Archive for the ‘NAB 2009’ Category

NAB attendance down significantly

According to preliminary figures released by NAB, attendance for this year’s show was down by more than 20,000 people.

The 2009 show attracted 83,842 attendees, compared to the 105,259 who made the trek to Las Vegas in 2008.

“With two days remaining, the NAB Show has been a phenomenal success by any measure in an otherwise challenging economy,” spun NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton in a statement.

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NewscastStudio @ NAB: Tuesday Photos

WeatherNation offers ‘central-casting’ for mid-market stations

WeatherNation, a company founded by former WCCO-TV meteorologist Paul Douglas, who was outsted from the Minneapolis station in 2008, is offering white label weather forecasts for mid-market stations, cable outlets and Web sites at this year’s NAB Show.

The venture has built an HD studio facility in the outskirts of Minneapolis where it produces unbranded weather forecast segments. Stations can select from a 42-inch monitor position as well as a 65-inch touchscreen area. Graphics can be branded to each station’s unique look and font, according to the firm’s Web site.

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Ultimatte offers top-line keying solution

Virtual environments require more than just a clean key to be convincing, says J. David Hoffman of Brainstorm America, the company behind NBC’s virtual election night sets.

“To get a truly believable virtual environment you have to match color and lighting, said Hoffman.

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New system could bring virtual environments to affiliate level

Fully immersive and interactive 3D environments are becoming more and more popular but are still outside the reach of many local TV stations.

However, Brainstorm America hopes to change that with its new “all-in-one” offering starting at $120,000 per camera, says Brainstorm America’s J. David Hoffman. The system includes a robotic camera with built-in motion sensors that make real-time movement possible and is flexible enough to be moved to new locations or even in the field.

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Baron boosts WX graphics offering

Baron has announced new features for its Omni offering:

Volumetric radar imaging combines available radar scans and creates 3D maps that illustrate the data in ways viewers can understand.

In a demo Tuesday at NAB in Las Vegas, imagery from the Oklahoma May 3, 1999 tornado was shown with a detailed 3D look at the storm, including the various parts of the structure. Though highly technical it was obvious how, when combined with a meteorologist’s expertise, this system could provide a unique and vital view of storm systems. (more…)

Roaming RTNDA

Although NewscastStudio is taking an alternative approach to coverage this year, we did take some time Monday to visit the set, graphics and lighting companies at the RTNDA@NAB convention exhibit floor in the Hilton Pavilion.

On the set design side were FX Group, Broadcast Design International, Park Place Studio, Devlin Design Group and Erector Sets. Graphics was limited to just VDO, while music companies included 615 Music, Non-Stop Music and newcomer Aircast Music.

Noticeably absent were Stephen Arnold Music and Inergi, though Stephen Arnold had a small booth on the NAB side and retained some involvement with RTNDA.

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Vizrt virtual sets add interaction between talent, ’scenery’

During a press demonstration at the 2009 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Vizrt showed off its virtual set offering, which can be combined with its now famous hologram creation or as a standalone product.

The set product is similar in that it allows real-time camera moves but adds the ability for talent to stand behind virtual elements. For example, during the demo, Vizrt’s talent appeared inside a virtual subway car and then stepped out through the open doors onto the platform. He could also walk between the ticket gates on the boarding platform in another scene.

Vizrt virtual environments can also be filmed using handheld cameras. Using a series of five white balls attached to the camera and five ceiling-mounted cameras that track the movement of each ball, the Vizrt computers combined this positioning data with the virtual environment to complete the effect.

CNN’s hologram technology ten years in the making

The idea for CNN’s hologram technology first hatched ten years ago in the head of David Bowman at CNN, says Shalom Nachshon of Vizrt, the company that, teamed with Stats, made the effect a reality a decade later.

“Back then, the technology didn’t exist,” said Nachshon. However, as CNN began prepping for the 2008 election coverage, the idea resurfaced and the research and development team at Vizrt believed they could successfully create the look Bowman envisioned.

Already familiar with Stats’ technical capabilities, Vizrt integrated technology from both companies to create the final CNN hologram effect. Though the hologram technology is available in full HD, CNN opted to add some noise to the picture in order to add a “Star Trek” look to it that also reinforced the fact that the reporter wasn’t physically in the New York stuido.

Megatrax launches AirCast Production

Megatrax has recently launched a new division for custom music and scoring called Aircast Music. The company creates custom scores, custom image campaigns, program theme packages, news music and ringtones.

“Aircast is a music and media production company that specializes in custom scoring, imaging and theme packages.”

As part of the company, Aircast Production has acquired the news music packages composed by In The Groove Music, including: Heart Of Our City, Hometown Community and Pride Collection.

“Aircast Production does one thing very well - it helps you get your point across. Whether it moves in the background underneath a voiceover, its front and center for a theme or transitioning from one song to anther on the radio, it does its job.”

For more information and samples visit Aircast Production.

Baron partners with Cell Journalist for CJ effort

Weather data and graphics providing Baron Services has announced a partnership with Cell Journalist to allow viewers to contribute to local stations’ coverage of weather.

Baron will integrate viewer material into its systems in addition to its already extensive lineup of 3D graphics and data avaialable to forecasters.

Cell Journalist works with camera-equipped cell phones, iPhones or Blackberries and provides non-weather citizen journalist tools as well.

This is an interesting application that will likely be very valuable to stations, especially during severe weather coverage. Having an “army” of reporters on the ground who are ready and excited to share photos with their local station is a great way to boost loyalty and viewer involvement and having a tightly integrated solution will be a big convenience booster.

NewscastStudio @ NAB: Monday Photos