2008 NAB Show Product Preview
Orad Hi-Tec Systems
Booth SU1920
Company Overview
Founded in 1993, Orad is a world leader in TV graphics and production technology. Orad‘s line of products includes on-air graphics systems, virtual sets, virtual advertisement, sports production solutions, and middleware for the industrial and military visualization industries. Orad is a publicly held company, having been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in December 1999 and, as of July 2003, on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange (symbol: OHT). For more information, please visit www.orad.tv.
New Orad Products at the 2008 NAB Show
Portal Media Center
Making its NAB debut this year, Orad‘s Portal Media Center is the first and only system on the market to enable consolidation of live video feeds, clips, stills, 3D graphics, text, and audio within a single playout environment. The Portal Media Center empowers broadcasters by enabling them to create dynamic DVE-like effects using popular video formats, either live or recorded, without tying up control room resources. Journalists can specify the content and sequencing of an entire show from within the newsroom environment, and graphic artists can design the look of the broadcast complete with coordinated video box transitions, effects, and graphics from a desktop authoring environment.
Using Orad‘s HDVG with its powerful video texture technology, capable of mapping video onto any 3-D object in the scene in real time, the Portal Media Center identifies the on-air source and actively associates assigned textual content to that media without engaging the production switcher, multiple DVE channels, the character generator, or the video server. By automating and harmonizing the display of graphical media in real time, the Portal Media Center streamlines live broadcasts and ensures that the production‘s branding stands out in an increasingly competitive television marketplace.
For more information, please go to: http://www.orad.tv/en/page.asp?id=254
Motion Video Play (MVP)
Orad‘s new Motion Video Play (MVP) platform provides broadcasters with sophisticated yet cost-effective image tracking capabilities that enhance an action in any sport without requiring camera modifications. Rather than rely on costly camera tracking techniques, the MVP is the first system to use a single platform and single hardware set to track specified objects -- players, a ball, or a referee -- and display graphic elements assigned to those objects, even when multiple objects occupy a scene. Breakthrough features of the new MVP platform include:
• Image tracking without camera modification
• Tracking and enhancement of multiple objects within a single scene
• Support for up to 16 SD and/or HD cameras
• Complete graphics library and integrated design toolset
• Advanced graphical enhancement features including flow motion and magnifying glass
• Tracked Telestrator for touch screen control and illustration of video replays
MVP‘s complete graphics library gives operators fast access to high-quality graphics, as well as enables broadcasters to create their own graphics with its built-in design tools. The system‘s flow motion feature creates a “video shadow” of the selected object, illustrating how a play or event unfolded. A magnifying glass feature provides a tighter zoom over a selected area, thus isolating and highlighting a point on the playing surface. Commentators and analysts can use MVP‘s Tracked Telestrator feature and the system‘s touch screen to control and illustrate video replays.
For more information, please go to: http://www.orad.tv/en/page.asp?id=255
Orad Displays New Versions of Flagship Solutions at the 2008 NAB Show
HDVG (Hi-Definition Digital Video Graphics)
Orad‘s HDVG serves as the video graphics rendering platform for all Orad systems and solutions. The HD/SD-switchable system provides smooth transitions and mixing of the formats within the same box, serving as a highly efficient and flexible solution for real-time graphics. The HDGV‘s unique architecture supports up to six configurable full-resolution HD video insertions or as many as 12 configurable full-resolution SD video insertions. Inserted videos can be mapped onto any object in the graphic scene, whether or not it‘s a plain surface. The HDVG supports all commonly used formats, which may be stored locally or on a server and streamed over the network in real time. Internal transcoding allows for the triggering of files of different formats at the same time, keeping delay below two frames and maintaining short time to air.
The HDVG has been designed to meet the specific needs of broadcasters, and as such is fully redundant, utilizes a RAID 1 hard drive array, provides mechanical and software failovers, and runs on a LINUX operating system and a PC-based controller.
For more information, please go to: http://www.orad.tv/upload/downloads/HDVG.pdf
Maestro Turnkey News Graphic System
The new version of Orad‘s Maestro 3-D character generator features a complete integration with the company‘s graphic asset management (GAM) system, enabling users to store all graphic assets in a central database along with relevant metadata. The new Maestro includes sophisticated user-rights management that manages the access permission rights associated with different assets. A new scene-edit module makes it easy for users to modify or even create new graphic scenes from scratch. To support post-production tasks, Orad updated Maestro with functionality including subtitle playout, video and audio ingest, and interoperability with commonly used NLE systems. Other highlights of the newest Maestro system include support for insertion and playback of up to 12 video clips, sophisticated 3-D text handling, and dynamic scene blending.
For more information, please go to: http://www.orad.tv/upload/downloads/Maestro.pdf
3DPlay Automated Promo and Channel Branding System
Orad‘s 3DPlay is a turnkey solution for automatic promos and channel branding. The system allows users to create customized controls for different types of production without requiring any scripting. Furthermore, 3DPlay enables the introduction of sophisticated logic, multiple events, and animations with a single trigger. Using this functionality, 3DPlay significantly minimizes the number of secondary events and pages that need to be prepared in advance and thus supports a more streamlined and efficient workflow. 3DPlay is a fully redundant system that can be deployed on upstream or downstream. During the 2008 NAB Show, Orad will showcase one of 3DPlay‘s unique new features, the new Action Browser. The Action Browser offers a generic user interface for inserting graphic events into traffic and automation systems, allowing the user to select a graphic element, populate it with the relevant data, preview it on a local workstation, and publish it to the traffic or automation system.
For more information, please go to: http://www.orad.tv/upload/downloads/3DPlay.pdf
3DWeather Real-Time Weather Prediction System
By rendering graphics in real time, 3DWeather allows the operator to give viewers accurate, up-to-the-second weather data. 3DWeather draws on a database including detailed maps of the entire world, complemented by weather symbols and graphics representing ISO bars, ISO thermals, typhoons, hurricanes, clouds, radar images, high- and low-pressure areas, winds, infrared radar, and many other weather-specific phenomena. New for the 2008 NAB Show is the integration of 3DWeather with Orad‘s Maestro news graphic system. This integration enables broadcasters to organize and execute the weather segment directly from within Maestro, thereby eliminating the need for a dedicated system. As a result, weather and news graphics now can be triggered from a single system in significantly more efficient production workflow.
For more information, please go to: http://www.orad.tv/upload/downloads/3DWeather.pdf
ProSet Ultimate Virtual Studio System
ProSet is Orad‘s high-end HD/SD virtual set system. The turnkey solution adds a powerful dimension to any type of virtual set production. The system imports virtual set models, geometry, textures, and animations and then uses Orad‘s HDVG video graphics rendering platform to run even the most complex virtual set in real time. Designed in line with the total graphics concept, ProSet is an ideal solution for both virtual studio and on-air graphics and can be integrated with newsroom and automation systems.
During the NAB Show, Orad will introduce its new version of ProSet, which takes photorealism to a new level by allowing the insertion of semitransparent 3-D graphical elements into the virtual studio. This is done by separating the alpha and graphics from the background enabling complete multilayer compositing and providing full control over the transparency of the foreground object without affecting the other elements in the virtual studio. The new version of ProSet is also equipped with a soft garbage matte feature. Often in virtual studio productions, the camera pans out of the blue or green box area; this off box area is typically masked using garbage matte. However the edges of the blue box are frequently visible on the composite image as visible lines, making the difference in brightness between the keyed area and garbage matte very visible. The soft garbage matte feature addresses this issue, providing a seamlessly soft and blended image. This unique new feature is fully supported by Ultimatte 11.
Orad will also showcase ProSet‘s new CamTrack infrared-based tracking system, which improves accuracy and production value substantially by allowing the camera to move freely within the studio space. A new remote tracking module also will be unveiled at the NAB Show.
For more information, please go to: http://www.orad.tv/upload/downloads/ProSet.pdf
TrackVision First-Down Line (FDL)
Orad‘s newest release of TrackVision First-Down Line (FDL) enables the display of the first-and-10 line within North American football productions, and does so without requiring any camera modifications. The solution draws the first-down line instantly as the correct camera position is identified and the right perspective determined. With just one click, TrackVision FDL also can draw the scrimmage line both on the live feed and on the replay. The current down and “yards to go” can be drawn on the field with simple control over the position of the graphics. Additionally, TrackVision FDL superimposes tied-to-the-field team flags and game scores, measures distances between any two objects on the field, draws graphic extensions of the goal posts, and highlights key players. TrackVision‘s FDL can be operated from an OB van or from the studio in HD and SD productions, offering a simple and extremely fast means of adding interest to football broadcasts.
For more information, please go to: http://www.orad.tv/en/page.asp?id=248
ADVision Virtual Advertising Platform
ADVision turns any sports event into an advertising media platform capable of generating new revenue streams for rights holders, broadcasters, and program producers. ADVision supports the real-time insertion of virtual advertisements onto any type of sports event, eliminating the need for camera sensors. The inserted virtual ad remains tied to its field position regardless of camera motion. ADVision was featured in the 2008 NBA All-Star game and hundreds of other revenue-generating productions worldwide. The solution can be implemented by broadcasters either on the uplink or downlink signals for virtually any sports event, including golf, horse racing, rugby, cricket, and a variety of extreme sports.
For more information, please go to: http://www.orad.tv/upload/downloads/ADVision.pdf
TrackVision
TrackVision provides a complete sport enhancement package for live and recorded soccer match coverage. TrackVision is Orad‘s patent-pending graphics enhancement tool that uses a revolutionarily tracking technology to superimpose virtual graphics over the playing field. The overlaid graphic remains tied to the exact position regardless of camera motion. TrackVision supports up to 16 different cameras and has two modes of operation -- live and replay mode. Switching between modes is instantaneous.
TrackVision easily generates offside lines with the ability to measure the depth of the offside and marks the player that passed the ball. The compact, 3-RU system also significantly minimizes the number of secondary events and unique pages that need to be prepared in advance.
For more information, please go to: http://www.orad.tv/upload/downloads/trackvision.pdf
Sport Art
Sport Art is an integrated on-air graphics solution that combines statistics gathering, graphics control, playout, sponsorship, and Web updates. Any event during the game that is entered into the database will automatically update a wide variety of templates when they are recalled for air. Game score and clock, rosters, tables, openers, lower thirds, bugs, trivia data, and flexible sponsorship tools can all be seamlessly triggered with a high-end 3-D graphic look. This captivating end-to-end solution streamlines the production effort while providing an exciting viewer experience.
3DReplay
3DReplay is Orad`s revolutionary soccer analysis system that converts key events from video to a 3-D graphic model offering a new dimension in sports entertainment. 3DReplay creates an extremely accurate 3-D model of the event and allows it to be viewed from any angle, thereby helping the viewers and the commentator judge if the call made by the referee was right or wrong.
3DReplay can be used in the studio or in the OB Van and offers stunning videogame-style graphic quality. With 3DReplay one can view the event from the eyes of the goal keeper or the referee; get a tactical top view of the entire event; and mark players, draw trajectories and measure distances. Based on the powerful performance of the HDVG video rendering platform and sophisticated image processing camera tracking technologies, 3DReplay can easily reconstruct events into 3-D models with smooth camera fly-throughs.
For more information, please go to: http://www.orad.tv/upload/downloads/3DReplay.pdf
Recent Press Releases
Orad Wins the Olympic Games Graphics Contract From Central China Television (“CCTV”) to Cover the Beijing Olympic Games
CCTV, China‘s largest TV network and the largest TV network in the world in terms of viewer numbers, will be using Orad‘s graphics solutions in its coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. It is estimated that all of China‘s 340 million households will be watching Orad‘s graphics on air. The deal is valued at $1.4 million.
For more information, please go to: www.orad.tv/upload/downloads/CCTV_2008.pdf
Orad and Global TV sign a U.S. $2.5 Million Letter of Intent for the Sale of the Company‘s Virtual Studio Solution
Orad‘s virtual studio solution will soon be deployed at Canada‘s Global TV, a wholly owned subsidiary of CanWest Global Communication (“CanWest”), Canada‘s largest communication company, in a U.S. $2.5 million installation. The project, involving 14 Global TV production facilities, will allow the broadcaster to centralize network productions, seamlessly integrate existing workflow, and realize significant savings in operations costs.
Orad recently completed Phase 1 of the project installation. This installation saw the launch of the Global National News broadcast from Ottawa, as well as the Montreal and Halifax local news launch. Global TV has seen an increase in ratings with the National news, and has dramatically improved the look of all three shows. In addition to the improved look, the company is already seeing an ROI with considerable cost savings.
For more information, please go to: http://www.orad.tv/upload/downloads/Global_2008.pdf
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