IP Production IBC Preview Cloud Playout AMC/Sundance Q&A

IP production www.csimagazine.com IBC preview Cloud playout AMC/Sundance Q&A

Welcome to High Dynamic Range television

September 2015

cover.indd 1 19/08/2015 12:33:55 Expect More. AMOS Satellites.

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Untitled-2 1 10/08/2015 12:00:19 Contents IP production www.csimagazine.com IBC preview Cloud playout

AMC/Sundance Q&A 30 Online piracy Editor Goran Nastic A new way of thinking about connected revenue security Commercial Welcome to High Dynamic Range television John Woods, Hammad Uddin September 2015

cover.indd 1 19/08/2015 12:33:55 36 Data corner A closer look at SVoD customers Design and production Matt Mills (Manager) 10 Analyst corner Jason Tucker With the first 4k channels launching in Europe, 40 IP production Matleena Lilja-Pelling an assessment of early services and the future It has its pros and cons, which broadcasters would do well to start preparing for Regular contributors 12 COVER STORY - HDR special Adrian Pennington, Philip Hunter, 44 Smart home David Adams, Stephen Cousins, High Dynamic Range really will take TV up a Anna Tobin level but it is not without challenges. Our special How is the market evolving and what role can ZigBee play? focus also features insight from DTG and DVB Circulation Joel Whitefoot 20 Set-top box evolution 50 Cloud playout STBs are downsizing but not yet down and out Making some proper inroads but not yet ready Accounts for all aspects of playout functions Marilou Tait, Lynta Kamaray

26 Q&A: AMC/Sundance Editorial Bruce Tuchman of AMC Networks/Sundance 54 Recommendations/analytics tel +44(0)20 7562 2401 Channel on Millennial viewing habits, UHD, View the results of our survey, highlighting the [email protected] direct-to-consumer OTT and other hot topics value they hold for payTV operators Advertising 29 Opinion 58 IBC 2015 preview tel +44(0)20 7562 2421 The economics of online distribution don’t quite Some of the highlights worth discovering on the [email protected] tel +44(0)20 7562 2422 add up yet, argues DVB’s Phil Laven show floor and the conference tracks [email protected]

Subscriptions tel +44 (0) 20 1635 588 861 Editor’s report: [email protected] Circulation manager: joel.whitefoot@ The industry loves talking up new technologies, so will High Dynamic Range live up to the perspectivepublishing.com hype? Seeing is believing as they say, and HDR really does have the ‘wow’ factor that will take television to a higher level. Together with wider colour gamut, HDR is not so much 50 Subscription rates shades of grey as 1,024 shades of colour. Already standardised for UHD Blu-ray, HDR is Per year: Europe £88; UK £68; now going through a standardisation process in the broadcast industry (via SMPTE, Rest of World £98. Cheques payable MPEG, DVB, ATSC, ARIB and ITU-R) for traditional broadcast and IP delivery. Having seen a BBC to Perspective Publishing demo, the difference in images is extremely noticeable and once the standards are resolved it may well be Limited and addressed to the the catalyst for accelerating 4k/Ultra HD. But like any new technology there are hurdles, with the DTG Circulation Department warning about mixed messages to consumers with HDR and UHD. To this end, the group aim to run an HDR plugfest as soon as possible, while DVB’s David Wood’ urges you to make your mind up about the Printed by Buxton Press would-be standards out there. This and much more in our HDR special from p12 on. Goran Nastic, editor Managing Director John Woods

Perspective Publishing Publishing Director 3 London Wall Buildings Mark Evans London 2015 EC2M 5PD www.perspectivepublishing.com ISSN 1467-5935

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 03

contents.indd 3 08/09/2015 15:27:02 RAI Amsterdam Conference 10-14 September : Exhibition 11-15 September

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204x271_ExperienceIBC.inddUntitled-1 1 1 13/05/201512/05/2015 10:29:33 20:48 News

Netflix starts its Japan odyssey news in brief

Netflix will look to crack the with Netflix’s monthly fee added to Restart option for Sky Movies Japanese market, starting on 2 their bill. The telco will begin pre- Sky is rolling out its third September with a three-tier structure installing the Netflix app on its software update to its Sky+ and partnership with mobile operator smartphones for sale after October. platform this year, including SoftBank. However, nScreen Media analyst Watch From Start. Reacting to The basic plan offers single-stream Colin Dixon warns of a ‘long, tough’ Web and traditional competitors, standard definition for YEN650 for Netflix in the country. Sky has upped the pace of ($5.40) plus tax per month; a two- While broadband penetration it could take a very long time to development on its Sky+ platform stream HD package is a monthly stands at over 70% and the Japanese build to a meaningful market and and is now rolling out software YEN950 plus tax; and a premium enjoy watching video on smaller revenue shares,” said Dixon. updates every three to four plan of four-stream 4k ultra-HD, devices, they are reluctant to pay for Netflix is also reportedly set to months. The latest, Watch From family plan is ¥1,450 plus tax. television service, and are happy to enter the Indian market in 2016. Start, allows Sky Movies Moreover, SoftBank will exist on a large diet of traditional free Meanwhile, its Australian service customers to watch a film from exclusively offer a fully integrated broadcast TV. Indeed, Tokyo’s FTA has accumulated a market leading the start even if they missed the Netflix experience, including billing. TV networks are set to launch their 1.6m users in the country, and is beginning of the programme. This It may also be involved in local own service this October, one of now in 8% of households. It is enabled through a click of the content. The Netflix Japan service many to rival Netflix. launched down under in March green button which then starts will roll out with a selection of “With many SVOD services in since but already has 900,000 downloading the film from the on Japanese TV series and films, as well market and more launching in paying customers and a further demand library. Watch from Start as original content like Marco Polo. advance of Netflix arrival, it could be 700,000 who are still on free trials, was inspired by some “very SoftBank users will be able to sign the company’s longest haul to according to Citi Research analyst similar” technology that was up for Netflix through different ways, meaningful revenue yet. It looks like Justin Diddams. popular at Sky Italia, Sky said.

news_05.indd 1 26/08/2015 14:06:36 News

news in brief First losses for Dutch cable as YouSee Telefonica embarks on major reacts to viewing habits transformed by IP transformation project Alcatel-Lucent will deliver its IP streaming routing technology as part of Telefónica’s three-year ‘Fusión The number of cable broadband loss of about 11,000 broadband changing times and many are Red IP’ global transformation connections in The Netherlands fell customers during the second quarter bleeding broadband and, especially, project. The project, which is during the second quarter of 2015, to end June 2015 with 46.3% of the TV customers. expected to get underway in the its first ever drop, as a result of broadband market, down by 0.3%. The company said it is no longer coming months in Murcia, will telco fibre deployments. The cablenet is still the largest feasible to operate as a traditional replace older routers within Broadband via cable connections broadband provider. TV provider now that streaming has Telefonica’s network, using IP fell by 0.3%, for the first time since KPN had a market share of 40.4%, transformed viewing habits. As a routing to perform core routing cable broadband was introduced in after gaining 0.3% during the quarter. result, it claims to be launching and layer two and three edge the country, leading to a drop in The operator added 31,000 Denmark’s largest entertainment routing functions and act as a cable’s market share to just over broadband customers during the universe, offering all its new TV broadband network gateway for 46%, according to the latest second quarter, driven by growth in customers who have broadband with the provision of residential research from Telecompaper. fibre connections. access to some 1,400 ‘C More’ films. services. The move is due to the There were 7.026 million mass • Danish cable operator YouSee, There is also the option for them to growing consumption of data and market connections, growing by meanwhile, is expanding its online bolt on HBO Nordic free for the first video by the telco’s customers, 0.3% during the quarter, driven by TV service, providing it to Basic three months. with Telefónica now servicing fibre broadband connections, package customers. This means they YouSee said viewers aged three to 1.9m payTV users and the which increased by almost 5.5% can watch television on their PC, 12 years old watch 25% less linear Movistar TV service has been during the quarter to more than mobile handset or tablet, as well as TV than they did in 2013. It added expanded to included Canal+ 12%of the market. on their traditional TV set. As seen that mobile devices accounted for services and the introduction of Ziggo, the largest cable operator by the first story, European cable 60% of YouSee’s on-demand viewing catch-up TV. in the Netherlands, reported a net operators are trying to adjust to in June 2015.

US payTV subs down, but ARPU up Es’hailSat to open teleport in Doha Total subscribers among US operators declined at the highest Qatar satellite company hands broadcasters in Qatar by means of a Es’hailSat currently broadcasts rate seen so far but at least contract for a new teleport in Doha redundant, dedicated fibre optic link. premium content for news and sports revenue per consumer grew. that will handle a whole range of Design for the new teleport is channels such as Al Jazeera and Strategy Analytics indicates that services. expected to be ready by Q1 2016 and beIN SPORTS. It has Es’hail 1 and the top operators saw subscriber A dedicated 50,000 m2 site the site build and project completed Es’hail 2 satellites scheduled for losses of 479,000. Digital north of Doha has been chosen as by Q1 2017. launch in Q4 2016. platforms were not immune from the location for the facility, which the decline, as digital TV will provide satellite control and subscriptions fell by 62,000. The communications support and subscriber losses in the second capacity management. It will also quarter were across all payTV offer a wide range of teleport platforms, including cable, services such as uplink, downlink, satellite, and IPTV. While contribution, multiplexing, subscriber numbers have been on encoding, playout and a downward spiral for many broadcasting, tailored for business years, ARPU has almost partners. consistently been on an upward The high-tech teleport, to be trajectory. Dish Network’s video built by Promer Qatar Contracting ARPU increased by 2.5% quarter- Company, will also provide back-up over-quarter and 4.5% over-year. studios for TV channels and serve Similar increases were reported as a disaster-recovery facility for by DirecTV, Charter, and Time broadcasters. The site will be Warner Cable. connected with the key media

06 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

news-06.indd 1 26/08/2015 15:19:26 FR E E TRAPPED CONTENT

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news in brief GSMA: Demand for broadcasting capacity Virgin Media in outdoor and overestimated in MEA in-home WiFi offensive Virgin Media is planning to The mobile industry association (ASMG) countries to agree on a in underserved areas. install WiFi hotspots in its street- has called for UHF spectrum in co-primary allocation for broadcast If action is not taken now, it will side cabinets for outdoor internet the Arab States to be co-allocated and mobile in the UHF spectrum make it more difficult for regulators and also introduce shared for broadcast TV and mobile, as band at the ITU World to release additional spectrum from HomeSpot services. The cable the region is set for some of the Radiocommunication Conference the UHF band for mobile until as operator, part of Liberty Global, strongest mobile data traffic (WRC-15) in November 2015. The late as 2030 or beyond, it said. will provide subscribers with growth globally. 20th ASMG regional preparatory Furthermore, the report finds that internet access outside the home In a new report, the GSM meeting for WRC-15, meanwhile, will demand for broadcasting capacity in at no extra charge. As part of a Association finds that terrestrial take place in Rabat, Morocco, 22-27 the region has been overestimated in major WiFi expansion, it will also digital TV broadcasting in the August 2015. previous policy decisions. open up home routers for sharing Arab States does not need an GSMA argues a joint position Viewership of terrestrial television bandwidth, allowing customers to exclusive allocation of the UHF among the ASMG member states in many Arab countries is low, with use each other’s wireless spectrum band (470-694MHz), in favour of a co-primary allocation consumers choosing to watch networks when they are in range. and that a significant amount in the UHF spectrum for broadcast television over satellite, cable and, Other Liberty units including could also be used for mobile and mobile at WRC-15 (World increasingly, IPTV. According to the Ziggo and Telentr already do this, broadband, “unlocking socio- Radio Communication conference) study, all UHF spectrum above boasting millions of so-called economic benefits”. would foster the option to roll 582MHz may potentially be released HomeSpots. The report calls on Arab out low-cost mobile broadband for other services, including mobile Spectrum Management Group services in the future, especially broadband, while still supporting all Turner looks to cloud with current and projected terrestrial TV iStreamPlanet investment requirements in the region. Turner Broadcasting System has The study indicates that the acquired a majority stake in number of multiplexes needed to iStreamPlanet, which delivers carry the existing number of large-scale, live event streaming, television channels varies between TV Everywhere network one and four, and it is likely that simulcasts and OTT three multiplexes would be able to multiplatform solutions. Turner accommodate all countries, with two said it will leverage the multiplexes sufficient to technology to deliver its OTT accommodate at least 13 of programming, shift its core the 18 countries in the region, technology infrastructure to the supporting the release of cloud and develop new products spectrum from broadcasting. and services for existing and new “Efficient placement of terrestrial businesses. broadcasting in the UHF band would free spectrum across the Arab States Inmarsat-5 F3 launch set even if all existing TV channels Inmarsat has confirmed its third continue to be broadcast over digital Global Xpress satellite will terrestrial television. This would not launch at the end of this month, only allow television broadcasting giving it full global coverage. The more than a sufficient allocation of Inmarsat-5 F3 (I-5 F3) will cover the spectrum resource, but would the Pacific Ocean Region and also free up spectrum to allow will, together with Inmarsat-5 F1 mobile broadband to grow and and Inmarsat-5 F2, create the thrive,” said John Giusti, Deputy “world’s first globally available, Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA. high-speed mobile broadband To access the report, visit http:// service, delivered through a single www.gsma.com/spectrum/terrestrial- provider”, the UK company said. broadcasting-and-spectrum-use-in-the- arab-states

08 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

news_08.indd 1 26/08/2015 14:11:33 News

PayTV moving towards software coding news in brief

A survey of US and European • Older waterfall methodology HDR point of view operators and their key suppliers still represents 32% of the Without a standard, it is very shows the pay TV industry grappling methodology, whereas agile hard for the production, with and embracing the best-practices represents 18%, hybrid 43%, and broadcast and hardware of Web companies. Among others, 7% is continuous development. companies to ensure this is resulting in more frequent •Historically, pay TV video compatibility across the entire software release cycles. service providers’ software release chain from lens to screen, PayTV at Webs speeds is an cycles ranged from one to four according to Futuresource. The increasingly common phrase in releases annually. However, in analyst firm said the lack of the television industry and results 2014, 26% made more than one standardisation of HDR leaves from a survey by Dublin-based S3 release per month on average – the potential for a rapidly growing Group reveal companies moving ranging from 13 to more than 50 installed base of 4K sets to miss towards more nimble, software- for end users) as their top priority, releases annually. An additional out in the future on the oriented operations, including 32% rated speed as the top priority, 30% of operators made between advantages of forthcoming HDR DevOps, Agile, and Continuous and 27% cited efficiency as their five to 12 releases annually. content. HDR is present in only Deployment. This trend is pushing top priority; •25% said a software change or the premium 4K sets currently on operators to realign their software • 50% are deploying multiscreen new feature can be deployed in less the market. The industry is lifecycle tools and organisational TV software releases more frequently than one week, once it has been working to ensure that such sets structure to balance the need for in 2015, than during the same period tested and approved, but 67% should at least be able to render speed and stability.” in 2014; said it could take up to a month such content in 4K resolution, “Unlike yesteryear, pay TV • Of those deploying software or more. even if without the benefit of providers’ reliability and innovation more frequently, 46% are increasing • When asked to rank the HDR. Whilst HDR could also be is no longer driven by the physical their number of software releases by key challenges to pay TV introduced into HD sets, plant, but rather by software code,” more than 20% compared to 2014, software release cycle times, Futuresource anticipates that said John Maguire, Chief Strategy 39% are increasing output between the volume of requirements vendors will restrict its use to 4K Officer, TV Technology of S3 Group. 11-20%, and 15% are increasing and the quality (clarity) of the sets, leaving HD sets as a much “Video service providers are striving output by 10% or less; requirements were noted as the cheaper, but clearly lower-end, to shorten innovation cycles, test and • 78% cited automated testing two toughest obstacles. alternative, adds Futuresource. launch services faster, and make as having contributed to accelerating •End-device playback and head- updates more frequently.” software development timelines, end playout issues ranked as the Gesture sensing control UIs Some key findings of the TV 63% cited the move to agile top impediments to QoE (Quality With emerging virtual reality Platforms 2015 Report: development practices, 35% cited of Experience) at 24% each, games, smartwatches and other • 41% of respondents ranked automated deployment, 35% cited network distribution issues ranked applications entering the market, service availability (ensuring services version control, and 21% cited 19%, and in-home network issues shipments of gesture sensing are properly configured and stable configuration management; ranked 14%. control user interfaces are poised to grow 10% year over year, to reach 1.8 billion units in 2015. TV advertising set to grow to $224bn Gesture sensing control will fill an industry need gap, according TV advertising revenue growth is Africa will grow strongest at a CAGR years are crucial in determining the to IHS, and will be expected to continue through to 2020, of 10.4% to reach revenues of $11 future of the broadcast TV complementary to touch-screen meanwhile, despite long billion by the end of the decade. advertising value chain as digital technology, depending on term fears of cannibalisation, Latin America will generate revenues media, online viewing and pay TV specific applications. says new research. of $26 billion in 2020. continue to evolve and intertwine. The $174 billion generated by TV But even in mature markets will The research firm reckons that March 2016 for BBC3 online advertising in 2014 is expected to witness some growth: North America TV’s reputation as the go-to BBC Three is moving fully online increase to $224 billion in 2020, at 2.4% to reach $80 billion revenues, medium for delivering mass on 1 March 2016. Before then, testifying to the medium’s enduring Western Europe up 2.7% to $34 audience awareness will continue there will be increased online strength at a time when it is being billion, Asia Pacific up 5.8% to $66 throughout the forecast period, activity around the release of new challenged on multiple fronts, billion, and Eastern Europe up 2.7% despite the determination of content. There will also be dual according to Ovum. to $8 billion. digital media to cannibalize TV running of the linear channel and Regionally, the Middle East & Ovum believes that the next five advertising budgets. the BBC Three website.

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 9

News-9.indd 1 26/08/2015 16:20:05 Analyst corner

The ownership of UHD TVs is Ultra HD TV: the beginning now growing rapidly. By the end of 2015 we expect more than 40 million UHD TVs to have been of a long term play sold worldwide. After the Chinese market took an early lead we are With the ﬁ rst 4k channels launching in Europe, David now seeing sales pick up strongly Mercer assesses early services and technology future in both North America and Europe. 4% of US homes will own a UHD TV by the end of this year, ugust 2nd 2015 saw the the required bandwidth: there seemed be a variety and that will rise to 45% by 2020. The equivalent launch of Europe’s first of messages coming from BT regarding the figures in Western Europe are 2% and 36%. major ultra HD TV required minimum broadband speed, with some Consumer awareness of UHD is also growing. service. The source was customers claiming they had been able to receive At the beginning of 2015, our survey of 6,000 US perhaps unexpected: UHD with 33Mbps, while others were refused and European consumers found that nearly two BT’s IPTV platform, even if they had 40Mbps or more. Unfortunately thirds were aware of the term “Ultra HD”. What rather than one of the at the same time as a tiny number of customers is most encouraging is that consumer feedback is leading pay TV operators like Sky or Canal Plus. It were enjoying the new UHD channel, many very positive: nearly half of those who have seen Aalso featured a live sports event rather than pre- customers of the regular BT Sports service were UHD or 4K content are extremely impressed, and recorded movie or TV content, which might have unable to watch the game because of a server most of the rest are somewhat impressed. These been a more obvious choice and a less substantial outage lasting four or five hours. are very high ratings for any new technology. investment. BT certainly made waves by choosing In spite of these teething problems, BT has set Apart from broadcasters and TV high profile English football on which to base its a benchmark which other broadcasters will manufacturers, UHD and 4K are also receiving pioneering role in the next generation of TV eventually have to match or exceed. BT’s service support from OTT players like Netflix and technology. Its new BT Sport Ultra HD service will broadcasts sports in 50fps, but is currently lacking Amazon, who were in fact among the first initially broadcast weekly football games as well as in other UHD enhancements such as high providers of 4K programming. While their actual other events such as Moto GP. dynamic range and a wider colour gamut. These 4K audience figures are likely to be quite low, According to BT’s own customer forums the will no doubt be added in due course, although these competitors have provided an important first UHD broadcast had mixed results. Some BT, as well as other UHD broadcasters, will be stimulus to early market awareness of 4K as well viewers expressed strong satisfaction with the treading carefully to ensure that more advanced as seeding the ecosystem around production and picture quality, but others had difficulties broadcasts remain compatible with as many as distribution of 4K content. verifying the compatibility of their 4K TV with possible of the 4K TVs which have been sold In spite of all this activity, these are still early BT’s UHD service. Other discussions concerned to date. days for UHD. While the big boys prepare their launch plans, we may continue to see service introductions from players who are less familiar in the television world. As an example, Vodafone’s Portuguese TV service has recently introduced the FunBox 4K Ultra HD channel to customers of its fibre IPTV Net Voz service. All in all, ultra HD is likely to remain a premium offer for some time, and most operators will be offering a mix of HD and UHD services for many years to come.

David Mercer is VP, Principal Analyst Digital Consumer Practice, at Strategy Analytics

10 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

AnalystColumn.indd 1 26/08/2015 16:21:22 Licence- free

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page-5.indd 1 26/08/2015 11:56:37 HDR special

o you remember those innocent days, a decade or so ago, when everyone was excited about HD? One problem that afflicts the video technology industry (and the technology industry in general) is its susceptibility to Dhype. If, ten years ago, someone had upgraded from an ageing CRT TV to a decent flat screen HD model, they would certainly have noticed the difference. However, if they had paid a lot of money to upgrade to a 4k TV at some point during the last six months, they might – depending on how and when they watched the TV and the services they were able to receive through it – have been a little underwhelmed. Just 4k is better than HD, but it’s not that much better. So consumers are bound to be a little bit cautious about any hype they see over the next few years around 4k/UHD. But if it incorporates High Dynamic Range (HDR), well, here is a technology that really could live up to at least some of the hype. HDR increases luminosity. It is largely a function of contrast: with Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) TV pictures there are choices to be made about the level of detail the viewer will see in dark tones or in lighter areas. With HDR you can have both, providing a greater level of detail and a broader range of brightness. The cameras used to create HDR content are capable of 15 or more ‘stops’ – light-gathering settings – compared to around seven in most TV cameras today.

It’s all about the ‘nits’ While the average TV today has a brightness range of around 100 candela per square metre (known as nits), HDR displays could offer 1,000 nits, 1,500 nits or more. That’s still far less bright than some things you might see in real life, but Colours and brightness the increased luminosity will still mean a far more realistic picture. The difference is immediately apparent when looking at images of water, or of and contrast, oh my! clouds, for example. There are also some obvious ways in which HDR could enhance specific types of programming like sports: it means you can High Dynamic Range promises a greater level actually see a flying golf ball against the sky; or of detail in both dark tones and lighter areas, as watch a football match in a stadium half in and half out of bright sunlight without experiencing well as a broader range of brightness. Combined that clunky moment when the camera has to jump with wider colour gamut, it will take TV to a higher through five or six stops as the play moves in or out of light or shade. level. Dave Adams and Goran Nastic report HDR can be combined with a wider colour

12 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

HDR.indd 1 26/08/2015 16:06:17 HDR special

gamut, which dramatically increases the range of visible colours. HDTV is based on an 8-bit system, meaning there are up to 256 shades of each colour available (in theory – in practice around 220, for historical technical reasons). But with HDR, a 10-bit system allows an increase in the colour gamut to 1,024 shades of each colour. Combine increased luminosity and richer colour with the greater resolution 4k can provide and you should have a damn good UHD picture. The 4EVER-2 project, which brings together nine French industrial and academic research partners, including public broadcaster France Télévisions and Orange, aims to demonstrate the Image courtesy of Dolby Vision benefits of introducing HDR, High Frame Rate (HFR) and Wide Colour Gamut (WCG) as the moving quickly. So are some OTT service president for TV compression technology. basis of a ‘High Fidelity’ TV picture. This would providers, because they can use proprietary Goldman also points out that the HDR form part of what DVB Project defines as UHD technology to stream UHD/4k/HDR content to technologies his company is working with would ‘Phase 2’. anyone with a TV capable of displaying it. In not add a great deal to bandwidth requirements Nearly 70 per cent of UHD TVs will support June, Amazon started using HDR for original for broadcasters and operators: between zero and new technologies like high dynamic range, wider content on its Prime Instant Video service. 20 per cent, quite possibly towards the lower end colour gamut, high frame rates, and immersive Netflix is rolling HDR video too. of that range. He also emphasises the extent to audio by 2020, according to ABI Research. ABI Operators and broadcasters are trying to work which a single layer HDR solution can be used to said resolution might be the easiest element to out how to upgrade networks and consumer improve picture quality for viewers who don’t have communicate to consumers but the enhancements equipment; and find the necessary bandwidth and 4k or UHD. will provide the most compelling case to seek network capacity to enable HDR services. They Technicolor also has a new HDR single layer higher-end devices and pay for premium content also need to ensure backwards compatibility with solution, which is compatible with MPEG and above and beyond full HD. existing technologies within their networks and HEVC standards, offers more efficient consumers’ homes – ideally without having to compression; and is backwards-compatible with Moving along, in chaotic fashion implement a dual-layer system, which would SDR displays. It allows broadcasters, pay TV But there are a few challenges to overcome before effectively entail sending all the data twice. operators or OTT players to encode and deliver this becomes a mass market proposition. The Ultimately, their prospects of being able to roll HDR content in a single stream, playable on industry is moving towards the next generation of out services that all their subscribers can actually HDR TVs and older TVs. Technicolor has also display technology in a characteristically chaotic watch depend upon the development of technical demonstrated a UHD High Frame Rate HDR set fashion. Some TV and CE manufacturers are standards. Without these, content owners and top box, the 4Kp60. anyone else encoding video would need to “We are at one of those tipping points,” claims support multiple standards to allow HDR-capable Mark Turner, vice-president, partnership relations content to be played on the many, many different and business development, at Technicolor. “All “The worry there types of CE devices in use. the top TV manufacturers have got at least their is what do the Technology vendors are trying to influence the flagship top of the range products for HDR. development of industry-wide definitions and Momentum is coming from OTT companies: if advertisers do? If standards. Sean McCarthy, engineering fellow at you have the Samsung TV in the US and you Arris, says his company’s priority is to ensure that watch Amazon you can get HDR right now. they want to create HDR is delivered within UHD. “HDR should be “HDR also gets creatives excited, because it part of the larger UHD story,” he says. “What gives them a lot more colour and nuance to play an impact they may we’re trying to do with UHD is not make with,” he continues. “That’s part of the reason incremental improvements on HD, but instead to why we’re seeing a lot of shows being created put a really bright help TV get to the next stage. HDR, if done right, more quickly with HDR than you saw when 4k can be very compelling.” first came along.” advert in front of Ericsson likes to use the term ‘HDR plus’ to Content owners are starting to remaster older describe the combination of HDR, wide colour content for HDR-compatible UHD Blu-Ray. the viewer.” Sky gamut and 10-bit signalling it believes is needed, “UHD Blu-Ray should be launching this fall; the according to Matthew Goldman, senior vice- studios know we’re talking about something that

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 13

HDR.indd 2 19/08/2015 13:08:02 HDR special

is good enough to be worth buying again,” says The BBC and NHK are working to merge their Turner. Warner Bros has announced that a HDR technology proposals into a joint proposal number of its movies will be remastered with to put before the ITU. The BBC has created its HDR in 2015, then available for streaming to TVs own HDR production system, the Hybrid Log compatible with Dolby HDR technology. Gamma. Andrew Cotton, principal technologist, BBC Research and Development, says the A question of standards, and metadata organisation started working in this area about But any mainstream TV industry shift towards two years ago. It has had to work within certain HDR will be delayed as technical standards are constraints: any new system needed to be agreed. Arris is one of the companies working compatible with existing SDR infrastructure, with the MPEG community to settle differences would need to create only minimal disruption on between technologies developing in this area. existing workflows and operational practices; and “How you create that HDR data chain is a would need to be metadata-free (as this can create question that’s going to get a lot more attention,” problems when working with two pieces of says Sean McCarthy, engineering fellow at Arris. content from different sources). The BBC will “It’s not as interesting as the pretty colours and need to overcome network capacity and spectrum stuff, but it is important.” availability issues, likely to affect most other of Ateme SDR v HDR. Image courtesy 20 Century Fox The SMPTE will publish a Study Group report broadcasters, but in addition, because it is a on the current state of the HDR ecosystem for public service broadcaster, it seeks to offer content mastering and broadcast shortly. It has improvements to all its license payers. already published two HDR standards related to CSI has seen a demonstration of the BBC content mastering: ST-2084, for the Electrical system and it is impressive: in brightness, richness Strategic hurdles Optical Transfer Function (EOTF); and ST-2086, of colour and contrast leaves the SDR versions of The key problem for broadcasters to overcome, to define static metadata. SMPTE is now working the same content looking dark and bland. The says William Cooper, founder and chief executive on a standard for dynamic metadata needed to system is actually capable of using a remarkable of the consultancy informitv, is getting 10-bit support SDR and HDR content at the same time. 17 stops, meaning, as Tim Borer, lead engineer, signals to consumers. With production equipment There is also significant work on standardised BBC Research and Development, puts it: “There’s working in 10-bits, he says, there is more precision technology underway by the ITU; by broadcasters plenty of headroom there to allow technology to to represent tones and colours, but this is including the BBC and Japanese broadcaster improve. It is a long term technology”. Borer and generally reduced to 8-bits for transmission. “Of NHK; and by Dolby, which is working most Cotton have, incidentally, been awarded the course, a lot of consumer equipment is still only closely with the Hollywood studios. The UHD IBC2015 Conference Prize for their paper, designed for 8-bit signals,” he adds. “But there is Alliance is also working on its definition of UHD, ‘A display independent high dynamic range more that could be done in production to which will include HDR requirements. television system’. preserve image quality and deliver improved pictures to viewers with existing receivers.” Image courtesy of Dolby Vision Broadcasters face significant practical and financial challenges if they want to roll out HDR- enabled services, says Peter White, CEO and co-founder, Rethink Technology Research. Cable operators may find it particularly difficult, expensive and time-consuming to make the necessary changes, he suggests. He also highlights the backlog in demand for satellite capacity; and the challenges telcos face in enabling the most bandwidth-hungry UHD services through expensive network upgrades. Compression will also be an issue. As Thierry Fautier, VP Video Strategy at Harmonic, explains, there are multiple ways to transmit HDR: in a non-compatible way to legacy TV sets, as proposed by SMPTE 2084 (mandatory for UHD Blu-ray); with a base layer that is compatible with legacy TV sets, as proposed by Dolby Vision; with a single layer compatible with legacy TV sets

14 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

HDR.indd 3 19/08/2015 13:08:17 HDR special

Image courtesy of Dolby Vision Sky cautions on HDR in UHD The pan-European broadcaster has warned that the advent of high dynamic range in ultra HD broadcasts will have an impact on adverts and programmes that needs to be considered now and that it may have to be approached in a similar way to audio loudness. According to Chris Johns, Sky’s chief engineer, while HDR stands to deliver better quality the danger is that screens become so bright as to ruin the consumer experience. “The worry there is what do the advertisers do? If they want to create an impact they may put a really bright advert in front of the viewer. Human visual response means your eyes shut down, and you shouldn’t expect very bright search lights to shine into your eyes for long periods of time,” said Johns. The limited number of TV sets available also means that testing what the brightness levels should be is at a very early stage and Johns argued that standards in this space could mirror that of audio loudness to prevent End-to-end thinking large contrasts with colour in the same way “Development efforts to various HDR standards that audio has a habit of fluctuating with will be challenging and supporting multiple HDR adverts in particular. through the addition of an external decoder standards could force delays along the entire “In the way we do loudness for audio in ads device, as proposed by several companies in the content chain, impeding progress from content we may have to look at trying to define a MPEG Fast Track initiative; and with a hybrid log providers to consumers until things coalesce,” similar theme for brightness within adverts or gamma scheme that is natively compatible with adds Horchler. even programmes as well to make sure it’s not legacy TV sets, as proposed by BBC. Ericsson, in fact, has argued that end-to-end peak level but it’s the average level,” he said. Under all of these approaches, the encoder will thinking is needed across the whole value chain, Johns stressed that much more work is receive metadata from the HDR grading units and concerned that the HDR ecosystem is not fully needed on this front and pointed to will have to carry it to the decoder. “As long as understood and that current trials don’t take the discussions taking place in the EBU and the signalling is standard, UHD live or file-based entire chain into account. However, things are working groups within the DVB. encoding is possible for all options, although a expected to progress over the next couple of years. single layer is preferred from a complexity and “In 2017, 2018, we believe you will be able to workflow perspective,” says Fautier. deliver an end to end service,” says Goldman. the amount of frames or in the colour gamut. While the basic compressed stream for most “We need to work together as an industry in order That’s all back to front and everybody knows it, HDR standards will be similar, there will be many to achieve those dates. But we also really need to but nobody seems to be able to do anything about differences, according to Mark Horchler, change the consumer’s perspective, so that they it,” White adds. marketing manager EMEA, at Elemental. know UHD means more than 4k.” Will the consumers go for HDR? “The problem Horchler notes the actual metadata being used, White agrees: “HDR is being seen by many TV is, it’s hard to explain this stuff,” says Turner at the way metadata is transferred into and out of an manufacturers as something that they will Technicolor. “But when people see HDR there’s encoder has yet to be standardised and some introduce after 4k,” claims White. “That’s the no doubt that they like it. At a retail level, we pieces of the workflow and data transfer will wrong approach, but the TV manufacturers hold a think these things will sell themselves and create remain proprietary, meaning that some lot of sway. In the US, manufacturers are selling competition among the CE companies to do modification of the video stream will be needed ‘4k’ devices that are not UHD. The fight to better. If you have an HDR display in the middle and also that multiple different formats will need differentiate among those players is pushing ‘4k’ of a bank of non-HDR TVs all the ones around to be supported. This will be difficult for rather than UHD, in the same way that they tried it will look dull and flat. As an industry we can (especially hardware-based) encoders which are to push 3D when no-one was ready for it. work out how we’re going to tell this end to inflexible, argues Horchler. “So you’ve got 4k in the US but no increase in end story.”

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 15

HDR.indd 4 19/08/2015 13:08:18 HDR special

with brightness levels of displays Better and brighter pixels varying from 400 NITs to over 1,000 NITs and giving dramatically different experiences for the viewer. After 4k, High Dynamic Range (HDR) looks set to be the Currently, the clearest next step on the road to truly Ultra HD, but the standards proposition is the BDA, with Ultra HD Blu-rays reportedly launching are far from being highly defined, says Simon Gauntlett before the end of the year. The HDMI specification was updated or a long time now, people SMPTE 2084 standard, implemented in its own to 2.0a, to deliver the metadata to have said Ultra HD is not just Dolby Vision system. This SMPTE standard has the displays to enable SMPTE 2084 presentation. about more pixels, but better, been adopted by the Blu-ray Disc Association and This suggests that if the display supports HDMI brighter and faster pixels. there are a number of optional variants included 2.0a, it should decode and display HDR content High Dynamic Range (HDR) in the specification. correctly. However, the message to consumers is is the current hot favourite to However, prominent broadcasters NHK and far from clear. On top of this, the uncertainty deliver these “better and BBC have expressed concerns that this standard about a different broadcast standard which brighter pixels”. is not ideal for the workflow of live television or may or may not be able to be represented on FIt promises to deliver brighter images, while where a single broadcast version needs to deliver these displays. maintaining the details in the deep blacks, so that acceptable quality on both HDR and Standard a camera placed near a window on a sunny day Dynamic Range (SDR) displays, minimising the HDR plugfests will see details both inside and outside the room, additional bandwidth. This is a different challenge The DTG UK UHD Forum has been discussing instead of dark shadows or a block of bright light. to on-demand content or packaged media, where this and other UHD topics since September 2013. It also introduces extra levels of detail into both different versions can be created to optimise the We have a Retailer Information Taskgroup day- and night-time scenes that add realism. quality for both SDR and HDR, and selected for which is looking at clarifying messages to retailers This allows us to move on from a system playback appropriately. and ultimately consumers. The DTG 4k/UHD designed and restricted by the Cathode Ray Tube NHK and BBC have created the BBC/NHK Plugfests continue to reveal what happens when (CRT) and utilise the capabilities that cameras Hybrid Log-Gamma HDR solution to try and you actually plug content and displays together, and displays have had for several years. solve this issue (see page xx for more on this). It and we plan to run an HDR plugfest as soon as It sounds simple: HDR capability can is one of a number of options being considered by feasible with early displays and content encoded increasingly be found in cameras and displays so the ITU for standardisation, but even then it then with different standards. all we need is a standard to deliver content from needs to be implemented into televisions. Our 4k display, HDMI and HDCP plugfests one end to the other. As is so often the case, the Which brings us around to the consumer have already delivered valuable information to S-word is where it becomes more challenging. messaging: TVs are already being marketed as DTG members on the state of the Ultra HD Dolby has been the most vocal for a number of supporting HDR, but which standards are they marketplace ahead of the launch of BT’s Ultra years on this issue and has helped deliver the supporting? How ‘High’ is the dynamic range, HD channel this summer, with other platforms expected to follow. The DTG is also home to the The Sony X94C 4k HDR TV UK’s first Ultra HD testing zoo, hosting a range of 4k products currently on the market.

Simon Gauntlett is the chief technology officer at the DTG. There is more on this at www.dtg.org.uk and if you’re interested in getting involved, please contact Simon Gauntlett at [email protected]

16 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

DTGColumn.indd 2 26/08/2015 12:01:02 Perfecting the Media Experience

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See us at IBC in Hall 4, Stand 4.B80 www.elementaltechnologies.com HDR special Colour grading bay with Technicolor content

It is likely that you will be shown side-by-side screens of images with and without HDR. Your eyes will light up with glee because you can clearly see the difference. But remember that, in the home, there will be no side-by-side comparison, so try to judge the image quality on its absolute merits.

A look inside the ‘transfer function’ The story of HDR, at least for the author, goes back to the final agreement being reached on the ITU UHDTV Recommendation BT.2020 in 2012. In the finalisation process, prompted by Dolby, the United States asked for a note to be added Casting a light on high dynamic range

saying, in summary, that As the industry tries to decide on a common HDR standard, in future we could add a the DVB’s David Wood encourages you to compare candidate new ‘transfer function’, if everyone agrees to it, to HDR systems and outlines a technology roadmap take account of the fact that TV sets will n a past age, I was tasked to introduce new looking through. increasingly have higher screen brightnesses. technology to an esteemed group of This feature is thought to be particularly A step further on, HDR is now potentially a Directors General. The Chair of the group valuable for UHDTV, though there are some who separate recommendation to UHDTV, but which always began: “We need to see it working – believe it can be used for HDTV as well. One of can be coupled with it. it doesn’t help you just telling us about it”. the main strengths of HDR-TV is that the effects Many are the companies who have studied Then followed the two regular questions: are visible close-to or far-from the TV screen. The HDR-TV systems by now, and many are the “By how much would it increase our value of the additional spatial resolution of meetings that have been held. You can find HDR- Iaudience size?” And then: “How much would it UHDTV decreases the further the viewer is from TV discussions in the ITU-R, ITU-T/MPEG, all cost?” the TV set. At four times the screen height (4H) SMPTE, and beyond. To understand what High Dynamic Range or more from the screen, the resolution of a The ‘transfer functions’ in question are the (HDR) is worth, and what it will do, you do need UHDTV image does not look much different to curves of either the relationship (equation) to see it in action. Take every opportunity you can the resolution of an HDTV image. By adding between the light going into the camera and the to do so. Our industry is in the throes of trying to HDR we give the UHDTV image more ‘oomph’ volts coming out of the camera (this is technically decide on the best technical parameter values for when viewers sit at the kinds of screen distance an HDR system for broadcasting. It is a tough they prefer – say 4-5H. In short, UHDTV task and, at the time of writing, the result is not becomes more saleable when HDR is added. This “MPEG are hoping easily predictable. is why the search is pursued so energetically. As an introduction, we use the term High Some also argue that if applied to HDTV it would to agree a standard Dynamic Range (acronym now usually HDR-TV) lift HDTV image quality to be difficult to to describe processing systems in production and distinguish from UHDTV. and to do so by display that can make better use of the higher TV You will find a number of versions of HDR screen brightness that will come with future sets. from different proponents. Take them all in. autumn 2016. If so, The idea is to try to arrange the displayed image Ask difficult questions. Remember that, as is so that we can see more detail in dark areas of the often the case with TV image processing systems, it may be possible image and light highlights are brighter, sharper the effect of the system on image quality will and clearer. Some call this more ‘sparkle’. The depend, to a degree, on the type of scene content for a system to be in pictures appear to have more detail. For me, it is you are watching. Different types of scenes have as if someone has cleaned the window I am different ‘criticalities’. use in 2017.”

18 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

HDRspecial.indd 1 08/09/2015 15:28:16 HDR special

called the Opto Electronic Transfer Function or But there is a school of thought that, though OETF) or the relationship (equation) between the possible, such a system could be difficult to volts going into the display and the light coming manage in practice, and this is one of the main out (The Electro Optical Transfer Function or differences of opinion in current debate. EOTF). These equations need to be built into Several organisations have suggested that a equipment that captures and displays images. simpler system is needed. The basic idea here is If the normal peak TV screen brightness rises to choose a transfer function curve that goes from, say, about 200 candela/sq metre to, say, some way toward being a PQ curve, but retains at 2,000 candelas/sq metre in five years’ time, the least partly the shape of an SDR curve. In this pictures produced today may still be watchable, way, the transfer characteristic becomes ‘fit and but the transfer curve used to make the forget’. It can be used by either SDR or HDR sets. programme today will not do justice to the new This is called a ‘Log Gamma’ curve. Its TV sets. To achieve that we will need to match proponents argue that it will be easier in practice better the range from blackest black to whitest to use than a PQ curve plus metadata, particularly white of the new TV screen – that is, we will need in the ‘thick’ of a live programme. On the other to increase the contrast range, and change the hand, the PQ proponents argue that it would be shape of the curve. The job then is to find the entirely manageable to use in programme best way to do so. As a note, sets and systems that production. cater for TV sets with today’s screen brightness A third group of companies believe that what are termed Standard Dynamic Range (SDR). the world needs is both approaches, with the log You may ask if, for a high brightness display, gamma being the system to use for live we could just make the SDR image sit up in programmes, and the PQ system being used for brightness until it reaches the peak brightness of non-real time production. It has to be said that of the OOTF (the opto-optical transfer function). the new TV screen – this would be possible but the PQ and Log Gamma proponents believe their This is the ‘light-to-light’ scene-to-home transfer the results would not be as good as they could be. system is the only one you would ever need. Clear function. It is the concatenation of the OETF and We could also use a process of ‘tone mapping’ to enough? the EOTF. Could it be possible for the world to spread out the SDR range to HDR, but once Some months ago, the MPEG/ITU-T group agree on a single OOTF, and within this, allow again the result would not be optimal. that developed the HEVC compression system different application cases? Listen for more The transfer curves are implemented by called for results about the benefits of HDR-TV discussion about a common OOTF. digitally quantized signals. Our eye/visual cortex systems. Independent quality evaluations were To a degree, all the systems have the ‘same is not equally sensitive to changes in light levels in made of half a dozen different systems. There destination’. By analogy, everyone agrees that they the range from black to white. The ‘best’ solution were differences in quality between the systems – want to travel by road from Brussels to Geneva, (where screens are of similar brightness) would be but overall they encouraged the belief that such but some think it’s better to go via Basel and a transfer curve for which the ‘noticeable systems can bring substantial benefits. HEVC some via Dijon. differences’ in image luminance per quantization 10-bit encoding of the PQ and Log gamma signals The prize of international agreement on an step are uniform to our eyes throughout the range is possible in principle already, but it may be HDR system could be considerable for many of quantized steps from black to white. This possible to improve the quality somewhat. MPEG parts of the industry. Now it’s your turn to look would mean we were using the luminance signal are hoping to agree a standard and to do so by into the candidates in more detail, understand as efficiently as we can. This is termed a autumn 2016. If so, it may be possible for a how they work and what the implications and ‘perceptual quantizer’ (or PQ). system to be in use in 2017. One thing we don’t costs of using them could be. There is a bit more. know yet is whether the MPEG/ITU-T work will When you look into the candidate systems you’ll PQ vs Log Gamma curves result in a unique standard or in multiple systems find other differences between them, such as the But, as with most things in life, there are practical as a ‘tool kit’. maximum luminance of the TV set anticipated, or constraints. Whatever transfer curve is used for The ITU-R hoped to have a Recommendation the transfer function being arranged in one or programme making, it will be necessary to have on HDR by now, but this has not proved possible. two layers - but don’t get disheartened. Good an image for broadcast that can also be seen The system proponents are (as yet) unwilling to hunting - and keep watching for DVB reasonably well on a SDR screen. This can be give up or modify their candidate systems, and developments. achieved with a PQ system by converting the PQ some are unwilling to accept a recommendation HDR curve to a ‘compatible SDR curve plus that includes more than one (their) option. metadata’, which tells the high brightness display David Wood Chair, DVB-UHDTV how to reconstruct the HDR curve from the Single OOTF: The final destination? Commercial Module compatible SDR curve it receives. The metadata But one new point of discussion in the ITU-R that can be different for each image frame if needed. may make agreement more possible is the concept

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 19

HDRspecial.indd 2 08/09/2015 15:28:23 HDR special Colour grading bay with Technicolor content

saying, in summary, that As the industry tries to decide on a common HDR standard, in future we could add a the EBU’s David Wood encourages you to compare candidate new ‘transfer function’, if everyone agrees to it, to HDR systems and outlines a technology roadmap take account of the fact that TV sets will n a past age, I was tasked to introduce new looking through. increasingly have higher screen brightnesses. technology to an esteemed group of This feature is thought to be particularly A step further on, HDR is now potentially a Directors General. The Chair of the group valuable for UHDTV, though there are some who separate recommendation to UHDTV, but which always began: “We need to see it working – believe it can be used for HDTV as well. One of can be coupled with it. it doesn’t help you just telling us about it”. the main strengths of HDR-TV is that the effects Many are the companies who have studied Then followed the two regular questions: are visible close-to or far-from the TV screen. The HDR-TV systems by now, and many are the “By how much would it increase our value of the additional spatial resolution of meetings that have been held. You can find HDR- Iaudience size?” And then: “How much would it UHDTV decreases the further the viewer is from TV discussions in the ITU-R, ITU-T/MPEG, all cost?” the TV set. At four times the screen height (4H) SMPTE, and beyond. To understand what High Dynamic Range or more from the screen, the resolution of a The ‘transfer functions’ in question are the (HDR) is worth, and what it will do, you do need UHDTV image does not look much different to curves of either the relationship (equation) to see it in action. Take every opportunity you can the resolution of an HDTV image. By adding between the light going into the camera and the to do so. Our industry is in the throes of trying to HDR we give the UHDTV image more ‘oomph’ volts coming out of the camera (this is technically decide on the best technical parameter values for when viewers sit at the kinds of screen distance an HDR system for broadcasting. It is a tough they prefer – say 4-5H. In short, UHDTV task and, at the time of writing, the result is not becomes more saleable when HDR is added. This “MPEG are hoping easily predictable. is why the search is pursued so energetically. As an introduction, we use the term High Some also argue that if applied to HDTV it would to agree a standard Dynamic Range (acronym now usually HDR-TV) lift HDTV image quality to be difficult to to describe processing systems in production and distinguish from UHDTV. and to do so by display that can make better use of the higher TV You will find a number of versions of HDR screen brightness that will come with future sets. from different proponents. Take them all in. autumn 2016. If so, The idea is to try to arrange the displayed image Ask difficult questions. Remember that, as is so that we can see more detail in dark areas of the often the case with TV image processing systems, it may be possible image and light highlights are brighter, sharper the effect of the system on image quality will and clearer. Some call this more ‘sparkle’. The depend, to a degree, on the type of scene content for a system to be in pictures appear to have more detail. For me, it is you are watching. Different types of scenes have as if someone has cleaned the window I am different ‘criticalities’. use in 2017.”

18 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

HDRspecial.indd 1 26/08/2015 16:17:52 HDR special

called the Opto Electronic Transfer Function or But there is a school of thought that, though OETF) or the relationship (equation) between the possible, such a system could be difficult to volts going into the display and the light coming manage in practice, and this is one of the main out (The Electro Optical Transfer Function or differences of opinion in current debate. EOTF). These equations need to be built into Several organisations have suggested that a equipment that captures and displays images. simpler system is needed. The basic idea here is If the normal peak TV screen brightness rises to choose a transfer function curve that goes from, say, about 200 candela/sq metre to, say, some way toward being a PQ curve, but retains at 2,000 candelas/sq metre in five years’ time, the least partly the shape of an SDR curve. In this pictures produced today may still be watchable, way, the transfer characteristic becomes ‘fit and but the transfer curve used to make the forget’. It can be used by either SDR or HDR sets. programme today will not do justice to the new This is called a ‘Log Gamma’ curve. Its TV sets. To achieve that we will need to match proponents argue that it will be easier in practice better the range from blackest black to whitest to use than a PQ curve plus metadata, particularly white of the new TV screen – that is, we will need in the ‘thick’ of a live programme. On the other to increase the contrast range, and change the hand, the PQ proponents argue that it would be shape of the curve. The job then is to find the entirely manageable to use in programme best way to do so. As a note, sets and systems that production. cater for TV sets with today’s screen brightness A third group of companies believe that what are termed Standard Dynamic Range (SDR). the world needs is both approaches, with the log You may ask if, for a high brightness display, gamma being the system to use for live we could just make the SDR image sit up in programmes, and the PQ system being used for brightness until it reaches the peak brightness of non-real time production. It has to be said that of the OOTF (the opto-optical transfer function). the new TV screen – this would be possible but the PQ and Log Gamma proponents believe their This is the ‘light-to-light’ scene-to-home transfer the results would not be as good as they could be. system is the only one you would ever need. Clear function. It is the concatenation of the OETF and We could also use a process of ‘tone mapping’ to enough? the EOTF. Could it be possible for the world to spread out the SDR range to HDR, but once Some months ago, the MPEG/ITU-T group agree on a single OOTF, and within this, allow again the result would not be optimal. that developed the HEVC compression system different application cases? Listen for more The transfer curves are implemented by called for results about the benefits of HDR-TV discussion about a common OOTF. digitally quantized signals. Our eye/visual cortex systems. Independent quality evaluations were To a degree, all the systems have the ‘same is not equally sensitive to changes in light levels in made of half a dozen different systems. There destination’. By analogy, everyone agrees that they the range from black to white. The ‘best’ solution were differences in quality between the systems – want to travel by road from Brussels to Geneva, (where screens are of similar brightness) would be but overall they encouraged the belief that such but some think it’s better to go via Basel and a transfer curve for which the ‘noticeable systems can bring substantial benefits. HEVC some via Dijon. differences’ in image luminance per quantization 10-bit encoding of the PQ and Log gamma signals The prize of international agreement on an step are uniform to our eyes throughout the range is possible in principle already, but it may be HDR system could be considerable for many of quantized steps from black to white. This possible to improve the quality somewhat. MPEG parts of the industry. Now it’s your turn to look would mean we were using the luminance signal are hoping to agree a standard and to do so by into the candidates in more detail, understand as efficiently as we can. This is termed a autumn 2016. If so, it may be possible for a how they work and what the implications and ‘perceptual quantizer’ (or PQ). system to be in use in 2017. One thing we don’t costs of using them could be. There is a bit more. know yet is whether the MPEG/ITU-T work will When you look into the candidate systems you’ll PQ vs Log Gamma curves result in a unique standard or in multiple systems find other differences between them, such as the But, as with most things in life, there are practical as a ‘tool kit’. maximum luminance of the TV set anticipated, or constraints. Whatever transfer curve is used for The ITU-R hoped to have a Recommendation the transfer function being arranged in one or programme making, it will be necessary to have on HDR by now, but this has not proved possible. two layers - but don’t get disheartened. Good an image for broadcast that can also be seen The system proponents are (as yet) unwilling to hunting - and keep watching for DVB reasonably well on a SDR screen. This can be give up or modify their candidate systems, and developments. achieved with a PQ system by converting the PQ some are unwilling to accept a recommendation HDR curve to a ‘compatible SDR curve plus that includes more than one (their) option. metadata’, which tells the high brightness display David Wood Deputy Director, EBU how to reconstruct the HDR curve from the Single OOTF: The final destination? Technology and Development compatible SDR curve it receives. The metadata But one new point of discussion in the ITU-R that can be different for each image frame if needed. may make agreement more possible is the concept

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 19

HDRspecial.indd 2 20/08/2015 16:26:13 AMINO_15_030_CSI_Advert_271x204_AW_PATHS.indd 1 2015/08/13 5:46 PM Focus sponsored by: www.csimagazine.com

STBs blend into the cloud

Amino.indd 1 26/08/2015 12:42:53 STB evolution

hese are bitter sweet times for the set top box (STB) Set tops downsized but industry. On the one hand the golden age associated with the fat home DVR has not yet out gone but at the same time attempts by some cloud technology vendors and even Telcos to reduce Philip Hunter predicts a golden autumn ahead for Tthe box to little more than a broadband router set tops have clearly failed for now. There was much fanfare a year or two ago over Deutsche Telekom’s and conditional access and viewing entitlements a “The need for consumers to record virtual STB initiative with the aim of taking both “no brainer” to move to the cloud.” programmes is clearly being undermined by the DVR and UI functions into the cloud for its IPTV Roberts concedes that presenting the guide, availability of catch-up services so the requirement Entertain service but that appears to have been decrypting the video stream, and rendering the for an integrated hard disk drive is the most postponed for now. video stream will continue to be handled by the obvious feature that is under scrutiny, not least But while the UI may remain on the box, other in-home device. Some of the more ambitious because of the potential cost savings,” said functions are being shed to the cloud, most projects like Deutsche Telekom’s intended also to Wetherill. “Copyright issues though make this a notably storage and in future more are likely to move the UI to the cloud. But the reality for many tricky area if operators want consumers to be able follow, although opinions differ over the extent IPTV and OTT operators in areas where to make recordings in the cloud.” and pace of change. There is broad agreement broadband speeds are still too low or variable is Apart from copyright, concerns over privacy that industry trends such as faster and more that they will continue for some time to rely on may also act as a counter weight retaining at least ubiquitous broadband, virtualization capabilities hybrid set tops to enable premium channels to be some storage in the home. enabling use of commodity hardware and of delivered over a traditional broadcast medium, “There’s no doubt the set-top box is evolving course demand for multiscreen delivery both in such as cable, satellite or more often digital into becoming more of a media server acting as and outside the home, all encourage devolution of terrestrial. It is only when super-fast broadband is the home hub for distributing live and recorded functions involved with video access or delivery. widely available throughout at least the leading content to a range of devices around the home. But naturally for vendors, perspectives are shaded markets that set tops will face a further period of The ability to access recorded content from a by their strategies and technology portfolios, with decline, according to Peter Cox, marketing hard drive or via the cloud is naturally a key those specialising in cloud or online delivery such director of multiscreen IPTV platform provider function of the device. But there are a number of as Seattle based Comcast subsidiary thePlatform Perception TV. issues to resolve particularly around content rights taking the hard line. “Hybrid will continue to be strong where the with cloud-based recording, which suggests PVR- “The efficient economics, as well as the broadband capacity is not capable of supporting enabled home gateways will remain a key element flexibility to address new business requirements, primary viewing,” said Cox. “The Telco market in the many operators’ offerings,” says Donald make a cloud-based pay TV system a much better likes to own its customers and control the viewing McGarva, Amino CEO. proposition than packing this functionality into a experience, which is why they have preferred this This is also something French broadband and set-top box,” said Marty Roberts, co-CEO of medium to date. It also locks in a subscriber with pay TV software vendor SoftAtHome has been thePlatform. “The processing power of the cloud technology that needs to be subsidised, installed betting on with its NAS (Network Attached make guide management, search and discovery, and managed so the ROI for the operator is also Storage) feature for its CloudAtHome platform. extended. But once network PVR and Connected As the name suggests this combines the home TV are fully established, this will be the catalyst network with the cloud, the argument being that for wholesale change.” some consumers will want to keep personal or When this happens Cox sees it as inevitable sensitive content at home while using the cloud to that content storage and conditional access will record off the TV service in a hybrid migrate to the cloud. However this migration may arrangement. not proceed quite as originally anticipated in the SoftAtHome’s angle on the STB is that it will case of storage because of the copyright issues increasingly be implemented on commodity surrounding network based personal recordings of hardware but with continuing innovation of the premium content and also the continuing rise of software for service differentiation to enable time shifted viewing, according to Jack Wetherill, operators to compete in the broader digital home Senior Market Analyst at Futuresource incorporating the Internet of Things. But Consulting. according to John, Maguire, Chief Strategy But either way the STB is likely to become Officer at S3 Group, an Irish provider of pay TV slimmer. software and services, home gateway functions

22 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

Amino.indd 2 26/08/2015 16:23:36 STB evolution

will remain distinct from those associated with the traditional STB. “I think we need to differentiate between the role of the Home Gateway and that of the set top,” said Maguire. “Although in some deployments these functions are combined for the primary landing point into the home as we saw with for example Liberty Global’s Horizon solution, there are still two very different functions involved. We see Home Gateways continuing to play a vital role as the initial landing point for services into and out of the home. But connectivity and power management that perhaps enabling the company to expand into OTT and with the rise in consumption of content outside explains their limited traction as an operator class multiscreen TV. Then in August 2015 Amino the home and efficiencies in cloud transcoding device.” completed the acquisition of Entone, based in and just-in-time packaging, we don’t believe that The trend towards more cloud delivery California, to gain a position in hybrid TV and transcoding of content in the home gateway will associated with smaller lower margin STB connected home products. These complementary become a common capability. However content products in the home has dictated some of the moves enable Amino to play both in its traditional caching, conditional access to DRM bridging and recent mergers and acquisitions among the major IPTV arena and in hybrid, as well as TV home-wide capabilities like home automation and players. Cisco with its growing focus on software Everywhere services for pay TV operators in all home security are features that we do expect to decided to exit the STB hardware market by categories. see more often in gateways.” selling its business to Technicolor for $600 Amino see growing importance in cloud This means STBs will continue to shrink, million, almost a decade after it entered with high delivery, particularly in terms of “TV everywhere” Maguire reckoned, but will survive in a stripped hopes by paying over 10 times more, $6.9 billion, deployments. down form such as the dongle. “We don’t see for Scientific Atlanta. It is true that Cisco retains “It’s the key driver behind our recent HDMI dongles as a threat to STBs but rather as remnants of that original acquisition but the acquisition of cloud TV platform provider the next generation implementations of a STB,” Technicolor sale still represents a significant Booxmedia who bring a raft of new skills to our Maguire continued. “It is the natural continuation write-down, reflecting the shrinking margins in business in terms of creating new solutions that of a trend towards smaller STBs that has been the STB business. Only the largest players can still meet operator demands for high quality on-going for some time and is simply accelerated succeed on economies of scale but even they have entertainment that works seamlessly across through greater system integration of features on been hedging their bets, with Arris for example multiple devices both in and outside the home,” the client side and migration of increasing acquiring cloud TV company Active Video. says McGarva. “Essentially, we see “the cloud” as amounts of functionality to the cloud.” Other players such as Cambridge, UK, based complementary to the in-home device rather than Amino’s McGarva agrees: “We are seeing the IPTV platform vendor Amino TV have been a replacement and certainly that’s the feedback growth in HDMI dongles as a solution – spreading their wings by expanding into cloud and we receive from operators when shaping their particularly for “second TVs” in the early phase. hybrid products through acquisition. Firstly in future pay-TV strategies.” But there are a number of hurdles to overcome in May 2015 Amino announced it had acquired Going forward, Amino sees a growing terms of form factor, high quality wireless Booxmedia, a Finish cloud TV platform provider, opportunity in IoT – specifically around enabling IPTV devices to offer wider home monitoring and control functionality. “Our Home Reach solution uses a simple USB dongle that can be retro-fitted by the consumer to existing installed set-top boxes and offer the operator a new value added service almost immediately. With cameras, movement and door sensors – and a tablet and smartphone app - consumers can self-install and operators move quickly to deploy services with long term recurring revenues. The move also confirms that the set-top box market has a future beyond commodity hardware in the surrounding software for media distribution both in the home and to connected devices outside.

Source: Irdeto

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 23

Amino.indd 3 26/08/2015 12:43:03 AMINO_15_030_CSI_Advert_271x204_AW_PATHS.indd 1 2015/08/13 5:46 PM AMINO_15_46_CSI_Advertorial_271x204_AW_PATHS.indd 1 2015/08/26 2:40 PM Q&A: AMC/ Sundance Q&A Don’t fear the changing times Goran Nastic speaks to Bruce Tuchman, president of AMC Global and Sundance Channel Global, about how to stay relevant in a rapidly transforming media industry, and the role of technology in meeting the changing needs of audiences

thousands of films alone are submitted to the to see more. Sundance festival for competition. Then you look Television’s changed a lot over the last several at major studio theatrical releases and there’s years. We at AMC were not doing dramas ten usually no more than 100 a year, so it’s a huge years ago, but now we are and the way people are wealth of material that is not otherwise getting consuming is changing by the minute. You have to exposed in many countries and where the remember, the old model was people were doing channels are dominated by Hollywood. 26 shows a year of a given series. Our series are So it’s an incredible amount of compelling high quality, with fewer episodes so there is more content that really fits the modern younger room on that basis alone for another companion viewers who want to see something a little series. But there is more room regardless of different and are too media savvy to watch the episodes because this is a popular concept thanks same formulaic content. That’s what we’re doing to our producers and creative executives. with Sundance: finding great independent films, Bruce Tuchman Bruce creating high quality channels and complementing I gather it is set for a simultaneous release it with original first-run TV productions that fit globally? the ‘slow burn’ indie criteria. As the media Virtually everywhere - everywhere around the landscape becomes more sophisticated and world we have an AMC channel we will debut continues to change we’ll grow even more. Fear the Walking Dead at the same exact time it is on in the US. If that time happens not to be a Does this sophistication create new, unique primetime viewing slot, it will then show again the challenges? next night in primetime. We want to make sure The essence of the consumer experience is we’re it’s available to everyone at that moment Goran Nastic: To begin with, I gather here to provide the customer what they want and depending on how they want to consume, whether Sundance is in the process of further to understand how to create programming to live or DVR. Technology now allows us to bring expansion internationally? appeal to them so they want more. That’s the to literally 120+ countries programming at the Bruce Tuchman: Several years ago we didn’t have whole essence of entertainment and being in this same time all over the world when it comes out. an international presence and Sundance blazed business. You have to care about what the viewer It’s a really exciting thing to us. the trail. There’s so many things going on I want wants and we’re fanatically concerned about that to bring everyone back to where we started and and it comes through in the success of our shows. how well we’re doing with it. The channel It’s about understanding the consumer and getting “Every platform Sundance is now in around 80 countries and more of them to watch. it’s really fitting a niche that people are really creates awareness and enjoying around the world. Is this how the new Fear the Walking Dead Sundance and independent films are ‘side-quel’ or companion series was born? buzz and a new synonymous; there is no other brand that has that The Walking Dead is an enormous phenomenon audience that have association and equity. We have a network and and there’s such a groundswell for knowing more resources to go to all film festivals, talk to indie about the story and going earlier in the story. The ‘caught the virus’ if producers and acquire things worldwide. The interest is obvious. It’s a creative process and way proposition we’re bringing to consumers is this of executing television that has I think hit a real you will.” idea of independence. It’s amazing, typically cultural nerve so we’re trying to satisfy that desire

26 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

QandA.indd 1 19/08/2015 13:12:15 Q&A: AMC/ Sundance

Do you think this is also a good way of even after first live premiere. Every platform Buchman on… helping overcome new forms of streaming creates awareness and buzz and a new audience Binge viewing: and online piracy? that have caught the virus if you will. We count “Binge viewing requires everyone to There’s no place in our minds for pirates to on these trends as things that have fuelled our up their game.” siphon off the value chain. We work very closely value, especially in the last five to seven years. with our payTV partners all over the world, and Technology: want them to get it right away as soon as we have There is growing belief that the linear model “Technology now allows us to bring it, before pirates or anyone else gets it. In this will disappear ten or so years from now. to literally 120+ countries way, it will help to reduce that and we’ll do How do you see it? programming at the same time all everything we can working with our partners to I don’t think the model goes away. There’s very over the world when it comes out.” try to really curb this endemic piracy you see in a rare instance of any forms of media going away. lot of places. There’s always the concern when new forms of Future of linear: media emerge, like the impact of TV on movie “Whatever the mutating forms of And how do you respond to the shift towards theatres. There will be linear but obviously it’s transmission or distribution are, on-demand and bingeing forms of viewing? shifting but the most prominent characteristic is we’ll all have to figure it out.” I think it’s probably the most important factor time shifted viewing off of linear, then you have that has created the global opportunity for us. over the top technologies that are eroding the Ultra HD: That advance in technology has changed the game clarity when you have one or two gatekeepers only “The technical quality requires the and allowed for so many quality series out there. who can bring material into the home. Those story quality to grow exponentially.” Binge viewing requires everyone to up their game. dynamics will reshape the experience but won’t The level of sophistication and talent and destroy it and I think we’re all learning to shift expertise that has to come into producing a series and shape with it so I think things will be that will be watched by someone at their leisure, gradually transformed but I don’t see linear That underpins the huge value of linear, as does having conversations at the watercooler at work ending and I don’t see linear ending especially live sports. It’s not the kind of things you want to or critiquing on social media, this has forced when you have event programming like ours. wait to binge. Although being able to record and people to either up their game or just struggle in People want to see it the minute it comes out. watch later has really helped our linear channels. their business. We are lucky to be the beneficiary of these trends and we see enormous viewership continue

The premiere of Fear the Walking Dead, a companion series to the hit Walking Dead zombie drama, aired on August 23

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 27

QandA.indd 2 19/08/2015 13:12:17 Q&A: AMC/ Sundance Q&A

there’s no question about that, but we’re in the right place. We could probably be in no better No direct-to-consumer plans for place than any content producer right now. Sundance “We’ve done things like that with other Do you think about 2nd screening at all or brands and gone direct-to-consumer, it’s an place emphasis on that to cater for younger interesting space. But we also have incredibly audiences? supportive payTV distributors and partners in We have a lot of that, for example a story sync our markets and tend to work with them. We app that is a live 2nd screen companion to a lot of do TVE and VoD types of experiences with our series but I have to say there’s no gimmickry them and try to embrace all the new or trickery around our creative process because if technologies that’s within their hands and you do that it just comes off that way. We’re here they are developing and deploying. to do great stories and what flows from that At this point, we don’t want to have to naturally may be different from Walking Dead or choose any one means and sometimes if Mad Men but what’s in common is ‘don’t be you’re not careful you make that mistake. simple, be genuine’ - follow a great story and We’re trying to embrace all the technologies empower a great story teller. Success follows that while keeping the economics of the business and audiences cling to that and stay with you and those who have invested in building wherever you take them and vice versa. infrastructure and it’s working well for us. We don’t have a major OTT play singularly Will ultra HD help you tell better stories or with Sundance with any market. We’ll see are the costs too prohibitive for what could how markets develop but I’m happy with the be another gimmick? client base we have and they’re all geared to I’ve seen ultra HD displays, they’re beautiful. It adapting to changes in the business.” isn’t yet a significant format in terms of number of hours of content that’s on TV but you get to a point of quality and that is a point of departure. needed was cardboard set, which won’t cut it in Because if you think about a show like Mad Men HD. Not only has the technical quality grown New martial arts drana Into the Badlands is the exquisite details that so many people talk exponentially but the technical quality requires scheduled to air on AMC in November about how beautifully everything is rendered, that the story quality to grow exponentially because may not have been possible in an SD world. There you can see person’s face, you can see great There is also a fear that Millennial was a time in the analogue world where all you editing techniques, plush surroundings … viewers will grow up differently to everything has to step up to that level. Technology pervious generations and end up always has really driven quality of programming, both being ‘cord-nevers’ who don’t take up a “Things will be from a visual standpoint to this substantive point payTV subscription. Is this something that of the story and what’s in it. So I don’t doubt that worries you? gradually transformed quality innovations of the future will again Like a lot of people, we spend a lot of time encourage us to continue to up our game and thinking about that and anticipating what that but I don’t see linear meet those challenges, whether it’s 4k or could mean. As it develops it may mean trouble whatever. The cycle is endless. for some and not others. Our brands, our content ending. Being able to were like Elvis coming into Comic-Con, although It sounds like you don’t miss the simple days that’s probably the wrong metaphor for a show record and watch later of television… attended by young Millenials who are absolutely Everyone likes simplicity. It’s easy to come to crazy about our stuff. has really helped our work and not have problems or challenges, but Whatever the mutating forms of transmission we’re thriving in this environment. For us, these or distribution are we’ll all have to figure it out, linear channels.” are good times.

28 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

QandA.indd 3 19/08/2015 13:12:18 Opinion The economics of online distribution

Philip Laven of the DVB argues that broadcasters need to have to operate “server farms” sending separate streams of find a better balance in costs of running and distributing data to each individual device. streaming services as online viewing continues to grow Even worse, broadcasters have to tailor these streams to the n the analogue era, most broadcasters on-demand or “catch-up” services. Interestingly, requirements of the particular device that are you spent less than 10% of their income on about 90% of online viewing time is spent using. Consequently, broadcasters need to support analogue TV transmission networks. watching catch-up TV, compared with only about hundreds of variants of device types and operating Although it is true that digital TV 10% of the time watching live TV. systems. This burden of providing these “bespoke” transmission is much cheaper than Although these services were initially designed services is likely to grow substantially in the next analogue TV transmission, the introduction for computers, they are now also consumed on a few years. of digital TV services actually increased the wide range of devices including smart-phones, In addition to the capital and operating costs Icosts for broadcasters. This is because they had to tablets, games machines and connected TVs. A of such servers, broadcasters typically have to pay pay for two networks (analogue and digital) few years ago, people seemed content to watch licence fees for the streaming software (usually operating in parallel throughout the simulcast postage-stamp size video clips on their computer charged on the maximum number of simultaneous period. Of course, cost savings were achieved when displays, but consumer expectations of picture users). Of course, broadcasters could pay Content the analogue TV services were eventually quality are now changing dramatically because Delivery Networks (CDNs) to perform all of withdrawn. However, many broadcasters used the viewers want to watch on-demand TV on their these tasks, but the overall result is the same: opportunity to launch new digital TV services – tablets or, indeed, on their large-screen TVs. when the audience for catch-up TV is small, the even so their total delivery costs today are probably This growing demand presents a completely delivery costs are small – but the delivery costs no more than in the analogue era. new problem for broadcasters. Broadcast services become huge when there are millions of users! Over the last few years, more and more are “one-to-many” services in which the costs of Very few broadcasters release information broadcasters have made their TV and radio transmission are not dependent on the number of about the usage of their online services, but the content available via the Internet. In addition to viewers. The success of broadcasting has been BBC is a notable exception. Each month, the streaming of live content, broadcasters also offer based on the fact that the high cost of broadcast BBC publishes detailed statistics about the use of delivery (and programme production) is shared its iPlayer radio and TV services. Despite this amongst millions of consumers. Economists call commendable openness, it is not easy to find this a public good because the marginal cost of information about the BBC’s costs of running the “SVT’s online services extra viewers is zero. On the other hand, the iPlayer service. However, a report prepared for the economics of “one-to-one” services such as online BBC Trust in 2013 indicated that the iPlayer deliver about 3% of TV distribution are completely different: the cost delivered about 2% of BBC’s TV viewing but cost the viewing at a cost of delivery is proportional to the number of about 12% of the BBC’s total distribution bill. The viewers. Swedish broadcaster SVT has released similar of 15% of their total We are so used to the notion that “the Internet figures: their online services deliver about 3% of is free” that most people do not understand why the viewing at a cost of 15% of their total distribution bill.” delivering TV via the Internet can be very distribution bill. expensive for broadcasters. In reality, broadcasters This striking imbalance in costs is likely to become a big problem for broadcasters because online viewing is certain to increase and, as noted above, the online distribution costs are proportional to the amount of online viewing. Broadcasters know fairly accurately how much they will have to pay for their broadcast distribution networks over the next 5 years, but they do not know how much they will have to spend on online distribution. It seems to me that broadcasters are destined to spend more and more money on distribution. Regrettably, this means that broadcasters will have less money to spend on content creation (which is their primary purpose).

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 29

Economicsofoninedistribution.indd 3 26/08/2015 12:07:04 SECURING THE CONNECTED FUTURE

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Tackling new forms of piracy

verimatrix.indd 1 26/08/2015 10:20:21 Fighting piracy

quickly for law The never-ending battle enforcement or piracy detection measures employed New live streaming apps and a host of other avenues are by broadcasters, operators or rights creating new piracy headaches for the industry, discovers holders to keep David Adams up, says Rory O’Connor, vice- here are two fundamental haven’t gone away either.” He believes such president, services, at Irdeto. problems that face the TV threats will multiply as more UHD/4K content But Irdeto’s statistics suggest that law and entertainment industries becomes available via pay TV. enforcement operations can have an impact. as they try to tackle content Multiscreen services are also increasing Germany has fallen out piracy. First, in the internet opportunities for piracy. “You can have the of the top 20 in the illegal download league, age, piracy is relatively, easy, strongest security in the world on device family A, perhaps because it has introduced new anti-piracy cost-effective and ultimately but if device family B is like a Swiss cheese the laws and the threat of punitive fines, suggests profitable, compared to the cost and effort entailed pirates will use that,” says Christian. O’Connor. He believes a similar fall out of Tin piracy in years gone by. Second, it’s just too Illegal streaming services are also now easier to the download table is likely to follow for tempting for consumers. An awful lot of people use, says Harrie Tholen, senior vice-president at Australia (currently eighth in the table), are prepared to break the law to watch content NexGuard. He points to Popcorn Time, which following the passage of new legislation that without paying for it. keeps popping up in different forms across will allow piracy websites to be blocked at ISP Perhaps the most spectacular example was seen Europe: “It’s a very friendly user interface, which level there. when the fifth season of Game of Thrones means that piracy is not just for geeks anymore.” O’Connor believes that more sophisticated reached its finale at the start of June. Some 1.5 The quality of illegal streaming has improved attempts to stop advertising-funded illegal live million illegal downloads were made across the too, adds David Leporini, executive vice-president streaming services are having an impact on their globe in the first eight hours after a pirated copy for security at Viaccess-Orca. This is even true of reliability and quality, leading more consumers to of the episode became available. Earlier in the peer to peer streaming services. “We have seen seek out legitimate services where possible. But year, before the fifth season began, there had been streams up to 5-6MBps, which represents he also highlights healthy sales online of devices a surge in illegal downloads of the show, with something you can really enjoy, in terms of designed to stream illegal content, sometimes around 116,000 per day during the three months quality,” he notes. It is even possible in some purchased with a ‘subscription’ to high quality TOP 20 COUNTRIES FOR ILLEGAL DOWNLOADS leading up to the start of the fifth season in April cases – although this rarely sounds like a pirate sources of content. Irdeto is working with 2015, according to Irdeto. convincing excuse – that some consumers will other industry stakeholders including ISPs and Spain accounted for the most downloads across all countries, with Breaking Bad as the most popular title during the coverage window. Irdeto has also produced an international think a high quality pirated source of content is organisations such as the English football Premier Game of Thrones was the most common title for the countries below largely due to the premi ere of its fifth season which aired in this period. league table for all illegal downloads in the first actually legitimate. League to investigate the best ways to render such two quarters of 2015, which shows a top three of Some new entries in the illegal downloads devices ineffective. COUNTRY TOTAL DOWNLOADS MEAN DLs PER MONTH MOST POPULAR TITLE Spain (just over 21 million, with a monthly league table, including India and the Philippines, One of the most important technical measures Spain 21,018,933 3,503,156 Breaking Bad average of just over 3.5 million), Brazil (just over may indicate broadband spreading more too for fighting piracy is watermarking-based Brazil 20,336,371 3,389,395 Game of Thrones 20 million) and France (on 14.9 million, just automated detection and takedown of services. France 14,919,105 2,486,518 Game of Thrones United States 14,630,250 2,438,375 Game of Thrones ahead of the US, see table, opposite). “It’s very important for operators to have a Russian Federation 13,883,781 2,313,964 Interstellar New live streaming apps for mobile and tablet watermarking strategy, not only to fight piracy, “You can have the Italy 12,405,963 2,067,661 Game of Thrones are also creating new opportunities for piracy. but also to ensure they can purchase content Canada 11,011,931 1,835,322 Game of Thrones Periscope and Meerkat have attracted most strongest security in rights in the first place,” says O’Connor. “Any Australia 10,745,935 1,790,989 Game of Thrones attention and are causing particular concern to operator thinking of moving to 4K or UHD United Kingdom 9,008,305 1,501,384 Game of Thrones the rights holders for sports content. Periscope the world on device should definitely have a watermarking strategy.” Netherlands 8,128,191 1,354,699 Game of Thrones runs on Twitter and allows users to replay content This can be complemented by disabling India 6,564,158 1,094,026 Game of Thrones Greece 5,716,381 952,730 Game of Thrones 24 hours later. of PayPal accounts, depriving pirates of family A, but if device Argentina 4,478,811 746,469 Game of Thrones Governments and law enforcement agencies are advertising or subscriber revenue. Other anti- Israel 4,290,066 715,011 Game of Thrones working alongside content creators and rights family B is like a piracy measures include the work vendors Philippines 4,198,726 699,788 Game of Thrones holders to stop piracy, but this is a never-ending including Verimatrix are doing to protect STBs. China 4,186,183 697,697 Game of Thrones battle. “There are always going to be attempts to Swiss cheese the “We are combating that with deeper integration Saudi Arabia 3,716,679 619,447 Game of Thrones circumvent the paywall,” says Steve Christian, into hardware chipsets,” says Christian. “This is Belgium 3,698,498 616,416 Game of Thrones senior vice-president at security specialist pirates will use that.” going to become more relevant when UHD Poland 3,191,705 531,951 Game of Thrones Sweden 3,015,641 502,607 Game of Thrones Verimatrix. “The traditional STB security threats content gets distributed.”

32 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

verimatrix.indd 2 26/08/2015 16:25:21 Fighting piracy

Fighting with technology and new Better consumer education may help too. premium movie and TV content that was business models The UK government launched a new anti-piracy obviously feeding piracy, is shorter gaps between Content owners are enlisting the help of initiative this summer, Creative Content UK content being released in one market and its organisations such as the Federation Against (CCUK), starting with a public anti-piracy release elsewhere: sometimes the gap is now a Copyright Theft (FACT) in the UK, which acts campaign aimed at persuading people to use matter of days, hours, or less, rather than months on behalf of members including global and UK legitimate sources of content that provide a as in the past. The spread of cheap OTT services film distributors, broadcasters and sports rights superior service to the pirates. But such like Netflix across the globe may also be helping. owners. “Once upon a time it was all about campaigns are not exactly a new idea. Could content owners take more effective criminal prosecutions, but the world has What does often make a difference, suggests collective action to combat piracy? “There’s a fair changed,” says Kieron Sharp, director-general at Nick Fitzgerald, CEO at media delivery company degree of coordination already,” suggests Sharp at FACT. “Piracy has gone away from being about TV2U, is making it easier to access legitimate FACTS. “I think we could be better coordinated, physical products into the world of the internet. content. TV2U is working with the Chinese but it’s quite tricky for the Hollywood studios. For That makes criminal prosecutions and civil government on anti-piracy initiatives: stopping them to work together goes completely against litigation quite complex. illegal access to content from overseas and their business model in the US, where there are “It’s essentially about using technology to chase unauthorised redistribution of Chinese-made such strong competition laws.” He believes more down people who are using technology to commit content. Fitzgerald believes these initiatives could be done to tackle the problem by other crime. We have all the skills needed, in terms of could help to open markets across south-east stakeholders in the industry, such as ISPs and the evidence we get from our investigations on the Asia, long regarded as being dangerously technology providers. internet; and skills for forensic investigations if susceptible to piracy, to more content from What could also help, he suggests, would be something is seized. We’re still very keen on sources including Hollywood. security and anti-piracy measures being consid- criminal prosecution as an effective way of “One reason why there’s piracy in Asia is that ered at an earlier stage in product or platform dealing with these offences. The outcome is you can’t get the content legitimately,” he says. “If development within the technology and entertain- usually prison.” In July the UK government content is more readily available than there’s less ment industries. “When you set up a new platform proposed an increase in the maximum jail term chance of piracy. And it’s about making it availa- to distribute entertainment content peoples’ first for online piracy from two to ten years. A ble at an affordable price. A more realistic view of concern is how to make that new product work consultation on the proposals ran until the end the world from content owners would help.” financially,” he points out. “Perhaps piracy should of August; further announcements may follow One change content owners have made, in be one of the first things on their minds when before the end of the year. response to international consumer demand for they do that – but it usually isn’t.”

TOP 20 COUNTRIES FOR ILLEGAL DOWNLOADS

Spain accounted for the most downloads across all countries, with Breaking Bad as the most popular title during the coverage window. Game of Thrones was the most common title for the countries below largely due to the premiere of its fifth season which aired in this period.

COUNTRY TOTAL DOWNLOADS MEAN DLs PER MONTH MOST POPULAR TITLE Spain 21,018,933 3,503,156 Breaking Bad Brazil 20,336,371 3,389,395 Game of Thrones France 14,919,105 2,486,518 Game of Thrones United States 14,630,250 2,438,375 Game of Thrones Russian Federation 13,883,781 2,313,964 Interstellar Italy 12,405,963 2,067,661 Game of Thrones Canada 11,011,931 1,835,322 Game of Thrones Australia 10,745,935 1,790,989 Game of Thrones United Kingdom 9,008,305 1,501,384 Game of Thrones Netherlands 8,128,191 1,354,699 Game of Thrones India 6,564,158 1,094,026 Game of Thrones Greece 5,716,381 952,730 Game of Thrones Argentina 4,478,811 746,469 Game of Thrones Israel 4,290,066 715,011 Game of Thrones Philippines 4,198,726 699,788 Game of Thrones China 4,186,183 697,697 Game of Thrones Saudi Arabia 3,716,679 619,447 Game of Thrones Belgium 3,698,498 616,416 Game of Thrones Poland 3,191,705 531,951 Game of Thrones Sweden 3,015,641 502,607 Game of Thrones Source: Irdeto

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 33

verimatrix.indd 3 26/08/2015 10:20:22 Connected security

In today’s The Software-Empowered Video competitive pay- TV market operators’ Operator: Connecting the Dots competitive advantage stems from their ability By Steve Christian, SVP of Marketing, Verimatrix to constantly ay-TV is in the midst of a reassurance will gain goodwill and trust from their delight customers metamorphosis as it begins customers. And the more progressive operators — with the best content and services of course, to transition from as a set of have the potential to glean some key advantages but also with the overall user experience. standalone network as the connected paradigm looks beyond video to Speeding up all aspects of customer support is deployments to a world of other device-centric applications. a critical contribution to reaching this goal. globally interconnected But it also extends to all aspects of the user solutions. As with all Imagine globally interconnected revenue interface and the subscriber’s interaction with transitions, this evolution brings new threats and security the rights management system that enables or Pchallenges, but also offers a range of new Well-known usage scenarios illustrate the need for limits content access. opportunities. globally interconnected security in our multi- Security is actually becoming the consumers’ The increased risk profile of globalized content network, multi-screen, TV-Everywhere world. ally, as well as that of the operator. Security had and consumer-owned devices opens new service Subscribers expect to be able to pick up an been seen in a negative light in prior generations and revenue opportunities for service providers. on-demand video session while travelling on a of media delivery systems, with many users seeing The prospect of pay-TV transitioning from a train, where it was left off several days ago on the digital rights management (DRM) as a limitation. highly controlled and closed environment to a living room TV. Operators can effectively leverage Technical progress, transparency of operation and globally interconnected security infrastructure the opportunity of ever-cheaper cloud-based harmonized rights management have made much presents opportunities for OPEX reduction, more software and IP infrastructure to address the progress in changing that perception. When proactive threat management and unprecedented growth of security complexity while containing coupled with the necessity for the consumer and visibility to optimize system performance. This operational cost. the operator to protect device integrity and proactive connected security management model As a complement to their own support private data about usage, security can at last logically extends into a wide range of other requirements, operators should be able to become what it was supposed to be, a responsive emerging digital service environments, such as outsource the security management of system system for managing rights in the digital age. It’s smart homes and connected cars. and client device integrity in order to concentrate something that makes both users’ lives and Security is traditionally viewed as an ongoing on their core value proposition. This will also operators’ roles easier. race between attackers and defenders in the lower the cost of entry for new comers. Global To achieve these goals a connected security deployment of digital services—ranging from visibility of the threat development will help to platform must provide many different features online banking to pay-TV, but including many increase operators’ system integrity as they can including: more domains such as e-commerce, cloud storage benefit from the expertise of world leading or medical applications. As our lives get more authorities, learn lessons of others in near real- • device integrity; connected, the challenge of security is becoming time and profit from centralized cost-effective • secure communication between devices; increasingly global with crossover from one security monitoring. • content protection; domain to another. In the never-ending battle to add more value, • privacy (protection of user data); Pay-TV security, which is an excellent example leading IP-based service providers around the • anonymization of device data; of this kind of crossover, is now being adapted to world have independently entered the video • analytics opt-out; and the meet the needs of the new, more globally delivery market. They need to become trusted • support for local regulations, etc. connected architecture of service delivery. In this partners for the ever-wary content providers and new environment, advanced security approaches rights owners. Even if a service provider only Consumers often hear about a cool new series are being developed to address the evolving threat operates in a single market, in this connected through word of mouth or social media. The or risk level presented by more open architectures. future they can be seen as part of the global security system must make it easy for a subscriber Greater connectivity brings the promise of community of providers if their security system to access and play that content, securing the many more engaging services. But it also leverages a global infrastructure. revenue as seamlessly as possible behind the potentially paints a much larger target for would- scenes. Social media sharing of content is a be attackers for the community of devices and for Emerging business and technical growing driver for content demand, and here the business as a whole. Operators that address challenges/opportunities for managing again security systems must strive to make this this issue with the right mix of realism and rights legitimate and easy. Connected security systems

34 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

verimatrix.indd 4 26/08/2015 16:26:51 Connected security

that will expand the umbrella of security coverage for their services. The improvements are most likely to be found in proactive alert handling, routine system performance tune-ups, and a standardized infrastructure for the distribution and installation of appropriate updates to system components and applications. • Aggregated visibility into global threats. The “Car infotainment threat models from piracy are becoming more globally significant and moving faster. must ensure user Collectively, operators can better leverage may offer significant advantages here in federating cloud-based, aggregated information gathering authentication. privacy, but on-board on system threats and attack patterns. Associated benefits would include continuous Extending beyond pay-TV systems can pose monitoring of activity patterns and systematic New market segments feature connected networks operator-to-operator cooperative responses to and devices. Interconnected security is therefore a life and death any attempted breach. The potential exists for a becoming more of an imperative there too. This risk if a connected more offensive approach to security situations new connected security approach will lead to through both electronic and physical resources. wider opportunities for businesses within the pay- automobile were to • Centralized hub for big data. The ability to TV domain and potentially in applications far aggregate transactional data opens up the beyond the space. use erroneous data potential for new value to be uncovered for In the enterprise segment, machine-to-machine operators through the application of big data (M2M) communications that enable wireless for determining analytics. A connected cloud resource provides communications between machines from different the ideal hub to gather and analyze system and parties have emerged as a new driver for weather conditions.” subscriber behavior to help drive competitive efficiency. But risks can be directly linked to improvements. Immediate opportunities benefits—and to revenue, as the data exchange can threat level. This can be difficult as risks and include improvements in personalized user affect critical aspects such as order and resource threats are constantly evolving. The critical mass experiences, optimising ad revenue, improving management, trouble ticketing, provisioning and, to attract malicious intent changes as fast as new visibility and service levels. most importantly, billing. technology emerges in our connected lives. As we have seen, home security can only really Whether for pay-TV, mobile banking, ecommerce, A new way of thinking about security is emerging take off if users are reassured that their home blogging or simply reading email, connected as a fundamental property of interconnected systems cannot be tampered with from afar. security infrastructure provides means to adapt to systems. Interconnectedness can even be Energy management can also be a scary evolving threats and technology. leveraged to maintain and enhance the security proposition if the reliability of meter readings is of the individual systems. open to questioning — or, in the worst case, A new way of thinking about connected Connected devices ranging from the furnace settings can be illegitimately accessed. revenue security automobile to the thermostat are entering our Car infotainment must ensure user privacy, but Previously isolated security deployments in the daily lives. As the associated services have a on-board systems can pose a life and death risk if pay-TV world will start to become more growing impact, so connected device security a connected automobile were to use erroneous connected, eventually within a global management and the data they gather become an increasingly data for determining weather conditions. infrastructure. This is both a response to critical question. The new approach to connected This greater connectivity also raises the privacy increasingly global threat patterns, and a way to security may start with the infrastructure of challenges of collecting and maintaining data help optimize the deployment of software centric pay-television, but is likely to lead to wider about services and client activity. The variety of security infrastructures. opportunities for businesses in related devices adds another area of complexity. For the Software-empowered vendors and operators applications and markets — and potentially far industry, the positive aspect is that privacy is that take full advantage of this transition will start beyond these spaces. becoming a positive business driver for security to realize a number of specific benefits. For more information on the opportunities and platforms as end-users are becoming more aware challenges facing pay-TV operators today, please of the risks and demand solutions. • Proactive support for individual operators. download our new e-book The Software-Empowered The level of security provided in each case Operators will have access to a greater range Video Operator: Connecting the Dots at must be adapted in response to changes to the and depth of support and management options www.verimatrix.com/swempowered3

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 35

verimatrix.indd 5 26/08/2015 10:20:27 Data corner Meet the Content Connoisseurs

Guy Bisson of Ampere Research says SVoD • WWE will launch its D2C service in new homes are more likely to churn from all of their markets and on new devices this year. The wrestling-focused content owner launched its in-home service providers multi-screen streaming service in February 2014 and had 1.3m paying OTT subscribers around the ew subscriptions to OTT reflection of the changing consumer behaviour world as of March. Speaking at the Futuresource Subscription VoD (SVOD) that is more prevalent among people who are summit, ‘New content horizons’, George Barrios, services are now outstripping attracted to SVOD services. chief strategy officer & CFO of WWE, said the traditional pay TV in Traditional pay TV, it seems, needs to do better company is planning entry into India, China, Western Europe, a trend that when it comes to addressing the specific needs of Germany, Italy, Malaysia and Thailand. “I can’t was first seen in North this key sub-group, which favour less mainstream over emphasise the power D2C gives you. Now America in mid-2009. While content types. The programme mix and offer of it’s our decision where and how we launch; it’s Nour research indicates that this is in no-way a death SVOD rivals would be a good place to start. transformative economics for us,” said Barrios. knell for traditional pay TV (SVOD is increasingly seen as part of the wider pay TV mix in the modern home rather than a platform replacement), there are some indicators that an increasingly large Net adds: OTT vs. pay TV subscriptions in Western Europe segment of the customer base is beginning to think 5 in terms of replacing both broadcast TV and 4 traditional pay TV with OTT alternatives. 4 Our consumer segmentation has identified a 3 sub-group of customers who make up the largest 3 single group among SVOD customers: the m 2 Content Connoisseurs. More likely to be male, 2 time poor and highly connected, these consumers 1 watch loads of video online and very little 1 broadcast TV. More than a third of all SVOD 0 customers across ten countries surveyed fall into this group.

The crunch, though, is that when asked about Q4 2011 Q1 2012 Q2 2012 Q3 2012 Q4 2012 Q1 2013 Q2 2013 Q3 2013 Q4 2013 Q1 2014 Q2 2014 Q3 2014 Q4 2014 Q1 2015 Q2 2015 Q3 2015 Q3 (f) 2015 Q4 (f) 2015 propensity to churn, 30% of Content Connoisseurs say they are considering churning Pay TV subscriptions OTT subscriptions

from their pay TV service in the next six months Analysis Ampere Source: compared to 23% for the average person. For Source: A mpere A naly sis Content Connoisseurs who also take SVOD, the proportion rises to 43%. Considering churning from pay TV in next 6 months What’s even more worrying for traditional entertainment providers is that SVOD homes are more likely to churn from all of their in-home service providers, both for entertainment and Content Connoisseurs with SVOD communications services. They show a higher propensity to move from their pay TV, broadband,

fixed line and mobile provider. SVOD customers That’s particularly concerning because much of the on-going growth that traditional cable and pay TV providers are now experiencing is coming from bundling additional communications Average services. Of course, there is no particular reason why having Netflix or another SVOD service should make you more dissatisfied with your 0 10 20 30 40 50 mobile or broadband provider, it’s simply a % of customers Source: Ampere Analysis Ampere Source:

36 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

ResearchCorner.indd 2 27/08/2015 15:50:49 advertorial

By Andrew Wajs, CTO, Irdeto

How Operators can Home in on Platform Security

onnected devices are now a staple part of everyday life The challenge for operators in home networks and for many of us. With more and more devices and even platforms used to be two-fold – how to both enable the full Cappliances around the home becoming connectivity range of TV services on secondary screens in the home while enabled, the connected home is swiftly becoming a reality. also getting the content onto un-managed consumer devices The Internet of Things (IoT) promises connected convenience in a user-friendly and secure way. However, IoT adds another at consumer’s fingertips – from adjusting your home heating level to this challenge which goes beyond just the secure when you land back at the airport, to checking your home delivery of content across multiple screens. security remotely if the alarm goes off while you’re out. The fact is that operators with their large number of IP Convenience is crucial for today’s ‘always on’ consumer, connected STBs and gateways are vulnerable to attack. By but so too is security. Unfortunately the truth is that in the hacking the STB, for example, cyber criminals can obtain current world of IoT an innocent device like a Set-top Box sensitive information including user’s credentials, viewing (STB), webcam or thermostats could be used by hackers history and billing details. If the STB is used as a gateway to against you. The key to guarding against this is security of the other connected devices, much more could be obtained. Even home platform, and the good news is that operators have the a ransom threat to an operator, threatening a malware attack power to take action. After all, consumers depend on their that disables the operation of the STB or shuts down the operator to be the trusted party and remove any privacy or gateways would have far reaching consequences. The service security implications. outage alone could cost the operators millions and the effect on the brand could be more devastating, even resulting in a Knowing the risks loss of trust. Cybercrime is big business and the impact is far reaching – a number of the world’s biggest global brands have been hit by The opportunity for operators cyber-attacks in recent years and the threat continues to grow. In tandem with these enhanced security risks, operators also At the end of 2014, American retailer, Target’s Q4 profits face the threat of increased competition and the challenge of plummeted by 46% as a result of an attack, and the Home consumer demand for better experiences, functionality and Depot confirmed that hackers exposed USD 56 million of services. They are however, well-placed to provide the credit and debit card transactions during its months-long seamlessly secure experience required by consumers, they security breach. just need to implement systems that provide protection, Cybercrime has also evolved in recent years and with tools intelligence and control for IP connected devices and the home of the trade for sale and botnets for rent by the hour; today’s network – protecting their customers, while allowing them to cybercrime can be described as “Hacking as a Service”. introduce new interactive services securely. This threat is compounded by the increasing proliferation The technology must be able to respond to devices, be able of connected devices throughout the home. In essence, the to lock them down, monitor traffic and device behaviour. It attack surface is much bigger; making platform security needs to be able to isolate the home security elements from paramount. Any device connected to the Internet containing other internet components making sure that weaknesses are an operating system can be comprised; providing a backdoor identified. However, due to the speed at which cyber-attacks for cybercrime, and Gartner forecasts that IoT will witness a are evolving, it is not sufficient to just protect devices from 30-fold increase growing to 26 billion units by 2020. known threats. Instead there is a need to be more dynamic, providing real-time updates and awareness of threats, which subsequently protects devices and the network from zero day vulnerabilities. Such a complete solution allows operators to be the trusted brand and to add value to their end users. Consumers want their lives to be made simpler and more secure at the same time and, however the IoT landscape develops, the certainty is that consumers will continue to expose more of their lives to connected devices both in and out of the home. Operators have a real opportunity to combine state of the art technology with proactive service capitalising on and extending the trust they have already established with their customers.

advertorial.indd 2 13/08/2015 12:11:30 Q&A Q&A Towards a zero CapEx multi-screen CSI talks to Dr Neale Foster, COO and VP of global sales at Access, about multi-screen, cloud TV and zero-cost set-top boxes Dr Neale Foster (left) Foster Dr Neale

CSI: Five years ago, costs, DRM, everyone talks about the cloud these days. to reduce the cost. Set top boxes are a huge cost monetisation and rights were among the To what extent can the cloud help solve of the network for a payTV operator. Twine is challenges to deploying multi-screen. To these? ideally suited to that because it is coming from what extent have these issues been The cloud is here to stay and it’s a major part of the headend and the cloud to deliver the content overcome today? the fabric of technological and consumer life now. and aggregate all the consumer’s own content, Dr Neale Foster: It’s a constantly changing and From a consumer’s point of view they want operators’ protected content. As a result, we’ve dynamic multi-screen world now. There’s such a everything to work, be secure and not to fail. done multiple integrations with CRM and DRM plethora of different devices, form factors and From a vendor point of view, we want to be able systems. All these different platforms and OSS/ platforms. So there have to be solutions to solve to provide solutions that enable that. We have a billing systems, we’ve done a lot of integrations those. Things have changed and the fragmentation very well known browser but with our Twine with those so we can actually help with this drive is getting worse. There’s more things, problems multi-screen solution, solving some of the to reducing the cost of the CPE. and challenges to solve. The technology is in the challenges there where consumers have all this process of evolving and we brought out our personal content, they have to get it coordinated So maybe you can give us a little bit more product Twine deliberately to solve some of these between all these devices. Apple has its own detail about Twine, what it is, how it works multi-screen challenges. iCloud type solution, as do most hardware and how it’s different? The market will continue to evolve over the vendors, but when it comes to operators they have One of the main things is it can be seen as a plug- next five years so there’s a lot of continuing to put in place similar end-to-end systems to in to an existing environment, for operators that problems to solve which is good for the industry deliver that cloud solution. So one thing that want to extend their platforms, so we’ve taken a in some ways; change is good and it’s a we’ve done is make a product that enables them slightly different approach. We’re not just creating fascinating time for that reason. to do this from the cloud. another platform for the sake of another platform. One of the biggest operator requests is for this We’re lucky that Access is a 32-yeard old Speaking of fragmentation and openness, zero-CapEx set-top box (STB), it’s a major drive company, has 1.5 billion deployments globally

38 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

QandA.indd 1 26/08/2015 11:26:30 Q&A

manufacturer’s way of doing that because they important bit will be operators’ need for analytics. “We have some very want to keep control and enable the consumer to In a traditional multicast and DVB channel do that in their environment and user interface delivery they didn’t know in great detail what the good algorithms and (UI). We recently announced a Tier 1 operator subscribers were actually doing, hence the has actually put together with Twine a technique Nielsen/BARB subsets to analyse that, but with IP analytics tool that can for delivering content – all the types – with a you know a lot more. This whole cloud single UI and API so they can manage that methodology allows an awful lot of understanding help the operator see independently of different networks. of analytics, obviously very careful of data protection rules, but as long as it’s managed what the consumers Does any part of Twine software reside in carefully you can still analyse groupings and are doing.” the client or is it all headend based? understand what the behaviour is very quickly. Most of it is in the headened. That’s the beauty of And you can therefore make intelligent strategies the solution, it can deal with any form factor or of how you get a more compelling service. That’s with household names like Sony, Samsung and type of device. If the operator wants to make a an area we are highly focused on and working Nintendo and we have customers and integrations more interesting value proposition they can put a with partners that have real-network type and platforms end-to-end with a whole variety of piece of it on the client device but there’s no intelligence to analyse the data in a careful way to different industry components. Some of the more mandatory requirement for that, the whole thing see what patterns exist and match the service to recent ones we have announced over the last year can reside on the network in the cloud. It’s a very the specific ways people consume TV, binge include Verimatrix and Zenterio. It means we can powerful solution. One of the classic examples viewing being one example. provide solutions that are pre integrated and as we’re getting a lot at the moment is operators these end to end middleware and ecosystems that want to be able to see if consumers are actually What will you be showing at IBC this year? need integration elements we can plug into that doing anything; are they watching certain content In the multi-screen area, we’ll be showing new and allow the operator to control and manage all or services? They can use it as a churn reducer. technical features that have been deployed by our content across devices. They have a display monitoring the actions and most recent operators that really turn this whole To put it in a simple users point of view, if you can ‘attack’ customers with a nice marketing multi-screen world into a more precise model, are using content with your smartphone and want campaign and show them the benefit of the rather than just TV delivery - there’s a lot more access on a tablet or laptop the payTV operator service. So it’s a positive way of looking after your analysis features there. On the browsers side, we can provide the system to provide that. At the consumers and see if they are responding to have a lot of the YouTube guidelines; there was moment, it’s not an easy solution: they can evolve their service. We have some very good lots of issues that TV makers had when Google provide broadcast type channels and VoD but algorithms and analytics tool that can help the changed the way this was specified so we’ve when it comes to all the other content a operator see what the consumers are doing. announced all the latest support, keeping TVs and subscriber has the operators we are aware of want STBs we integrate with happily in line. the consumer to be using the payTV operators’ How will the Twine product evolve? delivery of that rather than a device It’s constantly evolving space, but the most And how do you see the overall TV market and industry evolving? Do you see things getting better or worse? The fragmentation and challenges operators have will accelerate. There’s so much consolidation in the market, as well as requirement for cost reduction and extended business models and how payTV operators keep consumers excited with the packages they provide. We provide software that meets that. The market is looking for cost effective solutions that enable consumers to see the operators’ brands. Requirements will get harder and the technological challenges more precise and both will continue to evolve.

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 39

QandA.indd 2 26/08/2015 11:26:35 IP production

Image courtesy of Net Insight

for primetime. IP live comes to market “The great bright future is out there but as The tipping point for IP live investment has been reached an industry we can’t tell with small scale live IP production around the corner, but will them how it works with 100 percent confidence,” interoperability hamper adoption, asks Adrian Pennington says Tim Felstead, head of product marketing, P networks were never intended for video. solution on the market today that does not Quantel Snell. “In a live environment, when you The brittle, time-sensitive nature of video support IP,” informs Net Insight. “New and have adverts to get to air, people’s jobs and does not play well with the proven but lossy modernised studios are often completely based on reputations are on the line. You have to prove to nature of IP – even less so on shared and IP, and file-based workflows naturally use IP to broadcast engineers that when a director says ‘Go unmanaged networks like the internet. The move files from point A to B.” to Camera 4 now’ that it will happen.” varying delay and constant packet loss of Potential production of resolutions up to 8K Mark Hilton, VP Infrastructure Products at the internet play havoc with every video (or beyond!) require bandwidths previously Grass Valley, agrees that there’s an element of Istream traversing it unprotected. unheard of and remote production further pushes hyperbole about IP but that “it is coming on Despite this, the industry is entering a time the need for speed. The ability to scale networks quicker than we all thought. and we’re seeing where IP will be the video transport technology without a glass ceiling and without spending huge proof of concepts being commissioned.” of choice. “With the introduction of multiscreen capex on replacement kit is arguably the most With its own brand of IP-enabled products and personalised content there is a need for more compelling business argument for the move to IP. from camera, production switchers, servers and agile and flexible workflows,” affirms media To get there however, broadcasters do have to gateways to convert SDI to IP just launching, transport solutions provider, Net Insight. “This is make a decision to rip and replace existing copper Hilton believes small scale IP live production will driving the adoption of file-based technologies, as wire cabling. The cost and benefits are about to be possible just around the corner. well as flexible transport solutions.” reach a tipping point but just because COTS is Imagine Communications is even more bullish. As bitrates increase and equipment prices tried and trusted in almost every other industry, “Live IP has been possible for years. It is not drop, IP-based communication technologies are the broadcast community has reservations about about IP, it is about whether or not broadcasters pushing more and more dedicated communica- getting it right. This is especially pertinent of live should look at operational changes,” says Brick tion/ broadcast systems into retirement. production and there are differences of opinion Eksten, vp, product strategy. “There is not a new camera or production in the industry about whether IP live is ready IC points to the reference site it is building in

40 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

IPproduction_.indd 1 19/08/2015 12:54:35 IP production

New York with Disney/ABC which includes full live production switching over COTS. Other first movers include Pac-12 Networks – the broadcast arm of the conference of 12 west coast universities – which uses T-VIPS and Nevion links to transmit talkback, telemetry and telemetric data to and from sports venues as far as 2500 km away, apparently with less than a second delay. ESPN’s Digital Center 2 opened last year built around a J2K–based Evertz EXE- X2 IP routing core with pockets of baseband workflows. It is capable of routing more than 6,000 HD 1080p streams and as much as 9 TeraBits per second. “From a master control operational perspective - hitting buttons on a panel – should I, as a broadcaster or engineer, expect any difference from SDI to switching video over IP or running video processing over software?” poses Eksten. “The answer is no. Imagine is all about Snell Kahuna family transparency with IP. We are saying that the interaction feels the same as it did when audio/ video was run over SDI.” Quantel’s Felstead is not so sure. “It is much At face value the Imagine and Quantel Snell codec can deliver 4K picture quality at half more difficult to see what is going on in IP. The stance appear at odds but in fact they are voicing current rates (just 7-8Mbps) with hints that this control systems don’t exist [but are being very similar concerns. SMPTE 2022-6 is the first could be applied to production. developed]. Where SDI routers were very reliable incarnation of realtime video over IP and deemed “One of the great big wins of IP infrastructure with straightforward verification of what was solid enough to get the industry moving. It is the is leveraging the cost savings by using happening, IP systems are more opaque. This standard on which most manufacturer’s starter IP commodified IT kit,” says Felstead. “To do that creates a lack of confidence.” kit is based. we need to be able to ensure interoperability, but Quantel Snell’s research indicates that 27 of there is no standard common between enough industry stakeholders believe IP routers will SMPTE 2022-6 and beyond manufacturers to ensure this.” replace SDI within a decade. “While [Quantel However, 2022 emulates the way base-band is Quantel flags that economics of multiple Snell] support 2022 we don’t believe it is the used and does not have the capability to send proprietary codecs would negate much of IP’s right way to go long term,” says Felstead. “The multiple data streams on the same wire. If you supposed cost-savings. “When you compare the industry isn’t able to transpose IP into a live want to freely mix and match different cameras or efficiency of SDI routers and IT routers in environment today.” audio tracks, a prime advantage that IP offers, handling different encoding standards and you then a new standard is required. This could be add up the core devices and peripheral devices SMPTE 2022-8/9/10 which the standard’s body is you come to the conclusion that the driver is working on. The Video Services Forum, which going to be the edge devices,” says Felstead. “Live IP has been has focussed on J2K, has another and there will Vendors like Quantel Snell are hedging their bets, likely be demonstrations of both next year. incorporating a variety of IP standards into possible for years. It The move to 4K complicates matters further. switching and routing gear. “If we have lots of In a live environment do we need fully pristine pieces from different manufacturers and every is not about IP, it is uncompressed 4K? Or will a mezzanine format be link has a encode and decode stage with a royalty good enough? Some form of compression will fee it will run counter to the very principal of about whether or not have to be good enough in the early stages of 4K COTS driving infrastructure costs down.” broadcasters should over IP since current 10 GbE connections do not Hilton’s concern is that some technologies have the capacity to carry it uncompressed. require different types of hardware; “The Sony look at operational Codec contenders include IntoPix’ Tico LLVC needs to be designed into the hardware, alliance backed by Grass Valley; J2K; VC2 J2K has quite a long latency right now and is changes.” (backed by Quantel) and Sony’s Low Latency fairly computationally intensive and Tico, while Video Codec. London-based V-Nova claims its optimised for this light compression, is not a good

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 41

IPproduction_.indd 2 19/08/2015 12:54:37 IP production

enough standard yet.” Sony played a major role in developing the original SDI as a universal interface and is trying to do the same with its own IP connection. It has the support of a number of manufacturers but is unlikely to receive the blessing of rivals like Panasonic. “For a real successful implementation of IP it’s very important that one standard is accepted and adopted to allow interoperability between systems just as SDI currently provides,” says Peter IJkhout, CTO, VidiGo. “At present, several organizations or companies are developing competing protocols and we have to wait and see how this will progress. “Adoption will depend on acceptance of compression in the production chain as well Image courtesy of Nevion as unavoidable longer latency compared to traditional SDI,” he stresses. “Without a well- designed protocol that can be shared seamlessly mainly about their own equipment. By contrast, equipment, Futuresource Consulting, agrees: “If between vendors and equipment there will be “We are targeting expansion of our universe of you’ve been working in SDI for 30 years and all of reluctance to invest in IP as SDI replacement.” 2022 interop with other companies, which is a a sudden it’s based on servers this requires Ericsson Broadcast & Media Services, CTO huge step forward required by the industry.” different skills sets. You can retrain them, but they Steve Plunkett, is more conciliatory. “The will still think like engineers. The lack of skillsets proprietary implementations prove the technical Overcoming the skills sets issue are a big barrier to IP live.” viability of IP as a transport medium,” he says. In any case, the issue may soon be redundant. Quantel’s pitch is don’t hold off on IP plant “They are providing real world experience that in With technologies of 40GbE and 100GbE already infrastructure but do so with the confidence that turn feeds into a general body of knowledge of out of the labs (and in place at Disney/ABC) the the investment is going to be used for the lifecycle professional media over IP and they offer short velocity of advance in IT should iron out of the equipment and won’t block you out of term solutions to organisations who need to temporary capacity restrictions though not future standards. “We’ve engineered IP interfaces implement now. However, they are not viable in necessarily cost. into live SDI product like Kahuna and Sirius so the long term. The industry needs scale to reduce “SDI routers are based on a price per port we can offer an immediate hybrid approach,” says costs and that will not be achieved with closed while IP is typically on amount of bandwidth,” Felstead. vendor specific solutions.” explains Felstead. “If you put video over IP IP has already swept through contribution and According to Imagine’s Eksten the major unconstrained in bandwidth you may have a distribution and will inevitably become the broadcast kit players are talking 2022 interop problem cost-wise. If you use uncompressed defacto signal route for live. The opportunities are SD 200Mbps you’ve got less of a simply too compelling. Snell S800 range problem “Competition from internet and cable but if you use HD, 3G or 4K is intense on broadcasters which have bandwidth consumption quickly incredible opportunities to interject advertising becomes an issue.” into their programming,” argues Eksten. “That is More significantly for some is the not the case in broadcast but it can be and needs human factor. IP requites not just a to be. change in technology but a change in “IP means not having to CapEx a bunch of the way people do things. “The equipment every time you want to launch a required network systems for 4K over channel but by using virtualised networks and IP are complex and expensive,” says compute resource to spin-up a channel in hours IJkhout. “Traditional engineers at rather than month. And then it turns off again as broadcasters are very video oriented needs be. and it will take time – and, being hon- “When you start to see 2022 capability in pure est, often different people - to make software, the ability to scale and change network the transition into IP engineering.” routers to adapt to new business parameters is just Adam Cox, head of broadcast phenomenal.”

42 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

IPproduction_.indd 3 19/08/2015 12:54:41 Risks

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Smart Home

GreenPeak.indd 1 26/08/2015 12:11:14 Smart Home

f you’ve ever longed for the day when your wrist watch can control your fridge, or your Joined up thinking curtains can talk to your TV, then it’s time to get excited because the era of the Smart Home could soon be upon us. The concept of the Smart Home has been a Cisco has forecast that by end of this source of wonder in science ﬁ ction for decades, decade there will be some 50 billion but only now is it gaining real traction as an Ithings with web connections worldwide, among them cameras, cars, fridges and televisions, and array of internet-connected devices, industry many experts believe it won’t be long before these devices can communicate with and control each initiatives and consumer interest drive the other (many already do in M2M scenarios). market forward. Stephen Cousins reports According to a recent report by ABI Research, global revenues for Smart Home automation systems will be worth an estimated $34 billion by Google and Apple are doing, some trying for Tom Kerber, director of research on home 2020, with the US market alone expected to grow standards-based initiatives to drive an open controls and energy at Parks, notes: “While lights, 21% annually between 2015 and 2020. environment [Cisco recently partnered with ABB locks, cameras, and thermostats are leading the Major consumer technology brands are and Bosch on the Mosaiq open Smart Home way, the list of products that offer connectivity positioning themselves to become market leaders venture]. It will take three-to-four years to watch has grown dramatically. Today you can purchase in the Smart Home sector. Last year, Google all of that play out, and to identify the compelling a variety of Smart appliances, sprinkler bought out Smart systems manufacturer Nest for services the consumer wants to embrace. In five controllers, ceiling fans, smoke detectors, pet $3.2 billion, and this May unveiled Brillo, a years’ time we should have a robust and trackers, plant monitors.” version of Android OS designed to work in almost interoperable space with a clear set of services any connected device. It’s rival, Apple, also put with meaningful value.” Interconnected opportunities out HomeKit on iOS 8, a developer framework PayTV operators and telcos’ presence in the Despite this progress, most devices are still designed to enable apps to communicate with and Smart Home space has, so far, focused on controlled independently, it is only when systems control devices in the home. provision of home security and home automation can fully inter-communicate with each other that Smart Homes is also a major pull for payTV services, mainly in the US, and home energy consumers will see the benefits of a true Smart operators and telcos, which are now moving to management, mainly in Europe. AT&T’s popular Home. For example, when approaching the front add another service layer to their existing Digital Life home security and automation door, your Smart watch could unlock it, entertainment offers. Key verticals in the space platform, currently available in over 63 US deactivate the alarm and, depending on the time include home security monitoring and control, markets, enables users to remotely open and lock of day, tell your kettle to boil, or tell your fridge to home energy management, home healthcare and doors and windows, monitor CCTV and adjust dispense a cold beer. assisted living for the elderly. indoor temperatures using a Smartphone, tablet, One could imagine a situation where IoT The reality of the integrated Smart Home may or PC. A similar service is offered to Comcast’s presence sensors, used in the home alarm system be closer than ever before, but certain challenges broadband subscribers, using Xfinity Home, and could perform a role in recommending must be overcome before it can gain widespread Time Warner Cable’s, using Intelligent Home. entertainment content, identifying who is in a market penetration. Consumers continue to “Many of these operators are looking beyond room and providing the best entertainment grapple with limited product ranges: for example, their high speed broadband and PayTV offerings options for each person individually or as a group. Nest currently only offers a Smart thermostat, to find opportunities for ARPU growth in the The same system could control the home audio security camera and a fire alarm; high costs, future … many are now entering the market to system, using data from sensors to automatically compared to similar unconnected devices; and a take advantage of the growth created as security adjust music to follow the person from room to lack of understanding of what the technology has services expand to include Smart Home devices,” room. to offer. Meanwhile, the development of says Brett Sappington, director of research at Some firms are exploring how interconnected conflicting Smart Home standards, protocols and market research firm Parks Associates. devices can contribute more to home security, communication technologies, by a range of This expansion is being driven by an explosion says Charles Dawes, senior director of different groups, has made the market confusing in the number of Smart internet-connected international marketing at Rovi: “Controlling and fragmented. appliances on the market. According to figures lights so they dim to the right level for particular Ken Morse, CTO of connected devices and from Parks Associates, roughly 80% of new films could also provide that ‘at home’ feeling video infrastructure at Cisco, comments: “The security system installations have the ability to be when you are not in. It is already possible to link industry is going through a phase of different controlled by a mobile device, and 40% of new smoke detectors to each other so that detectors Smart Home eco systems being pulled together by thermostats provide remote monitoring and upstairs sound when those downstairs activate, different people, some proprietary, such as what control capability via a mobile. but taken to the next level, sensors could be

46 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

GreenPeak.indd 2 26/08/2015 12:11:15 Smart Home

New levels of security The challenges of a fragmented market also raise concerns over security, if integrated smart homes go mainstream consumers must be confident that their personal data is protected and their homes are not susceptible to attack by hackers. Stuart Rosove, VP of IoT at media protection specialist Irdeto comments: “There are a broad range of threats associated with the IoT. These can run from cyber-vandalism disruption, all the way to theft of personal information such as payment details and cyber ransom, which is where control of a device is seized and released on payment. As more devices, such as cookers and vehicles, become connected, the potential for destructive action by malicious parties becomes a more intimidating prospect and could possibly

Image courtesy of GreenPeak Image courtesy amount to physical harm rather than theft or disruption.” To prevent security breaches, Irdeto claims low-level security, as low as at kernel level, is configured to automatically call the emergency ZigBee market and provider of RF chips for the vital, as well as a holistic view of the home services when you are out of the house.” Smart Home, envisions a future where network network covering software/application Other key vertical applications are home technologies are used in combination. Links says security, communication security and anti- healthcare provision and assisted living for the these could coexist in different arrangements virus/anti-malware. elderly or disabled. Cisco is working with “a depending on the application. For example, a “Importantly, these key technologies cannot major healthcare company” to examine the motion sensor might connect to a CCTV camera work independent of one another, they should possibility of developing a health at home-type of over the internet using ZigBee, and when it be coordinated or orchestrated in order to service, enabling connectivity to talk to devices triggers the camera, video is played over the provide optimal device configuration and and sensors needed to carry out rudimentary internet via WiFi. policy management,” he argues. health checks, and tying in with remote video to Conflict over standards and protocols is, of perform consultation sessions in the home. course typical of a nascent market, where STB, could play a key role in coordinating Smart different companies position themselves to take Home services, acting as a hub for all related Standards and protocols hinder control of a particular segment. In other sectors, activity. A recent report from Sandler Research interoperability the industry has worked together to ensure such forecast that the global ZigBee STB market will But creating a fully interoperable ecosystem where systems work, such as with WiFi or HomePlug, to grow by 20.89% annually from 2014 to 2019. all devices in the home are able to speak to one enable consumers to use tools from different ZigBee is also gradually replacing IR another could pose the biggest challenge for the vendors. “As the Smart Home develops further technology in remote controls to enable advanced Smart Home industry over the coming years as a this is also something that will have to come into gesture, motion, and touch control, whilst vast array of distinct software platforms and play in order for the concept to move into the removing line-of-sight limitations. wireless protocols evolve. mainstream,” said Rovi’s Dawes. “PayTV operators are ideally positioned to take Alongside proprietary IoT device control In this vein several different groups set up to advantage of the Smart Home, as long as they are platforms set up by Google and Apple, platforms improve Smart Home interoperability, including innovative and aggressive enough to drive the cost based on open standards have been established by Thread, headed up by Google and Nest, the Open of products down,” says Greenpeak’s Links. “We Samsung, with SmartThings, Qualcomm, with Interconnect Consortium, led by Intel and believe there is a very strong undercurrent that AllJoyn, mBed with ARM, and Cisco’s Mosaiq. Samsung, and the AllSeen Alliance, formed by this is going to happen because quality decision In addition, an array of distinct Smart Home LG, Haier, Sharp, Panasonic, Microsoft, making is based on data and the need to collect wireless protocols has evolved, including ZigBee, Qualcomm and Cisco. The goal of all three is to data from the entire home.” Z-Wave, WiFi, Bluetooth and Bluetooth LE. create interoperability with low energy In other words, operators could play a key role Cees Links, CEO of Greenpeak Technologies, consumption. in laying the foundations for this brave new one of the leaders in the IEEE 802.15.4 and Looking to the future, the home gateway, or connected world.

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 47

GreenPeak.indd 3 26/08/2015 12:11:23 Expert commentary

home gateways. Because they have enabled these What do operators need boxes to use ZigBee as the connection between the box and the remote control, these operators have essentially opened the door to a diverse to know about ZigBee spectrum of new services and devices. Once ZigBee is in the box – whether it is a standalone home control box, part of an internet gateway, or How the Remote Control & Set-Top Box even built into a TV set, ZigBee connectivity can generate new services and proﬁ ts. By enables a central control point for the new home cloud. Cees Links, Founder & CEO of GreenPeak Technologies Why have Operators selected ZigBee for their Remote Controls? End users really like it! By using a RF (radio veryone is talking about the frequency) based technology like ZigBee, Smart Home and the Internet of consumers no longer have to aim and shoot their Things. The potential is almost remote controls to change channels, raise the limitless. Today, a typical home volume, control movies and shows, etc. ZigBee may have between five or ten shares the same range capabilities as WiFi. This connected devices but within a means users don’t need to be within 10 feet or so decade, a Smart Home could of their TV set or set-top box like they have to do Eeasily have over a hundred different connected with an IR (infrared) based remote control. sentrollers in the building - sensors and cameras ZigBee transmits through furniture walls, floors, tracking and sensing, local and cloud based etc. This means that the set-top box no longer has controllers to manage the network, and actuators to be out in the open. It can be hidden away that can turn on and off the various devices and inside a cabinet or a closet or even in the next appliances, controlling almost every aspect of the room. home. This includes home monitoring and ZigBee requires a lot less power than IR. environmental control, entertainment, health Because of ZigBee’s low power operating monitoring, energy efficiency, etc. - all the ways specifications, it is possible to design a remote our houses can automatically make our lives more control that never needs to have its battery comfortable and efficient. changed or recharged. Originally developed about a decade ago, the ZigBee is essentially a low-power version of ZigBee wireless communications protocol has WiFi. Because it only needs to send few bits of become very common in cable and web data every once in a while, it does not require the connected homes worldwide. Comcast, EchoStar, bandwidth or the power needed for streaming and many other major operators are putting video or audio, gaming, voice, etc. In tests, it has ZigBee in almost all their new set-top boxes and been proven that a small watch type battery can provide enough power to energize a ZigBee radio for many years. The real controlling factor is the actual lifetime of the battery. Assuming the battery itself lasts, the battery will be able to power the device’s radio for the lifetime of the device. This makes the remote control essentially

Image courtesy of GreenPeak Image courtesy maintenance free. And this also means no support calls because of dead batteries in the remote! Two-way interactivity. ZigBee is a two-way communication technology – unlike IR which only goes from the remote to the set-top box or TV set. This interactivity enables a variety of new features. One interesting capability is the so-called “Find Me” button. By pressing a small button on their set-top box or TV, or even activating it

48 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

GreenPeak.indd 4 26/08/2015 16:15:33 Expert commentary

“One very interesting Smart Home application is what is known as Family Lifestyle Monitoring.”

– degradation in the inhabitant’s lifestyle – is it taking them longer to walk from one room to another or are they sleeping more than they have in the past?

online via their smart phone or tablet, users can security and alerts. An internet connected Summary make their “lost” remote control start beeping and doorbell could capture and transmit an image of These new features, enabled by ZigBee in the set- flashing, making it a lot easier to find. whoever is knocking on the front door – giving top box and in the remote, provide a wide range ZigBee offers a path to new services and income the customer the option of answering the door or of new services and profit centers for operators. possibilities. The two-way interactivity also ignoring the visitor and continuing to watch their End users enjoy the features and the convenience provides a variety of interesting opportunities for programming. If there is someone opening a of ZigBee. Whether it is for managing the home’s the operator. One of the biggest challenges for the locked door or breaking into the garage, an alert security and environment, providing better control end user is how to program in new equipment could be sent to the remote control – as well as to of entertainment and services, or even monitoring master codes and how to update their system. the TV screen. our lifestyles to make sure we stay healthy and Because of the ZigBee remote control’s safe, the Smart Home is coming. Operators need interactivity, software updates and device codes The next step beyond the TV to understand the technology and its possibilities can now be downloaded from the set-top box into The ZigBee remote control and set-top box could so that they can ride this wave of Smart Home the remote control, thereby eliminating one of the easily expand beyond controlling the and IoT excitement to keep existing customers as most common sources for customer complaint entertainment experience and the TV screen. well as generate new subscribers. calls and expensive truck rolls. Home services are a rapidly growing sector and The two-way interactivity also opens the door potential profit center for operators targeting the Cees Links is the founder and CEO of for a wide range of communication, advertising Smart Home. GreenPeak. Under his responsibility, and service opportunities. The operator could One very interesting Smart Home application the first wireless LANs were developed, send out alerts and messages regarding new is what is known as Family Lifestyle Monitoring. ultimately becoming household programming, new features and new channels. In By using a small network of sensor devices – technology integrated into PCs and case of emergency, alerts could be broadcasted connecting to the internet via the set-top box or notebooks. He also pioneered the development of over the remotes – even if the TV set is not turned gateway, it is possible to track and monitor the access points, home networking routers, and hotspot on. The operator could recognize what shows and daily movement of those living at home. Currently base stations. commercials the viewer is being exposed to and being rolled out in China, this technology is He was involved in the establishment of the IEEE then instantaneously send downloadable coupons targeted to the families and care givers who need 802.11 standardization committee and the WiFi and special offers. the ability to know that their elderly relatives - Alliance. And, he was instrumental in establishing One interesting feature, being tested in Japan, who insist on living independently and do not the IEEE 802.15 standardization committee to is a buy button that links to the programming that want any intrusive cameras watching them or ugly become the basis for the ZigBee sense and control is being watched. For example, if the customer is pendants hanging around the neck, are up, networking. watching a shopping channel, instead of having to moving and doing fine. Using just four In 2005 Cees started with GreenPeak get on the phone or hop on a computing device, inconspicuous sensors in the home, the system is Technologies. GreenPeak is a fabless semiconductor they could simply hit the buy button and instantly able to “learn” the daily movements of the company and the leader in the ZigBee market with a complete the transaction. A similar feature could inhabitants and if there is a dramatic change, can rich offering of semiconductor products and software be used for instantaneous voting and polling for send an alert to the proper person or authority. In technologies for Smart Home data communications reality shows and talent contests. addition, this Senior Lifestyle System is smart and the Internet of Things. This interactivity could even include home enough to also recognize slow changes and trends You can contact GreenPeak at greenpeak.com

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 49

GreenPeak.indd 5 26/08/2015 12:11:36 Cloud playout

storage, editing, branding Is cloud-based playout the and graphics can all be covered by cloud-based technology. Advocates of future? cloud claim that without embracing it, traditional Cloud is not yet ready for all aspects of playout functionality broadcast providers will be unable to compete with but it can’t be ignored any longer, says Anna Tobin OTT incumbents. “The technology stack, loud playout is what everyone in using cloud for its OTT and on-demand services, development practices and operational content provision is talking but doesn’t feel the technology is ready yet to approaches used in the OTT domain are very about. Probe a little deeper, deliver the quality of service it requires across the good at delivering flexibility, agility and however, and you soon discover rest of its network. innovation in the face of rapidly changing that the concept means Disney/ABC in the US, meanwhile, is probably viewer behaviour,” says Steve Plunkett, CTO, different things to different the largest early adopter. It’s in the process of Broadcast and Media Services, Ericsson. “If we providers. moving all of its linear cable channels to the can embrace that approach, without breaking C“The ‘cloud’ is a wide term,” explains Ben cloud, while the idea of moving its live broadcasts the reliability associated with linear TV, then Gidley, director of multiscreen solutions at Irdeto. to the cloud is on the back burner. we can be better placed for the future.” He, like “It has become something of an industry buzzword, Putting aside rights issues and cultural and many in the industry, doesn’t feel that this point covering everything from on-demand to private economic barriers, using remote storage in the has been reached yet with cloud, but the potential clouds.” To add to the confusion, not all cloud cloud, playout can ultimately facilitate total global is perceived. providers offer the same services and capabilities. connectivity to content on any screen. It means Many are evolving with their market. Cloud use that content can not only be watched from Speed and scale by traditional broadcasters is very much in its anywhere, but also controlled from anywhere. It’s “What cloud offers that we don’t get in the infancy, some organisations are barely dipping not perfect yet, but every aspect of playout from traditional broadcast world is scalability and their toes into the space, whilst others have dived integrated automation, digital asset management, speed of deployment,” explains Stephen Smith, straight in. BSkyB in the UK, for example, is master control activities, video servers, content CTO cloud at Imagine Communications. “In a traditional broadcast model if you want to launch a temporary or transient channel to cover say the Olympics or a sporting event that is only going to be occurring for a couple of months, the capital investment required to put the infrastructure together to do that and then have it sit idle, just doesn’t make sense. You are not going to spend that money so you end up in a scenario where you don’t do things, because you can’t do things,” says Smith. Cloud technologies make all this feasible; and, because cloud technologies are largely offered on

“I am not aware of any cloud service with the elasticity and bandwidth to manage a peak Image courtesy of Ericsson network drawer.”

50 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

CloudPayout_.indd 1 26/08/2015 16:09:28 Cloud playout

NOC image courtesy of Nevion

a leasing basis, companies can easily and rapidly moving the actual playout to the edge - the cable, pushing video to cloud providers without pre- scale up and down. It’s this flexibility, elasticity satellite, and IPTV headends - and managing transcoding, which can lead to delays in content and speed to market that will give those that these playouts through a cloud-based management reaching viewers, which is clearly not acceptable employ it a competitive edge. stack. This provides the best of both worlds — for live content.” From a business perspective cloud playout 99.99 per cent guaranteed SLAs at the edge and Currently, a mix of cloud and traditional is particularly attractive to VOD offerings, centralised management through the cloud.” infrastructure is necessary to achieve playout specifically in the OTT arena points out Gidley perfection emphasises Pete Elvidge, head of at Irdeto. “OTT is no longer broadcasting, as Going hybrid media management at Globecast, “Pure cloud has such, and is instead more like many simulcasts. Retaining the best from the old and merging it limitations, particularly around quality, of channel To deal with this situation, operators must with the benefits of the new are what many presentation and, quality of service – in particular scale with the peaks and troughs to allow for players are opting for. As the capital set-up and recovery time in case of any issues. changes in demand, something that cloud allows running costs of cloud playout are relatively cheap “Private infrastructure brings a layer of relatively easily. compared with standard playout it makes it reliability, stability and security to cloud “Additionally, cloud playout offers operators a particularly attractive to newcomers. For existing approaches that gives broadcasters the best true global reach without having to physically broadcasters, however, writing off their tried and balance of quality and cost-efficiency. Using a invest in hardware and other equipment to offer tested hardware systems and moving over to less pure cloud solution is perceived to be cheaper broadcast services in different regions.” stable cloud services requires a significant than traditional playout, but it often isn’t when The minimal capital investment required is investment and could put their QoS at risk. This total cost of operation are considered. If a another of cloud’s biggest draws emphasises K. A. is why most traditional broadcasters looking to channel feed is not broadcast securely in the best Srinivasan, co-founder of Amagi. “It eliminates adopt cloud are keen to look at hybrid models quality then you lose air time and customers, so the need for large, expensive data centres and that allow them to merge their existing legacy it’s a false economy.” huge CAPEX investments in playout systems with cloud-based services. Whilst Matt Parker, director of new business infrastructure. It leverages the power of elastic Cloud playout still has teething problems and development at Edgeware, foresees cloud services computing infrastructure on the cloud, thereby downsides, concedes Gidley at Irdeto. “Indeed, being able to take on live mass content in the providing both advanced playout capabilities, as for live OTT and live broadcast, cloud playout can future, he also believes it is too premature to rely well as a scalable delivery infrastructure; and, it be an expensive option, with video being in the on currently. “With our customers we use cloud enables TV networks to leverage scalable storage broadcast centre, which then needs an uplink to for certain functions and features that lend on the cloud to have a centralised media asset the cloud, having the potential to dramatically themselves to working effectively in that manor - management capability. increase cost, depending on location… load balancing, session management and viewer “Solutions such as Amagi’s CLOUDPORT go “For live broadcast, cloud playout is not yet the analytics, but the actual last mile playout push all one step further by eliminating the delivery of most efficient method of bringing content to goes through hardware still. broadcast content through satellite and fibre, viewers. There are distinct challenges in reliably “At the moment, I am not aware of any cloud

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 51

CloudPayout_.indd 2 26/08/2015 16:10:21 Cloud playout

service that could offer the level of elasticity and Sundance Channel Global has regionalised its content in Brazil by using Amagi’s cloud- bandwidth to manage a peak drawer on the based technology network. If the streaming fails on the Football World Cup final, for example, you have a very serious problem. So for actual raw playout and guaranteed streaming efficiency and streaming bandwidth, we still feel that there is a need at this point for a hardware accelerated layer.” There can be a mismatch between the highly deterministic needs of a real-time playout chain and the best effort cloud model, adds Plunkett at Ericsson. “This can be mitigated with the right infrastructure, architecture and software, but it’s imminent in the near future,” he predicts. technology with a view to expanding this at a later not easy. The cloud also requires IP and software New opportunities for targeting stage will find it very difficult to compete in the only components, which today can mean making Whilst it’s not yet perfect, cloud playout has huge future with those that have embraced the best bits compromises on functionality, vendor choice and potential for creating new business and revenue of it from the start. Don’t be complacent, a wait interoperability as the industry migration to those opportunities emphasises Smith at Imagine and see approach won’t work here. technologies continues. Finally, the economics of Communications. One of cloud technologies always-on infrastructure, which is often associated revenue boosting strengths, for example, is Disney/ABC goes into the cloud with a playout chain, means that the public cloud enabling targeted customisation. Imagine Communications said the media might not offer best value today. To truly benefit from such possibilities, industry witnessed a watershed moment when “There is work yet to be completed before we however, broadcasters need to totally rethink their Disney/ABC decided to transition its global can truly embrace the cloud and use it to replace business models, Smith says. “They need to programming playout, delivery and network our current broadcast environments. This realise, for example, that it is better to have one operations to an IP cloud architecture. includes the switch from SDI to IP, hardware short commercial targeted to individual Likening it to Dylan going electric, Imagine centric products to software centric products, consumers not the broader audience. In scenarios noted that Disney may not be the first to different licensing approaches and a clearer vision where somebody has a platform that can deliver recognise the benefits of cloud-based playout of what television in its many forms could and an asset to a specific demographic, for example, and delivery, but it is the largest and “most should look like so that we can build for that and they can prove that they are delivering it, they influential point of light in the media industry future, rather than simply migrate and then get more money for that spot even though it is firmament” to commit to IP. emulate the old.” seen by fewer people.” Whilst newcomers may “By leveraging evolving IP and Cloud Whilst Srinivasan concedes that cloud-layout is cotton on to this quickly, the established players technologies, we are able to move beyond currently best suited to pre-recorded program- may have a harder time coming around to this what’s currently possible with traditional ming, he is confident that this will change. way of thinking. proprietary “Big Iron” broadcast “Given the rapid pace with which technology And, the technology that enables such infrastructures,” said Vince Roberts, executive advances, live TV support on the cloud seems pinpointing of advertising also makes it possible vice president, global operations and chief for operators to create very localised content technology officer, Disney/ABC Television targeted at specific audiences. This is another Group. “Our shared vision and close revenue stream just waiting to be tapped and to collaboration will enable Disney/ABC succeed the old timers must realise that they can’t Television Group to take a uniquely innovative just leave this opportunity to the new players. approach to the next generation of television Right now the cloud is ideal for channels looking and media distribution platforms.” to test new areas, highlights Elvidge at Globecast. The enabler behind Disney’s new playout “It allows them to quickly and cost-effectively and delivery infrastructure is Imagine’s launch into new markets while complying VersioCloud, an IP-enabled, integrated with local regulations, broadcasting in a local playout-in-the-cloud solution. According to a language or with local subtitles and engaging recent survey conducted by Imagine with local audiences – without the need for a Communications, nearly 40 per cent of long term commitment.” respondents say migration to IP is a top Cloud is not yet ready to take on every aspect priority for 2015. Nearly as many have placed of playout, but it is becoming an essential tool in moving infrastructure to the cloud near the Imagine’s cloud playout solution is the operation. It can’t be ignored. Those operators top of their to-do lists for the coming year. powering Disney’s move to the cloud who do not adopt at least some aspects of cloud

52 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

CloudPayout_.indd 3 24/08/2015 08:44:26 eSports

producer dictates. Mics on Esports is a net hot property the gamers can pick up their reactions and Adrian Pennington reports on the rising phenomenon of commentary and VTs of player personalities add to electronic sports and gaming the programming mix. Amazon Web Services lectronic sports has flown under Gaming’s MLG.tv, Electronic Sports League hosts Azubu live streams with Akamai as CDN the radar, first receiving (ESL.tv - based out of Germany and owned by and and Brightcove as online video platform plus attention with massive Turtle Entertainment) and Twitch.tv for which Brightcove Zencoder to power video playback, multiplayer online games, and Amazon paid nearly $1 billion last year and live transcoding and ad insertion on mobile now at the tipping point of mass records a monthly audience in excess of 100 phones, PCs and tablets. entertainment. million. The success of Twitch has forced Google “We weaponise all of that by taking the core The worldwide eSports to launch YouTube Gaming with an emphasis on technology and making sure it’s the right kind of Eaudience could reach 153 million by 2016 streaming live events played out like a traditional viewing experience for the e-sports fan by (SuperData). According to IHS Technology, 2.4 outside broadcast in stadium venues. overlaying the stats, making sure there are ingest billion hours of eSports video were watched There are already instances of piracy of points in places like Brazil so the Brazilian online in 2014, rising to 6.6 billion in three years live streamed feeds. Earlier this year Riot issued e-sports scene have the ability to stream; and by which time the sport’s global value will exceed a takedown notice to a restreamer of the feed enabling live chat through social media to $1 billion (SuperData). of one its popular players (Faker), an issue contextualise play,” says Sharpe. The reason is not hard to fathom. The audience which has proved controversial in the gaming eSports also affords the opportunity to chat in for e-sports are the millennial generation who community. realtime with players while they are streaming. grew up with a joystick in one hand and Facebook “Rights are very formative right now and not “This potential proximity is another reason for in the other. Marry that with low-delay live well codified,” says Sharpe. “It’s a community esports’ popularity,” says Sharpe. “What we have streaming and increasingly sophisticated driven space and the community has not got its to do is create a good experience for showcasing promotion by games publishers like Riot and you head around the legalities.” these personalities and build a solid global have an online content phenomenon. Native digital content from within the games programme.” “Traditional sports moved from amateur to are ripe for streaming and come with vast volumes Live streaming platforms like Twitch are giving professional leagues and really took off as a of pixel-accurate data. Other potential live eSports a chance to develop a global presence. televised property when groups like IMG allied gameplay data includes a player’s biometrics and Instead of isolating players in national leagues, with players and sports bodies to create premium team interactions, such as eye tracking, brain networks are intent on opening access to players brands licensed rights,” explains Ian Sharpe, CEO states, heart rate, skin response and facial patterns in Brazil, or Korea to Europe and vice versa. at games streaming network Azubu. “Esports is to give deeper insight into the performance of an “There is a realtime transparency between growing on a similar trajectory but at a much eSports player. gamers and the fan community which is unique,” more rapid rate. A decade ago the best known On top of that, multi-camera OB productions says Sharpe. pro-players had limited appeal outside the sport. provide close-ups of the gamers (especially their Esports primary home will be online but that Now, they have huge followings which are hand movements); wider positions of the venue’s hasn’t stopped traditional broadcasters getting beginning to transcend eSports.” spectators watching talent on giant screens. involved. ESPN partnered with Red Bull to Among the largest networks are Major League Moves can be watched in replay if the live show’s broadcast The International 4 — the annual world championships of Dota 2 – from Seattle’s KeyArena on ESPN 3 last year. Red Bull has built a dedicated studio in LA to promote live event Esports athletes on par with its other extreme Azubu Beta sport brands. “A lot of media companies are waking up to this and working out how they can be part of it,” says Sharpe. Disney is one to watch. With live sports network ESPN and short-form video creator Maker Studios – which also has the largest content network on YouTube – it has the components to tap the global eSports community.

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 53

Gaming.indd 2 26/08/2015 16:13:51 Survey

Which of the following statements best reflects your views on recommendations: Information is power % What role do recommendations and analytics play 1. in video, and can you do more to tap their value?

2. 6% seeing no value whatsoever. 3. ata & analytics is a hot topic, Mostly, respondents would like to be able to with the online video industry use analytics to understand user preference, 4. waking up to the potential it something which ties in with earlier responses.

5. offers to all manner of But analytics collection can also fulfil a range of operations. One UK commercial priorities in the next 12 – 18 months, broadcaster, Channel 4, even including in order of popularity: Churn 0 10 20 30 40 50 described data as the new oil Reduction, Content Targeting, Targeting User Dof the digital era. Groups, Advertising targeting, Commercial 1. Recommendations tell me more about my One aspect revolves around search, discovery Package Offerings and content acquisition. users interests and recommendations. Linking audiences with In answer to the question ‘What 2. Recommendations help me target the right the content they want to watch or would recommendations parameters do you currently content at my users potentially be interested in watching is hugely use?’, there was once again a clear interest in what Recommendations3. Recommendations tell me allow more me to about get more my of users interests my catalogue seen by my users lucrative, especially in this connected day and age, recommendations can reveal about a user’s 4. Recommendations are generally valuable but don’t and where there is a tsunami of content across interests. This mirrors the feeling shown in Q2. have any specific standout value to my business Recommendations help me target the right content at mydisparate users platforms (even finding the right It is not hard to see why. Finding the right 5. Recommendations are worthless to me content across a single service can be hard work content to watch continues to be a challenge for for consumers: choice can be daunting). And consumers, both online and within pay TV Recommendations allow me to get more of my catalogue seen by mynobody users wants lost revenue opportunities. subscription packages, and consequently anything With this in mind, CSI partnered together that helps broadcasters or service providers do so Recommendations are generally valuable but don't have any specific standout value to my businesswith online video solutions specialist Piksel would be of great interest to the consumer. to gauge our readers’ views of how they see Following closely behind is the importance and use recommendations and analytics in a given to recommendations based on the device Recommendations are worthlessdigital-first to me age. being used at the time. Operators and content Among the respondents, there was a relative owners both attach great value to knowing how even split between those who currently use some consumers behave with different devices and the kind of recommendation technology to those who context in which they are doing so. If content is What recommendations parameters don’t (with the rest, perhaps surprisingly, unsure). king then certainly context is queen. would you like to be using? Of these, 58% currently use some kind of Going more granular was of lower interest, analytics technology on their video service, 22% with recommendations based on ‘like/dislike on a don’t, with a further 20% unsure. program level’, ‘time/availability of content (e.g. Indeed, the vast majority (almost half) said when it is broadcasted or when it becomes 14% that recommendations help with targeting the available in a VoD library)’, and ‘social graph 28% right content with the right audience (see chart). information (e.g. profiles from Facebook, Twitter, So surfacing content is one very important benefit etc.)’ all scoring lower response levels. 21% here. Recommendations also have value in terms In terms of what recommendations parameters of finding out about users’ interests and also allow those taking the survey would like to be using, 18% more of a catalogue to be seen by users (around 28% say they would like ‘Context, device data’. 19% 18% for both). The rest simply find Again, we hear OTT/payTV operators and recommendations to be generally of value. broadcasters talk a lot about the context in which

Localized data, 18% Anything an operator can do to help a device is being used so our survey reaffirms Genre preference data, 19% subscribers get more out of the content they pay these assumptions. Individual data on likes and dislikes, 21% for will help them build a more immersive Of the rest, individual data on likes and dislikes Collect ageing data on time of day, 14% experience. To this end, a big majority (68%) say came in second at 21%, genre preference data on weekend, seasonal they find recommendations to be of critical value 19%, localized data at just under 18% and wanting Context, device data, 28% to their business, with a quarter unsure and only to collect ageing data on time of day, weekend,

54 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

pixsel.indd 1 26/08/2015 16:12:40 Survey

seasonal and so on last at 14%. usage dominates consumption, it is undeniable How are you currently using analytics data When asked what is the biggest challenge they that audience behaviour is changing and the to inform your recommendations engine? are facing with recommendations, it becomes industry needs to embrace the digital % clear that finding the right solution that offers all opportunity. Better recommendations definitely required functionalities tops the list (with 27% has tangible results. 20 voting this way). As the market landscape and The subject of analytics, recommendations, consumer habits become more complex so it search and discovery will be one of the key seems is the need for a flexible platform that can themes at IBC this year. Connected devices respond to changing requirements. offer new opportunities for empowered, but 15 One of the barriers to operators providing equally they also open greater complexity, more robust search and recommendations tools meaning this topic will likely remain prevalent for customers is the increasing complexity of going into 2016 and beyond. implementing and managing the solution. With this in mind, almost 22% thought handling and Piksel provides the tools and the insights for 10 ingestion of data was the critical hurdle, while you to master intelligent recommendations 21% said it was the costs of back-end integration. and personalization to address consumer Also related to cost, running cost came in at 19% content discovery. and, lastly, at 10% were costs related to front-end While data collection is now standard. We

integration. place great emphasis on gathering the right 5 Regarding recommendations in a mobile information, and then transforming that data into environment, there would seem to be a gap in the actionable insights using analysis – something market, as the majority (almost one in four) not that we call ‘value-based analytics’. It’s the process currently having the capability implemented in of deriving real meaning from data collected to

their video service, although stating it is in the make search, discovery and recommendations 0 road map for the next one to three years. more intuitive and hyper-personalized than ever. When asked ‘How are you currently using Better content discovery begins with context. analytics data to inform your recommendations Only by starting to understand the different engine?’, it was a close call between User content choices that users make throughout the

Preferences at 19% and Content Targeting with day depending on time, location, who they are Churn reduction User Preferences Content Targeting Content 18%. Targeting user groups (14%), Advertising with, what device they’re using and so on, can Advertising Targeting Advertising Targeting (12%), Programme acquisition & providers begin to offer tailor-made services for the user groups Targeting development (11.11%), Commercial package individual which drive deeper engagement. This

offerings (11%) and Churn reduction (10%) were sets in motion a valuable feedback loop to help content & editorial Feautured Commercial package offerings Commercial all relatively prominent, with ‘Featured & editorial validate strategies and adapt services to changing content’ coming bottom at 4%. demands, ultimately impacting churn and revenues.

Zeroing in on advertisements, respondents See our latest thinking around this new era of acquisition & development Programme stressed the importance of targeting. Almost 60% hyper-personalization at piksel.com/insights. use analytics to target their ads, compared to 27% who don’t, with a further 15% proclaiming no relevance as they don’t do ads. Happily, 66% of respondents say that using analytics has improved their recommendations targeting, while 23% intend to. On the flipside, 9% Has using analytics improved your recommendations targeting? If so, how? don’t collect analytics and only 2% complain of 9% having ‘too much data to crunch’. 52% 2% All in all, while data throws a new set of yes - significantly challenges, it also opens a vast opportunity the yes - somewhat we don’t collect analytics online video industry can tap into. The more 23% No - we have too much data to crunch forward-looking broadcasters and media no but we intend to companies are trying to make data the heart of 14% their business, partly for the various reasons explored in this survey. While people, even younger viewers, still turn to the TV first and TV

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 55

pixsel.indd 2 26/08/2015 12:55:25 2015

Congratulations to this year’s finalists

Awards ceremony, Friday 11 September 2015, IBC Amsterdam, 6:00PM - 7:15pm Room E102

Best digital video processing technology Best monitoring or network management solution • ARRIS - ME-7000 Converged Video Compression Platform • Cisco - Prime Home • Cisco - Videoscape Virtualized Video Processing • Conviva – Precision • Elemental Technologies - Unified Linear TV Delivery • Viavi Solutions - Video Service Assurance (VSA) • Envivio - Muse Live 4.0 • Nevion - VideoIPath • Harmonic - Electra X advanced media processors • Skyline Communications - DataMiner • V-Nova International - PERSEUS by V-Nova • Witbe - OTT End-to-End Monitoring Solution

Best cable or fibre contribution/distribution/transmission Best content protection technology solution • Ericsson - Digital Rights Management • ARRIS - AgileMax RFoG Optical Distribution • Irdeto - Keys & Credentials • Cisco - cBR-8 Converged Broadband Router • NAGRA - anyCAST CONNECT • Net Insight - The Nimbra OT 100 for 4K video • NexGuard - Subscriber-level Forensic Watermarking • Thinklogical - TLX Series 10G KVM and Video Extension of UHD VOD Content and Matrix Switching System • Verimatrix - VCAS Ultra

Best satellite contribution/distribution/transmission solution Best content-on-demand solution • Ericsson - DVB-S2X Functionality • Aspera - FASPStream • Harmonic - Ellipse 3202 contribution encoder • Clearleap Multiscreen Platform • International Datacasting Corporation - LASER Targeted Ad & • SeaChange International - Rave Program Insertion Solution • TV2U - TARA TV • SIS - Live DVB/IP share system • Xstream - OTT SVOD Lightbox by Xstream MediaMaker

Best customer premise technology Best interactive TV technology or application • AirTies Wireless Networks - Air 4920 • Applicaster - Live TV Visual Voting • ARRIS - VIP4000 and VIP5000 Series of Set-Tops • Freesat - Showcase • EchoStar Corporation - 4K Joey • Metrological - Application Platform • Humax - Freeview HDR-1800T • Rovi - Personalized Discovery Solution • Orange - Orange TV stick • TiVo - Advanced Television Solutions

56 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

csi_awards2015v4.indd 2 26/08/2015 10:11:35 2015

Best IPTV technology or service Best HbbTV technology or service • Ericsson - MediaFirst • Brightcove - Video Cloud HbbTV Solution • Marvell Semiconductor - ARMADA 1500 PRO 4K • Sofia Digital - HbbTV Platform • Vimond Media Solutions - The Vimond Platform Best data & analytics innovation Best mobile TV technology or service • Crystal - Video Metadata Anlayzer (VMA) • Conax - GO Live • Genius Digital - Frequency and Intensity Test • Motive Television - BYOD • IneoQuest Technologies - Audience Measurement Platform • Piksel - Voyage for Adaptive Streaming (AMP ASM) • SPB TV - Mobile TV Solution • S3 Group - StormTest Warning Center • Tvbeat - Tvbeat Best web TV technology or service • EchoStar Corporation - Sling TV Best cloud/virtualisation innovation • Piksel and Channel 4 - Channel 4 All 4 • ActiveVideo - CloudTV StreamCast • UPC Hungary - Online video and TV apps on existing • Ericsson - Video Storage and Processing Platform set-top boxes • Harmonic - VOS software-based, fully virtualized media processing platform Best ultra HD TV technology or project • Imagine Communications - VersioCloud • Broadcom - BCM7252 Ultra HD Set-top Box • Keepixo - Genova Virtualizable Software System-on-a-chip (STB SoC) • NAGRA - MediaLive Cloud-Based Multiscreen solution • Harmonic - Electra X advanced media processor for the VOO ‘Be tv Go’ OTT service • Sky Deutschland - F4 meet 4k • Technicolor - MediaPlay DSI750, The World First 4K UHD Best smart home product, technology or service Satellite Set-Top Box Deployment • ADB - Smart Home Suite • Thomson Video Networks - ViBE 4K Ultra HD Encoder • EchoStar Corporation - SAGE by Hughes • SoftAtHome - Swisscom Top Speed Media Smart Best TV everywhere/multi-screen video Home solution • ADB - Graphyne TV • Conax - GO Live Best IoT product, technology or application • NAGRA - MediaLive featuring Dynamic Ad Insertion, • Arxan Technologies - Expanded application protection Electronic Sell Through and Download to Go for all major IoT platforms • SPB TV - OTT TV solution for Lebara Play • Cisco - Connected Life • Virgin Media - TV Anywhere • EchoStar Corporation - SAGE by Hughes • Golgi - Golgi Best social TV technology, service or application • LogMeIn – Xively • never.no - Story • Piksel - AT&T U-verse Wearables • Orange - Watch With Twitter • SeaChange - Timeline Find out more: www.csimagazine.com/awards • Vimond Media Solutions – Highlights

2015

www.csimagazine.com September 2015 57

csi_awards2015v4.indd 3 26/08/2015 10:11:41 Show preview

an extension to Hall 14. IBC 2015 preview Introduced for IBC2015 and reserved for first time IBC Exhibitors, this new feature of the IBC Exhibition is your chance to see new technology and exhibitors never before seen at the event. Even newer at IBC is the drone zone. As Amazon lobbies for airspace above the world’s cities and suburbs (specifically from 200ft-400ft, exclusively for autonomous drones that will be the future of delivery), in the This year’s show brings you ultra HD, OTT… and drones meantime IBC attendees can see up close and get to play with these flying vehicles. So-called t’s time once again to dust off your IBC will talk IOC 2022 rights, 4K UHD and global ‘large range flying video platforms’, some of boots as Europe’s biggest broadcast show ambition in Friday’s IBC keynote. Roger J Lynch, which have never been exhibited before, will be opens its doors from 10-15 September in CEO of Sling TV keynotes on Saturday on there from the world’s leading manufacturers in Amsterdam’s RAI to over 55,000 attendees ‘Over the Top Comes of Age’. Sunday will see IBC’s new Feature Area, the IBC Drone Zone. from more than 170 different countries. BT TV Managing Director Delia Bushell There is a limit to finding about a drone on an With the rapid convergence of discussing how BT sees the future, in ‘Telcos exhibition stand, so organisers are building a broadcast, IT and telecoms, this year’s Tune Into Broadcasting’. very large flying cage, in Congress Square in Iconference theme is ‘The Future of Media in an Another timely topic is net neutrality, and the centre of the RAI, promising access to the Age of Disruption’. Unsurprisingly, a fragmenting the conference will aim to answer how well flight cage to demonstrate products in a real, media landscape brought about by the growth in broadcasters, platforms and content owners are outdoor environment. the consumption of TV and video content on embracing the issues of content rights as the EU IBC also addresses Virtual Reality with a VR smartphones, tablets, laptops and other connected looks towards a Digital Single Market. primer at the IBC Content Everywhere Europe devices sets the stage for this year’s conference. Hub, VR storytelling explored at the conference, New faultiness are being crated and over the UHD master class multi-cam rigs at the exhibition and hints toward course of the week high level execs will reveal how The Ultra HD Forum, which now members some holograms at the IBC Future Zone. Indeed, the these shifts are impacting their business from 20 companies including founders Dolby Future Zone by Hall 8 contains exhibitors with where they stand and how they aim to reach going Laboratories, Ericsson, Harmonic, LG cutting edge projects and prototypes from the forward. The opening IBC Forum session, Electronics, NeuLion, and Sony, will conduct a world’s leading R&D labs and universities. There Broadcasting in an Age of Challenge, sees Fran MasterClass focused on the use of UHD are 13 exhibitors on display this year, ranging Unsworth, the first woman to run the BBC World technologies to deliver the next-gen consumer from Europe, US, Japan and China. Service, OSN’s David Butorac, who runs 146 pay experience. It can be found on Friday afternoon Finally, this year sees a new hall opening, the TV channels in the Middle East and North in Rooms G102/G103. The Forum is establishing Amtrium building, which leads into Halls 1 and 4 Africa, and Philip Luff, MD UK and EMEA for guidelines for the implementation of a broad without having to walk through Hall 14. Scripps Networks Interactive share their visions scope of new UHD technologies including Wide of new challenges and opportunities. Colour Gamut (WCG), High Dynamic Range In the same session will be Thomas Riedl, (HDR), High Frame Rate (HFR) and Next 4k run returns Head of Global Android TV Partnerships at Generation Audio (NGA), and will show how If just walking isn’t enough then take part in Google, an increasingly more common presence UHD can be delivered end-to-end. the second 4K 4Charity Fun Run at IBC2015. at these events as the Silicon Valley company Join co-founding sponsors Elemental and tries to cosy up to broadcasters. Is ‘Android New things to see Ericsson on Saturday morning, September 12, TV a Game Changer?’ attendees will have the The mega-trend towards IP and software is in Amstel Park, to run the 4km (or 2.49 opportunity to make their mind up. transforming the industry and shining a spotlight miles) with proceeds going to CARE. More Meanwhile, Discovery president JB Perrette on this activity is the IBC Launch Pad, located in info at http://4k4charity.com/

58 September 2015 www.csimagazine.com

IBC-Preview.indd 2 26/08/2015 10:34:42 Business To advertise contact John Woods +44 (0)20 7562 2421 DirecTory [email protected]

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38 May-June 2014 www.csimagazine.com www.csimagazine.com September 2015 59

september_directory_2015.indd 1 26/08/2015 12:30:47 Move millions to the front row. IntelsatOne® Prism empowers you to deliver more of the moments that matter.

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7395-CSI_Prism.indd 1 8/14/2015 4:32:25 PM