JPEG XS encoding is used by Appear, Mobilelinks, and Cosm to deliver 3D VR material at important sporting events.

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Five major athletic events, as well as the commencement and concluding shows, were broadcast live in 3D VR thanks to JPEG XS.

Norway’s Oslo, on October 6 Appear , the industry pioneer in media processing and delivery technology, said today that live 3D virtual reality (VR) video for a significant sporting event earlier this summer was successfully delivered using JPEG XS encoding on its X Platform. JPEG XS was implemented in collaboration with production company Mobilelinks and fan experience technology provider Cosm and served as the foundation for the successful delivery of live VR content for the opening and closing ceremonies as well as for live 3D VR content during three times daily broadcasts of five major sporting events (boxing, basketball, beach volleyball, gymnastics, and athletics). Throughout the tournament, the firms sponsored the delivery of video-on-demand (VOD) programming for 30 additional sports.

There was a need to give more immersive multimedia experiences, such 3D and VR, in the lead-up to the important sporting event. The only connectivity between the main sporting venues and the International Broadcasting Centre (IBC), located 80 kilometers away, was two dark fiber lines, and these had to carry all video content from the event, including 10 camera channels in 4K. Supporting these content formats in live streams was therefore a challenge.

Because JPEG XS encoding prioritizes low latency and excellent quality while yet offering usable levels of compression, it is the perfect method for delivering 3D VR content on the available bandwidth. As the local production firm, Mobilelinks installed Appears X Platform hardware with JPEG XS encoding inside of its outside broadcast compound. At the IBC, the X Platform was also put into use.

To meet the project’s delivery requirements, the combination of JPEG XS and SMTPE ST 2110 in a fully redundant network proved a versatile and dependable solution. In the case of hardware failure on any of the physical connections or switches, Mobilelinks could offer a high level of redundancy with seamless switching by deploying 2022-7 over the network.

Live video feeds from the OB complex were compressed at a lossless rate by the X Platform JPEG XS encoders so they could be sent to the IBC quickly. Live VR content from the IBC could be transmitted to VR headsets all across the world, where consumers may view the immersive content through the Oculus Venues app. Cosm was in charge of creating the VR content for the app, and at each event, they employed 3D lenses on two cameras to produce the 3D VR content feeds.

This was the most ambitious VR project we’ve worked on so far, despite the fact that we’ve created content for hundreds of major athletic events in VR. For this event, we anticipated high standards, goals, and difficulties. According to Fabrice Lorenceau, VP Live Production and Video Technology at Cosm, it was crucial to have the appropriate technology and use IP to carry feeds across vast distances in a realistic manner. We were able to give the greatest immersive experience possible because to our collaboration with Appear and Mobilelinks, and we are happy to have successfully produced hundreds of hours of multicam live VR material in 4K. There was no better way to convey these signals given the amount of feeds required to deliver 3D material and the availability of only two fibers than using the technology utilized. It greatly streamlined our live operations.

The content was used as live event and VOD coverage for major sporting broadcasters, as well as live VR content for the beginning and concluding shows and the five sporting events that were aired directly to consumers. In fact, the three businesses delivered over 100 hours of live, 4K VR video during the athletic event.

We actively collaborated with Appear to evaluate the viability of their solutions for a project this technically challenging. According to Martin Simons, Head of Encoding at Mobilelinks, “We needed compression technology we could rely on when providing such bandwidth-intensive video, and given the COVID-19 epidemic, there was a risk that we would need to be able to undertake remote production from hotel rooms.” Appears X Platform JPEG XS encoders met all of our criteria. Not only are they the top in their class technologically, but their small hardware is probably going to become a standard for remote production in the future.

In order to test the technology and make sure it could adequately support 3D and virtual reality content in 4K, Appear, Mobilelinks, and Cosm conducted testing in Los Angeles and Stockholm prior to the event.

For any live athletic event, participation and distant production are technically challenging. When live VR material is delivered during a pandemic, the difficulty increases tenfold, according to Thomas Bostrm Jrgensen, CEO of Appear. But even in the face of such a hurdle, we were confident that our technology would work. We’re delighted to have been a part of such a challenging and successful project, providing true 4K, low latency entertainment that people all over the world can enjoy.

The Appears X Platform in its most recent system release now has JPEG XS encoders for SD and UHD with interface for SDI and ST 2110.

ENDS

How it appears Leading supplier of media processing and distribution technology is Appear. With its headquarters in Oslo, Norway and more than 100 customers worldwide, Appear provides the infrastructure that broadcasters, telcos, and production companies rely on to enable viewers to participate in immersive live events. In a market where expectations and requirements are continuously changing and evolving, Appears’ focus on modularity, efficiency, and excellent quality helps customers stay ahead of the competition.

Regarding Mobilelinks In northern Europe, Mobilelinks has a long history of providing media content. Since the company’s founding in 2012, it has concentrated on providing data delivery through all conceivable carriers, including public networks like the internet and mobile networks, fiberoptic, satellite, and microwave. With connections to the most significant broadcasters in our area, Mobilelinks currently runs the most potent media network. Despite the breadth of our knowledge, open standards and intellectual property are heavily prioritized.

Information on Cosm and Cosm Immersive Providing live immersive production, distribution, and video streaming tech platforms, as well as immersive app and SDK development services to partners in the form of headset and mobile applications, Cosm Immersive, a branch of Cosm, is the world leader in live immersive sports and entertainment.

Medha PalCCgroup is the PR company.

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