Broadcaster Fujairah TV collaborated with Grass Valley to upgrade their studio facilities with the native 4K/UHD/HD LDX C98 compact camera and Masterpiece Master Control Switcher.
Broadcaster Fujairah TV and systems integrator Pharaon Broadcast S.A.L. in the United Arab Emirates collaborated with Grass Valley to upgrade Fujairah TV’s existing studio facilities.
The upgrade features Grass Valley equipment including the LDX C98 compact camera with three 2/3in XensiumHAWK CMOS imagers with DPMUltra (dynamic pixel management). The cameras support native 4K/UHD and native HD operation, while maintaining the quality needed for most studio and LED wall applications.
XensiumHAWK CMOS imagers with DPMUltra
Over time, the change from HD to UHD and the introduction of HDR has pushed camera manufacturers to develop more flexible imaging systems. First, DPM was used as a lossless switching method between aspect ratios and between the different HD formats. But image acquisition with a higher pixel count on a fixed imager size leads to smaller pixels, which result in lower sensitivity.
Until more recently, CMOS imagers didn’t allow pixel size to be changed, limiting producers who need to work in both UHD and HD. Eventually, newer CMOS-based XensiumHAWK imagers with DPMUltra – like those in the LDX C98 – became available and added the ability to choose the pixel size for native UHD or native HD, without impacting the images.
The camera has four HD/3G SDI outputs, and for 4K operation, 2SI is used to capture a 4K video signal over the four 3G SDI inputs.
Master Control
Fujairah TV's new K-Frame XP production switchers with the Korona control panel, the high-performance Sirius 830 router and the modular Densité Processing Platform also support native HD and 4K/UHD operation and do not compromise on the number of input or output signals. The Masterpiece Master Control Switcher used for playout includes FormatFusion3, supporting all standards from SD SDR to 4K/UHD HDR, and adds considerable flexibility and reliability to the system.
FormatFusion3 simultaneously synchronises, processes and manipulates SD, HD, 3G and 4K UHD sources in real time, within the same system. Fujairah TV can adapt video sources to the I/O requirements called for in different productions, converting these inputs either to the production output standard for mixing in an M/E, or to an alternative output standard.
It means their team has more flexibility when feeding multiformat material into their channels – multiple versions of the same material to feed to different channel outputs are no longer necessary, nor is external conversion equipment. Commercial breaks in HD can be combined with UHD programs as well.
Masterpiece Master Control Switch
The FormatFusion4 option adds HDR capabilities, independently handling HLG, PQ and S-Log3 for colour spaces BT709 SDR and, for workflows in 4K UHD and HD, BT2020 HDR. The switcher core of the can be set to specific EOTF and WCG settings.
Ease of Integration
Mr Raphael Yammine, COO at Fujairah TV, commented on the decision to integrate Grass Valley infrastructure. "The choice was driven by several key factors – first among these was ease of integration, in order to achieve a smooth transition and continuity in our operations,” he said. “The quality of Grass Valley's services and their local support were critical as well. This partnership allows us to meet or exceed broadcast quality standards, which is what viewers are looking for."
Pharaon Broadcast’s General Manager Fady Boustany said, "Fujairah TV leads the way in this industry through innovation and reliability, and have chosen Grass Valley's systems as part of maintaining a competitive edge and operational resilience." www.grassvalley.com
