wTVision uses Blackmagic Design hardware in graphics production

wTVision is now using Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink family of capture and playback devices to provide software-based broadcast and graphics solutions.

“We rely on the DeckLink product line to allow us to focus on creating the broadcast industry’s best software. DeckLink cards are incredibly affordable, come in a number of different models and all can be coded under the same API. This gives us the advantage of being able to create software for any customer need because we know that there will be a DeckLink for what we need,” said Mario Sousa, CEO, wTVision.

wTVision’s software takes advantage of third-party hardware systems and uses Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink products as the main capture and playback hardware to support its software products.

This includes using DeckLink as part of wTVision’s sports, elections, PCR (production control room) and MCR (master control room) solutions, providing all the tools needed for playout automation and live production, including real-time scouting and graphics, video playout control, newsroom system integration, ingest and trim, media asset management and social media.

One of wTVision’s uses for DeckLink products is as part of a new Bolivian broadcasting facility.

For the project, wTVision has also designed, built and runs two sports news shows, “Sports Noticias” and “Sports Flash,” using a state-of-the-art virtual set and augmented reality multi-camera live broadcasting, which allow newscasters to pass behind, in front of or stay to the side of virtual objects.

This mixture of a virtual set with augmented reality was created using wTVision’s new Graphics Render Engine (R3 Space Engine) controlled by its Studio CG video and graphics playout solution, and DeckLink Duo 2s allow them to use the same render engine for both augmented and virtual sets. The single engine is also used in conjunction with Blackmagic Design’s Ultimatte keyer to place talent and other live objects in the shots in real time.

“We added the Bolivian football league to our portfolio of sports projects back in 2014 and began by providing real-time graphics playout and data collection during the broadcasts. Together with The Game and Mediapro, we have since grown amazingly fast in Bolivia and have done everything from building out and manning three new broadcast production control rooms, a multi-channel master control room and two OB vans, to creating these amazing new virtual and augmented reality shows. We have done all of this using Blackmagic Design products as the backbone for our software,” noted Sousa.

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Beyond the virtual set and augmented reality shows in Bolivia, wTVision has used DeckLink products with several of its other solutions, including its FootballStats CG scouting system and on-air graphics controller in more than 300 football matches per year, Studio CG for video and graphics playout in all sports and news shows, ChannelMaker for two 24/7 channels playout automation, wTVision Media Playout Server for video playout, R3 Space Engine for real-time graphics, Media Tools for ingest and trimming software and the wTVision Media Manager for media asset management.

“At wTVision, we have had years of experience designing multi-angle virtual sets, as well as creating animated 3D virtual graphics to be presented on TV shows such as sports, elections, news and entertainment or advertising projects. With these sets and all of our other software packages, we absolutely rely on DeckLink products and Blackmagic Design,” said Sousa.