KitPlus | Articles

The new world of live acquisition

While the debate rages over the future of broadcast television with discussion of OTT (OTT – over-the-top delivery – think iPlayer on Virgin Media as a key example – or LoveFilm. It means an on-demand content service that is delivered over the top of another network) and time-shifting increasingly hogging the limelight, there’s one arena in which t...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 April 2012

The premiership and conference leagues of online video

In a digital age where football clubs stand on multiple platforms, it’s the tribal ideologies and camaraderie that tie fan communities and club media together. But although personality and branding is key, so is the technology and functionality that powers the media content globally. Manchester United were ranked 6th most recognisable brand in a wo...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 April 2012

RECESSION LOOMS: DOES THAT MEAN DOOM AND GLOOM?

Peter Savage argues that if you think creatively, there are opportunities out there to help your business survive the recession. Since I started writing this column in July 2007 (yes, it has been that long) the financial world has flipped over and is now standing on its head. Lehman Brothers went during IBC 2008 and, since then, life has become, if...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 March 2012

Real-Time Frame Rate Conversion in a Tapeless Workflow

Introduction - (for the full diagramatic version of this article please click on the magazine cover above.)When content moved within facilities and around the world on tape or via live feeds, frame rate and format conversions were easily achieved using real-time hardware converters such as Snell's Alchemist Ph.C-HD. As broadcasters and content owne...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 February 2012

Do you think 3D Broadcasting in its current format is lik...

There are two issues that affect the potential growth of 3D in broadcasting: they are the widespread availability of 3D enabled devices, and the cost of producing and broadcasting 3D content. All HD TV sets from major manufacturers over 40 inches that are sold today include 3D capability, so the end-user market of 3D capable viewers is growing by d...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 January 2012

The art of 3D

Two recent events have expanded my understanding of 3D. BVE North turned out to be quite busy – both around the exhibition and at the many free seminars. Of course I made a beeline for the 3D Revolution Theatre where there were sessions throughout the two days of the show. The ‘Storytelling in 3D’ session was of particular interest. There’s been pl...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 January 2012

3D a Geographic Thing

It may just be coincidence but, in the last week, two stories about 3D in Scandinavia have landed on the 3D Diaries desk. Of course two swallows do not a summer make but maybe there is a trend here, with some nations embracing the third dimension more than others. Sony Professional is currently building what they claim is Scandinavia’s first 3D-rea...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 September 2011

Keeping both eyes on the ball

It goes without saying that spectator sports are made for television; of course they are, as can easily be proved by trying to follow a football match on radio. A skilled radio commentator can describe key aspects of the action fairly well but television actually gives viewers the impression that they are sitting in the stadium. Widescreen high def...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 September 2011

How do you prepare for a curved ball

Peter Savage looks at the effect of the Japanese tsunami and considers whether it has changed our perception of acquisition formats and how we could have planned for itI was sitting with a client in Camden having a quiet lunch in a small Spanish caf. Very nice, very authentic and, as with all good cafs, Sky news was rolling (because no one was play...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 September 2011

Production Profile with Polecam

What brings an innocent young Swede into the competitive high-adrenalin business of television production? In my case, it all began at school. I developed an early fascination for photography and created slide shows that were presented as end-of-semester happenings to my fellow students. Unlike television, you can actually watch a live slide-show a...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 September 2011

Ultra-slow motion in live broadcast

What is ultra-slow motion?Slow motion has been around since the beginnings of cinematography and broadcasting, but ultra-slow motion for broadcast is quite a recent development. It’s only been possible since the advent of super high-speed video cameras, which were initially developed for scientific use. Slow motion can be produced with conventional...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 September 2011

Intercom for Sports Production

The best kind of intercom system is one that works so well that it only takes a button or two to push when communication is required. Because of how quality intercom systems simplify communication, it is one of the broadcast industry’s most undervalued technologies. However, it is absolutely essential to a successful broadcast, especially in the fa...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 September 2011

Game, Set and Match

It was only three months ago that this column hailed featured the new DVB-3DTV standard. But already there’s talk of a second version, or rather ‘phase’, as described by David Wood of the EBU in the new 3D Roundabout newsletter. In a way this is healthy. It shows just how fast 3DTV is moving and, whereas phase 1 is designed to work with existing 2D...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 August 2011

The Space Race

You would have thought that the Royal Wedding, with its forecast record global viewing, would be available in 3D. Reports in the Guardian newspaper say that Sky 3D was keen to provide a complete 3D service, and indeed they did have cameras to shoot the outside scenes but access inside the Abby was denied. The paper also reports reasons given as ‘ca...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 July 2011

3D or not 3D, that is the question

Peter Savage wonders if the buzz around 3D is really justified – despite his willingness to don some 3D specs and head to the big screen in his local pubLast Saturday night I sat and pondered the broadcast question of the moment – 3D or not 3D?Not unlike poor Hamlet, unable to reconcile his mind on life, I was torn between the hype and the reality...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 July 2011