InBroadcast - February 2022 - 50

50
www.inbroadcast.com | Vol: 12 - Issue 2 | February 2022
InStudio
VAR basics: Referee review
area and RRA monitor
By Igor Vitiorets,
CTO at slomo.tv...
T
he
Video assisted
technology
review
implementation
(VAR) allowed the referees to review
controversial moments for making
the right decisions. The monitor used
to review video clips is one of the
key elements of the VAR technology
and the point of contact with the VAR
team.
Depending on the sport and its
specifics, there are different options
for replay
review organization. In
some cases, the referee can watch
the replay at the VAR team workplace.
If this is not possible or for more
comfortable work a Referee Review
Area (RRA) with a dedicated monitor
is set up on the edge of the playing
area.
How is the video delivered to it?
This can be done by duplicating the
VAR monitor using an HDMI splitter.
However, the organization of the
Referee Review Area is not as simple
as it may seem at first glance.
With the implementation of the
VAR technology in football, the RRA
and the equipment used has been
strictly regulated, since the cost of a
referee error in football is very high.
What rules should be followed in the
organization of the review area and
what guidelines should be followed
when selecting a RRA monitor?
First, let's talk about functionality.
The image displayed on the RRA
monitor must be in sync with the
image seen by the video referee in
the VAR room at the stadium, VAR
Van, or VAR Center. In general, a
common coaxial cable can be used.
If the VAR equipment is located far
away from the RRA, optical FO->SDI/
SDI->FO extenders or IP extenders
based
on
video transmission
technology via Ethernet are required.
When choosing the video extenders,
make sure there is no delay
confidentiality
of
the
review
or
loss of quality. Many Leagues and
Federations have high requirements
for
process. Video from the VAR monitor
should only be available when the
referee stands in front of it and
analyzes the controversial moment.
This is to prevent spectators, players
and coaches from watching what the
VAR team is doing.
One of the possible solutions is
to use 2x2 or 2x4 HDMI switchers,
which allow activating
the
signal
only at the right moment. The rest of
the time the monitor can display an
information screen that shows the
name of the championship, teams,
sponsor ads or other information.
Unlike indoor sports, football
are played
games
in outdoor
stadiums and, therefore, there is
a weather factor. The RRA monitor
image must be bright enough so that
the sun does not disturb the use of
the VAR technology. For this purpose,
monitors with increased brightness
and Sunproof Hoods are used, which
protect not only from the sun, but
also from prying eyes. In addition to
having a protective canopy, the entire
structure must be weatherproof so
that the equipment is not affected by
rain and snow.
As for the size of the RRA monitor,
the optimal solution would be a
23-28 " monitor. On the one hand,
it provides a clear picture, and on
the other hand, it is easier to protect
it
from bad weather. Strong wind
should be considered separately. It
should be understood that the larger
the RRA monitor, the more it can
sail and requires strengthening the
fasteners of the whole structure.
https://slomo.tv
Bringing the Emirates Draw to the screen
E
mirates Draw is the hugely popular
television programme which
wraps up the UAE national lottery in
entertainment and information. Since
the end of 2021 it has been produced
by Media and Art Production (MAP),
based in Fujairah.
As a specialist in live events,
MAP was keen to take the show
out to its audience, so set out to
create an exciting experience from
a different location each week. It
needed a complete production
platform which would support it.
Rather than going down the
route of a conventional outside
broadcast
truck, MAP opted for a
flyaway solution, allowing the kit to
be tailored to each venue. That meant
it had to be SDI-based, so it could
be used in conjunction with existing
facilities, such as a studio in Dubai
Media City.
MAP's
in-house technical
and
engineering team had a clear idea of
what they wanted from the flyaway
kit, and looked to the market to see
what would
meet
their practical
requirements. As an extra constraint,
they needed to be able to produce
Imad Bassil, owner and GM of MAP and Mohammed Abu Ziyadeh, System Engineering
Manager FOR-A Middle East & Africa in Emirates Draw Flyaway Studio
in HD today, but upgrade with the
minimum of fuss to 4k and HDR Ultra
HD at any time in the future.
The company was already familiar
with FOR-A products, and determined
right at the beginning of the design
stage that the heart of the system
would be the 642 MFR-3000 routing
switcher and multiviewer. But
in
discussions with FOR-A, it quickly
became clear that it could supply a
very large part of the system.
The final design includes cameras,
video servers, graphics generation
and
signal
processing, all
from
FOR-A. The local FOR-A office in Dubai
was also able to provide engineering
support, to develop the final
architecture as quickly as possible.
Time was essential in the project,
as MAP had committed itself
MAP and FOR-A at Emirates Draw
to
launching the new Emirates Draw
show on UAE
National Day, 2
December 2021. The fact that FOR-A
was capable of delivering all the
equipment against this tight timeline
was very valuable.
The final design
is also readily
scalable. The whole architecture
can switch from HD to Ultra HD
(4k over quad SDI) at the flick of a
switch. Routers and servers are also
expandable as the show grows.
The result
is a system that
is
familiar to operators and easy to
use, providing reliable production
wherever the location. Built as a
flyaway, it is very easily transported
from location to location, by road or
by air.
Since its first outing at the beginning
of December, the FOR-A system has
been on air every Sunday, delivering
the functionality
and
security to meet MAP's expectations,
serving the creative vision of the
show's producers, and entertaining
audiences in primetime.
https://www.for-a.com
technical
http://www.inbroadcast.com https://slomo.tv/en/ https://slomo.tv/en/ https://slomo.tv/en/ http://www.slomo.tv https://www.slomo.tv https://www.for-a.com https://www.for-a.com https://www.for-a.com https://www.for-a.com https://www.for-a.com
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