with Prime serving as the tool to help handle that challenge.” NBC Sports designs custom packages for every single Olympic Games. These packages are uniquely designed graphics which only exist for that particular Olympics. “NBC Sports has a dedicated design team who design and customise everything to capture the feel of that city,” explains McStanley. “They will employ specific fonts that embody that Paris feel, which includes a lot of art nouveau. Much of the background clips were specific to the city as well, including the cityscapes. They then had a fast turnaround for the team to build an extensive package. Prime gives them the ability to build complicated graphics quickly.” Prime 4.10 introduced the capability and support for NDI, HDR and HLG, as part of the NDI 6 advanced SDK. “This was only just released in April of 2024, and we then used it for the Games this summer,” McStanley details. “That was a key technology addition for them. They also utilised one of our features: the ability to add a custom LUT to your output channel. “We collaborated closely with their team to make sure it covered their specific, complicated tetrahedral support. A lot of mathematical adjustments were involved, with our developers going back and forth to make sure it was exactly what they wanted and needed.” An important factor for NBC Sports was making sure that an
emotional connection with the viewers was established. “It was such a pleasure working with NBC Sports, especially David Melfi and his design team. It’s all about crafting an immersive experience so the viewer feels more involved and engaged,” remarks McStanley. “Making sure viewers feel like they’re part of the experience – having that deeper connection almost as if they’re alongside the athlete – is really important in the younger generation. They aren’t just watching on traditional TV; they’re on OTT platforms and need to feel like they’re part of it.” AMERICAN MADE Tom Cruise rounded off Paris 2024 in style, abseiling off the roof of the Stade de France and retrieving the Olympic flag, before a pre-recorded skydive over the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. Set to host the 2028 Summer Olympics, LA last held the Games back in 1932, and again in
1984, becoming the third three-time host city after London and Paris. New ideas and technologies are already being implemented for future Games. With 6G poised to roll out in 2030, the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane will be the first event of its kind to enjoy the benefits of the next- generation network, including more XR and metaverse technologies. Broadcasters are finding innovative ways to engage with younger audiences, and this year’s Summer Games and Paralympics proved to be a huge success in providing exciting content across numerous platforms, drawing in a younger demographic. “When it comes to watching the Olympics in 2032, we can firstly expect more expansive and immersive viewing experiences,” summarises Philippe Guillotel, a distinguished scientist at Interdigital. “VR and XR will enable viewers to share and enjoy live experiences remotely – whether that is seeing a race or a match from an athlete’s personal viewpoint or recreating the atmosphere in stadiums. A mix of video, audio and haptic feedback will build on the realism of these experiences, transporting them directly into the action.” He concludes: “Currently, VR and XR are singular experiences. But fans enjoy the social element that comes with sports – and fully immersive tech has the potential to emulate this. That being said, the technology must catch up to the hype for ultra-realistic experiences to come to life.”
RAMP UP THE ACTION Footage from multiple camera positions gave viewers an up-close look at the tricks performed at the Games
WHEN IT COMES TO WATCHING THE OLYMPICS IN 2032, WE CAN EXPECT MORE EXPANSIVE AND IMMERSIVE VIEWING
feedmagazine.tv
Powered by FlippingBook