videoReferee®-V - is the most powerful video server
videoReferee®-V is the eighth generation of judging systems. When it was created, market requests, especially football, were taken into account to increase the number of recording channels in one device. The new system sets a new record - 24 channels of HD/3G. Now any competition can be "covered" by one server.
To display such a huge number of channels required monitors with a resolution of more than 1920x1080. Now such screens can have resolution of up to 4K which will provide detailed images of all 24 channels.
Since the system can work with 3G signals, when parsing disputed moments, the images can be twice as sharp as they are when working with HD signals.
Another noticeable feature of this system is its ability to work with 720p, HD and 3G signals on a single project.
VideoReferee®-V also has an SDI output option for providing the referee's monitor image for broadcasters.
All these new capabilities and features, inherent to all previous systems, make the new system the next champion in sports video judging.
The system records 24 cameras. The referees can analyze the controversial moment frame by frame concurrently from several cameras. If necessary, the video image can be magnified (zoomed in). The slow motion playback is not only used by the judges, but can be included in the television broadcast.
Events can be marked live or on recorded video. Events are instantly available for review. When an event is created, the system remembers the currently active channel, and when returning to this event starts with the same view. Marked events are also used to create video reports with controversial game moments.
Using a special vR-Keypad, the operator or assistant can assign with a single click different event tags. A special search engine allows instantly find the tagged events. For example, all goals of the guest team, or all off-sites by the hosts.
The standard system configuration includes two monitors – engineering interface monitor with built-in multiviewer of all channels and a folder of marked events and referee's monitor with controller for the video judge. The video judge can work with 1, 2, 3 or 4 cameras simultaneously in live or search mode. The view from several cameras simultaneously helps accurate and quick decision making. Users are able to create different presets of channels. The system can also magnify any frame for detailed analysis.
Besides the referee's and engineering monitors, videoReferee®-V can accommodate a 3rd monitor working as a separate multiviewer. This is convenient when there is a video-assistant who can mark events on live video when the referee's monitor is used for analyzing questionable situations.
In the case of limited space and/or personnel, all these 3 interfaces can be displayed on a single monitor using the MultiSkin function. The MultiSkin feature is ideal for field work with only one monitor.
The referee's workplace includes simple and intuitive vR-Controller with functions which can be learned in minutes. Positioning on recorded video with the controller's Jog/Shuttle is quick and accurate. The Shuttle ring controls the playback speed and can slow it down so that judges can view the movement dynamic of the controversial situation and notice the smallest details.
For analyzing all phases of the movement, videoReferee® allows in addition to frame by frame viewing of recorded video, to view fields. Even with the use of ordinary video cameras this feature doubles the number of movement phases to 50 and 60 respectively for PAL and NTSC.
In case of 3G 50p/60p video the server receives 50 or 60 motion phases per second and the vertical image resolution is doubled.
Since videoReferee® can be used on venues with cameras without external synchronization, the system incorporates specially developed technology that allows synchronizing the video even from non-synchronous cameras when parsing controversial moments.
In team sports controversial moments can be closely related to timing. For example, in ice hockey, a goal scored after time stoppage does not count, in basketball successful throw 0.1 sec. before the end of the game or attack time is counted. That is why the judges must have access to official game data.
videoReferee®-V has two ways of solving this - using a special interface receiving data directly from scoreboard or selecting the appropriate scoreboard view and displaying it as PIP. In both cases, information is recorded in each video channel of the system.
For the unlikely situation when none of the 24 channels contain a scoreboard image there is an option - dedicated camera input device, which accepts either SDI or inexpensive HDMI cameras.
Unlike all other similar systems, videoReferee® makes it possible to use 720p, 1080i and 1080p cameras in the same project!
TV viewers are eager to follow the decision making process. If this is not prohibited by the league regulations, the referee's monitor image can be provided for broadcasting via optional SDI output module.
Many sports federations require a video report in the form of H.264 or MPEG files. In addition to marked moments the system can batch export all video channels with the use of single button, which significantly reduces the time spent export.
It is necessary to mention that videoReferee®-V is based on SSD. This made the system lighter, more reliable and insensitive to vibrations and harsh transport conditions. It also allowed to create a huge video storage capacity.
