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BINGEN, GER: In December Broadcast Solutions held its Broadcast Innovation Day at the company’s headquarters in Germany. During the event visitors had the chance to witness the world premiere of two new members to the slomo.tv product family. With BlackJack 4K and Arrow 4K the company once again sets a new standard in slow motion servers. Initially planned for this years’ NAB show both products were shown for the first time at the Broadcast Innovation Day and are available immediately.
BlackJack
With the only 3 IN 2 OUT 4K 50p server available in a single enclosure, again the manufacturer underlines its ambition to be one step ahead of the competition. With the brand new BlackJack 3G optionally 16 channels 3G can be recorded and up to 3 operators can edit 4 channels (slomo and highlights) with independent crossfade outputs - or it may just work as a 5-channel 4K 50p slow motion machine. Both varieties provide the usual comprehensive features that slomo.tv offers on all platforms.
12TB SSD - enough to record 266h HD with 100 Mbit/s are already on board. On all 12 input channels DMR is available. slomo.tv offers this unique engine with the capability to transcode all channels live during recording thus providing all content without delay to the external drives for further processing. With BlackJack all material is available in nearly all popular codecs - up to Apple Pro Res HQ 444.
Arrow
Slomo.tv not only sets new standards at the top level range of slomo servers - even in the entry level the company offers new gear. With Arrow slomo.tv offers a new 2RU server that provides the full range of functions inherent to the Simple R series. Only the storage has been replaced by conventional HDDs and choosing a larger housing the construction design efforts are reduced. As a junior member of the company's 4K line, Arrow 4K possesses unique features unavailable in servers of other manufacturers. In particular, the server supports simultaneous recording of 2 channels 4K 50p/4K 60p, the search on 2 channels and playback of 2 channels.
If space is not an issue arrow devices are a cost effective alternative to Simple R servers. Currently Arrow is 30% cheaper than SSD-based and 1 RU sized Simple R servers. Since its release 3 years ago Simple R is considered to be the slow motion server with the best price-performance ratio on the market. Arrow now makes professional video recording and live replay (slow motion) equipment available to companies that previously considered professional live replay gear unattainable due to budget reasons.
All slomo.tv 4K servers have the following advantages:
- The use of a standard Full HD display for displaying the interface with built-in multiviewer.
This eliminates the need of using several 4K / 4x3G SDI monitors. - Support of all available transmission options: 4K 50p/4K 60p signals via 4 x 3G SDI - quadrant transmission using 3G Level A / 3G Level B and SMPTE 425-3.
- The ability to create Quick Time ProRes full resolution files natively compatible with editing systems.
- SSD based subsystems, common to all slomo.tv servers.
- Ability to work in a network.
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On 9 December 2015, Broadcast Solutions held its Broadcast Innovation Day at the company’s headquarters in Germany. During the event, visitors had the chance to witness the premiere of two new members to the slomo.tv product family.
BlackJack
With the BlackJack 3G, optionally 16 channels 3G can be recorded and up to three operators can edit four channels (slomo and highlights) with independent crossfade outputs – or it may just work as a 5-channel 4K 50p slow motion machine. Both varieties provide the usual comprehensive features that slomo.tv offers on all platforms. 12TB SSD - enough to record 266h HD with 100 Mbit/s are already on board. On all 12 input channels DMR™ is available. slomo.tv offers this engine with the capability to transcode all channels live during recording thus providing all content without delay to the external drives for further processing. With BlackJack 3G all material is available in nearly all popular codecs – up to Apple Pro Res HQ 444.
Arrow
With Arrow, slomo.tv offers a new 2RU server that provides the full range of functions inherent to the Simple R series. Only the storage has been replaced by conventional HDDs. If space is not an issue Arrow devices are a cost effective alternative to Simple R servers. Arrow now makes professional video recording and live replay (slow motion) equipment available to companies that previously considered professional live replay gear unattainable due to budget reasons.
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Russian video recording and analysis developer slomo.tv released a series of new products and enhancements during 2015, with two being adopted by sporting associations for major competitions or leagues. The 12-channel videoReferee® was used on the Canoe Slalom European and World Championships and will feature in the same discipline during the 2016 Rio Olympics. Another new version of the system designed specifically for basketball is now being used by the LKL Lithuanian league.
Since being founded in 2007, slomo.tv has produced a range of recording and control systems based on software and generally available IT components. It moved into sports analysis with the videoReferee® range, which is now used in a variety of competitive games, notably ice hockey and basketball, to adjudicate on contested decisions or incidents.
Most recently the company introduced the videoReferee®-B system, designed specifically for the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), worldwide governing body of the sport. Designed to be compact, this was designed to meet FIBA's key requirements, including compliance with its regulations, the ability to integrate with scoreboard controllers and being able to show the video judging procedure on a secondary display.
A competitor navigates through a gate at the ICF World Canoe Slalom Championships
The videoReferee® can work with up to four SD or HD cameras through SDI or HDMI interfaces. It runs on the 2U short Arrow platform, making it portable, with 50 hours of storage on HDD. Broadcasters are able to take a feed from the videoReferee® over HDMI or SDI converters, with controllers connected using a USB interface. Since being launched in September the Lithuanian Basketball Leauge (LKL) has taken five videoReferee®-B systems for use during matches.
The Canoe World Association (ICF) is another international sporting organisation that had adopted videoReferee®. The system was first tested for an ICF event at the Canoe Slalom European Championships in Markkleeberg, Germany during May, followed by fuller implementation at the World Championships of this fast-moving sport, held on the Lee Valley Olympic course in east London in September.
A 12-channel videoReferee® was used, taking in feeds from all cameras alongside the water to assist the judges' ultimate decisions. Every gate on the stretch of water used featured up to four camera angles, with the signals integrated into the host broadcaster production. Two systems were supplied by German technology developer and systems integrator Broadcast Solutions, which handles the equipment in Europe.
Referees examine video footage during the 2015 World Canoe Slalom Championships
Video judging has been used in canoeing since 2007 but prior to this year it had been difficult to deliver multiple, simultaneous views and replays of different shots. Referees for the World Championships were able to call on up to 12 HD camera feeds, which could be monitored and marked while recording was in progress. Marking can be carried out either automatically through an algorithm or manually by the referee at a monitoring station.
Commenting on the new technology, Eric Lokken, technical committee member for canoe slalom at the ICF, said, "In the past we had to rely on a produced video signal and request a replay, which caused a delay of the final result for each athlete. We used videoReferee® for the first time during the World Championships in London and it was easy to learn and set up the software. During the competition you can easily choose by touch screen which cameras you want to look at. In most cases we could review a penalty during the run and deliver a solid result before the athelete crossed the finish line."
The next big event that will feature videoReferee® is the Canoe Slalom during the Olympic Games in Rio next year.
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During the Canoe Slalom World Championships, which took place in London at the Lee Valley Olympic Course this September, World Canoe Slalom Association ICF used the videoReferee® system to support the judges during the tournament. The 12 channel videoReferee® video judging system offered reliable and safe decisions during the tournament with 55 countries participating and thousands of visitors on site and at home. During the Olympic Games 2016 in Brazil videoReferee® will also be the video judging tool for the Canoe Slalom tournaments.
For the first time videoReferee® was used as the main judging system during a Canoe Slalom World Championship. The event took place at Lee Valley White Water Centre at the outskirts of London. On the race track that was used for the 2012 Olympics 300 athletes from 55 countries were fighting for medals and positions. The videoReferee® system enabled the judges to provide fast and reliable decisions.
Eric Lokken, ICF Canoe Slalom Technical Committee Member, comments on the use of the new system: "In the past, we had to rely on a produced video signal and had to request a replay, which caused a delay of the final result for each athlete. We used videoReferee® for the first time during the World Championships in London. The system was easy to learn and setting up the software plus learning how to use it took only an afternoon." Further on he enthuses, "During the competition, you can easily choose by touchscreen which cameras you want to look at. In most cases, we could review a penalty during the run and deliver a solid result before the athlete crossed the finish line. Using this new tool during the Canoe Slalom World Championships made a huge impact to deliver the results in time and undoubted."
The videoReferee® system was used as the final judging system, drawing on the signals of all cameras along the racetrack. All gates along the track were monitored with cameras that deliver up to four angle shots. Since videoReferee® can easily be integrated in existing production environments, the system used in London also handled signals from the local TV host broadcaster to revert to the maximum amount of available signals.
Broadcast Solutions supported the tournament with two systems. The main system was a videoReferee®MKIII with 12 channels recording simultaneously. A videoReferee®MKII with up to 11 channels was used as a back-up system.
Canoe Slalom is one of the most dynamic and most spectacular boat sports. The aim is to complete in a very short time a white water course and to pass through gates downstream or upstream correctly. The gates should be passed completely without touching the rods. If this fails, the athlete will receive penalty seconds for touching the rods or missing the gate. Whether a rod is touched or a gate has been passed correctly, is often difficult to judge during the competition.
In order to assist the referees in questionable situations the International Canoe Federation ICF has implemented video judging systems in international competitions since the year 2007. However, the common technical tools in use often reached their limits because of to less perspectives and available camera signals. Beforehand the simultaneous view and replay of several signals and perspectives was difficult to achieve and obstruct fair decision-making. An unsatisfying situation for athletes and fans alike.
Again, the main goal during the London event using this new video judging system was to speed up the decision of the judges after each run and to provide a hundred percent failsafe decision that sustains vetoes from teams and athletes alike. This resulted in clear and safe decisions, less waiting time and most of all in stable medal announcements.
With the videoReferee® system used in London the referees had access to up to 12 camera signals in HD quality. During the competition, all signals could be viewed and marked simultaneously throughout continuous recording. videoReferee® offered the organizers and referees unprecedented opportunities to clarify controversial scenes, thus ensuring more fairness during the competition.
With videoReferee® the marking of contentious scenes can be done automatically using algorithms or manually by the referee at the workstation. Using the controller, individual channels can be selected or special situations can be searched and marked – all in real-time. The operator can flag selective scenes during live-recording or by accessing previously recorded material. The users can choose between the simultaneous view of all channels, single view or zoom view. With videoReferee® it is possible to export marked scenes to DVD or MP4 file for backup reasons as well as to record entire sport events. Additionally, the teams participating in London used the recorded material for their training purposes.
The Canoe Slalom European Championships in Germany this year were the first test for videoReferee® at an ICF event. At the London World Championships it became obvious, that videoReferee® is a sophisticated tool to help judges during the course of the event. Due to the fact, that the manufacturers of videoReferee® try to focus on the ease of use for the operator when designing the system, it is intuitive and easy to learn – judges can start to work with the system in a breath.
Broadcast Solutions is one of Europe’s biggest and fastest growing system integrators. For more than ten years the German based company stands for innovation and engineering "Made in Germany". With subsidiaries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East Broadcast Solutions plans, implements and realises projects in the areas of Outside Broadcast, Satcom, fixed Broadcast Facilities, Sport Arena Multimedia Solutions as well as mobile Security and Surveillance Solutions. A further emphasis of the company is to consult our customers when it comes to workflow optimization, trainings and production consultancy. With more than 100 employees worldwide and working as a hardware independent system integrator Broadcast Solutions offers its customers tailor-made solutions – from idea to implementation and beyond.
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The use of videoReferee® at the Canoe Slalom European Championships in Germany was also a test for the Canoe Slalom World Championships to be held in London in September 2015.
As elite European Slalom canoeists battled it out in the white water during the Canoe Slalom European Championships in Germany last month, competition judges were high and dry in the video suite, using a new multi-camera system for monitoring, judging and evaluating performances.
The International Canoe Federation ICF worked with local event organizers at Canoe Park Markkleeberg (Saxony), one of the most modern white water systems in the world, to install and implement a videoReferee® system from slomo.tv, which was used as an additional tool for monitoring up to 25 gates on the 270 meter-long race course.
Canoe Slalom competitors must get through a complex white water course in a very short time while passing through downstream or upstream gates correctly. The gates must be passed completely, and the canoeist must not touch the protruding gate rods. If they fail to do so, of course, penalty seconds are assessed.
But whether a rod is touched or a gate has been passed correctly is often difficult to judge during the split-second competition and swirling waters.
So video judging systems have been used by the International Canoe Federation in international competitions since 2007.
But existing production equipment and sports technical tools are pushed to their limit, and often beyond, due to less perspectives and available camera signals. Judges, athletes and fans felt that simultaneous view of several signals and perspectives was difficult to achieve and that fair decision-making was impacted as a result.
Now the organizers of the 2015 Canoe Slalom European Championships have implemented new video judging systems with up to 11 camera signals using a videoReferee® system. The system allows for simultaneous recording, search and playback of up to 11 HD video sources.
During the competition, all video feeds could be viewed and marked simultaneously while maintaining continuous recording. Organizers and referees report unprecedented opportunities to clarify controversial scenes, thus ensuring more fairness during competition.
Jean Michel Prono, Chairman Canoe Slalom, International Canoe Federation (ICF) on using videoReferee® during the competition: videoReferee® answers our needs for a fast review of a situation while the race is still running. It really solves the problems we have with dubious situations."
videoReferee® is a portable multi-channel recording and playback system; it’s been in use as a multi-channel referee system in the top Russian hockey league, the Kontinental Hockey League KHL to assess contentious situations.
The marking of contentious scenes can be done automatically using algorithms or manually by the referee at the workstation. Using the controller individual channels can be selected or special situations can be searched and marked – all in real-time. The operator can flag selective scenes during live-recording or by accessing previously recorded material. The users can choose between the simultaneous views of all channels, single view or zoom view. Users can export marked scenes to DVD or MP4 file for backup reasons as well as to record entire sport events.
Officials also noted that they could use recorded material from videoReferee® in marketing campaigns for event organizers as well as branding efforts by sports organizations.
The use of videoReferee® at the Canoe Slalom European Championships in Germany was also a test for the Canoe Slalom World Championships to be held in London in September 2015.
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