The Royal Opera House is now ready for live broadcast in 4K

The systems integrator Megahertz launches the new production center in London's Covent Garden with solutions from TSL Products, EVS, Ross Video and Trilogy, among other manufacturers.

Megahertz has just completed the upgrade of the UHD/HDR production facilities at one of the world's most prestigious entertainment and arts venues, the Royal Opera House (ROH) in London's Covent Garden.

The ROH has been broadcasting live ballet and opera performances to audiences in movie theaters around the world since 2008. Moving on to Ultra High Definition, initially for recordings and eventually for live broadcasts, ROH remains at the forefront of high-quality 'live to cinema' performance.

Equipped to meet today's high-quality production standards and new broadcast standards, the new Media Suite, with a investment of 800,000 pounds, consists of a UHD/HDR production control and engineering room, which now features a tapeless workflow, an intelligent network control system, improved recording and playout facilities, a 4K monitoring wall, a state-of-the-art switcher, bespoke production desks and an improved camera feedback system.

After a rigorous bidding process, ROH selected Megahertz to supply the turnkey solution not only to ensure the future of the facility, but also to simplify the operations of the different production teams that use it. Megahertz worked in collaboration with ROH, providing a range of services ranging from consultancy to design, construction and interior design liaison, equipment supply, integration and installation.

Steve Zissler, ROH sound and broadcast manager and Peter Byram, a broadcast consultant, canvassed the opinions of independent broadcast staff, ensuring the design met user requirements.

"We chose Megahertz for a few reasons. But, significantly, they considered more angles when it came to risk management than other systems integrators we had invited to bid," explains Steve Zissler. “Their careful planning and attention to detail, as well as their knowledge of manufacturers' roadmaps and current solutions on the market, gave us confidence that they would meet specifications, on budget and, most importantly, on time.”

A project in just 10 weeks

Working in a tight window between the opera and ballet seasons during the summer, Megahertz had less than ten weeks to complete the installation in time for the live broadcast of the opera production Don Giovanni of Mozart by the ROH on October 8.

As the ROH produces live and taped events throughout the season, having the ability to quickly switch to a different setup was a key requirement. The TallyMan control system has been installed in the installation. TSL Products, which can save and recall studio settings, including name and account settings, router settings, and crosspoint settings.

Another key equipment supplied was the live production server EVS XS-Via, which integrates HD to 8K, SDR to HDR and SDI to IP formats and protocols. A UHD mixer has also been installed Carbonite of Ross Video and a UHD matrix Vengeance; In addition, it has a master synchronization/test generator Trilogy Mentor and talkback systems Trilogy Gemini. Custom control furniture was supplied by Custom Consoles.

The new 55″ 4K LCD monitors replace 24″ CRTs, meaning directors no longer have to take rehearsal footage to the local cinema to view shots on the big screen, saving time and process.

"Ultimately, Megahertz understood where we were and where we needed to get to, and what time we needed to get there. That's all you can ask for. They delivered," Zissler concluded.

“To be involved in a project that ultimately brings ballet and opera to a broader audience through film, and to be able to provide such a prestigious venue with 4K/HDR capabilities to attract that audience from around the world, is fantastic,” says Jon Flay, managing director of Megahertz.