Live Your Vision: Sony meets the industry again at an in-person event

For two days, September 28 and 29, and after its premiere in London, Sony Live Your Vision brings together in Madrid's Image City the latest proposals in terms of recruitment, IP, live production and remote work.

Live Your Vision of Sony, an in-person event with multiple online activities, represents the reunion of the Japanese multinational with the industry after the stoppage caused by the pandemic. After stopping in London on September 22 and 23, this roadshow arrives in Madrid and will then travel to other European cities focusing on three large areas, which we could encompass in “the three Rs”: real image, real time y remote (real image, real time and remote).

Sony is demonstrating its latest innovations in terms of IP-based workflows, news production solutions, including its new C3 Portal, remote production, but also Media Solutions Toolkit, its suite of cloud-native solutions for broadcasters, along with its cameras and the latest firmware updates.

One of the main new features is version 3.0 of its popular FX9 camera, more focused in this case on broadcast environments due to the possibility of using an S16 scanning mode (up to FHD at 180 fps) and compatibility with B4 lenses. The B4 lens control with the LA-EB1 and the ALAC function (automatic lens aberration compensation) are other new features worth highlighting.

The new version is compatible with anamorphic lenses and has an autofocus that, beyond the face and eyes, as it continued until now, is capable of tracking specific objects or shapes. For example, a floral motif on a dress. Also worth noting is the support for SR Live metadata for HDR, the real-time recording and transfer of proxy clips or the configuration of a camcorder network using a simple smartphone application. Now it is also possible to remote some parameters of the FX9 with the help of the RCP-3600 panel.

XVG-G1 Mixer

As far as mixers are concerned, the new XVG-G1 stands out. This new compact live production mixer entry-level has been developed as a next-generation platform that combines the power of a new video processor with a modern design architecture. Designed for live production, such as sports, news or entertainment programs, the XVS-G1 system is an ideal ally for small and medium-sized studios, mobile units or “fly away”. Its functions include a clip player and conversion and HDR capability, among many others.

Another of its distinctive characteristics is its hybrid structure, which brings together a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The FPGA hardware allows high-resolution 4K (UHD) images to be processed in real time, with a wide range of colors and High Dynamic Range (HDR) with very low latency. High-resolution, high-density video processing using the latest software technology provides versatility and expandability. These powerful specifications make the XVS-G1 system future-proof and enhance your creative possibilities.

As for his graphics processor allows you to use various creative functions as it is enhanced with features such as a built-in clip player and multiple 3D digital effects. He multipantalla Enhanced allows you to display various types of information, such as audio level meters, and overlay various levels of subtitles. Multiple HDR conversion options and support for Sony's SR Live workflow are included.

The XVS-G1 offers four channels available in HD and two in 4K (UHD), and each channel has the ability to play clips up to 60 minutes long. Widely used AVC codec files in MOV or MP4 container formats are supported, and all clips can be backed up to the internal SSD. Simply load your media files instantly onto your internal SSD storage device, directly from the menu screen on a PC or tablet.

Without a doubt, this mixer inherits many features from Sony's high-end XVS and shares the same advantage of system status recognition, the same confidence in precision when pressing buttons and the same speed in critical live productions.

Camera-Connect-Cloud Portal

As to C3 Portal (Camera-Connect-Cloud Portal), is a solution that allows cameras to be connected to the cloud through a fast and stable transfer through a mobile connection. This is how operators offers easily send your files from wherever they are to the editing package in a few simple and quick steps through C3 Portal App, a specialized mobile application for Android and iOS.

Additionally, the solution contributes to workflow efficiency by adding metadata to files when they are uploaded to the cloud, which in turn is seamlessly integrated into the post-production system. Files sent to the cloud are shared from the recording location with the production floor, camera crews, editors and producers. Even customers can participate in content creation remotely and quickly in the cloud.

It should be noted that the system works less than one second latency between the camera input and output which facilitates live production.

With this technology, the camera operator only has to follow some intuitive steps which require a simple login to the application and scanning the QR code on the cameras. Users can connect the cameras to their smartphone via USB and transfer files to the cloud securely via 5G (the latest network), the popular LTE network and wireless network. It is also possible to combine several mobile networks to speed up transfer speeds. Additionally, C3 Portal allows you to send files while recording, reducing editing time on the production floor.

When camera operators, reporters or directors set up planning metadata, such as crew names or video topics, and send it to smartphones and cameras through C3 Portal before a shoot, that metadata is automatically assigned to files sent to the cloud. At the same time, camera operators can add comments and property marks as metadata when previewing XAVC proxy files sent to the smartphone. This metadata workflow is useful for speeding up video editing after recording.

Finally, note that it has the ability to convert speech to text through voice recognition. These features make it easy to integrate post-production with Media Analytics Portal, Sony's cloud-based AI service. It should also be noted that it is now possible to start editing the material before the file is sent, being able to send both in proxy quality and in HD or 4K. In this way, it is possible to contribute Full HD video at 9 Mbps, with more than enough quality for broadcast on DTT.

Additionally, Sony offers the floating licenses so the user can use different cameras (not simultaneous) in different locations. Another curious function is being able to access both the live and card files of any camera that is connected to the network from the C3 Portal.

Media Solutions Toolkit

In this Sony Live Your Vision in Madrid, demonstrations are being carried out with the Media Solutions Toolkit. This professional solution package allows manage content, data, workflows, devices and much more with a complete system using a library of cloud-native microservices that can be combined, scaled and deployed in cloud, on-premises or hybrid environments.

Broadcasters or production companies can combine different microservices to create a complete workflow, from ingestion to analysis, storage and more.

Sony starts from the concept that the needs of its customers change over time. Therefore, it offers the possibility of adding microservices as needed and scaling each of them independently. Maintaining a fixed feature set does not improve return on investment or reduce total cost of ownership.

Additionally, there is no need to overhaul your existing infrastructure as the Media Solutions Toolkit can be deployed on-premises, in the cloud, or in a hybrid configuration. And since each microservice works independently, updates to one service will not affect the others, making the entire system more resilient and adaptable. You will enjoy total control of your resources, costs and multimedia content.

Parallel ADS

The Parallel ADS also stands out, which, together with the cameras HDC-5500 from Sony allow you to create Tailored multi-regional advertising content which is displayed on the perimeter LCD screens of the sports venue, thus making it easier for advertisements to adapt to different markets.

Both the HDC-5500, HDC-3500 and HDC-P50 are the perfect base for deploying Parallel ADS. These cameras incorporate the advanced Global Shutter technology from Sony, which captures the entire frame in a single instant, eliminating the rolling shutter or “jelly” effect common in other cameras and which makes fast-moving subjects appear unnaturally distorted. This innovative technology, exclusive to Sony, ensures accurate reproduction of live sports action and opens up other exciting possibilities for parallel advertising and other applications. Thanks to the cameras' Global Shutter capability, the system is not limited by static camera positions or factors such as bad weather, which can affect other virtual advertising solutions.

This proposal from Sony allows the LED playout system to be synchronized with the host broadcaster's production, allowing the output of up to four separate streams in real time that are directly available from the camera control unit.

As far as audio is concerned, the Sony roadshow shows its latest DWX wireless microphone systems, among whose solutions stands out a new miniature flask with a magnesium body.

Finally, note the presence in this Live Your Vision of specialists from Nevion, fabricante ahora integrado en Sony, quienes están llevando a cabo demostraciones de producción distribuida basándose en adquisición local (en un terreno de juego, por ejemplo), procesamiento en un data center y un control ubicado allá donde demande el tipo de producción. La tecnología VideoIPath de Nevion es una solución que permite a los usuarios controlar sus necesidades de conectividad facilitando el enrutamiento de vídeo, audio y datos a través de redes de área local y amplia (LAN y WAN), conectando ubicaciones, equipos y funciones. Su tecnología permite que se compartan entre ubicaciones geográficas las instalaciones (por ejemplo, estudios, salas de control, centros de datos), los equipos (por ejemplo, de procesamiento) y los perfiles de trabajo.

Más información sobre los eventos físicos y seminarios web Sony Live Your Vision, here.