Global broadcasters use Protouch touch screens for top sports coverage
11 February 2008
Several global TV channels have implemented Protouch touch screen monitors into live broadcasts.
The units are being used as part of a virtual graphics and sport analysis system for the BBC and ITV in the UK, Sky Italia, TV Globo and Hong Kong Cable, as well as ITI Neovision, Poland, Al Jazeera Sport TV and Digiturk, Turkey.
Protouch, the manufacturer of specialist touch screen equipment, was selected by system developer Red Bee Media, to provide the units to operate their new 3D sport graphic system ‘Piero’, designed for enhancement and analysis of sport on TV, web or mobile.
The specialist’s 32” and 40” NEC SAW USB LCD touch screens were chosen for their large-screen LCD display with high resolution, remarkable brightness and wide-angle viewing. The easy-to-use units run ‘Piero’ on-air, allowing TV presenters and pundits to draw directly on the pitch and can switch between real and virtual views. ‘Piero’ works by placing pictures of real players into a virtual stadium, using 3D telestration and tied-to-field graphics. Viewers can see and analyse play from angles that cannot be captured by conventional cameras and it is applicable to live or archive footage, as no special camera equipment is required.
The system has been used extensively by the BBC and has been adopted by Sky Italia, TV Globo in Brazil, i-Cable Sports in Hong Kong, ITI Neovision in Poland, Al Jazeera Sport TV and Digiturk in Turkey. The broadcasters used it in the 2006 World Cup and will use the technology on an ongoing basis in their seasonal football coverage. Additionally, ITV Sport has made the 32” touch screen part of its set for both the 2007 Rugby World Cup and the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions. Commenting on the system, José Manuel Mario, sports & news engineering director, TV Globo said: “Brazilians are absolutely crazy about football and as the largest broadcaster in South America, TV Globo is always looking for the best technology available to analyse and illustrate 'play' in new and interesting ways. After the World Cup, we will continue to use ‘Piero’ in our coverage of Brazil's national league football.” Also, impressed by ‘Perio’, Musetta Wu, vice president of i-CABLE Sports Ltd., Hong Kong CABLE adds: “Hong Kong Cable is the top football television station in Hong Kong. ‘Piero's’ virtual stadium feature is completely unique to the market of sports analysis tools. We bought ‘Piero’ because we wanted to make sure that we delivered the best possible coverage of the World Cup to our viewers and will continue to use the technology in our coverage of the English Premier League in Hong Kong.”
In addition, many Protouch 17" Aspect Black Resistive LCD touch screens are used by the TV channels’ producers behind the scenes. Tom Quarry, Protouch’s managing director comments: “Our touch screens are recognised for their high performance, in particular the NEC model, which is easy to use and ideal for displaying graphic information on a large scale.” Protouch continue to work closely with Red Bee Media with plans to roll out further touch screens.
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