Mediapro trusts Leader systems in its critical 4K productions

The audiovisual group uses Leader LV5490, LV5350 and LV5333 equipment, which constitute Mediapro's main signal monitoring resource in the 4K production of major sporting events.

Test and measurement equipment Leader LV5490, LV5350 y LV5333 They constituted the main signal monitoring resource deployed by the group Mediapro for their coverage of the recent UEFA Champions League final in Madrid. Selected by UEFA as the broadcast host, Mediapro used several mobile units with 42 cameras and more than 150 people to capture the match for simulcast in 4K and HD. The project was carried out in cooperation with the systems specialist and production service provider Media burst.

Emily Planas, CTO of Mediapro, comments that "Leader instruments provided us with the full range of facilities necessary to ensure exact color matching from a large number of signal sources. 4K production is especially demanding, as the fourfold increase in resolution compared to HD means that all aspects of the production process have to be treated with greater care to ensure that the improved quality is maintained throughout the entire signal processing chain. The assignable multi-screen function “Leader operator is particularly useful for the comparison of different signal parameters.”

For its part, Kevin Salvidge, Leader's European regional development director, said: "This was the latest in a long line of high-profile sporting events where Leader instruments have been used to ensure high-quality signal monitoring. Sports broadcasting remains the main driver of 4K-UHD, as the extra detail it can deliver really brings match coverage to life. A key feature of the LV5490 is the ease with which it can be configured to suit a wide range of standards. These can be selected at the time of purchase or added as optional upgrades over the long life of Leader test instruments.”

In addition to the UEFA Champions League final in Madrid, Mediapro also used Leader's test equipment in Baku for the production of the UEFA Europa League final and in Portugal for the UEFA Nations League finals.

He LV5490 is a waveform monitor that supports full range of resolutions standard video production and streaming from 525 and 625 standard definition to 3840 x 2160 and 4096 x 2160 4K ultra high definition. It features a 9-inch 1920 x 1080 LCD monitor with a wide viewing angle and high-quality colorimetry. This allows simultaneous analysis of up to four video channels. Equipped with eight input connectors, the LV 5490 accepts up to two 4K signals simultaneously.

In 4K video format mode, it supports dual link or quad 3G-SDI. Up to four 4K dual-link 3G-SDI video inputs or up to two 4K quad-link 3G-SDI video inputs can be selected for display, or two sets of dual-link HD-SDI signals. In SDI mode, up to four signals can be displayed simultaneously. The LV 5490 also accepts video signals via two-sample interleaving as well as square division. Two-sample interleaving is the approved standard for 4K.

The waveform monitor LV5350 It incorporates all the SDI facilities of the high-end LV5600 and LV7600 minus the IP measurement capabilities which currently only require a minority of production and post-production equipment. These include engineering-related features such as test pattern generation, subtitle monitoring, CIE color chart, high dynamic range metering, focus assist, customizable screen layout, counting interface, 4K/UHD operation, and 12G-SDI interfaces. The LV5350 and LV7300 also feature Leader's intuitive CINEZONE and CINELITE, which are familiar to many camera crews, editors and colorists. A new focus detection algorithm allows the two instruments to detect edges over a wide range of image contrast levels.

Compatible with more than 20 HD-SDI/SD-SDI formats, LV5333 It is designed for use in studio or technical areas, or attached to a camera tripod. The integrated 6.5-inch XGA TFT LCD display can also be used to display the video signal waveform, vectorscope or video image. Cinelite, Cinezone, histogram, gamma display, gamma and level error display functions are included as standard.

Features of the LV5333 include cable length display, external timing display, and field frequency deviation display. SDI embedded audio can be extracted and two channels of user-selectable audio can be output as an AES/EBU stream to a BNC output. The levels of up to eight audio channels can be checked using the on-screen display bar. User-configurable multiple display combinations allow for easy inspection of signal parameters. Alternatively, full screen views can be selected to allow detailed review of specific items.