KitPlus | Articles

Take it to the bridge

by Will Strauss Issue 91 - July 2014 Since the late 1980s, studios, facilities, OB trucks and many other professional broadcast set-ups have relied on digital video standards such as SDI (Serial Digital Interface) to move audio and video around. Using SDI it has been possible to happily construct a reliable, error-free, plug-and-play, real-time ope...

Submitted by Will Strauss#

Published 01 August 2014

The Importance of Storage

by Nino Leitner Issue 90 - June 2014 When I was a student in film school, I never put much thought into storage solutions for my film work. This was quite haphazard and looking back on it now, quite a foolish approach to work I cherished. Of course, my story has a nasty sting in its tail - one day I lost a years worth of university work, which I ne...

Submitted by Nino Leitner

Published 01 July 2014

Get the 8k WOW factor at NAB

by Bob Pank Issue 88 - April 2014 Once again 4K will be a prominent feature at NAB. There will be a 4K Zone in the North Hall but surely the format is now so popular that its many supporters will make it 4K everywhere and not confined to a dedicated zone. But 4K is only a part of UHD, the other being 8K, which has far more wow factor (why else go t...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 May 2014

Will Strauss looks at 6 reasons why 4k is so special

by Will Strauss Issue 86 - February 2014 4k (or UHD) is everywhere. Whether you want it or not, it is (slowly) permeating the living room - in the form of TV sets - and gradually becoming more commonplace on location and in the studio. Someday soon it will be broadcast in the UK too. As Bob Pank points out on page 56 there are a number of reasons f...

Submitted by Will Strauss#

Published 01 March 2014

A new 4k year with Bob Pank

by Bob Pank Issue 85 - January 2014 Throughout 2013 manufacturers were popping up with solutions for 4K which together could take the format all the way from scene to screen. It has been an amazing experience to watch all the technical bricks being developed to complete, well almost, the 4K wall. This rate of progress shows just how fast digital te...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 February 2014

How the cloud is changing the post production landscape

by Stephen Streater Issue 85 - January 2014 For many years, the pace of change in mass market IT has dwarfed that of broadcast technology. For example, consumer cameraphone resolution has increased over the last ten years by 30,000%. In comparison, broadcast resolution hasn\'t changed significantly. The development costs of consumer cameras are amo...

Submitted by Stephen Streater

Published 01 February 2014

Speed and accuracy in post

by Walter Kummli Issue 85 - January 2014 Walter Kummli is an experienced editor and director of Inhouse Productions Ltd, based in Basel, Switzerland. Since its inception, all editing at Inhouse Productions Ltd has been carried out using EditShares powerful non-linear editing system, Lightworks. Founded in 1999, Inhouse Productions Ltd offer organis...

Submitted by Walter Kummli

Published 01 February 2014

Near-live production with Softrons multicam logger

by Alastair Owen Issue 85 - January 2014 Berlin-based edelbytes works with German broadcasters for channels such as ZDFkultur, tape.tv and 3sat to deliver coverage of live events music concerts, arts shows with a live audience, comedy and cabaret. But its coverage with a twist. Side-stepping the big-budget satellite van template for live event broa...

Submitted by Alastair Owen

Published 01 February 2014

Why is mediocrity such a powerful force?

by Thomas Urbye Issue 85 - January 2014 Ive hit the decade mark!Yes, Im now in to my second ten years working in Sohos post production world. Not only that, Im ten years working with some great Directors, DoPs, Producers and Exec Producers (not to mention the great people that are hired by these people). In that time Ive met all sorts of characters...

Submitted by Thomas Urbye

Published 01 February 2014

Bob is up in the air with 4K

by Bob Pank Issue 84 - December 2013 The closer you look at 4K UHD the more you see what needs to be done to make it work from scene to screen. Until that pipe is complete no practical service can flow to the consumer. The parts that are working and available now are the cameras, recorders and post production. Beyond those there are a few satellite...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 January 2014

Peter Savage writes his Christmas wishlist

by Peter Savage Issue 84 - December 2013 This year has been a funny one, with a lot being promised and not a lot happening in the TV world. As I sit down and reminisce on 2013, for once I have little to really write about in technology terms, so I thought I would write my Christmas list to Santa and see if that throws up any thoughts. Dear Santa,Ca...

Submitted by KitPlus

Published 01 January 2014

Addressing lingering loudnes challenges

by Andrew SachsIssue 83 - November 2013 Why and how has loudness become such prominent issue?The loudness of the television commercials aired between program segments has been the source of consumer complaints and subsequent regulatory action in countries around the world. These complaints stem from the networks and advertisers economic incentives...

Submitted by Andrew Sachs

Published 01 December 2013

Will Strauss looks at automatic QC for the people

by Will StraussIssue 83 - November 2013 The method in which television producers should deliver their programmes to UK broadcasters is changing. From 1 October 2014 it will be digital files, rather than HDCam SR tapes, that are the preference. It is a fundamental and fairly disruptive change that is the cause of much debate right now. The parameter...

Submitted by Will Strauss#

Published 01 December 2013

Streaming Downtown Showdown

by Kate PhibbsIssue 82 - October 2013 With summer well and truly on its way out, what better way to send it off than a trip to Paris to produce and live stream the Vans Downtown Showdown 2013. After the success of producing and broadcasting the Vans Spring Classic in Italy in April, we here at 3xScreen Media knew that Downtown Showdown, Europes lar...

Submitted by Kate Phibbs

Published 01 November 2013

Bob Pank looks at shooting 4K TV

by Bob PankIssue 82 - October 2013 Not unexpectedly IBC was full of buzz and products for 4K the new image format for television. This is generally taken to be a 2x2 version of HDTVs 1920 x 1080, i.e. defining a 3840 x 2160 pixel picture. But there is nothing new about big pictures like this. Back in late 2004 a draft of the Digital Cinema Initiati...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 November 2013