In Broadcast - September 2017 - 65

65

www.inbroadcast.com | Vol: 7 - Issue 9 | September 2017

InMedia

A Return to Physical Master
Control Environments?
cont'd...

functions (QC for example) then
the pressure experienced in live
broadcasting in this way can be
reduced. No more shouting at a
processing queue to move faster, this
is no longer first in first out, but a far
more sophisticated focus on real-time
events.
Another form of audio is the
commentary, which of course, could
be introduced in the Master Control
suite based on the view of the sources
delivered from a remote location, or
by carriage of multiple commentary
feeds from location by virtue of AES-67
functionality.
In terms of REMI production
however, another issue raises its ugly
head; that of lip sync errors. Should
lowest cost for a small sports network
(or a large one for that matter)
mean that master control is the live
production hub yet commentators
are in another city, state or country,
network latencies will introduce
timing errors between video and
audio. Fortunately, this move to audio
over IP for commentary brings the
possibility to use SAM's unique Media

Biometrics technology. This technology
offers low cost media assurance
(identification, verification and quality
control) throughout the production
and delivery chain. In addition to
that, it can also be used to measure
video and audio discrepancies over
variable networks. Minimum cost with
maximum quality similarly plays to the
needs of sports production moving into
the master control domain.
New Model for the Future
In sports networks where a number
of programme types are required,
overall solution efficiency needs to be
sought. This means finding a model
to broadcast events of different
complexity that avoids cost wherever
possible.
In low complexity events, where
quite sophisticated presentation is
required on the output, but low cost
of production is required at the event
(not requiring functions like replay for
example) the remaining functions can
certainly be pulled into the Master
Control suite. SAM offers a group of
related products that can support live

production in the suite,
while at the same time
supporting the move
between automated and
manual control, with confidence.
Where greater sophistication is
required, Morpheus controls and
integrates well with the SAM serverbased recording, replay and editing
solution, LiveTouch. A variation
of this system has been deployed
in the Rogers UHD Master Control
environment meaning live sports
incoming in UHD can be fast turn
edited before being played directly
to air from the sQ servers used.
More recently SAM has developed
new master control switchers for
this UHD environment in the form
of MasterPiece, deliberately also
controlled and controllable from
Morpheus as an integrated solution.
Typically, a sports network would
employ specialist operators in master
control suites for live events like this
with automated output being returned
to 'lights out' operation at the correct
moment. Multi-channel outputs and
an ability to manage very late changes

SAM
masterpiece

means that commercial sales can be
maximised over multiple delivery
systems (broadcast, IPTV, OTT, Social
Media live...).
Should this Master Control suite
be implemented using ICE SDC in a
private data centre for example, then
SAM offers flexible licensing models
allowing pop-up or event based
channels over any of the delivery
systems mentioned above.
However it is important to
acknowledge that when humans are
introduced to a normally machine
automated environment, mistakes will
be made. Fortunately SAM's systems
always work with a fast 'take next'
function, and 'undo take next' function
as well as an 'as-run' logging function
to post mortem any on-air errors.
www.s-a-m.com
http://www.inbroadcast.com https://s-a-m.com/products/masterpiece-12g-sdi-master-control-switcher/c-24/p-612 http://www.s-a-m.com http://ibc17.mapyourshow.com/7_0/exhibitor/exhibitor-details.cfm?ExhID=6212 http://www.ipe-technologies.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of In Broadcast - September 2017
