STOCKHOLM—Ericsson and BT Media are teaming up for a pair of projects involving augmented reality and a HEVC 4K broadcast.
First, BT Sport is Ericsson’s first client for its PIERO Augmented Reality software system per its press release. The PIERO AR system launched in April and is designed to enable broadcasters to overlay 3D graphics in real-time during live studio productions and games. The graphics can be created by either a system operator or presenter using a tablet device. The graphics are then projected onto the studio floor in 3D. BT Sport has also signed up to use PIERO sports graphics software, another part of the PIERO product suite, for rugby broadcasts.
Also, Ericsson, with BT Media and BT Sports is demonstrating a live example of a high efficiency video coding (HEVC) contribution link used in the delivery of 4K UHDTV during IBC2016. BT Sport will use the technology to broadcast live rugby matches through BT news link trucks. Ericsson is contributing its encoding/decoding technology that supports HEVC and removes the need for AVC quadrant based HDTV contribution. The signal from BT M&B will be sent to Ericsson’s Playout Center in the Netherlands, and then broadcast live to both Ericsson and BT’s booths at IBC2016.
