NABShow 2017 ended and we would like to share its results. We have presented many novelties and interesting solutions there.
Expanding videoReferee® family
It has already become a tradition that at the NAB exhibitions to show our technological leadership we present a new top model of the videoReferee® family.
2015 - videoReferee®-3G - 12 channels of 3G signals.
2016 - videoReferee®-4/4G/ 4K - 16 channels HD / 3G + 2 channels 4K.
2017 - videoReferee®-V/ VG.
Inside the company the model number V (five) is stands Victory. The server is designed to work with 24 HD / 720 / 3G channels in any combination. To work with such a number of channels, the resolution of 1920x1080 monitors was not enough and the new system uses interface monitors with a higher, up to 4K, resolution.
The multiviewer in the new system provides more comfortable work for engineers, video judges/referees and video assistants. Using the touch screen it became possible to fully touch-control the system. Now playback, channel selection, marking events, searching video, etc. can be controlled from the multiviewer by gestures.
The videoReferee®-V remains in a standard 4U 19" rack chassis. The SSD based disk subsystem has a recording capacity of up to 160 hrs. of HD video. It has 10GbE ports for networking and includes the vR-Keypad for a more comfortable work of the video judge and his assistant.
We believe that for the few years none of our competitors will be able to reach this level - 24 channels of 3G video.
In addition to that full-size system, we introduced a new portable video judging system - videoReferee®-SR, build on the basis of the most popular replay server Simple RII. The 1U system works with 8 input channels. Its main distinguished features are compactness and mobility. It can also:
- work with an SDI output device for supplying signals from the referee's monitor for use television broadcast;
- use an additional HDMI™ or SDI camera to capture selected scoreboard image and include it on all recorded channels.
The videoReferee®-SR has the ability to connect three monitors for Engineering, Referee's and Multiviewer interfaces. Using a touch screen monitor for the multiviewer will provide gestures control, same as on videoReferee®-V. The videoReferee®-SR is the ideal mobile solution for sport video judging.
At our stand, we also showed a new version of referee's favorite - the all-in-one videoReferee®-Jr., which was first introduced at IBC 2016. The key difference here was the recording of up to 8 channels of HD / 720p / SD video via SDI interfaces. The increased size of the built-in SSD based disk subsystem provides up to 132 hours of 100 Mbps HD video.
Since Jr. 8 has a touch screen, it supports the new gesture control. It also supports operation of vR-Keypad – a special external keyboard for creating labels, positioning on them, controlling monitor displaying modes, etc.
Due to its 8 recorded channels, Jr.8 is suitable for practically all sports.
Multichannel recording and instant replays
The most important and long-awaited novelty in the field of multichannel recording and replays, especially liked by visitors of the stand, was the new Dominator AT/3G. Creating this new version of our popular mid-class server, we provided the ability of simultaneous operation of 2 operators and increased the number of available 3G replay channels to 10. Now this server in replay mode surpasses the most powerful servers of competitors.
Dominator AT/3G allows simultaneous operation of two replay operators in 3G mode when each operator can work with 5 input channels. Operators work independently - each of them has its own SDI output. Each operator besides the main interface has a multiviewer, which greatly improves the comfort and quality of work.
In recording for NLE mode the server records either 8/10 channels with AVID DNxHD and ProRes codecs, or 12 channels DVCPro HD.
Another important improvement is the increase in the number of toolless, trayless DMR™ racks for 3.5" SATA drives located on the front panel. Our proprietary DMR™ technology directly records files in NLE formats and in this case hard drives act as standard TV cassettes for editing material.
Another important and welcomed innovation was the new software for Simple RII 662 servers, which allows two operators to work simultaneously on the same machine. This is important when working at events with high responsibility and high requirements for instant replay accuracy. It is believed that in such cases, each operator should work with no more than 3 cameras. Now this is possible with the second workplace option - each operator works with three cameras, has its own SDI output, monitor with the main interface and possibility of switching to multiviewer mode. Operators can exchange clips and playlists between them.
It is also worth noticing that operators can dynamically choose the type of multiviewer to be displayed.
Together with Panasonic we presented Simple RII based solution for working with Panasonic AK-HC5000 4x super-fast camera. This is now a standard option for all our 3G servers. It's also worth mentioning that Dominator AT/3G can work with two such cameras.
And of course we presented our jewel - the Red Arrow, which can work with four 4K input channels and two output channels, or record 6 channels of 4K video for editing. Working with 3G/HD/SD signals, it simultaneously records 20 channels, plays back 4U size!
Because of four DP graphics outputs, 4 operators can simultaneously work on the same server. Each operator has its own display, which can function in the main interface or Multiviewer mode.
The internal SSD based subsystem provides storage of up to 266 hours of 100Mb HD video. The nine built-in DMR™ Rack on the front panel for 3.5" SATA drives facilitates the transfer of recorded material to editing. The nine 3.5" SATA drives can record 18 channels in ProRes 422 with SD proxy or 24 channels of DVCPro HD with SD proxy.
Traditionally the stand visitors could get acquainted with our budget solutions - the Arrow line of broadcast replay servers in 2U size. We showed Arrow 662.
The NAB Show was interesting and useful. We made new contacts and were covered in some publications:
