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Coronavirus - Impact on live/recorded shows

Several talk programmes have cancelled studio audiences (March 2020)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
NG
noggin Founding member
With lots of shows featuring many Internet fed video contributions. Anything special being done for this? Or just racks of PCs being plugged HDMI into the desk (with maybe cropping to hide controls etc) running zoom, teams, skype etc? Or any special broadcaster software or devices being deployed? I.e do they give people special software before their appearances?

Just interested.

For single contributions it is as you say just PCs running TV the software, either one with an SDI output or one with a convertor that makes it SDI* You can't really go about sending special software to contributors, you just use what they have, whether that's Skype or Facetime or WhatsApp. Reporters will have special software like Luci Live


I'm pretty sure that in a lot of cases where there's real time interaction, for example Have I Got News For You the recording is taking place via a Zoom chat or similar, but what you're seeing is recorded locally. The quality isn't studio quality but it's much better than streaming Internet quality.


*TV companies never use HDMI except for either feeding a domestic monitor or where they are using a domestic device like a STB or DVD, they are converted to SDI


I’ve seen some setups (often one man band kits that are now deployed as home studios) where talent US and abroad connect the HDMI out directly to the laptop or CNG.

Yes - HDMI can be used for connecting very cheap field cameras that don't have HD-SDI output to LiveU/WMT/PC capture devices etc. - but it's not a broadcast interconnect standard used in control rooms or MCRs. Sky did this a while back for their low cost Election count coverage kits I think. Most broadcasters wouldn't be using field cameras without SDI outputs (as very few cameras that meet EBU Tier approval are HDMI-only - an exception being the Panasonic GH5s) - but in emergencies or for very low cost live kits they may.


Or just racks of PCs being plugged HDMI into the desk (with maybe cropping to hide controls etc) running zoom, teams, skype etc?

For Skype most broadcasters will use a SkypeTX box which has SDI outputs, though FaceTime requires an Apple device and most people doing FaceTime in studios will use a MacMini with an AJA Region of Interest HDMI->HD-SDI scan converter. Zoom used live will need a PC with an HDMI output fed through a scan converter too - unless you have a relatively rare PC with an SDI GPU output.

No mainstream studio vision mixer (switcher) in use by most broadcasters has HDMI connectivity.

Quote:

Also is Luci Live just for radio or tv?


I've only come across Luci Live as an audio solution - but there are MVP and LiveU iOS solutions for video - which are in use.
Last edited by noggin on 2 May 2020 8:07am
IS
Inspector Sands


Quote:

Also is Luci Live just for radio or tv?


I've only come across Luci Live as an audio solution - but there are MVP and LiveU iOS solutions for video - which are in use.

Ah yes, think Luci Live is audio, there's so many different ways now I lose track.

What's the one that BBC employees can get on iPhones (annoyingly only iPhones) that allows them to do lives? Or is that Luci?
IS
Inspector Sands

I’ve seen some setups (often one man band kits that are now deployed as home studios) where talent US and abroad connect the HDMI out directly to the laptop or CNG.

Yes as I say it's only really used where domestic kit is being used and there's no better option. Which would be the case here
DO
dosxuk

I’ve seen some setups (often one man band kits that are now deployed as home studios) where talent US and abroad connect the HDMI out directly to the laptop or CNG.

Yes as I say it's only really used where domestic kit is being used and there's no better option. Which would be the case here


And where there's no benefit to the additional conversion. If all you're wanting to do is plug a laptop into a LiveU that has an HDMI input, then going direct is easier, especially if you've got inexperienced people plugging it together.
CO
commseng
With lots of shows featuring many Internet fed video contributions. Anything special being done for this? Or just racks of PCs being plugged HDMI into the desk (with maybe cropping to hide controls etc) running zoom, teams, skype etc? Or any special broadcaster software or devices being deployed? I.e do they give people special software before their appearances?

Just interested.

For single contributions it is as you say just PCs running TV the software, either one with an SDI output or one with a convertor that makes it SDI* You can't really go about sending special software to contributors, you just use what they have, whether that's Skype or Facetime or WhatsApp. Reporters will have special software like Luci Live


I'm pretty sure that in a lot of cases where there's real time interaction, for example Have I Got News For You the recording is taking place via a Zoom chat or similar, but what you're seeing is recorded locally. The quality isn't studio quality but it's much better than streaming Internet quality.

Not always.
Some of the programmes using broadcast quality contributors are being bought back to studio centres, and recorded locally there.
It allows problems with any of the shots or audio to be seen at the time, and also allows direction from production staff (who are often themselves at home).
In this case the earpiece and monitor return feeds are derived from the web based solutions, but the broadcast feed is higher quality, either via MVP, satellite links, or even the latest smartphones, where quality is good, and remote control is possible.
For live shows (such as Early Kick Off on BT Sport) this is what is used.
Recorded shows don't always have enough time to bring back and ingest the media, so prefer this approach.
NG
noggin Founding member


Quote:

Also is Luci Live just for radio or tv?


I've only come across Luci Live as an audio solution - but there are MVP and LiveU iOS solutions for video - which are in use.

Ah yes, think Luci Live is audio, there's so many different ways now I lose track.

What's the one that BBC employees can get on iPhones (annoyingly only iPhones) that allows them to do lives? Or is that Luci?


Luci Live is part of BBC Essentials for Live audio contributions.
NG
noggin Founding member
With lots of shows featuring many Internet fed video contributions. Anything special being done for this? Or just racks of PCs being plugged HDMI into the desk (with maybe cropping to hide controls etc) running zoom, teams, skype etc? Or any special broadcaster software or devices being deployed? I.e do they give people special software before their appearances?

Just interested.

For single contributions it is as you say just PCs running TV the software, either one with an SDI output or one with a convertor that makes it SDI* You can't really go about sending special software to contributors, you just use what they have, whether that's Skype or Facetime or WhatsApp. Reporters will have special software like Luci Live


I'm pretty sure that in a lot of cases where there's real time interaction, for example Have I Got News For You the recording is taking place via a Zoom chat or similar, but what you're seeing is recorded locally. The quality isn't studio quality but it's much better than streaming Internet quality.

Not always.
Some of the programmes using broadcast quality contributors are being bought back to studio centres, and recorded locally there.
It allows problems with any of the shots or audio to be seen at the time, and also allows direction from production staff (who are often themselves at home).
In this case the earpiece and monitor return feeds are derived from the web based solutions, but the broadcast feed is higher quality, either via MVP, satellite links, or even the latest smartphones, where quality is good, and remote control is possible.
For live shows (such as Early Kick Off on BT Sport) this is what is used.
Recorded shows don't always have enough time to bring back and ingest the media, so prefer this approach.


Yes - both approaches are in use for different applications.

Shows which are usually made live or as-live are more likely to use the 'live delivery' approach, but for studio shows where studio cameras would be ISOed and the show taken to an edit and a dub, local recording in quality can make more sense as it keeps the quality up (and edit out delays)?
BR
Brekkie
Casualty have skipped an episode tonight having deemed it inappropriate during the current pandemic.
Last edited by Brekkie on 2 May 2020 8:55pm
IT
IndigoTucker
The recap looked like all the cast were wearing hazmat suits and face masks, the car park had a tent in it, the department was cordoned off with tape, and Marty’s dad was on a gurney on his side in pain. Probably for the best in that case.
CG
Charlie Gough
I'm so gutted, it was an amazing episode to work on - we shot it just before Christmas. Genuinely would have been one of the best episodes they've ever done! I really hope the BBC air it at a later date or release it on iPlayer.
MA
mapperuo
Quote:
For live shows (such as Early Kick Off on BT Sport) this is what is used.
Recorded shows don't always have enough time to bring back and ingest the media, so prefer this approach.


Jake Humpreys link for BT Sport is on 1w during his live show, they must have parked a sat truck in his drive 😀
IS
Inspector Sands

Shows which are usually made live or as-live are more likely to use the 'live delivery' approach, but for studio shows where studio cameras would be ISOed and the show taken to an edit and a dub, local recording in quality can make more sense as it keeps the quality up (and edit out delays)?

Something like Have I Got News For You has a lot of edits for timing and tightening when it's done in a studio so I dread to think what the added delay from doing it at home would be like.

If it is done that way presumably the low res conference call can be used for an offline or paper edit while they're waiting for the courier with the ISOs

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