News – information about our products, projects and achievements - Slomo.tv

Being both the most compact and the most affordable – 29,950 EUR – 4K Replay server on the market, slomo.tv's new 1U Simple R 4K server provides enough performance for broadcasters who specialize in mid-level 4K sports broadcasts: 3 recording channels in 4K Replay mode.

For IBC 2023, the time-tested series of compact 1U Simple R servers gets a new 4K model – the world's most compact and affordable broadcast-grade 4K Replay server.

With the availability of new cost-effective 4K broadcast cameras, such as Blackmagic URSA Broadcast, professional-quality 4K TV is now within the reach of many budgets. Besides various shows, concerts and events the small production companies could now be part of an important TV business – Sports Production, with its mandatory requirement of instant replays.

Responding to customers' requests for a low-cost 4K replay solution and especially for users of BMD URSA Broadcast, slomo.tv developed a new powerful and cost-effective 4K replay server Simple R 4K, making it possible to easily break into 4K sports broadcasting.

Eleven years after the debut of the Simple R replay servers, the 331 model has been reborn with expanded functionality, adding UHD to the standard support of 3G and HD SDI video production. The new Simple R 4K server in replay mode provides 3 recording channels, 3 search channels and 2 playback channels with FX in a single 1U unit.

The Simple R 4K expands the potential of the budget OB Vans to the next level, adding instant slow motion replay production in 4K, allowing them to be competitive with more powerful and expensive OB Vans on the market.

The new server is an excellent alternative to large 4U/6U servers due to its small size and affordable price. The Simple R 4K would be of interest to owners of budget 4K OB Vans, for example, based on BMD URSA Broadcast cameras, as it gives an opportunity to successfully compete with other companies involved in 4K video production.

After working in Replay mode, the recorded 4K video can be exported directly to native files of NLE systems.

The new Simple R is equipped with 12G-SDI interfaces. It has all the distinctive features of slomo.tv servers, including the world's fastest User Native Interface: simultaneous search of all channels, automatic creation of clips and playlists and slomo.tv’s specialized control panel.

The server's low weight of 5.1 kg / 6 kg (with redundant power supply) not only makes it easy to transport, but also allows it to be carried in hand luggage. This makes the Simple R 4K a great choice for mobile portabile solutions.

The SSD-based disk subsystem provides high performance and resistance to mechanical impact: shock and heavy vibration.

The Simple R 4K system comes with a specialized control panel – Control-ZR, equipped with 51 illuminated RGB buttons, Jog/Shuttle and T-Bar for playback speed control. The controller is connected via Ethernet, USB, RS-232 or RS-422.

Based on its extensive experience integrating and working with various scoreboard controllers, slomo.tv has developed Control-MC, a multi-functional timing and event registration system.

The main idea was to increase the usefulness and functionality of the device, as well as to simplify its operation and make it more responsive to different scoreboard controller data (SCD) needs of various sports.

The multi-functional Control-MC timing and event registration system stands out for its accuracy, reliability and important additional features that are not available in other solutions. The Control-MC supports a variety of sports, including ice hockey, basketball, water polo and handball.

The heart of the solution, the Control-MC scoreboard controller itself, combines a specialized hardware device responsible for timing and transferring data to all SCD users, with an interface that enables easy and convenient data entry and correction, configuration, start-up and stoppage of the system.

The new Control-MC device in the size of a compact referee control panel has:

• 22 large tactile RGB broadcast push-buttons with functional contextual backlighting
• 7" color TFT touchscreen interface for displaying game information and working with non-operational menus
• Multiple interfaces for connecting to the infrastructure
• Built-in rechargeable Li-ion battery for up to 6.5 hours of continuous operation

Flexible connectivity

The Control-MC is equipped with multiple ports for connecting to consumers of SCD, as well as numerous external devices.

There are three serial interfaces RS-422/232/485 on the rear panel of the system, supporting various data protocols. The system is flexible: each interface can be assigned a different physical interface and scoreboard controller data protocol. The scoreboard controller data can be connected to various consumers, such as arena scoreboards, VAR systems, time-boards in dressing rooms, venue information graphics systems or TV graphics systems.

On the rear panel there are also three Smart I/O connectors for remote controls and various external devices. This can range from simple LED buttons (up to 2 buttons per connector) with "start", "stop", "24 seconds" and other functions, to slomo.tv devices that connect via serial protocol and include various multi-button specialized interfaces.

There are also two Ethernet connectors for transferring SCD to devices that do not require high accuracy and data synchronization, and for connecting various control or information devices via HTTP / WebSocket protocol. Users can connect their own devices (phones, tablets) with configured information management applications.

In addition, Control-MC has an integrated interface for a wireless mouse or keyboard and a software-controlled USB interface.

More than a scoreboard controller – unique features and options of Control-MC

The Control-MC offers the innovative wireless Smart Whistle function: the time on the scoreboard controller starts and stops by the referee's whistle.

Up to 3 whistles can be connected. The system logs whose whistle is used to stop/start time. This function is seamlessly integrated and does not require the connection of external devices.

For TV broadcasters who produce on-air graphics from a broadcasting center there is a SCDO option. The option includes two additional multifunctional devices. The device on the arena has an SDI input and, using the proprietary slomo.tv technology, embeds scoreboard controller data into the video signal sent to the broadcaster via any communication channel. Several embedding methods can be used: watermark, AUX Data and audio. The response device installed in the TV center retrieves the data. When the SCDO is connected via USB to the graphics system, the broadcaster gets a time reference for each frame and the ability to overlay the graphics with maximum accuracy.

Another useful function of the SCDO is to monitor and diagnose the flow of data coming from the scoreboard controller (SCDD). It helps to set up and adjust the systems in large arenas. This option can also serve as a scoreboard controller test data generator. By selecting the interface and protocol, the user can connect to the existing infrastructure in the arena to test its functionality.

Unlike other solutions on the market, Control-MC has a dedicated controller board for time calculation and SCD transfer. The entire interface is provided by an external device based on a 4-core ARM CPU. This ensures that the time is always accurate and its calculation does not depend on the functioning of the main interface.

In order to cover a wide range of possible needs, an additional Smart box device has been developed for the Control-MC. The device connects to the Control-MC via standard Ethernet/IP and displays the selected game information on a standard HDMI™ display, enabling an information board to be organized in any place of the arena in accordance with league and federation regulations.

The importance of the replay server’s control interface cannot be underestimated, as it is the interface that at the end determines the system performance (the number of replays that the operator can produce in a limited time).

The main features of the "right" interface are simplicity and speed of work, as well as the intuitiveness of operations. Slomo.tv originally designed the interface of its replay systems based on these principles. The server interface allows the operator to show up to 6 replays within a broadcast or an in-game pause, usually determined by the dynamics of the event or regulations. For example, in volleyball these are the pauses between serves, in hockey - between the referee's whistles. The college-grade and semi-professional systems do not offer such performance and allow showing 1-2 video clips at best.

In addition to instant replays, it is the operator's task to create playlists from aired or separately marked and created clips. In the vast majority of cases, during breaks between parts of the competition (halves, periods, etc.) and at the end of the broadcast, the operator is expected to create and play the Highlights/Summary. The replay servers by many other manufacturers usually require involvement of a separate dedicated operator in creating the Highlights/Summary playlists.

Thanks to the automatic creation of clips and playlists in Instant Replay mode and the ability to quickly add them to the Highlights/Summary playlist by pressing a button, the performance of slomo.tv replay operators is significantly higher than with any other system on the market. The slomo.tv operator can show high-quality instant replays and create Summary simultaneously.

Playlist 98 – An alternative playlist

The broadcast directors often ask the replay operators to create separate playlists, dedicated to specific moments, such as dangerous actions in football, or to a favorite player. On systems with a standard architecture, this is usually done by an additional operator.

Slomo.tv has added the possibility for its users to work with 2 playlists in parallel, without constantly switching between them and other additional actions. Thanks to the high performance of the servers and the automatic creation of clips from the aired replays, one operator can comfortably create not only the Highlights/Summary playlist, but also an additional alternative playlist.

The alternate playlist is numbered 98 and can be accessed by the hotkey combination. When creating an alternate playlist, add the ALT modifier key to the standard commands used to create clips or to commands for adding already created clips/autoplaylists to a playlist. This interface feature significantly increases the operator's productivity and expands his/her capabilities.

For comparison, to place an aired clip into a dedicated playlist on a standard replay system, you need to find it, mark it (set Mark In/Out), save it, load an alternative playlist, add the clip to it, and then load the main playlist again, where, for example, the Summary is formed.

The slomo.tv systems solve this task with the automatic clip/playlist creation function and a simple ALT+ADD key combination. This makes the slomo.tv replay interface the fastest in the world. A large scope of work in airing instant replays, creating Summary and an alternative playlist is done by a single operator, whereas on other systems two or three people are required.

Playlist 99 – Playback of the playlist on Preview output

Due to the architecture and well-designed interface of slomo.tv servers, only one SDI output is used for almost all types of work. In some cases, the server can be configured to use a dedicated SDI output for Preview.

The functionality of such a configured replay server allows the user to play a playlist on the Preview output in addition to playing clips and playlists on the main output (PGM). Playlist number 99 is used for this purpose.The playback on the Preview output provides the ability to start/stop and switch between clips. Loop playback is also available. The workflow of the replay operator is as usual, with the only exception that the Preview is monitored using a video window in the main interface or in the Multiviewer.

An example could be the output of a quickly created playlist during an event to the screens in the studio or to a video wall. The ability to play an additional video stream makes slomo.tv servers even more attractive for compact and small studios, as it allows saving on additional equipment.

In this configuration even the smallest Arrow-III server can simultaneously record 6 video channels, playback one playlist with FX between clips on the Preview output (the clips attributes can be assigned individually), and work in the Instant Replay mode performing simultaneous search of all channels and playback of the clips or playlists on the PGM output.

Playlist 99 can contain both clips created from the current recording and imported clips, which is convenient for playing intros, splash screens and other video content.

The Tajikistan Football Federation selected the FIFA-certified videoReferee^®, slomo.tv VAR system, and began implementation of the VAR technology.

Nowadays, it is hard to imagine football without VAR technology, which makes the game cleaner and fairer. For this reason more and more national leagues and federations are implementing VAR in their football championships and cups.

The VAR is not just about servers and cameras. It is a whole system that includes equipment, personnel, administrative procedures, and special methods. And it is very important to implement all of these components as quickly as possible.

For the Tajikistan Football Federation, one of the reasons for choosing slomo.tv equipment as the basis of its VAR system was that the company has extensive experience in VAR implementation in national football championships, based on its unique Academy training platform.

As part of the VAR implementation, a technical training seminar for video referees (VARs), assistant referees (AVARs) and replay operators (ROs) was held in Dushanbe. The slomo.tv's workshop was attended by referees who work at the Tajikistan championship matches, as well as representatives of TV channels. The participants moved from theory to practice: they learned how to work the system, performed tasks at different VAR positions and practiced procedures for various controversial game moments.

Slomo.tv’s videoReferee^®-8F, an 8-camera VAR server that the referees will work with in the future, and the Academy training simulator were used during the seminar. The Academy is a unique combination of specialized hardware and software developed by slomo.tv for intensive training. Using a prepared library of clips with controversial moments it allows to emulate "live" signals from cameras. Together with the videoReferee^® server, it immerses the trainees in a working process that is as close to the actual workflow as possible.

The Academy opens up the possibility of creating a "quality loop". Leagues and federations can form their own library of clips with controversial moments, which can be used in the "Academy" to improve the skills of the referees, train new personnel or analyze the individual actions of each member of the VAR team.

The Tajikistan Football Federation purchased a videoReferee^®-8F VAR set to equip a VAR Van which will be used at the matches of the Tajikistan Higher League. The system records the signals from up to 8 cameras, provides the video referees with all the necessary tools to quickly analyze the moment and output the referee interface to the Referee Review Area (RRA), and is integrated with the referee intercom system.

To date, the theoretical training and technical intensive on the system have been successfully completed. Next, VARs, AVARs and replay operators will use the Academy to practice their skills, automate procedures and work through as many different types of controversial moments as possible. The Academy will also be used in training and certification stages, outlined in the Implementation Assistance and Approval Program (IAAP).

The Tajikistan Football Federation and slomo.tv still have a lot of work ahead, but everyone is optimistic. The VAR system in Tajikistan is scheduled to be fully implemented by the second half of the Tajikistan Higher League season.

Slomo.tv, producer of FIFA-cetified videoReferee^® VAR systems, took part in the SVG Europe Football Summit 2023 - the event dedicated to the hottest topics in football production and broadcasting.

Slomo.tv presents its affordable and reliable VAR solutions with a wide range of features and installation options.

The videoReferee^® VAR systems cover all the tasks you may have, such as up to 32 recording channels, independent workplaces, video output to Referee Review Area and TV broadcaster, integration of Referees Intercom, venue information subsystem and VAR graphics, scoreboard-controller, Smart Whistle and a lot more.

Check out our short video presentation below for more information.

The SVG Europe published an article by our CTO Igor Vitiorets, in which he shares his views and predictions on the technologies that will affect the live sports video production, television industry and VAR.

Learn more about LAMBDA/JPEG-XS-based remote production workflow and hybrid VAR solution.

Check out the full article here or on SVG Europe website.

The slomo.tv VAR servers now implement the Venue Information Graphics function. In addition to duplicating the VAR interface to the Referee Review Area, the new RRA-II option now outputs FIFA-compliant VAR graphics to the arena and to the broadcasters.

The main point of interaction between the video match officials (VMO) and the main referee on the pitch is the Referee Review Area (RRA). As required by FIFA, a specialized monitor is installed in the RRA, allowing the main referee to review controversial moments provided by the VAR team. After the analysis the main referee clearly communicates his final decision.

The equipment and the video signals delivered to the Referee Review Area should meet specific requirements to ensure fast and error-free review of controversial game moments.

Learn more about the RRA and equipment requirements.

The RRA options, available for all slomo.tv VAR systems, solve the task of duplicating the VAR interface in the RRA area and outputting graphics while the monitor is not being used for referee's review.

As VAR technology at all stages of use needs to be as clear and transparent as possible for everyone, including spectators and fans, it is recommended to inform viewers of VAR decisions by displaying information graphics. The system used for this purpose is called the Venue information graphics system. It outputs prepared graphic files to the arena and to the broadcasters explaining what is happening, e.g. "VAR in progress", "Goal", "Offside", etc.

Conventionally, this is done with a separate subsystem and a venue information officer, who receives information from the VAR team and outputs the appropriate graphics files. It is important to understand that incorrect information can lead to unwanted consequences. Since the venue information officer is not a member of the Video Assistant Referee team, there is the possibility of a communication error.

For this reason, slomo.tv has modified the RRA option and added to its VAR systems Venue information graphics function. The new RRA-II option provides not only synchronous duplication of the VAR monitor to the Referee Review Area, but also the output of information graphics about VAR actions and final decisions. RRA-II is an integrated part of the VAR system and does not require a separate subsystem with an operator.

The upgrade of the RRA option is driven by the intention to reduce the number of external components and devices involved in the VAR process and the belief that informing the viewers should be the responsibility of the VAR team, as they have reliable information about the process.

An assistant VAR or replay operator outputs the appropriate graphics to the arena and to the broadcasters, combining the functions of the venue information officer.

The new RRA-II option is an external device with 6 SDI outputs, any of which can be assigned one of the following functions:

• Output of a "clean" VAR referee interface without graphics
• Duplication of the VAR monitor to the RRA with the ability to activate a static image when the monitor is not in use
• Output of the Venue Information Graphics from the VAR server

The flexibility of the RRA-II option configurations greatly simplifies VAR installation and allows easy adjustment to stadiums and current tasks. For example, the user can assign three outputs to the "clean" referee interface for the supervisor workplace, shared video wall in the VAR center and the control monitor in the VOR room, 1 output to the referee interface with graphics for RRA and 2 outputs to Venue Information Graphics for the stadium and TV broadcaster.

The RRA-II option is available not only for slomo.tv football VAR systems, but also for videoReferee^® servers in other sports. The new RRA is already being used in FINA water polo competitions.