Ten broadcasters, collaborating as part of IBC’s Accelerator Innovation Programme, plan to demonstrate a proof of concept for a series of 5G-enabled remote broadcast production use cases in Amsterdam on 10 September.
The project team is led by the BBC and also includes Al Jazeera Media Network, BT Sport, EBU, ITV, Olympic Broadcasting Service, SVT, TV2, ViacomCBS Networks International and Yle. They will explain and discuss the workflows and architectures of the proof of concept on a live panel, as part of the inaugural IBC Showcase. This will be followed by a demonstration of a live, multi-camera, multi-location production from Amsterdam. Project technology will be powered by six vendor participants: Aviwest, LiveU, Sony, Huawei, Mobile Viewpoint and NewTek. The project team has also had additional support and technology expertise from the University of Strathclyde.
In several ‘media-firsts’ sessions for broadcasters, the team will explain the technology workflows behind OB use cases. The connectivity of these sessions will be provided via Vodafone’s public mobile network in Amsterdam. A wide range of cameras, device gateways, cloud production tools, software defined live production systems and live streaming hub technologies will be connected via the network. A 5G live link into the transmission from London will contribute via 5G devices on the EE mobile network in the UK.
Separately, the project team has been exploring architectures based on the use of non-public or private 5G networks to enable additional bandwidth for other specific connected-camera and production use cases. The experimental production will also use remote controlled, AI enabled cameras, a 5G enabled video transmission from a drone and remote 5G controlled lighting, among other innovative vendor products.
The IBC Showcase live transmission will include a live 5G-enabled entertainment shoot controlled by AI cameras from a boat on an iconic canal in Amsterdam. Links between the boat and shore will include a view of technologies and equipment configurations behind the scenes, plus a live link to a discussion at the RAI convention centre, where the IBC Show would have taken place this week.
Entertainment on the boat will culminate in MTV’s first live 5G-enabled remote production, produced by VCNI and Viacom Digital Studios International. They will broadcast a live performance of Emma Heesters, a Dutch winner of the MTV EMAs Push Award, from the boat, with an MTV presenter based on-shore in a Covid-safe production enhanced by VodafoneZiggo's 5G network. The approach is aimed at reducing on-site crew and leveraging more remote resources through the cloud production, the company said.
