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Live sports graphics package
Hi all
Anybody know if the likes of the bbc or sky use a specific package for all their on screen sports graphics? Im not thinking of the ‘look’ that they achieve (i would imagine they are all pre rendered), more the package for getting the graphics overlayed to the screen, on the fly. I appreciate that their is probably a lot more to this than one package, but any insights would be much appreciated.Cheers
Ian -
10 Replies
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By package do you mean the creative source for the media or the hardware required to get it on the air so quickly?
The hardware is easy, it’s a video switcher being fed from a digital clip playout system like ClipBin. Real time processing of alpha requires big iron.
bogiesan
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I was thinking media software, interface etc.
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Most of the big production houses use big iron-based graphics systems designed for real time. Flame? Back when I care about live sports production the big iron was called Harry.
bogiesan
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it sounds like you’re asking about the hardware to do live video production (or live to tape).
we do live local news casts and sports shows here, and we are currently using several deko boxes for most of the graphics for the live shows but also use some other machines, like a dekocast for a ticker and an old chyron for various things.
the live signal comes into the chain and the dekos and other graphics boxes are overlayed in series. the dekos are capable of animation (the old chyron is not), but the animation that the dekos do is generally limited to the updatable elements, like the text or maybe a graphic object like a logo. but, most all of the animations and effects in or out are prerendered from after effects with transparency (either included alpha channel, or separate matte) and audio, if needed.
there are multiple dekos to handle multiple graphics…. example: in a given point in the show, there may be a live shot with a shoulder graphic, that then goes to a full screen animated map that zooms in on a location, then they fly out a reporter with a name key and there’s breaking bug over the whole sequence and there is a ticker up the whole time. so there is one deko that puts the shoulder graphic on the studio shot, the map is on another deko, once the map is taken they can switch the shoulder graphic the the name key for the reporter shot, that could free up one deko for the breaking bug, or they could use the chyron for the breaking bug, all these are being controlled in the booth and the dekocast with the ticker is downstream of everything with it’s data streaming across (the ticker could be controlled by the booth, or by master control, it usually would only be pulled for commercial breaks)
so that’s one way to get graphics displayed over live video… but we are currently looking into a vertigo box from miranda. from the sounds of it, it’s one box that will composite multiple ‘keyers’ or layers on the live stream. so you could have the live video come into one box that has a layer for the shoulder graphic, another layer for the name key, another for the bug, another for any fullscreen graphics, maybe another for interstitials and a final layer for the ticker. all these layers can then be triggered from the booth…. it sounds simple enough, but i have a feeling that they will want 2 vertigos, because i have a feeling that going back-to-back with graphic switches on a single box will eventually lead to problems or have limitations.
Kevin Camp
Senior Designer
KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW -
VizRT is used extensively in the UK. I think Chyron have taken back a lot of the Deko ground in the US.
Pixel Power make Clarity that is used for a lot of network graphics (end credit promotions, evening run-downs etc) generated in real time from excel spreadsheets.
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If you want to know exact packages, drop an email to someone at Red Bee – they are the people who do BBC’s sports packages; MOTD, Football Focus, Final Score etc etc.
I’m not sure who does Sky’s though.
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Cheers all, thanks for the info, i thought there might be one industry standard package/software/controller, but as i suspected, its a bigger answer than that. Thanks peeps.
i.
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Not sure what piece of equipment does BBC’s graphics, but I can tell you from experience the major pieces of equipment that is used in the U.S. (’cause that’s my buisness!)
The Chyron Duet and Avid Deko are two of the character generators that handle a lot of the sports graphics production here. It seems that Chyron has made more inroads (or Avid has faltered, depending on your perspective) in the last year or so. Both devices basically do the same thing – allow all types of graphics to be displayed and updated and edited quickly and in real time. Clips & audio can be part of the mix, and animation can be created in the box (not necessarily relying on After Effects for the animation, although AE will probably be used to create the elements. The strength of these 2 devices are flexibility and relative ease of use. Weaknesses include 3-D capabilities.
VizRT is used by CBS, ESPN and NFL Network for its graphics…it is not a character generator, per se, but functions as one in these networks scheme of things. You cannot easily change a template on the Viz (unless you are capable or authoring and scripting the scenes). It has a much, much higher learning curve than the Deko or Duet to program successully (although playing stuff back on the Viz is rather easy, since you can’t do much with it, other than play it out, and play it off the screen). In other words, if it aint in the template, it aint. One of the strengths of the Viz box is its live 3-D rendering capabilities. One of its’ weaknesses is flexibility.
WHITE ROOM PRODUCTIONS, INC.
Broadcast Design and Animation
(516) 546 2098 -
Cheers Howard, very informative post, thanks!
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Hi all I’m looking for pre-made templates for sports such as lower thirds, scoreboxes etc. Anyone know where to buy a template for these?
Zack
Bloomfield Hills, MI
Avid Express V 5.6
HP Compaq nw8440
2 GB Ram
Intel Centrino Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz
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