18
NEWS & VIEWS
October 2016
Cine-style camera handgrips and MAM
solutions caught the eye of show visitors
17 8
cine-style camera handgrips with
documentary-style controls, ARRI
developed the Master Grips, the
latest addition to the company’s
Electronic Control System (ECS)
range.
Designed to combine effective
camera stabilisation with lens and
camera control, Master Grips are
available in four versions: Rightside grips, left-side grips, with a
rocker for zooming, and with a
thumb wheel for iris or focus adjustments.
Besides ARRI cameras such as
the Alexa and Amira, Master Grips
also support third-party cameras
and are defined by an ergonomic
design that supports prolonged
handheld operating.
ARRI has also expanded its
range of SkyPanel LED soft lights
with the new S120-C, the biggest
member of the SkyPanel family.
The S120-C retains the same features and colour tuneability as its
smaller counterparts — the S60
and S30 — while consuming less
than 400W. Offering efficacy of
90 lumens per watt, the S120-C
is twice as long as the S60, and
offers more aperture (1290mm x
300mm). Its long aspect ratio wraps
light around objects and is ideal for
vertical lighting of people, according to ARRI, who also recommends
the S120-C as an overhead light for
large areas.
It was East meets West at the
VSN booth, as the Spanish company revealed more details of a
new working partnership with
China’s Huawei. Under the terms of
a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU), the companies will jointly
promote an advanced solution for
media management and storage.
Built around VSN’s flagship
VSNExplorer MAM platform and
Huawei’s OceanStor 9000 storage system, the joint solution is
designed to offer users a tool to
monetise and manage multimedia
resources in an “easy, efficient and
intelligent manner”.
Through this partnership, VSN
will certify Huawei’s solutions for
media storage, while Huawei will
Having observed a demand for solid, cine-style camera handgrips with
documentary-style controls, ARRI developed the Master Grips, designed to
combine effective camera stabilisation with lens and camera control.
When it comes to adoption of cloud technology, it is advisable to adopt a hybrid
solution consisting of software-defined solutions for sharing of content in the
cloud, alongside IT hardware for long-term storage, advised Lee Sheppard, director
of product management, SGL.
start to sell and promote VSN’s
software solutions within its range
of products.
VSN also caught the eye with
the integration of an online thesaurus into the VSNExplorer suite of
solutions. This function, explained
VSN, allows for automatic linking of
any published word with additional
data (maps, pictures, locations, history and biography, for instance).
A new QC technology (VSNQC)
developed by VSN, and integrated
with VSNExplorer, further allows
users to automatically control the
quality of all their content, even in
cloud-based environments.
More MAM solutions came
from SGL, who showcased the
FlashNet content management
solution, which is designed to
integrate with MAM or automation control systems to enhance
workflow efficiency.
SGL has also added support for
SMPTE’s Archive eXchange Format
(AXF) and Ci, Sony’s cloud-based
service, which allows media professionals to collaborate on the creation and sharing of content from
their MAM systems using FlashNet.
But while the broadcast industry continues to tap into cloud
technology, Lee Sheppard, director
of product management, SGL, cautioned: “The cloud is primarily used
for holding content for sharing
because storing them in the cloud
on a long-term basis is expensive.
Hence, it is important for users to
adopt a hybrid solution, consisting
of software-defined solutions for
sharing of content in the cloud,
alongside IT hardware for longterm storage.”
Dalet Digital Media Systems, on
the other hand, is calling the Dalet
Galaxy MAM platform as the solution for today’s end-to-end news
production and distribution workflows in newsroom control systems.
An intuitive social media graphical user interface (GUI), which performs as a social media publishing
platform, has been added to Dalet
Galaxy, while a newsroom operation function allows broadcasters
to better respond and manage
consumers’ habits.
Dalet also demonstrated the
Dalet Workflow Engine, which is
designed to simplify the process
for global distribution of content.
Available on both the Dalet Galaxy
and Dalet AmberFin platforms,
Dalet Workflow Engine supports
the interoperable master format
(IMF), an industry format that
serves as a model to enhance
programme preparation and mastering.
Big data and analytics are
a game-changer in the OT T
environment, said Paul Molinier,
CEO of Viacess-Orca. “Utilising data
related to the TV subscriber profile,
Having seen 300 units of the LU500 deployed for the Rio Olympics, Ronen Artman,
vice-president, marketing, LiveU, is confident that the LU600 portable transmission
unit will provide even more improvements to customers.
operators can provide contextually
relevant content, increase satisfaction with the service, boost content
efficiency and prevent piracy,” he
added.
With that in mind, Viacess-Orca
has enhanced its cloud-based TV
Everywhere as a Service (TVaaS)
solution with new analytics cap
abilities — providing operators
with intelligent data about each
phase of the over-the-top (OTT)
multi-screen workflow. This spans
from delivery to recommendations,
personalisation, client apps and
devices.
Viaccess-Orca’s TV business analytics service features
a variety of out-of-the-box
dashboards (revenue, service
usage, content, customers,
product and services, and devices),
while providing operators with
the flexibility to create customised
dashboards and reports.
A discovery, insights and prediction tool gives multi-dimensional visibility into TV business
KPIs (key performance indicators)
and drivers so that operators can
identify trends and strategise successful business practices.
Over the past decade, Media
GeniX has seen the growth of
video-on-demand (VoD) functionality, and the change to scheduling,
rights, material preparation, publishing and workflow automation.
Therefore, the Belgian company developed WHATS’On, a
multi-user broadcast management
software solution that merges
linear and VoD data structures
and modules for a combined set
of tools that support VoD services,
linear schedules and combined
service alike.
Johan Vanmarcke, managing director, Asia at MediaGeniX,
highlighted one particular area of
the solution. He said: “MediaGeniX
took a new look at the relationship
between the rights, costs and programme scheduling — with a view
to facilitate reports and enables users to make multiple simulations of
the schedule in search of the most
advantageous use of inventory.”
Commenting on Asia’s broadcast industry, Vanmarcke added:
“Broadcasters in Asia focus on
making operations run from
a technical perspective. However, as the industry evolves, we
need to think from a workflow
perspective instead of traditionally
connecting one cable to another.”
Other show highlights this year
include LiveU’s LU600, a portable
transmission unit designed for
global newsgathering, live sports
and events coverage.
Ronen Artman, vice-president,
marketing, LiveU, shared: “Its predecessor, the LU500, has enjoyed
a successful deployment during
the 2016 Rio Olympics. We had
more than 300 units being adopted
during the Games, and we are
confident that the LU600 will provide better improvements to our
customers.”
The LU600 offers a new user
interface with a five-inch touchscreen, and comes with a backpack
with remote-control functionality
for easy access to display, controls and interfaces. In addition,