Broadcast Systems In Transition

The transition from dedicated broadcast hardware to IT-based products is proceeding at widely differing speeds depending on which product category one happens to be considering, says Russell Peirson-Hagger, Managing Director, ATG Danmon UK.

Audio and video editing products using hard disk drives, for instance, have been with us for many years, but we are yet to see fully functional virtual IP playout systems utilising commodity IT hardware although they are promised. We do, however, need to leave the door open when designing systems today to allow the future adoption of these technologies as they are developed.

IT hardware, in a broadcast context, has also been used for some time to provide easy control and monitoring of devices located in an apparatus room or in remote locations. The shift from panel-per-product device control was initially resisted, but now we see the advantages of well-designed graphical interfaces and touch screens, leaving the dedicated panels to provide functions such as emergency back-up. There are exceptions to this trend, of course, where traditional control surfaces continue to be preferred, but the parent device is still, essentially, software running on a PC.

80/20 balance
The relative balance of equipment in the apparatus of modern television stations has swung from around 80 per cent dedicated broadcast equipment and 20 per cent IT servers to the exact opposite. It is very telling how not so long ago engineers, during the course of a system build, would spend a significant amount of their time locked in the CAR configuring devices, all fighting over space. Now the bulk of that activity is performed from their desks by simply remoting in to the system. This brings the advantage of reducing the amount of engineers you need on site and also the ease with which post-installation technical support can be provided. Within minutes of an issue being flagged, an engineer can be diagnosing and providing a fix.

Over the past 12 months, the ATG Danmon UK team has been very active on major projects for clients in Britain and overseas. Projects include a 16-channel broadcast playout system being installed in the Middle East and a five-camera high definition production studio, also for the Middle East. Both systems were prebuilt at our headquarters in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, prior to being shipped for onsite installation. This enabled us to fully test the systems and conduct a factory acceptance in order to ensure the customer was satisfied that we had met their requirements, before taking delivery. We opened up access to allow manufacturers to remotely configure their systems, which made it easy for us to schedule work and for manufacturers to resource. The adjacent photo shows pre-build testing in progress with Jonathan Hughes, our Head of Systems Integration.

Augmented reality studio
Two new project orders were received from a client with several global locations. The first, which has now been completed, involved the upgrade of an existing three-camera green screen studio in London. The second system is currently being installed in the Far East and is a full augmented reality studio with robotic heads and track. Both studios will be used for internal and external presentations and also for contribution pieces to broadcasters.

In the UK, we recently completed a major upgrade to the voiceover facilities at the London headquarters of Input Media. Input Media is one of the UK's leading sports television production companies. Established more than 25 years ago, it produces over 2,000 hours of top-quality programming every year. The project required quick turnaround as the voiceover facility is used to create live sports commentaries. A central objective was to allow easy operation of all suites by a single person. We upgraded eight suites in total, each with audio processing and monitoring equipment. The entire workflow is managed via a control system, operated from a simple user interface.

UHD flyaway
Our most technically challenging project of all is a UHD flyaway production system currently being built for a new client. It incorporates multiple cameras capturing 16 bit RAW 4K direct to solid state memory cards. The need to capture material at the highest possible quality is an imperative requirement. As we work with the client on the complex design, it is highlighting exactly where current technologies currently lie.

Image: Jonathan Hughes, Head of Systems Integration at ATG Danmon UK.

www.atgdanmon.co.uk

This article is also available to read at BFV online here.

(JP/MH)