AVNation TV

Tag: Qimera

  • ENCO Delivers Unreal Augmented Reality Experiences with Qimera Virtual Set at IBC

    ENCO Delivers Unreal Augmented Reality Experiences with Qimera Virtual Set at IBC

    ENCO has introduced major updates to its Qimera Virtual Production Studio at IBC, enhancing how broadcasters and enterprises create AR/VR/XR graphics in live events, news, and productions. With its new integration with Unreal Engine 5.6, Qimera now delivers sharper, more realistic graphics, improved GPU performance, and better scene rendering for professional-grade virtual environments. These upgrades make it easier for teams with limited resources to produce high-quality live productions.

    In addition, Qimera now integrates robotic cameras and jibs directly through the VISCA protocol, allowing full automation and simplified workflows within one interface. Enhanced real-time data capabilities, including AR-based charts and graphics automation, further streamline newsroom and live event production. The result is a powerful, intuitive platform that lowers costs, reduces complexity, and empowers even small teams to create broadcast-level immersive experiences.

    ENCO has updated its Qimera Virtual Production Studio with new features that improve workflow capabilities for the rendering, visualization and automation of AR/VR/XR graphics and live data in live broadcast, news and event production. The latter includes increased interest from corporate enterprise customers seeking cost and workflow-efficient tools to create professional live productions with teams with limited resources or expertise.

    Qimera is a real-time 3D compositing tool that allows content creators to utilize advanced virtual sets anywhere. New for IBC, ENCO will present Qimera’s integration with Unreal Engine 5.6, delivering higher quality graphics through more effective utilization of hardware resources. That includes improved GPU-driven performance to improve stability and strengthen precision while building scenes and managing live productions.

    Unreal Engine 5.6 also improves upon previous advancements in streamlined performance capture and cinematic rendering introduced within Qimera’s virtual environments in a previous software release. A new suite of integrated tools offers better control of production and pipelines and improves 3D rendering and, with increased luminance for more realistic reflections and lighting. Enhanced virtualized rendering adds to the impression of realistic environments through its production of crisper and more realistic images.

    As broadcasters embrace increasingly efficient tools to optimize virtual production workflows, Qimera now supports direct integration with PTZ cameras, robotic jibs, and pedestals through the VISCA protocol. This enables precise control and automation of camera movements from within the Qimera interface, eliminating the need for external controllers. By centralizing robotic camera operations in the same environment as the virtual production system, operators can reduce setup complexity, improve synchronization, and lower overall production overhead.

    ENCO has also updated Qimera’s live data capabilities, including automating graphics feeds with its MOS Listener for newsrooms. The application monitors incoming names, titles, graphics and other media objects for immediate display within varied Qimera environments.  Qimera’s real-time 3D charts and graphs can be generated in Augmented Reality with no green screen and intermixed with live camera feeds, and a newly expanded library of 3D visualization charts extends the possibilities of AR/VR applications within its live production workflow.

    Visitors to ENCO’s stand will have the opportunity to step into a streamlined Qimera’s production environment featuring green screen and 3D camera tracking technology (8.C76), and experience Qimera’s workflow from creation to through to visual presentation.

    “Qimera sets come to life quickly with an intuitive workflow and general ease of use that makes single operator use a genuine reality,” said Ken Frommert, President, ENCO. “With compositing tools built with modern, automated production workflows in mind, users of any skillset can quickly incorporate highly advanced virtual sets and real-time augmented reality graphics thanks to a quick learning curve. Once familiar, Qimera’s virtual universe opens to wherever the content creator wishes to go. It’s possibilities are endless.”

  • ENCO Brings Affordable Disaster Recovery Vision to IBC

    ENCO Brings Affordable Disaster Recovery Vision to IBC

    ENCO founded in 1983, pioneered digital audio and program automation for radio and TV. It offers a wide range of solutions for automated broadcast and production workflows, including captioning, AI tools, live virtual production, visual radio, and more. ENCO also extends its innovations to professional AV environments like conference rooms, lecture halls, and event venues.

    At IBC2024, ENCO will showcase its automated video playout and live virtual production solutions designed for disaster recovery scenarios in TV broadcasting. The demonstration will feature ClipFire for automated playout, Qimera for virtual production, and EN-848 for closed captioning. These solutions provide seamless transitions and continuity of broadcast operations when primary systems fail.

    The demonstration showcases ENCO’s solutions for broadcasters, demonstrating how they can swiftly recover from unexpected outages like equipment failures or network intrusions, ensuring uninterrupted broadcasting and safeguarding revenue streams, making them reliable and flexible.

    At IBC2024 beginning this Friday, ENCO will showcase how its automated video playout and live virtual production solutions offer an immediate return to air when master control and studio productions unexpectedly go dark. ENCO will demonstrate disaster recovery scenarios for these mission-critical TV operations featuring its ClipFire automated playout, Qimera virtual production and EN848 closed captioning encoder, highlighting how each provides a seamless transition to a parallel workflow in their respective use cases. ENCO exhibits at Stand 8.C76.

    ClipFire is a complete automated, channel-in-a-box solution that allows a single operator to ingest, schedule, edit and deliver media from one unified, easy-to-use platform. In disaster recovery mode, ClipFire runs continuously in the background, automatically synchronizing all existing playlists delivered through master control. It also imports traffic logs to ensure ad playout schedules are maintained and revenue streams are protected.

    “ClipFire provides all the safeguards required to ensure continuation of broadcast schedules of the primary system,” said Ken Frommert, President, ENCO. “ClipFire’s flexible customization also ensures tight integration with the broadcaster’s specific media workflows, bringing peace of mind that the air chain returns to life with the flip of switch, picking up where it should in the playout schedule. This may be to compensate for a temporary equipment failure, or to continue service for the long term in the event of storm-related damage or an outside network intrusion.”

    ClipFire’s convergence of the flexible and affordable makes it beneficial for daily use as well. “Broadcasters in several major markets use ClipFire for integrated channel playout of subchannels and OTT feeds,” he said,” adding that ClipFire is often used as a primary integrated playout system in several markets. “In the event of an on-air failure of any kind, ClipFire is prepared to transition into primary service without delay.”

    ENCO’s Qimera live virtual production system can similarly support disaster recovery for continuation of studio productions, including live news programming from remote virtual sets. Qimera is a real-time virtual compositioning tool that allows customers to generate advanced virtual sets and augmented reality graphics anywhere. Built with modern production workflows in mind, Qimera’s core server provides the engine to enable the powerful production capabilities and professional presentation qualities required for news and live studio productions on short notice, while also supporting advanced production elements including AR/VR/XR graphics.

    “The Qimera ecosystem is easy to deploy, manage and operate from any location, whether it be inside your TV facility or at a secondary site,” said Frommert. “In the case of the latter, that secondary site can very quickly turn into your primary set, and only requires a modest amount of space. The broadcaster simply needs an area with a green screen, and Qimera will recreate the experience of your main studios for viewers.”

    While the enCaption brand has become synonymous with the ENCO name in recent years, IBC marks the first time that ENCO will present the market-leading live captioning system as a disaster recovery option. The main reason? ENCO’s new EN-848 Closed Captioning Encoder can generate live captions from third-party sources and failover to its internal, on-premise enCaption engine, ensuring that captions continue to air. ENCO will also demonstrate automatic failover from a cloud-based captioning service to a fully on-premise workflow for broadcasters without compromise to quality.