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Pixellot and Playermaker: the advanced soccer analytics
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Kinefinity: the MAVO mark2 S35 and MAVO mark2 LF cameras
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NBC Sports Regional Networks team up with Ross Video
More details about this event in 360 seconds. Broadcast News & Commentary
Hosts Philip Grossman, Maria Kholodova.
Maria: Pixellot system which incorporates automated video and analytics to capture every moment of the game will provide teams with faster and more in-depth analytics. By incorporating Playermaker’s technology, Pixelot’s platform will allow tracking every aspect of a player’s performance from passing and kicking, to speed and distance traveled, all in one video platform. So Philip, tell me a little bit more about that.
Philip: One thing I find interesting is that there are two takes on how these types of systems work: one is through the use of visual cameras in tracking the individual players and the other, which has been around a little bit longer is by having sensors on the individual players and I think there are several companies that do this. This I believe is one of the first times they are combining the two. It’s very interesting from a performer’s perspective: being able to identify how well a player is doing and giving feedback. What I think is going to be more interesting is how this technology can be incorporated into the broadcast so that you’ll have all the stats. Most especially in a sport like a football where you’ll have displayed the number of plays, how far the person has run… Soccer is one of those sports where once the game starts, there isn’t really much stopping until halftime or at the end of the game, so this will supply the data to help commentators provide additional information about the player(s). I think it’s an interesting technology and it’ll be just as interesting to see how live television sports will exploit it.
Maria: Moving on to Kinefinity. Kinefinity has introduced the second iteration of its MAVO and MAVO LF cinema cameras. They inherit many of the features of their high-end siblings starting from the body design and software platform but come at a more affordable price. The new Kinefinity MAVO mark2 comes in two versions; S35 and large format. So Philip, what’s special about these?
Philip: I think these are one of the first to come in at a prosumer price point for a cinema camera. Of course, the definition of cinema cameras is sort of amorphous but they really did make a splash by coming in at sub 6000 and sub 8000 for a super 35 and full format and that’s a 6K, 8K range. They adopted a similar box-type style that you see in the Red and ARRI camera, even Sony has adopted it to some extent. It seems this represents a kind of evolution for them. The sensors are a little bit better, they’re dual ISO meaning that they have a low-end ISO and high-end ISO for low-light conditions which is remarkable for them. The evolution in the camera design enables a prosumer introductory professional to get into a cinema camera or to some extent, a large organization that spends tens of thousands of dollars on cameras having a –for lack of a better term– “throwaway” camera can be stuck in a situation where when it gets destroyed, they are not as concerned.
Maria: Going back to sports, NBC sports regional networks have selected the Ross Video Xpression real-time motion graphics system and PIERO sports graphics analysis platform to enhance production with Xpression. The RSN can use one tool to manage all on-screen and Studio Wall graphics. Philip, how do you think this will help boost workflow or the on-screen output of sports in general?
Philip: Ross has been one of these players that you have seen a lot in collegiate sports and some areas of professional sports. They are a very cost-effective solution and I believe they’ve stepped up their game because the quality and capabilities of their product have increased in the last couple of years and adoption within an RSN, … I’ve always believed that RSNs is where sports is going because all sports are local, by that, I mean the teams. So by adopting a standard platform across the RSNs, it gives the ability to share the data, whether it be templates or structure, and there’ll be more consistency. Consistency to presentation is one of the things people like when watching television, especially sports: whether the sports score is on the screen, or where the down symbols are on the screen… this makes it easier for them to watch over time. And Ross has really stepped up their game and the technologies that they are providing to that level of sports and I see them going farther and further up the chain.
Maria: Alright, that’s all we have today. Many thanks to our expert Philip. Don’t forget to comment on the news we have discussed here and on any of our social media platforms.
The live broadcast took place on January 30, 2023. Production – TKT1957 LLC, Georgia.
The program can be viewed every Monday at 19:00 in the UTC+4 time zone by clicking on any of these links:
