The American MTVG trusts AJA FS-HDR for 4K production with HDR

Los conversores AJA FS-HDR permiten a las unidades móviles de MTVG convertir SDR a HDR, HDR a SDR; UHD a 720p/1080i; 720p/1080i a UHD; 720p a 1080i; y 1080i o 1080p a 720p.

Mobile TV Group (MTVG), an American company that provides audiovisual services to national networks such as CBS, CNBC, Fox and DirecTv in both sports and entertainment programs, is relying on the converters AJA FS-HDR for 4K production with high dynamic range (HDR).

Peter Wehner, director of engineering at MTVG and alma mater of around thirty mobile units, highlights that “we are big on image quality and we are always looking for technology like FS-HDR that can help us improve the quality of content for the public.”

“Our customers also love the additional impact that HDR offers, and from a production point of view, you get more for your money, so the move to HDR has been a win-win,” he adds.

After successfully delivering its first UltraHD production to the NHL through DirecTv last December, MTVG opted to produce all events in 4K with HDR.

HDR displays, however, are not standard in most homes so when MTVG offers an UltraHD HDR broadcast it simultaneously produces a live HD 1080i or 720p SDR broadcast in addition to a 1080p HDR broadcast. While most MTVG cameras are HDR-capable with wide dynamic range, the team also works with a number of SDR sources and camera formats from in-arena POV to robotic or top cameras and more, making FS-HDR flexible.

FS-HDR Flexibility

The flexibility of FS-HDR allows you to, for example, convert a 4K HDR signal to 1080p SDR or convert an HD SDR source to HD HDR, all in real time.

“Our needs change daily and at each location we are working with a different set of sources, but FS-HDR makes it easier to adapt. We can handle almost anything that goes into the mobile unit and convert SDR to HDR, HDR to SDR; UHD at 720p/1080i; 720p/1080i at UHD; 720p to 1080i; and 1080i or 1080p at 720p,” explained Wehner, who added that “I find it incredible how much AJA can fit into one rack unit; We not only get HDR and format conversion, but also live color correction. “It helps us ensure a consistent look and feel of 4K HDR and HD SDR feeds, even when working with mixed sources and camera formats.”

For Wehner, HDR is the future of live production and he expects FS-HDR to be integrated into most of MTVG's new trucks in the future, starting with the Mobile Unit 43 FLEX. "FS-HDR gives us the flexibility to do more with less. Instead of investing in multiple converters to do what FS-HDR can do, we can rely on one unit to do four channels of HDR HD conversion, making it a great option as we scale up 4K HDR productions," he said. “The cost per channel is much lower than competing tools, which are often fit for purpose; with FS-HDR you get much more and with a smaller footprint, which is key in a mobile production truck where space is at a premium.”

AJA FS1-X converters and frame synchronizers are also regularly deployed on the truck when MTVG provides HD feeds for live color correction, while UDC Mini-Up, Down and Cross Converters are also leveraged to help convert a range of formats from 720p to 1080i and 1080p.