted already.

The most obvious and immediate opportunity

for IP is playout, although we are seeing inroads

in many other portions of the broadcast facility.

The people I talk to see a natural move

towards IP and, ultimately, virtualisation. They

are comfortable with this, they see the

advantages, and are not concerned by

the prospect of complexity.

The real area where media professionals show

concern is in the core infrastructure of a station

or a production centre due to the requirements

for handling signals in real time. Perhaps

surprisingly, it is another technology challenge

which seems to be driving this for many people.

Regularly I am told that they need to have the

capability of handling 4K signals, even if they are

not yet sure why.

While 4K/UHD resolutions can be handled by

existing baseband technology, the requirement

for HDR and HFR support in the future, together

with advancements in other areas, such as

compression with TICO and Sony IP Live, have

them re-thinking how the facility is designed.

And so the IP infrastructure comes into the

conversation. This implies a seismic shift in the

broadcast industry. The core of the infrastructure

in the future will not be a broadcast router, but

a high bandwidth, enterprise-class Ethernet

switch controlled by broadcast-specifi c IP

routing software.

The move to the enterprise switch puts

the broadcaster onto the technology curve

governed by Moore’s Law, meaning that port

prices will drop even while port speeds increase.

This brings a distinct advantage to the facility

once the move to IP has been initiated. It is

an advantage that is expected to last for the

foreseeable future.

IP switches, however, are not broadcast

devices. Achieving the level of performance

we expect means another layer of technology.

Broadcast vendors will move to delivering

monitoring and control, which will orchestrate

the pure IP equipment on the next layer down.

For the operators in broadcast centres, this

transition must take place with little disruption

in their current workfl ow. The architecture has

to look and feel like it used to. Under the hood

there are software-defi ned networking and


Open standards are criticalto an eff ective IP transition

By Glodina Connan-Lostanlen, vice president of strategic solutions for playout, networking and distribution, Imagine Communications

‘It is clear that IP is the top talking point at the moment. But this brings both challenges and opportunities’

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orchestration layers, which must not be visible to

the user. This leads to two linked conversations

around what is happening at the IP layer.

First, how do we handle compression?

Second, how does it co-exist with other signals

in our infrastructures?

I am not talking about delivery compression.

That is not something we have much say in.

The consumer electronics manufacturers, from

televisions and set-top boxes to smartphones and

tablets, dictate delivery compression.

What I am thinking about is a new concept

in broadcasting. Up until now, we have always

handled perfect signals. SDI is full bandwidth

– ignoring the colour sub-sampling – and we

have never had to consider anything less than

perfection because there was no alternative. As

we move down the path towards UHD and UHD-2,

we must now consider the overall bandwidth

requirements together with the signal path (wire)

requirements and how that will impact all facets of

operations within the facility.

If we are moving IP signals around, we can

more freely mix uncompressed and compressed

signals, taking advantage of available bandwidth

and more flexible signal paths than previously

available. We can also freely mix wrappers and

compression schemes in the same architecture,

and indeed through the same switch.

So now we have the opportunity to make value

judgements about each signal path. We can

choose – on a signal-by-signal basis, if we want

– how we balance image quality, latency and

bandwidth. As the enterprise-class switches get

faster, we gain more signal density, and greater

operational freedom, while reducing complexity

at the physical infrastructure level. To bring us

back to where I started, we can decide how we

handle 4K signals which may be different to what

we do with HD. Our infrastructure is, therefore,

inherently future-proofed, because if someone

comes along with something new – maybe higher

dynamic range, or greater frame rates – then

we just determine how many bits a second we

want to allocate to those signals and put that

in a look-up table. The system is virtually infinitely

expandable.The second half of this conversation is

how much bandwidth is enough. Already we are

having serious conversations about 100 gigabits

a second. We know how to do this. Even now,

this is practical. The one thing that does need to

be determined before we move into this great

new future, though, is that we need to establish

standards. Broadcast engineers are going to want

to choose best-of-breed point products in the

future, just as they do now. IT manufacturers just

want to sell their switches, and this requires the

broadcast vendor to move towards that position

of greater operational management. In effect,

they must make the enterprise hardware of

today, as well as future tomorrow, act like the

broadcast systems we are familiar with but with

greater freedom of operations, more flexibility

in routing, and more agility in how we add new

technologies to the network.

It is clear that the future, IP-centric infrastructure

will be format agnostic. We need it to be open

and standards compliant. That way, broadcasters

will feel confident in bringing together COTS IT

hardware, best of breed processing and software-

defined monitoring and control to build the

secure, reliable infrastructures of the future.

‘The people I talk to see a natural move towards IP and, ultimately, virtualisation.

They are comfortable with this, they see the advantages’

White papers, webinars, opinions, blogs, case studies, tutorials and more.

Executive Editor: James [email protected]+44 (0) 20 7354 6002

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The broadcaster’s viewThis year’s Glastonbury festival saw more than

30 hours of coverage across a variety of BBC

outlets. Alongside the live programming on the

‘traditional’ channels, the Corporation continued

to build on its digital offering by providing

streaming in HD for the first time. So, what were

its considerations when it comes to the use of

encoders and IP technology? “It’s all about

managing the IP network for broadcast,” states

BBC News location engineer, Geoff House, who

along with Phil Cannon managed that side of

the Glastonbury operation. “Packet loss, jitter

and network outages have to be avoided at all

costs. We worked hard to design and deliver a

network with redundancy and flexibility which

is capable of carrying audio and video streams

24 hours a day. We also had to deploy extensive

onsite network monitoring to make sure any

potential problems were caught before they

affected output.”

House says that software video encoders

are now on par with hardware based systems,

enabling broadcasters to take advantage

of the scalability and affordability offered by

commodity hardware.

“Taking a standards based approach during

our Glastonbury coverage enabled us to

quickly scale up our live broadcast capability

using existing hardware, delivering into current

infrastructure, without having to compromise

the quality of our output.” He reports that the

standards based approach worked well. “SMPTE

2022 FEC in particular enabled us to cope with

the vast majority of packet loss. For future events

it’s likely that we’ll look to develop the use of

ARQ and adaptive encoding techniques to

further guarantee the quality of our output.”

Drawing on expertiseHouse and his colleagues were able to draw on

extensive experience already gained through

the BBC’s early adoption/development of

IP based newsgathering workflows for both

breaking and major events news coverage. “This

has enabled us to share our expertise with other

areas of the BBC and further develop the use of

IP for the coverage of large-scale sporting and

Philip Stevens discovers how IP technology was used for broadcasts from Glastonbury, and beyond

Workflow20 TVBEurope www.tvbeurope.com October 2015

when audio mattersnatural sound – in the home

www.jungeraudio.com

Glastonbury broadcast areaPart of the broadcast compound at the Glastonbury Festival

It’s music to IP ears


Workflowmusic events.” House continues, “Conventional

transport means will have an important role

to play for some time to come, but IP offers

significant advantages, in particular the delivery

of multiple services in a more cost-effective way.

In previous years, our Glastonbury teams have

required on site connectivity as well as a sat

truck for each red button/iPlayer feed. This year

we were able to use a higher bandwidth IP link

to provide local connectivity services as well as

a scalable HD broadcast capability. Looking

ahead this enables our production teams to start

being more creative in their coverage whilst

reducing our onsite overheads going forward.”

IP has changed the way audiences are able

to consume content, and in order to further

enrich this, it’s important for broadcasters

to start taking advantage of the same IP

technologies in the delivery of content from

the field. “Investment in both our skills base and

infrastructure are key to this, with staff training

and recruitment, in particular,” states House. “The

development of cross platform teams conversant

in video, networking and software engineering

will be key to our success going forward.”

The encoding side“We provided the BBC with six of our OBE C-100

encoders to transport high quality HD broadcast

feeds over IP from six stages to London, marking

the first on-site IP delivery at Glastonbury,”

states Kieran Kunhya, managing director of

Open Broadcast Systems. “These feeds were

then used on the web and connected

Red Button services.”

London-based Open Broadcast Systems

specialises in using off-the-shelf servers in high-

quality, low-latency video contribution and

distribution applications. Based on the Open

Broadcast Encoder (OBE), the servers provide

cost savings as well as providing flexibility in

contribution applications.

High quality audioThe brief from the BBC, says Kunhya, was to

deliver software that could be used to transport

feeds from Glastonbury in the highest possible

quality. “As far as I know the C-100 is the only

contribution encoder that is available as purely

software and as a result has a lower cost

compared to traditional hardware alternatives.

If the hardware – Intel server plus a Blackmagic

capture card – already exists, then an encoder

or decoder can be rolled out very quickly. We

have customers who have put services on air

using servers they have received at the last

minute.”Audio quality is paramount when it

comes to events such as these, so how does

Kunhya meet that challenge? “Ideally we’d

send higher quality audio, but the reality is it’s

easier to send the lowest common denominator

of 384Kbps MP2 audio which is high quality and

universally supported.

“In the past, audio contribution codecs were a

case of ‘pick two from low-latency, high-quality,

low-bitrate’, but we now support Opus

which allows you to have all three with test

results indicating that it has higher quality

(and lower latency) than legacy codecs such

as AAC. The specification for Opus in MPEG-TS

was developed with Mozilla and is a registered

format in MPEG-TS.”

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Pixels Lines Frames 10b 4:2:0 (Gbps) 10b 4:2:2 (Gbps) 10b 4:4:4 (Gbps) 12b 4:2:0 (Gbps) 12b 4:2:2 (Gbps) 12b 4:4:4 (Gbps)

7680/8192 4320 120 60 [8] 80 [8] 120 [16] 72 [8] 95.5 [16] 144 [16]

7680/8192 4320 60 30 [4] 40 [4] 60 [8] 36 [4] 48 [8] 72 [8]

7680/8192 4320 50 25 [4] 33 [4] 50 [8] 30 [4] 40 [8] 60 [8]

7680/8192 4320 30 15 [2] 20 [2] 30 [4] 18 [2] 24 [4] 36 [4]

7680/8192 4320 25 12.4 [2] 16.6 [2] 25 [4] 15 [2] 20 [4] 30 [4]

7680/8192 4320 24 12 [2] 16 [2] 24 [4] 14.4 [2] 19 [4] 29 [4]

3840/4096 2160 120 15 [2] 20 [2] 30 [4] 18 [2] 23 [4] 36 [4]

3840/4096 2160 60 7.5 [1] 10 [1] 15[2] 9 [1] 12 [2] 18 [2]

3840/4096 2160 50 6 [1] 8 [1] 12 [2] 7.5 [1] 10 [2] 15 [2]

3840/4096 2160 30 3.7 [1] 5 [1] 7.5 [1] 4.5 [1] 6 [1] 9 [1]

3840/4096 2160 25 3.1 [1] 4.2 [1] 6.2 [1] 3.7 [1] 5 [1] 7.5 [1]

3840/4096 2160 24 3 [1] 4 [1] 6 [1] 3.6 [1] 4.8 [1] 7.2 [1]

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The BBC had satellite back-up plans in place

for Glastonbury, but the encoders performed

reliably, allowing the delivery of seven 15Mbps

HD streams back to Broadcasting House. These

were delivered to BBC MediaCity in Salford via

broadcast circuits for distribution out to viewers.

Good experiencePrior to Glastonbury, Open Broadcast Systems

provided encoders for The Hay Festival in Wales.

This also involved an IP connection in a field: two

paths at 30Mbps each. Alongside cultural events,

the company has been involved with IP projects

from the Shetland Islands during the Scottish

Referendum and the British Basketball League

finals from London’s O2 Arena.

“The broadcasts from the Shetland Islands are

an excellent illustration of how IP can be used

to deliver broadcast-quality live or recorded

material,” says Kunhya. “Broadcasters may be

reluctant to send a satellite vehicle and crew

to remote venues because of distance. In the

case of the Shetlands, it also lacks services such

as 4G which would normally be used to deliver

footage back to base.”

However, Shetland has one distinct advantage:

it is located on the SHEFA-2 fibre optic cable

between the Faroe Islands and the mainland

and thus has direct connectivity to Telehouse

London, where all the major broadcasters have

a presence. This makes the connection better

than those in major cities on the mainland since it

involves only a few hops.

At the Mareel entertainment centre in Lerwick, a

100Mbitps connection was available and having

built an OBE Community Edition themselves to

prove the concept, the engineers there used an

OBE C-100 device to encode the 1080i/25 HD-SDI

feed into a low-latency H.264 in MPEG-TS over

UDP unicast stream. SMPTE-2022-1 Forward Error

Correction was used to correct packet loss on

the link. After running tests to BBC News and Sky

News to prove the link was stable and the picture

quality met stringent quality standards, the feed

was ready to use.

Meeting expanding needsFor its part, Open Broadcast Systems has

recently unveiled a new headquarters facility

in Vauxhall, London.

“We’ve based it in a purpose-built teleport,

and the new facility provides us with space for

corporate expansion, as well as providing a

showcase for software video transport over IP in

an actual broadcast environment.”

The HQ has nine racks of datacentre space

available, along with a steerable C-band dish

and two Ku dishes. Diverse fibre paths are also

available allowing Open Broadcast Systems

to present a wide range of services such as

broadcast co-location and other video transport

means. It also provides for R&D improvements to

be tested, and then deployed in the real world

within minutes. Open Broadcast Systems also

plans to set up facilities in its offices for testing

devices remotely.

Workflow22 TVBEurope www.tvbeurope.com October 2015

‘This year’s Glastonbury festival saw more than 30 hours of coverage across

a variety of BBC outlets’

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NAB 2015 IBC 2015

Despite IP being routinely used in

broadcast centres and mobile facilities

for functions like content management,

browsing, metadata flows, stats integrations and

file movement, the live environment seems the

last area of the broadcast chain to adopt IP for

end-to-end workflows. The industry is now making

a strategic initiative to close the loop.

“Early adopters like those in sports, with the

financial means and the need for ultra-fast and

responsive live remote production, are paving

the way for others,” said Nicolas Bourdan, SVP

marketing, EVS.

Among the pioneers are NFL broadcaster

ESPN which opened its Digital Center 2 facility

last summer housing a 9,000sqft studio, six

production control rooms, four audio rooms,

40 cameras and 16 edit suites all IP networked

around a Evertz routing core. In contrast to the

performance of a typical baseband router which

can handle about a couple of thousand signals

at a time, ESPN’s set-up allows it to handle up to

60,000 signals simultaneously over nearly 1,100

miles of fibre optic cable installed in the facility.

It won the IBC Innovation award for Content

Management. Another well regarded reference

site is America’s Pac-12 Networks. It covers 850

sports events a year by sending the cameras,

mics and commentators to site but doing all

production remotely, using T-VIPS and Nevion

links to transmit talkback and telemetry to and

from venues up to 2,500km. Doing so saves an

estimated $15,000 per game or $13 million a year.

At IBC, Brazilian broadcaster TV Globo claimed

the first all-IP 4K outside broadcast truck. The

unit, being built for Rio 2016, will be outfitted with

Sony HDC-4300 cameras - IP connected through

the CCU, Sony’s IP Live switcher and IP-ready

monitors. The router will be off-the-shelf IT kit. “It

doesn’t make any sense to create a brand new

truck based on SDI any more, so we are taking

the chance to develop an IP-based OB

truck for sport,” explained Raymundo Barros,

TV Globo’s CTO.

Nonetheless, there’s a general feeling that

IP technologies inserted into live production

workflows at studios or venues need to mature.

Live is fraught with on-the-fly changes: a

late breaking news story with satellite link, for

instance, or a director requiring a camera

alteration at a track and field event. The risk

of on-air black holes or a missing commercial

makes for cautious adoption.

For CTOs, the heart of the matter is whether

trust in the deterministic, virtually fool-proof

signal integrity of SDI can be matched by

IP. Will resolutions, frame rates and audio be

synchronised all of the time? And how is control

over IP to be managed and monitored by

broadcast engineers unschooled in IT?

SMPTE standard 2022-6 goes some way

to address this. It is devised to mirror SDI by

synching video over IP in real time, and provide

reassurance in workflow and operational

monitoring for broadcast engineers. Reproducing

current SDI workflows over IP is the first solution

but it does not unlock the full potential of IP by

offering seamless switching between AV and

metadata streams. SMPTE, the EBU and others

are working on a new standard (2022-7) which

may be published later next year.

“When properly implemented and managed,

IP technologies for media distribution can match

the quality and latency standards required

by the broadcasting industry today,” stressed

Bourdan. The reality, though, is that if you want

to deploy IP across the chain you have to install

a lot of conversion hardware. That’s due to the

broadcast equipment vendor’s historic need for

lock-in solutions and it has to change.

“Interoperability is the key, and adhering

to industry standards is important to ensuring

success,” said Ewan Johnston, sales director at

Trilogy. “Customers will need to choose between

those vendors who provide standards-based

systems, but who really still want to deliver

proprietary systems, and those who genuinely

embrace the standards-based approach and

have open systems in their corporate DNA.”

IBC showed an industry prepared to make

unprecedented technical cooperation. The EBU

corralled manufacturers Axon, EVS, Genelec,

Grass Valley, Nevion, Trilogy and Tektronix

to support its Sandbox LiveIP project which

highlights resource sharing, remote production

and automation. It implemented an IP studio

at Belgium broadcaster VRT, replicated in

reduced scale on the IBC floor and is a landmark

achievement in interoperability by using SMPTE

2022-6/ AES67 and PTP to transport feeds over a

software defined network.

“The IP studio gives us an opportunity to

think of new ways of making content,” said

Simon Fell, EBU director of technology and

innovation. “VRT has built a world that can

work. Now, manufacturers need to adopt new

ways of interfacing their equipment to that

world and give us the flexibility we are looking

for. At the moment there is a lot of transcribing,

re-packaging and re-streaming going on to get

things across the network.”

In a conference session discussing the project,

Geir Bordalen, head of investment at Norway’s

NRK said, “It’s not all hooked together and that’s

one of the problems with interoperability. We

need to work hard on that and gain the benefits

of working together.”

Panasonic and Grass Valley, competitors

at any other time, declared an IP-based

production partnership. Panasonic studio

cameras including the Varicam now have a

built-in module for IP and were demonstrated

working with a Grass Valley K2 server sending 4K

50p via network connection.

“Factors such as codecs, synchronisation,

identification, registration, discovery and

connection management are required for

The transition to IP in live and studio environments is underway but the evolution will be gradual, not a big bang, writes Adrian Pennington

Industry acts on interoperability

Feature24 TVBEurope www.tvbeurope.com October 2015

REVIEW

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professional networked media,” explained GV

senior VP, strategic marketing, Mike Cronk. “Each

of them must be a common implementation for

a truly interoperable system.”

Sony has amassed the support of 20

companies for its Live IP production system.

Among them is Evertz whose software-defined

video networking was shown working with Sony’s

Networked Media Interface (NMI) at IBC. The NMI

turns HD and UHD video, audio and metadata

into packets, transmits and clean-switches in

real time over standard network infrastructures.

Collaboration is also occurring between

broadcast specialists and the IT industry. As part

of its multi-vendor IP4Live approach, at IBC EVS

showed its new XiP gateway enabling I/O IP links

to its live video server, demonstrated multi-feed

live remote production using Cisco’s standard

IP switches. SAM (née Quantel and Snell)

previously joined forces with Cisco to

demonstrate video over IP.

EVS was arguably the busiest vendor

in highlighting its open, standards-based

credentials. “What we’re talking about is the

last frontier for IP,” said Johan Vounckx, SVP

innovation and technology. “IP4Live will lead

and guide customers to real cost and flexibility

benefits.” The Belgian firm was part of Gearhouse

Broadcast’s demonstration of VoIP remote

production in which the EVS DYVI switcher on

Gearhouse’s booth was shown cutting together

4K camera signals from the Hitachi stand. It was

an upgraded version of the group’s demo in

June which routed HD over IP.

“This is a proof of concept in the migration

from HD to 4K and highlights the benefits that

remote production through IP infrastructures

allow broadcasters,” said Kevin Fitzgerald, head

of systems and product sales at Gearhouse

EVS (yes them again) further allied with

Imagine Communications to forge what Imagine

CEO Charlie Vogt called a “market-ready”

package for IP live production.

“We are aggressively going after the live news

and sports market,” he declared. The solution

marries EVS’ slo-motion and instant replay servers

with Imagine’s Selenio processor and Magellan

multichannel management software.

A fly in the ointment in all this cross-vendor

sharing is the lack of standards (or the

proliferation of them). This is notably the case

for compression and in particular for 4K/UHD

which requires implementation of a particularly

low latency scheme. Options include the

open source VC2 JPEG2000 and Sony’s Low

Latency Video Codec which it is promoting as a

successor to SDI because of the lead Sony took

in making SDI the industry standard. Too many

codecs at different points would prove costly

to licence so the unification of tools using them

will require a very open approach between

manufacturers.

Imagine has put its weight behind J2K and

expects others to follow. “The evolution of

standards will accelerate around successful

technologies being deployed by the largest

global companies,” said Vogt. “DirecTV, Disney

ABC, Fox Networks are all adopting SMPTE-2022

and J2K so you will see smaller companies begin

to adopt those.”

Sony Europe’s head of workflow and IT Niall

Duffy made a similar point, suggesting that

the de-facto standard will be the one that

gains most market acceptance the quickest.

“All vendors are keen to make the IP transition

REVIEW


Feature

happen. There is concern that we have to wait

until every single standard in the pipeline has

been ratified which will be far too late for the IP

revolution to happen as it should.”

Many vendors have their eggs in more than

one basket. EVS and Imagine support J2K but

have also backed the TICO Alliance joining

Grass Valley, Matrox, Tektronix, Deltacast and

others. IntoPix, the company which devised the

mezzanine compression is submitting a draft to

SMPTE. “We wanted to make it a standard for

enabling interoperability and to be open, so

we’ve been discussing ways of using it across

the studio IP and SDI sector with first adopters,”

said product marketing manager, Jean-Baptiste

Lorent. It is working on a preliminary spec for 8K

over 12Gb SDI or over 10Gb internet using TICO.

Interoperability is also the focus of the AMWA

Networked Media Incubator (NMI), launched

at IBC. “This is about getting a group working

together around IP for media,” said AMWA

executive Brad Gilmer. “Then we get the people

who make the products and incite them to work

together.” BBC R&D will lead the initiative with

Ericsson, SAM, Telestream, Cinegy, Dalet, Sony

and others. “Interoperability does not mean

trading down on ‘best of breed,’” said Gilmer.

“Media clients and systems integrators want

to pick and choose the best option to make a

solution work. Interoperability is the key enabler

of best of breed.”

Vendors are at least united in giving customer’s

an on-ramp to the IP transition, one that protects

existing investments. Broadcasters will want to

sweat their installed assets of copper cabled

cameras, vision mixers, monitors and routers while

judging the right time to re-equip. Manufacturers

on the other hand, including Sony, SAM, Grass

Valley and Panasonic, have reworked their

product lines to fit IP interfaces side by side with

SDI connectors and are encouraging sales today

to future-proof investment.

“Our hybrid IP and baseband strategy enables

broadcasters to invest in the systems that they

need to grow their businesses now, in the

certainty that they can transition to IP when

their needs dictate,” explained SAM’s EVP

marketing Neil Maycock.

Imagine’s product manager for the Magellan

SDN Orchestrator Paul Greene added that

“the whole concept of a hybrid architecture is

to have everything look and feel like a router

because the operator needs to walk up to a

control surface and do everything they need to

in their day to day business.”

The tipping point may come as broadcasters

time their adoption of IP with a move to 4K. The

economic argument is simple: a 10Gbps Ethernet

cable can transmit much more efficiently and

cost effectively than traditional cabling.

“Every point where you might have a camera

really needs to have a 10Gb switch,” said TSL

managing director, Chris Exelby. “A busy area

on a network might be the video mixer on a

live production, which would certainly require

a 40Gb or even a 100Gb switch. This is neither

commonplace nor inexpensive technology.”

Technology is moving extremely quickly.

Imagine says it is already testing pipes of 40GbE

and 100GbE. Costs are high, but Moore’s Law

dictates that capacity will expand while costs

reduce.

“Right now IP studios are in the pre-natal

stage,” said Fell of the EBU. “They are still not fully

born, but they are coming.”

REVIEW


Advances on the visual side have been

such in recent years that the last few

editions of IBC have been dominated

by discussion of, in particular, UHD and related

technologies. But IBC2015 witnessed something

of a rebalancing, with debate about immersive

or enhanced sound and AoIP generating almost

as much excitement as talk of 4K or HDR.

The immersive audio trend can in part be

perceived as recognition that, with the quality

of visual reproduction constantly improving,

the audio experience must somehow keep

pace. Whatever the case, technologies that

aim to bring the home and cinema viewer even

closer to the action were thick on the ground at

IBC2015: Dolby with its groundbreaking Atmos

technology; Genelec with an immersive audio

room that featured a configuration based

around Dolby Atmos and its own Compact

SAM (Smart Active Monitors) products; Lawo’s

new KICK system, designed to allow a fully-

automated, close-ball audio mix for sports

such as football and rugby; and Fraunhofer

IIS and other partners in the MPEG-H Audio

project, which enables enhanced services to be

provided across different platforms.

Calrec collaborated with Fraunhofer at

IBC2015 to demonstrate how MPEG-H can be

integrated easily into a broadcast chain. “The

MPEG-H Audio standard can be integrated quite

simply with existing broadcasting equipment

just by adding a MPEG-H Audio rendering and

monitoring unit. For Calrec, it’s important to work

Immersed in innovationNew developments in enhanced audio technologies and the continued rise of AoIP dominated the sound story of IBC2015, as David Davies reports

REVIEW


Feature

with technology companies who are involved

in other areas of the industry to help ascertain

the operational implications from a console

operator point of view,” says Calrec vice

president of sales Dave Letson.

Such link-ups underline Letson’s assertion that

“the story of the show was one of cooperation”

– and in Calrec’s case, this also included an

integrated Waves SoundGrid solution for its

Hydra2 platform of consoles. More generally, it is

clear that cooperation continues to underpin the

rise of networked audio to universal prominence.

Networking’s onward march“Clearly, one of the most discussed topics at

IBC was connectivity and integration,” says

Harman’s marketing director, mixers, Keith

Watson. Accordingly, IBC show visitors “were

able to experiment with some of our Harman

Professional integrated solutions at the booth,

including JBL speakers, AKG microphones and

headphones, Soundcraft and Studer mixers, and

AMX control solutions.”

In terms of networking techniques, Harman

is maintaining a ‘network agnostic’ approach:

and there was plentiful evidence elsewhere on

the showfloor of other manufacturers working to

accommodate as many different protocols as

possible during this extended period of transition

from point-to-point connectivity. Meanwhile,

there were several significant announcements

surrounding the networking technologies

generally felt to be leading the field at present.

In the case of Audinate’s Dante, these

included Bel Digital’s launch of Dante audio

monitor the BM-A1-64DANTE; SSL’s System T, a

fully networked broadcast audio production

environment with new ways to combine control

interfaces, processor cores and I/O devices; RTS

KP-Series and key panels with Dante connectivity

in all three models; and Jünger Audio’s Dante

Audio over IP interface card to network all

Junger Audio Slim Line digital audio processors.

Audinate itself announced that more than 500

Dante-enabled products are now available from

licensed manufacturers worldwide.

Reflecting on the show, Riedel product

manager Ramon Pankert says that “the wide

variety of new technologies, standards and

products gives broadcasters plenty to think

about. In the networked audio world, trends like

AES67, AVB and Dante are all competing for

adoption. Our aim as a solutions provider is to

minimise the confusion by delivering flexible and

future-proof products and interfaces that will

work today and in future.”

In line with this philosophy, Riedel solutions

showcased at IBC2015 included MicroN, an

80G media distribution network device for

the MediorNet line of media transport and

management solutions. Working with the

MediorNet MetroN core fibre router, MicroN is a

high-density signal interface with a complete

array of audio, video, and data inputs and

outputs, including 24 SD/HD/3G-SDI I/Os, two

MADI optical digital audio ports, a Gigabit

Ethernet port, two sync reference I/Os, and eight

10G SFP+ high-speed ports.

‘Resoundingly positive spirit’Business-wise, there were perhaps fewer

headline-making stories than in recent years,

although Linear Acoustic did confirm that

Minnetonka Audio Software had joined the

Telos Alliance through a merger of the two

companies. The united companies will combine

their expertise in all aspects of television audio

from production to transmission, as well as radio,

streaming and more.

With the days after IBC2015 concluded

bringing the news of record attendance (55,128

visitors in total), the centrality of the show to

vendors’ annual trade show calendar remains

unquestionable. “From our point of view, the

most significant thing was the attendance and its

positive views on the market,” says Watson. “This

was manifested in a couple of ways; firstly, we

had great numbers at the booth from all areas

of broadcast and live production; secondly, the

spirit was resoundingly positive. The ultimate test,

of course, is whether businesses are looking

to invest or hold off spending, and we were

pleased with the number of enquiries and new

projects that we picked up. If those trends were

felt across other manufacturers it bodes well

for the future.”

Sennheiser’s head of commercial

management, broadcast and media, Achim

Gleissner, is among many others who spoke to

TVBEurope to highlight the positive mood at

the show –although the good reception given

to new wireless dual-channel camera receiver

EK6042 and the fact that Sennheiser is currently

in the midst of its 70th anniversary must surely

have added to the glow. “For Sennheiser it was

a great success in our anniversary year,” says

Gleissner. “Lots of traffic, new products, a well-

received booth concept and happy customers.

What more can one ask for?”

“The story of the show was one of cooperation. Calrec made several

announcements at IBC which are the result of collaboration with leading

industry partners” Dave Letson, Calrec

“Clearly, one of the most discussed topics at IBC was connectivity and integration,” Keith Watson, HarmanRiedel at IBC2015

REVIEW

IBC2014 was, by general agreement, mostly

a 4K show. This year’s IBC was most definitely

an Ultra HD show with stand after stand

showcasing how wonderful UHD looked and with

many exhibitors saying how their technology,

gadget, or gizmo helped get the impressive

images to the consumer.

IBC also saw a slew of UHD channels launched

including offerings from US space agency NASA,

a German shopping channel (pearl.tv), an all-

new entertainment channel (Insight), Fashion

One moving into 4K, and reports from satellite

operators SES and Eutelsat who both said that

UHD was achieving “steady momentum”.

Ferdinand Kayser, COO at SES, summed up

the optimism prevalent across the industry,

saying that 2015 has seen a significant

breakthrough with the number of channels

either on air or about to launch. “Demos,

content, high-technical standards, devices

and the delivery infrastructure are now falling

into place,” he added.

This represented a “virtuous circle” for

UHD, and there would be two phases for

UHD’s introduction. The industry was already

in Phase 1 with more pixels, better codecs and

a larger field of view. But this would be followed

by Phase 2, starting in 2017 with “better pixels,

higher dynamic range (HDR), a wider colour

gamut (WCG), higher frame rates (HFR) and

better audio”.

However, those much-needed ‘better pixels’

were also creating a major headache for the

standards bodies. Panel after panel at the IBC

Conference sessions bemoaned the apparent

slowness of consolidating standards to reflect

HDR, WCG and HFR. Nandhu Nandhakumar,

SVP at LG Technology, summed up the position

saying that the success of 4K sales, whether

LCD or now in OLED, in the retail sector has

caught the industry by surprise. “The studios,

networks, infrastructure vendors…they have all

been caught out. [The recent] IFA show in Berlin

proved that HDR and UHD in general were the

hottest of hot topics.”

He said perhaps it was the problems with 3D

that meant the industry was too cautious. “The

pace of change, and adoption by the public [of

UHD], is extremely rapid.”

Dolby Labs’ executive director Pat Griffis

agreed, saying that at CES [in January 2016]

there would be another flood of high-end

displays showcased which would add another

set of parameters to the mix and claim

‘compatibility’ with HDR, WCG and possibly even

HFR despite a lack of agreed standards for most

of these aspects.

Matthew Goldman (SVP, technology, TV

compression at Ericsson) said there was now a

body of opinion that suggested that HDR+, a

catch-all description for HDR and WCG would

not see implementation much before 2017-18,

and even 2019-2020 when 100/120Hz frame rates

were included. “This means there is a very real

risk of incompatibility unless we all work together.

There is a strong desire to have these standards

understood and established by the end of 2016.”

The EBU’s David Wood summed up the

dilemma faced by many broadcasters,

especially publicly-funded players. He said

broadcasters wanted to know three key facts:

“What differences can I see; will this boost my

audience, and how much will it all cost?”

He said as at today it was extremely difficult

to give any positive answers. “Most European

public broadcasters want a whopping step-

change for UHD.”

Waiting for this UHD step-change is also creating

a problem for most of Europe’s pay-TV operators.

Already facing 4K pressures from the likes of

Netflix and Amazon Video (which both now

include HDR on some their output) the pay-TV

consensus seems to be to wait for these quantum

leap improvements to be available.

Andy Quested, the BBC’s head of technology

for UHD, said that creating a single ‘all-

embracing’ standard was a huge challenge.

Quested is chairman of the ITU-R’s RG-24 panel

of experts, and is trying to politely knock heads

together to come up with a single standard to

cover technology proposals from Dolby, Japan’s

NHK, Philips and Technicolor. “You cannot have

a standard with four options. What we are trying

to do is merge the proposals into a document

with a single proposal but with one or two

applications,” said Quested, speaking at IBC.

“OETF is essentially how you set a camera up,

and EOTF is how you set up a display. We are

looking at trying to combine the signal path

into something called an OOTF (Opto-Optical

Transfer Function). If we can get a single

definition of an OOTF the camera can be

what’s called ‘informative’.”

“Fundamentally I have to get everybody to

agree,” said Quested. “It is not about putting

one system against another and making a

decision. It is about putting up a proposal that is

not objected to by any administration. Any ITU

standard is agreed worldwide, which means it


IBC2015: UHD still faces challenges from HDR+

From show floor to conference sessions, the talk of this year’s IBC was distinctively around UHD, writes Chris Forrester

‘Most European public broadcasters want a whopping step-change for UHD’

REVIEW


Feature

takes a long time to ratify. But the standard then lasts

a long time and the industry will build to it.”

While these discussions are proceeding, it is also

clear that displays, with or without the ability to

handle HDR+, are being bought by consumers like

‘hot cakes’. Eutelsat presented the very latest GfK

research data on UHD sales at IBC, saying that GfK

predicts a striking 200 per cent hike in Ultra HD screen

sales from June to December 2015. It expects sales

to hit the five million mark by the end of this year

(3.6 million in western Europe, 700,000 in eastern

Europe and 600,000 in the Middle East), representing

9.3 per cent of all TV sales in 21 key markets in these

regions. Accumulated sales will result in a potential

installed base of 6.2 million TV homes by the end

of the year. And while all these discussions, hopes

and anticipations are taking place, the Japanese,

with their 8K ‘Super Hi-Vision’ also showcased

their latest wares at IBC, and confirmed that 8K

transmissions would be tested in 2018. NHK is on

schedule for widespread deployment in time for the

2020 Tokyo Olympics. The rest of the world can only

hope that a common standard for UHD will have

emerged by then.

REVIEW

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According to a study published by

Research and Markets in July, the global

satellites market will grow at a CAGR

of more than five per cent in the coming years.

Certainly, there was excitement about the future

at IBC2015 among the satellite community.

Eutelsat, for example, was enthused by the

opportunity it believes HDR represents. The

company took the opportunity in Amsterdam

to feature a special demonstration – with the

help of BBC R&D and Samsung – showing that

the broadcast and reception of HDR TV signals is

compatible with existing TV sets.

“We are convinced that HDR will be the next

step in the evolution chain of TV sets,” said

Michel Chabrol, director, innovation marketing

and digital cinema. “Most TVs today have a

peak brightness of around 100 nits, whereas the

peak brightness of an HDR television is around

1,000 nits: representing a tenfold increase in

the brightness of the highlights on the screen.

There’s no doubt it’s a substantial improvement,

delivering more realistic and engaging Ultra HD

pictures for the TV industry and broadcasters.

As a key infrastructure provider, it is essential

for us to support all the players to help them

maximise the opportunity presented by this new

viewing experience.”

Technology evolutionThe theme of evolution was also apparent on

ETL Systems’ stand. “As the broadcast industry

advances rapidly, technology must also evolve

to keep up with the changes,” noted Andrew

Bond, sales director. “Our products evolve as

the industry changes and we pride ourselves

on that flexibility and ability to respond quickly.

The RF equipment that ETL supplies, such as

our RF switching matrices, is designed to be

expandable. This means that our kit can be

upgraded as teleport requirements grow, with

system expansion handled seamlessly to ensure


Feature

Consumers are demanding more, which means broadcasters are demanding more. How is the satellite industry responding? Ian McMurray was at IBC to find out

‘The global satellites market will grow at a CAGR of more than five per cent in the

coming years’

Satellites on anupward trajectory at IBC

REVIEW


minimum downtime. We embrace the challenge

of designing new products for shifting industry

needs, with 70 per cent of our largest orders

in 2015 specially engineered to meet specific

customer requirements.”

ETL Systems products showcased at IBC

included the Stingray RF over Fibre range,

the new Piranha LNB Power Supply units and

advancements in its Enigma Matrix range.

According to the company, StingRay’s high

performance design offers excellent module to

module isolation, making it ideal for high isolation

applications. Downtime is said to be minimised

by dual redundant, hot-swap power supplies

and hot-swap power supplies. The range now

includes 1+1 and 4+1 redundancy configuration

options, providing additional resilience for uplink

and downlink transmissions. There was, inevitably,

much discussion of the role of the cloud at this

year’s IBC. Globecast was highlighting its

Media Factory platform, which is the company’s

cloud approach to handling and preparing

content for distribution.

According to the company, it enables

customers to provide content to Globecast once

and then have that delivered to linear playout,

OTT and VoD platforms as required. “Media

Factory breaks down the traditional siloed

content preparation workflows for

different distribution approaches or regions,”

said Valéry Bonneau, media management

product manager.

As part of its overall Media Solutions offering,

Globecast was also showing its localisation

and edge playout, VoD packaging, OTT and

creative services offerings.

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‘If the satellite industry at IBC is anything to go by, there are certainly exciting times

ahead’Ali Zarkesh, Vislink Kevin McCarthy, Newtec Micghel Chabrol, Eutelsat

REVIEW

TVBEurope 35

Feature

Multiple formats, multiple screens“As a media solutions provider

we’re no longer just supporting

linear channels with playout and

delivery services,” continued

Bonneau. “Increasingly, our business

is about getting content out in as

many formats and for as diverse

screens as consumers demand,

ensuring it reaches the widest

possible audience. Globecast is

always looking at ways to help

broadcasters get the best value

from their content.”

For Newtec, IBC provided the

opportunity to discuss with satellite

operators and service providers how

it believes Newtec Dialog can help

them adapt to new trends, including

HTS and multiservice.

The company debuted

Newtec Dialog 1.2, an updated

version of its multiservice VSAT

platform. According to Newtec,

its technologies guarantee the

highest efficiencies and most flexible

bandwidth allocation capabilities

across multiple markets.

“Our engineers achieved this

through breakthrough innovations

like Mx-DMA, a patented return

link technology that combines

the flexibility of MF-TDMA with the

performance of SCPC,” explained

Kevin McCarthy, VP of market

development. “Of course, Newtec

Dialog still provides the option to run

in either SCPC or MF-TDMA modes,

for applications that require it.”

Delivering more for lessAs with most businesses today, the

broadcast industry is faced with

constant pressure to deliver more for

less, McCarthy noted.

“Customers expect high

resolution 4K video and on-demand

programming, but don’t want to

pay more. Newtec Dialog can

help broadcasters address these

economic challenges by maximising

the efficiency of next generation HTS

satellites and increasing automation,

thereby reducing OPEX and

improving customer experience.”

On show on the Vislink stand

were its new HD and 4K UHD

UltraCoder and UltraDecoder,

which the company believes

are ideal for satellite and

electronic news-gathering.

“We’ve tried to keep things as

simple as possible for broadcasters,”

said Ali Zarkesh, VP, product

management. “Not only do they

work with Vislink’s current DVE

and IRD series products, but they

also have the same graphical

user interface, meaning less

training for operators and an

easy upgrade path.”

Vislink was also showcasing

the HEROCast wireless HD video

transmitter. It is said to be small

enough to be worn or mounted, to

bring viewers immersive new angles.

“HEROCast is not only the lightest

HD micro transmitter on the market,

but also consumes up to 50 per

cent less power than its nearest

competitors,” averred Zarkesh.

“Broadcasters must continue to

innovate if they are to stay ahead of

the game,” he added. “HEROCast

has already been used to transmit

unique perspectives and angles at

this year’s NHL playoffs, as well as

the summer and winter X Games,

and we expect to see it improving

the viewing experience for millions of

people at other high-profile sporting

events across the globe.”

If the satellite industry at IBC is

anything to go by, there are

certainly exciting times ahead.

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Valéry Bonneau, Globecast


This year’s NewBay Media Best of Show awards programme saw an unprecedented number of nominations, as companies from across the industry put forward their products, software, and technologies for consideration. Our independent panel of roving judges visited each and every entry to get the lowdown on the submitted products, and ahead of our IBC2015 Best of Show digital edition, we showcase the deserving winners in the TVBEurope category

IBC2015 Best of Show winnersREVIEW


Feature

ADB

Connected SolutionsADB launched its Connected Solutions at this year’s IBC to enable operators to maximise the opportunities presented by the connected age. Today, operators need to overcome challenges created by a fragmented media ecosystem, disparate industry standards and rapidly changing consumer expectations, and ADB’s new range of application specific software solutions are designed to deliver compelling connected experiences that today’s consumers crave.

Personal TV delivers seamless TV experiences across devices, allowing consumers to enjoy their favourite content across PCs, laptops, set-top boxes and mobile devices. At its core is the award winning Graphyne TV, a complete software suite that streamlines the process of managing and delivering TV and video content. The solution unifies access to all content types, including broadcast, on-demand and OTT delivering a seamless TV experience.

Personal IoT manages and unifies connected and smart home applications, helping consumers to run their lives more smoothly. Applications include home automation, enabling consumers to manage their lighting, heating and energy consumption via a smartphone or remote control; home monitoring, which allows consumers to safeguard their homes and receive updates via email or SMS; and ambient assisted living, which offers support for the elderly in their daily routines.

Judges comments“A lot of people are talking about IoT as a potential revenue stream for operators and how it can be addressed, but ADB’s vision is probably the most compelling, and it seems to have the technology to support the vision”

ASPERA

Aspera FilesAspera Files is a new SaaS offering by Aspera, an IBM company, which transforms large content sharing and collaboration across all storage locations – on premises and in the cloud. Media organisations can establish a branded web-based presence for the exchange and delivery of file-based media, combining multiple cloud and on-premises storage platforms. Aspera Files is designed to transform content sharing and collaboration by eliminating the complexities of large data sharing with exchange of the largest (4K) media formats, digital cinema packages (DCP) and associated metadata.

Offered as a service, Aspera Files can be deployed and configured quickly and easily, eliminating the hassle of complex network setups and cloud resources provisioning, but is also able to handle sophisticated deployments and complex workflows connecting multiple cloud platforms and on premises storage systems. Web User Interface is a simple and intuitive user experience within a customisable, company-branded web application

that includes, amongst other things, direct-to-cloud technology supporting direct cloud-storage I/O to all major cloud platforms including SoftLayer, AWS, Azure, Google, Akamai and Limelight enabling the fastest file uploads and downloads and key transfer management features such as pause, resume and encryption over the wire and at rest. Judges comments“Essentially a clever file manager for media files. Has lots of API links, and could be a serious force in promoting cloud based workflows”


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REVIEW

BLACKMAGIC

DaVinci Resolve 12 DaVinci Resolve 12 combines professional non linear video editing with an colour corrector, allowing post production professionals to edit, color grade, finish and deliver a feature all from one system. Version 12 delivers more than 80 new features for editing and colour grading, including a new modern interface, multi-camera editing tools, media management features, an entirely new professional audio engine, shot matching, 3D keyer and 3D perspective tracker.

The new multi-camera editing feature of DaVinci Resolve Studio lets editors cut programmes from multiple sources in real time. DaVinci Resolve 12 can synchronise camera angles based on timecode, audio waveforms, or in/out points. The source monitor displays a grid containing the camera angles and plays them all back in sync while the editor makes cuts to the audio and/or video. In addition to multi-camera editing, DaVinci Resolve Studio also features several enhancements to the core editing tools. All trim modes, multi-slip, slide, ripple and roll have been extended and editors can now select multiple points for dynamic trimming and asymmetric trimming of clips, even if they’re on the same track. New transition curves let editors create and edit custom curves for transition parameters and new on-screen controls let editors see and adjust motion paths

directly in the timeline viewer.

Judges comments“Incredible that something that would probably have cost an ‘arm and a leg’ is now given away for free. Certainly an impressive product”

Gold TS Protection is a new technology designed to make monitoring for digital services quicker to set up, and fault-tracking faster, more accurate and secure. Developed by Bridge Technologies, Gold TS Protection includes all the checks specified in the ETR290 standard, as well as testing for critical conditions missed by ETR290. Conditions like failures of the conditional access system, errors in the programme guide, and unintended language changes seriously affect subscribers, but standard monitoring systems based only on ETR290 do not raise any alert for these conditions. Services protected by Gold TS Reference catch these ‘ETR290-legal’ errors and provide an assurance

for operators of digital media services. Two of the most time-consuming and inefficient areas in media monitoring are the calibration of the monitoring system, and fault-tracking. Calibration is normally a long-winded process requiring a lot of operator input and expertise, and very few people in the industry fully understand all the intricacies of ETR290. ETR290 calibration involves the setting of hundreds of detailed criteria and alarm parameters for them, and it has to be repeated for each stream.

Judges comments“The broadcasting industry is losing skilled, experienced people to attrition/retirement. Bridge has recognised this problem, and has encapsulated some of that useful knowledge in Gold TS, enabling relatively inexperienced people to achieve similar results. An innovative solution to a real problem”

BRIDGE TECHNOLOGIES

Gold TS Protection

BLT

BLT SportTouchBLT SportTouch is an integrated production suite aimed at sport production, integrating the main unit BLT VideoServer for acquisition and playout (including all features for live slow motion), the control panel and the innovative tablet style based RUS-TAB.

The latest improvement to BLT SportTouch system is the dual clip operation, that allows for simultaneous synched playback of two clips from Server and dual control from the tablet panel. The two clips can run in sync with frame accurate run (to be used, for example, to highlight the same action from different angles) or as independent (to be used, for example, to run and compare two different actions together).

The RUS-TAB is connected to the BLT VideoServer through an IP connection (can be wired or wireless) and can be used by replay operator or by the on-air talent to comment and highlight during sports action, as well as other events.

The server is ‘simulcasting’ the content on full quality (for the playout channel) and in proxy quality to the RUS-TAB unit for the on-air talent. The RUS-TAB feature Video Server control as main point, with dual clip player and also zoom and lens effects. More graphical features are under development for enriching programme comments or highlights creation.

Judges comments“Controller for clip playback designed to run on a tablet, intended for use by talent. Very well thought out product that gives sports commentators the opportunity to have direct control of playback (plus lots of other functions)”


Feature

Far beyond a simple replication of existing infrastructure

and media workflow, Dalet xN solutions exploit the new

business and technology possibilities brought about through

the advancement of cloud, virtualization, dynamic scalability

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increasing the effectiveness of the media economy.

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REIMAGINE THE MEDIA ENTERPRISE

BROTHER BROTHER & SONS Pipeline SystemThe new Pipeline LED System is an expandable array of modular, cylindrical fixtures, customisable to suit specific requirements.

The lightweight Pipeline System provides soft, projected light that is fully controllable and dimmable, with no colour shift or flicker and a TLCI rating in the high 90s. Whether installed in a multi-lamp reflector bank or deployed in a single reflector, Pipelines provide pleasing output for modelling faces and illuminating backgrounds. They offer the advantages of low power draw, high light output (more than 1000 lumens per foot of length), 180-degree light dispersion, heatless and fan-less operation, and long lamp life. The cylindrical lamps, available in 3200K, 4300K and 5600K colour temperature output, can be used in a bi-colour arrangement mixing different colour temperature Pipes (lamps) to achieve desired colour temperatures.

Pipelines come in a cylindrical form-factor of 1-inch (25mm) diameter, and lengths of 1’, 2’, 3’ and 4’ (305mm, 610mm, 914mm and 1219mm). The Pipes can be utilised individually in their own metal base or fit into one, two, and four-Pipe reflector housings for each length. Pipes snap into the housings via magnetic locks on each end. Unlike standard LED lights, where phosphor is applied directly onto the Light Emitting Diodes, BBS Pipes utilise a separate phosphor layer, positioned away from the LEDs, providing brighter, higher fidelity light emission. And by not having the phosphors bonded directly to the LEDs, it does not receive the heat damage that leads to inconsistent colour over time, which is inherent in traditional LED fixtures.

Control is provided by in-line dimmers on the 1’ and 2’ Pipelines. A 4-channel Smart Controller can drive the 1, 2, 3 and 4-foot Pipeline fixtures. The Controller automatically senses the length and individual colour temperature of each Pipe. Additionally, the Smart Controller provides full DMX 512 in and out for control of the full lighting package. Accessories such as wireless control from tablet or phone, cable remote, stack-controllers, snap grids, snap boxes and more will be available in the near future.

With a low draw of just under 10W per foot of Pipe, the system may be powered from standard AC outlets 100-240V 50-60Hz, or will work off of V-lock and Anton/Bauer style 14VDC batteries.

Judges comments“Light, compact, innovative, multi-purpose remote phosphor light source (TLCI=98, according to BB&S). Spans from single-source ENG or in-studio news applications to flood studio lighting”


REVIEW

COBALT DIGITAL

+TTS technologyCobalt Digital’s +TTS technology is a complete 21CVAA text-to-speech generation/audio insertion solution for embedded or discrete audio/video systems. +TTS is a software option available for many Cobalt Digital card models using the 20-slot openGear frame architecture and is also available for the many of the BBG-1000 Series of Desktop Standalone Signal Processors.

+TTS interfaces with industry standard Windows Share folder systems to receive non-proprietary text, XML, or similar plain text files, and converts and inserts realistic human-voice audio into user-configured audio channels (typically an SAP channel pair intended for this playout).

+TTS allows for prioritisation based on the organisation’s discretion (for example, severe weather alerts out-prioritising school closings).

Alert tones are ducked in on the main program channel to alert the visually impaired that emergency content is to occur on the SAP channel. Alerts can be played a configurable number of times, and alerts with higher priority can interrupt current lists for breaking news. Once the interrupt message is broadcast, +TTS automatically reverts to normal audio programming. The English-language speech engine is standard, with advanced engines available as expansion options. Cobalt Digital has partnered with the Text-To-Speech industry experts at the Acapela Group in order to provide the best solution available for meeting our customers exacting technical and artistic requirements.

ENENSYS

AdsEdgeThe vast majority of viewers the world over access television content via free-to-air terrestrial TV and DTT is continuing that trend. Furthermore, TV and digital advertising are predicted continue to dominate the market, accounting for the largest share of revenues, according to a recent report from PricewaterhouseCoopers. This presents a huge opportunity to broadcasters.

ENENSYS has addressed this with its latest AdsEdge solution, a content localisation and monetisation solution specifically for DTT networks. The system enables broadcasters to monetise their content, offering an innovative approach to local video content management.

AdsEdge is way of generating additional revenue from existing output through the insertion of local content. It enables the last-mile injection of localised content – be that adverts, local news or local weather reports – as close to the viewer as possible, which means broadcasters can more effectively maximise the opportunity presented by DTT.

AdsEdge is specifically aimed at translating this opportunity into additional revenues, extracting the maximum amount of revenue from existing DTT infrastructure. It has been designed using a modular framework.

Judges comments“Interesting twist on DAI challenge as applied to regional terrestrial broadcasting. Especially relevant in Europe and Africa, and can generate major new ad revenue streams to broadcasters by substituting ads in between regions”

Today’s sports fans want to be as engaged as possible with their team, their sport or their game. This can be done through unique broadcasts, VoD content or social media interaction.

Broadcasters today know that there’s more to a sports broadcast than simply placing ten cameras around a pitch and showing these pictures to fans. Now whether they’re in or outside of the stadium, there’s no reason why fans shouldn’t be involved in the broadcast of their favourite sports. EVS’ C-Cast technology is a tool for broadcasters to engage with their sports fans, create more brand loyalty, and generate more revenue opportunities. The cloud-based multimedia platform integrates with onsite live production infrastructure for the

delivery of live and near-live content directly to the mobile users inside and outside of the stadium. C-Cast enables the delivery of instant replays, highlights analysis and even live content streams straight to fans. The technology is now being used in many live productions. In May 2015, EVS partnered with EE to deliver content to fans inside Wembley Stadium during the FA Cup Final. The FanCast solution – a bundle system which features C-Cast, an XT3 media server and IPDirector content management suite – took key moments from the game and distributed it to a mobile app specifically developed by EVS partner Intellicore.

The SEA Games’ organisers (SINGSOC) also partnered with EVS in June of this year to deliver a multimedia production service for the international multisport event held in Singapore. The solution included a delivery platform that distributed multimedia content to an iOS and Android mobile application.

EVS

C-Cast


Feature

GRASS VALLEY GV Node GV Node offers multi-purpose IP processing, vertically accurate switching and IP aggregation of up to 144x144 video signals and 4,608x4,608 audio signals per node. GV Node is the most important signal management product in Grass Valley’s Glass-to-Glass IP solution as it delivers multiple signal processing and monitoring functions that glue the entire solution together. It provides IP and SDI I/O (up to 144x144), as well as MADI I/O, audio de-embedding/embedding and monitoring including multiviewing and signal probing.

The built-in, highly scalable multiviewer uses industry proven Kaleido technology. GV Node is designed to be future proof with respect to currently changing industry signal formats and standards, currently supporting both SMPTE 2022-6 (HD) video- over-IP and 4K one-wire using TICO compression.

One of the most important differentiators of the GV Node is the broadcast-centric vertically accurate switching capability within IP. This is critical because broadcasters have been concerned with the effectiveness of commercial- off-the-shelf (COTS) IP switches for live applications, due to their inability to perform vertically accurate switching like traditional SDI routers. This is important in live applications where signals go directly-to-air, and routers have traditionally been used as a back-up to the production switcher. Switching that happens accurately within the vertical interval is also needed when a router is used for connecting secondary live feeds.

The GV Node distributed platform topology is designed to uplink to aggregation COTS IP switches, using a “spine – leaf” architecture that’s typical of modern IT infrastructures. This topology represents a scalable and flexible approach.

GV Node’s distributed scalable architecture means that broadcasters can start building their IP infrastructure with a small system, and grow quickly and linearly as their needs change.

Judges comments“A very impressive piece of hardware, but what most caught my attention was how Grass Valley is supporting its customers’ requirement to reflect what’s going on in the IT industry as broadcast moves increasingly in that direction”


REVIEW

LIVEU

SoloLiveU has brought its broadcasting expertise to the online media market, by launching its new ‘Plug and Play’ Solo live streaming bonding solution at market price. Designed to fit with web streaming workflows, LiveU Solo connects automatically to Wowza Streaming Cloud, a cloud streaming service offered by Wowza Media Systems, as well as other popu-lar CDNs, OVPs and YouTube Live. Solo can be managed and controlled remotely via a web interface or smartphone. LiveU Solo offers the cloud streaming solution based on LiveU’s field-proven bonding technology, ten industry patents, and integral LRTTM (LiveU Reliable Transport) protocol. Optimised for video performance, Solo delivers solid video streams by using LRT’s integral adaptive bit rate and forward error correction technology. On the trans-mission side, and as part of the overall streaming solution, this small, encoder is available in a single channel streaming configuration or with premium full bonding capabilities.

In discussions with its customers, LiveU saw a growing need for a professional-grade live video product for the online media market. The company’s goal is to offer a simple in-tegrated solution to sports and other vertical markets, which is much more powerful. Now,

everyone can start streaming at an affordable price.Working in close collaboration with Wowza, LiveU Solo

is aimed at any live online media production looking to improve their viewers’ experience.

LiveU owns the patent for cellular bonding used today for remote news gathering in the US and in other coun-tries. All LiveU products are based on this fourth-genera-tion patented technology.

Judges comments“Live video streaming to any network. Portable, rugged, reliable: great partner to GoPro cameras”

LSB

theWALLtheWALL is a software tool for setting up and controlling multiviewers. L-S-B With theWALL users can configure monitor walls, route signals, change monitor layouts or save and load their own presets. theWALL can be used by operators and EIC to configure monitor walls in OBs or studios, and enables the teams on production to change their monitor wall layouts fast and on-the-fly. theWALL is a software based tool that can integrate with the most common multiviewers found on the market. Instead of learning the software for several specific multiviewers or asking the EIC to change a layout, users of theWALL can change all kinds of multiviewers with just one tool. The product consists of software that talks directly to the multiviewers and a GUI for mobile control. The GUI runs on a HTML5 basis, thus being independent from any mobile device manufacturer. The users can run the software app on any device possible, indifferent of its OS – iOS, Android, Windows, Linux. On this touch-based GUI all major functions are available and can be triggered via drag and drop. With the slogan “Multiviewer Control made smart”, theWALL is designed to offer benefits to its users in terms of efficiency, time-saving and

usability as well as user management.Key features of theWALL are:

Easy change of multiviewer layouts. Routing of signals via simple drag and drop. Automatic calibration of multiviewer resolution and

aspect ratio. GUI based on HTML5 – platform independent. Save and load presets from database.

Judges comments“This is very unique, and is going to really change the way people work. Potentially ground-breaking”

12G-SDI as a 4K production format represents a challenge for product design that requires supporting test equipment to be available, initially for manufacturers. Omnitek’s designs at these speeds with its consultancy clients has led to a knowledge of the issues that affect signalling at 12Gbps and to the development of a sensitive and accurate piece of test equip-ment.The Omnitek Ultra 4K Tool Box provides a suite of tools for the analysis conversion and generation of Ultra HDTV and

Digital Cinema video signals in all current formats up to 4096x2160/60, helping manufacturers to design products and enabling broadcast engineers, networks, telcos, outside broadcast units, systems integrators and researchers to build, test and commission UHD and 4K systems.

The Ultra 4K Tool Box offers of a variety of connection formats - multi-rate SDI, HDMI and DisplayPort 4K - for both video source and display. Conversion between cable and image formats allows operation in multi-format video environments, while SDI physical layer analysis features enable system designers to rapidly locate sources of signal error in all paths up to 12G-SDI single link 4K/60Hz.

OMNITEK

Ultra 4K Tool Box

Grass Valley, a Belden Brand, contributes to the world of acquisition and replay with the LDX 4K/6X HD switchable camera, the LDX 86 Universe, in tandem with the K2 Dyno Universe Replay System. With the LDX Universe and K2 Dyno Universe, broadcasters can now own an acquisition/replay solution that supports HD, 4K or 6X acquisition without having to change workflows or go over-budget. This introduction serves to democratise extreme-speed and 4K acquisition/replay. The combination of the LDX 86 Universe/K2 Dyno Universe provides creative freedom without requiring additional costs. What once was considered technology

only for ‘specialty’ positions can now be applied to standard replay and camera chains. With the combination of LDX Universe and K2 Dyno Universe, HD camera and replay positions can now become extreme-speed or even 4K positions with

access to any shot, from any angle, during any production, at the same time, requiring neither additional positions nor crew.

The LDX 86 Universe offers format flexibility with the same high sensitivity and dynamic range performance in all formats, with the same speed. Utilising Grass Valley’s proprietary Xensium-FT CMOS imagers, this new camera delivers picture quality in 4K and 6X. The LDX 86 Universe can be used in any camera position where a 1X, 3X or 6X camera is required. This includes the ability to switch the camera from 4K 1X operation to HD 6X extreme-speed operation on-the-spot.

Judges comments“Very impressive hardware, but it’s the business thinking that compels. With the licensing behind these products, GV obviously understands what it takes to help customers succeed with very flexible and ad hoc arrangements possible such that you ‘buy’ only what you need, when you need it”

GRASS VALLEY

LDX 86 Universe/K2 Dyno Universe


Feature

PHABRIX LIMITED

PHABRIX Qx seriesThe PHABRIX Qx was nominated due to its suitability for broadcast manufacturers who need a comprehensive toolset for both analysis and generation of video signals with up to 48 Gbps payloads and importantly provides 12Gbps eye and jitter analysis.

The key to the Qx is the toolset that includes sophisticated timing, video status and data view instruments. Eye and jitter analysis is important for those early adopters of UHDTV1 and UHDTV2 and it is here that the Qx excels for engineers having a unique physical layer proposition.

Having specialised in providing physical layer analysis on its other test and measurement products, PHABRIX has, in the Qx, a true multi-rate eye and jitter solution for 12/6/3/1.5 Gbps.

This real-time eye technology meets or exceeds the performance of that found in very expensive oscilloscope solutions usually far out of reach of many broadcast R&D budgets.

The platform too has been specified to such a high level that when Phase 2 standards of UHDTV become available, the Qx is set to provide support for HDR, WCG, HFR and object orientated audio technologies.

One of the features still under development, but part of the Qx solution is its support

Clearly this is the first application of the technology that was only been developed for release at IBC2015. Designed as an engineering product, the Qx for manufacturers allows the rapid development of new UHDTV products.

PIKSEL

Piksel VoyagePiksel Voyage is a flexible entertainment app designed for commercial passenger travel that offers a seamlessly integrated content experience across a range of devices. Rising consumer expectations mean that on-board entertainment is no longer regarded as a luxury, and exclusive to the long-haul flight.

Travellers want an entertainment service to be part of their basic offer. Yet, despite the proliferation of personal entertainment devices, more than half of passengers travel without any on-board entertainment and those travelling with commercially operated air, sea or land carriers are often inhibited by a lack of connectivity, high data charges, or lack of access to a library of digital content.

Piksel Voyage is dramatically improving the consumer travel experience, giving travel providers an unprecedented opportunity to differentiate their services and generate additional revenue.

Taking advantage of the growing BYOD trend, Piksel Voyage gives customers the option of downloading video content of their choosing onto their own personal devices when they purchase their travel ticket. The traveller’s chosen entertainment will then become available to view on his/her personal device once the journey begins and is no longer viewable upon arrival at the destination, ensuring that industry licensing agreements are respected.

Judges comments“Great twist on OTT challenge as applied to low-cost airline in-flight entertainment. In use with Transavia”


REVIEW

QUICKPLAY

Next Gen Managed Video PlatformQUANTUM

Q-Cloud Archive public cloud storage serviceWHILE THE cloud is clearly transforming traditional IT strategies, it has, until now, played a limited role for organisations with complex data-intensive workflows, including the production and distribution of high-resolution video. These demanding workflows require reliable, secure, high-performance infrastructure that is tightly integrated with applications, and few cloud offerings offer these guarantees. What’s more, the inherent latency of the cloud and the significant costs that can arise in accessing large amounts of data in the cloud can create challenges for customers in managing what data is stored there.Rather than treat the cloud as a passive repository or the answer to all needs, Quantum integrates the cloud as an active tier in a hybrid storage infrastructure driven by application requirements. This comprehensive approach provides customers with an optimal mix of performance, access, scale and low cost capacity which is key to managing and monetising content for today’s media and entertainment environments.

The company’s Q-Cloud Archive service gives users fast, on-demand access to data in the cloud. Employing the power of the public cloud as an off-site tier within a Quantum StorNext 5 workflow environment, this new Q-Cloud service enables users to leverage Quantum’s intelligent data management software to store data in the cloud when it

makes the most sense for a given workflow or application, providing access to a virtually limitless pool of off-premise storage.

The service is simple, with straightforward pricing and billing from Quantum, as well as strong service and support provided direct from the company. Q-Cloud Archive’s smooth integration means there is nothing to install, no cloud gateway hardware to set up, no programming needed, and no manual processes required, so users can readily eliminate storage deficits within a matter of minutes.

At IBC 2015, Quickplay launched the Next Generation Managed Video Platform, an enhanced version of its managed video platform service, designed to address major friction points in the market that are inhibiting the growth and profitability of multiscreen, next generation pay-TV and OTT premium video services. Consumers now expect personalised discovery across video sources, a large on-demand catalogue, first run original programming, and the hottest live content delivered with the highest quality to any device and over any network. Meeting these expectations is complicated by the ever changing, highly fragmented and non-standardised device, DRM, and player ecosystems and the inherent variability of unmanaged IP networks. Quickplay is addressing these market issues with key enhancements that unlock and open the power of the Quickplay virtual headend and 24/7 managed services for rapid and efficient launch and low cost and agile operations. New platform enhancements include:

Leading Service Delivery Model: significant investments in IT infrastructure, network, and expertise to enhance the efficiency, operations and delivery of Next Generation premium video experiences.

Content Merchandising Service: next generation content management and merchandising tools and service capabilities that replace or augment a traditional Content Management System (CMS).

OpenVideo Virtual Head End Gateway: a set of open, extensible application programming interfaces (APIs) that supply service providers and content programmers

with a curated selection of backend capabilities to launch differentiated services.

Next Generation UX/UI Design Pack: a next generation video hub experience that adapts to all screens and resolutions, accelerating the unified, next generation discovery and viewing experience across video services and sources, including live and VoD pay-TV services, OTT services, and web content.

Judges comments“Very impressive global customer list. New at IBC is the ability to broadcast video over LTE networks. Announced agreement with Alcatel-Lucent”


Feature

SAM

Media BiometricsMedia Biometrics signature technology allows the automatic confidence monitoring and media verification throughout a broadcast chain.

Can be deployed in both SDI and IP streaming environments Allows media to be compared and corrected Fast acquisition and lock-up times Low data payload, measured in bytes per frame The solution is uniquely resilient to format, frame-rate and aspect ratio conversions,

encode/decode processes, logo insertion, etc

Key applications include: Lip sync Media Match (confirmation that two media streams are the same)

Video/audio confidence monitoring Audio mapping

Why?

Improves efficiency Reduces the need for dedicated monitoring resources

Judges comments“Hugely important product that has a very wide range of applications, most significantly in terms of maintaining signal quality and integrity. Could be as important to the broadcast industry as Dolby B was to the audio business 40 years ago”

SCHEDUALL

ScheduALL Portal™ ScheduALL Portal™, also winner of the 2015 NewBay Media Best of Show award at NAB 2015, simplifies making complex bookings of occasional use transmission feeds in real time, directly into a network provider’s system. Portal is a browser-based, user-friendly wizard for selling satellite, fibre or Ethernet transmission feeds, minimising unused capacity, maximising revenue and drastically reducing operational overhead in the selling cycle.

The browser interface uses straightforward interview-style questions to establish a customer’s requirements (i.e. time, source, destination, quality of service, etc) and provides them with booking and pricing options that best fit their needs. If the options chosen are unavailable, Portal offers a range of alternatives. Portal can be used to track, manage, and bill all of the customer bookings as they occur. This self-provisioning platform streamlines the OU booking process for operators and their customers. Selling transmission feeds through Portal allows for unused capacity or “spoilage” to be minimised. In turn, customers benefit from a simplified booking process feasible with minimal technical expertise.

Portal uses ScheduALL’s LINK™ for satellite, fibre and Ethernet transmissions. Broadcasters can use Portal’s straightforward interface without possessing in-depth technical knowledge, while the power of LINK works silently behind the scenes to make

complex decisions about transmission scheduling, capacity management, and conflict resolutions. Real-time access to network inventory prevents duplicate bookings and scheduling conflicts. It also serves as a forward-facing revenue producer that manages the transmission sales cycle and automatically integrates self-provisioned online bookings.


REVIEW

TEDIAL TVU NETWORKS

Tedial Evolution TVU OneThe Tedial Evolution™ next generation MAM was developed for business-driven media workflow. Tedial Evolution provides media professionals and broadcasters with a full range of scalable, flexible systems that address the ever-changing landscape

of media management. Built around Tedial’s technologically advanced MAM solution, Tedial Evolution significantly extends MAM functionality and enhances user operability via advanced search/indexing tools, new services to surf/explore archives, and improved integration between archive and workflow engines to reinforce a collaborative environment.

Tedial Evolution offers a user experience designed to speed both manual and automated workflows. Built on Tedial’s MAM platform, the new HTML5 user interface keeps frequently used tools on the screen for improved performance.

TVU One is a live, mobile IP-based newsgathering HD video transmitter based on the same transmission dependability, picture quality, performance and sub-second latency of a full-size TVUPack backpack-style mobile transmitter, but in a substantially smaller, lightweight and ultra-compact form factor. TVU One features TVU’s proprietary Inverse StatMux Plus

technology to transmit reliable, HD-quality video with less than one second latency using multiple cellular 3G/4G/LTE, satellite, microwave, microwave mesh, Ethernet or wireless connections. TVU One comes with a carrying shoulder bag or sling backpack.

Judges comments“User-friendly lightweight cellular transmission system for ENG apps. So light it can be mounted on the back of a camcorder. Live HD on cellular, even in a moving car. Brand new at IBC”

SONY EUROPE LTD

Sony Media NavigatorSony’s Media Navigator orchestrates key phases of the content workflow – from ingest, catalogue and editing to review, approvals, and distribution – including cloud and archive for less than you expect. Customer benefits:

Integrates seamlessly with popular non-linear editors (NLE). Instantly uploads content to designated content sharing platforms including Sony CI Allows users to browse and download content on the Sony CI platform directly from

Media Navigator and integrates seamlessly with Sony’s Catalyst suite of media preparation tools

Provides internal encoding and decoding features, from SD to 4K, reducing the need for external transcoders

Enables any media to be archived safely onto rugged, dependable removable Optical Disc Archive system

Judges comments“Highly scalable, ready to use SW-based solution. Fully featured, cloud capable, extreme ease of use, aggressively priced”

SOUND DEVICES, LLC

Video Devices PIX-E5Video Devices PIX-E5 4K recording monitor is a five-inch, 1920-x1080-resolution unit that comes packed with a full suite of precision monitoring tools, SDI and HDMI I/O, plus the ability to record 4K and Apple ProRes 4444 XQ edit-ready files to affordable USB-based SpeedDrives with mSATA solid-state drives. PIX-E5 includes an impressive suite of monitoring tools, such as TapZoom™, for focusing speed, false colours and zebras to help set exposure, guide markers for framing, and a range of scopes, including waveform, histogram, and vectorscope. The new camera-mount monitor incorporates a best-of-both-worlds user interface that combines easy-to-access tactile buttons with an intuitive touchscreen. The PIX-E5 monitor features compact, die-cast metal housings and an LCD display protected by Gorilla® Glass 2, making it ideal for

cinematographers and videographers seeking monitors that can stand up to the rigours of the most extreme production environments.

Judges comments“Supporting 4K field production. Working closely with Sony, Panasonic et al: adding real value to the 4K mobile production proposition”

SmallHD 7-inch full high definition 702-Bright monitor: Super bright, daylight viewable 1,000-nit display with anti-

reflective coating and 179-degree wide viewing angle HDMI and SDI inputs and outputs allow video input in the

format that best suits the production, and then output video in either or both HDMI and SDI

Ultra slim and lightweight, 7-inch full 1080p HD monitor with a dense 323 pixel-per-inch screen, 1200:1 contrast ratio and optimum broadcast colour

Intuitive operating system simplifies menu navigation via thumb-operated joystick and back buttons

Toolset offers Waveform, RGB Parade, HDMI/SDI signal conversion, image capture, and downstream 3D LUT video

viewing and output. ‘Pages’ permits grouping of toolset features such as focus and exposure assist environments

Versatile power: D-tap/P-tap, AC adapter or built-in slots for Canon LP-E6 or Sony L-Series batteries

SD card slot enables screen capture recording, importing background plates for effects framing guides, 3D LUT transfer and more

Rugged construction: aluminium housing, bonded glass screen protector and optional acrylic screen protector make harsh locations ready

Smart price: about €1,500 after VAT/tax and shipping

The 702-Bright’s many advantages start with a 1,000-nit display with an anti-reflective layer that results in a screen that’s viewable in bright daylight. The dense 323 pixel-per-inch screen delivers a sharp, 1920x1200 HD display with a contrast ratio of 1200:1.

SMALLHD

702-Bright 7-inch monitor


Feature

VISLINK

The Vislink UltraCoder is the new lightweight 1RU half rack H.265 encoder from Vislink capable of encoding 4K, HD and SD video. The system uses the latest advanced H.265 encoding techniques to offer up to 50 per cent bit rate reduction compared to H.264, resulting in the delivery of high quality video at low bit rates.

X-ART

x-art ProDivision GmbH for x.newsToday’s journalists need the latest information at their fingertips to deliver the news with speed and accuracy in an increasingly competitive 24/7 digital and broadcast market.

But all too often that information is spread between multiple systems and external sources. Keeping up to date on a story requires them to constantly switch between different screens and applications. Knowledge is often patchy, even between different parts of the newsroom.

x.news is a unique product that targets this challenge, by gathering all the latest story information and content in one place, and providing powerful tools to find, follow, collect and share it. In the newsroom or on location – on PC, tablet or mobile – the journalist is always up to date.

And now x.news also integrates with leading NCS and MAM providers, passing stories backwards and forwards seamlessly and enabling genuinely story-centric, multi-platform workflows.

Judges comments“Breaks the usual vertical approach of newsroom systems. Wisely integrates the various kind of sources and effectively supports the news editor. Designed for collaborative workflows, features an amazing easiness of use”

VITEC

MGW ACE and MGW D265 SolutionAt IBC2015, VITEC showcased its portable, all-in-one video package for encoding, decoding, and streaming HEVC video on the go. VITEC is the first company to bring bandwidth-efficient HEVC compression technology out of the server room and into the field with its broadcast-grade portable streaming appliances. Customers reap the benefits by being able to deliver secure, error-free video on dedicated and public networks while dramatically reducing bandwidth requirements compared to legacy H.264 systems. Furthermore, they can reduce operating expenses and extend the reach of video services to remote destinations with bandwidth constraints.

The package comprises VITEC’s MGW Ace, a portable HEVC (H.265) hardware encoder, and the MGW D265 portable HEVC IP decoder. Both have built-in Pro-MPEG FEC and Zixi error correction technologies for one-way and two-way error correction, which provides artefact-free broadcasting over public networks.

The MGW Ace boasts a real-time H.265 4:2:0 and 4:2:2 hardware compression chip for streaming broadcast-quality video up 1080p. Input interfaces include 3G, HD/SD-SDI, HDMI, DVI, and composite. The unit also features intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) metadata processing with KLV and STANAG support conforming to MISB and NATO requirements. A secondary MPEG-4 H.264 chip provides support for legacy decoders and proxy streaming.The MGW D265 is a high-performance IP decoding appliance with a compact footprint, best-in-class connectivity options, and low-delay processing. MGW D265 uses advanced hardware to deliver a real-time, broadcast-quality picture with the highest quality of service and resilience required in complex IPTV and full-motion-video environments. MGW D265

offers all typical video output interfaces, including HD-SDI, SD-SDI, HDMI, and composite video — with embedded audio or separate analogue audio — in a single appliance. Combined with the low-latency streaming capabilities of VITEC’s MGW encoding and streaming platforms, the MGW D265 decodes HD and SD streams with end-to-end latency of only 400 milliseconds.

Judges comments“Very small HEVC encoder (with associated decoder). Very well packaged, ideal for remote contribution applications”

V-NOVA

PERSEUS The V-Nova engineering team has delivered a paradigm shift in video compression technology that can drive change and service innovation in the TV and media sector by moving the entire video bitrate-quality curve to enable UHD quality video at HD bitrates, HD at SD bitrates, and SD video at sub-audio bitrates, extending the reach of video services to UHD delivered to connected devices over 3G and 4G networks. PERSEUS delivers improvements in picture quality, processing speed using standard hardware, signal robustness, as well as simultaneous reductions in footprint, power usage and library redundancy. Graceful, block-free degradation at ultra-low bitrates is another unique benefit.

PERSEUS, which launched in April 2015, differs from legacy solutions in terms of its advanced lossless, multi-scale, hierarchical and low latency properties.

PERSEUS is inherently and continuously hierarchical, delivering all resolutions (eg SD, HD and UHD video) within a single stream. This renders HD bandwidths sufficient to carry all

three formats without the need for simulcasting, reducing resource redundancy. Another advantage of PERSEUS is its compatibility with existing MPEG-based delivery ecosystems.

PERSEUS also provides advantages beyond bitrate reduction — including increased processing speed, lower power consumption, increased robustness, and block-free degradation at ultra low bitrates. This in turn enables operators to offer enhanced video quality and to reach more households with OTT and VoD services.

The PERSEUS advanced video and image processing technology is based on the principles underlying human vision.

VIDIGORemote ProductionThe software-based production environment VidiGo Live separates the core engine from the user interface and multi-viewers using (standard) internet. This means that a central-ised control room connects to the on-site engine that provides the SDI inputs and outputs,

video playback, audio mixing and graphics playback. A very important part of the set-up (next to being able to control the engine over IP) is the feedback of the sources via the multi-viewers. Without this feedback, remote production would not be possible. This feedback (by streaming the multi-viewers from the engine’s location back to the control room) features a unique minimal operational lag, so the operator is not bothered by delay and is working in real time, which of course is very important for accurate switching of the cameras, for example. The bandwidth required for this operation is flexible and can be adjusted to fit any situation, so public internet or a standard private network should be sufficient. five megabits is advised.

UltraCoder

What is your vision for the industry is over the next five years? We are all transitioning from the digital era of

television into the internet era, which is already

proving to be the most disruptive in the history

of the industry. Content owners, broadcasters

and TV service providers will all require different

strategies for success but all will have to adapt

and evolve in order to overcome a period of

unprecedented change. We are entering a

new golden media age for television, which will

see today’s media value chain dismantled and

re-set, bringing about the creation of a new,

dynamic ecosystem. This will spark the arrival

of new competitors to the industry. Former

competitors will become allies and vice-versa.

With change comes opportunity. As we

advance to 2020, we will see a fully advanced

and fully connected TV market, driven almost

exclusively by consumers and their demand

for greater choice, better quality and superior

methods of personalisation. There will be 26

billion connected devices plugged into a global

IP network by 2020, of which a large proportion

will be video enabled. Total mobile video traffic

between 2015-2020 will be more than 22 times

that of the period 2009-2014. Global brands will

join with new consumer technologies, the world

of apps and online experiences will expand and

we will see the arrival of disruptive new business

models that will overhaul the entire media

landscape. While the future is unknown, the

players with the greatest foresight, innovation

and consumer focus will be best prepared to

lead the industry over the next five years.

What do you believe are the key disruptors in this shifting landscape? Competition has increased for our customers

through industry consolidation driving scale,

and because lower barriers to entry for new

OTT players bring aggressively differentiated

consumer propositions. The continually shifting

values and needs of the digital consumer are

accelerating the demands placed upon those

providing the best content and services. We are

now in a position where the rate of change is so

fast, consumer expectations are outpacing the

industry’s ability to deliver them. They want to be

able to view their content on any device, at any

location and at any time.

Nevertheless, technology will be integral to

satisfying these expectations. The role of IP will

become an industry imperative, serving an ever

increasing number of connected devices and

delivering greater speed and immediacy which

will be fundamental to implanting a unified

user experience. 5G will be the next step in the

evolution of mobile broadband and provide

a watershed for delivering the flexibility, high

reliability and responsiveness needed to deliver

video to billions of users across the globe, and

especially in enabling the on-demand transition

in most emerging markets. LTE Broadcast is

already showing its potential in making high

capacity mobile networks ready for the

video-first focus.

High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) will

help to bridge the economic and technical

bandwidth constraints of direct-to-consumer

networks and help enable the delivery of Ultra

High Definition (UHD) content. The introduction of

HDR will also enable our industry to differentiate

services with vibrant images on screen, providing

content owners with the opportunity to

create more compelling and more realistic

experiences for viewers.

Ericsson has a broad range of customers across the TV and media industry. Will different businesses need to adopt different strategies to thrive? Absolutely. Our Media Vision 2020 research

highlights that the TV and media industry will be

worth $750 billion within the next five years and

as TV evolves, it is essential for every business to

revaluate their strategies for success.

Content owners and broadcasters will

continually build stronger direct-to-viewer

platforms and propositions while seeking to

still exploit the TV service provider channels

to market. They will work to globalise their

content brands and content distribution to

drive revenues and scale. We see many of

them re-investing in the production competence

and rights, re-centering some of them solidly

in the content itself.

TV service providers across cable and

telecom will continue in the majority to seek to

bundle multiple services and content together

for consumers, to make their lives as simple as

possible and drive as much ARPU potential as

possible. It will take considerable platform

re-engineering to be truly experience-led in

what is offered to consumers.

TVBEverywhere48 TVBEurope www.tvbeurope.com October 2015

The new golden age of TelevisionElisabetta Romano has recently become head of TV and media at Ericsson. She spoke to TVBEurope about competition in the industry, the new business strategies driving the marketplace, and the importance of immersive experiences

“We are entering a new golden media age for television, which will see today’s media value chain dismantled

and re-set”

A huge opportunity ahead is to provide the

most personalised content aggregation and

recommendation towards consumers.

4K and UHD are extremely hot topics right now. How important are immersive experiences to the consumer of today and the future?

They are extremely important!

With each shift in quality technique

(analogue to digital, SD to HD,

3D to some extent, and now Ultra

HD) viewers have embraced the

enhancement and shown willingness

to pay. Each advancement takes the

viewer closer to real-life experiences

and Ultra HD is like a big window into

the world.

As a founding member of the Ultra HD Forum,

Ericsson is investing broadly in R&D and thought

leadership to educate the industry as much

as possible around the possibilities inherent in

Ultra HD and what we even mean by this. It

has certainly been tied to resolution and ‘4K’

television, however, we also believe that High

Dynamic Range (HDR) holds a lot of potential, as

do higher frame rates and colour gamut.

But immersive TV is not just about picture

quality; it is also about immersion of the content

itself. Our ConsumerLab research shows how

much consumers are binge viewing episodes

they obsess over, which illustrates the immersion

of on-demand access to shows. It also relates to

augmenting content: our Piero software solution

enables the most amazing sport graphics and

innovations in enhancing the ultra premium

sports experience.

The full version of this interview will be available

on the TVBEurope website. Please visit

www.TVBEurope.com/features for access to a

range of unique articles and interviews, featuring

some of the industry’s leading authorities.


TVBEverywhere

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Forum50 TVBEurope www.tvbeurope.com October 2015

You simply can’t get away from it. Everyone

is talking IP. And many industry analysts

predict IP is the next major technology

switch to hit broadcasting. Of course, it is already

with us – but the influence is growing by leaps

and bounds. So, how do some leading players in

the field see the current state of IP?

We asked Sevan Boyd, Easynet media

consultant; Tim Felstead, head of product

marketing, SAM; Glen LeBrun, vice president,

product marketing, Imagine Communications;

Sam Peterson, segment manager, live

production, Grass Valley; Pieter Schillebeeckx,

product director, TSL Products; Jan Weigner,

managing director and CTO, Cinegy; and

Lieven Vermaele, CEO, SDNsquare, to provide

views on related issues.

What are the biggest challenges facing broadcasters when it comes to IP technology?The first is getting staff to understand IP, so they

can get the most from the technology. “There’s

a great deal of learning needed to enable a

TV-quality service over IP networks, especially for

content companies that do a lot of production

and delivery of broadcast media,” states Tim

Felstead, head of product marketing, SAM

(formerly Quantel and Snell). “It’s easier to teach

a broadcast engineer IP than an IT graduate

the specifics of broadcasting as they replace

retiring broadcast staff. Broadcasting has its

own nuances: five nines means something

different in broadcast from IT. If the signal

stops you get black and the consequences of

this are not the same for an IT engineer, who

would normally reboot the server and resend

the lost information.”

The second challenge is in how to implement

IP. Of course, the broadcast industry has been

using the protocol for 30-plus years in control

systems, and more recently in file-based

workflows. But when it comes to live over IP, the

industry is not yet sufficiently experienced to

predict the problems.

“The rate of change is so fast that it’s a risky

period for broadcasters,” believes Felstead.

IP gets VIP treatmentThis month’s Forum looks at the technology that’s occupying a great many minds. Philip Stevens gathers thoughts from some of the industry’s leading players

‘We must be realistic about the hurdles to practical implementation of

AoIP and VoIP’

TVBEurope 51 October 2015 www.tvbeurope.com

Forum

“What we need to do is build products that

have both SDI and IP interfaces supporting

multiple standards.”

He continues, “That’s just what SAM is doing

– offering customers the ability to transition to IP

with plug-in IP interfaces on our infrastructure,

routing and switching products. This allows the

broadcaster to dictate the rate of change,

without taking unacceptable technology risks.”

The third challenge is standards. “We have

live production using a stable, reliable and

completely interoperable standard – SDI – and

we understand timing, synchronisation and

control,” declares Felstead. “But we’re in a

changing standards landscape. SMPTE 2022-6

gives the greatest chance of interoperability, but

we don’t yet know if it’s the best way to work. For

instance, how will it enable us to deliver video

and audio – and metadata, on occasion – to

different places simultaneously? Why would I

want to employ a de-embed function at all?

There may be a better solution out there. In fact,

at Snell we think this is VC-2 compression for

video using light weight RTP streams, so we’re

building products that support multiple IP stream

types to keep our customers’ future options as

open as possible.”

In summary, the challenges rest with people,

the change process and standards. But

broadcasters can’t afford to stand still waiting for

it all to be sorted out. On the other hand, they

cannot afford to sacrifice the speed, flexibility

and five ninesness of their current workflows at

the altar of IP.

IP ambitionsAudio Over IP (AoIP) has been in existence for

quite some time, so it’s difficult to call it a new or

emerging technology. As Pieter Schillebeeckx,

product director, TSL Products recalls, Axia

Audio’s LiveWire system was launched in 2003.

“You have to take your hat off to them. They

designed and implemented their own Precision

Time Protocol (PTP) before most people had

heard of such a thing.”

For some reason, though, it’s taken this

long for IP to catch the imagination of

many broadcasters.

“Ambitions for AoIP in the broadcast

community are set high,” states Schillebeeckx.

“Some see it as a technology of ultra-

convenience, or as a magic bullet for the

bloated capital budgets that come with

infrastructure and capacity upgrade – a high

channel count transport system that can use

existing IT provision. In practice, however, these

might be false headlines – distractions from an

even brighter future where infrastructure flexibility

with software-driven routing of audio, video and

metadata, complete with all-encompassing

synchronisation, is actually the main prize.”

However, warns Schillebeeckx, to get there we

must be realistic about the hurdles to practical

implementation of AoIP and VoIP.

“First, it is most likely that a broadcaster’s IP

transport will require a separate, managed

network, with high enough bandwidth for audio

and video, and capable of clean switching.

Every point where you might have a camera

really needs to have a 10Gb switch. A busy

area on a network might be the video mixer,

which would certainly require a 40Gb or even a

100Gb switch. This is neither commonplace nor

inexpensive technology, though audio-only is a

different matter and its bandwidth requirements

are tiny in comparison.”

AoIP and VoIP are correctly termed layer three

technologies, but perhaps the requirement for

specific network hardware and management

challenges brings it into the realm of a layer two

protocol like AVB.

This leads to the second hurdle. “All of this comes

with the IT training and knowledge requirement

that until now has not been prevalent in the

broadcast department,” believes Schillebeeckx.

“Today’s reality is that most implementations of

AoIP are straight replacements for an existing

technology such as MADI or SDI. While there are

advantages, such as using metadata for remote

control of mics, the broadcaster’s content-

over-IP ideal – where audio and video share

the same, synchronised, software-managed

transport – is still in its infancy.”

“At TSL, we’re already embracing the future

and working on next generation audio and

video monitoring products to support all flavours

of audio and video over IP. This approach, I

believe, is the only way that manufacturers,

integrators, and broadcasters alike will realise

their IP ambitions.”

The opportunities that IP offers for the monetisation of contentThe steady transition of video production

and distribution operations into the IP realm

is creating new and significant monetisation

opportunities. As IP becomes a more prominent

medium at both the ingest and delivery portions

of production and distribution processes,

monetisation opportunities will increase and

expand revenue-generation potential.

“In playout, for example, an IP-enabled

environment running on commercial off-the-shelf

equipment, whether in a private datacentre

or in the cloud, brings new levels of agility and

cost efficiencies that can be leveraged to reach

new markets and seize new opportunities,”

declares Glenn LeBrun, vice president, product

marketing, Imagine Communications. “New

channels can literally be launched in minutes, at

a fraction of the expense it takes to commission

and provision dedicated SDI and baseband

equipment. Monetisation opportunities that were

once impractical, such as channels aimed at

expatriates in large cities, become feasible in an

IP environment. It’s a simple business equation:

more channels in more regions mean more

viewers and a larger inventory to monetise.”

In the advertising arena, IP-enabled

technologies such as Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI)

create new revenue opportunities by enabling

content owners and distributors to address

viewership fragmentation. DAI can unlock the

value of inventory in non-linear environments by

allowing distributors to insert relevant and fresh

ads into OTT, VoD and even cDVR content. It

enables operators to better reach consumers of

non-linear programming with fresh and precisely

Glenn LeBrun, Imagine Communications

Sam Peterson, Grass Valley

Pieter Schillebeeckx, TSL Products

Jan Weigner, Cinegy

“Some see [AoIP] as a technology of ultra-convenience, or as a magic bullet for

the bloated capital budgets” Peter Schillebeeckx, TSL

52 TVBEurope www.tvbeurope.com October 2015

Forum

targeted ads. LeBrun continues, “The deeper

the media industry moves into the IP realm,

the greater the access to the monetisation

opportunities unleashed through data analytics.

Information derived about audiences’ viewing

habits can improve forecasting, pricing,

inventory control and ad targeting. By knowing

which shows a particular viewer is watching

– and when, where and on which device –

service providers can help advertisers pinpoint

consumers who are likely to be interested in

their offerings. A beneficial by-product of these

capabilities is that subscribers are no longer

badgered by misdirected marketing pitching.

Even commercials, in a big data environment,

become must-see TV.”

IP, of course, is nothing new to distributors.

Video service providers, including cable

operators, telcos, satellite operators and other

distributors of content have been employing it as

a transport medium for a decade or more. What

has changed recently, though, is their embrace

of HTTP, the lingua franca of the internet, as the

preferred distribution protocol. This transition has

enabled distributors to move from the broadcast

realm to a unicast one, where each consumer

has a broadband conduit to a mix of linear

and personalised content. In addition, this new

distribution model opens the door for new service

offerings, such as cloud-based DVR.

“Cloud DVR (cDVR) services, which bring linear

television and VoD capabilities into a unified

experience, are expected to grow significantly,”

says LeBrun. “This delivery is a powerful tool for

obtaining and retaining video customers, which is

a critical concern of traditional pay-TV providers.

In addition, state-of-the-art cDVR services have

the potential to generate new revenue through

subscriptions and incremental upgrade sales.

The virtually unlimited storage capability of cDVR

creates the opportunity to offer tiered services,

charging different fees for each level of storage

and functionality.”

The transformation that IP has brought to broadcastingAll types of DVB and ATSC workflows, file based

real-time or non-real-time workflows, all modern

forms of live field acquisition are IP based.

“The whole beauty of IP is its total

pervasiveness. IP is everywhere,” says Jan

Weigner, managing director and CTO, Cinegy.

“Now the last strongholds like SDI and studio

operations are falling and more people take

notice. ‘SDI Must Die’ and it will do so eventually,

but without any drama or bloodshed. It will just

fizzle out. Like dial-up internet access.”

Sevan BoydEasynet

Tim FelsteadSAM

What has changed, at least in parts of the

industry over the last few years, is the awareness

that IP is real. “It is a symptom of the industry as a

whole transforming to become a part or already

being a part of the IT, internet and telecoms

industry depending which area of broadcast

you find yourself in today,” says Weigner. “Other

media-loved buzzwords like ‘cloud’ confirm the

ongoing transformation or IT-convergence. SDI is

dead. Proprietary broadcast hardware is dead. If

it cannot also run in the cloud, don’t buy it.”

The broadcast industry is evolving. Software,

services and content are king. “Just like the

internet,” declares Weigner. “You know where

the journey is going and you know it for a while if

you admit to yourself. That leads to IBC equalling

Internet Broadcasting Convention.”

Do broadcasters understand IP? Sevan Boyd, Easynet media consultant believes it

is difficult to give a binary response as the answer

is dependent on how the question is directed.

“Broadcasters’ understanding of IP is a matter of

‘to whom the question is asked’, the use-case to

which it is applied, and whether the respondent

is thinking from a functional or strategic

perspective. Having spoken with a multitude of

broadcasters over the last few months: across

both the UK and Europe, they range from

actively trialling IP to intimating they are some

way off seriously considering it.”

Boyd goes on to say that, in reality most

broadcasters have been utilising IP for various

models of contribution and distribution for several

years and in this use-case do understand IP. “I’ve

seen some amazing applications of IP as an

efficient transportation mechanism. An excellent

example is Sky News Arabia. This is a relatively

young channel, with a pioneering CTO, Dominic

Baillie, and well-integrated IT and production

engineers. They have had the freedom and

creativity to produce an IP platform which

delivers over vast distances, consolidating

both video and corporate IT functions on to

a single infrastructure.”

With careful engineering by teams, who

both understand IP networks and video

properties, their fusion of IP-based MPLS and

internet concurrently delivers live-to-air HD

video between global locations as disparate

as Washington DC and Abu Dhabi, with

performance – latency/loss/jitter – and fiscal

models that would, in Boyd’s opinion, make a

satellite operator blush. Other features of the

service include live HD streams for distribution/

playout to broadcasters and uplink providers

in Europe, UK and the US, streaming video

directly to CDN providers via private link directly

integrated to their ‘on-net’ cloud hosting

facilities, supporting IP workflow across platforms

and multiple video channels and corporate

IT functions such as data applications and

IP telephony, simultaneously on single fibre

accesses no greater than 1Gbps.

“One cannot, of course, confuse contribution

and distribution IP with production IP. The

advantage for broadcasters with IP familiarity

from the contribution model means that to some

TVBEurope 53 October 2015 www.tvbeurope.com

Forum

‘The steady transition of video production and distribution operations into the IP

realm is creating new and significant monetisation opportunities’

degree both IT and production teams within

those organisations have had some IP exposure.”

However, for some broadcasters

understanding how IP integrates will require new

expertise and/or a convergence of existing IT

and production planning. For many broadcasters

there will be a period of strategic watching

and waiting before they feel they comprehend

and are ready for IP systems. “No broadcaster

or production house, regardless of voracity for

revolution, is going to wake up tomorrow to

find that all of the systems and vendors within

their workflow are IP ready. It will still be some

time before all the players introduce an array of

models which provide IP physical interfaces and

can accommodate all of the various standards

required to successfully translate the combined

video, audio and ancillary data when pushing

packages end-to-end.” Boyd believes that in

most cases there will be a system-by-system

migration. “For an IP integration company such

as Easynet it will be about helping to merge the

‘internal’ and ‘external’ boundaries to create

a homogenous end-to-end platform; internal,

cloud and globe.”

IP’s impact on current production workflowsToday, most demonstrations focus on mapping

the traditional workflows into the IP domain: for


Forum

Lieven Vermaele, CEO, SDNsquare

instance, SDI to IP. But, says Lieven Vermaele,

CEO, SDNsquare, in these rather limited

environments it is difficult to justify and prove the

wider impact and benefits of IP.

“Further, there is no value in building separate

IP islands - like SDI. We need to roll out all our

digital workflows with the right priority, such as

live video, editing, aggressive file transfer, ingest,

over the one shared IP infrastructure. This is a real

technical challenge.”

But, looking ahead, IP will create huge benefits

and impact heavily on how media facilities

and industry are run. “We will achieve reduced

capex and opex as we move from numerous

distributed hardware boxes and application

servers to one shared storage and media

processing infrastructure. Over-provisioning and

over-investment are avoided because these

resources are shared and can be scheduled or

provisioned in time. This consolidation leads to

reduced equipment, licence and operational

costs. Software is there to manage complexity

and resources more efficiently.”

Vermaele believes these developments

will also lead to a more agile organisation.

“Centralising data, moving to software and

IP brings more flexibility. New processes and

workflows are set up faster and easier. All

the content and resources are widely

available for all users and partners, inside

and outside the organisation.”

He also says that there will be accelerated

innovation because media and resources are

available to set up new digital workflows and

pioneering media experiences in much faster

and easier ways.

Media companies will gain the possibility to

introduce regularly new or updated experiences

with, for example, reduced time to air. Software

will step in to enrich those media experiences.

With a social feedback loop, media will become

a much more personal or social experience.

But Vermaele warns there are challenges

ahead. “We need datacentre and network

resources directly available – in a guaranteed

way – when required.

“The concept of ‘service availability’ is

differently understood in the traditional media

world from the IP world. IP solutions are based

on the basis of best effort and software to

solve that. In media, when we have mission

critical productions, we cannot allow these

unpredictable situations.

“We need a shared IP infrastructure with the

possibility to set priorities for mission critical and

best effort processes. This is where SDNsquare

wants to contribute in the industry and what we

demonstrated this year at IBC.”

Will the use of IP in remote production affect the craft of broadcasting?Yes, says Sam Peterson, segment manager,

live production, at Grass Valley. “Adopting

IP technology will enable a new range of

creative freedoms by supporting multiple

formats, leveraging metadata to better

target key audiences, and offering

additional revenue with fresh services

as exciting applications are launched.”

Grass Valley’s IP roadmap enables

customers to migrate their facility’s entire

SDI signal path to IP, focusing on cable and

capital cost reduction, and expansive

scaling opportunities. It is largely centred

on either uncompressed or very lightly

compressed signals.

“For remote production, the focus is extending

the customer’s facility to a venue with much

more highly compressed signals. Because of this,

Grass Valley has partnered with vendors who

enable these capabilities.”

The company is working to make its interfaces

efficient over wide area network connections,

including the challenges of latency induced by

such a system, to allow customers to operate

without regard for geographic location of the

equipment or signals.

In terms of changing the craft of remote

production, aside from the nuances of IP

compression, there are differences regarding

where certain functions are performed and how

cameras are used.

Peterson continues, “The extreme case is to

have only the cameras and microphones at

the venue and pull all these sources back to

the studio facility and add audio commentary,

graphics and switching. The other extreme is for

all of the video and audio production to take

place at the venue, but with the control surfaces

in the studio facility.”

He maintains that there is still an ongoing

debate as to what equipment to have remotely

and how much to centralise – all of which

significantly impacts where human resources are

needed. “In all of the scenarios, our customers

are asking for an open approach that allows for

flexibility in execution and seamless handling of

the latency induced by transport.”

The final point, and perhaps one of the most

difficult in light of having personnel spread across

multiple sites, is communication. Grass Valley has

been using IP as a link between products and

control surfaces for decades.

“A few of our customers have implemented

scenarios where one product in their facility

might be controlled by a user interface that

is remote, but in the past year we have been

asked to put together solutions where many

of the control surfaces are in the remote

site hundreds or thousands of miles away,”

concludes Peterson. “As a result, the way the

user interface reacts must be different due to

the potential of the various signals arriving with

different latency. The facility for communication

must be different, and flexibility is key in the face

of latency induced by the transport over the

specified distance.

“However, the cost savings associated with

the efficient use of personnel and equipment are

driving the desire for remote production, and IP

technology is a key enabler, further affecting the

craft of broadcasting.”


Forum

“Cloud DVR (cDVR) services, which bring linear television and VoD

capabilities into a unified experience, are expected to grow significantly”

Glenn LeBrun, Imagine Communications

“SDI Must Die, and it will do so eventually, but without any drama or

bloodshed. It will just fizzle out”Jan Weigner,

Cinegy


Consumers now spend six hours per week

watching streamed on-demand TV

series, programmes, and movies: this has

more than doubled since 2011. With recorded

and downloaded content added to the

equation, today 35 per cent of all TV and video

viewing is spent watching VoD content.

Further findings highlight the considerable

growth in consumers watching video on a mobile

device: 61 per cent watch on their smartphones

today, an increase of 71 per cent since 2012.

When taking tablets, laptops, and smartphones

into consideration, nearly two thirds of time spent

by teenagers’ watching TV and video is on a

mobile device.

Great content, flexibility, and experience

At the same time, user-generated content

(UGC) platforms account for a growing share

of consumers’ TV and video viewing. Close to

one in ten consumers watch YouTube for more

than three hours per day, and one in three

now consider it very important to be able to

watch UGC on their TV at home. The increasing

prominence of UGC-rich platforms like YouTube

has resulted in a popularity boost for educational

and instructional videos, with consumers

watching an average 73 minutes of these videos

per week, the study finds.

“The continued rise of streamed video

on-demand and UGC services reflects the

importance of three specific factors to today’s

viewers: great content, flexibility, and a high-

quality overall experience,” said Anders

Erlandsson, senior advisor, Ericsson ConsumerLab.

“Innovative business models that support

these three areas are now crucial to creating

TV and video offerings that are both relevant

and attractive.”

‘Binge-watching’ (watching multiple

episodes of TV series and video content in a

row), has become a key part of the TV and

Ericsson reveals findings of annual ConsumerLab Report

Data Centre

Every third viewing hour is now spent watching on-demand TV and video, according to the latest edition of the annual Ericsson ConsumerLab TV and Media Report. Based on interviews with over 22,500 people, findings in the report are representative of 680 million consumers

Percentage of people watching different media types at least once per day

Frequency of watching several TV series, other TV programmess or UGC episodes in a row

The increase in watching on-demand TV series and movies

ISE 2016 is the international destination of choice for AV systems integration professionals. It provides a defi nitive four-day showcase for the world’s leading product manufacturers and service suppliers in combination with an exclusive training and conference programme - all under one roof.

Find out more and register: www.iseurope.org

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Data Centre

Consumer evaluation of content providers Figure 14 highlights what service providers do well (reinforce), and where consumers feel they can improve (fix). For traditional linear TV services, only video quality ends up under the ‘reinforce’ segment, and both price and availability of content need to be addressed. Meanwhile, for on-demand services, price and available content are strong points, with no weak points in any areas.

Share of total TV time by age group, measured on respective device

video experience, and is prominent among

Subscription Video on-Demand (SVoD) users

of services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and

HBO. Eighty-seven 87 per cent of SVoD user

binge-watch at least once a week, according

to Ericsson’s report, compared to 74 per cent of

non S-VoD users. Over 50 per cent of the studied

consumers binge watch at least once a day,

and only five per cent never binge view.

TV is not smart enoughThe report also highlights consumer complaints:

half of those watching linear TV say they can’t

find anything to watch on a daily basis: as

many as 62 per cent of consumers aged 25

to 34 face this challenge on a daily basis, and

consumers feel that recommendation features

are simply not smart or personal enough. When

a recommendation engine fails to deliver a

consumer’s desired content, many will choose

to ‘default’. Defaulting is when consumers give

up and settle for a viewing habit they are

familiar with, despite originally intending to

watch something else. Defaulting, Ericsson

says, indicates that the service does not cater

to the consumer’s needs, implying an

inadequate service offering.

Despite these problems, the popularity of

linear TV remains high, mainly due to its access

to premium viewing and live content such as

sports, and also down to its social value. Linear

viewing is linked to age: 82 per cent of 60 to 69

year-olds say they watch linear TV on a daily

basis, while only 60 per cent of millennials (those

aged 16 to 34) do so. Ericsson’s report asserts

that non-believers in traditional pay-TV may

eventually change their minds. For ‘TV cord-

nevers’ (consumers who have never had a

pay TV subscription) it is difficult to understand

the value as it is offered today. Long binding

times, inflexible packages and high costs and

advertising cause 50 per cent to believe they

will not pay for it, even in the future. However, 22

per cent of cord-nevers are already paying for

over-the-top (OTT) content services, indicating a

willingness to pay for subscription TV, albeit with a

different bundle approach.

Three specific areas that influence a

consumer’s service experience are highlighted

in the Report: great content; flexibility; and a

high quality overall experience. Supporting these

three areas will be crucial when creating the 21st

century TV and media offering, and bringing it to

consumers, concludes Ericsson.

drives business to exhibitors’ stands at the show and helps convert

business opportunities into solid revenues.

To confirm your advertising space in any of products, contact the sales team now:

Drive visitors to your stand

BY MONICA HECKThe Internet of Things is set to turn the ‘integrated systems’ that make up Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) into a single unified ‘integrated system’, according to futuristic business mastermind and consultant Lars Thomsen.

Speaking on the main stage during the ISE Opening Keynote speech, Thomsen predicted the future of the AV industry would depend on the IPv6 Internet standard, which would create a rapidly growing “digital nervous system” across the world not unlike the current energy grid everybody is used to.

“In 10 years, 1,000 devices per human will be connected to the internet and this digital nervous system will incorporate all aspects of things that are important to humanity,

such as comfort, energy, security, education and so on,” he said.

“Right now there are different halls in this trade show representing different parts of the industry. We are now at a tipping point where we

don’t have to think about isolated systems, but rather about moving onto a system that incorporates the internet as its backbone.”

Tipping points are a key concern of Thomsen’s, who doesn’t use slides

during his keynotes but prefers to let the audience connect the dots and imagine the future he describes.

“Tipping points are points in time where a new technology, or business model is cheaper and better than the way we did it in the past,” added Thomsen, listing the victory of artificial intelligence and robotics over ‘dumb technology’ as tipping points to look out for.

“Within 520 weeks, we will get to a point where robots can work in households or in elderly care, they will reach a price point where they are cheaper than employing humans for the same task. The implications to our society are big.”

“We have to do more than just look for trends, instead of waiting for the future we have to find the next tipping point and actively create that future,” he concluded.

The future: Integrated System Europe?

ISE is a joint venture partnership of:

www.iseurope.org

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF

SHOW HOURS: Tuesday 10 February 09:00-18:00 Thursday 12 February 09:00-17:00Wednesday 11 February 09:00-18:00

Digital Signage p10 Residential solutions p27 Unified Communications p56 Smart Building p62 Professional Development p68

BY LINDSEY M. ADLER

A vacuum in professional computing has resulted from the evolution from desktop to laptop to mobile device. John Underkoffler, CEO of Oblong Industries, views the world through pixels and sees them as the key to filling that hole, which he shared in his Smart Building Conference address: “The Future of Work – Workplace Collaboration Thrives in the Spatial Operating Environment”.

As an advisor to the film Minority Report, Underkoffler shared a clip he musingly hoped was “the last time we have to look at this.” Instead of being wowed by the ahead-of-its-time gesture technology, something he derided as “not what’s important,” attendees were asked to look for what was missing.

“This sequence is as much about the collaboration and the room as it is the UI.”

Applying that to today’s business technologies, he asked,

“How does computation extend [the] room? It doesn’t. [Modern computing devices] don’t care about the room. You have a bizarre complication.” Because they are so personal in nature, “They are anti-collaboration devices and anti-architectural devices.”

Underkoffler and Oblong Industries are working to get out of this “trap.” His solutions include: the more pixels the better; pixel interoperability; a user interface capable of managing all the pixels all over the place; and plurality, the

need for systems that think about more than one thing - enabling the physical and social space for more than one person to work in tandem.

By teaching a machine to speak pixels, multiple applications can run at the same time complementarily. “It’s a kind of quantum leap between what you can do with a machine,” Underkoffler declared.

“We’re turning serialism into parallelism, linear into nonlinear, and raw technology into a more human approach.”

A minority report on the future of pixels

A DIGITAL THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM

BY KIRSTEN NELSON

It was “laptop land” at AudioForum@ISE yesterday. The fifth edition of the day-long educational event presented by Connessioni certainly featured digital in every way, as nary a professional audio discussion would be complete without talk of software or DSP. Topics relevant to audio design, integration and live events were discussed in the context of building knowledge and business for a rapidly evolving industry, with participants taking keen interest in sharpening skills in modeling, time alignment, networking and Class D amplification.

Attendees from the live sound and installation worlds convened at the event. The notion of convergence was very much on the mind of Jack Cornish, a project

Tuesday 10 February 2015

ISE’ managing director Mike Blackman introduces the event as Chiara Benedettini of organiser Connessioni looks on

Thomsen: “In 10 years, 1,000 devices per human will be connected to the internet”

Continued on page 4

International: Gurpreet Purewal T: +44 (0)20 7354 6000 E: [email protected] McCarthy T: +44 (0)20 7354 6000 E: [email protected]

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