IBC 2015 Encompasses The Ever-Changing Industry, Pt II

Continued from Part One...

Imagine Communications (Amtrium – 4.AMT) will be running ImagineLIVE – an IBC-long series of presentations and interactive discussions featuring prominent executives and subject matter experts from the company, plus partner executives and guest speakers from across the entertainment media industry.

ImagineLIVE will offer morning, afternoon and early evening sessions each day of the show, hosted from the company's booth in the newly constructed RAI Amtrium (next to Hall 4). Explaining the huge investment behind such a tactic, Imagine CEO Charlie Vogt stated: "The media industry is confronted by disruption and opportunity at greater levels of intensity than ever before. ImagineLIVE is the perfect venue for launching an interactive forum to amplify the voices and insights of the most influential visionaries in both the media industry and the broader technology ecosystem."

Cooke Optics (11.D10) has a new 65mm macro anamorphic/i Prime lens, plus an updated version of its /i Squared technology. The new lens will give cinematographers a close-up magnification ratio of 4:1:1 and close focus of 5.5" from the front of the lens, a rare achievement for an anamorphic lens. The key performance is that its focus does not fall apart as it gets to macro focuses, making it ideal for close-ups and product shots. The /i Squared technology metadata system now provides even more detailed lens data to VFX and postproduction teams, specifically distortion mapping.

Ikegami Electronics (11.A31) will show its new HDL-57, a full-digital compact 3-CMOS HDTV Camera designed for use on remotely controlled pan/tilt heads in applications such as small television station or robotic studios. It is equally valuable when a good quality fixed-position compact camera is required for intercutting with the output from full-size studio cameras.

It comes as a rectangular unit measuring 90 x 103 x 180 mm (width x depth x height) and weighs in at 1.5 kg. The sensors are 2.5 megapixel 2/3 inch CMOS ones, offering wide dynamic range and no smear. They incorporate active processing circuitry and deliver a digital output to the camera's DSP. They also give the user native progressive and interlace modes. These are 1080/59.94i, 1080/50i, 720/59.94p, 720/50p and 1080/23.98p from the camera head. And 1080/23.98p output is an option. The other key features are F11 at 2,000-lux sensitivity; a 60 dB signal-to-noise ratio; and 1,000-television lines resolution in 1080i format (700 TVL in 720p format).

Ikegami will attract a lot more attention with its new 4K and 8K cameras – specifically, the Unicam UHD 3-CMOS 2/3-inch 4K model and the SHL-810 portable 8K camera. This is 'fourth generation' technology boasting a single 33 million-pixel Super 35 CMOS sensor that achieves 4,000TVL horizontal and vertical resolution. Apart from tight depth of focus, the user can take 8K, 4K and 2K native outputs.

Cinegy (7.A30 and 7.A41) will unveil V10 versions of all its systems in the areas of 4K workflow solutions; cloud multi-channel play out solutions; enterprise production and archive solutions; IP based broadcast solutions; and news, studio and live production solutions. The stand demos will include Cinegy Desktop – a universal production tool with real-time access to media in Cinegy Archive. This desktop tool runs on a standard PC, and is a power tool for logging, searching and editing with an integrated timeline for rapid turnaround editing. New is the improved newsroom management, with newswire import services. Another demo will feature Cinegy Air PRO, a multi-channel software play out and automation toolset.

Clear-Com (10.D29) will have its new 2.4GHZ FreeSpeak II wireless intercom system; the demo point being the flexibility of mixing system components from either band on the same system – because there is no one-size-fits all system when it comes to wireless intercom. The impacting factors are size of coverage area, workflow (number of users), the presence of other wireless devices, and country regulation. First user applications for the 1.9GHZ system have been used in large-scale broadcasts and live productions. The 2.4GHz version will resolve a problem in countries where the 1.9GHz band is prohibited for use.

CB Electronics (7.F06) will launch its new TMC-1 S6, an Avid S6 version of the TMC-1 multi-channel monitor controller at IBC 2015, plus an interface to the NTP DAD/Penta digital interfaces, which enables a fully digital monitor system. Recent CB Electronics installations include a TMC-1 Penta in Pinewood theatre 6, a Dolby Atmos room at Pinewood film studios.
Company CEO and designer Colin Broad will demonstrate user requested improvements for the TMC-1. He says: "Our aim is to make it easier to work in different formats, easier to install and to include features that you would expect to find only in large console monitor sections."

RTW (8.D89) has an implementation of continuous loudness correction software that can be a plug-in or standalone software.
Users can constantly adapt the level of audio they are working on, against a given program-loudness value, along with a definable loudness range in real-time with minimal obstacles. RTW also has V3.0 status for its Masterclass plug-ins, mastering tools and loudness tools, the software now adhering to SAWA and TASA cinema loudness standards and its window and instruments are modified to be freely scalable. V3.0 also comes with the newly developed USB connect software TM3 USB Connect, which allows users to feed audio directly out of a DAW application via USB from any channel to a TM3-Primus hardware device.

Miller Camera Fluid Heads (Europe) (11.D30) will debut its Cineline 2090 Tripod System to the European market, after a good reception at NAB. This includes a new HD Mitchell Base 1-stage alloy tripod and HD alloy ground spreader, topped by a Cineline 70 fluid head. Cineline 2090 gives cinematographers the stability, plus smooth and consistent pan and tilts that they insist on. Look too for the Compass 23 Fluid Head, a budget priced newcomer.

Vizrt (7.A20) will have a ton of new technology, starting with improvements to Viz Engine, a 4K multi-channel graphics and video play out server, a cloud-based graphics hub, and connection to SMPTE-2022 via the Sony LLC streaming services. The latest Viz One MAM technology will be linked to Viz Engine for a show demo of superfast SAN storage and playback production workflow. The new cloud-based hub brings easier collaboration between graphics bays and broadcast centres. It allows Viz Engines in multiple locations to playback real-time content from the cloud, and comes into its own if broadcasters run separate production hubs and OB facilities.

Viz Engine now functions as a multi-channel graphics and video play out server for HD and 4K while also allowing IP video streaming in and out. It supports end-to-end J2K and SMPTE 2022 production, which allows Vizrt to play in the transition to IP based or SDI/IP hybrid infrastructures.
The Viz One is now certified to handle AS-11 DPP MXF Metadata. The integration of a new version of Vizrt Social TV with Twitter Curator will be a stand highlight.

This article is also available to read at BFV online.